Christmas reflections...

Our family Christmas celebrations have all been wonderfully unique and somehow strangely different than each one previous; but not in a bad way. It's just that at Christmas we are routinely involved in ministry responsibilities and that's been going on long before I became a Pastor. Somehow the places of ministry have changed over the years, housing situations have been very unique and different, finances have been good, bad or downright ugly. We've been separated by extremely long distances from either my parents or Cheryl's. I've been in hospitals praying for divine intervention for members in distress. I've chopped wood with my father on Christmas Eve for a member who desperately needed wood for heat and made it home through a blizzard in time for Christmas Eve dinner. I remember once in seminary we spent $50.00 on our total Christmas presents ($35.00 for 5 children $15.00 between Cheryl & I). This was made possible because of the generosity of the members of Bayleaf Baptist Church in North Carolina with their seminary toy chest - they bought the toys and the most we could spend as we shopped for each child was $7.00. I was supporting all 7 of us on a 35 hour a week salary and my boss needed 60 hours a week from me while I was going to seminary full time and teaching Sunday School. No matter where we've been or what was going on in our lives, two things have been consistent, the presence of Jesus superintending and guiding our footsteps as we've walked with the Lord together; and all of our children being with us for Christmas....until this year.

For 24 years, Cheryl and I have enjoyed all of our children being with us and seeing the excitement on their faces as we've read some portion of the Christmas story before opening presents. It has always been so special as we've shared gifts with one another and it seems like yesterday it was just three girls and they were each getting dolls made to look like them. Boys were added to the mix along the way and "GI Joe's" or Nerf guns were plotting surprise attacks. Now in our 25th year marriage, for the first time, one of our married daughters was not able to be with us on Christmas so we're in new chapter of life. Once again adding a unique twist to our Christmas celebration but with the aid of technology, we were able to video chat with them as they celebrate with our son in law's family in Texas. Sad in a way but part of the spice of life and the adventure we're on with the Lord. You see He has never changed and He always makes our Christmas celebrations so special because our focus is on Him, not on us. Like the Apostle Paul, we've literally learned that whatever state we're in to be content. Whether we have much or a little, whether our housing is great or lacking some things we'd desire.  Whether we were having a church full of people or whether it was 9 of us - the 7 in our family and one other couple; we've learned to be content.

I think this may be part of the "Peace" that the angelic messengers proclaimed to those shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. There is a contentment that only Jesus can bring to your life no matter what your condition happens to be. The world system wants you to buy in to the lie of Satan that contentment comes from more stuff, the latest, greatest, newest, or whatever happens to be the hot must have item. The world system says the next relationship will be the one, the next job, or whatever. But the void in our lives seems to get bigger and the Lord says "What are you doing"? How long before we realize that the Lord Jesus Christ alone can fill that void our lives? 

Our circumstances have been so dramatically different now for 25 years of marriage; there is no doubt in my mind next Christmas will unfold some unique challenge or situation for us as a family. This one has been different for sure. Last year at this time, we were given a stuffed bear with the recorded heartbeat of our 1st granddaughter Addison Lynn Deason in anticipation of her birth in the spring. Little did we know instead of giving her her first Christmas presents as her "Nana" & "Pops"; we'd not have her with us and that she would in fact be with Jesus whose birth we celebrate. Little did I know I'd be able to feel the movement of my second grandchild in the womb of our eldest daughter at this Christmas and talk with Addison's mommy & daddy online who are expecting grand baby number 3 as well. Seeing first hand new life forming in the wombs of my precious daughters this Christmas causes me once again to take a deep breath and stand in awe and wonder of that night 2000 years ago when a young virgin named Mary gave birth to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I stand in awe that our Lord would come to earth so each member of my family could be forgiven of their sins, that God would call me to serve Him full time as a pastor to proclaim that message of salvation, and that He offers forgiveness to all who will accept it by faith.

I hope you'll never get over the wonderful truth of Christmas that "unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." I don't know what your circumstances are, but I can promise you no matter what they may be, if you'll make Jesus the center of your lives, you'll have peace that only He can provide no matter what adventure you're in at the moment. I hope these Christmas reflections will encourage you, and Merry Christmas; from my little corner of the world to yours...

 
Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

 

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Encouragement from the courthouse...

We live in a world where only bad news sells it seems in the news media and watching the local or national evening news can be downright depressing. We’re told all that’s going wrong in our country today. Politicians seem to be able to easily talk out of both sides of their mouth to please the particular audience they have at that moment.  They have the unique “skill” to be non-committal on everything and sufficiently vague with their comments so they can’t be pinned down to their views on certain controversial issues. The court systems seem to be nothing more than a charade of justice because justice really isn’t blind if you can pay. Well I had the occasion to be at the Harford County Courthouse this past Tuesday to be with one of my sheep who was to appear before a judge to see if the unfortunate incident he was involved in would finally be resolved. Because of my law enforcement experience, I know the “hurry up and wait” routine really well. It seems to me in my experience  that the proverbial wheels of justice grind slower than a slave trying to push a mammoth grind stone alone. Continuances,  lawyers double booking cases, detached judges not interested in other people’s time, officers detained and not able to appear, witnesses who don’t show and you can begin to see why stuff takes so long to get resolved as this is the “normal” courthouse routine.

While waiting for my friend’s hearing and having a general interest in the law since I actually considered law school as a career, I enjoy watching the proceedings to kill time since you can’t have your cell phone or computer with you in court. Well I was treated to a wonderful breath of fresh air watching the honorable Judge James Vaughan hold court. From what I was able to glean, Judge Vaughan is a highly respected judge in Maryland who retired from his full time post and apparently was filling in on Tuesday. He was prompt and kept things moving. We were treated to his discussion with an attorney representing a client from out of state related to a traffic ticket and she did not show up for court apparently for the last time. Judge Vaughan warned that attorney he was tired of this woman manipulating the system and the taxpayers of Maryland with her shenanigans and that there would not be a next time!

We were treated to a public defender who was extremely late coming into the courtroom after having Judge Vaughan’s bailiff go tell the lawyer the court was in session and waiting. When he finally came in with a flippant “my apologies your honor”; Judge Vaughan instantly corrected the young barrister that his delay and apology were not acceptable to the court. He told the attorney he had a courtroom full of people waiting for him, people with jobs, lives and things to do and he had no right to delay when he was summoned to the courtroom and the judge did not appreciate him holding all of us hostage. He told this shocked attorney now standing before this no-nonsense judge that if he needed more time to prepare, he could have the time but he needed to ask for permission from the judge and not presume upon the court’s goodness. Wow - A judge who cares about other people’s time and lives and won’t stand for arrogance from anyone, no matter what law school they went to!

We were shocked and saddened as Judge Vaughan had to decide a case where a father had taken a car belonging to his 22 year old daughter, who consequently pays the car payment faithfully and her own insurance, and withheld it from her for 3 months, driving it and even wrecking it and filing the claim on her insurance, along with her purse, checkbook, bank card and numerous personal items leaving her no choice to file theft charges against her own dad. Judge Vaughan asked the question everybody was dying to holler…. “What kind of father????” In finding this man guilty, he told this man point blank he was a thief and a bully; a man who steals from his daughter and bullies his own child. Yet the judge was compassionate and gave the man a chance to leave with a deputy to get the poor girl’s belongings, 45 minutes provided to make amends before sentence pronounced. I wondered while watching this public servant preside and decide cases what it must have been like to watch King Solomon render justice in Israel (CF 1^st Kings 3:16-28).

