May 2011

In Luke chapter 18 Jesus tells about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee thanks the Lord that he is “not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector.” The tax collector, however, would not even look up to heaven; he beat his chest and prayed, “God be merciful to me, a sinner!”

To understand this parable, it is helpful to know who the Pharisees were: a group of religious leaders who, by today’s standards, would be like people who give an outward appearance of having it all together and always knowing better than anyone else—you know, people who think they are always right and cannot be wrong. A Pharisee was an expert in pointing out faults in others but was unable to see the sin in his own life (the plank in his eye). They placed a heavy emphasis on the Law, which was good, but they placed a bigger emphasis on what was called the “oral law,” a set of man-made rules. Their lives were more about form than function – about how things look rather than the attitude in one’s heart.

Giving one example, the Law says to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” That’s the entire Law right there, but the Jews decided they needed to define what that meant, so they incorporated Exodus 31:15, which says you cannot work on the Sabbath. That’s a good Biblical idea, spending the day resting just as God did after He created the world. The oral law went further, though by defining what was meant by “work.” They said that work is cooking meals, traveling a certain distance, or harvesting grain. Remember when Jesus’ disciples were walking through the field and one of them picked some grain on the Sabbath? According to the oral law they were sinning against God—you can read it in Mark 2. Jesus gave a response to a Pharisee that day which refuted their oral law. In a nutshell, he was pointing out the difference between religion and relationship.

In our Luke 18 text the Pharisee is comparing himself with others who have a lot of open sins and even “this tax collector.” There is danger in comparing ourselves with others. As Christians, shouldn’t we compare our lives to Jesus Christ? Yes, He is the standard. And isn’t the Bible meant to change the person I see in the mirror? It’s to help me grow to be more like Christ and not to be used to point out the faults in others. The last time I checked it was the Holy Spirit’s job to convict people of sin, and I don’t believe there is a vacancy for that job!

20 in 11—Twenty Baptisms in 2011
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 07:50 AM | Comments (0)

April 2011

I had a conversation with someone recently about the attributes of God and how God knows everything. The question that followed was, “Isn’t that intimidating?” God is all-knowing, but I don’t think that is intimidating, and let me tell you why.

A few years ago I began researching reasons why younger generations were not interested in church. One of the things I discovered is that many of them were tired of seeing people who lived one way on Sunday and an entirely different way the rest of the week. The band Casting Crowns wrote a song about this called Stained Glass Masquerade. Some of those lyrics are “Are we happy plastic people under shiny plastic steeples with walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain?” In other words, this generation can see through the phony masks we wear at church, and they simply don’t care to be around people who are not being real. The thought is, “If you cannot be real and honest at church, then you can’t be honest anywhere—so why go to church?”

That research made me change the way I look at life and the way I teach. Anyone who has been to one of my classes already knows that I try to be open and honest about things I struggle with in life, as that pertains to whatever I’m teaching. I’ve learned that when I stop hiding behind a mask, I don’t have to remember to put that mask on every time I come to church. If I wear a mask here, what happens if I forget it one day and someone sees the real me? People might see that I don’t have it all together, and they’ll know that I’ve been a liar the entire time.

The wonderful thing about God is that He already knows that you and I are not perfect. In fact, His Word says in I John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” So God already knows who we are, and He knows our hearts and attitudes – the good, the bad, and the ugly. He is also faithful to forgive. God has grace and forgiveness for you, so let me encourage you to stop hiding and take the steps to be real, be open, and be honest.

Is there a danger in being open and honest? Yes, there is. In the past I have shared some personal struggles only to have them told to others. This is how gossip starts, and you need to know that God hates that. Equally bad is that gossip has a profound negative effect on the church, because others think the same kind of gossip will be told about them if they open up. Sadly, it only takes one or two people to begin whispering (this is what the Hebrew word means when it talks of gossip) in the church to keep the entire church from being transparent. Nevertheless, the benefits of being honest outweigh the sin of a few others. God wants you to be free. John 8:32 says, “...you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Think of it this way: you’re driving down the highway, and you see a police car in the distance with along a radar gun pointed in your direction. Who is more intimidated – the driver who constantly speeds or the driver who consistently tries to stay at the speed limit? Right, the one who speeds all of the time will be intimidated. The other driver may even be glad that the officer is there for his safety and the safety of others.

The fact that God is all-knowing shouldn’t be intimidating; instead, it should be a source of comfort, once you let go of the facade. If you allow Jesus to transform your walk into an honest and open relationship with Him, you will find that it leads to being honest and open with others.

20 in 11—Twenty Baptisms in 2011
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 06:39 AM | Comments (0)

March 2011

1 Thessalonians 4:3a: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” (NASB) is the driving scripture and idea behind the current series being preached for Saturday Night Connection @ARBC ~ “How to Live the Christian Life.”

Have you ever stopped to think about why God left you on earth after you decided to follow Him? I know there are multiple answers to that, and I don’t want to oversimplify things, but one of the things God wants to do is change you.

The word sanctification is translated from the same word that means holy. God wants to transform us into something better. He wants to make us holy as He is holy. In fact, Romans 12:2 even tells us “… do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Being transformed is a partnership with God. God has laid out the plans in His word, the Bible, and we are to apply those plans and teachings to our lives. Your transformation often takes place in moments of decisions as you decide how to act in or react to situations.

Here’s how that works: We as Christians go through the same things as non-believers: financial difficulties, medical hardships, relational problems, marriage problems, depression, and a bunch of other situations, and God’s glory is revealed by the stark contrast between how you as a Christian handle all of those things and how those without Christ handle them. That’s what it’s all about. How you handle the hardships of life should be different than the world’s way because of the One in whom you have placed your faith.

So if God’s will is to transform you into something better, into someone holy as He is holy, how are you doing? Can you look back at your life and see the changes God has made in you? Are you more loving, kindhearted, faithful, patient, sincere, honest, transparent, and real? If you are, that’s good news, because it means you are obeying God and He is sanctifying you. If you’re not growing in ways that make you more like Him, then perhaps you should double check your salvation or pray about rededicating your life.

20 in 11—Twenty Baptisms in 2011
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 2011

Happy New Year! It’s time to put last year behind and look forward to the future. The future is as bright as the promises of God! So what is ahead for ARBC in this great adventure of life?

