Pastor’s Pen: Who We Are, What We Do

If you stand on Appleby Line at dusk, you can hear Burlington hum. Workplaces empty, homes fill, supper sizzles, kids laugh. In the middle of that ordinary hum, Jesus is building His church. That is why, starting this Sunday, we begin a ten-week journey: Who We Are / What We Do.

This series is simple: identity first, then obedience. We will open the Bible, confess what Christ says about His church, then step forward together.

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling…”
Ephesians 4:1 (ESV)

I want to encourage you to lean in. Every member, every household, squeeze the most grace and benefit out of these ten weeks. Here is how.

1) Use the Sermon Study Guides, Monday to Friday.

• Individual guide: 10–12 minutes per day. Read the short Scripture, answer one heart question, read a supporting Scripture, pray one concrete request, and finish with a short excerpt from a historic Baptist document on the theme. If you already have a devotional plan that is working well, keep it; if you want a supplement, try this.
• Family guide: 10–15 minutes around the table or before bed. Read a shorter portion, ask one child-friendly question, explain the illustration to the kids, and pray one simple line together.
  Small, steady steps form big habits. Can you give ten minutes a day for ten weeks? You can.
  
  
• Sign up to receive the guides here: Sign up

2) Talk together on Sunday.
Right after the service, gather your family or a couple of friends and work through the Sunday Discussion Guide. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough. Keep it warm, honest, Scripture first.

Get the printable or digital version here: Sign up.

3) Come back in the evening.
Our evening gatherings are shorter teachings that get into the nitty gritty: history, definitions, sticky questions, practical helps. The goal is clarity and courage. Bring your Bible, bring a friend, bring a question.

4) Ask anything, anonymously if you prefer.
Each week you can submit questions for the evening session. If something was confusing, if you want careful nuance, or if you are wrestling with application in your season of life, tell us here: Link. We will fold these into the teaching and possibly take time for Q&A.

5) Sermon Notes for Study: Each week we post detailed sermon notes under “Sermons” on our website and in the YouTube description. Use them to review the message, lead the Sunday Discussion Guide, or share with a friend. Inside you will find: Key Scripture, sermon structure and main points, resources cited, and Additional Resources for further study. That last section is the gold. It points you to trusted commentaries, articles, and readings that match the week’s theme.

Why this matters now

Spectator Christianity weakens churches. Every-member ministry strengthens the body, protects the vulnerable, and fuels mission. Over the next five weeks we will remember who we are in Christ: Catholic, Apostolic, Protestant, Baptist, Evangelical. Then we will live it out: Mission, Magnification, Membership, Maturity, Ministry. Identity leads to action. Rooted in Christ and His finished work, then fruit.

If you are visiting or not yet a member, this series is still for you. It shows you who Jesus calls His church to be, and why belonging to Him and His people matters for every life.

One last thing:

This coming Sunday every member family/unit will receive a Church Orientation Pack to help you walk this out together. Inside you will find, a Church Covenant, the 1689 Baptist Confession, a brief history of Pineland, a pamphlet on the 5 Ms, a ministries list with ways to serve, a pamphlet on current and upcoming preaching series, and a list of missionaries and community partners

Church, I am praying that the Lord uses these ten weeks to deepen our unity, sharpen our doctrine, and send us into Burlington with quiet boldness. Let us walk worthy of our calling, together.