Nauvoo Pastor

Giveaways

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Today there are two different giveaways that I would like for you to know about:

The first can be found at SBC Voices. It is for the book Godology.

The second is sponsored by by Reformation Art and can be found at Tim Challies Blog.

Happy blogging!

BibleWorks 8 Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:43:00 +0000

No you are not mistaken. The folks at Cal.vini.st are celebrating their first anniversary by having this fantastic giveaway. Click here to get in on this fantastic opportunity.

The Church – Its Life Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Fri, 08 May 2009 20:32:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but every since I started going to church I have been told time and time again that the birthday of the church is on Pentecost. Now just about every one I know accepts this statement without question, but I have a couple of problems with this concept. So I want to take some time and lay out the reasons that I believe that we have this day wrong and a possible solution to the issue.

First we need to look at the book of Acts. It is the logical place to start since that is where people go when they want to know about the church. Our first stop is in chapter two.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

Here is the passage that we get pointed to concerning the birth of the church and they then continue on through the rest of the chapter. So the first question I have to ask is in relation to Acts 2:41, which states:

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

When I read this I have to ask myself two things:

How can you add to something that is not in existence until the day of Pentecost?
To whom or what were they added to?

So we need to get some background information if we are to get the answers to these questions. Naturally, I went back to Acts chapter one to see if there was any help to be found there. In verses 7 and 8 we read the following:

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

These are the last words that Jesus spoke before ascending into heaven. What makes this interesting is that we call this one of the commissions of the church. Well, how can Jesus give this commission to the church if it does not exist? That question haunted me until I remembered that the church is a called out assembly. In this case, we have that very thing present at His ascension. When we finish reading the chapter we come to an interesting verse.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Acts 1:15

Now I see that there are 120 people gathered in this room. They were all disciples, therefore they must have been called out by Christ during His earthly ministry. This would constitute a church then. Right? So when I read in Acts 2:41 that 3,000 are added, it would be this group that they were added to. Thus the church is present in Acts chapter one. So now I have to look somewhere else for this birthday then.

I have to look back further into the ministry of Christ to see where it all started. That takes me back to Matthew 16 then and the first statement about the church:

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

Here we read that the church is future, because Jesus clearly states the He “will build” the church. So somewhere between Matthew 16 and Acts 1 the church came into existence. But when? I searched and searched. I scratched my head, I prayed, I cross-referenced for years but never found an adequate answer to this dilemma. At one point I gave up and came to the conclusion that I was wrong and even admitted such to people. But then….

We are planting a church in a nearby town and the core-group has been having Bible study together. I thought it would be a good idea to study through Acts and see what God was doing then and apply that to what He has called us to do here. As Easter was approaching I went back to the book of John and did some studying in case I was asked to preach somewhere on Easter Sunday. During that study I found my answer.

John chapter 20 was going to be the focus of the message, when I saw verse 22 for the first time. (Yes, I have read that verse some many times without seeing what it says, that it makes one ill just thinking about it.)

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: John 20:22

Jesus breathed on them. This reminded me of the first breath of God in Genesis 2:7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. What is more, is the fact the He told them to receive the Holy Ghost.

Because of this I conclude that Easter is the birthday of the church. Jesus breathed life into these people and they received that life through receiving the Holy Ghost on that day. Easter is the day that the new creature, that Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 5:17, was born. What greater day could one ask for then the day of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

New Sermon Site

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:31:00 +0000

After many attempts to get my sermons on the internet; I have finally found a way to do so that is easy for me. So for those who wish to subscribe to the podcast or those who want to just listen to them on the net without downloading you can go to my sermons here.

This morning’s message

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:27:00 +0000

I was invited to fill the pulpit at Allen Park Baptist Church in Galesburg, IL this morning. What is even more amazing is that I got the digital recorder to work so are is the link to the message..

http://is.gd/otL4

God Bless.

New Year: New Direction

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:38:00 +0000

The last two months have been a whirlwind. But we are even more confident in God's directing us to plant churches in the Hancock and Henderson county areas of Illinois. Between these two counties there are 15,000 unchurched people residing here, with only two Southern Baptist churches in this area. We have had a burden for these people and this area for many years, but that burden grew to the point that it became painful over the last two years.

We have started the process of learning about church planting and getting the support we need from an association and the Illinois State Baptist Association. This is a very exciting time for us as we are learning and growing in the Scriptures and in our faith. Sometimes I want to rush out and get things moving, but God reins me in and reminds me that there are still things that I need to know and learn. So that is what we are concentrating on at this time.

