I got an email and an attached letter from a pastor friend in Newington yesterday. He is asking for our help in addressing an outrage at Central Connecticut State University. He has two children attending there; sends tuition dollars there; also pays taxes to the state to support this institution of higher learning.





The outrage? An "event" entitled: Fornication 101 That's right, scheduled to be held this week at the Women's Study Center of the university an educational event on fornication. For those of you who don't know what this more formal "F" word means, think of the "F" word you do know. Yep--our tax dollars, some of your tuition dollars are going to support a forum to encourage college students in the art of fornication. (But don't get too over-taxed. The university has also secured sponsorship for the course from two sex toy manufacturers.)





Part of the description for the event reads: This course is designed to introduce students to carnal knowledge. Let's set aside for a moment the consideration that college students hardly need encouragement in this heretofore extra-curricular activity. Now, it seems, fornication is becoming a sponsored activity. How in any possible way is this the business of the state--or the mission of "higher education?" At your state university funded by your tax dollars? I urge you to call and email the administration of CCSU to register your outrage. Please circulate this information to all other concerned citizens, politicians, and media outlets to get the word out about this offense to decency. Phone number for the Women's Study Center is 860-832-1655. E-mail address: cobbina-boivinj@ccsu.edu



Now to Corinth. We have just launched a study at Wellspring entitled Cultures Clash at Corinth. The first century Corinthian believers lived in a culture that was quite antithetical and opposed to the values of the Kingdom of God. To be Christ-followers, they had to walk in a different way than the world surrounding them; the world that had seemed normal before they came to know Jesus; the world in which they still had to navigate.



One way leads to life. Many ways lead to life-as-less-than-it-could-be, or to out and out destruction. For instance, they didn't need a course on Fornication 101 in Corinth. It was going on in the pagan temples, bars and brothels all around them. Just like 21st century Connecticut (minus the pagan temples). The sad truth at Wellspring is that the other pastors and I see really great people (teens, young adults and middle-agers) who love Jesus and really desire to follow him mess up their lives with really poor decisions in the arena of their sexuality all the time. It is heart-breaking to say the least.

Cultures clash. The ways of this world and the Kingdom of Heaven are in conflict. One way leads to life--the other, not so much. And it is not just in the arena of sexual behavior and choices that our cultures and world-views clash. That is just one of the most obvious.

So, I want to encourage you to voice your opposition to the Fornication 101 at CCSU. And I want to encourage you to engage with us in the sorting out of Kingdom values in our attempts and desires to be Christ-followers in this present evil age.

Blessings,

RM

Greetings Sports Fans!

For those at Wellspring, this is an update and follow-up on this past weekend's events. All others are welcome to listen in!

First, an update on Isaac (see previous post). Well, we prayed as a congregation this past weekend at services for Isaac's most immediate need. He needed his bowels to get unstuck, otherwise he was going to have to go to the hospital for a procedure. Yikes!! Not good. So there in church, in front of God and everybody, we prayed for movement.

Here's the report: "We have movement, Houston!"

Hallelujah! Go God, keep moving in this little boy's frame and bring to completion the miracle work you have been doing in his body.

Second, a word about our new word--BiHogg. It is becoming part of Wellspring vocabulary. In 2011, we are going for Big Hairy Outrageous God-sized Goals! That's what a BiHOGG is.

I want to encourage you to take this seriously and go for it by seeking God for what objective he wants to partner with you on for 2011.

I have a picture of some guy who has gone after a Big Hairy GoBucks Goal. Not a real BiHOGG, but impressive nevertheless. He has made a scale replica of Ohio Stadium out of Lego's.

This guy has too many Lego's and too much time on his hand. Love his passion, but question his priorities.

BiHOGG's change lives. BiHOGG's bring glory to God. BiHOGG's advance the Kingdom of God and make a difference for the betterment of the world.

If you want to learn more about BiHOGG's go to Wellspring.net and click on the link for the sermon from 1/16 and jump on the BiHOGG train.

Blessings,

Pastor Rick

So, the miracle boys are at it again.

The video attached to this blog post was taken this past Sunday, January 9, 2011 at Wellspring Church. Isaac and Christopher Campbell, soon to reach their third birthdays, were chasing one another around on the steps and platform after the service this past Sunday.

