Hague Meeting Starts In 5 Days

Click image to enlarge

Macclenny And Bryceville Tomorrow

I'll be preaching at two different churches tomorrow, Sunday, April 19th.

First Baptist Church of Macclenny will be my first stop with the service beginning at 10:45am. I'll be filling-in for Pastor Edsel Bone while he is on vacation. This service will also be broadcast on WJXR 92.1 FM beginning at 11am. The church is located at 372 South 6th Street in Macclenny, Florida.

At 6pm I'll be preaching the evening worship service for Pastor Rusty Bryan at Brandy Branch Baptist Church. The church is located at 1906 Brandy Branch Church Place in Bryceville, Florida.

Please be in prayer for both of these services.

Life On Mars

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Frogs In The Top Ten

Brandy Branch Baptist Rescheduled

My preaching engagement at Brandy Branch Baptist Church has been rescheduled for this Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 6pm. I was originally scheduled for Sunday, April 26th. I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Rusty Bryan. The church is located at 1906 Brandy Branch Church Place in Bryceville, Florida. For more information call (904) 266-4314.

Render Unto Caesar

Hague Baptist Revival Promo

NOTE: Please share this video with others via e-mailing this link or by embedding on your blog or website. The poster for this revival is here. Your prayers for this meeting and assistance in promotion will be greatly appreciated.



Hague Baptist Church will hold revival services April 27 - May 1, 2009 at 7:30pm nightly with 3'10" tall evangelist James Croft. The church is located at 6725 NW 126th. Ave. near Gainesville, FL 32653. Everyone is welcome to attend!

For more information about the ministries of James Croft Evangelistic Association visit http://jamescroft.org.

Tomb For Sale

The Back Pew

First Baptist Macclenny On Sunday April 19th

I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Macclenny on Sunday, April 19, 2009. The service will begin at 10:45am amd will also be broadcast on WJXR 92.1 FM beginning at 11am.

First Baptist Church of Macclenny is located at 372 South 6th Street in Macclenny, Florida. For more information call the church office at (904) 259-2933.

Extra! Extra! Tell All About It!

The Back Pew

Truth And Tradition

The Back Pew

Photo Gallery Updates

These are the latest additions to the JCEA Photo Galleries:

• Naylor Gospel Explosion
• Coupons
• Church Signs
  

God's Romance Book?

Sunday's Comin

Easter Prophecy Card

Check out this Easter prophecy card. You may want to share it with others.

Hague Revival Begins April 27

Click image to enlarge

Fast Food Fast

Busy Sunday

Sunday morning I attended the first service of a revival meeting at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida. The meeting is being led by Evangelist Rodney Keith of Jacksonville. It was good to see him, his wife Mandy and their children (pictured with me at left). Rodney is the president of the Conference of Florida Baptist Evangelists, of which I am a member.

Sunday night I was off to Wellborn Baptist Church in Wellborn, Florida for a service featuring Clyde Annandale. He is an outstanding Christian actor that portrays men of the Bible. This particular service portrayed Jesus Christ.

It was a great Lord's Day!

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

4 Additions To Photo Galleries

Our ministry website's Photo Galleries section had four additions this week. The first 2 galleries contain photos that have not appeared on this blog. The other 2 galleries contain photos previously posted on this site.

• The Health Center of Lake City

• Suwannee Baptist Association Ministry Fair

• Clayland Baptist Church

• Rusty The Mini Horse

I'll post updates about new galleries as they are added.

JCEA Board Member's Daughter Called Home

Regina (Gina) Miller, daughter of Don and Fran Freeman of Lake City, Florida, passed away at 12:45am today as a result of cancer. Gina was only 48 years old and is survived by her husband, John Miller; a brother, Tim and his wife Katherine; a sister, Marisa and her son, Daniel; and her parents. Gina, a C.P.A., served as Vice-president of Design Containers, Inc. of Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated from Columbia High School in Lake City. A memorial service is being plnned for next week, but arrangements are still tentative at this point.

