Already Missing The Assembly - March 23, 2020

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God’s people are a people of community and fellowship. Where you find God’s people, you find them together in worship, singing and listening to the preaching of the Scriptures. Throughout the gospels, the synagogue is a central place of meeting that was crucial to the life and ministry of Jesus as well as the ministry of  the apostle Paul.  The word synagogue in Greek means to “bring together.” When the Christian church was born, it was patterned after the synagogues, gathered assemblies that came together in obedience to Christ.

Ecclesia, or the “called out ones,” is the most important New Testament word that describes the church of Jesus Christ. The church is a local assembly of those called out of the world who are called into the body of Christ—a body made up of regenerate believers who follow Christ in faith and obedience. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” This doesn’t meant that every place where two or three Christians are gathered constitutes a church—it does mean, however, that when God’s people come together, there is a special bond, uniting Christians together in the Spirit of Christ.

The gathered assembly also gives the preaching of God’s Word center attention,  and to the encouragement of the saints through the singing of Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The Christian is most healthy when they are faithfully tied to the life of their local church. Before the coronavirus, I would have argued that YouTube is a lousy place to go to church. No electronic or digital social media platform can replace what happens when the people of God gather together physically. The commands of the Bible are clear—we are not to neglect assembling together.

At the same time, however, we must recognize that we are in a unique situation. Though YouTube is not church, I am still thankful for the technology available to us. I am thankful for the ability to go online and hear the preaching of God’s Word.   To be able to listen to our pastors sermon online, in real time, is a wonderful treasure for Christians. But listening in on these gifts is not equal to what happens when we listen among God’s people, physically present together as we praise God and hear his Word proclaimed. For some time, under extraordinary circumstances, we understand that not meeting together in our churches is the right and faithful thing to do. It is an act of love for neighbor and good stewardship to cease all physical activates in order to resist the spread of this devastating virus. During this time, however, it is very important for churches to maintain their connection.   Also, if you would like to be faithful in your giving to the church, you may mail in your tithes and offerings to this address:  Lighthouse Baptist Church P.O. Box 665, Jonesborough, Tennessee. As a church family, let’s stay in contact with one another. Make a phone call, send a text message or email for encouragement or to offer assistance. And let us be praying together that soon we will be able to meet together again for worship and fellowship. Pastor Perry

  

 

Coronavirus Update

Pastor Perry - March 14, 2020

We are living in strange times. With all that is going on in our world, who would have thought that we would be dealing with a pandemic as we leave winter and head into spring. I have been thinking on how to maintain our faith in a sovereign God, while being anxious about the seriousness of the covid-19 virus. We all know that nothing can come into our lives apart from the knowledge of God, so as God’s people we do not panic over every new development. We also do not want to over react to the threat of the virus by doing as some major denominations have and cancel all public services. However, in light of developing details, today’s over reaction could be tomorrow’s under reaction. As of this time, Lighthouse has not canceled our services, but we certainly encourage all of our people to use common sense and take the necessary precautions to protect your family members, especially those who may be most vulnerable to this disease.

I also think its possible this pandemic may open some doors of ministry for the local church. I expect that some in our community could be out of work for a period of time, others may suffer other financial setbacks, and it is possible that some in our area may suffer the loss of a loved one due to the illness. As God’s people, let us be the first to show love and compassion to those who are hurting, and be a walking and talking demonstration of the love of God. Keep one another in your prayers, and let us worship God with such a fervent spirit that it will be obvious we expect Him to come for us an any moment.