n Summer Series 2018

n ESL Ministry

n Connecting at Colonial

n From Buddhist to Believer

n Carpenters for Christ

n Summer Happenings in Next Gen

... and more!

COLONIAL BAPTIST CHURCH

May–Summer 2018

MAY

–SU

MM

ER 2

018 Dear Colonial Family,

Having recently moved here from Texas (where summers can be brutal!), I’m eager to embrace all of the wonderful summer activities that the great state of North Carolina offers, from its beautiful sandy beaches, to its breathtaking vistas in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and everything else in between! Likewise, at Colonial this summer, we’ve got a lot of options for you and your family to enjoy!

In this inaugural issue of our new Colonial Connections magazine, you’ll learn more about some of these opportunities, and enjoy reading stories of God working in and through His people at Colonial, as they worship, connect, grow, and serve the Body of Christ both locally and globally. I’m thankful to be part of such an amazing church family that is actively growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and living out His command to go and make disciples of all nations. I’m also thankful for the opportunity to lead a team of godly staff and volunteers in our Communications Department. All that you’ll read and see in this magazine wouldn’t be possible without their wonderful contributions through writing, editing, photography, graphic design and more!

Praying your summer is blessed beyond measure with times of refreshment and renewal!

In His Service,

Cheryl ColemanCommunications Director

COMMUNICATIONS STAFF:

Cheryl Coleman Communications Director

Susan Benner Administrative Assistant, Editor/Staff Writer

Anna Elkins Graphic Designer/Videographer

Rishelle Barber Graphic Designer/Photographer

Katie Horton Videographer

COMMUNICATIONS VOLUNTEERS:

Amy Anthony, Photographer

Tierney Braddock, Photographer

Roben Dent, Writer

Brooke Espinoza, Writer

Liza Ferguson, Writer

Dick Fisher, Photographer

Beth McKay, Writer

Andy Poole, Writer

Pamela Poole, Writer/Social Media

Julianne Smith, Writer

Kate Smith, Writer

Jenny Terway, Writer

Carrie Jo Wintermute, Writer

Interested in joining one

of our Communications

Volunteer teams? Email

ccoleman@colonial.org to

learn more.

CONTENTS:Summer Series 2018 ....................................3–5

Connecting at Colonial ....................................6

Reaching the Nations for Christ in Wake County ................................................... 7

From Buddhist to Believer ...............................8

Celebrating Our STS Graduates .....................9

Building Men & Women in Christ ..........10–11

Next Generation ........................................12–13

Grace Promise Update ............................14–15

Summer at a Glance ........................................16

TO THE NEW COLONIAL CONNECTIONS!Welcome

WORSHIP

Beloved,When I think of the word STEADFAST, a lighthouse comes to mind. A lighthouse was never constructed to stop storms from taking place, and it never once calmed raging winds or waves at sea. It simply stood firm and illuminated the way home.

On three occasions, the Apostle Paul used the word STEADFAST as he encouraged the believers:... to stay steady against the flurry of sinful impulses; ... to stay stable against the driving winds of false religion; ... to stay strong even when the storms seemed most powerful. Our Summer Series theme, STEADFAST, is prayerfully offered to convict, challenge and encourage us toward this kind of steady, stable and strong commitment to our Lord—whether that means holding our ground against temptation, holding firm to the truth of Scripture or holding to the purpose that God has assigned us in life and service. I’m praying that this year’s Summer Series will cheer us on to remain STEADFAST even when storms intensify and waves crash even higher. I’m praying, beloved, that we continue to shine the light of the gospel, which unfailingly illuminates the way home. Standing with you,

Stephen Davey Pastor/Teacher

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JULY 1 | MORNING

THOMAS WHITE is the president of Cedarville University in Ohio. For more than a decade, he has combined his administrative, teaching and research skills with a pastoral heart for ministry. He earned both his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Systematic Theology degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. White has also contributed to several books, including Restoring Integrity in Baptist Churches. He and his wife, Joy, have two children.

JULY 8 | MORNING & EVENING

KEN HAM is president, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis, which operates the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. He is a highly sought after Christian speaker on the relevance, reliability and authority of the Bible, and the author of several books, including Dinosaurs of Eden (a children’s book) and War on the Word: Sharing the Gospel in a Hostile World. He also hosts a daily radio program, Answers with Ken Ham. He and his wife Mally live in Cincinnati.

