REVIVAL IS COMING TO UPPER CANE CREEK CHURCH!
Sunday, August 5th through Wednesday, August 8th
Sunday evening service starts at 5 PM (Central/Alabama time)
Monday through Wednesday services start at 6:30 PM
Brother BOBBY BROOKS, Pastor at Old Davistown Church of God will be the evangelist.
Upper Cane Creek Church is located at 661 County Road 65, between Edwardsville and Fruithurst, AL.
From Heflin, go east on Hwy 78, eight miles to County Road 65. Turn left on Co Rd 65. The church is 6/10ths of a mile on the left.
From GA, go west on Hwy 78, eight miles past the GA/AL state line. Turn right on Co Rd 65. The church is 6/10ths of a mile on the left.
Come and worship with us!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Are You a Church "Leader"?
Matthew
9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with
compassion for them, because
they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
After Jesus was crucified and had come
forth from the tomb, He appeared to the disciples several times over a period
of forty days. John records in chapter 21 of his Gospel, that, when Jesus
appeared to them the third time, He ate a meal of bread and fish with them. Then
John tells us, starting in verse 15, “So
when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He
saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the
third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he
said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” Remembering the words
of Paul in 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 (“All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”), I would like to take a few
minutes to talk about the role of church leaders.
During His time on Earth, Jesus spent a
lot of time preparing His disciples to be Shepherds for His sheep. But, like too
many church “leaders” today, the disciples began to show a competitive spirit,
as seen in Luke 9:46 (“there arose a
reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest”). But Jesus said, in Mark 10:42-43: “Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the
Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority
upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among
you, shall be your minister.” He did not mean that the “great among you” would
be your Preacher or Pastor. The word “minister” used in that verse was the
Greek word “Dee-Ak’-On-Os” that
literally means “servant” or “waiter” as in “one who serves at a table”. We get
our word “Deacon” from that word. Continuing
in verse 44, John records that Jesus said, “And whosoever of you will be the
chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Jesus demonstrated this in Matthew 14, verse 19: “And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took
the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and
brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the
multitude.” Jesus
was teaching them, and us, that the true Shepherd is there for the express
purpose of protecting and caring for the sheep. He was teaching them, and us,
to be Servant Leaders.
Christian leaders are not called to
rule over the church, no matter what position they hold, or what title they may
be given. They are called to lead by serving. They should not appear to be in
competition but they should work together in caring for the church.
Peter taught this when he instructed
the elders in 1st Peter 5:2-3: “Feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither
as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” Those who serve in leadership roles must not do it “by constraint”,
that is, not because there is some sort of pressure on them to do it. Neither should
we serve simply as a way of making a living. Finally, Peter warned against
being a lord over the church, saying that we should serve as an example to the
church.
If we are truly called to be leaders
within the church, we must follow the example set for us by Jesus. The way
Jesus led must be the way we lead. Jesus described this kind of leadership in
John 10:2-4 when He said, “…he that
entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter
openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name,
and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before
them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” In this example, Jesus teaches us that the leader knows the
ones being led and the ones being led know their leader. This tells us that true
Christian leadership is based on a personal relationship and cannot be
accomplished from a distance.
We serve God’s people by teaching them
God’s Word, by encouraging them, by praying for them and by setting a holy
example. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1st Timothy 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example
of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity.” This was to be a primary goal of
Timothy’s ministry.
He also instructed him in 1st
Timothy 4:6, “If thou put the brethren in
remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister (There’s that word “Dee-Ak’-On-Os” again!) of Jesus Christ,
nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast
attained.” For our ministry/leadership to be
effective and God-centered, we must be careful to follow God’s word and to live
the doctrines we are teaching to others.
Paul told Timothy that he should always
serve humbly, “But foolish and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the
Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (2nd Timothy 2:23-25). He also told him, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2). The key words in these verses are “be gentle”
and “with all longsuffering.” The true servant/leader is one who is gentle,
patient, humble, and longsuffering in his feeding and caring for God’s flock.
People need to see that their leaders
really care, not just FOR them, but ABOUT them. They need to see visible
expressions of love. This is best done by following Jesus’ example of humble,
self-sacrificing, servanthood. If we strive to accomplish this, we will see people
draw closer to our Lord.
