eMay 2015

Broadcaster The Vital Role of Women in the Church One of the joys of being a pastor is the opportunity to answer questions that God’s people have about all kinds of subjects. Recently, a young woman in our church emailed me a question about the role of women in the church. She made this inquiry with such grace that I thought it might be helpful for all in our church to read it as we consider together this important matter related to God’s calling for women in their ministries in the local church. I have secured this dear person’s permission to include her question and her response with a few minor edits. For the purpose of this article I will call her Lydia after the first convert in Europe.

Lydia sent this initial question: Hey Pastor Ritch, I hope you are having a good week! I am contacting you because I have been struggling to understand women's roles in the church. I know that women are not to preach over men as it says in 1 Timothy 2:12. My

struggle is to understand why God has designed it that way. I have heard people say that it is because women sometimes rely more on emotions than biblical truth, and are therefore more likely to misguide others in preaching. Or I have also heard that it is because of God's unique design for male and female in how they are to serve the church. I have seen the reasonableness of both of these arguments (to some extent) and I believe that I am called to submit to Scripture and trust in God's Word even if it doesn't always make perfect sense to me (Isaiah 55:8-9). I also know that a lot of times it is my pride that questions why I can't preach like men.

I guess what I am asking is if you might be able to give me a better biblical understanding of why women are not to exercise authority over men, specifically in preaching. I have been discussing this with my husband and he suggested that I ask you for further understanding.

Blessings, Lydia Continued on page 2.

Dr. Ritch Boerckel

Senior Pastor 3

May Calendar Highlights

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Women’s Ministries PrimeTime Fellowship Discovering Church Membership RESOLVEDto Bible Study

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Children’s Ministry Open Hearts, Open Homes

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Small Groups

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Youth Ministry Calendar Revive the Drive

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MusiCamp

Cont’d from page 1

My response to Lydia: Hi Lydia, So thankful for your question and for the sweet spirit with which you ask it. The subject of the role of women in the church is a very important one and also not easy to navigate. We hope to avoid two sinful/fleshly responses.

One response ignores Scripture and looks to our culture of the present to provide the answers. This leads us to reject all or most role distinctions between male and female in the home and the church. The other fleshly response attends to Scripture, but in a way that looks to the culture of the past to interpret it. This leads us to demean women and remove them from the significant ministries that God intends them to embrace in their homes and their local church.

So as to your question: Why has God designed women to have different roles than men in the church and the home? Let me make four broad observations before addressing your question directly. First, your question rests upon the biblical foundation that God indeed does teach in His Word that men and women have distinct roles in the home and the church. Many deny this foundation. But I believe that God’s Word does indeed clearly teach this. Since you seem to have a clear understanding of this biblical foundation, I will not spend time upon it. But if you do have questions about this matter, please feel free to ask! Second, your question addresses the motivation of God for His design. In this we have to be careful that we do not assign God motives for His workings beyond what He reveals. We cannot enter into God’s mind apart from Scripture. Some of the answers that you have received seem to be based more on human conjecture than on biblical truth. This is not a sound basis to answer the question and we are right to take great care to avoid this. Third, it is right to acknowledge that God is perfect, true, wise, loving, sovereign and good. So we also acknowledge that whatever He says and does is good, wise, loving, true and good. We may not always understand all that God does, but we know WHO He is and take great confidence in that. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV). We are right to trust and obey even when God’s thoughts and ways contradict our own. Whatever He says is good for us and given to us for our joy. Fourth, it is right to note that “different” is not the same as “inferior.” A porcelain tea cup has a different function by design than a tin cup. The tea cup would have a small role on a

weeklong backpacking trip in the mountains. The tin cup would have a very small role at an elegant wedding reception. Their differences do not equate to unequal or inferior in nature or function. It is very beneficial to have both!! Our culture rejects the idea that one can have a role of submission and not be inferior. This assumption is not true. (More on this below.)

So to address your question directly: why has God designed women to have different roles than men in the church? Everything God does, He does as an extension of His person and for His glory. This is true of everything that He created. God says “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7 ESV).

God teaches us that the differing roles of men and women are rooted in His own triune nature. We see this in 1 Cor. 11 where Paul addresses the different roles between men and women in the worship services of the church. He grounds His teaching in the truth of the role distinctions found within the separate persons of the Godhead. He does this to connect us to the purpose of role distinctions between men and women. “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:2–3 ESV). Even though, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal, from all eternity past … God in His perfect state exists as three in one … each person possessing distinct roles in relationship with the other two divine Persons. The Son’s role is not inferior to the Father’s role in this relationship, but it is one of submission to the Father. The Son does not chafe under the inferiority of His role, but the Son finds His glory in this role.

From the triune God’s perfection of His own nature, God made man “in His likeness.” One of the reasons that it was not good that man should be alone is not merely so that man would not be lonely. But the reason an alone state would not be good is because man in himself apart from woman would not be able to reflect the glory of the Triune God. It is because of role distinctions between men and women that man can say that he/she is made in the image of God. This is why marriage is such a “mystery” in which the two become “one.” Apart from the role distinctions between men and women in marriage and the church,

“Everything God does, He does as an extension of His person and for His glory.”

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we could not experience or reflect the oneness of the Godhead.

So I would not affirm that the reasons that God marked out these distinctions of role as due to a woman’s emotional make up. This is not what the Scriptures teach. Indeed there are differences between men and women that we can observe and form opinions. But these opinions are different from the authority of Scripture. There is much more to say upon this subject, but perhaps I should stop now and let you ask more questions from what I have written.

May 2015 Calendar Highlights May 2

Info Meeting on possible school, 9:30am Saturday Night Service, 6pm

May 3

Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Parent/Child Dedication Class, 9:45am Children’s Choir, 4pm

May 6

No Family Meal Awana Awards Night, 6:15pm Jr./Sr. High Youth Group, 6:15pm

May 8

Jr. High Game Night, 6pm

On 1 Timothy 2: www.desiringgod.org/sermons/manhoodwomanhood-and-the-freedom-to-minister

May 9

Megan Bess Bridal Shower, 10am Saturday Night Service, 6pm

On 1 Corinthians 11: www.desiringgod.org/articles/ creation-culture-and-corinthian-prophetesses

May 10

Worship Services, 8:15 and 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am

In the home: www.desiringgod.org/articles/beautifulsubmission

May 13

No Family, Meal, Awana, or Youth Group

May 14

Catherine Malone Baby Shower, 7pm

May 16

Saturday Night Service, 6pm

May 17

Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Children’s Choir, 4pm

May 18

PrimeTime Fellowship, 11am

Pastor Ritch,

May 19

Hats of Hope, 6pm

Thank you so much for this response, it has been a great encouragement to me and God has used it to open my eyes to some of the wrong assumptions I make about Him and His design for men and women in the church … and some of the sin that is in my own heart. Let me share with you one: I assume that because women are not allowed to preach or exercise authority over men in the church it makes them less important to the church and to the glory of God. I assume this because I am self-focused on my own glory, not His, and I think that recognition from man is more important than obedience to God. And I forget about the importance of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-27). I also think that I am capable to serve Him on my own, and I forget that I did not choose Him but He chose me (John 15:16). I am humbled that I am not His because of what I have done but because what He has done through His Son Jesus. Blessings, Lydia

May 20

No Family Meal, Awana, or Youth Group

May 23

Saturday Night Service, 6pm

May 24

Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Membership Class, 9:45am

May 25

Memorial Day—Office Closed

May 27

No Family Meal, Awana or Youth Group

May 30

Saturday Night Service, 6:00pm

May 31

Worship Services, 8:15 & 11am ABCs/Sunday School, 9:45am Children’s Choir Drama Rehearsal, 4pm

Here are some articles that may help you think about your question: On the Trinity: www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-thedoctrine-of-the-trinity

Please ask more follow-up questions as you have them. This is a very big question and the answers are fairly broad. May God smile upon you!

Pastor Ritch Lydia responded most helpfully:

May Lydia’s tribe increase in the church of Jesus for His glory! 

View the full calendar at bethanycentral.org!

Hover over the “Connect” tab, then click the “View Calendar” button. Use the pull-down menu to select the view of your choice (day, month, week, etc.).

The Birthday & Anniversary list is now available at the Welcome Center.

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Bridal Shower for Megan Bess

Saturday, May 9 at 10am

Megan is engaged to Andy Kieser.

They are registered at: Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Suzi Davis Travel.

Baby Shower for Catherine Malone Thursday, May 14 at 7pm

Kevin & Catherine are expecting a baby in June. They are registered at Amazon.com and Babies R Us. Hats of Hope Tuesday, May 19 at 6pm

Use your gifts and talents in sewing and knitting, or simply to cut fabric and make fabric flowers for hats for cancer patients. Yarn and materials are supplied for you if you desire to make hats at home.

WOMEN’S Ministries MOPS .

Registration is now open!

Bible Study Join Kelly Walenta as she leads True Woman 101: Divine Design.

This 8-week study begins Thursday, May 21 at 9am and will take place at Kelly's home (1021 Brookhill Road, Peoria). Space is limited. Sign up at the Welcome Center or email Kelly at ckone2000@comcast.net.

PrimeTime Fellowship Monday, May 18 at 11:00am All those age 60 and up are invited for a hymn sing and lunch. Sloppy Joe sandwiches, chips, coleslaw, brownies and ice cream will be provided. To sign up, call the church office at 692-1755.

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Discovering Church Membership

Sundays at 9:45am May 24, 31, and June 7 If you are interested in joining the church or learning more about Bethany, plan to attend this class.

Sign up by calling the office at 692-1755 or emailing Melody at melody@bethanycentral.org.

Mom's whose youngest child is in kindergarten or below are eligible to participate. For more information and to register visit: www.bethanycentral.org/MOPS

The RESOLVEDto Thursday Night Bible Study is studying 2 Peter.

Join Rodney & Katie Harms and the RESOLVEDto group at the Harms’ home (3318 S. Hilton Lane, Bartonville, IL 61607) as they look at 2 Peter. The study meets weekly on Thursday evenings.

Dinner is at 6:30pm and the study begins at 7:30pm. Contact Rodney Harms (rdharms@gmail.com) with any questions.

School will be out soon! What summer plans do you have for your children? I hope they include both MusiCamp (June 1-5) and VBS (July 13-17). By preparing for summer, you can make it a more profitable time of learning and spiritual growth for your children. You won’t fall back on the easy ways to keep them occupied.

C h i l d r e n ’s M i n i s t r y Ginny Smith

ginny@bethanycentral.org

Let me suggest two other potentials to include in your summer: 1. A summer reading program—Choose one book that is age appropriate for your child. There are many Christian biographies that are challenging to young readers. If your child is too young to read to himself, consider setting aside some time to read to your child.

2. A boredom bucket—Often, children will say that they are bored during the summer, when they have a more flexible schedule. Write on pieces of paper various projects that your child can do when he is at a loss for summer activities. Fold these slips of paper over, and place them in a large container. Let your child draw one out to do as an activity.

Here are some possibilities: bake cookies for a neighbor, write a thank you note to a teacher, play a game with a younger sibling, get a bug or leaf book and identify what you find in your back yard—praise God for the variety of His creation, help with a particular home project, make Jello jigglers for all the neighborhood kids, draw a picture for the grandparents, put on a play or puppet production of a Bible story, etc. (As you can see, the possibilities are limitless, but now is the time to think and prepare.)

Have a wonderful summer with your children! Enjoy helping them grow in the Lord through these summer suggestions.

Parent/Child Dedication Class Sunday, May 3 at 9:45am

Parents wishing to have a child dedicated should plan to attend this class. We will cover what child dedication is, basic parenting principles, and an overview of resources Bethany offers. The next dedication will be held on Mother’s Day—May 10. Please call the church office at 692-1755 to sign up.

VBS—July 13-17 Join us for “A Journey Off the Map!” Kids entering Kindergarten through 6th grade in the fall are invited.

