Fee Fee Baptist Church

Tag: Outreach

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 21

    From New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

    “I wish I could say I always rest in God’s control, but there are times when I want to be in charge. I wish I could say there are never times when I am irritated or impatient, but I struggle with both on occasion. I wish I could say the worship of God rules my heart unchallenged, but the truth is that idolatry nips at me. I wish I could say I always rest in the righteousness of Christ, but there are times when I give way to the pride of parading my so-called righteousness before others. I wish I could say the great spiritual battle is over for me, but there is clear and regular evidence it is not.”

    “All this means that I value justifying grace. I celebrate that, in Christ, God found a way to be “just and the justifier” (Rom. 3:26) of the ungodly. I am daily thankful for the perfect life of Jesus. I am thankful that he subjected himself to the temptations of this fallen world. I am thankful that on the cross he took my stripes and carried my guilt and shame. I am thankful that he took the father’s rejection. I am thankful that he burst out of that tomb, conquering death. I am thankful that his righteousness is attributed to my account. I am thankful that he fulfilled the law and satisfied the Father’s anger. I still celebrate the fact that I have been granted full, complete, and unending acceptance.”

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 20

    From New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

    “All God’s children have been called to the same position. We’ve all been called to be his ambassadors. Remember, the only thing an ambassador does is represent. God’s plan is to make his invisible presence and his invisible grace visible through his people, who incarnate his presence and carry that grace to others. That’s God’s call to every one of his children. There are to be no self-satisfied recipients, no consumers. The body of Christ is designed by God to be an organic, constantly ministering community.

    “If the church is ever going to be this, then God’s people need three things. First, we need vision. We need to be reminded again and again of our place in the work of the Redeemer. Next, we need commitment. We need to be encouraged to make specific and concrete decisions to better position ourselves for the work to which God has called us. Last, we need training. We need to understand what it really looks like to represent the grace of the Redeemer in the lives of the people whom he puts in our paths. We need to be trained not to see those relationships as belonging to us for our happiness, but rather as workrooms in which the Lord can do his transforming work of grace.”

    Brothers and sisters, we are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). Have no fear, the Lord is providing vision for this church. Your staff have received vision from the Lord for this church in the days ahead and the men leading in this interim time will care for this body. So be encouraged and commit to this church in this time. Keep your eyes out in the months ahead as we fellowship together and get training as a church body. We will continue to work together to build this church and pursue the good of our community.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 19

    Pray for Our Local College Students

    The school year is back in full swing! Each new fall means new college students at our local universities and new opportunities for young adults to come to saving faith in King Jesus. Please pray for our St. Louis area colleges. Missouri Baptist University and Lindenwood University both are seeing the Spirit move through their students; pray that He would continue His work! Be praying for laborers to go out to our colleges, for the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few (Matt. 9:37-38).

    Impact Week Recap

    The final tally for Impact Week is in — 492.5 hours! Thank you again for your service during Impact Week. We are praying in the weeks to come that this service spread seeds of the Gospel throughout the community, that those seeds would take root, and become a bountiful harvest for the kingdom. Continue praying and pursuing the good of your community with the love of Christ.

     

    Finally, I want to encourage you as you may feel weary, turn to your Savior. Matthew 11:25-30 reminds us that Jesus Christ oversees all things and will give us rest. As you work this week, remember that your work is done primarily to glorify God. Secondarily, your work is designed to proclaim who God is and encourage others to seek after God themselves. Provision for your family is not the primary reason we should be working! Our reason for being, our life’s purpose as believers, is to glorify God through our work. If there is breath in your lungs, the Lord asks that you work for Him, and He will provide your rest. So work, brothers, and sisters; work for the Lord and not for men.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 18

    Thank you for serving Bridgeton during Impact Week! 418 volunteer hours were spent by FFBC making an IMPACT in our community!

    We continued our partnership with the St. Louis Area Food Bank to provide food to families in need through our Mobile Market distribution, and three groups served at the Food Bank itself, boxing food and household essentials to be distributed later. We provided a warm meal for Loaves and Fishes to feed the homeless staying at their shelter. FFBC catered lunch to the Bridgeton Police Department and sent a coffee truck to the Pattonville Early Childhood Center, appreciating those who serve our community. Members also constructed Blessing Bags to give to homeless to provide for their most basic needs. Chi Alpha Students constructed Action Packs with Voice of the Martyrs to provide aide to those in countries hostile to the Gospel. THRIVE held a baby shower, providing necessities to expecting mothers in need. We got out in nature and cleaned up Matthews and Vago Parks, helping to keep our community beautiful. Lifesaving blood was supplied to area hospitals through the Red Cross Blood Drive. Finally, we hosted a food drive for our own Food Pantry to continue serving our neighbors in need.

    Thank you again for your service during Impact Week. We are praying in the weeks to come that this service spread seeds of the Gospel throughout the community, that those seeds would take root, and become a bountiful harvest for the kingdom. Continue praying and pursuing the good of your community with the love of Christ.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 17

    “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless, and he deceives himself,” (James 1:26).

    An uncontrolled tongue is often the source of conflict between people. A mother’s critique of her daughter’s clothing choice causes bitterness to brew between them. A coworker’s harsh evaluation of your performance stirs division among your department. When an outfielder drops the third pop fly that game, a coach’s unbridled tongue can destroy the player’s confidence and love for the game.

    Later in this letter, James instructs the church to “consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things” (James 3:4-5a). Like a spark that sets the forest ablaze, an uncontrolled tongue will reap havoc on your life.

    What hope is there for the believer? “If my tongue is an uncontrolled fire, then what can I do?” First, pray to the God of all language to bridle your tongue and direct you in what to say. As you think and say things that tear others down, confess to the God who forgives and endeavor to only speak words that raise up others. Second, listen far more than you speak. Common sense tells us that the body has two ears and one mouth, so we listen twice as much as we speak. If your tongue is running wild, keep it contained within your mouth and use your ears instead.

    I wish to echo the author, that “with the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way” (James 3:9-10-). As we honor God with our tongues, we will be quick to see people around us as his image-bearers. How can I bless God and yet curse man made in his likeness? May it not be so among his people.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 16

    “Lord, there is no one like you among the gods, and there are no works like yours. All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God,” (Psalm 86:8-10).

    No other gods can match the works of our God. Only our God has made all the nations. Whether they acknowledge him as God or govern themselves denying God’s existence, he is still God. Whenever we see heinous acts of violence by governments against their citizens, those governments will answer to God. When we see nations pass laws that are contrary to God’s laws, those governments will answer to God.

    Every nation he has made will one day bow to their knees and confess that he is Lord. Some nations will bow willingly, rejoicing in the return of the true king, shouting his praises from the mountaintops. Some nations will bow cowering in fear, shuddering in the presence of the Lord of Lords, announcing what they knew all along; that God is who he says he is.

    For the Church. We as God’s people must remember that our God is the King of Kings. When nations honor God through their actions, the praise belongs to our God. However, we must remember that we live in a fallen world. My heart aches when believers are distraught at the state of the world. World governments make their foundation in the world, not in the spirit; we should not expect them to act as “Christian nations.” Do not despair my friends, our God will be glorified! At the end of days, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. For every day that passes from now until then, the peace of God is available to his people through the Holy Spirit. When a news headline disturbs you, pray to the God of peace for serenity only he can provide. Nations are formed, and nations are destroyed; Our God is in control of it all.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 15

    First Impressions Team

    Calling all friendly faces! We are looking for greeters to join our First Impressions team for the coming school year. If you can smile and open a door, you’re qualified! Serving as a greeter is a fantastic way to welcome members and guests to our services. Pew Research Center regularly finds that one of the most influential factors in US adults choosing a place to worship is a sense of feeling welcomed by leaders and members. Thankfully, this is something entirely in our control. If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a greeter, join Logan in the Welcome Center after service on August 14 to express your interest!

    “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him,” (Colossians 3:17).

    This text communicates a beautiful truth: Mankind is created to worship. By design, we are worshippers. Our words communicate to others what we value and find worthy of praise. Our bodies tense up or grow excited in response to things that excite our eyes. Our feet carry us to locations where we glorify the things we enjoy. Yet sin regularly warps our most natural worship into something self-serving and that dishonors God. Paul reminds a church surrounded by idol worship and mysticism to guard their words and deeds, ensuring their actions give thanks to God the Father and the Lord Jesus. What a fitting reminder for our church today. In a culture centered on the self, we are bombarded with the do-it-yourself, “you are the master of the universe” false doctrine. Whatever you do, whether actions and speech, bring glory to God through it.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 13

    As we are now in mid-July, I have been with you at Fee Fee for 2 ½ months. First, I want to say what a blessed time this has been thus far! This church I am beginning to call home has been welcoming to me from the first steps I took in the door. We have moved from a rainy spring to the inferno of a Missouri summer. You have heard me preach, a message that I still must remind myself of almost daily; to persevere in prayer and never give up. I joined our Chi Alpha students on a mission trip to Washington, D.C. There, I saw the love our students have for the Lord and the hearts they have for both worship and service. As you read this and Lord willing, I am with our team in the Dominican Republic. Pray for open hearts to the Gospel, ready hands to serve, and endurance for our team to continue the work that began a few years ago. The Lord has certainly been good to this church.

    The Lord has also been good to me through this season! Serving Fee Fee Baptist Church is one of the biggest blessings in my life and a responsibility I do not take lightly. This ministry position has stretched me in ways I needed stretching and comforted me in areas I needed comforting. Candidly, this also has been a difficult season in my personal life and relationships. But God is good, all the time. I am thankful for the staff I serve alongside, who have welcomed me and loved me well in this season. As we gear up for Monumental VBS and look forward to the fall, I humbly ask that you pray for your staff. Pray that we would hear the Lord’s voice clearly and not move without his lead. Pray that God would be honored through our efforts to build our lives on Jesus and pursue the good of our community. Pray that servants would join us in the various ministries in need of helping hands. And trust that God is gracious to provide all that we need and more.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 12

    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me,” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    The Apostle Paul would have had good reason to boast in his own abilities. A faithful Jew before his conversion, Paul knew the Law and Prophets like the back of his hand. Paul followed the law as best he could, dotting his I’s and crossing his T’s. Even his persecution of early Christians was believed to be faithful to the Scriptures as the Jews understood them. Upon his Damascus Road experience, Saul became Paul and lived a life devoted to Jesus Christ and the spread of his Gospel. Virtually every church in the East had Paul’s fingerprints in their founding. Nearly two-thirds of our New Testament was authored by the Apostle. So why is it this man who chooses not to boast in his own deeds for God?

    Because Jesus Christ was far better! The human Paul pales in comparison to the Godman that is Jesus. In verse 8, we see that Paul is afflicted with a “thorn in the flesh,” so that he would not revel in his own deeds but fully rely on Christ. Consider your thorn in the flesh, that sin you just can’t seem to shake. We all have them, no one is immune to a “speck in their eye.” I’ve lived most of my life as a perfectionist, never satisfied with my work and always striving for better. I know my weaknesses and they haunt me almost daily. Maybe some of you relate to my “thorn in the flesh.”

    What are we to do? Consider Paul’s response: “So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10, emphasis added). When we are made weak, that is when God’s grace shines brightest in our lives. Confess sins, admit your weaknesses; step out in faith and be made strong in the grace of God. I pray you will join me in boasting in the sufficient grace for you, for God’s power made perfect in weakness.

  • College & Outreach – Vol. 62, No. 11

    “Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful,” (Mark 4:18-19 CSB).

    Mortgages. Car payments. Credit card debt. Kids’ sports schedules. Vacations. Overtime hours. Holiday spending. Saving for college… The worries of this age are innumerable. The deceitfulness of wealth is tricky. We think that having just a little bit more money, working a little bit longer, or charging a little bit more to our cards, will bring us satisfaction. Sadly, we know this is not true. I know that I have been guilty of this. With my lips I proclaim that God is in control, but in my heart, I seek to understand the circumstances of life and anticipate what is coming around the corner. I think many of you can relate.

    Guard your heart, brother! Analyze your thoughts and desires, sister! The worries of the world choke the word and prevent you from fulfilling the Great Commission. Fret not the concerns of the world, for your Heavenly Father knows your needs and will meet those needs. “Consider the birds of the sky: they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than the? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” (Matthew 6:26-27). Though we know this to be true, it is a challenge to live in this truth daily. My prayer for you today is that you fix your eyes on Jesus, knowing that He sees you and cares for you. Trust our God and King! He knows your worries and will always provide. Do not allow the worries of the age choke the power of the Gospel in your life today.