As he pondered my friend’s case and read all the reports; not having had any exposure to any of the previous discussions in court, I appreciated him examining the evidence of my friend’s unique medical situation that caused his encounter with law enforcement. This Judge did not publically disclose the problems my friend had that would embarrass him; showed great kindness in allowing him to remain seated and signed off on the agreement reached by the state and the defense. An answer to prayer for sure as the case turned out the best for all parties involved and justice was served.

As I walked out of that courtroom and headed to my truck after a morning there, I thanked the Lord for the honorable Judge James Vaughan. I was encouraged to see all hope is not lost for our country and there are still people who serve the public faithfully with the wisdom only God can provide. I was thankful for seeing a public servant, a man with authority given to him by Almighty God exercise some good old common sense in dealing with people who’ve royally messed up their lives, holding them accountable but also with compassion and dignity. I don’t know if Judge Vaughan is a Christian but I pray that he becomes one if he is not already. Paul was inspired by God to write “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1^st Tim.2:1-4).” What an opportunity we have as believers to influence our communities for Christ by praying for “kings and all who are in authority” that God would save them! There is hope for our country, it’s not in judges, lawyers, or the government, it’s in “God our Savior.” It’s amazing that verse 5 continues “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” As much as I’m thankful for Judge Vaughan, I’m thankful the Lord Jesus is my mediator, my advocate with God the Father. When I stand before the Judge of the Universe someday, I won’t have to fear because Jesus will plead my case for me and He’ll tell the Judge that He’s already paid my sin debt and that I’m forgiven; Satan has no case against me; not because I’m good, but because of Jesus Christ and what He did for me on that old rugged cross.

So I remind us all of our obligation to pray for our public servants to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth and to thank God for them. Pray that God will grant to them wisdom to rule with righteousness, justice and mercy and they would walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). I was encouraged at the courthouse the other day and thought I’d share it, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

When I was a kid, I remember my mom playing Christmas records (that’s right a record…a big, round, black piece of plastic with a little hole in the middle that went into a huge console stereo system with a needle that when placed on this record, made sound come out through the speakers). We had no concept of CD’s, IPods or MP3 players. I remember her decorating the house and smells coming from the kitchen where you didn’t really know what was in the oven, but the anticipation of delight would make its way through your nostrils to the pit of your stomach because you knew something good was on its way. One of the songs I remember being sung which to this day is one of my favorites; was by Andy Williams called “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. While it’s a secular song and there’s not really any reference to the Christ of Christmas, the song mainly focuses on the traditions of families and friends as they gather to celebrate and the familiar refrain “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I think that refrain alone is one reason why this song continues to be so popular and one of my favorites. It really is a wonderful time of year and probably would be considered by most believers to be the most wonderful time of the year with Easter being a close second. Probably because Christmas is the celebration of the Savior, Jesus Christ and His birth into the world. Easter cannot ignore the cruel death on the old rugged cross and the pain of that knowledge in our souls, so because of the pain involved around Easter, my suspicion is that most of us would rank Christmas as the most wonderful time of the year.

There’s something about the wonder of the Christmas season and the birth of this special Child named Jesus, Emanuel – God with us; the long awaited and promised Messiah, the one who would “save His people from their sins” (Matt.1:21) that makes young, middle aged or old want to celebrate. There is a magic about Christmas like no other holiday that turns strangers in the hustle and bustle of life into cordial acquaintances. People who would at any other time of the year not greet you on the street or going into the store but at Christmas begin to do so. There’s an anticipation that begins around Thanksgiving that builds with excitement and downright joy begins to well up in hearts usually more calloused due to the rigors of life. Who can explain how a baby changes everything? Who can explain how people who never attend church 50 weeks of the year are suddenly drawn to attend at this most wonderful time of the year? There’s something truly special about this time of year. For believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, we know the answer to that. We know that Jesus is the reason for the CHRISTmas season. The announcement of the angels to the shepherds foretells of this divine act of God some would call “magic” in Luke 2:10 “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” I think the Lord begins to stir in the hearts of even the most hard-hearted individuals that there is something unique about Christmas even now, over 2000 years after that blessed first Christmas when Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem and laid in a cattle feeding trough.

I hope and pray that you’ll take full advantage of the wonderful God-given opportunity we have at this most wonderful time of the year to be a faithful witness for the Lord Jesus. Never miss an opportunity to wish people you encounter “as you go” a hearty “Merry Christmas”. While the Satan & politically correct crowd would want to convince you in order to not be offensive to not talk about Christ and substitute a bland and tasteless “Happy Holidays”; don’t shy away from reminding people of the Greatest Gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ. Take advantage of the opportunity to give joyfully to our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Our church goal is $28,000.00 and we can reach it if we each ask the Lord what He’d have us to give sacrificially so that others may come to know Jesus as Savior. Take advantage of the opportunity to invite a friend, co-worker or family including in-laws and “out-laws” to come with you to our Christmas musical on Dec. 19^th or our Christmas Sunday celebration Dec. 26^th. There is no time like Christmas where people would come if personally invited. God is already working in their hearts to prepare them, all you have to do is ask. Take advantage of the opportunity to pray for a harvest of souls, new birth in Christ as people respond to the message of Christmas, pray for me to have boldness and clarity as I share these good tidings of great joy.

From all of us here in the church office at Calvary, we want you to have a marvelous and Merry Christmas at this most wonderful time of the year. May the Christ of Christmas bring great joy to you and your family as you celebrate the Savior’s birth. It is my thrill and joy to serve as your pastor and I love you, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

A word about the new NIV Bible translation...

With Christmas coming, a new Bible might be on someone’s gift list and a quick trip down to the local Christian Book Store to check off your gift list and you have a Bible. But should you buy a Bible based on the sale price that happens to be going on? The leather cover, the fancy notes and colorful illustrations and the study notes (which by the way are not inspired, infallible or inerrant, but a human’s study into the Bible). You need to remember that Bible publishers need to sell Bibles to make a profit just like anyone else in business. Christian Book stores, even the one connected to our denomination need to sell books and Bibles so publishers and book stores will market and provide prime floor space to help them sell their products. Big publishers have more money to spend to market their product and that is fine within certain moral limits.
When purchasing something that is designed to feed your soul and spirit, in this case a Bible; or it is to feed someone’s soul and spirit you care about deeply, you want to make an intelligent and informed decision on that  purchase. That being said, I can heartily recommend a New King James Version which is the Bible I preach out of each week. It is a faithful translation of the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts. I like this Bible personally as I grew up on the old King James version so it has that kind of feel but in a modern more readable language easy to understand. I would also have no problem recommending a New American Standard, Holman Christian Standard or English Standard version. I have copies of each of these and like each of them as they are faithful translations of the original languages. My personal devotions and Bible reading each morning is out of an ESV which I have grown to love. 
The NIV Bible is published by Zondervan Publishers and while I have NIV Bibles, I’m hesitant to recommend it because a few years ago they came out with the so called “gender-neutral” Bible the TNIV. Bowing to the winds of political correctness, the publishers tried to neutralize clear references to either male or female under much criticism and controversy. They are set to come out with new version of the NIV in 2011 where they have tried to correct some definite problems from the TNIV. Sadly, there are apparently still issues with this new version so I would caution you to steer clear of this translation. Until Zondervan sorts through their translation philosophy and abandons the desire to be politically correct or overly culturally relevant; I would think the problems that spill over into their translations of the Bible will continue. In the mean time, you need Bible and you need to hear what God wants to communicate to you as He loves you whether you’re a male or a female and He needs no one to apologize for what He wants to say to you – stick with a Bible choice from the list above and you’ll be on solid ground. All you need to do is make time to actually read the Bible you purchase. If you’re interested in reading further about these concerns related to the NIV, you can check out this statement made by the “Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.”
http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/CBMW-Responds-to-New-NIV2011
There is much to understand about Bible translations and the philosophy behind that translation that I cannot go into here but inside each Bible should be a statement from the publisher about their process of translation. Books like “The Message” are not really Bibles but simply a paraphrase by one man who paraphrased what he thinks the Bible says. While it may make for interesting reading, it may not give you an accurate picture of what God said in His Word. With accurate translations that translate word for word from the original manuscripts readily available in readable and understandable English, you don’t need someone telling you what he thinks it says; you can read it for yourself. I hope this helps you make some educated choices as what you feed your spirit and those you love because this is of critical importance. Just a simple word of caution from my little corner of the world to yours…
Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church
www.calvarybelair.com
Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  
Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Oh give thanks to the Lord...

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." That phrase occurs in 6 different passages of Scripture (1st Chron.16:34, Pss. 106:1, 107:1, 118:1, 118:29, and 136:1). Now God only has to say something one time for it to be authoritative but 6 times in the Scriptures God commands His people to give thanks to Him for He is good and to acknowledge that His mercy endures forever. As we head into the holiday season, Thanksgiving is first on the horizon where we celebrate the historical holiday the Pilgrims first marked in the new world in 1621 in the Plymouth Colony. Observances of Thanksgiving were held by the American colonies but it was not consistently observed at the same time till President George Washington made it a national holiday in 1789. It is a time that is set aside to reflect with thankful hearts what the Lord has done for our country and for each of us as families and individuals. Christians ought to be the most thankful people of all because of the Lord Jesus Christ and His birth which is observed at Christmas just a few short weeks after Thanksgiving.

 

My family has much to be thankful for as we enter this time of year and I want our family to give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy does endure to us forever. He’s sustained us through the death of our sweet grand-daughter Addison Lynn Deason. He’s continued to provide for us even though as of this writing, our house in Houston has not sold, we’ve never missed a meal for lack of groceries and we’ve not lost our home there; nor a roof over our heads in Bel Air. He’s been so faithful to the Green family but space will not permit me to share all that our wonderful and gracious Heavenly Father has done for us. As the leader of my family, I give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever!

 

I’m thankful as the under-shepherd of Calvary in scary economic times when so many churches are struggling; Calvary’s giving continues to outpace our budget need which is a testimony to the generosity of God’s people whose giving shows their gratitude to God for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. I’m thankful to be the pastor of a church that loves Jesus and seeks to honor Him in all we do. I’m thankful to be the pastor of a church that seems eager to hear the Word of God preached each week and is excited to worship Him. There is an excitement and anticipation in our midst each week as we gather together to praise our God, to proclaim the wonderful Gospel message that Jesus saves, to mine out the unsearchable riches of the Scriptures, and to genuinely encounter God and experience the life change that authentic encounters with God produce. I’m thankful for prayer warriors in our church family I can ask without embarrassment or hesitation to pray for me and our church. I’m thankful for faithful saints of God who serve in so many capacities so that when we have a major staff change as we’ve had recently with Pastor Bob being called to another field of service, the church does not suffer and the work of the ministry continues, but that’s not us or the product of human effort, but we can give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever!

 

As I pen this brief note, I’m holed up on a spiritual retreat seeking God’s face and direction for my next sermon series after we conclude the book of Ephesians just before Christmas. I’m reading much Scripture, writing, but most of all I’m praying for the Lord’s direction for this needy preacher that He would in fact feed me the truth I need and in turn He would use it to feed you my church family. I’m thankful as I believe He is answering me on what I need to pursue next for our Sunday mornings together. Quite frankly, I’m overwhelmed by what I think the Lord will have me preaching next year, but I believe God’s church needs to hear the message He’s proclaimed through the prophets and I know He’ll use it to challenge us, convict us, break us and ultimately restore us to further His purposes. I have much work to do and I want to be faithful to it for God’s glory.

 

On the church front, I am working with the personnel committee on revising the job description for the position of associate pastor that Bob held. We are prayerfully asking the Lord for His wisdom as it is apparent to all of us that Bob had way more to do and was responsible for far more than one guy could possibly do. I anticipate sharing directly with the church early in January after the holiday season passes what we believe the Lord would have us to do related to our staff needs. Please be in prayer now for me and our team as we seek to lead us in these exciting days. On the other side of it, I’m confident we’ll be saying once again: “Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever.” Thankfulness and excitement is abounding in my little corner of the world, I hope it is in yours…

 

Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

 

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Clarity of focus...

Somewhere along the way someone got the idea to have “Pastor Appreciation Month” during the month October. I’m not sure whose idea this was and honestly I feel a little weird talking about it given my position as a pastor. I have a beautiful picture above my work desk given to me by the first church I served as pastor when they expressed their appreciation to me years ago. The picture is called “The Legacy”; it portrays a pastor holding his Bible in the pulpit proclaiming the Word of God. Portrayed on either side of him are “the great cloud of witnesses” from Hebrews 12:1 and one of the figures apparently represents the Lord Jesus, standing beside his messenger with his hand on the Pastor’s shoulder as the Pastor preaches. It is one of my prized treasures and I wanted it above my study desk because it helps me have clarity of focus on the primary duty I have to proclaim the Word of God.

Pastor Appreciation is a Biblical concept that appears in several places in the New Testament. One of these is found in Hebrews 13:7 “Remember those who rule (lead) over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.” I can’t really speak for Bob, Ken and Wally, but I think they would say ya’ll have indeed remembered us with so many cards, notes of encouragement, the gift cards from the church and other tangible expressions of your love for each of us. I think it would be safe to say we’re all overwhelmed by your love and encouragement and we’re so appreciative of what you have done for us. Your thoughts and gifts mean so much and we’re thankful. Many of you tell us throughout the year you are praying for us and that you appreciate something we did.

The writer of Hebrews however was inspired by the Holy Spirit to immediately record verse 8 in that context of remembering your pastors: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs is to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ and so He inspired the writer to remind each of us we need to maintain clarity of focus and exalt the Lord, to keep our focus on the Lord and not on the men He has called to serve as under-shepherds. You see the reality is each of your pastors is human, just real men, men with flaws, fears and failures. We may show glimpses of inspiration but we’re certainly not infallible or inerrant. The sad part is that when God had to call pastors, He had to recruit from the human race so He got us, warts and all. The good news in this is that it magnifies Jesus and His grace even further. Pastors’ kind of live in a fishbowl, everyone is watching us and through that fishbowl, we look larger than we really are. When we do something wrong, we make a mistake in our judgment, or we flat out fall on our face in sin; it can be devastating to people because they are not looking past us to Jesus. So remember that Jesus is in fact the same yesterday, today and forever. He’ll never disappoint you even though we will. He will never leave you or forsake you even though He might call us to another place of service and battle as He has done with Bob. The reality is under-shepherds come and go, but the Chief Shepherd always remains steady and faithful to His bride.

These are historic times here at Calvary, included in this edition of “The Way”; you’ll find our proposed 2011 Budget for review. We’ll discuss this budget on Sunday evening Nov.21^st and vote on it on Sunday December 5^th. It is a historical budget in that for the first time in Calvary’s history, our budget is over one million dollars ($1,000,011.00)! It is definitely a faith budget of what we’d like to see God do but it is grounded in reality as well as we’ve considered actual expenses in order to be accurate with our planning. It has been through a myriad of processes, committees and staff review to ensure we’re being wise stewards; and I’m confident we are presenting a realistic guide for our 2011 ministries. While a million dollar budget may be a shock to your system, in my simple view of the world, it helps me gain clarity to realize the weekly need will increase $1,229.00 over our 2010 budget to $19,231.00. Our unchanging God who provided last year for His bride will provide this year as well.

With Bob Brown’s obedience to God’s call and departure to a new field of service, we’re also entering a historic season in clarifying and quantifying the staff needs the church has. I told you of Jean Carr’s plan to retire at the end of the year and I can tell you that your personnel committee is already hard at work planning for our future staffing needs. It is important the church choose staff for her long term future based on the clarity of focus the Lord is providing and His vision for what He wants Calvary to accomplish. Embracing God’s vision for us will require we keep our eyes fixed squarely on the Lord who is the same yesterday, today and forever. His constant faithfulness, His vision, His clarity of focus and His wisdom is what we must all pray for as we walk through these historic days together by faith. I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled to know Jesus is always the same yesterday, today and forever, that knowledge encourages me and helps me see clearly, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

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Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Changing Seasons....

October 14, 2010

Changing seasons…

I love living in Maryland for a lot of reasons, primarily because God has called me to serve Him here, which in and of itself should be and is for me more than enough reason to love it. Every reason I can come up with beyond the call of God is icing on the proverbial cake. I’ve come to embrace our field of service in so many ways over the last 21 months mainly because of relationships we’re establishing and it’s wonderful to have access to so many regional interests. It doesn’t hurt to have a great football team to root for in the Ravens and I enjoy seeing the team spirit as purple becomes the order of the day. (This is especially good for me seeing the Cowboys are currently in the cellar!)

One of the things I love about Maryland is the true four season climate we enjoy here. Reasonable winters with enough snow (or as in last winter an abundance of snow) to enjoy, but then it goes away. A gorgeous springtime as trees blossom with beauty that is difficult to describe. How can you not love seeing those cherry trees in front of the church in full bloom? Nice hot summers to enjoy the water in the pool, on the lake, the bay or the beach with sky blue cloudless days for extended periods and rain when needed to cool off and replenish the soil. And now we’re entering fall. Cooler mornings and evenings, training myself to remember to take a jacket out to watch my boys play football and the leaves begin their turning process. Each day reveals more color and each bend in the road reveals another splash of beauty. Raking leaves at my house is another story altogether!

The point is to some extent, as seasons we love go by like summer, there is a degree of sadness which takes place but our Lord brings the new season for us to embrace and look forward to for its own unique blessings and benefits. I’ve learned through my ministry there are definite seasons in the life of the church as well. New eras and periods on the horizon but with the fading of one season there is a degree of sadness that goes along with it. With Dr. Carter’s retirement after 20 years of faithful ministry, Dr. Jackson’s steady transitional interim ministry, and my arrival and efforts to get up to speed with a new system and church family, many changes afoot, and your kind patience with me as your new pastor; we’ve been in an extended season of change. One of the reasons from my perspective my transition to Calvary has been so smooth and such a blessing is because of the steady, faithful and wise ministry of our Associate Pastor Bob Brown. Bob has helped me learn the church DNA, helped me understand some dynamics I couldn’t have known had he not given me insight. He’s provided me with a completely opposite perspective I may not have considered which has helped me and our staff make wise decisions and plans.

By the time you read this article, Bob has notified the church of God’s call upon his life to pursue a new ministry opportunity. He personally shared with me his call to this and how the Lord orchestrated his being accepted into a chaplain internship in York, Pa., at the hospital there. Obviously this represents a huge change of seasons for us at Calvary and for Bob and Jenny. On one hand we are sad because they have both been tremendous servants here to our Lord and church family. On the other hand we are excited for Bob and Jenny as this will be a great blessing to their family and their future. I want us as a church family to see this call upon Bob’s life as a great thing for the work of God’s Kingdom. To my kingdom way of thinking, I see Bob going as a missionary to a new field of harvest. I can totally see Bob in this role as I’ve watched his pastoral care and how he thrives in this environment. I have no doubt that Bob will see many people come to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because of his care for them and witness to them. The wonderful news for all of us is we’re partners together in ministry and we’re sending the Browns out as missionaries to the hospital and medical community along with all the patients and their families. We’ll have a church wide reception for Bob and Jenny on Sunday night Oct. 31^st immediately after our church in conference business meeting to celebrate God’s working in their lives.

I’ve also been notified formally by our Administrative Secretary Jean Carr that she plans to retire at the end of the year. Jean has served Calvary for 18 years and had told the personnel committee when hired for the position she currently holds she’d serve for 2 years so we’ve known her plans for some time. No doubt as we draw closer to her retirement we’ll honor her service and ministry in a special way.

For several months already, I believe the Lord’s guidance has been preparing us for these staff changes. I’ve been working with the personnel committee to rewrite Bob’s job description and divide the multitude of responsibilities he carries. We were already in the planning stages of  adding a family and discipleship pastor to our team because of our growth and intentional desire to reach and disciple young families. God’s timing is perfect and we can be confident as He’s calling Bob to a new field of service and prompting Jean to retire; He already knows what His Bride at Calvary is in need of and He will make known to us His will as we seek His direction for these positions. The job descriptions may in fact look completely different to what we’ve had but we have a marvelous team serving on our personnel committee and I’m confident in God’s provision for us as a church family. I’m also confident that you’ll encourage and support the Browns and Jean and that you’ll begin now to pray for them and our church family as we walk through this season of change together. I echo the sentiments of the Psalmist in Psalm 118:23 “This was the LORD'S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.” The changing of the seasons can be a beautiful thing to behold if we see it as the Lord’s doing. It is marvelous in my eyes from my little corner of the world to yours…

  Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Where true security comes from...

Over the last few days, we’ve had several in our church family undergo various kinds of struggles and difficulties particularly with health issues, others have marked recently or will mark in the next few weeks the anniversary of the death of a loved one, some I’ve come to learn are going through much difficulty emotionally, or they are stressed beyond belief about their job or lack of one. A family and high school in our community were devastated by the tragic death of a high school freshman. Economic and political turmoil is all around us and there are demands on each of us we couldn’t possibly complete in the time we have. Honestly, I’ve struggled recently (and still do some days) with some personal concerns that weigh heavily on my shoulders. All of this added together can be overwhelming to us.

Then I open my Bible in my morning quiet time and I read several word pictures of our Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Mark that strengthened and encouraged me. Hopefully God will use them with you at the point of your need. I love the Gospel of Mark because it was written in a condensed form – kind of simple facts about the life of Christ, quick snapshots of Jesus’ ministry. In chapter 6, there’s the snapshot of Jesus feeding 5000 men (conservatively more like 25,000 people with women and children considered). He took the meager lunch of a young boy and He multiplied it to meet the need of the people there. He did so with abundance as there were 12 baskets of leftovers – nothing like a good old Baptist pot-luck, except there was no “luck” involved in this. It is the Lord meeting an overwhelming need that was humanly impossible to handle with the resources available. The practical lesson for us is that no matter the size of the need, Jesus is confidently able to meet the need facing each individual with abundant supply. In short, He’s bigger than any problem we’ve got, lack of resources is not an issue for Him. So when your faith begins to waver because you’re overwhelmed by a huge need, be secure in this fundament truth that Jesus is bigger than your need!

