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Our Shepherds
Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.
1Peter 5:2-3 |
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Starting With God
Our blessings are found in our knowing God and His will for us. We are given “a manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair, to teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn---“ I am continually amazed as I learn more from God’s word how there are answers for me. I realize more and more the importance of Starting With God “The first step in learning is bowing down to God.”
My vision for you and me is for us to Start With God. Let Him have a greater influence on our lives, how we live, how we conduct ourselves and how we interact with our family, our church family and those in the world. May we be blessed as we grow closer to God. Let’s all learn to Start With God as we try to Build a Better World.
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A Vision for Missions
Over the last five years I have developed a heightened awareness of Mission efforts in many parts of the world. This awareness has been fed partly by Gay’s trips to, and her involvement with the church in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. My sensitivity to the needs of missionaries has been intensified by the close observation of Don and Jane Neal since August 1995, when they announced their desire to become missionaries.
On Sunday November 12, 2000, the Bentonville Church of Christ will once again participate in its own Mission Emphasis Sunday. Last year $57,000 was given by our members in a “special contribution” for various works in addition to our regular budgeted items. This year the church has assumed the responsibility of “sponsoring congregation” for the Dennis Knight family in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. We anticipate an even greater response this year. More will be said about MES in the coming weeks.
But more than just money is needed to support missionaries. The Lord’s work needs you. Below is a list of items you could do to help support the work:
Learn about the work
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Commit to pray daily
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Communicate regularly through e-mail, letters and limited phone calls
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Distribute newsletter to those without e-mail
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Recognize missionary birthdays and anniversaries
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Communicate with the foreign church members
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Member trips
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Furnish ideas for the work through committee involvement
Think how exciting it will be to have a part in saving a soul in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.
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Jesus’ Great Commission
Jesus’ words in Mark 16:15, “…Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” are being followed by the missionary efforts in the Ukraine, in Mexico, in Togo, in Nigeria and those in the other places we have opportunity to support today. Our brethren and many of our own members are very active in these works. God is being glorified by these efforts.
The shepherds’ vision for our congregation is that we always seek the most effective ways to share the gospel with the lost in the world.
Every one of our members can participate in spreading the gospel in foreign mission fields, some by going and some by providing support to those who actually physically go. That support can take many forms: Financial, moral, encouragement, administrative, etc. Those who stay at home and provide support are just as much an integral part of fulfilling Jesus’ command as are those who actually enter the mission field.
Every one of our members can share the gospel with those whom they come in contact every day. Some have often said that Mark 16:15 is equally as accurate to the original meaning if it is interpreted as “…as you go into the world, preach the good news to all creation.” This wording makes it clear that each of our daily lives (home, work, school, avocation, etc.) should be living testimony of the good news of Jesus. We obey Jesus’ Great Commission by living a life of loving service to others to the glory of Jesus. Such love and service will draw the lost to Jesus.
Each of us should take the opportunity of today being Mission Emphasis Sunday to recommit ourselves to individual service to Jesus’ Great Commission with our money and in the area of our individual talents and interests. We should also dedicate ourselves to making our daily walk one that will attract others to Christ.
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Know Christ
The apostle Paul says in Philippians 3 that his goal is to know Christ, to be like Him, and to be all Christ has in mind for him to be.
My vision is that our Bentonville family will have that same goal for herself. We have had some great moments in our history and some times when the "tide" seemed low. However, we cannot be discouraged by the setbacks or rest on our laurels over the great things accomplished. We must "forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead."
Because God has blessed us so richly in Bentonville with both physical and spiritual blessings, He is making great things happen to His Glory.
Read the third chapter of Philippians and sense the intensity we must carry into each day. We must strain like an athlete in training, to reach the goal of the heaven-word call in Jesus. We should grow in the knowledge of God and involve ourselves more fully in His mission for us, and look forward to a fuller, more meaningful life each day because of our hope in Christ!
Press on!
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Prayer
Prayer is a very important part of our lives. Satan works hard to discourage us from praying. It is also easy for Satan to make us feel guilty about our prayer life.
The prayers we read and study about in the Bible are about ordinary people that are involved in God's purposes although they have weaknesses, fear and mixed motives. The Bible allows us to walk side-by-side with those biblical characters adnd understand a little of why they prayed and how they saw God. This can only encourage us in our prayer life.
God knows that we find prayer tough:
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He forgives us for our shortcomings and allows us to start fresh time and time again.
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Prayer is an adventure that we all are involved in. It is something that we don't graduate out of.
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It is a lifelong adventure that begins where we are.
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Prayer is an adventure hand-in-hand with the One who went to the cross for us and intercedes at the right hand of the Father for us.
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He wants us in prayer to enter deeper into his purposes for the lives of those around us.
Paul's instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states: "Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
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Unified
Jesus prayed for us to be unified, “…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (Jn. 17:21 NIV)
He exhorted us to be faithful. “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.” (Jn. 14:12) And “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Lk. 18:8) Together He wants us to serve. “…to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:12-13 NIV)
It is my prayer that we will be what Jesus wants us to be: unified, faithful, and serving. |
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My Dream
I have a dream. A dream that someday we can actually realize the results of the power Jesus expressed in the little parable of Mark 4:26-29. Jesus
says,
"The seed sprouts and grows, though he (the sower) does not know how. All
by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, and then
the full kernel in the head".
The education ministry of the church is the constant planting of the seed,
the word of God, in the heart of every individual who gives us that
opportunity. We plant and water and God uses his awesome power to grow
himself a disciple. The growing seed in a good heart leads them to follow
Jesus. The end results are the producing in lives the fruit of the mature
follower of the Lord.
Every page of curriculum, every teacher or helper, each method of teaching,
and each classroom with supplies and furniture becomes a vital part of the
awesome power of God to draw to himself servants who want to live to the
glory of His name.
When we catch the vision of the significance and power of the Word in our
lives we will understand the vital role of our education ministry.
May God bless us to "grow in the grace and the knowledge" of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
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John Dyas
Involvement Minister
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Understanding God’s Plan
The Church is God’s plan for changing the world and when you become a member of His church you became a part of that plan. Everything we do for God is significant and He is glorified in our worship and in our personal spiritual growth. But, world changing stuff happens when we serve. The core of Jesus’ teachings is Love put into action and that is service. Our common word for that is Ministry which is how we serve one another and the world around us that desperately needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. We can do no greater things for God than to know Him “Learn His Word” and serve him “Find a ministry where you can serve”.
Discover your unique shape or what God has made you to be. When you discover what He has made you to be you will understand what He has made you to do. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to help you be fruitful and fulfilled in a meaningful place of service. I guarantee you will find no greater satisfaction than that in the Kingdom of Heaven.
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“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…” Ecclesiastes 12:1
Pre-teen and teenage years are an important time in the spiritual development of young men and women. Our youth ministry programs reach out to students in a manner that is interesting, fun, practical, and real. Our mission in working with youth is rooted deeply in God’s Word. It is our only measurement of effective ministry to families, and is our constant guide as we work together to help parents raise their children in the Lord. As we lead our students into the body of Christ, we want to encourage them to grow in the same balanced way that Jesus grew, giving attention to all aspects of their development. Our model is found in Luke 2:52. “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.”
Youth Ministry is a vital part of any congregation that sees their pre-teens and teens as active members of the church not just some sub-group. It has been said that teenagers have six basic needs.
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They desire to have meaning and purpose in their lives.
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They want to feel a sense of community and deeper relationships.
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Every teen wants to be loved and appreciated.
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They want to feel that they have a voice (to be heard and to be listened to).
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Teens want to feel a growth in their faith.
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They also want a practical help in developing their faith.
Those six needs are what we strive to accomplish for everyone who attends our youth ministry program activities. |
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