“Who’s Your One?”

Imagine if every member of JIBC and every attendee could answer that question with the name of a person—a person for whom they’re praying and with whom they are trying to share the Gospel. How would it change our church? How would it change the world? My guess is that most of us know someone personally who is near to us but far from God. We know a father or mother, a son or daughter, a neighbor or friend. There is the co-worker that you have worked with over the years; the person who provides a service to you. I can only imagine the possibilities of what God can do! This Sunday we start a month long focus on leading our church family and friends to identify one person in your relational network to pray for and to pray for an opportunity, in some way, with whom to share the Gospel. This is not an overly elaborate plan. “Who’s your one?” 

We will make available a 30 day prayer guide that will help lead you to pray specifically, with intentionality, for someone you know who needs to know our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ. The prayer guides will be available at no cost and are so easy to use. I have been using my guide for the last three weeks. I have identified my one and am asking God to lay on my heart another to add to this prayer list. I think you will find the simple and basic prayer guide to be helpful.

Next, I will also be teaching a series of lessons related to this prayer/evangelism emphasis. We will visit again the call to follow Jesus and the call to make disciples. The timing for this is very intentional. We are hoping that you will be able to invite your one to this year’s Easter service where they will hear a very clear presentation of the Gospel and will have an opportunity to respond. Each week we will be providing more and more guidance and help as you consider…“Who’s your one?”

Pastor Tom

USING YOUR INFLUENCE

I want to praise the Lord and give a shout out to Daniel Teague. Daniel is one of our students here at JIBC. He and his family attend regularly. His dad owns a landscaping design company so Daniel has kind of grown up in the business. Daniel is in the Boy Scouts and is earning his Eagle Scout rank. To do that requires a community project. Daniel chose, after much thought, to do a landscaping project at our Transition House. I thought that was a great idea.

To be honest, I thought he was going to just put in a new flower bed and trim some bushes and rake some leaves. Let me try to describe what is taking place. By the way, you can drive by and see it any time. It is front yard, front and center!

Daniel's landscaping and design project, of course, used his skills in landscaping. But he also used his skills of influence and was able to get almost all of the materials donated at no cost. He went to areas vendors and suppliers and explained what he was doing. They were glad to help a scout earn his eagle rank and to help in a project benefiting people in recovery. He used his skills as a landscaper and his influence with community businesses to accomplish his project. He enlisted people with stump grinders, back hoes, dump trucks, pavers, plants, etc. This turned out to be a full scale landscaping makeover. It could have been a television show.

This past Monday morning as I drove into our parking lot, Daniel had a full work crew busy as they could be. I could not count how many volunteers he recruited. Last Saturday, he even had the children living at the Transition House carrying and placing pavers. It was a beautiful sight. I hope we can put together a presentation of the entire project. He even has plans to repurpose the old bricks he took up.

Daniel has been a great example of using your influence for good and to the glory of God. Well done, Daniel, well done!

Pastor Tom

Great things at JIBC

Tested and Getting Ready for Greatness. This Sunday I will be teaching from Genesis 22. It is a wonderful but perplexing story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Spend some time taking a look at this great chapter. I think it will have a deep impact on us as we seek what He is saying to us. This story reminds us that we are often tested by God…never tempted by God…but often tested. Abraham and Isaac were destined for great things but first they were tested. What are you going through now that could be a test preparing you for bigger things, greater things ahead? Don’t miss this Sunday!

If you missed our new year’s teaching series on “Foundations: Building Better Believers” I hope you will check it out online. You can visit the church website www.jamesislandbaptist.com. You can hear the sermon and use the sermon outline notes. There is no doubt the storms of life will come. Jesus gave us the way to be able to withstand the storm by building on a firm foundation.

This past Sunday we had 14 signed up for Class 101: Discovering Membership at JIBC. We had 11 who were able to attend and 10 who joined the James Island Baptist Church family. Next week after all the records are in we will publish their names and celebrate the goodness of God. He has added these precious souls to the JIBC church family. What an honor to welcome them! By the way, we had one family that had three generations present for Class 101! As far as I remember, that is a first! Hallelujah and to God be the glory!

Be in prayer for our Student Ministry going away for a retreat this weekend. Pastor Frankie, Pastor Scott and their team will be taking a group to Look Up Lodge. God grant them safety as they travel, open hearts to hear the Gospel, open minds to receive the truth and hearts committed to obeying. In Jesus Name, Amen.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

An Update from James Island Outreach

James 1:26-27 

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” 

I received an update from James Island Outreach a week or so ago. I thought I would share some of the highlights. The verse above from James is helpful is setting the stage for this article. At times we can be tempted to equate religion with what we believe over what we do. Proper belief, orthodoxy, is important. But just as important is proper action and lifestyle, orthopraxy. From my perspective, anyone who says they believe right but then does not act right, is actually lacking on the believing part. Change your thinking and you will change your actions. Of course, no one is perfect and in fact, all of us have sinned and fallen short of what God expects. Now, back to our actions, what James calls religion…true and pure religion. It is wrapped up in kind actions and deeds. It is based, I rather think, on kind thoughts that are humble and charitable. So the half brother of Jesus recommends, first, to watch your tongue. Saying what you think without proper submission, may say you have deceived your heart. The sad part of that is the result of such deception is worthless religion. So there one sits, all orthodox in their belief, clinging to what they perceive to be the gospel. All the while, they may be deceived.

So how could one know if they are embracing a “true religion” that is worthwhile and not worthless? Try this…to visit the orphans and the widows in their time of affliction/need and to keep oneself unstained from the world. The James Island Outreach says James Island Baptist Church gave 5,408 pounds of food to help the underserved in 2019. That is over 2½ tons of food to help the orphans and the widows..or the poor and underserved. In addition, you gave $2,275 to help pay emergency utilities, help some attain their GED, help provide cooking classes, buy medicine for those who cannot afford it. You also gave generously so we could donate $1,000 to help 24 sister churches raise $15,000 to pay off $1.5 million dollars in medical debt and to pay off $400,000 in medical debt for Veterans with financial needs. The Rest In Peace Medical Debt ministry buys up medical debt pennies on the dollar. We were able to partner with them to do an incredible work. To God be the glory.

Moral of the story? When you believe right it will show itself when we behave right. True religion cannot be about doctrine alone. We are saved by Grace Alone and rest on Scripture Alone and trust Christ Alone. That is the right place to begin ones spiritual journey. It is not the right place to end.

Pastor Tom