Our call to plant a church in Davenport, IA

 I feel extremely blessed to have had the privilege (and still get another year of it) to be the youth pastor at First Baptist in Geneseo. It was a dream come true for me to be able to work along side my dad, and minister together. These eight years that my wife and I have been in Geneseo, have been nothing but a blessing, and a joy. God has allowed us to serve some of the greatest people I have ever met. It has been a blessing to be able to see family after family reached and changed with the Gospel. Many of the families that have been saved here at First Baptist have become some of our dearest friends. It's exciting to see the numerical growth, and the spiritual growth of our church.

The church has been so kind, and generous to me and my family. It has been above and beyond any expectations that I had. We have seen God do many miraculous things, and we give him the glory for them all.

Many probably are wondering why we would leave such a wonderful place where God is working, and where the church is growing. I honestly believe that this is the most exciting time in our church since my family has been here! We are consistently seeing people saved and baptized, and families are being added. God has miraculously led us to build a brand new church on the edge of town. We will have many more classrooms, and a huge auditorium providing the space to grow even more. The building will have a gym; for those that know me, know that is music to my ears, as coaching basketball is a huge passion of mine! As I look at all of the excitement that is in store for First Baptist, it makes the decision very difficult. However, I know that God has called us to plant a church. I would be miserable if I didn't listen to God's calling, and follow Him. We have been burdened for the last three years to plant a church, but didn't know where or when. At one point, I thought God was leading to plant a church in Los Angeles. To be honest, after the winter we have had, that sounds better all the time! It was the fall of 2012, that God really put Davenport, and the Quad City Area on my heart. Although there are some good Gospel witnesses there, we also see a great need there. It's an area that we know, and that I grew up around, and God just opened my eyes to see the need of another church in an area of over 350,000 people. It will be hard to leave my greatest friends, but I want to encourage all at First Baptist to see this, not as a subtraction from our church, but as a multiplication of our church. I trust that God has great things in store for Geneseo, as well as Davenport. Please pray for my me and my family, as well as First Baptist church during this time of transition. 

Here is our general timeline of the church plant:

  

 February 23^rd – announce to church the vision to plant a church in Davenport, Iowa.

  March 2014 – begin to contact churches and Pastors to raise prayer and financial support. I will try to stay local, and travel on some Wednesday nights/Sunday nights.

  June 2015- make the transition where I would no longer be employed at First Baptist.  At   this time, my family would look to move to the city of Davenport.

 July/August 2015- begin Bible studies, witnessing, and outreach events in the city. Find a location for church to meet on Sundays.

 September 2015- launch Sunday services for Cross Point Baptist Church.

 

What will I be remembered for?

I was awakened this last Monday morning by a a very sad text message that Pastor Marc Dalton had passed away of a heart-attack. I did not know Pastor Dalton very well; we talked in person maybe 2 or 3 times, and emailed and text messaged some...mostly about basketball. From what I knew about him from others, and from the times speaking to him, I could tell he was a wonderful Pastor. He also was a very good basketball coach. Many called him a "basketball genius." On several occasions, I asked him for advice on different strategies, or on how teach something better.
As I received the news of his death, my heart was very grieved for his family, his church, and my mutual friends, the Espositos (who were very close to him.). The thing that came to my my mind immediately though, was not how successful of a Pastor he was, which he was; it was not how much success he had as a basketball coach, which he was very successful at. The thing that came to my mind immediately, was how he always took time to speak with me, and help me. On the two occasions that I was able to talk with him in person, it was during a basketball tournament in Indiana. He was very popular, and always had people around him wanting to talk to him, but he always made time to talk with me, and show genuine interest in me.Although, he had a very small part in my life, it made a lasting impression that I will always remember. When our life is over, what will matter the most, is not our success, or accomplishments, but what impact we made on the lives of others for Christ. All of us, who know Jesus personally, will one day make the transition from life on earth, to life in heaven. I hope when I make that transition, someone will be able to look back with the memory that I helped impact their life for God's glory.

Why is this happening?

Do you ever find yourself  overwhelmed with life, asking the question, "Why are all these things happening to me?" Often we look at conflict and affliction in our life, and wish it wasn't there. We wish a sickness, sorrow, annoyance, or controversy would just go away. Sometimes we think if a certain person were not in my life, things would be so much easier, and all the problems would be gone. Maybe these complications are causing sleepless nights, heartbreak, anger, and even depression. Before we allow "these things" to destroy us, and hold us back from the life God wants to give us, I want to offer another perspective on this.

It's found in the book of Philippians in the Bible. A man by the Paul is writing a letter to a church he started in the city of Philippi. Paul is away from them, and in fact, he is in prison in Rome. He is not in prison for any wrong doing, but he is there for preaching about Christ. Philippians 1:12 says, "the things that happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." He is saying that the affliction he is facing is so the gospel can be advanced. He also says in verse 14 that many other believers are going to gain boldness and confidence through this, and in verse 20 he says that Christ is going to be magnified! In other words, Paul saw all the affliction, problems,pain, and discomfort in his life as a way for God to be glorified!

Maybe we don't need a change of job, family, church, or circumstances. Maybe it's a change of perspective that we need. Maybe we need to look at "the things that are happening" as things God has allowed into our life for our good, and for His glory.

http://firstbaptistgeneseo.org/joyful/

Pastor Joel

"Don't Judge Me"

I'll never forget about a year and half ago being "called out" on Facebook by someone for supposedly being judgmental of them.  I thought it was comical, just for the fact that they themselves were being judgmental of me, by calling me judgmental on a social networking site. It was also comical, because I never said anything to judge them; they were just assuming  that I would preach against their lifestyle at the time. Another thing that was hypocritical, was the fact that that particular week we had about 20 people in our home who were addicted to alcohol, drugs, pornography, and who had many other additional problems. These people sat at my table, in my living room, and spent time with my whole family. I don't say that to pat myself on the back, I simply am pointing out that I want to help people regardless of what problems they have in their life, and I don't want to be "judgmental" of anyone!

