Pastor Ricky Powell

Disaster Relief Update: Southern Tornadoes

Disaster Relief Update: Southern Tornadoes.

Vacation Bible School Training Is Coming To Fort Caroline Baptist Church!

VBS 2011 Jacksonville Baptist Association Training Clinic 

Saturday, April 30, 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 NOON @ Fort Caroline Baptist Church (11428 McCormick Road)

 Let's get prepared to give the children of our community the best Vacation Bible School ever!

The following classes will be offered:

• VBS Directors and Pastors 
• Preschool 
• Children
• Preteen 
• Classroom Leaders
• Music and Missions Rotations

*Those serving in Snacks and Crafts do not need to attend this training.

For more information and resources about this year's theme (Big Apple Adventure: Where Faith and Life Connect) please visit Lifeway's website here.

Where Is God When I Feel Forsaken? Psalm 22

This is the message from our Resurrection Celebration. 

Almost Christian (A Book Review)

Dean, Kenda Creasy. Almost Christian: What the Faith of our Teenagers is Telling the American Church. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

Kenda Creasy Dean is Associate Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary. She worked on the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) and is the author of several books (book cover). Almost Christian is based on Dean's study of the religious lives of American thirteen-to-seventeen year olds through the National Study of Youth and Religion. Her goal was to extrapolate information that would prove beneficial to the church as it seeks to engage youth through targeted ministries (p. ix). She describes the "gist" of what the study revealed when she writes, "American young people are, theoretically, fine with religious faith—but it does not concern them very much, and it is not durable enough to survive long after they graduate from high school. One more thing: we're responsible" (p. 3). The study conducted through personal interviews with 3,300 American teenagers between 2003-2005 reveals that most do not possess a compelling faith. They have adopted a "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism." The guiding beliefs of these teens include:

1. A god exists who created and orders the world and watches over life on earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
4. God is not involved in my life except when I need God to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die. (p. 14)

Dean contends that because the church has failed to inculcate youth with a compelling doctrine, vision of God, and purpose for life that the church is no longer important to youth. They are not hostile to the church because the church is not important enough for them to feel strongly one way or the other. Dean places the blame for this state of affairs at the doorstep of the church who has effectively separated youth from the life of the church as a whole and who has communicated a watered down message "so devoid of God's self-giving love in Jesus Christ, so immune to the sending love of the Holy Spirit that it might not be Christianity at all" (p. 12).

Have You Heard? Great Things Are Happening!

The young lady had never attended ANY church until she came to Fort Caroline Baptist Church a few weeks ago. She really did not want to be here, but she came at the invitation of friends who are members of the church. She was apprehensive at first, not knowing what to expect. “Will people judge me? What do they do in church? What if I don’t like it?” She said as she sat in the worship service she found her heart strangely warmed. The people were friendly. The music moved her. The message spoke to her in a way she could understand. Tears welled up in her eyes. She could not explain what she was feeling. Her husband leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That’s the Lord you feel.” She has since trusted Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized on April 17 along with five other people! There are tears in my eyes as I write these words and think about the many lives being changed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you for being such a caring congregation. Thank you for living as missionaries in your community, reaching and relating to people who need Jesus. Thank you for following my leadership as your pastor. God is blessing our congregation in unprecedented ways! More people are attending worship than ever before! We have baptized more people than ever before! We are breaking record attendance in LifeGroups! During the worst economic recession since the Great Depression you have given record amounts of money to fund life-changing ministries and mission efforts! Not a week goes by that I do not hear from someone who says God has changed their life since discovering Fort Caroline Baptist Church. Thank you for all you do and for all you sacrifice to help people come to Christ.

Resurrection Celebrations At Fort Caroline Baptist Church

Nearly 900 people worshipped with us last Easter. So this year we are making room for all the people who will worship with us by offering an additional service. The times of EACH worship service will be different than the usual schedule. Here is the schedule for Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. Each service is an hour long, gives a fifteen minute transition, and concludes before noon.

1.Classic Worship: 8:08 to 9:08 (No child-care available)
2.Blended/Contemporary Worship: 9:23 to 10:23 (child-care available, Early LifeGroups/Worship/Children's LifeGroups)
3.Blended/Contemporary Worship: 10:38 to 11:38 (child-care available, Late LifeGroups/worship/Children's LifeGroups)

I am beginning a new sermon series on Easter. The title of the series is, "Where Is God?" We all face times in our lives when God feels a million miles away. This is certainly true during the trials and tragedies of life. The good news is God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. In this series we will discover how to live by faith in the God who is always with us. This week's message from Psalm 22 is, "Where is God when I feel forsaken?" Please begin now inviting your friends and neighbors to join you on Easter at FCBC! Please remember to reserve the guest parking for first-time guests. Park as far from the buildings as possible in order to give the best parking to our guests and others who need to park close by. Warmly welcome people you meet. Sit up close in the worship center and make room for others. Most of all, worship God and expect Him to do great things!

Easter Service Schedule At Fort Caroline Baptist Church

These are exciting days at Fort Caroline Baptist Church. More people are attending our church services than ever before. Isn't it great to be a part of a church family that loves God, loves others, and serves the world? I am especially excited about what God will do in our lives as we gather on April 24^th to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Nearly 900 people worshipped with us last Easter. So this year we are making room for all the people who will worship with us by offering an additional service. The times of EACH worship service will be different than the usual schedule. Here is the schedule for Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. Each service is an hour long, gives a fifteen minute transition, and concludes before noon.

1. Classic Worship: 8:08 to 9:08 (No child-care available)
2. Blended/Contemporary Worship: 9:23 to 10:23 (child-care available, Early LifeGroups/Worship/Children's LifeGroups)
3. Blended/Contemporary Worship: 10:38 to 11:38 (child-care available, Late LifeGroups/worship/Children's LifeGroups)

I am beginning a new sermon series on Easter. The title of the series is, "Where Is God?" We all face times in our lives when God feels a million miles away. This is certainly true during the trials and tragedies of life. The good news is God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. In this series we will discover how to live by faith in the God who is always with us. Take a look at the message titles and Scriptures. Please begin now inviting your friends and neighbors to join you on Easter at FCBC!

1. When I Feel Forsaken? (Psalm 22) Easter, April 24

2. When I Feel Frightened? (Psalm 34) Senior Adult Day, May 1

3. When I Feel Unimportant? (Psalm 139) Mother's Day, May 8

4. When I Feel Guilty? (Psalms 32 & 51) May 15

5. When I Feel Tempted? (Psalm 119:9-11) May 22

6. When I Feel Peer Pressure? (Psalm 1) Memorial Day weekend, May 29

 

Only One Life: The Biography of Stephen F. Olford

I had the honor of meeting Dr. Stephen Olford (1918-2004) in the late '90's when I attended a week-long workshop on the essentials of expository preaching. I found Dr. Olford to be one of the most godly, Spirit-filled, and anointed men I have ever met. He truly inspired me to dedicate myself to the task of preaching God's Word and leading God's people. His book, Anointed Expository Preaching is a must read for any preacher of the Word. You can read my review of Dr. Olford's biography below. (I believe the biography is out of print, but you can find used copies on Amazon at a very good price.)

Phillips, John. Only One Life: The Biography of Stephen F. Olford. Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux, 1995. 352 pp.

    Dr. John Phillips, is uniquely qualified to write the biography of Stephen Olford, having met him in Newport, South Wales when Phillips was twelve years old. Stephen was in his twenties at the time, and was already recognized in the community as a gifted spiritual leader and Bible teacher. Their membership in the same church allowed Phillips the opportunity to be taught and mentored by Olford. Phillips grew up to be an accomplished expositor, preacher, author, and evangelist in his own right. He traces much of his spiritual formation and ministry back to the profound influence of his friend, Stephen Olford. It is out of this personal debt of gratitude that Phillips writes the biography. He aims to provide a record of Olford's ministry as a means to calling the readers to emulate Olford's commitment to serving the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is also a strong emphasis throughout the book on Olford's commitment to expository preaching as an example to present-day preachers.

Free To Disagree?

The following is the sermon manuscript from last week's message on Romans 14. And just so you know, I preached Romans 14 because it follows Romans 13! J No one made me mad just before the service. I preached this message because we are in a series from Romans 12-15. This sermon could be preached in any church in the world and members will feel like you are reading their mail! We all need to hear this message.

Transformed In Your Acceptance of Others (Free To Disagree)

Romans 14 (NKJV)

Introduction: In his commentary on Romans, R. Kent Hughes recounts the story of two famous friends who had a falling out. Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker were both mighty preachers in London in the 1800's. They were close friends and even exchanged pulpits on occasion. They had a disagreement that made the papers. Spurgeon accused Parker of compromising with the world because he attended the theater. Spurgeon had a habit of smoking cigars, a practice many believers would frown upon. When Spurgeon was confronted about his habit he claimed that he did not smoke to excess. When asked what that meant, he replied that he did not smoke more than two at a time! Hughes asked, "Who was right? Perhaps neither, perhaps both! Better yet would be to realize that the two could disagree and both be in the will of God" (Romans, Righteousness From Heaven, p. 263).

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Free to disagree"? The phrase is usually heard when two or more people believe that their respective position or practice or opinion or belief is correct and the other side is wrong. After unsuccessfully trying to convince the other side to adopt their position they will say, "Well, you are free to disagree." Is it possible for Christians to be free to disagree on certain matters? Absolutely it is. Even though we are the body of Christ there is often a range of issues on which good Christians can and do disagree. Now I am not talking about doctrines the Bible clearly defines as essential to our salvation. Nor am I talking about practices the Bible clearly labels sin. Christians have no authority to condone sin or to compromise on essential doctrines of the faith. But there is a wide range of issues and practices that the Bible does not clearly label as biblical or unbiblical. Sadly, many churches have split and have lost their evangelistic focus because they fought over these non-essential issues. No church is immune from this danger, not even Fort Caroline. I could get a heated argument going this morning if I opened the floor to a discussion about

• the church budget,
• or the style of music suitable for worship,
• or whether our small group ministry should be called LifeGroups or Sunday School like Jesus said,
• or whether the term "Baptist" has to be in the church name,
• or whether the pastor should preach from behind a pulpit of wood or not,
• or whether men should wear suits and ties to worship on Sunday morning,
• or whether it is a sin for Christians to dance or smoke or go to movies or have tattoos,
• or whether it is a sin to work on Sunday,
• or whether drums ought to be used in the church,
• or whether Christians ought to observe Easter or Halloween or Christmas.

The list could go on and on. One of the reasons we divide over such issues is because we come from such different backgrounds. Look around this church and you will discover that we have a wide range of ages and generations represented here. We have people from different cultural and national backgrounds; Anglo, Hispanic, Korean, Ukrainian, Ugandan, Cuban, Columbian, Black, white, etc. We also have different philosophies of ministry, different personal preferences, and different traditions. Put all of us together and you are bound to have disagreements. Add to the list that we are all flawed, sinful, and at times difficult to live with and you see the recipe for disunity.

Another reason we disagree is because the Bible does not always clearly speak to our specific issue or concern. We have a desire to honor God in the matter and we often disagree on how best to do that. Many specific behaviors, methods, ideas, church traditions, and practices are not clearly spelled out in Scripture. Problems arise when well-meaning Christians, out of a desire to be holy, allow their attitude to turn sour when other people hold different views. This is especially dangerous and devastating when believers elevate their personal preferences over the clear precepts of God's Word. It is destructive when believers lift their traditions above God's commands. For example, some Christians believe that it dishonors God when men come to church without a suit and tie or women come in pants and make-up. Some church-goers believe that to change the traditional order of worship borders on sin. I have received scathing letters accusing me of borderline blasphemy because I used candles in a Communion Service once. Some of the people who get so angry and resort to gossip and sowing seeds of discord among the church over peripheral non-essential matters need to remember Jesus' words in Mark 7:9, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"

The 21^st Century Church is not the first to deal with these types of issues. The 1^st Century Church faced the same dilemma. Let me turn your attention first to Romans 14:19. "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." Romans 14:19 (NKJV)

This is a great verse for our church. We must always pursue things which make for peace in our fellowship. And we must look for ways to build each other up, not tear each other down. As we will see this is a great chapter to help us be transformed in our acceptance of others. We will discover how we are to relate to one another when we disagree. We have more in common with the church at Rome in the 1^st Century than we might first believe. The church at Rome was a very diverse congregation. Culturally they were made up of people who were from a Jewish culture and a Greek, Gentile culture. Talk about diversity. Now they were all members of the same church. They brought with them very distinct beliefs about how Christians should and should not live. They brought their own customs and idiosyncrasies. They were beginning to judge, criticize, and condemn each other over their differences. Paul knew that it was vital for them to learn to live together in unity as a mark of the Gospel. If the lost community of Rome saw the church fussing and fighting, disagreeing and dividing, it would ruin their testimony of the Gospel's power to transform lives and to bring reconciliation with God. The same is true in our community. Why should unbelievers in our community believe our message that Christ can reconcile them to God if we cannot be reconciled to one another? The world will not believe the authenticity of our Gospel message until they see the reality of our love for one another.

So let's read from Romans 14 to learn how we can be free to disagree. We will start with Romans 14:1. ¹ Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. Romans 14:1

Transformed In Your Behavior Toward Other People (video sermon)