IT’S TIME TO COME BACK!

It is hard to believe but summer is almost over! School supplies are out in the aisles at Wal-Mart. School starts back on Wednesday, August 18. Vaccinations are up and Covid cases are down. Somebody shout “Amen”. IT IS TIME TO COME BACK.

I would agree with anyone who wants to say we are not out of the woods yet. But we can see the clearing. We are closer that we have been. We are planning on launching our full fall schedule and by God’s grace carry on joining God in His mission to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world. IT IS TIME TO COME BACK.

Pray for this mission opportunity. We are planning a combined Back to School-Back Yard Bible Study at the EME Apartments on Central Park Road. This is an under-served part of our community and we are going to love on them in Jesus’ name. We are partnering with Emmanuel Baptist Church (located on Folly Road) to host a cook out, Bible Study and games event. Our church family is currently filling 90 book bags with school supplies for this one day event. By the way, this mission event is planned for Friday, August 7 at 5:30. Joanne Brown and Scott are coordinating this event with the leaders from Emmanuel. IT IS TIME TO COME BACK!

A NIGHT OF WORSHIP is being planned for Wednesday, September 1. We will be serving dinner from 5:30 to 6:15 and then have all ages gathered in the Worship Center for a night of praise and thanksgiving. This will be a night given entirely to worship and reading of scripture. It will include some of our favorite praise songs that we have learned over the past year. IT IS TIME TO COME BACK.

Then starting Wednesday, September 8, we are planning on having a full Wednesday night schedule starting with the Fellowship Meal, then all ages including nursery, Awana, Students and Adults. We have missed the Wednesday night fellowship and it is….TIME TO COME BACK!

We would absolutely love to see September kick off with a full house on Sunday at 9 and 11. Our worship has been so strong this year even with all the Covid 19 issues that we have had to deal with. The attendance has been so encouraging over the summer months. Mask or no mask, I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the LORD. IT IS TIME TO COME BACK.

Good LORD willing, I will see you Sunday. It is indeed time to come back.

Pastor Tom

“74” AND COUNTING

It came and went without too much fanfare. Sunday, July 11 was the 74th Anniversary of James Island Baptist Church. For almost ¾ of a century our Father has allowed James Island Baptist to exist on this corner seeking to be a light in darkness, a place of welcome for those seeking answers, a hospital for the spiritually sick as well as those, who by God’s grace, are spiritually healthy. It has been our charge to make disciples who make disciples that make our community and our world a better place to live.

I love the idea that on our “Anniversary Sunday” we had a good attendance; we observed the Lord’s Supper; we had a strong worship service; we were into God’s Word; we had dozens of guests and former members in attendance; and we baptized three students! Then for those who did not get enough, later that night we had Celebrate Recovery, a ministry not afraid to tackle the toughest challenges of our day. All in all, it was a great way to celebrate an anniversary: Worship, fellowship, discipleship, baptisms and missions. That sounds like we were doing that ON PURPOSE.

Now, next year…we celebrate our 75th year. I am looking forward to how we can pull out all the stops for that day. I am hoping we can be back at the County Park enjoying a church wide picnic with our entire church family. It will be a grand celebration and I am already looking forward to it. Hey, if you have any ideas, send me an email or text. I am starting a file already of great ideas.


ANOTHER INSPIRING WORSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Starting Sunday, August 1, Celebrate Recovery will begin worship at 6:30. This is a slight change from the 6:15 time we have been using. I would love for you to come and join us for the Sunday night praise time. You don’t have to be a part of Celebrate Recovery to enjoy the worship time. Our worship time will run from 6:30 until around 6:45 or so. We continue the Celebration with the reading of the 12 Steps and giving out the “chips”. It is pretty cool to see. And then we have a lesson. By 7:00 or 7:10, the entire group is dismissed to go to small groups. You could leave then or you could leave just before the lesson begins. Either way, you will enjoy the worship celebration. After the lesson, we usually dismiss to small groups by 7:00 or so. You could join us from 6:30 to 7:00 for an inspiring time of worship and a very helpful lesson. Hope you will consider visiting or joining us. Casual dress of course! A few weeks ago, we were blessed with Stephanie and David Jr. as our featured singers. Pastor David, I loved that idea!


Be blessed and be a blessing!

Pastor Tom

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

Have you ever been there? What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Most of us have been. Sometimes life can throw a curve ball that leave you ducking out of the way; or an emotional blow that causes you to gasp for a breath; or a confusing, conflicting situation that paralyzes you with fear or anxiety. What do you do when you can’t catch your breath? It happens. Sometimes in life we are attacked by our real enemy the devil who is described as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Other times we feel we are being attacked by enemies or people who do not have our best interest in mind. There are times when our bodies are attacked by disease and we race ahead in fear or anxiety about what to do next. Whatever the reason, chances are you have felt that way before…what do I do when I don’t know what to do.

