King of the Hill No More

Just as the unbelievable amount of baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) were getting use to being the big dog on the generational playground, we get unseated.  The good news is, if there are jobs, these next generations can help pay for our social security benefits…hope springs eternal.

We are living with five generations at one time.  It could be six depending on which sociologist is reporting.  They are called by different names and are sometimes divided by age a little differently.  Here is the break down of generations within a five mile radius of James Island Baptist.  There are 115,000 people living within a five mile radius of JIBC.

1. Perhaps the greatest generation of all time are the BUILDERS, those 86 years and older.  They represent only 2% of the population.  There are 2,300 of them in our area
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2. The SILENT generation (I didn’t give these names by the way) are those who are between the ages 68 and 85 years.  There are 12, 650 of this generation in our community.

3. The BOOMER generation, for so long the largest generation in American history, are those between the ages 50 and 67.  This group accounts for 24,150 of the 115,000.

4. The SURVIVOR generation are those between 29 and 49 years of age, and they represent 33,350 of those 115,000.

The MILLENIALS  and GEN Z are those just born up to the age 28.  Hold on to your party hats.  This group represents 38% of our population or 43,700 out of 115,000.  That my friends, is a lot of young people.  Really, this group could be divided into two groups to make 6 separate generations. Either way, it is a major shift in the force.

It can be challenging.  Janie bought me a Droid phone for my birthday.  Great huh?  Now I get to be technology ignorant with 20th and 21st Century gadgetry.  I was not using all the stuff on my flip phone yet.  The times, they are a changing.  Thank goodness I have grandchildren to help me use the apps, or I would be apt not to use them.

This information has to be more than interesting or boring.  It has to be directional and informing to the mission.  The next major shift in our church family will be a result of what these numbers tell us.  It is important.  It is challenging.  Doing missions in a different culture requires learning a new language, adapting to new ways of living and finding effective ways to communicate the Good News of our Lord Jesus.

Honestly, I liked being King of the Hill.  But there are a lot of new kids on the playground and the sand box is big enough for everyone.  I bet the new kids who follow the King will have some inspired ways to reach their generations.  They already have apps to help them do it!

Pastor Boomer

The Gospel of Mark: A God of Action- A Call to Discipleship

The Gospel of Mark: A God of Action- A Call to Discipleship
This past Sunday we began a new series of messages from the Gospel of Mark.  Each Sunday I will teach verse by verse through this, the first of the Gospel’s written and recorded.  It is an action packed Gospel, not focusing as much on the teaching ministry of our Lord.  It focuses on our Heavenly Father who acts, who brings hope and help.  Mark records Jesus calling for his listeners to follow him.  He calls them to a journey, a
lifestyle, a way of living.  He does not call them to religion or forms or rituals.  The invitation is to follow him, follow his ways, to learn to love what he loved.   It is the shortest of the Gospels, but it is action packed.  Let your quiet time, Bible study, devotional life over the next months include time in the Gospel of Mark.

Celebrate Recovery
I am very pleased with the strong ministry of Celebrate Recovery: A Christ Centered 12 Step ministry.  We have over the last 5 months seen steady progress and strength.  Almost immediately, we had a team of people step up to provide leadership.  This team tries to meet monthly to pray, plan and carry out the life changing work of this ministry. We have on Sunday morning a fast track leadership training taking place.  Those who
desire to lead in this ministry must take the new training we offer.  Many of the old ways of doing the Celebrate Recovery ministry continue, but we have implemented many changes and have raised the bar for being a part of the leadership team. This past Sunday was around 30 in attendance.  We had 13 men, all from the community and 17 women, some from the Charleston Center and some from the community.  We had four who received the blue first time attending chip; one who received a 3 month of sobriety chip, one who received a 6 month chip and one who will receive a 1 year chip.   Last week we had one from our community who followed Jesus in baptism.  Can you see why it is called “Celebrate” Recovery!  Thank you for your faithful tithes and gifts that make this ministry possible.  It is making a difference.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom

The Heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1)

Let’s be clear, it is our goal to give glory to God and to live our lives in such a way as to give glory, honor and praise to Him.  It is never our goal to take the glory.  Here is the conundrum. If someone says too much about some thing God has done, small minded people might think that someone is “bragging” on what they, not God, has done.  Speak the word of praise anyway.

He is worthy to receive glory for what He does. When you speak of what God has done for you, you give Him the glory He is due, and you just might provide the word of encouragement someone else desperately needs to hear.  “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”

The other side is also a temptation.  We think that by being humble and not giving God glory, not saying what He has done or is doing, we are “not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing.”   When it comes to doing good deeds or giving, there is the need for humility and modesty.  As Jesus said, we do not need to sound the trumpet when we are giving.  Here, we are talking about the work of God, something He is doing.  It might be through us or apart from us, but it is clearly the work of God.  We might find that we rob God of the glory He is due by remaining silent.

My thought today is that our Heavenly Father is continually doing wonderful things in, at, through, around, with, for, by, and inside the church family known as James Island Baptist.  You might not see it or hear about it.  I get it, with or without our testimony and praise, He is glorious. All of nature will proclaim His glory.  I just don’t want some rock taking my place in giving our Father praise and thanksgiving.

I had to come to the church campus very early the past Sunday morning.  It was just before  6:00 a.m., and it was still dark.  As I approached the church campus on Maybank Highway, the full moon was huge, bright completely round and centered right over the church worship center/sanctuary.    All nature will give Him glory whether I do or not.  I want to make a concerted effort to speak of His works, tell of His wonders, brag on His working all things together for good.  I am hoping my humility or lack of it will not cause me to miss the opportunities to acknowledge Him in all my ways.

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above you heavenly host, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen.”

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom

Sunday, September 11

This coming Sunday presents an unique opportunity for us.  It is the 10 year anniversary of a horrific day in our history.  Most of us can remember the details of where we were, what we were doing and can remember the days on end of non-stop news coverage of the attack on America and the massive loss of life.  It is, as President Roosevelt said of the Pearl Harbor attack, another date that will live in infamy.  We are planning to have a time, at the end of both services, to pause for prayer and to remember those who lost their lives, those who gave their lives in rescue efforts, and their families.

This Sunday will conclude the 10 week series of messages on “Values that Build Strong Families.”  We will walk through the 10 Commandments together, sings worshipful songs of praise and thanksgiving, then we will observe communion together.  It will be “The Lord’s Supper: As Memorial.”  A very appropriate time to focus on Jesus’ death and the Father’s love to willingly send His only Son to die for the sins of the world.  We will remember.

Let us never forget the amazing difference between the two events we will remember.  These radical, terrorist Muslims send other people’s sons and daughters to kill themselves and others.  (We should also remember that Muslim terrorists are not acting on behalf of all Muslims nor do all Muslims approve of such horrific actions.)  This is quite different from the God of the Bible, Yahweh, who gave His only Son to die so that others would not have to die.  That is radical love at its finest.

So, this Sunday, September 11 we will remember.  We will remember that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  And we will remember those brave men and women, who put themselves in great harms way, many sacrificing themselves, in valiant attempts to save lives.  We will remember.  We will remember the thousands who lost their lives and the families and communities forever affected.  We will remember that freedom is not free.  Our spiritual freedom was not free…it cost our Father in Heaven.  Our political freedom as Americans is not free…men and women served at great cost to ensure our freedom.  We will remember.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom