MISSION: Uganda Blog Update, 06-28-2006

Hello, again! It's been a restful time for us this month, and a chance to get caught up on things around the house that needed doing. This past week, and the next, I'm filling the pulpit for our pastor, Ken Spilger, while he and the clan are off on vacation, visiting family up in Washington state. I'm preaching a series of four messages on Baptist Distinctives. Last week, we covered B, A, P, and T, meaning, Biblical Authority, the Autonomy of the Local Church, the Priesthood of the Believer, and the Two Ordinances of the Local Church (Believer's Baptism and the Lord's Supper). As you've probably guessed, we'll be finishing up with I, S, T, and S next week, meaning Individual Soul Liberty, a Saved Church (Purity of the Church), the Two Offices of the Local Church (Pastor and Deacon), and Separation of Church and State. I think most of us are at least aware of these things in principle, but it helps to have them articulated, and spelled out in an organized fashion for review. The history of our denomination is important to consider as well. I was able to bring this out, particularly in the points on the autonomy of the local church, and believer's Baptism. There are very good and compelling scriptural reasons for our historic doctrinal stances, and it is those stances in particular that have caused considerable problems for Baptists in the past, as Baptists found themselves in disagreement, and legal conflict with the Episcopal state church that existed in our country before the Revolution. It's all been very interesting and profitable, and I'm looking forward to finishing the series on Sunday. I tell you what, I'm glad I'm saved, and I'm also glad I'm Baptist!

Pray for me as I preach and lead in the services tonight, and on Sunday. I want to feed the sheep, and be able to maintain the church well in lieu of our Pastor's return. Pray that I'll have wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit as I serve in this capacity.

We have some men in our church that need jobs. Pray that God will supply, and that they'll be able to get jobs they like, with good pay, decent benefits, and reasonable hours that will permit church attendance on Sunday.

That's all for now.