sbts pastor

Our Adventure

2013-11-19T17:10:00.004-05:00

Our church is unique and it's different. We have a small congregation meeting out of a house converted into a meeting place. We have no outside funding, simply relying upon the Lord to sustain us. We've had the mountains and the valleys. But we have persevered trusting in God's calling upon our lives and not upon the judgments of man. We have met so many new people here recently and have had an opportunity to share with new faces about our ministry and our lives that I thought it would be a great idea to tell some of our story.

Shelter Church of Maryville is a blessing to everyone who walks through our doors. You will not see grand productions during worship or be exposed to many luxuries that characterize many churches today. But what you will experience is far greater...a great fellowship, loving people, and the Holy Spirit touching and changing lives. Our church started from scratch and let me tell you it has been an adventure! We started out with an idea of what "church" would look like for us, but as He always does, God had something different in store for us.

Our church has been blessed with seeing so many special people helping serve the Lord. Since we changed our name last spring, we have really become a shelter to many. Our church has been blessed with the opportunity to minister to people who may have been overlooked by others. Since the spring we have grown in so many ways from spiritually to numerically. We are also different in that we are encouraging those in our congregation to focus on ministering to people who are not connected to a church. This has provided an interesting dynamic for us. We have been praying for the Lord to send grounded believers to come and help us out and it seems like we continue to see those who need "shelter" from life continue to come through our doors. Praise God for that!!

This past month has been a trying time for us. We held revival services in early October and everyone was touched by the Spirit as God worked in our lives! Well, the inevitable happened shortly after as we have been spiritually attacked. Some in our congregation have physical issues that at times can keep them away from the church building on Sunday morning. On one particular weekend our own son and another special family to us had a child in the ICU at Children's just 3 rooms down! Yet what a great opportunity to strengthen our fellowship in Christ together!

Pray for us. Pray about helping us. Our ministry is all about changing lives through the Gospel and the Truth of His Word. Point blank. In the upcoming weeks we are going to be doing community outreach in hopes of sharing this story and of course sharing Christ with others. We are extremely encouraged and looking forward to seeing people changed by the Gospel and then begin to serve Him. Contact us..we would love to share with you all of the story!

New Beginnings

2013-04-03T23:24:00.000-04:00

April 14th begins a new journey in the life of our church. Foothills Baptist Church will be no more as we are changing our name to Shelter Church of Maryville. Naturally we have had some questions about the name change and others wondering what's going on...so let me try to explain.

For the past few months I have felt that God was leading our church into a transition phase and we have seen that take place recently. We have seen some new faces and have said bye to some who have been with us from the beginning. But despite the changes God has proven Himself to be faithful and in control. The subject of a name change has been on my mind for awhile. Because the name of our church has been very similar to other churches in the area it has been very difficult for us to establish an identity in the community. In fact I have had people searching for me but going to other places and when we have tried to communicate to others about our church we are often misunderstood for other places. Changing our name is one way we can build an identity in the community for ourselves.

Secondly I have had a desire to see our church reach out to people who are hurting. As Shelter Church we will shift our focus to provide a ministry that will seek to shelter people from the storms of life with the power of Christ. Thus the name change simply reflects the new direction that God is leading us. In the upcoming weeks and months we are going to be seeking to minister to people in a very practical way that will enable us to put the Gospel up front in order that God can shelter them from whatever storm they may be going through. This is not a numbers game, but rather it is all about people finding healing in their lives. So many people are hurting and no longer can we assume that everyone comes from a normal background. Yet the power of Jesus transcends any situation and can overcome the darkest battle we encounter. This message of hope should be told to them...all we want to do is to let people know that there is a God who loves them and wants to heal them.

Finally as Shelter Church of Maryville we are going to be partnering in many ways with Shelter Church of Chattanooga. I'm excited about this because I'm going to be able to work with some familiar faces that I've known for a few years. Shelter Church in Chattanooga was formerly Westview Baptist Churh, the first church that I served as youth pastor. The pastor is Sterling Jetton and over the years he and I have remained in touch. We both think similar about situations and have the same heart for ministry.While we will share a name the church bodies will be very much independent. This is a great opportunity for me and for our church. The Shelter Church in Chattanooga is made up of some very good people who have a huge heart for Jesus. To know that these people are going to help us and pray for us is great news!

I hope this gives you an idea concerning where we are and what's going on with the ministry. We still need your prayers and as I've said many times if you are looking for a grass roots ministry we are for you and could really use the help! Thanks!

Jeremy

My Response To David Platt Part 2

2012-09-05T22:24:00.000-04:00

In chapter 1 of Radical Platt talks about an article from a Christian news publication that reveals what I believe is a tendency based upon materialism living within the United States. He describes how a church had just finished a new building costing around $23 million and in the publication it made headlines. Also within the publication was a smaller article about how Baptists had come to the aid of Sudanese refugees. The contrast was stark...a Baptist church that had dedicated a $23 million building and on the other side an article about how baptists had raised $5,000 "to send to refugees in western Sudan (16)." All I could think about was $23 million on a building vs $5,000 on helping refugees who had physical needs as well as spiritual.

Platt poses the question, "Where have we gone wrong?" and I will do the same. In America we celebrate corporate success and we value making money. Don't get me wrong, making money is a necessary thing and we need successful businesses to help employ others. But where the line needs to be drawn is when we begin to value "things" in the church over spiritual successes. How many churches could this church have planted using the $23 million? How many missionaries could they have supported with this money? How many of the Sudan refugees could they have fed for that amount of money? Are we becoming like the modern day builders of the Tower of Babel and attempting to build empires to ourselves?

Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (MT 6:21) Maybe our hearts are not on the Gospel. Maybe we do not value the Word in the manner in which we would like to believe. I've used this example before but how many times do we tell our children to go to school and get good grades so you can become a doctor, lawyer, or teacher? How many times do we tell them to walk daily with Jesus, love the Word, grow in your faith, and then follow God's path for you? Or how about when our child comes to us and indicates that God is calling them into ministry and we try to talk them out of it because the money is not that great?

My point is this...in many churches today our treasure is in building cathedrals to ourselves and not the kingdom of God. Want proof? Look at our budgets or for that matter the numbers. Many times we talk about how unchurched a certain area is or that a ministry needs to be started to accomplish certain things...but how often do we fail to do anything? Instead we sit in a comfortable environment maintaining the status quo.

I think it's time for the church in America to step up. Much has been given to us and much should be expected. We need more pastors, more missionaries, more churches, and more people willing to start churches. We need more churches willing to spend less on themselves and invest more in starting new churches and supporting missionaries. I think one of the saddest things I heard in Seminary is that the NAMB had plenty of missionaries willing to go overseas but the funding was not there to send them. Can you imagine? It's not because enough churches don't exist to support them, most likely it would be because the churches that do exist often have misguided budgets.

Jesus never called anyone to be comfortable and if you think about it, fulfilling the biblical command to live in holiness is quite uncomfortable. To accomplish such a high standard how many times do we have to deny ourselves of the things we want to do? Instead Jesus called people to obedience. Obedience is difficult but if we want to effectively grow in our walks obedience is a must. I think we need to be challenged to leave our environments of comfort and journey out on faith and trust that God is going to take care of us.

In America sometimes it's difficult for us to do such things because we live in a country where everything is catered to our convenience. And this includes our churches. Our convenience level is easier attained with a $23 million building rather than asking for volunteers to go on a mission trip.

