Salem Avenue Baptist Church

Messenger Helping people discover the abundant life in Jesus

August 1, 2016 Volume 49, Issue 12

Nolan Porter

Pastor

pastornolan@sabchurch.org

Darlene Patterson

Minister of Music

darlene@sabchurch.org

Jason Snackenberg

Minister of Children & Students

jsnack@sabchurch.org

Kody Brandt

Minister of Education &

Outreach for Adults

kodybrandt@sabchurch.org

1501 Hwy 72 E

Rolla, MO 65401

573-364-4442

FAX: 573-364-5915

Email: office@sabchurch.org

Kimberly Martin

Secretary

Office Hours: Monday-

Thursday

8:00-4:00

Sunday Worship

8:30 Traditional Worship

9:45 Sunday School

11:00 Worship

6:00 Bible Study

Children’s Church

Ages 3 through 4th grade

during morning worship times

Wednesday

6:15 The Gathering (Youth)

6:15 Awana (Sept. thru May)

6:30 Bible Study/Prayer

Salem Avenue Baptist

Childcare Center

Mandy Gehlert

Director

573-364-8230

sabcckids@yahoo.com

Ages 6 weeks-12 years

Monday-Friday

6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

18th Annual Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show

Saturday, August 13th, 11-4

August 5 Love Rolla Backpack

Distribution

August 7 Deacons Meeting, 5:00

August 12 Love Rolla Backpack

Distribution

August 13 18th Annual Car, Truck

& Motorcycle Show, 11:00-4:00

August 17 First Day of School-

Rolla

August 19 Final Love Rolla

Backpack Distribution

August 22 First Day of Classes-

M S & T

August 26 “Fight Night” Retreat at

Crossway Church in Springfield

For August Tech: Roger Younger Sound: 8:30 Ryan Loeffelman, Charles Patterson 11:00 Gary Taggart Sunday AM Refreshments: Connect Operation Christmas Child: school supplies (pencils, pens, crayons, paper)

Aug 2 Miles Porter

Aug 2 Cord Jenkins

Aug 4 Kathy Brandt

Aug 5 Ryan Feeler

Aug 6 Tim Durk

Aug 6 Carolyn Roach

Aug 6 Michele McClain

Aug 7 Roger Younger

Aug 12 Darrell Martin

Aug 12 Shelby Brookshire

Aug 13 Johnita Kirkbride

Aug 13 Wanda Helm

Aug 13 Brian Eber

Aug 13 Brenda Williams

Aug 13 Jack Scudder

Aug 13 Diana Gilbert

Aug 14 Gary Feeler

Aug 15 Wanda Hinshaw

Aug 15 Sharon Conner

Aug 16 Lynne Bergman

Aug 17 Caleb Feeler

Aug 18 Lauren Callison

Aug 21 Kay Rauls

Aug 21 Norma Hicks

Aug 21 Karli Brandt

Aug 23 Barbara Curtis

Aug 25 Al Niles

Aug 25 Brian Collinge

Aug 26 Phyllis Willy

Aug 29 Dean Keith

Aug 30 Bayleigh Malone

Aug 30 Ryan Long

OCC

Fundraiser

Saturday,

September 17

Pasta Dinner and

Silent Auction

Watch for details!

There’s an App

for That…

You can now download the

church directory on your

smartphone. Search for

“Instant Church Directory” in

the Apple Store, Google Play

or Amazon Appstore. Follow

the instructions on the app. If

you have an email on file with

the church, you will be able to

download the app to your

phone and have all the

information at your

fingertips!

Jelly

Canned meat

(tuna, chicken)

Adoptive Student

Ministry

Did you know that SABC

offers an adoptive

student ministry? This

serves as a great

outreach to college

students here in Rolla. If

you would be interested

in learning more about

how you can get involved

in this ministry, please

contact Kody Brandt at (573) 364-4442 or

kodybrandt@sabchurch.

org

It’s almost time for Awana!

Awana Registration Night,

August 31, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Awana Clubs will resume

on September 7th

Every Wednesday evening

from 6:15 to 8:00

Kids 3 years through 6th

grade

Till the Nets are Full by Jason Snackenberg

I am presently working through a six part series with the youth on Wednesdays that focuses on

abandoning our personal wants, habits, and needs in an effort to bring Christ forward. This is a very

uncommon thing for us Westerners because we have so much and access to so much. When we can

begin to understand how blessed we are, not only to live where we live, but to have what we have,

maybe then we can begin to start honoring God with these blessed lives.

