Can You Say GUMby outreach

So today I had my first outreach in Danville and the funny thing is I knew it was going to be a good day when the first store I walk into has a Huge lifesize Gumby doll on the floor and we were handing out Gum. Can you say sign from Heaven, haha. But anyways all of Danville basically closed down today for a huge festival in the streets, there were thousands of people coming thru to see what was going on and Pastor Rob and myself picked the perfect time to go reach out to the community. There were familys everywhere and people eating and just enjoying the scenes. It's amazing how as you walk around and you see all these people it really makes you stop and think how God has placed you at that very moment as a messanger to make an eternal diffrence in someone's life, that very moment you make a connection with someone could be the turning point in eternity for them. It's hard to believe that God would give me the priviledge of being his messenger. I finished out the day stopping by a Marine recruiters office and inviting him and the other guys to Church, one of the Corporals was pretty intrested and said that he would come this sunday. It's funny how even though Im no longer in the Corp God still lets me reach out to my old brothers in little ways. As for now go be a messenger, and remember that God has made you a cross road in someone's life,dont pass up the opportunity to help them decide which way to go.

My Boy Gumby keeping it real



Pastor Rob and our little OUTREACH Helper.

What are you Tithing To!!!!!!!

So check this out, I went to get my haircut at my boy Charlie's barber shop he cut's a mean fade and does the old fashion shaving cream on the neck, he really hooked it up. But as we were talking he started asking me some questions about what I do,so I told him I was in Bible school at my church back home. He immediatly started laughing and said well Barton would you do me a favor and go talk to the Physic next door she is crazy always trying to get me to let her read my hands and crazy stuff like that. I started laughing to. But then he said their is always alot of people in there all day long, and she runs a real good business making good money, it's amazing she is still open after all these years. So I said Charlie if you dont mind me asking how long has she been there and how much does she need to stay open in that little place. Charlie said 13 yrs and at least 150,000 a year to stay open. WHAT 150,000 A YEAR. You mean to tell me she makes that much money a year for being a physic. After Charlie got thru with my trim I headed out and started to think about what he said. The sign on the front says " Physic of Danville" basically clamming the city as her own, and the sad thing is the people of the town are ok with it. But the two things that came to my mind were this. It's amazing that a physic can make 150,000 a year from the world to live off of, but it's a shame that most churches around the world can hardley get the people to give God his 10%, or even just give money for a need that another area of ministry might have. Now Im not saying that all churches are like that but alot of people have that thought about Church. It just shocked me that people are so quick to give their money to build the things of this world but slow to give money for the things of the Kingdom. It made me think, has the church as a whole set the example for the world to see God's people at work for the right things, eternal things or just temporary, material things. 2nd thought was this, obvioulsy there are enough people going there to keep 150,000 rolling in for 13 yrs that believe they are getting some kind of answers or spiritual healing. Are we as the church providing the needs to the people that can truly be answered. Not by a palm reader but by the blood of Jesus. What are we investing in. WHAT ARE WE TITHING TO! The things of this world or the things of the kingdom, and the kingdom is all about his people. So this is my conviction God is working on me with. Barton whatever you put your time,money,talents,treasure towards, always remember, Your Tithe is always going somewhere but are you making sure that your Tithe is not about the temporary but about his Glory?

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Who Is Covering You?

First of all my mom is gonna give me a call soon as she sees this post b/c she is always harping me about suntan Lotion and making sure I'm protecting my skin.(Luv ya Mom). But anyways, God downloaded some pretty cool rev to me this Monday after my afternoon Cycle. I got home and got ready to take a shower and when I took my Jersey off I was pretty struck by my extreme farmers tan, I started laughing but then God, in the funny ways he speaks to me simply said,"WHO IS COVERING YOU". I was like what do you mean. I kept repeating these words in my head over and over really trying to understand what he was saying to me. After awhile of this I finally realized what God was telling me. Have you ever had areas of your life that you know if someone found out about or got exposed to others it would really set you back or you would feel less of a "christian" if others found out about it, we all have, and the funny thing is we try our best to cover it up with our own means and own abilities. God just simply said to me, when your covered with me and my spirit you wont get burned. The things of this world wont touch what I create in you, with man's efforts at most we only cover a little bit of our lives but as time goes own and what has gone uncovered, exposed, it all gets burned and starts to show a sharp contrast to what we are really hiding. Stay covered in God's mercy and his Love, let him soak you in his presence so that you wont try to cover yourself form this world but instead Jesus will protect you from all things. If we stay protected by our father and rely on him to guard us we will doing ourselves a fovor and God as well, he wants us to let him, but if we try on our own we will eventually get to the point where we are running to him for help b/c now we are in a situtation where our own methods got us in some trouble and now it hurts, and we call on the healer to come and fix whatever we have created.Let him cover you, so you will be fully protected by Gods armor. Just remember when we try ourselves we will always come up short but when we leave it up to him he will never miss a spot. Food For Thought


Should have went to the source.

What was exposed



Running to the Healer. After burn treatment

The Tears Of FREEDOM

So many of you know that I was in the Marine Corp and still to this day Love and Miss so much about that part of my life, but today I wanted to share my heart in a diffrent way. In Lafayette California where I'm staying there is a Man that placed a cross for every soldier that died in Iraq on a hill on his property, this hill has brought great controversy and yet great remembrance for my fellow brothers and Soldiers alike. This country in many ways has forgotten what it took to have freedom, and the sacrifice that comes with it. You may not support the war b/c of the Liberal media's incorrect display of what goes on there, and you may support the war b/c of a family member or friend that is serving now, or just b/c you believe for your own personal reasons. I have lost many friends there and many have come back home to tell their stories, and every story I hear tells of the hardships we battle against our own media more so than the enemy we battle abroad. The diffrence that has been made in the lives of a nation has been covered by the human draw to see the worst of the world before the truth of the matter. Why have people forgotten that more perished on one day in WW2 than 4 and 1/2 years in Iraq. I have not forgotten that Normandy was not free, Tarawa was not free,Tripoli,Pearl Harbor,Iwo Jima,Belleau Wood,Midway,D-day,and every war that this country has been involved in to protect what we so easily forget, Freedom. A great man once told me that if we go regardless of the red-tape reasons, or political secrets for what we are doing if it sets one family free from oppresion, or bondage than it was worth it. Think about this Jesus in all truthfulness cant find anything good on this earth in us or about us without him being involved in the picture. He chose to come and set us free regardless of how wrong it may have seemed to all of Heaven, he gave his only son for you and I. He would have done this for just one person, regardless of what anyone says he would have. JOHN 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Not only have this men and women done this but our Savior gave the ultimate Sacrifice. More people lost their Lives in 9/11 than in Iraq but the greatest loss of all was Jesus on the cross, arent you glad that he chose the sacrifice over himself to give us freedom. There is an old saying in the Military all gave some but some gave all. I strongly believe that it's not only our job to secure our own freedom, but it's also our job to give that very same freedom to those that dont have it as well( Not just physically but Spiritually). Remember what was given for us to have what we have now, and what it took to give this treasure. Never forget what we have been given,and always support those that are there. Nothing of Great Value and importance is easy to obtain, it is waiting on those who will be tried and tested and proved worthy of it's possession, b/c the greatest gifts always come with the greatest sacrifices. Thankyou to the Marines, Sailors,Airmen,and Soldiers who have given or are still giving now and Thankyou most of All to my Savior Jesus Christ who gave everything so that we could have everything.

First and Foremost

James 1:27 Pure and Genuine religion in the sight of God the father means caring for orphans and widows "in their distress" and refusing to let the world corrupt you. This verse has been on my heart so much for the last couple of days. Pastor Rob and myself have been putting alot of time into two of our Widows here at the church, one in particular named Mrs. Denise. Her husband passed away about 9 yrs ago and for the last two years people have been taking advantage of her, when she needed to have her lawn fixed they did a horrible job took her money and a couple months later the yard was completly over grown. Then her pool was completly totaled by not being cleaned for almost a year, it's just another thing that upset me to see how the world looks out for itself and will take advantage of any situtation it can to get it's own gratification. Here is the thought, the scripture that says the Thief comes but to steal, kill, and destroy, the word thief here in Hebrew means false teacher or Prophet. I thought to myself the devil sent someone over and over again to Mrs.Denise's house to mislead or teach her the wrong information about what help she needed, and know one around her, any neighbor or relative offered to help her get the truth about what was going on. TRUE RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THE FATHER MEANS CARING FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS, "IN THEIR DISTRESS". It's amazing how God will send his people to help those in distress, his sons and daughters will show the world his heart. God sent Hpc Danville, whatever plans the devil had for these widows will no longer take place. There are many Thiefs in the world searching and prowling for the innocent sheep, let's not be blind to those around us, but let's ask God to let us see those that need our help, so that their distress will be his burden, and his burden will be our heart.

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My big goofy head. Pastor Rob and me loaded up the entire back of my truck with the weeds we dug just around the walk way.

Front Yard, this is what it looked like before we got started. Looks like Typical Louisiana landscaping haha.

Back Yard Pool, the bottom was completly black. And the weeds are worse in the back yard than the front.

One days work, still alot to go.

A little progress.

The GOOD The BAD The UGLY

So this post I thought about alot while I was putting it together,isent it so strange how in one moment you can be having a really good time with friends and enjoying blessings that God has brought into your life and the very next moment be right in the center of a tragedy. It is very strange to think about how it all has it's timing, well some of these pics made me think how great fellowship is with old friends and celebrating a wedding a unity with Christ, and the other pictures bring you back to the grip of the enemy on the world. I thought it was so weird how only 15 minutes away there is a city full of Idols and False doctrines that are being embraced by a people that Christ so desperatly loves. My eyes were opened soon as I related the fact that there was a wedding reception this weekend celebrating Amanda and Gary's unity with Christ, and that is exactly what Christ wants with his people. There are so many other things capturing the bride of Christ in this world, holding her from his hands Golden statues,cults,and even people striken by poverty, and people striken by wealth. Pastor Dino's blog this week was about Jonah and just going out there, they need you they truly need the Hope of our Savior. The bride must not be lost and I pray that in the fun times and the Joy will will remember that right down the road, in our back yard or even our own home we cant lose sight of his bride. There are good times there are bad things and the devil is just plain ugly.

If you click on the pics they enlarge.


A church of scientology in the middle of Sanfransico UGLY

A homeless man in the wheelchair, there was alot in the city.

Idols also UGLY

Gary and Amanda's wedding Reception

My big head in the city also UGLY haha

At the skeet range with some friends it felt like home

A Broken Heart and Righteous Anger

I have grown up for so long around a culture that tends to joke about the actions of the sinner, and the things they do that place them in such a lost and messed up state. As I thought about this it brought back all the times I've been with Christians that talk about how it's funny to see the way drunk people behave, or the clothes some girls wear at the bars, or the one moment Im passing out a water bottle and the next I'm talking about the very guy I passed the bottle too conversations. I was bothered by all of this so deeply today, why do we spend so much time talking about the sinner to others, Instead why dont we spend time talking about all of the sinners to God. I was so bothered by this, I've been in Danville now for close to a week and a 1/2 and I see a culture that has everything but has nothing, has the wealth of the world but no treasure in their soul. I sat in the town yesterday just watching people and learning and as sat their I saw so much depression and purposeless living. I wanted to stand up and shout about the freedom and truth of Christ and the bondage that could be lifted from them, the bondage of image, and greed, the bondage of self, and lust. Oh my heart just broke b/c I sat their at 22 years old and I could see straight thru the enemy but it was like he was just smiling saying what freedom can you give these people. I got so made at the blanket he has pulled over God's children I started to journal about all the problems of the people and the many sins I saw holding them hostage, then God spoke to me. Tell me about them bring them to me cry out for them, and then he showed me this verse. Ephesians 2:1-4 Once you were dead beacause of your disobedience and your many sins, just like the rest of the world,obeying the devil-the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.By our very nature we were subject to God's anger,just like everyone else. BUT GOD IS SO RICH IN MERCY,AND HE LOVED US SO MUCH,THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DEAD B/C OF OUR SINS, HE GAVE US LIFE WHEN HE RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. IT IS ONLY BY GODS GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED. Please if you read this in your heart have a righteous anger towards the enemy and dont let him focus your mind on the actions of the sinner, for once you as I were bound by the enemy but by Gods grace we have been Saved. Take them to God let your heart break for them, always remember how much they mean to Christ, and never let them become a mere problem in conversation, but hold them deeply in prayer, it is your mandate it is your privledge by God.