A SLOW START
Posted on January 10, 2009
Filed Under Announcements
Well, we are getting a slow start around here this year. As you can see there have been a lack of updates and regular, weekly posting. Unfortunately our secretary has been back in the hospital. So she needs your prayers. Her health is more important than our webpage. So, we have no bulletin, updated prayer requests or announcements. I will make a brief plug for the Bible Institute which will be starting back up on January 25th. We will be studying History of Israel (former prophets). Most of our time will be spent in Joshua, judges and Ruth. I’m excited about it. There is some incredible stuff in there. Sp please pray for Terry and things will get back to normal in the near future. God bless. WHB
CHANGE IN THE MIDST OF TRADITION
Posted on December 29, 2008
Filed Under Announcements, Pastor's Blog
It must be my conflicting personality that keeps me fading change into tradion. The change for me is the ESV (English Standard version of the Bible). The tradition is reading the Bible in a year. It’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. I’ve read the KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB and the Message in years past. lately I have been more attracted to the ESV so I am giving it a thorough going over. For the year 2009 it will be my text of reading choice. To fully engage the ESV I will also be preaching out of it. Now that’s a change. For the last 10 years I have predominantly preached out of the NKJV. I have always been pleased with its modernity with a commitment to a more word for word translation (2nd only to the NASB).
So let the reading and meditation begin. I encourage you to join me on this journey. I’ve been doing this for years and the Bible never ceases so surprise me. Living in the text of God’s Word has been a consistent mainstay of my life which has grounded my faith in Christ. There are lots of reading plans out there; straight thru, chronological, NT and OT together and historical. This year I am following the historical plan which has one reading the Bible in the order in which the books were written. You can go to backtothebible.org to review the reading plans and view the schedules. It’s a great site which will do all the figuring for you. You just have to do the reading.
I leave you with a confession. I cheat. That’s right. I start early, like today. I breathe easier being ahead rather than behind. And behind is what I will get at some point in time. By jumping out ahead when I do fall behind it won’t be so hard to get caught back up. Did you follow all that? Don’t worry about it. Just start reading. WHB
THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IN A WORLD WITHOUT A COMPASS
Posted on October 25, 2008
Filed Under Announcements, Pastor's Blog, Sermons
This weekend it is a contemplative conversation between Scott Roloson (missionary to South Africa) and I (Pastor Bill). Wr are concerned about the future of the Church in a world that does not leave much place for truth. It would seem the Church itself struggles with what “truth” is. A converstaion like this could go in lots of directions (and it may do just that). But we will be guided by several texts: 1 Chronicles 12:23 for it emphasis on discernment of the times; Matthew 28:19-20 as the epic mandate of Christ to his people to produce disciples; Jude 1:3 for its call to contend for the faith once given to the saints and 2 Peter 3 with its anticipation of the return of Christ as a driving force affecting how we ought to live today.
I am deeply concerned about the Church’s future in America. It’s not that i doubt God. I am quite sure he will build his Church. I’m just not sure he will build it here. I am of the opinion that America may be the most idolatrous nation on earth. From the richest to the poorest we are the most arrogant, self-absorbed, entitlement oriented people on the face of the earth. We really believe the world exists to satisfy our own desires. And the Church is not far behind in that kind of thinking. For many God exists to satisfy our desires. The church has become an organization that we judge like any other commodity or service. While conveniently forgetting that we (the people) are the church. We are not victims of some moral/spiritual meltdown. We re the culprit. We have no one to blame but ourselves but it has become far too easy to simply blame someone else. Not that we have time to dwell upon that anyway. I’m far too busy being consumed with myself today. No wonder Jesus wept. WHB
SURVIVORMAN ON THE ECONOMICS OF STEWARDSHIP
Posted on January 2, 2008
Filed Under Announcements, Pastor's Blog, Sermons
The winter winds of January blow as we hunker down to the inflated price of fuel and an annual series of sermons on the haunting topic of stewardship. Definitely not a word of the 21st century. God calls us as his ‘stewards’ to be faithful with the resources he has afforded us. At the end of the day this world, our valley and FCC are God’s garden. It (we) is overrun, corrupt and rebellious. Unruly if you will. Thus the art and practice of stewardship before God is never over. I suppose that is why I say stewardship can be a haunting topic. Whether it be the ghosts of the past or the future the need for financial integrity is always there pressing against us. Tragically we live in a world that scoffs at stewardship, community, charity and integrity and instead indulges in self-gratification which brings forth DEBT (or you might say death).
I am excited about this series of sermons. God’s word is as always absolutely brilliant. Our primary text will be 2 Corinthians 8:1-11. My excitement is tempered by sobriety though. I tread here cautiously knowing that I too must be transformed by this word from the Lord. I must be a practicioner and not merely a preacher. I am also aware that this can be a painful and confusing subject for many. Nor are we being helped by the likes of Joel Olsteen and his latest “God Wants You to Have It All” mentality. I stand rather adamantly against such drivel (though I admit to watching him on occassion; my he is slick isn’t he). This extended meditation has prompted me to share words from better men than I.
“We must diligently endeavor to have the power of the truths professed and contended for abiding upon our hearts, that we may not contend for notions, but that we have a practical acquaintance within our own souls. When the heart is cast indeed into the mould of the doctrine that the mind embraceth-when the evidence and necessity of the truth abides in us-when not the sense of the words only is in our heads, but the sense of the things abides in our hearts-when we have communion with God in the doctrine we contend for-then shall we be garrisoned by the grace of God against all the assaults of men.” John Owen
“We live in a day of politicized discourse that puts no premium on clear assertions. Some use language to conceal where they stand rather than to make clear where they stand. One reason this happens is that clear and open statements usually result in more criticism than ambiguous statements do. Vagueness will win more approval in a hostile atmosphere than forthrightness will. But we want nothing to do with that attitude. John Piper
I have never heard the terminology “doctrine of stewardship” but perhaps it is time we did. For Christ’s church is in desperate need of it. In this sermon series I am attempting to use technology (the video we shot), pop culture (playing off of Discovery Channel’s Survivorman) and the exposition of God’s word to reach the body of Christ and beyond (those outside the community of faith). The fluff is to take the edge off of what can be gritty stuff. That is God’s thoughts on the financial resources he has made available to you and I. For those of you who hate the fluff (and I know you are out there and I love you for you contention [didn't you just read John Owen]) I pray you will not be disappointed with the exposition. I have never doubted the deep spiritual nature of stewardship, tithing, giving or acts of charity and service. But I must say that this journey of preparation has taken it to a whole new depth for me. Deeper than you can hold your breath. A depth in which our bodies cannot sustain the pressure. Only in the enveloping person of Christ can we be sustained here. To savor the richness of his glory and participate in the stream of his grace that is stewardship. “He (Christ) who was rich became poor for our sakes.” There is something truly mysterious about the glory of Christ’s cross enabling us to exercise the grace of giving. WHB
OBJECTIVELY SPEAKING
Posted on December 19, 2007
Filed Under Announcements, Pastor's Blog
Well Christmas is right on top of us and the weather has been making havoc of our lives. It all adds up to a chaotic existence. But Jesus still calms the storm. He is our light in darkness and the voice of reason in confusion. Amidst the choas I put before you our short-term objectives for our community of faith.
There are three objectives we need to accomplish by the end of March. One is the refurbishing of the basement. This is a hold over from the flood of ’06. We want to wrap this up because several men have been working tirelessly and they need to be able to say, “It is finished.” And it would be great to have this out of the way before we go into the next fiscal year (March). Second on the list is Cedarhurst school. We have been waiting on the school board and their feasibility study as we contemplate purchasing the facility. The feasibility study will likely go into March but we are doing due diligence in getting questions answered before the study is complete. By the end of January we hope to have had a tour and gotten the answers to a lot of questions so we can decide if Cedarhurst should stay on our wish (prayer) list. This is about the next campus site for FCC and would impact the next 30 years of our existence. So by the end of January we want to be able to say we want this place or remove it as an option. Finally there is the budget. Which has to be in place for the next year come March. Money matters folks. It is heartless to say we want to “produce authentic followers of Christ” and have no concern for our annual budget. Because it takes money to get the job done. It has been a rough year and currently we have about a $10,000 shortfall for the fiscal year. That means we are lagging around 8%. The new year will bring its own financial challenges and a fresh call to faith and obedience. Fortunately for us January is “stewardship month.” Our own “survivorman” (ala discvovery channel) will be here to challenge us with God’s grace (2 Corinthians 8:1-12) which enables us to make substancial financial contributions to God’s work.
With one heart and mind may we pursue these objectives. WHB
FCC Website Launches
Posted on July 1, 2007
Filed Under Announcements
Welcome to the FCC website. It’s been a long time coming! Please check back in the coming months as we will continue to add new information to our site. We hope this site will further the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community (Kirkwood, NY and Greater Binghamton), and around the world. If you have any feedback, please send it to Jim Willis (jim@jameswillis.net).