Willis Whichard Wilson January 18, 1933 – August 1, 2014
September 2014
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Spreading the Word. For Life!
September 2014 Disaster Relief Month This is a calendar of denominational events and regular holidays and special days/seasons of the Christian year.
Sunday
Monday 31
As times/dates may change, you can scan the QR code above for a more complete and up-to-date list.
Tuesday 1
Wednesday 2
Thursday
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Friday
Saturday 5
Labor Day
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Joyful Junction Shopping Spree 9 a.m.–2 p.m. @ Free Union OFWB Church, Walstonburg
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Grandparent’s Day
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Suicide Prevention Day
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Patriot Day Emmanuel Retreat @ Cragmont (Sept 12–14)
Suicide Prevention Week
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Emmanuel Retreat
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28
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FWB Press Membership Meeting
JOY: Women’s Day of Renewal (Eastern WA)
1 p.m. @ Ayden Church, Ayden
9 a.m. @ Westside Church, Kinston
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30
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Central WA
First Day of Autumn
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9 a.m. @ First FWB Church, La Grange
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Serve the Lord! By The Reverend Mark Hobbs I plan on getting up at 4 a.m. tomorrow to drive to Fort Jackson, South Carolina to witness graduation from Basic Military Training for a lot of people I don’t know and for one person I do know. Allen Reardon, a young man from Snow Hill Church is on track to graduate tomorrow. It has been a hot summer in South Carolina, and I hear the Basic Military Training Instructors still are not friendly. I was thinking this morning as I was heading out the drive of Allen and his graduation. It reminded me of my time in the “service.” I spent 20 years in the United Stated Air Force. Many people throw the word “service” around. Some even describe their relationship with the Lord Jesus in that manner. Let’s explore this concept for just a moment. Allen was not drafted into the Army. I know lots of people that were. I was not drafted into the Air Force. I know lots of people that were. I believe there are differences between those that are drafted and those that volunteer as well as similarities. Let me explain. One of my cousins was drafted during World War II. He piloted a plane over Germany. He was shot down and killed. His tombstone is in Smithfield, NC. He wrote a letter to his
mother describing the two of them seated in the parlor and how he gazed upon her with love in his heart. He stated in the letter that she found after his death, that he was proud of her, loved her, and felt that he would never look upon her in this world again, as he believed he would never step foot back on American soil. He was drafted and yet accepted his responsibility with honor, dignity, and love. Another person, I was told, had been drafted and went for in-processing. He did not want to leave home or serve so he managed to fail the hearing test. He told me as he was leaving the room after failing the test, the doctor dropped a metal pan on the hard surfaced floor insuring it would make a loud crashing noise. The draftee heard the crashing sound, but maintained his composure and did not look back. He walked away pretending to not hear. As people of faith, we have different ideas of what it means to serve the Lord. God does not force us to serve Him. He calls us. He allows us the freedom to serve or not serve. I find it unsettling when I hear people speaking of their service to the Lord as though it is a burden. For many, it’s like serving a life sentence in prison. They can’t wait until their time is up and
they can go back to doing what they were doing before. While in the Air Force I was often asked, “Do you enjoy what you are doing?” My response very often was, “Most days I do, but some days are better than others.” Service to and for the Lord should not be a burden, it should bring joy and fulfillment and ultimate happiness. I am glad when it’s time to participate in worship and to pray. I am happy when I see God’s power and might at work. I envision seeing many smiles tomorrow at graduation at Fort Jackson. Young men and women from all over our nation have worked with intensity and purpose over the last weeks to accomplish new goals, sharpen their skill set and to position themselves for future advancement. There will be much happiness tomorrow. There will be sadness, too. There will be many want-to-be soldiers that washed out or quit during basic training and they had to leave the Army. The ones that will graduate will do so because in their hearts they believed they could. Likewise, we can serve the Lord with gladness because we believe in our hearts that God’s power, majesty, and forgiving love will endure forever!
Mark S. Hobbs, born to Shelton and Jane Hobbs of Smithfield NC, was nurtured in the Christian faith at Hopewell Church where he and Gracelyn married in 1980 and was ordained in November 1980 by the Cape Fear Conference. He graduated from Mount Olive College, Barton College, and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest. After a five year pastorate at First Church, Rocky Mount, he served as an Air Force Chaplain for 20 years until retirement in 2006. He has served as pastor at Snow Hill Church and taught Air Force Junior ROTC at North Johnston High School since 2006. He serves on the Central Conference Ordaining Board, Chaplaincy Commission, and Free Will Baptist Press Board. His three children and two grandchildren are gifts from God.
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Managing Editor Darren Davenport editor@fwbpress.com
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Volume 132 • Number 9 ■ FEATURES & COLUMNS
Circulation, Customer Service Amy Stokes
Reflections: A Guest Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Web Administrator, Online Customer Service Andrew Mozingo
An Exploration of Foot Washing Within the Original Free Will Baptist Community . . . . . . 4
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customer.service@fwbpress.com
Editorial Assistant Carlton Oakley Graphic Designers Jerry Goff, Nathaniel Ingram Production Team Ronnie Jones, Ted Johnston
Seeds Planted, Ground Watered, Ministry Abounds. . . . . 8 Sanctified with Andrew Mozingo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Caring for the Soul with David Morrow. . . . . . . . . . . 20 From a Woman’s Heart with Nora Koonce Avery. . . . . . 24 Dr. Pepper’s Book Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Lesson Inner View with Adrian Grubbs . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Psalms for the Soul with Linda Herring. . . . . . . . . . . 35
www.fwbpress.com President Jeff Daughtry
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Vice President Darren Davenport
■ DENOMINATIONAL MINISTRIES Home Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 University of Mount Olive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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Cragmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Board of Directors
Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Frank Flowers (Chairman), Central Mike Scott (Vice Chairman), Eastern Royce Reynolds (Secretary), Albemarle Joe Ballance, Cape Fear • Kelley Smart, Central Nancy Hardee, Pee Dee • Mark Hobbs, Central Linda Weathersby, Central • MeLinda Edwards, Western The purpose of this paper is to promote the cause of Christ among Original Free Will Baptists, and we reserve the right to refuse any article or news that is inconsistent with our purpose, programs, or policies, and that does not reflect a spirit of harmony and cooperation with the Free Will Baptist Press Foundation and the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. The contents herein do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and policies of the editor or of The Free Will Baptist. The responsibility for each article is given the person whose name appears under the title or to the person submitting said article.
For information on subscription rates, submission and photo guidelines, advertising rates and guidelines, and more, visit <fwbpress.com>. © 2014 The Free Will Baptist • All Rights Reserved. The Free Will Baptist is edited and published monthly by the Free Will Baptist Press, P. O. Box 159, 3928 Lee Street, Ayden, North Carolina 28513-0159. Second-class postage paid at Ayden, North Carolina (USPS 2094-4000). POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Free Will Baptist Press, P. O. Box 159, Ayden, NC 28513-0159.
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Foreign Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Children’s Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
■ ANCILLARY MINISTRIES NC Foundation for Christian Ministries. . . . . . . . . . . 30 Woman’s Auxiliary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
■ COMMUNITY CONNECTION . .
. . . . . . 34
ON THE COVER: Willis Whichard Wilson (January 18, 1933–August 1, 2014) See page 32.
Contents
Production Manager Jerry Goff
September 2014
1
An Exploration of Foot Washing Within the Original Free Will Baptist Community This paper was originally presented to the 2014 Annual Conference of the Baptist History and Heritage Society and the Association of Librarians and Archivists at Baptist Institutions, Sioux Falls Seminary, Sioux Falls, SD, June 5, 2014. by Jonathan Best
The Original Free Will Baptist 1 community is located primarily in Central and Eastern North Carolina. While small in number, with fewer than 50,000 adherents, 2 they are rich in history. The OFWB community traces its history to the English General Baptists, who as early as 1700 were worshiping in North Carolina. 3 The OFWB community is proud of its General Baptist heritage. As such, the denomination’s own Articles of Faith originated from the 1660 English General Baptist Confession of Faith 4 and the 1812 articles of faith revision. 5 The community traces its history to Paul Palmer, who established and pastored the first General Baptist church in Chowan County, North Carolina. 6 Today the home of OFWBs remains North Carolina. All total, there are 240 OFWB churches across North Carolina, including a small number in South Carolina and Georgia. 7 These churches are organized into eight conferences. These conferences coordinate and regulate the work of the denomination, as well as examining and ordaining ministerial candidates. 8 Despite its small size, the OFWB has several ministries. These ministries include foreign missions, a children’s home, printing press, and many others. 9 Its’ most successful ministry is the University of Mount Olive, a liberal arts university recently recognized as a “college of distinction” in 2013. 10 1. In what follows “OFWB” will be used for “Original Free Will Baptist.” 2. “Original Free Will Baptist—Number of Adherents (2000),” The Association of Religion Data Archives, accessed December 2, 2013, http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/map.asp?state=101&variable=332. 3. The Articles of Faith and Principles of Church Government for Original Free Will Baptists (Of the English General Baptist Heritage) (Ayden, NC: Free Will Baptist Press, 2001), xxvii. 4. J. Matthew Pinson, A Free Will Baptist Handbook : Heritage, Beliefs, and Ministries (Nashville, TN: Randall House Publications, 1998), 5. 5. Michael R. Pelt, A History of Original Free Will Baptist (Mount Olive, NC: Mount Olive College Press, 1996), 104. 6. H. Leon McBeth, Four Centuries of Baptist Witness (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987), 712. 7. “Directory of Churches,” The Convention of Original Free Will Baptist Churches, accessed January 19, 2014, https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0Bxp_-UPwdYDFaGR2RlNScHM5bFE&usp=sharing. 8. The Articles of Faith, 103-104. 9. “Ministries of the Original Free Will Baptist,” The Convention of Original Free Will Baptist Churches, accessed May 8, 2014, http://www.ofwb.org/#!amenities/cee5. 10. “Mount Olive College Listed as ‘College of Dictinction,’” University of Mount Olive, accessed May 8, 2014, http://www.umo.edu/news/2012/9/mount-olive-college-listed-%E2%80%98college-distinction%E2%80%99. 11. The Articles of Faith, xxix-xxxvii. 12. Particular Baptists referred to General Baptists as “Free-Willers.” The Articles of Faith, xxxii. 13. Floyd B. Cherry, An Introduction to Original Free Will Baptist (Ayden, NC: Free Will Baptist Press, 1989), 25-35; 47-51. 14. McBeth, Four Centuries of Baptist Witness, 716. 15. Other names include: washing of the disciples feet and feet washing. 16. Pelt, A History of Original Free Will Baptist ,18.
