Bethany Baptist Church exists to glorify God by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and preparing His people to worship Him forever.
A Primer for Making Good Decisions
Dr. Ritch Boerckel
When I was a young pastor, one mature saint often encouraged me to teach others in the church how to make spiritual decisions. He was driving at the idea that every decision we make in life, we either follow a spiritual or a natural process to arrive at a conclusion. He was convinced that there is a great difference between the way that a spiritually minded Christian makes decisions in life and the way a naturally minded person makes decisions in life. When this man exhorted me to teach others, I quietly asked myself, “Do I know how to make decisions in a spiritual way?” Through this dear older friend, I came to fully agree with him about the importance of making decisions through a spiritual, God-centered process rather than a natural, man-centered one. The natural process we use to make decisions is fairly simple. We ask, “What do I think is the best option that will benefit me the most?” Then, we move forward on the wisest understanding we possess to apply it to the decision in front of us. This sounds like a reasonable process, yet God warns us against it! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:5–7, ESV). Continued on page 2.
In This Issue Page 3 Resources For Women February Calendar Highlights Page 4 Coffee with the Elders New Ladies Bible Study Child Dedication Class Discovering Church Membership Basketball and Soccer A/V Team Page 5 Music For All Ages Page 6 Congregational Meeting Student Ministries Calendar The Table PrimeTime Fellowship Sweet Hour of Prayer Marriage Maintenance Check-Ups Page 7 Global Outreach VBS 2017 Page 8 No Regrets Men’s Conference