As we enter 2017 I want to challenge you in six areas and encourage you to include these in your new year’s resolutions.
Prayer - I want to encourage you to continue to pray for our church members, family and friends that encounter difficult situations and illnesses. I want to challenge you to add to your prayer time a focus on praying for those that you know who don’t know Christ and are not involved in a local church. This year our church will provide many opportunities for you to reach out to those you have been praying for and invite them to worship with us.
Share the Gospel - I want to challenge you to share the gospel with someone and give them the opportunity to say “yes” to Jesus. Our church will provide opportunities for you to be trained in sharing the gospel with others. Begin now by praying for those you would like to share the gospel with.
Sunday School - I want to challenge you to get involved in a Sunday School class. Sunday School is the primary way we help you become a growing disciple of Jesus. We have two new classes starting on January 8th at 9:45am. One class will be studying the commands of Christ and the other will be an in depth study of Hebrews 11. The Commands of Christ class will be led by Donald Dickert and will meet in room 214. The Hebrews 11 study will be led by Adam Diehl and Steve Mullins and will meet in room 205.
Teach - I want to challenge you to teach or become an assistant teacher in a Sunday School class, Youth class, Children In Action class, or Mission Friends class. Maybe you’re been thinking about leading a small group study on a specific topic or book of the Bible. If so, I would love to hear about it and help you get started.
Children’s Dream Project - I want to challenge you to give to the Children’s Dream Project. Our goal is to raise $50,000 for the updating of our children’s ministry area. Prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you give to help us reach our goal.
Music Ministry - I want to challenge you to join the choir or accompany the choir with a musical instrument. Floyd is working hard to make our music ministry the best it can be but he can’t do it by himself. We need more of our congregation and community to share their musical gifts with our church family.
As we reach forward to what lies ahead, let us trust God together to do great things in and through us in 2017!
As I mentioned last month, the Children’s Dream Project Committee has been working hard to present to our church a proposal for the updating of our children’s ministry area. I have walked with them through this process and the proposal is nearing completion. I hope to have them present the proposal this month. In preparation for hearing about how we can update the children’s ministry area, I want to share with you some of the reasons why we must move forward with this project.
In a recent research project, nearly 600 churches and families were surveyed about the influence and effects of children’s ministry. I want to share with you the six things they found in their research.
Finding #1: Children’s ministry is a major conduit for getting families involved in ministry.
“Families in our survey indicated that they’re tuned in to the presence and role of the children’s ministry. They also assess it as a high-value ministry, with 76% stating that children’s ministry plays a key role in their church.”
Finding #2: Families with kids in the children’s ministry are some of the most active and committed members in a church.
“In a nutshell…families with kids in the children’s ministry are more likely to be committed, loyal, financially supportive participants in a church.”
Finding #3: A healthy children’s ministry attracts families to your church.
“Our research revealed that families place a premium on their kids’ children’s ministry experience. The majority (66%) said the children’s ministry program was ‘very important’ in their overall consideration when they chose their current church. Your children’s ministry is a growth engine for church growth. Parents also ranked ‘the children’s ministry’ as the third most important reason they joined their current church - only marginally behind ‘the church emphases’ and ‘preaching.’”
Finding #4: An unhealthy or declining children’s ministry program may result in families leaving a church.
“A weak children's ministry impacts church growth. Make no mistake: The quality and health of a children’s ministry program strongly influences families’ views on staying - or leaving - their church. The majority (69%) said that if their current church didn’t have a strong children’s ministry program, they would’ve had second thoughts about joining in the first place. Sixty-one percent said that if the current children’s ministry program ever diminished or died, it would definitely influence their decision to stay at the church.”
Finding #5: Parents say children’s ministry makes a positive impact in their child’s life.
“When parents ranked the three greatest benefits their current children’s ministry offers, by far the number one benefit was this: ‘It helps my kids develop a personal, growing faith.’”
Finding #6: Parents say children’s ministry has changed their family’s behavior at home.
“Overall, 60% of families told us that the ministry has impacted them moderately or somewhat and that they have done some or many of the at-home activities suggested by the ministry. Another 20% said the ministry has impacted their family significantly and that they regularly incorporate ministry suggestions into their family life.”
I believe our church has a wonderful leader and wonderful volunteers in our children’s ministry! My children have benefited greatly from the teaching and love of those of you who volunteer in our children’s ministry. However, the main area that needs attention is the area in which they minister. If you take a tour through our children’s classrooms you will find some rooms with badly stained carpet. You will find bathrooms that were built over 50 years ago. You will see the need for updated secure check-in equipment. These are just a few of the things the Dream Project Committee has identified.
