ALABAMA

UPDATETHE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY SEPTEMBER 2012

CLERGY APPRECIATION

SenIors day

October 13, 2012

“The best is yet to come!”

Camp boothe

A day filled with:

Fellowship

Food, fun & Laughter!

And

a great message by

Bishop jim Williams:

Come expecting to be:

Renewed & uplifted

Tuition: $25 per person (60 & up)

Send application & tuition to:

Camp Boothe

P.O. box 240

Greenpond, Alabama 35074

No later than September 30, 2012

The Road to Recovery and Healing

Part 1

By Bryan Baysinger, State Evangelist

In Numbers 21:1-9 we are told that King Arad captured some of the children of Israel. When this happened Israelrealized that their captivity was due to their futile efforts to beat their enemy by their own efforts. We can also fall prey todefeat just as they did when we try to accomplish things in our lives without our LORD. We must entrust our God, theLord of Hosts, with the power to defeat our enemies.

Israel realized their need for God so they vowed a vow that if He would give them the power to defeat the armies of Aradthat they would obliterate (destroy) their cities. God and the people kept their bargain. So Israel, through the strong armof the Lord, destroyed Arad. As always, the Battle is the Lord’s when we trust in Him. The triumph and victory is oursthrough Him.

However, as they left and began to travel from Mount Hor, the Bible states they became impatient. The King JamesVersion says that they became discouraged. Here is the first important point that I would like to make about recovery andhealing coming to our lives. God had just wrought a great victory to them and they had already forgotten. It is absolutelyamazing how quickly they forgot. When God does something fantastic and incredible in our lives, how soon do we forgetHis benefits? At times, I believe we need to just sit back and reflect on all the great and mighty deeds He has done for us.In times of crisis we need to REMEMBER! He has promised that He would go with us even unto the end of the world. Here is the problem: We trust our moods, our feelings, and our emotions. This part of our humanity will betray us manytimes. Why, because we are on a journey of faith. Sure, Israel was tired physically and I am sure they were exhausted.Does this sound familiar to us? Yet, God was theirstrength as He is our strength. When we forget oursource of strength we are doomed for failures. Just astheir journey brought many challenges, tests, trials andtemptations, so does ours. Just as they, we are on a testof endurance. This journey is a test. We must notforget our triumphs and victories of the past and wemust think on these things to get us over our bumps inthe future.

Next month I will continue on this topic of restorationand healing.

If you would like for me to speak at your Church orevent then please call me at 601-679-1381 or 601-604-0438.

An Open Letter to the Laity for Clergy Appreciation Month

A pastor writes to his church

To my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Laity~

Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ!

I write this as it is Clergy Appreciation Month and Iam a presbyter in an historic faith, Anglicanism. Ihave served parishes for over twenty years. Prior tothat I sat in the pew for thirty years just like you! SoI know what it is like to be both a layperson and apriest. I also know what it is like to be a falseconvert and a true convert. So this epistle is to youwho sit in the pew every Sunday.

As a pastor I ask that you remember a few thingsabout your role in the church as well as the role ofyour clergyperson.

1. Your pastor is not the only minister. We are all ministers. Each and everyone of you has been given peculiar gifts toserve Christ. So do not expect your pastor to do all the work necessary for your parishes' mission. This is not a newconcept. St. Paul addressed it in his First Letter to the Corinthians. By the way, nothing I say here is going to be new!

2. Your pastor is a human being. To put it in theological terms, He or she is a wretched sinner. It is the blood of Christ thatwashes our sins away, not the office we hold in church. And by the way, you are a wretched sinner as well. No matter howmany coffee hours you have hosted, committees served, flowers bought, there is only on thing that can get you intoheaven, and that is the cross of Christ.

3. The Cross of Christ is not made of gold, silver, brass or poly-resin. It is wood drenched in blood. Jesus bore thepunishment we deserve. See #2 above.

4. Preachers are called to preach the cross of Christ. A good sermon is defined by the heart of the hearer being convictedof sin and receiving the gift of repentance from the Lord. A changed heart is a changed person. This is a lifelong process.So in the meantime, do not judge the sermon by the number of laughs the preacher gets. Nor judge the sermon by it'slength. If you are looking at your watch because you have someplace to be, then ask yourself, "What priority do you giveGod in your life?" In the Church, and everywhere else in life, the most important person to bow down to is Jesus, Lord andSavior!

5. The words "pastor" and "pastoral" do not refer to being nice. Nor do they refer to social work or therapy. A pastorpastors a flock. The image is a shepherd leading his sheep to green pastures and still waters. In my tradition we havebishops. In a liturgical procession, they carry a crosier, a bishop's staff. This represents the staff shepherds carry to prodthe sheep along or pull them in a direction necessary for their growth and safety. See Psalm 23. And if your asking what isthe rod that is mentioned in the psalm, it is the club to keep wolves at bay. Pastoring involves pulling and prodding theflock towards the Word of God. This means that there will be times a very good sermon or bible study will make you feeluncomfortable. All because we are being coaxed to greener pastures for the sake of our salvation. And by the way, the trueshepherd of the flock is Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

6. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Hence, He is shepherding us in our lives. He is not sitting on the couch oblivious to ourneeds. God has a will for each and everyone of us and He will move us in the direction we need to go in order that we mayconform to His image he has for us. Very seldom do we complain when we are happy. But we tend to complain a lot whenwe are unhappy. Our unhappiness maybe related to our own willfulness, self-centeredness. If we are truly bound to Christ

we will go where He takes us. If we lose a job, maybe that was part of God's plan. Not because He is mean, but it is a partof our growth process. In other words, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have beencalled according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he alsojustified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30) We as pastors are called by the grace of God to help yousee God working in your life, shepherding you to the Good Shepherd.

