Dear Friends,

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was not made for man, but man for the Sabbath.” - Mark 2:27

Our elders are studying the leadership of Moses through the book Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton. This month, we looked at a chapter on the spiritual rhythms of leaders and focused on God’s provision of manna in Exodus 16. The Israelites were instructed to collect enough manna for each day and double the amount on the 6^thday so they could rest on the Sabbath. The word for Sabbath carries with it the idea of a “rest of the heart” and celebration. This observance was to relieve the anxiety, stress, and weariness of journeying through the desert. It also served to teach the Israelites to trust in the Lord’s provision for them. The story of the Israelites reminds us how easily we can be overcome by our fear and our pride to our own detriment and to the harm of others.

Barton cites a study conducted by Michael Zigarelli, an associate professor of management at Charleston University School of business, that shows many Christians see busyness and overload as very damaging to their relationship with God. He presents a cycle that feels like a downward spiral that works like this: 1) we assimilate to a “culture of busyness, hurry and overload”; 2) God is moved to the margins of our lives; 3) our relationship with God deteriorates; 4) we become even more vulnerable to cultural assumptions about how to live; 5) then we conform even more to the culture of “busyness, hurry, and overload.” Barton identifies it as the “bondage of busyness.” (from Ruth Haley Barton, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, IVP, Downers Grove, IL. pg. 118.

I have been challenged to consider the ways I have fallen victim to this spiritual death spiral. I wonder where you find yourself in the midst of obligations of work, family, and even, at times church. A rhythm of the spiritual disciplines or practices of worship in community, personal and corporate bible, study, prayer, and rest and celebration serve to help us grow and become healthier spiritually, emotionally, socially, and even physically. These things are made for us, not us for these things. But these things are of no use if they are not used. And if you are like me, I can tell the difference in my attitudes and actions when they are not being used.

I write these words in perhaps the busiest time of year for many of us. Work, school, extracurricular activities - the list goes on – overloads us with busyness, hurry and stress. May I encourage you to rest, celebrate, and begin to develop some rhythms in your day, your week, your month, and your year that help you become transformed to the image of Christ rather than conformed to the hurry and rush of the world. May you the bondage of busyness become the freedom of celebration.

Your friend

Steve Wise

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.  And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth..No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.

- John 1:1-5, 14, 18

We begin our Journey through the Grand Story of Scripture – God’s love story with the world He created and the people He loves. These two passages remind us of several things as we begin. 

God’s Word is creative power. God’s Word calls into being that which does not exist. God’s Word makes something out of nothing. God’s Word brings form out of chaos and fulness out of emptiness.

God’s Word is illuminating power. God’s Word brings light to darkness - darkness cannot overcome it.  

God’s Word is moral power. God’s Word defines good from evil and right from wrong.

God’s Word is Personal – in Jesus, God the Son took on flesh and blood to explain the love and goodness of the Father to us. It is in and through Jesus that we know and understand God, ourselves, and creation.

This Sunday we take our first steps on the Journey. The Journey has 3 levels – to use “skier” lingo: green circle, blue square, and black diamond.  You can find more information here.

1) Sunday Worship – our messages each week will move through the Grand Story of the Bible. Small Groups and Adult Bible studies will be offered to discuss the sermon each week. We hope all of our covenant partners and visitors will participate in this track. If we were skiing, this would be the “green circle” slope for every level of skier. 

2) Read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year-plan. This plan has 5 readings per week and will cover the entire Bible in a year. We are encouraging groups to form to discuss the readings. If we were skiing, this would be the “blue square” for intermediate skiers and above but also good for beginners to advance and improve. You can access this reading plan here.

3) The Bible Journey – an online, interactive, self-paced study. 6 courses and 45 lessons provide background, insights and applications for the text of Scripture. Lessons take 1-1 ½ hours to complete. This is the “black diamond” slope designed for those more experienced or wanting to go to the next level. We have 137 people signed up at this point and can still get more licenses. More information here under “How to register for the Bible Journey” on the bottom and left side of the page.

Please prayerfully consider your level of involvement and pray for our church as we Journey together through God’s Word.   

Your friend,

Steve Wise

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path

- Psalm 119:105

Cleaning out my attic after the tornado of 2020, I ran across several old notebooks from as far back as high school. They contained notes I had taken while reading my bible as a young man. 

