14
May '20
Together Again!
14
May '20
Dear Bible Baptist Church Family,
We are opening up again! On Sunday, May 17 at 11am we will gather together to worship for the first time since March 15. Praise God! This is wonderful news. Cause for rejoicing.
This is terrific because we understand that a church is not a specific place we desire to be “in” but a particular people we long to be “with.” 100 Higher Ground Lane, Mount Vernon, KY is not where Bible Baptist Church is. That is where we regularly meet. We are thankful for the property and facilities with which God has blessed us, and understand that the church is a local body of baptized believers who have covenanted together for the proclamation of the gospel, the discipleship of believers, the observance of the ordinances, all for the glory of God.
During the outbreak of this novel coronavirus we voluntarily stopped gathering. This was done to honor the requests of our national and state governments, and with a desire to protect one another and our community from a virus we did not understand. Now it is time to begin the return to normalcy.
That return will be a journey. May 17 will not be a typical worship service. Here is what will be the same. We will be worshipping the Most-High God, our Savior and King together in spirit and in truth. AMEN! With that as our foundation, here is the plan for this coming Sunday, May 17.
- We will have only one service. No Sunday school, SHinE, Children’s church, or evening service. No staffed nursery either.
- We will not be passing the offering plates. They will be available in the lobby for you to leave your tithe/offering.
- We will not be observing our usual time of greeting. In this early stage of our return to normalcy, handshaking, back-slapping, and hugging will be on hold.
- We will not have a choir. This will create a huge hole in our worship, one that is necessary at the moment, but this too shall pass.
- We will observe the suggested distancing, and we will do this to the best of our ability. There will not be marked seating areas. No one will be keeping count at the door. Nobody will be walking around with a tape measure. You are expected to be personally responsible for this. Family units should sit together. This means, if you sleep in the same house, sit in the same pew.
- We will use all of our seating space. The balcony, the choir loft, even the front two pews of each section should be used. If necessary, we will fan out into the lobby and/or the choir room and Fellowship Hall.
- We will not have an altar call, but the invitation is always open. Following the service, if you desire counsel or prayer, come and see me. I will be available.
- We will be singing. Wear a mask if you desire. If you do not have a mask but would like one, they will be available.
- We will recognize and honor our graduates at the conclusion of the service.
I want to leave you with this thought. As a local church body, we have the same Savior, same indwelling Holy Spirit, same baptism, same mission, and the same authority – God’s timeless truth, His Word. These are the issues that matter most.
But we do not all have the same mind about this novel coronavirus. We are not all alike regarding our nation’s and state’s response to this virus or even how our church is reopening, and we do not have to be. Philippians 2:3 is required. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” In this specific case, that means each of us will humbly consider our fellow church members more important than our personal views on the virus, the response to it, and the reopening. I am confident that we will do just that.
I am always available if you need to speak with me, about this issue or anything else.
Grace and Peace to You!
Pastor Travis
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10
May '20
One Thing
10
May '20
Happy Mother’s Day!
Motherhood is one of the highest callings in the world, and one of the most challenging! At Bible Baptist Church we are thankful for godly mothers who have and who continue to model Christlikeness to their families and in their communities. How are Christian mothers meant to fulfill their role as they raise children, tackle to-do lists, nurture their marriages, and love the Lord, all within the setting of a culture that is terribly confused about gender, let alone motherhood? One thing is needful. One thing that will point mothers to the God who gives the grace and strength that is necessary.
But it’s not just mothers who are in need of this one thing. We all are. On Sunday morning, May 10 at 11am, our text will be Luke 10:38-42. That passage is a window into the lives of two women. Martha and Mary were sisters. This meant that they shared similar background, upbringing, and even genetics. More importantly, they both loved the Lord. He loved them. John 11 makes this clearly evident. For all they shared in common, our text reveals three significant differences between these two very similar women. Those differences, and what we should learn from them, will be our focus tomorrow. We hope you join us.
Our 11am service on Mother’s Day will be of the drive-in variety. It will also be live-streamed.
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03
May '20
But There Is a God in Heaven
03
May '20
Nebuchadnezzar was so troubled he couldn’t sleep. His problem wasn’t just a weird or scary dream. The king feared losing what he had gained and still desired. Those fears about security and safety highlighted his struggle with ultimate issues: “Who am I? How did I get here? Why am I here? Where am I going? What does it matter?”
Nebuchadnezzar was so troubled he couldn’t think clearly. Since the wise men of the realm couldn’t explain his dream before they interpreted it, he commanded that they all be executed. In stepped Daniel. He got involved, along with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Their involvement was characterized by tact, prayer, practicality, thanksgiving, purposefulness, and humility. As Daniel stood before Nebuchadnezzar, this ruthless government leader asked him, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?” (2:24b)
Not Me. But God
Every eye in the room was fixed on Daniel. A lot depended on what he was about to say and do. Time seems to stand still in meaningful moments like this, and the senses seem to be sharpened. Not only were all eyes focused on Daniel, but every ear was straining to hear exactly what he would say. What they heard was, “No. There is not a wise man, astrologer, magician, or soothsayer who can show the king what he desires.”
No doubt there were audible gasps in the room at that moment. Arioch the Captain of the Guard may have looked stunned and betrayed. I imagine Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes were instantly enflamed with fury. Perhaps not a few wise men sighed and hung their heads. All of this would have transpired in mere seconds, you understand, because there was not a wise man, astrologer, magician, or soothsayer who can show the king what he desires. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.” (vv. 27-28)
You’ve heard it said before, but it’s a truth worth repeating, with men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. That’s not restricted to interpreting dreams.
This morning (and next Sunday) we will have an 11am drive-in service, and it will also be live-streamed. Please join us!
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26
Apr '20
Ultimate Issues
26
Apr '20
God is in control. That has always been true. That is true now. That truth will always be.
Last Sunday we walked through Daniel 1. That chapter is a full-on display of God’s sovereign power in and through His servants and world events. God gave Jehoiakim the king of Judah to Nebuchadnezzar. The same goes for the Temple vessels. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were Babylonian captives because God allowed their captivity. Just as He did the destruction of Judah. God brought Daniel into favor with his Babylonian overseers (1:9), and God gave these four men knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom (1:17-20). God was in control. The sovereign Lord was working out His purposes through these nations and individuals. He ruled and over-ruled in all these situations, and that truth becomes all the more evident as the sensational events of Daniel two unfold.
Chapter Two Outlined
Daniel two is a long chapter, with forty-nine verses. A good outline for them goes like this:
- The King becomes troubled.
- Daniel gets involved.
- The dream is deduced.
- The King gets religion.
- The wise men are delivered.
- Daniel and the boys get promoted.
That’s an outlined summary of Daniel two’s forty-nine verses. Now don’t lose heart this morning and think you’re in for a long sermon. My plan is to stick with what we should learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s troubled disposition. Lord willing, we will handle the others in the future. This morning, Daniel 2:1-13 will be our text, and from those thirteen verses we will seek to understand why the king was so troubled. I believe we’ll learn that we are not so unlike Nebuchadnezzar.
Ultimate Issues
Sure, there are differences. He lived 2700 years ago, was a warrior-king, and a Babylonian. We share none of those characteristics, but we are human. The ultimate issues and questions about our lives today in Kentucky are the same he faced then in Babylon. The Answer is also the same. We hope you will join us this morning.
The service begins at 11am, and today we will have a drive-in service. You will sit in your car and listen over the radio as we transmit the message. We also will do our best to livestream the service.
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BBC and the Pandemic
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Dear Bible Baptist Church:
None of us have lived through a time like this. While such times are not unprecedented in human history, this is unprecedented in our history. Thankfully, our God is sovereign at all times and sufficient for our every need. Truly, our times are in His hands, and our trust is in Him.
As we mentioned just last week ago, information about COVID-19 is fluid, and our response to this virus must be as well. The White House recently released (Monday, March 16) the “Coronavirus Guidelines for America,” and one of those guidelines is to avoid gatherings of more than ten people for fifteen days. Given the circumstances this is a reasonable request, and one our church will follow. This means that beginning now and for the next two weeks, at least, we will suspend all church gatherings. Our Sunday 11am services will be livestreamed, and we will be sure to inform you how to view that live feed.
New information keeps coming. If the current restrictions are lengthened, we may need to get creative in how we meet, such as “drive-in” services up on the hill. We don’t know what is around the corner, but here is what we do know. We will wholeheartedly press on together.
Even though we won’t be meeting face to face for a while, we are still able to connect with one another in smaller groups, over the phone, with text messages, or even social media. Let’s be ready to help those in our church who are at high risk due to their age and/or their health. We may need to get groceries, pick up prescriptions, or just check on them.
This virus is an ugly thing, but our Lord and His truth are beautiful. These are difficult and uncommon days. I’ve heard it said that “Affliction prepares ordinary Christians for extraordinary service.” This is true. We have never had such an opportunity to proclaim the gospel, to love each other and our community like we now have. Let’s pursue this opportunity with all our might.
Grace and Peace!
Pastor Travis Gilbert
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Concerning the Corona Virus
As everyone is well aware, information about the Corona virus is fluid and abundant. Just how much of it is useful is hard to discern. We do know that this matter is serious and should be treated as such. With so many cancellations and closures, and with Governor Beshear’s suggestion that churches cancel their worship services, I thought it best to let you know what the plan is for Bible Baptist Church.
First and foremost, as in every situation, our confidence is in our Lord who is sovereign in and over all things. Our trust is in Him. Our prayers are to Him. Every decision we make in issues large or small should be made for His glory, which is always for our ultimate good. We should not panic. We must be prudent and prepared. Faith and common sense are not enemies but friends who happily walk together.
Bible Baptist Church averages less than 200 for Sunday morning attendance. This places us in a different category from schools, arenas packed with fans, or churches that average several hundred or more. With that in mind, and as the situation now stands, here is our plan. For the next two weeks (March 15 and 22) we will meet at our usual times with the following exceptions. We will not have our usual time of greeting during the song service where we go around shaking hands and giving hugs. For the next two weeks, during the “shake and bake” time we will just “stand and wave.” Also, for the next two weeks we will not pass the offering plates, but our ushers will be positioned at the exits with them. You may also give online through our church website. As is always the case, if you feel sick you should not go anywhere but to the doctor’s office. If you believe that, due to your health conditions, being out is too risky, by all means stay inside. Caution is not the lack of courage.
Many in our community and country are very anxious right now. A time such as this provides us with a unique opportunity to love each other well and to proclaim the gospel, calling on others to turn in repentant faith to Jesus. Let’s be sure to demonstrate the hope and joy we have in our Lord and Savior by our patience with one another and our confidence in Christ.
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