The first thing that I am doing is taking the Basic Training courses at Church Planting Village. The resources there are tremendous. I have also obtained several books by Ed Stetzer, Charles Fielding,

Steve Hawthrone, and Aubrey Malphurs. Currently, I am reading Ministry Nuts and Bolts: What They Don't Teach Pastors in Seminary by Aubrey Malphurs. I have also been visiting several web sites and gleaning what I can from them. Some of you may find these sites and blogs interesting so I will list a few.

Ed Stetzer's Blog

Church Planting - Steve Sjogren's site.

Passion 4 Planting

Please pray with us as we continue to follow God's direction, continue our training, prayerwalk, meet with people and develop relationships.

Roller Coasters, Valleys, and Such

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:58:00 +0000

I did not realize how long it has been since I last posted until last night. Please forgive me as we have been experiencing so trying situations here.

First, let me update everyone on Wendy's health. She is not back to work yet. For some reason her knee is not getting any better. Although she continues with Physical Therapy, she is still having a lot of trouble getting around. Stairs, standing, and any movement that involves her knee are very painful. Please continue to pray for her.

This next part is difficult to write about but I need to give everyone an update on our daughter. She continues to be in residential care at Baptist Children's Home. It has been almost six months now with no sign of any improvement in her condition. Yesterday, we had a family therapy session and it was not good. From the sound of things, we are looking at having to get her into a different care setting as the home has utilized all the resources at their disposal. Please pray for her and Wendy as this is a very painful separation for them and it looks to continue for some time into the future.

The third update regards my status. One month ago, I resigned as pastor of Nauvoo Baptist Church. After two years of preaching and teaching, I came to realize that the theological differences on evangelism and missions were to great a gap to be bridged. But God had already been moving us in the direction of planting churches, so with everything that we knew, we felt this was the right move.

When you look at a map of our county, it breaks your heart to see 20,000 people and only two Southern Baptist works here. God has been convicting me of starting a church in Carthage, IL; it is about 25 miles from Nauvoo. I have been praying about this for more than 18 months; asking God to send a man to come along side of us and start this church. About four months ago I realized that I needed to pray for a man to come and either start the church in Carthage or be the man to pastor at Nauvoo. Well, as God would have it, Wendy and I were the ones He wanted.

We have spent the last month in prayer and God has given us a plan. It is a 33 year plan to plant 11 churches in our area. It is bold and far reaching, but we are convinced that God knows what He is doing.

This blog will continue under its current title and after the dust settles from all the movement, I will start blogging on a regular basis again. Please pray for us as we seek God's face in all matters. We appreciate all the prayers that have been offered up.

Missing a point or bad hermeneutics?

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:05:00 +0000

This is actually a continuation of the discussion that was started on dispensationalism. It may not appear so at first, but hang on. My personal views of how the dispensational layout of Scripture changed as a result of studying the Gospels and the book of Acts. Like I said before, I was of the seven dispensations school of thought. The views I had were influences by men like C. I. Scofield, Clarance Larkin, Charles Ryrie, and Dallas Theological School, among many others.

One day I had a "light-bulb" moment. (You know, one of those times when you think you have light, but then you suddenly realize you were walking in the dark). While reading through the book of Matthew I came upon this passage:

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Matthew 3:1-3

I had to read it several times because I kept asking myself about this offer of the kingdom of heaven. Was God really offering the kingdom to Israel or not? If not, then I have no problem with my theology. If so, then I have to reexamine what I believe about the book of Acts. I continued with this thought process as I read. Then I was struck by this same offer being given once more.

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17

Now I have a real spiritual dilemma going on. Was this kingdom offer valid? If not, then John the Baptist lied. Jesus lied. And that makes God a liar. Well, the Bible is explicit on this point. God cannot lie.

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Titus 1:2

(Now some of you might be asking, "What has this got to do with the book of Acts?" Patience. You have to really see what is being said in order to get the point. You don't find the rare jewels of Scripture by jumping to the conclusion without thoroughly searching for the truth.)

So I had to ask myself, "What did the disciples think at that time?" Well, I found my answer in Matthew 10.

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. vss. 5-7

It is apparent that the twelve believed that the offer of the kingdom was legitimate. So much so, that they went throughout Israel proclaiming that it was at hand. Therefore, we have to accept this offer as genuine. If we spiritualize it, we misinterpret what is happening in Matthew and eventually, bring this misunderstanding into our view of what is going on in the book of Acts.

