Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Kids Kamp 2010

What a week last week! We had 519 campers (a record for Kids Kamp week), and God saved 30 of them! Many campers heard the gospel for the first time, so pray for them that the seed of the Word of God will be watered in their lives.
Also, God blessed me with the opportunity to be the Evening Evangelist again. I really enjoyed being there, seeing the kids, and preaching the Word of God to them. A huge "Thank You" goes out to all the sponsors, workers, volunteers, etc. who gave so much for this camp. Without them, it would be impossible to do all the things we did. May God bless you!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

ABA Meeting - Thursday Morning

The session was opened with song, Scripture reading, and prayer. Vice President Bro. Darrel Owens gave opening remarks and called for the report of the Baptist Sunday School Committee. The report was read and adopted.
The Business Manager, Bro. Wayne Sewell, gave the report concerning the business aspect of the operations in Texarkana. Various items were noted in these reports such as price adjustments, new equipment, sales in the Bookstore, 2011 VBS information, Spanish literature, etc. A motion and second was made to adopt the report. The motion passed.
Nominations were received for position of Business Manager. Wayne Sewell was nominated and elected.
The Editor-in-Chief, Bro. Larry Clements, gave the report concerning the literature aspect of the Baptist Sunday School Literature. An overview was given of VBS materials, the new Chosen studies, Sunday School material, Baptist Training Course materials, etc. A motion and second was made to adopt the report. The motion passed.
Nominations were received for position of Editor-in-Chief. Larry Clements was nominated and elected.
A motion and second was made to implement a 5% increase in literature prices. The motion passed.
A special prayer was held for the Business Manager, Editor-in-Chief, Baptist Sunday School Committee, and those who work in the Bookstore in Texarkana.
The proposed writers for all literature were given. All nominations were listed and approved by the messenger body. Due to the list of names, that information will be listed later.
Bro. Wayne Sewell addressed a question concerning equipment acquisition.
The election of the Baptist Sunday School Committee was brought forth. The list of those serving on the committee were given. Bro. Allen Hagood nominated Bro. Chad Graves in lieu of his own place. The nomination passed. Bro. Shipp nominated Bro. Ledbetter in lieu of his own place. The nomination passed. No other nominations were made. The 16 brethren that were listed were approved by the messenger body to serve on the Baptist Sunday School Committee for the coming year.
The new Standing Mission Committee gave a report from last night’s meeting. The report was adopted.
The following brethren were nominated for the 2011 Annual message: Billy Daniels, Carroll Kinley, Kirk Parnell, Paul Roberts, Bobby Sparks. Bro. Paul Roberts was elected. Bro. Bobby Sparks will serve as the alternate.
The following brethren were nominated for the 2011 Missions message: Caleb Wood, Gene Ray Ward, Livingstone Lambert, Bill Pennell, Jerry Baker, Stephen Massey, Kyle Lewallen, Mark Thornton, Walt Embry, Jason Palmer, Glenn Knight. Bro. Livingstone Lambert was elected. Bro. Caleb Wood will serve as the alternate.
The following were elected as officers for 2011:
President - James Calhoun
Vice-Presidents - James Crain, Darrel Owens, Joe Morrell
Recording Secretary - Terry Parrish, Lonnie Wiggins
Parliamentarian - David Robinson
Asst. Parliamentarian - David Butimore
Music Directors - Daniel Clark, Bill Crouse, Mike Paulk
The newly elected Baptist Sunday School Committee gave their report from this morning’s meeting. The report was adopted.
Director of Meeting Arrangements - Edgar Sutton
After closing remarks, the 2010 National Messenger meeting of the American Baptist Association was adjourned with a Scripture reading and prayer. (No afternoon session will be held due to all business being addressed by the end of the morning session.)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

ABA Meeting - Wednesday Evening

The evening session was opened in song, Scripture reading, and prayer. After some remarks from President Copeland, the choir sang several songs of praise to the Lord. Bro. Edgar Sutton then brought forth the recommendations for the 2014 meeting place: Jacksonville, Florida; Lexington, Kentucky; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Daytona Beach, Florida. By vote of the messenger body, the 2014 meeting place will be Grand Rapids, Michigan. (The 2011 meeting place is St. Louis, Missouri. The 2012 meeting place is Fresno, California. The 2013 meeting place is Dallas, Texas.)
An announcement was made that all church letters must be received by July 30th in order to be included in the 2010 Yearbook.
A special Missions presentation (approximately 30 minutes) was then given. It was an incredibly moving, encouraging, and challenging presentation. Please pray for these men and their families as they serve the Lord around the world! A special prayer and missions offering was received after the presentation.
Bro. Alvin Dickerson, Missionary to Scotland, brought the evening message.
After the message, a few minor items of business were addressed and then the session was closed in prayer. Exhibits will remain open until 10:30 pm. Tomorrow’s morning session will begin at 9:15 am.
ABA National Meeting - Wednesday Afternoon