How do we honor God with our blessed lives?

Presently on Sunday nights, Kody Brandt is teaching us about GROW, an intentional outreach mission

for our church that will only take up one precious night a month for Christ. Even in our “stuff” filled

lives, this is doable. I want to challenge you to put down your personal wants, habits, needs, and

Sunday evening preferences for one night a month and be a part of this great mission to our

community. For the next three Sunday nights Kody will be guiding us through some training and then

we kick off the first group on Sunday August 21st.

It is so important for not only our church, but for you to be missional, and this is such a great and easy

way for you to become missional. But you have to start by getting up and moving.

Give God one night a month,

Jason

Don’t forget the Car Show is just three Saturdays away on August 13th Sign up on the fellowship

hall bulletin board to bring something. This is an amazing outreach to our community and also a

fundraiser for the youth group summer camp.

The Journey by Nolan Porter

I love to write – and I love to write this column for our church newsletter to communicate with each of you in

a different way. However, this month, I’ve decided to let someone else do the speaking for me. As the

great Will Rogers said, “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” A friend, fellow pastor, and fellow D.Min.

cohort member wrote this about a month ago – and I couldn’t have said it any better. I think it is appropriate

for today and for our current cultural/political temperature.

It’s election season and many pastors seem to have no problem with political endorsements. We’ve

recently witnessed many high-profile Christian leaders cozying up to their favorite candidate. Endorsement

of candidates by pastors happens on the left and right.

There are several reasons why endorsing a candidate detracts from my call as a pastor. Allow me to

present 10:

1. I would never presume to speak on God’s behalf as to who the best candidate is, because God is not a

Republican, a Democrat or, for that matter, an American. Both major parties put forward candidates that

take positions contrary to the Kingdom of God.

2. I have people in my church who might, based on personal conscience and Christian conviction, feel led

to vote for another candidate (either in another party or the same party). Choosing not to endorse a

candidate keeps me from alienating people within the flock. Christ’s highest desire for the church is unity

(John 17) and publicly endorsing a candidate in our politically charged nation jeopardizes that.

3. I strongly believe that separation of church and state is good for both, and that the church and state are

both stronger when neither uses the other as a crutch or a prop. That’s not the purpose of the pulpit.

4. If I endorse a candidate and then there is scandal of some sort associated with that candidate, then by

default I lose legitimacy as a pastoral leader. Like it or not, guilt by association is a reality in our world, and

I refuse to participate in doing something that may bring less authenticity and trust to the cause of Christ, or

the gospel.

5. By endorsing a candidate for public office, I would jeopardize my church’s 501(c)3 tax exempt status.

This could ruin financial solvency for many congregations, including my own. Legally 501(c)3 organizations

exist for explicitly religious purposes, and political speech (among other things) crosses the line in my book

and the IRS’s.

6. While I certainly hold my own opinions, I hold them loosely, knowing that I could always be wrong,

especially in matters of secular politics. It’s hard to even make an informed opinion because it’s nearly

impossible to cut through the misinformation (on both sides) and discern the truth.

7. We are called to live as aliens and strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11-12). For me, endorsing any

political candidate not only negates this biblical mandate, it usurps my responsibility to point people

towards God as their hope, and not a political leader.

8. As word in the community spread about my endorsement, efforts to evangelize and engage with people

of another persuasion would dry up. As a pastor, I’m called to minister to all people/families in my church

and community equally and without bias, and endorsing a candidate or party would send a strong signal

that our church favors people with one political outlook over another. See #1.

9. Power is dangerous, and throwing my lot in with a politician to try and increase my influence, the

influence of my church, or the influence of a political movement is tempting. The truth is, it can ruin pastors.

When you’re too close to power you lose the ability as a pastor to speak prophetically to that power. There

are countless examples of this — Fallwell Sr. and Jr., John Hagee, Robert Jeffress, Jesse Jackson,

Jeremiah Wright, Pat Robertson. For many, including myself, these pastors lose legitimacy as a voice for

the cause of Christ when so often they are little more than the puppet-mouthpiece of a political party, trying

to rally a base.

10. What good has it ever done? Preachers have endorsed candidates for decades now (on both sides)

and been let down when the politician gets elected and won’t give them the time of day because moneyed

interests (lobbyists) actually control what goes on in D.C. politics.

Those are just for starters. There are plenty of pastors (it seems) who have no problem endorsing a

candidate or party from the pulpit, however, it’s not going to be me.