Table Of Contents
2
Trust & Obey A Story Of God’s Faithfulness
3
Eager For Easter
5
Leading The Way In Sharing The Good News Worldwide How Leading e Way’s THe KinGdOm SAT is Changing Lives Around e World
7
Apostles Celebrates 25 Years A Letter From dr. Youssef & “A Glimpse into e Past”
11
WANTED Kayla Cason Takes Children’s ministry into e mission Field
13
Humble Servants Testimonies From STS’s Winter mission Project
15
17
The End Of The Programming Day...
Following His Example A Story Of Life-changing mission Work in Guatamala
18
Little Women How e designerWomanhood Conference Changed Two Girl’s Lives
ing in English. His favorite hear my older brother, Nathan, sing to used I 12, of boy a was I en Wh was saying, “Yesterday.” facilities in English, so I thought he ted limi had I ” y. Obe and st “Tru song was the past. dered why he was singing about I never asked him, but I often won ms. I dreamed of getting re riented. I always had futu drea re-o futu was I boy ng you a as n Eve ker brothers. Those dayt, and making money like my ban den pen inde g bein e, hom from away st punishment from my erienced failure or perceived unju exp I n whe ied nsif inte n ofte dreams father. runt of the family. My acer than my brothers. But I was the bett g doin of med drea I ally, Actu parents seemed to believe 19 years older than me, and my as h muc as e wer ngs sibli ed complish r success, let alone exceed it. song that said, “Tomorrow there was no way I could equal thei yesterday. Surely he should sing a ut abo sing ld wou her brot my erience freedom from parental Thus, I could not understand why leave home. Tomorrow, I will exp will I w, orro Tom . song et secr . . . tomorrow.” At least, that was my re societal limitation. in mind was quite different. It control, oppressive culture, and seve t, the freedom He ultimately had hear my in re desi that ted plan Jesus gave me. Later I underAlthough God had graciously ortantly, the spiritual freedom that imp e mor but , dom free etal soci oppressive environment. It would not entail just political and e lasting than simply escaping my mor far and ter, grea far er, high far stood that spiritual freedom was ood what Nathan was singing. erst und I re befo ld represent my entire life’s s year take would me a meaningful song, but it wou beca only not t Tha ” y. Obe and st It was not “Yesterday”; it was “Tru It has everything to do with it. journey. of The Church of The Apostles?” ory hist the with do to got that 25-year history of the church. You may be asking, “What’s all —not just for me, but for the first wed follo be to map the me beca of The Church “Trust and obey” ors and others about the growth When I am invited to speak to past establish yourself the trouble.” We did not of The Apostles, I tell them, “Save s into strategy or by breaking down 25 goal our church by following a 20-step ld wou it ch on the growth of our church, 5-year plans. If I were to give a spee ” y, obe and given. I would simply say, “Trust be the shortest speech I have ever and then I would sit down. esent? explain what those two words repr Why then am I writing a book to a 25ing r workings of that statement dur Very simply, to document the inne e the wer t n we did trust and obey, and wha year period. What happened whe consequences when we did not? vidual ess. His faithfulness to me as an indi This is a book about God’s faithfuln the struggling l, and His faithfulness to me as when I was hopelessly unfaithfu ve all, this yard of His own planting. But abo founding pastor of a marvelous vine of which The His word and His promises, both is a book about His faithfulness to n to this day. Church of The Apostles relies upo
Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
ApostlesLife | 2 | www.apostles.org
D
o you remember when you were young and excited by Christmas? How you couldn’t wait for those last few days to pass before Santa’s visit? And how your anticipation peaked on Christmas Eve as you listened for sleigh bells and dreamt of shiny presents just for you? So do I. Why do you suppose we weren’t ever as eager for Easter? Believe it or not, Matthew gives us a hint in the verse above which describes the confusion of the disciples upon seeing the resurrected Jesus. What follows are perhaps the most famous words in the gospel, including, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations...” It seems the context for the Great Commission is not the glow of revival fire but the shiver of uncertainty. About this doubt, the other gospels give us more detail. Mark tells us that, upon appearing to the eleven, Jesus rebuked them for their stubborn refusal to believe. Luke’s last chapter relates two
stories: that of the two mourners returning to Emmaus and another one about the disciples—both of them studies in spiritual myopia. But John’s account is the most incriminating of all. He devotes his final two chapters to post-resurrection appearances and the pathology of unbelief. The cases of blindness, alas, far outnumber the instances of recognition. And these weren’t people who had never known Jesus. They were His companions. Compared to these others, then, Matthew is the diplomat, sparing us the sorry details with his summary remark, “but some doubted.” Doubted what? Obviously the very existence of Jesus, so soon after witnessing His agonizing execution and the burial of their hopes along with His body. Or perhaps they doubted that He was really there, in body, before them, instead of just an apparition. Or if He was before them in body, then maybe He had never really died, though they had heard Him give up His ghost, or did He? ApostlesLife | 3 | www.apostles.org
But whatever their doubts, that’s not our problem, is it? Today’s Christian, safe within the fortress of tradition, of course believes that Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended, and awaits His time to return. To doubt that is to deny the faith, after all. Then is our text just an historical account of the ignorance of Jesus’ generation, or is there anything that should matter to us? So what if His disciples doubted the facts as long as we don’t? And what does it have to do with being eager for Easter? For the answer, we first consider the only other time Matthew used that same word for doubt. It is found on the lips of Jesus when He gently rebuked Peter, who had stepped out of the boat, but looking around, began to sink. After raising him up, Jesus asked, “Why did you doubt?” Not, “Why did you fear?” but, “Why did you doubt?” The issue wasn’t the stormy surroundings but the identity of Jesus. “Why did you doubt [it was I who was calling you]?” Fear happens. Doubt
hurts. Fear comes from our circumstances. Doubt from our self. Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. Paul’s magisterial exposition of resurrection found in I Corinthians 15 paints a glorious picture of our future: Christ has died and was raised, so we shall die and one day be raised. Of the many other points he makes, this one may be the most unappreciated: The resurrection of your glorified body won’t occur until your natural body has first been buried, for the simple reason that, as Paul says, “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” The precondition for bodily resurrection, therefore, is bodily death. Seems logical enough. Yes, but the logic is life-changing, for the same principle applies to the realm of the spirit. While the transformation of the body from natural to glorified occurs only later, at death, the transformation of the spirit can take place now. It did for Paul on the Damascus road. “I am crucified with Christ,” he declared to the Galatians,
“nevertheless I live.” But, just as the glorified body won’t exist until the natural body is first buried, so one cannot experience the wonder of a glorified life until the natural life is buried. That is, we won’t have resurrected thinking, for example, until the old thinking is put to death. We won’t have resurrected feelings until the old feelings are slain. “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” Could the reason that we have never enjoyed much of the thrill of victory in our Christian walk be this obvious: We have never died? Died daily to our attempts to save ourselves. Died finally to our will. Died forever to our doubts. As Peter doubted Christ on the sea, we doubt Christ on the land, in our homes, at our jobs. We’ve not buried the old and therefore cannot experience the new. We are suspended, instead, in the lukewarm limbo of doubt, between two types of existence. “Is that really God speaking?” “Must I stop that habit?” “Does it really matter if I pray?” ApostlesLife | 4 | www.apostles.org
Many of us would feel right at home with those disciples in Matthew’s account: Part of us wants to worship, but part of us still doubts. Consequently, we win some and lose some spiritually. Funny, but “you win some, you lose some” is not in my concordance. Nor is it in the will of God. In Christ, rather, you always win by losing (i.e., dying)—losing to your spouse, your friend, your God. Until you roll the stone in front of the grave of your life and cover it, God can’t roll it away and set you free, for what you sow does not come to life unless it dies. Admit it, you were as excited as I was at Christmas when we were young and believed in Santa. But our lives were changed and that thrill would wane once we learned the awful truth: There is no Santa Claus. That was the beginning of the end of childhood. But the good news, the thrilling news, is that adulthood awaits, and it’s even better. There is a risen Christ and His life can be ours today! No doubt about it.
Leading The Way in Sharing
L I
eading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef is broadcasting the uncompromising Truth of the Word of God into nations on virtually every continent. Recent months have brought substantial growth specifically in critical areas of North America, the Middle East, and North Africa. This month we would like to share exciting updates with you from these places of the ministry.
