Saturday Greetings,

September is a month of transitions.  Many students begin their classes again in the United States.  Later in the month the seasons will change from summer to autumn. And while the weather is still quite nice in Seattle during September, you can feel the temperature begin to cool in the evenings and the leaves beginning to change colors.

I've been considering the transitions which we all encounter through life.  On my shelf is a book which suggests that we all have "necessary losses" which enable us to grow.  There are some examples of the loss of dependent childhood (at the appropriate time) in order to embrace independent adulthood, and the loss of singleness in order to embrace marriage.  Some might consider it a loss of a married couples' flexibility when they embrace children.  When we have moved several times over the years, we would certainly have considered it a loss when leaving beloved congregations but perhaps a necessary one for us to fully embrace the loving new congregations to which we were called.  As we age, we grieve the perceived loss of our adult children and yet without this loss we would not be able to embrace our children's beloved spouses nor the grandchildren which came after.  And as we consider employment, it is not unusual to experience some loss when changing jobs whether intentional or unintentional and when we approach the transition called retirement, there is also a measure of loss.  These losses must be embraced if we are to truly embrace and enjoy the growth the Lord has in mind for each of us.    

Consider these scriptures as you face the transitions that may be facing you today.  Grief is sometimes necessary but it never has to be the final word.  God has promise to redeem those transitions and losses for His glory.  
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
2 Corinthians 4:17–18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God bless you all,
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Greetings from Seattle,

We arrived home on Wednesday afternoon from a fruitful trip to Nigeria and Ghana for their camp meetings.   Thank you so much for your prayers for our safety and for God's blessing on our humble efforts.  We were greatly encouraged by God's working in that part of the world and encouraged that He is still working in our part of the world as well.  

I will note a couple of what some might call nuances which I noticed that I think we can learn from.  First, I was struck by the deliberate and strong emphasis on prayer both before and after services.  We do the same but I suspect it can become more routine rather than intentionally calling on God's blessing in and after the services.  Second, I was struck by the loud chorus of Amens after musical numbers, prayer, and during sermons.  I well understand that there are a variety of personalities (i.e. not all are loud or even overly vocal in their worship) but it was certainly encouraging to actually hear amens during the meetings.  Of course, they must be from the heart and not just habit but even if just a habit...I think it is a good one.  Thirdly, I believe that in Africa in general, Christians readily acknowledge and anxiously embrace what I like to call a supernatural worldview.  I sensed a great anticipation of a supernatural moving of God in the meetings...not only for salvation and deeper spiritual experiences but also for healing, provision, divine direction in relationships, etc.  

As I considered these things I was reminded that our faith must not rely on signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22, John 4:48) but at the same time we can expect the God of Moses who delivered Israel from Egypt with signs and wonders to also move supernaturally on our behalf just as He did in the book of Acts.   It is my prayer that as we enter the fall, we will be reminded that if we pray and align our hearts with God's Word that He has promised to move supernaturally on our behalf.  I heard the following words many times in the prayer room as they read prayer requests:  "May the Lord hear and answer this prayer request in Jesus Name."    My response then and now is, AMEN!

BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Good morning from Ghana, West Africa,

Lori and I arrived here from Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday morning.  After our two Sundays at the Faith City Nigeria campmeeting we spent a couple of days touring the Apostolic Faith WeCA Headquarters facilities and visiting the first AFC location in Nigeria.  The scope of what God has done in Western Africa in our work is amazing indeed.  The Gospel was gladly received and continues to grow here.  Like in all places they have challenges but God is helping and they are zealous to see God work.  My apologies for not writing more or sooner but the schedule has been quite packed with a Bible Teaching, Sunday sermon, ordinations, tours of the facilities as well as Crawford University as well as  greeting many plus the regular camp schedule.    

In Ghana there are around 50 Apostolic Faith churches here and they have gathered for a two week camp meeting with the same theme as the one in Nigeria, "Surely, I Come Quickly."   Attendance here is perhaps over a thousand and it is a joy to be in meetings with the same sweet spirit we feel at home.   I was tasked with giving an "executive summary" of my Portland Camp teachings on courtship, marriage, and family and then to answer questions which proved quite interesting and challenging.   I am slated to preach Sunday morning  which is the middle Sunday of their campmeeting.   Ghana, like Nigeria has many similarities to places in Asia where we have travelled so we have acclimated very well to the weather and accommodations by God's grace.  

Lord willing, our plan is to begin our travel home on Monday and we expect to be in Wednesday evening Bible Study by God's grace and certainly will be in services on next Sunday. Thank you for your prayers and you can all be assured that we have been praying for you all during our absence.  Sis. Lori sends her warm love to all as do I.  