The next snapshot in the same chapter is Jesus sending the disciples off in the boat across the lake while He goes to the mountain to pray. One quick lesson is if the Son of God carved out time alone to pray because He not only wanted it but needed it, you and I better find a place to pray too! But the text continues in 6:47-48 that the boat with the disciples was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on land, and the text says “He saw them straining at the rowing for the wind was against them.”  Another quick lesson is that you cannot escape the watchful eye of Jesus who sees you in your struggle. He knows the strain you are under and He knows the winds of life are against you much of the time. The text continues that Jesus came walking to them on the sea! Lesson? Physical barriers are not a big deal to Jesus and He’s willing to come to you no matter what is in the way! It’s interesting in Mark’s account that Jesus “would have passed them by.” He didn’t impose Himself on the disciples but He revealed Himself to them so they knew He was there. It scared the dickens out of them because they thought it was a ghost – after all who walks on water? But they called out to Jesus and He comforted them in the midst of the wind storm by saying: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid (6:50).” Jesus got in the boat with them and the wind immediately stopped – again scaring them and amazing them that He controlled the wind and waves. So when you’re in a storm, you’re scared, straining at rowing through life – Jesus is nearby and He’s waiting for you to call on Him. The other lesson is no matter what you are going through, Jesus wants you to be of good cheer because of who He is and He commands us to not be afraid! Verse 52 makes a curious statement “For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” See we can become calloused to the miracles God is working all around us. They had just seen Jesus overcome that huge need to supply food for so many people, yet the disciples are back in a storm and they were insecure once again.  The text continues about Jesus healing and meeting the physical needs of so many people. Again, security comes from Jesus, no matter what we’ve got going on.

The final snapshot I’ll talk about here starts in chapter 7 but it stands in stark contrast to what we’ve seen. The Pharisees, leaders of the religious crowd, were insecure because Jesus was upsetting the status quo. He was not conventional, He was not traditional and rather than trust in Jesus, these people clung to the security of their traditions. One lesson of many coming out of this section is that people, including many religious people and even leaders, can hate change. Rather than acknowledge and embrace the work God is doing, they criticize it and undermine it because their tradition is more comfortable, or their area of control is weakened. Jesus called their number on it in 7:6 saying “This people honors Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me.” Sometimes well meaning people say and do things in church life that are upsetting in some cases because their security is not coming from the Savior, but from some tradition that is comfortable that they control. They appear to be spiritual by paying lip service to Jesus, but their hearts are not trusting and they are good at going through the motions. Their insecurity usually is displayed in the form of fault finding and harsh criticism because they forget Jesus is “Lord of the impossible” and that our security comes from Him, if we’ll trust Him completely by faith. More often than not, what upsets people clinging to tradition is something pretty small in the grand scheme of things. Our challenge as disciples is to remind people to get their eyes off the problem no matter how big, or off the tradition no matter how comfortable, and back on the Savior from where true security comes. I’m not sure what’s going on in your corner of the world today as you read this, but I’m trusting in Jesus by faith for my security,  in my little corner of the world today…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Learning to set limits...

One of the responsibilities I have as a Pastor is to shepherd the people of God. Talk of sheep and shepherds often gives us a cuddly view of sheep and the serenity of sheep grazing in lush green pastures from the picture Psalm 23 paints for us may come to mind. A small pond in the middle of the pasture with the heavy morning dew wetting the grass, a light haze and fog lifting above the sheep under the ever watchful eye of a gentle shepherd sitting on the hill with a blade of grass protruding from his lips with his walking stick or shepherd’s crook resting on his shoulder. The leaves of the nearby forest are beginning to change into their myriad of colors, there is a fresh crispness in the air and a cool refreshing breeze is gently blowing. The clock doesn’t matter and it’s a pristine day with bright sun under a cloudless day. Sounds inviting doesn’t it?

With school starting back, I doubt many of us with kids in school have this kind of picture taking place in our homes and lives…the obnoxious alarm clock is going off for the third time which means we’re already late after trying to get 5 more minutes of shut-eye. The mad morning dash is on to get the kids up dressed, fed and to school. The stress going on by the time we begin our drive to work is nearly at max levels because of the wreck/traffic blocking our progress. We finally make it the office and the full court press is in full swing until quitting time and the dash continues to pick up the kids, get homework started and hopefully finished before practice, lessons, recitals or who knows what else. Dinner on the run if we’re lucky, and if not, staring at the pantry at 9 p.m. wondering what to eat because we didn’t quite get to the grocery store, trying  to get the already grumpy kids in bed. You collapse for another run at it tomorrow, started a conversation with your spouse but one or both of you passed out . Sounds more like reality doesn’t it? It’s more a picture of a ravenous pack of wolves scattering the sheep!

The second picture I’ve painted is more like what I hear more and more from the sheep God has entrusted me to shepherd in His pasture land called Bel Air Maryland. I appreciate our Lord’s feelings recorded for us in Matt. 9:36 “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary (harried) and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” In talking with so many of you and people in our community; I know you’re harried and weary and you and your family seem to be scattered all over the place. I know this as it is a challenge for me and my family too.  Added to all of this is the general stress of life, bills and expenses get higher and higher and our hard earned paycheck doesn’t go very far. The reality is all of us are limited in our time, resources and energy. We simply cannot go full speed and sustain that lifestyle for very long. We can’t live on the edge of our limits in any category very long without breaking down and going over the edge. Jesus sensed the same problem going on in the 1^st century culture He lived in also and it bothered Him then and it bothers Him now as He’s watching our lives.  He’s inviting you to step back from the edge and live with limits that you set in the choices you make for yourself and your family. We began a study last night after worship called “Take it to the Limit” and the message of learning to set limits will be a fantastic help to those who come. It spoke to my heart deeply as your shepherd as I’m concerned that my sheep are struggling and seem to be maxed out in nearly all areas of their lives.  Will you ask God to give you wisdom to set limits and how you can build in margin to your time, your finances and your energy? Living without limits and margin is a recipe for disaster.

Let me encourage you once again to make Wednesday nights at Calvary a priority for you and your family. We’ve dubbed it W@C (Wednesdays @ Calvary). We just had our second week with our AWANA  clubs, worship in the sanctuary at 6:15 till 7:10 and then from 7:15 to 8:15, there is a discipleship class, Bible Study or choir for you, a youth Bible study for your teen, while the AWANA club continues till 8:15. Why is this important? “Don’t you know Pastor Ralph we’re busy through the week?” Yes I do and that’s precisely why you need to make W@C a priority because I believe you’ll find it to be just what the doctor ordered. Our staff has identified 4 pillars that support our mission of teaching God’s people very well so they will love Him very much and serve Him very effectively. Those pillars are connect, grow, serve, renew. Each one of those pillars is part of our W@C strategy. Our Wednesday crowd is not so overwhelming and you can actually get to know people so you connect with each other and connect with God through the study of His word. As you connect with God and others in genuine relationship, you’ll grow in your faith (this is making disciplesJ), the growth as a disciple produces a servant heart and there numerous chances to serve with W@C. Personally, I love W@C because on the “hump-day” of the week, I’m renewed and refreshed in my spirit for the remainder of the week. While it’s a chore sometimes (even for the pastor to get back to church on Wednesday), I’m always glad I made it a priority.  I know you’ll have to make some choices elsewhere in your schedule, but that’s part of learning to set limits and a step toward being less weary and scattered. Something to think about from your shepherd’s busy little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Mind your tongue...

