PASTOR, Paul Strahan pstrahan@fbcowb.org ADMINISTRATION and MINISTER TO SENIOR ADULTS Bob Farmer bfarmer@fbcowb.org
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Connect with Paul
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God @ Work
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Connect with... Missions/Recreation Senior Adults/Administration Worship Discipleship
MINISTER OF DISCIPLESHIP Wesley Dunn wdunn@fbcowb.org MINISTER TO CHILDREN Suzie Horner shorner@fbcowb.org MINISTER TO STUDENTS Will Smith wsmith@fbcowb.org
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Why We Need Reminders of the Gospel
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Connect with... Preschool/Women Children Students
MINISTER OF RECREATION/ MISSIONS Nathan Scott nscott@fbcowb.org INTERIM MINISTER OF MUSIC Mike Little mlittle54@sbcglobal.net PRESCHOOL/WOMEN’S MINISTRY COORDINATOR Cheryl Goss cgoss@fbcowb.org OFFICE MANAGER Judi West jwest@fbcowb.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Michele Burton mburton@fbcowb.org Susan Dant sdant@fbcowb.org Maeghan Adams madams@fbcowb.org FINANCIAL SUPERVISOR Barbara Wright: bwright@fbcowb.org 270.683.3505
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FOM (First on Missions)
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Holy Week Bible Reading Plan
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Connect with One Another
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Upcoming Events and Calendar
IMB Trustee I have been privileged to serve on the International Mission Board for the last four years. My last meeting will be in May. Thanks to First Baptist Church for the way you have supported missions at home and abroad over the years. It was because of your support that I was asked to be a part of the trustees. One of the most important things we do at each meeting is to hear from those whom we are appointing as career missionaries. It is one of the most encouraging and inspiring meetings I have attended. We always hear their salvation testimony and then how God calls them to the field. I am moved by their passion for Jesus and also their love for their people group. One of the most emotional times is when we pray for each missionary‟s family and the circumstances of their move. I am often convicted by their desire to live for Christ and even die for Him if need be. Please continue to pray for our missionaries around the world and many are in some difficult places with unique challenges. I am a witness to the fact that Southern Baptists are doing a good work when it comes to international missions. We also need to pray for the President search committee as they seek to find the person God has to replace Dr. Tom Elliff. He announced his departure as soon as a replacement is found.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH APP If you haven‟t downloaded the FBC app then do it now. It provides FBC another opportunity to
communicate with our church membership. You will be able to read about some of the coming events, hear sermons, follow us on Twitter or Facebook, and hopefully reach out to more people with the gospel. Reference the back page for download instructions. Let us know what you think and how it can be improved!
SO YOU MAY BELIEVE The Gospel According to John It has taken us longer than I imagined, but we have steadfastly worked our way through this wonderful book. I have thoroughly enjoyed studying for each sermon. My prayer is that you have been enriched, challenged, confronted, encouraged, and motivated to know Him, believe in Him, and follow Him the rest of your life. Jesus is God, He lived and died for the world, and He is coming again! I am looking forward to it!
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP! I pray that you have heard the messages on church membership. We talked about the biblical meaning, the requirements and expectations of being a member of FBC. I pray we make membership meaningful and become a “high expectation” church. Jesus Christ, who gave His life for the church, deserves our best. Church membership matters to Jesus and I pray it matters to you! To God Be The Glory!
Kent & Kathryn have been FBC members for many years. They have three children and four grandchildren. Kent currently serves as Chairman of Deacons.
WD: Give a brief description of the circumstances your family has encountered in the last two years. KATHRYN: We had our baby, Griffin, go off to WKU and we were to be “empty nesters” but God had other plans! We have to go back four years to early December, 2010. My mother, Jo Nelson, was admitted to the hospital with heart issues. My dad, fighting Parkinson‟s dementia, fell at home the second day mom was in the hospital. He fractured a bone in his neck, loosened teeth, and needed many stitches around his face. On December 15th, mom died, on the 24th, Dad was released from the hospital, and on the 30th our daughter was married. Dad lived at home with caregivers until this past June when we moved him into our home, where he is presently. Our first granddaughter, Eve, was born a victim of ABS. She was born without her left arm and her right leg. We suffered through that with our son DL and his wife Katie. Our daughter Kendall and husband Clinton blessed us with two grandchildren and then Katie and DL announced that they were expecting another child. Little Lissy was born a victim of CMV. Although she
avoided the organ dysfunction, blindness, and deafness that typically accompany this virus, an MRI revealed that she suffers from significant brain damage. We painfully worked through that news with DL and Katie. We are blessed by their passion to raise these two children. WD: In complete transparency, what were some of your initial thoughts when faced with these trials? KENT: Don and Patsy Bryant had given us a pretty descriptive preview of caring for parents with dementia. We knew we were moving that way with Dr. Nelson, but perhaps not so quickly. Then we lost Jo. We just kind of felt like it was our turn. We have had friends who were giving care to parents and friends who had lost parents. It just seemed like it was our turn. When we received word about Eve, a new grandchild with a whole life to live, we just fell on the floor weeping. We hurt for Eve and we hurt for DL and Katie and our other children. It was a difficult period. Of course we asked, “Why?” and a whole lot of other things. Upon getting the news regarding Lissy we asked, “Again
Lord?” It was just a sad time for us. It was the kind of thing no one wants to go through again. WD: How have you seen God @ Work even in the midst of these tough times? KENT: I had heard it said that God never puts more on us than we can bear (What about our sin and our sinful nature?). That idea goes with the same belief that God helps those who help themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth; it‟s very bad theology. We worked through Jo and David‟s situations because we knew they were coming, these things happen. But Eve‟s situation was not supposed to happen, it knocked us to the ground, it was more than we could handle. I was taken back to the core of what I believed about God‟s involvement with man. God is in control, nothing happens without His knowledge. We just happen to live in a fallen world where sin affects everything, our lives, our relationships, and it affects nature. Sin affects the birth process and it‟s not God doing bad things to us, it‟s just the result of a fallen world. Eve was born fallen and
different, and God will give grace to trust Him through it. Add these thoughts to the list of bad theology I mentioned earlier. What I have learned is this: God is in control, nothing happens without His knowledge. We do live in a fallen world that is sin infested. Sin does affect everything, but it does not supersede God‟s perfect plan for us. Eve was not born the way she is because of sin, she was born that way because God molded her in her mother‟s womb, wonderfully and carefully. He has equipped her for His perfect purpose, and as Wes Dunn prays, “May the name of the Lord be made great through her life.” I don‟t look at her as a child of misfortune, I see her as a child of promise. Will I live to see it fulfilled? Maybe, but if not, I will die believing God has a unique plan for her life. And now little Lissy? She has her own miracle going on. Same prayer, same expectation, same thankfulness to God for His goodness to bless us with these special grandchildren. They are so precious to us. We do have two other grandchildren. How do we feel about them? The same! They too are participants of a great plan of God. They are so precious to us as well. We have come to understand that all of this is not about us, Kent and Kathryn; not about DL and Katie or Kendall and Clinton; not the grandkids, Eve, Elizabeth, Sammy or Lissy; it is about God. It is about our having confidence…faith…in Him…trusting Him; simple everyday words, but very real to us now. What great compassion He has for us and our family. We have been asked, “Aren‟t you just devastated?” Nathan Scott sent me verse 5 of Psalm 100. “The Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations”. The scripture was so powerful to
