Sacred Music Concert – Ray & Ann Gibbs

Members, Friends, and Neighbors of Pine Forest Estates Baptist Church,                    

I would like to invite you to attend a special service at our church this Sunday, April 25. We are celebrating Homecoming. What that means is that you can expect a family atmosphere. If it's been a long time since you have attended one of our services, come and see what has changed and what has stayed the same. Last summer, we completed a significant remodel of the auditorium. The year before that, we were finally able to complete our family life center. It may just be time for you to come back home, or perhaps it's time to find a church home.

This Sunday, we will only be having one service in the morning, starting at 10:30 a.m. The service will be special because we have classically trained singers Ray and Ann Gibbs doing a sacred music concert for us. The Gibbs have sung professionally all across the country as well as having taught music on the undergraduate and graduate levels. During the service, they will give their testimonies about how they came to know the Lord. Join us for an amazing time of worship.

After the morning service, please stay and be our guest for an old-fashioned covered dish dinner. We are asking our members to bring a main dish or side as well as a dessert and drink. The church will provide the plastic ware and plates. Experience tells me that this will be the best buffet in Pensacola this Sunday. In years past, we ate the dinner under the oak trees. Now we have the privilege of eating in the Family Life Center. If you really want to be nostalgic, feel free to eat outside on our new picnic tables. The Family Life Center will be open prior to the service for those wishing to plug in crock pots.

We would love to see you in church this Sunday. We are a growing independent Baptist church that places a premium on Godly worship, fellowship, and expositional preaching. We have a fresh perspective, yet we remain grounded in the truth. Come and see what God is doing at Pine Forest Estates Baptist Church.

 
 

Who Cares?

A couple of weeks ago, I received an unsolicited open letter in the mail from a ministry leader in the state of Florida. Attached to his letter was a personal letter from a ministry leader from the state of Indiana. Both of these men pastor large churches and both men are associated with Bible colleges. The tone of the open letter was petty, and the offense of the personal letter was overstated. I feel dirty having been exposed to somebody else's mess. The world is full of self promoters, and I think that we have all heard one too many arguments between brothers in Christ who use the KJV about "who is more KJV than the other."

Much of the issue in this particular "fight" has more to do with ego and "one-upmanship" than any real disagreement. The practical effect is a distinction without a difference. And we wonder why our young people don't have a taste for Christian ministry. Certainly this is not the only issue, but sometimes you just wish that "grown ups would act like grown ups." I have no admiration for the writer of "open letters." I have even less respect for pastors who write "open letters." It smacks of empire building.

Those of us who are committed to the concept of the local church prefer not being drug into the mess of those who are trying to build their own little kingdoms. Our church does not want to be counted on either side of your fight. Certainly there are things worth fighting for, but not feigned outrage for political purposes. There are more important things in life than joining someone's cause. As it relates to the leader of a school trying to get people on his side, the last time I checked, the Bible gives the responsibility for discipleship and ministry training to the local church.

God help us to serve one another in the local body of Christ. May He give us the wisdom to meet each other's needs in a Christ honoring way. May we be spared from one more fight over something that really doesn't matter.

Recommendation

A couple of weeks ago, it was our church's privilege to host Evangelist Dave Young's family while he was preaching in New Mexico. After he returned, while he was still in the area, he had some art work added to the side of his "big red truck." The logo advertises a new evangelistic website that he has put together.

Let me encourage you to visit www.considerjesuschrist.org

I have seen a few different websites that promote salvation, but this site gets the flavor right. It's not overly trendy, but it still looks modern. I agree with the articles that are posted on the pages. It's not the kind of presentation that runs people off before they have a chance to make a decision about Christ. My prayer is that as Bro. Dave travels, folks will take the time to check out the website. My greater prayer is that souls will be saved as a result of his not being afraid to identify with the name of Jesus Christ.

Start The New Year Right

Time goes by so quickly. Before you know it, winter will be just a memory. I say this four days after Christmas. Be sure you start the new year right. There are only so many chances to get a new start. The way we begin often determines how we will finish. In the last few days of 2009, take some time to set some goals for 2010. In 12 short months, we will all be talking about the best or worst things that happened in a year we have not yet even begun. What will you do with 2010?

May God help us to draw closer to Him this year. May we look for new opportunities to tell someone about Him. May we be open to His daily leading in our lives. Lord, help us to be faithful in the coming year.

Evaluating Ministry Cycles

MINISTRY EVALUATION

Church ministry is to be done on purpose. In order to do that, from time to time, we have to ask ourselves what we are doing and why we do it. I came across the following information while reading a Strategic Planning Report completed for a group of Regular Baptist Churches in Iowa. The full report can be read at www.iarbc.org

The following is prepared by Phil Fogle for members of the Strategic Planning Committee of the Iowa Association of Regular Baptist Churches.

Recently, I attended a seminar hosted by ECFA (Evangelical Council for FinancialAccountability). The President, Paul Nelson, discussed there (and in the last FOCUS [Second Quarter 2005] newsletter) the issue of life cycles of ministries and encouraged each member organization to evaluate their position in the life cycle. We were encouraged to match the various characteristics of each season of ministry life to our own organization.

Four Generations Theory
Stage-----Response------Characterized---Encapsulated

Infancy--Ignored--------Innocency-----Revival/Spiritual Awakening
Youth----Persecuted----Vigorous-------Life/Explosive Growth
Adult----Accepted-------Stability-------Education/Institutionalization
Senior---Irrelevant------Nostalgia------Decline Over-Cautiousness
Adult

“The life of organizations often parallels the life of people. When a ministry is formed, it is something like an infant. Some might think it is novel, but its influence is negligible and the public response is a yawn. But ministry beginnings are often characterized by the revival spirit in which a Vision is born, and as it grows, it takes on a youthful and robust development that eventually gets results that attract attention – sometimes persecution.”

“As time passes, the ministry matures and becomes a stable organization. It gains respect and is viewed as a credible witness and outreach for Christ. At some point, the organization faces a challenge of reinventing itself, usually through the same revival spirit in which it was born, and it becomes useful again. Some organizations, however, don’t achieve that renewal, and move into a senior status where they become irrelevant to the society around them, which is really very little different from when they were ignored as an infant organization.”

Paul Nelson states: “Some ministries are like some people that we all know. Some never grow up. Others grow old before their time. Some ministries make a profound difference with their energy, their boldness, and their mature judgment. They become reliable, they encourage fellow believers, and they make a mark for Christ. Success does not cloud their sense of purpose, their faith does not waiver in times of financial shortage or surplus.”

Paul Nelson’s last sentence reads: “May His call on your life carry your organization forward to its maturity and then toward its renewal, in order that you avoid the irrelevance that eventually will occur if you do not.”

Eight Questions I’m Going to Ask the Young Man Who Wants to Marry My Daughter « Theology Central

Here are some good thoughts to ponder for those who are considering marriage or those who have children considering marriage.

Eight Questions I’m Going to Ask the Young Man Who Wants to Marry My Daughter « Theology Central

Church Website Updated

After much time and effort, our church has rolled out a new website. I appreciate all the effort that has gone into this project. Several folks have been helping us gather pictures. Soon, we will add many of these to enhance the site even more. Our hope is that the website will become a useful source of information for our church family as well as those who are looking for a church in Pensacola. A special thanks goes out to Dave Downey for his work on the site.

For those who are either members or friends of PFEBC, I have a favor to ask. We will be adding content to the site each week. Please visit regularly to see what has changed. This activity will accomplish several different goals.

1. You will get in the habit of visiting http://www.pfebaptist.org/
2. You will be able to tell other about the information that is provided on the site.
3. The number of regular visits to our website will be increased.

If you have any suggestions about content or functions that could be added to the church website, please let us know.