The Alabama Messenger September/October 2019

ALABAMAMESSENGER

THE

September/October 2019 Volume 33/Number 5

SECTIONAL COUNCIL TOUR Date

Day

Sec,on

Loca,on

SEPT 23

MON

ANNISTON/BIRMINGHAM/CULLMAN

LIFECHURCH BIRMINGHAM

SEPT 24

TUES

TUSCALOOSA

TUSCALOOSA FIRST

SEPT 25

WED

TENN VALLEY

HARTSELLE FIRST

SEPT 26

THUR

PHENIX CITY (Eastern Time)

PHENIX CITY FIRST

SEPT 27

FRI

DOTHAN/ENTERPRISE

DOTHAN FIRST

SEPT 30

MON

MONTGOMERY/SYLACAUGA

BETHEL WETUMPKA

OCT 1

TUES

ANDALUSIA/MONROEVILLE

GRACE WAY EVERGREEN

OCT 2

WED

DEMOPOLIS

JACKSON FIRST

OCT 3

THUR

MOBILE/BALDWIN

PRAISE FAMILY CHURCH

Morning session begins at 9:30 AM, with credenTal interviews just before lunch or just aZer lunch.

(The Phenix City Council begins at 9:30 AM Eastern Time.)

Ken Draughon ds@adcag.org

ALABAMA DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

SOUTH CAMPUS GREENVILLE FIRST September 6-7, 2019 December 6-7, 2019 February 28-29, 2020 June 5-6, 2020

Acts 2 Journey has produced church health/growth results everywhere it has been utilized and engaged by local congregations.

Two out of three churches saw significant change in the church’s health, leadership and the mission of the church.

NORTH CAMPUS GARYWOOD November 1-2, 2019 February 7-8, 2020 May 1-2, 2020 July 31-August 1, 2020

As we begin this journey, I would like to let you know it’s not too late to join nearly 30 churches that have already signed on to be a part of our inaugural district wide Acts 2 Journey. We have room for you! We tried earnestly to locate campuses within two hours of the churches involved. The cost with a 50% discount is $1,000 for the year (4 cohorts) and can be paid over the year. If your church can’t afford the tuition, call me and I’ll work with you to get your church involved.

Join the journey!

The Gathering A R E T R E AT F O R M I N I S T E R S I N

The Great Smoky Mountains WITH GUEST SPEAKERS

To!y & Rese M"re

PLEASE EMAIL TRUSSELL@ADCAG.ORG TO REGISTER

& PAY A REGISTRATION FEE $25 PER PERSON

CALL TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION AT EDGEWATER AT THE AQUARIUM HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTER 402 River Rd. - Gatlinburg, TN 37738 // (865) 436-4151

MICHAEL D. SHARP, D.MIN. DISTRICT SECRETARY-TREASURER msharp@adcag.org

WHAT IS A PASTOR TO DO? Today’s culture and church press many expecta4ons on a pastor. This is true for all pastors – Lead, Children’s, whoever. We feel pressure to be exci4ng, innova4ve, great leaders, and more. All of these may be good, they are not to be our primary focus. Our cultures are so insistent that they oCen drown out God’s perfect voice: Scripture. The Spirit s4ll speaks, but He always agrees with the Bible. If we have not been immersed in the Bible, reading it correctly, we will hear cultural voices more clearly than God’s voice.

God’s Word clearly describes the primary responsibility of all pastors. God tells us to have a clear focus on prayer and the study of God’s Word, applying it personally, then preaching and teaching it to make disciples.

Everything in life and ministry is subservient to that, shaped by that, supports that, flows from that. New methods or styles are fine if they meet that standard. We do not need new revela4ons, specula4ons, or doctrines. The Bible repeatedly warns against that! Even the Twelve Apostles knew they “must” give themselves primarily to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6). Their focus was prayer, study, teaching, preaching, and making disciples. Do we think we know beVer than Christ’s Apostles?