me that I memorized the rest of it, and so it is easy for me to shout joyfully to the Lord, to serve Him with gladness, to come with joyful singing. How can I be devastated? Yes there were some hard times going on, but as we sought the Lord, He answered us. That is how I have seen God @ Work. KATHRYN: A Biblical worldview is the explanation for our questions and pretty much for our lives. We also saw God at work on our mission trip to East Asia. We celebrated 30 years of marriage, 30 years of business and two birthdays. We were able to witness and participate in one of the great gospel movements in history. Our understanding of how God was at work enabled us to press on with His work and not be consumed to the point of uselessness with grief and disappointment. WD: What type of spiritual growth have you seen in your life? KATHRYN: I have grown to love God‟s sovereignty, because only God works all these things for good. I have also really been drawn to God‟s Word. KENT: I have not grown in a more complex understanding of God, but a simpler one. I am learning to pray the scriptures, and I am learning to receive comfort and compassion from others. WD: What passage(s) of Scripture has God used to minister to you amidst these storms? KENT: Psalm 100 | Psalm 112:7 | Read through the entire Bible KATHRYN: John 16:33… “In the world you will have tribulation. But take
heart; I have overcome the world.” (Jesus speaking) WD: In what ways would you biblically encourage others who are currently suffering? KENT & KATHRYN: First and foremost, of course, to have an understanding of the Biblical worldview, as well as the sovereignty of Christ. Also grasp Matthew 5, “Blessed are those who mourn.” Odd pair isn‟t it? Blessed and mourn. Only when you consider the comfort provided do they connect. That comfort cannot be bought, counseled, or reasoned. It comes from the highest source imaginable; it ministers at our core being. WD: How can your brothers and sisters in Christ pray for you and your family? KENT & KATHRYN: Start by what we are doing…praising God for His blessings! Lissy-salvation and mental development Eve-salvation and understanding of why she is different DL and Katie-strength in their marriage, understanding and recognizing how God is shaping their ministry Elizabeth-salvation and obedience Sammy-salvation and all the things young men need Clinton and Kendall-godly passion for their family and marriage David-that the reason he remains here be evident and that we act faithfully upon it Griffin-that he continue to make the most of each day Kent and Kathryn-that we continue to abide in the shadow of the Almighty Interviewed by Wesley Dunn (WD). Full video of the interview is available on our website fbcowb.org. Visit eveandlissy.com for D.L. and Katie’s personal blog. Photos by Jessica Hall
Family Pavilion @ the BBQ Festival Saturday, May 10 Inflatables, Rides, and Face Painting
For those of you who are new to FBC or Owensboro, the BBQ Festival is a major event in our city. Our downtown will be full of people, including locals and out-oftown guests. For those who have been around a while, you know that FBC‟s Family Pavilion is a fun, free, family friendly area. It has been exciting to see an average of 500 families attend our event. We look forward to serving by providing activities for our community and visitors. Specific opportunities to serve include: Registration, Clowns, Face Painters, Prayer Tent, Balloon Technicians, and Inflatable Helpers. Volunteers can call the church or sign-up online for two hour shifts.
Go Seattle | July 19-26 Shelly (Spears) Fuller grew up at FBC Owensboro. She and her husband, Greg, have been serving at LifePoint Church in Seattle for six years. Seattle is considered a “NoZone,” where the majority of people do not associate with any belief. LifePoint and the Fullers are seeing many open doors to share
the Truth of Christ with those in their area. This mission trip is a great way to help them build bridges and connect others to Christ. All-Stars Soccer Camp is LifePoint‟s largest outreach event of the year to their community. FBC Owensboro has gone the past two summers to assist in leading this camp. It has been a blessing to join others from our church and LifePoint in purposefully reaching families who are in need of the Savior. You may be thinking, “I have no soccer experience,” or “I have absolutely no athletic abilities.” Well, no soccer experience, no worries. You just need a willingness to serve God and love on elementary-aged kids. Also, thanks to Dale Poole, we will not send you to the soccer field without preparation. Team members, along with others from our church, will have an opportunity to serve at the iPlay soccer camp here in town from July 8-10. This is an excellent training ground to help get ready for the Seattle camp. Contact Nathan to learn more about this opportunity or connect with him at the Connection Center and ask your questions. nscott@fbcowb.org Application and registration deadline – April 20. Details and application forms visit: www.fbcowb.org/go
Sabbatical – 2014
Our Senior Adult Ministry delivers flowers every Monday to our members who are either Homebound or in the Nursing Home. We have a group of volunteers who come in on Monday mornings and prepare the flowers to be put in vases for delivery. The volunteers who deliver the flowers are blessed with the visit to our homebound members and they view this as an extension of the ministry of First Baptist Church. If you would be able to be a volunteer to deliver flowers on a regular basis please contact Susan Dant in the Christian Life Center. Many of our LA – 55 (Life After 55) members serve in different areas of church life. They serve as a part of our grounds crew, ushers, greeters, kitchen servers, Bible Study teachers, choir, orchestra, handbells, backpack ministry, prayer chain, visitation, receptionist, etc. If you would like to serve in one of these areas please contact me at your earliest convenience.
