Pastor's Page

Dear Flo Valley family and friends,    As we head into the second month of summer, our church focus moves to Vacation Bible School. Vacation Bible School is truly a Kingdom event. It is a Kingdom event because it is about embracing God’s mission of reaching people with the good news of the gospel. It is a Kingdom event because it is about ministering to children. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to kids and that we should be encouraging children to come to Him. VBS is a Kingdom event because it transcends our local church and includes people from other churches and from our community.    The Kingdom of God is about cooperation. By nature we all tend to be at least a little territorial. “This is my program.” “This is my ministry.” “This is my church.” That’s not all bad. People who take ownership of something tend to be committed to it. But notice how it is impossible to say, “This is my kingdom” and be talking about the Kingdom of God. We can’t possess it because it belongs to Him. His Kingdom is bigger than a person or a church. It is God as sovereign ruler, and we as His subjects working together do accomplish His will.    So let’s approach Vacation Bible School with a Kingdom perspective. Let’s reach out and invite as many kids as we can. Let’s work in VBS if we can. Let’s work together to make this our biggest and best Bible School ever. Let’s pray together for a mighty move of God. Let’s bring the Kingdom of God to kids so they can become citizens of the Kingdom and grow to become all that God made them to be.                                                                              Serving the King with you, Pastor Ronn   P.S.  In the Kingdom spirit and with a heart of grand generosity, First Baptist Church of Arnold is doing a mission trip to our church to help us reach our community.  On Saturday, August 2, they will be doing a Carnival/Block Party, and then           Monday - Thursday, August 4 - 7, they will be doing an evening VBS and Youth outreach as well as following up on our VBS prospects and the prospects from their ministry efforts.  Please pray for these events and participate when possible.  Let’s work together for the Kingdom!

A Devotional Thought From Our Pastor

Baseball cards don't appear to be all that valuable. They are a piece of cardstock with picture of a baseball player on one side and some statistical or other information on the other side. They cost pennies to produce. But don't be deceived by appearance. My favorite baseball player of all time, Willie Mays, has a 1958 autographed card priced on-line for $10,000!

As a collection of chemicals and water, our bodies aren't worth much in raw materials. But animated by life, the breath of God, we become much more valuable. Then ordinary human beings become even more valuable when we have Jesus Christ in our lives. The Apostle Paul describes Jesus in the life of a Christian as treasure in jars of clay.

A baseball card of baseball Cardinal all-star, Albert Pujols, describes the treasure in his life:

"…Christ is my strength. God has blessed me and I will continue to do my best for Him. That is more important than anything I could ever do in baseball. Do you feel that something is missing in your life? That something may be someone…Jesus Christ."

Do you have this treasure? If not, receive it. If so, share it. In Christ, you're more valuable than you think.