May 2009

Dear First Family,

It’s almost the end of May and in just a few days we’ll be into summer.  That means we’ve got warm days, and hopefully some much needed “get away” time that will enable you to catch your breath and find some refreshment.  As we move into this season I want you to carefully consider where we’re at together in the life of the church. We stand on the brink of one of the most exciting and challenging times in the life of Salem First, a church with an amazing history, a church that was birthed as a result of a handful of people listening to and obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

This small group of about a dozen ordinary folks stepped out in simple obedience to begin a work of God in Salem.  Little did they know what it would lead to across the coming years.  Now, almost 100 years later, the church remains alive and well.  It’s never been perfect, and never will be, but it’s been overwhelmingly faithful.

Like an old ship, it’s seen its share of storms, smooth sailing, and uncharted waters that had to be carefully navigated.  It’s had times where it seemed to be “dry docked” for a needed overhaul, and in the end it once again left the safety of the harbor to get back out in the open water, where it was designed and created to be.

Little did that original group of prayer warriors know how God would honor their sacrifice and service to hold out the “Good News” to a needy world.  Salem First Church would reach its pinnacle in the mid 80s with a weekend attendance of over 2500 people.  Great pastors and lay leaders have served it alike.  It’s planted churches both near and far and sent teams all over the world to be a blessing and help make a difference. There has been a faithful remnant of prayer warriors who have stood in the gap during some of the church’s most challenging times, interceding and praying until Heaven was touched and God brought an answer.

These times included praying in coal to heat the church during the winter and praying for God to provide finances, healing, restoration and revival.  And God has always shown Himself faithful every time.

For those of us who make up First Church today, I’m wondering if we might consider the heritage that’s been handed down to us.  I’m wondering if we too, might exhibit boldness in our faith and a willingness to risk something big for God?  Will those who come behind us find that we were cut from the same cloth that our forerunners also came from, had the ability to truly believe God for the impossible, and embraced a level of confidence that testified that we were fully persuaded that God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He’ll do?

We are preparing to undertake a project that will have a direct impact on our future.  I’m not sure everyone understands this.  The addition of a new building is not the end goal.  It’s the tool that enables us to make an investment in people.  Children, students and adults will all benefit from what this new facility enables us to do, but it’s not about the building.  It’s having a heart that sees into the future and the incredible possibilities that Salem First can have to impact people from young to old, from little to big.

There’s nothing that I know of that we could do to better care for our children and ones yet to be reached, than to relocate them to an area that will be capable of being totally secured and equipped with some fantastic technology that kids are being exposed to every day.  It will be a place that is safe and full of life for them.

As families come through the doors of the church they will clearly see how the church values students and provides a great place for them to grow and thrive both morally and spiritually.

For the past 40 years we have all reaped the most incredible benefits that have come from the small congregation that met on Center Street.  When they knew in their heart that this was the right thing to do, they all became sacrificial and stepped out believing that God would bless the church financially and numerically to be able to move to Market Street and have some room to grow.

As we head now into this summer, I want to ask each of you, personally, new and old alike, to carefully and prayerfully consider what we will do with what has been placed in our hands.  Will we move forward to see this project completed, even if it means that we all become sacrificial?  I pray so.  I want to encourage all of us:be faithful, be committed, and be sacrificial.  It’s not an option to leave it up to someone else to step up.  This is going to really require all of us. 

Please be as generous as possible in your regular giving, and then let’s be sacrificial toward the Extend the Vision project.  God will bless you and He will bless our church.  I believe this will all my heart.  We want this to be a strong and productive summer in the life of the church. Thank you for being such a great flock!

From My Heart,

Pastor Dave

P.S. I’ll be sending a more detailed update of where we stand in the process in just a few days.