clarion - february 2010
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Clarion Newsletter for IESBA - February 2010TRANSCRIPT
February 2010
The Clarion The Clarion Volume 43 Issue 2
Inland Empire Baptist Association
Director of Missions Deryl Lackey
Multi-Ethnic Consultant
Claudio Medina
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Martin Leach Church Growth Consultant
Isaiah 53 paints a clear prophetic picture of our suffering Messiah as He carries our griefs, transgressions, and iniquities on the cross. He not only removed our sins but stood in our place and took the punishment! Not just the sins of “missing the mark,” but transgressions. When the Lord draws a line in the sand and says “don’t cross it” and we do it anyway. It is difficult to understand how our Savior can love us so much even when we intentionally rebel against Him. In verse 3 it says “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Rejected by his own people, rejected by us!
Is. 43:25 reminds us that; “He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.” His mercy is never ending and His grace is sufficient. Now comes the hard part; to love one another as He has loved us. John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one an-other. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
EQUIPPED FOR EXCELLENCE
Now is the time to begin promoting Equipped for Excellence in your church. This is one of the most effective training events you can participate in. It always proves to be a blessing for those who attend. Do you need to improve your web presence? We have a conference for that. Do you want to know how to better deal with the financial situation facing your church? We have a conference for that. Do you want to begin some small home groups? We have a conference for that too. All together we have 40 conferences to choose from. These classes encompass the issues that face churches today. Look for the yellow promotional packet that was sent to your church or visit our website at equippedforexcellence.org.
DESERT AREA BIBLE STUDY WORKSHOP
The second annual Desert Area Bible Study Workshop is scheduled for Sunday, May 2, 2010. We will meet at Palms Baptist Church, 5285 Adobe Road, Twenty-nine Palms. Dinner is free and will be served at 5:00 p.m. The featured speaker will be Dr. Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley. His topic will be, Real Bible Study for Real People. Anyone can
attend the event.
SAVE THE DATE: TRANSFORMED CONFERENCE with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron will be held at Immanuel Baptist Church, Highland on Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Here is information regarding the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts in Haiti.
Make checks payable to North American Mission Board and
send to Haiti Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 116534, Atlanta, GA
30368-6543
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Bruce Hitchcock Church Growth Strategist
I recently read an article in the “Impact” (the internal newsletter for the California Baptist Foundation) written by President and C. E. O. Phillip Kell discussing the outlook for the year ahead. I couldn’t agree more with Phill’s last paragraph and especially his words, “Business as usual will not get the job done. Thanks in advance for all I know you are going to do to help us get better in 2010. Let’s pray as if it all depends on God, and then work like it all depends on us.” Central to this thought that we are not only partners with each other in God’s service but God is also completely in the mix. We can accomplish nothing of eternal value without Him and He chooses to use us to realize His work here on earth. I am reminded of the farmer who had a beautiful but small garden outside the front door of his house. When a friend commented on its beauty the farmer simply said, “You should have seen it last year when God tried to do it on His own.” We are partners with God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who
plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” (NASU) Even though we should view ourselves as nothing in our own eyes (that’s called humility), God honors our work when we complete it here on earth and gives us the reward for our faithfulness now and in Eternity. Too often men are given the accolades when things go well and are held responsible when something goes wrong. We know that God is in control of all events at all times. People need to spend more time giving God the credit when it goes well and looking to Him for His blessings in the decisions that go awry.
We sow the seed, water and weed. He brings the increase we all need. In times of good and times of sorrows We trust in God, He makes tomorrows.
Let’s help those around us understand that real blessings come from giving God all the credit for the success but that God also provides us with blessings that emanate from what we and others view as failures. Rom 8:28 “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” (TLB)
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Peacemaking Training Events 2010
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Ministry Part-Alternate Avenues Montclair
For the past 30 years, abortion rights and human life have been a political hot button in our nation. Since 1973 when abortion in the US was legalized, an estimated 50 million abortions have taken place. It is estimated that 43% of all women will have at least 1 abortion by the time they are 45 years old. With numbers that high, the Christian community cannot ignore that there are many walking wounded in our midst and we're still in the battle for the lives of the unborn. Alternate Avenues Women’s Resource Center was established in 1989 to provide hope, help and healing to women in crisis pregnancies. In the first few years, the center was run by a handful of volunteers and had operating hours limited to 10-15 hrs a week. Pregnancy tests were offered, as well as information on fetal development, abortion risks, adoption, and resources throughout the community. Within the first few months, they were offering Bridges to
Motherhood, their parenting support and mentoring program, and they had five women enrolled in the program. Over the last twenty years, Alternate Avenues has grown significantly. 2003 was an especially significant year. Under the leadership of Dr. John Sharpe, they became a licensed medical clinic and began offering limited obstetrical ultrasounds for pregnancy diagnosis. The result is that 81% of abortion-minded women who view their unborn baby make a decision for life. Today their Bridges program serves 35 to 40 families each week and includes “Bootcamp for New Dads” and “Dads 24/7.” The program is so successful they now meet in two locations, one in Rancho Cucamonga and one in Montclair. The launch of their new client-based website in 2009 also increased the potential to reach women in unplanned pregnancies with accurate information about their options and to encourage these women to come to the clinic for help. Since the launching of this website, there has been a 30 to 40% increase in the number of women who come in for pregnancy tests and counseling. Alternate Avenues offers help without judgment and a path to Christ, both in word and deed. The center works to prevent abortions in their community, to encourage abstinence in youth and singles, and to bring healing to men and women impacted by past abortions. Over 80% of women who chose abortion say if they felt even just one person supported another decision, they would not have chosen to have an abortion. As Alternate Avenues looks
forward to the next few years, they are still humbled by the challenges ahead. There are still so many in need of love and support, so many in need of truth and hope, and most of all, so many in need of a Savior. The State of California does not require re-porting of abortions, but it is estimated that in the Inland Empire alone 10,000 babies will lose their life to abortion this year. Alternate Avenues spared over 120 last year and the other 5 clinics in our area another 180, for a total of 300, a mere 3%. The Staff at Alternate Avenues is often asked "with those numbers, is what you are doing mak-ing a difference?" The reply, to the 300 we are. If you would like to learn more about Alternate Avenues, or help provide support to the center, you can visit their dono r website at www.achampion4life.com or their client website at www.alternateavenues.net
These kits are now available for your church to check-out. Call Brenda at the Association Office (951) 784-2655
Resource Kits
The Peacemaking Church, by Peacemaker Ministries
This kit contains the Pastor’s Box—by using this collection of background teaching and model sermon materials, the pastor will be able to gain a deeper understanding of biblical peacemaking, inspire and gain support of the leadership team and cast a church-wide vision for biblical peacemaking. The Small Group Leader’s Box—by using these resources your small group leaders will be equipped to lead an eight-week small group study, teach participants biblical peacemaking principles, help their small group members apply these principles to their own lives and relationships, and begin to identify potential Peacemaking Team members. Also included is a Peacemaking Team Box—by using these resources the church will learn how to set up and run a Peacemaking Team that will teach peacemaking skills in various church settings, help church members work through conflicts when they arise and help to “embed” peacemaking into the culture of the church.
The Leadership Opportunity, Living Out the Gospel Where Conflict and Leadership Intersect by Peacemaker Ministries,
Billings, Montana
Even in the healthiest churches, conflict and leadership are interwoven threads—there’s no escaping those moments when tension surfaces in a meeting, when you are leading your congregation through a difficult change, or even when you inad-vertently create conflict yourself. Yet these are the moments when leadership really matters. The Leadership Opportunity helps leaders live out the gospel by providing solidly biblical and highly practical help for the common conflicts that all lead-ers face. This kit includes a DVD with 14 video sessions, 5 detailed Study Guides, 10 Peacemaking Principles pamphlets, Supplemental materials (sample forms and other documents to help your church develop and implement sound biblical policies in the areas of membership, discipline, and legal risk management), Leader’s Guide and a 40-day devotional book called, While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks.
Executive Director, Kirk Bauer
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Each month we will be listing items needed at the San Bernardino Pregnancy Resource Center. They get all of their items from donations and are witnessing to hundreds of families each month. If you can help please take your donations to the center, or contact the Association to arrange to have your donation taken for you.
This month the need is:
DIAPERS
BABY WIPES
Pregnancy Resource Center: 114 E. Airport Drive, Ste. 104, San Bernardino, CA
92408
Donations Needed for the San Bernardino Pregnancy Resource Center!!
Volunteer Praise Band Team Members Needed!!
CornerStone Baptist church is seeking a volunteer guitarist and drummer to add to its Praise Team. If you are looking for an opportunity to be involved in worship ministry, please contact Pastor Waldo Barela at [email protected] or (951) 662-4086.
Save the Date! Save the Date!
May 1 8 , 2 0 1 0
Mo r e in fo r m a t io n t o fo llow!
Information will soon be added to
our website @ www.iesba.org
IESBA’s First Annual Golf Tournament
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Visit our website @ www.iesba.org
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
FOR THESE DATES!!
Clarion (UPS 044-370) Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association of
California
6857 Indiana Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506
Telephone: (951) 784-2655
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Published Monthly
POSTMASTER; Send address changes to:
Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association of Califor-
nia
6857 Indiana Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506
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February 27 Church Music Workshop
March 9 Sunday School Director’s Meeting
April 5 Equipped for Excellence Registration Deadline
April 17 Equipped for Excellence
May 2 Desert Area Bible Study Workshop
May 4 S.S. Director’s Meeting
May 15 Vacation Bible School Clinic at MABC
May 18 IESBA 1st Annual Golf Tournament
Clarion
Inland Empire Association Staff
Deryl Lackey Director of Missions
Claudio Medina Multi-Ethnic Consultant
Bruce Hitchcock Church Growth Strategist
Martin Leach Church Growth Consultant
Bobbie Brooks Office Manager
Brenda Lackey Bookkeeper
Angela Mantzey Graphics Specialist
(951) 784-2655 • Fax (951) 784-2656