{"id":7,"date":"2015-02-09T04:45:54","date_gmt":"2015-02-09T04:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cbc-marion.org\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2025-12-27T11:36:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T17:36:57","slug":"from-the-pastor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cbc-marion.org\/index.php\/from-the-pastor\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Pastor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Where are we going?\u00a0 An important question for any church.\u00a0 We read in the scripture that the desire of Christ for His church is for it to be unified so that the world will believe the message.\u00a0 (John 17)\u00a0So as a body of believers we must always be vigilant to keep watch lest the enemy find a way in, to bring about disunity among the church.\u00a0 I take this very seriously as pastor and proclaim this truth continually because it is the foundation for all other elements of ministry.\u00a0 Jesus ties it to witnessing and giving and Paul shows the importance unity when celebrating the Lord\u2019s Supper.\u00a0 (John 17, Matthew 5, 1 Corinthians 11)\u00a0 Therefore, if we are to go anywhere as a church, unity must be a priority.\u00a0 How we accomplish this is found in Romans 8 where we are told of our need to be conformed to the image of the Son, and in Philippians where we are given the humility of Christ as an example for our lives.\u00a0 I wish it was automatic, but unity requires a commitment to put others before ourselves and to live for Christ\u2019s glory rather than our own. \u00a0This can be summed up in one word: love. (<em>agape<\/em>\/unconditional love to be specific)\u00a0 This love is based on the choice to love regardless of the worthiness of the one being loved.\u00a0 This is the type of love God showed when He sent His Son to die in our place. \u00a0(John 3:16)<\/p>\n<p>Once we have this foundation established we can move forward as a church.\u00a0 And to do so this is the vision I have for Community Baptist Church.\u00a0\u00a0 To be a people of the book who: \u00a0<a href=\"#know\">Know the Word<\/a>\u00a0&#8230; \u00a0 \u00a0<a href=\"#live\">Live the Word<\/a>\u00a0 &#8230; \u00a0<a href=\"#share\">Share the Word<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The first question that might arise is, \u201cwhat do you mean by the Word?\u201d\u00a0 Well, the <em>Word<\/em> is the expression of God.\u00a0 It is the intelligence, essence and person of God and has been revealed in numerous ways throughout scripture.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Word is the person of Jesus Christ<\/li>\n<li>The Word is found in the decrees of God.<\/li>\n<li>The Word is found when God\u2019s speaks to someone in the human language.<\/li>\n<li>The Word is found when God speaks through human lips.<\/li>\n<li>The Word is found in the writings of God.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is through knowing the Word that we will be empowered and committed to living the Word, we are then ready to go out and share the Word with others.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"know\" style=\"text-decoration:none;\">KNOW the Word<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The first aspect of KL&amp;S is Knowing.\u00a0 Why should you \u201cknow\u201d it?\u00a0 I think the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 say it best, \u201cand He said to them: \u201cSet your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe \u2013 all the words of this law.\u00a0 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it <em>is<\/em> your life, and by this word you shall prolong <em>your <\/em>days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Why should you \u201cKnow\u201d the Word of God?\u00a0 Because it is your life!<\/p>\n<p>Where do you learn of Christ and the way to salvation?\u00a0 The Word.\u00a0 Where do you find the knowledge that leads to eternal life?\u00a0 The Word.\u00a0 Where do you find guidance for your life?\u00a0 The Word.\u00a0 <em>Know the Word, for it is your life!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"live\" style=\"text-decoration:none;\">LIVE the Word<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Is it enough to just <em>Know<\/em> the Word?\u00a0 James 1:22 provides a clear answer when it instructs us to, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves,\u201d (KJV)\u00a0 To think that having knowledge of God\u2019s Word is enough for our Christian life is to deceive ourselves.\u00a0 We have been redeemed to bear fruit.\u00a0 To walk in a way worthy of the name by which we were called.<\/p>\n<p>Colossians 1:10 tells us that Paul prayed for the believers in Colosse, \u201cthat you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If we do not<em> Live<\/em> what we have learned then we are showing that we do not truly understand what we claim to know.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a id=\"share\" style=\"text-decoration:none;\">SHARE the Word<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jesus parting command to us was to go into all the World and preach the gospel.\u00a0 To do this we must\u00a0<em>Share<\/em> the Word. Though our lives and actions can and should point people to Christ,\u00a0 Romans 1:16 tells us that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.\u00a0 The apostle Paul poses a question in Romans 10:14-15 that I would like you to consider for yourself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?<\/p>\n<p>And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?<\/p>\n<p>And how shall they hear without a preacher?<\/p>\n<p>And how shall they preach unless they are sent?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The word preacher in this text does not speak of the office of a pastor, but rather of a \u201cproclaimer,\u201d or herald.\u00a0 This is a question not to a few but to all of us.\u00a0 Who will go?\u00a0 Who will proclaim Christ to a lost world?\u00a0 Isaiah replied, \u201cHere am I.\u00a0 Send me.\u201d\u00a0 I pray you too join in the vision and become a people of the book.\u00a0 Who:<\/p>\n<p>Know the Word \u00a0&#8211;\u00a0 Live the Word\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Share the Word<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Where are we going?\u00a0 An important question for any church.\u00a0 We read in the scripture that the desire of Christ for His church is for it to be unified so [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - 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