From the Elders: Celebrating 50 Years

Our church picnic is scheduled for September 22. On that day, we will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of worshiping our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at our current location.

In light of this special occasion, I wanted to share a nugget of history with you all. This is what was published in Bible Fellowship News in March 1975 concerning our newly built church:

“Faith Church, located at 675 Woodland View Drive, in the Hayshire area, dedicated their new edifice, December 28. Pastor James G. Koch, a former pastor from 1956 to 1962, delivered the dedication sermon. Also, participating in the service were Pastors Robert W. Smock, John Dunn, R.C. Reichenbach, Terris Byrd, William A Heffner, and W.W. Hartman. The service was under the direction of the pastor of the church, John Henry Riggall.

“The new church and new parsonage stand on five acres of land previously owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd E. Rishel, members of the congregation, who donated this portion of the land to the church.

“The sanctuary, with overflow area, will seat 600 people, and the Sunday school facilities will accommodate 500 people.

“The building of the Church and parsonage was constructed at a cost of $353,000.00. The land is valued at $30,000.00. The Abram Horst Co. of New Holland, Pa., was the builder.

“Faith Church will celebrate their 60th anniversary this summer. The first building of worship was located on East Princess Street until 1955, when the church relocated to the building at Sixth and Duke Streets in North York. They moved into their new facilities on November 15.

“Dedication Services continued on the following day, December 29, with former pastor Rev. Russell T. Allen as the speaker in the morning worship and Pastor William A. Heffner, a former pastor’s son, as the speaker in the evening. “

I can’t help but think, as I read that, how wonderful and faithful our God truly is. Therefore, I want to lovingly encourage you all to join us after the service on September 22 for our church picnic, during which we will celebrate our 50th anniversary of worshiping our faithful God at 675 Woodland View Drive.

- Pastor Wes Bunting

From the Elders: The Peace of Letting Go

Photo by Samuel Martins on Unsplash

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

— Matthew 11:28

As humans, we tend to be possessive of all that we have. We pride ourselves in taking ownership of something in our lives. Most times it’s to a fault. We want ownership and control over every circumstance and situation. In the same breath we also want freedom from the same said circumstances and situations.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus starts off by saying, “Come to Me”. In this profound invitation to all who labor and are weary and heavy laden, we can find rest, comfort, and freedom— a willingness to satisfy our weary souls. There is indeed a peace in letting go and giving all to God. Instead of taking matters into our own hands, Jesus simply calls us to come to Him.

We have no need to search elsewhere for the next new ideology or philosophy. What we have obtained as believers in Christ is the God of all wisdom and humility— the One Who loves and cares about every detail of our being, the one who selflessly gave Himself up and died on the cross because of our sins, the one who was resurrected, defeating sin and death! This is Who we can find rest in!

Remembering these truths is where we begin to understand that we need to let go and surrender all in order to be free from anxieties, discouragement, and worry. Until you forsake your own power, your own strength, and your own capabilities, you won’t fully be free and experience the peace of God that surpasses ALL understanding. The peace when you let go of controlling your own destiny can only come from humbling yourself and understanding that it’s God’s hand that can save you and uphold you, as He has since the beginning. We must come to the end of ourselves and now rely fully on the power, might, and refuge of the one true King!

Glorify God and ENJOY HIM!

You can only enjoy Him when you truly know Him and began to experience Him for who He truly is. That can only happen by truly staying in His Word and seeking His face.

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” — Psalm 105:4

“Come to Me…” — Jesus

God bless!

– Joshua Vann, Elder

From the Elders: Singing the Psalms

Photo by tim wildsmith on unsplash

If you've been around Faith Bible Fellowship Church of York for a while, or if you're new, you may have noticed our practice of not only reading and praying the psalms but also singing them. However, let's be honest—it's not always easy. We don't repeat the psalms very often, and many of the words and phrases can feel archaic or hard to relate to. So, why do we prioritize this practice?

You Are What You Sing

An old saying within Christian tradition goes, "The law of prayer is the law of faith." To adapt this to our circumstances, we could also say that what you sing is what you really believe. We cannot deny the formative effect of music on our souls and our walk with the Lord. In terms of music, we are what we listen to and sing.

Many people in recent years have rightfully critiqued the state of contemporary worship music—its banality, repetition, emotionalism, and so forth. Since there is already a body of writing on this theme, I need not expound upon these criticisms here. The real question is not what's wrong with modern worship, but what is the alternative?

In the book of Jeremiah, we are exhorted to look to and return to the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16). Fortunately, God has not left us without guidance. He has provided us with His inspired and infallible Word to instruct us not only on why we worship but also on how and what we might sing to Him. Since God has inspired 150 psalms for us, why would we not avail ourselves of them?

In terms of physical diet, you are what you eat. If you have a nonstop diet of fats and sugars, you will inevitably be lethargic and unhealthy. Similarly, what we consume musically and theologically will shape our spiritual makeup. Are we lacking a theology of resistance? Do we lack the vocabulary to lament? Are we unable to prayerfully call down judgment on the wicked, even while laboring for their evangelization? Perhaps we are missing essential nutrients in our diet. The psalms provide these very nutrients.

Consider the effect on your discipleship of singing texts like Psalms 58:6, 109:8–15, and 137:9 (imprecatory psalms), or Psalms 22, 42, and 88 (psalms of lament). They give us the words to call on God in battle and express both our deepest pains and highest praises—words that we would simply not have come up with on our own. God intends for us to make these words ours in prayer and song.

Songs for the Negative World

We are living in what Aaron Renn calls the negative world, where Christian values are increasingly marginalized. (For more on this, see Renn’s article in First Things.) In such a context, we need the psalms to help us live in pursuit of the crown rights of the Lord Jesus Christ in all things.

The battle belongs to those who sing. The story goes that at the Battle of Thermopylae, the Persian slave-soldiers groaned in chains while the Spartans joyfully sang. Though the Spartans lost at Thermopylae, an analysis of history shows that they won the greater moral victory. So too, throughout history, victory goes to those who most fervently believe in their cause. Worship is warfare, and thus we too cannot expect victory if we have not embraced the victorious promises of God in song.

Next time we sing a psalm together in church, thank God that He has given us His Word to sing!

Recommended Resources:

Albums:

• Brian Sauvé, Even Dragons Shall Him Praise

• Shane and Shane, Psalms, Vol. 1 and 2

Apps:

• The 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter (Apple)

• Psalms for Worship (Android)

• Trinity Psalter Hymnal (Android)

– Alex Kocman, Elder

VBS and the Problem of Isolation

Photo by Jesus Loves Austin on Unsplash

Research shows that around 60% of adults (both churched and unchurched) attended a VBS at some time while growing up. Therefore, it’s likely that you already know that VBS (Vacation Bible School) is a block of time during the summer that presents the gospel to children in fun, age-appropriate activities. It’s also likely that you have positive memories of your own VBS experiences. As an adult, however, you now know that preparing a VBS requires a lot of time, effort, and resources. Also, the world today isn’t the same as when you were a kid. Is VBS still relevant in 2024? Is it still worth the effort?

Most of us would agree that VBS provides an important opportunity to expose unbelieving children to the gospel and encourage believing children in their faith. At a time where 48% of believers are not inviting people to church and 61% have never shared how to become a Christian, VBS helps us step out of our comfort zones to build relationships with our neighbors. However, I would argue that VBS is even more needed today than it ever was before, for one important reason: isolation.

Think about what life is like in 2024. Children and adults alike spend hours on screens, working and playing with little real contact with people. As Jana Magruder, Director of Lifeway Kids, puts it:

 “They are photographing their food, their friends, themselves (hello selfies), and posting everything going on in their lives without actually living real-life experiences. They are more concerned about followers and likes than true relationships. They text or Snapchat more than they call on the phone or see each other in person. They watch Netflix or YouTube videos more than they participate in events and experiences, with real people and social relationships.”

And what is the result of the electronic life Magruder describes? Isolation. For children, this is even more heightened during the summer, when they are away from their school friends. This is not what God intends for us, however. He created people to be in relationships, first with Himself and then with others. VBS gives children an opportunity to develop relationships with their peers, with interested and caring adults, and, most importantly, with the Lord Himself.

Children aren’t the only ones that benefit from VBS, though. Adults can step out of their own isolation and band together to provide a meaningful experience for the children who attend. They don’t necessarily have to be “good with kids” to make a difference; they can decorate, prepare snacks and crafts, publicize the event, send follow-up cards, and, most importantly, pray. They might even offer to teach, lead singing, assist with crafts or snacks, or buddy up with a child who needs special attention during the VBS. As adults spend time together serving at VBS, they develop their own relationships within the church family, building a vibrant community that reaches out to all who are isolated with the good news of a mighty Savior.

What about you? Won’t you consider being a part of our VBS this  year? It could make a big difference in the life of a child—or in your own.

 – Jean Soyke

Sources:

Holmes, Landry. VBS: It’s Worth It. 6 Dec 2018. https://vbs.lifeway.com/2018/12/06/vbs-its-worth-it/

Parham, Betsy. Why Is VBS Important? 2024. https://www.cokesbury.com/why-is-vbs-important#:~:text=VBS%20provides%20an%20opportunity%20to,(Luke%202%3A52).

Understanding the Holy Spirit

There is a great lack of understanding and a great abundance of misunderstanding concerning the Holy Spirit. I hope this short article will help.

Our God is triune—One God, three Persons. Each divine person shares equally in the same substance, power, and glory. Thus, the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or power. The Bible describes Him in personal terms.

Among the many ministries of the Spirit is His work in salvation. It is He who convicts us of our sin and our need for salvation. Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus said this to His disciples: “But now I am going to him who sent me… Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me…” (John 16:5a, 7–9)

Every Sunday, without fail, the gospel is preached at Faith Bible Fellowship Church, and an invitation offered to the unsaved to turn to Jesus. One of the greatest impacts we can have is to pray that the hearts of the lost would be reached, softened, and turned to Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. Will you join me each Sunday morning in Rishel Hall (the church basement) from 9:45 to 10:15 to pray for the Holy Spirit’s moving in our worship service?

– Ken Good, Elder

From the Elders: The Blessing of Membership Interviews

Since February, following the Sunday morning service at Faith Bible Fellowship Church of York, I have had the privilege of meeting with individuals interested in becoming members (26 in total, to be exact). These meetings take place in my office after most congregants have departed. During these interviews, I am honored to hear how each prospective member came to faith in Jesus Christ. Honestly, listening to these personal conversion stories is one of the greatest joys of my pastoral ministry.

Now, in these interviews, I engage with prospective members by asking them to articulate the gospel, respond to a few affirmation and denial questions, describe how the Holy Spirit has gifted them, and to share their insights on our church community. However, it's their stories of conversion that never cease to amaze me. It is a profound honor to be trusted with such personal accounts of who individuals were before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, how they came to faith in Jesus Christ, and who they are now as followers of Jesus Christ.

So, to all of our new members joining us this May, and to everyone else who has shared their testimony with me previously during this process, I just wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks. Hearing your stories is truly a highlight of my ministry, as it reminds me anew of the wonderful and powerful ways in which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saves sinners from their sins.

So, thank you, church family, for sharing with me and trusting me with your conversion stories. It truly is an encouragement to me as your pastor.

Press on,
Pastor Wesley

From the Elders: Introducing Josh Vann

Grace and peace, church family!

It is an honor and privilege to serve you in this new role as an elder at Faith Bible Fellowship of York. I look back and consider all that the Lord has done for me and through me for His glory, up until this point. I’m thankful to be used as I continue on this journey. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA (Philly), I never imagined leaving and residing in a place that I had initially never heard of (York, PA). I made so many plans prior, but God ordered my steps.

As a child, I grew up in a Bible-believing, two-parent household with my three siblings. This is where the Lord would begin to plant seeds about Jesus. Unfortunately, I would rebel and live for myself, chasing after everything that led to destruction. At the age of 18, the sin and destruction that I so much enjoyed were no longer enjoyable, as the Lord had begun tugging on my heart and would ultimately save me from my sin through the hearing and understanding of the gospel. Through surrendering, the Lord would begin to put fellow believers in my life to fellowship with, disciple me, hold me accountable, and encourage me on how to live a life pleasing to Jesus.

At age 19, I would begin to go out with brothers in the faith to pray for and evangelize strangers/lost souls on trains and street corners. The Lord would also use me to speak boldly and share music in spiritually dark places, all to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus snatched me out of the darkness, saved me, and sent me back to now shine His light to those dead in trespasses and sin, as I once was.

While doing ministry, I would sometimes visit friends at a local Bible college. On a visit just to hang out and help my friends in ministry in the York area, I met my wife, Brittney. We would later become friends. I moved closer (with a roommate), and ultimately she and I got married. The Lord has now blessed us with four amazing children!

Over the years the Lord has allowed me to serve in various ways in ministry, from serving at my local church to local and traveling ministry engagements to simply leading a men’s Bible study in my basement. This is all just a glimpse of what the Lord has done for and through me. I’m often reminded of Acts 4:13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” It encourages me how God uses “common men” like myself for His service. As my journey continues, may Christ be glorified as I look to lovingly serve His people at Faith BFC for His kingdom’s sake. I look forward to connecting and building lasting, godly relationships with you all. Please pray for me as I pray for you.

God bless,
Joshua Vann, Elder

From the Elders: A Loving Farewell

Beginning this month, the newsletter will be published as a series of weekly articles. This week we feature parting remarks from our associate pastor, Ricardo Vargas.

From the Elders

Dear Faith Bible Fellowship Church,

For the past seven years, I have had the immense pleasure of serving you all as a youth volunteer and as one of your pastors. As I look back at the past seven years, I am humbled that the Lord would use me to play a small part in what He was doing at Faith. First and foremost, God gets all the glory for any good done at Faith over that time. I am simply humbled that He would use me at all.

As I think about my final thoughts that I would like to share with you all, I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love and support that you have shown my family and me over our time at Faith. The past seven years, we have worked through a lot of good times and a lot of challenging times, and Kasha and I truly do see you all as family. You all have been a tremendous blessing to us, and the Lord has used you all to help us grow deeper in our faith and sanctification.

I am confident that God will continue to lead this church according to His plan and purpose. As I shared on Sunday, it is my prayer moving forward that you all continue to stand firm in the faith, to seek peace amongst yourselves, to rejoice in the Lord, to be known for your graciousness, to be a praying church, and to keep your gaze on Jesus. Finally, my encouragement to you all as you continue to grow as a church, as seeds are planted, as growth begins, and as trials and tribulations may come your way, is to always stand on the Word of God. God’s Word will get you through difficult times; God’s Word will bring you closer to God; God’s Word is sufficient. God is sovereign over all things, so continue to entrust yourselves into His care. This is not a good-bye; this is until next time.

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Ricardo Vargas