Has Christmas lost some of its meaning in our culture?  Has the season become too commercialized?  I find that most non-Christians still observe the family traditions of the season such as lights and trees, gift giving, and a festive meal with family, but none of that is really prescribed in the Bible.  As you follow some of these fun traditions, I want to challenge you to find ways to also include the real meaning of Christmas with your family.  

One easy way to do this is to simply read the biblical account of the birth of Jesus aloud during your family gathering.  It’s never inappropriate to read God’s word, but the best time to do this might be just before opening gifts with the family, or just before your prayer of blessing over a Christmas meal.  The second chapter of Luke would be a very good selection to read, and then follow it up with what the birth of Jesus means for your personally.  Including such Scripture readings in your family get-togethers will help teach others that God’s word is alive and very meaningful to you and will be a testimony to His faithfulness in your life.  You never know what type of impact this might have on someone later down the road.  Years from now, possibly even after your time on earth has come to a close, the words from the Bible which you read aloud this year may come back to minister to a young person in the room and may serve to call them to repentance and obedience in Christ.  

This is how our culture will be returned to God.  It will not begin at the ballot box.  It won’t even begin in our school systems.  It will only begin in our homes, with our families.  Some of you may already have such a tradition, but if not, I challenge you to let this be the year that you start.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

I recently heard a well-known pastor who was speaking to a large group of seminary students, make the following comment, “No one will remember what you preach.  What they will remember is, were you there when they needed you.”  What a discouraging thing to say to young men who are preparing themselves for a lifetime of ministry.  A pastor’s ministry is not limited to preaching of course, but a pastor’s ministry will never become more than what he does with God’s pulpit.  No amount of Monday through Saturday ministry can replace the importance of the Sunday sermon.  That being said, I do understand that you will not remember everything that I preach.  I don’t expect you to remember everything.  What I do hope for is that you are intently listening to sermons with “biblical ears”.  What does that mean?  Here are my thoughts.

Pray.  Include the Sunday sermon in your prayers each day during the week.

Read.  We’ve been in John for a long time.  You can read the sermon text in advance.  If we’re not in John on a particular Sunday, I try to announce the sermon text on Facebook in advance.

Come Expecting.  Come to church on Sunday with an expectation that the sermon will be beneficial for you to hear.

Take Notes.  This doesn’t mean that you outline the sermon with grammatical precision.  It means that you have pen and paper and simply write down anything that sounds particularly important or impactful to you.  Writing it down will help you remember it, and you’ll have it with you to think about later.  (Taking notes also helps you stay awake.  Ahem.)

That One Thing.  Look for that one thing from the sermon that is fresh and exciting about God’s word – something new, difficult, or even confusing.  Write it down.  And of course there can be more than one thing.

Unpack It.  Call or text someone within a couple of days of the sermon and spend some time talking about what ‘That One Thing’ was for you.

Pray Again.  Create a bookend of prayer around each of our worship services.  Ask God to sear ‘that one thing’ into your memory so that His truth soaks in and becomes a part of you.

Fundamentally, biblically faithful preaching is not a word about God, it is a word from God.  It is certainly not a new word from God, but it is the proclamation, explanation, and application of God’s eternal truth, as reveal in His word.  And there is nothing more important in your life than understanding and applying God’s word.  Additionally, please never hesitate to ask me to better explain something which I said from the pulpit.  I would like nothing more than another swing if I missed the ball the first time around.  Call, text, or stop by the church office for a visit any time.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

When you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering, what are you actually giving to?

Charlotte Digges “Lottie” Moon was a real person.  She was born in 1840 in Virginia, one of seven children.  Despite being born into a time and culture when women were not encouraged to become educated, Lottie achieved a master’s degree in languages by the time she was 21.  She committed her life to Christ while attending college and in 1873 was accepted by the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board, or IMB) to be a missionary to China, even as an unmarried lady.

Within a few years, Lottie had sounded the trumpet back to the United States for the need of more missionaries, and especially more women missionaries.  At her strong urging and sponsorship, in 1888 the Southern Baptist Convention began the first Christmas offering dedicated specifically for international mission efforts.  That year, enough money was raised to send three new missionaries into the mission field.

Lottie Moon died the day before Christmas in 1912.  In 1918 the SBC titled the Christmas offering in honor of the lady who inspired it, and in the process awakened the church to the great need for Christian missionaries around the world.  When you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, 100% of your gift goes to fund Southern Baptist missionary efforts.  Not one penny of your Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is used for salaries or administrative purposes (all of which is covered by other designated donations to the IMB).  The goal for Lakewood Baptist Church is $1500, and you can be sure that every cent will be used for gospel work in a country outside of the US.

Not every person is able to “go,” and not every person is even called to “go.”  However, all of us can give something.  And we must all pray.  As you pray about an amount which the Lord will have you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year, and as you place your gift in the offering basket, I ask that you also pause and pray for the workers on the receiving end of your offering.  Pray that the Lord will strengthen and encourage them, and that the gospel will continue to go forth unto all the nations.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

The old growth tree on the back of our church property is beautiful this time of year.  I have heard stories from many of you about your children playing under that tree and other fond memories around it.  If you haven’t been out on the back part of our church property in a while, you can take a look at the tree from the parking lot and see that it appears to be in good health.  Unfortunately, the tree is not in good health at all and sadly it is actually scheduled to be cut down very soon.  Upon close inspection (that is, standing directly under the tree and looking up) it can easily be seen that the main center portion of the trunk is dead and unable to provide a solid base necessary to keep the outer branches strong and vibrant for very much longer.  Since there is no barrier between our neighbors and their yards the best and safest thing to do is to have it cut down.  Of course, we do not want it to fall randomly and cause damage or injury.  What looks healthy from a few hundred yards away is actually in need of removal.

Something similar happened with many church ministries during the COVID shutdown of 2020.  At various churches across the country, support for various ministries began to dry up, because people were not able to physically be together.  As things began to open back up, I spoke with many pastors and ministers who explained that their church would not be as “stretched out” as they had been prior to the shutdown.  Most churches had ministries which should have ended years ago, yet they were still dedicating budget money to keep them going.  Many churches were bogged down with more ministry efforts than they could keep healthy, and they found themselves often unable to shift gears.  It is a very difficult thing to tell someone “Your ministry is no longer effective for the church, so we need to stop doing it.”  We are all emotionally attached to such things.  We all have fond memories of bus ministries in the 1970s and 80s.  Churches would purchase an old school bus, paint it a different color, then simply drive around on Sunday morning and fill the bus up with children who wanted to attend church.  But times have changed, and a bus ministry as described just no longer works.

Please understand that I am not referencing any particular ministry or program at Lakewood (not at all!).  I do not feel that we have too many ministries going right now.  However, my point is to call us as a congregation to regularly (annually?) do a close inspection of everything that we are doing, and ask ourselves, “Is God still calling us to do this?”  Rather than do something just because we’ve always done it, we should only continue to do those things which the Lord calls and equips us to do.  We need to always be on point to properly use the mix of gifts which God has blessed us with, through His people.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

These were the words of Jesus to His disciples on the evening before His crucifixion.  I would like for you to take a moment to consider all of the things which had occurred in the moments prior to Jesus saying these words of comfort.

• Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, which was confusing to them.

• In doing so, He pronounced one of them to be unclean.

• Jesus gives perplexing messages about a forthcoming betrayal.

• Jesus Himself was troubled in His spirit.

• He then directly states that one of the disciples will betray Him, yet does not name him.

• Then, through a process of providing bread to Judas, He identifies His betrayer.

• Jesus proclaims to Peter, one of His closest disciples, that even he will deny knowing Him before the next morning comes.

Imagine if you had been called by Jesus, then spent three years following Him and being taught by Him, leaving everything behind you, forsaking your livelihood and even your own family, then experienced all of these things in a few short hours on one single evening.  Imagine how confused you would be.  “What is happening?”  Imagine how concerned for your well-being that you would be.  “What am I supposed to do next?”  Imagine how scared you would be.  “Is my very life in danger?”  Very likely, this doesn’t even scrape the tip of the iceberg of what the remaining disciples were feeling.

Then the Master comforts them with these famous words, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”  Don’t worry about these things, Jesus is saying.  I didn’t tell you these things to trouble you – I told you so that you would know what to expect.  I am in control – I always have been, and I will always continue to be.  I am working out things for your good.  You will experience some turmoil, and I don’t want you to be surprised about that.  I am leaving to prepare a place for you, and your ultimate victory will be through Me.  In the meantime, be obedient to all that I have taught you.

The holidays are a troubling time for many people.  As the seasons approach, some people become anxious and even sad, mostly because of the hurt that is experienced due to the loss of a loved one.  The disciples knew this feeling well, and the Savior told them not to be troubled.  There may be heartache, but our hope is placed in the Perfection of Beauty.  During these coming weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas, use God’s word to comfort one another as well as yourself.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

A story I have shared several times bears repeating.  During the couple of months that the Lakewood pastor search committee was interviewing me, there was a question which I wanted to ask, but was basically unable to ask.  The question was, “Is your music minister good?”  See?  That is such a subjective and personal question that I dared not ask it.  My concern was that I might accept a call to become the pastor only to find out that the music ministry was… well, less than desirable.  I was hoping that my first action as pastor would not be to revamp the music ministry.

I remember the first few moments of the worship service when I preached in view of a call.  Marty opened the service with a warm personal welcome and a song, and within in a few measures of the music beginning, the Lord set my mind and my heart at ease.  Not only was the music ministry terrific, but the music minister himself was an immensely talented musician.  I had met Marty the week prior to that service, but I had no idea what a special music minister he was for Lakewood.  His ministry leadership from behind the piano demanded my soul to stand and join with the congregation in the worship of our Lord.  I even remember leaning over to Leanne and commenting, “This is really good!”  And I gave thanks to God for Marty and for Lakewood.

As Marty transitions into another phase of life and ministry, we at Lakewood want to continue to give thanks to God for Marty.  On November 14th, immediately after the worship service, Lakewood will host a reception lunch in the Fellowship Hall in honor of Marty and the decade+ of his life that he dedicated in service to the Lord at Lakewood Baptist Church.  Lunch and dessert will be provided.  All members and guests are invited to attend.  There will be a basket for receiving cards and gifts for Marty as a show of our love and appreciation for his many years of ministry at Lakewood.

We will never be able to replace you Marty, and it would be silly to even try.  There will always be a special place in our hearts for all that you’ve done.  The door to the church will always be open for you, and we’ll keep the piano bench warm for you.  We love you dearly.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

Many of you know that God called me into the ministry at a later age than most people – 35.  It is not uncommon for people to begin pursuing vocational ministry while still in their teens.  By the time they are in their mid-20s, they are already serving on staff at a church as they attend college and seminary.  In my mid-20s, I was playing in a band downtown, thinking that the guitar would provide the platform by which God would bring satisfaction to my life.

But God had different plans.

You often hear me speak fondly of the decade I spent as a student pastor.  You’ve seen and met some of my former students and you know that I keep up with them and love them dearly.  A few months after leaving student ministry in 2017, I wondered if I had made a mistake.  I felt that I was following the Lord, but the joy I received from working with teenagers was slipping away.  “How could God ever top that blessing in my life, getting to minister to students everyday who loved me unconditionally?”  I thought it was a period of life that could not be repeated, let alone topped.

But God had different plans.

The Lord called me to pastor Lakewood one year ago, and even before I preached, even before I met all of you, Leanne and I were surrounded by your love and complete support.  Through you (yes, you reading this right now), the Lord restored a joy to my soul and then quickly began to even increase that joy to a place that I can only describe as thrilling.  Even with only one year at Lakewood, I can honestly say that being your pastor has become the great thrill of my life.  I love to prepare sermons and lessons for you, I love to preach to you and teach you.  I love to fellowship and laugh with you.  And all of that makes it possible for me to mourn and even cry with you.  It is a thrill and honor for me to wake up each morning knowing that I get to be the pastor of Lakewood Baptist Church.  May our Lord bless and protect our ministry efforts together for a very long time to come.  I am always here if you need me.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

This may come as a surprise if you have not heard my ministry testimony, but I was once a person who did not enjoy reading.  At the age of 30, I may have read ten books in my entire life, not counting school assignments and such (although I’m not sure that I technically ever finished Where the Red Fern Grows, from 7th grade).

But then something happened.  God began to show me the value of investing my time in a resource which honored Him.  Of course, the Bible is the primary and ultimate authority, but there is also much benefit in supplemental resources to the Bible, be it a book, an audio sermon, or a video lecture.  

Most people who do not read are turned off to the idea of reading because of a poor or difficult experience from their school days.  Think about this for a moment.  Your assigned reading from school was likely either fiction, or history, or maybe even math or science.  It was difficult.  It was time-consuming.  It was boring.  And very likely, you did not understand how it could ever be beneficial.  The other thing is this: there is no explicit promise from God that understanding more about history, math, or science, will come with a blessing from Him.  

But’s God’s word is different!  Reading the Bible comes with specific promises from the very One who created you.  He promises that His word will guide and inspire you to holy living.  Take a moment and go look up Psalm 119:105, 2 Peter 1:19, Proverbs 6:23, and Job 29:3.  One challenge is that God’s word is sometimes difficult to understand.  Peter even says as much in 2 Peter 3:16, when speaking of Paul’s writings.  Therefore, it is important, even vital, for the Christian to consult supplemental resources.  I often recommend a book or an article for you to read.  In the coming weeks and months, I plan to ramp that up quite a bit, challenging the Lakewood congregation to read more, and to feed ourselves more resources for understanding and applying God’s word.  The goal is not to make our brains bigger, but to live in holiness and righteousness through the work of Christ on the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.  When you see a recommendation from me, please know that it is something that I have prayed about and deeply desire for you to investigate as well.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

In one respect this is a question for the ages.  Some may consider it a philosophical question, meaning that the answer depends on what: how much you know, or what your specific experiences may be.  Most people in our world today would probably agree with a statement such as “One person’s truth may not be the same as another person’s truth.”  A famous movie scene even lands the line forever in the American culture, “You can’t handle the truth” asserting that there are realities in life which are too difficult for some people to accept.  

But what if the answer to the question of truth is actually settled?  What if you don’t have to search for it, you just have to accept it?  Keep reading.

You don’t have to read very far into the Gospels to find that Jesus made many truth claims.  During His conversation with Pilate starting in John 18:33, Jesus again speaks about the nature of truth.  At the end of their conversation Pilate famously quips, “What is truth?” and then leaves in unbelief.  But it was only a couple of days prior when Jesus had explained to His disciples that “I am… the truth” (John 14:6).  The verb translated into English as “am” was originally written in what is known as the indicative mood.  The indicative mood is used when the person wants to speak of an objective fact.  For example: “That table is 12 ½ inches tall” is indicating a fact.  You can’t get around it.  No argument against it will stand.  A way to paraphrase Jesus’ statement might be, “It is a fact that I am THE Truth.” 

God’s Truth.  Eternal Truth.  Truth with a capital T.

What does this mean for Christians?  It means that in a world that has lost its mind, and then seems to lose it anew again every morning, we can stand with conviction on the Truths of God’s word.  God will never change.  Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, will never change.  We can live our lives in pursuit of holiness, without ever doubting if it is the correct thing to do.  Even when we experience any level or persecution, we can endure through the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that in the end, when our lives are over, and when history is complete, the One whom we serve will be the only Truth left standing.  Go serve Him with boldness!

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

Bruce.cullom@gmail.com

Have you ever fallen asleep while reading?  You know, you’re reading a book in bed and the next thing you know you wake up, and it’s ten or twelve minutes later, and the book is now your lap!  So you get the message that your body is trying to tell you and you put the book down and turn off the light and go to bed.

What about the times that you’re perfectly awake and all of the sudden you realize that although you’ve been reading the words, your brain has been daydreaming somewhere else for the last few minutes and you cannot remember anything that you read?  This often occurs to me, and I have to turn back a page or two, locate the last passage which I remember and start over again.

Have you ever considered that a Christian can be in that “awake but asleep” mode with regard to a daily walk with Christ?  You may be walking through life, with opportunities to express the gospel of Christ all around you, and yet you fail to recognize them.  You may be attending worship service and small group Bible study, but later on you don’t really remember much about what was said or taught.

The Lord wants to use His people.  He has tremendous things in store for those who love Him and are called by His name.  But we’ve got to train ourselves to put down the distractions and pay attention to the things that are most important.  It’s like reading that book, but not paying attention to it.  We show up for church.  We go to Sunday School class.  We sit in the sanctuary for worship.  But maybe we’ve unintentionally checked out - spiritually asleep.  

