The Michigan Free Will Baptist Menorah May The Monthly Publication of the Michigan State Association of Free Will Baptists 2014 Nearly every day between early June and October for the past 4 years or so, the routine around the parsonage and church grounds include the turkey watch for the Meadows family! It occurs twice; once in the early morning and again in the early evening. This allows us to witness the growth of the chicks from shortly after they hatch until they have reached near maturity; wow, do they grow in a hurry! Soon they are mature enough to fly up into the lower branches of a tree, where they roost during the night. Sometime shortly after the first light of day, the mother of these dozen or so turkey chicks flies from her roost in the trees behind the church parsonage. After settling on the ground, she ensures the surrounding environment is safe and begins to call her family from the trees to join her on their daily trip around the neighborhood! Once the entire family is accounted for, they immediately make their way to their first bite of breakfast; their kitchen is in site of the living room window. The route they travel allows us to watch their movement for quite some distance. The phenomenon that most interest me is the behavior of the mother hen turkey. Once the chicks get out of bed and their feet hit the ground, they have one thing on their mind, where s the food! As they hurriedly rush toward the breakfast table, they pay little or no attention to their surroundings; but not to worry. Bringing up the rear, and standing very quiet and extremely still, the mother hen turkey is looking intently in all directions for any present or approaching danger. Her entire attention is given to watching over her brood; she seldom puts her head to the ground to eat. The slightest movement or sound of something that should not be present is immediately recognized by the watchful eye and ear of the mother turkey. The chicks at this point recognize the various sounds from mom s beak: eat or not to eat, go to bed or wake up, come here or go there. But let the alarm sound and even the little ones know how to follow mom s instructions! A similar routine is followed by the flock of turkeys in the evening. It s neat to see them enter their kitchen for a late snack before heading back to the trees to go to roost. Talking Turkey Each day as my family and I witness this scene, it reminds me of the beautiful and comforting words of David the Psalmist: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. There is not a single moment of time when the Lord is not aware of us and our surroundings. The little chicks have complete confidence in the one who is constantly watching over them; shouldn t we display this same kind of trust in the Lord! He longs for us to do just that and is disappointed when we don t. Can you feel the compassion, as well as the disappointment, as Jesus said, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! David s prayer in Psalm 17:8 was, hide me under the shadow of thy wings and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge (Psalms 57:1). Will you join the Psalmist and me in saying, Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Update: I took a moment s break while writing this article to peak out the front window; the turkeys were just completing breakfast, exiting their kitchen and leaving for the day. Guess where mom was? Pastor Ron Meadows Faith Free Will Baptist Church The 2014 National Association of Free Will Baptists will be held July 27-30* at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston Street, Fort Worth, Texas. *Please note the later dates for the convention. The convention is traditionally held the third full week of July. However, during negotiations with Fort Worth in 2004 those dates were unavailable, so the convention was moved to the following week.
The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH Page 2 Fellowship District Association May 3, 9:30 a.m. First Free Will Baptist Church 1244 Holmes Road, Ypsilanti, MI Rev. Rex Evans, Pastor Rev. Calvin Brown, Moderator Liberty District Association May 3, 9:30 a.m. Free Will Baptist Chapel 302 E. Thirteen Mile Road, Madison Heights, MI Rev. Larry Hendricks, Pastor Rev. Danny Slater, Moderator West Michigan District Association May 3, 9:30 a.m. First Free Will Baptist Church 630 Moline Street, Comstock, MI Rev. Dean Sanford, Pastor Rev. William Hughes, Moderator Michigan State Association of Free Will Baptists May 15-17, 2014 Zehnder s of Frankenmuth 730 South Main Street, Frankenmuth, Michigan The room rate is $109.00 per room per night. Toll free: 800-863-7999. May 15, 8:30 a.m. Annual Golf Tournament Apple Mountain Golf Course, 4519 N. River Road, Freeland, MI. Cost: $50.00 per golfer includes 18 holes with cart and lunch at the turn. May 15, 5:30 p.m. General Board Dinner and Meeting Zehnder s Restaurant May 16, 8:30 a.m. Michigan State Association convenes Zehnder s Restaurant [basement] Congregation Sings! Called to order by Clerk