7. Being in church does not make you anymore a Christian than being in a garage makes you a car. When we die we willface the judgment of our life. The judge will not ask you what your pastor did. He will tell you what you did and His wordwill be final. So do not blame your pastor for things you should be taking responsibility for anyway. Blaming entered ourworld the moment Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. And look what happened to them. Take responsibility for yournegative emotions. See #2 and #6 above. If someone leaves the congregation because of something they did not like, donot blame the pastor unless the pastor is a false teacher.

8. Read the Scriptures. Attend Bible Study. Listen faithfully to the Word preached. Take responsibility for your daily dietof the Word. In this way you will know the Word of Truth. And this makes it easier to understand when the leader of thecongregation must exhort and rebuke the congregation in matters of the faith. (2 Tim. 3:16) The Word of God is our finalauthority. Also you will be able to recognize the wolf in sheep's' clothing. (Mt. 7:15)

9. Understand that when you read the Word of God, that God gives us commands not suggestions. He never said, "Whenyou feel like it, love your neighbor." Nor did Jesus say from the cross, "Father forgive them but only after I get my waywith them." Love is a command. Forgiveness means I have to accept the hurt I feel not seeking revenge. The biblicalphrase from the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us, and lead us not intotemptation" (Luke 11:4ESV) means that we recognize our own forgiveness through that bloody cross and that we will notmake people owe us anything when we are offended. We still hurt, but we will not hurt others "to get even". Thetemptation that we pray to be protected from comes immediately after this petition as Satan will tempt us to get even. Ifyou fantasize about revenge, that is Satan tempting you. Take responsibility for your thoughts and rebuke Satan in theName of Jesus! Remember, Jesus is our Lord, not our feelings. Going back to Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, peoplewho live out their feelings were called carnal. Those who live in obedience to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, werecalled spiritual. There are works of the flesh and there are fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25) You will notice theworks of the flesh involve a lot of feelings. The Spirit produces fruits of attitude. Remember, the Holy Spirit producesthese in us, we cannot manufacture them. So when I am convicted of my sin and sins, I must throw myself upon the mercyof Jesus Christ, my redeemer. And this goes for everyone in the church.

10. And finally, do not ask your pastor to be something he or she is not. This is idolatry. They are not your parent,therapist, buddy. We cannot be like the last pastor who proceeded us. We are all unique. Remember all the people calledby God in ages past who were used to fulfill God's plan of salvation. Noah was a drunk. Moses was a murderer andinarticulate. King David was a murderer and adulterer. Jonah was obstinate. Peter was a liar and a poor fisherman. In spiteof his education, Paul was complicit in the murder of many a new Christian, and by his own admission wasn't his ownchoice to be an apostle. But the majority of the New Testament was written by his own pen. By no means do I believe wecan excuse murder and adultery as the Ten Commandments are quite clear about that. And we have the gift of the HolySpirit to convict us of sin and lead us to repentance. But we are not perfect and God does not call perfect people to theministry. He calls whom He wills! And you are not perfect. But just the same, you are called to join with your pastor tofulfill the Great Commission, making disciple of all peoples. This can best be done by being a disciple, sitting at the feetof Jesus, and setting an example to be followed by others!

So this month, pray for your clergy that they be the person God needs them to be, not the person you want them to be. Andremember, they have a holy charge to watch over your souls! (Hebrews 13:7-10, 17)

God bless you,

Your Brother in Christ,

Your Pastor

Clergy Appreciation Month is October or any month yourchurch chooses.

Quiet Influence Excerpts from Carol Kent’s sermon and book Becoming a Woman of Influence

One definition of influence is the act of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force. This definition even intimates that real influence isquiet or unforced. So you might think of a person who made a significant impact on your life in a calm, non-invasive way–perhaps a person whosecharacter influenced you the most.

Whether we realize it or not, each of us is an “influencer.” Our lives produce a type of fragrance that lingers with others, even after a brief encounter. What would happen if we decided to quietly influence lives on purpose? Not because we have to, but because we want to. Not because it’s ourChristian obligation, but because it brings great meaning and joy to our lives. Not because of duty, but because of love.

Love for God and others should inspire us to grow in our ability to quietly influence lives like Jesus did. (Matthew 22:36-38) Whether as lifelongmentors, friends, seasonal mentors, or spontaneous encouragers, we can embrace the principles Jesus lived by. They are powerful and purposefulillustrations of what quiet influence is all about.

In the Gospels there are countless one-on-one encounters with Jesus where people’s lives were radically changed. He saw weaknesses that could beturned into strengths and lives that could be transformed with a new passion and loyalty.

