Spiritual Renewal Conference

CHURCH FAMILY,

Spiritual Renewal Conference is upon us! Tomorrow we will wake, shower, drink our coffee, get dressed, prepare our kids, and head to church. It’s the Lord’s Day and that is what we as followers of Jesus do…But why? Why is Sunday important? Why should we care about the Spiritual Renewal Conference? While many answers could be given to that question — the primary reason we as followers should value tomorrow and the next few nights is the preaching of God’s Word. One author described God’s miraculous work through His words like this, “we [mankind] create with hands, shovels, and bulldozers. But not God. God creates by speaking. He says, “Be,” and it is.” The Scriptures declare that faith comes through hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). God uses his mighty Word to build faith and propel us forward in our journey with Jesus Christ. Therefore, we as His followers must seek out the spiritually sustaining "bread of heaven."
 

So how are we to approach tomorrow? 
Reverential worship with faith-building expectation!
 

1) Authentic worship begins with a proper view of God. (Isaiah 6:1-8)
The prophet Isaiah gives us an indication of authentic worship and provides insight into what God expects of His people as they worship Him. In this simple passage, Isaiah experiences a theophany, a vision of the true and living Yahweh. If we are to properly worship God as He would have us to worship him, we must see God as He is. Proper worship begins with a proper understanding of who God is AND who we are in light of this true and living God. In this vision, we see winged creatures are not merely flying or hovering in silence. Rather they call out saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory!” One author rightfully states that “God is defined in the act of worship far more precisely than he is defined by any theology.” One could say that if you want to know what a people believe about their God, watch them worship. Listen to their songs, hear them pray, and see how engaged they are in the presentation of His message. We could also extend this to — see what they would give up. When it comes to the Spiritual Renewal Conference, will you put aside other “priorities” to worship? People will know what we believe about our God by what we worship.

2) Authentic worship leads to the confession of sin. (Isaiah 6:5)
Seeing God on His throne, Isaiah said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Upon a proper perspective of God, Isaiah automatically saw his sinfulness. When he saw the holiness of His God, he could not understand himself as anything more than a sinner who was undone. The prophet’s repentance was not merely an “I’m sorry,” that can accompany so many “get-off-the-hook” apologies that our children present. This was genuine repentance, not a hasty apology. This was brokenness over the innate sinfulness of our human condition.

3) Authentic worship proclaims the gospel. (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Isaiah recounts, “then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” This scene could be described as an anticipation of the finished work of Christ. This picture of atonement points to the reality that one day, Christ would die for the redemption of His people. True worship points to the gospel and the finished work on the cross encourages us to journey through this life together leading others to follow Him.

So as you prepare tonight for this week’s Spiritual Renewal Conference -- I pray that you will seek this week with reverential worship expecting your faith to be built as you humbly submit to God’s Word!

Sincerely,

Pastor Jordan

It will be what you make it to be...

Next week is a celebratory week for my wife and me; it is our birthdays and anniversary. She asked me what I wanted and I said the proper husbandly response, "I don't know...nothing perhaps."

That was not a helpful answer as she and the older girls are trying to figure out a way to celebrate my slow march towards death.

Now, they could go through that day without any recognition of it at all and I would still have accomplished the basic intent of birthdays- marking another biological year of existence.

I could do the same for my wife...and not experience my next birthday.

My point- you can enjoy something with someone and be better for it or simply go through something with a level of detachment and subtle apathy.

Next weekend, we will have the opportunity to begin our Spiritual Renewal Conference with the Adrian Burden family. We host a conference each year to give ourselves an intentional, focused few days of exposure to God's Word through the ministry of preaching and teaching.

We can approach it with the intentionality and excitement of, "It's your birthday!" or with the detached attitude of, "It is a birthday".

How can we make the most of SRC with Adrian Burden?

Clear it out- We will have services Sunday @ 10 AM and 11:15 AM, and 6 PM, then Monday-Wednesday @7PM. BLOCK THOSE TIMES...do not let "what you normally do" prevail...clear the calendar and endeavor to make every timeslot.

Pray it up- Take time each day to ask for a tender, teachable heart for yourself and yielded hearts among the congregation. Ask God to work through Bro. Adrian powerfully!

Connect with- Take one minute this week to let the Burdens know you are praying for them by texting (252) 342-8376 or emailing burdenministries@gmail.com.

Show up- While we have a live stream feed for potential guests in the community, shut-ins, and those afflicted with illness or health issues, it is not designed for an able-bodied member to take advantage of rather than attend- that only robs us of what Christ designed His church to enjoy.

