Rick Gutierrez
College/Singles Pastor
As I type this blog I am without the ability to speak. I can’t talk. I have completely lost function in my vocal chords. Pardon the graphic picture, but my current dilemma is due to having stayed up all last night enjoying the thrill and ecstasy of vomiting. Basically, last night’s gastrointestinal gymnastics have rendered my ability to vocally communicate obsolete.
Not being able to talk has made something very clear to me—I have a lot of stuff to say! All day I have wanted to speak but I have been frustrated by the fact that I cannot communicate. Throughout the day, I have been in need to share information, share something funny, ask questions, etc. Truly it has been irritating to not be able to communicate whatever has been on my mind or on my heart.
Here’s the real sad thing…I cannot audibly tell my wife that I love her. I’m sitting on the couch feeling awful and Jamie is taking care of me. The, she looked at me and told me she loved me; and when I tried to respond all that came out was something that sounded like 99 year old chronic smoker trying to catch their breath after a long walk to the mail box.
Love is incomplete unless it is communicated. In order for love to find completion it must be expressed. While I admit that there are many ways to communicate love apart from actually saying it, the fact remains that something is lacking unless it is spoken. Love must be announced. Love must be heard. Whether you are 12 years old with a crush on a girl in class or you are 65 and have been married for 40 years, there is a desire to express the love we have for the other person.
To a large degree this is what is involved in worship. Worship is lavishly expressing to God the affection we have for Him. Worship is telling God we love Him. As a Christian there must be a desire to communicate our heart to God. Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.” Is this your confession? Would you agree with the psalmist that it is good to sing praises of adoration to our God? Do you consider it to be pleasant to tell God you love him? Have you ever considered the fact that it is becoming of a Christian to express their affections to God?
There are many ways to verbally express our love to God, but one of the best and most ancient is through corporate song. This is the most important thing that is to take place when we gather on Sunday mornings. We are to lavishly communicate our affection to God when we gather with one another. The bride (the church) must tell the Groom (Christ) that she loves Him. This is good, pleasant and becoming.
An anthem is a symbolic song of praise, devotion and loyalty. It is a piece of sacred music commemorating a grand event. It memorializes something or someone great. As Christians, when we gather we are to worship by singing anthems to God—songs that express who God is to us and that thank Him for all that He has done for us. We have to sing anthems. This is part of what it means to be Christian. We have to verbally communicate our love to God by antheming His name.
Please come to ANTHEM this Sunday (March 16, 2008) at 7:00 PM in the fellowship hall for a time of praise and worship in which we will lovingly lavish our affection and adoration to God. Come to ANTHEM and communicate your love for God.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Amberly Prayer Project
Matt Rice
Church Plant Pastor
“I know exactly what to do Dad.”
This past weekend was a great day with my kids. We are moving to NW Cary and my wife – God Bless her – is working a little more so we can live there and plant a church. This affords me the honor of being the Lone Ranger Dad every 4th weekend. This past weekend was the first in this new arrangement.
After some cartoon watching, I turned the TV off and gathered the 3 oldest ones together to assemble a 24 piece floor puzzle. The puzzle was a circus puzzle and quite complicated. Andrew and Mollie did a great job of helping and Luke the 2 year old did a great job of distracting while Jake slept. Overall, things were going great. We had 23 pieces in place. But there was a problem…the puzzle had 24 pieces. We looked for the missing piece and could not find it anywhere. Just then Andrew jumped up and announced in typical Rice loudness, “I know exactly what to do Dad” as he headed into the bathroom. I thought to myself, “When you gotta go, you gotta go.”
He came back and asked, “Guess what I did Dad?” I hesitantly asked, “What?” He said, “I prayed and asked Jesus to help us find the puzzle piece.” I was caught off guard and praised his action. We left the puzzle on the floor and went outside to play hoping the piece would show up. Later that night, just before bed, I was looking for something and found PIECE NUMBER 24!
God taught me a huge lesson and Andrew was equally stoked. God is concerned about all the details of our lives…..all of them. He wants us to come to him with all of our requests – the big ones and the “puzzle pieces.” We are a church in the process of replanting ourselves to be a church planting church in order to build the Kingdom of God. I serve as the pastor of the first church plant out of this new vision. We have been meeting for 4 weeks while ABC is finishing up casting her new vision. You might be asking, “So, what can we do next?”
To quote a wise 5 year old, “I know exactly what to do.” We must PRAY!
On March 8, 2008 we will join forces – the church plant and ABC - to prayer walk NW Cary. I invite you to GATHER in the ABC Fellowship Hall at 8:15 am; to GROW together with a challenge and some Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (Did I say the hot sign was on?), and GO prayer walk Amberly calling on God to open the hearts of these people as we reach them with the Gospel.
Can you walk? Can you pray? See you on March 8th at 8:15 am…Did I say the HOT SIGN was on?