JULY 8 | EVENING

BUDDY DAVIS is a speaker and singer/songwriter for Answers in Genesis. As a musician, Buddy plays various acoustic and folk-style instruments, including the guitar, mandolin and harmonica. He’s also a “paleo-artist” who specializes in building life-size dinosaur sculptures. Many of these can be seen at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. Buddy is also an avid adventurer, having explored the Arctic Circle in search of dinosaur bones and Turkey in search of Noah’s Ark. He and his wife, Kay, live on a farm in Ohio.

JULY 15 | MORNING

H.B. CHARLES, JR. is the pastor-teacher of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. H.B. has served since 2008. Prior to joining Shiloh, he led the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles for almost 18 years. Succeeding his late father, he began his pastorate at Mt. Sinai at the age of 17 while still a senior in high school. Last year, H.B. made history when he was elected the first African-American president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors’ Conference. He and his wife, Crystal, have three children.

JULY 22 | MORNING

GREG KOUKL is founder and president of Stand to Reason, a Christian apologetics organization, and he also hosts his own call-in radio show that defends the Christian worldview. He has debated atheist Michael Shermer on national radio, and best-selling New Age author Deepak Chopra on national TV. The central theme of Greg’s speaking and writing is that “Christianity, if it’s properly understood and properly communicated, makes the most sense of the world as we find it.” Greg and his wife Steese live in California with their two daughters and stepson.

S U M M E R S E R I E S 2 0 1 8

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AUGUST 5 | MORNING

TIM SIGLER is the new Provost and Dean at Shepherds Theological Seminary where he is responsible for all aspects of administration, development, and the overall supervision of the faculty, staff, and academic programs. Prior to STS, Tim served with distinction at the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago for 18 years, most recently as Professor of Hebrew and Biblical Studies. Tim loves teaching the Bible on location and hosts study tours throughout the biblical world with Wisdom Passages. He and his wife, Bernice, have three children.

AUGUST 12 | MORNING

ERWIN LUTZER served as senior pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years before retiring in 2016. A renowned theologian, Dr. Lutzer earned his B.Th. from Winnipeg Bible College, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, an M.A. in Philosophy from Loyola University, and an honorary LL.D. from Simon Greenleaf School of Law. Dr. Lutzer has also authored several books, including Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago and have three grown children.

JULY 22 | AFTERNOON

APOLOGETICS CONFERENCE Join us Sunday at 2 pm for the Reasons2Believe conference, where both adults and students can learn tools to defend the great truths of Christianity. The event includes presentations from Greg Koukl and Alex McFarland, who is director of the Center for Christian Worldview at Greenville University. There will also be a panel discussion with young men and women who have remained steadfast in their faith despite hostile college environments. Register at reasons2believe.org.

JULY 29 | MORNING

ROBERT SMITH, JR. is a renowned pastor, professor and author of several books, including the award-winning Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life and The Oasis of God: From Mourning to Morning—Biblical Insights from Psalms 42 and 43. Dr. Smith earned his M.Div. and Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently serves as the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Alabama. He and his wife Wanda have four adult children (one in heaven).

POPS CONCERTAUGUST 12 | WORSHIP CENTER | 5 PM

Join the CBC orchestra for a free evening of music featuring jazz standards, Broadway tunes and cinema favorites. The music will all be synchronized to a display of lights that will delight both young and old—and all kids will get free glow sticks! Refreshments will be provided.

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CONNECTING AT COLONIAL: The Brock Family Finds a Church Home

With so many choices in churches today, the process of church hunting can be daunting. It’s not easy to find one that is a good fit—where you instantly feel like you’re “home.” But for the Brock family—Eric, Breann, and their three children—the choice was simple. As Eric explained,

“I knew the Word of God was grammatically, historically, and literally interpreted, and correctly and exegetically preached and practiced here [at Colonial]. Where else would you go?”

The Brocks committed to attending Colonial in May 2017. However, Eric and Breann’s spiritual journey was not so simple, since neither grew up in a Christian home, or began attending church consistently until 13 years ago.

At that time, they tried a couple of local churches before settling at Southside Church in Clayton. Although they had not committed their lives to Christ at that point, they truly felt as though they were growing in their relationship with God. After speaking with the pastor, praying, and earnestly searching the Bible, Eric came to the difficult conclusion that he was not saved. He said that God used John 8:31-32, “If you abide in My word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” to work in his heart and bring him to his knees in reverence for the Lord.

After becoming a believer, Eric immediately began actively serving at Southside. He dove into their children’s ministry and became the children’s ministry director as well as the church intern. He also made the decision to attend Shepherds Theological Seminary here at Colonial in 2013.

Although Breann thought that she was a Christian from a young age, it was not until May 2015 that she truly submitted her life to Christ. While they were both very involved in the children’s ministry at Southside, they felt the need to look for a new church that had a large and vibrant children’s ministry that offered them and their children more opportunities to

serve and grow. After seeking biblical advice from the elders at Southside, Eric and Breann began attending Colonial.

The Brocks wasted no time getting involved at Colonial. Eric now directs Colonial Corners, helps with VBS in the summer, and works closely with the Children’s Ministry team. He’s currently helping Kelly Keen, the Elementary Director at Colonial, put together a curriculum that will help coach and equip Children’s Ministry teachers to be more

effective. Breann leads a 5th grade girls’ small group in Colonial Corners and volunteers with the children’s choir. Their three children are involved in SEEK, a homeschool co-op hosted by Colonial. Their family strives to serve together as well, with Eric and Breann taking advantage of any opportunity they have to encourage their children to give back to the church.

Breann spoke of the importance of serving the Church, saying, “We’re called to be a part of the body and to help it grow and function the way

it’s supposed to.” Eric agreed and expounded upon her statement by emphasizing that there are biblical commands to serve the Church in any capacity. He said, “If every person in the Church is part of a body, what part is not functional? It all is.” He emphasized that he could not imagine that believers in Christ would sit idly by while the Church—which is to be the bride of Christ—fell apart. Sadly, that is what it would do if everyone in the Church elected not to do their part and serve. The Church would not, and indeed could not, function properly.

“Compelled to serve? Absolutely. Desire to serve? Definitely. Children’s ministry? Passionately. … We will always serve the Church,” declared Eric.

If you’ve not yet found a place to connect and serve at Colonial, consider finding your spot today! Visit www.colonial.org, under Connect, and Volunteer to learn more.

connect

By Jenny Terway, Contributing Writer

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Wake County, NC continues to grow rapidly with roughly 62 new residents added to our ranks each day; and nine folks per day from an international location. Colonial’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Ministry seeks to connect with these newly-located internationals, obeying the command to “love the foreigner, therefore, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” (Deut. 10:19)

ESL Ministry Director Laura Reak and Co-Director Sonnie Ryder work with several teams of volunteer workers that combine to form the ESL Ministry team. Ministry volunteers strive to connect the participants with the Wake County community, and with programs and individuals at Colonial.

The ESL Ministry meets Fridays from 9:30–11:30 am. There are currently four levels of instruction. As of February 2018, there are 40 workers that serve with the adult learners, 11 workers who minister to the children that come with their parents each week, and 19 prayer warriors who

lift up the ministry throughout the week. Since last August, 219 different students from numerous nationalities have attended a class, with the weekly attendance averaging around 75.

The program includes three key components:

n C onversation with the students, and not just the teachers, doing

the talking

n Bible study with a gospel presentation

n Caring environment where students are known by name and both they and their teachers feel comfortable sharing their life experiences

Nearly Two Decades of ServiceColonial’s ESL Ministry began about 18 years ago with a ministry to an apartment complex where many internationals lived. While ESL instruction is available many places, including the local community college, Laura, director since 2008,

attributes the continued appeal of Colonial’s ESL program to two primary factors: the availability of childcare; and the low teacher-student ratio, which is approximately one teacher for every three students.

The curriculum uses a practical, conversational method where students have the opportunity to learn about cultural norms and use their conversational skills in that setting. For example, students may learn about making telephone calls, eating at a restaurant or talking with doctors. Students also have the opportunity to interact beyond their classroom at one of two parties held each year—at Christmas and at the end of the school year.

Making ConnectionsLaura views the ministry as one of connections, with teachers inviting class members to family events or enjoying one-on-one Bible study to nourish the seeds that are planted during class. Both Laura and Sonnie share a sense of urgency in reaching these internationals. They have seen the effects of the transient Triangle-area population and realize that many of the students are here for only a limited time. Sonnie explains that “we may not know how long they will be here, but we believe that God has given us an opportunity to share the gospel with them. God is bringing the souls to us.”

If you’re interested in joining the ESL Ministry, email esl@colonial.org to get started. All training is provided!

Reaching the

Nations for Christ

in Wake County

By Beth McKay, Contributing Writer

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FROM BUDDHIST TO BELIEVER

“It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.” — 1 Corinthians 3:7

Unbeknownst to Ann Hatchaboon, God had been pursuing her since birth. But because she was raised in a Buddhist family in Thailand, Ann’s knowledge of God was non-existent. Nevertheless, God graciously planted seeds in her life that He would one day bring to fruition. One of those seeds was when a close friend, “Mr. K,” converted to Christianity. A few years later, she randomly attended a church service on Christmas and heard the gospel but chose to ignore it. Again, a few years later, Mr. K shared the gospel with Ann personally, piquing some interest, but she still remained strictly Buddhist.

However, a turning point came after the death of her father in early 2016, which brought such grief to Ann that she decided to come to America on a six-month tourist Visa to get her mind off of her sadness. During her stay here, through a mutual friend, she met Chris Matthews, who had recently begun attending Colonial and was sorting through some of his own faith struggles. Ann asked Chris if he would like to attend the Christmas service together. Despite not being a believer, Ann was curious about Christianity, and she was also curious about Chris. He recalls of their first meeting, “She seemed to be indwelled [with the Holy Spirit] already. I remember thinking, ‘this girl is Christian, but she just doesn’t realize it!’”

Nevertheless, despite Ann’s increasing interest in Christianity, she was still wrestling with the guilt of what her father would think about her investigating this foreign faith. On the anniversary of his death, she decided to go swimming to help relieve some of her stress. She talked in her mind to her father saying, “Dad, all the good things I did in my life, I pass it to

you to support you to rest in peace.” (Buddhists believe in good works to help one go to heaven.) “As I opened my eyes,” she recalls, “there was a man looking at me in the pool. He smiled and asked, ‘Are you a Christian?’ I answered, ‘No, I’m Buddhist.’ But I wondered why he asked me such a question.”

The two sparked up a conversation and the man shared that he sensed the Holy Spirit in her, that’s why he asked if she

was a Christian. He shared with her that he hadn’t been feeling well that day, but decided to go for a swim. After talking with her, he knew why he was compelled to go there that day…for God had given

him a mission to meet Ann and plant another seed.

A few weeks later, at church where Pastor Davey presented the gospel, Ann had some stirring questions that would ultimately lead her to accept Christ as her Savior. Because her time in the United States was coming to an end, Ann requested if she could be baptized before leaving the country in a just a few short days. Due to Ann’s unusual set of circumstances, the church heartily agreed, and she was baptized the following weekend on March 12, 2017. While it may have seemed like a whirlwind of events culminating with her baptism, the reality is God had been pursuing Ann for years. It was His loving pursuit that led to Ann’s eventual conversion, as well as her eventual marriage to Chris!

They were recently married in January in Songkhla, Thailand. However, until Ann’s immigration papers get approved, they must maintain a long-distance relationship. They are trusting in God’s perfect timing to be reunited, but Ann is excited to get back to the U.S. where she hopes to be a bridge between Thailand and America to share the good news of Christ’s love to all who don’t know Him yet. And of course, to be a loving wife and helpmate to Chris!

grow

By Cheryl Coleman, Communications Director

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The excitement of an impending graduation and hearing “Pomp and Circumstance” never grows old. That’s definitely true for several Shepherds Theological Seminary (STS) students who will be graduating on May 20. Three of these students were also heavily involved in ministry here at Colonial. Each was asked to share a little about their experience at STS and Colonial and how it’s made an impact in their lives and prepared them for their next step in ministry.

Celebrating our STS GRADUATES

While at STS my faith has been strengthened, my love for God’s Word has grown, and my passion for glorifying God has multiplied. Soli Deo Gloria! In addition, my wife, Leah, and I were heavily involved in the College Ministry at Colonial. Serving there allowed us some awesome opportunities to disciple and help the college students as they grew in their relationship with our God. This past year, God also allowed me to be a part of Student Ministry where I helped to teach Bible studies and disciple the students. Through each of the ministries that we had the privilege of serving in, my wife and I grew in so many wonderful ways. Please pray for us as we move in June to Mishawaka, IN, where I will be the assistant pastor at First Baptist Church and oversee Student Ministries and Outreach. We will miss our Colonial family, but we are excited for this next step God has for us.

WILL SUAREZ TROY SUMMERS DENIS SALGADOAfter graduating with my Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from the WEST Institute (Shepherds’ extension seminary in Laramie, WY), I moved to Cary to pursue my MDiv degree at STS, where they challenged me to not be puffed up by knowledge but to pursue the Lord in both my studies as well as my personal walk with Him. Getting to know the hearts of the faculty has given me some great examples to admire and follow. When I first came to STS, I quickly got involved in the choir at Colonial, and later served as an intern for the Children’s and Family Ministries. I now work full-time with the Colonial Sports Ministry where I am a Sports Assistant. I’ll continue in this role after graduation. Please pray for God’s continued leading in my life and for me to be open and ready to take whatever next steps He has in store for me.

When looking for a seminary, size was important to me because I wanted a setting where it would be easy to interact with professors. STS was a perfect fit! On our first visit here, the Dean himself (Dr. Pettegrew) showed us around the campus! We instantly felt at home. My time at STS has increased my knowledge of Scripture, theology and biblical languages, and prepared me to do scholarly research. More importantly, my walk with the Lord has been deeply impacted by the humble example of godly professors. I have had the privilege of working for the radio ministry of Wisdom for the Heart as their Portuguese translator and interpreter, and my wife Tiffany has served as the Early Childhood Director at Colonial. God has truly blessed our time here beyond measure! After graduation, I plan to continue my ministry with Wisdom in Brazil, my home country. Please pray for God’s continued guidance in our lives.

STS COMMENCEMENTSunday, May 20, 6 PM | Chapel

Everyone at Colonial is encouraged to attend this special evening where we celebrate our STS graduates and recognize their accomplishments. Refreshments will be provided.

CLASS OF 2018 STS GRADUATESn Eric Brock, Diploman Anthony Dreesen, MDivn Dave Massa, MDivn Thanh Nguyen, MACMn Sterling Ottun, MACMn Jonathan Payne, MDiv

n Erica Roland, MACMn Denis Salgado, MDivn Lily Su, MACMn Will Suarez, MDivn Troy Summers, MDiv

In addition to those listed here, 10 students from the Laramie, WY teaching site will be receiving their MTS degree.

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As Colonial’s attendees rush to classes, to worship services, or to their stations to help on any given Sunday, they know they can expect the building to be well-maintained and updated to meet the new needs of the church body. What they may not expect is the amount of time and effort that volunteers have donated to make the church surroundings a pleasant, functional, and safe place to gather. The Colonial Carpenters for Christ is part of that ministry; and in 2017, the Carpenters contributed 1,134 hours on projects that included a kitchen remodel, a stairwell ledge and light-fixtures update, and almost 600 hours of maintenance work. The team first launched their services in the church by building the popular Colonial Corners set for the Children’s Ministry.

Who are the Carpenters for Christ?

Colonial Baptist Church’s Carpenters for Christ team began in 2006 as volunteers joined together to work one to two weeks per year on construction projects. Later, they formed a crisis team for disaster relief and began partnering with NC Baptist Men. According to Director Andy Bryan, “Our Lord has blessed us with skilled men who love Him and are eager to give back. Not only do these volunteers do an excellent job, they are faithful in their commitment and willingness to work extra hours to complete a project.”

Andy is also quick to point out that the heart of the outreach is to share the hope of Christ’s love to others. While the team’s willingness to offer carpentry and maintenance skills is what opens the doors of opportunity, people are the focus of their ministry. And, after benefiting from portions of the 27,000 hours that this group has poured into projects at Colonial and ministry partners in the community for the past seven years, local ministry leaders heartily agree.

Advocates for Life: Local Ministry Partnership with Christian Life Home and Hand of HopeThe Carpenters for Christ has been providing maintenance and remodeling assistance to a Christ-centered maternity home for pregnant young women. They also built a deck and stairs to meet codes for a home that will open soon as a temporary home for new mothers who need a safe place to live until they can find work. The Christian Life Home ministry provides a nurturing environment and equips young women to make difficult decisions while preparing them to take on adult responsibilities.

Whether or not the young residents can appreciate the hard work done to improve their accommodations, they may overhear conversations between the team members. Sherry McIntyre, who has served many years at the home, is impressed

and blessed when she listens to the team hard at work and overhears the men share testimonies that glorify Christ. She also recalls a Valentine’s Day when the team members were drenched in sweat from the challenge of breaking up old tile so that another ministry could install hardwood flooring. Though the result would be the beautiful hardwood floors, the Carpenters for Christ made that possible by working hard behind the scenes.

Tonya Nelson, the CEO for Hand of Hope, is also impressed with the God-honoring heart of the team, and echoes praises of the group’s work ethic. “Non-profits

BUILDING MEN & WOMEN IN CHRIST

serve

By Pamela Poole, Contributing Writer

10

are plagued by half-hearted efforts. Colonial’s Carpenters for Christ are knowledgeable and pay close attention to detail.” Tonya adds that the results are always excellent, representing the team’s heart for offering the work of their hands in a way that represents Christ.

Rescue/Empower/Impact: Converting Hearts MinistriesThe Carpenters for Christ team is well-known by the leaders and residents at Converting Hearts Ministries, located on the beautiful 11-acre Aiken Family Farm in Creedmoor. The farm is the perfect setting for Converting Hearts to fulfill their mission, which is to rescue men from addiction for life, reaching broken families through the power of the gospel, within the context of the local church and seeing a measurable impact at home, work, and in the community. Colonial’s team is a wonderful example of the gospel in action, and in one memorable project on the farm, the men invited the youth from Colonial to participate. While mentoring these willing youth as they learned valuable problem-solving and carpentry skills, the team converted an old tobacco barn into a much-needed lounge for fellowship space. Charlie Russell, Director of Operations at the farm, says that the Carpenters built relationships with the residents, who sometimes worked alongside them.

NC Baptist Men Ministry: Disaster ReliefColonial’s Crisis Response and Carpentry Ministry group works closely with the NC Baptist Men organization. One difference in the two teams is that the Baptist Men often serve in the most intense situations immediately after a disaster, such as a hurricane, in which they may work for the first six months doing mud and tree removal, tarping roofs, and tearing out drywall. Colonial’s team is a long-term outreach for the rebuilding efforts, helping other ministries and approved benevolence situations. In every situation, it is understood that they are authentic Christians who will be living their faith on the job. They pray as a group before they pick up their tools and reach out to anyone on site in ways that have led to many changed lives.

Carpenters for Christ has helped with rebuilding efforts in places as far as New York and New

Jersey, but there is plenty to do closer to home. Larry Osborne, Director of

Red Springs Mission Camp in Robeson County, says the camp’s goal is “to be

a ministry that’s outside of its walls.” Colonial’s Carpenters for Christ is doing

this by establishing relationships in communities to make disciples. Most

recently, they are helping to build a church for the Lumbee Indians, framing

and erecting walls for the Vision of Hope Baptist Church, led by Reverend

Windell Hunt.

Interested in Serving?If you’d like to learn more or serve with any of these amazing ministries, contact:

Colonial’s Carpenters for Christ: Andy Bryan, Director, abryan@colonial.org

Christian Life Home: www.christianlifehome.org

Hand of Hope: http://yourchoicepregnancyclinic.com

Converting Hearts Ministries: www.convertinghearts.org 11

For more information on any of our Next Gen events, please visit www.colonial.org.

next generation

VBS 2018By Tim Parpan, Operations Manager, Children’s Ministry

Sports CampsBy Peter Bonner, Sports Director

Registration for our Summer Sports Camps is now open! We will have two weeks of Soccer camp (each week requires a separate registration). Week 1 is June 11-14 from 9 am–Noon. Week 2 is June 18-21, and we have both a morning and afternoon session. Our Basketball camp also is offered on two separate weeks. Week 1 is June 25-28 in the morning and afternoon. Week 2 is July 16-19 in the morning only.

For more information and to register, visit sports.colonial.org.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to travel back in time and witness epic events in history? Imagine the thrill of meeting great heroes of the faith like Abraham, Moses, or Gideon. Or the fun of experiencing life in ancient cultures like Rome. Or the fascination of watching famous inventors make discoveries that change the world.

In this day and age, it’s vital that we teach our children that the Bible is more than just a dusty book of stories. We need to show them that God’s Word connects to every area of life and is just as relevant now as it was thousands of years ago, so they will know its amazing message of salvation is true!

Recent surveys show that nearly 70 percent of Christian kids grow up and walk away from the church. One of the main reasons is because they have not been taught basic apologetics.

Answers VBS programs are designed to answer the key questions that cause so many young people to walk away from the Lord.

This year’s Colonial VBS program will run July 9–12 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Kids will have a blast as they make themed crafts, watch fun science experiments, spend time in small groups for teaching, music and snacks, and watch a live drama unfold over the four-day program. Kids are encouraged to invite their friends and neighbors. There is no charge! However, registration is required at colonialkids.org.

Interested in Serving?It takes many dedicated volunteers to run this program. Consider being a blessing to our children by volunteering to help with this significant outreach event. Email Tim Parpan at tparpan@colonial.org to learn more about the various opportunities to serve.

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Meadowland is a morning preschool ministry (held from September–May) at Colonial that offers 2-day, 3-day and 5-day programs for children starting at age 2. Our classes meet from 9 am–Noon and generally follow the Wake County traditional school calendar. Our staff consists of dedicated professionals who love God and love children. Our goal is to serve both our Colonial families and families within our community. If you have children, ages 2-5, consider signing up for Meadowland and taking advantage of this great program right here at Colonial! Or feel free to pass along our information to others who might be in need of a quality Christian preschool program in the area.

2018-2019 Enrollment Open!Enrollment for 2018-2019 School Year is underway! Spots are limited. Feel free to schedule a tour, as we would love to meet you. Contact Kerry Courneen, Meadowland Preschool at (919) 233-9100, ext. 1591.

Preschool Summer Camp Three Weeks ONLY! M-Th for Ages 2-5

Camp #1: June 4-7 Camp #2: July 23-26 Camp #3: August 6-9

Spots are limited. Children will learn God’s truths while doing crafts, playing games, and enjoying some time outside as well! Sign up at www.colonialkids.org.

Students — summer 2018By Corey Staton, Pastor of Student Ministry

Summer Bible Studies • Wednesdays, June 6-27, 7-8 pmOur girls and guys will meet separately for our summer studies on Wednesday nights. Girls will be covering the topic of discernment, and guys will be doing a study called, “Man Up: A Study in Biblical Manhood.” Both meetings will be heavily focused on small groups and discipleship.

Big Summer • Thursdays, June 7, 21 & July 5, 6-8 pmWe have three exciting “Big Summer” events scheduled in the months of June and July. Big Summer is a time to come and hang out at fun-themed events that also have a gospel focus. Each Big Summer will have a different theme such as water week, sports week, etc., and costs only $1 to attend. This is also a great opportunity for students to bring a friend who may have never heard the good news of Jesus before, as we will have gospel presentations at each event.

Summer Camp 2018 • July 27-31 Cost: $319 through June 15; Goes up to $339 thereafterSummer Camp is our biggest event each year. We take our students to Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC and have a fun, five-day retreat to eliminate distractions and focus on God’s Word and discipleship. We have guest speaker, Isaac Adams, coming to speak to our students about growing up to maturity in Christ. Summer Camp is always such a beneficial week for our students and leaders in their growth. Summer Camp registration is now open and runs through early July. Spots fill up fast! Register at colonialstudents.org.

Meadowland PreschoolBy Kerry Courneen, Meadowland Director

For more information on any of our Next Gen events, please visit www.colonial.org. 13

next generation

One year ago our church was presented with the opportunity to participate in Grace Promise giving—giving that would be over and above our normal offerings to expand our

Christian impact around the globe.

Our church responded with generous commitments totaling over $500,000, allowing us to help supply the needs of the saints in multiple projects. These projects are serving to make disciples of all the nations as they advance the gospel, church, truth, and biblical shalom. Our opportunities have been more extensive than I’m able to share in this article, but I trust this sampling will encourage your heart as you read about some of the ways YOU have contributed to these special projects.

n Grace Promise funds have been used to assist 7 church plants and revitalizations. Pastors and congregations have been greatly encouraged because of your sacrificial giving.

n Our church strongly believes in the importance of training men for ministry. Your Grace Promise gifts are helping make theological training available to men in places like Israel and Singapore.

n We are able to contribute a significant amount to the Burton family to help with their upcoming move to London. Greg and Brittany’s ministry will not only impact the great city of London, but places outside of Europe as well.

Greg shared recently at one of our Sunday Focus gatherings, “The extent to which you are sharing your faith outside the church is the extent of your love for the church.”

Currently, Greg and Brittany are raising additional funding for their move to London. If you’d like to help with that, please email me at sstadtmiller@colonial.org.

n Funds were given to print a game-changing book that clearly demonstrates the invaluable, indispensable and yet largely unknown role that evangelical Protestants played in the history of the greater Balkans region. The book’s distribution will be mostly to unbelievers who are influential thought-leaders of this 7-million-plus people group.

We believe our gospel impact in the coming year can be even greater through our Grace Promise giving. Jesus has promised to build His church in the great cities of the world. There will be people from within our own body who will be sent to these cities and others. And there is so much more we can and must do right here in the Triangle. Thank you for your commitment to greater impact through your Grace Promise gifts!

Interested in Learning More?

Visit www.colonial.org, under Give to learn more about our 20/20 Vision and

Grace Promise giving and how to participate, along with all of the other generosity opportunities available here at Colonial.

Celebrating Grace Promise’s One–Year Anniversary

For the ministry of this service is

not only supplying the needs of the

saints but is also overflowing

in many thanksgivings

to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12

By Steve Stadtmiller, Pastor of Mobilization

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The Principle of Grace Promise GivingThe principle of Grace Promise giving is found in 2 Corinthians 8-9. The church at Corinth, along with numerous Galatian and Macedonian churches (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1-6), were made aware of ministry needs in other regions. Above the regular support to their own church, the people of these churches graciously gave to assist brethren in these areas. They were motivated to give because they realized that God had graciously blessed them (2 Cor. 8:7-15). They also recognized that their financial strength could be leveraged for lasting, missional impact.

