Baptist Church Volume 49, Issue 3 March 2011 THE TRUMPET How Then Shall We Live? 1 Christianity is more than a religion. It is a way of life. Scripture repeatedly talks about how we are to live. Paul, for example, wrote to the church at Colossae affirming their faith and love. He tells them he doesn t stop praying that God will fill them with knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding for the specific purpose that they live a life worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:9-10). He told the church at Ephesus, Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity and As a prisoner for the Lord I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 5:15 and 4:1). In other words, God s will for us is that we transfer our faith into life. What should that look like? How then should we live? Striking A Chord 2 Social Media 3 A Word from Danny Small Groups 5 FISHERS OF MEN Financial Matters Calendar 4 4 6 7 Singer and song writer Gloria Gaither was musing on this when she wrote the following lyrics. They are deeply moving and powerful. I encourage you to read and re-read the lyrics. Ponder them. Let them absorb yi then shall live I then shall live as one who s been forgiven; I ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid. I know my name is clear before my Father; I am His child, and I am not afraid. So greatly pardoned, I ll forgive my brother, The law of love I gladly will obey. I then shall live as one who s learned compassion; I ve been so loved that I ll risk loving too. I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges; I ll dare to see another s point of view. And when relationship demands commitment, Then I ll be there to care and follow through. Your kingdom come around and through and in me; Your power and glory, let them shine through me; Your Hallowed name, O may I bear with honor, And may Your living Kingdom come in me. The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor, And may You feed a hungry world through me. If you have united your life with Christ He has made himself known to you; you have experienced forgiveness that cannot be measured; you have shared in the Holy Spirit; you have tasted the goodness of the Word of God; you can experience the powers of the age to come, How then shall you live? Pastor Bill
Page 2 Volume 49, Issue 3 Striking A Chord By David Burckhardt This Easter The Celebration Singers and Creative Arts Ministry will present this dramatic Musical by Paula Orr that encourages true Christ-followers to trust God, especially when there seems to be no immediate answers for the complexities and adversities of life. Make plan now to bring your family and friends to our production on Easter Sunday Morning. Thanks At the risk of forgetting someone, I want to publically thank those who invested their valuable time on a Saturday and lots of energy cleaning our campus grounds, and cleaning and organizing the preschool: Mark and April Schrokosch, Butch and Brenda Kennedy, Brian and Connie Lewis, Ed and Tenille Stewart, Theresa Wright, Ron and Mary Rienks, Bill and Betty Raiford, Jeremy Bowker, Danny and Cathy Jenkins, Tricia Johnson, Carl Sahlin, and some kids too: Claudette Bowker, Shabrie Grant,. Be sure to express your appreciation to these wonderful servants. Love is not a feeling it is a belief giving birth to a choice which then turns into action something you do. Blessings, Pastor Bill
Volume 49, Issue 3 Page 3 I was wondering how many of our members realize that we have a website? Our website has been active for over a couple of year now and it is one of the many communication tools we use to inform our members and community of our various services and activities. If you visit us on the web you can get a sense of what our church is about and how to get involved. Recently we incorporated another media to our communication tool belt. Now you can follow us on FACEBOOK. This tool allows us to stay in communication with each other and as well as reach out to our community. I found an article that answers the question Why should a Church Invest in Social Media found at ministrybestpractices.com./df Sure Social Media and Networks, like Facebook, Youtube and Twitter etc.., have a big "gee-whiz" factor. Everybody is hopping on the bandwagon. People are telling you that if you and your church don't get connected to this new media that you're going to get left behind and miss out. But there has got to be a more compelling reason for a church, ministry or non-profit to sign on to these social media applications than "everybody else is doing it."the question you have to ask concerning your organization is, "Why get on board and get involved with Social Media?" The answer to that question comes from business -they call it ROI, Return On Investment. What is the ROI of Social Media for ministry and your church? In this post, I don't want to address the quantitative aspect of ROI, but rather the qualitative. How does social media improve the quality of ministry and help move the church's objectives forward? I believe there needs to be 3 ROI Quality Goals and Objectives for Social Media 1. Communication 2. Connecting 3. Call to Action Let me break these down: 1. Communication - Social Media must help the church effectively and efficiently communicate it's message. Certainly Social Media isn't the only medium. A church can communicate to it's people on the Sunday morning platform, bulletins, mailings, phone calls, emails, face-to-face conversations, television, radio etc... Social Media, though, becomes just another effective tool to add to the church's communication mosaic. But Social Media has some unique benefits all it's own in effectively communicating: - it's easy and effortless, it doesn't take much money or manpower to implement or use it. - it's ubiquitous, since it is so available and pervasive it isn't hard for people to miss the message. - it's variety, social media takes many different forms, words, audio and image. - it's viral, the beauty of social media is that your message can expand well beyond it's intended audience - therefore exposing and introducing new people to your cause and community. 2. Connecting - Social Media must connect your community. Unlike communication which most often pushes information in a "one-way" direction, connecting must create a conversation. You must ask, Will Social Media create conversation within the community? Are people able to talk to you the minister/ministry team leader? Can they talk to one another? Also, part of the conversation involves other key elements: - contribute, can others contribute in helpful and meaningful ways to the conversation? Are they even able to shape the conversation? - collaborate, does your social media allow the benefits from the collective hive of experience, skills and knowledge from your community? 3. Call to Action - Social Media must prompt people to do something. It can't be passive. Some of the calls to ACTION might include: - Go, are you asking someone to go and serve others in some way? - Give, are you asking someone to give either of their time or financially to the cause? - Pray, are you calling people to act in concerted and persevering prayer? -Mobilize, are you asking people to spread the message of the cause to their friends and networks? So as you think about Social Media for your church, ministry or non-profit, you must ask yourself...how will this new Social Media "thing" help our church, ministry or organization Communicate, Connect our Community, and Call People to Action? If you have a clear answer to that question, then most definitely your church should invest in Social Media.
Page 4 Volume 49, Issue 3 But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. I John 2:5-6 S m all Groups A Word from Danny Your Next Group Bible Study Preparing for your next group Bible study should not be all that pain staking. A good leader will know his or her group and the needs of that group. For example, if your particular group has trouble witnessing then you might choose a study on either being bold for Christ or on why Jesus is the only way to God. If you are still not sure, call me. As your BFG lead coach, I will help you find a study that s right for your group. Your BFG leadership team, Pastor David, Mary Rienks, Allen Lathrop and I are responsible and well equipped to handle the next step for your group. Here s some steps: Take your team to God in prayer. Ask your Coach to give you some ideas and suggestions about what is available to enhance your group experience. Talk to your group about studies they may be interested in, and remember to pray about your choices to make sure it s right for your group. Your coaches will have resources available to you about different Bible studies for home group life and will make excellent suggestions for you if needed. In Christ, Daniel R. Jenkins, BFG Coordinator & Lead Coach Small Groups connect you with s Core Values Evangelism, Ministry & Service, Worship, Discipleship, & Fellowship. Small groups also serve as a launching pad for spiritual growth & Christian Leadership There is a Men s Small Group that may meet your need for Bible Study, Ministry & Fellowship. Wednesday Evenings 6:30 pm Suite B No Reservation Needed just come!
Volume 49, Issue 3 Page 5 Sunday 9 am On Campus Bible Fellowship Groups Leader Room College & Young Adults Studies focus on relevant issues young adults face today. April Schrokosch Room 233 Building 100 Single Mature Women Explore the Bible: Explore the Bible Move Forward, Please Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Terri Grant Room 122 Building 100 Group ministry is an important part of small groups and can draw members closer together and closer to God. Why not consider a prayer walk in your small group s community? We often engage in prayer walks for big church events, but we sometimes forget that our communities need prayer year round. Give it a try. You never know how God will work through your group s faithfulness to Him Allen Lathrop, Small Groups Coordinator for Communication, Curriculum Career Co Ed "Principles & Disciplines of the Christian Lifestyle." What God's Word says about our role and function as followers of Christ, and our Mature Women Explore the Bible: Explore the Bible Move Forward, Please Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Retired Women Explore the Bible: Explore the Bible Move Forward, Please Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Retired Men Life Ventures: Confident Living in Difficult Times Navigating the Maze of Grief and taking the Lead. Co Ed Active Retired Explore the Bible: Explore the Bible Move Forward, Please Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Pulse Youth Ministry Our student small groups focus on relevant studies for teens that will help them develop a spiritual walk with God and learn to use their gifts to serve Him. Scott McCann Connie Lewis Roena Callison Max Kell Stanley Hogg Suite E Building 500 Room 303 Building 300 Suite A Suite C1 Suite B Student Suite Building 200 Children Ministry The Bible is their Textbook The Child is the Learner The Teacher is their Guide The Parents are the Primary Teachers Children Suite Building 100 Preschool Ministry Preschoolers learn about Jesus through activities: from songs to puzzles to pictures. These hands on activities will help preschoolers come to a personal understanding of who God is, that He cares them, and challenges them to obey Him. Preschool Suite D Building 500 Home Groups and Other Short Term Studies What We Believe We receive eternal life only by faith in Jesus Christ, as personal Lord and Savior. Baptism is an affirmation of our Faith in Jesus Christ As personal Lord and Savior. The Bible is the whole, authoritative word of God, without error, and is relevant for life today. Christian faith and values are to be lived out in a believer's life daily. Every believer is responsible to discover, develop, and use his or her God-given gifts in service to God. Sunday 9:00 am Adults Christian Life and Service Seminars These classes will help you on your spiritual journey in Service to God. Sunday 4:44 pm Adults The Peacemaker - A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict. Sunday 5:00 pm and Life Defenders The Reason for God Conversations on Faith Monday 6:30 pm Adults Acts of the Apostles How they brought the Good news from Jerusalem to Rome. Tuesday 6:30 pm Women Believing God: Experiencing a Fresh Explosion of Faith by Beth Moore Carmichael Rancho Cordova Carmichael Fair Oaks Conference Building 600 Suite B Lathrop Home Raiford Home H. Hooper Home Our Vision is to honor God by making a Life-center where: people are presented with the message of Jesus Christ. Lives are strengthened and enriched through God's word, prayer, and fellowship. Believers are equipped to serve Christ by serving others. Leaders are trained to equip and mentor others. We extend love, acceptance, help, hope, forgiveness, guidance, encouragement, and support to the hurting. Children are grounded in Christian faith and Christ by teaching them the doctrines, traditions, and history of our faith. Tuesday 12:00 pm Adults Noon Bible Fellowship Group @ Church Suite C Tuesday 6:30 pm Women Here and Now, There and Then a study of Revelations by Beth Moore Wednesday 6:30 pm Men The Man in the Mirror - Solving 25 Issues that Men Face today. Thursday 7 pm Adults our Savior. Why Jesus? Answering tough Questions about Citrus Heights Roseville Elson Home Suite B Diridoni Home Thursday 7 pm Adults 1 & 2 Corinthians Natomas Jenkins Home Friday 6:30 pm Adults Living with Loss - A grief Recovery Class for anyone who has recently suffered the loss of someone close to them. March 4 thru May 6 Campus Suite B
Page 6 Volume 49, Issue 3 Follow me and I will make you fishers of Men ~Jesus I remember going fishing with my dad and kicking back in the warm sun and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and waiting for that first hint of a nibble on the line. I would always pull up too early and my dad would tell me I would get it one day. Now, I sit here as a Youth Pastor and am the very embodiment of a fisherman; not in the sense of catching fish, but in the sense of fishing for people for my Heavenly Father. We are all called to be fishers of men according to our Savior, so I ask, why aren t all the fishermen fishing? This reminds me of a story I once read by Max Lucado. In this story Max takes his son and his son s friend on a week long camping trip where they are going to fish at this great spot, eat, play games together, and fish some more. So they get all packed and hit the road, they make it to their destination by nightfall and get all their stuff into the RV and get to sleep for an early morning of fishing. They wake up the next morning only to find that over night a freak snowstorm hit and they were stuck in the RV by two feet of freshly fallen snow. They weren t too worried and Max said they could start fishing tomorrow, so they pulled out the Monopoly game, made some hot cocoa and stayed in doors. The next morning they woke up and got ready for a great day of fishing only to find that more snow had fallen. Max told the kids, It s ok. We can fish tomorrow! So they pulled out the Monopoly game again and made some more hot cocoa and stayed in. The next morning they woke up, and you guessed it, more snow. They pulled out the Monopoly game, no one said much. They didn t make hot cocoa, by day three everyone was sick of hot cocoa, so they all drank some Sunny D. Everyone was starting to get short with each other and everyone went to bed early that night. By day four the snow had not stopped falling, everyone was very grumpy and fighting with each other, Monopoly and hot cocoa or Sunny D just weren t cutting it. By day five Max and the boys were so grumpy that even the smallest problem caused everyone to fly off the handle. Max and the boys just packed and left. This story left Max with a profound insight into people, when fishermen don t fish, they fight! What s been more prevalent in your life-fishing or fighting? ~Pastor Jon
Volume 49, Issue 3 Page 7 Financial Matters 2011 Income Expenses Over/Under Budget Needs Over/Under January $ 36,498.41 $ 29,028.19 $ 1,421.13 $ 30,202.91 $ 246.41 February $ 30,843.36 $ 27,961.75 $ 2,881.61 $ 30,202.91 $ 640.45 Year to Date $ 61,292.68 $ 56,989.94 $ 4,302.74 $ 362.434.92 $8 86.86 2011 Week of Prayer for North American Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering START HERE. Scripture: When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest Matthew 9:36-38 Prayer Guides are available at our Welcome Center or visit our website www.elcaminobaptist.org.
Bring Your Recycle the LAST SUNDAY of each month. Baptist Church 2805 Ave Sacramento CA 95821 March Activities Start Saving 3-4 3-5 Living with Loss: Grief Recovery Friday s 6:30 pm Suite B Peggy Webber Funeral Worship Center 11:00 am Don t Forget to use your Save Mart S.H.A.R.E.S. Card This program will earn our Food Closet Ministry up to 3% for qualified purchases. Altoid Cans for VBS 3-6 3-6 3-12 Peacemakers Class 1:00 pm Suite B Discovering My SHAPE for Serving God Sunday s 4:45 pm Suite B Secret Sister Reveal Party Mimi s Café 11:00 am All you have to do is shop at Save Mart or Food Maxx and remember to swipe your card. 3-27 Big Apple Adventure Leaders Lunch Meeting 12:30 pm Fellowship Hall Tour Guides Needed: We need people to connect with the kids and lead them through the Craft, Snack, Recreation, Bible Study, Music, Missions and Worship stations. This job is all about connections: connecting the activities to the word of God, connecting with the kids so that they feel comfortable here, connecting the kids with each other so that they have friends. If you want to know more about this great opportunity to serve God, please call Betty Raiford at 362-5319. For More Information Visit our website at www.elcaminobaptist.org