HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It sounds a little like a broken record, but can you believe how fast this year has passed? I can remember as a child thinking there was 3,650,000 days between one Christmas and the next. Now, it feels like there is about 35 days between the Holy Holidays. It seems like Janie and I just got the Christmas decorations up and now we are planning the day when they will come down. It is the same way in the worship center here at JIBC. I love the way our church looks at Christmas, so lighted and festive. The decorations are beautiful. I also love the food and diapers for missions under the trees and around the stage. That looks outstanding! My guess is there is about 2,000 pounds of food on the stage in the worship center. To God be the glory. Back pack buddies and the James Island Outreach will receive a whole bunch of Christmas love to the underserved in our community. You are the best!

Now, we are looking at 2020 as another year of blessing and opportunity. When I think of how God has blessed JIBC in 2019, I rejoice and give thanks. The addition of two new staff members has been outstanding. Everyone has immediately grown to love our Associate Pastor Scott Blasingame and our Worship Pastor David Martin. Wow, what a blessing they have been. Scott is on board with us full time. David, right now is only able to be with us part time, but what a wonderful part time he is giving. The new members God has added to the church family have already been such a blessing. What a thrill to help them find their place of service and mission in JIBC and the community. Again, to God be the glory.

This Sunday, December 29 is the Sunday we vote on the 2020 Church Mission and Ministry Budget. While it is basically a formality, it is a formality we must attend. While a local church is not strictly a “business” it must do many things every business must do: pay utilities, insurance, cleaning, materials, staff, provide for safety, maintain buildings, etc. In addition, we provide discipleship materials to all ages, support missions here on James Island, in Charleston, around North America, around the world, support a Hispanic Congregation, support one of the only Transition Houses in Charleston that provides for women coming out of the Charleston Center who have infants and are on step down medications. You support one of the strongest Celebrate Recoveries in Charleston, combating one of the greatest areas of darkness…addiction! You help provide a full time missionary to the student population on James Island. Many churches have gone away from trying to reach youth. JIBC has doubled down on the conviction we can reach them before we have to rescue them. Thank you for being a generous giving church family. I hope you are seeing the results.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

Pastor Tom  

WE ARE ON COUNTDOWN!

Christmas is only 9 days away as I write this article. Hard to imagine there is only one Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday until Christmas. I can’t help it…MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. I love hearing the stories of family traditions for the Christmas season. If you don’t have any why not start and make some. Here are a few you might consider.

First, giving is a major part of the Christmas season. As God has blessed and you are able, be a generous giver. For instance, the Advent Mission focuses on diapers for Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, jelly and food items for James Island Outreach, and food for the “back pack buddies” at our local schools. All three can be picked up as you do your regular Christmas shopping. I wish you could all see some of the hilarious video of our church families making shopping a family sport! I absolutely love it. Janie and I make the first gift of Christmas the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. One of the coolest things about this offering…100% goes to the missionaries work. Not one penny is used for publicity or fundraising. It is perhaps the biggest bang you can get for your buck. Please consider a gift to Lottie Moon.

Second, don’t forget to worship this Christmas season. Beside your daily opportunity to worship, you have one more Sunday of Advent and, of course, the Christmas Eve service. You have probably heard…we are having two Christmas Eve services this year. The first one is at 4:00. It will be exactly like the 6:00 service except for the baptism. You will love the beautiful worship planned for this year’s service. And, we have three very special children’s features in this year’s service. Seriously, you do not want to miss this year’s Christmas Eve service. By the way, this Sunday you will receive another invite card to give to family and friends. We are praying for God’s blessing on every invitation extended.

Third, we love Christmas cards. Starting January 1, Janie and I take our Christmas cards one a day until they run out and we pray for the family that sent the card to us. It extends the Christmas spirit, Christmas Bible verses and beauty well into the New Year. I pray for them one day and then put them out for Janie to pray for the next day. It makes the most wonderful time of the year last a little longer.

See you this Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Advent. We will light the candle of love as we remember God’s great love for us. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love to you all,

Pastor Tom

A HEALTHY APPROACH TO THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

Last Week I saw a great advertisement about Christmas. It had 5 traditional activities families did during Christmas. And then through each one there was a strike out with an alternative suggestion.
It may lose a little in my non-graphic skills, but I think you will get the point. #1. Instead of “Buy” Presents, try to “BE” Present. #2. Wrap “Gifts” became Wrap “SOMEONE IN HUGS”. #3. Send Gifts became Send “PEACE”. #4. “Shop” for food became “DONATE” food. #5. “See” the Lights became “Be” the LIGHT. That sounds like a pretty healthy approach to Christmas: be present, wrap someone in a hug, send peace, donate food and be the Light. In fact, it sounds like James Island Baptist Church during the Advent Season.

I encourage you to “be present”. When asked what I want for Christmas, my answer is usually something like this: I want all my children sitting at my table enjoying each other and a meal together. Being present is a valuable gift! Go with us Christmas Caroling on Wednesday, December 18. You will be able to wrap a lot of people in hugs as we go to The Savannah House and to some of our homebound members. No special training needed for hugging! Sending peace is easy using the Lottie Moon International Prayer guides. You can support missionaries around the world through your prayers and your financial gifts. Donating food is our specialty. This Christmas I predict that the JIBC family will give 2,000 pounds of food…again! This food goes to help the underserved and to help back pack buddies, school children who may not eat over the weekends. We are carrying out the command of Jesus and the work of God as we do these things. You can indeed be the light for someone living in darkness. This past Sunday, you received invite cards to give to your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. This year we will have TWO CHRISTMAS EVE services. We will be presenting the Gospel Story of what God has done for us by sending His Son to us. We will conclude the “What A Wonderful Name It Is” Advent Celebration. The traditional Christmas Carols, Communion and Candlelight service will be beautiful as always…and we will do it twice!

This Sunday, we will be reminded of Christmas Joy. What a wide variety of emotions to be experienced during Christmas. No emotion should be greater than the joy of knowing our Father in Heaven sent His one and only Son so those who are lost could be found, those who are spiritually dead could be made alive and those who are blind can see. Join us this Sunday.

What a Beautiful Name It Is…the Name of Jesus!

Pastor Tom

WHAT A GREAT CHURCH FAMILY!

It is hard to explain all the JIBC events that have taken place in the past two weeks. We set up for the Thanksgiving dinner last Wednesday night. The youth and all the volunteers did a fantastic job in a record amount of time. Wow! Chairs and tables brought down from upstairs, seating for 240 arranged and set up. Thank you all. Then, the big day comes! We had a full house in worship this Sunday. Our Kitchen Krew served Wednesday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night! They served pretty close to 400 delicious meals this past week. Sunday, they served over 240 and did it in record time! Thank you all, your team is amazing. We had an entire family from outside our church family that volunteered to serve! Thank you all. And then after the meal, volunteers came from every direction. The decorating team went into beast mode and got the worship center decorated for Christmas. (By the way, the first Sunday of Advent is this Sunday!) The other volunteers took down all the tables and chairs and set back up for Celebrate Recovery. Again, you guys are the best! Our students did an absolutely amazing job with great attitudes, strong backs and smiles on their faces. Really, a pastor could not hope for anything better. This was a model of volunteer production.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT. This Sunday, December first will be the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means “coming”. As believers we celebrate the first coming of our Lord Jesus and anticipate His second coming. In a world of busy schedules and secular messages, I love that JIBC draws our hearts, minds and actions back to our purpose in Christ. We remember the reason for the season and will commit to staying in God’s Word and joining in God’s work. Each of the four Sundays of Advent, we put an emphasis on others, on reaching out, on helping those in need. These are values we have all year long so it is not a stretch for us to focus on them at Christmas time. This is a great opportunity for parents to teach children about missions and helping others who are under served. Take them shopping as you buy diapers for Low Country Pregnancy, food for James Island Outreach or for Back Pack Buddies. The first gift of the season for Janie and I is always the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This is a way to help missions around the world and 100% goes to mission work. No administrative costs are taken out. It is the most mission bang you can get for your buck.

This really is a most wonderful time of the year. I love the music, the lights, the giving, the increase in charity, the emphasis on God’s plan to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world.

See you this Sunday for the first Sunday of Advent when we will light the candle of hope! W are rejoicing that Jesus Christ, our Hope, came into the world to show us God’s great love and His desire to reach a broken and sinfully marred human race. Jesus…What a Beautiful Name It Is!

Pastor Tom

THANKSGIVING AT JIBC

This coming Sunday is our traditional Thanksgiving Sunday at JIBC. It is full of blessing and celebration. First, join us at 9:45 for Bible Study for the entire family. We have Bible Study classes for preschoolers all the way to and through Senior Adults. Our greeters will gladly help you find a class if you don’t have one already.