The proposed amendment to the Mission Policy was taken back up and voted upon. The amendment passed.
The Camp Report was given with Bro. Doug Curtis and Bro. John Pino giving reports about each camp. The report was adopted. The Camp Trustees were voted in with no change to the committee.
The Chaplaincy Report was given and adopted by the Messenger body. A call was made for more chaplains from the ABA. At this point, the ABA has 4 chaplains serving in the U.S. Military: 3 in the Army and one in the Navy. There are 4 seminary students enrolled in the Chaplain program of the U.S. Military. When these men finish their training, the ABA will be blessed with 8 chaplains serving in the U.S. Military. The ABA chaplaincy commission was asked by the U.S. Government for its opinion regarding the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The following paraphrased resolution gives the summation of their response.
Paraphrased Resolution - Whereas on January 27, 2010 the President of the United States asked for the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy along with House approval and soon vote in the Senate, and whereas such a repeal would directly impact chaplains and their religious beliefs; and whereas such implications would directly violate the First Amendment rights of those chaplains and their denominational beliefs; etc.; be it further resolved that the ABA Chaplaincy opposes such a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; and whereas a copy of this resolution be sent to President Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, other such officials, and churches involved.
America the Beautiful was sung in response with a moment of silence to following. A special prayer was offered by one of the ABA Chaplains.
A motion and second was made for a special page of memoriam be given for Bro. Jearl Smith in honor of his service to the ABA Chaplaincy Commission.
The Chaplaincy Commission of Jearl Smith, Herbert Kitchens, Clyde Duncan, John Saunders, George Garner was given. Bro. Jearl Smith’s position is open because of his death. Bro. Charles Law was nominated for the position of Bro. Jearl Smith. This substitution was approved. The new Chaplaincy Commission of Herbert Kitchens, Clyde Duncan, John Saunders, George Garner, and Charles Law was approved.
The History and Archives Committee report was given and adopted. The History and Archives Committee has produced a special DVD of PDF files for all minutes from 1905-2009. The DVDs are available at the ABA meeting for $10. Afterward, the DVDs will be available through various committeemen and the bookstore in Texarkana but for a slightly higher price. The files are in PDF searchable format by topic and keyword. This is the first such compilation of minutes from the old General Baptist Association and the American Baptist Association.
Bro. Don Britton received a special recognition and award from the History & Archives for his commitment to the research, preservation, and study of Baptist history. Bro. Britton thanked the committee and the Messengers for such an honor.
Donald Britton, Michael Thompson, Larry Butte, Terry Parrish, Robert Ashcraft, Philip Pevehouse, and Larry Crouch currently serve on the History and Archives Committee. The same men were elected to serve on the committee for the 2010-2011 service year.
A motion and second was made to provide a page in the yearbook in honor of Bro. Leroy Polk due to his many years of service before his passing.
Law Enforcement Chaplains, Enrollment & Finance, Memorials, and other reports were given and adopted.
The Memorials committee honored the many brethren who have passed on to their reward in glory with a moment of silence.
The Resolutions Committee presented a resolution of thanks to the city of Charleston, WV, its representatives, local news affiliates, staff of hotels, convention center, and other business, the host pastors, host churches, and various other persons for their warm welcome and gracious help. This resolution was adopted with a standing vote.
Other report such as the National Women’s Auxiliary Report, National Music Director’s Report, Youth Report, and MBSF Report were given and adopted.
The meeting was adjourned until 6:30 pm.
ABA National Meeting - Wednesday Morning

The meeting began with Scripture, prayer, and various thoughts at 9:15 am. Bro. Stewart was called upon to read the minutes from yesterday’s meeting.
Bro. Ray Brooks, questioned the practice of the Standing Missionary Committee writing a church requesting for any name or request to be withdrawn for Missionary support. The concern is that such a practice may lead to further control or influence by the committee. The issue of concern refers to a divorced man serving as a Missionary supported through the office of Secretary-Treasurer. This issue is not addressed by the Mission Policy of the ABA.
A motion and second was made to approve the report of the Mission Committee meeting yesterday.
Nominations were made for the position of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions. Bro. Randy Cloud was nominated. Bro. Cloud was approved.
Nominations were taken for the Standing Missionary Committee (a committee of 25). Due to the amount of names and substitute nominations, no list will be given at this time.
Bro. Randy Cloud gave recognition to those who had served for many years: Bro. Charles Murphy (15 years) and Bro. Billy Sheppard (27 years).
All Missionaries supported through the office of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions in Texarkana were asked to come on stage for a special time of prayer.
Following the prayer, the Mattingly Family sang a special.
The following items were removed from the table to be considered as further items of business.
A motion and second was made for the recommendation of Bro. Kuk to be considered at this time. The motion carried. Bro. Kuk was added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion was made by Bro. Murphy to take off a number of names (5-6) from the table to be considered for recommendation at this time. A second was made, and the motion carried. The Missionaries were added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion and second was made for the recommendation of Bro. Leonel to be considered at this time. The motion carried. Bro. Leonel was added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion and second was made for the recommendation of Bro. Roberts to be considered at this time. The motion carried. Bro. Roberts was added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion and second was made for the recommendation of Bro. Ellery Mejia to be considered at this time. The motion carried. Bro. Mejia was added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion and second was made for the recommendation of Bro. Williams to be considered at this time. The motion carried. Bro. Williams was added to the list of recommended Missionaries.
A motion and second was made for the proposed change to the Mission Policy to be removed from the table. The motion carried. (Discussion ensued but a vote was not taken due to a motion being made to adjourn. There was a second, and the meeting was adjourned until 1:20 pm.)

The exhibits will open at 11:40 am and be open until 1:15 pm. They will be open again this afternoon from 4:30-6:20 pm and tonight from 9:40-10:30 pm.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

ABA National Meeting - Tuesday Afternoon & Evening

Tuesday Afternoon - 1:30 pm

Due to the Mission Committee business being handled so quickly in the morning session, no afternoon session of the Mission Committee was convened. An afternoon workshop, “World Missions Focus,” was held from 3:00-5:00 pm and was directed by Lynn Raburn. Four speakers were given approximately 30 minutes each to address different topics.

Tuesday Night - 6:30 pm

(Exhibits officially opened at 4:15 pm and remained open until 6:20 pm.)

The 2010 National Messenger Assembly of the churches of the American Baptist Association was officially opened. The evening began with a musical prelude followed by Scripture reading and prayer. After the prayer, the messenger body enjoyed the presentation of colors and the National Anthem. A prayer followed this patriotic time. A welcome to the city of Charleston, WV was given by the city representative with a response given by an ABA messenger. The proposed agenda was presented and adopted. Bro. Copeland (Texarkana) gave the President’s Address. Bro. Terry Parrish (Bryant, AR) gave the annual sermon. Following the sermon, the congregation was led in a hymn. Following the hymn any necessary business was addressed.
A motion and second was made to set aside part of the Mission Policy in order to consider Bro. Kuk in a subsequent session. The motion carried. The same motion was made for the following brethren: Bro. Ronaldo (spelling?); Bros. Ellery Mejia, Gomez, Hernandez, Castillo, Rodriguez and one other; Bro. Roberts; and Bro. Williams.
A motion and second to amend the Mission Policy was approved to be tabled until a subsequent session. According to the messenger giving this amendment, this is done to clarify a section of the Mission Policy.
Bro. Edgar Sutton presented the following locations as proposed meeting sites for 2014: Jacksonville, Florida (June 17-19); Lexington, Kentucky (June 17-19); Grand Rapids, Michigan (June 17-19); and Daytona Beach, Florida (June 24-26, 2014). A vote will be taken by the messenger body in the Wednesday evening session to decide at which site the 2014 meeting will be held, Lord willing. A question was raised concerning cities with international airports versus regional airports.
The 2011 meeting will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, Lord willing.
The meeting was closed with a Scripture reading and prayer.

Exhibits and booths remained open until 10:30 pm.
ABA National Meeting - Tuesday Morning

The Past President’s Breakfast, and the National Women’s Auxiliary Officers Breakfast both began at 7:00 am. The National Music Leaders Workshop began at 7:45 am, the National History and Archives Committee began at 8:00 am, the MBSF Council Workshop began at 8:00 am, and the Baptist Sunday School Committee began at 8:30 am. The ABA Camp Workshop began at 9:00 am.

The Camp Workshop began with Bro. Doug Curtis giving opening remarks and an opening prayer. After prayer, introductions were given. Bro. John Pino, superintendent of Pine Springs Baptist Camp (owned by the churches of the ABA), Laneville, TX, spoke about the needs and projects of that camp. As of now, the attendance at Pine Springs is higher than last year. Bro. Doug Curtis, superintendent of Bogg Springs Baptist Camp (owned by the churches of the ABA), Arkansas, spoke about the needs and projects of that camp. Other regional and local camps represented by their superintendents spoke concerning their needs and future goals. Questions and comments were fielded from those gathered.

The National Youth Meeting began at 9:30 am, and the National Women’s Auxiliary Workshop began at 10:00 am. The Missionary Committee meeting began at 10:00 am in the Coliseum.

Bro. Vance Nutt opened the Missionary Committee meeting. Bro. Randy Cloud reported on the Missionary Share Time held last night. There were 87 Missionaries sharing words about their respective works representing 17 countries and 26 states. Bro. Roger Stewart called the meeting to order and had the roll call. Bro. Cloud read the Report of the Secretary-Treasurer of Missions for the fiscal year of 2009-2010. For the fiscal year 2009-2010, $2,456,784.14 was given to help the missionaries preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Approximately 632 churches and individuals send mission offerings monthly to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions. (Many, many churches send offerings directly to the sponsoring church instead of sending it through Texarkana.) The Thanksgiving Mission Offering was $283,642.06. For the past year, missionaries reported 15, 950 professions of faith, 3,605 baptisms, and many churches being established in Africa, Philippines, Mexico, Indiana, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
At the messenger meeting, 162 Missionaries will be recommended by sending/sponsoring churches to the messengers for financial support through the office of Secretary-Treasurer of Missions. (This does not include many late forms received.) These Missionaries represent 25 states and 24 foreign countries. (This is but a limited number of Missionaries representing the ABA. Many Missionaries are sent out through individual churches, local association, and state associations. At this time, a complete number of Missionaries sent out by ABA churches is unknown.)
With the monthly mission offerings currently averaging $184,000, and if no raises are approved for the missionaries for the 2010-2011 associational year, the mission offerings would need to increase $13,000 per month or 7% to meet the monthly pay out. (This does not include the requests received late.) If a 3% raise is approved for the full-salaried missionaries, the monthly mission offerings would need to increase $21,000 or 10% above the current monthly mission offerings of $184,000. The balance in the Mission Treasury at the end of May 2010 was $658,594.95.
Full salary is $3,346.00 per month for Interstate Missionaries. This does not include housing, gas, health, and other various allowances and support from sponsoring/sending churches.
The report was adopted by the Committee. A question was asked as to whether or not the information could be given for the late forms received, so information could be gathered before the evening meeting. Information was given to the committee.
Minutes from the Pre-Association Standing Missionary Committee in Texarkana in May were read. The newly recommended Missionaries were then covered. Bro. John Claypool and Bro. Danny Fudge are newly recommended Missionaries for Interstate on Designations.. Bro. Jay Ross is a newly recommended Missionary for Foreign on Salary. Bros. Albert Cabando, Javier Moreno, Dan Pettersen, Deepak Shankar, and Jose Zamarripa are newly recommended Missionaries for National on Salary. Bros. Mark Deleverio and Furlong Usher are newly recommended Missionaries for National on Designated Funds. Re-recommended Missionaries were covered.
Bro. Jeremiah Carson and his sponsoring church withdrew his re-recommendation.
Bro. David Law and his sponsoring church withdrew his re-recommendation for Interstate on Designations due to a “drop in missions giving due to him being divorced.” (He was approved at last year’s meeting with discussion. His divorce occurred before he was saved.)
All newly recommended Missionaries were approved. A motion was made and seconded that no raises be granted for those on salary.