In the spring of my junior year in high school, reality confronted me – a car, a girlfriend, and a starting spot on the football team did not satisfy the deeper desires of my soul. I began to ask questions about life, God, and myself. Following the example of my brother, I began to read the Bible. I encountered Jesus in a new way, recognized my need for Him, and began a relationship with Him. I also began to develop the practice of daily bible study in order to spend time with God and get to know Him more. At the time I could not put those words on it, but now I see it very clearly. 

Over the years, I have found this statement from the Psalmist above to be a very accurate reflection of my experience. The study of Scripture has helped to transform me spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, psychologically and socially. Anything and everything good in me and about me is the result of Jesus’ presence and the study of Scripture in my life! It guides me in my darkest moments. It brings clarity to confusion and inner chaos. It teaches, convicts, corrects and trains me for life.

I am excited about our “Journey” together through the Grand Story of the Bible starting on August 15^th. The Journey has 3 levels – to use “skier” lingo: green circle, blue square, and black diamond.   Visit MY.WPCS.LIVE/JOURNEY for more »

1. Sunday Worship – our messages each week will move through the Grand Story of the Bible. Small Groups and Adult Bible studies will be offered to discuss the sermon each week. We hope all of our covenant partners and visitors will participate in this track. If we were skiing, this would be the “green circle” slope for every level of skier. 
2. Read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year-plan. This plan has 5 readings per week and will cover the entire Bible in a year. We are encouraging groups to form to discuss the readings. If we were skiing, this would be the “blue square” for intermediate skiers and above but also good for beginners to advance and improve.
3. The Bible Journey – an online, interactive, self-paced study. 6 courses and 45 lessons provide background, insights and applications for the text of Scripture. Lessons take 1-1 ½ hours to complete. This is the “black diamond” slope designed for those more experienced or wanting to go to the next level. 

Please prayerfully consider your level of involvement as the time draws near. 

Your friend,

Steve Wise

“For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.” - Hebrews 4:12-13

What is the most powerful weapon in the world? In an age of advanced sophistication, one could argue for a whole host of instruments of destruction. But what if the most powerful weapon in the world is not meant to destroy but to heal? What if it is intended to deal with our fiercest adversary – sin and death – by both convicting and comforting us.

The writer of Hebrews tells us God’s creative and sustaining Word is a double-edged knife: alive, active, and penetrating. It cuts between the most minute of divisions within us – soul and spirit – as a blade can but between joint and marrow. This piercing discerns and reveals our deepest desires and thoughts, motives and meditations. One side is a sharp edge of truth and the other a razor blade of love. It is a surgeon’s scalpel designed to heal us by showing us the truth about God and the truth about ourselves; our need for God and God’s desire for us; God’s grace and truth in Jesus.

The writer reminds us we cannot hide from Him; He knows us better than we know ourselves. And still loves us! We are accountable to Him - which is both terrifying and tender. We must answer to Him, but He considers us significant enough to know us, search us, and hold us accountable. This penetrating Word allows us to stand before Him without fear or pride; humbled and yet healed in soul and spirit, mind and heart.

In order for the Word to penetrate and heal, we must know it.  Starting on August 15, Westminster will begin a year-long Journey through the Grand Story of Scripture to increase our understanding and encourage our growth. We hope all will be encouraged and equipped to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-changing way.

We invite you to join us on this Journey along several different tracks:

1. Sunday Sermons will lead us through the Grand Story of Scripture. 
2. A reading plan to read through the Bible in a year. 
3. Small groups based around the sermon or the Bible Journey curriculum.
4. Bible Journey – a year-long interactive, internet-based, and self-paced for individuals, families, or groups interested in a deeper dive into the Word. This will involve a little over an hour a week. (Interested? contact Justin Lewis.)

These different tracks are not mutually exclusive and will travel at different paces. We hope you will make weekly worship a priority but also add these other spiritual practices to enhance your growth personally and our growth as a community. Imagine the difference this would make in your life and in the life of our church!

Your friend,

Steve Wise

The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

- Jesus, Mark 12:29-31 (ESV)

What is the most important thing to know or to do in order to live a meaningful life? What is the one thing I have to get right? What is the one thing I cannot get wrong? If I were to fail at everything else, what one thing would make my life a success? What one failure would erase every other success? This is not the language of the Pharisee who asks about the greatest commandment. But it is the question behind his question.

Jesus’ answer, though perhaps familiar to us, demands deeper meditation. Notice, Jesus quotes from the Old Testament books Deuteronomy and Leviticus. The first serves as an important Hebrew prayer and focuses on the priority of our relationship with God. The second refers to human relationships. Together they summarize God’s Law and ultimately God’s will for us.

Jesus’ answer reveals God’s design and desire for our lives – a life is worth living. Jesus teaches us all of life is ‘spiritual’ – i.e. related to our relationship with God. Spiritual health and emotional maturity look like this: our emotions, desires, thoughts, and energies directed toward loving God. Social health follows – the increasing ability to love other people well in accordance with God’s will. All flows from a response to God’s love for us in Jesus who will demonstrate His love for us in His death and resurrection.

One important way to love God and learn to love others is by knowing and practicing God’s Word. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we invite you to take a deeper dive into the Word of God starting this fall.

The Journey will begin in August of 2021 with the goal of encouraging and equipping one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way. Our journey will travel along 4 different tracks.

1. Sunday Sermons will lead us through the Grand Story of Scripture.
2. A reading plan to read through the Bible in a year.
3. Sermon-based small groups and small group bible studies will be offered.
4. Bible Journey – a year-long interactive, internet-based, self-paced, and high-quality curriculum for individuals, families, or groups. This will involve a little over an hour a week. (If you are interested, please contact Justin Lewis.)

We encourage all of our covenant partners and visitors to participate in Track 1 – our Sunday Sermons. We urge everyone to prayerfully consider Tracks 2-4 as they look ahead to the fall. Imagine the difference a deeper relationship with Jesus and a greater understanding His Word would make in your life, your family, our church, and our world.

Your friend, 

Steve Wise

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and practices them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not practice them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

- Jesus, Matthew 7:24-27

Am I building a solid foundation that will stand against the adverse weather of life? If my life were a house, would it be standing on a foundation of stone or sand? Are my responses to the relationships, events, and circumstances rooted in the hearing and practicing of Jesus’ teaching? Do I want them to be? Do I wonder how I can do that?

The first step in Jesus’ instructions about building a foundation is to hear or listen to His words. The second step is to practice them. Jesus teaches us that the Scriptures of the Old Testament all point to Him and that He fulfills those Scriptures. His temptation, His teaching, His words from the cross, and His words to His disciples after His resurrection show a life that internalized Scripture by hearing and practicing them.

Perhaps you are a newer believer (or even seeker) who is looking for a deeper understanding of Jesus and the Bible. Maybe you are an old saint who has studied for years and is looking for an even greater understanding. Wherever you might be, we invite you to join Westminster in The Journey – a year-long engagement with the Grand Narrative of Scripture.

The Journey will begin in August of 2021 with the goal of encouraging and equipping one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way. Our journey will travel along 4 different tracks.

1. Sunday Sermons will lead us through the Grand Story of Scripture.
2. A reading plan to read through the Bible in a year.
3. Sermon-based small groups and small group bible studies will be offered.
4. Bible Journey – a year-long interactive, internet-based, self-paced and high-quality curriculum for individuals, families, or groups interested in a deeper dive into the Word. This will involve a little over an hour a week. (If you are interested, please contact Justin Lewis.)

We encourage all of our covenant partners and visitors to participate in Track 1 – our Sunday Sermons. We urge everyone to prayerfully consider Tracks 2-4 as they look ahead to the fall. Imagine the difference a deeper relationship with Jesus and a greater understanding His Word would make in your life, your family, and our world.

Your friend,

Steve Wise

“If you continue in My Word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

- Jesus, John 8:31-32

Who or what do you assume to be true? The original “Bad News Bears” movie introduced me to the danger of making assumptions – what happens to “u” and “me” when we assume. It’s funny in a movie, not so much in real life.  If we operate on false assumptions and with misguided beliefs we will trust in things that are not true. Ultimately this takes away our freedom, makes us vulnerable and risks hurting others.

Soon after Jesus so kindly and courageously defended the woman caught in adultery, the religious leaders assault Him with challenging words and questions. Jesus tells those who trust in Him that if they listen to and practice His Word then they will know the truth and the truth will set them free. We learn here that spiritual growth, maturity, and true freedom prove to be the direct result of knowing and practicing the teachings (Word) of Jesus.

Jesus’ words both reflect and fulfill the teaching of the rest of what we call the Bible. The Scriptures of the Old Testament point forward to Jesus and the New Testament points back to Him. Jesus quoted the Old and the New quotes Jesus. Thus, spiritual maturity, growth and freedom follow our knowledge and practice of the Word.   