Second, the worship service will be built around “Thanksgiving: The Eucharist”. We will observe the Lord’s Supper together. You will have a “Thanksgiving Card” in your worship bulletin and will have time to give thanks, to list some of the blessings you have enjoyed this year. As you come to receive Communion, you are invited to bring your “thanksgiving card” as a part of your worship. One of my favorite parts of the service is the celebration and recognition of all new members God has brought to JIBC this past year. If you have joined a Connection Group, been baptized or have completed Class 101, Janie and I would love to have you come and stand with us, during the service, for a picture and celebration. It is always touching to see how God has added to JIBC. Following the worship service, our Kitchen Krew will serve a bountiful Thanksgiving Meal. You don’t need to bring a thing except a grateful heart. If you wanted to bring a dessert, that would be great, but not necessary. All desserts that reach the level of outstanding should be brought straight to my office for safe keeping! Please invite family and friends to this Sunday’s service.

Sunday night, we will have Celebrate Recovery as we always do, rain or shine, holiday or not. For those not a part of CR, you are invited to the Community Thanksgiving Service hosted by James Island Presbyterian Church at 5:00 PM. *Please note this is an hour earlier than previous years. You will want to arrive by 4:30 to get a good seat!

Oh what a day of rejoicing that will be. On behalf of our entire staff, we hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day Celebration. See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Wow! Here we go full steam into the most wonderful time of the year. We are less than three weeks from Thanksgiving Day, two Sundays away from the first Sunday of Advent and only 6 more Sundays until Christmas Week! I love Thanksgiving…it gets us in the mood for the Christmas season. Just kidding, we have so very much to be thankful for at James Island Baptist. On November 24 we will have our annual Thanksgiving Celebration. We will celebrate with Communion and will also recognize all the new members to our Connection Groups and our Church family. It is always moving to see how God has added to His family here at JIBC. And then we have our annual Thanksgiving Feast. Our Kitchen Krew is one of a kind. They prepare the entire Thanksgiving Meal for our church family. You can bring your favorite dessert to share if you would like…you know we would like! If you still have enough energy, you can join the Community Thanksgiving Service. This year we gather at James Island Presbyterian Church. There is an earlier time this year. The service begins at 5:00 pm.

Now, all that being said, let’s get ready to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This year’s Advent theme: “What a Beautiful Name It Is”. We will be getting the details out very soon. Here is the one really big change…I mean really, really, big change. For the first time, we are going to offer Two (2) Christmas Eve services. Yep… one at 4:00 and the other at the traditional 6:00 time. Both services will be virtually identical with just a few exceptions. For years we have packed out the Worship Center on Christmas Eve with standing room only crowds. I was the hold out on moving to a second service. I finally agreed that it is now time to find a way to allow even more people to enjoy the beautiful Christmas Eve service. There will be a few adjustments in order for us to serve the church family and community. So buckle up! How amazingly cool would it be if we packed out both services! All things are possible.

Pray for us this Sunday as we offer Class 101: Discovering Membership at JIBC. We have around a dozen signed up so far. It is always a great time to share the mission of JIBC and to have families decide to join in with us! To God be the glory. You can still attend even if you have not signed up, just give us a call or make sure you tell us Sunday morning.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

Removing the Stigma of Mental Health Issues

Here is an interesting quote: “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden; it is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken’ (C. S. Lewis The Problem of Pain).

Last Sunday night our lesson in Celebrate Recovery was about depression. It has been one of my goals over the past two years to lead in the cause of removing the stigma from mental health issues. Someone said it this way: “When people don’t know exactly what depression is they can be judgmental”. We can do better and we will. Nationwide, more people attend Celebrate Recovery to find support for mental health issues than for addiction to alcohol and/or drugs. It has been suggested that 1/3 of all alcoholics and 1/2 of all drug abusers battle with mental health issues. I personally think that is too low of a number. Those of us who struggle with addiction issues are often trying to medicate a pain. The problem is it is not always a physical pain. Sometimes it is the mental pain that C. S. Lewis referred to in the opening quote. 50% of us experience some mental health issue in our life time according to the Center for Disease Control. Our brain is an organ like our heart or lungs. It can malfunction, have problems and develop issues. It is tough enough to deal with the issues without having people be judgmental and creating an unnecessary stigma to a health issue.

So Celebrate Recovery offers a safe place for those seeking to find support…whether from a mental health issue or an addiction issue…or both. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12 step program built on the 8 Principles found in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. We offer a safe place to work through all of life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups believing that freedom in Christ is something that can complete even without physical healing. God’s Word says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Here are principles taught in God’s Word that may help. Every person is a person of dignity and is created in God’s image. You matter to God and therefore to us. All of us are broken in one way or the other. You are loved and valued. Whatever we are struggling with we can do it better together in community. Having accountability partners or sponsors is not just for those addicted to alcohol or drugs. All of us could benefit from such a support network. The Bible is filled with such encouragements.

You are not alone. If you want a safe place with no judgment, I invite you to visit Celebrate Recovery any Sunday evening at 5:30 pm. It could be a great first step toward recovering. Pick up one of our Mental Health brochures. It has some very helpful information inside.



See you Sunday, Pastor Tom

Hello Holiday Season!

We are fast entering the Holiday season…or as we politically incorrect people say, the Holy Day season. By the time you read this article, our 2019 Fall Festival will be in the history books. Then we are blazing our way to Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. I am among those who are asking is it too early to put up our Christmas Tree!

JIBC has a few holiday traditions that I love. Let me share a few of them. First, as we begin November, we start thinking about our Thanksgiving service. It is a big day for our church family. Our Thanksgiving Sunday includes giving thanks for all the beautiful members God has added to the JIBC family. We always include celebrating the Lords Supper/Eucharist on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Sunday morning after worship, we enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Our Kitchen Krew is the best at providing great food and served up fast.

Then, Sunday afternoon, everyone is invited to join together for our annual Community Thanksgiving Worship service. JIBC has been a part of this community tradition since 1985. It really began to take shape the year after Hurricane Hugo. In fact, this year will be 30th Anniversary of the James Island Outreach that started the year of Hugo. There will be a special celebration related to the James Island Outreach Anniversary. The Community service is a wonderful service led by multiple church families giving support to James Island Outreach. We will give more details as we get closer to the date. I want to encourage you to begin thinking about giving a financial gift to James Island Outreach. This is a ministry we support as a church family with our finances and with members who volunteer. What a great way to show our gratitude…giving to help others.

So here we go, saying good bye to our Fall Festival and saying hello to the Thanksgiving Season. I love thanksgiving. One reason…because I can put my Christmas Tree up!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Tom

FALL FESTIVAL HERE WE COME

The largest JIBC event of the year is just around the corner: Fall Festival, Thursday, October 31! We have been doing this Fall Festival for 34 years. It has grown in every way. Let me take a few moments and go over some of the basics about this community outreach event.

First, from year one, we designed Fall Festival to go head to head with the traditional Halloween. We intended to offer a family friendly, safer, fun event for families with children. It is a free event so absolutely everyone can afford to attend. Underserved and economically challenged families can come and have a great time, lots of fun, get plenty of candy and it is FREE!

Second, I understand that those who love Halloween don’t like us offering this alternative. Sorry about that but we like a good clean and fun party! I also understand those who feel the history of Halloween is sketchy and therefore want to stay as far away from anything related to Halloween. Here is my response: Psalm 118 “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”. The fact that some use this day for evil is all the more reason for us to stake our claim…this is the day the Lord has made. We serve a mighty God. He doesn’t run away; He does not negotiate with evil; He does not give up a day He made because someone does something wrong on that day. I spent my ministry leading and equipping our church family to do more than curse the darkness, wring our hands and lament how bad things are. Jesus is the Light of the world. He said you and I, as His followers, are the light! So, let your light so shine! Let them see our good works and give glory to God. No telling who you are helping to rescue by offering a family friendly option. By the way, for our volunteers…you do notice that we absolutely do not have vampires, walking dead, bloody costumes or decorations. I am aware of the dark side of Halloween and want us to stay clear of promoting it but go head to head in offering alternatives.

Third, this is a volunteer intensive event. We still need about 50 more volunteers. We have sitting jobs, game jobs, registration, candy delivering, clean up, booths for preschool games, childrens games, active, passive, set up, take down…we need you. Sunday, the green information sheets should have a list of areas where we still need volunteers.

See you Sunday as we continue our way through Ephesians!

Pastor Tom

WHAT A FULL AND WONDERFUL DAY!

