N o v / D e c 2 0 0 9 V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 6

Special Points of Interest

• GriefShare

• Home for the Holidays

• Image Shoppe Christmas Presentation

• The Splendor of Christmas

• Survey Says

• Christmas Eve

• Operation Christmas Child

• CAT ‘n Mouse Update

Helping people connect to God . . . . . . and discover His purpose for their lives!

FBConnection: Chronicle

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“He who has not

Christmas in his heart will never

find it under a tree.”

—- Roy L. Smith

Staff Pastoral Administrative Support

FBConnection Chronicle: A ministry information publication Published by: First Baptist Church 9280 Maple Avenue / Hesperia, CA 92345 1-760-244-4109 Editor: Robin Y. Martin

Pastoral Staff Wayne Stockstill, Senior Pastor (ext. 108) / fbc@fbch.org

Richard Spring, Pastor of Church Development (ext. 104) / rspring@fbch.org

Robert Grissom, Pastor of Administration (ext. 105) / rgrissom@fbch.org

Brian Kaiser, Pastor of Worship Arts (ext. 107) / bkaiser@fbch.org

Jim and Wanda Mole, Directors of Student Ministry (ext. 201) / youth@fbch.org

Sherry Cleveland, Director of Children’s Ministry (leave messages at ext. 106) / children@fbch.org

Brandy Smith, Director of Preschool Ministry (ext. 120) / preschool@fbch.org

Bill Trott, Pastor of Hospital Visitation Ministry (leave messages at ext. 106) / fireroadbill@msn.com

Administrative Staff Richard Amos, Facilities Manager (ext. 102) / ramos@fbch.org

Lucy Flood, Accountant (ext. 101) / lflood@fbch.org

Doris Groveunder, Financial Secretary (ext. 103) / dgroveunder@fbch.org

Claudia Kingston, Executive Secretary (ext. 106) / ckingston@fbch.org

Robin Martin, Data-Graphics-Publications Manager (ext. 100) / songbird1954@charter.net

Ron Murphy, Audio/Visual Coordinator (leave messages at ext. 106) / media@fbch.org

June Warwick, Special Events (leave messages at ext. 106) / juneandbill@fbch.org

FBCH Ministry Contacts Baptism Assistance Ministry: Judy Cutright Deacon Ministry: Duane Thompson Guest Services Ministry Greeters: Arceal Morgan Ushers: David Johnson Harmony Ministry: DeWayne Williams Kitchen Ministry:, Ron and Julie Murphy Library Ministry: Ann Bender Men’s Ministry: Mike Lemons Glenn Trowbridge MOPS Ministry: Susan Esterline Sewing Ministry: Arceal Morgan Women’s Ministry: Lynda Kaiser YACS: Odena Jones

F B C o n n e c t i o n : C h r o n i c l e

Support Staff Preschool Ministry Staff

Maygan Bartosh Gail Barwise Emily Isaccs Cherish Kangas Sharon Perry Sarah Sanders

Children’s Ministry Leadership Team Dawna Avery Stacy Padgett

Student Ministry Leadership Team Dawna Avery Reba Champoux Nathan Freeman Fidel Gonzales Ron and Carolyn Heyward Odena Jones Brenda Kraus Dave and Cheryl Olson Stacy Padgett Jeannie Rash Lance Way

Computer Network Ministry Team Sammy Martin, Systems Administrator Fidel Gonzales, Webmaster

Audio/Visual Ministry Team Richard Amos David Anderson Travis Dickerson El Kingston Robin Martin Sammy Martin Roger Sanders

Custodial Staff Ted Holmes Russell James Darron Price Glenn Trowbridge

“Thanksgiving, after all,

is a word of action.”

—- W. J. Cameron

Co

min

gs

an

d G

oin

gs

. .

. .

. .

. .

.

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% Peter Teuis

% Barbara Auw % Michael Auw % Betty Canez % Rey Canez % Lucio Hernandez % Raquel Hernandez % Sally Ann Herrick % Elizabeth Lopez % Samuel Lopez % Valeeta Wilson

Church Members

Mildred Coffey

John McKown

Family Members • Father of Carl Brewster • Father of Carlos Briceno • Mother of Barbara Flood • Mother of Patty Jones • Sister of Bob Kindaid • Mother of Claudia Kingston • Son of Tom Smillie

Life and Death are parts of

the same great adventure.

Do not fear to die and do not shrink

from the joy of life. —- unknown —-

Taken from Apples of Gold complied by Jo Petty

When shall we all learn that the good news needs the

telling, and that all men need to know it?

Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.

—- unknown—- Taken from Apples of Gold

complied by Jo Petty

Grief Share is a nondenominational group and features biblical teaching on grief and recovery topics. You are welcome to begin attending the Grief Share group of FBCH at any session. Each is “self-contained,” so you do not have to attend in sequence. You will find encouragement and help whenever you begin. For more information about Grief Share at FBCH, please contact Judy Gleason.

Real help for deep hurt

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November 14th

9:00 am - 2:30 pm

Cost: $6.50

Creating

Traditions

and

Making

Memories! For more information about this event, contact June Warwick.

I look forward with great anticipation to our Thanksgiving-Christmas season this year. We will once again be sharing in the Operation Christmas Child ministry. Remember the shoe boxes for needy children around the world? All boxes brought in by November 15th will be delivered to Operation Christmas Child. All boxes brought in after November 15th will be delivered to Tijuana, Mexico, by our local missions team.

On November 22nd we will have our Thanksgiving Worship Celebration during the evening worship hour. A number of our own people will be bringing their reasons for thanks to God. Formerly, we have had this service on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving Thursday. However, so many of our folks have requested that time for preparation of their own family Thanksgiving celebration, we decided to try this approach this year.

Starting on November 29th we will begin our celebration of the Purpose of Christmas. Here is the preaching schedule for the five Sundays of the Christmas season:

November 29th —- Celebration (Pastor Wayne Stockstill)

December 6th —- Salvation (Pastor Richard Spring)

December 13th —- Reconciliation (Pastor Wayne Stockstill)

December 20th —- Infiltration (Rick Curtis, DOM of HDBA)

December 27th —- Commemoration (Pastor Wayne Stockstill)

On December 27th we will all come together in a Celebration of our Lord’s Birth through a joint worship experience at 10:00 am. That will be the only worship service for that day. There will be no Sunday School, no discipleship, or any

other ministry activities conducted on that day. Johnny Hall, from Muslim Bible Day Organization, will be with us for a musical concert that day. All who have heard him the several times he has been here in the past have loved him. If this will be your first time to hear him, you will find his musical gift and love for the Lord exciting and refreshing. December 27th will also be our Missions Ingathering Day. Plan to have your offering for missions ready for that day. ===================

The Church does not

superstitiously observe days, merely as days, but

as memorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another; but there should be a stated day for commemorating

the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger that what may be done on any day,

will be neglected. ~~~Samuel Johnson

The Purpose

of Christmas

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When I was young my parents belonged to a “River Rafting Club”. It was exciting and scary all at the same time! I remember feeling out of control and not liking the unpredictability of the river. I also remember enduring these adventures because my dad loved it and I wanted to be close with my dad so, I did it. Parenting a child is much like a ride down the rapids. When you decide to embark on a white-water rafting adventure, first you

must go through some very concentrated training. In river school, you will read the manual, sign it, agreeing to follow all the rules. For many these will provide a sense of security, for others however, it is nothing more than “suggestions”; rules do not really hem them in. Managing conflict between “rule-followers and rule-breakers” is crucial to a safe trip. The guides will attempt to teach you everything you will need to know if things suddenly go terribly wrong. When you first get into the raft, the surrounding beauty mesmerizes you so that you almost do not notice what is ahead of you. You can quickly forget that you have just placed yourself in the path of an unimaginable challenge. Of course, you have a life preserver securely attached to your torso and have been strategically placed within the raft to experience the maximum amount of exhilaration and thrill that one could encounter. The guide’s job is to let you fully experience the wonder of the rapids that surround you, and keep everyone safe while doing it. The waters are peaceful at first; so much so, that you almost do not notice the subtle changes taking place. Soon, you are aware that the rapids are moving at a much faster pace and intensifying by the minute. Now, you begin to realize that you have entered turbulent waters, otherwise known as “transitions”. These huge rapids do not follow a particular pattern; they may swirl back and forth and then jump back into a pool just too suddenly thrust you forward again. From here, you will almost immediately encounter the most intense and dangerous waters of the river. These rapids will shock you and make you wish you were still on shore. Navigating these waters takes precise skill and a great deal of experience. They present both problems and challenges that will require either a passive or an aggressive approach. The guide will shout to you and instruct what you are to do. Though the people in the boat must work together, either answers or questions will arise. Although, some decisions are made in advance, others must be made quickly! The ability to strike this delicate balance will determine whether you build strong bonds of trust or breed mistrust as you travel down the river. Though you may feel terrified and uncertain about what to expect, the goal here is to have fun and stay in the boat. I say this not to imply that being a parent is or should be a fearful experience, but to simply illustrate the spontaneously changing currents experienced when navigating through relationships with our children. I became a mother on April 27, 1991 when I gave birth to my daughter Katharine Dayna. We were amazed at her beauty and completely taken with our new daughter. Like most new parents, we had gathered all the information we could about becoming parents, but as we all know, nothing really prepares you until you have a child of your own. We had decided I would leave my fulltime teaching position and become a fulltime mom. I chose to nurse my new baby because it was the most natural thing to do, or so I thought. However, little did I know that your baby could become what I like to refer to affectionately as a nurse-a-holic baby! My precious baby turned me into a 24 hour service station! I nursed everywhere and anywhere. Side streets, parking lots and yes, even restrooms! She would cry until she almost passed out unless I nursed her. The valve in her stomach was not fully developed so she consequently threw-up most of what she took in. I nursed in 5 minute increments, burping in between hoping she would be able to keep it down. I kept a small closet in my diaper bag/car because it was inevitable she would cover me every time. I learned very quickly to plan for the unexpected. As Katie got older, I quickly began to realize I had a very smart little girl. She had an adventurous spirit, funny personality and was quite determined to do things on her own. It was common for books to accompany her while potty training, especially her favorite, “Dobson’s Strong-willed Child”. Katie often exhibited behavior that would cause even the most intuitive parent to scratch their head in disbelief; once, she removed her panties, tinkled on the bedroom floor, cleaned herself up and blamed it on her brother, who was 12 months old, and in diapers! It took me quiet a while to figure out what had happened. The give-away were the wipes she deposited in the trash in her room. I was completely shocked at the thought that she could concoct such a devious little plan. Of course, she flatly denied it, which resulted in a spanking to which she then admitted to her scheme. Katie was methodical when it came to concocting a plan. Another time, she bribed her younger brother to climb a ladder. I heard faint screams from the back yard and when I arrived, I was shocked to see my three-year old son perched atop the roof of our shed paralyzed with fear. She flatly denied coaxing him up there to look for caterpillars but, once again, she received a spanking and then admitted to her scheme.

Brandy Smith

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Katie is now 18, and what an amazing young woman she is. She is a gifted singer, an amazing artist and is fluent at sign language. Although she has grown into a beautiful young woman, some things will never change. She still has the tendency to scheme, except that now it is for good reasons. She is still rambunctious and loves to run and jump on my bed while her dad and I are still in it, play fight with her dad and relentlessly crack jokes. She still smiles with her whole face and her eyes light up when she is happy. When I think of a common theme that is prevalent throughout our relationship, it is communicationcommunication. . Sometimes it is done loudly, other times it is quiet. Often times, it‘s lengthy, while other times it’s short and direct. We text, email and even write notes! We are a talking family! The point here is that we communicate often. People today live hectic lives and often times there isn’t much time for relationships let alone conversing with one another. Communicating with your children is crucial to building strong relationships that will last. This does not mean that we do not argue, yell or disagree at times. We do and sometimes a lot; but so much of the time, it is just a matter of taking time to understand where each other is coming from. When you are intentional with people, whether it is showing your love for them, listening or just spending time together, it has the greatest impact. Katie and I have worked very hard at our relationship. It hasn’t come easy for either of us. We are deeply passionate about what is important to us and at times, this has created conflict. We are both strong in point and opinion. We both have much to say and more to hear. While we equally respect one another, we are not always tolerant of our differences. With that said, we overwhelmingly love each other and seek to get along and have fun together. We desire to one day have an amazing friendship founded on the strong bond we have developed throughout our mother-daughter relationship. While it is still early in our journey, we are still very much in the throws of living as mother and daughter. Katie, along with her best friend Sabra, our boys 17 and 10, as well as my husband and myself, live in the same small house where she has been raised for 18 years. The girls share a room and a car to commute to both college and work and our family schedules are chaotic to say the least! After assisting them, they are now recognized as adults although they are still living at home. My husband and I have had to transition into this new phase and at times, it has been difficult for both them and us. Nevertheless, we are making it through. Everyone is pitching in at home, and we are working together to make this time a memorable one for us all. There is something incredible about seeing your adult child start to live and act as such. We expend so much time and energy in teaching and training that it is awesome to see it in action. Just as the river guide prepares you for the journey down the rapids, we must prepare our children for adult life. We never know what challenges await them, but we do know that if we are unwavering in our dedication and consistent in our preparation, we will see them through to adulthood. I am profoundly amazed at the growth of my daughter. She has a moral standard that is evident; she has established boundaries and set goals for both her career and personal life, while placing herself directly in the will of God. As rafters, we put ourselves in the care of our guide and we trust that what he tells us is for our best. He knows the river, and how to navigate it, and with out him we would surely be tossed out of the boat! While the action on top of the water is visibly rough, it is what is underneath that is so unpredictable. Without digging in hard, the undercurrent can smash you against a rock or flip you over endangering everyone. Like the river, raising children presents its challenges. Problems often arise because we fail to parent pro-actively, but rather re-actively. A strong pro-active approach to parenting will not only prevent some disasters along the way, but will also reinforce a loving relationship. We must learn to view boundaries and discipline as positive approaches to building Godly character. We as parents know what turbulent waters can be like. We have lived through the many “transitions” that they have yet to face. Taking a proactive approach means providing them the important tools needed to act, think and live a life that is pleasing to God and honoring to us as their parents. One of the most important things I tell other moms is be the example in your daughter’s life so she does not go looking for one elsewhere. This is where the mother/daughter relationship is first established. It is through this transparency that we reveal who we are and what we hope to be. Though we are far from perfect parents, a parenting manual provided us for, is that of the Bible. God’s written word is our life manual; in it, you will find answers to all life’s questions, heartaches and the many challenges we as God’s children must face. Raising children is no easy task, but God new that; he teaches us consistently through His word, and works out in our own lives the very things we must in turn teach them. In this life, God does not promise that things will always work out the way we hope. I am sure many of us know someone who is living in a shattered relationship and suffering a broken heart. It is especially difficult if it is a parent/child or husband/wife relationship. It is easy to feel hopeless in situations like these, but if there is love, there is always hope. I recommend you read Annie Chapman’s book, “10 Things I Want My Daughter to Know”, especially the chapter entitled “Mercy for the Mean.” There is one last aspect to white water rafting that I did not allude to earlier. After vigorously paddling your way through the huge rapids, you will eventually end up in the calm waters. You cannot get there however, without first making your way down the wild rapids. It is exhausting work; it drains you physically, mentally and more often than not, spiritually. You can only experience these calm waters when you have committed to finishing the whole river. This is the glory of the finish; to raise a daughter and see her become a woman of God. To realize that she is ready to face life’s challenges with a heart of courage, a spirit of excitement, and the knowledge of whom she is in Christ Jesus. It is for us as moms to know that He, who began a good work, will carry it on to completion.

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P a g e 9 V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 6

Sunday Morning Bible Studies

9:30 Sunday School Grades 1-2: Kings and Prophets Grades 3-6: Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

11:00 Children’s Worship Starlight Station: Lessons from the life of Joseph

Sunday Evening: Knight School 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. November 15th will be the last session of Knight School before we take our winter break; Knight School will resume January 31, 2010.

Wednesday Evening: Image Shoppe 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Children’s Christmas Musical Sunday, December 6, 6:00 p.m. December 2nd will be the last session of Image Shoppe before we take our winter break; Image Shoppe will resume January 27, 2010.

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Christmas C is for the Child born that night to be our light.

(John 8:12)

H is for holy is His name. (Rev.4:8)

R is for rejoice with gladness & joy.

(Luke 1:14)

I is for Immanuel, God with us.

(Isaiah 7:14, John 1:14)

S is for the star that led the Wise men to Him.

(Matthew 2:2)

T is for the truth and grace that was sent our way.

(John 1:14)

M is for Mother Mary laying Him in swaddling clothes in the manger.

(Luke 2:7)

A is for angels singing songs of joy.

(Luke 2:14)

S is for salvation. —- Johnnie DesRochers.

Good News Club, a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship, is an after school ministry that reaches out to boys and girls with the gospel so they can come to know Jesus as their Savior and grow in God’s Word.

FBCH helps to sponsor two GNCs. One meets on Mondays at Maple Elementary (two years at this site) and the other m e e t s o n Wednesdays at L i m e S t r e e t Elementary (eight years at this site). We meet in the o p e n b e a m cafeterias unless it is really cold or there is inclement weather. Our GNC meets once a week for an hour and fifteen minutes t e a c h i n g t h e

children the truths of the Word of God through songs, object lessons, missionary stories, memory verses and Bible lessons.

No matter what the Bible story is, we always teach the children through the lesson about God the Creator, their sin and their need of a Savior. It is never enough to teach just the love of God, for the children need to realize that they are sinners and they cannot take away their own sin. The children, this year, are struggling with the idea that they themselves sin and not just the “really bad people”. When the children realize their sin and it’s consequence, then they can understand their need of a Savior. We also present the good news that Jesus died for their sin and bodily rose again. We give an open invitation so that the children have an opportunity to receive the Lord.

In each lesson there is also an application for the saved child to encourage them and help them grow in the Lord.

F o r m a n y children GNC is the only gospel training from God’s Word they may receive b e f o r e t h e philosophy of

this world turns their hearts and minds away from God. Now is the time to reach out to children so that their lives can be changed for the glory of God.

If you would like to know more about Good News Clubs and/or help in a GN Club, please speak to Linda Trowbridge. You may reach her at 1-760-244-3232.

S u n d a y s , Wednesdays or for MOPS!

When you bring your chi ld to church —-

—- you bring your child to Christ!

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CONGRATULATIONS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER SCRIPTURE SHOLARS!!

Correctly answering 5 of 5: Fran Gee / Ann Jennings

Correctly answering 4 of 5: Melody Lynch / Lillian Watson

Answers from the September/October 2009 edition of the “Scripture Smarts” quiz are: 1. Dew (Judges 6:36-40) 2. C (2 Kings 8:9) 3. True (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25 4. Names of Satan (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9-10; Matthew 12:24) 5. We do not know, although some Bible scholars think Paul the apostle wrote it.

This was the last “Search the Scriptures” quiz for the FBConnection Chronicle. We hope that everyone who participated in this activity enjoyed it. Beginning in the January/February 2010 edition of the FBConnection Chronicle, a “Survey Says” section will be high-lighted. During the year various surveys will be taken within our church body and the results will be posted in this section. Please respond favorably to our “intern surveyors” when they approach you to take a survey. No names will ever be taken; we will only identify age groups, gender groups, etc. This will be an interesting way to learn more about our congregation as a whole. It will identify how we think about current social issues, how we exhibit our spiritual walk, and some of our habits as Christians.

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who,

nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. H. U. Westermayer

It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire, thankless for the

fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed saved in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensible ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continuous feast.

W. J. Cameron

F B C o n n e c t i o n : C h r o n i c l e

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Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne.

V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 6

Sunday Mornings 8:00 a.m. = Jr./Sr. High Bible Study 9:30 a.m. = Worship (wc) 11:00 a.m. = Jr. High Bible Study Sr. High Bible Study

Sunday Evenings 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Wednesday Evenings 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Taking the time to . . .

. . . get fueled up for the competition!

An opportunity to express worship through creative movement, drama,

singing, black light routines, signing, etc.

@ the student center

Senior High Ministry

Junior High Ministry

Helping students

connect to God and discover His purpose

for their lives!

TIME TO SEPARATE CHURCH AND SPORTS: A New Agenda Takes Shape (reprinted by permission from albertmohler.com)

Sam Cook has had enough. A sports columnist for the Fort Myers [FL] News-Press, Cook recently referred to quarterback Tim Tebow of the University of Florida Gators and told his readers: "I don't know how many more 'God bless' comments I can stand from the 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback." Tebow, Cook argued, should play football and forget about his religious beliefs while he is wearing the Gator uniform. "Somehow, we'll survive without him displaying a 'John 3:16' Bible verse under his eyes," Cook wrote. "We separate church and state. Why not church and sports?" Sam Cook's column was prompted by a far more prominent essay published in Monday's edition of USA Today. In "And I'd Like to

Thank God Almighty," Tom Krattenmaker leveled a comprehensive critique of the evangelical Christian message that, as he laments, permeates so much of the sporting world at both the college and professional levels. The Bible verses painted in eye-black, fingers pointed heavenward, and expressions of thankfulness to God at the conclusion of a big game amount, Krattenmaker argues, to "a faith surge that has made big-time sports one of the most outwardly religious sectors of American culture." Krattenmaker's concern is that this "faith surge" is overwhelmingly evangelical in its substance and message. He addressed this issue in a recently-released book, Onward Christian Athletes: Turning Ballparks into Pulpits and Players into Preachers. In both the column and his book, Krattenmaker seeks to describe "the infrastructure and strategy of the sports-world evangelicalism" that is the source of his concern. In his book, Krattenmaker offers a more nuanced and developed argument than what is found in his recent column. Nevertheless, in both contexts his main concern is what he sees as a near monopoly of evangelical influence and expression in the sporting world. He writes: How did this come to be? Suffice it to say that Christianity is a strong presence in sports is no accident. It happened because a movement of athletic-minded evangelical Christians have been making it happen since setting out more than a half-century ago to reach and convert athletes and leverage their influence to spread the gospel to the wider sports-loving public. Krattenmaker correctly traces evangelical influence in sports to the "muscular Christianity" movement so popular in America between the Civil War and World War II. He expresses appreciation for the moral influence of evangelical Christians and Christian conviction within the lives of athletes. Nevertheless, he is clearly alarmed by evangelical displays of the Gospel. Looking beyond Tim Tebow, Krattenmaker points to Baseball Chapel, a Christian ministry that offers chaplains and worship services for professional baseball players on the road or at the ballpark. He is specifically offended by the fact that the ministry believes that those who do not come to faith in Jesus will face "everlasting punishment separated from God." He pointedly addresses the same concern to Tim Tebow. After praising his

