Coats Baptist Church https://coatsbaptist.com Coats, North Carolina Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:59:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://coatsbaptist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-coats-favicon-32x32.png Coats Baptist Church https://coatsbaptist.com 32 32 Called to Confess https://coatsbaptist.com/called-to-confess/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:55:10 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8545

Called to Confess

written by Haley King, Children & Family Ministries Coordinator (March 17, 2024)

Why do we find confession so hard? We often hold off on confession because we don’t want to give up something quite yet or we don’t want to admit to Christ that we have done wrong. In reality, God already knows but it’s up to us to acknowledge we have sinned before Christ. Confessing to God is agreeing with God and acknowledging a sin that God is already aware of.

Let’s look at a few passages of Scripture that talks to us about the consequences of confession and the lack of. In Psalm 32 we see the consequences of both. Verse 1-2 tells us the consequence of confession is joy and freedom.

How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit! As this chapter moves on David tells us in verses 3-4 the consequence of the lack of confession in his life. When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat.

David was drained and tired because he was choosing to carry the load of his sin on his own. God never intended for us to carry this load, this is why is takes such a toll on us mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritual. It is impossible to have close communion with Christ when you have unconfessed sin in your life. We need to be reminded that forgiveness and freedom comes through the God’s goodness not ours. In Psalm 51:1 it says “Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.” This verse makes it clear that it is not because of our love and compassion that God blots out our rebellion against him but because of the faithful love and abundant compassion of our God.

We serve a loving and compassionate God who wants to forgive us. He doesn’t make us earn it or prove our sincerity. Psalm 32:5 says “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Christ immediately forgave David after he acknowledged his sin before God and confessed. Christ will do the same for you. 

God is in the business of restoration and he wants to restore our joy but we have to come to Him with everything.  But we can’t just stop there. When we are forgiven it calls us to action to forgive others as well. In Luke 7, we see a woman that falls at Jesus’ feet and anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. The Pharisees immediately questioned who Jesus said he was because surely he wouldn’t let a woman with this amount of sin in her life touch him. Jesus goes on to answer the question of this Pharisee by telling a story of two debtors that were forgiven. One of a small amount and one of a large amount. Jesus then asks the question in Luke 7:42 “Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?” Those who are forgiven greatly, love and forgive greatly. This is all of us. We have all been forgiven greatly by our God, and because of that we are called to forgive. 

 Two action steps to take away from this thought on confession are —

1. Don’t delay in confession.

Psalm 32:6-7 says “Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance.” Delaying in confession only hurts you. You aren’t keeping anything from God, nor are you bothering him. We see in these verses in order to be faithful to Christ we are to pray to him immediately so when the trials and sufferings of life come, he can protect and surround us with joyful shouts of deliverance. Don’t delay in repentance to Christ. Delayed repentance is denied mercy. Accept the mercy that God desires to pour onto you. 

2. Jesus doesn’t call you to do anything that he hasn’t already done and modeled for you.

As Christians we should be striving to look more like Christ in every area of our life. Jesus didn’t have to confess sins but he did model how we ought to pray and instructed us to confess our sins in prayer. Jesus has modeled biblical forgiveness for us and has forgiven those who seek his forgiveness. Yes, sometimes forgiving people who have wronged you is hard and they may not deserve your forgiveness but we didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness either. Christ forgave those who put him on a cross. It’s important for us to remember that Jesus doesn’t expect anything from us that he hasn’t already done and then some.

When we hold on to the sin in our life it adds a weight to our life that we were never meant to carry. Jesus stops us before we have to carry the wrath of God and takes it for us. This is the good news of the gospel that we do not have to carry the weight of our sinfulness. Confess to C

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Self Imposed Limitations https://coatsbaptist.com/self-imposed-limitations/ Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:44:24 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8455

Self Imposed Limitations

written by Jimmy Newkirk, Associate Pastor (February 26, 2024)

We have a cat. I don’t particularly like cats. Mostly because they’re not dogs. Now, to be fair, we have a really good cat. But it’s still a cat.

We also have a dog. I really like dogs. They’re loyal, fun, easy to care for and good company. Besides that, they’re easily house-trained. At least a lot easier than kids. 

Because we have pets, we also have a doggie door so that they can come and go to do their business. The dog has this figured out. He doesn’t need any help. But the cat, on the other hand, not so much. She seems to have created her own set of imaginary barriers. 