Those of you who have been around Wellspring know about the Campbell twins and their amazing journey. For those of you who don't know Christopher and Isaac, let me give you some background.

These two boys were born very, very prematurely just about three years ago. Together they would fit in their father's hand. Both had major issues that jeopardized their viability, beyond their prematurity. Christopher's esophagus and windpipe were open to one another--had he been fed normally, via bottle or breast, he would have drowned in the milk being given him. Isaac developed major issues in his gut and had all but 14 centimeters of his small intestines removed. Both boys had bleeding in their brains. In short, these two little guys had big, big problems.

Jenn and Brian were told by the doctors that Isaac would never survive--his gut was too short to absorb enough nutrients for life to be sustained. Christopher would need surgery to close up his esophagus and to attach it to his stomach. Both might have severe physical and mental complications from the brain bleeds. Not good news. That was the doctors' report.

But Brian and Jenn had heard another report--the promise of the Lord given prior to birth through a trusted prophet that her children would be fine, not to believe the doctors. They stood on that word.

A new treatment modality was found for Isaac at a hospital in Boston. Then the time came for his intestines to be re-attached to his bowels. But the doctors said they would need to stretch his gut, because 14 centimeters was too short to sustain life. Brian and Jenn and their friends and the whole family at Wellspring prayed--believing God for a miracle. God--you can grow these intestines. Do a creative miracle in this boy's body!

Why not pray this way? We had already seen the Lord do a creative miracle in Christopher's frame. We had prayed for the Lord to grow his esophagus in order to reach his stomach when it was to be re-attached. The Campbells had been told then that the doctors would need to stretch his esophagus, because unattached it would not have grown along with the rest of his frame. But God grew it! When they opened him up--the esophagus was right there next to the stomach, ready for the doctors to stitch it on!

Then God did it again for Isaac! His intestines had grown out to 34 centimeters when they opened him up to re-attach it to his bowels.

Score at that point on the creative miracles front: Isaac one and Christopher one. On the messed up because of brain bleed front: Zero for each.

Yeah God!

That is the old news. About three weeks ago we got word from Jenn that Isaac needed more prayer because he had not grown hardly at all in the last year and he was not absorbing enough nutrients to sustain healthy life and growth. So we prayed as a congregation, while the elders laid hands on Isaac and commended further healing to him from the Lord.

Then last Sunday we watched our prayers being answered. Go Isaac--chase your brother Christopher! Go boys! Run hard, because the goodness of God is chasing you both!

The Campbell Boys from Wellspring Church on Vimeo.

Soon the New Year will be upon us and the first decade of the 21st century will be in the books! Wow! Where did it go?

Each new year is a big deal at Wellspring. Our congregation was first gathered as a small group of Swedish believers on New Year's Eve 1883. So the turning of the year marks our anniversary as a church. First the Swedish Elim Baptist Church of New Britain; then Elim Baptist; next Kensington Baptist Church; and since 2005, Wellspring Church.

As a congregation January will mark an effort to Start The Year Off Right! This will be the teaching theme for the first four Sundays of the year.

On the weekend of January 7-9, we will hold a 36-hour Worship and Prayer vigil in the sanctuary. Beginning at 9:00 pm on Friday night, January 7, through Sunday morning services on January 9, there will be continuous worship and prayer in the sanctuary. (This will include the Saturday @ 5 service on January 8.)

What will happen during those 36 hours? A lot! There will be some sessions of worship led by our various bands interspersed with corporate intercession for the coming year. There will be some sessions in the deep night and during the day where individuals will lead in worship. Other times will be more quiet - times of "soaking" in the Lord's presence or quiet prayer.

Why are we doing this? We want to start the year off right! The foremost reason for this 36-hour initiative is to honor the Lord's presence amongst us with an extravagant offering of praise, worship and thanksgiving. To use a familiar metaphor, we want to stoke the fire on the altar. Secondly, as we go into 2011 we want to continue to seek the Lord for his blessing and provision for our ministry through the coming twelve months.

So, please won't you help us Start The Year Off Right? Mark your calendar; make your plans now to be part of this 36-hour vigil the first weekend after the New Year. You can sign up on the big board at the Welcome Center.

Blessings,

Pastor Rick