JOURNEY FORWARD--THE FUTURE OF PARKWAY

Scripture for the Journey
Isaiah 41:18-20—I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys.  I will turn the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into springs.  I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

A Journey of Faith
For over 50 years, Parkway Baptist Church has been on a “Journey of Faith.”  We come to a time now where we need to momentarily pause, look at where we are, and pray about the direction God would lead us from here.

The Journey Continues
From our humble beginnings as a missions church that was begun by the former Asheboro Street Baptist Church (now known as Friendly Avenue Baptist Church), Parkway has come a long way.  To stop now would be a disservice to our calling to minister to the people of our community, our state, our nation, and our world.  With God desiring us to strive ahead and forge through some unchartered territory, we must be faithful to respond in obedience to His leading.

I am proud to not only be part of this wonderful group, but am humbled that God has chosen me to lead you at this point in history.  If we are faithful to go in the direction that God is leading, then He will supply our every need to JOURNEY FORWARD.  We must all be willing to do our part.  With our obedience being exemplified through our humble service, God can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.  As you read this document, I pray that you are inspired, challenged, and filled with a renewed passion for Christ and in your service to others.

In the Wilderness
I shared with the church at the end of August (2009) that God had me in the wilderness of my calling.  He gave me a choice—either stand up and follow Him with everything I have, or get out of the ministry once and for all!  To me, my choice was between staying in Egypt (from the accounts in the book of Exodus concerning Moses and the Israelites) or going on a faith-challenging, sometimes frightening, courage-demanding, perseverance-testing journey with God.  I chose to leave Egypt. 

I chose God’s will for my life.  I chose to risk everything in order to show Him my level of commitment. I chose to give God my fears, my worries, my insecurities, and my failures.   I chose to leave my self-centered ways behind and attempt to be more Christ-centered, Bible-based, and Ministry focused.  What have you previously chosen?  What will you now choose?

Isaiah 43:19—Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it?  I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Preparing for the Journey Forward
God has placed each of us here at this appointed time to participate in this JOURNEY FORWARD of Parkway Baptist Church! Everything that we do from this point forward on our faith journey should be characterized by wholehearted devotion to Christ and to His church, humility before Almighty God and one another, commitment to the vision that God has provided for Parkway’s future, and a passion for serving Christ and serving others.

Will you join together in an attitude of humility, love, and service? Will you JOURNEY FORWARD with me and head out of the camp, into the wilderness, trusting God to lead us to the river together?  We can do this together!  I will be faithful to lead you even in difficult moments.  I will not back down to challenges along the way.  I will acknowledge along this journey that I am unable to do everything and trust that you will step up and partner with me as we all seek to be used by God for the greater good of this church. 

We’re going to need the best of all we have.  What can you offer?  What talents/gifts/interests do you have that we could use on our JOURNEY FORWARD? Church, let’s journey together!  Let’s prepare our hearts and get ready to trust God in the wilderness.  Let’s be faithful to do what God is calling us to do.  Let’s live out our faith and not just discuss it.  The time to get ready is now.   Prepare yourself.  Prepare your family. May God’s presence be felt.  May God’s power be seen.  May God’s people be found faithful!   

Isaiah 48:6—You have heard; See all this.  And will you not declare it?  I have made you hear new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them.

I love you all and I look forward to leading you and serving Christ with you on this journey! 

Pastor Brent