Brandon Ives

Wasn't it amazing to see the sanctuary filled Sunday? The choir sounded great, we had lots of guests, and did I mention that the food was excellent! Thank you to everyone who helped make Sunday so special.

We have a lot to look forward to as a congregation. The choir sounds great on Wednesday nights and I am looking forward to hearing the cantata in full on the 28th. The Lent Services on Wednesday afternoons have been well attended and this coming week it is our turn to host. Dr. Ricky Lee will be our guest speaker and I know that he will bring a powerful message. And last but not least, Easter is right around the corner.

As we participate in these upcoming events, I can't help but think about the way our sanctuary looked Sunday. Over the past couple of weeks, we spent time inviting friends and spreading the news that there was a special service at our church Sunday. So what stops us from seeing so many people every week?

We are not inviting friends and spreading the news and letting people know that something special is happening here at First Baptist. We have good news to share about what God is doing here, so let's all try to share it with someone this week!

God Bless,

Brandon

Labels: Newsletter

Over the past few weeks, I have been casually reading two books by Seth Godin. In these books, Seth has been emphasizing the power of small groups who come together around common interests and make big changes in the world. He believes that size is overvalued in our culture. People believe that bigger is better, yet Seth often see’s the opposite to be true.

I think Seth is absolutely right. Organizations that look for crowds underestimate the power of a much smaller core of passionate people. Most organizations (and churches) are better served by gathering smaller groups of passionate people, who can focus their energy together. Isn’t that what Jesus did with the disciples?

Sure, from time to time thousands of people gathered around Jesus, but he focused most of his attention toward twelve passionate men. Jesus took these twelve men and focused their energy on loving God and loving others and changed the world.

Think about this the next time you say, “I wish our church had more people in it.” Small can be Good, if we use it right! I want more people to know the love of God through Jesus Christ, but I think gathering small groups of passionate people is the way it will happen.

Labels: Newsletter

Soren Kierkegaard said that we tend to think of church as a kind of theater: we sit in the audience, attentively watching the actor onstage, who draws every eye to himself. If sufficiently entertained, we show our gratitude with applause and cheers. Church, though, should be the opposite of the theater. In church God is the audience for our worship.

C.S. Lewis once said that he disliked very much the hymns, which he considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. Yet, what changed his mind about those old boring hymns was the devotion in which they were sung. He saw the old saint in elastic-side boots in the opposite pew, singing away, and realized that he wasn’t fit to clean that mans boots.

We fall in to the trap about thinking worship is to center around us. Our likes and dislikes, our desires and our concerns. Yet as Kierkegaard put it, in church God is the audience. As we move toward Easter, let us remember who our worship is for and let us sing with devotion to the Savior of this World.

Blessings,

Brandon

Labels: Newsletter

When I was in high school, my football coach used to talk about focused intensity. He used to say, “It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how fired up you get, if you can’t focus your energy we might as well go to the ballet on Friday night.” Now we would laugh at the image of this huge ex-marine talking about going to ballet, but as I think back on it he was right.

Our greatest effectiveness as a team was during times when we focused our intensity together. When all five linemen worked together to protect our quarterback, when our wide receivers ran the correct routes, and when our quarterback dropped back and made a good pass to the open receiver. But what happened when we lost focus? A linemen would miss a block and the quarterback would get sacked. Or perhaps the quarterback would lose focus and throw the ball into double coverage and be intercepted.

Now, what about our church? If the choir isn’t focus during the anthem, would they sound very good? What if the pastor wasn’t focused during the sermon? What happens when a group from church loses focus and doesn’t do their job? The church would not accomplish its mission very well. The last two weeks, we collected money for Haiti Relief. The total amount collected was $670. Thank you. Our church showed some great intensity, now let’s make sure that we keep it focused over the coming months!

Labels: Football, Newsletter

In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, many of us have been moved to act. Local officials have encouraged us to give to the Red Cross. Many churches have set up ways to give through special offerings or programs. (This includes First Baptist Church. Click Here)

And Christians around the globe have united in prayer for the people of Haiti. From the images that have been pouring in through TV, Newspaper and the internet, it is apparent that it will take years and not weeks for Haitians to recover.

But there is a lasting impression that will live on beyond disasters like these. It is the image of humanity coming together, putting aside racial, political, and personal differences to fulfill the command of Jesus to love one another. It strikes me odd that it takes such drastic measures for humanity to return to its true calling. Are we so swift to help a neighbor in need or the single mother turn her heat back on?

Perhaps…but as we give to the Red Cross or the Virginia Baptist Disaster Relief Fund (and let’s give well!) let us be mindful that there are many opportunities here in Chase City as well. Let us ask God’s help in our giving both abroad and here at home. So that His glory might be made known!

Labels: Newsletter