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athletic ability and charitable works, he criticizes Tebow for his belief that faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation. Specifically, Krattenmaker cites the stated beliefs of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association. As he asserts, the ministry affirms the exclusivity of the Gospel and rejects "the modern ecumenical movement." In his USA Today column, Krattenmaker describes Tebow's beliefs as "a far-right theology." Yet, in his book Krattenmaker describes the same beliefs as "hardly fringe or half-baked." As he explains, "On the contrary, they are quite consistent with the long tradition of conservative evangelicalism in America and the beliefs that more or less define the religious lives of millions of churchgoing Americans." In his column, Krattenmaker goes even further in denouncing Tebow's beliefs: Certainly, Tim Tebow must be applauded for the good he does working on his father's missions, but he should be seen, too, as one who promotes a form of belief that makes unwelcome judgments about everyone else's religion. Let's not forget the twinge that is felt by sports-loving Jewish kids and parents, for example, or by champions for interfaith cooperation, when adored sports figures like Tebow use their fame to push a Jesus-or-else message. Both Sam Cook and Tom Krattenmaker identify the exclusivity of the Gospel as the key issue of their concern when it comes to Tim Tebow and any number of other prominent sports figures. Krattenmaker repeatedly stresses that he believes athletes should be free to express their faith. Nevertheless, he argues that belief in the exclusivity of the Gospel of Christ is out of bounds for such expression. What we face here is undoubtedly a sign of things to come. The belief that Jesus is the only Savior and that salvation comes only to those who come to Christ by faith is essential to Biblical Christianity. As Krattenmaker rightly observes in his book, when it comes to historic Christianity this belief is "hardly fringe or half-baked." Yet, it is precisely this doctrine that is so odious and inconceivable to the postmodern mind. Krattenmaker argues that evangelical Christians are unfairly using what he describes as "the civic resource known as 'our team.'" He demands that the management of professional sports open the door to other religious organizations and make room for expressions of other religious beliefs. He also calls for Christians to use "discernment" in seeking to evangelize their teammates. Cook, on the other hand, calls for an outright separation of "church and sports." The sporting world is hardly the only arena where the same arguments are made. You can count on seeing these same arguments appear anywhere evangelical Christians express their faith in public or within ear-shot of those who may be offended. The belief that faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation is now at the very center of secular outrage. Consider this: Tom Krattenmaker ransacked the website of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association in order to find the statement that caused him to criticize Tim Tebow as espousing "a far-right theology." The outrage directed at Tim Tebow is not just about a Bible reference written in eye-black. The outrage is directed at the sincerely-held beliefs of a young man and an evangelistic association. Tom Krattenmaker suggests that Tim Tebow should adopt a "more generous conception of salvation." And now we all know the price of being seen as "more generous." Just abandon the Gospel. I am confident that Tim Tebow will withstand this pressure. He has shown enough theological maturity and strength of conviction to earn that confidence. But, we have to wonder, how many others will fold under the intimidation?

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Make a difference in the life of a child.

Fill a shoebox!

Shoeboxes should be at the church by November 15th for Operation Christmas

Child. You may pick up a prayer guide and your boy/girl ID tag at the Information Center in the atrium.

Shoeboxes turned in after November 15th will be taken to Tijuana, Mexico by our local missions team.

Looking Ahead ————-

You can also find us on Facebook!

January 2010 3 = Concert of Prayer

10 = Communion / Concert of Prayer

17 = His Hand, Our Hand Children’s Night

18 = His Hand, Our Hand

19 = His Hand, Our Hand

20 = His Hand, Our Hand Youth Night

21 = His Hand, Our Hand

22 = FBCH Annual Meeting Potluck Dinner

31 = Discipleship Training Winter/Spring Session Begins

February 2010

7 = Class 101: Membership Super Bowl Sunday

CAT ‘n Mouse Update Computer and Technology

Website: www.fbch.org / Email: fbc@fbch.org Please update your current bookmark and contact information for the church. Please update your church email contacts:

Amos, Richard = ramos@fbch.org Bender, Ann = library@fbch.org Cleveland, Sherry = children@fbch.org Esterline, Susan = mopsmom@charter.net Flood, Lucy = lflood@fbch.org Gonzalez, Fidel = fidelgonzales@live.com Grissom, Robert = rgrissom@fbch.org Groveunder, Doris = dgroveunder@fbch.org Kaiser, Brian = bkaiser@fbch.org Kaiser, Lynda = lyndakaiser@yahoo.com Kingston, Claudia = ckingston@fbch.org Lemons, Mike = deborahlemons@hotmail.com Martin, Robin = songbird1954@charter.net and/or rmartin@fbch.org Martin, Sammy = sysadmin@fbch.org Mole, Jim = youth@fbch.org Murphy, Ron = media@fbch.org Smith, Brandy = preschool@fbch.org Spring, Richard = rspring@fbch.org Warwick, June = juneandbill@fbch.org