Finally, we must realize that church leaders are not the “Head” of the
church! The Bible states clearly that Jesus is the head and the rest of
us constitute His body. Colossians 1:18
states that Jesus is “the head of the body, the church”. 1st Corinthians 12: 27 says,
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” If church leaders are not the head, then what part of the
body are we? WE ARE THE FEET! Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.” The feet support the body and move it wherever the head
wants it to go. That is what leadership is all about.
Hebrews 13:17 speaks of leaders as
those who “watch for your souls, as they
that must give account.” We are accountable to God for how we perform
as leaders; how carefully we teach; what kind of an example we provide. Speaking
through Jeremiah, God said, “I will give
you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
May our leadership always be according
to God’s heart!
Chuck Jaggers, Pastor, Upper Cane Creek Church
Saturday, June 16, 2012
The Gift Of Love
The Gift Of Love:
It had been a year since Susan, age 34, had become blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had lost her sight, and was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, frustration, anger and self-pity. All she had that felt safe was her husband, Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer who worked on the nearby Air Force Base and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he took time off from work and watched her sink into despair. But he never left her side. Mark was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.
Finally, after a year of coaxing from Mark, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to go by herself, so Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.
At first, this comforted Susan who was so insecure about herself. Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement wasn’t working and he thought to himself, “Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again. But she is still so insecure, so angry – how will she react?”
Just as he feared, when Mark mentioned it to her, Susan was horrified at the idea. “I’m blind!” she responded bitterly. “How am I supposed to know where I am going? Mark, I feel like you’re abandoning me.”
It broke Marks heart to hear those words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.
For two weeks, Mark accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, especially her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.
Finally, after those two weeks, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived and Mark walked her to the bus stop and said, “OK Susan, you can do this.” Before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, and his love.
She said “Goodbye, Mark. I love you”, and for the first time in a year, they went their separate ways. Monday came, then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, “Boy, I sure do envy you.” Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, “Did you say that you envy me?” The driver responded, “Yes and It must feel good to be loved and protected like you are.” Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about so she asked, “What do you mean?”
The driver answered, “Well, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking man in a military uniform has been standing across the street watching you as you got on the bus. Then, when we arrive at your stop, there he is, standing and watching you get off. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss and walks to a parked car and drives away. Then, in the evening, there he is again, watching to see that you are OK. You sure are one lucky lady!”
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. Mark had encouraged her to go it on her on. He had told her time and again that she could do it without him; that she was stronger than she could imagine. And now, after a week of doing it “alone”, she learned that Mark had been there all along, unseen, but close enough to rush to her aid if she needed him. She was so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift that she didn’t need to see to know – the gift of his perfect love.
Mark was an Air Force officer who worked on the nearby Air Force Base and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he took time off from work and watched her sink into despair. But he never left her side. Mark was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.
Finally, after a year of coaxing from Mark, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to go by herself, so Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.
At first, this comforted Susan who was so insecure about herself. Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement wasn’t working and he thought to himself, “Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again. But she is still so insecure, so angry – how will she react?”
Just as he feared, when Mark mentioned it to her, Susan was horrified at the idea. “I’m blind!” she responded bitterly. “How am I supposed to know where I am going? Mark, I feel like you’re abandoning me.”
It broke Marks heart to hear those words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened.
For two weeks, Mark accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, especially her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.
Finally, after those two weeks, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived and Mark walked her to the bus stop and said, “OK Susan, you can do this.” Before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, and his love.
She said “Goodbye, Mark. I love you”, and for the first time in a year, they went their separate ways. Monday came, then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, “Boy, I sure do envy you.” Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, “Did you say that you envy me?” The driver responded, “Yes and It must feel good to be loved and protected like you are.” Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about so she asked, “What do you mean?”
The driver answered, “Well, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking man in a military uniform has been standing across the street watching you as you got on the bus. Then, when we arrive at your stop, there he is, standing and watching you get off. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss and walks to a parked car and drives away. Then, in the evening, there he is again, watching to see that you are OK. You sure are one lucky lady!”
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. Mark had encouraged her to go it on her on. He had told her time and again that she could do it without him; that she was stronger than she could imagine. And now, after a week of doing it “alone”, she learned that Mark had been there all along, unseen, but close enough to rush to her aid if she needed him. She was so blessed, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift that she didn’t need to see to know – the gift of his perfect love.
That’s how our Lord is. When we feel so helpless, so lost, so alone, He is there. Even if we can’t see Him or feel Him, He is there. In the darkest night or the fiercest storm, He is there. When we face our most trying time, he is there. He will never leave us or forsake us. His deep love for us keeps Him there, ready to protect us; ready to answer if we call.
Church Mission Statement
UPPER CANE CREEK CHURCH
"Helping to transform individuals
into empowered disciples of Jesus Christ."
_______________________________________________________________________________________
“Church”, as established in the New Testament, exists that all people may:
KNOW the love of God in Jesus Christ;
LEARN of and attain salvation and redemption from sin through Jesus Christ;
WORSHIP Him openly and without reservation, yet “decently and in order”;
GROW as disciples of Jesus Christ;
GO share the love of God according to the “Great Commission”;
EXPERIENCE peace in the face of all things, knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Our Core Values:
#1 Faith - We are committed to complete Faith in Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible;
#2 Prayer - We are committed to “effectual, fervent Prayer”;
#3 Worship - We are committed to faithfully worshiping God;
#4 Biblical Teaching - We are committed to the study of God’s Word (Bible study);
#5 Outreach - We are committed to bringing people to a personal encounter with Christ;
#6 Gifts & Callings - We are committed to utilizing the “gifts and callings” of all believers who are called by God;
#7 Excellence in Service - We are committed to excellence in everything God calls us to do.
Our mission statement is as follows:
To gather faithfully and in unity as God’s people;
To worship God in Spirit and in Truth;
To seek an ever increasing understanding and knowledge of God’s Word;
To grow in faith and love;
To faithfully serve outside the church as disciples and witnesses of Jesus Christ;
To bring people to the knowledge of and salvation through Jesus Christ;
To help in establishing them as disciples of Christ; ones who are faithful to Him;
To help in establishing them as disciples of Christ; ones who are faithful to Him;
To help others experience the joy of knowing Jesus as Lord.
To fulfill our mission we pursue the following purpose:
To bring believers to spiritual maturity through,
FELLOWSHIP with other Christians;
LEARNING and living Christ's teachings;
LEARNING and living Christ's teachings;
EXTENDING our outreach to all people, regardless of their station in life;
WORSHIPPING God and Him alone;
SERVING the church and others in need, doing it all in His name.
The “Church”,
established by Jesus Christ, was intended to introduce people to Him
and to help them grow to be more like Him. May God help us to accomplish
that goal!
This Mission Statement adopted by the members of Upper Cane Creek Church.
Pastor Chuck Jaggers D D Pastor’s Memo:
The “Church”, as established
by Jesus Christ and confirmed on the Day of Pentecost, was intended to
introduce people to Him and to help them grow to be more like Him. Because of
His commission to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel”, we know and
understand that “Church” exists that
all people may:
KNOW the love of God in Jesus Christ;
LEARN of and attain salvation and redemption from sin through Jesus
Christ;
WORSHIP Him openly and without reservation, yet “decently and in order”;
GROW as disciples of
Jesus Christ;
GO share the love of God according to the “Great Commission”;
EXPERIENCE peace in the face of all things, knowing that “all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Upper Cane Creek
Church has been a vital part of that commission for almost 150 years! (Records indicate that the church was
established prior to 1870)
This “old” church still stands in this modern world and we,
the Church, have a fresh passion to disciple and to help bring believers to
spiritual maturity through,
FELLOWSHIP with other
Christians;
LEARNING and living Christ's teachings;
LEARNING and living Christ's teachings;
EXTENDING our outreach to
all people, regardless of their station in life;
WORSHIPPING God and Him
alone;
SERVING the church and
others in need, doing it all in His name.
As Pastor of Upper
Cane Creek Church, I invite and welcome you to visit and worship with us.
Come and learn the
true meaning of our church motto:
"Helping to transform individuals into
empowered disciples of Jesus Christ."
Upper Cane Creek Church, 661 County Road 65, Fruithurst, AL 36262
Directions to church:
From Heflin, AL: East on US Hwy 78, eight miles to Co Rd 65. Left 6/10ths of a mile.
From Tallapoosa, GA: West on Hwy 78, eight miles past AL/GA line to Co Rd 65. Right 6/10ths of a mile.
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