The Strangest Places, The Strangest Faces and Unusual Graces

This past Sunday I taught on the Mark 7:24-30 passage.  We have been going through the Gospel of Mark on Sunday mornings.  I have found it to be an action packed view of Jesus’ mission, his life, and ministry.  The “Big Idea” of the message is simple:  Jesus’ followers do what Jesus did.  So in this story what would that include?

Jesus intentionally went into the “strangest places.”  In this case Tyre, ground zero for the history of the Baal worship, home area of Jezebel, an area representing spiritual darkness.  Seems like the kind of place that any self respecting religious person would try to avoid.  Exactly!  Religious people, those interested in maintaining the “organized” religion, do avoid such places.  After all, those “strange place” also have some “strange faces”…some of those folks don’t look exactly like us.

Yet, Jesus intentionally went to this strange place, served a woman with a “different kind of face” and did indeed offer God’s unusual grace…He cast the demon out of her.  Now, back to the “Big Idea.”  Followers of Jesus do what Jesus did…they go to strange places, serve different faces, and offer God’s unusual graces.

That is one of the many things I love about the James Island Baptist family.  You can find our members in some of the strangest places: South Africa, Asia, Southeast Asia, New Orleans, down town women’s shelters, low performing schools,  Albania, Romania, Ukraine, Alcohol and Drug Rehab Centers, working with inner city relief agencies…some of the strangest places filled with spiritual darkness and despair.  And right there in the middle of the strangest places, you can find our church members serving the strangest faces and offering God’s unusual life changing graces.

To what “strange place” of spiritual darkness and despair will you intentionally go to make Jesus known?  Don’t be afraid.   There is no hole so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.  Don’t be afraid of failing.  Be afraid of not trying.  Even if you light a little match in a place of darkness, the Light can make a difference.   Having trouble finding a place to go?  Let us know, we can give you some options or put you with groups already serving.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

Pastor Brent called to Baltimore to plant a new church

This is my definition of “bitter-sweet”.  Brent and his family have been a wonderful addition to our church family and community.  I love him and have appreciated his work with us over the past years.  So, I will miss his friendship and what he brings to the mission and ministry here at JIBC.  At the same time, I rejoice, kind of in the same way a parent rejoices, when their child goes off to college or gets their first full time job.  I thank God for Brent’s desire to plant a new church.  He is really at ground zero with what our North American Mission Board is doing.

 

When Brent told me of his decision, I immediately started making calls to help connect him with the North American Mission Board.  He really did not know much, if anything, about what Southern Baptist were doing in the way of starting new churches.  Now, by God’s good grace and the generous giving of Southern Baptist, Brent and his family may be partially supported by the North American Mission Board.  To God be the glory.  

So now, what will we do?

As soon as Brent told me of his desire, the first thing I did was to start working on his behalf to help connect him to the people who are the best at starting churches, the North American Mission Board.  The very next thing I did was to start the process of praying for the next person to come on board with us at JIBC to work with our students.  Even though we DO NOT KNOW an exact date Brent will leave, we started the search process believing it will be sooner rather than later.  At first, Brent believed it would be a year or more.  I felt it could be by the end of the summer.  It may be as early as mid September, but we still really do not know.

What I do know is we have already started receiving resumes and doing interviews.  It is not like we are just filling a job.  We are looking for a family member, a ministry partner, a fit for the church and a missionary to the community.  In the same way I feel sure God is leading Brent and his family, I feel God will lead the JIBC family.

We are meeting with the Elders and Finance Team Leadership to find ways we can help Brent and his family make this transition. They have served faithfully. We are allowing Brent to spend the necessary time preparing for the new job while continuing to serve here at JIBC.  It is Kingdom work, whether it is here or in Baltimore.  I know for sure, I expect Brent to serve faithfully wherever He serves.  He is a Kingdom servant.  I will miss him and his friendship.

See you this Sunday, Good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom