We have just celebrated our 9th anniversary of Family Worship Center (view photos). What a joyful occasion it was! The service was full of great music including a special presentation from our Deaf Ministry. There were also awe-inspiring testimonies of appreciation of what God has meant to them this last year. To cap things off, a moving slide show chronicling 2008 was shown. It brought back many great memories. The service concluded with the always-entertaining preaching of Rev. Joel Bryant. Afterward, we gathered into our future sanctuary to enjoy a huge spread of food, finished with a special anniversary cake for dessert. We, no doubt, have some of the best cooks in all of Pentecost. Wow! What a great year it has been. Thank you, Jesus!

These last couple of months were marked as times of sacrifice for our church body. These sacrifices encompassed our time, talent, and finances. God has indeed honored it.

I would like to extend my appreciation to all who participated in our continuous chain of prayer and fasting in the month of February. The results were answered prayers and powerful moves of God during our church services. Some of you even chose to extend your commitments into the next month. I am thankful for that.

There were also sacrifices of your talents. Men gave up many of their Saturdays and came to the church to work on our new sanctuary (view photos). The women also got involved by cooking sumptuous meals for our workers. There was a great spirit of unity present throughout.

Financial sacrifices were also included. For instance, in one Sunday over $24,000.00 was given in offerings by church members towards our building program to finish the church sanctuary. On the same day, another $4,000.00 was taken up as commitments to give later. People also brought to the altar things which kept them from drawing closer to God. Others wrote things on slips of paper and gave them up to God as a sacrifice. As a pastor, I couldn’t be more deeply moved by their responses.

An important principle was illustrated by King David in 2 Samuel 24:24. David said, “…neither will I offer burnt offerings (sacrifices) unto the LORD my God of that which cost me nothing.” In other words, sacrifices are not sacrifices unless it costs you something. As one preacher put it, “It’s not a sacrifice unless it hurts”. We soon learn that the greater the sacrifice, the greater the cost. But surely the greater reward will be in the end. God is indebted to no man. He will dispense His rewards accordingly. No doubt, great treasures are being stored up in heaven. Thank you for your many sacrifices.

In His service,
Pastor Lawrence Exum

The holidays are behind us and the year has come to a close. This last year has been an eventful one that experienced many of God’s blessings. What does 2009 hold? Only God knows. We are beginning a new presidency for our country. Our economy is now officially in a recession. We, as a church, have ventured out and moved into a larger building which is exciting but more financially challenging. There are also personal struggles that face many of us (physical as well as Spiritual). While I am confident that God can get us through it all, it will not happen by accident. Most good things occur on purpose.

In the Bible, the Israelites understood a valuable principle that brought them many blessings throughout the year. In accordance to the Mosiac law, individuals brought to the House of the Lord “The first of the first fruits of the land” (Ex. 23:19, 34:26). This included grain, wine, and oil. The tithes (tenth) that supported the priests were also based on that principle. They were not only giving God their best, but were doing it “first.”

The other important lesson that Scripture teaches us is the importance of fasting during challenging times. Queen Esther fasted when her nation and people were threatened (Esther 4:16). The early church often fasted in seeking God’s will in the local church (Acts 13:2). Individually, Jesus expects us to fast as part of the normal Christian experience (Matt. 6:16-17). Jesus Himself fasted and prayed to prepare himself for the challenges that were ahead (Matt. 4:1-2). How much more should we? Jesus even said somethings can’t come except by prayer and fasting (Matt. 17:21).

All of this being said, I feel strongly that it is the will of God that we apply these principles of “first fruits” and “fasting” to Family Worship Center. What better way to begin the year than with fasting and prayer? As pastor of this church, I would like to declare the entire month of January 2009 a time of fasting and prayer.

I would like to have each day of this month set aside for this purpose. Please sign up for at least one day this month. Some of you could fast for several days. There are enough people in our congregation that we should have each day of the entire month covered. What an assurance it would be for me as pastor to know that every day in the month of January will be covered with prayer and fasting. Please pray for God’s strength, provision and direction in individual lives and as a church. Please also pray that God will continue to send a harvest of souls our way and for revival.

I was also pleased to find out that our General Superintendent Kenneth Haney has also proclaimed the month of January as a time of prayer and fasting for the United Pentecostal Church worldwide. Please join me for a time of prayer and fasting for God’s continued blessings. I am confident that we will then be prepared for the challenges of this coming year. Thank you for your participation.

In His Service,
Pastor Lawrence Exum