How so?

Carefully read the following verses.

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:6-8

Did you catch it? The disciples wanted to know if the kingdom was going to be restored then and there. They were looking for the kingdom. John had taught that the kingdom was at hand. Jesus had taught that the kingdom was at hand. They had also done the same. So when the Spirit removed the blinders, I saw how everything in the Gospels and in Acts were a continuation of the prophecies and promises that God had made with the nation of Israel. And I was able to see what follows in Acts 2 in this light as well, but you will have to wait for the next post.

Technorati Tags: dispensationalism

Making Noise

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:40:00 +0000

Yesterday, Wendy and one of the ladies from the church went to the historic area of Nauvoo to visit with the Mormon missionaries. While they were at some of the various areas, they had the opportunity to speak with some of the missionaries and were greeted by an interesting response. Each time they were asked about where they were from the response was, "Nauvoo." This generally results in conversation about whether or not they belong to the "church". Wendy tells them that she is the Baptist pastor's wife, which in turn gets the "deer-in-the headlight" look from the missionaries. Or the pasted on smile they have when they are trying to hide their disdain for you. But one response was, "Your church is very active." It is always good to know what your neighbors think about you and what their perception is of your ministry.

As I mentioned in my last post, the church has been able to reach out to 129 kids and their families in a three day period. What is really interesting is that we spent a total of 17 hours doing this. So I am looking forward to our next project which will be on October 30th.

This project is something that the church had been doing before we arrived, but it has been expanded a bit since then. We provide games, a craft, cookie decorating and treats for the kids. This year we are going to advertise this more than previously and we are praying for a great turn out. If the stats hold up we should have approximately 21 children and their families come to this event over the three hour period that we will be doing this.

Please pray with us as we look forward to this next outreach program. As a result of last years work, we have been having a local family visiting with us, so we are seeing results each year from these outreach programs.

Another Blessed Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:29:00 +0000

This last Saturday we had the opportunity to take our Free Kid's Craft project to the SeptemberFest held in Warsaw, IL (a small town located 17.5 miles south of us on the Mississippi River). After our experiences here in Nauvoo, we purchased two First Up Gazebos (my are they easy to get up) and another five foot half-fold table. As a result, setup was quick and easy. Each time we are out, we learn something that will enhance this mission outreach. What made this event special was that it is the first time we have gone outside of Nauvoo to do this. We had been planning to do this next year, but God opened up this door just one week prior to the event.

So, lets see, we got everything set up and had a great time with all the families who stopped by. We were able to share the gospel with 47 kids and their families. That brings the total to 129 kids and their families who have heard the gospel as a result of this ministry during the summer months. Praise God for His grace!

Then on Sunday we had a record attendance since we were called to pastor here. Twenty-two! Amen! What a great time we had. Our music leader had a mini-concert that he performed and we had the Lord's Supper scheduled as well. The mini-concert was unplanned, but God knew what He was doing. One family that came actually had an activity at Warsaw that was set up right across from us. They came over and their son did a craft as we shared the gospel and they decided to visit the church because of what they saw. What a testimony to God's work.

As we are growing spiritually God is pouring out His blessings. The Sunday previous to last, we had our business meeting and elected our first WMU and Brotherhood directors. These two people and myself make up our Missions Committee. We also elected a Sunday School director and she has been a busy lady planning for class breakdown and looking for teachers of classes that we currently do not have. This is what happens when people catch the vision of what God is doing and wants to do in His church. As I keep telling Wendy, "I am going to keep preparing for rain." (If you do not understand this statement, then I would suggest you watch the movie Facing the Giants.)

Pray with us as we look to the future. This next Sunday we are starting evening services for the first time in several years. We are going to study the book of Joshua during that time. We are also starting our Scripture Memory Challenge. I have not seen such expectation in a church about memorizing the Scriptures, but these folks are hungry for this. Finally, we are starting a new series of messages during the morning services on the Parables.

But that is not all. On a personal note, Wendy is improving rapidly now. We wish to thank all of you for your prays and words of encouragement. She is also back to taking her classes and is still maintaining her 4.0 GPA. As for me, well, many of you may remember my mentioning that I was looking at finishing my bachelor degree. After much prayer and searching, I choose a college/seminary and put in my application. I received a phone call from them and after some discussion, I will be starting in their Masters of Ministry program instead. This was unexpected and I am a bit intimidated by the idea, but once I get started, I'm sure I'll be fine. This is not all that God is doing either, but I will save them for a later time.

I am totally a very blessed man. God has graciously placed me here in order to bless my life through these people; as we share the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ in this area.

Surprise!!

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:06:00 +0000

Yes, we are still here. It has been the most hectic couple of weeks I have ever had. Between doctor appointments and physical therapy for Wendy; dentist appointments and eye doctors for me; plus the ministry of the church and our outreach project on Labor Day weekend, we are run ragged.

First and foremost, Wendy is improving. I will have her give you an update later.

Our Labor Day project was very successful. We shared the gospel with 81 children and their families. This year we had more people from the area than last year. Now they know we are here. We are looking to expand the Kid's Craft project to the surrounding cities this next year. Pray for us as we plan to go to Hamilton and Carthage, Illinois, as well as possible one day projects in Keokuk and Fort Madison, Iowa. This gospel project is having a positive impact on the community and I have received couple of calls already from folks thanking us for doing this.

Our first baptism was not a splash, but my anxiety was under control by the time we did it. Unfortunately, the pictures did not turn out, so we do not have any to post. God is blessing us tremendously.

For those who are wondering, Wendy is still off work, but God has taken care of all of our finances. We want to thank everyone who helped in our time of need. You have blessed more than you will ever know. It is truly great to serve the Lord and be fellowshipping with His people in church, at home and on the web.

We ask your prayers for us as Wendy has started taking classes once again to finish her bachelor's in nursing. As for myself, I have registered to finish mine in theology. Hopefully, I can get everything in order so I can get it started soon.

Grace, peace and our love to all.

Guest Blog: Update on myself, Wendy Pitcher!

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:02:00 +0000

I first of all want to thank everyone for their prayers, notes, and financial support during this time. This has been the wildest summer of my life! Martin asked me to guest blog and update you all on how I am doing.

After only 2 days on the antibiotics for the abscess, my white blood cell count was back down within normal limits. This means the antibiotics are working. I am in much less pain, although still have some bladder spasms. My fevers are gone, but my stamina is not what it once was. I think it will take awhile before that comes back.

The orthopedic doctor did a steroid injection in my right hip on Tuesday. They said it may take a couple of days or so before I notice the full effects of that. It feels better, but I still have some discomfort there.

Because the infection is clearing up so quickly, the doctors have agreed that it is okay to proceed with the knee surgery. I will have that done on Friday, September 5th. I will have to be off work a minimum of 2 weeks after that. He does not want me to go back until after the stitches are removed. He is also concerned that I may require some physical therapy. It's funny that while my abdomen was hurting so much, the knee didn't bother me as much. Now that my abdomen is better, the knee is really hurting. I think we tend to pay attention or notice the things that are the most painful.

This is important. Even though we have been going through some terrible months, it is important to keep our eyes on Christ. No matter what the situation, the pain, the misery, He is our hope and we should not shift our gaze from Him. I have said this many times and I mean it sincerely: I consider these trials a compliment. If we were not centered in God's will for our lives, Satan would not consider us a threat and would leave us alone. Satan's attacks only confirm that we are where and doing what God wants us to do.

I pray that as you read the blogs from Martin and me that you will be blessed and assured that trials that come cannot and should not be avoided. They strengthen our faith and if handled biblically, keep us grounded in His Word and will for our lives. Remember James 1:2-4: My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

May God richly bless you all.

Grace and peace,
Wendy Pitcher,
Servant to the Most High God.

Getting Ready for the Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:46:00 +0000

We are looking forward to a great time this weekend. This weekend is the annual Grape Festival and we are lookinf forward to providing a free kid's craft again this weekend. Last year, we were there for only four hours and had a blast sharing the gospel with the kids and their families. The organizers were so apprciative of our efforts they invited the church to come again this year and have provided the space for free. This is now one of our annual events.

Besides this, we are having the first baptism in the church since we were called as pastor here. This being the fifth Sunday, I do not have to preach. We have a song service instead and the baptism will occur in the middle of that time. We are looking forward to this event with so nervous tension, since this will be the first baptism that I have done as well.

Last Sunday, I unveiled my vision for the last quarter of this year. First, I have challenged our members to memorize a verse a week. Next, we are going to start having Sunday evening services. I would like to see this service as a time that we can dig deeper into the Bible and study a book at a time. The first book will be Joshua. I am really looking forward to this.