Click here to read a biblical definition and explanation of prayer walking.
Church Plant Pastor
“I know exactly what to do Dad.”
This past weekend was a great day with my kids. We are moving to NW Cary and my wife – God Bless her – is working a little more so we can live there and plant a church. This affords me the honor of being the Lone Ranger Dad every 4th weekend. This past weekend was the first in this new arrangement.
After some cartoon watching, I turned the TV off and gathered the 3 oldest ones together to assemble a 24 piece floor puzzle. The puzzle was a circus puzzle and quite complicated. Andrew and Mollie did a great job of helping and Luke the 2 year old did a great job of distracting while Jake slept. Overall, things were going great. We had 23 pieces in place. But there was a problem…the puzzle had 24 pieces. We looked for the missing piece and could not find it anywhere. Just then Andrew jumped up and announced in typical Rice loudness, “I know exactly what to do Dad” as he headed into the bathroom. I thought to myself, “When you gotta go, you gotta go.”
He came back and asked, “Guess what I did Dad?” I hesitantly asked, “What?” He said, “I prayed and asked Jesus to help us find the puzzle piece.” I was caught off guard and praised his action. We left the puzzle on the floor and went outside to play hoping the piece would show up. Later that night, just before bed, I was looking for something and found PIECE NUMBER 24!
God taught me a huge lesson and Andrew was equally stoked. God is concerned about all the details of our lives…..all of them. He wants us to come to him with all of our requests – the big ones and the “puzzle pieces.” We are a church in the process of replanting ourselves to be a church planting church in order to build the Kingdom of God. I serve as the pastor of the first church plant out of this new vision. We have been meeting for 4 weeks while ABC is finishing up casting her new vision. You might be asking, “So, what can we do next?”
To quote a wise 5 year old, “I know exactly what to do.” We must PRAY!
On March 8, 2008 we will join forces – the church plant and ABC - to prayer walk NW Cary. I invite you to GATHER in the ABC Fellowship Hall at 8:15 am; to GROW together with a challenge and some Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (Did I say the hot sign was on?), and GO prayer walk Amberly calling on God to open the hearts of these people as we reach them with the Gospel.
Can you walk? Can you pray? See you on March 8th at 8:15 am…Did I say the HOT SIGN was on?
Click here to read a biblical definition and explanation of prayer walking.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Some Tough Work
Peter Dubbelman
Family Life/Admin. Pastor
Being a parent can be tough work. Perhaps the perspective of Joseph Hall will help. Joseph, not noted for his wealth but definitely for his wisdom, said the following:
“A wealthy and influential man came into my house. Seeing all my children standing in the order of their age, he said, ‘These are they that make rich men poor’ to which I replied, ‘No, these are they that make poor men rich, for I would not part with any of my children for all your wealth.’”
Viewing the training up of a child as a privilege, rather than a responsibility, can make our load seem that much lighter.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Sirviendo Juntos en el Evangelio
Por Alex Cosio
Pastor Ministerio Hispano
Escuché la historia de un misionero en un área remota el cual estaba escribiendo algunas cartas. Un niño de la aldea estaba intrigado por aquellos símbolos que se estaban grabando en un papel. El niño preguntó al misionero que era lo que estaba haciendo. El misionero pensando que el niño no entendería el concepto de “cartas” dijo: “Estoy poniendo mis pensamientos en este pedazo de papel.” El niño contestó dijo: “a ya sé, esta poniendo sus pensamientos en una prisión.” El misionero dijo: “No, al contrario, estoy liberando mis pensamientos.”
El apóstol Pablo estaba en la prisión a causa del Evangelio. Esas cadenas (probablemente lo ataban a un soldado romano), esas paredes y todas las dificultades por las que estaba pasando no podían detener la expansión del mensaje del evangelio. Las autoridades religiosas y civiles de su época consideraban a Pablo una amenaza para sus sistemas establecidos; ellos pensaban que habían eliminado a Pablo. El mismo Satanás debió haber estado brincando de gusto, como un niño con juguete nuevo. “¡Pablo esta eliminado!” era las nuevas en el mundo espiritual. Sin embargo, Pablo no estaba eliminado, al contrario; el Señor utilizo este tiempo en prisión para que Pablo escribiera varias cartas, las cuales han trascendido las fronteras, las culturas y las épocas. Hoy podemos leer lo que Pablo, inspirado por el Espíritu Santo, escribió a la iglesia, es decir a usted y a mi.
