J U N E 2016 V OLUME 59 NO. 6. Jun. Jun. July

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1 J U N E 2016 V OLUME 59 NO. 6 This is how Webster defines the word expendable: to be used up or consumed in service. I cannot think of a more appropriate descriptor to describe the functional position of a follower of Jesus. Expendability in the Christian context involves the giving of oneself to the great purposes of Christ and the church. To be willing to give oneself over completely and totally so that Christ might be made known to the nations beginning right here at home. The chief motive for the Christian Mission is best expressed in a paradox, which is the central paradox of the Gospel. We soon notice, as we study Christ s own words about the Church, that He employed a number of metaphors, or which the one about the fire is the most striking. Jesus spoke of salt, of light, and of leaven. At first glance these seem to be very different from one another, but, as we examine them, we soon realize that they have one feature in common: all are figures representing penetration. The salt exists to penetrate the meat, the light exists to penetrate the darkness, and the leaven exists to penetrate the dough in order that it may rise. Each is lost, yet is, at the same time, creative of something of supreme value. The most surprising fact is that each of these is frustrated in its true function whenever it is saved, because the essence of each is that it is radically expendable. The way to destroy the usefulness of a lamp is to try to protect it by putting it under a meal-tub (Matt, 5:15). The lesson is simple: What we do not use we really lose! Opportunities for you to be expendable: Work in Vacation Bible School Participate in the outreach program of your church Teach Bible study at your church Volunteer at summer school Volunteer at the Veterans Hospital Go on a mission trip Host a backyard Bible club Invite a youth group to your home one evening Help out in the church nursery Give some money to help send your pastor on a mission trip Sing in the church choir And the list goes on and on. Expendable with you, Jun 2 Vision Team 12:15 9 Admin Team Noon SBC Conv. in St. Louis 19 Father s Day July 4 SWIBA Closed 14 Admin Team Noon Trinidad Mission Trip 25 Baby Care Vanderburgh 4H fair Jun 2 Carl Boyd 5 Terry Butler 6 Beth Edmondson 13 Joanna Deeter 13 Ron Osborne 18 James Bean 25 Karl Crowe 26 Bobby Pell 27 Melody Denton July 1 Marie Simpkins 2 Glen Flowers 3 Doyle Eddings 4 Mark Lowe 4 Jackson VanDyke 11 Ty Hauer 14 Paula Scott 16 Kathy Taylor 22 Ron Fellows 24 Sally Sigler 26 Christina Schulz 31 Stacy Conyers Bro. Ron

2 I believe our heritage as the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and what we stand for is important. As we continue to explore ministries of the SBC and what it means to be Southern Baptist, I want us to look at the WMU. The Woman s Missionary Union (WMU) challenges Christian believers to understand and be radically involved in the mission of God. The objectives of WMU reflect a biblical understanding of missions and provide a holistic approach to missions awareness and participation. Pray for Missions To pray for missions means to communicate with God on behalf of missions work, people involved in missions work, and people that need to know and accept God s redeeming love. Engage in Mission Action and Witnessing The teaching and actions of Jesus recorded in the New Testament show us that the Christian faith is not stagnant but active and participatory. We are to share the gospel in word and deed verbally and through our actions. Learn About Missions Learning about missions helps believers better understand what God says about making His name known throughout the earth. Support Missions Christians have a part in upholding the cause of missions, maintaining missions work, and encouraging missions personnel. Develop Spiritually Toward a Missions Lifestyle For the believer, spiritual development involves growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ. It involves dayto-day living that applies and carries out the missions imperatives of God s Word. Participate in the Work of the Church and Denomination As a missions ministry within a congregation, WMU encourages and provides opportunities for all church members and other participants to be aware of and involved in missions and cooperates with other missions ministries within the congregation to help the congregation fulfill its missions potential. In 1888, a handful of women dedicated to the cause of missions founded Woman s Missionary Union. Since that time, WMU has become the largest Protestant organization for women in the world, with a membership of approximately 1 million. WMU also was the first and remains the largest body of organized laity in the Southern Baptist Convention. Financial support of missionaries has always been a priority for women involved in WMU. When the women founded the national organization in 1888, one of their first items of business was to accept the request to raise money for the two mission boards. Within the first year, the women contributed over 30,700 to the two entities. The women s efforts to raise money for the two mission boards are known today as the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. By the end of 1998, WMU had helped lead Southern Baptists to contribute nearly 2.5 billion to the two offerings. Adapted from sbc.net In an era of extreme partisan views in American politics, the church is at a crossroad. It seems society is drawing dividing lines, and expecting everyone to pick a side. Political agnosticism is frowned upon by the general public. So the church is placed in an awkward situation. With the emergence of the Donald Trump presidential run within the Republican Party, most Christians are confused to the proper course of action. How should the church proceed within political discourse and action? Jonathan Leeman, who is the editorial director of 9Marks, wrote a book entitled, Political Church: The Local Assembly as Embassy of Christ s Rule. He argues that the church is not only a spiritual assembly, but also a political one. The church is a kind of embassy per se. He writes, This embassy represents a kingdom not from across geographic space but from across eschatological time. Jesus has decreed that His people, the church, has the authority to establish local congregations that are visible embassies of his present and eventually kingship. Therefore, the church is a political assembly that represents, displays, and announces Jesus righteous rule over all people. Each local church manifests visibly and institutionally the universal rule of Christ through the preaching of the gospel and the ordinary activities of the congregation. A governmental authority over humanity by Jesus Christ is expressed through the organization of Christians into churches. The keys of the kingdom of Christ are given to the church for building a people, who are under the headship of Jesus. Jonathan Leeman writes, It is to place them within a construct of rules, beliefs, or norms that will shape their behavior relative both to one another and to outsiders while also providing them with a measure of social stability, identity and meaning. Jesus rules visibly and institutionally through the church. When the church affirms in worship, Jesus is Lord, they are stating a political truth. There is no territory in His creation that is independent of Him. He has chosen to act in the world through His church. His ministry of redemption and justice is channeled through them. The church is therefore political when it is preaching, evangelizing, and ministering to people through the Word. These are the activities of the embassies of Christ to visibly expose the world to His kingdom. Pray that God would continue to use college students as frontline advocates of the Kingdom of Christ. May he use us to proclaim His truth to a spiritual decay community. Matthew Castro Director of BCM at USI

