Our church is unique and it's different. We have a small congregation meeting out of a house converted into a meeting place. We have no outside funding, simply relying upon the Lord to sustain us. We've had the mountains and the valleys. But we have persevered trusting in God's calling upon our lives and not upon the judgments of man. We have met so many new people here recently and have had an opportunity to share with new faces about our ministry and our lives that I thought it would be a great idea to tell some of our story.
Shelter Church of Maryville is a blessing to everyone who walks through our doors. You will not see grand productions during worship or be exposed to many luxuries that characterize many churches today. But what you will experience is far greater...a great fellowship, loving people, and the Holy Spirit touching and changing lives. Our church started from scratch and let me tell you it has been an adventure! We started out with an idea of what "church" would look like for us, but as He always does, God had something different in store for us.
Our church has been blessed with seeing so many special people helping serve the Lord. Since we changed our name last spring, we have really become a shelter to many. Our church has been blessed with the opportunity to minister to people who may have been overlooked by others. Since the spring we have grown in so many ways from spiritually to numerically. We are also different in that we are encouraging those in our congregation to focus on ministering to people who are not connected to a church. This has provided an interesting dynamic for us. We have been praying for the Lord to send grounded believers to come and help us out and it seems like we continue to see those who need "shelter" from life continue to come through our doors. Praise God for that!!
This past month has been a trying time for us. We held revival services in early October and everyone was touched by the Spirit as God worked in our lives! Well, the inevitable happened shortly after as we have been spiritually attacked. Some in our congregation have physical issues that at times can keep them away from the church building on Sunday morning. On one particular weekend our own son and another special family to us had a child in the ICU at Children's just 3 rooms down! Yet what a great opportunity to strengthen our fellowship in Christ together!
Pray for us. Pray about helping us. Our ministry is all about changing lives through the Gospel and the Truth of His Word. Point blank. In the upcoming weeks we are going to be doing community outreach in hopes of sharing this story and of course sharing Christ with others. We are extremely encouraged and looking forward to seeing people changed by the Gospel and then begin to serve Him. Contact us..we would love to share with you all of the story!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
New Beginnings
April 14th begins a new journey in the life of our church. Foothills Baptist Church will be no more as we are changing our name to Shelter Church of Maryville. Naturally we have had some questions about the name change and others wondering what's going on...so let me try to explain.
For the past few months I have felt that God was leading our church into a transition phase and we have seen that take place recently. We have seen some new faces and have said bye to some who have been with us from the beginning. But despite the changes God has proven Himself to be faithful and in control. The subject of a name change has been on my mind for awhile. Because the name of our church has been very similar to other churches in the area it has been very difficult for us to establish an identity in the community. In fact I have had people searching for me but going to other places and when we have tried to communicate to others about our church we are often misunderstood for other places. Changing our name is one way we can build an identity in the community for ourselves.
Secondly I have had a desire to see our church reach out to people who are hurting. As Shelter Church we will shift our focus to provide a ministry that will seek to shelter people from the storms of life with the power of Christ. Thus the name change simply reflects the new direction that God is leading us. In the upcoming weeks and months we are going to be seeking to minister to people in a very practical way that will enable us to put the Gospel up front in order that God can shelter them from whatever storm they may be going through. This is not a numbers game, but rather it is all about people finding healing in their lives. So many people are hurting and no longer can we assume that everyone comes from a normal background. Yet the power of Jesus transcends any situation and can overcome the darkest battle we encounter. This message of hope should be told to them...all we want to do is to let people know that there is a God who loves them and wants to heal them.
Finally as Shelter Church of Maryville we are going to be partnering in many ways with Shelter Church of Chattanooga. I'm excited about this because I'm going to be able to work with some familiar faces that I've known for a few years. Shelter Church in Chattanooga was formerly Westview Baptist Churh, the first church that I served as youth pastor. The pastor is Sterling Jetton and over the years he and I have remained in touch. We both think similar about situations and have the same heart for ministry.While we will share a name the church bodies will be very much independent. This is a great opportunity for me and for our church. The Shelter Church in Chattanooga is made up of some very good people who have a huge heart for Jesus. To know that these people are going to help us and pray for us is great news!
I hope this gives you an idea concerning where we are and what's going on with the ministry. We still need your prayers and as I've said many times if you are looking for a grass roots ministry we are for you and could really use the help! Thanks!
Jeremy
For the past few months I have felt that God was leading our church into a transition phase and we have seen that take place recently. We have seen some new faces and have said bye to some who have been with us from the beginning. But despite the changes God has proven Himself to be faithful and in control. The subject of a name change has been on my mind for awhile. Because the name of our church has been very similar to other churches in the area it has been very difficult for us to establish an identity in the community. In fact I have had people searching for me but going to other places and when we have tried to communicate to others about our church we are often misunderstood for other places. Changing our name is one way we can build an identity in the community for ourselves.
Secondly I have had a desire to see our church reach out to people who are hurting. As Shelter Church we will shift our focus to provide a ministry that will seek to shelter people from the storms of life with the power of Christ. Thus the name change simply reflects the new direction that God is leading us. In the upcoming weeks and months we are going to be seeking to minister to people in a very practical way that will enable us to put the Gospel up front in order that God can shelter them from whatever storm they may be going through. This is not a numbers game, but rather it is all about people finding healing in their lives. So many people are hurting and no longer can we assume that everyone comes from a normal background. Yet the power of Jesus transcends any situation and can overcome the darkest battle we encounter. This message of hope should be told to them...all we want to do is to let people know that there is a God who loves them and wants to heal them.
Finally as Shelter Church of Maryville we are going to be partnering in many ways with Shelter Church of Chattanooga. I'm excited about this because I'm going to be able to work with some familiar faces that I've known for a few years. Shelter Church in Chattanooga was formerly Westview Baptist Churh, the first church that I served as youth pastor. The pastor is Sterling Jetton and over the years he and I have remained in touch. We both think similar about situations and have the same heart for ministry.While we will share a name the church bodies will be very much independent. This is a great opportunity for me and for our church. The Shelter Church in Chattanooga is made up of some very good people who have a huge heart for Jesus. To know that these people are going to help us and pray for us is great news!
I hope this gives you an idea concerning where we are and what's going on with the ministry. We still need your prayers and as I've said many times if you are looking for a grass roots ministry we are for you and could really use the help! Thanks!
Jeremy
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
My Response To David Platt Part 2
In chapter 1 of Radical Platt talks about an article from a Christian news publication that reveals what I believe is a tendency based upon materialism living within the United States. He describes how a church had just finished a new building costing around $23 million and in the publication it made headlines. Also within the publication was a smaller article about how Baptists had come to the aid of Sudanese refugees. The contrast was stark...a Baptist church that had dedicated a $23 million building and on the other side an article about how baptists had raised $5,000 "to send to refugees in western Sudan (16)." All I could think about was $23 million on a building vs $5,000 on helping refugees who had physical needs as well as spiritual.
Platt poses the question, "Where have we gone wrong?" and I will do the same. In America we celebrate corporate success and we value making money. Don't get me wrong, making money is a necessary thing and we need successful businesses to help employ others. But where the line needs to be drawn is when we begin to value "things" in the church over spiritual successes. How many churches could this church have planted using the $23 million? How many missionaries could they have supported with this money? How many of the Sudan refugees could they have fed for that amount of money? Are we becoming like the modern day builders of the Tower of Babel and attempting to build empires to ourselves?
Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (MT 6:21) Maybe our hearts are not on the Gospel. Maybe we do not value the Word in the manner in which we would like to believe. I've used this example before but how many times do we tell our children to go to school and get good grades so you can become a doctor, lawyer, or teacher? How many times do we tell them to walk daily with Jesus, love the Word, grow in your faith, and then follow God's path for you? Or how about when our child comes to us and indicates that God is calling them into ministry and we try to talk them out of it because the money is not that great?
My point is this...in many churches today our treasure is in building cathedrals to ourselves and not the kingdom of God. Want proof? Look at our budgets or for that matter the numbers. Many times we talk about how unchurched a certain area is or that a ministry needs to be started to accomplish certain things...but how often do we fail to do anything? Instead we sit in a comfortable environment maintaining the status quo.
I think it's time for the church in America to step up. Much has been given to us and much should be expected. We need more pastors, more missionaries, more churches, and more people willing to start churches. We need more churches willing to spend less on themselves and invest more in starting new churches and supporting missionaries. I think one of the saddest things I heard in Seminary is that the NAMB had plenty of missionaries willing to go overseas but the funding was not there to send them. Can you imagine? It's not because enough churches don't exist to support them, most likely it would be because the churches that do exist often have misguided budgets.
Jesus never called anyone to be comfortable and if you think about it, fulfilling the biblical command to live in holiness is quite uncomfortable. To accomplish such a high standard how many times do we have to deny ourselves of the things we want to do? Instead Jesus called people to obedience. Obedience is difficult but if we want to effectively grow in our walks obedience is a must. I think we need to be challenged to leave our environments of comfort and journey out on faith and trust that God is going to take care of us.