All re-recommended Missionaries were approved except for those previously withdrawn and/or the following: Candelario Espinosa (withdrawn); Esteban Uc Kuk (withdrawn).

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am.

Monday, June 21, 2010

2010 ABA Messenger Meeting - Monday Night

The welcome was given to the messengers at
6:30 pm in the reception room for the 85th Annual Messenger Meeting of the American Baptist Association.


The Missionary Share Time began at 7:00 with the invitation given for any Missionary, Missionary Helper, or Church representative to present God’s work in their respective location. Each Missionary was allotted two minutes for their brief presentation. Local, Interstate, Foreign, and National Missionaries, etc. gave updates, announcements, and words of thanks to those present. Many gave reports of great success and churches being organized around the world. Others gave reports of needs for money and delay of churches being organized because of financial needs. The Share Time ended at approximately 9:30 pm.

The Schools Meeting (this is comprised of ABA Seminaries within the United States) began at 7:30 pm. The next ABATS (American Baptist Association of Theological Schools) meeting will be March 10-11, 2010 in Somerset, Kentucky. Currently, there are 23 schools within the ABATS fellowship in the U.S. Foreign schools are not represented in this group. The minutes and financial reports were given and adopted from the last meeting. Various business was discussed. The meeting ended at approximately 9:00 pm.

All meetings were adjourned. Various breakfast meetings will be held tomorrow morning beginning at 7:00 am. Other workshops and committee meetings will begin at 8:00 am.

(If any of the above information is incorrect, please contact me, and I will make the necessary changes.)

Friday, April 30, 2010

No Phone Friday!

If you need something to take the place of your phone today, take your Bible! God would love to speak to you!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Just wondering?

Do you ever feel like you are making a difference? Nothing weird or anything. But do you ever wonder if you are accomplishing what God wants you to accomplish? Of course, the good thing is that the results are in God's hands. We are told to be obedient and let Him handle the rest!

Monday, April 19, 2010

How About Some Change?

Many times when speaking to people about the Bible, etc., they will give an argument that the Bible contradicts itself and cannot be trusted. Of course, as believers, we know the truth, but for many of those we come in contact with, they whole-heartedly believe such an argument to be true. How are we to handle such situations? According to the words of the Apostle Peter, we are to know what we believe and give an answer to anyone that asks. So, let’s look at a few short answers concerning the argument about whether or not God repents (i.e., changes His mind, will, etc.).

Scriptures that seem to teach that God changes His mind:
Genesis 6:6 – And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Exodus 32:14 – And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

Scriptures that seem to teach that God does not change His mind:
Malachi 3:6 – For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

(All Scriptures were taken from the KJV.)

First, let me quote from the logic book (“Come, Let Us Reason” by Geisler and Brooks) that I use in my Logic and Argumentation class at Seminary pertaining to this issue. The book gives an argument followed by a refutation of said argument: (Argument) “When men repent, they make a real change, so when the Bible says that God repents, that means He must change too.” (Refutation) “Is it right to assume that God is like men in all respects? It is always possible
that the Bible sometimes uses language that men can relate to even if it isn’t theologically precise (like when it says that God has hands, wings, loins, etc.). If God is immutable (unchanging),
why would we think that this suggestion of change should be understood without metaphor?” (pages 109-110)

Second, the “Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments” by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown states the following:
“God cannot change; but, by language suited to our nature and experience, He is described as about to alter His visible procedure towards mankind – from being merciful and long-suffering, He was about to show Himself a God of judgment; and, as that impious race had filled up the measure of their iniquities, He was about to introduce a terrible display of His justice.”

Finally, consider this quote taken from "Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary":
"This language is what theologians call anthropopathic; that is, the Lord is described as having human emotions.”

One more verse (Numbers 23:19): God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (KJV)

So, what does all this mean for us today? Well, we have security in knowing that our Heavenly Father does not change. He has always been, is, and always will be holy, righteous, loving, and kind! While the world around us changes...He never does! And you can take that to the bank!

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

A Little Political Humor?

Thanks to Brian Jones for the following bit of humor: (don't take it too seriously...it's just a joke!)