Jeremy

My Response to David Platt (Part 1)

2012-08-15T00:39:00.002-04:00

For quite some time I have heard people talk about the book Radical by David Platt. I'm not one for fads or trends and because Platt had become a trend within our churches and church organizations I was very skeptical of the book. So...I delayed in every way possible reading the book (intentionally). However God apparently wanted me to read it because my attention was continuously brought to the book and its message. Now that I have introduced for you my initial thoughts let me surprise you by telling you that I agree with most of what David writes. I have found that Radical relates quite well to my ministry and our church start in Maryville. I want to encourage each believer to consider the thoughts made by Platt in his book. We are so blessed in America and I'm afraid that we are wasting much in order to accommodate our own comfort levels.

The first encounter we see is about church leaders overseas who are experiencing persecution. These people were meeting in underground churches when Platt encounters them. What a somber thought! What if in America we had to meet in underground churches? As each day goes by we see more and more how the government is removing our freedoms and unless something changes this WILL NOT stop at the front door of the church. The eye opener here should be that unless God intervenes this underground church environment experienced by Platt could very well be what each believer must do in the future. Judging by our sagging church attendance statistics today, a question must be answered...if we had to meet underground, would we still go and worship our Savior?

Platt pastors a mega-church in Alabama, which is another reason why I was skeptical about reading the book. The premise is giving up the American dream for your faith; yet this guy pastors a huge church. Easy for him to say, right? Imagine the contrast of attending a mega-church (and I have) vs meeting underground for safety purposes. All the luxuries that we are accustomed to, gone...nowhere to be found. No TV projectors, no choir, no piano, no sound system, no children's department or youth department...just a group of people meeting together to worship the Lord and the only thing they may have is a page of Scripture. You might say..."those poor people" but I might suggest that we in America have something to learn from these dedicated followers of Christ. Specifically...we can learn to model their love for the Word of God and not the entertainment of the church environment.

In Matthew 4 Jesus called the disciples look at what happened, "As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. ¹⁹“Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!” ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Did you catch that? Jesus called them while they were doing their normal "routine" in life and it says that they immediately followed Him. Platt calls this "radical abandonement" which I agree but perhaps it was just simple obedience. This is the kind of obedience that we lack today. Jesus calls us to do something and we are too busy meandering through our own comfort zones and preferences to follow the ministry or the place to which God wants us to go and serve. Understand that when Jesus called them this was not just some great fanciful story, rather He was calling them to "abandon their comforts" (p11) and to leave everything they were familiar with.

What if that was our mindset today as Christians? Abandon everything we are comfortable with in order to follow the calling Jesus has told us? Our churches would be different and so would our country and the world. My fear is that we as Americans love the culture more than we love the Word. We would rather be entertained at church rather than grow from the repentance of our iniquities. My prayer is that I will continue to grow more and more each day in my walk. But that means loving God's Word and living my life in accordance to that Word...not conforming myself and faith to the culture by means of entertainment and preferences.

This is challenging stuff and it has caused me to think about my own life and also the way in which I pastor. I hope it will for you as well

Jeremy
,

A Renewed Perspective of God's Love

2012-07-14T20:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days that will forever be etched into my mind. At the center of all the activity was our oldest son Isaac. The things that I saw and witnessed yesterday are the kinds of things that I will reflect upon for many years. It's the kind of thing that one day when he gets married and he's standing on the stage with his bride to be, I will reflect upon. On the glorious day that he accepts Jesus I will remember yesterday. When I have the honor of baptizing him...the images of yesterday will run through my mind. Maybe one day when I become a grandfather the events of yesterday will enter my mind. But with all that happened yesterday, Friday the 13th of course, I have learned more about God's love, His provision, and His calling for me and my family.

It started yesterday afternoon with a frantic phone call from Rachel saying that the doctor's office had called an ambulance for Isaac. Shamefully my first response was, "Great another doctor bill we can't afford." But something told me that I needed to travel with him in the ambulance and experience this with him. It was tough, but I'm glad I did. We arrived at the ER and everything was routine. After assessing his situation they began to give him non stop breathing treatments and put an IV in. He was so brave...he never cried, even after they had to stick him a second time. Then they began to pump a lot of medication into his little arm and then stuck him in the arm, which we were not prepared for. At that point the side effects of the medicine started to kick in and he was breathing harder. He was crying and vomitting. The vomitting continued until there was nothing left and he was just heaving. At this point Isaac lost it.

Have you ever been in a situation in which your child was hurting or suffering and you as a parent couldn't do anything about it? That's when it hit me. I knew everything they were doing was eventually going to help, but at the time my love for my child...God's gift to me, was overflowing with emotion. The images that are forever etched into my memory were of Isaac looking right me gasping for air. He was working so hard to just breathe. At this point he was scared and so was I. His eyes would get so big and he would pull away from me and all I could do was watch. The sight of seeing your child struggle to breathe is one you never forget.

Our prayer is that God will help Isaac with his asthma. We pray that God will take it away. But if God's will is that he live with this then we will travel this road with him every step of the way. And we will use his asthma to bring glory to the Father. I pray that Isaac will be able someday to serve God and testify about how God brought him through these situations. We do not want to have him feel sorry for himself but to recognize that God has great things in store for his life and it might involve asthma.

As the situation calmed down and he started to breathe easier and to relax, I began to pray and think. The one thought that kept coming to mind was just how great God's love is for me. I've often heard others say that you don't completely understand God's love until you have a child....I would have to agree. The other thought that entered my mind was how brave he is. After all that happened as soon as he was able to breathe and talk again, Isaac just like he always does, brought joy to my life. He also brought a lot of joy and happiness to the doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital. Even at such a young age he lives life bringing joy to others with his sweet sweet spirit. I began to realize that Isaac inspires me. The kid has been through so much in the 3 years he has lived. Every time after he has had an episode like this he rebounds with smiles and laughter. I think that is one reason why yesterday was so hard. Because everything that was taking place was so out of character for him. He sure makes being a dad a lot of fun!

In thinking about God's love I began to think about my sin. Do you know what the Bible says about my sin? The basic word for sin in the Bible is "hamartia" and means to miss the mark. In other words to miss the mark of following God's law. Sin is also something that separates me from God because God is holy, just, and righteous. Furthermore the Bible says that the penalty of sin is death. Very serious stuff!

But what about God's love...well Scripture also paints a very vivid picture of God's love and the center of it's attention is God's Son. 1 Corinthians 15:3 says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Then in Hebrews 2:17 it says this,"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

If I put these two verses together I see a very real amazing story. My sin separates me from God, my Creator, and that my just penalty is death. But God in His mercy and love sent His Son to die for me. But the meaning is more than that. He died for me so that I might have His righteousness.

As I reflected upon yesterday I could not help but think about Jesus on the cross. I struggled and wept with Isaac yesterday as he fought for each breath. Can you imagine how much God struggled to watch His Son die on the cross? As Jesus struggled to breath, God the Father was watching His Son fight for each breath. The difference is that God could have done something about the situation to save His Son, but we all know that He chose not to. Why you might ask? Well He didn't ask because of His love for me and for you!! Because with Jesus' death my sins could be forgiven and even though I have chosen at times to rebel against Him...He loved me enough to make a way to live in righteousness when I had no ability within myself to do so. That is truly amazing!!

