Share With Anyone in Need – Everyone has a need but not everyone can share. But when we pull together and pool our resources we have the potential to meet the needs. During the terror reign of Saul, (Acts 8:1), the church was scattered. Being scattered from our comfort zone allows the word of God to be spread to a broad segment of our communities.
But Team Berea, sharing is basically the body of Christ ministering to the Body of Christ. Whatever skills you’ve been gifted, you are expected to employ them within the body of believers to benefit and bless them.
As the It please the Lord, He added to the church
The body is designed fitted and formatted to supply to other parts of the body as the need arises. We all are gifted, fitted and formatted as God saw fit to meet the needs of the other body members (I Cor. 12:12-31). The hand is to scratch the arm or back when it itches. The arms would brace the body when it trips and fall from incurring any serious injury. We are blessed when we are all in our place operating and serving within the body as we were intended.
With our particular situation and circumstances regarding our health, we have been challenged to explore our creative resources and help one another know and experience the things of God. How do we employ the talents of those at our local assembly?
The Book of Judges describes the dark times after Joshua’s passing where the nation of Israel enters into a repeating cycle of prosperity to rebellion to punishment to repentance and finally to be rescued by a military leader chosen by God, called a Judge. The last verses of the book sum it up this way. In those days, there was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own mind. In this message we will look at a see how God reassured his sometimes fearful farmer turned Judge, that the Lord would be with him and mightily work through him to strike down the foreign oppressors. God would ultimately be declared the victorious and receive the His glory as the one true God and King of Israel
Having now dealt with Israel’s idolatry, God sends Gideon to lead Israel a promised victory against the enemy. In this message we will see how Gideon could not totally believe God’s promise of victory. He asked God to prove his call through two test. God performs two miracles using the famed woolen fleece placed outside overnight. Assured that God has sent him, Gideon gathered his 32,000 man army and prepared to go to the Midianite’s camp to deliver Israel from their 7 year oppression.
Sunday Devotional – The Wisdom of A Tongue Under Control
It is almost a far-gone conclusion our mouth or the words that come from our mouths get us in more trouble than our actions or anything else. Too many times we speak before we think through what we are about to say. God’s word through the Psalmist (Ps. 19:14) reminds us that before we speak anything our desire ought to consider Him, that they heart-felt, edifying and true. In this week’s Sunday Devotional, James shares with us both the objective of our words as well as the results they can have if not bathed in God’s love and grace.
Teachers teach with words. Teachers have influence over their students and are cautioned here to understand this truth. The wisdom of teaching others is knowing or being able to monitor, control and discipline ourselves so that teaching a powerful tool that can effective and destructive. We as teachers have that responsibility. He used the comparison of a bit in the mouth of a horse and the rudder of a ship. Both are small in size but used properly can control and guide a large beast or a massive sea vessel. Our tongue may be a small component in the body but it can have great results Jam. 3:1-5.
The writer’s focus turns sternly on the damaging consequences words will have when used recklessly and irresponsible. A lit match left unattended can turn into a forest fire. The tongue in comparison unbridled, can leave a trail of irreversible damage. The tongue can be used for good and bad and will issue words of blessing and words of hurt harm and danger. The old saying of, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt” is not necessarily true or biblical. Words can and will hurt if not spoken lovingly (Eph. 4:15) and to the building up of those who hear (Rom. 14:19, I Cor. 10:23, and I Thess. 5:11).
Serving One Another – The first component of the “TEAM BEREA“ concept is derived from the marvelous work of the Lord done through the believers of the early church (Acts 4:29-37). As the church population exploded, quite naturally needs grew. The believers first prayed about their situations and circumstances and made their request to be used nightly. Serving one another is the act of looking out and deliberately providing a service to someone else in need. Someone needing something and someone else taking the initiative to meet or satisfy that need.
This is Team Berea working our Mission through His Commission
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:13
We are now is a special and unique position to do the same wonderful work of God by both expressing our needs and taking the opportunity to meet those needs. It is through these needs being shared and met that the love of God which is shed abroad in our heart (Rom. 5:5), is demonstrated.
