Word of Truth Baptist Church

Update!

2012-01-22T15:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we have much to update. We are thankful for the increase in attendance these last few weeks. There were 19 of us in worship this morning, AND this was the second Sunday morning with both a piano and a piano player! We have several prayer requests to pass along. Please continue to pray for Jennifer as she begins chemotherapy this week as well as undergoing surgery. Pray for Josh and Summer as they recover. Pray for health concerns for Armando, Mike and Faye. Several others have unspoken requests for their families. Please pray the Lord will give us wisdom as we grow and progress toward incorporation one of these days, as there are legal hurdles in that process. And, if you are looking for a church home where the Bible is preached in a straightforward manner, where people are genuinely loving, please come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00. We have just begun a sermon series on the 10 commandments.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T22:56:00.000-05:00

Word of Truth will not be holding our regular Sunday worship service this week. All of our regulars will be spending time with family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which we encourage. Please join us on January 1, 2012 at 11:00 am for our first worship service of the new year. In the meantime, have a wonderful and safe Christmas, and remember the Christ is the center of Christmas. Please pray for Jennifer and her family as she prepares to undergo cancer treatment soon.

And He Shall Reign

2011-12-17T07:36:00.000-05:00

Well, excitement is building as Christmas draws closer. This Sunday the message will be titled And He Shall Reign, from Luke 1:26-33. Come and join us and see what is happening at Word of Truth. Remember, Jesus is not just the baby in the manger; He's Lord of all creation!

It's Time!

2011-12-10T20:44:00.001-05:00

Well, if you have driven north on Highway 25 recently, you might already know this. Word of Truth Baptist Church is officially meeting at 564B North Highway 25 in Travelers Rest! For those of you who need landmarks, leave Greenville going north on Highway 25. After you pass George Coleman Ford, you're getting close. There is a Spinx gas station on the right at the intersection of Highway 25 and Tigerville Road. Another couple of hundred yards on the right is a driveway going down off the road toward El Rancho Grande. We are across the parking lot from El Rancho, and will be open for worship 11:00 am on December 11! Come and join us and bring a friend.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed and encouraged us. Please keep checking back regularly for updates about what God is doing in Travelers Rest!

Praise the Lord!

2011-11-23T00:12:00.000-05:00

Well, God is faithful, and He has shown us once again that He will deliver! We are finalizing a deal on a new meeting place in Travelers Rest, SC. I will let you know as soon as the lease is signed! Meanwhile, we are planning visitation in the area around the new building, and planning Christmas services as well.

We pray that you have a happy Thanksgiving. Please pray for Tony and Michelle in the passing of her grandfather.

Prayer Request

2011-08-19T20:43:00.000-04:00

Please pray for us as we take a step back and wait for the Lord's direction. We could not afford to continue meeting at Country Earl's because we did not have enough people coming to cover the rent. We will continue the Sunday night meetings at the Palmettos and will explore other avenues for Sunday mornings. Stay tuned!

He Is Worthy

2011-08-11T07:03:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Word of Truth! It is our prayer that you will join us for worship this Sunday morning at 11:00. Why should you? Well, it's not because I'm great, and it's not because you are great. Rather, it is because Jesus Christ is a great Savior who is worthy of our worship! Hope to see you Sunday @ Country Earl's!

Welcome!

2011-07-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

Well, folks, traffic on this blog is way up, so apparently you guys are checking us out from the flyers we've been distributing. We want you to know that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. If He loved us enough to do that, then I ought to love people enough to tell them about it! We had a good worship service this morning, preaching from Matthew 26 on "The Obedience of Christ". Please join us next week at 11:00, and pray for us as we worship at the Palmettos tonight.

Repost: What Word of Truth IS

2011-07-16T15:14:00.001-04:00

Every church has an identity. Like it or not, that identity is connected to the identity of its leadership. For example, most right-minded Americans who follow the news regard Westboro Baptist Church as a bunch of kooks. This perception is based on the behavior of the pastor as well as other members of his family. (If you don't know about these freaks, look it up. I refuse to link to them and send them any traffic. Let's just say they bring shame to the name of Christ.) So, how to identify Word of Truth Baptist Church? We already looked at what we are not. But who and what are we?

Word of Truth is committed to following the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New Testament. The Bible tells us that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. When we refer to the Scriptures, that means the King James Bible. It is God's Word for English-speaking people, and EVERY SINGLE WORD is true!

Word of Truth believes that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, and that he died for the sins of ALL humanity. I know some smart folks who are Reformed, but we simply believe the Bible when it says that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Because of this belief, we are committed to preaching the gospel to all people.

We will try our best to love people the way Jesus does. Yes, that is an unattainable goal while in sinful flesh, but it leads us to some principles. Jesus does not love anyone more or less based on their skin color. Neither should we. Jesus does not love anyone more or less based on their income. Neither should we. Jesus said He came to preach the gospel to the brokenhearted. This mission led Him to people who were not popular with religious people. We intend to follow Him to these people. We want Word of Truth Baptist Church to one day be filled with people who love Jesus - white and black, Hispanic and Asian, businessmen, educators, dropouts, parolees, grandmothers, single parents, two-parent families, police officers, waitresses, landscapers, some with tattoos, some without, unemployed . . .in short, we will welcome anyone Jesus wants to save.

We expect Jesus to come again for His church any day now, so that makes the business of preaching the gospel urgent. Whether He comes this week or in 20 years, He will require an accounting of how we spent this life He gave us.

That is an overview of who we are. Not exhaustive, but a glimpse. Keep coming back and checking us out, and drop me an email. Jesus loves you, and we want to prove that to you.

Please, join us for worship Sunday mornings at 11:00 @ Country Earl’s Celebration Place. It’s behind Golden Park off of 417 and 385.

Repost: What Word of Truth is NOT

2011-07-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

I don't generally like to define myself in negative terms, nor is it always the best thing to define a church in negative terms. Sometimes, though, it is necessary to do so. Word of Truth Baptist Church is not, and will never be:

- an expression of my political views or anyone else's political views. Jesus, it has been rightly stated, is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. He will not redeem the creation by an act of Congress.

- a place to exalt any mere man. There is one man who is infallible, His name is Jesus, and He currently sits at the right hand of His Father. Everyone else is prone to error and ineligible for worship.

- a gathering of smug, self-righteous Pharisees. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was LOST, not to hang around those who think they are already perfect. If the day comes when I think I am too good to speak to a lost person and try to show him who Jesus is, may God take me out of the way.

- a "free-for-all" where anything is tolerated in the name of Jesus. You might be saying, "But Steve, what about not being better than others?" It is true that we are no better than anyone else. It is also true that God has a standard, and Word of Truth will always reach for His standard, not drag Him down to ours. That means the Bible matters. The kind of music we use MUST honor God instead of appeal to the flesh. We do need to dress respectfully. We can have balance where we honor God without looking down at the rest of the world.

- an "easy-believism" center. As long as Steve Hawkins has a say-so, there will be no "repeat this prayer and you are saved" invitations given at Word of Truth. We will preach the whole counsel of God concerning salvation, including conviction of sin and repentamce.

Next post: What Word of Truth IS!

Praise the Lord!

2011-07-12T21:30:00.000-04:00

Well, we had a good service on Sunday. Jesus was exalted in the songs and the preaching. I preached from 1 Corinthiams 15:1-4 regarding Christ dying for our sins. We had 11 in attendamce, and we look forward to worshipping together next Sunday at 11. Also, would you pray for Ms. Mary? She is one of our regulars from the Palmettos who is not in good health. I have been told she may not make more than a few more days. Mary is 94, and I have never seen her with an ungrateful attitude. She has told me multiple times about her love for the Lord, and Sunday I got to see her Bible, which is filled with more notes than you can imagine! This dear saint will probably see Jesus this week. Please pray that He will comfort her family.

Please pray!

2011-07-08T22:21:00.000-04:00

Okay, folks, Sunday is coming and we'll be meeting at Country Earl's! Would you take a few moments and pray that the Lord will gather the group He wants to come and worship with us this Sunday? Please pray as well that everything we do will be to honor and glorify Jesus and that I will preach the Word of God with power. Hope to see you there at 11:00 Sunday morning!

Counting Down!

2011-07-02T16:18:00.001-04:00

Okay, folks, 8 days to go until we start meeting at Country Earl's. We went out yesterday and again this morning, distributing fliers and tracts, inviting people to join us for church. If you got to this website because of one of our fliers, welcome! I want you to know that Jesus of Nazareth loves you, and that He will be meeting with us on Sunday mornings just as He promised. ( Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them. ) I hope you will join us as we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

Steve

BIG NEWS!

2011-07-01T00:20:00.000-04:00

Word of Truth Baptist Church has a new meeting place! As of July 10, 2011, we will be meeting for worship at Country Earl's Celebration Place at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays! Please come and join us, and bring a friend. I can't promise a lot of things, but I promise you that Jesus Christ will be exalted in prayer, in song and in the preaching of His perfect Word! I'll be out visiting some between now and then, so please pray that the people of the immediate area will have their hearts open to the gospel and will be drawn to the Savior.

What's that you say? You don't know where Country Earl's is? Why, it's at 407 Balcome Boulevard in Simpsonville, SC. I could tell you to turn at Golden Park and it's 1/2 mile on your left, or I could just direct you right here.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=407+Balcome+Boulevard,+Mauldin,+SC&hl=en&ll=34.772604,-82.266827&spn=0.019741,0.045276&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=38.911557,92.724609&z=15

Prayer Requests

2011-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Please pray for the residents of the Palmettos. Several of them have serious health problems. Andy recently fell and had to have surgery, as did another resident. Hazel's health is chronically poor, so please pray for her. Please pray that we would find a permanent meeting place and that we can point the lost to Jesus. If you wish to join us at the Palmettos, we now meet on Sunday nights at 6:15. Hope to see you there!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

Well, 2011 is off to a great start for Word of Truth Baptist Church! As of this morning, we are meeting on Sundays with the residents of the Palmettos Assisted Living facility on Butler Road. We had about 20 in worship this morning, and we had a great time singing hymns, praying and preaching on John 1:18. We also had lunch with the folks there, and really enjoyed talking to some of them. Can't wait to see what the Lord does next week. Meanwhile, we will still be having Bible study at Chick-Fil-A on Fairview Tuesday night at 7. Hope to see you there!

Plan B

2010-12-11T12:37:00.000-05:00

Well, this week we lost access to our meeting place due to some legal concerns the owner of the building has. We were unable to secure another meeting place yet, so we will be having Bible study and worship at home this Sunday. I will keep you updated via this blog, and PLEASE pray for us. I think we have a shot at another meeting place, but only the Lord knows. Have a great Lord's day!

Christmas Cheer

2010-12-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

Today, we took a bunch from Word of Truth to sing Christmas carols with the folks at a local assisted living facility. We had a great time, and the residents did as well. They especially loved hearing Patrick sing "O Holy Night", and they sang along with all the carols. We were able to spend some time reading the Christmas story from Luke 2, and brought them each a small gift, which they appreciated. Afterward, I had a great time with a young lady who was 94 years old, and still sharp as a tack. She encouraged us to always put the Lord first, and we promised to do just that! I look forward to seeing these folks again and again. Thank you, Lord for the encouragement of our mutual faith.

Update

2010-10-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Well, Word of Truth has had two Sunday Services, and we have had a good time! The first Sunday, we sang a couple of hymns, prayed and preached on the gospel from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Then today we preached from 2 Peter 3:9 regarding the Lord's longsuffering and unwillingness for any to perish.

I wish I could tell you that we had standing room only, but that is not the case. If you will come next week, though, we might! We will be studying Hebrews 8 on Tuesday night @ 7:00 at the Chick-Fil_A on Fairview Rd. Be there!

Thanks for checking, Derek! Sorry I missed your call.

Word of Truth is gonna gather! Will you be there?

2010-10-09T22:38:00.003-04:00

We can finally announce it . . .Word of Truth Baptist Church will be meeting for our first worship service on October 24, 2010! Details, you say? Okay!

We will be meeting

WHERE:      1791 Woodruff Road, Suite I (This is Darrah Family Chiropractic, behind MiMi's Steakhouse)
WHEN:        Sundays @ 11:00 a.m. We will add more services as we grow in number.
WHAT:        Prayer, singing that honors Jesus Christ, and preaching God's Word.

Folks, please come looking for something. Do NOT come looking for a slick, seamlessly choreographed show. Do NOT come looking for a pastor and church who are perfect. Do NOT come looking for a mindless feel-good time of worship devoid of Biblical content. But please, PLEASE come looking for an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth. He said that wherever 2 or 3 gather in His name, He will be there with them. And if He is here, that will be enough. If the gospel is preached and the music glorifies Jesus, then the Holy Spirit will have an atmosphere in which He can do His work. Please pray that we will get the word out about Word of Truth and that the Lord will bring exactly who He wants to be there. Please pray that He will be lifted up and glorified in every word of every prayer, song and announcement, through the taking of an offering and through the preaching of God's Word. We look forward to worshipping with you!

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

2010-09-23T23:40:00.000-04:00

Let's just say that God is good, people! I had a talk with someone today who is willing (without my asking) to let Word of Truth use his building for Sunday meetings on a short-term basis! I thank the Lord that He can work things out without my help, because I would mess things up every time. Stay tuned for details, but look for Word of Truth to start meeting on Sundays SOON!

And . . . .for those who made it to Bible study at Chick-Fil-A tonight, I had a great time with you! I believe we gained some valuable insight from Hebrews 6, and plan to do it again next Tuesday. Let me repeat that . . .Bible study next week is TUESDAY, September 28 @ 7:00, once again at Chick-Fil-A on Fairview Road. Come on out, and we will continue in Hebrews 6, plus pray together and just have a good time together.

Want to meet with Word of Truth? Here's a chance!

2010-09-20T21:01:00.000-04:00

Thursday, September 23 at 7:00 pm , we will meet at Chick-Fil-A on Fairview Rd, Simpsonville for Bible Study. Come out, bring your Bible and join us for a look at Hebrews 6. It's a chance to get to know us, study God's Word together, and even enjoy some really good tea! Hope to see you there!

What Word of Truth IS

2010-09-20T20:57:00.000-04:00

Every church has an identity. Like it or not, that identity is connected to the identity of its leadership. For example, most right-minded Americans who follow the news regard Westboro Baptist Church as a bunch of kooks. This perception is based on the behavior of the pastor as well as other members of his family. (If you don't know about these freaks, look it up. I refuse to link to them and send them any traffic. Let's just say they bring shame to the name of Christ.) So, how to identify Word of Truth Baptist Mission? We already looked at what we are not. But who and what are we?

Word of Truth is committed to following the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New Testament. The Bible tells us that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. When we refer to the Scriptures, that means the King James Bible. It is God's Word for English-speaking people, and EVERY SINGLE WORD is true!

Word of Truth believes that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, and that he died for the sins of ALL humanity. I know some smart folks who are Reformed, but we simply believe the Bible when it says that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Because of this belief, we are committed to preaching the gospel to all people.

We will try our best to love people the way Jesus does. Yes, that is an unattainable goal while in sinful flesh, but it leads us to some principles. Jesus does not love anyone more or less based on their skin color. Neither should we. Jesus does not love anyone more or less based on their income. Neither should we. Jesus said He came to preach the gospel to the brokenhearted. This mission led Him to people who were not popular with religious people. We intend to follow Him to these people. We want Word of Truth Baptist Church to one day be filled with people who love Jesus - white and black, Hispanic and Asian, businessmen, educators, dropouts, parolees, grandmothers, single parents, two-parent families, police officers, waitresses, landscapers, some with tattoos, some without, unemployed . . .in short, we will welcome anyone Jesus wants to save.

We expect Jesus to come again for His church any day now, so that makes the business of preaching the gospel urgent. Whether He comes this week or in 20 years, He will require an accounting of how we spent this life He gave us.

That is an overview of who we are. Not exhaustive, but a glimpse. Keep coming back and checking us out, and drop me an email. Jesus loves you, and we want to prove that to you.

What Word of Truth is NOT

2010-09-17T22:30:00.000-04:00

I don't generally like to define myself in negative terms, nor is it always the best thing to define a church in negative terms. Sometimes, though, it is necessary to do so. Word of Truth Baptist Mission is not, and will never be:

-     an expression of my political views or anyone else's political views. Jesus, it has been rightly stated, is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. He will not redeem the creation by an act of Congress.

-     a place to exalt any mere man. There is one man who is infallible, His name is Jesus, and He currently sits at the right hand of His Father. Everyone else is prone to error and ineligible for worship.

-     a gathering of smug, self-righteous Pharisees. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was LOST, not to hang around those who think they are already perfect. If the day comes when I think I am too good to speak to a lost person and try to show him who Jesus is, may God take me out of the way.

-     a "free-for-all" where anything is tolerated in the name of Jesus. You might be saying, "But Steve, what about not being better than others?" It is true that we are no better than anyone else. It is also true that God has a standard, and Word of Truth will always reach for His standard, not drag Him down to ours. That means the Bible matters. The kind of music we use MUST honor God instead of appeal to the flesh. We do need to dress respectfully. We can have balance where we honor God without looking down at the rest of the world.

-      an "easy-believism" center. As long as Steve Hawkins has a say-so, there will be no "repeat this prayer and you are saved" invitations given at Word of Truth. We will preach the whole counsel of God concerning salvation, including conviction of sin and repentamce.

Next post: What Word of Truth IS!

So, Steve, what's the name of the church?

2010-09-05T21:46:00.000-04:00

I have gotten this question more than any other, followed closely by "Are you SURE?" and "Are you CRAZY?"

The new work is called Word of Truth Baptist Mission and will operate as a mission of Parkwood Baptist Church. Why Word of Truth? Because, Paul told Timothy (and every young preacher) "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." A real church is built on the Scriptures, the Word of Truth, and we plan to build this one just that way. No fads or gimmicks, no circus acts. No fake healers or smooth-talking charlatans. Just God's holy Word.

Besides, all the cool, unbiblical names were taken. (Seriously, I have heard some doozies at church planter get-togethers!)

First Things First

2010-09-05T16:42:00.000-04:00

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again".(See John 3:1-7) And that is the bottom line to evangelism, church planting, or anything that is really Christian. Your eternal destiny hinges on whether you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. You can go to church, you can preach the Word of God. You can do many good works in the name of Jesus. But unless you know Him and He knows you, one day He will say to you, "Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you." (Matthew 7) Sobering stuff.

So church planting is not about a preacher wanting to see his name on a sign somewhere, or longing to get out from under his home church's umbrella. No, church planting is about establishing another base from which to preach the Word of God. One more place from which to "rescue the perishing, care for the dying. Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save."

We met some folks at the Labor Day Festival in Simpsonville today. I pray the Lord opens their heart to the gospel if they are lost, and that those who are saved will also have a desire to plant a Bible-believing Baptist church.

Do you know of a church where . . .

2010-09-03T23:49:00.000-04:00

Jesus is Lord instead of the deacons?

The Bible, not passing fads, is the rule of faith?

Your questions about life are answered Biblically?

If you found such a church, would you want to be a part of it?

Starting Fresh

2010-09-03T23:43:00.002-04:00

If you have followed the blog for any length of time, you notice that all of the posts are gone! There is a good reason. The Lord has taught me a few things in 2010, and one of them is the value of a fresh start. He gave me a fresh start in 1994 when He saved me, and many times since then. It has been my privilege to serve on staff at Parkwood Baptist Church in Greenville for the past few years, and I have loved it. Preaching when I get the opportunity, leading the music ministry and the missions program have been very satisfying. I have said often, the Lord will not let me leave Parkwood unless it is to be the pastor of another church. Well, that journey has taken a turn I did not expect. After months of praying and seeking counsel, I can not escape the desire to plant a church. For the time being, my family will still be at Parkwood, though our energies will now be directed towards starting the new work. If you know anyone in the Golden Strip of Upstate South Carolina (Mauldin, Simpsonville, Ft. Inn, Gray Court and surrounding areas) who is looking for a church, send them our way. If you have lost friends or family and want help witnessing to them, contact me.

I have already heard the questions: Why does the Upstate need another church? Isn't there one on every corner? Yes, there does seem to be. BUT . .did you know that on any given Sunday, 77% of Greenville County can be found somewhere other than church? Our churches, for the most part, are not reaching these people. The Lord has put it into my heart to find some of these people and gather a church that seeks to honor Jesus. Will the new church be like Parkwood? Yes, somewhat, but not exactly. Are you like your parents? If they raised you right, you share their values but are not a clone of them. The new church will be built on the Book (The King James Bible) the Blood (the blood of Jesus is the means of salvation) and the Blessed Hope (the imminent return of Jesus Christ for His church. While we will share doctrinal beliefs, even like-minded churches have distinct personalities. Parkwood's personality reflects Parkwood's leadership. The new church will have different leadership, so her personality will be different. What can I do to help with the new work? Pray earnestly that the Lord will lead us and that we will recognize His leading. Pray that He will raise up some financial support among like-minded churches and that we will find a core group of families who share our desire to see Jesus glorified in His church.