HOW DID THEY KNOW?

This past Sunday, our Connection groups studied two stories out of Matthew 8. One was about the man with leprosy who came to Jesus for healing. The other was about the Centurion who came asking for Jesus to heal his servant. The stories are a wonderful record of the power, mercy, goodness, vision of our Lord Jesus. Here is my question for you to consider: How did they know to come to Jesus? What made the man with leprosy think Jesus would heal him and how did he know where Jesus was to be found? He was an unwelcomed outcast, yet he came to Jesus. Likewise, how did the Centurion soldier, a Roman who was occupying Jewish territory, have any idea that Jesus was kind, welcoming of Gentiles and had the power and authority to heal the Centurions servant? How did they know?

Here is my thought and my suggestion. It is a simple guess that someone told them. Someone who had been helped by Jesus or had seen others helped may have told them. Somehow they heard of Jesus and it gave them hope to come to him for help. Perhaps they heard the rumors or even met someone healed by him. It was enough for them to put aside their fear and pain and come to Jesus.

HERE IS THE ASSIGNMENT

Most of us have already made that journey. We are the ones who already know Him as the Lord who touched us, healed us, welcomed us, blessed us, saved us, cares for us, walks with us, etc. We know Him. More than just know about Him, we know Him. Let’s go viral with the stories of what we personally see Jesus doing. Let’s use social media and friendships as opportunities to celebrate what we see Jesus doing. I would like to believe there are people in our circles of influence, like the leprous man and the Centurion, who need Jesus and would come to him… if they heard what He is doing. Let’s go viral with stories of what we see Him doing. Watch for posts from the office and staff on Facebook. Share them, then all your contacts will hear. Maybe, just maybe, they will be drawn to Jesus, the source of Life, the Hope of the world, our Healer, Redeemer and Friend.

How will they know? Let’s leak the secret out…He is risen and He is walking around today welcoming the outcast, touching the untouchables, changing lives.

See you Sunday with Good News,

Pastor Tom

“He is risen…He is risen indeed”

What a wonderful, glorious, fabulous weekend. To everyone who had a part in planning, preparing and serving in the Good Friday service, we say thank you. It was a moving and very inspiring time of worship and reflection. It has not been one of our best attended services but it is always one of the most moving. What a Savior!

Then Easter Sunday…wow! Standing room only and we added the 8:30 service. Saying good-bye to the Chinese Fellowship was a wonderfully happy time and a very sad time. I practiced my farewell speech in Chinese and then blubbered too much to say it. I will miss our Chinese friends and the wonderful smell of Chinese food cooking every Sunday. Thank you for being the kind of church family to facilitate the growth of another church family. As I have said before, we never charged them a penny and tried to welcome them as fully part of our church family. That is missional living. You have seen them grow to become larger than the average Southern Baptist Church in South Carolina. Now, in a nice turn of events, they go to our “Mother Church”, Citadel Square Baptist. Citadel Square started JIBC in July of 1947. Citadel Square has much more room to offer and it puts the Chinese Church at ground zero to reach Chinese students and faculty at C of C, Citadel, and MUSC. What a Savior!

Our attendance was a big as I can remember on an Easter Sunday. Standing room only if you could find it. Even my own son and daughter-in-law did not find a place to sit or stand. Now that is the kind of problems we like to have. Next year, we will try to beef up the 8:30 attendance and make room for more at the 11:00 service. What a Savior!

CLASS 101: Discovering Membership at JIBC

I am looking forward to this Sunday’s Class 101. We have a large number signed up. It is always a good time to get to know those who are visiting with us. As the Good Lord leads, many of them may choose to become a part of the family of God known as James Island Baptist. Once again, What a Savior!

See you Sunday, Good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

In all things give thanks…

Sometimes it is easier than other to give thanks. This Easter Sunday will be one of those days. Many of our church members never remember a time when we did not have the Chinese Fellowship as a part of JIBC. It is as if they have always been a part of our church family. I remember when they started as three people, Yi Ling Pittman, now missionaries in Asia, two of her Chinese friends. Their group grew slowly to 6, then 10, then 15. They needed a bigger room and we gladly accommodated. Then they launched from being a small group to being a church. They rapidly grew to 50, then 70 and now are reaching 100 adults. They have their own youth worship service. Pastor Sean recently helped them start their own children’s worship in preparation for their departure. This Sunday, Easter Sunday, will be their last time with us except for special occasions. We are hoping they might come back for an annual worship service together.

