Reality Check!

During my Bible study today I read from Acts 12 where the angel freed Peter from prison. Herod had placed him in prison with sixteen soldiers in squads of four to guard him. Here’s the narrative: The night before Herod was going to bring Peter to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. His hands were bound with two chains, and guards were in front of the door. They were watching the prison.

Get the picture? Herod was intent upon holding Peter in prison. His ultimate goal was to bring Peter to trial in front of the people before Passover.   But God had other plans. Back to the narrative: Suddenly, an angel from the Lord stood near Peter, and his cell was filled with light. The angel nudged Peter’s side, woke him up, and said, “Hurry! Get up!” At that moment the chains fell from Peter’s hands.  I’m not sure how soundly Peter was sleeping when the angel awakened him. How soundly could one sleep on a prison bunk, hands bound and between two soldiers? But he was asleep, an indication of either his fatigue or his peace with the Lord or perhaps some of both.

The angel told him, “Put your coat on, and follow me.” Peter followed the angel out of the cell. He didn’t realize that what the angel was doing was actually happening. He thought he was seeing a vision.  So maybe he had been sleeping more soundly than I first thought. Even though in a “trance,” Peter obeyed. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate that led into the city. This gate opened by itself for them, so they went outside and up the street. The angel suddenly left Peter.

A couple of observations:

1.       Our perception does not always/seldom match God’s reality. Peter thought he was in a trance but God had actually sent an angel. Peter could only see the guards and bindings and cell; God saw release. How many times have my perceptions been totally different from God’s reality?  I believe it is vital for us to remember things are not always as they appear, especially in these days of terrorist attacks and ISIS victories. God is still in control.

2.       The angel didn’t leave Peter UNTIL he was safely outside the prison. The angel didn’t stay a moment longer than he was needed. God won’t short-change us when He begins a work in our lives.

3.       The more difficult the circumstance, the more God seems to delight in proving us wrong. Herod thought he had secured Peter in such a way he could not possible escape. He was wrong.

Today I’ve been considering how many times my perceptions have been wrong; how many times I’ve worried when God was trying to tell me, “I’ve got this.” I’m trying to grow—hope I’m spiritually mature by the time I die. 

Need a handy man?

Bacon Heights Baptist Church is blessed to have a number of “seasoned saints.” These are folks who have invested years and years of service to our Lord through our church. Now they are in a position to benefit from ministry to them.

The deacons of BHBC are committed to following the biblical pattern established in Acts 6 by providing care to those who are no longer able to do what they previously could. Our deacons are divided into CARE Groups and each has a staff liaison to work with them. I’m privileged to work with the Repair/Respond group.

If you have some light repairs that are beyond your ability, please contact me or one of the members of our Repair/Respond group:

            Wes Creacy, Team Leader

            Ray Duncan

            Marc Applewhite

            Mike Harendt

            Larry Viaille

            Paxton Rautis

            Keno Martin

Little things, such as changing light bulbs or replacing batteries in clocks or smoke detectors, can become the cause of a major disaster if one of our “seasoned saints” falls off a chair and breaks a hip. Please allow our deacons the opportunity to give back to those who have given so much for so long.

Parkridge Anniversary

We recently received this note from Holly Duncan, CEO of Parkridge Medical Pregnancy Center. '

     Thank you so much for being such an important part of the history of Parkridge, and such an integral part of our present opportunities for ministry. Even after 22 years, we continue to see the Lord work in mighty ways. Your long-term partnership allows us to have a significant impact in the lives of those we serve.
     With Much Gratitude,
     Holly


Bacon Heights has a history of starting, and supporting, significant ministries. This is one of our best ministry efforts ever.

We also extend congratulations and best wishes on Parkridge's 22nd anniversary, and look forward to many, many more years of Christ-center ministry to people in need.

Deacons to the Rescue!

Deacons to the rescue!

That can be your statement starting now. Our deacons have created Care Teams to better serve our church and community. One of these teams is the Repair/Respond Team. It is my privilege to serve as the staff liaison to this group. Among the responsibilities assigned to them is to assist those impaired or in crisis by providing maintenance and clean up.

We are approaching time change Sunday (November 1) very soon. Along with moving clocks back one hour we are also encouraged to change the batteries in our smoke detectors.

Our deacons realize that some of our folks shouldn’t be on ladders or chairs trying to reach the smoke detector to change the battery. They would love to help.

If you would like a deacon team to come to your house to help with some basic maintenance tasks, like:

·                   Changing the batteries in smoke detectors

·                  Changing clocks back to Central Standard Time

·                  Changing light bulbs

·                 Changing the air filters in furnaces

·                 Checking outside faucets to prevent freezing

then please call the church office (795-5261) and let us know you could use a little help. We’ll schedule a time for some guys to come to your house and take care of these maintenance items. They’d love to assist you but need to be asked.

Perhaps you know of someone needing assistance that won’t see this in our e-newsletter. Please let them know of our desire to help and give us a call. Our deacons are servants and love to serve others. Please let them have the opportunity to assist those who could use a little help. 

Is it fixed?

There's a remote possibility we have our phone fixed. It was working when we left the office for the day after 5:00. Here's hoping/praying the fix holds and we have phone service when we arrive Wednesday morning. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY--when it works.

I Love Technology--When it Works!

We have trouble with our phone system at church. (Such a simple statement.)
We've been having phone trouble at church for nearly a week. (Statement of unresolved issues.)
We've been unable to get it fixed. (Statement of extreme frustration.)
We've been unable to determine who needs to fix our phone system. (Statement of exasperation.)
We've learned our phone system is connected to our internal internet. (Statement of anxiety.)

We have an I.T. person working on our system this very minute. Hopefully (PRAYERFULLY) he will be able to get it fixed.

Bottom line is there's an explanation as to why you've not been able to contact us by phone. We've been here diligently working and seeking a resolution to our phone system. Technology--love it/hate it, but it's here to stay.

FINALLY!

Our long wait for a pastor is about to come to an end as the Atchleys arrive THIS WEEKEND! Movers will arrive at their SOLD Denton house in a couple of days and pack up their worldly goods. They will close on their Lubbock house/home FRIDAY and move in Saturday. Sunday they will be in attendance and begin the process of becoming acclimated to BHBC. To help them in this process we are asking EVERYONE to use our new check-in system. We’ve purchased additional equipment to make the check-in process as smooth as possible without anyone having to wait very long. The system worked very well during the weekend the Atchleys were here in view of a call and we expect it to work well from now on.

In addition to helping the Athleys learn names, it will also help us know one another. The reality is we don’t know the names of everyone who attends BHBC. The check-in system, which will print out name badges each week for everyone, will help. At most this will be a minor inconvenience for a few. At best, it will enhance the fellowship and ministry of Bacon Heights. Thank you for working with us and using the check-in system.

Our pastor will be preaching for the first time on May 31^st. To celebrate his arrival we’re having an all-church cookout. We’ll be grilling hamburgers and have all the toppings available in the FLC immediately following the late worship. Please plan on joining us for lunch and celebrating the arrival of our fourth pastor. It will be a festive time.

Do you realize how rare it is for a church to be nearly 50 years old and just now be getting her fourth pastor? This speaks volumes for the health and stability of Bacon Heights. Jason Atchley is coming to pastor a good church with a rich heritage. My prayer, and I believe it is yours as well, is that he will lead us to accomplish much more as a church. We really can have our best days ahead of us if we all pull together, seek the Lord, and give back in service the gifts God has equipped us with. 

Now a personal note. THANK YOU for allowing me the privilege of serving as the Interim Senior Pastor these past eleven months. When I resigned from Indiana Avenue Baptist Church I didn’t know if I would ever serve on a church staff again, much less be the pastor. I was extremely burned out and beat up. But you loved me back into ministry, then allowed me to pastor during this interim. It has been a blessing to Judy and me to be back in the leadership role one more time. Now, we look forward to serving under Jason’s leadership and expect to see some amazing things happen. It is my belief that our best days truly are ahead of us. Let’s work together to make that become reality. 

WE HAVE A PASTOR!!!!!

Ten and-a-half months in the making but well worth the wait. Tonight, April 26th, Bacon Heights Baptist Church voted, 364 to 1, to call Dr. Jason Todd Atchley to be our fourth pastor. HE SAID "YES!"

What an incredible weekend we've had with the Atchley family. Beginning Friday evening with the staff families dining with the "Atchley nation" to Saturday morning meeting with the ministerial staff, followed by over 200 people coming Saturday evening for the meet-and-greet and then today. What can I say about today? Basically, the Spirit of God was all over our church. What more needs to be said?