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus gives the warning to not judge, lest we should be judged. In the context, He is warning about judging someone's sins/faults, while ignoring even bigger sins in our own life. In other words, take the same microscope that you look at everyone else's sin with, and look at your own sin. That is some excellent advice! Think about how much better of a Christian we would be if we were as hard on our self as we are on everyone else. 

Now I agree, this passage is warning us to not judge others falsely; however, its purpose is not for us to use as our default verse when someone, or God's Word, is pointing out sin in our life. In fact, James tells us that it is our obligation to help convert sinners from the "error of their way." I don't think it's very effective to confront people about their sin that we don't have spiritual authority over, or whom we don't have a close relationship with. However, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we should keep one another accountable in a humble and merciful spirit. Let's make sure we honor Christ with our attitude towards others, and not come across as condescending and "judgmental". Let's also not refuse truth from a brother or sister in Christ, or a Pastor or Spiritual leader trying to help us.

God Bless,

Pastor Joel

What is Bible Salvation?

As a Pastor, I constantly try to speak to people about Jesus. In these conversations, I find it alarming that most people don't  have a solid knowledge of what Bible Salvation really is. I hear statements like, "I believe in God.",  "I'm on the right path.",  "I think I'm doing pretty good.",  "I was baptized when I was young.",  "I go to a church and am involved in that church.",  "I have been through confirmation."

As good as all those things sound, not one of them will get you to heaven. The Bible says it's by GRACE through FAITH. (Ephesians 2:8) Ultimately, it's not about what you feel, or what you think, or what makes the most sense to you, it's about whether or not you have a PERSONAL realtionship with Jesus Christ.That relationship begins when the Holy Spirit convicts your heart, and you receive Jesus Christ into your life by believing in his death, burial, and ressurrection. The Bible uses the word "Repent." Repentance means more than just feeling sorry or guilty, but it's a change in heart that will result in change of actions. I believe that when a person receives Christ, they become a new creature- or creation!  (II Corinthian 5:17)  It means that there is a change in their life. True salvation always results in repentance. I John is a book in the back of the Bible that talks a lot about the changes that take place when we have have Christ in our life.

Are you trusting in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? Or, are you counting on all the things you do, or do not do for salvation? True salvation realizes it's not in what we do, but in what Jesus Christ has already DONE by his finished work on the cross.

I know this article is brief, but I hope that after reading this, you would examine your life and see if you have experienced a true, Bible salvation. Your experience and testimony doesn't have to line up with mine, or anyone else's, but it must line up with what the Bible says salvation really is.

Pastor Joel

It's Not About Me

Jesus says in Luke chapter 9, that in order to be a disciple, or Christ-follower, we must "deny our self". If we take a minute and really let that sink in, I think we would have to admit, that we don't "deny our self" too often. For many Christians, life is all about them. It's all about "how I feel", "what I think", and "what makes me happy." Jesus says that for a Christ-follower though, our mentality must be different. It must be about Christ and others! We must "deny our self." Life is not all about me, it's all about serving Christ by serving others.

In the last year, I have read and listened to dozens of speakers teach on marriage. You know what I hate about all of them? They all point to me, and tell me that the problems in my marriage are my fault! They point out how my selfishness is the cause of most of the disagreements. Jesus gives husbands and wives this advice in Ephesians 5, "submit yourselves one to another." In other words, give up your "rights" to the other. Stop looking at how your spouse needs to change, and look at how you need to change. He also uses the phrase that we are to "prefer one another." I wonder how many fights would be avoided in every relationship in our lives if we would obey that. "Preferring another" means to put someone else above us. It means to think how I can help someone else instead of myself. I challenge you right now to look at the conflicts in your life and see how many are a result of your selfishness. I think we all need to repent, and ask that God would begin to help us change, to start "denying our self", and to prefer one another.

Just Friends

I am excited to announce our new teen series at FBC coming in September. We are taking nine weeks and studying the book, Just Friends, by Cary Schmidt and Mike Ray. I read this book over the summer, and it is the best book I have ever read on the subject of guy/girl relationships.

Many times parents/Christian leaders feel intimidated or inadequate to deal with the subject. The problem then becomes that our kids are going to the wrong sources for advice. They mimic the world, and we see the kids trying to "be in a relationship" who are definitely not ready for that kind of relationship. On the other hand, I have observed many well meaning individuals that go to the other extreme and try to completely keep teens away from the opposite gender. This usually results in the teens taking it "underground" and building an unhealthy relationship based on secrecy and deception.

My desire is that we as Pastors and parents work together to teach our kids Biblical principles in this area of relationships. As a church, we encourage our teens to wait until after high school before having a serious dating relationship. However, it is my desire that during high school, we begin to prepare them for being the right person to enjoy a wonderful "Someday."

If you have a teenager, or kids about to be teenagers, I encourage you to have them in the Teen Class in the months of September and October. Even if you and your family are not members of our church, I want to extend the invitation for you to join us for this series. Many want to shy away from this subject, leaving it up to the kids to "figure it out", but I encourage parents and leaders to wake up and get involved on behalf of kid's future.

Pastor Joel

http://www.firstbaptistgeneseo.org/justfriends/