It was a year ago last Wednesday that Sue and I moved to Kure Beach and this weekend marks the start of my second year as the pastor of Kure Beach First Baptist Church. There is a lot I could say in reflection of the last year, but in short it has been a year where God has affirmed the decisions the church had made prior to us starting ministry together, as well as an affirmation to Sue and me that we are in the place God wants us to be. Two years ago the Church went through an evaluation process to better understand how to be the church God wants us to be. Many positive changes were made at that time, including the adoption of a new purpose statement, “Anchored In Hope”, based on Hebrews 6:19 “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”  Sunday’s message will be on this passage, focusing on “this hope.” The purpose of an anchor is to keep a boat from drifting in the uncertainty of the sea’s waves and wind. The people on the boat will only have hope to the degree that the anchor is fastened to something immovable, below the water’s surface and out of their sight. The same is true in the spirit life. We will only have hope in the troubled seas of life to the degree we believe our lives are anchored to something that is immovable! Unchangeable! What is the anchor of your life? Is it another person? Finances? Health? You fill in the blank. Hebrews 6 reveals that Jesus is the anchor, fixed with surety in heaven that provides this hope. Join me this Sunday for a special message that will strengthen your walk with God as well as reestablish what we as a church are called to be and do.

The automobile is an amazing invention of the modern era that is used virtually all over the globe. When working properly, even the simplest of automobiles is a tremendous display of power, moving either great mass or traveling at fast speeds. We all know the power of a properly working automobile. Many of you watch NASCAR and it could be said that a well tuned race car is the pinnacle of what an automobile should be. The opposite of a race car would be a “car planter.” That’s an abandoned automobile where weeds and sometimes even trees are growing up through the middle of the car because it has been sitting there, unused for a very long time. A “car planter” is the opposite of power because it has lost its ability to do what it was created for. 

Acts 1 tells the story of Jesus’ last moments here on planet earth, followed by His ascension into heaven. In his final words to the disciples, words that very much apply to us today, Jesus speaks about our purpose, our mission and the source of that power? The follower of Christ that  is on mission and connected to the source of power God provides we can be like that NASCAR race car, fulfilling our intended purpose we are created for. We would see people coming to faith in Christ and culture that better reflects the character of God. Unfortunately, some Christians can relate to the “car planter,” as believers that have gotten off mission and become disconnected from their source of power. Join us this Sunday as we look in Acts 1 – The Church on Mission.

Every successful organization has a clear mandate of what it is trying to accomplish. The church is no different. We don’t need to do any research and development to discover what we are supposed to do. We don’t need a consultant to help us better understand what the goals of our organization need to be. The mandate for the church is not a mystery to be discovered because Jesus made it plain and simple in the final words he spoke to his disciples just prior to his ascension into heaven. In Matthew 28:19-20 Christ’s followers are commissioned to do his business after he leaves. And this is not any ordinary commission . . . it’s called “The Great Commission” because it is great. Christ has not called his followers to do anything in a boring, ordinary way! No, Jesus calls us to do something GREAT. Join us this Sunday as we consider “What’s So Great About the Great Commission.”