Christmas Exhortation

Great exhortation and challenge for the intentional follower of Jesus this Christmas season. Let's invest in the eternal work of God's kingdom rather than hording up those things that only possess temporal value. Thanks Dave for the stark reminder of the need of the nations and the willingness of the indigenous Christians to plant churches.

"7:28 PM Shopping season is upon us. Perhaps this is a good time to remind my readers that the body of Christ in Asia and Africa is looking for Christians in the West to partner with them and link hands in this time of harvest. God has showered material blessings upon the church in America. I feel that God has called me to speak up for the brethren in Asia and Africa because many of them cannot speak for themselves. The day of the indigenous Christian movement has come. Foreign nationals can do the work of church planting much better than we can. Several hundred thousand native missionaries in the Two-Thirds World are awaiting our support. Paul teaches in 2 Cor. 8-9 that those who have are obligated to help those who do not have. Are you a wealthy or affluent Christian? Are you ready to follow Jesus' example into a sacrificial lifestyle? A lady once wrote a check for $100 and sent it to us at Christmas. She attached a note that said, "No longer will I be buying my grandchildren Christmas presents. They hardly need more things anyway. This year I am sending you a check for the needy in Ethiopia in the name of my grandchildren. They will receive a Christmas card from me telling them where 'their' Christmas money was spent."

DBO exists to remind affluent Americans that there is a needy world of people out there whom Jesus loves and for whom He died. Will you join Becky and me in ministering to them?" from daveblackonline.com

Reaching New England with the Gospel

The endeavor to reach the nations with the gospel is NOT limited to crossing the great Seas, but encompasses the US as well. We, as followers of King Jesus, must have a "both and" vision for the Great Commission. Our efforts must include both the nations and our own nation. Thus being stated, I urge you to pray about intentionally involving you and your family in reaching the New England Territory of the United States with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God may very well invite you to be involved in His mission to plant Biblical churches in the New England Territory through financial giving or through your uprooting your family to plant a church. The gospel centered life calls us to willing and sacrificially give and go that the world may know and worship King Jesus. Below is a website that can help you get plugged in - check it out:

http://www.vermontchurchplanting.com/

Challenging thought about Kingdom priority and family

Below is a post by Dave Black concerning an article called "family values." I hope you enjoy and are challenged by the thought that the gospel demands all - not some, not half - but all that we are. 

8:44 AM Recently I had a conversation with someone about family pressure. You know, the kind of negative peer/familial pressure that tries to keep you from pursuing God's will for your life. This issue was recently addressed in an essay called "Family Values." I'll just offer my two drachmas.

Jesus is very clear about what it means to follow Him. Through His teachings, our eyes can be opened to see the divine balance that Christ Himself taught. Once we fully understand the Great Commission and the principles of kingdom living, we will find that life is one unbroken piece of cloth. Every activity, every project, every goal in our lives is to be evaluated in terms of how it contributes to the ultimate mission of God on earth -- global evangelization in our generation. Real faith doesn't come cheap. It cost Abraham everything to serve God. He left father and mother, homes and animals, not even knowing where he was going because he wanted to serve God more than anything the world had to offer. As believers, we are ambassadors sent to this world from another kingdom. We know from Scripture what this entails. It requires a submitted and surrendered will. It requires us to refuse to make any important decision in life without submitting it first for His approval. It requires us to get off the religious merry-go-round by making the kingdom the central passion of our lives. We must be willing to "let goods and kindred go." It means following in the steps of Jesus. We must be willing, as He was, to forsake everything, even family, for the sake of lost souls. The deceitfulness of sin -- often disguised as family "love" -- will keep us from achieving a committed life if we are not careful.

As the essay reminds us, the traditions and wisdom of our society -- including so-called "family values" -- can no longer dictate what we as Christians will do with our time, money, and energy. Many people are hindered in their walk with Christ because of peer/family pressure. But the Prince of Peace came with a sword. He insisted, "Unless you hate father and mother you cannot be My disciple." The American Civil War literally divided families. James Crittenden (whose famous "compromise" failed to avert the war) had one son who became a Union general and another son who became a Confederate general. Abraham Lincoln's wife Mary had seven bothers and brothers-in-law who fought for the South. Officers who fought side-by-side during the Mexican War of 1846 fought against each other during the war of 1861. Captain Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant James Longstreet became mortal enemies of Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant and Lieutenant Winfield Scott Hancock a mere 16 years later.

Follow Jesus with your whole heart and many will think you are crazy, even perhaps your own family members. But you must obey the Master, remembering the words of Jesus, "He who is not with Me is against Me." Carnal Christians and unsaved loved ones simply cannot understand what Jesus is saying here. But what does God require? I challenge you to read the Gospels and mark every verse where Jesus talks about family. Seek to obey what He says, not merely talk about it.

New SS Class

Christianity 101

Purpose: Christianity 101 seeks to introduce present and prospective members, as well as, new believers to Biblical Christianity. This class will provide introductory studies in Biblical Theology, Christian Living, and Baptist Life.

Class Outline:

Week 1 – Knowing God  (Doctrine of God)

Week 2 – Seeing & Savoring Jesus (Doctrine of Jesus)

Week 3 – Walking in the Spirit (Doctrine of the Spirit)

Week 4 – Designed for God (Doctrine of Man)

Week 5 – Redeemed by God (Doctrine of Salvation)

Week 6 – Doing Life together  (Doctrine of the Church)

Week 7 – Missio Dei (The Mission of God)

Week 8 – Solo Scriptura (Doctrine of Scripture)

Week 9 – Hearing from God (Understanding Scripture)

Week 10 – Hearing from God part 2 (Understanding Scripture)

Week 11 – Together for the Gospel part 1 (Baptist History)

Week 12 – Together for the Gospel part 2 (The Southern Baptist Endeavor)

Week 13 – Growing and Going Together (The Clement Church Family)

When: Starting Sept. 1st for approx. 13 weeks

Where: Clement Baptist Church, Upstairs of Family Life Center in Youth Room 

Who: Anyone 

Meet Peter Crisp. He has been serving King Jesus in Bennington, VT for 1.5 yrs specifically seeking to plant a church. In November we surveyed Bennington in an effort to provide information for Layndon Warren (pictured below on left). We encountered resistance coupled with very little info. This year we returned and met Peter serving alongside him in VBS. This year the Father blessed and 5 people from Bennington trusted the Savior. By the way, such is unheard of in VT :) Peters persistent loving ministry in Bennington is bearing fruit. Pray for the Father to send other church planters and partners to serve side by side with this brother in the gospel. 

Overcoming Temptation

Overcoming temptation is a daily battle for the follower of Jesus, trust me I have plundered and fallen on my face more than I care to discuss. However, God is faithful to provide for us a "way of escape" when the temptation arises. The question remains will we take the way of escape :) I have lately pondered Paul's words in Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust." I find myself often making provision or providing a way for the flesh to indulge, do you? Here is a helpful article from a great preacher of the gospel, Adrian Rogers, that is helpful. Hope you and I will take heed.

Persistence in Parenting

Reminded this morning by a brother in Christ of the valuable and fruitful work of being persistent in daily teaching my children the gospel. The greatest missionary training facility in the world is the Christian home. God entranced parents provide the front lines of preparing men and women to fulfill the mission of God - glorifying Himself among all tongues, tribes, nations, and languages (Rev. 5:9). Distractions often draw us away from this lofty task, thus I/we must decide to persistently immerse our lives and the lives of our children in the Scriptures. I desire as a parent is that my children will enjoy the greatest pleasures that God's Creation has to offer. I desire for them to enjoy life to the fullest. God Himself is the source of the greatest pleasure - he Himself is the one that pleases - all else leads to unsatisfactory results and insatiable desires, but God fills man to the full with Himself satisfying Him forever. Let us lead our children to the fountain of pleasure that never runs dry nor never fails to satisfy. Give them Jesus (John 4). Thanks my brother for reminding me to be persistent in this most pleasing endeavor.