I want to say thank you to our staff for making the Elevator Dedication and Celebration such a success. If the dedication part of the service seemed a little too funny rather than all seriousness, please forgive me. My thinking was that the whole process took so long that we need some humor, laughter and joy to help remember the beautiful thing that was accomplished. We thought and gathered and planned for over a year on how we would celebrate with joy, thankfulness and laughter. Our beloved Donnie Almond is the best sport in the world. My son, Bryon, came up with the name for the elevator: “The Donnie Almond Tower of Terror”. It was perfect. It was the winner in my heart for two reasons. First, Donnie represents a lot of what is great about James Island Baptist. He and Kitty have served faithfully for many years. Donnie has also been the recipient of many of my jokes…and I many of his. I have loved every minute of it. The second reason I loved the name is because it included something from my happy place…Disney World. If you have never been, The Tower of Terror is a popular ride at one of Disney’s parks. It involves an Elevator with quite the surprise! We will, by God’s good grace have none of those surprises in this elevator! We will try to send out a letter with all eleven elevator names that were suggested and submitted. You will love many of them, laugh at most of them and be touched by several of them.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the Elevator Dedication and Celebration for me was as follows. Most of the people who contributed so generously to have an elevator will possibly never need it. They did not give to something that they themselves needed. They gave to those who are in wheel chairs, who have heart issues, have hip, knee or foot issues, balance problems, or any of the many problems that make stairs difficult. Again, that is what I love about JIBC.

I try not to make asking for funds a major part of our Sunday worship. The reality is you cannot put an elevator in just because it is a nice thing to do. At the end of the day and at the end of all the construction, it cost $170,000. Because you give generously we can, by God’s good grace and blessings, even attempt something of this nature. The elevator cost about 1/3 of the entire Daring Faith Renovations. Was it worth it? Just watch the next senior adult take the ride; watch when our first wheel chair guest or member freely goes up and down. Yes, it is worth it. Even though most of us may never have to use it…it is there for those who need it! Hallelujah and Amen! We are, if my calculations are correct, still right at $100,000 away from totally completing all parts of the Daring Faith Renovations. Let’s see if 2019-2020 can be the year we complete all the renovations and pay off all our debt.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

Elevator Celebration and Dedication This Sunday, October 6!

I so hope you can join us for this Sunday’s Celebration and Dedication of the Elevator. There will be four parts to the Celebration and Dedication. First, we will share all the names that were submitted for the name of the elevator. Some are hilarious and some are real groaners. The winning name will be loved by all! Second, we will have prayers of thanksgiving and dedication. Here is a wonderful truth you may not have realized. Most of us who gave sacrificially so we could have an elevator, will probably never have to use it out of necessity. You gave not because you needed it or will one day need it. You gave financially so others could benefit. You were a part of Daring Faith for the last two years because you believed in mission and ministry. Your giving made it possible for members and non-members to be able to go upstairs for Bible Study. You made it easier for those who have had surgeries or injuries to be able to go upstairs and serve in Awana. Your willingness to give generously made it possible for Senior adults who have never seen the upstairs to take a tour and see part of the church campus they could not see. Thank you. All gifts that have been given are appreciated. The reality is we could not install an elevator with a dollar here and a dollar there. Rather, many members gave generously to provide something that they themselves may never have to use. I love that about JIBC. Third, we will receive a thanksgiving offering and encourage our church family and friends to continue giving that we might end this third year of Daring Faith as strong and successfully as God grace allowed us to finish these past two years. Fourth, last but not least, we will reveal what was in the “time capsule” discovered behind the 1949 dedication marker that was opened. The 1949 dedication marker had to be removed in order to install the elevator. We discovered, so to speak, a copper box with items place in it years ago. Oh boy, were we surprised! I mean really, really surprised. We will have the items on display. We will also be taking suggestions for what should go back in the box for future generations to discover.

What a day of rejoicing that will be. Speaking of suggestions, if you missed last Sunday’s worship service, you missed, in my opinion, one of the best worship services ever at JIBC. David and our praise team did a great job and our congregation was ready to worship with joy! Then on Sunday night we had over 90 attend the Narcan Opioid Overdose training. It was, according to our presenter, the largest crowd they have ever had at one training event.

It was a great day to be a part of JIBC. To God be the glory!

Pastor Tom

Two Sundays, Twice the Fun

This Sunday, September 29 is Rosh Hoshanah. It is the Feast of the Trumpets you read about in Leviticus 23. In some ways it is like the Jewish New Year. We will be building our entire worship service around this call to a solemn assembly. It will be a time of prayer and celebration, a time of reflection and confession. This year, our Worship Pastor, David Martin will be blowing the Shofar. He plays the trumpet and has his own shofar…so it will be quite different from the time I blew the shofar! We will also be observing the Lord’s Supper this Sunday. Plan to join us and plan to invite someone. It will be a great worship service.

ELEVATOR DEDICATION AND CELEBRATION. On Sunday, October 6, we will have our Elevator Dedication and Celebration. You will want to be present as we share the names that have been suggested for naming the elevator! Some of them are so cute…others are…well, others are interesting. We will also be displaying the contents of the time capsule that was discovered in the wall when we were having the elevator installed!

Now, a couple of things about the elevator you might need to know. It is a limited use elevator. It is not the same kind of elevator you take to the top of the Empire State Building or at the local hospital. So, if you need to travel at super-sonic speed, this is not the elevator for you. It takes 30 seconds for this elevator to go from one floor to the next. In our world of instant everything, 30 seconds seems like forever. It is not…it is 30 seconds. Second, there is a switch that signals that the elevator is going up or going down. It makes a very low, sound about 10 seconds into the ride. It is supposed to sound like that. Then there is the sound of the motor. It is a very light humming sound. Again, normal and understandable. This is not a commercial elevator. It is much smaller and so you can hear the motor noise and the switch. All that being said, go ahead and hop on board! It should be a blessing to anyone needing help going up and down stairs.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

Elevator Dedication

There are two events coming up that I am very excited about. The first one…any guesses? If you guessed the opening and dedication of the elevator you would be correct. The elevator is in and, as far as we know and have experienced, it is in fine working order. I rode up Sunday night with Phyllis Croft, Wanda Browder, Betsy Helander and Mary Braxton. Hallelujah. So, it will be open this Sunday. Now, if all goes well, we are planning to have the Elevator Dedication Service on Sunday, October 6. That gives us a few weeks to take care of the finishing touches.

At that service, we will do three other exciting things. First, we will reveal all the Elevator names that have been submitted and will share the grand prize winner! Second, we will reveal the contents of the “time capsule” that had to be relocated in order to install the elevator. No one, as of this writing, has seen inside the time capsule. I do plan on having a meeting with some of our leaders for a sneak preview! Third, we will be taking suggestions on what to put into the new time capsule that will go into the new niche being made. Put those thinking caps on! What would you leave for future JIBC families to see and know about 2019 JIBC?

By the way, as the good Lord has blessed, would you consider making a special thanksgiving offering to Daring Faith: Renovation Believers and Buildings? The elevator took longer than anticipated, but it was one of the main features of Daring Faith. It is a great example of daring faith in this way: Some, not all, of the people who need the elevator the most might be unable to make significant offerings to help pay for such a ministry. Some of the sweet old saints that asked for an elevator so many years ago, had no idea that it would cost $125.00 a month for the security and safety features of the elevator. It really is an act of daring faith to give to a mission and ministry that hopefully, we will never have to use, but one that so many absolutely need. We have many people who have never been upstairs simply because they cannot handle stairs. Others have been temporarily kept from upstairs classes and ministries because of surgeries or injuries. Now, they have options!

That being said, as our Father has blessed and you are able to make a “thanksgiving offering” this would be a good time to do so. So far, we have been able to pay for all parts of the Daring Faith Renovations without borrowing money or paying any interest. That is always a good thing. Janie and I will have our offering ready on October 6. Thank you, Jesus.

See you this Sunday as we continue going through the Book of Ephesians!

Pastor Tom

IS IT JUST A RUMOR?

The Elevator, the long awaited Elevator is in! Somebody say “Hallelujah!”. Now, it is not quite ready and fully operational, but it is installed. We are working as hard as we can to coordinate a time for a dedication and celebration. There are still a few little items to be adjusted and addressed. But the wonderful reality is that the Elevator is installed! We will have a ribbon cutting and dedication as soon as we get the all clear signal and all the little details have been arranged. Thank you to all who made this possible. To God be the glory.

Let me share a little back story about the Elevator. It seems like such a long time ago we all participated in “Daring Faith: Renovating Believers and Renovating Buildings”. For 8 weeks we talked about, studied about and read what God’s Word said about faith. Our goal was to build believers who would walk by faith, act in faith and live by faith. The last four weeks of Daring Faith we talked about “Renovating Buildings” and how our Great God would pay for it. In that period of time our JIBC family and friends committed to giving over $600,000 toward the renovation mission. It is as if the Good Lord knew we would have cost overruns and unplanned additions to the renovation plans. With the elevator being completed, we are down to the home stretch. We only have the renovation of the two main hall restrooms and paying off the remaining debt. What a wonderful testimony to the goodness of God and the generosity of His people.

