Pastor's article
It is hard to believe but we have now been in our new building for a little over a month. It has been exciting to see all that God has done and all He is doing. The overall comments I have received from our church family and those in town have been overwhelmingly positive. I believe that our church took a huge step in faith and it will be a blessing to have this building for our future. Our church was also able to purchase the property next door, the often referred “old funeral home”, to help with our current parking situation. While it is somewhat unclear what that property can be used for in the future, it is also serves as a good step towards our church’s future.
As I see all the things that are happening, I can’t be anything but encouraged. We know that First Baptist has a long historic past, if the Lord is willing, we are positioned for a bright future. I am relieved to have our evangelism opportunities-such as Vacation Bible School, Pumpkin Patch and the Bethlehem Experience taking place without all the inconveniences of construction. It has been three long years, yet God has been faithful and showed Himself being in control to ME and hopefully to all of us.
The building was a big project and we survived! What is more important is not that we merely survived, I believe we also saw what a healthy church needs. We have seen more than just a building grow, we have seen our church grow. We have learned patience, acceptance of our situations and adaptability. We have seen even in our setbacks we can rejoice and see God move. In my fourteen plus years at FBC, we never saw the number of baptisms take place during the building process. That is GOD!
I believe that having the vision of looking to the future has reestablished us to see our purpose. Our church’s purpose to see people come to Jesus. People can come to Jesus by putting their faith in Christ and that is so exciting to see. For me, it is also exciting to see new families coming to take part in our fellowship. I am also so excited to see our Bible studies growing and many of our fellow members growing in their walk with the Lord. Each of these things will outlive and outlast our new building.
Paul writes 2 Corinthians to teach that we need to focus not only on the temporal but the eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says,
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul says it is great to see what is all around us, but one day it will not matter. As great as our new building is to us, and our community, what is more important is the lives that have been changed for eternity. So, we must take more interest in those lives that have been changed by the Gospel, because those are the ones that will last. So let’s not get more excited about our construction that is ending, rather lets be just as excited about worshiping the Lord who makes all new-for eternity. So let me challenge you, stay faithful, stay diligent, stay adaptable, and give God the glory that only He deserves. I’ll see you Sunday!
In Christ,
Brother Alan
MUSIC MINISTER's article
Gods Not Finished
Many years ago, there was a time I had to say goodbye to a dear friend who was moving because he was starting his career. It was a bittersweet moment; full of mixed emotions, like joy for him starting his career, but sadness about him leaving. Feeling empty, I remembered what he said, “I’ll see you later”. It gave me hope knowing that is wasn’t goodbye forever and that we would reunite again! You see, goodbyes can be hard, but they aren’t always an end to a story, rather than the beginning of something greater.
If we look at the ascension of Jesus, we see something similar. Read Acts 1: 9-11
“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
The ascension of Jesus reminds us that just because Jesus isn’t here doesn’t mean that he isn’t working in our lives. Jesus ascended to prepare a place for us, to intercede on our behalf as High Priest (Hebrews 4: 14-16), and to send his Holy Spirit to comfort and empower us. We live in a broken world full of sin. There are times when we feel lost, broken, empty, or even hopeless, but knowing that Jesus ascended can give us hope over our struggles. He is ALIVE and ACTIVE!
Jesus defeated sin and death and his promise to return should fill our hearts with gratitude. Worship Him. Worship Him because you know he is sovereign over all! As we continue to worship the God who defeated the grave, and the God who loves you; remember that Our God is for you not against you! I pray that we do not dwell on what was, but what is to come. I pray that we can truly open our hearts to Jesus and worship him. I pray that the ascension can help you worship God from the highest of mountains and the lowest of valleys because Jesus is our hope and he is not finished with us.
Much Love,
Tyler
Children's Minister's article
We are heading in to "GO TIME" for all of the Kids Ministry departments in churches! Once school lets out for the summer, kids ministers everywhere try to make the most of that "free" time and fill it with camps and activities that focus on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with kids and their families. Vacation Bible School is probably the church's most evangelistic offering that is directed specifically at kids. Preteen and Teen camps are right behind that only because they reach fewer kids than something like VBS can. Families are so busy nowadays. We have to make the most of every opportunity we get to share Christ with a child.
Research consistently shows that a large majority of people will make their decision to follow Christ before the age of 18. If you've been watching our own church's trends, you've noticed that we've been baptizing more children than adults. Children and their families are where the harvest appears to be!
Although tradition tends to lean toward the disciples being grown men with jobs and families, in reality, a number of Jesus' followers, especially his closest ones, were probably teenagers. Can't you just imagine a group of young men, pushing and teasing each other in the scenario written in Matthew 18?
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."
Matthew 18: 1-4
Boys asking for the criteria to determine "the best!" The young disciples thought Jesus was talking about accomplishment in human terms or status in cultural terms. But Jesus bursts their competitive bubble by saying they have to become like "children" in order to be considered for advancement in his kingdom! Some of them were probably still sitting at the kiddie table when they set out to follow Jesus!
But Jesus wasn't telling them to be "child-like" as a form of helplessness either. Jesus wasn't looking for followers who relied on him like some rely on food stamps and government assistance! Coming to Jesus as a child consists of trust, vulnerability and relying on the help and direction of a parent. Children are naturally living in that state, therefore it must be an easier conclusion to realize that they need God's salvation as well as the protection and guidance of a parent.
So, adults, what does that mean for us? Well, just like the disciples, we need to remember that our deeds and our status can not earn us any good favor from God. But even more, if we want to truly be a follower of Christ, then we need to let go of some things. We need to realize that no matter how hard we work, all provision comes from God. No matter how high we climb the ladder of success, all glory is bestowed by God. And no matter how strong we stand in the roles that we hold, all ability to just BE is given by God. We need to come to Him in humility and trust that He has our best plan in mind.
If you haven't already, I hope you will consider volunteering in Vacation Bible School or some of the other activities we have going on for kids and teens this summer. Sometimes we just need a reminder of the child-like faith it takes to really be a follower of Jesus.
In Christ,
Marie Dittmar