In America sometimes it's difficult for us to do such things because we live in a country where everything is catered to our convenience. And this includes our churches. Our convenience level is easier attained with a $23 million building rather than asking for volunteers to go on a mission trip.
Jeremy
Platt poses the question, "Where have we gone wrong?" and I will do the same. In America we celebrate corporate success and we value making money. Don't get me wrong, making money is a necessary thing and we need successful businesses to help employ others. But where the line needs to be drawn is when we begin to value "things" in the church over spiritual successes. How many churches could this church have planted using the $23 million? How many missionaries could they have supported with this money? How many of the Sudan refugees could they have fed for that amount of money? Are we becoming like the modern day builders of the Tower of Babel and attempting to build empires to ourselves?
Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (MT 6:21) Maybe our hearts are not on the Gospel. Maybe we do not value the Word in the manner in which we would like to believe. I've used this example before but how many times do we tell our children to go to school and get good grades so you can become a doctor, lawyer, or teacher? How many times do we tell them to walk daily with Jesus, love the Word, grow in your faith, and then follow God's path for you? Or how about when our child comes to us and indicates that God is calling them into ministry and we try to talk them out of it because the money is not that great?
My point is this...in many churches today our treasure is in building cathedrals to ourselves and not the kingdom of God. Want proof? Look at our budgets or for that matter the numbers. Many times we talk about how unchurched a certain area is or that a ministry needs to be started to accomplish certain things...but how often do we fail to do anything? Instead we sit in a comfortable environment maintaining the status quo.
I think it's time for the church in America to step up. Much has been given to us and much should be expected. We need more pastors, more missionaries, more churches, and more people willing to start churches. We need more churches willing to spend less on themselves and invest more in starting new churches and supporting missionaries. I think one of the saddest things I heard in Seminary is that the NAMB had plenty of missionaries willing to go overseas but the funding was not there to send them. Can you imagine? It's not because enough churches don't exist to support them, most likely it would be because the churches that do exist often have misguided budgets.
Jesus never called anyone to be comfortable and if you think about it, fulfilling the biblical command to live in holiness is quite uncomfortable. To accomplish such a high standard how many times do we have to deny ourselves of the things we want to do? Instead Jesus called people to obedience. Obedience is difficult but if we want to effectively grow in our walks obedience is a must. I think we need to be challenged to leave our environments of comfort and journey out on faith and trust that God is going to take care of us.
In America sometimes it's difficult for us to do such things because we live in a country where everything is catered to our convenience. And this includes our churches. Our convenience level is easier attained with a $23 million building rather than asking for volunteers to go on a mission trip.
Jeremy
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
My Response to David Platt (Part 1)
For quite some time I have heard people talk about the book Radical by David Platt. I'm not one for fads or trends and because Platt had become a trend within our churches and church organizations I was very skeptical of the book. So...I delayed in every way possible reading the book (intentionally). However God apparently wanted me to read it because my attention was continuously brought to the book and its message. Now that I have introduced for you my initial thoughts let me surprise you by telling you that I agree with most of what David writes. I have found that Radical relates quite well to my ministry and our church start in Maryville. I want to encourage each believer to consider the thoughts made by Platt in his book. We are so blessed in America and I'm afraid that we are wasting much in order to accommodate our own comfort levels.
The first encounter we see is about church leaders overseas who are experiencing persecution. These people were meeting in underground churches when Platt encounters them. What a somber thought! What if in America we had to meet in underground churches? As each day goes by we see more and more how the government is removing our freedoms and unless something changes this WILL NOT stop at the front door of the church. The eye opener here should be that unless God intervenes this underground church environment experienced by Platt could very well be what each believer must do in the future. Judging by our sagging church attendance statistics today, a question must be answered...if we had to meet underground, would we still go and worship our Savior?
Platt pastors a mega-church in Alabama, which is another reason why I was skeptical about reading the book. The premise is giving up the American dream for your faith; yet this guy pastors a huge church. Easy for him to say, right? Imagine the contrast of attending a mega-church (and I have) vs meeting underground for safety purposes. All the luxuries that we are accustomed to, gone...nowhere to be found. No TV projectors, no choir, no piano, no sound system, no children's department or youth department...just a group of people meeting together to worship the Lord and the only thing they may have is a page of Scripture. You might say..."those poor people" but I might suggest that we in America have something to learn from these dedicated followers of Christ. Specifically...we can learn to model their love for the Word of God and not the entertainment of the church environment.
In Matthew 4 Jesus called the disciples look at what happened, "As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19 “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
Did you catch that? Jesus called them while they were doing their normal "routine" in life and it says that they immediately followed Him. Platt calls this "radical abandonement" which I agree but perhaps it was just simple obedience. This is the kind of obedience that we lack today. Jesus calls us to do something and we are too busy meandering through our own comfort zones and preferences to follow the ministry or the place to which God wants us to go and serve. Understand that when Jesus called them this was not just some great fanciful story, rather He was calling them to "abandon their comforts" (p11) and to leave everything they were familiar with.
What if that was our mindset today as Christians? Abandon everything we are comfortable with in order to follow the calling Jesus has told us? Our churches would be different and so would our country and the world. My fear is that we as Americans love the culture more than we love the Word. We would rather be entertained at church rather than grow from the repentance of our iniquities. My prayer is that I will continue to grow more and more each day in my walk. But that means loving God's Word and living my life in accordance to that Word...not conforming myself and faith to the culture by means of entertainment and preferences.
This is challenging stuff and it has caused me to think about my own life and also the way in which I pastor. I hope it will for you as well
Jeremy
,
The first encounter we see is about church leaders overseas who are experiencing persecution. These people were meeting in underground churches when Platt encounters them. What a somber thought! What if in America we had to meet in underground churches? As each day goes by we see more and more how the government is removing our freedoms and unless something changes this WILL NOT stop at the front door of the church. The eye opener here should be that unless God intervenes this underground church environment experienced by Platt could very well be what each believer must do in the future. Judging by our sagging church attendance statistics today, a question must be answered...if we had to meet underground, would we still go and worship our Savior?
Platt pastors a mega-church in Alabama, which is another reason why I was skeptical about reading the book. The premise is giving up the American dream for your faith; yet this guy pastors a huge church. Easy for him to say, right? Imagine the contrast of attending a mega-church (and I have) vs meeting underground for safety purposes. All the luxuries that we are accustomed to, gone...nowhere to be found. No TV projectors, no choir, no piano, no sound system, no children's department or youth department...just a group of people meeting together to worship the Lord and the only thing they may have is a page of Scripture. You might say..."those poor people" but I might suggest that we in America have something to learn from these dedicated followers of Christ. Specifically...we can learn to model their love for the Word of God and not the entertainment of the church environment.
In Matthew 4 Jesus called the disciples look at what happened, "As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19 “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
Did you catch that? Jesus called them while they were doing their normal "routine" in life and it says that they immediately followed Him. Platt calls this "radical abandonement" which I agree but perhaps it was just simple obedience. This is the kind of obedience that we lack today. Jesus calls us to do something and we are too busy meandering through our own comfort zones and preferences to follow the ministry or the place to which God wants us to go and serve. Understand that when Jesus called them this was not just some great fanciful story, rather He was calling them to "abandon their comforts" (p11) and to leave everything they were familiar with.
What if that was our mindset today as Christians? Abandon everything we are comfortable with in order to follow the calling Jesus has told us? Our churches would be different and so would our country and the world. My fear is that we as Americans love the culture more than we love the Word. We would rather be entertained at church rather than grow from the repentance of our iniquities. My prayer is that I will continue to grow more and more each day in my walk. But that means loving God's Word and living my life in accordance to that Word...not conforming myself and faith to the culture by means of entertainment and preferences.
This is challenging stuff and it has caused me to think about my own life and also the way in which I pastor. I hope it will for you as well
Jeremy
,
Saturday, July 14, 2012
A Renewed Perspective of God's Love
Yesterday was one of those days that will forever be etched into my mind. At the center of all the activity was our oldest son Isaac. The things that I saw and witnessed yesterday are the kinds of things that I will reflect upon for many years. It's the kind of thing that one day when he gets married and he's standing on the stage with his bride to be, I will reflect upon. On the glorious day that he accepts Jesus I will remember yesterday. When I have the honor of baptizing him...the images of yesterday will run through my mind. Maybe one day when I become a grandfather the events of yesterday will enter my mind. But with all that happened yesterday, Friday the 13th of course, I have learned more about God's love, His provision, and His calling for me and my family.
It started yesterday afternoon with a frantic phone call from Rachel saying that the doctor's office had called an ambulance for Isaac. Shamefully my first response was, "Great another doctor bill we can't afford." But something told me that I needed to travel with him in the ambulance and experience this with him. It was tough, but I'm glad I did. We arrived at the ER and everything was routine. After assessing his situation they began to give him non stop breathing treatments and put an IV in. He was so brave...he never cried, even after they had to stick him a second time. Then they began to pump a lot of medication into his little arm and then stuck him in the arm, which we were not prepared for. At that point the side effects of the medicine started to kick in and he was breathing harder. He was crying and vomitting. The vomitting continued until there was nothing left and he was just heaving. At this point Isaac lost it.
Have you ever been in a situation in which your child was hurting or suffering and you as a parent couldn't do anything about it? That's when it hit me. I knew everything they were doing was eventually going to help, but at the time my love for my child...God's gift to me, was overflowing with emotion. The images that are forever etched into my memory were of Isaac looking right me gasping for air. He was working so hard to just breathe. At this point he was scared and so was I. His eyes would get so big and he would pull away from me and all I could do was watch. The sight of seeing your child struggle to breathe is one you never forget.
Our prayer is that God will help Isaac with his asthma. We pray that God will take it away. But if God's will is that he live with this then we will travel this road with him every step of the way. And we will use his asthma to bring glory to the Father. I pray that Isaac will be able someday to serve God and testify about how God brought him through these situations. We do not want to have him feel sorry for himself but to recognize that God has great things in store for his life and it might involve asthma.
As the situation calmed down and he started to breathe easier and to relax, I began to pray and think. The one thought that kept coming to mind was just how great God's love is for me. I've often heard others say that you don't completely understand God's love until you have a child....I would have to agree. The other thought that entered my mind was how brave he is. After all that happened as soon as he was able to breathe and talk again, Isaac just like he always does, brought joy to my life. He also brought a lot of joy and happiness to the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital. Even at such a young age he lives life bringing joy to others with his sweet sweet spirit. I began to realize that Isaac inspires me. The kid has been through so much in the 3 years he has lived. Every time after he has had an episode like this he rebounds with smiles and laughter. I think that is one reason why yesterday was so hard. Because everything that was taking place was so out of character for him. He sure makes being a dad a lot of fun!
In thinking about God's love I began to think about my sin. Do you know what the Bible says about my sin? The basic word for sin in the Bible is "hamartia" and means to miss the mark. In other words to miss the mark of following God's law. Sin is also something that separates me from God because God is holy, just, and righteous. Furthermore the Bible says that the penalty of sin is death. Very serious stuff!
But what about God's love...well Scripture also paints a very vivid picture of God's love and the center of it's attention is God's Son. 1 Corinthians 15:3 says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Then in Hebrews 2:17 it says this,"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."
If I put these two verses together I see a very real amazing story. My sin separates me from God, my Creator, and that my just penalty is death. But God in His mercy and love sent His Son to die for me. But the meaning is more than that. He died for me so that I might have His righteousness.
As I reflected upon yesterday I could not help but think about Jesus on the cross. I struggled and wept with Isaac yesterday as he fought for each breath. Can you imagine how much God struggled to watch His Son die on the cross? As Jesus struggled to breath, God the Father was watching His Son fight for each breath. The difference is that God could have done something about the situation to save His Son, but we all know that He chose not to. Why you might ask? Well He didn't ask because of His love for me and for you!! Because with Jesus' death my sins could be forgiven and even though I have chosen at times to rebel against Him...He loved me enough to make a way to live in righteousness when I had no ability within myself to do so. That is truly amazing!!
The events of yesterday have also given me a new perspective on God's calling for my ministry. Most of you know we have started a church. Each day and week seem to bring new challenges for us. Sometimes we feel disappointed because it seems like at times no one is interested in helping us. It seems like we are having to do this on our own. I find myself fretting over people who are not there which leads to discouragement. But because of God's love for me how could I think about quitting when He has given us such a beautiful story to tell. Just like how Isaac inspires me...this inspires me. To keep going, stay faithful and obedient to God's calling for us. Just to be thankful for what He has given me and for those great and wonderful partners in the Gospel that are helping us with our church. To know that God allowed His Son to suffer for me and that in turn He would give me such a great and wonderful calling to start a church that is committed to telling His story is my motivation to keep going in the tough times.
God is working in Isaac's life and I know He has great plans for my boy. But yesterday this daddy learned a lot of lessons about life and about my faith. I cannot imagine going through this without my Lord and thankfully I don't have to. Tomorrow is another Sunday for us and it will be a day that we continue to build our church. But it's also a new day in which we take our situations and use them for the glory of the One who died for Jeremy, Rachel, Isaac, and Noah.
Thank you for reading and please continue to pray for us as we endure the battles of spreading the Gospel.
Jeremy
It started yesterday afternoon with a frantic phone call from Rachel saying that the doctor's office had called an ambulance for Isaac. Shamefully my first response was, "Great another doctor bill we can't afford." But something told me that I needed to travel with him in the ambulance and experience this with him. It was tough, but I'm glad I did. We arrived at the ER and everything was routine. After assessing his situation they began to give him non stop breathing treatments and put an IV in. He was so brave...he never cried, even after they had to stick him a second time. Then they began to pump a lot of medication into his little arm and then stuck him in the arm, which we were not prepared for. At that point the side effects of the medicine started to kick in and he was breathing harder. He was crying and vomitting. The vomitting continued until there was nothing left and he was just heaving. At this point Isaac lost it.
Have you ever been in a situation in which your child was hurting or suffering and you as a parent couldn't do anything about it? That's when it hit me. I knew everything they were doing was eventually going to help, but at the time my love for my child...God's gift to me, was overflowing with emotion. The images that are forever etched into my memory were of Isaac looking right me gasping for air. He was working so hard to just breathe. At this point he was scared and so was I. His eyes would get so big and he would pull away from me and all I could do was watch. The sight of seeing your child struggle to breathe is one you never forget.
Our prayer is that God will help Isaac with his asthma. We pray that God will take it away. But if God's will is that he live with this then we will travel this road with him every step of the way. And we will use his asthma to bring glory to the Father. I pray that Isaac will be able someday to serve God and testify about how God brought him through these situations. We do not want to have him feel sorry for himself but to recognize that God has great things in store for his life and it might involve asthma.
As the situation calmed down and he started to breathe easier and to relax, I began to pray and think. The one thought that kept coming to mind was just how great God's love is for me. I've often heard others say that you don't completely understand God's love until you have a child....I would have to agree. The other thought that entered my mind was how brave he is. After all that happened as soon as he was able to breathe and talk again, Isaac just like he always does, brought joy to my life. He also brought a lot of joy and happiness to the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital. Even at such a young age he lives life bringing joy to others with his sweet sweet spirit. I began to realize that Isaac inspires me. The kid has been through so much in the 3 years he has lived. Every time after he has had an episode like this he rebounds with smiles and laughter. I think that is one reason why yesterday was so hard. Because everything that was taking place was so out of character for him. He sure makes being a dad a lot of fun!
In thinking about God's love I began to think about my sin. Do you know what the Bible says about my sin? The basic word for sin in the Bible is "hamartia" and means to miss the mark. In other words to miss the mark of following God's law. Sin is also something that separates me from God because God is holy, just, and righteous. Furthermore the Bible says that the penalty of sin is death. Very serious stuff!
But what about God's love...well Scripture also paints a very vivid picture of God's love and the center of it's attention is God's Son. 1 Corinthians 15:3 says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Then in Hebrews 2:17 it says this,"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."
If I put these two verses together I see a very real amazing story. My sin separates me from God, my Creator, and that my just penalty is death. But God in His mercy and love sent His Son to die for me. But the meaning is more than that. He died for me so that I might have His righteousness.
As I reflected upon yesterday I could not help but think about Jesus on the cross. I struggled and wept with Isaac yesterday as he fought for each breath. Can you imagine how much God struggled to watch His Son die on the cross? As Jesus struggled to breath, God the Father was watching His Son fight for each breath. The difference is that God could have done something about the situation to save His Son, but we all know that He chose not to. Why you might ask? Well He didn't ask because of His love for me and for you!! Because with Jesus' death my sins could be forgiven and even though I have chosen at times to rebel against Him...He loved me enough to make a way to live in righteousness when I had no ability within myself to do so. That is truly amazing!!
The events of yesterday have also given me a new perspective on God's calling for my ministry. Most of you know we have started a church. Each day and week seem to bring new challenges for us. Sometimes we feel disappointed because it seems like at times no one is interested in helping us. It seems like we are having to do this on our own. I find myself fretting over people who are not there which leads to discouragement. But because of God's love for me how could I think about quitting when He has given us such a beautiful story to tell. Just like how Isaac inspires me...this inspires me. To keep going, stay faithful and obedient to God's calling for us. Just to be thankful for what He has given me and for those great and wonderful partners in the Gospel that are helping us with our church. To know that God allowed His Son to suffer for me and that in turn He would give me such a great and wonderful calling to start a church that is committed to telling His story is my motivation to keep going in the tough times.
God is working in Isaac's life and I know He has great plans for my boy. But yesterday this daddy learned a lot of lessons about life and about my faith. I cannot imagine going through this without my Lord and thankfully I don't have to. Tomorrow is another Sunday for us and it will be a day that we continue to build our church. But it's also a new day in which we take our situations and use them for the glory of the One who died for Jeremy, Rachel, Isaac, and Noah.
