Reflections on this Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving morning, bright and early before most are up and ready for the busyness of the day is a great time to just stop and reflect on the blessings of God on my life. If a man could write the script for a blessed life, how could I not think that the life God has blessed me with would not be considered.  Not because I am anything special, but because God has given me a family, wife, kids, and grandsons who are great.He has blessed us with a church family that is our family. How special the people of FSBCamden are to us.  What a privilege to be entering , Lord willing, 2023, our 30th year here as the pastor .  It truly is the Corner of Hope.  Not the building, but pointing to Jesus, the real source of our hope.

This Thanksgiving it is hard to realize that Renee's mom is spending her first Thanksgiving in Heaven.  She always enjoyed the holidays so much.  In her packed house it didn't matter who showed up, everyone was welcome.  There was always room for another.  Boy what a picture of Jesus.  There is always room for you at the cross.  

It is also hard to believe that our former Associate Pastor Trevor Bridgeford is not here with us and is with the Lord this Thanksgiving along with my closest cousin Roger Jackson.  God in His mercy doesn't show us the future.  Had we known what was waiting in 2022 we would have lived in fear.  What we do know is that the Lord was and controls everything.  We can trust Him for and through the unknown.

So today, take a breath, pray, and thank the Lord for His goodness.  He wants to be the source of our thanksgiving and the focus of our reflections.

Join us Sunday as we begin the season of Advent, the coming of the Christ child. A Savior is born!

Bro. Greg

Focusing In

In his book "On Worship", H.B. Charles shares a story regarding worshipers arriving to hear Henry Ward Beecher , the famous pastor of the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. They were disappointed to find that the pulpit would be filled by his less prominent brother, Thomas.  Can you imagine, the humiliation and embarrassment that filled that sanctuary as people began to walk out? Thomas stood in the pulpit and announced, "All those who came to worship Henry Ward Beecher may leave, but all who came to worship God may remain."

Our worship is not to please ourselves or others. One pastor shared a story where a member walked out and snapped, "I didn't like the worship this morning!" The pastor fired back, "Good, we aren't here to worship you!" We have an audience of One, King Jesus.

Hebrews 13:15-16 (NKJV)
¹⁵  Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
¹⁶  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.  

It is so important to remember the target of our praise.  It is King Jesus and He deserves no half hearted attempt, but He deserves all we have.  Our heart's affection and our minds attention.

Is the Lord pleased with my worship?

Moving Forward

Yesterday the Southern Baptist Convention in Anaheim,  took a clear stand against sexual abuse and the harm it has caused. The Convention also acknowledged the failure of our response to the victims. The recommendations were adopted with great unity and a strong clear statement of resolution, and both acknowledge that reports of sexual abuse were not handled correctly, nor the abused, and that often times the victim seemed unheard or even forgotten.

To the survivors who have come forward, thank you, even in your pain, thank you for helping expose failure and areas that need to be clearly addressed.  To the sexual abuse survivors who have bravely and silently sat listening to testimony, we pray for you as you have most likely had to relive your hurt, pain, and disappointment.

As we take better steps to prevent any of this from happening here, and only by God's grace, we recognize that sin is real and the devil is still at work in this world.  We must be diligent to be above reproach in everything that relates to working with children, youth, and adult relationships as well.  We must protect the vulnerable.  Those that God has allowed us to teach and care for should have the utmost trust in us to protect them.

Staff relationships must be beyond reproach. We want to be on guard for anything that will not please the Lord. We should always pray for each other, the body of Christ.

Please pray for the Sexual Abuse Task Force here in Ohio as we prepare to share recommendations in November at the Cleveland meeting. The weight of this responsibility is heavy, yet I realize the weight is nothing compared to those who have been abused.

Thank you for loving God. loving people. serving people.

