2015 Anniversary Letter

2015 Anniversary Letter

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Beloved Brethren:

On October 27th MBBC will experience her 40th Birthday. What a blessed thing! We will celebrate Communion this Sunday, October 25th, after a Potluck that will begin around noon. The communion should begin about 2:30 and there will be no Sunday evening services.

Our church was born, has been sustained, and has grown as the fruit born of the love relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and many of his faithful servants. Communion (The Lord’s Supper) was given as a ritual (a specified act of worship) in His Church so that we may keep in mind His suffering and death on Mt. Calvary that we might be saved. It is a call by our Savior and Lord to His people for spiritual renewal and re-dedication. It is the last request before the death of the deeply agonizing Christ. He said, “my soul is exceeding sorrowful” and he sweat great drops of blood. This was in anticipation that the penalty of ALL the sins of ALL mankind would come upon Him shortly. There are great and special rewards for each and every person who responds to the call of Christ to enter into the New Testament covenant relationship between Himself and His people to perform and sustain His commission in the Churches. Those rewards are topped off by a brideship relation with Christ. I am awed by and especially appreciative of those members of MBBC who have continued faithfully over the years in spite of all the challenges of the world, and of our own flesh, and especially in spite of such an unworthy and faulty pastor who is the prime example of a “Grace case.” On the day I got right with the Lord and repented of my years of rebellion, I promised Him that I was His man and would do whatever He wanted of me. I never imagined myself nor sought to be a pastor. Nonetheless, the Lord has definitely called me to the pastorate.

I have pastored all these 40 years with confidence in the Lord that He knew what He was doing when He called me and that He would enable me and guide me. The Bible says

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

and “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13).

By His grace, I intend to be faithful to His call until He lets me know it is done. Only the Lord knows when it is the time to begin and the time to end. The undershepherd must never abandon the flock, he must remain until it is clear in his mind that his time is finished. To do so, would ensure that the ever-present wolves from within and without would take over and scatter the flock from what God had intended. No one should be presumptuous in his determination to be a pastor or be part of a plot to overthrow the pastor any more than Absalom, King David’s son, should not have been presumptuous as he took the office of David by intrigue without the calling of God and the Holy Spirit’s empowering (anointing). Notice that David did not take the office of Saul by intrigue or force. He took it when, in God’s timing, when Saul’s calling came to an end as determined by God. Intrigue is generally accompanied by the spirit of discord because in order to overthrow, one must gather a discordant company to overpower the one he wishes to overthrow.

In my 40 years as pastor, I have concluded that all churches fall victim, from time to time, to these discordant tendencies which cause cycles of crises in which the condition comes to a head, and the Lord does a vineyard pruning. This is always a very distressing time for a pastor because the Lord has given a true pastor a sense of responsibility, love, and concern toward each member that God has added and a sense of the value of each ministry that has been so tediously developed and sustained. This phenomenon seems to be “par for the course” not only in our time but also all the way back to the New Testament times. Paul, the apostle, agonized over the dangers rampant in his day, warning against such dangers in Acts 20:26-31

“Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

The ship of Zion has weathered many a storm and has suffered much damage. MBBC has experienced many storms and at least 3 very severe ones in the last 40 years.

I thank the Lord, for only He has preserved us in His power using the faithfulness of many faithful members whom He has made strong. How deeply do I love and appreciate them. During these storms, we are really challenged as a church when much sorrow, hurt, and damage is done. However, each time the Lord has given His church assurances and blessings through it all; and those who hold the fort, grow stronger, wiser, and deeper in many ways. I am caused to look deeply into myself and the Lord renews my sense of calling and shows me how I can be a better pastor. Acts 20:26-31 comes to my heart, take heed to thyself and the flock over whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseer. I am instructed to

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” II Timothy 4:2

I must confess that during some of our storms, O, I of little faith have feared that our church might diminish and fail to sustain our ministries, and that we might fail to support our missionaries. Instead, I can report to you that, at this present time, many members of all ages have come to me – weeping – stating their love for the church and the pastor, and stating their dedication and commitment to their call. Many gaps have been filled with a new spirit, zeal, and determination. Our finances have miraculously remained strong and healthy.

The Lord really blessed me and touched me this Sunday morning, October 11, 2015 in a very special way. I had come to the Sunday morning services having been at the hospital with Mrs. Martha, my bride of 55 years. I was down and tired to the bone. As I pulled in, I looked ahead for where I might park. I noticed that there were no parking spots in the front of the building and cars were even parked in the spots where you turn in just off the highway. I scanned the side parking and could not see any empty spots from the church all the way to the end of the third building (now, there might have been a few, but I could not see them). It looked full. So, I decided to pull into the front parking lot and park on the grass near the mailbox. Then, I spotted one empty space right next to the front steps. I really don’t usually see what the parking looks like for our church at that time and I thought, “What is going on in there?”

When I entered into the assembly, Bro. Pat was preaching a great message. The assembly was not packed, and I realized we don’t have enough parking spots to pack the house. It was approximately the same number we have been having lately, maybe a little bit more. My feeling was that it was nicely attended by pleasant, smiling, attentive, and blessed people. There were many visitors among faithful long time members and a gaggle of new members. Then it hit me, this is not a sudden and new thing for our church but is in accord to a trend that has been building up for some time. Then, at that moment, there came a strong rush of the comfort, strength, and encouragement of the Holy Spirit. Old “slew foot” thought he had us down; but in reality brethren, we are probably at the threshold of tremendous blessing. I don’t know if it has to do with the coming of Christ or having the privilege to suffer with Christ. But, whatever, it’s okay and it is well with our souls, and we are not finished. We have just begun to fight; and I, for one, feel PUMPED… I AM PUMPED!!! Even if the Lord does allow a mortal blow to this church before He returns, we can say “Praise God, for He has allowed us to fight a good fight and we have kept the faith.” The seed of this church has been planted far and wide and will continue to spread the Gospel of God’s grace and the need, and the excellency, and the potential of personal discipleship – even one on one, will still be expressed.

I’M STILL PUMPED!!!

As we go into our 40th year, I have a strong sense that the Lord has opened some great doors for our ministry. I want and expect to see:

  • The enlargement of the Christian School
  • The enlargement of the Bible Institute
  • An increase to blessings for the missionaries
  • The winning and discipling of souls
  • The growth of our congregation:
  1. in dedication
  2. in spiritual depth
  3. in effectiveness
  4. in numbers
  5. in joy and love of Christ

So, I am encouraging our congregation as we enter in communion to:

  • Rededicate our lives to Christ
  • Seek revival in our hearts
  • Seek forgiveness for one another

Do this in consideration of:

  • The greatness of our God – He is the Creator – The potter – The Lord – Gen.1:1, Jer.18:2-6, 1 Tim 6:15
  • The Goodness of our God – He is our Redeemer – John 3:16; Isaiah 43:11
  • The Probability and Nearness of His coming -Revelation 3:11; Revelation 22:7

To illustrate the superiority of personal discipleship in reaching the world, consider this question:

Which would you rather have, $10,000.00 per nail for nailing 32 nails (the number of nails to shoe a horse), or would you rather have $0.01 (one penny) for the first nail, and double that for the second nail and double that for the third nail, following that principle until you reach thirty two nails?

Answer: At $10,000.00 per nail, the total is $320,000.00 but at $0.01 (one penny) for the first nail, then double the amount for each nail, the total is $21,474,836.48.

I am ready to multiply disciples! How about you?

Sincerely, your servant and co-laborer in Christ,
Pastor Brian Disney

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