Register online at www.bethanycentral.org now.

Safe Families - It's Not Too Late

Amy Park levisix88@gmail.com

Safe Families is a way to minister to families in central Illinois that are in crisis.

Volunteers provide a temporary home for children whose parents are in need of care for their children during a difficult time. Our church has hosted two live trainings for Safe Families so far but if you missed those opportunities it is not too late to be involved.

Both the Safe Families Core Training (required for everyone) and Host Training can be done on-line. To find out more about Safe Families and to receive information on how to do those trainings on-line go to: http://www.safefamilies.org/ Click on the “Be a Safe Family Volunteer” and fill out the form. You will then receive an email instructing you on your next steps. This is a wonderful opportunity for our church family to reach out to our community and serve as a family together while practicing biblical hospitality!

If you are not desiring to host a child/ren in your home but would like to be involved there are many levels of involvement with Safe Families. The website above can help you understand the opportunities.

To see video about Safe Families or to read more about the ministry of Open Hearts, Open Homes check out the blog at : Openheartsopenhomesministry.blogspot.com 5

Make Way for New People!

Excerpted from John Butler’s chapter 6 entitled “Never Say Comfortable” in the excellent book, Why Small Groups? edited by C.J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries, 1996.

Imagine you are going to a small-group meeting for the first time and you don’t know anyone, or maybe just one or two people. Most people find it intimidating to walk into a house full of strangers. Guests don’t always know what to anticipate or what is expected of them. I know of a man who thought the dress code was fairly formal for small-group meetings, so he wore his Sunday best. He felt awkward as the members of the group arrived very casually dressed. A group that has met for any length of time develops its own culture (some very bizarre, I might add)—a “local dialect,” certain food rituals, inside jokes, even possibly its own time zone (for example, a starting time of 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time may be the equivalent of 7:20 p.m. Eastern Small Group Time)! It’s easy for first-timers to feel uncomfortable. In addition, our lives become busy. We develop patterns of socializing that may leave little room for newcomers to the small group—a regular “family time,” sports activities, children’s play time, coffee together. These are good and valuable, but we must guard against any appearance of becoming “cliquish” or exclusive in our behavior and attitudes.

These things are sin and have no place in our small groups. Consequently, all of us must reject the selfish tendency to gravitate only toward those in our group whom we know best … to sit by the same people and talk about our common interests—sports, hobbies, our children, whatever. Over time it’s easy to settle into comfortable relationships, even feeling some annoyance at newcomers or, for that matter, anyone in the group who might dare to break our routine. In fact, sometimes believers can treat newcomers to the church as if they are somehow unworthy of our attention. The root of this tendency is self-centeredness—yet Scripture charges us to think of others as more important than ourselves (Phil. 2:3).

A church is not to be a closed culture, but a place of life and hope for the desperate.

As the church, we are called to disciple the nations, welcoming all who will enter.

What do you do—personally—to ensure guests feel welcome at your meetings? Are guests simply the leader’s responsibility or do you take it upon yourself, whatever your role in the group, to get involved? Here are some suggestions: Greet guests and invite them to be a part of your conversation by introducing them to others in the group. “Ed, have you met Mike yet? This is his first time here.”

Consider how to involve guests in your activities during the week. “Hey Mike—a bunch of the guys are going to watch the game tomorrow night at my house. Can you come over and hang out with us?”

Take an interest in their lives and care for them. Find out about their world and if there are ways to serve them through prayer, practical help, or encouragement.

Next, ask yourself these questions about your friendships: How long has it been since I included someone new in my regular activities?

Do others feel welcome to become involved in my conversations and activities?

What steps have I taken to include someone new in what I’m doing?

Am I willing to widen my circle of relationships? If not, why? Paul appeals to us to “look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Are we willing to share our friends and ourselves with new people?

Seeking New Small Group Leaders Sept ‘15 – Apr ‘16 Term We are prayerfully seeking new small group leaders for next year’s small group term that will start on Sept 13, 2015. If you have enjoyed participating in a small group this last year, and would like to partner with us to multiply the joy of authentic biblical friendships in the church, please contact your current small group leader, or Pastor Kevin Sauder to learn more. Please pray that God would multiply this “one another” discipleship ministry at Bethany for His glory and our joy. We are so thankful for how God is working through our small group ministry and desire to give every believer in our church the opportunity to participate.

