Christmas Eve

Join us for our Christmas Eve Service, tonight, at 7:00 p.m.

Worship

In the Christmas movie, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, there is a scene where Hermey and Rudolph march off singing…

Fame and Fortune, Fame and Fortune
They will be ours someday.

Does Mary’s journey from the unexpected, to the unscripted, to the unfamiliar lead at last to fame and fortune?

Come, worship with us, as we conclude our series...The Life of Mary.

Most Americans Believe in Christ's Virgin Birth

www.crosswalk.com

The Christian Post reports that the majority of Americans believe the Biblical story of Jesus Christ being born to the virgin Mary literally, according to a survey released Monday by the Barna Group.

Three out of four adults said they believe in the gospel narrative of the birth of Jesus Christ. Even among atheists and agnostics, 15 percent said the event happened literally.

Surprisingly, a solid majority of self-described liberals on political and social issues (60 percent) believed in the biblical view of Christ's birth. The Christian polling organization surveyed over 1,000 adults on a half dozen biblical stories to find out if they view those stories to be factually accurate.

New Giving Rules

Rev. David Bennett
Director of Missions & Development
Growing Healthy Churches

The holiday season is under way and we have a unique way of supporting the ministries we love in greater ways than we will ever be able to again. Here are some new federal tax rules you should know about before you make a donation.

Finish the article at: http://www.growinghealthychurches.org/art/art_419.shtml

Worship

God doesn’t always lead us in a straight line. Sometimes there are twists and turns along his pathway. He may give us a vision of the future and that may change a little as we follow.

Come worship with us, Sunday, as we learn how to follow God through the unfamiliar.

1 Corinthians 13 - Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all thatI have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attenda myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful theyare there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.

But giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Thought

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."

~Charles Dickens

Get Wrapped-up In Acts of Kindness

Literally....

Join us at K-Mart, Saturday, December 15, from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., and help wrap presents. It is a great way to serve and fellowship.

Call the church office, Shell Hoskinson, or Donna Tassos for information or to sign up.

If you forget to sign up...no problem. Come anyway.

Advent Worship

The Prophet Isaiah said, "...the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

The angel Gabriel said, "Surprise!! Mary, you are that virgin!"

That is how the story of Mary begins. It begins with something totally unexpected...a real shocker.

Mary's response, however, is a lesson for all of us as we face the unexpected in our lives.

Worship with us, these four Sundays leading up to Christmas, as we look into the life of the one who would give birth to the Savior of the world.

Don't See The Golden Compass!!

Plain and simple...do not take your children, grandchildren, neices, nephews, neighbor kids, etc., to see The Golden Compass. Also, do not buy the series of books, His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman.

Read more at the following links...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/december/12.36.html

http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7274

Misconceptions of Christ

Lutzer Tackles Most Common Misconceptions of Christ

Dr. Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago, has written a new book titled, Slandering Jesus: Six Lies People Tell About the Man Who Said He Was God (Tyndale House).

According to Lutzer in a www.onenewsnow.com story, today's culture is ripe with false portraits of Jesus, and the situation isn't helped when celebreties such as Oprah Winfrey color the playing field.

"The thing is that Oprah teaches that Jesus is one way among many, and that God is more interested in our hearts than he is in whether or not we believe in Jesus. And she is a microcosm of what happens in America, a microcosm of what Americans believe, that Jesus is great, but he's not the only way to God," Lutzer says.

"And the point that I make is that once you grab the seriousness of sin, of necessity, Jesus is the only way to the Father."

Dr. Lutzer cites a serious erosion of biblical doctrine as the primary factor behind the confusion about the Christ of the Bible.

Reaching the Christmas and Easter Crowd

Inside the minds of holiday-only attenders.

by John Huffman, Jr.

Every pastor encounters them: the Christmas and Easter faces that appear in church only on the holiest of days. It's easy to grow cynical about the once-or-twice-a-year crowd. On the other hand, holidays provide the opportunity to touch the lives of the "under-churched." John Huffman's perspective, originally published in the Los Angeles Times, offers insight and hope. How do I feel about Christmas and Easter attenders?

Finish this article

Happy Thanksgiving

Giving thanks for all our blessings.

Have a great Thanksgiving Day.

Worship

When Jesus died on the cross, on Good Friday, many thought it was over. But those of us who know the rest of the story know that his resurrection on Sunday changed all that. Sorrow is turned to Joy.

Well, what if the opposite happened? What if it is Sunday...but Friday's coming?

Let me be more specific. What if it's Sunday...but Black Friday's coming?

Come worship with us, Sunday, and find out what that's all about.

Role Models

Note: Mark Beeson is the Sr. Pastor of Granger Community Church. I and on their mailing list and receive their communications via email. Following is a recent letter he sent to his congretation:


Dear Church:

Our parenting series got me thinking and a recent barrage of irresponsible statements from people with great influence got me writing. You are welcome to contemplate this problematic cultural conundrum. Read on.

“I’m just a musician. I never wanted to be a role model. That responsibility lies with parents.”

“I’m just an athlete. I never asked to be a role model. That responsibility lies with parents.”

“I’m just a teacher at the school. I never claimed to be a role model. That responsibility lies with parents.”

Is anyone else tired of hearing that lame excuse for negligent behavior? So am I. I’m fed up.

I’m sick of it.

We spout this garbage presuming to guard our value of individual freedom. But this isn’t freedom, its license – comprehensive authorization to do anything we want, anywhere we like, with anyone we choose. Such lunacy absolves people of influence from the responsibility essential to it. This release, so easy to say, excuses leaders of culpability.

This simple statement, offered and accepted as transcendent truth, exempts the shapers of our society from their indispensable contribution to it.

Allowing this tripe to continue unchallenged is akin to accommodating cultural suicide.

Gain without cost, benefits expanded without exertion, profit with no skin in the game, all these precipitate tragedy and loss. Our underlying desire for sex without marriage, money without work, loyal friends (when we have not cultivated closeness, nor have we demonstrated our own fidelity) manifests itself in bad behavior. We ache with selfish ambition while despising the levels of accountability inherent to success.

We want young people to buy our music and tickets to our performances. We want them to swallow our opinions, beliefs and political orientations. We demand they accept our values and morals. Our imagined contract reads, “You give me adulation. Celebrate me and I will enjoy the license of unrestrained self-indulgence as part of the deal.” Do we think we owe nothing after we have gained so much?

Well, here is the truth.

If people are looking at us with admiration, if others follow our lives with interest, if people emulate our words or admire our ways, if we influence anyone - then, whether we like it or not, we are responsible. We are accountable and we are liable. No more excuses. We don’t have an out.

Parents are responsible too; our Creator makes that clear. But as children navigate the waters of adolescence, the people who shape their emerging values, beliefs and opinions better step up and serve them well by living well. The success of every next generation depends on the responsible influence of their leaders and opinion-shapers.

So let’s stop whining about all the pressure we feel. Step up, my friend. Accept responsibility. Lead courageously and expect God to reward you. The next generation is watching and learning and they deserve more from us than excuses.

Mark Beeson

Christ and College

Research Reveals Critical Needs of Christian College Freshmen

www.crosswalk.com

The Christian Post reports that youth leaders who haven't yet called their graduates-turned-college freshmen might want to pick up the phone. Ministry directors who are researching the Christian youth fallout from the Fuller's Center for Youth and Family Ministry have noticed that for the most part, faith didn't prevail between the freshman and sophomore years for college students.

A college freshman's biggest priority is to establish friendships and figure out where they fit in, according to CYFM directors Kara Powell and Brad Griffin and Fuller Theological Seminary faculty member Cheryl Crawford. "Across the board, the freshmen we interviewed indicated that these first two weeks are absolutely critical for creating a social life. The primary -- and most accepted -- way to do this in college is to engage in the party scene,"

Many respondents said they wish they had maintained contact with friends or youth group leaders post-graduation.

Worship

This week concludes our short series.

The first two weeks we looked at finding and growing your passion. Now comes the hard part...taking the risk. Or, as the picture implies...taking the leap.

Come worship with us, Sunday, and find how you can have the courage to "go for it" when it comes to our passion.

"In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there will never be another just like it again. Today is the point to which all your yesterdays have been leading since the hour of your birth. It is the point from which all your tomorrows will proceed until the hour of your death. If you were aware of how precious today is, you could hardly live through it. Unless you are aware of how precious it is, you can hardly be said to be living at all.”

Frederick Buechner

Taking Membership to a New Level

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/004/2.14.html

Forget your Members Only jacket. At Vintage21, a church in Raleigh, North Carolina, it's Owners Only. The church is eliminating the concept of membership entirely in favor of what they believe is a more appropriate description for the body of Christ: ownership.

Gyms and clubs have members. Vintage21 contends that these memberships are "painless to obtain and even easier to discard." "Ownership," on the other hand, springs from the fact that followers of Christ are co-heirs of the Kingdom, and as such, possess a piece of the church. Vintage21 hopes each person will feel responsibility for the church and want to be more intimately involved, rather than just coming to services and taking off. They hope to ditch a consumer mindset and move into an investor's outlook.

"An owner makes the organization happen. Jesus wants his followers to make the church happen—go out and love people, nurture each other, and serve with your whole life. Ownership is a higher call than membership," Vintage21 explains.

Our only question is, will they call the offering a property tax?

Copyright © 2007 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal. Fall 2007, Vol. XXVIII, No. 4, Page 14

5 Kinds of Christians

5 Kinds of Christians

Understanding the disparity of those who call themselves Christian in America.

A new national survey co-sponsored by Leadership.

Reported by Helen Lee

Jennifer Hua identifies herself as a Christian. A 35-year-old former attorney studying Christian counseling at the Wheaton College Graduate School (Illinois), she has gone to church all her life and is a lay leader in her suburban Chicago congregation. She furthers her spiritual development by daily Bible reading, prayer, listening to and singing worship songs, and interacting with other Christians. And every few months, she carves out time for a silent retreat. "I do all of these things because I know from past experience I need to recalibrate my mind and my heart to be in tune with God," she says.

Finish this article

Worship

Last week, we talked about finding your passion. This week, we look at what to do once you find it.

OK, I know some of you might not have found it in a week's time...but you will eventually. So, when you do find it, you'll be ahead of the game.

There are two important things you must do to develop your passion. Come worship with us, Sunday, and find out what they are.

Time Change

Set your clocks BACK one hour before you go to bed, Saturday night.

This Sunday, November 4

During the 11:15 a.m. worship

Three Ways to Confuse a Christian

Great article by Brooks Hanes (and not too long either). Just click on the link below.

http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=1890

Worship

You have all heard the phrase, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." In other words, if you don’t risk anything, you won’t gain anything.

To truly live life, you have to take risks. The first step, however, in the process is to define your passion.

Join us, Sunday, as we begin our new series, Life=Risk.

Poll: Atheists Less Likely to "Do Good"

www.crosswalk.com

Is it necessary to believe in God in order to have solid personal values? A new survey seems to answer that question with a "yes."

According to Baptist Press, the survey by a pollster at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, found that adults who profess a belief in God are significantly more likely than atheists to say that forgiveness, patience, generosity and a concern for others are "very important." In fact, the poll found that on 11 of 12 values, there was a double-digit gap between theists and atheists, with theists more likely to label each value "very important."

The survey by sociologist and pollster Reginald Bibby examined the beliefs of 1,600 Canadians, 82 percent who said they believed in "God or a higher power" and 18 percent who said they did not.

Worship

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and their expanse declares the work of His hands. Night after night they remind us of just how small we are, and how huge God is.

Looking out into the far reaches of the universe, we find a seemingly infinite expanse of mystery and wonder, intricately fashioned by a God of unfathomable size and power. Just a glimpse of one of the billions of visible galaxies He has formed resizes us, shrinking us, and the world we call home, to seeming insignificance in an instant.

However, as tiny as we may seem, the God who knows every star by name also knows yours, and mine. And in the most stunning rescue imaginable, God sent His Son to this spinning planet we call home--the Creator reconnecting us to Himself with life that never ends.

Join us, Sunday, on an image-rich journey through the cosmos...allowing us to peer into God's universe to discover the amazing magnitude of His greatness and grace.

Thorn vs. Cross

"Some well-meaning Christians confuse the thorn and the cross. The thorn, to me, is something God puts in our lives that keeps us conscious of our dependence on him. Paul had the thorn; Jacob had the limp. The thorn is a constant reminder, but each day I must make the conscious decision to shoulder the cross and go forward."

~Fred Smith, consulting editor, Leadership magazine

Staying Fresh Against the Weariness of Life

Pat Morley

Weekly Briefing - Man In the Mirror
Volume 236
June 25, 2007

Recently a friend expressed feeling the early stages of being burned out. I can feel his pain, can’t you? I feel like I am always pushing a large boulder up a hill. Budging the boulder forward a few inches consumes enormous effort, but then it easily rolls back a few feet. Why is that?

You believe God called you to your task. You strain and strive with every mental muscle and bodily sinew to answer the call and be faithful. It’s working, but not smoothly. It’s coming, but not quickly. You can’t help but wonder, “Did I misunderstand God’s call? Was it really God speaking to me?” Or, like Solomon, we cry out, “Meaningless, meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” That’s not true just because he said it, of course, but it is hard to stay positive when we have to manage our lives against the Fall. After a while it just wears you down.

How can we stay fresh against the weariness of life?

Read on at: http://www.maninthemirror.org/weeklybriefing/wb0236.htm

West Virginia Baptist Convention

Annual Meeting

October 16-17

South Parkersburg Baptist Church

Worship

We've come to the last week in the Jesus: Different series. During the past few weeks, we've looked at how Jesus thought, saw, spoke, and acted differently...and the challenges for us who claim to follow him.

So...what now? Simply put, it's time to put on the Chuck Taylors.

Come worship with us, Sunday, and find out what that's all about.

U.S. Religious...but Religiously Illiterate

from http://www.crosswalk.com/

An article in the Indianapolis Star reports that the United States, one of the most religious countries in the world, is also a nation of appalling religious illiteracy. The article discusses Stephen Prothero's "revealing" book, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know and Doesn't.

According to Prothero, in the U.S., "faith without understanding is the standard" and "religious ignorance is bliss." He also regards religious illiteracy as dangerous "because religion is one of the most volatile components of culture and has been, in addition to one of the greatest forces for good in the world, (also) one of the greatest forces for evil."

Some examples the article cites of our country's religious illiteracy include: "nearly two-thirds of Americans endorse the teaching of creationism in our public schools, [but] fewer than half can identify the Book of Genesis... [Just under half] of Americans attribute the words "Let there be light" to Thomas Edison... Two-thirds believe that the Bible is God's word, only half of American adults can name even one of the Four Gospels... Ten percent of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife."

Energy

"If we Christians would take all that energy we put into proving we're right and everyone else is wrong and invested that energy in pursuing and doing good, somehow I think more people would believe we are right. "

from A New Kind of Christian, by Brian McLaren
p. 61

Worship

If there had been such a thing as a telephone directory in Jesus' day, do you think he would have had an ad in the Yellow Pages?

Something like...

JESUS OF NAZARETH

Performing miracles since AD 26

• Leprosy


• Blindness


• Demon Possession (our specialty)

Call for an appointment

I don't think so. He did things differently.

Worship with us, Sunday, and find out how.

Growing Up

Leader's Insight: So Many Christian Infants

Why are we so good at leading people to faith and so bad at prodding them to maturity?

by Gordon MacDonald, Leadership editor at largeI

I have been musing on the words of Martin Thornton: "A walloping great congregation," he wrote, "is fine and fun, but what most communities really need is a couple of saints. The tragedy is that they may well be there in embryo, waiting to be discovered, waiting for sound training, waiting to be emancipated from the cult of the mediocre."

"Saints," he says. Mature Christians: people who are "grown-up" in their faith, to whom one assigns descriptors such as holy, Christ-like, Godly, or men or women of God.

Finish the article

Survey Says...

Survey: Top Issues of Concern for American Evangelicals

www.crosswalk.com

The Christian Post reports that leaders of the country's largest evangelical organization say dealing with changes in American culture is of utmost concern.

The National Association of Evangelicals recently surveyed its leadership and found little concern centered on national politics or the war in Iraq. Culture concerns including consumerism, materialism, family finances and the preservation of traditional families were listed as top issues of concern to the evangelical leaders representing about 30 million members.

Highest in culture concerns was reduction of abortions and defense of the sanctity of human life, according to NAE president Leith Anderson, The next likely issue of concern identified by evangelical leaders was helping the hurting, which included HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction and immigration reform.

Lord, Prop Us Up

A church member sent this to me...

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, "Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side."

After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this....I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time, it's withstood a lot of weather, it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years. It's still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall.

Then I got to thinking 'bout that and how much I was like that old barn. I been around a long time, I've withstood a lot of life's storms, I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, And I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, 'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.'

Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't, so we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side,' so we will stand straight and tall again, to glorifythe Lord.

Speaking of Jesus, Mark writes, "The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law." (Mark 1:22)

What made Jesus' teaching...his words...different from the others? Well, one would certainly expect something amazing from "The Word Made Flesh."

For us, though, how can our words be different and make a difference in the lives of others?

Come worship with us, Sunday, as we explore the answer, together.

What they think.

Study: Christianity No Longer Looks Like Jesus

The Christian Post reports that young Americans today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago.

A new study released Monday from The Barna Group shows that negative perceptions toward the faith have outweighed the positive, as more younger Americans associate with a faith outside Christianity.

Only 16 percent of non-Christians aged 16 to 29 years old said they have a "good impression" of Christianity. Just 10 years ago, a vast majority of Americans outside the Christian faith - including young people - felt favorably toward Christianity's role in society.

from Religion Today Summaries
www.crosswalk.com

Travel Opportunity

Tour of Israel

March 5 - 16, 2008

Contact Larry Bell

(304) 677-8318

Worship

In John 8, the way the religious folks saw it, the woman caught in adultery should be stoned.

Jesus, however, saw things differently. He said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

When we see things as black and white...Jesus sees them as red.

What does all this mean? Come worship with us and find out.

Cuba Mission Trip

Tentative dates for the 2008 Cuba Mission Trip are May 10-20, 2008. Contact David Hulme or Max Hill if you are interested.

Fellowship Breakfast

Join us for our quarterly Fellowship Breakfast, Sunday, September 23, at 10:00 a.m., in Judson Center. It's covered-dish.

Hope to see you there!!

ATM

ATMs: Automatic Tithing Machines

by Sam O'Neal

How can you pass the plate to people who don't carry cash? You can't. So the next big wave may be the "Giving Kiosk" in your church's lobby. "A lot of people no longer carry cash or a checkbook," says Marty Baker, pastor of Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. So he installed two ATMs in 2005. The experiment has been a success.

Finish this article

Worship

Jesus was different.

Actually that is an understatement. Jesus is the biggest deviation from normal in history.

What does that say about those of us who claim to follow him?

Leonard Sweet answers the question this way..."People who don’t know who Jesus is are normal people. Jesus followers are the abnormal ones. Once you encounter Jesus, you can never return to normal."

Join us for worship, this week, as we begin a new series entitled...Jesus: Different.

Danger Zone Missions

Despite kidnappings, U.S. Christians still support mission trips to embattled nations.

by Eric Reed, CTI Rapid Response

American Christians who are active in their churches still strongly support missions work in dangerous regions, despite the recent kidnapping and killings of South Korean aid workers by the Taliban in Afghanistan. A new survey conducted by NationalChristianPoll.com for Christianity Today International shows 69 percent of Active Christians support missions work in places where the U.S. is engaged in military operations, specifically Iraq and Afghanistan, and 66 percent support missions in countries that are under U.S. sanctions, Cuba, for example.

finish the article at:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/leaders/special/dangerzonemissions.html

Worship

I hope you will join us for worship, this week.

Our special guest, this Sunday, is Dr. Maxwell Hill, Associate Executive Minister of the West Virginia Baptist Convention.

During the month of September, we will be taking the Mountain State Mission Offering. 100% of the MSMO stays in West Virginia and supports the mission and ministries of the West Virginia Baptist Convention.

Camp Cowen, Parchment Valley, Goldeneers, Youth and Children's Ministries, and the School of Christian Studies, are just a few of the ministries that benefit from your gifts.

Please give generously to the 2007 Mountain State Mission Offering.

Starbucks or Waffle House?

by Courtney Jones

In my Sunday service adventures, I've come across two types of churches: in my mind, I classify them as Starbucks and Waffle House.

Read the article at:

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7405

What are you risking for God?

Paul Borden

Ultimately Christians are risking their eternal destiny on the belief that our God is and that He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures and through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater risk producing no greater reward. Yet it all finally comes down to faith. .. More

Happiness

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. ~Benjamin Franklin

Worship

You've all seen him. He stands at the busy intersection holding a sign that says, "Hungry. Will work for food."

Will he? I don't know. I've never asked.

Paul writes, in 2Thessalonians 3:10, "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'”

Is he talking about the guy with the sign? The answer might surprise you.

Come, worship with us and find out.

Coming, this fall, will be more opportunities for you to get involved in a Life Group.

Simply put, a life group is a group of 8-12 people that meet regularly for Bible study, fellowship, and spiritual growth. We have new groups forming for a variety of age groups with a variety of interests.

Join us for our Life Group Dinner, Wednesday, September 12, at 6:30 p.m., to find out more about Life Groups and find the group that is right for you.

Worship

Is there something missing in your prayer life? Something's missing but you just can't put a finger on what it is.

Chances are you are not alone. In addition, chances are your prayers are paralyzed by the same problem many others have.

Doubt.

Ron Martoia…”It's one thing to acknowledge the character of God. It's an entirely different thing to go out on a limb and actually trust it.”

Come worship with us, Sunday, as we look at how to overcome this paralyzing area of our prayer life.

Starbucks Spirituality

Starbucks Spirituality

A new way of reaching out.

by Brett Lawrence

Daniel Hill holds a steady part-time job working one or two shifts a week at Starbucks. It's hardly a career-track position, and it's not that he needs the extra cash or battles a secret caffeine addiction.

It's the people. Purple hair, belly-button rings, tattoos, black-painted fingernails—those people.

Finish this article.

Thy Kingdom Come

Before we can pray, "Lord, Thy Kingdom come," we must be willing to pray, "My Kingdom go."

~Alan Redpath

Destructive Emotions

Author Says Destructive Emotions Prevalent Among Christians

www.crosswalk.com

Christian Newswire reports that psychologist/author Florence MacKenzie believes that anger, guilt, and fear are more prevalent in the Christian community than most people might think.

"Many Christians struggle secretly, fearing disapproval or condemnation from family, friends or church contacts," says MacKenzie. "They try to put on a brave face and not admit they need help."

MacKenzie's new book is called Destructive Emotions: Facing Up to Guilt, Fear and Anger. "These emotions become destructive when they destroy our happiness, impair our usefulness, and damage our ability to cope effectively with life," she says. "It's important to demonstrate how... change can be effected."

Worship

Hard fact of life: There is no perfect gig.

There is no perfect marriage. There is no perfect church. There is no perfect job. There is no perfect......

So, how do we deal with that fact in our everyday lives? Most of the time, we just complain about it.

God, however, has something else in mind. Come worship with us, Sunday, and see what it is.

The Art of Apology

THE ART OF THE APOLOGY

by Carolyn McCulley

"I'm sorry if ..." doesn't cut it.

Finish the article at:

http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001557.cfm

Two thoughts about complaining...

I personally believe we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain.

~Jane Wagner

If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.

~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

And one from Scripture...

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Jesus said, "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

That promise was not just for a group of people gathered on a hillside a couple of thousand years ago. That promise, along with the mission it sets forth, is for you and me...today.

Come worship with us, Sunday, as we explore what God has in mind for us.

___

Worship: 9:00 and 11:15 a.m.

Sunday School: 10:00 a.m.

Hear past sermons at our website http://www.clarksburgbaptistchurch.com/ in the media section.

Worry

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Young Adults Aren't Sticking with Church

http://www.crosswalk.com/

USA Today reports that seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30 who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to a survey by LifeWay Research.

34% of those who left said they had not returned by age 30. That means about one in four Protestant young people have left the church.

Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, commented, "This is sobering news that the church needs to change the way it does ministry."

Associate Director Scott MConnell said, "It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome."

The Tech Effect

Technology is changing the way we preach. Is this a good thing?

A Leadership Interview

Shane Hipps is pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to pastoral ministry, Shane had a career in advertising.

John Palmieri is a pastor of multi-cultural, multi-site, New Life Community Church in Chicago. Prior to pastoral ministry, he was involved in the food business.

Jarrett Stevens is director of the college and singles ministry, and teacher for 722 at North Point Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. Previously he served as a teaching pastor for Axis at Willow Creek Community Church.

read the interview at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/003/1.28.html

Mysterious things can happen when you play a country music song backwards...or so says Rascal Flatts. I've never personally tried it, but they claim it has amazing powers.

What are those mysterious things and how does any of this relate to anything about our faith?

I guess you'll have to come to worship, Sunday, and find out. I hope to see you there.

The Choice to Change

Dr. Paul D. Borden
Executive Minister, Growing Healthy Churches

Life is a continual series of choices. Those who choose wisely usually live better lives than those who choose poorly.

read the article at:

http://www.growinghealthychurches.org/art/art_388.shtml

What is Biblical Giving?

by Fred Smith

A diversity of giving styles are illustrated in Scripture—not just one.

Read the article...

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/001/15.79.html

The Most Chilling Money Verse Ever

by Heather Koerner

Some people have a "life verse." There's just something about a particular verse, or a particular passage, of the Word that strikes them. It sums up their experience with the Lord. Or maybe it articulates their hope, or what they hope that Christ will accomplish through them.

Usually, they love to share it. And I love hearing it and the testimony behind it.

But I don't have one.

read the article...

http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001546.cfm

One dictionary defines authentic as…

Authentic = not counterfeit or copied

Another defines it as…

Authentic = genuine; real

Sometimes, however, something appears to be real or authentic, but on closer examination it is found to be a forgery.

In the world of art, a forging artist paints or sculpts a work in the style of a famous artist in order to pass it off as having been created by the famous artist.

The concept of forgery always involves deceptive intentions on the part of the forger or the seller of the work.

Ephesians tells us we are God's work of art. How, then, do we tell the difference between a forgery and the real thing?

Come worship with us, Sunday, and find out.

Something to ponder...

Every time you turn on the news, lately, it seems there is another public outcry about Atlanta Falcons' quarterback, Michael Vick, and his being charged for conducting dog fights. Commentators, public officials, animal rights activists, and many others have all taken to the airwaves to condemn the act and the man. At least one US Senator, on the Senate floor, railed against this "barbaric" act.

Let me say, upfront, that there is no excuse for animal cruelty and anyone convicted on such charges deserves to spend time in jail. But, all the media attention and condemnation made me wonder...

The brutality of abortion takes human life...where is the same outcry?

Civil war and genocide plague Africa...where is the same outcry?

People die every day from starvation...where is the same outcry?

Are these not also barbaric?

Have we become a society where the brutal death of eleven dogs causes us more anquish than the loss of millions of inocent lives?

Cancer's Unexpected Blessings

By Tony Snow

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages—in my case, cancer...

finish the article at:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/25.30.html

Going All Into the World

by Hunter Schimpff

So what sort of generation are we going to be? That thought struck me the other day. Fifty years from now, how will history label us? The Google generation? The MySpacers? The self-centered? The selfless? The idiots? Did you know "idiot" comes from ancient Rome, and it originally signified someone seen as selfish who often withdrew from participating in society?

finish the article at:

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7462

Back from a productive and relaxing week at Green Lake, WI.

Look for new posts, Tuesday.

Sermon Schedule

I'm spending this week putting together the sermon schedule for the fall and outlining a schedule for the winter and spring. If you have suggestions for sermons, series, topics, or things you think need covered, send a comment.

Also, if there are subjects people keep asking you about at work, or school or in the neighborhood, and you think a series on those subjects might attract them to worship, let me know as well.

Worship

Join us for worship, this week.

Jim Stinespring will be preaching, at both the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:15 a.m. worship times, from Isaiah 58.

We look forward to seeing you in worship.

Hearing God's Voice

The life group I am a part of is using John Ortberg's series entitled, God Is Closer Than You Think.

John Ortberg says that one of the things you need to do in order to hear God's voice is to "cultivate a mind where God dwells." Our problem is that there are two entities competing for control of the mind. One is the sinful nature...one is the Spirit. Romans 8:5-6 reminds us that one leads to death, while the other leads to life.

One way we can cultivate a mind for God is to meditate on the things of God. However, worries and concerns many times cause us to worry rather than meditate. We fill our minds with worry about things that are happening, or not happening, in our lives. Those things divert our focus away from God.

But John Ortberg says,"If you can worry, you can meditate." What he means by that is in both cases, worry and meditation, we are turning things over and over in our minds. One is positive, while the other is negative. So, instead of turning your worries over and over, we should be turning God's promises over and over.

Pretty soon, your mind is cultivated for God. So, no matter what comes your way, it is the voice of God you naturally hear...guiding, supporting, strengthening, encouraging, and comforting.

If you can worry, you can meditate. Direct your mind's efforts in the direction that will bring life.

Welcome

Welcome to the new and consolidated blog of Clarksburg Baptist Church. Beginning July 15, the two former blogspots (emmergentwannabe and cbc-life) will not longer be active. Please change your favorites address from one of these to: www.clarksburgbaptistchurch.blogspot.com