Category: Wednesday Newsletter Post

Alone or Together

I like to watch the TV series “Alone” from the History Channel. Here’s the premise: “Equipped with just ten items of their choosing, the survivalists are dropped into a remote wilderness [varied destination each season]. While documenting their experiences, each participant must survive in total isolation, with hopes of outlasting everyone else to claim the $500,000 prize.”

I’m fascinated by the ingenuity, survival skills, instincts, will to survive, and creativity that these contestants have. Most of the contestants I have watched, said something along the lines of “I knew I would be tested physically (some contestants lose 20-30% of their body weight from lack of food), but I was not prepared to be without my loved ones for so long.”

What does this have to do with us?

We often take for granted the nature of living in community. Until something is taken from us, we take it for granted. When many people isolated during a pandemic, that became a reality.

When we are in community though, we have an obligation to one another. We lift each other up. We spur each other on to good deeds. We mourn with the mourners. We rejoice with the rejoicers. We are beholden to one another. And when we disagree, we find a place of unity under Christ because his banner over us is love. When Paul wrote to the people in Corinth, he heard they were arguing over leadership. In his first letter to them, one of the first things he tells them is “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” – 1 Cor. 1:10.

Does this mean we will never disagree? Certainly not. But I am glad to be walking alongside each of you to find unity in Christ as we seek to share the love of Christ and the Good News of Christ with the world around us. Thank you for being a community who cares to journey together.

Be Real

I recently discovered a new app the other day. It’s called “Be Real”. The premise is simply to connect people with real moments in life, messy or not. There’s already platforms out there that people pose for, edit for, add filters to, and simply “produce” to make it look like something beyond reality. This app notifies you on your device and then you have 2 minutes to take a picture of whatever you are doing, promoting the fact that you are “being real”. No filters, no staging, no production. Just, what are you doing in a candid moment of your life at this moment.

I think this is resonating with people because they are tired of the lack of authenticity we see on social media. We might enjoy posting and seeing people post pictures of the great moments in life: your kids’/grandkids’ championship game, that dream vacation, the renovation you got around to doing, the birthday party you threw, etc. All these are good, but it leaves people who scroll through their feed feeling as though everyone else has their lives all together, and maybe I’m missing out.

Where do we fit?

Life is not meant to be lived through a filter. We don’t need to be instagram perfect. There is a call for people to “be real” because people crave authenticity. It’s what we are created for. We live in community with one another; we work with one another; we worship with one another; we need to be real with one another. The world doesn’t need more people acting like they have their lives together. Our world needs believers who have removed the veil/filter over their faces to reveal the glory of God.

The word says

In 2 Cor. 3:7-18, Paul reminds us that Moses came down from the mountain and needed to be covered with a veil because he shone with the glory of God. Moses shone brightly because he was in the presence of God. We too, get to be in God’s presence. The world needs the presence of God. When we are authentic with people, sharing our troubles, our ugly days and good days, they see us clearly.

Paul tells us in verse 16 that when a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed from their face. The gaze on the glory of the Lord without a filter. The world needs that glory to be reflected like verse 18 says. “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

If I am transformed to the image of Jesus, from glory to glory, I should reflect that into the world. Is my life messy? Yes, but people can handle messy. Since my life is messy, that just reveals God’s grace even more. The world needs Jesus. You and I can show them. We don’t need to feel as though we must filter our lives. They are eager for something real. Reveal Jesus to them.

A Word to the Wise

It came to my attention this week that there has been some email and texting scam going around that is disguised as though it were from our church. The message usually goes something like this “Hi _____________. I pray you and your family are safe and well. Do you have a moment? I have a request I need you to handle discreetly. I am currently busy in a prayer session, no calls so just reply to my text/email. -Pastor Paul Armes (or Pastor Mark previously).” THIS IS NOT FROM OUR CHURCH. Upon careful scrutiny these messages don’t come from our church’s email address, or even personal ones. They are from someone who is cleverly creating emails to appear as though they are from our church staff.

I want to warn you of a few things in this message.

1. These messages are not from our church and we will not ask something like this. Our church email should end in @fbcbwd.com with the exception of Dr. Armes who uses his personal email. And if you do not have our phone number, please feel free to check in our directory any time you have a question.
2. This scam will eventually try to get you to purchase some kind of gift cards and send the paper printout of the cards back to the number or email address (they say they want to give it to staff or church members). They are preying on the kindness of church members, but only intend to be after selfish gain.
3. Being confronted with something like this can leave us feeling extra guarded, jaded, hyper-vigilant, or even defeated. There are always people who want something for nothing. There are always people who want to take advantage of people’s good will and kindness.

What do we do?

Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” This is true. You and I have an enemy. That enemy is doing whatever it can to thwart the ministry of God. But that enemy is not the person who sent this message. It is the ruler of evil. And this is only a symptom of that evil. The person who sent this can be redeemed, turn from the sin of selfishness and repent. I pray they do. But as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.”

So, be aware of these types of schemes. If you think something looks suspicious, it’s ok to check with us. Let us know if you get anything like the above message sent to you. And remember that we have the Lord’s wisdom, all we need to do is ask for it. Continue to let your grace reflect that of God’s grace shown to you and don’t let something like this keep you from having a spirit of love and generosity.

Grace and peace,

Keith (AP)

Lifehacks and Christian Life

FBC Family,

Do you know any good lifehacks? Lifehacks are little shortcuts that help make tasks a little easier. Or it’s taking some everyday item and transforming it for a different purpose because it was cheaper, easier, or more resourceful.

My kids like to watch short lifehack videos that make these shortcuts look so easy. I think we have tried one or two of them. And while they may work for keeping your phone cord untangled, or getting pet hair off your clothes, there are no lifehacks for spiritual growth.

We may often think that if we just do this one 7-day reading plan or pay really good attention to this week’s sermon, we have it all figured out. The truth is there’s not really a shortcut to spiritual maturity. The Holy Spirit works on us and chisels us and sometimes it hurts because there’s too much of “us” and not enough of “him” to begin with. This is spiritual formation. You and I are formed in the process. The same way someone doesn’t create a shortcut for learning to be a master at any craft, or exercise. The practice forms the rhythms, muscles, skills, etc. to shape you into a craftsman, artist or athlete.

We need to be purposeful in our walk with Christ as we submit each day to his will and his leading. One way to do this is to “preach the gospel to ourselves”. That’s right, preach it to yourself. You don’t even have to be a good preacher, but remind yourself who you are in Christ. Bring up scripture for the occasion because the scripture is an open door to understanding the heart of the Father. Tell yourself what God has done for you in Christ. Remind yourself of the truth and shed the lies of the enemy. We do this on purpose because there’s no lifehack for spiritual growth.

D.A. Carson puts it this way “People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

If we are not purposeful in our everyday tasks, we drift toward ourselves and away from God. May your day and your week be purposefully drawing yourself closer to God. No lifehack necessary.

See you tonight and Sunday,

Keith (AP)