Brokenness Aside.

"If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?" - Oswald Chambers

This is a bold claim, and it comes from a place of bold self-abandonment and surrender. 


When you get to a place where you elevate the will of God over your personal satisfaction and contentment, you know true fellowship with God. 


Once we're grounded on a strong and established truth in Christ, total surrender to this great and glorious God seems no longer far-fetched, but a natural expression of love. 

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In Christ, we are no longer our own. We were bought with a price and have been adopted into something bigger than ourselves. 


It's through doorways of brokenness that God opens up opportunities of communion with Him.  


Don't lose hope at the first grip of pain, and don't lose yourself wandering down the long road of self-pity. This does nothing to draw yourself into intimacy with Christ or share His love with the world. In fact, it hinders His redemptive purposes, and throws a barricade up in your relationship with Him.


See God for who He is; see His power, love, glory and goodness. See the hand reaching out to you amid your pain beckoning you to stand up, dust off, and enter into fellowship with the sovereign Lord of the universe who loves you wildly. 


Don't forget to join us at MidWeek tonight at 6:30 PM! We'll see you there! And don't forget about Baptism at Sycamore Flats next Wednesday. If you're interested in being baptized, call the church office at (828)884-5932!

Focus.

The other day, I was preparing for a fundraiser that the high school students are doing at the White Squirrel Festival.  While I was searching on a website, I noticed that they had an option to “Adopt a White Squirrel.”  At first I thought this was a joke but I quickly realized that it wasn't.  I laughed at first and then I began to think about our little girl that we sponsor in Kenya. Now I want to be clear here: Is sponsoring a white squirrel an awful thing? No. But which is more important?  What this showed me is that we can lose focus on what really matters.  

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” - Philippians 1:9-10

Do you think that we truly understand  "what really matters?”  Or do we lose focus and begin to spend our time on things that really don’t matter?  It’s difficult sometimes to look inside ourselves and see areas of insignificance that we are wasting time on. What I have found is all too often we need a shock to bring us back into focus;  a jolt to even realize that we are wasting our time.  The best way that I have found to do that is break our normal everyday routine.  One of the best ways I have found to experience that is by going on a mission trip.

This June 18-27, the High School Ministry will be going to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip.  We will be working with two different ministries working towards the goal of spreading the gospel in the Dominican Republic.  My favorite thing that happens on this trip is students get an incredible picture of what really matters.

Do you want to get involved in helping the Dominican Republic team? Saturday and Sunday we will have a booth at the White Squirrel Festival.  We will be selling water, boiled peanuts, and popcorn, working towards helping support the work going on in the Dominican Republic.  You may also want to consider going on a mission trip yourself! It may be the exact thing that God wants to use in your life to show you what really matters.

While you’re enjoying the festivities this weekend, stop by and show your support for the Augustine Project, helping tutor and teach young kids to improve their reading skills. The Transylvania Baptist Association’s booth needs some volunteers to share the gospel using bracelets, tracts, and testimonies! Call the Baptist Center to sign up! (828) 877-3203

-Brent Metcalf

High School Pastor 

What Really Matters?

Here's a staggering statistic: 53% of the world's population lives on less than $2 a day. 

So how is it that we, members of the richest nation in the world, don't even think we're rich? 

After pumping gas or shopping for groceries or budgeting for family vacations, we catch ourselves casually saying, "I'm so broke!" 

But here's the sickening reality: We are rich. Filthy rich. 

Everything we have is not our own; everything we have is a gift from God. 

Our richness can be a real disadvantage. We have so much stuff that clouds our vision of who God is and distracts us from pursuing His purpose. But God intends to use our blessings to bless others in need around us!

God's definition of what really matters is clear: He measures our lives by how we love.

"And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:2-3  

God can change the world with hearts that are radically in love with Him. 

He's not interested in what you do out of obligation; He desires your heart and your affections for Him to be behind every decision you make. 

God can change the world with true love - love for people that echoes the love we're shown by our precious Savior. 

Can God use your submissive heart to change the world around you? Can He use you to make an impact? 

This week, pray for opportunities to honor God through your service, giving to those in need and serving your brothers and sisters in Christ, either physically, monetarily, or through your heartfelt prayers to an eagerly listening God.

There are countless opportunities to serve within this Body, whether it's helping out in the nursery, or helping park cars, or serving this summer at VBS, and countless other opportunities in our community as well.   

Let us be the humble and compassionate church God has intended us to be. 

We'll see you tonight for MidWeek Worship as we continue on in our Checkpoint series working through the churches of Revelations ch. 2 & 3. Join us at 6:30 PM following the 5:30 PM MidWeek Meal! 

Paradigm

In 2006 I was able to go on a mission trip to Asia. Our goal was to share the Gospel using recorded materials in the heart language of the people group we were looking for. This group has a large nomadic population, and in this case, were just the ones we were attempting to reach.

We were told that it was standard practice to walk through the country side until you came upon a gathering of tents where these people would be staying for a season. The idea was to stay long enough to share the Gospel as best we could, give them a radio they could use to tune into follow up messages, and then move on to the next settlement. This was the protocol we imagined as we left the cities for the open country.

We ended up at a grouping of tents and permanent structures, and eventually were introduced to the settlement’s leader. Through this man, God brought many of the people from the surrounding area to his house to hear the Gospel. We didn’t need to move at all! And, we got to share the truth of Jesus with more people and in a more meaningful way than we would have with our plan. Our paradigm was completely blown and it was glorious!

Now, hold on here as I shift your focus from Asia to Western NC, from nomads to kids. What are the paradigms we have about Vacation Bible School?

I hope this summer can be a paradigm breaker for us all. I hope we see this VBS as something the whole body does regardless if you have kids attending or not. I hope we can see it as a MISSION trip we didn’t have to travel to get to. I hope we see the need for the Gospel is as urgent here as it is in Asia. And I hope that we see VBS as a beginning for the establishment of new relationships with our neighbors.  I hope God does even more than we can imagine!

- Chris Schlender 

BCC Children's Pastor

Be Bold.

Graduation is fast approaching and many students are about to embark on a new journey in their lives.

“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” – Ephesians 6:19-20

God has an individual purpose and plan for each one of us, but as the Body of Christ and followers of Jesus, we have a calling to grow up into mature faith, to the measure of the stature and fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-16)

We are called to be spiritual adults, not children, and we are called to deepen our knowledge of Him and grow our faith in Him.

And we are supposed to fearlessly and boldly share His truth and love to the nations. We often make excuses that only after we have our career path figured out, or get a steady job, or get married, or handle our family’s mess, then, and only after those things are worked out, God can use us to further His kingdom.

But the truth is, the day you’re spiritually raised from the dead and you accept Christ as savior and Lord of your life, is the day you start proclaiming the Gospel. You don’t have to wait; you can be in His purpose right now.

No more saying, “But I don’t know what God’s will for me is.”

On your prayer list, put this at the very top, above all other prayers and pleas:

“God, every time I open my mouth, You give me the words to say.”

This prayer is powerful and transforming. It will uproot you and put you in a place of flexibility and availability where He can reveal His plan and vision for you, while using you to further His kingdom.

Don’t let the uncertainty of your future hinder you from sharing the love of Christ.

God’s not concerned with what you’re doing. He says whatever you’re doing, do it to the glory of Christ.

Go do whatever you’re wired to do in the name of Jesus.

Don’t forget about MidWeek tonight as we start our new series, Checkpoint, studying the churches in Revelation ch. 2 & 3. We’ll see you at 6:30 PM following the 5:30 PM MidWeek Meal!

And join us on Sunday as we celebrate our graduating students and encourage them in their future of following Christ and boldly proclaiming His Gospel. 

Because He cares, so do we.

My mom was a great caregiver to our family growing up.  Whatever the need, she had a special way of meeting that need in just the right way and at just the right time with so much joy while doing it.  I really believe she understood what God was saying in 1 Peter 5:7:   Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you.

The first word "cares" in this verse is a Greek word merimna, from a root word that means "to draw in different directions or distract."  It signifies "that which causes this 'distraction', a care, especially an anxious care."  In fact, NASB translates this verse "casting all your anxiety on Him."  The second word "cares" is from melei, which has the meaning to "care with foresight and interest, rather than anxiety."  So God is telling us … bring all your anxieties to Me, because they don't make Me anxious!  He is perfectly able to handle all of our cares.

The context of this verse is interesting.  It comes right after an instruction to "humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God".  To allow yourself to be cared for by others is humbling - but God commands us to do so!  It is also humbling for our selves to care for others; a proud person is not usually a compassionate person!  In addition, this verse is included in a list of instructions to those who "shepherd" the flock -- elders, or in our language, pastors.  God is clear that as pastors we are responsible to humbly, lovingly and willingly care for the body.  Each of our BCC pastors considers this a great privilege… but it also can be a humbling responsibility, considering the many members of our body!

I am so thankful that in our church family we have so many people who remind me of my mom in the way they care for each other.  As the hands of feet of Christ, you are tangibly living out 1 Peter 5:7 - showing foresight and interest in one another as we face the distractions and anxieties that life brings.  Recently a Life Group member had to be rushed to the hospital to deliver their newborn a few weeks early.  The Life Group leaders took over and cared for her and her husband all the way through their time in the hospital, and even after they went home with the baby.  By the way -- the baby is healthy and doing well!

There are so many more stories like this.  As pastors, we have a great passion to care for this wonderful body of believers, but we need your help.  One of the key ways to help is through our Life Group ministry.  A major component of Life Groups is to care for the people in their small group.  If a person is not in a Life Group, then our Member Care Ministry makes touches to see how our church family is doing and to encourage them to join a Life Group to be cared for and to help care for others.

I think most moms are like my mom in the way they care for their family.  Thanks, moms, for teaching us how to care for one another.  I want to honor my mom this weekend by caring for my brothers and sisters with the same love and compassion that she cared for me. 

Because He cares for us, we care for you.

I love you

Todd

Lead Pastor, BCC

Stop. Drop. Rest.

Springtime seems like the busiest time of the year. 


Sports tournaments and practices and end-of-year exams and summer preparations and phones ringing off the hook and cluttered desks leave us feeling drained and exhausted. 


Of all Ten Commandments, which is the longest? One might think it would be the proclamation concerning murder, or adultery, or false idols. But the lengthiest commandment is this: 

 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." - Exodus 20:8-11

God knows us so well. He knew it would take more than just one sentence to convince us of our desperate need for rest. He already hears our objections before we can form the words in our heads. 


"But I have so much to do!" 
"I'm on a deadline!" 
"Someone has to get this stuff done!" 


But our kind Father quiets us with His love and reminds us that if the world didn't fall apart when He rested, it certainly won't fall apart when we do. 

"Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." - Psalm 73:23-24

Fix your eyes on the One taking your hand and guiding you into glory. 


Change your focus and relax. Stop and make time to rest your body and rejuvenate your soul. 


Come and do just that tonight at MidWeek as we stop to sit and soak in the Word of God as we conclude our Secret Church video series. We'll see you at 6 PM following the 5 PM MidWeek Meal!

Don't Lose Heart

Dear BCC Family, 


Have you ever been tempted to lose heart and give up? 


"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait I say on the Lord!" - Psalm 27:13-14


When I read these verses in January of this year they immediately jumped out at me. Often when this happens, it is God's way of letting me know that He has something important to teach me so I wrote them down in my journal and began to commit them to memory. As I meditated on them over the next few days I wrote out this little devotion to help me remember what I felt God was saying in them. 


When you're tempted to give into the gloom of despair (lose heart), remember that this dark night has a glorious dawn and it is closer than any of us think. Look also to the many promises God has made to you in His Word and to the many past moments when you have experienced His faithfulness personally. These are like shining stars on an otherwise black night which serve to guide your faith back home to your Maker. Most of all, look to your Savior and His Cross. Just like a full moon on a clear night provides more than enough light to see the path ahead of you, the true Light that shines brightest at the cross will also light your way until the day of His return finally breaks. In this way, gather up your courage knowing that you will see Him and His goodness both today by faith and one day by sight. As you entrust yourself to Him, He will fill your heart with fresh strength to endure the temporary sufferings of the present with a joyful eye on the future.


Looking back now, I can see why God wanted to share these verses with me. Lately it seems like each new week brings with it a new trial. I feel like we just can't catch our breath as a family before the next blow comes and knocks it out of us again. Can anyone else relate with that? 


I have to say I've been tempted to lose heart a couple of times this year already and I probably would have if I had not believed the same thing that King David did in this Psalm. I am learning that when I am ready to give in to despair I need to stop and remind myself that I will see God's goodness. As I begin thinking on His promises and remembering how He has personally been faithful to me over the years I am led by His Spirit back to the place where His love was ultimately demonstrated in its fullness for us all. At the foot of The Cross, I find fresh strength to wait patiently for Him who shed His blood so I could be forgiven, who died so that I could live, and who was raised up so that I could have a hope and a future eternally with Him in His Kingdom. It is there I am given the courage and strength of heart that I need to lead my family forward in our journey of faith. 


For everyone reading this who is in the midst of a difficult circumstance and may even be tempted to lose heart, I want to encourage you along with David to stand firm in your faith. Stop and remember God's goodness and His promises and look back and count the times He has been faithful to you in the past. Above all, meditate on the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ letting what He did for us there fill your heart with fresh strength and courage to press on until the day your faith becomes sight. God is faithful! Wait on Him! 


- Shannon Compton
Life Groups Pastor

Want.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1

Want. 


That's a word that frequents our tongues. 


We all want something - something better, faster, nicer, thinner. 


In a largely superficial society, we are familiar with the desires and cravings for the latest comforts. We often find contentment and judge success by what we possess, whether it be physical things or social status. 


But David, the author of Psalm 23, is not held captive by the chains of discontentment that we often find ourselves bound by. David has found lush pastures, still waters, and most importantly, a Shepherd who cares deeply for him and watches over him. 


David realized that what you have in God far overshadows what you don't have in life. 


If you find yourself saying, "If I just get this one thing, then I'll be happy" then you are being held captive by the lies of the enemy. 


Hold fast to the Truth: that you have a loving and personal Shepherd who hears your prayers, gave you the guidance of His Holy Spirit, grace for your sin, and a light for your path. 


In Christ, you have all you need. 


Let go of the rest. Give up all other chases, and pursue our Perfect Shepherd, who promises peace, love, satisfaction, and eternal joy in His presence. 


Have a blessed week! We'll see you Sunday as we continue our series, "Louder: Turning Up the Volume on Family Relationships."