Vetrean Pastor, Life time Learner, Problem Solver, Servant-Leader and Motivational Speaker.

Article for Church Newsletter in April after Easter Service FBC Elma 2012

Good Morning Church,

• God is continuing to do marvelous things at First Baptist Church Elma, WA. The unchanging, compelling and uncompromised word of God is being preached.  People are repenting of sin, Christ is being exalted, and over 60 people are attending Sunday services every month. New faces are joining us to celebrate the creator and designer of these great planet and some of them are coming back. More children are enjoying and attending our services God is working through His Spirit to accomplish His purpose in us.
•  Our average attendance for March 2012 was over 65 people. Thank God for over 85 people who attended our Easter Service 2012. The soul stirring testimonies, truth filled expression of worship in the music selection, our children singing, the Christ exalting scripture reading and Holy Communion were used by God to touch lives. It is invigorating to see what God does through us when we are obedient students of His word. God does His best work in us when we are obedient to His call upon our lives.

 

•   Since December 2012 when I started preaching here; I have seen that God is obsessed with First Baptist Elma and loves the city of Elma. Satan is really working to destroy the work of God in this town.  Despite his efforts, God who is greater than our enemy. He is working through us to display His glory to in Gray’s Harbor County. Your love for God and people is so contagious it could make an Alaskan Fisherman buy sun-tanning lotion for next winter. Thank you Church!!!!!

• Hope you are enjoying the series of sermon “The Unstoppable King Jesus”: reflections on the life of Christ and seven of the many miracles in the Gospel of John. Obedience to God is one of the most difficult decisions we can make in our life.
•  We are learning over and over that obedience to God paves the path for  His power to change our lives and use us to change the lives of other people.  Keep praying for those who received the CD.’s before Easter Service 2012. Enjoy the picture below of what God has done at FBC (Interim Pastor)

Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi.

 

 

COOL VIDEO!!!ELMA REPORT.......I WILL NOT BE DISCOURAGED!!!!EVEN THOUGH NOBODY RESPONDS TO MY ALTAR CALL FOUR WEEKS..... IN A ROW!!!!Check this video out!!!WOW!!!!!!!! Opera duo Charlotte and Jonathan....Especially if you struggle with your weight!!!!!!

 

1. This video GOT SOME DUST OF MY EYES and made me have a "black baptiscostal moment" rejoicing at the power of God despite the negative "voices" of the enemy. Christ will build His church despite the pull of Satan. 
2. Just before watching this movie, I was lamenting in my office in Elma that nobody responding to my call for salavation in the past four SUNDAYS!!!!
3. I was discouraged tONIGHT when I saw young men  selling drugs right in front of my apartment (in Elma, WA) directly across the street from our church. (Satan, seriously????Our God is greater.He will kick your .....!!!)
4. My heart sank!!! I could not believe that Satan will engineer people to destroy lives right between two churches. GOD  have MERCY!!! HEAL ELMA!!!!Elma for Jesus!!!!! Pastor James needs prayer support......
5. BUT WAIT!!!!!! THAT IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!!!!
6. God has gifted numerous people in our church to accomplish His work as we obey HIS WORD!!!!!
7. What we are doing is more important that "Britain Got Talent".WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!! CHRIST HAS PROMISED TO BUILD HIS CHURCH!!!!
8. God is bringing people to Himself. All kinds of people to Himself.....
9. After church TODAY!!!! numerous people told me they have invited people for Easter. People hugged me and told me God is rocking their MINDS WITH JOHN 3:16!!!!!!!!!!
10. We are praying that God will send us 80 people on Easter Sunday.
11. We believe that God is totally in-charge  and can do great things through us. We are excited that God will do amazing things for us!!!!!!YEAH GOD!!!!!!!!
12. We are riding a wave, a wave of the grace and amazing goodness of GOOD God great God of Isreal. 

Amazing NEWS!!!!

1. Over 55 people in Church today....we will celebrate and give God the glory.
2. We will not listen to the naysayers about this "being the honey moon" or "it will wear out in 1 year".
3. A young solider and his wife attended our services....we honored He and his wife for serving our country. Thank God for men and women who are willing to fight for our freedom. Freedom is not free baby!!!!!!
4. We will party hard and rejoice in the goodness of the Lord.Grays harbor county will continue to see what God is doing throught First Baptist Church Elma.
5. We will join the lord in His work in and around Gray's Harbor County...
6. Jesus is Alive!!!!THE TOMB IS EMPTY!!!!!WE WILL proclaim His word in our lives. God is good!!! Our anthem forever will be!!!!!!!!!!!

