Category: A Word From… Forerunner Front Page News

Church Family,

Our mission statement here at Fee Fee is as follows: 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.

I wanted to share with you a few opportunities you have to both build and pursue over the next few weeks.

First, when it comes to building our lives on Jesus, we have a new Bible reading plan that we are going to be starting on August 8. We are going to be reading through the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) as a church together this fall. We will be reading two chapters a day, five days a week. I want to encourage you to jump on board with our reading plan! In addition, we will continue our virtual transformation groups. If you are interested in being a part of a transformation group and have accountability as you read through the Bible with other believers, I want to encourage you to sign up at www.feefeebc.org/tgroups. To build our lives on Jesus, we need to make a habit to be in His Word!

Second, when it comes to pursuing the good of our community, we have two great opportunities coming up. First, on Friday, August 6, we are going to have a Family Swim Night at the outdoor Bridgeton pool! We want to show our community that we love them, and one easy way to do so is to invite families to this fun (and FREE!) evening! Please spread the word about this event to your friends and neighbors.

Additionally, the next morning, on August 7, we are going to have our annual Free Market. Please come and volunteer as we give away gently used items to our community. Sign up to host a table or simply come and help us set up or tear down. In conjunction with the giving away of these items, we will also have backpacks packed full of school supplies for kids in our community. This is a great way for us to pursue the good of our community by ensuring kids in our neighborhood have the necessary supplies as they get ready for a new school year.

We will continue to look for creative ways to build our lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community. I want to encourage you to join me in praying for these upcoming opportunities in the life of our church. I believe that God is going to continue to move and work in our church in a powerful way!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

Church Family, the second half of July here at Fee Fee is going to be busy…but I also believe that it is going to be transformative for our church. We have three significant events that are happening that all concern the future of our church.

First, on July 18, we are going to have an incredibly important service take place at 6:00 p.m. What service is that? We are having a Deacon Ordination service! If you go back to Acts 6, we see that deacons were appointed by the early church in order to serve and meet the needs of widows in the congregation. Since that time, deacons are called by God to step into a servant leadership role in the church. We have the blessing of four men – Chris Fisbeck, David Jennings, Jonathan McPhillips, and Dann Webber – who have been training with our deacon body for over a year and are now going to be officially ordained. Please join me in praying for these men and their families and do everything you can to be here at 6:00 p.m. for this service. We will have a reception that will follow as we honor and celebrate these men.

Second, from July 23-25, our student ministry is having their Disciple Now. This event had to be delayed from the spring, and I know our students are so excited about getting to spend this weekend focusing on their relationships with God. Teenage years are incredible pivotal when it comes to faith formation, so I want to ask you to join me in praying for these junior high and high school students. We need God to move in a new and fresh way in the next generation, and I am praying this event might be a catalyst to students’ hearts being forever changed by King Jesus.

Third, from July 26-30, we are having Vacation Bible School and basketball camp. After not being able to have VBS last year, it is really encouraging to know that we are going to have a bunch of kids on our campus all week learning about Jesus. When it comes to evangelistic events, nothing has been more successful in America than VBS. Please join me in praying that many kids will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus that week! Let’s also pray for the many volunteers, including the Sports Crusaders, who are giving up their time to serve our kids. I want to challenge you to volunteer in some way as we share the Gospel with the kids who are the future of our country.

The latter half of July will certainly have a lot going on. However, more than just events on the calendar, these three things all have to do with the future of our church. Join me in praying that these new deacons will serve our church well. Pray that our youth will be captivated by Christ and live boldly for Him. And pray that our kids will fall in love with Jesus during VBS.

I can’t wait to see God work over the next few weeks!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

When you think about going on a summer trip, what comes to your mind? Some people think about beautiful sandy beaches. Others are drawn to the mountains. Maybe you are a family that loves going to Six Flags or Disney. Often, when we think about summer trips, we are thinking about rest, relaxation, and fun.

However, as you are reading this, a group of 26 youth and adults are on a different kind of trip. They are serving up in Minneapolis, MN, on a mission trip. Among other mission projects, our team is partnering with a Hispanic church, Alfa y Omega, and serving with them.

Our team will be doing physical labor in both the church and members’ homes. They also will be leading backyard Bible clubs for the church. Finally, they will be partnering with other missions agencies in Minneapolis to serve those in need and share the Gospel with the lost.

I am always so thankful for people who sacrifice their time to do this kind of “trip.” God’s heart is for us to be on mission. To go and to serve others. One of my favorite verses in Scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:20. It says:

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.””

Think about what it means to be an ambassador. An ambassador represents the interests of their country/kingdom as they live and serve in another country or kingdom. They are a representative of that country’s government or monarchy. As ambassadors, we represent God to a lost and broken world. He is making His appeal through us!

One of the best ways for the church to represent God well in this world is through missions. When a group of students and adults take a week of their summer to go and serve those in need in Minnesota, I believe that the lost world around them notices.

However, it is important to note that we aren’t just ambassadors for God when we go on a mission trip. Rather, we are ambassadors for God each and every day. The way that we live our lives matter! What can we do to make sure we are clearly showing the love of Christ to the world around us?

I want to encourage you to be in prayer for our Minneapolis Mission Team. Pray that they will be ambassadors who represent King Jesus well as they serve in Minnesota. In addition, I want to encourage you to be praying for your own ambassadorship. Take a few moments this week and examine your life. Are you representing the interests of the Kingdom of God well in your neighborhood and community?

It is commendable to go on a mission trip. It is just as commendable to live boldly for Christ right here in St. Louis. Whether it is on a mission trip or in our everyday lives, let’s commit to being positive witnesses for Christ!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

Our staff recently finished reading a book about Christian leadership in uncharted territory. It is called Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger. If you are like me, that title is definitely a bit confusing…how does one canoe the mountains?

That question is exactly the point of the book. As Bolsinger writes, “How do you canoe over mountains? You don’t. If you want to continue forward, you change.”

In this book, Bolsinger, a Vice President at Fuller Theological Seminary, gleans principles for church leaders from the journey of Lewis and Clark. After fifteen months of following the Missouri river, the Discovery Corps reached the spring that was the source of this river. The explorers expected to crest a mountain and find a river that would lead them easily to the Pacific Ocean. Instead, what they found, after already so much travel, were the Rocky Mountains!

There was no way that they could canoe over those mountains. The Discovery Corps had to change their plans. Everyone, up to that point, had believed that the topography of the West would match that of the Eastern USA. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Lewis and Clark had a choice: they could either adapt to the environment, or just give up.

In the same way, Bolsinger argues, the American church is now in uncharted waters. What worked before is no longer tenable in a post-Christian culture. In order to still be effective and complete the mission that God has given us, the American church must adapt. The methods that worked so well in the previous century aren’t effective now that the age of Christendom is over.

That might sound a little scary, but there is definitely some truth to it. We all know that Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings are no longer sacred. My seven-year-old has had to miss baseball games because they are scheduled on Sunday mornings. It seems that athletics and entertainment have surpassed the church in the eyes of most Americans.

However, our mission hasn’t changed. We are still called to be Christ’s hands and feet. To be His ambassadors. His witnesses. The point that Bolsinger makes is not for us to lament how things are and long for how things used to be. That would not be helpful. Instead, he argues that we need to take on an adaptive, adventurous mindset, just like Lewis and Clark.

Bolsinger writes, “We are canoers who have run out of water. There is no route in front of us, no map, no quick fix or easy answer. But…this is good news. This is a divine moment. This is an opportunity to express even more clearly what it means to follow and serve the God who is King of the entire world. The church at its best has always been a Corps of Discovery. It has always been a small band of people willingly heading into uncharted territory with a mission worthy of our utmost dedication.”

Our methods may change to better reach our culture, but our message will always stay the same. For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. Let’s do our best to continue to get that message out to a world that desperately needs to hear it!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

At the time of my writing this article (May 12), the standing of the National League Central must look pretty nice to Cardinals fans. The Cardinals are currently in first in the NL Central and they actually have the best overall record in all of Major League Baseball. Sadly, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in last place in the Central and have the fifth worst record in the entire league. Things aren’t looking too great for Pirates fans (I am sure you feel really sorry for me!).

Why do I mention those standings? Well, remarkably enough, two weeks ago, the Pirates actually had a better record than the Cardinals. If you looked at the standings today, you would never have believed that. A lot can change in just a couple of weeks.

The idea of a lot changing over just a few weeks is not just limited to baseball. The same can definitely be true about our spiritual lives. We just finished up our Grounded initiative and read through the entire New Testament. I am so encouraged by the many stories I have heard from our people of how God has worked throughout this spring as we engaged with His Word together. However, we are now just a few weeks past that time. Are you staying disciplined in your reading of Scripture?

If you have started to fall out of the habit, jump into our Isaiah reading plan! We are reading one chapter a day, five days a week. Join in and be a part of that reading plan! Sign up to be in a Transformation Group to help hold you accountable!

This idea isn’t just limited to reading Scripture. Think about other areas of your walk with Christ:

What would happen to your walk with Christ if you committed to having a quiet time every day with him over the next two weeks?

What would happen to your zeal for evangelism if you prayed for a different lost person every day for the next two weeks?

What would happen on your social media feed if you committed to posting Scripture or something related to your faith every day for the next two weeks?

What would happen if you made sure not to miss a church service or Bible study class over the next few weeks?

The standings in the NL Central, and all of baseball, have changed a lot in the last few weeks. Our spiritual lives can change drastically as well. It pains me to say this, but we all need to take steps when it comes to our walk with Christ to make sure we are more like the Cardinals and less like the Pirates.

God can do a lot in our lives over the next few weeks. Let’s make a decision to focus on Christ!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

I love the fact that we are a multi-generational church. I believe there is a such a benefit from different generations gathering together and worshipping with one another. We can learn from each other and encourage each other. It is a key strength of our church.

With that being said, there are still key ministries that are focused on particular age groups. It’s important to have rock solid children, youth, and adult ministries. This summer, we will have a few different opportunities to have specific ministry events for different age groups. You’ll be hearing more about Vacation Bible School for our kids, and both Summer Blast and Disciple Now for our youth, from Kathy and Kyle. However, I wanted to share more in detail about our first Legacy Weekend for senior adults.

On May 22-23, we are going to have a special weekend dedicated towards ministering to our senior adults. This weekend is going to consist of some music and fun on Saturday night. Then, on Sunday, we are going to have a guest speaker preach in our both of our services. That guest speaker will be Dr. Claude Cone, one of the key mentors in my life.

Dr. Cone is the former Director of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico and he has been preaching and teaching God’s Word for over sixty years! Dr. Cone will be sharing a devotion on Saturday night and preaching a great message in both of our services on Sunday. This weekend of ministry is going to be a huge blessing as he challenges our entire church to live a life that will leave a Gospel legacy!

When I was called into ministry at 18, Dr. Cone discipled me and gave me opportunities to preach every time I came back into town from college. I have been so thankful for his investment in my life and I am grateful that he is coming to minister to our church as well.

I want to encourage everyone 55+ to sign up to be a part of our Legacy Weekend. It is going to be a lot of fun, and I know you are going to be blessed by Dr. Cone!

In addition to that, I want to encourage you stay faithful in our Bible reading. While we are wrapping up the New Testament on May 7, we will start reading through Isaiah as a church on May 10. We will be reading a chapter a day of Isaiah, Monday through Friday, throughout the summer. It is so important to stay engaged in God’s Word! Make sure you grab a bookmark the next time you are at church so you can follow along and keep up the discipline of a daily quiet time with the Lord.

Let’s pray for Dr. Cone and our Legacy Weekend. I can’t wait to see how God works through it!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

First of all, I want to start by simply saying “thank you!” We have something pretty exciting to celebrate:

We not only reached our Annie Armstrong offering goal, we exceeded it by over 10%!!!!!!

 At the time of the writing of this Forerunner article, we have brought in $14,513 for this special offering. I thought our goal of $13,000 was pretty audacious, and I am so thankful for our church, which sacrificially gave to this important cause. 100% of this offering goes to support church planters and missionaries here in North America.

It is so important for us to continue to spread the hope of Jesus to those who desperately need it. There was a fascinating article written by a nonbeliever in England that highlights this need. John Harris, in a column for the Guardian, wrote that, as an irreligious person, this pandemic has been very difficult for him to understand. He said, “For many of us, life without God has turned out to be life without fellowship and shared meaning – and in the midst of the most disorienting, debilitating crisis most of us have ever known, that social tragedy now cries out for action.”

Harris pointed out that across 95 different countries, Googling the word “prayer” increased by 50%. He uses this as evidence that people need something more. Harris, and so many secularists like him, are realizing that they need answers to life’s most difficult questions.

However, what is heartbreaking is that Harris’ answer to this issue is to create a community modeled after the church. He argues that “religion, after all, often comes down to people doing things together, whatever the transcendental meaning attributed to it: they sing, they pray, they eat together.”

Do you see how he is missing out on the true reason that we gather together as a church? Christianity is so much more than just a social club where we do things together. It is all about a relationship with the one true God! It is about celebrating new life through the Gospel!

People are longing for more; Harris makes that clear. However, he incorrectly posits what it is that makes our church a community. His article is a compelling piece of evidence that we need to clearly articulate the truth of the Gospel. We need to continue to have a life-giving community that gathers together and strengthens one another in the midst of a crisis. However, we also need to clearly and explicitly explain why we are gathering together: because of Jesus!

Please join me in praying for the many lost people around who are desperately searching for something more. And please join me in praying for opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel with them!

Thank you for giving sacrificially to Annie Armstrong. Now, let’s pray about opportunities to give the truth of the Gospel to those around us that are looking for hope!

In Him,

Pastor Zach

What a joy it was for us to celebrate our Resurrected Savior this past weekend! I am so thankful for the hope that we have in Jesus! It is remarkable to think that the same power that conquered the grave lives in each of us! I am praying that our church will continue to proclaim that truth to a world that desperately needs hope.

Gallup released a study a few months ago that I found very telling concerning our need for hope. As you know, 2020 was an incredibly taxing year for all of us mentally. In fact, this poll by Gallup found that nearly every demographic group saw a decrease in their mental health from 2019 to 2020. It did not matter if you were male or female or married or single. It didn’t matter your race or your socio-economic status. It didn’t matter what political party you were affiliated with. It didn’t matter your age. Every single demographic saw a decrease in mental health except for one category.

What was that category? Weekly religious service attendance. The only demographic that saw their mental health increase from 2019 to 2020 were those people who attended weekly religious services. Isn’t that remarkable?

I think it says something profound about the need that we all have for Biblical community. We are not meant to live our lives alone. We truly need each other! We need each other for encouragement and we need each other for our own mental health!

In the tenth chapter of Hebrews, there are a series of “let us” imperatives that the writer challenges us to do as a church:

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— ²⁰ he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. ²³ Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Because of what Jesus has done for us, we want to draw near to God with one another. We want to hold on to our confession of hope. And we want to consider how to stir one another to love and good deeds. We do this by not neglecting to gather with one another!

I know this past year has been crazy. We know this world needs hope. I want to encourage you to continue to gather with us weekly, whether in person or online, as we encourage each other. We are truly better together, church family! And not only are we better together, but according to this Gallup poll, we are healthier mentally as well!

In Him,

Pastor Zach