News from the Hope Intercultural Center

On December 15, the Hope Center had a year-end celebration with its students and staff. A large table overflowed with a variety of ethnic foods. Anatoliy Ordnoralov, missionary with the North American Mission Board, addressed the crowd of about 30 daytime students in the Russian language, as Elena Kotler translated (evening students had a separate celebration). The message was one of hope, peace and love that is found in God’s gift of Christ. He compared the miracle of the light of Channukah to the miracle of light that God has provided in the Messiah. It was a sweet time of fellowship, especially with a new group of Ethiopians faithfully attending the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. In total, there are nearly 100 students attending day and evening classes.

For the past five years the Hope Center has faithfully provided classes for English instruction. Student numbers have grown, and there has been a real melting down of walls of separation as God has kept His mission alive. The Center is determined to finish this school year, which ends in late spring. Whether classes resume in the fall is more uncertain, as revenue has been drying up. The office space rent is about $1600/month, and the Center relies on gifts. Anatoliy and Elena are very grateful that ARBC provides $100/month toward their expenses. What is God up to? Please pray for Anatoliy and Elena as they make difficult decisions. Pray that they would be faithful and joyful as they anticipate God at work.

Posted by arbc at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

Women’s Missions & Ministry - 2012 WINTER COLLECTION

Please bring in new hats, socks, gloves, scarves and underwear for men at the Denver Rescue Mission.

Collection boxes available January 8 until January 29, 2012. All sizes will be accepted.

This mission is a way we can show God’s love for our neighbors living on the streets of Denver. Pray for these folks and the Denver Rescue Mission as they minister in our “Jerusalem.”

Posted by arbc at 10:14 AM | Comments (0)

January 2012

Hello, parents and youth! Just a quick update: The Christmas party for our youth was a success. The students had fun, and so did the volunteers. Something new is coming in January, so be ready:

THURSDAY NIGHT YOUTH
Starts January 12
6—7:30 p.m.
Praise and Worship,
Fellowship and much more!

A great time will be had by all who attend. This is our new weekly program for youth. I hope to see you there. Lastly, a reminder to the congregation that January 8—15, we are holding a raffle to benefit our mission trip to Haiti. What are we raffling off? My hair! At $5 per ticket, you may purchase as many tickets as you wish. Remember, the more tickets you buy, the greater your chances are of cutting my beautiful, amazing, gorgeous hair!

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January 2012

Actively Rejoicing and Believing in Christ (ARBC)
And so begins the new year of 2012! Having spent three weeks at ARBC in December and getting to know so many of you, I believe that some very bright days are ahead of us! God has placed a wonderful spirit at this church with so many of you ready to move forward for the cause of Christ!

When we hear and see the letters ARBC, we know this stands for Arapahoe Road Baptist Church. We know what the letters stand for, but one question that needs asking is, what do we stand for? My prayer is that for 2012, our aim would be that ARBC stands for “Actively Rejoicing and Believing in Christ” (thanks, Shelley Joplin, for this clever and timely acronym!). What will this look like?

In January and February on Sunday mornings, I will preach through the book of James in a sermon series titled, “Faith That Works.” We reject that we are saved by faith plus works, but once we come to Christ, we want to have a faith that works in how we worship our Lord, take care of one another in Christ, bringing others to Christ, and serving the community Christ has placed us in. This is where the active part in Actively Rejoicing and Believing in Christ comes in.

Pray for our church in the next three months or so for a number of reasons:

• We plan on offering all ages an opportunity to minister in being a part of an outreach and follow-up ministry. We pray everyone can commit at least one day a month to be a part of a team that will have members who will pray, visit, call, or write letters to those who need a contact (either members or visitors).
• We have plans to implement a Wednesday night children’s ministry for elementary-aged children that will teach them about the Scriptures, missions, and other areas of the faith in an age-appropriate fashion. Karen Bransgrove of the Colorado Baptist Convention will come on Saturday, January 28, at 10:00 a.m. to help us, to advise us in this area and help give us some direction. All who work with children or have an interest in this area are welcome to attend.
• Pray for our deacons and myself as we work to have a retreat, either in January or February, as we go through a wonderful study by Johnny Hunt entitled, “The Deacon I Want to Be.” Let me ask, are you praying for your deacons? I pray you are—God has called some wonderful servants from this church.

This is just the beginning! And just as all of you have been working diligently in serving our Lord in bridging the gap from our previous pastor until now, I pray you will continue to work and serve in the areas God has led you to serve. No one person can do it by themselves, but together being led by the Spirit, we can accomplish much for the Kingdom.

In closing, pray for me as I travel to the country of Trinidad & Tobago from January 20-23, 2012. My pastor friend (and “brother from another mother”) Roddie Taylor, who pastors the Point Fortin Mt. Beulah Evangelical Baptist Church, will be installed as a bishop on Sunday, January 22. He has planted numerous churches and mentored numerous young pastors in that oversight, and in many African-American churches, they see the evidence of this faithfulness over the years. I was honored and humbled when he asked me to come and to preach the installation sermon and oversee this ordination process. I am grateful to our deacons and the Personnel Committee for permitting me this short time away. Pray that the Spirit would endow and empower me and continue to empower Roddie in the days ahead.

I’m thankful to be your pastor. May God richly bless you in 2012.

Pastor Matt

Posted by arbc at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

12.11.11.:.Majesty of Heaven

Sunday, December 11, at 6:30PM
Come worship with a beautifully crafted retelling of the miraculous events of that first Christmas. Our Father in Heaven bridged the chasm between His Majesty and our humanity when He sent His Son, the Majesty of Heaven.

Posted by arbc at 09:58 AM | Comments (0)

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

December 24 at 6:00PM*. Come with your family and invite your friends and make this time of worship a centerpiece of your family Christmas tradition. The service will have special music, candlelight ambiance and most importantly, God's Word shared with all.

*Child care is not provided at this service.

Posted by arbc at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)

Ladies Bible Study - Winter 2011

James - Mercy Triumphs
Mondays at 7 p.m. and Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.

Beginning January 23 and 24
Child care is provided for Tuesday mornings.

Topics include:

• joy,


• hardship,


• faith,


• reversal of fortunes for rich and poor,


• wisdom, gifts from above,


• single-mindedness,


• the dangers of the tongue,


• humility,


• and prayer.

Posted by arbc at 09:52 AM | Comments (0)

December 2011

Steven here, with your Youth Report:
Winter Retreat was a blast! We had 6 students, 10 people total. Just a hint: 100 mph winds equals great fun for all. We will have pictures and videos to show you when we get them all put together. Thank you for all the support in making this fun and exciting trip happen.

I want to remind students that we are having our Christmas party on Friday, December 16, at the Youth House from 6—9 p.m. Get ready, youth! Some changes are coming, and I believe some big things are in store for you.

I Corinthians 2:9: “...as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.’”

Posted by arbc at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)

December 2011

As I write this, I’m just days away from climbing in my car with my dog and some of my belongings and making the 1200 mile drive from Lexington, Kentucky, to Denver, Colorado! I just finished my last service at Boone’s Creek Baptist Church and am so grateful to that loving church family for eight years of ministry together. Even more exciting was that one of my sons, Daniel, prayed to receive Christ and was baptized at the end of my last service there. What a way to go out—isn’t God good? Pray for them during this transition, that God would bring His man for His church at Boone’s Creek.

But I hear that two have come to Christ at ARBC this past month! Praise God!! May we pray for them and do all we can to help them “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

As Southern Baptists, we know that the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions will be collected to help the 5000+ career missionaries and 20,000+ other missionaries reach all the people groups of the world, especially the 4000+ unreached people groups (UPGs). We celebrate this during December because Lottie Moon (who hailed from my home state of Virginia) died on a ship back to the states on December 25, 1912. Who knew that a 4’3”, 60-pound lady would loom as such a giant in Baptist missions?

John Piper once said in his book Let the Nations Be Glad, “Missions is not the purpose of the church—worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” He’s mostly right. We all worship something, for that is how we are wired. God calls us to examine ourselves to see where our true worship lies. Subtly, Satan can steer us off-course to where something or someone other than Christ drives our lives. God came on-mission so that we could worship rightly! Let us be generous in our giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as we dedicate ourselves to pray, give, and go for the cause of Christ from our neighbors to the nations!
Thank you so much for the 130 of you who filled out the doctrinal survey. Someone once said that Mormons get more converts from Southern Baptists than from any other denomination. Why? Simply put, too many Baptists don’t know what they believe or why they believe it. That survey helped me to understand how to be a better pastor and preacher to you as we understand how to know His Word, to grow in His Word, and to show His Word to others.

One last thing: I am so grateful to you all. As you saw from my last newsletter, my intention was to be a “pastor at his post” and preach to you on Christmas Day (December 25 lands on Sunday this year). Not long after I mentioned this in an e-mail to Craig Howell, he gave me a call on my cell and said, “Matt, we all are on-board and expected you to go back to Kentucky for Holly’s birthday, to be with your family for Christmas, and to help with last minute moving details.” I was floored! Thank you for your willingness to allow me to be with my family for Christmas. We are all very grateful to God for you and for this!

See you soon!
Pastor Matthew Perry

Posted by arbc at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)

11.11.11.:.WMM Meeting

Women’s Missions & Ministry
Friday, November 11
10:00—11:30 a.m.

A View of Far-Away Lands
We have invited Kathleen Clement to share about her two years serving as an International Mission Board Journeyman in India and Pakistan. You may know Kathleen’s father, Ron Clement, who is on staff with the Colorado Baptist General Convention.

Posted by arbc at 08:45 AM | Comments (0)