That’s something I’ve heard several times in my life, maybe not exactly that way but something similar. Maybe it was “Boy, you better watch your mouth” – a warning from my father that I was perilously close to danger; as sobering to me as if I were in the Texas bush and heard the tell-tale warning of a rattlesnake which has made my blood run cold hearing it. You know when you hear a rattlesnake, your first instinct ought to be to freeze, figure out where the critter is and back off from it very slowly! As scary as my dad’s warning was when I was a boy, or that old rattle from that viper shook me in my boots, Jesus issued a warning in Matthew 12:36 that ought to cause all of us to freeze and it really ought to scare the living daylights out of us. He said simply: “But I say to you that every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” Wow! Every idle word? Is He serious? Yes He is. The Lord is going to hold each of us accountable for our speech some day and I shudder to think about all the stupid things I’ve said in my lifetime that I’ll have to answer for with Jesus. Oh how thankful I am for the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all sin! Proverbs 21:23 wisely advises “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” The Apostle James devotes nearly all of chapter 3 of his letter to the difficulty of taming our tongues. We Christians can sometimes be so self righteous thinking we’re not breaking the 10 Commandments but we say pretty much anything and everything we want and sin with a poisonous tongue that spews venom that would make a cobra proud.

The reason I’m bringing this up is that in the last several days, I’ve gotten feedback about some things people have said to others that grieved my heart and if they would grieve my sinful heart that is sometimes calloused to such things, I know it grieves the very heart of God. In one case a lady was having a tough day in her grief and as she’s coming to worship, someone asked her casually how she was doing and she honestly said she was “just leaning on Jesus.” The person she was speaking to simply laughed at her. While that’s not direct speech, the impact of that response spoke volumes to a lady in distress. In another case I was made aware of, a woman who’d been attending church regularly for a lengthy period of time but had yet to join the church was told that if she wasn’t going to join she had no business attending! How in the world can I engage that woman whose no longer attending now?  One of my daughters shared with me several weeks ago of a verbal beating she received from an acquaintance at her church in Texas that really hurt her feelings. Folks, we need to be reminded to mind our tongues. My dad also used to tell me that it was better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you’re a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.  I think that wisdom might come from Proverbs 17:28 “Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” The stupidity bug can bite any of us if we’re not carefully minding our tongues.  Sometimes what you’re wanting to say may be correct but the time to say it is not right.  With most people and how they use their tongues, the approach is usually “ready, fire, aim.”

 

Let me encourage you to realize that words have power and words have meaning. What you say, when you say it and how you say it have great impact on people for good or bad. When you come to church or wherever you go; to school, to work, to the gym, the store; people are hurting. Behind the smiles and superficial responses of “I’m fine”, people are really hurting and struggling as they have life and the hardships of it beating on them. I believe if Christians began to mind their tongues, we would see revival break out in short order that would sweep like wild fire when we used our speech to encourage and edify people who are hurting, even if we don’t know they are. We’ve been studying through the Book of Ephesians in worship on Sunday mornings and it addresses this in 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” The very next verse in 4:30 warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God in direct context of what we say. (I’ve also heard some questioning of why our Bible Study lessons are now going to be from Ephesians as well this quarter – Hmm, maybe the Lord wants us to study it in depth until we get it right?) Contrary to the children’s’ rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”; words do bring hurt and heartache to people at home, at work, at school and sadly at church as well. I pray that will not be how you use your tongue. I pray that the word of Christ would dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Col.3:16) and that when you uncoil your tongue to speak, what the hearer hears is a soothing balm of Godly wisdom that edifies and builds up their weary soul, that soothes their heartaches like a bottle of aloe vera cools a sunburn or brings healing to a cut. I think I’ll shut up now, and mind my tongue from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Lessons from a boat...

Everywhere I’ve lived as an adult, I’ve tried to enjoy the culture and worked to educate myself on the community that I lived in at that time. I’ve looked for local history markers, embraced the local sports teams, and tried to learn how people think in that area. When we were starting a church in New Hampshire, we got ice skates so we could skate in the parking lot of the town post office when they flooded a portion of it and made an ice skating rink. We enrolled our kids in skiing lessons and for six weeks every winter on Friday afternoon, all 7 Greens could be found swooshing down a mountain near Mount Washington. Since I’ve been in Maryland, we’ve taken in the sights, enjoyed the inner harbor on a number of occasions, found the Rocks State Park and I’ve perched myself on the King and Queen seat (but I soon come down as I can tell I make Cheryl nervous hanging out up there). One day in the inner harbor, I saw a number of sailboats and I thought to myself that day I’d like to learn how to sail. I did some checking and found a great sailing school in Havre de Grace. On my vacation last week, I took our daughter Beth and we learned how to sail a 22 foot sailboat. Honestly, I had a ball being on that boat with Beth for 3 days along with our instructor and two other folks learning with us.

I thought about some spiritual applications from that experience of learning to sail. First of all, you can’t just go down to the dock, jump on a sailboat and go. I had to be trained and equipped to do this. I took advantage of a school and the training it offered me to learn this sport. I was excited about getting trained because I wanted to sail. I wondered why more people don’t take advantage of the training classes offered at Calvary to help them be better equipped disciples of Jesus Christ. Could it be we’ve lost our excitement about being disciples? Let me encourage you this fall to sign up for one of our discipleship training classes we’ll offer on Wednesday evenings after worship. You’ll see more about these class topics soon but let me encourage you to take advantage of this training.

I also learned that sailing takes planning ahead and constantly being on the lookout for dangerous situations that can develop quickly. Life is like that also as Satan is constantly laying traps for you but God has given you a manual and an instructor to guide you through life in the Bible and His own Holy Spirit. He’s offered you the safety and security of a church family to help guide you. All of us on that boat were alert and pointed out danger as we saw it as we were all quite literally “in the same boat”. We studied the manual, learned “the rules of the road” for safe boating and how to get out of the way of trouble when it was looming. We started our day in class before heading out on the water to sail. I must spend time in the Bible each morning before I head out as it shows me principles needed to navigate away from the snares of the devil.

I learned it takes a team of at least two people to operate that sailboat but there was the support of the marina crew we needed. We witnessed a number of boats come to the aid of a little Hobie Cat that overturned. People rearranged their plans to get involved for a pressing need. It takes lots of people to serve in the ministries of Calvary. Many of you have said you’ll serve in some way and we’re thankful for that. Some are still considering it but let me encourage you to get involved. If you’re not yet a member, let me encourage you to commit to joining Calvary and get to work with us as there is a pressing need to reach our community for Christ.

To get certified in sailing we had to successfully complete a “man overboard” recovery drill on the water. If we didn’t do it correctly our “victim” (in this case a life jacket) would drown. As we go about our lives, we need to remember people will die and go to hell apart from Jesus Christ and we must do everything we can to share with them the Gospel – God’s provision for salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. You may be the only one who can get to that friend, co-worker or loved one in time with the good news that Jesus made provision for their sin. In order to reach my "victim" in that drill, I was intentional with a proven plan to reach him. Be intentional in your relationships with a proven plan in order to reach them. (Hmm, "becoming a Christian is as simple as ABC..." comes to mind).

One final thought for now at least. I also learned that while I’m able to sail a small boat, I still have much to learn and even though I made mistakes and was downright overwhelmed at times, patient and faithful perseverance pays off in the end. The more I learn as a disciple of Jesus Christ, the more I know there’s more to learn. I know when I make mistakes, the Lord patiently guides me back to the truth and patient, faithful perseverance in walking with God daily will pay off no matter how overwhelmed I am. In the Gospels, I see that Jesus was comfortable in a boat no matter what storm was raging. Even though His disciples were scared and overwhelmed, Jesus brought peace to them. He does that for you and me too when we trust Him by faith no matter the storm is going on in our life. I thought you’d enjoy just a few lessons from a boat, from my little corner of the world to yours…

  Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church
  www.calvarybelair.com

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

The power of a vision...