We are to be good shepherds of the flock over which the Spirit has placed us, leading and feeding them wisely. We are to be watchful, on guard: watching out for false doctrine, false teachers, and wolves. Watchful over our own personal lives and the flock. We are not to be always looking for some new technique or new teaching. Rather, we are to understand the deep truths of the faith, hold on to them, and pass them on to God’s People and new leaders. We are to be always growing in our understanding of God’s Word, always systema<cally preaching and teaching it over and over again through the years. That is our number one assignment! (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus)

Our focus is not to be on leadership, vision, hype, or the latest hip concepts from Pastor Wonderful at the Church of What’s Happening Now. We are not to be always searching for a sermon series that “worked” elsewhere. We should not be focused on the latest new style of speaking, or dressing, or marke4ng. We should not be always looking for the hoVest new tool or ten-step life-coaching series to 4ckle listeners’ ears. Pastors who live like this are slaves to culture, church culture, carnal “chris4ans”, and the affirma4on of other ministers or denomina4onal leaders. Pastor, God wants you to reject that, be freed from it’s tyranny, and return to the simplicity of God’s Word: Pray, Study, Obey, Preach, Teach, Disciple!

These truths apply to all pastors – Lead, Children, Youth, Worship. God’s commands apply to every one of these ministries. Whatever the age group, demographic, or context, we are commanded by God to be focused on systema4c prayer, study, obedience, preaching, teaching, discipling in our local church community. All else flows from and follows aCer that. This is not a maVer of opinion, culture, 4me, or place. It is a maEer of God’s commands and our obedience or disobedience to God. “11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Un4l I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your giC, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these maVers; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:15-16)

(334) 279-7172 Ext. 4

CE DIRECTOR: VINT A. NORRIS

Sunday School Tithe January-July 2019 Yarbo A/G................................. $641.20 Hope Church A/G..................... $607.50 Faith A/G.................................. $498.45 Temple A/G.............................. $388.09 Haw Hill A/G............................ $371.00 Harper’s Joy A/G..................... $350.00 Kingwood A/G.......................... $350.00 Life Church of the A/G............ $350.00 The Crossing McCalla............. $350.00 Weeks Memorial A/G.............. $312.00

vnorris@adcag.org www.adcag.org

BGMC Giving January-July 2019 First A/G, Phenix City.............. $8,504.00 Clearwater A/G......................... $7675.00 First A/G, Montgomery............ $5798.11 First A/G, Jackson.................... $5276.68 Bethel A/G, Ariton.................... $5000.00 New Home A/G.......................... $3740.00 First A/G, Butler........................ $3594.37 First A/G, Robertsdale..............$3248.13 Thompson Chapel..................... $2878.70 Crossroads A/G..........................$2878.44

The CE 2020 calendar is now available on the district website under, Children’s Ministries, Resources and Events.

DEEP SEA FISHING TRIP We had a great time of fellowship fishing with some of the men of Alabama at our Annual Deep Sea Fishing Tournament!

Make plans to join us next year on July 16-18! More details to follow.

Keep an eye out for these and more 2020 CE Events!

More Information to follow.

(334) 279-7172 Ext. 4

Coordinator: Kristi Norris

knorris@adcag.org www.adcag.org

Girls camp 2019 was a blast! We had over 400 girls in attendance! Girls were saved and filled with the Spirit, and God touched many lives. We had 39 Honor Graduates this year! A BIG thank you to our speakers, Pastor Becky Fagan and Pastor Melissa Norris. They both brought the Word to our girls and God’s anointing was on both of them. We raised close to $500 for Coins for Kids, decorated cakes, made bracelets, visited the spa, participated in the water activities, the Giant Swing, Zip-line, and so much more. Thank you to all our volunteer workers and my precious Girls Ministries Reps, we could not have done this without you! I can’t wait until next year – Shine Bright 2020. Make plans now to attend on July 13-16!!

Boys & Girls Missionary Challenge

Larry Henderson - Austria Needed - $20,531.39 Ladies Conference Target - #920047-8

Justin White - Romania Needed - $50,000.00 Dream Center Target - #020559-1

For more information on BGMC or if you or your church are interested in participating in BGMC, please contact the CE Department @ (334) 279-7172 Ext.4 or knorris@adcag.org or visit our website @ www.adcag.org

Tim Jones - NXTGEN Needed - $6,577.90 Equipment/Supplies Target - #920066-8

Alabama Teen Challenge Needed - $3,492.05 Training Materials Target - #920074-4

A TRANSITION IN THE DISTRICT SECRETARY-TREASURER’S ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Debra Sharp is retiring in September. Debra is my Administrative Assistant (AA) as District Secretary-Treasurer (DST). Debra has worked hard her entire life. Raised doing many chores at home, as a teen she travelled with her family as lead singer in their gospel group. Before and after our marriage, she worked as a bank teller and later a secretary at Equifax. She had a successful catering business, Debra’s Catering, before we moved to Springfield, Missouri in 1980 to attend AGTS. While there Debra worked with Gail Nelson’s direct mail business doing mailouts for the Division of Foreign Missions, Operation Sonrise, and other Assemblies of God ministries. I worked full-time while attending AGTS full-time and Debra worked to help make ends meet. We returned to Alabama in 1986 to pastor Bessemer First Assembly. There Debra took a few years off from paying jobs before becoming one of the church secretaries in 1990, a position she held until 2010. I then became District Christian Education Director and Debra became my AA, making in that first year extraordinary sacrifices known only to a few. She remained my AA in my move to DST. Now, after working diligently from her teen years through most of her adult life, Debra is retiring.

But this does not tell the whole story. Throughout her life, Debra has actively served God. From age 4 Debra was placed on the platform to sing in church. From her early teens she taught Beginners in Sunday School, travelled and sang in her family gospel group, and in local church choirs. After marriage, Debra continued musical ministry, served in church nurseries for years, and taught Sunday School and Missionettes.

As pastor’s wife she sang in ensembles, choirs, played keyboards, led our Women’s Ministry, eventually becoming Minister of Worship. She found solid songs, created worship sets, scored charts for violin, flute, guitar, and led practices. All of this free of charge while she worked her job as church secretary. Debra was happiest simply to be a worshiper and intercessor in our prayer ministry. The Holy Spirit spoke to and through her privately, prophetically many times for the glory of God and protection of his flock.

Throughout our marriage Debra has been a devoted servant of the church and an indispensable part of our ministry. She even did most of the work in our home that a full-time homemaker would do. Above all, she raised our 2 sons into fully devoted, Spirit-filled disciples of Jesus Christ. If I have ever seen a Proverbs 31 woman, a fully devoted servant of God and of Christ’s Church, it is Debra. What an honor it has been to serve with her. I am so very happy to see her rest a bit from her labors and enter into whatever ministry she will certainly choose in days to come. She will remain an extraordinary gift from God to all who know her.

Jennifer Harris is our new DST Administrative Assistant. Jennifer is the wife of Michael Harris, appointed AGUSM Information Technology Missionary to our Alabama Assemblies of God. She served with Michael when he was Children’s and Media Pastor at Moffett Road AG, where she also ministered as an accomplished vocalist. Jennifer has a BS in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. She is certified and proficient in a variety of software applications. She has 12 years of experience as a public-school teacher, and additional professional experience as an educator, presenter, and trainer. She served as Facilitator of Federal Programs and Reading Intervention Teacher responsible for management of a Federal budget of approximately $200.000, purchasing, inventory, quarterly budgets, supervision of compliance monitoring school wide, coordination of after school tutoring program, and collection of required documentation from teachers. Jennifer was Local Teacher of the Year and Mobile Metro Reading Teacher of the Year. She recently served as Director of Moffett Road’s child care and preschool. She supervised 140 students, 30 employees, and was responsible for management, finance, payroll, scheduling, state compliance, hiring, and firing.

Jennifer is already doing a great job! We’re excited to have her on the DST team!

ALABAMA DISTRICT MISSIONS & MEN’S MINISTRIES DISTRICT DIRECTOR

DAVID STRAHAN email: dstrahan@adcag.org

us & world missions

church planting & development

men’s ministry

lftl

2019 Light for the Lost Banquet Tour Guest Speaker: Rick Allen, National Men’s Ministries and LFTL Director Section

Church

Date

Time

Anniston

New Seasons AG, Southside

10/28

7:00 PM

Montgomery

Montgomery First AG

10/29

7:00 PM

Phenix City

Eufaula First AG

11/1

6:30 PM CST 7:30 PM EST

Monroeville

Excel AG

11/4

7:00 PM

Birmingham

RiverPoint Church

11/5

7:00 PM

Dothan

Harper’s Joy AG

11/7

7:00 PM

Cullman

Cornerstone AG, Jasper

11/8

7:00 PM

Mobile

City Church Mobile

11/11

7:00 PM

Baldwin

Bay Minette AG

11/12

7:00 PM

Enterprise

Ozark First AG

11/14

7:00 PM

Andalusia

Luverne First AG

11/15

7:00 PM

Tennessee Valley

New Life Assembly of God, Athens

11/18

7:00 PM

Demopolis

Butler First AG

11/19

7:00 PM

Tuscaloosa

Fayette First AG

11/21

7:00 PM

Sylacauga

Revive Church AG

11/22

7:00 PM

IT’S NOT TOO LATE!!