They are going to gather at Citadel Square Baptist Church downtown. Currently, Citadel Square has a good bit of extra space including an extra worship center. This will put the Chinese Church in a wonderfully strategic location to reach Chinese students at C of C, Citadel, MUSC, etc. A few weeks ago we had the privilege of baptizing a wonderful Chinese couple. He is a visiting scholar at MUSC. Again, this puts them in an ideal location. Very few, if any, of the Chinese members actually live on JIBC. Most live in Mt Pleasant, West Ashley and in North Charleston. Downtown Charleston will make sense in many ways.

Now, here is a cool, only God can do this kind of thing, fact. They are going to Citadel Square Baptist…out Mother Church. James Island Baptist was started as a mission of Citadel Square. Early in JIBC history, we started Ft. Johnson Baptist Church, under the leadership of our first pastor, Rev. Glenn and Mildred Tallant. That started as a true new church start. Now, we get to do it again.

We never charged the Chinese Church to use the building, supplies, utilities, etc. They have their own keys and codes to come and go as needed. They use the kitchen every bit as much as our Kitchen Crew. I will miss the wonderful aroma of Chinese food on Sunday mornings…surely it was a pleasing sacrifice to our Lord. I will miss my dear friends and will look forward to chance encounters at the hospitals and in the community. I will look forward to the possibility of an annual gathering to see how their numbers grow.

Now, thank you JIBC. In the early days of old timey Baptist life, we had members who wanted to vote on whether or not to have a Chinese Church meet with us. That seems so foreign to us now…pardon the pun. I thank God for a church family that let go of control and sought to embrace joining God in what He was doing. It was a new way to do church together. It is a much better way. You did not go backwards then and you continue to move forward. The result is the largest Chinese Fellowship in Charleston, perhaps the most active Hispanic Church, and a Celebrate Recovery as large as the average Southern Baptist Church in South Carolina, the only Transition House for women with children and on and on we could go. To God be the glory.

See you Sunday with the traditional Easter greeting: “He is risen…He is risen indeed.”

Pastor Tom

The Applause: A Holy Week Observance

This Sunday will begin what many refer to as “Holy Week”. It begins with Palm Sunday remembering Jesus welcome into Jerusalem for the last time. He is greeted with Palm branches as the crowds applaud and shout “Hosanna”. Why the “applause”? Did they get it right or did they so misunderstand? Then we have our annual Good Friday service. This contemplative service remembers the great price paid for our salvation. The enemies of the Cross and the Gospel would look upon the death of Christ and applaud. Shouts would ring out that Jesus was dead and soon to be buried and forgotten. Not so fast. Remember the words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives”. It is not over until God says it is over…it is Good Friday. Then Easter morning, we celebrate at 8:30 and 11:00 the Resurrection. “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”. We will have two worship services this Easter Sunday. I look forward to them both. Listen for the applause…let your heart join in the celebration of what God is doing for us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.

The North American Missions - Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

This year we are blessed with the opportunity to give to help start new churches in some of the most difficult areas of North America. Inner city Baltimore is one of the “Send” cities that Southern Baptists have chosen. Our former staff member, Brent Gordon, and his family and a team from JIBC are a part of that effort. This year’s offering will be divided between the North American Mission Board and the new church plant Brent is leading. You can find out about Brent’s sponsoring church by visiting www.gallerychurchbaltimore.com. Brent will need to be raising support for the new work. This is one way we can all participate. We actually have a team of ladies going to visit Brent in June. Pray for Linda Iler, Alice Hilyer and Connie Walpole as they go to prayer walk and serve.

By the way, my thanks to Susan Warren for writing articles over the last few weeks. It is a wonderful way for her to share what she sees our Lord doing and a nice way for you to get to know her heart. Pastor Sean will be doing the same in weeks to come. It gives you a break from me and introduces you to your staff. I am grateful to serve with our team.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom