Tag Archives: vision 2009

Jano07

Chase

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Agape Newsletter, 12-29-2008, Special Atheist says Send More Christian Missionaries Edition!

Hello all,

I know we didn’t have an e-newsletter last week, so this week you should get a special bonus - one extra issue. Wow! What a bargain!

I’m writing early in the week to let you know about a few things:

Of primary importance is the fact that this Wednesday night, at 7:00pm we will be ending 2008/beginning 2009 by having a worship and prayer gathering at Agape. We will worship and pray together for about ninety minutes or so, and be led by several different worship and prayer leaders. This should be a great time to put a powerful ending on 2008, and prepare us for all that God is calling us to do in 2009. We must seek first His Kingdom!

When we come together to worship and pray, we are imitating one of the chief activities of heaven. Check out Revelation 5:He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: ”You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (verses 7-9)

As Howard a. Johnston has said, “When the prayer-life of the people of God comes to be the dominant feature of Christian experience, the power of God will sweep the earth with the victories of grace.” Come and Pray!!!

Also, some have wondered about year end giving to Agape. My understanding is that your gifts can count towards 2008 as long as they are brought to the church or postmarked in the mail by this Wednesday, December 31st. Our mailing address (should you need it) is: p.o. box 746, Pinson, Alabama 35126.

I’ll give you a few links to check out here, so nobody feels too shortchanged:

*****     In this month’s Pastor’s Thoughts section on our website, David McConnell shares about how he cried and cried at a recent movie that he and Alyson attended. (I think it was Conan the Barbarian). You should read about it on our website:  http://agapepinson.com/pastors_corner.htm (Warning, I may not be portraying David’s article in as accurate a light as possible, in fact, I’m probably embellishing just to get you to read the article…….my wife made me add this disclaimer)

*****     As goes the family, so goes the church: http://www.crosswalk.com/marriage/11597516/

*****     Me and my dirty mouth! http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2008/novdec/6.22.html

*****     Atheist says, Africa needs God!” (I’m not actually joking here): http://online.worldmag.com/2008/12/29/atheist-says-africa-needs-god/

*****     In other news of the unexpected, a famous lesbian couple in California (Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels) are defending Barack Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to lead the inaugural invocation prayer: http://christianpost.com/article/20081229/melissa-etheridge-lesbian-spouse-defend-pastor-rick-warren.htm

*****     This is… curious, Satan’s Ministers Await Satan’s Arrival: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/johnshore/11597524/

I look forward to seeing you Wednesday night at 7 - be sure and invite a friend!

Chase

Jano07

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter, 12-19-2008: Merry Christmas Edition!

Hello everybody and welcome to the penultimate* Agape newsletter of 2008!


Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Agape Christmas breakfast celebration and special worship time: This Sunday at 10:00am (covered dish)
2. Angel Food Pick up Saturday at 9:30 am
3. Tuesday night homeless ministry, the Nest. Be at Agape at 6

4. No Crossroads this week, no Wednesday night Bible Study/Food Pantry.

This Sunday morning, at Agape, we will be celebrating the birth of the Messiah by eating breakfast together, fellowshipping, and then worshiping. I am looking forward to celebrating this Sunday with you all, and if I can be candid - I’m looking forward to the covered dish breakfast as well - my favorite meal! Eating in the morning is a Biblical practice that dates back to at least the Israelite Exodus from Egypt, and possibly earlier. (that is my theological justification for our breakfast)  ;)   (Don’t forget to bring a covered dish or two to share with everybody!!!)

The next Sunday morning, December 28th, we will be having a time of baptism. If you are interested in participating, or if your children are, then please be sure and let us know!!
Don’t forget that this Tuesday we will be going to the Nest to minister to the homeless, and celebrate Christmas with them as well. We leave Agape at 6:30, so try to be there early so you can help load chairs, tables and food for everybody.

David sends this note for the newsletter:  We want to thank everyone who joined us for our Crossroads’ study that was focused on The Gospel. If interested, the entire series is available to download from our website. We are currently seeking the Lord’s guidance on our next Crossroads series and if He is willing, we anticipate that this will start sometime in early 2009. Again, thank you to everyone!!