¿Qué fue lo que hizo que este hombre fuera tan eficaz en el ministerio? Saulo (posteriormente Pablo) era un judío sumamente religioso y estaba en contra de Jesucristo y del cristianismo, inclusive persiguió a la iglesia y consintió en la muerte de Esteban (Hechos 7:59-8:1; 9:1). La religiosidad puede ser un estorbo para la obra de Dios. Saulo aprendió que solo hay una forma correcta de hacer la voluntad de Dios; o Saulo hacía las cosas a su manera o a la manera de Dios. ¿Se puede identificar con Pablo? Yo si; estaba en contra del cristianismo y me burlaba de los cristianos. Sabe, fui criado en la religión establecida de Latinoamérica y me enseñaron a no confiar en los “cristianos.” Gracias a Dios que tuvo misericordia de mi y transformó mi corazón como lo hizo con Saulo. (Hechos 9:1-22)
El primer atributo que hizo que Pablo fuera eficaz en el ministerio fue su encuentro personal con Jesucristo resucitado. En Su famosa experiencia en el camino a Damasco, Pablo entregó completamente su vida a su Dios y Salvador Jesucristo. Para Pablo las palabras de aquel gran himno “Todo a Cristo yo me Rindo” eran realidad en su vida. No se rindió el diez por ciento o el cincuenta por ciento, ni siquiera el noventa y cinco por ciento. El ser rindió todo al señorío de Cristo. Querido hermano y hermana en Cristo, esto solo me hacer preguntarme a mi mismo cuánto me he rendido a Cristo. ¿Están mis intereses puestos antes que las intenciones de Dios?
En segundo lugar, no solo Pablo su encuentro personal con Jesucristo, sino también su obediencia al llamado de Dios. La Biblia dice que inmediatamente comenzó a encontrarse con la gente en los lugares donde se congregaban para adorar a Dios y les predicaba a Jesús demostrando que era el Cristo. Le doy gracias al Señor por renovar la visión que El ha dado a la Iglesia Bautista de Apex/ Queremos ser esos creyentes que comparten la buenas noticias de salvación.
Tercero, y muchas veces ignorado, es que Pablo fue eficaz por sus colaboradores en el ministerio. Pablo nunca fue un hombre que actuó independiente y/o autoritativamente. En todas sus cartas, menos las cartas personales (1ª y 2ª Timoteo y Tito), menciona personas que colaboraron con él en el servicio del evangelio. En Romanos – Lucio, Jasón y Sosipater. En 1ª Corintios - Sóstenes juntamente con Priscila y Aquila, Estéfanas, Fortunato y Acaico. En 2ª Corintios. – Timoteo. En Gálatas – menciona a “todos los hermanos que están conmigo.” En Efesios – Tíquico; en Filipenses - Timoteo En Colosenses – Timoteo, Aristarco, Marcos, Justo, Epafras, Lucas y Demas (en 2ª Timoteo 4:10 lo abandonó amando al mundo) En 1ª y 2ª Tesalonicenses a Silvano (Silas) y Timoteo; y en Flemón - Timoteo. En el libro de los Hechos encontramos a otras personas colaborando con Pablo en el establecimiento de iglesias en Asia Menor y Europa. Bernabé, Marcos, Silas, Lucas, Sópater, Aristarco y Segundo, Gayo, Tíquico y Trófimo
Todos estos hombres y mujeres – y muchos otros cuyos nombre, aunque no registrados en la Escritura, están registrados en el libro de memorias del Señor (Malaquías 3:16) ¡Que privilegio tenemos usted y yo de servir y ser colaboradores en el ministerio para que la obra y el pueblo de Dios continúen creciendo. Quiero animarle a unirse en la adoración a Dios y en la obra del ministerio. Congreguémonos, crezcamos y compartamos para hacer que la gloria de Dios sea grandiosa entre nosotros. Recuerde los tres atributos que hacen efectivo el ministerio. Primero; necesita una encuentro personal con Jesucristo (su relación personal con El). Segundo; necesita ser obediente al llamado de Dios para usted. Tercero, únase y sea un colaborador en el ministerio.
Pastor Ministerio Hispano
Escuché la historia de un misionero en un área remota el cual estaba escribiendo algunas cartas. Un niño de la aldea estaba intrigado por aquellos símbolos que se estaban grabando en un papel. El niño preguntó al misionero que era lo que estaba haciendo. El misionero pensando que el niño no entendería el concepto de “cartas” dijo: “Estoy poniendo mis pensamientos en este pedazo de papel.” El niño contestó dijo: “a ya sé, esta poniendo sus pensamientos en una prisión.” El misionero dijo: “No, al contrario, estoy liberando mis pensamientos.”
El apóstol Pablo estaba en la prisión a causa del Evangelio. Esas cadenas (probablemente lo ataban a un soldado romano), esas paredes y todas las dificultades por las que estaba pasando no podían detener la expansión del mensaje del evangelio. Las autoridades religiosas y civiles de su época consideraban a Pablo una amenaza para sus sistemas establecidos; ellos pensaban que habían eliminado a Pablo. El mismo Satanás debió haber estado brincando de gusto, como un niño con juguete nuevo. “¡Pablo esta eliminado!” era las nuevas en el mundo espiritual. Sin embargo, Pablo no estaba eliminado, al contrario; el Señor utilizo este tiempo en prisión para que Pablo escribiera varias cartas, las cuales han trascendido las fronteras, las culturas y las épocas. Hoy podemos leer lo que Pablo, inspirado por el Espíritu Santo, escribió a la iglesia, es decir a usted y a mi.