Now, could I make a bold request. Would you and your family talk about joining our Staff and Leadership Team in making a thanksgiving offering to celebrate the completion of the Elevator? Such a gift could be a onetime Thanksgiving Offering or a weekly or monthly gift. It may be that you were going to give a gift at some later time to Daring Faith. It would really help if you were able to give a gift sooner rather than later. Whenever possible, we are trying to pay as we go and not borrow any money from the bank. So far, so good! The Elevator and the new entrance will cost over $100,000 when all said and done. It will cost around $110 per month for monitoring the Elevator. So any gift would be very helpful and greatly appreciated.

I was really hoping we could make the Elevator Celebration/Dedication on Sunday, September 15. That will be the exact date of my 34th Anniversary with JIBC. I could not think of a better way to celebrate God’s goodness than to give a thanksgiving offering for the Elevator. A gift with a lift for years to come. I like the ring of that!

Pastor Tom

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD

NEED A LIFT? As I type this article, can you guess the sound I am hearing? Here is a hint: it has been over a year in coming. That is right, the elevator. I hear the elevator work crew as they are testing to make sure all systems are go! Whoohoo. This thing is happening and it is happening now. I mean really, this past Sunday, they had the elevator doors on. We are planning for the dedication and celebration. We will let you know as soon as we have a solid date. Oh, what a glorious day!

GOD DOMINATED THE MONTH OF AUGUST! My grandson said “If my dad was here, he would dominate this treadmill!” Our Father in Heaven dominated a month that many church leaders see as a throw away month. I do understand that for some, August is a month to rest, slow down and prepare for the momentum of Fall. Thank you JIBC for responding with such great generosity. You will, by far, have given the largest one time food offering in JIBC history. I cannot wait to hear the final weight count of the massive amounts of food you donated. Hunger does not take a break in August. You dominated that challenge!

SCHOOL SUPPLIES ANYONE? I had originally thought JIBC could give maybe 30 backpacks stuffed with school supplies to help families in need. I was thinking maybe one whole class rooms of kids could be our goal. You dominated the school supplies! When it is all said and done, I think we will have over 100 school bags full of blessings for kids in need. Church wide, preschool, children, youth, adults, Senior adults, homebound…you all gave and dominated the school supplies!

Attendance, giving, worship all were up during what is traditionally one of the lowest attended months of the year. D.O.M.I.N.A.T.E.D.

HERE IS THE CHERRY ON TOP. In addition to the awesome response to helping those in need, our Father in Heaven has supplies us with our Temporary Part-Time Worship Leader. Pastor David Martin began last Sunday night at Celebrate Recovery and led in an incredible worship experience. He met with us for his first staff meeting this past Monday and September 1 will be his first Sunday morning with our JIBC family. I am thrilled beyond words. You will love David and I know he already loves the reception and experience he has received.

My deepest heartfelt thanks to Frankie Gilmore, our Student Pastor, for leading worship during the month of August. He did a great job and is helping David get situated to JIBC. Frankie, thanks again for your servant heart and capable leadership. By the way, listen to this. While we were enjoying the ministry of David, our new worship leader at JIBC Celebrate Recovery, Marty Clark was performing at a Sunday afternoon Live Oak Concert with Audra and Emily Rheaume. How great to see God at work. Win, win, win…our Father dominated again.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing!

Pastor Tom

NOT A BAD WAY TO REDEEM AUGUST

I really do understand why a pastor or a church would be tempted to just write the month of August off. It would be easier to coast through the month and wait for the momentum of “Back To School” to kick in. It really would be easier. We believe God is in business to “reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world”. The reality of being lost and broken does not take a month off…even a slow month like August. My thought was to do everything possible to redeem a month that could easily be considered a church calendar throw away month. So far, so good. I wanted to say so far, so great! But it did not sound right. Lol.

We started the month of August with the most people gathered to study God’s word and the most people gathered to worship than any Sunday this summer. We baptized 5 on Sunday morning and 2 at Celebrate Recovery. A pretty good way to welcome our new staff member and his wife, Scott and Lori. The Word of God taught, seeds of His Word planted, fellowship enjoyed and encouragement given. Now, let the Holy Spirit do that amazing work.

Last Sunday was just as amazing in many ways. We had a good attendance, celebrated the Lord’s Supper, heard a message on “Praying Big Prayers” from Ephesians. Then the Mac-N-Cheese Bake Off Competition was great. Ten outstanding offerings and a great hour of fellowship. Pastor’s mistake #765: I announced the winner before all the votes were counted. Here was the dilemma: I had already crowned James Hines as the winner with the most votes based on the cards I was given. Barry Waldrop was actually the top vote getter. But there was no way in heaven I was going to take the Top Chef Hat off my Father-in-Law, the Patriarch of my family. Sorry Barry! All kidding aside it was a wonderful time of fun and fellowship. It was a wonderful way to have a drop in reception for Scott and Lori. Thank you all for participating.

This week we Celebrate Jesus with “Stuff a Book Bag-Bless a Kid”. We will probably end up filling about 50 book bags. We will also have a time of commissioning for all of our teachers and administrators during the Mission-Ministry Offering time. You will want to be here for this celebration. By the way, we are giving each of them a $10 Starbucks gift card for the first week break they will need! Thank you all for the generous way you give in your tithes and offerings.

Then the last week of August will be JIBC giving the largest one time food offering every in our church history. You can bring school supplies and food items any day and/or any Sunday. Our commitment is that no one on James Island goes to bed hungry unless we don’t know about it. This offering will go a long way in helping the under-served.

See you this Sunday, expressing gratitude to our teachers.

Pastor Tom

HOW COULD IT HAVE BEEN BETTER?

The “Celebration of Jesus: Month of Mission” could not have started off any better! Frankie and our praise team did a great job in leading our worship. We baptized five precious souls Sunday morning: four teenagers and one adult (by the way, you saw your offerings that support Student Ministry and Student Camps bear fruit). Then we baptized two more adults at Celebrate Recovery. And we began a great series on the Queen of Epistles, Ephesians. The stage is getting filled with food donations to James Island Outreach and School supplies for children in need! And to top it all off, we did have the highest attendance in worship that we have had all summer. The only thing that could have made it any better is if our church family that was not present could have been. Then we would have that many more praising His Name and enjoying fellowship. To God be the glory.

THIS SUNDAY IS A THROWDOWN OF EPIC PROPORTIONS…OK, KIND OF. This Sunday after worship, everyone is invited to “drop-in” to welcome Scott and Lori to the JIBC family. To help you attend, you will be able to sample some of the best Mac-N-Cheese offered anywhere on James Island. We have some of our best cooks…and at least one not any kind of cook (me)…who will be presenting their favorite version of my favorite food…Mac-N-Cheese. You will be invited to sample any three “anonymous” selections and vote for your favorite. After everyone that wants a sample has had a sample, then enjoy all you like! All I can say is I have two sleeves and I have something up both of them for this competition.

I chose to reschedule observing the Lord’s Supper until this Sunday, August 11. Last Sunday was filled to the brim with celebration and I did not want Communion to be rushed or lie an after thought. So this Sunday, we will join together in remembering our Lord’s gift to us all.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND FOOD ITEMS. If you are buying school supplies for our area students and food for James Island Outreach, you may bring them any time during the week (Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30) or any Sunday. I have it in my mind that we could redeem a traditionally low attended month in church life and make it a celebration of mission in Jesus’ Name. Could we make the largest one time food offering in JIBC history? I think we can. We are off to a great start. If you would like to give but not shop, just let us know. We have professional shoppers ready to hunt down the best bargains in town.

What a great day we had in the Lord. Blessings all mine and 10,000 beside, great is God’s faithfulness.

Pastor Tom

CELEBRATING JESUS: A MONTH OF MISSIONS

Usually around Christmas time, I hear the question “Why can’t we be this charitable all year long?” I smile to myself and give thanks for what God is doing in the JIBC family. All year long, reaching out, blessing others, finding a way to pay it forward and share God’s goodness. So, in August, traditionally the hardest month on our church calendar, we take on a “Month of Missions”. We are trying to do several things that reflect our values and help carry out God’s mission to our community.

First, we are aiming for a High Attendance Sunday for August 4. Really? August, high attendance? Why not? We are also planning to have several baptisms to celebrate…Amen? We will observe the Lord’s Supper and start a new teaching series on the Book of Ephesians. And we will welcome Scott and Lori to the JIBC family…Hallelujah! BTW, we will also have a baptism at Celebrate Recovery. How about that!

Second, we will throw down on some good old fashion fellowship and fun. Stay after the worship service and participate, yes, even salivate, over the JIBC Mac-N-Cheese Bake Off. Ten cooks, ten offerings one champion. You will vote and a champion will be crowned. And…you can come by and visit with Scott and Lori.

