New Hope Today by Robert Blackwell

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Special Announcement

A Letter From The Pastor

Praise and Worship

How To Lead Someone To Christ

From the Anniversary Committee

What Does Praise and Worship Mean?

Men’s Decipleship

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

9 University Day 10 A Man of Vision, Bishop Otis Lockett Baker’s Diner

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New Hope Today Magazine

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The transition from the old Newsletter to a brand new magazine is complete. We are proud to present to you the second issue of our magazine. So welcome to the second issue of New Hope Today, the magazine of New Hope Church of God In Christ Maysville, North Carolina. Here, you’ll find information about what we are doing in the Jones County area. Our goal is that this magazine will have topics that are relevant to you in your daily life with a message of Truth. Enjoy our second issue!

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On the cover: “Missionary Debara Blackwell”, courtesy of blackwell photography Editor: Robert Blackwell Production Coordinator: Debara Blackwell Designer: Robert Blackwell Information is correct at press time. Check www.newhopecogic1.org for updates. New Hope Today is published quarterly by the New Hope Church of God In Christ at PO Box 250 Maysville, N.C. 28555. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the official company policy. © 2012 new hope today. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited. Editorial, publishing and advertising offices: PO Box 250 Maysville, N.C. 28555. Subscription price: $40.00 per year. Send all remittances and correspondences about subscriptions, undelivered copies and address changes to: New Hope Church of God In Christ at PO Box 250 Maysville, N.C. 28555.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT For the best food in town try, Baker’s Diner. Good cooking made grandma’s style! Baker’s serves everything from Chicken and Dumplings and homemade Collards, to Peach and Apple Cobbler! Come to Maysville and support the Baker’s, and while you’re at it, have some of grandma’s home vittles and get the fixin you need today!

A Letter From The Pastor

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My Brothers & Sisters:

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As we gather today for worship and praise on the 15th Anniversary of our beloved New Hope Church of God In Christ, I am overjoyed with excitement and jubilation! Since 1997, members of our New Hope Church Family have been preaching, teaching, sharing and spreading the good news Gospel of Jesus Christ. With each new generation, our Church Family has been actively engaged in very passionate ways in teaching the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all people through Jesus Christ.

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Today we can celebrate a long and lasting legacy of charitable Christian service and traditions based upon vibrant worship services, zealous religious training, and sustained outreach services that have uplifted those who have found themselves counted among the least, the last, and lost. We can celebrate the fact that our church has maintained an unbroken tradition of instilling within every generation since our founding, the Biblical duty to make certain that the next generation hears about the mighty acts of God and how to demonstrate our love of God through community outreach and support that fosters kingdom building. It has been such an honor for me to serve as pastor of this church since the beginning. I feel so blessed standing on the shoulders of all the great men who taught me in the Gospel. Thank you for your stewardship, your love, and especially your support; but more importantly, thank you for your faithfulness. May God continue to bless you and your family in all that you endeavor as “Many generations continue to praise thy works.” Yours in God’s service,

Pastor Robert Blackwell

PRAISE and WORSHIP

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community. As ministers, we need to show our congregations and our communities that this thing called Christianity, this thing called ministry, is important enough to us to do it to the best of our ability, giving our very best to God, doing all that we do to the glory of Him. The Church should be setting standards of excellence for the world to follow, not the other way around.

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The Principle Scripture upon which Missionary Debara Blackwell founded the Praise and Worship Conference is Psalm 33:3 which says, “Sing unto the Lord a new song. Play skillfully with a loud noise.” God has impressed upon Debara’s heart to bring a spirit of excellence in ministry to the Body of Christ. It is this excellence, Debara believes, that will help to bring in the End-Time Harvest of souls in these final days before Jesus returns. Excellence in ministry is essential to the growth of a ministry. People want to be a part of a church that is making a difference in the lives of its people and in its

It is the primary goal of Debara Blackwell and the Praise and Worship Conference to help churches establish more effective Praise and Worship ministries. We can do this in a variety of ways: 1. Praise and Worship Workshops where we teach Worship teams on the basics of Praise and Worship and the function of a Praise and Worship team in the church. We try to cover as much ground as possible in these types of sessions. 2. Praise and Worship Concerts where we come in and lead a service of Praise and Worship. We can do this with or without your church’s choir and band. Some churches like to have their teams lead along with us, whereas some like to give their teams the opportunity to sit out for once and be fed and ministered to.

3. Preaching and teaching congregations on Biblical Praise and Worship and what the Bible says about music in the church. 4. Providing resources such as teaching tapes, CD’s, etc. that will help Pastors and Music Ministers better understand the role of Praise, Worship, and Music in their churches. 5. Another service from the Praise and Worship Conference Ministries is our financial seminar. Debara’s husband is currently writing a book about God’s design for our finances. It is a 52-week devotional called, “A Year of Prosperity”. The book will be available soon. Music Minister Debara Blackwell and her husband Robert would love to come to your church or organization to speak on God’s fiscal design for our lives!

For more information on this unique ministry, promotional packets are available upon request. Feel free to contact us. You can snail mail us at Debara Blackwell PO Box 250 Maysville, NC 28555. Or email us at debarajb@ yahoo.com. Write, call, or email us today!

How to Lead someone to Jesus Christ

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Dear Heavenly Father, I recognize that I am in need of salvation because Your Word tells me that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) You said in Your Word, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in

God bless you as you begin your new life in Jesus Christ. You’ll never be the same!!!

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Pray the following prayer and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

based church where you can be taught the Word of God.

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The Lord Jesus Christ has a wonderful plan in store for your life. He can and will help to bring order and meaning to your life and give you the sense of completeness that can only come through knowing Him. Are you ready? He’s waiting for you!

your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He went to the cross and paid the price for my sins through His death. I believe He was raised from the dead so that I could be right with Him. Your Word says; “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10) I do believe with my heart, and I now confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is now my Lord and Savior. Therefore, I am saved and I am now a child of God!

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Salvation does not come by joining a church, following a certain religion, doing good deeds, or by living a good moral life, no matter how good these may seem to be. The Bible tells us there is only one way to receive salvation. You must be born again by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior. Jesus said in John 14:6; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

If you are sensing the need to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I want you to know that we have constructed a prayer for you to pray that will lead you to the Lord so you can be born-again. Do not put this off! Now is the appointed time for your salvation, and it is, without a doubt, the most important decision you will ever make.

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I am so happy that you have taken the time to consider your future. You see, Almighty God loves you so much that He made a way for you to have a special relationship with Him while you are here on the earth, and a way for you to spend eternity with Him when you pass on from this life. He sent Jesus Christ to take the sin of mankind and die in our place as our substitute, paying the penalty for that sin, so that we could experience salvation and be set free from the bondage of sin. The Bible says in John 3:3, “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Thank you Lord. Welcome To The Family To help you grow in your new Christian life, it is important to begin reading the Bible, beginning with the New Testament. It is also important that you pray every day to your Heavenly Father, speaking to Him from your heart, in your own words. You also need to belong to a good, Bible5

FROM THE ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE

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We have gathered to celebrate our rich heritage. Thank you for joining us today. What a blessing to be God’s mouthpiece for these many years! So many lives are better because of our Ministry here in the city of Maysville. Praise God for His wonderful wisdom.

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Our youth are on the move and Elder Kenneth Hill, Deacon Schumata Brown, Missionary Jackie Hill and Missionary Vickie Chance are doing great things with our children.

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Dr. Alphana Hobbs has filled our hearts with messages God sent. Praise God for Elder Hobbs, Karida Kelly and their leadership during our After School Program. Our children are much better because of them.

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Thanks to all of you for your hard work and faithful service. Let each of us strive to always be like Jesus, we’ve come this far by faith!