This year is another big year in the Green household as we travelled with our youngest daughter and middle child Beth down to tour Liberty University in June and are making plans for her to head off to college this fall. We’re also seeing our oldest son Ralph headed to High School this year as a freshman. Cheryl and I have always had, as most parents do, dreams and hopes for our children in how they will turn out. We’ve been intentional in our parenting to raise them to love Jesus with all they have and to serve Him all of their days. While this is still an active process and we’re at a very different stage at this point in our lives, where we are today in our relationships with all of our children began as a dream, a vision if you will, that burned in our hearts from before they were born. That vision for what we wanted them to become has meant we’ve had to make some tough choices along the way that were not popular with them at the time but the vision helped shape what we said yes or no to. If we felt like what they wanted to do would help them in line with our vision, we said yes. If we felt like it would prevent them from becoming what we envisioned, we said no and stuck to our guns no matter how much whining or belly aching followed. Cheryl and I have parented with the end goal in mind, the vision of what we desire them to be. (This is not to suggest that as parents we always made or make the correct choice!)

As we walked around the vast campus at Liberty University, I could not but help to reflect back 28 years ago when I was a freshman student on that very campus. I remembered going to Thomas Road Baptist Church and hearing Jerry Falwell casting his vision for a world class university that would someday have more than 50,000 students enrolled. I remembered singing the little jingle they had developed “I want that mountain” referring to the mountain in Lynchburg that has become “Liberty Mountain.”  I walked through a huge building that used to be an electronics manufacturing plant which now houses the new Thomas Road Baptist Church  and also the student center. Driving by the huge football stadium now on campus, I had a flashback to being at an LU football game at the old Lynchburg City stadium 28 years ago and to my delight as a freshman student, there was Dr. Falwell standing on top of a concrete dugout in front of a few thousand fans urging them to get fired up to root Liberty on to victory. As I saw the myriad of changes there that have taken place in 28 years, one thing kept coming to my mind, this is all the result of the power of a vision that burned in Dr. Falwell’s soul and caused him to wake up every day and go to work to see that vision fulfilled. By the way, Liberty University now has close to 60,000 students enrolled worldwide including their online students!

You may be sitting there reading this and thinking ”so what Pastor Ralph, what does that have to do with me or Calvary?” Quite frankly, everything. Part of Proverbs 29:18 says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” This is true for your life and family personally, and for our church corporately. We must live personally and corporately with the end goal in mind, the vision of what God wants us to be and what we want to be. The people who find joy and contentment in life are those who desire that their hopes and dreams align with God’s dreams for them. People who resist God’s plans for them find themselves to be miserable.  Last night, I met once again with our vision team members. God is drawing us together and He’s speaking to each of us about what the future of Calvary Baptist Church. We are having a great time together just dreaming and asking God what He wants to do here at Calvary, what He wants to do in Harford County, this region and the world. We’re working through our personal devotions and study of God’s Word, exercises, selected books, even some sermon CD’s to help us clarify a fresh vision for Calvary, how we can help people encounter God and experience life change. How can we fulfill our mission statement your staff has identified “Teach my people very well, so they will love me very much and serve me very effectively.” That’s making disciples, that’s fulfilling the Great Commission in the context of Calvary Bel Air Maryland.  When I begin dreaming what God wants to do in us and through us to reach this community, our region and the world; I see much of what God has in mind for us and it fans my flame. It’s exciting and it’s scary but it’s all good because God is the author of it! You’ll be hearing more as we pray and develop a fresh vision we believe God has for us.

I’m thrilled to tell you under Dr. Carter’s leadership, a number of folks from Calvary worked on a “Strategic Action Plan” several years ago. In looking through those notes and that plan, they dreamed with God and much of what they envisioned has been implemented and is already in place. That vision and plan has gotten us to where we are today. Pray for us as a staff, pray for us as a vision team and pray for us as a church family, that we’ll have the courage to embrace God’s vision for Calvary. Maybe 28 years from now, someone will be strolling through Bel Air Maryland and they’ll see the reality of the power of a vision, that transferred from God to my little corner of the world and to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

I've got the post VBS something...

I’ve heard people talk about getting the “post-__________ blues”. It may be the blues that settle in after we marry off our last child and we’re empty nesters. It could be the blues that settle in after our vacation is over and we’re swallowed by the reality of work and “normal” life (if there is such a thing).  Well I’ve got the “post VBS something.” It’s not really the blues per say because while I love VBS and the ministry that is accomplished that week, it is just a grueling schedule for the week that VBS is going on. It is flat exhausting to be quite honest because for the typical volunteer, you work all day, rush home to change clothes, rush down to church, inhale the supper provided, dash off to your area of responsibility before the kids begin to arrive and you don’t exhale till you collapse in bed late into the night. Your mind is swirling with all of what you experienced that night with plans of what to do the next night to make it better and while your body is screaming at you to get horizontal, your mind is too keyed up to let you go to sleep. In my case, usually passing out around midnight and getting up to carry on the next day. Monday through Friday, 5 days of blurring excitement and activity, songs ringing in your head and just like that, it is over. It was a long week on one hand but on the other, you blinked and it was finished. Except after Friday night’s activities, we have to tear down all the decorations and get the church cleaned for events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. From the toll it takes on the volunteers physically, I’m not sure it would be accurate to say I have the post-VBS blues; but I do have the “Post-VBS something.”

I marvel at the numbers and variety of volunteers from teens to senior adults, faithfully working alongside each other ministering to children in the myriad VBS responsibilities. I won’t list all the positions of responsibility because I’d be sure to miss someone. It was gratifying as a pastor to see the saints of God doing the work of the ministry which is what Ephesians 4:12 says is the job of the pastors to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry.”  I marvel at the generosity of volunteers with their time to help us win at least 7 children to Jesus for the very first time! I marvel at the generosity of children and parents who emptied their piggy banks giving cash and baby items of over $1000.00 to support the work of our local crisis pregnancy center “Alpha’s Glory”. This ministry helps very young parents who need to choose life when they find out there are people who love their unborn child. I marvel at the great attitudes of volunteers which is contagious to the children participating so there is an electric atmosphere of excitement and joy throughout our building the entire week. I marvel watching VBS much like I do when I see a huge Air Force transport plane driving by Dover AFB. Seeing the size of it, I think there is no way that thing gets off the ground and flies – but it does! I marvel at the speed which decorations come down, hay and stray get vacuumed up and the church is cleaned and ready for other uses.  I guess you could say I’ve got “Post-VBS Thanksgiving.” I’m grateful to God for events like Vacation Bible School which draws the church together, where it matters not if you attend the 8:30 or 11:00 o’clock service, the saints of God work together to impact the lives of children and parents for the Kingdom. For all of you who helped us in VBS in any fashion, I want to say thank you for serving the Lord to make this event a wonderful success, not just for Calvary, but for the lives that will be in Heaven someday because of your faithfulness.

I also wanted to pause and say thanks to all of you who ministered on two opposite ends of the spectrum on Saturday. Some of you labored to celebrate the life of a new baby coming to a family and encourage a young couple by giving them a great baby shower. Some of you ministered to a grieving family and a host of law enforcement officers in a myriad of ways and in doing so, you reinforced the Gospel message they heard at the funeral through practical acts of love and service.  Then many of you also came to worship on Sunday and labored and served all over again after 7 straight days of ministry! I’m so proud of all of you servants of the Most High God. I believe the Lord is pleased and proud of you also and only eternity will tell of the fruit of much if not most of your labors. “All it takes to grow a great church is everybody doing what they can do.”  To God be the Glory, great things He has done through you saints this week. I love this “Post-VBS something” feeling I have, from my little corner of the world to yours….
Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church
www.calvarybelair.com
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Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

A willingness to serve...

