Bethelgram Summer 2016
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 2
GET TO KNOW OUR STAFF: KELLYN WILLIS
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THE GOD OF GROWTH: DEVOTIONAL BY DEXTER HARRIS
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MEET OUR PARTNERS: KIDS ALIVE INTERNATIONAL
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BETHEL’S CORE VALUES: PRAYER
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DUNKED: CELEBRATING LIFE IN BAPTISM
PAGE 14 UPCOMING EVENTS
WELCOME!
Hello Bethelonians, and welcome to the Summer Bethelgram! We’ve got a new look and lots of great articles that we hope you enjoy. We have three goals we hope to achieve with this publication. 1. We want to show you what’s happening at Bethel. 2. We want to give you insight on our values and beliefs. Be sure to check out the feature articles on baptism and one of our core values, prayer. 3. We want to show the life of the church what are you guys doing and how is God working? For the last one, we need your help! If you have photos, a great story from an event, or you would just like to share what God is doing in your life, let us know (bethel@bethelweb.org). Your story could be the encouragement another person needs. We’ve put a lot of love into this publication, and we hope you enjoy it!
GET TO KNOW OUR STAFF
KELLYN WILLIS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
WHAT IS YOUR BASIC FAMILY INFO? “I grew up in Elberton, Georgia, about 40 miles from Athens, home of the University of Georgia. I am the younger of two girls. I moved to Indiana in September to be with my boyfriend Charlie, who lives here in Crown Point.” WHAT DO YOU DO AT BETHEL? “I’m the Director of Communications, which includes everything from planning print materials, emails, and announcements to helping with videos and managing our website, social media, and The Hub.” WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME? “I love the water and love to spend time at the beach or lake. I love to cook and learn new recipes. I have just purchased calligraphy tools, so I’m excited to take on that new challenge!” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT? “Cheesecake, brownies, or peach cobbler. It’s too hard to pick just one. ” HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW CHRIST? “I grew up going to church sometimes with family members and friends, but it never became a staple in my life. I understood that I didn’t want to go to hell, but never knew what it meant to actually know Christ. When I went to college, anything I knew about God went out the window because I didn’t have a strong foundation. I spent years living in a multitude of sins. Finally, I realized that while I loved the idea of having a Savior, I hadn’t accepted an actual relationship with him. It’s been a long journey, and that day I accepted a relationship with Christ wasn’t a magical day that made everything perfect. I’m working every day to get closer to God and let him have every aspect of my life. I am so thankful that he stayed by my side through some very, very dark times, when I didn’t deserve him at all.” WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK OTHER THAN THE BIBLE? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; A Time to Kill by John Grisham WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN ABOUT DATING? “You have the rest of your life to be married so don’t rush it. I sold wedding dresses part-time for eight years, and it was tough to have clients who were much younger than me, when I was not even close to marriage. Now, I realize God’s plan was for me to wait, and for good reason. I wasn’t ready to be a wife then, and the right man wasn’t in my life until now, so thankfully he saved me from a lot of heartache.” WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM? “The University of Georgia Bulldogs. Once a Dawg, always a Dawg, no matter how far away you go!” HOW HAVE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU? “My past experiences have taught me to stop being scared of what other people may think and just be myself. Speak up, own your thoughts and feelings, and be proud of them.”
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THE GOD OF Growth by Dexter Harris
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I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7 ESV) If you are regularly attending Bethel Church, you have likely heard something about the EPIC program (Experiencing Power in Christ). Over the past couple of years we have heard stories of God’s amazing grace in the lives of young people in Gary through this program. EPIC has had unexpected results, results none of us could have imagined. However, there is a long journey ahead to disciple and help these young people grow in the knowledge of Christ. We ought to have the heart of Paul towards the believers in Colossae, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:9-10 ESV) This is my heart (and the heart of the EPIC team) for each person in EPIC—growth in Christ. We know Scripture teaches us that it is God who makes things grow. It also teaches that we have no power to cause people to grow spiritually, as this is clearly the role of the Spirit. However, temptation can lead us to try and assume the role of God regarding spiritual growth. I find myself doing this more often than I should. I ask questions like, “I wonder if my ministry is effective? Is anyone benefiting from my labor? Are these teens actually listening to me?” It’s so easy to get caught up in the fruit of ministry more than the faithfulness of ministry. We are often so passionate and desiring to see that soul to whom we minister treasure the gospel of Christ that we eagerly wait and measure their transformation. It easy for me to measure the effectiveness of an EPIC Friday night or Bible study by the immediate fruit I can see. However, most of the time I don’t see any results following a night of ministry. This desire to see immediate fruit can cause discouragement on those particular nights. These are the days questions of doubt fill my heart about serving in ministry. These are the days I must remind myself, that I am not the one who makes things grow.
I’m often reminded of my role: to plant and to water. God has a way of reminding us that people’s growth is not in our control. The fruit in a person’s life appears in the most unexpected ways. We are to do life and enjoy life with people to whom we minister. Often the fruit I expect to appear in Bible study, appears in just doing life with people. The fruit appears when you are taking an EPIC teen home, and they say, “You think we are not listening, but we hear you. We are all getting to know God better since coming to Bethel.” Or “Dexter, remember you told us God over money. I’m trying to love God more than money.” The fruit appears when a young lady we have been ministering to for a year suddenly says, “the gospel is the only way you can be saved.” Or a parent testifying that since their child has been to EPIC, their attitude and relationship with them has greatly improved. In these moments I am reminded that the Word of God is at work whether I see it or not. In these moments, I’m reminded that all the Bible studies, acts of love, and prayers are worth it. I realize God has called me to be faithful and not a fruit inspector. EPIC has taught me that most of the beginning transformation in a person’s life is unseen before a fruit ever appears. I’m not an expert on fruit, but I’m sure something is happening inside the branch first in order for fruit to be produced. God is faithful and will accomplish his will with or without us. Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) We are just broken sinners, who were saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit to do good works. We are called to plant and water for the sake of Christ. Therefore, may we serve in our various ways with excellence. So whether you water or plant, do it all to the glory of God. Rest assured that God can, and will, make things grow.
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MEET OUR MINISTRY PARTNER
KIDS ALIVE INTERNATIONAL Bethel Church is proud to partner with Kids Alive International, a Christ-centered organization dedicated to rescuing orphans and vulnerable children around the globe. They strive to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. The vision of the organization is that every child deserves to live free from the bondage of hunger, abuse, and exploitation. Kids Alive supports these children in numerous ways. Residential children’s homes are set up in 11 countries, providing children a home when they have nowhere else to go because of a loss of parent or possible abandonment. They live with Christian house parents who care for the children and teach them the gospel. Kids Alive also runs care centers located in six countries, which assist fragile families and at-risk kids by providing healthy meals, basic medical care, spiritual guidance, and education. Thirteen Kids Alive Schools in eight countries help provide hundreds of kids with a stable education. Medical clinics and community outreach programs are also available for these children and their families. All of the children supported are orphaned, abandoned, or abused. Many live on the streets and are victims of poverty, disease, or war. This summer, 17 Bethel students and three chaperones are traveling to the Dominican Republic to partner with Kids Alive to help build a new school and host a VBS program. We ask you to keep these students and chaperones in your prayers as they get involved with this wonderful organization! For more information, visit kidsalive.org.
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h grade. t 6 g n ri e t n se hrough kid t s ld o ra e For 4-y
THE LIGHTS! THE MUSIC! THE STORY!
Reserve your seat for VBS on Broadway! You’ll love hearing the story of Daniel through music, crafts, games, and teaching. Four showings are available, one at each campus.
JULY 18 - 21 | 9am-12pm Cedar Lake & Hobart/Portage Campuses JULY 25 - 28 | 9am-12pm Crown Point Campus JULY 25 - 28 | 5-8pm Gary Campus Register at bethelweb.org. 6
{PRAYER}
IT’S NOT JUST FOR SUNDAYS By Amanda Wilson “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time – waking and sleeping. It does not change God – it changes me.” (C.S. Lewis) C.S. Lewis understood the all-encompassing nature of truly God-honoring, gospel-oriented prayer. Prayer isn’t just a magical formula of memorized, recited words that you utter at bedtime or before meals. Nor is it something reserved exclusively for Sunday worship or for when you need God to get you out of your latest predicament.
