Fee Fee Baptist Church

Tag: prayer

  • A Word From Pastor Zach – Vol. 62, No. 6

    Church Family,

    There are three big things that I want to bring to your attention in this edition of the Forerunner: Easter, Prayer, and our Associate Pastor, Andrew Yakel.

    First, did you know that the APM research lab found that in 2022, 84% of Americans said they are either extremely (55%) or very worried (29%)? Additionally, 26% of all Americans report that absolutely nothing makes them hopeful.

    Those statistics are alarming! That is why the theme of our Easter services this year is simply “Hope.” I want to encourage you to invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and relatives to celebrate Resurrection Sunday with us here at Fee Fee on April 17. We are going to focus on the hope that is found in Jesus. I promise you that I will clearly present the Gospel and share about the hope that we have because of the resurrection.

    Additionally, we will be bringing back our Easter breakfast! In lieu of our normal Sunday morning Bible Study, we will be having a hot breakfast in our gym. Please join us for a fellowship meal together as we celebrate our risen Savior!

    Second, we want to refocus on our Prayer Warriors Ministry. We know that prayer moves the heart of God. If we want to see God move in our church and in our city, we need to get on our knees! If you are interested at all in being a part of this ministry, I want to invite you to an informational meeting Sunday, April 3, at 4:00 p.m. in the Dining Room. We are challenging people to agree to pray for our services during a particular month. In addition, we will be having a united prayer time of that month’s volunteers on the first Sunday of the month at 8:00 a.m. in the Media Center. Come join us as we discuss this vitally important ministry and talk about ways to seek God’s face together as a congregation.

    Finally, I want to take a moment to recognize our departing Associate Pastor, Andrew Yakel. The Bible says that we are to give honor where honor is due. Andrew has faithfully served Fee Fee for over a decade! He has poured his life into this church, and I am so thankful for the way he has served God so well here at FFBC. Further, I know that God is going to use him in a big way in his new role at the St. Louis Area Food Bank. We are going to miss him, but we know that God’s Kingdom is bigger than just our church.

    We want to make sure that we honor and encourage Andrew, Teresa, and the girls as they step into this new venture. Please bring cards and show your support to the Yakels on their last Sunday with us, March 27. Also, we will be having a special time to fellowship with them between our two services that Sunday. So, before you go to Bible Study, or after Bible Study and before the 11:00 a.m. service, make sure you stop by the café for some refreshments and let Andrew and the Yakels know how much they mean to us.

    Please join me in praying for Easter, our Prayer Warriors Ministry, and the Yakel family.

    In Him,

    Pastor Zach Crook

  • Featured Article – Vol. 61, No. 5

    By Larry Condra, Prayer Warrior

    “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,” (Ezekiel 36:37).

    Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. Look at sacred history, and you will find that scarcely ever did a great mercy come to this world unheralded by supplication. You have found this true in your own personal experience. God has given you many an unsolicited favor, but still great prayer has always been the prelude of great mercy with you. When you first found peace through the blood of the cross, you had been praying much, and earnestly interceding with God that he would remove your doubts and deliver you from your distress. Your assurance was the result of prayer. When at any time you have had high and joyful experiences, you have been obliged to look upon them as answers to your prayers. When you have had great deliverances out of sore troubles, and mighty helps in great dangers, you have been able to say, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears,” (Psalm 54:7).

    Prayer is always the preface to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing’s shadow. We may be certain that if we are much in prayer, our pleadings are the shadows of mercy. Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it. If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly.

    “Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw;

    Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;

    Gives exercise to faith and love;

    Brings every blessing from above.”1

    1Devotional by C.H. Spurgeon

    Ezekiel prophesied for a whole nation that one day God would restore His people from captivity and make them “as numerous as sheep.” As this devotional describes, our earnest prayer, “Brings every blessing from above.” Whether it be for our nation, our church, our families, or ourselves, He hears our prayers.

    For Fee Fee Baptist Church in particular, I suggest we consider these “pleas” as we pray. Pray for our Pastor and staff as they lead us. Pray too, for our deliberate direct ministries to the community, including the Mobile Market, backpack ministry, Meals on Wheels, Red Cross blood drive, International Food Pantry, and Loaves and Fishes. Remember as well, the individual and random acts of kindness we each do every day for those around us. Pray that these actions will not only meet the physical needs of those touched but relay a definite message that our actions are a direct result of God’s presence and His love for them.

    “Be thou ever near unto us and keep us near unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

  • Prime Time – Vol. 61, No. 1

    On a recent Live Prayer time, I was encouraged by the number of you who had accepted the challenge of reading through the New Testament in 90 days together. It is exciting and encouraging to think that God can transform us through the power of His Word.

    I’m sure there will be days when we get behind. Saturdays and Sundays are a great day to catch up since there are no assigned readings on the weekends. If you are like me, some days are just busy. I just finished reading Matthew 5-7 and it is 10:38. That is p.m. – not a.m. As I finished today’s passage, I was struck by what it must have been like to hear Jesus teach the radical concepts He taught His disciples in the sermon in the mount. Yes, I just said the disciples. I think we often think He was teaching a crowd but reread 5:1. He started with just His disciples who He was preparing for the days and mission ahead. It quickly becomes obvious that God’s way of living usually contradicts the worlds. I’m sure by the end of chapter 7, great crowds had gathered to hear the radical way of living that God expects of His followers as He said, “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” Imagine their surprise when He concluded by commanding them to be perfect!

    If you would like to talk with others in the church who are reading through the New Testament, please consider joining a Transformation Group. You can join at any time. A different person will be the leader each weekday and will share their take on the Scripture reading for that day. Others in the group can then comment or just give it a thumbs up. All you need is a smart phone or tablet and the Marco Polo app. Let me know if you are interested.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 24

    by Larry Condra, Prayer Warrior

    A Prayer for this Christmas Season

    People have problems and the problems they have may cloud their judgement.  They may question God or seek solutions in the wrong places.

    Have you not known?
    Have you not heard?
    The everlasting God, the LORD,
    The Creator of the ends of the earth,
    Neither faints nor is weary.
    His understanding is unsearchable.

    (Isaiah 40: 28)

    The prophet Isaiah’s response to those who question God is “Have you not known?” He does this because we surely do know.  “Have you not heard?” We have, of course, heard about God. We are the very people of God. We have heard about God and the wonders He has performed. We know that it is foolish to fall into the trap of resentment. After all, we know that God is the solution to our problems.

    Maybe things aren’t going the way you would like or you know someone who is questioning things going on. Maybe things aren’t being resolved according to your timetable, or theirs. What God has allowed to happen may not make sense. Isaiah’s explanation for this is that God’s understanding is unsearchable. It’s not always possible to figure it out. Indeed, we don’t really have to figure it out.

    Our job is not to figure God out, but to trust Him. We must trust that He will deliver us at the right time.

    ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word;

    Just to rest upon His promise, Just to know “Thus saith the Lord.”

    I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Saviour, Friend;

    And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

    Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!

    Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!  O for grace to trust Him more!

    As we celebrate Christmas during this unusual year, pray that we will trust in Jesus. Pray that our families, our church, our neighbors, and our nation will not despair or become depressed over changes we face this holiday season but will trust in Jesus.

    Pray too for our children and their families this Christmas season. They are missing their Bible study teachers and classes. Despite this separation, pray that they will experience the real meaning of Christ’s birth. Pray for our Lottie Moon Christmas offering and the missionaries it will help support. Include our Pastor and staff as we ask for God’s blessings.

  • Featured Article – Vol. 60, No. 16

    by Nina Palumbo, Clinical Social Worker certified in Spiritual Christian Counseling

    God is Our Hope

    Four months ago, social distancing, wearing face masks, and Zoom meetings were not part of our everyday lives. An invisible virus has increased our anxiety and fear that we may become sick or lose a loved one. Worry creeps in as our time of isolation and physical separateness extends far longer than we wish for or desire. Our mostly predictable lives with established routines have been completely upended. We are dealing with a new set of rules, limitations, and change. We crave security and want to feel safe and to feel that we have a sense of control over our lives. How much uncertainty we can tolerate varies from person to person. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives while others find the randomness of life deeply distressing. But all of us have a limit. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the pandemic right now, you are not alone. Many of us are in the same boat.

    In Mark 4:35-41, we read about the disciples becoming fearful of the storm while Jesus slept peacefully in the boat. They awake Him and with the spoken word Jesus calms the storm and His disciples’ fear. When we are afraid, worried, or panicked, and feel are choices are restricted or limited, there are three important choices we can make.

    We Can Choose Faith Over Fear

    Although it may feel like everything is changing at a rapid pace, know that God is not. He is the same faithful God as before the pandemic and will continue to be once it passes. Our faith can be steady because our God is faithfully unchanging. This truth alone can strengthen us to not give into fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear can rob us of these three gifts that we need during times of uncertainty. Power enables us to live a life of faith when it is not easy. Love enables us to share and sacrifice when it is not convenient. A sound mind allows us to experience peace even when things seem to be going wrong.

    Choose Wisdom Over Worry

    Be careful to not become paralyzed by worry. Use wisdom to listen to sound advice and to ensure that the source of information you are watching and reading are credible. If there is an action you can take to protect yourself or others, then please do so.

    Choose Prayer Over Panic

    Jesus called His church a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13) and now is our time. It’s time to pray for God’s intervention to stop the spread of the disease. It is time to ask for healing. It is time to ask for peace and comfort for those who are grieving. It is time for us to ask for direction and discernment for our leaders. Prayer is powerful and effective. If we spend our time panicking instead of praying, we forfeit our greatest strength.

    This would be a great time to begin reading the Bible every day, conforming your thoughts to God’s will (Romans, 12:2). This would be a great time to pray every day for 5-20 minutes, “casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you,” (1 Peter 5:7). This would be a great time to choose to forgive someone in your life, so that you might experience a better relationship with God (Mark 11:25). God is our hope for the end of this pandemic. God is our hope for our spiritual, emotional, financial, and physical needs during this time. Do not despair. During isolation from friends and family, we can still experience joy when we turn to God. “For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence,” Psalm 21:6.

  • Family Front – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Family Worship!

    It has been so good to worship together in person these last few weeks. It was wonderful to have kids in worship again! Families will find a onetime-use individual Praise Packs with a few activities for kids to follow along with the worship service. It is okay, too, if you choose to stay at home to worship!  We will look forward to seeing you again soon as you feel comfortable getting out. You can pick up a Praise Pack and bring it back with you to the Worship Center for worship – you are not required to sit in the gym.

    Ministry Opportunities

    Despite the sheltering in place, we have some great opportunities to serve our community. We still have the Mobile Food Market every other Monday and another blood drive July 22-23. Impact Week will be August 2-8, where we serve our community through various projects. These will be great opportunities for families to serve together. Watch for more information!

    KidsZone Bible Study

    Just a reminder, there are weekly Bible plans on our church website that you can use at home as well as some downloadable activities. The KidsZone lessons follow the sermon series, “I AM,” the statements of Jesus in the book of John. You can find these on our website on the KidsZone page.

    My Prayer for You

    I miss you all immensely! I pray for you often that the Father will give you all the patience and love you need to carry on leading your children to know Christ better. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you lead your families.

    “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go,” Joshua 1:7.

  • Prime Time – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Adult VBS

    I am so excited that we finally have something on the schedule! Adult VBS will take place from Monday, July 27 – Thursday, July 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. We are, of course, still taking safety precautions. We will meet in the dining room and sit at the round tables where it is easy to socially distance. I will be using the podium and microphone so you can hear it loud and clear. Ronna and friends will provide us with music. She has selected some old and familiar hymns, so hymnals won’t be necessary. Since masks are required in public places, you are encouraged to wear a mask. Snacks will be provided but they will be individually wrapped pastries and bottled/canned drinks. You can bring your own coffee, if you choose. Bring your own Bible and join in the fun! The main parking lot will be in use due to the Mobile Market on Monday, so please park on the side by the Children’s Home and enter through the handicap door. The rest of the week, the main parking lot is fine to use. Adults of any age are welcome!

    Impact Week

    It is so important for the church to continue to be missional. Impact Week will be  the first week of August. One of the ways you can help is with our Free Market on Saturday, August 8. I know we have all had ample opportunity to purge our homes of items we no longer need including clothes, furniture, kitchen items, etc.  If you have not participated in blessing our community before by giving away these items for free, this would be a great year to start!

    We will hand out school supplies again to students in our community during the Free Market. If you are out shopping, pick up a backpack and fill it with school supplies, then drop them off at the church. If you don’t get out to shop, monetary donations are gladly welcome – simply designate some money by check or online giving for “School Supplies.” Schools will be reopening August 24, so we hope to be able to help our community in a big way.

    Free Market

    The Free Market will take place on the church parking lot Saturday, August 8 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.  We will be giving away items that you have been setting aside after decluttering your home. It is my hope that many of you will participate to aid our community as you have done in the past. You will have a table on which to place clothing, furnishings, kitchen items, baby items, etc. Please let the church know if you plan to participate.

    We will also be handing out backpacks loaded with school supplies. We need both backpacks and school supply items. These can be dropped by the church at your convenience as we will put these supplies into the backpacks.

    Needed School Supplies: backpacks, notebook paper (wide ruled), #2 pencils, erasable markers, colored pencils, 2-pocket folders, ink pens, Kleenex, crayons, Elmer’s school glue, washable markers, spiral notebooks, quart and gallon Ziploc bags, pencil pouches, composition notebooks, and Clorox wipes.

    Praying for You

    I have been praying for all my senior friends. These are unusual times. While I have seen some of you from a distance in church, I am still missing that connection. If you need anything or have a prayer request, please let me know. You can reach me by email at Gloria@feefeebc.org or text/call (314) 604-6071.  While “this too will pass” is not scriptural, it is my hope for each of us.

  • Bible Study Corner – Vol. 60, No. 11

    While we will slowly and eventually get back to Bible study in person, we will continue to use virtual methods.  Please contact Gloria at gloria@feefeebc.org if you are interested in getting connected with a virtual Bible study.

    Daily Prayer at 7:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, will continue through the month of June. You can join in every weekday on our Fee Fee Baptist Church Facebook page.

  • Family Front – Vol. 60, No. 09

    So how is everyone out there is quarantine-land? I miss getting together with the kids and seeing families at church! If you need anything, (and that includes prayer), do not hesitate to let us know. Parents, you have a lot on your plate: homeschooling, your own work, keeping family happy and healthy. Know that I am praying for you.

    KidsZone

    You will find a weekly KidsZone for preschoolers and children on our website each week. There are also handouts and activities to go along with it. If you do not have a printer at home, please let me know; I would be happy to mail them to you. I hope you choose to worship with your children. There is a worship bulletin that kids can use to follow along with Sunday morning worship services as they sit with you. A video has been posted on the Children’s Ministry Facebook page for parents about “Helping Kids Navigate the Pandemic.”  There are many activities you can enjoy together – some of which you will be hearing about this week!

    FREE Family Resources

    If you need additional resources, you can find many of them through Right Now Media. Just give us permission to put your email into our account and you can access Right Now Media for FREE! It is a great resource for kids’ videos, Bible Study resources for all topics and ages. “What’s in the Bible” by Phil Vischer is a particular favorite of mine. What an opportunity you have right now to lead your kids to know Jesus and to better understand the Bible!

    Daily Prayer

    Don’t miss our Daily Prayer on Facebook Live every weeknight at 7:00 p.m. Get your kids involved by having them share prayer requests, too. What a precious time this has been and will continue to be!

    AWANA

    We will likely have our AWANA Awards Night the first Wednesday night we return to AWANA in the fall. Further information will be posted as details become available.

    Summer Fun Week

    It is with a big sad face that the announcement that Summer Fun Week has been postponed.  We are planning to have Vacation Bible School but are just not sure when that will be. As of right now, we are cancelling Basketball Camp. Watch for more details throughout the summer.

  • Community Connection – Vol. 60, No. 06

    How to be missional and isolated

    I know that in all the chaos and strangeness of the Coronavirus effects, many people are stuck inside on their own. It’s easy in that situation to feel very limited including in our ability to reach people with the Gospel. As I thought about this, I thought about Paul being isolated in prison. But in that state he didn’t say “woe is me” and do nothing. He realized he is still called to proclaim the Gospel and writes letters to churches to encourage them, challenge them, and let them know he was praying for them. He spoke with the guards around him about the Gospel. He still reached people with the Gospel during his isolation. Amid our own isolation we are still called to reach people with the Gospel – we just have to think creatively about how to do it. Here are some ideas: 

    • Pray. No matter what your situation or limitations you can pray. Pray for our world, healing, wisdom for leaders, the lost, healthcare workers, your neighbors…the list could go on forever. Take quality time to pray.
    • Contact those in your life that are on their own or may battle with loneliness. Call them, send a text or an email, Skype them, or write a letter. Let them know you were thinking about them. Continue to check in with the people in your life.
    • If you are younger and physically healthy, provide for your neighbors who aren’t. Ask them if you could go grocery shopping for them or pick up medication. Ask parents who are working if you could watch their kids for a day. Order a dinner to be delivered to the family with the parent whose hours have been cut back at work.

    These are just some quick ideas, but I encourage you to think creatively and find ways to show the love of God to those in our world who are hurting and afraid today. Church, just like Paul, our isolation doesn’t have to keep us from declaring the love of God by loving the people around us.

    Week of Prayer for North American Missions – March 29 – April 4

    During these coming weeks there will be plenty of North American Missionaries that are working extra hard to try and reach people in new ways. They could definitely use our prayers. March 29 through April 4 is a Week of Prayer for North American Missions. You can download the prayer guide on the “Downloads” section of our website. Then Sunday, April 5 we are taking a special offering for the Annie Armstrong Offering – all the money given to this offering goes towards North American Missionaries. Please be praying for our missionaries!