Since the beginning of ’09 the Next Steps Team has been meeting, reading, and working toward discerning God’s will for the next five years in the life of RBC. In our meeting Monday night I asked the Next Steps Team to make a recommendation to the Nominating Committee for the formation of a group of three to do a feasibility study. The feasibility study is regarding the possibility of Ridgecrest Baptist Church beginning a Christian School. The recommendation reads as follows:
We recommend that that nominating committee appoint a 3 person team to conduct a feasibility study concerning the establishment of a Christian school as a part of the future vision of Ridgecrest Baptist Church. We recommend this study be conducted over a three month term with a report to be given in April of 2010.
In either the November or December business meeting the nominating committee will bring those nominated to the floor for a vote by the membership. The group will begin working in January and make a formal report in April.
During the feasibility study we will be trying to answer questions about the impact of a Christian School on our community, building codes, funding, and the opportunity for Christian education in the eastern area. We will be seeking wisdom from other leaders and churches who have previously walked this path. At this point there are a lot of questions and very few concrete answers.
I am really excited about this endeavor. God laid it on my heart to be involved in education shortly after he called me to serve Him in the ministry. I feel it is time for us to explore this opportunity together. With the demands on family life and the challenges of a decadent culture, we must take seriously the call to diligently teach our children to love God and obey His Word (Deut. 6:4-9). Somehow we must equip those who have decided to raise their children with a Christian worldview to effectively accomplish their parental goals (Ephesians 4).
I am posting this information simply to have a better opportunity to communicate it clearly. Many people in our congregation serve in other capacities on Wednesday nights and their service prevents them from attending our regular business meetings. Our students are now worshipping at Paine Elementary on Wed. nights and are also unable to attend these meetings. I understand that following last night’s announcement, word will travel quickly in our congregation and community. Though it may travel quickly, it may not travel clearly. I hope this posting helps the communication process.
May God give us wisdom, and may we effectively minister His gospel here in Trussville, in the eastern area of Jefferson County, to our state, our nation, and to the world.
BB
Gal. 2:20
October 29, 2009
October 27, 2009
Legacy
Is God doing something in you that will give life to others long after you are gone? A dead man touched Elisha’s bones and he came to life! If we return to wholly following the Word of God we can have victory. We must learn not to only seek to live for God in a few ways, but to live for Him in every way. This sermon is the final in the Elisha, Man of God series.Listen to audio
Life Doesn't Have to be This Way (Sermon Audio: Sunday A.M.)
What if you knew what was about to happen next? Looking back we can identify moments when our choices set off a seemingly unstoppable chain of events. We live with the consequences of our actions. Elisha is about to set off a cataclysmic chain of events. He will name Hazael the king of Syria. Hazael will reek havoc on the Hebrew people. Yet just before this happens the author of 2 Kings shares 7 verses that outline a more hopeful consequence. For those who are faithful to God, He is faithful to them. This story is an open invitation to the Hebrew people who stand on the precipice of judgment that life doesn’t have to be this way. If you are suffering the consequences of your actions you can begin a hopeful journey toward restoration. So when you look at the next several years of your life what do you see, consequence or restoration?Listen to audio
October 15, 2009
Dr. Afman
“We ought to be a people of The Book”, he would say. He would pray, “Since you are the author of The Book, you are the best teacher of The Book”, and he would ask God for divine guidance as he gave his lecture. There is another quote I will never forget. “Everywhere the Christian goes is sacred.” It was a short statement on the privilege and responsibility the born again share as the indwelt temples of the Holy Spirit of God.
Dr. Fred Afman went home to be with the Lord today. He was certainly one of my heroes and one of the greatest professors I have had during my prolonged academic life. I treasured his teaching. My grandmother and Dr. Afman contributed to my love for the Old Testament. He was a godly man. He was a great teacher of the Word of God which he often referred to as “The Book.” When he taught you could tell he was a man immersed in the Word. His wisdom and application were captivating to me. It didn’t hurt that he also had a great Bible voice. It was like listening to Moses or a great prophet. I imagine that most of the great Bible characters had an Afman"esque" voice.
Surely we all have heroes. We should all have holy heroes. As they pass from the scene the issue becomes one of succession. Who is next? What is next? Having spent so much time lately in 2 Kings, I see the importance of leaving a legacy of godliness. The slow erosion of society into sin inevitably leads to a generation that will become conquered by and captive to sin. The consequences are severe. I pray that God would use me in the lives of others like he used Dr. Affman in mine.
Dr. Fred Afman went home to be with the Lord today. He was certainly one of my heroes and one of the greatest professors I have had during my prolonged academic life. I treasured his teaching. My grandmother and Dr. Afman contributed to my love for the Old Testament. He was a godly man. He was a great teacher of the Word of God which he often referred to as “The Book.” When he taught you could tell he was a man immersed in the Word. His wisdom and application were captivating to me. It didn’t hurt that he also had a great Bible voice. It was like listening to Moses or a great prophet. I imagine that most of the great Bible characters had an Afman"esque" voice.
Surely we all have heroes. We should all have holy heroes. As they pass from the scene the issue becomes one of succession. Who is next? What is next? Having spent so much time lately in 2 Kings, I see the importance of leaving a legacy of godliness. The slow erosion of society into sin inevitably leads to a generation that will become conquered by and captive to sin. The consequences are severe. I pray that God would use me in the lives of others like he used Dr. Affman in mine.
October 14, 2009
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way (Reading 2 Kings 8)
The ability of humans to inflict pain is unimaginable. In 2 Kings 8:11 Elisha stares into the eyes of one of humanities greatest monsters, the soon to be Syrian king, Hazael. It was a long, awkward stare that led to weeping. “And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.” The gift of the prophet is the ability to see consequences, to come face to face fate. Elisha knew what God was about to do. God was about to allow a human to inflict unimaginable pain on His people. God was about to uncage a monster. Their sin sealed their fate.
“Why does my lord weep? Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel.” (2 Kings 8:12a)
Just prior to this story, Elisha is able to bring another person face to face with fate, the Shunammite woman. This is the same faithful Shunammite from 2 Kings 4. She has a living son that has once been dead. She is a walking testimony that if a person is faithful to God, God will be faithful to him. In the face of coming calamity Elisha is able to steer her away from the path of disaster. Now she returns and she experiences restoration. She is a parable to the people of Israel. If you return to your God, He will restore your land (2 Kings 8:1-6). Her life is a metaphor for Israel, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Each of us stare into the eyes of fate. For some it is the hellish eyes of Hazael. For others it is into the eyes of a Shunammite woman. We will either do evil and suffer the consequences or we will be faithful and experience the blessings. If we could only have some semblance of that prophetic gift and be able to discern the path of consequences. For instance certain sins and attitudes will hasten Hazael into your marriage. He will rape, pillage, and destroy. On the other hand, faithfulness will bring about the blessing of the Shunammite, life when there is death, restoration of what is lost.
It could be said of marriage, money, morality, any aspect of life in general. Sin will ring the bell of Hazael. Faithfulness will render the blessing of the Shunammite. Stare into the eyes of fate. What do you see? What is your path? Where are you headed? If you see destruction on the horizon please know that it doesn’t have to be this way. God is faithful and He desires for His people to return to Him. He can heal, restore, and forgive. It is time to make a change. If Hazael is standing on your doorstep you should know, it doesn’t have to be this way.
“Why does my lord weep? Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel.” (2 Kings 8:12a)
Just prior to this story, Elisha is able to bring another person face to face with fate, the Shunammite woman. This is the same faithful Shunammite from 2 Kings 4. She has a living son that has once been dead. She is a walking testimony that if a person is faithful to God, God will be faithful to him. In the face of coming calamity Elisha is able to steer her away from the path of disaster. Now she returns and she experiences restoration. She is a parable to the people of Israel. If you return to your God, He will restore your land (2 Kings 8:1-6). Her life is a metaphor for Israel, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Each of us stare into the eyes of fate. For some it is the hellish eyes of Hazael. For others it is into the eyes of a Shunammite woman. We will either do evil and suffer the consequences or we will be faithful and experience the blessings. If we could only have some semblance of that prophetic gift and be able to discern the path of consequences. For instance certain sins and attitudes will hasten Hazael into your marriage. He will rape, pillage, and destroy. On the other hand, faithfulness will bring about the blessing of the Shunammite, life when there is death, restoration of what is lost.
It could be said of marriage, money, morality, any aspect of life in general. Sin will ring the bell of Hazael. Faithfulness will render the blessing of the Shunammite. Stare into the eyes of fate. What do you see? What is your path? Where are you headed? If you see destruction on the horizon please know that it doesn’t have to be this way. God is faithful and He desires for His people to return to Him. He can heal, restore, and forgive. It is time to make a change. If Hazael is standing on your doorstep you should know, it doesn’t have to be this way.
October 13, 2009
Hectic Holiday Traditions
Most people enjoy the holiday season, but all of us can admit that it is becoming increasingly stressful. I would be interested to get some feedback on a couple of things for an upcoming sermon series I am working on.
1) What is a unique family tradition you enjoy during the holiday season?
2) What makes the holiday season most stressful for you?
3) Have you started any new traditions with your family that have served to lessen the stress of the holidays?
You can simply reply to this blog or feel free to email me at bbranam@rbconline.net. Thank you for your help.
BB
Gal. 2:20
It Could Happen Tomorrow (Sermon Audio: Sunday A.M.)
The popular Weather Channel show “It Could Happen Tomorrow” is about the possibility of cataclysmic weather events impacting large American cities. As its title insinuates, tomorrow could be much different than today. The show is about possibilities, things that could happen. In weather there are also predictions, educated guesses and what is most likely to happen. In the Bible there are prophecies. They are not based upon mathematical equations or physical formulas but upon a very basic theological formula, “Thus says the Lord.” In the Bible, prophecies are not about things that might happen, but about things that will happen. Elisha makes a prophecy that tomorrow will be much different than today. The same could be said for our souls and for our world. How do you respond to Biblical prophecy?Listen to audio
October 8, 2009
Preach It!
While suffering a bad case of writer's block there's nothing better than listening to some good preaching. Enjoy!
23% of the World's Population is Muslim
from pew forum
A comprehensive demographic study of more than 200 countries finds that there are 1.57 billion Muslims of all ages living in the world today, representing 23% of an estimated 2009 world population of 6.8 billion.
While Muslims are found on all five inhabited continents, more than 60% of the global Muslim population is in Asia and about 20% is in the Middle East and North Africa. However, the Middle East-North Africa region has the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries. Indeed, more than half of the 20 countries and territories1 in that region have populations that are approximately 95% Muslim or greater.
Read the entire article
A comprehensive demographic study of more than 200 countries finds that there are 1.57 billion Muslims of all ages living in the world today, representing 23% of an estimated 2009 world population of 6.8 billion.
While Muslims are found on all five inhabited continents, more than 60% of the global Muslim population is in Asia and about 20% is in the Middle East and North Africa. However, the Middle East-North Africa region has the highest percentage of Muslim-majority countries. Indeed, more than half of the 20 countries and territories1 in that region have populations that are approximately 95% Muslim or greater.
Read the entire article
October 6, 2009
Illusions (Sermon Audio: Sunday A.M.)
Illusions prey upon the limits of the mind. Your mind will only allow you to process information certain ways. This world creates an illusion that there are only certain possibilities. 2 Kings 6 exposes these illusions. There is more to life than what meets the eye. There is more possible than what you know. Be careful of losing hope in suffering. Do not allow your fears to destroy faith. We must return to the Lord our God and expose the illusions of life.Listen to audio
It Could Happen Tomorrow (Reading 2 Kings 7)
Will Memphis crumble to the ground Thursday afternoon in an earthquake? What if a hurricane hits New York City? Could the state of Florida be covered by a Tsunami? The Weather Channel thinks so. Their popular show “It Could Happen Tomorrow” speculates about the impact of natural disasters upon American cities. The premise of the show is that everything could change in an unexpected moment.
In 2 Kings 7:1 Elisha tells the King of Israel that life will change tomorrow. Israel has been under siege by Syria, but God would do something so that tomorrow would be a new day. The captain who served the king thought Elisha was a fool. He quipped that God himself could not make things change so drastically overnight. As a curse to him Elisha prophesied that the captain would see the miracle with his own eyes, but he would not benefit from it.
The Bible promises drastic change can take place to two of the most difficult places in the universe; the human soul and planet earth. Tomorrow your soul, and/or this planet, can be a different place. Through repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ a person can be born again (John 3). “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).” In Christ we have new life. You can be different tomorrow.
The Bible also promises a dramatic return by Jesus to Earth. He will set up His kingdom and return the world to right, to a state of shalom. When Jesus returns, the world will become a different place (Romans 8, Rev. 21 – 22). The process could begin tomorrow.
The problem is that we have been under siege so long. The soul of man and his planet has been under the decay of sin almost since the beginning of time. Because we have been so long under siege it is hard to imagine anything better could be possible as soon as tomorrow. Yet, we should not scoff at the promises of God. His Word is true. He will do what He has promised. The danger of rejecting the promises of God is that one may actually witness them with their own eyes, yet receive none of their benefits, much like the captain in 2 Kings 7.
When it comes to the promises of God we should embrace them and enjoy them. It could happen tomorrow.
In 2 Kings 7:1 Elisha tells the King of Israel that life will change tomorrow. Israel has been under siege by Syria, but God would do something so that tomorrow would be a new day. The captain who served the king thought Elisha was a fool. He quipped that God himself could not make things change so drastically overnight. As a curse to him Elisha prophesied that the captain would see the miracle with his own eyes, but he would not benefit from it.
The Bible promises drastic change can take place to two of the most difficult places in the universe; the human soul and planet earth. Tomorrow your soul, and/or this planet, can be a different place. Through repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ a person can be born again (John 3). “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).” In Christ we have new life. You can be different tomorrow.
The Bible also promises a dramatic return by Jesus to Earth. He will set up His kingdom and return the world to right, to a state of shalom. When Jesus returns, the world will become a different place (Romans 8, Rev. 21 – 22). The process could begin tomorrow.
The problem is that we have been under siege so long. The soul of man and his planet has been under the decay of sin almost since the beginning of time. Because we have been so long under siege it is hard to imagine anything better could be possible as soon as tomorrow. Yet, we should not scoff at the promises of God. His Word is true. He will do what He has promised. The danger of rejecting the promises of God is that one may actually witness them with their own eyes, yet receive none of their benefits, much like the captain in 2 Kings 7.
When it comes to the promises of God we should embrace them and enjoy them. It could happen tomorrow.
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