The events of yesterday have also given me a new perspective on God's calling for my ministry. Most of you know we have started a church. Each day and week seem to bring new challenges for us. Sometimes we feel disappointed because it seems like at times no one is interested in helping us. It seems like we are having to do this on our own. I find myself fretting over people who are not there which leads to discouragement. But because of God's love for me how could I think about quitting when He has given us such a beautiful story to tell. Just like how Isaac inspires me...this inspires me. To keep going, stay faithful and obedient to God's calling for us. Just to be thankful for what He has given me and for those great and wonderful partners in the Gospel that are helping us with our church. To know that God allowed His Son to suffer for me and that in turn He would give me such a great and wonderful calling to start a church that is committed to telling His story is my motivation to keep going in the tough times.

God is working in Isaac's life and I know He has great plans for my boy. But yesterday this daddy learned a lot of lessons about life and about my faith. I cannot imagine going through this without my Lord and thankfully I don't have to. Tomorrow is another Sunday for us and it will be a day that we continue to build our church. But it's also a new day in which we take our situations and use them for the glory of the One who died for Jeremy, Rachel, Isaac, and Noah.

Thank you for reading and please continue to pray for us as we endure the battles of spreading the Gospel.

Jeremy

Persevere in the Tough Moments

2012-02-15T22:23:00.003-05:00

On February 15, 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote this: "Praise be to our eternal God, our Lord, who gives to all those who walk in His ways victory over all things which seem impossible."

Columbus wrote these words while on his return trip from the discovery of America. The words were penned to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and reveals a very interesting foundational point about America...in tough times, we persevere.

Columbus and the early settlers were able to persevere only because of their faith in Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:9 even bears this fact when it says, "no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Columbus I'm sure envisioned a land full of resources and beautiful landscapes. However I'm not sure he dreamed about how powerful America would one day become. But the point for Columbus is that God grants us victory over those "mountains" in our lives

God has great things in store for us. But do you truly love Him? Are you walking in His way? It's impossible to experience all of what God wants to give us if we are (dare I say it) sinning. Sin chains us down but more importantly it separates us from a Holy God. I'm not saying that Columbus was perfect, nor would I even remotely suggest that. The point is that Columbus was part of the foundation for America which is closely connected to living biblical principles. Least we not forget that it is God that gave Columbus the victory by finding land--and it is God that gives us the victory today over those things that would otherwise imprison us.

At our church plant we are building a foundation. What I have discovered is that very few people want to do such a thing. Let me be honest...neither did I. But the issue is not what we want but rather what God calls us to do. And make no mistake about it, God does not send mixed messages but rather gives clear direction. Building a foundation for a new church can seem impossible. So when I read words like those uttered by Columbus or when I read 1 Corinthians 2:9, God gives me hope. I'm excited about the future of Foothills Baptist Church because I know that God has won our victory. It may not look right on paper or seem as if we are never going to fill the chairs, but I know that God is going to accomplish His purposes through our church. In the meantime we have to persevere and as Scripture says, "love Him." Our foundation is all about the Gospel. Loving people by showing God's love in a practical way. It's not about building programs and boasting about budgets and salaries...it's about letting people know that God loves them. Persevere according to the Word.

A new beginning

2012-01-29T23:57:00.003-05:00

It's a new beginning for Foothills Baptist Church! We are moving into a new building this week which is providing quite a bit of excitement for us. We're moving not because we have outgrown Music Row but because our new location will enhance our ability to grow. This move is a culmination of many months and weeks of prayer and guidance. While we are thankful for the Lord's leading we certainly have had our bumps in the road.

I have felt since late September that Foothills Baptist Church was in a time of transition. We knew the building might not be a long term solution for us and that God would raise up the right place for us at the right time (which He has). We lost a dear brother to cancer a few weeks ago. Sometimes I catch myself trying to listen to his joyous laugh. His spirit is one we shall never forget. We have also endured some internal hardship of which we believe that God has sharpened us. As both of those things were taking place, Rachel and I were going through the loss of a baby by miscarriage. What a trying time!! But my God is faithful and is stronger than my struggles and He has brought us through. There has also been some new faces appear at FBC--further leading us to believe that God has a new beginning in store for us in 2012.

All this came together when the opportunity to lease a new location came along. Financially this is a stretch for us as the rent is $250 more per month. But as we have been discussing the past couple of weeks, the issue is really not about the money...it's about what we believe God is going to do with our church. Do we believe that God is going to grow our church? Do we believe that God is going to send more families to help us? Do we believe that God is going to provide for our finances? We resoundingly say, "YES LORD, YES LORD!"

In 2012 we are going to knock on 250 doors in our community and share God's love with them in a practical way. We need help. We need the manpower to knock on doors or to do other things (i.e. rake a yard during the fall) and we need financial help. God has graciously provided chairs for us as we move to our new venue (Go God!!). But we still have some other needs, such as:

Tables
Microphones
Speakers
Podiums
Computer
Desk Chair
Microphone stand

My heart tells me that God is leading people in our direction. Our church is different from many others. In many churches today you can hide amongst the crowd and simply go with the mindset of, "what's the church going to give me today." Not at FBC. At our church that this something for you to do as soon as you walk in the door (just exaggerating a little). Church planting is hard work. Very similar to a mission trip for those of you who have been on one. At FBC we don't have a lot of things that bigger churches have but the one thing we do have is a passion for the Gospel and a desire to unashamedly stand for Truth. We are taking this message to the people around us and beginning next we are going to do so just a couple doors down

Would you consider praying about joining us?? I'd love to speak with you about FBC or answer any questions you might have. Can't wait to see what God is going to do.

Many people have asked how they can help us...well it begins next Sunday. Anyone who is interested in our ministry or have told us that they are praying for us, PLEASE consider coming and celebrating with us our first Sunday in our new building. We are going to have a very special time of prayer over our future in the building and asking God to bless us. We would love to celebrate this special day with our family and friends, please come and visit with us!!

A Pastor’s Heart

2011-06-13T14:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a great day! Foothills Baptist Church is now eight months old and we had an opportunity to go back to Sevier Heights last night. It was such a relaxing time to be able to sit through a service and have no responsibilities!! Pastors need to be fed as well and I would encourage all my pastor friends on occasion to attend a worship service in which they had no responsibilities. The time was definitely a need for me.

Planting a church has been the most challenging and rewarding act of faith in my life. The one thing that is consistent with a church plant is inconsistency (as one experienced planter told me a few weeks ago). We have had ups and downs, endured a church changing their name very close to ours, we are preparing for our first baptism, we have witnessed God work a miracle in the lives of a faithful couple, we have seen a steady flow of visitors, and have had an amazing time building relationships with our core members. As one could imagine the last eight months have been very busy for us, at times demanding—yet it has been a time of great blessings and amazement as we have seen God's working hand in our family's life and in the life of the church He has given us.

Again I would reiterate from personal experience that one of the greatest leaps of faith is to be part of a church plant. We have been focusing recently on establishing a firm foundation for Foothills Baptist Church. This is a foundation based upon the inerrancy of Scripture and its infallibility. We are committed to encountering the culture with the Truth of God's Word. Not just the parts of Scripture that we are comfortable with but also the parts that cause us to confront our sin. Victory in life can only occur when sin is defeated and for that to happen we must be forthright and honest with culture regarding sin. In a culture that redefines Scripture and God to reflect their desires, we stand firm on the Truth of God as so beautifully detailed in the Bible.

