Interesting Morning

I am late to the blog. I know it & you know it, but I have a good story. Honest!

Before I get into today's story I have to mention a little bit about our service this past Sunday. (It all ties together)

One Sunday I shared with the church a message entitled "A Lesson in Praise." I told you all last week that I was going to be preaching this sermon and it was one I truly enjoyed. It seemed as though almost everyone was touched in some way by the entire service. During worship I felt impressed to share a "word" with one of our members (Kristen) who had been going through some difficulty as of late. The word was: "The victory is in the praise." Below is Kristen's testimony as she gave it on Sunday.

"As some of you know I have been going through a lot of physical problems lately. It has gotten to the point that the sickness had been affecting me mentally. I was so scared because God had brought me so far from where I used to be and I didn't want to go back. As we were getting ready for church, I couldn't find anything to wear (There was literally nothing to wear). The Lord just spoke to my heart and said, 'Put on your favorite sweatshirt', so I told Kevin (husband) to grab the kids and that I was coming. We talked about this on the way to church and I couldn't understand why it was so difficult trying to get to the one place that I want to go so bad...As I came in I was trying really hard to worship but it was difficult. Then you {that's me} came over and shared that you were told to tell me that the victory is in the praise. After you said that everything that I was feeling just fell off of me."

Little did Kristen know that there were 2 teenage girls that were in the congregation that God would speak to directly from her testimony. These two girls (18 & 16) went home and spoke to their parents. According to Bryanna, the oldest, she said that, "she had never left church with the feeling she had this past Sunday." My reason for being late to the blog today is that I was able to sit down with both girls and share the Gospel with them one on one. Both accepted Christ as Lord and Savior! Both are to be baptized on resurrection Sunday! Bryanna & Kelseigh were saved as a result of an outpouring of love to God through worship. Redemptive worship happens when God's people simply pour out their love to Him and His presence becomes so manifest that He draws the lost to Himself. This isn't a result of preaching...it's the result of the presence of God.

To continue to help us in this matter I'm going to post the 7 Hebrew Words for Praise that I shared on Sunday.

YADAH - To worship with the extended hand. The giving on oneself in worship and adoration. To lift you hands unto the Lord.

TEHILLAH - To sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. A song from the heart. (This is the praise that God inhabits - sits enthroned upon)

BARAK - To kneel; to bless the Lord.

HALAL - To be clear, to shine, to make a show, to be (clamorously) foolish, to rave.

TOWDAH - An extension of the hand in adoration & thanksgiving.

ZAMAR - To touch the strings. To sing with instruments.

SHABACH - To address in a loud tone, to shout.

Remember: Worship is a spiritual response. Praise is activity. When God's people begin to praise Him for who He is and what He has done we can expect to experience Him on a whole new level. Praise can be used to express your love and adoration, it can be used to bless God, and it can be used as a weapon to defeat the enemy (read the OT). God can also use it to draw the lost to salvation.

God is great and greatly to be praised!

PBC - Part 2

As I mentioned yesterday, what we have seen God accomplish has been amazing. Who would have thought that a church with 100+ members would be able to go on 4 mission trips last year, feed over 1,000 people in a community event, or see almost 200 people in attendance? It blows my mind. I remember when there was only 60 in worship and we were trying to figure things out!

I told you that a few years ago we took our 1st trip to Ukraine. Now...we did it a little different (go figure) than a lot of churches. There wasn't an organization that we went with. We were able to work with an individual who had been planning trips for a while and learned a great deal about missions work. Looking back on that experience is what I believe opened us up for greater opportunities. The 2nd year in Ukraine I had to do a lot of the organizing, calling, etc. We still worked with the same individual but because of health concerns in his family he wasn't able to put as much time into the project. It was a crash course in missions that let me know quickly how much time goes into these plans.