First Baptist Church allows the Ministerial Staff to be on Sabbatical leave every seven years for study, renewal, rest, and sharpening ministerial skills. In April of this year I will have the opportunity to take one of my weeks of Sabbatical in Prentiss, Mississippi. Why Prentiss, Mississippi? Prentiss is the location of the Sophia Sutton Mission Assembly where my grandmother Sophia Sutton Begley served as a Home Missionary. Her vision for the assembly was “To multiply the power of the Lord”.
I will spend a week at the mission serving, teaching, and meeting with the leadership of the mission. It will be a humbling experience for me as I go and serve where my grandmother ministered in the name of Christ in the 1940‟s and 1950‟s. I look forward to sharing with you this special journey in my life.
Backpack Ministry
Each week we have a group of volunteers along with Barbara Reynolds, our Food Service Director, fill 50 backpacks with enough food in each pack to feed a child for the weekend. Serving as a missionary in this Our church serves the Foust area of Mississippi, Sophia SutElementary community. We ton Begley had a heart for the have repoor and deceived This year alone we prived black notes from have already filled children. My Foust exgrandparents 1300 backpacks. pressing owned about their deepest appreciation for 119 acres of land outside of providing the food for the Prentiss and God laid it upon backpacks. their hearts to start the mission. They decided to deed over the land to the Mississippi Convention so that the Christian work among the poor black children in South County would be attainable. The mission began in 1954 and is still continuing its work in 2014.
BLT (Mystery Lunch) is Back! Our BLT is back with new places to have lunch and fellowship. Our next BLT will be Thursday, May 1. Registration is required and you can register with Susan Dant in the CLC.
Easter Musical April 13, 20, and 27 The First Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir will present the Easter Story in song during our 8:30 AM morning worship service. Beginning on Sunday, April 13th the songs will portray the days around the entry to the city on Palm Sunday and the trial that sent Him to the cross, on the 20th the celebration songs of His resurrection and appearance, and then on the 27th the songs that remind us of His coming again. We hope and pray that everyone will be blessed by the marvelous arrangements done in this musical tribute to our Savior and King. Narration will be done by Steve Bailes. Our accompanists are Joy Malone on piano and Joyce Goodwin on Organ. Be sure to be there and worship with us. He was born to die for us all. The power of the Almighty God to conquer death and hell is sung about with the wonderful music of Van Trapp and the arrangements of Tom Fettke. Come experience the Majesty of His Glory.
Worship Time: 8:30 AM
SECRET CHURCH
SUNDAY SCHOOL
On Good Friday, April 18, our church has the opportunity to be involved in the study of Godâ€&#x;s Word along with 50,000+ people! We are hosting the Secret Church Simulcast, which is taught by David Platt from The Church @ Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL. We have hosted these events in the past, but have typically just promoted it for those at FBC. This time we are promoting it to churches and people all around our community! The teaching for this simulcast will be focused on The Gospel & Everyday Life, helping us to search the Scriptures to see just how the message of Jesus Christ impacts what we do every day, even those moments that we might perceive as mundane. Join us on Good Friday from 6pm-midnight, and bring someone with you!
We are approximately two-thirds of the way through our Sunday School year. Did you know that most of your teachers have taught nearly 35 lessons since our new SS year began? Did you know that your directors have been working behind the scenes to coordinate and organize what goes on every Sunday morning in your classes? Join with me this month in extending appreciation to these leaders in Sunday School! Call, write, email, or text them and communicate how thankful you are for their service to the Lord in this area of ministry. Better yet, let them know in person how much their efforts mean to you!
REGISTER by Wednesday, April 2 You may register at the door, but to be guaranteed a book you must register on or before April 2. COST IS $5 Per Person For more information and to REGISTER ONLINE go to‌ fbcowb.org/secretchurch
READING FOR GROWTH There are no adequate replacements for the Bible when it comes to reading for spiritual growth. The Word of God is living and active, and by the power of the Spirit working through His Word, we are transformed! With that understanding, there are books written by faithful believers that can also help us along our spiritual journey, as they seek to help in our understanding and application of the Scriptures in our lives. So what are you reading? Are you currently being challenged to grow in the faith by what you are reading? I want to recommend a book on discipleship that has really challenged me: The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman. The author walks through the life of Christ and His method of making disciples. Get a copy and start reading today! I have extra copies in my office, so let me know if you would like one.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures… 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (ESV)
The apostle Paul is well known for his letters. In fact, his writings (in letter form) make up most of the New Testament. Paul would visit cities on his missionary journeys, proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, disciple the new believers, and then even revisit some of those cities in an effort to continue the discipleship process. One thing Paul did not do was to leave these believers to fend for themselves. He didn‟t just win them to Christ and desert them. In fact, the letters already mentioned were an extension of his continued love and care for those who had become his brothers and sisters in Christ. What exactly did Paul include in those letters to his fellow believers? He gave them encouragement, support, instruction, and correction, but most importantly he gave them a reminder. What Paul gave the recipients of his letters was a reminder of the gospel of Jesus Christ! His typical writing structure began with the praise and glory of God, followed by a refresher of the believer‟s righteous standing as a result of the grace and mercy of God. He reminded them of the gospel of Jesus Christ at the beginning of his letters, but did
not fail to return back to it throughout the contents of his writings. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (above) is just one example of his continual recounting of the message. Why did the recipients of these letters need constant reminders from Paul about the gospel? They were bombarded by their culture and the temptation to revert back to their old ways of thought, speech, and action. The letters from Paul included much correction and instruction for how they were living versus how they should be living, but that type of encouragement would hold little value if they tried to live out the Christian life on their own power. Without a reminder of the gospel and the working of Christ in their lives, words of admonishment from Paul would only cause them to default to thinking that they should just try harder to live out the Christian walk. What Paul wanted to reiterate with them was the fact that they should no longer try to earn the favor of God through their own works, but instead should rest in the truth of Christ living in and through them. Galatians 2:20 sums up quite well the objective of Paul‟s continual reminder of the gospel for his fellow believers:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. What about you and me? Do we need reminders? Well, unless you somehow find yourself different from the rest of humanity, you need reminders on all kinds of things. In fact, our society knows this very well as we have access to a multitude of calendaring tools in order to keep us on track and remind us of meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Our need for reminders in all these areas should only point us to the fact that we need constant reminders of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need a constant reminder of the salvation accomplished through the grace and mercy of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection. Unless we are consistently refreshed on this truth, we will follow suit with the original readers of Paul‟s letters and find ourselves defaulting to a mentality of “doing
good” for Jesus in order to earn His favor. Easter is upon us, and is one of the most prominent reminders of the gospel message many will receive throughout the year. Don‟t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to be reminded and to remind others of the truth and beauty of the message of Jesus Christ. Also, don‟t let this be the only time of the year where you position yourself to be reminded or to remind others. Do your heart a favor and seek out regular ways to be refreshed on the gospel and its impact on the way we live our lives, pursuing the reading, studying, teaching, and preaching of God‟s Word and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ who will frequently remind you in the same way that Paul did.
A disciple knows and follows Christ; a disciple is being changed by Christ; and a disciple is committed to the mission of Christ. Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 This scripture can be broken into three parts. 1) Follow Me-Assess your own commitment to Christ. 2) I will make you-train/teach/ change-what you know about God changes your heart. 3) Fishers of Men-Fulfill Christ‟s command to go and make disciples. This scripture should open our eyes to where we are and where we should be in our relationship with Christ. Focus on this question as you go through the month: What are you doing in your family, church, and community to fulfill Christ‟s command? Our focus in the Women‟s Ministry is to be intentional of our actions, grow disciples in/out of our church and to grow disciples within our family. Please join us this month at one of our bible studies/events so together we can learn what it means to fulfill Christ‟s command.
SEE PAGE 18 & 19 for a listing of Bible Studies and Events.
For the month of April our children will be learning about the Newton Family who are missionaries in Madagascar. A great way for parents to get involved with M&M‟s is to pray with your children about the Newton‟s. Here are prayer requests from their mission field. Pray for the Newton family as they work with new believers. Pray for the volunteer groups who minister alongside the Newtons. Pray for more church partners to adopt unreached people groups in Madagascar. Pray for more prayer partners. Join us on Sunday nights for an hour of Missions and Music. We will learn together what the Newton‟s do to share the word of God. We will also spend time together learning songs and using musical instruments.
The Much Anticipated Awana Oscars On Wednesday, May 19th, we will finish out the Awana year with the 2014 Awana Oscars. Clubbers age 2-5th grade are anticipating walking the red carpet and receiving their awards for their hard work this year in Awana. Parents, grandparents, and our church family, are encouraged to come and watch as each one is recognized. Throughout the year, they have been working hard memorizing verses and the books of the Bible. Please come and join us as we listen to them recite their verses and hear about their mission projects. There is a seat reserved especially for you. You will not want to miss this very important event! What’s In the Bible? In case you have ever wondered what the children grades K-4th are doing during the 11:00 service, well, they are worshipping, just not in the same way as the adults. They have a time of prayer, sharing, and singing. On several occasions they have made cards on holidays to be given at the Veteran‟s Medical Center here in town. They just started a new series called, “Buck Denver asks…What‟s In the Bible?” In series 1 the children were taught what is the Bible, who wrote the Bible, and how the book of Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the Bible and all of history. Using such puppet characters like a newscaster, a Sunday School lady with a magic flannel graph, a singing cowboy, two cynical little old ladies, two guys on a safari, a pirate, not to mention Popcicle Stick Theater and catchy songs sung by guys dressed like Elvis. There is even a puppet preacher named Paul! This is the place for children to learn to love God‟s Word and each other. We can‟t wait to begin the book of Exodus, “Let My People Go!”
April 27 is National Blue Sunday. It‟s the day when Christians take time to pray for victims of child abuse and for those who rescue them.
According to several of the girls who attended this year‟s Cinderella Ball, “It was the best one yet!” Ask any parent who has a girl in K-5th grade and they will tell you that it was a wonderful experience that created lasting memories for fathers, grandfathers, and especially the impressionable young girls. This was a dressy event for both the girls and escorts. The night started off by eating a dinner and dessert fit for a princess followed by the girls singing their favorite songs sung here at church. They made heart bead crosses and yarn mustaches and took pictures of themselves in the fun photo booth. Dads and grandpas joined with their princesses to knot fleece baby blankets to give to CareNet as a mission project. The night will live on for years to come because of Al and Jenny Hancock volunteering their professional talent of photography and providing pictures for all. It was truly a night to remember!
Pictured: Chloe Ewing
In their book, The National Study of Youth and Religion, Christian Smith and Melinda Denton have coined a phrase that I‟m afraid is all too true of the youth group I grew up in as well as many across our nation. After doing a great deal of research they found that many churches are teaching what they call Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Sounds like a condition you might find in the American Journal of Psychology rather than from a book on Youth Ministry. Smith and Denton argue that the Western church has actually done an effective job of communicating to students the problem lies in the content being communicated. According to the study we have communicated too well a Christianity epitomized as behavior modification and too little as the matchless work of a grace-bearing God who reigns supremely at the center of it all. Alvin Reid, a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, on writing about this very thing states, “Unfortunately, many churches have taught the Bible to children and youth not as a book with one central, redemptive message, but as a collection of stories and morals with the gospel as the key story. But the Bible is not primarily about morality; it is mainly about reality. Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is “moralistic” because its focus is behavior modification. In a subtle way, acting right becomes more important than believing right. It is “therapeutic,” for it focuses on surface change, turning the Bible into a counseling manual more for the individual than the revelation of God. It is “deistic” because it does not require a God who is intimately involved in all of Creation and in all aspects of our lives, but who generally exists to bring us happiness, most specifically in our spiritual lives.”
