Monday, March 26, 2012

PASSION WEEK

Passion Week is the time between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.  This year, that would be April 1 (Palm Sunday) through April 8 (Easter Sunday).  It is so named because of the passion that Jesus had to go through.  His obedience to the father and His love for us was so passionate, He paid the ultimate price of suffering and death.  I am inviting you to spend time reading in the Gospel of Mark in preparation for Passion Week as well as the following weeks in April.  You will find the Passion Week stories in Mark chapters 11-16.  During the month of April, all the messages will come from these chapters.

The Passion Week also includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.  At JIBC, we choose to remember the passion of Christ with a contemplative service on Good Friday.  One of my pastor friends, Curt Bradford of Riverbluff Church, has a Maundy Thursday service.  Both are planned to lead us to remember the passion of Christ, the price He paid for our sins, and the Fathers great love for us. “Maunday”, by the way, comes from an old Latin word meaning “mandate”…as in “a new command I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).  A traditional Maundy Thursday service includes a foot washing ceremony remembering what Christ did for us.

For our Passion Week, we choose to observe Good Friday, the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.  It is not named Good Friday because what happened to Jesus is good.  The arrest, beatings, and crucifixion was brutal.  There was nothing good about it.  It is referred to as Good Friday because of what happened through Jesus for all of us.  Romans 5:8 says “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.”   1 Peter 3:18 says “For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”   So with a contemplative service, we will remember, observe the Lord’s Supper, give thanks, and pray.

I hope to see you during this time of the year when we celebrate His love.  Remember, you have family and friends you have been praying for and loving.  If there is one or two times a year they will attend church, Easter is one of them.  Invite them to join you for this years Easter Celebration.  They will hear the Good News of God’s great love.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom

Monday, March 19, 2012

Where we are at in 40 Days in the Word


HARD TO BELIEVE
Here is a blast from the past.  Do you remember the old Carol Burnett Show?  She closed her show each week with a song that said “seems we just got started and before you know it, came the time we have to say so long.”  The 40 Days in the Word spiritual growth campaign has almost come and gone.  Seems like just yesterday we were praying about starting it, seeking God’s blessings on the number of Connection Groups, trusting God to provide all we needed.  Now, we have just one week left, and it seems we just got started.

The first Sunday of April will be a day of celebration for the 40 Days in the Word.  We will have an opportunity to hear from those involved, about the Micah 6:8 projects, the struggles to memorize scriptures, new friends made, etc.

SMALL GROUP/CONNECTIONS MEETING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28
Here is a big old invitation to everyone and anyone who would like to attend.  We are asking for all the group leaders, host and facilitators to join us on Wednesday night, March 28 at 7 p.m. in the Worship Center.  We want to hear about your group experience, get you to help us plan the April 1st  Palm Sunday Celebration, and ask about continuing in a Connection Group.   We will even provide a great dinner for you and your family at a nominal fee!   We would really appreciate your presence and input at this meeting.  There is so much to celebrate and the future potential is great.

IMPACT POTENTIAL
Again, imagine with me the potential impact of having a church family learn how to study the Word of God, practice for 6 weeks different devotional methods of reading the Word, involved in an outreach project of doing the Word, memorizing 6 Bible verses about the Word of God, training up leaders for ongoing Connection groups, hearing 6 messages about the Word of God, and enjoying 6 weeks of fellowship with the people of God.  Where is the down side?  I know we had a lot of people who could not or did not get involved.  It may be too late to get involved in the 40 Days in the Word spiritual growth campaign, but it is not too late to jump in on the ongoing benefits.  Be looking for more information concerning the new Connection Groups that will be started.  Jump on in.  The blessings are waiting.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!
Pastor Tom

Monday, March 12, 2012

North American Missions: “Whatever It Takes”



I like the theme of this year’s North American Missions emphasis.  The North American Mission Board is the way Southern Baptist unite and cooperate together to reach one of the world’s largest mission fields…the United States of America.  That is where the name  The North American Mission Board comes from.  We also have the International Mission Board charged with leading Southern Baptist to reach the world.

Southern Baptist Churches voluntarily work together in prayer, work, and giving to work with God to reach America.  Starting on April 1, no fooling, we will begin a month long emphasis on mission work in North America.  It will begin with a prayer guide you will find in your worship bulletin on that Sunday.  After that, you will find prayer bulletins on the information tables in the back of the worship center.  It really doesn’t matter what month, week, or day you begin praying for these selected missionaries.  Anytime is a great time to begin praying.  Many Southern Baptist Churches will actually begin their North American Missions emphasis in March.  We will have a special love offering to go toward the mission efforts of starting new churches in areas that do not have evangelical churches.  This offering also helps resource 3,500 chaplains, many of them serving in the military.  It also helps resource and co-ordinate the 82,000 Southern Baptist volunteers who respond every time there is a disaster in the United States.  We are privileged to have some of our very own JIBC family that are blessed by this offering as they seek to serve Him.

I encourage you to think about an offering that you might give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  By the way, Annie Armstrong was a passionate missionary who founded the Women’s Missionary Union.  The offering was named after her because of her example, her dedication, and effectiveness in mission work.  It was a good choice of names; she is a Southern Baptist hero who served courageously.

40 Days In The Word
The 40 DITW will serve as a nice introduction to the North American-Home Missions emphasis.  I am very excited and pleased with the wonderful results of the Connection-Small Groups.  The emphasis on the Word of God will without a doubt come with blessing.  I am also thrilled to hear of the many and varied Micah 6:8 projects getting our groups into the community.  You will hear more about them in days to come.  My Tuesday night group is going to minister to the veterans at the West Ashley nursing home.  To God be the glory. 

See you Sunday, Good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom

Monday, March 5, 2012

WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?


WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?
Really, why would any pastor not be in love with what the Holy Spirit of God is doing through 40 Days In The Word?  Since last week, over 1,500 churches have joined in participating in 40ditw bringing the total to 6,000 church families.  Let’s just say that all, if not most, of the churches are doing as well or better than James Island Baptist.

Here, we have doubled the amount of adults we have studying the Word of God; we are training each of them on how to understand and apply the Word of God in their lives; we are leading them to memorize 6 key verses from God’s Word (OK, truthfully, this may be the hardest part); we have 19 small groups meeting plus the Sunday Adult Bible Study Classes participating; and will have most of them involved in a Micah 6:8 project reaching out in a way that acts justly, loves mercy and walks humbly.  Our goal is to help you love the Word of God like never before, to learn the Word of God like never before, and to live the Word of God like never before.  Is there anyone who can not completely get on board with that?  Again, what is not to love about that?

INTERESTING EMAIL GOING AROUND
I received this last week and thought you might enjoy it.  “Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?  What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?  What if we flipped through it several times a day?  What if we treated it as though we could not live without it?  What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?  What if we used it even when we travel?  What if we used it in case of emergencies?  The Bible, in the short run and the long run of eternity, can make a transforming difference in our lives.  It is better than 4G…it crosses time and eternity to make sure we have a clear message of a Good and Beautiful God.

Oh yeah, work on memorizing the Bible verse.  You never know when it might be the text message you need in your emergency!

See you Sunday, grateful and excited,
Pastor Tom