Two weeks ago in a message on our Vision for 2009, I talked about how our National Visitor’s Center in Washington DC has a plaque at the entrance which says, “We have built no temple but the Capitol. We consult no common oracle but the Constitution.” In addition, in the visitor’s center, our national anthem was incorrectly identified as “E Pluribus Unum” when in fact it is, “In God We Trust”. In a follow up to that, I’d like to tell you some things about our National Cathedral in Washington D.C. This is a “church” in name only, but it is often the “church” that presidents and dignitaries go to in Washington. It is far from Christian, instead embracing people of “all faiths and no faith”.

This week, I read a mind-blowing article by the faith/religion writer at the Washington Post, one of our nation’s most prominent newspapers. In this article, she discusses where President Obama should go to church. She suggests the National Cathedral, because it is so pluralistic. The National Cathedral is a nominally Episcopalian church that celebrated it’s 100th anniversary last year. With a “One Spirit among many Nations Festival.” This is how the Post described the celebration,  ”With a background of sound and lights, the festival drew believers and nonbelievers from all over the country. “We wanted them to experience their humanity,” says Lloyd, [the Dean/pastor of the church] “to have the sense that they shared a common life with each other.”

Later in the article, the writer admiringly mentions that Deepak Chopra, a Hindu/New Age guru spoke at a recent packed out National Cathedral service. Chopra, when asked about Obama, said that he believes the president elect has “transcended spiritual identity.” I don’t know about you, but I read this article, and I see the foundation for a coming one world religion. It might be closer than we’ve imagined. All it might take is some sort of global crisis to get the ball rolling. Oh wait. We’re in the middle of one right now! (article source: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/sally_quinn/2008/11/obamas_should_choose_national.html)

Watch and Pray, saints of God - we are living in interesting times. May we be a light to the nations and may we abide in Jesus Christ - the one Way, Truth and Life!

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)

Saturday, December 20, 9:30 am - Angel Food pick up (for real this time)

Sunday, December 21, 9:15 am - Prayer

Sunday 10:00 - Christmas Breakfast Fellowship - bring a covered dish or two.

Sunday 10:50: Special Christmas celebration and worship

Sunday night: There will be no Crossroads this Sunday night, but there is a youth Christmas party at 5 pm.


Tuesday, December 23 - The Nest homeless ministry Christmas party.

Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) - No Wednesday night service or food pantry.

Thursday, December 25 - Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 28 - Baptism Service. (if you want to participate, please email me and let me know)

This Week’s Links:

*****     Family quarrels and tension can unfortunately be a big part of the Christmas season for some. Here’s an article that will cause you to think twice about forgiveness and unity: http://www.thinkchristian.net/index.php/2008/12/17/who-owns-jesus-more/

*****     John Piper - 12 reasons for Christmas: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2002/1222_Twelve_Reasons_for_Christmas/

*****     Speaking of Piper, here’s him discussing a very practical question, “how should a husband and wife manage opposite sex drives?” http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/12/3459/

*****     Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama’s inauguration: http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/503643.aspx
*****     Al Mohler on how to use a study Bible: http://www.albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2930

*****     When we discipline our children, we are teaching them about the end times, and other deep truths: http://www.russellmoore.com/index.php/2008/12/10/the-eschatology-of-parenting/

*****     Carolyn Mcculley on the Mommy Wars: http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001917.cfm
Jesus was born to push against the fall, as far as the curse is found, and I am glad of that!

Chase

*(penultimate is a word learned while watching a Monty Python sketch several years ago),

Jano07

Chase

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Agape Newsletter: 12-11-2008 - Vision 2009 part 2 + Crossroads Christmas Party

Friends, Romans, countrymen:

Welcome to another Agape newsletter!

Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Vision Sunday, Part 2:
2. Baptism Service Sunday December 28
3. Crossroads Christmas Party THIS SUNDAY!
4. Angel Food Pick Up Saturday 9:00am
5. Food Pantry Saturday 9:00am (last one of the year - no Food Pantry on Christmas Eve)
6. We still need people to adopt kids for Christmas - see Cindy (or email me) for details. Thus far, we’ve had over 30 families request our help for this Christmas!!!
7 December 21 - Christmas Service - beginning with covered dish breakfast at 10:00am.
8. The Nest - downtown Christmas party December 23rd - leave the church at 6:30
9 Youth Christmas party - December 21, 5:00pm (no Crossroads that night)

This Sunday morning at Agape - Vision Sunday part 2! Sunday after worship, we will be continuing our message series on vision 2009 - that which God is calling us to as a church for next year. The first part of the message is now available on our website: http://agapepinson.com/sermons_online.htm.

We will be continuing to discuss our calling for 2009, and this will be a message of HOPE for the future. If you have been struggling thus far during this holiday season (with depression, lack of focus, the blah’s, worry, etc) then the message Sunday will encourage and lift you up, I believe.

Also - partly sparked by David McConnell’s excellent message on baptism at Crossroads this past Sunday (again - listen to it online at: http://agapepinson.com/sermons_online.htm),
We will be having a baptismal service the last Sunday of the year - December 28th. If you have not yet been baptized, then please let me know, and we will baptize you that Sunday. If you listen to David’s message, you will realize the vast importance of baptism! Also - if your kids have given their lives to Jesus, but have not yet been baptized, then this Sunday will be the perfect Sunday for them.

This Sunday night at Crossroads, we will be hearing a great message, then adjourning to David and Mary Ledbetter’s house for a covered dish Christmas party. All of our Crossroads gatherings have been great fun and fellowship, and I believe that this one will be as well - come join us, and be sure to bring some food for sharing.

Speaking of eating and fellowship: Next Sunday (December 21) we will be having a very special Christmas service at Agape. We begin at 10:00am with a covered dish breakfast together. (everybody needs to bring some sort of breakfast dish - more details next week). After our meal together, we will enjoy and participate in a worship service that will be led by our worship team, as well as our children and dance team. It should be wonderful!

Also note that we will be voting on our 2009 budget this Sunday, December 14th, right after our morning worship and word. If you would like to look at our budget, we’ve posted it on our website:http://agapepinson.com/online_resources.htm You will need Microsoft Excel to view the budget proposal.

Finally, allow me to close with the acronym that was introduced this Sunday which describes our primary mission at Agape: (More details on GRIP this Sunday)
Our primary purposes at Agape:
G.R.I.P.
Glorify - First and foremost we are to glorify God in worship, prayer, and in our love and care for each other.
Reach - As a church family, we are called to GO and carry the Good news - to reach people and introduce them to the person and teachings of Jesus.
Impart - We are not only called to introduce people to Jesus, but also to make disciples. The word impart means to communicate the knowledge of something. We are called to bring the message of Jesus to the world, and to teach them how to follow Jesus.

Propel - Finally - our calling is not to reach and disciple people merely to grow our fellowship, or to help us out. We are called to propel people into their calling and destiny in Jesus. Sometimes that means they will stay and serve with us at Agape - other times it means that they will serve elsewhere - even in other countries. It’s our job to send them out - or propel them - to where God is calling them to be.

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)

Saturday, December 6 9:00 am - Angel Food pick up and Food pantry (the last food pantry of 2008)

Sunday, December 7, 9:15 am - WATCH AND PRAY!

Sunday 9:45 - Small groups

Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: Vision 2009 part 2 - God’s call for US

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads.

Here’s David’s invitation: Tonight will be our last Crossroads service of 2008. We are going to have a special time of worship (a portion of which will be based on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s album ‘Christmas Eve and Other Stories’) and a message on how we are called to invest our lives into the lives of others for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel. We will also have a unique opportunity to do exactly that at the end of our service. Following the service we will have a Fellowship dinner at the home of Mary and David Ledbetter, just a short drive from the church (please bring a side dish). Please join us at 5pm.

Wednesday night, December 17 - Advent Part 4 - Join us for Wednesday nights in December as we celebrate Advent together and study/discuss things related to the birth of Jesus.

Sunday, December 21 - Christmas covered dish breakfast and fellowship (10:00am).

Tuesday, December 23 - The Nest homeless ministry

Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) - No Wednesday night service or food pantry.

