Category: Mind of the Missionary

“Since then you have been raised with Christ…”  (Colossians 3.1a)

As I write you from month to month, I normally don’t preach in my articles. However, this time might be different. I’ve been reading in the book of Colossians, and I’ve gotten stuck on several phrases in this third chapter which is prefaced by “since then you have been raised with Christ”. That phrase right there should be enough for us to “camp out” for a while. Since we have been raised with Christ, it must mean that we were buried by some means. I’m physically alive, so Paul is not talking about my physical resurrection, but he’s speaking of my spiritual resurrection. So, all that know Jesus as Savior and Lord are new persons. (II Cor. 5:17) It’s like Lazarus when he walked out of his grave. We’ve walked out of our spiritual graves into new lives in Christ.

As I continue reading the next verses, these phrases appear, “set your hearts on things above”, “set your mind on things above”, and “your life is now hidden with Christ in God”.  It’s pretty clear that Paul wants the believer as well as the body of Christ to understand the direction in which our lives should take…fixed on Christ. Are we fixed on Christ every second, every minute, and every moment of every day? To be honest with you, I have my moments when I’m not as focused as I should be. This leads me to set my mind and heart on earthly things. When my mind and heart are set on earthly things, that’s when I begin to falter in my faith and my walk in the Lord.

So, as we move toward the days of Thanksgiving, yes, enjoy time with family, enjoy the food, but do not set your mind and hearts on earthly things. Set your mind and hearts on things above remembering that our lives are now hidden with Christ. As Colossians 3.4 states, “Christ, who is your life”, let’s allow Christ to be our lives!

May the Lord bless you all as you celebrate this special Thanksgiving time of the year!

Until next month,

Bro. Lyle

“After you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the Lord for seven days;”   (Leviticus 23:39)

Last month,  I focused my article on the importance of celebrating the milestone of the 200^th Anniversary of Ethelsville Baptist Church, but we need to celebrate any milestones that our churches experience during the year. Many times, we overlook not only our churches’ anniversaries, but we don’t celebrate our new buildings or structures, baptisms, new members, the return of older members, new Sunday School or Discipleship classes, or anything that has occurred differently during the year.

The scriptural passage that I’ve quoted speaks of the celebration of the “Feast of Tabernacles” where the people of Israel live in temporary shelters for 7 days to remind them of the ones that He provided for the nation as they left out of Egypt and went to the Promised Land. There are at least 7 known feasts that the people of Israel celebrated annually. Do we take the time to celebrate what the Lord has done for our churches even once a year? I believe that’s the point I’m trying to make.

The Lord has blessed us in so many ways as His people and His church. However, we seem to be oblivious, non-caring, or entitled to what we have. This should not be. As God’s children, we must understand that God through His mercy, love, and grace has blessed us. He didn’t have to redeem us, nor bless us, but He does because of His great love for us.  John says it best, “We love because He first loved us.”  (I John 4:19)

As we move in to the harvest or fall season, let us be grateful for the salvation, the blessings, the churches, the families, and even life itself. Let us not take anything for granted. Why? Because God, our Father, has given it to us for His glory!

Until Next Month,

Bro. Lyle

“Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.”    (Psalm 112:1 – 3)

How do you feel about celebrating your birthday? When I was younger, I couldn’t wait. Since my birthday was in June and school was out. I liked it that way because I didn’t have everyone coming to tell me “Happy Birthday” all day long. With a summer birthday, you hear “Happy Birthday” from your family, close friends, and neighbors in addition to the birthday cards with some money. (Oh yeah!)  I was given a few bucks to spend as I wanted, and of course, the rest went to the savings account.

Now that I’m older, the birthday celebration itself isn’t as big a deal as it was in my childhood. However, it is good that I can celebrate…a nice meal and a little cake and ice cream. That sounds pretty good to me!

Well, one of our Pickens Baptist Association churches, Ethelsville Baptist Church, to be exact will be celebrating their 200^th anniversary on Sunday, September 8 from 10:30 am until. Dr. Rick Lance, the Alabama State Board of Missions Executive Director/Treasurer, will be the special speaker with “Faithful Friends” as the special musical guests. Of course, there will be food galore. You can’t have a birthday party without food and drink!

It’s hard to believe that 200 years ago a small group of South Carolinians came to this section of Alabama near the Tombigbee River and began not only its first church but two more besides – one in 1850 that eventually became Mineral Springs Baptist Church and the other in 1890 which became Hickory Grove Baptist Church. Although the group was small through the 19^th Century, it was faithful to meet weekly for Sunday School and once a month for worship.

In the 20^th Century with the coming of the train to the Ethelsville area, the church began to grow. In the 1950’s, the church had a membership of more than 100 people. These numbers continued higher until it has reached more than 150 resident members. It was like a parable…where there were small beginnings, the church grew and touched many people’s lives in the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you are not busy or overly involved in your local church, I invite you to participate in the 200^th Anniversary of Ethelsville Baptist on Sunday, September 8 from 10:30 am until ?? May Ethelsville Baptist Church continue forward for 200 years more!

Until Next Month,       

Bro. Lyle

“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the Gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”  

(I Corinthians 9:22 – 23)

Paul shares in this passage how he does ministry…”I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some”. What is our way of doing ministry? All believers have been called to reach others with our witness and testimony. Many times, we leave this ministry to the pastor because “it’s his job”, or to those who have the gift of evangelism, but Jesus does not give us a way out or a pass.

ALL of US are responsible for sharing that which God has done for us. Acts 1:8 clearly states, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…”. The passage doesn’t say, “if you’re a pastor”, or “if you have the gift of evangelism”, or “if you are an extrovert”, or “if you have a great understanding and knowledge of the Bible”. He said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…”.

I believe this is what makes us nervous about sharing our Jesus story. We are responsible. Being responsible, we look for other ways to share the Gospel through helping, cleaning, serving, working around the church, etc…. These are good, but they are NOT being a witness for Christ. A witness is one who shares what he or she has experienced through his relationship with the Lord. So, tell me, what have you experienced through your relationship with the Lord? Hopefully, you can answer that question by saying, “I repented and gave my life to the Lord at this point in my life, and this is what He is doing in my life”.  If not, then you are not saved and having nothing to share.

Every believer has something to share regarding his/her relationship with the Lord. Yes, there are those difficult moments which need to be shared, but mostly, the Lord has stood beside us no matter how difficult the road might be. How many times can I count when Jesus was standing beside me when things in my life started to pile up to the sky? He was always there! There you go. You can do the same with someone else. It might not be the most polished or the most glamorous testimony, but it is yours. That’s what we don’t know…how God will use my testimony to touch the life of someone else. All we need to do is be a faithful witness. I challenge you today – Be a Faithful Witness empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Until next month,

Bro. Lyle

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”  (Luke 14: 26 – 28)

John F. Kennedy said, “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.” I couldn’t find when or where this quote was made. If you know, please contact me. Either way, President Kennedy made a very bold statement concerning the importance of liberty within the United States. In 2024, I’m not so sure there is that much willingness to “pay any price,…to assure the survival and success of liberty.” Many are willing to give up their liberty and allow others to tell or guide them away from the freedom that we’ve been given. It’s sad, but true. It appears as though it’s much easier to be a follower than to be a leader.

Jesus in his statement on “counting the cost” to follow Him made the call quite clear. Whoever follows Him must put away his/her family and even his/her own life to be His disciple. How many of us as we began our walk with the Lord were asked this question, “Are you willing to put away your family, friends, and life to follow Jesus?” I’m afraid that if we were to ask those who come forward to start a new life in Him, there would be many less decisions for Christ.

This phrase “counting the cost” means recognizing and agreeing to some terms first. In following Christ, we cannot simply follow our own inclinations. We cannot follow Him and the world’s way at the same time, or follow some happy or good feelings. Whenever life stops going our way, then we run from the Lord and say, “The Christian life is way too demanding for me.” Well, that’s the whole point, isn’t it? How we lived before Christ was a disaster. Now, He is making us in His image and likeness, not our own. This is where true liberty begins and ends. Paul writes in II Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” As true followers of Jesus, may you find the liberty and freedom that Christ has for you through the presence of His Holy Spirit!

Until Next Month,

Bro. Lyle

“My son, do not forget my teaching…”  (Proverbs 3:1a)

Fatherly advice or teaching is very rarely mentioned these days. I don’t know if it’s due to other emphases which are considered better than what a man can give. As a man, I understand that my gender has not always been the best at practicing what it preaches, nor have we been very good at giving wise or useful advice. These might be some of the reasons. However, Solomon gave his son some very good teaching in the book of Proverbs. He said, “My son, do not forget my teaching….” I’m afraid Rehoboam did forget his father’s teachings, but that doesn’t mean that they are not useful.

First of all, Solomon states, “keep my commandments in your heart, for they will prolong your life” (v.1b). Again, Rehoboam didn’t listen to his daddy, but we can. Jesus restated the same teaching, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” This shows us the importance of keeping God’s commandments. Not only will they prolong our lives, they will bring us peace and prosperity. Of course, it would be easy to think monetarily due to Solomon’s wealth, but I believe he meant more than financial peace and prosperity. There is a spiritual peace and prosperity indicated. It is a peace that finds us at peace and prosperity within ourselves and with God due to Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are at one with Him. Jesus paid the price for our sins which wipes them away. In Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions (rebelliousness) from us.” WOW, now that brings peace and prosperity to my mind!

Second, Solomon says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck…” (v. 3). As you read on, verse 4 states, “you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man”. How many of us think of winning favor and a good name? I’m afraid not many of us. Maybe, with man, but not so much with God. Again, this idea returns to the keeping of God’s commandments in our hearts as well as the knowledge that His love and faithfulness will never leave us. They are to be bound around our necks as if they were a towel which cools us on a hot day or a turtleneck sweater on a cold day. God’s love and faithfulness makes us feel comfortable because He has everything under control.

Finally, Solomon says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (v. 4 – 5). All that we are, and all that we are capable of knowing should trust Him. This trust is not a blind trust, but one that is based on our previous experiences with Him. As God has been faithful in the past, He will be faithful in the future.

Notice how Solomon writes that we are to submit ourselves to God. Submit is a word which just messes with our minds. Scripturally, wives are asked to “submit to their husbands”, and this has caused all types of problems in our society. However, biblical submission is a voluntary yielding to Jesus in love. So, we are yielding in love to our Lord, and He will make our paths straight. Better said, our lives will be in His keeping.

Fathers, take time always, but especially this month, to give Godly advice and teaching to your children no matter their age. They will benefit from it as well as not forget what you have taught them.

Until next month,

Bro. Lyle

“This, then, is how you should pray:”   (Matthew 6:9a)

Honestly, I don’t know how many books have been written about prayer, probably several million. Despite our frail attempts to explain prayer, we seem to struggle doing it. I don’t always understand all the reasons as to why followers of Jesus don’t pray, but we don’t. Here are just a few of the reasons given:

1. Not feeling close to God
2. Wrong priorities
3. Doing things in our strength, not God’s
4. Praying doesn’t accomplish anything
5. Don’t know how to talk with God
6. No one has taught me
7. Distractions
8. Bored

That’s a pretty good or pretty sad list of reasons as to why Christians don’t pray. I must admit it took me several years to learn the importance of personal prayer. It is not something that happens overnight for most believers no matter how long you’ve served Him. I will admit it takes a desire and a commitment to do so because without both of these elements, we will give up when our lives are out-of-control which is most of the time if we are not being led by God’s Spirit. God is not the author of confusion, but He does like to test us to see if we’ll follow Him no matter where He sends us or what He asks us to do. Oh, how that is difficult sometimes!

This leads me to our Bible verse: “This, then, is how you should pray:” The disciples saw something different in the way that Jesus prayed, and they wanted to experience his secret. The great thing is that there is no secret. Jesus taught them how to pray through adoration, confession/forgiveness, and specific personal petitions in our lives. Of course, we’ve added through scriptural teaching the act of thanksgiving to the Lord and for what He does for us. An acrostic always helps us to remember better – ACTS!

Thomas Wright, the Associational Missionary of the Mobile Baptist Association, wrote when he worked with Henry Blackaby at the North American Mission Board a study on prayer called “A Prayer Guide for Associations and Churches: Challenging Believers to Reclaim the Church as a House of Prayer with a Passion for the Lost”. Don’t let the long title fool you. From this study, Thomas wrote a shorter prayer guide called, “Taking Prayer to the Streets”.  This guide teaches believers how to pray all types of different ways personally as well as congregationally.

Thomas will be leading us in three sessions over the next year with the first session being at the PBA office on Friday, May 3 with supper at 6:00 pm and Saturday, May 4 with breakfast at 8:30 am. The theme is “Praying Like Jesus” in which Thomas will teach us how to pray for believers, unbelievers, and personal spiritual needs. I look forward to having him with us during these sessions as we learn how to pray as Jesus prayed.  I encourage you to make time for this important topic in our Christian lives.  

Until Next Month,

Bro. Lyle

“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike…Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.” (Romans 14.5 – 6)

According to a recent YouGov survey, 36% of the people felt that their most favorite day of the year is Christmas with Thanksgiving and Halloween ranking 2^nd and 3^rd. However, if you ask which day is enjoyed more than an average day, it would be Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, Mother´s Day, and Easter all tied for third. What does all this mean? Well, it shows there is a difference between our favorite days and our enjoyable days. Notice that Thanksgiving and Christmas still rank high on both surveys. However, Easter is NOT so much a favorite day of the year. More men choose Easter as their favorite day over women.  I wonder why?

I really enjoy and consider Thanksgiving as my favorite day of the year. I’m sure it has to do with special times spent with family as well as my need to be thankful for all that I’ve received from the Lord during my life. BUT, why not Easter? Although Paul uses the Romans passage to settle the issue of the faith of the weak and strong Christians, I believe we can use this passage here, too. Notice how Paul states that no matter which day you consider special…it is the Lord’s. Of course, Easter or Resurrection Day is definitely the Lord’s. I believe this may be a key reason as to why Easter is not a favorite day for many people. It celebrates Jesus’ resurrection and his defeat of sin of death. These are not topics that most people, especially non-Christians, want to talk about. Give me good ol’ chocolate bunny and forget my sin and death!

Our society has tried to cover up its meaning with the Easter bunny, eggs, baskets, and the older Easter Day parade, but it can’t wipe out Easter’s true purpose. In this same section of Romans 14, Paul goes on to write, ”For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be the Lord of both the living and the dead.” (v. 5) Wow! I don’t think the chocolate bunny can overcome that victory.

As we celebrate Easter this year, let’s begin making it our favorite day of the year as well as the one we most enjoy.  I sincerely believe by doing this we will not miss its importance.

Until Next Month,

Bro. Lyle

“You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction;…You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.”   (Psalm 52.2 -3)

Deceit is the “practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.”  (Oxford Languages) On our TV screens, social media, and billboards, Alabamians are being bombarded with the “greatness” of voting in favor of the expansion of gambling. At one time, the conversation was just about the lottery. Now, it is a full-blown move to lottery, casino gambling, sports gambling, etc… Drive to Wind Creek casinos, the Mississippi Gulf Coast, or the northern Mississippi River area, and you can’t help but see the many opportunities to gamble. We are tempted to buy a lottery ticket, or bet online, or go to a nice restaurant in a casino. However, to get to the nice restaurant, you have to go through the casino where you might be tempted to drop a coin into a slot machine.

Our legislators tell us that these monies will benefit the state education budget which ran a surplus last year and will do the same in 2024. Now, our legislators almost all Republican and some Christian say, “Let the people decide.” Well, early polling has already shown that around 70% are in favor of expanding gambling. Thank you, our legislators! Your deceit will probably be rewarded. Do we not understand that “the sad and tragic results of gambling frequently adversely affect the poor and wreck the lives of families and individuals who participate, notably those who live below the poverty level. Gambling can intensify addiction, leading to financial ruin, relationship strain, and psychological distress.” (ALSBOM Leadership statement)

When it passes, are you going to pick up the pieces in your communities and cities from those whose addictions are out of control? Or will you be celebrating because your purses will swell with revenue that is gained through falsehood? This type of deceit has happened on many other issues from alcohol revenues, CBD stores, and medical marijuana to the sad state of our educational system in Alabama which has not benefitted from quick fixes in the past.

I applaud the Alabama State Attorney General, the Alabama Baptist Convention State leadership, and ALCAP for speaking against the expansion of gambling. However, this is not enough. We, the people, are responsible for standing up and voting against this move by our elected leaders. Is there anything else we can do? Here are a few thoughts:

• PRAY! Pray for our local representatives and state representatives. May their eyes be open to the harm that expanded gambling will bring to Alabama!
• VOTE! If (and I believe it will happen) a bill is sent for a vote later this year, VOTE. As Christians, we’re blessed to live in a country where we can help decide what our county, state, and nation looks like. Take the time to vote. If you’re not registered, register. If you are, it only takes about 5 minutes.
• PAY ATTENTION and BE ALERT! Our enemy, Satan, is sly. However, on the issue of gambling, he is not subtle. It’s right in our face. As Jesus’ body on earth, our voice can make a difference if we will but use it.                                                                              Until Next Month,   

          Bro. Lyle

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…God is Love.”  (I John 4:10,16b)

In 1967, the Beatles released the song, “All You Need Is Love”. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were trying “to express the importance to empathize with the suffering and misfortunes of others, we need to feel what they’re going through.” These are good and well-intended sentiments, but love is so much more than empathy and feelings.

From our key passage, John wrote that “God is Love”. What does this mean? Before the previous statement of God being love, he wrote, “God loved us and sent His Son….” The apostle Paul wrote, “God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Yes, God is empathetic and feeling, but beyond these emotions, God is active! He was moved to action upon seeing the situation that his creation, especially man was experiencing …lost in sin.

There is an important point to keep in mind. Whenever God’s love is mentioned, it is accompanied by an action. Adam and Eve, God killed animals and made them garments. The world-wide flood, God saved Noah and his family through the ark. The Israelite people crying out to God from Egypt, God saved them through the plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea. We could go through the judges, the kings, and the prophets until the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to show how God showed His love through His actions. Don’t even get me started!

This ultimate action of God’s love through the sending of His Son, Jesus emphasizes once again God’s active love for us. As the hymn “It is Well with My Soul” states, Jesus saw “our helpless estate and shed His own blood for my soul.” Wow, God’s Love = Action!

Although Mr. Lennon and Mr. McCartney attempted to describe what love is, they missed the whole point. GOD IS LOVE! and He showed His love toward us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die and redeem all of mankind.

Until Next Month,

Bro. Lyle