THE BRIDGE PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 9 MARCH

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1 THE BRIDGE PAGE 1 VOL. 10 NO. 9 MARCH 1, 2017 Words are not in any way adequate to express the appreciation I feel for the efforts invested by the fine folks at ABC in making last weekend s [Un]Apologetic Conference a great success. Almost 60 of our members joined in with our ministerial, administrative, and facilities staff to ensure that every conceivable detail was covered and every person attending was well cared for. The representatives of our convention shared with me that there was a level of professionalism and kindhearted service that was very impressive to them. About 900 people registered for the conference and very few of those 900 were no-shows. I constantly heard compliments from those attending regarding what wonderfully helpful people we have in our family of faith. I appreciate all of those who took time out of a busy weekend to attend the conference; and I express my deepest and sincerest thanks to those who volunteered their time and effort to make a great conference even better! (Continued on page 2) [Un]Apologetic Conference WHAT S INSIDE Alaska Tour Info Meeting... 2 Contact Information... 2 Dr. James Denison Article... 3 From Desk of David Procter... 4 BFG Leader Training... 4 [UN]Apologetic Conference... 5 From the Heart of John Parker... 6 Music Notes from Dodie... 7 Annie Armstrong Goal... 7 Dr. Tony Wheeler... 8 Young Adult Bible Study... 9 Neighborhood Block Party... 9 Japan Mission... 9 Lamplighters Call to Prayer Parents Night Out Lamplighters Daddy-Daughter Date Night Children s Ministry Events Electrify Student Ministry Events Calendar & Reports [UN]Apologetic Weekend... 15

2 PAGE 2 THE BRIDGE (Continued from page 1) STAFF Dr. Gary Dyer SENIOR PASTOR Cell garyd@austinbaptistchurch.com Dr. David Procter EXECUTIVE PASTOR Cell davidp@austinbaptistchurch.com John Parker ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF MUSIC & WORSHIP Cell johnp@austinbaptistchurch.com Matt Gillum MINISTER TO STUDENTS & THEIR FAMILIES Cell mattg@austinbaptistchurch.com Cathy Smith MINISTER TO CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES Cell cathys@austinbaptistchurch.com Dodie Morris MUSIC & WORSHIP ASSOCIATE dodiem@austinbaptistchurch.com Jon Marc Burge CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP ASSOCIATE jonb@austinbaptistchurch.com ADMINISTRATION Christina Mendoza MINISTERIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT / IT SPECIALIST christinam@austinbaptistchurch.com Jennifer Koret FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR jenniferk@austinbaptistchurch.com Rita Jones OFFICE MANAGER ritaj@austinbaptistchurch.com Derek Tackett FACILITIES MANAGER Cell derekt@austinbaptistchurch.com Clifteen Samuelson EVENTS COORDINATOR events@austinbaptistchurch.com Joe Pere DIRECTOR OF MEDIA MINISTRY joep@austinbaptistchurch.com SUPPORT STAFF Bill Dickson FINANCE CLERK billd@austinbaptistchurch.com Elena Samper ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT elenas@austinbaptistchurch.com Kati Dobbs CHILDREN S MINISTRY ASSOCIATE katid@austinbaptistchurch.com Teena and I want to thank you for your sweet and caring support during her illness. As I write this, she is on the mend. Your prayers and encouragement have meant so much to her, as they have to me. Thank you for being such a caring family of faith! There are approximately five weeks remaining for people to sign up for the tour to Alaska scheduled for August We have places available for about a dozen additional people. This will be the last tour Teena and I will be hosting, and I wanted the last trip I host to be to places I treasure. Fortunately, I was able to work with Educational Opportunities to put together a trip that includes most of the things we have enjoyed the most in our 11 journeys to Alaska. We will see the best of what Alaska has to offer by land and by sea. No, this is not a trip that will retrace the steps of Biblical personalities, but it is a trip that will give those traveling as good a glimpse into the grandeur of God s creation as one can possibly get. If you are interested in more information, I will have one additional information meeting on Wednesday night, March 8. Brochures are available at the Welcome Center. The deadline for making reservations is April 8. Gary Dyer, Pastor John 3:30

3 THE BRIDGE PAGE 3 NOTE: I consider Dr. Jim Denison as important and influential in matters of faith and culture as can be found in our day. He has granted permission to share the following. It is so timely. Please don t miss a word of it! 'When We Rise' celebrates gay marriage Dr. Jim Denison February 28, 2017 Gary Dyer, Pastor Austin Baptist Church When We Rise began last night. The four-night, eight-hour ABC miniseries tells the story of the gay rights movement in America. Critics call it "inspirational" and "powerful." TV Guide praises the series for illustrating "the blood, sweat and tears that went into making it so that LGBT people can now enjoy freedoms including the right to marry." The miniseries is Hollywood's latest attempt to normalize homosexual behavior. This should not surprise us. Wikipedia has compiled a list of 987 bisexual, pansexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender characters on television and radio. I didn't try to count its very long lists of animated, dramatic, and comedic TV programs with LGBT characters. My purpose this morning is not to recount the extensive biblical prohibitions against same-sex activity or outline yet another defense of biblical marriage. Rather, it is to encourage Christians not to give up on this issue. Our culture wants those of us who believe in biblical sexual morality to stop caring about this debate. "Marriage equality" (such a misleading misnomer!) is the law of the land, we're told, so we need to move on or be accused of intolerant homophobic bigotry. In this war of attrition, it's tempting to concede the battle and tolerate what the Bible forbids. Here's why we must not do that. One: This is about the authority of God's word, not the popular whims of society. The Bible consistently and clearly forbids same-sex behavior. If we decide that God's word is irrelevant on this subject, where next will we abandon biblical authority? Two: Souls are at risk. Homosexual behavior is not the unpardonable sin, but it is a sin. And like all sin, it always takes those who practice it further than they wanted to go, keeps them longer than they wanted to stay, and costs them more than they wanted to pay. Jesus died for every LGBT person you know. They are loved by God and deserve to know his word and will for their lives. Three: This is going to get worse. What started as the "sexual revolution" to legitimize premarital sex has turned into escalating divorce rates, a pornography epidemic, widespread sex trafficking, and ever-more aberrant behavior. After same-sex marriage comes polygamy and polyamory (many loves), "zoophilia" (sexual relations with animals), and "consensual love" (sexual relationships without regard to age or biological relationship). If you think I'm exaggerating, ask yourself if you would have expected legalized same-sex marriage ten years ago. Four: God's strength is all we need. When we serve the Kingdom, we can claim the power of the King: "I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). One way God wants to redeem the discouragement of our day is by using it to draw us to him in faith. Craig Denison notes, "Your God is the same God of David, Samson, Paul, and John. The success that they had was the direct result of their choosing God's strength over their own." So keep believing that God's word is true (John 17:17). Keep speaking that truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Our culture deserves our witness and our King deserves our obedience. It's always too soon to give up on God. Used by permission. Jim Denison, Ph.D., is CEO and co-founder of Denison Forum on Truth and Culture and speaks and writes on cultural and contemporary issues. For more information please go to

4 PAGE 4 THE BRIDGE Dr. Jimmy Myers will speak with our Bible Fellowship (BF) leaders about small group dynamics. How can our BF groups continue to improve and excel? Those who lead our student, young adult, and adult Bible Fellowship groups are invited to this two-hour session in the Youth Suite. A light lunch will be provided. There is no charge for the meeting. Those interested in serving in one of these groups as well as current leadership are invited to participate. Jimmy preached the contemporary service in the first year of our existence, and taught our first young adult Bible Fellowship group. He is the Founder and Director of The Timothy Center, a Christian counseling ministry. (An extension of The Timothy Center is available at our location, under the leadership of Michael Cox.) So we can have a headcount for lunch, please register at bfgleaderequipping. Strobel Movie Debuts April 7 Lee Strobel, one of the featured speakers at the recent [Un]Apologetic Conference, shared clips from the new movie about his transformation from atheist to committed Christian. The movie is titled The Case for Christ and will open at theaters nationwide on April 7, Click here for the movie s website: which includes the film s trailer. Lee Strobel s story is a compelling one and has the potential for a great evangelistic impact. We can pray for God to use this film in a powerful way. Help get the word out and think about who you can invite to accompany you to view the film. As soon as we learn of local theaters showing this film, we will include it in The Bridge. Remember time change is Sunday, March 12. We resume Daylight Savings Time. Set your clocks forward one hour Saturday evening to be on time for worship and Bible Fellowship the next morning! Attendance in Bible Fellowship and in worship was our highest ever for the month of February. Bible Fellowship groups averaged 816 compared with 799 last year. Worship attendance averaged 882, compared with 845 in February We welcomed 19 new members to ABC in February. Praise the Lord! Many new guests have worshiped with us in the past few weeks. (Continued on page 5)

