Two weeks from today is Election Day in America. Early voting in WV begins today. It’s hard not to struggle with “election fatigue.” The harshness and rancor between Americans are hard to watch.
Wise Parenting In This Culture
God blessed our Pure in Heart Conference yesterday with about 200 men, women, and teens in the main sessions. Interweaving fascinating illustrations and his personal life story, Pastor Kell’s message will be a tremendous help and challenge to any believer. Because we as believers died with Christ and have His indwelling Spirit (Romans 6-8), we can say “no” to sin and yield the members of our bodies to glorify God. He also wisely advised parent about having a plan to protect their children.
Pure in Heart
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, said Jesus in Matthew 5:8. Purity and holiness are the genuine desires of true believers. And this must come from the heart. Two verses earlier, Jesus said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Does that describe your heart and mine?
Legacy
Gerri and I just experienced the joy of hosting our eight grandchildren, ages 6 to 17, for six days of “Camp Johnson.” It was a precious time of bonding, fun outings, devotional chapels, yard games, and lots of ice cream and desserts. We had never had all eight with us without their parents; but it was a blessed (though exhausting) privilege.
Berkeley Springs Revival Recalled
IBC is looking forward to Guest Speaker Garrett Kell for our church-wide Pure in Heart Conference on Saturday morning, August 24. Today, Garrett is Lead Pastor at Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria VA and a nationally known author and speaker. Twenty years ago, Garrett was a VA Tech student from Berkeley Springs that God saved out of a sinful lifestyle. He and other newly born-again friends were used by God to bring many others to Christ in their hometown through meetings dubbed “Christ Nights.”
The Fruit of Generosity
ABBA CARE In Martinsburg
It is a joy that ABBA CARE, which began in Winchester, has opened a branch in Martinsburg to minister to mothers, babies, and families. They are an IBC-supported mission agency that upholds the sanctity of life and spreads the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For more information and for prayer requests, see their website at http://abbacare.org
Never The Same
On April 12-14, IBC will experience Missions Weekend 2024 with our theme, NEVER THE SAME. Look forward to hearing from seven of our missionaries in person, including our Croatian church planters, Miro and Ivanna and our Ukrainian missionary, Vlad. The full schedule is listed on our Events tab. Steve Richardson will be our keynote speaker around the theme “Never the Same.”
IBC Is Blessed
Pastor Phillip opened last night’s Annual Congregational Meeting with a devotional from Psalm 111, which begins, “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.” It truly was an evening of giving thanks in the congregation, as expressed from the start with the heart-felt singing of “To God Be the Glory.”
New Sign Coming
Pray For Our College Students
5th GO Team This Year
It had been three years since IBC been able to have a Global Outreach (GO) Team, sending IBC’ers on short- term mission trips. It’s exciting that God enabled us to send five teams in 2023—to Brazil, Vietnam, Utah, Kosovo, and now Spain. This week and into next, five of our members (Dave and Helen Stansbury, Linda Watring, and Chad and Michelle Wingert) are partnering with IBC sent missionaries, Daniel and Karrie Bethel in Spain. Our team departed on October 6 and will return October 17.
Pray For Your Pastors
Today in both services, Marc Hagley, leader of our Pastor Prayer Partner Team, will invite men to consider joining this important ministry. I would not want to be a pastor without the prayers of the flock. I believe that my survival in ministry and certainly, any fruit from it, is due to people’s prayers. Thank you, all of you who pray.
Purpose-Focused Progress
Currently, our Welcome Center renovation is well underway. Thanks to estate gifts from Melissa Swaim and Johnny Welsh, the cost of this purpose-driven face-lift to our upper and lower Welcome Center areas is progressing. The purpose—to better love God’s world with hospitality to those who enter our doors and to better love God’s people by providing more appealing and effective fellowship space for growing disciples.
To the Neighborhoods and the Nations
Sorrowful Yet Always Rejoicing
Grief and joy often go together in the Christian life. “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing,” wrote Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:10. That is our experience as an IBC family this week, as we grieve but celebrate the homegoing of three long term members, Bill Shingleton on Monday, Mary Dugan of Wednesday, and Grace Hanshew today.