Sunday School, small groups, home groups, life groups – there are a lot of

names for this ministry of the church which meets for the purpose of

teaching and fellowship, apart from the regular Sunday worship service.

But why do we even have small group classes? Is it in the Bible? And

equally important, why should every member of Lakewood be a committed

member of a small group discipleship class?

There is no biblical mandate for a congregation to hold Sunday School

classes. The idea for a class meeting on Sunday, for the purpose of

discipleship, is not explicitly laid out in the Bible. What we think of as

Sunday School began to make its way into the church in the mid 1700s,

with classes for teaching children how to read by using the Bible. Other

subjects were often covered as well, such as arithmetic and history.

However, teaching in small groups apart from congregational worship is indeed mentioned in the

Bible. Paul told Titus that the “older women are…to teach what is good and so train the young

women… that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:3-5). Paul told Timothy to take what he

had learn (from Paul) and “entrust it to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (2

Timothy 2:2). This sounds a lot like Sunday School to me. Timothy the pastor is to teach those who

are maturing in the faith, and those leaders are then in turn to provide more personalized instruction to

others who are coming along with them.

The context of the worship service does not allow for personalized, one-on-one discipleship, raising

hands and posing questions, asking for help with specific life applications, and sharing common

experiences. In short, the preaching of a sermon is not a conversation, but rather a bold declaration of

God’s word. But smaller group are able to become more intimate, more tailored for a specific stage

of life, which makes it easier to hear and learn from one another. People can hear and share

testimonies in a small group, which can encourage and strengthen their own walk with Christ.

Prayers are more personalized and personal ministry is better carried out. In a small group you can

laugh and cry with one another and build each other up in the faith.

If you are not regularly attending a Sunday School class at Lakewood, I would like to ask you to

consider becoming a part of one. You may have real reasons for not participating in a small group.

I get that. But by not plugging in in this way, you are not only robbing yourself of a blessing, but you

are withholding your spiritual gifts from blessing others. You have a lot to give others in our small

group settings, and they have a lot to give you. Please make Sunday School a priority in your life.

If Lakewood is to grow, every member must make small group a priority.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

The “model” or “template” for how churches organize and manage themselves has changed a lot in the last several decades.  The results can be either positive and negative.  When I was a kid, even first-time visitors to church were sort of expected to wear “church clothes,” which meant a suit and tie for men, and a Sunday dress for women.  Recognizing that this might create a stumbling block for non-Christians, most churches these days have relaxed such expectations.  Another area where many churches have become more relaxed is the idea of membership.  Many congregations are satisfied if people will just attend regularly – a formal membership process is not placed in high regard at all.  In my opinion, this will have a negative long-term effect on the church (we may already be seeing it).

The New Testament contains twenty-one epistles, or letters.  Of those twenty-one, at least ten of them were specifically written to one specific church body.  Another five of them were written to multiple groups of Christians, probably meant to be passed around from one congregation to another.  Only four of them were written to individuals, and those individuals were mostly church leaders.  (These are all general estimates, based on my own study and understanding.)  What’s my point?  The New Testament knows nothing of a Christian who only attends a weekly worship gathering but is not completely dedicated to that local church body and held in authority and accountability under those whom God has called to lead His churches.  If you simply attend church but are not bonded in covenant with the church through membership, you are missing a tremendous blessing that comes through such a commitment to serve others regardless of the circumstance.  It is similar to the difference between a couple who is simply dating and the life-time commitment of a couple who is married and growing together as they become one flesh (Mark 10:7-9).

So how do you join in membership at Lakewood?  You have probably noticed that we do not have “invitations” or “alter calls” as a regular part of worship service.  I feel that our time is better served by meeting one-on-one during the week, either in my study at the church, or at a place of your choosing.  This way we are not incumbered by the constraints of time and having to speak to one another over the sound of music being played.  We can take our time, ask and answer questions of one another, pray together, and better honor these matters of the Lord and His work which has such eternal significance.  As part of our continued conversation, if you desire to join in membership with Lakewood, we will present that decision to the congregation on the following Sunday morning, or the next Wednesday night members’ meeting.  Upon becoming the pastor of Lakewood, I no longer make any attempt to guard my personal cell number or email address.  I gladly post it and publicize it wherever it is appropriate, and I actually try to answer every single call because, it might be you calling me!

Seriously – please call, text, or email me.  I’d love to know you better, and know how I can better serve you, and how the entire congregation of Lakewood can better serve you.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

615-545-582

From time-to-time God’s people like to speculate about heaven - what will it look like, the specific things that we will be doing, what will we look like and how will we recognize one another?  Which version of Bruce’s physical body will eventually be in heaven?  The body which I had on my last day of life on earth, or the body that thought it could play in the NFL?  (You have permission to laugh at me for that.)  Above all I do know this – we will be continually and forever worshiping God.

Of course, the first person I will want to see in the flesh will be my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I will want to hear His actual speaking voice and I will want to see the scars in His hands.  I want Him to hug me.  After that, I will want to be reunited with my family and loved ones who have passed on in the faith before me.  

I will also want to see a very specific person.  I only know that his last name is Lowery, and that he was preaching in the morning when I first understood the gospel, in the most childlike way.  This man was preaching at FBC Texarkana, Texas, or as it is known locally, “old downtown Baptist,” which I think is now actually defunct.  I remember sitting next to my mother in “big church” (this was before my father was saved), and Mr. Lowery presented the gospel in a way that my little five-year-old brain could understand.  In my later years, especially since internet searches are so easy, I have tried to determine who this man was and where he may be now, if he is even alive at all.  A few people seem to remember his name, but I have never been able to determine exactly who he was or whatever may have happened to him.  When I get to heaven, I want to find this man and express my gratitude for his faithfulness to the Lord in sharing the gospel, and for being one of the steps the Lord used in my salvation.

Is there anyone who will be looking for you in heaven for this reason?  Is there anyone who will come up to you and say, “You shared the gospel with me, and you never knew it, but years later I was saved because of it.  God used you as part of the process.”  Have you shared the gospel with others?  Have you taken that chance with any strangers?  A couple of years ago while on vacation in Florida, I was sitting on a bench outside of a store, while Leanne was inside shopping.  A stranger stopped to share the gospel with me.  When he learned that I was already a Christian, we had a wonderful conversation.  Before we parted, I said, “If I don’t see you again on earth, I will see you in heaven!”  Christian – yes you reading this – what are you waiting on?  Go!  Go share the gospel.  The survival of Lakewood depends on this.  It’s not just important that you share the gospel, it is vital.  And then one day, many years from now, you will be worshiping the Lord in heaven and someone you don’t remember will come find you to express their gratitude for your faithfulness.  What a day of rejoining to the Lord that will be.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

On Wednesday night, August 3rd, Lakewood will have a special meeting in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30pm.  All current members of Lakewood are encouraged to attend and participate.  The reason for the meeting will be to discuss the current state of the Southern Baptist Convention in light of recent events and news, as well as what Lakewood’s continued relationship with the SBC might look like.  Do not worry – there will be no votes taken during this meeting.  No long-term decisions will be made on this evening.  This will be a time of instruction, discussion, and prayer.

One of the first questions I was asked after becoming the pastor at Lakewood was “Why do we have to be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention?  Can’t we just be on our own?”  The answer to that is not difficult, but it requires some teaching and explanation so that we may have an accurate context to make wise decisions.  

During our meeting, I plan to explain how the SBC is organized and how decisions are made and implemented.  This will include where our donations to the Cooperative Program go.  I will also explain several things that happened at both the SBC Annual Meetings of 2021 and 2022, as well as news and events from earlier this year.  We will examine our uniting document, the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 and consider how Lakewood supports this document, and how other SBC committees may support that document.  It will be a time of open discussion and questions will be welcomed.

We will then examine what God’s word says on these matters.  Regardless of what those outside of Lakewood may or may not do, I will always lead Lakewood to remain faithful to God’s word in the strictest of senses.  God’s word obligates the local church in several areas, and we cannot be ignorant of these things.

Finally, I will call us to a season of serious prayer and continued personal investigation.  No matter what the Lord leads us to do as a congregation, we must maintain the unity of the Spirit in all things.  We must seek the long-term health of our church and our faithfulness to the Lord.  We answer to God alone, not any man-made organization.

These are important matters, and it is important that all Lakewood members make every attempt to be in attendance.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

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

        As the bride of Christ, the church is called to glorify Him in all that we do.  This means that corporately we are to seek and do those things which God calls us and leads us to do.  In addition to prayer, the way that we determine what God is leading us to do is to lay down our preferences for the purpose of serving others and putting their needs before ours.

Personally, it is often very difficult for us as individuals to identify what our personal preferences are as it relates to the activities of the church.  I can help simplify the beginning of the process for you with an example that is easier to understand.  What type of music do you prefer in a worship service?  Hymns?  Guitars?  Piano music?  Contemporary music?  A full band?  You almost certainly thought “yes” to one or more of those, and “no” to others.  And that’s ok.  We all have our preferences.  I believe that most of our Lakewood members are well-equipped to lay down our personal preference when it comes to style of music, and I can say this with confidence because I have never heard a negative comment about our music.

Now, take this example (music style) and apply it to everything that occurs within the life of our congregation and all of our ministry efforts.  What are your preferences?  What are your opinions?  How do you think that “this or that” should be done at Lakewood?  God has made each of us unique, and we all have different life experiences, so it stands to reason that we will all have personal preferences, and again, that is truly a good thing.  And it is actually ok to speak about your opinions and preferences, if done in a God-honoring manner.  The difficulty comes when something is not done how you prefer, and you must lay down your preference like the verse above from Philippians.  Doing this well takes prayer and practice.  It doesn’t mean that you just remain quiet, and then stew with frustration – that’s a recipe for disaster.  It means that you completely give it over to the Lord, you support the ministry effort anyway, and that you joyfully seek out the interests or preferences of others.

This is a hard lesson.  It is not easily mastered.  But I will commit to continue working in obedience of this verse and ask that you pray for me and encourage me.  I will do the same for you.  Thank you for letting me be your pastor.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15

If you look up various English translations of this verse, you will find them all to be a little different.  The theme is always the same, but the translated words are usually different.  Here is what language teachers call a “wooden” translation:

“Hasten yourself, approved to God, a workman, not ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Hasten?  What does that mean?  Does it mean “do your best”?  Well, sort of.  It means to be eager, to be zealous.  Then how does a person hasten his or herself?  A good English word for hastening yourself in this context is… study.

The next question is easy to answer – study what?  Study God’s word?  Of course.  But is that all?  The end of the verse gives us the goal for our Bible study – being able to accurately handle the Bible.  That means to correctly understand it, and correctly apply it in your life.  

Can you do all those things without assistance?  No, you cannot.  No one can.  You need (a) the Holy Spirit, and (b) someone smarter than you to teach you.  Since I am not smarter than you in every area, I point you to people who are.  They have written their understanding of God’s word into additional resources – mostly books.  In order for you to obey this verse, you must seek this wise counsel from others.  You must listen to the teachings of those who have gone before us in the faith.  You must read.  It’s really not an option.  We can laugh with each other about how hard it is to read consistently (and it certainly is!) but we must encourage one another and hold each other accountable in our reading.  The books which I select for Lakewood, and display in the hallway outside the office, will teach you, encourage you, lift you up, and ground you in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I pray about the books and select them, specifically with Lakewood in mind, for us to pursue holiness together.  Please read them!

Those who are not trying to learn will only gain knowledge by accident. 

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

There are many places in the Old Testament where the people of Israel stop and recall the great things which the Lord had done for them and their ancestors.  We saw this in our recent Wednesday night study of Nehemiah.  When God’s people stop to remember His goodness what they will always discover is that not only is God always faithful, but He is always faithful despite their failures.  Yes, there may be repercussions for sin, but God always keeps His promises.

As we approach Lakewood’s Homecoming Celebration on Sunday, June 12th let us take a moment to count God’s enduring faithfulness to us.  Think about all that has occurred in the world, in Nashville, in Donelson since a small group of people from FBC Donelson planted a new congregation on 400 Donelson Pike.  It blows me away to think that 68 years ago, the distance between these two locations was deemed far enough apart that a separate church plant (Lakewood) was necessary.  So even as it seems that our world has become so much smaller, God has not diminished in one single component of His attributes.  He is still bigger than we can conceive.  He still has complete knowledge of all things.  He is still able to accomplish anything which is in accordance with His will.  And He is still faithful to the promises which He made 68 years ago and 6800 (give or take) years ago.

What does this mean for us today?  It means that we can always trust God to do what He promises to do.  And where do we find those promises?  In His word, the Holy Bible.  In John 14:14, John 15:16, and John 16:23 Jesus promises that whatever we ask of the Father in the name of the Son, will be given to us.  This is not a formula to gain everything that your heart desires, but a promise that God is always faithful to accomplish His will.  We can count on it.  Therefore, we should seek to learn, know, and practice His will, always.  I don’t pretend to do this perfectly, but I do know that God wishes for His people to share His love with others, pointing everyone to bow the knee at the cross of Christ, for it is at the cross where God's faithfulness is on its brightest display.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

One of our responsibilities as Evangelical Christians is to engage the culture for the cause of Christ.  Of course, we are to be always gracious but at the same time we must never waver from the Truth of Scripture.  The truth of Scripture is the only authority to which we can appeal.  The secular world, by definition, is devoid of this Truth.  The term evangelical by definition means a Christian who directly engages the culture with the gospel (as opposed to the term fundamentalist, which is a Christian who retreats from the culture).  

