Fee Fee Baptist Church

Category: A Word From… Forerunner Front Page News

All front page Forerunner articles.

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 10

    You’ve probably heard by now that St. Louis County is beginning to reopen starting May 18. With that news, I’m sure you’re wondering what that means for Fee Fee.

    First of all, we are tentatively looking at having worship services on our campus again starting Sunday, June 7. When we reopen, we will be offering our two services at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., but there will be no Bible Study in between and no childcare or KidsZone during this first phase. We will be sending a letter out to all of our members about some of the guidelines that we are putting in place when we reopen.

    If we are allowed to gather starting May 24, why are we waiting until at least June 7? You’ve heard the phrase “out of the abundance of caution” tossed around frequently during this COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve probably used it more than a few times. However, I think that we need to change the narrative with the approach of our church. Yes, we are going to be cautious. But do you know why? It is out of an abundance of love!

    The Bible commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. That means that we need to lovingly put others and their needs in front of our own. Out of an abundance of love, we are going to adhere to social distancing on our campus. Out of an abundance of love, we are asking that everyone who comes to worship wear a mask. Out of an abundance of love, we are asking anyone that doesn’t feel well to stay home. Out of an abundance of love, we are asking that we refrain from hugs and handshakes for the time being. It isn’t fear that is going to be what motivates us during this season, but love.

    No matter how you feel personally about the pandemic, I would ask that, out of an abundance of love, we don’t let our opinions cause division in the church. When Jesus prays his High Priestly Prayer in John 17, he asks that God would unite all of his followers. Unity is what Christ prays for his church before he goes to the cross. I am praying that we will love others and be united around the saving truth of the gospel. We might disagree with other believers about how people and churches should be acting during this time. Let’s not allow those disagreements to divide us. Instead, I’m praying we unite under the gospel and make the name of Jesus famous!

    In closing, we are so appreciative of your prayers and support during this season. Your staff believes that God is doing something in and through this uncertain time. Please join us in praying for revival! Also, for those of you who are high risk, don’t feel pressure to return right away. We will continue to livestream our services and will have staff members online during our services to minister to you. Finally, know that we will do our best to communicate any changes in a clear and timely way, as this reopening unfolds. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. Be looking for the letter that will give more details about the different phases Fee Fee Baptist will undergo as we reopen.

    Please join me in praying for our church, our city, our nation, and our world!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 09

    I love food. In particular, I love my wife’s enchiladas. They are unbelievably delicious. Whenever I find out that she is cooking my favorite meal, my mouth waters with anticipation. I purposefully eat a lighter lunch to make sure that I will truly enjoy the meal. Then, when I finally sit down for dinner, I savor every bite. Her enchiladas are amazing!

    As we read through the book of Acts together as a church, there is a brief mention in chapter 17 of an incredible group of people. This group of people treats the Word of God the way I treat my wife’s enchiladas. Look at Acts 17:10-11:

    “As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

    Do you see what it says about the Bereans? They received God’s Word with eagerness! What exactly does that mean? Just like I look forward all day to eating those enchiladas, so the Bereans looked forward to hearing God’s Word. Just like I savored and devoured every bite, they eagerly received the Word!

    What is your attitude towards Scripture? Are you savoring God’s Word during this time of quarantine? The Bereans didn’t just receive it eagerly, they then went and examined the Scriptures for themselves. They wanted to verify everything that Paul and Silas taught.

    In a very real sense, the Bereans didn’t just sit and hear a sermon on Sunday morning, they also studied God’s Word throughout the week. I pray that you are joining with us in reading Acts together. That we, as Fee Fee Baptist Church, will be known as a church that receives God’s Word with eagerness and studies it daily!

    Why is it so important to study God’s Word? Because it gives life! Look at the beginning of verse 12:

    “Consequently, many of them believed…”

    The Scriptures are living and active, and they point us toward Christ! When we truly study God’s Word, we see that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It leads us to him!

    These are uncertain times. I know that I am tired of being cooped up. I am missing each one of you greatly. I am frustrated that things can’t be “normal.” However, in the midst of this uncertainty, I am praying that every one of us will set aside time to spend in God’s Word. As the Psalmist says, “God’s Word is sweeter than honey.” Or, we might just say it is tastier than enchiladas!

    I miss gathering with you physically, church. But I’m thankful we can stay connected through prayer and the reading of God’s Word!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 08

    How did you celebrate Easter this year? For me, it was honestly the strangest Resurrection Sunday that I can remember. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for the common grace of modern technology. As of April 13, we have had nearly 2,000 views on our Easter service videos! However, I reached a point of longing at some point that evening.

    My longing had to do with my desire for things to “go back to normal.” I am a people person and I am getting tired of not seeing my church family and friends. I’m getting tired of not playing basketball and coaching my boys’ teams. If I’m honest, I’ve never been great with patience. The uncertainty of when this pandemic will end put a cloud over my Easter Sunday. Honestly, I went to bed on Easter evening quite conflicted. I was so thankful that we could celebrate virtually, but it left me wanting more.

    And then, by God’s grace, I read Acts 1 on Monday morning. As a church, we launched a church-wide reading initiative as a follow-up to Easter. We are reading through the book of Acts together, from April 13-May 10, one chapter a day. The Spirit made verses 12-14 just jump off the page to me.

    What happened in those verses? Jesus had just ascended, and He had promised that the Spirit would come “in a few days.” Scholars say that there were 10 days between His ascension and Pentecost. The disciples had just had their Resurrected Messiah leave, and they were waiting on the Spirit. They weren’t sure exactly what that meant, but I am sure they were anxiously waiting. So, what did they do as they waited? Verse 14 says, “They were all continually united in prayer…” (CSB).

    Just like the disciples, we are in a period of waiting. We aren’t sure when this pandemic will end. I’m optimistic that we will get to meet together physically again soon, but we honestly don’t know right now. As a people designed by God for community, social distancing is difficult. Maybe you, like me, have had a time like I had on Easter evening. A longing for things to “return to normalcy.”

    That is why Acts 1:14 hit me like a ton of bricks. It reminded me of what our priority should be during this time. Instead of impatiently wondering when this time will end, God reminded me of the thing that will unite us during this time: prayer!

    I have been so encouraged by our daily prayer times on Facebook live. I have been encouraged by many of you who have shared ways that you are praying for others. I have been encouraged by the privilege of praying with many of you over the phone. Acts 1:14 was a reminder to me of the most crucial thing our church can do during our time of waiting. We can unite in prayer!

    God reminded me that in this season of waiting, our calling hasn’t changed. We are still going to build and pursue. We are still called to love God and others. It is true that we have to practice social distancing, but we still are called to be missionaries. We are just called to be digital missionaries during this time period.

    After reading Acts 1 on Monday, I was encouraged by the power of God’s Word. Let’s unite in prayer like the disciples did. Instead of being impatient and lamenting how things were, let’s embrace the fact that God has placed us in this season for a reason. Honestly, we will all go through different struggles during this time. Things have drastically changed and it is completely natural to feel discombobulated. However, I believe that if we take those feelings to God in prayer, we will be strengthened and encouraged. We cast our cares on him because he cares for us.

    I believe that we are called to unite in prayer. I also believe we are called to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be digital missionaries. Let’s read God’s Word together and unite in prayer during this time. And let’s share the hope that is found only in Jesus.

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 07

    While there is still uncertainty about how long this coronavirus will last, we all understand that COVID-19 is a deadly serious global pandemic. We know that all necessary precautions should be taken. With that being said, how are we to live right now in light of this pandemic? We might gain some wisdom from C.S. Lewis, one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. Over 70 years ago, he wrote the following words that are very applicable to today. If you simply replace “atomic bomb” with “COVID-19,” I think you will find his words challenging and relevant to us. In “Living in an Atomic Age,” Lewis wrote:

    “In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”

     

    In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty. 

     

    This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

     

    — “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948) in Present Concerns: Journalistic Essays.

    I love that last sentence…about how it doesn’t need to dominate our minds. Church family, rather than letting thoughts of the virus dominate our minds, I pray that we fix our eyes on Jesus. Easter is right around the corner! My prayer for you is that every time thoughts of this virus creep up in your minds, you will remember that our Savior defeated death. He conquered the grave! We have a living Hope!

    Church, we know that we aren’t promised tomorrow. However, our God is a good God who is with us! This pandemic did not take Him by surprise. He redeems all He allows. Could it be that He is using this virus to remind us of our mortality…and of our need for Him?

    It is my prayer that we will stand firm on the Rock of Ages during this time. That we will find peace and hope in Him. And now, with Easter quickly approaching, let us take this opportunity to share God’s truth with others.

    Invite your friends, relatives, and neighbors to watch our services online. Let them know you are praying for them. We have the amazing privilege of celebrating Christ’s love for us and how He defeated the grave! Even if we have to do it virtually, we will still worship Him in Spirit and in Truth!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 06

    By now, all of us are trying to adjust to a “new normal” for the next few weeks. Social distancing has become a phrase that I don’t think I ever used in my life until a few weeks ago. Now, it is a part of my everyday vocabulary. If I’m honest, I’m not a big fan of it. I love being a pastor and I love getting to meet with people, pray with people, and equip saints for works of ministry. I have the privilege of preaching God’s Word to a great church each and every week. It doesn’t feel the same preaching to a camera.

    And yet, there is a passage that God has been bringing to my mind quite a lot recently as we have worked to establish a new way to minister to our church and our community during this time of social distancing. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul calls all believers to “be joyful always, pray continuously, and give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

    That passage reminds me to anchor myself in Christ alone. It reminds me to be flexible with these changes over the next few weeks. It reminds me to be joyful, no matter what!

    How do we faithfully adhere to this charge during uncertain times? Paul lays it out for us. First, we have joy. What does that look like? It means we have hope! In a world where people are afraid, living with hope can set us apart. It means that we find security in who we are in Christ and point our friends, neighbors, and relatives towards Him. We realize that joy is not based on our circumstances, but is based on the fact that God loves and He will never abandon us!

    Second, we pray continuously. I encourage you to join in our Daily Prayer live streams on Facebook, Monday-Friday, at 7:00 p.m. We are going to intentionally seek God’s face during that time and offer up our prayers and petitions to Him. We pray for God to eradicate this virus. We pray for wisdom for our leaders. It means that when anxiety grips us, we seek assurance at the throne of grace. It means, in times of confidence, leaving notes at the doors of our neighbors and offering to pray for them. It means that as friends and neighbors share concerns with us, we stop right then and pray. We will be intentional with setting aside time to pray, and we will be in touch with the Spirit and praying spontaneously throughout the day.

    Third, we give thanks in all circumstances. We thank God for His love for us. For always being there for us. For giving us joy and a reason for hope. For me, personally, it means being thankful that we have the technology to live stream our services, even if it is strange preaching in an empty room. It means being thankful that the church is not a building, but a body of believers! It means that, while we don’t take this pandemic lightly, we thank God that He is good, despite the circumstances. We thank God that in the midst of the challenges of social distancing, we have the opportunity to think of new ways to reach out to one another. We thank God that we get to be agents of reconciliation and ambassadors of hope for His name and His glory.

    If I’m honest, these changes and the need for social distancing have been awkward at times. However, I am so grateful to serve a God who isn’t surprised by any of this. I am confident that He who began a good work in us will see it to completion! God’s not done with our church, and I believe that we can honor him by having joy, unceasing prayer, and a heart of thanks through it all.

    Please join with us in praying for the health and safety of our community and our world, and let’s have joy and thanksgiving in the midst of it. We know God can bring beauty from ashes!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 05

    I remember that first night in Mangodara in the southern part of Burkina Faso. We had traveled 9 hours from the capital city, Ouagadougou. Much of the final few hours of the trip were navigated on “roads” that needed four wheel drive. Mangodara was a town of over 5,000 people, but there was no running water and no electricity. The “hotel” we were staying in was a cement building with metal doors (termites would eat anything wood). Our small group of 6 men was split into two groups and all I remember about that first night was how hot it was. I wanted to leave the door open to hopefully get a breeze going, but I was worried about snakes, spiders, mosquitoes, and the fact that we were hours away from any hospital. If something strange bit us, help was a long way away!

    I remember staying up late into the night with two fellow pastors, Tommy and Jason. We were trying to adjust to the time change and the reality that we were out in the African bush. We spent a lot of time in prayer that evening. In the midst of the uneasy feeling that we all had, we found comfort in a prayer found in the book of Ezra. In chapter 8, Ezra is about to lead a ragtag group of peasants and priests on a journey from Persia to Jerusalem. They are carrying a small fortune to beautify the temple and buy sacrifices, and Ezra becomes worried about safety. So he prays that God would protect his group and provide them with a safe journey.

    We turned to Ezra’s prayer that night. We knew the people group we were visiting, the Doghosie, needed to hear the Gospel. We knew the risk was worth it. However, we found great comfort in echoing Ezra’s prayer for safety.

    In the world we live in today, with the coronavirus spreading and the rise of violence, advancing the Gospel mission can seem daunting. However, I think Ezra gives us a model for how to approach an uncertain world. Ezra prayed for God’s protection and safety, and then Ezra continued on the journey in which he knew God had called him. In the same way, we pray for safety, and we continue living out the calling that God has given us.

    After staying up late into the night praying, I remember the peace of God that washed over us in Mangodara. We realized there was going to be some level of danger being out so far in the bush, but God was gracious to give us peace. We knew that God had called us to share the Gospel with the Doghosie people. Ezra’s prayer was a great model for us and encouraged us during our trip.

    As we think about the global missions mandate that God has placed on our church, please join me in praying for our missions teams going to Mexico in April and the Dominican Republic this summer. Join me in praying Ezra’s prayer for our global missions teams, and for our teams going to North Carolina and Windermere as well.

    In the midst of uncertainty, it is comforting to know that “the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him” (Ezra 8:22).

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 04

    Leadership

    Leadership guru John Maxwell is known for saying, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” As we take a journey as a church through the book of Nehemiah this spring, we will see the reality of the quote played out before us. Nehemiah was truly a leader. He was able to rally the people of Israel to a common cause and was incredibly collaborative and empowering. He was a strategic leader who planned well and was able to make key decisions with wisdom and discernment. He wasn’t afraid to step out and take risks to do what he knew God was calling him to do.

    However, while all of those things are true about the different aspects of Nehemiah’s leadership acumen, there is one thing that really stands out. Nehemiah was a godly leader. He prayed constantly and consistently. He understood that he was completely reliant on God to work in and through him. There are definitely universal leadership principles one can glean from Nehemiah’s life. For the Christian though, we should see the direct correlation of his leadership success with his commitment to the Lord.

    Disciple Now

    Speaking of leadership, we have a few things coming up in the life of our church that will promote godly servant leadership development. On March 6-8, we will be having our annual Disciple Now weekend for our youth. This is a weekend where our students will be challenged to grow in their capacity as servant leaders as they study God’s Word together and go out and do mission projects and live out their faith. Two other churches are joining up with our students in what is going to be an incredible weekend.

    Please pray for Kyle and our many volunteer leaders as they serve that weekend. Pray for the college students and young adults who are stepping in to lead different groups of kids. Pray for the host families that are opening up their homes for teenagers for the entire weekend. Also, pray that God will raise up Nehemiahs in our student ministry who will be godly servant leaders to their generation. We know that Gen Z students desperately need the Gospel! Pray that this weekend would ignite a movement in our youth.

    Deacon Nominations

    Also, we are accepting nominations for new deacons here at Fee Fee. In this edition of the Forerunner you will find a summary of the qualifications and expectations of deacons. The full recommendation form can be found outside the Media Center. If you feel led, we’d love for you to nominate a man that you feel meets those qualifications and could be an exemplary servant leader to our church. Deacons hold a vitally important role as servant leaders here at Fee Fee. Please join us in praying that God will raise up men to lead through service here at FFBC.

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

     

     

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 03

    A Multi-generational Church

    One of the things that I love most about pastoring an established church is the fact that we are truly multi-generational. I love looking out into the congregation each Sunday morning and seeing the wide mix of ages and people in different stages of life. Our diverse mix of age groups is one the core strengths of Fee Fee Baptist. However, it does lead to the question of how do we create a comprehensive plan for spiritual formation that will be effective for each generation in our church?

    We are attempting to tackle that through a couple of different avenues. First, specifically for the start of this year, we are having all our Bible Study classes walk through the same material based around the markers of our church’s mission. We wanted to create a “common conversation” throughout the many generations of our church. Whether you are in our children’s ministry or in a senior adult Bible study class, you will be studying the same thing and be able to talk about it with one another. We are strategically not just trying to drill down deeper into the marks of what it means to “build and pursue,” but also looking for ways to create dialogue and connections between different generations.

    Besides the importance of having common conversations between our different generations here at Fee Fee, we are also going to have targeted, specialized events for spiritual formation for specific generations.

    Here are a just a few things we have coming up over the next few months:

    This month, we are having a Parents’ Boot Camp on February 16 to help disciple and equip our parents to lead tech-wise families to protect their kids from various online dangers.

    The weekend of March 6-8, our youth will be having their Disciple Now event. This event is focused on spiritual formation and we will be challenging our students to wholeheartedly pursue Christ and live boldly for Him.

    On April 19, Dr. Richard Ross, the founder of the True Love Waits movement, will present to us a “Family Connection Sunday.” He is going to be preaching on multi-generational discipleship and will lead a special training time for parents and grandparents.

    In May, we will have Dr. Claude Cone, the former Executive Director of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, head up our Legacy Weekend for Senior Adults. We will have a Senior Adult banquet that weekend, and Dr. Cone will be preaching and leading our senior adults in how to use the wisdom and experience that God has granted them to make an impact in our church.

    In June, we will be hosting our annual Vacation Bible School, which focuses on spiritual formation for our kids.

    Please join me in praying for our church, that we will have effective discipleship and spiritual formation throughout each and every age group here. Pray that God will use our targeted discipleship events to equip all of us to love God more and serve Him well.

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 02

    A few weeks ago, I preached a sermon on Biblical Community, which is part of our vision pathway. In this sermon, on Acts 2:42-47, I shared a quote about prayer. Charles Spurgeon said, “The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. So is the prayer meeting a grace-ometer, and from it we may judge of the amount of divine working among a people. If God be near a church, it must pray. And if He be not there, one of the first tokens of His absence will be a slothfulness in prayer!”

    We can have a great mission statement, and we can have excellent music. We can have great children’s programming and wonderful special events like the Tree. However, if we aren’t bathing it all in prayer, we are completely missing the point. We want to seek God’s heart in prayer and be willing to submit completely to His will for our church.

    That is one reason why I am excited that we are going to be walking through the book of Nehemiah this spring. We are calling the series “The God Who Builds,” because we know that unless the Lord builds the house, we will labor in vain. In this book, Nehemiah is focused on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and renewing the covenant between God and His people. However, there is a common theme that runs throughout the book: Nehemiah is a prayer warrior! He is constantly seeking the Lord in prayer and submitting himself completely to God. I pray that as we walk through this book together, the importance of prayer will continually be brought to our minds.

    One other thing I wanted to bring to your attention is our Mid-Winter Bible Study. We are privileged to have Dr. Jason Duesing, the Provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, coming down to lead this study. He is going to be challenging our church on how we can “Love God.” He will be preaching three different messages on this topic. I want to encourage you to come to both services that Sunday (8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.), and then stick around after for lunch in the dining room. After lunch, Dr. Duesing will finish with one final message. Dr. Duesing was one of my professors during my time at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and I know you will be blessed by him!

    Please join me in praying for our church, our study through Nehemiah this spring, and our Mid-Winter Bible Study. I am believing that God is going to be working in a big way in 2020. We need to simply get on our knees and submit to His will!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach

     

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 60, No. 01

    It is official, 2020 is here! As we start a new decade, I can’t wait to see how God moves and works in the life of our church. As you know, we are currently walking through our new vision and mission for Fee Fee Baptist. Our new mission statement is:

    Fee Fee Baptist Church exists to make disciples who build their lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community for the glory of God.

    When it comes to building our lives on Jesus, we see that occur through two main avenues: Biblical Worship and Biblical Community. When it comes to pursuing the good of our community, we see that occur through the avenue of Biblical Mission.

    Biblical Worship is seen through connection with God, both individually and corporately. In order to ensure we are living out this idea, we have developed some markers of Biblical Worship that we believe should be on display in a growing disciple’s life. These markers include engaging in Gospel-centered preaching and teaching; growing knowledge of God and His Word; actively seeking God’s face in prayer; participating in worship through music; and giving sacrificially to the church.

    Biblical Community is seen through connection with other believers here at Fee Fee. To properly live out this idea, we have developed markers of Biblical community as well. These markers include active engagement in discipleship opportunities; understanding and utilizing your spiritual gifts; and Gospel-centered fellowship and accountability.

    Biblical Mission is seen through connecting to the world around us. The markers that help us live out this concept include awareness of and engaging with everyday opportunities to share the Gospel; taking part in local, national, and international missions opportunities; serving the under-resourced in our community; and aligning with God’s heart in justice issues.

    During our Bible Study time on Sunday mornings for both January and February, all of our classes will be walking through some of these markers of our vision. It is going to be exciting to have our entire church have a common conversation around the vision and mission of our church. I’m praying you will be blessed by this study and we will increase in unity as a church as we live on mission for the cause of Christ.

    Please join me in praying for our church – that we will make disciples who build their lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community for the glory of God!

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach