Mayo19

Chase

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Agape: Wednesday night Last Days Bible study + Man-food contest and Family Fun Day preview.

Hello friends,


Tonight at Agape, in addition to having great Kid’s Revive and EPIC youth classes, we are also going to have our Adult last days Bible study class. Here is one of the passages that we are going to look at:

1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

What a mysterious and compelling passage! What does it mean? Join us tonight as we delve into the mysteries of Revelation in order to get a closer look at the One who gave the Revelation - Jesus.

Also - I hope that you men are sharpening your knives, and preparing your cooking tools for this Sunday’s (May 23rd) man-food contest. I hope that you ladies are preparing your cake pans and your flour for our baked items contest this Sunday. I note, with some degree of manly shame, that it was not a man that won the man-food contest last year - it was a woman, our own Kay Trimm (alias: Kay Turner). It is a wonder that most of us men didn’t handle this shame with the traditional samurai method of dealing with disgrace, but this year, we have a chance to redeem ourselves. So - gird your loins men, and get ready to make the best manly food ever created. This year will be the year that we triumph!

And, for those who will ask - Men are welcome to enter baked goods, and women are welcome to enter man-food. In fact, the more food the merrier!

See you tonight!

Chase

p.s. - Kids Revive and EPIC youth kick off at 6:30, and that Adult Last Days Study starts at 7:00pm.

Mayo17

Chase

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Paul Tillich, jumping.

This is a picture of theologian Paul Tillich jumping. I am not a big Tillich fan, but unfortunately, I do not possess a picture of Wayne Grudem or D.A. Carson jumping. This will have to suffice until then:

paul-tillichFamily Fun Day, by the way, is this Sunday, May 23rd. Details soon!

Mayo05

Chase

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FREE CHEESE TONIGHT AT AGAPE! ;)

Wednesday!, Wednesday!, Wednesday! (you should “hear” this whole paragraph as if it was read by a guy advertising a monster truck rally). This Wednesday, only at Agape Baptist church, we are giving away a free 2 pound block of cheese to the first twenty people to attend tonight’s Adult Last Days Bible Study and say the words, “Agape Baptist is the best church to get free cheese at on a Wednesday night!”   “What’s the catch”,  you ask? There’s no catch  - just come!   “There’s gotta be a catch, like I probably have to get baptized or something.” I hear you thinking - but no - you don’t even have to get baptized to get a free block of cheese tonight - just come and ask!  Also witness Clobberalla the giant Monster Truck crush a bright blue pick up truck IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT!!*

Okay okay - I suppose I am being a bit silly. Wayne and I picked up about 240 pounds of cheese today at United Way, and we don’t really have a good place to store it for very long, so if you would like some fresh, Bordon Cheddar cheese tonight, all you have to do is ask! Whether you need cheese or not,  I would urge you, however, to come join us for tonight’s last day’s Bible study, as it should be action packed, encouraging, interesting, and faith building. In addition to looking at the devastating but God-breathed trumpet judgments, we are also going to begin to look at the second coming of Jesus - probably in a way that you’ve never considered before. We will look at some specific Old Testament and New Testament passages that will give most of us a clearer, and more detailed picture of His return than we have had before. I hope you can make it, whether you need cheese or not!! :)  The fun starts at 7pm, but come early for some coffee and fellowship!

Also, don’t forget about Kid’s Revive tonight at 6:30pm, where Sam and Laurie (and team) will be teaching our kids the Word of God, and leading them in worship. EPIC youth also begins at 6:30 with worship led by John Talley, followed by David McConnell.

Men of Agape: We need your help to get us ready for Mother’s Day this week! If you can help weed-eat, or cut the grass some this week, please let Greg or I know. I will write more in a couple of days about our plans for this Sunday, but Mother’s Day @ Agape should be wonderful!

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for Dennis Underwood, as he had surgery on his leg this past week, and will have to be off of his artificial leg for several weeks.

