MISSION NIGHT CELEBRATION AND PRAYER GATHERING

This coming Wednesday night, November 5, will be an outstanding night of mission celebration and prayer. Throughout the year we have JIBC members serving in a variety of places. Some are across the street, some are across the river and some are across the ocean. This Wednesday night, NOVEMBER 5 will be an opportunity for you to hear a little bit about a lot of missions.

Who is on the line up and where did they serve? Mark Livengood-Ukraine; Cheryl Parish-Romania; Mary Braxton-China; Rhett Harter-Burma-Myanmar (Rhett will be out of town and will not be able to report. He will buy everyone chocolate chip cookies to make up for it); Pastor Claudio-Luz Y Verdad, our Hispanic Ministry; a member from the Chinese Church that has relocated to Citadel Square Baptist will give an update; a report from Baltimore on Brent Gordon, church planter; Norty Glover-James Island Outreach; a report on Haiti and JIBC; and the Transition House. Get first hand reports on what your friends are seeing God do in these diverse areas.

You gotta love the coverage. I am so grateful for a going church. Our strength is
not measured by how many we seat. It is also measured by how many we send. This does not include groups like the Youth who do mission work as a part of their summer camp experience. Come on out for dinner being served from 5:00-6:15. Join Marty and the praise team in the sanctuary/worship center for worship from 6:15-6:30. Then hear the mission praise reports and join in prayer from 6:30-7:30.

All the Wednesday night groups, except the preschoolers will be joining together for this Mission Night Celebration and Prayer Gathering. Awana, all the Awana leaders, listeners, helpers, the Ephesians Bible Study class, the Finance Class, Pastor Tom’s coffee group and First Place will join together for Mission Night. Just an idea—you might want to hear these speakers and invite them to your connection group for a more detailed report. I suspect they would be delighted to share and have prayer support. I am so looking forward to this night. See you there…good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

The Life You’ve Always Wanted

John Ortberg has written the book The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People. Several of our connection groups are using this book as the “maturity” part of their group life. I am using the topics for the teaching series during October and November. The series is about the transforming work of God in our lives. It is not just our spiritual lives; it is every part of our lives. I enjoyed reading the book years ago and am enjoying rereading it now. Our connection groups are watching a DVD taught by John Ortberg and using the study course books. I have no doubt that this can be a life changing opportunity leading to a fresh encounter with Jesus. Susan Warren has ordered several copies of the book for anyone that would like to purchase one. You can buy the book on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble or Lifeway. For those who would like to have it Sunday, we will have copies available at cost, $18. I will make this offer: if you buy the book and do not like it, I will buy it back from you. I will always know someone ready for the next step in their spiritual life.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT: FALL FESTIVAL

We are just days away from our major community outreach event, The Fall Festival. Friday night, October 31 will bring over 500 non-church members to our campus. They will be met with love, laughter and lots of candy! As Pastor Sean said Sunday, we can use volunteers at every level. Would you like to come and pray? We could use people who would prayer walk during the event as well as those in a room, dedicated to praying. (Well of course, all of us could prayer walk as we go!) Would you like to sit and register, greeting those who come? How about serving as a runner keeping all the booths filled with candy? We could use a clean -up team for afterwards; help in the kitchen; trash can emptiers, etc. For the really brave, we can always use volunteers for the dunk tank. (No thanks, I did my time and raised $400 for orphans in China.) In other words, if you are willing we can use you. You could volunteer for one hour, the whole event, before or after. Our goal is to provide a safe, fun, family friendly event that is a positive alternative to some of the traditional Halloween events.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing, as the church family known as James Island Baptist gathers to worship, mature and enjoy fellowship.

Pastor Tom

SO HOW DOES THIS WORK?