This Week’s Links:

*****    A Christmas Quiz. Including a surprising answer to who set up the first Christmas tree: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/quiz/?id=RUQWP

*****     Is President Bush an evangelical? (It sure doesn’t sound like it, based on this interview): http://www.irishcalvinist.com/?p=2073


*****   Have you ever wondered what exactly the star of Bethlehem was? If it was a true star in (our understanding) how could it have guided the magi to a specific location? Here are some theories: http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/12/10/what-was-the-star-of-bethlehem/
Here’s a couple of practical links as well:

*****    The Inigo Montoya guide to commonly misused words: http://www.copyblogger.com/commonly-misused-words/ (by the way, The Princess Bride remains my favorite movie, even after 20 years)

See you Sunday! 

Chase


Jano07

Chase

0

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).

The fact is that God has a purpose for our congregation. It can’t be fulfilled by any one person or leader - it can’t be fulfilled by just a few families. God has a purpose and calling (and vision) for our entire congregation - i.e., those things that we are unable to do separately, but that we are uniquely equipped to do together. In this day and age of individualism, it is somewhat foreign to us to think in terms of things that we can’t do without each other. Perhaps we can picture it by way of a football analogy: Saturday, Alabama will play Florida for the SEC championship. As I write this, Florida is favored by approximately 10 points. Think about what would happen if they tried to play the game with just one player on Alabama’s side! Florida could score an almost infinite amount of points.  Think about what would happen if Alabama played with only a few players? Florida would still win by hundreds. How about if only one or two Alabama players were missing? It seems like that wouldn’t make that big of a difference, but I guarantee you that being down two players would hurt Alabama a great deal this weekend.

So then is the church - we are like a team, in essence, capable of doing amazing things together, but hobbled when we don’t come together.  Sunday we’re exploring what God is calling our team to do. I am looking forward to it, and I certainly hope that you’ll make plans to join us!

Also note that we will be voting on our 2009 budget next Sunday, December 14th, right after our morning worship and word. We had originally announced December 7 as budget Sunday last week, but we decided to move it to the 14th so that we could get a copy of the budget into everybody’s hands to look over. If you would like to look at our budget, we’ve posted it on our website:http://agapepinson.com/online_resources.htm Please note that you will need Microsoft Excel to view the budget proposal. We should have copies available this Sunday morning for your perusal.


David sends this information about the Crossroads Christmas Party in December: December 14th after Crossroads service we are going to have a Christmas fellowship dinner at Mary and David Ledbetter’s house in Pinson. Everyone is welcome. Mary and David ask that everyone who comes bring some kind of a dish, that way we have plenty of food. We are going to have Crossroads on Dec 7th, and the 14th. The 14th will kind of be our end of the year service so to speak. We will take the 21st and the 28th off and come back on Jan 4th.

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)

Saturday, December 6 9:00 am - Church wide workday - our main focus this Saturday will be on decorating the sanctuary, so please come and join us!

Sunday, December 7, 9:15 am - Please remember that we’ve changed corporate prayer time from 8:30 to 9:15am
Sunday 9:45 - Small groups
Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: Vision 2009 - God’s call for US

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads, David will be teaching on: ::

Baptized!

Tonight we will be shifting into what it means to proclaim the gospel with our lives and we will begin with a study on the Biblical picture of how all new Christians first proclaim the gospel: Baptism. There may be no other church ordinance that is so debated among Christians and Christian denominations. Even among Baptists, we often declare baptism to simply be symbolic of an inward change. But, is that all there is to it? Is baptism simply a ‘good thing to do’ if you are a Christian? Join us tonight at 7pm as we attempt to uncover in the word: proclaiming the gospel through baptism.


Wednesday night, December 10 - Advent Part 3 - Join us for Wednesday nights in December as we celebrate Advent together and study/discuss things related to the birth of Jesus. We also have Food Pantry this Wednesday.


Saturday, December 13th: Angel food pick up.

Finally, Christmas this year has been scheduled for December 25 (a Thursday).


This Week’s Links:

*****    This past Sunday, we discussed Advent, and how enriching it can be for a family to celebrate Advent together. Here’s a very easy to use devotional for every night of Advent: http://scriptureunion.gospelcom.net/Advent.pdf

*****     Here is a collection of solid resources on Advent, gathered by Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/christmas/features/advent.htm


*****     Here it is, as promised, Bruce Lee playing ping-pong with Nunchucks (or Nunchaku if you want to be technical): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QHslHpK4-Q Now what other church newsletter gives you treats like this one?!


*****    Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, is fast on it’s way to becoming the next Harry Potter. A well written, engaging love story between a teen girl, and a vampire that abstains from drinking human blood, the story is a runaway best seller, and a very popular movie as well. Some abstinence advocates have encouraged reading of the book because the main characters do not ultimately engage in sex until they are married. On the surface, this seems like a good thing, of course, but the level of sensuality in the Twilight series is something that parents and Christians need to be aware of. Tim Challies offers an objective review here: http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/book-review—twilight.php

*****     A bit on John Piper’s new book, Finally Alive: http://adrianwarnock.com/2008/12/john-pipers-most-important-book-finally.html Sounds quite challenging!

*****     Liberty University’s kicker this year (on their division 1 football team) does not have arms http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/men/11596238/

Please be praying for each other, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday! ! 

Chase

Jano07

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter, November 14, 2008:

Hello Friends,

Welcome to a somewhat abbreviated, as well as late edition of the Agape e-newsletter.

Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape:

1. Sermon this week: The Great Romance Part 2.
1A - Coming December 7 and 14 - Agape’s Vision for 2009
2. Don’t forget to bring spaghetti noodles or meat this Sunday to give to the food pantry. (we have lots of sauce, not so many noodles)
3. Crossroads Sunday night at 5:00 pm - Subject: Christ In You
4. Christmas Shoe boxes are due November 22 (for more details, see display in the back of the sanctuary)


Sunday morning at Agape, we are going to continue looking at the Great Romance, specifically, how our love for each other should be a reflection of God’s love for us. I’m also going to share with you how I was almost killed this week in a high speed police chase (no kidding!), and some of the thoughts that have come from being that close to eternity. This might be something good to bring a lost friend or family member to come hear, so be encouraged to do that! (in case anybody is wondering, I was not the one who was being chased).

Sunday night, David will be continuing his series on the Gospel, specifically looking at doing the will of the Father - and how Christ dwells in us. Every week, David puts a lot of time into seeking God and digging in scripture in order to bring us the deep truths of God on Sunday nights - and he does an excellent job! John Talley is serving as the worship leader for Crossroads, and he is also doing an excellent job, leading worship on Sunday nights with a dynamic creativity that is refreshing. If you haven’t been yet, let me encourage you to come!

Please know, as I mentioned last week, that this current sermon series is laying the foundation for December 7 and 14th - the two Sundays that will be our Vision Sundays - in which we will be examining what God is calling this body to in 2009. I know that some of you who receive this email are infrequent at Agape - please let me say to you that the next few Sundays are critically important in the life of our fellowship! I encourage you to come and worship, pray and listen to what God is calling us to. If you are bored with religion, and normal “church stuff” I can assure you that 2009 will be quite different from the norm. The economy is crashing around us, and many are fearful. They are like sheep without a shepherd.  It is time for the people of God to step forward and shine the light of God to the lost - you are invited and called to be a part of that!

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)

Sunday, November 16, 9:15 am - Please remember that we’ve changed corporate prayer time from 8:30 to 9:15am
Sunday 9:45 - Small groups
Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: The Great Romance, part 2.

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads, David will be teaching on:  Christ IN You. In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us that not everyone who calls Him ‘Lord’ will actually enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He goes on to say that it is only those who do the will of His Father that will be rewarded with eternal life. While these verses may be puzzling at first, if we clearly understand what it means to experience the Gospel of Christ, then the warning of Matthew 7 will become crystal clear in our lives. Join us on November 16th as we seek to understand the depth of these words: ‘Christ IN You - the Hope of Glory‘.
Wednesday night, November 19 - Correcting last week’s newsletter, we will not actually be having our fellowship meal this Wednesday night - to accommodate folks who don’t like to drive at night, we are moving our fellowship meal to Sunday, November 23rd, directly after church. This will be a Thanksgiving fellowship meal/celebration, so make plans to join us after church next Sunday, and bring some food! Actually, since we’ve invited some of our friends from the community, you might want to bring extra food.


