Race Talk Podcast

As we’ve been seeing in the gospel of John, we have a biblical responsibility to love one another in a self-sacrificing, cross-reflecting, Christ-exalting manner. 

Jesus, after washing his disciples feet turns to his disciples and says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” Then, a few moments later, he gives them a new commandment. A command not just to love one another as themselves, but to love one another just as Christ has loved them. We are love as Christ has loved, which is sacrificially. 

As recipients of God’s love in Christ Jesus, we are now called and empowered by God to display such love. What a lofty command!

I’m a firm believer that if we want to love in this way, then we have to first be good listeners. We have to know one another. In order to effectively wash someones feet, you have to be able to see the dirt on their feet. Similarly, in order to effectively love one another, you have to first get to know one another. We need to become more familiar with the struggles of our neighbor so that we can better serve our neighbor. 

Right now our African American neighbors are hurting, and have been for a while. So, rather than debate, I strongly encourage you to listen. If you haven’t already, pick up your phone and begin to have conversations with your black neighbors. Love and serve them well!

Below is a link to a conversation I had with a friend of mine this week. In it, I explained to him that Harbor Community Church is currently a predominately white church that is immersed in a culturally diverse area. So, I wanted him to explain to us what life has been like for him as a black male in Mobile, Alabama. This conversation has served me well, and I think there’s quite a bit of application that we can pull from it. 

I pray this is edifying for you; and I pray the Lord blesses you as you seek to love your neighbors well in this trying time!

May you heart remain tender and your mind remain humble. May you be sympathetic. May you be quick to hear and slow to speak. May you repay no one evil for evil or reviling for reviling. May you keep your tongues from evil and your thumbs from tweeting deceit. May you seek, pursue, and pray for peace wholeheartedly.

Why Singing Matters

In the past couple of months life has been completely unpredictable and challenging.  But just like all trials in life, we try to adapt and overcome. Lately we have changed how we work, shop, give schooling, and even hang out. We have even adapted how we gather as a church. Now if you are like me you want community. As a matter of fact, I will sometimes need it to feel sane, so this change has been a concern of mine. But I am also concerned about us losing something else in all this change. That something is singing. Now listen, I am no Josh Groban or Lauren Daigle, but I still sing to the best of my ability. And with our normal church Sundays looking different, a lot of us are meeting in smaller groups, or just solo. In these settings singing can be a little awkward. We don’t have a band playing over us or loud music drowning out our vocals. We can actually hear ourselves sing and others can hear when we aren't even singing. But this practice of singing is crucial for the worship and praise of our God, not necessarily for Him but for us as believers.

But why should we sing? If we aren't good at it and we think we can learn just as much, if not more from the preaching, shouldn't we just leave the singing to the talented worship leaders? The answer is no, singing is for all believers and here's why:

Singing is instructed in the Bible

In Ephesians 5 we see Paul instructing the Ephesus church in what it is to follow Christ. What are the fruits and actions that pour out of the believer’s life. One of those instructions is singing!

Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, (Ephesians 5:19)

And this instruction isn't just for some Christians but rather it is for all believers to do.  We know this because earlier in this passage Paul tells believers to put off "sexual immorality" (Ephesians 5:3). It would be silly to conclude, like we do with singing, that this instruction is only for some Christians not all. No, rather all these instructions are meant for all Christians, the universal church. So sing saint! 

It reveals God's Beauty

Singing also reveals so much beauty and wonder to us. The Arts have always been a way for man to express the creative attribute given to him by God. Music, being one of those forms allows us to marvel all the more at God and praise him. Read some of these Psalms:

• “I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known the faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 89:1)

• “Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” (Psalm 105:2)

• “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.” (Psalm 104:33) 

When God shows himself to us more and more through this life, we can't help but to see his ultimate beauty and worship him! God is marvelous, let us sing about it!

Encourages and Corrects us

One of the reasons songs have melodies and are catchy is because they are meant to be repeated over and over again, seeping into our minds and proclaiming the message they present. When songs have truths about God in them and true doctrine, we can't help but to be molded by them. Remember what Colossians 3:16 said:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Songs can help teach us, encourage us, correct our posture towards God, and remind us of the goodness of God. When times become uncertain, tragedy falls, or hardships attack, how awesome is it that a song sent from a friend, sung on Sunday, or played in our headphones can completely change our outlook. We then can take the truths this song proclaims and recant them over and over again remembering that we are not serving a fictitious dictator but rather a real, loving, sovereign, holy God, who runs all, rules all, and is above all! Beautiful biblical songs are not just something to tap your foot to or lead you to an emotional high. They are a medium in which God has ordained for his church, to proclaim truths and wield as a weapon in spiritual warfare.

God is Glorified

If for no other reason presented yet, this outcome should convince us above all. God is glorified in our singing, and God's glory is the goal for the entire universe (1 Corinthians 10:31). God delights in his children's songs to him. These songs tell of his ultimate worthiness of our praise. God is the most deserving being that ever was and will be that is worthy of any praise or worship. Because we see his ultimate value, his pure love, and infinite character, we can't help but to shout, sing, dance, and create endless praises that tell of this awesome beauty! Listen to these words penned by David in the Psalms:

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. (Psalm 63:3-4)

When we have tasted and seen the Lord is good, we can't help but to sing about it.

So sing church sing! Sing to each other the truths of God. Sing to your heart of the attributes of God. Praise the God who saves, loves, and redeemed his children. No matter how awkward, no matter how out of key, sing.

Covid-19 Update- May, 2020

On Friday, May 8, Governor Ivey issued an amended Safer at Home Order to be applied Statewide starting Monday, May 11. This new order allows churches to gather corporately again. This is exciting news!

