Charles Town Presbyterian Church

In this fifth installment of a review of the core values that guide Charles Town Presbyterian Church, we are reviewing Outreach: Serving others by using our gifts and resources to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Lately, there has been a great deal of talk about outreach at CTPC. For a long while, we seemed to languish and do very little to show or talk about God’s love. That seemed to change last summer, when not one, but TWO groups went from our church to parts of West Virginia hit hard by the floods last spring. We saw a need, and we responded.

Outreach is the key work of the Body of Christ. In Matthew 28, Jesus commissions his disciples for the work to which he has called them (and us!). He tells them, “Go into all the world and make disciples…” Jesus calls His Church to go into the world and tell people about what he has done for them. “Telling” people about Jesus happens in many ways. We feed the hungry, encourage the disheartened, and we help the helpless. The reason we help people in such ways is simple: People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care. By demonstrating the love of God, we sometimes get to have a conversation about the gospel of God!

Outreach can seem very threatening, because some people don’t want to hear about God or deal with what it means to believe in him. Some people are scared to interact with people from different walks of life. The reality we need to be careful of is this: If we don’t go, we don’t grow.

Since the summer, several other outreach opportunities have emerged. Our Presbyterian Women’s Group is hosting a one-day women’s retreat featuring Kelley Latta on March 25, and they are trying to reach women from all over the panhandle (and ladies, please be sure to order your tickets!). Our Christian educator, Molly Rogers, is starting a bi-monthly small group for moms. Last week, I began my six-week study called the “No BS Bible Class (BS is short for Bible Study). The No BS BC attempts to give an overview of the Bible to unchurched and de-churched people. Last year, when some key people decided to take a break from feeding the homeless on the first Saturday of the month, some other people stepped up and filled that gap, and the outreach continued.

These outreach activities are in addition to what we normally do, and the response has been exciting! The Lord has given us opportunities to reach people with his good news. It is great to see CTPC re-discover this core value.

I pray the energy and desire to reach out continues for a long time to come!

Blessings,

Pastor John

Our journey through our core values continues this week with a review of the following core value: Godly Relationships:  devoting ourselves to one another in our homes, in our church family, and in the community. 

This core value speaks to one of the greatest resources at Charles Town Presbyterian Church: the people! Whenever I lead a new member’s class, I ask those in attendance what drew them to the church. I always get answers like, “The worship and,” or “The Sunday School and,” or “The preaching and,” And guess what always follows the “and” in that answer? The people!

The reason this core value was adopted by the session in 2005 is because we recognized how important relationships are to a church. That led to a discussion about which relationships we were talking about. Well, honestly, all of them. One does not stop being a Christian outside the church or inside the walls of one’s home. When one is a Christian, one has the duty to pursue godliness in every relationship.

One of the most important ways Christians spread the gospel is through relationships. When Jesus was challenged as to what commandment was most important, he told those asking, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.’ But then, without being asked, he said this, “The second is just as important, to love your neighbor the same way you love yourself.”

One of the clear tests of our love for God is how we treat others. If we understand how much God loves us, we are willing to share that love with others by going the extra mile, and treating them in a way that pleases God. I am proud of the way this congregation continually demonstrates this core value. In fact, if you look at the newsletter closely, you’ll find a perfect example of what this core value is all about.

Brothers and Sisters, keep up the good work!

Blessings,

Pastor John

This week I am continuing my return visit to our core values. This week, we are concerned with the core value Christian Education: Deepening our understanding of Jesus Christ through life-long learning and discipleship.

I want you to notice what the core value doesn’t say, “Sunday School.” This core value was worded very intentionally. Often, we think of Sunday School as something for kids. Just over a hundred years ago, the Sunday School movement was strong in this country, and the focus was on children, and using Sunday School programs to reach young people in neighborhoods, towns and cities. Ever since that movement, people have come to think of Sunday morning classes as something for kids.

But Christian Education is far greater than that. Once we come to faith in Christ, we start on a journey that takes the rest of our lives. It is on that journey that we learn about our relationship with God, who God is, and all manner of things relating to our walk with God.

To that end, churches regularly offer opportunities for Christians of all ages to engage in Christian education – Sunday School, prayer groups, Bible Studies, youth ministry, etc., are all designed with an eye toward the discipleship of those who participate. Christian Education has always been a priority for Presbyterians, and the congregation of Charles Town Presbyterian Church is not different. I encourage you to attend one of our Sunday School classes, or some other periodic learning opportunity. These ministries are designed so that those who attend will grow in their faith.

If you have any questions, you may contact me or Molly Rogers, our Director of Children’s, Youth and Family Ministries. We would be happy to help you find the tools you need to deepen your relationship with Christ.

Blessings,

Pastor John

Last week, I began a series on the core values of Charles Town Presbyterian Church. It is good for us to have a refresher as to what is important to us as a congregation. This week, I am going to be concerned with the Lordship of Christ – Honoring Jesus Christ as Lord through worship, prayer, and sacrifice.

This core value is a confession of sorts, with three points of action. In this core value, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, which includes us. Philippians 2:5-11 reminds us that one day all the earth will confess Christ as Lord.

The Lordship of Christ in our lives is demonstrated in three responses:

• worship,
• prayer, and
• sacrifice.

Last Sunday, while teaching confirmation, I was able to share an important point about worship: God is the audience, not us. Sitting in the congregation, focusing on what is happening “up front,” might make it feel like we are the audience, but in worship, we are the ones appearing before God. So, whatever we bring – our attitude, our prayers, our musical offerings, our monetary offerings, our sermons – should be done in a way fitting for the One who receives them. Christ is more than worthy of our worship, having given his life so that we could have eternal life.

Prayer teaches us dependence on God, and this is a key part of understanding the Lordship of Christ. When we say, “Lordship of Christ,” we are speaking of the process of yielding control of our lives – every part of it, to the will of God. Prayer gives us a place to cast every care and joy before Christ our Lord, and in the process, we learn to trust him and depend on him in all things.

Sacrifice is how we model our faith to others. This involves giving our time, talent and treasure to the purposes of God. Everything we have comes from God, and when we sacrifice, we are returning to God that with which we have been entrusted. God is pleased to use our sacrifices to further his kingdom. Engaging in work for Christ’s kingdom, which we call ministry, takes time. There are specific works requiring specific kinds of skills, abilities and service (talents). And, finally, it requires giving of resources (treasure), which is also a part of our worship.

All of this is done because once we profess faith in Christ for salvation, we are no longer our own, we belong to God. We were ransomed by Christ unto God, and as children of God, we must learn how to live for God.

May God continue to bless each of us as we learn how to submit to Christ’s lordship.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Last Saturday, the session spent several hours together learning about healthy leadership, which is essential for any congregation, and critical when looking toward a future that most certainly requires change. During the conversation, it became apparent that we have forgotten our core values. For the next few weeks, I plan to revisit the core values that were adopted by the session over ten years ago. Those core values are:

• Scripture,
• Godly Relationships,
• the Lordship of Christ,
• Christian Education,
• Outreach, and
• our Reformed Heritage.

The official definition of our core value reads thus: Discovering God’s truth through biblically-centered preaching and teaching. Scripture is the keystone core value. This is the core value that informs the rest of our core values, and much of the way we live out our faith in Christ. What this core value means is that as a church, we view preaching centered on scripture, and Christian education that thoroughly teaches the scriptures, to be a centerpiece to our life as a church. For the Christian, scripture must inform how we live out our faith in every arena of our life. From home, to work, to school…in friendships, in community, and when we meet a stranger, God’s Word informs how we should live.

Therefore, intentional study of God’s Word is essential. We proclaim God’s Word in worship. It is taught to all ages during the Sunday School hour. It is expounded upon in Bible Studies and small groups. It is also important because it serves as an objective check for us. We might feel a certain way about something, even convinced, but we must check with scripture, and let God bend our will to what we find when we read.

I encourage every one of us to be sure that God’s Word is filling our life in some way, and not only on Sunday mornings. Listen to sermons when you have the time, read the Bible, and learn what God’s Word is teaching. As you do so, you will discover why it is the bedrock core value of CTPC!

Blessings,

Pastor John

There has been a great deal of anxiety and divisive behavior leading up to the inauguration of our nation’s forty-fifth president. Some of the actions and attitudes of people in leadership has been very puzzling, and I have been left wondering what kind of example we are leaving to our children.

Allow me to share with you three “goods” that stand the test of time:

• Good Manners
  The winner of any election should not be an excuse for us to engage in bad behavior. Some people have responded to the election with harsh words, vandalism, and other unkind actions. Some of our congressional leaders are boycotting the inauguration. What kind of example does that set for our children? Remember the golden rule – Do to others as you would have them do to you. Adults should always model good manners – it is how our children learn to treat others. People are more often remembered for having good character than bad.
• Good Practices
  We should always pray for the leaders of our country. Even if you are the complete political opposite of someone in power, pray for him or her. Every person we meet is the creation of a holy God, and even if a politician is described in the worst kind of way, it does us well to lift him/her up in prayer. There is no greater thing we can do for our leaders. If we are worried about their behavior, a piece of legislation, anything they do – we can bring it before God!
• Good Perspective
  Years ago, someone at CTPC told me that getting riled about political matters over which I have very little control is pointless. I was taken aback when it was said to me, but it is true. Or, as the great theologian Kenny Rogers once sung, “You’ve got to know when to fold ‘em…” What’s more, we Christians must remember this: Our true home is heaven. It’s great to be patriotic, and we should all strive to be good citizens here and now. But this world is temporary. One day our Lord Jesus will return and will make all things new.

I know some of you don’t like the pastor talking about politics. The reality is, though, that our political life is not separate from our spiritual life. We are Christians 24/7. What I hope I am conveying here is that we should all, as Christians, be demonstrating behavior that transcends the political.

Blessings,

Pastor John