Bristol Missionary Church News and Inspiration

This Week At Bristol - A Really Bad Hair Day

2013-05-23T13:35:29Z

This Sunday at Bristol the teaching series, “Making a House a Home” continues. During this brief study, we are looking at a variety of Bible characters that include Samson, Joseph, Bathsheba, Ruth and Boaz and others that teach us lessons regarding the family - how to live each day, how to build relationships, how to make right choices, how to recover from failure, how to handle trust, etc.

This Sunday we will look at Judges 14-16 and the brief life of Samson. His name means, “like the sun” so maybe his mother and father called him “Sunny” (probably not). Unfortunately his life was not characterized by sunshine and clear skies. Given his name it is unfortunate that his life ended in darkness and blindness. He was a promised child like Isaac and Samuel and the Lord had a plan for him. He could have been a “leader among leaders” if he would have chosen not to fraternize with the enemy by day and disobey the Lord’s commandments by night.

He made some choices, as all of us do, which set the course for the remainder of his life. I read a quote that said, “the greatest ability is dependability,” and from reading the chapters in Judges about his life, you could count on Samson being undependable. How sad! So much potential, but he allowed himself to get in the way so that the Lord could not work through his life as He had planned.

This Sunday, as we examine the life of Samson, we will learn some lessons - unfortunately mostly negative - that we should consider carefully so that we will not make the same mistakes. I hope to see you then as we learn and grow together.

You are loved and appreciated!

Pastor Terry

P.S. This Sunday we will also be reintroduced to the couples of "SOS Estates" as they teach us a few lessons about life, love, commitment, etc. You will enjoy these delightful characters and their insights into the family.

This Week At Bristol - A Foreshadow of Things to Come

2013-05-16T16:26:47Z

We continue with our teaching series that began last Sunday titled, “Making a House a Home,” and this week we study a significant event that was inaugurated in the Old Testament and continues today.

The Jewish people had travelled to Egypt during the time of Jacob so that their family might survive the terrible famine that had gripped the known world. People from everywhere travelled to Egypt to get grain to sustain life. After the famine had subsided the Children of Israel remained in Egypt for another four hundred years. During that time they became slaves to the Pharaohs and were treated horribly. God heard their cries and sent Moses to lead the people out.

Pharaoh was stubborn and each time Moses approached him to tell him to let the people go, he would agree and then change his mind. God sent nine plagues to afflict the Egyptians. When Pharaoh again reniged the ninth time on his word, God sent one more plague - the plague of death - and then Pharaoh did set the Children of Israel free.

As the tenth plague was about to happen, the Lord told Moses to establish a special meal of lamb or goat roasted over the fire, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. This was named the Passover Meal. The Passover would be celebrated annually and would serve as a reminder to the people that God is the ultimate Redeemer who passes over us (Hebrew word “pesah” means to “leap over” or “show mercy”).

Today we have a memorial that patterns itself after the Passover Meal called the Lord’s Supper. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the last evening of His life. Just as death was a necessary part of the observance of the Passover Meal, so it is so with the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus established The Lord’s Supper after He led His disciples in celebrating the Passover Meal. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover as the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world.

When we eat the bread and drink the cup (the elements of Communion), we are reminded of the great sacrifice that Jesus made for us. We look back and remember His death and we look ahead to His coming again.

Just as a great exodus took place once the Passover Meal concluded for the Children of Israel, so there will be a great exodus when Jesus comes again (the fulfillment of the Lord’s Supper). That is what we look forward to as we celebrate Communion (our Christian Passover).

You might wonder what this has to do with the teaching series on the family. Here is the connection: The first Passover Meal was served with multiple generations of the family eating together and being reminded how great their God truly is. The same is true when we celebrate the Lord's Supper. We celebrate as a church family, as individuals family units and as individuals. Just as the Passover Meal became a great teaching point for heads of families, so it is today with the Lord's Supper.

I look ahead to this Sunday and spending time with you. As we focus on His Word, He teaches us. I hope you come with a great desire to know Him better and draw closer to Him.

I love and appreciate you!

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - Making A Difference

2013-05-02T15:55:45Z

If I asked a group of people what, in their opinion, would be included on a list of some of the most important things to them, I am sure that I would get a variety of responses.

I would never suggest that any of their responses would not be justifiable, but, is there a response that is more legitimate? Maybe most legitmate? Now I realize that I arrive at my response from the perspective of a pastor so I might be somewhat biased.

The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:7-11 what was most important for him. This is how those verses read, “(7) But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. (8) Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ (9) and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. (10) All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, (11) so that somehow I also may be raised to life.”

When you read what he said, you immediately realize that he had figured out what was really important. Again read verses 7 and 8 slowly. Wow! The apostle says that having an authentic relationship with Jesus was the most important goal of his life. What is the overflow of having this kind of relationship? The Lord uses you in ways you never thought possible.

When people see authenticity, it has an impact. Often curious observers want to know more. They realize that they too have often placed their trust in things that are “worthless.” It took the apostle some time before he figured things out, and that may be true of your friend, but he did figure things out. My advice: Don’t give up because they will figure it out too.

Here is a true story: An outstanding concert violinist found her energies consumed by peripheral matters. The violin received the tail end of her day, or was neglected altogether. Success came when she made the decision to concentrate. “I deliberately planned to neglect everything else,” she said, “until my practice period was completed. That program of planned neglect accounts for my success.”

Interpreted that means that planned neglect of peripheral matters allows concentration on the priority matters. So it was with Paul in Philippians 3. He selectively focused his attention on Christ and that was the key to his success.

Your friend is worth your genuineness, so live a life that shows the Lord is a priority. Be real! Who knows but that they too may choose to follow your way of life. Learn to neglect so you can learn to prioritize.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday. It is going to be a great day as we focus on missions. Being authentic is what will change the world (that is missions) in which we live.

Let’s change our world one person at a time.

You are truly loved and appreciated!

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - When God Is In It, Watch Out!

2013-04-25T14:09:37Z

And that settles it! At least that is what we discover as we read Matthew 13. Jesus told seven stories to this interested crowd and He wanted them to listen carefully to what He was saying. Hearing Him and obeying Him are two very different responses. Nineteen times in this chapter, the Gospel writer, Matthew, uses the word “hear.” Why? Because as the apostle Paul said, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Jesus always engaged the crowd by telling stories about everyday items that were common to His listeners. He spoke about lost sheep, an unjust judge, a father’s broken heart, persistence in seeking, and this week He uses seeds and yeast as His props. People could readily identify with seeds and yeast because these were everyday items to the people.

Our Punctuation Point for two of the stories is this: A mustard seed and yeast are tiny agents, but when they are placed where they belond, they can facilitate amazing results. Yes! “Little IS much when God is in it” and that was the message Jesus had for His listeners. That song became popular through George Beverly Shea and later the Gaither Vocal Band. Kitty Suffield composed that song in 1924 and the message is as true today as it was when she wrote it, or when Jesus introduced it to His hearers.

Jesus is saying that when we take what we have, even though it is small and give it to the Lord it becomes something very special. When you plant a mustard seed and then see the growth of that tiny seed into a large tree that becomes the shelter for birds, it is gratifying. A wonderful thing happens when you knead yeast into bread dough - that bread nourishes people. But, the message is deeper than that and this will be explored this Sunday.

This lesson will be the concluding lesson in this series, “A Look in the Mirror - A Study of the Parables.” Over the past four months we have examined less than half of these intriguing stories that captivated the minds and hearts of His hearers. I hope our minds and hearts have also been captivated and changed.

I hope to see you this Sunday as we continue on our journey to become fully equipped followers of Jesus - it is a great journey!

I love being your pastor and hope you know that you are loved and appreciated.

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - Who Are You Calling A Fool?

2013-04-18T14:57:49Z

Name calling is serious. At school, children are taught that bullying or taunting is unacceptable. In fact, in many schools, administrators and teachers declare their school to be a “NO BULLYING ZONE.”

In our study for this Sunday, a rich man, a farmer, is called a “FOOL.” Would you agree that is a serious charge? Yet we discover as we read the story that it is not his family, friends or even enemies that call him a fool, but it is the Lord. The question I ask: What was this man’s life like that God would call him a fool? When we examine Luke 12:13-21 we find the answer.

It is hurtful when someone calls you a fool (or any name). It may even ruin your day. It is one thing when another person calls you a fool, but it something very different when God does so. Why? Because what God says is always right. His motives are always perfect. When the Lord labeled this rich man a fool, He knew what this man valued in his life. He knew that the farmer had his priorities all messed up - his understanding of success was out of order. This man was rich in material things, but he was not rich toward God - what a tragedy! Jesus has a different definition for success than that of this rich farmer or anyone else immersed in a materialistic culture.

The principle of the story is found in verse 21. It is here that Jesus tells everyone hearing the story firsthand and those reading the story years later that being “rich” toward the Lord is what matters. The farmer was not condemned because he was a smart farmer. There is no question that the man understand the futures market, planting, harvesting, the weather, labor, and construction. In the wisdom, that helped him become rich, he made one terrible miscalculation – he did not figure on dying so soon. There is little reason to be rich in this world if you are not first rich toward the Lord. This man learned this lesson the hard way.

There are some great truths in this simple story and this Sunday we will investigate those truths. Come prepared to learn from the Lord and then as you obey Him you will avoid the horrible outcome of this rich farmer - an outcome that could have been avoided.

I look forward to Sunday and learning and growing with you. I encourage you to invite a friend to join you. It is going to be a great day!

Never forget that you are loved and appreciated.

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - Does Prayer Really Matter?

2013-04-11T19:32:10Z

Here is the BIG question - Does prayer really matter? That question sounds foolish, doesn't it? Jesus spoke twice in the parables about the importance of prayer and, being encouraged by His disciples, He taught them to pray what we call the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6 and Luke 11).

We know that Jesus spent much time in prayer. There were times when He would leave the sleeping disciples in the middle of the night and go off to a quiet place and spend time with His Father. The Gospel of Luke records numerous references to Jesus praying.

Let me illustrate the value of prayer by telling you this simple and true story. One of the greatest Christians of the 19^th was George Muëller of Bristol, England. He became concerned for orphans, so he started an orphanage with only a few coins in his pocket. For over 60 years his orphanage cared for thousands of children and he operated the orphanage by faith. In his lifetime he recorded over 3,000 pages of answered prayers.

Once, he was traveling from England to Boston to speak at a Christian conference. The ship stopped in the North Atlantic because of thick fog. When the captain announced the ship would be late reaching Boston, Muëller spoke to him. He told him he believed God had ordained this conference and he couldn’t be late. The captain was a Christian who knew Muëller, and he respectfully told him it was impossible for them to continue in such thick fog. Muëller asked the captain to join him on his knees to pray that God would lift the fog. The captain explained all reports indicated the fog would last for several days, but he would be willing to pray.

Muëller prayed a simple prayer asking God to remove the fog so he could make his speaking engagement. After his prayer, the captain asked him if he would like for him to pray as well. Muëller said, “No captain, you don’t need to pray for two reasons. First, I don’t think you really believe God will lift the fog, and second, I believe that He already has!” Sure enough, when the captain returned to the bridge, the fog was lifting and they arrived in Boston in time for Muëller’s conference.

So, does prayer matter? The answer is a resounding YES! This Sunday Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, will be sharing a personal story via DVD about why prayer matters. I am sure you will be able to identify with him.

I hope to see you Sunday. It is going to be a great day as we again learn from the Lord.

Remember that you are loved and appreciated!

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - When It Comes To Prayer, Never Give Up

2013-04-05T17:25:42Z

This Sunday our current teaching series - “A Look in the Mirror – A Study of the Parables” - continues as we examine a very short story Jesus told about the effectiveness of prayer. This story is found in Luke 11:5-13. Let’s begin this blog with an illustration that highlights our theme.

A bus driver and a minister were standing in line to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate and St. Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver. Since I’m in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. See that mansion over the hilltop? It’s yours.”

The minister heard all this and began to stand a little taller. He said to himself, "If a bus driver got a place like that, just think what I’ll get."

The minister approached the gate and St. Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a minister. See that shack in the valley?"

St. Peter had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when the shocked minister said, "I was a minister, I preached the gospel, I helped teach people about God. Why does that bus driver get a mansion, and I get a shack?"

Sadly St. Peter responded, "Well, it seems when you preached, people slept. When the bus driver drove, people prayed."

Jesus uses a special word in Luke 11:8 (the only place in the New Testament where this word is found) that describes the way we are to pray – the word is shameless. It is the same way that Abraham interceded for the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. In these few verses He tells us that prayer makes a difference, so we should NEVER give up! We should pray with boldness, we should pray shamelessly.

There is something that the Lord wants to teach us, so let’s come ready to learn. I hope to see you this Sunday!

Remember you are loved and appreciated.

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - What Happened On Easter?

2013-03-28T15:51:37Z

A Sunday School teacher asked her class on Palm Sunday if they knew what happened on Easter and why Easter Sunday was so important. One little girl spoke up, "Easter is when the whole family gets together, and you eat turkey and sing about the pilgrims and all that." "No, that’s not it," said the teacher.

"I know what Easter is," a second student responded. "Easter is when you get a tree and decorate it and give gifts to everybody and sing songs." "Nope, that’s not it either," replied the teacher.