I believe we are a church that loves not only our children but the children in our community. I believe we all want to provide these children a safe, clean, and creative space for them to learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we prepare to receive the proposal from the Children’s Dream Project Committee, I want to ask you to prayerfully consider how you will invest in this project.
Many of you know that I worked in college ministry for many years in Winston-Salem, N.C. on the campus of Wake Forest University. One semester I was invited to audit a class on the Trinity that was being taught by a philosophy professor. It was a very interesting class. One of the things I enjoyed about the class is that I was auditing it. Auditing a class is when a person goes to class to get information, but is not required to do any of the work. They don’t have to take a test or do any homework. They are only attending for informational purposes. This is great option if you want to continue learning about a certain subject without having to pursue a degree or have the responsibility of the homework and tests.
Auditing a class happens all the time on the college campus but what about in the church? Some people want salvation but don’t want to put in the time to be strong disciples of Jesus Christ. Are you someone that attends services or Bible studies and then walks away without applying what you’ve heard? Do you attend worship services only when it’s convenient for you? Do you spend time with the Lord in prayer and in His Word outside of Sunday? Do you desire to share your faith with those around you? Do you give generously? When was the last time that you have been convicted of your sin and confessed your sin to God? Do you desire to be led by the Holy Spirit every day, moment by moment? Do you look out for only your interests or for the interests of others? What some Christians want to do is to audit the Christian life. They want the data without the responsibility. That’s an audit. That’s what some folks do every Sunday. They audit Jesus.
If you find yourself auditing the Christian faith I want to encourage to make the move to become a disciple of Jesus. Maybe your first move is to place your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. If you are already a Christian then your next move may be to join a Sunday School class. Maybe your next move is spending daily time in prayer and reading the Bible. Maybe your next move is to share the gospel with your neighbor or coworker or family member. Maybe your next move is to help meet a need of someone or to bless someone in some tangible way. Whatever your next move is let’s commit to take it together by faith as we follow Jesus. Let’s be a church full of disciples and not auditors.
I read a quote today that gave me something to think about and perhaps it will get you thinking as well. Here it is:
“When it comes to living your life, think agriculturally, not industrially. When it comes to living your life, think like a farmer, not like a technocrat (a technical expert). When it comes to your life, think gardens, not microwaves.”
I love that last line, “think gardens, not microwaves.” Personally, I love microwaves. When you need something heated quickly you simply put it in the microwave and zap it. Microwaves are great! However, when it comes to our lives and the church it is much better to think gardens, not microwaves. Why? Because growth takes time. Gardens take time to grow. There are seasons of preparation and seasons of harvest. If we want to see growth in our lives we need to think gardens, not microwaves.
In gardening and life, the harvest is the goal. Even though there are several things that can and will happen the goal is to produce a harvest. Producing a harvest requires intentionality, patience, effort and a constant dependence on the One who causes things to grow. There are many parallels between growing a garden and living the Christian life. The Apostle Paul uses gardening language in Galatians 6:8-9 where he says,
“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
If you and I are going to grow into the people God wants us to be then we must have a garden mindset. We must sow our decisions, our words, our motives, our passions, our behaviors, and our time according to God’s Word. We must not grow weary of sowing this way or we will miss out on the harvest that God can produce in our lives. What are you sowing and growing in the garden of your life?
I recently read an article that said that 58% of congregations have fewer than 100 people attend their weekly worship services. Even though we may crest the 100 mark a few times a year, our church falls into this category referred to as a “small church.” Did you know that being a “small church” is not necessarily a bad thing? Sure, there are some benefits of being big. As you may know, I am a fairly tall guy. There are benefits of being tall. I can reach items on the top shelf whereas someone who is shorter may have to grab a step ladder. However, there are some challenges with being tall as well. For example, having enough leg room can be a challenge when flying in an airplane or riding in a car. My point is that there are pros and cons with being tall and being short. The same is true of the church. There are pros and cons with being big and being small. Since we are a small church, I want to share with you some of the pros of being small. The reason I want to share these pros with you is so that we can seek to make the most of these opportunities for greater kingdom impact.
One pro of being small is that it doesn’t take people very long to know your name. It is easier to feel a sense of belonging in a small church. It’s harder to blend in and remain unknown. Another strength of the small church is that it tends to have fewer ministries but greater focus. This is something we are learning as a church. We have limited resources and people which forces us to focus on what is most important and what will help us fulfill the mission God has given us. A third strength of the small church is that it has fewer people but greater involvement. People often mention the statement that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. This may be true in some churches but this has not been my experience at The Hill. I believe that when people become part of our church family they see the needs and want to be involved in meeting those needs. These are just three of many pros of being a small church.