The Freeman’s and their family have been dear friends of mine for many years and Brother Don has been my mentor in the ministry since the beginning in 1994. He also serves on my ministry board of directors.

Please join me in lifting up this dear family in prayer to our Lord.

Match Made In Heaven?

Internet Evangelism Day Is April 26

With over 1.5 billion people already online, the potential for web evangelism is staggering. This is a day of opportunity! Please take time to look at the Internet Evangelism Day website, and find how God is using this new medium. You may have the gifts to be involved in web evangelism yourself – and surprisingly, you do not need to be technical!

As technology advances, the James Croft Evangelistic Association believes Christians must keep up with it, using the tools God gives us to spread His Word so that all may know Him. Along with this blog the JCEA provides the following web resources and ministries including:

• Online plan of Salvation
• Ministry website
  
• E-mail newsletters
• Social networking: MySpace and Facebook
• Online videos: Video Blog, iTunes, YouTube, Vimeo, Tangle, GospelTube
• Podcasting: iTunes, Podcast Blog, Online player
• Online content syndication utilizing RSS Feeds
• Ministry resource links
  

NOTE: The May 2006 edition of the Walking With The Giant podcast featured an interview with Dr. Sterling Huston, Chairman of Internet Evangelism Coalition and Director of Special Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

New Look For Blogs, Website Updates

If you're a regular visitor to this site, I'm sure you have noticed some color changes on this blog. This is an attempt to have a more uniform look to all of our ministry websites. You'll also see the same look on the blogs for the podcast and video ministries. These sites, along with our guest book, ministry resource links, and site search pages, are all designed to now open within the ministry website. This allows site visitors to view them without leaving jamescroft.org and keeps the navigation system accessible at all times.

I've also added a few pages in the last week that you might find interesting. The media coverage page has been redesigned and new content added. This page lists newspaper articles, radio interviews, multi-media presentations and television stories about the ministries of the James Croft Evangelistic Association. A page listing photo galleries has also been added to the site. Twelve galleries are currently listed and more will be added on a regular basis. Eventually all photos that have appeared on this blog will be added to the list, as well as, some new photos that have not been used here. The galleries are viewable by date or category. I'll update future additions in posts on this site.

I hope you will take a few minutes and look over the changes and additions. Give it a test drive and let me know what you think by clicking "comments" below or send me an e-mail. Also, please feel free to share this internet ministry with others. My prayer is that hearts will be touched, lives changed and the lost saved by use of these web tools. Boy, that's exciting!

One More Picture...

Serious Tithing

Try This

NOTE: If you have a good digital photo of a great church sign, send it to me and I may post it on this site.

Preaching On "The Hill" In Tallahassee Sunday

I will be preaching on "the hill", Chapel Hill that is, this Sunday morning at 10am. This is Chapel Hill Baptist Church's "Pack-The-Pews Sunday" They will be combining their morning worship services and having dinner on the grounds afterward. Chapel Hill Baptist is located at 224 Chapel Drive in Tallahassee, Florida. For more information or directions call (850) 222-6900.

Father And Son Bowl-off

Florida Baptist Witness Article About Home Rehab

NOTE: This article is on the front page of the March 26, 2009 edition of the Florida Baptist Witness, the state newspaper of the Florida Baptist Convention.

Churches come together to redo evangelist's home
By JON M. FLETCHER
Special to the Florida Baptist Witness

OLUSTEE (FBW)—Coming together to help a brother in need, folks from several local churches joined forces to make repairs and improvements on the home of Olustee-resident and Southern Baptist evangelist James Croft.

Around 50 men from Raiford Road Church, First Baptist Church in Lake Butler (Croft’s home church), New Oak Grove Baptist Church, First Baptist Church in Cuyler and Cedar Creek Church labored together for five days, using about $4,000 in material donated by churches.

Read the entire story and view photos at the Florida Baptist Witness.

