2009: A Great Year for Mission and Ministry

2009 promises to be a great year of mission and ministry in the life of First Baptist Church.  Already we’ve gotten off to a great start by welcoming ten new church members, beginning our “Celebrating the Disciplines” series and experiencing a terrific Disciple Now Weekend.

Coming up in the first half of 2009, we are looking forward to the annual Super Bowl Fellowship, the Children’s Winter Retreat, Scouting Sunday, the Pensacola Easter Pageant, the Worship Team Spring Concert at the Beach, Founder’s Day, Senior Recognition Sunday, the Chapel Choir Mystery Tour, and Vacation Bible School.  Also during 2009 we will have mission volunteers working on projects in Liberia, Haiti, North Africa, Costa Rica, Bulgaria, the Sudan, and Russia.

Also regarding 2009, earlier this week we witnessed the inauguration of the 44^th President of the United States.  No matter who we voted for in the recent election, let us covenant to pray for our President and his administration to lead with moral courage and extraordinary wisdom during these challenging times.

By the way, did you know that feeding the wrong appetites can undermine your spiritual growth? This Sunday morning we are zeroing in on the discipline of fasting, one of the most challenging of the spiritual disciplines, as we think about Becoming Hungry for the Right Stuff.  On Sunday evening during our Winter Bible Study we will be talking about Navigating Change when we meet in Pleitz Chapel at five o’clock.

This week I am participating in the annual Minister’s Metro Conference where I will join with several other pastors who serve similar churches to FBCP that will gather to pray for each other, to share ideas, and encourage each other as we strive to provide proactive and healthy leadership to our congregations.  Thank you for providing opportunities for each of our ministers to participate in events that sharpen our ability to serve.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study

Grieving for Those Who Are Alive

by Barry Howard

As a minister, I most frequently deal with grief among parishioners as a process that follows the death of a friend or loved one. When a friend or loved one dies, a bereavement process begins, a journey that allows the grieving one to proceed through a variety of stages of grief.

Many years ago, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross gave us the five stages of grief:  Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.  When I took a course in Death and Dying at the university I was taught that different individuals pass through the stages at different speeds and perhaps even in different orders.

But I was also taught that grief is not limited to the experience of loss through death. Grief could occur over the loss of a limb, the loss of a job, the loss of income, or the loss of one’s freedom.

Since my first visit to the funeral home at the age of six I have been aware of the kind of grief that accompanies death. Only in recent years have I come to understand the grief one can experience for those who are still alive.  Three family sagas have given me a new appreciation for how we grieve for the living.

First, in 2004, my father was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.  Although he responded to early treatment, a heart condition caused the suspension of therapy, and during the ensuing months I grieved for his loss of weight, his loss of independence, his loss of mobility, his loss of modesty, and ultimately his loss of breath.  By the time he died, barely recognizable to his friends, I seemed to have made multiple stops at every one of the five stages. In actuality, I grieved more during his deterioration from cancer than I did after his death.

The second saga began almost one year after my father’s funeral when my wife’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  For my wife and me, the same grief cycle began all over again.  Although there were many good days and fun visits with my mother-in-law who demonstrated extraordinary hope and perseverance, we grieved over her loss of hair, her loss of dexterity and balance due to neuropathy, her loss of ability to hold her grandchildren, her loss of appetite, her loss of youthfulness, her loss of vitality, and her loss of ability to serve in her many volunteer positions. When she died this past November, three years after her diagnosis, we believe death came as a blessing, an act of deliverance from the terrorism this disease can inflict upon a body.

Finally, just over a year ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  And our family began to experience grief over a different kind of loss.  This severe form of dementia expresses itself in a variety of ways.  Although many of the symptoms seem to come and go, and some days are better than others, during the past year we have grieved over her loss of memory, the loss of her familiar personality, the loss of her awareness of her surroundings, the loss of her freedom, the loss of her driving, the loss of her home, and because she has been relocated to a care facility, the loss of her church, the loss of her community, and the loss of her network of friends.

I am still thinking about how grieving for the living differs from grieving for the deceased.  As a pastor I am more aware of how many in my congregation grieve over loss related to those who are alive…the grandmother who is grieving over the grandson who is in prison, the father-in-law who is grieving over the loss of his daughter-in-law because of the divorce, the former manager who is grieving over the loss of his colleagues after his job was terminated, and the school teacher who is grieving over the loss of contact with students following her retirement.

In reflecting on my own experience, I would contend that grieving for the living can be more complex, more long-term, and more exhausting in many circumstances than the grief associated with a death. 

When grieving for those who are still alive, here are a few suggestions that friends and counselors offered to me:

• Try to practice good self-care.
• Remain connected with your faith community.
• Strive to maintain a good regimen of exercise, nutritious diet, and rest.
• Maximize your time with your loved one.
• Maintain at least one hobby, project, or activity that is replenishing for you.
• Allow and encourage friends and family members to grieve at their own pace in their own space.
• Ask God to renew your strength.

Grief lasts for a season.  But remember, each season is unique in scope and duration.

(Dr. Barry Howard serves as the senior minister of the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

Where Dr. King Stood

by Barry Howard

On Monday January 19, our nation will observe a holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Even though I grew up in Alabama in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King’s name meant little more to me than a name in a textbook. That is, until 1982. 

In 1982 during my senior year at Jacksonville State University, I participated in a field trip to Atlanta with the Sociology Club.  We visited several sites of social and cultural significance including the Atlanta Federal Corrections Facility, the Grady Hospital, the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center.

While touring the sanctuary of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, another student and I ventured into the pulpit and stood briefly where Dr. King had stood to preach.  The hostess immediately reprimanded us, informing us that in their church tradition, only ministers of the gospel were allowed to “stand behind the sacred desk.”

I relieved her sense of alarm by informing her that I was a “licensed” Baptist minister and that my friend was preparing to be an Episcopal priest, a claim which our faculty sponsor confirmed for the hostess.

Upon learning of our ministerial affiliation, the hostess asked the two of us a few specific questions about our knowledge of Dr. King and then invited us to follow her to the King Center adjacent to the historic church.  She led us through the Archives Area, and then through a door that was labeled “Authorized Personnel Only.”

Once inside, we discovered we were in an expansive storage facility with row after row of shelves containing hundreds of boxes.  She took a couple of boxes from the shelves, opened them, and allowed us to view at the contents.  We quickly realized that the hostess was giving us the privilege of examining some of Dr. King’s personal sermon notes, speeches, and correspondence.  This information was being stored in the warehouse prior to being processed for the archives.

We observed notes that were mostly handwritten on hotel stationary, restaurant napkins, used mailing envelopes, and on the backside of “incoming” personal letters.  While many respected orators labor intensively over manuscripts, revising multiple drafts in order to arrive at just the right script, it was obvious that Dr. King had a rhetorical gift for rendering a speech extemporaneously from a few scribbled thoughts.

After a half an hour or so, our time was up and we rejoined the others in our group.  Only years later have I come to realize the distinct privilege given to me that day in Atlanta.  Since that time, I have read most of Dr. King’s published writings as well as many commentaries and editorials about Dr. King’s life.

Dr. King should be remembered as a passionate Baptist minister.  Following seminary, he served as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.  Later, he succeeded his father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., as pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Dr. King should be remembered as an accomplished scholar.  After graduating from Morehouse College in 1948, he went on to study theology at the Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.  He completed a doctorate in systematic theology at Boston University in 1955.

Dr. King should be remembered as a courageous civil rights advocate.  His dream was equality for all people and he employed and encouraged non-violent protests to dramatically make his point. 

In March of 1964, Dr. King was named Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year.”  In December of 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

On January 20, our nation will inaugurate a new President, one whose voice was heard, and whose election made possible, in part, due to the work of Dr. King.  The voice and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped shape a movement that is still transforming our nation.

(Dr. Barry Howard serves as senior minister of First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

Check Out the New Site: FBCP Notes

Check out the new FBCP Notes site at www.fbcpnotes.blogspot.com. Each week the notes from the sermons and Bible studies will be posted on this site so that you can review the points of emphasis or share with friends.

Continue to check www.bayhillrev.blogspot.com for articles, columns, and news. Notes and outlines previously posted on www.bayhillrev.blogspot.com have been transferred to the new site.

“You Need the Prayer…I Need the Practice”

When I was in college and frequently hanging around the Baptist Campus Ministry, when someone would remark, “I’m praying for you.”  Occasionally there was a wisecracker in the group who would say, “Good. I need the prayer and you need the practice.” 

If you are like me, I am strengthened by the prayers of my friends and fellow believers.  And when it comes to prayer, I really do need the practice…the regular practice of praying that stretches and enriches my walk with the Lord.

This Sunday as we continue Celebrating the Spiritual Disciplines, we are focused on the discipline of prayer.  During worship, our featured text is Luke 11:1-4 and I will be describing prayer as “Talking Honest to God.”

Since many are in need of our prayers (and most of us really do need to practice), as we prepare to focus on prayer, I am asking you to join me in praying about the following concerns and opportunities that affect our church and our nation:

• Pray for Disciple Now Weekend where over 100 of our students will be challenged to radically follow Jesus.
• Pray for our Combined Worship Gathering this Sunday that momentum and inspiration of being together with our students might propel all ages into dynamic weeks of outreach and discipleship.
• Pray for the upcoming inauguration, our incoming President, his administration, and our Congress, that they will lead with wisdom, discernment, and integrity.
• Pray for the families and businesses who are adversely affected by the current recession.
• Pray for the many members of our congregation who are discovering and reaffirming their spiritual gifts and connecting with ministry teams.
• Pray for those in our 32501 Target Zone who need to be connected to God and church.
• Pray for me and our ministers as we equip and lead and challenge our diverse congregation to embrace our diverse gifts and seize our unique opportunities.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Celebrating the Disciplines

During this first quarter of 2009, we focus on Celebrating the Spiritual Disciplines in our Bible study groups and our worship gatherings.  Last Sunday we kicked off the series by defining spiritual disciplines as those practices that help us stay in tune with God and God’s purposes for your life. 

As we grow in our faith, we are encouraged to live in a way that honors God every day in every way.  Colossians 3:17 (NIV) challenges us to translate our faith into action so that “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”                   

Next Sunday we will zero in on the spiritual discipline of meditation.  Here is a list of the spiritual disciplines we will consider during the series:

Meditation                  Simplicity                   Confession

Prayer                         Stewardship              Worship

Fasting                       Submission                Guidance

Study                          Service                       Celebration

 

No matter whether you are a veteran Christian or a new believer, you can grow deeper in your faith and stronger in your capacity to serve by learning and practicing the spiritual disciplines.

In 2009, we are calling on each other to discover our spiritual gifts and to get involved with at least one ministry team.  We are learning that the spiritual disciplines help us to sharpen our spiritual gifts so that we can serve more effectively.

Here are some ways you may discover your spiritual gifts:

• Take one of the spiritual gift inventories (available online or on hard copy).
• Enlist a small group of trusted friends or an accountability partner to affirm or identify the gifts they see in you.
• Evaluate your spiritual passion.  (What area of service brings you joy?  Or for what area are you specifically burdened?)

Then connect with one or more ministry teams that correlate to your spiritual gift and passion.  Our church has several congregational ministry teams and deacon-led ministry teams that provide specific opportunities for you to serve.

On Sunday evenings in January during our Winter Bible Study, we are considering lifestyle disciplines, other practices that help us to honor God in the 21^st century.  We meet at five o’clock in Pleitz Chapel.  Bring a Bible, a notebook, and arrive early to get a seat.

During our Midweek Worship Gatherings on Wednesdays in January, I am covering the lifestyle disciplines from Richard Foster’s book, Money, Sex, and Power.  It’s a great opportunity to bring a friend and introduce them to our First Baptist family and our relevant life application conversations.

I look forward to seeing you this week in worship and Bible study.

My Resolutions...More or Less

The start of a new year is usually perceived as a season for clean slates and new beginnings. Depending on your perspective, you might consider New Year’s Day as a time to turn over a new leaf, a time to start that post-holiday diet, or a time to generally clean up your act and put your life in order.

I am not usually inclined to compose a list of New Year’s resolutions, but in 2009 there are some specific goals I want to work on personally and professionally. As I prepare for 2009, here are my big five resolutions…more or less:

1. Eat less and exercise more. My physician keeps reminding me that I can increase the probability of enjoying prolonged good health if I begin now to eat a little less (reducing 200-300 calories per day) and to exercise more (30-45 minutes per day).

2. Talk less and listen more. Several times in children’s sermons I have emphasized that God created us with two ears and one mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we talk. As I grow older, I am discovering the need for me as an adult to limit my speech and to be more intentional and focused in my listening.

3. Meet less and minister more. In recent months, the church I serve has taken some strategic steps to minimize the number of meetings we ask leaders and workers to attend, and to increase the number of ministry opportunities we provide. Even as a church staff member, if I am not careful, my time can be consumed in meetings where my presence is not really needed. In 2009, I want to spend more time engaged in ministry action.

4. Criticize less and encourage more. Maybe it’s the after effect of an election year or maybe it is a side effect of the recession, but I have heard enough criticism in 2008 to taste its toxicity. While constructive criticism may be of great value, negative and petty criticism tends to be contagious and demoralizing. Our local and national leaders, our ministers, our colleagues and our neighbors need our prayers and encouragement more than they need darts of criticism flying their way.

5. Spend less and save more. As I experience the challenges of the current recession, and as I think about retirement possibilities down the road, I am persuaded that I need to spend a little less this year on frivolous things and to put a little more in savings to provide stability for the future.

As I prepare to ring in the New Year, there some things I need to do a little less often and others I need to do a little more frequently. How about you?

I Am Grateful for the Role You Play

Last week one of our energetic nephews, Jacob, was in the Christmas play at his school. He was excited about his role. Parents and grandparents were in attendance with videocameras in hand. When they reported to Aunt Amanda and Uncle Barry about the good job Jacob did, I asked, “What part did he play?”  I was surprised when they answered, “He was the donkey that Mary rode into Bethlehem.”  Then came the remark, “Somebody has to do it.”

It’s true that many of us play a lot of different roles in God’s church and God’s kingdom.  No matter what role you play, I appreciate the servant heart, the spiritual gifts, and the growing faithfulness you offer to the Lord through the ministries of First Baptist Church.

On behalf of our support staff and ministers, “thank you” for the encouraging notes, Christmas cards, and various goodies you have shared with us during the holiday season.

We wish for you and your family a meaningful and merry Christmas, and true joy and peace for the New Year!

A Tale of Two Attitudes

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way. –Charles Dickens

In 1859 Charles Dickens published A Tale of Two Cities, a historical novel set in London and Paris detailing the social and economic challenges experienced during the French Revolution, a conflict that impacted most of Western Europe. Dickens’ novel has the recurrent theme of resurrection, chronicling how several individuals faced the challenges of those days with perseverance, determination, and resilience.

Though we are definitely not living in the worst of times, we are certainly experiencing the toughest economy in recent years…a challenging time to keep your business afloat, a challenging time to maintain your job, a challenging time to make ends meet. But the worst of our times can bring out the best in us. Challenging times can fortify our faith, strengthen our character, and deepen our resolve.

Your faith and your attitude can determine whether you view your challenging times with pessimism, hopelessness, and despair, or whether you muster your courage and confront your challenges with perseverance, determination, and resilience.

In your Advent journey, as you progress toward Christmas, remember that the babe in the manger was born to bring Light to your season of darkness.

On the next two Sundays, December 21 and 28, we will begin Bible Study at 8:45 and share in combined services of worship at 10:00. Join in the fellowship in the Atrium from 8:15-8:45. Be encouraged to wear your Christmas colors to each of our remaining December services.

Christmas is a great time to invite a friend or neighbor to join you as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Holiday Schedule

Dec 21 8:45a.m. Bible Study

10:00 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary

Dec 24 5:00 p.m. Candle and Carols

Dec 28 8:45 a.m. Bible Study

10:00 a.m. Worship in Chipley Hall

Pa Rum Pum Pum Pum

Advent comes alive with candles and carols, prophecy and promise, friendship and faith. On recent Sundays we have lit the Prophecy Candle, reminding us of the messianic promises rendered by prophets long ago, and the Angels Candle, highlighting the angelic announcements to Elizabeth and Zechariah, to Joseph and Mary, and to Shepherds watching their flocks by night. This Sunday we will light the Shepherds Candle, a reminder of our responsibility to spread the good news about the child born in Bethlehem

Surrounded by colorful seasonal décor, we will sing the carols of the season and we will focus on the importance of Marching to a Different Drummer from Romans 12:1-2. Then on Sunday evening, we will gather at six o’clock for In Excelsis Deo presented by our Festival Chorus and Orchestra.

Speaking of décor, for many years we have enjoyed an outdoor nativity scene on the southern front lawn, a scene provided by Elliott and Frances Dobelstein in memory of their son, Wayne. We are grateful that the Dobelsteins have provided a new indoor nativity scene in memory of Wayne, a crèche symbolizing the hope, love, peace and joy of the season, now on display in the atrium window of the ROC.

By the way, this week, in addition to our tithe, Amanda and I are writing our check for our annual Christmas Offering for Global Missions. We invite you to join us as we prayerfully and financially support those who serve as missionaries around the world.

Advent is an opportune time for spiritual reflection and spiritual commitment. After each worship service, counselors and ministers are available to speak with persons who are making commitments regarding faith in Christ and membership in the church. And as we prepare to embrace the opportunities of a new year, we encourage every member of our church family to take a spiritual gifts inventory, either online or on paper, and to connect with a ministry team that most closely matches your spiritual gifts and your personal passion.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Marching to a Different Drummer

The holidays typically usher in a shopping frenzy and frantic pre-occupation with gift giving, but this year both will likely be tempered by the current wave of market anxiety. As Advent begins in this new social and economic context, and as I reflect on the approaching celebration of Christmas, I am focused on the juxtaposition of two seemingly unrelated Bible texts. The first summarizes the journey of the Magi who traveled from the East in search of the mysterious child of promise: When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11 NIV).

The second text, which I readily confess does not typically invoke Yuletide emotion, is Romans 12:2 which boldly challenges believers to live out our faith with subversive authenticity: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (NIV).

Treasures construed to be the contemporary equivalent of gold, incense, and myrrh are not the only gifts you can present in honor of Jesus. As you embark upon your Advent journey, perhaps you might also consider offering something that cost you a little more of your self, a contribution from your own lode of talent or giftedness.

Do you recall the legend behind the musical story of “The Little Drummer Boy,” the song about a boy who gave of his meager talent by playing the drum for the Christ child? Introduced in the U.S. in the 1950’s, this memorable holiday carol made popular by Bing Crosby, was actually based on a Czech tune, “Carol of the Drum,” composed by Katherine K. Davis in 1941 and later recorded by the famed Von Trapp Family Singers in Austria. The more familiar “drummer boy” version details the fictional but meaningful tale of a young boy who approached the manger with nothing to offer but his drum. However, as the boy began to play his drum, his unique gift brought a smile to the face of the infant.

Throughout this holiday season a variety of colorful and thematic decorations will adorn many of our church campuses, iconic symbols such as a Christmas tree, an Advent wreath, or a manger crèche. Peculiar in the décor of the church I serve is a drum tree which is constructed annually in our church atrium. Vick Vickery, our veteran Scoutmaster, assembles this drum tree each year out of 34 percussion instruments from different eras in history. Included in this menagerie are replicas of the rope drum used in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Historically, these instruments were crucial for conveying instructions and maintaining morale, for in the days prior to advanced telecommunication, soldiers were trained to listen carefully for strategic commands encoded in the resounding beat of the drummer.

Now, stacked and configured in the form of a Christmas tree, our drum tree serves as a holiday reminder that God calls us to march to the beat of a different drummer, receiving our formative cues and motivation from the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus. While the default values of our culture may prompt us to spend irresponsibly, to consume disproportionately, and to hurry frantically, our faith calls us to march to the rhythm and cadence of a different percussionist, to be cheerful in giving, gracious in receiving, and intentional in living.

During this festive season of the year, believers of all ages are invited to invest our best spiritual gifts and our prime tangible gifts in ways that express our allegiance and alignment with the One born in Bethlehem.

(Dr. Barry Howard serves as Senior Minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

Celebrate with Grace and Gratitude

Although the daily practice of giving thanks is a year round discipline, one day of the year is set aside for us to inventory our blessings and to express our gratitude to God with focused intentionality.

As you plan your Thanksgiving schedule, I pray that you and your family will enjoy a fun and memorable gathering with renewing your appreciation for all of God’s blessings.

If you are staying in town this week, consider participating in our Community Thanksgiving Service at Christ Church on Wednesday evening at six o’clock.

From the inspired words of Holy Scripture to the treasured verses of classical and contemporary authors, much has been written about the experience of gratitude. The following verses are among those I continue to treasure:

Let us come before him with thanksgiving.
- Psalm 95:2

Count your many blessings, name them one by one; and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. -Johnson Oatman Jr.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; be thankful to him and bless his name. - Psalm 100:4

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
- II Corinthians 9:15

We thank Thee that Thou hast placed us in the world to subdue all things to Thy glory, and to use all things for the good of Thy children. -Edward Everett Hale

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. - William Faulkner

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire’. - Hebrews 12:28

At Thanksgiving, may our feasts and our festivities remind us of our blessings and encourage us to live our days growing in grace and gratitude.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study, and as we begin our Advent series, Marching to a Different Drummer.

Understanding Gospel Math

Understanding Gospel Math

All during November we are trying to better understand gospel math. In our current sermon series, Quantum Faith, we have tackled perplexing questions: How can the least be the greatest? How can two become one? Why does God have greater expectations from those who have been given greater gifts?

This Sunday we will try our hand at “Calculating 70 X 7” as we focus on the healing experience called forgiveness. At the beginning of the Midmorning service we will celebrate baptism.

Don’t forget that our Community Thanksgiving Service at Christ Church begins at 6 o’clock next Wednesday November 26. There will be no services or activities scheduled on our campus for that evening.

This year Advent begins on November 30, the Sunday following Thanksgiving. On that Sunday morning we begin the lighting of the Advent candles, seasonal music, and our Advent sermons, all surrounding the theme, Marching to a Different Drummer. On that Sunday evening, we will meet in Chipley Hall at 6:00 for Deacon Ordination.

As we fulfill our vision to mobilize for ministry and match spiritual gifts to ministry tasks, check out the new online spiritual gifts link on our church web site. Take time to prayerfully assess your spiritual gifts and your personal passion as you commit to serve on a ministry team in the days ahead.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Tough Lessons for Tough Times

Tough Lessons for Tough Times

A few months ago a couple of the savvy business owners in our church indicated to me their concern that we were overdue a severe market correction. In other words the bull would become a bear, and probably persists as a fairly wimpy bear for while.

Now it is becoming apparent to many of us that we are not just experiencing a market correction, but we are at the uncomfortable beginning of a culture correction. While much of our discomfort is caused by the symptoms… market volatility, unemployment, personal and corporate budget reductions…at some point we must deal with the root of the problem. Dr. Vance Havner once asked, “What good is it to keep tearing down the web if you’re going to do nothing about the spider.”

My pastoral observations are somewhat naïve and certainly lack the expertise of an economist or a sociologist, but from where I sit, the following concerns seem conspicuously obvious:
1. Many have adopted unattainable or unsustainable standard of living goals, goals that are often incongruent with an individual’s faith, values, and productivity.
2. Many are experiencing great distress and anxiety as a result of the quest to achieve their desirable standard of living by utilizing excessive credit transactions. This personal crunch disrupts families and ultimately contributes to the overall corporate crisis.
3. Many feel trapped and hopeless in their personal financial dilemma or in their current business venture or vocation, with little or no hope for the future.

For further thought and reflection, I propose that a quick return to market normalcy, continued access to easy credit, and continued lifestyles of accumulation and acquisition, factors that might relieve the tension of the moment, actually only postpone the inevitable. We must adopt life goals and management strategies that enable us to live life with meaning and purpose, and embrace a way of life that minimizes anxiety, elevates passion, and enhances relationships.

As a follower of Jesus and a Christian pastor, the teachings of the Bible and the initiatives of Christ are constantly re-formatting my lifestyle, calling me to leave behind the errant ways of my past so that I might live more authentically, more passionately, and more faithfully. As I reflect on the tough times many of us are experiencing, I invite you to think with me about the life-changing lessons we can learn in tough times. For starters, consider some of the following suggestions asking whether they may be applicable to your life situation:
•Seize the current season of adversity as an opportunity to upgrade the way you approach life, order your priorities, and live out your faith.
•Base your sense of self-worth and your self-esteem on the love and uniqueness that God has given you, not on your status or your “net worth.”
•Adopt a lifestyle of “living within your means,” avoiding unnecessary credit, and making informed purchasing and investing decisions.
•Teach your children to make life decisions based on faith and values, not by subscribing to default cultural trends.
•Be prepared to assist with vocational networking or engage in vocational transitioning and re-training.
•With a non-partisan disposition, pray for the current and future leaders of our community, our state, and our nation that they may act with extraordinary wisdom and discernment.
•Invest your gifts and passions in proactive service in the church and in the community, always toward the greater good of the whole body.
•Share from your blessings with others who may have greater needs and a lesser portion.
•In seasons of prosperity and seasons of adversity, honor God with all of your assets….your tithe, your time, and your talent.
•Practice the biblical principles of Sabbath, ceasing periodically from industry and anxiety to rest and worship, and jubilee, releasing your grip on property in order to rotate, revitalize, and restore.

This season of economic adversity could be remembered as the toughest time since The Great Depression. But out of that depression came those Tom Brokaw has described as “the greatest generation.” Perhaps God could teach us a few life-changing lessons during these tough times that will shape us into more responsible citizens, more respectable parents, more competent leaders, more productive workers, and more effective servants than we’ve ever been before.

Striving for Last Place

(Here are the powerpoint highlights of the sermon "Striving for Last Place" preached on Sunday November 2, 2008)

As you faithfully follow Jesus you will develop a passion to serve God by serving others. In Mark 10:22-31 after Jesus' encounter with the young and wealthy businessman, Jesus debriefs his disciples on the costs required to follow him.

What do we learn from Jesus about serving in Mark 10:22-31?
• Those who “have it all” will find it difficult, but not impossible, to embrace the kingdom lifestyle.
• Nothing is impossible with God.
• You will be called on to make tough sacrifices.
• “The first will be last and the last will be first.”

How can we best serve God with the gifts and passions emerging in our congregation?
• Clarify our mission.
- Our mission is to share love and grace with those who are disconnected with God and the church.
- Stake our claim on 32501 and the surrounding community as our primary mission field.
- Claim the global community is our secondary mission field.
• Mobilize for ministry.
- Spend more time ministering than meeting.
• Upgrade our model.
- Re-format our model of organization.
~ Leadership
~ Discipleship
~ Service
• Match gifts to tasks.
- Discover and nurture the spiritual gifts of the congregation.
- Match spiritual gifts to ministry assignments.
• Mentor the next generation.
- Establish cross-generational partnerships.

Where do I begin?
• Commit to radically follow Jesus in your daily routine.
• Cultivate your spiritual gift(s).
• Connect with a ministry project or ministry team.

Would you take your God-given passion and use it for a God-honoring purpose?

Where Do You Go For Help?

How long has it been since you’ve been in trouble? Maybe you were traveling and took a wrong turn before arriving at your destination. After wandering around lost, you finally found the fortitude to stop and ask for help with directions.

Or maybe you were assembling that new toy you bought as a gift for one of your children, and after trying to figure it out on your own, you broke down and read the instructions.

Or maybe, you were trying to navigate a new program on your computer and after a few hours of fruitless frustration, you finally hit the “help” button on the upper right section of your toolbar for assistance.

Or maybe, your problems are a little more serious. Perhaps you have tried to determine how to stay afloat during a season of economic adversity. Perhaps you are trying to keep your marriage together during a season of mounting distress. Perhaps you are trying to stabilize your business in a season when many are operating in a deficit. Perhaps you are trying to find a sense of peace after wrestling with an excessive load of guilt, grief or anxiety. Perhaps you are trying to revitalize your walk with God after a season of spiritual dormancy.

When you are in trouble, where do you go for help? Psalm 46 begins with these words of affirmation: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” This Sunday, as we continue our series, The Music of the Spheres, we will explore Psalm 46 as we talk about how God wants to be your helper in times of adversity.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study. Be encouraged to invite a friend or neighbor who needs to hear a positive word from the Lord to join you this week.

"Footloose with the Lord of the Dance"

Just in case you missed it....here is the central idea from Sunday October 12:

"Footloose with the Lord of the Dance"
Psalm 30

God wants to put a new dance in your step and a new song in your heart.

8-10 I called out to you, God; I laid my case before you: "Can you sell me for a profit when I'm dead? auction me off at a cemetery yard sale? When I'm 'dust to dust' my songs and stories of you won't sell. So listen! and be kind! Help me out of this!" 11-12 You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can't thank you enough.
Psalm 30:8-12 The Message

*You can state your case before God with candid honesty.

*Only God can make you footloose from your past.

*God wants to choreograph your steps as you dance to a new tune.


As a Christian, God doesn’t want your life to follow “the same old song and dance.” God wants to teach you a new step and a new tune through which to celebrate and share God’s love and grace.

Just in Case You Missed It

In recent weeks, many of our sermons, columns, and devotionals seem to be pointing us toward an upgrade in the way we worship and minister at First Baptist. We are a good church with a great heritage, but I believe God is inspiring, prompting, and leading us toward something that is more challenging and more demanding than what we have experienced in the past.

Just in case you have missed one of the Midweek or Sunday worship gatherings, or you haven’t read The Builder word for word, here are a few excerpts from recent weeks:

The way I see it, most of us are at our best doing “hands-on” ministry. If as a people of God we are much better at doing ministry than talking about doing ministry, why do we invest so much time doing the latter?

One good way to honor God is by faithfully managing and wisely investing all of the assets and resources that God places in our care.

Procrastination, lethargy, and laziness develop when we don’t take ourselves and our responsibilities seriously enough. Stress, anxiety, and depression develop when we take ourselves and our responsibilities too seriously.

In a world where faith and science are all too often portrayed as adversaries rather than partners, we need to be reminded that the natural universe joins the biblical revelation in singing the chorus of God’s greatness.

Be careful…most every generation wants to change a few things passed along from their parent’s generation but then for some strange reason they want the process of change to stop with them.

One thing we learn about stewardship from the Old Testament is that God is never pleased with re-heated sacrifices and recycled offerings.

Getting in tune with God will refresh and refocus your life.

If God is the great artist working on a masterpiece, think of your life and think of our church as God’s canvas, and remember that God’s paintbrush is still wet.

Here’s a preview of what you will hear this Sunday when we talk about being “Footloose with the Lord of the Dance” from Psalm 30:

God expects more from us than “the same old song and dance,” day after day and week after week.

God wants to teach us a new step and a new tune through which to celebrate and communicate God’s love and grace.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study. Don’t miss it for the world!

Ministry of the Cup

One of the great resources in the new Paul Royal Recreation and Outreach Center is First Cup, our own First Baptist café. As the vision for the ROC came together, we dreamed of a gathering space where church and community would come together, a Wi-Fi hot spot for internet access and a social and spiritual hot spot for building relationships and conversing about life and faith.

First Cup will have a new look as we upgrade our product and our opportunity by partnering with a new supplier. Beginning Sunday, October 5, we will introduce The Drowsy Poet at First Cup. As a respected mission-oriented coffee shop on Brent Lane, The Drowsy Poet purchases coffee beans directly from mission partners in Central America, roasts the beans in Pensacola, and reinvests a portion of the proceeds of all coffee products back to the mission field. This new partnership will enable us to provide a fresher product, develop a creative missions connection, and broaden our visibility in the community.

Recently, I read Three Cups of Tea, the best-selling, soul-stirring book about the humanitarian work of Greg Mortenson. The title of the book is based on the hospitality customs related to business transactions in some parts of the Middle East. Haji Ali, a village chief in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan says that, “We drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything—even die.”

What can I do to get involved in the ministry of the cup?
*Meet a friend or neighbor at First Cup.
*Tell your colleagues and classmates about First Cup.
*Purchase a gift card from First Cup.
*Share a cup of coffee or a bottle of water from First Cup with “the least of these” in our community.
*Plan a meeting of your small group or business at First Cup.
*Commit to bring a new acquaintance for three cups at First Cup as you prepare them to join our family.

All ages can participate in the ministry of the cup. As we claim First Cup as a space for making new connections and re-affirming old ones, who will you meet for three cups…of coffee, tea, juice, latte, cappuccino, or smoothie?

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study.

When It Comes to Storms....Be Prepared!

This time of the year, folks along the coast experience a slight increase in storm anxiety. More now than in the past, we receive a variety of perspectives on the weather from multiple media outlets...newpaper, radio, television, and internet. While these outlets provide relevant and important updates and information, an overload of weather information can elevate your sense of anxiety.

When you see storms that could potentially hit our area lined up in the Atlantic, the Caribbean, or the Gulf, it's a reminder to be prepared. Preparation is better than panic. Panic is when you become so obsessed with anxiety about a potential storm that you fail to prepare and unnecessarily interrupt your plans and responsibilities. Storms should not create fear but a healthy sense of respect about the powerful force of nature.

The best course to follow when confronted with the possibility of an oncoming storm is to be prepared. Stock up on items such as non-perishable foods, batteries, and drinking water. Keep your automobile fueled up. Have a sufficient amount of cash on hand. And if you have a generator, have it on standby with fuel safely stored, in the event it is needed.

Good preparation might encourage you to develop a contingency plan. For example, if you live in area where you might be called on to evacuate in the event of a serious storm, have a plan in place so that you are ready to activate the plan if necessary. A good contingency plan might enable to continue with your normal routine with a greater sense of peace and comfort knowing that you are well-prepared for any weather scenario that emerges.

While we should take potential storms seriously, we do not have to be overcome by storm anxiety. Many potential storms do not develop into their full forecast strength or follow their anticipated paths. Forecasts tend to become more accurate as the storm gets closer.

At our church, we will always try to put the safety of our members and our community above our need to fulfill our weekly schedule. When there is a need to adjust our schedule or cancel an event, we will send out e-mail notices, make necessary phone calls, post the change on our web site, and communicate the schedule change through local radio and television networks.

When it comes to storms, don't panic. Be prepared!

Remember Our Church ROCKS!

As we get in gear for an exciting season of mission and ministry this fall, Remember Our Church ROCKS!

This Sunday we begin a new series which will continue throughout September and highlight the ROCKS, or foundational pillars, upon which we are planning our ministry. Our goal and our prayer is that all of our ministries and activities enable us to build on these five ROCKS:

Recreation: recreating a right spirit and a right body
Outreach: accenting an open invitation to those who are disconnected
Commitment: making our faith and participation a priority
Knowledge: getting better acquainted with God and ourselves through the teachings of the Bible
Stewardship: being wise managers of all of the resources God has placed in our care

Fall is a great time to connect with a disconnected friend, inviting them to join you as we gather for worship and Bible study.

A Prayer for Independence Day 2008

Good and gracious God, you have given us the privilege and the responsibility of living in the most resourceful land in the world. From sea to shining sea most of us enjoy unparalleled freedom, comfortable homes, nutritious meals, preferred vocations, and unique religious liberty.

Even as we count the many wonderful blessings we inherit by living in this great land, we also sense that we live in times of heightened concern and anxiety. Our nation is engaged in a multi-national military conflict. Our economy is struggling. And we are approaching a crucial election wherein we will choose our next president.

These concerns remind us of our need to confess our sins, personally and collectively, and to embrace your plan for living life with purpose and integrity.

We confess that we have too often taken our freedom for granted and we have too frequently been negligent in our citizenship.

We confess that at times we are too quick to criticize naively and too slow to intercede prayerfully.

We confess that our self-interests have too often taken priority over the best interest you have in mind for our nation and for our world.

We confess that we have been irresponsible in our stewardship of health and wealth, often consuming and storing compulsively without conscious regard for sharing generously and investing wisely.

We confess that we have too often trusted in our own initiatives and ingenuity more than we have trusted in you.

You tell us in time-tested scripture that, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)

Therefore, as we prepare to celebrate this Independence Day, we ask you to forgive our sin and heal our land.

On this day, we pray for the leaders of our nation, our state, and our community that they will lead with wisdom and discernment.

We pray for our upcoming election that we will cast our votes with conviction, and that we will choose leaders who will guide our nation with moral and ethical courage.

We pray for the men and women who serve in our nation’s military that they will fulfill their mission safely and return home soon.

We pray for our enemies that their swords, as well as ours, will be “turned into plowshares.”

We pray for the churches, cathedrals, and temples of our nation and our community that we will be lighthouses of grace and mercy, ever pressing toward the mark of our high calling.

Because you are the freedom-loving and grace-giving God, lead us to exercise our freedom responsibly and to pursue “liberty and justice for all” of your children around the globe.

We pray in the strong name of the One who came to set us free. Amen.

Sit Tight! Travel Light! Give Right!

This week we are enjoying an excursion to Outrigger Island, one of the biggest, most energetic Vacation Bible School programs our church has hosted in years. All over our campus little surfer dudes and dudettes are meeting new friends, singing the music of the islands, and learning stories from the Bible. Faith is being cultivated right before our eyes.

As we continue to Catch a Wave during the summer months, I invite and urge you to sit tight, travel light, and give right.

Sit tight! During the weeks following Vacation Bible School, our Chapel Choir will be on tour, mission teams will be away on mission trips, and families will be traveling on vacation. That means fewer people will be present in worship on those Sundays. You can help foster a warm and welcoming atmosphere in worship by being present every Sunday that you are in town, and by sitting closely together as church family during our worship gatherings. When guests enter our worship areas, whether Chipley Hall or the sanctuary, our personal welcome and our proximity to each other both communicate something to our guests about our growing faith and friendship.

Travel light! These are tough and challenging times. Our nation is still engaged in a military conflict. This is a crucial election year. And we are in an economic recession. All of these factors and more puts a strain on our budgets, extra stress on our relationships, and seriously tests our faith commitments. If you are over weighted with burdens, you will lose your focus and your joy. During seasons like this we learn qualities of patience and perseverance, and we learn the importance of taking our burdens to the Lord. Travel light!

Give right! Speaking of the recession; businesses, industries, governments, schools, and churches are all being adversely affected by the downward economic trends. Gifts to churches and nonprofits are down between 15-20% nationwide. However, we believe that if God’s people honor God by giving their tithes, the first 10% of their earnings, to the storehouse, then God will bless and multiply our gifts. As we put proactive Christian stewardship principles into practice in every area of our lives, God will guide our families and our church through the challenging economic maze of this recession.

This Sunday we move from our focus on Outrigger Island to a message about Survivor: Shipwreck Island from Acts 27:27-44.

Summer is a great time to Catch a Wave by inviting a neighbor to join you as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Catch A Wave on Outrigger Island

It’s summertime and we are preparing for a cool Vacation Bible School on Outrigger Island. Surfer dudes and dudettes are ready to catch the waves of truth as we have fun exploring some important lessons from the Bible. This year our theme is Psalm 86:11 which says, Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

As I shared last Sunday, we want students of all ages to learn these five waves of truth:

Wave 1: God Is Real
Wave 2: Jesus Is God’s Son
Wave 3: Jesus Is the Only Way
Wave 4: The Bible Is God’s Word
Wave 5: My Actions Show What I Believe


All summer long we are challenged to Catch a Wave as waves of opportunities and waves of blessings keep rolling our way. In weekly worship experiences, mission and ministry projects, and seasonal recreational activities, there are many places for you to get in on the action.

Also, this week we welcomed our new Ministry Resident, Paul Hood-Patterson, and his wife, Dawn. Paul will be serving on our staff team for two years as he gains valuable experience in a variety of ministry areas. We are honored to have been chosen by the Lily Endowment to serve as a teaching congregation for new ministers.

There’s a welcomed spiritual breeze moving within our First Baptist Family. Surf’s up! Are you ready to Catch a Wave?

Summer Faith, Summer Fun

During the summer of 2008 we are encountering waves of opportunity for growing in faith and having fun. This Sunday is Outrigger Island Sunday as we prepare for a great church-wide adventure in Vacation Bible School scheduled for June 16-20. The theme for worship on Sunday is Catch A Wave from Psalm 86:11 as we explore the five waves of truth that our students will learn on Outrigger Island.

In the spirit of Outrigger Island, you are invited to join our staff and our VBS leaders in wearing island attire or island colors to worship and Bible study. I plan to wear a colorful Aloha shirt and khakis in each of our worship services.

Remember that we have community and faith-building events and concerts scheduled on Sunday evenings during the summer. On two or three Sunday evenings we have intentionally scheduled no activities on campus so that you can spend quality time with family and neighbors nurturing relationships.

This Sunday evening we meet at 7:00 o’clock in the sanctuary for the home concert of our Chapel Choir as we prepare to send them on Europe Tour 2008. After the concert we will gather for a church-wide fellowship in Chipley Hall.

On Wednesday nights during the summer, we are “Growing in Wisdom” as we focus on the Proverbs. We are covering an intriguing list of topics on Wednesdays this month:

June 4 Only Your Hairdresser Knows for Sure Proverbs 16:31
June 11 Kissed by the Enemy, Wounded by a Friend Proverbs 27:6
June 18 VBS Family Night
June 25 Red-Hot Sins Proverbs 29:22

Summer is a great time to invite a friend or new neighbor to join you as we gather for worship and Bible study.

Worship This Summer, Wherever You Are

As we begin the summer of 2008, I hope you will make a firm commitment to participate in worship every week whether you are at home or on the road. Of course, I hope that you will be an active participant in worship at First Baptist every Sunday that you are in town. But when you are on the road, there are many ways to participate in worship.

When Amanda and I were away for a few days of vacation last month, we enjoyed attending a Community Worship Service on the Beach. Our vacation experience was more positive because we gathered with about 400 persons from several states and a variety of faith backgrounds for worship.

We are planning for a great summer of services and activities at First Baptist, but I hope you and your family get a refreshing break at some point during the summer. When you are on the road, whether visiting friends or going on a vacation, seize the opportunity to participate in services of worship wherever you travel.

There are many different options for participating in worship while on the road:

• Attend another church.
• Attend a campground service.
• Attend a beach service.
• Attend a chapel service at your resort.
• Tune in to a worship service on the radio, television, or internet.
• Plan a worship service for your own family at your vacation spot.
• Join in worship through “live streaming” or web-based simulcast. (We hope this option is available through our church web site soon.)

Participating in worship while on the road can enrich both your trip and strengthen your personal faith. Skipping worship just because you’re on vacation or a business trip can rob you of meeting new friends and meeting God in new places.

On those weekends you are traveling this summer, I urge you to participate in worship wherever you travel, and bring a worship bulletin back to me or our staff so we can And on all of those other weekends when you are home, we will look forward to great experiences in worship here at First Baptist.

Introduction to the New Testament: Application and Interpretation

Here are a few general guidelines that I find helpful in Bible study, especially in the New Testament:


1. Read and interpret the Bible in light of the Jesus Christ.

2. Read a variety of translations, comparatively.

3. Give appropriate attention to literary genre.

4. Observe the progressive revelation we are given in scripture and in life.

5. Begin discerning between descriptive and prescriptive texts.

6. Avoid “prooftexting.”

7. Appreciate the importance of word studies, historical chronology, and biblical geography.

8. Discern the texts that are for local application and the texts that are for universal application.

9. Live by the light you are given and more light will come.

10. Respect the insights and opinions of others.

Dollars and Sense: God's Economic Plan for All Seasons

Christian stewardship is a spiritual and practical discipline…a management responsibility which applies to every facet of life. As believers and worshippers, we are accountable to God for how we exercise that managerial responsibility over all of our resources, especially our time, our spiritual gifts, our opportunities, and our finances.

In recent weeks on Wednesday evenings, I have been sharing a series of life application messages about Ethics for the 21st Century. This past Wednesday evening, we focused on Dollars and Sense: God’s Economic Plan for All Seasons. Although economic trends in Florida were adversely affected by the sequential series of devastating storms in 2004-2005, the negative trends in Florida have been compounded by nationwide trends indicating higher unemployment, a depressed housing market, and higher fuel costs. Recession conditions exist in Florida and around the nation. And although we do not know how long the recession conditions will last, we do know that God’s economic guidelines are good for all seasons, including seasons of feasting and seasons of famine.

God’s plan for economics begins by calling us to a positive and proactive attitude toward working, managing, and giving. The prophet Malachi probably has the most emphatic words to say about giving: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it Malachi 3:8-10 NIV0.

In his book, Full Disclosure: Everything the Bible Says about Financial Giving, Dave Bell writes that "Stewardship is not just an opportunity to enter into God's service but an opportunity for God to enter into you.” I believe that for those who dare to practice biblical stewardship, giving becomes a fun part of our management responsibility. Paul gives us a vivid description of a believer’s attitude toward God’s economic plan when he writes, Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver ( II Corinthians 9:7 NIV).

Herb Mather, author of Don’t Shoot the Horse (Until You Know How to Drive the Tractor), contends that "The vertical relationship to God and the horizontal relationship to neighbor come together in the act of giving.” In other words, that cheerful spirit of managing and appropriating our resources for kingdom purposes cultivates within us a passion for mission and ministry.

Here is a brief summary of the life application points we discussed last Wednesday evening:
*Understand that all resources are a trust from God.
*Prioritize your tithes and offerings.
*Do your work with integrity.
*Provide for your family through a carefully managed budget.
*Be ethical and honest in all transactions.
*Limit credit liability and strive to eliminate debt.
*Invest in the future through a savings plan.

As you put God’s economic plan into practice, you may discover that plan provides spiritual and tangible stability for all seasons.

Clyde Bizzell: A Man Who Walked Humbly with God

Last Saturday morning, April 5, in Louisville, Kentucky, a dear servant of God went to his eternal home. Rev. Clyde Bizzell, who served as associate minister at First Baptist Pensacola from 1954-1978, is fondly remembered as one of the most influential ministers in our church’s history. As we give thanks for Rev. Bizzell’s life and ministry, I have asked a few of those who knew Clyde to share some of their treasured memories of this spiritual giant:

In contrasting the personalities of Pleitz, Bizzell, and Royal, it has come to mind that I never saw Clyde get mad, never saw him lift anything much heavier than the pocket notebook he carried around to write visitors names... yet he was one of the strongest men I ever knew. - Barry Royal

One of the things I admired about Clyde was that he had absolutely no agenda of his own. His sole and only concern was the will of the Lord. Everyone had a good laugh when he locked his keys in his car in the church parking lot with the engine running. He was a man who truly walked humbly with God. - T. A. Shell

Clyde was the person who seemed to know everyone at FBCP and know what was going on any and all the time. He and Dr. Pleitz were the first people to our house when my father died. Clyde helped me to work through what I wanted to study in seminary and was very instrumental in helping me to get to my first place of service after seminary, First Baptist Church in Crestview, Florida. – Don Minton

Clyde was the real rock. He was the stabilizer. He made the church run smoothly. He knew every person and he knew every event and what was needed and he knew every nook and cranny of the church. He could recite the calendar for weeks to come and enhanced the churches' effectiveness beyond measure. All preachers should be so fortunate as ours was in having a "Clyde." - Toni Clevenger

Clyde Bizzell was a dedicated Christian minister with a heart for people. He served with an unselfish spirit and an humble demeanor. His ministry reminded us of the Lord Jesus that he served. -Alton Butler

Clyde was one of the most dedicated, genuine and hard working servants on this earth, but his office (or cubby as it was) was the most organized mess you’d ever seen. Clyde was the stabilizing factor always maintaining order and could pinch-hit to fill any need at FBC (except singing we didn’t let him sing). The FBC doors were never opened without Clyde’s presence and the only vacations he had were church trips for the most part. - Scott Bell

Clyde Bizzell was truly a servant. Even though I was only in middle school when he left Pensacola for Park Cities he had a profound impact on my life and ministry. When I was a student at Southern and he was in Louisville visiting his sister we would get together for a meal and fellowship. My first day on the job at FBC, Hartwell, GA -- I got a phone call and heard that distinctive voice, "Charlie, my friend, best wishes to you on your new ministry." I don't think I am the only FBCP crew that went into the ministry that got letters, calls, and encouragement from Bro. Clyde. He was a Modern Day Barnabas. The naming of the Pleitz Chapel is appropriate as well as the ROC bearing Paul Royal's name, however the "naming rights" for Clyde Bizzell at FBCP are imprinted in the lives and hearts of all those he touched with Christ's love. - Charlie Wilson


In September 1977 I was elected Chairman of Deacons at FBC. A few days later Dr. Pleitz announced that he was accepting the pastorate at Park Cities in Dallas. Needless to say I was overwhelmed with the thought of him leaving and the responsibilities I had as Chairman. I was looking forward to working under his leadership the year I was Chairman. This was not to be. I believe God places individuals in our paths at just the right time to lead and guide us as we work for Him. Clyde Bizzell was that man for me. Clyde became my mentor that year as we planned and led FBC in a year without a Pastor. We decided that we would not recommend an Interim, but would hear the great preachers in the SBC that year. Clyde knew most of them personally or knew about them. He arranged for them to be here from Sunday to Sunday. Clyde and I met each evening after I got off work and discussed and planned the work of the Church. Although we missed Dr Pleitz and his leadership we were able to make progress. I don 't know how I would have functioned as Chairman without the friendship and assistance of Clyde Bizzell. I also remember that Clyde loved banna pudding. Many ladies in the Church knew that and would bring him a bowl. When he finished he would return the empty bowl with a lb of banna's and a box of vanilla wafers. The implication was clear: "that was good, make me another one." Clyde was a gaint of a man and will be missed. I thank God for the memories. - Charles Griffin

Clyde was a great example of one who worked tirelessly to follow God's calling in his life while at the same time being an example of what it means to truly live life abundantly. Very few have influenced my life as he did. I thank God for Clyde and for his great Godly example. - Nix Daniel

I was a “young” person during Mr. Bizzell’s ministry here at FBCP. As I look back on that time what I can say about Mr. Bizzell’s ministry is he was the absolute best #2 man any Pastor or church could have. Dr. Pleitz and Mr. Royal were the faces of our church and congregation and Mr. Bizzell was the guy that held everything together and put feet too many of the visions that those two had. He was the quite behind the scenes guy making it happen and was very comfortable in his role. - Kemp Wilson

My memory has lost most of the past, and I am having trouble with the present. The Deacon’s did not have a rotation system at that time. I was on the Building and Grounds committee and spent much time with Clyde on everything from dust on the pews to Sanctuary temperature. The war was over, the community was growing and so was F.B.C.P. Our staff was small and so many of the tasks were handled by church volunteers. We had no position called “Minister”, except the Pastor. Dr. Nathan Brooks was now our Pastor. The membership was growing. Dr. Brooks knew a young man at a church in Louisiana that could be a good fit for F.B.C.P. Clyde came to serve as Director of Education. (I do not think that he ever saw the last 2 pages of the description of his job, he just did it.) As the church attendance and membership grew, so did the responsibilities of Clyde. He was very adequate for everything He was asked to do. With the arrival of Dr. Pleitz and Paul Royal, the three of them made the All-Star team of Church Ministers. - Joe Ladner

It gives me pause again to celebrate Clyde Bizzell’s wonderful life of service and friendship to so many, of which I am just one grateful heart. I recall so fondly how faithful he was as a partner at Park Cities when I first arrived, prior to his retirement after a few years. He knew all the secret stories, all the best restaurants, and all the ways to get things done in that church. But his imprint is large at FBC Pensacola, of course, and I know that he remembered those years with Dr. Pleitz as some of his favorite years in ministry. - Allen Walworth

Mr. Bizzell was the consummate servant of Christ. He embodied the concept of "servant leadership" long before it became popular. He modeled for us all how a minister should stake his claim of God's love on a person in need. And, what a generous man! How many of us were treated to a meal at the Boarding House by Clyde Bizzell? God has called one of his most dedicated saints home. - Charlie Johnson

Bizzell was my right hand. From day one he was indispensable to my work in Pensacola. I felt something was missing in my ministry in Dallas until I persuaded him to move. Everywhere he served, the people loved Clyde dearly. What a man! What a friend! - Jim Pleitz

The Birds and Bees of the 21st Century

On Wednesday evenings during our Midweek Worship Gathering we are discussing Ethics for the 21st Century. We began on March 26 with the topic "You Only Die Once: A Christian Ethic About the End of Life." On April 16, we will continue the series as we talk about "Using Dollars and Sense: God's Plan for the Economy." On April 23, we plan to talk about "Sleeping with the Enemy: Sexual Morality in the 21st Century." And on April 30 we will ask, "Is God's Favorite Color Green?" as we think about our Christian responsibility for the environment.

Tonight we are discussing bioethics and genetics under the topic "The Birds and Bees of the 21st Century." Let's begin by considering a text from Genesis 1:26-30 as translated in The Message God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." Then God said, "I've given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth And every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food." And there it was.

What are the ethical issues related to procreation and genetics?

1. Gene Therapy: Inserting corrected versions of defective genes to make them function properly.

2. Germline Therapy: Inserting corrected versions of defective genes into sperm or eggs so that these genetic modifications are passed on to one’s offspring.

3. In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A technique used to help infertile couples conceive. Sperm and eggs are mixed together in a Petri dish and the resulting embryo is implanted into the woman to complete development.

4. Sex Selection: Using techniques such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to determine the sex of an embryo conceived via IVF. Only those embryos with the desired sex are implanted in the woman to complete development.

5. Designer Babies: Using PGD to determine the presence of absence of certain genes in embryos conceived via IVF. Only those embryos with the desired genes are implanted into the woman to complete development.

6. Sperm, Egg and Embryo Banking: Freezing donated eggs, sperm or fertilized embryos in liquid nitrogen for later use.

7. Nuclear Tranfer: Removing the nucleus from one egg and inserting it into another egg. This technology can be used to ‘rejuvenate’ older eggs or potentially to create fertilized embryos by fusing two nuclei together in a single egg without the need for a sperm.

8. Reproductive Cloning: A type of nuclear transfer, where the nucleus from a body cell is injected into an egg that has had its nucleus removed. This cell can then develop into an embryo and be implanted into the woman to complete development. Babies produced by this technology would be genetically identical to the person from whom the cell nucleus was taken.

9. Embryo cloning: Similar to reproductive cloning, but cells are extracted from the resulting embryo and used for research purposes. The embryo is not allowed to complete development.

10. Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy: Cells are extracted from cloned embryos and grown in culture in the lab to create a line of cells. These cells can then be injected into patients to cure disease by regenerating damaged cells, tissues or organs.

Who does it effect? Everyone of us. At some point in the not too distant future, many of these issues will effect our friends and our families.

What are the ethical considerations?
1. Creation of living cells (genes, cells, and tissues) vs creating a human life.
2. Curative vs consumerist.
3. Common good vs personal interests.
4. Spiritual vs secular
5. Personal autonomy vs corporate ownership.

As a community of faith, we are somewhat behind the curve in being prepared to deal with such issues. However, it is unthinkable that we leave this conversation to those in our world who have no faith-based frame of reference. Let's begin the conversation. Let's search the scriptures. Let's pray for spiritual discernment.

Reaching Those on the Far Side

We have an opportunity to creatively and proactively share the good news of Jesus with those who live on the far side of life. Who are those we think of as living on the far side of life? And how do we share the good news with them? This Sunday we will look at the description of the early church in Acts 2:36-42 as we explore ways of Reaching Those on the Far Side.

On Sunday evening we will meet at six o’clock in the sanctuary as we continue our Introduction to the New Testament and zero in on the Pauline Correspondence. During our evening gathering, we will also celebrate the baptism of new believers and new members.

For the past several months we have been praying for God’s leadership as we have searched for a Minister of Students. On Wednesday, April 9, during our Midweek Worship Gathering, we will introduce our prospective Minister of Students and his spouse. You will hear a report from our interview team, a team composed of students and teachers from our middle school, high school, and college departments. Then some of our students will join me in interviewing the candidate. Afterward, we will vote on a recommendation to call this candidate to be our new Minister of Students. Continue to pray for God’s guidance as we prepare for these strategic moments of decision-making.

Join us as we gather for worship and Bible study this Sunday. You may discover nourishing Food for the Soul.