As a word of encouragement and hope, God has a divinely appointed purpose for us to glorify his name. With the various health concerns and recommendations being implemented as a direct result of the novel COVID pandemic, we have a need. Our church family is spread out, scattered to some degree and we are not able to minister or serve as we once did. The need to serve will always available for us. To meet those needs, we are asking member, under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God to make themselves available to serve. We understand and accept the reality that we do not have the same gifts or abilities as someone else, but that is the anatomy of a body (I Cor. 12:12), Let us re-examine our purpose before the Lord and see how exercise our gifts in the service of the Lord.
Talk with your Deacon or any of the Ministry Leaders and let the know how you want to serve. Leave your comments below.
The Bible declares that God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise (I Cor. 1:27). There are some of us who would immediately chosen the best, the strongest, the biggest or the fastest. But just as God did with David, the unlikely one to challenge a nine-foot Goliath, he knows the heart means more than the physical attributes. It has been said, “you can’t teach or coach heart”. Some people have it and some just don’t although they have all the skills and ability.
In today’s Pulpit Points message, Associate Pastor Cason takes us to a dark time is Israel’s history and God the omnipotent One chosen an unlikely one named Gideon to deliver them and a bleak moment. “God Calls A Mighty Judge” is a perfect example of the great mercy and grace, God has towards his people and his divine wisdom to taken us through the dark times in our own life.
Below are the images to support the modified church service inside the building:
Welcome to New Berean Baptist Church morning worship. To the glory of God, we greet you Saints, family, and friends. This message is to thank you for your patience and inform you of our plans to resume our Prayer, Praise and Preaching services inside the worship facility. We are excited to announce the plans to reopen our worship facility and reestablish a modified worship experience beginning July 26, 2020. Our worship is not to be any different, but the experience of that worship will be modified. Due to the current health concerns in our communities and how it has affected our local assembly, we have had to make some changes and adjustments that would allow us to come together and fellowship. Below, we have listed some objectives and have taken some measures that allowed us to conclude holding our Sunday services inside instead of outside in the parking lot. We are here to:
Live Out the Missional Calling, God has mandated the Believers to follow in faithful obedience his teachings and in turn, teach others (Matthew 28:18, Acts 1:8). He has given this “Commission” to the local church with no reservations. Although times and circumstances will change (as we have witnessed), we have not been excused from executing this mandate to be both evangelized and to evangelize. Living out this calling is demonstrated in the local assemblies coming together for corporate worship. Worship that is in spirit and truth.
Meeting Our Spiritual, Emotional and Social Needs, the early church is our typical example. As the church began to grow, literally multiplying overnight as their needs arose. The Lord saw their as important enough to have the elders assign certain leaders to attend to their matter. God’s house is a collection of people with different skill sets, different emotional and social backgrounds. Being together under the leadership of God’s ministers and teachers (Eph. 4:8-16 and Acts 2:44) we are able to have these needs met and become the effective body displaying all the gifts of the spirit to a world in need of answers.
Providing A Safe Environment, With the COVID pandemic so real in our lives, we have had to raise our awareness and efforts to ensure you are coming into a facility that will allow you to worship and fellowship with minimal distractions. As a result we if we comply, can be part of helping to contain and minimize the spread.
This letter issues some of the protocols we’ve put in place to help reach these above listed objectives.
In our efforts to achieve these goals, we have done the following for our church family:
Prayer – To encourage you, we as the Leadership Staff of New Berean, we have continually, collectively and individually sought out the Lord for wisdom and direction on leading his people (I Kings 3:1-15). These are unprecedented times we find ourselves. No doubt the saints of the early church found themselves saying the same words we are echoing today. But just as they did, we are doing now. Everything we do and speak to each is bathed in a daily amount of prayer. The Lord has told us throughout the scriptures to pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17), approach his throne of grace with confidence that we obtain mercy and grace to help in our time of need (Heb. 4:16) and to minimize anxiety let our request be known to Him, that we may obtain a level of peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6).
