Searchlight
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
Vol. 67 - Issue 7 December 2016
And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6
General Fund Report October 2016
Table of Contents
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Worelene Parrish
By:Weldon & Hazel Grable Wallace & Bonnie Cunningham
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In Loving Memory
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3 Editor’s Notes 5 Notes from Dr. Harris 6 Faculty Column 8 State Meeting Highlights 9 From The Academic Dean 10 Missionary Spotlight 12 Texarkana Reports 14 Women’s News
604.08
Bobby Cook
By:Weldon & Hazel Grable
Eugene Tartar
By:Bobby & Joyce Thornton
70.11 51,034.07 (-11,646.08)
Pasty Kimzey
By:Ricky & Hannah KimzeyDerek & Sarah Middleton
L.D. Perdue
By:Weldon & Hazel Grable
Wanda Dungan
By:First MBC, Salem
J.R. Brewer
By:Joyce Wright Jim & Bonnie Wright David & Karen Wright Eddie & Rachel Bettis
Missionary Baptist Searchlight 5224 Stagecoach Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204 Telephone: 501.455.4588 Fax: 501.455.4589 Searchlight: searchlight@mb-seminary.net; Mission Reports: drdavidharris@hotmail.com Editor: Dr. Roger Copeland Assistant Editors: Dr. Caroll Koon, Dr. David Harris Layout Editor: Ashley Diggs OWNERSHIP: The Missionary Baptist Searchlight is owned by the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas. The seminary is owned and operated by Antioch Baptist Church. Published Monthly. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: One Year $8.00. Church group subscription rates are available. ADDRESS CHANGES: Please notify us of any change of address. The Searchlight is charged fifty cents for each returned paper. You may clip the mailing label on page one, make the necessary changes, and send it to the address given above. Changes must be made A MONTH IN ADVANCE to correct the next issue. SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES: Articles of general interest are welcome. The deadline for material to be in the office is A MONTH IN ADVANCE. The submission of an article grants editorial privileges. Opinions in published articles are those of the writers and are not necessarily the views of the Missionary Baptist Seminary or Antioch Baptist Church.
From The Editor “Why The Virgin Birth Matters” Reprint from December 2013 Dr. Roger Copeland
Few Bible doctrines matter as much as the virgin birth. This is not to imply that some Bible doctrines are more important than others or that there are some truths that are negotiable. This is not the case. However, when the virgin birth of Christ is denied there is nothing left of Christianity. Without the virgin birth there is no Savior, no salvation, no hope of heaven and no gospel message to preach. It is not an overstatement to purport that if Jesus is not the virgin born God-Man, the Bible is just another book on the same plane with any other book written by men. The Bible clearly and dogmatically teaches the virgin birth. To deny this cornerstone doctrine is to deny the plain statement of scriptures. The accounts given by Matthew and Luke repeatedly and forcefully affirm the virgin birth. Matthew stated, “before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (1:18), “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost” (1:20), “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (1:23) and “And [Joseph] knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (1:25). Luke likewise affirmed the virgin birth when he recorded the words of Mary, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man” (Luke 1:34). When the Biblical writers spoke of the virgin birth, they did so forthrightly. They used no figures of speech or literary devices to conceal the truth. So, why does the virgin birth matter and why should you be interested? The virgin birth explains how Jesus was sinless. It is true that Jesus had a human body. It is not true that Jesus was a sinner. The human body does not make men sinners. The depraved nature was not transmitted to Jesus because He had no earthly father. The angel answered the question asked by Mary, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” by stating, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:34-35). Jesus was not sinless because Mary was sinless. She was a sinner in need of a Savior. He was sinless because He was the eternal Son of God and was not the result of procreation. This means that Jesus was uniquely qualified to be the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Through the incarnation, the Son assumed a body that had been prepared for Him by the Father (Hebrews 10:5). Because Jesus had a human body, He could experience physical death. Because Jesus was God He could, and did, live a sinless life. Thus, the God-Man was sinless, but capable of death. The virgin birth of our Lord informs us that Jesus was sinless and therefore able to pay the sin debt. But, it also teaches us that He is the only Savior. No one else has been conceived of the Holy Spirit and no one else has been born of a virgin. Even though we live in a day of pluralism, the virgin birth of Christ affirms that there is not a multiplicity of ways to salvation. The way of salvation can only be through the One who was sinless and undefiled. The virgin birth matters because if Jesus is not who the Bible says He is and if He did not come into the world the way the Bible says He did, mankind is forever hopelessly lost. Our hope and eternal destiny depend upon Jesus being the virgin born Son of God. And, dear friend, that matters.
Our hope and eternal destiny depends upon Jesus being the virgin born Son of God.
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By: Dr. Carroll Koon President Seminary Faculty
“Why Should I Give To The MBS?”
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The Missionary Baptist Seminary depends upon the offerings of the Lord’s churches and His people to operate at the high level we have all come to expect. By that I mean the Missionary Baptist Seminary is not an advanced Sunday School class or a cell group of students from a church. It isn’t a college ministry. These are all good things, but that isn’t what we do. The Seminary has classes Tuesday through Friday starting at 8:00 am and going to 1:00 pm. The Seminary also has Tuesday and Thursday night classes starting at 5:45 pm and finishing at 10:00 pm. The Seminary plant contains a large library for students, a chapel that can seat over 200, 8 spacious classrooms, and much more. The building is almost 40 years old. The Seminary employs supporting staff to maintain the buildings and keep the office running properly. The Seminary has a large men’s dorm in which 15 students can live, and apartments in which 19 families can live. We have administrators, faculty, and instructors who oversee the operations of the Seminary and teach. We operate as any legitimate Seminary operates in the United States. Yet, we are unique for we uphold the doctrinal statements that the churches in the American Baptist Association uphold, and we don’t depend upon tuition or endowments to be fully funded. Though Antioch MBC sponsors the seminary, as you can see the ministry of the Seminary goes far beyond the assembly at Antioch. We are the largest financial supporter at this time, but our offerings are a very small part of the
fully considering an Easter Offering to your seminary to help offset this deficit. Let me state some reasons why you should support and give to the Missionary Baptist Seminary. First is the truth of God’s Word. I know you believe truth matters. We teach the unfailing, living Word of God. God’s Word demands a proper interpretation. Most heretical groups use the same Word we do. They don’t rightly divide the great truths of God, but we do. If you love and uphold the truth of God’s Word, give to the seminary who truly searches the scriptures which testify of Jesus. The second reason to support and give to the seminary is the spiritual benefits many churches receive as a result of the seminary. If your pastor has attended the seminary or graduated from the Seminary, you have benefited spiritually from the Missionary Baptist Seminary. Our graduates are pastoring churches in our work, doing mission work all over the world and are serving as church planters, youth directors, and in other church ministries. Another reason to give to the Seminary is there is no tuition for a student who is a member of an ABA church. These students attend tuition free. Tuition can reach thousands of dollars per year to those who aren’t members of ABA churches. However, the seminary receives very little tuition because most of our students are members of ABA churches. The seminary advances the work of the Lord. Help us continue to do this by your prayers, love, and support.
Right now the Missionary Baptist Seminary Seminary is $50,000 in Annual Easte r the red year to date. budget needed to keep the seminary going. Right now the seminary is $50,000 in the red year to date. The fiscal year began July 1, 2016 and ends June 30, 2017. I am asking our churches and God’s people to help us. Each Easter many of our ABA churches send an offering to the Missionary Baptist Seminary. I am praying that you will begin now prayer 4
Offering Goal: $50,000
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“The Birth of Jesus”
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The birth of Jesus Christ was the single most significant birth in all of history. There has never been another which can compare with His. There never will. The birth of Jesus was the long-awaited fulfillment of a promise which was made way back in the Garden of Eden when God promised that the “seed” of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Satan). Adam and Eve’s transgression in the Garden plummeted the human race into the depths of depravity and severed man’s relationship with God. Adam’s disobedience brought both physical and spiritual death into the world. The only remedy was for an atoning and redeeming sacrifice to be made which could allow God’s justice to be served toward sin and, at the same time, allow God to meet man’s immediate need with mercy and grace. The “seed” of the woman was the answer. And that “seed” was Jesus. The birth of Jesus was the answer to what the patriarchs anticipated with anxious expectation. We know Abraham looked for Jesus because Jesus Himself said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). Abraham saw it by faith when he recognized Isaac as his true heir and believed God’s promise regarding the covenant God made. Abraham’s son, Isaac, was himself a type of Christ in that he willingly submitted himself to his father when his father laid him on the altar of sacrifice. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, expressed his faith in the coming of the Messiah when he blessed his sons in his dying days, saying to Judah, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10). The birth of Jesus fulfilled the promise and prophecy made by Micah regarding the birthplace of the Messiah. Micah declared, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
By: Dr. David Harris
Assistant Editor Seminary Faculty
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). The reason the priests knew where to tell the wise men from the east where to look for Jesus was because of this prophecy of Micah regarding the birthplace. Bethlehem was only about 5 miles south of the city of David, which was Jerusalem. The birth of Jesus also fulfilled the amazing prophecy of Isaiah who said, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew affirmed the prophecy of Isaiah and bore witness to the miraculous nature of Jesus’ birth when he said, “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet” (Matthew 1:22). If Jesus had not been born of a virgin, He could not have been the Son of God and Savior of the world. Without the miracle of the virgin birth, Jesus would have been no different than any other man. The reason Jesus came into the world in fulfillment of all the prophecies and in keeping with all the promises is sincerely and simply stated in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus, the eternal Son of God, was born into humanity in order that He might carry the sins of man to His cross, die a sacrificial death, and thereby provide the opportunity for each of us to receive His free gift of salvation by repenting of our sins and placing our faith in Him as our personal Savior. The birth of Jesus (and all that accompanies it) is both a gift and a means of a gift. The Father gave His Son as a gift to us in order that we might receive His free gift of eternal salvation by believing on Him. If you do not know this gift, please trust Jesus as Lord and Savior today. If you do, then please share Him this Christmas season with those who do not yet know. 5
6 Searchlight
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By: Dr. Phillip Miller Academic Dean Seminary Faculty
With this article, we close another faculty column series. Stay tuned for an upcoming series in the works. To close this series, I would like to address its main theme: The Passion for Preaching. Let us turn to that famous preaching passage of 2 Timothy 4:1-5. On my office wall prominently displayed is a word art canvass of 2 Timothy 4:2 that Alison Wiley, one of my church members, made for me. (See picture). This passage has been one that has shaped my passion for preaching for many years. A student asked me once, “How much time do you spend preparing for your sermons?” My answer, “All the time!” Not to be a braggart, but it is true that I am always thinking about sermons, listening to or watching sermons often, and most of my reading is sermon related. I am always thinking about Sunday and what I plan to preach. Why? I have a strong passion for preaching. It is my calling! I love it. So let me list five reasons why I am so passionate about preaching from 2 Timothy 4:1-5. It is commanded by the Lord (4:1-2). The Apostle Paul gives young preacher Timothy a final charge and an important one. “Preach the word!” It is a strong command— the strongest available in Paul’s vocabulary. I am passionate about preaching because it is strongly commanded by the Lord. We will be judged by the Lord (4:1). Paul makes this charge under the watchful eye of “God and the Lord Jesus Christ” who will judge all of us. This is the same as saying, “I make this charge with God’s approval who will judge us all.” All of us preachers will give an account to the Lord for how much time and effort we give to our preaching, and we will be judged for what we preach. So I am passionate about preaching because I will be judged by the Lord. I must be ready to preach at all times (4:2). Paul says that we must “Be ready in season and out of season.” Sound biblical preaching will not always be popular. Sometimes it is in season, and people appreciate the sermons you give. Seemingly more often these days though, preaching is out of season—not popular. Even when it is not popular, my passion for preaching must push me through to keep on preaching.
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“The Passion For Preaching”
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I must preach even when people don’t want to hear it (4:3-4). Paul says, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, . . . they will turn their ears away from the truth.” Many people don’t like sound doctrine; they don’t like to be convinced and rebuked; they will turn away from the truth. We cannot quit preaching just because people don’t want to hear it. We need more passion than that about preaching. I understand that we must have passion for people, but it cannot outweigh our passion for preaching. People need the preaching of God’s Word whether they like it or not. I want to fulfill my ministry (4:5). Preaching is my calling. My passion for preaching is God given. It is not in my fallen, sinful nature. It is God’s gift in my soul. I am not passionate about preaching because I enjoy the art of rhetoric and public speaking; I am passionate about preaching because it is my God-given ministry (service) to the Lord. I want to fulfill (complete) my service to the Lord and be able to say as Paul did, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (4:7). I am passionate about preaching because I am passionate about serving the Lord faithfully!
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“Serving The Leftovers” My husband does not like leftovers. They are fine with me, well, at least once. No one is fond of the leftover leftovers. What once was the picture perfect meal served on a beautifully decorated dining table is now poked and poured into plastic containers and one can hope there is just a little more space left in the already crowded refrigerator to save our favorite foods until we are hungry or bored. Most likely, in a few days we will toss it out and not think twice about it. The leftover does not have the value or appeal of the freshly baked, aromatic Thanksgiving meal. If you were expecting someone special for a meal at your home, would you serve them leftovers? Most likely you would plan your meal with your special guest in mind and choose recipes that you think they will love. Next would be the trip to the grocery store to get the best ingredients and all the special trimmings you need to make a good impression. You would make time to get everything in order hoping your guest will be pleased. Think for a moment about your offerings to the Lord. Do we plan and make time for Him? Do we give Him the best of all we have and hope we will hear Him say, “Well, done!” Maybe we are guilty of shoving the leftovers toward our Lord at times. We must ask ourselves if God is getting the leftovers of our time, finances, prayer life, Bible study and overall devotion. Have we committed our life to Him first in saving faith then trusting Him in all areas of our living? Malachi called the priests and people to account on this very thing. The people were bringing lame, sick, and blind lambs as offerings and the priests were guilty of letting it go by when they should have been teaching the people the proper way to bring an offering. The book of Malachi exposes a people full of pride that questioned Malachi’s reproof and wanted to deny any of their shortcomings. Matthew Henry stated of these people, “It is common with proud sinners, when they are reproved, to stand thus upon their own justification.” Malachi had warnings for the people of God and reminded them of the great and dreadful day of the Lord that would come. That should be reason enough to cause us to serve with excellence. God uses many things to make us stop and think about our service to Him. Sometimes He uses circumstances, other times it may be a sermon or even the words of a child.
By: Sis. Rhonda Blackerby
Guest Columnist Pastor’s Wife
Back in the sixties, I saw one of those moments in my Grandpa. We were gathering around to fix our plates and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Of course, the kid’s plates were fixed first and we were placed in little spaces around the front room. In my family the men ate first then the women would go to the table. I was all set. My plate was ready, but this was Thanksgiving so I did not dare begin until we had prayed like the famous Pilgrims. I waited for what seemed like a long time to a little girl but I was really hungry. By this time some of the family had begun to eat. I must have had a sad look on my face and what Grandpa can let that happen to his granddaughter? He asked me what was wrong. I told him, “Grandpa, this is Thanksgiving and we have not even said the blessing.” I will never forget the look on his face: he was timidly ashamed because we were a devoted Christian family. In the excitement of being together and all the conversation, we were distracted. Grandpa stopped everyone, quieted the conversation and told them we would pray. And we did. I felt like a million dollars because my Grandpa Dennis did not say we will do it next time. He gave the moment the value and attention the Lord is worthy of: our best. Not the leftovers.
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Highlights from the Arkansas State Association Meeting
Missionary Scott Bourland preaching the mission sermon
Bro. James Bull leads the congregation in worship
The sanctuary choir of Northern Hills Baptist Church presents special music during the pre-association service
Sister Sandra Cloud
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Bro. Bryan Sellers Secretary-Treasurer of ABA Missions
Bro. James Taylor preaching the sermon during the pre-associatioin service
Messengers praying over each of the state missionaries in Arkansas
Bro. Micah Carter, Moderator
Bro. Marque Black leading messengers in song
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“It’s Time To Register For Classes”
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By: Dr. Phillip Miller
Academic Dean
Starting December 1, Spring registration opens. Below you will see our Spring schedule, and as you see, there are many ways and times to attend classes. You can attend four days, two days, two nights, or one night. You might even take a class during your lunch break if you live near. Take some time to review the schedule and prayerfully consider taking a class or several at the Missionary Baptist Seminary. Enrich your preaching, ignite your service to the Lord, and “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pe. 3:18).
INTERESTED IN CLASSES?
Call: 501-455-4588
Write: 5224 Stagecoach Road Little Rock, AR 72204
Email: dean@mb-seminary.net More Information: www.mb-seminary.com 9
Missionaries Scott Bourland and Kevin Pruitt with their families
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Sponsored By: Calvary Baptist Church, PO Box 929 Magnolia, AR 71754 / 870-234-4405
Mission Reports Walter Goulding Costa Rica Missions The Way MBC: August - October 2016 averages: Sunday School 16; Worship Service 18; First-time visitors 5. The arrival of the cool, dry season does contribute to increased church attendance. On the other hand, the change in the weather often brings with it flu breakouts, which causes whole families to stay home. Gilbert Pinzon Columbian Missions Peniel Baptist Mission continues doing well. We had two professions of faith and two candidates for baptism, also several new visitors. We have a new sign for the church. Praise God. Several churches from our fellowship in Ibagué, Fusa, Bogotá, Villavicencio and Monterrey had a full week revival with Pastor Robert Ledford from Madison, FL, as guest speaker. Sergio Estrada Mexico City It has been a month of fear and dismayed hearts. We feared for our lives and that of our brothers. But, the greater the fear, the greater His strength has been. He is holding us with His right strong hand of provision and deliverance. Every event meant for evil, God has turned into a blessing. Daniel Estrada Spain We would like to thank all the churches and pastors who were involved and helped to host the trip to the Holy Land. A very special “Thank You” to our sending church, First Baptist Church, Sullivan, Missouri, for paying most of our expenses for this amazing trip and thank you to Pastor Kirk Parnell who led the church to do so. Also, to Pastor Chester Lahmann who was supportive of this adventure in Israel. Adolfo Gonzales Leon, Mexico Bro. Roger Copeland, our sending pastor, along with Mrs. Copeland, Bro. James Howell and Mrs. Howell, visited Leon and blessed our hearts tremendously. They got to see the work and to meet the families that come to the worship services. We had a
Yorlly Ormeno Cascas City, Peru We are so happy that 3 young ladies came to the Lord and asked for salvation last Friday in our Bible studies! This is wonderful; thank you Lord. God is good all the time. We just need to wait until the right time and God will work in the hearts of the people. beautiful time as we showed them the city, the food and the people from this land. Shin Kamoda Japanese Missions In September, we stayed busy in ministry. The Word of God is being planted in Hachioji City, Tokyo. The Gospel is preached 3 to 4 days weekly. Church newsletters are distributed monthly. We invited our sister church, Higashisaitama B.C. with Pastor Kida, to worship and fellowship on a weekday. Both churches presented special music, testimonies and sermons. Jim Black Bulgaria We continue to work among the many refugees and migrants that arrive in Bulgaria from the Middle East and Africa. In Sofia, we continue to disciple Vasco and Albena. They attended the work in Sandanski, until they moved to Sofia to attend university. It is a blessing to watch them grow in the Lord. In Sandanski, we are moving out of the rented space, and will begin meeting in homes. We pray that a house church atmosphere will be more conducive to reaching out to the family members, friends, and neighbors of the core group. George Dever Dexter, ME In October, we kicked off AWANA with a parent night. We offered a spaghetti dinner and gave the parents information about AWANA that included registration. We have 25 enrolled in the Preschool – 6th grade, with 21 coming faithfully. These children are so excited and now are even coming to Sunday School. The van makes two trips to gather them all.
Jerry Baker Navajo Missions Once again we returned to the fairgrounds in Window Rock, AZ (the Navajo Nation capital), operating a booth from which to share Christ with the people of the Reservation. I am grateful for the members of Florence Blvd MBC, Florence, AL and Calvary MBC, Guin, AL for bringing a group of 11 to serve alongside me at the fair this year. Gabriel Sanchez Houston, TX This month, at Emanuel we saw a record number of first-time visitors; a total of 17 people came at least one time to be in our Sunday morning worship services. Praise the Lord! Crossroads Estate Ministries Carroll & Nancy McAllister From June 24 - July 5, Temple and his wife, Annie Meek, were with us. In September, longtime friends, Tony and Coretta Hansen, came to stay with us. They arrived on the 25th and stayed until October 3. On October 3, Glenn and Amy McCarver came to us with their 3 children in need of a place to stay while awaiting for God’s direction. Everett Ledbetter Colorado Church Planting We have been on the field here in the north metro area of Denver for a month. Overall it has been a wonderful month. The Lord has given us the opportunity to share Christ with several people in this area. We have not had any professions of faith to this point, but we have been very blessed in sowing seeds. God will give the increase.
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Bro. Bryan Sellers Secretary-Treasurer of Missions October was an extremely busy month of travel, preaching and promoting ABA missions among our churches. I was privileged to travel to Indiana to preach a church organization at Sheridan. In Arkansas, I traveled to Delight, Dierks and Ratcliff, to preach and report to three of our churches. In Louisiana I was able to visit with churches in Minden and West Monroe. Praise the Lord there was not one glitch or hitch in the travel schedule for the month. I know this is due to the many prayers of God’s people who faithfully pray for our missionaries and the Secretary Treasurer of missions. For this month, the missionaries reported 756 Salvations and 59 baptisms. Since June, 4,049 professions of faith and 270 baptisms have been reported by the missionaries. These missionaries cannot do what God has called them to do without the prayers and support of God’s people. May we be challenged to do more for missions as we rapidly approach the return of our God. Please remember the Special Thanksgiving Mission Offering for the month of November. Our goal this year is $350,000.00. If all of our churches would contribute, we could meet or even exceed our goal. If you would like to have additional posters to display at your church, please call the missions office and request them. May each of you have a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday as we Give Thanks to our Lord for His many blessings in our lives.
MONTHLY MISSION REPORT
October 2016
Beginning Balance $937,223.59 RECEIPTS: Interstate Salaries $56,315.89 Foreign & National Salaries $50,730.69 Designated $35,542.48 Undesignated $23,013.78 TOTAL RECEIPTS $165,602.84 BALANCE FOR SALARY/EXPENSE $1,102,826.43 DISBURSEMENTS Interstate Salaries $82,651.70 Foreign Salaries $21,019.20 National Salaries $26,702.40 Designated $35,542.48 Salaries & Expenses of Sec-Treas. Office Office Salaries $11,257.78 General Office $2,042.34 Sec/Treas. Travel $116.97 Automobile Expense $679.15 Postage – Poster $4,135.28 Total $18,231.52 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS $184,147.30 BALANCE CARRIED FORWARD $918,679.13 Deficit for October
PO Box 1050 Texarkana, TX 75504-1050 Ph. 903-792-2312 E-mail: missions@abamissions.org 12
(18,544.46)
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Bro. Kyle Elkins Editor In Chief Blessings and Rewards Serving as Editor in Chief is a privilege and a blessing. I can’t imagine doing anything else that would be as enjoyable and rewarding. One of those blessings is to share what is happening at Bogard Press. This article is one way to do this. Another way that comes every year from September to November is to represent Bogard Press at various state associations. Time and distance will not allow attendance at every state association. Only those that are the closest can be attended every year. Every two or three years, state associations farther away can be attended. In October the Oklahoma state meeting met in Tecumseh. The first week of November the Arkansas churches met in Texarkana for their state association. Currently I am in Minden for the Louisiana state association. Next week the churches in the state of Texas will meet in Mount Pleasant. This year I also attended the Eastern Baptist Association in Michigan and the Florida state meeting. What is the purpose in sharing this in this article? These visits give me the opportunity to talk with individuals who use the literature including the Vacation Bible School materials. Being able to put faces on the people who read the literature and trust that it will be doctrinally sound encourages me when I get back in the office. These trips are not easy; most times they take me away from family. Issues at work always greet me when returning to the office. Nonetheless, some of the rewards of this job is the opportunity to get out among the churches and visit with God’s people.
Dr. Wayne Sewell Business Manager It is an honor to update everyone on the work in Texarkana. The fall is very busy. There are several state associational meetings that I am privileged to attend and give a report on the work to the messengers. There are a couple of opportunities to go and show the literature to groups in other states. One opportunity that has come our way is the first time that we have been invited to this state to show the curriculum to several hundred churches in this state. Please pray that attending and showing the curriculum will result in additional churches deciding to use the literature produced by Bogard Press. Keeping the brush off the fence rows around the property is always a challenge. A lot of work has gone into clearing the brush off the property lines this summer and fall. Since fences mark most of the property lines, the clearing must be done by hand. Some areas in the back also requires the electrical company to come out and drop an electrical line so the taller trees can be trimmed safely. One such line has 15,000 volts running through it. Wood is an excellent conductor of electricity. Therefore, it is too dangerous for the work to be done with the power on. A couple of trees on the property located on the back edge of the property will need to be removed because the limbs are interfering with the lines. If we had a bad wind storm or ice this winter, it could cause the entire building to lose power. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the trees. These two trees also have limbs that are rubbing on one of the houses on the property. Again for safety reasons the trees need to be removed. We are working with the electrical company to have these trees removed safely.
The outside lights around the building have aged and several were not working properly. Some of the wiring had Let me say thanks to the moderators of these associations rotted and was dangerous. The bids were taken and then that allow me time to share the work. Thank you to the after discussion, it was decided to replace all the lights with people who are always kind and appreciative of the work modern LED lights. Most of that work has been completbeing done. ed. Each set of lights will have its own photo sensor that will turn the light on at dark and off in the morning. The Bogard Press Curriculum Conference 2017 cost to update will be recouped in about four years with the The Bogard Press Curriculum Conference is scheduled for savings on the electric bill. The local electrical company Saturday, March 4, 2017 at the Texarkana, 13 (continued on page 15) will give a rebate of $5,100.00 to help
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By: Sister Sandra Cloud A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen cedar, pine or fir tree associated with the Christmas season. As the Christmas season approaches, many of us will be putting up a Christmas tree or perhaps already have a Christmas tree adorning a room or rooms in the house. I enjoy decorating a Christmas tree. It is never as much fun taking down the tree after Christmas, as it is decorating the tree, anticipating Christmas and the excitement that surrounds this special holiday. As I go about putting up the Christmas tree in our home, I am reminded of how the tree and the decorations resemble the One whose birth we celebrate at this time of year. We should be careful to always remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. We celebrate His glorious birth! Jesus descended from the glory of heaven to become our Savior. I have listed below some likenesses of the Christmas tree to my beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“The Christmas Tree”
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saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” ORNAMENTS – The Bible says in Isaiah 61:10-11, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” The ornaments on the Christmas tree add to its beauty and many times are memories of gifts given to us by friends, relatives, children, or grandchildren. They remind me that I should adorn myself with a personality of praise and adoration to God for sending His precious Son into the world to save us from our sins (Luke 19:10). One of my favorite ornaments is the candy cane. Its colors of red and white are descriptive of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross to cleanse me of sin and make me whole. Its shape is that of a staff one way or a “J” the other. Jesus is my Shepherd (John 10:11).
EVERGREEN – The Bible speaks often of the cedar, pine, and fir trees (Isaiah 60:13; 1 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 9:11; 2 Samuel 5:11). The sturdy wood of their trunks and the beauty of their branches were used in the building and beautification of the temple. The evergreen color of the trees reANGEL – At the top of the minds me of the eternal life I have in Jesus Christ because I tree is an angel, representing the manner in which the have trusted Him as my Savior (John 3:16). birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds as they were watching their sheep in the field that cold, quiet eveLIGHTS – I have read of early Christmas trees being decning so long ago (Luke 2:8-14). orated with candles. Now we use electric lights, sometimes lights resembling candles. The lights remind me of the words Enjoy your Christmas tree! May it remind you of Jesus – of Jesus in John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, God’s unspeakable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15) 14
(Elkins - continued from page 13) Texas Convention Center. The convention center is located alongside the Hilton Garden Inn. A block of rooms has been set aside for those who wish to come in Friday night. The conference will highlight the 2017 VBS curriculum called The Redeemer. Five lessons on the life of Christ will be the focus of study. At the conference you will learn about the lessons, decorations, crafts, music and more. There will be educational sessions once again. The turnout last year was outstanding with over four hundred twenty-five in attendance. We anticipate another great turnout this year. Directors and teachers of VBS will want to come and learn from the presenters. Those who are involved in decorations will especially enjoy learning about all the ways you can decorate your church and classrooms. Make plans now to attend. (Sewell - continued from page 13) on the repair and update. The new well lit parking area will make it safer for employees and customers. We are looking forward to the completion of this work. Churches, it is not too early to begin thinking about a gift for your pastor and his wife for Christmas. Your pastor labors faithfully throughout the year. It would be nice for the church to show its appreciation to the pastor and his family. It could be purchasing a gift card for he and his wife. I am sure there are books or a special Bible that he would like for his library. It might be that he has expressed a desire for a certain set of commentaries to use in study. Sometimes commentaries are beyond the budget of the pastor. What a great way to express your appreciation to your pastor by purchasing a nice set of commentaries. Call the office in Texarkana and let the staff help you in your selections for your pastor and his wife. The number is 1.800.264.2482. The staff is ready to assist you. If you are wanting a new Bible or other items from the Baptist Book Store, don't wait too long to call and purchase that special gift for Christmas. We have a great selection of study or reference Bibles in several different colors and sizes. From a pocket Bible to a large print study Bible, we help you choose what would best fit your needs. Don't forget that we also have Bible covers. They come in vinyl, cloth or leather. We have small, medium, large and extra large sizes. The covers also come in several colors and designs. A properly fitted Bible cover can protect your Bible from wear and weather.
Please make your plans to attend the 92nd messenger meeting of the American Baptist Association Meeting in Daytona Beach, FL the week of June 19, 2017. We have a room block of 500 rooms at the Hilton Daytona Beach Ocean Front Resort. The ABA room rate is $99.00 plus tax of 12.5%. We have a reduced rate of $5.00 for self parking. It is urgent you stay at the Hilton so our meeting space will be paid for. Pre-Associational meetings, banquet meals, and exhibits will be in the beautiful Hilton hotel. The general sessions will be in the Peabody Auditorium. The Peabody is a plush performing arts theater. The Hilton has waived the resort fee for our group. The ABA room block will open for reservations on Monday, January 9, 2017. All information for making reservations will be on the ABA website: www.abaptist.org Click on Messenger Meeting and you may book online or you will find a phone number to call for reservations. You may request city view or ocean view rooms. You will be charged one night that is non-refundable and to get the ABA rate, you must stay a minimum of 3 nights. We need your help to fill the room block of 500 rooms. Some suites are available at a reduced rate. Additional information will be on the website. Edgar N. (Eddie) Sutton Director of Meeting Arrangements American Baptist Association PO Box 1240 Alexander, AR 72002-1240 501-847-3906 edgarsutton@aol.com
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Non-Profit Org. US Postage Paid Little Rock, AR Permit No. 2149
5224 Stagecoach Road Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
Paul Goodwin
Evangelism Lectures January 12, 2017 10:10 a.m. Bogard Chapel Guest Speakers: Bro. Bryan Sellers
Secretary-Treasurer of ABA Missions
Dr. Randy Cloud
Pastor, Landmark MBC, Vilonia