In Christ,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
Apostolic Faith Church
Seattle, WA

Dearest Seattle Saints,

I am writing you today from our accommodations at the Faith City Nigeria camp meeting.   We were privileged to attend their annual concert this afternoon (it is Saturday evening here) and it was quite good with prayer following.  The great tabernacle here seats over 20,000 people and is expected to be full tomorrow.  We're thankful for how God's work has grown here and is thriving by God's grace.  The theme of the camp meeting is Surely, I Come Quickly and the title of my sermon for tomorrow is "Waiting for the Day".   People have been very gracious to us and are glad we are here.  It is a good feeling to know that the Gospel is the common factor for us as believers around the world, no matter the economic, political, or cultural differences.   it reminds me of the words of the Apostle Paul when he said:

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:10–11

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans 10:12–13

God has called people from around the world and across the street to serve Him.  The riches of heaven have been given to pay the price for salvation.  And when received we become new creations in Christ, with the mar of sin removed and our hearts renewed to the image of the creator.   When we see Christ in others, the problems, challenges, and differing personalities are swallowed up by His great love.  May that be our testimony.  

We are praying for services there.  Please pray for us as well.  

BB
William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
Apostolic Faith Church
Seattle, WA

Happy Saturday,

In the Adult SS class as of late, we've been studying the Psalms.  Divided into 5 "books" reflecting the 5 books of the Pentateuch or Torah, 150 chapters in all, it served as Israel's song book.  Perhaps the thing I love most about the Psalms is that they are so "raw".   By raw, I mean we get the unedited version of the authors' feelings and perspective at the time the Psalm was composed.  They range from ecstatic joy and praise to nearly morose grief and mourning sometimes accompanied by anger and despair.   I suppose this is why we can identify so readily with the Psalms when we are facing the myriads of challenges which come our way in life.  Some so exciting we could shout and others so painful we simply weep.  I have many favorite Psalms and there is much highlighting of them in my Bible.  One of those favorites is Psalm 107.  It begins like this:

Psalm 107:1–3 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2    Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, From the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

It reminds us to be thankful for God's essential goodness and that his mercy (Hebrew - hesed) is everlasting extending to our redemption. We have been saved from the enemy of our souls and gathered into God's presence.    I also like the phrase used in verses 6, 13, 19, 28: "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."  Distresses and trouble do come in life...sometimes because of our own foolish choices and sometimes because we live in a fallen world.  But no matter, the Psalmist reminds us what to do...cry to the Lord for deliverance and he will answer.   There are several other choice nuggets in the Psalm, phrases like:  vs 7 "he led them forth by the right way...", vs 14 "He brought them out of darkness...", vs. 20 "He sent his word, and healed them...", vs 29 "He maketh the storm a calm...", and more.  

Perhaps the best part of the Psalm is a refrain that happens 4 times in verse 8, 15, 21, and 31 that says: "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness , and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"     It is my prayer that in the coming months  we will all be reminded of the Lord's goodness and mercy toward us over and over again. God bless each one of you.

Schedule Note:   We welcomed our students and counselors back from a successful Youth Camp today.  To give them a bit of time to recuperate, we will NOT have Sunday Evening Service tomorrow night.  Keep praying the seed planted at youth camp will bring a great harvest for our young people.  

In Christ,
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Saturday,

August is here and that means Youth Camp, final vacations/travel before school, and gearing back up for school, along with a number of other activities.  I have spent some time this week in between various home/church maintenance issues binge watching Apostolic Faith Camp meeting services.  Over the past two weeks there have been services streamed from our camp meetings in Canada, US Midwest, US East/Southern District, and the UK/Western Europe.  All the services were streamed so there was no lack of strong spiritual meat along with lots of encouragement.  We were thrilled to watch the installation of two new District Superintendents (Canada and UK/Western Europe)  and have been thrilled with what our ears have heard and our eyes have seen.  

The beauty of these streamed services is that although it may feel a bit like a huge buffet dinner with no possible way to consume it all, you can keep coming back and learning and being blessed.   And as you open your heart, God's word and the encouragement of the songs and testimonies can continue to bring growth and maturity in your walk with the Lord.   You can use this as extra spiritual food during the next month until we begin mid-week Bible Studies again in Seattle in September.  

As I close, I am reminded of the familiar scripture in James.  We often quote it when praying for the sick but it is useful far beyond just that.  It reminds us to pray in affliction, to sing in joyful times, to call for the elders to anoint and pray in sickness.  It reminds us that when we pray, we must also have faith and both healing and forgiveness are available.  It reminds us that we should humbly confess our faults to each other, praying for one another to remove any hindrances.  It then finishes with an example of Elijah who prayed and God answered... even though he was just a human being subject to the same weaknesses, faults, and challenges as us.

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. James 5:13–18

May we embrace the reality that God hears our prayers and will answer.  So, we must pray in the good and bad times, when we feel like it or not, and when the answers are slow in coming because God is faithful.

God bless,
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Warm Greetings in Jesus' name,

As we begin our new "spiritual year" measuring from camp meeting to camp meeting I have been considering how God will direct us through the summer and into the fall season.  Hopefully we have all taken some spiritual inventory and the Holy Spirit has begun to show us what must be done going forward to furtherance of His kingdom work.

I know I have been doing that personally and I was reminded of something I saw last week.  I walked into a local grocery store and on that particular day there were literally dozens of  pallets of food and merchandise in the aisles waiting to be restocked to the shelves.  I think this is a little bit like camp meeting for us.  We are delivered an enormous amount of spiritual food in a variety of sizes and shapes.   That food may be boxed as sound doctrine and teaching, encouragement and fellowship,  correction and discipleship, special times of prayer for us and or others, calling and growing...and the list goes on and on.   The challenge that is before us now is to "restock" the spiritual shelves so that these things are not left in some sort of Camp meeting warehouse but instead are available for our benefit and the benefit of others around us on a daily basis.  

