A Welcome Comment

One of our members posted the following note on her status after our annual members meeting in January. It was an encouragement to me as a Pastor and I thought I would pass it on to those who did not get a chance to read it on Facebook.

I am so thankful to be part of a church where the preaching of God's Word challenges me to keep growing; where the Pastor loves what he does and who he ministers to; where the people are a family who encourage, pray for, and enjoy fellowshiping with each other; and where there is plenty of room to serve the Lord together. (even business meetings can be fun in such a church!)

A comment from another member on this post:

You summed it up well.

I am thankful to be part of a church where the folks feel and think like this. It makes it a joy to Pastor.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Warnings

In a couple of days is the "Ides of March." While most of us do not use the terms "ides", many of us have undoubtedly heard the expression, "Beware the ides of March."

William Shakespeare includes the following exchange in his play, Julius Ceasar.

Act 1, Scene 2
Soothsayer: Caesar!
CAESAR Ha! who calls?
CASCA Bid every noise be still: peace yet again!
CAESAR : Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry 'Caesar!' Speak; Caesar is turn'd to hear.
Soothsayer: Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: What man is that?
BRUTUS : A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.
CAESAR: Set him before me; let me see his face.
CASSIUS : Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.
CAESAR What say'st thou to me now? speak once again.
Soothsayer Beware the ides of March.
CAESAR He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass.

Later, in Act 3, Scene 1

CAESAR [To the Soothsayer] The ides of March are come.
Soothsayer Ay, Caesar; but not gone.

While we generally think of the exchange as simply a story by Shakespeare, according to ancient Greek historian Plutarch in his "Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans", a similar exchange did exist - and it was this that Shakespeare later based his scene upon.

Plutarch - Life of Caesar

The following story, too, is told by many. A certain seer warned Caesar to be on his guard against a great peril on the day of the month of March which the Romans call the Ides; and when the day had come and Caesar was on his way to the senate-house, he greeted the seer with a jest and said: "Well, the Ides of March are come," and the seer said to him softly: "Ay, they are come, but they are not gone."

If the story is true, Julius Caesar was warned to be on his guard and even warned what day it would be - but he refused to take the warning seriously.

Warnings are important. Warnings often make the difference between life and death and between success and failure. In Ezekiel chapter 3:16-21 and Ezekiel 33:1-9 we find some important instructions about warnings.

Eze 3:16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

One of the things we notice in both of these passages is that there is a proper way that warnings are to be dealt with and there is an improper way. Our need to deal properly with warnings is evident whether we are the one giving the warning or the one receiving the warning. We must deal with warnings properly.

I. If we are going to deal properly with warnings we must understand the Nature of Warnings

One of the Leadership Principles from AACS: "Discipline is good, not bad." We could correctly paraphrase that as well to tell us that "Warnings are good, not bad."

When we view warnings as bad, we are hesitant to give the needed warning and when we view warnings as bad, we are angry when we have been given a warning.

A Biblical understanding of warnings, however, tells us that warnings are not a bad thing. Warnings are not given against the person, but are given for the person.

A. Warnings are designed to enlighten, not enrage.

B. Warnings are designed to protect, not punish

When you love someone, you want to protect them and so it is necessary to warn them.

C. Warnings are a depiction of concern, not condemnation

When Paul writes to the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 4:14, he mentions the relationship in connection with the warning.

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

Solomon reminds us of this truth, as well:

Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Therefore, we need to understand it is the loving thing to do to warn others and that the person who is warning you is the one who is loving you. The one who is telling you it is okay to continue in your sin is the one who is hating you.

II. If We are Going to Deal Properly with Warnings, we must understand the Instruments of Warnings


There are some instruments that God uses to warn us. Two of those instruments are mentioned in this passage.

A. The Word of God - "hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." (Ezek 3:17)

The Psalmist and Paul also remind us that the Word of God gives us warning and reproof.

Ps 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That is one reason why it is so difficult to be faithful to your devotions when you are choosing sin - you don't want to hear the warnings from God's Word. It is also one of the reasons why it is easier to get involved in sin when you are not being faithful with your time in God's Word - you are missing out on the warnings from God's word.

Someone has said "This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book."

The second instrument that God has chosen to give warning is his people.

B. The People of God

This whole passage emphasizes the fact that God has chosen people to give warnings.

The reality is that we, as believers, are to be instruments of warnings to others.

Paul repeatedly emphasizes this point:

Ac 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Ro 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

III. The Response to Warnings

One of the most important things to understand about warnings, is the response to warnings. In Ezekiel 33:3-5, we have a record of the two responses to warnings:

If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

A. A Warning May Be Rejected

When legitimate warnings are rejected, the one rejecting the warning is heading for destruction.

Again Proverbs reminds of this:
Proverbs 29:1 ¶ He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

(See also Proverbs 1:24-31)

Repeatedly we see this in Scripture. Ahab & Jezebel rejected, rather than accepted the warnings of God through Elijah - and God destroyed them. Pharoah & the Egyptians rejected, rather than accepted the warnings of God through Moses - and God brought great destruction.

B. A Warning May Be Accepted

Ezek 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

David understood the proper response to a warning and he said in Psalm 141:5 "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities."

God in His great mercy and love offers you a different path. If you choose to heed His warnings, you shall be delivered rather than destroyed.

This is the desired response - by God and by the warner. (Matt 18:15 - "thou hast gained thy brother"; Gal 6:1 - "restore such a one")


Warnings are important and we must deal with warnings properly. When we understand the Biblical truth regarding warnings, we should be much more inclined to deal with warnings properly. We must understand the nature of warnings - that they are "Good, not bad" - that they are designed to enlighten, not enrage, they are designed to protect, not punish and they are a depiction of concern, not condemnation. We must understand the instruments of warning - that God has chosen to warn us through His Word and through His people. And we must make the right response to warning - accepting rather than rejecting the warnings.

The story of Harry Randall Truman from Mt. St. Helens is a great illustration of the danger of refusing to heed a warning. (You can read of Harry Truman at Wikipedia here.)
Harry Truman was warned again and again of the dangers, yet he refused to heed the warnings and destruction and death came.

What is God dealing with you about today? What warning has God brought up to you? Perhaps God is warning you about the danger of your eternal soul - will you heed his warning today? Perhaps God is warning you about a particular sin that you are allowing into your life - will you heed his warning today?

Will you deal properly with warnings today?


(The preceding reflection is based on this morning's sermon at Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury.)

Good Soldiers

One of our men leaves this coming week to serve our country in the middle east. He is a good man and he loves the Lord, he loves his family, and he loves his country. He will be missed around here by many (including me and my family), but I rejoice in his willingness to serve our nation and I will pray for his safety as he is away, as well as for his influence for Christ amongst his fellow-soldiers and for his family that is left behind.

The Bible often uses the picture of soldiers and physical warfare to remind believers of the very real, but invisible, spiritual warfare of which we are all involved. As I thought of my friend in preparation for leaving this week, I was drawn to Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Paul uses a number of illustrations in this passage regarding the nature of Christian service and Christian living. Among these illustrations are comparisons to racing or competition ("strive for masteries"), to farming ("the husbandman that laboureth"), and this passage here on being a good soldier.

When Paul speaks of this soldier, I find it challenging to consider the traits that he lists, for these traits ought to be evident not only in the lives of good soldiers who are fighting the physical battles, but of all of us who desire to fight successfully in the spiritual warfare.

A Good Soldier Endures Hardness

One of the realities of being a soldier is that there is often times great hardship in being a soldier. There is the hardship of the conditions in the field. There is the hardship of the lost opportunities of things that could be done were the soldier at home instead of far away. Perhaps the greatest hardship, however, is the hardship of separation from loved ones.

In the spiritual realm, there are times when there may be physical hardships in the spiritual battles - and Paul certainly knew something of those hardships (see 2 Corinthians 10, for instance), the reality for most believers in America is that any "hardness" we may have to endure for Christ is not likely to be that of the physical nature. The reality is that the hardness that you and I are most likely to be called to endure involves relationships - relationships that are strained as we seek to do those things that are pleasing to Christ rather than following through with the world's way of doing things. Of course, as believers, we can take heart in the Lord's promise that this is to be expected (John 15:18).

A Good Soldier Ends Entanglements

Another reality of being a good soldier is that the soldier who is on the battlefield has to recognize that the entanglements of this world need to be avoided if he is going to fight successfully. Focusing on the things of his world back home instead of focusing on the task at hand can be very dangerous on the battlefield. Even good things must be left behind for the sake of successful soldiering.

In the spiritual realm, the picture is again obvious. Believers need to be careful to end entanglements with the things of this world if we are going to successfully serve as soldiers for Christ. It should be obvious that the sinful things of this world ought to be avoided - after all, "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) However, successful soldiering does not just involve ending the entanglements with sinful things. Successful soldiering also often requires that we get rid of the silly things and even the "not bad, but unnecessary" things.

A Good Soldier Pleases His Commander

Another reality of the characteristics of a good soldier is that the good soldier is careful to do those things that please his commander. He does not follow his own agenda in the battle, but he instead follows the orders and instructions given unto him by his commander. A soldier that "goes rogue" is a danger to himself and those around him.

In the spiritual realm, believers need to be focused on pleasing Christ. While we recognize that we can do in our own strength apart from Christ (John 15:5), He has nevertheless given us instructions and commands and as good soldiers it should be our hearts desire and our life's practice to please Him. Too many times it is easy for believers to pursue our own agenda rather than Christ's agenda. Our flesh wants us to please it, instead of pleasing Christ. The world around us clamors for us to please the world instead of pleasing Christ. A good soldier focuses instead on pleasing Christ.


What about your life? Are you a good soldier of Jesus Christ?

Have you shown yourself to be a person who is willing to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to take the ridicule of "friends" and even family for standing up for Christ and the truth? Enduring hardness requires dedication to the cause and discipline to carry through.

What is your relationship to the entanglements of this world? Are you eliminating all sinful, silly, and useless entanglements or are you caught in a web of wrong actions, wrong affections and wasted time?

When we think of our daily walk, whose agenda are we pursuing? Who are we seeking to please? Are we seeking to please our Master and Commander or are we seeking to please ourselves?

May each of us strive to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.


In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone


* The preceding is (to some degree) a summarized reflection on the message I preached this morning at Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury. The audio of the sermon is available upon request.

Pastor's Report for 2010 (submitted for 2011 Annual Members Meeting)

(Every year we have our Annual Members Meeting in January. At this meeting we review the previous year and seek to give some direction regarding the coming year. The following is a copy of the Pastor's Report for 2010, given at our Annual Members Meeting in January 2011). (Some edits have been made due to the "world wide" nature of the internet.)

Pastor's Report - 2010

I continue to be amazed at God's blessings. God is clearly doing a work here at Fellowship Baptist Church and for that I rejoice.

After a very eventful year in 2009 that brought significant growth in the number of attenders at Fellowship Baptist Church, 2010 brought some stability to that growth. This was seen in the steadiness of our weekly attendance, which averaged about 55 for the year. This was also seen by a seven new families officially joining the church during this year.

One of the most significant steps that we made in 2010 as a church was with the addition of regular weekly teen and children's ministries, starting in October. This is a big step for our church and it has been encouraging to see the faithfulness of the young people to both the ProTeens program for teenagers and the Truth Tracker program for children. I greatly appreciate the leadership of Brent Zockoll in leading the ProTeens program and of Commander Al and Angie Gore in leading the Truth Trackers program. I also appreciate the many other helpers and teachers who work in both of these programs.

This year featured a number of events and activities, including an adult fellowship, ladies retreat, teens at summer camp for the Wilds, a "Digital Dash" youth activity, Vacation Bible School during the summer, a family bike hike and a fall family fest. We also were able to enjoy our 5th Annual Father-Son Camp-out with some good fun and fellowship at the Insley's home in Tyaskin and our annual Pie N Praise, Christmas program, Christmas Eve candlelight service, Baptisms in the Nanticoke River and many more.

This year has seen a number of folks struggle with various sickness and we rejoice that even through these times of difficulty, we have a great God Whose way is always best. At the end of 2010, we were saddened with the death of Mr. Dick G., but we rejoice that Dick is now with the Christ he loved. Many of us also experienced the loss of family and friends in this year, including the death of my own father on February 28.

On the home front, I rejoice in the continued love and growth of my family. Missy continues to work hard at the hospital and serve in many capacities here at the church. Most importantly, she stands beside me as my helper and watches over our family. It seems hard to believe how much the children have grown in the time we have been here in Salisbury. I have had the privilege to baptize my two oldest children here and I rejoice that Rebekah trusted in Christ this Easter and look forward to baptizing her in the days ahead.

I have appreciated the continued assistance of and support of the Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches to our church this year. It was an encouragement that a few different churches took up the call to help us with the outreach effort of "Project Salisbury" that we put into effect in the fall. Although we did not see the results we would have liked, the effort of those who supported us was an encouragement to me.

I have appreciated the work that many have put into the ministry of the church over this past year. It is truly a good and Biblical thing that so many are actively functioning to "do the work of the ministry" (Eph. 4:12). It is my prayer that this continues and abounds in the coming days.

I want to thank you and I want to thank the Lord for the privilege He has given me of serving here as your Pastor. We love you guys and we look forward to what is going to do in coming days.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Pastor's Pen - 2010-08-22

An Eventful Time

The next month or so should prove to be an eventful time here at Fellowship Baptist Church.

Next Sunday we will celebrate with a church dinner and then a Baptism service at the Nanticoke River. It is always a highlight of our church year to be able to worship together and to see believers obey the Lord by being baptized.

Our Lord Himself commanded us to baptize (Matthew 28:19) and set an example for us by being baptized Himself (Matthew 3:13- 17). When these folks are baptized next week, it is a testimony not only of their following Christ in obedience, but also a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to those watching.

Not only do we get to celebrate these baptisms, in the coming days there are a number of other events that demand our time, attention and prayer.

* On October 10, our church will celebrate our church anniversary with a special service and a lunch.

* On October 13, we will be launching our first-ever weekly teen ministry and weekly children's ministry.

* On October 17, we will be beginning a new Sunday afternoon Bible study that I think will be informative and challenging.

In addition to these events, there are many other things that are happening. From Labor Day to the start of school to Promotion Sunday for Sunday School to an FFBC Youth Rally, the calendar is filling up with many opportunities for ministry and fellowship.

Pastor's Pen - 2010-08-15

A Good Week at the FFBC Annual Conference

My family and I had the privilege to attend the 71st Annual Conference of the Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churche at Tri-State Bible Camp and Conference Center this past week. It was a good few days with some other good and Godly men and their families.

The FFBC Annual Conference is an interesting combination of events. As the Annual Conference, it serves as the annual business meeting of the FFBC, complete with reports, budgets, elections, motions and all of the other stuff that make business meetings exciting and fun :) However, it is much more than just a business meeting. It is also a time of encouragement and spiritual challenge, as well as a time for some relaxation and fun.

This year our main speaker was Dr. Dick Stratton of Clearwater Christian College. Dr. Stratton not only preached Monday and Tuesday nights and for a chapel on Wednesday morning, he also led a workshop and participated in many of the other workshops. Dr. Stratton came down with Kidney Stones on Wednesday, so Pastor Mark Franklin played "pinch hitter" and preached a very good message from the book of Numbers. Mrs. Holly Stratton (Dick's wife and the speaker for this last year's Ladies Retreat) also spoke to the ladies three times during the week.

This year we also had a series of workshops that were offered and were well attended. I had the privilege of leading a workshop on Tuesday morning entitled, "Whatcha' Reading?" I was encouraged by the response to the workshop and pray that it was helpful.

Being at a camp, there are a lot of other activities that are available. The Pastors won this year's Pastor/Delegate Softball Game, folks went fishing, shot archery, played Tri-State Dodgeball, went swimming, worked on crafts, played carpetball, and spent some much needed time relaxing on the porch for fellowship and counsel. I also participated in at least four executive committee meetings, regular meetings, and was reelected to serve on the Executive Committee for another two years.

Pastor's Pen - 2010-08-08

The FFBC Annual Conference

This afternoon, my family and I will head up to Montague, New Jersey to participate in the 2010 Annual Conference of the Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches.

As many of you are aware, our church became a member of the Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches in August of 2007 at the Annual Conference. As a member of the FFBC, we stand together with other churches of like precious faith and seek to be a voice for Christ in the midst of a world of darkness.

The FFBC started in 1939 as the "Bible Protestant Church" - a Fundamental response to the theological liberalism that was becoming more and more prominent in the day. While the FFBC has changed in some of its details over the years - including the changing of the name in the 1980s, this group has continued to stand firmly on the Word of God and I rejoice that our church is able to stand with them.

The Fellowship of Fundamental Bible Churches has a couple of ministries that we are able to do as a group. Our church personally benefits from the "Church Development Program" which helps small churches and church plants through financial assistance. The FFBC also has an Annual Youth Rally - this year's is Sept. 25 in Carneys Point, New Jersey, a youth essay contest, a small church-housed Bible institute, and some other forms of ministries. The most prominent and recognized ministry of the FFBC is probably Tri-State Bible Camp, located on the Delaware River where New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania meet.

For the last few years I have had the privilege of serving on the Executive Committee of the FFBC and I rejoice in that opportunity of leadership within the FFBC. The Annual Conference is an interesting combination of business meeting, camp, activities, workshops and preaching. This year Dr. Richard Stratton from Clearwater Christian College is our main speaker.

In addition to participating in the Executive Committee meetings and the business meetings, this year I will also be leading a workshop on Tuesday morning. Please pray for us while we are gone.

Pastor's Pen - 2010-08-01

The following is taken from the August 1, 2010 edition of the Pastor's Pen (which is printed on the back side of our Sunday bulletin).

What a week!

This past week we had Vacation Bible School here at Fellowship Baptist Church from Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. It was great to see all of the young people come out each day to hear the Bible taught and to participate in the games and crafts.

We had a pretty consistent group just over 30 children each day of Vacation Bible School and from the reports I have heard over the week, they all had a great time.

Not only did we have a good group of young people come out for the Vacation Bible School, we also had a great team of workers. As I was trying to figure out exactly how many adults and young people came out to help with Vacation Bible School, I discovered that at least 20 workers participated in at least one aspect of the ministry at least one day. Many folks wore multiple hats throughout the week and in the days preceding VBS as the building was decorated, flyers were given out, and much "behind the scenes" type of work was completed. A lot of the clean-up has been completed, but you will probably notice little things that still need to completed as you move around today. Use those things as a reminder to pray that the Lord will continue to work in the lives of those touched by our Vacation Bible School this week.

Not only did we have Vacation Bible School for the younger children during the week, on Friday evening we had the Cola Clash Youth Rallyand had around 20 young people come out and participate in the Cola Clash. We had a good time and a Gospel message was preached. I again wish to thank all of those involved with helping out with the Cola Clash.

Debra Blades

Today will be Debra Blades' last Sunday here at Fellowship before she moves to Tennessee to live with sister. We have loved having Debra as part of our church and will greatly miss her smiling face. Please continue to pray for her as she moves to Tennessee and continues to battle cancer.

The Pastor's Pen - 2010-07-25

The following is from the Pastor's Pen that occurs on the backside of our Sunday bulletin.

Vacation Bible School is Here!

One of the songs that my home church would sing for Vacation Bible School started off with the words, "Vacation Bible School is here, and to it we'll give a cheer." As you look around the church today, the fact that Vacation Bible School is here should be obvious.

I hope that the Vacation Bible School decorations and items spread throughout the building serve as a reminder for you to be praying for Vacation Bible School this week. While a lot of work has went into getting things ready for this week, God's blessing is necessary if anything of value is to be accomplished this week of Vacation Bible School This really is a great opportunity to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a number of children.

Our theme for Vacation Bible School this week is "SeaQuest: Diving for God's Treasure" and features lessons concerning treasures taken from the parables of Jesus Christ - for instance the parables of the treasure hid in the field and the pearl of great price.

The Cola Clash is Friday

While you are thinking and praying about Vacation Bible School, please also pray for The Cola Clash Youth Rally that we will be hosting on Friday night. This event will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be a great time for the teens as they participate in a number of games and activities. Please take a few flyers and invite out some teens that you know (or even teens you don't know) to join us for this activity.

Church Website

The church website has been updated and moved to a new hosts over the summer. There is still work to be done on the site, but it has been greatly improved. A special thanks is due to Scott Zockoll for his work in getting the website moved to its new location and working on improving the layout and design. Thanks, Scotty.

Some Thoughts Regarding Youth Ministries

This month will be a very busy month around here at Fellowship Baptist Church, especially in the area of ministry to youth and children. While we do not have large numbers of young people at our church, we do believe that ministering to young people is very important.

Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me" (Mark 10:14) and warned in Matthew 18:6 "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

In the next few weeks, please be in prayer for the following four major events will be occurring involving our church and young people:

1. Teen Week at The Wilds
The teens leave TOMORROW for a great week at The Wilds. Weeks at The Wilds have often proven to be weeks of great spiritual challenge and encouragement in addition to a great time of fun, excitement and memories. This year we have five young people going to camp and Mr. John Crowley will be taking them. This trip leaves tomorrow morning. Please be in prayer for this week.

In addition to praying for this week, we will have a special offering after the morning service to try to help with some of the cost of this week of camp. In addition to the cost of getting back and forth to camp, we would also like to provide assistance to some of the young people who need financial assistance to help cover the cost of camp. Please prayerfully consider what you can give for this offering.

2. Junior Week at Tri-State Bible Camp
Next week, the junior age young people are heading off to Tri-State Bible Camp in New Jersey. There are still openings for this week if anyone would like to attend.

3. Vacation Bible School
We will be hosting our annual VBS the week of July 26-30 from 9 am - 12 noon. In addition to helping out the days of VBS, we also could use help with snacks, prizes, inviting folks out and more.

4. Cola Clash Youth Rally
On Friday, July 30, we will have a Cola Clash Youth Rally here at the church for young people in grades 7-12. We look forward to an exciting time of outreach.

Easter Season is upon us

This time of year is an exciting time of year for a lot of people.

Spring is in the air - and with it comes flowers, grass, and the sense that everything is new again. The deadness of winter is passed and life is springing up everywhere.

More important than the advent of spring, however, is that this time of year also leads us to a more focused attention on the central message of Christianity - the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While it is true that every Sunday is a reminder of the Resurrection (and one of the reasons we worship on Sundays), there is a special sense in which Resurrection Sunday (Easter) brings a focus on the vitally important events that make up the Passion Week - the week which brought the crowd's praise on Palm Sunday and the crowd's cries of "Crucify Him" later in the week. The week that culminated with a sham trial, a broken and bloody and crucified Savior, and a discouraged following.

As we end the week, it looked like all was lost - when it reality things were just beginning.

"Up from the grave He arose" begins the chorus of the great Robert Lowry hymn - and what a triumphant truth that is. Jesus Christ arose!! Death could not keep its prey. Jesus died for our sins and He was resurrected and in doing so, He was declared the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4).

Please join us over this season as we take some time to look into God's word and to consider the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Wow! What a past couple of weeks!

The last couple of weeks has been a very unusual time here in Salisbury. The strong snow storms back to back to back have taken a toll on a lot of folks. With roofs collapsing, cars getting stuck, children staying home from school day after day, and church services having been cancelled for two Sundays and a Wednesday night, it seems like we live in a winter wonderland rather than our normally sunny Delmarva.

We still have some work to do over the next couple of days to try to get the parking lot and sidewalks at church cleared off, but barring something unforseen, we should be able to have our services again this Sunday. (YAY!)

For those who may not have heard, due to the snow and the cancelled services, our Fellowship Sunday has been moved to February 28th. We will also have the Annual Members Meeting on that day after the Fellowship Meal.

It is my understanding that blogger is making some adjustments to the way that it does hosted blogs, so I may also be needing to make some adjustments to this small (and seldom used) pastoral blog some time in the near future.

Have a good day and may you focus on Christ as you walk and work today.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

A Note About Goodsearch and Goodshop

A Note About GoodSearch and GoodShop

GoodSearch is an organization that provide an opportunity to support the churches and charities in a pain-free and cost-free method. At the end of 2007, after researching Goodsearch, I completed the steps necessary for Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury to be able to receive funds from the Goodsearch program. We recently received our check from Goodsearch for 2009 in the amount of $55.24 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to explain the program and to encourage you to use Goodsearch and Goodshop if you use the internet - or have friends and family that use the internet.

How does Goodsearch work?

Goodsearch provides a donation to the church whenever you use Goodsearch to search the internet - instead of using Google or some other search engine. The search results are powered by Yahoo!, so the search results are good results. Anyone who uses the internet already uses some method to search the internet, with Goodsearch, we are simply asking that choice of search engine to be Goodsearch and that the designated charity be Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury.

It is a blessing to be able to receive this money and for a small church like Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury, even a relatively small amount of money like this can help offset the cost of Sunday School curriculum or Vacation Bible School materials or Jr. Church materials or tracts or bulletins. The more people who use Goodsearch for us, the more we are able to raise. The amount of money raised last year was from a relatively few people searching.

In addition to being able to receive donations by simply using GoodSearch as you search the internet, over the last year or so, Goodsearch has added a program called GoodShop. GoodShop uses the same concept, except that instead of making a donation for searching, it makes a donation when you buy something online by going through GoodShop to get to the store's online presence. The stores represented by GoodShop are places many of us go shopping anyway, such as Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, Staples, Petsmart, etc. The difference is that you would be making your purchases online instead of at the store. Depending on the store, you may even be able to make your purchase online and pick it up at the store in person (or have it shipped to you - or to a loved one in another part of the country for Christmas). The amount of donation from Goodshop purchases are a percentage of the overall purchase, so that purchasing that Wii from Target through Goodsearch (instead of just going over there) could result in a donation of $7.00 (3.5% of $200).

How do I use Goodsearch?

Goodsearch has made the process pretty easy. You can either go directly to the site (www.goodsearch.com) and enter "Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury" in the box that asks "Who do you Goodsearch for?". This should only have to be entered once. You could also just simply CLICK HERE and it will already be pre-populated with the information for Fellowship Baptist Church. In addition to this, they also have a Goodsearch toolbar that you use that adds a Goodsearch search box to your Internet browser, allowing you to search for anything you want from anywhere on the internet (using this feature, you don't have to leave the page you are looking at in order to search for something else).

You can Goodsearch at your home computer or from any other computer you use. Even if you don't use the internet very much, perhaps a friend or relative may be willing to "Goodsearch" for us (my sister and mom in Illinois use Goodsearch for our church). If you need help with setting this up, please see me.

While we are not going to raise a large amount of money through this method, it can definitely be a help. If we had just 50 people using Goodsearch an average of ten times a day for searching, we would raise over $1500 during the course of a year. If we had 25 people make $100 purchases that they were aleady going to make at Staples (for instance), it would be an additional $50.

So, thanks to Goodsearch for the recent donation and thank you to all of you who already use Goodsearch for Fellowship Baptist Church. If you don't, would you consider helping us out in this way? Click here to get started.

Thanks for your help,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Some Thoughts on Christian Camping

This week the junior age young people from Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury are enjoying a week of camp at Tri-State Bible Camp in Montague, New Jersey. Tri-State is a smaller camp that is doing a good job of providing a quality Christian camping experience in a beautiful location on the Delaware River at the border of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. We have enjoyed our visits to Tri-State as a family over the years, although this is the first year that our own children have went away for a week of camp without us being present with them.

I appreciate the work that Chris and Michelle Jenkins are doing up at Tri-State and the leadership they are providing at the camp. I can't wait until Josiah and Christina get home and we can talk about the things they learned this week at camp and I can hear about what God has done in their lives this week.

It was at Ironwood Christian Camp in California the summer between my Junior and Senior years of high school where the Lord called me to full-time ministry and the ministry of camping has always had a special place in my heart. I have enjoyed the opportunities over the years to work as a counselor at some quality Christian camps and to preach at a few different Christian camps.

One of the greatest benefits of Christian camping is the fact that it provides a great opportunity to get away from the distractions of this world and have an extended time of focus on God and God's Word.

One of the realities of life (like we discussed a few weeks ago in our Sunday afternoon Bible study) is that prolonged and involved exposure to the Son of God through the Word of God has an evident effect upon a believer - just as prolonged exposure to the sun has an evident effect upon a person.

Camp provides a great opportunity for that kind of prolonged exposure. However, as believers, while we can rejoice in the opportunities for prolonged exposure to God's Son that is provided at a Camp or Retreat, we should recognize that we need continued exposure to God's Son through God's Word if we are going to have change that is lasting and fruitful.

Thank you, Tri-State, for providing this ministry for the young people at our church and others. Thank you, FBC family, for allowing us the opportunity to take young people from here to camp each summer.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

A Good Sunday at Fellowship Baptist

We had a good day today at Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury. It was great to have some visitors out and to have some other folks back who have been away for awhile.

It was also especially nice to have Dr. Terry Smith and a group from Hardingville Bible Church join us for the services. It is always nice to see old friends.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

What a Great Week of Vacation Bible School

Wow! This last week has been a great week of Vacation Bible School at Fellowship Baptist Church. We have had a good turn-out and it has been great to have all the children and young people join us for the week of learning great Bible truths, singing, playing, eating, making crafts and enjoying time together. The young people were excited and well-behaved and the VBS staff we had this year was second to none.

Thank you to everyone that helped out and to all of the parents who allowed us to minister to your young people this week at Vacation Bible School. We would love for you to join us for Sunday School and Church this Sunday - or any Sunday.

Our Sunday School is for all ages - including adults - and begins at 10:00 a.m. Our morning service is at 11:00 a.m. and we have Jr. Church for children who wish to attend the Jr. Church service.

Thanks again children, parents, and helpers. I hope to post some VBS pictures on the church website this coming week.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Vacation Bible School is here!!!

Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury is hosting VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL the week of July 13 - 17 for children ages 4 years old through finishing 6th grade.

VBS is always a great time of fun and fellowship at FBC and VBS is FREE and will feature Bible Stories, singing, games, crafts, snacks and more. Many folks have been working diligently to make this our best Vacation Bible School ever.

VBS is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon each day, Monday through Friday. We have classes for different age groups and a well-staffed group of teachers and helpers.

For more information or if you need a ride, please call 410-341-7100.

For directions and more information call 410-341-7100 or email pastor@fellowshipbaptist-salisbury.org.

Look forward to seeing you here.

In Christ,

Pastor Frank Sansone

Church Christmas Letter # 2

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Matthew 2:10

Dear Church Family,

When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced. Christmas is a time of great rejoicing. It is a time when we rejoice in time spent with family and friends. It is a time when we rejoice with the songs of the season and the things that remind us of yesteryear. Most importantly, Christmas should be a time when we rejoice in the birth of the Savior.

This year has been an exciting and difficult year here at Fellowship Baptist Church. We have had the excitement of the salvation of Lila, followed a week later by the sadness of the stroke to Nancy. We have had the excitement of being given one van only to discover we couldn't get it through Maryland's inspection. We have had the excitement of the Lord's provision of another wheelchair accessible van and the excitement of a good turn-out for our summer Vacation Bible School. We have had the difficulties of many of our church family facing times of physical, financial, and even spiritual trials.

In November, I preached a message in which I referenced a quote from Winston Churchill regarding "insurmountable opportunities." The phrase was meant to convey the idea that the task ahead was a task of difficulty, but was also a task that could reap great benefit and great fruit. As I look ahead to the coming year, I believe that we, as a church, are facing some "insurmountable opportunities" from a human perspective, but I rejoice that even as the Christmas story reminds us, "with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37)

In the coming days, we, as a church, need to be more diligent than ever in our attempt to reach out for Christ and to stand for Him in the midst of a lost and dying world. May I ask you to seriously pray about your involvement here at Fellowship Baptist Church during the days ahead? I am excited about some of the things that we have planned for the days ahead, but I recognize that for many of them to have the impact that they can and should have, we, as a church family, need to show ourselves faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2 tells us that "it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." The requirement isn't exceptional abilities or great wealth - it is faithfulness. As we look forward to another year of ministry, may we be faithful in our attendance, faithful in our witnessing, faithful in our Christian walk, living for and depending on Christ in every area of our life.

May God give you a blessed Christmas season and may the New Year be a year in which we all grow closer to Christ and see Him work in us and through us in an even greater way.

In Christ,



Pastor Frank Sansone and family

2008 Church Christmas Letter 1

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Matthew 2:10

When the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced. Christmas is a time of great rejoicing. It is a time when we rejoice in time spent with family and friends. It is a time when we rejoice with the songs of the season and the things that remind us of yesteryear. Most importantly, Christmas should be a time when we rejoice in the birth of the Savior.

God is a giving God and has given unto us His Son, Jesus Christ, to born in a lowly manger, to live a sinless and spotless life, to die on the cross for our sins, and to rise again in power and glory.

As the Christmas season is upon us, may our minds not only be filled with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads, but may our minds and hearts be filled with a love for the One who gave everything for us. The Bible tells us in John 3:16 that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The Bible relates to us the wonderful truth that Jesus Christ came to save us from our sin and that he lived a perfect, sinless life and died a cruel death on the cross of Calvary to be our Substitute and our Savior.

December is a special time for at Fellowship Baptist Church, and we would like to invite you to join us for our Special Christmas Sunday Service this coming Sunday, December 21. As part of our service that morning, the children will be performing a program called "There's A Song in the Air." We will also have a great time of singing, special music, a special Christmas-themed message and a Fellowship Lunch with plenty of great food and good fellowship after the service.

Whether you are a regular attender or whether you have not been out for awhile, wouldn't this Christmas Sunday be a great Sunday to come back out and join us at Fellowship Baptist Church?

May God give you a Blessed Christmas in which the Gift of Christmas remains foremost in your mind.


In Christ,



Pastor Frank Sansone

Join us for our 10th Anniversary Service

Fellowship Baptist Church of Salisbury, Maryland would love to invite you to join us as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary on Sunday, October 12, 2008.

Ten years ago a small group of believers began to meet in a home and eventually formed what became Messiah Baptist Fellowship. Pastor Steve Wagner served as Pastor of this small group of believers and they were soon able to secure a meeting place next to the Red Door Sub Shop on South Salisbury Boulevard. Over the next five-plus years, this little church remained faithful to the Word of God under Pastor Wagner's leadership and was privileged to see some folks come to Christ for salvation and some other believers who were looking for a good church come and join Messiah Baptist Fellowship.

Sensing the Lord's leading into full-time Jewish missions, Pastor Wagner and his wife relocated to South Carolina where he continues to serve with Messiah Ministries. Dr. William Woodhall, who had faithfully served as Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lewes, Delaware for 33 years served as the Interim Pastor of Messiah Baptist Fellowship for most of 2004 and provided needed stability to this small flock during this time without a full-time Pastor.

In October 2004, Messiah Baptist Fellowship called Frank Sansone to serve as Pastor and Pastor Sansone and his family officially started on December 5, 2004. The last few years we have rejoiced in God's continued working in our church. Over these last few years, we have seen the Lord add to His church and we have seen growth in the people of God. In the Spring of 2006, the Lord provided us with a building at 1308 Robins Avenue and we changed our name to Fellowship Baptist Church. Since then, we have also rejoiced as this new building has allowed us to have the addition of Sunday School for all ages, some youth activities, and the excitement of Vacation Bible School in the summer. We have also rejoiced in Baptisms in the Nanticoke River and at a neighboring church, and the recent provision of a handicap-accessible van in specific answer to prayer.

For our 10th Anniversary, we invite you to join us for a very special Sunday. We would like to extend a special invitation to any of our friends who have been part of the ministry here over the years to "come home" for this Sunday. We also invite our neighbors and friends from the Salisbury area to join us for this Special Anniversary Sunday. All of the men who have served as Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church will be preaching. Dr. Woodhall will be preaching during the Sunday School hour at 10:00 a.m., Pastor Sansone will preach the morning service at 11:00 a.m. and Pastor Wagner will preach the afternoon service at 2:00 p.m. We will also be have a special lunch at the church between the morning and afternoon service, complete with good food prepared by the folks at Fellowship.

If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to call the church at 410-341-7100.