Please pray for my Grandmother, Ann Partain, as she broke her back last week.

Please pray for Linda and Jason Roberts, as Linda has now come home, and is celebrating her birthday this week!

Please pray for our Mother’s Day worship time this Sunday that it would bless our moms, and that God would be most glorified!

See you tonight, I hope!
Chase

(* Not really - no trucks will be crushed tonight)

Apro21

Chase

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Resources on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Did it Really Happen?

Here are some excellent resources for those who want to examine in depth the greatest event in history, the historical resurrection of Jesus the Christ:

YouTube Preview Image

Great books on the Resurrection that are deep, but also somewhat easy to read:

1. The Historical Jesus - Gary Habermas
2. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus - Gary Habermas
3. The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith - Lee Strobel.
4. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist - Norman Geisler
5. The Reason for God - Timothy Keller
6. Conspiracies and the Cross - Timothy Paul Jones
7. The 10 most Common Objections to Christianity - Alex McFarland.

Also great books, but a little bit deeper and more academic - great for when you are engaging with a professor or intellectual.

1. Reasonable Faith - William Lane Craig (Also check out the Reasonable Faith podcast on iTunes)
2. Atheist Delusions - David Bentley Hart
3. God’s Undertaker - John Lennox (who often debates Richard Dawkins)
4. On Guard - William Lane Craig
5. Unapologetic Apologetics - William Dembski

Some articles to read online:

1. Some free e-books and chapters of books from one of  my favorite professors, and perhaps the foremost authority on the resurrection of Jesus in America, Gary Habermas. These downloads are free! CLICK HERE This link includes a book on doubt, written by Dr. Habermas, after he watched his wife die of a very painful and terrible cancer. If you struggle with doubt - this should be a great read for you!

2. Some free .mp3 downloads from Dr. Habermas, including radio appearances and messages where he talks about the Resurrection. CLICK HERE.

3. David Wood, of Answering Infidels on, “Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?” CLICK HERE

4. William Lane Craig - The Empty Tomb of Jesus CLICK HERE

5. William Lane Craig - The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus: CLICK HERE

6. N.T. Wright on the Resurrection of Jesus and Easter. CLICK HERE Another N.T. Wright resurrection article: CLICK HERE

7. Josh McDowell on resurrection evidence: CLICK HERE

8. One more William Lane Craig Article on the historicity of the resurrection: CLICK HERE

9. General apologetics questions and answers (including questions on the resurrection) from Dr. Habermas: CLICK HERE

10. John Piper on the intentionality and intensity of the Resurrection: CLICK HERE

One more video: From Dr. Gary Habermas, via Lee Strobel:

YouTube Preview Image

I hope this is helpful to you!

Apro21

Chase

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Wednesday Night Last Days Bible Study + Prayer Requests

Hello all,

Tonight (Wednesday) at Agape, we are going to be looking into the last days again, and in a week of earthquakes volcanoes, and shining objects darting across the sky, I can’t think of a better time to be talking about what we’re going to be talking about tonight. Some of the specific things we’ll look at include the mystery of the 12/13 tribes of Revelation 7 (what happened to Dan? Who is the tribe of Joseph?), and the things that are supposed to happen before the devastating earthquakes, famine and pestilence that is to come. If you haven’t been in a while, come join us a little before 7 for some coffee, and then some great discussion starting at 7pm.
Kid’s Revive and Agape EPIC youth begin at 6:30, so bring your kids too.
Prayer Requests:
  • Please pray for Steve Seller’s mom, Evelyn. She is in the hospital and very much struggling in critical condition. Pray for her healing, for her blood levels to rise, and for peace and rest for Steve and his brothers.
  • Please pray for Kay Turner and her entire Vida Nueva team this weekend as they are will be ministering to an important group of teenagers.
  • Continue to pray for Jerry Jacobs. Jerry had surgery to have a large portion of his foot removed due to a blood clot, and it will be quite a while before he is able to get around well. Pray for quick healing and for peace and rest for Jerry and Joy.
  • Continue to pray for Linda Roberts. Linda will be coming home from the hospital soon, and the Agape family will really need to surround the Roberts family with love, and practical, in home help. More details soon.
  • Continue to pray for Bill Dedman as he recovers from heart surgery.
  • Continue to pray for Paul Marshall, who has been in a lot of pain this week.
See you Wednesday, I hope!
Chase

Apro13

Chase

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A trick we are currently working on….

We’ll let you know when it is perfected!

- The Agape pastors.

skating

Apro02

Chase

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Agape Newsletter: HE IS RISEN!

Hello all,

Today is Good Friday…the day when we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, the son of God. It seems quite inappropriate to say, but I would like to wish you all a happy Good Friday!

Without that Good Friday, where would we be?   This Sunday at Agape, we will be celebrating the greatest victory of all time: Jesus’ victory over death, sin and hell on the Cross of Calvary. How will we be celebrating? Let me count the ways:

1. By feasting: Everything kicks off at 10:00am with a Resurrection Day (or Easter) breakfast. This is a covered dish breakfast, so all of us needs to bring some breakfasty items like cinnamon rolls, breakfast casserole, orange juice, bacon, hash browns, roasted hog - whatever. We’ve invited a few friends to come, so be sure to cook a little extra!

2. By drama: We will be celebrating the Resurrection by watching as the youth, children and adults lead us in a stirring drama about overcoming death.

3. By worship: We will be communing with God through worship, giving thanks for His rescue!

4. By word: We will consider the radical claims of the Resurrection, and why they are still of ultimate importance.

Come join us at 10:00am, and be sure to bring a friend!

Prayer Requests. Again - we have a lot of people to pray for. Don’t let that overwhelm you - let it bring you to your knees! (See announcements below)
  • Pray for Bethany Cusimano, who got very sick today, and had to go to the hospital.
  • Pray for Brother Bill Dedman, who will be having open heart surgery today - pray for peace for him and his family, and for miraculous help for the doctors.
  • Pray for Linda Roberts. Consider visiting her at UAB hospital. I imagine that things can get quite lonely for her, and since she’s able to talk now, she is interested in having more company. Write me for details on how to see her.
  • Pray for Jerry Jacobs, in the hospital for serious foot and leg surgery
  • Pray for Jena Reeve’s cousin, Susan, who has had heart valve surgery, and is on a respirator. Pray for her quick recovery!
  • Pray for Derrell Bartlett’s brother Bobby, who is in very serious condition after a heart attack.

Announcements:

  • There will be an eye screening clinic at Agape on April 20, beginning at 6:30pm. This clinic, organized by Cindy and led by Dr. McKinnon, will focus on helping people help other people with vision issues in the context of The Nest, or international missions.

It’s Friday…..but Sunday’s coming - and I’ll see you then!

Maro26

Chase

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Agape Newsletter: Victory and Suffering. Easter covered dish breakfast and Saturday work day.

“Have you ever done a funeral for a baby before?”

“No ma’am” I said, “This will be the first.”

The above is a real conversation I had this week. I did indeed end up speaking at a funeral for a child this week, and I can tell you that I saw a level of suffering at that funeral that was off the charts, so to speak. The world we live in is capable of inflicting  unbelievable levels of catastrophic suffering. Does this mean that God doesn’t exist? Does it mean that He doesn’t care? Does it mean that Jesus did not triumph over death and hell on the cross?

Have you ever been around somebody who is suffering through a tragedy? It can be terribly disconcerting. Our natural impulse is to want to help, or encourage, but what does somebody who is suffering really need?

Have you been through a terribly difficult situation lately, one in which you prayed, but your prayers seemed to be dissipating right above your head - never reaching their Heavenly destination?

In the midst of a fallen world, is the resurrection really good news, or is it a myth, carried along by people looking for something to believe in and encourage themselves with?

We will be dealing with all of the above issues and questions over the next two weeks in a two part message series, culminating on Resurrection Day/Easter,  called “Suffering and Victory.”  We will consider practical issues like how to help people who are suffering, historical issues such as knowing for certain that Jesus was raised from the dead, and spiritual issues, like how the Resurrection of Jesus helps one in their daily life. Come join us, and be especially intentional about bringing your friends and family over the next two Sundays!

Upcoming Events:

  • Saturday (tomorrow), March 27 8:00 AM:  Churchwide workday, all are invited, men, women, youth and children. Come and help clean and repair the church building, and be good stewards over the things that God has blessed us with.
  • Wednesday night, 6:45pm: Special Youth communion service - invite your friends!
  • Next Sunday - Resurrection Day (April 4) 10:00 AM: Covered Dish breakfast - bring breakfast items (cinnamon rolls, orange juice, egg casserole, etc.) and join everybody for a breakfast and fellowship time, followed by a worshipful, dramatic, and impacting celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus - the Victor over death and hell!

See you Sunday!

Chase

Maro19

Chase

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Agape mini newsletter - Special Call to Prayer Edition.

Hello all,

The main thrust of this newsletter is the prayer requests, so let me list out our upcoming activities for you, and then get quickly to those requests. This has been a rough month for many in our fellowship, and we need to be lifting each other up in prayer!
  • This Sunday morning, we will finish up our series on the purposes of Agape, with a final message on Propelling people into their called place of ministry and destiny. During the message, you’ll hear about a delightful and colorful gentlemen who was known as “High Pockets Hayne”.
  • Sunday night, we will be having the Genesis small group meeting. All are invited to come, and our purpose is to develop deep relationships with each other, and to raise up more shepherds and ministers and helpers to better serve and reach our surrounding neighborhoods. If you’ve been thinking about coming to Genesis, but haven’t come yet, this will be an ideal time to come, as we’ll be taking the next two Sunday nights off due to Resurrection Day/Easter. (Genesis meets Bi-weekly)
  • We are doing our once a month food pantry this Wednesday night, beginning at 6pm. We will need more help than usual for this food pantry (giving out more food) so be sure to come and join us!
  • Saturday, March 27th, we will be having a work day at the church, where we will do some clean up, maintenance and beautifying of Agape in preparation for Resurrection Day, and the Spring. Wayne will give us some more details this Sunday morning, but please come and help if you are able!

Here are our prayer requests. You will notice that there are many requests here,  and that many of them are heavy. This seems to be a very unusual time of heightened activity - please commit yourself to prayer for each other, and seeking God’s face this week!

  • John McNamee, father of Lori, and husband of Ginger, died Tuesday morning of this week. His funeral was yesterday at the military cemetery in Montevallo. Please pray for Ginger and Lori, as they grieve the loss of their husband and father, as well as the rest of John’s family, including his oldest daughter, Sandy.
  • Rita, a relatively new visitor to Agape, tragically lost her 2 month old granddaughter yesterday. Please pray for comfort for that whole family.
  • Please continue to pray for Linda Roberts, wife of Jason. I visited Linda in the hospital earlier this week, and she was much more awake and aware than she had been previously. Please lift her up and pray for her - pray for movement in her legs, more movement in her arms, and for her voice to come back. Pray for her children Logan and Landon, and for Jason as he cares for them and works. If you would like to visit Linda in the hospital, please let me know.
  • Please pray for Bob Underwood, Dennis’ father. Mr. Underwood had a heart attack Tuesday of this week, and is in the hospital. He has some other health issues that are complicating the treatment of his heart attack, so please pray about that as well.

God has called us to be a house of prayer, so let us pray, pray pray.

I’ll see you Sunday!

Chase

Maro12

Chase

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Agape newsletter - Special “the inmates are running the asylum edition”.

Hello everybody, and welcome in to another action packed and exciting newsletter.

  • There is a great Sunday morning worship time planned for this week - I sure hope you can make it! Beginning at 10:45, Sunday morning, Sam and Laurie and our children will be leading us in worship with singing, dance, drama and scripture recital. Come one and all, and bring your grandparents! Sam will also be bringing the Word this Sunday, and based on the preview I got Thursday at lunch, I am excited to hear it!
  • Also, Sunday night, the Genesis small group will meet at our house at 6:00pm. All are invited, especially those that would want to be part of seeking God for the future of Agape in discipleship and evangelism.
  • Wednesday night (March 17), we will be taking a break from our normal Wednesday night activities to have a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. You might think that is odd, given the modern day association of St. Patrick, but he was actually an incredibly Godly man with a great passion for God and for prayer. Come join us to find out more about St. Patrick, to play games, have contests, and to enjoy some Irish food. (B.T.W. Everybody needs to bring some Irish food - if you don’t know how to make Irish food, just bring something that is green or Orange!). There are rumors that at least two people at Agape will be dying their hair for the event!
  • There will be no food pantry this Saturday - as previously announced, we are phasing out Saturday food pantry to go to a once a month food pantry, where will we will need extra help, because we will be giving out extra food! Our next food pantry will be the fourth Wednesday night (March 24) at 6:00 pm.  More details to come.

Prayer Requests and Update: I visited the hospital last night to pray for our sick, and meet with their family. As Ann pointed out yesterday, we have far too many family at UAB hospital right now. Please pray for them!

1. Linda Roberts: I was able to pray with Linda last night. She is conscious and alert, and able to move her arms. As of yet, she is unable to move her legs yet, but after we prayed with her, she told her husband that her legs were hurting. Jason told us that was the first time she had said that, so perhaps it is a good sign. Linda asked us to pray for her job to still be there when she gets out, for their finances, for her family and children, and for her health. We need to ask God to bless the Roberts family abundantly during this time, financially and in every other way. Pray that Linda’s legs are restored to her, that movement comes quickly, and that her broken neck is healed. Pray for her voice to fully come back soon!

2. John Mcnamee: I was unable to get in to see John last night, but prayed for him outside his unit. He is in very serious condition. Please pray for him, and for Ginger and Lori - as you can imagine, this is a very, very difficult time for them, and they are in great need of the Peace that can only come from the Father. Please lift them up in your prayers, and encourage them in any practical way that you can think of.

3. Amber Smith (Drew’s sister) Drew is one of the members of our youth group who’s family doesn’t come to Agape. Drew’s sister, Amber Smith (19), was involved in a very serious four wheeler accident over the weekend, and is in a coma. I was able to see Drew last night and pray with him. He was very shook up, and his family is very, very concerned, obviously. Please pray that Amber would fully recover from this accident - that her brain swelling would go down, that she would awake from the coma she is in, and that she would be fully restored to health, and to herself. Pray also for Drew and her family.

4. Please also continue to pray for Paul Marshall, and his wife Ruth. Wayne and I visited Paul and Ruth last Friday, and brought them up to the church for a senior’s class luncheon. Paul has been struggling with headaches for the last couple of weeks, and he is no longer able to walk. They are both stuck at home, and only rarely able to attend Agape, because Ruth (at age 88+) is not able to load Paul into the van to do so. Perhaps the men of Agape would like to come up with a Sunday morning rotation to go to the Marshall’s to help pick Paul up, and bring Ruth and Paul to small group and worship time? If six to eight men volunteered, it would be a small burden to them, and a tremendous blessing to the Marshalls!

5. Pray for the Sellers family, and their daughter Leslie, as she gets married this Saturday. Pray for grace and protection on them as they plan and carry out the wedding, and for God’s blessings on Joshua and Leslie in their marriage.

This is a time when a lot of the members of our family our hurting - please take time today to pray for them!

May the peace and joy of God cover us all,

Chase

(p.s. - Hope to see you Sunday!)

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