Prayer in the midst of confusion –

A call to seek God in the middle of our distress and remind us of the Hope we have within in us and that Hope God has for us and our community.

Our Ministry Vision:

CBC exists to help people discover loving, vital relationships with God, themselves and others through: Worshiping God; Sharing the Gospel; Discipling believers; and Caring for others in the power of the Holy Spirit

Right now I know that many of you are hurting and confused.  We who have served together these past number of years have seen trials and triumphs, tragedies and amazing stories of grace.

Let’s not bury our heads in the sand, we know this next year may be difficult for our Church, our staff and our friends.  It most certainly will be traumatic as the first few months take hold and our 2017 budget comes into effect.  As a member for just about eight years I realize my family and I are fairly short timers in the life of our Church and some may take all I say with a grain of salt.

The truth of the matter is our Church budget has now been on a decline for the past 3 years It has dropped nearly $400,000 since before we came if you go back to 2007.  While that is a life time ago in the modern age it is just a drop in the 73 year lifetime of this congregation.  This budgetary drop is a direct reflection of a truth that many of us though warned and prodded about have been hesitant to heed or confront.  This decline is a crisis to our existence and to this congregations ministry to the community.  

Whether by death, moves, loss or disassociation our congregation has been dwindling.  While many faithful families and long time members remain the pews sit a little less than half full Sunday after Sunday.  Even in the  midst of one of the most important votes and opportunity for worship this year our pews remained mostly empty even this last Sunday.  

And what a Sunday of Worship it was – if that was to be one of the last services of our congregation meeting together at Central Baptist Church what a glorious reminder of why we are here.

“Oh Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed”



(The Foto Sisters www.fotosisters.com at CBC Marshall 12/11/2016)

Just one of the numerous hymns and songs of faith beautifully performed to God’s glory this last Sunday.  

As we ponder the outcome of the “Better Together” leadership team and proposed Cornerstone Baptist Church and the dissolution of our congregation let us focus on what is most important.

Let me begin by saying my first reaction after worship was complete and I had began to assess the implications and reaction of our congregation my first words to my friend nearby was “Okay then.”  While this tells little to those who may not know me or probably little to anyone.  If you’ve read this far indulge me to give a little more meat to the phrase.“

• Okay Then” less than 2/3rds of my friends didn’t see things the way I saw them, we though serving the same Everlasting God of the Universe disagreed about our congregation and body of believers at Central Baptist Church.  (I’m not so much saddened by this as perplexed but I am not dismayed nor am I despondent)  

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

• “Okay Then” Should I have politicked rounded up and herded people to see things my way?  Could it have been different?  This is called Reasoning with the outcome.  I though you may take your own path have already travelled this one and I had already felt convinced that the brothers and sisters of Christ at CBC were fully capable and able to feel pray and hear God’s Spirit in their own way.  My politicking though wise in the eyes of the World did not seem to me to be what I should do.  Answer questions as asked be available and speak the truth in love to my friends absolutely.

He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
   so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
   and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
   at noon they grope as in the night. Job 5:12-14

• “Okay Then”  What should we do now?  What should I do now?  

CBC exists to help people discover loving, vital relationships with God, themselves and others through: Worshiping God; Sharing the Gospel; Discipling believers; and Caring for others in the power of the Holy Spirit

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Let’s commit to 3 things.

 

• Pray for one another.

• Fast for our people and our community

• Ask God for forgiveness and His renewed vision for our congregation

 

And let’s not forget the Everlasting God of all creation who granted ALL AUTHORITY on HEAVEN and on EARTH has commanded us to go and make disciples.  Our Father and His Son are in charge let’s start acting like it as men and women of faith take a chance invite a friend tell your story of faith.

In His Service Glenn Scott