This week, in our first ever Easter in the Community ministry emphasis, the Gospel is being sown throughout Northwest Arkansas.  Yesterday, Nick had the privilege of sharing the Gospel in one of our local businesses.  He was permitted to share the Gospel.  At the end of the speaking time, a 53 year-old man accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  The Gospel is powerful and we are seeing its power revealed this week.

The Gospel is being sown all over our region this week and in God’s timing, we will see Gospel seed reaped, resulting in the lives of people being changed.  The Lord is being honored in these unique ministry opportunities all over our region this week.  Our Pastors are being faithful to the Word of God and really trying to connect this week with our weekend Resurrection Celebration.

Wherever you go this week, sow the Gospel.  In time, lives will be changed.  Remember, ” … the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.” (Romans 1:16)

Thank God for the Gospel!

There are many churches that like to refer to themselves as Great Commission Churches. But what are the indicators that you truly are a Great Commission Church? The answer is simple. A Great Commission church is involved in activity that results in the Gospel of Jesus Christ being shared with the lost.

Over the past couple of weeks our church has been in one major effort to share Christ with as many lost people as possible during what is known as Spring Break week(s). We are committed to the Great Commission not only in word but deed. Let me share just a small glimpse of that activity.

Great Commission church work should always begin in a local context and we do this through many venues in Northwest Arkansas called IMPACT ministry. Basically, through a retrofitted moving van equipped fully with audio/visual and ministry supplies, we bring church to the community in nine different locations across NWA. Our season was kicked off last week, and in one club alone at Springdale Ridge Apartments there were four older teens come to Christ. Volunteers are fired up! Ministry continued to many other locations across America and the world. We sent a team to Tampa Florida to partner in planting Covenant Life Church. MOTION traveled to Oklahoma City for a week of ministry while performing and sharing Christ in many schools and neighborhoods. Shiloh Christian School sent a team to the Recife Brazil area and did evangelism in different areas. Haiti continues to be a focus point as we have had teams and volunteers at JoyHouse since two weeks after the earthquake. The wife of a Voodoo Priest came to Christ as well as hundreds of others through daily ministry of sharing and caring. Malawi Africa is home to our ministry called Esther’s House, an orphanage base of ministry to the vulnerable of the Ntcheu district and beyond. This team of 13 went into unreached villages carrying the gospel to those who may never have the opportunity to hear the message of salvation.

Yes, this is the Great Commission and your church is a Great Commission Church. All in all through these two weeks of ministry, over 1300 people responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ to trust HIM as Lord and Savior. Now that is what the Great Commission Church is all about.

Hey, maybe you don’t know this, but it was on the Monday before Easter in 1984 that someone brought the gospel to my home and I was gloriously saved and changed forevermore! Thanks to that Great Commission Church, I am who I am today, leading this wonderful Great Commission Church as the Global Missions Pastor. What an honor!

This week we will conduct over 100 Easter experiences in places of business, multi-family units, retirement villages, and many other types of places. We are taking Easter worship experiences into the community this year. Our goal is to go where the people are, minister to them, help prepare them for this Easter week celebration, share the Gospel when we are permitted, and invite people to one of our Easter Worship Celebration Services next weekend. God put this vision into my heart about three months ago, we have developed it, and we will measure its effectiveness following our week in the community.

Our pastors are all speaking from John 3:1-7, centering in on verse 3. Jesus told us that unless one be born again, he or she cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. We will tell them about the story that changed the world as well as each one of our lives. We are praying and believing God for a great week in our community.

Invite people to one of out six Easter Worship Services next weekend.

Springdale Campus Services

• Saturday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 4 at 9:15 & 10:55 a.m.

Pinnacle Hills Campus Services

• Saturday, April 3 at 5 p.m.
• Sunday, April 4 at 9:15 & 10:55 a.m.

During my childhood, some of my greatest memories occurred in and around church. I remember learning invaluable theology in Vacation Bible School. I learned of having a personal and dynamic relationship with Jesus during our annual Student Ministry summer camp. I remember learning how to disciple others through the process of mentoring and pouring your life into others. Each of these lessons permanently indented my life and influenced my future.