Heartfelt Thanks! To Rev. Harold Nance and your choirs, ushers, and congregations, thank you making our conference a success. Special thanks to The Vine Swamp Church and Rev. Michael White for delivering our soulinspired, spirit filled anniversary sermon. Thanks to all local pastors and churches, ministers, local community supporters, to our many visitors, New Hope Church family, committees, and program participants, thank you, for sharing in our 15th Church Anniversary Service. All praises to God because He is Worthy to be Praised! The Anniversary Committee -----------------------Church History In 1996 God placed it on Elder Robert Blackwell’s heart to form a ministry in Maysville that would provide people with the opportunity to give greater meaning

to their lives. In addressing their spiritual needs, the church was started with three people the Blackwell family. They met and held worship services in their home. By 1997, the ministry was clearly established as “New Hope Church of God In Christ” and identified as the “church of many colors.” In September of 1997, Elder Blackwell announced that he had found a building in Maysville. From the very beginning the music department has been a first class operation under the leadership of First Lady Debara Blackwell an energetic person whose leadership was instrumental in the church’s growth. On Sunday, October 19, 1997, the pastor and members of the congregation gave an afternoon and evening reception at their new chapel located at 504 Fifth Street Maysville, NC. The church has purchased 11 acres

of land to build a new Family Life and Worship Center on the outside of the city of Maysville. The church has made great strides in terms of its membership and financial condition. New Hope continues its ongoing mission. Some of our goals are a low-income senior citizen housing complex. A scholarship fundraising initiative was launched in 1999. A $1,000 scholarship is provided to New Hope youth who upon completion of high school enroll in a college or university. Throughout its history, New Hope Church has sought to address secular as well as spiritual needs of its congregation and the larger community. The steady increase in New Hope’s membership required the addition of Friday night “Blaze of Fire” worship services. We look forward to continued growth in the future.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP What does it mean to praise and worship Almighty God, the God of the Bible?

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Bob Gass writes: “When we fail to worship God we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves. Worship is a universal urge, hard-wired by God into every fiber of our being. It’s as natural as breathing. Jesus said we were made this way because ‘the Father

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Praising and worshiping God is not about a ritual, or prayer repetition. It’s not about spending a few minutes a day reading our bible or about reciting our wish list on a daily basis. True worship requires total commitment of our body, mind and spirit. It’s about exalting, adoring and acknowledging the God of the Bible. It has nothing to do with religion, but it has everything to do with having an intimate and profound relationship

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In other words, praise and worship go hand in hand.

To many, worship is associated with singing. But there are certainly other types of worship. I believe the most important way to show our devotion to God is through our everyday lives. When we strive to be Christ-like, to loving and serving others, to honoring and glorifying God, then we are truly worshiping Him.

Worship can be done with a group of people, or by ourselves. We can worship God in church, in the garden, while we’re shopping or in the shower. Location doesn’t matter or how many people are involved. When we come before the Lord with a pure and repentant heart, He will bless us with His grace and mercy.

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• to express admiration or approval for • to express thanks and worship to God

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Praise, on the other hand, means:

‘A dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God.’ The secret of worship is in doing everything ‘as unto the Lord’. The Bible says, ‘...because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as... dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him...’ (Romans 12:1 GNT) That’s what it means to worship!”

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• to show profound religious devotion • to have intense love and admiration

To worship God is to express our love and awe of who He is. In Isaiah 66:1 God says “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” He is the Creator of the universe and everything in it, which includes little ol’ me and you. How wonderful and amazing is that!

seeks...worshippers’. Depending on your religious background you may need to expand your understanding of worship. For example: worship is more than just music. We say, ‘At our church we have the worship first, then the teaching.’ No, it’s all done for God’s glory! If worship is just music, then what about all those people who can’t carry a tune at all? Also remember, worship is not a style. The music style you prefer says more about you than about God. One person’s music preference often sounds like noise to another. But not to God - He loves ‘joyful noise’ and all the varieties it comes in. (Psalm 100:1) Also, worship is not just for your benefit, but for God’s. When you say, ‘I didn’t get anything out of the service today,’ you worshiped for the wrong reason! Yes, there are personal benefits, but we don’t worship to please ourselves. Our highest motive should be to exalt God in whatever we do. Finally, worship should not be confined to church; as Martin Luther said,

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Worship, according to the dictionary means:

with God - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We can worship God through prayer, singing, raising our hands in adoration, dance, art,

THE CASE FOR MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP The Case for a Men’s Discipleship Program by Patrick Morley