Verhagen says that her prayer life has evolved, and continues to grow, over the course of her life in Christ. “When I first became a Christian, I knew I was supposed to pray but it was a duty,” she says. “Over the years, it’s moved from being a duty to a delight. My morning prayer time has become my favorite part of my day.”
Prayer isn’t just about seeking the hand of God; it’s also about seeking his face – delighting in him, glorifying him, and obeying him in song, writing, speech, thought, and deed. It’s true that mature, Christian prayer is a discipline, but as a means by which God refines and welcomes us into a deeper relationship with him as his beloved and adopted, prayer isn’t a drag or a “have-to.” Prayer is a privilege and a joy, an invitation to abide with our precious Savior.
For Verhagen, her days always start in prayer. She gets up early and, aside from making a cup of coffee, she doesn’t do anything else in order to keep her mind free from the distractions of the day. In a specific room set aside for prayer, Verhagen starts her time of prayer with worship by focusing on God’s attributes and his names (a richly varied list including Jehovah-shalom, “the God of peace,” and his immutable – perfect and unchanging – nature), before spending time studying Scripture.
At Bethel, prayer is one of our four primary core values in how worship is expressed, and is as essential to Christian survival and growth as the air that we breathe. We’re highlighting a few faithful Bethelonians who engage in mature, intentional, disciplined daily prayer, largely behindthe-scenes, to show that a constantly growing, flourishing prayer life is offered to and expected of all of us who are in Christ.
KARLA VERHAGEN:
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Woman of the Word For anyone who believes you have to have it all together to be good at this prayer thing, Karla Verhagen, who has been in relationship with Christ for 45 years, offers the following disclaimer and encouragement: “I haven’t yet ‘arrived.’ I continually need to grow in my prayer life; prayer is something we always need to improve on.”
Journaling and praying the Scriptures are two of Verhagen’s favorite ways of nurturing a more intimate prayer life. Verhagen recommends Face to Face by Kenneth Boa as a wonderful resource for guidance in Scriptural prayer. She also varies specific people and petitions to pray for in her day-to-day time of prayer. There are particular days set aside to pray for pastors and other church leaders; various ministries and missionaries; and family. Verhagen adds, “What I’m reading in the Bible helps inform how I pray. I personalize my prayer based on what I’m reading and studying.” Verhagen treasures what she calls her “communication with my heavenly Father. Prayer provides quiet spaces to listen and to pray back the Word. It’s my source of comfort, wisdom, and strength for the day.”
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PRAYER IS SURRENDERING YOUR LIFE AT THE THRONE OF GRACE BEFORE A HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS GOD.
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JIM AND DI O’HARA: The Couple that Prays Together Grows in Christ Together Jim and Di O’Hara make the most of their retirement years by not only enjoying each other’s company but by enjoying extended time together in prayer. Jim says that most mornings, Di is already up and engaged in prayer journaling when he wakes up to join her. “Every morning when I wake up, I sit down with Di and we have coffee together. We spend two or three hours each morning going through devotionals, talking, and praying for our own spiritual growth, other people’s needs, and other needs that may pop up.” Both Jim and Di, who have enjoyed a mutual walk with the Lord for some 40 years, stress that daily time in prayer is essential. “Your prayer life is an MRI of your spiritual condition,” Jim says. “When I lack the desire to pray, there’s a correlating spiritual issue in my life. God is our Father who desires relationship with us. We’re his family, and talking to God about everything is what results in a growing, loving relationship with him.” Di’s advice is to always start your time of prayer with acknowledging and praising God’s sovereign will and goodness. She says, “You should start by saying, ‘Father, whatever this day, first and foremost, you will be praised.’ Focus on adoring God, and not on your outward circumstances but on the God of our circumstances.” Di adds that the desire to pray needs to come out of love, not performance and, like Verhagen, recommends praising and praying through God’s attributes to help stoke the desire to pray out of love. Jim offers the encouragement that you can pray at anytime. “I like to pray when I’m on the treadmill or walking around the block. You can talk to the Lord at any time.”
