In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul writes, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." An ambassador is one who represents someone else. In our case, we are to be Jesus' ambassadors while here on earth. We are to represent Him in both word and deed. In Ephesians 6:20, Paul describes himself as "an ambassador in chains." He understood his role was to represent and carry the message of Jesus to those he crossed paths with. Another way to understand that is believers being the hands and feet of Jesus. Being an ambassador, or being the hands of feet of Jesus, should be viewed as both a privilege and a responsibility.
I am excited that we, First Baptist Church, have a few opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. We have forged a relationship with Pinewood Elementary School over the past few years. They have had a change in leadership, and we simply asked them how we could serve them. They responded with three ways we can help them, and I hope you will consider how you help. The first is a one-time opportunity while the other two are a longer-term commitment. If you sign-up for the later two, you are only expressing interest to learn more. It is not a commitment. You can sign-up for any or all on the sheets taped to the office windows.
1) We have scheduled a work day to help them repaint the front office and do a light cleaning of the teacher's lounge on July 27. We need eight people to help paint and three to clean the teacher's lounge. I hope you would consider giving up a few hours of your time that day. Neither should take than a few hours that morning.
2) The school asked if any would be willing to be lunch visitors. You would volunteer to have lunch once a week (30 minute period) with the same assigned small group, or you can be assigned to the same grade to sit with every week. Men are assigned to boys, and women are assigned to girls. You will meet with the same group the entire school year. The goal is to build relationships so children can be exposed to a positive, caring adult.
3) Pinewood participates with ARKids Read. That is a central Arkansas initiative that places reading buddies in schools. You will have to attend a short training, and the commitment is one hour per week. You are assigned two children, and you spend 30 minutes with each child.
Again, I hope you will consider one or all of these opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I fully expect our church to give Pinewood the support it needs.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Things to be in Prayer For
As we are approaching the summer months, I wanted to briefly keep you in the loop of some things to be in prayer for in the upcoming weeks.
Jonah Bynum
If you were not here on Sunday, May 5, Jonah Bynum, our Modern Worship Pastor, announced his resignation. He is at the point in ministry that he wants to explore entering into full-time ministry. Here is what I would like to ask of you. First, please drop by on May 19, at noon for a reception. If you would like to bring a card with a love offering or gift card, you are welcome to do that. Second, please be in prayer for both Jonah and Ashton, as this will be a time of transition for them.
Vacation Bible School
Don't forget that VBS is June 9-13, from 6-8:30p. It is for kids who have completed PreK4-6th Grade. You can pre-register by clicking here. If you are a volunteer, remember we have a training meeting this Sunday, May 19, at 4pm in Fellowship Hall. Whether you are helping or not, please begin praying for the volunteers, weather, and the children who will be here. Pray specifically for salvations.
Mission Fuge/SuperKids Camp
M-Fuge is June 3-8 for our students, and children's camp (completed 3rd-5th grade) is June 17-20. Pray for their safe travel, those they will minister to, and that God will work in their lives.
Building Recommendation
I know some of you are wondering when the Building Committee will have another meeting. We have not set a date yet, but I assure you we are meeting regularly. We appreciate the feedback from the surveys you turned in. We had a few good ideas presented, and we are wanting to make sure we leave no stone unturned. Therefore, we are exploring those ideas and evaluating what they might look like. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to do the Lord's will.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Jonah Bynum
If you were not here on Sunday, May 5, Jonah Bynum, our Modern Worship Pastor, announced his resignation. He is at the point in ministry that he wants to explore entering into full-time ministry. Here is what I would like to ask of you. First, please drop by on May 19, at noon for a reception. If you would like to bring a card with a love offering or gift card, you are welcome to do that. Second, please be in prayer for both Jonah and Ashton, as this will be a time of transition for them.
Vacation Bible School
Don't forget that VBS is June 9-13, from 6-8:30p. It is for kids who have completed PreK4-6th Grade. You can pre-register by clicking here. If you are a volunteer, remember we have a training meeting this Sunday, May 19, at 4pm in Fellowship Hall. Whether you are helping or not, please begin praying for the volunteers, weather, and the children who will be here. Pray specifically for salvations.
Mission Fuge/SuperKids Camp
M-Fuge is June 3-8 for our students, and children's camp (completed 3rd-5th grade) is June 17-20. Pray for their safe travel, those they will minister to, and that God will work in their lives.
Building Recommendation
I know some of you are wondering when the Building Committee will have another meeting. We have not set a date yet, but I assure you we are meeting regularly. We appreciate the feedback from the surveys you turned in. We had a few good ideas presented, and we are wanting to make sure we leave no stone unturned. Therefore, we are exploring those ideas and evaluating what they might look like. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to do the Lord's will.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Healthy Church
When I have ministry friends ask me how church is going, I always brag on our church and tell them how thankful we are to be at FBC. I tell people that we have a healthy church. Now, no church is perfect because every church has people in it, and people are sinful. However, I feel like we have a healthy church. After serving 20+ years in the ministry, I can tell when I am in a place of health or unhealthiness.
Why do I mention all of that? Well, first I am thankful to be here and to serve in a place where there is both joy and health. A person can show up on a Sunday morning and tell that we like each other. That sounds so simple, but I have been in fellowships where one group disliked another group and made sure people knew it. I have been in fellowships where individuals were always jockeying for power and position. Unfortunately, it created tension and turmoil. I served in a place where the pastor and worship pastor did not get along nor like one another. I served in another place where I was consistently gossiped about and rarely supported by the pastor. Honestly, "going to church" became a chore and burden. It was not a place I ran to where I would walk away encouraged and filled with joy. The second reason I mention this is that I read a blog earlier this year by Chuck Lawless titled, "10 Marks of a Happy Church." I hope you will read his article and ask a couple of questions. One, is this us? Two, what am I doing to help our church become this?
