First Baptist News Knowing God, Making God Known, and Becoming like His Son, Jesus Christ, through Worship, Bible Study, and Ministry I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : R O C K Y M O U N T, N C M A Y 2 0 1 4 Pastor s Article Church Staff ABCS for Girls Women s Study Mission Trips 2 2 2 4 Thursday, May 1 Student Ministry Music Programs 200 S. Church St. Rocky Mount, NC 27804 Church Office Hours: Monday Thursday 8:00 am 5:00 pm Friday 8:00 am 2:30 pm Church Office (252) 446-9113 Fax (252) 446-5025 Website www.fbcrm.org Prayer Room (252) 446-5993 5 Calendar 6 First Baptist Church First Baptist Child Care Center (252) 446-7416 Noon Prayer @ City Hall Prayer Walk City Lake @ 6 pm Special Schedule Sunday, May 4 9:00 am Sunday School 10:30 am One Combined Worship Service Join us as we worship & celebrate through the study of the Word, observe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord s Supper, and present new members.
P A G E 2 Second only to Billy Graham... Church Staff Dennis Darville Lead Pastor Larry Curtis Education & Admin. Jim Alley Music & Worship Mike Avery Families with Students Tim Griffin Families with Children Stephen Weeks College Students Bob Britt Homebound Visitation Mary Helen Batten Receptionist/ Admin. Assistant Nina Daughtridge Music Assistant Kayla Dozier Admin. Assistant Jewell Pullen Financial Secretary Faye Strickland Facilities Director Beth Thompson Office Manager Francis Schaeffer According to Baylor University history professor, Barry Hankins, Francis Schaeffer was the second most important evangelical in the twentieth century. Dayman Johnson said, regarding Schaeffer, he was the most influential Reformed fundamentalist during the 1970 s and early 1980 s. Even President Ronald Reagan wrote of Schaeffer, he will long be remembered as one of the greatest Christian thinkers of our century. These are not insignificant accolades. However, according to Timothy George, President of Beeson Divinity School, Schaeffer has largely been forgotten in this generation. According to your pastor, forgetting Schaeffer and his writings will have deleterious effects on the church for the twenty-first century. The church cannot afford to forget those who have gone before us; those through whom God was pleased to move in significant and transformative ways. Francis Schaeffer is one such giant whom we cannot afford to forget. Therefore, our focus for this month, and perhaps the next few months, is Francis August Schaeffer (b. 1912 - d. 1984). One biographer labeled Schaeffer a Prophet of Culture. Francis Schaeffer rightly saw that the fortunes of American culture are tied to her commitment to Christianity and, more precisely, her commitment to Scripture. D. A. Carson comments on Schaeffer s influence in the area of cultural analysis, Although he did not live long enough to address postmodernism, one of Francis Schaeffer s major concerns was to tie the rise of Western Culture to the rise of the fortunes of the gospel and of the Bible, and the decline of Western Culture to the decline of the fortunes of the gospel and of the Bible. Schaeffer was a keen observer of ideas that shape cultures, movements, and nations. He had correctly discerned that it was Rev. Dennis Darville...he was ahead of his time calling our attention to culturedrift the truth(s) found in Christianity that had given America its origin, direction and strength. He had also seen, many years before others had noticed, that America was shifting away from the foundational axioms of Christianity that had informed and shaped America s rise to greatness. Label him a cultural analyst or prophet either way, he was way ahead of his time in calling our attention to culture-drift. Listen to Schaeffer s own words regarding this drift, Men in our time knew the truth and yet turned away turned away not only from the biblical truth, the religious truth of the Reformation, but turned away from the total culture built upon that truth. This begs the question how did Schaeffer argue that we, as Christians, should respond? (continued on page 3) F I R S T B A P T I S T N E W S
P A G E 3 Trust me, he did not say, run for the hills. He was not one to retreat. His remedy was to engage and persuade the world of the veracity of Christ and Scripture. Referring to one of the many Schaeffer books, Barry Hankins writes, In Death in the City Schaeffer called for reformation and revival. Reformation meant the reclaiming of Christian doctrine in the face of the challenges of liberalism, an old theme for Schaeffer that became more pronounced in his work throughout the seventies. Revival referred to reclaiming the Christian lifestyle. For Schaeffer, the two (i.e., Reformation and Revival) were interconnected. Hankins continues, Revival of the Christian life could not happen without reclamation of doctrine. Like the good preacher he was, Schaeffer adhered to his texts throughout this book. His remedy was to engage and persuade the world of the veracity of Christ and Scripture. Hankins is right to call attention to this aspect of Schaeffer s life and thought. Schaeffer understood that if we are to see revival, it will require more than emotion. It will require fidelity to biblical doctrine. Yet, while this is entirely true, no one familiar with Schaeffer would conclude that his aim was merely revival or reformation restricted to the four walls of church life. For Schaeffer, his goal was the reformation of the individual, the family, the church, and the surrounding culture. He would have never been content to restrict the truths of Christ to, as he would frequently say, religious truth. For him, truth was total truth. Regarding America s past, Schaeffer was not arguing, contrary to both admirers and detractors, that the majority of people in America were Bible-believing, practicing Christians. But, according to Hankins, he did believe that had one walked around Columbus Circle in New York or Trafalgar Square in London and done a survey, it would have shown that most people understood the basic concepts of Christianity and accepted them as the foundation of western culture. Schaeffer often referred to this as a Christian consensus. He was at pains to arrest the church with the news that the West, and, in particular, America, was repudiating her heritage, and that the consequences were going to be massive. He was, unfortunately, right! We are currently, tragically, living with them now. What to do? I would suggest that we do what Schaeffer did engage and persuade!
P A G E 4 Women s Summer Bible Study What are You Afraid Of? by Dr. David Jeremiah Begins June 17 Meeting on Tuesdays @ 7 pm Everybody s afraid of something spiders, heights, public speaking, even clowns. And then there are the big fears that constantly haunt our minds, undermine our sense of well-being, and paralyze us with dread and worry: The fear of failure The fear of depression The fear of being alone The fear of serious illness The fear of dying In this Bible study, David Jeremiah applies the truth of God s Word to each of these common fears. Our prayer is that this biblical teaching will help you learn how to replace the unhealthy fear of circumstances with the healthy fear of God and that you may be set free to live fearlessly as you serve and follow Him. Workbooks: $12 available first session Sign up online at fbcrm.org UPCOMING MISSION TRIPS/PROJECTS BELARUS MISSION TRIP: May 10-19. Pray for team members: Sean Bennett, Amy Daniel, Bill & Cathy Grisham, Tom Jones (Coordinator), Win McCullough, and Debbie Stephenson. ECUADOR MISSION TRIPS: May 6-13 Pray for team members: Gretchen Boseman (Coordinator), Butch & Phyllis Bradley, Jennifer Crumley, Janet Curtis, Guy & Wenda Tutterow. August 5-12 Application due July 1. (this date may change to accommodate college schedules check with Gretchen) November 4-11 Application due September 30. Contact Coordinator: Gretchen Boseman @ (252) 904-0985 with any questions or for more information. TEAM 252: June 16-19. Our high school students will partner with Sunset Avenue Baptist and Faith Christian School conducting a Sports Camp and Backyard Bible Club for the Bassett Center Community. WORLD CHANGERS: July 14-19. Our high school students will be working in Charleston, SC CAMBODIA MISSION TRIP: December 26, 2014 January 6, 2015. Application due June 1. Contact Coordinator: Guy Tutterow @ 252) 885-1890. UGANDA MISSION TRIP: January, 2015. Through Westminster Medical Missions. Contact Coordinator: Dr. Bill Harden: doctorbillharden@suddenlink.net or (252) 985-1160.
studentministry P A G E 5 Graduate Sunday June 8 during the 11 am service A luncheon will be held on June 8 after the service for our high school and college graduates and their families. Please RSVP to mike@fbcrm.org by Wednesday, May 28 with the number from your family who will be attending the luncheon. 8th Grade Banquet Tuesday, May 27 8th grade graduates and their parents are invited to join us at the Rose Hill Smokehouse for a special evening of good food followed by a time of encouragement and challenge. Please RSVP by Sunday, May 18. We will cover the cost of the meal for our graduates. We ask that parents contribute $10 (per person) towards the cost of their meal. Weekend X-Change Friday, May 23 Sunday, May 25 White Lake, NC Current 5th, 6th and 7th grade students are invited to join us at White Lake for a weekend of fellowship, fun and study of God s Word. $45 per participant + completed 2014 Parental Consent Form due at registration (2014 Parental consent form available @ www.fbcrm.org) Your form is already on file if the student attended DNow weekend LOOKING AHEAD... MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SCHEDULE Sunday, May 25 Sunday School @ 9 am One Worship Service @ 10:30 am No PM Activities Monday, May 26 Memorial Day Observed Church Office Closed Inspiration Singers Spring Program Wednesday, May 21 6:00 p.m. FBC Sanctuary Children s Choirs Spring Program Wednesday, May 28 6:00 p.m. FBC Sanctuary
REGULAR WEEKLY SCHEDULE Sundays 8:00 am Televised Morning Worship (WHIG Channel 17) 8:15 am Contemporary Worship Service 9:00 am Church Library open until 10:00 am 9:30 am Bible Study 11:00 am Worship Service 4:30 pm dgroup for high school (FMC 3rd floor) 6:00 pm Small Groups for adults FMC & homes Nursery for Birth 2 yrs. (M 105 & M101) TeamKID for 3 yrs. K (M102) KOGS for 1st 5th (FMC 3rd floor) Sunday X-Change (6th-8th) (FMC 3rd floor) Orchestra Rehearsal Mondays 10:45 am Inspiration Singers (Choir suite) 7:00 pm Praise Team Rehearsal Tuesdays 6:30 am Women s Prayer Groups 8:46 am Staff meeting 9:30 am Women s Bible Study 10:00 am Women s Prayer Group 1:00 pm Stephen Ministry (1st & 3rd Wks M103) 6:00 pm Handbell Rehearsal 6:30 pm Alpha at Fountain Correctional Wednesdays 10:00 am SEBTS EQUIP (M203) 3:00 pm Church Library open until 6:00 pm COOL Kids (FMC) 5:00 pm Fellowship Meal 6:00 pm Nursery for Birth 1 yrs. (M105 & M101) Mission Friends for 2-3yrs. (M102) Cherub Choir for 4 yrs.-k (E202) Sonshine Choir for Grades 1&2 (E201a) Music Makers for Grade 3 (E300) Young Musicians for Grades 4-5 (E307) Crossroads for Grades 6-12 (M301) Prayer Meeting for adults (Fell. Hall) 7:10 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm Community Basketball Outreach Thursdays 6:30 am Men s Prayer Group (Choir room) 12:30 pm Prison Ministry 3:00 pm COOL Kids (FMC) 7:30 pm The Bridge May 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 National Day of Prayer Noon @ City Hall 6 pm @ City Lake 2 3 Boys Basketball Camp 9 am 3 pm FMC Gym 4 Sunday School @ 9 am Worship @10:30 am Final Small Group for semester 11 Mother s Day No Churchwide PM Activities 18 Deacons Mtg. (4 pm Sanctuary) No Churchwide PM Activities 25 Sunday School @ 9 am Worship @ 10:30 am No Churchwide PM Activities 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 Fountain Chaplaincy (6 pm AT Room) 19 20 26 Memorial Day Church office closed 13 NRBA Spring Luncheon (leave FBC @ 9:30 am) Sr. Adult Council (2 pm AT Room) 27 8th Grade Banquet Rose Hill Ecuador Mission Trip May 6-13 High School Seniors Retreat May 8-11 14 15 16 17 Belarus Mission Trip May 10-19 21 Inspiration Singers Quarterly Church Conf. (6 pm Sanctuary) 28 Meals on Wheels Children s Choirs Prog. (6 pm Sanctuary) 22 Meals on Wheels 29 30 23 24 The Weekend X-Change White Lake, NC May 23-25 Faith Christian Graduation 31 w w w. f b c r m. o r g