Next Sunday, November 23 (right after worship: Thanksgiving fellowship meal and celebration.

This Week’s Links:

*****    The Cell Phone Challenge: How many unchurched people’s contact info do you have in your cell phone? http://www.thinkchristian.net/index.php/2008/11/12/cell-phone-challenge/

*****     Do you remember hearing on the news that Sarah Palin didn’t realize that Africa was a continent? Well, that was a hoax: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/arts/television/13hoax.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.


*****    This is interesting; a very candid interview of Barack Obama on his religious beliefs. Perhaps not as shallow as some might expect, but definitely quite far from a Biblical understanding of Christianity. : http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2008/11/obamas_fascinat.html

Here’s an excerpt: “This is something that I’m sure I’d have serious debates with my fellow Christians about. I think that the difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and prostelytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell. I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell.I can’t imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity. That’s just not part of my religious makeup.”

*****    Can you be busy and lazy? Why being busy doesn’t automatically mean we are being diligent: http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/post/how-busyness-and-laziness-coexist-cj-mahaney.aspx

*****    My favorite site for finding online bargains: http://slickdeals.net/


*****     Some interesting thoughts on surviving the economy from a Christian perspective: http://www.thinkchristian.net/index.php/2008/11/11/secret-to-surviving-economy/

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday! 

Chase

Jano07

Chase

0

Agape Newsletter, November 7, 2008 Special Presidential Election Edition.

Hello again everybody and welcome to yet another Agape newsletter. Wow - what a historic week! Is everybody ok out there? 

Ultra-quick summary of this week at Agape: 

1. New sermon series begins this week - The Great Romance.
1A - Coming December 7 and 14 - Agape’s Vision for 2009
2. Don’t forget to bring spaghetti sauce or noodles this Sunday to give to the food pantry. 
3. Crossroads Sunday night at 5:00 pm - Subject: Jesus’ call to follow.
4. Angel Food money is due by Sunday morning, but Cindy will be at church Saturday morning from 9-12 so you can pay then.
5. Christmas Shoe boxes are due November 22 (for more details, see display in the back of the sanctuary) 

This Sunday morning, we will begin a three part series that will lay the foundation for something critically important to Agape that will begin in December. The message series is entitled “The Great Romance” and is an examination of the Love of God for His people, and how we are to experience it, enjoy it, return it and reflect it. This week the primary focus will be on God’s Love for His people. I can hear you thinking now - “well, I know God loves us - and I’ve heard plenty of sermons that have told me that.” I can assure you that you’ve not heard many messages on God’s love from the perspective you will hear Sunday. I believe Sunday will bring a fresh understanding and experience of God’s love for all of us. It will be a message partly presented via multimedia, and I believe it will be quite emotional, encouraging and life impacting. This is a good series to invite a friend who has been wounded in church in the past to come and hear. So, please let me encourage you to invite your wounded and discouraged friends to come and be refreshed! Week two of this series will look at how God’s love for us should be reflected to each other in the family of faith. Week three will examine how God’s love for us should compel us to love those outside the walls of the church. 

I mentioned earlier that this three part series will be foundational for something very important at Agape. I am referring to December 7th and 14th - the first two Sundays of December. On those days, and probably the first week or two in January, I will begin a series on Agape’s call and vision for 2009. The word vision has always been a powerful word to me, especially in the context of the church. When I was ten or so, I went to a large church that began a 12 million dollar building program. The cornerstone verse used for raising money for that program was Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. This verse has been (mis)used in many hundreds (thousands?) of churches over the years to inspire the people to all join in a vision - a vision that usually centered around either the expansion of the facilities or a new building entirely. I believe that to be a misuse of that particular passage - but the passage itself is important and certainly true - the people of God wander aimlessly, ultimately perishing when there is no God centered, God inspired, God breathed vision put in front of them. When I say vision, I really just mean that which God is uniquely calling the people of Agape Baptist to do. I believe that we each have a powerful and unique calling from God on an individual level, and I believe also that we have a corporate calling as well - one that can only be fulfilled by us moving together under the leadership of God. 

Since Cary left Agape in 2007, it seems that we have been without an overall specific vision. Please don’t misunderstand me - I’m not saying that as an insult in any way, shape or form. The fact is that for a church of our size - Agape has a very strong community impact, and is very active in so many areas. In the eight months that I have been at Agape, I have been waiting on God, and asking Him to reveal His vision for us - His call, His specific purpose for Agape in this specific time. I believe that now is the time for us to hear and understand God’s vision and call for us at Agape on a new level - a specific level for this next year. I would ask you to join me in fasting and prayer over the next month as we all seek God and ask Him to reveal His will to us for this next year. I will write and speak much more on this issue in the coming weeks. I invite your input - especially your input gained after personally praying for God to reveal His calling to Agape. 

One other thing - if you missed the expert’s round table discussion on the economy this Sunday, David has posted the audio file on our website: http://agapepinson.com/sermons_online.htm (you can also download David’s Crossroads sermon from last week there as well) 

This Week’s Schedule:  (This month’s schedule online at: http://agapepinson.com/calendar_of_events.htm)
Saturday, November 8 - Food Pantry (from 9-12) Although Angel Food money can be turned in Sunday morning to Cindy, she tells me that it would be helpful for people to turn their orders in on Saturday morning if at all possible. Angel food menu and other information is online at: http://agapepinson.com/angel_food_ministries.htm

Sunday, November 9, 9:15 am - ALERT ALERT ALERT. Corporate Prayer has been changed from 8:30 to 9:15. You no longer have to wake up early to come and pray together!!! 
Sunday 9:45 - Small groups
Sunday 10:45 - Corporate worship, prayer and word. This Sunday: The Great Romance, part 1. 

Sunday night: 5 pm Sunday night at Crossroads, David will be teaching on what it really means to FOLLOW JESUS. Here’s his summary:  A Call to Follow

Jesus offers to everyone this invitation: ‘Come to me and I will give you rest’. And while this certainly is a call to receive forgiveness for our sins, we must realize that is also a call to responsibility. To be born again is to accept Christ as Savior and Lord. We are to trust Him, not just for redemption, but also for total direction in life. Therefore, His words are not just a call to receive, but also a call to follow. Join us on November 9th as we continue our study of what it means to experience the gospel.


Wednesday night, November 12 7:00 pm- This Wednesday night, we should be finally wrapping up Matthew 10, and going into Matthew 11. I said that last week as well, but our discussion this past Wednesday night on certain elements of Matthew 10 was so good and lively that we didn’t get as far as I thought we might. We will also have food pantry this Wednesday night from 6-8. 

A few other scheduling notes: Sunday, November 19th will be our last Fellowship Wednesday night of the year, so be sure and join us for great fun, fellowship and food. Also, we will not be having our normal Wednesday night services the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but I believe we will still have food pantry that night. I will find out for sure and let you know in the next newsletter. 

This Week’s Links:

*****     What if Starbucks marketed itself like the church did? A parable: http://www.thinkchristian.net/index.php/2008/11/06/what-if-starbucks-used-church-marketing/

*****     Wednesday the sun came up and I was happy. It is still morning in America. The candidate I voted for did not win, but I got to vote in a free and fair election. Power will be passed peacefully and the Constitution is intact. http://www.crosswalk.com/news/commentary/11595333/

*****     Were you disappointed by the results of this week’s election? Here’s John Piper on how to cope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFvlfc2VkN0  (He also addresses the current economic situation). I love John Piper. 

*****    Oswald Chambers on intimacy and having a now faith vs. a future faith: http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/06/devotion.aspx

*****    Zondervan Publishing has bought one of my favorite and most used websites, www,Biblegateway.com. All I’ve got to say is that they had better not mess it up! http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/novemberweb-only/145-41.0.html

*****     Finally, from the practical, if not spiritual department: Did you know that stretching before exercise isn’t a great idea after all (at least not the way most of us stretch!) Read on:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmagazine/112pewarm.html?_r=3&em&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday! 

Chase