As I sit here on the first day of 2013 I am looking back. It is a good thing to reflect on what God has done over the last year. So many things have happened that I am thankful for as a pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. My heart is filled with joy and gratitude. Here are some of the highlights that came across my mind on this night…

We are in a new building. I am thankful that we made it. I am grateful for God’s faithfulness to His church since its inception in 1923. I will always remember the old buildings on North Church Street that served as a place for God to be glorified and people’s lives to be transformed. I am glad that we aren’t packing and moving, and I’m thankful for the warm water in the bathrooms. Praise the Lord!

God has added 63 new people to His church. These are God’s children from all walks of life and ages. It has been a huge privilege to baptize some of these. Preacher Crocker and I look forward to baptizing a handful more soon. One of the indicators that we are obeying the Great Commission is that people will be getting baptized. It is not our responsibility to get people saved, that’s God’s job, and He is good at it. Our responsibility is to witness and live out the Gospel before the world. Praise the Lord!!

We exceeded the budget, not in spending but in giving. The faithful and sacrificial giving of His children has honored God. This is the first time that I can remember that a church has meet its weekly budget giving needs. We stepped out by faith and God blessed. We needed $5,004.17 each week to meet the 2012 budget; we received $5,572.65 each week. God gets the honor for that – Praise the Lord!!!

We commissioned two mission trips (Tammy Gilbert to Nicaragua and the young people to Blythewood, SC) and commissioned and sent off one to start a church (Ben Linnerud with Awaken Church in Charleston, SC). In 2013 we plan on commissioning Tammy again to Nicaragua, a group to Haiti, and our young people to the West. Praise the Lord!!!!

The student ministry at Calvary Church is off to a good start. VBS was a success, we have an active weekly ministry on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings for them. I thank God for those who serve in the nursery, children’s groups, Kid’s Church, and youth. The kids singing with the choir at Christmas was beautiful. Praise the Lord!!!!!

We need to be a church that is joy filled, Gospel centered, mission minded, God adoring, and servant oriented. We have to begin our missions at home. Spartanburg County must become a place not just where we live, but about whom we are burdened. That will be some of the focus of my preaching this year.

I love being a part of what God is doing here. And we will always be careful to let others know that this is what God has done.

Grace & Peace,