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Throughout its history, the denomination has gone through several cycles of growth and decline. 11 The denomination has survived early competition from the Particular Baptists, 12 the Campbellite Crisis, and a denominational split with the National Association of Free Will Baptists. 13 Despite difficult circumstances, the denomination has remained true to the “spirit and simplicity of the Palmer General Baptist background.” 14 This includes the practice of foot washing, more formally called the washing of the saints’ feet. 15 Consistently throughout its history, OFWBs have held a high regard for foot washing. Beginning with its General Baptist heritage, the practice of washing feet was conducted almost universally. Although not required for church membership, most considered it an ordinance. 16 Foot washing remained a prominent practice among early Free Will Baptists throughout the 1700s. Foot washing was so universally practiced, that at the adoption of the 1812 confession, instructions were included
recommending that foot washing be practiced every quarter. 17 In addition, the 1812 confession was the first Arminian Baptist confession to count foot washing as an ordinance. 18 In the denomination’s history, several prominent pastors have reaffirmed the OFWB commitment to foot washing. In 1927 J. C. Griffin argued in his booklet, The Upper Room Ought, that it is not enough to know that Christ washed the disciples feet, rather Christians ought to do it. 19 Free Will Baptist historian George Stevenson describes foot washing as a way to open one to humility and love, which “serves to strengthen in us a bond of fellowship and brotherhood, to confirm the strength of our faith, and to reveal our weaknesses to us.” 20 Today the OFWB consider foot washing as an ordinance of equal standing with baptism and communion. The OFWB Articles of Faith state that it “teaches humility, the necessity of the servanthood of every believer, and reminds the believer of the necessity of a daily cleansing from all sin.” 21 Foot washing is not unique to the OFWB but “it is one of [their] distinctive beliefs and practices, and it makes a very strong theological statement about the stance of the [Original Free Will Baptist] Church and the attitude for ministry (service) among both clergy and laity.” 22 Foot washing is also incorporated in the OFWB logo; a basin of water and a towel sit at the foot of the cross. Foot washing is traditionally practiced following communion whereby members wash one another’s feet. Usually involving only basins of water and girded towels, it is simple in design but powerful in meaning. Thus significance is not found in the things used, but in the actions performed. The OFWB has little in way of a written theology on foot washing, yet there is an abundant unwritten tradition and theology. In order to gather personal perspectives and experiences, an online survey 23 and interviews were conducted. These pastors comprise a voice for the continuation and expansion of foot washing in contemporary Christianity. A total of 54 pastors participated in the online survey. Over 90% were currently pastoring a church. In the survey, pastors were encouraged to provide personal reflections and stories on foot washing. From this survey group, seven pastors volunteered to participate in interviews. At the time of the interviews, five of the seven pastors had over 10 years of ministerial experience. The two other pastor informants were involved in youth and college level ministry. 17. Stevenson, George, “A Humbling Act Commanded by Christ,” The Free Will Baptist 82, no.31 (1967): 5. 18. Pinson, A Free Will Baptist Handbook , 19. 19. J. C. Griffin, The Upper Room Ought (Ayden, NC: Free Will Baptist Press, 1927), 29. 20. Stevenson, “A Humbling Act Commanded by Christ,” 5. 21. The Articles of Faith, 52. 22. Floyd Cherry, Original Free Will Baptist Believe: A Study of the Aritcles of Faith of Original Free Will Baptist, ed. Floyd Cherry (Pine Level, NC: Carolina Bible Institute & Seminary, 1996), 120. 23. Survey data was collected using SurveyMonkey. Responses are confidential, but an example survey can be found here http://surveymonkey.com/s/CQ29K8C. 24. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 31, 2013. 25. George G. Suggs, Jr. Washing the Disciples’ Feet (Bloomington: iUniverse, 2011), 16. 26. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 19, 2013. 27. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 30, 2013. 28. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 31, 2013. 29. Survey response by Original Free Will Baptist pastor, March 2013. 30. Survey response by Original Free Will Baptist pastor, March 2013. 31. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 29, 2013. 32. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 31, 2013.
As an action it involves the simple movements of taking off ones shoes, kneeling, girding oneself with a towel, and sprinkling and drying another’s feet. It can be done in levity and lightheartedness or performed in solemnity and silence. OFWBs have no rules or rubrics to follow, but at its core foot washing is a communal action. This action of washing and being washed creates a powerful experience between those involved. One interviewed pastor described foot washing as “a chance to serve someone in a very physical way.” 24 The practice of foot washing can vary between OFWB churches. In his book, Washing the Disciples Feet, OFWB pastor George Suggs describes the good nature and general lightheartedness he experienced with foot washing. He describes the occasion as one where “innocent humor” often emerged, especially on days when the water was very cold. 25 The level of intimacy involved can create a strange mix of levity and playfulness among participants. There can be a humorous element, but never there to the extent as to make it less important. 26 Other pastors describe it as a solemn occasion, where the only sound that can be heard is the sound of water. 27 Some pastors prefer to make foot washing “an extension of worship” 28 by including the singing of hymns as participants wash each other’s feet. In both surveys and interviews pastors identified foot washing as an act of humility, which one pastor described as “an action that symbolizes humility and service where all are equal.” 29 Another stated that it is a “tradition that allows for us to experience and remember the servant’s heart that we are called to demonstrate.” 30 In every interview, pastors emphasized that this was an action that should inform and influence one’s daily life and activity. Pastors portrayed it as polyvalent action demonstrating humility, servanthood, and love. In addition, they stressed that the meaning of foot washing should “grow in our actions.” 31 Interviewed pastors stressed that the meaning of foot washing must be experienced in order to be understood. Since there are no formal teachings or explanations of foot washing, foot washing is learned by doing. When asked how foot washing was learned, one pastor could only respond by stating “I learned by experience, it was never explained to me.” 32 Typically, first experiences started in childhood. One pastor recalled as a young child having his feet washed by his father. Though at the time he did not understand why, he remembered his father weeping as he washed his son’s feet. Other pastors described how they learned foot washing from their grandparents. Similar stories were shared by other pastors as they recounted their most memorable experiences of foot washing. These usually involved watching older members participate in the service. For OFWB pastors, their rich experiences of foot washing helped to shape and mold their pastoral perspective. In surveys and interviews, the pastors repeatedly stressed the personal connection foot washing created between participants and Jesus Christ. These pastors believed that re-enacting foot washing connected them to the original event as practiced by Jesus Christ. OFWB pastors view foot washing as a represention of Jesus’ earthly ministry of servant leadership, submission, 5
and humility. In describing this connection, one pastor stated that foot washing promotes “unity and humility among the community of faith, [foot washing] is an act of faith that transcends time and joins us to those who first knew Jesus.” 33 OFWBs understand Christian identity through foot washing. In this action the summation of Jesus’ teachings are manifested and made present in the life of the Christian community. Foot washing is a submission to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ that “keeps [one] in a servant mind for others.” 34 OFWB ministers often used words such as embodied, touch, and intimacy to describe foot washing. As one pastor stated, foot washing involves “physical touch, embodying and reenacting something that Christ did in the Scriptures in a way most congregants can never do in regards to the Lord’s Supper.” 35 According to this pastor, foot washing embodies servant leadership. The chance to hold and sprinkle water on someone’s foot is more than “a head exercise” and it “really embodies the story of who Christ is.” 36 In the OFWB community, foot washing can create a deep spiritual experience. Pastors agreed that this action creates a unique opportunity for the Holy Spirit to be involved. When one opens oneself to this practice there can be a “[s]pecial presence of the Spirit and that particular time,” 37 in order for the “Holy Spirit to deal with them about individual issues in their life. [It] helps them become better servants.” 38 For other pastors, the spiritual dimension goes even further. The Holy Spirit creates the setting by making foot washing a powerful embodied prayer. One pastor stated that the “sacred dimension is really present or more poignant because the Spirit is present.” 39 Pastors agreed that the Holy Spirit prompted the action, but the spiritual dimension only occurred when one was open to it. This does not mean that there are never feelings of apprehension or hesitation from participants. Foot washing represents how one must leave his or her comfort zone in order to serve Christ. Pastors have to overcome numerous cultural prejudices in a foot washing service. Pastors readily admitted that participation is low when compared with communion. 40 Allowing another to wash one’s feet can be difficult for some. 41 There is still an association with feet being dirty. As such taking another person’s foot, sprinkling water and drying it off, can be a strange moment for some. 42 Thus to overcome these feelings, OFWB pastors work hard by demonstrating and teaching foot washing to their congregations. 33. Survey response by Original Free Will Baptist pastor, March 2013. 34. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, February 16, 2013 35. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 19, 2013. 36. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 19, 2013. 37. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 29, 2013. 38. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 29, 2013. 39. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 19, 2013. 40. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 31, 2013. 41. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, February 12, 2013. 42. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 19, 2013. 43. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 29, 2013. 44. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, February 16, 2013. 45. Survey response by Original Free Will Baptist pastor, March 2013. 46. Survey response by Original Free Will Baptist pastor, March 2013. 47. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 28, 2013. 48. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, February 16, 2013.
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OFWB pastors have to model the servant leadership foot washing embodies. Through watching the pastor, congregations have a better understanding of the practice and are more willing to participate. 43 As a result, congregations have the opportunity to form deeper bonds and commitments through foot washing. It is much harder to hold animosity toward someone when one is washing another’s feet. These pastors believed that foot washing created a powerful opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation. As one pastor described it, foot washing “melts your soul. You realize at the point when you touch another person’s foot, and you wash that water over, that you are in a sense washing away the negative that has been there between. You’re washing away those feelings.” 44 OFWB pastors have a strong sense of servant leadership and humility. The embodiment of love, humility, and service through foot washing creates a special kind of being-in-the-world. Foot washing helps to define what it means to be a servant leader. A pastor stated that “through the washing of the saints’ feet, we demonstrate how we are called to live—as a servant people.” 45 Another pastor also affirmed this by stating that in this practice “we affirm that we are a servant people who walk in the path of the humble service of Jesus Christ our Lord.” 46 This practice is inscribed and embodied, helping OFWB pastors to live as humble servants called to serve people. It creates an experience that is “not just talked but is experienced,” 47 thus demonstrating the mentality OFWBs have towards servanthood. For OFWB pastors, it is the never ending practice of bringing the love of Jesus Christ to all people. Therefore, foot washing is considered as a model for personal engagement and mission. According to one pastor, the goal is that “[w]e wash each other’s feet by what we do, by the services we render. You’re taking what you do and doing it in the community.” 48
For OFWB pastors and members, foot washing is a fundamental practice that expresses the Christian story. David Hines, of the University of Mount Olive, writes that “[t]hrough the Washing of the Saints Feet, we define how we are called to live. Christians are called to be a servant people.” 49 In foot washing, love is visibly demonstrated. It is that moment where one can express love to one another. This is especially important since it follows the Eucharist. Following the moment of God’s visible “I love you” of the Eucharist, members respond with “I love you” to each other through foot washing. In OFWB churches, foot washing is not meant to be an isolated event. Instead it connects with the Lord’s Supper that precedes it. Foot washing is the culmination of a journey so that in “baptism we have a new start. In Eucharist we remember how we came to be. Then in the Washing of the Saints Feet we learn how we are called to live.” 50 Thus the Eucharist and foot washing go together, comprising one Christian action. J. Matthew Pinson argues that only by observing both can “we meaningfully—and scripturally— symbolize the whole gospel in the worship of the church.” 51 The meaning conveyed in the Eucharist is carried over and enhanced by foot washing. Thus for OFWB pastors, foot washing helps to demonstrate the importance of sacrificing one’s ego and comfort for the sake of another person. It may even be the greatest ministerial tool OFWB pastors have available. Thus, as one pastor concluded, the “washing of the saints’ feet shows our everyday practice of being a Christian.” 52 For OFWB pastors it represents the never ending practice of bringing the love of Jesus Christ to all people. 49. David Hines, “Tell Me the Story So That I Can Live the Story” (presentation, Mid-Year Spiritual Banquet OFWB Ministerial Association, University of Mount Olive, April 1, 2005), 5. 50. Hines, “Tell Me the Story So That I Can Live the Story,” 5. 51. J. Matthew Pinson, The Washing of the Saints’ Feet (Nashville: Randall House, 2006), kindle edition, 80. 52. Interview with Original Free Will Baptist Pastor, January 29, 2013.