Now it could be that you can only add one pallet at a time but make sure that you use all that God has given you.  Some things have a long shelf life while others must be used immediately or they will become of no use.  Whatever the case, we know that God wants us to be spiritually well nourished.   The Apostle Paul told his young mentee, Timothy that his ministry would pass on this kind of nourishment.  

 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.1 Timothy 4:6

That is my goal for this new year as your pastor...to help us all remember God's goodness with words of encouragement and faith along with sound teaching, preaching, and leading.  I will try not to "dump the whole load" all at once but by God's grace give you a steady nourishing diet of God's eternal Word along with lots of love and encouragement along the way.  

Will you join me in "restocking your shelves"?  We heard at camp meeting that God was willing to "pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."   May that be our case in this new year.  

God bless,

BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Saturday evening Greetings from Seattle, 
Lori and I have returned from several days rest at the Oregon coast after a very busy but blessed time at our Portland Camp meeting.  Thank you all for your prayers for us and for all of those who were able to attend or to watch online.  The theme for the camp was "remove not the old landmarks" and we heard many inspiring sermons, teachings, and testimonies as well as wonderful music from around the globe.  

But now...we are back in Seattle and eager to see you all again in worship tomorrow morning. Our regular schedule begins again with Sunday School at 9:45, Morning worship at 11 am and Evening Service at 5 pm.  We will not be having Wednesday Bible Studies until September 2 because of vacations, youth camp, and several traveling for church business.  

One exciting surprise is that we will have a guest minister tomorrow morning.  Bro. Roque Fiegalan, Philippine District Superintendent will be bringing the morning message and his daughter (Lori and my goddaughter) will be singing.  Please don't miss it if you are able to come out.  

God bless you all as we begin another year of blessing in serving the Lord together.  

BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Saturday evening,

It has been a busy day with our young people working diligently to wash cars to help fund their upcoming Youth camp.   There also have been many preparations for Father's Day.  And many of us are already anticipating the upcoming Portland Camp Meeting Convention.  

All of those events bring a sense of anticipation and as I was considering anticipation...I couldn't help but consider two young girls in our congregation who share birthdays today.  Especially when you are young, there is a sense of anticipation as birthdays approach which rivals almost everything else.  I can remember as a child announcing to my parents "Mom/Dad, did you know that there are only (insert number) of days left until my birthday?"   Of course, my parents very well knew that but it seemed that my anticipation of the event needed to be shared and they needed to be reminded of its utmost importance.  

I now understand that the coming of another birthday may not bring the same joyous anticipation as it once did.  Yet, there is joy in continuing to live and breathe and glorify the Lord.  I wonder if we sometimes loose the "wonder" of children and joyous anticipation of the simple joys which the Lord sends our way ...even when we are getting older.  

As we approach camp meeting and youth camp, may the Lord hone our anticipation of just what He might do for us and others whom we know and love.    

God bless you all,

BB

Rev. William E. McKibbenSenior Pastor

Happy Saturday,

Did you know that tomorrow, June 14 is Flag Day in the United States. In 1777, delegates of the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution which established "the flag of the United States to be 13 stripes, alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation"  Over the years as states were added to the union the flag shifted in size and proportion but returning to the original 13 stripes which signified the original 13 colonies and the arrangement of the stars growing by one whenever a new state was added to the union up to the current number of 50. (Delaware was the first to ratify the constitution on December 7, 1787 and Hawaii was added on August 21, 1959).  

Flags have been used throughout history to designate armies, countries, teams, and a number of other things. In Isaiah 11 The prophet Isaiah uses several metaphors to describe the "root of Jesse" that would be a rod of deliverance to Israel bringing a spirit of wisdom and understanding.  He uses a rod, a branch, and finally an ensign or flag to describe this same "root of Jesse" to whom all people including the Gentile will look and to whom he would bring a glorious rest.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, Which shall stand for an ensign of the people; To it shall the Gentiles seek: And his rest shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:10

Last evening, I watched the US National Soccer Team play in their first World Cup match of this year.  Their uniforms were red, white, and blue...mostly red and white stripes with hints of blue, reflective of our national flag.  They scored more goals than in any of their precious World Cup matches and they also won.  I don't believe I've ever seen so many American flags outside of a specifically patriotically themed event.  It seemed that our country was joined together at least for a brief moment, in unity behind a team and flag which represents all of us.  It reminded me of a now famous Olympic hockey game from 1980 now dubbed the "Miracle on Ice".  

How I wish that our country and all of the world could find not just a brief moment but a lifetime of unity standing behind the "root of Jesse" whose life was literally lifted like a flag on a cruel Roman cross for our sins.  That, dear saints was a victory like none other.   You can find a list of the winners of all World Cup games and the final winner of the World Cup for nearly every year since 1930 when it was established but there has only been One who was victorious over death and rose again.  The writer of Hebrews describes how holiness is available for all because of what Jesus did.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10

This weekend...may we as believers in America not lose sight of the great freedoms we have been afforded by our creator and His unmerited grace.  And may we also rejoice and wave with vigor the "ensign" of Jesus who said "if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me."  

