Spirit Life’s Jail Ministry, lead by Minister Dwight McDonald, meets every Wednesday and 4th Sunday at the Marion County Jail and is a thriving part of reaching our community.

“We are reestablishing core values in these men, standards that may have fallen short over the years or in some cases, not established at all, “ says Minister Dwight. “Things like how to be a good husband and father; how to be responsible for a family.”

Minister Dwight leads a team of men that come faithfully to bring a timely message of encouragement and hope. The team is excited about the positive results they’ve seen, stating, “We are changing lives, bringing families together, giving these men some understanding for their lives that only comes from hearing the Word of God.”

As this ministry works to help point inmates in the right direction, it is equally important to reach out to the entire family.

“That is the future of the Jail Ministry,” Minister Dwight said, “to establish a positive direction for everyone concerned, wives and children, to develop a game plan for their future. Once these men are released from jail they need something stable to go home to, a vision to grab hold of. We want to help give them that.”

Minister Dwight and the team welcome your prayers to see this ministry continue bearing fruit and effectively bring hope to men that may have temporary lost their way in life.

Dr. Richard recently returned from a week long trip to the nation of Iceland and shared this report with me:

Over the years, each trip I have made to Iceland (which is now over thirty) has been strategic in timing and purpose. This time was no different.

Like the rest of the world, the nation of Iceland is currently in economic turmoil. And with a total population of approximately 325,000, Iceland feels the repercussions of recent financial trends quickly and severely.

During my trip, people were glued to the television as Iceland’s Prime Minister informed the nation that a ship carrying oil to them had been turned back due to their current inability to pay. This meant that fuel and food supplies were uncertain for the near future. Banks closed for the week in order to prevent a rush of people withdrawing their money. It was startling to see the look of panic on people’s faces as basic needs such as gas, food and jobs are threatened.

In the midst of these challenges, God’s light continues to shine. I had been invited to be part of Pastor Gunnar Thorsteinsson’s annual spiritual warfare conference but with recent events in mind, Pastor Gunnar adjusted his plans and opened the door for God to minister hope, encouragement and life to His people.

The conference lasted two days, opening with a night of praise and worship led by our good friend, Thora Gisladottir, as she performed a live concert featuring music from her latest album. God put a special message on my heart as I ministered at the conference Saturday night and again at their main service on Sunday afternoon.

This is the time for the church to shine in Iceland and God is moving in fresh new ways. Pastor Gunnar, in particular, is going after the unchurched young people as so many of them are scared about the future and are beginning to look to God for answers. I was able to bring the message of cultural relevance and share some of the strategies God has given us to reach this generation.

It was great to see some of our old friends and Bible School graduates during this trip. Keep Iceland in your prayers - our hearts are knit together and God continues to use us at Spirit Life to affect this great nation.

written by Bonnie Hays

“Beautiful.” “Spacious.” “Secure.” “Fun.”
These are some of the words families are using to describe Spirit Life’s recently renovated Nursery for kids ages 0-3 years old.

Not only has space for this age group more than doubled, but there are also new toys, cribs, changing tables and other equipment, making our Nursery more excellent than ever.

Children’s worker, Stephanie Hays, was amazed at the state of the art surround sound and projection screen used in the Toddler area. “It’s like a movie theater!” she said. “The kids love it.”

Workers and families alike are thrilled with the new computerized registration system, making information about each child (parents’ names, contact information, health issues, and more), readily available with the click of a mouse.

With each child’s safety in mind, plans are in the works to implement bar code scanners for check in and check out and only approved nursery workers will have access to the room. One-way glass allows parents and others to view the entire area, providing confidence that children are being well cared for.

Renovations continue in the Preschool and Elementary School areas and Spirit Life members will soon have the opportunity to tour the new facilities. Until then, thanks to all those involved in the remodeling process. At Spirit Life, a safe and quality Children’s Ministry is top priority!

Last summer when Spirit Life’s own Pastor Lindsey Seals was selected to become the team pastor for the University of Florida Gators Football Team, he had no idea the type of success he would have in his first year. 2008 was a dream season for the Gators, going 11-1 through the regular season…heading to Atlanta for the Conference Championship where they beat an undefeated #1 ranked Alabama team…and making it to the “Big Game” versus the Oklahoma Sooners at the 2008 BCS National Championship Game in Miami! On Thursday, January 8, 2009, a national television audience watched the Gators make history at the sold-out Dolphins Stadium, as the Gators defeated the Sooners 24-14, becoming 2008 National Champions!

As exciting as that may be, Pastor Lindsey was even more excited at what went on behind the scenes. In years past, the Gators would average 5-10 people for their Sunday chapel service. Back in July, Coach Urban Meyer explained to PL what he envisioned for chapel and how he didn’t want to add another mandatory meeting to his player’s busy schedule. He wanted chapel to become something that was so fun and exciting, and create such a buzz that players would not want to miss it. Well that’s exactly what happened. After seeing just a handful of players during the first few chapels in August, once the team got to know PL and once word began to spread of his amazing voice, chapel started to grow steadily each week. But it wasn’t easy. As busy as Pastor Lindsey is with his weekly responsibilities as senior associate pastor at Spirit Life Church, he drove to Gainesville every Thursday for team practice where he closed each session with prayer. Drove up again on Friday to travel with the team by bus or plane and stay at the team hotel with them where he did a pre-game chapel service. Saturday’s he was in the locker room and on the team sideline throughout the game and at the conclusion led both teams in prayer at midfield. Following the game, he flew back on the team plane late Saturday night and drove home to Ocala, sometimes arriving as late as 4am! After a brief sleep, he would arrive at the church for band practice at 7:30am, where he led praise and worship for two Sunday morning services. PL would then slip out of second service early to drive back to Gainesville for his 2pm chapel service with players, coaches, and their families.

Sunday chapels were an amazing experience as Pastor Lindsey taught a brief nugget from the Bible, which was always relatable and timely. He closed each service leading worship on his guitar or keyboard. The crowd grew so much, they had to open up the dividers in the team room to fit more people. Even after expanding, most chapels remained standing room only. What started with just a handful of people grew exponentially, averaging over 95 people during the last ten weeks of the season with over 40 players making the decision to give their life to the Lord as a result! In the final chapel of season, which took place before the national championship game in Miami, over 200 people packed in the hotel ballroom!

Even more exciting than the awesome numbers is the feedback from players and coaches. Several of them said how much better they understand the Bible now because of the way PL teaches, using stories and illustrations to unlock Biblical truths. Some have said they are moved when he sings, and have never felt anything like that before. PL explained how when they are gathered together, God comes in the room. He spent a lot of time teaching on the life of David and had several opportunities to pray over injured players. Parents of recruits have also been enjoyed meeting PL. Having such a strong chaplaincy program is a key piece in attracting some of the best student athletes in the country. The recruit’s families are rest assured that their son’s spiritual development will be a top priority while at UF, not just their physical and educational development. Watch the coaches talk about how important PL is to the team in the video above.

The song, “Majesty” quickly became a team favorite at chapel and was later called their theme song! In fact, at the team’s National Championship Celebration, which took place at the Gators home stadium in front of 40,000 fans, Pastor Lindsey was caught by surprise and invited on-stage by a few the team’s top players, including Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow, star running back Percy Harvin, and the giant Pouncey twins, as they honored him for his role in the team’s success. They told the crowd that PL was going to sing “Majesty” for them! Pastor Lindsey, still in shock was handed the microphone and sang about 60 seconds of the song. The rowdy crowd quickly went silent as he began singing. Some fans were even moved to tears. You could literally feel God come in the stadium, just as He did all year in chapel, just as He does during church services at Spirit Life. It was a moment we won’t soon forget, especially since it was broadcast on live television! Afterwards Gator blogs and forums were buzzing about PL! Some of the comments were…“A very moving and emotional moment…I think it shows a special bond and closeness that is a big reason why this team achieved greatness.” “Great voice…You can see he meant a lot to this team.” “WOW…Sign him up for American Idol…Dude can sing!” Watch PL’s surprise appearance on You Tube or watch it above.

What many of you don’t know about Pastor Lindsey is that he was a high school football star whose dream was to play college football. His senior year while being recruited by Iowa State University, he suffered a severe ankle injury that ended his football career. Nearly 20 years later, who could have ever imagined he would be back in college football, not to mention winning a national championship! And if that’s not enough, Pastor Lindsey will join the rest of the Gator team in receiving a 2008 SEC Championship Ring and the coveted 2008 National Championship Ring! Amazing how God brings things full circle isn’t it?

It looks like one of the best-kept secrets to the Gators success is our very own Pastor Lindsey Seals. Congratulations to PL for all of his hard work and dedication to the vision. Thanks for representing Spirit Life Church so well and taking the message of the Kingdom to the Gator Nation! During the off-season, PL will continue to work with the Gators in a more limited capacity, and is looking forward to the future!