Thank you for letting me serve ALL the Baptists in this State

Some of you may not know this, but last November at the annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention, I was elected to serve on the Committee on Nominations for the Baptist State Convention. This committee has a very important service to perform for the convention. Each year the Committee on Nominations searches out and nominates Baptists from all over the state to serve on the Board of Directors, on the four main Baptist institutions (The Baptist Hospital, The Baptist Children's Homes, The Biblical Recorder, and the Baptist Foundation), and for several other committees. The reason these appointments are so crucial is because the people nominated and elected to serve in all of these positions will infleunce and shape the convention for years to come.

I feel very priveleged and honored to have been asked to serve on this committee, and I want to sincerely thank my church family for allowing me the opportunity to serve not only you, but ALL 4300 Baptist congregations across this state that are currently cooperating with us to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ across the state and around the world. And I would ask for your prayers for myself and for all the other committee members who are involved in this vital process. May God give us great wisdom and discernment as seek out His servants.

Sincerely,
Pastor Travis

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Congratulations David and Emily!

Congratulations are in order for David and Emily on the birth of their new little boy, Jonathan Walker. Jonathan was born last night around 6:30pm, and was 9 lbs, 15.2 oz and was 21.5 inches long! Big boy!! And mother and baby are both doing fine. Keep David and Emily in your prayers as they begin the new and exciting adventure of parenthood!

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Rejoicing in the Midst Trials - Video Re: Wedgwood Tragedy

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Hope This Helps You Prepare for Worship

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Wake Up Call to the Church

This may come as a shock to you, but with 200 million non-churched people in the United States of America, the good old USA is one of the four largest "unchurched" nations in the world.

Is it just me, or is it time for the church in America to rethink what it means to be the church?
And how we "do" church?


(The above figure was taken from a sermon by author and pastor, John Piper, which was preached on Jan. 31st entitled "I will build My church")

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Encouragement from the Scriptures

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Col 4:5-6 (NLT)

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This Weeks Calendar

Tuesday, Feb. 16th
-G.A.'s meet after school.

Wednesday, Feb.17th
-Normal Mid-week Activities (Awana, Youth, & Adult Bible study)

Thursday, Feb.18th
-Intercessory Prayer group meets
-Small Group Bible Study for Men

Saturday, Feb. 20th
-"Frazzled" Female Retreat - for all the ladies who signed up.

Sunday, Feb 21st
-Special Presentation from Eric & Mandy Keel. (in the evening worship service)
(A love offering will be taken for them.)

-"Share Jesus Without Fear" Training for Youth at 5pm.

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Revised Schedule for Sunday, Feb. 14th

Due to the icy conditions and the yard being a total mess right now, we will only be having morning worship tomorrow at 11 am.

There will be no Sunday school and no evening worship.

For all who do come, please be extremely careful coming in and going out. A big "Thank You" to Jeff Harrell who did the initial clearing of all the sidewalks!

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Special Request for Prayer for Violet Bowen

Please keep Ms. Violet Bowen in your prayers. She was taken to the hospital late last night, and remains at the hospital at this time. No news yet as to exactly what the issue is. Just keep her and her family in your prayers.

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Sermon Download

I just thought I would share a sermon by a pastor from D.C. by the name of Mark Dever. This sermon is about the power of the Word of God, which is something we should never forget. Listen to it if you get a chance: Click Here.

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Apologies for any Misunderstanding

Just a quick note about Andrea...
She was taken to the Doctor... Not the hospital. So sorry if this misled anyone!!

But everything is fine now... False Labor. The midwife said she had an "irritable uterus."

Thanks for any and all prayers!!

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Special Request for Prayer for Andrea Wood

Please be in prayer for Andrea Wood. She had a really bad night last night; alot of pain and cramping. Pastor Travis will be taking her to the hospital this morning.

Pray that everything will be in God's timing and in God's will. She is still a little early by medical standards; she will be 35 weeks along on Monday. But again, God has His own timing, and we are trusting Him completely. To Him be all the glory and praise.

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An Encouraging Word from Spurgeon

"How are we to handle this sword of 'It is written'? First, with deepest reverence. Let every word that God has spoken be law and gospel to you. Never trifle with it; never try to evade its force or change its meaning. God speaks to you in this book as much as if he came to the top of Sinai and lifted up his voice with thunder.

I like to open the Bible and pray, 'Lord God, let the words leap off the page into my soul; make them vivid, powerful, and fresh to my heart.'"