Summer 2015 While the church calendar officially takes the summer “off” from small group activities, many small groups will still meet occasionally throughout the summer.

Please talk to your small group leader about your group’s summer schedule!

All Bethany’s small groups will begin meeting regularly again on the week of September 13, 2015.

(New group sign-ups will start in August!)

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

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Youth Calendar May 6

Jr./Sr. High Youth Group, 6:15pm

May 7

Sr. High Guys Bible Study, 4:00pm

May 8

Jr. High Game Night, 6:00pm

May 13

No Youth Group

May 14

Sr. High Guys Bible Study, 4:00pm

May 20

Graduation Banquet for High School Seniors, RSVP required

May 21

Sr. High Guys Bible Study, 4:00pm

May 27

No Youth Group

May 28

Sr. High Guys Bible Study, 4:00pm

Summer Camp is coming June 7-12 All youth who have completed 7th grade through those who are 2015 high school graduates are invited to attend this BFC Summer Camp at Lake Geneva Conference Center. Our theme is “Discover Truth: Connect the Dots."

We will be focusing on how to approach, study, interpret, and apply Scripture in a way that grows our relationship with Christ. Speakers include Pastor Ritch Boerckel, Pastor Art Georges, Pastor Dan Wilton, and Phil Smith.

Camp includes: Field Games, Shopping, Swimming, Small Groups, Great Food, Giant Swing, Quiet Time, Team Meetings, Night Activities, and much more!!

Early Bird Cost: $305 ($50 deposit due by May 10) Regular Cost: $335 ($50 deposit due by May 24) Final Payment: Balance due by June 3 Multiple child discounts and scholarships are available.

Please see website or brochure for complete details.

REGISTER ON-LINE AT WWW.BETHANYCENTRAL.ORG

Revive The Drive Fueling a Passion for Truth Revive the Drive is a shared ministry of the Bethany Fellowship of Churches that invites us to listen in on short discussions between our pastors on key theological issues facing us today.

We recently received some feedback from a Bethany attender who listens to Revive the Drive as she travels back and forth from work and wanted to share it with you in the hopes that it will be an encouragement to you.

“I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how truly grateful I am for the Revive the Drive resource that Pastor Ritch, Pastor Art and Pastor Daniel put together. I spend 2-1/2 hours in the car each day commuting back and forth to work and it's such a blessing to be able to listen to these short snippets of goodness. I truly enjoy hearing all of your prospective on these topics. I find myself searching for specific topics that I need to address with my children or a situation in the workplace or even to answer someone’s question about what heaven will be like. It's really great to have this resource to help build my case. I understand the Bible is my true source—I just appreciate that you each reference where in the Bible these particular issues are addressed and put it together in an easily digestible package. Needless to say with that long of a commute every day I've listened to all of them multiple times, so I'm really looking forward to the next session release!”

To listen to previous sessions of Revive the Drive click on the Resource tab at www.bethanycentral.org and select “Revive the Drive” under the Media category. Download sessions to your phone or tablet directly from our website or check them out on Bethany's Mobile App. CDs are also available at the Welcome Center. Look for the next session of Revive the Drive coming later this month!

Contact Josh Beakley or Aaron Boerckel for details.

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NON-PROFIT ORG.

Bethany Baptist Church

U.S. POSTAGE

7422 N. Heinz Lane

P A I D PEORIA, ILLINOIS

Edwards, IL 61528

PERMIT NO. 917 Return Service Requested

MusiCamp 2015 June 1-5 from 6:00–8:15pm

All kids who have finished kindergarten through sixth grade are invited!

We will work on a musical which will be performed on Sunday, June 7 at 6pm.

Register online at www.bethanycentral.org in May. Cost: $10 per child (for T-Shirts).

Contact Dawn Hintz at hintzpack@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer to help.