On Sabbatical

Cross Lanes Baptist recently instituted a Sabbatical Policy for Pastoral Staff. The policy allows for a 40 Day Sabbatical, following every 7 years of consecutive service to the church. I am completing my 9th year of service at CLBC.

I will begin the sabbatical the day after Christmas, and return to the pulpit on February 12th. During this time, Associate Pastor Brandon Carter, Education/Administration Pastor John Foster, and Rev. Greg Carpenter will rotate preaching responsibilities. The Pastoral Staff and Deacon Ministry will cover ministry responsibilities.

For CLBC family, if you have a need you may contact one of the other pastors, or the Pastoral Secretary, Joyce Withrow at the Church Office. If there is an emergency, she can get in touch with me.

Pray that this is a time of renewal for me personally, and for the church. I look forward to fruitful years ahead at CLBC, and I am thankful for God's call on my life and family to serve this great church.

I will be work on some writing that I have wanted to do during this time. I also will be journaling during the time away, and will share a report with the church upon my return.

God's Horn of Salvation

Scripture Focus: Luke 1:57-80

 

Zechariah's words give us a clear message of the purposes of God in history, in our lives and for eternity.

- The Promise vv68-71

- The Praise  vv72-75

- The Proclamation vv76-77

Has the light of Jesus shone into your life, to guide your feet into the way of peace?

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Our goal at Cross Lanes Baptist for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions this year, is $25,000. To date, we are approximately one third of the way toward the goal. Pray about how God would have you give to this very important offering and invest in kingdom work around the globe through the work of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Click on the image below to watch, A Life of Significance. 

The Call of the Kingdom

Scripture Focus-  Mark 4:26-29

 Jesus often spoke in parables and used common illustrations to make His point. In a parable, the various aspects have symbolic meaning.

Kingdom= God's rule and reign over all things, present/future

Seed= The Good News of Jesus

Scattering= Proclaiming the Good News

Crop= God's family

Harvest= The end of the age, the culmination of the kingdom

Sickle= The ingathering of the harvest, judgment

5 principles regarding the call of the kingdom:

Principle #1- The call of the kingdom is for every follower of Jesus.

Principle #2- The call of the kingdom is to take the Gospel down the street and around the world.

Principle 3#- The call of the kingdom is to sow the seed of the Gospel.

Principle #4- The call of the kingdom is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Principle #5- The call of the kingdom is urgent.

The hour is late, the time is now, to answer the call of the kingdom.