As Christians today, we find ourselves having to talk about things which previous generations would only whisper about behind closed doors.   We cannot retreat from these conversations –

we must engage.  We cannot shrink away.  Engage is something different than debate.  I’m not much for debate at all.  Engage simply means to participate or become involved in.

We must engage the culture with the gospel, and the truth is that you engage the culture every time you leave your home.  If you participate in any form of social media, or even text messaging, you’re engaging the culture without even leaving your home.  If you turn on the TV, the culture is attempting to engage with you.

Therefore, it’s not a matter of if you’re going to engage the culture as a Christian, but a matter of if you’re going to engage skillfully.  To be honest with you, our churches in America are not in such a poor shape because they’ve been beaten up by our culture over the past generation, but rather, because they have not been skillfully defended.  We must engage our culture with skill because few would disagree that we are living in the midst of a cultural revolution.  

Increasingly, the culture is setting its sights on Christianity.  It’s no longer possible to be a Christian who does not read the Bible, as if that were ever truly possible in the first place.  It is one thing if a pastor poses a question to you about the Bible for which you cannot form a response.  But it’s a different thing entirely if a non-Christian pokes holes in your faith and you are not skilled enough to defend it.  You must read your Bible.  There is no other way to acquire the necessary biblical skill which our culture demands.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

It was a regular Sunday morning, just like any other Sunday morning.  As a staff member, I arrived about an hour early to the church building as usual.  And as always was the case, regardless of how early I arrived, there were already church members present in the parking lot, waiting for me to unlock the building.  As I walked across the parking lot, I passed Ms. Wanda sitting in her car.  I spoke a loud “Good morning!” to her as I hurriedly made my way to unlock the doors to the building.  She nodded and waved.  Ms. Wanda was a life-long member of the church and despite her aging status she continued to faithfully lead mission projects and participate in many valuable ministry opportunities.

After retrieving my coffee, walking around the building to unlock additional doors, and greeting everyone, someone asked me if Ms. Wanda planned to be present for Sunday School class.  I confirmed, “Yes, she’s already here.”  My affirmation was met with a polite objection, “No.  She’s not here yet.”  Hmm.  I continued to walk around the building, looking for Ms. Wanda.

As Sunday school started, and I had still not seen Ms. Wanda in the building, I walked back to the last place where I had seen her – in her car, in the parking lot.  As I approached from behind, I was startled to see her still seated in her car.  I gulped and walked to the driver’s window to see her eyes closed.  Oh no.  I tapped on the window and to my great delight, she opened her eyes and smiled.  “Are you ok?” I asked.  She rolled down her window to reply, “Yes, I’m fine.  I always sit in my car before walking into the church and ask God what His purpose is for me is today.  I will be inside in a moment.”

This hit me hard.  What had become routine for me was treated as anything but routine by Ms. Wanda.  Driving to church on Sunday, walking into the building, greeting people – these were all things which I had allowed to become repetitive and predictable in my life, seemingly losing some of its importance.  Later that morning, between Sunday School and Worship Service, Ms. Wanda found me and expounded on her Sunday morning parking lot prayer time.  She explained, “I never come into the church building until I have met with God and cleared my head of distractions and frustrations.  I want to make sure I am coming to church for the right reasons – His reasons, not mine.”

Jesus warned about vain repetitions and James warns against useless religion.  Our purpose is to serve God by serving others, and to remain unstained by the world.  This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, by the work of Christ on the cross.  We all need to intentionally pause on regular occasions to ensure that we are meeting with God and following His word.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

When you scroll through social media everything on your screen is what other people want you to see.  Think about it.  In addition to advertising, everyone – from companies, to organizations, to individuals – is posting things which they obviously want the public to see, and the vast majority of the time, these posts are representing themselves and their family in the best possible light.  The more views, the better.  The more likes, the better.  There is a psychological aspect to it all for sure.  Very few people allow themselves to be seen as vulnerable.  We post pictures of family with everyone smiling.  We post pictures of ourselves on vacation.  We post pictures of delicious food.  We post about the great things that we’re doing and how much fun we’re having while we do it.  It is a rare thing for someone to post a picture of herself crying or talk about the snowballing credit card debt that he’s struggling to manage, or his dysfunctional family.

