Spiritually Alive or Religiously Dead?

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 

2 Timothy 2:2 NLT

The Dead Sea, Israel

A few years ago I had the great privilege of visiting Israel, the land of the Bible. The tour group I was with spent the first few days visiting sites around one of Israel's major bodies of water, the Sea of Galilee. Galilee is a beautiful region; the land around the lake is lush and green.  We spent one afternoon on a boat ride on the Sea and learned about the various fish species in the lake and the fishing industry. There are about 18 species of fish found in the lake. Life is abundant in and around the water. 

Lake Kinneret, as it is called by Israelis, is fed by springs as well tributaries from Mt. Hermon in the north. At the southern end of the lake, water flows out through the Jordan River, Israel's most famous stream. The word Jordan means "down-rusher" which described the descent from Galilee to Israel's other significant inland body of water, the Dead Sea. Between the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee and the entrance to the Dead Sea, a distance of about 65 miles in a straight line, the Jordan drops over 600 ft. The Dead Sea is over 1300 feet below sea level. 

The Dead Sea and surrounding area is the opposite of the Sea of Galilee; the landscape is dry desert, and the Dead Sea contains no fish. The mineral elements in the water are so thick that the lake cannot sustain life. The Dead Sea is "dead" because water flows in but there is no outlet for water to flow out. As the water evaporates in the desert heat, salt minerals are left behind and forbid the existence of life. While it is an interesting experience to float in the Dead Sea, the minerals in the water can be toxic even for humans. 

For a body of water to be healthy and sustain life, it must have tributaries or springs that feed it, and it must have outlets for water to flow from it. Without both, the water would dry up, become stagnant and toxic. 

There is a spiritual lesson in these two bodies of water. In order for a follower of Christ to be healthy spiritually, he or she needs tributaries, others who are feeding into them, helping to nourish them spiritually. But they also need outlets, people in whom they can invest what they have learned in following Christ. Without an outlet for our spiritual life, our faith begins to weaken and dry up. We end up becoming spiritually stagnant and even spiritually toxic. Some of the most miserable "Christians" I have known were those who have spent their lives in the church having someone (usually the pastor or Sunday School teacher) pour into them, but never finding other people to pour into themselves. Many times they become bitter, controlling, and even toxic to those around them. 

Paul teaches Timothy this truth about healthy spiritual life in the above Scripture. Paul poured into Timothy ("You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses") and then instructed Timothy to pour into others ("Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people ") who would then pass the instructions on to even more ("who will be able to pass them on to others.") This is the "secret" to a healthy spiritual life - having someone (or someones) to invest in your life, and having other people in whom you are investing. This is the difference between a living faith and dead religious life. 

 Who are you learning from and who are you pouring into? Who is discipling you, and who are you discipling? (And are you helping them disciple others?) Are you spiritually alive or religiously dead?

Worry and Words

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad  Prov 12:25 (NKJV)

I love the language of the Old Testament; Hebrew is very expressive. For example the word translated “anxiety” in the verse above literally means “heaviness”. It describes a burden or weight that is being carried around. Isn’t that what worry really is – an emotional weight or heaviness? And where does it lead? The Hebrew word translated “depression” means to “stoop” or to “be pressed down.” Worry or anxiety (fear) drags a person down – causes them to be depressed. We all know people who seem to have this constant weight on their shoulders because of the anxiety in their hearts. Writer Henry David Thoreau said, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation…”

But the writer of Proverbs also offers hope for those under the weight of worry – “A good word makes it glad.” The word translated “good” is used 559 times in the Old Testament and is translated in a variety of ways: precious, better, pleasant, prosperity, beautiful, favor, wealth… (you get the picture!). And the word translated “glad” means “to rejoice” or “be cheerful.”

When you put it all together, “Worry brings people down, but a good (pleasant, beautiful, etc…) word lifts them up.” You and I have the potential power to change another person’s day (or life) with a good words. What you say makes a difference.

Why not start looking for those opportunities to make a difference today? Start with those closest to you – family, co-workers, other students. The field is wide open, make the most of it today.

Mr. Encouragement

"Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person." Paul Spear

Yesterday at Grace Point we studied the spiritual gift of exhortation/encouragement. In LIFE Group after the worship service we looked at the life of a disciple who was known as "Mr. Encouragement." His name was Joses, but the disciples called him "Barnabas" which means "Son of Encouragement." Barnabas is a pretty remarkable figure in the New Testament church, but unless you are looking for him, you might miss his contributions to the Kingdom.