Sen. Reid goes to a local GM dealer in Washington, D.C. with the intention of buying a brand new vehicle. He looks around and finds one he likes. After going back and forth with the salesman, he settles on a price of $45,000.
Sen. Reid and the salesman go back to the office to complete the paperwork. Sen. Reid works out a 4-year payment plan, and signs on the bottom line. The salesman shakes his hand and says, “Thanks Senator Reid, the car will be ready for pickup in 4 years.”
Sen. Reid says, “What are you talking about? Where are the keys to my new car?” The salesman replies, “No, you don’t understand Senator. You make payments for 4 years… THEN we give you the car. You know, just like your health plan.”
Sen. Reid, with a choking voice, says to the salesman, “But that’s not fair.”
The salesman replies, "Duh!"

While we sometimes are instructed to wait on the Lord, at least we know, whether it be 4 or 40 years, He will do as He says and provide all we need!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sunday School

It's been awhile since we've talked about Sunday School, so I would like to revisit this topic. What should be the main objective of Sunday School? Smaller group studies, indoctrination, discipleship, fellowship, etc.? What is the best way to approach this ministry and are there some pitfalls that should be avoided?

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Sunday's Sermon

The Greatness of Jesus Christ: A Greater Name (Hebrews 1:4-14)

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Great Physician!

Regardless of whether you like or dislike the new health care bill passed by Congress, remember that true healing comes from the Lord. "For I will restore you to health, and I will heal you of your wounds," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Required Reading For A Pastor's Wife (and possibly for all Christian women)!!!

Every Pastor's wife, Minister's wife, and Christian woman should go to a bookstore (online or in person) and buy "I'm More than the Pastor's Wife: Authentic Living in a Fishbowl World" by Lorna Dobson. I read the entire book yesterday, and really believe that Mrs. Dobson (not married to Dr. James Dobson but to Ed Dobson) has really "hit the nail on the head." While maybe not every single issue or decision is exactly what you would do, there are many principles in this book that can really help the women God has called to be the wife of a Pastor, Minister, Missionary, etc. However, the principles would be good for all Christian women to know for themselves and so that they might even protect the other ladies in their life. So, do it now. Go to the store (online even!), buy the book, read it, and be ready to breathe a sigh of relief!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Sunday's Sermon

The Greatness of Jesus Christ: A Greater Revelation (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Your Favorite?

I know this is probably a Preacher "faux pas"...but I'll go ahead anyway! What would you say is your favorite book of the Old Testament, New Testament, or even the whole Bible? Do you have a favorite verse? Or, are you like me many times..."My favorite book of the Bible is the one I'm currently studying!"

Friday, March 12, 2010

Time Change?

Many churches have service schedules that have been the same for decades which, of course, is fine. My main question is whether or not any of you see an advantage to changing service times. Have you, or some church you know about, been involved in such an endeavor? (This was just a random thought brought about by the looming "Daylight Saving Time though I'm going to lose an hour of sleep" issue.)

Monday, March 08, 2010

10 Words

Well, I will finish my series on the Ten Commandments (10 words) this coming Sunday, Lord willing. It has been an exciting series...though, not always an easy one! However, preaching through this passage (Exodus 20), has made me think about some things, and I would like some input. I would like to know what you think about our society and its adherence to God's principles found in the 10 Commandments and other parts of the Bible. I really do not want another discussion about whether we are to keep the 10 Commandments or not; I really want to talk about our nation and its adherence to God's principles as set forth in Scripture. Should we preach about such things? Should we expect our nation to change? Should we judge our nation? Should we repent (as Daniel and others did) for our nation? Etc. (I know the answers to some of these questions are quite obvious, but I just wanted to spur your thoughts. Feel free to add more questions and thoughts.)

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Good Times!

As a Pastor, Missionary, Layman, etc., what has been one of your most exciting times in the work to which God has called you? If you do not want to be specific, then give a general discussion concerning some highlights in your work for the Lord.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Can You Hear Me Now?

In your opinion, is it best for a church to have an annual call for the Pastor or have an indefinite call for the Pastor? (Personally, I have been a member, at one time or another, of churches that have had the yearly call and others that called a Pastor on an indefinite basis.) What advantages would one method offer over the other method? Does one present more stability or instability? Should churches ever change this method or continue with the same method until the next Pastor is called? So, go ahead, give me your thoughts, and let's back it up with Scripture when needed!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Eight Is Enough?

On the previous post, a comment was made about a plurality of elders. While we see this practice in the New Testament, what wisdom and insight is available to us today concerning this issue? Would there be a reason to have a plurality of elders or could/should a church have a single elder? Are we following the scriptural pattern when most churches have one elder, or are we violating scripture? Once again, since this affects so many of us ministers, let's remember one thing - even if we disagree on this issue, we are still brothers in Christ and on the same team! Now, let the debate begin!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

What's The Problem?

(Disclaimer: The following question/discussion/comment is not meant to deal with any particular church, minister, or individual. It is for any of us to help discuss issues that may or may not be affecting those around us. This topic (and blog) is open to all Pastors, Ministers, and Lay People who read this blog.)

What do you think is the biggest problem that Pastors/Ministers face in their ministry and personally? Is there one problem/issue or are there many? Do you think there are things that are worse than others, and does it depend on your stage of life/ministry?

I received a suggestion that we cover some topics such as this, so let's discuss this with sincerity and honesty.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Miracle Gro?

I received the following from an email yesterday and thought it was interesting.

(Intro) Dear Church Leader:

There is something very special about a small church. They create opportunities for fellowship, community and intimacy that larger churches often find difficult to provide. Churches large and small are called by the Great Commission to bring people to Christ through their ministry, and the small-church pastors I know take this directive very seriously. But they often struggle with how to “add to their number” as Acts 2:47 says, not just for the sake of becoming larger, but as an effect of truly reaching more and more people for Jesus.

An extensive 2007 study* indicates that 55.7% of all congregations in the United States are under 100 people in regular attendance (including children); 84.1% of churches are under 250. Here is the statistic in the study that I found most interesting: Of the churches with 50-100 in attendance, 32% of those were founded before 1900, and 77.5% of churches from 50 to 100 were founded before 1970. Apparently, if a small church stays small for too long, it’s likely to stay small for decades. Conversely, if a church can break the 100 mark early in its life, it’s more likely to keep growing.

Joe McKeever is a seasoned pastor and pastor to pastors who has worked with hundreds of small churches. Joe is full of grace, is aggressively evangelistic, and is saturated with wisdom. Today he shares “10 Reasons Small Churches Tend to Stay Small” to help churches reach more people and grow them into mature disciples of Christ.

Churches that struggle with growth issues can discover new congregational life and go on to shatter growth barriers. If this is your desire, I encourage you to both read Joe’s article and to share your own thoughts and experiences in the forum at the bottom of the article.

Because the local church really is the hope of the world,

Ron Forseth


(Article) 10 Reasons Small Churches Tend To Stay Small
by Joe McKeever

I know more about getting smaller churches to grow than larger ones. I pastored three of them, and only the first of the three did not grow—I was fresh out of college, untrained, inexperienced, and clueless about what I was doing. The next two grew well, and even though I remained at each only some three years, one almost doubled and the other nearly tripled in attendance and ministries.

By using the word “grow,” I do not mean in numbers for numbers’ sake. I do not subscribe to the fallacy that bigness is good and small churches are failures. What I mean by “grow” is reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, if you are located in a town that is losing population and your church manages to stay the same size, you're probably “growing” (i.e., reaching new people for the Lord). In addition, any church—large or small—that does not place a high value on evangelism and outreach to the unchurched can’t expect to grow…period. But countless articles and books have been written on that subject. Now, after working for years among hundreds of small congregations, I speak here to the subtle growth barriers that tend to go unnoticed or unaddressed in stagnant churches.

I send these observations forth hoping to plant some seed in the imagination of a pastor or other leader who will be used of the Lord to do great things in a small church. The "ten reasons" that follow are not necessarily in the order of importance or prevalence, and there are probably other reasons individual churches might not be growing, simply because no two churches are alike. But this is the way they occurred to me, and the order seems right.

1. Wanting to stay small.

"We like our church just the way it is now." While this attitude usually goes unspoken—it might not even be recognized by its carriers—it's widespread in many churches. The proof of it is seen in how the leaders and congregation reject new ideas and freeze out new people.

The process of rejecting newcomers is a subtle one, never as overt as snubbing them. They will be greeted and chatted with and handed a printed bulletin. But they will still be excluded: "Bob's class is meeting this week over at Tom and Edna's. Come and bring a covered dish." "The youth will have a fellowship tonight at Eddie Joe's. We're serving pizza and you don't want to miss it." Unless you know who Bob, Tom, Edna, and Eddie Joe are and where they live, you're out of luck.

Pastors who want to include newcomers and first-timers should use full names from the pulpit. This allows newcomers to learn who people are. "I'll ask Bob Evans to come to the pulpit and lead us in prayer." "For those who need directions to Eddie Joe Finham's house for the youth fellowship, he's the guy with the crewcut wearing the purple shirt. Raise your hand, Eddie Joe. He has printed directions to give you."

No one can promise that just because a church wants to grow, it will. However, I can guarantee you that if it doesn't, it won't.

2. A quick turnover of pastors.

A retired pastor who served his last church some 30 years was supplying for a small congregation south of New Orleans. He told me of a discovery he made: "On Sunday afternoon, I had several hours to kill before the evening service. In the church office, I was reading their history and discovered that in their nearly 50 years of existence, they've had 22 pastors." He was aghast. "Think of that. If they had around six months between pastors, that means the average tenure was less than two years." He was quiet a moment, then said, "They didn't have pastors. They just had preachers."

It takes at least a couple of years for a pastor to become the real deal for a church—a pastor in more than name only, one who has earned the right to lead the congregation. With larger churches, the time period is more like six years.

Again, no one will promise you that keeping a pastor a long time guarantees the church will grow. But I can assure you that having a succession of short-term pastors will prevent it from growing as surely as if you had taken a vote from the congregation to reject all expansion.

3. Domination by a few strong members.

The process by which a man (it's almost always a man) becomes a church “boss” is subtle and rarely, if ever, the result of a hostile takeover.

Say the pastor of a small church leaves for another town. The pastorless congregation looks within its membership for leaders to rise up and "take care of things" until a new pastor arrives. So two or three faithful and mature (we assume) members are chosen. They do their job well. If the next pastor leaves after an unusually short tenure for whatever reason, the congregation resorts to the fallback position: They enlist the services of those same two or three mature—and now experienced—leaders.