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor FBC Jacksonville, AR
Why do I mention all of that? Well, first I am thankful to be here and to serve in a place where there is both joy and health. A person can show up on a Sunday morning and tell that we like each other. That sounds so simple, but I have been in fellowships where one group disliked another group and made sure people knew it. I have been in fellowships where individuals were always jockeying for power and position. Unfortunately, it created tension and turmoil. I served in a place where the pastor and worship pastor did not get along nor like one another. I served in another place where I was consistently gossiped about and rarely supported by the pastor. Honestly, "going to church" became a chore and burden. It was not a place I ran to where I would walk away encouraged and filled with joy. The second reason I mention this is that I read a blog earlier this year by Chuck Lawless titled, "10 Marks of a Happy Church." I hope you will read his article and ask a couple of questions. One, is this us? Two, what am I doing to help our church become this?
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Faith Sharing Opportunities
I have heard over the years that waiters/waitresses do not enjoy working on Sunday's. The reason is not because it is Sunday and they want to go to church or have a day off. They don't want to work Sunday's because of those who eat on Sunday's. Yep, they don't like dealing with Christians who eat at their restaurants. Why is that? Well, I have heard there are three primary reasons. First, they let their kids be loud and obnoxious. Second, they complain and gripe about the food. Third, they don't tip very well. Ouch!!!
That's quite an indictment against us, but I would agree it is accurate from my outings with fellow friends after church on Sunday. I have been embarrassed when kids begin to act uncontrollably, and I have cringed inwardly when someone I was with began to abrasively complain about food to our waitress. To be completely honest, we don't eat out much on Sunday afternoons. We have never been able to afford taking a family of six out to eat every Sunday, and even if we could, we did not want to spend our money that way. By the way, I'm not saying it is wrong to take your family out to eat with friends every Sunday. It is a good thing, and even biblical, to share a meal with fellow believers. However, let me present to you that it can be an opportunity to both share and model your faith for someone who is not able to worship on a Sunday because they are busy serving. Most of those who wait on me when I go out to eat are trying to put themselves through college or working to help ends meet at home. Both of those are admirable.
Now, if you are not going to tip well then don't do this...haha. The reason is what you say and what you do will not agree. Oh by the way, leaving a witnessing tract is not a tip. It is an insult. So, what can you do? The first thing I do is make sure I get the waiters name and use it when talking with him. Secondly, after the person takes my order, I tell him we are going to say a prayer to bless our food. Then, I ask him if there is anything I can pray for him about. This is so simple, but it opens the door to have further conversation.
I remember being with staff members at lunch when we did this with our waitress. She was moved to tears and even came and sat with us while we ate. She was having a difficult time, and we were able to love on and minister to her. Shannon and I had dinner at a steak place about a year ago when we asked our waitress if we could pray for her. It was so cool that she shared with us how her and her husband were recently married, and he was about to be deployed. Normally, we pray as soon as we get the bread to snack on. However, she asked us to pray with her after she brought the food. I will never forget how she stood next to our table as we prayed for her. A simple meal can be used as an opportunity to share our faith, encourage a waitress, and bless those around us. Try it next time you go out eat.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor FBC Jacksonville, AR
That's quite an indictment against us, but I would agree it is accurate from my outings with fellow friends after church on Sunday. I have been embarrassed when kids begin to act uncontrollably, and I have cringed inwardly when someone I was with began to abrasively complain about food to our waitress. To be completely honest, we don't eat out much on Sunday afternoons. We have never been able to afford taking a family of six out to eat every Sunday, and even if we could, we did not want to spend our money that way. By the way, I'm not saying it is wrong to take your family out to eat with friends every Sunday. It is a good thing, and even biblical, to share a meal with fellow believers. However, let me present to you that it can be an opportunity to both share and model your faith for someone who is not able to worship on a Sunday because they are busy serving. Most of those who wait on me when I go out to eat are trying to put themselves through college or working to help ends meet at home. Both of those are admirable.
Now, if you are not going to tip well then don't do this...haha. The reason is what you say and what you do will not agree. Oh by the way, leaving a witnessing tract is not a tip. It is an insult. So, what can you do? The first thing I do is make sure I get the waiters name and use it when talking with him. Secondly, after the person takes my order, I tell him we are going to say a prayer to bless our food. Then, I ask him if there is anything I can pray for him about. This is so simple, but it opens the door to have further conversation.
I remember being with staff members at lunch when we did this with our waitress. She was moved to tears and even came and sat with us while we ate. She was having a difficult time, and we were able to love on and minister to her. Shannon and I had dinner at a steak place about a year ago when we asked our waitress if we could pray for her. It was so cool that she shared with us how her and her husband were recently married, and he was about to be deployed. Normally, we pray as soon as we get the bread to snack on. However, she asked us to pray with her after she brought the food. I will never forget how she stood next to our table as we prayed for her. A simple meal can be used as an opportunity to share our faith, encourage a waitress, and bless those around us. Try it next time you go out eat.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Town Hall/Building Recommendation
Church Family,
First, I want to thank everyone that filled out one of the polls last Sunday. We appreciate your thoughts and your honesty. We had scheduled a town hall meeting for this Sunday night, April 7. However, we want the building committee to have time to review, process, and discuss the comments expressed in the poll. Due to busy/conflicting schedules, we will not be able to meet this week. Therefore, we are going to postpone the town hall meeting until after Easter. I will let you know as soon as we set a new date.
Now, if you will indulge me for a few moments, I want to share some thoughts in regards to some of the comments and common misconceptions about building. I want to make sure everyone in our church sees the big picture and is processing with the same information. I had breakfast last week with a gentlemen who works for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The heart of our conversation was centered around churches building Family Life Centers (FLC). I want to share with you some of his thoughts as well as the results of research done by the State Convention. I hope you will take time to read through this and click the links (all research done by Arkansas Baptist State Convention) I am attaching so you can see the research for yourself. I thought it was interesting when I told the man we were thinking of building a FLC that he said the first thing he does when church's talk to him is try to convince them to not build a FLC. This comes from a man who has served on staff at a church as Recreational Pastor for several years.
