THE NEWSVINE

Every page an altar to His works!”

Summer 2023 Revival Church

UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

825 7th Street, Modesto, CA 95354 Business Phone: 209-522-5365 email us at thenewsvine@gmail.com google us at: the newsvine or follow us on: issuu.com/thenewsvine

Editors

BUSINESS LIAISON

CHURCH LIAISON

GRAPHIC DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CREATIVE TEAM

COLUMNISTS

YOUTH REPORTER MAILINGS DISTRIBUTION

Leo Aguilera Virginia Aguilera

Charlene Wilson

Lindsay Castro

Leo & Virginia Aguilera

Leo Aguilera & Creative Team

Joshua Aguilera, Autumn Amador, Alexis Diaz, Jocelyn Powell

Carol Castillo

Alexis Diaz

Virginia Aguilera

Norbert Feliciano

Church Staff

PASTOR H. TODD JOHNSON

BISHOP RANDY G. KEYES

ADMINISTRATIVE PASTOR - JONATHAN QUINONES

ASSISTANT MINISTERS

Dana Le’Blanc

Uday Narayan

RESIDENT MISSIONARIES

STREAMING DIRECTORS

STUDENT PASTORS

CHURCH SECRETARY

SPANISH MINISTRY

MUSIC MINISTRY

GROWTH TRACK

K.R.E.W. KID’S MINISTRY

B.U.F.F. (MEN 50+)

PRAYER MINISTRIES

LIFE GROUPS

APOSTOLIC MAN MINISTRY

MATURE

Although the world is in turmoil, God isn’t. He has a plan. Our job is to stay focused on the job He has assigned us and leave the rest to Him. We are to have faith, not fear. Trust, not trepidation. We have confidence in a God Who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and is ever-present. He hears every prayer, whether it is whispered or cried out in desperation. It doesn’t matter where you live, your financial or social status, age or ethnicity. Simply, He loves, He cares, and He responds.

No matter what anyone may tell you, God is real. He is not an inconsequential character in an old book. He sees you. He knows you. He has a plan for your life. He is just waiting for you to reach out to Him. As the song says, “He’s as close as the mention of His name.” Give Him a try. Start up a conversation with Him. He always has time for YOU!

Jerry Powell

Jonathan Quinones

Jeremiah Williams

Uday Narayan, Xenn Seah

Joshua & Jeannette Aguilera

Tim & Jeriann Montes

Charlene Wilson

Antonio & Gloria Gutierrez

Kellee Hopper, Matt Aguirre

Nancy Holston, Tim Montes

Dana Le'Blanc

Sujay Diaz, Mary Aguirre

Herb Jenkins

Charles & Joyce Bispo

Jonathan Quinones

Alex Diaz

HYPHEN

LADIES MINISTRY

NURSING HOME MINISTRY

BIBLE QUIZZING

PUBLIC RELATIONS

LIGHTING, GRAPHIC ARTS

Chris & Lindsay Castro

Joyce Jones

Joyce Jones

Joshua Williams

Jeremiah Williams

MaKayla Johnson

SERVICE TIMES by

SUNDAY - 9:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.

MONDAY - 7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY - 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY - 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY - 7:00 p.m.

SATURDAY - 10:00 a.m.

Spanish/Service - Youth Chapel

Pre-service Prayer

Morning Service - Sanctuary, KREW

Growth Track - Youth Chapel

All-Church Prayer

Mid-Week Service, KREW

Spanish Service

Revive Youth Service

Saturday Morning Outreach submitted articles to The Newsvine are subject to pastor’s approval and editing by The Newsvine staff.

Modesto, CA 95354-3414.

It is our hope that this magazine inspires, challenges, and ministers to you, whether you are a church member, minister, loved one, friend, or a curious someone who has stumbled upon our publication. May its photos, articles, and its Testimony of Faith stir your heart and speak to your soul. In this issue we have coverage of our Easter services, special guest speakers, Mother's and Father's Day, Baby Dedication, graduates, Memorial Day church picnic, Revive Youth and KREW Kid weeks, Mission-focused articles, and much more! Be sure to read Carol Castillo's article entitled, "Don't Let Your Past Ruin Your Present" and the powerful testimony of Sister Rebekah Hunt.

Thank you to our faithful readers. Please be sure to share The Newsvine with your family and friends. Our next issue will come out the first week of October. God bless you all. Maranatha! The Lord is coming!

Newsvine Editors

Leo and Virginia Aguilera

Besides Tithing, Christians Should Also Give Offerings

(Editor’s Note: In our last issue, I presented the basic Biblical principle in our doctrine why all Christians need to tithe. I quoted the Bible verse found in Matthew 23:23 (NLT) where Jesus Christ Himself commands us to pay our tithes with the proper attitude: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law-justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Every righteous command Jesus gave to the Pharisees IS a universal command for all believers to follow. Now I will address Christ’s command that all His followers should give offerings as well. Offerings are the acts of giving beyond tithing, as will be explained.)

The Difference Between Tithes And Offerings

The prophet Malachi made the distinction between tithes and offerings when he separated the two with the word “and” in Malachi 3:8: “...Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes AND offerings.” Jesus also made the distinction when he spoke to the Pharisees how to properly give tithes (see Editor’s Note) and then addressed the listeners at the Sermon on the Mount on how to give offerings to the poor in Matthew 6:3 (NIV): “But when you give to the needy...” Paul provided guidance as well when he instructed the members of the church to support the ministry in I Cor. 1:14:, “In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.” Then Paul gives an excellent example of an offering beyond the tithes in II Cor. 8:4,5 (NLT) when he praises the generosity of the Macedonia church for giving to the needs of the Jerusalem church: “They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped...” Another example of giving an offering is when Paul said to the Corinthian church to have the offering for the Jerusalem church ready in II Cor. 9:5: “So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.” Time and time again God speaks to us in the Old and New Testaments that His true believers will always give of their material substance as the source of offerings and tithes.

CHURCH OFFERINGS ARE...

We saw with the Apostle Paul that offerings can be meeting the needs of the local church or other churches in need.

Offerings to missionaries or outreach ministries in the local congregation are excellent examples. Remember the salaries of the local pastor and assistants are to come from the tithes. Missionary pledges and the upkeep of the church building, bus ministry, outreach programs, and church charities should be met from added offerings in the offering plate by the local saints.

WHAT ABOUT OFFERINGS FOR THE POOR?

Our LORD Jesus Christ was very direct about giving to the poor. In Matthew 6:3 He did not say IF we give to the poor, He said (NIV): “But WHEN you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” The Lord commands all Christians to give to the poor and needy, whether in our local community or beyond. The Lord also commands us to be secret and discreetly confidential in this type of offering. Married couples and individuals should be giving to charities that truly help the poor and underprivileged. When a Christian feels in his heart to

(Continued on next page) give to a charity, he does not need to tell his pastor or family members that he is doing so. If a married couple gives to St. Jude Hospital to help child patients battle cancer, they need not tell church members and their friends they are doing so. Giving to local homeless shelters, gospel missions, and funds for free meals to the poor, as can be specified to any local Salvation Army, is pleasing to God. Volunteering for community service, as our local brother Jeremiah Williams is an excellent example of a generous citizen and civic leader, is a commendable sacrifice of time and labor. Even in giving those few dollars to those extending a hand for help, God sees and rewards the giver. Before giving to a charity, a Christian needs to study and discern if that organization is legitimate. My advice is to give carefully.

Giving to church needs, missionaries, and alms to the poor and needy is divinely ordained. Giving offerings is God’s command to perform AFTER the Christian gives his tithes, not instead of.

The Blessings Of Giving Offerings

As Paul teaches us in II Cor. 9:6-7 (KJV): “Now this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let them give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Here Paul gives us the promise of how God will bless us with the simple law of the harvest. The more seed you plant, the bigger the harvest. The more generous you are in giving of your substance, the more He will bless YOU! And you should have JOY when you give. Being joyful is addictive, so your giving should be part of your worship. Once you give your tithe you have the freedom to give offerings Deciding where to give and how much should always be preceded with prayer. The Holy Spirit will guide you to become aware where your money or service is most needed.

A good old Dutch adage says, “The only things you take from this world are the things you gave away.” God is keeping an account of all that we give in tithes and offerings. It is like a bank account accumulating for us in heaven. That godly widow, faithful in her tithes and offerings and even generous with her time and service to her community, may not be wealthy here on earth, but her treasure in heaven would make the richest CEO on Wall Street bow his head in shame. Jesus spoke these words in the same sermon he preached about giving: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) AMEN!