Author: William Tyson

Every year Woodlawn Baptist Church has a special day on the calendar, Round Up Sunday! It’s the biggest day of the year. It’s a time where every part of the ministry puts a little extra effort into what they are doing.

Over the last 30+ years we have seen amazing days on Round Up Sunday. While it is always our desire to have as many people as we can the PRIORITY is making sure the Holy Spirit is welcome and present in our services.

As we enter Round Up Sunday weekend, I am excited about what God is going to do. I am looking forward with anticipation. I am thrilled to see the dedication and commitment of our workers. I am blessed to be a part of a hard working group of people.

This weekend there will be numerous people sitting in our pews who have never heard the gospel. There will be prodigals in the church. There will be religious people who think they are good but have no relationship with Christ.

Oh how we need to preach and teach with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. It’s life & death. There is a war going on for the souls of men. Will you pray for us this weekend. We need God desperately! We need HIM to show up in a mighty way. We want to lift up the name of Jesus and watch HIM work!

The most popular word of 2013 was “Selfie.” This is a craze that has swept the globe. Anyone and everyone who has a camera phone positions themselves for a picture with others or some backdrop of their pleasing. While this passing fad in and of itself is amoral it reminds me of a spiritual principle that we all should be cognizant of.

Often times we think higher of ourselves than we ought! Paul said, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” We often forget about the blessings of God until we lose them or a tragic event unfolds in our lives. Let’s be thankful for God’s hand of blessing in the valley but also on the mountain top! He is worthy regardless! Psalms 124 comes to mind amongst other verses. 

Many times we walk into the church house or in our community with a spiritual “Selfie” attitude where Christ is not glorified and all people see is “US!” How tragic! We are to lift up the name of Jesus! It’s the Saviour NOT self that should be evident for all to see! The way we act, the way we carry ourselves, the way we dress, the attitude we have and the words we speak should be encouraging, loving and exemplifying our Saviour, the King of KINGS and Lord of LORDS!

The reality is in the Christian life often times we over-estimate ourselves and under-estimate God!

Spiritual speaking…let’s not put SELF first…but the SAVIOUR!  

As we enter another school year at our academy, it reminds me once again of the importance of Christian education. I appreciate the sacrifice of many Christian school educators and the hard work of ministries across the country. We have a great responsibility of providing a strong academic foundation for our children as well as creating an environment where they can thrive spiritually!

I remember as a 14-year-old boy longing to attend a Christian school. I was weary of being taught anti-biblical principles and existing in an environment that was becoming more and more hostile to the things of God. I remember working a paper route every morning to try to earn the money needed to go Christian school. There were many mornings when I could barely feel my hands or feet due to the cold. But may I say, every moment was worth it! I was privileged to attend a wonderful Christian School, Independent Baptist Academy, and was taught by men and women of God! What a blessing! What memories!

I encourage every Christian parent to strongly consider a Christian education, whether in a Christian school environment or at home. We have a responsibility to educate our children. We are responsible for WHAT they are being taught. I determined a long time ago that my children would not be subjected to the many errors of the public school system. I recognize there are many hard-working public educators, some wonderful Christian people. However, I am not willing to subject my children to the error being taught, the unnecessary exposure to the hostile environment of the public schools student body or the inability for my children to be taught from a biblical world view.

We are training the next generation! Why are we letting the world educate them so that their faith is undermined? Why subject them to wiles of the devil at an early age? Why allow their minds to be clouded by anti-biblical rhetoric? They will face all of these soon enough! Let’s train them up in the way they should go so they KNOW what they believe!

As we close out one of the most exciting summers in my memory I can’t help but thank the Lord for His blessing. We as a church have invested in the youth of WBC! From our annual youth conference, summer fun camp to Vacation Bible School, every one has been a great blessing and events that touched many lives for Christ.

As we finish that last vacation and prepare for the coming school year we are facing a powerful fall line up of events and special speakers! We begin our fall campaign September 14th with Evangelist Wayne McCray. Our fall campaign theme matches our annual theme of “The Journey of Faith” This year we are challenging our congregation to take a step of faith!

On September 21st we celebrate our annual “Round Up” Sunday! Our biggest day of the year will be filled with fun and excitement and great preaching from Evangelist Allen Domelle! The next day we host the East Coast Old Paths Conference and will be hosting Brother Domelle and Pastor Bob Gray from Longview Baptist Temple!

