Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Utah/Idaho Southern Baptists,

I give thanks to God for the blessed hope we share together in His kingdom. I have lived in Idaho now for nearly 17 years, you've become my family. I thank God for every encounter I have with you. I prayed for you this morning, asking God to give us boldness to proclaim this hope that does not disappoint.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Paul Washer

Nearly one year ago, while in discussion with a fellow pastor (John Williams, in Monticello, UT) I was encouraged to listen to a sermon by fellow Southern Baptist, Paul Washer. I will warn you in advance that this most recent sermon by Washer is nearly two hours and is a hard (while loving) and yet most needed word for the church. This kind of prophetic word is timely. Please set the time aside to listen and test the word.
Could we be on the horizon of an awakening in our land? There appears to be a movement among us centered upon Christ and Christ alone. (abiding in the River) The 10 indictments that Washer addresses in this message have the potential of making some angry and may well be used of God to cause many to repent. I pray the last. I spent much time in prayer tonight for you Utah/Idaho SBC. This bold message is not very popular, but oh might it be heard by many.
I had asked Paul Washer to speak at our last convention meeting but he was already committed to speak at this (see video) October 22 conference in Atlanta, GA, where he preached this message entitled 10 Indictments.

Quitting Church: Book Review

Book Review by Paul Thompson:

First of all; this was a disturbing book. I'm not much of a fan of books written by research institutes because I fear the fallout of how their data will influence what the church does. Remember when research data came out and said that church members are only giving their church 1 to 2 hours a week? What did churches start doing in response to that kind of data. We believed it and began dropping our meeting times and days, because a research institute told us that's why attendance was down. Then research institutes are prone to promote a programed agenda (published and sold by them) that will solve the exodus from our churches. We are still fighting our way out of the music wars (maybe they've always been around) in our worship services because research told us that lost people don't like our music (are the people in our churches really opposed to a drum set or guitar, a key-board or organ, with music or without music; or are they mostly told that there is a problem and so they begin believing there is a problem?) What happened to abiding by the River. Isn't that where life abounds?

Second of all; this book was not written by a research institute. Julia Duin (Religion Editor, the Washington Times) sites research institutes (Barna, LifeWay, etc.) and then found that much of the trends that are being discovered by the research institutes are accurate, but mostly because churches (and denominations) are moving farther away from their roots (changing) and becoming less church-like and more nonprofit-like (my words, not Julia Duin's) in our organization.

Is it possible that the growing trend in America of 'Quitting Church' is because the church is not being the church? If you get the chance to read this book, I recommend it. I didn't agree with some of Julia Dain's observations but the overall observation, from a non-research-institute, was insightful.

Does the church even know where the river is anymore?

Where the River Flows, Life Abounds (edited with corrected dates for UISBC Convention)

Our heritage (SBC) is rich isn't it? Over the past 15 years I've become more and more interested in our history. In my research and discovery I've learned what I've heard many times to be true that we are historically a people of 'the book' (Bible). As a people of the Bible it would seem natural that we would as well be a global mission minded people.

I don't know exactly what a president of a Baptist Convention does (not really what you want to hear, I know). I've decided to do what I think one should do until someone can give better direction. I spent time this morning and I prayed for every church in this Utah/Idaho Convention by name. I appreciate the amazing diversity of our region and the unique ministries of every local church and pastors.

God has allowed me [a second try] to be in the humbling position of the planning of an annual gathering of Baptists. October 27-28, 2009 at Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho, Baptists from the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention will gather. Will we 'gather' this year or will we 'come together'?

My recent observation of Ezekiel 47:1-12 has captured my attention. This text has some amazing focal points, it is a rich and meaningful text. I've included my (condensed) observation below (personal emphasis added).

9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezek 47:9 (NASB)

I first noticed how much the larger block of text spoke about water/river and the connection to live/grow. Then I began thinking about how this fertile agriculture land of Southern Idaho used to look 100 years ago, before the river [through irrigation] brought life to what was desert. Where the river flows, life abounds (MSG) . This is one thing that shines out of our heritage; were we take Christ (living water) life sprouts where death once was. Dying people don't need a program, they need life. Dying people don't need strategies, they need life. If life is what they need, what will bring it to them? The River.

This observation is really not at all very earth shaking. It is really more like a logical conclusion based on known facts of what the desert land needs to sustain life. Where do we need to take the River that life may abound?

Welcome

Welcome to Life Abounds. Over the past year (2008) it has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention. I look forward to another year (2009) and will listen with great anticipation to all God wants to teach me. The views that are expressed here are simply personal reflections on the satisfaction I have discovered in Christ. I will invite others to submit articles and you are always welcome to comment; either to humbly agree or lovingly disagree. (You should even feel free to offer corrections to my spelling errors and any grammatically incorrect sentence structures you find. And you most likely will find them here.)

It is my hope to post (at least) weekly on one of the following topics (but not only limited to the following topics. You should feel free to suggest topics of interest too) ...

1. Biblical Doctrines that best define Baptists.
2. Biblical Preaching.
3. Evangelism and Discipleship.
4. Missionary/church planter stories.
5. Interviews of Baptists in Utah and Idaho.
6. Informational dates and links of upcoming events in the UISBC.

Does your church have a website? Do you or your pastor have an ongoing blog and want a link for it here? If so, then please post the needed information by commenting below with your website address (please do not post any email addresses).

*about the header photo: The photo was taken at Ross Falls in the South Central Idaho. This region is high mountain desert. Ross Falls is a spring fed water fall, and where the water flows... Life Abounds, even in the desert.