Bibliography • The Articles of Faith and Principles of Church Government for Original Free Will Baptists (Of the English General Baptist Heritage). Ayden: Free Will Baptist Press, 2001. • Cherry, Floyd B. An Introduction to Original Free Will Baptists. Ayden, NC: Free Will Baptist Press, 1989. • Cherry, Floyd. Original Free Will Baptist Believe: A Study of the Articles of Faith of Original Free Will Baptists, edited by Floyd Cherry. Pine Level: Carolina Bible Institute & Seminary, 1996. • “Directory of Churches.” The Convention of Original Free Will Baptist Churches, accessed January 19, 2014. https://drive. google.com/folderview?id=0Bxp_-UPwdYDFaGR2RlNScHM 5bFE&usp=sharing. • George, Stevenson. “A Humbling Act Commanded by Christ.” The Free Will Baptist vol. 82, no.31 (1967). • Griffin, J. C. The Upper Room Ought. Ayden, NC: Free Will Baptist Press, 1927. • Hines, David, “Tell Me the Story So That I Can Live the Story.” Presentation, Mid-Year Spiritual Banquet OFWB Ministerial Association, University of Mount Olive, April 1, 2005. • McBeth, H. Leon. Four Centuries of Baptist Witness. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987. • Matthew Pinson, J. The Washing of the Saints’ Feet. Nashville: Randall House, 2006. Kindle edition. • “Ministries of the Original Free Will Baptists.” The Convention of Original Free Will Baptist Churches, accessed May 8, 2014. http://www.ofwb.org/#!amenities/cee5. • “Mount Olive College Listed as ‘College of Distinction.’” University of Mount Olive, accessed May 8, 2014. http:// www.umo.edu/news/2012/9/mount-olive-college-listed%E2%80%98college-distinction%E2%80%99. • “Original Free Will Baptist—Number of Adherents (2000).” The Association of Religion Data Archives, accessed December 2, 2013. http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/maps/map. asp?state=101&variable=332. • Pelt, Michael R. A History of Original Free Will Baptists. Mount Olive, NC: Mount Olive College Press, 1996. • Pinson, J. Matthew. A Free Will Baptist Handbook: Heritage, Beliefs, and Ministries. Nashville: Randall House Publications, 1998. • Suggs, George G. Jr. Washing the Disciples’ Feet. Bloomington: iUniverse, 2011.
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Seeds Planted, Ground Watered, Ministry Abounds By Heather Smith
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:6–11).
The Free Will Baptist Convention is richly steeped in history as most churches and ministries could well elaborate. It is pleasant to hear updates from ministries and programs continuing from what our predecessors began so long ago, even over 100 years. One such account can be told of the history of meetings held by the Eastern Conference. Many decades ago, they constructed a building with the purpose of a meeting place for the Third Union of the Eastern Conference of the Original Free Will Baptists. In the 1950s approximately five acres of land on Highway 241 between Pink Hill and Beulaville, NC, were donated by Arthur Kennedy, a member of Sandy Plain OFWB Church, to the Third Union and were given five years to erect a building there. Will Hill constructed the building which belonged to the Third Union Meeting of the Eastern Conference and it was referred to as the Free Will Baptist Assembly Grounds which is located just a few miles north of Sandy Plain OFWB Church. Today, although no longer owned by the Original Free Will Baptist Convention, that same property is still being used in ministry for the building up of God’s kingdom. When originally owned by the Third Union, they would host Fifth Sunday evening sings that included several church choirs (Sarecta OFWB was known as one of the best!). Sometimes there were also special sings by groups such as the Kloud Family and Lewis Family. There were occasions in which convention meetings were held there as well as softball tournaments. The Youth Fellowships were held there on Fifth Saturday nights as well as events such as at least one watch-night service held for the 8
youth on New Year’s Eve. There have also been fond memories told by adults of how they, as youth, would view movies there such as The Cross and the Switchblade (the Nicky Cruz’s story of conversion from a gang leader in New York). Throughout the years, this property has changed ownership several times but most all has been focused towards Christian ministry. There was a time in which the Eastern Conference made changes resulting in the sale of the land and building to a management systems company. Late one night, there was an explosion and the building burned leaving only the cinder
block hull of the structure standing. A local community member, Ervin Futrell, helped the organization of the East Duplin Senior Citizens acquire the property. They worked diligently to raise money and obtain grants to restore the building. Mrs. Eunice Smith Bostic, a member of Sandy Plain OFWB and head of the East Duplin Senior Citizens, was instrumental in helping the group rebuild with the specifications that it should always be used for ministry. While under the possession of the East Duplin Senior Citizens the property has hosted many community gatherings and church services. Recently, the East Duplin Senior Citizens have disbanded and made the decision to leave the property to a youth ministry much needed in the community. Today, it is now in the beginning stages of transforming into the Christian education ministry of Kingdom Christian Academy (KCA). KCA former board member Pastor David Smith (grandson of Mrs. Eunice Smith Bostic) of Sandy Plain states, “This building was most recently owned by the East Duplin Senior Citizens and used for ministry for many years. After dissolving, their hearts were set for the facility to continue being used for the Kingdom of God. After hearing the vision about Kingdom Christian Academy, they felt this was the investment in our youth they had been looking. Through this opportunity, I know from my involvement, and the KCA board and staff will do their best to continue the work of God by sharing His love and purpose in the lives of our children.” The vision of Kingdom Christian Academy is to provide an educational system of excellence wholly devoted to building up the kingdom of God and His righteousness through daily integration of God’s word into all areas of the learning environment, thoroughly equipping students to spread the good news of the gospel into their homes, the community, and the world. Several past and present members of board of directors for the Academy include lifetime members of Sandy Plain OFWB that is located just a few miles from the property. Since KCA is not supported by any specific entity or church, the board of directors has completely relied on God for all provisions. The board of directors continues to host and plan fundraisers under His direction to proceed with the renovations needed for the building in order to update it for suitable educational use. The remodeling process is currently halted as they wait for God to supply the capital needed to progress with their mission to first make Jesus Christ known to all students and to provide a biblically-based quality education in which students will develop skills needed to positively impact their world for Him. The Academy plans to open August 2015 for their first academic year. It truly has been amazing to see God at work through the organization
of KCA. To learn more about the Academy, please visit their website at <www.kcalions.org>. It is inspiring to know that a property has been used for so many years by different entities and continues to grow the Kingdom of God. The board of directors at KCA has a vision of many more children learning and carrying forth the Gospel based on the seeds of His Word planted decades ago by the Eastern Conference. They believe these seeds have been watered and will continue to produce a rich crop of servants for Christ. The board of directors sincerely hopes many of you will be able to partner with KCA in any way to bring this needed ministry to the children in the community whose roots were established by the Eastern Conference of Original Free Will Baptists. The educational philosophy at KCA lends itself to continue the sowing, watering, and reaping of a spiritual harvest. The board of directors at Kingdom Christian Academy would like to request any history, memories, pictures, or further information regarding this property so they may record it to continue the godly heritage that is woven there. If you have something to share, please submit it via e-mail to <info@ kcalions.org>, by message on Facebook (Kingdom Christian Academy), or by mail at P. O. Box 1382, Beulaville, NC 28518. Your submissions will not be distributed for public use but will only be viewed by the board members. If you would like to see the continuation of ministry that was fostered by the Eastern Conference so many years ago, you can support KCA with your prayers and donations. If anyone feels led to provide financially, please send donations in the form of a check to the post office box listed above. The board of directors desires to build upon the knowledge which can be gained from recorded historic information and personal accounts as they move the ministry of Christian education forward. Please contribute your stories and help KCA continue to pass along the heritage of this place to its students so they may know the rich legacy that is the establishment of this Christian educational institution. 9
2600 W. Vernon Avenue • Kinston, NC 28504 • (252) 526.9908
Home Missions & Evangelism
SEPTEMBER DISASTER RELIEF MONTH
for Original Free Will Baptists
Good Samaritan Sunday September 28, 2014 DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY on this special Sunday to pray for The Harvest Connection Disaster Relief Ministry and to give a love offering.
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Disaster Relief Fires
Floods
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Help Us! Help Them! Home Missions & Evangelism Phone: (252) 526-9908 www.homemissionsandevangelism.com
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Water Bottle Hygiene Kits (to be put in the plastic bottle) 1 water bottle (24 oz.) 1 tooth brush 1 washcloth 1 hand sanitizer (2 oz. or smaller) 1 toothpaste (.85 oz.) 1 comb 1 facial bar soap
Collecting Kits from May 15 thru December 15 Contribution of $15 provides one bottle for Harvest Connection and one bottle for a Children’s Home, homeless shelter/camp, etc.
HOME MISSIONS & EVANGELISM — OF ORIGINAL — FREE WILL BAPTISTS
2600 W. Vernon Ave. • Kinston, NC 28504 Phone: (252) 526-9908
e-mail: harvestconnection@embarqmail.com • www.homemissionsandevanselism.com 12
A Night with
David Ring Join us for a night of worship and special music with speaker David Ring! Come learn more about the upcoming L-14 Disability Summit with this special fundraising event!
Friday, October 10, 2014 @ 7:00 p.m. La Grange First Free Will Baptist Church La Grange, North Carolina Admission is Free; a Love Offering will be received for the L-14 Disability Summit. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact:
Reverend Scott Broadway (252) 286-7949
scott@wheelsonfireforchrist.com
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634 Henderson Street • Mount Olive, NC 28365 • 1 (800) 653.0854 • www.umo.edu
University of Mount Olive
Getting to Know…
Clint Davis
University of Mount Olive at Washington Alumnus
A
fter high school, Clint Davis went into law enforcement. It turned out to be a good option for him. However, when a friend and coworker suddenly died, Davis realized that he was only one major accident or injury away from being out of law enforcement and without a backup plan. So in 2011, Davis decided to further his education at the University of Mount Olive at Washington. In August of 2013, he earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. This fall he will begin his first classes at Campbell University Law School pursuing his law degree. Read below as Davis answers a few questions about his educational journey into career transformation
■ What are your future career goals? I want to be an attorney, however, I have not yet decided on any specific area of focus. ■ How has UMO prepared you to achieve those goals? With UMO’s convenient non-traditional schedule, I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree while fulfilling my professional obligations as a full-time working adult. ■ Has there been one person at UMO that has really inspired you, if so, who and how? I had the opportunity to work with many fine people at the University of Mount Olive. However, I became close friends and still keep in touch with Mr. Larry Pleasant. He taught about half of my curriculum and he is first class. His knowledge of the criminal justice system is advanced, his teaching style is relaxed and easy to learn from, and he possesses a paternal disposition that makes him easy to like. I always found myself wanting to do well in Mr. Pleasant’s classes. He brings out the best in everyone.
■ What did you think of the modular style of programming at UMO? The academic curriculum at the University of Mount Olive is well tailored for working adults. The workload isn’t easy and it isn’t necessarily light, but if one is motivated and self-disciplined, the workload is far from impossible to complete. ■ What would you tell other adults thinking about returning to college? Do it. Go. Enroll today. Stop waiting for that “good time” to start. There is never and will never be the “perfect time” or “convenient time.” Now is the time. Think of all the times you’ve thought to yourself, “I wish I’d done this X number of years ago.” Now think of how happy you’ll be in X number of years when you HAVE done it. If you want it, you can make it happen. It won’t be easy. You’ll have to put in the work, but as you succeed, you will grow. You will become a better, stronger person. You will learn (or remember) that you can do anything you set your mind to. You’re only limited by what you dream!
Larry Lean Art Exhibition August 25–September 28 Teresa Pelt Grubbs Art Gallery
Art Professor Larry Lean will be exhibiting paintings and drawings. 14
Educate to Career National Rankings “The crisis in higher education is not one of people not getting educated,” states Mr. Michael R. Havis (president and founder of Educate To Career), who then goes on to say, “It is one in which a student’s education is not tracking to jobs or careers relevant to their degree—for 50% of recent college grads.” “Coupled with an extremely heavy debt-load that the majority of students incur, the impact upon our young people is both tragic and unconscionable.” Educate to Career released a ranking of 1,222 colleges or universities in our nation according to which schools did the best job of improving the earnings of their students. The University of Mount Olive was ranked at #19!
Another great reason to pick the University of Mount Olive! 15
Educational Opportunities Start College Now! At the University of Mount Olive, there is a program for you now. Recent high school graduates, college transfers, and adults wishing to enter or complete college can get the process started now. Start your plan now by applying at <www.umo.edu>. Click on academic programs to learn about UMO programs at the associate, bachelor, and master’s degree levels. Click on admissions to choose the type of student you want to be— new freshman, new transfer, adult, online, military, MBA. Financial aid is available. Need help? Call 1-844-UMOGOAL or contact Admissions at <admissions@umo.edu>. • One-night-a-week seated classes and onlines 24/7 make it possible for adult students to enroll in degree programs and accommodate their work and family life schedules. Accelerated evening and online classes are available for adults in sessions B and C this fall. With locations in Wilmington, Research Triangle Park (RTP), Mount Olive, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, New Bern, and Washington, NC, and online, there is a place for you at UMO. Financial aid is available. Call 1-844-UMO-GOAL or contact Admissions at <admissions@umo.edu>. • Students wishing to enter daytime programs in January 2015 can apply now at <www.umo.edu>. To set up a private campus tour or to request information, select the drop down at the top of the website. Scholarships and financial aid are available. • College fairs for high school students will be held in September–November. High school seniors and parents should watch for these events and be sure to attend. UMO admissions representatives will be there to talk with you about programs and scholarships. To find out when your high school college fair will be held, talk with your guidance counselor or contact Admissions at <admissions@umo.edu>. • Fall Visitation for prospective new freshmen planning to attend UMO in 2015 will be on November 10, 2014. Make a reservation to attend at <http://www.umo.edu/admissions/incoming-freshmen/visit/register-groupvisitation-day>. • Athletic events for women and men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and men and women’s cross country will be occurring on the campus and in other towns and cities this fall. UMO sports events are open to the public and provide a good opportunity for prospective students and their families to get familiar with UMO students in exciting competitions! For sports schedules, check <www.umotrojans.com> and click men’s and women’s sports. • Watch for special events at UMO this fall that are open to the public. Student performances in music, student artwork, and other cultural programs will be announced via news releases on <www.umo.edu>. • New Freshmen in the daytime program will be reading the book Little Princes by Conor Grennan. The book is an account of the author’s trip to an orphanage in war-torn Nepal, where he discovers that the children are not really orphans, but rather were taken from their families by child traffickers. The book shares Grennan’s efforts to reunite the children with their parents. Community members, faculty, staff, and students will have a chance to meet the author during a lecture and book signing scheduled for Thursday, November 6, at 4 p.m. in Southern Bank Auditorium in Raper Hall. Attendees can bring a copy of Little Princes or purchase one at the event for the autograph session with Grennan immediately following the lecture.
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Home is Where the Heart is I am very much a homebody. You wouldn’t know it, though, if you knew me. I did work outside the home, as they say, from age 23 to my early retirement at 59. And I was career-oriented, with all the usual drive to succeed that most people recognize. I had gotten a good education, and I wanted to put that education to good use. There were early signs in my career that I preferred the four walls of home. On one of my early jobs, I spent the time from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.in managing a junior high school library. I was just 30 then. Although I was single and lived alone, I preferred the loneliness of my apartment in the evenings to going instead to women’s clubs or civic programs. Church was only on Sunday mornings in my city, and so there was no evening outlet there. Once I got home from a busy day, I wanted to cocoon. And so I did. Later on, I married my husband Paul and moved far away to Saint Paul, Minnesota. Now my favorite time of day was spent sharing our sofa—he, on one end, grading papers, and I, on the other end, reading inspirational literature and Scripture. Now, through all this time, I did venture out some evenings, just because I thought
it was better to try to be an extrovert. And I had some good times, but I always retreated home. Now, in retirement, Paul and I are just now adjusting to a new, smaller house, all on one level, in anticipation of growing old together here. We spend hours in our house, hour upon hour in our study. He spends time working on the computer, at a desk, pursuing his hobby of art—his avocation after a long working life. I sit in an easy chair a scant four feet away, laptop open, writing. We are at peace. What does this say about the religious life? Most of us on a spiritual pathway find a way to contribute. My husband contributes to the cultural life of our state—Mississippi—by giving away good art to the state art museum. I contribute by inspirational writing, for you and others.
We—my husband and I—derive strength from the quiet setting of our home. Neither of us was ever meant to be happiest out in the great wide world. Our way is quieter, for we are both introverts who have found in retirement a way to be in the world but not of the world. This great wide world takes all kinds of people. From my older years, now, I encourage you to listen to your heart in regard to how you spend your days. Reach out to others, sometimes. Make a contribution, nearly always. But don’t get lost in being someone you are not. I need my home to thrive. I have always been this way. And now I no longer fight myself trying to be more extroverted than I feel. God takes us where we are and uses all of us in His own way.
A former religion librarian at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Celia now lives with her husband Paul in Oxford, Mississippi. She was previously employed at both the Free Will Baptist Press and Mount Olive College (now known as the University of Mout Olive).
Printing is our Passion!
Bookmarks • Brochures • Newsletters Stationery • Business Cards • Business Forms Tracts • Pew Cards • Offering Envelopes Church & Wedding Programs • and More!
1.800.849.3927
Full Service Bulk Printing and Mailing 17
Suicide Prevention and Awareness I am writing this on August 12, 2014. It will be published in the September issue which you currently hold in your hands or are viewing from our website. Yesterday was August 11, 2014. Robin Williams committed suicide yesterday. The Genie, Mrs. Doubtfire, Peter Pan, Mork, Sean Maguire, Alan Parrish, Patch Adams, and so many more of his characters have died. I was absolutely heartbroken yesterday to learn the news of his death. He was a funny man. Hilarious. Fairly clean, sometimes raunchy—but a comedian nonetheless. And now he is dead. His death, and every suicide I hear of, makes me reflect on friends and family who have taken their own lives. My father committed suicide in 2004. A close friend of my sister’s committed suicide about four years ago. A very influential Christian woman I knew as a child committed suicide about two years ago. A dear friend and pastor’s son committed suicide last year. I am sure there are some whom I may be forgetting, but I think you get the point. Suicide is a real problem and issue in today’s society. I once struggled with suicidal thoughts and it consumed my life to the point where I was a dark, cold, bitter abyss of the person I once was. Thankfully, God delivered me from the schemes of Satan and his demons; however, the people listed above were not quite so lucky. Why does suicide happen? What makes my loving father, mentors, role models, and friends commit suicide? Satan. He’s developed a formula. I have no doubt about it. He does his best to make people feel helpless and insignificant. He does his best to throw people into the dark depression where nothing lives and everything dies. He adds all that up and gets his desired result—suicide. There are anomalies though. People like me who overcame. But that just causes me to think. He’s not the only one who throws people into the abyss. Revelation 20:10 tells us that
Satan, his demons, false prophets, and those who have hindered the Kingdom of God will be thrown down into the pits of Hell where they have thrown so many others. The only reason Satan has convinced people to commit suicide and the only reason he continues to do so is because he knows God has great things in store for them. God has so many big plans to further His kingdom. So many brave, strong, courageous men and women who will do great things through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Think about that. Usually we don’t know when people are contemplating suicide, not many voice this dark dreary desire, but we can see the signs. Signs of withdrawal, frequent talks of death, talks of being a burden to others, rage, revenge-seeking, irregularly exuberant mood swings, loss of interest in things they once cared for, irregular sleep patterns and behaviors, and many more, just “google” it for more information. How can we help these people? Comfort them. Pray for them. Talk to them. Don’t let them be alone. Educate them on why life is worth living. It is a permanent solution for a temporary problem that Christians and non-Christians alike will continue to face. And though some may commit suicide and still go on to be with Christ in Glory, I can only imagine that the majority of these people are lost. Be set apart by caring and nurturing for those who feel like suicide is their only option. Help them see the good in life and the God in life.
“Life is worth the living just because He lives.”
Andrew Mozingo resides in Winterville, North Carolina and is employed with the Free Will Baptist Press. He is studying religion with a concentration on Christian Ministries as a student of Liberty University Online in Lynchburg, Virginia. After finishing his bachelor’s degree with LUO, he plans to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for further training. His aspirations are to become a youth pastor and eventually hold a full-time pastoral position. Andrew is engaged to Michaela Dixon of Kinston, North Carolina with a wedding date set for fall 2015.
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Cragmont Volunteers
As many of you know Cragmont is a special place…a place to feel the nearness of God. The Cragmont staff works hard to make your stay as pleasant, comfortable, and spiritual as possible; this requires much work! Watching their love and dedication in action we felt a need to assist them during their busiest season of year—youth summer camps. We were lead to give a “week of service” to the Cragmont staff and campers. We had an opportunity to assist the staff with the daily chores while we interacted with the campers. As an added bonus we got to spend “special time” on the mountain with our Lord God Almighty. Jesus led by example by being a servant to others and has the same expectations of us! Our “week of service” is a way for us to be obedient to Jesus by being a servant to those who work, live, and visit Cragmont.
Blessings,
Christy and Gail
Remember
• Ladies, remember the Woman’s Auxiliary’s challenge to you in our article earlier this summer to plan a “Meet at the Table” activity. If you have forgotten the detail or misplaced your June TFWB magazine, give the auxiliary president, Becky Jo, a call at (252) 209-6202. • Remember those beautiful autumn mountains are coming soon. Make plans to come visit Cragmont this fall.
Coming Events at Cragmont
Cragmont Assembly
å “A Week of Service” z
1233 North Fork Road • Black Mountain, NC 28711 • (828) 669.7677 • www.cragmontassembly.com
Cragmont received an extra special gift this summer in the guise of “people” who offered their labor to the camp, not for a special project, but to help perform the everyday mundane tasks required for a camp week. For Mary this was a first time adventure, but for Fran, Christy, and Gail it was a repeat performance. To come back again and again for a summer week of work speaks volumes of the love these women have for Cragmont Assembly and its work for God to our youth. No list of summer helpers would be complete without mentioning the laundry elf, Stearle, who folds any clean, dry towels he finds in the dryer. He can even sort and fold to meet the requirements of our persnickety laundry lady. This month we would like to share with you the thoughts and feelings of two of our summer volunteers.
Emmanuel Woman’s Retreat September 12–14, 2014 Joan Little <jlittle@nc.rr.com> 7063 Stantonburg Rd. Farmville, NC 27828 (252) 753-3217
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with David Morrow
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child The well-known phrase, which is reflected in the title of this article, is often used to “biblically” justify physical punishment or spankings of children, especially those that are harsh and done in anger. For many, this has included spankings with a switch, paddle, or other representative of the “rod.” However, this exact phrase is not directly biblical, and the associated imagery from the verse, to which the phrase is attributed, does not affirm physical discipline. As a general rule, people who believe this statement is from the Bible will point to Proverbs 13:24. Yet, careful reading of this verse communicates a different meaning. The King James Version translates this passage as follows: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” The NIV, which is a more modern translation, states: “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” The Amplified, which seeks to give the “richness of the Hebrew and Greek languages” (Preface) reads: “He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, and he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.” Even when one looks at the verse in the original Hebrew, there is not a word in the verse that can be translated “spoils.” The verse does not say anything about a child’s reaction to discipline or the lack of it. It is all about discipline being a requirement for love.
So, what does the rod actually represent? During biblical times, shepherds generally carried two tools with them: a rod and a staff. In fact, these tools are highlighted in the 23rd Psalm: “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” How would one get comfort from a rod or staff that is used to hit that individual? The rod was actually a club, which was about four feet in length, and the shepherds used them to defeat wild animals that attacked the sheep or people who were trying to steal a sheep. Jesse, David’s father, asked him to leave his flock of sheep to carry some grain and bread to David’s brothers who were fighting the Philistines. When David told Saul that he would fight Goliath, he referenced two animals, a lion and a bear, that he caught attacking a sheep. David indicated that he chased down the lion and the bear and “struck it” (1 Samuel 17:35). It appears he used a rod to do just that. The staff is a long stick. Shepherds would put the end in water. Over a period of days, the water would make the stick bendable, thereby allowing the shepherd to gradually bend it into the shepherd’s crook. It is used to hold the sheep for sheering, or to guide them in the direction that the shepherd desires. If a sheep started to go in the wrong direction, the shepherd could put the crook around the sheep’s neck and guide it back into the flock. It would also allow a shepherd to
pull an animal out of a thicket or recover it from a fall over the side of a hill. If you spend any time with children or teens, take a moment to think about your interactions with them. Rarely do we need to defend a child from an attacking bear or lion. Yet, the dangers of our hypersexual, drug-infested, and overly permissive society are everywhere. How are you using your proverbial rod to defend children and teens from the dangers in our world? Do you use your proverbial shepherd’s crook to guide them back in the way that they should go? The purpose of this article is not to open a debate about ways parents punish their offspring. It is to indicate that Proverbs 13:24 should not be used as proof that spankings are the required first step to “train[ing] a child in the way he or she should go.” As a parent, or a person in a different role that has disciplinary responsibility with a child, remember that your first responsibilities must be to lovingly protect and guide. Use your own creativity to explore ways to accomplish these goals without making a physical assault your first choice. Truthfully, the first known expression of the phrase, “spare the rod and spoil the child” occurred in 1662 when Samuel Butler included it as part of his satirical poem about the English civil war. The Word of God actually states to carefully discipline or guide your children as an act of love.
David Morrow is a graduate of Campbell University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned a Master’s of Divinity in pastoral counseling. His is a licensed marriage and family therapist and also an ordained minister. He has 23 years of experience in the mental health field and works for CareNet Counseling East. His offices are located in Greenville, and Kinston, North Carolina. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music, spending time with his family, and playing golf.
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Sunday School Ministry
Where Should I Go on Sunday Morning?
P. O. Box 39 • Ayden, NC 28513 • (252) 746.4963 • www.ofwbsundayschool.org
• Grocery
Store t • Fishing • Restauran
SUNDAY SCHOOL • Home
G`E-F`H
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Recognition and Baptism Day
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P. O. Box 39 • Ayden, NC 28513 • (252) 746.4963 • www.ofwbi.org
OFWB International
— Philippines —
By Pastor Armando R. Manzano
May 24, 2014 was a memorable day for us here in Canigaran First Free Will Baptist Church. I was our recognition day for those who graduated from elementary, high school and college students as well. We went to a beach just nearby the church to celebrate and recognize the efforts and struggles of those students from the time past just to achieve their goal. With the all out support of their parents, by the Grace of God, and with our prayer offerings for them, it made all this possible. We observed it in the form of God’s Word exhortation emphasizing His goodness and faithfulness to those who trust in Him seriously. We also had some sport games to enjoy on this special day. And above all, we are so thankful to God for the two young people who committed their lives to Jesus Christ and obeyed in water Baptism during this time. One of them was Brother Leandro Egania, a first year college student. The other one was Brother Ariel J. Padrigo, a recent college graduate. We are full of joy and strengthened, our relationship to each other, and Blessed by God. We say aloud, “Glory to GOD!” Praise God for the opportunity to be a part of His Body and allowing us to experience His innumerable blessings that comes to us day by day!
Spiritual Life Development — Mexico —
By The Rev. Everardo Martinez and Isai Dueñes
We are deeply grateful to God for the grace He has given us to continue in His work. We have been blessed in many ways by which we are happy to share the latest news of what has happened in the Free Will Baptist association in Mexico. A three-day seminar was held in the Upper Room FWB Church in Monclova Coahuila, of which the whole church could participate and rejoice greatly learning from God’s Word. The emphasis was on the development of the spiritual life. Continuing this ministry, a group of student teachers held its biblical mission trip, in Santa Rosa at the Mount of Olives Mission. With representatives from four churches of the association, the mission team of students worked together to raise funds of approximately $200 for a children’s evangelistic event. On the first visit to Santa Rosa invitations were distributed door-to-door throughout the community. On the next visit to this community, we celebrated together with songs, games, Bible stories, gifts, a film, food, and much more. During this same period of time, a youth conference was conducted at the Savior Emmanuel FWB Church. We praised God together in our hearts and shared together about our daily walk with God and offered to unbelievers the Hope of salvation. After a couple of months, students prepared to participate in the final stage of their studies, and we continued to persevere in the same spirit and fervor with which we began. The Lord’s work is moving forward, every obstacle presented is for us a new opportunity from God to learn, grow, and share His message wherever He sends us.
Please pray for the following: 1. The Free Will Baptist Churches of Mexico and its entire leadership body. 2. For the salvation of everyone who answers the call of our God. 3. For the new projects we have in mind, among which is a retreat for pastors and a mission trip to Spain. Thanks for the support you have provided to the churches in Mexico. It is our constant prayer that the Lord will continue to bless each day to continue to be the strong arm used by God that serves to support churches and missions around the world.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21) 23
with Nora Koonce Avery
A Time to Laugh and a Time to Mourn It is very hard to lose a parent, but to lose one near a holiday is doubly hard. Losing my mother five days before Mother’s Day, 2003 could have been devastating for me, except for what happened right after her death. My mother had been in declining health for some time due to a debilitating lung disease known as bronchiectasis. This disease causes the airways of the lungs to become abnormally enlarged and stretched. They lose the capability to get rid of mucus, which in turn creates a haven for bacterial growth. The result is increased lung infections. Mother fought a good fight, and, with the help of good doctors and antibiotics, managed to keep the disease at bay for many years. Just six months before her death, though, she was hospitalized with pneumonia. Even though her health was precarious, she managed to claim victory over this illness one more time and return home. Mother was a prayer warrior, and all of her children and grandchildren knew whom to turn to for prayer when there was a need in their lives. If I faced fog on the road during my morning commute to work, I could be sure my mother had prayed for my safety when she looked out her window that morning. I will never
know on this earth how many times my mother interceded for me in prayer, and I believe untold times her prayers were answered. So on that warm morning in May when God called her home, just five days before Mother’s Day, I had questions, like “Who will pray for me now?” and “God, why did you take her just before Mother’s Day?” As for the question of who would pray for me, I have learned in the last few years since my mother’s death that there are many people that pray for me on a regular basis. I have aunts, cousins, nieces, and my sister among others, all who take my name to the Lord in prayer for safety, healing, and any other problem that might be plaguing me at any given time. We don’t have to live on earth alone, there are prayer warriors coming before the Throne of God at all given hours of the day or night. I’m sure there are people praying for me—and you—that we don’t even know about. Likewise, I also pray for others. Sometimes I know these people and their needs, and other times I just feel a little nudge from God or the Holy Spirit to say a little prayer for someone. When I wake up at night and can’t sleep, I usually pray for others, starting with my family and their immediate needs and
working down to those names God gives me to pray for. As to the question of why I was not allowed to have one more Mother’s Day with my mother—God had an answer for that, too. I heard Him speak to me in my spirit shortly after Mother’s funeral, with the words “Would you rather Me to have taken her six months ago instead?” That is when I realized that every day we had with her those last months was a precious gift. The date the previous fall, when she was so sick and in the hospital with pneumonia, was as far removed on the calendar from Mother’s Day as was possible. Instead of taking her then, though, God had given us extra time with her, and allowed her to reach a milestone of 90 years of age. His timing was not our timing. There was “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). I can honestly say it no longer bothers me to think about losing her so close to Mother’s Day. Instead, I remember that gift of extra time we had with her. I realized something else also: His gift to my mother was letting her spend that Mother’s Day— and the rest of eternity—in Heaven with her mother.
Nora grew up in Trenton, NC and now resides with her husband, Eddie, in Cove City, NC. They are members of Wintergreen OFWB Church, and she serves as the Woman’s Auxiliary Vice President. She and Eddie have two sons and three grandchildren. Nora enjoys photography and reading.
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Campus Addition—Meditation Area
• Hair Combs and Brushes • Twin Size Comforters (bright colors, solids, and prints) • Bed Pillows • Triple-A Batteries • Trash Bags (for small 8-gallon wastebaskets) • Staple Food Items (call for details)
Friends of Children’s Day
Mark Your Calendar! ______________
Friends of Children’s Day will be held on
Children’s Home
• • Needs List • •
P. O. Box 249 • Middlesex, NC 27557 • (252) 235.2161 • www.fwbchildrenshome.org
There has been an addition to our campus. As part of a recent Sunday evening service, staff and residents gathered around “Jesus,” to dedicate the new meditation area. The statue had been in place for some time, but now landscaping was added. Coby Sullivan took on this project last year as part of his requirements to become and Eagle Scout. He, along with the help of his family, built a Pergola over our statue of Jesus and then added benches and landscaping. We are very excited about the work that was done to make this a very special place on our campus.
November 22, 2014.
Change For Children
2014
Thanks to all who participated in our annual Change for Children campaign and helped make it a success.
This is the day we set aside to share a special service and a meal with our friends.
Make plans now to attend
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Paper Products/Cleaning Supply Drive On Friday, July 11, the 11th Annual Paper Products Drive was held at the Carolina MudCats Stadium in Zebulon. More than 1,325 tickets were presold for the church section seating, representing more than 54 Free Will Baptist Churches. This was a great evening of fun and fellowship at the ballgame for many church groups and the Children’s Home staff and children, but it was also an evening of great blessing for The Home in the form of paper products and cleaning supplies. Every year it seems that more people participate in this event and they seem to enjoy the fellowship at the ballgame and the fireworks display afterwards. It’s awesome to see so many Free Will Baptists gathered in one place laughing and enjoying themselves. Thanks to everyone who participated this year. There is lots of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to promote the event, collect supplies, load, deliver, and unload supplies. Thanks to everyone who played a part in making our 11th Annual Paper Products Drive a success.
A United Front After the Storm In mid-July a severe thunderstorm brought pouring rain, high winds and hail to the Children’s Home campus. The storm left the campus littered with leaves and twigs, several downed trees and broken limbs. The damage was quickly assessed and a plan for clean up was created. The call for help was announced on our FaceBook page, and the volunteers started to call in. Early in the following morning, residents, staff, staff spouses, alumni, board members and friends gathered to begin the task. Reporters from the local newspaper came out and interviewed some of our staff, children and other volunteers and printed an article for the next day. Shortly after noon the dinner bell was sounded and lunch was shared together in Heritage Hall. After a short refueling the work continued and in the early afternoon the work came to an end. It was a great teamwork effort, and we are so thankful for those who came out to help. We had visitors the following weekend and you could barely see any remnants of damage. 26
Church Ministry News and Campus Visitors The last few months have brought many visitors to The Home. Some of the visitors came to share meals, tour our campus, and some shared worship with us. “Blended Hands,” led by Kayla Seymour and other members from the Blended Fellowship Church near Pikeville joined us for worship. Our Praise Team, accompanied by Ms. Lisa Jones did a tremendous job of leading the music and sharing special music. Their songs were signed and the members of Blended Fellowship responded with enthusiasm. Members of Blended Fellowship shared music, a skit, and taught us some sign language. It was a great evening of learning and fellowship for our residents and staff. Pastor Brad Williamson and members of Lee’s Chapel Church (Dunn, NC), their Woman’s Auxiliary, and their Friendship Sunday School Class collected items from our need’s list and came to visit bringing the items. While here they took a tour, and visited our park, where some of their younger members enjoyed the swings. Thank you Lee’s Chapel. The Rev. Richard McKeel, and wife Nova, from Steven’s Chapel Church dropped off food items their church had collected after picking up a Food Need’s List from our display at the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. These items were unloaded in Heritage Hall and divided up. Almost immediately someone from each cottage came to carry the goods back to their cottages; they were excited about the goods. Thank You Steven’s Chapel. Later in July, Richie Hogg, member of Pine Level Church and his family joined us for worship. Richie engaged our young people and staff as he shared his message from Romans. He had several objects for us to guess what was inside. There were surprises. He reminded us that we are part of a family, the Family of God, because we are all God’s children when we ask Jesus into our lives and that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us more than anyone or anything. “We are Family” and “We are Loved” were repeated many times throughout the service. He also reminded us that God should come first in our lives, then family, and then we can add education as a priority, and, lastly, remember that the responsibility to keep these things in order in our lives belongs to each of us. The next visitor gave us a unique way to interact with the young ladies here. Ms. Ellen Forlines of Winterville brought dolls to the Children’s Home. These dolls had been part of a collection that belonged to Mrs. Christine Stocks who passed away on May 28, 2014. The girls at The Home gathered in Heritage Hall and had a “story telling party with the dolls.” It was a special time where each girl selected the dolls she liked and “made up” life stories about their doll(s) and shared with the group. It was very interesting to hear how many of the dolls had grown up without parents, a couple who had been abandoned, some who became foster children, one doll was autistic, another had a hand whose fingers didn’t work and how other children were mean to her, two that looked alike were best
Blended Fellowship Church
the set of dolls, contributed by Ms. Ellen Forlines
Lees Chapel friends, and several other stories. It was interesting to hear how each young lady decided who was rich and who was poor. It was a fun afternoon. Ms. Dianne served punch and cookies as they continued talking about their dolls. When the stories were done they asked if they could have a doll, and of course, the answer was “yes.” That is just what Ms. Ellen wanted to happen, and surely what Mrs. Stocks would have liked. 27
Book reviews in this column are not meant to reflect any theological or political positions.
Søren Kierkegaard, Ultimatum in Either/Or Translated by Walter Lowrie. Foreword by Howard A. Johnson Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1971. Second Printing 1974. Volume II. pp. IX–XIX; pp. 341–356; 370 pages. ISBN 0-691-01977-0.
God is Always in the Right; Man is Always in the Wrong Pseudonymous Author Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) does not present himself as the author of Ultimatum in his book, Either/Or, first published in 1843. Instead, he uses a pseudonym, Judge William, whose letters to a young romanticist are edited by Victor Eremita (another pseudonym). Judge William writes his letters as an effort to “rescue” (v) the young man from his aesthetic view of living. Judge William’s letter contains a Jutland pastor’s sermon, Ultimatum, the final plea made to the romantic mind of a sensuous man who is 7 years younger than Judge William. What Kierkegaard seems to be doing in the way I read him is to create a dialogue between his own ego and his alter ego as he wages his personal war against marrying Regina Olsen. The romantic ego of Volume I of Either/ Or confronts his alter ego of Judge William in Volume II, the letters as a debate of issues of an aesthetic love face-to-face with an ethical love. In Ultimatum the Jutland pastor’s sermon adds the theological dimension to love. The progression of love moves from the temporal to the ethical to the eternal—a fascinating encounter with the meaning of love.
Finite (Either) versus Infinite (Or) The Jutland pastor’s sermon presents the idea that “against God we are always in the wrong” (343). What does this mean? In Job 40:2, we are told: “Thou shalt not contend with God” (346). What does this mean? We are told “the meaning of this is that you shall not wish to prove yourself in the right before Him. There is only one way of supporting the claim that you are in the right before God—by learning that you are in the wrong” (346). Sin has its historical significance from one generation to another, dating back to Adam and Eve, to the sin of the elect, to the corruption of Jerusalem. The innocent share the same judgment as the guilty, because judgment falls upon the righteous and unrighteous. No one has a claim to a reward and satisfaction from righteousness whether in the belief that all was done that could be done for God. No matter what, “we are always in the wrong” (349). To be in the wrong is both “painful” and “edifying” (350). Why? 28
Enter love. In an act of love, we forget the position of wrongness and turn to a position of love, believing ourselves always in the wrong, because love rises above the knowledge of whether we are right or wrong. The Jutland pastor claims: “It was not by the toil of thought you attained this recognition, neither was it forced upon you, for it is in love that you find yourself in freedom” (351). Knowledge does not lead to the conviction of always being in the wrong. Only love wishes to be in the wrong, because love of God places God always in the right (351). Pain and loss have only one real compensation—a joy in a love of God through which a person may rise above himself and the world. Love of God is foremost and this love is more important than the knowledge or reflection of being right or wrong (352). At this point of love of God, the Jutland pastor asserts: “Then your soul turned away from the finite to the infinite; there it found its object, there your love became a happy love” (352).
Doubt Man’s doubt of God might emerge from finding himself in pain and anguish regardless of trying to worship God and choosing to do what you can for God. Disasters crash upon the soul and doubt may enter the soul. How could God allow concentration camps to exist? How could God allow wars, massacres, poverty, or disease? If man’s relationship to God is based upon righteousness in history, what happens to this relationship when Evil stomps upon souls? The Jutland pastor sees this doubt of God as a finite response to God. Doubt alarms through particular events and acts of Evil. Only in seeing the self as always in the wrong through a love of the infinite will man be able to rise above doubt. The Jutland pastor insists: “Whenever the affliction of doubt would make him sad, he thereupon raises himself above the finite into the infinite; for the thought that he is always in the wrong is the wing whereby he soars above finitude, it is the longing wherewith he seeks God, it is the love wherein he finds God” (354). He adds: “Against God we are always in the wrong” (354).
Joyful Always in the Love of God What Kierkegaard is wrestling with is the leap from finite awareness of Evil, judgment, limitations, unrighteousness, and efforts of righteousness to the infinite faith in love. Though Job suffered, he loved God more than his suffering. Though Jews felt the horrors of the Holocaust, they loved God more than the horrors that pushed Doubt of God’s existence to the forefront of finite existence. To reach for God’s love is to reach for the joy of the infinite love of God. The longing to seek God ushers in the love of finding God. The longing to rise to the infinite through the finite existence we all share is the longing to experience the love of God in all the perplexities of finite reality, because the infinite leap to love God erases any perception that God is wrong. Imagine a mother who visits her child on death row. Though her child has committed a grievous crime, she loves her child in spite of the crime. Her love seeks the infinite in her child, though she finds herself in the finite world of a prison. Her love transcends the crime. She loves infinitely. She loves God also and sees God not in the wrong but herself in the wrong, because her finite existence cannot but by faith touch the infinite joy of her love of God. The Jutland pastor claims: “Though you were to knock, but it was not opened unto you, though you were to seek but you did not find, though you were to labor but acquired nothing, though you were to plant and water but saw no blessing, though heaven were to remain closed and the witness failed to appear, you are joyful in your work nevertheless; though the punishment which the iniquity of the fathers had called down were to fall upon you, you are joyful nevertheless, for against God we are always in the wrong” (355).
Love as a Choice of Eternal Validity Man progresses in life; he lives as a being in movement in the process of becoming. The personal self becomes a civic self and a religious self, all the stages a part of the movement towards an eternal validity (266). The particular man seeks to become the universal man in the particular, the infinite in the finite, the joyful
lover of God who believes God is always in the right. The interior world of faith becomes crucial as the leap of faith from the finite self to the infinite self gives the human being an eternal validity. Kierkegaard writes: “The genuine ethical individual therefore possesses calmness and assurance because he has not duties outside himself but in himself ” (259). The leap of faith that brings man to an infinite relationship to God also must be found within the self. The Jutland pastor stresses: “Only by an infinite relationship to God could the doubt be calmed, only by an infinitely free relationship to God could his anxiety be transformed into joy. He is in an infinite relationship to God when he recognizes that God is always in the right, in an infinitely free relationship to God when he recognizes that he himself is always in the wrong” (354). Peace and happiness and rest only come in a man’s insistence to love God, man’s soul turning from “the finite to the infinite” (352). The choice to love God is made. The leap of faith has occurred. The infinite has cut into the finite. God’s wisdom, God’s holiness, God’s might, and God’s presence all point to the infinite love in the finite world. The Jutland pastor asks: “Why was it you wished to be in the wrong with respect to a person? Because you loved. Why did you find this edifying? Because you loved. The more you loved, the less time you had to deliberate whether you were in the right or not; your love had only one wish, that you might constantly be in the wrong. So also in your relation to God. You loved God, and hence your soul could find repose and joy only in the thought that you must always be in the wrong” (351). Such a love for God is manifested by Jesus Christ on the cross. Despite his pain, his agony, his death, and his sense of being forsaken, he loved God, he loved the infinite Presence of God within himself and within all who persecuted him not realizing their own eternal validity. Infinite love that forgives and offers grace is what the cross symbolizes, because man is always in the wrong, but Christ in his infinite love points to God who is always in the right.
Pepper Worthington was born in Kinston, NC, and married an OFWB retired minister, Michael Gauker Warning, in 1996. The Rev. Warning served as pastor to Free Union OFWB at Sea Level, NC. She received her B.A. degree cum laude at Meredith College in 1965, her M.L.A. degree at Johns Hopkins University in 1969, and her Ph.D. with Phi Kappa Phi honors at the University of Maryland at College Park in 1976. She has been a professor of English at Mount Olive College since 1979. She is also currently the director of the Mount Olive College Press.
Spreading the Word. For Life! 29
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P. O. Box 210 • Mount Olive, NC 28365-0210 • (919) 6 58.5250 • admin@ncfcm.org • rwarren@ncfcm.org
NC Foundation for Christian Ministries
T he War Within Us
Genesis 25:19–34
Like Isaac and Rebekah, we soon learn that the things we think we desire in this life have a cost and do not provide perfect solutions to our struggles as we had imagined they would. Like our ancestors, Christians today have two natures at war within them and many are choosing to follow the old sinful nature that seeks immediate, short-term pleasure at the price of lasting blessings for many. Is what you want in eternity and what you want now, in agreement or in conflict with each other? Each day we make thousands of decisions ranging from simple things like what to wear to complicated things like whether or not to get married. Scientists have determined that two regions in the frontal cortex of our brains are at work in every decision and too often we are distracted from our longer term goals by the strong impulsive pull of shortterm gain or pleasure. We tend to have a buy now and pay later attitude without considering that the long-range cost may be more than the benefit. This is not a new problem, it goes back throughout human history and it can be seen in the lives of the Old Testament characters Esau and Jacob in Genesis 25:19–34.
Old Testament Example
Rebekah was barren and for 20 years she and her husband Isaac anguished and prayed for a child. God answered their prayers and Isaac and Rebekah’s long awaited pregnancy yielded twin boys who, from before birth, were in constant struggle with each other. As the twins grew it became clear that the first, Esau, was a man of the field while the second, Jacob, was more comfortable around the camp. Their father, Isaac, made the mistake of favoring Esau over Jacob because he liked the game Esau brought him to eat. Their mother, Rebekah, also made a similar mistake by favoring Jacob, perhaps to compensate for her husbands folly. One day Esau came in from the field and upon smelling the lentil stew Jacob was preparing pleaded for his brother to feed him. Now there is no indication that Esau’s hunger was serious. Food seems to have been routinely available. He didn’t really need it, but he had to have it. In a ridiculous
offer, Jacob agreed to feed him in exchange for his birthright. As firstborn of their father, Esau was to receive a greater part of the inheritance and he was to be the head of the family after his father’s death. Esau swore an acceptance of the offer and said in effect that he valued the stew more than his birthright. The scriptures say that Esau ate, drank, and upon satisfying his cravings got up and walked away without any thought or regret. For this reason it is said he despised his birthright. In this Old Testament passage, the choices that seemed to be the most natural and immediately pleasing for Isaac and his family were often the wrong choices for the people of God. These choices badly affected the future blessings for them and their descendants. Isaac and Rebekah both favored one child over the other without considering the long-term consequences. Esau and Jacob struggled against each other leaving a legacy of deadly war for their descendants to follow and Esau gave up his birthright to satisfy his temporary desire for an immediate meal. The problem in each case is that a terrible and lasting price was paid in exchange for a short-term desire.
God’s Grace Supplied
Thankfully, God recognizes the tendency of people to be distracted from longer-term goals by the tempting, strong, and impulsive pull of short-term pleasure. In the New Testament, this natural way of thinking that leads to spiritual death is overpowered by the spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit who guides those who follow Jesus as Lord in lives of holy righteousness. The Apostle Paul writes of this when he says, “For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind…” (Romans 7:22–23 nrsv),
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5 nrsv), and “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you” (Hebrews 8:11 nrsv).
The Foundation gratefully acknowledes these gifts given during July of 2014 in honor or memory of those listed.
Application for Us Today
• r • In Memory of • q •
For many Christians, their daily choices and decisions are in conflict with their ultimate goal. We know that we are to return a portion of God’s financial blessing, but instead we over obligate and then realize we cannot afford to give as we should. We plead that God will judge our hearts, yet we also know that ultimately the fruit of our lives is the best indication of our true motives. For where our treasures are, including the treasure of our thoughts and actions, there our hearts will be, also. All this puts our futures in jeopardy for in the New Testament we read, “that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears” (Hebrews 12:16–17 nrsv).
Take Action Today
By God’s grace, if we are willing, our new spiritual nature has the overpowering ability to guide us in paths of righteousness despite our immature attitude toward tempting choices of immediate short-term pleasure. What do you ultimately want more than anything else at the end of life? Are your daily choices in agreement or in conflict with what you know God has for you to do?
The Importance of a Plan
One of the areas where our daily actions fail to favor our eternal plans is in the area of giving. There are many ways to preserve and pass on a spiritual legacy but they all require intentional thought and action in advance. Few good things are handed down by happenstance, and the future of God’s people is too important to leave to chance.
How to Do It
The Foundation has worked with many churches, families, and individuals who felt a duty to follow God’s command to preserve and pass on a spiritual legacy for others. With a welldesigned plan, one’s current, retirement, or future estate assets can be used to do just that. Please contact the Foundation today at (919) 658-5250 or <rwarren@ncfcm.org> for more information. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian organization; all contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible.
“Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” — Horace Mann —
Mrs. Loyce F. Lancaster
Mr. David Lee Fillingame
Mrs. Loyce F. Lancaster
Mr. David Lee Fillingame
Mr. Adolph Warren
Mrs. Lucile Coates
By Bertie A. Sanders
By Ricky and Angela Warren By Mrs. Betty C. West
By Bertie A. Sanders
By Ricky and Angela Warren By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
• r • In Honor of • q • Mr. J. Michael Rouse
Mr. Dan Taylor
The Rev. Ronnie V. Hobgood
Mr. Dan Taylor
The Rev. Ronnie V. Hobgood
Dr. Don Ribeiro
Dr. Sam Weeks
Dr. Don Ribeiro
Dr. Ken Benton
Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Mrs. Pat Willis
Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Mrs. Julie Wetherington Cox
Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
By Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Ellison By Bertie A. Sanders
By Ricky and Angela Warren By Mrs. Brenda W. Cockrell By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
By Ricky and Angela Warren By Bertie A. Sanders By Ricky and Angela Warren By Bertie A. Sanders By Bertie A. Sanders
By Ricky and Angela Warren
By Mrs. Jennifer Ricks Merritt
Dr. Don Ribeiro
By Ms. Dianne Brown Riley
Retirement Income Comparison CD Rate 1 (Aug. 5, 2014)
Annuity Rate 2 (At age 70)
0.24% 5.1%
1. National Average 12-month CD rate (Source: Bankrate.com) 2. Lifetime rate from the Foundation for a person age 70
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A deeper look inside this month’s lessons from the OFWB Foundation Curriculum and commentaries based on the International Sunday School Lessons.
This month we begin a new year and a new quarter of Sunday School lessons. We may sometimes forget that our Sunday School lessons are connected; then they seem to be random, sporadic, and disjointed. In fact the Uniform Lesson Series is developed on a five-year plan, generally divided into quarterly topics and monthly themes. The topic this quarter is Hope and is divided into three Units: “The Days Are Surely Coming,” “Dark Nights of the Soul,” and “Visions of Grandeur.” All our studies this quarter are in the Old Testament. The four lessons this month are in Jeremiah 30, 31, 32, and 33. The setting is 587 B.C., just prior to the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah was called by God and sent as a prophet to the last kings and people of Judah prior to the exile. It was a time of great turmoil. In 609 B.C. Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah, was elevated to the throne as a puppet king by Pharaoh Neco. In 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated Assyria and Egypt at the battle of Carchemish, and Jehoiakim remained on the throne as a vassal of Babylon. Instead of paying large tributes to Egypt, Judah now paid them to Babylon; and, of course, Jehoiakim had to tax the people heavily in order to make the payments. In 598
Jehoiakim rebelled, was captured by the Babylonians, but died before he could be punished. He was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin, who reigned for only three months. He, too, was rebellious. Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, Jehoiachin surrendered and was carried away to Babylon, along with his mother, government officials, and many treasured objects from the temple. His uncle, Zedekiah (another son of King Josiah), was set on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar as vassal king and reigned for eleven years. The people were straining under heavy taxes to be sent to Babylon. Zedekiah was caught between listening to the word of the Lord as delivered by Jeremiah and the advice of his cabinet officials. Eventually, Zedekiah stopped sending the payments to Nebuchadnezzar, and Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonian army. Jeremiah advised the king, the generals, and the people to surrender and go to Babylon as prisoners; he said that was God’s punishment for their disobedience. But there were other prophets who claimed that God would not allow His holy city to be destroyed by infidels and that the earlier captives would be freed within two years.
It was from this tense situation that our lessons come this month. Jeremiah had promised destruction for the city and captivity for the people; now he offers hope. After Babylon has wielded power for seventy years, God would bring the captives home. Jeremiah even sent letters to the earlier captives advising them to build houses, rear families, and worship God in Babylon; when the time is right, God will bring them home. It is this hope that sustained them through difficult times. The topics for our four lessons from Jeremiah are “A Vision of the Future” (chapter 30), “Restoration” (chapter 31), “A New Future” (chapter 32), and “Improbable Possibilities” (chapter 33). The theme for this unit of study comes from a phrase that is repeated several times in these chapters: “The days are surely coming, says the Lord” (30:3; 31:27, 31, 38; 33:14). Our world and our nation at times seem hopeless. But our hope is not in the President, or Congress, or the military, or other world leaders; our hope is in the Lord. Let that hope shine brightly in the darkness of this world, because God still reigns.
H. Adrian Grubbs, Jr., was born in Dade City, Florida, to the Rev. Herman A. and Lillian Kinard Grubbs. The family moved to Mount Olive, NC, in 1959. Adrian was ordained in the Eastern Conference in 1963 and has served eight churches. After a 30-year pastorate at Deep Run OFWB Church he retired in 2007 because of vocal problems. Grubbs has served the denomination as President of the Sunday School Convention, Moderator of the Eastern Conference, member of the Eastern Conference Ministerial Examining Board, and is currently on the Mount Olive College Board of Trustees. Adrian and Jo Ann have one son, two daughters, and six grandchildren.
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Woman’s Auxiliary
Cornerstone Woman’s Auxiliary Retreat The Cornerstone Woman’s Auxiliary Retreat met “on the mountain” Sunday August 3, 2014. We left on Friday morning, August 8, amid hugs and smiles. Our burdens were lighter after being lifted by the Master. There’s something very special about the fellowship and prayers “on the mountain” with other sisters. Many shared the same burdens that we carried up “on the mountain.” We were thrilled to have twelve, first time at Cornerstone, sisters this year. Linda Herring led the Bible study each morning. Her word of the week was “unmeasurable.” We repeated it often, as prompted, as we learned about God’s love for us. Much scripture was studied, but Hosea’s book and life were the concentration of our week. Hosea 10:12, was our theme verse. She did an awesome job as expected, wish I had space and time to tell you more. We were not amazed that God orchestrated His plan for the week through His servants. Shirley Blackman’s great, before breakfast, devotions early each morning fitted perfectly with Linda’s theme and when Reverend Harold Jones brought God’s message to us on Thursday evening, it too was of God’s amazing love. We see this happen year after year though Mrs. May Pittman, Director of Woman’s Retreats, never assigns the speakers a theme. Becky Jo Sumner led an after dinner Bible Study two evenings. Excellent as always, she steered us through passages when
Bible personalities spent time with God. We read, discussed, compared and contrasted, the what, where, when, how, and results physically and spiritually of the encounters of Moses, Elijah, Esther, and others. We left challenged to spend more time in His loving presence. Kathy Hayes and Danette Groce provided direction and beautiful music as we praised God daily through singing our favorites spanning many years. We were happy to be able to enjoy our great Cragmont meals in the beauty of the new addition, Velma’s Hearth. John shared the vision for the completion of the dining and kitchen renovations and remodel. Please remember to support them with prayers and financially. Also, to use “your” facilities when you travel to the mountains. Each afternoon, for a few hours, heavenly rest, or the sights of the area were available to us. Wednesday afternoon we loaded up on two buses and traveled to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to the Biblical Times Dinner Theater. We greatly enjoyed their production of Moses, Mountain of God. It sported talented live cast and holographic technology to transport us to Mt. Sinai. The meal was scrumptious and of epic proportions. We invite all our sisters to watch the January issue of this magazine for the registration form for 2015. Prayerfully consider treating yourself and a friend to a life-changing week or weekend at a Woman’s Auxiliary Retreat. 33
Community Connection 34
Willis Whichard Wilson In Memory of
January 18, 1933 – August 1, 2014
Surrounded by family, Rev. Willis Whichard Wilson, 81, of Winterville went home to be with the Lord on Friday, August 1, 2014. The funeral and committal service was held Monday, August 4 at 2 p.m. at Reedy Branch OFWB Church, 4457 Reedy Branch Road, Winterville, NC 28590. Born on January 18, 1933, to David Julius and Allie Bert Wilson of Stokes, Willis was the next to the youngest in a family of fifteen children. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Betty Jean Warren Wilson; brother, Fletcher Wilson, and wife Kay of Rocky Mount; and sisterin-law, Margaret Langley of Greenville. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Lucy Weiss and Brownie Andrews; half-brothers, Marshal Wilson, James Edgar Langley, J. D. Langley, and Moses Langley; and half-sisters, Julia Ross, Flossie Goode, Katie Barnhill, Carrie Wilson, Renie Wilson, Virgina Clayton, and Mildred Hardison. Though Willis and Jean had no children of their own, Willis is survived by countless numbers of nieces, nephews, and others who love and esteem him. Willis attended Stokes Elementary School, Winterville School, and Stokes High School, where he graduated in 1951. While in high school, he was introduced to the art of public speaking as a member of the Future Farmers of America, Beta Club, and Glee Club, and served as vice president of his senior class of which he was voted the “Best All Around Boy Student.” It was during this time that he discovered a love for telling jokes and refined his abilities as a storyteller. He also began a life-long love affair with automobiles, earning the nickname “car bug.” At the age of 13, Willis accepted Christ as his Savior. In 1951, he rededicated his life to the Lord and, after a year of much thought and prayer, he accepted the call to the ministry. In the fall of 1952, he entered the Free Will Baptist Bible College in Tennessee where he spent a summer singing with the college quartet, traveling some
8,000 miles to 68 churches in various states. On December 28, 1954, at Sweet Gum Grove FWB Church, Willis received the charge from his uncle, Reverend Dennis Alexander, and was ordained. He graduated from college and began his ministry, pastoring at Piney Grove FWB Church-Beaufort County (1955–1961), Hickory Grove FWB Church (1955–1963), Pleasant Hill FWB Church (1961–1963), and finally at Reedy Branch FWB Church (1963–1995) where he served 32 years before retiring. During his 59 years of service, Reverend Willis Wilson preached thousands of sermons, conducted hundreds of baptisms, weddings and funerals, and spoke at countless church, civic, and community events. He taught Sunday school and prepared the weekly church bulletin. He served as moderator of the Central Conference for three terms, the President of the State Convention for three years, Director of Youth Camps at Cragmont for nine years, the President of the Board of Directors for Cragmont for 9 years, and as a member of the Ordaining Council. On January 27, 1969, he was named Minister of Year. On November 6, 1983, Reedy Branch honored his devotion and labor of love to the church with the dedication of the Wilson Fellowship Hall. At his 50th year of Christian service celebration he was asked if he would do it all again. He replied, “Absolutely, without a doubt!” Together with his love and service to the Lord and his church, the Rev. Willis Wilson will be remembered for his great sense of humor and endless line of jokes, as well as his woodworking shop and toys. He had a talent for making all who spoke with him laugh and feel loved. His favorite verse was Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Words could never express the gratitude felt for the love and support shown by family and friends, not only during his last months, but also throughout his life.
The Bible speaks to us but the Psalms speak for us. Solomon says there is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak. You should not interrupt the church service and draw attention to yourself, but when it is time to praise God you should give it 100 percent. The story’s told of an old guy named Joe who had been a drunk most of his life, and as a result he could barely make ends meet. During a Sunday morning worship he gave his life to Christ and the transforming was so radical that everybody noticed it. When the pastor made a point that touched his heart, he would jump up and shout hallelujah. The pastor told him, “you have to be quiet Joe.” Psalm 150:6 says, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD….” In other words, unless you are dead you are supposed to praise the Lord. You say “but I am quiet,” praise Him on the inside. Just be sure to praise the Lord. He deserves all our praise. Do not let the stresses of the day steal your Psalm. Linda Herring is married to Vernon Herring. They have two children, Amy and Vernon and three grandchildren, Jenna, Jared, and Noah. Linda is an active member of the White Oak Grove OFWB Church in LaGrange, NC. Linda leads a Bible study group, Circle of Friends. She has been a drama director of two dramas that she wrote, They Called His Name Jesus and The Book of Ruth. She is a resource for the OFWB Woman’s Auxiliary. Her outreach ministry includes this column in TFWB, a radio broadcast by the same name (aired on WAGO 88.7 FM), and a weekly devotional article for the La Grange Weekly Gazette and The Sampson Weekly. She also has a devotion book printed by the Mount Olive College Press.
Christ Church News Sunday, August 3, 2014, was Homecoming Day at Christ Free Will Baptist Church, Stokesdale, NC. We acknowledged Sunday School perfect attendance with certificates going to:
• Curtis Stevens (39 years) • Wayne Hicks (30 years) • Janice Atkins (27 years) • Pat Hicks (24 years)
• Nancy Stevens (21 years) • Rev. David Atkins (21 years) • Sheryl Hopper (11 years)
The group photo is, left to right, Sheryl Hopper, Janice Atkins, Nancy Stevens (back row), Pat Hicks (front in pink dress), Curtis Stevens, Wayne Hicks, and the Rev. David Atkins.
Church & Ministry Positions Available • Piney Grove OFWB, Kenly, NC (Western) is conducting a prayerful search for a God-called, full-time pastor with proven leadership ability to grow our church and our ministries. Piney Grove is a faithful supporter of all our denominational ministries. The ideal pastor will have a deep love for his flock, have demonstrated abilities as a congregation builder and have a desire to see the lost saved. Competitive compensation package. Interested persons should send résumés to Beth Bass, Chairperson of Piney Grove Pastoral Search Committee, 324 Boswell Rd., Kenly, NC 27542. She may be contacted at (252) 230-6310.
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