If there is a change in your life that the Lord is calling you to make, I encourage you to wait no longer.  Commit to having a consistent and meaningful prayer life.  Commit to having a consistent and meaningful Bible study.  Commit to participating in consistent and meaningful ministries and mission opportunities.  Desire to become obedient to our Lord.  In return for your obedience, He promises blessings which you cannot imagine!  So WAKE UP!

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

Bruce.cullom@gmail.com

That’s more than just a good phrase to consider – it’s the name of an annual conference led by pastor John MacArthur.  Traditionally the conference has been held in California, which of course makes it more difficult to attend for many people on this side of the country.  However, for 2022, the conference will be held in Williamstown, KY, inside the Ark Exhibit, which is the approximate full-scale model of Noah’s ark from the biblical account.  I would like for you to investigate the Truth Matters Conference for yourself and consider attending.  It will be an enriching event which will serve to strengthen your faith and help provide strong, biblical responses to today’s objections to the truth claims of God’s word.  And there’s more to it…

Between now and Thanksgiving, our Wednesday night Bible study will serve as a precursory class for the Truth Matters Conference.  We are working through The Foundations, which is a study on the cultural effects of abandoning God’s word, and how we can recover biblical authority in America.

Please see the following web address to find out more details about the conference, and please join us on Wednesday nights at 6:30 in the fellowship hall to take part in this important study.

www.gty.org/conference

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

Over the years I have observed a number of faulty attitudes towards missions.  And by faulty, I mean that these attitudes are not based in an accurate understanding of what Scripture teaches.  Among these erroneous attitudes is that if a person is not personally present in the mission field, then he or she is not being faithful to the great commission.  Many times those who hold such a view get caught up on the word “go” in the great commission, and then claim that if a Christian is not “going” with the gospel, then they are somehow being less faithful.  (This view is easily shown to be faulty by simply applying the same logic to the remainder to that verse, as very few people have the opportunity to “go” to “all nations.”)

A basic reading of Acts makes it clear that as some Christians were called to go with the gospel, others where indeed called to stay with the gospel.

“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”  Acts 13:1-3

Then we see in later writings of Paul (Saul) that he thanks churches which have sent him gifts and prayed for him, most notably in Philippians.

“Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.  And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.  Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.   I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”  Philippians 4:14-20

Why am I pointing these things out?  We are not all able to go across the world with the gospel (though we can certainly go to our neighbor with the gospel), but we are all called to support those who do.  Successful mission work requires prayer, training, and it requires a financial support network back home.  Please pray for our missionaries.  And please consider a gift to the Golden Offering, a missions effort organized by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.  Our church goal is $1500.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

Take a moment and think about the last time that you went through a trial in life.  It probably won’t take you long to remember it.  You may even be dealing with a pretty heavy trial right now.  We all face trials – this is part of the human experience.  But our response to the trials we face is not always the same.  What is the correct response to a tough situation in life?  Sometimes we throw up our hands toward God and ask, “Why me?”  Sometimes we are even tempted to blame God or get angry at Him.  But to understand the correct way to respond to a trial, you must understand what a trial really is.

Do you know where trials ultimately come from?  God.  That’s right.  God either directly caused the trial or allowed it to happen.  This begs the question, “What is the purpose of a trial for the Christian?”  For the correct answer, you can look at the first chapter of the book of James.  In James 1:2-3, Scripture tells us that we should rejoice during trials, “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”  What is steadfastness?  Steadfastness is patience or endurance while under pressure (think of the contents of a pressure cooker).

And since God is infinite and He operates outside of the constraints of time, He already knows the outcome of your trials.  Therefore, the trial is not for God’s benefit; it is for yours.

Do you learn something better by someone telling you about it, or by doing it yourself?  Did you learn not to touch something hot, because your parents told you not to, or did you really learn not to touch it, that time that you touched it!  Trials are very similar.  A trial is an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to mature.  But not through your own strength; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit!

So next time you’re going through a trial, do not shake your fist at God.  Thank Him, and pray continually for strength and endurance (Ephesians 6:18).  Oh, and go read the book of James.  It’s only a few pages long.  You can do it on your lunch break.  That’s how I learned about this.  Pray and read your Bible – always.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

When I’ve talked with church planters over the years, they always begin with a flurry of enthusiasm and excitement, but sooner or later it comes down to just plain endurance just sticking it out.  But it’s not only true of starting a church, it’s true in other areas of life as well. 

Take marriage, for example.  There was a man who was bragging to his wife about how much he loved her.  He proudly proclaimed that he would even die for her.  “That won’t be necessary,” she responded, unimpressed, “just pick up that towel and help me with these dishes.”  Few of us will be required to lay down our life for another person, but all of us are required to do the everyday things with consistency.  For the first few weeks or months, marriage is able to function on the fuel of romantic feelings, but sooner or later we come to the realization that marriage is not only about enjoying, but also enduring.  I do not mean that marriage is a drag, but it is not one continual high, perpetually warm fuzzy feeling.

By the final week of Jesus’ life, the disciples had spent a great deal of time with the Savior, but the honeymoon period was about to come to a close.  Even in those final days, the expectations of the disciples were unrealistic.  They had hoped for a spectacular demonstration by our Lord which would finally convince the nation of Israel once and for all that He was their Messiah.  They had hoped for the kingdom to be established and for positions of power and prominence in His regime.  The triumphal entry even seemed to elevate their expectations and excitement.

In John chapter 15, our Lord brought before the eleven the realities of the future.  He would not be heralded as Israel’s king, but hated.  They, too, would soon experience the hostility of an unbelieving nation.  This should come as no shock – Christ’s rejection had been prophesied centuries before.  Nevertheless, our Lord gave instructions concerning how His disciples could maintain fellowship and fruitfulness in the difficult days which lay before them.  The nature of the relationship between Christ and His followers is one of consistency in the little things – being obedient to God in the seemingly smallest areas of your life.  In Luke 16:10, Jesus said, “One who is faithful in a little is faithful in much.”  

Be faithful in the little things.  Never tired of seemingly routine obedience to God.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com   

Spend any time in the Gospels of the New Testament and you will discover a basic template used by Jesus over and over during His mission trip to Earth.  Jesus regularly met people’s physical needs as a means to get their attention for the opportunity to speak about something more important – their spiritual needs.  His method is unmistakable.  We have even seen this in our previous three sermons on John 6.  Jesus miraculously provided food for at least 5000 people who were following Him and were hungry.  Doing so gathered their attention.  When you provide for someone’s physical, earthly needs, you demonstrate that you love them and that you care about their well-being.  Such an act respects a person’s human dignity.  Once a person understands that you actually do care about them, they are much more likely to listen to what you may have to say.  Of course, we do not have the ability to heal or otherwise perform miracles, but if ask a person in need who is on the receiving end of such a gift they may indeed consider the provisions as a miracle from God.

After a need has been met, we often have an appropriate opportunity to share our reasoning for kindness.  It is not to build up an organization.  It is not to get press or news coverage.  It is not even to receive a “thank you.”  We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and He commands us to share His words with all whom we encounter (Matthew 28:18-20).  And although physical, earthly needs are important, they are not the most important need which humans have.  Above all, we share the good news that Jesus lived and died to save sinners (we’re all sinners – Romans 3:23), and a right relationship with Him provides the perfect hope we have for an eternity in communion with God.

We share of our possessions and we share of our faith.  This is the way of Christ, it is the way of the first church in Acts, it is the way of the Apostles in all of the New Testament.  Give, expecting nothing in return, but share your faith, expecting a bountiful harvest in His name. 

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com   

A friend shared an exciting experience with me the other day – this person had taken an opportunity to share the good news of Christ with a complete stranger while waiting in line somewhere.  He swallowed his fear, said a silent prayer, took a deep breath, then began to share spiritual truths with a stranger who was sitting near him.  Guess what happened?

1. The stranger became infuriated then stood up and stormed out.

2. The stranger began to curse at the Lakewood member.

3. The stranger wielded a weapon!

4. The stranger was humbled and listened intently.

Actually, none of these happened.  As it turns out, the stranger was actually a believer in Christ as well and began to share encouraging Scripture and testimonies with the Lakewood member.  The two quickly realized that they were not strangers at all, but actually brothers in Christ and they spent several minutes celebrating together the hope they shared in Christ.  They had even volunteered and served in similar ministries and other opportunities.  When the time came for one of them to leave, they both smiled and agreed that if they never met again on earth, they would see one another in heaven.

