That Old Phone

Dear Friends,

One of the pieces of memorabilia that I have in my office is an old Western Electric rotary dial telephone circa 1941.  This was my grandfather’s desk phone for years and somehow ended up in his home after that.  Every time I walk into my office at church, I see that phone and think of him.  He was born in 1915, one of nine children.  His family was not wealthy by any means and he told all the typical stories of how hard they had it compared to these younger generations.  He became an adult during the Great Depression and somehow found a job working for Sanitary Grocery Stores (later Safeway Stores) as a meat cutter.  He worked for them for forty-nine years until he retired.  His generation was shaped by the hardships of the Depression, World War II and the Korean War.  He lived half his life during a time of racial segregation and struggled with understanding civil rights, clinging to prejudices taught to him by the previous generation.  He wondered how our society would ever survive the 1960’s, and he loved his grandson, me, fiercely.  Others in my family don’t remember him as fondly as I do and knowing what I know now, they are certainly justified. But he was my granddaddy and I thought he was wonderful!

One of his favorite sayings to me, as he sought to mold me into the man he thought I ought to become was, “The Bible says, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’” It wasn’t until I was in Bible college that I realized this particularly popular phrase, often quoted, is not found anywhere in the Bible. The saying is usually attributed to Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1757. In actuality, it was first published by Algernon Sydney, an English political theorist, in a 1698 article titled “Discourses Concerning Government.” 

Whomever originally coined this phrase, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. God helps the helpless! Isaiah 25:4 (NLT) declares, “But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…” Romans 5:6 (NLT) tells us “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”

In terms of salvation, we are all utterly helpless and infected by sin. Romans 3:23 (NLT) “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Because of that sin we are all condemned, Romans 6:23a (NLT) “For the wages of sin is death…” Our only hope is God’s grace, unearned and undeserved, Romans 6:23b (NLT) “…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Thankfully, God is the helper of the helpless, Romans 5:8 (NLT2) “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Jesus paid the penalty that we were incapable of paying, 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT2) “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” God provided the help that we all need precisely because we cannot help ourselves.

I don’t think my grandfather ever really believed me when I tried to convince him of my discovery.  Unfortunately, I am uncertain of his eternal destination.  I certainly hope that I will see him again beyond the pearly gates.  I am grateful that my grandfather taught me many things that have served me well and allowed me to help myself in this life.  That old phone reminds me every day.  However, I am eternally grateful that God chose to help a spiritually helpless, hopeless sinner like me into eternity with Him!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

FrBC Deacon Nominations / Qualifications:

Dear Friends,

It is that time of year again when we begin looking forward to the leadership postings for the next calendar year.  The Nominating Committee is currently making calls and securing commitments for committees and ministry teams.  Let me urge you to pray about how God would have you serve the church and His kingdom in this coming year.  We all have different skills, talents and passions that the Lord has graciously gifted us with.  Please don’t be guilty of allowing another year to pass without speaking up or stepping up to serve the body of Christ.  If there is a role you would like to fill or that you have a passion about, let us know!  Likewise, if you are in a role that you are not passionate about or are not gifted to serve in, allow someone else the opportunity to fill that role while you move into something more suited to you.

Our church bylaws provide for the nomination and election of deacons every year.  The process is this; all active members are given the opportunity to nominate men that they feel are qualified and befitting to be part of our deacon team.  The deacons of Frederica Baptist Church hold a special place and purpose in this body.  Collectively, they do not wield any administrative leadership power.  The name “deacon” comes from the Greek word for servant and that is a large part of what they do.  They are servants of and in the church.  Furthermore, the deacons act as an extension of the pastoral staff, caring for the flock and assisting the pastors in matters pertaining to the spiritual well-being of the congregation.

This is not a popularity contest.  Not every man in our congregation is well suited to this type of ministry.  Please be prayerful in making your nominations.  Below is a look at qualifications for the position of deacon that you should be aware of before nominating.  After the nominations are collected, the pastors will consider them in light of these qualifications and other known considerations and form a list of those to be asked to serve.  A final panel of men who are willing to serve will be presented to the congregation for a vote of approval at a church conference.

Qualifications from the FrBC Church Constitution:

* Footnote on Divorce in regards to deacon qualifications:  This can be a divisive issue in many conservative churches.  The confusion lies in the interpretation of the phrase in 1 Tim. 3:12, “the husband of one wife.”  The literal rendering of the Greek phrase would actually be “a one-woman man.”  Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are two other Greek words that Paul uses elsewhere that truly, literally mean “divorce.”  So, why use an ambiguous phrase when he could have used an obvious and clear word with no confusion?  Paul was writing to Timothy in Ephesus which was the capital of worship for the Roman goddess Diana.  This particular goddess was worshipped by visiting temple prostitutes.  That would certainly exclude a man for spiritual office.  Also, while not as widespread, there existed the practice of polygamy, of having more than one wife.  Again, that man would have been excluded by this phrase.  Certainly, the Bible tells us that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) and Jesus takes the Pharisees to task for allowing easy divorce numerous times (Mat. 19:8, Luke 16:18).  Divorce is a division of what God has put together but is it always the man’s fault?  What of a man who was divorced before he was saved, before he knew the Lord? Is the divorced man any worse than other sinners saved and forgiven by grace?  The best interpretation to my mind is that this text focuses on moral purity not on marital status.  Mat. 19:9 and 1 Cor. 7:12-16 give Scriptural exceptions for divorce (infidelity, abandonment, abuse) so I think it would be unusual for a blanket divorce exclusion.  The first qualification of a deacon is to be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2).  If the divorce had no biblical grounds, then the man has damaged his testimony in the church and community; the “above reproach” qualification should exclude him from the deaconate rather than the “husband of one wife” requirement.  Use your best prayerful and Biblical judgement to determine how you will nominate and possibly vote on candidates.

I hope this helps everyone to make prayerful and informed nominations for the deacon positions in our church.  It is a position to be sought after and honored.  In this coming year we will reinstitute our deacon family ministry and hopefully expand our personal ministries as well.

Thank you for taking the time to make prayerful and considered choices when nominating men to be deacons in the church.

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

The Full Armor of God

Dear Friends,

Satan counts on us forgetting that this world in which we live is a battlefield.  Day by day, hour by hour, we face a spiritual war and a real enemy whose main aim is to steal, kill, and destroy. The forces of darkness don’t wait for us to be ready and prayed up for their attack. They are ruthless, determined, and cunning.  

God has given us his Word and Spirit so that we’ll have the wisdom and protection to stand against the enemy. This enemy we face, no matter how cruel and vicious his schemes, can never bind our spirits if they have been set free by Christ. We can only be defeated in battles; we can only be silenced if we forget to use the tools that God has given us.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

The Belt of Truth: A soldier in Paul’s day had a leather belt that he tightened about his waist to hold his tunic together and to carry his weapons.  In our Christian armor, it is our integrity that holds everything else together. If we don’t have integrity in the big and small things of our lives, we are going to lose the battle.

The Breastplate of Righteousness: The breastplate of a soldier covered the soldier’s vital organs. For the Christian soldier, the breastplate is the sanctifying righteousness of Christ. The enemy wants to attack us with lies, and impurity to get into our hearts and minds.  He is always looking for a crack in our armor.  We must make sure that our righteousness, our connection with Christ is always in good repair.  If not, then we cannot win the battle.

The Shoes of Peace: A Roman soldier’s sandals would have had hobnails on the sole, very much like football cleats because when they were fighting, they needed solid footing. In war, slippery footing will not give a soldier peace of mind.  When Satan comes against a believer, he throws out doubt and discouragement to cause us to stumble. Unless we have solid footing grounded in the gospel we cannot have peace, then we cannot win the battle.

The Shield of Faith: The legionnaire’s shield measured approximately two feet by four feet.  It protected the soldier from arrows shot by the enemy.  Satan and his agents, both human and supernatural, are going to fire flaming arrows at us. He knows a spark can ignite a big fire.  Our Christian shield is made of our faith.  A resolute faith will stop and extinguish the fiery arrows of attack that are aimed at us.  Without faith we cannot win the battle.

The Helmet of Salvation:  A soldier used a helmet to protect his head because if his head was wounded, he wouldn’t be able to think. A helmet gives us a sense of safety. One of the most important pieces of armor that a Christian has is an assurance of salvation. If we don’t know that we are saved, that our salvation is assured after this earthly life, then we cannot win the battle.

The Sword of the Spirit:  In Paul’s day the most effective offensive weapon was the soldier’s sword.  The believers most effective weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus modeled the use of this weapon during His temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).  Bible Study and memorization of God’s Word can turn the strongest of Satan’s lies and attacks, without it we cannot win the battle.

Most of us live busy lives.  It’s easy to forget what kind of world we live in.  All too often we race through busy, hectic days, ill-equipped, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we’re up against, or who the real enemy even is. 

Believers are called to be salt and light in this dark world.  Satan doesn’t want that so we cannot expect to go for very long without encountering obstacles and attacks thrown in our direction. This battle is real, it’s intense and it has eternal consequences. Remembering that we live in a battle zone, putting on His armor daily, staying alert, and praying, will help us to “stand strong.”

Only by Grace,

Pastor Mike

When Do We Live?

Dear Friends,

Do you remember the 1980s?  Big hair, loud clothing, Ronald Reagan, Cabbage Patch dolls, Boom Boxes, velour jogging suits, leg warmers, and cheesy movies all defined the 80s.  Another thing about that decade was that churches were typically part of mainstream culture, accepted in most places, even embraced in some.  That is not the culture of today.  9 out of 10 churches in America are either declining or they are growing so slowly that they are not keeping up with the growth rate of the community in which they are located.  Thom Rainer, former president and CEO of Lifeway Resources and current CEO of Church Answers says that 90 percent of American churches are declining and many of them will close.

In his work, Rainer has consulted with thousands of churches across the country and he says one of the main reasons for this decline is that churches are still acting like it’s the 1980s.  The world has passed them by and they are deemed irrelevant by members of their communities, frozen in a time warp and unable to adapt to the rapidly changing culture around them.  Here are some of the symptoms that he sees of this phenomenon:

Congregations use their church as a place to shelter themselves from their culture.  Our culture no longer happily embraces the church and its teachings so we run to our buildings as a place to getaway and hide from the realities of society that we don’t want to face.  Obviously, some societies in our country present a harsher environment to church goers than others but in general the overall societal view of religion has become antagonistic.  Church has become a place where we shut our doors to the world outside and pretend that the opposition doesn’t exist.

Pre-packaged programs have become our teachers.  The vast majority of churches in the 1980s were program driven.  If there was a perceived need, the pastor would order a resource that best solved that need.  There were (and still are) many pastors and teachers who make an excellent living developing and packaging slick programs to cover the needs found in a church.  Unfortunately, today’s culture no longer sees black and white, right or wrong.  Our culture and those raised in it view life as a multifaceted mosaic of grays.  One size fits all programs often fall far short of addressing the real-life questions of those we are trying to reach with the gospel.

Church growth is harder or non-existent.  If you remember, in the 80s we really didn’t have to put in much effort to attract visitors.  Going to church was still something people just did.  Even if, as a young adult, we drifted away, once children were born it was time to get back in church.  Because of that, church members did not need to make sacrifices to reach their communities.  The church member and their needs and preferences became the central focus of the programming.  Evangelism was no longer something everyone was supposed to do but became the responsibility of the pastor or paid staff.  This attitude continues to persist with members who are more concerned about worship style and personal preferences rather than lost people who need to hear the gospel.  

Change is seen as an evil to fight against.  In the 80s change was more incremental.  Churches did not have to worry about the rapid pace of change that we see in our culture today.  The last few years alone have born witness to massive upheavals of change in the world.  No longer suppressed by what they see as old-fashioned ideals and morality, today’s society sees themselves as modern day abolitionists fighting against social injustice in whatever form is presented.  While the church must hold firm on Biblical teaching, we must also strive to provide a place of safe and respectful dialog centering on Jesus and His Kingdom.  Holding on to extra-Biblical rituals and traditions can be just as detrimental as compromising clear Biblical commands. 

My friends, I am not passing judgement on our church.  Nor am I suggesting that we should embrace haphazard change just for the sake of relatability.  My desire is simply to open our eyes to the pitfalls of trying to ignore the world around us.  We no longer live in the 80s.  We live in a time of open warfare for the eternal souls of those around us.  We live in a time when we will have to sacrifice many of our comfort preferences in order to make the gospel more available to the lost of this culture.  We live in a time when we cannot hide, when we cannot shy away from difficult conversations, when we cannot wait for the lost to find their own way.  We live in the time for which Jesus has called us to be His witnesses, not inside our walls but out there in this culture at this time.

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

Worship Giving

Dear Friends,

We often associate the term “worship” with praise and singing. There is the Praise and Worship Movement, as well as worship concerts and radio stations dedicated solely to playing worship music. But worship includes so much more than just our singing. Worship includes our whole being, in which we worship in spirit (with our hearts) and in truth (with our minds). “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24 NIV)

One of the ways we are called to worship God is through the giving of our tithes and offerings. We worship when we give our hearts back to God through singing His praises, we surrender our will to God’s ultimate design for our lives through prayer, and when we offer our tithes to Him for His glory through giving. Through financial giving we praise God for the blessings of having the financial resources to give back to Him what He has already given us.

Think about the relationship this has to singing praises. God has given us voices that, when utilized through spirit and truth, we offer our praise back to Him through the voices that He has already bestowed upon us. In the same vein, God has already blessed us with stewardship over certain financial resources.  We are called to use those resources to live our lives and to put them to work on behalf of God’s Kingdom.  When we return a mere ten percent through giving to His church or making offering to other Kingdom endeavors, we are praising God in an act of worship. The emphasis is not on the money. The emphasis is on our hearts.

Perhaps the most powerful text in the Old Testament concerning giving can be found in Malachi 3:8-10 (CSB), where God accused the Israelites of robbing Him. God’s chosen people questioned this claim and asked, “How do we rob You?” God’s response was, “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.” God then went on to make a powerful challenge: “Test Me in this way. … See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.” That is a powerful promise from our gracious, giving Heavenly Father!

When it comes to the New Testament, the actual word tithe is no longer mentioned.  However, that does not mean that the call to giving to God’s house no longer applies. Nothing could be further from the truth! In light of what Christ has done for us on the cross and the amazing grace we receive, our giving should be a reflection of what our heart treasures.

Jesus told us in Matthew 6:21 (NIV), “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What a convicting statement from our Savior! If we were to examine our hearts based on giving financially to the church, what would we find? Ask yourself, do you feel joy, excitement, greed, self-centeredness, anxiety, fear, or something else when you give back to the Lord? Rather than focusing on what you are giving up, focus on your giving as an act of worship. Through our giving, God not only utilizes our financial contributions, but He works in our hearts and blesses our worship to transform each of us, more and more, into the image of Christ.

Our giving should be viewed as a part of our worship to the Lord. If we are just giving for tax purposes, to get our name on a plaque or to receive some other earthly recognition then we are merely involved in donating to charity and we are missing out on the great joy of being a cheerful giver.  We miss out on a chance to worship the One who gave everything for us!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

Good Friends

Dear Friends:

I have been blessed this week to become reacquainted with my very best friend from High School.  Over the last 40 years we have reconnected from time to time but it has been around 20 years since our last person to person visit.  However, other than needing to catch up and overlooking a whole lot of grey hair, it’s been like hardly any time has passed at all. Good friends, really good friends, last forever.

As we travel through this human, time bound life, we must remember that God never intended us to journey alone.   He created us as social beings with the ability and need to love, share and interact.  God also knew that there would simply be too many obstacles and challenges to navigate without the help, comfort and company of others.  Our loving Heavenly Father did not place us in a dreary, boring, monochrome world but one of color, beauty and wonder that is so much more exciting when experienced with friends.

As Christians, we talk about Fellowship all the time.  The Greek word for fellowship is “koinonia.”  Koinonia’s primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.” The first occurrence of koinonia in the Bible is in the context of church in Acts 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together in love, faith, and encouragement. Fellowship with others is one of the great blessings of this life.  God Himself, is called the “Friend of Sinners.”  That’s us, that’s who we are – imperfect people in need of both a savior and a friend.

God’s desire to be our friend is so strong that He was willing to die on the cross for us to make provision for the forgiveness of our sins and to restore the lost fellowship with Him that was created by our sin.  That effort and cost is seen in the simple story of the gospel.  God became the perfect man and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and stands as the substitute for those who receive Him by faith.  When we trust in Christ for our salvation from sin and death, we receive an abiding friendship with God.

The Lord knows the value in earthly friendships and in fellowship.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 emphasizes this value, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  Humans simply work better together rather than alone.

This is why it is so important to be a part of a growing, vibrant church family.  In a good church, like ours, we will find the kind of friends that will be there for us as we navigate the blessings and difficulties of life.  We will find friends who will stand beside us in the good and bad times, during our triumphs and trials.  We will find friends who, in love, will tell us things we need to hear, not just the things we want to hear. A real friend isn’t just a companion but someone who helps us become better people.  That is the kind of friend Jesus wants to be for us, the kind of friend He wants us to be for each other.

Only by Grace,

Pastor Mike

Incredible Contributions

Dear Friends,

As I am sitting in my new office in our new building, I am reminded of all the work and sacrifice that so many of you contributed on behalf of the vision that the Lord gave.  To be honest, it would be impossible (and probably foolish) to try and name every contribution of time, talent and money that went into making this building, this campus, a reality.  I am, in many ways, humbled by the faith displayed to see this project through.  In truth, this is one of the things that initially impressed me about Frederica Baptist Church as a candidate for the pastoral opening.

There is still much to be done to fully complete our new home but those things are being worked out.  Rick Shelnutt has done an incredible job supervising the entire project.  There is simply no telling where we would be without his constant vigilance.  We owe him, as a body, an incredible debt of thanks and appreciation.  In fact, there are many members of the building team who have and continue to contribute mightily.  This building will be a lasting monument to their hard work and dedication.

The Furnishings Team has also done an amazing job picking out and placing new furniture and accents to integrate and complement our existing furnishings and to really make our public areas pop with a beautiful coastal feel.  I know that if I was the one making these décor decisions it would have probably looked like a warehouse!  Thank you for taking so much of your time to search for and select the right pieces and colors for our new home.  Believe me, I doubt anyone realizes the amount of time, effort and meetings it took to get everything just right.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention the Finance Committee for their amazing work of navigating the intricacies of loans and mortgages and sales and interest rates and so forth!  This group has had so many decisions to make it’s a wonder they’re still sane.  (One or two are still questionable but for the most part they all made it through…)  Remember, they didn’t just have the building and church budgets to deal with, they had to do it all while navigating the unprecedented challenges of an economy effected by a global pandemic!

Finally, let me toss a bone to my compatriots here on the church staff.  These guys (Paul, Cameron and Karen) have stepped up and met every challenge and difficulty thrown their way.  No complaints, no moans and groans, no looking for greener pastures!  I am so proud of each of them for the grace in which they have handled every adversity and how they have been willing to be flexible in thought and practice.  I truly feel that God has immeasurably blessed me with their comradery, friendship, wisdom and work ethic!

If I have not mentioned you in this very brief and incomplete list, please don’t feel slighted.  I know that there are very many unsung heroes who have contributed in both general and specific ways to our new home.  Whoever you are, you are greatly appreciated! 

Frederica Baptist Church, it is my honor and joy to be your pastor!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike 

What’s Next?

Dear Friends,

We have certainly had a busy couple of weeks!  It is so exciting to be in our new church home.  I know many of you have been waiting and working towards this for a very long time.  It would be so easy to now just sit back and relax.  After all you did it!  You answered God’s calling and you made it happen!  Didn’t you?  Well, you might have had a little help from the One who called you to leave your previous church(s) and to commit yourselves to a path that has now led you to this new home on Marsh’s Edge Lane.  So, now that you’re here, I ask you, do you really think that God was merely interested in yet another building to add to His global real estate portfolio?

Psalm 50:8-12 (NLT)

I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.

But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens.

For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine.

If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.

We no longer make sacrifices of goats or bulls but the point that David is making in this psalm, under the inspiration of the Lord, remains the same.  God has no needs that he requires from us.  Our God is not a weak, poor God who needs anything (including money) from us. He made everything with a word. He has a limitless supply of resources. He has no needs; he’s never had one. And even if he did have one, he wouldn’t come to us with it!

I cannot stress this enough: God does not need our worship, our work or our money. So, why does He want us to worship Him, serve Him and give our money to Him?

Psalm 50:14-15 (NLT)

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

He continues a few verses later:

Psalm 50:23 (NLT)

But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

What God wants from us is an offering of thanksgiving for what He’s done for us. He wants us to sit in amazement at His salvation and then respond to Him appropriately out of our gratitude.  At creation, God gave man free will.  We are not forced to worship, serve, follow or support.  God’s desire is to be glorified and there is no glory in compulsion only resentment.

So, back to where we stand today… Many of you have gratefully sacrificed money, time, talents and effort to make this building a reality.  I believe, for most of you, those sacrifices were made out of thanksgiving to God for all that He has done and is doing for you.  However, this is only phase one (and I’m not talking about the master building plan).  Now, we must ask ourselves, “What does God want us to do now that we’re here?”  You see, even though in light of eternity this building is only temporary, it represents an eternal investment in God’s Kingdom. 

Randy Alcorn, in his book, The Treasure Principle, puts it this way: “Financial planners tell us, ‘When it comes to your money, don’t think just three months or three years ahead. Think thirty years ahead.’ Christ, the ultimate investment counselor, takes it further. He says, ‘Don’t ask how your investment will be paying off in just thirty years. Ask how it will be paying off in thirty million years.’”  God’s greatest desire is to see His most loved creation, man, reconciled to Him and saved from his eternal bondage to sin.  So, how can we leverage what God has had us create to make an eternal difference in accomplishing His desire?

We cannot turn in on ourselves in our nice new comfy surroundings and ignore the increasingly uncomfortable world outside our doors.  It would be so easy to do that but that is not what God wants from us!  God didn’t need a building but He had us build one, why?  The only answer must be to glorify Himself by saving more lost souls for His kingdom!  Does He need us to do that?  Of course not!  But He gives us the privilege of being His hands and feet, His ambassadors to deliver His message of salvation to those who are perishing around us.  Our first job is to ask ourselves, how? Then we must leave this place and go out into the world around us and do it!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

Moving

Dear Friends,

In some ways, I feel like I have been moving since we arrived here a little less than three years ago.  We moved from North Carolina, we moved Luke and Krysta from NC.  We both moved into a rental house here on SSI.  After 10 months we moved to the home we bought.  We moved Luke and Krysta to a home they bought in Brunswick.  The church sold part of the 3^rd floor and I moved my office across the hall.  My son Alex graduated and we moved him to Brunswick.  The church sold more of the 3^rd floor and we had to move everything out and into storage.  After Luke passed away and we moved Krysta and Liam out of her house and into an apartment.  We helped Alex move to Savannah.  The church sold the 3^rd floor offices and we again had to move things to storage.  Alex moved again, this time to Richmond, VA.  Now, we as a church, are moving to our new home on Marsh’s Edge… I think my feelings are justified.

Moving is exciting, exhausting, humiliating, frustrating and filled with anxiety all rolled together into one experience that we look forward to being over.  This is not one of those times where the joy is in the journey. No, the joy is in the last item being put away and falling into the most comfortable chair to survey and appreciate all that has been accomplished and imagining the future ahead.

As a church family, that is where we stand right now.  The finishing touches are being put on our new home.  The moving trucks have emptied out our storage units and much of the furniture and equipment from our current Fellowship Hall/office space.  All of this has been staged in various rooms in the new building as we await our permission to occupy.  Our last day at our current home (June 25^th) and our first day at our new home (June 26^th) looms large on the calendar.  The excitement in our church family grows and grows as those days get tantalizingly closer!

I have only been waiting for this moment for two years and ten months.  Some of you have been waiting and preparing, praying and saving for nearly twenty years!  That’s exhausting, and I imagine every little delay has been a frustrating gut-punch as you have sought to do what you felt God calling you to do and what you have been working so hard to accomplish.  Finally, the dreams have taken shape and the threshold is just waiting to be crossed and now, the anxiety kicks in.  What if there’s a problem, what if the final inspection doesn’t go well?  What happens if we don’t get permission to occupy in time?  Where will all the furniture go, will we need to buy more or get rid of some?  Do we rent trucks or do we hire movers?  So many questions, so many worries!  Fortunately, we have Rick and several other members of our family who have been working diligently and tirelessly to answer these questions and to deal with situations as they arise.

The packing and the moving have begun!  Every time I move, I find it slightly humiliating to realize how much junk I have accumulated and kept and even moved from place to place!  Human nature being what it is, a church is no different.  We are currently having and will continue to have many “Why in the world are we keeping this” moments.  That old saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure,” is on full display as we dig through cabinets, drawers and closets asking the question, “Should we keep this?” 

In the end, however, it will all be worth it.  The new building is going to be beautiful!  We will have room to welcome guests and to expand.  There will be room for discipleship seminars and ultimate frisbee showdowns, fellowship dinners and children’s worship, weddings, funerals and so very much more!  I for one am looking forward to sitting down in my office with a great sigh of satisfaction as I imagine our very bright future together in our new home!

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike

The Poor

Dear Friends,

There are many things in our society that we, as Christians, are called to process, confront, engage and deal with for which there just doesn’t seem to be an answer for how to fix the problem.  It’s very easy to become frustrated, throw up our hands and just do nothing.  Yet, God’s Word never commends those who ignore those who are hurting around us.  Paul tells us that in order to fulfill the law of Christ we must “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 5:6).  That speaks to the “others first” orientation of Christianity.  It is why humility, meekness, gentility, generosity and love, among other virtues, are so highly praised in the life of a believer.

One of those issues we must contend with is poverty.  Jesus said, “The poor will always be with you…” (Matt. 26:11) and that has proven to be true.  Even the mighty U.S. government can’t figure out how to end poverty.  Frankly, even if we all gave half of everything we have to the poor, many would still remain poor.  Even if somehow, we were able to give everyone a job, there would be many who would not take the job and would remain in a state of perpetual poverty.  Of course, the definition of poor changes as well.  The higher we raise the minimum wage the higher the poverty level raises keeping pace with inflation.  If we then throw in the desperately poor of the world, outside of the United States, the whole situation is completely overwhelming.

The Apostle Paul had much to say about the poor and why we should have compassion on those less fortunate than ourselves.  In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 he says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”   Those verses cover a lot but when applied to the poor and hopeless it means; God didn’t give up on comforting and helping us, we shouldn’t give up on allowing God’s comfort and help to flow from us to others in need.

It truly was my joy to help our team serve at Manna House this past Saturday.  We had fewer helpers than normal but everyone got busy, prepared the food, packed the bags, filled the cups with water and iced tea and got ready to serve lunch to all who came.  Would they have gone hungry if we had not shown up?  Some yes, others probably not but that was not for us to judge and it certainly was not our reason for being there.  As the bagged lunches were being handed out, I had the opportunity to go outside and interact with some of those we were serving.  Some joked with me, they laughed at my skinny white legs! I laughed right along with them.  Some asked me to pray with them and I saw Brenda praying with others that she took the opportunity to engage.  At one point I looked up and saw Amy and Lisa giving hugs as well as lunch to some of the ladies in line.  Many who were there have very real worries, hurts and concerns and I was honored that we as a group were able to help bear, or at least momentarily lighten, their burdens.  I pray that they saw the love of God in our words and actions and that perhaps, in the future, they will be comfortable enough with us, to have a spiritual conversation about their true need of salvation.

Yes, the poor will always be with us.  Some of them are coarse, some have mental challenges, others smell badly and a few are scary.  However, without exception, they have all been made in the image of God just like us and every last one is loved by our Heavenly Father.  “Lord, allow us to see them through Your eyes!”

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike