The West Virginia. Spring 2017 Volume 17 Number 1 West Virginia State Association of Free Will Baptists

Transcription

1 The West Virginia Messenger Making a Difference Spring 2017 Volume 17 Number 1 West Virginia State Association of Free Will Baptists

2 IN PERSPECTIVE with the promotional director Making a Difference In Someone s Life Our theme for the Spring issue of the Messenger is Making a Difference. This thought is found in Jude 1:22, And of some have compassion, making a difference. When I consider this verse my thoughts go back in time to 1957 to those who made a difference in my life. The first person to make a difference in my life was my wife, Paula. She took me to the #21 Holden FWB Young People s meeting where I heard for the first time the wonderful Bible stories about Jesus. We were truly blessed to have Youth Leaders like Deacon John Shepherd and his wife Shelby and our Sunday School Teacher Rose McCloud. Three years later at the age of 20, I attended a revival at our church and Rev. John T. Vance, the pastor of the church, preached the message that night. I felt an old fashion, Holy Ghost conviction in my heart that led me to the altar where I gave my life to Christ. After 56 years of being saved and nearly forty years as a minister of Christ, it has been my privilege to hear many great teachers and preachers. All of them have had an impact on my life and ministry. God truly has used them to make a difference in my life. Jesus said in John15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. My prayer for our State Association is that every member of our churches will strive to make a difference in someone s life this year. Rev. Carl Lilly State Promotional Director Are you doing enough

3 Message from the Moderator Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; Our theme for this edition is; MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Really, isn t that what we all want to do in life? Our minds are bombarded daily with so much negativity that if we re not careful the devil will convince us there s no hope and there s nothing we can do. That s why we need to read the Book. The world has been a dark place since the fall of man, but God has always had a people whom He used to make a difference. People who were willing to be obedient to Him; like Moses, David, Daniel and the Hebrew boys. Then the lesser known ones; like Naaman s little maid and Ananias who went to Saul (Paul). I read something the other day that challenged my heart. It said that we spend our life trying to be comfortable.god hasn t called us to be comfortable, but committed. Could you see Bro. Ananias comfortable at Damascus? God said; Ananias, I need you to move out of your comfort zone and go talk to a man for Me. Ananias; Sure Lord, who? God; Saul of Tarsus. Ananias; Whoa!!! I ve heard of him, are You sure that s the man? God; I m sure. So he went and he made a difference. Do you know where revival will start in our lives, our churches, our world? It s when we ll hear the Lord and move out for Him. Lost men and women, boys, and girls are headed to a burning hell without Jesus. We can make a difference in some, pulling them out of the fire. This little story makes a good point The Boy and the Starfish A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance. As he drew nearer, he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean. As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach. One at a time he was throwing them back into the water. The man asked the boy what he was doing. The boy replied, I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. But, said the man, You can t possibly save them all. There are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can t possibly make a difference. The boy looked down, frowning for a moment; then bent down to pick up another starfish, smiling as he threw it back into the sea. He replied, I made a huge difference to that one! Your Servant in Christ, Rev. Earl White State Moderator to make a difference? 2

4 Messenger Devotional with Assistant Moderator, Bro. Mike Smith The book of Jude may be small in size, but certainly not in volume. Jude covers so much in just one chapter, that when you are finished you have been reminded of many events of the Old Testament. As the book ends you are building up yourself on your most holy faith and keeping yourself in the love of God. In verse 22, and of some have compassion, making a difference. We are currently studying the book of Acts in our Adult Sunday School Class. As Acts begins, Jesus is commanding the Apostles to wait at Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, a promise that would bring power, a power that would make them witnesses, witnesses not only at home, but abroad. There are many things that can make a difference in our lives, but not always for the good. Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost and the power of the Holy Ghost added unto them about three thousand souls. One thing to remember is that these are the very people who had just heard Peter say, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. The difference that the gospel makes cannot be compared to anything else because it begins with God, who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. If we want to see a difference in ourselves and others, then the word of God is where we need to start. For the lad with the fishes and loaves, he saw that a little could accomplish a lot. The conversion of Saul would bring forth rest for the church and a great missionary. The jailor who was ready to take his own life, received life and not only him, but his entire household. In chapter eleven of Hebrews, the writer helps us to see what a difference faith makes in our lives; the effect of trusting and believing, and the provision of God. We always need to remember the thing that made the greatest difference in our lives was the acceptance of Jesus Christ. Paul on the ship headed to Rome stood among men who had lost hope, with some of the most encouraging words of hope; still there were men ready to flee the ship. Paul, making one more plea, said, except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Jude said, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire. I know that there are discouraging times in our churches and for preachers in our ministries, but keep sounding the alarm. Don t give up, don t faint, keep working to make a difference in some lost soul s life. May God bless you all. Rev. Mike Smith Assistant Moderator Hebrews 11:6... Without faith it is impossible to please him... 3 THE MESSENGER Fall 2016

5 Greetings to all, As you probably know, I m not a person who makes New Year s resolutions. However, I do want to wish everyone a Blessed New Year I was planning to write about something else. But, my mind went into high gear when I recently heard that the theme for this edition is Making a Difference. Here are a few of my thoughts on this subject. We should seek to make a difference, always remembering to make a good/positive difference, not a bad/negative difference. An example: instead of moaning, sighing, fussing because an elderly lady is taking too much time in the check-out line, offer to help unload her cart. This is a bad/negative difference (fussing) turning into a good/positive difference (helping). Another example: Two young brothers in one of my Good News Bible Clubs used to be happy, carefree, came prepared to recite their memory verse, etc. Everything changed. I wondered why. The answer came through their prayer requests... my Dad is sick and lost his job; Mom and Dad s fussing keeps us awake, pray that my Mom won t divorce my Dad. What a bad/negative difference these things made for these little guys. Thankfully, they began asking for prayer. God s people interceded. Things are getting better. Prayer, as always, made a good/positive difference. Praise the Lord from Whom all Blessings Flow! Having a motto of trying to make a difference isn t bad. But, many of the results are just temporary. My desire is to seek to make a difference by doing those things which count for eternity. Things that will be laid up as treasures in Heaven. Who and what is eternal? God, His Word, and the soul. In order to even come close to achieving this, I must present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God and...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Great Commission News Romans 12: 1 and 2. A wonderful thing has happened at Free Will Baptist International Missions. For six years the finances, at the end of the year, have shown a large deficit. The year 2016 ended in the black, not in the red. Our Lord has rewarded our missionaries, the Mission administration and staff, and donors who make a difference by doing that which counts for eternity. God moved on the hearts of His people and many, especially through the World Missions Offering, gave sacrificially and generously so that all missionary accounts in the deficit were erased. God is Good! This has made a great difference and we have reason to rejoice. However, the deficit will be there again unless our people give on a regular monthly basis. This is the only way that our missionaries can function longterm. It is possible that some of you have never made a difference by committing to pray and give on a regular basis so that our missionaries can work without the stress of their accounts going in the red. Please prayerfully consider helping our missionaries serving in the U.S.A. and those serving overseas. Open your hearts to receive the many blessings that God bestows upon His children who walk in obedience to His command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Until He Comes, Alice F. Smith Join the 2017 Prayer Team for the National Association in Louisville! 4

6 MISSION BOARD of the West Virginia State Association of Free WillBaptist (1979) (Foreign Missionary to Bulgaria) (Foreign Missionary to Bulgaria) (Hispanic Ministry - State of West Virginia) 5 THE MESSENGER Fall 2016

7 Upper Ohio Valley Conference and area Churches are having a March for Mission Revival 90 Stanley Lane Greeneville, TN PHONE: info@fwbfm.com WEBSITE: Like, Follow, and Share! We have field representatives available to come and share about Family Ministries with your churches. Log on to our website for a list and contact info for our reps. 6