RESOURCES FOR PRAYER
Both Jim and Di stress that “As with anyone you want to have a loving relationship with, you need to connect with them. You connect with God by praying. Prayer is surrendering your life at the throne of grace before a holy and righteous God.”
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ADVICE TO ESTABLISH AND ENRICH YOUR PRAYER LIFE “You need to set a consistent time every day for prayer when you won’t be distracted or tired. Early morning is ideal for me and for a lot of people, but you have to find a time that works for you.” Karla Verhagen “Ask the Holy Spirit for help in teaching you how to pray, and pray with other people.” - Karla Verhagen “As much as possible, and at all times, be ready for prayer.” - Di O’Hara “God is your Father, and you are his child. He is a loving Father, and he wants you to talk to him.” - Jim O’Hara “One great way to enrich your prayer life is to pray back to God his own words from Scripture. When we pray back Scripture, we’re reminding ourselves of who God is, what he’s done, and what he’s promised to do. Many of the great prayers of the Bible are really just that - reminding God of who he is, what he’s done, and what he’s promised.” - Pastor Dan Jacobsen
BOOKS
DEVOTIONALS
FAMILY RESOURCES
The God Who Hears W. Bingham Hunter
Face to Face Kenneth D. Boa
The Barber Who Wanted to Pray R. C. Sproul
A Hunger for God John Piper
Prone to Wander Barbara R. Duguid and Wayne Duguid Houk
Gospel-Centered Family Tim Chester
Praying the Bible Donald Whitney
Valley of Vision Arthur Bennett
What Happens When I Talk to God? Stormie Omartian
STORYTELLING AD
TEAM Do you have a gift for communication? We are looking to build a volunteer storytelling team of people with gifts for writing, photography, and videography. If you are interested, email Kellyn Willis at kwillis@bethelweb.org.
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Dunked CELEBRATING GRACE IN BAPTISM
by Lane Lareau
“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” (1 Peter 3:21–22 ESV)
In an instant, the skies unzipped and the ground unearthed its water. Judgment was falling. Noah and his family knew this day would come, and their lot would have been the same as the rest of the world if it were not for the 450 feet of cypress wood separating them. They survived the waters of judgment not because of their might or intellect or right living or ethnicity, but solely because of the grace of an ark. Baptism is one of two sacraments (means of grace to strengthen our faith) which the church performs. It was enacted, along with the Lord’s Supper, through the words of Jesus and the lives of the apostles as outlined in Scripture. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)
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Matt Chandler, in his message “Ordinances,” says, “[God] gives the church two sacraments in which the church herself is to celebrate this union with Christ. That’s what it’s all about, to celebrate our union.” In baptism and the Lord’s Supper, we have physical reminders that preach the gospel to ourselves: the death of Christ and the newness of life in him. The gospel, a message in which we witness Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection, can feel intangible at times. Baptism gives us a physical picture of what the gospel looks like. For those of us who have grown up in church and witnessed baptisms hundreds of times, this reminder can begin to become dull. It is human nature to take a work of God and center it upon man--to discuss the methodology and miss the significance. We shortchange the beauty of the sacraments when we do. We fail to hear the proclamation: “God makes things new.”
Pastor Steve DeWitt puts it this way when we think about baptism: “Baptism itself is not the means to salvation. We are saved through Jesus. Baptism isn’t the ark; Jesus is the ark.” At Bethel, we believe baptism by immersion (going under the water) is “the public testimony a believer gives after professing personal faith in Christ.” What are they proclaiming when they do? There has been a work of new life done in me that nothing in myself could have done. Or, as the New City Catechism answers: “Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; it signifies and seals our adoption into Christ, our cleansing from sin, and our commitment to belong to the Lord and to his church.” (New City Catechism, Q44, newcitycatechism.com)
“For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12 NLT) In a short while, we will witness this symbol at our Lake Michigan baptisms. When we come together and the waters lap upon the sandy shores, as we stare off into the horizon and watch dozens of people file into the coolness of the tide—we should stop. Stop and listen. Stop and watch. Stop and marvel.
