Leaving SPdL

I always remember traveling to Charleston with three young kids in 1999. When we were looking for houses to move to. Matthew wasn’t yet one, and was quite the fussy sickly baby. We were having a hard time finding a nice house. Starting over in a place where we didn’t know anyone seemed a foreboding task. Others can pick up and move like that, but it's just not our thing.

Then I got called into a meeting in my bosses boss’s office. Before I moved to Charleston they wanted me to work on a project in Lawrenceville for several months. My position here in Norcross had already been replaced. We learned a valuable employee from Greenville was moving to Charleston because his wife was entering medical school there. After the meeting everyone left the room. I turned to the VP, a great guy, and asked “How about I don’t move to Charleston?”  He smiled and said “I think we can work that out.”

My old boss Steve Apollo had recently started a new department, and he quickly snapped me up. This set me on a path for what I’ve been doing the past 23 years.

We had pretty much said our goodbyes at SPdL. With 3 young kids it was tough to load them up for the 20 miles drive Sunday mornings, evenings, and Wednesday nights. It was the perfect time to start looking for another church. Visited several. JFBC didn’t seem right at the time. Tried Fellowship Christian and a few others. When we visited North Point there was a crowd, but it just felt like home, even the first time we went there. Crazy the SPdL “split” happened in 2000, not long after we had left. Not sure what we would have done.

There was no place like SPdL back in the 80’s and 90’s. So many people say the same thing. Being there for such a long time, “growing up” with families for an extended period of time, was a key part. Many at JFBC did the same thing, their kids growing up there. You get to know so many people that way. Now we’ve been at JFBC for several years, in two different Sunday School classes. Doesn’t seem like we know many people – just those in our class. But we know them well. Scott Condra is in a Sunday School class at JFBC with my good friends Lee and Shawn. Scott’s son was good friends with Shawn’s son. Scott’s son took piano lessons from our friend Laurel, whose husband John Harrell went to GT and is my small group leader.

Long time JFBC minister of music Mark Cottingham is retiring this month, after maybe almost 40 years. Just about the only minister of music ever at JFBC. John and Margaret will be attending Mark’s retirement service later this month. The Condras know my friends John and Laurell Harrell, who also know Norma McDonald – who moved back from St Simons Island to Kennesaw recently. Laurel used to be the pianist at Weiuca Road and a church in Dunwoody. So when John Harrell and I get together we talk about all things Baptist, and GT.

Since our Sunday School teacher Brian is on staff at JFBC in charge of missions, we often have missionaries speak in class. Had two speak this last Sunday. Brian is a neighbor of Tripp Mullen. Katherine Flack was impressed by our preacher at JFBC. As am I...

Sermon Notes: Clay Smith JFBC
Hebrews 12:1-3

Written to people who wanted to stop following Jesus due to persecution.

The need for endurance for the weary. Stand strong while under pressure. Not a life of passive obedience, but of action. We are saved by God’s grace. Can’t earn it. But grace is not opposed to effort. We slow process. Disciplined. Consider it joy when you encounter trials, which produce endurance.

PACE: requirements for running with endurance.

P = people. Think about all the examples of the faith in chapter 11, the clouds of witnesses. Not the dead in heaven watching us, but we can learn from their example. Why we should read the Bible, learn about the characters in the Bible. Their strengths, their mistakes. Having someone pace you is a great way to live life. Parents should have 5 adults be available to come alongside their children by the time they’re seniors in high school.

A = analysis. Rid yourself of sins that entangle us. Can’t run wearing a heavy robe. Good things can hold us back. Career, phone. Obstacles might not be a sin, but can be. All of us have some certain sin that we wrestle with. Blind spots. We shouldn’t trivialize sin. Romans 6:12-14.

C = Christ. Look to Jesus. Our main focus. The architect of our faith, the perfector of our faith. Our example. Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. How did Jesus react to people? He endured the cross. His motivation? Joy. To be reunited with God the Father. Deny self. Take up my cross. Each day should not be about me but about God. Testify about heaven.

E = expectation. What will happen if I keep my eyes on Jesus versus if I don’t. You will grow weary and lose heart. Instead follow Jesus.

DAZZY VANCE [SABR Bio] led the NL in strike outs a record 7 consecutive years, from 1922 through 1928. Led the majors five times. On 14-Sep-1924, in the 3rd inning, Vance stuck out Sam Bohne, Bubbles Hargrave and Eppa Rixey on three pitches each. With 28 wins, a 2.16 ERA, & 262 Ks, Vance secured his Triple Crown. He was called "Dead Shot" due to his prowess with a revolver. He made absurd boasts about his marksmanship with a pistol, then backed them up by slicing a card in two edgewise, or by shooting through the bottom of a bottle without breaking the neck of the bottle.