Milestone 1

Do you want your new born to learn how to clap? Start a celebration with clapping and praises like "Yeah for Sam" or "Yeah for Taylor," or whatever the name of your child. Soon they will join the celebration and add to the applause. This is Milestone 1, a Parent and Baby Celebration. It's a time for the parents to celebrate their responsibility as the primary Faith Trainers of their children. Periodically in the year, Anderson Mill will have a dedication service where parents affirm their roles in training and the church affirms its part in praying for the family. Milestone 1 is part of our worship on those special days.

Prior to the celebration comes one of the first equipping sessions with Pastor Rod as he guides the parents down the path to maturity. Yes, this is mandatory because the Bible is very serious about training this new generation according to Deut. 6:4-7. The vision begins to clarify and parents are challenged to provide spiritually for their child. New parents feel a sense of urgency when the first child comes. They want the very best they can supply.

The walk down the Legacy path takes on meaning. In this first Milestone, parents learn about Faith Talks, God Moments and Celebrating Milestones. As God's special gifts to parents, children need parents, not friends or caretakers, to be the "hands on" people in their life. This is why children are dedicated to the Lord and By His Word during this special day.

You're on the way!

Family Ministry

Last Sunday, Pastor Rod spoke about Legacy Milestones, a strategy for raising up disciples in your home. Children today often see religion from a once a week, "in the box experience" point of view. Milestones spreads a vision for the parents to be the primary faith trainers, the home being the primary place of training and the church being the equipper of the parents. All of this comes from Deut. 6:4-7. Even one-parent families are successful in making disciples at home as they partner with the church, mentors and support groups.

Every step is important and provides order to the Great Commission in Matt: 28:18-20. No longer can families out source their responsibilities to others or even to the church when it comes to raising up the next godly generation. Parents shouldn't allow their irresponsibility to become another's responsibility. Examine the milestones in the next few blogs. Purpose to commit your ways to the Lord.

Special thanks to Brian Haynes and Kingsland Baptist Church.

A Hot Air Balloon over Anderson Mill

Happy Anniversary, Billy Graham Call Center!

It was February 14, 2005, when Anderson Mill opened our first call center for receiving national phone calls through the Billy Graham Telecast. That first night, with trembling and trust, 6 phones rang for almost 2 hours and we received 29 phone calls from all over the US and Canada. Over the next three nights, 3 dozen volunteers would be trained to pray, receive phone calls and help people make their next step toward God. Nine people received Christ as Savior the first night. What an exciting adventure!

Since then, our call center has answered 1,765 calls and helped share the gospel so that 657 people could pray to ask Christ to be their Savior. Our center helped train and start two other centers in Austin at sister churches during the past 5 years. Volunteers from area churches are partnered with Anderson Mill each time the call center opens.

Thank you, Anderson Mill, for making it possible to so many to be a part of this nation-wide network of call centers each month. Pray about joining this exciting ministry in 2010 and you too can answer the phones with us, “Hello. This is the Billy Graham Telephone Center. My name is Al. Did you call to receive Christ as your personal Savior?”

Contact Al Magness: amagness@ambcaustin.org 512-258-5843 X 104 or go to http://www.ambcaustin.org/ for more information.

"Leaders who refuse to listen, will soon find themselves surrounded by those who have nothing important to say."

" He who has ears, let him hear." Did the people around Jesus listen to what was being said? They heard what they wanted to hear. They didn't hear "between the lines." How can I be a great listener?

First, make sure the conversation isn't having to compete with things which are distracting. Turn the cell phone off. Close the door. Turn off the TV or radio. Set aside my agenda. Good listeners hear what's being said. Great listeners show the other person we are getting what is being said by giving them our undivided attention. Body language speaks louder that words.

Second, repeat (in summary) what was said. Allow the other person to hear what you believe they said and ask for confirmation. Acknowledge any corrections that were made.

Third, ask if there is anything else that needs to be said. Often the first thing that is said, may not be the most important thing. Or the talker may have forgotten something they intended to say. Be very slow to close out an appointment until everything has been said.

Finally, thank the other person for their investment of time. Then act on what was shared. That doesn't always mean we have to fix something. Listening is part of the process of communication. Sometimes listening is the most important part of decision making, problem solving or relationship building.

Purpose to be a great listener, then act like one. Good listeners attract good leaders.

Lord, You got me into this!

How do we remained focused in uncertain times? These past few months many of us have experienced uncertain times. Lost jobs, lost health, lost relationships and a shaky outlook for tomorrow. Lord, You got me into this. Sometimes we get into a situation that seems to have no way out. Can't move forward, to the right or to the left. We're stuck! "I thought I had a plan."

When the plan doesn't seem to be working, don't be afraid to admit, "It was a bad plan." I wish I had abandoned some plans earlier than I did, but sometimes we will think it more honorable to die on the hill of our plan.

The problem with plans is that they are subject to change. Just ask all those travelers who had their plans interrupted by record snow falls in the east. Realize that vision needs to be stable. Plans need to be flexible. Failure in a plan doesn't mean it was a bad vision. Our vision may be to work toward a lifestyle that will honor God, provide for my family and fund my ministry. Plans may help us through specific time, but sometimes they rarely endure to the end. Vision endures.

Don't let "changed plans" derail us as we move toward the vision.

Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We are to fix our eyes. Establish the vision God has for you. Make plans, but allow God to change them as needed.

"Lord, you got me into this. I'm trusting You to see me through this."

When You Feel Overwhelmed

Jesus was on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple Area in Jerusalem. He was talking to his "Core +1" Group, Peter , James John and Andrew. He was helping His disciples work through and be prepared for an overwhelming feeling they would soon have, if they didn't have it already. Perhaps we have had similar feelings of walking up to an airplane wreck with a box of band aids and a tube of triple antibiotic ointment.

For months, Jesus had tried to prepare these guys for what was to come, and now it was time. Jesus told the disciples in Mark 13:9 "be on guard." Imagine getting a Hallmark Greeting Card with something like this, "Enjoy the day because tomorrow you will be ..." and you open the inside of the card and read, "... handed over to angry men, flogged, arrested, betrayed, hated, and Oh, Have a great day!" Talk about being overwhelmed. They were! Try fixing that situation with a band aid.

What Jesus said next was the right prescription: "don’t worry beforehand what you will say. On the contrary, whatever is given to you in that hour—say it. For it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit."

All these things would happen to these guys in a few short days. And sure enough, the Holy Spirit was right on time. Here's the point: We can not afford to worry about the past or the future. We are only given grace for today. Perhaps it is good that we don't know how tomorrow will unfold for us.

Use this day as a day of serving others. TIP: Serve others who are overwhelmed and you'll make a lifelong friend.

The picture above is Cheyenne Mountain, the home of NORAD.

It is always good to be prepared and NORAD helps the United States

stay prepared for any emergency from outside governments.

"Not Bad" Isn't Good Enough

"Not bad." I hear this sometimes when someone thinks they have completed a "pretty good" attempt at a task or project. Or it may sound like this, "Well, I'm not a bad person." Thank God that the gospel doesn't give us an opportunity to be graded on a curve, or it wouldn't be "good news" for eternity.


"9 out of 10 isn't bad." When we share the good news with other people, the gospel offers hope not odds. It is 100% sure that with Jesus as Savior, a person will go to heaven. Period. That's the best news we can share with people. 100% of the time. 100% of the people who accept Jesus as Savior go to heaven. How would you like to live a life that has based it's future hope on , "Well, I hope I go to heaven"?


We can know with certainty, today, right NOW!

1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you

who believe in the name of the Son of God,

so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The Railyard at Santa Fe, New Mexico