8 McCorkle FWB Church would like to welcome their New Pastor & Family. Rev. Isaiah & Jessica Hatfield, McKinley & Ezekiel. (Pictre to the left shows new building.) 7 VICTORY OVER FEAR I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. [Psalm 3: 5] God can give true peace and sleep. Fear can destroy peace and joy. Don t let fear destroy you. Jesus can provide true freedom from destructive fear! He can defeat fear completely! The true follower of Jesus should focus on Him rather than allowing fear to dominate them. Fear can control the heart. God s word can fortify a person against fear. Praying to God is another fortification against fear. Jesus can provide victory over fear for His true followers! Jesus can take away fear. Fear cannot stand against Him! The true follower of Jesus can have sweet victory over fear! By, Rev. Darrell Wellman THE MESSENGER Fall 2016 International Missions Update! Submitted By: Rev. Rickie Holstein

9 WAC News with Sister Jody Sullivan Can you make a difference in this world? Absolutely! My heart was touched when I read a Lakota Sioux proverb that said, We will be known forever by the tracks we leave behind. How true! We can make a difference in our world and leave tracks for those behind us to see. Let s inspect some tracks left for us in the Bible. In Acts 9, we read the story about a lady named Dorcas. She was described as a woman full of good works and alms deeds. She was known for the coats and garments she had made for the widows of Lydda. Turning over to Acts 16, we read about Lydia. She was saved, witnessed to her household and won them to the Lord and showed great hospitality to Paul and his entourage. These women may not have changed the entire world but they made a difference in the world around them and you can do the same. Sunshine FWB Church in Huntington will be hosting our Annual Convention on May 20th. Sis. Sandy Burdette will develop the theme All My Days. The Lord has a plan for our lives and knows the events that will occur in all our days on earth. (I ve been told that Lydia Awtrey, missionary to Bulgaria will be at our meeting.) Here s how you can make a difference in the world around us at this meeting: we will be having a Baby Shower for Birthright of Huntington that day. Items needed for those less fortunate are size 1 diapers, baby wipes, ointments, shampoos, baby wash, baby towels and wash cloths, crib sheets, sleepers (size 3-6 months) and receiving blankets. We will have an opportunity this summer to do something that we ve never had before. We will be hosting the National WNAC President and past WNAC President from the Ivory Coast in July! These ladies will be in the USA the month of July and specifically requested to come to WV to thank the women of WV for all they ve done to support the work in Ivory Coast during the last 50 years. We re planning a meeting for the Huntington area on July 11th and one in the Beckley area on July 14th. How exciting! There will be more details on these meetings later on. So how can you make a difference for them? Let s help pay their expenses to the National Association of FWB in July. It will be held in Louisville, KY. I m guessing that it will cost around $1,000 while they re in Louisville. If you can do anything to help with their expenses, send a check to our treasurer earmarked for Ivory Coast ladies. Send your checks to: Linda Hutchison, 3381 Holland Branch Road, Barboursville, WV Let s get started ASAP so their trip will be paid for before they arrive in the states. Retreat will be held on September 8th & 9th at the Cornerstone FWB Church in Crab Orchard, WV. Sis. Phyllis Smith and I will speak on The Obstacle of Unbelief and Believing God. There will be special music, drama teams amongst other things during this retreat. How can I make a difference for someone at this meeting? We will be receiving an offering for Brian and Emily Williams, Church Builders in New York and also for Trif and Vanya Trifanov in Varna, Bulgaria. It s suggested that each WAC group bring $100 for each mission work. Even if you can t make a difference in the entire world, determine in your heart that you ll change the world around you. We can change our world for Christ. Let s work til Jesus comes! Pray for us as we pray for you. Jody Sullivan WV WAC President 8

10 WV Christian Education Board - Updates and Upcoming Activities The 2017 Bible, Music & Arts Festival will be held at McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church on Saturday, April 22nd. Check-in and breakfast will begin at 8 am with presentations beginning at 9 am. Lunch will be served at the church. Registration forms are due by April 1st. Any registration forms or changes made to registrations received after April 1st will be subject to a $10 late fee. Registration Forms and Model Release Forms can be found on the WV Christian Education Board Website and Facebook page. Registration forms and model release forms can be submitted to Linda Hutchinson at: 3381 Holland Branch Road, Barboursville, WV or by at hutchinson1951@aol.com If you have any questions, you may contact Sis. Linda at Sunday School Enlargement Campaign You ve been challenged! All of the churches are challenged to grow their Sunday School attendance! The churches with the largest percentage of growth in their average attendance from December to April will be presented with a trophy at the State Association Meeting in June. THE MESSENGER Fall 2016 Adopt A Granny How s your Adopt a Granny going? We ve been hearing some great things about this ministry going on! Send us your letter or log on what you are doing with your Adopted Granny/Grandpa/ Individual by March 30th. The Christian Education Board will be selecting participants to be honoured at the Bible, Music & Arts Festival in April. We will also feature participants on our website, so don t forget the pictures! Information can be sent to John Preece at jwp7777@yahoo.com or PO Box 24, Lenore, WV

11 Vacation Bible School Material Exchange Summer will be here before you know it, and with it comes VBS! The most exciting time at the church for kids in the summer. VBS materials can be expensive, and some years, hard to find just the right one. Don t toss those kits when you re through with them! Save them to bless another church. We invite all churches to recycle their VBS kits. Send us information about the kits that you have: Title, lessons/ theme, skits/props available, format (weekend, 4 night, 5 night, etc), and contact person for your church. We will post the information about available kits and contact info on our webpage for other churches to view and A to be arranged. For more information, or to submit your VBS kit information, contact Amy Smith at: asmith.wvceb@gmail.com Freedom Freewill Baptist 2nd Annual Youth Rally A Great Success! Freedom Freewill Baptist Church, located on New Route # 3 in Inez Kentucky hosted their 2nd Youth Rally January 20th. Once again, God showed up and blessed the rally abundantly, around 150 people were in attendance and the rally saw two souls saved. It was an extreme blessing to be part of. The rally was blessed with two great speakers, Andrew Fletcher and Michael Williamson. Both of these young men brought the word of God to their audience in a powerful way. The rally once again was so happy to have the The Collective back with them. These young people ministered to the group through music and testimonies that drawled many to the alter for prayer. The evening was filled with praises for our Father! We d like to thank all that helped, including; WV Christian Education Board and Bro. John Preece for their support. Announcements Help us get announcements and activities out to you quicker and straight to your inbox! Send us your address and telephone number to John Preece at; jwp7777@yahoo.com or sign up though the Contact Us page on our webpage. Webpage The Christian Education Board has a new webpage! This new webpage will be a great place to see upcoming events, get information about all of the Christian Education Board programs, and share what s been going on at your church and with your youth! Send us photos and write-ups of your church and youth events for us to display. Check it out at:

12 The Messenger c/o Adam White 4864 RT 52 Williamson, WV PRESORT STD US Postage PAID Permit 229 Huntington WV Rev. Carl Lilly, Promotional Director Home: Cell: Published Triannual by the West Virginia State Association of Free Will Baptists 4864 RT 52, Williamson, WV Adam White, Editor and Publisher Cell: (304) Cover Photo: Found at: Messenger Submissions The West Virginia Free Will Baptist family loves reading special news & events from your local church and conference. Please your articles to Article deadline for the Fall edition is April 30, By submitting material to The Messenger, you agree all submissions are property of The Messenger, and you agree The Messenger has been granted the non-exclusive right to edit, use, and reproduce any submission. Not all articles received will fit into the space given in each issue, therefore we will try to insert unused articles at a further dates.