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This is the Febraury Edition of THE VISION- The Offical Magazine of the South Texas District
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WELCOMETO
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04 the vision gets a new look
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contents04THE VISION GETS A NEW LOOK
ken gurley
08 YOUTH DEPARTMENTevents and utpdates
12UPCOMING EVENTSDistrict ConferenceCamp Meeting
11 MEN’S MINISTRY men’s conference
10LADIES MINISTRYladies conference
10 UPCOMING EVENTS
YOUTH
07WHO’S WHOsouth texas district leadership
06 HELPING THE HELPLESSdanny johnson
SUPERINTENDENTken gurley
God never changes. His Word is likewise con-stant. All else seems subject to change.
When the South Texas District launched a lit-tle less than ten years ago, we began with many of the same departments and ministries that operated in the former district. Most of these have continued their same degree of ef-fectiveness and are flourishing. Others have been constantly tweaked to achieve optimal results.
In the same decade, the digital revolution has affected several vital areas of our district in-cluding the website, the media department and the VISION, our official publication. Cop-ing with this ever-changing technological ter-rain has been a challenge—not only for our district, but also for every church and secular organization. Even publishers of newspapers and magazines are grappling with these same changes and pursuing different options.
The digital challenge also extends to our me-dia. The music industry is steadily moving away from CD technology. Some are even predicting that the production of CDs and the sale of CD duplicating equipment will cease in a year or two. Therefore, to make the services and sermons preached in our district meetings available to each of you will require a different platform and method of delivery.
Several months ago, we began studying the similar missions of the website, media depart-ment and the VISION. Our preliminary study suggested that a possible fusion of these endeavors could result in more meaningful methods of communicating and sharing infor-mation with our ministers and churches. In its recent planning meeting, the district board authorized me to formulate a committee to begin initial plans for just such a fusion of these ministries.
February 2013STX VISION4
Our district wants you to be aware of these de-velopments. There will be no additional billing for the VISION subscriptions pending the com-mittee’s report and consideration of their report. If you presently have a subscription, we will make certain that you will receive any forthcoming spe-cial issues.
A special thanks needs to be given to the hard-working and visionary people who have brought us thus far in these three ministries. Our district appreciates the work of Rodney Shaw (VISION Editor), Johnny Celey (VISION Assistant Editor and website director), Donald Eddins (Harvest Media) and his team. These individuals assisted in the development of these ministries and, in turn, the success of our district. Their efforts will not be forgotten.
Say a prayer for the committee who will be map-ping out the future. I look forward to an en-hanced method of delivering information and a heightened communication in our district.
The purpose of this committee would be to accom-plish the following five things: 1) study the missions of the present ministries of Harvest Media, the South Texas VISION, and the website; 2) interview depart-ment/ministry leaders and survey ministers to deter-mine the needs in these areas; 3) explore options for the fulfillment of these missions by more interactive, efficient and impactful methods; 4) make recommen-dations to the district board on the most effective means to accomplish these missions and to fulfill the needs of our departments, ministries and ministers and 5) this committee, once the recommendations are considered and approved, should begin the im-plementation of these changes.
Where will all of these changes leave the VISION? It remains to be seen. Our district may choose to mere-ly reduce the frequency of the print magazine as we develop the enhanced digital areas. We may choose to allow the magazine to be printed on a special needs basis—such as with the South Texas Story for the 2010 conference—or we may convert the publica-tion to more of a newsletter or e-zine. We will await the recommendations of the committee to see how this will look.
THE VISION GETS
A NEW LOOK!!
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The physician was undoubtedly amazed at the miracle. A man who had never stood on his feet, nor even taken a step, was now standing on his own power.
The room was crowded and felt “stuffy.” A noise above them caused everyone to look upwards. Who would interrupt such a session of Jesus’ teaching? Didn’t they know this was unquestionably rude? And now the roof was being torn aside, and four men could be seen peer-ing over the edge. What in the world were they doing? Someone was lowered on a cot into the room, right in front of Jesus. People began moving out of the way, making room for the man on the bed.
As the cot touched the ground, the poignant words of Jesus rang clearly in the tense atmosphere: “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee” (Luke 5:20). Clearly, some in the room began thinking, “Who is this which speaketh blas-phemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:21). He could hear their thoughts! And He answered them!Certainly, they knew nothing of the true identity of the Teacher!
“What are you reasoning in your hearts?” was Jesus’ reply to their inner questioning. However, they missed the significance of His question. If He could perceive one’s thoughts, surely He could heal as well. And He did! He said to the paralyzed man on the cot: “Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.” Immediately, the man arose and weaved his way through the crowd to his house, glorifying God. None of this would have occurred had the four men not acted.
These men were intent on bringing their friend to Jesus. It took organization, purpose, and relentless passion.
HELPLESShelping the
danny johnson
They would not give up. Jesus acted—not on the faith of the one on the bed, but according to the faith of those who had brought him there. They found a way, even when they met insurmountable obstacles. They would not allow failure to dictate their friend’s fate. Their determination to get him into the pres-ence of the Healer brought a powerful change into that man’s life. Certainly, he would not be carried home that day!
The analogy here provides manifold truths. We live in a world where many are completely paralyzed by sin. They simply cannot help themselves. They know they need deliverance, but they cannot get to God through their own power. They need someone else—someone who will initiate the process and inspire others to join them in getting the helpless into the presence of Jesus. Without question, He is the only one who can heal their past and give them what they need.
The church today needs people who are not willing to give up when the first obstacle arises. God is look-ing for people who will relentlessly search for ways to get people into His presence. Sing that song again. Teach that person another Bible study lesson. Try an-other approach at witnessing. The fact is—people are all around us whom sin has paralyzed. They cannot help themselves. We need to help the helpless! We need to pray for those who are unable to find God on their own. Our commission is to help them into the presence of the Deliverer—whatever the cost. Tear back the roof. Throw the shingles of doubt and apathy aside and get the helpless to the feet of Jesus. Their destiny awaits our action.
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Ken GurleyDistrict Superintendentemail | [email protected]
Danny JohnsonDistrict Secretary-Treasureremail | [email protected]
David BernardHonorary Presbyteremail | [email protected]
John BurnettSpanish Ministry Directoremail |[email protected]
Arless GlassHonorary Presbyteremail | [email protected]
Ron GuidrozPresbyter, Gulf Coastemail | [email protected]
James JacksonPresbyter, Southwestemail | [email protected]
Alvin KightPresbyter, Central Coastal Bendemail | [email protected]
Scott LewisPresbyter, Houston Metro Westemail | [email protected]
Ron MaceyPresbyter, Houston Metro Eastemail | [email protected]
Charles StephensPresbyter, Austin/Hill Countryemail | [email protected]
J. C. MilliganPresbyter, Rio Grande Valleyemail | [email protected]
Douglas HicksPresbyter, Greater Coastal Bendemail | [email protected]
Roger BlackburnMen’s Ministryemail | [email protected]
Jorge AguinagaForeign Missionsemail | [email protected]
John BurnettSpanish Ministryemail | [email protected]
Joseph CastorinaChildren’s Ministryemail | [email protected]
Gena CaruthersLadies’ Ministryemail | [email protected]
Tracy RichardsonGlobal Impactemail | [email protected]
Rick SylvesterCross-Cultural Evangelism Committeeemail | [email protected]
LaKay SteeleMusic Ministry Committeemail | [email protected]
David CaruthersStewardship Committeeemail | [email protected]
Samuel MendizabalCentro Teológico Ministerialemail | [email protected]
Esther HuntPrayer Committeeemail | [email protected]
Jeremiah SibleyYouth Ministryemail | [email protected]
Greg SteeleHome Missionsemail | [email protected]
Ken GurleyDistrict Superintendentemail | [email protected]
type your title 01
March 15
Feb 22 SOUL SESSIONSFebruary 22-23
Pflugerville
June 10 YOUTH CAMPJune 10-14Columbus
type the title
YOUTH MINISTRY!
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Jeremiah Sibley
Youth President
NEXUSMarch 15San Antonio
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses” (Acts 1:8).
Our generation does not need a new, non-Biblical, spiritual experience that replaces or substitutes what the first-century church received. At the very beginning of our walk with God we receive the best that heaven has to of-fer a human being. We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us.
Therefore, the issue with our generation is not that we do not have the power, but that we have never fully utilized the power that is already there. Just as a stick of dynamite has the power within it, but nothing happens until it is activated, so it is with us — we have received the Holy Spirit and yet have not allowed it to empower us to do great things
for God. God’s desire is that our generation, and every generation, will fully utilize what we have already received. The power of the Holy Spirit is not something that our youth can only experi-ence when they are much older, but the promise of Jesus Christ is that the power is ready to be used for His kingdom from the get-go.
Therefore, every effort of the South Texas District Youth Department this year will be about activating the power of the Spirit that resides within our youth— we are ACT1V-8ing (activating) Acts 1:8!
Rather than just a slogan, ACT1V8ing ought to become the daily point of our spiritual fo-cus. If we are Spirit-filled, then we should ask ourselves —Am I ACT1V8ing today? Have I tapped into the power that God has entrusted within me? I have the Spirit, but am I allowing it to operate freely through me? I am Spirit-filled, but am I also being Spirit-led?
Jesus told us that the power was for this purpose: “you shall be witnesses.” Scholars point out that while the primary meaning of the Greek word is “witnesses,” it is also translated elsewhere in Scripture many times as “martyrs.” So I see two purposes for ACT1V8ing: 1) we ACT1V8 by reaching others with the glorious truth of Jesus Christ, and 2) we ACT1V8 by
dying out to the very things that would keep us from enduring to the end ourselves.
We are ACT1V8ing Acts 1:8! The purpose of the power is that we might reach others who have never experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit and glorious Apostolic message of salvation. Do you have the Holy Spirit? If not, then you need to under-stand that heaven’s best is a promised gift for you! If you have the Holy Spirit, then
are you ACT1V8ing the power? It is time to ACT1V8 the power that has been given to us!
ACT1V8ing ought to become the daily point of our spiritual focus. If
we are Spirit-filled, then we should ask ourselves – Am I ACT1V8ing today?
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