As a result, we end up subconsciously comparing ourselves with the best-case scenario of other people’s lives.  Over time, this leaves us emotionally cold, feeling like something is lacking in our own lives, like we’re not living up to full-potential and maybe even feel a little jealous of other people who obviously have their lives all together.  Yes, I know that you use social media to see and communicate with friends and relatives across the country, but I have a suggestion.

How about this … take a break from social media for a minute.  Sure, you’ll still need to use your phone for talking, texting, and work.  But take a day off from Facebook and Instagram.  Take a week off.  In December of 2017, I became convicted of all these things from this passage of Scripture:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”  Ephesians 5:15-16

As a result, I completely deleted all my social media without telling anyone at all.  It took two weeks for anyone to notice!  And guess what?  I avoided social media for two years.  I didn’t miss anything at all, and I generally felt much better.  I made other changes at that time as well, including spending less time watching TV and more time reading and studying God’s word.

I’m not necessarily saying that you should delete social media for two years.  And some who are reading this may not even use social media (this article is originally put into print for the congregation I serve), so there may be some other ways in which you need to reprioritize your life, for your own health and spiritual well-being.  Time is short and easy to waste, so make sure you are honoring the Lord in all that you do with it.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

My mom had already left for work, and I was to accompany my dad for the day at the electronics business he owned.  Dad got me dressed and gave me a bit of breakfast, then told me that I could play with my soccer ball in the back yard while he was getting dressed.  There was only one stipulation: if I kicked the ball over the fence, I was not allowed to go retrieve it on my own.  Though our east Texas town was small, we lived on a main thoroughfare which saw a lot of traffic.  It was too dangerous for a five-year-old to walk near the road alone.

I kicked the ball around while dad was inside showering and getting dressed.  And of course, it wasn’t long before I kicked the ball directly over the fence in the direction of the busy street.  I stopped for a moment, remembering my father’s instructions, “Do not go outside of the fence.”  Of course my father loved me, but he probably didn’t realize how responsible of a five year old I was.  And the ball didn’t really go very far.  It looked easy enough to step outside the fence, retrieve my soccer ball, then return to the backyard.  So I looked toward the house, trying to determine if my father were watching me.  I didn’t see him, so I walked to the gate and sort of stood there for a moment.  One more peek toward the house, then I quickly opened the gate, ran at a blistering speed toward the ball, picked it up, and ran back inside the safety of the fence.  There!  Done!  No harm!  And I returned to my previous activity of kicking the ball.

A few minutes later my father opened the sliding glass door and called for me.  I came inside and dad asked me to sit down.  He then asked me the most piercing question I had ever had to contemplate, “Did you go outside the fence?”  Without much thought, I immediately responded, “No sir.”  My father then confronted me with the fact that he had actually watched from the kitchen window as I left the security of the fence to retrieve my ball.  Not only was I in trouble for disobeying his plain instruction, but I was also in trouble for lying about it.  I’ll never forget my father saying, “I put that fence up to protect you.”  I was in trouble for disobeying and lying about it.

This is a true story which occurred in the summer of 1978, but it wasn’t until 2010 that God planted the meaning of it into my heart.  God’s law, the Ten Commandments, act as a “fence” for His children.  He did not give the law to keep us from having a good time, but to protect us from harm, and from His punishment against sin.  So many times we are tempted to break God’s law by thinking that it’s not a dangerous act, and then when we seem to experience no immediate consequences we’re deceived into believing that we God away with it.  But make no mistake, there are consequences.  Judgement will come for all who are not found in Christ.  Run back to God today and admit your sin and receive His pardon through Jesus Christ.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

LAKEWOOD’S CURRENT CHURCH-WIDE BOOK

At 10:45 every Sunday morning for generations, people gather in the sanctuary at Lakewood Baptist Church for something called a “worship service”.  But have you ever stopped to ask why?  Why do we gather?  Are we all gathering for the same reasons?  Should we all be gathering for the same reasons?  Is it ‘ok’ to do whatever we want during this time?  Does God set specific parameters for what is and is not permissible worship?  What is worship anyway?  Is it just singing?

I could keep going with these questions.  I’m sure that if I polled our congregation, there would be a variety of different answers to questions like this.  Does it even matter?

Yes.  Absolutely it matters.  What we believe about worship will drive what we do in a worship service.  And as you would expect, God’s word has some important things to say on the matter.  Corporate Worship: How the church gathers as God’s people helps us to recognize God’s design for worship.  As you might expect, it is not simply about ordering our services correct.  More importantly, it is about organizing our hearts correctly for the worship of our Creator and Redeemer.

The small hardcover book can be purchased on Amazon for around $7.00 new and $5.00 used.  

In addition, I have already begun uploading the audio onto our podcast site, available at: podpoint.com/lakewood-baptist-church.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

Lakewood Baptist Church exists to love God and to love you.  In fact, this is our motto and we have even incorporated it into our logo.  But it is so much more than a nice saying or something to put on a sign.  We honestly strive to model this in everything that we do from our regular Sunday worship services and children’s ministries, all the way down to our much-loved annual chili cook-off and even our recent men’s ministry “grilled steak night”.  You probably noticed that even today you’ve been greeted with a warm smile and a sincere welcome.  Whether you have been attending Lakewood for more than 50 years or this is your first time to enter into the building, we are genuinely glad that you are here.

Of course, we are not perfect, and we do not claim to be.  Far from it.  The love that we have here is only because of what God has done for us, plain and simple.

Loving God means that we have a desire to study and learn His word, the Bible, and obey all that He commands.  He alone is the source of Truth.  Isaiah 45:19 says, “I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.”  Mankind’s truth changes with every passing generation, but God does not change.  He alone is the standard bearer.  God is not only eternal and uncreated, but He is holy in all of His ways, perfect and without sin.  He alone is worthy of our love.

Loving you means that we desire to join you on this journey with God.  Life is hard, and we were not meant to struggle through it alone.  Ecclesiastes 4:12 says that “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  We encourage one another daily, celebrate with each other in good times, and mourn with one another in challenging times.  This also means that we love one another enough to share God’s Truth even when it may be difficult to receive, because it has the power to save.  And we can only love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

So join us today in the worship of Jesus Christ the Son of God, the risen Messiah.  And if you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, please contact me personally.  I would love to speak with you and answer any questions that you may have.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

615-545-5824 (call or text any time)

If you were able to attend the Good Friday worship service last year, you know that it’s a little different than a regular Lakewood worship service.  When you enter the sanctuary, you will hear some quiet hymns playing and a message on the screen with suggested things to pray about.  Please enter reverently and find a place to sit, then follow the instructions on the screen.  We will spend some time in personal prayer and Scripture meditation as part of our worship.

I have always been intrigued with a harmony of the four Gospels – that is, attempting to bring them together as a single, unified narrative, in a God-honoring manner of course.  I have assembled a single account of Jesus’ final day on earth before His death (which is what we refer to as Good Friday), as taken from all four Gospels.  I will open the speaking part of our service by reading this aloud, which takes approximately 20 minutes.

For 2022, rather than observing the Lord’s Supper on Easter Sunday morning, the Lord’s Supper will be observed at our Good Friday service.  Some of our deacons will be able to help serve in this capacity, and we pray that it will be honoring to the Lord.

The Good Friday service will begin at noon and should last roughly 30 minutes.  This should provide time for those on their lunch break to return to work without being late.  You may want to prepare for this service by reading Isaiah 53 in total as your Scripture reading for the day.  I hope that you’re able to attend.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

You may have noticed something new hanging on the wall outside of the main office.  Ricky Smallwood has repurposed part of some old church pews that were not being used, and we mounted them in that location.  I will be displaying various books and other things which I would like to recommend to Lakewood members for bonus reading.  The book on this 

“pew shelf” will be for display purposes only (it is my own personal copy, so please don’t take it!).  Beneath each book will be a brief write-up from me, which will summarize the book and offer a rationale for reading it.  There will be multiple copies of the write-up so that you may take one with you for later reference.

Some of you may want to purchase your own copies of these books, which is terrific.  However, I understand that few people are trying to build up a personal library and buying up a bunch of books can easily become cost prohibitive.  For that reason, our Lakewood librarian, Mrs. Patty Curtis, will be purchasing a library copy of each recommended book which will belong to the church.  These copies will be located on a bookshelf in the room to the immediate left of the sanctuary, next door to Loyd Dill’s Sunday School classroom.  You will be able to check them out and return them on the honor system, recording your transaction on a ledger by the door.

I understand that not everyone is a reader.  But there is more for us to learn than we could ever cover in small group classes.  We need to be learning on multiple topics at the same time.  This is part of our spiritual sanctification.  So I encourage you to check this book display often and take a write-up with you to consider.  I strongly believe that a congregation which reads will become stronger not just in knowledge, but a knowledge which leads to increased faith!

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

-   Annie Armstrong was born on July 11, 1850, in Baltimore, Maryland.

-   From a young age, she went with her mother to the missionary meetings of Woman’s Mission to Woman. It was there she developed a heart for missions.

-    Annie helped plant churches.

-    Although her family was wealthy, she had a heart to serve those who lived in poverty and addiction, especially the impoverished who lived in rural areas.

• Annie mobilized women to reach beyond the bounds of race by organizing missions to African Americans and Native Americans.

• In 1882, Annie helped organize and became the first president of the Woman’s Baptist Home Mission Society of Maryland.

• On May 14, 1888, Annie helped women from 12 states form the Executive Committee of Woman’s Missions Societies, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention.  This organization would officially be named Woman’s Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention in 1890.  She was elected as corresponding secretary.

• In 1888, Annie was elected corresponding secretary of the organization and her motto, “Go Forward” was chosen.  Annie wrote 100s of letter to raise awareness and promote giving to missions.  It was in this year that a foreign missions offering was established to send a missionary to China to relieve Lottie Moon.

• Annie Armstrong served WMU until 1906.  During that time she never took a salary.

• Annie died on December 20, 1938, the year of WMU’s 50 anniversary.

WHY IS THE EASTER OFFERING IS NAMED FOR ANNIE?

In 1895, an offering was first collected for the work of the Home Missions Board.  In 1934, this offering was renamed the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for Home Missions to honor the work of Annie Armstrong as a tireless advocate for giving, praying, and going to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who did not know him.

THE ANNIE ARMSTRONG EASTER OFFERING TODAY

Today, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering goes to train, resource, and send more than 5,000 missionaries across the United States and Canada.  One hundred percent of gifts given to this offering goes directly to the missionaries for their use in the field.  None goes to administration.

The Lakewood 2022 goal for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is $1800. I have met many of our NAMB missionaries, and I even know some of them personally. They are people who are called by God and live by very modest means. Your gift toward the Annie Armstrong offering is directly used to help fund the sharing of the gospel with others. Please pray and give.

Near the end of his long and fruitful life, the great evangelist Billy Graham was asked if there was anything that he would have done differently, if given the chance.  While his body was obviously approaching physical failure, Graham slowly but purposefully responded, “I wish I had spent more time in prayer.”  When I heard that, my jaw probably hit the floor in astonishment.  I thought that if anyone in my lifetime was the very model of what a life saturated in prayer would look like, that would be Billy Graham.  His name alone draws reverence, even from those who are markedly outside of Christianity.

There are many books on personal prayer.  What seems to be lacking however, are resources on corporate prayer.  How can we pray “better” as a congregation, as the body of Christ?  How can we become more focused in our prayers during worship, small groups, family time, and even informal gatherings among friends?  How can we develop an intentionality in our prayer life which would best be understood as a ministry of prayer?

This is what our suggested reading for March is all about – praying together.  In his book simply titled “Prayer,” John Onwuchekwa demonstrates the great need among Christians to join together in prayer, speaking to God, seeking His faithfulness.  This is not a “how to” book.  It is a “here’s why” book, designed to inspire the reader toward obedience in Christ.  It was Jesus who began the Lord’s Prayer by saying, “When you pray…”  The Christian who is lacking in a faithful prayer ministry is like the athlete who does not consume enough protein – he may be good at his event, but he could have been so much better had he been disciplined enough to have the proper diet.  Cut out some of your carbs and increase the protein in your life that is prayer.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

Can you remember a time when you had to make a big decision?  You may be a little stressed out to begin with, seeing the daunting situation in front of you.  You look at your options.  You pray and ask the Lord for wisdom.  You seek the counsel of Godly people.  Wanting to be certain that you don’t make a hasty decision, you wait for the Lord’s timing.  Then when you feel the Lord prompting you to go in a certain direction and the opportunity is there, you move ahead confidently, asking the Lord to bless your efforts.

Then WHAM!  The exact opposite of everything you had anticipated occurs!  You may want to throw your hands up in desperation.  It can be extremely frustrating, and even difficult to maintain a positive attitude.

But guess what?  God is always at work in the life of His people, and 1 Corinthians 14:33 assures us that “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace”.  So how do we reconcile a situation like this which may appear to be confusing?

Let me encourage you to read Genesis 22:1-19, the account of Abraham’s faith being confirmed.  What we sometimes fail to consider is that God does not always reveal His entire plan to us all at once.  If he did, how would He build our faith in Him?  I don’t think that many of us would even be able to accept God’s full plan for us, if He did reveal it all at once.  

In Abraham’s case, God gave simple and clear instructions for him to follow.  Abraham obeyed the Lord and moved ahead, following the Lord’s instructions without objection.  I can imagine the stress which Abraham felt.  What initially appeared to Abraham to be God’s plan was actually not His plan at all.  However, in retrospect we can see God’s hand at work the entire time.  God’s plan was to demonstrate His power, and in doing so, strengthen Abraham’s faith.

What about your life?  Have you ever become frustrated with God, only to look back years later and see that yes indeed, His ways were perfect after all?  Our Lord is always at work in the lives of His people.  Obey God.  Trust Him and He will increase your faith, even when you don’t understand.  Especially when you don’t understand.

Blessings

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

At the Lakewood business meeting on Wednesday, January 12th, our congregation voted to approve a process by which we will select and affirm a committee to fill the position of music minister.  The process officially begins today by setting aside two weeks of prayer for those whom you may nominate, and the work of the committee itself.  After these two weeks of prayer, on Sunday, February 20th, each Lakewood member will have an opportunity to nominate up to five church members to serve on the music minister search committee.

As we begin to pray for our Lord to oversee the selection of those who should serve on this committee, we should ask some questions.  Who should serve on the team?  What should the qualifications be for any potential nominee?  Here are my thoughts and suggestions, which I hope you will consider as you pray about this most important issue for our congregation at the moment.

First and foremost, we want those who represent Lakewood on this music minister search committee to exhibit a character and personality which demonstrates their love for Christ.  This does not mean that they are perfect, but it does mean that a pursuit of holiness is evident in their life (1 Peter 1:16).  Additionally, each person who serves on this team must be members in good standing at Lakewood Baptist Church.  If you’re not certain if someone is a member, you may confidentially check with the church office.

The best people for the task at hand would be people who are members of the choir, as well as anyone who has never been in the choir.  Of course, we want to make sure that the team has people with life experience, as well as those with little to no life experience.  People who are musicians themselves can provide a lot of valuable input, as well as those who don’t have a musical bone in their body.   We need people to serve who have been members of Lakewood for a generation or more, and those who have more recently joined.  Certainly, the committee should exist entirely of men and women.

I hope by now you are understanding the point that I’m making.  There is no perfect person to serve on this committee (or any committee) because there are no perfect people.  Once the committee is assembled and affirmed by the church, we can be sure that it will not be a perfect team.  However, I feel that the Lord will be most glorified when we all humble seek Him for continued guidance and submit ourselves to the resulting process as being His will.  So you can actually start right now by praying, and leading others to pray as well.  Pray for the Lord to guide our entire process, so that we may call our next music minister for His glory.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

A couple of years ago, Leanne and I were on vacation at our super-secret location.  Leanne heard good reports of a local restaurant and suggested that I look at the menu online, so I did.  The reviews from Google and Yelp were promising, even showing a graph of peak business hours.  Based on this online information we planned to eat at the restaurant at a time that was not usually busy.  The following day we arrived at the restaurant and experienced a short wait until we were seated, and then something strange happened.  We sat.  And sat.  And sat.  And watched as servers waited on all the tables around us, except ours.  I went to speak with the hostess, and she assured me that a server would be at our table shortly.  So we sat.  And sat.  And sat.  Finally, we decided to leave and find another place to eat.  That evening, I did something for the first time – I left an online review, detailing our negative experience.  And so goes the contemporary American experience.  

The old business adage “the customer is always right” is so ingrained into our minds that we sometimes drag that mentality into the church.  I find it an absolutely ridiculous idea that someone can leave an online review for a church, yet some pastors even promote this idea as if God needs a public relations campaign.  There are reviews of Lakewood online right now, and most of the reviewers I have never even met.

This entire concept is foreign to the Bible.  The church is not a product.  Attendees are not consumers.  Our worship is not a consumer service.  The church exists for the glory of God, period, full-stop.  Paul said in Galatians 1:10 “am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?”  Yes, we are certainly called to serve others and place the needs of others before ourselves, but never for the purpose of promoting the church or ourselves.  Individually, we exist to bring glory to God and to find our joy in Him alone.  Our service to others is for the purpose of pointing them to God as well.  Jesus told Peter “If you love me, feed My sheep.”  We feed His sheep when we serve them.  Jesus came to serve, not be served.  Look for every possible way that you can meet the needs of others, and in the process you will find that God has actually met your needs.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com