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Echo032516This past Sunday, brother Jim Corner with World Bible School delivered a class and sermon exhorting us to consider personal evangelism and to spread the gospel through the World Bible School program. These messages were scheduled as a means to restart a program that has been a part of Estes for a long time. Through World Bible School, Bible lessons are mailed all over the world; those lessons are then “graded” and mailed by church members in the U.S. – even here at Estes. Many have expressed a desire to be involved in mailing material through the program. Some have expressed a need to be taught more about the program and what they can do. Your level of involvement can be very flexible; those with more time can handle more students. If you have limited time, your involvement can be less. If you are interested in helping with World Bible School, please contact me. I can be reached via email at northrop_j@yahoo.com. You can also contact me by phone (my number is in the directory).

On Wednesday, April 6, 2016, those interested in working with the World Bible School program are invited to meet in the Fellowship Room during Bible class time. We will go over the logistics of how the program works and will assign new contacts to anyone who desires them. ANYONE can be involved in this work – college and high school students are encouraged to participate. Adults of all ages can attend and learn more. If this is a busy time of year for you and you feel you cannot participate but might want to in the future, we will offer a similar class periodically to maintain our knowledge and involvement. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

No one can do everything but everyone can do something. Isaiah declared, “Here am I! Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). Today, we have the opportunity to express the same sentiment. Please consider being a part of the World Bible School ministry.

-Jeremy Northrop

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CHRISTIANS IN AN ELECTION YEAR

Since the Second World War, the United States has been the most militarily powerful and influential nation in the world. Understandably we take pride in our country, in its history of political freedoms, in its place among nations. Sometimes this pride becomes problematic. Our pride in country, our nationalism, can supplant our love of God. We become American Christians rather than Christian Americans.

This problem of misplaced allegiance and identity is evident in times of crisis and during presidential elections. In our nation, with its republican form of government, elections have always been important, and in recent years, presidential elections have especially loomed large in their cultural significance. Every four years, one can do a survey of comments on social media and see many Christians express fear over the outcome of the presidential election. We pray for a Godly leader, one who will lead the United States in a Godly direction, then grow afraid when a person whose agenda we oppose is elected. To counteract these fears over presidential election outcomes, we need to think bigger. Our God is awesome. He’s sovereign over this world. He’s bigger than any president or presidential candidate.

We can learn something about proper attitudes toward nations and leaders from the Scriptures. The prophet Habbakuk learned that God uses ungodly people to achieve His purposes. Daniel served two different empires, the Babylonian and later the Persian. Neither empire was Godly, nor were its rulers. We learn from the book of Daniel that all rulers are ultimately subject to God. Daniel knew this truth, and practiced it when he prayed to Yahweh despite the edict of the ruler Darius. It didn’t matter if an ungodly king passed a law against the exercise of Daniel’s faith. He still prayed and trusted God to take care of the details. And God took care of the details: He saved Daniel from destruction. That was miraculous. What wasn’t miraculous was how God providentially used the Persians and their policy of tolerance toward subject peoples to get the exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Paul, a Roman citizen, spread the gospel throughout the Mediterranean basin. The Roman peace that allowed him to travel freely was the same rule of law that executed his Lord. That same rule of law protected Paul’s life and allowed him to carry his message to Rome itself. In the case of these two empires, the Persian and the Roman, separated by a span of over six hundred years, the ruling authorities were instruments of God’s providence, unintentionally fulfilling His will. We can pray that God use our leaders today in the same way. They can unintentionally be instruments of God’s providence. He ultimately is in control. He reigns in our lives regardless of who governs our country. And whether they know it or not, our presidents are subject to God’s will and His redemptive plan.

