McKee Road Baptist Blog

If you were there for the Sunday evening message you heard about the impact that Aquila and Priscilla, uneducated lay-people, had on Apollos at Ephesus.  At further thought, I am drawn to Galatians 6:6 which says, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”  Teach the teachers, I hear the Word say.  If we give the truth to those who teach, then they will make an impact.

I also thought you might be interested in hearing how Edward Kimball, a Sunday school teacher, led D.L. Moody to Christ in his own words (young D. L. Moody was working as a shoe clerk).  “I started down town to Holton’s shoe store,” says Mr. Kimball. ‘When I was nearly there, I began to wonder whether I ought to go just then, during business hours. And I thought maybe my mission might embarrass the boy…While I was pondering over it all, I passed the store without noticing it. Then when I found I had gone by the door, I determined to make a dash for it and have it over at once. I found Moody in the back part of the store wrapping up shoes in paper and putting them on shelves. I went up to him and put my hand on his shoulder, and as I leaned over I placed my foot upon a shoe box. Then I made my plea, and I feel that it was really a very weak one. I don’t know just what words I used, nor could Mr. Moody tell. I simply told him of Christ’s love for him and the love Christ wanted in return. That was all there was of it. I think Mr. Moody said afterward that there were tears in my eyes. It seemed that the young man was just ready for the light that then broke upon him, for there at once in the back of that shoe store in Boston the future great evangelist gave himself and his life to Christ.”  (full story found at biblebelievers.com)

May 30, 2009

Over the last couple of days our church took some of its men to a Men’s Retreat with three other churches.  It was specifically planned by our churches to encourage men to be faithful to the Lord and His work.  This gathering of men and pastors represented a group who were genuinely interested in seeing these churches do great things for God. 

Pastor Jeff Craig led off with a message on having a “Heart for God.”  It was a tremendously timely and convicting message encouraging each of us to develop ourselves for usefulness to God.

Following that message, we held a service with testimonies, special music, and preaching in which Pastor Brian Leversee challenged us with a message entitled, “A Question of Leadership.”  It that message he brought some key thoughts out of the story of the good Samaritan and showed us the importance of compassion on the lost directly from the words of Jesus Christ.

The following morning Pastor Rob Badger taught on the importance of supporting the ministry of the local church with faithfulness and involvement.  Then, in the final service, I (pastor) had the opportunity to preach on being a man of faith.  I am so thankful for faithful men and women who will stand for Jesus Christ and identify themselves with the testimony of His people.  What would we do without them?

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  2 Timothy 2:2

May 29, 2009

Ladies Bible Study was started in 2006 in order to give our ladies an opportunity to fellowship together and get practical Bible advice from our pastor’s wife, Mrs. Amy.  The ladies are encouraged to bring a refreshment (because eating makes every meeting better, you know).  The meeting is held on the first Thursday evening of the month at 6:30-8:30.  If you haven’t been to one of these meetings it is a great time together.  The ladies share prayer requests, memorize scripture, and highlight one of our missionaries each time.  It is this next Thursday night, so don’t miss it!

Today marks another one of our dear loved church family going home to be with the Lord.  Pete was taken off life support this afternoon.  He leaves behind his dear wife, Ruth, of many years.  The service should be Tuesday morning but arrangements are still being made.  The prayers for the family are much appreciated.  We will keep the church posted at service on Sunday.

The Bible says that except a person come to Christ with childlike faith, they cannot be saved. With this in mind it has been wonderful to see two young children saved this week! Both of them came asking without prompting about what it means to go to Heaven.

Childlike faith is simple. It doesn’t need academic explanations or supernatural demonstrations. Childlike faith is willing to take the Heavenly Father at His word.

 After a meeting where the great preacher D.L. Moody had seen two adults and one child saved, a man remarked, “So, two-and-a-half people were saved tonight.” D.L. Moody said in reply, “You see the adults as whole and the child as half, but this child has his whole life to live for Christ.” How true!

Pete and Ruth Reichert have had some health problems lately including back surgery for Pete.  Due to some complications, he has been admitted to UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Hospital near Los Angeles.  The doctors feel like it doesn’t look good for him making it out of the hospital.  Please pray for this dear man and his wife.

With nearly 40 in attendance, everyone got involved in the fun at the picnic.  It is good to see God’s people fellowshipping together and having good clean fun.  We played team volleyball and bocce ball along with several assorted lawn games.  The grill was fired up and many a hotdog was eaten.  What a great time!

May 25, 2009    Family Picnic–bring your picnic lunch (meat for the grill if you want) and be ready for a great time!  We will be having basketball, volleyball, bocce ball, croquet, ping-pong and balloon relays.  It will be fun for all!

Next activities are in June…

June 4–Ladies Bible Study, June 12-13–Men & Boys Campout, June 14–Promotion Sunday and Teen Afterglow, June 15–KiD ministries day outing, June 21 Father’s Day, June 26–Young Adults Fellowship

Thrusday’s post was a request for ideas about games for the picnic on Monday.  There have been some great ideas already.  Get in on the fun and put in your ideas!  (Click here to see Thursday’s post).

I can’t tell you how many times I have said that very phrase to someone.  It has struck me over and over that God has good things for us at the right time.  This is true in the story that we would call “the prodigal son” from Luke 15.  In this story we see that “the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.” (v. 12)

Now, what he was asking for was something that would be his eventually.  It was the will of the Father to give it to him, but he wanted it now.  So, out of sync with the Father’s will he took it.  And, by the way, the Father let him have it.  We can’t get impatient with God.  Of course, this out of timed inheritance turned to unruly living which cost him everything–”easy come, easy go”.

Yet, the story gets even more interesting because the older brother of this prodigal son waited on his inheritance.  Daily he served the Father until the day that his Father would willingly give it to him.  Here’s were it get’s interesting.  While waiting for the Father’s blessings, he gets out of sorts with the Father.  It begins to boil inside of him that his brother got instant blessings even though he was way outside of the Father’s will.  And when this brother returned home, the Father forgave him and threw a feast celebrating his return.

At this point this older brother had “had it.” He begin to indict the Father with accusations of not being good or fair.  Listen to the tone of his voice coming accross in his words, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”  (v. 29, 30)

It seems that he had gotten tired of waiting on the will of the Father.  Had the Father changed?  Was He not being fair?  Was He not good?  Quite the contrary, He was proving how good He was to have mercy on this runaway.  It was the older brother who had changed.  His perspective had changed from willingness to please the Father and have His blessings  to the “why don’t I ge what I want” attitude.

But the Father let him know that His blessings were coming in time. “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.”  Beware that while you wait on God that you don’t doubt His goodness.   Because, if you do, it will be you that changed not Him.  God is still good; God is still right–and that never changes!