We are still praying for families to come be part in laying the foundation for a ministry that wants to see lives changed for the glory of Christ. If you desire to create a legacy for your family, this is a great opportunity. We have seen a lot of progress over the past year. We planted our church with no pre-existing structure (meaning we did not take members from a parent church nor did we have a financial support system). Now…the books and "experts" will tell you that this is not how a church is supposed to be planted. But in the course of praying and determining God's will for us and the church—we did not want our decisions to be based upon our level of comfort. When God asks that we take a leap of faith it's never based upon how comfortable we are. Thus we began our journey and allow me to be openly honest with you…there was a lot of fear on my part.

But God is faithful and has worked. We have made a lot of progress and over the past few months it has become clear to me that there is indeed a need for a church plant like ours in today's time. Many churches are making "rock stars" out of their pastors and setting them up to fail. Many churches are compromising the gospel in order to draw a crowd and make everyone feel good. Our goal is to be relevant in culture and not be morally relative.

Back to yesterday…we had a low crowd in a huge building. However I noticed that our spirit was the same. Our people served the same way. Every week I grow more thankful for the commitment and dedication of our people. Last night as we sat in our chairs at Sevier Heights…I grew more thankful for Foothills Baptist Church. Not because of anything negative about SHBC (I love that church and Hollie Miller) but because God showed me that even with low numbers, low budget, and smaller ministries that He is still the same God we worship on Sundays and throughout the week. The dream we have for FBC begins right now with a group of believers dedicated to the Gospel and building a foundation of service to the Lord. One day I pray that FBC will expand her ministries and be a beacon in the community in a similar capacity of Sevier Heights. But that begins now with faithful service and prayer.

FBC crowd…we love you all more than we can express!! To my friends who I hope will read this…would you consider praying about coming alongside us in our adventure? Remember it would be one of the greatest leaps of faith you will ever take!

The Resurrection is a fact!!

2011-05-03T21:26:00.004-04:00

How many of you were alive when George Washington was president? The answer is obvious. Yet despite the reality that no one alive today physically saw President Washington, his presidency is a universal historical fact. How do we know of his presidency? There were eyewitnesses, writings, and a legacy of presidential conduct. Each of these elements (along with a little intellectual thinking) apply to the resurrection of Christ. So why is it that when it comes to Jesus' resurrection are some so quick to try and explain it away as myth or pure non-sense. Well Jesus is our answer for that question because He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through ME." Indeed the reason why the resurrection is so important is because the fate of every soul in our history depends upon it. If it could be proven that Jesus indeed rose from the grave, would you believe in Him?

There are 5 possible theories that could account for the data of the resurrection. Christianity (Jesus died and rose from the grave), hallucination (Jesus died but the disciples were hallucinating), myth (Jesus died but the disciples created a legend), conspiracy (Jesus died but the disciples were deceivers), and finally swoon (Jesus didn't die). One of these 5 explains the resurrection story.

Secular history records the existence of Christ and in fact it also records the fact that Jesus died by crucifixion. To account for the data all you need to assume is that Christianity exists and that the NT exists. Both of which are undeniable. However you don't have to assume that Scripture is completely true. Just take the details of the story and apply them to the theories. In light of this...

Let's start with the swoon theory. Is it possible that Jesus did not die on the cross; that He merely fainted? This is unlikely because Roman procedures were very careful to carry out the death sentence. Not to mention the fact that a botched execution would have resulted in the punishment of the soldier responsible. Next...the disciples were convinced of His resurrection because you can examine how they were dramatically changed after this event. It would be psychologically impossible to assume that such a change would take place if Jesus had merely fainted.

Conspiracy Theory: Is it possible that the disciples concocted the entire story? To find the answer to this question, one needs to look at the human heart. The heart is deceitful and subject to bribes, pressure, temptation and the like. We know that the disciples faced immense pressure and persecution in light of their faith. They were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Under such circumstances all it would take is only one of the remaining eleven to renounce the story. But we see the opposite take place in history. None of them renounced the story and most of them endured horrible deaths because of their faith. This theory also does not make sense because if Jesus was still in the grave--then why did the Jewish authorities not produce the body for everyone to see?

Hallucination Theory: Hallucinations tend to be isolated to one individual. Jesus' resurrection poses a problem to this theory because there were too many witnesses. Remember that when the NT was written many eye witnesses to the events surrounding Jesus' life were still alive. If something was written that was not true there would have been eye witnesses to counter the false writings. If Jesus' body was still in the tomb, then the disciples could not have believed in the hallucination. If they hallucinated then someone needs to answer the question concerning the whereabouts of the corpse. Given their devotion to Christ they would have checked for the body.

Myth Theory: The writing styles of the Gospels vary greatly from mythical literature. Within the Gospels there are no exaggerated, overblown, out of place events that typically accompany a myth. The details of the resurrection story in the different Gospel accounts--all fit together, nothing is contradictory. Another aspect of eyewitness testimony is worthy of mentioning here. The story is full of eyewitness details that could only have been provided if the person had seen it (i.e. the angel sitting on top of the stone). Perhaps the most convincing detail about the resurrection that screams reality is that the women were the first to see the event. In 1st century Judaism, women had low social status and virtually no legal right to testify in court. If the empty tomb were invented legend, then those who created the story would not have had the women to be the first to see it. But if they tell the story according to how it happened, then they must report it as such.

In closing, the bottom line is that there is an empty tomb and no one has ever found Jesus' body. You can find the bones of Mohammad, Buddha, and Abraham--but not Jesus. He is different, He is above all, He is the Truth.

What is a launch team and what do they do?

2010-07-22T14:46:00.002-04:00

Being part of a church plant launch team is a very exciting adventure (and it is an adventure). Essentially a launch team is a core group of believers who are committed to the church plant when the church launches. The ideal and recommended situation is to have a group of mature Christians within the group, although new believers and even non-Christians can be part of the launch team. The goal in forming a launch team is to have the leadership in place that is needed for a healthy church when the church plant begins to grow.

It is essential to remember that the purpose in planting a church is to reach the lost. One driving factor behind Foothills Baptist Church is that on any given Sunday, over 50% of Maryville does not attend church. Maryville is in the buckle of the Bible belt and yet there is still a need to reach the lost in a different way. We are not interested in "swapping sheep." But reality is that a launch team is made up of individuals who are connected to a church. What we are interested in is seeing families come to know Christ. In order to see that happen we must be obedient and there must be a launch team of mature believers in place to help mentor and disciple the new believers.

The purpose of our launch team fellowship meetings are just that...to fellowship. They are open to anyone--those who are interested in being part of the launch team and those who are not but are wanting to help in some way. We get together and we pray, we eat,we talk, and we study the Word. All we are asking is for people to pray about whether God is leading them to be part of this dynamic act of faith and obedience. We are asking people to commit to praying for God's leading on their life and to be open if the Lord leads them to an uncomfortable situation.

Many questions and concerns might arise in one's mind when asked to pray about joining a launch team. I know because I've been there. I asked the same questions when I began to feel God leading me in this direction. Let's not pretend...being part of an established church ministry is more comfortable for ourselves and our families. It's easier to fit in and it's more convenient.

So why plant another church or why should we consider uprooting and leave our existing ministry? Fair questions that need to be addressed. The 1st reason is that planting churches is inherently implied in the Great Commission given by Christ. Every church at some point in time was a church plant.

The second reason is found in Romans 10:14: "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" Be careful this verse applies to more people than those struggling with the call to ministry. It applies to all believers. To preach simply means to proclaim. Preach or proclaim what? Proclaim the good news about the One who can take away their sins.

We can be naive about things or face reality and the truth. The truth is that hear in the buckle of the Bible belt there are people who have not heard the message of the saving Gospel of Christ. Very close to our church door are individuals who have never heard the name of Jesus. What a sad reality! But true. How does this tie together with being part of a launch team? Well a church plant simply focuses on those who have never had the Gospel shared with them. By being part of a launch team of a church plant you are that "someone preaching to them."

The 3rd reason for joining a launch team is that it will grow your faith. You will see God provide and do things that will blow your mind away. It's already happened to those of us who have been on staff at Foothills. When God's provision takes place it provides encouragement and a realization that God is indeed working. Anyone who commits to a launch team is taking a step of faith. This act of faith is based out of obedience to God's Word and a belief in the vision of the church.

It also grows our faith by getting us out of our comfort zone. The idea that Christianity is supposed to be comfortable is uniquely American. I would encourage you to google "Voice of the Martyrs" and look at their website. Christians in America have it made when compared to the rest of the world. We do not face persecution on such a grand scale as our fellow brothers and sisters around the world. My belief is that because we do not face this persecution we have become very comfortable in our faith. Being on a launch team will get you out of that comfort zone. Now..that doesn't mean that persecution will come rather it implies that it might lead you to do things for the Lord that you are not used to doing (which is not a bad thing).

Forming a launch team is vital to any church plant. For us it is vital as well. We have tried to talk with as many of our friends and relatives as possible. We know that many of you will not be led to do this and that some of you will. We also realize that there are those who are being led but are fighting with God because they are comfortable. God does not call us to be comfortable, He calls us to be obedient. All we are asking is that you come to our fellowships, pray about being on the launch team, be open to His leading, and be obedient.

Let us not forget that all glory be to the Father of Him who is the ransom for our souls!!

Jeremy

Why We Are Planting A Church

2010-06-25T16:19:00.000-04:00

Blogging is fun and it interests me. However…I really do not have time to do it consistently. This is a busy time for my family. Since my last post our second son, Noah, was born. He is doing well and so is Rachel. God has truly blessed us. As I think back on my life the blessings of God flow from every memory. I was fortunate to be born to a great family, to great parents who set the spiritual example for me and taught me how to be a man. I have been fortunate to have a great older (and I mean older) brother. It’s always nice to be able seek advice from someone you can trust and depend on.

Then there’s Rachel. What can I say to properly put my feelings for her in words? Simple I love you will do, I hope. She’s a great wife and a wonderful mother. She supports me in everything, from church plants to my other ministry positions and all the other stuff I am currently involved in. Sorry to ramble…but I’ve got to make God’s blessings known!

Why are we planting a church? I think I’ve been asked that question a thousand times. I know the typical logic that accompanies this question…there are sooo many churches in Maryville, why another one? We have a firm belief that there is still a lot that can be done in the community to minister to families and bring glory to Christ in the process. This doesn’t mean that we are anti establishment or have the opinion that all the existing churches are failing, nor does it mean that we are against working with other churches. It simply means that in 2010 there is still more work to do and the basis for this is the fact that nearly half of Maryville (in the buckle of the Bible belt) on any given Sunday is unchurched.

Closely related is another reason. Church plants should not “swap sheep.” We are not in this to “steal” someone else’s members. We are planting a church to see the lost be radically transformed by the power of God through His Son Jesus Christ. This is our passion and vision and we are praying that God will send us a group of mature believers who have the same passion. Our strategy to accomplish our task is to “be the church.” In other words, instead of developing programs with the hope of attracting people to our building, we are going to transplant the church out in the community with the hope and intent that those individuals encounter the Gospel through our service.

This strategy of being the church in the community we believe is more biblical than just sitting around waiting on the lost to flock to us. If you examine Jesus’ public ministry, more often than not He was teaching and ministering outside the walls of the temple. Jesus was in the community and we need to do the same. Our church is going to actively serve the community and our hope is that we will take the Gospel to families and see Fathers become the spiritual head of his family while leading his home to grow in faith.

There are some things that we are lifting up in prayer. We are seeking God’s leading in a worship pastor and a student/university pastor. Maryville College is just down the road and we intend to minister to the students on campus. We envision a Wednesday night college service where we cater to the students and bring the Gospel to them in full force through a time of fellowship, worship, and a non-watered down Jesus saves and defeats sin message. We would love for God to send us someone who has a passion for collegiate ministry.

As we continue to go through this faith growing process and following the Lord’s lead we are confident that God is going to give us the resources we need to do the ministry and we believe that He will lead individuals who have a heart for the Gospel and want to mentor a new believer to us. We are hoping that we can continue to develop relationships with other local churches and pastors and work alongside with them in accomplishing the overall mission of the church (Great Commission). We continue to pray for a church that can help us financially or partner with us in some capacity. Given the economic times we understand the difficulty in committing to do anything financially. While our focus is not on money we do understand that it is a need and our prayer is that God will provide for us enough to do what it takes to bring Him glory.

It’s an exciting yet nervous adventure of ups and downs. There are days when we know God is working and days when discouragement attack us. There are days when I honestly am overwhelmed with the task ahead. Can I be honest with you? I need your prayers. Pray for me to have wisdom, strength, to not compromise the Gospel in an attempt to gain an audience, to not neglect my family. All along I’ve said that Foothills Baptist Church will come to be not because its pastor has brilliant ideas or is a great schemer. Rather she will be birthed because of God’s grace, His power, His work, His ministry, His leading, and His providence. And this is what we want everyone to understand; that God has ordained and established this church. He is going to do a great work through the congregation and we are excited to be part of that work. He might be leading some of you to join us on this God ordained adventure.

Because He lives,

Jeremy

The Life of a Church Planter (part 1)

2010-05-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

Foothills Baptist Church is in full swing. Even though our launch date has not arrived our schedule is beginning to flourish and ministry is already taking place. Currently in my life, schedule balancing has become a challenge. My wife could go into labor any day, Isaac is growing up quickly, I work full time, and I am planting a church as the founding pastor. The challenge is to make sure my priorities are in the correct order.

Many of us struggle with busy schedules. We go and go and go until the day is over and we have had no family time or time alone with God. The problem is when this becomes the consistent pattern to our lives and begins to define who we are. I believe that Satan exists and that he seeks to destroy families. There are so many tactics and strategies implemented by the evil one to derail God’s ideal for the family. One tactic I believe is busy schedules. Rachel and I recently had a discussion about this very topic. The realization that we discovered was that often we are so busy during the day and that when the time comes to actually sit down we too often turn on the television. Family time should not revolve around the TV.
Now we are guarding our time together as a family. This means making certain that my family stays ahead of my career. This is a challenge in and of itself because we are so career driven in America. We want to advance our careers, be entertained, and have all the stuff that comes along with that. The pursuit of God (holiness) has been replaced with the pursuit of things. I believe all that begins with the breakdown of the family structure.

As I have been going down the path of being a church planter (which I never thought I would ever do), I have increasingly become aware of a few things concerning today’s world. It can never be assumed that the person you are talking to knows of God’s love. It’s more likely that they do not. Gone are the days when people are secretive about sin. Have you been to a restaurant lately? Have you noticed the unabashed drinking and carousing around children? I went to a new restaurant in town the other day and was confronted with this reality up close.

We do not live in a world that has a biblical worldview. Gone are the days when Creationism is accepted as truth. I’m sure somewhere there has been a study or poll that shows that a good percentage of church goers believe in evolution and try to reconcile the teachings of the Bible with the teachings of Darwin. To me these factors are unacceptable.

How does the church respond to this culture? Unfortunately many churches close themselves to the outside world while there are those who are suffering and need the healing power of Jesus in their lives. My concern is for the lost. My concern is for those who are on a never ending and relentless pursuit of happiness by trying to fulfill their desires through everything the world has to offer. Church we have the answer and solution in life and His name is Jesus.

My passion is to serve God by serving others. When we serve others we make an impression in their mind. I have come to realize and understand that most people just don’t want you to tell the Gospel; they want to see you live it. Churches make a greater impact upon society when they model Jesus to the community, not only to themselves. These are things that are dominating our staff discussions at Foothills Baptist Church. We are planning and praying to reach lives for Jesus by reaching outside of the church walls and into the community.

"State of the Church" update

2010-04-12T14:45:00.003-04:00

Every year the President gives a speech before Congress called the "State of the Union" address. So...I thought it might be good and appropriate for me to share with everyone where we are in the church planting process. God has blessed and we give Him the glory!!

At our last staff meeting we discussed our situation by compiling different lists on things we have and things we need. Here is what we came up with as of Saturday (10th).

OVERHEAD/EXPENSES
$72 year--website
$600 month--rent
$30 per each Bible study in library

ITEMS WE HAVE
Building
Projector
Screen
Keyboard
Guitars
Drums
Bongo Drums
Trumpet
Laptop
Fax machine
Copier

ITEMS WE NEED
Sound board
monitors
microphones
lapel mic
Children's lit

PRAYER NEEDS
Music Pastor
Youth Pastor
Core Group Bible Studies beginning on April 19th
Funding/support
Townsend spring festival
Westview Baptist mission trip in July
For us to glorify God and not ourselves

Since my last post, God has blessed us with many things. First He has surrounded me with two guys that I trust very much and whom I would consider balances an area of weakness that I have. Second we have been able to locate a building to use for our services. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a blessing this has been. This is only something God could have done. The building is on 321 headed toward Heritage High School and is called "Music Row." Many in the Maryville area are familiar with the building because it is home to Bluegrass Gospel music concerts on Saturday night. It has enough room for 350 people and has adequate space to do classes and the like. What I like most about the building is that it is located right on 321 and is very accessible and easy to find.

It seems as if the "items we have" column grows weekly and in the process we are staying true to the vision. The church's name is Foothills Baptist Church and evangelism and missions are at the core of our DNA. It's an exciting time as we continue with this journey. In the coming weeks we will be meeting with different churches; in an effort to form partnerships and find support from local congregations. Also beginning April 19th we will begin a series of Bible studies.

The Bible studies will be held at the Blount County Library and the first of which will be me explaining to hopefully you the vision/mission of the church and what is our biblical basis for doing such. While at the Bible study we are going to ask you to do something bold...to pray for us and for you to pray and seek God's will concerning your involvement with us.

Our goal and wish is that the Lord would receive all the glory from Foothills Baptist Church. This is not about me nor is it about anyone else on the staff. Many church plants are becoming trendy and developing rock star pastors. This will not be us. I am not going to spike my hair nor bleach my teeth. We have chosen to include "baptist" in our name simply because it provides doctrinal clarity. We perceive the term "Community" as another trend in church planting. In short our goal is not to be "cool," it is to be biblically solid.

Some have argued that planting a church is now the "cool" thing to do and that no need now exists for a new congregation in Blount County. My response is that church plants are inherent in the Great Commission. Combine that with the statistics available through the North American Mission Board and the evidence is overwhelming. It is estimated that 75% of SBC church goers are lost. Most churches have now plateaued or are dying. For the first time ever there are missionaries who are waiting to be sent by the NAMB but are on hold because of a lack of funds to support them. Statistics show that the SBC is getting older and not reaching the younger generation.

All these things point to one basic fact: we are not sharing the Gospel with those who need it.

This is my passion...to see souls saved and I believe that King Jesus is going to accomplish this through Foothills Baptist Church. We simply do not want to exist and be another church; we want to exist to make a difference for the Kingdom.

Jeremy

Mission Part 2: Biblical Teaching

2009-12-29T14:12:00.002-05:00

To any church biblical teaching is vital in order for it to be healthy. Upholding God’s Word is the most important thing a church should do. God’s Word is still relevant for the 21st Century. Unfortunately many churches and mainline denominations have took the “low road” when it comes to the truthfulness of Scripture. Indeed this trend has filtered down to certain world leaders and to the culture in which we live. We are living in a world where it is the politically correct thing to do and the socially acceptable “badge of honor” to tout evolution as the genesis of life and Christianity as a way to salvation or heaven.

No doubt about it the line has been drawn in the sand for the battle of the souls of men. Biblical teaching will be the bedrock of this church plant. We believe biblical teaching to be the truth and understanding that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God; meaning that it is without error and does not contradict itself. It contains the answers for all of our problems today. So….when we read that God created the earth in six days and rested on the 7th in Genesis chapter 1 that is exactly what we believe to have happened. In John 14:6 where Jesus claims, “I am the Way…” this means that the path to Heaven is very narrow and the road to hell is as wide as the ocean.

Biblical teaching should be based on the inerrancy of Scripture and not the rationalization of post-modern thinking. Our church plant will utilize the method of small group Bible studies in two phases. The first phase will be a group of 8-12 comprising of married couples or single adults. The intention is simple…to teach Scripture and address the issues and concerns that may be facing the group members. The second phase will be smaller groups of three. Theses groups will be of the same gender and serve the purpose of being accountability groups. In both groups biblical teaching will be pivotal as we invest in the lives of people. We believe that investing in people’s lives with God’s Word is a powerful way to see lives changed for the glory of Christ.

Because He lives

Jeremy

Mission Part 1: God Centered Worship

2009-12-21T14:26:00.004-05:00

If you have seen the Living Christmas Tree produced each year by Sevier Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville, then you are familiar with the Heaven scene at the end of the production. This scene is probably my favorite for many reasons. As I watched this scene over the weekend I noticed that as "Jesus" approached the stage to take His seat upon the heavenly throne, everyone was watching Him. All eyes were fixed upon the King of kings in adoration and worship. This is exactly what worship is all about, not just in Heaven but in our churches as well.

In our church plant we are seeking to change lives through worship. This is something that can only be done when the worshippers have their eyes fixed on Jesus. In too many churches the focus of a worship service is not on the Lord. The focus might be on a soloist, music director, choir member, or even the worship style. Churches have gone to contemporary services and traditional services and in the process have put labels on worship. I advocate biblical worship services. By this the focus is not on style but on the Savior. I think we are caught up too much in music preferences, instrument preferences, carpet preferences, hymnal preferences, etc. and in the process we miss the power of Jesus in our congregations.

I believe that true biblical worship can only take place in the life of a believer of Jesus Christ. This is because worship is much more than just one hour on Sunday morning. Worship is a lifestyle of glorifying God with our actions and words. However every church should have a corporate worship service in which believers and non-believers are present. Worship in a corporate setting should include the lifting up of God's Word. Yes the preaching of the Word is still needed and relevant to us today. I am also reminded of the biblical example of when the children of Israel returning from exile heard Ezra read aloud the law of God and how they were struck to the heart by its power, Scripture reading is important!

Another element is prayer. I remember services as a child where prayer was a pivotal part of the service. Imagine a worship service that is totally committed to the power of prayer. Sevier Heights has a service that they call the "House of Prayer." This is a part of worship and it can have a powerful effect on the lives of those who participate. A church that prays during its services and prior to its services will see lives changed! Worship is also orderly and Spirit led. I would encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 14 for more on this aspect of worship. We know that God is orderly and so is the Spirit's leading. Worship services should be structured but not to the point in which they remove the focus and power of the Lord. However I have found that they usually go together. Coincidence? Not a chance....

Because He lives,

Jeremy

Trip to Westview Baptist Church

2009-12-15T08:26:00.003-05:00

Sunday I had the opportunity to travel to Chattanooga and visit Westview Baptist. Westivew was my first congregation of service in 2003. Rachel and Isaac were not able to go so it kinda felt like the old days. During my time at Westview I traveled twice a week (at least) on Wednesday and Sunday down I-75. The drive never got on my nerves. I was serving the Lord and doing His will for my life, so how could it get old?

The purpose for going to Westview was to discuss how the church could help Rachel and I with the church start. I am very excited to be able to work with this church again. Awesome congregation and leadership. Westview is very structured and everything it does is based upon Scripture. However....there was a little surprise on Sunday morning. Sterling Jetton the pastor of Westview (and the pastor I served with during my time there) is beginning his 10th anniversary at the church. I was asked to share some thoughts about what Sterling has meant to me personally, which I gladly agreed to do.

Simply put, Sterling took me in and became my mentor. It was a time in my life when I had accepted the call into ministry but had no guidance. I was simply trying to figure things out for myself, thinking that this was how it should be. However Sterling taught me the importance of mentoring others in the faith of Jesus Christ. It established a driving conviction in my heart to mentor (especially young men in the ministry) those under my care.

What I am most proud of during my time at the church is that we established ministries based upon the proper and correct teaching of God's Word. In our youth ministry, the foundation was not silly games, retreats, conferences, mission trips, lock ins, or movie nights. It all started with God's Word. I knew that Sterling and I would work well together because this was his interest also. The activities we did flowed from the teaching of the Bible. The students grabbed hold of the idea and exploded. It's very comforting to be able to go back and see many new faces and know that the Lord used me to help get things going.

Back to Sterling for just a second....I have many cherished memories with him and his family. I literally hung out with them on many weekends and Sundays. I also had a chance to spend valuable time with the Millions' when I was away from the church. Great solid family for Jesus! Connally is a blast! Both families made me feel right at home. It was a very special time in my life. I will always treasure the conversations I had with Sterling, the times we went visiting, and of course eating lunch. I am thankful he allowed me to be a part of his family.

Now we press on toward the future...more to come later this week.

Because He lives

Jeremy

A New Ministry

2009-12-10T15:42:00.002-05:00

Waiting on God is not easy. Hard to believe that I have been out of seminary for two years! In that time God has placed a desire upon my heart to pastor and for Rachel to be a pastor's wife. As is usually the case, the Lord will take you down a path that you do not expect. Thus at this time we are in the process of doing a church start. Definitely not what I imagined myself doing while attending The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

We are still in the beginning part of the process but process is being made. We have completed all of our on-line tests that determine our spiritual gifts, personality, and church planting qualities. We have also been through a 3.5-4 hour interview with a "Behavioral Assessor" that was appointed to us by the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Dewayne thanks for the uplifting and encouraging experience!

After Christmas we will be beginning to outline our strategy to birth the church. In the meantime we have been informing friends and family about what we are doing and asking for your prayers. Have you ever considered being a part of something new, exciting, different, and powerful? Are you looking for a church home? If so....I encourage you to talk to me. Stay tuned, more information will be posted in the following days.

Because He lives

Jeremy

Obama is not what Dr. King envisioned

2008-11-05T10:32:00.002-05:00

In his I Have a Dream Speech Dr. King said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." As of Tuesday night November 4, 2008 this dream is still unrealized. In the weeks and days leading up to the election, I tried to listen to as many people as I could concerning why they were voting for Obama. In the overwhelming majority of the responses the answer was because Obama is black!

I thought this election was not about race? Turns out it was. Those who voted for Obama simply because he is an African-American are as guilty of racism as those who voted against him for the same reason. They have become the very thing that Dr. King was trying to avoid. Anyone who knows what Obama actually stands for understands that he is the antithesis of everything the Founders promoted through the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Federalist Papers. The Founders believed in small limited government--Obama thinks government should be as big as you can get it. The Founders believed in a capitalistic society--Obama thinks socialism is the way to go. The Founders believed that citizens had the right to possess their own guns--Obama wants to take your guns away, including ammunition used for hunting. The Founders believed in the concept of Life--Obama will not stand up for the unborn even after an abortion is botched. The Founders believed that war was necessary in order to correct the evils of illegitimate rulers--Obama thinks that he can talk his way out of conflict.

Congratulations America!! The world is rejoicing with you!! By the way, did anyone else besides me wonder why Iran was celebrating Obama's win? Congrats to America! You have elected a man who attends a racist church. You have elected a man who claims to be a Christian but does not accept the truth of John 14:6 nor the biblical truth that homosexuality is a sin.

You have elected a man who's party in 2004 ignored the banking industry's pleading that its banks were in trouble and they painted those who tried to warn them as trying to hold a lynch mob (which led to the $700 billion bailout). You have elected a man who has connections to KNOWN TERRORISTS during a time when we are trying to fight terrorists. You have elected a man who in previous times has sided with the enemies of Israel. You have elected a man who has accused our troops of "raiding villages and killing innocent civillians." You have elected a man who supports the Fairness Doctrine which could make it a crime for a church to preach against homosexuality and abortion. Essentially it would make it difficult to preach the gospel.

So...congrats to all you who voted for the most liberal and inexperienced candidate in the history of America. Obama talks about change well...change is certain to come. It will mean change for our churches and believers. It will mean change in the Constitution as the very bedrock principles of our free market society are put to shreads. It will also result in a change in our nation's morality as we drift even further to the left to an ammoral society. It will result in the change of First Amendment rights. Ultimately it will result in the change of a more socialistic society. Hard working Americans who employ other Americans and provide the backbone for the economy will be taxed more than they can afford which in turn means that many Americans will lose their jobs. Thus the very people Obama campaigned to help will be the ones that ultimately suffer the most.

Change is definately in the air, but I'm not sure the majority of Obama supporters are going to like it when it happens. With all the immorality and post-modern relativism that encompasses our nation today, I can not help but believe that Obama's election is further evidence that the "strong hand of providence" of God that George Washington talked about many years ago concerning the reason behind America's founding, is slowly being removed. When God's protective hand is removed from our nation...that should scare us but it should also cause believers to stand strong, keep your faith, and relish in the fact that regardless of who the president is the Lord is still in control.

sola fidei, sola sciptura

Jeremy

Obama's Christianity

2008-07-21T16:20:00.004-04:00

Sometimes trying to stay out of political races can be very hard, especially when your uncle (David Duggan) is involved in a local campaign and the opponent is trying to gain the upper hand by being less than ethical. Of course the other side of this is that it makes you very proud to know that your uncle will not stoop down to practicing the tactics of the opponent. It gives me great pride knowing that my uncle does not have to win a political race in order satisfy an ego that thrives on power. He has always been an honest, hard working, and fair man and no election will change his ethics or core beliefs. Those of you in Blount Co., vote wisely.