5 THE BRIDGE PAGE 5 (Continued from page 4) The Conference was a great success and a blessing to many people. Online registration closed Thursday; at that time almost 800 had registered, including 375 members of Austin Baptist church! BGCT reports that this conference had their highest ever attendance for an [Un]Apologetic Conference. We are confident that many believers were equipped and encouraged to share their faith effectively and consistently. Planning for the Conference began in April of A number of convention, association, and church leaders were involved in planning and promoting the Conference. But eventually the work of hosting the Conference fell to the staff and volunteers at ABC. There was an amazing commitment by many to pray for the conference and work to make it a success. There are many people to thank: Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Apologetics and Youth Evangelism for Texas Baptists, and Cynthia Atherton, Lead Ministry Assistant, Evangelism, Texas Baptists Great Commission Team. These two gave overall leadership to the Conference. They enlisted and energized a capable group of presenters to challenge and help us. Christina Mendoza and Rita Jones worked tirelessly on the countless details (including the Green Room) and managed the many adjustments required by the rapidly growing registration. They coordinated the wonderful work of almost 60 volunteers (their names are listed at the bottom of this article.). Volunteers helped exhibitors and presenters unload their supplies; drive the golf carts; assist with parking; greet people, assist with registration and meal tickets; serve as door monitors for general sessions and break-out sessions; manage the food service and break stations. Thank you to each and every one! Facilities Manager Derek Tackett, Max Martinez, Stan Manley, and Abel Medina. They faced the monumental task of moving virtually every chair and table in our Bible Fellowship rooms to prepare for the break-out conferences and for the dining areas throughout our building. Late Saturday afternoon they set to work preparing the building for Sunday morning. Phil and Clifteen Samuelson and the Hospitality Ministry Team coordinated the water and beverage service during the conference, including two meals, and provided the delicious breakfast Saturday morning. Team members included Nancy and Audie Wiggam, Tom and Joyce Howell, and Andy and Clara Stockton. Joe Pere and his team: Jillian Parker, Buddy Beger, David McDowell, Justin Woodward, Steve Roebuck, Ally Lunday, and Matt Gillum worked to provide all the tech needs of both the general sessions and the break-out groups. Jon Marc Burge, Nick Boettcher, Tim Myers, Kyle Ortiz,Matt Arduini, Adrian Gillum and Christa Ratcliff served as the praise band for the general sessions. Cody Shouse, Director of the Baptist Student Ministry at The University of Texas, and Chick- Fil-A provided delicious meals for the attendees. Deborah Begley and Lifeway Christian Store staff provided an incredible array of resources by the presenters and others. Also Special Thanks to Our Other Volunteers: Betty Arrell Joey Bassett Gene Clark Avery Cline Brian Cline Lori Cline Allison D Alfonzo Clyde Danks Kati Dobbs Gary Dyer Mija Jagger Rosie Manley Gina McDowell Gene Merchant Izzy Mendoza Tony Mendoza Bill Morris Dodie Morris Audra Parker John Parker Ken Porter Rosie Porter David Procter Selena Procter Abel Samper Dan Samper Elena Samper Marc Samper Bob Sandford Joan Sandford Ruby Seidman Cathy Smith Robbie Walters Billie Wedlund Ann Wilson Bill Wilson Lynn Wood David Procter

6 PAGE 6 THE BRIDGE Well, February is over and Easter Sunday will be here before you know it! Here are some suggestions how Christian worshippers can begin now preparing for Easter Sunday. 1) PRAY about who you will invite to worship with us on Easter Sunday. 2) Spend the seven weeks PREPARING your heart by studying the key events of Holy Week: This Week Triumphal Entry Matt 21:1-17 Wk of Mar 5 Last Supper John 13:1-38 Wk of Mar 12 Prayer, Betrayal, Arrest Matt 25:36-56 Wk of Mar 19 Sanhedrin & Denial Matt 26:57-75 Wk of Mar 26 Before Pilate & the Crowd Matt 27:11-31 Wk of Apr 2 Crucifixion, Death, Burial Matt 27:32-66 Wk of Apr 9 Resurrection, Appearances, Mandate John ) Make an intentional effort to PROCLAIM to someone in your circle of friends and acquaintances your personal testimony of Salvation through Christ s sacrifice. 4) PRAISE God daily in your private worship for the wonderful gift of Salvation provided through the sacrifice of Jesus. Sing to God songs of praise and thanksgiving for His indescribable gift! 5) POST detailed information on social media about the upcoming Upper Room and Easter services at Austin Baptist Church. 6) Make decided efforts to resolve any conflict you may have with others. Seek to make PEACE. 7) Pray that God s Holy Spirit would move with mighty POWER among our membership and community to the glory of His Son. I am already looking forward to the greatest Easter in the history of Austin Baptist Church! Let s plan and prepare for it now and every day leading up to Resurrection Sunday! I can t wait to be with you again in worship this coming Sunday! Blessings, John Parker Sunday, March 5, :00 AM WORSHIP Shout for Joy JOYFUL NOISE Heavenly Sunlight Jesus Loves me Great is Thy Faithfulness MICHAL & NATHAN TAYLOR Because We Believe SANTUARY CHOIR & ORCHESTRA Now I Belong to Jesus 11:11 AM WORSHIP Unstoppable God All the World All to Us Healing is in Your Hands

7 THE BRIDGE PAGE 7 Because of the LORD s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 2:22-23 This coming Sunday, our music at the early service will include an invitation to worship from Joyful Noise: Shout for Joy! The choir and congregation will sing two great hymns: Heavenly Sunlight (remember that one?) and Jesus Loves Me (a precious song for children of all ages.) The choir and orchestra will present a statement of faith: Because We Believe. But the song I would like to focus on is Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Michal and Nathan Taylor will play this piece as a duet on trombone and organ. I can t wait to hear this sweet young couple play this beautiful hymn! Out of curiosity, I took a few minutes to look up the history of Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Thomas Chisholm, born in 1866 in a Kentucky log cabin, wrote the words to this hymn as well as 1200 other poems. His work shows that he was determined to incorporate as much Scripture in his lyrics as possible. I love that! Many hymns that have heart-wrenching, dramatic stories behind them; but Great Is Thy Faithfulness simply reminds us of God s faithfulness in our everyday lives. The idea that God never changes and has great compassion; that He has provided a way for my sin to be forgiven; that the Holy Spirit is here and encourages me and shows me a path forward; that He gives me strength and hope Wow! I need to hear that every day! I will be camped out in my memory banks, listening to my dad s strong tenor voice. If you would like to listen too, I found an up-to-date version by Chris Rice on YouTube: v=0k1whftvp0o Dodie

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9 THE BRIDGE PAGE 9 INFO MEETING SUN, MAR 5 2 PM, CHAPEL

10 PAGE 10 THE BRIDGE Dear Members & Friends: David was not only a great military leader, courageous warrior, and King, but he also was the author and songwriter of many of the Psalms. In the book of 2 Samuel, we see reflections of his early life, as well as his perspective as his days on earth were coming to a close. Come join us Sunday as we look closely at God s truth revealed in David s words. Zack

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12 PAGE 12 THE BRIDGE Wow, it certainly has been a hectic and exciting month of ministry up at ABC! In the past month we ve had Disciple Now and the [Un]Apologetic Conference, and this weekend I m gearing up for Student iserve Day and Daddy- Daughter Date Night! In the midst of this we ve continued with Bible Fellowship Groups and Axis and all the ongoing ministries of the church. How cool is it to have such dynamic opportunities to reach out to our community for Christ s sake and grow in our personal walk with Him? As I m in the middle of this great cycle of ministry, I m reminded of the unique position that I get to serve at Austin Baptist Church. As Minister to Students and Their Families, there is an innate connection with the idea of ministry to students and to families. So often in our culture we separate people by age or place in life and specialize to their specific needs. But Paul reminds us of the unique nature of the Church, that, All the believers were together and had everything in common Acts 2:44. While the specific ministries in church life are important, it is equally important for us to take time to connect with one another as One Body in Christ. This week as we carry out Daddy- Daughter Date Night and as our students enter the community of Austin to serve in the Name of Christ, we will do so with the unity and confidence that we serve as part of the family of Austin Baptist Church. We are overjoyed to connect our families together at ABC and serve outside the walls. So how can we grow in our ability to connect with one another in the Church? For one, take some time this week to pray for the folks in your Generations group. Every Bible Fellowship Group at ABC has a group of people that they have dedicated to pray for on an ongoing basis. Take some time to pray earnestly for those people. For another thing, begin checking out the upcoming ministry events listed in The Bridge to see areas where you can serve. Every month there are multiple opportunities to connect and serve, so check out where God is moving you to plug in. And lastly, this week as you return to worship at ABC, why not take the opportunity to reach out and greet one person you have never met before? Make it a goal to reach out in kindness to someone else in the church and help them feel at home. You d be amazed at how far a little bit of outreach can go in impacting the Kingdom. May we be a church that is unified in our desire to serve and to reach for Christ. As we do, we will see Christ s love flourish in our midst! By Christ s Love, Matt

13 THE BRIDGE PAGE 13 ABC STUDENTS iserve DAY Saturday, March 4, 2017 Time & Location TBA

14 PAGE 14 THE BRIDGE NEXT WEEK AT ABC RECURRING EVENTS Sunday, March 5 Annie Armstrong Week of Prayer 9:00 am Traditional Worship, Worship Center 10:10 am Bible Fellowship Groups 11:11 am Contemporary Worship, Worship Center 11:15 am Acteens, Rm :00 pm Missions Committee Meeting, Rm 206 2:00 pm Informational Meeting on Japan Mission, Chapel 6:00 pm Daddy-Daughter Date Night, Skylight Rm (237) Wednesday, March 8 5:00 pm Fellowship Dinner, Great Hall 6:00 pm Bible Study, Great Hall Young Adult Discipleship, Rm. 243-A 6:30 pm Student Ministry AXIS 7:15 pm Alaska Trip Information Meeting, Chapel Saturday, March 11 - Set Clocks Forward 1 Hr Before Bedtime 8:00 am Handbell Conference, Great Hall ON THE HORIZON SUNDAY AWANA 2:00 pm Joyful Noise 2:00 pm MONDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 9:30 am Class, Rm 134 TUESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 9:30 am Class, Rm :30 am Class, Rm 134 Music Rehearsal 7:00 pm, 11:11 Band WEDNESDAY Tiny Tots & Tunes 10:00 am Class, Rm 134 KIDZMUZIK 6:00 pm, Children s area Music Rehearsals 6:00 pm Handbells 7:15 pm Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm Orchestra Rehearsal THURSDAY Mom2Mom 9:45 am Rm 248 Women s Bible Study 9:45 am Rm 243 A & B American Heritage Girls/ Trail Life Mar 2 & 23 6:00 pm, Rm 137 March 12 Membership 101 Daylight Savings Begins Lamplighters Chili Cook-Off 13 Adults on Mission 15 No Wednesday Night Activities 19 Trustees Meeting BFG Leadership Training Finance Committee Meeting 22 Facilities Committee Meeting 24 Pinterest Night, Student Ministry Girls 25 Bouldering Day, Student Ministry Guys 26 Pre-school BFG Leaders Meeting 27 Deacons Meeting 29 Business Meeting 31 ABC Neighborhood Block Party April 9 ABC Easter Egg Hunt Student Ministry Seder Sunday 13 Upper Room Service 16 Easter DEACONS ON CALL Week of March 6, 2017 Terry Clodfelter John Dawes FELLOWSHIP MENU Wednesday, March 8, 2017 Chicken Diane OUR RESPONSE TO GOD S FAITHFULNESS Annual 2017 General Fund Budget $3,500, Average Weekly Requirement... $ 67, Year-to-Date Requirement... $ 605, Account YTD Budget YTD Variance YTD Actual v. Budget Our Attendance Sunday, February 26, :00 Service :11 Service Bible Fellowship Groups General Fund $41, $455, $605, ($149,965.75) Designated $ $5, Bldg/Strong $4, $54, Fill the Rooms $50.00 $1, Offering Total-to-Date $4,543, Total Giving $46, $517, AUSTIN BAPTIST CHURCH 7016 RIBELIN RANCH DRIVE AUSTIN, TX

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