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The Presenting Problem There is raging all around us a battle for men’s souls. Men are under siege as husbands, fathers, workers, citizens, and churchmen. Many have already failed. A man said, “My marriage is perfect.” One year later an addiction to pornography irretrievably shattered his marriage into a thousand shards. “For 30 years I’ve spent 80 hours a week at work because that’s what I wanted to do. I went to church one hour a week. I’ve missed it. I know that there is another step I need to take.” “I didn’t give my wife a voice. Now I can’t convince her I want to change.” “No matter what I did I could never please my father. And I’m doing it all over again to my own son.” Men are under siege because their wives feel emotionally neglected or controlled, their children are going astray, they’ve become addicted to pornography or other idols, they have overspent and struggle under a load of debt, and/or they are chasing worldly success. Other men are under 8

siege because they are trying to do too many of the right things. They are trying to be super-dad who makes all the games, the perfect husband who meets all the emotional needs of his wife, a churchman who makes a contribution, and the good provider who can afford the right schools and labels. They are tired. We have created a culture that requires more energy than men have to give. The Consequences For every 10 men in your church… 9 will have kids who leave the church (1) 8 will not find their jobs satisfying (2) 6 pay the monthly minimum on their credit card balances (3) 5 have a major problem with pornography (4) 4 will get divorced affecting 1,000,000 children per year (5) only 1 has a biblical worldview (6) all 10 will struggle to balance work and family When a man fails it sets powerful forces of bondage and brokenness in motion. It can take several generations to break the cycle. I know. It has been almost 80 years since my grandfather abandoned my dad, and our family has yet to fully recover from that man’s horrific decision. As America staggers

beneath the load of a 100 major problems like divorce, fatherlessness, poverty, pornography, adultery, abortion, disrespect for authority, ethical failures, and truancy— where have the men gone? Where are the men? What has happened to our men? These are not bad men. No man fails on purpose. They are, for the most part, men with good intentions. They are men for whom Christ died. He takes no delight in the death of the wicked. But they lack spiritual power. The Root Cause Why do so many men lack spiritual power? Why do so many men seem tepid in their faith? Why do so many men seem lukewarm? The answer is that these men were never discipled with the spiritual weaponry to become Godly men, husbands, and fathers. Jesus said, “The problem is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know they power of God” (Matthew 22:29, NLT). No church leader would disagree that making disciples is a central mission, perhaps the central mission, of the church. However, in our generation the church has taken its eye off the ball. The Barna Group reports that only 16% of church-attending

adults are involved in discipleship programs such as small groups, Sunday schools, and other classes (Barna, 2000). And men are even less likely than women to be involved in discipleship (Barna, 2004). Many church leaders indicate a profound dissatisfaction with the number of men in their churches who are disciples. It is well known within the field of men’s ministry that since 1990 many churches have implemented men’s discipleship programs but have been unable to sustain them. We have not been effective in making disciples, especially among men, and therefore we are failing significantly to achieve one of our central missions. Not making disciples is the root cause of the battle in which we find ourselves. The Solution What is the solution? The last words of Jesus arguably comprise the most important speech ever recorded in the history of the world. We know them as The Great Commission… All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And

YOUTH DEPARTMENT TRIP TO “UNIVERSITY DAY” AT N.C. A&T STATE UNIVERSITY

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The Youth Department participated in the 2012 University Day, Saturday, October 13th, at North Carolina A&T State University. This was an opportunity for our high school students to learn more about what A&T has to offer. Students received information about financial aid, programs, housing and residence life and learn about the university’s academic programs and campus life. Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. welcomed students and university administrators were on hand to answer questions. A spirit session was performed by A&T’s cheerleaders, the Blue and Gold Marching Machine and a step performance by the Unity Step team. The campus tour was given by New Hope’s own Robert Blackwell, III. The youth ended the day at Aggie Stadium watching A&T beat Howard University 38--10. 9

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N.C. 2nd Jurisdictional Bishop Otis Lockett

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All members of the N.C. 2nd Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ were devastated by the news of the death of Bishop Otis Lockett Sr. Bishop Lockett was the longtime leader in the Jurisdiction and pastor of Evangel Fellowship Church of God in Christ. To say he touched a lot of lives would be a gross understatement.

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A young Minister Otis Lockett arrived in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1982. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, this man of vision left his home in Cincinnati, Ohio and set out “to a place he knew not of” (Heb. 11:8) and thus began his journey of faith, obedience, and revelation.

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In August of 1982, Minister Otis Lockett was appointed Pastor of the “member less”, Rescue Temple III COGIC by the late Bishop Leo E. Davenport, having been recommended by the late Superintendent Ornell Smith, former Pastor of Rescue Temple I COGIC. Pastor Lockett continued walking by faith and just two years 10

later, in 1984, a new facility for worship was constructed at 719 Dillard Street where the church’s name was changed from Rescue Temple III to Evangel Fellowship. In 1988, Evangel moved to 507 Balboa Street to accommodate its growing congregation. A Cafeteria/Fellowship Hall was added in 1989, and the Family Enrichment Center was completed in 1993. In 1999, Evangel constructed a new facility for worship equipped with a daycare, cafeteria, classrooms, and a fitness center located on North Church Street. After continued growth, this facility was sold in 2002, as plans began for the construction of the new worship center. In August 2003, the Evangel family moved to The Power Center, a multi-purpose facility with a 1,800 seat sanctuary, fellowship hall, bookstore, classrooms and administrative offices. Within weeks of dedicating The Power Center, ground was being cleared to construct The Power Play Center, a unique youth and family outreach center featuring a 200 seat theatre, bowling alley, basketball court, arcade, Kid Zone and food court. Following the vision of Apostle Lockett, construction has been completed for the “International Prayer and Fasting Center” in High Point, NC; the first 24-hour prayer and fasting center of it’s kind on the East Coast. In

addition to featuring a 28-bed facility, full-service cafeteria, meeting rooms and optimal space to hold conferences and fellowships, the prayer center occupies the top floor, allowing God’s people a panoramic view of the city as they gather to fast and pray. Bishop Otis Lockett Sr. was a visionary leader whom now is resting in heaven with the Lord. We honor the legacy of a man that has had so much impact upon the lives of so many. We love Bishop Lockett and will see him again.

Baker’s Diner

MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP CONTINUED

By: Karida Kelly

I will be with you to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

Do you love home cooking?

More millions of people and billions of dollars have been mobilized as a result of this brief speech than any other words ever uttered.

Do you wish there was a restaurant that cooked like grandma cooks?

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The Plan: All-Inclusive Men’s Ministry If you have 100 men in your church, what is the size of your men’s discipleship ministry? The correct answer is 100. A dozen white haired men having breakfast together once a month and six guys in a Bible study on Wednesday morning are good. But that leaves 82 men unaccounted for. You’re setting those men up to lose the battle. The church is the only institution in the world that cares about men’s souls. To fulfill Christ’s commission, your church should have a concrete plan to disciple every willing man. If not us, then who? This is a battle we can win. We cannot, we must not and, by God’s grace, together we will not fail

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There is one, and only one, way in which a man can win the battle for his soul. He must become a disciple of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Janet said, “I chose to become an owner of a small diner in order to become my own boss. I wanted and needed the freedom required to spend time with my family when necessary, and also still have the opportunity of having something I could call my own. I have dreamed and prayed over this for years, and it is now it has come true with the help of the Lord and my faith and dedication to him. I believe that anything you are passionate about should be the one thing that provides future family financing.”

It is worth reflecting on the fact that Jesus could have said anything. For example… He could have said, “Go and make worshippers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.” He could have said, “Go and make workers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.” He could have said, “Go and make tithers.” But he didn’t. He said, “Go and make disciples.” Does that mean Jesus isn’t interested in worshippers, workers, and tithers? Of course he is. But Jesus knew we don’t get worshippers by trying to make worshippers. We get worshippers by making disciples. Jesus knew we don’t get workers by trying to make workers. We get workers by making disciples. And so on. The key to success at every point is, “Go and make disciples.”

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Baker’s Diner is cooking made grandma’s style! Lawrence and Janet Baker have everything from Chicken and Dumplings and homemade Collards, to Peach and Apple Cobbler! Come down and support, and while you’re at it, have some of grandma’s home vittles and get the fixin you need today!

The solution to this problem is for us to get back to the central mission of the Christian church: making disciples. The final marching orders from Jesus are, “Go and make disciples.” Those orders still stand. They have not been amended, altered, or rescinded.

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