Let’s not confuse small with insignificant. Let’s not confuse small with ineffective. Listen to this, the article I referenced for the above information also stated that because of the strengths of a small church 88% of people would consider attending a church of fewer than 100 people. We must embrace where God has us as a church and seek to make the most of the ministry opportunities God has given us. I believe God has great things in store for The Hill Baptist Church. As the saying goes, “good things come in small packages.”
In the late 1700s, “Sunday School Societies” were started here and there throughout the young United States of America. But at first, many members of the clergy were opposed to them, maintaining that it was a desecration of the Lord’s Day to hold school on Sunday. A pastor in Connecticut said of a class held in his church on Sunday, “You imps of Satan, doing the devil’s work. I’ll have you set in the street.”
Can you imagine someone being against Sunday School? It’s hard to believe that something what we take for granted was once the subject of heated controversy. The reality is that there are some things in the Church that remain the same and there are other things that change. The message of the gospel and the truthfulness of God’s Word remain the same and never change. Until Christ returns, the Church will continue to preach the Word, baptize believers, pray, participate in the Lord’s Supper, sing, gather for worship, and seek to make disciples of all nations.
However, there other things that change such as starting Sunday School. One of the changes that we experienced over the past year was the birthing of a new early morning worship service. This service was birthed to provide us with another opportunity to reach people for Christ and help them worship the Lord. Over the course of 9 months we saw attendance fluctuate between 20 to 60 people with a core group of about 30 regular attenders. I am greatly encouraged by your willingness to try something new and I’m pleased to say that we have seen new people join our church family as a result of this step of faith.
Another change that we’ve experienced is the loss of our minister of music. Knowing this was coming, Bob and I decided to bring the two morning services together during the Christmas season. This allowed us to experience more diversity in our worship and helped build momentum as we entered into the new year. I believe this was a good move for our church. We knew with Bob leaving and the current state of our attendance that keeping the services together into the new year would be the best scenario for growth.
If you’ve been able to attend more than one worship service in December and January then you’ve seen the evolution of bringing the two services into one. We are continuing to use the piano, organ, and hymnals and we have introduced some new worship songs with the guitar and other instruments. The use of the instruments and music has varied but what has remained the same is the order of worship. The order of worship mirrors the gospel. We begin by focusing on the character of God. Then we move into a time of confession and assurance of our forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This prepares us to give our offering and hear God’s Word. After the sermon, we respond to the Lord as we sing the song of response. At the end of the service, I give the benediction which usually is a combination of a blessing and a challenge to represent Christ well to our city. This is the order of worship which will remain constant.
I want to challenge you to see this as an opportunity for our Church. There will elements in the service that will be very familiar to you and there will be others than are not as familiar. I challenge you to look for the good and seek to worship the Lord both in the known and the unknown. One thing you can count on is that whatever we do in the worship service will be guided by the Scripture. While we continue our search for a new minister of music, we are blessed to have musicians and volunteers such as Fred, Brant, Bill, Leah, Jan, RJ and the choir to help lead us in worship through music.
As we continue to experience both the unchangeableness of God and the changes that occur in ourselves, in our church, and in our city, I would like to ask for your prayers, your patience, and your participation as we seek to worship the Lord together each and every Sunday morning. I believe if we can be united in the desire to reach people for Christ, build them up in their faith, and send them out to reach others then God will do a great work in our church!
As we move into 2016, I want to challenge us to be people of the Word, people in community, and people on mission. One of the ways we can be people of the Word this year is by participating in The Story 2016. The Story is a one year Bible reading plan. Included in this newsletter is the daily reading plan for the year. There will also be a monthly reading plan that will be distributed in the bulletin on Sunday morning. I want to challenge you to be more familiar with God’s story this year.
There are two main ways that we can be people in community. The first way is by joining a Sunday School class and attending as often as possible. Sunday School is the primary way our church makes disciples. It is a wonderful time of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. The second way is to join a community group. A community group is a group of people that meets together at least once a month with the purpose of getting to know one another. All through the month of January you will have the opportunity to sign up to be in a community group.