You can expect pictures of the Sunday service next week as we look forward to sharing it with you.

Technorati : Baptistm, Event, Labor Day, Ministry, Project, Tracts, Witnessing

Del.icio.us : Baptistm, Event, Labor Day, Ministry, Project, Tracts, Witnessing

Another Update on Wendy

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:34:00 +0000

As many of you are aware, Wendy had surgery eight days ago. She has been having some bladder complications which have had us calling doctors almost daily, running to ERs and finally today resulting in a CT of her chest and abdomen. The results: she has an abscess on the neck of her bladder. So she is now on two different antibiotics, some hefty pain medication, and rest. Lots of rest. She is thoroughly exhausted. Please continue to pray for her.

We also want to thank everyone who has been praying, sending cards and helping us with our financial situation. God has used you to bless us in wonderful ways. Because of the complications Wendy will be off of work longer then originally intended. This doesn't help, but we have seen God work through this to bless not only us, but others who hear about what God has done.

Again, thank you so much.

Yours in Christ,

Martin

Dispensationalism - A Backwards Look

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:08:00 +0000

Before I start looking at this topic, I believe that it is important to review where I have been. A glance backwards seems to be very helpful when studying the Scripture.

As I have already mentioned, I came out of a belief in seven dispensations. This system was simple to remember and very visual. Charts and diagrams abound. The seven dispensations are:

Innocence
Conscience
Human Government
Promise
Law
Grace
Millennial Reign

Now it is supposed that each dispensation gave way to the next, as man changed and remained unrepentant. Each one ends with a judgment of God upon mankind for his continuance in this state. God provided man with a means of salvation, but man continued to ignore God.

Along with this system, a time line of earth's history is set up revolving around God's seven days of creation and seven thousand years of history, with the sabbath rest being associate with the millennium. The first three dispensations fall within the first two thousand years; the next two last for two thousand years; with grace lasting two thousand years. Now this whole concept is based primarily on 2 Peter 3:8 which states, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (KJV)

So that is my brief edition. If you would like more details, then I would have to write a book and there are plenty out there that would be informative. You can Google: Clarance Larkin; C. I. Scofield; Hal Lindsey; Salem Kirban; J. N. Darby; etc. You will find more stuff than you will ever have time to read.

Old Business - Pastoral Growth

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:32:00 +0000

There are a couple of things that I need to take care of that should have been addresses a couple of months ago. These items relate to books that have had a tremendous impact on me as a person and as a pastor. I beg the forgiveness of the authors for the delay.

Let me start with a booklet written by a personal friend, Les Puryear. Because of the wonderful generosity of his church, I was able to attend the Small Church Conference in March of this year. At the conference every one received a copy of the booklet The Beauty of the Small Church. I have since read this tiny tome twice. Having been the pastor of a small church for the last two years, I find much that I can relate to here. I am the third pastor that this church has ever had, in fact they went without a pastor for three years prior to my call. The obstacles seemed insurmountable, but through God's grace things are turning around. Much of this is because of the family of believers that are here. Their love and support have meant more than words can convey. Over the last two years the church is seeing new leaders developed and starting to fill in the gaps where I fall short. Their commitment to this ministry is refreshing and encouraging. I thank God daily for these men and women who have dedicated themselves to this work. This booklet was a confirmation that God is going to continue to use us in His work here. If you have not done so, you should get this title and mediate on what you find here; share it with the congregation; use it to remind you of why you are where you are and how God can use you to complete the task set before you.

Next on my list are the books put together by IX Marks Ministries. God always finds a way to bless me with the help I need at exactly the time I need. These books are no exception. My education is an Associates in Nursing and a diploma in Biblical Studies. I did not have any classes in Pastoral Theology or Homiletics. My only experience, to speak of, was a short interim pastorship in the early 90's. So following God's call to be a pastor was very intimidating. It was shortly after coming to the church that God placed the IX Marks booklet Nine Marks of a Healthy Church in my hands. I devoured it like a starved man in a bakery. After that I received the full book by the same name as well as the titles, The Deliberate Church, What is a Healthy Church?, What is a Healthy Church Member? These books have helped me on the road to becoming the pastor that I should be to the people here. I am so thankful for this ministry and the great resources they provide. The benefits that the church is seeing is awesome. They are watching a pastor grow before their eyes. Why? Because Mark Dever and the folks at IX Marks have been faithful.