ELMA FOR JESUS 2012..

Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi

3/25/2012

Really cool slide show...kinda 2012 Middle School Ministry North Mason Bible Church 2012........

 

I am quite sure Jesus Christ did not die on the Cross so I could drive a Hummer (or a buick ..or get a greencard...hot smoking wife who loves Jesus......).........God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:10-12.

My heart was broken when I watched this video on 11-7-2011. The prostitution of the gospel of Christ in my country breaks my heart. I am sure that Jesus did not die on the Cross so we could drive a Hummer. Would you kindly take 20 minutes to view this video and pray that God will judge these predators of the poor and bring them to justice. I pray that God will judge this false preachers soon. Would you also pray that God will take my wicked heart and replace it with a heart that is truly broken with the things that break the heart of God. I want God to be pleased with my life. Thank you Seyi Reynolds for an excellent well done job.

Psalm 7:10-12 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

 

Our Greatest Need— D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation

Our Greatest Need

If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor.

But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior.

— D. A. Carson,  A Call to Spiritual Reformation

via takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com

The hardest person to Lead........ME!!!!

One of the hardest lessons I have learned is that self management is not easy. It is easier, but senseless to tell people about places you have never been.  It is wiser to lead people where you have been.  if I can lead myself well.  I will lead men well. People can then follow me and learn from me. My prayer is that God will use me to lead me well. The Leadership challenge for this black preacher is to allow God to manage my deepest fears and my deepest hurts for the next fourty five years of my life.

    In his fantastic work on Leadership. Tim Irvin ( the author of "Derailed"..the best book I have read on leadership this year after the Bible)  reflects deeply on self management: "Effective self mangementss is heavily depentdent upon good self -and other awarness. A lack of self and other awareness is a common denominator among those who derail. The ability to manage our relationships is heavily dependent upon our perspectiveness of what is going on within us and with others. ....Self aware individuals pay attention to their emotions  without being ruled by them. ..They understand that how to build their stengths and observe their limits."

Almost 10 years of Youth Ministrty 10 Tips for dealing with Parents in youth ministry and an excerpt from '3 Thing to Never Say to your Volunteers" from Youth Ministry Guru Doug Franklin Online

1. Remember that parents are a gift from God to their children. Affirm them during your youth talks.
2. Remember that there are no perfect parents. Never bash the parents in front of the kids. Pray for the parents.
3. The Mom is always right. Listen to her. Dont get emotionally attached to the "hot" single mom.  Never tell a student that her mom is hot!!! She may be hot but so is Hell. Keep your thoughts to yourself.
4. Respect the decisions of the Dad especially if they Homeschool their families. Home school dads are the boss. Respect dads. When shaking the hands of the couple always shake the hands of the dad first if you are a guy. If you a girl shake the hands of the mother first.
5. Learn from the worst parents on how not to treat "them" or their child. An honest soft sincere apology to a parents, 80% of the time turns away their wrath. Learn to say" I am sorry .....". 
6. Listen to what parents are not saying. Listen carefully to what kids say about church policies and politics.....you will hear what their parents really think of you.
7. Never disrespect a parent in front of their kids.
8. Honor your own parents.
9. Remember there are no perfect parents. 
10. Pray reguarly for God to parents of pre-teens. Always listen to them. Most of the time..mom is just afraid. Listen to her fears.

Doug FankIn gives some good insight:

3. Never say to your volunteers: Parents don’t get youth ministry or the pastor doesn’t get youth ministry

When you disrespect an authority volunteers get nervous. They know that you’re not in charge and that you don’t have the experience most parents and pastors have. Your disrespect of these people will make you look immature and stupid. I know at times you are frustrated with them but you need to learn submission. Taking your frustration out in your front of your volunteers will do more to hurt your leadership than almost anything else. Speak highly of your parents and pastors. Give them respect and the other volunteers will respect you

via www.dougfranklinonline.com

Wedding thoughts!!!!!30 Reflections from this past weekend and Getting ready for a second trip to Alaska this year.