Finally a third student spoke up, "Easter is when Jesus was killed, and put in a tomb and left for three days." "Ah, thank goodness somebody knows" the teacher thought to herself. But then the student went on and said, "Then everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if He sees His shadow He has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter."

Some people have really unusual ideas about Easter.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ON EASTER? This Sunday we celebrate the empty tomb and what that empty tomb means to us today. I believe the empty tomb tells us that we can have victory over sin and death and we can make a comeback in life when we experience God’s love. The empty tomb is our reminder of how awesome our God truly is.

My simple invitation is for you and a friend to join many others this Sunday - Easter Sunday - as celebrate the greatest event in human history. Remember that because the tomb is empty, He is alive and because He lives, we live too!

Don’t forget that you are loved and appreciated. I will see you on Easter Sunday!

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - The Value Of Memory

2013-03-21T12:43:22Z

Numerous times in the Old Testament we are reminded about the value of speaking the ways and blessings of God. Parents were commanded to tell their children about the faithfulness of the Lord to the Children of Israel for the sole purpose so that no one would forget the Lord.

We know that it is easier to forget God when things are going well in our lives. The road is smooth and we are cruising along without any or only a few cares (things that are manageable). Moses knew that times would get good for the Israelites. They would soon claim the land that God had promised to their fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They would be in their homeland where the fig and olive trees would yield their fruit. The soil would give them great harvests. It was during those times that Moses, Joshua and others warned them not to forget God.

Max Lucado wrote these words, “There’s a direct correlation between the accuracy of our memory and the effectiveness of our mission. If we’re not teaching people how to be saved, it’s perhaps because we’ve forgotten the tragedy of being lost. If we’re not teaching the message of forgiveness, it may be because we don’t remember what it was like to be guilty. And if we’re not preaching the cross, it could be that we’ve subconsciously decided that - God forbid - somehow we don’t need it.

In what is perhaps the last letter Paul ever wrote, he begged Timothy not to forget. He urged Timothy to “Remember Jesus Christ - raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel . . .” (2 Timothy 2:8).

When times get hard, when people don’t listen, when tears come, when disappointment is your bed partner, when fear pitches its tent in your front yard, when death looms, when shame weighs heavily . . . always remember Jesus!”

What powerful words - especially as we approach Holy Week. Each day of this week consciously think about God’s goodness to you. Think about your walk with the Lord and where your journey has taken you. Be reminded of God’s love and care for you.

Let these days leading up to Easter be a time that will daily guide you to thank the Lord who has been faithful to you and has given you the most precious gift of all - eternal life.

I look forward to Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday and I want these days to especially be a vivid reminder of God’s faithfulness to me. How about you?

I love serving as your pastor and I want you to receive from the Lord the very best He has for you (don't settle for anything less). I hope to see you Sunday. Why not bring a friend who also needs to be reminded of God’s love for them?

See you Sunday!

Pastor Terry

This Week At Bristol - The Parable Of A Father's Love

2013-03-14T13:57:24Z

Usually we call this parable in Luke 15:11-24 as, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,” but this Sunday I am going to rename the story, “The Parable of a Father’s Love” because I believe that the father is one of the main characters in this short story who is often overlooked.

I read an interesting story about a Chinese artist, a new Christian, who wanted to paint the prodigal of this parable. In his first attempt, he captured the father standing at the gate with his arms folded looking sternly down the road at a son coming home. Another believer explained to him that was not the picture of our heavenly Father. “But most fathers are that way,” said the artist. He was told that Jesus was trying to show what God was like with an unconditional love to those who come to Him.

The artist repainted the picture and this time he showed the father running toward the son with his robe flapping in the wind and a look of wonderful joy on his face. A much better picture than the first one.

There was one thing, however, that did make sense. In the second portrait the artist painted the father without matching shoes running toward his son. So he was asked why? The artist simply replied that the father was so excited about reaching his son, he grabbed the shoes nearest to him and ran. He did not care if the shoes matched or not. All that mattered was that his son was welcomed home.

I believe this second painting is a great picture of the father in the story of the prodigal son - and our Father in heaven. Jesus showed us that love as He took on the form of a man running toward us as we return home.

This Sunday we will be introduced to this elated father and the homecoming with his wandering son. Read this old story several times before Sunday and be ready to learn some fresh lessons that the Lord wants to teach us. Invite a friend to come with you. It is going to be a great Sunday.

Never forget that you are loved and appreciated!

Pastor Terry