First, the Church Council discussed setting a baptism goal for 2011. We prayed, discussed, and decided that we are going to pray and partner with God towards a goal of baptizing 20 people in 2011 ~ that’s 20 in 11.

You might be asking “where will those 20 people come from?” and my answer is, “I don’t know.” My suggestion is “let’s trust God for the results.” It’s about living by faith. If we could count 20 people that we might be able to baptize, then that is us doing the work. That leaves no room for faith, and we are told to walk by faith and not by sight. So, while you pray for this and meet people, let’s trust God for the results. Remember God’s Word says in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
As for the Education Ministry, and specifically the Digging Deeper Discipleship training, we have the Ladies’ Bible Study which will begin January 10 and 11. They will study, “Lord, Change my Attitude” by James MacDonald. On Sunday nights, I will be teaching a class called “Outlive Your Life” by Max Lucado—beginning January 9 at 5 p.m.
I had one of my guitar amplifiers catch on fire this past weekend. It wasn’t one that I built—it was Fender amp that was around 20 years old. The power transistor died, and that caused direct current (DC) to go directly to the speaker. This caused the speaker to catch on fire. There is a lot of sentimental value in that amp ~ honestly, I rarely used it since I started building tube amps, but that amp was of value for the memories. But this fire reminded me that we don’t take anything with us when we leave. It’s just “stuff” that on an eternal scale is not very important. On Wednesdays I will continue teaching the series on Revelation, which is about eternity. We will learn what happens to your stuff when Jesus returns. We’ll also review what we learned over the first nine chapters, then pick up at the end of the Trumpets. As for that old amp… now I have another cabinet and chassis to build another tube amp! Yeah! So praise the Lord!
20 in 11,
Danny

Posted by arbc at 12:32 PM | Comments (0)

December 2010

As we head into the Christmas season, I am mindful that another year has passed by. I love this time of the year; it really is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Every year I try to watch that old movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and as I see how George learns to be thankful for the life that he has, it reminds me to be thankful for the life I have.

Psalm 33:2 - Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

I’m thankful that I have a wonderful family. I’m thankful for the friends I have here and around the world. I am thankful that I am able to have a Bible, because this book is against the law in some places. I am thankful that I can worship the Lord in public. In some places that, too, is against the law.

What are you thankful for? In the study we just finished called “Lord, Change My Attitude,” the first two chapters were all about taking a complaining attitude and replacing it with a thankful attitude. There is no better cure for being critical than to decide to become thankful. So, what are you thankful for?

I’m thankful that we have church members who are giving their time to serve on the pastor search team. I’m thankful that they are not rushing too quickly into it. The man God wants may not have even finished seminary yet or may not have even resigned from his current position yet. I am thankful for all those who serve God by serving in the church. Thank you for your help in shouldering weekly kingdom responsibilities.

I’m thankful that God allows me to serve as one of your pastors. It truly is a gift, and I make sure I always remember that.

There is so much more that I am thankful for, but let me close by saying that I am thankful that I was able to get to know and to serve alongside Pastor Josh ~ I will miss you and your family.

Merry Christmas to all,
Pastor Danny

Posted by arbc at 07:28 AM | Comments (0)

November 2010

When was the last time that you were fired up for something? I don’t mean just casually interested but truly fired up. Jacob used to play on a football team when he was around 9 years old, and his coach used to always ask the team “How do you feel?” and the response the team always shouted out was, “Fired UP!!”

Wouldn’t you like to get fired up about something again? Don’t you long to be totally sold out for something that you want to succeed and desperately believe in? Would you like to be part of something bigger than you or me combined? I sure would.

Months ago, ARBC voted to begin a Saturday Night service in order to reach the community around us. In fact, ARBC has already been given the mandate to reach our community:

Acts 1:8 says, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The community around us is our Jerusalem, and we’ve not reached some of them, yet we’ve been told by Jesus Christ that we are to be His witnesses to them. Now is our chance to make a difference. This is an opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Now is the time to leave a legacy.

Let me ask you – have you been praying for the Saturday Night Connection @ARBC service, and how have you been praying? Have you prayed for it to succeed or fail? How would Jesus want you to pray for it?

Have you told anyone about the service or have you even invited them to it? Now you can, since it begins on November 6 at 6 pm. Feel free to invite them and tell them that it’s Casual ~ Contemporary ~ Colorado!

Jesus wants us to reach others. In fact, Paul wrote in the second half of I Corinthians 9:22, “…I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” We want to become all things to all people to win some, don’t you? That’s why this service will have a different feel than the Sunday morning service, so that we may reach people who might never come otherwise.

So what part can you play to make sure this ministry succeeds?

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya’.

Posted by arbc at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)

September 2010

Before a surgeon can perform a procedure, he has to first open the patient. In other words, he has to expose the disease or problem. In the same way that is what God’s Word does to us; it exposes us. God says in Heb 4:12-13:

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (NASB)

This verse and others like it penetrate and expose our sinful hearts and darkness; the Word exposes us for who we really are. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God’s Word is living and active. This means that the Bible has God’s power to change us. The Bible is not some static history book full of old stories of long ago in a far away land. It is so much more than that, so let us never think of it as simply a history book.

Here’s a truth from God’s Word, God did not call you just to save you, He wants to change you; I Thessalonians says “For this is the will of God, your sanctification,” and He gave us the Bible as our primary source for change. God’s Word changes us because it is living and active.

Hebrews 4 continues by describing the Word as a two-edged sword. A two-edged sword is what a soldier would use when he wanted to cut deeply into the body, giving maximum penetration and exposure. Exposure to God’s Word is exposure to God Himself. These are God’s words and He is constantly with us, looking at us and seeing us for who we really are.

The word for laid bare in Hebrews 4:13 is a word that was used in the ancient world for when a person was found guilty of a crime, and as he was being led to the edge of the city to be executed, they would stick a dagger under his chin. With the knife under his chin, he couldn’t hang his head in shame for the crime he had committed, so he would have to hold his head up. Criminals couldn’t hide their shame or hide their identity from all those they had committed a sin against. This is what God’s Word does in our life – it exposes us for who we truly are.

God’s word sheds light on our darkness, and everything about us is laid open and bare for the Lord to see. Yet, in the midst of exposure, there is still hope, because we have a God who loves us and will forgive us if we ask Him to. Once we have accepted His forgiveness, we can become whom God has created us to be. There is no more hiding sin, no more false pretenses—everything is laid open and bare before the Lord; it is a truly freeing experience, and we can begin to change because we have accepted what God’s Word has said about us.

God’s Word ~ it’s alive, powerful, and it penetrates deep down to the soul.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya’! Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)

September 2010 - Preschool Ponderings...

Only God knows the full impact that your involvement in and support of VBS will have.  Thanks again for the part you played in ARBC’s Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS!  For those of you who weren’t able to participate this year, start planning for next year! 

Do you ever watch a child and just feel God’s awesome power in this little person He has created? His children are full of desire to be nurtured and loved.  They have the capacity from birth to begin to imitate and trust those around them. The ARBC Preschool is in great need of Adults and Youth who will volunteer to be a reflection of Christ and help lay the foundation of Christian love and Bible teaching.  If you are willing to help with Preschool ministries, please contact Ginger LeBlanc or drop off a note in the church office, attention Ginger, with your name and contact information.

This article is bouncing all over the place, just like our preschoolers, and we are excited about what ARBC has to offer our children.

• We will have some events in September for our preschoolers and their families.  We’ll keep you posted on dates and times.


• In October we will have our annual Fall Festival on October 31.  Adult and Youth Sunday School Departments, start planning now for your “booth” or entertainment for the festival.  What can you do to provide a great experience for the families in our community and to be able to respond to opportunities to share Christ or encourage participation in ARBC services and events? What a fun way to show our community that we care about them!


• We need a name for our Preschool Department and we’d like to hear your suggestions!  Send your ideas to Ginger LeBlanc or drop a note off in the church office to my attention, with your name and idea on it.

Posted by arbc at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)

August 2010

Announcing Fall 2010 Discipleship Classes:
Sunday Evenings - 09.19.2010 - 12.12.2010:
Lord, Change My Attitude

Sunday Evenings - 09.19.2010:
The Prayer of Jesus, Living the Lord's Prayer

Monday Evenings - 09.13.2010:
Faithful, Abundant, True

Tuesday Mornings - 09.14.2010:
Here and Now, There and Then

Wednesday Evenings - 09.15.2010 - 11.17.2010
Revelation Time Lines

Discipleship Classes meet to study God's word and for Christian fellowship and provided to help you to "grow" your personal relationship with Christ. Classes meet at the church.

Posted by arbc at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)

July 2010

There was a movie that was popular back in the mid ‘80s called Back to the Future; it told the story of Marty McFly, a teenager who was accidentally sent back in time from 1985 to 1955. He met his parents when they were still in high school, accidentally attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty had to repair the damage to history by causing his parents to fall in love, while finding a way to return to 1985.

I would like you to travel back in time in your mind to the day on which you heard the Gospel and made a confession of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Some of you were very young and made your confession as a child; others of you may have been a teen, and still others made the decision as adults.

Did you know that your story of when and the circumstances around how you became a Christian can be an inspiration to others – to both believers and non-believers? When you tell your story to a believer, it encourages them to think of the events that surrounded their coming to Christ. As a further result of hearing your story they are encouraged to tell their story to someone else.

One of the hurdles we have as Christians is thinking that the testimony of how we made a decision for Christ is not that big of a deal. We tend to think that way because we have heard great testimonies of people who were running with the devil and then “BAM” Christ came to them like a flash of light on a Damascus highway. The truth is, most of us don’t have that sort of testimony as we compare our story to theirs. Let me encourage you not to compare your testimony with others, because yours is just as important. God will use your testimony if you will be bold enough to tell it.

As you think of sharing your testimony with a not-yet believer, let me remind you that it is not your job to save anyone or to convince someone to follow Christ. Your job is simply to tell your story, be a witness of what Christ has done for you and share the Good News. That’s it. God will take over at that point. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts a not-yet believer of their sins. As God reveals their sin to them you may then have the opportunity to share how to become a believer – the Good News.

So your testimony is important! Never forget that. Never forget that the Lord wants to use you to be His feet, hands and mouth for His glory. So now that we have traveled back in time to revisit when you came to Christ, it’s time to return “back to the future.” Will you be prepared and allow God to use you in reaching others? I hope so.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya! Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 08:25 AM | Comments (0)

June 2010

Someone once said, “Unless you act on it, vision is just a dream – interesting but ultimately worthless.” There has been talk recently about ARBC’s vision and mission. Sometimes there is confusion with these two terms, and I would like for all of us to be on the same page so that we know where to emphasize our focus.

In the above acrostic the vision is vertical and mission is horizontal. Our vision is what God is calling us to do either in the immediate or distant future. We look up (vertically) to God for His vision for His church. The Lord sets the destination – that’s vision. But there is also a direct correlation to sight. Sight is what I see in front of me. Sight lets us look at the community around us to learn who the people are if our eyes are open. Sight informs vision because we must see where we are before we can go where He wants. A GPS in your car always begins with where you are before it plots a route to your destination. This is why tools such as surveys and demographic studies are helpful; they help us to see where we are. So, sight sees things the way they are, while vision sees things the way they can be. Vision takes faith while sight does not. The church needs both sight and vision.

A mission statement is the calling we have to minister to people. Mission is what a church exists to do. Emil Brunner put it this way, “The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.” There is no fire without burning and there is no church without a mission. In the acrostic above the word mission is horizontal because it represents the church ministering to people. ARBC’s mission statement reads, “Celebrating the love of Jesus Christ by reaching out to the community and by nurturing and preparing the fellowship of believers for service to the Lord.”

Vision is about where we are going and who God wants the church be in 5, 10, 20 and the next 50 years. Mission is the ministry tasks we do to help us get to where we are going.

Let me give you the cliff notes version: Vision is about our relationship with God, as James 4:8 reads, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Mission is about our relationship with people – how we can meet them, love them, and meet their needs with the first need being a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I truly believe that if church members would see their life and work as part of the mission of the church, then every member of the church would be active in reaching others for Christ. Now is the time to step up and shoulder weekly kingdom responsibilities.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!
Pastor Danny

Posted by arbc at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)

May 2010

“...and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 NASB

Recently we have been talking about God’s vision for our church, and I hope you have been actively praying for God’s vision. But let me ask you, have you ever prayed and asked God for His vision for your family? God has a vision for your family, but seeing it realized is hard work, and it will never happen if you have 15 other hobbies competing for first place in your life. I want to give you some ideas for a vision for your family to get you thinking.

I believe God wants salvation for my entire family. He wants all of us to be saved. Acts 16:31 says "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household." God wants to bring every one in my family to Christ.

There are many more passages in the Bible for families. One of them is Deuteronomy 6:6 where it tells us to teach the ways of the Lord to our children all of the time. As we do life with our family, we teach godly values to our children. They watch how we act and react to life and they learn from us. When your kids are older someone may ask them, “What’s the main thing that your parents were trying to teach you?” Do you have clear values that your kids know that you were trying to teach them?

Read Jeremiah 29:13 again. It says you will find Him when you search for Him with all of your heart. This is not a part-time job to do in your spare time. It takes focus, time and effort. God is not hiding; instead, He speaks with a still, small voice, so if you want God and other stuff, it is that other stuff that is speaking so loudly that you cannot hear Him.

He is giving His best to those who say “God, I only want You, and You’re enough.” Read again what the Lord says, “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” And verse 14a, “...and I will be found by you…” If you have done what you can do by praying, working for, and teaching your family, then you can rest and trust the Lord to do His part.

Here is one more passage of scripture to encourage you to seek God’s vision for your family: "I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.” Proverbs 8:17 NASB

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!

Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 07:41 AM | Comments (0)

April 2010

I was at the VA yesterday for a check up. While I was there I had to have blood drawn – you know the routine; they take your blood and measure cholesterol levels, among other things.

Now, the VA hospital is set up to where those who are waiting for blood work are in the same waiting room as those waiting for the emergency room. As I sat there waiting, I looked around the room at all of these men and women who have served our country, and I am so thankful for each one of them. But when I looked closer, I could see the pain in their eyes; many of their facial expressions were sad. What I saw were people who have survived life’s circumstances and the consequences of their personal choices; a few, I’m sure, had seen the terrors of war and death of a close friend amidst battle. They have no doubt seen good times and hard times. Many have wrestled with their own demons and have tried in their own way to cope and adjust.

Other than the fact that they served our country, do you know what the difference is between them and the people of our community? Nothing! There is a world of people who are hurting and dealing with what life has thrown at them and the consequences of choices they have made. Some are rich, some are poor. Some are veterans, and others are not. Some are young, and some are old. Some of them smoke, and some of them don’t. Some drink, and others do not. Some are well shaven and clean, while others have “let themselves go.” But one thing remains – they all need the Lord. The Lord has not given up on them.

So the question that remains is, who will reach these people and others like them? Who will tell them about Jesus Christ and how to receive the gift of eternal life? Will you?

Isaiah 6:8 says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya.
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 03:39 PM | Comments (0)

March 2010

When you hear the word “administration” what do you think of? Many may think it is a necessary evil needed to “get the job done.” People may get that view because at one point they had to be an administrator and became frustrated when they realized how difficult it can be. Take a moment and look at the word again, because within that word you can see the word ministry. The true essence of administration is people – organizing people.

The Greek word that means “to serve” (diakonia) was translated into Latin as “ministerium” and “administare.” The reason we have administration is to serve God and people.

One definition of administration is “the art and science of planning, organizing, leading, and control.” It is an art because it deals with people, and it is science because it can be measured.

Is administration Biblical? When Moses lead the people out of Egypt there was planning, organizing and leading. There was the time Moses chose leaders to judge disputes between the people in Exodus 18. There are many other instances of administration in the Bible – Noah’s Ark, the building of the Temple, Jesus feeding the 5,000—I think you get the picture.

By now you are probably thinking, “what does this have to do with the Education and Outreach ministry?” It has a lot to do with both, because I also work with the ministry teams. It is each team leader’s task to be a minister by steering the team – that’s administration. But there is another reason I write about this – it’s about leadership. The church needs faithful, God-fearing men and women to be leaders in the church.

Planning, organizing, and leading are all tasks of a leader. There is much more, but administration is a place to begin. As a way to equip each ministry team for success, we are going to spend some time this year in team meetings talking about administration as a part of ministry in and to the teams as well as the church and our community.

I know that many of you have the spiritual gift of administration. ARBC needs God-fearing men and women who will step up and say, “I will shoulder weekly kingdom responsibilities.” The church needs people with backbone who will stand for truth, who will read what God’s word says and then will do it. Are you ready to lead? Are you willing to lead? Is God calling you to lead?

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya.
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

February 2010

My friend, Bruce Raley, recently wrote something that really hits home with me as I think about ARBC. Bruce writes, “A church is the sum total of the individual members. A church cannot be something that her members are not.” Please read that again and let that sink in: “A church cannot be something that her members are not.” For me this begs the question, “Who are you?”

At our church in Alaska, the pastor was moving the church to become known as “a praying church.” I have great memories of how that church helped ignite my prayer life. I’ve been to churches that were known as “giving churches,” “evangelistic churches,” or “caring churches.” In order for a church to be known as one of those types, a majority of her members must do those things.

The Sunday School reply to that is something like, “but we do all of those things and more.” And most churches truly believe they do. But let’s be honest with ourselves—we are not an evangelistic church. Just ask yourself “When was the last time I personally shared the gospel with someone?” I honestly do not know your answer, and listen, loved ones, I admit I could be wrong about this; maybe you are actively sharing the gospel, and if that is true, then please let me know; I want to know. But here is a truth: we had 243 in worship this past Sunday and 248 the week before, but how many of us have tried to introduced someone to Jesus Christ within the past year?

1 Cor 3:17a says, “let no man deceive himself.” I’m writing this so that we don’t fool ourselves. I believe it is time for us as a church to step back and take an honest look at who we are, what we do and don’t do as a church, who God desires for us to become and who God desires us to reach. So should a church be evangelistic ~ should ARBC be an evangelistic church? If so, then that means her people must become evangelistic.

I want you to know that if you have been truly born again, then you are a new creature in Christ, the old is gone (2Cor 5:17, my paraphrase). If you desire ARBC to become evangelistic, then it begins with both you and me. We need to all work and prepare our hearts and minds to be available as tools for the Lord not to grow the church, but to be a part of God growing His kingdom. Be kingdom people and help shoulder the responsibility of daily kingdom work.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya.
Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)

January 2010

Are you ready? I mean, have you truly asked God to send you just one person this year that is ready to receive the Gospel and to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ? If you have, that is great! Let me encourage you to continue to pray that way and if you’ve not already started then let me encourage you to begin with that prayer ~ “Lord send me one person who is ready to receive the Gospel.” So, are you ready to share your faith, to be a faithful witness?