We are just about 2 weeks away from one of our largest community outreach events of the year. Our 27th annual Fall Festival will take place, as it does each year, on October 31. This year that happens to be Friday, October 31. It is always on the same day as Halloween by design. We are really attempting to go head to head with the traditional Halloween experience. We offer a safe, family friendly, fun event. I get it, for most parents and children, Halloween is an innocent night of fun getting pounds of free candy. It is however, very difficult to separate the dark, and even evil, side of Halloween. Centuries ago, believers attempted to do the same thing we are doing…to reclaim and redeem something broken for the glory of God. I refuse to be among the small group of Christians who complain about evil and brokenness and do little to change it. We go head to head with a tradition offering a godly tradition of family fun, led by the people of God, on the campus where the church of God gathers to worship. We frame the picture, we set the agenda for the glory of God.

This is a community event that has far more than doubled in attendance over the past few years. On this single night, we will have more non-churched people on the church campus that at any other time. Ours is the opportunity to meet and greet, love and encourage, laugh and celebrate so they may see The Good and Beautiful God and at least taste some of The Good and Beautiful Life. My prayer is that we will build relationships with the community so one day we can build community with the community. We become all things to all people that we might have the opportunity to win some to a life changing relationship with our Lord Jesus.

Just a reminder about the Fall Festival. Please, consider how you decorate and what you wear.

No witches, zombies, bloodied bodies, etc. I know people from the community will show up like that…that is ok. We do not expect the world to act any different than like the world. But really, no tramp costumes, no sexy nurses or French maids…really. Remember you are around preschoolers and children. This is a church sponsored event and we are trying to make a good impression on the community.

Now, let’s pray and let’s prepare. Pray for Felicia Hebert. She is usually our Commander and Chief at this event. This year, health issues prevent her from doing all she loves to do. Pray for her health and the healing of God. Pray for safety. Pray that all who come to this campus will be protected from anything that would move against them. Pray for volunteers. There is no way the largest community outreach event happens without the largest number of volunteers.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Somebody say AMEN!

This past Sunday JIBC had the privilege of licensing Parker Busch to the Gospel Ministry. Parker has served as an intern here for the past 2 years. He began his work under Brent Gordon and has spent the last year working under the guidance of Pastor Sean. Parker was recommended, by his professor at Charleston Southern University, to a Youth Pastor position at New Life Church, Goose Creek, South Carolina. He sought counsel from Pastor Sean and myself about this move. After a season of prayer, he felt led that he was ready for this next level of leadership. We rejoice at God’s leading and look forward to continued partnership with Parker. Sean and JIBC will continue to watch over him during this time. Being licensed to the Gospel Ministry is akin to getting your driving permit. It says we, as a church, see in him, the gifts and calling of someone pursuing a full time church vocation. This is certainly true in Parker’s life. Pastor Sean has selected a gift to help Parker get started in his new position. JIBC will buy a Youth Leader starter kit that will give him everything he needs for his first year. It has materials to teach, train leaders, etc. It is a worthwhile kingdom investment. We have assured Parker of our continuing love and support. What we have, he has. To God be the glory.


THAT WAS A FIRST
This past week we had an unpleasant first event at JIBC. The JIBC campus is protected by Sonitrol Security. That means if the doors are opened by anyone and the alarm is not deactivated, the police will automatically be called. Over the past years, that has happened about 100 times. Each time, a staff member, or someone with an entry code, must come and meet the police to search the building and turn off the code. This past week, one of our Elders was called to come and take care of the situation. Upon arrival, he was issued a citation by the police. Really, he was given a citation. If this is the new direction of responding to unauthorized open doors, we will have to drastically change our procedures. As it is currently, many people have keys. Someone might come in a back door and go out quickly. As soon as the door is opened, that sets the alarm off. Someone comes by and pulls on the door and breaks the connection, that sets the alarm off. Last one here forgets to lock all the doors and teenagers come by to get water, that sets the alarm off. Many scenarios of the alarm going off.

Help us please. Be aware that just because you do not hear the alarm, that does not mean it is not going off. If you have a key to get in, you should have a code to deactivate the alarm. Thanks for your help…I do not want to go and get poor Susan out of the pokey because the alarm went off and the police were called.


See you Sunday…


Pastor Tom