Rekindling Hope

Christmas is a time to reclaim the hope we have in Christ. Our hope in Christ reminds us that through the ever-changing circumstances and seemingly insurmountable challenges of life, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

During the Carols and Candles Service, which begins at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and our Sunday Worship Service, which begins at 10:30 on Christmas morning, we will be revisiting events surrounding the birth of the Christ child, which is the ultimate story of hope.

As our nation emerges ever-so-gradually from a recession, economic uncertainty has become a global concern, with many European countries either re-organizing or teetering on the brink of financial collapse.

As we prepare for a crucial election year, the rhetoric of the campaigns already sounds more indicative of superficial political posturing than substantive problem-solving.

A general cultural malaise that is saturated with complaint and almost devoid of optimism seems to be contagiously infectious, not just around the nation, but around the world.  And to make matters worse, that sense of hopeless discontent has infiltrated the church.  If the community that has been called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), the very bastion of hope, forfeits hope for hopelessness, we may find ourselves rushing toward an apocalyptic future.

Real hope is neither blind nor naïve.  Real hope motivates us to rise above despair and deal with challenging circumstances proactively, constructively, and collaboratively.

A few years ago I read of a rather profound exchange between two clergy who were working together during a season filled with monumental changes.  In 1960, John Claypool began his tenure as pastor at the Crescent Hill Baptist Church in Louisville.  Shortly after his arrival, Claypool became friends with a Jewish rabbi who was forty years his senior.  Their friendship grew deeper as they worked together in the civil rights movement. After a tense and unproductive meeting one day, Claypool looked at his Jewish friend and said, “I think it is hopeless. This problem is so deep, so many-faceted, there is simply no way out of it.”

The rabbi asked Claypool to stay a few minutes after the meeting and said, “Humanely speaking, despair is presumptuous. It is saying something about the future we have no right to say because we have not been there yet and do not know enough. Think of the times you have been surprised in the past as you looked at a certain situation and deemed it hopeless. Then, lo and behold, forces that you did not even realize existed broke in and changed everything. We do not know enough to embrace the absolutism of despair. If God can create the things that are from the things that are not and even make dead things come back to life, who are we to set limits on what that kind of potency may yet do?”

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:28-31

Like the stoking of warm embers to re-awaken the flame, hope can be rekindled by stoking the fire in our bones that propels us “to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8) in all of the seasons of life.

This year, let us embrace Christmas as an occasion to rekindle our hope and to renew our strength, a hope inspired by God’s perspective and strength that motivates us toward God’s plan, realized on earth as it is in heaven.

I look forward to our celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together as a church family.

Pastor’s note:  If you are not currently following @FBCPensacola on Twitter, I encourage you to start following this week. On Sunday January 1, we will have our first Tweet sermon.  We will “tweet” the scriptures, quotes, and major points of the message during the worship service.  Bring your smartphone, IPOD, IPAD, or other devices to worship with you on January 1 and “follow” along.

Celebrate With the Joy of Giving

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7 NIV

For most of my life, I have heard it said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”   Those words are actually in the Bible (Acts 20:35), recited by Paul and attributed to Jesus out of the oral tradition of Jesus’ teaching.

A few days ago, USA Today published an article entitled, “Does Tithing Buy Happiness?”  While the title sounds a little too much like it was taken from a page in the “prosperity gospel,” the article itself makes some great points about stewardship and the joy of giving.  Research shows that those who give generously have a higher degree of satisfaction and peace about life.

Interestingly, the article also commends the practice of tithing as a discipline that fosters community:

 
This importance of social ties brings us to the particular brilliance of tithing. Done as most people envision it — that is, giving generously to your local church — tithing helps build the ultimate social network: a thriving community of people who will care for you, pray for you and help you in tough times. People who have close-knit networks are happier and healthier than others, too.
Many in our First Baptist Family are living examples of the joy of giving.  During this season approaching Christmas, FBCP members are giving generously above their tithes to support missions through the Global Missions Offering.  Many are giving an extra contribution this year to pay off the remaining balance of the ROC.   And in addition to these gifts there are a variety of other missional projects including Samaritan’s Purse Shoeboxes, Warm Friends Hoodies and Gloves, Shoes for Weis students, and our annual Luncheon for the Homeless.

Yesterday morning, I was privileged to volunteer at Weis to assist in delivering hoodies and gloves, and to help the students try on shoes that were provided by our Median/Senior Adult Sunday School Departments.  I experienced the joy of giving all over again.  Because of the generosity of members of FBCP, the students at Weis had warm hands and happy feet. It’s no wonder that God loves a cheerful giver. 

This Sunday the festive music of the season continues as we talk about “A Song Worth Singing” from Luke 1:39-56.  On Sunday evening, we will meet in Chipley Hall at six o’clock for a Christmas Concert presented by members of our Praise and Worship Team.

Don’t forget that there are no Wednesday activities or dinners on December 21 and 28 so that you can spend quality time with your family. 

Our annual service of Carols and Candles begins at 5 p.m on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas Day we will meet at 10:30 for worship.  Come dressed casually in your Christmas colors.

Especially during the holiday season, I count it a privilege to serve alongside generous and joyful givers.  May the joy of giving become more and more contagious, and may our community of faith continue to become happier and healthier.

Pastor’s note:  If you are not currently following @FBCPensacola on Twitter, I encourage you to start following this week. On Sunday January 1, we will have our first Tweet sermon.  We will “tweet” the scriptures, quotes, and major points of the message during the worship service.  Bring your smartphone, IPOD, IPAD, or other devices to worship with you on January 1 and “follow” along.

In Excelsis Deo

Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
                                                            Luke 2:14 NIV

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!  That phrase is Latin for “Glory to God in the highest!”  Across the years, worshippers in liturgical traditions have sung the Gloria Patri, also called the “Minor Doxology” or “The Angelic Hymn,” which is based on this text.  During the Advent and Christmas season we often sing the more familiar hymn, “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  Whichever version we sing, the message is profoundly clear:  In our music, our worship, our offerings, and our lifestyle, we have an opportunity to bring glory to God who has provided for us the greatest gift ever given.

Each year during Advent, worship features candles and carols, prophecies and promises, friendship and faith. On recent Sunday mornings we have lit the Prophecy Candle, reminding us of the messianic promises rendered by prophets long ago, and the Angels Candle, highlighting the angelic announcements to Elizabeth and Zechariah, to Joseph and Mary, and to Shepherds watching their flocks by night.  This Sunday we will light the Shepherds Candle, which commissions us with our responsibility to spread the good news about the child born in Bethlehem.

    

This Sunday as we gather amid the colorful seasonal décor, we will sing the carols of the season and hear a message from Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11entitled “The Lord of the Ring.”  Then on Sunday evening, we will gather at six o’clock for In Excelsis Deo presented by our Festival Chorus and Orchestra.

By the way, this week, in addition to our tithe, Amanda and I are writing our check for our annual Christmas Offering for Global Missions.  We invite you to join us as we prayerfully and financially support those who serve as missionaries around the world. You can designate your Global Missions Gift for any combination of the Baptist World Alliance, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Southern Baptist Convention, or our Locally Directed Missions Fund.  

Also, as you prioritize your holiday and end-of-the-year giving, I invite you to join the Howards in giving a gift toward the final payment on The ROC.  Thanks to your faithful contributions we are close to paying off this $3.4 million project in less than five years.  Working together, we can finalize payment by the end of December.

Advent is an opportune time for spiritual reflection and spiritual commitment.  This season is also a great time to invite a new friend or a long-time neighbor to join you for a worship service or a concert.   

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.  Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

Advent: A Progressive Journey toward Christmas

When observed faithfully and progressively, Advent can prepare us for a Christmas celebration filled with mystical wonder and deep meaning, a spiritual communion that far exceeds the buzz of shallow commercialism.

In the rural church of my upbringing, we didn’t observe Advent. We jumped directly from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  A few years after I became a pastor, I was introduced to the colors and candles of Advent and my journey toward Christmas changed drastically.  Today, I am convinced more than ever that as mission-driven Christians who live in a market-driven culture, we need the reflective disciplines of Advent to keep us alert to stealth forces like materialism, busyness, and greed, illusive grinches who would love to steal away the real message and gifts of the season and replace them with superficial slogans and glamorous counterfeits.

For the Christian, the season of Advent calls us to a progressive journey toward Christmas. When our days are soaked in prayer and saturated with expectation, we think about Christmas differently than the rest of the world.  Advent has a way of rescuing us from the busyness and the relentless anxiety caused by hyper­materialistic expectations.

This year our church family will count down the days until Christmas by re-visiting the prophets, singing the carols, re-reading the gospels, and lighting the candles that refuel our peace, hope, love, and joy. Then we will be better prepared to sense the anxiety of Mary and Joseph, to feel the labor pains of God, to celebrate the birth of the world’s most renowned newborn, and to hear both the singing of angels and sobs of Rachel weeping. This gradual journey of Advent culminates when the Christ candle is lighted and the Christmas Star shines over the manger in Bethlehem.

If we dare to journey through this season one day at a time, to reconsider the promises of the prophets, and to revisit the nativity narrative of the gospels, we may discover that we are more than ready to follow Christ from the cradle to the cross and beyond.

To enrich your Advent journey get a copy of the Advent Devotional Guide written by our FBCP members and compiled by our Children’s Ministry.  You can download a copy that is compatible with the PDF, Kindle, or E-Reader by going to http://www.fbcp.org/.

This Sunday we will light the Shepherds Candle and explore Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 as we ask, “Can You Hear the Rolling Thunder?”   Children’s Church also begins this Sunday for age P5 through 3^rd grade.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study as we continue our progressive journey toward Christmas.

Above All, Give Thanks!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; be thankful to him and bless his name.                                                                              - Psalm 100:4

For the Christian, our practice of giving thanks is a daily discipline.  However, Thanksgiving is the one day of the year set aside for us to inventory our blessings and to express our gratitude to God with specific intentionality.  As Johnson Oatman, Jr. reminds us in his great hymn, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one; and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

As you plan your Thanksgiving schedule, I pray that you and your family will enjoy a fun and memorable gathering for Thanksgiving.  May our feasting truly be a celebration of God’s grace and provision. May our table emanate an aroma of gratitude affirming that our blessings are indeed a gift from God.  And may our living reflect our commitment to prioritize our plentiful resources for the glory of God and an eagerness to generously share with those in need.

 William Faulkner once wrote, Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. This year, above all else…turkey, travel, football, and shopping…above all, give thanks!          

If you are on the road during the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope you will be back for worship and Bible study on Sunday.  If not, please plan to attend worship and Bible study with those friends and family you are visiting.

This Sunday begins the first Sunday of Advent.  We launch our countdown to Christmas by lighting the prophet’s candle and by singing songs that point us toward the birth of the Christ Child. Our theme this year is “When Heaven and Nature Sing.”  This Sunday we are talking about how we are “Like Clay in the Potter’s Hands” as we look at Isaiah 64:1-9.

Once again this year our Children’s Ministry has coordinated the publication of our Advent Devotional Book filled with inspiring daily entries by members of our FBCP family.  You can pick up a hard copy at the Welcome Center or in the Children’s Ministry office.  You can also access the devotional book online.  And, new this year, you can download the Advent Devotional Book on your Kindle.  And be encouraged to share our Advent book with a friend to encourage them during this holy-day season.

May our feasts and our festivities this week remind us of our blessings and encourage us to live our days serving God, sharing with others, and growing in faith and friendship.

Good Grazin’

Have you noticed what a great job members of FBC Pensacola have done welcoming us to worship in recent weeks?  I think our church is being enriched by the increasing participation of our members in worship leadership and in ministry.

Last Sunday, Buddy Burks shared the welcome in our Early Service and Jim Murphy shared the welcome in the Midmorning Service.  Both Buddy and Jim, without conferring, each commented on their joy in being a part of this body of believers we call First Baptist Church. 

For me, their comments came during a weekend when I was giving thanks for our church family, specifically our strong commitment to missions, our emerging commitment to local ministry, and our growing sense of spiritual community.  During recent weeks I have witnessed the following things firsthand:

·         I have noted the positive impact of those who work at Samaritan Hands. 

·         I have observed individuals and small groups organize meals to deliver to the homes of some who are battling health complications and other’s who have lost loved ones.

