The Encourager. Countryside Christian Church s

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1 Countryside Christian Church s The Encourager Chad Laughrey, Senior Minister Arlene Stoner, Secretary November s Events Sundays am Mondays Wednesdays 6:00 pm Family Supper Momentum Kingdom Kids Choir Saturdays 9:00 am Breakfast with the King (BK North) November 1 10:15 Communion Servers Meeting November 8 Elder s Meeting Lamplighter s Potluck November 13 6:30 pm McDowell introduction Dinner (RSVP by the 8th) November 14 7:30 Praise & Night November 17 6:45 Choir practice (upstairs) 7:00 Jostie s Musical performance November 22 Annual Thanksgiving Potluck November 24 6:45 Choir Practice November 25 No Wednesday Activities November 26 Happy Thanksgiving How important is involvement in the body of Christ? Being active and involved in the body of Christ is critical for every believer. Perhaps one of the biggest problems in the Western church is the notion that getting saved is akin to getting a ticket to heaven. This, for many, is the ultimate purpose of the cross and the real essence of Christianity. While I would never want to diminish the significance of eternally dwelling with God, this notion certainly misses the heart of what the Bible teaches about what it means to be a Christian. Christianity is not merely a ticket to heaven (as important as that is). Jesus did not call his disciples to go out and convince people of the legitimacy of the resurrection, pray a sinner s prayer and then go about their merry way. Jesus told his disciples to make other disciples, not converts. For instance, look at Jesus interaction with the rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16ff). When this young man came to Jesus looking for eternal life, Jesus did not tell him to believe a list of facts about him and pray a prayer to assure himself of eternal life. Rather, Jesus told the man to sell his possessions and follow him. Jesus called the man to make the Messiah the center of his life, rather than merely something he added on to his intellectual checklist in order to obtain eternal life. Jesus is not something we add-on. He is someone we surrender to. What does this have to do with service in the body of Christ? Everything! Many Christians act as though the church is something to be consumed. The idea is that we get saved and then go to church in order to feel better about ourselves and to have people on staff take care of our mental, emotional and spiritual needs. While this is part of church, it is only a part. When we become part of the body of Christ, we become part of something that is bigger than ourselves. Our lives are no longer our own; they belong to Christ. Therefore, our lives are to be given to serve and build his body. The notion that someone could get saved and then not connect with other believers but only focus on their own spiritual and emotional welfare is contrary to the very nature of Christ. Growth comes through service. Consider the following: And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11 14, ESV)

2 It is through the work of ministry that we are all built up. As a part of the body, you do not belong to yourself anymore. You belong to Christ. The eye does not exist for the eye s own glory and benefit. It exists to aid the rest of the body with its unique function of seeing. Likewise, if the mouth decided it only wanted to talk but wasn t interested in eating food to fill the belly and nourish the other members, the whole body would be in trouble. Another problem with the consumer Christianity that is prevalent in our culture is that it is highly selfish and leads to a very dangerous type of spiritual immaturity. Growing as a Christian is serious business. Peter says that our faith is of greater worth than gold (1 Peter 1:7). Peter essentially says that the condition of our faith is so important to God that he is even willing to allow His children to be persecuted so their faith can be refined. Yet many believers treat their faith as though it is tin rather than gold. They are careless with this precious faith and do not nurture or grow in it. The author of Hebrews warns that those who did not grow into maturity were dangerously close to turning away from the truth and giving up the precious faith that saves them. If they did this, it would be impossible to restore them to repentance (cf. Heb. 6:1-8). We need to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. Peter says that this will keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in your Christian life and assure you an entrance into the eternal kingdom (cf. 2 Peter 1:5-11). Finally, we need to heed Christ s warning about not diligently being about his business. God has given you a gift with which to serve and bless others in his body. If you do nothing with it, you are acting wickedly with what you have been entrusted. Jesus tells the parables of the seed and talents. Both parables point to the importance of cultivating what God gives you in order to live a fruitful life for Him. If you allow selfishness and the riches of the world to consume you, it will choke out God s Word in your life (cf. Luke 8:1-8). The servant who took the Master s gift and buried it in the ground was deemed wicked because he refused to act faithfully and seek to please his master while he was gone with what had been entrusted (Matthew 25:14-20). The teaching of the NT reveals that God desires us to be passionate disciples who take up our crosses and give our lives away to build others in a knowledge of the truth through the gifts God has given us. He is not looking for people with facts about Jesus. Rather, he wants people who use the truth of Christ to drive them toward holiness, godliness and service to others. This shows the world the power of the Gospel and God s Spirit as we love one another and give our lives to our brothers and sisters as Christ gave himself for us. May your November be filled with thanksgiving to our great and glorious God! Chad Wednesdays Family Meal Menu for November: 4th Chips & Quesadillas 11th Biscuits & Gravy 18th Grilled Ham & Cheese and French Fries 25th NO MEAL or Wednesday Activities. Sunday December 13th The choir has been working hard on the Christmas Cantata Light out of the Darkness. They practice each Wednesday evening at. There is more room for more voices! They would love to have you come join them.

3 Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Sunday, November 22nd following the worship service. Please check the sign up sheets at the Welcome Center to see where you can help out! Come meet the McDowell Family Friday Night November 13th at 6:30 PM Lasagna and salad will be served, but only to those that R.S.V.P. by Sunday November 8th. We must have an accurate head count, so please R.S.V.P. to be included in the meal. Sign up at the Welcome Center, reply to the I will send out, or reply on Facebook but we stress that we MUST know if you will be joining us so we have enough food to feed everyone. Hope to see you all there!! Josh & Ashley Alexis & Jasmine

4 Silver Ring Thing Wednesday November 11th 7 9 PM Buffalo County Fairgrounds Operation Christmas Child Check out the awesome display of sample boxes in the fellowship hall and guidelines for you to take with you as you fill the box and bless a child. We had a HUGE response and ordered 200 more boxes this week but they will not be in for at least a week. So please know that more will be arriving so you can take one for sizing (or use any shoe box) and the OCC boxes will be here soon and you can take as many as you would like to after they arrive. If you are unfamiliar with OCC please ask at the display table, or contact Rob Stoner at (308) or Becky Stoner at (308)

5 Join us on Wednesdays at 6:45pm. There will be no Activities on Wednesday, November 25th so you can spend time with your family! Thoughts from the secretary s messy desk: Sometimes things just start to weigh heavy on my heart. I was talking with an Elder recently about things and the topic turned to welcoming people (especially newcomers) and making them feel like they can find a church home here at Countryside. He told me about Dennis now some of you will not remember Dennis but he always stood out in a crowd you could not help but notice Dennis he was the town bum He was hit by a car several years ago and passed away and he died as he lived on his own terms. But that was not what the elder shared with me he told me about a church family that invited Dennis in for the potlucks, that gave him a warm meal and a cup of coffee and showed him real Christianity. Out on the streets of Kearney, Dennis was ridiculed, made fun of and people walked by and shook their heads I was probably guilty of the head shaking myself. But this church welcomed him in and to repay their kindness, when the retaining wall was put up on the South side of the church Dennis showed up to help. The moral of my story is not, Yay for our church! The moral is do we still reach out to people who don t look like us who might not have had a bath recently, pierced people who show up covered in tattoos people who show up broken and need a hospital that is what we should be a hospital for sinners not a club for saints. I am urging you all to reach out on Sunday and shake the hand of the person next to you are they new?...then greet them have you seen them in church but never learned their names...go ask. That little touch of kindness can mean the world to people. It is said that people come to church for 4 reasons; Death, Divorce, Displacement or Disaster. Why they are here is not relevant showing them kindness and the love that I know is here and in this church is what is important. When people visit they are looking for a friendly place to grow in Christ I am asking can YOU be that to another person, are we that as a church family?? Go forth and be a blessing, Arlene If this man showed up Sunday, how would you greet him? Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2

6 4 Gwendolyn Smith 6 Janet Steffen 4 Mary Schanbacher 9 Barb Burwell 11 Sam Laughrey 12 Joyce Linn 14 Jared Shields Jr. 14 Carrie Miller 15 Crystal Stocks 15 Kristi Eschleman 17 Katie Simmons 17 Kris Thompson 17 David Morehead 18 Eileen Tiede 21 Rachelle Warner 27 Quin Oberg 29 Christie Weinberg DON T FORGET...Ray Shields would like to meet with all the current and prospective Communion Servers on Sunday November 1st at 10:15 to review the changes in the serving policy. Please be prompt...it will only take a few minutes so please be prompt so you don t miss it!!

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00 pm Family Supper Momentum 6:45 8:15 pm :00 am Breakfast with the King. (North Burger King) 8 Elder s Mtg. Lamplighter s Potluck Veterans Day 6:00 pm Family Supper Momentum 6:45 8:15 pm :00 am 6:30 pm Dinner for the McDowell Family RSVP by 11/8 Breakfast with the King. (North Burger King) 7:30 pm Praise & Night 15 CONGREGATIONAL Vote on Youth Minister National Organ Donor Sunday :45 8:15 pm 7:00 pm Jostie s Concert 18 6:00 pm Family Supper Momentum :00 am Breakfast with the King. (North Burger King) :45 8:15 pm 25 6:00 pm Family Supper Momentum 26 Thanksgiving November 2015

8 th Ave Kearney NE countrysidechristian1@gmail.com Newsletter for November 2015 Winning Lives ~ Maturing Christians