To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
In the history of the world there have been some pretty amazing churches. One of the greatest was planted by Paul, watered by Apollos. Timothy pastored there for a little while and two books in the New Testament were written specifically to help them to grow to be a healthy church. A letter that historically is thought to have been written to this church is one of the greatest letters of all time, and the best in history on how to fight the spiritual battle we are in. Mary (Jesus mom) attended there, and was buried close by. John lived there for a while, and his tomb can still be visited today in the neighborhood. This church worked hard, persevered, did not tolerate wicked people, and kept going in the midst of a difficult culture.
WHAT A CHURCH!
YET…this church had forgotten the most important thing…they had forsaken there first love (Revelation 2:1-6).
I love Cloverdale Baptist Church and we have so many wonderful things happening here. People are coming to know Jesus for the very first time. We are standing against legalism and cultural invasion, and seeking to be Word Saturated. We have great elders, and a staff that loves Jesus and this church…and I could go on and on…but what we must have at the heart of everything else we are doing well, is a passion for first love devotion to Jesus.
Let me say that again, if we are a great church, filled with great people, but do not have a first love devotion to Jesus, we will not be a great church in God’s eyes…and this is what truly matters.
So what does this mean?
It means that we are driven and defined by our relationship with Jesus, and seek to honour Him in all we say and do.
We need to remember together that Christianity at its core is about a relationship with the living God. Our passion is to seek to do everything for Jesus, and to live in such a way that our lives are an overflow of this relationship that drives and defines us.
How do we grow in this (and all of us need to)? Jesus actually tells us in Revelation 2, and simply put we need to remember, repent, and redo.
We need to remember what true Christianity is all about, and go back to a Gospel orientation that is always on our minds. We need to be a people who live our lives in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and experience of God’s love for us in Jesus. Remember. Remember what Jesus has done for you, fixate on Him and the Gospel, and never lose sight of His grace!
We need to repent of where we fall short of His Word and first love devotion to His name, we need to turn to Jesus, and turn away from sin and forgetfulness. The reformers called us to live lives of repentance, and this means a constant aligning of our lives with God’s Word and His Name. We need to be a people who long for deeper intimacy, and devoted obedience. Who reflect His holiness and His love in our lives all of the time!
We need to redo the basics of growth, and keep focused on them. This means the basic habits of grace, Gospel Orientation, Word Saturation, Prayer, Local Church Engagement, and Passionate pursuit relationally. We must be a people who are growing in our faith, and intimacy with God and one another…and this takes dependence and discipline.
Remember…Repent…Renew…
We are a great church, and one that needs to constantly be reminded of relational passion, and the radical devotion it takes to shape us continually more in our first love devotion to Jesus. Let us continue to do the things we are doing well, and let us make it our driving passion to be a first love individuals and a first love community...and let us call one another to this passionate pursuit!
Reminder: We are still looking for a place for an INTERN in the coming year…from September – end of April. We are looking at staffing a single young man, who just graduated from Millar, and will be learning here how to be a great pastor. If you have space for some of this time (or all of it), please let us know. We are looking for a basement suite, or space from a couple that is travelling south for the winter, or a room that is available in a home. Please prayerfully consider this.
I am thankful for who we are as a church...and long for so much more!
Sunday Is Coming:
Please prepare your hearts to hear from God on Sunday Morning as we seek to be those who understand and obey God’s Word.
A Fellow First Love Devotion Pursuer,
Pastor Rob
Reminder: SBM meeting tonight for all members…all are welcome, as we gather to seek God’s will together for His glory. Adherents can listen and pray, members are asked to speak if they feel they have something that will help us to understand and obey God’s will on issues being discussed.
Bulletin
Spring Business Meeting
Tue. June 11th / 7:00 pm / Sanctuary We'll be conducting general business as usual and voting on Special Resolutions. These include the 2024/25 Financial Budget and Elder, Deacon, and Pastor offices. Everyone is welcome to attend and childcare will be available for children grade 6 and younger. More details >
Membership Classes
Are you interested in church membership but cannot make Sunday morning classes? We are offering a 3-session course on weekdays in the evening. If interested, please contact the church office at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca.
Kids Summer Camps
Summer 2024: Soccer Camp & Day Camp Hey parents! We're so excited to share with you that this summer we're once again organizing two summer camps! Register today >
Women's Retreat Registration
November 1st–3rd / Cedar Springs, WA This 3-day retreat will be focusing on building gospel friendships, joined by special guest speaker Bronwyn Short, with fun activities and time to relax. Childcare will also be offered to mothers with infants. Registration is opening on June 2nd both online and in-person. Learn more >
Church Custodial Position
We’re looking for a custodian for general cleaning duties. Learn more >
