Welcome to the official start of summer with the arrival of the month of June! Be safe, be witnessing, and be here – some great days are definitively on the horizon. Not only have people moved into our area (within a two- to three-mile radius of our church), but other churches have gone through major building and remodeling of their buildings, as well. I am not including ours in that mix yet, but hopefully soon, and in the Lord’s timing we will see “Building By Faith” off and moving! The Building Committee is still at work. May I also report to you that soil samples have been taken, the preschool building is getting a thorough remodeling, and every inch of property is being used.
Vacation Bible School is the single most effective tool of Evangelism, still today. Join every way you can in helping to make a difference in the lives of boys and girls. Unfortunately, sometimes we shoot for numbers of salvations, when the numbers we impact are far greater, and when the seed is planted, God gives the increase. The dates are June 9-13, from 9:00 AM – noon. See Chad Ortner or Beth Griggs to help make a difference and have some fun while you’re at it.
Madison Baptist Association News: Many in our church probably are not aware that I serve as Chairman of the Personnel Committee of the Madison Baptist Association. With that position I am a part of the leadership team that looks into matters as tasked by the Association. I enjoy serving and helping any way I can, and all of you, our members, know your pastor to be very conservative. Unfortunately, our committee made a recommendation and I made a motion to “clarify and enhance” an already established practice within our Association. Some people on the outside looking in only got half the picture so, I was labeled… I made a motion to add that the “Senior or acting Senior Pastor” should only be a man. Some interpreted we were condoning that ladies in other positions could be ordained pastors, just that ladies could not be ordained Senior Pastors. This is far from the truth!
Whether you realize it or not, we have six churches in the Association with ordained female pastors serving in some capacity. I have never, in 30 years, had a lady ordained in any role of pastor in a church I have led or served in. Not even ladies serving as Deacons, and we have churches in our Association which practice this as well. Our intent was not to make it permissible for ladies to be ordained, but to clarify, as we were asked to do by the Executive Committee. It was going to happen eventually; that a church in our Association would call a female “Senior Pastor.” (Ephesians 4:11-16) The word we added to protect, by the way, was the very word that was used to cause a variety of interpretations.
To our church family and those who have heard people “talk” outside the church (which is called “gossip” in the Bible), this is a good lesson in Biblical reconciliation: go to the person you have a problem with, or maybe heard something about, before making too many comments. Feathers are hard to pick up after a wind storm. I must add one comment: this is not negative toward ladies serving in churches - God forbid! Were it not for some of you ladies being leaders in most churches, there would not be much accomplished that the entire church receives credit for. But it is specific in Scripture that the office of Pastor is for a God fearing, humbled man of God who understands, in my opinion, that it is only by the grace of God he is what he is, anyway.
June 1st in the 11:00 AM service, our students will be moving back to the sanctuary on a regular basis! If you have enjoyed being at the 9:30 service, June 1 would be a good time to consider doing so again if you’d like, as to even out the attendance in both.
Regarding last weekend's yard sale, thanks for all who have helped to raise funds to move our current office building to another location on our property. We appreciate you serving so well. The unofficial results of our garage sale to relocate the church offices are continuing to come in. I say “continuing,” because a van and a camper are still on the auction block. As of today we have approximately $4,000, without the two large items.
Finally, thank you for your patience, your prayers, and your service in my absence while in the hospital. I am not completely well and further tests are needed, but I am better than I was. I was severely dehydrated and still have stomach nausea, so pray for us daily.
