DISCONNECTED

Have you ever been on a phone call that just dropped? What happened? Were you out of range from a tower, did your cheek accidentally hit “end call” or perhaps the other person just hung up? It is relatively easy to get disconnected while using a cell phone. 

It seems like it is equally easy to get disconnected from our Father in Heaven. We were talking to Him, enjoying His blessings and living our life. Than all of a sudden, we were disconnected. Maybe we knew we were disconnected or perhaps we were unaware and just kept on going about our lives. There is a haunting verse about the Old Testament judge, Samson. “But he did not know the LORD had departed from him” Judges 16:20. Imagine, facing all that he faced and not being aware the LORD was no longer with him…he had been disconnected.

Sunday morning we are going through the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi. I am using the title and theme of “Disconnected from God”. Israel, like Samson, was once a strong and mighty nation. They were in a position to bless because they had been blessed. They were the stewards of the Torah, the Word of God. Then, perhaps little by little, they were disconnected from God. It was as if they did not know the LORD was no longer with them. Where did this disconnect show up? How can we avoid making the same mistake? First, they were disconnected from the love of God. They asked with contempt “How have you loved us?” Then they were disconnected from worship. They were bothered with going to worship and showed their contempt by offering sick, blind and lame sacrifices. They were disconnected from God’s Holy Word. When you put these three things together it is no wonder they felt disconnected from God’s life, peace, fellowship and the ability to influence others around them. They were disconnected from God’s blessing, from the covenant they had made and from their purpose. They hung up the phone. They turned away. Our Father in mercy and grace sent Malachi, His Messenger, to call them back to blessing and to warn them of the consequences of disconnecting from God.

The spiritual disciplines will help you connect with God, to reconnect with God or stay connected with God. Find time for daily Bible Study and prayer. Class 201 helped you learn how to hear, read, study, meditate, memorize, and apply His Word. Commit to praise that seeks to exalt the Name above all names. Seek to be a light to someone who is living in darkness. May your experience be the opposite of Samson’s: may you always know the Lord is with you!

See you Sunday, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

HOW CAN I SAY THANKS

This past Sunday was such a wonder filled day for me and Janie. Sunday, September 13 was my 65th Birthday and the exact Sunday of our 35th year serving as your Pastor and Pastor’s wife. I want to make sure I give God glory for my wife, Janie, and her role in our ministry. As Donnie Almond says, “Janie does all the work, writes all the sermons and picks Tom’s clothes out!” She has certainly been a major part of anything God has been able to do in my life. So, for these two days to fall on the same Sunday was wonderful.

First, the joy of being able to meet for in person worship is still such a thrill. I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord. Second, we celebrated three baptisms. What an honor and joy to baptize on any Sunday. But on this particular Sunday it was an extra privilege and cause to rejoice for me. Third, there was the totally unexpected paying off of the debt. Just by His coincidence, the debt amount was $35,000 and some change on our 35th Anniversary. I am pretty sure this is the first time in my ministry and maybe in the church history that we have been completely out of debt! Can somebody say “Amen!”? My heartfelt thanks to our leaders who worked to make that happen and to our church family that gave so generously over the years. To God be the glory. Janie and I have so loved the personal letters sent, the video testimonies and the very generous gift cards. Janie would not have to cook for a couple of months if we went out every night to eat! All of the cards and gifts are deeply appreciated and will be loved. My sweet wife suggested that we take a letter a day and pray for the ones who sent it. I love that idea!

My thanks to our Health Teams and Welcome Teams as they welcomed everyone and tried their best to accommodate the large attendance at the 11:00 service. We were not anywhere near our “legally suggested capacity” but we were out of room that allowed everyone to stay 6 feet apart. We will be working on fixing that issue and pray God will bless us with large attendance that requires our best creativity! What a wonderful problem to have…more people than expected!

Thank you to our staff for all the work you did to make this a wonder filled day. To top the day off, I had a great family birthday party and Marie Smith arranged the birthday parade for the old man! Thank you, thank you, thank you. It was a perfect day for me at JIBC!

Pastor Tom

 

SO FAR, SO GOOD!

A man fell out of a window. Every time he would pass one window after another on his way down to the bottom. He passed by one window and the person inside asked him “How’s it going?” He answered… “So far, so good!” That is how I have answered the question “How did your first Sunday back go?” My answer…. “So far, so good!”

Really, we did have a very successful re-re-launch to our in-person worship gathering. For a holiday weekend, I thought the attendance was very good. Certainly the spirit and enthusiasm was high. Under the masks there were smiling faces! How can you tell they were smiling under a mask? You can tell. Want to know the secret? A genuine smile involves your eyes. Sometimes when we smile for a picture it is a forced smile. When we smile and it is genuine, it affects the corners of our eyes. The outside corners kind of “wrinkle up” in a good way. Practice it sometime. It is so interesting. So, there were lots of smiles Sunday.

Again, thank you for your patience and prayers as we continue to work this pandemic response out. I do believe we will lose members who may choose to go to another church during this season. As much as I hate that I would rather lose members to another church family than to lose them to death because we did not try. Practice living out the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. If we will do this, my guess is we will make it through this season of trial together, better, closer and stronger. If we do not live these out, well, it could turn out to be a long ride. The old high school typing line is still appropriate: Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Or in this case…church.

We are still a church on mission, making disciples, committed to the Word, Prayer and the spiritual disciplines, to serving, to reaching and to worship. Our mission has not changed one bit…only how we carry it out! And in some ways, that has actually gotten better because of the pandemic!

HAVE YOU RECEIVED YOURS YET? 

Many of you should have already received your gift package from JIBC. Our Connection Groups are in the process of delivering the gift bags to members of their Connection Groups first and then will try to deliver to the rest of our church family and friends. You really want to get the JIBC 40 Day Devotional. I am so enjoying reading mine. If yours has not arrived, please let Scott know. You can text him or email him.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 

This Sunday Worship will include baptism and the Lord’s Supper. What a day we have planned. I do hope you will be able to join us! By the way, this Sunday will be our 35th anniversary together with our JIBC family. Janie and I do not take it for granted that we have been blessed greatly with such a privilege. I am so sorry we will not be able to celebrate together the way Janie and I have planned. Good Lord willing, maybe we can do it for our 36th!

Pastor Tom

 

STARTING SUNDAY!

 Nascar legend Darrell Waltrip has a signature way to start a race: “Boogity, boogity, boogity, Let’s go racing boys!” If I could be so crude to paraphrase his excitement: “Boogity, boogity, boogity, Let’s go worship James Island Baptist style!” 

Ok, too much? Let’s try the words to one of my favorite praise songs “Church” (Take Me Back) by Cochren & Co. Check it out on you tube or wherever you listen to songs. Here are some of the words. Let’s see if you agree?

Take me back to the place that feels like home, 

To the people I can depend on, to the faith that's in my bones

Take me back, to a preacher and a verse, 

Where they've seen me at my worst, to the love I had at first

Oh, I want to go to church! 

THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, we are re-entering into what has now become known as “in-person” worship. We have always gathered for worship, but once again, we will gather for in-person worship. We will still continue our online presence and in a week or two add live streaming so you can watch our service as it is happening or go back to it at a later time. What a wonderful blessing this technology has been for us.

Preschool Worship and Children’s Worship will be offered at the 11:00 service. We do ask that you pre-register your children using the link on the home page of www.jamesislandbaptist.com. Of course, children are welcome to attend either service with their parents.

Thank you to our Welcome/Health team helping to make sure we bless others with our efforts to do the minimal health screen. Thank you JIBC for your servant attitude of doing this to bless others, to do our best to protect the vulnerable and well as anyone else.

So, when you arrive Sunday come a little early for the 9:00 worship or the 11:00 worship. Stop by the Welcome/Health station. They will scan your temperature and ask you a few very standard, very simple questions. You may wear your mask the entire time you are on the church campus. Everyone who can wear a mask is asked to wear a mask from your car to your seat in the Worship Center. You may then choose to remove your mask or keep your mask on. Those who want to keep their mask on may possibly find a group to sit near that also want to keep theirs on the entire time. *Please note, this could all change in a moments time. Right now this is the plan.

“Take me back To the place that feels like home, 

To the people I can depend on, To the faith that's in my bones

Take me back, To a preacher and a verse, 

Where they've seen me at my worst, To the love I had at first

Oh, I want to go to church! 

As always, those who are vulnerable or are not ready to return to in-person gatherings are encouraged to join us online. We bless you and your decision and are praying we all remain Covid-19 free and healthy. See you Sunday, good Lord willing and the temperature don’t rise”. Sorry, could not resist. Boogity, boogity, boogity!

Pastor Tom