Thank you for reading and please continue to pray for us as we endure the battles of spreading the Gospel.
Jeremy
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Persevere in the Tough Moments
On February 15, 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote this: "Praise be to our eternal God, our Lord, who gives to all those who walk in His ways victory over all things which seem impossible."
Columbus wrote these words while on his return trip from the discovery of America. The words were penned to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and reveals a very interesting foundational point about America...in tough times, we persevere.
Columbus and the early settlers were able to persevere only because of their faith in Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:9 even bears this fact when it says, "no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Columbus I'm sure envisioned a land full of resources and beautiful landscapes. However I'm not sure he dreamed about how powerful America would one day become. But the point for Columbus is that God grants us victory over those "mountains" in our lives
God has great things in store for us. But do you truly love Him? Are you walking in His way? It's impossible to experience all of what God wants to give us if we are (dare I say it) sinning. Sin chains us down but more importantly it separates us from a Holy God. I'm not saying that Columbus was perfect, nor would I even remotely suggest that. The point is that Columbus was part of the foundation for America which is closely connected to living biblical principles. Least we not forget that it is God that gave Columbus the victory by finding land--and it is God that gives us the victory today over those things that would otherwise imprison us.
At our church plant we are building a foundation. What I have discovered is that very few people want to do such a thing. Let me be honest...neither did I. But the issue is not what we want but rather what God calls us to do. And make no mistake about it, God does not send mixed messages but rather gives clear direction. Building a foundation for a new church can seem impossible. So when I read words like those uttered by Columbus or when I read 1 Corinthians 2:9, God gives me hope. I'm excited about the future of Foothills Baptist Church because I know that God has won our victory. It may not look right on paper or seem as if we are never going to fill the chairs, but I know that God is going to accomplish His purposes through our church. In the meantime we have to persevere and as Scripture says, "love Him." Our foundation is all about the Gospel. Loving people by showing God's love in a practical way. It's not about building programs and boasting about budgets and salaries...it's about letting people know that God loves them. Persevere according to the Word.
Columbus wrote these words while on his return trip from the discovery of America. The words were penned to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and reveals a very interesting foundational point about America...in tough times, we persevere.
Columbus and the early settlers were able to persevere only because of their faith in Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:9 even bears this fact when it says, "no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Columbus I'm sure envisioned a land full of resources and beautiful landscapes. However I'm not sure he dreamed about how powerful America would one day become. But the point for Columbus is that God grants us victory over those "mountains" in our lives
God has great things in store for us. But do you truly love Him? Are you walking in His way? It's impossible to experience all of what God wants to give us if we are (dare I say it) sinning. Sin chains us down but more importantly it separates us from a Holy God. I'm not saying that Columbus was perfect, nor would I even remotely suggest that. The point is that Columbus was part of the foundation for America which is closely connected to living biblical principles. Least we not forget that it is God that gave Columbus the victory by finding land--and it is God that gives us the victory today over those things that would otherwise imprison us.
At our church plant we are building a foundation. What I have discovered is that very few people want to do such a thing. Let me be honest...neither did I. But the issue is not what we want but rather what God calls us to do. And make no mistake about it, God does not send mixed messages but rather gives clear direction. Building a foundation for a new church can seem impossible. So when I read words like those uttered by Columbus or when I read 1 Corinthians 2:9, God gives me hope. I'm excited about the future of Foothills Baptist Church because I know that God has won our victory. It may not look right on paper or seem as if we are never going to fill the chairs, but I know that God is going to accomplish His purposes through our church. In the meantime we have to persevere and as Scripture says, "love Him." Our foundation is all about the Gospel. Loving people by showing God's love in a practical way. It's not about building programs and boasting about budgets and salaries...it's about letting people know that God loves them. Persevere according to the Word.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
A new beginning
It's a new beginning for Foothills Baptist Church! We are moving into a new building this week which is providing quite a bit of excitement for us. We're moving not because we have outgrown Music Row but because our new location will enhance our ability to grow. This move is a culmination of many months and weeks of prayer and guidance. While we are thankful for the Lord's leading we certainly have had our bumps in the road.
