Gaining Ground | Marriage Retreat | WCWC Pictures | Fathers: Protect Your Home | 2014 Missionaries in Oregon
The Official Magazine of the Oregon District UPCI
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January 2014
Oregon District Apostolic Accent Volume 50, Number 1
www.ORUPC.com Editor……………………..........…………….Kassie Meyer kassiemeyer@hotmail.com (503) 689-3589 District Officials Superintendent……………......……………Ted Graves Secretary/Treasurer……..........……..Dan Sargeant Presbyters Section 1…………………......…..…………Gary Gleason Section 2……………………........…M. Dennis Johnson Section 3………………………......……..Kevin Goodwin Section 4…………………………......Steven L. Johnson Honorary Board Member M. David Johnson North American Missions Director…………………………….......…..Steve Hanson Secretary…………………….……….....…Virgil Alldritt Global Missions Director…………………………….......David Reynolds Apostolic Man Director……………………………..……......Mark Edday Ladies Ministries Director…………………………......….Geanice Langley Secretary…………………...…….....…….Rachel Sparks Sunday School Director………………………….…......…Darrell Sparks Secretary…………....………………….....…..Joe Higgins Oregon Youth President………………………….......…Shane Graves Secretary………………………………......……Kevin Neu Spanish Ministries Director……………………………………......Fito Avenia Life in Focus Coordinator…...........Bill Tittsworth Prison Ministry Coordinator….....….Doug Lethin Media Missions Director……......David P. Johnson A.C.T.S. President………...….......M. Dennis Johnson Senior Quiz Coordinator.…......…..Brian Huffman Junior Quiz Coordinator.…......…Jonathan Toews
Editors Note For years I’ve wondered why some people turn their back on God and why people aren’t sold out to Christ. I see it time and time again where friends or acquaintances of mine have left the truth only to live an unfulfilling life with heart ache after heart ache. Many times I find myself praying for people in my past who have know the truth yet have left it. Some have turned to same sex relationships, others a party life or the pleasures of this world. My heart is saddened many times and I wonder why? And sometimes I am angry when people do things that are an abomination to our Lord. I wonder why would anyone want to leave this amazing life of serving a loving God who is faithful and never leaves us. Who will always be our comfort…who will walk the road and carry us when we can’t walk on our own. Our God who will never leave us nor forsake us. I think back to my past and I would never want to go back and live the life that I lived before I found God. As I read Exodus, I find similar people. Wait, go back to the first book of the Bible and you read of people doing these same things. But I want to focus in on Exodus for a brief moment. We read of a man named Moses who God uses to deliver His people out of Egypt. That is a story in itself as Moses lacks faith in God’s ability to help him yet God still uses him. The part I want to talk about however is the responses the people of Israel have after all that God does for them. First of all, God delivers His people out of slavery in Egypt. You would think that that in itself would bring faith and worship to God. We find another amazing demonstration of God’s love when He parts the Red Sea and they all cross over on DRY land and God wipes out the Egyptians who followed. God proves time and time again of His love and provisions for His people yet, they still complain. They complain of not having food and God provides manna. I don’t know about you but all that would surely bring me to a place where I would trust Him completely and live for Him. My heart just races however as I read toward the end of Exodus as Moses goes up in the mountain for 40 days and while he is up there, the people begin to doubt again and then think that Moses isn’t coming back down. And Aaron, who God is telling Moses to anoint while he is on the mountain, is down making a golden calf for the people to worship. I don’t know about you but I am beside myself as I read this. I can’t believe God’s chosen people would turn their back on Him and worship other gods after all that the Lord did for them! I’m blown away!! So, I’ve come to the conclusion that people turned their back on God way back in the early Bible days so what makes me think they won’t do it in modern times? There will always be those who God can part the Red Sea for and provide every need for yet, they are not sold out to Him. They still turn their back and worship other things. Be the one who is on the mountain with God and not those doubting and making idols below. Win this race to the end and try to help as many as you can along the way! You can never go wrong serving God!
