'Fight Club' Meetings at Grace Church SP -- an Annual Kickoff 'Main Event' Held

Pictured is Pastor Ryan Peterson speaking at the Fight Club annual kickoff at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.
      (See other photos at the end of the following report. Click on photos to enlarge them.)

Pastor Ryan Peterson served as the main speaker for his yearly Fight Club “kickoff and recruiting” meeting held on Saturday morning, Sept. 20, 2014, at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.

“Fight Clubs” are small groups of men (about 6 to 7 men per group) who meet once a month for an entire year, Peterson said.   

“This commitment to meet together is a commitment to pray for, love, and challenge each other to become more like Jesus, the greatest example of a man we have,” Peterson said. “The Fight Clubs meet to fulfill the vision of ‘training men to be heroes to their families, leaders in their places of influence, and forceful men of God, fighting to advance God’s Kingdom.’”

 Peterson displays an advertisement placed in a newspaper by Ernest Shackleton.

Peterson told of Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), a tough polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. Shackleton, Irish-born, had no trouble getting men to volunteer to go with him. Peterson said that men want challenges and that Jesus told us “the way” will be hard and narrow but will result in abundant life and peace. He noted that Jesus promises to give “purpose, identity, and life ‘more abundantly.’”

“Jesus is the greatest example of manhood we have,” Peterson said, noting that Fight Clubs involve “men getting around other men.”

“Our nation can be called a fatherless nation,” Peterson said. “And sometimes those who are fatherless are inside the home of a male.”

A leader must first learn to follow, he said, referring to St. Paul’s statement: “Follow me, as I follow Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV).

“God, show me what being a father looks like, what masculinity looks like,” Peterson said. He addressed attendees, saying, “When what fathers say and what they do links up, kids will believe in fathers. Becoming a man looks just more like Jesus . . . Just because we’re male does not make us men . . . Relationship with him [Jesus] is going to allow you to be a hero to your family. Fight for the things that are not seen. You are investors in other men. [We need] men who are willing to invest in other men and not just into their own bank accounts.” Call Grace Church at 910-692-6711 for more information. 

 

Hosts:

A.J. Catucci (left) and Spencer Nissly acted as hosts for the Fight Club kickoff meeting.

 

Head Cook: 

Stephen Payne (pictured above) served as the amazing head cook for the Fight Club “main event” kickoff. 

 

Pictured are (from left) some of the original Grace Church Fight Club members: 

Ryan Peterson, Brad Roback, Jonathan Thornton, Kim Dierdorff, Noah Reese, and Greg Bailey.

 

Some attendees soak in the message. 

 

Frank Voelker of Pinebluff loads up on chow at the meeting.

 

Bobby Craig (left), Grace Church’s production director, and John Winne break for lunch.

 

Noah Reese (left) and Greg Bailey (from original Grace Church Fight Club) share things they have learned.  

 

While waiting for lunch, some men admire an exhibit. 

 

Quinn Dang, Ryan Peterson’s neighbor, brought a “custom Harley” to the meeting. 

 

Pictured is Ryan Peterson as he preaches at the Fight Club meeting. "Men want challenges," he said. 

 

Pictured is Ryan Peterson. “The Fight Clubs meet to fulfill the vision of ‘training men to be heroes to their families, leaders in their places of influence, and forceful men of God, fighting to advance God’s Kingdom,’” he said. 

To Be Determined

'Celebrate Recovery at Grace Church Is Open to the Public

Core group leaders for Celebrate Recovery at Grace Church include (from left) David Oglesby, Bonnie Wolff, Donna Croft, Jean Wright, Scott Chase and Shaun Kerr. 

A “Celebrate Recovery” group meets on Friday evenings at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C. Meetings are open to the public.     

“This is a safe and trusting place to come to for anyone who wishes to work through hurts, habits, and hang-ups in a Christ-centered environment,” says Bonnie Wolff, the group’s leader. “Our group is open to the community at large.”

Wolff works as a registered nurse, lives in Southern Pines and is a Grace Church member who has worked for three years with Celebrate Recovery (CR).    

Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., launched CR over 20 years ago with the goal of “focusing on God’s healing power through fellowship with others.”  

“Celebrate Recovery has helped more than 17,000 people at Saddleback, attracting over 70 percent of its members from outside the church,” says Warren in a letter (www.celebraterecovery.com).

Warren notes that most of us have heard the expression “Time heals all wounds.”

“Unfortunately, it isn’t true,” he says. “As a pastor I frequently talk with people who are still carrying hurts from 30 or 40 years ago. The truth is – time often makes things worse. … Time only extends the pain if the problem isn’t dealt with. … Based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory, our recovery program is unique, and more effective in helping people change than anything else I’ve seen or heard of.”    

“We are not a counseling service,” Wolff says. “Our program is formulated on ‘The 12 Steps.’ It comes directly out of the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.”

Wolff says Friday meetings follow the traditional CR format: light supper at 6:30 p.m. (donations of $3 per meal are anticipated, as all CR's are self-supporting); next, a time of worship; then, a large-group meeting “where a lesson or testimony is presented.” After that, at 8 p.m., attendees meet in gender-specific groups for “share time.” At 9 p.m., all attendees meet in the church café for coffee and dessert.

Wolff says she leads the ministry with the help of Pastor David Pratt and the support of Grace Church’s pastoral team and support staff. Randy Thornton serves as Grace Church’s senior pastor.

Five CR “core leaders” who assist Wolff include Scott Chase, Donna Croft, Shaun Kerr, David Oglesby and Jean Wright.

“They live and work in our community,” Wolff says.

CR maintains strict confidentiality. Each attendee must be at least 18 years of age. A variety of hurts, hang-ups and harmful behaviors are represented at Celebrate Recovery. Examples include dependency on alcohol or drugs, pornography, low self-esteem, need to control, depression, anger, co-dependency, depression, fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, perfectionism, broken relationships and abuse. 

For more information about the Celebrate Recovery group, call Grace Church at (910) 692-6711. 

Made for More: 'Perspective'

The following is a message (abridged and edited) preached by Pastor Ryan Peterson (pictured above) at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., on July 20, 2014.  

“We look at the trash on people, when God looks at the treasure underneath.”

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7b ESV).

Jesus told his disciples to follow him. Jesus let children come to him. “Become as a child,” Jesus said.

Those who exalt themselves will be humbled. Jesus said, “The greatest is the servant.”

God looks at the heart. Luke 7:36-50 ESV, following:

One of the Pharisees asked him [Jesus] to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”

And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (end of Scripture reading).

The Pharisees told about stuff to do, but they didn’t do a lot of it.

It’s all about your perspective.

In the Pharisee’s house, they reclined at the table. A woman came in and washed Jesus’ feet. Simon, the Pharisee said to himself (maybe even mumbling), “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

Jesus hears hypocrisy and judgment a lot louder than a whisper. The Pharisee’s heart was exposed.

The woman was “of the city” (perhaps a prostitute). The Pharisee saw her as a sinner. We would hope to be Jesus in the story, but often we are not.

Jesus used “money” to tell Simon the Pharisee a story. The story is about forgiveness, not money.

Jesus asked Simon, “Do you see this woman?” Do you really see her, past the trash?

Simon the Pharisee had not been hospitable. (He had not washed Jesus’ feet when Jesus arrived.) Pharisees are deeply self-centered. Jesus, on the opposite end of the spectrum is selfless. Others saw the woman as a sinner. Jesus saw her as forgiven, because she had come to him.

“She has loved much,” Jesus said. Those who are forgiven little love little.

The Apostle Paul said this:

“But he [Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ [Because Jesus said that, Paul said] Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV).

Do we see the depth of our trash before God? Experience that and experience grace. Come to him; come to his feet, weeping. The depth of my weakness is the depth of God’s grace.

The Kingdom of God doesn’t operate the way the earth does. Do you see the trash in people, or do you start to see glimmers of treasure?

We like the ability, courage, and boldness to be transparent. What we truly desire is a perspective change. A change in perspective is good, if it’s “done under the Lord.”

Let me share with you the story of Arthur Stace [abridged from wesleymission.org]:

Arthur Malcolm Stace was born in 1884, in Balmain, just west of central Sydney. His mother and father, his two brothers and two sisters were alcoholics; his sisters, brothel operators.

