Pastor Charles’ Reflection

(Joe McKeever is pastor of First Baptist Church of Kenner, La.,and a cartoonist in Pulpit Helps. I an indebted to him for this article, entitled “Expectation.”)
“Expectations are relationship killers. The wife expects her new husband to be the Prince Charming of her dreams. The congregation expects the new pastor to reverse the declining attendance, preach inspiring sermons to a lot of empty pews, and attend every social occasions. The pastor expects the members to support him, keep down the dissension, and respond to every challenge he throws their way.” The person who expects perfection of me has set both of us up for disappointment. I am the first to admit I am not perfect, and anyone looking my way to find it will leave in frustration. In Luke 6 and 7, we read that Jesus dealt with this subject and as a result we can make clearer discoveries about our misplaced expectations and the rightful place to direct them.
1. When you have expectation about other people, give them up. In Luke 6:32-36, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and do good to those who do us wrong. He then cautioned us to expect nothing from the people to whom we minister. It is just like the carnal world, He says, to do things to others and then sit back, expecting a proper response. “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, without expecting to get anything back.” Everyone who ministers in the church would save himself a lot of grief by jettisoning his expectations. If the people respond, fine; if not, that is their choice. Do your job as church leaders and go on to the next task, with your eyes on the Master.
2. Expectation about Jesus, lift them high. The Roman centurion who interceded with Jesus to heal his ailing servant, then sends a delegation to tell Him that he is not worthy, and requests that Jesus just speak the words and his servant will be healed. This centurion had focused everything on Jesus and that is the point. When we do that, we will never go wrong in looking to Jesus as our everything. We can never expect too much of this One who is our all in all, “for His grace and power are such, none can ever ask too much.”
3) Expectation about the preacher, lighten up. Luke 7:18-35 revolves around the expectations people had of Jesus and John the Baptist. Jesus told the ones who came from John to ask if Jesus was the one or should we expect someone else, to go and tell John of the transforming miracles they were seeing and that John would figure it out for himself. After they departed, the Lord addressed the crowd in defense of John. The Lord asked, “what were you expecting in John? A weakling who took polls to find out where he stood? A softling wearing the latest fashions from the king’s tailor? Whatever you were looking for, you got it and a whole lot more.” Throw away your expectations when God sends His man to your town. God will do it His way, and He will not ask our permission. God does not give a rip about what the majority want or the polls say. As Paul said in Romans 3:4, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Liberate the preacher from your job description. Encourage him to obey the Heavenly Father and you support him.”
4. Expectation on yourself, toughen up. Luke 7:36-50 describes a woman who slipped into a home where Jesus was the guest of honor and proceeded to weep over his feet, anointing them with a costly perfume and then wiping them with her hair. The host and Judas were horrified. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Simon, when I entered your house, you gave me no kiss of greeting. You did not wash the dust off my feet. You did not anoint my head. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet, bathing them in her tears and anointing them. She loves much because she has been forgiven much.” As with all of us, Simon would have done well by directing his high expectations toward himself. Church people get this backward so easily - expecting everything from the people around us and the man in the pulpit, while asking little from Jesus and letting ourselves completely off the hook. As a result, we go through life frustrated and critical toward the people around us. Why aren’t they doing their job? Why isn’t the preacher more effective with those empty pews? Why does the church put up with the hypocrites in the pews? Why do they elect teachers who do not subscribe to my 25 point plan for revolutionizing the world? It is the old “speck in your eye, but I can’t see the railroad cross-tie in my own approach. “Oh sure, I have these weaknesses, these areas that give me problems from time to time,” we say, “but I accept myself, warts and all.” It all sounds so noble, but all we have done is sanction our hypocrisy. Jim and Tammy Baker said after they fell from their ministry just up Highway 77 from here, “We thought the rules that apply to other people did not pertain to us.“ Tough with others, but easy on myself. It is an old story, one that always end with a downfall. “Heavenly Father, give me three things in this life: a heart of fire toward Thee, a heart of flesh toward others and a heart of iron toward myself. In Jesus name. Amen” (Baptist Press) See you Sunday. if Jesus tarries. In His Grip, Pastor Charles

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IT IS NOT TOO EARLY TO START DONATING From The Food Committee for our building project. As you are aware, we are responsible for feeding the 250 volunteers coming in to build our new facility for eight days and a group of 50 who will arrive early for three days. Many of you will be asked to donate your time during July 8-17 to help us prepare these meals. If you are available, please contact Linda Tanner (817-1818), Bill Gordon or Ann Gordon (329-2657), the Food Committee for this project.
The items we would like you to donate are as follows: 16 oz. Styrofoam cups, Divided Plates, Salt, Pepper, Napkins, gallon jars of Mayonnaise, gallon cans of powered Lemonade, gallon cans of Bushes baked beans, gallon cans of Peaches and Pears. Other items will be needed later. If you are unable to shop yourself, please feel free to donate money to the Food Fund.
Please let Linda Tanner know of any donations being brought so she can inventory them and keep you posted on our need list. If you have questions concerning donations, please call her at 817-1818.

Faith, Family and Freedom Celebration with Steven Curtis Chapman, Superchick and Newworldson will be held on Saturday, June 26th at 6:00 P.M. at the Z MAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Parkway, South in Concord. See Michelle Goodman or Christie Adams if interested.

Months ago, we planned to have a Church Wide Picnic on Sunday, July 4th. When we were blessed with 200 volunteers to build a Family Life Center, the Church Council changed our July 4th event to July 11th to kick off our week of construction, evangelism, sports camp and welcoming our volunteers. NOW! We will have around 200 volunteers, plus our Sunday normal crowd to feed. We need to cook enough for our family AND fifteen or twenty more. Please go overboard for this Sunday and lets have enough food for everyone. The Social/Kitchen Committee is coordinating this event and we thank them for their work.

Regular mission programs will go on hiatus for the summer. Child care will be available on 06/09 and 06/16. Beginning on Wednesday, June 23rd, our children and youth will begin a special mission project called NewKirk Build: MISSION Impossible ACHIEVEABLE. They will be making posters and flyers advertising our Sports Camp, stuffing witnessing bags for the Evangelism Team, making welcome notes for the visiting mission team from Barnwell, leading a prayer walk for the build team, for the revival of NewKirk’s mission to reach our community, and the community itself where we will be witnessing, As the title states, it is achievable if we follow God’s plan and work together.

Pastor Charles and Mrs. Linda will travel to Muskegon, Michigan to perform the wedding ceremony for our own Kallie Chauvez and Trent Cromer on June 19, 2010. They will leave Rock Hill in the evening on Monday, June 14 and return to Rock Hill on the evening of June 22. The Rev. Charles F. Hodges will bring the morning message on June 20th. Bucky King will lead Prayer Meeting June 16th.

In the event that you are no longer interested or have time to read our newsletter and would like for us to remove you from our mailing list, please call the church office (325- 2002) and leave a message to have your name moved from our mailing list. Thank you.

We will purge our Prayer List soon, so be looking at those you wish to remain on the list and let us know of your desire.

If you have borrowed our Ladders, please return them! We need them for all the projects we are doing!!!

Called Church Conference This coming Sunday, June 13, 2010.
Following our worship service Sunday, we will vote on the Pew Body and color (green), as well as the color of the carpet (green) recommended by the New Facility Committee. These items have been displayed on the board in our sanctuary for two weeks. Please check the pictures on the board before worship Sunday.
Pew Body #9 - The pew body has an upholstered seat, back and rear side of back. It is constructed of 3/4" fir plywood bottom with a 1" thick solid Northern Red Oak inner frame. The seat cushion will be a 3" thick high-density polyurethane. The back will be a 3/4" thick fir plywood with the back cushion being 1" thick high-density polyurethane. The seat, back and rear side of back will be upholstered. All intermediate supports will be 1 ½ “ thick, 2- ply solid Northern Red Oak with a stained finish. All for the sum of $30,031.66, plus sales tax $2,102.22 and installation for $1,423.50, for a total of $33,557.40. The edge mold is #2 on the drawing.
Carpet - Furnish, deliver and install CHURCHLON OVATION carpet direct glue down in all areas of the sanctuary wall to wall including the pulpit, choir, and men’s and woman’s dressing rooms. (rooms on either side of the choir area). An allowance for carpet in the narthex (vestibule) and the perimeter around the sanctuary along with a 4" carpet wall base. Churchlon Ovation is a 40-oz. extremely durable, 100% nylon cut and loop style commercial carpet and has a 20 year wear warranty. Because of its unique construction, it will show less tracking, have better appearance retention, will reflect sound better, will be more durable, and will help hide soil better than standard cut pile carpet. Ovation is an ideal floor covering for worship areas. Churchlon Ovation is constructed on a 1/8" gauge with 12 stitches per inch with a density factor or 5,929 ounces per cubic yard. Churchlon Ovation had permanent anti-static control and has been treated with Teflon. All for the sum of $28,199.00. The color of the carpet recommended is green.

OTHER MINISTERS FOR SUNDAY, June 13, 2010
Children's Church: Melissa & Travis Jackson
Infants’ Nursery— Ann Gordon, & Helper
Usher/Greeter Teams– Kellee Seay, Dale Frump, Jonathan Trotter, Tim Seay
TELLER: Tuesday, June 14—Catherine McCallum

CHURCH CALENDAR
June 13—9:45—S.S., 10:45-Morning Worship, 5:00-Female Youth, 5:30-Men On Mission
June 14—6:30—Building & Grounds, 7:00-Finance
June 15– 7:00-GROW “R”
June 16-6:45-Adult Bible Study, 7:30-Choir Practice