Ash Wednesday, 2014 and we held a service tonight at the BBC! Whether this is or isn't odd I'm not sure but I believe it was be a good evening!
Saw on Twitter yesterday a guy joking about it being "National Pancake Day". Just 30 seconds earlier I read that pancakes are a traditional meal during Shrovetide...the day and or week before Ash Wednesday....kind of explains it I suppose.
The service had a two fold purpose. First, we are opening our new ministry, The Legacy House for anyone who might be in need of clothing or furniture or kitchen and household supplies and we give these out for no charge! There will be some training and a short tour of the house too.
Second, we are seeking God's power and guidance through the Easter Season.
We are looking to the early church for their example of church growth and kit appears to be basic but not simple. Prayer, fasting and preaching the Gospel!
What bit comes down to is simple though.... seeking God's leading as we look to the future of the BBC! I have asked those in the congregation to commit to prayer and fasting through this season. I have asked them to pray through the time they would normally be doing something else and commit that time to seeking God's direction for the church.
42 days until Easter....the Resurrection Celebration and it is on my heart that God will reveal options for growth to those in contact with the BBC. We will carefully and prayerfully consider all options that come through this time of dedication to God's direction.
As I mentioned during the service this morning, if God can begin His church through the ragged but godly Apostles...he once again can grow and direct His church today! All they really knew was they were empowered to reach the lost and that the Spirit was with them! Today....are we in any different position? I say no! We are exactly in the same place they were when they moved forward with the mission before them! Ok, except for one thing.... they had seen the risen Lord which made the fire burn brightly and intensely in their hearts! Today, too many of the faithful have allowed this fire to burn down to warm ashes.... For a fire to burn it needs fuel, oxygen and heat! For the church to once again burn for Christ it also needs these three things!
FUEL - God's word! We preach the Word of God each week in the BBC! The fuel is there and is ready to be consumed! As a Bible believing and faithful community of Christ, we have the fuel and are ready to set our hearts ablaze!
OXYGEN - By oxygen I am associating the faithful at the BBC with the Apostles in that the oxygen we need to start the fire is the oxygen we receive by leaving the doors to the church and becoming involved with the community and those through the region and world! It really is the air that we breath and the interaction with those we contact that will feed this fire and bring glory to God!
HEAT - The heat I speak of is the heat found in the presence and following of the Holy Spirit. Only He can warm our hearts for the lost and confused in the world. Only the Spirit can turn our hearts in to a signal fire for the world to see and know that God is present and alive! The Spirit will provide the heat for our ministry and mission.
HOW????
Starting today we are committed to 42 days of fasting and prayer for the ministry and glory of God in the BBC! Today I need each person to take another step of faith and give 42 seconds or minutes or hours of prayer for the ministry of the BBC during this Easter season. Put your faith in action for the blessing of the church and the mission of the BBC! Take your faith from the routine to the miraculous during this Easter season by committing time and energy to prayers for the BBC! By Easter we will have clear vision for the BBC and a range of options available to allow us to become the feet and hands of Christ through the community, region and the world!!
From Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the world for Christ!
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