James Island Baptist has been blessed in so many ways it is hard to list them all. One way we have been blessed is in tithes and offerings. This church family and our friends have consistently given above and beyond. There have been years where, by God’s grace, we were able to take the entire offering for a week and give it to mission causes. The mission and ministry of JIBC is strong because God has led you to be faithful in giving your tithes to your local church. To God be the glory.
There are times when asking for additional offerings for missions and ministry is needed. Now is one of those times. In addition to our tithes, which should go to the local church where you worship, we have needs beyond JIBC. Let me share three that you might consider blessing with an extra offering.
First, there is James Island Outreach. Now through October 12, you have the opportunity to give and to have your gifted doubled. A benefactor has pledged to match dollar for dollar every financial gift given from now until Friday, October 12. I have challenged our staff to give with the idea that what they are able to give, Janie and I will try to match. Imagine, instead of buying a jar of jelly to donate that cost $1.50, you gave that $1.50 as an offering. It would be matched and you would in effect be giving $3.00. There is no gift to small to be doubled! As the political commercials say: “ I approve this announcement”. You can donate through JIBC or go to http://jioutreach.org/donations. You can make checks out to James Island Outreach and mail them to JIO, 1872-C Camp Road, Charleston, SC 20412.
Second, there is the GoFundMe for Kevin Walsh. The unique circumstances make this a ministry we want to support. On an airplane returning from a business trip, Kevin had a massive heart attack. The plane was rerouted to Dallas Texas and Kevin was airlifted to Baylor Hospital. Monday, he had an LVAD inserted that will help his heart to function until he can have a heart transplant. The hope is to bring him back to MUSC, a hospital that accepts their insurance. If you would like to donate any amount you can go to www.newheartforkevin.com
Third, will be the massive Disaster Relief effort for victims of Hurricane Florence. This devastation is likely to be more extensive that Katrina in New Orleans. We have already sent one loaded UHaul trailer full of supplies. My guess is there will be many more in days to come. Once the water recedes and damage is accessed, then there will be a time and place for teams to go and help. Pace yourself on this one. It is easy to be fatigued by non-stop pictures and information about the devastation.
IT IS A LOT TO ASK. We have been blessed to bless. Pray…it is always the number one request. Give when you can as the Lord blesses. Prepare for the time when we may be taking trips to help out.
See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
What's Happening at JIBC
Class 101: Discovering Church Membership is scheduled for this Sunday, September 23 at 4:00 pm. We have 12 signed up for this discovery seminar! I am always to excited to think about how the Lord leads people to unite with His family here at James Island Baptist. Beautiful families with stories of how God has blessed them. Each of them came to JIBC on different paths but now feel ready to take the next step to explore membership. To God be the glory!
Daring Faith Continues Making Progress. Many of you have seen the wonderful makeover for the Fellowship Hall. It is NOT finished, but it is already such a wonderful improvement with beautiful colors, a fabulous looking floor and improved lighting. The little finishing touches are on the way. We will have a ribbon cutting celebration when everything is ready. AND…the new entrance with the elevator is in progress. As I am typing this article, the workers are drilling and hammering away! Thank you for your patience during the transition time. Many of you have volunteered to park off campus and walk a little extra to leave parking for Senior Adult, families with small children and guests. You guys are the best! Keep your fingers crossed we can have this completed by the time of our Annual Fall Festival, October 31st. If not, Susan and her team have a really good Plan B ready.
Thank you for your faithful giving to make these renovations possible. Every Pastor I know wishes we did not have to spend money on renovations, upkeep, improvements, etc. But just like our homes, it comes with the territory. And the end result, we believe, will be so worth it all. Thank you for generously giving. If you have not made a gift to Daring Faith, please consider doing so. Some found it easier to give a large one time gift and then to regularly give a monthly gift as God blesses. So far, we have been able to pay for the construction as we go along. That is possible because so many gave so generously upfront. The more we pay off, the better it is in avoiding interest!
The Storm That Was Not. We are grateful for the blessings of not having to face a Cat 4 hurricane. Florence missed us and for that we give thanks. It hit our neighbors to the north and continues to do severe damage across the Carolinas. Please continue to be in prayer for first responders and those still in harms way. Thank you to everyone who helped cover bases for Sunday worship. Again, you guys are the best. See you Sunday, good Lord willing.
Pastor Tom
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
FLORENCE OR NO FLORENCE…THAT IS THE ANNOYING QUESTION!
As I type this article we are watching regularly the non-news news about Hurricane Florence. This is such a difficult time for everyone that is anywhere near the potential path of destruction. Like many of you, we have our families to prepare for and then we have our business to prepare for (in this case James Island Baptist Church). How do you properly prepare for something that might not happen? You prepare as though it might happen! So, here are some suggestions that might help.
First, pray. Really, that is a good strategy. Pray for peace, wisdom, discernment, energy, leadership, etc. Pray and trust that our Father in Heaven wants to bless you. Pray for those who are first responders, medical personnel and those who will serve and work in the storm.
Second, prepare. I really don’t mind buying things that I will use during the year anyway. We will always use water, canned chicken, duct tape, plastic, extra gas, etc. We try to buy the kind of things we will use eventually anyway. I know I am going to grill out…so make sure the tanks are full. We always need flashlights to check outside and in dark places…so have batteries on hand. The hardest thing to prepare for me is the emergency list and contact information. Most of my emergency people are here! So be creative.
The rule of thumb at the church is if Charleston County School District closes, we close. That makes it so hard because we do not have a phone tree to get the word out to everyone. Our thinking is we don’t want you taking a chance on being out if the officials have warned everyone to stay off the roads, or if flooding is imminent, etc. We will try our best to get word out but stay in touch with social media whenever possible. Now, the good news! By the time you read this, whatever is going to happen will have already happened. This will be good information for the next time!
Be safe, be prepared and pray. Does anyone around you need help? Let us know.
Pastor Tom
First, pray. Really, that is a good strategy. Pray for peace, wisdom, discernment, energy, leadership, etc. Pray and trust that our Father in Heaven wants to bless you. Pray for those who are first responders, medical personnel and those who will serve and work in the storm.
Second, prepare. I really don’t mind buying things that I will use during the year anyway. We will always use water, canned chicken, duct tape, plastic, extra gas, etc. We try to buy the kind of things we will use eventually anyway. I know I am going to grill out…so make sure the tanks are full. We always need flashlights to check outside and in dark places…so have batteries on hand. The hardest thing to prepare for me is the emergency list and contact information. Most of my emergency people are here! So be creative.
The rule of thumb at the church is if Charleston County School District closes, we close. That makes it so hard because we do not have a phone tree to get the word out to everyone. Our thinking is we don’t want you taking a chance on being out if the officials have warned everyone to stay off the roads, or if flooding is imminent, etc. We will try our best to get word out but stay in touch with social media whenever possible. Now, the good news! By the time you read this, whatever is going to happen will have already happened. This will be good information for the next time!
Be safe, be prepared and pray. Does anyone around you need help? Let us know.
Pastor Tom
Thursday, September 6, 2018
CLASS 101: Discovering Membership @JIBC
Every 3 or 4 months we offer our membership class to members and non-members alike. Why would anyone willingly give up a Sunday afternoon to attend a course on church membership? The answer is partially found in the question…because it is church membership. For years the only requirement for joining a local church was the ability to walk down the aisle at the invitation time. The church family would dutifully and usually gladly vote to receive a person into church membership. Church rolls are filled with inactive members who one day mustered up the courage to walk down the aisle to join the church.
It is unfortunate, but in too many cases we got what we asked for…nothing. The bar was set so very low…just come forward and say you want to join. No mention of what you could expect from your new church family or what your new church family would expect from you.
We have for years been offering Class 101: Discovering Church Membership @ JIBC as the way to join the church. It gives me the opportunity to personally present the Gospel to every person who joins JIBC. Each seminar presents the opportunity to say “yes” to the call to follow Jesus. Second, I am able to walk each potential member through the traditions of the Church of Jesus Christ concerning why we baptize by immersion and our customs for observing the Lord’s Supper. As long as they keep their Class 101 workbook, they will always be able to go back to the biblical teachings of why we believe what we believe and why we do what we do and be able to explain it to others.
The third section of our membership course covers what we do as a church and who we do it with. We go through the biblical foundation of being a church driven by the purposes of God as clearly revealed in the Bible. God is on mission to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world. We are in business to join Him. Class 101 tells how we do that. We explain how we make disciples that make disciples that change their community and world.
Then lastly, we share why we are willingly a part of the Charleston Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. Every new member receives the latest info produced by the SBC explaining who Southern Baptist are and what we are trying to do in the Kingdom of God.
Now, here is the kicker. First, when they attend Class 101: Discovering Membership @JIBC, they received great, informative material to start their discipleship journey. Second, then they are invited, if so led by the Spirit of God, to sign a membership covenant becoming a working part of JIBC. That, my friends, I love!
Never been through Class 101? Come on, I promise it will be worth your time. Has it been a while since you have been through? Come on back, the refresher will bless you and through you bless others. The next class is scheduled for Sunday, September 23 at 4:00 p.m.
Pastor Tom
It is unfortunate, but in too many cases we got what we asked for…nothing. The bar was set so very low…just come forward and say you want to join. No mention of what you could expect from your new church family or what your new church family would expect from you.
We have for years been offering Class 101: Discovering Church Membership @ JIBC as the way to join the church. It gives me the opportunity to personally present the Gospel to every person who joins JIBC. Each seminar presents the opportunity to say “yes” to the call to follow Jesus. Second, I am able to walk each potential member through the traditions of the Church of Jesus Christ concerning why we baptize by immersion and our customs for observing the Lord’s Supper. As long as they keep their Class 101 workbook, they will always be able to go back to the biblical teachings of why we believe what we believe and why we do what we do and be able to explain it to others.
The third section of our membership course covers what we do as a church and who we do it with. We go through the biblical foundation of being a church driven by the purposes of God as clearly revealed in the Bible. God is on mission to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world. We are in business to join Him. Class 101 tells how we do that. We explain how we make disciples that make disciples that change their community and world.
Then lastly, we share why we are willingly a part of the Charleston Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. Every new member receives the latest info produced by the SBC explaining who Southern Baptist are and what we are trying to do in the Kingdom of God.
Now, here is the kicker. First, when they attend Class 101: Discovering Membership @JIBC, they received great, informative material to start their discipleship journey. Second, then they are invited, if so led by the Spirit of God, to sign a membership covenant becoming a working part of JIBC. That, my friends, I love!
Never been through Class 101? Come on, I promise it will be worth your time. Has it been a while since you have been through? Come on back, the refresher will bless you and through you bless others. The next class is scheduled for Sunday, September 23 at 4:00 p.m.
Pastor Tom
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