Pastoral Blessings
When everybody else goes to work on Mondays and Thursdays, I’m reviewing what happened the day or evening before at Bethel’s services. I’m thinking about feedback I was offered (intentionally or otherwise), things I observed, lives I saw impacted, and news I heard. These past couple of weeks have been quite memorable in this regard.
A couple of Sundays ago, we broke our standing Sunday School record with 152, we topped 200 in worship twice, and on opening night of Awana, we had 113 involved in children’s and youth ministries, plus the adults in the auditorium Bible study. We saw a young man saved, welcomed a couple into our membership, and met a lot of new faces, including 38 visitors in one Sunday alone!
Numbers, in and of themselves, aren’t worth much unless they demonstrate a trend. I believe that the trend at Bethel right now is that people are hungry for the Word. That’s the feedback I’ve been listening to more than any. Everybody, from the radically lost to the securely saved, seems to be searching for a word from the Lord.
God has blessed the outset of our Journey Through the Word. We’ve had a large number of people checking in on the series through the web site. Audio sermon downloads are increasing weekly and people seem to be bringing Bibles and taking notes. All of this is so encouraging to me.
I don’t talk much about “church growth.” I don’t set many numerical goals. We don’t even do much “marketing” of Bethel (the exception of course, being word-of-mouth advertising and a decent web presence). But God is blessing. Lives are being touched and changed by the Word of God, and that’s worth celebrating!
Brandon is first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. He's a husband to 
I was one of the new faces and so thrilled to be able to attend church for the first time in two years due to my work schedule. I arrived eager to praise God , to fellowship with His people, to receive some guidance from His word and to just rest in His Presence in worship.
It was a comfort to me to hold a hymn book in my hands instead of having words on a wall , it was also a comfort that I didn’t have to look at the hymnal for the words because the songs were familiar to my heart. Songs that I had sang standing next to my grandmother as a small child, next to my mother as a young lady and then with my own family. I like the new contemporary music and songs , but there is something about those old hymns that seem to say welcome home to me.
The greetings of welcome that I received were sincere and appreciated. When When someone lives alone a heart felt greeting is a gift, but I must add it is also a welcomed gift to someone who is busy with family and the busy-ness that seems to be on all of us these days. A smile and a comforting word are always in order as the Lord directs us to encourage , lift up and love one another.
I listened as God’s word was delivered by a pastor who has a heart for God. A heart for His word, a heart to stay on the scripture with much thought and concern given to accuracy and intent of message.
I received what I came for, more wisdom than I had when I arrived, and opportunity to praise my Lord, to be with His people, to be still in His presence, to turn to Him with thanksgiving and to carry in my heart hope that holds on to all His promises.
I look forward to Sunday , when I will again hold the book of hymns in my hands, listen to a pastor who is Christ centered on God’s Word, and have an opportunity to receive and deliver an encouraging greeting to and from all.
Grace and peace,
Carmen Babb