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26-May-2013 :: Cheri Graduates! |
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Last Sunday we celebrated our high school and college graduates and the great thing they have done with their lives. I wanted to mention this Sunday that our own Cheri Dempsay has also been chipping away at a Diploma in Educational Leadership at the Arizona Campus of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Cheri will walk this Saturday, June 1st at The First Southern Baptist Church in Scottsdale (5230 N. Scottsdale Road) and receive her diploma.
Cheri doesn't have hundreds of invitations to send out to invite the whole church so I asked her if I could just invite all of you here in my article. If you have never attended a seminary graduation you may want to check one out and support our Children's Minister at the same time. You will need to behave yourself so as to not embarrass the church. I know how some of you can get in a celebrative atmosphere! The time of the graduation is 3:00 this Saturday afternoon. The church is a good thirty-minute drive from our church's location, some would say forty-five minutes. I'll leave that for your interpretation.
Because this church loves our youth and believes in them, we were able to raise over $4,500 for youth camp this year at last Sunday's pie auction! As always I am amazed at what goes on at this fun time and if you baked, or bought, or bid, or made, or prayed for the auction God bless you. Jim Custis did his usual great job of keeping everyone entertained as T.J. Greb did his camera magic so everyone could see the desserts being offered and know better what they were bidding on. The youth were there to read the item's description and bring it to the successful bidders. What a fun night! Thank you all for making it so.
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19-May-2013 :: Ministry Opportunities Abound in May |
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May is typically a full month of ministry opportunities and this May has been no different. I am grateful we were able to hear from Eric Yielding and the amazing ministry that Capitol Ministries is having across the country with lawmakers. Our own Mark Hoole has founded a golf tournament to help families affected by disability go to the Joni and Friends Family Retreat and they had a record attendance this first Saturday of the month. Senior Adults celebrated their banquet and we honored our seniors with a great preacher in Jerry Bowling. Mother's Day is a good day for many families and women, and we praised God last Sunday and maybe learned a little from the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
By the time you read this bulletin on Sunday, many men from our church should have had a long and full weekend to gather in the Grand Canyon University Arena for a Promise Keeper meeting. I trust they will share a little of what God did there in their Bible Study classes this morning. These events hold such potential for spiritual awakening not only for our men and their families but also for our entire church. This Sunday is Youth Sunday and we will be seeing our youth handing out bulletins, welcoming people to worship, receiving the offering, singing and performing in morning and evening worship services…and for those who enjoyed the youth video last Sunday advertising our Pie Auction for youth camp, I believe they will show yet another video today in the morning service! Such raw talent! Don't forget to bake, cook or make your favorite dessert, and/or bring a "wad of cash" to purchase the fine culinary treats of our great cooks and help send our kids to a full week of camp in California. Then, rest up this week for our last Market on the Move this Saturday, May 25th.
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12-May-2013 :: Blessings to Moms & Women! |
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Well, Mother's Day isn't exactly biblical but honoring our parents is always obedience to the 5th commandment. And that commandment is the only commandment attached with a promise. Our culture's celebration of Mother's Day is not a far stretch for us as believers. And probably many of us could use the regular nudge to be intentional about expressing gratitude to those God-chosen people who were used by God to facilitate our birth.
God has given us such amazing insight into motherhood through the Bible. The Bible is full of all kinds of women, mothers, and grandmothers who have much to teach us, in any culture, if we have "ears to hear." As a father I am so grateful to the Lord that He has given us a roadmap if you will to negotiate the tough waters of raising a child(ren). There has only been one perfect Son and He did not marry or have natural children.
The church is a beautiful and profitable place to learn about relationships, love, marriage, parenting and grandparenting. The best part about all of the opportunities to learn is that we can view them being lived out before us in people we know and love. Ongoing relationships with Christians is one of the finest gifts God has given to us in order to live God honoring lives. Believers are by no means perfect in their theology or ethics but wanting to please God by living holy lives directed by God's Word is of great worth in life. To get to regularly watch, listen and interface with people like this is priceless in learning how to do it ourselves. Where would we be without living examples? Thank you ladies and moms for your part of life. We are forever grateful!
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05-May-2013 :: SENIOR ADULT SUNDAY |
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Each first Sunday in May we like to recognize our Senior Adults and the great role they play in the life of our church family. Our church is over 87 years old and we still have some of those wonderful people who have been pillars here since we began! How amazing is that?
Thank you Lord Jesus for the role that our elders play in our lives and society. Paul commanded young Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." God has allowed us in some measure to see this accomplished and we are grateful.
Today the Senior Adults and I have invited a wonderful recently retired pastor to come and share with us. Pastor Jerry Bowling has been a long time pastor in the valley and at Hillside Baptist church. Jerry even has a little history with our church! He is one of the great pastors I count it a privilege to serve together with in our association of churches and State Convention.
I don't believe I know of a pastor who has more passion to see us plant churches than Jerry Bowling. Jerry has been an absolute anchor and mentor in the church planting movement that has swept across our great state and produced hundreds if not thousands of new converts. I am sorry that I will not be able to be here today but I know our church family will be blessed to have him share his heart with us. God bless you Jerry and welcome back to one of your old stomping grounds. |
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28-Apr-2013 :: GOLF ANYONE? |
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Well, here we are just six days away from our second annual "Church Challenge Golf Tournament" Saturday, May 4th at Pebble Creek Tuscany Falls Golf Course in Goodyear. You can play or just watch, but please contribute to our Special Needs Ministry through this important fund-raiser event. Registration is at 7:00 am and the tournament begins at 8:00 am with a "Shotgun Start." For more details you can pick up a brochure in the Foyer or speak with the Tournament Director, Mark Hoole or our Special Needs Coordinator, Pam Baldwin.
God has certainly been allowing us to use our facility in the past few weeks to reach out to our community in the name of our Lord Jesus. On March 23rd, we hosted Medical Missions Conference in our building. About 300 people from the community attended the Wayland Baptist University graduation ceremony here on April 12th. Then over 550 people attended the all-day Voice of the Martyrs Regional Conference on April 20th. And just yesterday, we held our next to the last "Market on the Move" event for the spring, distributing food to nearly 500 people from our front parking lot.
In addition to these large events, the "International Church" holds their weekly services here as do some special needs support organizations such as the CASA Forum and Alcoholics Anonymous.
Pray for these ministries to our community to bear fruit for God's kingdom according to His will and to bring glory to the great name of Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Check out our website, www.fsbcg.org!
Steve
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21-Apr-2013 :: Welcome Pastor Erik Yielding |
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Today we have a special guest that I have invited to come and preach for me in my absence while I am on vacation. Trish and I have left our children here however so you all wouldn't miss the whole family.
Our own Men's Ministry Leader, Steve Inman, introduced me to Erik for the first time as a friend of his. Erik and his wife Andrea and their four children are all native Arizonans. They are church members of North Phoenix Baptist Church where Erik is a leader in the deacon body.
Pastor Erik holds his Master of Divinity Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and his Bachelors of Science degree in Political Science and History from Arizona State University. Another thing I appreciate about Erik is that he is an Army Reserve Chaplain.
Today Erik is a ministry leader with Capitol Ministries whose goal is to reach every political leader in the world, at every level of government, every year, with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are currently placing fifty men in fifty state capitols for that purpose. Each legislative season Erik holds a weekly Bible study at the capitol for legislators. I hope to bring Erik back on another occasion to tell us about his work for Capitol Ministries and the amazing things God is doing through this unique ministry. Until then, enjoy the change and listen for God's voice as you so faithfully do every Sunday.
Don't forget Steve French will be starting a four part series on the Four Keys to Abundant Living beginning tonight. Don't miss these clear messages from the mouth of our Lord Jesus.
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14-Apr-2013 :: Calling All Men! |
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Well actually, I am probably calling all women to consider helping me to call all men to pray and consider going to next month's Promise Keeper Meeting at Grand Canyon University! Yes ladies you are aware of the spiritual condition of your husband, dad, boyfriend better than I am and I need your assistance in getting them to attend this weekend for their sake and yours.
The men in our church who have attended Promise Keepers over the years know what a great time we have had at these male only events. How often in a man's lifetime does he gather with thousands of other Christian men to worship and renew the commitment to our roles as spiritual leaders in our home and church? It is an amazing chance for men to wake up, hear what they need to hear from other men and let God take a greater role in their life. We have seen God do some truly amazing things in some of our men and the whole experience is unforgettable.
So ladies it may be you who get the most out of a Promise Keepers weekend! Let me ask you to "help" your husband make time and pay for that most valuable opportunity for him to draw closer to the Lord and to remembering his great place in God's plan for this world.
The dates for next month are May 17-18th (weekend after Mother's Day). If we get 10 men to go we can get discounted tickets so that each only pays $49 (includes Saturday lunch). We can easily carpool with the church vans from the church and make it a great time of fellowship as we ride, worship, fellowship and share quality time together. This is a great spiritual opportunity for our whole church and everyone should consider what part they could play in getting as many men as possible to attend.
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07-Apr-2013 :: Evie, 76 Years, Executive Voting, and VOM |
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Welcome Evie Cecilia Brown
The Lord has blessed the Brown family and our church family this week with little Evie Cecilia Brown! I can just sense a lot of women who can't wait to see her and pick her up and love on her. Congratulations Andy and Shandy and may God continue to bless your growing tribe. We can't wait to see her!
Today is a special day for long time members Earl and Velma Baugh as they celebrate their 76th wedding anniversary! This is not a typo. Earl and Velma have been in love and in marriage for seventy-six years and counting. Need some marriage pointers? See Earl and Velma, they will make it sound easy.
If you want to vote on the new Executive Director for the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. David Johnson, you will need to stop by the church office before Friday April 12, and pick up a messenger card for the special called business meeting scheduled to be from 1:00-3:00 at the First Baptist Church of Chandler. Otherwise anyone is welcome to attend but not vote.
A not-too-miss meeting will be at our church on Saturday April 20th as we host the regional meeting for Voice of the Martyrs. Four speakers from all over the world will bless your heart with their testimonies of our persecuted brothers/sisters. The conference is free but a love offering will be taken by them. It is from 9:00-5:00 but you should register by phone or online at vommeetings.com. |
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31-Mar-2013 :: Was it a morning like this? |
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Was it a morning like this?
Can we not help wondering if that great resurrection morning was like this morning? Our sunrise service gives us that distinct impression as we read the texts of that first morning before daybreak. Happy Resurrection Day church and what an occasion for celebration! It is no wonder churches will fill across the world on this glorious day.
Last weekend we enjoyed a great time of ministry. It was a busy weekend and many people went the second mile. Early Saturday our Market on the Move servants got to the church before sun-up to begin preparations for a day of serving our community. Over 400 families came through the lines to get food for their needs. Many of those servants would stay for the entire duration and get the job done with a few less helpers than was ideal. For the sake of the kingdom, God bless you.
Across town, thousands of women spent the weekend in conference with Beth Moore, a very popular women's speaker and inspiring woman. Lives were impacted, touched and changed there. And as the Market on the Move was about in full swing in the parking lot, a full day Medical Missions Conference began inside the church with some great missionaries and medical personnel to challenge our healthcare leaders to consider using their gifts and abilities to serve the underserved around the world in Jesus' name. Our church was represented with a team of six people. Others walked with my daughter and wife in an MDA event to raise money for research for families affected by muscular dystrophy. Way to go church! |
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24-Mar-2013 :: Opportunities to Make a Difference! |
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What a great morning we are in for as we study God's word in Bible Study today and follow that with a great Resurrection Musical in the morning worship! These special musical performances always afford us an opportunity to worship the Lord through the medium of music and song. It allows us to take time and let God make a difference in our lives. I pray every heart is open and receptive to what God wants to do today in His house.
Tomorrow evening you have an opportunity to be a part of a prayer vigil downtown for the sake of marriage and religious freedom in our land (see announcement in this bulletin). Next Sunday is Easter and arguably the greatest day to celebrate the greatest event of all time.
Next month our church will be hosting a regional conference for the Voice of the Martyrs on Saturday April 20th. There will be four speakers representing various parts of the world. The conference is free and a love offering will be taken. You may register at 877-337-0302.
The international church that meets at our church is collecting old used and broken computers for refurbishing to be sent to Africa for use among the churches there. You may drop those off in our church office if you would like to help make a difference for the church in Africa. Pastor Williams is very appreciative of your support.
We have two more Market on the Moves to bless the people of our community. It is not too late to join the veterans who make this great ministry happen each month. Make a difference where you live!
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