THE KINGDOM SAT
“
Please help me. I’m a girl from Saudi where there is no such thing called freedom. I decoded certain websites and was shocked about the truth behind Islam. I no longer think it is God’s religion and don’t think there were prophets at all. I’m very confused. (Saudi Arabia) I was a Muslim and now I’m saved. I live in a Muslim world and if they knew about me they would kill me. Please tell me: are there Christians other than myself in Libya? (Libya)
I wanted Jesus to save me and my family. I have just prayed to receive Christ. (Iraq) I’m a Muslim and have been watching the broadcast … I have questions if you may answer. Who is your God? Who is the pope? Is the Son considered God? I also have 26 more questions.... (Oman)
www.kingdomsat.com
t is hard to believe that just three years ago Leading The Way launched THE KINGDOM SAT, a dedicated satellite television channel that broadcasts the Gospel 24/7 to a largely Islamic audience around the world. This channel engages viewers through the television channel and through live streaming and on-demand programs on THE KINGDOM SAT’s newly designed website. The need for this channel is not limited to the Middle East and North Africa as the opportunities for worldwide ministry through THE KINGDOM SAT present themselves daily. THE KINGDOM SAT is doing its first trial broadcast runs in South America and Australia, and now reaches the underground church in Morocco. Further, the opportunity has just been presented to broadcast in the world’s largest Muslim country – Indonesia. Feedback from THE KINGDOM SAT audience has been exciting, including these recent letters, emails and texts:
ApostlesLife | 5 | www.apostles.org
Obviously, THE KINGDOM SAT is touching lives and inspiring seekers around the world to discover the Truth of Christ. We have also seen Dr. Youssef ’s book, When The Crosses Are Gone, resonate with a broad audience here in the United States, often due to the growing influence of Islam right here in America. That is why THE KINGOM SAT has begun broadcasting its biblical messages across North America through a satellite channel which targets an international audience of 10 million in the US and Canada. Since THE KINGDOM SAT does not ask viewers for financial support, its continued growth is a testament to your
The good neWS WorLdWide faithfulness. The Church of The Apostles plays an integral role in ensuring the expansion of Leading The Way’s thriving ministries.
NAVIGATORS
shipped with Dr. Youssef ’s poignant sermons, teaching the essential truths of Scripture. Where available, they also have the New Testament, pairing the Word itself with informative exposition. This year alone, more than 2,500 of these solar-powered, pocket missionaries are ready to go out in local languages to Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, Albania, India, Russia, the Middle East, and even a prison in Zambia. As we distribute them, we are greeted with enthusiastic gratitude from people who want to know the Lord and those who do know Him who are hungry for consistent food from the Word. Only God is able to multiply the efforts and sacrifices of one body of believers in Atlanta, Georgia, to reach as far as a prison in Zambia, remote islands in Indonesia, and regions of the world closed to traditional missionaries.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH
N
ot everyone around the world has access to a television, or even a radio or cell phone, and people often approach us wondering how the Gospel message will reach remote areas
i am involved in an “Underground ministry” that reaches to Balinese people. When we go to small villages in Bali island, we find it hard to teach them Christianity through books…this navigator is helpful for the Balinese people who cannot read! it’s amazing.
O
pportunities are ever-expanding as God opens new doors – such as broadcasting on The Discovery Channel here in the United States – allowing us to reach a broader audience with the Gospel here at home. This spring, Leading The Way will relocate its headquarters to the Global Media Center—a larger facility here in Atlanta (http://ltwgmc.com). This move will enable greater growth for all of Leading The Way’s ministry outreaches, including THE KINGDOM SAT and the Navigator programs. Dr. Youssef passionately proclaims uncompromising Truth to a world full of compromises and Leading The Way will continue to be a critical champion of grace in the footrace to bring the good news to every nation and tongue.
If you would like to partner with Leading The Way, please contact us at:
- G. Putra, Indonesia Leading The Way that are rural, often poverty-stricken, and challenging for missionaries to reach. Leading The Way’s Navigators are an answer to this need. These solarpowered mp3 players are preloaded and
PO Box 20100 Atlanta, GA 30325 www.leadingtheway.org 404-841-0100 Email: giving@leadingtheway.org ApostlesLife | 6 | www.apostles.org
Dear Apostles Family, In May 2012, The Church of The Apostles will celebrate its 25th Anniversary in ministry. As I look back over the first 25 years, I cannot help but rejoice in God’s faithfulness. These have been building years, preparing us for the next 25 years. Moving forward, we will continue to stand on the solid foundation of His Word and His promises. Throughout the Bible, God instructs His people to set up stones of remembrance. In Joshua 4:4-7, God commanded the Israelites to place these stones of remembrance as a landmark for future generations to remember His goodness, mercy, and protection.God knows we are proned to take Michael Youssef, Ph.D. credit for things that only He could have done. As believers, it is imperative Founding Rector of that we not only to look back and learn from our history, but also look ahead The Church of The Apostles to help light the way for coming generations. Over the last few years, I have been contemplating this milestone in our church. I believe it would be unfortunate not to seek the Lord and hear from Him about the next 25 years. After much prayer, and consultation with your church leadership and staff, I believe we have a clear direction and course of action. What’s next? Continuing to lean on Him for our every need. Continuing to trust His Word to perform great things as it spreads from this hill in Atlanta, Georgia, circling the globe. In Christ,
Michael Youssef, Ph. D.
ApostlesLife | 7 | www.apostles.org
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST r. Youssef leads the very first service of e Church of e Apostles in the Hallmark Room at the Waverly Hotel on May 10, 1987. Around 52 adults and children gathered together that Motherʼs Day to worship and celebrate communion. e serviceʼs first song—Our God Reigns—seemed to perfectly capture the mission and message of this new-born community.
D ess than one month aer its first service, the new congregation had outgrown its meeting space at the Waverly Hotel. Plans had already been laid to begin utilizing the facilities of a local private school in September. Now these plans needed to be moved forward. e community gathered at e Lovett Schoolʼs chapel, which could accommodate 600 people, on the first Sunday of June 1987.
L
urchased in 1993, the Allstate building on Northside Parkway became the home of our congregation. With some renovation, this tawdry building and its 100,000 square-feet of space became the home of the congregation and the headquarters of its international broadcast ministry, Leading e Way.
P ur temporary home in the renovated Allstate building wasn’t the most polished of sactuaries. Every twenty feet was a column that had to be avoided, the ceiling was only nine feet high, and there were a host of other challenges. However, none of those things mattered whatsoever. e church flourished during this time as God poured out His presence on His people.
O
ApostlesLife | 8 | www.apostles.org
A Glimpse Into The Past
his represents the beginning of melding the Allstate building into new construction. Only a small portion of the Allstate building was demolished to accommodate the construction of the new sanctuary. e 100,000 square feet of the Allstate building was blended into the new construction with a façade on the east side of the property and the addition of the sanctuary on the west side of the property.
T
any people who saw the construction of the new sanctuary as they drove by on I-75 commented on how inspiring it was to see the sanctuary rise out of the ground during the eighteen months it took to complete the process. is was the vision of the leadership of the church: that the building would stand as a witness to the faithfulness of God.
M
he cafeteria in the Allstate building became our first chapel. Initially, there was a modest renovation to accomodate our ministry. Later this building was torn down to make room for a new multi-purpose building that would serve the growing needs of our congregation.
T
lmost unrecognizable with its renovated interior and exterior, the former Allstate cafeteria served well for several years as the churchʼs chapel. Eventually, however, it would be replaced to develop additional educational space for the ever-growing church community.
A
ApostlesLife | 9 | www.apostles.org
A Glimpse Into The Past
his photo of the parking deck was taken not long aer its completion. is parking garage—along with the Department of Transportationʼs miraculous approval of a traffic light at Northside Parkway— helped ease safety and logistical concerns about how to accommodate the swelling number of people coming to the campus each week.
T
he last phase of construction was the completion of a six-story building that would not only house the new Commons and Sam and Louisa Ayoub Chapel but would also provide additional classroom space for our children’s ministry that was bursting at the seams.
T
n December 24, 2000 we not only celebrated the birth of Christ, but also our first service in the new sanctuary. e timing of this event was an overwhelming blessing to our congregation as we once again celebrated the faithfulness of God.
O ears aer that first service, the church has grown to what we now experience weekly. ough the transformation of this property is stunning, more important is the transformation that God has made in the lives of those who enter these doors. “To God be the Glory, great things He has done.”
Y
ApostlesLife | 10 | www.apostles.org
K
ayla always had a passion for kids. Even as a little girl, she loved taking care of other little children and spending time with them. Early on, she felt God calling her to be a teacher.
But after she became a teacher in a public school, she felt called to not only teach academics to the children, but to teach them about Jesus. At Apostles, we have often talked about how to use our spiritual gifts to share the gospel. That had led Kayla to pray and read the scriptures in an effort to discern how she could best help her students. Then, before school started in August, her principal announced that if any teachers had a special interest they wanted to expose the students to, something they could share with the students before or after school, then they could run it by her and she would consider it. So Kayla approached her principal and said she wanted to start a club to teach the children about Christ. And to Kayla’s delight, her principal said yes. Although Kayla taught in a public school, she was legally free to teach about Christ as long as it was in a club setting and open to the entire school. Kayla immediately got in touch with Connie Musselman, the Director of Children’s Ministry at Apostles, and Connie offered to provide Bibles and other resources for the new club. The club started with the beginning of the school year. On the first day, four kids attended. But they told their siblings
and other friends about it, and it quickly grew until 20-25 were coming consistently. The children were committed because they had to come in early to attend the club. “They were so excited,” Kayla says. Week after week, “they came in with smiling faces and their Bibles, and they were very eager to learn about Christ.” Later that year, Connie mentioned to Kayla that Apostles would love to have the children attend our Vacation Bible School that summer. Kayla thought it was a great idea. The only issue was that the church was forty miles away from the school, and Kayla drove a 5-passenger sedan. But she
ApostlesLife | 11 | www.apostles.org
decided to see how many kids would like to go and then figure things out from there. A good friend and fellow teacher had a 15passenger van and offered to swap vehicles for the week. Then when Kayla announced the plans for Vacation Bible School, all the children said they wanted to go. Eventually, fifteen students signed up. The kids loved attending our Bible school. The children would sing the songs with Kayla in the van on the way home each day, and they shared them with their family and friends. One mom sent Kayla a video of her daughter and another friend singing one of the VBS songs. The mom was so appreciative, and it touched Kayla’s heart.
It was a wonderful experience for everyone, including Kayla. She had wanted to teach the kids about the Lord, and in the past, she did the best she could, often in a disguised way. “But I was so tired of that,” she says. “I wanted to openly express my faith with these kids.” She didn’t know what they faced at home. “From what I hear, it’s not good things. They don’t go to church, and you can just look at their eyes; they’re sad. They want more.” The world can be a difficult place, and children aren’t immune from facing those difficulties. But Kayla wanted to bring them joy. She wanted them to know “there’s a Savior and He loves you and He wants you to know that.” At Apostles, we’ve talked about looking at our lives as a mission field. And Kayla sees it that way. She goes into the public school environment every day where she says people are afraid to speak about God and show His love. “But if you’re sold out to God, nothing should intimidate you,” she says. “If you’re a Christian, you’ll have that desire to share it with others.” Today, Kayla continues to share the gospel through her club. She wants to see her students being disciples. She wants to “equip them, so they can see that they can also go out and talk to others about the Lord.”
ApostlesLife | 12 | www.apostles.org
HUMBLE SERVANTS ur Winter Mission Project for 2012 took place over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. We stayed at Rescue Atlanta, a day shelter and church that caters to the homeless community of Atlanta. While there we partnered with an organization called Samaritan’s Feet. On Saturday, we distributed almost 300 pairs of new shoes to the homeless clients of Rescue Atlanta. As a part of that distribution, our students were able to wash the feet of the homeless before they fitted them with new shoes and socks. It was really amazing how the STS students ministered to the homeless people. Many of them prayed together, shared stories, and shared the love of Jesus Christ. As I walked around the room changing buckets of warm soapy water, there were a few times that tears came to my eyes as I listened to teenagers praying with the shoe recipient or when a student’s eyes lit up as another homeless person was escorted to their foot washing station. It was a day that I will never forget and I know that the STS students who were there feel the same. ~Bill Sandman, STS Middle School Coordinator
Here are some testimonies from the weekend: “For the 2012 STS Winter Mission Project we stayed at a homeless shelter called Rescue Atlanta. On Saturday we worked with Samaritan’s Feet and washed about 300 people’s feet and gave everyone a new pair of shoes. I was one of the people who washed feet. I did not mind washing people’s feet so much; I was nervous about the possibility of having to witness and lead someone to Christ. I have never really done that, and it ended up not happening after all. But kneeling on the ground, rubbing a person’s foot with soap and water, then praying with them, I felt calm. It was a peaceful feeling. Looking back I believe the Spirit was telling me that being in that position, serving and being below my fellow man, was good. It felt right. And while the Holy Spirit revealed a lot to me through my own experience and from the people I interacted with, I want to mention something that the girl sitting next to me told me, because I believe it is worth telling (though she does not know I am sharing this). She told me that several homeless people would sit
down and tell her that they do not need their feet to be washed, for whatever reason. But after a few minutes of talking with her, waiting on their new shoes to come from the other room, they would ask her, “Why are y’all doing this? Why are y’all washing our feet?” She answered, “Well, that’s what Jesus did. We are doing
ApostlesLife | 13 | www.apostles.org
what He did.” Then several of them told her that she could wash their feet. To me that shows the power of Jesus’ name, how hearing about Him works in people’s hearts. He can “melt the heart of stone.” ~Alice Fugate, 10th grade “I really had a great time on the Winter Mission Project with STS. It was amazing how showing love and affection has such an amazing effect on people. The people we served didn’t look like us on the outside, and maybe they didn’t want to hear what we had to say, but their hearts took it in and embraced it. One of the most rewarding experiences I had was washing feet. It was amazing to see people enjoying having their feet soaked in hot water as I prayed for them and talked with them. One woman took a picture and said what we were doing was a blessing. It amazed me how grateful these people could be after living on the streets and sleeping in the cold. When she told me that it was a blessing, it kept a smile on my face for the rest of the day.” ~Catherine Jackson, 7th Grade
“John 13:14-17 says, “if i then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For i gave you an example that you also should do as i did to you. Truly, truly, i say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. if you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” I’ve read over this verse and heard the story of Jesus washing His disciple’s feet in Sunday school a million times, yet I have never taken Jesus’ words seriously when He says “you also should do as I did to you.” To be frank, I was a little hesitant when I heard we were going to be washing the homeless’ feet. When I would think of homeless people I would think of the stereotypical man with filthy clothes sleeping in a cardboard box talking to himself, and that’s what most people picture in their minds to be honest with you. Then, on Saturday, they asked
for volunteers to wash feet and something just felt right about it, like God put me in this situation for a reason. As I sat down, immediately my image of homeless people changed. I met a lady, June, who told me she was a teacher with a love for language arts but with the economy, it’s hard to afford a new pair of shoes or a home. I was amazed as she told me about how she was writing a book with testimonies from homeless woman like herself. It amazes me how people make the best out of their situations. As I gently washed a man’s feet, he said, “You don’t have to be so gentle with me. I haven’t been treated like a child in so long, it feels so great. Thank you.” I take for granted everyday when my parents treat me like a child and don’t let me see a movie or go to a party and then I hear a man in his fifties thank me for treating him like one. I’ll never forget how one woman came in speechless and put a smile on her face as she said, “This is like
ApostlesLife | 14 | www.apostles.org
what they did in the Bible. This is amazing!” I was touched when the lady pulled out her cell phone, called her pastor, and raved on and on about how a 13 year old girl asked to wash her feet. It brought tears to my eyes as she said that it was the most humbling thing anyone’s ever done for her. It’s amazing what a simple act of washing someone’s feet and just taking the time to talk to them can do. Out of the many stories I could tell about this trip, there is one that I’ll never forget. After I prayed with this one woman, she asked to pray for me. Me, a girl that’s blessed with a wonderful family, house, education, plenty of clothes, and a practically worryfree lifestyle. I went into this trip thinking that we were going to be the ones helping and changing the lives of the homeless in Atlanta, but it turned out they would be the ones helping and changing my life.” ~Abby Shelton, 7th Grade
By Zack Carden College & Transition Pastor
S
tudents love the world beyond midnight. Even as a rising 8th grader, during the summer of 1987, I’d stay awake to see the end of the programming day. Twenty-five years ago few network stations (ABC, NBC, and CBS) aired TV shows after 2:30 AM. Typically, the local station would run a video of the American Flag waving in the breeze with the National Anthem playing in the background. A voice-over would announce, “That is the end of our programming day,” and then give you information on when you could tune back in. It was the network’s kind way of saying, “Perhaps it’s time to go to rest.” I usually took the cue and went to bed. I think if today’s students (middle school through college) were able to step back through twenty-five years of time, they would immediately notice how quiet it was in comparison to the noise of today. I’m not just talking about audible noise; I’m talking about the “noise” of information overload we experience on a daily basis in 2012. In 1987, we didn’t have e-mail, social networks, or texting. Our video game systems didn’t really lend themselves to
hours of play. There were only so many times that you could tolerate the game saying, “Thank you, Mario, but our princess is in another castle” before you just gave up. The cell phones were limited as well. Very few people owned one but if you did, you’d better keep your conversation to about three minutes or you’d be paying a huge bill. As I said earlier, programming on television and radio was also limited. Unless you had cable, your television would play that last resounding note of The Star-Spangled Banner and then you’d be greeted by a test-pattern or a sudden burst of hissing white noise. Yes, to them I believe it would feel slower, calmer, and quieter. In the twenty-five years since The Church of The Apostles held its first service, the noise of everyday life has been thrown into overdrive. Students are constantly bombarded by programming. “Programming” is a great word for it. A program has come to connote a system that is put in place to alter your patterns of living and thinking. I’ve told students for years that every bit of information they encounter has a spin and a worldview. It must be taken captive and analyzed. However, there is no longer a pause afforded in the information stream. There is no end to the programming day. It is a
24/7 barrage of messages through multiple media platforms. These messages are telling them what to think and how they should live. If we are honest, many of us adults would have to admit we are just as caught up in the information barrage as students. Sometimes we just need to step away from it all and get some perspective. As Dr. Youssef has pointed out, we are celebrating our “Half-Jubilee” this year. The Jubilee runs on the principle of “Sabbath.” The principle that the Lord taught His people through the Sabbath is to break from the day to day and set apart some time to rest in Him. But how do we rest in Him? First, we break from thinking as the world thinks. Consider the Sabbath principles for Israel: no work on Saturday, land must lay fallow after the seventh year, on the fiftieth year, slaves are to be released and debts cancelled. It makes very little sense from the world’s perspective. The Sabbath afforded the Israelites time to cease from their own understanding and turn their minds and hearts toward the Lord’s ways (which have been and always will be higher than our own). Second, the Sabbath was a reminder that they should rest in the Lord. The Lord was very clear that there was nothing that Israel possessed that did not
It is a 24/7 barrage of messages through multiple media platforms. These messages are telling them what to think and how they should live. come from His hand. No matter how hard we strive and try to meet our own needs (both physical and spiritual) apart from the Lord, it turns to rot. That’s God’s mercy to us, because the Sabbath ultimately points us to the Cross. For in the Cross we must rest in Christ’s work alone. It’s appropriate, then, that we celebrate a Half-Jubilee this year. It is appropriate because the story of The Church of The Apostles encompasses these two aspects of the Sabbath principle: to trust the Lord to do things His way and to rest in the fact that the power comes from God alone. This Half-Jubilee should be a reminder in our own noisy, fast-paced lives to take the time to unplug. If we would be in our own lives what God has called us to be, there must be an “end to the programming day,” and a time to meditate on what Christ has done, is doing, and would seek to do in us. If the testimony of how the Lord has used this church for His glory over the last quarter of a century is any indication, then I think we can expect Him to magnify Himself through our own personal lives. But the question still remains for each of us in this loud, non-stop programming world: Can we be quiet enough to listen?
FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE By Russ Masterson
M
ost of my time was spent plopping mortar between concrete blocks on a team led by three short brown Guatemalan men: Miguel, Domingo, and Raphael. On the second to last day of this trip to Guatemala we took their shoe sizes and brought the men shoes the following morning. One of my fellow pastors thought it would be a good idea to wash their feet as a sign of love and service.