Health and Ministry Update

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Wendy went to see both of her doctors today. It would appear that she has developed an infection related to the surgery. So they gave her a shot of an antibiotic and some pills to take for it. We continue to pray that all continues to process well. She is still having her knee fixed this Friday. Remember us as we continue to minister between all of these medical events.

Also pray for our financial situation as our income is down to $100 a week instead of the normal $600 dollar weekly average. We expect big things from God in this area.

God is opening doors here and we are looking forward to our first baptism since being called here two years ago. The question is whether or not we will have one or two to baptize. We have a young lady that I have been talking to for almost two years now who has come for baptism. We are having her family over for dinner tomorrow to speak with her about her salvation experience. It would be wonderful to present her to the church this Sunday for baptism. We are so blessed, because she lives here in Nauvoo and grew up in a very Mormon family. Barriers are being broken, many are asking us to pray for them and are sharing with us their hurts and joys. What a great time to be working for Christ. My prayer is that the church will have the opportunity to see what God is doing to change lives as we minister to every one in Nauvoo.

Dispensationalism - Definitions

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:56:00 +0000

Before we get to involved, we need to define some terms so we are all on the same page. Don't expect anything deep. I like things simple.

Death - separation. Whether it is physical or spiritual in nature, in its basic meaning, death is separation. Physically, it is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. Spiritually, it is the separation that exist between God and unregenerate mankind.

Church - a called out assembly. There you have it in its truest sense. Somehow western civilization has distorted the meaning of this word to mean the church as we know it. That is not true to the Biblical meaning of the word. Acts 7:38 presents the children of Israel as the church in the wilderness. Or how about the crowd that gathered in Ephesus in Acts 19? The same Greek word is used of this assembly that is used for the word church.

Dispensation - an economy. Boy have we messed this word up. Where did we ever get the idea that its means a period of time? What it means is how things work in a given house, town, state, government, etc. It is the rule by which these things function. In the Bible we see several of these.

You will see that I have made an attempt to keep this very simple. If you wish to dig deeper into these words I would encourage you to do so. But for this series, I will not go beyond the definitions that I have provided. In this way we will be able to understand what is being said in its simplest, plainest fashion.

Okay, so I have to shift gears. Dispensationalism Intro.

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:26:00 +0000

Originally, I was going to start writing a series of post on the doctrine of Satan, but, after a tremendous discussion in Sunday School this morning, I need to shift gears. This morning the topic of dispensationalism was brought up as we finished a study of the book of Malachi. I presented some Scriptures that got a discussion going that really was interesting for those present and raised a few eyebrows from some who are traditional in their view. Grant you, I do expect some to disagree with my conclusion, but after five years of presenting this doctrine the way I do, no one has been able to change my position. So here we go and may God help us to learn more about His word.

Every story starts somewhere. Mine is no different, especially when it comes to how I was taught regarding dispensations. I grew up learning from the old school teachers. Every pastor I had used C. I. Scofield and Clarance Larkin as the backbone for their believe. Every one of them taught a seven-fold dispensational plan for earth's history. All were pre-trib. and pre-mill. I have heard this since I was twelve and I had taught it the exact same way in which I had learned. In my early 30's I discovered something that shook me out of my Biblical lethargy and got me to re-look at and rethink my position. This occurred while I was doing a personal study of the book of Galatians. In chapter three we read, "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." (vss. 18, 19 KJV).

"It was added" started me off on a new journey into my previous belief system and lead to what I believe and teach today. Its was a bumpy ride and I expect no less in going public with this. Many will not like what I am about to present, but I am not into popularity contests. Some will think me outrageous, because I question long held doctrinal systems they don't want to let go of. But one thing I am sure of is that everyone will be uncomfortable with something I write at some point in time as we go through this. So strap on those thinking caps, get the dust off your Bibles, and open up a notebook cause we are fixin' to stir things up.

Update on Wendy

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:14:00 +0000

Wendy had here first surgery yesterday and everything went beautifully. God was watching over the whole matter, as there was also a cyst that was not seen during testing that was found and removed as well as the mass that she had. She is doing well, and we look forward to her coming home this afternoon. Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery as she will being having another surgery on the 15th to fix the torn ligament in her knee.

For those of you who have sent e-mails and card, we appreciate your kind words and prayers. Also remember to pray for our finances, as we will be without Wendy's income while she is off work. We are so blessed to have you as part of our extended church family.

Blessings to all.