Stace grew up in poverty, looking after himself and stealing as needed. At twelve he was made a ward of the state, but received no great education. At fourteen he found his first job, in a coalmine, and at fifteen he was in jail for the first of many visits.

In his twenties he lived in Surry Hills in Sydney's inner south, running liquor between pubs and brothels, connected with gambling and housebreaking, until the start of World War One. He served in France, returning partially blinded in one eye, and suffering the effects of poison gas. From then until the middle of the Great Depression he slid further down into alcoholism, until he was drinking methylated spirits at sixpence a bottle and living on handouts.

On August 6, 1930, he attended a meeting for men at "Barney’s," as St. Barnabas' Church on Broadway is generally known. Most were there, for the food, but there was a message first.

Noticing six tidily dressed people near the front (in marked contrast to the bulk of those attending), Stace asked the man sitting next to him, a well-known criminal: "Who are they?"

"I'd reckon they'd be Christians," the man replied.

Stace said: "Well look at them and look at us. I'm having a go at what they have got," -- and he slipped down on his knees and prayed.

Hardly a remarkable event, on the surface of it, but Stace found he was subsequently able to give up drinking. He said, "As I got back my self respect, people were more decent to me." And he was also able to find steady employment.

Some months later in the Burton Street Baptist Church in Darlinghurst, of which he was later a member for many years, he heard the Rev. John Ridley speak, or rather shout: "I wish I could shout ‘ETERNITY’ through all the streets of Sydney!"

Stace, recalling the day, said: "He repeated himself and kept shouting 'ETERNITY, ETERNITY' and his words were ringing through my brain as I left the church. Suddenly I began crying, and I felt a powerful call from the Lord to write ‘ETERNITY.’ I had a piece of chalk in my pocket and I bent down there and wrote it."

Stace, whose limited education had left him barely able to write his own name legibly, found that he could write “Eternity,” quite elegantly, two foot wide on the pavement.

He would get up in the early hours of the morning, and leave his home in Pyrmont at 5:00 or 5:30 a.m., after praying an hour or so. He would go where he believed God directed him and write every hundred meters or so on the pavement (sidewalk), as it seemed most visible: “Eternity.” And he'd be home by ten that morning.

He went all over: Wynyard, Glebe, Paddington, Randwick, Central Station. He was a very slight figure, 5'3", grey-haired. He experimented with variations at times, but in the end he finished as he had begun – writing “Eternity.”

Others claimed responsibility for the messages, for those messages were the object of prolonged, public curiosity, the subject of columnists' reviews and speculations. But Stace did not come forward. He saw his mission as evangelistic but didn't want publicity for himself; it was a thing between him and God.

It wasn't until 1956 that the puzzle was solved. Stace was the cleaner (janitor) and a prayer leader at the Burton Street Baptist Church, where the Rev. Lisle M. Thompson was the minister. Lisle one day saw Arthur writing “Eternity” on the pavement (sidewalk), not knowing he was being seen.

Thompson asked him: "Are you ‘Mr. Eternity’?"

Arthur replied, "Guilty, your honor."

When, on the 21 June 1956, the Sunday Telegraph published an interview with Arthur Stace, it was all out in the open. Arthur, though, continued as he always had, leaving his now slightly less enigmatic message all over the city just as before.

Stace died of a stroke on July 30, 1967, in a nursing home, aged 83, and left his body to Sydney University, so that the proceeds could be given to charity.

But "his word,” as one paper referred to it, “Eternity,” persisted in the public mind.

… Two years after he died, the Sydney poet Douglas Stewart published the following lines about the graffiti artist: 

"That shy mysterious poet Arthur Stace / Whose work was just one single mighty word / Walked in the utmost depths of time and space / And there his word was spoken and he heard / ETERNITY, ETERNITY, it banged him like a bell / Dulcet [“pleasing to the ear”] from heaven sounding, sombre [“gloomily dark”] from hell."

The police in Sydney confronted Stace 24 times about his writing “Eternity” on sidewalks. He came up with this statement to them: “I have permission from a higher source.” Some say he wrote over half a million times in Australia this word: “Eternity.” His writing gave people a change of perspective.

“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27 ESV).

What you write [or say] may fade away, bit it may stay with people and change their perspectives.

(After Pastor Peterson's message, pieces of chalk were given out at the Grace Church Welcome Desk.)   

Do the Right Thing!

 

Pastor Randy Thornton, Grace Church Senior Pastor  

On Sunday, June 22, 2014, at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C., the church’s senior pastor, Randy Thornton, preached on “Do the Right Thing.” Here is an abridged, edited version of that sermon.  

“In those days [Old Testament time] there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 ESV).

They followed their own moral compass. Many of us want the freedom to do what we want, when we want, and with whom we want. It all begins with these words: “I don’t want to be told what to do.”

James 4:1 (NIV): “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something, but you don't get it. You kill and you covet, but you can't have what you want. You quarrel and you fight. But you have not because you don't ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” 

We have added, “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

There is a Las Vegas advertisement slogan that goes like this: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

That’s not true.

When women have gained rights they have had to fight for them. When men throughout history have done what they thought was right in their own eyes, women became “objects, possessions.” When men do what is right in their own eyes, women always suffer. You can’t do what’s right in your own eyes without eventually hurting someone.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

Eventually you hurt “you,” and, eventually, the thing you started in order to give you freedom is the thing that soon masters and controls your life. Your choice to do what you want doesn't work for people on the other side of the coin; judges, social workers, and teachers have to deal with the consequences of people’s actions.

“He who tries to conceal his sins cannot prosper, but he who admits them, confesses them, forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry with the Lord (Proverbs 19:3).

What relationship do you have that needs to be severed?

“Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

Some of us have unhealthy relationships that are hurting us: Facebook, wrong friends, business partners, buddies, dating relationships. Some of us need to make a break from the world.

The thing that has mastered you started as an expression of your “freedom” when you said, “I want to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want, and I don’t want to be told what to do.”

Your choice to do what you want “hurts.” It hurts you; it hurts those around you; it hurts those who love you; it hurts those who follow after you.

What if you were given 30 days to live? We’re all going to die, someday.

“Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

The truth is – it could happen at any time.

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath” (Psalm 39:4-5 NLT).

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

All of us have lost loved ones – old and young. We all wish we could have one more conversation . . . one more hug . . . tell them, “I love you.” I know that once we stand before God, we’re going to see how important relationships are to Him. How do we make relationships right? What adjustments should we make now?

We should ask these questions.  

1. What relationship needs to be initiated?

Some of you need a relationship with God, a relationship that doesn’t exist yet, but you need it. I’m not talking about a relationship with a church or religion. You need a relationship with God. Others of you need people in your life.

“Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).

Some of you need to get involved in a small group. We call them Life Groups.

2. What relationship needs to be nurtured?

“Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:13-15).

What relationship needs to be nurtured? Is it with God? Does it involve your marriage? Do you need to rekindle your love with a family member whom you haven’t talked with for a while? . . . with your children?

“[God] will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:6).

What do you need to do?

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil . . . If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18).

It’s critical that we walk in forgiveness.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 KJV).

Forgive the person or people for the specific things they did.

Here are three secrets to forgiveness:

Forgive selfishly. I know that sounds strange, but the main reason we should forgive is that we need it so badly ourselves. When you forgive, you’re letting the offender off the hook . . . and you’re letting yourself off, too!

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

How much has God forgiven you of? We really don’t have the right to hold anything against anyone, if we want to receive forgiveness from God.

Forgive freely.

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’” (Luke 23:34).

Just say what you need to say. Don’t analyze it; don’t try to make sense of it; look past it; and forgive people. Rip up the IOUs you have held over them—set them free from ever owing you anything.

Forgive repeatedly.

“Peter asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No.’ Jesus replied, ‘seventy times seven!’” (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT).

Break the instant replay button-quit rehearsing and reliving the situation.

Today we’re asking ourselves . . . What relationship needs to be initiated? What relationship needs to be nurtured? What relationship needs to be restored?

Again . . . Forgive repeatedly.

Choose to release any negative expectations regarding a person or situations involved. (This is where judgments “over” a person need to be released.)

Ask God to help you change your heart toward the person. Ask God to give you His view of that person.

WOW! It starts with "Lord, I choose to forgive; help me to forgive FULLY!" In doing this, we release ourselves from them and release them from us. Just say what you need to say. 

Matt and Natalie Templeton: Matt Becomes Grace Church's Worship Pastor

 Matt and Natalie Templeton (pictured above, photo contributed)

Matt Templeton of Fayetteville, N.C., has accepted the role of worship pastor at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C.

“We are excited to welcome Matt to the Grace Church pastoral team,” says Randy Thornton, the church’s senior pastor.

“I believe strongly in music and the power it has,” says Templeton, 34, an N.C. State University (NCSU) alumnus.  

Templeton previously served as a worship pastor at one of the five locations of Manna Church, a multi-campus ministry based in Fayetteville and advertised as “one church, many locations.” He most recently served at the church’s Methodist University site.

He is married to Natalie Douglas Templeton, who often sings with him as he leads worship. They have two children: Adeline, 5, and Nella, 2.  

Templeton and his 3-years-younger sister, Erin Felder, grew up in a military family. Their parents are Dr. Lee and Anne Templeton of Vass, N.C. Dr. Templeton is a retired Air Force dentist. 

“We moved quite a bit,” says Templeton, noting that he accepted Christ at age eight while attending Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus, Mississippi.

“I felt a call to ministry as a kid; and I always loved music, ” he says. 

Templeton, a graduate of Union Pines High School (Cameron, N.C.), played drums in the marching and concert bands. He also played in several bands throughout high school and college. He learned to play the guitar at around age 17.

Templeton attended Sandhills Community College (SCC) in Pinehurst, N.C. for a year and transferred to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, Tenn., to be near Franklin, Tenn., a contemporary Christian music center. After one semester at MTSU, he decided to return to SCC, where he met Natalie Douglas, then from Sanford, N.C. (She later earned an associate degree in arts from SCC.)

Around the year 2000, the two visited Grace Church with a friend of Natalie’s. Natalie recalled visiting the church as a child when her father, a pastor, spoke to the congregation (then meeting at the Town and Country Shopping Center in Aberdeen, N.C.) Her parents are the Rev. Ralph and Cindy Douglas. Her father serves as pastor of Our Father’s House in Lemon Springs, N.C. Natalie accepted Christ at age seven at Grace Chapel School in Tramway, N.C. She lived twice (around ages eight and 15-16) in South Africa while her parents served there as missionaries. She has an older brother and sister, Chris and Amanda.

Natalie and Templeton began attending Grace Church and participating musically.

Templeton transferred to NCSU and earned an electrical engineering degree.  Upon graduation, he was hired on with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Still attending Grace Church, Templeton and Natalie married in Sept. 2004. They moved to Savannah, Ga., for Templeton to intern with USACE (Oct. 2004 – May 2005). He was assigned to Ft. Bragg, and the couple returned to Southern Pines.

Pastor Randy Thornton had started a “Twenty-Something” group (for people in their twenties) at Grace Church. In 2005, Templeton and his wife re-started that group under the name “6.33” (later “Twenty-Thirty”). They served as leaders until 2008. That ministry now continues under the leadership of Pastor Ryan Peterson as the current “Twenty-Thirty” group at Grace Church.  

Matt Templeton was hired at Manna Church in Oct. 2010 and was ordained as a pastor in 2012.

He says about Natalie, “She’s a real worshipper, loves Jesus, loves to sing.”

Templeton says one of his “from a distance” mentors is Matt Redman, 40, an English Christian worship leader, songwriter and author who is based in Brighton, East Sussex, United Kingdom. Templeton has met Redman, who has authored and edited multiple books on Christian worship, including “The Unquenchable Worshipper” and “Facedown,” which accompanied the album of the same name.

Templeton says other influences he values include his parents, friends, contemporary pastors and “historical mentors” (“Church Fathers”).

He says worship leaders need more than ability.

“It’s about who they are spiritually,” he says, adding that he hopes to mentor and disciple worship leaders.

“I also believe strongly in song writing . . . that a local church can have its own music vocabulary or ‘indigenous expression,’” Templeton says. “I love Jesus and I love music.”

Pictured during a worship service are Matt and Natalie Templeton. (Photo contributed)