Good Friday Service at 12noon

Join us this Friday, April 6 for a special service as we remember the cross of Christ. You’ll enjoy this inspiring service as we reflect on the great sacrifice that made Easter possible. Join us at your lunch break, and let’s exalt our Savior.

Good $ense Financial Seminar

(starting on Sunday, April 15 at 10am)

In the Good $ense Budget Course, you’ll discover tools and develop skills to help you control your finances so your financ-es don’t end up controlling you. You’ll get training in biblical financial principles as well as help and guidance to:

Prioritize Financial Goals

Develop a Personalized Spending

Plan

Identify Action Steps to Reduce

Expenses, Reduce Debt, Maximize Saving/Investing and much more

You’ll discover how to become a diligent

earner, generous giver, wise savor, cau- tious debtor, and prudent consumer.

You’ll learn how to experience the joy of becoming financially faithful as well as financially free. The class begins on Sunday, April 15, at 10am in the fireside parlor. The class is for 4 weeks. You can sign up for the class at the pastor’s resource table, or email Beverly at Beverly@gsdurham.com to register. Cost of the class is $10 which will cover the cost of the workbook. You can pay this at the first class. It will be held in Room B108. Someone at the Welcome Desk can usher you there.

Teacher: Brian Woodell Brian Woodell: Has a BS in International Business, and a Master of Business Ad-ministration. Brian is a business banking relationship manager at SunTrust Bank in Durham, and has been in banking for over 10 years. Brian has a deep desire to help Christians reduce their debt, develop budget skills, and live a financially free lifestyle.

Easter: The Time to Walk Across the Room!

On average, we walk 10,000 steps eve-ryday. If we walk 10,000 steps every-day, isn’t it wise that some of those steps are used to point people to Jesus Christ. As we have learned, sometimes reaching someone for Christ is as sim-ple and profound as a walk across the room.

God says, “I want you to walk across the office complex; I want you to walk across the street; walk across the gym for me.” God says, “Would you be willing to walk across a room and begin a rela-tionship with someone who is far from me?” It’s the most exciting walk you’ll ever take in life. Just imagine someone coming up to you in heaven saying, “I know you didn’t know it, but when you walked across the room and invited me to church-that’s where it all started for me. I’m here because of you.” To know your step out of your comfort zone helped reach someone for Christ is the most rewarding step you’ll ever take.

Easter is fast approaching! By inviting someone to church on Easter, you’ll have an opportunity to impact lives for eternity. Most unchurched people want to go to church on Easter-they’re simply waiting for an invitation. Think about you who you will invite, and then give them an invite card with the times of our ser-vices. If you need additional cards, stop by the church and pick them up. Even a

last minute invitation is better than no invitation at all.

Remember to take these 4 steps to pre-pare for Easter:

1. Ask God to show you who to invite, and then follow through.

2. PLEASE set an example and fill out the brief "Spiritual Survey" card we are going to take at Easter during the service - so guests will see you do it and feel comforta- ble doing it too. This is the way we will be following up with people who place their faith in Christ.

3. Pray that hundreds will commit their lives to Christ this Easter.

4. Greet everyone around you. There will be a lot of first-time guests. Please help them with directions.

This Easter we are planning 3 exciting services:

8:45 am: Celebration Service

10:00 am: Modern Worship

11:15: Celebration Service

Starting Point… Take the Journey

What is Starting Point?

Starting Point is a conversational envi-ronment where people can explore faith and experience community. Starting

Point groups are a safe place for peo-ple with questions about faith, as well as those who want to learn about the Bible and Christianity. Groups meet for about 8 weeks and together explore the grand story of the Bible. One of the goals of Starting Point is to help partici-pants find their places in the story. Who is it for? Seekers - those who are curious about God, Jesus, the Bible, or Christianity Starters - those who have just begun a relationship with Jesus Christ Returners - those who have some church experience, but have been away for a while

Where does it take place? Starting Point begins on Sunday, April 15

th at 10am. The group will meet

in the Fireside Parlor. To get more in-formation about the group, or to regis-ter to attend, email Brian Barndt at brian@gsdurham.com.

Memorials

In memory of Max Matthews by Marie Robinson, Cheryl Brown, Marcheta Campbell, Randy & Cookie Bell, Lynva/Walter Martin, Eleanor Matthews, Michael, Stephanie, Carl E. Matthews (Legacy); and George Olson by Humphrey Class (Legacy).

Our Deepest Sympathy

To the family of Anne Marie Frye; Brian Barndt in the loss of his Step Mother, Anne Barndt; and Lezlie Butts in the loss of her brother, Terry Hite.

Family Life Center

Please note our Family Life Center phone number is 354-6175.

Volume 15, Number 4

Postmaster: Send address changes to Good News,

Grey Stone Baptist Church, 2601 Hillsborough Road,

Durham, NC 27705-4080

Published monthly by Grey Stone Baptist Church.

Good News (USPS 576-820)

This issue of the Good News was placed with the USPS

March 30, 2012

DATED MATERIAL Please deliver by March 31, 2012

Periodicals

Postage Paid

Durham, NC

USPS 576-820

The Art of Timing

There’s more to effective communica-tion than putting together and then practicing the right message. Picking the right time and place to convey it is also crucial. In a marriage, meaningful words bring life-giving water to the soil of a person’s life. In fact, all loving rela-tionships need the continual intake of the water of communication or they simply dry up. No marriage can survive without it.

If a man is to be truly effective in his re-lationships both at home and at work, he needs to develop the ability to speak the “language of the heart” (facts and feel-ings). Right there under the same roof is a woman who can help him learn that skill, if he is willing to listen to her.

Without meaning to, we can communi-cate nonverbally that other people or activities are more important to us than family. You’ve heard of football widows. How about golf orphans? Those who know us best provide the best correc-tion. In particular, our mates, who were designed by God to complete us, are most sensitive to the areas in which we need help.

We also need to give praise and thanks to each other for special acts of kind-ness. Many people complain that their mate is strangely silent when they do something above and beyond the norm.

The Salt Principle is a method of gaining and holding a person’s attention by arousing curiosity. It’s a way to create a thirst for constructive conversation in which both you and your spouse can learn about each other’s needs. First, identify the need or concern to be dis-cussed, and then identify areas of high interest to the other person - areas you can tap into to pique interest.

One of the easiest ways to reduce mis-understandings and communication fric-tion is to share only a few thoughts with someone and then allow the person to repeat back what he or she thinks you said, much as would happen when you place an order at a fast food drive-through. This method will also improve your listening skills.

Added benefits to this kind of drive-through talking: (a) It gives you a chance to fully understand what the other person is saying before you re-spond, which also prevents tuning out the other per- son while he or she is talking; (b) it validates the other person and his or her opinions. When you not only listen but also repeat back what someone says, you communicate that the person and his or her opinions are important to you and worth taking seri-ously.

(*Reprinted with Permission by Gary Smalley Ministries)

February Designated Gifts

Legacy $24,193.00 Second Mile 861.00 Senior Adult 428.00 Lottie Moon 300.00 Haiti Mission 1,680.00 Missions 25.00 Children’s Ministry 50.00 Disaster Relief 100.00 India Mission 6,515.53

March Designated Gifts Legacy $28,914.10 Senor Adult Ministry 364.00 Youth Ministry 10.00 Second Mile Ministry 1,143.00 Haiti Mission 800.00

Smart Phone Giving

QR Code - Those with smart phones can now connect to our e-giving site by using their QR reader on their phone which will connect you directly to our giving site.

These realities can be discouraging. But there is good news! Christian families have many reasons to celebrate. God is in His heaven. Jesus Christ has risen. The Holy Spirit empowers us. And when the world seems to shift beneath our feet, God stands ready to protect us. Psalm 147 promises, ”He heals the brokenhearted, and binds their wounds.”