I have felt since late September that Foothills Baptist Church was in a time of transition. We knew the building might not be a long term solution for us and that God would raise up the right place for us at the right time (which He has). We lost a dear brother to cancer a few weeks ago. Sometimes I catch myself trying to listen to his joyous laugh. His spirit is one we shall never forget. We have also endured some internal hardship of which we believe that God has sharpened us. As both of those things were taking place, Rachel and I were going through the loss of a baby by miscarriage. What a trying time!! But my God is faithful and is stronger than my struggles and He has brought us through. There has also been some new faces appear at FBC--further leading us to believe that God has a new beginning in store for us in 2012.
All this came together when the opportunity to lease a new location came along. Financially this is a stretch for us as the rent is $250 more per month. But as we have been discussing the past couple of weeks, the issue is really not about the money...it's about what we believe God is going to do with our church. Do we believe that God is going to grow our church? Do we believe that God is going to send more families to help us? Do we believe that God is going to provide for our finances? We resoundingly say, "YES LORD, YES LORD!"
In 2012 we are going to knock on 250 doors in our community and share God's love with them in a practical way. We need help. We need the manpower to knock on doors or to do other things (i.e. rake a yard during the fall) and we need financial help. God has graciously provided chairs for us as we move to our new venue (Go God!!). But we still have some other needs, such as:
Tables
Microphones
Speakers
Podiums
Computer
Desk Chair
Microphone stand
My heart tells me that God is leading people in our direction. Our church is different from many others. In many churches today you can hide amongst the crowd and simply go with the mindset of, "what's the church going to give me today." Not at FBC. At our church that this something for you to do as soon as you walk in the door (just exaggerating a little). Church planting is hard work. Very similar to a mission trip for those of you who have been on one. At FBC we don't have a lot of things that bigger churches have but the one thing we do have is a passion for the Gospel and a desire to unashamedly stand for Truth. We are taking this message to the people around us and beginning next we are going to do so just a couple doors down
Would you consider praying about joining us?? I'd love to speak with you about FBC or answer any questions you might have. Can't wait to see what God is going to do.
Many people have asked how they can help us...well it begins next Sunday. Anyone who is interested in our ministry or have told us that they are praying for us, PLEASE consider coming and celebrating with us our first Sunday in our new building. We are going to have a very special time of prayer over our future in the building and asking God to bless us. We would love to celebrate this special day with our family and friends, please come and visit with us!!
I have felt since late September that Foothills Baptist Church was in a time of transition. We knew the building might not be a long term solution for us and that God would raise up the right place for us at the right time (which He has). We lost a dear brother to cancer a few weeks ago. Sometimes I catch myself trying to listen to his joyous laugh. His spirit is one we shall never forget. We have also endured some internal hardship of which we believe that God has sharpened us. As both of those things were taking place, Rachel and I were going through the loss of a baby by miscarriage. What a trying time!! But my God is faithful and is stronger than my struggles and He has brought us through. There has also been some new faces appear at FBC--further leading us to believe that God has a new beginning in store for us in 2012.
All this came together when the opportunity to lease a new location came along. Financially this is a stretch for us as the rent is $250 more per month. But as we have been discussing the past couple of weeks, the issue is really not about the money...it's about what we believe God is going to do with our church. Do we believe that God is going to grow our church? Do we believe that God is going to send more families to help us? Do we believe that God is going to provide for our finances? We resoundingly say, "YES LORD, YES LORD!"
In 2012 we are going to knock on 250 doors in our community and share God's love with them in a practical way. We need help. We need the manpower to knock on doors or to do other things (i.e. rake a yard during the fall) and we need financial help. God has graciously provided chairs for us as we move to our new venue (Go God!!). But we still have some other needs, such as:
Tables
Microphones
Speakers
Podiums
Computer
Desk Chair
Microphone stand
My heart tells me that God is leading people in our direction. Our church is different from many others. In many churches today you can hide amongst the crowd and simply go with the mindset of, "what's the church going to give me today." Not at FBC. At our church that this something for you to do as soon as you walk in the door (just exaggerating a little). Church planting is hard work. Very similar to a mission trip for those of you who have been on one. At FBC we don't have a lot of things that bigger churches have but the one thing we do have is a passion for the Gospel and a desire to unashamedly stand for Truth. We are taking this message to the people around us and beginning next we are going to do so just a couple doors down
Would you consider praying about joining us?? I'd love to speak with you about FBC or answer any questions you might have. Can't wait to see what God is going to do.
Many people have asked how they can help us...well it begins next Sunday. Anyone who is interested in our ministry or have told us that they are praying for us, PLEASE consider coming and celebrating with us our first Sunday in our new building. We are going to have a very special time of prayer over our future in the building and asking God to bless us. We would love to celebrate this special day with our family and friends, please come and visit with us!!
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