If you long to bring the essence of Jesus Christ into the space you occupy; understanding who Jesus was and how He influenced others during Hislifetime can help us learn how we, too, can influence other people on purpose? Implementing these life-changing principles can make a lastingdifference in the lives of those around us.

The Principle of Time Alone With God Prayer was a priority for Jesus. No matter how busy He was, Jesus spent time alone with His Father. In Mark 1:21-35, we are given a glimpse of 24hours in the life of Christ. During that day He spent time preaching, casting out demons, traveling, and healing the sick. But after the busiest day inthe recorded history of Jesus, He got up early so He could enjoy the presence of His Father. He didn’t let a hectic schedule crowd out His time alonewith God. Time alone with God is a non-negotiable if we want to be like Jesus and to influence others like He did.

The Principle of Walking and TalkingAs we read the Gospels, we discover that much of what Jesus taught the disciples was imparted in a natural, non-classroom environment. He oftentaught truth through the principle of walking and talking.

Jesus didn’t wait for a classroom setting to teach truth to His followers. He used everyday events and interruptions to make truth memorable. He tookadvantage of “impact moments”–opportunities to teach or influence that are unplanned. Opportunities for impact moments often occurred as Jesuswalked with His disciples en route to their next place of ministry. In this same informal way, we can teach and encourage others as we have coffeewith a friend or work together on a project. Impact moments are not limited to the people we have an ongoing relationship with. When weintentionally embrace the principle of walking and talking, we will point others to God and encourage their potential, whether they are friends orstrangers. Jesus knew that most people learn best if we walk beside them, instead of ahead of them.

The Principle of Asking QuestionsJesus knew the power of a well-placed question. He didn’t ask questions to make himself look intelligent or to belittle the questioner. His questionswere direct, simple, and intriguing: often the type of question that couldn’t be answered with an easy “yes” or “no.” (Luke 19:41)

By asking the question, Jesus gave the man an opportunity to voice his request and to feel that someone deeply cared about his answer. Jesus alsoprovided an opportunity for the man to verbalize his belief. When we ask questions, we do the same. When we ask someone questions, we allow themto communicate their honest thoughts. Use questions to get to know people, to let them know you care and are interested in their lives. Goodquestions ask for a descriptive response, an emotional reaction, or a statement of opinion, values or dreams....questions that open people’s souls,uncover long-held dreams, and deep-seated needs.

The Principle of Unconditional LoveJesus practiced the kind of love that doesn’t come naturally. In John 8, Jesus reminds us to love and forgive those who have been caught in sin. Hefurther reminds us to point them in the right direction. When we have blown it, even in small ways, it’s natural to question our worth. Most peoplehave questioned their significance at some point in their life. This feeling might go back to a negative nickname, or a time of walking away from God,or being rejected by someone.

When you help someone know they are valuable to God, their worth is validated and they can begin the journey toward a healing relationship withJesus. We need to live out the principle of unconditional love, no strings attached. A person’s actions may not always warrant your support, but theirpotential does!

Jesus had only three years of public ministry, but the impact He had on those He influenced still impacts you and me today. Jesus’ life gives us anexample of how to live. His principles for influencing lives are timeless, and more than that these principles are available for us to use today.

Say to God today, “I will follow you with a pure heart. Show me the people you want me to impact with biblical principles, a listening ear, andencouragement for the journey of life.” You may be at risk for becoming a Christ-follower who can’t go through a day without influencing someoneelse’s life like He did.

collision Winter Conference

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www.experiencehydrate.com

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Boldo: Pastor Hitt and wife

Kim, were blessed to attend

the Assembly. Our

children’s church enjoyed a

day at the local Splash Pad.

They had fun returning to

church to have food and

games.

Browntown: There were

several from Browntown that

were able to attend the

Assembly. What a blessing

it was! On the 30 , we had ath

special singing during the

morning and a fish fry that

afternoon. It was a

wonderful day.

Chickasaw: Another blessed month. Our

youth helped serve food to the homeless

and we are so thankful they are reaching

out to help others. We had a wonderful

district meeting at Grove Hill where we all

became acquainted with their new pastor

and husband, Charlotte and Doc Gillespie.

God’s anointing came down as the

“Breakin-Chains led worship. There was

a message about the church that refreshed

us all. We also celebrated Parents Day

with a special program. The Assembly

was wonderful. Several of our youth got

to go and really enjoyed themselves. Such

an awesome anointing in each session. The

worship was so filled with God’s love and

His Spirit. God bless all those that labor

over the world. We were so proud to see

three new nations join the ranks with our

All Nations March. Such a beautiful sight

to see.

Citronelle: We were blessed with the

opportunity for our pastor and three of our

members to go to the Assembly. It was

wonderful. While in Louisville, we had an

opportunity to participate in singing and

witnessing on the street. It was an

experience that we have not been involved

in before. Our youth want to continue this

ministry in our home town, so please pray

for us.

Dothan: Fifth Sunday Fellowship is a

wonderful way to enjoy being together

with church family and friends! Our local

church celebrated fifth Sunday night with

a fish fry (chicken for those that preferred

not to have fish). We had all the trimmings

of a typical South Alabama Fish Fry. We

thank Brother Bates for the wonderful

ideal.

