210718 Church Picnic
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Nehalem Valley Bible Church began their fellowship in June of 1998: 23 years ago.
Back then we were meeting in the HeadStart Building under the leadership of Jerry James until 2002 when Roy Sprague began assisting the body in their search for a new pastor. This search ultimately led them to Gary and Diana Taylor in 2003. Gary and Diana are some of the most beautiful people. Rarely will you see such a friendly, self-sacrificing, dedicated pair… Rare unless you look around at other members of this body. They are exceptional people that have led an exceptional people and I thank God for them.
Well, in 2006 the Lord provided funds sufficient to buy the former Grace Reformed Baptist church, which we worship in today. In 2007, our current building was damaged by the flooding but was rebuilt with the assistance of some Mennonites and our own members - the Van Meter’s, the Brown family and the Organ’s among others.
Through the last 23 years God has graciously provided. He has provided leadership and support through Northwest Independent Church Extension, the IFCA and this body’s own elder board, under the wise leadership and administration of our chairman Dan Brown. Through it all God has supplied for our needs and has used this body to support many, many different missionaries around the world.
You know, NVBC has never been a big body of believers, frankly it is rare to exceed 40 or 50 on even an Easter or a Christmas service. No one would ever accuse us of being big or flashy but they would have us dead to rights if they accused of of being what we advertise. We are a Bible church and we love God’s word. It is what we want, it is what we crave. We come each week seeking to hear God’s Word explained in a way that makes sense - that helps us live out our faith, faithfully. We want to know Christ and make Him known and we come each week to worship Him because of His goodness toward us and to praise Him in song.
Rachael and I began sporadically attending back in 2006 and as our exposure to correct doctrine and faith lived out, increased so did our desire to put down roots here. In 2013 I was astonished to hear Gary ask if he could disciple me toward a pastoral role and 7 years later that culminated in my assuming the pastorate.
In my living room I have a painting that Ruth Brown lovingly made for us and under it are two verses that were spoken to us at our wedding. Rachael’s father read these words from Joshua back in 2003. “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord...” That is my goal for my home and for the church I under-shepherd but unless the Lord builds my house and His church all our effort is meaningless. He is the destination and He is our method of arrival. We depend upon Him to carry us along through high’s and lows and He has proven His faithfulness through it all.
So I would like to leave us with a parting thought that Diana reminded me about this morning. Our Lord has chosen to build this church freely but the means by which He has done this is just the same as when the first church came together in Jerusalem. After the Lord ascended and they gathered in Jerusalem the Bible repeats several times that these believers were devoting themselves to being together, to time in the word and to prayer Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42; Acts 6:4. We have had all that this in spades over the years. God has provided a body with hands and feet and an appetite for His word and He has accomplished all these things through the diligent prayers of His saints. I know it. I feel your prayers for me and Rachael and the kids each week. I know of your faithfulness for other requests that we are still waiting on the Lord to answer and He will in His good time. We trust Him for that. As we consider the past on this 23rd anniversary I cannot help but think that the future is bright for this little body and I anticipate greater growth and maturity from her as we grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Let’s pray