Rev. Allen West Moderator s Message by Rev. Ron Helms Seating of Delegates Appointment of Committees: Business, Budget, Registration/Statistical, Obituary, Nominating Board Reports: General Board, Financial, Missions, Youth, Master s Men, Women Active for Christ, Christian Education, Promotional Secretary Reports from National Departments: Executive Office, International Missions, Randall House Publications, Free Will Baptist Home Missions, Master s Men, Women Nationally Active for Christ, Welch College, Free Will Baptist Foundation, Free Will Baptist Board of Retirement Recess Worship Service Message: Rev. Eric Thomsen Afternoon Free May 16, 7:00 p.m. Michigan State Association and Michigan Youth Conference meets in Joint Session Message Rev. David Crowe May 17, 8:30 a.m. Michigan State Association [Michigan Youth Conference meets separately for competition] Called to Order by Rev. Ron Helms Message Business Session Appoint Delegates to the National Association of Free Will Baptists, July 27-30, in Fort Worth, Texas Adjournment Michigan Youth Camp June 23 27, 2014 Simpson Park Campground Romeo, Michigan Cost: $130 per camper [ages 7-13]
The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH Page 3 Workers: $65.00; Junior Workers: $100 All workers are required to have an application on file with the pastor s signature verifying their qualifications and a background check has been done. Camp Director: Gordon Rohroff 4740 Knoll, Capac, MI 48014 grohroff@yahoo.com Good News from Spain Here are some requests to pray about in the next couple of months: On "Cinco de Mayo" (May 5th), we will celebrate with a Mexican party in the Alpedrete Outreach Center. Tim, along with Anthony Edgmon and another man from our church, will be attending an Apologetics Forum May 10th-12th. On May 18th, the Alpedrete Church will end a series of messages from Acts with a special service, where families will share about various people from the Book of Acts. The Alpedrete Church will have a full-day retreat in a nearby park on May 31st. On June 4th, our ladies' Bible study group will be having a special fellowship dinner together, as a grand finale to this year's study. Two young people from the Alpedrete Church will be baptized on June 15th. E-TEAM Spain, a group of young people who will be learning about the culture and ministry in Spain, will arrive on June 20th. On June 21st, we will have a desert-themed party in the Alpedrete Outreach Center. On July 1, our family will leave Spain for a sixmonth stateside assignment, traveling to churches to share about our ministry. Thank you for "praying without ceasing" for the needs here in Spain! Tim, Kristi, Alejandro, and Ana Media Commission to Provide Archived Convention Services Online Since 2010, the FWB Media Commission has partnered with the convention to provide live streaming of worship services. Due to the prohibitive cost of Internet services at the convention center this year, providing a live stream will not be possible. In order to accommodate those who may not be able to attend the convention, archived copies of the services will be made available online. Audio products of each service will be posted online following the service. Video of services will not be posted until a later date following the convention. These archived copies of services will be provided online and available for download for free. Copies of CDs or DVDs will no longer to available for purchase or order at the convention. The Media Commission will also be posting sermon quotes, video clips and photos on their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/fwbmedia, Twitter (@fwbmedia) and website (http://www.fwbmedia.com) throughout the convention. Ryanlewis, CMP, Executive Administrator National Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc. Harrison Offers Classic Sermon Index For centuries preachers have poured their hearts into delivering God s message, and many of these sermons have been published. The Classic Sermon Index, an easy-to-use Internet resource for Bible teachers and preachers, catalogs and links to these sermons for immediate access. Put together by Paul Harrison, long time Free Will Baptist pastor/professor, the website assists in Bible study and sermon prep. Seeing how a skilled preacher handled a passage is usually helpful. Of course, interaction with Scripture is more important than reading some- body s sermon, but the one should not exclude the other. Say you re planning to speak on Jesus transfiguration. From the website, just type in Matthew17 or transfiguration and click search. The index brings up a list of sermons on that passage and topic. Then click the one you want, and a scanned copy of the sermon opens. You can also do topical searches like Samuel or cross. The 3,800+ preachers range from church fathers to Matthew Henry to Charles Spurgeon to D. L. Moody to Francis Schaeffer. Sermons of recent preachers, like Schaeffer, are not available on the Internet because of copyright issues (you ll have to get the physical book for them), but the others are usually a click away. The index includes brief biographical sketches of each author. Baptists (including