·         I have admired those who took vacation time to spend 10 days in Haiti doing medical missions, construction work, and orphanage ministry.

·         I have been in the trenches with our members who were helping guide others through a season of personal crisis and tragedy.

·         I have listened as guests in our worship services have told me that “this is the friendliest church we have visited.”

·         I have appreciated deacons and their spouses who delivered and served the Lord’s Supper to our homebound members.

·         I have received enthusiastic reports from members who volunteer at our local schools with Backpack Buddies, First Friends, and other programs.

·         I have gazed at the dolls and apparel put together by our Sewing for Jesus circle.

·         I watched as all ages brought in their shoeboxes to send to children around the world through Samaritan’s Purse.

·         I have been thrilled to hear students say, “We’re going to miss Brad, but we believe God will send us a new student minister who will help us continue to grow.”

·         I continue to be grateful for the growing commitment of our deacons to partner with their pastor in taking specific ministry assignments.

·         I have celebrated the great report that our church family exceeded last year’s budget goal and that we boldly adopted an aggressive budget goal this year that elevates our commitment to missions.

·         And I am glad we are getting closer and closer to making the final payment on the ROC. (With our matching gift, we lack approximately $150,000 completing payment on the ROC.)

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am grateful for your partnership in this ministry, and I count it a joy to be a part of our FBCP family. 

Also, remember that you are invited to the Community Thanksgiving Service which begins at 7:00 on Tuesday November 22 at Temple Beth-El.

As one step in preparing for worship this Sunday, I encourage you to read Ezekiel 34:11-24. We are talking about “Grazing in Green Pastures.”

As we celebrate the Parade of Flags and our commitment to global missions, I look forward to seeing you in worship and Bible study.

The Right Call

Near the end of the major league season, I read an interesting article about umpires who are tasked with making “the right call.”  When veteran umpires were interviewed, they talked about their focus on making the right call, while everyone of them admitted that they have at times made the wrong call.  They went on to say that you cannot let the fear of making a wrong call keep you from calling it as you see it.  While some fans become critical of umpires when they miss a call, the remarkable thing to me is that umpires make the right call most of the time.

The process that a Baptist church uses to call a staff member is also intriguing to me.  We are tasked as leadership, search team, and congregation with making the right call.  Across the years when calling staff, our First Baptist Family has made a lot of right calls.

This past week, we celebrated the good ministry of Brad Gowing who has served as our Minister of Students for the past 3 ½ years.  While we are sad to see Brad and Maile leave us, we are grateful for Brad’s ministry and we are excited for the Gowings as they follow God’s call to Birmingham.

Now we are beginning the search for our next Student Minister.  Because I believe that Brad was sincerely being led by the Lord to this ministry opportunity in Alabama, I firmly believe that the Lord will lead us to a new Student Minister who will continue to build and expand on the good foundation here.  During my tenure at FBCP, we have called 3 new staff ministers…Don, Ross, and Brad…and all three have been “the right call.”  Recently we called Laura Harrison as our interim Minister of Children, and that is proving to be “the right call.”

Here are a few things you need to know about our process that will lead us to make the right call for our next Student Minister:

Who will be serving on the Student Ministry Search Team?  Maddie Dempsey, Tripp Hill, Leslie Hutcherson, Janet Strange, Luther Taylor, and Robert Turnage.  (Allen Turner, Don Minton, and Barry Howard are ex-officio members)

How will the process progress? Once the Search Team has identified and chosen a candidate that best fits our opportunity at FBCP, they will present that candidate to the Personnel Committee and Administrative Council for endorsement.  Once a candidate is affirmed by all three of these leadership groups, the candidate will be introduced to our congregation on a Wednesday evening. The candidate will share a testimony and then be interviewed by me and some of our students regarding issues that are relevant to life and ministry.  Afterward our congregation will vote on whether to call this candidate to join our staff team.

How long will this process take?  A staff search can take anywhere from a few months to a year or more.  Our intention is to make this an expedient search.  I am hopeful that we will have a candidate ready to begin within a two month time frame.  However, we will take as much time as we need to make “the right call.” My philosophy is that it is better to be patient than to call the wrong person by moving too quickly.

Who will provide interim leadership until a new Student Minister begins?  An interim leadership has been formed to oversee the events and activities related to Student Ministry.  The members include John Robert Hill, Garrett Hodges, Debbie Norris, Nicole Strange, Charlie Wert, and John Wise.  Don Minton will serve as the primary adviser to this group and Barbara Burks will play an instrumental role as the ministry assistant for Student Ministries.

What do we need from our members during the interim season?  We need to be praying for the search team and the call process.  And we need to be praying for our students and their leaders as they continue their discipleship journey during the interim weeks.

What do we need from our students and their families during the interim season?  My observation has been that during an interim time, individuals tend to either sit on the sidelines waiting for the next minister, or they upgrade their participation and continue to grow during the interim time.  To me, sitting on the sidelines is just unthinkable.  Because Brad has planted good seeds for the future, I fully expect that our students, their leaders, and their families will bring out the best in each other and strengthen the spirit of community.

At FBC Pensacola, we are blessed to have an extraordinary group of students and student leaders.  I am excited about the future. And together we will make “the right call” of a new student minister.  

This Sunday we are exploring “Unsearchable Things” as we look at Jeremiah 33:1-11 and probe some tough questions about our faith in God.  We will also be participating in the Lord’s Supper in each of our services.  In the afternoon, our deacons will be sharing communion with many of our homebound members.

I consider it a privilege to learn and grow alongside you as your pastor, and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study.

Thank You, Brad!

I first met Brad Gowing at the Carols and Candles Service not long after I arrived in Pensacola. I knew he had to be a pretty good guy, just because of the way his parents talked about him so proudly when he wasn’t around.  Little did I know that three years later, we would be calling Brad to our church to serve as Minister of Students.  And after working alongside him for the past 3 ½ years, I can tell you for certain that Brad is a really good guy, and what you see is what you get….a down-to-earth devoted follower of Christ.

Brad started his tenure on our staff in May of 2008. Next week, he is completing his ministry here to return to Birmingham to serve as Minister of Recreation at Dawson Church where his ministry began. 

During his time at First Baptist, Brad has capably provided solid leadership for our Middle School and High School students.  He has consistently balanced strong discipleship initiatives with fun recreational opportunities.  Parents are grateful for his workshops and planning meetings that keep them in the loop.  Teachers are appreciative of Brad’s insightful planning and dependable implementation.  

Additionally, Brad has visited, prayed, listened, and encouraged many of our members during their hospital stay or in a moment of crisis.  The Lord has used Brad to minister to us and with us at First Baptist.

Although we wish that his tenure with us had been longer, we send Brad and Maile (I heard a rumor that Addison is staying here with grandparents but haven’t verified this) to their new assignment in Birmingham with our blessings and our prayers for continued effective ministry.

As a church family, just as the Lord led us to Brad in 2008, we are confident that God is going to lead us to the right person to lead our Student Ministry.  We have outstanding students and a strong leadership core.  Begin now praying for our Student Ministry Search Team as they prayerfully lead us in calling our next Minister of Students.  Members of the Search Team are Maddie Dempsey, Tripp Hill, Leslie Hutcherson, Janet Strange, Luther Taylor, and Robert Turnage.

A reception is planned to honor Brad and Maile this Sunday evening in Chipley Hall from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  A brief tribute and gift presentation will begin around 6:30.  Don’t forget to write your personal words of appreciation on a card or note and drop it in the card basket at the reception.

Brad, you have been a blessing to us.  Thank you for a job well done!

Remember these upcoming events:

• Blessing of the Shoeboxes this Wednesday night.
• Lord’s Supper on Sunday November 13.
• International Missions Program on November 16.
• Parade of Flags and Deck the Halls on Sunday November 20.
• Community Thanksgiving Service on November 22.
• Children’s Church beginning December 4.

This Sunday we are talking about the story of Jonah and “Lessons from the Bottom of the Sea.” 

I look forward to seeing you in worship and Bible study.

Things That Friends Do Right

I am reflecting on the story of Job this week as I prepare for Sunday and as our church family ministers to several members who are dealing with unexpected challenges.  I am particularly interested in Job’s friends, and I am amazed that they did some things right and some things wrong as they responded to the multiple crises in Job’s life.

The last two weeks have been extremely unusual as members of our church family have encountered one major concern after another.  Obviously, we should strive to avoid making the same mistakes that Job’s friends made:

• Keeping your distance.
• Trying too hard.
• Saying too much.
• Staying too long.
• Hearing too little.

I am grateful that, like Job’s friends, our FBCP family does a lot of things right.  Here are some of the things I see Job’s friends and our members doing that are constructive and helpful in responding to crisis:

• Ministry of presence…being there, being available.
• Ministry of prayer…interceding.
• Ministry of encouragement…cards, notes, and hugs.
• Ministry of listening…empathetic, non-judgmental listening.
• Ministry of helping…assuming a variety of supportive tasks.

Continue to pray for the many families who have major health concerns and for those who have lost loved ones.  In addition to praying, one of the most important things we can do is to faithfully gather for worship, Bible study, and fellowship.  Our faithful gathering on Sunday enables us to strengthen our connections and deepen our faith.

This Sunday I will be sharing an encouraging message entitled “What I Learned from Job.”  Invite a friend, and let’s grow stronger together.

I am grateful for the wonderful way our church family cares for each other.

Lessons from the Wilderness

To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless.  Even in the wilderness—especially in the wilderness—you shall love him.

                                                            -Frederick Buechner

Have you ever felt stranded between the bondage of the past and promise of the future?  Between their departure from Herod’s labor camps and their arrival in the promised land, the children of Israel journeyed for quite some time through the wilderness.  And it was this journey that tested their loyalty and shaped their character.

This Sunday we are exploring Lessons from the Wilderness in Exodus 12:31-42. 

Do folks still have wilderness experiences in life?  Absolutely!  Individuals, communities, and nations experience seasons of adversity, doubt, unrest, and uncertainty.

You might say that our church is going through a sort of wilderness experience right now.  Of course there are lots of good things happening. Our mission involvement is strong.  We exceeded our budget goal during the past year. We have been blessed with an abundance of visitors and new friends.  We are making good progress in paying off the ROC.  Lots of new babies are on the way. And there is a great spirit of fellowship.

On the other hand, we have a lengthy prayer list.  Several members of our church family are dealing with severe health prognoses.  We have some senior saints who are “not long for this world.”  And we have many others who are dealing with unemployment, job uncertainty, marital conflicts, and various addictions. 

Wilderness experiences challenge us to deepen our prayer life, to affirm our trust in the Lord, to strengthen our loyalty to God’s church, and to follow God’s directions without detours. There are lessons we can learn in the wilderness that we cannot discover on the mountain top.

On another note, our Minister of Students, Brad Gowing, announced this week that he has accepted an invitation to join the staff team at the Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham.  Brad will conclude his time with us on November 8.  I have tremendously mixed emotions about Brad’s departure.  I am grieving over Brad’s departure. Brad has provided outstanding leadership for our students and he has been a valuable member of our staff team.  On the other hand, I know that in Brad’s deep walk with the Lord he has sensed God’s call to return to Birmingham and that this is a great opportunity for him.   Even though it is difficult for us to let them go, we will send Brad and Maile to Dawson with our blessings on their future ministry.  And we will be moving prayerfully, quickly, and intentionally to call our next Minister of Students. 

Join me in praying for our many health concerns, for Brad and Maile, and for our staff search.  Also, join me in praying that we will grow stronger and more faithful when we experience the tough terrain of the wilderness.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we worship God and encourage one another.

Welcome Laura Harrison!

I am pleased to announce that our Children’s Minister Search Team has carefully and prayerfully chosen Laura Harrison to serve as our Interim Minister of Children.  Laura, and her husband Craig, as well as their daughters, Lauren, Lindsey, and Lilly, are already faithful members of First Baptist Church.

Laura is a graduate of North Georgia College and State University.  Previously, she has served as Preschool Director at Rolling Hills Baptist Church in Buford, Georgia, and Children’s Minister at First Baptist Church of Gulf Breeze.  Laura’s hobbies and interest include family fun, bicycling, water sports, reading, and calligraphy.

Our Children’s Ministry Search Team’s recommendation to call Laura was unanimously and enthusiastically approved by our Personnel Committee and our Administrative Council. In a few months, when the Children’s Ministry Search Team is ready to present a final candidate to serve as Minister of Children, that recommendation will go to the Personnel Committee and the Administrative Counsel, and finally to the congregation for a vote of affirmation. 