Additional info about this story:

• Churches Lend Helping Hands
• "Working On A Building" video
• Photo Galleries: "Home Improvement"
  
• "Volunteers rehab evangelist's home" Baker County Press
  

New Oak Grove Baptist Scheduled For June

I will be preaching at New Oak Grove Baptist Church on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 6pm. This will be a special service following the Camp Sunrise Children's Camp. New Oak Grove Baptist Church is located at 18100 NW 262nd Ave. near Alachua, Florida. For more information call Pastor Terry Elixson at (386) 462-3390.

First Baptist Macclenny In April

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Edsel Bone on Sunday, April 19, 2009 at First Baptist Church of Macclenny. The service will begin at 10:45am and is also broadcast on WJXR 92.1 FM beginning at 11am. First Baptist Church is located at 372 S. 6th. Street in Macclenny, Florida. For more information call Pastor Edsel Bone at (904) 259-2933.

The Tacks Collector

The Memorial Stone

Sam died. His will provided $30,000 for an elaborate funeral.

As the last guests departed the affair, his wife Sarah turned to her oldest and dearest friend, Jody, and said, "Well, I'm sure Sam would be pleased."

"I'm sure you're right," replied Jody, who lowered her voice and leaned in close. "How much did this really cost?"

"All of it," said Sarah. "Thirty thousand."

"No!" Jody exclaimed. "I mean, it was very nice, but $30,000?"

Sarah answered, "The funeral was $6,500... I donated $500 to the church... the food, drinks and snacks were another $500... and the rest went for the Memorial Stone."

Jody computed quickly. "$22,500 for a Memorial Stone? My Goodness, how big is it?"

"Two and a half carats."

"Pack The Pews" This Sunday In Tallahassee

I will be preaching at Chapel Hill Baptist Church's "Pack-The-Pews Sunday" this Sunday, March 29th at 10 a.m. They will be combining their morning worship services and having dinner on the grounds afterward. Chapel Hill Baptist is located at 224 Chapel Drive in Tallahassee, Florida. For more information or directions call (850) 222-6900.

Most Recent Videos

Have you seen our most recent videos? If not, you can check them out on the player below. Don't have time today, no problem, you can always find the player on our ministry website. Feel free to share these videos with others too. Our videos can be embedded or linked to on your website, or you can download them to watch later without being online. Just check out the following links for more info.

• JCEA Video Blog
• iTunes Link
• YouTube Channel
• GospelTube Videos
• Tangle Videos (formerly GodTube)
• Video Ministry RSS Feed
• Vimeo Videos
  

You can receive e-mail notifications when new videos are added:
Subscribe to Walking With The Giant Videos by Email

You may also contribute financially to this ministry to help with evangelism projects by following this link:

• Credit Card, Check or Money Order

Brandy Branch Baptist Tomorrow Morning

I will be preaching in supply for my friend Rusty Bryan, pastor of Brandy Branch Baptist Church tomorrow morning. His son is in a Jacksonville hospital, so please join me in praying for his recovery. The morning worship service will begin 10am. The church is located at 1906 Brandy Branch Church Place in Bryceville, Florida.

Fisher Of Fish?

A Sunday school teacher was teaching her young students about Noah and the ark. She asked them what they thought Noah may have done to pass the time in the ark for forty days. After waiting a few moments, the teacher suggested, “Maybe he did a lot of fishing. How about that?”

One little boy gave her a funny look and said, “I don't think so. It’s kinda hard to fish with just two worms!”

Anjelah Nicole Johnson

Anjelah Johnson is a comedian that also professes to be a Christian. Read more about her on her Official Website or on MySpace. Her website even has a link to The Word and states it is her daily source for focus and credits God with her success. Her MySpace page contains the following:

When artistic talent is enlivened by the Spirit of God, it becomes an act of worship.

The measure of our lives is not the absence of failure but the presence of GODs gracious forgiveness -unknown

Just when you think, “There’s no way,” Jesus steps in and calls Himself--- "The Way."

This is GREAT comedy and I hope you enjoy it. Share your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.

Are You A "Real" Leprechaun?

