Apostolic Accent October 2013 by Kassie Meyer

Without Me Ye Can do Nothing | Project 7 | Upcoming WCWC | Mothers-- Be ‘Keepers’ of the Home

The Official Magazine of the Oregon District UPCI

accent

October 2013

Oregon District Apostolic Accent Volume 48, 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

Editors Note When I think of Pastor Appreciation Month, I think back to the wonderful pastor’s the Lord has blessed me with over the years and am thankful for each one of them. As a twelve year old girl, I had no idea what this life would hold for me. I received the Holy Ghost in a church up in Alaska and moved less than a year later to Washington. What an amazing church I was and am a part of and I’m so thankful that I got to hear preaching and that I was given a contact for a church in Washington. There are so many memories of the different pastors I’ve had and as I reflect back, I realize that if I didn’t have preaching, if I didn’t have a pastor, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. A pastor looks after your soul. They are concerned about your eternal future. They pray for you. They love you and care for you. They want to see you make it to heaven. They preach and teach the Word of God to you! What a great responsibility! If a preacher, if a pastor had not been called to my home town in Alaska, how would I have heard the beautiful message of Salvation? I’m so thankful that God calls people to bring forth His word…to share the good news of Jesus Christ! Thank you to every pastor out there for giving your life to the ministry and caring for souls with passion and dedication! Romans 10:14-15 says, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

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

2 APOSTOLIC ACCENT October 2013

Kassie Meyer

Inside this Issue

We would like to encourage our ladies to start making plans to attend WCWC this year!!!

Wanda Chavis

Articles/Columns 2 Editors Note KASSIE MEYER 4 Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing DAN SARGENT 6 Project7 SHANE GRAVES

West Coast Women’s Conference November 14 -16, 2013 Seaside Convention Center 415 First Avenue Seaside, Oregon For more information go to www.orladiesministries.com Registration $35.00 by October 19th Registration $45.00 after this date Registration Form Make checks payable to “Oregon District Ladies Ministries” and mail to Rachel Sparks, 6720 SW 198th Aloha, OR 97007 NAME:_____________________________________________________________________

If you came last year, I know you are looking forward to returning to the beautiful Oregon Coast. Bring a friend with you and that will make it even better See you there!!!!

ADDRESS;__________________________________________________________________ City:________________________________State_______________________Zip__________ Phone (____)___________________Pastor_______________________________________ I am an Oregon District Minister’s Widow_________Home Missionary Wife___________ (You must be in the 5 year status) Registration for Widows and Home Missionary Wives is free but you must register.

Geanice Langley Oregon District Ladies Ministries President

10 Mothers-- Be ‘Keepers of the Home!’ DAVID REYNOLDS

Promotions

7 WCWC News LADIES MINISTRY 8 Missionaries in Oregon

FOREIGN MISSIONS

11 WCWC Registration Form LADIES MINISTRY

October 2013 APOSTOLIC ACCENT 3

Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing By Dan Sargent

Jesus

said, “…without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). You probably believe that the Scripture is infallible, the inspired Word of God; but, actually, I’ve proved this Scripture wrong many times. I’ve actually done many things “without Him” Perhaps this Scripture includes a typo by one of the ancient scribes. Maybe it originally read “there is nothing you can’t do without Him.” I’ve gone for days and weeks without Him. I’ve done ministry without Him. I’ve preached without Him. I’ve taught in a Christian School without Him. I’ve taught Sunday School without Him. I’ve taught Bible Studies without Him. I’ve pastored without Him. I’ve led worship without Him. I’ve played musical instruments without Him. I’ve held church positions without Him.

4 APOSTOLIC ACCENT October 2013

I’ve held district positions without Him. I’ve counseled without Him. I’ve been a husband without Him. I’ve been a parent without Him. I’ve justified myself without Him. You could say that I’ve been able to do almost everything “without Him!” Yes, this is the state in which God made humanity. He gave us the discretionary power to do anything we choose with or without Him. The Bible contains many stories about kings. All the kings can be divided in two categories: those who chose to submit their God-given power back to God to serve Him and those who chose to rebel against God to serve themselves. Saul was anointed king to lead God’s people. Sadly, he ultimately used that power to serve himself. David was anointed king in Saul’s place and became a type of Christ because he used that power to serve God.

To be fair to the passage I referenced above, Jesus said these words in the context of being fruitful. Without Jesus, we can do nothing that will bear spiritual fruit in the Kingdom of God. He is the Vine, we are the branches. We must be baptized into Christ. We must dwell in that secret place. We must spend time with Him. We must labor to enter into His rest. If we do not abide in Him, He will not abide in us. We must spend time praying in the Holy Ghost. Without Him we can do nothing! God is a God of order. He created everything in order and He gave us commandments in order. The first of the Ten Commandments is listed first for a reason. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). This verse was a revelation to me. Anything that comes before God is another god. The preposition “before” is not only spatial but a reference to time. If God does not hold first priority in my life He is not Lord of my life! Whatever holds first priority in your life is God. One day I realized that God did not hold first priority in my schedule. I would complete my morning routine getting ready for work and if I had time, I prayed. I would practice music and if I had time I prayed. I would study for a sermon, and if I had time left over I prayed. If things became really hectic, prayer-time could always be the wildcard. I had a lot of other gods. I found that the secret to a consistent prayer life is to pray first no matter what else is on my schedule. God is only first if my time with God has first priority.

How much time? I want to pray until the will of the flesh dies and the power of the Holy Ghost reigns in my spirit. Jesus didn’t change the order of the commandments when He said “…The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:2930) We have one God in our lives only when He takes first priority. Why did Jesus proceed to equate the second commandment with the first: “…Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself?”(Mark 12:31) The nine Fruits of the Spirit Paul listed in Galatians 5 is the fruit Jesus talked about in John 15 that result from abiding in Him and He abiding in us. Loving one another or loving your neighbor is a supernatural work of the Spirit. Without this supernatural fruit, we have no choice but to sin against the people around us which is doing the Works of the Flesh listed also in Galatians 5. Without Jesus we will commit the works of the flesh against our fellow members of the human race, our families, and against the Body of Christ. We can do nothing else. Our flesh will only do the works of the flesh. However, if we immerse ourselves in Him; if we are consumed with the fire of His Spirit; if we abide in the vine; if we walk in the Spirit; if we dwell in that secret place; we will produce the Fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is a breakdown of how we love our

fellow members of the human race and more specifically to how we love our fellow members of the Body of Christ. If we do not love (supernaturally) the Body of Christ we do not love God. When we produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our personal relationships we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The Fruit of the Spirit, is simply the law of God written on the fleshly tablets of our hearts; which was typified by the law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Law of Moses was given to the children of Israel after they were miraculously delivered from Egypt so they would learn to serve the one true God in their personal relationships with one another. Of course, until the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, no one could keep these laws. In John 14 Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you”. With the power of the Holy Ghost we can say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which stengtheneth me. (Philipians 4:13) From this day forward, I want to do nothing without Him!◊ ____________________________ Dan Sargent is the pastor of Lighthouse UPC in Newport, Oregon. He also serves as the District Secretary for the Oregon District.

October 2013 APOSTOLIC ACCENT 5

By Shane Graves

If you’re like me, you have always dreamed of

doing something thought impossible. Think about all of the modern inventions we have today, they were all thought impossible. However, someone refused to accept the “impossible” diagnosis. They believed not only that it was possible, but worth attempting. Thus history remembers the names of those who did the impossible. All across North America, there is a group of young people that are doing what has been thought impossible! It’s not so much the action but rather the location that seemed impossible! They are reaching places thought out of reach. I am talking about their middle and high schools. Students are starting Bible clubs on their school campuses! One young man in Wisconsin started a Bible Club at his school and many of his friends came on the very first meeting. Did I mention he is

6 APOSTOLIC ACCENT October 2013

only in third grade? That third grader is doing the impossible! People think you cannot pray in your public school, but it is possible. You just have to go through the right channels. Did you know that if you ask your school principal if you can start a Bible Club, he/she cannot legally refuse you? Project 7 is a free resource created by the General Youth Division to help students start Bible Clubs. For more info go to www.p7online.org My question is this, “Who will start the first P7 Bible Club in Oregon?” Who will be the first to do the impossible? History may or may not record your name, but Heaven surely will!◊ ___________________________________________ Shane Graves is a minister at Apostolic Worship Center in Gresham, Oregon. He also serves as the Youth President for the Oregon District.

WCWC

Oregon Ladies Ministries News

West Coast Women’s Conference Seaside Convention Center November 14-16, 2013

Conference Special $10.00 off If you bring a first-time guest

2013

Anointed Speakers

Wanda Chavis & Kim Ballestero

Consignment Shop Craft tables PPH Book Store Fellowship

In Oregon November 12th-17th Global Missionary Service on

Republic of Ireland

Terry & Cindy McFarland Caleb

Information on each missionary and country, plus many helps, can be viewed or downloaded at www. globalmissions.com Pastors can place their request for specific missionaries to visit their church by contacting Terry and Cindy McFarland received missionary appointment to Ireland in March David Reynolds at: 2004, following six years in Ireland as AIMers. They worked diligently, and God them to (503) 830-6950 orhelped via email: establish a headquarters church in Northern Irelandapostolicfamilies@gmail.com with a part-time Bible school. Amid MKs at work on the mission field . . . no matter what kind of work it is!

some of the worst religious violence in Irish history, they established the only UPCI church in Northern Ireland. In 2008 they began pastoring a work in the Republic of Ireland and will continue working toward establishing more works when they return to the field after furlough. 8 APOSTOLIC ACCENT October 2013

This poster and other info is available online at www.globalmissions.com.

July 2012

GLOBAL MISSIONARY SERVICE In Oregon November 19th-24th at our church on

Mike & Miriam Sponsler Argentina

The Sponslers are veteran global missionaries having spent the bulk of missionary ministry working with the church in Argentina. They were directors of the Instituto Biblico de Argentina and are actively involved in teaching and preaching throughout the country. They teach on family structure and marriage and work with pastors and churches in strengthening the family through a program called Restoring the Family. Upon returning to the field after deputation, their goals include continuing to expand the national Bible school, starting satellite schools, continuing teacher development, continuing to work with the national leadership in an advisory capacity and serving as a liaison. They will also continue to work in evangelism on a local, district and national level, develop the family and marriage ministries on a local and national level, and serve the national church in whatever capacities needed. October 2013 APOSTOLIC ACCENT 9 This poster and other info is available online at www.globalmissions.com.

February 2013

Mothers-- Be ‘Keepers of the Home!’ By David Reynolds

10 APOSTOLIC ACCENT October 2013

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:5

It does my heart good to see

once again how the Word of God counters the norms of our society. The Bible talks about people willing to “believe a lie”. A number of years back the U. S. News and World Report had on it’s cover a message in large letters: “The Lies Parents Tell About Work, Kids, Money, Day Care and Ambition.” The article told, in part, about excuses people use to rationalize why young mothers leave their small children in order to work out side the home –the article called these excuses, ‘delusions’. One of these delusions was: “It’s OK for both of us to work because our child is in a good day care”. The article stated that more than half of American infants and toddlers were in the care of someone other than their parents. After the parents made the decision to both work they expressed high levels of satisfaction with their childcare. Yet--in the Roper poll 75% of all those responding to the poll felt that mothers who work outside the home and who have children under three are threatening family values. Are parents deluding themselves? The article reported that one

Baptist church in Arkansas shut down their day care facility, stating that in their experience, “working mothers neglect their children, damage their marriages and set a bad example”. Wow! Studies show that a baby ‘bonds’ in the first eighteen months. Most authorities “agree that the child’s attachment to his primary caregiver--usually mother, forms the foundation for his emotional development.” Numerous studies show that the weaker the bond the greater the risk for “later behavior problems, including over aggression, disobedience, problems in learning in school and problems in feeling compassion for others.” What happens in many daycare facilities where personal are paid minimum wages and the turnover of employees are very high? Who is the baby ‘bonding’ to—or are the babies even bonding? New brain research shows that “the period from birth to 3 years of age is critical to intellectual growth. In cases where the mother-child relationship is already weak, placing a child in a day care as an infant more than ten hours a week can cause real damage.” The article asked, “Why is it then that mothers rationalize and claim that no harm is done?” They put forth the following as possible reasons: 1. “Working women fear that if they admit they don’t have to work--or that their day care is low quality, they will be labeled bad mothers.” 2. “They themselves are fully aware of the strain on their

families and they wonder if maybe--maybe--they have made the wrong choice, Yet it is not unreasonable for women to fear that an attempt at “honest” discussion is really an effort to take away their personal independence and power.” Most mothers who go back to work during the first three years claim that they have to do it to survive economically. If, however, the mother would take a pad and pencil, jot down the added cost for transportation, eating out, nicer cloths, added taxes and the cost of daycare—she would have to confess that she is bringing in very little additional family income. Subtract from that the added stress on the marriage and family and the fact that she may not be the first to see the first step or hear the first words of her child. She may then have to confess that the article is correct and she is doing it for her own sense of “personal independence and power”. Older Women –Teach the younger women to be keepers at home! ◊ ____________________________ 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.

October 2013 APOSTOLIC ACCENT 11

We would like to encourage our ladies to start making plans to attend WCWC this year!!!

Wanda Chavis

If you came last year, I know you are looking forward to returning to the beautiful Oregon Coast. Bring a friend with you and that will make it even better See you there!!!!

ADDRESS;__________________________________________________________________ City:________________________________State_______________________Zip__________ Phone (____)___________________Pastor_______________________________________ I am an Oregon District Minister’s Widow_________Home Missionary Wife___________ 12 APOSTOLIC October 2013 for Widows and Home Missionary (You must be in the ACCENT 5 year status) Registration Wives is free but you must register.

Geanice Langley Oregon District Ladies Ministries President