This Week's Message

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:12:00 +0000

The next message in our current series at Nauvoo Baptist Church is now available to download or play here.
We pray that God will bless in His Word this week.

While Witnessing

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:40:00 +0000

Is it just me? Or is anyone else having strange things happen while witnessing to people of late. The other day I was out with one of the men from the church and we had a gentleman who engaged me in a verbal contest. In the middle of discussing the difference between the God of Scripture and the Mormon god, he asked me, "What do you want for your children?" Without hesitation I said, "That they would know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior." He got this puzzled look on his face and said, "That is not what I meant. What do you want for your children on this earth?" I gave him the exact same answer. So he threw up his arms and said, "I cannot deal with you." and walked off. Or how about the young man who got two inches from my nose and said, "I'm not going to stand hear and listen to what you have to say, but I..." Naturally, I stopped him in his verbal tracks and pointed down the street and said, "The sidewalk heads that way. Get going then." Now, I know it sounds funny. My wife even chuckles when I tell the story, but it is a reminder of just how far people will go to avoid hearing the Gospel.

To make matters worse is the negative responses we are getting from so called "Christians" in the community. I don't know about your Bible, but mine still says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) People do not want to hear the word. They want a good story that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Well, my answer to that is, "Go watch Joel. He doesn't want to offend anybody."

My First Online Sermon

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:18:00 +0000

Well Ladies and Gentleman, after months of trial and error, I think I have finally figured out how to do this. We shall see won't we. This is the first in a series of messages that I am going to preach on the doctrine of grace.
You can download or play the file here.

The Glory Way and VBS

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:47:00 +0000

Last Sunday afternoon, we were blessed to host a concert by a group from Peoria, IL called The Glory Way.

The band plays a mixture of country and bluegrass gospel music and they have a tremendous heart for God. What made this event more special was that the guitar player had open heart surgery two weeks ago. He said, "I can sit at home and be miserable or I can serve the Lord. I'd rather serve the Lord."

We really has a great time hearing a lot of the old songs and singing along. The funniest part was when I got up and sang with

them. We kind of turned our backs to the audience and strummed out the tune to an old song I knew and after about 90 seconds we turned around and I belted out the song as they played along. I can't believe it has been over twenty years since I sang with live musicians. What a treat it was for me. Sometimes even pastors have to open up the pipes.

VBS has started off as more of a whimper than a bang this year. I am still trying to get the hang of how to do this. I have never had much experience with organizing a VBS. I have learned many things already and look forward to putting them into place for next year. I just have to remember where my notes are.

Updates! Updates!! Updates!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Pitcher) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:56:00 +0000

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of various things.

First, let me update everyone on Wendy's condition. She will be having two separate surgeries next month to resolve the problems she is having. The first one is on August 4th to remove a fibrous mass. The second is August 15th to fix her knee. She will also have an injection into her hip to help with the pain she is having there. She will be off work for three weeks, so that means no income until she gets back on her feet. We are looking forward to what God is going to do during this time.

Second, we have a gentleman who is very active in the church who recently asked to become a member and we are awaiting our first baptismal service. He has pulled a groin muscle and injured his back. He is in a tremendous amount of pain. Please pray with us for his recovery.

Third, the annual pageant has started. This will continue thru August 8th. Please pray for everyone who will be witnessing to the Mormons during this time. We are seeing many more bus loads of tourist coming in this year and I have been noticing that there are a couple of hundred tourist walking the streets of downtown at any given time. The gentleman I mentioned above has been doing some street preaching and I have been handing out tracts and talking with folks. It is a huge endeavor, but God is working to bring folks here to hear the gospel.

Fourth, VBS starts Monday. Last year we had 40 kids, with most of them being from the LDS church in town. Please pray for us as we look forward to our second year of sharing the truth of the Bible with every child who comes.

Fifth, I have started discipling a man in our church this past week. We are studying through J. Dwight Pentecost book Things Which Become Sound Doctrine. I have read this book several times and continue to glean a great harvest of knowledge each time I read it. This is a very enjoyable time for me as I get to share with this man. The exciting part, is to see the joy that is being instilled in the heart of this man for the word of God and all the blessedness of His consistency. We are going to meet every two weeks and I might share some of the things I am learning along the way.

For those of you who are waiting for the post on the doctrine of Satan, not to worry I will be getting things going shortly. So as you can see. I haven't been ignoring the blog, I have been busy ministering to the people here.