That's how it happens that one of them—or possibly all of them—begin to make important decisions for the body, and everything works out. When the new pastor arrives, they let him know that for anything he needs to know, he should call on them. The pastor quickly sees that these men have set themselves up as a layer of authority between the hired man (the preacher) and the congregation.

These “bosses” explain that they are protecting the congregation. "We don't like to upset them with matters like this." "These things are better off handled by just a few." Pity the young idealistic pastor who walks into that church unsuspecting that they lie in wait to—ahem—"give direction to his ministry." Or, as one said to me, "We thought you would like to have some help in pastoring this church."

Such self-appointed church bosses tend to frustrate the pastor's initiatives, block his bold ventures, and control his tendencies to want the church to act on (gasp!) something he calls faith! Result: The church stays small. No normal family coming into the community would want to join such a church.

The remedy: The congregation must see that key lay positions in the church rotate, that no one stays chairman of deacons for thirty years or church treasurer for a generation. Members of the congregation should feel free to respectfully ask questions about why decisions are made. Church bosses cannot stand the light of day shown on their activities (“They wouldn’t understand”), even though they convince themselves what they are doing is in the interest of the congregation. Read about Diotrephes in the little epistle of III John. He "loves to have the pre-eminence."

4. Not trusting the leaders.

Interestingly, the opposite phenomenon often occurs with the same result. I've seen this phenomenon occur in small churches (and never in large ones) at the monthly business meetings. In the small-and-determined-to-stay-small church, discussion centers on why 35 cents was spent on call-forwarding and $2.00 on paper for the office. Leaders and pastors alike are always frustrated that the congregation doesn't trust them with $20.00, let alone $200.00.

The determined-to-stay-small church is far more concerned about the dollars and cents in the offering plate than about the lost souls in the community. This church would never step out in faith and do something bold to reach the lost and unchurched, and if they did, unless their mindset changed, they would then harass their leaders into the grave demanding an accounting of every dime spent. Instead, small churches should elect good leaders and—within reason, as mentioned earlier—trust these leaders to do their work.

5. Inferiority complex.

I was a seminary student when called to my second pastorate, a church which had been stuck at 40 in attendance for years. I discovered that small churches often are stymied by inferiority complexes. "We can't do anything because we're small. We don't have lots of money like the big churches in town." So, they set small goals and ask little from their members.

One day, I was visiting in the First Baptist Church of a nearby community. In no way was it what we would call large, but it was three or four times the size of mine. The pastor and I were chatting about some program or other. He said to me, "My people won't attempt anything like that. They’ll say, 'We're not large like the First Baptist Church of New Orleans.'"

That's when it hit me: Feelings of inferiority can be found in any size church. I wouldn't be surprised if the members of FBC-New Orleans were excusing themselves for their inaction by saying, "We're not Bellevue in Memphis or the FBC of Dallas."

The remedy is to put one's eyes on Jesus Christ and ask, "Lord, what do you want us to do?" Peter said, "Lord, what about John here? What do you want him to do?" Our Lord said—and thus set a wonderful pattern for all of us for the rest of time—"What is that to you? You follow me!"

Want your church to reach people and expand and grow? Get your eyes off what others are doing. Many of them, to tell the truth, are declining at a rate so fast it can hardly be measured. You do not want to take your cues from them. Ask the Lord, "What would you have us to do?" Then do it.

6. No plan.

The typical, stagnant small church is small in ways other than numbers. They tend to be small in vision, in programs, in outreach, and in just about everything else. Perhaps worst of all, they have small plans. Or no plans at all.

The church with no plan—that is, no specific direction for what they are trying to do and become—will content itself with plodding along, going through the motions of "all churches everywhere." They have Sunday School and worship services and a few committees. Once in a while, they will schedule a fellowship dinner or a revival. But ask the leadership, "What is your vision for this church?" and you will receive blank stares for an answer.

When Peter and John were threatened by the religious authorities who warned them to stop preaching Jesus, they returned to the congregation to let them know of this development. Immediately, everyone dropped to their knees and began praying. Notice the heart of their prayer, what they requested: "Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to...(what? How they finished this is how we know their plan, their chief focus)...to speak your word with great boldness." (Acts 4:29) When the Holy Spirit filled that room, the disciples "were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (v. 31). Clearly, this means they spoke it into the community, the world around them, and not just to one another.

A number of leaders have shared with me why they think so many small churches do not grow: "They need to focus on the two or three things they do best—not try to be everything to everyone." Some churches need to focus on children's ministry, others on youth or young adults, young families, or even the oldsters. Some will focus on teaching, others on ministry in the community, some on jail and prison ministries, and some on music or women's or men's work. This is not to say that the church should shut down everything else to do one or two things. Rather, they will want to keep doing the basics, but throw their energies and resources, their promotions and prayers and plans, into enlarging and honing two or three ministries they feel the Lord has uniquely called them into.

7. Bad health.

Anyone who has spent time in more than a few churches can see that some are just unhealthy. And by that, we do not mean they are small—they are sick. You can be small and healthy; behold the hummingbird.

An unhealthy church is known more by what it does than by a list of characteristics and attributes. A church that runs its preachers off every year or two is unhealthy. A church that is constantly bickering is unhealthy. A church that cannot make a simple decision like choosing the color of the carpet, adopting the next year's budget, or accepting changes in an order of worship may be unhealthy.

So, what is a healthy church? Entire libraries could be filled with books written on the healthy church, and consultants abound ready to assist congregations toward that purpose. But Romans 12 is God's blueprint for a healthy church: Verses 1-2 call for each individual to make a personal commitment to Christ ("present your bodies as a living sacrifice"); verses 3-8 call for each one to find his/her place of service where they can use their spiritual gifts; and verse 9 through the end of the chapter describes the relationships within a healthy, loving fellowship of believers.

Show me a congregation where members are wholeheartedly committed to Jesus Christ, each is using (or learning to use) their God-given spiritual gifts in the Lord's service, and their fellowship is sweet and active—and I'll show you a healthy church.

8. Lousy fellowship.

This overlaps with the last point, but it deserves a spot by itself. For my money, the best thing a church has to offer individuals and families in the community—other than the saving gospel itself—is a place they will be loved and welcomed and made part of an active, healthy family. It's what we mean by "fellowship."

There are ways to tell if the fellowship in your church is unhealthy: Visitors are basically ignored, even resented in some areas. No one follows up with visitors to let them know they are wanted or to give information on the church. There's no attempt to get people to visit your church in the first place. Everything is orderly in the worship service, but it's the same order you've used since forever. The singing is lifeless, and any departure from the norm is verboten. A new hymn or chorus, a different kind of musical instrument, a testimony here, an interview there, a short drama or video—no sir, not in our church. There's no laughter, nothing spontaneous. The invitation time is tacked on, lifeless, and without any response—ever. The prayers are stale and filled with platitudes.

When the Old Testament prophets called on God's people to "break up the fallow ground"—Hosea 10:12 and Jeremiah 4:3—they wanted to see evidence of brokenness, a willingness to change, a desire to bear new fruit. Fallow ground is soil that has laid unproductive for several seasons. The hard crust requires a deep-turning plow to open it up, and even then the soil may require more preparatory work before it is productive.

A church with poor fellowship is not failing to have enough socials and dinners. The church is failing in the most basic of area of discipleship: a failure to love. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you love one another" (John 13:35).

The disciple who is close to Christ loves the brethren. As such, a congregation that is unloving toward one another may be said to be far removed from the Lord and in a backslidden state. It's a simple deduction. "Draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).

9. A state of neglect permeates the church.

Not always, but often, a dying church shows signs of its weakening condition by the disrepair of its buildings and the neglect of its appearance. The interior walls haven't been painted in years and bear the collective fingerprints of a generation of children. The carpet is threadbare, the piano's keys stick, the pulpit chairs need reupholstering, and the outside sign is so ugly it would be an improvement if someone knocked it down.

Dying churches do not tend to their business. They let problems fester and divisions go unaddressed. Listen closely and you will hear a leader speak those infamous words: "These things have a way of working themselves out." And so they do nothing, and the church trudges on toward the grave. No one gets saved, no one joins, people drift away, the community becomes less and less aware of the existence of that little church, and the remaining members complain that people just don't love the Lord the way they used to.

10. No prayer.

It's tempting to make a little joke here and say, "Such churches do not have a prayer," but they could if they chose to. When King Saul was bemoaning the woes that had descended upon him as a result of his rebellion against God, one of his chief complaints was that God no longer heard his prayer. "He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer..." (I Samuel 28:6) Luke tells us, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show themthat they should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1). Pray or quit. Those seem to be the alternatives.

Want to give your congregation a little test, pastor? Next Sunday, call for your people to meet you at the altar for a time of prayer. Do not beg them or cajole them. Just announce it, then walk there yourself, kneel, and begin praying. See if anyone joins you. Notice who comes and pay close attention to who does not. It won't tell you everything you'd like to know about your church, but it will say a lot.

A friend on Facebook requested prayer for his new ministry. When I asked him about it, he responded privately that in addition to pastoring his church, he was working for the state convention in his region. He said, "Almost all our churches in this part of the state are dying. We have buildings that were constructed for hundreds now running 15 or 20." The plan, he said, is to get systems in place to re-evangelize those regions as the old-line churches die off. I hope they don't wait until those churches actually close their doors; a lifeless church can take a long time to give up the ghost.

The best solution would be for those stagnant, dying congregations to awaken and get serious about becoming vibrant again. This would mean taking the unprecedented step of doing whatever it takes to re-establish their witness and presence in the community. Unfortunately, in almost every case I know personally, this doesn’t happen. The leaders would rather see their church disappear from the earth than to do anything new or different.

That is as sad a sentence as I've written in a long time.

Let us pray. "Father, we do like our routines and ruts. Forgive us for limiting you by asking you to adapt to us instead of the other way around. Lord, in the words of the old hymn and the older Psalm, 'Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in Thee?’ We ask this for Jesus sake. Amen." (Psalm 85:6)

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Here We Go!

Okay, it's been something else around here lately. The plan is to start moving forward with the blogging again, so let me know if there is something you would like to talk about!

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

No, That's Not In The Bible

I finished reading a book last week by David Dykes, Pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX, called "No, That's Not in the Bible" and would highly recommend it to everyone. It was an enjoyable read that was informative, entertaining, and uplifting. If you're looking for a good book to read, this is definitely it.