Pastor’s Blog – January-February 2019 – Pastor John E. Chowning

As we move into the new year of 2019, many commentators will raise questions such as, “What will happen in 2019? Will we see further tensions between the leading military and economic powers in the world? Will the American economy slip into a recessionary period? Will the stock market go up or down? Will political divisions continue to increase?” These are only a few of many important questions that come to mind as we look forward and seek to anticipate the major events and trends of 2019?

 How should we as Christians face a new year and the combination of opportunities for ministry and mission and the many challenges we will face as we seek to fulfill the good and perfect will that God has for each of us individually and collectively? While the secular world will spend a lot of time and energy in making predictions as to what lies ahead in 2019, those of us who walk daily in the faith of Jesus Christ should be strengthened by the reality of what we know by faith and as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ. In these uncertain times, as least from a worldly perspective, we as believers are able to live each day as a new day of hope and opportunity in Jesus Christ. While we may not know with certainly specific events of 2019, we are certain that Jesus Christ is with us each step and each day; that God is in charge; and that Jesus Christ will return some day for his church.

 Please take time to consider the truth in the following scripture references that are offered as we move forward in 2019:

• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

• “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him” Psalm 98:1.

• “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” Romans 8:18.

• “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” Isaiah 43:19.

• “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” Ephesians 4:22-24.

• “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” Jeremiah 29:11.

• “Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:23-24).

• “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3).

 Let’s live 2019 as people of faith and hope because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Pastor’s Blog – November and December 2018 – Pastor John Chowning

The months of November and December promise to be a very busy time – in the life of the church, in the home, in the schools, and certainly in the community at large. It is very easy to lose sight of the meaning of the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas with the hectic and exhausting schedules that most of us experience. While it may seem like something we say every year (and, yes, we do usually say it), why don’t we do something differently this year? Why don’t we commit to ourselves and our families that we will spend less money on each other, give the difference to worthy Christian causes that help people in need, and slow down enough to enjoy time with our family and friends and to spend more time with God in prayer, study, worship, and service? This would be a wonderful thing to do in 2018.

 Thanksgiving is a civil holiday – technically a secular holiday observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. The day, at least in the English tradition, has its roots in the English reformation. In the United States, we can trace the modern Thanksgiving holiday back to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts and to a similar event in 1619 in Virginia. The early settlers to the United States observed days of fasting and thanksgiving. President George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving celebration marking November 26, 1789 as a day of “thanksgiving and prayer.” On December 26, 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress officially making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday of November.

 We are well aware of the traditions of Thanksgiving – family gatherings, turkey and dressing, special church services, families traveling to parents and grandparents, great food and family fellowship, football and early basketball season, etc. Thanksgiving often gives us more time to enjoy our families and to enjoy a couple of days off from work – as compared to the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Thanksgiving should also be a time in which we give thought to the bounty of the blessings that God has imparted to us – over the past year and over the course of our lives. It is a time to appreciate how truly blessed we are individually and collectively – and we need only compare our situation to that of others – particularly those in other countries around the world – to better understand how truly blessed we are.

 Then we move into the Advent season – a time of preparation and anticipation for once again observing the coming of God into the world in the form of His only begotten Son, Jesus, who was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, who became the God-man – the Incarnation or God becoming flesh – Immanuel or God with us – so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

 Christmas is more than the giving of material gifts, more than snow and Christmas glitter, more than Rudolph and Santa, more than “chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” Christmas is the celebration of the “Christ of Christmas.” It is that time of the year that we once again prepare our hearts and minds for pondering the meaning of the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago – when we once again are reminded that God has intervened in the course of human history by becoming man and living a human life – and then sending “His only begotten Son” to Calvary to die a sinner’s death so that we might have eternal life. He arose from the grave on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return for His church someday!

 Let’s take this this season to give God all the praise, honor, and glory that He – and He alone – merits! He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Savior and Lord, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, and the Messiah! Praise the Lord!

Pastor's Blog for September-October - Pastor John Chowning

The months of September-October are the official end of summer in early to mid September and the full range of fall weather in October. This is my favorite season of the year as we experience the cooler nights and warm days, the beauty of the multi-color display we will see as the leaves change, the first frost of the season, and a very comfortable season to enjoy God's creation in its vast splendor. There is a return to something of normalcy in our family lives as our children and youth return to school, colleges and universities are in full operation, and we settle into a new season of church-related ministries and activities. Again, fall is an exciting and enjoyable time - at least in my life, I have always considered it my favorite season of the year and a time to meditate upon the majesty of God's creation.

Fall 2018 brings some important upcoming activities for our church and community. From September 9-12 at Campbellsville University's Tiger Stadium, 7:00 p.m. nightly, the "Heart of Kentucky Go Tell Crusade" will be held. Evangelist Rick Gage and others will be preaching each evening, and there will be uplifting worship services each evening. We express a word of appreciation to the local crusade committee who have been working for almost a year to prepare for the crusade. There are several members of Saloma Baptist Church who are involved in different crusade committees. We budgeted a generous donation in our annual budget to help defray the costs. Several individuals in SBC have made generous donations to the crusade. And we have been active in praying for the crusade for several months. And we are asking that our church members invite others - especially those who are unchurched and without Jesus Christ in their lives - to attend. There are many in the community and region who will not come through the doors of a local church at this point, but they may be willing to come to a football stadium on a September evening to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed. There have been two other community crusades - one in the 1990's and one in 2008 - that resulted in literally hundreds of people coming to first time decisions for Jesus Christ - and hundreds of others who renewed their walk with the Lord. During the weeks following the crusade, there will be great need for follow-up and discipleship of new believers in Christ - so pray for that phase of the ministry and may be ready to do our part.

These months also bring other points of emphasis to Saloma Baptist Church. We have finished our summer mission project which raised funds to purchase two donkeys for a village in Zambia and to provide 100 chairs for a pastor there to use in his church. From September 9-30, we have our Season of Prayer State Missions and the annual Eliza Broadus State Mission Offering. Then in October we will observe Global Hunger Sunday on October 14 and raise funds during the rest of October for the Global Hunger Fund. 

We are again sponsoring the Campbellsville University Bass Fishing Team and will host them in our October 7 Worship Service followed by a meal and fellowship hour with them. Coach Pete Hedgepath, one of our own, is doing a great job with the team - as evidenced by the recent national championship by Nick Ratliff. We are called to pray for these college students on a regular basis, to let them know of our love and our support, to support Coach Pete and pray for him, and to approach this as another outreach ministry opportunity for Saloma Baptist Church.

In closing, let me acknowledge another successful year of Sunday morning outreach at Saloma Baptist Church. This was our 22nd year, as best I recall, for coordinating the ministry - we took it over when a local ministry organization announced they could no longer do it. A special word of thanks once again to Deacon Mike Forbis and Associate Pastor Jason England for their help with this ministry. The services are held each Sunday morning, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, at 9:00 a.m. at the Green River Lake State Park campgrounds. We had excellent participation by several other churches and groups this year. We are thankful for this ministry and the thousands of people who have heard the Gospel proclaimed and shared through music, praise, prayer, preaching, creative ministries, etc. over the years. We look forward to another great year in 2019.

Pastor's Blog for July - August by John E. Chowning

As this blog is prepared for the months of July and August, we are experiencing our warmest and most humid weather of the summer. Temperatures are in the mid-90's with a heat index in the 100 plus range. For those with respiratory issues and concerns, these temperatures and level of humidity made it difficult to be outside for extended period. As one who grew up in a farm house that had no air conditioning and who worked on the farm during summer, I often look back and then in consider all the modern conveniences that we enjoy in 2018 - and especially in such hot, humid weather, we are blessed by air conditioning in our homes, cars, offices, church buildings, and most businesses where we do business. The modern conveniences, that make life more comfortable and bearable, are in many ways wonders of modern technology and the ingenuity of humanity. 

We have made many advances in science and technology that enhance the quality of our daily living. Look around your house and make note of all the devices that you have that provide man conveniences that earlier generations did not have. And then consider all the devices that we have that are strictly for personal entertainment and benefit. In most American homes today, every family member has his, or her, own computer, smart phone, tablet, television, etc. We have become a culture that is seemingly attached to our devices - we even have devices like "Alexa" who can place orders for us. There is discussion of drones delivering Amazon orders to the residence of the customer. We can order most anything now and have it delivered to our house within 24-48 hours. The list of modern conveniences goes on and on.

However, the more change that modernity brings our way, and the more chaos we observe in the world, there remains one thing that is every constant. That is the love of God and His grace as expressed in the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. The more advances that are made, the more the mystery and sovereignty of God are apparent. The deeper we go in science and medicine, the more complex and amazing life really is. As our concept of space and universe expand, we observe the expanse of the universe and the complexity of the galaxies - with no scientific explanation available to tell us how it all came about. Dr. Frances Collins, the scientist who headed the human genome project, has stated that the more he learned about the genetic structure and framework of the human species, the more evident it became to him that there is a creator and higher power - and that it is God. Praise God!

As a pastor, I see the multiple miracles of God everyday.. There is the miracle of human life, the miracle of creation, the miracle of how lives are changed in Jesus Christ! I have the opportunity to lead a congregation where Jesus is the head of the body, and where He is using a wonderful group of people in ministering to our community and world. I witness the changes in the lives of people as they determine God's good and perfect will. Boys and girls, men and women being saved by Jesus Christ and giving them abundant and eternal life. Beloved, that is the greatest of miracles! And it is a miracle that science and technology will never explain! Amen!

Pastor's Blog for May-June 2018 - Pastor John Chowning

We have made it through the last burst of winter weather here in southern Kentucky, and spring has finally become apparent. As this blog is prepared, dogwood trees are blooming as have redbuds - two of the true signs of spring. Tulips are blooming as are many other trees and flowers. Leaves are coming forth on the trees, and our lawns are having to be mowed at least once a week - if not more with all the recent rain we've had in our area. Spring has come forth - the beauty of God's creation in this season of recreation and renewal - is daily evident for those of who are of the Christian faith. It's certainly a great time to be alive and to enjoy the blessings of the beauty of God's creation.

During the next few weeks, we will go through another annual ritual and series of events. Students of all ages will be graduating and moving to the next level of their education or moving out into the real work of work, paying taxes, etc. if they're finishing high school and college. On Sunday, May 20, we will be honoring the graduates in our church family with special presentations during our 11:00 a.m. Worship Service immediately followed by a reception in their honor after the morning worship. We are very proud of all of our graduates at all levels of education and wish them the very best in the days ahead and pray that God will guide and protect them. It is truly a blessing to see our children and youth grow up and to become Christian servant leaders. When we see such young people crossing the stage to receive their diploma, we know that this is one more significant step in their lives and a move to more independence. And it is a reminder that the ministry we do in the life of our church and in our homes is hopefully providing them with the spiritual foundation and formation in Jesus Christ that will guide them all their lives.

Then we move into the month of June - vacations begin, young people have summer jobs, our Green River Lake ministry on Sunday mornings is underway (our 22nd-23rd year of coordinating the lake ministry and outreach), we launch our summer mission project (further details forthcoming), and families are often busy with travel and summer outings. Please pray for our summer outreach ministries such as that every Sunday morning at Green River Lake. Beginning on Memorial Day weekend and continuing through Labor Day weekend, hundreds of campers will hear the Gospel preached, songs of praise sun, and prayers offered. Seeds will be planted in the name of Jesus. Several churches and Christian groups are helping us this year. On Sunday, June 10, we will move our Sunday School and Worship to the lake - with a picnic gathering and fellowship. The weekly worship service will be held on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the amphitheater area at the Green River Lake State Park campgrounds. Pray for all those who will be leading this effort, and for Bro. Jason England, Deacon Mike Forbis, and me as we coordinate this ministry.

All that we do at Saloma Baptist Church should be - and that is always our goal - done in the name of and for the cause of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to minister in His name to our community and world. Even during the spring and early summer months, we must be about His mission and ministry in our church family, our homes, our community, and around the world. Join us anytime at SBC - a warm welcome awaits you - and you are always welcome.