1. I had a great time this past week performing a wedding for Alexis Chosvig "Joseph" and Micheal Joseph.
2. God was the master of the ceremony and the gospel was preached. Christ was lifted up. It was a 30 minute wedding.
3. I love it when I can talk about the love of Christ in a wedding.
4. I love it when the bride and groom are in love with Jesus Christ. LOVE IT~~:::: Love it when both parents are believers in Jesus Christ!!!!!!
5. I love it when I can say to them; " Love is a verb". Marriage is a covenant between God, a man and a woman".
6. I think I am a spoiled by God that He allows me as a single unmarried Pastor to perform weddings.
7. I got one of the best compliments after the wedding about the sermon.
8. "Pastor James  that was one HELL of a sermon opps....revenrend sorry for my language. .....but i loved your sermon it made me cry". WOw that was so cool!!!!!I love real compliments.
9. Yes I did
   cry ( just a little bit, i have known her since she was 11 give me a break) while I was performing the wedding.
10. The bride and her family are deep and close friends who live in portland. Love the Erick and Lauri Chosvig their family..like a runner loves a morning run. 
11. Yes my heart danced for joy like an African mama seeing her son released from prison.
12. I pray that their marriage will last for 40-60years.
13. I pray that God is the center of their home. 
14. I pray that God gives the bride amazing grace and wisdom as a miltary (Airforce) wife.
15. Yes I made a mistake during the pronouncement and called the bride the wrong name  (Erica.....her sisters name......). They forgave me. Love that family.
16. Then I lost it because I was overwhelmed with joy and peace.
17. Yes the reception hall was classy, trendy and wow it took my breath away.
18. Yes Sunday School at North Mason Bible Church was awesome.
19. Yes I am getting ready for my trip to Alaska to serve missionaries and Pastors families by ministering to their teenagers.
20. Yes we will be hiking and I think am in better shape to do that this time.
21. I will miss my 6;30 am gym check in while am in Alaska. I met a couple at my gym this morning. Wife is 73 and husband is 82. Wow that is amazing!!!!!! He looked in better shape than I did. I will be working out till am 82.....Help me Jesus!!!!
22. Yes!!! I am dreading the small plane rides. They are  very scary. 
23. I love missionary kids and third culture people.
24. Yes I love cross culture ministry even though Cross culture marriages scare me.
25. I love Jesus and that is why I go to Alaska every year. Even twice this year
26. Yes they are paying for my traveling expenes to come there and I glad they are being generous to me. 
27. Thank God for Jesus Christ.
28. Met a Pastor from Anchorage at our church yesterday. He has been a pastor for 16 years.
29. He knows one of the camp counselor from the camp who is picking me up at the airport.
30. Pray that I dont miss my 6;00 am flight tomorrow from Seattle to Anchorage.

Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi

Prayers needed for the next three months:Traveling & Speaking Engagements outside of North Mason Bible Church for 2011 for Pastor James Owolabi

Fall 2011 is starting to get busy around my church and I am excited that we are launching three bible studies this week.
 In additon to these bible studies i have been invited to serve the following Churches and Christian schools:

• September 27^th 2011 –October 1^st 2011: Speaking at Port Oldsworth Alaska at Arctic Barnabas Pastor and Missionary retreat 2011.
• October 7^th 2011: Damascus Christian School. Damascus Oregon.

• October 23^rd 2011: Speaking at Journey Church in Tacoma, Washington.
• October 28^th 2011: Speaking at Middle School Chapel at Life Christian Academy Tacoma, WA.
  
• November 13th 2011. Grace Community Church Grapeview, WA.
• November 16th and 17th Catalyst Conference in Chicago.
• November 18^th –November 24th 2011: I will be serving and visiting my family.
• November 20th 2011: Speaking at the Church at Avon in Avon Indiana.
• November 27th 2011: Speaking at  Endeavor Church Portland.
• December 4th 2011: Speaking at Independent Baptist Church of Ellensburg. WA.
  
• December 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th 2011: I will be preaching at FBC ELMA.
• Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi

 

Paul Miller: “The great struggle of my life is not trying to discern God’s will.......

Paul Miller: “The great struggle of my life is not trying to discern God’s will; it is trying to discern and then disown my own. Once I see that, then prayer flows.”

1. The bible contains God's will for your life.

2. God's will is that you love Him more than life itself.

3. God's will is that you listen to Him more than your emotions.

4. God's will is that you trust Him with your "trash" and pain more than your perception.

5. God's will is that you love the people in your house not just on a mission trip.

6. God' s will is that you honor your parents especially when you do know you are right.

7. God's will is that you remember that you are not God. You did not create the universe.

8. God's will is that you learn more about Him by obeying Him.

9. God's will is that you seek to deny your self, take up your cross and follow Him every day and not just on Sunday.

10. God's will is declared and demostrated in the work, life, and words of Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus on His twitter page the Bible!!!! 

My problem is not that I do not know the will of God is that I am in love with my own will. 
Grace and Peace

Pastor James Owolabi