“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

This month I have started running.  Someone asked me a few days ago why I started.  I’ve never been athletic, but was blessed with the genetics that allowed me to stay modestly fit.  Recently, however, I started putting on a few more pounds than I was comfortable with and I began experiencing some stress-related issues, that quite frankly, scared me a little bit.  I began with the motivation at the beginning of the year to start working out.  I even had a “workout buddy” lined up.  Well, I kept making the excuse that I was waiting for my workout buddy so I could start working out.  March rolled around and we still had not gone anywhere.  The ancient Chinese proverb states, “A thousand miles begins with a single step.”  One afternoon I pulled out my running shoes, which while a year old they looked brand spanking new, laced them up and headed out the door.

That first day I downloaded the $1.99 Nike+ GPS app for my phone.  It tracks your progress and chimes in every so often with time and distance stats.  With social networking integration, my facebook friends can literally “cheer” me on while I run.  It is a great tool for a beginning runner like me.

I can say that I honestly didn’t make it too far that first day.  I did not want to come without doing at least a mile.  That first run nearly killed me.  It took almost 19 minutes to complete that mile.  I ran for less than a quarter mile before I had to take a break, huffing and puffing.  The next day, I laced up my shoes again and went out the door.  Now, I’m in my third week of running.  I can tell you that after those first few runs that it has gotten easier.

Today I set a new personal best, running a mile and a half down to “the bridge” on Henderson Church Road and then doing 1 minute run/walk intervals on the way back.  On the last quarter mile to the bridge it is a steep downhill run, you use muscles you didn’t think you had in order to stay standing.

When I made the turn to head back what was once downhill, was now a steep uphill climb.  It was difficult.  I could hardly move.  Every muscle in my legs were on fire and when I would slow down they turned to jelly.  In spite of the circumstances I carried on.  Why?  Because I knew that I was going home.  I was on the home stretch.  I knew that while I was on a hill of adversity at that moment, I would soon be at home with my feet propped up.

It reminded me of what life and death is like for the Christian.  For the Christian, at the beginning of our life, we can make great strides because of our physical strength.  As we age our bodies wear down on us and as we make that turn, sometimes that last stretch is just like that hill, it is the most physically demanding thing we have ever faced and we’re ready to give up.  Fortunately, what awaits the Christian is not a black hole.  It is not “the end.”  When we face the final stretch we can run with joy through adversity because we are running home!  We are running home to the arms of Jesus who has prepared a place for us.  We are running home to the Father who loves us so much that he sacrifices His son for us.  When you are running home, it may be difficult, but there is something greater on the other side.

As a young pastor I have watched many make this journey.  Even now one of my heroes is at home with hospice care and it will not be too long before he will be going to his heavenly home.  My heart breaks to watch my brother-in-Christ deal with a body that is breaking completely down. . . but I know that his spirit is running home.

May it be said of us when we leave this earth:  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

I want to share here something that happened in between services. I received a call from a family I. Our community whose brother had been sent home with Hospice care and not given long to live. As I met this man for the first time I shared Christ with him and the hope and assurance that he could have with Christ. After praying with this man to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior, he asked if he could be baptized. The words of the Ethiopian eunuch rang in my ears, “what keeps me from being baptized?”. Absolutely nothing. We went back to his bathtub and baptized that man right then and there. This man does not have long on this earth and he wanted to get things right with his Creator, would that we would all be ready!

We also finished our six week fall bible study. The men did a great job studying God’s Game Plan for Life. I want to challenge the men of Henderson to continue following Gods game plan and know that we are all on the same team. Keep striving toward the goal and following Christ! Our women finished their study on Philippians. I’m a little biased, but so proud of my wife who led that study, she is such a student of the Word and has a heart for women. Thank you, Amy!

God is growing our church as we remain faithful to Him and step out in faith. I was looking back and it was not long ago that there were no children in our nursery, we stepped out and started redoing the nursery in preparation for those that would come. We now have a nursery that is overflowing! Right now we are in the process of renovating space for our teenagers in preparation that God would help us reach the young people of our community. I’m already praying, what next, Lord? What next? What is the next phase of the future of Henderson Baptist Church?

I love you and I love being your pastor,

Jason

I failed to mention this, but looking ahead, next week we are going to be able to celebrate in the baptism of Jamie Storay.  God is definitely moving at Henderson, do you want to be part of what God is doing?

Privileged to be your pastor,

Jason

He writes, “The new structures must always be kept in a subsidiary position. One sure way to check whether a rotting process has begun in a group is to see what topics predominate discussions when the leaders meet. If maintenance of structures has overtaken mission as the major topic, we know that rot has set in” (p. 232).

Wow. This took me a minute to sink in. I immediately drew a parallel to the discussion happening within the Southern Baptist Convention and how the majority of discussion over this past year has been on whether to maintain or redefine the structure of our convention. Amy and I traveled to the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Florida just last month and voted with others for a Great Commission Resurgence, calling for a restructuring of our convention in order to more effectively reach the Lost.

In August, I will be taking part in a very similar discussion with other pastors and leaders in the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Bottom line: If our convention, state, or association is more concerned with maintaining a historical structure (that many would argue is not designed for the 21st century), than fulfilling mission, there is something wrong. We can do better.

Let’s bring it down, however, because it does not stop there. What about our local church? Is our church more concerned with maintaining a structure or tradition than in reaching the Lost? I believe the answer is a resounding “No!”, but I believe sometimes that we can make decisions based on comfort rather than conformity to the will of God. We can do better.

Let’s bring it down even further. What about the structure in my life? Am I more about mission than maintaining a quality of life that I am comfortable with? Am I more concerned about those that would die today without a relationship with Jesus than I am the upcoming football season? I can do better.

Let me ask the question, when seen through the lens of the mission that God has placed in your life, what direction are you headed? Are you following your own path, or are you fulfilling God’s mission?

As I write this in my office I can look out and see the freshness of a June morning. In a few moments Henderson Baptist Church will gather together, God’s people, and worship the one living and true God. We are going to see Jesus’ first miracle after the Sermon on the Mount where he heals a man with leprosy (Matthew 8:1-4). There is so much here, but I want us to focus in on the leap of faith of the leper, the compassion of Christ, and the power of our Lord. He is so good. He wants to do a miracle in your life, in the life of your family, in the life of your church, in every sphere of your life. The question is, do you believe that He can do a miracle in your life? Do you want Him to come in and take control–to do the transformational work in your life that only He can do?

I must be honest, one year ago I was just a little bit scared. This was my first pastorate, I didn’t know anyone in the church coming in, or the area. All I knew was that God had called me to preach and as best as I could tell He had called me here to serve. God is blessing our church and growing our church. As we give Him glory, walk in obedience to Him, and fulfill His mission for our church and our lives, He will continue to give His Light and Life.

Looking ahead there are so many exciting things that He has in store for us. I don’t want to go back to doing the same old thing the same old way. I want to see our church and our community changed by the power of the Gospel. The best days of Henderson are yet to be written.

-Jason

Easter for the Christian is like the Super Bowl for the football fan. We celebrate with bated breath the victory of our Champion – the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Our text was from 1 Corinthians 15, an awesome explanation of the Gospel and the hope of the resurrection. Christ’s resurrection accomplishes what no-one or no-thing else can do, “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (1 Cor. 15:54b-58).

I am happy to report that we finished strong with our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering this year. Our total is going to be just over $1300, well over our goal of $1000. Remember, 100% of that offering goes to support missions within North America. Just today I received a note from one of our NAMB missionaries, thanking us for our prayers and support. When we pray, and we give, and we go – together we can make a difference for the kingdom!

I was also glad to see us tie our highest Sunday School attendance of the year with 79. I’m still praying that the Lord would send us our goal of 100 in attendance, and ready to make good on my promise to shave my head completely bald when that day comes!

I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, I believe that the best days at Henderson Baptist Church are ahead as we follow the Lord and His leading in our lives, our families, and the life of our church!

-your pastor