3 Ladies, please join us for a fun filled weekend as we focus our hearts on the meaning of FRIENDSHIP. We will learn how Jesus was a friend to so many and how we can follow his example. Through video we will hear from best-selling author and storyteller Karen Kingsbury. She takes the absolute TRUTH of scripture, the CULTURE of the time period and then writes a story that brings these FRIENDS to life. Enjoy fun and fellowship with other women, as we laugh, cry, sing, play and make new friendships. It is a weekend we don t want you to miss!

4 GENERAL FUND D o n a t io n s f r o m c h u r c h e s a s o f 4 / 3 1 / 1 6 CHURCH C en ter o f H o p e C h risn e y B C C h r i s t C o m m u n it y C overt Av enue C re e k sid e C ro s sr o ad s C y p re ss E l b e r fe ld F ares A venue F ir s t S o u t h e r n T h e P r in c e to n C h u r c h F o rt B ra n c h F rie n d sh ip G a tew a y G race G r a c e & T ru th C o m m C h H a rw o o d H a t fi e ld H e r it a g e H i ll s H u n t in g b u r g T o r re F u e rte In d e p e n d e n c e Jas p er G r a c e & T r u t h, Ir e la n d L in c o l n H il ls M e m o r ia l M t. V ern o n N ew B eth el N ew Cov enant N ew H a rm o n y N ew H ope N e w L i fe, P o s e y v i ll e N o r th P a rk N o rth ea st P a rk N o rth w o o d s E ndeavor Church O a k h il l R es u rg en c e R iv e r C i ty C o m m u n i t y C h R iv e r w in d R ockport S o u th sid e S t. M e in r a d T h e B r id g e C h u r c h T h e C h u r c N ew b u rg h T h e K ec k C h u rc h T r i -S t a te D e a f C h u r c h T ru e V in e V ann A venue V ic t o r y W a te r s E d g e In t e r e s t T o ta l R e c e ip t s B u d ge t R e q u ire s O ver/(u nder) B u dget A p ril , , , TOTAL 2, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ( 4, ) First Southern Baptist Church is presently receiving resumes for a part-time Children's Director position. Please send resumes to: First Southern Baptist Attn: Personnel Committee 25 S. Cullen Ave. Evansville, IN For more information, please contact Our property cannot stay updated without the help of volunteers in our association. This year Woody Youngs brought some volunteers from North Park s Trail Life Group to help us make needed improvements and maintenance to our grounds. We were able to plant 9 bushes, put in rock and pull up old railroad ties and replace with new landscaping timbers. Besides adding the new items we also were able to get all the bushes trimmed around the office and duplex. We can always use more help with our grounds; if you have a youth group or SS Class that wants a service project please consider your association. Thank you for giving of your time to help this year - Tom and Sandy Luttrull, Ron Osborne, Misty and Garrett Eich, Woody Youngs and Trail Life members!

5 Join with others from right here in your associa on of churches. July One of the most exci ng things that a child of God can be part of is telling someone about Jesus. This can and should happen locally, regionally, na onally, and globally. Your associa on is working hard to develop partnerships with churches and organiza ons that will help our SWIBA members connect in a variety of ways. Our mission team will be working alongside of a church planter. He has planted a church in a very poor area known as Brazil village. We will be visi ng homes all around the church property along with some church members. Our goal is to help the pastor canvas the area and reach the lost near his church. Skilled tradesmen are also needed for electrical, drywall and landscaping. We hope to be able to help the pastor spruce up the church property. It was in a state of disrepair prior to their ge ng the property. Our team will also have the some me toward the end of the trip to see the island including a rain forest and beach area! This interna onal mission trip is exci ng for a variety of reasons: 1. The office language is English. 2. The interna onal flight is not terribly long. 3. Trinidad is very much a Westernized country. Everything will feel familiar for someone who has never gone on a short-term mission trip. 4. We will stay in homes and eat all of our meals with families! The cost of the trip to Trinidad is 1950 per person/double occupancy. This covers all costs associated with the trip (airfare, ground transporta- on, lodging, and all meals.)

6 The SWIBA News is published by: Southwestern Indiana Southern Baptist Association 6710 Oak Hill Road, Evansville, IN Phone (812) FAX (812) Web Page: Dr. Ron Osborne, Coordinator Misty Eich, Secretary/Treasurer NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID EVANSVILLE, IN PERMIT #1405 Return Service Requested If you would like to be removed from this mailing list please call the number above. We have done such a great job serving the community at the fair that 4H leadership have not only requested that we return in 2016, but they are putting our baby changing station in a prime location! THIS IS GREAT NEWS! We are now beginning the process of recruiting churches and volunteers to reach out and love on the community. You will be able to tell hundreds about your church and OUR LORD. We are requesting our churches host a day and the schedule is: Monday Friday 4pm-9pm and Saturday Noon 9pm. Wednesday is already covered. Please call Misty at to sign-up and get more information about the event.