Starting in the Fall of 2021, Westminster will embark on a Journey through the Christian Bible - the most printed, most sold, most censored, most impactful, and often most misunderstood (if not misused) book in the world. Our goal is to encourage and equip one another to engage with Jesus through Scripture in a life-transforming way.

We invite you to join us on this Journey along several different tracks:

1. Sunday Sermons will lead us through the Grand Story of Scripture. 
2. A reading plan to read through the Bible in a year. 
3. Sermon-based small groups and small group bible studies.
4. Bible Journey – year-long interactive, internet-based, self-paced and high-quality curriculum for individuals, families, or groups interested in a deeper dive into the Word. This would involve a little over an hour a
5. week. (If you are interested, please contact Justin Lewis.)

These different tracks are not mutually exclusive and will travel at different paces. We hope you will make weekly worship a priority in your life but also add these other spiritual practices to enhance your spiritual growth personally and our spiritual growth as a community of faith.

Please prayerfully consider the journey you will take with us this coming year. As you do, imagine the difference a deeper understanding of God and His Word would make in your life, the life of your family, our community of faith, and our world.

Your friend,

Steve Wise

Dear Friends, 

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

- Hebrews 12:1-3

On April 20^th, we celebrated the life and resurrection of Kitty Wilson. Kitty and her husband Paul, who passed away in 2000, were charter members of Westminster. They were leaders in this body of believers from the time our forebearers began worshipping at Spartanburg High School (now McCracken Middle School). Kitty played piano for their services and for the children in Sunday School – going from classroom to classroom leading their singing. Paul played an important role in the building of our present sanctuary and in the beautiful stain glass window. They did this as they raised their son (Paul) and two daughters (Jane & Barbara) and did their jobs (Paul worked for Milliken and Kitty taught science in District 7). They were faithful people, deeply rooted in Scripture with an abiding faith in Jesus, and a deep joy they shared with others. They ran their race and passed the baton on to others who would run the next leg. I am grateful to be a part of this church they helped establish and grow. They are now part of that great cloud of witnesses cheering us on as we run our race. 

As I think of them and read these words in the letter to the Hebrews, I am encouraged to run with endurance despite internal and external obstacles and entanglements. I am challenged to name those obstacles and “the sin” that hinder my progress and ultimately drain me of needed energy. I am also encouraged to look to Jesus – the source of faith, the object of faith, and the One who will complete and mature my faith. So often, my attention gets diverted or distracted by other things. Finally, it reminds me that we are the center of Jesus’ attention as He ran His race. We are the joy that was before Him as He despised the cross, endured its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God the Father. We are His joy and He is dying to give us joy. 

As we round into spring and the multitude of distractions and demands on our time and attention, how are we running the race set before us? What are the obstacles and sin that hinder and hurt us? What are the distractions that keep our eyes off of Jesus? Do we know and understand that we are Jesus’ joy? Do we realize Jesus’ desire is to give us His joy? 

News:

• The staff and session are working diligently to continue to move forward with our re-opening. It has been great to see growing numbers in our worship service and the resumption of several of our small groups and Adult Bible Studies on Sunday mornings.
• We will celebrate together on May 23^rd with a picnic – I hope you will make it a point to be part of worship and our lunch that day.
• This summer we will continue our series looking at the Stories of Jesus.  
• Coming in the Fall – an opportunity to dive into the study of the Bible in multiple ways as individuals and as a church. Details will be forthcoming but we are excited about this adventure together. 

Your friend,

Steve Wise

Dear Friends,

“For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.”

Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:1-6

With these words, Paul records the earliest creed of the Jesus movement, the bedrock of early Christianity, and the essence of the Christian faith. New Testament scholar James Dunn asserts total confidence this creed was formulated within months of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Almost 2100 years later, the resurrection remains the foundation of our faith in Jesus as the Son of God. This mysterious and beautiful historical event both proves and proclaims that life is greater than death, love is stronger than hate, and good will ultimately defeat evil.

Writer A.N. Wilson who left the Christian faith as a strident critic only to return to belief in the risen Christ writes recounts his re-conversion experience. His return to faith “surprised no one more than myself.” He asserts that the lives and examples of friends and relatives who lived and faced death in light of the Resurrection story led him back. He argues that the historical event of the Resurrection we celebrate at Easter answers our “questions about the spiritual aspects of humanity. It changes people’s lives because it helps us understand that we, like Jesus, are born spiritual beings. Every inner prompting of conscience, every glimmering sense of beauty, every response we make to music, every experience we have of love – whether physical love, sexual love, family love or the love of friends – every experience of bereavement reminds us of this fact about ourselves….Materialist atheism says we are just a collection of chemicals. It has no answer whatsoever to the question of how we should be capable of love or heroism or poetry if we are simply animated pieces of meat. The Resurrection, which proclaims that matter and spirit are mysteriously conjoined, is the ultimate key to who we are. It confronts us with an extraordinarily haunting story.”¹

More than that, the Resurrection proves Jesus is the demonstration of the Father’s love for us in defeating sin and death by sacrificing Himself in our place and giving us His Spirit to raise us to new life. We will celebrate the Truest Story – the life, death and resurrection of Jesus - over the next four days at Westminster. I invite you to come and be a part of our remembrance and celebration.

Services & Activities

• Maundy Thursday – 6:00-6:45pm in the Sanctuary – a solemn observance of the Lord’s Supper.
• Good Friday – 6:00-7:15 – Emory Road House backyard – worship and the Lord’s Supper.  Bring something to sit on.
• Easter Egg Hunt – 10:30am – A day of joy and celebration for our little ones.
• Easter Sunday Morning
  - 8:00am - Outdoor Sunrise Service in the backyard of the Emory Road House.   Bring something to sit on
  - 9:30 – Sanctuary with livestream and overflow options
  - 11:00 – Sanctuary with livestream and overflow options.

Your friend,

Steve Wise

¹ (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1169145/Religion-hatred-Why-longer-cowed-secular-zealots.html

Dear Friends,

“Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

- Mark 12:28-30

In 2016, Harvard epidemiologist Tyler VanderWeele and USA Today editor John Siniff, asked in an op-ed in USA Today, “If one could conceive of a single elixir to improve the physical and mental health of millions of Americans – at no personal cost – what value would society place on it?” The title of the essay was “Religion May Be A Miracle Drug.” Based on new research and 20 years of experience, they conclude that there is a significant connection between attendance at religious services and better health – both physically and mentally. They write, “Something about the communal religious experience and participation matters. Something powerful appears to take place there, and enhances health. It is something quite different from solitary spirituality. Where else today do we find a community with a shared moral and spiritual vision, a sense of accountability, wherein the central task of members is to love and care for one another? The combination of the teachings, the relationships and the spiritual practices — over time, week after week, taken together — gradually alters behavior, creates meaning, alleviates loneliness, and shapes a person in ways too numerous to document.” (Source)

I see a strong connection between these words and Jesus’ above. In what we call the Great Commandment, Jesus connects every aspect of our lives to our relationship with God. Our emotions, our desires, our thoughts, our energies, our bodies, and our relationships. Spiritual health, emotional health, and physical health travel together. Certainly, there are exceptions, but at least in my case the more I love God, the better I love others, and the better I take care of myself. And this starts with the recognition that God has loved us in Jesus with all of His heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I also notice the importance of relationships – how we live with other people. Community plays a very significant role in our spiritual growth. During the pandemic, community has suffered. It has been a year of being apart. This coming Sunday marks the anniversary of when we began dealing with shut-downs, quarantines, and restrictions. But the Coronavirus is not the only pandemic we have experienced. Many refer to rising rates of anxiety and depression as the “pandemic within the pandemic.” Isolation and alienation from others have contributed to this. It is not good to be alone.

With that in mind, let me encourage you to consider a return to 309 Fernwood Dr. to gather with other covenant partners for worship – at either 8, 9:30 or 11. Worship and fellowship with others are both biblically encouraged and experientially proven to be indispensable in our spiritual growth and emotional health. Besides, I just miss seeing you! We do continue to invite our more vulnerable and unvaccinated covenant partners to worship via livestream.

Re-Opening News

On March 21, we enter the newest phase of our re-opening. Tape blocking alternating pews will be removed allowing us to spread out throughout the sanctuary. Please try to maintain appropriate distance where possible. We do ask that you continue to wear masks when you enter, exit, stand or sing. Masks may be removed when seated. Please be mindful and considerate of those around you. If you are concerned about larger crowds, our 8 and 11 services have ample space. I look forward to seeing you in worship.

Your friend

Steve Wise