There are three main ways we can be a people on mission. We must devote ourselves to prayer, asking God to help us reach our community for Christ. Second, we must give cheerfully and sacrificially to the mission of the church both locally and globally. Third, we must be willing to go across the street, across the state, across the country, and across the world. There will be several opportunities for you to participate in missions this year. One opportunity that is coming up in a few weeks is our mission trip to Atlanta. We will be serving a church plant in downtown called Tapestry Church. We will also be going back to New York City this summer to serve The Gallery Church by doing backyard Bible studies. In addition to these trips, we will have several opportunities here in Augusta to reach out to our community. I strongly encourage each of you to participate in missions by praying, giving, and going.
The new year will contain both challenges and opportunities. In order to make the most of this year, we must move forward with faith in Christ, love for one another, and unity of mission.
As I peer into December, two announcements stand out above the rest. The first is the reminder of the incarnation of the Son of God. We are entering the Advent season when we are reminded that we serve a God who came to us. Every year I look forward to gathering with you all in a variety of services to reflect on the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to encourage each of you to make an effort to participate in as many of these gatherings as you can. I believe God will use them to draw you into a deeper relationship with Himself.
The second announcement that stands out is Bob Walker’s transition to Florida. As many of you know, Bob will be completing his service to our church at the end of December. Although his service to our church will come to an end, I am confident that his service to the Lord will continue. Over these past four years I have enjoyed serving alongside Bob. His wisdom, work ethic, faithfulness, love for people and clearly his music ability stand out. His willingness to serve would always find its expression whether it was through building Vacation Bible School sets, popping popcorn for our various events, taking our seniors on an adventure, or lending his strong voice to leading worship, singing at a funeral, or equipping the choir. With a time of service spanning twelve years, Bob has become one of the longest serving ministers our church has experienced in her 85 year history. Fourth only to Rev. Bert Joyner, Dr. T.S. Boehm, and Fred Gunter. It goes without saying that Bob and Nanette will be missed and their impact will be felt long after they are gone. On Sunday, December 27th from 3-5pm we will gather in the Social Hall to celebrate Bob’s years of service. As part of the celebration, a love offering will be collected. I hope you will try your best to be there as we show our appreciation and send them out to serve the Lord in Florida.
On Sunday, November 15th at 4pm we will host a retirement party in the Social Hall for Wyanne Moseley. She has faithfully served The Hill Baptist Church for 32 years! A lot has happened in 32 years. When Wyanne began her career at the church the year was 1983. Ronald Reagan was president of the United States and Jack Johnson was the pastor of our church. Computers were a thing of the future and the internet had not been invented. The only phones were those attached to a chord. Many things have changed over the years and Wyanne has adapted with that change. She has learned new ways of doing things. She has developed new skills and perfected old ones. She has dealt with vendors, the post office, computer people, pest control people, church members, pastors and people from all walks of life.
Although things have changed, one thing has remained consistent. That one thing is Wyanne’s commitment to the Lord and to His work. Her love for the Lord is evident in her interactions with people and in her work. When many of you think of the Administrative Assistant job you probably think of handling finances, making copies, and answering the phones. Although all these tasks are present in this role, there is much more that Wyanne handles on a daily basis. She is the first one to talk to a church member when they call the office to inform the church about the death of a loved one. She is the first one that a hurting person talks to when they walk through the office door in need of food. She has helped numerous people navigate difficult conversations regarding our church and life. She knows everyone. She knows where everything is located. She possesses a wealth of knowledge that has benefited the ministry of The Hill Baptist Church for decades.
What are we going to do without her? Someone will have to try to fill her shoes but those shoes will not fit right away. We will move forward trusting God to raise up someone that can take the baton that Wyanne has carried for all these years. However, we all know that there will never be another Wyanne Moseley. For over thirty years she has faithfully fulfilled her calling. I hope that you will join me on November the 14th to tell Wyanne thank you for all her faithful years of service!
Many of you have experienced broken promises. On the front end, a promise sparks hope and expectation. However, when that promise is broken it leaves you feeling discouraged and hopeless. Unfortunately, we don’t keep all our promises. We break our promises for a variety of reasons. Maybe we thought we could fulfill the promise but we lacked the ability. Maybe we simply failed to keep our promise. Broken promises lead to broken trust which leads to broken relationships.
Aren’t you glad that God keeps His promises! He is both able and willing to fulfill His promises. Listen to what the Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:3-4:
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
I want to encourage you with several of the promises of God for those who have faith in Jesus.
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:29-31
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” - Matthew 11:28-29
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” - John 14:27
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38-39
“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9
As the hymn says,
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
If we are going to live for and represent Christ to the world, our foundation must be securely fastened to the promises of God.