We often allow ourselves to become paralyzed by an irrational conclusion that we’ve drawn, built on a worst-case-scenario, derived from our worst fears.  Then when the opportunity arrives to share the gospel, we sit silently.  The result is that we not only rob someone else of the opportunity to hear the gospel, but we may even rob ourselves of receiving a blessing in the form of godly encouragement from our brothers and sisters in Christ whom we’ve not yet met.

I challenge you to stop for a moment right now and offer a prayer to the Lord, asking Him to increase your faith and increase your awareness of those around you who need to hear His gospel, and need to be encouraged by His followers.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

You’ve heard the old saying, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”  While that may offer some perspective during an immediate time of challenge, we all know that there is more to life than a simple saying written on the wall at your local gym.  As evangelical Christians we claim God’s word as our ultimate moral authority and direction in life.  So what does the Bible say about the pace of life?

In Ephesians 5:15-16, the apostle Paul speaks about walking through life with wisdom, being good stewards of every moment:
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

But Paul also compares life to a footrace in 1 Corinthians 9:24:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

I am not a marathoner, but I have done a bit of running.  The longest distance I have ever run was 10 miles, and I’ve done that many times.  Something I learned about during my running days was pace.  The course is not flat.  There are hills to climb and to descend.  A runner who has purpose will adjust his or her speed and posture, slowing down and leaning into an uphill, and then relaxing a bit to take advantage of the downhills.  The other thing I know about running is vision.  If you’re only looking at the road five feet ahead, you will not recognize a change in the terrain as it approaches from the distance.  Conversely, if you’re only focusing on the things that are on the horizon, you won’t notice the pothole directly in your path and you’ll risk a twisted ankle or worse.

Applying this to our spiritual lives, we must regularly be looking for immediate opportunities to serve and share the Gospel – the Lord may call you to specific action today!  But we must also consider the long-term plans to which the Lord may be calling us and properly prepare ourselves for them through consistent prayer and Bible study.  So you are constantly looking up and forward, and then down and directly in front of you; then back up to look forward, then back down again.  The truth is that the life of a Christ follower is both a journey and a destination.  This place may not be our home (Hebrews 13:14), but we do have an assignment to accomplish while we’re here (Matthew 25:21, Matthew 28:18-20).

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

“If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” – 1 Peter 3:15

The years of training had paid off – all of the early morning conditioning drills, and the late evening focus sessions on the fundamentals.  And when the time came he was ready.  The ball was struck hard, very hard.  As it left the bat it hit the ground on the infield, but then took a giant hop toward left field.  The short stop took a step forward, then leaping into the air he snagged the ball out of the sky.  He landed back on earth and made a quick check to hold the runner on second base, then hurled the ball over to first base for the out.  And just like that, the play was over.

That play was over, but already he was thinking about the next play, the next batter, and what he would do in every possible scenario.  He was playing out every little situation in his brain.  What if…?  What about…?  He knew that if he waited until the ball was headed in his direction before he considered what he should do with it, valuable microseconds would be wasted possibly resulting in a missed opportunity for the next out, or even a run scored for the other team.

This is also wonderful illustration of evangelism.  Many of us recognize a witnessing opportunity a few seconds after the opportunity has passed.  To my great disappointment, I know for certain that I have done this.  Peter tells us that as believers, we must always be ready to give an explanation to other people about the hope that we have in Christ.  Always.  The only way to accomplish this successfully is to practice and prepare beforehand.  Think through the common objections that unbelievers have about the Bible and prepare a response beforehand.  Pray about your weekly scenarios – the way that you most commonly encounter other people – in line at the grocery store, waiting for an appointment at the doctor’s office, having lunch with a coworker.  “When the ball comes to you” so to speak, what are you going to do with it?  If you are not prepared, you risk bobbling the ball or dropping it completely.  Walk into the grocery store already looking for that person who will be standing next to you at some point.  Have the truths of the Scripture on your lips.  Paul even told Timothy to be ready with God’s word both in season and out of season.

Always be ready!

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

 I recently read a story about a husband and wife who were kicked out of a church in Peaceville for simply misrepresenting to the pastor the truth regarding one of their private financial dealings.  As you know, Peaceville is a small community – one of those places where everyone knows everyone – so it didn’t take long at all for word of what happened to spread.  You would probably expect that the pastor would come under fire from the deacons for dealing so harshly with this married couple, but the church didn’t even have any deacons.  And naturally it would follow that other church members would also get frustrated and leave the church as well, or at least withhold their offering until everything had been dealt with properly.  After all, the personal checkbook of a married couple in the church is really nobody’s business.  It seemed obvious to most outsiders that the pastor had overstepped his authority.

 But strangely enough, the opposite of these things happened.  When word got out of what the couple had done and the pastor’s subsequent response to them, the church actually began to grow like never before.  People in the local community began turning from their sin as the Lord saved them and brought them into the congregation.  It was an amazing thing to see.  They even had enough people to elect some deacons and really begin to take care of the needs of the members of their congregation.  It just became “understood” in the Peaceville area that you don’t even walk through the doors of that church unless you’re prepared to be convicted of your sin and submit to God.

So where is Peaceville?  Turn to Acts chapter 5 and read verses 1-10 and then stop and return here.

Yes, my first two paragraphs are a contemporary rendering of the first Christians in the first church.  You’re probably familiar with the account of Ananias and Sapphira and their subsequent death for lying to the Holy Spirit by lying to Peter.  It is so brief and yet so blunt at the same time.  It makes your jaw drop just a little when you read it.  Now continue reading with verses 11-16.  Why does our jaw drop at this?  And why did the first church grow so much in the aftermath of this incident?  It is because they took sin so seriously.  They did not cover it up or sweep it under a rug.  Lying to God’s appointed pastor of the first church, the Apostle Peter, was tantamount with lying to God.  The result was that they demanded holy lives from one another and would accept nothing less.

What is the lesson for us?  Well, I am certainly not an Apostle (they all died in the first century A.D. of course), but as Christians and spiritual descendants of that first church, we must also take sin with such seriousness and hold one another accountable.  Let those outside our congregation know that to join in fellowship with us means that a life of holiness is taught and expected.  The study of 1 & 2 Peter which Loyd Dill recently led us through on Wednesday nights was a terrific reminder of this.  Oh, and yes, Jerusalem literally means, “City of Peace” or Peaceville.  But it’s not the city of man’s peace – it is the city of God’s peace.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com

On behalf of, and representing Lakewood Baptist Church, I had the honor to attend the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting.  It was in the Music City Center in downtown Nashville on June 15th & 16th.  While I was in attendance, I began to notice something peculiar.  Although every person in attendance was displaying a strong Christian kindness and charity for one another, the news which I was reading online (in real time) was reporting the opposite.  Using my phone to search for the hashtag #SBC21, I could find reports within seconds of the author posting it, including all social media.  Reports of frustration and anger by the attendees were rampant.  Other reports spoke about issues being raised and motions being voted on, which were not actually happening.  Again, I was there.  I was present.

Upon further investigation, I discovered that many of those who were using the hashtag #SBC21 to publish their articles were not actually present at all!  Some of them were watching brief snippet of a live feed online and then drawing inaccurate conclusions, and reporting things completely out of context.  After the two-day meeting was completed, the less-than-accurate reports continued to spring up.  I also noticed that many prominent leaders began to repudiate the poor reporting by making attempts to correct the record.

It seems that some people have an interest in seeing the SBC fail.  Allow me to offer a reminder as to who “the SBC” is.  If you are a member of a Southern Baptist Church, then you are the SBC.  We are not a top-down organization (such as the Roman Catholic church, or even the United Methodists); we are a bottom-up organization.  There is no one outside of Lakewood Baptist Church who can direct the actions of our church body.  As your pastor, I submit to God and to our collective congregation.  The only way that the SBC fails is if our local churches fail, and that will begin to happen which we stop preaching Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).

A few days after the annual meeting, someone made a strong observation.  The thing which unites us as autonomous Baptist churches is the Baptist Faith & Message.  All churches in the SBC must affirm the BF&M 2000 (which is why it is important for you to read it).  The strong observation was this: there has been no effort by any person or committee to alter the BF&M in well over 20 years.  (The BF&M was altered in 2000, from its previous version in 1963.  And it was actually made more theologically conservative in 2000.)  Don’t believe the hype.  The SBC is just fine.

Also, Lakewood can send as many as eight voting representatives to the annual meeting.  You should make plans to go with me in 2022.  It will help to keep Lakewood and the SBC healthy.

Blessings, 

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com