Let's begin with a general misconception about buildings. One of the most famous quotes from "Field of Dreams" is, "If you build it, he will come." Some believe the same is true of church buildings. If we build it, people will come. People do not come to church because of buildings. They come because of relationships. The gentleman I had breakfast with shared with me that research shows why people attend a church. The answer is relationships. One poll even discovered that only 2% of people attend a church because of the pastor. I thought that was funny and humbling. People come to church because they are invited by a friend or have a relative that attends that church. It is about relationships. If we want to reach our community, a building will not do that. If we want to reach our community, we have to be serious about building relationships with people and sharing the Gospel with them. In addition, the gentleman shared with me that if a church is growing at a 3% rate before a building, then that same church will grow at a 3% rate after the building is completed. Us being intentional about building relationships to share the Gospel is what grows a church. That does not change with or without a building.
I want to dovetail another thought with that. While buildings do not stimulate growth, a building can cap/prevent growth (click here point #1). Any building/space has a limit it can hold. We even have fire codes that set a limit to the number of people who can occupy a space. In our culture, we have personal space bubbles that we don't want others to invade. Because of that, research proves that only a certain number of people will comfortably occupy a shared space. Whenever that space is 80% full, then growth will not continue to happen in that space. Here is a link to show the statistics. Currently, our nursery is running at 80% capacity. Statistics prove that if we do not create more room for our children, then we are going to cap/prevent any more growth in that area. I'm glad that an overwhelming majority who filled out a poll agreed that we need to remodel our children's area. I want to be very clear. Remodeling the children's area does not mean growth will happen (paragraph above), but if we do not remodel, then we are resigning ourselves to no further growth in that area.
A misconception about building a FLC is that it will attract young families. I had a conversation with a pastor-friend about a month ago. He served in a church several years ago that was considering building a FLC. He contacted the Southern Baptist Convention to inquire further. They told him that FLCs do not attract young families, and here is why. Young families can't utilize the space because they work all day, and then they attend their children's extracurricular activities at night. As a parent of four children, I can attest to that. Our kids are always at practice or having games at night. The only way to use the FLC to attract younger families is to have ministries for young families (read earlier paragraph about relationships attract people). Click here to see research. To do this effectively, a church must hire a recreational pastor at least one year in advance (point #3 on research). Honestly, our church does not have the resources to hire someone at this point. We could, but that would mean we have to let another staff member go or reduce some staff to part-time. In other words, we would begin a ministry at the cost of other growing ministries. You can also click here to see a checklist before building a FLC. I could only say "yes" to a couple of the questions.
My final thought in regards to misconceptions is the idea of building something and then creating ministries for it. That concept is completely backwards, and that is what we would be doing with a FLC. Let me give you an example. I am not a carpenter, and I don't have tools to be a carpenter. How do you think my wife would respond if one day I told her I wanted to begin doing carpentry work? I want us to take a loan from the bank so I can build an elaborate shop and equip it with the tools I need to be a carpenter. If you know Shannon, you know she would roll her eyes at me and then laugh. Why? Because it doesn't make sense. If I was a carpenter, then it would make sense. Now, let's apply that to church life. Why would we build an elaborate building for ministries we don't even have? It doesn't make sense. We need to make sure our buildings are designed, equipped, and utilized for the ministries we already have. The right way to move forward for a church is to create ministries and then build a building to make those ministries more effective. Isn't that what was done for our current building? Why would we do something different now?
Here is one other link that is a good read.
I knew from the beginning this would be a painful process for our church, and that is why I mentioned so much about us coming to the Lord in prayer. I urge you to continue to seek His face in this matter. Let me remind us all that our personal desires do not matter. We need to be obedient to the Lord and honor Him. That means more than our final decision. This includes our conversations and attitudes as we work through the process as well.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
First, I want to thank everyone that filled out one of the polls last Sunday. We appreciate your thoughts and your honesty. We had scheduled a town hall meeting for this Sunday night, April 7. However, we want the building committee to have time to review, process, and discuss the comments expressed in the poll. Due to busy/conflicting schedules, we will not be able to meet this week. Therefore, we are going to postpone the town hall meeting until after Easter. I will let you know as soon as we set a new date.
Now, if you will indulge me for a few moments, I want to share some thoughts in regards to some of the comments and common misconceptions about building. I want to make sure everyone in our church sees the big picture and is processing with the same information. I had breakfast last week with a gentlemen who works for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The heart of our conversation was centered around churches building Family Life Centers (FLC). I want to share with you some of his thoughts as well as the results of research done by the State Convention. I hope you will take time to read through this and click the links (all research done by Arkansas Baptist State Convention) I am attaching so you can see the research for yourself. I thought it was interesting when I told the man we were thinking of building a FLC that he said the first thing he does when church's talk to him is try to convince them to not build a FLC. This comes from a man who has served on staff at a church as Recreational Pastor for several years.
Let's begin with a general misconception about buildings. One of the most famous quotes from "Field of Dreams" is, "If you build it, he will come." Some believe the same is true of church buildings. If we build it, people will come. People do not come to church because of buildings. They come because of relationships. The gentleman I had breakfast with shared with me that research shows why people attend a church. The answer is relationships. One poll even discovered that only 2% of people attend a church because of the pastor. I thought that was funny and humbling. People come to church because they are invited by a friend or have a relative that attends that church. It is about relationships. If we want to reach our community, a building will not do that. If we want to reach our community, we have to be serious about building relationships with people and sharing the Gospel with them. In addition, the gentleman shared with me that if a church is growing at a 3% rate before a building, then that same church will grow at a 3% rate after the building is completed. Us being intentional about building relationships to share the Gospel is what grows a church. That does not change with or without a building.