-Charles Spurgeon, "Spiritual Warfare in the Believer's Life" (pg.81)

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Meditating on this week's Sermon

This past Sunday morning, we talked a little about how James had a proper perspective of himself. He could have been proud and self-inflated because he was Mary's son, Jesus' half-brother, or even the head of the Jerusalem Church. And he could have taken the opportunity to puff himself up in the opening verses of the letter that bears his name.

But James didn't do that; he simply referred to himself as the "slave of God." James was humble. He knew that by himself he was no eternal value. He knew that his identity that gave him any worth was his identity in Christ.

As Paul wrote in Rom.12:3, "Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves..." (NLT)

The Life Application Bible states:
"Healthy self-esteem is important because some of us think too little of ourselves; on the other hand, some of us overestimate ourselves. The key to honest and accurate self-evaluation is knowing the basis of our self-worth - our identity in Christ. Apart from him, we aren't capable of very much by eternal standards."

Personally, I believe that last part is stated a little too softly. Jesus said clearly in John 15:5, "Apart from me, you can do nothing."

We have worth because we were created in the image of God and because He loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, to come and die for our sins. Nothing else matters.

Are you too hard on yourself? Constantly putting yourself down and hating who you are, what you look like? Etc. Are you implying that God made a mistake? That you are not His masterpiece?

Are you too soft on yourself? Thinking you're really somebody and that the world should revolve around you? Do you think others owe you? Or worse that God owes you? Have you forgotten that it was we who rebelled against Him, and that the only thing God owes us is death and an eternity in hell? If so, maybe you should read again Rom.3:9-20.

A good and healthy self-esteem is one that recognizes that we are rebellious sinners in desperate need of God's grace and that only through Christ we become the apple of God's eye and His special purchased possession, with all the blessings and privileges of being His sons and daughters. Rather than self-esteem, maybe we should focus on Christ-esteem.

Selah - Meditate on this.

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This Weeks Calendar

Wed, Feb 10th
- Midweek Bible Study & Fellowship For all Ages

Thurs, Feb 11
- Intercessory Prayer at 7pm (open to all)
-Men's Small Group at 7pm (open to men)

Sat, Feb 13th
-WMU Luncheon at Immanuel in Greenville at 10am
-Church wide Valentine Dinner sponsored by the Youth at 6pm.

Sun, Feb 14th
-Sunday school at 10am
-Worship at 11am
-Evening Worship at 6pm
-Deacon's Meeting at 7pm.

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Special Request for Prayer

Please keep Pastor Travis and his family in your prayers at this time. His grandmother passed away this past Thursday evening. It is comforting that her suffering is over and that she has obtained the glory that is the hope of every born again child of God, but she will definitely be missed.

Pastor Travis will be leaving this morning immediately following the morning worship service in order to attend the funeral near Louisburg, NC. For this reason, the Lord's Supper that was supposed to be celebrated today is postponed until next week.

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Important Upcoming Events

Tomorrow, Thursday Feb 4th
1) at 6pm - Children's Council Meeting
2) at 7pm - Intercessory Prayer Meeting (open to all)
3) at 7pm - Men's Small Group Bible Study (open to all men)

Sunday, Feb. 7th
at 11am - Worship and Celebration of the Lord's Supper (open to all)

Also, don't forget to sign up for the Church-wide Valentine Day Dinner sponsored by the Youth Group, for Sat., Feb.13th. (open to all)

Monday, Feb. 8th
at 6:30pm at the Morotac Restaurant, The Church Council Meeting

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Making Family Devotions a Priority

This morning, I was reading and meditating on the importance of reading and studying Scripture, but not just as an individual, but also as a family. The question in the book I am currently using was... "Have you and your family developed a consistent pattern of Bible-intake? If not, what keeps you from developing such a pattern?"

I had to confess that no, we haven't. I mean we do devotions here and there, and we memorize Scripture at times, sing songs about Jesus and the Bible. But to say we have a consistent pattern of family devotions on a daily basis, I had to say no. When I started to answer why, I immediately responded "I guess b/c we don't have a set routine. Everyday is a little different." And immediately... I mean IMMEDIATELY the Holy Spirit convicted me so hard. The thought rushed into my mind, "You have no set routine, but you eat breakfast everyday!" - meaning, eating breakfast is more of a priority for our family than reading and meditating on God's word. Ouch!! Conviction!

This is definitely something we will have to do something about, and what better place to read Scripture and begin our day with thoughts on God's truths than first thing in the morning around the breakfast table. Pray for me that by God's grace this will become a very consistent pattern for our family.

-Pastor Travis

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Meditation from the Psalms...

"This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." - Ps. 118:24

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!" - Ps.119:1-2

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