Inclined to Serve

Have you ever been mountain climbing or tried to scale a climbing wall? Ascending upwards requires more strength and more effort than remaining on your current plateau. But if you choose the route of least resistance, gravity will always pull you downhill.

Life is a lot like climbing. It takes increased strength and effort to grow to the next level of maturity, the next level of faith, or the next level of your service. That’s true for individuals, and it’s especially true for our church. We are blessed to have inherited a great legacy of faithful Christian service and we are determined to embrace the future opportunities with courage and conviction.

At First Baptist, we believe God is calling us to higher ground in our walk with Christ. This Sunday we will kickoff our fall schedule of activities and opportunities with a challenging message from Isaiah 41:17-19 about Scaling New Heights.

On Sunday afternoon we will meet at 501 Panferio Dr. for our annual Beach Baptism Service. Bring a chair, invite a friend, and join us as we celebrate with those who have recently joined us on the journey of following Jesus. After baptism, hang around for an old-fashioned watermelon cutting.

I hope to see you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

What Inspires Your Soul to Sing?

All throughout the month of August we are focused on soul-stirring music. On Sunday evenings we are being blessed by the August Concert Series. Every concert has been unique, diverse, and inspirational. This Sunday evening our Orchestra will share our final concert in the sanctuary at six o’clock.

On Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings we are progressing through the series, Then Sings My Soul, as we look at the important role music plays in nurturing and communicating our faith. This Sunday I am asking us to think about two important questions: 1) What is the right way to sing? 2) What kinds of things inspire your soul to sing?

Also, this Sunday is Back to School Sunday. You are invited to join our staff in wearing your school colors. In each of our worship services we will share a blessing of the backpacks as we pray for our students and teachers as they begin a new school year.

Beach baptism is just over a week away. Weather permitting we will begin the celebration at four o’clock on Sunday August 30 at 501 Panferio Drive. You may park under the beach ball at Casino Beach and ride the shuttle. We already have 12 candidates confirmed for the beach and another baptism scheduled in the sanctuary for September. If a friend or member of your family has recently made a commitment to follow Christ, encourage them to contact me or one of our ministers to begin planning for their baptism.

Did you see the good news in our stewardship report? We have begun the process of catching up in the ministry budget. This has been a challenging year for families, for businesses, and for churches. At First Baptist, we believe that Christian stewardship is the way we manage all of the resources in our care…our time, our spiritual gifts, our relationships, our finances, and our opportunities. One of the major ways we honor God is by offering the firstfruits of our income to support the missions and ministries of our church. With everyone working together, we can provide strong and healthy financial support for our ministries, even during the toughest of times.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather to worship and prepare to serve.

Singing the Songs of Zion

Psalm 137:1-3

(outline for Wednesday Aug. 12)

Introduction:

1. If you ask a Palestinian, an Israeli citizen, an orthodox Jew, an evangelical fundamentalist, a U.S. Politician, and a gospel hymn writer, what and where is Zion, you get a plethora of answers.

2. The psalmist uses Zion as demographic metaphor.

3. Have you ever noticed how many songs in our hymnal refer to Zion?

4. I grew up around several churches that included the name Zion….Zion Hope, Zion Hill, Mt. Zion #1, and Mt. Zion #2.

5. I have also visited Zion National Park, which to my knowledge has no relation to the biblical context of Zion.

6. The term Zion occurs at least 154 times in the Hebrew Bible.

Outline:

1. What and where is Zion?

a. A geographical mount in ancient Israel.

b. The land of Israel.

c. The city of Jerusalem.

d. The area of Jerusalem where the fortress stood.

e. A metonym (word that reference another whole of which it is a part) for Solomon’s temple.

f. Today Mt. Zion refers to a mount in the American quarter, a totally different location than Mt. Hermon which was also Mt. Sion.

g. Zionism is a movement supporting the reclaiming of the homeland for people of Israel.

2. How should Zion be understood in Christian metaphor?

a. Zion is used as a metaphor in literature, in Christianity, in ancient slavery (and/or civil rights), in Rastafarianism, and Latter Day Saints theology.

b. When something is used as a metaphor, it is to emphasize truth, not deny it.

c. Do not think of the current state called Israel as the same as the ancient people of Israel.

d. Do not think of chosen people as a race.

e. Zion implies journey…

f. Zion connotes journey toward a place of promise.

g. That place of promise is where….

1) the rule and reign of God is complete.

2) the place where the will of God is practiced without compromise.

3) God’s domain is ultimate and eternal.

Conclusion:

To sing a song of Zion is to sing a song of hope, it is to declare that there is coming a better day and a better place, it is to affirm that the last word has not yet been spoken on the matter, and it is to announce that God has the final say.

"Something Good Is about to Happen”

I’ve been thinking about a Bill Gaither tune that was popular many years ago which describes how I feel about our First Baptist Family as we come to the close of a busy summer and prepare for an exciting fall. The words go something like this:

I just feel like something good is about to happen,
I just feel like something good is on its way;
He has promised that He'd open all of Heaven,
And brother, it could happen any day.

Actually good things are already happening in our First Baptist Family. Here are a few examples:

• We have had four baptism services in recent weeks and we already have 12 candidates who plan to be baptized at our annual beach baptism service on August 30.
• We received notification this week that First Baptist Church was in the top 100 churches in the country in giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
• Lots of folks are discovering their spiritual gifts and getting involved on ministry teams.
• In recent months, our members have been involved in Mission Trips and Projects to North Africa, Liberia, Ecuador, Russia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Indiana, South Florida, and Cherokee, North Carolina.
• Each week we are blessed with numerous guests and new friends in our worship services.
• After having a few below average months financially, we had a great July and a good start to August.
• We are enjoying soul-nurturing music in our August Concert Series.

These good things barely scratch the surface of the good things that are about to happen if we…

ü Follow God’s guidance daily

ü Worship together faithfully

ü Work together cooperatively.

The second verse to the Gaither tune continues:

When God's people humble themselves to call on Jesus,
And they look to heaven, expecting as they pray;
I just feel like something good is about to happen,
And brother, it could be this very day.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study, and as we prepare for “something good to happen.”

August is a Great Time to Re-Connect

When I wrote the date on a personal note of correspondence earlier this week, for some reason, it hit me: We are already in August of 2009.

Other than August typically being one of the two warmer months here on the coast, August begins the countdown to notable events in the coming months:

• It’s 16 days until school starts.
• It’s 22 days until football season.
• It’s one month until Labor Day.
• It’s 111 days until Thanksgiving.
• It’s 140 days until Christmas
• It’s 147 days until January 1, 2010.

If we are not careful, time will tend to slip by and become a chronicle of opportunities missed. At First Baptist August is a great month for reconnecting with your church family and re-committing the best of your gifts.

• August Concert Series.

ü Aug 9 Worship Team

ü Aug 16 Jason and Beth Davis

ü Aug 23 Orchestra

• August 9 Parent and Child Dedication
• August 23 “Back to School Sunday”
• August 30 Beach Baptism

This Sunday we continue our series, Then Sings My Soul, as we zero in on Psalm 63 and think about “Singing in the Shadows.”

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.