It is a public reminder that we serve a God who has promised and committed himself to making a people for his own possession from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, washing them in spiritual rebirth for the spread of his fame. And the individual baptized is part of the fulfillment of that promise.
Marvel not at the obedience of the men and women, nor their calmness in the frigidity of the water. Marvel at God. Listen to their testimonies and see Jesus. Look at the smiles and celebration taking place from those gathered and hear the sermon. For with every dunk beneath the water and every clap from the beach and every eye that witnesses, there is a resounding declaration: Jesus saves. Jesus redeems. Jesus restores.
It is a word of grace reread every time a group of Jesus followers collect around a body of water, watch men and women dropped beneath its wake, mirroring the sacrificial death of Jesus, and raised again above it, pointing to the victorious resurrection of Jesus.
Come and experience the new life offered freely by one who was dead but is alive, who passed through the waters of judgment and came out in victory, who invites you to identify in him and cling to the living hope of life now and wholeness in life on that Day.
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JULY 31 | 6PM MARQUETTE BEACH If you would like to be baptized, register at bethelweb.org.
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We invite you to join us at the lake and be encouraged by those who are taking a step in baptism.
UPCOMING EVENTS FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY
GARY SUMMER BLOCK PARTY
July 10, 9:40am | Crown Point Room 112 We all need a plan for our money. This class will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more! Cost is $90.
July 29, 11:00am-3:00pm | Gary Campus We’re hosting a community block party for the city of Gary. Enjoy bounce houses, games, music, food, and more at this free event.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
DEAF SOCIAL
July 12, 6:30pm | Crown Point Kids’ Center Big Room Celebrate Recovery (CR) meetings give a biblical perspective and help for whatever hurt, habit, or hangup you may have. CR is a ministry which utilizes authentic worship, biblical teaching, motivational testimony, Christian community, and individual accountability to spur people toward deliverance and conformity to Christ.
July 29, 6pm | Crown Point Kids’ Center Big Room Bethel’s Deaf Ministry hosts a monthly social for the deaf community. The social offers a time for the Deaf to get together and socialize, be encouraged, and have fun.
GARY SENIORS’ FRIENDSHIP CLASS July 13, 9:00am | Gary Commons This class is designed for seniors to come out and fellowship while discussing activities, outings, and meals.
DISCOVER BETHEL July 16, 8:30am | Crown Point Room 110 If you’re new to Bethel or want to find out more about who we are and what we believe, Discover Bethel is your next step. In this one-day seminar, you’ll meet others who are new, as well as gain a deeper insight into our mission and vision as a church. Discover Bethel also serves as our pathway to membership.
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT - GARY July 22, 6pm | Gary Gymnasium Bring your friends and family for a fun night of movie watching. Bring your blankets to sit on and enjoy The Peanuts Movie with us.
BETHEL STUDENTS CHICAGO TRIP August 10, 9:00am | Chicago We will be leaving from Bethel CP campus at 9am and heading to Chicago for a day of food and fun. Be sure to bring spending money. Email Mike Wittig in advance at mwittig@bethelweb.org so that we can have proper driving arrangements in place.
HOBART/PORTAGE PRAYER NIGHT July 14 & August 11, 7:00pm | Hobart/Portage Auditorium Join us on the second Thursday of every month for a time of prayer, praise, and fellowship.
CANCER MINISTRY LUNCHEON August 21, 12:00pm | Hobart/Portage Student Center Our HP campus hosts a luncheon for people who have gone through cancer or are going through it right now.
AWANA REGISTRATION OPEN HOUSE August 24, 4:00pm | Crown Point Kids’ Center August 25, 4:00pm | Cedar Lake Kids’ Center Come to register your kids (4 years old by August 15th grade) for Awana. Plan to pick up and pay for your child’s supplies at the open house.
COMING TO AN EVENT? We want to see your involvement at Bethel! Be sure to like and follow us on all social media accounts, tag us, and use #bethellife when posting photos from an event at Bethel. If you have great photos that we can share on our social media pages, please email them to photo@bethelweb.org.
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God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!� The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
PSALM 46
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