Laura has a great appreciation for the strong foundation established by Jean Ingram.  And she has creative ideas for continuing to build on that foundation in the future.  Join me in welcoming Laura Harrison, and praying for her as she provides spiritual leadership for our Children’s Ministry.

This Sunday morning, our Children’s Ministry will host a reception near the Children’s Welcome Center between 7:45 and 10:45.  You are invited to bring your family to meet and greet Laura on your way to or from the worship service or Sunday School. Muffins and juice will be served.

On Sunday evening at six o’clock our Singing Seniors will share their Home Concert in the sanctuary.  Our Singing Seniors will depart on Monday morning for a tour that will take them to Ridgecrest and other stops along the way as they share the good news in song.

Your faithful participation in worship and Bible study makes us a stronger church, and it makes you a stronger Christian.   Let’s be found faithful this Sunday!

Soul Community

We’ve been talking a lot about the soul lately.  We are learning that the soul is not a small part of our life but the essence of our being.  Our soul is everything about us that is not flesh.  C. S. Lewis has reminded us again: “You don’t have a soul.  You are a soul.”

In recent weeks we have talked about our soul purpose, soul salvation, soul mates, soul freedom, soul departure, and “the dark night of the soul.”  This Sunday we wrap up our series on Soul Purpose, by talking about the importance of being a part of a “Soul Community”(Acts 2:42-47).

God doesn’t save us to establish our own independent spiritual enterprise. Rather God saves us into a spiritual family, the body of Christ.  This soul community is called the church.  This community becomes central to our spiritual growth and vitality.  It is the core family in which we are discipled and from which we launch into mission and ministry.

This Sunday we are also meeting together in one service.  Bible study groups meet at 9 a.m. and worship begins in the sanctuary at 10:30.  Just prior to the beginning of worship, we will take a few brief moments to vote on our 2011-2012 Church Budget, and to hear a few ministry highlights from the past year.  During worship we will be re-affirming what it means to be a part of our soul community at FBC Pensacola.

On Sunday afternoon we will celebrate the spirit of community with our annual Church Picnic at Bayview Park beginning at 3:30.  This is a great day to bring a friend…to worship and to the picnic…and introduce them to community life at FBCP.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study as we continue to discover more about our soul purpose. 

Our Doors Are Open!

What would happen if every church member invited someone to go to church with them this Sunday? A 2008 study by LifeWay Research and the North American Mission Board of 15,000 adults found that 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. Sixty-three percent say an invitation from a friend or neighbor would likely get them to respond.

This Sunday September 18 is National Back to Church Sunday, a great time to invite friends and neighbors who have become disconnected from their church family to come to church with you.  It’s also a great opportunity for Sunday School teachers and members to personally contact those on their class rolls who have not been to Bible study in a while. 

Through the years I have learned that people disengage from church for a variety of reasons, sometimes intentionally and at other times, unintentionally.  Whatever the reason, it is not our responsibility to judge them, but to lovingly reconnect with them. 

Who can you invite to come to church with you on Back to Church Sunday? (Watch video at http://www.fbcp.org/Uploaded/11-Summer-Video.swf )

In worship this Sunday morning, as we continue our Soul Purpose series, we will be focused on Mark:34-37 as we talk about “Soul Departure.” As you read this passage of scripture in advance, think about how we can live in a way that prepares us for our final departure from this world and our entrance into heaven.

Our Committee on Placement is working to place new members on our committees and ministry teams for the coming year.  Don’t forget to submit your Ministry Volunteer Form indicating the place where you feel gifted or passionate about serving. 

Also, our Deacon Nominating Committee will be receiving your nominations for those you wish to serve as Deacon during the coming year.  I am excited about the upgraded involvement of our deacons in assisting the pastor with ministry projects and in serving as catalysts for ministry within our congregation.  I encourage you to prayerfully nominate persons who have a heart for ministry and who are faithfully engaged in the life of our church.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship and Bible study as we continue learning more about our soul purpose.  Invite a friend or neighbor to join you.  Our doors are open!