Search of the Scriptures – Acts 17:11 is the beginning of the ministry of New Berean. As the Berean church we are, we are accustomed to challenge one another to support our beliefs, and actions with sound biblical truths which can only be achieved through a searching of the scriptures. Our search is to gain God’s perspective and insight of how to lead, and minister to the people of God effectively.
Considered the Peoples Concerns – Considering one another in love was paramount for us (Heb. 10:24). God expects us to place your concerns as priority just as he does. God established the local assemblies as a place of prayer and worship and not a den of thieves (Matt 21:13). When the Grecians and Jews were disputing, the Elders considered it as a distraction of their worship and thought the matter needed to be attended to (Acts 6). Hence, we have the establishment of the ministry of the “dioknos” of Deacons. God’s people as it pertains to worship in the local assembly is of high importance is important and we have seriously considered your concerns to as a factor in our decisions. We thank you for responding to our surveys and feedback. Because you need to be free to worship the Lord with minimal distractions and we are in the business of serving you. You are important to us.
Prepared for Worship – With all that has been provided, we have taken the advice, directions, guidelines and recommendations from the various medical experts, the CDC, the office of our Governor and the VDH on this COVID. We have learned what is it, how it spreads and what measures can be employed to minimize the risks associated. Just as the Levites were assigned the role of setting up, maintaining, taking down and transporting the Tabernacle in the wilderness (Num. 18), we have been assigned to maintain our worship facility for you.
For your protection and the protection of others we have assessed the risks and have taken the following measures:
The building (including the restrooms) will be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected using the guidelines of the CDC and local Health Departments periodically and as necessary to support our public gatherings.
Masks, covering the nose and mouth will be worn by everyone while in the building.
Signs will be displayed and posted through the facility. You will be asked to read and understand these signs prior to entering and as you transit through.
Body temperature readings will be taken upon your initial entry. If your body temperature is greater than 100 degrees F, you will be asked not to enter the building o If you have exhibited any of the cold or flu-like symptoms you may be asked not to gather inside. o If you are already living with other health issues that may compromise your immune system, we are asking you not to gather for these pubic gatherings.
Follow the directions of the Greeters and Ushers during these worship services: o SOCIAL DISTANCING Do not gather with persons other than your immediate family o Maintain constant movement by others and do not congregate for extended periods of time o Entry and exit areas will opened as necessary minimizing the need to touch or handle surfaces o Restrooms will be monitored to ensure cleanliness as necessary. Signs have also been posted to remind us of our responsibility to perform proper hygiene techniques are adhered.
All printed materials have been removed from the chairs to prevent to urge to pass them from member to member. We are asking that you do not take it upon yourself to pass materials or items to other members during our services.
Constant communication is vital and we will be sharing with you additional information as well as feedback you have shared with us. As we constantly seek to educate ourselves, we ask for you to “Stay Connected” with our respective Deacons and Pastors.
For the Believer, life is to be lived from an eternal perspective and not from the “here and now”. In today’s Pulpit Points mess, “Words of Comfort” Leroy E. Ricks shares how and why this is to be done.
God has called us out to a living hope (I Peter 1:3) which is based upon his authority, his wisdom and faithfulness. As the sovereign God of all that exist, he is the authority who rules all things. In his omniscience, he is able to know all things before they even happen. From eternity past to eternity future, his wisdom is display through all creation and his ability to sustain through the power of his word. And because he the God who cannot change or deviate from his intended plans, he is faithful.
You ever wonder why it seems other Christians have power or the ability to stand longer and more stronger in certain situations than others? Or why our we seem to be powerless against the evil forces that come up in our lives? In today’s Pulpit Points message Leroy Ricks shares with the attending congregation some key elements our Lord left for us when it comes to praying (Luke 11:1-4) .