Housekeeping Notes:

1. Schedule - June 21 will be our final day of services before Portland Camp meeting.  We will be celebrating with our traditional potluck dinner.  We will celebrate Father's Day, Three graduates (Joy Ayodeji, Aanuoluwapo (Mercy) Ajayi, and Cirilus Osongo), and also bidding farewell to the Park/Koo family who are moving.  Seattle services will resume on July 19.  
2. Camp/Youth Camp registration - Portland Camp meeting registration must be completed by tomorrow.  Youth camp registration deadline is June 21.   Please register online but DO NOT PAY Portland directly.  Our annual YC carwash is on June 20.  We will need to calculate fee amounts so you can all pay on June 21.   Thanks for your understanding.  

God bless you all,

BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor 

Happy Saturday,

In true Seattle fashion the day began overcast and drizzly but has finished with billowy clouds, blue sky, and sunshine.   Thank you for your patience in my skipping of an Uplook for last week since we were traveling.  We were privileged to attend the High School graduation of our oldest granddaughter.  It was a joyous time and we were happy to have been there (even with airport travel issues again).  

We've also been hearing a lot about the upcoming FIFA World Cup soccer matches to be held in Seattle.   For those of you who are not soccer fans, FIFA is the governing body which schedules soccer matches around the world.  By the way, the balance of the world does not call this sport soccer,  but rather football which is quite confusing for us Americans.   Nearly 750,000 visitors are expected to visit Seattle between the first  (June 15) and last (July 6) of six games held here.  Of those games, the USA National team will play here in two of the six games.  Fortunately for us, none of the scheduled games fall on church dates although the increased number of people in general will certainly affect traffic in general.  

Considering such a crowd reminded me of a scripture describing what the Apostle John saw and then recorded in the Revelation.
 
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 7:9–12

During the next few weeks frenzied crowds will shout "Ole" along with a number of other cheers for the teams of their choice.  At the end of each game, there will be winners and losers.  Winners will advance until at some point there will be only one team left.  Those that supported that team will be overjoyed but many more saddened.  In both cases, however, they will start the process all over again as this happens every four years.  

The event recorded by John the Beloved above will happen only once in the history of all humanity.  An innumerable multitude from across nation, culture, continent, and time who have been redeemed by the Blood of Jesus and had their sins forgiven will join together, clothed in white, waving palms and shouting a glorious message.  "Salvation to our God which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb."  

That  we all will be present on that day is my heart's desire for each of us and for those we love and can influence.  All are invited and none need to walk away disappointed or excluded on that day as salvation has been offered to the whosoever will.

God bless you all,
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

In the United States this weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer (although technically it doesn't begin until June 21st which is the Summer solstice or longest day of the year).   It is a holiday often marked by remembrances for those who gave their lives for the defense of our country.  And for you auto racing fans, the Indianapolis 500 race has been held on this weekend for 115 years (with short hiatus' during some years in WW1 and WW2).  I can remember listening to it on the radio as a boy while helping my father repaint the house.  The weekend is also often characterized by vacations/camping/family BBQ's and home improvement projects.  

But today I want to remind you that during this year's Memorial Day weekend we celebrate Pentecost Sunday.  This is the Sunday which marks 50 days after the Easter resurrection of Christ and 10 days after his Ascension to heaven when the Holy Spirit was poured out on a unified group of early Christian believers in the Upper Room in Jerusalem.   They had returned there and given themselves to prayer, consecration, seeking, and fellowship just as Jesus had instructed them.

It was a momentous event, literally empowering the early church to begin the spread the good news of the Gospel.  The prophet Joel referred to this event as the "Early Rain" using a farming metaphor.  In 1906 at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California there was another momentous outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a simple group of unified believers.  This has become known as the "Latter Rain" of which Joel also spoke in his prophecy.  Between those two events the Holy Spirit has been present and there have been sprinklings throughout the ages because God is faithful.  

Our church sprang from this later outpouring with a burning desire to continue to spread the faith of those early Apostles (hence our name - Apostolic Faith) especially as we understand that the return of Jesus is imminent.

So, as you celebrate this holiday weekend, may you also celebrate God's faithfulness not only to the early church but at Azusa Street and most importantly to our church here in Seattle. The Holy Spirit is still present and active in our services; convicting of sin, leading us to holiness, drawing consecrations, comforting and teaching, empowering and bringing forgiveness and unity to us as fellow believers.  May we not only practice all of that...(as the race car drivers do...but also celebrate at the soon to come "checkered flag".

Housekeeping Notes
Youth Camp - We have received applications for Youth camp and they will be available tomorrow.  You are encouraged to register online (QR code on the flier at church).  We plan to have a YC Carwash on Saturday June 20 to help offset the $345 charge)  We will let you know how much has been earned that day and final payment is due to the Seattle church on Sunday, June 21 ...so I can forward to Portland prior to Camp meeting.  
Camp Meeting - Please remember that the deadline for camp meeting registration is soon.  Please take care of this online as soon as possible
No Sunday evening service tomorrow night.  
Father's Day/Graduation Potluck - We are planning a potluck on Father's Day.  On that day, we will also be celebrating three graduates in our congregation.  They are Sis. Joy Ayodeji from CWU(Bachelors), Sis. Aanuoluwapo (Mercy) Ajayi from WSU (Bachelors) , and Bro. Cirilus Osongo from UW (Masters).   We also plan to use that day to let the Park/Koo family know how much we love and will miss them as they move to worship in our Richmond, CA church.  We will follow the celebration with a short devotional and then have no evening service.  

God bless you all.
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Beloved Saints,

I'm writing a little early this week as our Special Meetings begin tomorrow.  The theme is "Breaking Down Strongholds" which comes from 2 Corinthians 10:4.  We have been praying the Lord will use this special time together for us and those who gather from our sister churches nearby to expose and pull down those places where Satan has tried to establish authority.   Those places can certainly be global in scope considering the principalities and powers around us which sometimes seem to only be evil in their purposes.  And yet strongholds sometimes come our way in much more subtle and personal ways.  The enemy of our souls would like to sow discord among God's people in an attempt to destroy the very unity which Christ died to give us.  Psalm 133 reminds us that it is within the context of this unity that God command's His divine blessing and makes it available to us as a special anointing.  He also often tries to convince us (as he tried with Elijah) to believe we are isolated and alone in this great fight of faith.  May we like Elijah, listen for the still small voice during these meetings in which God speaks peace and purpose to our hearts.  Sometimes strongholds come in the form of physical sickness or challenges over which it seems we have no control.  Other times they can be financial in nature sometimes created by our own poor choices or circumstances beyond our control.  We believe that this weekend, no matter the challenge or stronghold that the Lord will be present to pull them down speaking peace and wholeness to our weary souls.  May that be the case for all of us.  
God bless you all,

BB
William E McKibben
Senior Pastor

Good morning,

I've delayed my weekly email this morning to offer a warm greeting to all of our mothers.   God bless you for all that you do.  

With that said, I am aware that both Mother's and Father's Day can bring a myriad of emotions for people.  Some of those emotions are joy and happiness because of the blessings which often come with becoming a mother.  We certainly do not want to minimize these in any way and today of all days wish to celebrate and honor them.  Mothers who love, pray, teach, work, etc. abound and must be lifted up.   Yet, these holidays also can bring less positive feelings.  Feelings of loss or grief which spring again from a variety of circumstances including estrangement between parents and children, or not having children because of infertility or choice, or even the natural grief of simply growing older and parents having passed away.  These feelings can sometimes feel overwhelming and are recognized even by large companies when they offer "opt outs" of their marketing messages during these holidays.

So today, I want to honor both of the extremes...celebrating the blessing of motherhood as God designed, honoring all of the wonderful Godly examples even within our own congregation of women (biological mothers or not) who have loved, invested, shared, cried, prayed, etc. for the next generation.  God bless you all.   I also want to honor and respect those for whom this day brings a measure of pain.  Pain over lost opportunity, regret over relationships lost, and grief over parents now gone all are very real.  In honoring mother's today, we rejoice in God's love which extends far beyond that of a mother.  The prophet Isaiah noted in 49:13 that even if a mother forgets her nursing child that God will never forget us and in 66:13 he assures Israel (and us) of his love and care just as a nursing mother provides for her child.  

God bless you all today.  May Jesus gather you near to him just as he offered Jerusalem  (Matthew 23:37) .  May we respond positively to His loving embrace today.

BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Greetings and Happy Saturday,

Thank you for being patient in understanding that last Saturday we were out of state on holiday with some family and I simply "took the day off" from writing.   This week has been busy upon our return including travel to Langley BC for their special meetings where I was privileged to preach on Thursday evening and also present a couple-hour seminar on family relationships this morning.  We are home again and rejoicing in the spirit of the meetings as well as the beautiful weather we have been having.

It is our sincere prayer that our upcoming Special meetings (May 16-17) are infused with the same enthusiasm and the blessing of the Holy Spirit which we felt in Langley.   Now I realize that the word "infusion" may not be one that we use often to describe how the Holy Spirit works.  Webster's Dictionary defines "infusion" as "the continuous slow introduction of a solution ..."  

We are prone to favor words like "suddenly" or "with great power" or with "emotional demonstration", etc.   And we indeed desire for the Lord to suddenly come close to us with great power and emotional blessing.  With that said, we understand that more often our experience may seem much more routine and mundane.  A simple urge or pull in our spirit or a word of encouragement from a song or a brother/sister are not as obvious or direct it would seem.

In the case of the prophet Elijah...in a very discouraging time as he fled for his life from a wicked queen it was not pyrotechnics or great emotion that evidenced God's divine presence but instead what the Bible describes as "a still small voice."  The Hebrew suggests it was "a breath of a whisper".  And this was after the Lord had sent fire from heaven earlier to consume a sacrifice correctly presented and after the Lord sent rain ending a three-and-a-half-year drought.  All quite exciting and miraculous and yet in this case after miraculously sustaining the prophet for 40 days, God chose not to speak through gale force wind, major earthquake, or a raging fire but with a breath of a whisper.