By far the two most popular questions asked of me yesterday at Baker County Pre-K/Kindergarten Center were "Are you a 'real' leprechaun?" and "If you're a "real" leprechaun, where's your gold?" There is no telling how many of the children asked me those questions during my annual St. Patrick's Day visit.

Running a close second to the "real" questions was "Why are you so little?" I always love hearing this question because it gives me an opportunity to tell the students how God made each one of us different: some tall; some short; some skinny; some heavy; some different colors, and so on. No matter what the questions may be, the children really seemed to enjoy our visit and teachers tell me it is talked about long after the session ends. In fact, after last year's "leprechaun" visit I received a very nice e-mail from the parent of a student saying her child's excitement continued for some time.

During yesterday's visit with the children, we were joined by a representative of the Florida Times-Union newspaper in Jacksonville. Today's edition of the newspaper features a photo from the event on the front page of the Metro section. The photo is of Baker County Superintendent of Schools Sherrie Raulerson and the leprechaun as one session got underway. She took time from her busy schedule to thank me for volunteering my time for this annual event. The Times-Union also produced a video of the event. I have embedded the video at the end of this post. A High Definition version of the same video may be viewed on Vimeo. It may take longer to buffer and play if you have a slower internet connection speed. An online photo gallery from the leprechaun's day at school is also available on the newspaper's website.

I always enjoy reading a leprechaun story on St. Patty's Day at this school because the teachers go all-out with the theme and make it very easy for me. Principal Fay Sinclair, Assistant Principal Bonnie Jones, the teachers and staff are certainly a joy for this ol' leprechaun to work with and to be around. May God bless you all for your efforts in teaching these blessings from God!

A Visit from the Leprechaun

Florida Times-Union

Summary of links in this story:

• Baker County Pre-K/Kindergarten Center
• Florida Times-Union (newspaper)
• Florida Times-Union (video)
• Vimeo (video)
• Florida Times-Union (photo gallery)
  

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Today I become a "real" leprechaun for the day at a local school. Boy, am I excited!

I'll share some photos with you later.

An Irish Blessing

May the blessing of light be upon you
Light on the outside and light on the inside
With God's sunlight shining on you,
May your heart glow with warmth like a turf fire
That welcomes friends and strangers alike.

May the light of the Lord shine from your eyes
like a candle in the window,
welcoming the weary traveler.

May the blessing of God's soft rain be on you
Falling gently on your head
refreshing your soul with the sweetness
of little flowers newly blooming.

May the strength of the winds of heaven bless you,
carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean
sparkling after, in the sunlight.

May the blessing of God's earth be on you
and as you walk the roads, may you always
have a kind word for those you meet.

May you understand the strength and power
of God in a thunderstorm in Winter,
the quiet beauty of creation and the calm of a Summer sunset.

And may you come to realize that insignificant
as you may seem in this great universe,
you are an important part of God's plan.

May He watch over you and keep you safe from harm.

Roma Downey and Phil Coulter

NOTE: You can listen to or download a free mp3 of this at beemp3.com.

Two Churches Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 15th, I will be preaching at two different churches for the morning and evening services. Beginning at 11am I will be preaching a special service at First Baptist Church of Olustee. The message will be a challenge to the church as it prepares for revival services in April. The church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida.

I will be preaching at my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler, at 6pm. This will be my first time to speak to my home church since my hip surgery and I will be sharing my testimony on how the Lord worked during this time. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Too Little, Too Late?

A man arrived at the Pearly Gates, waiting to be admitted. St. Peter opened the gate and said, “I’ve been checking your file. I can’t see that you did anything really good in your life, but you never did anything bad either. I’ll tell you what—if you can tell me one really good deed that you did, I’ll admit you.”

So the man answered, “Once I was driving down the road and saw a gang of thugs attaching a poor man along the side of the road. So I pulled over, got out of my car, grabbed a tire iron, and walked straight up to the gang’s leader—a huge, ugly guy with a chain running from his nose to his ear. Undaunted, I ripped the chain out of his ear and smashed him over the head with the tire iron. Then I turned around and, wielding my tire iron, yelled to the rest of them, “You all leave this poor man alone! Go home before I teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!”

Impressed, St. Peter asked, “Really? I can’t seem to find this in your file. When did all this happen?”

"Oh, about two minutes ago.”

tris·kai·deka·pho·bia

tris·kai·deka·pho·bia

Pronunciation: \ˌtris-ˌkī-ˌde-kə-ˈfō-bē-ə, ˌtris-kə-\

Function: noun

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek treiskaideka thirteen (from treis three + kai and + deka ten) + New Latin phobia

Date: circa 1911

: fear of the number 13

Source: Merriam-Webster Online Search

Do you have a fear of the number "13"?

Even though it is Friday the 13th, this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!

How about you?

Interesting Balloons

Step 1. Tie balloons to car.
Step 2. Drive like crazy.
Step 3. Watch people freak out!!!

Elisha and Two She-Bears

A minister was talking to a children's Sunday school class about the Old Testament story of the children who mocked Elisha on his journey to Bethel. For once, he had everyone's attention, as he described how the youngsters taunted the poor old prophet and how they were punished: Two she-bears came out of the wild and ate 42 of them."And now, children," said the pastor, wondering whether he had gotten his point across, “what does this story show us?”

A little girl in the front raised her hand and said, "It shows how many children two she-bears can hold."

Olustee, Lake Butler Services Sunday

I will be preaching in two different churches this Sunday, March 15th.

Sunday morning at 11am I will be preaching a special service at First Baptist Church of Olustee. The message will be a challenge to the church as it prepares for revival services in April. For more information call Pastor Mike Williams at (386) 752-1614. The church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida.

I will be preaching at my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler, at 6pm. This will be my first time to speak to my home church since my hip surgery and I will be sharing my testimony on how the Lord worked during this time. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. For more information call Pastor Jason Johns at (386) 496-3704.

Please be in prayer for both of these services.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Leprechaun To Read To Students On St. Patty's Day

A real live "Leprechaun" will make an appearance at a Macclenny, Florida school on St. Patrick's Day. I will be reading a story to students at Baker County Pre-K/Kindergarten Center and, of course, answering some of their questions. The kids always enjoy this event and the leprechaun does too. 8-)

Husbands Love Your Wife

The Back Pew

New Video Outlet For JCEA

I have created a new video outlet for the video ministry of James Croft Evangelistic Association. It is a group on Vimeo.com. At this point only six of our videos have been uploaded. I'll add more in the next few days.

I was first introduced to this site by Jon Fletcher when he presented the Working On A Building video. So far, I like the interface and the service. Let me know what you think by clicking "comments" below.

Don't forget, our videos are also available on the following:

• JCEA Video Blog
• iTunes Link
• YouTube Channel
• GospelTube Videos
• Tangle Videos (formerly GodTube)
• Video Ministry RSS Feed

A Helping Hand From A Friend

Jesus In My Heart?

The Back Pew

I Carry A Badge

A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Montana , and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, 'I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs.'

The old rancher says, 'Okay, but do not go in that field over there' as he points out the location.

The DEA officer verbally explodes saying, 'Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me.' Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the farmer. 'See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish...on any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand?'

The old rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores. A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased close behind by the rancher's prize bull. With every step the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get "horned" before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The old rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs.....

'Your badge! Show him your badge!'

Volunteers rehab evangelist’s home

Coming together to help a brother in need, several local churches joined forces recently to make repairs and improvements on the home of Olustee resident and evangelist James Croft.

Around 50 men from Raiford Road Church, First Baptist Church of Lake Butler (Mr. Croft’s home church), New Oak Grove Baptist Church, First Baptist of Cuyler and Cedar Creek Church worked over a period of five days.

They cleared overgrown trees from the property, painted and repaired a utility building, pressure-washed and painted the home, repaired the front and rear porch, installed a shower, and sealed an unused chimney among various other repairs on the 1920s-era home.

Read more of this story on the Baker County Press.

View a video about the project: Working On A Building.

Read a related post: Churches Lend Helping Hands

One Saved During Clayland Revival

Revival services ended at Clayland Baptist Church last night. All services were well attended and a young man was saved on Sunday night. However, the "success" of a revival meeting is not determined by what takes place during the services, but by what happens in the weeks and months following the final service. I am looking forward to hearing about the Lord doing great things at Clayland Baptist in the coming weeks.

Photo on left: "More bars in more places"? No, it's just a photo of me with Clayland Baptist Music Director Loren Kewanimptewa and Pastor Bill Lawhon.

The revival meeting kicked-off on Saturday with a church ministry and mission fair. James Croft Evangelistic Association displayed information about our Ghana, West Africa mission work and the Christmas JOY Box Ministry. I was joined at the fair by Ghana team member Sonja St. John and her daughters Sarah and Alexx. Ghana construction team member Ken Crenshaw was also present to assist with the display.

There is a sweet Spirit at Clayland Baptist Church and I'm sure the members would welcome you with open arms should you decide to visit. For more information or directions call Pastor Bill Lawhon at (386) 776-2638. The church is located at 11409 193rd Road near Live Oak, Florida.

Pictured with the JCEA Ghana Ministry exhibit is (back) Sonja St. John, Sarah St. John; (front) Alexx St. John, James Croft. Present but not pictured is Ken Crenshaw.

Working On A Building

Around 50 men from Raiford Road Church in Macclenny, First Baptist Church of Lake Butler (my home church), New Oak Grove Baptist Church in Alachua, First Baptist Church of Cuyler and Cedar Creek Church in Sanderson (all in Florida) worked to repair and remodel my home in Olustee over a 5 day period. Jon Fletcher has produced a video of the project featuring "before" and "after" photos.

Read a related story in the Baker County Press.

Read a related post: Churches Lend Helping Hands



Working on a Building from Jon Fletcher on Vimeo.

Preaching At Chapel Hill In March

I will be preaching at Chapel Hill Baptist Church's "Pack-The-Pews Sunday" on March 29, 2009 at 10 a.m. They will be combining their morning worship services and having dinner on the grounds afterward. Looking forward to a great service...and a "packed" house! Chapel Hill meets at 224 Chapel Drive in Tallahassee, Florida. For more information or directions call (850) 222-6900.

One Saved During Huntsville Meeting

A young lady invited Jesus Christ into her heart during the Sunday night revival service at Huntsville Baptist Church. Several others publicly rededicated their lives to the Lord during the meeting which ended Wednesday night. It was a great week of services, in spite of the preaching. 8-)

If you live in the Lake City, Florida area, Pastor Jim Steele and members of Huntsville Baptist Church would welcome you to worship with them. The church is located at 5720 NW Lake Jeffery Road in Lake City, Florida. For more information or directions call at (386) 752-2089.

Clayland Begins Saturday With Ministry Fair

Click image to enlarge

James Croft's Preaching Schedule

Brandy Branch Baptist In April

I will be preaching in supply for my friend Rusty Bryan, pastor of Brandy Branch Baptist Church in April. I'm scheduled for Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 10am and 6pm. The church is located at 1906 Brandy Branch Church Place in Bryceville, Florida. For more information call (904) 266-4314.

First Revival Meeting Of 2009 Begins Sunday

I will be preaching my first revival services of 2009 beginning this Sunday morning at Huntsville Baptist Church. The services will get underway at 10:45am and 6pm on Sunday, February 15, 2009 and continue Monday - Wednesday at 6:30pm nightly. Huntsville Baptist Church is located at 5720 NW Lake Jeffery Road in Lake City, Florida. For more information call Pastor Jim Steele at (386) 752-2089.

For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of my ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Two Sermons Available Online

As reported in an earlier post, this past Sunday was my first time back preaching since my hip surgery in November. Both sermons, morning and evening, are available for download or to listen online on the Raiford Road Church website and through their sermon RSS feed. I have also included links to each sermon below.

Click the sermon title for the audio file and the Scripture reference to read the Bible passage.

• "Living In Exile" - Jeremiah 29:10-14 (morning service), We all experience trials, illnesses, emotional distresses, and more that can make us feel hopeless. It is often during those times that God can "show up and show out". He has a plan for our life. I share my personal testimony about feeling hopeless during three major storms in my life over the past few months.
• "Love" - 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 (evening service), We use the word "love" many ways, but do we really know what true love is all about? This message may lead us to reconsider how we treat those that we claim we love. This subject is not just for Valentine's Day, but for every day.
  

I pray these messages will be used by the Lord to speak to your heart.

Amazing Billiard Shot

The audio is in French, but you'll enjoy this amazing billiard shot utilizing dominoes.

Churches Lend Helping Hands

A few weeks ago I received a visit from Raiford Road Church Senior Pastor Johnny Raulerson and Missions Pastor Gene Graves following my return home from hip surgery. They expressed a desire to offer help with some home projects that, to be honest, I could not afford or was physically unable to do. I must admit, I was reluctant because I felt there are much greater needs than mine. I was told this would be a joint effort between my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler, and Raiford Road Church in Macclenny, Florida.

Well, to make a long story short (no pun intended), work began at my home in Olustee yesterday when men from both churches and New Oak Grove Baptist near Alachua removed several trees from the premises. WOW! It was awesome to watch them work so quickly and efficiently, like a team that had been training for a big game. All I could do was watch with my heart filled with gratitude, praising God for His servants, and still thinking "I don't deserve this."

The "home improvement" will continue later this month with the house being painted and given a new roof. Praise the Lord!

Photojournalist Jon Fletcher was on-hand taking pictures and picking up limbs too, Raiford Road is his home church. A few of his photos can be viewed in this "Home Improvement Day 1" photo gallery.

I want to express my deepest heart-felt gratitude to the men that worked yesterday, to those that will be working, and to all of the churches that will be involved. May God richly bless you with health, safety and in ways you never dreamed possible, so that all glory will be given to the name of Jesus!

Preaching In Lake Butler In March

I will be preaching at my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 6pm. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. For more information call Pastor Jason Johns at (386) 496-3704.

Preaching Again Was Good

Yesterday was 10 weeks and 5 days since I underwent hip replacement (hip revision) surgery. It was also the first day to begin the transition from using a walker to a cane, thus allowing more weight to be placed on the repaired hip and leg. Most importantly, it was the first time for me to return to the pulpit and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Boy, was I excited and boy, was I nervous!

In offering me the ministry opportunity, Pastor Johnny Raulerson of Raiford Road Church in Macclenny, Florida said it would provide a "tune-up" for my first revival engagement to begin next Sunday. He was right. I preached services at 8:15am, 11am and 6:30pm.

I had prayed and prepared two messages for the day. As the first service got underway it became clear to me that I was about to preach the wrong message. All of the music went perfectly with the sermon I had prepared for that evening. I prayed and prayed during the song service and realized I had to reorder my plans to the plan God was laying before me. I'm glad that I did, because the Lord gave me a wonderful liberty to preach and then He worked mightily during the Time of Decision!

Physically I felt very good during both of the morning services. I attended a birthday celebration at 2pm in at a Lake City nursing home for a great-aunt and then it was back to Macclenny for the night service. I was rather tired by the time I approached the pulpit to begin the sermon that was originally scheduled for that morning. I think God used the message, but I was very tired by the end of the service. My muscles in my hip really ached. It really was a test of my stamina and a good "tune-up". I can tell that I'm still not 100%, but I'll be there soon!

My good friend and photojournalist, Jon Fletcher, attends Raiford Road Church with his family and was present for the services. He took several photos from the morning service and you can view them in this photo gallery.

I really enjoyed my time ministering and fellowshipping with everyone at Raiford Road Church. This church has held a special place in my heart since I entered the ministry. I'll share some exciting news with you in the days to come about a joint venture between this church, my home chuch - First Baptist of Lake Butler, and some others.

Yesterday was certainly a great day! It felt great to be back doing what the Lord called me to do - Preach the Word!

Oh, one more exciting thing happened this past weekend, on Saturday, I drove my car for the first time since my surgery. Look-out world, here I come!!! 8-)

Clayland Revival Begins February 22nd

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James Croft's Preaching Schedule

Return To Pulpit On Sunday

I'll be returning to the pulpit this Sunday, February 8th for the first time since my hip replacement surgery. I will be preaching in supply for Pastor John Raulerson at Raiford Road Church at 8:15am, 11am and 6:30pm. I must confess that I am excited and nervous too. My last preaching engagement was on November 17th and it feels like that was ages ago. Please be in prayer for me as I prepare spiritually and physically for these services.

The church is located at 9201 SR121 South in Macclenny, Florida. For more information call the church at (904) 259-6015.

Revival Services Scheduled in Hague, Florida

Revival services have been scheduled at Hague Baptist Church in April. I will be preaching Monday-Friday, April 27 - May 1, 2009 at 7:30pm nightly. The church is located at 6725 NW 126th. Ave. near Gainesville, Florida. For more information call Pastor Sam Brown at (386) 454-1384.

Revival Preparation Service In Olustee

I will be preaching a special service on revival preparation on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at First Baptist Church of Olustee. The service will begin at 11am. First Baptist Church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. For more information call Pastor Mike Williams at (386) 752-1614.

Huntsville Baptist Revival Begins February 15th

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James Croft's Preaching Schedule

Noah, Noah

Q: The ark's top-story windows opened to the sky for light and air. How did Noah get light to the dark recesses of the ark?
A: He used floodlights.

Q: Who was the wealthiest male financier in the Bible?
A: Noah. He was floating his stock while everybody else was in liquidation.

Sardis Baptist In June

I will be preaching at Sardis Baptist Church on Sunday,June 14, 2009 at 6pm. The service will serve as a "kick-off" for Camp Sunrise Children's Camp beginning the next day. Sardis Baptist Church is located on State Road 121 in Worthington Springs, Florida. For more information call Pastor Paul O'Steen or Minister of Youth Tim Rose at (386) 496-3685.

Raiford Road Church On February 8th

I'll be returning to the pulpit on Sunday, February 8th for the first time since my hip replacement surgery. I will be preaching in supply for Pastor John Raulerson at Raiford Road Church at 8:15am, 11am and 6:30pm. The church is located at 9201 SR121 South in Macclenny, Florida. For more information call the church at (904) 259-6015.

Please be in prayer for me as I prepare spiritually and physically for these services.

KillerJigsaw Puzzle

A beautiful girl calls her boyfriend and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."

Her boyfriend asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"

The girl says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."

Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.

She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.

He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."

He takes her hand and says, "Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ...", he says with a deep sigh...

"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."

Church Fair Scheduled At Clayland Baptist

I will be participating in a Church Fair featuring exhibits about church ministries and missions on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at Clayland Baptist Church. I will have an exhibit about the JCEA Ghana, West Africa missions work and the Christmas JOY Box Ministry for nursing home residents. The event will be 10am-2pm at the church which is located at 11409 193rd. Road near Live Oak, Florida. Lunch will be available during the fair. The fair will serve as a kick-off for a revival meeting beginning the following morning. For more info call Pastor Bill Lawhon at (386) 776-2638.

Gator Superstar Gets God on Google

[01.15.09] University of Florida (UF) star quarterback Tim Tebow not only guided his Gators to a national championship last Thursday evening, but also caused “John 3:16” to reach the “volcanic” reading on Google Trends, making it the No. 1 ranked search term on Google worldwide.

Skyrocketing past Obama, Oprah, deceased gangster John Gotti and other Top 100 trendy pop culture searches, the Bible verse about God’s love written in the two bars of eye black on Tebow’s face, took the top spot across the globe.

Read more of this story online at Charisma.