God's Word offers us hope. It offers us instruction and wisdom. Scripture pro-vides us with God's standards for living, including our relationships, our values, and our families. Is Bible-Study a high priority for you and your family? The answer to this simple question will deter-mine the quality of our lives and the di-rection of our faith.

The Bible can be a bright spotlight that guides our every path (including our votes) or a tiny nightlight that occasion-ally flickers in the dark. It can be a roadmap to a place of righteousness and abundance. Make God's Word your spotlight & roadmap and that of your marriage. Your family and you won’t be disappointed, no matter what the rest of the world does.

For more information and education-al resources on the NC Marriage Amendment, contact Education Pastor Randall Floyd: Randall@gsdurham.com.

Randall Floyd Education Pastor

riage. Homosexuals will not be able to make a “better” case against the institu-tion of marriage. Anti-Christians will not be the ones on the front lines who tear apart families. There is already a group that has been extinguishing the union of a man and a woman and the resulting children in our world.

Who is destroying marriage? We are. (By “we” I am describing followers of Christ, the very ones who claim hetero-sexuality and “traditional” values who have already done the damage). Even the most devout followers of Christ have taken vows as husbands and wives, selfishly sin then fail to meet the expec-tations and commitment they desire.

How? Divorce claims almost 40% of first marriages, 60% of second marriages, 75% of third marriages. Pornography invades and erodes the minds of count-less multitudes. Child and verbal abuse runs rampant in our cities. Sexual prom-iscuity is portrayed with laughter in TV sitcoms and movies in our homes. Self-ish desires, addictions, and alcoholism overwhelm members of our families. Political correctness has replaced the Truth of God’s Word in our homes, schools, and minds. This is what is tear-ing apart families, not an upcoming vote.

Marriage Matters

In recent years, the definition of mar-riage in our country has become a pas-sionate topic of debate at both the state & federal levels. On May 8, NC voters will have the opportunity to forever pre-serve God’s definition of marriage in our state by voting YES on the Marriage Protection Amendment. There are many forces and disagreements at work against this legislation. Many of those who oppose it are using personal or emotional reactions in their arguments, instead of considering God’s Word.

Those people who are working against a Marriage Amendment will never suc-ceed in destroying the value of mar-

The Impact of Volunteers

Church volunteers can impact anyone for Christ. Pastor Clay just preached on this topic and challenged the members to be "players in the game" and not just "spectators in the stands." I am grateful to have a host of volunteers in each of my ministry areas: Love Ministry, Se-cond Mile, and the Senior Health Sup-port Fair, to name a few. Recently, Se-cond Mile received a letter of thanks, which speaks to the life changing impact that happens when God's people faith-fully serve Him by helping others:

Dear Second Mile Ministry Administra-tors:

On behalf of the identified organization

below, I wish to express profound

appreciation for the willingness you have shown to assist a neighbor in need that we brought to your attention. She is extremely grateful for the contribution you provided to assist her in putting her life back in order after threat of eviction for her and her young grandson.

It is acts of caring such as this that helps us all to have faith in one another. I was appreciative of the brief Bible study and prayer for all before we began, as well as the snacks and food you provided for everyone. In addition the personal pray-er given before the initial interview helped calm and raise everyone’s spirits I am sure.

May you each be blessed individually as

you each continue on in good faith to do

the work that God has entrusted in you

to do. The Peace and Joy of God be with you.

Very truly yours,

Mary White

Representing Occupy Durham

Please remember to serve as the Holy Spirit would lead you. Be willing to get out of the grandstands and serve in the Kingdom work at Grey Stone! If you need assistance discerning God's call in your life, feel free to contact Pastor Bri-an at 286-2281 x 6166.

Brian Barndt

Minister of Pastoral Care and Senior Adults