My spiritual education, perhaps like yours, was a process of discovery as I watched the faith of my parents, asked questions, read the Bible, prayed and tried to emulate others around me. You may recall those days when the table at the front of the sanctuary was draped with a white cloth…you know that table that usually held the massive church Bible. Periodically that table would be transformed to hold what was to most kids crackers and grape juice. The pastor would talk about it and then pass the crackers and the juice. It was a pretty solemn deal. The service usually consisted of quiet music, lots of praying and then a celebration at the end where the people kind of looked like they were relieved the service was over…But what was this service all about?

This service, I learned, is called the Lord’s Supper and is one of two ordinances of the church. Just as baptism visually represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the Lord’s Supper is an observance that symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus at the crucifixion. The passing of the elements (bread and juice) symbolizes the fact that Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was shed for the remission of my sins and yours. Wow! Now that is worth celebrating. This Sunday, our church will celebrate the Lord’s Supper at all of our services. When we begin to observe this symbolic moment, consider what Christ did for you on that cross. It truly should be a solemn moment when believers recall the excruciating sacrifice of our Savior. While it is solemn to consider the gravity of the sacrifice, the service always ends in celebration because of the reminder that the sins of every believer have been wiped away.

Pastor will also be preaching in conjunction with this service and there truly is no greater example of generosity ever given. May this week serve as an incredible reminder of Christ’s benevolent nature towards us. I can’t wait to see what God will do in my life through this time of remembrance and the sermon Pastor will preach. I am fired up about Sunday.

Hope to see you there.

Every time I read the book of Matthew, I am challenged by Jesus’ final words to us, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus propelled us to live on mission. He gave us a “sending” strategy for how we are live our lives. We are called to go and tell the world the story of His life, death, and resurrection. There is no greater season for us to tell this story than EASTER. Think about the hope we have because of His resurrection. I continue to meet people who have never heard the truth of His resurrection.

This year we are taking the story and hope of Easter to our community. We are hosting Easter Gatherings all over our region to share the story of Easter. We would love to come to your place of business, school, community event, or even your neighborhood to lead one of these gatherings. Each gathering will last about 45 minutes to one hour, and our pastors will be sharing a special message to help people hear a message of hope found only in the Gospel. If you are interested in hosting one of these events, please email us at easter@fbcs.net and one of our ministers will contact you to set up a time for the gathering. Imagine with me what could be more missional than us flooding our community with the Easter story on Monday March 29 – Saturday, April 3.

I would also like to challenge each of you to invite and bring your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to one of our six Easter weekend services at our Springdale and Pinnacle campuses. Easter may be the only time that a family member or loved one will attend church. We want to share a message of life-change and hope with thousands of people throughout our region on this day. Would you please pray about who God would have you bring? We will be having a special time of Easter Baptism in all of our services. If you are interested in being baptized on Easter weekend, please email me at shawns@fbcs.net. I would love to talk with you and schedule a time for you to be baptized. Many people are baptized on Easter every year. It is a great time to celebrate baptism with family and friends present. Have a great Easter season and remember to tell the greatest story the world can ever know – Christ is risen, He is alive!

Yesterday was a very challenging day. Reports stated that we received snow up to 13 inches in our region. This amazing downfall created challenging moments for us on Sunday. Obviously the crowd was minimal due to these weather challenges. As we drove up to Pinnacle Hills, snowfall was intense. When we walked out of church, it was raining. We have seen a record snowfall, sleet, rain, and even lightning early on Sunday morning. What a weather journey we have had.

This is at least the third Sunday since January we have had snowfall. This creates a challenge for consistency in ministry and leadership. As well, it creates a lack of opportunity in relationship to decisions for Christ. Beyond that, it also creates a financial challenge that is mountainous to overcome.

We have mission groups all over the world during this spring break. Some of these groups left just before Spring break began, and now we have others leaving on Monday. We have groups in Africa, Haiti, Brazil, Oklahoma City, Northwest Arkansas, plus others this week. We have a blessed Great Commission Church and proceed in the power of the Holy Spirit to get the job done.

Pray for the work of Jesus here and around the world this week.

Yes, I will be here Sunday in the pulpit, declaring the mighty truth of God’s Word. Will you be here? If not, be sure to pray for us as you travel. Consider joining us live online. Dear friend, be sure you give financially even in your absence.

Let’s pray for a great Sunday together.

Who are you bringing with you to Easter weekend? Begin now praying, inviting, and working towards a phenomenal weekend for Jesus.

Lord’s Supper on Sunday Morning, March 28 and I will also preach that Sunday. I love the Lord’s Supper on Palm Sunday. Join me.

Yesterday we commissioned three mission teams for the upcoming Spring Break. Those of us not going on these trips need to be cognizant of these trips and praying for them. We have teams going to Africa, Brazil, and Oklahoma City. Each are being sent and commissioned by our church to make disciples of all the nations. Please join us in praying for these participants.

Today I fly to Denver to meet with 13 State Executive Directors of our Western State Conventions of Baptist churches. I ask that you pray for us as we dialogue with one another about how we move towards the future together. We love Christ, His Word, His Church, and embrace His commission to reach the nations. I am thankful for these men of God and the work God has led them to do.

I ask that you pray for us as we meet together. I fly to Denver this afternoon and back home this evening, prayerfully having no flight issues on this commercial direct flight from Northwest Arkansas to Denver International. May the grace and peace of Jesus Christ be with us.

I have been in the process of corresponding with many Southern Baptist leaders over the past seventeen days. Most of that communication has been on the phone and through email. It has been pretty well nonstop.

Regardless of their initial response to our report, I have reminded each one of them – our final report will not be out until May 3rd. We are meeting with people, listening, dialoguing, and learning. There was a time when our GCR Task Force considered the possibility of releasing the Final Report in February; however, we knew we needed time to continue our work. The blessing from our early release of this Progress Report is that we are receiving response and really engaging with many Southern Baptists in the process. It will make our Final Report better in every way.

We have said since our first press conference following the release of the Progress Report, if Southern Baptists have ideas about how we can improve this report, we are open to hear them. We want to give this convention the very best report with recommendations that will help us more faithfully and effectively fulfill the Great Commission. Please understand, this “best report” does not mean we may all agree with everything in it. “Best” is usually interpreted through the person’s life regarding a specific issue they have a perspective about.

The challenge we face is that we are not placed in a situation of deciding between matters that are good and matters that are evil. These are not good versus evil choices. These are choices between what is good versus what is best. This is why they are difficult to work through together. Additionally, our final report and recommendations are a commitment towards a future vision. While a future vision will contain matters that are occurring presently, there is no need for a future vision if all we do is replicate our present. Replicating our present will result in more of the present, but in time, will regress from even where we are today.

Therefore, please know that our Great Commission Resurgence Progress Report is a work in progress. The final report is yet to come. This is why we need to pray for God’s discernment for our task force. Southern Baptists and beyond, we need your prayers. We desire to go together all the way to Orlando and beyond for the sake of the nations.

This past Sunday we introduced to our church an Easter strategy that we believe will help us reach out more during the Easter season than we ever have before. Instead of waiting for people to come to our church this Easter weekend, we are going to them! We laid out a strategy called “Easter in the Community.” Here are the basic principles:

We want to hold as many Easter gatherings (mini-worship services) as possible across our region the week of Easter. We told our members we would love to send a minister to their place of business and hold one of these gatherings. We set up an email account for people in our church to email their request for a pastor to come and lead their service.

This has incredible potential and is a way for us to challenge our people to be missionaries in their workplaces. There are limitless opportunities for the Gospel to be extended through an outreach like this. At each one of these gatherings, an Easter message will be presented along with an invite to one of our services on Easter weekend. This means hundreds of people across our region will hear what Jesus Christ has done for them and be invited to a place where they can hear further about our Savior.

Maybe you’re a pastor reading this blog and you want to implement this strategy as well. It’s obviously our first time doing it, but we feel it has limitless potential to touch our community with the hope of the Gospel. If you attend our church and would like to have one of these Easter gatherings at your place of business, please email easter@fbcs.net if you attend the Springdale Campus or easter@churchph.com if you attend the Pinnacle Hills Campus. Let’s band together and take Easter to our community!