Being Part of Something Bigger

Sunday, January 13th was a good day.  No....Sunday, January 13th was a great day.  On that day, two separate congregations worshiped together as a way of formally kicking off a unique partnership designed to share physical resources and put each congregation in a better position to survive and thrive.  Although both congregations are Southern Baptist in membership.....there are probably more differences...on the surface anyway....than similarities.  But with the help of a translator, a little patience and a genuine desire to be part of something bigger than each of us....we worshiped together.

Appropriately, Bro. Phillip Price - the person who took the first step in making this new partnership a reality - kicked off the service by welcoming both congregations.  As the dozen or so members from Orange Grove Baptist Church stood to be recognized, I was overcome (once again) by the faith of those church members.  Most have spent a lifetime nurturing and caring for the once thriving but now shrinking congregation of Orange Grove Baptist.  And through all of the ups and downs....persevering through hurricanes, flooding, loss of population in the community, schools closing and employers leaving.....still they stand (and remain) faithful.  In a couple of hours, this band of faithfuls will sign over the deed of the property God built for them.....the place many of them call their church home.  They were able to do this....because they truly let the Holy Spirit take the lead.  They did this because God gives us the will to put our self aside with a desire for something bigger than each of us.

And then as the congregation of Iglesia Bautista Fuente De Vida stood....much more in number than the first.....I applauded and wondered (still) how this group was able to get done all of the changes I saw before me.  When the church was flooded last Fall (compliments of Hurricane Isaac) the church had to be completely gutted.  Pastor Richardo and his congregation rolled up their sleeves and got to work.  New sheetrock, new tile throughout, a remodeled kitchen (new stove, sink, counters and tile) and fellowship hall.  Hardly a square foot was left untouched in the building that now passed the 45+ mark in age.  The bright, cheery colors throughout the Sunday School rooms matched the sounds of the nearly thirty kids and youth that had now filled the church building. 

The service began with a set of praise hymns....and the bongos, electric guitar and drums attested to the fact that there would be a little more "zip" in the service than we were accustomed to.  Pastor Richardo's wife shook a tambourine from the front row....where Heidi and I also sat .  I didn't understand much of the Spanish singing....okay, I didn't I understand any of it....and we did not have enough copies of the sheet music...but no worries....we had fun anyway.

Jose was a superb interpreter (going back and forth between English and Spanish almost effortlessly) so the service moved along with ease.  I was honored to deliver the sermon on this special occasion.  Actually "special occasion" sounds so trite.  Sunday was the kind of day one always remembers. 

With Jose as my interpreter, the sermon flowed.  I was further put at ease knowing that the baptismal sitting directly behind me was full of warm water...awaiting our candidates for baptism...one of which was my youngest daughter Anna.

No one can remember the last time the baptismal had been used....and judging from the amount of dust, cobwebs, leaves and dead bugs I cleaned out of it on the Thursday before....it had been a long while.  Just two days before the service, we didn't know if the heater worked.....or whether it would even hold water.  There were a couple of times when I thought....surely....we'll need to postpone these basptisms.  "This just is not going to work".....I thought.  How shallow is my faith sometimes.  Not only did the baptismal hold water....but, miraculously, the heater worked.  Pastor Richardo borrowed some baptismal robes from another church...and we were in business.  Inch-by-inch and step-by-step.....God challenges our lack of faith...at least he does mine.  I'm reminded of Mark 9:24 - "I do believe.   Help me overcome my unbelief."  Needless to day, it was another unforgettable experience when Pastor Richardo and I each baptized new members of our respective congregations....one of them being Sister Anna....my 8-year old daughter.

I delivered a sermon on Paul's teachings on unity and love.  Appropriate....I think....since those are the things that put all of us together on that particular Sunday.  You can follow this link for the complete notes from the sermon.  I've also pasted the closing comments from the sermon below.

Sermon - 1/13/13 - Paul's Idea of Church

Today, I believe Paul is looking down on us from Heaven…and smiling. In an age when we hear of so many divisions in the Church….churches splitting up…..congregations at odds….churches closing….today represents a step in the right direction. Today, our congregations are an example of what Paul’s vision of love and unity can do.

I don’t know why God uses frail, imperfect human beings like us to work out his plan…..I just know that he does. Paul…just like us….was one of those frail, imperfect people.

Over the past six months, we have prayed and sought God’s will for both our congregations. We have been faithful….and patient….and God has blessed us with folks like Brother Phillip (and many others) who have been with us every step of the way. If we continue seeking God’s will as we have done these past months, both our congregations will reach this community for Christ.