During the close of 2007 God began to put into my heart the need for a Missions Pastor. I wasn't really sure why...I mean we only took 1 trip a year. It didn't matter. God had spoken and I started sharing with church leadership what He was saying. There was one individual that God tagged for this role. It was Ron Gibson. Ron was already serving as a part-time (is there such a thing) Worship Leader. He had been on both trips already and was an intricate part of everything we did. Ron also possessed great administrative skills that he learned through his secular job. He was organized, trustworthy, reliable, and had a heart for missions. So, during the 1st business meeting of the year - with a budget already set - we proposed an amendment to the budget to include another part-time salary for a missions pastor. Ron was presented to the church and it was passed unanimously. Oh, it wasn't without some questioning. We really didn't have a protocol in place for this type of move but I was confident that God had led us in this endeavor.

It's 2008 and Pioneer now has on staff a full-time Pastor and a bi-vocational (though Ron hasn't had to seek supplemental income) Pastor who serves in the area of missions and worship. Just a few weeks into this new role and mission opportunities started falling in place. The trip to New Hampshire that I mentioned yesterday; it came about (I believe) only because we had Ron in place. Planning for Alaska was easier for me because Ron was able to focus on Ukraine as he would prepare to lead his very 1st team without me. That was huge because we had always worked together. Of course he did a fine job and the team was able to see a great number of people accept Christ. Then to top it all off our church received an offer to go to South Africa! We accepted and Ron led another team on a pioneering adventure. Isn't God amazing?

As I share all of this with you, Ron and I received some support money for Ukraine from friends of PBC. Clay and Laura were strong members of this body before moving back home. He served as the overseer for our building project, a deacon, and even after moving went with us on the NH trip. Laura sang in the choir (back in the day), played trumpet on occasion, was faithful in prayer meetings, and also served as Treasurer. Here is Clay had to say in his letter: "I am very proud to know what God is doing through Pioneer Baptist Church. It is amazing to think where we were and where you are now. Pioneer Baptist Church body is a perfect example of what he will do when the people listen and are obedient to His Word."

What God has done at Pioneer shouldn't amaze us really. It's what He promised would be done in the life of a church that seeks to honor Him. Going with God is never without a struggle though. We are human beings trying to serve a holy God. Not only that but you have to factor in the fight with the enemy. But God is faithful! He will finish what He starts.

I hope that this little bit of info about our church is encouraging to you. It's not meant to draw attention to us. It's really an effort to chronicle some of the things that we have witnessed God do in our midst. For those of us who love Pioneer and her people we understand and say: To GOD be the glory, great things He has done.

*Just one note: If you are going to hire a Worship Leader or Missions Pastor - make sure that you can put him in an airplane spin if needed. It helps keep him in check! LOL

Pioneer Baptist Church

Let's talk church shall we?

Pioneer Baptist began as a small Bible Study in Max Meadows VA during the summer of 1990 organized under the direction of Wytheville Baptist Church, Highlands Baptist Association, and VA Baptist. The first worship service was held in the Max Meadows Head Start building on October 14 of that same year. As Pioneer was seeking God's will for the new church plant it wasn't until November of 1991 that they called their first pastor - Allen Mahan.

Under Mahan's leadership the church body would grow and eventually construct a building to house the young congregation. It was on December 4, 1994 that they were able to move from the Head Start building into their very own sanctuary (which we now use as a fellowship hall). On October 1, 1995 the church became "official" as they adopted a constitution and took on the name of Pioneer Baptist Church.

Max Meadows new church had "arrived." Mahan would pastor the congregation for a few more years until God moved he and his family on to a new work. It was October of 1998 that PBC called their 2nd pastor - Larry Eakes. It has been a little over 8 years since that 1st Bible Study and the church would experience some growth but also endure some difficult trials. Eakes left the church after a couple of years of pastoring and according to some reports the church rallied around some of the more influential leaders to keep things going.

