Scott's Thoughts – Sun, May 12, 2024

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A Couple Recent Passings 

Upcoming Sermon Series Plans Update, Part 2

Thanks, Greeneville Campus Peeps!

David Bowlin Goes Full-Time as Next Steps/Pillar Dir in June!

 Speaking of Youngsters Like David Bowlin, Lotsa Weddings, Emerging Leaders, and Seminary Students! 

“Honor your father and your mother” Follow-up Questions

 Speaking of My Personal Failures… (How Much Time Do You Have?!)

That we very intentionally try to keep our worship services centered on Jesus and the gospel—and not really much of anything else—means that we don’t often openly focus on individuals there, which I think is largely appropriate. But it means that, other than some announcements and info that affect the entire congregation, and those mostly at the very beginning and end of the services, we don’t always get to talking about some FCC family matters. However, for those unaware, two well-loved longtime faithful saints and leaders among us—Chuck Bowlin and Kathleeen Job—just recently died “in the Lord” (Revelation 14:13). When you lose someone close, your life is never the same. So, as we should always be doing for one another in all circumstances, please pray for the Bowlin and Job families—and all who have lost loved ones—as they adjust to life without them.

As I have mentioned a few times here and there, we routinely switch between series so that the long ones are done in sections with shorter ones between. Well… (Buckle up.) … Given that, in addition to (finishing) Exodus (someday), we are also working to (a) align 180 MS/HS Students with Sunday morning sermons beginning Aug 2024 (though they will have a student-specific series or two per school year), (b) do a series on “love” in 1 John 3–5 I’ve been wanting to do for a few years now, as well as (c) two 4-week series on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (that 180 will also be doing), and (d) begin a series on Hebrews, here’s the plan:

• Finish up the current section of “Exodus” (chs 19–24) on Jun 9, 2024.
• “1 John 3–5: Love The Father Has Given to Us” (begins Jul 16, 2024, for ~8 wks)
• “God Made Men to Lead: Working and Keeping Our Home, Church, and Community” (Aug, for 4 wks)
• Biblical Womanhood (Title TBA – Sep, for 4 wks)
• Resume “Exodus” (Oct, for ~8 wks)
• 3 weeks Christmas series (Dec)
• Start “Hebrews: The Supremacy of Christ” (chs 1:1–4:13) beginning of Jan 2025.
• Finish “Exodus” (maybe… someday…)

A few Saturdays ago, there I was, working in the office, alone with Jesus, the Bible, and my thoughts and prayers, merely trying to faithfully prepare to feed the flock from God’s Word from about 3a–10:30a or thereabouts, when I happened to venture into the back parking lot just as about a dozen FCCers were finishing up some work around the building and grounds, mulching, weeding, etc. This is lovely, wonderful, much appreciated, deserves more than donuts, and should be counted as faithful service! However, just for the record, as soon as I stepped two feet outside the door, with one voice they all needlessly and mercilessly disparaged and mocked me for showing up “right as the work was done,” when they were “all covered in sweat, dirt, and mulch, gee thanks, Scott!” ;o) Despite the cacophony of protest by which I innocently suffered, thanks for getting your hands dirty to keep our facility clean! :o)

Friendly reminder (from a couple/few months ago in Scott’s Thoughts) that David goes from PT Pillar/Young Adults to FT Next Steps and Pillar starting in June (soon after he gets married!) Boom. Pray for David and his new wife, Melody, as he takes on this new role (and she adjusts to life with him, I mean…) as they adjust to life together!

Just a quick FYI… We’ve got some 8–10 young adult couples getting married in 2024, 10–12 of whom are in our Residents program and being mentored in ministry, and 7–8 are taking advantage of our church partnership with Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary (cbtseminary.org) and are receiving pretty serious biblical/theological training! So. Cool.

Ugh… While I’m certain the half dozen or so folks who asked some clarifying questions on the heels of the now long-since-past sermon on the 5th Commandment aren’t pausing important life decisions for my answers, I am pained to report that—contrary to previously reported—what had been forward progress is currently no further progress. Awesome. I’m sorry. Doing great, Scott. Doing. Great.

Just a quick personal note. I’ve had a few extra things, distractions, weights, etc., going on lately i.e., the last 6 years?!) that have made it nigh impossible to get my church and pastoral stuff done as well as it needs. No great cause for concern; just normal life things. But I am failing to do 25% of my life’s responsibilities justice. So I could use your prayers in doing better with shutting out the countless “good” things (most anyone can and is gifted to do) for the fewer “better” things (that I am particularly positioned and called to do.) Nothing groundbreaking, but I fear the repercussions of saying no to those good things (because 100% of them have people on the other end) and could just use some prayer for greater faithfulness (and stubbornness?) in the better things.