The Sin Issue | Marching toward Hope Promo | Youth Convention | The Power of Faithfulness | The Creditor is Come
The Official Magazine of the Oregon District UPCI
accent
March 2013
A Note from the Editor 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……………………………….......James Bigelow Apostolic Man Director……………………………..……......Mark Edday Ladies Ministries Director…………………………......….Geanice Langley Secretary…………………...…….....…….Rachel Sparks Sunday School Director………………………….…......…Darrell Sparks Secretary…………....………………….....…..Joe Higgins Oregon Youth President…………………………….......…Stan Gleason 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
Falling in Love with Jesus, Falling in Love with Jesus, Falling in Love with Jesus is the best thing I’ve ever done . In His arms I feel protected , in His arms never disconnected … What a song! As I look back and reflect over my life , I can truly say that falling in Love with Jesus is the best thing I’ve ever done . It has changed my attitude and the whole outcome of my life . As a child I was headed on the wrong path …making the wrong choices and headed toward being someone I would not want to be . And throughout the past twenty plus years, I have found that falling in love with Him continues to be an amazing adventure . When things get rough or life seems to throw us for a loop, keep falling in love with Him and it makes for a remarkable walk with our Maker! Sometimes we may think that this road we are taking seems tough or that we just can’t make it but oh how it is so worth it. The world longs for what we have . The world wants what we have . They are looking for that peace , that strength , that relationship with our Maker. The world tries to find what they are looking for in drugs, alcohol , relationships, work , etc. but they are never satisfied . They are still longing for something more! They are still bound by the things of this world . We are a blessed people! We have experienced a relationship with God , our chains have been set free and our cup has been filled . We have fallen in love with Jesus and have experienced the most amazing thing there is to ever experience . John 8:32 says, “And ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free .” Another scripture that comes to mind is 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold , all things are become new.” With Him I am free …I am new creature . I want to fall in love with Him every day of my life because it is the best thing I have ever done!
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Kassie Meyer
Inside this Issue Articles/Columns 2 A Note from the Editor KASSIE MEYER 4 The Sin Issue M. DENNIS JOHNSON 6 The Power of Faithfulness STAN GLEASON 8 The Place, Part 3: A Secret Place JAMES BIGELOW 10 The Creditor is come...What must I do? DAVID REYNOLDS
Promotions 5 Marching Toward Hope SUNDAY SCHOOL DIVISION 6 Youth Convention YOUTH DIVISION
9 Missionaries in Oregon
FOREIGN MISSIONS
12 Mother’s Memorial LADIES MINISTRIES
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The Sin Issue By M. Dennis Johnson
From an eternal perspective the philosophers on Mars Hill, “God most important human issue is no longer winks at sin but now sin. The story of the Bible is the commands all men to repent” story of how sin entered the world (Acts 17:30). James insists pure and how Christ brought us victory religion must include keeping over sin. If our response to His plan oneself unspotted. The first step of redemption does not result in in obeying the gospel is to turn our ceasing to habitually sin, then away from sin, repent! we have tragically thwarted His The reason God was manifested plan. in flesh was Sin was the to bring to Sin was the issue in issue in the h u m a n i t y the beginning beginning. Sin is atonement for what separated us sins past and to from God. Adam destroy Satan’s was not rejected on the basis power to coerce us to sin, also, of how well or how poorly he to provide Christians a means of cared for the Garden of Eden. He continual cleansing should we sin was not judged on the quality of after the initial cleansing of the fellowship he offered to God nor New Birth (1 John 2:1). on his level of intelligence, his Church culture continues ambition, his looks or any other to lessen the importance of measure of human value. He was Christians living sin-free lives. rejected purely on the basis of sin. Many activities once shunned by And the rest of the Old Testament the entire Christian community is the account of mankind’s are now widely accepted as no inability to stop sinning. longer objectionable, but God In the New Testament message has not changed. As born-again of redemption, the first principle Apostolics, we must resist this proclaimed by John the Baptist trend by striving to live above was repent. The first word from sin, preaching and teaching the Messiah was repent. The first that victory over sin is possible word in Peter’s response to the through Him, and keeping firmly crowd was repent. Paul told the in mind that He purchased and
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cleansed us with His own blood. It is possible and it is required of us to conquer sin in our lives. So much of our activity in the human arena focuses on performance, achievement, and producing some sort of results. This is normal and to a certain degree a part of our pleasing God by producing acceptable fruit. Notwithstanding, this human tendency toward activity may cause us to forget that in the final analysis, more than any other consideration, our destiny will rest on the question, Are our garments white? (See Revelation Rev. 7:9-17.)◊ ____________________________ M. Dennis Johnson is the pastor of United Pentecostal Church in Albany, Oregon. He also serves as the Section 2 Presbyter and A.C.T.S. Coordinator for the Oregon District.
Ten Quick Tips for Building an Effective Easter Program (from the Sunday School Division website)
1. Prayer: Begin seeking God early with prayer and fasting for dierction for your local church and community needs.
6. Quality: Strive for quality by being willing to spend money, time, and effort.
7. Diversity: Have something for everyone (children, 2. Plan: Begin early with a plan (drama, special music, adults, singles, young marrieds, teens, elders, and children’s rally, preaching, visitor drive, etc.). young adults). 3. Organize: Recruit workers and communicate their responsibilities, set a time-table, and promotional plan. 4. Get involvement: Help the congregation to buy into the plan. Give them good reasons to get involved.
8. Advertise: Let the community know something special is going on (radio spots, door to door canvassing, newspaper ads, contacting friends, relatives, previous visitors, and former members). 9. Anointing: The service needs the Holy Spirit to energize the entire program for it to be effective.
5. Promotion: Promote the service frequently 10. Follow up: Have ushers collect a good visitor file and effectively with the congregation and in the and follow up on each one with an offer for a Bible community . study.
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Kick off Date: April 14th
The Power of Faithfulness...
By Stan Gleason
During recent services, Joe has heard much teaching about having a thirst for God. As a result, he has committed to daily prayer and has been more expressive in his worship. Joe has a friend in the youth group named Mike. Mike is very popular. He is tall with wavy blond hair, is a great basketball player and when Mike sings, the room becomes electrified. Mike seems to have everything going for him. A few months ago, Mike had been scheduled to sing a special. At the last minute, he got sick and Joe was asked to fill in for
him. At first, Joe had felt a little intimidated. He was aware that Mike was a much better singer, yet Joe was happy to be able to help when needed. During the very next service, Mike had been scheduled to praise sing. However, he was called into work so again, Joe stepped in for him. A couple of weeks later, Mike informed the music director that his voice was acting up and that he wouldn’t be able to praise sing anymore. You guessed it - Joe filled in. Since that time, Joe has noticed
that people have started coming to him for things that they used to ask Mike to do. Even though Joe feels much less talented than Mike, he is discovering that his faithfulness and availability have begun to open doors for him. Joe is learning not to underestimate the power of faithfulness.â—Š ____________________________ Stan Gleason is an Evangelist from Oregon City, Oregon. He also serves as the Oregon District Youth Presisdent.
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The Place
Part 3: A Secret Place By James Bigelow In May, 2007, my wife and I vacationed on the beautiful garden island of Kauai, in Hawaii. It was an especially nice getaway because I had undergone a bone marrow transplant the previous November and needed time for recovery. We took long walks together, looking for the ideal ‘secret place’ where we could get away from other tourists and enjoy each other’s company. One day while out for a drive we spotted a small sign that indicated a waterfall was in the area and so we parked alongside the road, grabbed our sack lunch and began hiking into a wooded area. We were soon joined by two Chocolate Labradors that acted as though they had escorted many others visitors along the trail. The Falls were further than we had anticipated but this was a lovely area and so we had a leisurely stroll, thoroughly enjoying the beauty and solitude of the area. The dogs led us unerringly to our destination and then swam in the cool water while we sat on a log near the glistening waterfalls enjoying the fragrance of flowering shrubs and listening to birds singing while we ate our lunch – all of it that is except that which the labs mooched from us – which they seemed to expect as payment for their guide service. I suppose all of us at one time
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or another have wanted to go to a secret place – if for no other reason than to get away from the hectic pace of everyday life and just enjoy being in God’s nature. Maybe we have longed to find a secret garden where we can safely retreat, sit on a park bench, and just relax while enjoying the fragrant flowers and watching the squirrels and birds. Some of you may even now be thinking of that favorite fishing hole where you can sit on a rock and dangle your bare toes in the water while you wait for a fish to bite. Psalm 91 is a wonderful passage of Scripture. It begins this way, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty”. Note that this secret place is much more than a temporary get-away; it’s a place where we can dwell (live) permanently; it’s an abiding place that is prepared by the most High as a place of habitation for those who know his name. When the LORD God told Moses, “There is a place by me,” he also let him know that this place was upon a rock. There, in a cleft of the rock, God hid Moses while his glorious presence passed by (Exodus 33:21-22). When Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1), he was saying, “Because I long for you to be with me where I am, in the
bosom of my Father, I am going to lay down my life as a sacrifice for sin and then arise from the dead, ascend on high, and be glorified. From my place of high exaltation at the right hand of my Father, I will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, thus making a way for us to be one, even as I and my Father are one.” (See John 17:11, 20-24). Yes, because of what God in Christ did on behalf of sinful men at Calvary, all of us may enjoy so much more than just a passing presence of his glory; we can actually live “in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs” (Song 2:14a). It is there, where our lives are hid with Christ in God, that we enjoy sweet communion with him and sup with him. He longs for all of mankind to be with him in this secret place, as we see by his entreaty to his beloved bride, “Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely” (Song 2:14b). No, you need not make a trip to Kauai to find the ideal secret place, although I’m sure you would enjoy it as much as we did. It is a bit spendy, however. Isn’t it great that Jesus already paid the full price to give us access to the secret place of the most High? He let it be known that there are many mansions (dwelling places)
in his Father’s house and oh, how he longs for people from every tribe, tongue and nation to be there with him! I encourage you to take some of that “getaway” money you have been setting aside and invest it in partnership with Christ to help speed the gospel around the world. By giving to Global Missions through our local churches on a monthly basis, we can help fulfill Jesus expressed desire that his house be full. NOTE: To all who may be interested in the method used by our Global Missions Division to determine the number of missionaries (and the number of services) that is expected for each district, I submit this brief memo
that I received this week: “In order to keep the need of missions before the church and to encourage Faith Promise giving among the saints, Global Missions recommends that each cooperating church have one missionary service each quarter, four services per year. We define a cooperating church as one that is enrolled with at least one monthly PIM pledge. Therefore, to determine how many missionary services we ask a district to host each month, we use the following formula: Number of cooperating churches ÷ by 3 (months in a quarter) = the number of services GM will request in a month. For example, if a church has 60
Dan & Debbie Barkley April 23-28 South America
SHANE & DENA HAYES May 21-26
cooperating churches . . . 60 ÷ 3 = 20 services each month Diana Gourley Secretary to Bryan Abernathy Director of Promotion (What this basically means for the Oregon District is this: We should be averaging 5 services for every missionary that comes through. Will you strive to do your fair share?)◊ ___________________________ James Bigelow is the Global Missions Director for the Oregon District.
JONATHAN & MARIA STRICKLAND August 13-18 Greece
Chili
JOHN & SHERI HEMUS August 20-25
JOE & FANNY COONEY June 18-23
LIONEL & JOHANNA DABBS September 17-22
United kingdom
ireland
JACOB & MANDY PALMA July 9-14 Uruguay
Singapore
WAYNE & SOFIA MONDAY September 24-29
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 James Bigelow at: 541.756.7141 or 541.217.4310
jamesLbigelow@hotmail.com
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The Creditor is come...What must I do?
By David Reynolds
There cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. II Kings 4:1
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Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net Submitted by hin255
Debt brings bondage. Thank God the credit card creditors can no longer take our sons--yet the bondage is just as real. We are a ‘debtor’ society. Our Government does it, our banks encourages it, and the Department Stores love it. One lady confessed, “I was spending money I hadn’t earned for things that I had already used”—most she really did not need. The credit card companies are seducing our families with 35- 75 offers of preapproved credit cards each year. Even the government encourages us to pay our back Income Tax with our Credit Cards. “Have it your way with Visa --”Master the moment with MasterCard” --”The American Express Card--Your key opens doors for you all over the world.” --”It pays to Discover” --”Don’t leave home without it”. Easy credit in hard economic times is encouraging families to accumulate credit card debt. They are not credit cards--they are ‘debt cards’ and they bring bondage. The burden is highest among those with the lowest incomes. It is easier to charge it than to save for the items we want. All must confess that we use the card to buy impulse items that we would never buy with cash. “Most do not realize that if they just pay the minimum every month they get nowhere fast. If a young couple has a $1000 dollar balance and is paying the minimum payment of 2% on a card charging 17%--that $1000
will cost them $2590 and will take 17 years 3 months to pay it off. If there is a balance of $2500 it will cost $7733 and will take 30 years 3 months to pay it off. But, if the couple has a $5000 credit card debt and pays just the minimum each month it will cost them $16,305 and will take 40 years 2 months to pay it off”. [Source AARP Bulletin, March 2003] You are not a debtor as long as you are making good on your promise to pay on time--you are fulfilling your agreement. But, what happens when you fall behind and cannot pay. You are now in bondage. In Bible times they could throw you into prison until you ‘paid up’. Today, people are taking the easy way out and filing for bankruptcy. To the Christian, however, this should not be an option as long as the debtors are willing to work with you and give you time to pay. How do we get out of credit card debt once we are bound? My Advice: 1. Admit you have a problem. Confess that you are mixing up ‘wants” and “needs”. 2. Cut up all of the cards that you now have. Pay always with checks or cash. [Cash is that paper stuff with former president’s pictures on them] If you do not have cash you sure should never have credit cards. 3. Itemize household and living expenses--separate real needs from wants--eliminate wants. Never buy a new car--always one that is three or four years old, and
“I was spending money I hadn’t earned for things that I had already used”
plan to keep it until it wears out. 4. Priorities debts. Protect your home first. Never refinance credit card debt with a home equity loan. 5. Contact your debtors and assure them they will be paid-but within your ability. Ask for time. Work with an accredited nonprofit credit-counseling agency to explore ways to pay off your credit cards. [Never a firm that is doing this for profit] 6. Learn your lesson--never allow yourself to be bound again. After you are completely out of debt and you would like one card for emergencies--then beat the credit card ‘masters’ at their own game. Pay off the credit card debt every month. The month you cannot do this is the month you stop using it. It is nice to let them do your bookkeeping for free. Conclusion Let not the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke out our spirituality and our family freedom. I have no Credit Card debt, my cars are paid off, and I paid off my mortgage this month. It feels so good to be free. It feels good to live a simpler lifestyle. All of the best things in life are free!◊ ____________________________ 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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How it all began...
In 1953, Mary Cole became the first Ladies Auxiliary president for the United Pentecostal Church Intl. In 1956 the Mothers Memorial fund raising Drive began with an offering of $4,930.63. Ila Ashcraft followed as president in 1960 and served until her death in 1964. Vera Kinzie then served as President until 1994. Gwyn Oakes became president in 1994 and continues to serve. The name has changed to Ladies Ministries and Mothers Memorial continues as the name of the annual fund drive.
What does Mother’s Memorial Support? TUPELO CHILDREN’S MANSION Children from dysfunctional families live in an environment with opportunity to grow spiritually, physically and emotionally.. NEW BEGINNINGS Maternity care for birthmothers considering adoption and child placement for adoptive couples. HAVEN OF HOPE A program for girls ages 13-16 with behavioral and emotional issues. LIGHTHOUSE RANCH FOR BOYS Healing broken and hurting lives of teen boys. Ministering in a spirit of love and care. WWW.MYHOPERADIO.COM Apostolic gospel music all day on the internet at no cost to you!
DIVISION OF EDUCATION Promotes Apostolic doctrine in schools, colleges, and chaplaincies. Seminars for educators serving in UPCI endorsed Bible colleges. GLOBAL MISSIONS Appliances, Christmas and children’s birthday checks for missionary families and support of Bible Schools. NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONS Bible studies, tracts, and family emergency assistance are provided. MULTICULTURAL AND PRISION MINISTRY Receives funds for needed literature from Ladies Ministries. URSHAN COLLEGE Ladies Ministries allocates annually to the Library fund.