On November 3rd & 4th we welcome Dr. Jeff Fugate from Clays Mills Road Baptist Church as we host the 2nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Bus Conference. We are exciting about the bus ministry as it has been used of the Lord to reach thousands for Christ!

Pray for us this fall! We need the power and presence of God on every service. We are ALL IN for God and trust you are too!

Until He comes…PREACH THE WORD!

As I reflect on VBS 2014, I come to the conclusion that God makes no mistakes. We started the week with my dear friend and our VBS speaker, Evangelist Caleb Garraway, having to leave town to take care of his wife who was beginning to have labor pains. While unexpected, we fully supported his decision and made plans to go on without him. Some of said that we had to go to “Plan B” but I reminded them that with God our “Plan B” was and is God’s “Plan A”

I watched dozens of workers organize and rally. Many went out visiting, manned registration table, supervised bathroom breaks, participated in games and “swarmed” the auditorium at the invitation to witness and minister to spiritual needs of a new generation! Well over 100 young people came to Christ! Critics may say…how many really meant it. Well, only them and God knows that answer. But I can say 31 years ago some may have doubted the profession of faith of an 11 year old boy who raised his hand in junior church to be saved…BUT HE meant it and now I pastor the church.

As we close out the summer of 2014, I can’t help but be thankful for our workers and for our GREAT God! They have worked and God always delivered exceedingly and abundantly ABOVE all that we ask or think! What a blessing to lead and disciple hundreds of young people this summer. What an awesome responsibility!

I enter this fall, with anticipation, ready to see God move! Lord, send the rain!

What a great VBS! Our workers have been amazing! The young people have been full of excitement and have been well behaved! The preaching has been used by the Lord in a mighty way! Yesterday I heard a young man say he brought his friend to hear about Jesus! That is what is all about! 

We are looking forward to the last night of VBS! Pray for us! Lives have been changed this week! We are dedicated to the next steps of discipleship! We must reach this generation before it is too late. This young people are not the church of tomorrow, they are TODAY’s church! 

It’s time to step up! It’s harvest time!!

As I consider the monumental efforts of our workers this week for VBS, I am in awe of their love for the Lord and desire to round up young people for this great event. While many would complain about the last minute changes to speakers and sometime the program our workers have done an amazing job!

Tonight, we had 206 young people attend VBS. I am thankful for a great group of adults who willingly turned over the auditorium and met in the basement for our Wednesday night service! What a blessing to pastor a great group of people! I am certainly undeserving!

I am excited to see what God is going to do the last two nights of VBS! Tonight we had 15 salvation decisions (This is what I was told) but also we had young people come forward re-dedicating their lives to Christ! What a great need for this generation to have some of their peers to stand in the gap! Where are the Daniel’s who will purpose in their heart? Where are the David’s who will rally their generation with the cry “IS there not a cause?” Where are the Peter’s who will step out of the boat in faith?

I am glad to be in a church where we are witnessing answered prayer! We are witnessing God save souls and change lives! We are witnessing the miracle of salvation occur in just about every service!

God’s grace is still amazing! Pray for the last two nights! We need to hear from HIM!

All day the Mid-Atlantic region has been receiving torrential rains. Storm warnings, flash floods and nearly 6 inches of rain in the area. Yet with some roads closed and rush hour traffic back-ups our workers went out and brought 185 children to VBS tonight!

My wife was asked to give her testimony of receiving Christ as a little girl. I can say as I stood in the back…not a whisper could be heard…the Lord was working on hearts!

Brother Tom preached another powerful message on faith and shared the testimony of Melvin, a little boy in our church who went to heaven after a three year battle with cancer. Melvin always had a smile on his face. He loved Jesus and told everyone who would listen about his Saviour. The last time I saw Melvin he was in and out of consciousness and was labored in his breathing. He had been given morphine for his pain. I sat beside his bed and whispered in his ear and told him I was there and that we loved him and that Jesus loved him. He opened his eyes and mumbled something only the Lord knows. I will never forget Melvin! I was reminded as I looked across a full auditorium of children that we were reaching the next Melvin! May we never forget what we do…is LIFE & DEATH!

Yes, we had a blast a VBS tonight. The skits, the games, the candy and the singing but there was also a wonderful spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is…there is liberty.

29 young people walked the aisles to receive Christ tonight! I can only say the rain was pouring outside all day but it was raining inside ALL NIGHT!!

Lord, send the rain! We need those showers of blessing!