I want to dovetail another thought with that. While buildings do not stimulate growth, a building can cap/prevent growth (click here point #1). Any building/space has a limit it can hold. We even have fire codes that set a limit to the number of people who can occupy a space. In our culture, we have personal space bubbles that we don't want others to invade. Because of that, research proves that only a certain number of people will comfortably occupy a shared space. Whenever that space is 80% full, then growth will not continue to happen in that space. Here is a link to show the statistics. Currently, our nursery is running at 80% capacity. Statistics prove that if we do not create more room for our children, then we are going to cap/prevent any more growth in that area. I'm glad that an overwhelming majority who filled out a poll agreed that we need to remodel our children's area. I want to be very clear. Remodeling the children's area does not mean growth will happen (paragraph above), but if we do not remodel, then we are resigning ourselves to no further growth in that area.
A misconception about building a FLC is that it will attract young families. I had a conversation with a pastor-friend about a month ago. He served in a church several years ago that was considering building a FLC. He contacted the Southern Baptist Convention to inquire further. They told him that FLCs do not attract young families, and here is why. Young families can't utilize the space because they work all day, and then they attend their children's extracurricular activities at night. As a parent of four children, I can attest to that. Our kids are always at practice or having games at night. The only way to use the FLC to attract younger families is to have ministries for young families (read earlier paragraph about relationships attract people). Click here to see research. To do this effectively, a church must hire a recreational pastor at least one year in advance (point #3 on research). Honestly, our church does not have the resources to hire someone at this point. We could, but that would mean we have to let another staff member go or reduce some staff to part-time. In other words, we would begin a ministry at the cost of other growing ministries. You can also click here to see a checklist before building a FLC. I could only say "yes" to a couple of the questions.
My final thought in regards to misconceptions is the idea of building something and then creating ministries for it. That concept is completely backwards, and that is what we would be doing with a FLC. Let me give you an example. I am not a carpenter, and I don't have tools to be a carpenter. How do you think my wife would respond if one day I told her I wanted to begin doing carpentry work? I want us to take a loan from the bank so I can build an elaborate shop and equip it with the tools I need to be a carpenter. If you know Shannon, you know she would roll her eyes at me and then laugh. Why? Because it doesn't make sense. If I was a carpenter, then it would make sense. Now, let's apply that to church life. Why would we build an elaborate building for ministries we don't even have? It doesn't make sense. We need to make sure our buildings are designed, equipped, and utilized for the ministries we already have. The right way to move forward for a church is to create ministries and then build a building to make those ministries more effective. Isn't that what was done for our current building? Why would we do something different now?
Here is one other link that is a good read.
I knew from the beginning this would be a painful process for our church, and that is why I mentioned so much about us coming to the Lord in prayer. I urge you to continue to seek His face in this matter. Let me remind us all that our personal desires do not matter. We need to be obedient to the Lord and honor Him. That means more than our final decision. This includes our conversations and attitudes as we work through the process as well.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Being Still
My brothers invited me to join them and some other family in hiking the Grand Canyon this summer. They have invited me before, but I was never able to work out my schedule to go with them. I can't convey how excited I am at the opportunity. My family took a vacation out west when I was three. So, I have been to the Grand Canyon, but I don't remember it. I'm excited about the chance to do more than see the Grand Canyon; we are going to hike from one side to the other in a single day. On top of that, my youngest son, Nate, is hiking with me.
To hike down and out in a day requires training and preparation. I have been exercising and training with Nate for the past few weeks, but this last Saturday he was not able to join me when I went for a six-mile hike. Hiking with others is great, but sometimes it is nice just being alone. I seldom get chances to do things alone, and I am not complaining about that. I enjoy doing life with others. However, I wonder if I am so busy and with others so much that I neglect that part of my walk with Jesus. So, let's consider a few verses:
I often forget that being still is a command. Psalm 46:10 states, "Be still, and know that I am God." I am commanded to be still. Being still does not mean I am motionless. It is the idea of stilling my heart so I can recognize God's presence with me. This verse is quoted often, but it is important to remember all of Psalm 46. The psalm is filled with statements about trouble, the earth disappearing, mountains falling into the sea, waters roaring and foaming, earthquakes, war, governments falling, and desolation. That sounds quite familiar with what we see on the news. We hear stories of trouble, natural disasters, destruction, war, and nations striving against one another. We are reminded that it is in the chaos of life that we are to still our hearts and know God. How often do we get alone and still our hearts because we desire to know God?
Being still and alone with God are not new concepts. We observe this spiritual discipline in the lives of many prominent Old Testament saints:
"Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the 'tent of meeting.' Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp....The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." (Exodus 33:7, 11).
Elijah finds himself alone and depressed when God speaks in a "gentle whisper." (1 Kings 19:12)
In David's most famous psalm, he hints at being alone and still before his Shepherd when he writes, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-2)
Being still and alone are modeled by Jesus too:
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)
"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16)
What did Jesus do before He called the disciples? "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles." (Luke 6:12-13)
What did Jesus do when he mourned the loss of John the Baptist? "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place." (Matthew 14:13)
What did Jesus do when the crowds wanted to make Him king? "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." (John 6:15)
We often picture Jesus with crowds around Him, and He did spend time with the masses. However, Jesus models for us the importance of getting away from the rat race of life to be alone and still before the Lord. Jesus often got alone to prepare Himself for what was next. When I was alone on my hike, I was once again reminded of how great and spectacular my God is. I was also reminded of how small I really am, and yet my God loves me and is concerned for me.
Being alone and still is a time to be rejuvenated, restored, and refreshed in our souls. It is a time to remember who God is and who I am. It is a time where I am reminded that He is with me and for me. It is a time to know Him and still my soul to clearly hear His voice. Will we have the discipline to be still and know He is God?
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
To hike down and out in a day requires training and preparation. I have been exercising and training with Nate for the past few weeks, but this last Saturday he was not able to join me when I went for a six-mile hike. Hiking with others is great, but sometimes it is nice just being alone. I seldom get chances to do things alone, and I am not complaining about that. I enjoy doing life with others. However, I wonder if I am so busy and with others so much that I neglect that part of my walk with Jesus. So, let's consider a few verses:
I often forget that being still is a command. Psalm 46:10 states, "Be still, and know that I am God." I am commanded to be still. Being still does not mean I am motionless. It is the idea of stilling my heart so I can recognize God's presence with me. This verse is quoted often, but it is important to remember all of Psalm 46. The psalm is filled with statements about trouble, the earth disappearing, mountains falling into the sea, waters roaring and foaming, earthquakes, war, governments falling, and desolation. That sounds quite familiar with what we see on the news. We hear stories of trouble, natural disasters, destruction, war, and nations striving against one another. We are reminded that it is in the chaos of life that we are to still our hearts and know God. How often do we get alone and still our hearts because we desire to know God?
Being still and alone with God are not new concepts. We observe this spiritual discipline in the lives of many prominent Old Testament saints:
"Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the 'tent of meeting.' Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp....The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." (Exodus 33:7, 11).
Elijah finds himself alone and depressed when God speaks in a "gentle whisper." (1 Kings 19:12)
In David's most famous psalm, he hints at being alone and still before his Shepherd when he writes, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-2)
Being still and alone are modeled by Jesus too:
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)
"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16)
What did Jesus do before He called the disciples? "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles." (Luke 6:12-13)
What did Jesus do when he mourned the loss of John the Baptist? "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place." (Matthew 14:13)
What did Jesus do when the crowds wanted to make Him king? "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself." (John 6:15)
We often picture Jesus with crowds around Him, and He did spend time with the masses. However, Jesus models for us the importance of getting away from the rat race of life to be alone and still before the Lord. Jesus often got alone to prepare Himself for what was next. When I was alone on my hike, I was once again reminded of how great and spectacular my God is. I was also reminded of how small I really am, and yet my God loves me and is concerned for me.
Being alone and still is a time to be rejuvenated, restored, and refreshed in our souls. It is a time to remember who God is and who I am. It is a time where I am reminded that He is with me and for me. It is a time to know Him and still my soul to clearly hear His voice. Will we have the discipline to be still and know He is God?
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Commands or Traditions
A couple of months ago a close friend recommended a book by Francis Chan titled, "Letters to the Church." I enjoy his writings because they are simple, direct, and challenge me (often in ways I don't want to be challenged). After reading Chapter Three, I put the book down because I knew our staff needed to read through the book together and discuss it. I want to share with you a few of the concepts mentioned in Chapter Three and give you a glimpse into what the staff discussed in response.
In order to set the stage, let me share with you a quote from that chapter, "He [Jesus] expects to find His Church taking His commands seriously. Yet far too often we are more concerned with how well the sermon was communicated, whether the youth group is relevant enough, or how to make the music better. Honestly, what is it that gets people in your church stirred up for change? Is it disobedience towards commands from God? Or is it falling short of expectations that we have made up? The answer to these questions might just show us whether our church exists to please God or please people--whether God is leading our church or we are."
Wow! You might want to read that a few more times. This is exactly what the religious leaders of Jesus' day had done. They supplanted the commands of God with their own traditions. They were more passionate with their own man-made rules than the commands of God. So, our staff took some time to create two lists. The first list are some of the commands (not optional) in Scripture. These are actual commands in Scripture. By the way, neither list is exhaustive, and we took about three to five minutes for each list. The second list are some traditions (not optional). These are things expected in church that are not commands in Scripture. This does not mean they are bad. They are simply optional because they are not commands. Here is our brief list, and I would encourage you to take time with some friends or your spouse to come up with your own list:
Commands (not optional) Traditions (optional)
make disciples dressing up
love others time of day (schedule)
bear with one another hymns/style of music
minister to orphans & widows instrument types
forgive others Bible translations
carry each other's burdens architecture/buildings
pray pews
sing/worship in spirit & truth age group ministries
study/read Scripture potlucks
take Lord's Supper Sunday night worship
baptism Wednesday worship (prayer meeting)
tithe Sunday School
evangelism order of service
go bulletin
go extra mile programs
hospitality entertainment
use spiritual gifts special events (egg hunt, fall festival, etc.)
obey 10 commandments choir
show grace & mercy donuts & coffee
be a living sacrifice committees
be holy majority voting
be an example steeples
paid staff
denominational hierarchy
Now, let's have some fun with these lists and ask some probing questions. In the leader's guide, Chan asks questions in response to these lists that I want you to think through personally and for our church. What do you give more time, money, and energy toward? Do you get more upset if we aren't taking things on the command side seriously or if we aren't taking things on the tradition side seriously? By the way, let's be honest in our response.
I don't want to share everything that was said in our staff meeting, but I want to highlight a couple of comments that were made and some of my personal thoughts. Also, remember that the traditions are not inherently bad. However, they are not commands either. First, we felt like our church spends more of its time, money, and energy towards the traditions. One person commented that maybe we do the traditional things in an attempt to fulfill the commands. I can buy that. For example, Sunday School was created as a tool for evangelism. Potlucks are an attempt at creating fellowship. But we need to remember that it is the command that is the most important; not the tradition.
This leads to the second thing I want to discuss. People get more upset with the traditions being messed with. Does it personally bother you that you haven't intentionally made a disciple? Are you convicted that you haven't shared the gospel with anyone lately? What about ministering to orphans and widows? How does your life model "going"? When was the last time we baptized someone? Does that really bother you and make you upset?
Now, let me ask how you would respond if we, the leadership in the church, announced that we were going to cancel your favorite program? Would you be upset? What if we said we were not going have a choir anymore? What if we said we were going to change our governmental structure and not allow members to vote anymore? (By the way, when they voted in Scripture they got it wrong.) What if we quit printing bulletins? Let's be honest. People are more passionate about traditions. Someone posted on social media a couple of weeks ago that it wasn't right that our church had Pancakes and PJs for kids on time change Sunday. Wow! I wonder if they are as upset with the fact that lost people are dying without Jesus?
In my years in ministry, I have had people get upset with me about changes. Keep in mind the changes are about tradition and not commands. I have even had individuals make attacking, harmful comments about me on social media. I always wonder why people are not upset with our disobedience to the direct commands of Jesus. Things like going, making disciples, forgiving, abiding in Christ, serving, and using my spiritual gifts. Maybe we are not growing because our traditions mean more to us than the commands of Jesus. What do you think?
Let me leave you with a question by Jesus in Matthew 15:3. "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
In order to set the stage, let me share with you a quote from that chapter, "He [Jesus] expects to find His Church taking His commands seriously. Yet far too often we are more concerned with how well the sermon was communicated, whether the youth group is relevant enough, or how to make the music better. Honestly, what is it that gets people in your church stirred up for change? Is it disobedience towards commands from God? Or is it falling short of expectations that we have made up? The answer to these questions might just show us whether our church exists to please God or please people--whether God is leading our church or we are."
Wow! You might want to read that a few more times. This is exactly what the religious leaders of Jesus' day had done. They supplanted the commands of God with their own traditions. They were more passionate with their own man-made rules than the commands of God. So, our staff took some time to create two lists. The first list are some of the commands (not optional) in Scripture. These are actual commands in Scripture. By the way, neither list is exhaustive, and we took about three to five minutes for each list. The second list are some traditions (not optional). These are things expected in church that are not commands in Scripture. This does not mean they are bad. They are simply optional because they are not commands. Here is our brief list, and I would encourage you to take time with some friends or your spouse to come up with your own list:
Commands (not optional) Traditions (optional)
make disciples dressing up
love others time of day (schedule)
bear with one another hymns/style of music
minister to orphans & widows instrument types
forgive others Bible translations
carry each other's burdens architecture/buildings
pray pews
sing/worship in spirit & truth age group ministries
study/read Scripture potlucks
take Lord's Supper Sunday night worship
baptism Wednesday worship (prayer meeting)
tithe Sunday School
evangelism order of service
go bulletin
go extra mile programs
hospitality entertainment
use spiritual gifts special events (egg hunt, fall festival, etc.)
obey 10 commandments choir
show grace & mercy donuts & coffee
be a living sacrifice committees
be holy majority voting
be an example steeples
paid staff
denominational hierarchy
Now, let's have some fun with these lists and ask some probing questions. In the leader's guide, Chan asks questions in response to these lists that I want you to think through personally and for our church. What do you give more time, money, and energy toward? Do you get more upset if we aren't taking things on the command side seriously or if we aren't taking things on the tradition side seriously? By the way, let's be honest in our response.
I don't want to share everything that was said in our staff meeting, but I want to highlight a couple of comments that were made and some of my personal thoughts. Also, remember that the traditions are not inherently bad. However, they are not commands either. First, we felt like our church spends more of its time, money, and energy towards the traditions. One person commented that maybe we do the traditional things in an attempt to fulfill the commands. I can buy that. For example, Sunday School was created as a tool for evangelism. Potlucks are an attempt at creating fellowship. But we need to remember that it is the command that is the most important; not the tradition.
This leads to the second thing I want to discuss. People get more upset with the traditions being messed with. Does it personally bother you that you haven't intentionally made a disciple? Are you convicted that you haven't shared the gospel with anyone lately? What about ministering to orphans and widows? How does your life model "going"? When was the last time we baptized someone? Does that really bother you and make you upset?
Now, let me ask how you would respond if we, the leadership in the church, announced that we were going to cancel your favorite program? Would you be upset? What if we said we were not going have a choir anymore? What if we said we were going to change our governmental structure and not allow members to vote anymore? (By the way, when they voted in Scripture they got it wrong.) What if we quit printing bulletins? Let's be honest. People are more passionate about traditions. Someone posted on social media a couple of weeks ago that it wasn't right that our church had Pancakes and PJs for kids on time change Sunday. Wow! I wonder if they are as upset with the fact that lost people are dying without Jesus?
In my years in ministry, I have had people get upset with me about changes. Keep in mind the changes are about tradition and not commands. I have even had individuals make attacking, harmful comments about me on social media. I always wonder why people are not upset with our disobedience to the direct commands of Jesus. Things like going, making disciples, forgiving, abiding in Christ, serving, and using my spiritual gifts. Maybe we are not growing because our traditions mean more to us than the commands of Jesus. What do you think?
Let me leave you with a question by Jesus in Matthew 15:3. "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?"
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Faith Rewarded
My wife, Shannon, and I have been transitioning into a new phase of life. Over the past year and a half, our two oldest have graduated high school and moved to college. Our daughter graduates in a few months, and our youngest will have completed his freshman year of high school. Honestly, I am filled with mixed emotions. Facebook will show pics on my Timehop that do nothing but thrust memories into my mind that make me long for when they were younger. I even saw a Disney commercial the other day, and I started thinking of our vacation there. I did not cry, but I wanted to. I am just a mess. However, I also find myself celebrating as they live out their faith. As parents, we have tried to teach them how to walk with Jesus, but you never know how they will fly until you push them out of the nest.
I am reminded of Psalm 127:3-5, "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." I know to even use the phrase "my children" is incorrect. They are not mine but they belong to the Lord. They are His, and I have been given the blessing of raising God's children. My job has been to raise up God's children and then release them like an arrow. That's scary to think about, and what an incredible responsibility! I know the enemy wants to discourage, tempt, and draw them away, but I have to entrust them to the Lord. Honestly, that is difficult. As a parent, I want to rush in and help, but I know they have to live out their faith and follow Him. I definitely find myself praying for my children now more than ever. I pray God's blessing and favor on them. I pray God protect them, raise them up as leaders, and that He keep them, and their future spouse, pure. God has been faithful.
It has been fun, exhausting, and stressful in recent days to watch them take their own steps of faith. I want to share one brief story of my oldest, Caleb. He completed basic training a little over a year ago, and he was attending a local college. However, the National Guard benefits were better in an adjoining state, and he felt led to move five hours away to another city to attend college. Like many college students, he was trying to figure out financially how everything would work. On top of that, he was trying to transfer to a different military unit and transfer to another school. He was confident this was God's leading, but all the details between finances, school, and military were not coming together. Let's just say we all felt the stress and anxiety.
For me personally, God has often called me to take a step of faith before He works out the details. Moving my wife and two kids to seminary with no job, a small place to live, and a few bucks in my wallet is just one example. I believe these moments are a test to see how much I really trust Him. As we talked with Caleb, I felt the same thing was happening in his life, but I also know he had to take that step on his own. Faith works that way. Others can't do it for us. Each one of us must take that step and trust when our foot comes down that we will feel solid ground underneath. And that's what happened. Caleb moved, and shortly after he took that step of faith all the details came together. I know in his life it has been a moment he won't forget. It was a moment where God again proved His faithfulness. That's a lesson one only learns from experience, and I'm thankful to see my children walking by faith.
Let me leave you with 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight."
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
I am reminded of Psalm 127:3-5, "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." I know to even use the phrase "my children" is incorrect. They are not mine but they belong to the Lord. They are His, and I have been given the blessing of raising God's children. My job has been to raise up God's children and then release them like an arrow. That's scary to think about, and what an incredible responsibility! I know the enemy wants to discourage, tempt, and draw them away, but I have to entrust them to the Lord. Honestly, that is difficult. As a parent, I want to rush in and help, but I know they have to live out their faith and follow Him. I definitely find myself praying for my children now more than ever. I pray God's blessing and favor on them. I pray God protect them, raise them up as leaders, and that He keep them, and their future spouse, pure. God has been faithful.
It has been fun, exhausting, and stressful in recent days to watch them take their own steps of faith. I want to share one brief story of my oldest, Caleb. He completed basic training a little over a year ago, and he was attending a local college. However, the National Guard benefits were better in an adjoining state, and he felt led to move five hours away to another city to attend college. Like many college students, he was trying to figure out financially how everything would work. On top of that, he was trying to transfer to a different military unit and transfer to another school. He was confident this was God's leading, but all the details between finances, school, and military were not coming together. Let's just say we all felt the stress and anxiety.
For me personally, God has often called me to take a step of faith before He works out the details. Moving my wife and two kids to seminary with no job, a small place to live, and a few bucks in my wallet is just one example. I believe these moments are a test to see how much I really trust Him. As we talked with Caleb, I felt the same thing was happening in his life, but I also know he had to take that step on his own. Faith works that way. Others can't do it for us. Each one of us must take that step and trust when our foot comes down that we will feel solid ground underneath. And that's what happened. Caleb moved, and shortly after he took that step of faith all the details came together. I know in his life it has been a moment he won't forget. It was a moment where God again proved His faithfulness. That's a lesson one only learns from experience, and I'm thankful to see my children walking by faith.
Let me leave you with 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight."
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Building Committee Presentation
Church Family,
In the early Fall of 2017, our church elected a Building Committee to evaluate, research, and recommend the next steps for our church's building plans. This process has been working simultaneously as the Envision 20/20 Stewardship Campaign; which we are a little over a year into. After a great deal of prayer, discussion, visiting other churches, and refining the design, we are ready to report to our church on March 3, at 5pm in the sanctuary. The meeting will consist of the committee sharing a plan with our church, and then we will allow time for questions. This night is not a business meeting where we vote. We simply want to share and give our church time to process and ask questions. The committee will then have follow-up meetings with several smaller groups. After that, we will have another all-inclusive meeting to give everyone one final chance to ask questions. Once done, we will have a business meeting to vote on the steps to be taken.
I do not want to go into great detail here, but I want to share a couple of thoughts to prepare you for the meeting and give you a direction for personal prayer. First, the committee has spent a great deal of time in prayer both together and individually. We visited three churches to see their design, and we took a video tour of another church. We have tried to take into account what they did while focusing on what we believe will work best in our context. During our first meeting, we asked two questions. Why do we need to do this, and what are our greatest needs? We will share those answers during the meeting, but I want you to know that the answers to those questions are what have motivated and shaped what we are going to present. In addition, we looked at the ministries we are doing here regularly. We do not believe it makes sense to let ministries that are outside of our church and use our building to dictate what we do. Neither does it make sense to design a building based on things that happen once a year.
Remember that what is presented is a balance of our greatest needs, a step of faith, and also stewardship of God's resources. Please be in prayer for unity in our church. We know this will be an opportunity for Satan to divide us. So, be in prayer for yourself and our church that we work together through any differing opinions in a Godly manner. Pray for yourself as well that you will be willing to think out-of-the-box, sacrifice personal preference, and honor the Lord with how we steward His resources.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
In the early Fall of 2017, our church elected a Building Committee to evaluate, research, and recommend the next steps for our church's building plans. This process has been working simultaneously as the Envision 20/20 Stewardship Campaign; which we are a little over a year into. After a great deal of prayer, discussion, visiting other churches, and refining the design, we are ready to report to our church on March 3, at 5pm in the sanctuary. The meeting will consist of the committee sharing a plan with our church, and then we will allow time for questions. This night is not a business meeting where we vote. We simply want to share and give our church time to process and ask questions. The committee will then have follow-up meetings with several smaller groups. After that, we will have another all-inclusive meeting to give everyone one final chance to ask questions. Once done, we will have a business meeting to vote on the steps to be taken.
I do not want to go into great detail here, but I want to share a couple of thoughts to prepare you for the meeting and give you a direction for personal prayer. First, the committee has spent a great deal of time in prayer both together and individually. We visited three churches to see their design, and we took a video tour of another church. We have tried to take into account what they did while focusing on what we believe will work best in our context. During our first meeting, we asked two questions. Why do we need to do this, and what are our greatest needs? We will share those answers during the meeting, but I want you to know that the answers to those questions are what have motivated and shaped what we are going to present. In addition, we looked at the ministries we are doing here regularly. We do not believe it makes sense to let ministries that are outside of our church and use our building to dictate what we do. Neither does it make sense to design a building based on things that happen once a year.
Remember that what is presented is a balance of our greatest needs, a step of faith, and also stewardship of God's resources. Please be in prayer for unity in our church. We know this will be an opportunity for Satan to divide us. So, be in prayer for yourself and our church that we work together through any differing opinions in a Godly manner. Pray for yourself as well that you will be willing to think out-of-the-box, sacrifice personal preference, and honor the Lord with how we steward His resources.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Something a Little Funny
Laughter. Laughing is one of my favorite things to do; even if it is at myself. Lord Byron has said, "Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine." I'm no Lord Byron, but one of the things I find myself often saying is, "You just have to laugh." People are funny. Sometimes they do/say things that make perfect sense to them. However, when you are on the other side or watching from a distance, it leaves you scratching your head. I can't think of a place this happens more often than in the church.
I love the blog that Thom Rainer writes. Occasionally he will blog about something funny. So, if you click the link below you can read, "20 Really Weird Criticisms Pastors Receive." I hope as you read these, even if you are guilty of saying them, you will laugh a little. I know I did.
20 Really Weird Criticisms Pastors Receive
If you have time, it is worth reading the comments below the blog. Some of it is funny, but in reality most of it is truly sad.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
I love the blog that Thom Rainer writes. Occasionally he will blog about something funny. So, if you click the link below you can read, "20 Really Weird Criticisms Pastors Receive." I hope as you read these, even if you are guilty of saying them, you will laugh a little. I know I did.
20 Really Weird Criticisms Pastors Receive
If you have time, it is worth reading the comments below the blog. Some of it is funny, but in reality most of it is truly sad.
In Christ,
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC Jacksonville, AR
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
ONE Theme
The first sermon of every year I preach a celebration sermon. It has stories of the things God has done during the previous year, and I always conclude with goals for the upcoming year. Remembering the past can be healthy, encouraging. Becoming stuck in the past can be dangerous. It is important to remember that God is at work today, and we need to keep our eyes focused on Him, what He is doing, and what He is preparing us for.
This year, I shared what is called ONE Theme. We are asking individuals in our church to make five commitments centered around the word ONE:
1. Commit to ONE worship service every weekend
We are reminded in Hebrews 10:24-25 the importance of gathering together. The author writes, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." It is important that we gather together for encouragement to prepare us to be sent out again. Plus, it's biblical. You can look up 1 Chronicles 16:23-31 and John 4:24 for further study.
2. Commit to ONE small group (Sunday School or Connect)
Small groups are where deep relationships, discipleship, and fellowship really happen. It worked for Jesus, and if it is the model Jesus used, it would make sense for us to follow that model. Jesus had 12 disciples that he poured Himself into. This model was carried on by the early church in Acts 2:46, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts." A couple of other verses that don't mention a small group but give evidence of that type of fellowship are Galatians 6:2 (carrying each other's burdens) and James 5:16 (confessing sin and praying for one another).
3. Commit to ONE place of service
Serving the body of Christ is both biblical and modeled by Jesus. 1 Peter 4:10 states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." We are to use our gifts, talents to serve one another. By doing so, we are being faithful to the Lord. Jesus spoke about serving in Matthew 20:28, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The greatest example is in John 13, when Jesus takes the form of a servant to wash the disciples feet (John 13:12-14). How can you follow His model and serve the body of Christ?
4. Commit to intentionally build ONE relationship with a lost person and share the Gospel
The church was never meant to be inward focused or me-centered. One purpose of the church is to go out, build relationships with those who don't know Christ, and share the Gospel with them. In Luke 15, we read of a lost sheep, lost coin, and a lost son. In the first two stories when something was lost, the person stopped everything to go find the lost item (sheep, coin). In the final story, no one went to find the lost son. Which story describes you the most? Remember what Jesus said in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
5. Commit to invite ONE person to church
This year, I shared what is called ONE Theme. We are asking individuals in our church to make five commitments centered around the word ONE:
1. Commit to ONE worship service every weekend
We are reminded in Hebrews 10:24-25 the importance of gathering together. The author writes, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." It is important that we gather together for encouragement to prepare us to be sent out again. Plus, it's biblical. You can look up 1 Chronicles 16:23-31 and John 4:24 for further study.
2. Commit to ONE small group (Sunday School or Connect)
Small groups are where deep relationships, discipleship, and fellowship really happen. It worked for Jesus, and if it is the model Jesus used, it would make sense for us to follow that model. Jesus had 12 disciples that he poured Himself into. This model was carried on by the early church in Acts 2:46, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts." A couple of other verses that don't mention a small group but give evidence of that type of fellowship are Galatians 6:2 (carrying each other's burdens) and James 5:16 (confessing sin and praying for one another).
3. Commit to ONE place of service
Serving the body of Christ is both biblical and modeled by Jesus. 1 Peter 4:10 states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." We are to use our gifts, talents to serve one another. By doing so, we are being faithful to the Lord. Jesus spoke about serving in Matthew 20:28, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The greatest example is in John 13, when Jesus takes the form of a servant to wash the disciples feet (John 13:12-14). How can you follow His model and serve the body of Christ?
4. Commit to intentionally build ONE relationship with a lost person and share the Gospel
The church was never meant to be inward focused or me-centered. One purpose of the church is to go out, build relationships with those who don't know Christ, and share the Gospel with them. In Luke 15, we read of a lost sheep, lost coin, and a lost son. In the first two stories when something was lost, the person stopped everything to go find the lost item (sheep, coin). In the final story, no one went to find the lost son. Which story describes you the most? Remember what Jesus said in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
5. Commit to invite ONE person to church
Jesus was always inviting people. We only get a few chapters into Matthew before we see Jesus inviting the disciples to follow Him, and He invites Himself to eat at Zacchaeus' house. For those who accepted His invitation, it radically changed their lives. We can learn from the example of the woman at the well in Joh 4:28-29, "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?'" A few verses later we are told that many believed because of her testimony. Let us remember the power of invitation. When we invite people to church, we are ultimately inviting them to meet Jesus.
Mark Smith, Pastor of FBC, Jacksonville, AR
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