Bro. Greg

The Night My LIfe Changed Forever

 

 

What a great day to serve the Lord, and what a great week to remind us of his unconditional love for us.  Today is a special date for me personally, as forty six years ago I gave my heart to Jesus and received Him as my Lord and Savior.  It took place at North Dayton Baptist Church during a Revival with Evangelist TD Hall. I was fourteen. I am grateful I had Bible preaching pastors who weekly preached the Word of God and the Gospel, yet God used a fresh voice to speak to my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit. The only difference than today's date of April 13 and 1976 is that it was a Tuesday night in 1976.

Fast forward to last night, Tuesday night, April 12,  2022. John and Shawna Keehner lead a wonderful monthly ministry of providing meals to our community. A great team prepares, cooks, serves, and delivers.  I was blessed to be able to deliver several meals to some Eaton homes.

One of those homes was the house of a man named Fred.  That name means something to me as Dad's name is Fred as well as my middle name.  I knocked, stepped back and waited.  In a few seconds a man opened the door.  I introduced myself and he the same.  He shared he has thought about visiting.  He shared some health battles he has.   I asked if I could pray for him.  He invited me in, and before I prayed, I asked him,"Fred, are you a Christian?" He shook his head no, and I asked for the privilege to share and he graciously said yes.  How wonderful it was to hear him pray and ask Jesus into his heart, right there in his kitchen.

I was thrilled and left with the expectation he may be here Sunday.

I share this to praise the Lord!  It was a divine appointment. Not because I am anything special, but because of God's grace and how he chooses at times to use people. You see I knew where the house was because Travis and Carlena McDaniel are usually the ones who drop off Fred's dinner.  God has been using their faithfulness, and friendliness, month after month, that opened the door for me last night.  He used the faithful cooking and serving, and preparing from many of you.  The team had prayed prior to my arrival at the church last night, and God was already at work in a heart and we didn't know it.

Are you still following me? It gets a little funny at this point.  I was talking to my sister Sheila when I pulled into Fred's driveway and asked her to hang on, this will only be a second.  After a number of minutes I returned to the car and she was still on the line!  She thought I had been abducted by a prospect, but she soon rejoiced when I shared the story with her.

And then... it hit me!  God had just given me the greatest privilege outside of being saved,and that was to share the Gospel and see a person respond and accept Christ.  Forty six years to the very night, what had happened in my heart continues to happen in the hearts of others recognizing their need to be saved. Jesus saves.

I don't share this story because I think I am something...I am not. I share this to encourage you! Us!  God is a work in our church in a great way.  He is answering prayer.  Lives are being changed and God is using you.

Renee and I love you all.  Happy Easter!

Change

Change is hard at times, easy at times, and certainly essential at times.  It has been two years since March 2020 and the full impact of COVID 19 kicking in. By the grace of God we were online only for about seven weeks and by His grace have been back ever since. My biological family and my Church family know that I am a traditionalist. To like the way things used be to done does not necessarily mean you are missing the boat.  While we were in the midst of videoing services, we found ourselves longing to to be back face to face.

There was a period in the church growth movement years ago where everyone had a formula, or a model, or their own advice about what it takes to grow a church.  I believe they meant well and were trying to help, but some churches were split right down the middle because of forced change.

Jesus has the formula, and He even gave it to us. Matthew 16:15-18 (NKJV)
¹⁵  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
¹⁶  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
¹⁷  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
¹⁸  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

I believe the rock is the confession of Peter regarding Christ! When we encounter Christ we are forced to make a decision, and surrender means change. 

We resist making necessary changes at times simply because of the price we will have to pay.  Not with dollars, but with criticism and doubt. So we are reluctant to do or try something new. Change makes people uncomfortable. It makes us feel attacked or threatened, or even disrespected when there is a possibility of someone having a better way to do something.

Well change is here! Sunday we voted 100% to welcome Cody and Sarah McPherson to our Church.  Cody becomes our new Associate Pastor and Director of our Children's Ministry. While he will be Bi Vocational and continue to teach at our Elementary School here in Camden,  he will bring new ideas, energy, enthusiasm, and a set of wonderful Jesus edifying gifts to FSBC.

I love the way God speaks, even in seasons of change. The winds of revival are blowing. 

 

Bro. Greg