We therefore wanted to let you all know what our current plan is moving forward for worship:

For the next two Sundays (5/17, 5/24), rather than meeting at the YMCA, we will be gathering for worship in the homes of our community group leaders. If you do not currently have a community group, please email us at hccmobile.org@gmail.com or visit hccmobile.org/community-groups for more information on each of our current groups.

Everyone is surely looking forward to some renewed fellowship and we want to encourage everyone to use this time to be intentional to invite neighbors and friends into our homes. These next two weeks will provide us an incredible opportunity to not only worship together, but also to practice Christlike hospitality.

Starting on May 31, we will begin meeting at the YMCA for worship at 10am to begin our three week series on Missions. For the first few weeks we will be meeting downstairs in the parking garage rather than upstairs in the workout room. As we are transitioning back into our new normal, families will be able to stay in their cars or sit in chairs that are 6ft apart. Although we will have some chairs available for guests, we are asking you to bring your own chairs in order to help with sanitation.

Parents, we are currently working with our volunteers on how we can disciple our children in a safe and clean environment during this time of transition. We will send you information in the next few days.

We cannot wait to see you all in the coming weeks!

Life’s Balance in the Midst of Fear

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” — John 6:16-21

Sometimes fear means you buy more toilet paper than you can use in a year. Sometimes it means you turn to Facebook instead of medical professionals. Sometimes fear means you flaunt CDC guidelines. If you don’t admit something’s wrong it can’t hurt you, right?

I get it. And no, this isn't a sermon on the importance of social distancing— though you should seriously take that advice. It’s about what all of those questions have in common. It’s about what those statements are really saying: I do not have enough control over my life.

It’s always been one of my personal struggles. I like to be in control. I like to know exactly what the day will hold, the week will hold, the month will hold, if I can swing it (hasn’t happened yet). I’ve gotten a lot better since getting married. Or at least I think I have. At the very least, life becomes more unpredictable when you throw someone else and two puppies into it.

But just recently, I personally experienced a way life can be unpredictable that up until then, I had only watched from afar: health. I mean, yes, the global pandemic has probably brought mortality to center stage for most of us. Even if our area isn’t feeling the brunt of it quite yet, hearing stories from New York City is heart breaking— as an understatement. Even if you’re not worried for yourself, chances are you’re worried for someone you love. Humanity. Mortality. One in the same. 

I had had some blood tests taken before COVID-19 took hold of the country and honestly forgot about it. I have always had some hormone issues, and my doctor regularly runs blood work.

This time I got a call from the nurse saying my doctor would like me to come in to discuss some abnormal results. So to recap, my doctor wanted me to come into her office (which is attached to a hospital) in the middle of a global pandemic.

I figured the news probably wasn’t great.

I waited for a week for the appointment. I managed to be able to call her instead of going into her office.

The call was short. Five minutes maybe.

She told me I have hypothyroidism, a condition where my body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. Turns out your thyroid does some pretty important things, and it not working correctly explains why I haven’t been feeling great. Basically, my body was struggling to function. 

Thankfully it is a very treatable condition, but it does mean I’ll have to take medication for the foreseeable future - possibly the rest of my life.

And that hit me.

No matter what I do, what I have planned, or what’s happening in the world. I have to have this medication. Every day. Or I start feeling pretty crappy.

It was never part of my plan. I weirdly always took comfort in the fact that I didn’t need any medicine to survive. If the apocalypse happened, I wouldn’t already be down and out because I couldn’t take a pill.

It’s a weird thing to find comfort in I know. But it was true. I blame all those zombie movies for it.

It was true. But not anymore.

I’m a pretty cold-natured person. I can catch a chill in the middle of a 90 degree summer day. I couldn’t explain why it happened, so I chalked it up to a friendly nudge that the Lord was there.

Turns out coldness is a symptom of hypothyroidism. My body was struggling to function, struggling to keep the processes my body needs to stay alive running smoothly.

In a way, it was a reminder from my Creator. You could argue it wasn’t. It was a biological response to a very physical problem, but if there’s one thing I think COVID-19 has reminded all of us, it’s that we don’t have life quite as locked up as we thought. Our lives balance on a razor’s thin edge between the world we know and fear/chaos. Check the toilet paper aisle at your nearest Walmart if you don’t believe me.

It doesn’t feel like we’re in control because we’re not. And depending on your belief system, the details may seem confusing and scary and sketchy. To be honest, no one in this church has all the answers either.

Pain, suffering, and fear are inevitable in life. God never promises that Christians will be immune from the brokenness of the world. But what we do know is that we serve a God who steps into our mess and walks with us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Right now, we take comfort that He is in control. In a chronic illness. In a global pandemic. In any situation where fear manifests from a lack of control.

He is there.

Virtual Worship Service (Video)

Finding God in a Pandemic?

There is one unifying factor for all of us right now. The corona virus is affecting all of our daily lives. Social distancing mandates have seemed to take over and not much else is talked about. COVID-19 is the main thing in the news, and all of the headlines are daunting: how many cases there are, the number of people who have died, and how long we must live in this weird limbo of isolation. Honestly, I’ve felt pretty weighed down by it all, which is understandable, because it is a lot to take in.

But what is not okay is the fact that I have let it harden my heart towards God. Unfortunately, I can be quite the cynic, and our current circumstances have brought out the worst in me. 

It is important to note that I live and work in a residential community for adults with intellectual disabilities. The measures we are taking to protect our vulnerable community members have thrown off the normal routine. Changes in routine are hard in general, but it has felt especially challenging for my friends at L’Arche. Some sweet friends were really looking forward to competing in a special Olympics swim meet, and I dreaded having to tell them that it was cancelled. I can barely wrap my head around everything going on, so how could I possibly impress to them the importance of staying home for their protection?  

I was also sad because five sweet international volunteers had to leave early. These friendships really meant a lot to me and we all thought we had so much more time together. It was hard to say goodbye so suddenly. 

It was with all of these emotions that I settled into my own little pity party. When I received an email a few days ago with the suggestion to use this time to write about how God was working, I dismissed it pretty quickly. I’d seen lots of posts about rediscovering the simple joys of life in this time of quarantine, and I couldn’t genuinely agree. I was struggling to be hopeful, so I figured I couldn’t have much to say to people who were wanting a hopeful message. 

So far this blog has just been about how this pandemic sucks. And it does, I believe in being honest. People have lost loved ones, plans have been changed, and no one has a clear answer of when it will be over. But there is more to it than just terrible news. I woke up this morning feeling especially sad. I cried and wondered what was wrong with me because others seemed to be handling all of this so much better than I was.

Then I read these words from Oswald Chambers,

“Begin with the circumstances we are in- our homes, our business, our country, the present crisis as it touches us and others- are these things crushing us? Are they badgering us out of the presence of God and leaving us no time for worship?”

OSWALD HOW DID YOU KNOW? That is exactly what I had been feeling. I allowed these present circumstances to knock me off balance and take my focus off of what really matters. 

In Matthew 14: 22-33 we see an unbelievable story play out. Jesus walked on water to meet his disciples out in the middle of the sea during a raging storm. Peter, in a moment of great courage, walked out on the water to meet Jesus. Then almost immediately, Peter looked around at the howling wind and began to panic. Jesus takes hold of Peter’s hand and keeps him from sinking.

Like Peter, I had taken my eyes off my Savior and was only focusing on how scary the waves were. Jesus asks Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus was asking me, “Claire, why are you doubting that I could be working in this?”

Just a few chapters before, Peter had seen Jesus calm the wind and the waves and now he was out here scared of the water? I know that Jesus has been faithful to me, and I’m going to doubt him again? Man, I’m really thankful that God doesn’t get tired of having to remind me of his love. He is ready to show me, if only I’m ready to see it.  

I have a lot to learn from my sweet friends at L’Arche. One girl said to me, “You know, I’ve lived here 13 years and I feel like we’re all so much closer with all this going on.”

Friends, I was prone to withdraw into myself with all of this going on, but I pray that this is true for us as a church and for the greater community: that we emerge from this weird season more closely bonded and with our gaze fixed upon our great God.  

A prayer written by Blaise Pascal (who I honestly don’t know that much about but these words resonated with me) says, “Grant that as a true Christian, I may recognize Thee as my Father and as my God in whatever estate I find myself, since the change in my condition brings no change in Thine own.” Lord, this difficult season that we are in doesn’t change anything about who you are. Remind me that you are still in control. Help me to see you in these days that may seem mundane. For you are in them all, and I can find you, if I only fix my eyes to see you. 

Easter Sunday Kids (Video)

What CAN You Do to Help During the Coronavirus?

These are crazy times we are living in. It seems that every day we get more instructions on what we can no longer do without jeopardizing the health and safety of those around us. As Christians it is certainly our duty to obey those rules and guidelines out of love for our vulnerable neighbors as well as respect for our government officials. But, instead of focusing on what we CAN’T do, I want to share some things that we CAN do to love and serve our neighbors.

Light of the Village

One of our partners here at Harbor Community Church is a local ministry called Light of the Village (LOV). They are a Christian ministry who work in some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the Mobile area. They serve the beautiful people in these communities with the love of Christ year-round. Below are a few of their programs but check out more of what they do HERE!

•  After School Care Programs

• Summer Bible Camps

• Sunday Morning Bible Study

•  In School Academic Support

• Summer Internships

• Job Training through Lights of LOV Candle Making Ministry 

• Ministry right now is difficult for all of us, since nobody can have any real contact due to “social distancing.” But, Light of the Village is still finding ways to serve those who are being hit hard by the far-reaching effects of COVID-19. We want you to help us support the incredible work they are doing!

Food & Supplies

Light of the Village is currently taking donations and delivering bags of food and supplies to many of the families that they know and serve. With the current pandemic, many people have lost jobs or had hours cut. And since school is out for the remainder of the year, parents are scrambling to find help with kids as well as the extra task of feeding the whole family. For many the idea of finding food and other essential items right now brings on tremendous stress and fear. I think we all know how precious those rolls of toilet paper are right now! 

We have an opportunity to partner with LOV to ease that burden for some families that really need it right now. We can join with them in serving our neighbors in need by DONATING the items below. I pray that you would join with us as we do our best to love our neighbors, especially during this unprecedented season.

Needed Items

**Please only donate items from this list as these will fill specific needs.**

Cleaning products:

• Bleach bottles or spray

• Lysol wipes

• Lysol spray 

• Other disinfecting sprays

• Paper towels

• Toilet paper

Children’s activity books and games:

• **Easter candy! (needed by Monday, April 6)

• **Plastic eggs! (needed by Monday, April 6)

• Sidewalk chalk

• Bubbles

• Card games

• Puzzles

• Coloring books

• Children's activity books

Food items:

• Grits

• Pancake mix

• Cereal

• Pop tarts

• Bread

• Canned chicken

• Canned tuna

• Manwich

• Vienna sausages

• Canned spaghetti 

• Canned ravioli 

• Pork and beans 

• Hearty canned soups

• Fruit cups/canned fruit

• Jelly

• Ramen noodles

• Easy Mac 

• Snack Crackers

• Saltine crackers

You can also donate financially online or via Venmo (@lightofthevillage) and their staff will make the necessary purchases!

Contact Info:

If you have items to donate please contact Emily Lawrence by phone at 205-542-0369 or via Facebook Messenger [Emily Lawrence (Moore)] to coordinate when and where to drop them off! 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Plan

Update:

For now we will be going to an online service on Sundays mornings. During this time, we’re asking you to gather in small groups of 5 or less people. If you are not feeling well or have been in contact with someone who has been sick, please gather as a single family unit. 

But, for now, you will be able to find a link to a video recording of our teaching on the gospel of John, discussion questions, and songs to sing at hccmobile.org/sermons.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” - Romans 12:13

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Hey guys!

I want to update you on what’s happening at Harbor Community Church in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Please read through this entire email as it contains our plans for helping to keep our campuses as safe as possible for our church family, and how you can help too.   

First and foremost, I am in close communication with the director of the YMCA. At the moment they are business as usual, and they are adding additional sanitization precautions. If anything changes here I will let you know. 

That being said, at this time we will continue to gather together for worship on Sundays. In the event that local and state health officials recommend closure or we determine it is in the best interest of our Harbor family to close, we will inform everyone through our website, email, and social media.

During this time, with the help of the YMCA, we will be committed to the following: 

1. We will sanitize highly touched surfaces before and after every service such as doors, handles, tables, water fountains, check-in stations, and sinks. 

2. Our staff and volunteer teams will wash their hands frequently and stay home if they are sick. 

3. We will provide additional hand sanitizer stations around the YMCA for everyone to use. 

4. Our Weekly and Connection Cards will be available at all exits so you can grab one on the way out.   

5. We will be taking extra care of our kids’ spaces. Kids’ toys and rooms will be sanitized before and after every service. 

During this time, we are asking you to help in the following ways:   

1. Stay at home when you or a family member are sick. I will record a video of my sermon Saturday night and upload it on the website at hccmobile.org/sermons.

2. Do NOT “greet one another with a brotherly kiss”… or a hug… or a handshake. Please understand that we are asking our greeters and other volunteers to forgo shaking hands but instead give a friendly smile and a wave. Be considerate of your neighbor and be intentional in greeting one another with a kind word.   

3. If things do progress with COVID-19 in our area and you or someone you know tests positive, please let us know so we can help and pray for everyone involved. 

We will do everything we can to make our gathering as safe and clean as possible. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to help us do just that. 

Fear not, church. Our God is still on the throne, and although we encounter many trials in this life, our eternal hope in Christ Jesus is secure. Cling to this hope in these days of uncertainty!  

Joe Cain Gallery

All photos were taken by Justine Cunningham.

Joe Cain Outreach Plan

Due to Joe Cain Day, we will not be having a service next Sunday, February 23. Instead we are planning to spend the day serving the community. Here is a detailed plan for what this Sunday will look like:

Meet at the YMCA parking lot at 10am.

***Parking at the YMCA will be $20 per car, and the proceeds will help provide scholarships for children and families that cannot afford YMCA services. From what I’ve heard, finding free parking will be difficult. Therefore, I would recommend you carpool downtown with a group of people in order to save money on parking.

Divide and conquer.

The goal for this Sunday is to be intentional in building relationships with folks in the community with the ultimate hope of sharing the gospel. As we've been learning in the gospel of John, Jesus is our only hope for eternal life. Therefore, we should be eager to introduce others to Him! 
Be intentional in talking to your baristas, your waiters, the store owners, the people you walk by, and the people sitting next to you. As you talk to them, exchange information with them and then follow up and invite them to Harbor on Sunday or your community group throughout the week or even to grab lunch/coffee on a later date. 

We will have three teams that go out:

Outreach team #1. Families to Cathedral Square. 
All parents and kids will go to Cathedral Square to allow the children to run around and play in the park. We will bring a few toys and a cooler with snacks and drinks for the kids. Parents, one of your goals is to connect with other parents in the area. 

Outreach team #2. South Broad Street.

As we’ve thought through the logistics of Joe Cain Day, we’ve begun to speculate that downtown locals are more likely to be further away from Water Street and Government Street. Therefore, Matt Moorman will lead a team to South Broad Street.

You will bring with you a cooler full of waters and Harbor Community Church koozies with information about the church to pass out. Obviously our goal is not to endorse drunkenness. Rather, our goal is to use the koozie as a conversation starter. Use the koozie to your advantage. Be kind and bless someone with a water and a church koozie. Then, if the opportunity presents itself, use that as an opportunity to build relationships with the hope of sharing the gospel.

Outreach team #2. Spring Hill and Broad Street.

Identical to outreach team #1, Brady and Emily King will lead a team toward Spring Hill and Broad Street. 

Pray, pray, pray.

Church, join with me in praying that this Sunday will be fruitful. Pray, and trust, that we will meet the right people. Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us and that we will be listening to His leading. Pray for both opportunities and the boldness to share the gospel, personally. Pray that your brothers and sisters will have opportunities to share the gospel and that they, too, will have the boldness to share the gospel. 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:18-20

Church Membership, "Who Cares?"

I imagine, whether you grew up around church or not, this may be your idea of church membership. You may be getting sleepy already, just from reading the first sentence. You might think, “who cares?” Hang in there! Because I would argue that church membership is one of the most important aspects of living in authentic Christian community.

In many churches, being a member means nothing more than having your name on a role tucked away in a filing cabinet somewhere in the dark recesses of the church basement. Or maybe it means getting your picture taken for the yearly directory (that seems to already be outdated before it even comes out).  For many years that was my idea of church membership. Thankfully, being a member of a church can, and should be, so much more than that.

Here at Harbor, our hope is that becoming a covenant member is like being adopted into a family. We covenant together to say that what unites us is Jesus Christ. Whether we are short, tall, wealthy, in poverty, black, white, or crazy cat ladies, the grace of Jesus Christ is enough to hold us together. As a church, we commit to care for and fight for one another as we would our own brothers and sisters, because in Christ that is exactly what we are, brothers and sisters. We love one another, we care for one another's needs, we encourage one another, and we even rebuke one another when we need to. 

Acts chapter 2 verses 44-47 tells us this,

“And all who believed were together and had all things in common.And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Oh, that our church family would be described in this way! Let us be a church family that knows and cares for one another deeply and sacrificially, just has Jesus modeled for us. But, the only way to grow to that point is to fully commit to one another in a local church (AKA become church members). 

Why Membership Matters

Church membership is biblical– In the new testament it was assumed that every believer joined the local church as soon as they professed Christ and were baptized. In the eyes of Jesus and the biblical writers there is no such thing as a solo Christian who does not join the local church. To follow Christ means to be a part of Christ’s bride, the church. (Acts 2:37-47)

The elders need to know who they are accountable for– As elders of this local church, we will give an account before God for the Christians that God has placed in our flock, therefore we must know who actually is in our flock. To join a church is to submit to the authority of the church elders (under the ultimate authority of scripture alone) and to commit to hold the elders responsible for proclaiming the gospel. (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:1-5)

Christians need to know who their brothers and sisters are– Every Christian is called to love, serve, and be accountable to God’s people. Without membership how will they know who to serve? (1 Peter 4:8-11)

Every Christian has been given unique gifts to serve the church– Each of us has a role to play in fulfilling the unbelievable task of proclaiming the gospel to the whole world. God has uniquely equipped each believer to be a specific part of that mission. The church needs the gifts and talents of every member to fully function as one body to fulfill the great commission. (1 Corinthians 12:14-26, Matthew 28:18-20)

Without meaningful membership church discipline cannot be enacted – If a man claims to follow Jesus yet does not live according to the commands of scripture the church has a responsibility to guide him to repentance through discipline and restoration. If that person refuses to repent after following the steps laid out in scripture, then the church can no longer affirm that person as a follower of Christ. (1 Corinthians 5:9-12, Matthew 18:15-18)

God gave the church the authority to affirm a person as a representative of Jesus to the world – This does NOT mean that the church has any authority to grant or remove salvation for any person. But, it is the responsibility of the church to publicly declare to the world what a Christ follower is supposed to look like according to the holy scriptures. (1 John 2:3-6)

Ultimately, the members of each local church are tasked with showing the outside world what it looks like to follow Jesus. We desire an authentic community of believers serving, encouraging, challenging, and loving one another. We have intentionally designed our membership process not to be a burden, but to help us, as a church, fulfill our duty to represent Jesus well. I hope that you will consider joining what God is doing in and through the local church, whether that is at Harbor or somewhere else. The church needs your gifts to help bring the gospel to all nations!

For more information about the full process of becoming a member of Harbor Community Church you can visit our website at https://www.hccmobile.org/membership.

Three Things I Learned From Coach Jacobs

Last night I received a text message letting me know of the passing of one of my heroes: Coach Mike Jacobs. Heartbroken, I proceeded to head to the hospital. Upon my arrival, I was blown away by the number of friends, family, and both current and former baseball players standing in the hallway of that emergency room. 

As I wrestle through the reality of his passing, I can’t help but think back to the many fond memories I have with this man. I smile thinking back to our shared hatred for the cold weather (there’s currently 180 days until summer); I cringe thinking about the title he gave me as the “worst base runner he’s ever coached”; and I’m humbled by the example he gave of what a man of God should look like. 

Here are three quick things I learned from playing for this man:

A Godly man knows and cares for the people in his life. 

The average roster of a college baseball team consists of around 35 players, and Coach Jacobs coached at the University of Mobile for 30 years. That means he coached around 1,000 young men over three decades. 

In a social media driven age that is inundated with chasing after “likes” and “followers,” it’s easy to become a mile wide and an inch deep when it comes to relationships. It’s easy to recognize faces and not remember the names of the people in your life. Coach Jacobs somehow mastered the craft of being a mile wide and a mile deep. 

As a former player of his, he didn’t just remember my name, he remembered my wife’s name, my kids’ names, and where I worked. Rather than choosing a nickname, every time he saw me, he would greet me with a hug and say the words, “Hello, Ryan Parazine.” Then, with his eyes locked on mine, fully invested in the conversation, he would proceed to ask how both my family and I were doing. 

We, as Christians, would greatly benefit by following Coach’s example here by intentionally knowing and caring for the people in our lives.

A Godly man works hard while he preaches the gospel.

Coach worked hard on the baseball field and demanded a lot out of his players, and because of this, he was a very successful coach. However, if I’m certain of anything about Coach Jacobs, it’s this: he loved Jesus more than he loved baseball.

Although he was quick to talk baseball, he was a man who constantly looked for opportunities to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, through both his actions and his words. In our batting cage, I watched this man get on his hands and knees, bowing to the Lord in prayer. On my recruiting visit, I listened to him talk about what he was learning at his church (they were studying Revelation 3). Countless times— in the dugout, on the bus, in the locker room, in left field, in the weight room— I heard this man share the gospel.

Coach showed me that the advancement of the gospel far outweighs the success one can obtain through his or her occupation. He showed me that we are not to pursue success at the expense of making disciples. Our job, whatever it may be, is an avenue to making much of Jesus. 

One should therefore labor and toil, working by the sweat of his or her brow, while he or she preaches the gospel.

A Godly man serves with his wife.

If you knew Coach Jacobs, you knew Mrs. Joy. Of the 100+ games I played at the University of Mobile, I’m not sure if I can think of a single game that Mrs. Joy did not attend. I’m confident that this woman (1) bakes the best brownies on the planet, (2) has the best Indian cheer in the galaxy, and (3) is the sweetest, more caring individual in the universe.

I very rarely saw Coach without his wife outside of baseball, which showed me that a godly man serves with his wife. Coach Jacobs’ ministry was Mrs. Joy’s ministry, and Mrs. Joy’s ministry was Coach Jacobs’ ministry. They were united in their pursuit to love, serve, and care for their boys.

I’m confident that Coach Jacobs would not have made near the impact that he made without Mrs. Joy. This woman’s faithfulness to encourage, pray for, and celebrate her husband and her boys is an example that is worth following. 

Coach Jacobs showed me that a man who loves his wife is a man who serves with his wife. 

“Mrs. Joy,

I, along with 1,000 other men, am beyond thankful for you and your husband. We love you; we are here for you; we are trusting that God is good; and we are praying with you that Christ would be exalted through the passing of your husband and our hero. 

Sincerely, 

One of your boys”

The Gospel & Postpartum Complications

My husband, Jacob, and I recently had a beautiful baby boy, Charles. We’re praising God for him! He is such a wonderful and awe-inspiring gift. Unfortunately, though, the delivery included complications for me that have taken a long time to heal and I am still recovering. This has not been the postpartum experience I had expected or planned, and it has been difficult. 

God has chosen to use this season of difficulty to really show His love and faithfulness and goodness through the church. Our community within Harbor and the greater Church in Mobile has blessed us so much through meals, text messages, coffees, visits, and on and on. 

These acts of love towards us have brought, and continue to bring, glory to God. They are a testimony of his care for his people through his church. They testify that hard seasons are not devoid of His love, in fact, they are all the more likely to display it. 

In my time of weakness, where my husband has to take care of our son more than I anticipated, and take care of me as well, God has given me an opportunity to worship. A time to worship Him for the love of a husband, the gift of a newborn, and the gift of a compassionate church loving us through practical care and encouragement. This has been a time of trial and worship, grace in pain, and faith in battling fears as complications continue.

Birth and postpartum complications are a result of the fall. The good news of the gospel tells us Christ came and lived a perfect life, atoned for our sins by his death on the cross, rose from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He has redeemed his people and he has redeemed this season in my life. My faith has been challenged to trust the goodness of God through all situations. Every complication and pain has led me to the foot of the cross. I’m filled with thankfulness as I see him answer again and again through the care of my husband and our church. In this world we will have trials, but we also have peace surpassing understanding and joy inexpressible because of the new life we have in Jesus. God is good, all the time. He is with us even in the painful seasons. He has brought me comfort and peace, and a deep reassurance of his goodness no matter the circumstance. 

I didn’t expect postpartum to be this way, to be a season of growth and thankfulness and to hold a new appreciation and love for Jesus, my family, and my church. It has been a hard season, but a very good season because of our very good God.

Thank you to our church, and ultimately to God. To God be the glory as he continues to enable His people to love and serve well. Praise God. 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:34-35

Can The World Hate Us, Too?

As John continues his gospel, he records an interesting comment/moment in Jesus's life. The festival of Tabernacles (or Booths) was at hand and Jesus does not go with His brothers. But the reasoning for why he doesn't leave with them for Judea is interesting.

This is Jesus' response to his brother’s invitation:

6 "My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it-- that its works are evil. 8 Go up to the festival yourselves. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come."

 What I want to focus on is not really why Jesus did not go, although this does bring huge implications to theology. Rather, I want to focus on this dynamic between Jesus (God), people, and the world. I think it is interesting that Jesus says "the world cannot hate you (us humans)." 

As I wrestled through this verse, two questions came to my mind:

1. Does this statement by Jesus make sense?

2. What are we to do about it?

DOES THIS STATEMENT MAKE SENSE?

The first thing I want to address is that I believe this is a correct statement. The world not hating us makes sense as we are of and from the world! God literally created Man from dust (Gen. 2:7), which is the world. We also have desires that are worldly that are innate in us (Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 3:5-10). This makes the world comfortable with us and us with the world. I believe that this is what Jesus is referring to as the world not being able to hate us. Our desires and comforts are the same. As long as our desires coincide with the world, conflict does not arise and hate is not produced.

It would then be logical to wonder why the world hates Jesus? It would make sense to conclude that if the world cannot hate us because we are like the world, then the world must hate Jesus because He is not like it. I believe this is why Jesus is hated and rejected from the world. 

We, as humans, do not like the uncomfortable. We do what we can to get rid of pain, we chase after sinful pleasures, we stay in close groups that have the same tendencies as us, and we enjoy the comforts of the couch over the turmoil of working the field. When we get close to Jesus, He makes us uncomfortable because (1) we realize how different He is than us and (2) He shows us our spiritual deficiencies and frailty as humans. 

Jesus is hated by the world because He was not like it. Where we do what we can to avoid pain, Jesus pursued death on the cross for the well being of another. Where we chase after sinful pleasures, Jesus was tempted in every way that we were and yet remained without sin. Where we stay in close groups that have the same tendencies as us, Jesus steps beyond the borders of comfort in order to offer salvation to all people. Where we often choose slothfulness, Jesus perfectly carried out the will of the Father all throughout his life. 

Not only does the world hate Jesus because He is not like it, but it also hates Jesus because He testifies against it, “that it’s works are evil.” When sin is revealed there are two options to take: hide and remove yourself from the exposure, or confess and seek reconciliation. 

Our natural default as humans is the former, not the latter. When Adam and Eve first realized their sin they covered and hid (Gen. 3:7-8). We can see this in our own lives as our weaknesses and sins are exposed, we get uncomfortable, feel attacked, and sometimes feel pain. This is what Jesus does to our sin. He exposes evil, condemns it, and brings to light the dependency we have regardless of how independent we think we are. It is therefore logical to conclude that Jesus is to be hated if he is exposing the sin of the world.

 WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

So then what do we do about this conundrum? Well, the good news is that we really don’t do anything. Rather, God does. Jesus not only exposes our sin, but He also offered Himself up as a sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 10:10) and, through faith, reconciles us to God (Rom. 5:9-10). This takes us out of hiding and running and transforms (2 Cor. 3:18) us to a new creation that loves the light and God's company (2 Cor. 4:2, 6). When we have faith in this truth we no longer have the world alive inside us (Rom. 6:11) but rather have the Spirit of God alive in us (Gal. 2:20; 3:14).

If these truths stand then we have another question to answer. If God now lives in us, then won't we be hated, too? Scripture answers this question for us very easily. In Luke 21:17 Jesus says "you will be hated by everyone because of my name." Once you allow Jesus to be Lord of your life, and the Holy Spirit indwells your being, the believer will see a bigger gap and separation from themselves and the world. Just as Jesus was abandon by His disciples once He switched from teaching the physical to teaching about the spiritual (Jn. 6:60-66), so will the Christian receive this kind of hate.

Conclusion

It is clear from scripture that we, as physical human beings made from dust, are worldly. We are born into sin and have an innate desire to follow our passions and lusts. This brings us (and the world) comfort, but ultimately leads to destruction. 

But just as we have an innate desire for sin, we have a desire for a relationship with God. God made us in His image and for His purposes wanting us to be relationally involved with Him forever. God sent Jesus down to earth to reconcile our division from God. Jesus does this by being of the Spirit. He is Both Spirit (Son of God) and flesh (having a physical mother). He is able to show humans our true identity, hitting the spiritual issues that we try to hide, revealing our sinful identities. This makes us uncomfortable and is intended to push us closer to Him rather than farther away. 

The world rejects Christ and when He is in us, we join in that rejection of/from the world. The world might hate us, but it has hated Christ first. When we encounter such hatred, may we celebrate the fact that we are that much more mirroring Christ!

Why We Don’t Pass an Offering Plate

If you come to Harbor Community Church you may notice something a little different from many other churches, we don’t pass around an offering plate. Depending on your previous church experience, this may be refreshing or downright strange. 

In many churches there is a “time of offering,” during which, volunteers pass a plate or basket down each aisle so that every person in attendance has an opportunity to drop in whatever he or she may have brought to give that week. In America we often give through cash or checks, but in some parts of the world the “offering plates” will be filled with eggs, mangos, avocados, or whatever the members can afford. Faithful giving is never measured by how many zeros are in one’s contribution. On the contrary, it is evaluated by one’s willingness to generously give according to what one has. Thus, we praise God for the fruit (pun intended) that is collected and used for God’s glory! 

Joy Boxes 

Here at Harbor Community Church, our goal is to be a people who joyfully and selflessly give, not for the praise of man, but for the glory of God and the good of His people. Our conviction is that we can best accomplish this through “Joy Boxes.”

Giving online at hccmobile.org/give is always an option, but each Sunday we will also have a black box located at each exit of the worship center called a “Joy Box.” Anyone can walk up and drop money in it at any time before, during, or after the service. 

 …an opportunity to Give in Secret

One major reason why we’ve chosen to give through this format is Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:1-4. Here Jesus says to “beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” Rather, “when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

Giving publicly, to be seen and praised by others, has a temporary reward that will fade. Our desire is not only to bless the needy. It is also our hope that everyone who gives will receive the eternal, lasting, joy from the Father that is far better than money or momentary praise from man. We aim to be a congregation that delights in giving in secret.

 …An opportunity to give cheerfully 

Giving is an act of worship. We believe and teach that the giving of our resources is a part of being a follower of Christ. But, we never want to guilt or persuade people to give financially out of a feeling of duty or to earn the praise of man.

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 

We don’t want our congregation to begrudgingly give because everyone around them is putting money into an offering plate. Rather, we want our people to give cheerfully because they have met the Giver of all things. Jesus went to the cross and gave his life to offer the greatest treasure of all, life, for all who follow after him. We give generously and sacrificially to support the work of spreading that good news. Joy boxes allow our congregation to cheerfully give as we have decided in our hearts.

Why Give at All? 

Here at Harbor, we have no aspirations of getting rich off the giving of our members. We are not looking to even build up the name of our church. Rather, our main goal is to build the kingdom of God according to the measure that God entrusts us. 

We acknowledge that God owns all things and we trust him to provide whatever is needed to do his work, starting in Mobile and extending to the ends of the earth. The gospel is truly good news and the church is God’s primary vessel to take that message to the world. Thus, every penny that is given to our local church will be spent to accomplish that goal. We exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ and we try our very best to use every resource we have to accomplish that task.  

Where the Money Goes 

As elders, we take our responsibility as stewards very serious. I write this as a lay elder who does not receive any financial benefit from the church at all. We will keep things pretty lean intentionally so that we can devote as many dollars as possible to the work of God. As a church plant we are still learning what this will look like, but we want all of our resources to reinforce our core pillars of biblical teaching, authentic community, and family discipleship. For example, we support our teaching pastor financially so that he can devote time to studying scripture, prayer, and equipping the church. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” We are also actively looking for ways to use our resources to promote the mission of God both locally and around the world.  

Giving for the Glory of God 

We also believe that all giving doesn’t have to be directly to the church. Certainly the church should be worthy of our investment! But, as followers of Christ, we must guard against the mindset that we give to the church so that the pastor can do the work. On the contrary, as seen in Ephesians 4:10-14, the job of church leaders is to equip the body to carry out the “work of the ministry.” Therefore, our giving should be intertwined with our personal discipleship as we proclaim the gospel to the world. Maybe that means bringing meals to new parents, providing lodging for a homeless family, helping pay medical bills for a suffering sister in Christ, or practicing hospitality by inviting neighbors into our homes. We should always be looking for ways to use all of our resources for God’s glory and the good of others. 

Success will never be measured by the size of our budget; success will be determined by our obedience to Christ.    

The Fear of Church Planting

The old Nickelodeon TV show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? did great damage to my confidence as a young boy. If I wasn’t afraid of the dark before watching this horror fantasy TV show that aired in the late 90’s, I most certainly was after.

I would often lay in bed wondering if there was a monster under my bed, waiting to attack and devour my ankles. In fear, I would lay there counting to three, trying to hype myself up to make a dash for the door. “I…2… Nope… Ok, here I go… 1… 2… 3…  No, I can’t do it…” Over and over again, I would try to bring myself to get out of bed, yet an irrational fear of the boogie man crippled me.

I’ve found that the thought of church planting isn’t much different. The thought of starting a new church is terrifying. It’s a challenging endeavor that is laced with uncertainty. It’s stepping foot into the unknown, wondering if rejection or failure will grab and devour us to pieces. 

If church planting is so terrifying, then why forsake the comforts of an already existing church for the sake of the unknown? How do we know that starting Harbor Community Church will be a fruitful endeavor? How do we know that rejection or failure won’t swallow us up?

Well, it’s in the face of fear, that we must lean on God’s word, trusting that he is all-powerful and good. 

In Matthew 28, we see Jesus’ disciples encounter him for the first time since his resurrection. And when they saw him they worshiped him, yet some doubted. In response, Jesus doesn’t say, “Thank you, thank you!” soaking up the glory. Rather, he comforts his disciples and then calls them to action by commanding them to go and make disciples. 

He says,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Here, Jesus commands his disciples to go and do what he has done for them. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them all that I have commanded you. Disciples of Jesus are called to make more disciples of Jesus.

As a child, it would have been silly for me to spend my entire life laying in the comfort of my bed. At some point, I had to face my fear and let my feet touch the ground. In the same way, we as Christians are not called to sit in the comforts of our church building. At some point, we must face our fear and go. 

Over the past few years, in preparation for the starting of Harbor Community Church, I’ve jotted down five reasons why I would not want to be involved in a church plant. They are as follows:

• I’m comfortable where I am.

• I’m afraid of rejection.

• I’m afraid of failure.

• I’m afraid this will be too hard.

• I’m afraid of commitment.

In some regards, these fears are justifiable. There’s nothing in the Bible that guarantees the success of Harbor Community Church. There are many church bodies that fail or die out each year, and we could be one of those. Rejection, failure, and difficulty are all a real possibility. In fact, they’re highly probable. I (we) will encounter rejection. I (we) will fail. I (we) will encounter difficulties. Church planting is a commitment to abandon comfort, which is terrifying. 

It’s in the face of these fears that I (we) must constantly lean on the great commission as comfort. But, if you’re task oriented like me, then you might have missed how the great commission is comforting. For a long time, I only viewed the great commission as a command that I must follow, which is accurate and true. Go means go. We’re not called to idleness, we’re called to action. There is no way around that. Whether we pursue church planting or not, we must “go and make disciples.” The great commission is 100% a call to action.

If we’re not careful, however, we will miss the beauty of this commissioning. Jesus is not calling his disciples to go alone. This command to make disciples is wedged between two beautiful statements that should offer us great comfort.

First, before we ever see a command to go, we see a declaration that,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me [Jesus].”

The call to make disciples is a response to the reality that Jesus possesses all authority. Therefore, we go and make disciples confidently because Jesus is all-powerful. He lays not in a grave, but he is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Fear not, disciples of Jesus, we’ve been commissioned to make disciples by the sovereign ruler over all. 

But, not only that, this all-powerful, sovereign ruler over all isn’t calling us to “go” while watching from afar. He has commissioned us to go and he has promised to help. He follows his command with a promise to be with us always.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” 

Fear is diminished when we understand that we are not alone. As a child, the fear of the boogie man washed away the moment that one of my parents walked in the room. In the same way, when we are faced with fear concerning obedience to the great commission, we must strive to rest in Jesus’ promise to be with us always, until the end of the age. 

Church planting is a commitment to abandon the fleeting comforts of this world for a greater comfort in Jesus. The pursuit of discipleship is not something we do alone. We get the honor of making disciples of Jesus with Jesus. The more we are obedient to the great commission, the deeper our intimacy with Jesus should grow.

Even though the great commission doesn’t guarantee Harbor Community Church success, the great commission attacks and diminishes our greatest fears and offers us immense comfort.

• Are you afraid to leave what’s comfortable? Take heart, Jesus will be with you!

• Are you afraid of rejection? Take heart, Jesus will be with you!

• Are you afraid of failure? Take heart, Jesus will be with you!

• Are you afraid of difficulty? Take heart, Jesus will be with you!

• Are you afraid of commitment? Take heart, Jesus will be with you!

May we never allow fear to withhold us from obedience to the great commission through church planting.  May we “go and make disciples!”