Franklinville, NC
Randolph County
919.728.6146
336.669.9379

I was out driving around the other day looking for a park to walk in. Came across this little church – and decided to come back the next day with my camera. Loved the brick and stained glass. Wish I could have gotten inside. You can see the beauiful (what looks like) cherry pews inside on the website linked above.
I look forward to finding more history in Raleigh.

Photograhs Taken: kd Sunday, August 8, 2010

Ministry books line Christian bookstore shelves. Some are worth the read; some are not. just a fact of life.
This one, by Marshall and Payne, is one that is worth the read. The authors provide a superb visual that stays with the reader throughout the book.
This is the current book we are reading together as a Parent and Family Discipleship team – I have loved reading books with my teammates, co-laborers, friends. Each person brings a new set of eyes and experiences to the reading of the book and discussion. I would recommend this practice to those of you who serve on ministry teams. It is very worthwhile.
Here are 5 of my thoughts on this book and then I’m offering some of the questions I’ll raise to our team here when we discuss it in a few weeks:
1. If I could sum up this book in two words, those two would be: decentralized ministry. Marshall and Payne focus on training and making disciple-makers out of disciples. It is not just about the staff ministry team whose names are on the bulletin or on the church marquee sign. It is about the people in the church who sit in the pews, rock babies, play foosball at youth lock-ins. It is about the grandmother who brings her 8-year old to church with her and the single dad who rushes home from work in order to bring his two middle schoolers to youth group.
2. This book is repetitive. While that is a good thing – to drive home the argument or premise – this book could be quite a bit shorter if written more succinctly.
3. The authors do a great job of keeping the goal/vision of this book in front of them at all times. You don’t wonder what they are aiming toward – see number 2.
4. Throughout the book, you get a sense that the lay people in your church are important. Not just the elders or the deacons, but those that do the grunt work in volunteering. But, you also get a direction in which to take these people – from just stacking chairs on Sunday morning or filming the service – to pouring the Bible into others and making disciples of their neighbors or co-workers.
5. I love their use of Scripture and historical references (think Baxter and Luther). This isn’t just some new-fangled idea that the authors came up with one night at a retreat. They have sought the perfect Word of God on this (thankful for the ministry of Paul and the disciples in the New Testament). They prove that opinions in ministry are a dime-a-dozen, but the Word of God should compel us in how we do ministry.
6. So often we get stuck in our denominational circles. This book doesn’t. We read of Presbyterians, non-denominational ministries, and SBCers. Shows that one denomination isn’t the only one there is. We all can learn something from our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world.
7. They don’t think they have cornered the market on ministry application. These two men show great humility toward the end of the book when they say what we have written in here isn’t prescription – see what works for you. Its more the idea of team work and disciple making than it is about a prescribed step-by-step plan.

Here are some of the questions I’ll pose to our team when we have our book discussion:
1. Which type of ministry do you thrive in (or tend to work in): the trellis or the vine?
2. Do we run our ministries in an 80/20 mentality? Are we so focused on a few people who those few people are doing most of the ministry in our churches. Are we exhausting those people without allowing so many more to participate?
3. What do you think would happen if we expected more out of our leaders and volunteers? Why are we afraid to ask more of them?
4. How are you being a good steward of the ministry you’ve been assigned to (probably the most convicting question for me)?

I would recommend this book. It may not be the BEST book I’ve ever read on ministry – but it should be read, digested, and put into practice.

Downtown Asheville is known for its restaurants. So many to choose from. As I was walking, I came across this place and since we needed a place for birthday cupcakes – we chose this one.

Highlights:
1. The chocolate ganache frosting on the devils food cake chocolate cupcakes. So yummy and messy.

2. The sign on the wall of the restaurant.

3. The prices. 2.25 for a cupcake isn’t bad relatively speaking to other cupcake desserteries.
4. The look of the other eateries – creamed horns looked fabulous.

Lowlights:
1. The cream in my whoopie pie was a dry.

2. The folks there. It wasn’t a very kid friendly space – very small. But, they were insistent that a 3 year not put his hands on the glass – they had just cleaned it. How rude is that? Anyway…cupcakes were enjoyed by all.

Are you a vegan, vegetarian, or only eat organic foods? This place is definitely for you! This place would definitely fit into Chapel Hill or Louisville – but it is nestled on Broadway in the downtown district of Asheville. Right on the corner – it is easy to find.
I went there this past weekend for a birthday dinner. The place wasn’t slammed for an early Saturday night mainly due to the Bele Chere festival that was right outside its doors. But, the good thing was the windows so we could sit inside in the air conditioning and watch all the festivities.
I ordered the black bean burger with sweet potato fries. My two dates ordered the burger and sweet potato fries and the green sage breakfast platter. I can only speak for what I had: the bun and the tomato (so juicy and perfectly ripe) were the best part of my plate. I heard rave reviews about the breakfast platter though.

Highlights:
1. The price. All were under 10$ that we saw which is unusual for an organic place.
2. The folks. Very friendly and happy to help or answer questions.
3. The tea. Plenty to choose from and so good iced on a hot day (loose leaf teas).
4. The cafe-type atmosphere. If we had this place in Raleigh – I would go.

Lowlights:
1. Food wasn’t the best.

My grandmother nor my Dad lives in Cleveland, TN. But, I felt like I had been to a little with a little bit of both when I ate there last week.
The daily specials were meatloaf, chili, ribs, steak sandwich. I chose wisely with the ribs. Two fat ribs smothered in bbq sauce, fork tender, moist, and oh so delicious. My sides were mac and cheese and pinto beans, with a side of a corn muffin. We looked over at the couple through the window and saw they were enjoying the blackberry cobbler – looked equally as delicious. I tried some of my friends meatloaf and that was probably the best restaurant meatloaf I’ve ever had.
Highlights:
1. The price. All that for 5.99.
2. Quick service – especially if you ordered one of the daily specials.
3. The atmosphere. Pictures of Earnhardt and Jesus on the wall. Old men piling in their Camry to come out and shoot the breeze and drink sweet tea and eat burgers on a Friday night.
4. The ribs.
5. The meatloaf.

Lowlights:
1. The service. I think our waitress was just having a bad night. She wasn’t very friendly and she got my order wrong (I wanted the green beans).
2. The health factor – country cooking isn’t good for the cholesterol or the waistline.