¿Qué fue lo que hizo que este hombre fuera tan eficaz en el ministerio? Saulo (posteriormente Pablo) era un judío sumamente religioso y estaba en contra de Jesucristo y del cristianismo, inclusive persiguió a la iglesia y consintió en la muerte de Esteban (Hechos 7:59-8:1; 9:1). La religiosidad puede ser un estorbo para la obra de Dios. Saulo aprendió que solo hay una forma correcta de hacer la voluntad de Dios; o Saulo hacía las cosas a su manera o a la manera de Dios. ¿Se puede identificar con Pablo? Yo si; estaba en contra del cristianismo y me burlaba de los cristianos. Sabe, fui criado en la religión establecida de Latinoamérica y me enseñaron a no confiar en los “cristianos.” Gracias a Dios que tuvo misericordia de mi y transformó mi corazón como lo hizo con Saulo. (Hechos 9:1-22)
El primer atributo que hizo que Pablo fuera eficaz en el ministerio fue su encuentro personal con Jesucristo resucitado. En Su famosa experiencia en el camino a Damasco, Pablo entregó completamente su vida a su Dios y Salvador Jesucristo. Para Pablo las palabras de aquel gran himno “Todo a Cristo yo me Rindo” eran realidad en su vida. No se rindió el diez por ciento o el cincuenta por ciento, ni siquiera el noventa y cinco por ciento. El ser rindió todo al señorío de Cristo. Querido hermano y hermana en Cristo, esto solo me hacer preguntarme a mi mismo cuánto me he rendido a Cristo. ¿Están mis intereses puestos antes que las intenciones de Dios?
En segundo lugar, no solo Pablo su encuentro personal con Jesucristo, sino también su obediencia al llamado de Dios. La Biblia dice que inmediatamente comenzó a encontrarse con la gente en los lugares donde se congregaban para adorar a Dios y les predicaba a Jesús demostrando que era el Cristo. Le doy gracias al Señor por renovar la visión que El ha dado a la Iglesia Bautista de Apex/ Queremos ser esos creyentes que comparten la buenas noticias de salvación.
Tercero, y muchas veces ignorado, es que Pablo fue eficaz por sus colaboradores en el ministerio. Pablo nunca fue un hombre que actuó independiente y/o autoritativamente. En todas sus cartas, menos las cartas personales (1ª y 2ª Timoteo y Tito), menciona personas que colaboraron con él en el servicio del evangelio. En Romanos – Lucio, Jasón y Sosipater. En 1ª Corintios - Sóstenes juntamente con Priscila y Aquila, Estéfanas, Fortunato y Acaico. En 2ª Corintios. – Timoteo. En Gálatas – menciona a “todos los hermanos que están conmigo.” En Efesios – Tíquico; en Filipenses - Timoteo En Colosenses – Timoteo, Aristarco, Marcos, Justo, Epafras, Lucas y Demas (en 2ª Timoteo 4:10 lo abandonó amando al mundo) En 1ª y 2ª Tesalonicenses a Silvano (Silas) y Timoteo; y en Flemón - Timoteo. En el libro de los Hechos encontramos a otras personas colaborando con Pablo en el establecimiento de iglesias en Asia Menor y Europa. Bernabé, Marcos, Silas, Lucas, Sópater, Aristarco y Segundo, Gayo, Tíquico y Trófimo
Todos estos hombres y mujeres – y muchos otros cuyos nombre, aunque no registrados en la Escritura, están registrados en el libro de memorias del Señor (Malaquías 3:16) ¡Que privilegio tenemos usted y yo de servir y ser colaboradores en el ministerio para que la obra y el pueblo de Dios continúen creciendo. Quiero animarle a unirse en la adoración a Dios y en la obra del ministerio. Congreguémonos, crezcamos y compartamos para hacer que la gloria de Dios sea grandiosa entre nosotros. Recuerde los tres atributos que hacen efectivo el ministerio. Primero; necesita una encuentro personal con Jesucristo (su relación personal con El). Segundo; necesita ser obediente al llamado de Dios para usted. Tercero, únase y sea un colaborador en el ministerio.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Serving Together in the Work of the Gospel
Alex Cosio
Hispanic Pastor
I heard a story of a missionary in a remote area who was writing some letters. A child from the village was intrigued by those symbols being put on a piece of paper. He asked the missionary what he was doing. The missionary knowing the child could not possibly understand the term letters he said; “I am putting my thoughts in this paper.” The child responded: “oh I know… you are putting your thoughts in prison.” The missionary said: “No, on the contrary I am setting my thoughts free.”
Paul was in prison because of the work of the Gospel. Those chains (which probably bound him to a roman soldier), those walls, and the hardships he was facing could not stop the spreading of the gospel. The religious and civil authorities of his day considered him a threat to their established systems; they thought they had put Paul out of business. Satan must have been leaping with joy, like a child with a new toy. “Paul is out!” “Paul is out!” was the news in the spiritual realms. But Paul was not out at all, he was too much in! The Lord used that time in prison for him to write several letters, which have transcended frontiers, cultures and eras. Today we can still read what Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to the church, that is, to you and me.
What made this man so effective in the ministry? Saul was a very religious Jew and was very much against Christianity, he even persecuted the church and consented the stoning of Stephen. Religiosity can stand in the way of the work of God. Saul learned that there was only one correct way of doing God’s work; either Saul did it his way or God’s way. Can you identify with Paul? I can. I was against Christianity and made fun of Christians. You see, I was brought in the established religion of Latin America and was taught not to trust “Christians.” Praise God who had mercy and dealt with my heart just as he did with Saul’s.
The first attribute that made Paul so effective in the ministry his personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. In his famous Damascus road experience, Paul gave his life completely to his God and Savior Jesus Christ. For Paul the words of that great hymn “I surrender all” were true. He did not surrender ten percent or fifty percent, not even ninety five percent. He surrendered all to the Lordship of Christ. My dear brother & sister in Christ, this can only make me question myself how much have I surrendered to Christ. Are my interests set before God’s intensions?
Secondly, not only did Paul have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, but also his obedience to his call. The Bible says that immediately he began meet people in the places where they gather to worship preaching Jesus and proving that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:19-22) I praise the Lord for the renewed vision that He has given to Apex Baptist Church. We want to be the type of believers that go to share the good news.
Thirdly and many times overlooked Paul was effective because of his co-laborers in the ministry. Paul was never alone in the ministry; he never acted independently and authoritatively. In all of his letters, except 1st, 2nd Timothy and Titus, he mentions several people who co-labored with him in the service of the gospel. In Romans (16:21), he mentions Timothy, Lucius, Jason and Sosipater. In 1st Corinthians (16:17-19), he mentions Aquila and Priscilla, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. In 2 Corinthians (1:1), Timothy. In Galatians (1:2), “all the brothers with me.” In Ephesians (6:21), Tychicus. In Philippians (1:1; 2:25), Timothy and Epaphroditus. In Colossians (4:10-15), Timothy, Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke and Demas (whom will abandon Paul going after the world instead of Christ -2 Tim. 4:10). In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Timothy and Silas. In Philemon (1:1), Timothy.
In the book of Acts we find several people co-laboring with Paul in the establishment of the churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Barnabas, Mark, Silas, Luke, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Tychicus and Trophimus.
All of these men and women and many other whose names, though are not recorder in Scripture, are recorded in God’s book of memories (Mal.3:16). What a privilege you and me have to serve and co-labor in the ministry so that the work and the people of God continue to grow. I want to encourage you to join in the worship of God and the work of the ministry. Let us gather, grow and go to make His Glory great among us. Remember the three attributes that make the ministry effective. First; we need a personal encounter with Jesus Christ (our personal relationship with Him). Second; we need obedience to our call. Thirdly; join in as co-laborers in the ministry.
Hispanic Pastor
I heard a story of a missionary in a remote area who was writing some letters. A child from the village was intrigued by those symbols being put on a piece of paper. He asked the missionary what he was doing. The missionary knowing the child could not possibly understand the term letters he said; “I am putting my thoughts in this paper.” The child responded: “oh I know… you are putting your thoughts in prison.” The missionary said: “No, on the contrary I am setting my thoughts free.”
Paul was in prison because of the work of the Gospel. Those chains (which probably bound him to a roman soldier), those walls, and the hardships he was facing could not stop the spreading of the gospel. The religious and civil authorities of his day considered him a threat to their established systems; they thought they had put Paul out of business. Satan must have been leaping with joy, like a child with a new toy. “Paul is out!” “Paul is out!” was the news in the spiritual realms. But Paul was not out at all, he was too much in! The Lord used that time in prison for him to write several letters, which have transcended frontiers, cultures and eras. Today we can still read what Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote to the church, that is, to you and me.
What made this man so effective in the ministry? Saul was a very religious Jew and was very much against Christianity, he even persecuted the church and consented the stoning of Stephen. Religiosity can stand in the way of the work of God. Saul learned that there was only one correct way of doing God’s work; either Saul did it his way or God’s way. Can you identify with Paul? I can. I was against Christianity and made fun of Christians. You see, I was brought in the established religion of Latin America and was taught not to trust “Christians.” Praise God who had mercy and dealt with my heart just as he did with Saul’s.
The first attribute that made Paul so effective in the ministry his personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. In his famous Damascus road experience, Paul gave his life completely to his God and Savior Jesus Christ. For Paul the words of that great hymn “I surrender all” were true. He did not surrender ten percent or fifty percent, not even ninety five percent. He surrendered all to the Lordship of Christ. My dear brother & sister in Christ, this can only make me question myself how much have I surrendered to Christ. Are my interests set before God’s intensions?
Secondly, not only did Paul have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, but also his obedience to his call. The Bible says that immediately he began meet people in the places where they gather to worship preaching Jesus and proving that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:19-22) I praise the Lord for the renewed vision that He has given to Apex Baptist Church. We want to be the type of believers that go to share the good news.
Thirdly and many times overlooked Paul was effective because of his co-laborers in the ministry. Paul was never alone in the ministry; he never acted independently and authoritatively. In all of his letters, except 1st, 2nd Timothy and Titus, he mentions several people who co-labored with him in the service of the gospel. In Romans (16:21), he mentions Timothy, Lucius, Jason and Sosipater. In 1st Corinthians (16:17-19), he mentions Aquila and Priscilla, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. In 2 Corinthians (1:1), Timothy. In Galatians (1:2), “all the brothers with me.” In Ephesians (6:21), Tychicus. In Philippians (1:1; 2:25), Timothy and Epaphroditus. In Colossians (4:10-15), Timothy, Aristarchus, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke and Demas (whom will abandon Paul going after the world instead of Christ -2 Tim. 4:10). In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Timothy and Silas. In Philemon (1:1), Timothy.
In the book of Acts we find several people co-laboring with Paul in the establishment of the churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Barnabas, Mark, Silas, Luke, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Tychicus and Trophimus.
All of these men and women and many other whose names, though are not recorder in Scripture, are recorded in God’s book of memories (Mal.3:16). What a privilege you and me have to serve and co-labor in the ministry so that the work and the people of God continue to grow. I want to encourage you to join in the worship of God and the work of the ministry. Let us gather, grow and go to make His Glory great among us. Remember the three attributes that make the ministry effective. First; we need a personal encounter with Jesus Christ (our personal relationship with Him). Second; we need obedience to our call. Thirdly; join in as co-laborers in the ministry.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Vision Sunday
Phil Qualls
Senior Pastor
This past Sunday we looked at 3 core values for our church that are biblical and simple. Gather. Grow. Go. I conducted an experiment last week: Did you know my 3 year old grandchild can remember Gather, Grow, Go and a senior adult, an elder statesman, can remember it as well? It’s simple and clear and describes the three dimensions in our lives that can make us an active and dynamic fellowship which God uses to impact our community.
Isaiah wrote that our desire as believers should be God’s name and his renown. The focus should be on him and when we gather to worship and to study his word our worship should be about his name and his renown. When that happens there will be a transformation in our gatherings! We will hunger and thirst for more of God! Can you imagine what it would be like if we gathered together on Sunday mornings and sought after him with all of our hearts and our souls? If our desire as the body of Christ when we gathered was for God to be glorified? There’s no telling what could happen!
As a fellowship we need to understand the significance of gathering. That when we gather rightly we then desire what God desires for the church. In Ephesians 5 God tells us that his desire for the church is that she would be spotless and holy. And he has given us the Holy Spirit to help us grow. As we study and teach God’s word our lives become transformed and we take our eyes off of ourselves and fix our eyes on Christ. Not only that, but we begin to love one another as a fellowship and community. Can you imagine what it would be like to be a part of a local church filled with believers that put others’ interests above our own?
Finally, we respond to God’s desire for the lost. Personally. Not just intellectually. God isn’t willing that any should perish, but that all should come to salvation. Can you imagine a body of believers with that kind of passion? We are privileged to be God’s representatives or ambassadors. We get to love our neighbors and associates. That’s what it means to go! To reach out to the nations and to our neighbors. To plant churches and to see those churches plant churches.
We’ve been able to be involved with church planting in New Hampshire, Fuquay Varina and Holly Springs. And that’s just a beginning! We’ve gone to Mexico, Ukraine, India and are excited to partner with IMB in reaching a city in East Asia in the coming years.
Would you be willing for a few weeks to trust God and to go on a journey with us? Ask God to speak to you and imagine what God can do through our church if we all lived three dimensionally! Gather. Grow Go.
Senior Pastor
This past Sunday we looked at 3 core values for our church that are biblical and simple. Gather. Grow. Go. I conducted an experiment last week: Did you know my 3 year old grandchild can remember Gather, Grow, Go and a senior adult, an elder statesman, can remember it as well? It’s simple and clear and describes the three dimensions in our lives that can make us an active and dynamic fellowship which God uses to impact our community.
Isaiah wrote that our desire as believers should be God’s name and his renown. The focus should be on him and when we gather to worship and to study his word our worship should be about his name and his renown. When that happens there will be a transformation in our gatherings! We will hunger and thirst for more of God! Can you imagine what it would be like if we gathered together on Sunday mornings and sought after him with all of our hearts and our souls? If our desire as the body of Christ when we gathered was for God to be glorified? There’s no telling what could happen!
As a fellowship we need to understand the significance of gathering. That when we gather rightly we then desire what God desires for the church. In Ephesians 5 God tells us that his desire for the church is that she would be spotless and holy. And he has given us the Holy Spirit to help us grow. As we study and teach God’s word our lives become transformed and we take our eyes off of ourselves and fix our eyes on Christ. Not only that, but we begin to love one another as a fellowship and community. Can you imagine what it would be like to be a part of a local church filled with believers that put others’ interests above our own?
Finally, we respond to God’s desire for the lost. Personally. Not just intellectually. God isn’t willing that any should perish, but that all should come to salvation. Can you imagine a body of believers with that kind of passion? We are privileged to be God’s representatives or ambassadors. We get to love our neighbors and associates. That’s what it means to go! To reach out to the nations and to our neighbors. To plant churches and to see those churches plant churches.
We’ve been able to be involved with church planting in New Hampshire, Fuquay Varina and Holly Springs. And that’s just a beginning! We’ve gone to Mexico, Ukraine, India and are excited to partner with IMB in reaching a city in East Asia in the coming years.
Would you be willing for a few weeks to trust God and to go on a journey with us? Ask God to speak to you and imagine what God can do through our church if we all lived three dimensionally! Gather. Grow Go.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Life Groups Vision and Purpose
Tim Shaw
Minister of Education
I recall a Sunday morning many years ago, standing before my Sunday School class and noticing a couple in the back I did not recognize. I greeted them warmly and welcomed them as first-time visitors. Big mistake! They had been attending my class for four weeks! How had I missed them before? Could it be that were lost in the sea of the faces in that group? Could it be that no one else had noticed them either? Could it be that were a closed group, a "clique"? The answer to all of these questions is - Yes! Amazingly and thankfully they had continued to come over those weeks despite our neglect!
As a teacher who was extremely passionate about Sunday school ministry and people, this mishap shook me to the core. I couldn’t understand how we had failed. We were great at Bible study and praying for each other. We had weathered many storms together and met needs as they arose among our members. Fellowship was no problem – we knew each other's lives inside and out. We swapped stories often about our long history of memories throughout the years. We had been together a long time…That was the problem! The veil was removed from my eyes at that moment! We were wrapped up in ourselves. We were not reaching new people, we were ignoring them.
God then placed Dan Cook in my life who was the new Minister of Education at my church. He became, and still is today, my dear friend and mentor. He instilled in me the importance of Sunday School being outreach oriented. I took what I learned from him and spent the next months teaching my group the importance of being an outward focused New Testament body. We committed to become an evangelistic Sunday school class. We plunged into outreach in a way we had never known it before. And I mean we plunged! We went out together sharing the gospel and our testimonies with every prospect that we could find. We loved new people like they were family (because we truly wanted them to be). We began to show Christ’s love to prospects, follow up effectively with them, and to share the gospel with them. We discovered the effectiveness of assimilating people into the church, ministering to their needs, and discipling them. We wrapped our arms around them and loved them into God’s family – and it worked!
I cannot find adequate words to write the full results of this transformation. God ignited a fire in the hearts of that original group as they saw how He was using them to bring people to Himself, as they extended themselves in service to reach people for Christ and then disciple those new believers to do the same. Dozens accepted Christ because God’s people opened their hearts and put feet to the Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
I could hardly believe what I saw God doing in that place! I wanted to tell every church in the world what could happen through the Sunday school ministry. Not only did I love seeing what God was doing, He called me to devote the rest of my life to teaching people how to transform Sunday School into the “front door” of the church. As your Minister of Adult Education, my passion is teaching people to Gather, Grow, and Go through Sunday school.
Ask most people the purpose of Sunday School, or what they are trying to achieve in Sunday School, and they are likely to respond with answers similar to these: “Teach the Bible,” “Help people know more about the Bible,” or “Build up the fellowship of our members.” While these are all good things and they need to occur in Sunday School, they do not reveal the purpose of Sunday School, why it exists, or what it needs to accomplish.
Then what is the purpose of Sunday School? Sunday School is the foundational strategy in a local church for leading people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and for building on-mission Christians utilizing small and open groups focused on building relationships with the unchurched and assimilating them into the small group where they can find compassion, hope, and a personal relationship with Christ. Sunday School is a strategy. It is a plan – a way for the church to do the work of the Great Commission.
When a church sees Sunday School as a strategy and not just an organization or program, Sunday School becomes a seven-day-a-week plan for involving people in seeking the kingdom of God and fulfilling the Great Commission, not a one-day-a-week study period. Understanding this makes a Sunday School worker realize that he is not filling a position, but is part of a great strategy. When one reads John 10:10, Luke 14:23, 19:10, and 2 Peter 3:9 he sees that Jesus’ number one priority was outreach and evangelism. If outreach and evangelism was Jesus Christ's first priority; then the first priority of Sunday School, the largest ministry of the church, must be the same.
In seeking God’s direction for the Sunday School ministry, starting January 3rd I will be holding Sunday School worker’s leadership meetings the first Sunday evening and Wednesday evening of each month. I will be sharing overall vision, purpose, and direction for the Sunday School ministry for ABC. Though this is designed for the adult workers, anyone may and is invited to attend. The Sunday and Wednesday meetings will be same each month so you may choose either Sunday evening 5:30-6:30 in the choir room or Wednesday evening 6:30-7:30 in room 209.
Minister of Education
I recall a Sunday morning many years ago, standing before my Sunday School class and noticing a couple in the back I did not recognize. I greeted them warmly and welcomed them as first-time visitors. Big mistake! They had been attending my class for four weeks! How had I missed them before? Could it be that were lost in the sea of the faces in that group? Could it be that no one else had noticed them either? Could it be that were a closed group, a "clique"? The answer to all of these questions is - Yes! Amazingly and thankfully they had continued to come over those weeks despite our neglect!
As a teacher who was extremely passionate about Sunday school ministry and people, this mishap shook me to the core. I couldn’t understand how we had failed. We were great at Bible study and praying for each other. We had weathered many storms together and met needs as they arose among our members. Fellowship was no problem – we knew each other's lives inside and out. We swapped stories often about our long history of memories throughout the years. We had been together a long time…That was the problem! The veil was removed from my eyes at that moment! We were wrapped up in ourselves. We were not reaching new people, we were ignoring them.
God then placed Dan Cook in my life who was the new Minister of Education at my church. He became, and still is today, my dear friend and mentor. He instilled in me the importance of Sunday School being outreach oriented. I took what I learned from him and spent the next months teaching my group the importance of being an outward focused New Testament body. We committed to become an evangelistic Sunday school class. We plunged into outreach in a way we had never known it before. And I mean we plunged! We went out together sharing the gospel and our testimonies with every prospect that we could find. We loved new people like they were family (because we truly wanted them to be). We began to show Christ’s love to prospects, follow up effectively with them, and to share the gospel with them. We discovered the effectiveness of assimilating people into the church, ministering to their needs, and discipling them. We wrapped our arms around them and loved them into God’s family – and it worked!
I cannot find adequate words to write the full results of this transformation. God ignited a fire in the hearts of that original group as they saw how He was using them to bring people to Himself, as they extended themselves in service to reach people for Christ and then disciple those new believers to do the same. Dozens accepted Christ because God’s people opened their hearts and put feet to the Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
I could hardly believe what I saw God doing in that place! I wanted to tell every church in the world what could happen through the Sunday school ministry. Not only did I love seeing what God was doing, He called me to devote the rest of my life to teaching people how to transform Sunday School into the “front door” of the church. As your Minister of Adult Education, my passion is teaching people to Gather, Grow, and Go through Sunday school.
Ask most people the purpose of Sunday School, or what they are trying to achieve in Sunday School, and they are likely to respond with answers similar to these: “Teach the Bible,” “Help people know more about the Bible,” or “Build up the fellowship of our members.” While these are all good things and they need to occur in Sunday School, they do not reveal the purpose of Sunday School, why it exists, or what it needs to accomplish.
Then what is the purpose of Sunday School? Sunday School is the foundational strategy in a local church for leading people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and for building on-mission Christians utilizing small and open groups focused on building relationships with the unchurched and assimilating them into the small group where they can find compassion, hope, and a personal relationship with Christ. Sunday School is a strategy. It is a plan – a way for the church to do the work of the Great Commission.
When a church sees Sunday School as a strategy and not just an organization or program, Sunday School becomes a seven-day-a-week plan for involving people in seeking the kingdom of God and fulfilling the Great Commission, not a one-day-a-week study period. Understanding this makes a Sunday School worker realize that he is not filling a position, but is part of a great strategy. When one reads John 10:10, Luke 14:23, 19:10, and 2 Peter 3:9 he sees that Jesus’ number one priority was outreach and evangelism. If outreach and evangelism was Jesus Christ's first priority; then the first priority of Sunday School, the largest ministry of the church, must be the same.
In seeking God’s direction for the Sunday School ministry, starting January 3rd I will be holding Sunday School worker’s leadership meetings the first Sunday evening and Wednesday evening of each month. I will be sharing overall vision, purpose, and direction for the Sunday School ministry for ABC. Though this is designed for the adult workers, anyone may and is invited to attend. The Sunday and Wednesday meetings will be same each month so you may choose either Sunday evening 5:30-6:30 in the choir room or Wednesday evening 6:30-7:30 in room 209.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)