The Messenger - Winter 2012

Table of contents Feature Section

New Hope in Hard Times.................................. 4

New Hope for a New Church............................ 8

Quotes..............................................................11

Hope for a New Year....................................... 12

Other Features

Certainties in a Time of Uncertainty................ 14

Book Reviews................................................. 16

Learning a New Word..................................... 17

Meeting An Old Friend.................................... 18

Departmental Features We would love to hear from you.

Congregational Ministries

Talking About National Youth Conference....... 20

Mission One 2012 Planning Book................... 45

The Daily Bible................................................ 46

Pastoral Ministries

40 Days of Stories........................................... 22

The Joy of Being Generous............................ 38

Long Term Pastorate in Country Church......... 40

International Ministries

5 Stories from the Philippines......................... 23

Mission Volunteers Program........................... 30

Hope in Testimony........................................... 31

90 Students, 7 Orphans, 15 Minutes, and Spiderman................................................ 32

National Missions

MVP Stateside................................................ 34

National Missions Updates.............................. 36

Be Careful Where You Put Your Faith............. 37

Women’s Ministries

To Live on the Edge........................................ 42

Women on the Edge‌. Together!................... 43

Are You a Bridge Builder or Bridge Burner?.... 44

Give us a call.

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The General Baptist Messenger is published quarterly

by General Baptist Ministries (General Baptist Council of Associations, Inc), 100 Stinson Drive, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 under the direction of an editorial team composed of the denominational leadership team, James W. Murray, executive director.

Editorial Team: Franklin Dumond, John Sloan, Don Key, Sean Warren, Patti Thornton, Linda McDonough Copy Editor: Myra Dye Graphics: Sean Warren and Johnny Jourdan Page layout by Stinson Press

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T

his is a message about God’s purposes in the recession. By recession I don’t have

any sophisticated definition in mind. I just mean various financial setbacks like business slowdown, decreasing profits, massive layoffs and joblessness, the bursting of the housing bubble, thousands of foreclosures, personal and business bankruptcies, bank failures, investment company collapses, the loss of retirement funds, and the social ills and unrest that go with the downturn.

God is sovereign over these things, he foresees them all, he causes or permits them all, and when he causes or permits something, he does so with purpose and design.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21) The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.” (Psalms 33:10) [The Lord] declares the end from the beginning . . . saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isaiah 46:10)

So none of the recessionary events has surprised the Lord. His purposes and designs are being fulfilled according to plan. And what I want to do is draw your attention to some of those purposes.

Now what are some of God’s purposes in this recession? I will mention five:

1. To Expose Sin and Bring Repentance

The book of Job in the Old Testament begins, “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). But in the last chapter of the book, Job says, “I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). He was “blameless,” but later he repented. What does that mean?

It means that the most godly people in the world are like a clear glass of water with a sediment of sin hidden at the bottom of the glass. And when the glass is struck—with Job’s suffering, or with our recession—the sediment of sin is stirred up and exposed, and the water becomes cloudy. That’s one of the things that recessions are for.

And it works both individually and socially.

Individually Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:8–9, “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

God brought his own faithful servant Paul to the brink of death so that he might learn more deeply to rely not on himself but on God. If that happened to Paul, we may be sure that God is doing that for us as well in this recession. That we may rely on him and not ourselves.

At the bottom of every Christian heart—no matter how advanced in faith and godliness—there is the sediment of self-reliance. Then God shakes our lives, sometimes to the foundations, to show us our self-reliance and clean it out with a new, deeper reliance on him.

Socially, the recession reveals a host of sins that hurt people. The recent Ponzi schemes are one of the clearest examples. Promise people huge returns on their investment when there is nothing to invest in, then pay those returns with some of the next investments in nothing. And keep doing it for years, while you skim millions for yourself.

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Until a recession makes people want their investments back—and they don’t exist.

Recessions have a wonderful power to expose that kind of deceit. What will it expose about you?

And, of course, the recession is especially good at exposing the sin of wasting other people’s money (or our own), and the sin of selfishness and greed in the mortgage business, and the sin of fear when everything starts coming down, and the sin of grumbling and impatience. And on and on. What a gift the recession is in the exposure of sin. May the Lord give us all the grace to repent and receive the forgiveness that God offers in Jesus Christ.

2. To Awaken Us to World Poverty

It’s astonishing how blind prosperity makes us to the miseries of the world. God has some remedies for that kind of indifference. For example, it says in Hebrews 13:3, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

How does that work? He says that there are people that we should care about who are imprison and mistreated. We tend to forget them. So he says, “Remember!”

And he says: “As though with them” and “since you have a body.” So how does it work? It works like this: You have a body and sometimes it hurts. When it hurts, remember that there are people right now who are being mistreated—who are hurting much more than you. Imagine yourself in their shoes, and treat them the way you would want to be treated.

Recession hurts us. It imprisons us.

What is God’s aim? That we would wake up. Does this recession bother us? If it bothers us, we should be bothered by the fact that millions always live in recession.

Only live in recession.

One billion people do not have safe

water to drink. Sixteen thousand children die every day from hunger related illnesses. Almost eighteen million children are orphaned in sub-Saharan Africa.

Our family prays through the Global Prayer Digest each morning. For January 29, 2009, we prayed for the Afar people of Ethiopia:

It’s 3:00 a.m., and the Afar father is still awake. The desert night is cold. He snuggles up to his wife and newborn baby to keep them warm. Their stomachs rumble with hunger. Should he slaughter his scrawny goat to feed his wife, hoping she will produce enough milk for their baby? Or should he beseech the clan elders to move again, in search of weeds for the goat, or maybe even some fresh water?

They are fortunate; both his wife and their baby survived the birth. The Afar people have the highest maternal fatality rate in the world. Women give birth without benefit of sterile conditions, or even clean water. Of the babies born alive one-third die before age five. Afar people roam throughout one of the most desolate places on earth: the Ethiopian desert.

Drought and malnutrition make them vulnerable to diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, conjunctivitis, and other waterborne illnesses. Of 13 million Afar people, three million are infected with HIV/AIDS.

It is good to know these things. And to pray about these things. And to cultivate a radical culture at Bethlehem in which hundreds of people dream of ways that their lives can count creatively and long-term for the relief of suffering. Recession has a way of making us wake up to the endless recession of millions. It has a way of changing our priorities and releasing effort and money for others.

Part of our overall vision at Bethlehem called Treasuring Christ Together (TCT) is the Global Diaconate. The giving to TCT is over and above the $9.2 million budget for church and missions this year. Ten percent of everything you give to the vision of TCT

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goes to our efforts to help the poorest of the poor. Since 2005 when TCT started, you have given over $700,000 to this fund, and $593,000 of it has been disbursed.

God’s purpose for this recession is to say: That’s good work; and now more than ever, don’t let up.

3. To Relocate the Roots of Our Joy in His Grace, Rather Than in Our Goods

God sends recessions to his people to pull up the roots of our joy from the pleasures of the world and sink those roots into the pleasures of the glory of his grace.

Here’s he clearest recessionary text about this in the Bible—2 Corinthians 8:1–2. It describes the roots of the joy of the Macedonian believers in their “recession.”

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

This is my dream for Bethlehem. Verse 2 ends with a “wealth of generosity.” We want to be a generous people. Generous in every way. Where does it come from?

From prosperity? No. Extreme poverty.

“Their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of liberality.” This is why I call this a recessionary text. Here are people overflowing in generosity when the economic times are very bad.

Where then did the generosity come from if not from prosperity? From a supportive and sympathetic culture surrounding them? No. Verse 2 says they were in a “severe test of affliction.” That means they were being harassed. You can see what that looks like in Acts 17:5–9.

Where then did this wealth of generosity come form? Paul says it came from joy, abundance of joy. Verse 2: “Their abun-

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dance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity.”

Their joy was not rooted in prosperity or popularity. But it was very great. Paul calls it “abundance of joy” in the middle of verse 2. Where did that joy come from?

It came from the grace of God. Verse 1: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” What makes people grumble and be stingy is a sense of entitlement. But if we have tasted the measure of our sin and the magnitude of God’s grace, we will have abundance of joy in recessionary hardships. God’s grace overflowing in Jesus for sinners like us is the most glorious thing in the universe.

This is where our joy is rooted. This is why the Fighter Verse for this past week says that Christians can be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Our joy is not rooted in circumstances. God has relocated our joy in his grace, not our goods—in his mercy, not our money, in his worth, not our wealth.

If the recession can assist that relocation, it will have done the most important thing possible. Because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.

4. To Guard His Glory by Advancing His Saving Mission in the World Precisely When Human Resources Are Low We see this all over the Bible. God does his great advancing work again and again when it looks least possible for us.

• He promises the heir when Abraham and Sarah are too old to have children.

• He splits the Red Sea when Israel is hopelessly trapped by Pharaoh’s army.

• He gives manna when there is no food in the wilderness.

• He stops the Jordan River when it’s

time to take the land.

• When a city stands in the way, he makes the walls fall down.

• When the Midianites were as many as the sand of the sea, God whittled Gideon’s army down to 300 so God would get the glory for the victory.

• When Goliath defies the armies of the Lord, God sends a boy with a sling and five stones.

• When the Son of God is to come into the world, God calls a virgin to conceive.

• And when the mighty devil himself is to be defeated, a Lamb goes to the slaughter.

And here in 2 Corinthians 8:1–2, when God wants to raise money for the poor in Jerusalem, he uses afflicted, poverty-stricken Macedonians and fills them with joy because of his grace.

So that’s the context for Finish the Million by March. In only four weeks, in the hardest financial times in decades, on top of a 9.2 million-dollar church budget, with thousands of givers who never attend the North Campus, all of Bethlehem (on every campus) will give $235,000 to meet

the million-dollar goal to pull the trigger on finishing the North Campus.

But vastly more important than that is where your treasure is—where your heart is. Are you like the Macedonians whose joy—in times of “recession”—was invincible because it was rooted in the grace of God? May God open our eyes to glory of his grace. When he does, the last purpose for the recession that I will mention will come true.

5. To Bring His Church to Care for Her Hurting Members and Grow in Love

Buildings exist for people, not the other way around. May no effort to build ever keep us from caring for Christ’s followers. Acts 4:34 describes the early church: “There was not a needy person among them.” This is what the church does. Every member will have his needs met. God will test us to see if we are a church or a club.

May the Lord grant us “Macedonian grace” to “finish the million” and care for each other.

Check out John Piper’s podcast. Scan this QR code to go to his podcast web page.

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Revolution Church launched September 12, 2010 through GB National Missions and has grown to over 300 in attendance in just over 16 months. The church moved into a new facility in White House, TN, on January 1, 2012 through a Legacy Church partnership with Trinity Fellowship, a non-denominational church planted by Pastor Roy Lamberth in 1981

K New Hope for a New Church

by Kris Freeman

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icked back in front of a restaurant fireplace sipping

on his coffee, Pastor Roy Lamberth spoke slowly

and with confidence on a chilly October morning at breakfast.

“This church property is not for sale. There is not enough money in the state of Tennessee to buy it,” he told Kris Freeman, a church planter and lead pastor of Revolution Church. “God gave us this property and it was to always be a church – for us, or for other people. We made it our mission to win souls, to teach all that He has taught us, and to be people that love all God’s children. And that’s what it’s always going to be.”

Less than three months later on New Year’s Day 2012, Revolution Church held its first service on the 10.5-acre property on 31-W north in White House – just 16 months past a 2010 launch date at H.B. Williams Elementary School. Revolution will partner for one year with Trinity in a rent-free lease, paying utilities and insurance, with a plan to transition the property for Revolution’s future starting in 2013.