When this takes place we turn the Bible into nothing more than Aesop‟s Fables. We read a story and take some sort of moral from it. Reid continues by saying that this approach “offers ironically a „moral failure,‟ for by focusing on morality too much we actually hinder students from seeing the lifelong, holistic implications of their faith. Motivation for serving God stems more from changing our behavior than from living a life of radical faith. Such extrinsic motivation may actually seem to work in the short term: show students how sex before marriage will lead to guilt and disease, for instance, or show them how lying will cost them friendships, and they will abstain from these sins, at least for a season. But if moral change becomes the primary focus of our faith, the long-term obedience we seek may actually be the one thing we will not see.” I believe that all too often we sacrifice the long term goal of Godliness in our teenagers for the short term goal of correct behavior. As a youth pastor I am sad to say that I have spent many hours prepping messages that challenge students to refrain from certain behavior because it will make them “look” like a Christian rather than preaching the powerful gospel message that changes us from the inside and is revealed through our behavior. That being said, the “what not to do‟s” are not a bad thing, the Bible is full of them. It is, however, a motive thing. What is our motive behind our behavior? To fully live by the “what not‟s” is legalism and not the Gospel. Gospel transformation is far greater than anything we can do ourselves. A gospel-transformed life is one that is lived because of God‟s grace rather than one lived trying to earn that same grace. I pray that each week as our students sit under my teaching and the teaching of our volunteers that they will be challenged by the gospel to live for Christ, not because they are told to, but because they understand what Christ has done for them and that, out of gratitude, their lives will shine for Him! Content taken from....As You Go: Creating a Missional Culture of Gospel-Centered Students. Alvin L. Reid. NavPress, 2013. P. 38-39.
First on Mission First on Mission (FOM) is the Global Mission Offering of First Baptist Owensboro consisting of five major offerings. We encourage our church family to give to FOM any time throughout the year. When you give to FOM, you are supporting mission work from Kentucky to the ends of the world. 10% of your giving to FOM goes to Annie Armstrong for North American Missions. Purpose: To help our missionary force reach for Christ an estimated 260 million lost people in the United States and Canada; that is three of four people. The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is much more than an offering envelope and an annual missions-giving emphasis. When people give to the offering, 100 percent of their gift will be transformed into missionary salaries and ministry supplies. Those missionaries and supplies will help others hear the message of Christ and respond in faith to His offer of salvation. Time and again our missionaries relate how the offering is their lifeblood. They know that behind each penny given, there is a Southern Baptist who believes in what they do and are affirming the need to equip
them to share the gospel with those who need a Savior. What do these supported missionaries do? Start new churches Engage in student evangelism on college campuses Serve the physical and spiritual needs of people through ministry evangelism Serve as church planting catalysts
our homes or churches. We must sow individually and collectively with intentionality, and that means getting our hands dirty for the kingdom. We don‟t sow only once, and we don‟t choose only the choicest soils. We sow generously and widely. Support our missionaries and our church plants with your intentional partnership. Make sure you are firmly planted so you can help others be the same.
Devotional: Firmly Planted… Rooted in the Gospel – Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23. In the passage above, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. The sower spreads the seed intentionally and generously upon many types of soil, and each type yields unique results. As Southern Baptists, we are all partners in sowing the seeds and firmly planting the gospel throughout North America. NAMB missionaries are involved in planting churches dedicated to ensuring that those who hear the good news of Jesus Christ are firmly planted in the gospel and are bearing fruit. The call to sow seeds is a call we all share, but we can‟t sow seeds sitting in the comfort of
Information obtained from NAMB at www.anniearmstrong.com
Pastor Paul has been preaching through The Gospel According to John and has reached the culmination of the last two chapters. In February, Paul preached through
Monday – April 14 John 17
the crucifixion and burial found in chapter 19 and chose to postpone preaching about the resurrection in chapter 20 until Easter Sunday in order to coincide with the
Tuesday – April 15 John 18:1-11
celebration of our risen Savior on that day. With such a gap present, it will be helpful to review and be prepared for the preaching of John 20 on Easter morning. As a means of helping our congregation get back up to speed with the account of Scripture, this Bible Reading
Wednesday – April 16 John 18:12-40
Thursday – April 17 John 19:1-16
Plan for Holy Week will walk us back through the narrative that has been covered up to this point, as well as reading the chapter that will be covered on Easter Sun-
Friday – April 18 John 19:17-42
day! May this prepare our hearts and minds for the wonder and celebration of the resurrection on Sunday, April 20.
Saturday – April 19 John 20
Christian love and sympathy to: Candice Dent and family in the death of her uncle Rachel Knott and family in the death of her grandfather, James C. Alvey Ewing Rascoe in the death of his sister, Mildred Foster Candice Dent in the death of her cousinâ€&#x;s (Erin Russavage) newborn, Mason Avery Wedding, Walter McPherson and families in the death of Dennis Wedding, brother and uncle respectively
John Ross McCain Profession of Faith/Baptism February 2
Eli Hurt Profession of Faith/Baptism February 16
Mary Skaggs Thomas Transfer of Letter February 16
Bo & Summer Alexander Transfer of Letter February 16
Becky Haaff Transfer of Letter March 9
Kiersten Taylor Profession of Faith/Baptism March 9
the family of Rudy Martin Jim Stevens and family in the death of his sister, Jane Leek
Ross and Natalie Wellman on the birth of their daughter Vivian.
Laurie Turner Profession of Faith/Baptism March 2
12:00 pm
Lunch & Prayer Meeting Fellowship Hall
Elevate Service
4:45 pm
Evening Supper
Middle School Girls Bible Study Home of Alexis Scott
5:45 pm
Orchestra
6:00 pm
Awana | Youth
8:30 am
Classic Service
9:45 am
Sunday School
11:00 am 5:30 pm
6:00 pm
How To Study the Bible Room 202 Teacher: Nathan Scott
M & M‟s (Missions & Music) Ages 2-5 Preschool Area Sticky Notes (Music & Missions) Grades K-2 Room 300
What Did You Expect? Room 315 Teacher: Wesley Dunn
Guide To Biblical Manhood Room 202 Teachers: Chad Hall & Stephen Hoagland
CLC Hours Monday & Tuesday 6:30 am-9:00 pm Wednesday 6:30 am-4:30 pm Thursday 6:30 am-9:00 pm Friday 6:30 am-1:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am-1:00 pm
7:00 pm
Choir Rehearsal
NO Wednesday Evening Activities on April 9 (Spring Break)
Restless (Women’s Study) Room 217 Teachers: Cheryl Goss & Brenda Johnson
OFFICE HOURS
Middle School Boys Bible Study Wendy‟s on 54
MondayThursday 8:00 am-4:30 pm Friday 8:00 am-1:00 pm
High School Girls Bible Study Home of Bev Smith High School Boys Bible Study Feta Pizza
Office & CLC Closed on Good Friday, April 18
Evening Service Missions
Women’s Ministry
Discipleship
Children
Preschool
Youth
4-6 9
6:00 pm 12:00 pm
13 7:00 pm 14 14
10:00 am 6:00 pm
18 6:00 pm 20
Mission Trip - Columbus, Ohio Lunch & Prayer Meeting No Evening Activities Palm Sunday, Lord‟s Supper Deacon‟s Meeting Devoted Mommies, CLC Parlor My Missions, Home of Summer Alexander Office/CLC Closed for Good Friday Secret Church, Sanctuary Easter Sunday NO Evening Service or Activities
26
5:00 pm
Youth Serve, Daniel Pitino Shelter
27
6:00 pm
Evening Worship Columbus Mission Report
29
6:00 pm
Legacy Night, East Chapel
Testimonies | Music | Coffee | Dessert | Fellowship
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