Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light…
Our Beatitudes
Matthew 5:3-10 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children…
A New Vision for Missions
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” As a Christian church, we are a part of the great witness for Jesus in this world. We may not be the ones to set foot in different corners of the world, but we resource and pray for those that do. This is the Great…
Serving
For the past two Sundays, we’ve talked about serving. What does it mean to serve? What does it mean for us to follow in the footsteps of the greatest servant, Jesus? This past Sunday, we had the privilege of honoring two members of our church for their great service to Poplar Springs—two with great character, but different gifts, talents, and callings. Hugh Bess faithfully served our congregation and community as our church host for 20 years. I’m guessing here, but…
Our Shield
Two weeks ago, Hurricane Debby made its way onto and up the east coast. Thursday of that week brought a lot of rain and some gusts of wind for our area. We were having a staff meeting that morning and heard Clyde Buckner in the hallway talking on the phone. All we heard was “yeah, there’s water in the sanctuary.” Fortunately, it was a small leak. Even better, a new roof was already on its way thanks to the good…
Renew Your Mind
This past week was hard by most any measure. For most in our church and in our community, there was a great deal of shock, sadness, and questions without answers. And then Sunday came…what a perfect time for our Summer Recap Sunday. If you were not able to attend church or watch online, let me encourage you to go back on our website or Facebook site and watch the service from Sunday. I needed to be in church on Sunday.…
Church Family
Dear Church Family, At the recommendation of the Deacons, there will be a vote to name Rev. Andy Oliver as the first Pastor Emeritus in the long and distinguished history of Poplar Springs Baptist Church. The vote will come on August 18, 2024. Pastor Emeritus is a very special honorary title given because of exceptional service rendered to the church and the Kingdom of God. Granting such a title is a way for Poplar Springs Baptist Church to honor Andy…
Unpack the Suitcase
In a conversation with friends this past weekend, I realized there are two types of people when they get home from a vacation: I’m not here to tell you one is right, and one is wrong. I think it boils down to the fact that we are all wired a little differently. This plays out in the simplest of tasks…like when we choose to unpack a suitcase. For some, a suitcase on the floor would be a nagging reminder that…
Time to Breathe
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “I just need some room to breathe.” The implication is that there is so much going on in life right now, I just need a little space. It’s the life equivalent of being at the dinner table and realizing you ate too much. You just need to loosen the belt and get a little more “room to breathe.” Having been at the beach with my family last week, vacation is always a great chance to…
