Connections summer 2015 isssu

Intentional Living

MISSION: PANAMA

Busting the Myths of Summer Vacation

Connectionsmagazine

Summer 2015

ContentsMeet Our Staff

Lead PastorRalph Sawyer

Pastor of Music & AdministrationGrant Jessen

Pastor of StudentsJeremy Shirley

Pastor of Preschool/Children Jason Hoke

Message from our Pastor: Knowing Right From Wrong ....................... 4-5

In Community: On & Off Campus: Bible Drills ................................................... 5 Busting the Myths of Summer Vacation ....... 8-9 One More In The Books ................................ 12

Mission Emphasis: Missions: Panama ...................................... 6-7 Hemmed in Prayer Ministry ......................... 11

Resources: Summer Fun ............................................... 10 Considering Homeschooling ........................ 13 Living the Intentional Life .......................14-15 Upcoming Events ........................................ 16First Baptist Church of Wentzville

653 Luetkenhaus Blvd.Wentzville, MO 63385(636) 327-8696

A quarterly publication by First Baptist Church of Wentzville, Missouri.The material within this publication may not be disseminated without permission.All inquiries, comments, suggestions and story ideas should be directed to our creative team at:[email protected]

Connections Creative TeamDee SchneiderLori JohnsonTracy SmithJeremy Shirley

If you are interested in serving on this team, please contact Dee Schneider [email protected]

2 Connections Summer 2015

Guilty as ChargedMary Mohler — March 9, 2015

Biblical Womanhood is one of those topics that more often than not makes women squirm, cringe or maybe even gasp when they consider what women like me embrace as God’s good gift to us. I enjoy co-teaching a Seminary Wives Institute elective with Jodi Ware here at Southern Seminary. I was a bit surprised to hear recently that a woman on our campus was a little leery of our course title,

“Embracing Femininity,” since she feared it might be about high neck collar fashion, among other things. Oh, the misconceptions! Be assured that we deal with lots of important topics in our class but dressing as Puritans is not one of them. Of course, I am accustomed to the farcical hyperbole from those outside of our campus who do not understand our complementarian convictions, but I was taken by surprise by the ranting of a woman whom I heard recently. She said this when talking about marriage roles:

“Have we lost our minds? We need to get out of Bibleworld. We live in the real world of today. We need to be trying to better the world that we live in and raise our children in, instead of parking ourselves 2,000 years in the past.”

Clearly, her problem is not with complementarianism, but goes much deeper than that. Let’s give her points for honesty. She does not sugar coat her thoughts! Her open rejection of the authority of Scripture is clear. Unlike others, she does not merely insult the Word of God by stating that it is a book with some good but dated advice; she instead deems it irrelevant and unworthy of the attention of the busy woman living in “the real world.”

The very book that radical feminists ridicule warns us about them. Scripture teaches that false teachers will rise up with their slick arguments and will find hearers with “itching ears” who are easily swayed by words and will turn away from the truth. We are not surprised by this. But as women of the Word, we must not be intimidated by their words nor angered by their condescension. Instead, we should be all the more motivated to happily model with conviction what we believe to be biblical femininity. Yet we must also be ready to articulate why we do so in spite of the risk of being held up to ridicule for errant understandings of what things like submission really mean. We rejoice in the fact that God created us as women who are his image bearers in our femininity to his glory. We count

it a privilege as we strive to fulfill what he in his infinite wisdom clearly defined as our role in the home by submitting to the servant leadership of our husbands as we model the church submitting to Christ. Our husbands have the daunting assignment to love us as Christ loves the church.

Those who shake their heads in disbelief at the seemingly simplistic stance of interpreting roles for the family based on the clear teaching in the infallible, inerrant, eternal, sufficient Bible will continue to do so. And they will continue to make up their own plan based on their fallible, erroneous, temporal, and insufficient musings until their descendants decide that those too are anachronistic and come up with yet another plan.

Do those who find the Bible to be irrelevant think for a moment that the Lord will applaud their wisdom on judgment day? Will he commend them for not taking all those ancient words too seriously? Will he possibly say that he did not mean for us to be rigid with his plan for marriage to be between one man and one woman for a lifetime? Will he be pleased that his clear plan for roles in marriage reflecting the gospel and the relationship of Christ and the church has been jettisoned in favor of a more politically correct version? Is there any chance that the Lord will say to them: “Well done, I was just being metaphorical when I said that my Word endures forever and that the implanted Word is able to save your souls.” I think not.

We press on with the full confidence that what might appear to be simple is truly profound. We stand on the truth of God’s Word. We shudder at the outrageous suggestion that we need to get out of “Bibleworld.” We are guilty as charged in our stalwart allegiance to the revealed Word. May we dig deeper into it daily knowing we can never begin to understand it fully. May we read, study, and meditate upon it with great expectancy as we prayerfully anticipate its instruction to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We would be wise to “park ourselves 2,000 years in the past” in order to study Scripture — all of which is “breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” according to the God-breathed words to Paul. But we won’t stay there. Anchored to what was given to us in the past as a priceless treasure, we are equipped to face the present and future. God, help us.

Mary Mohler is the wife of Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. and serves as Director of the Seminary Wives Institute.

Summer 2015 Connections 3

Knowing Right FRom wRong“The fear of the LORD

is the beginning of wisdom; all those

who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever!” Psalm 111:10 (ESV)

When we look around the cultural

landscape of America, we see the continuation of a shift from a God-centered morality to a man-centered morality. We see a shift from the

objective to the relative which has led to a culture that seems at the least not to care about what is right or wrong, or at the worst to be unable to tell the difference between right and wrong. What about you?

It seems as if the morals in our country, in our culture, and in our churches began to deteriorate at about the same time that the fear of God began to disappear from our country, culture and our churches. People are no longer looking to God for the definition of right or wrong.

“All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:12-18 (ESV)

Whether it has been the leader of the Senate knowingly lying about the taxes of a presidential candidate during an election, or government officials calculating a string of lies about what initially led up to the attack on the U.S. Consulate at Benghazi, or a systematic covering up of what actually happened with Fast and Furious, or the definition of marriage, or abortion, or to bring it on home, when your son or daughter is contemplating whether or not it’s right or wrong to sleep around before marriage, or get a divorce. You get the idea…I could go on and on…the point is God-centered morality is slipping away and wickedness is becoming the “norm” rather than the exception. “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was

right in his own eyes” Judges 21:25 (ESV). And, that’s the problem.

It’s happened before, in the nation of Israel, in Jeremiah’s day. And God said:

“Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” Jeremiah 32:37-40 (ESV)

The solution, according to the Scripture, begins with restoring the fear of God. Then we will know and do what is right rather than what is wrong. That’s what we can do—restore the fear of God in our own lives, in our families, and in our churches. Then we will be a light in our nation, and the salt which is needed for her preservation. But, it’s not to be the kind of fearing of God you might have when you fear Frankenstein or some other monster. God is not a monster from whom we must cower. It’s not that kind of fear that makes your stomach churn, and it’s not the kind of fear that worries and keeps people awake at night, fearful of things that might come. It is instead, a profound awareness of God, and reverence for who He is and what He can do. And God, being holy and perfect and almighty, is worthy of our fear, but because we know He is a loving God who always acts consistently with His nature, we serve Him out of love too. Why fear Him you ask? Here are a few reasons to reverence the Lord. The Scripture says:

• He is the Source of all that we need. “He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 145:19 (ESV)

• Our lives are in His hands.“The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” Psalm 145:20 (ESV)

• It is for our own good.“I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.” Jeremiah 32:39 (ESV)

• He is the judge of good and evil.“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ESV)

We should reverence Him and acknowledge Him…not

Pastor Ralph Sawyer, Lead Pastor


just in theory, but in practice. It must permeate our lives, in the way we live, in the way we think, and in the way we talk. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…it’s not the end. We can tell the difference between right and wrong. The question is, will you? You are now reminded where that wisdom to know right and wrong and then do it begins…right? Your life will be better and so will the future of our nation. Love God…love People…and do it with wisdom. Some things are right and some things are wrong…and only God through His Word can reveal which is which.

Bro. Ralph

Attention! Present Bibles. Does this bring back memories? Or, maybe you have no idea what I’m talking about. This year we were pleased to have several of our children participate in Bible Drill during our TeamKID program on Sunday nights. Four of our drillers were able to advance to the State Bible Drill held in Jefferson City at the Missouri Baptist Building. Bible drill is a program for children in 4th-6th grade during which they memorize the books of the Bible in order, 25 Bible verses and references, and 10 key passages. The children worked all year to be able to recite any of the 25 verses word for word at any time. They also had to be able to find any book in the Bible and state the book before and the book that follows. The key passages also had to be located. For example: “The Birth of Jesus” is Luke 2:1-7. Each of these elements had to be completed in 10 seconds or less. If you were unable to attend our church drill, then you missed an intense half hour of Bible skills. We are so excited to see how much these children have learned this year through Bible Drill.

Cristina Edmondson, Sarah Hoke, Justin Malawey. Not pictured Savannah Gilbert

Bible Drills


Panama Mission Trip, February, 2015

As you read this, we will have completed two, perhaps three, of the mission trips we have scheduled for this year. Let me share with you a little bit about our initial mission trip to Panama.

It was 28 degrees outside that Saturday morning when Gary and Saundra Mills, and I boarded our MD Super 80 and it finally took off from Lambert St. Louis International Airport. I say “finally” because our original scheduled departure for 5:10 AM was cancelled due to weather, snow, and as a result, we were moved to the next available flight. It departed around noon, but we were then rerouted to transfer in Dallas-Fort Worth, rather than Miami as originally planned. All these changes led to an 8:00 PM arrival in Panama versus the original 2:00 PM. Landing six hours later meant we would not be able to get on the road until 10:00 PM, and then had a four-hour journey to Chitre, on the dark, mostly unlit Pan-American Highway. I don’t think so! Now we would have to spend the night in Panama City rather than Chitre.

At 7:00 the next morning, Tim, the International Mission Board missionary who has been our “Connector” with Panama, joined

us at our hotel. He updated us on activities around the country, and let us know that he had spoken with the pastor in Chitre and that all the Vacation Bible School (VBS) material we had ordered would be waiting for us there. With that encouraging news, we started out for Chitre, with intentions of arriving around noon when the worship service at our partner church, First Baptist Church Chitre, would be finishing up. Instead, we arrived around 1:00 PM, missing the worship altogether, but the pastor and those who would work VBS with us were still at the church, busy preparing the material and reviewing the schedule. This was our first opportunity to sit down and get acquainted with the brothers and sisters from Chitre who would be working alongside us and review the plan for that week.

We knew before arriving that several of the Chitre church members had to work in the morning, so VBS would be in the afternoon from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM…more or less. Time and schedules in a Latin culture are “more flexible” than in our culture. For us, if a meeting starts at say 1:00 PM, we will normally be there early enough to ensure everything is in place and ready to start at 1:00 PM. Our experience was that the doors open at 1:00 PM, and then we begin setting up and preparing for the event.

M I S S I O N S : P A N A M A


By the time we left on Thursday, we had a pretty good idea of when to be there for the VBS…and 1:00 PM was early!

The daily VBS program started with all the children meeting together for songs of praise and worship before breaking into three age defined groups. Saundra worked with the 3 to 6 year olds, Gary was with the 7 to 11 year olds, and I had the 12 and over. Our host, Brother Cecilio, had arranged for translators from the local school to assist. They not only assisted us with the language barrier, but the cultural differences as well. Because there were different translators every day, it was a learning experience for them and for us. Some of the translators did not attend FBC Chitre, but when they saw what we were doing with the children, they brought their own children to VBS the next day. Our intention was to help them, little by little, get to know the Lord through His word, and His people. Mission accomplished!

Before we left Wentzville, Kathy Volkmann, who leads the Hemmed in Prayer ministry, had offered to send some dresses and shorts for the children in Chitre. We took more than 100 dresses and 50 pair of shorts of various sizes for the girls and boys, and those were a huge success! Lots of smiles were shared as the kids tried on the outfits to find out what fit them. The clothing was a big hit!

We had over fifty children attend VBS, which for a church that normally has three children on Sunday morning was a huge success. Gary, Saundra, and I were also able to share the good news of Jesus Christ to a young man on the wait staff at the hotel restaurant, and Cecilio made a profession of faith and asked the Lord to come into his heart. It was a major event for the three of us “Norte Americanos”!

Our trip back did not seem to take as long, as is often the case, but we were ready to get home. When we landed back at Lambert at 10:15 that night, it was 16 degrees here, a far cry colder than the balmy 86 degrees we had left just 10 hours earlier. Panama in February is not such a bad place to be!

If interested in going on a mission trip with us, the next preparatory class begins October 4,

M I S S I O N S : P A N A M Aand meets every Sunday for 6 weeks at 5:00 PM at the church. The Basic Training for Missions Teams is designed to prepare the team members before going on the trip. I remain convinced that the Missions Ministry is dependent on the

“3 P’s”—Prayer, Preparation, and Planning. You do not have to go on a mission trip to be on the missions team. We need prayer partners, planners and coordinators to help us plan and go on mission. Please continue to pray for us, and consider whether you can participate in the ministry.


Hello! It’s Harvey and Conda Halcomb here with 30 years of summer vacation experience during which we have visited more than 35 states and 4 different countries. We LOVE to travel together and always look forward to our family vacations. We would like to address some myths we have heard throughout the years concerning spending time with God during your vacation. We thought it would be fun to search the scripture and see if the myths are true or if they can be busted.

The first myth is “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” The truth regarding that myth can be found in Psalm 139:7-12: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.” God is with us wherever we go, so we cannot behave in a manner that does not honor God while on vacation. That myth is BUSTED!

Another myth we have heard is “I need a vacation from everything, including going to church.” Let’s consider what Psalm 102:21-22 says: “And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord.” We can tell you from personal experience it is fun to go to church while on vacation. We enjoy seeing how others worship, hearing a different preacher, and meeting believers from other parts of the country. While in Sedona, AZ a few years ago, we visited the only Southern Baptist church in the city and had the opportunity to see our Annie Armstrong mission money at work. There are so few Christians living in Sedona that the church there is supported by the money we give every year. It was fun to go and support and encourage those believers! That myth is BUSTED!

A final myth we have heard is “I don’t need to read my Bible on vacation; I am surrounded by God’s beautiful creation and can just appreciate that for the week.” Once again, going to God’s word, think about what Psalm 1:1-3 tells us: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and

Instead of thinking that reading God’s word is a chore on vacation, let us encourage you to make a plan before you leave and look forward to studying His word in a different setting.

“


they prosper in all they do.” Instead of thinking that reading God’s word is a chore on vacation, let us encourage you to make a plan before you leave and look forward to studying His word in a different setting. We recently returned from Aruba and had the opportunity every morning to individually read our Bibles and study God’s word while listening to the waves breaking on the shore. Starting every morning of our vacation with coffee, the Caribbean, God, and His word was truly a blessing in itself, but we took it one step further. Every evening after dinner, we sat on our balcony and watched the sun set over the Caribbean as we read through the book of James together. It gave us the opportunity to connect our hearts spiritually and to talk about God and what He is doing in us, which can be very difficult to do in the midst of our day-to-day busy lives. That myth is BUSTED!

Whether you are planning a “staycation,” a trip to the mountains, or a once-in-a-lifetime visit to an exotic location, we want to encourage you to remember to pack your Bible (or your iPad) and put together a reading/study plan that will help you include God. A few final tips are:

1. Keep it simple. You don’t have to read the entire Old Tes-tament while you are on vacation. We decided to just read one chapter of James every evening. We focused on a few verses and spent time thinking and talking about them.

2. Include your children. If you are enthusiastic about reading your Bible, they will be too. Just remember to keep the passages short. You will lose them if it goes too long.

3. Pick a family verse to memorize. Whether you are fly-ing or driving, there is plenty of time to turn off the elec-tronics and memorize a family verse. Reward them with a special dessert if everyone learns it.

4. Research and find the church you want to visit. Do so before you leave, get their service times, and see if they have childcare. Good planning before you go will make it much easier when you are there.

Since God created every possible location that we could visit, why not include Him on this summer vacation? It is our prayer that you and your family will grow closer to each other and to God while you are gone. Have a great summer vacation!

Busting the Myths ofS u m m e r V a c at i o n

Instead of thinking that reading God’s word is a chore on vacation, let us encourage you to make a plan before you leave and look forward to studying His word in a different setting.

by : Harvey and Conda Halcomb

“


What Do You Want to Do This Summer?Summer is a great time to be intentional about relaxing and spending time making family memories. There is so much to do in our county and in the St. Louis area that no matter the kinds of activities your family enjoys, there is sure to be something you will want to check out! In addition to well-known places and events (such as Six Flags, the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Gardens, The Museum of Transportation, the St. Louis Cardinals, Ted Drew’s, and so many more), here are some family friendly adventures you may want to look into:

• St. Charles County Parks and Recreation offer many events each month such as biking, skating, scooter lessons, fishing, a family campout, car shows, moonlight bike rides, movie nights, and more. You can find out about these things in their Activity Guide here: http://www.sccmo.org/DocumentCenter/View/2676

• Another great resource for events and festivals in St. Charles County is: http://www.greatriverroad.com/stcharles/countyevents.htm

• Food Truck Frolic, in partnership with St. Charles County Community College, presents monthly family movie nights May-September. For more, click on the events tab: https://www.facebook.com/CottlevilleWeldonSpringChamber/timeline

• The Muny presents Broadway shows each summer in a wonderful outdoor amphitheater in Forest Park. Of particular interest to families with children may be Disney’s Beauty and the Beast which is playing July 29 – August 7. http://muny.org/

• If your family likes adrenaline-filled adventure you might want to try a zipline. This one is in nearby Maryland Heights http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g44647-d4596377-Reviews-Go_Ape_Treetop_Adventure_Course-Maryland_Heights_Saint_Louis_Missouri.html, and this one is a short scenic drive away, near Hermann: http://www.ecoziplinetours.com/

• Our Missouri State parks offer unlimited opportunities for outdoor adventure. Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Elephant Rock are two family favorites that showcase God’s amazing creation with geological formations you certainly don’t see (or climb on and swim in) every day. https://mostateparks.com/

Whatever your style, summer provides an opportunity to spend some time with the ones you love and experience something new. Your adventure awaits!


Hemmed in Prayer MinistryBy Kathy Volkmann

The Hemmed in Prayer ministry was started in the spring of 2013. The idea came from my daughter who lives in Kansas City and attends Grace Christian Fellowship where her husband is the pastor. She was telling me about ladies in the church sewing items for nursing homes and mission outreach. I had been praying about a way to serve God and as soon as I heard about this ministry, I was excited to see if our church could begin one. After prayer and meeting with Pastor Ralph, I started looking for ladies with the same interest to serve God and began gathering supplies for our work. God answered my prayers with a group of faithful ladies and they have amazed me. Currently there are nine ladies involved in this ministry: Marilyn Deane, Sharon Fears, Barbara Greene, Vi Preston, Lisa Rohlfing, Jan Scott, Janet Stephens, Kathy Volkmann and Linda Waller.

The purpose of this ministry is to serve God by using our talents to sew projects that can be taken to local nursing homes or used by mission organizations to minister to children in other countries. In doing so, we provide useful items for the people and, at the same time, share God’s love and compassion. The ministry is hands on, cutting out patterns and fabric, sewing, and packaging the items for delivery or mailing. The work is done on an individual basis, in our homes, and on our own time.

God has blessed our work greatly. As of March 2015, we have sewn and delivered 536 dresses, 236 shorts for boys, 163 lap quilts, 120 clothing protectors and 23 walker totes. Many of the dresses and shorts have gone to Haiti with CEF and Global Compassion

Ministries. We have recently sent dresses and shorts with our own church mission trip to Panama, and we have also sent dresses and shorts to an orphanage in South Africa. Parklane Residents Home in Wentzville has received the lap quilts, clothing protectors and totes.

We gladly accept donations of cotton fabric, new or gently used pillowcases, 3/4” ribbon and elastic. Any questions or interest in the ministry can be directed to Kathy Volkmann-

Home phone- 636-745-7840Email- [email protected]


One More in the Books!

Our seventh season of Upward Basketball and Cheerleading here at FBCW just finished up and was a great success! This season saw 646 children registered on 73 teams with 122 coaches, representing over 31,000 Ministry Opportunities throughout the 11-week season. Of the 646 children playing, only 11% are members of FBCW, while 25% have no church home. Your faithful giving provided scholarship assistance to 100 families whose children would not have been able to participate otherwise.

We’re not just developing a child’s athletic abilities. We’re using sports as a tool in developing the athlete Mentally, Athletically, Spiritually and Socially. Upward coaches share a mid-practice devotion with each child at every practice. This season, we learned more about three virtues, each centered on a key Scripture verse:

Joy – “Finding a way to be happy, even when things don’t go your way.”

“Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful.” - Philippians 4:4Initiative – “Seeing what needs to be done and doing it.”

“None of you should look out just for your own good. You should look out for the good of others.” - Philippians 2:4Forgiveness – “Deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay.”

“Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you.” - Colossians 3:13

In addition to these virtues, each child heard the Gospel message at least three times and learned they are part of God’s Big Story. At the season-ending Award Celebration, each child received a DVD, “The Big Story,” to take home and watch as a family and in which they will hear the Gospel message again. As a result of your faithfulness and commitment to the Upward Sports ministry here at FBCW, at least forty children and six adults made a profession of faith in Jesus as Lord of their life, and another 20 indicated they desired additional follow-up to questions they have in their search for Truth. Praise God for what He is doing in our community through you!

Registration for our second season of Upward Soccer in the fall opens May 1st. Practices will

start mid-August and games will begin in September. You won’t want your child to miss out on all we’ve got planned for them this soccer season! You can find additional information about Upward Soccer at FBCW and register online at www.FBCWentzville.com

Has the Spirit of God been stirring within you to serve? In Matthew 9:37, Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” If you love kids and are ready to get off the bench and in the game, the Upward Sports ministry needs YOU!! Volunteer roles include coaches and referees, game day managers, announcers and setup/cleanup crews, volunteers for player orientations and sizing, sharing a devotion at a halftime on game day, marketing, promotions and social media, prayer partners, mascot volunteers, host families and much more.

As Scripture says in Acts 20:35, “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” so also is the case not just of our monies, but our time. But, don’t take my word for it. Listen to what a

“rookie” coach had to say about her first season as an Upward Coach.

“This season…was a new experience for me, and a wonderful one! All of the girls are wonderful girls and it was great to watch them develop their skills. I enjoyed the devotion time with them, and I am amazed at their awareness of God.” – Cookie Stude, member FBCW.

You don’t have to know the sport to serve the Lord in the Upward Sports ministry. The sport is just the tool we use to accomplish the mission of Promoting the Discovery of Jesus Through Sports. Loving God…Loving People…that’s what we do. We’re on mission to “Promote the Discovery of Jesus Through Sports” and we’re excited to see what God has in store for the ministry in 2015!


More than 2 million students are currently homeschooled in the US, and this number is, in all likelihood, pretty conservative. Homeschooling has enabled many families to grow deeper in their walk with Christ, move more fluidly as a family unit, and has provided many outreach opportunities.

The state of Missouri gives a wide berth to homeschool families. Educators are able to choose their own curriculum, set their hours, and children aren’t required to do any yearly testing. But, that freedom often comes with a sea of questions from parents taking the leap because the choices can sometimes be overwhelming.

1. Are there any college requirements for parents in order to homeschool? Missouri does not require anything special from the educator. Most curricula provide you with lesson by lesson instructions.

2. How can I teach my child in upper math and science courses when I struggle with understanding them myself? Some families choose to use a DVD based program or a co-op where an instructor teaches the subject for you. Others find study groups or a tutor with which to partner.

3. What if we try homeschooling and decide it doesn’t work for us? You can contact your local school and inform them any time that you wish to re-enroll your child.

4. How will my child learn to relate to the real world? From repair men coming to the home, dropping off a meal for someone in need, running to stores with Mom, helping in their parents ministries and all the extra opportunities available during

Considering Homeschooling?

“school hours”, homeschoolers have much more contact with people of all ages.

5. My spouse wants to homeschool but I don’t! It is vitally important that you both begin praying together about this decision. Frequently, spouses are disjointed on the matter. Sometimes, it’s even the student who asks first. Begin by asking God to make your hearts agree on this decision.

Koinonia is here to serve homeschooling families. We are here to help answer any questions you have without pressuring you into a decision, so please come and ask! Each month we have a co-op day and a field trip. We also provide an evening event for moms who need fellowship and encouragement. Twice a year, we have a New Homeschoolers Workshop where we introduce homeschooling to the community and answer questions. We look forward to helping you on your journey!

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. –Isaiah 41:13


By: Tracy Smith

It’s SUMMERTIME and we are naturally drawn to

the outdoors after months of cabin fever and indoor

“honey do’s.” These days the sun is shining a little longer

and a little brighter and with the presence of more

daylight, we have greater opportunities to be a light to our

neighbors.

Believe it or not, being a good neighbor doesn’t happen

by accident. Whether you live on a postage stamp and

have a direct view into your neighbor’s kitchen or out in

the wide open spaces where interaction with a human

consists of a wave as you drive past—living out this minis-

try is intentional.

Sometimes I think God is so funny! Did He just think of

EVERYTHING when He gave us His Word? Well yes, of

course He did – He’s GOD!! He knew the motivation and

direction we would need to be His Holy people, a chosen

generation, a priesthood, carrying the light of the Gospel

to our neighbors. He graciously didn’t shove us into sub-

division living without guidelines, and I guess that’s what

makes me giggle a little! I’m always fascinated by how

practical He is! Let’s get started…

Living th e In t e n tiona l Li f eIntentional LOVE


Living

Living th e In t e n tiona l Li f eLove your neighbor as yourself. In Matthew

22:37-40 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Let’s look at it this way—if we simply look at the law dealing with our relationship to others, it reads like this . . .

Do not commit adultery or lustDo not murder or hateDo not stealDo not bear false witness or gossipDo not covet or be discontent with what you’ve been given

Jesus summed it all up for us when He said we were to first love God and then we were to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But why? Why care about my neighbor? Why intentionally love them? Because we have the Light which the world is so desperate to receive. Matthew 5:14-16 states “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Looking out for the interest of our neighbors shows them our love. Philippians 2:3-4 states: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others.” That painting project you know will take your neighbor a month of Sundays to complete would be quick work with an extra set of hands. I know you remember what your momma always said, “many hands make light work.” Looking out for the interest of others . . .

Pray for your neighbors – praying is a great way to love our neighbors. Often times, we are unaware of their needs, but God always knows the heartfelt needs of those around us. God is even helpful with what to do with those

neighbors we don’t particularly care for—He commands us to pray for our enemies as well. Matthew 5:44 says it clearly, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Or maybe just annoy you. We can be practical as we go for a walk, or ride our bikes by taking that precious quiet time to pray on behalf of those who dwell with us for safety’s sake.

Those who dwell with us for safety’s sake . . . I just love that part of Proverbs 3:29! Did you know that we have neighbors for each other’s safety? See what I mean? God thinks of everything! How many times have I called my neighbors to say, “we’re gonna be out of town this weekend, would you watch over our house – and, by the way, feed our chickens?” We are here to be a blessing, to watch over, to protect, to be each other’s eyes of defense . . . for safety’s sake. Oh, that verse gives me such an appreciation for my neighbors! It also gives me the motivation to be a good one – not just by being kind but in refraining from being evil. The first part of that verse gives us a strict warning, “Do not devise evil against your neighbor.” #donotgossipormakeplanstoharm.

Before all you social butterflies feel like you’re getting a pass to spend your free time at the neighbors, our practical, all-knowing God has a sweet warning of perspective in Proverbs 25:17. “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s home; otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you. WOW! Clarity is brilliant!

We’ve all experienced it . . . the front door opening to find a ruddy little one bounding into the house (uninvited) for a day of play! Yes, too much of a good thing can be simply, too much. Being a good neighbor is all about being a blessing not a burden. Being aware of needs and acting, praying, starting up the grill to share a meal, playing “Kick the Can” in the street, and speaking the name of Jesus through our interactions with those around us. So be encouraged this summer, take the time to be intentional, as you love God by loving your neighbors. It’s summertime for heaven’s sake; let the Son shine!


JUNE

UPCOMING eventsJULY AUG

Issues of the Connections Magazine will be distributed via email and on our website. If you require a hard copy, please notify the church office.

6Legacy Builders & Boomers Quarterly Dinner “Final Au-thority” Concert

8-14Kansas Mission Trip

19&20Remembrance Scrapbooking

22-26Vacation Bible School

28Ministry Fair/VBS Family Day

5-10Summer Camp for Students

6-10Children’s Camp

11Legacy Builders & Boomers Kansas City Trip

13Women’s Ministry Event - Flip-flops, Fondue & Friends

17-18Men’s Ministry “Main Event”

17-24Puebla Mexico Mission Trip 2

7-8CCC - Art of Marriage

20Martial Arts Enrollment

22Upward Soccer Games Begin

24Solid Rock Preschool Begins


Connections summer 2015 isssu

Documents

Transcript of Connections summer 2015 isssu