1325 Chatburn Avenue Harlan IA 51537

Phone: 712-755-2711 Email: fbaptist@fbcharlan.org

Equipping people to be transformed from self-sufficient to Christ-sufficient living.

Address Service Requested

«AddressBlock»

Extender, Published Monthly December 2020 December 2020

NOON—5:00 P.M.

Monday-Friday

fbaptist@fbcharlan.org

712.755.2711

Church Membership: Is It Biblical?

No and yes. “No” in the sense that there’s no verse in the Bible that says “Thou shalt be a member of a local church.” But “yes” insofar as the early church kept a list of members and the necessity of membership is easily inferred. This is important because, several months ago, the Diaconate formed a Membership Team and one of its tasks is to identify persons who are active in the life of the church, but are not official members. Once identified, the Team will lovingly reach out to these persons and encourage (and facilitate) their becoming members. What is Membership? I define membership as a formalized relationship with the church such that the person has both rights & responsibili-ties that others (non-members) do not have. The rights include:

To be supported by the church in all seasons of life, but particularly during times of difficulty or distress; To participate in the selection of leaders and other major church decisions; To be eligible for serving in certain ministries or roles; and To be lovingly assisted in escaping the destructiveness of sin.

As far as responsibilities, two are prominent:

To regularly participate in the life of the church, especially (when able) its corporate worship; and To actively support the mission and ministries of the church, as God directs.

How Does the Bible Infer Membership? By the fact that the early church kept a list of persons who had professed faith in Christ (Acts 2:41); By the fact that pastors are responsible for specific sheep (Acts 20:28); By the fact that believers are required to be under the spiritual authority of specific leaders (Hebrews 13:17); By the fact that believers are required to submit to the church’s discipline, including expulsion from membership, in

the event of unrepentant sin (I Corinthians 5:13); By the fact that the New Testament contains over 40 “one another” commands; By the fact that a membership roll is a practical necessity in the selection of pastors and officers (Acts 6:6); and By the fact that the Bible uses a number of analogies for the church (including nation, family and body), each of

which provides definition and clarity as to who’s in and who’s out. Based on the foregoing, I believe one can safely conclude that God expects every believer to be a member of a local church. In my next article, we’ll consider some of the things that might hinder a person in becoming a member. Pastor Dan

December’s Nation of the Month is ISRAEL.

Israel is located in Western Asia. 98% of Israel’s people are non-believers. Pray for the Body of Christ in Israel to be strong

and unwavering amid persecution and hard-ship.

Pray for the Jewish people to call on the name

of Jesus the Messiah. Pray for the age-long conflict between the Pal-

estinian and Jewish communities over the oc-cupation of the home land.

The Extender

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

01

02 6:30—First Baptist

University

6:30-9—BYF

03 04 05 5 pm—Saturday Evening Service

06 9 am—Traditional Service

9:30 am—6-12 Gr. Sunday School

10:30 am—Adult Sunday School Class

11 am—Contemporary

07 5 pm—GriefShare

5 pm—Middle School/High School Girls

Small Group

08

09 10:30—Adult

Connection Group

6:30—First Baptist

University

10

11 12 5 pm—Saturday Evening Service

13 9 am—Traditional Service

9:30 am—6-12 Gr. Sunday School

10:30 am—Adult Sunday School Class

11 am—Contemporary

Service

14 5 pm—GriefShare

5 pm—Middle School/High School Girls

Small Group

15

16 10:30—Adult

Connection Group

6:30—First Baptist

University

6:30-9—BYF

17

18

19 5 pm—Saturday Evening Service

20 9 am—Traditional Service

9:30 am—6-12 Gr. Sunday School

10:30 am—Adult Sunday School Class

11 am—Contemporary

21 5 pm—GriefShare

5 pm—Middle School/High School Girls

Small Group

22

23

24

25

26 5pm—Saturday Evening Service

27 9 am—Traditional Service

9:30 am—6-12 Gr. Sunday School

10:30 am—Adult Sunday School Class

11 am—Contemporary

28 5 pm—GriefShare

5 pm—Middle School/High School Girls

Small Group

29 30 No BYF or FBU

31

Page 2 Page 5

DECEMBER SERVING SCHEDULE

Anliker, Darla 12/20/20 9:00 Nursery

Anliker, Mike 12/20/20 9:00 Nursery

Bryant, Kevin 12/20/20 11:00 Nursery

Bryant, Nora 12/20/20 11:00 Nursery

Burton, Deb December 9:00 Video Ministry

Burton, Rowly December 9:00 Sound Ministry

Freml, Mary 12/06/20 9:00 Nursery

Freml, Rich 12/06/20 9:00 Nursery

Holdeman, Kathy 12/27/20 11:00 Nursery

Holdeman, Wayne 12/27/20 11:00 Nursery

Koesters, Amanda December 11:00 Video Ministry

Larson, Jeff 12/13/20 9:00 Nursery

Larson, Shelli 12/13/20 9:00 Nursery

Musich, Alayna 12/13/20 11:00 Nursery

Musich, Nick 12/13/20 11:00 Nursery

Poggensee, Mike December 11:00 Sound Ministry

Soll, Brent 12/06/20 11:00 Nursery

Soll, Terri 12/06/20 11:00 Nursery

Sorensen, Dean 12/27/20 9:00 Nursery

Sorensen, Elyse 12/27/20 9:00 Nursery

Thank You for Serving!

Thank you to those who serve on our various committees. If you can’t make the time you are scheduled to serve, please: 1) Try to find your own replacement; 2) Contact the coordinator for

help; and 3) Let the church office know of the change by Friday at noon. Thanks again, April French, Office Manager

Volunteer Coordinators Nursery: Michelle Erickson Traditional Sound/Video: Ruthanne Grimsley

Contemporary Sound/Video: Matt Schmitz

The Extender Page 4 Page 3

The JAM and JR. JAM program will be filmed on DECEMBER 6th during second service. Children are invited to wear their Christmas outfits on December 6th to look dressed up for the video. Some children will be wearing costumes provided by the church. The program will be shown at the De-cember 19th Saturday Evening Ser-vice, as well as at both services on Sunday, December 20th.

There will be NO BYF on Decem-ber 23 or December 30. Have a Merry Christmas, and a wonderful time with your family!

The Reason

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called

wonderful counselor, mighty god, ev-erlasting father, prince of peace.

ISAIAH 9:6

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his

glory, the glory of the one and only son, who came from the father, full of grace

and truth.

JOHN 1:14

for the Season

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming

obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the high-est place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of

Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

PHILIPPIANS 2:8-10

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with

hope by the power of the Holy spirit.

ROMANS 15:3

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleas-ures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

TITUS 3:3

But when the time set had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under

the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

GALATIANS 4:4-5