In January of 2001 PBC called me as their pastor. I was grateful for this opportunity. After spending the last few years in youth ministry, God had impressed it upon my heart to begin looking into pastoring again. After 5 years of marriage and 2 children in the home it was our desire to find the church God has set aside for us and look for an opportunity to minister. We had found that place and God allowed us to be in that work.

Over the first 4 years we saw this congregation go through a lot of changes. It was my thinking that this church body should reflect who they were rather than simply following the pattern of other churches. God blessed and we were able to see many people saved and baptized, the church body began to grow, and God started putting things into action.

In January of 2005 I was able to move into full-time ministry and we began construction on the new facility that opened for worship on Resurrection Sunday of 2006 with 179 people in attendance. 2006 would prove to be an interesting year for our congregation as we started doing missions rather than just giving to missions. This one trip would catapult us to a place we never envisioned. 2007 we went back to Ukraine with the understanding the God had placed within us the Acts 1:8 strategy of being His witnesses in our hometown, state, nation, and the rest of the world. Last year we sent out 4 mission teams: New Hampshire, Alaska, Ukraine, and South Africa. 20 new faces along with some others who had been on missions before hit the field with great excitement and anticipation. God was calling out laborers into the field and this little church in Southwest VA was a part of His work.

However, it's not simply missions that has set this church body apart. There are several things about PBC that make us unique:

#1 - Worship
PBC has sought to be unique in our worship "style." We don't consider ourselves "contemporary" or "traditional." What you see is what you get. We are a blend of people who enjoy what God has done through worship in the past and yet seek to join God in what He is doing now. Moving from strictly piano to a live band aided us in the attempt to take on this new style. This new format changed the way we worship considerably. However, it wasn't simply the change in music. Our worship services became a time of engaging with God. It's joyful, celebratory, intimate, moving, and full of praise. As a pastor I simply long to worship God with these people.

#2 - Fellowship
Pioneer has sought to be a place "Where Relationships Matter." What we have tried to develop in every member is the understanding that relationship with God is our ultimate priority and allow that relationship to filter into our relationships with others. We have taken on the simple church mentality of "Loving God, Loving Others, Serving Both." The love and unity of this congregation has astounded me. I often tell them that "...people do not come to Pioneer because of the pastor. They come because of you. It's with you that they sense genuine love, warmth, and acceptance."

#3 - Evangelism
One of the most interesting aspects of this congregation is that we do not have in place a particular tool for evangelism. We have trained individuals with all types of "methods" but also preached on the necessity of them carrying the Gospel into their workplaces, schools, and communities. The response has been nothing short of miraculous. So many here are burdened for their lost family members/friends and actually look for opportunities to share Christ with them. We carry the Gospel message into the community through various methods as well as missions all over the globe. God has given the increase!

#4 - Ministry
Most of the ministry done through this church is led by individual members. They aren't paid staff. In fact there are only 2 of us currently on the payroll. We are looking to add a 3rd member as the need for youth has grown with the influx of families coming into the church. But by in large our ministries are member led. Kidz Zone, Women's Ministry, Men's Ministry w/ an upcoming Sportsmen Ministry, Pioneer Kids on Wednesday nights, GA's & RA's on Sunday night, Food Pantry - these are all led by individual members. It's our philosophy that members are the ministers which gives us pastors the opportunity to feed and lead.

#5 - Discipleship
This is our opportunity to educate God's people in His Word. This is done through Sunday School, Small Groups, and Prayer. We are a little different than most churches in this regard since we only have 1 preaching service during the week. Sunday nights we meet in small groups to teach on marriage, lifestyles, doctrine, etc. We have also led teachings on Financial Peace and Recovery. Through these groups our church has seen tremendous spiritual and numerical growth. In fact, the last Experiencing God class saw 7 of its 10 members go into the mission field this past year!

Why am I sharing all of this? Simply put, I am the fortunate pastor of a growing congregation. I have witnessed God doing amazing things. I don't attribute any of it to me. To be honest with you, it wasn't until I got out of the way that God began to do all of this. If you are looking for a church that isn't at all interested in playing church - this is your congregation. If you are tired of dry and passionless church - this is your place. If you are seeking opportunity to follow God's leadership for your life - we want to help in that process.

Thanks for allowing me to share a little info about our church. If you are interested in joining us we meet on Sunday mornings for Sunday School at 9:30am, Worship/Celebration at 10:30am. Small Groups are on Sunday night at 6:30pm and Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night at 7:00pm. We look forward to seeing you!

In Christ Alone

Michael English is one of my favorite Christian artists. I thought about saying "was" and realized that I would be lying.

Why was I going to say he "was"? Well...

Michael English was on top of the Christian music scene. He had just collected 6 Dove Awards when he broke the news of misconduct in his life. Though he did not openly say at the time of the announcement it didn't take long for the story to spread of an affair with another artist. Both were married. His confession and return of the awards shocked all of us. Christian radio started pulling his songs off the air, music stores pulled his albums off the shelf. His career was finished.

Not long after he released a song with Wynonna Judd called "Healing." It was a great song and I remember aching as I heard him sing. It's an interesting note to consider that not long before English confessed his wrong-doing that Wynonna had announced that she was pregnant out of wedlock with no intent to marry.

Over time Michael did make it back into the music scene. However, after being restored he had to face another problem: Drug Addiction. I can tell you that he has been through detox, is seeking the Lord daily for victory, and is continually trying to use his gifts for the Kingdom.

Now I will tell you why I didn't say that English "was" one of my favorite Christian artists. "Was" would infer that he no longer sings for the Lord. "Was" would mean that he is washed up. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory. God has restored Michael yet again. Sure - Michael's story is messy. However, God isn't finished!

One of the most powerful songs in English's music career was "In Christ Alone." This song was written by Shaw Craig from Phillips, Craig & Dean. I'm sure Michael would say (if he hasn't already) that He now understands the words he sang so beautifully. As I share them with you today I hope that you will find the source of your strength in Christ Alone.

In Christ Alone - (Shawn Craig/Don Koch)

In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone I overcome

Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hand
But those trophies could not equal
To the grace by which I stand

Chorus:
In Christ Alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ Alone

In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
And only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need
Now, I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my gains but losses
And to the glory of my Lord.

Chorus

Praise or Worship...or Both?

Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about worship. In particular I have focused on the praise aspect of worship. You know, for someone coming into the church for the 1st time this may be a confusing subject. Some people in the church view praise and worship as just a type/style of music. So...when we say lets worship the Lord - what does it mean and what does it look/sound like.

To get the full answer to all of this you will need to hear my sermon on Sunday. However, I will give you a couple of items to chew on.

Worship is a spiritual response. It's how we are to respond to God on a daily basis (not just on Sunday). He is the Creator, therefore, I worship Him. He is my Salvation - I worship Him. God is worthy of worship...that is, our spiritual response to Him.

Praise on the other hand is always associated with a body function. Singing, dancing, shouting, lifting hands, bowing down, or playing an instrument. Praise is activity!

So in whatever you do today - WORSHIP HIM! But if you are going to praise Him then you better get moving!!!

Have a great week.

P.S. The Evangelism Conference was great. If anyone is interested in hearing the messages that were preached they can be downloaded from the website: www.sbcv.org

SBCV Evangelism Conference

What a beautiful Friday!

Today, PBC is one of the host locations for the SBCV Evangelism Conference. One of the premiere conferences that we have all year. It's focus? Equipping individuals and churches with the tools to share the Gospel.

Speakers:
Algernon Tennyson
Hershael York
Grant Ethridge

Registration begins @ 12:00pm and the event will go until 8:30pm. There is a dinner break at 5:30pm.

Hope you will come out and join us...even if you can't come until the evening session.

Have a blessed weekend.

The Potter and the Clay

"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the Potter; so He made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the Potter to make." Jeremiah 18:4

There is a song that comes out of Hillsong Church called "The Potter's Hands." It's one of my all time favorites because it speaks of our willingness to be fashioned into the vessel that God wants to make.

Has anyone noticed how many preachers/teachers are putting out messages on destiny? "Oh, God has a destiny for your life..." I just heard a couple of them last week. Now don't get me wrong. I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. However, what happens when we drop the ball? What if we mess up? I'm not talking about sin in general but sin that forces us to make major changes? What happens to destiny after a failure?

Let's look again at the Word of God. "...the vessel that he made...was marred..." Now if you look up the word marred in the English language you will find that it means to be blemished, flawed, stained, spoiled or disfigured. In other words - it's not what it is supposed to be. How often do we hear of people in ministry who fail? Too often? I think so. But how do we handle those same people when they repent and are restored?

I recently met a brother who did just that. He blew it! Walked away from a ministry, a family, and a calling. He said that people would say, "I'm sorry that you lost your ministry." He would reply, "I didn't lose it...I left it!" He didn't stay away long (the conviction was too great) but the damage had already been done. I'm not going to take the time to share his name but here was a man who was booked up with speaking engagements 3 years in advance. He was being used by God. Some would say that he was fulfilling his "destiny." Now? He has been working on his marriage, been through counseling, and seeking to fulfill the calling that God placed on his life.

Some would say that he has cancelled out his calling. The Bible says that the "gifts and calling of God are without repentance." How do we reconcile that? Look again at scripture. "...so He made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the Potter to make." We may not be who we could have been, but that doesn't mean that we cannot be who God wants us to be! That may sound crazy to some of you but we serve a God who is able to fashion us again. We may not be what others thought we could be BUT GOD is able to make something out of us.

What if Peter had allowed his denial of Christ before the crucifixion to negate God's call to become a "fisher of men"? Who would have preached on the day of Pentecost? Sure - God could have raised up another person. But Jesus went to Peter after His resurrection and asked, "Peter, do you love Me?" The problem isn't with God and His willingness to forgive and restore. The problem is with us and whether or not we love God enough to humble ourselves before Him. Are we willing to be fashioned again? Will we go through the molding process again? Will we allow the touch of the Potter to shape us into another vessel?

Some would say, "Well, that ministry won't be what it was." They would be right, but at least this person didn't commit a sin unto death! At least this person can be forgiven, built up by the body of Christ, and fashioned by God into another vessel that is fit for use. Oh, how the church needs to hear this message. Your failures in life does not mean that God will never use you again. Sure...you will have to go through a molding process...you will have to endure the fire...but if you are willing - God isn't done with YOU!

Why don't we decide today that whatever happens in life (good or bad) that we will never stray so far that the Potter can't pick us back up and fashion us into a vessel that seems good to Him. Thanks be unto God for His mercy that endures forever!

Remember: You may see yourself as marred but God (the Potter) can already see another vessel.

Let the Redeemed...

Psalm 107:2, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary."

Have you been redeemed? If you have - SAY SO!

Make today your declaration day. Give God the praise that is due Him. Worship Him in spirit and in truth. Allow your testimony to ring loud and true.

This could be the day that God uses you to lead someone away from the adversary. That's right...YOU! You actually have a "say" in the matter.

I pray that God will give each of you a platform to share what God has done in your life. So...don't beat around the bush. Let people know where you stand. Tell them about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Tell them how you came to receive His forgiveness. Tell them how they can be SAVED!

If you have been redeemed then let the world know.

"Tell the world that Jesus lives.
Tell the world that He died for them." - UNITED "Tell the World"

Who's Running the Show?

"For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him." Colossians 1:16

Francis Chan, in his book "Crazy Love", asks the question: "Don't we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones?"

I will say this...There are plenty of people in this world who have this attitude toward God. Unfortunately, some of these people actually sit in seats next to us within the church. You know the ones that I'm speaking of - they love God and serve Him as long as nothing bad happens to them. As soon as they lose a job, a loved one, go through financial difficulty, or have problems in their relationships they quickly turn on God.

We were created for His pleasure, not the other way around. We are to be on mission with God trying to fulfill His will for our lives. God isn't obligated to bless us. God isn't obligated to take care of all our problems. God is God. He's running the show. Too many people act like selfish children when they don't get their way. We throw a fit on God and storm off in the other direction. All you have to do is read the account of Jonah after God spared the people of Nineveh. Rather than rejoicing in the fact that an entire nation of people were spared, Jonah sits alone whining over God's mercy.

Before we judge Jonah, however, we better look in the mirror. I know people who got angry when reports of Jeffrey Dahmer getting saved in prison came out. They didn't like the fact that this horrible criminal would be forgiven by God. He deserved Hell in their eyes. But don't we all deserve hell? The Bible says that "All Have Sinned" - "No One Seeks After God." If God gave everyone what they deserved then we are all in danger. Oh, but God is rich in mercy! And thankfully He delights in giving it.

In 2 Samuel 24 you can read the account of David doing a foolish thing by taking a census. God gave him 3 options for punishment. Famine, being pursued by his enemies, or plague. David chose to be turned over to the hand of God rather than men. In his words, "Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great..." If you continue to read you will find that God's mercy was great. Sure, a lot of people died due to the plague that God sent but we also hear God speak to the angel and say, "It is enough; now restrain your hand."

Once we understand that God runs the show - He is our Lord - we do His bidding and not the other way around, then we will be able to follow Him with our whole heart. The good news in all of this comes from Romans where we find that "all things work together for God to them who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose." I'm not saying that it is all done for your good but for His. At least in your case it can be said that you have been found faithful to God even when it doesn't seem to go your way.

Remind yourself today: I was created for God's good!

Refreshed!

Happy Monday to all! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend. I came back home on Friday from the "Fresh Oil/New Wine" Conference refreshed and recharged.

During my time away I picked up the latest book by Erwin McManus "The Barbarian Way." I told the church yesterday that the reading of this book (for me) was timely. God had already started the process of seeking a greater intimacy with Him and living a life that looks different from the "Christianity" that we often see.

Just to give you an idea of how this book flows allow me to share with you a shocking quote. "The Greatest Enemy to the Movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity!"

Is Jesus getting lost in the religion that bears His name? In many ways - YES! The followers of Jesus today pale in comparison to what we read about in Scripture. I don't blame the follower as much as the preachers/teachers of God's Word for not being bold enough to share what genuine, real, raw, and untamed faith in Christ looks like.

Where are the prophets? Where are the Elijah(s) and Jeremiah(s) of our day? Where are the believers that are willing to look and act differently, be a spectacle if it means bringing glory and honor to the God who gave them life and salvation?

If you are looking to be challenged in your walk with Christ then take the time to pick up this book. You might learn something about yourself in the process. You may find that there is a BARBARIAN inside of you that wants to get out!

Have a blessed week. I look forward to sharing it with you.

Fresh Oil, New Wine

Good Friday to everyone!

This will be my last entry for a few days. Next week I will be enjoying worship and preaching at the "Fresh Oil, New Wine" Conference in TN. I was able to go for a couple of days last year and thoroughly enjoyed my time with these believers. This year I decided that I was staying for the whole thing.

It's been an interesting month for our church family. We have been able to celebrate the birth of 4 babies of the last 4 weeks. The last one was born this morning. What an exciting time for these families. Some of these are 1st timers while for others this child is their second. We actually have a couple of more women expecting. You really have to be leery of the water fountain!!!

God is good...as always. He has blessed our church with a strong community of believers who care for and love one another. For me and Jenn this church body has become our family. Both of us are away from home here (although not too far), so we have sought fellowship among the believers of PBC. The unity here is unbelievable. I'm so thankful to be the pastor of this church.

God brought us to Pioneer at the right time in our lives. Disgruntled in ministry I had seen so many things that I didn't want to be a part of in church life. I still loved the Lord but was unsure of my place in the Kingdom. Even though I was seeking the position of pastor, I never expected this church to support me and my family the way they have. God, in turn, has blessed us immensely together.

This church is great because we serve a great God. We don't think of ourselves as better than anyone - we simply want to love God and love others. We let God take care of the rest. Our worship of Him is out of sincerity and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We attempt to share the Gospel unadulterated with a strong emphasis on the grace of God. It has worked and God is moving.

Our motto here is: "Where Relationships Matter". It's important for people to understand this. We strongly emphasize a relationship with God 1st and then relationship with others. It's even more important that those who come into this church understand this mentality when they see and hear about the ministries we do. Case in point is the Recovery Ministry that I mentioned yesterday. If we have pre-judged people who enter these doors we will never be able to reach them for Christ. It's amazing to me how so many people in churches across the land expect lost people to live like Christians. It's never that way.

As I close today I pray that each of you will experience a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit in your life. May you be blessed with peace, joy, and love as He works in your heart. Thank you for your time. I appreciate your willingness in allowing me to share.

Recovery & Rebirth

Today is a glorious day! The weather is beautiful but my reason for praise isn't because of the sunshine. It's Thursday but the reason for my excitement has nothing to do with the approach of the weekend. No my friends...I have a story to tell.

At the beginning of 2008 our church started a Celebrate Recovery group to reach out to individuals within the body who were struggling with addictions, co-dependency, bitterness, etc. It's an umbrella program designed to help people overcome their "hurts, habits, & hang-ups." This ministry has been so successful across the nation that we thought it was time to do something to help these struggling believers. It was, in my mind, a great turning point in the ministry of Pioneer Baptist Church. It changed my heart toward the struggling and allowed me to view people with compassion again. It also showed me how easy it is for even the "strongest" of believers to be burdened with many things.

Fast-forward to March 4, 2009 AD. Several of the people who went through Recovery thought it was time to begin a support group. The purpose of this group wasn't to wallow in self-pity but to encourage one another toward greater victory. Last night was the "official" 1st meeting. The results? Life-changing!

6:30 pm - A small handful of believers gather in the basement of our building to strengthen one another, encourage one another, and pray for one another. Some people wouldn't consider this group to be the "creme of the crop" because they had "issues", but I knew better. I have come to truly love these believers. They have a heart for people who are often overlooked in the daily ministry of the church. This group is truly becoming the ones that Jesus called out into the highways and the hedges to bid anyone who will come.

In the midst of this group sat one outsider. An individual (who shall remain nameless) who was seeking help. I don't know this particular situation - and the cool thing is that it doesn't matter. This person was made to feel at home, loved, and open to share. It was actually during a sharing time that someone asked, "Are you saved?" This person had been in church enough to know what this statement meant. The answer was, "No." Another recovery member took the time to share the Gospel with them and this "outsider" immediately became a part of the family!

The title of today's blog is: "Recovery & Rebirth." I chose this title because I thought about how important it is for us to know the Lord when we are trying to overcome. Accepting Christ accelerates greatly the ability to overcome addictions, depression, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. We can go through recovery but will never truly recover without Jesus. He is the one who rescues us from ourselves. We cannot trust in steps, procedures, practices; we must trust in Him. The Bible teaches us plainly that if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation (look at the picture above), old things have passed away; behold, all things are new. How awesome is that?

Today there is a new creation in Christ walking around their workplace. Children were given a new parent. And "outcasts" were given a new ministry. The wonderful ministry of reconciliation.

I cannot tell you how excited I am as a pastor to see ministry birthed in the hearts of church members. How wonderful to think that God has allowed us to create an atmosphere of acceptance to ministry ideas. This ministry will flourish and God's stamp of approval was evident in a life that came looking for recovery but walked away born again!

Praise be to the God who saves!

Oh What a Knight!