We first meet Barnabas in Acts 4:37 where we are told that he sold some property and brought the proceeds to the disciples so they could use it to for ministry. Barnabas was a generous person and he encouraged the church with his sacrificial giving. People with the gift of encouragement often use their resources to bless others.

The next time we see Barnabas is Acts 9. Saul of Tarsus had been incredibly saved on the road to Damascus. He had been a notorious persecutor of Christians, but God dramatically changed his life and he began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. After being run out of Damascus, Saul went to Jerusalem in the hopes of connecting with the apostles, who had been facing serious persecution. When they heard Saul was in town wanting the meet with them, they feared it was a trap and initially refused to meet with him. So, Mr. Encouragement comes to the rescue and stands with Saul, giving testimony of his salvation and transformation. The apostles had great faith in Barnabas and Saul is allowed to join them. He comes in and out among them until he leaves Jerusalem for a while.

A couple of chapters laters, Acts 11, Barnabas is sent to Antioch because word had come to Jerusalem that God was moving in the city and people were coming to faith in Christ. Barnabas saw the great things God was doing in Antioch and knew these new believers needed to be discipled, so he left Antioch and went Tarsus and found Saul and brought him to Antioch, and for a year he and Saul work among the new believers, discipling them in the Christian faith.

In Acts 13 Barnabas and Saul are chosen and sent out by the church on the first missionary journey. They travel around, sharing the gospel, making disciples and planting churches. They begin to encounter non-Jewish people who are coming to the Lord. When they return and tell of the wonderful things God is doing, a group of Jewish believers are concerned that non-Jewish believers are being saved, but aren't following the Jewish customs. The apostles take up the issue in Jerusalem and call on Saul (now being called "Paul") and Barnabas to give testimony to what the Lord had been doing. After hearing their words, the apostles declare that God can save anyone under any circumstance and following the Jewish customs is not required for salvation. Paul and Barnabas are sent out to share the news with all believers.

After spending more time in Antioch, Barnabas and Paul are ready to go back out on the mission field and revisit the believers and churches where they had gone before. Barnabas wants to take a young man named John Mark with them. Apparently John Mark had started out with them on their early journey, but somewhere along the way had left the group and returned home. Paul wasn't happy with John Mark because he had bailed out on them before, and he refused to let John Mark go with them. The Bible says that the contention between Barnabas and Paul became so great that two split up, and went their separate ways; Paul took Silas, and Barnabas took John Mark and headed out on a different route.

Barnabas is only mentioned a couple of other times in the writings of Paul, but we see from these episodes in the book of Acts what an impact he had on the movement of early Christianity.
1. Barnabas encouraged the church by his sacrificial giving when resources were needed to care for needy members of the church.
2. Barnabas stood by Saul/Paul before the apostles when they weren't willing to to trust him. He also went after Paul at Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to help disciple the new believers. Then he went with Paul on his first missionary journey to share the gospel and encourage believers. I can't help but wonder how Paul's life might have different (and how Christianity might have been different) had Barnabas not stood with him and encouraged him (Paul went on to write about 2/3 of the New Testament we have today).
3. Barnabas also took a stand at the Jerusalem Council for the non-Jews who were being saved. His words helped convince the apostles that Gentiles could be saved and receive the Holy Spirit without following the Jewish customs.
4. And Barnabas stood with John Mark, willing to give him a second chance, when Paul had given up on him. We don't really know what happened to Barnabas after he and John Mark left for Cyprus, but we know that John Mark went on to write the gospel that bears his name and give testimony to person of Jesus Christ.

Mr. Encouragement had a huge impact on early Christianity, even though he isn't often remembered for his contributions. I can't help but wonder how different things might be had Barnabas not stood with Paul and John Mark, and the non-Jewish believers. He may not get a lot of attention for his contributions, but he made a difference by his encouragement.

You may not feel like you have much to offer in service of the Lord; you may not have a lot of resources, or abilities, but you may be able to encourage another person who God uses to change the world. Never underestimate the power of encouragement.

