In 1803 the United States of America’s borders went only as far as the Mississippi River. However, April 30, 1803, that all changed when the USA made a purchase of 828,000 square miles from France. We know of this transaction as the Louisiana Purchase, and it comprised itself of what are now parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, North & South Dakota and Montana. With this purchase, one of the largest land deals in history, the westward expansion of America was off and running. Nothing could stop the forward movement of the USA!

I am in the middle of a sermon series entitled “The Church Moving Forward”. We have learned that there will be challenges to accept, enemies to defeat, dangers to avoid, opportunities to take and attitudes to develop. I am sure that as then President Thomas Jefferson considered making the deal with France that he considered many of the same things that we now as a church are considering. I am sure that Jefferson had many sleepless nights as the time to move forward neared. I mean think about it… we paid $15 million for those 828,000 sq. miles! In 1801 that was a HUGE amount, especially for a fledgling country like the U.S. As we move forward to where God would have us go as a church body, I am sure that many of you are anxious for some of the same reasons; things look different, can we afford it, is this the right timing with the economy in shambles, what will people say… along with other questions. Please, as I continue to lead this church forward, please don’t think that I do not consider (and sometimes struggle) about the same issues. I do, and I do not take them lightly! On the other hand, I (like Jefferson) will not be frightened by circumstances that surround me, because I know that my Savior lives and is in control!

Some have told me – “Pastor, we want to move forward, but can we move slower?” I am sure someone asked Jefferson if they “needed” to buy that much property all at one time – “Mr. President, maybe we should only buy ½ of it now, and wait until later to buy the rest.” But that is not what happened throughout the 19^th century as our country moved forward with expansion. Instead, they had the mindset of something called “Manifest Destiny”; the belief that the United States was destined, even divinely ordained, to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean.

I believe, based on Scripture and by confirmation by God in our services and the lives being changed, that God has ordained that the Eastern Shore be eternally changed with the life saving message of Jesus Christ! I do not believe that there is any stopping the movement of the Holy Spirit of the Living God, and consequently the church at OBC moving forward…anymore than the Indians of the west could have stopped the government of the U.S. Over the past 2 months we have seen God move in a mighty way, we have seen 25 people come into our congregation and at least 15 of those have been new believers in Christ! The baptismal waters are going to be stirred for months to come! God is at work and His church is moving forward!

There is only one question that remains for us… for you. Are we/you going to follow where God is leading this church, or are we/you willing to miss out on what He is doing, because we/you think He is moving too fast?

Onancock Baptist … the church moving forward!

Pastor Sean

My staff and I are reading a book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. The book has accompanying videos for each chapter, and one of then really made me stop and think. Chan spends the first 2 chapters of his book helping remind us of the grandeur of our infinite God, and subsequently, our own finite and limited lives. He is trying to help us put into perspective that it is God who is awesome… God who is in control… God who is ultimately just and holy, and NOT us! Chan rightfully states the following, “Can you worship a God who isn’t obligated to explain His actions to you? Could it be your arrogance that makes you think that God owes you an explanation?” OUCH! That hits us right in our proud faces… doesn’t it? It is God who alone is worthy of praise… not you and I. We so often get tangled up in this life’s priorities… in this world’s concerns, and we lose sight of WHO God is… how BIG He is… how totally unfathomable He is. As a pastor, I am often asked to explain “why” God does what He does. I often can go to Scripture and point towards God’s attributes… towards the way God has acted and answered in the past, but I cannot answer or explain everything about an eternal God - if I could… He wouldn’t be God! We need to meditate more on the fact that we are limited, and He is NOT! We serve a BIG God… who is often beyond our limited vocabulary.

I was blown away by the following video, and it moved me to worship the God of all creation. The God who created universes that we have yet to discover, and may ever discover! Watch…

Just as you don’t know the path of the wind, or how bones [develop] in the womb of a pregnant woman,so you don’t know the work of God who makes everything. Ecclesiastes 11:5 (HCSB)

I used to enjoy stories when I was a kid… I suppose I still do… but one that I have heard many times is the story of the “Three Little Pigs”. You remember…the 3 pigs and the mean ol’ wolf. The pigs each built a house - 1 pig out of straw, the 2nd out of sticks, and the 3rd from bricks. You know the rest of the story… the wolf blows down the first 2 poorly built homes, and eats those pigs… then he comes to the third home expecting more of the same. However, what he meets up with was a sturdy brick built home that could not be blown over. The wolf is defeated because the 3rd pig took the time to build a strong house that would withstand the howling and blowing of the wolf.

Today… I see it as this… the wolf is the world that we live in… and the 3rd pig as the faithfulness of a biblical congregation! So many churches today are being bombarded by the apathy of a world that tolerates everything except people and churches with strong biblical convictions! Unfortunately, many churches “cave in” to this pressure from the world, and form churches that look much like the “wolf”… a lot of blowing and howling…but not much success!

Here at Onancock Baptist I think we are putting the finishing touches on a sturdy house with a strong foundation… we have rounded out our church staff by recently adding Shane Becton as Minister to Students (otherwise known as Youth Pastor). Shane has had a fruitful ministry in North Carolina for 12 years - “shout out to Concord Baptist”!! I believe that our students at OBC are important not only in the future…but today, and we are excited about where God is going to take them as a group and as individuals. Shane will be touching many lives and families through his ministry!

Last year we added our Worship Pastor…Jamie Grief. After a year of serving with Jamie, I truly believe that there was no better person for this position than Jamie! He has a heart for worship, and a heart to lead others to truly become worshippers on a daily basis. He has helped take our weekly Celebration Service to an entirely new level that is obviously touching the lives of many people on the Shore! Jamie has also become a good friend that I am learning to depend on more and more.

Jodie Booker came to be our Administrative Assistant in January of ‘09, and has brought many qualities to the office…and one of those is keeping all of us guys straight! She is wonderful at organizing and also has a heart for missions! She has unique experiences that have helped shape who she is…serving with NAMB and doing several overseas mission trips. Jodie has a great sense of humor and has an infectious laugh!

Wow!… to think that 2 years ago I was the only staff member in a church with over 300 members! I was about to pull my grey hair out! The potential at OBC has always been great, but I knew that it would never be all that God would have us be without the right staff. Boy… has God delievered! I believe that we now have the foundation - aside from the fact that Jesus is our true foundation- to move forward in reaching the Eastern Shore for the glory of God! I truly see the group of people in this office…along with the great lay leadership that God is assembling… as the basis of a great spiritual harvest here in Accomac County and beyond! We are already seeing a “small” portion of this …but nothing near what God is preparing us for.

The world will continue to “huff and puff”…threatening to blow our “house” down… but as long as we continue to seek the “face of God”…then we will stand and defeat the evil wolf who seeks to destroy this world. I thank God for allowing me to stand with such a great group of people as we have assembled here at OBC!

Ephesians 6:10-17

 ¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Big Mo…this is a term that you hear a lot in sports… it refers to a swing in momentum during a game…where one team may be struggling or behind, and then one play begins to “turn the tide”, and change the momentum in the other direction.  The next thing you know…the team that was losing…takes the win!

This crazy ‘ol world seems to be winning the war against Christ and Christians…but those of us who know God’s Word, know that the momentum will change suddenly (and that God is really in control anyway), and that in the blink of an eye…the momentum will eternally change!

The church can often get caught up in this as well…negativity from outside and within the church can often stunt the growth of God’s church…for a time…but ultimately God’s will prevails! It only takes one life changed…one move of the Spirit… one awesome worship service… one person standing against unrighteousness…and the “Big Mo” changes! Onancock Baptist is experiencing that now! Perhaps some people got discouraged by circumstances…but God made “the play” and the momentum has shifted… we are experiencing an outpouring of God’s grace recently that is bringing this congregation together like never before. People are choosing to see the positive and not dwell on the negative…and when that happens, God can then use all of us in great ways!

Big Mo is moving…and it’s in the direction of God’s will! This is exciting!!!!

The best is yet to come!

Pastor Sean

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18