"All that glitters isn't gold"

FOOL'S GOLD

The following perspective comes from the heart of a faithful church layman.  I believe his summary of First Baptist (past and present) is both honest and accurate.

"From what I am seeing, God has His hand on First for whatever purpose. But His purpose seems best revealed through a humble church.  Over the many decades FBC has been known as 'the' church in Freeport. Large crowds, big choirs, impressive musicals, a wealthy church, a place to go to be among the who's who. It appeared however to be a proud church. 

Pride caused many to overlook the sins within the church. Pride placed a premium on relatively shallow teaching/ preaching. I notice many of the choir songs have a Christian bent, but are very shallow in message. Grandeur, but not necessarily Gospel.  Style without corresponding substance.

Many of the big events were said to be evangelistic but in reality appeared to be about the event.  I am not suggesting that all activities within the church were such, but at its core, deep in rhetoric, shallow in reality.

I believe God has chosen to humble FBC to the point that it can only look to Him for strength and direction.  Long gone are the big crowds, the big productions, the special music, the money (as far as giving), and yes, even the influential people of the community.

What has He replaced it with? A 1 Corinthians 1:23-31 crowd....

I am most excited about all this. I have prayed for years to be part of a revival. You know the kind where God's Spirit comes upon a church and things begin to happen. I sense this is what is happening at First. Not how and what I expected but it shouldn't surprise any of us."

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The humble reflections of this faithful layman square up with what Jesus said in his letters to seven churches in Revelation 2-3.  For example consider the church at Smyrna.  It was the 'persecuted poor church of infinite worth'.