Pelham Road Baptist Church

Who is holy? Pastor John looks at Exodus and 1 Peter to help understand that the answer may be closer to us than we think.

Whether we are together in the sanctuary or joining at home, we are all together in one God. We love that you join us for worship each week. May your heart be filled with God's love, and your life with God's presence. https://youtu.be/DIWc-b5I504

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

At children’s camp today. Kids were having fun. You know me, best part was lunch! (Sam)

VBS throwback picture! Look closely at the faces.

Literal or Cultural: Women's Role in the Scriptures
By John Roy

The only thing harder than understanding the scripture is living out the words of scripture. Living this faith is a challenge. Yet, at times, making sense of scripture is even more so.

I customarily try to hit the high points that my simple mind can comprehend. Like “God so loved the world he gave his only son,” or “those who are first will be last, and the last will be first,” or “remove the log from your eye before you worry about the sawdust in your brothers.” These are ideas I can wrap my small mind around. The old timey preachers would call me a “wader” - I don’t go into the deep water.

It's not that I’m scared, it’s that when you are swimming in living water, the depth no longer matters, the shallow water is just as refreshing.

Yet, for a moment I am going to venture into the deep end of the pool. I do so because I think someone referred to me as a “false teacher.” I’ve been called worse. When I differ with another, I usually chalk it up to us not sharing the same brain. When others disagree with me they usually call me a “false teacher.”

In First Timothy the author writes, “Women are . . . (to dress) without braided hair or gold jewelry or expensive clothes” (2:9). Later it is also written, “Women ought to be quiet . . . a woman cannot teach or have authority over a man” (2:12). If logic was used in biblical interpretation, you would interpret these passages in similar fashion. After all they are three verses apart. Either you take both of them literally or you see them both bound by the culture of the 1st century. Which would mean they would need a bit of updating for application in the 21st century.

My problem is not with people who take these passages literally. Neither do I have a problem with others who see these passages bound by a first century paternal reading, in need of a more nuanced application. My issue revolves around interpreting one literally, “women ought not teach men” and interpreting the other as “cultural” and explaining it away, “women are not to braid their hair.”

I’m a simple person, but I know we can’t use the scripture like this. The Bible is not playdough we can mold into saying what we want. The same folks who oppress women with “women ought not teach” say nothing to women who wear gold rings and necklaces to church. The message sent to women is “you are here to be SEEN not HEARD. Look good but be quiet.” Such biblical gymnastics is the real false teaching.

For my part I think women should talk as much as men and I encourage them to wear whatever they can afford and are comfortable with. I don’t do this lightly. I take the Bible seriously.

The letters written to Timothy, were written while Timothy was in Ephesus. Paul knew Ephesus. Paul spent two years in Ephesus. I suspect Paul knew the names of the women he is writing about, knew their wardrobe and what they said. Paul is warning Timothy about PARTICULAR women. Paul does not call their names for the same reason we don’t call out people by name, it’s not polite and it rarely helps. Thus, Paul is concerned about particular women in Ephesus. The first rule of interpreting the scripture is “what did it mean to the original audience.”

So, I apply these verses to any people, male or female, whose words hurt the congregation or whose dress disrupts worship. Men can be as guilty as women. Anyone who is spreading rumors or sowing discontent in a church should, “be quiet.” Further anyone who is drawing attention to themselves with expensive jewelry or thousand-dollar suits, should wear those to dinner parties not worship.

I’ll go back to the shallow end of the theological pool now. Just remember to treat the scripture with respect by not using it as a weapon on others but as a light for our path.

Pray for our kids, youth and adult chaperones at camp Tues-Friday morning. Camp Prism at Bonclarken in Flat Rock NC. Hope it’s a bit cooler there!

A Prayer for Unity
by Lily Wood
Spirit, we do pray that you would make us one.
We pray that the love that defines you, our God, would flow from you through us, your church,
That we would be filled with love and abide in that love,
Even when we don’t feel like it.
Especially when we don’t feel like it.
When tensions rise, and religious and political opinions threaten to divide us,
Empower us to rise above our emotions,
Above our self-righteousness,
Above our personal preferences,
And find common ground in you, Lord Jesus.
You gave your life to rescue and restore every one of us,
You have declared each of us worth dying for,
And so, when we look in each other’s eyes,
And when we see the faces of people on the news,
May we set aside our sterotypes and labels and see clearly the child you cherish,
And may we cherish each other in the same way.
Help us, Lord, as we make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
Through the bond of peace
To your praise and glory.
In the name of the one who died so that we might be one,
Amen.

What an odd world we have when we follow Jesus. Pastor John looks to the letters of Corinthians for a vision of a world with a servant leader, and broken, foolish, and misfits as followers. How affirming it is to hear that even when our cheese is falling off our crackers, God uses us in hope.

May your life be stirred as you go out into the world to share and love. Our deepest hope is always that you can connect with God through the worship experience and have something that you are able to take into your week with you.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

https://youtu.be/GgfZxegZz_g

Throwback Thursday. Youth Mission Trip to Beaufort. Always working hard!

In the past month we've featured a couple of our women preachers, with many more you can listen to online. Today we'll dig into what the Bible says about women in ministry. Suzanne Hasty reads the scriptures, then Pastor John unpacks them as he talks about cultural patriarchy and how that message is counter cultural to Jesus' teachings. This is part one of a series https://youtu.be/0cWEphwtbl8. You can find part two at https://youtu.be/9lLG0tc9d0c.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059



https://youtu.be/0cWEphwtbl8

We are so happy to have Dr. Caren Silvester preaching today! Caren has the gift of bringing a story to life with her passion and wisdom. Today we hear the story of Abigail, David, and Nabal as told in 1 Samuel 25. When two factions want to fight, who saves the day?

Whether we are together in the sanctuary or joining at home, we are all together in one God. We love that you join us for worship each week. May your heart be filled with God's love, and your life with God's presence.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059



https://youtu.be/DK7uT_f3830

VBS ends tonight. A special thanks to all those who helped staff. Fun week!!!

Thursday Throwback picture. Camp Awanita. We so love our kids/youth and their families.

Great start to VBS. Join us again tonight! Supper starts at 5:30.

We're so glad you're here! Today Pastor John takes us to Ephesians 2:12-22 and unpacks four atonement theories in language that's easy to understand.

May your life be stirred as you go out into the world to share and love. Our deepest hope is always that you can connect with God through the worship experience and have something that you are able to take into your week with you.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

https://youtu.be/WpbyKrwhTw4

Our Child Development Center has openings for children and teachers! Call 864-288-7674 to learn more and schedule a tour.

Throwback Thursday Camp pictures. Always a joy!!! Thanks all the adults over the years who helped lead and chaperone. We may do a camp buckhorn reunion for our 50th Anniversary on October 3, 2025. Mark your calendar for that entire weekend!

Hawaiian Shirt Day. Think Jonathan wins the prize. Look at his shirt closely!

We ordain women because we baptize girls. We are delighted to have Lily Wood bring the message today. Luisa Hasty read the scripture, Lynn Flake shared how God called her to minister to children through teaching. From beginning to end, women lead the worship service. We understand that God calls EVERYONE to ministry. We celebrate the diverse gifts that each of us brings to life in the community. We know there is a place at the table in God's Kingdom for ALL.

Whether we are together in the sanctuary or joining at home, we are all together in one God. We love that you join us for worship each week. May your heart be filled with God's love, and your life with God's presence.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

https://youtu.be/8UcrOzdSuUg

From the first women preachers at the empty tomb to Lily Wood, Caren Sylvester, Anne Hitt and other preachers in our church. We celebrate and affirm all women pastors and ministers. A different way to be Baptist!

Some Summer youth mission trip pictures. They are home safe and sound. Thank you for your prayers and support.

What do outlaws, a bootleg preacher, and 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 have in common? Reconciliation, of course! Pastor John introduces us to Will D. Campbell who had one consistent message through his life...reconciliation in Christ. What does that look like? Listen in, it may not be exactly what you think.

Whether we are together in the sanctuary or joining at home, we are all together in one God. We love that you join us for worship each week. May your heart be filled with God's love, and your life with God's presence.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

Reconciled * Welcome to Worship * June 9, 2024 What do outlaws, a bootleg preacher, and 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 have in common? Reconciliation, of course! Pastor John introduces us to Will D. Campbell who...

Our Child Development Center has openings for 4 year olds. Call 864-288-7674 to learn more and schedule a tour. Please share.

Youth Mission Trip. Keep our young people in your prayers.

Thank you for joining us today! As we celebrate the high school graduation of Isaac Mulligan, Pastor John takes us into 1 Corinthians to ponder "Open Doors and Adversaries". Turns out, there's an Rx for Isaac and the church as we move forward into the future.

May your life be stirred as you go out into the world to share and love. Our deepest hope is always that you can connect with God through the worship experience and have something that you are able to take into your week with you.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

Open Doors and Adversaries * Welcome to Worship * June 2, 2024 Thank you for joining us today! As we celebrate the high school graduation of Isaac Mulligan, Pastor John takes us into 1 Corinthians to ponder "Open Doors ...

Thank you for choosing PRBC to worship with this morning. From the prelude to the benediction, we hope you are inspired. In between you'll find special music, scripture, and the message "Be Reconciled" from Dr. John Roy.

Whether we are together in the sanctuary or joining at home, we are all together in one God. We love that you join us for worship each week. May your heart be filled with God's love, and your life with God's presence.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

https://youtu.be/v4JX_zUSUCo

Our Child Development Center has openings for 4 year olds. Call 288-7674 to learn more and schedule a tour. Please share.

Throwback Thursday. Children’s musicals Wee Like Sheep and That’s So Daniel!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul writes "in everything give thanks". What was he thinking? Be thankful for EVERYthing? Lily Wood unpacks this short, but well used scripture, giving us a broader view of what Paul was experiencing at the time and how what he writes is still relevant today.

May your life be stirred as you go out into the world to share and love. Our deepest hope is always that you can connect with God through the worship experience and have something that you are able to take into your week with you.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from CCLI # Streaming License # 20489059

https://youtu.be/tmKwYJhg6bU