All, I sure miss gathering with you at church on Sundays, Wednesdays, and other days. God bless you and your families during this time. Please feel free to call on us if we can be of assistance to you. The church office number is 534-4741. My cell number is 501-425-7097. Your calls are always welcome. And feel free to drop by the church for coffee or conversation!
We plan to have Drive-In Church on Sundays at 11 a. m. through the remainder of May around the church memorial garden, weather permitting. All other services and events are cancelled for right now.
If it is raining, we will still be on FM radio in the parking area, as well as on Facebook. When you arrive in the church parking lot, you will be given a church worship program with the songs printed in it, as well as the FM radio station to tune to. This service will be broadcast to your FM radio. You can remain in your vehicle for the service, OR, you can sit in your lawn chairs with the 6-foot social distancing, except for family members who may sit together. (We are following the Governor’s guidelines) For those who would like to give their tithes and offerings, there will be an offering box located on a table near the podium.
Our Sunday morning service is broadcast live on Facebook at 11 a. m., and may be found at www.facebook.com/FirstPineBluff/Live Also, as you know First Baptist Church broadcasts Sunday morning messages on KLRT FOX 16 every Sunday from 9:00 – 9:30 a. m.
Great news!! Our church website is back up and running, and it looks great! It can be found at https://www.fbcpinebluff.org/ You can find the Builder newsletter, church calendar, recent audio and video sermons, and other things, such as a giving portal on our new website.
If you have any questions or concerns about our service format or schedule, please feel free to call me.
The last couple months have been full of unprecedented changes in our lives. People and churches are trying to figure out how to live and minister in a period of social distancing. Our lives and schedules and norms have changed. Churches today have never ministered through a pandemic like the COVID-19. But these changes won’t last forever.
For right now, we need to do what the health professionals recommend. We need to take the commonsense actions that will decrease the spread of this virus. People over the age of 65 and those who have preexisting conditions are most vulnerable. If you’re in these categories, please be careful and wise. Use that mask when you go out if you have one. Don’t unnecessarily expose yourself to disease.
The Bible tells us there will be trials. 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” We are told to expect tough times. These are some of those times, but again, they won’t last forever.
At times like this, we need to hang on to truths that don’t change. During times of crisis, it’s really important to remember the fundamentals. Know that this will pass. We will “get on” with our lives soon. Churches will gather again. Things will “normalize” for us in time.
Focus on what’s unchanging, not what is changing. There are many changes to our world and community. We don’t know what all these changes will be. We now have opportunities for ministry we did not have before, such as live streaming on Facebook. We need to be flexible, but remember what hasn’t changed.
The Bible says, Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” In all this change, you can count on that truth. You can also know that God’s love for you and our community has never changed. God’s working in our lives has not changed. Do not let all the changes make you lose sight of everything that is still the same.
God is going through this with us. This virus did not surprise God. He will walk through every bit of it with us. We may feel alone at times. But we will never be alone. This virus did not sneak up on God. And it won’t stop the church. Jesus himself reminds us that “all the powers of hell will not conquer” the church (Matthew 16:18).
God doesn’t just want His church to survive during this period. He wants us to thrive. This is the difference between how we deal with pain as believers and how the world does. The church sees every need in the world as an opportunity for ministry and to do good for God’s glory.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Focus on that truth and not all the noise on the Internet and news right now. It will replace your worry with worship.
1 Corinthians 4:8, 14 says, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; . . . knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.” Easter tells us that we win no matter what happens. So, we will win! Even if a virus or other disease or accident takes our lives, we will go straight into the presence of God. On that day, all our pain, sickness, and sorrow will be over. There is no COVID-19 virus in Heaven.
We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds it.
Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”