Sixty-year-old Miguel climbed down from the almost-finished house and took a seat on a bucket. He pulled off the remains of what might have been decent shoes a decade ago. As I knelt, I saw the feet of a man who hadn’t worn shoes for most of his life. My pride swelled. Honestly, I wanted nothing to do with washing feet – thoughts of dropping the towel and running away came to mind. Perhaps I could fake a seizure or a heat stroke. His feet were wide like flippers, and felt as hard as asphalt, dirty as a sewer pipe. His toenails were gnarled and mangled. As I knelt on the bare ground with Miguel over me, I dipped the towel into the water bucket and held his worn
feet in my hands. I tasted the humility Jesus chose to live in. In John 13 we find Jesus dining with His disciples. He got up from the meal taking off His outer garment and wrapping a towel around His waste. As only a servant would do He poured water into a basin and began to wash the filth from His followers’ feet. Jesus finished washing their feet and returned to His seat. “‘do you understand what i have done for you?’ He (Jesus) asked them. ‘You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what i am. now that i, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. i have set you an example that you should do as ApostlesLife | 17 | www.apostles.org
i have done for you. i tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them’” (John 13:12b-17). I’ve led many trips to Guatemala, and we don’t always wash their feet, but we do always serve them and offer them shoes. Miguel walked away in a pair of shinny hip running shoes. I’ve seen little girls come alive when receiving a pair of sparkly sandals and mothers giggle when picking out their first pair of sneakers. The shoes bring a message, one verbalized as we give them, the same being proclaimed by local churches before we arrive and after we leave, that Jesus is the rescue they need, that He is love. May 6th through 12th a team of young adults will be, once again, going to Guatemala to build homes, lead evangelistic services for children, and give away shoes. We would love for you to be a part of this by taking a few moments to search your home for gently worn shoes. Collection boxes will be available in the children’s area for you to drop them off.
LITTLE WOMEN HOW THE DESIGNER WOMANHOOD CONFERENCE CHANGED TWO GIRLS LIVES
T
he Women’s Ministry hosted the Designer Womanhood conference here at The Church of The Apostles on August 26-27, 2011 and it was attended by more than 200 women. The theme of the conference was based around these questions: Who is reaching the Next Generation – the church or the culture? What is my life purpose? Two guest speakers were invited, Mary Kassian and Susan Hunt, to answer these questions and to give Godly insight to what is happening in our culture today. The conference was “designed” to teach women what God says regarding Biblical Womanhood! How He made women to be “helpers” and “life-givers” – not LIFE TAKERS! The message spoke deeply to all the women’s hearts. Two young ladies in attendance at the conference have written their stories and we share them with you!
how to become a Godly woman, but it brought me closer to God. I met a woman by the name of Ann. She truly made a huge impact on my life. The lady who was speaking at the conference asked all the girls to go up to the stage and a random woman would come to pray for them. Then I realized God brought us together, that I was there for a reason. Ann brought out tears from my eyes. I felt like someone else was there for me and that she really cared. We sat there and just talked to God together. While she prayed, I sat there and poured my eyes out. Honestly, I don’t know why. I just felt like God was next to me. He was speaking to me through this woman. After the conference, I was going home
LEAH HORNER, AGE 12 I remember my mom telling me that we were going to a womenhood conference at our church. I thought it was going to be really boring and there was no point in going to it. This conference taught me how to be a strong woman of God and to respect myself for being a woman. The night I got there with my best friend Megan, I completely changed my mind! That night was one of the biggest moments of my life. I sat there listening to the sermon and then the speaker asked for all the students to come up. I didn’t know what we were doing. These ladies started to come up to each and every one of us. A lady named Vicki came up to me. She started to pray for me. I thought that was the nicest prayer ever said for me. When we sat back down I really thought about what she said to me. After the conference was over I wanted to go talk to her. I found her and I started to cry. She was asking me why I was crying. I responded that I was grateful. That was an amazing night for me. A couple weeks later she wasn’t at church. I asked one of her friends and I found out
that she had breast cancer. I was really surprised and really sad. I prayed for her because I remembered what a huge impact she made on my life. She got better and I was thrilled to see her. That conference changed my life forever.
MEGAN MANUEL, AGE 12 Coming to this womenhood conference changed my life. My mom dragged me to it, and I didn’t even want to go but this conference not only made me realize ApostlesLife | 18 | www.apostles.org
with my mom and my best friend, Leah, and her mom and I called Mrs. Ann and thanked her for helping me. I told her that because of her I spoke to God. The next morning at church she told me God told her to bring me something. Then she pulled out a beautiful pearl necklace with a gold cross on it. She writes me letters and she sent me a rock with Scripture on it. God works in every way and meeting Mrs. Ann is the best thing God did for me.
The Church of The Apostles 3585 Northside Parkway. NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30327 Phone: 404.842.0200
Worship Sunday: The Gathering of the Body: 9:00 A.M. & 10:30 A.M. Sunday Evening: 5:30 P.M. Wednesday Hour of Power: 6:15 P.M.
Discipleship Sunday: 9:00 A.M.
Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef 1781 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Phone: 404.841.0100 Order: 1.800.337.5323 Web: www.leadingtheway.org