The Apostle Paul urged each person to prayerfully consider what he could willingly, eagerly give—“Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Furthermore, Paul declared that God would abundantly bless them and enable them in their generous giving — “And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need... You will be enriched in every way for all generosity” (2 Cor. 8:8, 11). And the recipients “will glorify God . . . for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone” (2 Cor. 8:13).

Paul declared that such generous giving is possible because of the “surpassing grace of God” in the life of each believer (2 Cor. 8:15). It is Grace Promise giving indeed!

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summer at a glanceBUMPER CROP June 10Bring your canned goods and help feed those in need within our community.

INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE CLASS Jun 19-Aug 7 | 10:30-11:45 am | SC202An introduction to Chinese culture and language. Visit mobile360.colonial.org.

FACULTY AND FRIENDS RECITALJuly 28 | 6:30 pm | ChapelCarolina School of Music faculty, select students and various members of Colonial’s orchestra perform a wide variety of music. Visit carolinaschoolofmusic.com for info.

WELCOME CLASSSundays | 11:10 am | WC108A one-time class to help newcomers feel at ease. Come learn about our history, what we believe as a church, and get an overview of some of our ministries.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES

n Tuesday evenings: Colonial Outdoors 6:30 pm | SC 202

n Wednesday mornings: General 6:30 am | The Parlor

n Wednesday evenings: General 6:30 pm | FC203

WIDOW’S MIGHT LUNCHEONS11:30 am | Parlor

n May 8: “A Taste of Hawaii” n June 12: Bingo!n July 10: Golden Corral n August 14: TBD

PRIMETIMERS (AGES 55+) SUMMER SERIES DINNERS5:30 pm | Choir Room | $10 per personn June 28: Colonial’s Tanner Winchester,

Andy Brewster and Anna Elkins perform in concert.

n July 19: Wayne Knowles will speak on the subject of “Finishing Well” in life.

Visit primetimers.colonial.org to register.

MEN’S BBQ DINNER August 6 | 6-8 pm | CaféCome fellowship with other men at our 5th annual event in the Café. Dads are also encouraged to bring their sons 11 and older.

WOMEN’S MINISTRY GET THE SCOOPAugust 16 | 7 pm | Choir RoomLadies, come to our annual ice cream fellowship to learn about upcoming events and opportunities to serve.

TUESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY June 5-July 31 | 6:30 pm | Upper Room Join us as we learn how to use the Gospel of John to help unbelieving friends encounter Christ. After the study, we hang out for snacks and games.

SERVICE TRIP Pray for our college team as they serve in the Balkans, June 16-26.

6TH GRADE ORIENTATION May 18 | 6:30-7:30 pm | Upper Room For parents of rising 6th graders to come get to know our leaders and get an overview of the ministry.

SENIOR BANQUET May 27 | 6-9 pm | Worship Center An opportunity to honor our seniors and their volunteer leaders. There will be testimonies, speeches and a special slide show. Make reservations at colonialstudents.org.

MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDIES Wednesdays in June | 7-8 pm Girls Meet in FC201, boys meet in the Upper Room.

for the family

College-Age Ministry

for adults

LIBRARY hours:

Wednesday: 11:00 am-1:00 pm

Thursday: 11:00 am-1:00 pm

Sunday: 9:15 am-12:45 pm

FOR TEENS

FOR KIDS

6051 Tryon Road, Cary, NC 27518 | 919.233.9100 | www.colonial.org

SERVICE TRIPS Please pray for our students and their leaders as they serve others and share the gospel around the world.

n June 16-30: Kenyan June 19-27: Florida n June 25-July 1: Red Springs

SUMMER MUSIC CAMPS July 23-27 This summer we will be offering three exciting camps (Band, Strings, Handbells) for students interested in fine-tuning their musical skills or those wanting to learn new skills! Visit carolinaschoolofmusic.com to register.

SPORTSFall sports registration opens June 1. Visit sports.colonial.org for registration information.

SAVE THE DATEn PROMOTION SUNDAY FOR TEENS

June 3

n STS CONVOCATION - August 10

n PROMOTION SUNDAY FOR KIDS

September 9

n SUNDAY EVENING PROGRAMS BEGIN

September 9

n WEDNESDAY EVENING PROGRAMS

BEGIN - September 12