As we anticipate the upcoming special meetings in a couple of weeks may we tune our ears finely for the still small voice and may the presence of God infuse our hearts completely.

God bless you all.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Good afternoon to all,

April is a month with many memories for me.  Over four decades ago our first child was born on the second day of April. I was so full of joy and happiness at the addition of a beautiful healthy daughter that I thought I might burst.  (figuratively, of course).   Only 12 days later, my father passed away after a 13-month battle with brain cancer.  I was so distraught with grief that I thought it might crush me.  I recall sitting in the rocking chair holding our daughter and crying, not sure if it was joy or grief.   Today I understand that it was a bittersweet mixture of the two.  

April also reminds me of the first "special meetings" which I ever attended in 1974 after getting saved and sanctified six months earlier.  Bro. Allen Crabtree (the Seattle Church founding pastor) was the guest evangelist in our church for a week and it was during that week when the Lord brought a 17-year-old boy with little to offer God, to a place of consecration and surrender resulting in my receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  There were only a few around the altar and it was not loud or overly emotional but it was deep and real and has stood the test of time.  

Easter also often comes in April as it did this year and that always brings memories of Church programs, family gatherings, and most of all a deep gratitude to God for sending Jesus to die for our sins.  And better yet, the hope of the resurrection which has been given to us because of His resurrection.  

As we look forward to our own Special Meetings upcoming on May 16-17, may we remember the Lord's faithfulness to us.  The devil would like to discourage and limit what God has planned for us but we are glad that death has been swallowed up in victory.   Because of Christ, I will see my father again and we will be able to make up those lost years throughout eternity.  Better yet, that baby and her siblings and now their children also have a chance to meet Him and enjoy the same fellowship.  The Holy Spirit reminds us of that living hope which is available to each of us.

God bless you all.
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Saturday,

Greetings from Medford Oregon where Lori and I are spending a few days with our son’s family. Baseball is in the air here and I was thinking a bit about how much timing plays a part in baseball.  The different speeds of pitches and the angles outfielders take to catch fly ball's all depend on timing.

There are some things in the gospel which also depend on timing.  When we speak comfort to the weary or discouraged matters.  When we hold our tongues matters. When we preach matters.  May the Lord help us all to ask the Lord to help us in all these areas.  

And speaking of preaching, please pray for Bro Howard Wilson who will preach in Seattle tomorrow morning as well as for me as I preach here in Medford. God bless you all.

BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

It is Saturday and the sun is shining.  The trees are in bloom and daffodils dot the yards in our neighborhood.  And yet this particular Saturday, the one between Good Friday and Easter, brings a bit of melancholy and introspection to the forefront.  I am struck with a couple of thoughts which I will share with you today.

The first is what I call "in between" which is the kind of feelings this day perhaps evokes for us.  The horror of the cross with all of its suffering and pain grieves us almost to the point of physical sickness.  Such brutality and disregard for human life in general and in particular toward the innocent and perfect life of Jesus.  This is what the early disciples were overwhelmed by along with a dashing of their now understood as somewhat shallow hope that Jesus would deliver Israel.  In some years past we have celebrated a Tenebrae service on Good Friday to emphasize just how dark it was on that particular day with what seemed to be all hope extinguished.  And yet... in that service the final solitary candle representing Jesus is not extinguished but rather carried out of the room as we contemplate the darkness.   I wonder if sometimes we also feel as if our hope has been extinguished by the pain and brutality of our world or even our particular current situation.  And yet,  be reminded that while it may seem that the light of Jesus has been "taken out of the room" and things are terribly dark, that we now know that light returns in glorious brightness on the third day with the resurrection.  May we learn the lessons of Saturday; the day "in between",  Lessons of grieving, waiting, wondering, trying to understand, frustration, tears, and weariness that leave us in between.  And yet, may we also remember that the light has not been extinguished but only removed from the room for a while.  

This all gives rise to what some theologians call "the already but not yet".  This phrase was developed in the early 20th century and made popular later in the century reminding us that God's kingdom is both present now but also a future kingdom which will fully fulfill God's promises.  With Jesus' arrival at the incarnation, the kingdom of God was now present as the king had arrived but it was also not yet.  It was further revealed in Christ's live, death, and resurrection culminating with the astounding words "It is finished" and "He is not here, He is risen."  but even then, what was "already" had not come to complete fruition because Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father or sent the Holy Spirit to empower believers to spread the news of the kingdom to the whole world.  And with that there is also the matter of Jesus' promised return to set up a literal kingdom judging the nations.  Only then will what we "already" have experienced in our hearts and know by faith to be true be fully realized and the "not yet" will become complete and full reality.  

So today on the Saturday "in between" grasp tightly to the "already" knowing that "the not yet" is still coming.  Dear saints, that is the hope of the resurrection for each of us.

God bless you all.
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Dear Saints,
 
As I gazed out my office window today at the beautiful ornamental plum trees planted in front of the house which are overflowing with gorgeous white blossoms; a scripture came to my mind.   Here it is:

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."  Revelation 7:9–17 

We are about to celebrate Palm Sunday which commemorates the worship given to Jesus as He entered into the city of Jerusalem.  We know what followed less than a week later.  

This scripture speaks also of palms in the hands of worshippers but this worship will be sincere and pure and eternal in nature because they (hopefully all of us) have washed their robes and made them while in the Blood of the precious Lamb of God which was slain on Calvary.  

In the words of a contemporary hymn..."There will be a day..." when all the hunger and thirst will be gone, no scorching heat or cold, and God Himself will wipe away all of our tears.   I want to be there on that day...don't you?

Reminders - There will be choir practice at 3:00 PM tomorrow.  
Also...there will be no Bible Study next week.  

Blessings,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Saturday to all,

As I was working on tomorrow's sermon, I spent some time in Galatians chapter 6.  It begins challenging us as believers to restore those who have been caught in faults/errors either intentional or unintentional considering that we also may need restoration.  It goes on to speak about the bearing of burdens, both those of others and our own.   It warns us against the deception of pride and that we must examine or prove our own actions and not compare with others.  It also then speaks of sharing with those who teach the Word faithfully to us.    That is a summary of the first six verses...but the ones that caught my eye are the three which follow.   Here they are:  

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:7–9

We must not sneer at or mock God in deception thinking that if we live contrary to the scriptures ...refusing restoration, refusing to bear either our own or other's burdens, proudly declaring we are not like others, living without serious self-examination, and selfishly refusing to share what God has provided, that the crop which will eventually grow will not be corruptible.  But by God's grace and help if we live in alignment with the scriptures then we are sowing to the Spirit and from that will grow a thriving eternal kind of living.  

May we not be wearying in doing what God has instructed/commanded because we know the outcome will come in God's perfect timing.  God bless you all as you plant in the Spirit.

Reminder - We do have choir practice tomorrow at 3:30 in the afternoon.  Thanks for your faithfulness.

Blessings,

BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Greetings to all,

It is not too often that we have snow, rain, hail, and sunshine all within a 24-hour period but today was that kind of day.

 Someone has said that the only thing constant in life is "change".   And from a day-to-day practical perspective it may often feel much like that is true.  Different school schedules, different menus, different traffic, different challenges, and the list goes on and on.  In many ways change can be annoying or frustrating but occasionally downright frightening.  When Costco changes something they have always stocked, we are annoyed.  When we go to a place of business or perhaps a medical provider and find that they have changed their hours of service, we can feel frustrated.  And when we find that those upon whom we depend for life giving support have changed their phone numbers or locations, it can be frightening.
 
Consider the words of the prophet Malachi:
"For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Malachi 3:6   

The context of the verse is a Messianic prophecy of the coming of a messenger preparing the way before the LORD. The LORD will take residence in the temple as the one who gave the covenant. He will refine, purify, and purge His people so their offerings will be righteous.  (They were not)  He will also come near in judgement and witness against a variety of abominable actions including sorcery, adultery, liars, and those that oppress employees, widows, orphans and others from outside Israel without fearing God.

So...the LORD's mercy and lovingkindness will never change just as His justice and judgement for evil will never change.  He does not acquit the wicked but exacts righteous judgement.  Without it His holy character would be impugned (lack integrity).  And so, it is this LORD who came in human flesh offering Himself as sinless ransom for human sins and sinfulness.  Not only do the sons of Jacob need not be consumed but you and I also need not be consumed and die in our sins.  Because the LORD does not change...His justice has been satisfied by His mercy/love in Christ's crucifixion.  And if we will only repent and believe, this mercy is freely extended to us.

We need not fear all the change around us as long as this one thing, the LORD, stays constant.   In that we can rejoice.

God bless you all.
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Happy Saturday,

We have safely returned from the Tabernacle meetings in Portland and were certainly blessed during our time there.  Thank you for your prayers for my presentation to the ministers and continue to pray for Bro. Alex who is running youth services there today .  

The special meetings there were held on the old campground which was established over 100 years ago and still houses the original tabernacle building.  Of course, over the years it has been enclosed, wings and a platform added along with heat and air conditioning.  Other areas of the campground continue to be improved, including 14 new cabins complete with utilities for next camp meeting.   There is still much to update physically as the Lord provides but we thank God that we have not updated what is preached and taught.  I'm reminded of the words of the prophet Jeremiah:

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." Jeremiah 6:16

God encouraged the southern kingdom of Judah to stand up and take a good look at their situation and then to ask for the direction which God had already established for his covenant people to walk.  It was a good way, established by his deliverance and covenant promises of including the promised land.  And once that way had been rediscovered, if they would faithfully follow and walk in it they would find rest and thriving lives of shalom (peace).  

Unfortunately, the text also records that their response was NO...we won't walk in that established way.  The consequences for such a decision were disastrous for them and similar choices today will result in the same disastrous results.  May we by God's grace, not only seek the "old paths" which have proven successful in giving people thriving wholeness and eternal life, but also walk in them.  God will give us rest for our souls.  In today's troubled world, that is good news indeed.  

Reminder - Tomorrow marks the beginning of Daylight savings time and it is important to move your clocks one hour forward.   Also, there is choir practice tomorrow afternoon for those who are involved.  

God bless you all,

BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Dear Saints,

What a beautiful Saturday in Seattle (which we never take for granted).  I've been preparing a presentation for the upcoming Ministers Training Sessions at our Portland Tabernacle Meetings next week.  I think some of the quotes I am using may be encouraging to you as well so I will share a few here today as I think they apply to more than just preachers.  They come from a book entitled "The Heart of the Yale Lectures" by Bastell Baxter and from a talk given by Bro. Nolan Roby on the same book 19 years ago.  

"Preaching is the communication of truth by man to men...through truth and personality."  pg 3
We all can communicate truth to others ...and it happens through our unique God given personalities.  

"The preacher is the sermon. He is the message. His life is the sermon that he preaches. NJR
We cannot separate our lives from the messages we share with people as parents, children, employees, employers, or ministers.  What you are speaks louder than what you say.  

"A Christlike personality ...cannot be resisted...it draws men across all barriers of race, creed, and condition..." pg 20
Living for Christ becomes an irresistible draw to those with no hope or purpose.  The barriers created by culture or perceived identities are broken down by Christ and what He did on Calvary.

"...the most important times of our lives as ministers are the times we spend alone with God. There is no substitute for that." NJR
This is true not only for ministers but for all of us...God wishes to walk with us in the cool of the day in the garden of His love and care if we will make time for Him.  

I don't want to share all or I'll have no presentation to make, but I thought these might be encouraging for you as we enter March.   Please note there will be no Bible Study this next week due to the Tabernacle meetings.  May I encourage you to watch them at: apostolicfaith.org.  

God bless you all and enjoy the sunshine.  
BB

Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Greetings again from Seattle,

Lori and I have returned safely from our time in the Philippines.  It was a very busy schedule and I apologize for not sending updates but will fill you in a bit on some highlights of our trip.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  

While not a highlight, we were happy to arrive after some challenges in our schedule due to plane mechanical issues.   Let's be clear, I am happy to NOT travel on an airplane which is deemed unsafe but the resulting rescheduling and waiting were not a joyous time but by God's grace we arrived in Manila (via Vancouver BC rather than San Francisco) a mere 31 hours after leaving home with only a 3 hour drive remaining.  God was gracious and we had planned a rest day so caught up before our schedule began.  

We were able to visit eight of our branch churches in addition to the Headquarters church.  We held services in six of those churches.  These services included the 42nd anniversary of one congregation and the 63rd anniversary of the Headquarters church as well as the ordination of two new pastors and the installation of a new Philippine Board member.  We also held a seminar entitled "Imago Dei - Christian Relationships" which I developed from a Bible Study we gave in Seattle last Fall.    

We were thrilled to see many that we have known over the years but even more thrilled at the new young faces in every congregation.  We were thrilled to feel a strong outpouring of the Holy Spirit around the altars in many of the services.  A highlight was praying with a sister who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit after one service as well as many other receiving blessings.  

I would be remiss if I did not share that one night (February 11) was reserved to celebrate Lori's 70th birthday and celebrate they did.  Balloons, food, gifts, singing by a children's choir and also by a men's choir.  And of course, there was lots of food.  They honored her for her faithfulness over the years in coming and supporting them (and me).  Our children each also blessed us with short video greetings to their mother even though she was far away.  

Our final day was spent visiting our church group in Cavite province.  This group has met for over 12 years as a church and a few before that as an outreach.  They have recently purchased a lot upon which to build a church building.  We were able to go and view the lot and neighborhood there.  Please pray for the Lord to continue to provide for the building of this church and for the spread of the Gospel in that province.  

Thank you again for your prayers and patience in allowing Lori and me to minister there.  We are glad to be home (although a bit chilly...it was 85 degrees in the Philippines) and will be glad to see many of you again at church tomorrow.  

God bless,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor

Dear Seattle Saints,

It is done!    Now I know that I just preached about that last Sunday, quoting from the book of The Revelation.  But it bears repeating these days that God is making all things new.  

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:5–6

It is also wise for us to remember that the Lord not only knows the beginning from the end (i.e. He is not at all confused like much of our society today)  but HE IS the beginning and the end.  He is sufficient for all our needs and also has offered to us free access to the water of life through the sacrificial life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  We have tasted of that fountain at salvation and even more fully with entire sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but what a wonderful thought that we will have physical access to that which we have only tasted and our souls have longed for more of.  

And also...It is done...yes that's correct.  Our sanctuary remodel is complete.  Old things have been made new with paint, carpet, pews, and blinds.   There is still a little touch up here and there and perhaps a bit of further decorating but we rejoice the project is complete.  Thanks for your prayers and support.  

A couple of other short thoughts.  First, you should have received your year-end 2025 contribution letters in the mail.  If there is a problem, please let me know and I will correct upon our return from Asia.   Second, Lori and I covet your prayers for our upcoming trip to the Philippines for a safe trip, strength and heath, and God's blessing on our churches there.   Thanks so much.

In Christ,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor