Mustard Seed Faith

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed...  Matthew 17:20

Jesus spoke of faith in Matthew and likened it to seeds. In this passage, he spoke of the mustard seed..the tiny mustard seed. Seeds need to germinate before they can grow and produce. Faith is the same way. Our faith has to germinate and grow. As our faith grows, we are able withstand the trials and and challenges that eventually yield abundant fruit. 

You may have heard the story of the old man seen planting a carob tree. Knowing it would take 70 years to bear fruit, an observer asked the man it if he thought he'd be around to enjoy its fruit. The man explained that his father and grandfather had planted trees for him to enjoy so he was planting for the children and grandchildren who would follow him. The same can be said of prayer. Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted and disappears for a season. Then it returns to produce fruit and bless future generations. 

At Bonsack, we are standing on the shoulders of those who went before us. They sacrificed and gave to provide the facilities we worship in today. They dreamed and birthed the programs that have added many to God's family over the years. Our sanctuary and CLC may be larger and grander than they could ever have imagined yet, God is using them to reach Roanoke today and in the decades ahead. What prayers are you planting that will grow and produce fruit in the future? Are you praying for pastors, leaders, teachers, musicians and neighbors to reach our community? Are you praying for new congregations, new services and new programs to serve the mission field that's been entrusted to us? 

If we have the patience of the planter, the foresight of the farmer and the mind-set of the sower -- God promises to give the increase. 

To God be the Glory! 

Shameless Audacity

"...yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need." Luke 11:8

Most of us have probably not been accused of shameless audacity before. Would it be so bad? Would you mind being the "one" that had such faith that you asked Almighty God for something that only Almighty God could accomplish? Batterson writes that, "if we aren't willing to risk our reputation, we'll never establish God's. He goes on to ask, "why do we mistakenly think God is offended by our prayers for the impossible? The truth is that God is offended by anything less." It's the impossible prayers that honor God because they reveal our faith and allow God to reveal His glory!

What are you praying for Bonsack Baptist Church? What should we be doing that we cannot do in our own strength and within our own resources and that only God can accomplish? That's the kind of audacity we need to foster if we are to see God move in a powerful way and impact this city. Do we trust God enough to have a vision beyond our resources? What are you praying for? 

To God be the Glory! 

Complete Surrender

Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you. Joshua 3:5

Consecration is the complete surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ. We relinquish everything to God -- our time, talent and treasure. Are you willing to take that step? D.L Moody was inspired in his ministry by the words of an evangelist who challenged him by saying, "the world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him." Does that describe your relationship? Our relationship? If we give more of ourselves to God, He will give more of Himself to us. 

Let's join today in prayer that God will prepare the hearts of every member of BBC for the mission we are accepting. Let's pray He will give us a burden for the lost in our community and for the hurting who are in our midst. Let's pray that the open doors of BBC will be a welcome respite for a lost and dying world. Pray for Dr. Cadenhead as he expands his ministry and for Dr. Moore as he shifts his to his next season of ministry. 

To God be the Glory! 

Finding Our Mission Field

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."  Proverbs 16:9

Most of us like to believe that we are calling our own shots and making our own decisions. How many of those "lucky" breaks are really the hand of God in our lives? He can place us exactly where we need to be to accomplish a task but it's up to us to seize the opportunity and follow through to accomplish God's plan. How has He prepared you for this moment? Which of your talents and relationships can be used for God's glory as you serve Him at Bonsack Baptist Church? 

We have a beautiful new facility designed to allow us to create "community" and "connection" with our community. Through the vision of those before us, we have a a new Community Life Center that includes a coffee shop, a gymnasium and a state of the art conference center. We have the tools to reach out to a hurting world to serve them. God placed that vision in Dr. Moore's heart and equipped him to cast that vision to our congregation. God granted the resources and resolve to move forward to break ground and build the CLC. 

Our mission now is to step forward and begin to bring life to the vision. Our mission is to seize that opportunity and serve our neighbors and witness to the life saving gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a mission field that stretches north to Daleville and Fincastle, west to Hollins and Roanoke, east to Blue Ridge and Montvale and south to Vinton and beyond. Conservatively, we have a mission field (within 15-minutes driving distance of BBC) that includes over 12,000 people who don't have a church to call home. 12,000!  Praise God!  

Pray today that each of us will step up and step through the doors that God has opened. Pray for the new ministries that will be birthed as we work up to accomplish the vision that God has laid on our hearts. Pray for stamina and courage to do new things and accept new challenges. Mark Batterson writes,

““God is great not just because nothing is too big for Him; God is also great because nothing is too small.” ”

— Mark Batterson, Draw the Circle

A Foundation of Prayer

In the past five days, over 80 students and young adults from our youth group and Launch (Bonsack's college & career ministry) have walked through the Community Life Center to write scriptures and prayers on the concrete floors soon to be covered up by carpet, tile or hardwood. While no one will see these messages on the day the CLC opens, what if the foundation of prayer we lay this week touches generations in ways we can't even imagine?

In his book Draw the Circle, Mark Batterson writes:

Praying is planting. Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted in the ground. It disappears for a season, but it eventually bears fruit that blesses future generations. In fact, our prayers bear fruit forever.

In Matthew 17:20, Christ said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. This Sunday, March 13, in between services and after worship you are invited to bring your dreams, hopes and visions for the future of Bonsack Baptist and help us pray over the Community Life Center. We won't be here forever, and neither will this building, but the prayers we pray- and the lives Christ changes through those prayers- will have an eternal impact.

Help us lay the foundation.