Blue Ridge Bible Church » newsletter

September 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:16:54 +0000

July 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:09:27 +0000

June 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:15:52 +0000

April 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:19:35 +0000

March 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:42:37 +0000

February 2010 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:32:04 +0000

December 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:38:00 +0000

November 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:29:48 +0000

October 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:48:07 +0000

A Welcome Tone

Jack Gill — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:32:34 +0000

It was just another ordinary weekday for me at our church office. As I entered, there was Debbie, seated in her office but turned in my direction. She said, “Good morning!” with a most cheerful demeanor. Next I encountered our Associate Pastor Rich, who was already in his office too, and as I walked by, he gave a genuine “Hey! Good morning!” which just set me up for having a great attitude!

Don’t misunderstand, my day had not been going bad. In fact, it had been going pretty good! However, before I had even opened the door of my office, I had experienced something that established a great tone for me in my own office space! There’s something about a genuine, warm welcome that makes you ready for just about anything.

Along those same lines, have you ever visited a person’s house and just examined the surroundings? It’s interesting to me that most houses have a foyer in them. This is what fascinates me about a foyer—people seldom spend time in it! From an “efficiency” perspective, that foyer is wasted space. What’s more, it takes furniture to fill, time to clean, and energy to heat and cool. However, a foyer is not built for efficiency—it exists to set a tone. It is an environment of preparation to get you ready to enter into the living room, where life tends to occur and people will interact with one another.

This month I want to address the spiritual tone that we as a church can cultivate, much like a physical foyer is meant to facilitate. However, at Blue Ridge, that tone is not established by a room so much as it is by a people.

I believe that all of us long to connect with one another on Sunday mornings. Whether that be in the Sunday school classes or in the time of worship together with one another and with God, we can each cultivate that attitude that a foyer is designed to produce—that this body of believers is warm, inviting, loving, and accepting. This is what we want to present to all people, whether this is the first Sunday that they are present, or an individual has been coming here for two decades! It’s a demeanor and attitude that sets the tone for any person walking into our doors on a Sunday morning.

Many of you are aware of our Welcome Team ministry. We have about 30 people who are seeking to help to set a warm tone and welcome. We want to put our best foot forward in order to facilitate an inviting attitude for everyone that enters into our doors, whether they are members or first time guests! That attitude of receiving another person, welcoming them, and showing them the love of Christ is what our time together is meant to produce.

However, let’s not forget that we are ALL meant to greet and invite one another! The New Testament is covered with places that emphasize the word “greet.”

“Greet one another…” (Rom 16:16)

“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus…The brethren who are with me greet you.” (Phil. 4:21)

“All the Saints greet you.” (2 Cor. 13:13)

Sunday mornings are the only time that we might see many in our church, both newer as well as older and familiar faces. I want to encourage you to be that warm and inviting face to others. Don’t be intimidated into not greeting for fear of meeting someone who has been here for a while. Just let them know that you haven’t met them before, and take the initiative.

Perhaps you’re not familiar with who might be a new visitor though. Make a note: During the worship hour we’ll have a time for visitors to raise their hands to receive a welcome folder. Take a look around, find out who got a folder, and then seek to welcome them during the greeting time.

This fall, take the initiative. Seek to shake a hand, extend a greeting, give a welcome, and be the “foyer” of our church. Invite them into the “living room” of our body that they might experience a tone that will prepare them for a time of worship of the Savior who loves them and desires to fellowship with them in His home!

September 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:36:51 +0000

August 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:55:22 +0000

June 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:21:08 +0000

May 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:27:04 +0000

March 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:06:15 +0000

Download pdf version here.

February 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:38:38 +0000

Download pdf version here.

January 2009 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:07:14 +0000

Download pdf version here.

November December 2008 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:53:33 +0000

Download pdf version here.

October 2008 Newsletter

Rich Shipe — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:28:50 +0000

Download pdf version here.

Past Newsletters

Rich Shipe — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:57:59 +0000

Keeping Perspective on the Eternal

Jack Gill — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:47:15 +0000

The Old Testament prophet Samuel was quite a fellow. Here was a guy that had heard the audible voice of God as a child. He had faithfully served under the priest and judge Eli. He had stepped into the place of priest and judge himself after Eli died a sudden death. He made a circuit throughout the nation of Israel, and he would judge the people according to the Word of the Lord. He had anointed Saul, and seen Saul‘s disobedience. He personally hacked that wicked king Agag into pieces (gulp!), and spoke boldly to Saul (who was now king) that he would lose his office to another. He followed God‘s voice, and anointed David as well. In short, he was a bold and faithful man, and he was diligent to serve the Lord. He was not one to pursue that which was not directly aligned with God or His purposes. He called the nation to follow after the Lord with its whole heart.

The nation was not as diligent though. There were rumblings…murmurings. It seems the people wanted to be defined as other nations were defined—and that was by having a king. Even though the Lord had defended and cared for them, they felt that need to “keep up with the Joneses,” and that a king would help in defining them in the eyes of the other nations. Now they would look like those around them. Now, they would appear strong—or so they thought—with a king at their head.

In the wake of this pursuit, Samuel made this comment to them. Listen to his timeless words as we think about what our pursuits should be: “…you must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or deliver, because they are futile…fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.” (1 Sam. 12:21, 24)

You and I live in a culture in which it is easy to lose the perspective of the eternal. All too often, we see things in the now. We can easily get focused on our stuff—or the stuff we’d like to have. Keeping up with the Joneses is much more difficult. Today, along with the temptation to keep up with our neighbor, the media pushes us to have the newest technology, or the nicest and most fashionable clothing, or the youngest and most attractive bodies! The world continually calls for us to pursue the things it deems most important. I think we need a few more Samuels today—men and women who keep their focus and pursuit on the main thing: the Lord and His purposes.

When we allow our gaze to lower on to the temporal, the tough, the demanding, that which is sacrificial, or even our suffering, we can quickly lose the eternal perspective. With that, the Joneses suddenly become much more significant and attractive…and yet they continually remain elusive.

Considering what the Lord has already done for us is a real faith-booster though! Remembering His faithful acts keeps us encouraged, as well as helps us to wait expectantly and confidently to see how He will move and act in the future.

We cannot turn aside. Like Samuel, we too need to have a healthy fear of God…and to serve Him in truth. The futile things of life are like snake-oil—promising, attractive, and hope-building—but in the end they fail to deliver. Sort of the same way with kings, isn‘t it?