Why Blog and Some Random Thoughts...

You may be wondering why our church needs a blog or maybe you are thinking “Doesn’t our pastor have enough to do already?” Like any tool, a blog can be very effective when used correctly. A blog is not a place to share news, nor is it a place to connect socially, but it is a place to share ideas, wrestle with tough questions and make commentary. This is my goal, to use the JIBC blog as a place to prompt us to think a little deeper about theological ideas, what is going on in our world and about life itself. I hope you will check back from time to time and read the blog. Feel free to join in and comment. That all being said, let’s get it started!

A Few Random Thoughts…

#1. I view with utter amazement the footage coming out of Haiti I wonder several things…


• How would I survive if I was a Haitian father of five children who had just lost everything in a devastating earthquake? Would my faith be strong in a sovereign and loving God, or would I be in despair?


• Human nature never changes… It is amazing to me that the profit-seekers have continued to seek their profit in the face of mind-numbing devastation and hopelessness. It makes me want to pray imprecatory prayers.


• It makes me wonder how many Haitian orphans my house could hold, my table could feed, how many Haitian children could fit in my arms…


• It makes me wonder if I, who have been given so much, am using what has been given to me to its fullest potential for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.


#2. I love biographies. I love Christian biographies. Recently I finished a book I picked up at the Basics Pastor’s Conference last year titled “Heroes” by Iain H. Murray and published by Banner of Truth. It has seven biographies in it of some well known believers (Jonathan Edwards, C. H. Spurgeon) and some not so well known (Thomas Charles of Bala, Charles and Mary Colcock Jones). If you love biography, I would highly recommend this work to you. In our day when the word “heroes” is overused and underappreciated, this book shines a bright light on some real heroes of the faith.


And so we are off on our “Fresh Start”! Thanks for reading.


Pastor Dan

First Words

Welcome to the blog of Johnstown Independent Baptist Church. While there will not be weekly updates, there will be enough changes to make checking in on us worth your time.
Like the name of the blogs says this is a Fresh Start. God wants you to experience a fresh start by trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 2 Cor. 5:17 says that anyone who is in Christ is a new creature -- can't get any fresher than new!