Sit with- Church (maybe school) might be one of the few places people intentionally try to not sit near each other or up close. You want to know a secret that will change the experience of church for you? Sit up close and with others! It is a dramatic dynamic change.

Reach out- Invite others to join you for it. Whether it is a friend, family member, Christian who is out of church, or another FBC member you think needs some encouragement to attend, take the proactive step to reach out to them this week.

Be open- Throughout the services, God will seek to further His glorious work in your life by conforming you to Christ's image...let Him! Whatever choice(s) you need to make- make it.

Follow up- After it is over, share what has taken place in your heart with another brother or sister in Christ. It can be your spouse, friend, child, pastor, deacon, etc. Share it and be accountable for it! Maybe set up a weekly reminder to reach out to someone else about what God did in their life as well!

Next week will come and go as all things do in this life but the time spent with each other in the Word can endure far beyond the few days we will spend at the SRC.

Serving together,

Pastor Paul

Seeking the Center of Attention

All of us have been around people who desire to be the center of attention. Some of us may very well tend to be that person. The Christian life can sadly be easily warped into an opportunity that fuels our arrogance and desire for recognition. While we often talk about the need for and the different tools of being a disciple, it is perhaps too little that we discuss the attitude one must possess in this endeavor.

In the American church, we have often built an unhealthy view of those who lead: that they are spiritual superheroes. Everyone else is not. Therefore, I must do everything in my power to earn that same level of spirituality because I too want to be a spiritual superhero. I want to be recognized for my great spiritual maturity. I want to be the one who is always the hardest working volunteer. I want to be the counselor with the best advice that everyone comes to talk to. Often, this desire starts off in a good place: I want to help and serve my fellow believers. Yet, it can turn into a dark alternate that is fueled by jealousy, pride, and fear of man. Take a minute and consider Matthew 23. I’ll give a brief recap for you.

Jesus is talking to the crowd and his disciples warning them about living and acting like the Pharisees. Jesus describes how the pharisee's entire life was wrapped up in the attention that they desired. They wanted the best seats. They wanted recognition. They wanted the honor. Everything that they did, their “righteous acts,” were merely for their benefit. They were if we can say it this way, “attention sponges.” They soaked up the adulation from everyone around them, and Jesus states that this process leads to the burdening and binding of those who are following after them.

What is Jesus’ point in this teaching? Drop down to verse 11 and see what Jesus declares as the essential attitude of being a disciple: humility. “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Jesus’ declaration of who is the greatest or the most successful is the one who embodies the identity of a servant. The person who does thankless work often goes unnoticed and is not often compensated. This is the spirit that Christ calls us to embody.

So, how does our life embody this? Here are some thoughts to consider.

1) Do I serve to be recognized, and get angry if I don’t?

This was the Pharisees’ biggest thing right? They wanted to always be the center of attention. I want the recognition. I want the pat on the back. I want applause in the church so everyone knows who I am and what I do. Those that Christ condemns are those who hold this attitude. Our heart should be one of humility that serves gladly even if no one knows who I am and what I did because that is the heart of humility.

2) Am I constantly critiquing other leaders or believers because they didn’t do it like I think they should have?

Do I have an arrogant spirit that always must be followed? It comes out like this: “I know so and so does it like this but a better way….” “If I were in charge, I would….” “I wish we had done this outreach this other way because it would have been more successful.” Consider for a moment the heart that is being displayed in these statements. It is not a heart of humility but rather a heart of pride that holds one’s self and ideas above all others. This is the exact attitude that Jesus is condemning in the Pharisees. Rather, we should rejoice in the work God is doing and humbly serve in whatever area we can.

3) Do I seek to create other disciples that look like me or look like Christ?

The Pharisees were more concerned with making more Pharisees than they were with making obedient followers of God. The spirit of humility seeks to lower one’s self and lift high the person of Christ. I don’t get caught up in making sure others follow and hold my same preferences. I push them towards obeying Christ. I don’t focus on making sure they do their devotions the same way that I do them or else they won’t be as effective as they can be. First, the Spirit will work through His Word whether they do it just like you or not. Second, we should push them to grow their relationship with Christ by enjoying His Word and praying with Him.

The Spiritual superhero is the one who recognizes that the only spiritual superhero is Christ. Our only mission is to imperfectly follow His example so others see Him, and grow in Him. Our spirituality and our life are not the end point of sanctification. Obedience to Christ and His Word in humility is the path to pursuing sanctification.

Sincerely,

Pastor Derek Whitman