NEW YEAR, NEW FOCUS

Big changes have taken place in the leadership structure at RFBC. We are currently transitioning to our 'CHURCH LEADERS' format which is divided into four major headings... MISSIONS, OUTREACH, CONNECTIONS and DISCIPLESHIP. These divisions are being designed to connect our church family with our church's mission which is "Bringing In, Lifting Up And Sending Out To Impact Our World". The first two deal with our ministry to those outside our church walls and the last two deal with our ministry to those inside our church walls.

Liz Jones is leading this effort and her goal is to have some type of local missions project for members of our church family to take part in each month.

Stephen Jones will be helping us look for ways to get our church family out into the community to show God's love and be visible in our neighborhoods. 

'CONNECTIONS' will build the relationships within our church family by focusing on various grouping such as...

• CHILDREN -- to be announced
• YOUTH -- STEPHEN AND LIZ JONES
• HIGH SCHOOL GRADS AND SINGLES  -- to be announced
• ADULTS -- DEAN PARRISH
• SENIOR ADULTS-- RHONDA NICHOLS
• MEN -- PAUL GREENWELL
• WOMEN -- BEVERLY PARRISH
• CHURCH AS A WHOLE -- TONY AND BUBBLES SIDEBOTTOM

'DISCIPLESHIP' will develop the level of spiritual maturity in our church family as we grow from one level to the next. A great resource to read is "The Trellis And The Vine" by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. 

In the weeks ahead, you will hear more about each section and discover how you can get plugged in. 

SOCIAL MEDIA VS BIBLICAL TRUTH

Genesis 1:27 (ESV) 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 

The Bible is very clear that God made us males and females but now facebook has created the opportunity for people to describe their gender as "androgynous, bi-gender, gender fluid or transsexual" (http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/apnewsbreak-gender-options-facebook-users-22501422)

"Of course Facebook is entitled to manage its wildly popular site as it sees fit, but here is the bottom line: It's impossible to deny the biological reality that humanity is divided into two halves - male and female," said Jeff Johnston, an issues analyst for Focus on the Family, an influential national religious organization based in Colorado Springs, Colo. "Those petitioning for the change insist that there are an infinite number of genders, but just saying it doesn't make it so. That said, we have a great deal of compassion for those who reject their biological sex and believe they are the opposite sex." (from same article)

America. Our beloved country whose pledge still says "one nation under God" and whose money still says "In God, We Trust" is sliding farther and farther away from God every moment. Since God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness, how much longer will He wait before we face His wrath?

2 Peter 2:4-14 (ESV) For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 

Pray, pray, pray.

HE DID NOT SAY "IF YOU HAVE THE TRUTH..."

I just read that "...88% of American homes have at least one Bible in them." according to the American Bible Society's "State Of The Bible 2013". Eighty-eight per cent! In a nation that is increasingly turning away from God's Word through the current conditions of lifestyles and politics, it is easy to see that just HAVING the truth isn't enough. That's why Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) [underlining added]

The only way the truth is going to set you free is if you KNOW it. And the only way you are going to know it is if you HEAR it and READ it. Just having a Bible on your shelf doesn't make you free... KNOWING it does. Eighty-eight per cent of Americans have at least one Bible but how many of us are reading it? How many of us still believe it is the true Word of God by which we must live?



Let me encourage you to devote yourself to the following...
1. Start reading your Bible today if you are not already doing so. There are plenty of ideas available online as to where you should start.  For example, I might suggest Mark and then Acts. 
2. Listen to an audio Bible. Audio Bibles come in two forms: narrative or dramatic. Narrative is one person reading the text for you. Dramatic has multiple voices and sound effects to help you stay focused. 
3. Attend your church on a regular basis and get involved with your church family. They will help you grow. 
4, Find a friend to talk about what scripture you have been reading lately. Maybe even have them read the same chapters that you are reading. 

"ARE YOU GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION?"

How many times has this happened to you? You notice that something doesn't feel right but instead of going to the doctor, you try to ignore it. You tell yourself that it will be okay in a little while. Or maybe you think it isn't worth the trip since it isn't that big of a problem. Often when I have taken this approach, the problem did get worse and I wished I had taken care of it sooner!

Not only do we take this approach with our physical health, but many of us take this same approach with our spiritual health as well. We recognize that we are allowing something to be in our lives that we should stay away from but we try to justify it instead. "It's no big deal. At least I am not doing what he's doing!" We try to hide things from God and from others but the truth is God already knows and sometimes others know as well. Instead of calling it "sin", we call it our problem or our weakness as if there was no solution. "It's just who I am."

When we don't repent (turn away from) of our sin, we are hardened by it. And when we are hardened by it, our sin becomes like a magnet drawing other sins to us. With this sin in our lives, we begin to feel defeated by it and yet addicted to it.  We say that we want it out of our lives but then we still crave it's worldly pleasure. Before long we realize how far we have drifted away from God. It didn't happen all at once. It happened one choice at a time. 

So today... Right now... No matter if you are one step away from God or way off the right path, I am asking you to turn around. Turn back to God. Ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to help you make better choices. And start walking towards Him. It may seem difficult. You will face some resistance. But you are going the right direction when you are walking towards God. 

"WHAT IF?"

What if we really would seek God with all of our heart this year like we are supposed to be doing? What if our churches would collectively bow in prayer and ask God to revive us again? What if our pastors would preach nothing but the true gospel of Jesus Christ? What if our church leaders would lead with the intensity that we should have? What if our church families would unite together in worship weekly instead of using our Sundays for our own pleasure? And what if we read our Bibles with the same interest and excitement that we have when we read our favorite magazines or favorite web sites on the computer?  
WHAT IF?

We will never know unless we do it. We will never know until we see God as He really is... high and lifted up. All powerful and all knowing. But too often we approach God like He is our equal or even our servant. Do you take God seriously or are you just going through the motions? Do you just talk about Jesus or are you really following Him the way that He described in Luke 9:23 when He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."?

Will you join me in praying for our churches and our nation? Will you repent of your sins and ask God for His forgiveness? Let us become the churches that God wants us to be. Amen?

GETTING READY FOR 2014!

 

It's hard to believe that God brought us to Rolling Fork Baptist Church fifteen years ago. Looking back, there are so many incredible memories of how God has blessed us in so many ways. I remember praying when I first came here and asking God to let me serve as RFBC's pastor for at least twenty years and at that time, that sounded like such a long time but now, it doesn't seem that long at all.

I am very thankful for the people that God has surrounded my family with at RFBC. I can say without hesitation that we have been loved by our church family and I am so grateful for the people who have served with us to make the things happen that God has called us to do. The relationships that we have built over the years have been so encouraging.

As RFBC's pastor, I look back and see how our strengths and our weaknesses have determined where we stand today. There were many things that we did right and there were also several things that we should have handled better. So as we begin this new year, here are some of the areas that we need to be totally committed to.

PRAYER- We have seen so many changes in our nation lately and our churches are being attacked in lots of different directions. We need to be praying for each other on a continual basis... praying that we would live lives that please God and accomplish what He has called us to do. Praying that we would endure the attacks that we face and that we would remember that we are not alone. God is with us and filled us with His Spirit... not a spirit of fear but of "power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7).

REPENTANCE- Too many of us are allowing sin to enter into our lives too easily... not resisting it like we should. In fact, many of us are inviting sin into our lives. Instead of aiming to please God, we are trying to please ourselves. Instead of living for eternity, we are living for the moment. Instead of asking God to forgive our sins, we are asking God to ignore our sins. And instead of turning from our sins, we are continuing in our sins through open rebellion towards God and His Word.

INTEGRITY- 1 John 1:6-7 (ESV) 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

When people see the way that we live our daily lives, are they seeing what they are supposed to be seeing? We are supposed to be living lives that reflect Jesus Christ... lives that honor God. The problem is too many "Christians", which means "Christ-like", are living lives that are not Christ-like at all. If Christians are no different than those who are not Christians, then why should we expect anyone to become one?

These are three areas that we all need to focus on as we begin this new year. What would happen if all of us were totally committed to prayer, repentance and integrity? Are you ready to find out? 

WHAT IS THE 'LEADERSHIP TEAM' AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

This chart illustrates how our leadership team has worked for the last 14 years. The blue arrows represent the flow of leadership as the Trinity leads the pastor who then leads the other leaders of the church and then the pastor and the leadership team lead the congregation.

 

The red lines are very important because they show the fact that everyone is accountable to everyone. The pastor is accountable to God, to the leadership team and to the congregation. The leadership team is accountable to God, to the pastor and to the congregation. The congregation is accountable to God, to the pastor and to the leadership team. If any of those lines of accountability are broken, serious problems will arise quickly.

 

The leadership team is made of the various leaders in the church (some paid staff and some volunteers) and was established to enable the various ministries of the church to work together instead of being separate functions of the church. This creates better communication between the leaders and eliminates the extra meetings. For example, since the finance team is present when the building and grounds team is making a suggestion, we don't have to wait until another meeting is held in order to see if that suggestion is feesable at the present time.

 

Because of their position of leadership, there are some things that they have been empowered to do within certain guidelines. Because of the integrity and faithfulness of these leaders, we have been well taken care of as a church. If something comes up that cannot be handled by the leadership team alone, then they make the necessary preparations to present it to the church during a members' business meeting.

 

I am very, very thankful for the folks who are serving RFBC through the leadership team. I have seen how they care about the welfare of our church and our church family. God has richly blessed us with this group. Would you join me in thanking God for putting such caring people together as we celebrate 225 years of minstry this fall? God bless you.