I don’t mean to imply these things are a cure all; I just want to share how the Lord helps restore balance and peace into my life. These are the “go to” antidotes when my emotions get out of control. First, I try to increase my praise. I make an effort to praise more and praise louder. I need to lift up in praise the One who is the answer not the one who is the problem. I think there is power in praise. So, I try to listen to praise music, to sing praises and to read about the Greatness of God. Second, I try to increase my thanksgiving. The devil is a liar and he will try to convince us that things are bad and that nothing is good. Don’t buy it! Count your blessings. Start with the basics…you woke up, you were able to get up, the coffee was hot and fresh, my dog still likes me! Then start stretching your faith…give thanks for all things for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Giving thanks serves as a corrective to the negative tapes I allow to play in my head. I try to write down three things I am thankful for every day. I am currently over day 1,000 of giving thanks for three blessings every day. Third, I try to focus outside of myself…to help someone else. Do something we would call missions. Reach out to someone, take food to a homebound person, visit someone who is sick, and volunteer to help the underserved. When I am confused, I know it is always a good thing to help someone else. It is usually a good idea to try to get outside my own head. Fourth, but not fourth in importance…stay in the Word of God. Give our Father the opportunity to speak to your heart. Ask Him to speak to you about your circumstance through the wonderful Biblical stories. He still speaks and guides. Ask Him and let Him. Last, stay connected to your friends. Let them know as much as you are comfortable with sharing. They will listen, care, pray and be there. Whatever I am going through, I can go through it better with godly friends. If you don’t have any real friends, let me know…I will loan you one of mine, they are great and will be great for you too! That might not be a comprehensive list, but it is my go to list.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing.

Pastor Tom

PS…starting in August, Celebrate Recovery will begin worship at 6:30 and end worship around 6:50. I would love for you to come and join us for a Sunday night praise time. You don’t have to stay for the lesson…although you certainly could and would be welcomed. After the lesson, we usually dismiss to small groups by 7:00. You could join us from 6:30 to 7:00 for an inspiring time of worship and a very helpful lesson. Hope you will consider visiting or joining us. Casual dress of course! These past two weeks Stephanie and David Jr. were are featured singers. Wow!

WHEN IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE…

There is an old saying: “When it is all said and done, there is often more said than done”. That would be a terrible indictment for anyone or any organization. So, let’s think about that in reference to James Island Baptist Church. When it is all said and done, what are we hoping is done? What is the goal we are trying to achieve or the target we are trying to reach? And when all is said and done has there been more said than done?

So, how would I say it…what are we trying to accomplish. Bottom line for me is to lead James Island Baptist to do three primary objectives. First, we want to cause God joy, honor Him and give Him the glory He alone deserves. The second is that we make disciples who make disciples who change their community and world. We are to be fully devoted followers of Jesus who seek to make fully devoted followers. Third, we believe God is in business to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world…and we are in business to join Him.

How do we do this? My goal and effort has been to use the model of a church driven by the purposes of God as revealed in the Bible. We bring people into the family of God (Membership into God’s Family). Second we help them grow to become disciples, followers of Jesus (Maturity to become more like Jesus). We help them discover their service to the local body of Christ according to their passion and giftedness (Ministry to the Body of Christ). We teach and equip them to be outward focus into the community and world (Missions across the street, across town or across the ocean). We do it all with worship at the center of our individual lives and corporate lives (Magnify His Name).

We have processes, procedures, methods to help equip, train and deploy our members to carry out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. The biggest challenge comes at the end of the day…was there more said than done? I dream of every Connection Group and every Ministry Team being driven by the purposes of God, each fulfilling their part to make disciples who make disciples who make our community and word better. We join God in His work to reach, redeem and restore a lost and broken world. And when we put our heads down at night we hear Him say “Well done, my good and faithful servants, well done!” When it is all said and done, I am hoping to hear our Father say “Well done”.

See you this Sunday as we continue the series “Family Values: Written In Stone”. Be blessed, live blessed and be a blessing!

Pastor Tom

TAKING A MOMENT TO SAY THANKS

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It is a good thing to give thanks, to say thank you and to be thankful. All three of these are in my heart after a full week of Vacation Bible School. I want to give thanks and to say thanks. Our Father in heaven blessed us with His presence as we prayed for VBS, as we prepared for the week and as we loved on the children for the week. To God be the glory. He blessed us with volunteers, with kids, with engaging Bible Study, fun recreation, some of the best songs ever, praise and worship and delicious food each night. In my mind and heart, these are blessings from God and for them we give thanks.

I also want to thank the volunteers. All of them working a full day and then coming to serve Him for four hours every evening. Smiles on their faces and good attitudes were a blessing to so many. I do not take for granted that you gave of yourselves, your energy and your talents to love His children. Thank you.

I would unintentionally leave someone or some group out if I tried to thank them individually. So allow me to send out a group hug and a sincere thank you for your service. You really do make a difference.

I am thankful for our leaders using their giftedness to lead, to improvise on the fly and still hit the bulls-eye night after night. Well done!

Vacation Bible School is an age old tradition that has evolved through the years. At the center of it all you have adults and students teaching the Gospel story to children. We will be praying for all the seeds that were planted this week. If the Lord allows, I suspect we will see the harvest in the months and years to come.

Hope we will see you this Sunday, July 4th!

Pastor Tom

“Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord”

That is the opening line for the chorus of an old gospel song. I like it for a couple of reasons. First, it reveals a belief and a faith that God can and will fill my cup, my heart, my longing, my mind. It is amazing that the Creator of the universe would actually have a desire to bless me and you. Who am I that He is mindful of me, that He loves me? Yet, I sing and pray in faith that our loving Heavenly Father will fill my cup—my emotional, spiritual, physical, mental and social cup. I can run on empty for a while, but eventually, I will need a refill of God’s presence, His “unction”, His grace and mercy. My car can get low on gas but it cannot run without gas. So, I fill it up. So it is with our souls. We must ask, seek and knock with the request that He fills our cup.

The second part of that line is equally important: “I lift it up Lord”. We typically will not seek help until we know we need it. It is easy for me to not pay attention to the spiritual, emotional, physical gauges as they move toward empty. How can I ask Father to fill my cup if I don’t know my cup is empty?

So, I spend time daily giving the Spirit of God another opportunity to speak. I seek to listen to Him as I read scripture and as I pray. I believe God speaks to us in many ways: through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, godly people around us and ultimately through His Son, our Lord Jesus. In order for that to happen, it helps if I ask Him to “fill my cup” and in the process make the effort to “lift it up”… to do what is necessary to put me in a place where He can, indeed, fill my cup.

I do not believe there is a right way or just one way to spend time with the Lord. The way I have been using for years is the old tried and true A.C.T.S. method of Time Alone With God. The “A” stands for Adoration: I spend time praising God. Sometimes I sing, sometimes I read Scripture that praises Him. The “C” stands for confession. There needs to be a time when I ask the Spirit to reveal any wrong way in me. As He does, I confess them and ask God to change my way of thinking. The “T” is thanksgiving. It has been my habit of a couple of years now to every day write down 3 things that I am thankful for. Giving thanks is a powerful “cup filling” exercise. The “S” stands for supplication or seeking. It is when I pray for others. Like I said, this is not the only way to have a quiet time with God…this is just the one I am currently using.

“Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul. Bread of heaven feed me till I want no more, fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.”

Praying for your cup to be filled,

Pastor Tom

IS VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL STILL WORTH THE EFFORT?

I know the question almost sounds blasphemous. It is a good question and my answer is “YES-ABSOLUTELY YES!”. Not because it is a tradition that goes way, way back. A hundred years ago when I was a child, I attended VBS at Dorchester-Waylyn Baptist Church in North Charleston. It was almost a southern ritual that churches had VBS and that neighborhood kids went. But that is not why I think VBS is still worth having.

Every year, just in Southern Baptist world, there are 2.5 million children that attend Vacation Bible School. There were 70,135 professions of faith/salvation experiences. Think about those numbers. Drug deals, child abusers, and others with evil intent are after those same children. And God gives us the opportunity to reach them before the devil does. It is so worth it.

For many churches Vacation Bible School is the most evangelistic mission event of the year. Last year Southern Baptist identified over 155,000 prospects as a result of VBS. Think of the families that number represents. And one result most of us would not think about: 1,383 children responded to God’s call to mission work. Yes, VBS is worth it. Children get a week of Bible Study, over 15 hours of discipleship, learn fun praise songs, food and snacks, and recreational games that get their faces out of screens. It is so worth it.

VBS could not be accomplished without the large number of volunteers. Many of our volunteers work all day in and out of the home and then come to serve. That kind of heart is hard to beat. By the end of the week, they are exhausted but are blessed knowing they have touched so many lives. All together, Southern Baptist Vacation Bible Schools gave over 6 million dollars to missions and connected the local church to families in the community. Is Vacation Bible School still worth it? Look at the numbers.

Start praying for next week’s Vacation Bible School, June 21-25. Pray for the volunteers, pray for the children, pray for those who will make professions of faith. This could be the best year ever. Let’s pray as though it all depends on God and let’s work as if it all depends on us.

See you this Sunday…don’t forget we are giving away 2, count them, one, two, grills this Sunday for Father’s Day. Mom…use this to encourage your husband to attend. The nine o’clock has about half the number of people…I would attend that service if I really want to increase my chances of winning a grill. Both will be given away hopefully in good natured fun. Thank you to our two members who donated the grills!

Pastor Tom