You should know the doggie door has a plastic flap which acts as a gate or door within the larger door. The flap is very pliable and moves freely in either direction, in or out. Easy enough, so it would seem. When the cat is outside the house, she knows she can simply push her way through to come in. However, she can’t seem to accept the fact that it works the same in either direction. When she is inside the house wanting to go out, instead of just pushing through, she finds it necessary to pull the flap toward her and squeeze through, simultaneously holding the flap open with one paw while jumping through the opening as it closes on her. 

She’d love it if someone would just come and open the whole door for her. But, before making her exit, she’ll sit facing the flap, meowing, pouting, and crying about the fact she has to pull it open and make this ungraceful dismount. 

In reality, she doesn’t have to. She makes things hard on herself. 

So do we. 

It pains me to say it, but I am guilty of imposing limitations on myself just as I mock my cat for doing. Far too often, we make life hard on ourselves. Anytime we go against God’s plan, we create unnecessary burden. We certainly don’t change God’s plan, but there is a degree to which God will, for a time, let us do things the hard way in order to show us that His ways are best.

Each time we sin against God, we functionally tell Him that we’re going to do things our own way, according to our own preferences. That never works out well. In Acts 26:14-15, the Apostle Paul recounts the time of his conversion. Jesus, speaking to him from heaven, said, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Paul testified that, despite his devotion, he was headed in the wrong direction and for the wrong purposes, doing things his way.

Granted, you and I are deeply embroiled in a spiritual war, but too often we make things difficult for ourselves. Self-imposed limitations are not always sin. Sometimes, it’s a matter of not recognizing where God is leading in a specific situation, though sin may be behind our lack of such recognition. Other times, it’s more obvious in that we’re not following His written instructions. 

In either case, we must always be willing to step away from our patterned behavior to ask:

 – Is this God’s way or my way? 

 – Is God leading us to push forward even when we feel like pulling back? 

 – What does God’s Word instruct or show us to do? 

 – Have we created self-imposed limitations?

We need to take time to self-reflect against God’s design as individuals, as families, and as a church. There is much we could learn. When the burdens of our life and ministry are many, Jesus reminds us, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt 11:30)”

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“Just a few stamps, please.” https://coatsbaptist.com/just-a-few-stamps-please/ Sun, 21 Jan 2024 03:09:17 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8381

“Just a few stamps, please.”

written by Jimmy Newkirk, Associate Pastor (January 21, 2024)

“Just a few stamps, please.” Mrs. Nell Strickland didn’t ask for much, but that’s how she would answer the question when asked if she needed anything. “Just a few stamps.” On occasion, she might hesitatingly add, ” … and maybe some writing paper and envelopes.” 

 

I never knew Mrs. Nell to be well. My earliest memories of her were in a nursing home, mostly confined to her chair. I know nothing of her family. I don’t know what jobs or skills she may have had. She’s been with the Lord for close to 40 years now, but my memories of her are beautiful and lasting.

 

Mrs. Nell wasn’t physically able to do much. But she could pray. And she could write. And she could encourage. And she did just that. She wrote letters sharing little verses of scripture and words of encouragement, bathed in prayer. She wrote to everyone she could think of, including me even though I was at least 60 years her junior. She didn’t spend her money on herself; she bought stationary.

 

She had every reason to be idle and many reasons to complain, but she didn’t. She took seriously the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and 16-18, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing … Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“

 

“Everyone can do something. I can write and I can pray”, Mrs. Nell would say softly.  But she did far more than that. Her simple letters of encouragement have left a legacy, engraved in the memory of those she touched, even now some decades later. 

 

In humble obedience, her acts of service and positive words of encouragement influenced others to do the same and a church letter writing ministry was begun. The potential impact of her encouragement and her prayers multiplied by countless fellow believers who followed her path of influence is without measure. And who will ever know the impact of her petitions before a loving God. Her life was a living example of the widow in Luke 21:1-4 giving her last mite to the offering. Mrs. Nell gave all she had and blessed generations as a result.

 

May we all live as Mrs. Nell, devoting our life to prayer, to encouragement, and giving all we have to build up the Kingdom of God.

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Selecting Deacons: Thoughts on Acts 6 https://coatsbaptist.com/selecting-deacons-thoughts-on-acts-6/ Sun, 14 Jan 2024 13:55:15 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8344

Selecting Deacons: Thoughts on Acts 6

written by Neal Thornton, Senior Pastor (January 14, 2024)

Last year I began preaching through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings. It’s been a true delight to see the early formation of God’s people, indwelled and accompanied by the Holy Spirit as Jesus so promised (John 16:7; Luke 24:49). From pneumatology to ecclesiology, lessons surely abound from the introductory scenes chronicled by Doctor Luke. As our study has now reached the sixth chapter, one very practical insight has come to the fore—the selection of servants, or we might even say, “deacons.” As Acts 6 opens, we’ve learned how the apostles provided a servant solution to a growing, at times complaining, church. Further, we noted how the early church’s selection process may inform the contemporary church of a method for servant selection, even for deacon ministry. 

The year is 2024. It’s no longer the first century, and we are not in Jerusalem. And further, the deacon office has been ordained as an official office in the local church (Phil. 1:1). But that does not mean the descriptions from life in the first century church are without contemporary application. We can learn a lot from going all the way back to the beginning. Therefore, in this post, I’d like to propose the process mentioned in Acts 6 for the selection of seven servants, as a general framework for modern deacon selection. To be sure, deacons are not mentioned explicitly in this text as they are in Philippians 1 and 1 Timothy 3. However, based upon the linguistic value of the verb “serve” and the listing of similar character qualifications as those in 1 Timothy, we are on good ground to at least see a prototype deacon in Acts 6.1  

We should note that if this text is not at least linked to the origin of deacons, we have no precedent for the office in the early church, and yet the office is accepted in the subsequent Scriptures of the New Testament. So, I’m going with Acts 6 as an early representation of deacon ministry in the early church, while recognizing it to be the only passage where a selection process for servants is applied. If a church wants therefore Biblical warrant for their selection process, then Acts 6, albeit descriptive, is a good place to find it. 

Before outlining the selection process, a few interpretive points should be made on the text.

  • Deacon ministry originates as an administrative solution to a practical problem in ministry (v. 1-2). Thus, there is no assumption that every church should have deacons in the same number or use them in the same way. 
  • Deacons fulfill the second side of the labor divide between spiritual and physical ministry. They meet practical needs (“serve tables”), absorb relational shocks, and preserve congregational unity while pastors maintain their focus on prayer and preaching. (v. 2, 4) 
  • Because their ministry would have them immersed among needy people (table waiting), deacons are to meet only the highest of character qualifications. Given that no other NT passage outlines the deacon’s function, it can be assumed that deacons more than likely are to meet the physical needs of the congregations either on the individual or corporate level, or perhaps both. 
  • Though the complaint came from the congregation, the idea of selecting deacons came from the apostles. The administration of the selection process is then overseen by the apostles at the approval of the congregation. Such is an early example of healthy congregationalism where we see the deacons serving, the elders (apostles at this time) leading, and the congregation ruling.  

Selection Process

The “brothers (and sisters)” are instructed to carefully select men who meet certain qualifications, of which character takes priority over competency (v. 3). While the process used for making their selections is unknown, at least three components can be observed: First, the pipe, “pick out from among you;” second, the screen, “good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom;” and third the vote, “set before the apostles.” However these three mechanics were employed, the instructions given by the apostles “pleased the whole gathering.” (v. 5) 

There is great latitude in how the contemporary church selects their deacons, as few parameters—by the Holy Spirit’s design—are mentioned in the text. Every local church then must come up with their own process within the Acts 6 paradigm for there is no other process mentioned in the Bible. 

Let’s look at these three elements.

1. The Pipe“Brothers, pick out from among you” 

Servants (which we will refer to here as “deacons” for the sake of simplicity) are selected from the congregation. These are not hired hands from the outside. These men are not trained to become deacons, but identified as deacons from among the people. Those already serving, already with exemplary character, those are the men selected. Training comes after installation. 

But it is not clear who does this selection. We are only told “brothers.” Was this a committee? Did the apostles ask for nominations? Surely some process was used given the size of the congregation. Yes, an anonymous popular vote is an option. Was there one vote or two? Perhaps asking persons to attach their name is better. Some churches have asked that a short rationale be submitted with each name. Here is where churches must demonstrate prudence. For example: Should selections be made from the congregation at large, or from a tighter, previously identified group of men known to be servants? Whatever method is used, men come from the congregation to serve the congregation and be approved by the congregation.

2. The Screen “seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom”

Not everyone can be a deacon, all the time. The early church selected seven. Why seven? We do not know. We should note however that seven is a small number considering the size of the congregation. This tells us that these men were likely charged with the oversight of table service, perhaps not as hands on as others. Why seven “men” were selected, we are not sure. Reasons could range from tradition to function, but we would not want to press an argument here for a male-only diaconate—especially since we are not dealing here with the formally, subsequently formed deacon office noted in the Pauline epistles. (That conversation resides primarily with the use of “women” (Gk: γυναῖκας) in 1 Tim. 3:11) The number seven, a filter in itself, is connected to the function of the ministry. Any selection process must be shaped by the function of the deacon ministry, not vice-versa.

The men were not only filtered by number, but by nature. That is, their character. Three exemplary marks must be present, qualifying a man as worthy of a noble service. As seen later of deacon qualification in 1 Timothy 3, his is not one of competency but of character. Again, congregations must choose their own method for determining a man’s observable character. Some churches use surveys and interview candidates upon completion. Still others select from internal ministries where a documented history of character has been proven. 

3. The Vote“what they said pleased the whole gathering… These they set before the apostles”

I must admit, as a convictional congregationalist who believes in elder leadership under congregational governance, this text floats my Baptist boat. What we have here is the congregation—at the direction of the apostles—selecting men for service. The apostles are not ruling, but leading. The congregation is not leading, but ruling (and serving!). Verse 5 reads, “and what they said pleased the whole gathering.” Meaning, the congregation approved of the apostle’s process of selection, and then, at some level came to a congregational consensus to then “set before the apostles” the men they had selected. 

The church, not the apostles, selected the seven at the apostle’s direction. The selections were made, they brought their selections before the apostles, and with hands laid on the candidates the apostle’s affirmed and appointed them. We see a mutual (beautiful) trust between the apostles and the people. The apostles bookended the process, starting with leading and directing (the congregation then selected and approved) and finished with affirming and appointing. Apostle (elder) led congregationalism at its best. It went well, just read verse 7. 

Now, the text does not say that there was a congregational vote. Perhaps there was a members meeting. There in fact may have been. We do not know how the congregation reached a consensus, but they did. Regardless of how they get there, churches must find some way to congregationally approve both the man and his ministry. Here again, churches have to figure this out on their own, in context and culture. But in the end, no deacon should be installed into service (nor should he want to be!) without the backing of the people to whom he has been charged to serve. 

Models for ministry

Before a selection process can be shaped, the role and responsibility of the deacon must be determined. Is each deacon assigned a specific ministry, or do they work as a general team? (Many favor a both/and approach.) Defining the deacon ministry will help shape both the quality (skill) and quantity (number) of candidates needed. Regardless of the ministry model, the New Testament sets forth certain character qualifications (1 Timothy 3:8-13) and is descriptive of the deacon’s function to the degree that a general scope of service can be assumed as his primary ministry. (Acts 6:1-7)

Deacon ministry models are largely determined by the level at which deacons are called upon to perform duties assigned to the office of elder (leading, teaching, pastoring). One should note, such duties assigned to the deacon body can often distract and dilute the true service ministry of the deacon. The more deacons function as elders, the less they will be able to serve as deacons. Pastoral ministry, therefore, should first be led by the pastors as ones who are responsible for the flock (Heb. 13:7, 17), while utilizing uniquely able deacons to assist in areas of particular need. 

Deacons play a key role of service and support in local churches. The ministry of the word by the pastors is often helped along by such faithful servants. Take any church that loves their Bibles, wants healthy pastors, and is eager to meet the needs of its people, and you’ll surely find a strong band of biblical qualified and functioning deacons. In the words of Luke the historian, may “the word of God continue to increase, and the number of the disciples multiply greatly!”


1 New Testament scholar Darrel Bock writes, for example, “This is probably not the origin of the office of deacon. The title is never used for the group, nor is there any evidence that these men do all the things that deacons did. However, the principle of designating a set of laborers for this kind of task is probably what led to the creation of the office at a later time.” Bock, Darrell, Acts, (Baker: Grand Rapids, 2007), 262. For further study, see chapter 34, “What Is the Background of the New Testament Deacon?” in Ben Merkle, 40 Questions About Elders and Deacons, (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2008), 227-232.

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A Resolution for Worship https://coatsbaptist.com/a-resolution-for-worship/ Sun, 31 Dec 2023 03:54:17 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8291

A Resolution for Worship

written by Kayl Whitaker, Supply Worship Leader (December 31, 2023)

A new year is upon us and with it comes the season of “New Year’s Resolutions.” Gym memberships spike for the next 3-5 months, while home organizational supplies and health food items fly off store shelves! Christians set goals to improve spiritual lives like reading through the entire Bible in a year (shameless promo for CBc plan here!), making goals to follow a daily devotional plan, memorizing passages of Scripture or even whole books of the Bible, and various other goals.

 

All of these are absolutely positive and good, but I’d like to pause and ask a simple question to my fellow “resolvers” — what about our goals for worship? You might be thinking, “I attend worship every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening, what needs to be improved with that!?” But, however, we must remember that mere service attendance is not true spiritual worship. As this new year begins, we need to refresh our minds as to what worship is and how we are to worship.

 

I’d like to present two (2) key convictions that can help grow us as healthy worshipers both corporately at church, and privately during the week.

1. Worship Starts with Substance, not Style.

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24 (ESV)

In this passage we see Jesus speaking to the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s well in the town of Sychar. Jesus teaches her, among other things, that worship of God is more than a place, in reference to the temple, but that it can be done anywhere at any time.  From this we can also connect that worship style does not matter to God.  In his book, True Worshippers: Seeking What Matters to God, Bob Kaufflin says, 

“For those of us who think of worship primarily in terms of musically driven emotional experiences, Jesus’s conversation with the Samaritan woman should be eye-opening. Jesus is talking about “true worshipers” and he doesn’t reference music once. Not a whisper of bands, organs, keyboards, choirs, drum sets, guitars, or even lutes, lyres, and timbrels… Broadly speaking, worship in spirit and truth is worship that springs from a sincere heart and lines up with the truth of God’s Word.” (26-27) 

Music enhances our worship of God in ways that words alone cannot.  Music connects with each of us and allows us to pour out our hearts to God on a much deeper level, but it should not be our central focus or the point from which our worship originates. True worship begins with our abject submission of self to God, humility in His presence, and expressing our love to Him as our response “in spirit and in truth” to His word. As the people of God we are word-shaped and text-driven, as indicated by our worship gatherings. It is the word that regulates our worship. By it we read, see, pray, preach, and even sing the word. Style is important, but substance is more.

2. Worship Flows from a Healthy Heart. 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  – Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

The Bible is God’s special revelation to us (cf. Psalm 19:7-13). By it we come to know who he is, who we are, and how we can know him personally. In short, it is only by the word that we understand the gospel; how sinful man is made right with a holy God in the person and work of Jesus. Therefore, the deeper we grow in our knowledge of the Bible, the more intimate our relationship of God becomes. 

Again Kaufflin writes, “The Word of God is the primary way God begins and deepens our relationship with him, and is essential for true worship.” (True Worshipers, 42) The one, true and living God desires to meet us in his word by his Spirit. And that  is why we often say at Coats Baptist, right doctrine always leads us to doxology. The pure worship of God is the soul’s right expression of the word of Christ richly dwelling within us.

In all things, our worship begins with the Word of God, is enhanced by our growth in doctrine, even increases as we articulate sound theology and apply it to our lives. Marriages, for example, will grow in health and worship as they the bride understand the Lord Jesus Christ to be their true bridegroom (cf., Ephesians 5:22-33). The more a husband loves his Lord, the more he’ll love his wife. Marriage is to be the gospel in HD! 

As we round the corner into the New Year, let us be resolved to worship. Allow me to encourage you to worship the Lord with intentionality, both corporate (i.e. as part of a local church) and private. As you make your resolution list for 2024, put “worship God” at the top. In fact, you need no resolution, just a call to deeper discipleship (Luke 9:23; Rom. 11:33-36)

When you begin your day with your new devotional book or scripture passage(s), make time after your study to simply worship God either by singing a song, hymn, or other spiritual song you know from memory or from a YouTube video, or just sit quietly in the presence of your heavenly Father and just ‘be’ in His presence.  When you meet to worship with other believers in church, do so with a glad heart. 

As you could tell I’ve been helped by Kaufflin’s book, True Worshippers. There are many good books on worship, but I’d recommend you give this one a read. Here’s the link if you’d like a copy. Perhaps God will use a short read on “worship” to light your fire as he did for me.

As we’ve been studying on Sundays, it just seems fitting to close a post on worship with “Gloria Patri.”

Glory be to God the Father;

Glory be to God the Son;

Glory be to God the Spirit, ever three and ever one: As it was in the beginning, now and evermore shall be, world without end. Amen.

My wife Leighanne and I have greatly enjoyed our time this year with you. Coats Baptist is a sweet church to call home. We hope to be with you more and more in the weeks ahead, as ever the Lord may allow. I pray this passage over you for 2024:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)

 

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The Best Christmas Gift https://coatsbaptist.com/the-best-christmas-gift/ Sun, 24 Dec 2023 21:55:11 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8249

The Best Christmas Gift

written by Jimmy Newkirk, Associate Pastor (December 24, 2023)

The best Christmas gift we ever gave was a photograph. The photograph was in a simple 4×6” frame, but it came with a promise. The promise and picture were of our soon-to-be daughter, Breanna. 

We hadn’t met her yet and all we had was a tiny, thumbnail photo which we enlarged and printed to give to our families. In each case, when the gift was opened, there was a confused look. They wondered, “Why are you giving us a picture frame?” In their minds, the portrait was just a stock photo that came with the frame.

We explained, “We’re not giving you a frame; we’re giving you a little girl … this little girl.” God had laid it on our hearts to bring her into our forever family. God blessed our family as we fell in love with a child, even before we met her.

But God gave us an even better Christmas gift that also came with a promise. He gave us a Savior, a Savior of whom He had painted a picture through promises in His Scriptures even before the world got to meet Him.


Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God promised to send:

  • One to defeat sin and evil,
  • One to suffer and die for us,
  • One who would pay for our sin as a sinless, perfect sacrifice,
  • One who would defeat death for us,
  • One who’s kingdom would last forever,
  • One who would escort us into a forever home with a forever family.

These promises and many more were fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, even though the promises were not always understood at the time they were given. (John MacArthur cites roughly 330 prophecies about Jesus in the Bible with about 110 referring to His first coming. Just a few examples include: Genesis 3:15, 2 Sam. 7:16; Psalm 2, 22, and 110; Isaiah 7, 9, 11, 42, 53, and 61.) God stepped into His own creation to bring righteousness into the world … to redeem a people for Himself. Titus 2:11-14 reminds us,

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

After we met Breanna, we were allowed to spend some time with her over the next few weeks during periodic visits and phone calls. Our visits and calls were cherished but way too short. Then, one very special day, she came home to live with us, together, face to face, as one united family. 

I’m sure that those who spent time with Jesus here on earth thought that their time was quite insufficient. But, just as our family was brought together here, God is bringing together His family, one at a time, to be with Him forever in heaven. 

Today, as we celebrate Christmas, we can reflect on God’s best gift: a Child, born in a manger in all humility. Though we have not seen Him in person yet, He is pictured and promised in days of old, but bringing new life today to all who will hear. We may indeed have a Merry Christmas because of God’s gift, Emmanuel, God is with us!

 

 

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Dealing with Diotrephes https://coatsbaptist.com/dealing-with-diotrephes/ Sun, 10 Dec 2023 12:45:50 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8214

Dealing with Diotrephes

written by Neal Thornton, Senior Pastor (December 10, 2023)

John the Baptist has been considered the last of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus considered him to be the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6, the promised “Elijah,” who would “turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” (cf. Matt. 11:13-14; 17:10-13; Luke 1:17) Surely marking the end of the intertestamental period, John’s ministry was to be a forerunner of sorts to the Lord Jesus. He was to arrive first, get things in order, only for the King to arrive (Mark 1:1-8, cf. Isaiah 40:3; Mal. 3:1) In military terms, John was the advance party. 

Born of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, John preceded Jesus in both birth and ministry. Through preaching a baptism of repentance, John the Baptist was to roll out the red carpet, if you will, for the Messiah. When Jesus made his public ministry appearance, John had only one thing to say —“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) The Baptist declared the way, prepared the way, and now it was time for him to get out of the way! 

So it should be for every Christian. We call people to Christ, we clear a path for ministry, and then we’re quick to get out of God’s way. 

A Man Named Diotrephes

Yet tragically, that is not always the case. In fact, the New Testament shows that since the inception of the church, people have tried to stand in God’s way. Not good. One example is a man John (the apostle, not the Baptist) named as “Diotrephes.” In John’s third letter, he writes:

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. (3 John 1:9-10)

As we read the letter, John’s point is clear: the church is active in missional hospitality, a “faithful thing.” (v. 5-6) But Diotrephes is seeking to stop it, “refusing to welcome the brothers” and “stops those who want to.” (v. 10) Yikes. He is exhibit A of one standing in the way—in the way of those who we read of earlier, who “have gone out for the sake of the name.” (v. 7) Diotrephes is standing in God’s way.

Diotrephes must have loved himself and wanted to be first, a photo-negative of John the Baptist. (cf. John 3:30) Speaking of him, John Stott says, “Personal vanity still lies at the root of most dissensions in every local church today.” (TNTC, Stott, 235) The root of Diotrephes’ problem was not theological, but moral. And it was sin. He is against the mission and against the gospel, an inhibitor to gospel growth. Nothing grows around the Diotrephes of the church. He is like a polluted spring, contaminating everything he touches. 

Those who have been around a while will tell you, every church has at least one Diotrephes in their midst. Such a person can often hold ministries captive and the people hostage. Yet, while Diotrephes may be present, it’s what churches do with their Diotrephes that makes all the difference. Do they allow them to ride roughshod over members and ministry, or do they stand up to them, rebuking them with a Bible in hand? That Diotrephes is present is not the issue, it is his influence and impact upon the church that most certainly is. John makes his prescription for such people: “I will bring up what he is doing.” (v. 10) John will go to the source and confront him face to face. An exercise Jesus likely taught him, recorded in Matthew 18:15.

What Should Churches Do?

But not every battle is defensive, and not every example is negative. John instructs us to “imitate good,” following the example of a man whose name also begins with D: Demetrius. John writes: 

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. (3 John 1:11-12)

To be sure, churches can have helpful leadership structures that keep Diotrephes from influence. But it takes more than structure; it takes strong members, those that lead by example while refusing to aid and abet the diabolical agents among them. A Diotrephes can be a wet blanket over the ministry and testimony of the church, even for generations. For such a church to ever flourish, they have to deal with Diotrephes.

There’s a long line of gospel offenders in the New Testament, “Alexander the coppersmith,” for example (2 Tim. 4:14). Each had their own way of blockading gospel ministry. Moreover their names went down in print. For men like Diotrephes, he will be known as the man who stood in the way. Let us be mindful that the annals of history are being written over us Sunday by Sunday, in the mind of members and in the records of heaven. 

Don’t get in God’s way. That’s a major takeaway from this little letter we call, Third John. 

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For Such A Time As This https://coatsbaptist.com/for-such-a-time-as-this/ Wed, 29 Nov 2023 22:58:43 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8171

For Such A Time As This

written by Haley King, Children & Family Ministries Coordinator (Novemeber 29, 2023)

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in life? Who did God create you to be and for what reason? Well first and foremost He made you in His image for His glory. But we also recognize that God prepares things ahead of us for us to accomplish for His will.  Paul said in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (CSB) God created each person for His glory and for a specific reason. 

I want to encourage you today by looking at the story of Esther. God worked in Esthers life far before placing her on the throne. God worked behind the scenes to prepare Esther for this higher purpose. Esthers parents died when she was younger and she was raised by her cousin Mordecie. I’m sure Esther felt lonely and forgotten at times and didn’t understand why the situations in her life were unfolding in this way. Esther turned into a beautiful women and God used her beauty to place her in the kingdom as queen. 

Let’s start from the beginning. The king had been convinced to put away his wife, Vashti, because she refused to come to the celebration the king was having knowing the kind of party it was. The party had gone on for 180 days and the king was drunk and wanted to show off his wife. When Vashti refused the kings orders, she had to be removed from being queen. The other men were scared that other women would catch wind of this and would think they didn’t have to obey their husbands either leading to a “rebellion of wives”. So this led to the king now in need of a new queen. 

After the celebration was over and he had sobered up… he began to miss his wife. The same men that convinced him to get rid of his wife had another suggestion. They suggested that they hold a beauty contest and let the most beautiful women in the kingdom come before him that he might choose from them a new queen. Esther became a quick favorite. When the king saw Esther, he immediately fell for her and he had the crown placed on her head, and she became queen.

Up to this point we do not know why God has allowed all this to happen. As the story unfolds it becomes clear. After Esther becomes queen her cousin Mordecie makes a man named Haman very upset because Mordecie would not bow to Haman. Haman knowing that Mordecie is a Jew comes up with a cruel plan to kill all the Jews. God’s people are now threatened to be exterminated. Esther the queen is a Jew, though this is not known by others. Ah ha! God has put Esther in a very strategic place as queen. Mordecie gets word to Esther about Haman’s plan and tells her she must go to the king and ask for the Jews to be spared. Esther tells Mordecie that going before the king without being summoned is a death sentence. The king could kill Esther on the spot. Mordecie reminds Esther that her life is in danger no matter what because she herself is a Jew. In this moment Mordecie points to Esther’s purpose — “perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” 

Esther went before the king and he immediately showed her favor. God had even prepared the kings heart as it was very clear that the king had a huge soft spot for Esther. When Esther came before the king he offered to give her anything she wanted, including half the kingdom if she ask. A women that God used her beauty to get her into the kingdom now uses her bravery to save His people. She was His instrument to save His nation of Israel. 

It is interesting to me that in two days Esther was able to fulfill the purpose of God for her life. Esther walked boldly in obedience to God’s call on her life. God’s people were going to be saved, that wasn’t a question. If not Esther, God would of used someone or something else to spare Israel. Esther’s bravery and obedience allowed her to be an instrument used by God. Oh, what an honor! We too can have that same honor. God has a purpose for us, but will we step up to the call. Will we be ready? For some it might be a moment God has prepared and purposed your life for, and for others it might be a lifetime of ministry and service. No matter the time frame, we should be postering our lives to live with the mindset of “for such a time as this”. When a moment comes in our life, to fulfill God’s purpose, it often calls for a great commitment. Like Esther, it might be the kind of commitment that says, “I will do it, and if I perish, I perish. But I will know that I perished for the cause of God.” 

God is always working behind the scenes in our lives. We do not know what God is preparing us for, but all things are working together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. There is no greater time than this to live your life knowing you were created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared ahead of time for you to do! 

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Loving Our Community: Building Relationships through Service https://coatsbaptist.com/loving-our-community-building-relationships-through-service/ Mon, 20 Nov 2023 02:10:27 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8148 Our Search for a Worship Pastor https://coatsbaptist.com/our-search-for-a-worship-pastor/ Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:21:05 +0000 https://coatsbaptist.com/?p=8072

Our Search for a Worship Pastor

written by Neal Thornton, Senior Pastor (November 8, 2023)

After eight years of service as our pastor of worship ministry, Jonathan Waggett resigned his position on October 10, 2023. As with all good ministry leaders, we miss him dearly as he served us so faithfully. Please see my post “Why We’ll Miss the Waggetts” as my way of speaking on behalf of a thankful congregation. 

Kayl Whitaker

Before his departure, Jonathan planned the Sunday morning services through the end of the year. To implement these plans, Jonathan secured Kayl Whitaker as a supply worship leader. Different from a potential “interim” who would cast vision and plan services, Kayl’s supply role is simply implementing pre-planned services. We acknowledge Pastor Jonathan’s departure preparations as a stroke of sound, pastoral leadership—for which we are grateful.

 Any time a church loses a public leader, there is an organizational and ministerial transition that takes place. Kayl is here to help with that transition. Keeping him and his ministry healthy is a key to success. Be sure to encourage and support him (and his wife Leighanne) as he spends time here at Coats Baptist. As an act of appropriate generosity, our church will compensate Kayl with a weekly honorarium according to the services he provides. Learn more about Kayl here.

 Worship Pastor Search and Committee

With Kayl in place, Coats Baptist is ready to search for their next worship pastor. And as we do, there are two ideas we must keep in mind – the need for the search, and the stress of the search. Both ideas inform the search rationale as delegated to the committee. 

To read this article in length, CLICK HERE.

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