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Newsletter MARCH 2010 |
Larry’s Lines. . . . by Larry Murphy, Executive Director
Adrian Rogers once told the story that while he was in seminary his professor told about a mother whose son was in the military and was pronounced lost in action and judged to be dead. The War Department sent the letter that every mother dreads: “Your son is dead.”
Later they found out that the son was not dead but alive and well. They told someone, “Go tell that woman her son is alive.” How would you like to be the one who had the opportunity to go to a mother who thought her son was dead, knock on her door and say, “I’ve got good news”?
How excited we ought to be about proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ! It is better than the news that the War Department had to give to that mother. It is the news that Jesus Christ has conquered death, hell, the grave and judgment, and that we can live forever with Him.
The word gospel means good news. That means there must be bad news. Sin is our bad news. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The good news is found in I Corinthians 15:3-4, ³“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
How can we share this good news? Telling others about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and how it pays the penalty of our sins. 1. Share your faith regularly. Do you have the names of lost people that you are praying for written down and with you at all times? 2. Children and Youth Bible Drill – You may wonder how that is sharing the good news. The scripture is a “lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” When we have the scriptures in us and we live it before the world that is sharing the good news. 3. Vacation Bible School – Last year 88,000 were saved through the ministry of VBS. 4. Easter will soon be here. What a great time to showcase Jesus instead of ourselves, our church, our choir, etc. A great opportunity for us to share why we rejoice—it is that He is alive!
These are just a few suggestions of how you might share the good news. Just as we receive Christ and love to sing “Victory in Jesus”, there are thousands in Madison-Chester and Crockett associations who need to hear the good news and as Colossians 1:13 tells us, “We have escaped the dominion of darkness and become citizens of His Kingdom.”
D. L. Moody once said, “I remember the morning on which I came out of my room after I had first trusted Christ. I thought the old sun shone a good deal brighter than it ever had before. I thought it was smiling just upon me.”
Could we say as Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
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Alan’s Actions. . . . by Alan Teel, BCM/CCM Director
Dear Fellow Christians,
On March 6, 22 students and volunteers from Jackson State Community College will be heading to Portland, Maine for our Spring Break Mission Trip. We will once again be working with Marilyn McClendon from Southcoast Community Church. Joining us on this mission trip will be 14 students from the University Of Memphis, including their BCM director, Jeff Jones. While in Maine, we will be doing outreach events on area college campuses. There are no evangelical ministers on any of the college campuses we will be working with. We are hoping to make a huge impact for the Kingdom while we are there.
This past weekend we had eight Jackson State and three Union students who have been asked to serve as summer missionaries through Light Messengers, the TBC Collegiate Missions office. Below are a list of the students and where they will be serving.
Emily Birmingham, Friendship Baptist Center, Des Moines, IA Legon Craighead, New England Travel Teams Micah Grooms, South Asia, Sports Projects Leah Hardwick, New England Travel Teams Aaron Lambert, Infinity Sports Rachel Manning, South Asia, ESL Project Becca Pollock, Tennessee Children’s Home Josh Sims, Tennessee Travel Teams Kaisey Taylor, Tennessee Travel Teams Casey Williams, South Asia, Women of Worth Project Kristen West, Grand Canyon Innovators, Relation Evangelism
Please be in prayer for all of our mission endeavors. Special thanks to the churches who are helping out with lunches this semester.
In Christ, Alan Teel |
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Mission Matters Carl Teel, Missions Coordinator
A Gold Mine
Walking through Kenya, Africa, near Lake Victory, I came upon a large hole in the ground. Men were standing around the rim of this whole and others were bringing bucket s of dirt out of the bottom to the top. I asked my translator, “What are they doing?” He responded with, “They are digging for gold.”
I could see about six to eight men working around the gold mine. Some that I could not see were at the bottom of the hole, back in what I would call a cave in the side of the hole. The men, one by one, would bring a bucket of dirt to the top of the hole. Someone would take it a short distance away and dump the dirt into a trough and wash the dirt and find the gold.
These men were mining for gold but I was mining for souls. Therefore I asked my translator if I could speak to them. He in turn asked the one who appeared to be in charge and permission was given for me to speak. When the word spread to the workers, 18 dirty, smelly, rough looking men lined up around the rim of the gold mine to listen to the gray-haired man from America speak to them.
Beginning with the creation story, I led them to the cross. Then I asked the question, “Would you like to accept this Jesus I have told you about as your Lord and Savior.” In unison all 18 men raised their hands and prayed. These big, burley men prayed to receive Jesus and became children of God. When I share this story I am still amazed at what God can do when we mine for souls. |
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North American Missions Banquet Monday, March 8 6:30 p.m. Meridian Baptist Church Speaker: Randy Pool Coordinator for Mississippi River Ministry Ticket Cost: $6.50 Tickets may be purchased through the association office.
Madison-Chester Senior Adult Meeting Tuesday, March 9 10:30 a.m. Ararat Baptist Church Speaker: Larry Murphy
Crockett Senior Adult Meeting Tuesday, March 16 10:30 a.m. First Baptist Church, Gadsden
Annual Men’s Ham Supper Tuesday, March 16 6:30 p.m. Liberty Grove Baptist Church Ticket Cost: $6.00 Tickets may be purchased through the association office.
Madison-Chester Association Administrative Team Meeting Monday, April 5 10:30 a.m. Association Office
Crockett Association Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday, April 6 7:00 p.m. First Baptist Church, Alamo
Madison-Chester and Crockett Children’s and Youth Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament Saturday, April 17 First Baptist Church, Jackson Registration – 8:30 a.m. Drills Begin – 9:00 a.m.
Madison-Chester and Crockett Vacation Bible School Clinic Monday, April 26 West Jackson Baptist Church 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m.
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603 Wallace Road | Jackson, TN 38305 | Phone: 731.668.5690 | Fax: 731.668.5690 |
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