I had the wonderful benefit of being raised in a family that loves Jesus. I met Jesus at the age of 5 and He has been my Savior ever since. Oh there were times I would have nearly given anything not to be a “preacher’s kid”, there were times I thought my home address was whatever church we were members of, and quite frankly times I didn’t want to have anything to do with church, I just wanted to be “normal” like everyone else. Well I’ve learned some things now that I have more gray hair than brown. I’ve learned to appreciate my parents and all the values they instilled in me and their consistent example of serving the Lord Jesus with everything they had. I learned to serve the Savior primarily watching my parents each involved in ministry in our local church.  I saw firsthand their love and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ because they lived out in front of me that love in how they served the Lord in a  variety of ministries – even though they became “full time missionaries” when I was about 12 years of age. Even though their jobs were working for the Lord, I’ve watched them volunteer and serve God in their local church, something they continue even now in their 70’s.

I’ve also learned that the only way I can have peace, contentment and joy is by consistently giving my life away in service to Jesus. I’ve learned that when I begin to pursue my own agenda and not the Lord’s, when I begin to focus all my efforts on my own entertainment, leisure, finances, family or anything else, something begins to happen in me and my family;  the contentment, joy and peace disappears and the wheels begin to come off. I reprioritize and get back to serving the Lord with all my heart and the contentment, joy and peace returns to me and my family. Honestly, it is just weird. It’s almost like God takes His hands off me and says, “Go ahead, do it your way and tell me how that plan is working for you.”

 

This brings me to my point, as I see a church full of very harried, busy, stressed out and over committed people pursuing everything under the sun and it appears there isn’t much joy, contentment or peace in their lives. Let me give you a little secret from Jesus in Luke 9:23-25 “Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? In other words, Jesus is saying the secret to “having a life” is losing your life, your agenda, your plans, picking up your cross – the service God has for you to do for His kingdom each day.  In all our efforts to entertain ourselves and “get a life”, we’re just more stressed out, tired and dissatisfied with the life we are living. In another passage, Jesus tells us to store treasure in heaven because it lasts forever.

 

On the other hand, the church as a whole and Calvary in particular struggles to place people in ministry positions because everyone is already “too busy.”  Leadership positions like AWANA commander and leaders, Missions committee members, trustees, children’s teachers, deacon positions will go unfilled as we begin our church year (just to name a few). We have a dire need to multiply our youth ministry to High School and Middle School departments, yet we’re not able to do so because we don’t have enough workers. As a result, we’re forced to keep 6^th graders with grade school children when in their schools, they are in middle school.  We are facing some major difficulties with some key ministries here at Calvary for lack of leadership and volunteers. Your staff and nominating committee continue searching for people to serve only to be told no because people are too busy.

 

I don’t have it all figured out, but I know Jesus is capable of multiplying our meager loaves and fishes we’ll bring to Him by faith. I know Jesus promised to give you “life and that you’d have it more abundantly” when “you take up your cross and follow…”. Your church has need of you to serve and you have need for your church, because it is the God-ordained place for you to find the joy, contentment and peace you’re breaking your neck to find with worldly pursuits. God established the church for you to use your gifts, talents and abilities and especially your weaknesses to magnify His glory and expand His kingdom, the place for you to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Churches and families working together produce disciples.  I’m grateful to God for having learned this lesson of serving God from my dad and mom who still faithfully serve Jesus, who still help me grow as a disciple. They are so full of joy and life it is amazing. They’ve found a great life; I’ve found a great life serving the Lord. I have joy, contentment and peace that is astounding. It starts with a willingness to serve; from my little corner of the world to yours…

  Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Of distress, disaster & deacons...

I've been greatly burdened to have so many people in our church family to be in physical need. With a church the size of Calvary, it is inevitable that some part of our church family will be in distress with physical needs or the loss of a loved one nearly every week. Honestly there are times it is just overwhelming to me as a human pastor. Many times I find myself so burdened for the physical and emotional needs of people in the church it’s hard for me to concentrate on messages I need to be preparing as Sunday morning and Wednesday night roll around with great regularity and frequency. Then I'll hear a little bit of feedback on occasion that someone doesn't feel like they are being cared for properly by the pastor. This breaks my heart as a shepherd that one of my sheep is in distress and all I'm able to do at that moment is pray for them. Well the "all I can do is pray" thing is the most important thing I can do for them. I'm thankful for a great staff and deacons who take the pastoral care seriously and serve as extensions of my arms to care for you. Please know if they come and minister to you they share the heart of your pastor and his concern for you, they represent me but more importantly they represent the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then there are seasons in the church family where on top of the physical need, the wheels come off and disaster strikes. It could be some tragic trauma, sudden accident, or it could be someone stumbles and falls into sin that becomes very public in nature because of the type of sin they are ensnared with or they got arrested in the process of their sin. Our first response upon hearing of this kind of disaster among the body should be a broken and contrite heart that begins to pray for the individual(s) involved. One thing I've learned about these times of disaster and public sin in people's lives is that Christians are notorious for shooting their wounded soldiers who fall on the battlefield by how we respond to such situations. We talk about it, we gossip, speculate and criticize to the detriment of the persons involved, to the church and the testimony of the Lord before a lost world that is watching. We will turn people off to the Gospel and they'll want nothing to do with being a disciple of Jesus Christ if that's how we operate. The Scriptures give us instruction on what to do when disastrous sin entangles a believer. Paul said in Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

These are simple and straightforward instructions of how we are to respond when one of us gets tangled in Satan’s web of sin. Our aim is to be restoration of the individual – helping them to get back on track spiritually and in fellowship with the body. We are to conduct ourselves in a spiritual manner in a spirit of gentleness. This means we’re careful to not cause more hurt and damage in an already difficult situation. But we’re also to keep watch on ourselves because we could be ensnared in sin also so we guard against that. Bearing one another’s burdens – we do that in prayer. We don’t put our mouths in gear to talk about it to others; we simply talk to God about the situation.

This brings me to deacons and deacon ministry. They are the individuals God has given to His church to assist the pastoral staff in ministering when there is distress and downright disaster going on in a member’s life. According to 1^st Timothy 3, God holds them to the same standard as He holds pastors to so they will not take advantage of anyone in difficulty. I called on one of our deacons Monday evening to respond with me to a situation where one of members was caught in sin and disaster has overtaken. The details will become known soon enough but we’ve already begun the process of restoration and caring for this distressed member and his family. How we respond as a church will be critical to show the lost around us how Christians are to care for our wounded. I’m determined to lead us to respond Biblically and in a way that brings glory to God.

I’m also burdened as I’ve talked with deacons who are approaching men about the possibility of serving alongside them as deacons. Often, the response is “I do not feel like I’m called to do that” or “I do not feel like I’m worthy to do that.” I think there are some false notions about what deacon ministry is all about when I hear that type of response. Acts 6 helps clarify what deacons do – aid the pastors with pastoral care and solve disputes. The initial qualifications were twofold: of good reputation, full of the Spirit and full of wisdom. You say “Pastor, you can’t count that’s three.” I would respond its two because if you’re full of the Spirit, you’re full of wisdom and He will give you what you need when you need it. So men, if you are approached or have been, do not base your response on how you feel. You’re being asked to serve because someone observes these two qualities in you. Pray about it and let God call or not call you, but let God decide who He wants to help us aid the body in distress and disaster. It’s not just the burden of the pastors or individual deacons, we bear these burdens together…from my little corner of the world to yours…

Pastor Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com
 

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph