Agape Baptist Newsletter - February 5, 2009: What about those who never hear the gospel?

Hello friends and family, and welcome in to another Agape newsletter. Here’s what’s going on in the near future: 

This Wednesday night we had a very interesting (to me at least) and deep discussion on what constitutes blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and why that particular sin would be listed by Jesus as the unforgivable, or unpardonable sin. In the midst of that discussion, yet another very interesting issue was raised: “what happens to those who are born and die, never having heard the gospel - do they go to hell?”This Sunday (instead of next Wednesday), we are going to return to talking about the vision of our fellowship for 2009, and we are going to use this very question as a springboard to discussing what it is that God is calling us to this year. This won’t be a merely theoretical discussion of an interesting Bible theory, but hopefully a vibrant look at the character of God, and the very real importance of evangelism. Come with your Bibles and your opinions, and let us consider together what God is calling us to, and what God’s word says about this important issue. Is God fair? 

If you missed last week’s message, (by my friend Sam Knowles) then you missed a fantastic one, as well as an extremely colorful illustration that you will remember for quite a while. In completing our three part series on holiness, Sam gave us some practical instruction on how to actually walk in holiness. Dealing with holiness in a practical way is kind of a rare thing - often the church preaches the why of holiness, but not the how - this message has the how. Check it out: CLICK HERE

Coming next Saturday (Valentine’s) night, Dennis, Cindy and the missions team are going to be hosting a Valentine’s night dinner and movie for adults and kids. The adults will get a free STEAK meal (can you resist that?!) as well as be able to watch the excellent movie Fireproof. The kids will be watching Horton Hears a Who (another very good movie), and having food of their own in another room. You better believe my family will be there (who can find a baby sitter on Valentine’s night?), and I hope yours will be too! 

Also note, Food pantry will be this next Wednesday the 11th (at 6:00pm). We need your help! Whether you want to help Dennis bring down food to get ready for Food pantry, or whether you want to help John Talley’s team evangelize, or whether you simply want to help people get food to their car - come join us Wednesday night to feed the hungry, and reach the people! Also, Angel Food orders are due Sunday, February 15th. 

And finally, I would like to say, that in my annual February listing of my personal favorite states in America, the state of Alabama still ranks as #1 - my favorite state for at least two years running. (What, you thought I might be talking about something else??)    ;) 

Here’s some interesting/edifying/fun links for you to check out: 

*****     Where is the worst place in the world to be a Christian?: (hint: N.K.) CLICK HERE 

*****     What is the most religious state in the union? Did you know that Alabama is the second most religious? CLICK HERE 

*****     Free messages from the 2009 Desiring God pastor’s conference: CLICK HERE 

*****     NOT FOR SALE: a free audio book describing the efforts of 21st century anti slavery abolitionists: CLICK HERE 

*****     Randy Alcorn: Are you willing to be hated? CLICK HERE

Agape Newsletter, January 30, 2009: Special New Members Class and Sword of the Spirit Edition

Hello all, 

I have no time to think up a clever introduction to this newsletter, because there is too much to say, and not enough time to say it, so let’s just start with our ultra quick summary: 

5. Check out our blog! Pinsonchurch.com/blog Updated every week with this newsletter, as well as funny/amazing videos and other articles to build you up. 

This Sunday’s message is going to include a surprise twist - what sort of twist? Well, you’ll have to wait and see, I’m afraid. What I can tell you is that we will be completing our 3 part series on holiness Sunday, with a message that will teach us how to overcome temptation and the enemy by using the Sword of the Spirit. The message should be practical as well as quite challenging, and I hope you can make it! The last two messages in the series are available on our website, thanks to David. Click Here for Agape’s online sermons.  

Also this Sunday, directly after worship and word, we will be having a class for anybody who wants to join Agape. The class is very informal, quite short, and includes a free meal. What a deal! If you are planning on coming, and you haven’t already told me, or one of the other staff members, that you were, please email me as soon as possible so I can have an accurate count to give to our head chef Jennifer Z. At this point, I’ve heard from 31 people (including children, and staff families) that they plan on being there. 

This Wednesday night, we will be tackling one of they great mysteries of Jesus’ teaching, the unforgivable sin. What did Jesus mean when He said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin? Come join us as we complete our study of Matthew 12, and look towards Matthew 13. 

Finally, check this website out: One Prayer 2009 (click here) this is a nationwide and worldwide unity and service effort of the Body of Christ to reach our neighborhoods and neighbors for Jesus. Be sure and watch the videos from Craig Groeschel and Dino Rizzo to get an idea of what this movement is all about. What do you guys think about doing this in Pinson for June, 2009? 

To close, here are some links for the week that are interesting: 

*****     One of Ted Haggard’s close friends and ministry partners (at New Life Church) shares his reaction to the recent documentary about the former pastor and evangelical leader caught in a sex-scandal. “Something always does — and always did — smell off about the “Jesus makes life perfect” version of Christian witness” Click Here 

*****     Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks about his faith: CLICK HERE 

*****     Pendragon, a new movie made by a couple of homeschooling families, actually might be pretty decent: CLICK HERE  and CLICK HERE 

*****     Hooray - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has been picked up by Fox - Narnia Lives! CLICK HERE 

*****     The 2009 Christianity Today book awards: CLICK HERE

I conclude with the full text of Oswald Chamber’s devotional from this past Monday, sent to me by my wife. (from My Utmost for His Highest): 

Julio Jones in the hospital story (somewhat off-topic)

Alabama wr Julio Jones

In fairness, if David wants to post a Kodi Burns in the hospital story, he can! ;) This week my aunt was at St. Vincent’s hospital to have a complete knee reconstruction done. Being a nice sister, my mom has been at the hospital the last couple of days to support her. Mom just called to share an interesting story with me:

She said that while she was outside my Aunt’s room earlier in the week, a young African American man was wheeled out of surgery, and into the room next to my aunt. Mom tells me that she struck up a conversation with the mom of the young man who had just had surgery. His mom mentioned that her son was a football player, and my mom asked where, and lo and behold, he played at the University of Alabama. My mom perked up a bit then, and asked who he was, instantly recognizing Julio Jones’ name when told, though my mom still calls him “Julio” with a hard “j” sound.

According to Julio’s mom, he had surgery on his shoulder and left wrist. Julio’s mom said that he played the entire season with a broken left wrist, an injury that he apparently received in high school. Julio’s mom said that he initially didn’t tell the coaches because he wanted to play so bad, so he just played with a bulky wrist wrap, to protect his wrist.

The next day, mom walked by the room, and Julio was sitting up, waiting to go home. So, my mom knocks on the door, and goes in to talk to Julio’s mom. (my mom isn’t a very shy person, I guess you might say). She ends up talking with Julio for several minutes. At first she said that she was going to ask him for an autograph, but that Julio’s writing hand was the one that just had surgery (according to my mom), and his other hand had an IV in it. So my mom said, I was going to ask you for an autograph for my 10 year old son, but I see that you can’t write.” Julio told her that he’d try anyway, and sure enough, he gave her an autograph for my little brother. Julio mentioned that he was headed back to Tuscaloosa because class started back today. My mom asked him if he’d be okay going to class so soon, and he said, “Oh yes ma’am, I don’t hurt at all - I haven’t even had any pain medicine.” Tough guy!

Mom asked him about playing with a broken wrist all year, wondering whether it bothered him, and he said that it hurt every time he got hit. (It sure didn’t show). My mom walked away very impressed with Julio, calling him soft-spoken, humble, and very nice. He seems like a really good guy. She said that Julio also mentioned four other players that had surgery that week, but she didn’t remember the names, except for a T.J., or A.J. (”B.J., I asked?” “Yes, that was it” she said).

Disclaimer: My mom is not a journalist, so some facts may be not be airtight, but she’s usually pretty reliable.

I’ll try to get a scan of his autograph later on and post it.

Chase

Agape Newsletter Volume 3 #1 Happy New Year!

Hello all, and welcome to the promised second mini-newsletter of the week.

I hope you had a wonderful New Years celebration with your family and enjoyed some black eyed peas, and turnips and such. I’m writing to let you know what’s going on this Sunday, as well as give a preview of what’s to come at Agape this month, so let’s get started.

This Sunday, we are going to continue to talk about God’s call for us in 2009, and specifically, we will are going to talk about how we, as the people of God, are going to triumph in 2009 by being smelly. (Yes, you read that right!) What in the world does that mean? I hope you join us Sunday morning to find out!

Next Wednesday, we will renew our study and discussion of Matthew, specifically chapter 12. What does it mean that the nations will put their trust in the name of Jesus? This is a clue for us as we consider how to reach northeastern Jefferson county with the gospel! The next Wednesday after that (January 14) will be our first Food Pantry of 2009, and Cindy and the Missions Team would love to have your help. Arrive at 5:45 (or sooner) to help them feed the hungry and minister to the lost! The next Wednesday after that (January 21) will be our monthly Wednesday night food and fellowship. For more upcoming events, visit our calendar online: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm

Finally, Angel Food orders are due by January 11…more info at: http://agapepinson.com/angel_food_ministries.htm

*****     Here’s some great advice for those who are making New Year’s resolutions, and looking back at 2008: “As we consider our goals and hopes for 2009, how about putting this one at the top: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). It’s impossible on our own, but are we willing to lean on Christ and trust him to work it into us? Are we even willing to have this sort of heart? Jesus followed up his words on true discipleship with a warning about counting the cost, which means that “For me to live is Christ” might include letting go of personal goals, dreams, and hopes along the way. Are we willing–willing enough to pray this week that God will work into us a Philippians 1:21 heart throughout the coming year?” Source: http://purplecellar.blogspot.com/2008/12/2009-disciples.html

*****      Pop quiz: Which world leader, thought by many to be a dullard, reads the Bible from cover to cover each year, as well as dozens and dozens of deep history, philosophy and nonfiction works? Frankly, I was surprised by President Bush’s reading list. He leads the country, and still has time to significantly out-read most all of us: http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB123025595706634689.html

*****     Seven great resolutions from David Jeremiah: http://thepoint.breakpoint.org/2008/12/the-best-new-ye.html

*****     Here’s a cool video of the stars taken in Namibia. You can see a lot more stars from Africa since there is less light pollution at night. It is breathtaking! http://www.theskyinmotion.com/

*****     Interesting article on the faith of Kurt Warner, the 37 year old pro bowl quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Interesting note from the article: “During a visit to the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to honor Masters champion and fellow Iowan Zach Johnson a couple of years ago, Warner purposely mentioned Johnson’s faith in the second of three sentences, believing the show’s editors wouldn’t be able to cut the sentence and eliminate the religious reference. But when the show ran, the second sentence was gone.”Anytime you mention Jesus or faith, people are turned off,” Warner said. “I think it scares a lot of people.”  How about that?! http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/sports&id=6572434

*****     This won’t be funny for everybody, but for some it should be quite amusing: I think My Wife’s a Calvinist (video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZdoSG0IdNE “she likes Spurgeon more than she likes me”.  ;)

Love you, and see you Sunday!

Agape Newsletter, 12-4-2008 Vision Casting and Bruce Lee ping-pong.

Brothers and Sisters,

Welcome to another Agape newsletter - a very important one, I believe.

Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Vision Sunday, Part 1:
2. Budget vote moved from December 7 to December 14 plus: review the proposed budget online!
3. Crossroads Sunday night begins again this Sunday (plus Crossroads Christmas party next week)
4. Angel Food orders due this Sunday (December 7 - see Cindy Underwood)
5. Angel food Pick up will be on Saturday, December 13 at Agape.
6. Bruce Lee playing ping-pong   :)   See This week’s links, below:

This week at Agape we will begin our most significant message series since I have arrived at the church. If you are an inactive member, or if it has been a long time since you have come - I want to urge and implore you to come to Agape at least this week and next week (December 14th) to hear more about our direction for 2009. If you are an active member, and you have the email address of somebody who hasn’t been in a long time - please allow me to encourage you to forward this newsletter onto them along with a personal invitation from you.

This Sunday, we will begin talking about the future at Agape - our vision, our calling, our purpose. What exactly does that mean? Maybe I can answer that question by listing a few things that you won’t be hearing this Sunday:

1. You won’t be hearing a big push to give towards a building project or anything like that.

2. You won’t be hearing MY vision - the goal is to articulate OUR vision as a church - that unique thing that God is calling us as a family to do.

3. You won’t be hearing a vision that only a few people can participate in. As I’ve said several times, the role of the pastors and leaders in the church is to build up the church and equip people to be who they are called to be. (See Ephesians 4:11).

Agape Newsletter #2 - August 29, 2008

Hello all, and welcome to another exciting edition of the Agape Newsletter! Let’s start off with announcements, shall we?

Announcements:

Saturday at 9:00am: The youth will be gathering at the church to work on the youth room

Saturday mid-morning: The Seniors class will be gathering at the church for a lunch and fellowship time together.

Sunday morning, 8:30: Corporate prayer - We will meet in the sanctuary (look to your right as you come in the doors) and all are invited to come pray together for the Body of Christ at Agape.

Sunday morning, 9:45: Small groups - a class for every age and group; see the bulletin board in the foyer (or the bulletin) for a listing of available classes.

Sunday morning, 10:45: Morning worship - come join us together as we worship and lift high our God! The message Sunday will be a continuation of our worship series, and we will find out what Great Value trash bags, and Glad cling wrap have to do with worship!? At the end of our time together, we will be commissioning Richard “Bubby” Burchfield who is going to be leaving us this week to spend an entire year in Delaware as an urban missionary. How exciting and wonderful!

Sunday at lunch: After morning worship, we will be having a potluck luncheon and fellowship time in honor of Bubby. Sue Taylor is coordinating that luncheon, and here is what she has written about it: (her full email is copied at the bottom of this newsletter): “Agape’s Mission Team will commission Bubby on August 31st during the morning service.  Please make every attempt to be there to see him off.  We are also going to enjoy a meal together as a church family before he leaves.  Please plan to bring enough food to feed your family and one more person.  We will be eating directly after the Sunday service.  During this time, we will be able to spend time with him, give him our best wishes, and send him off with lots of Agape love.”

Wednesday night: There will be Bible study for all ages, including children and youth group. For the adult class, we will be finishing up Matthew 8, and going into Matthew 9 (if we can make it!). The three questions that we are pondering for this week are, “Can a Christian be demonized, and are demons still a real issue for the 21st century church in Alabama?” and “Specifically, how does God speak to His people today?” Bible study begins with worship at 7:00, so I hope to see you all there!

Prayer Requests: (Please email me your prayer requests if you’d like them to be in the newsletter)

Please continue to pray for Hannah Underwood, and the entire Underwood family. Hannah Hicks (the newborn of Kristy and David Hicks) has come home from the hospital, so keep them and her in your prayers. Remember to pray for Bubby as he prepares to leave for Delaware. Also remember some people in our fellowship that are struggling with job issues (job as in employment, not as in the book of Job). Please pray that God would lead and direct and provide for them!

Something to think about:

My wife sent this Oswald Chambers devotional to me a few weeks ago, and it has stuck with me ever since. We are always looking to the goal, or conclusion of something that we are going through, but it seems like the process is so muhc more important to God. This is a great read:

We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.What is my vision of God’s purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish— His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see “Him walking on the sea” with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see “Him walking on the sea” ( Mark 6:49 ). It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.

God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.

God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious.

Great stuff! To read more of Chambers (this is from My Utmost for His Highest) you can do so here: http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/07/28/devotion.aspx?year=2008

Other interesting Christian links, news, or just plain fun stuff:

A very moving, simple and useful article on Prayers that Move the Heart of God.

A funny picture (for football fans): God is faithful (click here)

Did you know that Charles Wesley (brother of John, and author of “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”) had a secret, encrypted diary? I didn’t either, but interestingly enough, his code has just been cracked, and the diary has spilled its secrets. Nothing too earth shattering, but Charles did very strongly disapprove of his brother’s proposed marriage to Grace Murray. Interesting that the spirirual giants of yesteryear are just as human as we are! Read more here (click here)

Finally, here is a Christianity Today article that has a lot of good quotes on praise and worship, including this one from Thomas Merton, “if we have no real interest in praising him, it shows that we have never realized who he is. For when one becomes conscious of who God really is, and when one realizes that he who is almighty, and infinitely holy, has “done great things to us,” the only possible reaction is the cry of half-articulate exultation that bursts from the depths of our being in amazement at the tremendous, inexplicable goodness of God to men.“ Click here to read more….

thanks for reading - I’ll see you Sunday!

Chase

Sue’s email:

Hey everyone!

As most of you know, Bubby Burchfield will be leaving Alabama for a year to serve God through an organization called MISSION YEAR. (www.missionyear.com)  He will be spending a year in Wilmington Delaware studying poverty and at-risk populations while he gives of himself to the Lord for the Gospel.  We as a church family can’t express how proud we are of him!

Agape’s Mission Team will commission Bubby on August 31st during the morning service.  Please make every attempt to be there to see him off.  We are also going to enjoy a meal together as a church family before he leaves.  Please plan to bring enough food to feed your family and one more person.  We will be eating directly after the Sunday service.  During this time, we will be able to spend time with him, give him our best wishes, and send him off with lots of Agape love.

Instead of a list, I am asking that you reply to all in this email telling us you’ll be there AND telling us what you’ll bring.  Instead of hitting ‘reply’, hit ‘reply to all’.  This way, each of us will know who is coming and we’ll see what everyone is bringing!

If you haven’t already emailed or mailed a letter to me or Amber Perkins, please do so BEFORE that date!  Remember, he needs our love and encouragement!

John King is putting together a love box for Bubby!  If you want to contribute to that, please contact him.

Bubby will need financial support while he is in Delaware. If you want to make a financial contribution, please contact Cindy Underwood or Sonya Perkins.

Thank you all and remember, after August 31st, you won’t see Bubby for a WHOLE year! 

I love you all!

PLEASE, also…FORWARD this to all of your Agape and VN friends and family!