On Sunday, August 18 we will be making life a little easier for some families as we “Stuff a Book Bag and Bless a Kid”. You can bring the items requested (see below) any week or every week. Susan is working with school officials to make sure we bless those in need! In addition, on this Sunday, you will get to hear Scott Blasingame’s story.

And then to stretch our faith, I am asking us to attempt giving the largest one time food offering in JIBC history. Hunger does not take August off. We made a commitment years ago that no one on James Island goes to bed hungry unless we don’t know about it. Here is a deal you can’t refuse: if you want to give but cannot go shopping, just let us know. We have professional shoppers who will make sure they get the most bang for your buck! You can being food items any Sunday between now and Sunday, August 25.

Point of clarity: You can buy any kind of food item. The list below is just a sample of things they need. But you could buy 10 bottle of Apple Juice or 20 cans of Green beans. You DO NOT have to buy one of everything on the list. The same is true for school supplies. You could buy 100 pencils or 20 erasers. You do not have to buy one of each thing. Janie and I bought those things just for the purpose of illustrating what to buy. Again, if you want to give but cannot go shopping, we have professional, highly trained bargain hunters who will find the best deals in town for you.

A Month of Mission to Celebrate Jesus. To God be the Gory. Why yes, we can have the giving spirit of Christmas all year long!

Pastor Tom 

Sample List of School Supplies for 

a First Grade Student 

12 #2 pencils 

1 box of crayons (24/pkg) 

2 glue sticks 

1 box of tissues 

1 pink eraser 

1 package washable markers (8/pkg) 

1 pair of Fiskar blunt tip scissors

1 pencil case

2 wide ruled spiral bound notebooks

3 pocket folders

12 pencil crayons

Food Items for James island Outreach 

Jelly 

Canned Peas 

Canned Green Beans – NO SALT ADDED 

2 lb bag White Rice 

Jiffy Cornbread Mix 

Ramen Noodles 

Saltine Crackers 

Apple Juice 

Lima Beans – Canned or Dry 

Things for which I praise Him and give thanks!

I try to have a time alone with God every day. It includes reading the Bible, taking notes in my journal and then a time of prayer. My prayer time starts with a time of adoration and praise, then confession and then thanksgiving. It concludes with a time of intercession. So, let me share some of the things for which I am currently praising and thanking God.

First, I am so thankful that after a long and involved process, our Father has led us to Scott and Lori Blasingame as our new Associate Pastor. I am so looking forward to his mission and ministry with our JIBC family. He will continue strengthening our Small Group missions and ministry, the delivery system for Bible Study, fellowship, care, nurturing and mobilization to mission as well as the ministries in the church family.

It is possible that they will be with us on July 28 or at least by August 4. They still have a contract pending on their home in Rock Hill and the closing process on their home here. We are trusting those details will be blessed like this entire process has been blessed. Thank you for your faithful prayers.

Second, I praise Him and thank Him for the recent professions of faith. It is my wonderful privilege to present the Gospel at VBS every year. This year, as in many years, we had several children take the next step toward accepting Christ as their Savior. How wonderfully precious! We also had 31 children load up on the bus this week to attend CentriKid camp. I am praying for those who will have an opportunity to say yes to the Holy Spirit’s calling. This past Monday in our weekly staff meeting, Frankie told me we have 5 teenagers who have accepted Christ and are ready for Baptism. That is in addition to others we have waiting for baptism. We could have a pretty full pool! Praise the Lord.

Third, in Celebrate Recovery, we use a “chip” system to celebrate days, weeks, months and years of being sober or free from a hurt, habit or hang-up. Over the past 8 weeks, we average 33 adults at CR. That does not count the band, the prayer group and students who join us for the worship celebration and leave when the worship time is over and the lesson begins. They go to their own areas for their meetings. Over the last 8 weeks, we have had 25 first timers (blue chips). Many of them come from the Charleston Center. We send a bus weekly to bring them to CR. We also had 16 who picked up their 30 day chip. That, my friend, is pretty exciting. They have started a journey following Christ, one day at a time and JIBC is leading them to become disciples. We also had individuals who picked up their 2 year chip, 6 year chip, 8 year chip and 18 year chip. Please come visit one Sunday and celebrate with those who are finding eternal life and abundant life. I praise Him and give Him thanks for the opportunity to be a part of CR, the largest Christian recovery ministry in the world. Every church would be blessed by having CR as one of their many ministries.

Fourth, I thank our Lord Jesus for leading the JIBC family to reach out around the world. This year, we will have members going to Ukraine, China, Romania and Rwanda. We think “glocally” around the world and across the street. It fills me with joy when we hear of how God is using a small church like JIBC to reach such a large world.

These and many, many more are among the things for which I give our Father praise and thanks. I am honored to say this is who we are as JIBC.

Pastor Tom

WHAT KIND OF CHURCH ARE WE?

Recently I have had a few conversations about what kind of church James Island Baptist is. I think it is a great question. I would love to have an open discussion to hear the thoughts of those who are inside the church family and those who are in the community. Our newest staff member, Pastor Scott Blasingame asked it this way: What would the people in our community say about JIBC?

Not to get to philosophical about it but here is one way to consider our answers. There is who we think we are, who we say we are and who we actually are. Boy, there is enough to keep you busy for a while. The closer we can get those three together the closer we are to having what some might call “institutional integrity”.

The feedback we get on a consistent basis says we are a friendly church. I believe that. You have gone out of your way to make people feel like they are welcomed here. The clothes we wear, the honesty we share, the Good News we declare all say “You are welcomed here”. Someone could rightly say we’re a “fellowship-centric” church. We are one of the only churches on James Island that has a full time, fully funded Student Pastor. Hard to believe, but that is the truth. We do not have anywhere near the largest student ministry because we are nowhere near the largest church. We could be known as a church that cares enough to invest in a full time missionary/youth pastor to reach “Generation Z”. The Student Pastor’s salary is listed among the other salaries. It could rightly be listed under missions. For a small church, JIBC is about as outward focused as any church you will find. One prospective staff member said that is what he looked forward to the most, finding out how JIBC became so outward focused. It would be correct to say we are a “mission-centric” church.

We have significant ministries in the Transition House, Celebrate Recovery, and feeding people for free, caring for the homebound, offering showers, free food and fellowship to the homeless, helping support the underserved through James Island Outreach, etc. How could we not be known as a “compassionate-centric” church?

All these descriptions are accurate and I would be proud to be known and associated with any of them. You know the description I have aimed for my entire ministry, right? I would be proud to be known as a church driven by the purposes of God as revealed in His Holy Word. All churches are driven by something or someone. I have sought to lead JIBC to be driven by the purposes clearly taught by our Lord Jesus: reach people for membership in His family; help them mature to be like Christ; involve them in ministry to build up His church; send them into the community and world to make a difference; and to worship Him in all we do. Yep, Purpose Driven: biblically sound, theologically grounded, compassion motivated, taking on the spiritual giants as we join God’s mission to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world.

JIBC is not a perfect church and I am far from a perfect pastor. I do believe it would be hard to find a pastor who loves his church more than I do. I absolutely love who we are and who God has called us to be.

Pastor Tom

WHY PREACH A RECOVERY SERIES THIS SUMMER?

It never dawned on me that someone would really wonder why a pastor would preach/teach a summer sermon series on recovery. I believed anyone in our church family would “get it”. I have built my entire ministry around reaching out to the hurting, the broken, etc. I have a Biblical belief that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. Your sin, little as it may be and my sin, big as it may be, both were a part of nailing Jesus to the tree. We are just as helpless to free ourselves of sin as any “addict”. This is a deep biblical, theological truth. It takes just as much grace to save you and me as it does to save one who is struggling with hurts, habits or hang ups. It might take a little extra work for those who live in denial that they have hurts, habits and hang ups. So, for those who might not understand why preach and teach on recovery on a Sunday morning when we have Celebrate Recovery on Sunday night, let me try to shed some light.

First a biblical/theological reason: Preaching on recovery is what Jesus did. 

Luke 4: 14-30 is considered by most to be Jesus first public sermon…his inaugural sermon if you would. He could have chosen deep theological topics like the Sovereignty of God or an explanation of the Trinity. But…he didn’t. He chose recovery. He said the Spirit of the Lord was on him and had anointed him to preach good news. Take a look at how Jesus described that Good News: addressed to the poor; proclaimed freedom for the prisoner; and recovery of sight for the blind; to release the oppressed. Sounds to me like Jesus had a recovery sermon in mind. He had enough topics for a summer series. That was just his first sermon. Perhaps his greatest sermon is The Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5, 6 and 7 are a full out effort of recovery. To preach/teach like Jesus somehow a pastor must include recovery, the sermon topic most often chosen by our Lord.

Now, the response of the people was interesting. “The people spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips” (vs 22) Interesting that the people who were hurting, neglected, marginalized, oppressed, in bondage with hurts, habits and hang-ups loved his teaching. They noticed and benefited from his gracious words. They were amazed. On the other hand, the real religious people…not so much. They wanted to run him out of town and tried to kill him. Wow…apparently they really did not like recovery sermons, seeing people recover or acknowledging their brokenness.

Jesus said, in what could be considered his life mission statement: The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Sounds like a recovery mission, doesn’t it? His first sermon a recovery sermon and his life verse a recovery statement. I am trying to choose Jesus as my model on the way I teach and the topics I preach on. I am not saying it is the only way. I am saying I think it was Jesus’ way and I want it to be my way.

See you this Sunday when I teach what the Word of God says about making changes. You can’t go deeper, you can’t be a fully devoted follower, you can’t be sound theologically without making changes. You want to be a better spouse, parent, employer, employee, disciple? Then you will love this message Sunday about making changes.

Pastor Tom

WE ARE ENGAGED AND THE WEDDING DATE IS CLOSE!

I am kind of old school when it comes to recruiting staff members. I like to use the analogy of “dating, engagement and marriage”. When we start the process of looking at dozens of resumes…we call that dating. We can call them, ask questions, and exchange information, finding out interesting things about the prospective staff person. They, of course, can be talking with other churches as God has led them. After all…we are just dating. At this stage, they usually do not come to visit the church campus, meet the staff or leadership. We are just trying to find out if we like each other enough to go on a second date.

Neale and I read dozens of resumes and called a lot of people. We both were much energized when we talked to one in particular. We went on a “second date” and then a “third”. We were so impressed and pleased we invited this one down to visit the church campus; join us in a staff meeting, and to be interviewed by my “Friday Preacher Buddies”. I have been meeting with this group every Friday for over 25 years. We have helped interview many staff members for each other. We then set up a meeting with this prospect and a group of our leaders. Everyone gave a resounding yes and green light to move forward. Every group he met with was wonderfully impressed.

So now…the engagement period. It is hard to pop the question but it had to be asked. He is coming from a much larger church family so I was not certain how we could do in matching his salary needs and requirements. By the way, several that we interviewed were quite concerned with the cost of living in the Charleston area and James Island in particular. Once I knew we could afford to get married, we pressed on. At this point, we cut off all communication with any other prospective staff members. We are now all in with Scott.

Just a week ago, we had the last official meeting for the remaining members of our leadership team to meet Scott and Lori. Again, everyone loved them both. So, here we go…James Island Baptist Church family just got engaged to a new staff member.

Scott and Lori Blasingame currently live in Rock Hill, SC where Scott serves on staff at First Baptist Church, Rock Hill. Lori is a school teacher. Just today, we got news that she was offered and now has a teaching job here in Charleston! That answered one of two major prayer concerns. The second prayer request is that they will sell their house and find a home here in our area.

Next week, I will give you the particulars about Scott and his background. As for now…I am so excited and can’t wait for him to get on board. Scott should be here, in full swing by the first of August. Perhaps a little earlier if their house sells and they find a place here. You know where my prayers will be focused!

Congratulations JIBC, I can’t wait for you to meet Scott and Lori.

See you this Sunday at the Anniversary Celebration.

Pastor Tom

EMANUEL: THE UNTOLD STORY FO THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF THE CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING

The premier for the families of the victims and survivors will be this Saturday, June 15 at the Gaillard Center. I am asking our church family to be in prayer for this event. Just the story of how this movie came to be is a great story of the work of God. Particularly, pray this Saturday between 6 - 9 p.m. for the premier showing time. Ask for God’s protection as well as open hearts to the message of Grace and Forgiveness. Pray for an awakening of grace through forgiveness in Jesus Christ and the impact of the Gospel of every man, woman and child. Pray for the time coming when this documentary will be released to local theaters. 

The objectives of the movie are as follows:

• To provide an evening to honor the survivors, family members and victims of the Emanuel 9 and Emanuel AME Church.

• To inaugurate the Emmanuel Documentary to the Nation from Charleston

• To declare the narrative of Gospel grace and hope from Charleston

For all those who are NBA fans, you might find it interesting the Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, currently in the NBA finals, is one of the producers and helped to finance this grace project. Craig Tuck, the Executive Director of the Charleston Baptist Association has been actively involved in planning this event. I am always amazed and grateful for the way God touches individuals to be a part of His Kingdom work.

So much of the world watched when the tragedy happed at Mother Emanuel Church. Other parts of the country would have been consumed in riots, looting, burning and chaos. God’s grace allowed a city to come together and see forgiveness at a depth seldom seen. Trust me when I say the world is full of people who would like to deny and change that message. What they cannot deny (the mighty power of God and the incredible power of grace and forgiveness), they will try to stain, question, change or re-write. So pray. Think about how you might make an impact when this movie hits the local theaters. Is it possible we could pray about who we might invite to see the movie with us, then go out for a meal and have a conversation about the movie? Well there you go…another amazing grace moment.

Pastor Tom

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF HURTS, HABITS AND HANG-UPS

Isaiah 33:2 says “O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” This is a good verse to meditate on. It fits well into so many times of our lives. We desperately need the grace of God. We long for Him…even if our longing fools us into thinking we are longing for something else. You know…looking for love in all the wrong places; thinking someone or something will actually fill what my heart craves. I need His strength…not just my own. If my own strength could keep me out of trouble and avoid being entangled in all my hurts, habits and hang-ups…then I would not need Him. But I do, I so desperately do.

I think many of us…really all of us…share this kind of need. For the next eight weeks I will be teaching a series on “BREAKING THE CHAINS OF HURTS, HABITS AND HANG-UPS”. This is a Celebrate Recovery series that applies to so many of us in so many situations. Do not be too quick to think you do not need recovery. The old saying is true…you are either in recovery or in denial. Most people in Celebrate Recovery are not there for alcohol and drugs. They are struggling with grief, mental health issues, broken relationships, PTSD, drama, sexual addictions, pornography, food issues, etc. Don’t get me wrong, we also have many who attend because of addictions and struggles with alcohol and drugs. I have no doubt that all of us have someone in our family struggling with one or more of these issues. Most of us have friends whose lives are in “times of distress” as Isaiah said.

Here is what I am praying for. I am asking the Lord to make us advocates/ ambassadors of Celebrate Recovery. First, we have given out invite cards the past two weeks. We prayed that our Father would direct us to the very persons who need to receive the information on the CR Invite card. Second, I am encouraging all JIBC members to make a commitment to attend Celebrate Recovery one or two times. This is not my sneaky way of getting you to attend CR. It is my direct way of saying you can be a better advocate/ambassador for Celebrate Recovery if you have been and actually seen how it works. Join us at 5:30 for the Fellowship Meal; then stay for the Celebration service from 6:30-7:10. After that, you would be welcomed to visit one of the support groups. Third, pray for Celebrate Recovery. It truly is one of the JIBC missions that takes the light of Christ to the dark places of the world.

Good Lord willing, see you Sunday when we talk about “Where to get help when you are hurt.”

Pastor Tom

PRAYING FOR THE POTENTIAL ASSOCIATE PASTOR

I have already mentioned how close we believe we are to calling a new Associate Pastor. The process has been long and very thorough. It started with a resume (we received over 50 and considered and made contact with perhaps a dozen); a phone call to confirm continued interest; a skype interview between the candidate, Neale and myself that lasted for 1 ½ hours; the prospect visited with the staff during a staff meeting and lunch since this is the primary group he will work with; he was interviewed by my pastor buddies, a practice we have had for many years; at a separate date, he met with a group of leaders at JIBC for a lunch interview; that evening he met with the elders and more leaders, along with his wife; he and his wife spent an afternoon with Janie and I for a tour of the island and an evening meal; he passed background and financial background checks; and he received great reviews from all his references. 

That is about a thorough as I know how to be…and it is not finished yet. We are planning, maybe even before you read this, to invite all of our Connection Group Leaders and Ministry Team leaders to a meet and greet. You can tell we believe he is the right candidate. I know the old saying “the proof is in the pudding”. And I agree, only time and a look backwards will confirm that this was a very good hire. I am praying and having Daring Faith that it is. I really believe the decision has been made. Now we are just dotting the “i’s” and crossing the “t’s” so to speak.

His position will be Associate Pastor of Connection Groups, Ministry Teams and Administration. Susan Warren is praying as hard as anyone I know that this prospect accepts the position and comes quickly. Susan has been great in helping me keep up with the multitude of task that needs to be handled. Please do not think Susan will be sad to see the Associate come, she will rise up and call him blessed! Now he can work on my “other duties as assigned” list. Susan Warren… thank you for stepping up to help lead in so many areas during our transition time. I look forward to our schedules returning to normal so I can just overwhelm you with stuff as I used to do …not the extra ordinary kind of overwhelming! You are the best, thank you.

If all goes well, maybe, the Associate will be able to wrap up things at his current church by the first of August. With a little extra blessing, maybe he can visit some in July. Please pray for his wife. She is looking for a job in the area of school administration. If for some reason that is not available, she will hope to get a job teaching.

I love it when a plan of God comes together. He gets the credit, the glory and we get the blessings! What a great God we serve.

Pastor Tom

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 suspense movie based on a Tom Clancy novel. It starred Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. A Soviet sub commander decides to defect to the United States with the new Soviet submarine. It is quite the suspense movie and it was made before the current Russian collusion fiasco!

I have sometimes felt the search for the Associate Pastor was as intense and suspenseful as The Hunt for Red October. There has never been a straight line in the process. We have been close and then nothing. We have filtered resumes and interviewed prospects. We have made dozens of follow up calls and letters to references. Did I mention we have been close and then nothing! The good thing is we are blessed to claim Romans 8:28. We do believe that God is working all things to the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose in Christ Jesus. We also truly believe the old adage: it is better to want it and not have it than to have it and not want it. Let the people say “Amen”. Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that we are blessed with on a regular basis. We are in the process of setting up a second meeting with what we believe is an excellent prospect. He has already come to meet the staff and by the time you read this, will have already met with a group of leaders. That is what we call “serious dating”! We will keep you in the loop when it is time for the big old family meeting!

Just a reminder of the position we are looking to fill. The title we have chosen is Associate Pastor of Connection Groups/Discipleship and Ministry Team Administrator. Years ago, Susan Warren started out with us as our Leader of Small Groups. When she shifted over to Minister of Outreach (and all things Tom assigns!), we shifted small groups over to former staff member, Sean Rheaume. Now, the primary responsibility of the Associate Pastor will be to lead our Connection Group and ministry teams.

Now, a final two words that might help clarify this “hunt for Red October”. First, Susan will continue in her role as Mission Director. She will gladly hand off a few areas of ministry she has graciously and effectively led. Ministries like the Safety Team and Greeters. No change for Susan’s role except to give her a well deserved breather from all the Pastor Tom assignments. Second, the position is strictly an Associate Pastor position. There is not plan for succession or for this potential staff person to be the next pastor. Please let that idea go. It was a good idea worth considering. It is not longer in any way a part of our thinking and/or process.

I am so looking forward to having a person in this position. I many ways, it will be a first for me to have this position. I am praying it will be everything I am hoping and much more. To God be the glory.

Pastor Tom

WE ARE GETTING CLOSE

We have two very big and very exciting changes that are getting closer and closer to being a reality. It has been a long wait on both of these anticipated blessings. So let’s talk about them both.

As I type this article, there is the wonderful sound of construction going on. I really do mean wonderful. During staff meeting I said: “That my friends is the sound of progress!” Sheet rock is going in today. The inside framing that was just for protection will be coming down so they can complete the details of sheet rocking. So, this Sunday, you will be able to see inside the entrance…but YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT TO ENTER OR EXIT JUST YET. As the old Andrea Crouch song says…”Soon and very soon!” We are planning a day of celebration when it all gets ready. Maybe, just maybe by the church anniversary Sunday…maybe? Someone asked when the restrooms would be renovated. It is only money…right. So far, by God’s grace, we have been able to basically pay as we go. We have incurred no debt in all the renovations. Thank you for giving and giving so generously. The next thing on the agenda will be the Library/Conference room renovation. The cost of the elevator was not just a financial cost. It ended up costing us four rooms. The elevator project totally took up Marty’s office. So he moved upstairs into a smaller, empty Sunday School room. The third room lost is where the elevator goes upstairs. That room was a casualty of the elevator as well. The fourth room, the library/conference room, would be the office for the Associate Pastor. By faith, by Daring Faith, it will be worth it all.

The second blessing getting closer and closer is the calling of our Associate Pastor. We are now on our fourth meeting with him. This is a serious as it gets and we do believe he is the one God has led us to call. We still have one more official meeting with our Connection Group leaders and all of our Ministry Team leaders. Pray for his wife as she will be seeking a job as a school teacher/administrator here in Charleston. (Romans 8:28)

It is all very exciting and it is really starting to come together. More news as we get closer and closer.

Pastor Tom

Why we do what we do!

This past Sunday we hosted Class 101: Discovering Membership at James Island Baptist. Think about this: we have those who will give us four hours of a Sunday afternoon to attend a seminar about membership at JIBC. I consider that a most wonderful gift and I do my absolute best to make sure there is an informative, inspiring picture of what it means to be a member of JIBC.

By the way, welcome to our newest members: Jean Elliott, Babbie Mangum, Todd Jordan, Sara and Josh Bell. I am so excited about these that our Father has added to our church family. I can’t wait to see how our Father will use them to help build His Kingdom and how our church family will love them.

So, what is it we do at Class 101: Discovering Membership? What are we trying to accomplish? Think with me about all the different backgrounds from which people could come from: north/south; Baptist/non-Baptist; different kinds of Baptist; traditional church/contemporary church; absolutely no church background; Pastor led/leader led/ deacon led/unofficial parking lot group led; from a church that split; from a new mission church; from an old ancient church; married, single, kids, no kids, wonderful beautiful grandchildren (ok that was just for me!); multiple generations/all the same basic age group. Get the picture. We come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. How do you get all these on the same page? My best effort has been our Class 101: Discovering Membership at James Island Baptist. This is an opportunity to help those who are interested to “look under the hood and kick the tires” as we used to say. They can meet with the pastor and hear about the DNA of the church. During Class 101 we talk about what we believe and why we are organized in the way we are. Not everyone who attends shares the same vision of how we do church. That is the point. Those who don’t share the vision have an opportunity to bail out before any commitment are made. Those who see and share the vision are able to join the church family, right then, right there. They don’t have to walk down an aisle or be voted on by a group of people they don’t know. What a frightening experience. Walking down an aisle to join a church is not a bad thing. It is not, however, your public profession of faith. Your public profession of faith is what you do in public, every day, at work, at school or at play. That was just one way of joining the church. It is by far, not the only way. During Class 101 we go over what the Bible requires of members and we make it a part of who we are at JIBC. Those who join have already made a pretty good statement about their willingness by attending a four hour seminar on church membership at JIBC.

I am so privileged to have taken over 200 precious souls through our membership class. It is one of the most considerable first steps toward making disciples who make disciples that change the world.

Welcome to the family Jean, Todd, Babbie, Sara and Josh!

Pastor Tom

The Outward Focus

A few weeks back I sent a letter to our Connection Group Leaders. I was asking them for reports on the kind of missions their Connection Groups were involved in doing. Remember, the name “Connection Group” comes for the idea of Connecting with God through studying His Word; connecting with other believers as we gather; and connecting with the community through missions. We must always be true to the great commission to “go” and to “make disciples”.

It has been my observation over the years that gathering for Bible Study and fellowship kind of comes natural for church families. We generally love each other and enjoy spending time in fellowship, eating together and studying God’s Word. What takes a little more effort is the mission, the outward focus, the “going” part of the Great Commission. Over the years, I have joyfully watched as JIBC has become more and more outwardly focused. By God’s grace, we regularly have members going on international mission trips, relief efforts here in the Southeast, volunteering in local missions, going to public schools, etc. I truly love that about our church family. We are embracing more and more the challenge of taking light to the dark places in our community.

I describe mission as having two levels. First, there is what I refer to as mission support. This is vitally important. I never want to under estimate the value of prayer support for all mission efforts. There are some who will go as God helps provide the finances. Giving finances so others can go is one great form of mission support. James Island Outreach is always grateful for JIBC jelly offerings. Imagine, last year you gave just a little short of two tons of jelly! All of these are fantastic. May our Father continue to lead us to be generous in our desire to provide mission support.

I am also rejoicing at the amount of what I call “hands on missions”. That is when God gets the salt out of the shaker…the church out of the building …to go to the mission field. I am currently putting together a list of the mission projects that were turned in. I am not so interested in giving the names of who did that mission project. I am interested in giving God glory for the things He has done. I am believing what the Bible says…that as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. It is my hope that what one Connection Group is doing will be used by God to inspire another Connection Group or individual to step out by faith and try.

I so love that being outward focused is a part of our DNA. It is one of the 5 purposes of the church as found in the Bible. The list will be coming soon. We are still waiting for a few of the Connection Group leaders to respond. To God be the glory and to you all…job well done.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

Associate Pastor Staff Search

It has been almost a year now since we started the search for a full time Associate Pastor. For almost 6 months of that time we were working on the person we felt was going to be our next staff member. Turns out the Lord had others plans. Blessed be the Name of the Lord…Amen? Amen. We trust His guidance and pray for patience to wait upon the Lord. We have been in the process of receiving resumes and doing interviews. We have been blessed to talk with some very talented and gifted individuals. We have had some that made us want a second follow up visit right away. That is very encouraging. We will keep you updated as we make progress. We are in what I refer to as the “Dating Stage”. We are looking at multiple resumes and are interviewing multiple persons. When one catches our heart then we will stop and see if we sense God is leading. When we get down to looking at just one person, we will enter the “engagement stage”. That is when you get to meet them. Ultimately, we are looking for the “let’s get married stage” when we extend a call to them and they accept! Oh, what a day!

By the way, just an update on the position we are looking to fill. We are looking for what we used to call an Associate Pastor. In the olden-golden days we used to refer to this as an Educational Director. Today the position would be referred to as a Pastor of Discipleship or Pastor of Connection Ministries or an Assimilation Pastor. At any rate, we are looking for a “second chair” who would serve as an Associate Pastor. The idea of having a successor to take over in the far distant future when I retire is really off the table. At one time we had hoped the Associate would be the person to become the Senior Lead Pastor when I retire. Currently, we are only looking for an Associate, a Second Chair. Primary responsibilities of the Associate Pastor would include leading our small group (Connection Group) ministries and our ministry teams.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. We do believe God has the right person out there and they, too, are waiting on the leadership of the Lord.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

TASTE OF JAMES ISLAND

Is it the same old thing only new and different? For the past several years we have really enjoyed the culinary throw-down called “The Taste of James Island”. It featured the best dishes from the best cooks for many of the churches right here on James Island. Our very own cooks won the coveted first place prize one year. Back in those days it was a free, family friendly event that helped raise awareness of the significant ministry and mission of the James Island Outreach. Mission accomplished and a great time was had by all.

Now, imagine the old Taste of James Island super-sized! Now we are featuring those same church cooks as well as local restaurants and community groups. Something great just got better! What could be better than 10 churches putting their best cooks to work? How about even more! The team that heads this up is pulling out all the stops to make this the signature food event on James Island. Come this year and you will be able to say you were there when it all started.

There will be kids activities, live music, a 50/50 raffle, door prizes and food, glorious food, galore.
Now here is the catch. It is a little different than the past years…everything was free. This is now more like all the other food festivals with an entrance fee. There is a $5 per person fee but children under 9 are free. You will be able to sample dishes for $2 each. This really has all the makings of one of the hottest tickets on James Island.

The date is Saturday, April 27 from 11 am to 3 pm. It will be held on the First Baptist School Athletic Field on 2051 George Griffith Blvd right here on James Island (Next to Walmart). If you think about it, bring a non-perishable food item to support the pantry. Btw, did you know that James Island Baptist gave almost 2 tons of jelly. You gave 3,416 pounds of food and an additional $7,040. to help support JIO. You are such a wonderful giving church family. If you hear of anyone who cannot go because of finances, please let me know. We will make sure they are not left out of the fun!

See you this Sunday, Resurrection Sunday! He is risen, He is risen indeed.

Pastor Tom

SENDING HOPE

This past Sunday, Susan Warren introduced the Sending Hope 2019 Prayer Guide for North American Missions. This prayer guide is for many, the beginning of an emphasis on Southern Baptist Missions in North America. The brochure has 8 days of guided prayer for mission work taking place all over North America. This morning is our staff meeting, we read Day 2. It was an informative story about Jorge and Rebeca Santiago serving in Puerto Rico. Your gifts were able to purchase a generator for the Santiagos and the new church they started. They, in turn, used the generator to minister to the community. In an area with no electricity, they were able to help wash clothes and to help get the public school back open. Cool story you will not hear about on the nightly news!

Two things you can do. First, use the prayer guides and lift the missionaries and their work up to the Lord in prayer. You have often heard it said that the number one request from our missionaries is prayer. We can provide that. Second, would you consider a gift to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions? It really is a great way to make sure you get the most bang for your buck. For the next several weeks you can pick up the prayer guides at the church and make an offering to missions. Thank you for being so generous and faithful in prayers and offerings. It really does make a difference. There are over 273 million people in the United States that have no relationship with Jesus. Your weekly tithes and offerings help support the 5,000 North American missionaries that serve our Lord through the Southern Baptist Convention. Every dollar given through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering goes directly to help resource their work.

It is just one of the ways you “Send Hope”. Don’t ever lose sight of the way you send hope locally. You help support the Transition House, still one of the only ministries in Charleston that accepts women, with infants on one of the step down drugs. We currently have two residents in the house. This is made possible by your tithes and offerings. You send hope every Sunday night for the 40 adults who gather as a part of Celebrate Recovery, JIBC continues to provide worship space for Luz Y Verdad. You are sending hope as we support a full time missionary to the overwhelmingly un-churched population of youth in the James Island community. You are sending hope every time you bring a jar of jelly or make a gift to the James Island Outreach as we seek to help the under-served and those in need. Just fyi, last year you JIBC gave $7,040 to James Island Outreach and 3,416 pounds of food! That is over 1 ¾ ton of food! Great job.

Sending Hope is not just something we do way off yonder…it is something we do every day, every week, every month of the year at James Island Baptist Church.

Send Hope,

Pastor Tom

APRIL FOOLS!

I am not sure I like the concept of April Fool’s Day. I particularly do not like the idea of pranks. Ok, maybe small, none offensive, no blood pressure raising pranks. Our daughter Erin had our grandson Wyatt call Monday morning and say “Grandma, guess what, I lost my first tooth!” He got her good! Then he burst out with “April Fool Grandma!” Grandma, not to be outdone responded “Oh, too bad, because the tooth fairy was leaving you a lot of money for that first tooth over here at Grandma’s…April Fool!”

Now, as it turns out, playing pranks is a specialty for some people. Sometimes in life, there are events that are so bizarre that you are sure this must be an April fool joke or prank. So, thank you for those of you who withheld the obligatory pranks last Monday. Life events can often be challenging enough without wondering was that for real or was that a bad April Fool joke?

So, how about an April Wisdom day? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. What could we do to show our awe and reverence for the Lord? In the Old Testament Job was known for his fear of the Lord and his desire to shun and avoid evil. His fear of God (reverence and love) led him to the desire to avoid anything that was evil or sin. I would like it if my love for God and our Lord Jesus would be so strong it was the reason I chose not to sin. I sometimes chose not to sin because I prefer to avoid the consequence. Other times I chose not to sin because I have lost my appetite for some particular sin. I would like to add to that a desire to do well and to not sin simply because I love God so deeply. Imagine a love so strong that sin, evil, anger, pride, fear, jealousy, ego are all overshadowed by the brightness of God’s greatness and our love for Him.

My desire is not so much to focus on April Fool’s Day…but to focus on Every Day Wisdom Day. To love, revere and fear God so much that I never want to disappoint Him or be disobedient. I am not there…but I pray daily for the Holy Spirit to continue His transforming work in me.

Happy April Wisdom Day to you!

Pastor Tom

“…for such a time as this.”

Did you recognize that quote? It is perhaps the most well known quote from the book of Esther. In the book of Esther, Mordecai is coaching Esther on how to approach her husband, King Xerxes. He has agreed to a plan to put to death all the Jews in his kingdom. Esther, a Jew, is in a very unique position. She is the Queen but she is not allowed to just walk into the kings presence and ask for a favor. She is hesitant and knows that it could result in her own death. Mordecai sends word to her: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14.

For such a time as this! What a great concept. What if God has you where you are at this time for a particular purpose? You are the coach on your team for such a time as this; you are in the office at your place of work for such a time as this; you have an opportunity …for such a time as this. What if God has arranged our lives, our talents, our ability and availability for such a time as this?

This is the attitude I try to have when I have certain opportunities as a pastor. Part of every pastor’s job includes funerals and weddings. I think that I always try to do the absolute best that I can when performing a funeral or a wedding. My attitude is “ …and who knows that you have come to …position for such a time as this”. Perhaps God has me in this place, at this moment in time to show a group gathered together a picture of a good and beautiful God. Of course I am ministering to the couple being married or the family who lost a loved one. But so much more that that…I have come to this place for such a time as this. It is my opportunity to beseech the Father to bless and spare those who do not know Him…just as Esther did for the Jews. I want the family to be pleased with the wedding or funeral, as the case may be. But more than that, I really pray for those gathered to see a Good and Beautiful God, His Good and Beautiful Son and His Good and Beautiful Community called James Island Baptist.

Take a moment. Where does He have you? Who knows that you have come to …position for such a time as this? I am praying for you as you show them a Good an Beautiful God!

See you this Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom