July 2017 Newsletter Simple Storage Service (S3)
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” — Daniel 12:2-3
The Good News for JULY 2017
GOOD NEWS FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
The Meekness of Reproduction When many think of meekness they think of weakness, but nothing could be further from the truth. When we understand the Biblical concept of meekness we see the idea of gentleness and mildness, but it also implies an inwrought grace of the soul that brings a person into agreement with God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. You might say a meek person welcomes the government of God over his or her life. This is why Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Mt. 5:5). When a person is governed by God, who can stop them? No one! They are ultimately invincible because God is in charge of their lives. This invincibility is seen most clearly in the life of our Lord. It is seen in the gentleness and mildness of His outward dealings with mankind — “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls,” Jesus said. (Mt. 11:29). But it is also seen in the inward strength that allowed Him to bear the cross to Calvary and to break the curse of sin with an unflinching submission to the Father’s will. (Mt. 26:42). Meekness is an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who possess it are outwardly gentle, entreating, kind, but inwardly strong as steel.
There is a great need for the meek in doing the work of reproduction, or discipleship. We need people who are outwardly gentle, kind, entreating. Jesus was so approachable — so thoughtful and loving that even little children and social outcasts felt welcomed by Him. Matthew describes this tender concern saying, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” Oh how we need such kind, entreating people. Yet, Jesus was so strong that He would not be intimidated by anyone. He was valiant for the truth. And, oh how we need that in our day. For surely our day is a time when people are becoming increasingly rude and crude, and vulgar and mean outwardly, while all along becoming weak and vacillating and compromising inwardly. You can be sure that such people are not going to prove effective in making godly disciples for Christ. As teachers of Christ we must be taught by Christ. If we want to train people we must first let Christ train us. That means first that we must let our faith train our feelings and not our feelings our faith. But this takes a serious commitment to Christ. Many people serve the Lord until their feelings cave in on them and they just don’t feel like doing it anymore. Obviously, it is easy to serve the Lord
when you feel like doing it. The real test of faith is found in serving Him when you don’t feel like it. Those who do push through their wants (feelings) and pursue their needs (faith) by following after Christ, find that they begin to mature in the Lord and become increasingly like Christ. Those who cave in to their wants and forsake their more important needs regress and usually land themselves back in the world. May God grant us some meek people who can effectively reproduce themselves in the lives of others. This is God’s plan that we should reach the world one soul at a time. I hope you are engaged in it. — Pastor Glen Johnson
Building Fund Phase 1
$40,000 $35,000 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $ 5,000 $ 3,000 $ 1,000
Pledges To Date
Missions and Ministry News Daniel & Melissa Mann Skokie, Illinois Daniel and his wife Meilissa are missionaries to Skokie, Illinois planting the Living Hope Free Will Baptist Church. Prior to moving to the Chicagoland area Daniel served as an Associate Pastor at the Landmark Free Will Baptist Church in Cary, NC. Daniel and his wife are both graduates of Southeastern Free Will Baptist College. They have two children: Carlie and Colby.
Larry Blankenship Benevolent Ministry
SUNDAY
Happy Birthday: Keith Houser 7/2, Gordon Bordelon 7/4, Mary Monahan 7/4, Aiden Turner 7/4, Kilee Grubb 7/6, Marvin Avery 7/7, Becky Godsey 7/8, Michelle Jennings 7/8, Barbara Maitland 7/9, Krista Jennings 7/10, Evangeline Burton 7/11, Ian Cheek 7/11, Elisha Spencer 7/11, Danny Dempsey 7/12, Joshua Burton 7/13, Jon McCrum 7/14, Adam Pontious 7/19, Carrie Shelton 7/19, Bill Prentice 7/20, Julie Houser 7/22, Jocelyn Soto 7/22, Mary Penner 7/26, Jessica Pierson 7/26, Jessie Dempsey 7/27, Charity Spencer 7/27, Isaiah Jefferson 7/28, Audrey Jenkins 7/29, Meredith Sands 7/30 Happy Anniversary: Brian & Carrie Shelton 7/6 Bill & Toni Quinney 7/8
Sunday, July 23rd 6:00 P.M.
Our mission is: to give a hand up to those in need, to meet individual needs in practical ways, such as providing food through our food pantry or by referral to meet spiritual needs by presenting Christ to those who come to us for help. — Larry
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Nick & Candy Corlata Carpineni, Moldova
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY 1
July 2017 2 Meeting of Sun- 3 day School Leaders 8:30 AM; NO FIRST SUNDAY FELLOWSHIP
4 Independence Day
5 Noon Study; Men 6 & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM
7
8
VCU Outreach 1-3 PM
10 Ministers Meet- 11 ing at Providence FWB Church; Meeting of Trustees 7 PM
12 Noon Study; 13 Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM; School Board 1 PM
14
15 Church Membership Class 9 -Noon, Prolife Outreach 9-11
16 Retirement Home Outreach 2:30; Church Business meeting 7 PM; FWB National, KY
17
19 Noon Study; Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM
20
21
22
23 Guest Missionaries The Corlatas (Moldova) 6 PM
24 Outreach at Good Sam Inn 7:30 PM;
27
28
29
9 Question & Answer Session with Pastor 7 PM
30
18
Leadership Meeting FWB National 7 PM; FWB Meeting, KY National Meeting, KY
Youth Mission Trp 31
Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip
26 Noon Study; Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM; Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trp
25
Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip
Ministry Fair Coming UP on Sunday, August 20, 6 PM Refreshments, Child Care and Door Prizes Visit Ministry Exhibits — Find Your “Gift of Service”
The Good News for JULY 2017
GOOD NEWS FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
The Meekness of Reproduction When many think of meekness they think of weakness, but nothing could be further from the truth. When we understand the Biblical concept of meekness we see the idea of gentleness and mildness, but it also implies an inwrought grace of the soul that brings a person into agreement with God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept God’s dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. You might say a meek person welcomes the government of God over his or her life. This is why Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Mt. 5:5). When a person is governed by God, who can stop them? No one! They are ultimately invincible because God is in charge of their lives. This invincibility is seen most clearly in the life of our Lord. It is seen in the gentleness and mildness of His outward dealings with mankind — “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls,” Jesus said. (Mt. 11:29). But it is also seen in the inward strength that allowed Him to bear the cross to Calvary and to break the curse of sin with an unflinching submission to the Father’s will. (Mt. 26:42). Meekness is an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who possess it are outwardly gentle, entreating, kind, but inwardly strong as steel.
There is a great need for the meek in doing the work of reproduction, or discipleship. We need people who are outwardly gentle, kind, entreating. Jesus was so approachable — so thoughtful and loving that even little children and social outcasts felt welcomed by Him. Matthew describes this tender concern saying, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” Oh how we need such kind, entreating people. Yet, Jesus was so strong that He would not be intimidated by anyone. He was valiant for the truth. And, oh how we need that in our day. For surely our day is a time when people are becoming increasingly rude and crude, and vulgar and mean outwardly, while all along becoming weak and vacillating and compromising inwardly. You can be sure that such people are not going to prove effective in making godly disciples for Christ. As teachers of Christ we must be taught by Christ. If we want to train people we must first let Christ train us. That means first that we must let our faith train our feelings and not our feelings our faith. But this takes a serious commitment to Christ. Many people serve the Lord until their feelings cave in on them and they just don’t feel like doing it anymore. Obviously, it is easy to serve the Lord
when you feel like doing it. The real test of faith is found in serving Him when you don’t feel like it. Those who do push through their wants (feelings) and pursue their needs (faith) by following after Christ, find that they begin to mature in the Lord and become increasingly like Christ. Those who cave in to their wants and forsake their more important needs regress and usually land themselves back in the world. May God grant us some meek people who can effectively reproduce themselves in the lives of others. This is God’s plan that we should reach the world one soul at a time. I hope you are engaged in it. — Pastor Glen Johnson
Building Fund Phase 1
$40,000 $35,000 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $ 5,000 $ 3,000 $ 1,000
Pledges To Date
Missions and Ministry News Daniel & Melissa Mann Skokie, Illinois Daniel and his wife Meilissa are missionaries to Skokie, Illinois planting the Living Hope Free Will Baptist Church. Prior to moving to the Chicagoland area Daniel served as an Associate Pastor at the Landmark Free Will Baptist Church in Cary, NC. Daniel and his wife are both graduates of Southeastern Free Will Baptist College. They have two children: Carlie and Colby.
Larry Blankenship Benevolent Ministry
SUNDAY
Happy Birthday: Keith Houser 7/2, Gordon Bordelon 7/4, Mary Monahan 7/4, Aiden Turner 7/4, Kilee Grubb 7/6, Marvin Avery 7/7, Becky Godsey 7/8, Michelle Jennings 7/8, Barbara Maitland 7/9, Krista Jennings 7/10, Evangeline Burton 7/11, Ian Cheek 7/11, Elisha Spencer 7/11, Danny Dempsey 7/12, Joshua Burton 7/13, Jon McCrum 7/14, Adam Pontious 7/19, Carrie Shelton 7/19, Bill Prentice 7/20, Julie Houser 7/22, Jocelyn Soto 7/22, Mary Penner 7/26, Jessica Pierson 7/26, Jessie Dempsey 7/27, Charity Spencer 7/27, Isaiah Jefferson 7/28, Audrey Jenkins 7/29, Meredith Sands 7/30 Happy Anniversary: Brian & Carrie Shelton 7/6 Bill & Toni Quinney 7/8
Sunday, July 23rd 6:00 P.M.
Our mission is: to give a hand up to those in need, to meet individual needs in practical ways, such as providing food through our food pantry or by referral to meet spiritual needs by presenting Christ to those who come to us for help. — Larry
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Nick & Candy Corlata Carpineni, Moldova
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY 1
July 2017 2 Meeting of Sun- 3 day School Leaders 8:30 AM; NO FIRST SUNDAY FELLOWSHIP
4 Independence Day
5 Noon Study; Men 6 & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM
7
8
VCU Outreach 1-3 PM
10 Ministers Meet- 11 ing at Providence FWB Church; Meeting of Trustees 7 PM
12 Noon Study; 13 Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM; School Board 1 PM
14
15 Church Membership Class 9 -Noon, Prolife Outreach 9-11
16 Retirement Home Outreach 2:30; Church Business meeting 7 PM; FWB National, KY
17
19 Noon Study; Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM
20
21
22
23 Guest Missionaries The Corlatas (Moldova) 6 PM
24 Outreach at Good Sam Inn 7:30 PM;
27
28
29
9 Question & Answer Session with Pastor 7 PM
30
18
Leadership Meeting FWB National 7 PM; FWB Meeting, KY National Meeting, KY
Youth Mission Trp 31
Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip
26 Noon Study; Men & Women’s, Children’s Special Studies 7 PM; Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trp
25
Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip Youth Mission Trip
Ministry Fair Coming UP on Sunday, August 20, 6 PM Refreshments, Child Care and Door Prizes Visit Ministry Exhibits — Find Your “Gift of Service”