Fayette-North Pointe: North Pointe Praise

Team traveled to minister at revival

services in Winfield with Brother Dewayne

Smith. Praise the Lord for God’s presence

as the Holy Spirit rained down inside

despite the storms outside. North Pointe

honored Pastor Brent Smalley on his 50th

birthday on July 22 with a surprise

luncheon. Brother and Sister Smalley

traveled to the International Assembly and

were blessed to meet so many new friends

in the faith from all over the world. We

welcomed baby Bentley along with his

proud sisters Bailey, Chloe and Hallie

Weaver.

Gadsden-Living Waters: Thanks to all

that sent up prayers for Pastor Wyrosdick

and all our church families during the

month of June and July. We are so blessed

to have all our brothers and sisters! Sister

Wyrosdick says thanks and blessings to all

that kept up their support for her and

Brother Wy at the Assembly.

Goodwater-Joyful Praise: Our Vacation

Bible School was held July 28 with the

theme “Jesus Is Our Hero.” It was a great

success with 21 in attendance.

Greenpond: The presence of the Lord is in

this place. Our services have been

outstanding with the blessings of God

flowing. There is no limit what God will

and can do. Independence Day was

observed with an outstanding program as

our d rama team

h o n o r e d o u r

veterans. Special

thanks to each one

that is serving or has

served for this great

country. Our seniors

enjoyed a peach

picking trip and

stopped at Peach

Park for lunch. We

are preparing for

VBS and expecting

God to change the

l i v e s o f t h e s e

children.

Hackleburg: Many exciting new things

are happening in Hackleburg. In large part

due to the inspiration of Wynn Knowles to

shift our Intercessory Prayer Meetings to a

new time and method. We meet every

Monday evening and pray for specific

focuses; including our community,

government, ministries and the Kingdom

of God. We also meet for Midnight

Prayer Watch every first Friday of each

month at 11 PM. These gatherings are

sacrificial, but well worth the effort. God

is releasing a new anointing on our people

and stirring our hearts for the harvest.

Jerry and Lyana Chalk from the Ukraine

visited with us this month. They were

some of the first to spend the night in our

new church ministry apartment. We were

blessed and amazed to sow into their

thriving ministry in the Ukraine. The

Refuge Dance Team was thrilled to be

invited to minister at the International

Assembly. This was life changing for so

many of them to see the vast and diverse

Body of the Church of God of Prophecy.

Harris Chapel: Harris Chapel’s

homecoming was July 8 and wow, whatth

a homecoming it was. Sister Annie Taylor

joined our fellowship by covenant.

Former pastor Dr. Sylvester Smith gave a

stirring message about “Homecoming in

God’s House”. We were delighted to have

Dr. and Sister Smith, their son, Jonathan

and grandson, Grant with us. We had 72 in

attendance for morning worship and 100+

for the meal and singing afterward. We

were blessed by the singing of Brother

Stanley Reeves, Brother Shannon Sutton

and the Williams Sisters. There were

showers of blessings on the inside and then

as we were dismissing, God gave us a

much needed downpour of rain on the

outside. We baptized two people Sunday

night. An eleven year old young boy

Skylar who accepted Jesus as his Savior

and eighty-eight year old man, Walter. It

was the first baptism for both of them. It

was wonderful to see God’s grace and

mercy bestowed upon both! We had 57 in

attendance. Following baptism, we

administered the church covenant to

Brother Walter Hicks as he became a

member of the church. Brother Walter’s

son, a pastor in Louisiana, baptized his

dad. It was a precious occasion!

Russellville-Living Word: What an

awesome weekend we had with 4 saved

and many lives touched as they responded

to the alter call, seeking a closer walk with

the Lord. The sweet presence of the Lord

drawing people into worship, followed by

a wonderful Bible study on Spiritual

Authority. We are excited about God.

Short Creek: We are praising God here at

Short Creek for His blessings. The Lord is

meeting with us. We had a lady to get

sanctified and four to be baptized. We

also had the privilege to welcome Sister

Robyn Price into the fellowship of the

Church of God of Prophecy as a new

covenant member. God is blessing.

Summerbrook: What a great Youth Day

we had. Brother Dustin Adkins and Anna

Reeves were with us. Our youth did a

drama and was just wonderful. Our

attendance was 82 and we can say it was a

great day the Lord gave us.

Tarrant: We enjoyed the 4 of Julyth

Celebration with 25 going to the Iron Man

and watching the beautiful fire works over

Birmingham. The 2 Sunday we enjoyednd

beautiful singing and a delicious BBQ

lunch. Thanks to all that made VBS

successful for our children. Treon will be

missed as he leaves for A&M University.

Our hearts and prayers are with Debra

McGhee for the home-going of her

daughter, Lynn Ingram. We were honored

to have the Green family with us. Sister

Green preached a wonderful message and

her granddaughter blessed us with some

beautiful singing.

Trinity Worship Center: Ruth Tiema a

member, went home to be with her Lord.

She was from Kenya and her wish was to

go home before she died but the home she

went to is one she will never leave. While

in the hospital, two of her friends came to

visit and brought some money to help on

expenses during her long stay. She asked

her husband to send the money to Kenya so

two ladies would attend a ladies’ meeting

over there. She had a heart for missions.

