Neglected

Don’t forget to vote!

For those of you who have not yet voted, I want to remind you that this coming Tuesday, November 3, is “Election Day!” Don’t forget to vote! If you need assistance in getting to your polling location, please let us know; we would be glad to assist in getting you there!

For those of you who have not yet voted, I also want to challenge you with a few things:

Everyone one of us should vote!

Well-known pastor and author, John Piper, has openly declared that he will not be voting for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden on Tuesday. I’m not sure whether that means that he will be “writing in” a candidate or whether he will simply be sitting this one out. Either way, I don’t believe that is how we should approach this - or any - election.

While I would have theological differences with John Piper, I also, most definitely have political differences with John Piper. Please, do not listen to him! Exercise your responsibility to vote! Don’t sit this election out and don’t simply “write in” a candidate as some type of protest against both candidates.

In 2017, John Piper wrote an article stating that Donald Trump was morally unqualified for the office of president.

According the US constitution, there are only 3 qualifications for the Presidency - the President must be 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen, and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.

As I stated last Sunday morning, we cannot base our vote on the character, or lack of character, of the individuals running for President. Instead, take a look at the platforms for both parties and then compare them with Biblical principles.

Don’t be scared!

On Friday night and Saturday, we went up to Lynchburg to visit Titus at college. On Saturday morning, I saw the opening minutes of the morning news program, Good Morning, America. (I haven’t seen that news show in I don’t know how long. I just happened to see it as I was waiting to get breakfast in the hotel lobby.)

Good Morning, America opened with this headline: US coronavirus cases break global daily record.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I will make no apologies for what I’m about to say: I truly believe that the media is using such headlines now, right before the election, in order to scare you. Either to scare you to the point where you won’t go out and vote or else scare you into possibly changing your vote.

Please, don’t be scared! Get out and vote!

Don’t be fooled!

In South Carolina, there is a heated race between Senator Lindsey Graham, Jamie Harrison, and a third-party candidate, Bill Bledsoe - or is there?

Harrison's campaign and several Democratic outside groups opposing Graham have elevated Bledsoe in TV ads this month, an effort to siphon off conservative voters who may be dissatisfied with Graham, potentially boosting Harrison's chances against the three-term senator in the deep red state. It's not an unusual tactic to elevate third-party candidates in tight races, where just a few percentage points could make the difference, and public polling this month has shown the race to be highly competitive.

However, those ads have come after Bill Bledsoe dropped out of the race! At the very least, the ads run by Jamie Harrison are mis-leading; at the worst they are extremely deceptive.

So, for those of you - myself included - who live in South Carolina, be careful. Bill Bledsoe’s name is still listed on the ballot. If you cast a vote for Bill Bledsoe, you will have wasted your vote. Don’t be fooled!

Now…Let’s get to the actual message for this morning. Turn to and read Acts 6:1-7. Pray.

Acts 6:1 KJV 1900

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

“And in those days…” What days? Turn to and read Acts 5:40-42.

The first century church in Jerusalem, was experiencing persecution from without.

“It appears to me that as we minister in these last days, Satan is doing all he can to derail the church from her mission.” – Paul Chappell

“…when the number of disciples was multiplied…” Every member of this local church desired to see the church grow.

Is that not the purpose of the church?

A church is a local group of baptized believers who have voluntarily joined themselves together for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission.

The purpose of South Charlotte Baptist Church?

Proclaiming the Gospel; Experiencing the miracle of changed lives!

With that being said, I would like to encourage you to participate, next Saturday, November 7, in our next Seed Sowing Saturday as we seek to sow God’s Word in our community!

“…there arose a murmuring…” There was tension between the members in this church.

Satan couldn’t destroy the church from without as we saw at the end of Acts chapter 5; so, he changed his tactics and tried to cause division from within the church.

“Satan’s goal was to divide the membership and discourage the leadership, but he was to be foiled by the spirit of wisdom in the apostles.” - Phillips

Is there tension between you and another person within this church? What are doing about it? What should you do about it?

Colossians 3:12–14 KJV 1900

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

It should bring us some comfort to know that even in the first century church, they faced difficulties. In fact, John lists 7 churches in the book of the Revelation. Of those 7 churches 6 had problems that God, through John, had to point out!

No matter how small or how large, every church faces difficulties and unfortunately, some of those difficulties come from within. What makes the difference is how the church addresses those difficulties.

“Spiritual Christians make big problems smaller.”

What are you doing to make big problems smaller? Or, are you making small problems bigger? As we’ll soon see, the members of the first century church were able to make big problems smaller.

“…neglected…” The Grecian Christians felt that the the Hebrew Christians had been overlooking their widows. Now, whether this neglect was intentional or accidental made no difference. The affect was the same. They felt neglected.

Do you feel overlooked or neglected?

“…we can verify what many pastors have already felt to be true: that the pandemic has significantly impacted the sense of connectedness people have with their churches. These disconnected people have, in turn, backed away from church.” (Barna Research)

One of the things that those church members, who have not yet come back to the in-person services, may be feeling right now is neglected or overlooked. Satan may be tempting them to think, “Does anyone at the church even know that I am gone?”

Those of you who are physically here this morning I would like you to look around and see who it is that is not here. Would you do something for me - and for them? Would you go ahead, right now, and send them a text message - if you have their number - and let them know that they are missed?

Now, how did these church members in the first century church respond? They murmured. I’ll not spend time on their response other than to say that it very easy to murmur. Let’s fight the temptation to murmur and complain and instead do something about the needs that we see around us!

Philippians 2:14 KJV 1900

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Acts 6:2 KJV 1900

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

It’s interesting to me that the twelve did not call the church together for a time of prayer to seek God’s direction. This one seemed to be a “no-brainer.”

“…the apostles sensibly decided that since they could not do everything, they would concentrate on what they had been called to do – minister the Word.” - Phillips

Allow me to ask you this question: What do you expect of your pastor?

Allow me to ask you another question: What can your pastor expect of you?

There are so many things that I would I like to do but I just don’t have the time to do them. One of those is to send birthday cards to church members. (That may not seem like much but it is one way in which I can let people know that I have not “neglected” them.) Just this past week I enlisted the help of Miss Wells in accomplishing that task.

However, I need to make sure that I concentrate on what I have been called to do - prayer and the ministry of God’s Word!

Acts 6:3 KJV 1900

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

The apostles were simply seeking to delegate responsibility in the same manner as Jethro directed Moses to do in Exodus 18:13-27.

The apostles placed the onus upon the congregation to choose men who could minister to the needs of the congregation.

Now, while the specific situation mentioned here in Acts chapter 6, there are a variety of needs within each local church which need attention and which can be met in the same manner as the first century church addressed them.

The qualifications given:

Good Men – These men were none by the others within the church. This means that these men must have been active within the church.

Godly Men

Gifted Men

Our church constitution follows this same pattern in choosing deacons to assist the pastor.

Do you know who the deacons of South Charlotte Baptist Church?

Recognize current deacons: Mr. Ted Litchfield and Mr. Roger Christian

Recognize previous deacons: Mr. Marc Dixson, Mr. Kevin Conner, and Mr. Ron Faulk.

Due to COVID-19 there were a number of things which went “undone” at our annual church business meeting. One of those was the process of nominating and choosing additional deacons for our church.

Acts 6:4 KJV 1900

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Acts 6:5 KJV 1900

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

“…the saying pleased the whole multitude...”

I certainly hope that, if you are a member of South Charlotte Baptist Church, will take interest in the matter of recommending individuals to serve as deacons within the ministry of South Charlotte Baptist Church.

Within the next several days, church members, in good standing, will receive information regarding the nominating process. Please look over that material and then participate in this very important process.

Acts 6:6–7 KJV 1900

Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

What do we see as the results of this situation?

In a nutshell: The church was revived!

They chose men full of faith.

They prayed for these men.

The Word of God increased.

“If pastors stay focused on God, His Word and His vision for the church, great things will happen. (I believe, given the current state of affairs that that is more important than ever!) The devil loves gossip, turmoil, and anything that disrupts God’s men from spending time in His Word.” - Chappell