Fox News is reporting that the Queen of England has given the title of honorary knight to Edward (Ted) Kennedy for his work in health care reform and Ireland. This simply drives me nuts!

What happened to honor, chivalry, bravery, sacrifice? I thought these were the ideal of knights. These are things that we tried to emulate as children. However, in today's England being a knight doesn't mean as much. This queen has knighted Elton John, Sean Connery, Paul McCartney as well as Americans Bill Gates, and Steven Spielberg. The only difference is that honorary knighthood for an American means that they cannot be referred to as "Sir".

Has everyone forgot what happened on July 18, 1969 in Chappaquiddick? A drunken Ted Kennedy leaving the scene of an accident and allowing a young Mary Jo Kopechne to drown in just a few inches of water? A crime for which he should have done serious jail time but did not. Charged with leaving the scene of an accident he didn't even serve the short prison term. No manslaughter, no drunken driving, nothing. He was too busy walking up and down the road trying to salvage his political career to even care that a young woman was drowning in his car! A knight? Please...

Such are the standards of our world I guess. It's truly sad. I understand that Ted Kennedy comes from the most powerful family in politics. I know that his last name means a lot. However, back in the day, he considered his misfortune as a part of the family curse. Don't you find it interesting that in the family curse a Kennedy dies but with Ted someone else dies? This man is no knight...but I guess when you consider everyone else who has been knighted by the Queen...

Oh well, that's my rant for the week.

Doctor Visit

Sorry for the late posting today. I had an appointment to see the doctor...a knee specialist to be exact. I've had some concerns for a while and thought it was time to get a professional opinion. No answers yet, but hopefully after an MRI later this week we'll be able to make some decisions.

This is actually a perfect time to bring up the subject I left you with on Friday. What Paul has been doing for the Galatian church is nothing short of diagnosing a problem and prescribing a cure. The problem: Legalists were trying to destroy the freedom of the early church by imposing Jewish Law. The prescription: Christ alone!

It's in this letter that we find to most curious phrase "fallen from grace." I asked each of you to consider what Paul was saying to the early church. Does "falling from grace" mean that we LOSE our salvation? I shared this with the church on Sunday, however, I want to jump right into it again today for all the blog readers out there.

1st of all I want you to notice to whom Paul is speaking. He is addressing the churches in Galatia. He takes ample time to lay the foundation for salvation by grace through faith alone. He even goes on to tell these Gentile believers that they have been adopted into the family of God and are "heirs" to the promises of Abraham. Since this is true of every believer in Christ he moves on to the necessity of standing firm in the liberty that Christ have given them. As for those who have "fallen from grace" I want you to hear his words again.

"You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4

I want to assure each and everyone of you that Paul is speaking to Gentile Believers. These are folks who have already put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. If we (as believers) seek to live by the law we are living in direct contrast to the Savior. Basically, Paul has told the Galatian believers that if they seek to be justified by the law then they have fallen from the sphere of grace and entered into the duty of being made right with God by their efforts. Jesus is made of no effect in our lives if we seek to live this way.

"For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by FAITH." Galatians 5:5

Righteousness is not something to be attained. It is something that is given to us by faith.

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." Galatians 5:6

Notice these words! Even if we performed the duties of the law it matters nothing compared to Christ. Faith is the vehicle that God uses to make us right with Himself. Later on, Paul told the Ephesians that it is by Grace that we are saved...through FAITH...and that it is a GIFT from God.

To fall from grace doesn't mean we have LOST salvation. What we have lost is our understanding of the grace of God in our lives. Instead of enjoying the benefits of grace we place ourselves under the yoke of legalism which leads to bondage.

Take courage in these words. Christ + nothing = salvation. Christ + nothing = right standing with God. Christ + nothing = all I need to live the life of a Christian. And just in case you have a hard time understanding how a believer should live in light of what Paul teaches he gives another prescription: WALK IN THE SPIRIT (Galatians 5:16).

May you enjoy walking in the Spirit this week.