As they become available I will post pictures. Check back tomorrow.

Great Days Ahead

The first question I was asked when Jerry resigned was, “How long will it take to get a new pastor?”  I explained there is no set policy but as a general rule-of-thumb it takes about one month for every year of the former pastor’s tenure. Jerry had been here almost 12 years so we could expect the process to take up to a year. Dr. Jason Atchley will be preaching in view of a call at the 10 ½ month mark of our interim situation. My belief is we will call him, he will accept, and be on the field by late May, or at the 11 ½ month mark. It appears our process has held true to form.

You are going to love the Atchleys. Judy and I were privileged to host them a week ago when the whole family came to explore Lubbock and look at housing options. This was Judy’s first time to meet Jason and Heather and the first time for both of us to meet Hallee and Chloe. We already love this family and know you will as well.

Jason and Heather are West Texas “born and bred.” Jason and Heather’s parents were members of the same Sunday school class at Crestview Baptist Church in Midland. In 1976 this class gave birth to 16 children. Jason was the first and Heather the second birth, so they have literally grown up together, practically dating since birth.

They all have birthdays within a 15 day time span:

·         Jason—March 30.

·         Heather—April 4.

·         Hallee—April 10.

·         Chloe—April 13.

Jason has a great resume. He has received outstanding training and gained valuable experience in a variety of churches. He was recommended to us by Dr. David L. Lowrie, Jr., pastor of the First Baptist Church of El Paso. Jason served on the staff of First Baptist, Canyon, with Dr. Lowrie.  This speaks volumes to me, that a former pastor and supervisor took the time to recommend him.

Judy and I are excited at the possibility of having Jason as our pastor and Heather as our pastor’s wife. I look forward to serving with him in my role as the Executive Pastor of Bacon Heights Baptist Church. He will be a great leader for our staff and church. Our Pastor Search Committee has done an excellent job in bringing the Atchleys to us. I truly believe Jason can lead us to our greatest days as a church.

When you arrive Sunday night, you will be required to use our new check-in system. We will have each station manned so you can complete the process in a matter of seconds. We are working to insure that we have a record of who was present and voting. After you have completed the check-in procedure, you will be handed a ballot. Please understand that according to our by-laws ONLY CHURCH MEMBERS ARE QUALIFIED TO VOTE. We have many regular attenders who are a part of us. But because they have not officially joined the church they cannot vote. Again, this is how our by-laws read and we will work to adhere to the governing documents of our church.  So if you have been thinking about joining and want to be able to vote on the new pastor you need to join Sunday morning. We will be happy to receive you and make you “official.” 

Getting Close

Check back following the announcement Sunday morning, April 19, for additional information about our prospective pastor. You're going to love him.

Exciting News--A Prospective Pastor is Coming

The word is now out that we will have a prospective pastor at Bacon Heights on Sunday, April 26. Actually, he and his family will be here for the whole weekend. Here’s a brief summary of the weekend.

Friday evening he and his family will meet with our staff and their families for a meal and time to get acquainted. All of Bacon Heights will be impacted by the arrival of a new pastor, but none more so than the staff. Our new pastor will be joining an existing staff as our leader, colleague and fellow servant. We are a team and it is vital we “jell” as quickly as possible.  Because of my role in serving the Pastor Search Team, I’ve had the opportunity to meet our prospective pastor and his wife and I AM THRILLED! I can hardly wait for the rest of our staff to begin knowing them.

Saturday afternoon (time to be announced later) we will have a “meet and greet” reception time for the whole church. At some point we will have a Q & A time with him.

Sunday morning he will preach in both services. Sunday afternoon, probably at 4:00, we will have an additional time for church members who couldn’t make the Saturday afternoon reception to have time with them.

Sunday night at 5:00 we will have an evening worship followed by a called business meeting. The business meeting will be for the sole purpose of voting on extending a call to this prospective pastor.

Yes, this will be a crazy busy weekend for our prospective pastor and his family. By the time Sunday night is over they will feel a mixture of excitement (yes, I am anticipating a strong vote to call him) and exhaustion.

You are receiving an advanced notice of the date so you can arrange your calendar to be here for this most important weekend. You have a responsibility as a member of Bacon Heights Baptist Church to be here prayed up and ready to vote on extending a call Sunday night.

Folks, this is NOT A DONE DEAL!  This man and his family believe they have been called by God to be our pastor. Our Pastor Search Committee believes God has led them to this man to be our pastor. They have worked through nearly 100 resumes, spending countless hours in prayer, reading and reviewing resumes, and listening to sermons. They narrowed the selection down to 2 men and have spent nearly 2 months seeking the mind of God over which one is our pastor. BUT THIS CALL STILL HAS TO BE CONFIRMED BY YOU, THE MEMBERSHIP OF BACON HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH.  That’s why I’m asking you to be prayed up and ready to vote on Sunday night, April 26.

On a personal note: it has been my belief that this man is to be our pastor ever since I met him. I’m impressed with his love for the Lord, his desire to serve the Lord, and his humility. The prospect of working with him excites me to no end.

So, who is this man? We’ll let you know on April 19. 

Schedule Change

We--meaning the BHBC staff--have been monitoring the weather and road conditions this Saturday and have made the decision to revert to our holiday schedule for tomorrow. Our holiday schedule means we will only have one service at 10:30 Sunday, March 1. We will not have any of our Bible study classes, Sunday school classes, or small groups meeting tomorrow morning.

We made the decision based upon some thawing taking place this afternoon, but realizing all this will refreeze overnight, leaving black ice everywhere. Hopefully, by 10:30 road conditions will have improved enough for many folks to safely travel to church.

Please be wise tomorrow morning. As much as we'd love to have you at Bacon Heights, we want you to be safe.

Aging and Prayer

2015 is a week old and aging rapidly—like me. I’ve come to believe the only humans who enjoy aging are children. Their desire to be older is so they can enjoy the perceived benefits of some measure of maturity.

Many people choose not to go “quietly into that good night.”  (One of the funniest comments I heard about this occurred at the Preston Smith International Airport. A male passenger walked by who was doing his “best” to resemble a younger Elvis. His attempts bordered on the ridiculous. Actually, the border into ridiculous was nowhere to be seen in his rear view mirror.  A friend standing nearby commented, after Elvis was out of earshot range, “Waging the war on aging with all the weapons at his disposal.”)

I always chuckle when someone says, “I’m not as young as I used to be.”  My disturbed mind just begs me to add “but you never were.” Even a newborn infant is not as young as he used to be just moments after birth. Our grandson Seth, born September 20, is not as young as he used to be.

Perhaps my obsession with aging has to do with an approaching birthday. In just over two months I will hit that magic age qualifying me for ……I’m not sure I can even write it….can I just say “that word” is what I’ll be eligible for?  No? So you’re going to make me put it into print? O.K., here goes.  I’ll be eligible for……Medicare……… OUCH, THAT HURT!!!!!!! As you can see, not even my computer wanted to type “that word.”

In my mind it wasn’t that many years ago I was the young pastor churches were considering. (Ouch again—just realized that last sentence DOES make me sound like an old codger.) Now, I’m at the “sunset” of my professional career.  We’re looking for—AND NEEDING—a younger pastor who is maybe at the “sunrise” of his career. We may even get a pastor younger than my children!  YIKES!!! I AM OLD!!!!!

My memory does allow me to recall what it was like when I was the young pastor moving to a different church. My first few churches were single-staff churches. When I finally got to  churches that had staff, I was the youngest, or second youngest, member of the staff. The existing staffs had been together a while. I was the new-kid-on-the-block, charged with the responsibility of providing leadership to a few folks who were questioning my ability to lead. I do remember one staff meeting when I was seeking counsel from the staff and one guy quipped, “Act like you’re in charge. Maybe one day you will be.”

Believe it or not, this whole rant is a call to prayer. I know what it is going to be like for our new pastor. He will be inheriting a staff that will, possibly, all be older than him. Regardless of his age, he is inheriting a staff that has been together for quite some time. He’s coming to a church that has been experiencing decline in attendance for several years. He’s coming to a church in a transitioning community. Please don’t get me wrong, I believe he’s coming to a very good church that can be a great church. I still believe our best years can be and are still ahead of us. But they won’t automatically come. IF YOU CAN, JOIN US SATURDAY EVENINGS, 5:00, TO PRAYER WALK OUR FACILITY. WE, AS A CHURCH, WON’T BE ABLE TO DO MUCH ELSE UNTIL WE PRAY. After we pray, the sky’s the limit.