The Main Thing

Edgewood Bible Church Family,

I want to thank you for being my church family. This season has been exhausting, but what has kept me going has been your friendship, your dedication to the ministry of EBC and your love for one another. 2020 has brought so many challenges—more than I have experienced in the last 18 years of ministry. But with those challenges, you all have stuck with me and the church as a whole. Thank you for thinking the best of me and the elder board, rather than the worst. Thank you for trusting us even when our decisions may differ from yours or what you would desire to do. Thank you for faithfully giving to the work of ministry here, even when some of you were losing income and jobs. Your faithfulness to this church family has been astounding!

I am privileged to serve with a fantastic staff, deacons and an elder team who have worked tirelessly for the safety of our church to gather. We have followed these procedures carefully since we began meeting in June and the Lord has protected us. Although we are learning some in our church family have contracted COVID and are now healthy, nothing was transmitted while on campus. I am happy that when we gather on Sundays, you all submit to these procedures with joy and endure the inconvenience. Worshiping with my church family means so much and we are thankful for this.

My encouragement to you all is to keep the main thing the main thing: Jesus Christ. Keep him at the center of all your thinking and actions. This can be very difficult with the constant influx of news and social media regarding the global pandemic, the upcoming elections, the turmoil in our streets and the differing opinions with social justice. There are many things that are important, but do not stake your credibility and your energy on things that will pass away. When this pandemic becomes a story we share with our grandkids, and the elections are history, one thing is for certain: Jesus Christ will still be on the throne and the gospel will still need to be preached.

We need to keep the main thing the main thing before we post on Facebook. We need to keep the main thing the main thing before we vent to people. Even if we are right, we should be more enthusiastic about the Gospel then our viewpoints or our political opinions. The greatest danger for our church family isn’t a pandemic or an election. It’s distraction and rejection of the Gospel and losing our focus on Jesus Christ.

The goal for us during this time should be to develop humility. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3–4) We desperately need humility for our lives and in our church. We should look for more ways to serve one another and fewer ways of looking out for ourselves. My heart is so easily moved towards protecting myself and my opinions, rather than looking out for my brother or sister. How unlike our Savior.

We have this opportunity to learn from our Savior as we continue studying the Gospel of Luke. I pray that we will learn his humility, his love, and his empathy for those that are different than ourselves. And I pray that our church will grow strong through the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I love you church. Thank you for serving alongside me.

Your thankful Pastor,

Jeff

5 Comments


Ellen Thatcher - September 14th, 2020 at 11:41am

You are a blessing!! Your sermons always prick me just where I need to think about my actions and attitudes!! Grateful God has given you to us!!! And your heart for your flock of sheep who need you to call us to be holy as HE is holy!!! Hugs !!!!

Carol Thompson - September 14th, 2020 at 11:53am

Thank you so much for being our Shepherd. For your prayers and encouragement even for us that cant be with you at church. Hugs to you and your family and praying God will give you the strength to keep going. When we are weak He is strongest.

Greg Coe - September 15th, 2020 at 9:42am

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Dave Allen - September 16th, 2020 at 1:02am

Thanks for the encouragement and thanks for serving!

Tracy williams - September 19th, 2020 at 1:28am

Thanks for persevering and loving us ❤️