She is missed at our services.

Twilleytown: It was an honor to have

Bishop Varlack and his lovely wife with us

in revival. One soul was saved. Several

area churches were represented along with

Bishop and Sister Jones. He delivered

power packed messages under the

anointing of God. The topic was “The

Testimony of God Concerning His Son

Jesus Christ.” Kevin and Pam Barnett led

us in worship Friday and Saturday night.

Sunday we honored the Varlacks with a

dinner.

Winfield City Family: God is Good! We

had a great tent revival with great support

from our local churches! Thank you for

your help! We had a total attendance of

369 people to visit the tent for the week.

We had 5 souls confirmed saved and

countless people blessed! “ Thank you God

f o r y o u r m e r c y ! ” G o t o

http://Winfieldcityfamilychurch.blogspot.

com for all the great news.

A Major

Missing Key

in Church

SuccessBy Brian Davis

As I have had theopportunity to work with tons of churches,sit with tons of church leaders and helptons of church teams, I have noticed aMajor Missing Key that is holding a lot ofchurches back from achieving their truepotential.

Even if you have the best people

Even if you have the best ideasEven if you have the best prayer life

If you don’t have Organization andStructure, you simply CANNOT reach theGoals you have dreamed about.

We have to be SPIRITUAL as a church,but we also have to work hard on theAdministrative Business Side of Church. Too often, I see people who have boughtinto this weird ideology that everythingabout a church is spiritual.

That’s Just Not True.

There is tremendous value in praying andfasting, and you CANNOT build aChristian Church without those things. But, there’s also HUGE value in sittingdown with a team and strategizing,mapping out plans, setting goals, holdingpeople accountable, and evaluating ourprogress.

Honestly, I get some ‘push-back’ when Italk about this. Church leaders tell me thatthey don’t want to make the church toomuch like a business.

Here’s the truth: Your church is the MostImportant Business in your Entire City.

Your team shouldn’t take it lightly thatthey are on the leadership team of such anImportant Business. Even your volunteers(who don’t get paid at all) shouldunderstand the value of Being Efficientand Effective as a BUSINESS.

When it comes to having SpiritualInfluence in our city, we MUST HAVEThat! But, don’t forget that it is possibleto run the back-end of our churches sosloppy and unprofessionally that we canlose the ability to truly impact our cities.

Your church has some Clear BusinessGoals: They were set by Jesus Himself.(Go, Win, Make Disciples)

Now, it’s up to you to develop teams andwork toward making that happen. It’s notjust about “having a good time” or “havinggood church”-It’s about succeeding in theBUSINESS of the Father.

Leave this out and you’ll probably bewalking in circles for several years.

Take a RE-Look at things: Don’t Missthis Key in YOUR church.

Submitted by Clint Knowles

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Prayer Line with Dr. Wessly

Saturdays 9:00 - 10:00 AM

Dial 712-432-1690

Access Code: 650786#

Carbon Hill: Homecoming September 9 . th

Everyone welcome!

SINGING/DRAMA MINISTRIES

Sterrett: “The Howards” a Southern Gospel

group is open for bookings. P O B 75

Sterrett, AL 35147. Call Glynda Howard:

2 0 5 -67 2 -2 6 3 4 /2 0 5 -229-5042 . E m ail:

jhowardsingers@yahoo.com

www.thejhowards.com.

STATE WEB SITES

A l a b a m a U p d a t e B l o g :

WWW.alabamaupd ate.blogspot.com

Alabama Web Site: alcogop.org

C o l l e g e a n d C a r e e r w e b :

www.ccmgroup.blogspot.com Full Cup

Cafefor information contact Liz Knowles at

knowles510@gmail.com

Y o u t h - T i m B e c k W e b :

http://www.myspace.com/hydratetour &

www.experiencehydrate.com.

AVAILABLE FOR REVIVALS

James Adkins, P O Box 921, Collinsville,

AL 35961-0920, Telephone (256) 524-3130.

Joey Dobbs: Member of Sterrett Church of

God of Prophecy. Telephone (205)746-

3017.

Earlean Emerson, P O box 1863, Hamilton,

AL 35570. Telephone (205) 921-5637.

Christine & Curtis Englebert, 111

W oodland Road, Dora, AL 35062

Telephone (205) 648-2871 or cell # 205-

275-1199. cenglebert2871@charter.net.

Fill in for pastors also.

Avvis Motes, P O Box 272, Warrior, AL

35180. Telephone (205) 647-4819.

Kevin Rhodes, member at Red Bay, AL

Phone # 256-460-8105 home: 256-356-

4997, rhodeskevin@ymail.com .

Rebecca Spicer–Virgina Evangelist, You

can reach me at: Home: 540-726-3197 or

cell: 540-922-2986 revival@suddenlink.net

Kenneth Wilkins, is available for week-end

revivals and filling in for pastors and special

services. Telephone: (205)-763-7101.

E m ail : w ilk in s .k e nneth@ gm ail .com .

SPEAKING AND SPECIALPROGRAMS:

Wayne Craig, P. O. Box 5014 Glencoe, AL35905, Telephone: (256) 492-7577, cell#205-901-6893.Anita Falkner, 3615 Moody Pkwy, Moody,AL 35004. Telephone (205) 640-6207.

WEDDINGSAnniston-Praise and Worship: Tony

Rivera and Brittany Barclay were married

July 14 . th

BABIES

Altoona: Nicholas Elijah Taylor was born to

his parents Joseph and Andrea Taylor on

July 23 . His grandparents are Terry andrd

Kathy Taylor.

Dothan: Adaleigh Rae Tucker was born July

30 to Lance and Jennifer (Dollar) Tucker.th

Fayette-North Pointe: Brentley Reed was

born July 24, weighing in at 8 lbs.13 ozs.

and 21 ins. long. Brentley’s parents are

Amanda and Jonathan Weaver, grandparents

Chuck and Marilyn Palmiter and sisters

Bailey, Chloe and Hallie Weaver.

Tarrant City: Mia Grace Richardson was

born to Michelle and Jeff Richardson on July

27 . th

BABY DEDICATION

DEATHS

Huntsville-Mastin Lake: Angie Self passed

away from us August 7 .th

Huntsville-Mastin Lake: Gracie Lemley’s

home-going was August 8 . th

Huntsville-Mastin Lake: Shelby Sutherland

left this life August 8 . th

Trinity Worship Center: Ruth Tiema went

to her final resting place July 2 . nd

PASTORS/WIVESSEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Annzella AbernathyChrist BatesBrenda ChanceJackie ClevelandTerry GannVirginia HolcombJudy LylesChrissy LynnKrameon MartinNita NoeWilliam NoeShane PateDamon RoseJoan SmithBilly StevensJudy Wallace

ANNIVERSARIESKenneth and Ann HumphriesJoe and Beverly JonesGerome and Sarah KeyRobert and Judy LylesRon and Pam MartinBeecher and Chris Tanner

LOOKING AHEAD

HYDRATE TOUR-LIFE 2010/2013

September

6 Ashville Ragland High School

October

30 Sylacauga High School

November

8 Saks High School

B I R M I N G H A M R E V I V A L

GATHERINGS

Sept 23 Liberty Church Birmingham 6pm

Oct 14 Liberty Church Birmingham 6pm

Nov 11 Liberty Church Birmingham 6pm

Dec & Jan TBA

September12-15 SOPAS

Camp Boothe20-23 TeamUp 2012 (Reviving North

America through the YoungHarvest)New Haven, Connecticut

October13 Seniors Retreat31-Nov 3 TeamUp 2012

Overland Park, Kansas

November1- 4 Gordon-Conwell9-11 Regional Ladies Retreat

Lake Barkley-Cadiz, KY

December29-Jan 1 Winter Conference “Collision”

Camp Boothe

Children’s MinistryChildren’s MinistryChildren’s MinistryChildren’s Ministry

Maps matter. A bad map can ruin a vacation or make you late for a business meeting. Maps set priorities -- they influence how

you view your world. Church futurist Leonard Sweet says, "Every map is a political statement. A map is a cultural construct, a

model of what a generation 'sees.' Maps are never neutral."

That's why, in the sixth century B.C., a Greek named Anaximander put the Aegean Sea at the center of the world when he

drafted the first map of the known world. Well, in his day the Aegean Sea was the center of commerce, so how could it not be

at the center of the world? Maps can also dictate our fears, real or imagined. Cartographers used to draw dragons on map edges

to warn about the unknown.

You have your own map for where you want to go in your children's ministry. Before you travel any further, it's time to make

sure your map is accurate -- that it's really taking you in the right direction. Maybe it's an old map and no longer reflects the

routes you need to travel. Or maybe it has fearsome detours scribbled on it, designed to get you off track. Check your ministry

against this list to see if you're driven by the detours of your map.

Detour #1: "The sky is falling."

The church is following this detour so often you'd think we were lobby-

ing to include it in our creeds. It goes something like this: "Our culture is

falling apart. This is the worst time in history to reach children for Christ.

For example, just look at [insert favorite boogie man here]."

Sure, our culture is a difficult place for children to develop a moral and

spiritual compass. But in a broader sense, the sky is falling, and it always

has been. The book of Revelation tells us that history will crash-land at

some point, and things are likely to get worse before they get better. But

"the sky is falling" detour preaches an untruth -- that this generation is so

fallen that your children's ministry can't make a difference.

At my church not long ago, the sky was falling on Susie's 9 year-old life. Family pressures and the early onset of puberty cre-

ated an emotional and hormonal tsunami that threatened to capsize her. Her mother admitted her to a hospital's mental health

unit after Susie talked about suicide at school. Our children's ministry responded. Volunteers visited her in the hospital and

provided the family with support. After her discharge, Susie was quickly reintegrated in our Kid Theater so she could find a

healthy sense of achievement and belonging. During this life-and-death phase, our children's ministry made all the difference

in Susie's life.

The truth is, the Bible is filled with accounts of troubled generations that seemed almost impossible to reach for God. Imagine

what it would've been like to minister to children during the Exodus, the Exile, or during the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls.

Like the two faithful spies who were determined to occupy the Promised Land, we can scoff at the cultural giants that are at-

tempting to scare us away. Instead, let's cling to the truth of Ephesians 3:20, 21: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably

more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ

Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Detour #2: "Children are the church of tomorrow."

This detour is a cartographic catastrophe. True, the millennial generation will eventually mature into adulthood and lead our

churches. But this detour makes us blind to the reality that God has no intention of waiting until a person's life is a third over

before he recruits that person into his great mission.

The "church of tomorrow" detour promotes the wrong goals. When a ministry buys into this detour, it'll spend its resources

Children’s Ministry: Staying the Course

filling children's minds with Bible knowledge and keeping them out of trouble until the special day arrives when they're old

enough to command God's attention.

We need to create opportunities for children to P.L.A.Y. They need to Pray, Live out their faith in service, experience Christi-

anity as an Adventure, and learn to Yearn for the Word of God -- NOW!

Set a new course for your children's ministry by teaching about the Bible's under-aged heroes -- Miriam, Rhoda, David, Na-

maan's servant girl, and the poor boy who shared his lunch with the 5,000. Next, create programs that give kids training and

opportunities to "love God with all of their hearts, minds, and strength." Get them involved in service projects that teach them

to love their neighbors as themselves.

At our church, Jan Thompson provides the fourth- and fifth-graders in her midweek club regular service opportunities. Her

"Beach Combers Club" makes regular visits to a nearby retirement home, makes care packages for the city mission, and disin-

fects toys in the nursery.

Detour #3: "It was good enough for me."

Maybe you've heard a seasoned Sunday school teacher balk at active learning ideas by saying: "Why do we need all these new

teaching techniques? When I was growing up, we sat still and we learned. If it was good enough for me, it's good enough for

these kids."

Well-meaning teachers fondly remember growing up in traditional Sunday schools decades ago. Four words sum up this de-

tour: "The map never changes." But the map has changed -- dramatically. The teaching techniques of the '50s and '60s repre-

sented the best science and educational practices of the time -- namely behaviorism. Those teaching techniques were effective

in preparing students to meet the demands of a hierarchical society. However, the map changed.

According to Eric Jensen, author of Brain Based Learning, a new science of learning emerged in the '80s and '90s that took

into account advances in several different fields of study. Instead of viewing the brain as an orderly computer, researchers be-

gan to see the brain as a jungle of chemicals, electrical impulses, emotions, physics, genes, and pharmacology. Educational

theory is now more interested in learning how the brain works "in the wild." Motivating the learner with a carrot and a stick is

not enough anymore.

According to Leonard Sweet, the brain's "development is dependent upon all sorts of cultural factors, including technology,

language, customs, music, etc." Sweet asserts that the minds of today's children develop differently today than they did 50

years ago -- as they cut their teeth on TV, PCs, and the Internet, their brains develop to the specifications required by those

technologies.

And that's changing the map. Keeping up on cutting-edge educational practices isn't " 'dumbing' down the gospel." The issue is

whether we care enough to use current maps to find the best paths to kids' souls. Remember the parable of the wineskins. The

mysteries of the gospel are like new wine that never ages. A culture can act as a wineskin to hold these mysteries for a time.

However, the wineskin eventually cracks from age. The unchanging gospel must be poured into the container of the emerging

culture.

Detour #4: "The church is responsible for children's spiritual develop-

ment."

Setting sail with this detour on your map is a recipe for taking on water fast.

When your ministry assumes parents' responsibility for their children's faith

development, the weight is too heavy for your vessel to carry. You can't afford

to bring this baggage on board.

Many parents in our children's ministries are just coming back to church them-

selves and don't have a solid understanding of their God-given role in raising kids. These parents drop off their children at

church the same way they drop them off at soccer practice or at the dentist's office. They assume their job is to play taxi and

get their children to and from their specialists on time.

But Deuteronomy 6:6-8 clearly designates parents as the primary teachers and modelers of vibrant faith. A landmark study by

researchers at Search Institute confirms that parents have the most influence in determining whether children who grow up in

church settings will continue worshiping when they're adults. Mothers exercise their greatest influence when they engage their

children in faith conversations when they're between the ages of five and 12. And fathers have their greatest influence when

they engage in faith conversations with their 12- through 15-year-olds.

Instead of loading your hull with extra cargo, view your children's ministry as a large supply ship that travels with families as

they make their spiritual journeys. Your job is to resource these smaller vessels with ongoing training, encouragement, and

protection.

At our church, we provide regular fun events for the entire family, periodic training on ways to have family devotions, and

annual "helps" on how families can interact with our curriculum at home. l l l Now that you've straightened out your map,

you're ready for an adventure on the high seas of ministry. An accurate map won't guarantee everything will be smooth sailing,

but you can have the assurance that you're headed in the right direction. cm

Landmarks For Your Ministry

Now that you've removed the detours from your maps, here are unchanging landmarks you can use to plot your children's min-

istry course.

• Move mountains. Don't be surprised if your prayerful plan runs right into a mountain of challenge. This doesn't necessar-

ily mean you're off base. The mountain may not have been there when you started your journey. Remember, Jesus said

with faith you can move mountains. Danish writer Soren Kierkegaard said that sometimes God calls us to place the moun-

tain on our shoulders and move it ourselves.

• Have a woman at every port. Just make sure it's the same woman -- the Bride of Christ. Take port calls often. You're on

the journey of a lifetime. You need to be firmly connected with your church. You need worship, teaching, and account-

ability from outside your ministry department.

• Be a magi. The wise men set their course from the Far East by fixing their eyes on the Christ Star. In his seminal book,

Aqua Church, Leonard Sweet challenges us to use Jesus Christ as our North Star.

• Eat your veggies. When Magellan circumnavigated the globe, the majority of his crew didn't survive the journey. The

killer wasn't a storm or marauding pirates, but a lack of vitamin C. Poor nutrition made the crew susceptible to scurvy. If

you want to go the distance, you need to have a regular diet of prayer and time in the Word.

Article by: Larry Shallenberger, a Children's Minister in Erie, Pennsylvania.

July, 2012 Statistics����

CHURCH SM TITHES

Alexander City 32 3716.10Aliceville 06 1835.64Alton 52 4769.84Altoona 11 2251.96Anniston Praise Worship 40 3935.77Arab NO REPORT Bayou La Batre 07 1358.37Bessemer Hopewell Rd NO REPORT Woodland Hills 75 14,613.17Boaz 09 1353.31Boldo ---- 1747.15Brown’s Chapel 27 2733.10Browntown 53 4517.10Calera Harvest Chapel NO REPORTCarbon Hill 123 10,864.22Chickasaw ---- 2452.45Citronelle 17 652.00Clanton 27 2677.00Collinsville Harvest Center NO REPORTCordova 62 6925.90Cottondale Cunningham Bridge 06 173.00 Decatur 32 3884.00Dothan 16 4213.61 Dry Valley ---- 1455.30East Lake Highlands 42 3571.95Elba 08 406.00 Elkmont 10 680.00Eoline/Tuscaloosa 13 2599.00Fayette-North Pointe 113 4470.00Fort Payne 08 623.41Gadsden Living Waters 50 4804.01Goodwater Joyful Praise 31 1456.50Gordo 50 7083.90Grant 16 962.29Green Pond 79 7741.28Grove Hill 13 1457.00 Hackleburg 209 23,409.94Haleyville Pathway 27 2172.60Hamilton-New Heights NO REPORTHarris Chapel 40 7626.94 Happy Hill 85 8617.03

CHURCH SM TITHES

Hartselle 13 1786.51Hazel Green 68 3433.58Huntsville Bell Rd NO REPORT Mastin Lake 76 8107.00 Mission 23 --------Jasper 16 2938.58Leesburg 76 10,571.35Lincoln 25 2192.00Mentone 18 1157.52Montgomery 17 1140.00Moulton NO REPORTMunford-Silver Run NO REPORTOdenville 51 3090.07Pelham 38 4016.10Parrish 22 1992.90Phil Campbell NO REPORTPinson Parkway 35 2416.00Poarch 03 560.60Red Bay 22 4029.25Robertsdale 10 760.92Rock Cliff NO REPORTRussellville Living Word 28 2435.85Sheffield-Cliff Haven 143 17,317.16Short Creek 44 4193.71Sterrett 141 8679.84Summerbrook 44 4287.30Sylacauga-Power of The Cross 06 329.50Tannehill Comm. Mission NO REPORTTarrant City 47 3036.60Trinity Worship 75 7536.40 Twilleytown ---- 3949.70West Blocton NO REPORT West Mobile NO REPORT Winfield- Family Church 36 2872.93World Outreach Ministries 05 500.00

THE ABOVE STATISTICS WERE TAKEN FROM REPORTS (FROM TREASURER’S ) RECEIVED INSTATE OFFICE AS OF AUGUST, 2012

THE FOLLOWING REPORTS WERE RECEIVED IN THE STATE OFFICE FOR PREVIOUS MONTHS: Cottondale- June 103 3842.00Jasper - June 16 3586.00West Mobile -June 17 2008.00

EvangelismJuly Church Statistics

Taken from Church Reporters and Pastors Reports

1.Saved 2.Sanctified 3.Holy Ghost 4.Baptized 5.Added to Church

CHURCH PASTOR EVANGELIST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.Anniston-Praise & Worship Sylvester Smith 2Bessemer-Hopewell Joey Mojica 3Boldo Lynn Hitt 1Dothan Morris Bates 4 1Elba Avena Lewis 1Fayette-North Pointe Brent Smalley 2 1Greenpond Bill Noe 4Haleyville-Pathway Luther Rye 1Hamilton-New Heights James Clanton 1 1Happy Hill Curtis Sutton 1Harris Chapel James Ramsey 2 2Leesburg Timothy Douglas 2 1 3Russellville-Living Word Mark Fell 5Sheffield-Cliff Haven Neal Wright 4 4 2 2Short Creek Shane Pate 4 1 2 4 1Summerbrook Tony Burns 1Tanniehill–Mission Wilton Price 2 2Trinity Worship Center A. L. Henderson 1Twilleytown: Don Stanton 1Winfield City Family Church Dewayne Smith Various Evangelists 5 4 4 1

MINISTERS NOT PASTORINGJames Austin 3 1Bryan Baysinger 1Anita Falkner 1 1

MINISTERS REPORTS FOR JULY

Number Reports 66Sermons 338Church Homes Visited 753New Homes Visited 844

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