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Kassie Meyer
Inside this Issue Articles/Columns 2 Editors Note KASSIE MEYER 4 Gaining Ground TED GRAVES 10 Fathers: Protect Your Home DAVID REYNOLDS
Promotions
5 Soul Winners Conference NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONS
6 2014 Missionaries in Oregon GLOBAL MISSIONS
8 WCWC Pictures
LADIES MINISTRIES
12 Marriage Retreat
YOUTH DIVISION
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Gaining Ground By Ted Graves
T
o gain means to come into possession, to acquire, to attain in competition or struggle, to win to secure in profit or reward, to increase, to grow, to become better, to improve or to run fast. All of these definitions can be applied to us spiritually. The Lord wants us to gain in knowledge and wisdom (II Chronicles 1:10), “give me now wisdom and knowledge”. We as a church must gain ground in many areas. We must continue to move forward! In time of battle, in years gone by and now, the ability to gain cities or land means that you are closer to winning the war. In the word of God, Ephesians 4:27 tells us to “neither give place to the devil”. There is an all out war for your soul, your family, and the church. We are admonished by The Lord to not let the enemy take advantage of us. John 10:10, tells us “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...”.
What if Eve had not eaten the apple, what if Lot had chosen right, what if David had stayed in battle? The results of many peoples lives would be so much different. THE CHOICES WE MAKE SO DETERMINE OUR FUTURE! I have often wondered if the rich young ruler could have been one of Jesus’ disciples. I’ve wondered if Demos could have been mightily used of God, and I wonder if Ananias and Sapphire could have been listed among the “Heroes of Faith”, in Hebrews 11. We must make up our mind to make the choices that God wants in our lives. While I am writing these words, names and faces are coming to me of people that are letting the enemy destroy them. In our individual lives, in our churches and in our district, we must gain ground in this fight. Our churches must be vibrant and alive, we must conquer more territory by starting new works. The UPCI is seeing tremendous growth and we the Oregon
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District are a part of it! Let’s not allow Satan to divide us, or separate us from each other. Let’s come together in unity and win this fight. This new year of 2014 is clean and fresh, make it the best year of your life. In Jesus name we will gain ground!◊ ____________________________ Ted Graves is the Pastor of Apostolic Worship Center in Gresham, Oregon. He also serves as the Superintendent of the Oregon District.
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2014 Missionaries in Oregon Kirby & Mary Parker Africa, Malta/North Africa, Lybya Feb 11-16
Lonnie & Damarys Burton Venezeula & South America July 15-20
Patrick & Jean Groves Africa, Kenya & Sudan Feb 18-23
Marcus & Renee Brainos Europe/Middle East & France Aug 12-17
Michael & Danan Benson Africa March 4-9
Bob & Judy Addington Pacific & New Zealand Aug 26-31
Jack & Michiko Coolbaugh Asia & Thailand March 25-30
J.R. & Janet Black ABC Islands, Central America/ Caribbean & Spanish Caribbean Sept 16-21
Stephan & Debra Summers Europe/Middle East & Cyprus April 22-27
Ken & Kay Burgess El Salvador & Central America/ Caribbean May 20-25 Allan & Georgene Shalm Asia & Pakistan May 27-June 1
Paul & Stephanie Rivero Costa Rica & Central America/ Caribbean June 17-22
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Chris & Paula Richardson Africa & Madagascar Sept 23-28
John & Susan Beek Europe/Middle East & United Kingdom Oct 14-19 Darry & Kathy Crossley South America Nov 4-9
Eugene & Sherri Domingues Peru & South America Nov 18-23
GROVES Patrick Jean
In O Feb regon ruar y 18 -23
The Groveses were appointed missionaries in 2004 and arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2009 where they taught in the Bible school. They have been involved in travelling throughout Kenya training pastors and saints in the principles of leadership, evangelism and church planting. The Groveses were involved in successfully registering the newly formed UPC of South Sudan in 2011 where we currently have two churches and four pastors. They hope to relocate in the very near future to South Sudan in order to help establish this infant church for the glory of God by planting new churches and training nationals.
GLOBAL MISSIONARY SERVICE
COMING TO OUR CHURCH
Kirby & Mary
Pa r k e r This poster and other info is available online at www.globalmissions.com.
street evangelism
u Febr
mary parker with 100 year old mary in malta
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-1 1 1 y ar
MALTA
January 2013
The Parkers returned to Malta in 2008 with the added responsibility of the nations of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in northern Africa, and have sought ways to help evangelize these challenging countries. In Malta, due to church growth, a new meeting place was sought. The Lord answered by providing a theater with ten times the previous seating capacity (photo at left). The Parkers now conduct a weekly meeting on the campus of the University of Malta that is well attended by Maltese young people. They are involved in daily soul winning efforts, with the sure hope of eventually sponsoring new churches in the countries where they labor. Because the Maltese and Arabic languages are related, the Parkers continue January their language in order toACCENT become more 2014studies APOSTOLIC 7 proficient in their ability to communicate.
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West Coast Women’s Conference
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Fathers: Protect Your Home By David Reynolds
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“No man can enter into a strong mans house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man....” Mark 3:27 When a country is threatened by crisis and war, a man by nature, is willing to put his life on the line to protect his family and home. Millions of men have given their lives this very century. We are still at war—but this is not a physical war, it is a spiritual war—a war for the souls of our children. The family is the target and the wives and children too often are the victims. Our enemy, Satan is out to destroy our homes. The main target in the family today-- is the man! Satan knows that if he can destroy the strong man-he can destroy the family--the foundation of society. We need godly good men today, to stand between the forces of evil and our children. Millions of our children have no father at home to protect them from evil. Research shows that children who grow up with no father at home are more likely to: • Drop out of school • Get hooked on drugs and alcohol • Get pregnant • Get in trouble with the law • Have trouble getting and holding a job • Have trouble keeping their own marriage together “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his
plunder”. Luke 11:21,22 NIV Samson was the strongest man physically that ever lived, yet he had a flaw. He had a weakness for strange woman. His enemy the Philistines, used this weakness in order to find and destroy his strength and his ministry. Strong and good man--if you are not careful Satan will do the same to you. He desires to bind you with the throngs of materialism and the cares of this life. He would tie you with ropes of harmful habits. He wishes to cut your spiritual hair and leave you blind, ashamed and grinding the grain of the enemy. While you are thus in prison, your home and your country are left defenseless. “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through”. [Luke 12:39] David was away fighting battles that were not his fight and left his wife and children unprotected. The Amalekites came and captured all the families and burned Ziglag. [I Samuel 30] A good and strong man never knows the time of the attack. Satan knows that even a good man will relax at times. A little slumber and a little sleep comes to the best of good strong men; but when it happens the enemy is there to take advantage. Another advantage the enemy of the home has--is that he can choose the spot of attack. I believe that even good men have weak areas that make them vulnerable. This weak area is usually the last sin which one puts on the altar
and it is usually the first thing one takes up when one relaxes or is discouraged. One time, David should have been with his men fighting a battle—but instead he stayed home. During this time he was overcome with temptation and fell into adultery. You can be sure Satan will discover what this weak spot is. . “ Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset us.” Hebrews 12:1 For the last fifty years America has kept war from her shores. How did she accomplish this? She sought peace from the position of strength. America made sure she kept her weapons and she was vigilant to the wiles of the enemy. Men you must do the same! Men are you willing to stand and fight for your home and family?◊ ____________________________ David Reynolds has been the Minister of Discipleship at Portland Pentecostals since 2007. He is a graduate of Conquerors Bible College, Cascade College, Portland State University and post graduate work at the University of Oregon. He served as a teacher, assistant Principle & Principle. Since retiring from public education he has traveled extensively to over 37 countries preaching & teaching in Bible Schools and has written several books on Education, The Family & Parenting.
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