He Will Direct Your Path

"In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." 
Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

    Last night at Grace Point we wrapped up our study on "What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do." We've been looking at Proverbs 3:5-6 for several weeks, and last night was v.6. I shared how the first part of the passage was a command for us to make sure we are knowing the Lord in every aspect of our lives: "in ALL our ways..." We are prone to compartmentalize our lives and fail to acknowledge God in every area. But as the missionary Hudson Taylor said, "Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all."
    The last part of the verse is a promise that as we draw near to God through the circumstances of our lives, He will "direct our paths." Some will read that and think it means He will tell us ahead of time what His plan is and how He will work it out- He will show us "the map" so we know where He is taking us in life. But that isn't really what the passage means, and it isn't the model we see in Scripture. What He is telling us that as we draw near to Him, He will BE our guide, He will lead us as we follow Him. He is the way and He is our "directions." He is telling us we will have a deeper relationship with Him as we follow Him.
    In Matthew 4 when Jesus calls His disciples, He calls them to follow Him. He doesn’t go into detail about what that looks like. He says “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 3:19) He doesn't say, “Ok, here’s the plan - I’m going to disciple You, invest in your lives for three years. We’re going to this village and that village, and we’re going to feed the hungry, heal the sick, raise the dead. And then at the end of three years I’m going to be killed and you all are going to carry on the work until they kill you also.” Do you think they would have followed had they known all of that? Maybe, maybe not. But the thing is, when Jesus called them, the only thing they had was Him - they didn’t know the plan, they didn’t know the direction, they didn’t know the end result - all they had was Him... and He was enough. They left their nets and their tax tables and they followed Him. And He guided their lives and directed their paths, and they knew Him at a more intimate level with each new day.
     I closed with a portion of a poem I had read sometime back:

He does not lead me year by year, Nor even day by day;
But step-by-step my path unfolds, My Lord directs my way.
Tomorrow’s plans I do not know; I only know this minute.
But He will say, “This is the way, By faith now walk in it.”
And I am glad that it is so, Today’s enough to bear;
And when tomorrow comes, His grace shall far exceed its care.
What need to worry then, or fret? The God who gave His Son,
Holds all the moments in His hand And gives them one-by-one.

   A pastor friend was visiting last night. He is between ministries, having stepped down from his previous church in some difficult circumstances. He stepped down in faith, at the time not having another pastoral ministry to go to, and not certain where the Lord was leading them. It has been about 17 weeks, and God has used he and his family to help care for some other family members. On Sunday he will be preaching in view of a call to another church, but he had this Wednesday off and was in our area so he stopped by our Bible study last night.
   After I ended the Bible study with the above poem, my friend shared a testimony. Several years ago he was at a camp with kids from his church and he went for a walk in the woods just to pray and spend time with the Lord. While he was walking, he came across a crumpled piece of paper and he picked it up and looked at it, on the paper were the words of a poem. He began to read it and as he did the Lord gave him a melody to the poem, and he began to sing it. Over the years God had used the poem/song to encourage him and remind him that the Lord was guiding him. As he shared the story, he said that the words on that paper was the very poem I shared with our family last night. God again was encouraging him as he heard those words.
    And God was encouraging me also. I don't usually do poems in my Bible studies, but that one seemed to fit. And the Lord knew my friend, who needed encouragement, would be there last night. He also knew I needed encouragement, so He used that experience to remind me the He is Lord, and He is "guiding my path" and He will provide as needs arise.
   Writing about this experience doesn't seem as effective as telling it in person, but I hope you are encouraged to know that God is with You and as You seek to know Him through every experience of your life, He will guide your path and He will provide for all that you need.

Wednesday Words

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

For the past few Wednesday nights at Grace Point Talbott, we have been studying this one passage of Scripture under the title, "What to do when you don't know what to do." All of us experience seasons in life when it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under us, or as a friend recently described an experience in their family - an earthquake has happened. The "ground" moved and shook up our lives.

What do you do when those experiences happen? You wonder what God is doing in/through your circumstances, or if He is even involved in the circumstances; is He even paying attention to what is going on in your life. And if He is, why isn't He doing something about the situation? And what does He want me to do about the situation - do I try to fix it, do I ride it out, or do I bail out and go in a different direction myself? I realize these are pretty vague and broad statements, but I trust you get the picture, there are seasons in life when it is hard to 'feel" God's presence, or see how He is working, or know what He wants us to do. So what do you do when you don't know what to do?

The above passage gives us three important statements:
1. Trust in the Lord with all your heart - when you don't know what to do, trust that God is doing something both in you and in your circumstances. As the preacher C.H. Spurgeon said, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart." 

2. Lean not on your own understanding. Our human nature is such that if we don't see God doing something about our situation, He must want us to figure it out ourselves. More often than not, this is a mistake. Our "understanding" is limited and finite, and when we try to fix it ourselves we end up making things worse (think Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael, Genesis 16-17). We are going to lean on something, but let us lean on the Lord and His promises rather than our own limited mental and physical abilities.

3. Tonight we are going to look at the last statement in that passage: "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." We are going to unpack this verse and look at our "ways", what it means to "acknowledge Him" and what "direct your paths" really looks like.

Join us tonight at 7pm at Grace Point Talbott, or watch my Facebook page around 7:15 and we will be going live.

See you tonight.

In the wake of tragedy...

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:21 (NLT)

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." Luke 6:27-28 (NLT)

Yesterday morning we woke to the news of another horrible tragedy in our nation. A gunman opened fire on a crowd at a musical festival, from his room on the 32nd floor of a hotel in Las Vegas. The last report I read said that 58 were confirmed dead and more than 500 were injured. Police investigations so far have not found any motive to the shooter's actions. This seems to be just a horrible, random act of violence.

My first thought is "What is wrong with people?" How can you just open fire and kill people that you don't know and have never done anything to you? This just doesn't make sense...

Evil doesn't make sense, but it is real. People do terrible things; they hurt others for no apparent reason. They kill without cause, steal for personal gain, and destroy without thought to the consequences on themselves or others.... that sounded familiar... "The thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy..." (John 10:10). The "thief" is the enemy, Satan, the personification of evil. His goal is to kill, steal and destroy, and he does it through the evil acts of human beings. I'm not suggesting we alleviate personal responsibility, the Las Vegas shooter chose to do what he did, and he could have chosen not to do it. He could have resisted those impulses to plan and carry out this murderous act, but he didn't. And behind every horrible act such as this, there is an evil one that is encouraging it. The enemy is real, and he is active.

So how do we respond in the wake of such evil. Politicians and pundits will argue for stricter gun laws, and various political measures to try to prevent mass killings. While laws and regulations can sometimes make it more difficult to carry out such violent acts, the real problem is evil in the human heart, and until that is eliminated, we will continue to experience these violent acts in our world. How, then, do we eliminate evil in the human heart? It is only through the love of God expressed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our response to horrific events such as what happened in Vegas is to boldly and consistently share the good news of Jesus, and live out the gospel in our homes, communities and the world. We overcome evil with good; we triumph over tragedy with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pray for those who lost loved ones in Las Vegas. Pray for the police, first responders and care givers that are working in the midst of this tragedy. But also pray for the Church to be the Church, to do what God has instructed us to do - overcome evil with good, pray for those who commit such horrible acts, and pray for ourselves to be salt and light in the world and boldly share the gospel through word and deed. In the wake of such tragedy and evil, BE the Church...

You Are His...

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

1 John 3:1 (NLT)

Imagine this scene; you have just been born and are taking your first breathe from outside of your mother's womb. The doctors and nurses are smiling, looking lovingly at your little body. But you notice your parents are strangely quiet. They are looking at you and conferring with one another in hushed voices. 

     Then your father says, "Doctor, could you hold him up in the light so we could get a better look at him? We just want to check everything out and make sure this child is right for us. We were looking at the other children in the nursery earlier, and another baby there seemed to have, well, a little more promise. This one is a little chubby and has dark colored eyes and brown hair. We wanted one with blue eyes, and, you know... a little less baby fat." 

    They whisper into each other's ears as the doctor holds you up in the light. Your mother says, "Doctor, I'm sure we would eventually learn to love this baby, but we really have our hearts set on that blond little baby in the nursery. We think he would fit our family much better. Do you think we could make arrangements to exchange our baby of the one in the nursery? We will be glad to pay for all the expenses." 

     This scenario is obviously absurd. When you were born, your parents didn't negotiate for a better child, they accepted you into their family without qualifications. Their love for you was not based on the color of your hair, the size of your body, or your performance as a baby. They loved you simply because you were their child. Their love may have been imperfect at times, because they are human like you and me, but they loved you because you were theirs. 

    God also loves you, but His love is a perfect love. He loves you not because of who you are, what you do or don't do, or what you accomplish in your life. He loves you because you are His. His love is unconditional and nothing you have done or will ever do can cause Him not to love you. As He said through the prophet Jeremiah,  “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself." Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT) 

    When you realize that you are loved with an "everlasting" love; loved not because of what you do, or who you are, but loved because of who God is and what He has done for you, it will change your life. God loves you because He created you, and He has proven His love for you through His Son Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross (Romans 5:8). He loves you and calls you into His family as His own child. See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 (NLT)

    Live today in the reality of His everlasting love for you. 

Catching Up

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
               Several weeks ago I rediscovered my blog page and thought it would be a great idea to blog during our mission trip to Guatemala. I had planned to post each night about our adventures during the day. It didn't take long to realize I hadn't thought this plan through very well. I assumed I would have internet access daily, but that didn't work out. I think I was on the internet around three times total during the week and it was just for short periods.                I thought I would just catch up when I got back to the states, but the sudden passing of a dear friend changed everything; I couldn't wrap my mind around a 28 year old, new mom passing away (and still have trouble comprehending that it happened). Needless to say, blog posting didn't even enter my thought processes for quite a while.                The above Scripture has been burned into my brain the last few weeks (and months). I made plans, but the Lord determined my steps. I haven't anticipated some of the "steps" I've had to take over the past several weeks, but I'm (still) learning to trust the Lord to take me where He wants me to go.  He is a good Father and even in the seasons of life where I don't understand what is happening, or what He is doing, I can trust the process He has me in, because I know who He is.                It is still on my heart to blog on a regular basis, so this is another attempt at starting. My prayer is that God will use this exercise to grow me spiritually and perhaps use what He is doing in my life to encourage someone else.  I will still (prayerfully) make plans, but I will also trust God to change those plans and redirect my steps to lead me where He wants me to go. And maybe He will use the changes in my life to help someone else along the journey.              Prayerfully,              George 

Getting Ready for Guatemala

So it has been several years since I've blogged. I was kind of surprised to discover it was still active though the last post was in 2012. But I thought a blog would be a good way to communicate about  our upcoming mission trip to Guatemala. We have a team of 11 going to work with a ministry called Hope for Home Ministries. My daughter Lydia made a connection with one of their missionaries when she was attending school in Antigua earlier this year. This is our first time working with them so it is kind of a "vision trip" to see if we might be able to partner together in the future.

So far all of our interactions have been great, and we are looking forward to being on the ground with them. Here is a video introduction to the ministry.

As you can see, this is a ministry to "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40). We leave Saturday, the 19th at 7:45am. We would appreciate your prayers!

A FAMILY HISTORY OF GRACE AND TRUTH

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1


And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14


You can learn a lot about a family just by reading its genealogy. A quick reading of the family history of Jesus is very insightful and helpful to understand who He is and who we are in Him. There are a lot of great names and heroes of the faith in Jesus' family tree. Names like Abraham and David, Isaac and Jacob, Solomon, Uzziah, and Hezekiah. These are the names of great kings and mighty warriors. Not perfect people by any stretch of the imagination, but people who achieved a level of greatness in their lives.

But there are also some gnarled branches in Jesus' family tree. Judah, who fathered Perez and Zerah by his daughter-in-law Tamar, whom he thought was a prostitute when he slept with her (see Genesis 38). Mentioned also in Jesus' genealogy is Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute living in Jericho, whose life was spared because she lied to protect the Israelite spies who came to check-out the great walled city (see Joshua 2). Then there is Bathsheba, who is not mentioned by name, but whose story with David is well known.

Perhaps my favorite is Manasseh who became the King of Judah after his father Hezekiah had led the people in a time of spiritual renewal and revival. Manasseh rebelled against the ways of his father and became one of Judah's most vicious, blood-thirsty and power hungry kings. According to 2 Kings 21, Manasseh also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood. This was in addition to the sin that he caused the people of Judah to commit, leading them to do evil in the Lord’s sight. (2 Kings 21:16 NLT). Manasseh's evil was so great the Lord removed him from the throne by having him captured by the Assyrians.

At first thought, one may wonder why you would put the names of such notorious people in the genealogy of the Savior of the world. Wouldn't you want to focus on His godly heritage to enhance His hero status? Why include these nefarious sinners? The simple answer is two words: GRACE and TRUTH. Each of these stories reflects the truth of Scripture and the amazing grace of God overcoming the sinful failures of man to the glory of God.

Manasseh's story is a supreme example of God's grace. While in prison in Assyria, Manasseh experienced the grace of the Lord and a transformation of life. He prayed to the Lord in repentance and the Lord restored him to the throne and he worked, in the latter years of his life, to overcome all the wrong he had done(see 2 Chronicles 33).

The Bible says that Jesus came in to the world "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). We see His nature and character reflected in His family tree - in the stories of the heroes and villains of the faith, we see God's grace and truth.   And the good news is, His story is our story. Jesus is still growing the family tree, and all who come to Him know His grace and truth. We are in the family tree because of God's grace and the truth of His Word.

Stumbling Block or Stepping Stone?

Am I a stumbling block or a stepping stone? Do I make it easier for people to know to Jesus, or do I create obstacles that make it harder for people to come to Jesus?

1. Stepping stones are people of grace. They are not shocked by the sins of others. They understand that people do what they do because they are what they are; they know that sinners sin. Stepping stones are not shocked when people fail. Stumbling blocks act as if other people's sins are worse than their own, and condemn others for their sins and failures. Stepping stones offer grace and point the way to forgiveness in Christ. Stepping stones live in grace, knowing that it is only by grace that anyone can be saved.

2. Stepping stones introduce people to Jesus. Stumbling blocks offer rules to be followed, a list of "do's and don't's" for people to live by. Stepping stones introduce people to Jesus and let Him write His commands on their hearts.

3. Stepping stones love unconditionally. Stumbling blocks put conditions on their love and acceptance. They say things like, "I will love you as long as you love me." Or, "We can have a relationship as long as you live up to my expectations and standards." Stepping stones love without conditions, not condoning the sins of sinners, but loving them in spite of their sins.

4. Stepping stones love Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, making it easier for others to fall in love with Jesus as well. They love others to Jesus through their life of loving Him.

Am I a stumbling block or a stepping stone? Are others coming to Christ because of you?

Messiah in the Passover

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Hey Family, 

I want to encourage everyone to come out Friday night for our Messiah in the Passover event. Boris Goldin of Chosen People Ministries based in New York will be with us to share the Gospel through a Jewish Passover Seder. Chosen People Ministries is one of the leading ministries reaching out to evangelize the Jewish people, with ministry centers in 13 nations including multiple ministries in Israel. You can learn more about Chosen People Ministries at their website, www.chosenpeople.com. 

Friday night we will begin at 6 pm with a covered-dish fellowship meal. Toward the end of the meal, Mr. Goldin will share the various elements of the Passover Seder and explain how each one points to Christ and is fulfilled by Him. If you've never before seen the connection between the Old Testament Passover and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament, you are in for a real blessing. In presenting Messiah in the Passover, Mr. Goldin will also be presenting the Gospel of Christ, so if you have friends who are lost, please bring them with you. 

The Messiah in the Passover event is free, but we will receive a love offering for Chosen People Ministries during the evening. Child-care will be provided. Be sure to bring a friend or family member and food for the covered-dish meal. If you have any questions, give me a call. I look forward to seeing you Friday night at 6:00 pm. 

MVBC Connection 04-05-12

Love God, Love Others, Reach the World

Dear Family, 

Cannot wait for this weekend! It actually started tonight with a great time of worship, prayer and fellowship. We prayed over all the pews in the sanctuary, prayed for friends and family who are far from God, and nailed them to the cross (actually just papers with their names on them, lol). 

Tomorrow night is Secret Church. I still have a few study guides if you are available to come. The simulcast starts at 7 pm. 

Sunday morning is going to be unbelievable! We'll kick-off the service by baptizing three followers of Christ. We will have some wonderful special music, and our choir and newly formed drama team have an amazing presentation that will blow you away. We'll be bringing our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering to the cross during Pastor's Pals, so come prepared to give. I will be giving a clear presentation of the Gospel in the message and then we're going to end the service in a way that we've never ended it before! I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do. 

After the service we will have our annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt. We've got prize eggs for each age group and lots of candy for everyone. Invite your family and friends to bring their kids and their Easter baskets and come on out!

Here is our Volunteer Ministry Team* for Easter Sunday: 

• Ushers: *Bernard Bull, Jim Ellis, Scott Hickey, Brandon Wilmoth, Shawn Wilmoth, & Harold McCarter
• Greeters: Stacy Self, Winston Large, Carmen Hall, Ryan Rice
• Counters: Mike Heffner and Karen Rice
• Audio/Visual: Andrew Wilmoth & David Hegel

*If you aren't able to keep your commitment, please contact your Team Leader.

There will not be any small groups this Sunday night, so you can enjoy the rest of the "Holy-Day" with your family.

Our family will be on vacation April 9-23. If you have ministry needs while I am away, please call on one of the staff members or deacons.  

Thank you for your service to the Lord. I'm praying for you, that you would experience God in a powerful, life-changing way this Easter!

Remember: God is able to do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY above all that we ask, or even think!