If you have asked or will ask the Lord to send you one person, will you be prepared to share the Gospel? A great starting point is to prepare your heart and strengthen your relationship with the Lord. One of the tools that will help you do that is the upcoming discipleship training class called Downpour.

Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.”

Did you notice how that verse begins? It begins with the word, “Come,” and that is your invitation to return to the Lord. The invitation is for every follower of the Lord. Is this verse speaking to you? It should, simply because it’s God’s word. Come, let’s return together…

I guarantee that if you join this discipleship class and honestly and earnestly apply the teachings to your life, it will do more for your personal walk with the Lord than ANY other teaching available today. If you want to kick-start your heart, this is your class. If you have been feeling a little dull with the church or your spiritual life, this is the one that will revive you like a breath of fresh air and cool cup of water; this is what you want. Class begins on Sunday January 10, from 5—6 p.m.

There is more Discipleship training too. The ladies classes with be studying the life of David with a class called Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed. Classes begin on Monday evening, January 11, and Tuesday morning, January 12.

But wait—that’s not all! We are also going to have another session of the Crown Financial Ministries class. An introductory class will be held in February; the first actual session will be in March. Also coming in March, watch for the Share Your Faith training developed by Evangelism Explosion. I’m coordinating that training now, so be watching for it, probably in March. We will also offer some training to become ministry partners with the Evangelism Response Center.

You have many choices to help you in your spiritual growth. I pray you’ll take advantage of these opportunities (don’t worry if there is more than one class you would like to take but can only take one right now. If there is enough interest we can offer the class again in the near future).

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya, Bro. Danny

Posted by arbc at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

December 2009

One Year, One Person, One Soul is the vision and theme of the education ministry for 2010. So is that just a catchy motto or is there more? Of course, there is more, but a lot of it depends on what we do together while serving the Lord.

My friend, Bruce Raley, recently wrote something that really hits home with me as I think about ARBC. Bruce writes, “A church is the sum total of the individual members. A church cannot be something that her members are not.” I’m going to take that one step further and add the word leadership to that. We cannot be an evangelistic church if both the leadership and the members are not evangelistic. Intercessory prayers can be made for the lost, but where the rubber meets the road is that someone needs to actually share the Gospel message.

One Person: What would happen if every member here asked the Lord to send them just one person whom God has already prepared and who is ready to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? Do you believe that if you asked the Lord to send you someone that He would? This is really an act of faith on your part.

One Year: If the Lord sends you one person, will you be prepared to share the Gospel with them? I’m not talking about inviting someone to church so the preacher can talk to them. The Lord has called all of us to make disciples, and He wants to equip you to be able to share your faith. If you ask God to send you someone, will you be prepared to share the gospel with them when He does?

One Soul: This is about Kingdom growth. I know the attendance and giving at ARBC has been on everyone’s mind, but let me ask you to think BIG picture. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field…” and you know the rest of the story—the seed grows into a big bush. So it is with the kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom began with Christ and the Good News was carried by the Apostles and now there are many followers of Christ. Jesus talked about the Kingdom 80 times but only twice did He talk about the church. The Kingdom of God births a church in its wake. So don’t focus on growing ARBC, instead focus on growing God’s Kingdom and let God add the numbers to the church.

So what it the plan? First, pray every day that the Lord will send you someone whom He has made ready and willing to accept the Gospel. Second, seriously consider brushing up on your ability to share the Gospel. There are going to be three different opportunities for you to become more proficient and confident in sharing: 1. Share Jesus Without Fear, 2. Christian Life and Witness Course, 3. Share Your Faith – this is the new course by Evangelism Explosion. I’m working it out so our members can attend a one-day workshop training in Colorado Springs in March.

Will you take the challenge to pray, become better equipped, and share your faith this coming year? Won’t you pray the following with me?

“Lord, I’ll take one year, 2010, to learn how to share my faith.  I’ll read, I’ll study, I’ll practice—whatever it takes.  Please lead me to one person who is open—someone You have been drawing to Yourself.  Not someone I have to talk into anything, but a person who is ready to respond to You.  Then, let me lead that one soul to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  One year, one person, one soul is what I ask Lord, AMEN.”

Posted by arbc at 07:35 AM | Comments (0)

November 2009

What would happen if we all looked at the world through the eyes of the lost? And how do lost people view ARBC?

I believe most people in our community don't even know we exist. That thought bothers me, and it should bother you, because God has placed ARBC in this community for a reason. We are called to be a lighthouse and even the very presence of Christ in this neighborhood.

I know many of our members do not live in this neighborhood. But that doesn't mean we’re not supposed to reach those right around the church—they need Jesus, too.

So the question we must ask is "How can we help those in our community?" This has been one of my goals as a minister—to help move people into ministry. This is what discipleship training is all about—don't think for a minute that discipleship training is just about programs.

So how do we help this neighborhood? First, look for opportunities to help others when you are at the Streets of Southglenn, for example. Second, be intentional in your conversations with people you meet in public—waitresses, grocery baggers etc. Third, always look for God’s activity in their lives and let Him lead you into conversations.

We as a church must become active in this community so that: 1. People will know we exist; 2. People will know we care about them, so that 3. When they know we care, they will trust us. If and when they trust us, they will be more open and willing to hear the gospel.

Let me encourage you to be the light of Christ for the lost to help them find the way, be the presence of Christ to let them know you care, and be the feet and hands of Christ so they will see you practice what you are asking them to believe.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!
Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)

October 2009

In Mathew’s Gospel there is a parable Jesus told about a master giving his servants some talents “according to their ability.” To one he gave five, the next one he gave two, and to the third one he gave one. Each servant was to invest the master’s talents or money and try to make a profitable return. The first two doubled their investment, while the third played it safe and buried his in a mason jar in the back yard, thus not making a profit for the master.

The first two were rewarded with a promotion, each being put in charge of many things and future retirement benefits – “enter into my joy” is what the master tells them. However, the third servant was called evil and lazy by the master, and the master took his one talent away and cast the servant away.

Wow! That seems pretty harsh, but let’s look and see what sort of teaching nugget we can pull from this parable. The phrase “according to their ability” is the key to Jesus’ teaching.

Your responsibility is tied to your ability. God’s kingdom purposes do not operate according to what the world would say is “fair.” Instead, God operates according to what is best according to Him.

The Master clearly does not want equal return for His possessions but equal effort, and there is a difference. One of the problems that I’ve seen in churches is that we focus on the return and not the effort. This is the way a secular business operates; it’s not how the church should operate.

Let me repeat that: God is not looking for equal return, but equal effort. In the same way, Christians with different capabilities and opportunities may produce differing results while working with equal faithfulness and devotion. The Lord therefore assures His servants that each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Let’s apply this to Sunday School. We have many adult classes at ARBC. I believe all of the teachers are faithful and diligent in teaching their classes, yet one class may grow while another does not. Often our first assumption is to assume one teacher is doing something wrong and the other is doing something right. But let me caution you that that is the way the secular world thinks. Let’s face it—there is a secular influence within our churches, and it is evident in that way of thinking. In God’s plan, He is looking for faithfulness, not numbers, and God will add increase in His timing and not ours. I think most Christians struggle with that because we tend to be results oriented.

So remember, although the third slave had been given fewer resources than the other two slaves, he had the same obligation to use what he had to his maximum ability, and the same thing applies to you. Your potential is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to Him. Zig Ziglar has said, “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” Are you investing what you’ve been given, regardless of how much it is? Or, have you buried your blessing and kept it hidden from others?

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!
Until next month, Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)

September 2009

Discipleship Opportunities

Sept 9-Nov 11: Jewish Feasts and Holidays class will take place on Wednesday evenings. Come learn why God instituted the feasts, what their significance is for us today and how they relate to Jesus Christ. We will see, hear, smell, and taste our way to learning about ten Jewish feasts and holidays.

September 19: Body Life Journey is a one-time, three hour seminar that takes place on a Saturday morning. I believe this is the most important class in the church. Let me explain why I feel this way.

First, it helps you understand how God created you. It begins with a spiritual gifts inventory and continues with a relational style section that will help you understand how you relate to other people and situations. When you put these two together you see where you may best be suited to help the church and to further God’s kingdom.

Secondly, it helps you focus on how God has worked in your life in the past and helps you pinpoint what you are passionate about. Let me paraphrase something Bob Ryan said during a TOP GUN meeting: “When you wake up in the morning, what is the one thing you wish you could get to do?” We are all different, but our strength as a church comes from our diversity as individuals.

Thirdly, sometimes there are multiple people in the church with the same interests as you, but you may never know it. If I am aware of your spiritual gifts, relational style, and passion, then I can help connect the dots between individuals with compatible gifts, which may even be the start of a new ministry to reach people in our community for Christ.

If you want to know more about the Body Life Journey, please ask me (just so you know, I will fix lunch at the end of the Saturday session. We’ll have salad, grilled tilapia with lemon butter and capers, and grilled pineapple with ice cream and caramel drizzled on top!).

Sept 20-Nov 22: Crown Biblical Financial Study. Many people are experiencing financial challenges, but did you know that the Bible contains 2,350 verses dealing with money? Many have been taught what the Bible says about how to handle 10 percent of their income—about the area of giving—and though this is crucial, we all need to understand God’s perspective of managing the rest of our money as well.

In only 10 weeks, this study teaches us to use money in eternally significant ways that benefit us as individuals and the church as a whole. It is the number one resource for transforming the mind and heart of an individual regarding attitudes about money.

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya!

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 05:19 PM | Comments (0)

August 2009

The Challenger. I was thinking recently about the name of our newsletter – Challenger. I have no idea who decided to call it that or why, but I did ponder a couple thoughts. Perhaps it was named in honor of the Space shuttle Challenger. Where were you on January 28, 1986, when the shuttle tragically blew apart?

Well no matter why it’s called The Challenger, I like the name because it really makes me think that our church should be challenged in regard to our lives and spiritual disciplines. Now let me explain.

As a student in Sunday School ~ you are attending a class are you not? First, if you are not regularly attending a Sunday School class, then let me say, “You have no class.” My challenge to you is to start attending. I’m going out on a limb here by saying you are free to visit different classes and find a class you like. For those of you who are upset that I just wrote that, let me challenge you by coming to grips with the fact that we’re all on the same team and it’s not about you. It’s about getting people into a class so they can learn, grow, and move into ministry.

Here is a challenge for everyone. As a student, when you sit in your Sunday School class, are you expecting to receive a Word from God? Teachers, are you preparing to deliver the Word of the Living God? You should be. I don’t want to say we’ve become complacent in our classes, although that is easy to do. Instead, I think we have either forgotten or have never learned that in our class we receive God’s Word. Notice that I didn’t write that we might receive, or that maybe God will show up… No, I wrote that we do receive God’s Word. So from now on when you are headed to church, come expecting to receive a Word from God in your Sunday School class.

May I challenge you in another way? Where are you in God’s Word? Let me challenge those of you who are not currently in a regular and systematic reading of God’s word. I challenge you to read Romans through Galatians before the next newsletter arrives at your home. That sounds like a lot! It is, but hey— that’s what a challenge is all about. In fact, if you ask me, I’ll partner with you to read it together, and we can encourage each other to keep on. Are you up for the Challenge? C’mon, what’re you waiting for?

Remember, we’re all in this together and I’m pulling for ya.

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 07:35 AM | Comments (0)

July 2009

Did you know that preparing a Sunday School lesson is very similar to cooking? For both, you have to read what is needed – ingredients or lesson supplies. Then you read and follow the steps in the plan. In one instance, you’re serving food for the body, and the other, you are serving food for spiritual growth. For both, preparation is an important key to making something great.

This month I want to talk about something different. A couple of months ago I held the first Body Life Journey workshop. At the end of the workshop, we ate a lunch that I prepared for all the participants—spice rubbed chicken breast tacos with grilled poblano peppers, BBQ onions, and coleslaw. For dessert, it was peach skillet shortcake. As of this printing, we had not yet gotten permission to print that recipe, so let’s talk about a similar dish:
Grilled Citrus Chicken
Here are the ingredients and steps to making this dish:

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for coating grill
  
• 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard (or Dijon)
  
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
  
• Juice of 1 lime
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless or bone-in, with or without skin*)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, 1/3 cup oil, mustard, vinegar, garlic, lemon and lime juices and salt to make marinade.
2. Pour marinade into a resealable plastic freezer bag. Add chicken, seal and turn to coat pieces. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. When ready to cook, remove chicken from bag, letting excess marinade drip off. Discard leftover marinade.
4. Pour oil onto a clean cloth and wipe the cold grill to prevent sticking. Position the grill 4-6 inches from heat.
5. Cook chicken over medium heat for 15-35 minutes (see TIP below), to an internal temperature of 160°, or until juice is no longer pink the in the thickest part. Turn frequently to prevent burning.

Posted by arbc at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

June 2009

“3—5—10”

This month we’re looking at the last of our strategic numbers for Sunday School. If you have been following along, you know I’ve written about the 3 and the 5. Let me recap what those are.

3: The desired number of leaders in a class to run the class efficiently and effectively, so there would be no single super-leader/teacher doing everything. Ideally, each class would have one teacher to prepare the lesson each week. There would be one outreach coordinator who assigns class members people to contact each week – those missing in action. And finally there should be a fellowship coordinator who will plan and coordinate class gatherings.

5: This number is important because it allows the three leaders to teach by example. Each of those three class leaders should contact and minister to a maximum of five other class members. Men contact men and women contact women. This builds class relationships and is accomplished via phone, email, text, personal visits or any other means. With these three leaders contacting five other members, it is easy to see that the class already has eighteen people being ministered to.

The last number we’re going to strategize is the number 10.

According to research from LifeWay, every time a new Bible study group (Sunday School) is started, an average of ten (10) people are added to the church. I actually wondered about this number when I first heard it, but I counted how many we added after beginning the Revolution Sunday School class, and from this class 14 people have been added (when counting both the parents and kids). I’ve also talked with two other veteran Ministers of Education, and both confirmed this number to be fairly accurate. Remember, we’re talking averages.

I hope by now you see what is taking place; if not, let me explain. Sunday School is about much more than simply coming to church and learning a lesson. That is part of it, but that’s not everything. If each class follows the 3-5-10 formula, it fosters a process of building relationships. And relationships are a type of invisible glue that holds your class together; the stronger the relationships, the stronger your class will be.

Life is too short to live without life-sharing relationships, and your Sunday School class is supposed to be the small group with whom you share life. Let me close by encouraging you to step up and take an active role in your Sunday School class. Too often we talk about wanting the church or class to grow but we don’t do anything about it. Now is YOUR chance to make a difference; it’s time to step up and serve. If you truly want to see God move in the church, then let Him begin by moving you to have the right heart attitude to serve.

Remember, we’re all in this together, and I’m pulling for ya!
Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 07:52 AM | Comments (0)

May 2009

“3—5—10”

Those are the strategic numbers for Sunday School. Last month I wrote about the “3.” For the Sunday School class to run efficiently there should be a minimum of 3 leaders: a teacher, an outreach person, and the party person.

It’s important to know that all three of these strategic numbers work hand-in-hand together. If you’re missing one part, it will have an effect on the other two. For this reason, I highly recommend that you have all three of these leaders in place as quickly as possible if your class doesn’t have them already.

Now on to the number “5” and how it is connected to the number “3.” Each of those three workers needs to build relationships with and minister to a maximum of five (5) members of the class. Pretty simple isn’t it? Think about the implications of this simple strategy. If there are three leaders each ministering to five other members, this means that you have a minimum of eighteen people in the class that are in some sort of regular contact with each other. We don’t have one super leader doing all of the work teaching, reaching, and planning fellowships. Instead we have a microcosm of what the church body should look like, where multiple people are serving and caring for others. Sounds Biblical you say? It is.

What do you do if your class has more than eighteen already? Then you’re ready to add more care group workers. Every time you add a worker, it takes the load off of one or more of those first three leaders. The idea is for each worker to have no more than five people they minister to. With five, each worker can contact one person each day via phone or email, or meet for coffee, lunch or whatever.

What about couples? Can couples work together to minister to other couples? It can be done, however it’s been discovered that in such arrangements, wives contact wives regularly, but the guys seldom make or receive contacts. Therefore, I suggest men contact men and women contact women. Not, surprisingly, this sets up a perfect organization to communicate information related to women’s or men’s ministries too.

When asked about your Sunday School class, wouldn’t it be great to say something like this, “We have 23 people on our ministry roll, and an average of 10-12 in attendance each week. We also have 7 people from our class who serve as leaders in other areas of our Sunday School class, so we actually take responsibility for ministering to 30 members. We have 6 care group leaders who touch base weekly with about 5 members each.”

Next month – the number “10,” what does it mean?

Remember, we’re all in this together, and I’m pulling for ya!

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 08:31 AM | Comments (0)

April 2009

“3—5—10”

Last month I talked about my herb garden, and it’s almost time to plant it again. I mentioned that I had to water it daily and compared it with Sunday School – all members need to take the initiative and “water” or reach out to others who are missing in action.

I want to continue with the topic of Sunday School. First, here are the nuts and bolts needed to form a balanced class, and they are “3 – 5 – 10”. Perhaps nuts and bolts is not the best parallel – how about “strategic numbers.” Let’s examine what these numbers (bolts) are or let’s “strategize” together.

Each class needs a minimum of three (3) leaders, listed below. Again, just like I mentioned last month, it is not hard work, but it does take a little bit of your time. Keep in mind that we’re all in this together, and we all want to see our class members grow into Christ-likeness.

1. A teacher. This is the person who prepares the weekly lesson. We use a great curriculum resource produced by LifeWay, but we must always remember that our text book is the Bible. The resource is to help us prepare lessons and provide some further explanation, but it is God’s Word that is living and active in our lives.

2. Outreach person. This is the person who looks at the role each week and determines who is missing in action within the past week or month(s), but they are not the main person to make contact with those missing. Instead, he/she will hand out a card with the missing person’s information to a class member and ask them to make contact with that person. Then, later in the week, the outreach person will follow up with the class member as an encourager to him/her in order to make sure they have contacted the person on their card.

3. Connecting person (or “party girl” as some have called it!). This person is responsible for organizing the class fellowship time – ideally this will take place at least once a month. Just like the outreach person, they don’t do all the work themselves but enlist others to help them. You all know how a potluck works, where everyone is responsible to bring something for everyone to share. This works in a similar way – everybody has a part to play and everyone helps.

When our Sunday School classes have at minimum these three leaders, we can actually get more people involved in serving God by serving people (I think that’s Biblical). More leaders can be added later, but each class should have these three to begin. Next month we’ll strategize the “5” above.

Remember, we’re all in this together, and I’m pulling for ya!

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 08:09 AM | Comments (0)

March 2009

Last summer I planted a small herb garden in the back yard. I have never planted a garden, but since I enjoy cooking, I thought having fresh herbs would bring a lot of flavor to the party. It’s true that fresh-grown anything always tastes better than buying from the store. I have to be honest though; there was NOT a lot of hard work involved in my small herb garden. I remember pulling weeds out twice the whole year, and once was prior to planting the garden. The whole weed pulling thing is what has kept me from planting a garden for a long time. It’s not that I never want to do hard work, I just didn’t want to work hard in a garden.

On the other hand, my garden was not as simple as tossing some seeds around and “Bam!” - lo and behold there are some plants! There is more work involved than simply throwing seeds in the ground; specifically, watering. You know, I have learned that Colorado is pretty doggone dry, and every living thing needs some water. My little plants needed to be watered daily or they would quickly begin to wither up and eventually die.

I suppose about now you are thinking, “that’s mildly interesting, but why are you telling this story?” I tell you this because it reminds me of ministry and especially Sunday School. There is a little bit of hard work involved in Sunday School, but most of the work is not difficult. It does take time, however, just like my garden – I had to water it daily, and in like manner, in your Sunday School class you have to make weekly contact with the people whom God has given you. When I say “you” I am not just talking about the teacher or director. I’m talking about every member within the class. If you notice that someone is missing or has been out for a while, you should call them and tell them you missed them. Perhaps that’s God way of telling you, “it’s okay, you have permission; you don’t have to be the teacher, go ahead and call them.”

Here is a simple truth. Deep down inside, we all want to know that other people care about us. The greatest way you can show others you care is to call them, email them, talk to them – just make contact with them to let them know that you missed them and you care about them.

Until next month,
Danny Joe

Posted by arbc at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)

February 2009

The beginning of Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” This verse is all about serving the Lord. Serving or not serving the Lord is a choice that each person makes. When you decide, “My life is not going to be about myself. I’m not going to be a part of the problem; I want to be a part of the solution. I know what God’s will is, God wants me to become a servant – He wants me to serve,” then you begin to get a glimpse of what the Christian life is all about.

The deeper significance of being a Christian will elude you until you decide that you are going to roll up your sleeves and begin serving. Every week there are responsibilities in God’s kingdom, and it takes each member to serve in order for church life and ministries to function the way God intended.

Continue reading "February 2009"

Posted by arbc at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

January 2009

Welcome to 2009! I hope you had a Christ-filled Christmas, but the holidays are over, and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and focus on a new year. It is my prayer that you will seek God’s will during this year.

I want to take this moment to let you know about some special training and events on the year’s horizon. First, there is a special discipleship class called “The Body Life Journey.” This study will assist you in discovering who you are in Christ by discovering your:

• Spiritual gifts: those gifts God gives through His Holy Spirit to empower you for service.
  
• Experiences: those unique, significant events God allows, which mold you into who you are.
  
• Relational Style: behavioral traits God uses in how you relate to others.
  
• Vocational skills: those abilities you have gained through training and experience you can use in service to God.
  
• Enthusiasm: that passion God puts in your heart for certain ministry areas.

Continue reading "January 2009"

Posted by arbc at 11:22 PM | Comments (0)

November 2008

“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness...” II Timothy 3:16

Isn’t that a great scripture? From the education ministry point of view, it’s great because it reminds me that all scripture is to be taught to every believer. This is why preaching verse by verse - the big fancy name for that is “expository preaching” - is better than topical preaching. Topical preaching focuses on felt needs, whereas expository preaching is about teaching the whole Word of God in context of how God authored it. Think of it this way: Verse by verse preaching will eventually cover every topic anyway - but on God’s timing, not on yours, mine, or even the preacher’s.

Here is another reason why expository teaching/preaching is preferable: “All scripture is inspired by God.” That little word “inspired” in the original Greek is Theospneustos. This word is made up of two other Greek words, Theos, meaning God, and pneustos, which is where we get words such as pneumonia and pneumatic, both of which have to do with air or breathing air. When we put the two Greek words together, we get “God-breathed”, as in “all scripture is God-breathed.” That is an awesome word picture.

Continue reading "November 2008"

Posted by arbc at 10:37 PM | Comments (0)

December 2008

The Wednesday night study on different world religions has just wrapped up, and we learned...well, you’ll just have to take the class next time it’s offered if you want to know what we learned!

On the horizon, we will have a study about different Christian denominations. There are some things we have in common, yet there are other things we Baptists do that are different. For example, did you know that some denominations have the pulpit off to the side, while we Baptists place it front and center? If you want to know why Baptists are correct, you’ll need to attend the Wednesday evening discipleship class that will begin in January 2009!

On the subject of discipleship training, I would like to gradually add a greater variety of studies on Wednesday evenings. If you are a Christian, you are automatically signed up for God’s discipleship program. It includes real-life experiences, along with church and classroom training, so I hope you’ll make an effort to attend some of ARBC’s discipleship training.

There are two types of disciples. One type are disciples in word only. These are the ones who say they believe in Christ, say then want to learn about Him, but never show up for Sunday School or any other training. The second type of disciples are disciples in deed. These people know that becoming a Christian means becoming a disciple at the same time. There is a consistent pattern of learning and serving in their lives. They may not sign up for every class and ministry opportunity, but over time, a pattern of participation in classes and events can be seen in their lives.

Continue reading "December 2008"

Posted by arbc at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)

October 2008

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” In regard to discipleship training, at ARBC we’ve completed two sessions of Share Jesus Without Fear, and Crown Financial is currently in session. There is more training on the horizon, and I would like you to know why these particular classes have been chosen for the coming year.

Some may ask, “Why wasn’t I asked about what I’m interested in learning?” I considered that, and then I looked at our rolls. We have 600+ names on our rolls with around 230 attending every Sunday. If only half of those in worship responded with two suggestions, I could have had 200 different suggestions. Considering duplication, it could have been a large number. There had to be a better way.

It all began with prayer. Next I turned to the Bible. Specifically, Galatians 5:22-23 and Matthew 28:19-20. I also considered the five basic functions of the church – worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. The last item I used as a guide was the ARBC mission statement printed inside every Sunday’s worship guide. Then I asked myself, “Using this specific criterion, what are the factors in what a fruit-bearing Christian looks like and/or does?”

Continue reading "October 2008"

Posted by arbc at 10:49 PM | Comments (0)