The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH Page 4 Free Will Baptists like L. C. Johnson and Bobby Jackson), Presbyterians, and all sorts of preachers are included. Over100 sermons by King James Bible translators and nearly fifty by a signer of the Declaration of Independence are cataloged. The index catalogs over 47,000 sermons, making all sorts of sermons by all sorts of preachers instantly accessible. You can find what a hard-line predestinarian says about the whosoever of John 3:16 or what a Jewish rabbi says about Isaiah53. The index also contains much of historic significance: a sermon defending slavery or one preached by William Laud just before they chopped off his head. Read the oldest sermon published in America or one preached right after the Boston Tea Party. Enjoy the great black preacher John Jasper s sermon, The Sun Do Move. Inserting into your sermon or lesson a quotation or illustration from one of these striking sermons can add punch to your words. In a 1532 sermon Luther said of God s judgment: When the Lord God comes to punish, he puts on woolen socks, so he can walk without a sound and approach without being heard. Using such a statement strengthens a sermon s impact. They used to preach before public executions, and these execution sermons are riveting. In 1723 a ship crashed off the New England shore, and the people rescued the sinking sailors, only to discover they were pirates. They promptly tried them and hanged them. Cotton Mather preached on this ironic save them and then kill them event, and his sermon is in the index. The Classic Sermon Index puts the world s greatest and most interesting preaching at your finger-tips for easy use. Subscribe directly or give a subscription to your pastor or Sunday school teacher. Visit the site at classicsermonindex.com. Question: I want to know if we as Free Will Baptist, have protection from homosexual marriages. Answer (From our Attorney): The church is a private non-profit organization. The church alone determines qualifications for membership and how to conduct its activities. In my opinion, the church would never be compelled to conduct a marriage ceremony for a gay couple or any other couple. I do not believe that it needs to be spelled out in a constitution. The church could object to marrying anyone that did not lead a Christian lifestyle. Pinson Addresses Withdrawal of Purchase Offer Dear Friend of Welch College, Last week I emailed and posted on our website a prayer letter informing Welch College supporters of opposition from the Richland-West End Neighborhood Association to the zoning of our property as a college campus if sold to Aquinas College, who signed a letter of intent with us in October to purchase our West End campus. I write again to inform you that Aquinas has withdrawn its offer to purchase our campus and to request prayer for our ongoing relocation effort at Welch. The leadership and board at Aquinas believe that the timing of the zoning process with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals, which could take several months because of neighborhood opposition, makes it impossible for Aquinas to move forward with the purchase and still have facilities ready for the 2015-16 academic year. Aquinas has gone back to its original plan to build residential facilities on its current campus for its new residential student population. You may remember that something similar occurred more than twelve years ago, when Watkins College of Art attempted to purchase our campus and backed out under pressure from the neighborhood. Our plans at this point are to continue with the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals hearing scheduled for next month and see this zoning question through, getting a final ruling on our ability to sell the campus to another educational institution. This will keep this issue from arising in the future should another school show interest in the property. Meanwhile, we will aggressively market the campus to a few residential developers who can develop the three different types of properties we have: (1) condominiumzoned property on West End, (2) educational building lots which will be marketed as new home lots, and (3) older homes that will be sold for renovation. These developers will simultaneously close on the property and lease the campus back to us for 16-18 months while we construct the new campus in Gallatin. Recently at a rally for Welch College hosted by a group of churches in our area, we sang the old hymn, God Leads Us Along. The basic message of that song is that God s leadership in our lives, while sometimes difficult, is always active, and is carrying us toward the realization of His purpose. Despite this setback, we remain confident of God s strong leadership. While we may see this as being led through the fire, as the hymn says, we trust in God s leadership.
The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH Page 5 So often in Scripture we find the Lord delaying the plans of His people, only to give them something better than they had originally requested. That is how we view this event. So, as we have before, we seek your prayers for God s leadership and wisdom, and your continued gifts for the dream of relocation. Thank you for your heartfelt support for the work of the Kingdom through Welch College. Sincerely, Matt Pinson Welch College Adds Two New Junior Faculty Chris Talbot Frank Thornsbury NASHVILLE, TN This fall Welch College will add two new junior faculty members to its teaching roster, according to Provost Greg Ketteman. Chris Talbot will teach Youth and Family Ministry and Frank Thornsbury will teach English. Welch College has a rich history of employing fine young Christian adults who spend their lives in diligent service to God in this ministry, Dr. Ketteman said. God uses the freshness and strength of these willing servants to revitalize and refresh the work of Welch College. After observing these young men as students and leaders, we look forward to working with new junior faculty members Chris Talbot and Frank Thornsbury as they bring willing hearts, the freshness and strength of youth, and sharpened, God-given intellects into the ministry of Welch College. Talbot, minister of students at Unity Free Will Baptist Church in Greenville, NC, will begin teaching in the Youth and Family program. Originally from Michigan [ed. note: the Tecumseh Free Will Baptist Church], Talbot is a Welch College graduate, completing the Bachelor of Science degree in pastoral ministry in 2012, and is slated to complete his master s degree in Christian Ministry from Grace Theological Seminary in May. Talbot has served in his current youth role since 2012. Before that he served as an associate pastor in Alabama. He also served three years (two full-time, one part-time) as recruitment/enrollment counselor at Welch, representing the college across the denomination in camps, youth retreats, and other venues. Named to Who s Who Among American College and University Students, Talbot has an impressive ministry of writing and speaking. He blogs at TheHSF.com and has blogged for FWB21.com. He is also a contributor to the interdenominational youth ministry website Rootedministry.com. He plans to pursue a doctorate. He is married to Rebekah (Ayers), a Welch graduate and music teacher who was elected Most Outstanding Student by the Welch faculty her senior year. Eastern Kentucky native Frank Thornsbury will become an instructor in the English program. He is a recent Welch College history graduate who will complete his master s degree in English at Valparaiso University this summer. Twice elected student body president at Welch, he was named Best All Around Boy by his peers his senior year. Thornsbury jump-started Welch College s involvement in the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature. He was elected best student senator by his peers from more than 80 colleges and universities in Tennessee, as well as receiving the Carlisle Award, the organization s top honor. He has also served as a campaign manager and staffer in a number of Kentucky state political campaigns. With interests in linguistics, hermeneutics, and the great books of Western Civilization, Thornsbury will serve as a strong addition to the humanities faculty at Welch. He has plans to obtain his doctorate. I m excited about these two new, young faculty members, said Welch president Matt Pinson. Chris Talbot and Frank Thornsbury are just the sort of teachers we need at Welch College. They re both energetic and zealous about the gospel, and they wed that zeal to a commitment to the discipleship of the mind. What s more, they re dyed-in-thewool Free Will Baptists who will winsomely appeal to the broad spectrum of students in our denomination. Fall Minister s Retreat September 14 16, 2014 Guest Speaker: Dr. Doug Earls
The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH 4166 Maplewood Meadows Avenue Grand Blanc, Michigan 48439-3500 Revival Faith Free Will Baptist Church 64395 Romeo Plank Road, Ray, MI 48096 Saturday, June 21 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 22 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Rev. Greg Floars, Evangelist Rev. Ron Meadows, Pastor Pastors, join us for this free training on expositional preaching with Jeff Manning When? Saturday, May 31 from 4-8 pm (dinner provided) Where? Central Free Will Baptist Church, 2005 Rochester Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 Cost? Free Join us on Saturday, May 31 from 4-8 pm at Central Church in Royal Oak to strengthen your preaching skills by learning from Jeff Manning. Jeff is pastor of Unity Free Will Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina where he has served for 24 years. Pastor Jeff received his B.A. from Welch College in Pastoral Training, the M.Div. from Bob Jones University and a D.Min. in Expositional Preaching from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff and his wife Jennifer have three children: Jena (married to Jon Hart), Jake, and Joanna. He also serves on the Free Will Baptist International Missions Board and is an adjunct faculty member at Welch College. Martin Lloyd Jones said, The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and the most urgent need in the Church, it is obviously the greatest need of the world also (Preaching and Preachers). This free event includes three sessions with Manning that includes Q/A and a complimentary dinner. We want to encourage and equip Free Will Baptist pastors from the state of Michigan as we believe preaching to be the most important time of the week in the life of the local church. For more information, email Tom McCullough (tomatcentral@sbcglobal.net) or Jacob Riggs (jacob@centralfwbchurch.com). This preaching conference is co-sponsored by the Central Church and the Michigan Board of Christian Education. The Michigan Free Will Baptist MENORAH is the monthly publication of the Michigan State Association of Free Will Baptists; Rev. Gene Norris, editor and Promotional Director; Rev. Ron Helms, Moderator; Rev. Joe Jones, Assistant Moderator; Rev. Steve Thrasher, Treasurer [28106 James, Warren, MI 48092]; Rev. Rick Locklear, Assistant Treasurer; Rev. Allen West, Clerk; Rev. Jeff Isaacs, Assistant Clerk. The MENORAH is sent free upon request.