Trinity still meets in a 3,000-square foot missions warehouse on site. Revolution assumed the main sanctuary building plus a 6,000-square foot ministry center customized for kids and students.

“I about choked on my breakfast,” Pastor Kris said.

“For 16 months we setup and tore down every weekend.

We always dreamed of purchasing, leasing or building on a future property. But this – by all accounts – is a miracle.

It’s not only a great partnership, it even fits the visionary plan for facility use we initially dreamed. I still don’t know what to say, but thank you isn’t enough. God is just amazing.”

Even more amazing is the similarity of these two church planters – 47 years difference in age – who both grew up in Sumner County, moved to Kentucky to pastor, and returned to White House to plant a church. In fact, when Trinity Fellowship started in 1981, it met in the local American Legion Post 206. That building still stands and was the home of Revolution Church’s offices and student ministries since July 2011.

Pastor Lamberth went to White House High School (WHHS), played football there and joined the Army Air Corps before meeting his wife of 47 years (Ann) at Murray State University. He then went to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, and started Trinity Baptist Church in Louisville in 1971. That church grew to 700 people when God moved him back home.

“They didn’t use the term church planter, we were just doing The Great Commission,” he said. “We were just following the leadership of the Lord and at our time of greatest growth, He sent me to White House.”

Trinity Fellowship began in 1981 and now has five buildings, nearly six undeveloped acres and has planted a church in India which just celebrated 30 years. Pastor Roy served seven times in India, three in Honduras and once in Kenya. He pastored until suffering a heart attack in 1997. When his health recovered he resumed the pastor role again at Trinity in 2008. His congregation numbers just over 30, but many times exceeded 300 people in the past 30 years.

“I am part of the flock, and this is what my ‘shepherd” wanted to do and we had no opposition at all,” said Lily Harville of Trinity, who has been at the church for three years. “It’s a fabulous idea. Go for it. To see the kids, the new life, it’s just amazing to see what God is doing here.”

But church didn’t connect Pastor Roy to Pastor Kris. Football did. For 15 years, Kris served as a volunteer for the White House High School football program. He now is the character coach through the F.C.A. and saw Pastor Roy every Friday night at the gate – receiving a peppermint and a kiss on the check like every other person Roy met.

One of Roy’s sons, Mark, played football at White House and has coached/worked with Kris for 15 years.

“I always wondered what would happen to our church if something happened to my pastor, my dad,” said Mark, a teacher and football/head soccer coach at WHHS. “Then one day, Kris came in early and we talked about his church. God gave us our answer, and He spoke the same through my dad and through Kris.

Mark added, “A church is not a building or stuff. It’s where you are at any place and what better use of what we have in this moment of time than to partner with them.”

Ann passed to be with Jesus. Roy is now remarried, to a lady who served with him in the church for 30 years and had also lost her husband.

“I’m so excited that I can’t sleep,” said Dot Lamberth, who married Roy on April 21, 2011. “My husband had a lot of things to think about in ministry, but he loves the Lord and serving so much. He gave him a vision that this church would reach 3,000 people and now look at the opportunity we have to continue it with Revolution Church.”

The news broke fast in October. Really, there was little discussion. It was a God thing that swept through Revolution with an amazing amount of support.

“When I was walking through the facility for the first time, I was amazed at Pastor Roy’s generosity,” said Ronnie Foster, the minister of worship at Revolution. “It is so rare to see such a giving spirit in another leader and I am so grateful.”

A ministry center took things to the next level for Revolution, including the ability to create a teen center, a place of worship for kids and classrooms and offices for all ages and opportunities for mission.

“I am greatly blessed by the outpouring of love and support that Trinity has shown us,” said Pastor Kevin Reynolds, director of Rev Kids for ages 12-under. “It’s rare to see another church that is so supportive of another body of believers.

I believe that’s what Christ intended for us to be to one another.”

While the Trinity Church is non-denominational, Pastor Roy is really excited to be partnering with General Baptist National Missions.

“If you don’t put a label on yourself, someone else will,” he explained. “But at the rapture of the church, all the labels come off. Jesus said let your light shine. Our church is not the size it used to be. But we have met our obligations, have no debt we owe to anyone. Why can’t we connect to continue what God is doing here?”

“And there is no one I would rather pass this on to than Kris Freeman. I observed him. I watched him and how hard the people at Revolution worked in our community and to have church every weekend. I don’t know anyone other than Kris and his congregation that we’d rather have here.”

The news was delivered to Revolution on October 16.

The next week, the church began two services with 318 in attendance. Those two services continued after the move, and the time previously used for setup and tear down for weekly worship has been transferred to local community outreach and missions.

“It’s amazing to see God show the fruits of labor,” said Justin Goff, director of media at Revolution. “And in this case, he gave us a vineyard full of fruit trees. It’s there. We have such a tremendous future.”

Joe Smith remembers a July message, when Pastor Kris challenged Revolution to see 120 people come

Kris Freeman is the lead pastor/church planter of Revolution Church, White House, Tennessee where he, his wife Jennifer and children Madison and Noah make their home.

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to Christ, enlist 60 new families in the church and start a church planting work in Jamaica. The church prayed, got behind the vision, but never put a building as its focus.

“It just goes to show what the power of prayer can do,” said Smith, the leader of care ministries at Revolution.

“This partnership is such a blessing.”

Revolution dreams of its future, including the possibility of a new facility on site and transforming other buildings to a missions resource center for outreach and disaster relief.

The vision of Revolution Church is now pushing forward full speed, with serve teams equipped to reach the community. Recently, they launched an evangelism challenge called “One Thousand Names” to pray for a reach out to 1,000 people in their community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“To have Trinity right here beside us working for that vision is just an honor,” Pastor Kris said. “They gave up everything they ever worked for to be our partner; they decided to work on the same team. They gave of themselves and we don’t deserve that.

“But this is how a legacy should work. Legacy is a bridge. It connects the past to the future and knows the value of both. We have opportunities because Trinity opened the door and walked through it with us. Churches working together – this is the way it should be.”

To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death. Pearl S. Buck When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you’re slamming the door in the face of God. Charles L. Allen Hope is patience with the lamp lit.

Tertullian Some see a hopeless end, while others see an endless hope. Unknown Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.

Robert Ingersoll While there’s life, there’s hope. Cicero There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 23:18

“Never deprive someone of hope - it may be all they have.” -- Unknown Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.

Christopher Reeve

Hope never abandons you, you abandon it.

George Weinberg

Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.

Vincent McNabb

Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops... at all.

Emily Dickinson

When the world says, “Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.”

Unknown If you knew that hope and despair were paths to the same destination, which would you choose?

Robert Brault

The wings of hope carry us, soaring high above the driving winds of life.

Ana Jacob All it takes is one bloom of hope to make a spiritual garden.

Terri Guillemets

Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Jesus You’ve gotta’ have hope.

Without hope life is meaningless. Without hope life is meaning less and less.

Unknown Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.

George Iles Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.

Unknown

The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

Joseph Addison Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

Helen Keller For myself, I am an optimistit does not seem to be much use being anything else.

Winston Churchill Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when desire comes it is a tree of life.

King Solomon

If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so. Eric Bentley

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At first glance 2012 should become a new year like any other—with the same hope any new year brings.

Some have cast a fearful light on 2012 as a time when the world will be in dire financial straits while the United States will be mired in new elections and old wars. One more troubling aspect of 2012 is that we will be coming to the end of the Mayan Calendar!

The Mayan culture flourished from about 2000 BCE till the early 16th century. This empire extended from southern Mexico to northern Central America. The Mayans developed advanced art, writing, architecture, math and astronomy. For example they were using zero during the time of Julius Caesar, long before this significant mathematical concept was known in the Roman world! These accomplishments allowed them to develop an advanced calendar, broken down into cycles of 5,125 years each.

According to this Mayan Calendar we are currently living in the cycle that began in 3114 BCE, just before the first Egyptian dynasty. At the winter solstice of 2012, when the darkness of winter is longest, this cycle ends. Many people believe the Mayans anticipated the end of the world with the end of their calendar cycle.

The Mayans are not the only people to have predicted the end of the world. There seem always to have been groups fixated on the end of the world. At the turning of the first millennium in May of the year 1000, the corpse of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne was disinterred so that he could rise to fight the coming Antichrist. More recently in 1747, Jane Wardley, a member of the Shakers, said, “The new heaven and new earth prophesied of old is about to come…these are even now at the door.”

Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter-day Saint movement, prophesied in 1835 that the world would end in 56 years, in the year 1891. The year 1891 came and went, yet the world did not end.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church initially developed out of William Miller’s prediction that the end of time would occur in either 1843 or 1844.

Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, believed that the Second Coming was due in 1914. Europe plunged into a brutal trench warfare then that eventually engulfed the world. Thousands of men were lost, and a continent was ravaged; but the end still did not come.

In 1988, Edgar Whisenant published 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. This booklet was widely disPage 12

tributed among evangelical churches with several nationwide mailings paid for by sympathetic sponsors. As 1989 began with no sign of the rapture, Whisenant determined his math was incorrect. Revisions left him predicting the end in 1989 or 1993 or 1994.

In 1999 technophobes reveled in their preparations for the coming calamity of Y2K. Chaos was anticipated with the collapse of computers, since their programming and capabilities were determined by the binary code mirrored by the date of the new year. On January 1, 2000, however, the computers still worked; and life continued much as it had on December 31, 1999.

Just this past year Harold Camping gained notoriety for his prediction that the world would end on May 21, 2011. He announced that like so many before him that he also had done the math wrong. He corrected his final prediction of October 21, 2011. This prediction failed.

These anticlimactic historical moments are just a small sampling of failed end-times predictions. There have always been persons who portend the end, doomsayers who have an undeniable mass appeal. Their self-assured and simplistic rhetoric is appealing because it is never in doubt.

It is never in error, even when that error is evident in our continued existence. The mistaken prophet cries out, “Yes, I made a miscalculation; I am right this time for I was never wrong to begin with and have, through diligent reexamination, unearthed new information which proves my previous prediction and confirms my now current prediction. I am sure!” Actually, it’s much the same way sports radio is always accurate in predicting Sunday’s football games on Monday morning.

The apostle Paul commented concerning the appeal of these simplistic ideologies when he wrote, Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night… But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, 4-6 NRSV)

Simply put, it is not responsible (or sober as Paul puts it) to blatantly flaunt our human arrogance and embrace disdain for the words of our Lord in Acts 1:7-8 NRSV.

He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth.’

I will not presume to dictate to God when He shall act.

I only hope that one day my Lord will return and embrace me in spite of my faults, my doubts, and my mistakes. I don’t need an esoteric insight into the end—all I need to be able to do is hope.

My hope is a trust in the promises of God. As Christians our end is not in death and destruction. We need not fear the coming year for through the promises of God we may begin a new life through salvation in Christ. I hope in that salvation and so I act that others may share in the same hope. I act so that I may be, as Teddy Roosevelt said, “actually in the arena, my face marred by dust and sweat and blood.”

For me this means that I engage the students in my church on a weekly basis so they may see more than the bitterness and despair that runs rampant through their city.

Because I hope in that salvation, I will boldly advance into whatever new and exciting areas of ministry God has in store in 2012. We do not engage in ministry because we know what the future holds, but because we have been instructed by the Lord Jesus to be witnesses of His awesome story in our Jerusalem, in our Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of His Earth.

Hope is a strange word with an elusive clarity to it, both fearful in intent and audacious in expectation. Fearful hope paralyzes— leaving us unable, or worse, unwilling to act. Audacious hope energizes us leaving us desperate and ready to act.

Joseph Dumond currently serves as a deacon in the Mt. Vernon Church where he also volunteers in children’s ministries. He and his wife Jaclyn reside in Evansville

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by James W. Murray

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” wrote American patriot Thomas Paine in December 1776, referring to the start of the Revolutionary War. Such words could apply today. The world economy has been shaken to the foundation, the Middle East is in turmoil, natural disasters have killed tens of thousands, Europe teeters on the brink of monetary collapse, and our own nation is politically divided.

Are there any certainties for such a time? The Bible assures us there are.

God is certain. God’s love is certain. God’s grace is certain. Because of these certainties, God invites us to trust Him. Proverbs 3 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (vv.5-6).

How do we face the unknown future with its uncertainties? Faith is required. For the Old Testament, the life of faith is a life of trusting obedience to God’s law. What God wants is loyalty and faithfulness. Loyalty is what unites two parties in a covenant. Faithfulness is reliability. If these exist, Proverbs 3 tells us then that they are like a necklace bringing adornment and beautification to life (vv. 1-4).

“With all thine heart” (v. 5) means total commitment to God. This is not an intellectual achievement but a religious illumination. Thus, faith is both gift and demand. This kind of trust is contrasted with simple cleverness (v. 7a), because cleverness may be a form of cold pragmatism that is perverse and sinful.

What does trust in the Lord do for us? According to Proverbs 3, God will remove life’s obstacles and keep us from deviating into dangerous paths. “He shall direct thy paths” (v. 6), we are promised. But this is conditioned upon acknowledging Him in all our ways, which is no small feat.

The rewards for trust in God as outlined in the rest of the passage are largely material and this-worldly. Both the quantity and quality of life will be enhanced if we trust God. Thus, long life and peace (v. 2), social favor and a good reputation (v. 4), vigorous health (v. 8), and a bumper crop (v. 10) are all part of God’s material blessings on the faithful.

Does God ever reward us materially? Yes. But dare we say such a thing when “prosperity preachers” peddle inflated expectations of material rewards?

The health-and-wealth preachers we see on television have read only half of the Bible on this. They misapply even it, and then ignore the other half of the text.

Obviously, many people trust in God who are not blessed with health, wealth, and well-being. Saints suffer. The Old Testament recognized this (Job), and so does Proverbs 3:11-12. Trust in God sometimes must be maintained through tears and darkness, trials and deprivations. Jesus taught His people to expect suffering in their discipleship (Matthew 5:11-12).

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It is difficult not to fear and mistrust deeply when we live in a world of deep fear and mistrust. Yet fear and mistrust, however common, can become the fuel that unbelief uses. In that case, prayer and fellowship with other Christians are the best antidotes. The answer to temptation to unbelief is found in a community of faith, the Church, where you can have your fears and doubts respected but your faith confirmed and strengthened. Faith does not rise sky high all at once, of course; but all we really need is faith sufficient for today.

Trust in God is not one of life’s frills. It is at the core of life. By trust I do not mean “positive thinking” that everything will turn out well no matter what. It is trust that God is for me and not against me and that God loves me with an infinite compassion even if He does not always take away my pain. Faith is trust that His ultimate purpose for me is good and will not be thwarted and that God will have the last word about everything.

How can I trust an invisible God? The invisible God became visible in Jesus of Nazareth.

I can believe in a God who gets thirsty and tired and has to stop by a well in Samaria, where He dares talk to an outcast Samaritan woman.

I can believe in a God who weeps at the tomb of a friend. I can believe in a God who is so angry at injustice that He throws moneychangers out of the Temple. I can believe in a God who is unafraid to touch the sick and the sinful and unafraid to get His hands dirty when He touches me.

I can believe in a God who allows Himself to be beaten, mocked, and hanged naked between heaven and earth, there to die a God-forsaken death for God-forsaken people. And I can trust a God who tells me through the Resurrection that death is not the end but the beginning, that life is more powerful than death, that right will triumph over wrong, and that Jesus is the King before whom every knee will bow.

Therefore, with faith in God there can be certainty in uncertain times. A Scottish preacher told the story that on a particular day when he was a boy he walked to town during the day, but it was late when he started the return trip. It was six or seven miles through a wooded area that had a bad reputation for muggings. As it became darker and darker, he became more and more afraid. He thought he heard a noise up ahead, and he froze in his tracks.

Then he heard a strong, familiar voice. “Johnny, is that you? Don’t be afraid. It’s your father.”

Our certainty is this: Our Father is up ahead. He knows our name, and He knows our fears. He calls us and invites us not to be afraid. He will walk with us and beside us until we reach “home.” If we join Him on the walk, we have found faith; and faith has found us. And we will have sufficient certainty no matter how uncertain the times.

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The Millennials, Thom S. Rainer and Jess W. Rainer, B &H Publishing, 2011.

At 78 million strong, the Millennials – those born between 1980 and 2000 – have surpassed the Baby Boomers as the largest and most influential generation in the United States. Thom Rainer and his son Jess present a major investigative work on Millennials from a Christian worldview.

This book is for everyone who wants to help bring Millennials into the family of God. They are different. They want to and believe they can make a difference in this world. Although not particularly spiritual, they possess qualities that will make them great workers for Christ if the church will reach them.

Maximum Faith, George Barna, Tyndale House, 2012

George Barna has been doing research on the Christian community for over thirty years. In this latest book Barna examines American’s claim to Christianity and the reality of where people really are. Through it he examines and delineates the stages of most people’s spiritual journey. This book opens the reader to the reality of the people who populate our churches and helps develop ways to assist them on the journey.

Be Fruitful and Multiply, Robert E. Logan, Church Smart, 2006.

Considered by many to be the father of the modern church planting movement, Bob Logan has hit a home run with this book on church multiplication. Starting with a solid biblical foundation for church multiplication, Bob leads the reader through defining and developing a church multiplication movement. This book is for you if you are interested in expanding the Kingdom of God through exponential church planting.

compiled by Robert Gunn, used by permission

The Bible was written by about 40 men over a period of about 1600 years dating from 1500 BC to about 100 years after Christ. These men wrote this Scripture as they were given inspiration by God. (2 Timothy 3:16) The first translation of the English Bible was initiated by John Wycliffe and completed by John Purvey in 1388.

Early Wycliffe: “And God seide, Be maad liȝt; and maad is liȝt” Later Wycliffe: “And God seide, Liȝt be maad; and liȝt was maad” King James: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light”

The familiar verse of John 3:16 is rendered in the later Wycliffe version as “For God louede so the world, that he ȝaf his oon bigetun sone, that ech man that bileueth in him perische not, but haue euerlastynge lijf.”

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The Bible has since been translated in part or in whole into over 1200 languages and dialects.

Word : Offertory

While some commonly use this term to refer to the music played during the reception of the collection during a worship service, its more traditional usage refers to something different, but not entirely so.

The offertory was originally connected with the offering of the gifts for the Lord’s Supper. The bread and the fruit of the vine were presented, prepared, and formally offered by the one presiding at the table, the deacons, or even by laypersons during the actual worship service. This was called the “offertory.” This usage can be seen in writings as early as the second century.

The offertory was connected with the idea that the church returned the elements for the meal at the Lord’s Table as a sign that even the most common elements of life belong to God. The giving of such common elements in worship was thus a way of saying that all of life is holy and part of our worship. Also, when they provided these common elements, it was God who made them holy.

Baptists do not agree with those Christians who claim that the elements of the Lord’s Supper become something different than bread and fruit of the vine after they reach the table. However, we can understand and appreciate the idea that what we offer to God in the church is both a sign that we recognize all of life to be dedicated to God and that when we give, it is God who transforms the gift into something truly special (i.e., holy). It also reminds us that our giving is always part of our larger act of worship!

Recommended Books

The Complete Library of Christian Worship, 7 Vols., Robert Webber, Hendrickson, 1995.

Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God’s Narrative, Robert Webber, Baker Books, 2008.

Both of these suggestions portray a contemporary movement to recover ancient worship practices and worship theology for the church today. In the seven-volume Library, concepts like “offertory” are presented as options for Christians from a wide range of denominational backgrounds or worship styles, especially in the fifth volume. The relatively short Ancient-Future Worship provides an overarching theology of worship from this perspective.

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Meeting an Old Friend

by Vyron Yount

It was a wonderful day in D. L. Moody’s life when he found G. Campbell Morgan, the “prince of expositors,” and brought his gifts of soul winning, teaching, and preaching of the Bible into the churches.

No minister should go through life without reading G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945). Morgan was probably one of the greatest expository preachers of all time. He was a Congregational minister; but like Moody, he was a man of all persuasions.

As a sickly child he was tutored at home. He had no formal education, but at one time was president of a Bible college, Cheshunt College, Cambridge (1911-1914). He studied nothing but the Bible for seven years, locking his books in a closet. He preached his first sermon at age 13.

His most notable work was as pastor of Westminster Church in London from 19041919 and again from 1933-1943. He took the dead, poorly attended church and brought it to life. He wrote 60 books, the first being Discipleship (1897) and his last, Luke (1931). His book The Crises of the Christ covered what he believed were the fundamentals of the faith (1903) and helped frame the fundamentalist debates of the early 20th century.

Morgan ministered frequently in the States, crossing the Atlantic 54 times during his lifetime.

How do you explain a man like this? He did not have the opportunity to study in a Bible school or seminary. Yet, he wrote books that are used by these schools and read by preachers around the world. He sat on the faculties of three schools and, as mentioned, served as president of a college for three years.

He never resorted to cheap tricks or sensationalism to get a crowd. Yet wherever he went people were turned away. I think in the history of the church that this particular man and God came together in a divine timing. Sometimes God has men at the right place, at the right time. His providence works so that God sometimes finds the man when the man is not looking for Him.

In his early life he was a teacher, and these skills show through in his preaching. Ralph G. Turnbull in volume 3 of A History of Preaching (p. 435) writes how Morgan arrived at his specific method used in his expository preaching. He read and studied the entire Bible over and over. He read and reread books of the Bible until he found the scope and message of the book in the light and scheme of the whole Bible. He then consulted the original languages and scholarly helps to discover the meanings of passages or the book. He dealt with the text, context, and background style. He labored in word study to bring out meanings and applications. This resulted in Bible preaching at its finest! He preached from the overflow!

Preaching is hard work. Preparation takes time. How long does it take to prepare a sermon? It takes a lifetime, because we are trying to improve the personality of the whole man. His word should not come through just any personality, but a personality born again by the Spirit, washed in the blood, dedicated and committed to Him. Should God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit expect or require anything less? Morgan’s biography was written by daughter-in-law Jill Morgan, A Man of the Word, Life of G. Campbell Morgan (1953). Two books on preaching that are worth reading by Morgan are The Study and Teaching of the English Bible (1931) and Preaching (1937). You may also want to read The Expository Method: G. Campbell Morgan by Don M. Wagner (1957).

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40 Days of Stories Personal Testimonies on Evangelism “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42).

The word “preaching” in this text implies proclaiming the good news of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. That’s evangelism, sharing the gospel so people will confess Christ and be His disciple. Mission One 2012 is the Year of Evangelism. A special devotional book has been prepared to encourage believers in sharing their testimony to those without Christ. 40 Days of Stories contains touching, real life stories about how someone came to Christ or led a person to confessing Him as Lord and Savior.

The following excerpts are from some of the 40 personal stories found in the booklet.

“But, just in case he was sincere, I shared with him how to become a Christian. This was the first time I had ever led anyone to Christ over the telephone. When I asked if he was ready to pray, he said yes. I started praying (really fast), and he started repeating the words. It was then I realized that he didn’t know how to pray, so I slowed the pace down dramatically. I said a few words, and he repeated them.” (Bryan Johnson leading a co-worker to Christ.)

“God,” I said, “If you are real, if you are as you present yourself, show me in no uncertain terms, in a way that I can never deny or say that I manufactured. Reveal yourself to me, God, if you are there!” I waited, and nothing happened. No lightning or thunder, no voices or angels.

Nothing. Two days later, I went to the mailbox. To my surprise, an envelope with my name on it was among my parents’ mail. I opened it–no return address–and began to read. ‘I have been praying for you, Carol, and God told me yesterday to write to you and tell you this. . He loves you so much, and he knows you. He wants you to recognize him again. He knows all the pain and sorrow in the world, but his plan for dealing with that and more is Jesus. Carol,’ the letter said, ‘God wants you to know that he is exactly who he says he is in the Bible.’ The letter was signed ‘One Who Loves God.’ Words literally escaped me. All I could think was that no one on the face of the earth knew what had been happening in my mind. Not one person was aware of my questions, of my reading. Yet miraculously, someone had written a response to my prayer. I could not deny it. God had revealed Himself to me!” (Carol Lewis in telling about God’s seeking love for her.)

“In evangelism I strive to strike a balance between truth, urgency, and joy. Truth should be at the core of evangelism. We must be accurate in what we say, even though calling someone to repentance or explaining that the Christian life will be costly might seem difficult to say to someone. Having people understand their lost and sinful condition is part of sharing the good news of Christ.” (Ben Russell in his story about leading a 72-year old lady to Christ.) ___________________________________

To read all the testimonies, 40 Days of Stories will be available to order through Stinson Press by the end of January 2012 at $2.00 per copy. Orders may be placed by calling (800) 521-0354 or online at stinsonpress.com.

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E

very now and then a person needs

a reset. A refocusing if you will, on

what really matters not just in one’s immediate sphere of influence, but on a global scale. The mind is an amazing thing, so powerful is it’s ability to expand, but even more so to get focused on the routine and matters immediately at hand...almost to a fault. Being immersed in a cross cultural experience causes you to question each and every action and it’s merits. How much does this really matter on the grand scheme of things? In the economy of man? Of God?

I had never been out of the country and so my ideas about how God expresses himself was limited to the context of the mid-west. How I understood my responsibilities as a Christian and as a called man of Christ were forever changed in the course of 10 days. I went to encourage the students and pastors of the Philippine church, I was in turn encouraged and strengthened.

At GBBC, the passion of the students was inspiring. When asked what they wished to do upon graduation, the most frequent answer spoken without so much as a flinch was, “I want to do God’s will.” Getting up close and personal with the people of the Philippines put faces and real needs to the distant mission field I have heard about since childhood.

I recently read Radical by Dr. David Platt and he challenges his readers to five commitments at the end of the book. One of them is spending time out of your normal context in order to serve others. The reasoning behind Platt’s point now makes so much more sense, and I find it to not just be important but vital to the health of a Christian. The human mind is a lot like any electronic device. Physically it can be recharged but if it is left on in the same routine it will become sluggish or even freeze...reboot.

Reboot, and you return to the processes that are most vital to fulfilling your purpose.

The trick is planning and being disciplined in the reset. One doesn’t need to go halfway around the globe to get this experience (although I would recommend it if it is possible for you). Serve at your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Give backpacks to school children in need, or visit an inner city mission or church and serve. Just serve.

God will turn the blessing back around on you ten-fold and help you to focus on what is really important to Him.

Curtis Mort serves as Worship Leader and Youth Pastor at Mt. Vernon General Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon, IN.

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I

came thinking I was going to carry a message or to teach the students something. I had an “idea” of what I would bring something that would impact their lives. Little did I know that it was quite the opposite. They impacted my life far beyond anything I could have done for them.

The students were incredible and showed me what true joy really is. Its not in what we have or in how we “feel”, but rather in what we have been given: LIFE. Life through Jesus...now THAT is liberating. Living is not the same as being alive and the students from GBBC showed me that.

I’m working on a documentary about our trip and the impact that was made on both sides. The video will shed light on the heart of a missionary and the light that comes from sharing and finding those opportunities everywhere you go. Inspiration is everywhere... Go.

Drew Janes is the owner of Relentless Media and a graphic artist in Jackson, MO.

Drew Janes & Leo Guitguit

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H

aving served on MVP teams in the past I have always found two things challenging. Communication barriers and a

lack of established, organized churches to work with. However I did not find these challenges as prominent in the

Philippines. Most of the people we came in contact with spoke enough English to communicate with us. In the Philippines there are 260 General Baptist churches! They are categorized by Districts much like Associations here in the states. I find this very encouraging.Not just for mission teams from the U.S., but for a great opportunity to partner with and work beside Filipino’s for the advancement of Gods kingdom.

What I find exciting about the Philippines is that it is located with in what’s known as the 10/40 Window. An area that spans 10 degrees Latitude and 40 degrees Longitude across Africa and Asia. Within this window is 2/3 of the worlds population. 90% of these people are unevangelized. Many have never heard the Gospel message even once.

Jesus said in John 4:35-38, Do you not say, there are still four months and then the harvest? Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest. And he who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this saying is true;’ one sows and another reaps’. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into there labors. Doors of opportunity are being opened in this area of the world to sow and to reap. There is a General Baptist Pastor in the Philippines that is opening one of these doors to become a Missionary to Pakistan. This is a reflection of the people I met in the Philippines, thirsty for God and willing to follow. May God bless you Pastor Danny as you endeavor to serve Him. May we be as bold for the cause of Christ to follow where ever He leads.

Keith Bowers currently works for Delta Airlines and is an ordained minister through the Portland Association.

If you would like to support Pastor Danny contact International Missions at 573-785-7746 or sandy.phelan@generalbaptist.com

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I

by Josh Hammond

am willing to give my life so others can hear the gospel.

That was the challenge and the call given just before a passionate crowd of 90 young Filipino leaders unflinchingly stood to their feet in response. I have seen many stirring scenes in the last nine-and-a-half years in missions, but this one won’t be forgotten.

After just a few days among our brothers and sisters at General Baptist Bible College (GBBC) and Matisaglug Bible Institute (MBI) I was so impressed by the students’ and staffs’ passion for Christ and insatiable hunger to grow as leaders. I was also impressed by the challenges that await them in life and the mission to proclaim the gospel where it is not yet known.

Our team did not go to those schools with superior teaching-but with an honest desire to pour out of ourselves what could be beneficial. It’s amazing to me how far what little knowledge and encouragement our small team shared went.

One young man about 19 was frantically taking notes and gathering extra handouts. I thought it was strange until I learned he was gathering everything he could to take back to his village to share with others. I saw this repeated with dozens of other students, young people who took personal responsibility to gather what little we gave so they could equip others.

I have seen financial poverty before, but it was not their financial poverty that moved me so. It was their

poverty of gospel resources and encouragement. Words, which often come so cheaply for us. Words to affirm that we, their brothers and sisters around the world, are beside them and are praying with them. Papers that teach how a church should budget money for Kingdom work. We might toss resourses given to us at a meeting or conference, once it was over, but these students treasured the resources we gave them and made plans to pass them on. Who wouldn’t look at that and feel convicted?

I was privileged to be part of this first Student Leadership Training, but I would count it our massive loss and failure if it were the last. We have an amazing opportunity as General Baptists and even more so as Kingdom-minded believers to help these young leaders accomplish the mission to which God has called them and us. I can’t help but be reminded of those who poured into my life at their age.

I believe these young leaders are not just the future and pride of the General Baptists of the Philippines but of all General Baptists and the greater Body of Christ. What we do or don’t do to help them, I believe, will prove the strength of our conviction that Christ tasted death for every man.

May our General Baptist branch of the vine of Christ bear much fruit among the next generation of leaders in the ends of the earth.

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By Will Gillean

xcitement, nerves, waiting.

We came to teach and lead.

Tired, flying, jet lag.

We came a great distance.

Beauty, city, hustle.

Davao City, Philippines.

New sights, new smells, new climate.

We are here to do Your work.

Anticipation, anxiety, the students.

The General Baptist Bible College.

90 students, staff and faculty.

Open vessels receptive to all we say.

Smiles, laughter, tears of joy.

Lives from around the world becoming one Mentoring, sharing, testimonies.

God’s marvelous love is manifested learning, leading, fellowship becoming slow to speak and quick to listen.

Praising, worship, love our hearts all joined in singing harmony to the King Compassion, sacrifice, honor when someone pours into us it’s humbling. gifts. hugs. goodbyes.

The feelings of 100 new friends embarking on lives journey together...

W

e flew 8600 miles to the island of Mindanao, in

the Philippines to teach leadership to college

students at the General Baptist Bible College.

What we got was more than we could have imagined. We came to teach, but we got taught. We came to lead, but learned to follow. How great is the God we serve. He uses the weak to lead the strong. He shows Himself in all His creation. His goodness and mercy shines bright even in the storm. His love surpasses ALL understanding.

The students of the bible colleges in Mindanao don’t need your things, your attitudes, or your way of life. They

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have no use for your cars, fancy clothes or your big house.

What they need is your prayers, your compassion, your love, your support. This is the future, these are the faces, these are the leaders. We hoard our excess, but they give out of their poverty. We run from struggles, but they are joyful in all things. The stories are being told and lives are being changed. Will you listen.

These are not just nameless faces from the other side of the world...These are the brothers and sisters in the family of God.

Joyce serves as President of General Baptist Bible College in Davao City, Philippines.

he previous semester concluded with a 3-day spiritual retreat and lead ership training on October 19-21, 2011, which was spearheaded by

our International Missions Director, Sean Warren, together with six (6) other dynamic men: Johnny Jourdan, Josh Hammond, Curtis Mort, Keith Bowers, Will Gillean, and Drew Janes. All of them led different sessions which inspired and motivated our students to become effective spiritual and mission-minded leaders. The said training was the first of its kind that was held on campus among GBBC students. Many wonderful things can be said about the training, but what was very significant was that the training helped the students not just in gaining knowledge and information, but it made a big impact to them which gave their lives a sense of direction and vision to expand their horizon and enlarge their territory believing that they, as a group of young people, are the hope of our future. They are the future of this institution, the future of this denomination, the future of this nation, and the future of the ministries around the world.

We give our special thanks to all of the above-mentioned guests who flew half way around the globe to come and speak to our students, to share their testimonies and experiences, and to impart their knowledge and skills, because truly they have made a difference in their lives. We thank them for sacrificing their time, effort, and money and for believing that investing in the training and equipping of our students here to become our future leaders is very vital and indeed an investment that is indeed rewarding!

Personally, the leadership training inspired me to work harder not just for the daily survival of GBBC but for the future. It made me realize that we just can’t expect our students, or the youth in general, to stand up on their own and assume leadership roles and responsibilities without proper education and training. We need to equip our youth. The Bible in itself clearly elaborates on the importance of training, teaching, and equipping of the younger generation and God expects the older generation to take part and initiate in this process. This teaching and learning process is never-ending. It is something that we must continuously do.

Furthermore, the leadership training was a testimony in itself that justified the importance of the provision of education because it is the basic prerequisite for building a strong, upright, objective, feasible and dynamic society—church, school, community, country. Education is a very essential aspect that contributes to the abilities of our youth for them to live a fruitful and responsible life and to have a bright and promising future. Thus, we should give education a major priority because through it our young men and women are developed and through education and training they can be better prepared for life and the ministries ahead of them.

With all the learnings and realizations during this training, is the recognition and understanding that while the older generation play a very vital role in the training and equipping of our youth, the reality is that the youth are one of the greatest assests that any church, institution, community or country can have. People come and go and those who have come and have left needs to be replaced. Not only do we justifiably refer to them and acknowledge them as our future leaders, they are our greatest investments because without them, there can be no future.

This only means that with the changing times and the challenges we are faced each day, GBBC still has to strive harder to train and equip many more generations to come. GBBC still needs to continue to exist not just to make better the lives of our youth through education but mainly to develop responsible and effective leaders who will carry on the ministries of changing lives, winning souls to Christ, planting churches, and impacting our communities. And we should all take pride and be involved in the ministry of GBBC because we need to understand that preparing tomorrow’s future leaders is a responsibility we all share.

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Reflections of the Philippines

As a child I attended Twelfth Avenue General Baptist Church in Evansville, Indiana. For the most part I was oblivious to what was going on around me. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I was saved. By this time Twelfth Avenue had moved and become Westwood General Baptist Church.

As I grew in the Lord and became active in the church I got to know many of the people. Two of those people were Mary Lou and Amy Howard, who were missionaries to the Philippines working at the Matigsalug Bible Institute.

I recently returned from my second trip to the Philippines. If I had to sum up the experiences from both trips in one word, it would be humbling. I have to admit that since I had been to the Philippines before, I thought I was prepared to experience the wild driving, poverty, and heavy Muslim influence in some of the areas.

In my sleep-deprived state I was oblivious to some of the things going on, but that soon changed.

On the Sunday I was in the Philippines on my last trip, taken last fall, I spoke at Bro. Jerry Muring’s church. I arrived a little early and decided to walk around and take some pictures before the service began. As I approached the altar I noticed a hymnal of familiar color and size on the Lord’s Supper table. I thought to myself, I have a hymnal just like that at home. As I examined it closer I discovered that it was an identical copy, for embossed in the bottom right corner of the cover were the words Twelfth Avenue Baptist Church.

The gravity of the situation hit me like a Mack truck. I Page 30

was in the Philippines! My home church and its members have gone out before me and left their mark for the glory of God and the gospel. It was now my turn. And others will come after me.

What a huge responsibility and honor it was to think that the paved streets and highways I traveled were once little more than dirt paths trod by dear saints whom I know personally in the United States and that the people I met and spoke with were perhaps led to Christ by or ministered alongside my college instructor Gary Underwood. On several occasions individuals asked me about these former missionaries and sent them greetings from the Philippines.

In reflection, I ask myself, Why don’t I feel this weight constantly? The peculiar thing that comes to mind as I reflect upon my trip and write this is, why don’t I feel this weight constantly? How could I be so oblivious to all the groundwork that has been laid to get the work in the Philippines to the point where it is today and the work done in my life to get me to the point where the two collided at that very moment in the history of the world? It baffles me to think that I don’t get a front-row seat in seeing what God is doing in the world past, present, and future; but I get to play a part, however small it may be.

So, what is your role? Our Filipino brothers and sisters have a genuine passion for Christ, the lost, and fellowship among General Baptists of all nations. We General Baptists have opportunities to go and work side-by-side with them. Will you seek in prayer the Lord’s will about whether He would have you be one of the next to go?

A

by Pastor Pedro Ramierez, Mexico

fter our time of worship one week, we spent time listening to what God was doing during the week. The first

testimony was from Sis. Sabina.

This lady works at a factory in Juarez, and she testifies about Jesus every time she has a chance. A lot of people ask her to pray for them, but this time she had a prayer request for herself. Her boss was angry with her, and he wanted to dismiss her, so her boss sent somebody else to let her know about it. That person started to tease her, and Sabina told her that the Lord was the one who gave her work, and He was the only one who could take it away.

Sabina went to see her boss, knowing that people dreaded confronting this man because he used bad words in speaking to them. But he spoke with her, and did not fire her, without using a single bad word.

T

he second testimony was from a young man who recently had been in jail. Just that week the judge had removed the

charge. By the way, a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez, go to the jail every week. They take some food for the prisoners and hold Bible studies.

There were three more testimonies. After that we asked for prayer requests. But before we prayed, Bro. Jose asked me if he could give another testimony; and I told him to go ahead.

He told us about his brother who was hijacked as he came out of his work. Six months later, on June 7, 2011, they found his body. That’s when Bro. Jose began to think about how to get revenge. He couldn’t get the situation out of his mind. Every day and every moment he thought about his brother and how they found him. So Bro. Jose set Feb. 1, 2012, as the day to get revenge.

Crying, Bro. Jose gave me a photo of his brother and asked me to “cancel” the date on which he was planning to take revenge. He testified that the Lord had taken away the thirst for revenge he had held for more than nine months and given him peace in his heart.

Praise the Lord, Brothers. He keeps doing great things and miracles in Agua Viva and Mexico every day.

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by Sean Warren on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 5:43pm

Where you go, I’ll go Where you stay, I’ll stay When you move, I’ll move I will follow

Where you go, I’ll go Where you stay, I’ll stay When you move, I’ll move I will follow you

All your ways are good All your ways are sure I will trust in you alone

Who you love, I’ll love How you serve, I’ll serve If this life I lose, I will follow you I will follow you

Higher than my side High above my life I will trust in you alone

In you, there’s life everlasting In you, there’s freedom for my soul In you, there’s joy, unending joy And I will follow

Where you go, I’ll go Where you stay, I’ll stay When you move, I’ll move I will follow you Who you love, I’ll love How you serve, I’ll serve If this life I lose, I will follow you I will follow you Light unto the world Light unto my life I will live for you alone You’re the one I seek Knowing I will find All I need in you alone In you alone

Where you go, I’ll go Where you stay, I’ll stay When you move, I’ll move I will follow you Who you love, I’ll love How you serve, I’ll serve If this life I lose, I will follow Where you go, I’ll go Where you stay, I’ll stay When you move, I’ll move I will follow you Who you love, I’ll love How you serve, I’ll serve If this life I lose, I will follow you I will follow you I will follow you I will follow you Lyrics by Chris Tomlin

I

woke up at 4:27 a.m this morning, a wonderful benefit of jet lag. My travel ing companions are still asleep. So in this rare quiet time, I will try and communicate the expanse of this heart of mine.

For the last couple of days I have been leading a team of 7 guys who came to the southern island of Mindanao in the Philippines. We have been teaching 90 college students about leadership and the Christian life. This is the first ever event like this they have ever had, and I will not soon forget it.

Here are some of my personal highlights, which honestly, will so inadequately be conveyed to you, I wish to God you could have been there with us...

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Context: we are in a fairly warm and humid open air chapel. Lush vegetation is all around, and you can hear in the distance all the sounds that accompany a busy, bustling country that is wanting to grow and develop.

The college students range from 16 to 24ish.

Vibrant, energetic, passionate and happy God followers... they are. To the very last one this is true. They all were wearing white uniforms which actually represented the colors of their hearts most perfectly. The singing was rich and full with them raising their arms in worship to the one who is the giver of opportunity. While in worship their faces expressed the range of emotions a worshipful atmosphere can provide. From joy, being displayed with large smiles, to hot tears running down the face representing the deepest places of the human soul. They did not have to be encouraged to worship, neither primed nor coached. In fact, they live ready to worship the Creator. Their worship is their joy and delight. It is better than the World Series, it is more comforting than air conditioning. It is the reason they were created.

In our open air chapel we had 16 tribes represented, 16 languages. Sixteen people groups.

Distinct facial features, and sizes, all crafted uniquely by their Creator. On of my deepest moments is when I asked them to read a passage of scripture from their tribal language. One girl said to me so politely, even apologetically, “Sir, we do not have the Bible in our language.” No scripture in the language of her people. Not one word... The reality of that hit me like a ton of bricks....not one word.

Yet, the Gospel advances. Keep up the good work Wycliffe translators, they are still patiently waiting.

Another moment, which is difficult to type, was when I found out about some of our students being orphans. You see, we have a college of 90, and a high School and elementary of 500. Several of the elementary students come from an orphanage down the road. I told our college president that if possible I would like to see a couple of them. It just so happened about seven of them showed up while I was in the campus office. Their ages were 6-15. Beautiful, cherished children, created with a future to fulfill. I couldn’t help but think of the love I have for my own kids, and my desire for every kid in the world to feel that warmth that comes from security, love, and permanence. It was a difficult moment. It was their reality...and somehow my responsibility.

Yet another moment came from a student who has been afflicted with a severe skeletal issue, which lurches his back into an awkward position.

He came up to me and thanked me for helping and supporting him. He then gave me a huge hug and

smile. I asked him about the health of his mother, and he updated me. He almost had to leave the college because of finances earlier in the year, but a way forward was found for him.

On the last day I had a big presentation ready to go, too big I guess. It was not meeting my expectations as a presenter so I pulled the plug and navigated elsewhere. We chose nine adults and placed them at the tables of the students.

The adults were teachers, staff, and members of my team. I then asked the students to interview them about their faith and leadership. Wow! We had no idea how powerful that moment would become. The students asked deep and probing questions....I loved it! We then rotated tables and did this for an hour or so. Ministry to and from the body of Christ. One girl asked me, “Sir, give me a motto that will inspire me.” I said, the motto is Christ crucified, nothing more. I then told her that I tell my girls at home, if they were trapped in a burning building I would run in after them, if a car was about to hit them I would push them out of they way and be hit, that if someone was to shoot at them, I would take the bullet. Then I looked at the girl and said that doesn’t even compare to the love of Christ who offers himself up for the entire world. I told her that inspires me, when I looked over at her hot tears were rolling down her face. I too often forget how inspiring the Christ of Calvary is.

On the last night we had a great service, and when asked if they would consider giving their lives to missionary service around the world, 90 students stood resolutely and immediately. It is the natural outgrowth of their faith. Willing to go, ready to stay, determined to send. As our time ran out the students were asked to pray for the volunteers who had ministered to them. In one loud chorus bombarding the kingdom of God, they prayed for 15 minutes. They were interceding...as we finished a long flurry of grateful hugs, handshakes, and pictures proceeded. As we exited the campus, I was given a stack of quotes that we had said that impresses the students. They would write it out, then tag the person who said it. It was fun to see what they took away from what we said. As I got to the last of the quotes back in the hotel I cracked up laughing, hard. One of the smallest students there said, “with much power comes much responsibility.” - Spiderman. He quoted spiderman! I guess everyone needs a hero, I am just so blessed to have 90 of them. Now I will go back to listening to my Chris Tomlin song, “I Will Follow” thinking and praying for them and for those of you who need a trip like this, it is beyond words.

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SELFLESS SERVICE… For the benefit of others and God’s Kingdom PERSONAL GROWTH… In your spiritual life and world view.

OUT OF THE BOX METHODS… Of ministry and outreach.

INCREASED AWARENESS… Of the needs in every community.

HELPING CHURCHES… Reach their full potential.

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The primary purpose of MVP: Stateside is to become the hands and feet of Jesus in the communities that we serve. It is our hope that through this Christ-like service God’s Kingdom will increase and the local church will be strengthened. Each trip is designed to be a spiritual journey for each volunteer so that through this experience their character is strengthened and their zeal for God is renewed.

We are family and families help one another. National Missions is proud to announce the expansion of MVP Stateside to include ministry from existing churches to existing churches. Don’t worry, we’ll continue to plan and implement projects that assist our new church plants; but now we will seek to connect strong thriving congregations to smaller, struggling congregation for the purpose of helping out in the ministry. We envision strong vibrant churches, helping struggling congregations with ministry projects such as:

• VBS

• Revivals

• Outreach events

• Evangelism

For more information call (573) 785-7746 or e-mail me at don.key@generalbaptist.com or nmofc@generalbaptist.com

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Our Ministry: to assist churches, mission boards, REAP boards and associations in

developing church planters and planting new General Baptist churches.

Our Vision:

churches.

to see General Baptists plant new churches who will in turn plant new

Our Goal: to lead General Baptists in planting no less than five new church plants per

year, and to see these churches plant new churches within 3 years from their launch.

Our Strategy:

Pray, asking God to send laborers into the harvest.

Share the vision whenever and wherever we find the opportunity.

Assess church planting candidates and possible church planting locations.

Train qualified church planters.

Support church planters who have been given the green light to plant churches.

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Be Careful Where You Put Your

P

by Mike Smith

roverbs 3 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all

our heart. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He

shall direct thy paths.” From Romans “For we know that all things work together for the good…” Words to live by, to stand on, to guide and direct us, to remind us that we have a hope and a purpose…words that sound so sweet to the ear but the reality is, we don’t always feel that way in ministry. Do we?

My family and I started out with the driving passion to reach a lost world. We knew that as long as our hope was in the Lord nothing could stop us. We were focused and had great hope and vision. That was 18 years ago and today as I write this I would like to say my vision has always stayed that strong and my purpose that clear.

However, reality has a way of taking a toll on our vision.

Going through a building program from a house church to a 28,000 sq. ft building with a 500 plus seating capabilities was a huge leap of faith and hope. Although many saw it as foolishness our vision was clear, faith was strong and hope was in the only One to hope in. Making this move while maintaining daily responsibilities isn’t always an easy task when the world weighs on you and the attacks come in every shape and size. Ministry is tough! Sometimes I thought that if it was just the lost world that came at us, we would be fine, but the truth be told you don’t have to even leave the church to be attacked. As you well know church people can be experts at sowing discord. The real question was could we maintain? Would we forget where our hope and strength came from? It seemed when it rained it poured and then some. Wow! I’m not sure I can get out of bed today, was my feeling in some moments. I don’t want to pull the “Woe is me” card because I’m well aware of the fact that I am not alone, not the only person that struggles in ministry. Nor will I write this article listing all my problems for the world to read or telling you every obstacle that I’ve had to battle over these years, through a building program and just simply life but I do want you to examine yourself.

Honestly I feel if we are not on guard and in tune regularly we can find ourselves trying to minister in the flesh, on our own and hoping in ME. We have to be clear and humble enough to realize it’s all about Jesus. It is absolutely for him and by him and the day we start to grow content, stagnant or lack faith and hope in the savior and him alone is the day the ministry will became a burden and a nightmare.

I guess I always thought that just serving the Lord and trusting Him was enough. It is! Yet, it is so much more difficult to say than do or so it feels that way. That is where hope really comes in. Where is my hope, honestly?

Is it in others, a job, a career, government, money?

That is the truth for many, even in the church. Is our hope really and truly in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone? All of us know that money can disappear; today our jobs can be lost in an instant. Even family and friends are prone to disappoint us. Our hope cannot be in any less than Jesus!

I think as ministers we must be very cautious of where our

hope truly has been placed. I think over the years I have struggled at times simply because I got away from the fundamentals. The main thing has to ALWAYS be the main thing. JESUS!

1 Corinthians 13; love, faith, and hope. My love has been calloused by the hurt at times, my faith, even though easy to preach about and counsel others on how to live, has been weak at times and my hope has been, if I’m being honest, in the people or even myself at times. God has recently, truly stirred my heart to simply get back to the basics. Just be fundamental. How? Love the way I am supposed to, even those who are hard to love.

Love. (Matthew 5:44). Have faith in Christ and Christ alone, not in others or self. Hope in my God, My Savior, my Lord that He is all I need. Through this time period I have seen tremendous changes. I am not saying because I loved, had faith and hope the way that I should have, that God is finally moving, not at all. I am saying that God couldn’t use me as an effective minister with the hard hearted ways that I chose. Operating with a lack of true compassion and love, without a faith in the Lord that was sincere and intimate and with a hope that was really feeling hopeless has a way of making the body and mind weary.

One night as I lay in bed fighting my call, my sincerity, the Lords vision for his church, his people, me and the battle of where I had really put my hope and faith, I felt a brokenness and conviction over my behavior. How could I, the preacher, the so called shepherd simply get so caught up in good ministry activities that I kind of overlooked the Great Commission? How could I let the battles beat me senseless? How could I be this weak when it all started so strong? How? The answer is easy, I put my hope in something less than Jesus. That night I honestly was at a breaking point, I could quit because if I stayed in this mind set I was really of no use or I could dig in and get back to the basics. I chose the latter; I rolled out of the bed and to my knees and begged God. “Lord, give me a tender heart for all people, strengthen my faith, give me a new, clear vision. Lord, let my faith, my hope, my eyes stay on you and you alone.” Since, I have daily tried to be very careful of where I put my hope. I believe with every fiber of my being that simply by surrendering and getting back to the basics, God has been able to use me. I have decided to let God restore my clouded vision. He has allowed me to serve in a way that has allowed 47 souls to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in the last three months. Every day I must choose Him as my love, faith, and hope. Every day I must choose if I will count the costs or the blessings.

Every day I must decide to hope in something that I can’t always see but is always perfect. That hope only comes from JESUS! Oh, those sweet words! That sweet name, the name of JESUS! Mike Smith serves as pastor of the Fair Haven Church in Zephyrhills, Florida Page 37

The

Jack Eberhardt is senior pastor of the Church of the Cross in Evansville, IN.

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of Being Generous

W

hen you come in front of an almighty God who has said, “If you had the faith of a

mustard seed…then you could…, or ask and it will be given…,” it is always easy to

remember these verses until you are face-to-face with the matter at hand, like the $100,000 needed to build the Faith Home chapel in Honduras. Standing on the ground where it was to be built and thinking about the amount of money needed and the efforts required to accomplish the task and then to cite these passages of Scripture makes a person realize how small and dependant one really is in the sight of God. I have to admit we cannot engage in the service of God without feeling altogether unfit; but there I was, and the time was now for the building of God’s house.

I was reminded of the people of Israel and King David when they came together and celebrated the beginning of the efforts to build in Jerusalem. The Scripture says, “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you” (I Chronicles 29:17 NIV).

The joy of giving to something bigger than you is contagious; and when done in the Lord’s name and for His purpose, it becomes something that will continuously give back. Let me use the example of the Faith Home chapel.

There was an upfront gift of $50,000 given by a man whom God brought into the lives of the children at Faith Home. God had spoken to him about their needs and his involvement with them.

I will never forget the day that gift was given and I sat across from him as he wrote the check. He was happy to be a part of changing people’s lives.

Next were the gifts and efforts of the people on the Mission Volunteers Program (MVP) teams that came and constructed the chapel. As they got back on the plane to return home, they rejoiced over the work accomplished during their week.

And finally, there were the children who watched as their “church” was being constructed.

Everybody was happy and excited over what was happening.

To stand at the finish of a project like this you are completely humbled, knowing the events that started the venture in the Lord and to see the finished efforts. There are some noteworthy things that will help us in the next venture for the Lord.

The passage in I Chronicles shows that there was true unity between King David and the people. It was a national movement that brought them together for the event, and they all shared in the joy of the event. What was the cause to which they gave? They were giving towards the building of God’s Temple. It was a worthy cause, and they were happy to be a part of the effort, “And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you” (I Chronicles 29:17b).

What the people gave on this day in history was outstanding, and another principle we need to observe is what they gave. They did not give equally. The Lord only asks for an equal sacrifice, not an equal gift. They offered their gifts, according to their abilities.

I recall as a young adult and a deacon in the church in California, raising a family of four kids, when the church wanted to do some building and remodeling because we were growing. This lady stood up in the business meeting as we talked about the need and expenses and said, “Pastor, I will give $100 towards this project.”

Now as a leader in the church I knew this lady. She was a single parent whose husband had died. She was trying to raise three children, and I had been the one who took the food baskets to her home during the holidays.

How can this lady afford to do this? I thought; but I also thought, If she can give that much, I surely can give more than I was planning toward the effort.

Many times in the church it is only a few people who carry the overall program of the church.

Usually about 20 percent of the congregation give 80 percent of the budget. Remember, the people in these passages were in unity; and they gave equally and generously, an example we should take note of for our time.

In giving to the Lord there is something we all need to be reminded of, “The Lord loves a cheerful giver.”

And such givers Israel furnished in large numbers on this occasion. They gave willingly and not simply in conformity to their monarch’s example. Their gifts were not from pious motives or disinterested thoughts, rather from devout and intentional efforts.

In the example I started with about Faith Home chapel in Honduras, the people who came on the MVP teams to build the chapel were representatives of churches that intended to make a difference in people’s lives. They collected money for their MVP teams’ efforts and the project, and did so, not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

How many times is the offering plate passed in the church and people put something in “because they have to,” because of taxes or obligation to tithe, and the offering is received with the doxology being sung, “Praise God from whom all blessing flow…,” just a repeated effort that happens every Sunday and without meaning or thoughts to the words being sung? Remember, the Lord loves a cheerful giver.

The result of the people with King David on that day is expressed this way, “They rejoiced.” A simple, but very expressive account of the feelings of both King David and the people was that of sheer joy and rejoicing.

The Lord’s emphasizing again in this account another principle in giving being expressed in their actions and praise, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” The generous and selfdenying givers are happy and the ones receiving joy unspeakable as they note the lives being changed or helped in the ministry of the church or its mission efforts.

The leader can help the people a great deal in giving and should. Note that there are simple things to acknowledge when you ask for gifts. What is the reason for asking or the cause you are pursuing? We were building a chapel for the 80 children at Faith Home where they could worship.

What the people gave is their response to the effort. I have seen in churches where they post the goal on the front of the church or put it in the bulletin or newsletter.

One time I was in the Flat Creek Association, and they were taking an offering for a van for the Jamaica Faith Home. There were about a hundred people there, and I recall thinking that they were not going to reach their goal of $7,000 in that offering because there were only about a 100 people there. They took the offering, poured it out on a table in front of the congregation, and counted it.

How much money do you think they announced to the people? Over $7,000. The people stood and clapped. They put the money in a cigar box, cash, and gave it to me. I drove home looking at that box and thinking of how God can do anything through His people when they come together to do something in His name.

People need to know the results, and together you can rejoice over the gifts and offerings.

The worst thing you can do is not announce the results or to make the people ask for it. They have come together in unity to accomplish it, so announce the results at the end of the service, if at all possible, so they can celebrate together. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

I recall being asked to challenge a group of people to help pay the hospital cost of a gospel singer. He was pretty well-known, and several groups had come together to share in the concert in his behalf. They all believed in healing, and several prayers for that had been offered in the service. The truth is that the Lord could heal him, but he would still have to pay the hospital bills, which I shared with the people.

I challenged the people using the verse out of Acts where they sold their things to help the people in need, and then we took up the offering. A group continued to sing, and they counted the money. When they announced the results, everyone stood praising the Lord and clapping. All the people there were glad to be a part of that celebration when God’s people came together and changed things for this brother.

Yet many times I have seen this simple principle violated and, as a result, robbing the people of celebration and praise. The people need to know the results of their efforts. It is a part of the joy of giving.

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I understand you came to Mt. Zion GB Church right after completing your education at Oakland City University.

What led you to becoming pastor at Mt. Zion GB Church?

That is correct. Just days after I graduated from Oakland City College (OCU now) our daughter, Kylie, was born. Our family was beginning to take shape. My wife, Lisa, and I had been praying about what we should do. I spoke with a few churches, but only two specified that they really wanted to grow. We wanted to be involved in a church that was going to make an impact on our world.

What do you remember about accepting the call to Mt. Zion?

When I interviewed at Mt. Zion they said they wanted to grow through reaching people with the message of hope found in Jesus. After the first visit, Lisa and I both knew that this was where God would use us.

The night that Mt. Zion had its business meeting to decide on calling Lisa and me to be its pastor, we were at our apartment in Oakland City praying and asking God to have His will. When the meeting was over, we received the call we were waiting for. It was then that we were on our way to Wadesville, Indiana You are now in your 24th year at Mt. Zion. Did you think about a long-term pastorate when you began at Mt. Zion?

I don’t recall where I first heard this, but the words “Bloom where you are planted” have been a strong influence in remaining at this location. Because we love this community, our stay has been easy.

I must say, however, that there were some selfish motives at first. I wanted to set a record for having the longest pastorate at Mt. Zion. After passing that point I realized that there was more to reach for. Today my goal is to serve God until He is finished with me here. I am looking forward to retiring from this phase of ministry as pastor of Mt. Zion GBC. Although more pastors are staying longer at a church, not very many pastors have a long pastorate at a smaller, country church. Why have you decided to continue serving at Mt. Zion?

Well, first of all, I believe that God called me to serve here in this church and community. The pastorate is much like a marriage, in that, there are times when everything is going well and times when it seems that nothing is right. Just because two people face their challenges doesn’t mean that they should go their separate ways. I don’t believe that God puts two people together only to find that “It doesn’t work, so let’s part ways.”

When God called Lisa and me to Mt. Zion we came with the knowledge that we would experience the challenges that go along with a small church. Let me also add that in the rural setting there are additional challenges that often seem to be the reason so many pastors do not stay, primarily low pay. There are reasons to go into ministry and reasons not to.

I do not believe that God makes mistakes. God did not mistakenly send me to this rural church which, at the time, was doing well to hold everything together with the 25-30 people in attendance. God called Lisa and me to Mt. Zion. I must speak for myself now; but if God called me to serve here then, God will make the provisions. A larger church or another denomination is never to be exchanged for God’s call. Personally, I find it insulting to God to give consideration to a move because the money is better. That’s not faith.

You and Lisa have two children. One is married, and one is in college. How has it been to raise two children in a country church?

Our children are now grown. God blessed us with Kylie just before we came to Mt. Zion in 1988. Kylie (24) married Michael Paulson in July of 2011. I could not ask for a finer young man to take care of my daughter. They are both devoted Christ-followers who eagerly seek God’s will for their lives.

We also have a son, Korben (20), who is in the Army Reserve and attends the University of Southern Indiana. Korben has a great heart, loves kids, and I believe one day will turn out to be a great servant for our Lord.

Raising our children in a country church has its pro’s and con’s. Lisa and I grew up in the city, but our roots are from the country. I was glad when God sent us “to the country.” Our kids, however, wanted to live in a subdivision close to other kids their age. I believe that our kids will take this country life with them well into their adult years as a “good thing.”

Many small, community or country churches face the reality that those who grow up in the church and into adulthood move out of the community or leave for a larger church. Has Mt. Zion seen this concerning its youth?

Absolutely. It is rather unfortunate that over the years the youth who have grown up at Mt. Zion have gone to college, married out of the church, or simply left the area. But, looking at several of the adults we have now, I see that they were once Page 40

a part of the youth groups at Mt. Zion. So, the foundation they received has brought them back, at least for some.

In recognizing this, our youth ministry team has begun working toward correcting this problem by creating an ongoing ministry to those who reach their college years. We hope that there will be greater retention of what I call the “gap generation” by providing them a reason to remain faithful to God through service at the church of their youth.

Another challenge is that many country churches are declining and some are struggling to keep their doors open. Where do you see Mt. Zion as a country church in a lightly populated area?

A few years ago one local newspaper had a full-page spread titled “Dying Landmarks,” which featured many churches in Posey County, Indiana, that have already closed their doors. Mt. Zion’s picture was included in this collage, which indicated that we were on our way out.

Mt. Zion is alive and well as a church located in the middle of the cornfield. Our ministry draws from all of Posey County and even some from Vanderburgh County (Evansville).

I believe that God is not through with Mt. Zion! Our next construction phase is evidence of where we are going in the next 10-15 years!

What has been the most challenging during your ministry at Mt. Zion?

One word, change. Just like most churches, I am sure change is not something that most people like. The changes that have occurred over the past three years have been difficult to maneuver through. While the very purpose of Mt. Zion has always been to reach people with the message of hope in Christ, there remains the desire to maintain our small, country church family. Unfortunately this does not fit with the commission of the church that is discovered in Matthew 28:18-20.

This is one challenge that we are moving beyond, because we know the Great Commission calls us to keep reaching people with the message of hope through Jesus Christ.

As we now make the move to two services, we will do everything we can to keep that “family presence.” It is that family atmosphere that has made a huge impact on so many people.

What have been some of the most rewarding experiences during your ministry at Mt. Zion?

The most rewarding experience for me has been seeing the church go from being a “pastor do the work of ministry” to the “priesthood of the believer” church. The church is comprised of people who have come to know Jesus and desire to share Him with others. Sometimes I stand amazed that the work gets done even when I am not “there” because Christ-followers are following Him. How have you seen the ministry change in a GB church located in the country?

When I arrived in 1988 this small congregation was comprised of a handful of faithful believers who loved God and desired to see the church grow. Their unwavering faith in God and desire to share His love has presented the small, country church with new direction. This small, country church has begun to look outside and realize that the “fields are ripe unto harvest.” This handful of Christ-followers have begun to see that to be a part of the Great Commission we must look outside rather than in and go after the lost while there is still time.

What have you desired to accomplish as pastor of Mt. Zion?

This is simple. I desire to see Mt. Zion as a people filled with a passion for those Jesus is passionate about. If we can accomplish this, we will truly be a Great Commission church!

On a personal note, how have you changed over the years during your time at Mt. Zion?

I have been stretched in every spiritual aspect of my life. Conflict is not something I enjoy. Change is not something I enjoy. Discipline is not something I enjoy.

I have had to confront, change, and be disciplined. All this is part of growing a well-established church God’s way.

What words of advice would you say to pastors as they make decisions about where to serve?

Pray. Hunger for the Word of God. Develop deep roots (in the church and community).

Develop accountability partners and mentors. Seek counsel from someone who is solidly rooted in the Word, established in the work, and committed to serving God. “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3 NKJV). Stay the course. It is worth it!

t never ceases to amaze me how our God orchestrates things into being; whether it is meeting a stranger who will become a lifelong friend, at a time of financial hurt finding money you had forgotten about, or hearing the words that were straight from the Master’s lips right as they roll off of someone’s tongue. I have had each of these experiences and I can say, “How good is our God?”! The latter of these experiences came into play in my life a few weeks ago when I had the privilege of attending the General Baptists’ women’s event, Inside Out: Women on the Edge. (Now men, don’t tune me out. This is for you as well.)

The meeting was held at the beautiful Lake Williamson Christian Center in Carlinville, Illinois. When I arrived, my name was not on the list of registrants; I was replacing a woman at my church who could not attend. Did I mention how God orchestrates things into being? I went with five precious women from my home church, Duvall’s Chapel General Baptist in Greenville, Kentucky; two of these being my beautiful mother and aunt. I came into the weekend with an overwhelmed spirit, stressed mind, and a backpack full of homework. I was simply going on the trip because a spot was available and I needed a getaway from the chaos. The truth was that I desperately needed rest.

We first met on Friday night, and I was surprised at the intimate setting and the number of women who were attending. Compared to events like the Women of Faith conferences I had attended in the past, there was quite a contrast in attendance numbers. However, this turned out to be one of the best elements of the whole experience.

It is a wonderful thing to be able to experience worship with women of all ages and backgrounds. To see the dedication and heart of sisters in Christ is a beautiful thing for me. I am an observer of people. Some of the women wore strong faces, while others you could easily see were completely broken. Throughout the weekend I was able to interact with these women in different settings. We were able to experience each other in moments of worship, in the beauty of the outdoors, through team building activities, and through heartfelt testimony. Women I did not even know began to pour out their hearts before me. God was moving.

The strongest message he sent to me during my weekend was through the speaker, author Cindi McMenamin.

Throughout the weekend Cindi shared with us thoughts from her book, Women on the Edge. She shared with us her perspective of Eve and the fall. She gave us great insight into the motives and life of Eve. Being one of the only girls in the room just shy of twenty, I’m sure the messages had a much different meaning for me. Cindi spoke with us about how our desire for more comes from an ancestry rooted so deep that it is one of the hardest difficulties we must face as Christians; A desire for true love, a child, acceptance, knowledge, and peace. She shared with us gut wrenching stories filled with truth of people she had encountered in her own life. How much I identify with this desire for more, and that desire for more sometimes leaving me tired, overwhelmed, and without peace. This is a truth for people anywhere, male or female. By being able to trace these desires back to my ancestress Eve and examine the motives and reasoning behind my desires has truly made a difference in my walk. When I step back and see how the pieces fit together, it is easier for me to see a glimpse of the whole picture. God IS, and that is enough. Jesus is the love of my life. How could I ever want more? To live on the edge for Him and for His glory is my greatest desire. He has come to give us life, life on the edge! Join me friend.

I am so thankful that God made a way for me to attend the conference. I know that I needed to hear the words that Cindi brought for us. I know I needed to see each and every one of those women’s shining faces. I am so blessed. I am so very blessed.

With love, Hannah Moore, Greenville, KY

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Women on the Edge….Together!

Was it worth it? Was it worth giving up a weekend, not to mention the cost, to attend Inside Out: Women on the Edge the last weekend of September? Enjoy the view from the edge as four women share the benefits their sacrifices bought.

“If you were not part of the Inside Out Retreat at Lake Williamson, you missed out on a wonderful experience. The weekend was filled with one blessing after another from registration to the final service on Sunday morning. There is no greater feeling than spending the weekend with “sisters” while listening to another sister. Cindi McMenamin shared her personal experiences in an effort to challenge us to desire Him more. On Friday evening we enjoyed a hay ride complete with s’mores!!! We laughed, we cried, and we just enjoyed being close. We tromped through the woods on Saturday enjoying the beautiful fall day as we worked together with our “team” to accomplish the team challenges. I can still hear the laughter as we tried (however futile) to all stand at once on a small square box. We attended breakout sessions where ladies shared their talents with us. Later in the evening we played “Minute to Win It” and cheered the contestants on. We topped the evening off with a double-dip ice cream cone (chocolate mint chip for me-my personal favorite). Sunday morning was a time of worship and praising Him. Mark your calendars for next year. You are going to miss something special if you don’t.” Vicki Smith, Hardenville, MO

“I was blessed before breakfast. The Saturday schedule for Inside Out hadn’t included THAT! The Holy Spirit spoke through not only the speaker for the weekend, but through unexpected women at unexpected times. A sister prayed over breakfast, and her words touched me in a way that I cannot describe. Those same words rang in my ears again a few hours later when I heard a young lady tell of her recent experiences, bringing those same emotions again. We had broken up into groups for our woodland experience at Inside Out and I was on the red team. I met several wonderful ladies who were also on that team, and one of them shared with all of us that she had recently been blind. She said that her recent surgery to correct the blindness was possible because someone who had died had signed their donor card. She was the recipient of that person’s corneas, and now she was able to see again. She said that Christ going to the cross to die for us had a whole new meaning for her now. Someone died so she could see and Christ died for us so that we might have eternal life. My, what a heart wrenching, impromptu speech this woman gave. She too touched my heart as my breakfast partner had. God is good.” Lynn M. Smith, Dixon, KY

“What a PERFECT weekend the Father blessed His girls with at the second annual INSIDE OUT. The cooler, crispy fall air was just right for enjoying s’mores and silly songs around a roaring campfire after a hayride in our P.J.’s. What a sight! The impromptu volleyball game was quite competitive, but oh so much fun for the amateurs as well as the semi-pro’s. The team challenges were such a great way to get to know new friends at a level of intimacy that would normally take years. Close to my favorite part of the weekend was sharing it with my sweet 79 year old mother who was counted as a contributing part of her team, giving her such renewed confidence in a most difficult time of her life. But the VERY BEST PART was worshipping my Bridegroom with a beautiful part of the Bride of Christ and learning how to give and receive His amazing love in such intimate and creative ways. You don’t want to miss your chance to get in on this annual event next September. Be watching for that early registration opportunity in the Messenger and the Woman to Woman.” Robin Smith, Evansville, IN

“Inside Out 2011 was not exactly what I was imaging it would be when the seven of us pulled up to the Lake Williamson Christian Center. The previous year we had stayed at a lovely hotel near St. Louis, and Lake Williamson was, shall we say, much more “campy”. The staff facilities were, however, very accommodating and upbeat. We arrived plenty early and began to wonder where all the ladies were, but from the start it was obvious that the Lord knew exactly how many were supposed to be there, and He began to move and work. The casual and relaxing camp atmosphere seemed to be exactly what my ladies and I needed. The rooms reminded my roommate and me of our youth conferences and of church camps, which brought back some great memories. The teams that we established that weekend with women from other churches were a great way to meet and get to know the other ladies from our denomination. I truly am looking forward to seeing where next year’s Inside Out will take us!” Megan Dame, Slaughters, KY

“I had a great time. Our speaker, Cindi McMenamin, encouraged us to peer inside ourselves and into our personal God relationships. We were able to spend time with old friends while meeting new ones. As a senior citizen in her 70’s, I can truly say that our venture into the woods turned out to be a true team building experience. I was hesitant about joining the younger ladies in the games that we played, but we all played together like sisters. What a blessing! What a weekend! Thanks again to all those who had a hand in it.” Della Gobin, Providence, KY

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by Tammie Head

ave you ever exploded in a passionate moment, real izing afterwards that you were right in what you were

saying but, sadly, your delivery was all wrong? Even harmful? Perhaps the writer of Proverbs penned these words from similar thinking, “Even zeal is not good without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily sins” (Proverbs19:2 HCSB).

Our extended family on my husband’s side bursts at the seams with adults. For holidays and birthdays we converge at my in-laws’ house, since my mother-in-law is affectionately called the queen of the family. We’ve done this for years, and it’s usually quite fun. The only drawback is that the gap in the cousins’ ages, interests, and levels of maturity are wide, which makes carrying on conversations a bit challenging. They love each other like crazy, but my oldest almost always gravitates to the adult table to visit after everyone finishes eating.

Yet last year’s Thanksgiving visit didn’t go over so well.

The adult discussions wore my daughter Peyton out, and she refused to go for Christmas, stating she’d rather go serve somewhere. I was pretty upset. I knew if this situation wasn’t addressed, it would hurt some of our dearest relationships.

Peyton shared with me from her heart about her frustrations and what bothered her.

She wished the adults would stop harping on politics and talk about things other than how “bad the world is becoming.” What happened to the fun stories and laughter we used to share? What is lively and spirited discussion for all of the adults around the table translated into a wretched bleak future for her. She left that day frustrated because the table-talk seemed like venting. Not that Peyton doesn’t agree that the political, educational, economical, and social systems of this world are fractured; but, biblically speaking, God is still on His throne, and there is hope for the future. Hope for her future!

She wished the adults didn’t complain so much about the state of today’s young people and, honestly, began engaging them instead. Part of her wanted to ask, “Do you feel this same way about me?” God is working in her life for His glory.

Can they not see it? She’s only spent her last four summers in Africa ministering to AIDS orphans for several weeks at a time. Her heart throbs for the lost and oppressed, giving of her own life, resources, and determination to help. She’s also changed college choices, because God clearly wants her to walk in a different direction. She’s not perfect, but she’s seeking Jesus with everything she’s got. God is at work in her generation. If her relatives around the table engaged her more, this is what she’d share.

As messed up as this generation may be, God ordained her to live her life in it. According to Scripture, God has a hope and plan for her future. She senses God’s direction in her life and desires nothing other than to live for Him. Better politics and systems aren’t the answer. Jesus is the answer! (However, she did exercise her right to vote and couldn’t wait until the time came.)

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She’s taken a strong stand against godlessness in her own life; and, at times, it has caused severe loneliness and rejection. Family is vital to her, and having encouraging adults in her life is crucial. She just wished they could laugh more and talk about things that build up, edify, and encourage instead of about things that tear down.

I’m not proud of how I handled this situation when I spoke out against this. I lacked grace in my delivery, because I was a mama carrying her daughter’s offense. But, thankfully, my family members still love me; and I learned a few lessons along the way. Undoubtedly, this opened my eyes to the feelings of those in the younger generation. They long to be engaged on their level. They’re usually not going to offer their opinions, especially among a group of adults. It takes honest interest and, truly, sharing our own life stories.

To be reachable we must assert some likability. Are we lighthearted? Do we smile and laugh? It’s through this kind of interaction that we set their hearts at ease. We’re also building a bridge to connect at a deeper level and leverage some influence in their lives. How do they see life? How is God at work in them? What are their passions? And what are their hopes for the future? These are all questions they are willing to talk about if engaged properly.

I’m happy to say that we enjoyed a lovely family dinner last weekend. Robust laughing, fun stories, and no rants! We are a passionately opinionated family, but we can handle correction. Peyton even had a blast and remarked that her family “was fun.”

Is it possible that there is a young person in your life God is prodding your heart to be intentional about engaging? Do you need to work on a better approach? Start with a smile and go from there. I don’t have to tell you this, but I will. They are the hope of the future. Let’s leverage some influence in their lives!

Tammie Head Founder, Totally Captivated Ministries www.tammiehead.com © 2011 Tammie has been asked to speak at the September 2012 Inside Out event.

For a sample, visit her website, totallycaptivatedministries.org.

Our Mission One emphasis for 2012 calls us back to our roots. Born out of the Second Great Awakening, General Baptists have always been an evangelistic people.

Many of the innovations in evangelism that came out of the Great Awakening on the 19th century frontier have become standard features in our churches. We expect a public invitation at the conclusion of worship services, but prior to the Second Great Awakening this was not a common practice. We annually spend thousands of hours and large sums of money sending our children to camping experiences and never realize that it was the Second Great Awakening that pioneered the extended camp meeting and also paved the way for extended meetings in local churches that came to be known as revivals.

In the 21st century we must build alongside those evangelistic techniques that are part of our heritage.

Throughout our history we General Baptists have frequently adapted and revised our methodology without compromising our message. Within the 2012 Plan Book you will find a variety of suggestions relating to evangelism. Many of them are adaptations of the methods we have grown accustomed to using. Others will be more innovative as we call upon our people to focus their energies and efforts on particular days and events.

Because General Baptists are conservative by nature, adaptation and change can be difficult. Some of us will review this plan book and immediately opt out, since the plans call for intensive efforts in new or newly adapted enterprises. However, before disregarding these suggestions, ask yourself, “Do our current efforts win people to faith in Jesus Christ?� Be sure to count conversions, baptisms, and members received in the past year before answering.

The suggestions in the plan book are drawn from actual best practices and have resulted in large numbers of conversions, baptisms, and new members in those churches that have used them.

What we have included, however, are methods that are still being refined. The final answer about how best to do evangelism will never be discovered until that day the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.

What we have done so far has gotten us where we are. If we are to progress, then we must engage in new efforts.

Until then, please accept these plans.

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by Gary Underwood

aily Bible reading is an effective way to grow and

mature in the Christian faith. Reading through the

entire Bible helps the believer to understand more of the many messages God has given in his Word.

There are several Bible reading plans and resources available. One that I highly recommend is entitled The Daily Bible. It is formatted in chronological order and divided into 365 daily readings. The devotional insights were written by F. LaGard Smith. It is published by Harvest House of Eugene, Oregon.

The chronological format allows the reader to understand the unfolding of the Bible in a new and refreshing way. For example, the writings of the Old Testament prophets are woven into the historical accounts given in Kings and Chronicles. The letters of the apostle Paul are woven in the Acts of the Apostle. The reader gains new insights on the historical setting used by God to give his message to his people

Last year, some from the church I pastor formed a Bible reading group using The Daily Bible. We met once a month to share our insights and discuss our questions.

In our hour-long meetings we made countless surprising discoveries together. One member of the Bible reading group said, “I had read the entire Bible in bits and pieces but never from cover to cover. I have a new understanding of God’s Word.”

Reading through the Scriptures produced a sense of accomplishment. A member of group said, “Had we not

done the Bible reading group, I would have become an old man and never have taken the time to read the entire Bible.”

When reading through the Bible, I have discovered that specific books can become speed bumps. I often fall behind when I encounter the books of Leviticus and Isaiah.

When this happens, I take an extra fifteen minutes each day for my Bible reading. Rather than watching television, I read. I have also found that investing an hour on Saturday morning helps me to overcome the speed bumps of my journey through the Word of God.

The Daily Bible’s format does not eliminate the speed bumps of my Bible reading but the bumps are less severe.

The chronological weaving of the biblical books together has allowed me to better understand the unfolding of major biblical events used by God to instruct us. The Daily Bible’s topical arrangement of the Psalms and Proverbs has been especially refreshing for me in my devotional life.

The Daily Bible will give those who have read through the Scriptures several times new insights on familiar story lines. Christians beginning their first journey through the Bible will discover a user friendlier format that creates a desire to plunge deep into God’s Word.

Gary Underwood has served as the pastor of the First General Baptist Church of Mt. Carmel, IL since 1995. He and his family served as General Baptist missionaries in the Philippines from 1984 to 1995.

“In this bestselling and much-loved chronological presentation of the Bible, God’s story unfolds before readers each new day, giving a new appreciation of God’s plan for their lives. Reading the Bible becomes a fresh, living experience.

The Daily Bible® offers these helpful features:

• The New International Version…the most popular modern version of Scripture, a highly respected and understandable translation.

• Chronological/Historical arrangement of every book of the Bible…lets readers easily understand God’s redemptive plan as they read from creation to Revelation in the order the events actually occurred.

• Devotional commentary…leads smoothly through Scripture, painting the scene for what is about to be read with historical and spiritual insights.

• 365 convenient daily reading segments…arranged so all of God’s Word can be read in one year.

• Topical arrangements for Proverbs and Ecclesiastes…enables readers to focus on specific aspects of God’s Wisdom.”

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