Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading The Three Taverns.
Today is Memorial Day. It’s a day when we remember the fallen who never made it back out of uniform so that we could continue to live in freedom.
My good friend Shawn Ryan posted a short video of remembrance here:
https://www.instagram.com/share/reel/BAHCO1sPTY
I’ve heard Shawn many times talk about his best friend Gabe. In fact, the memory and spirit of Gabe had a profound impact on Shawn in helping him come to Christ.
My immediate family never lost anyone in combat; however, even those who survive and come back to put a life and family together still have loss.
My uncle Earl Payne, whom we just affectionately called Uncle Earl, served in Vietnam. He was one of my personal life heroes and he was always someone I looked up to. After he returned he had many soul-scars that he lived with the rest of his life. He struggled with bipolar disorder and took lithium to manage it. If he ever stopped taking his meds he would go into a manic state, smell burning flesh, have horrible nightmares and end up in a V.A. mental hospital for a while to get things sorted out again.
He went through three somewhat tumultuous marriages. He also had lifelong effects from agent orange that he was exposed to as a helicopter crew-member and mechanic.
In reality, I think anyone who has served in combat has suffered loss even if they themselves survived.
It is worth taking a few minutes to connect with someone who has lost a family member or who survived but suffered loss of a best friend.
TAVERN TALKS TUESDAY
Someone said recently, “Tuesday mornings saved my life.” I know what he means, he means the fellowship with other men honestly seeking a relationship with Jesus has helped him stay on the Path.
Others have said, “This is what church is meant to be.” Honest, open, vulnerable, God stories in the midst of our stories.
It has been encouraging to see how men commit to each other and fellowship in the Lord.
Tavern Talks is about our stories and God’s story. It’s not about perfect people with perfect stories but authentic working out this salvation in our lives.
Each Tuesday morning at 7am you will find two to three dozen men gathered to hear each other’s stories, to encourage one another, to teach scripture and pray together.
This gathering is at The Mission Cigar & Social in Spring Hill.
Bring your coffee, your Bible, Febreze if you go to the office after, an open mind and open heart. You can purchase a cigar as well to enjoy your first cigar of the day.
We are really grateful to Mark, Monte and Willie for opening up The Mission early each Tuesday and participating in Tavern Talks!
CHRIST IN CULLEOKA
Several have asked for recordings of the messages I taught about reaching out and leading others to a relationship with Jesus Christ. They are only available on Facebook; we have not set up a Youtube channel.
“This IS eternal life, to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.” (John 17:3)
Thanks for your interest in hearing/learning more about what is nearest to God's heart, "that none perish," that "all will be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" and to meet the "One Mediator between God and man, THE man Christ Jesus."
These two messages will lay foundations that for some will be new because we have lost the true dynamic in modern methods of evangelism. We have often made it about memorized answers and rote prayers but it is truly all about an introduction to a Person. These two messages show the provisions GOD has made for us in His partnership with us in the harvest. After all, it is the Great CO-Mission where He promised, "I am with you always, even until the end of the age."
First message is called "Foundations for Harvest."
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/12Kr69GLGyZ/
Second message is called "The Power of Prayer Evangelism."
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/12HGysWaEhd/
Please listen prayerfully.
In June we are diving into Our Seat; Our Walk; Our Stand from Ephesians, studying our position in Christ, our walk in this world and our warfare against the Accuser. Join Us!
We meet at 11:30am in the Glendale Methodist church building at 1423 Culleoka Hwy, five minutes off of I-65 South. Great time to meet for a relaxed Sunday morning!
Some of you have been looking for a New Covenant group to walk with. We welcome you to walk with us.
Looking Up!
Tod Bell