August, 2014 More than your News Source It s a Ministry Volume 27, Issue 8 Pastor Celebrates 22 Years of Service The officers and members of Rock of Ages Missionary Baptist Church cordially invite all Fellowship Journal friends and neighboring churches to celebrate with them as they honor Pastor Gilbert L. Barnes for 22 years of dedicated service. This joyous event will be held on Sunday, September 21, 2014 during the 10:45 a.m. service. The guest speaker is Bishop Wilfret Johnson, pastor of Oakville Baptist Church. The celebration also includes a Gospel Experience in song on Saturday, September 13 at 7 p.m. Rock of Ages is located at 6533 Acre Road, Marrero, LA. The Church Where Everybody is Somebody. Upcoming Events at New Hope Baptist Church R ev. Richard Williams and the New Hope family are opening their doors and inviting all Fellowship Journal friends to these upcoming events: Revival is September 3, 4, & 5, 2014 and follows nightly teachings from 6:30-7:00 by Pastor Williams. Guest speakers are: September 3rd: Rev. Albert Mickel, pastor of Macedonia B.C., Marrero, La; Sept. 4th: Dr. Reginald Holmes of Friendship Community Outreach B.C. of Kenner, La; Sept. 5th: Rev. Rodney Johnson of Historic Bethlehem (Hahnville) & Bell Baptist Church (Luling). Men & Women s Day service is Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. The speaker is Sis. Geraldine Jackson of Macedonia B.C. (Pastor Albert Mickel). The theme is: Don't Make the Wrong Decision." New Hope Baptist Church is located at 215 Pine Street, Hahnville, La. Church Announces Fall Revival Mt. Pilgrim 4 th Baptist Church announces its upcoming fall revival to be held September 9 11, 2014, at 7:00 nightly. The revivalist will be Rev. Michael Joseph of the New Providence Baptist Church of Houston, Texas. Mt. Pilgrim 4 th is located at 429 Newton St., Algiers, LA., where the pastor is Rev. Larry P. Steib. Everyone is welcome to attend. Anniversary Celebration: Pastor Mat Turner G reater Old Zion Missionary Baptist Church will be honoring its pastor, Rev. Mat E. Turner I, for four years of pastoral leadership, on Sunday, August 24, 2014. Service begins at 3 p.m. at 655 North Rocheblave Street in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Reginald Nicholas, Sr., pastor of Olive Branch Baptist Church and president of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist General Association, will be the speaker of the hour. The theme is, The Man of God preaching Jesus, in whom they may have life and life more abundantly. All fellowship journal readers are invited to attend.
Page 2 Fellowship Journal Sr. Administrative Staff: EDITOR Gail R. Jackson PUBLISHER Lawrence Jackson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kimberly A. Dilosa Patty Johnson Monica Pierre DISTRIBUTION Joquise Bridges Russell Brown Airelle Harris Alicia Harris Rodney Hodges PHOTOGRAPHY Asolid Photography Fellowship Journal P.O. Box 1398 Marrero, LA 70073 (504) 341-4238 Fax: (504) 341-4238 Email: fellowshipjournal @hotmail.com Visit our website: Follow us on Facebook! FJ is published on the third Sunday of each month. All articles submitted for publication consideration must be received by 9 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Advertisements are due on the Friday preceding the second Sunday of each month. Articles with pictures must be submitted together. Inclusion of pictures are based on space availability. Submit articles thru our email, website, fax, or to the address above. Advertisers must call the office or communicate thru email. 2014 Fellowship Journal. All Rights Reserved. Material may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission. Annual Women s Day On Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 11 a.m., Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate Women s Day. The theme is Hope for Tomorrow and the guest speaker is Evangelist Bernadine E. Gibson, member of New Hope MBC, New Orleans, LA. The colors are white with accessories of your choice. Join these women in celebrating their special day at Evening Star, 817 Grefer Avenue, Harvey, LA. The pastor is Rev. Keith P. Stewman. Women's Month at Little Zion The Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church #3 will have a women's conference on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. The guest speaker will be Sis. Ebonie Brown. Then following is the annual Women s Day celebration on Sunday, August 24 during the 11 a.m. worship service. Evangelist Melanie Pichon-Smith of Forgiven Ministries will be the special guest speaker. Everyone is invited to attend at 441 Wilson St., Marrero, La.; Rev. Norman D. Smith, III is the pastor/teacher. The Jackson Town community will hold its annual picnic on August 30. Contact Carolyn Mitchell, 504-287-3131 or Tyrone Matthews, 504-231-2235.
Page 4 Pastor s Appreciation Service Mt. Zion s Annual Revival All Fellowship Journal friends are cordially invited to fellowship with Second Highway Baptist Church on Sunday, August 24, 2014, at 11 a.m. for the appreciation & third anniversary service for Pastor Sherman R. Smith, Sr. The theme for this occasion is: Second Highway Baptist Church...Going Forward! The special guests will be Rev. Leon Franklin and choir of St. Luke Baptist Church of St. James, Louisiana. Second Highway is located at 1533 Haydel Drive in Marrero, LA. All Fellowship Journal friends are invited to come out and fellowship with the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church family during the annual revival, September 24-26, at 7:00 nightly. Pre-revival prayer will precede, September 17-19, from 6:30-7 p.m. each evening. In addition, the Pastor s Support Band day is Sunday, September 7, Ushers day is Sept. 21, and the Lord s Supper is observed Sunday, September 28. These services commence at 9:45 a.m. Rev. Noily Paul, Jr. is the pastor and the church is located at 701 Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna, LA.
Page 6 Please pray for the Students, Faculty & Staff as they head Back to School Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. (Nelson Mandela, South Africa s first black president, Nobel Prize winner and anti-apartheid icon)
August, 2014 Page 7 Women of True Vine T he women of True Vine Baptist Church are celebrating Women's Day under the theme, Wise Women Growing and Working in Wisdom and Knowledge of Our Lord." The Women's Day celebration is Sunday, August 17 at 10:45 a.m. Sis. Valeria Robinson, a member of Regular Baptist Church in Gretna, will be the guest speaker. You are invited to come and celebrate with these women of God. Rev. Leander Johnson is the pastor/teacher and the church is located at 249 Sala Avenue in Westwego, LA.
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I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. (Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery: An Autobiography)
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August, 2014 Page 11 Women s Day at Regular Baptist Church R egular Baptist Church will celebrate Women s Day, Sunday, August 24, 2014 at both morning services commencing at 8:30 and 10:45. This event will be preceded by a pre- Women s Day prayer breakfast on Saturday, August 23 at 9 a.m. Regular s own Sister Phyllis Cyprian will deliver the message. All women s ministries are cordially invited to attend. Pastor T. A. Hodge and the members of Regular Baptist Church look forward to fellowshipping with you at 901 Fifth Street, Gretna, LA. The doors are open to you and yours at Regular Baptist Church. Please come on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. for worship experiences like none other, on Mondays for Bible study/prayer meeting at 6:45 p.m., and Thursdays for midweek Inspirational Worship at 6:45 p.m. Catch the RBC weekly broadcasts Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on UPN My54, cable channel 2 at 6:30 a.m., live video streaming: regularbc.org @ 9:00 a.m. and 11 a.m., and on ITunes! Subscribe to the RBC podcast by going to: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/regular-baptistchurch-pod/id462903554. Lastly, be informed and stay informed by downloading the RBC information app: type RBC to 54244 and follow the instructions. Remember Regular Baptist Church is The End of Your Search for A Friendly Church There are seven differences in the second picture. Can you spot them?
Page 12 Once Saved, in fact, is Always Saved! By Rev. Dr. JL Hampton, Sr., President/Moderator Westside is an Association consisting of approximately thirty (30) churches, existing to fellowship, teach, and preach until we all come into the unity of the faith. We accept and adopt as our only source of Christian doctrine, beliefs, faith and practice, the Holy Bible as the inspired and unerring Word of God. This article is presented as a response in obedience to the biblical admonition to contend for the faith, and to defend against heresy. As a result of an article that was placed in the May edition of the Fellowship Journal, entitled "Once Saved Always Saved", many of our congregants were exposed to what could easily be characterized as heresy. Heresy is a teaching or belief that contradicts the teaching of the Bible, a deliberate denial of truth revealed by God. The article purported that a person who is saved can lose his salvation. There are many who subscribe to this belief. But nothing could be further from the biblical truth. Not only is the thesis of the article in error, but every reference is mis-applied. A simple consideration of the chapter's context would provide accurate exposition of the scriptures referenced. The entire proposition undermines the redemptive work of God, in Christ, reconciling man unto Himself. First of all, according to Ephesian 2:8, "it is by grace a person is saved through faith; and that not of one's self, it is the gift of God: not as a result of works, that no one should boast". (Italic added). Its a gift from God!. It is neither gained or lost by works. Secondly, the Book of Hebrews teaches that Jesus was God's final and perfect sacrifice. We embrace a "Once for all theology"! "By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all" (Heb. 10:11) He offered one sacrifice for sins, for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. Christ's work on the cross was so finished that He sat down. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (vss. 12-14) Jesus' redemptive work upon the cross was powerful enough to save unto eternal life. Finally, Heb. 9:12 declares, "...that through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all having obtained eternal redemption." As Christian Baptists, we believe in the "Security of the Believer", which is used interchangeably with preservation, and perseverance of the saints, which means that believers cannot totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace. Eternal security is the work of God that guarantees that the gift of salvation, once received, is forever and cannot be lost. The concept of eternal security emphasizes God's activity in guaranteeing the eternal possession of the gift of eternal life. Our confidence in God's security must mirror that of Paul in 2 Timothy 1:12, "...for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Brethren, let no man deceive you, God is able to save to the uttermost. (Disclaimer: This editorial depicts the thoughts and opinion of the writer and not necessarily those of Fellowship Journal or its staff.) The question Can we lose our salvation through disobedience or unbelief? (Once Saved Always Saved?) has been debated since the birth of Christ with many differing opinions. We welcome your opinion for publication. Email us at fellowshipjournal@hotmail.com.