As for another person involved in a campaign, I must make some important comments. The only reason why I feel compelled to comment is because Obama is invoking religion while on the campaign trail. His comments use a similar language that most evangelicals are familiar with. But are Obama's beliefs biblical? Is he relying on the ignorance of many individuals in hopes that they will vote for him because he uses a language of religion? I think the answer to this is startling and demands a fight for truth on the part of local churches around the country.

In a previous interview with the Chicago Sun Times Obama said, "I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people." Someone please tell me how a correct biblical hermeneutic can come to that conclusion? Does Obama in claiming to be a Christian who believes in many paths not remember Jesus' words in John 14:6? In case we have forgotten, Jesus Himself said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life no man comes to the Father except through Me." Sounds as if Christ was against this whole universal idea that we all get to the same place through many paths.

In case you're wondering, Obama has responded to this issues which leaves you still scratching your head. Obama's response to the truth of John 14:6 is that it all depends upon how you hear the verse. What??????????????? Since when did the truth of Scripture depend upon the emotional status of Barack Obama? Does this thinking not also open up the possibility that Obama could "accidentily" not hear a word or two in a verse? For example, could this not provide Obama justification in hearing John 14:6 as "I am A way, a truth....." I think this shows that Obama has a very low view of Scripture.

To another issue that involves Obama's Christianity. Here is another Obama quote concerning a tenet of the Christian faith, "I don't presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I've been a good father to them, and I see that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they're kind people and that they're honest people, and they're curious people, that's a little piece of heaven."

If this is his definition of heaven, then he is truly missing the biblical description of what Heaven is. This seems to allude to a works salvation which Martin Luther began a Reformation over. Obviously, Scripture does not share Obama's view that we must work and do good deeds to see Heaven. Heaven can only be found if one has repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And yes Senator hell is a real place and people do in fact go there.

sola fidei

Jeremy

And then there was day 4

2008-06-19T22:59:00.002-04:00

Our hope is that everyone has been enjoying the pictures and the blog entries we have posted this week. There are still more to come! Darren has been a real help throughout the week (he has taken most of the pictures). This blog has been a lot of work, but I hope it has helped you all keep up with what we are doing here in Mississippi.

Today provided a sense of real accomplishment. The walls went up today!!! It's a pretty cool feeling knowing that we started this house from the bottom and have worked our way up. Our group has worked very well together. I have said this before, but I am very proud of how they have served the Lord this week. Not everyone is the best at doing construction work, but on these trips that doesn't matter. All that matters is that everyone does the best they can at accomplishing a common goal. Tommorrow is going to be very exciting.

The Bible School continues to go very well. The kids have a real excitement about them that can be both tiring and contagious. Today they learned about how to use the Bible for their lives. My prayer is that these kids will somehow grab hold of the lessons and songs we have brought to them this week. Please be praying for us tommorrow at the Bible school as we close things out. The kids will be told the Gospel message and we pray hard tonight for those who may come to know Christ.

Jeremy

On day number three......

2008-06-18T23:10:00.002-04:00

On the third day, God created......just kidding. Today was fun and exciting. The foundation has been completed and today we began putting down the floor at the house. Seeing the progress is very thrilling. I am so proud of our group. They have worked very hard and have complained very little. Each of them has shown a dedication and commitment to the Lord that should be admired. They serve the Lord with gladness, knowing that the public acknowledgment and reward is minimal.

At the construction site, today required alot of hammering and patience (of which sometimes I severely lack). Counting exactly how many nails we put into the structure is virtually impossible. But the task was completed because we all worked together and helped each other out.

The backyard Bible clubs continue to go well. My responsibilities have expanded to picking up kids and then dropping them off. Stable Baptist is building a new sanctuary which is being worked on this week during the same time we are there. It has been interesting to see the progress made on the new building. It is being constructed out of steel and the workers have to use cranes in order to place the steel beams correctly.

We have four different classes going from 9-11 (10-12 for you back home), split up into age groups. We are consistently have around the same number each day, but the ones who attend change each day.

It has been a blessing to see our workers bond with the kids who have been attending. In just 3 days the kids have started to trust and rely on our workers. We have enjoyed being able to tell Bible stories to the little ones, who have very little Bible knowledge. For example, few of them had ever heard of Zachaeus.

Continue to pray for us as we are very tired. But we will continue to press on.

For the pictures, click on the photo below!!!!!!!!

Jeremy

CLICK HERE FOR MISSION TRIP PICTURES

2008-06-17T23:43:00.001-04:00

DSCF0551
Originally uploaded by picturetaker315

On the second day...........

2008-06-17T23:08:00.002-04:00

Today was a great day. On the construction site, the group accomplished many things. We have successfully finished the foundation. Concrete has been poured and everything is secure. The plan is to begin the framing part of the house. Hopefully by the time we leave on Saturday morning, there will be a roof on the house.

The weather has been hot! However today we were able to get some relief as a result of clouds and a breeze. It has been very exciting to see everyone participate and help with the construction efforts. This is a perfect picture of how the church should operate. Everyone helping, all working together for a common goal.

Our backyard Bible clubs continue to grow. Today we had more than yesterday and were able to make new contacts for Stable Baptist Church in Saucier. The enthusiasm in the church has found its way to the homes surrounding the congregation. Each day, the kids and students come ready and eager to learn and help. We only have the kids for 2 hours, so our time is valuable but it is well spent. Pray that we will be able to reach some of the students who have been attending. I have a pretty good idea that a couple of them are lost.

The service we did tonight at Robinson Road was tremendous. Our church should be very proud of how are young people (and adults) are serving the Lord on this trip. When we return to the church after a long hot day of work, everyone is exhausted. Yet, the students continue to push on and serve the Lord. It is really an inspiration to me. Keep praying for Squeak. He did another excellent job speaking tonight and he has one more to go. He is very excited about how God is using him.

That's all for now, keep praying for us because the evil one is hard at work. If we let our guard down the slightest bit, discension and division will creep in. All for God's glory!!

sola fidei

Jeremy

Day #1

2008-06-16T23:08:00.003-04:00

Today was crazy. Most first days normally are. Our group is doing construction and backyard Bible clubs in 2 different locations. At the construction site, we placed 18 10x10x16 stilts into a 4 ft. hole. As you can imagine, this is not easy (even with the help of a tractor). If all goes well, we should be laying a floor tommorrow morning and then pouring concrete in the afternoon. We also encountered some road blocks while digging the holes which slowed things down somewhat.

At the backyard Bible club (located at St able Baptist), we had over twenty for the first day. To my surprise there were 6 teenagers who came to help. Everything went well and we are anticipating another great day the kids.

Squeak did a great job in his first message tonight. He was nervous, but did well. I look forward to seeing him develop in this area as he continues to grow in ministry. Spoken For, the puppets, and the band led our first Family night service at Robinson Road. I am very proud of everything we accomplished on the first day, and I look forward to tommorrow!!

See the post below for the Mission Trip pictures

Jeremy

mission 6-14-08 002

2008-06-15T19:28:00.002-04:00

CLICK HERE FOR MISSION TRIP PICTURES

mission 6-14-08 002
Originally uploaded by picturetaker315