Odd Church Names III

A reader sent these church names:

Open Bible Baptist Church, Colorado Springs, CO and Erie, PA (as opposed to Closed Bible Baptist Church)

Imitate the Image Baptist Church, Casper, WY

Yellow Breeches Baptist Church, Boiling Springs, PA (Is a breech like a split?)

Cactus Shadows Baptist Church, Cave Creek, AZ (How big of a shadow does a cactus make?)

Elk Baptist Church, St. Mary’s, PA (In Texas this opens up a lot of possibilities – Armadillo, Skunk, etc)

Twelve Gates Baptist Church, Chicago, IL (Heavenly!)

Happy Jack Baptist Church, Cheyenne, WY (Wonder what they serve for Lord’s Supper?)

Dinosaur Baptist Church, Dinosaur, CO (Comments are unlimited)

Bear Paw Baptist Church, Havre, MT

Many Farms Baptist Church, Many Farms, AZ

Brown Deer Baptist Church, Brown Deer, WI (In Texas we could have White Tail Baptist Church)

Seaman Baptist Church, Topeka, KS (Seattle maybe, but Topeka?)

Apocalypses Baptist Church, Agua Dilla, Puerto Rico (Is this similar to the Last Baptist Church?)

What's So Good About It?

Doesn't it seem strange that we call the day that the world killed the Messiah Good Friday?  Having viewed The Passion of the Christ movie, almost everyone is now familiar with just how brutal Jesus' death really was.  How quickly the world turned on him!  On Palm Sunday, he was celebrated as a King.  By Thursday, he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death on Friday morning. 

 

So what is so good about it?  It was good because Jesus paid a price that I cannot pay.  It was good because the problem of sin was resolved on that day.  It was good because Satan was defeated.  It was good because God's deep love for us was revealed that day.  It was good because it brought spiritual freedom to the masses.  It was good because a bridge was built to God.  It was good because heaven was made available to all.  In the midst of his incredible pain and agony, I think Jesus knew it was a good thing too.  Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

What Are You Riding In?

(My friend, Andy Hunter, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Denmark, SC, included this in a recent church newsletter article.  I asked him if I could share it with you.)

 

Every year some of the best commercials are debuted on the Super Bowl and this year was no exception.  One of my favorites featured a hip-hop musician whose car breaks down on his way to a big awards show.  A Pepsi truck stops to give him a ride, and when he arrives at the awards show in the truck, everyone thinks it's his.  Suddenly a new trend starts, and everyone rushes out to get their own Pepsi truck.  To me, it points to how nutty the public is when it comes to what is in fashion, or is hip, or is cool.  Our desire to imitate is amazing!  The sad thing is that so many people are imitating the wrong things.  The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:1-2 to imitate the right things when it states, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." 

 

No Thanks, Jesus. I’m Full (of Myself).

The following is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of a book I'm working on titled, "Selfless Living in a Selfish World."  I'll try to post other excerpts in the future.

 

No Thanks, Jesus.  I’m Full (of Myself)

 

According to a study by psychologists at Iowa State University it is harder for smokers with high self-esteem to stop their nasty habit.  “People with high self-esteem have difficulty admitting their behavior has been unhealthy and/or unwise,” according to researcher Frederick Gibbons. This type of thinking carries over into spiritual matters as well.  Jay Adams, a noted author on Biblical counseling, says a similar problem exists theologically.  People who have too much self-esteem have no need for a Savior.  If an unbeliever has a high opinion of himself he sees no need for salvation.  If his high opinion of himself is shattered, he resorts to a high opinion of his works.  If he loses that he has a high opinion of his heart.  If a high opinion of his heart is lost, then he has a high opinion of his religious duties. 

Odd Church Names II

Okay, I confess.  I wasted about 60 minutes of my life on this.  I'm picking on my Southern Baptist friends only because they have a handy church directory at their website.

 

(South Carolina - see first edition of Odd Church Names for more SC churches)

Republican Baptist

 

(North Carolina)

Friendly Arab Baptist

The Front Porch Baptist

Vision Baptist (as opposed to Blind Baptist?)

Fancy Gap Baptist

Flippin Memorial (Napoleon Dynamite's church?)

Tow String Baptist

Bonnie Doone Baptist

The Living Fish Community

 

(Alabama)

Cusseta Baptist (Think about it)

Eclectic Baptist

Excel Baptist

Five Points Baptist (I guess they're Calvinist?)

Union # 3 Baptist (A church that split from Union # 1 and Union # 2?)

Gallant Baptist

Hatchechubbee Baptist (Say it slow, then you'll laugh)

Reform First Baptist

Warrior First Baptist

 

(Georgia)

Alto Baptist (No sopranos please)

In Time Baptist

Dewy Rose

Dixie Baptist (No Yankees please)

Dupont Baptist (Corporate sponsors are taking over everything.)

Gay First Baptist

Ideal Baptist

Mystic Baptist

Rocky Face Baptist

 

What were some of those committees thinking?

 

Joke of the Day

One bride-to-be was nervous about the wedding ceremony until the pastor gave her specific instructions. "When you enter the church, just focus on three things: the aisle, the altar and the groom."

As she entered the church escorted by her dad, the people in the congregation overheard the bride saying over and over to herself, "Aisle, altar, him. Aisle, altar, him."