MEN’S ENCOUNTER 2019 September 12th-14th

Call Today!

Late Registration—Cost: $150.00 334-279-7172 ext 5

Start your own Men’s Ministry and cultivate its Leaders. The National Men’s Ministries office has produced some important resources to assist local pastors and/or men’s leaders to start, grow, and sustain a local men’s ministry. Launch and Lead are available at digital.myhealthychurch.org for $4.99 each.

Stateside Missions Trip MISSIONARIES Keith & Alicia Hall

TEAM LEADER Bobby Formby

DATES October 21-25, 2019

(team needs to arrive on Oct. 20)

COST $350 per person

LIMITED SPACE!! ONLY 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE Deposit Due $100 by September 1st to reserve spot

Balance Due October 1st

Please send all payments to the Alabama District Office, ATTN: Men’s Ministries

5919 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36117

Thank you to all who support our Alabama Church Plants. Please join us in praying for several new church planters as they prepare to serve their communities.

• Rev. Joel and Lindsey Sims, Four Corners Church, Huntsville—Launching in September.

• Rev. Adam and Ashley Lawley, Hope Church, Hoover—Launching spring 2020.

• Rev. Ryan and Kimberly Bachman, Hope Church, Auburn—Building a Core Team.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Please call 334-279-7172 ext 5 or email ssowers@adcag.org

For more information on upcoming events visit our website at: www.adcag.org.

What is a 360MAN? A 360Man lives out the full-circle faith found in Acts 2:42-47. He is part of a brotherhood of men who stand up to assist others in their walk with Christ, and share the gospel worldwide!

• WORSHIP—He worships Jesus Christ through praise, prayer, and his daily life.

• DISCIPLESHIP—He reads, reflects, and studies the Scriptures • FELLOWSHIP—He recognizes the importance of every relationship, especially his relationship with Christ.

• SERVICE—He embodies the servant mentality as he is used by God. • SHARE—He shares his story with others, because God’s hope is for all people.

How do I become a 360MAN? A 360Man commits to: • PRAYER for other men to know Christ and grow in their faith.

• LIVE a life of integrity in his identity, relationships, purpose, and vision.

• SUPPORT his pastor and local church ministry.

• INVEST $10 per month to partner with his District and the National Men’s Ministries teams to reach and disciple men.

Alabama Women’s Ministries Director: Cyndi Draughon

for every woman...

WOMEN’S RETREAT THE GREATEST EVENT OF THE YEAR! SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2019 AT SPRINGVILLE CAMP & CONFERENCE CENTER Engage is right around the corner! We have worked hard to make sure this will be a time of refreshing for you and the women from your church. Pastor Phyllis Sawyer and her daughter, Nicole Richey are sure to minister with a powerful anointing. Come expecting! It is great to have this opportunity to get away from all the business of life and have a few days to engage with God and other women. Laughter is good for the soul, so come ready to have a good time!

PLEASE BRING GIFT CARDS TO ENGAGE! PLEASE CONTINUE TO BRING GIFT CARDS TO ALL OF OUR EVENTS TO HELP SUPPORT OUR MISSIONARIES AS THEY RETURN HOME FROM THE MISSION FIELD. WE LOVE OUR MISSIONARIES & THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION!

TEEN CHALLENGE REQUEST It is a joy to have the Teen Challenge Women’s Center join us each year for Engage.

I would like to encourage each church to help sponsor one of these young women to be able to attend the retreat.

The cost to sponsor one lady is $55.

Please contact the Women’s Dept. if you would like to help!

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR WIDOWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LINK MISSIONARY

NEW YORK CITY STATESIDE AIM

AWARD OF MERIT WINNERS Seger Bayer Sarah Boyd Nick Hadley Peyton Newsome

Christian Life Fellowship, Calera Ashland First Bay Minette First Bay Minette First

Drama Solo Puppetry Solo Photography, Digital, Sr. Worship Leading, Solo, Sr.

TOP 10 PLACEMENTS 2nd 3rd 3rd 3rd 4th 4th 4th 4th 5th 5th 5th 6th 6th 6th 7th 7th 9th 9th 9th 9th 9th 9th

Christian Parker Ashland First Vocal Solo, Male, Jr. Tanner Lynn Robertsdale First Puppetry Solo Zachary Wiseman Montgomery First Graphic Design 3 Guys Montgomery First Instrumental Ensemble, Contemporary Group Members: Austin Shuffitt, Nathan Strahan, David Varela Dalton Cash Fayette First Woodwind Solo Emma Williamson Ashland First Children’s Lesson Solo The (U)th Presents Triple Threat Worship-Bay Minette First Worship Team, Small Group Members: Isabella Eleogo, Peyton Newsome, Ethan Pettis The (U)th Presents: The Mattress-Bay Minette First Readers Theatre Group Members: Jacob Burt, Isabella Eleogo, Kloie Forbes, Peyton Newsome, Ethan Pettis, Tyrese Taylor Annia Carruth Sulligent First Kappa Tau, Photography, Digital Forword Worship Black Montgomery First Worship Team, Large Group Members: Chase Mason, Colby Mason, Savannah Mims, Austin Shuffitt, Peyton Shuffitt, Nathan Strahan, Ella Taylor, David Varela In His Steps Ashland First Worship Dance Troupe Group Members: Macy Bell, Alyssa Hurst Skylor Astorga Montgomery First Photography, Mobile Savannah Mims Montgomery First Visual Art, 2D, Alternative Media Ansley Smith Dothan First Kappa Tau, Short Sermon Kohl Kicklighter Robertsdale First Puppetry Solo Colby Mason Montgomery First Stand Up Comedy Joy Jones Sylacauga First Poetry, Sr. Nathan Strahan Montgomery First Human Video Solo, Sr. Emma Williamson Ashland First First Person Essay Forword Worship White Montgomery First Worship Team, Small Group Members: Austin Shuffitt, Peyton Shuffitt, Nathan Strahan, David Varela God Calling Christian Life, Calera Drama Ensemble, Small Group Members: Kaylin Barnett, Seger Bayer The Ark Robertsdale First Instrumental Ensemble, Contemporary Group Members: Aubrey Lassiter, Austin Lassiter, Tanner Lynn

SUPERIOR RATINGS Claire Burns Emma Williamson Mackenzie Dodge Vada Snuggs Amber Eckenrode Seger Bayer Ella Taylor Alyssa Johnson Jacob Burt Holly Haynes Sophie Creamer Seger Bayer Tanner Lynn Emma Williamson Seger Bayer Ethan Pettis Emma Williamson Clay Carruth Kaylin Barnett Matthew Chancey Clay Carruth Noah Taylor Brooke Bachman Ethan Boyd Sofia Gambino Jasmine Ramirez Jordanna Stancil Emma Pippin Alyssa Hurst Kids First

Fayette First Ashland First Moffett Road, Mobile Dothan First Weatherly Road, Huntsville Christian Life Fellowship, Calera Montgomery First Robertsdale First Bay Minette First Montgomery First Agape, Eclectic Christian Life Fellowship, Calera Robertsdale First Ashland First Christian Life Fellowship, Calera Bay Minette First Ashland First Sulligent First Christian Life Fellowship, Calera New Life, Samson Sulligent First Montgomery First Kingwood, Alabaster Ashland First Robertsdale First Phenix City First Crossroads, Albertville Coastal Church, Daphne Ashland First Dothan First

Book Chapter Childrens’ Lesson Solo Human Video Solo, Sr. Human Video Solo, Sr. KT Vocal Solo, Female Musical Theater, Solo Musical Theater, Solo Photography, Digital, Jr. Photography, Digital, Sr. Photography, Mobile Short Sermon, Jr. Short Sermon, Sr. Short Sermon, Sr. Short Sermon, Sr. Spoken Word Spoken Word Spoken Word T-Shirt Design Visual Art, 3D Visual Art, 3D Visual Art, 2D, Alt. Media Visual Art, 2D, Alt. Media Visual Art, 2D, Painting/Drawing Visual Art, 2D, Painting/Drawing Visual Art, 2D, Painting/Drawing Vocal Solo, Female, Sr. Vocal Solo, Female, Sr. Worship Dance, Solo, Jr. Worship Dance, Solo, Sr. Children’s Lesson Group

Group Members: James Hall, Elizabeth Holland, Ally Lindsey, Kade Littlefield, Vada Snuggs, Ella Wood

Ascend Choir

Christian Life, Birmingham

Choir

Group Members: Annabelle Cherry, Ariana Goebel, Logan Johnson, Wyatt Kent, Kaitlyn Kurian, Kristen Kurian, John Loper, Jesse Mungai, Harrison Saylor, Sydney Stephenson, Alyssa Watts

The Disciple

Montgomery First

Human Video Ensemble Large

Group Members: Ryan Astorga, Skylor Astorga, Nash Crouch, Daonta Duncan, Cristina Gonzalez, Allie Haynes, Taelor Joy, Elizabeth Mills, Lilly Powell, Kevin Sowers

Not The Only One

Moffett Road, Mobile

Human Video Ensemble, Small

Group Members: Mackenzie Dodge, Jacob Jernigan, Rachel Seward, Michael Watson

Forgotten

Ashland First

Readers Theater

Group Members: Macy Bell, Sarah Boyd, Debravious Simmons, Lydia Taylor, Emma Williamson, Jack Williamson

The Hill

LIfechurch Birmingham Group Members: Caden Carlson, Mercy Powers

Worship Team Small

I have talked to hundreds of pastors over the years who have expressed to me some of their darkest trials and hurtful challenges. Because of the nature of ministry we can be tempted to suppress or hide those feelings so as to not affect our ability to minister, or in some cases a fear of showing weakness or spiritual need. This masking can create a ripe environment for producing a double life. Those who live a double life endeavor to maintain their legitimate relationships while trying to maintain illicit or harmful relationships or activities. This behavior creates a miserable, secretive and destructive lifestyle doomed to fail as we all know from God’s Word that, “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23) The longer this behavior is allowed to exist the more damage it does to one’s marriage, family, church, and many others.

So how does this even happen? Many who have had a moral failure ask how it could be that they fell, and that they never thought they would. The Bible tells us that with every temptation there is a way of escape, but the preparation for making that decision to escape happens long before the temptation. You must stay close to God, have a current intimate relationship with Him, and strengthen your faith each day. Those who failed to take the way of escape had grown lazy in their faith and became spiritually weak. The weaker your relationship with God the least likely you will resist the temptation before you.

Consider these warning signs that you are headed towards the disaster of a double life.

•Spiritually detached - You feel you are just going through the motions of ministry.

•Lazy Prep - You begin to preach or teach with less preparation and speak more off the cuff or cut and paste.

•Egocentric - You have less tolerance of or concern for others and begin to feel taken advantage of or mistreated.

•Excuses – You begin to justify behaviors you would not have tolerated before.

•Withdrawal – You shy away from those who could speak into your life and hold you accountable.

•Exhaustion – You have allowed yourself to become so spiritually, physically and/or emotionally exhausted that you make poor choices.

•Compartmentalization You find yourself getting better at segregating off your sin or destructive behavior rather than dealing with it.

These are only a few, but if you start to see these behaviors creeping into your life get help. The Holy Spirit will throw up red flag after red flag if only you will heed the warning. Know you have those who will come along side you, encourage you, counsel you and help you in your time of challenge. The Alabama District of the Assemblies of God make confidential counseling available to any credential holder who is in need. Don’t hesitate to get help. May the Lord strengthen you, protect you, and lead you are you fulfill God’s calling upon your life.

BOOK REVIEW-EXCELLENT GIFTS FOR PASTORS AND LAY LEADERS! The How to Read the Bible Pack (2nd EdiHon) is by far the most valuable work on reading Scripture well that is available in a concise, affordable package. World class scholars, led by Assemblies of God scholar Gordon Fee, combined to produce an accessible, easy to read guide through all important aspects of reading the Bible well. Correctly reading the Bible will clear up a lot of misunderstandings. It helps you grasp the meaning of Scripture so you can then correctly teach, preach, and apply it to your twenty-first-century life. We all need help with this! These best-selling works provide some of the very best help you will ever find. The six books in this pack are described below.

How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart helps us read the Bible as a whole, showing how each book fits into the grand story of Scripture. For each book of the Bible readers are given a brief overview, major themes, leading words, the structure, and a secIon-by-secIon walkthrough. The authors show how the themes flow through the book and guide in understanding each passage. They explain how the book and its themes fit into the redempIon history, and flow into the rest of the Bible. This is an outstanding book for understanding how the whole Bible fits together.

How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth by Fee and Stuart will soon have sold more than one million copies. This updated classic is considered a standard in teaching God’s People how to read God’s Word. Covering both Testaments, the authors examine a wide variety of biblical literature, including Law, Poetry, Prophets, Gospels, Parables, Epistles, ApocalypIc, and more.

The latest ediIon includes updated diagrams new list of best commentaries and other resources. This classic is sIll the best selling introducIon to reading the Bible with the eyes and minds of those first readers over 2,000 years ago.

How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens explains how every book of the Bible connects to the person and work of Jesus Christ. The author explores how the themes and content of each book reveal part of God’s redempIve mission. He shows how those themes are found in other biblical books, and how they point forward to, and are ulImately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Most importantly, the author demonstrates how New Testament authors interpreted Old Testament passages as poinIng forward to Jesus. He explores how we can correctly do the same in our teaching, preaching, and applicaIon of biblical truth. This excellent work equips us to correctly read, see, and preach Jesus from Scripture.

In How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth Christopher Wright shows why and how we should preach from the Old Testament. Wright covers Law, NarraIve, Prophets, Psalms, Wisdom literature, and other genres. He explains how to read each genre and discover what the passage actually means. He then provides pracIcal checklists for properly reading passages, examples of how to exegete passages, and produces sample sermons. Wright has given us a simple, needed, and excellent guide on how to handle the Old Testament responsibly in study, teaching, and preaching.

BOOK REVIEW-EXCELLENT GIFTS FOR PASTORS AND LAY LEADERS! (Con%nued) How to Choose a TranslaCon For All It’s Worth is an excellent explora%on of the history and nature of Bible transla%on. Wri;en by two experienced translators, this book guides the reader through the many aspects of transla%on theories and processes. The authors explain the word-for-word and meaning-for-meaning approaches and compare examples. They compare the most popular English Bible versions, discussing their origins, strengths, and weaknesses. This is the best work available to help Pastors and readers understand Bible transla%on and make wise choices for their study and teaching.

How To Read the Bible as Literature is an excellent guide to reading biblical literature with sensi%vity, insight, and understanding. The author, Leland Ryken was a Professor of Literature at Wheaton College for decades. A renowned expert in great literature, Ryken carefully guides readers through the brilliant literary composi%ons found throughout Scripture. Using every genre, he reveals how they were wri;en and how they were read, teaching us the principles we need to read them well ourselves. The final chapter discusses the beau%ful literary unity of the Bible. God inspired the Bible’s authors to use all of these genres and literary techniques, and he therefore expects us to learn and use them as well.

Our Fellowship’s leaders have declared biblical illiteracy as the Number One problem in the Assemblies of God.

Remaining ALSOM 2019 Class Schedule Class Date

Level 1 Courses (Certified)

Level 2 Courses (Licensed)

Level 3 Courses (Ordained)

September 7 September 7 September 7

MIN 123 The Local Church in Evangelism

MIN 251 Effective Leadership

MIN 381 Pastoral Ministry

October 5 October 5 October 12

MIN 181 Relationships and Ethics in Ministry

MIN 281 Conflict Management for Church Leaders

November 2 November 2 November 9

MIN 171 A Spirit Empowered Church

MIN 261 Introduction to AG Missions

No Class Period for Ministerial Internships (MI)

MIN 191 Beginning MI

MIN 291 Intermediate MI

(Black denotes North Campus – Horizon)

MIN 391 Advanced MI

(Blue denotes Southeast Campus – Newton)

(Red denotes Southwest Campus – Evergreen) You may contact the office of the ALSOM Director and District Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Michael D. Sharp, for more information at 334-279-7172 # 8, or msharp@adcag.org.

A Registration Form may be found on the ALSOM page at www.adcag.org

ALSOM 2020 Class Schedule Class Date

Level 1 Courses (Certified) THE 142 Assemblies of God History, Missions, and Governance

Level 2 Courses (Licensed) THE 211 Intro to Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective

Level 3 Courses (Ordained) THE 311 Prayer and Worship

February 1 February 1 February 1

BIB 114 Christ in the Synoptic Gospels

BIB 212 New Testament Survey

BIB 318 The Pentateuch

March 14 March 14 March 21

THE 114 Introduction to Pentecostal Doctrine

BIB 214 Old Testament Survey

BIB 313 The Corinthian Correspondence

April 4 April 4 April 25

BIB 115 Acts: The Work of the Holy Spirit

BIB 215 Romans: Justification by Faith

BIB 322 The Poetic Books

May 9 May 9 May 16

BIB 117 Prison Epistles

MIN 223 Introduction to Homiletics

MIN 325 Preaching in the Contemporary World

August 1 August 1 August 8

BIB 121 Introduction to Hermeneutics

THE 245 Eschatology

MIN 327 Church Administration, Finance and Law

MIN 123 The Local Church in Evangelism

MIN 251 Effective Leadership

MIN 381 Pastoral Ministry

October 3 October 3 October 10

MIN 181 Relationships and Ethics in Ministry

MIN 281 Conflict Management for Church Leaders

November 7 November 7 November 21

MIN 171 A Spirit Empowered Church

MIN 261 Introduction to AG Missions

January 4 January 4 January 11

ALL HELD ON AUGUST 29

September September September

No Class Period for MIN 191 MIN 291 MIN 391 Ministerial Internships Beginning MI Intermediate MI Advanced MI (MI) (Black denotes North Campus – Horizon) (Blue denotes Southeast Campus – Newton) (Red denotes Southwest Campus – Evergreen) You may contact the office of the ALSOM Director and District Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Michael D. Sharp, for more information at 334-279-7172 # 8, or msharp@adcag.org.

A Registration Form may be found on the ALSOM page at www.adcag.org

ALABAMA DISTRICT COUNCIL OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

DISTRICT OFFICERS

Kenneth Draughon District Superintendent

Vint Norris District Christian Education Director

John A. Loper, Jr. Assistant Superintendent

Steven Mason District Youth Ministries Director

Michael D. Sharp District Secretary-Treasurer

David Strahan District Missions/Men’s Director

GENERAL PRESBYTERS

Cynthia Draughon District Women’s Ministries Director

Kenneth Draughon Murray Kelley George Sawyer

DATA CHANGES NEW MINISTERS/UPGRADE

TRANSFERRED IN

TRANSFERRED OUT

CERTIFIED MINISTER

TIFFANY GEIER (CM) CORI HEATH (L) ADAM LAWLEY (L) CHERYL ROOS (L) CHILLY CHILTON (O) T JAYSON HEATH (O) JAMES MIKE KOFAHL SR. (O) BILLY NEWELL (O) TIMOTHY ROOS (O)

JAMES Y KEEN (CM)

WESLEY ALEXANDER ELIZABETH NOWLING ANNA SEABURY

LICENSED MINISTER CORY PRUITT

PASTORAL CHANGES NEW LIFE AG, WESTOVER, AL MATTHEW BRITT, PASTOR BETH-EL AG, HEFLIN, AL MICHAEL FORDHAM

Remembering those…

Rev. Virgil Lamar Colbert Rev. Virgil Lamar Colbert, 84, of Smiths Sta9on, AL passed away Monday, July 29, 2019, at Piedmont Regional Medical Center in Columbus, GA with his family by his side.

Rev. Colbert was a loving devoted husband, father, brother and grandfather whom loved his family deeply. Rev. Colbert served as pastor of Lakewood Assembly of God in Atlanta, GA, Summerville Assembly Full Gospel in Columbus, GA, was a member of Victory Tabernacle Church and long9me member, and pastor of Fellowship Assembly of God in Smiths Sta9on.

He is survived by one daughter, BeOy White, two sons, Virgil Colbert, and wife PauleOe, and Thomas Floyd Colbert and wife Sharon, sisters and brothers-in-law, Edna Moore and husband Omar, Jewell Massey, James Thomason, and Frances McDurmont and husband Wayne, (10) grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews.

In Loving Memory…

Rev. Elbert L. Ward Rev. Elbert L. Ward, 88 of Smiths Sta9on, AL passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home surrounded by his wonderful family on July 19, 2019.

Rev. Ward lived an incredible life in every measurable way. A son of a sharecropper, a faithful and devoted man to his ministry for 60 plus years. A man who never met a stranger, and loved everyone. He pastored three churches faithfully, North Phenix Assembly of God, Auburn Road Assembly of God for 20 years, and Bush Road Emmanuel for 16 years.

He is survived by two daughters, Paula Ward of Smiths Sta9on, AL and Neise Ward Vete (John) of Smiths Sta9on, AL; three sisters, Eva Mae Stroud of Phenix City, AL, and Callie Williamson of Milton, FL, and Bertha Mae Vance of Pensacola, FL, two grandchildren, Ronnie Hudson of Smiths Sta9on, AL and Ashlee Godwin Williams (Casey) of Smiths Sta9on, AL and a host of loving nieces and nephews.

…who await us.

Alabama District Council of the Assemblies of God 5919 Carmichael Road Montgomery, AL 36117-2507

Lambert Lake