New Sermon Series beginning Sunday at Rainsville First Baptist

I am not a NASCAR fan and anybody who knows me would be shocked if I said I was.  In fact, I may have only watched five minutes of a race and that was when Roxanne finally talked me into getting a HD TV and one Saturday night I saw five mintues of a race only to reply, "HD does make a difference."

But I do know in a race, there is a Pace Car. This car, also called a Safety Car, is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on the racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track or bad weather.  The aim of the Pace Car is to enable the safety of those clearing the tracks or waiting for more favourable track conditions during bad weather.

The first Pace Car was used in the inagural Indianapolis 500 in 1911.  The first pace car was a Stoddard-Dayton driven by Carl G. Fisher.

Why would I choose a "Pace Car or Safety Car" as the theme of the first series of messages with you? Is there impending bad weather?  Do we need to slow down the race?  Or is there an obstruction on the track of Rainsville First Baptist?

The answer...an obstruction.  You have a new pastor.  It's me! A change in the Shepherd of a local church is a cause for a yellow flag - caution.  The race of the church's ministry slows down (it does not stop thank God) and there is caution resulting in much prayer during the process of calling a new pastor. Then when that new pastor arrives, there is caution. Who is he?  What is he like?  What are his priorities.

For about an year, I have written Colossians 1: 28-29 in the front of my Bible. It has become a benchmark for me...if you will a "setting of my pace."  I had no idea of God calling me to a new church family, but I believe the reason God put this in my heart was for "such a time as this."

So, over the next six Sundays I will be "Setting the Pace" using these two verses of Scripture.

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily."

July 26 - "The Person"

August 2 - "The Proclamation"

August 9 - "The Presentation"

August 16 - "The Parameters"

August 23 - "The Perfection"

August 30 - "The Power"

Then on Sunday nights I will do a series "First Base As a Church" glimpsing as some important issues of "first base" to assure we all touch "first base" so we can count as we attempt to score.  In baseball, you may round the bases and reach home plate, but if you don't touch first base..you are out and the run doesn't count.

This Sunday night I begin with a message on "The Kingdom of God."

Wednesday nights I will be doing a teaching on "The Attributes of God."  A.W. Tozer wrote, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."  I want to explore the depths of who God is so that we can think rightly about our great God.    

Exciting days ahead.  I can't wait.

Blessings to you church family.  See you Sunday.