There was a special group of people that I want to recognize ... those folks who served in our Children's Worship and Extended Session. They graciously volunteered to forgo hearing Don to serve our young parents by caring for their children. Laurie, Jessica and Claudine do such a wonderful job and are such a pleasure to work with.

And what about the music/worship today? I really believe that we have the best worship week in and week out of anywhere. And it is more than just singing and playing instruments ... it is true worship where the focus is on God not the one doing the singing or playing. 

I continue to hear from people who accepted Bill Fay's challenge and shared their faith with someone. I received a text the other day that a whole family had each shared the gospel with someone this past week ... how awesome is that! Last time I looked almost two-thirds of the people who attended the Share Jesus without Fear seminar have shared the the gospel with someone over the past two weeks.

God is so good ... 

Don Piper will be speaking at First Baptist this weekend! I read his book 90 Minutes in Heaven while I was on vacation this summer. Wow! His descriptions of heaven were breathtaking. But the thing that really moved me was his account of his struggles and God's faithfulness to him since then. I hope if you are in are near Lake Charles, LA this weekend (September 6th) you will make it to one or both of our services. It is going to be amazing!

I got an email today from someone who forwarded me a link of someone who claimed to present some "facts" he had discovered from his "study" of Jesus' statement in Luke 10:18 about seeing Satan falling like lightning out of heaven. He claimed that the Hebrew words for lightening and heights sounded like the name of our president. He suggested that Jesus may have given given us the name of the antichrist.

This guy sounded very authoritative claiming to be presenting "facts." He even cited some reference works. The problem is that this verse (Luke 10:18) has nothing whatsoever to do with the antichrist. But that didn't stop this guy from doing the worst kind of mishandling of Scripture. Folks, just because a guy sounds good, claims to have the "facts", and cites reference after reference, that does not necessarily mean that he knows what he's talking about. Be like the Berean Christians - check them out by reading and studying the biblical text yourself!

Bill Fay was at FBCLC last weekend. Bill preached a powerful message "The Sin of Silence" on Sunday morning. Then he taught his Share Jesus Without Fear seminar. He challenged everyone to talk to someone about the gospel over the next week using the five introductory questions. To date over 50 people have shared some or all of the gospel with someone this past week. 11 people have told me that this was the first time they ever shared the gospel with anyone! 

This Sunday will mark my seventh anniversary as pastor of FBCLC. What a privilege and joy it has been to serve such a wonderful group of people! God has done some wonderful things. We have the best staff team I've ever served with. God has added to our church family dozens of families and individuals. FBCLC has been involved in dozens of local mission and ministry partnerships. One of my favorites has been our partnership with Barbe Elementary School. Our mission giving & support has never been stronger. Per capita, FBCLC is one of the strongest mission supporting churches in the state ... not just in giving but in getting members actually involved in missions, especially local missions.

There have been some bumps along the way too. But the funny thing is even the bumps have turned out to be blessings. Our church spirit is sweeter than it has ever been thanks to God giving us a church membership that cares more about Jesus and His purposes than they do about getting their own way. I cannot think of anything I had rather do than pastoring this great church. Its nice to finally find a church you can believe in ... where truth and grace still matter!

We spend most of Saturday checking on some of our church folks and the church building. A couple of windows blew out on the front of the church between the foyer and the old fellowship hall. We had moisture in the sanctuary and a few other parts of the first floor but Wallace was able to get the AC back on and the boys and I toweled up most of the moisture. Overall, God was very gracious to us.

Since we had no power at the house we decided to go up to the church and camp out. We watched the USC/Ohio State game on the big screen in the FMC, played ping pong and had a serious game of Phase Ten. We watched TV and realized the extend of the flooding in Lake Charles. We ended the day with prayer for our city and many of our church family whose homes were being flooded.

Sunday morning we got set up for AM Worship in the FMC. It was good to see everybody and hear their hurricane stories. Aaron did a great job leading us in worship. I really liked the song he shared before my message - God is a strong tower - very appropriate and uplifting.

This afternoon Jay Carter, our new deacon chairman, coordinated teams of deacons and other FBCLCer who went out and helped people clean up flood damage. We helped people rip out carpet and dry out. It was FBCLC at its best. What a great group of people. If you know of anyone who needs some help cleaning up, let us know by calling 433-1443 or emailing us at fbclc@bellsouth.net

We plan to have a regular schedule this week. The FMC will be opened at 6:30 until the curfew is lifted. The Church Office will be opened Monday morning at 8:00. Everything else will take place as scheduled. GROW will be held Tuesday. Wednesday will be regular schedule. Thursday is Senior Adult Luncheon with Jim Beam.

    a refuge for the needy in his distress,

    a shelter from the storm

    and a shade from the heat.

Well the winds are picking up but nothing too bad so far. Lou is baking cookies and the boys and I are waiting to eat them ...

I'm still planning to be at the church at 10:30 on Sunday morning for Worship if things are not too bad ... we may meet in the FMC if the power is still off so we can see ... if the damage is extensive or a curfew is in place obviously I will not be there ... and you shouldn't be either!

if power is off for an extended period of time, check the church - it will probably be one of the first places to get power back ... you're welcomed to come downtown to get cool and take a shower if you want ...

Also the first of next week we'll plan to get some teams together and go out to help people clean up their yards ... so if you want to help let me know ...

I will be at our house through Saturday if you need me ... if the power goes off and doesn't come back on we will probably head up to the church ... if you need me, the best way to contact me would be to text me or call on the "land-line"

I'm praying for you ... if you're still in Lake Charles or evacuated, be careful and be safe.

I plan right now to be at the church Sunday morning at 10:30AM for church - power or no power ... so if you're around come on downtown if you can make it ... we'll have church(unless Ike decides to be uncooperative and nasty) ... I may be at church anyway if the power goes out at our house because it will come back on at the church quicker because we're on same grid as 911 building ...

Anyway, I'm praying for all of you. Be safe and be confident that our God is in control ... Bro John

It looks like there is a possibility that Hurricane Ike may be headed our way toward the end of the week. We'll know more by Wednesday but in the meantime we are planning to have all regular weekly activities.

POWER LUNCH will be Tuesday at noon in the FMC.

GROW visitation will be Tuesday @ 7:00PM. This is the G TEAM's week.

ALL Wednesday night activities will be held

The MEN AT THE CROSS trip to FT Worth is still a go right now. We plan to leave @ 3PM Friday and be back Saturday @ 10PM

Please continue to pray for those affected by Hurricane Gustav and our SBC Disaster Relief volunteers at work in southeastern Louisiana. You can check out what's going on by going to http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.224451/

FACING LIFE’S DISASTERS

Psalms 125:1

4    Here we go again … Hurricane Gustav is headed this way … and we face the very real potential of another disaster … part of life on the Gulf coast … actually no matter where you live … we pray for best but prepare for worst … so I want to share a few principles about facing disasters …

4    ACCEPT WHAT CANNOT BE CHANGED

o       There is a lot in life that we cannot control or change … we can either fight it and be frustrated or we can fear God and be fearless … that’s the message of Psalms 125:6-7 … he trusts God to take care of him no matter the circumstances

o       Psalms 112:6-7 (LB) Such a man will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God’s constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it.  He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. … v1: Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands. 

o       Life is tough … bad things happen to good people but faith is facing the facts without getting discouraged – because you know that God will care for you

4    REMEMBER WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT

o       Disasters have a way of clarifying our values … of pointing out what’s important and what is not

o       Jesus: , “Don’t be greedy! Owning a lot of things won’t make your life safe.” Luke 12:15b (CEV) … don’t confuse your self-worth with your net-worth … don’t confuse security with stuff

o       If you evacuate you face this question: What do I take with me? Looking around house this weekend make me realize again that its all just stuff – can be replaced / probably won’t miss most of it – what’s really important is my family – health & safety

o       1Tim 6:7: For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it … real security is building life on something that you can never lose or be taken away from you … can lose house, health, marriage, job, looks but cannot lose relationship with Jesus Christ …

§         Matt 28:20: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

§         2Tim 1:12: I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

4    RELY ON CHRIST

o       Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Philippians 4:13 (MSG) …

o       Paul was in prison cell & life in jeopardy when he wrote these words … well acquainted with disaster (2Cor 11:24-26) … how can we cultivate reliance on Christ?

§         Lean on Christ for Stability … Those who trust in the Lord are steady as Mount Zion, unmoved by any circumstance. Psalms 125:1 (LB)

·         God is not shaken by changes in our world and He endures forever … Isaiah wrote: (Isa 26:3-4): You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

·         As we focus our mind on God and his Word, we become steady and stable. Supported by God’s unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos

§         Listen to Christ for Direction … God told Jeremiah: I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)

·         He knows the future, and his plans for us are good and full of hope. As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion.

§         Look To Christ for Salvation … God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake … Psalms 46:1 (MSG)

·         Psalmist says even if world ends, we do not have to fear – can trust God to save us … It seems impossible to consider an approaching hurricane without becoming consumed by fear, but the Bible is clear—God is our refuge even in the face of total disaster. He is not merely a temporary retreat; he is our eternal refuge and can provide strength in any circumstance.

·         Psalms 62:7-8: My salvation and my honor depend on God£; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

·         When we rest in Christ’s salvation, nothing can shake us … not the storms that roar in from the sea or the ones that roar in from our souls … sometimes he calms the storms and sometimes He rides them with us …

4    CONCLUSION

o       Luke (8:22-25) tells about time Jesus and disciples caught in storm on Galilee … feared for their lives … Jesus asleep in back … “Don’t you care we’re about to drown.” … Jesus stands up and stills the storm with one word … and disciples learned something about themselves and Jesus – even though they had lost control, Jesus had not

o       What are you going to learn about yourself and Jesus in this storm? … maybe a defining moment for you … not in control … what’s really important in life … Jesus’ absolute reliability …

All Chruch Services for Sunday and Wednesday have been cancelled.

The Church Offices will be also be closed Tuesday & Wednesday

Please check back often for updates to our church schedule as we prepare for Hurricane Gustav.

Isn’t it amazing what God can do? I was just thinking about some of the things God has done in our church over the past several months …

• Aaron was called to be our new Minister of Music with a unanimous vote. His ministry is already making a difference in the life of our church.

• A team of men traveled to New Orleans to help the Canal Boulevard Baptist Deaf Mission finish work on their fellowship hall so that they could worship in their building on Easter…I just got word that they had a wonderful service!

• Another team of FBCers traveled to Fort Worth to serve at Beautiful Feet Ministries sharing the love of Christ with the homeless in Fort Worth.

• Our budget receipts are running $28,000 ahead of this time last year and our mission offerings are up across the board.

• Both Sunday School and Sunday morning worship attendance is growing.

• Over 150 people are participating in our Wednesday and Sunday evening discipleship groups.

• Since GROW Outreach was started the first of March we have had over 100 people participate in outreach, making 75 visits, writing 104 notes and prayergrams, and making 80 phones calls to both visitors and members.

• The Youth Mission Trip to the Ukraine has been fully funded.

• At the Upward Basketball Awards night five people indicated that they made decisions for Christ.

• Our Family Ministry Center is being used more than ever by church and community groups. Each month an average of 40 people attend PowerLunch. Each week a group of downtown business men use the gym for pickup basketball games. We have also opened the FMC for use by the US Coast Guard, Friendships, EDS, ICCS and Hamilton Christian School.

This is all in addition to all the things our people do week-in and week-out to spread the Gospel and serve others. It is exciting to see the vision begin to become reality…a vision of a church that exists to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel and help them to become passionate and productive disciples…the vision is being fulfilled through the lives of selfless servants who are willing to do whatever it takes…who are willing to put their love into action…who are willing to step up…who are committed to seeing the vision become reality…who just keep on keeping on no matter what. That’s the kind of people that God has blessed us with…and those are the kind of people that God is going to bless in incredible ways in the days ahead.

As I was reviewing these wonderful blessings, I was also thinking about how easy it is to lose focus on what God is doing and start focusing on other things. A sure sign of loss of focus is stress and worry. We start fretting about things and getting frustrated because things are not working out like we think they should. So how do you keep your focus on Jesus and off yourself and other things? You do these three things:

Read God’s Word. God’s Word is a great stress reliever. Go through your Bible and underline verses that mean a lot to you. I have a study Bible that I use during my quiet times and sermon preparations, but I also have a stress & worry Bible as well. In this Bible I’ve underlined verses that remind me about God’s power and promises. Now when I get stressed or start worrying, I open up that Bible and read through the verses I have underlined.

Remember God’s goodness. Usually when we’re stressed, we’re focused on what’s wrong. And not only do we focus on the bad things in our life, but we exaggerate them. That’s exactly when we need to focus on the goodness of God. God is good. You need to remember that when you’re stressed out.

Oh brothers and sisters, remember we are in God’s hands. We can rely on Him.

Bro. John

THANK YOU…to all the many FBCers who participated over the past three weekends to help Friendships get ready for their upcoming trip to Central America.

MENS FRATERNITY…will start up again on Thursday, October 4, at 6:00AM in the FMC. This semester we will study Dr Lewis’ new material “Winning At Home and At Work.” This material deals with two of the most important areas in any man’s life. In it, Dr. Lewis applies biblical truths and principles to help any man become a winner in the things that really matter. The cost is $10 for a workbook. Mark your calendar and join your brothers on Thursday mornings for a great time!

A FAMILY AFFAIR…On Sunday night, October 28, we will host another joint service with Ford Street Baptist Mission. Our very special guest that evening will be Dr. Fred Luter, the pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans. Dr Luter is an outstanding communicator of God’s Word and has spoken at the Southern Baptist Convention, the Louisiana Baptist Convention and numerous conferences across America. You do not want to miss this service as we continue to work to build bridges of friendship and understanding.

UPWARD BASKETBALL…will hold its annual recruitment and registration drive this month. This ministry depends on dozens of volunteers to coach, referee, train cheerleaders, keep score, pray, greet, sell refreshments, follow-up and do half-time devotionals. It depends upon our parents supporting it by enrolling their kids in our program. If you would like to help this year, sign up through the church office or contact Brian Smith or Jessica Gray.

DON’T GIVE UP…Mamo Walde of Ethopia finished first in the 26 mile marathon at the Mexico City Olympics on October 29, 1968. An hour and a half later, the last of the marathon runners were carried off to the first-aid station, exhausted. As the remaining spectators began to exit the stadium, those near the gates heard the sound of sirens and police whistles. Everyone turned to look as a lone figure, wearing the colors of Tanzania, entered the darkened stadium. His name was John Stephen Akhwari and he was the last participant to finish the race. He entered the stadium on legs all bloody and bandaged, severely injured in a fall, and he grimaced with each step. The remaining spectators rose and applauded him as if he were the winner. After crossing the finish line, Akhwari slowly walked off the field without turning to the cheering crowd. Seeing how he was injured and had no chance of winning the race, a reporter asked this young man why he didn’t just quit and get medical attention immediately after the fall. The runner replied, “My country didn’t send me seven thousand miles to start the race, they sent me seven thousand miles to finish it.”

You just don’t find a whole lot of folks these days with such a focused, die-hard attitude in whatever they do, whether it’s sticking with a job, playing sports, staying married, attending church or staying consistent in their walk with the Lord. Our society is training up and cheering on a quitter’s mentality of “when the going gets tough, quit” instead of encouraging people to stay the course, pay the price and finish strong.

I call those who stick with it “people of purpose.” They realize that life isn’t about short cuts, the easier way, or getting my way. They understand that every time they start something and don’t see it through to completion, they are developing a pattern of quitting that can impact their entire life and the lives of their loved ones as well. They believe that the purpose of life is to bring glory and honor to God and that nothing dishonors God like quitting the course that He has laid out before them. So the next time the going gets tough and folks around you start dropping by the wayside, remember these words from the WORD: And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish…Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

Sticking to it …
Bro John

Minister of Worship update… Please keep our search process in your prayers. We desire nothing but God’s will and glory. We believe that God is leading us and our heart is to move in step with God’s timing. We recently invited a candidate to Lake Charles for an interview. He met with me, members of our Worship Team, and the Personnel Team. Everyone was very impressed with this man’s spiritual maturity, character and competence and agreed that we needed to pursue him further. Please be in prayer and hopefully before too long we’ll have some exciting news to share with you!

CrossWords update… Many of you shared with me the impact this recent series had on your lives, especially the message on words of forgiveness. One of the essential keys to maintaining long-term relationships is forgiveness. Forgiveness is not easy. It runs against our natural desire for revenge and selfdefense. Sometimes our words of forgiveness are not received. Sometimes the hurt is just too deep. But forgiveness is not an option; it is a command. And it is one of the most evident  signs that we are true followers of Christ. Let me recommend a book for further reading and study: Forgiveness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

Mission Lake Charles… I want to thank all of you who participated in this weekend of missions. John and our Missions Development Team did an outstanding job planning and coordinating the projects.

Fall Discipleship Groups… Our fall schedule of discipleship groups will begin Wednesday, August 15. These groups are intended to provide an opportunity for spiritual growth and development. Some of the studies being considered are the newly revised Experiencing God, MasterLife, Managing Conflict in Your Marriage, God’s Way of Handling Your Money, Men’s Fraternity, and a new Beth Moore study. We’ll also be expanding our Wednesday night schedule to allow for more time for prayer and groups. You’ll find the new schedule elsewhere in this newsletter.

Finally… Do you know what the middle verse of the Old Testament is? It’s 2 Chronicles 20:17: “You will not have to fight in this battle.” This is a significant verse – and not just because it’s the middle point of the Old Testament. It’s significant because of what it says to those of us fighting a battle.

Who is God talking to in this passage? He’s talking to King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. They’re about to be attacked by three enemies: the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites. I don’t know about you, but I’m not fond of three against one fights! This was a triple threat. Jehoshaphat had to be worried about how they could defend themselves in such a battle, but God knew what he was thinking. He said, "You will not have to fight in this battle." Now, that’s the kind of battle I like! If you don’t fight, you can’t get hurt. What God tells Jehoshaphat in this passage, and what He would remind us today, is this: "The battle is not yours; it's mine. You don't have to fight in it." It's God's problem. Let Him solve it.

The fact is, if you are God’s child, then your problems are His problems. And He’s much better at fighting your battles and solving your problems than you will ever be. Your job is to trust Him to work it all out. The reason why we have so many tired, fatigued, and discouraged Christians is they walk around with an Atlas complex. "I'm carrying the entire world on my shoulders! It all depends on me." The day you resign as General Manager of the Universe, you're going to find that it doesn't fall apart. You can relax in faith, trusting that God is able to run things without your help.

Twice in this passage it says, "Don't be afraid," and "Don't be discouraged." When you face a seemingly impossible situation, don't be afraid and don't be discouraged. Has God ever lost a battle? No. He doesn't lose battles. And because He’s never lost a battle, we should never be afraid. God has a reputation for winning. We are on the winning side. Regardless of the problems or difficulties or the barriers or the circumstances or the hang-ups or the delays, ultimately, we are on the winning side.

Bro. John

Minister of Worship Update… We have narrowed our search down to two candidates. We have received glowing recommendations on both of these men. I have talked with each one at length by phone. In addition, each man has responded to a questionnaire and has sent a DVD of their worship leadership. Please keep the Personnel Team and myself in your prayers as we take the interview process to the next stage.

Stewardship Update… Once again I want to thank each of you who responded so positively during our Stewardship emphasis. Your commitment to tithing has been so encouraging. April and May’s financial reports were very positive. I want to encourage you to continue being faithful in both your giving and attendance during these summer months.

Wednesday Nights… We kicked off our summer semester of discipleship studies recently and the response was great. More than 50 people are involved in the two studies in addition to the people who attend our Prayer Service. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to refocus and reconnect each week.

July 4th… This year we will be participating once again in the parade. As in past years we will be handing out free water along the parade route. We need a couple of thousand water bottles to hand out so any donations will be greatly appreciated. After the parade, our church family will gather with our community at the Red, White, Blue and You celebration at the Civic Center pavilion to enjoy an evening of fun, fellowship and fireworks together. There will be no activities on campus that night.

Mission Lake Charles… Mark July 13-17 on your calendars. This year’s Family Mission Trip will be right here in Lake Charles. Each day we will be doing a variety of mission projects around town and then regrouping each night at church for a time of worship. Mission projects include Friendships, nursing home visitation, home repairs, water giveaways, yard work, and window washing. In addition, on Sunday night, July 15, we will have a joint worship and fellowship celebration with our Ford Street Mission. Ford Street’s new pastor, Rev. Willie Mack, will be preaching that evening and afterward we will enjoy a time of fellowship. There is something for everyone to do…so don’t mission this opportunity to improve your serve!

Finally… Mark Twain once said that the only person who likes change is a baby with a wet diaper. Change is not always easy but it is a part of life…even the Christian life. Paul wrote in 2 Cor 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV) The key mark of true conversion is change. As we walk with the Lord, He changes us. His attitudes become more and more our own. His actions become more and more a part of our lives. His words become a part of our vocabulary.

Change is also a part of church life. People and programs come and go. Music and ministry changes. Even our buildings and locations may change. Some changes last and some don’t.

Yes, we need to be discerning about the changes we embrace. Yes, change for change sake is rarely, if ever, a good thing. But we must always be very careful to not just reject a change simply because it is something new or not something we like for we may find ourselves in opposition to the work and will of God. It’s true that not all change is good, but some are of God.

Just something to think about,

Bro. John