Regardless of the outcome of this year’s presidential election, our citizenship will still be in the Lord’s Kingdom. We walk by faith, trusting and obeying God. We know that Jesus holds our souls in his hands. Love, Joy, and Peace fill our lives. In this tumultuous political season, we have a great opportunity, to be faithful witnesses and show our fellow Americans the love of God, the grace of Jesus, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

–Greg Massey

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Supplementing Your Faith

Peter mentions “supplementing your faith” in his second letter. This is a response to what he mentions in verses 3 and 4, that God grants his great promises that provide an escape from the corruption of this world. Because of what God has done for his people, they should make every effort to supplement their faith. Let’s take a look at 2 Peter 1:5-7:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. (ESV)

Isn’t it interesting that Peter tells his readers that they are to play a very active part in growing or supplementing their faith? These wonderful qualities are not things that the Lord just simply bestows unto His people, who then passively receive. His people are called to give all diligence to these things, working in partnership with God to add and increase them. In fact, Peter thinks this is so important that he plans to “always” remind about this (vv 12-15). He plans to remind so well that when he is gone, those that have heard this message can recall his very words.

Peter is telling his readers that one’s faith needs the addition of these special qualities in order to be effective and fruitful. In fact, he says that lacking these qualities is akin to being spiritually blind, forgetting the “sin cleansing” one experiences as a Christian. Paul not only lists these qualities, but tells his readers that they should be working to increase the effect these qualities have in their life.

The significance of these qualities for the Christian can easily be seen. Consider the following:

Virtue: How many friends can be had, how many lives can be touched, by a virtuous person who seeks what is good and moral, and chooses to act that way? Seek to grow in good moral character.

Knowledge: What condition would one be in spiritually if the effort was not made to know the truth about God? Think of the promises that would be missed. Always seek to understand God’s will.

Self-control: How many sins would have never become sins if one’s self-control was an active and increasing quality? Grow your capacity to be in self-control. Learn to skillfully master your passions.

Steadfastness: Imagine the lives that can be touched if one consistently lives for Christ. Imagine how the world would be if it adhered to God’s commands. Imagine the influence one has who is a steadfast child of God.

Godliness: Godliness is a personal attitude toward God that results in one’s actions in honoring and pleasing God. Understood as devotion to God, godliness is the natural path one takes seeking to live a godly life, seeking to demonstrate the quality of godliness to a dark world.

Brotherly affection: What would life look like if one sought to outdo another with love and affection? Treating others with kindness, good will, friendliness, and care can dissolve hatred, remove jealousy, calm tensions, and demonstrate the love of God.

Love: It is impossible to consider love without thinking about the love of God, a love that provides salvation to a sinful world. Love brings the prior qualities together. Paul, in 1 Cor 13, says it best as he describes love as not rude, not resentful, not rejoicing in others’ wrongs, not envious, not arrogant, etc. In other words, love is sincere, patient, lasting, caring, and kind even when the situation is unloving.

Review the list again. Grade yourself. Does your life demonstrate these qualities? Is there an obvious omission of a quality or qualities? Is growth in these qualities stale or on the increase? Supplement your faith with:

  • virtue
  • knowledge
  • godliness
  • brotherly affection
  • self-control
  • steadfastness
  • love

–Mark Scott

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2016 Goals for the Estes Church of Christ

Each January the Estes elders have a one day retreat at Chickasaw State Park. We spend the day talking about the Lord’s work at Estes. We finalize the budget for the coming year, talk about possible sermon topics, discuss the spiritual and physical needs of our congregation and in general try to find ways to push forward the cause of Christ. Toward the end of our day we set concrete goals for our work as elders of this wonderful congregation of believers. Below are the goals we have set for ourselves for 2016.

Short Term Goals

  1. Continue to strengthen programs such as Connections, 6-2 ministry, and Visitation program to build stronger relationships and promote spiritual growth among members and non-members.
  2. Add at least one more classroom to better utilize the office area or Scott house.
  3. Evaluate each mission point for which we are the sponsoring congregation.
  4. Begin onsite visit rotation of our mission points.
  5. Have at least one congregational meeting.
  6. Have at least one group meeting with the deacons.
  7. Add a new stateside mission.
  8. Strengthen our local outreach program by starting a database of area visitors and starting regular communications to them.
  9. Implement Phase 1 of the Expansion Program and consider Phase 2 implementation.

Long Term Goals

  1. Evaluate Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the Expansion Program.
  2. Develop themed weekend seminars to serve our members and our community.

– Richard Taylor

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New Members’ Recognition Dinner

Echo022616In Luke 19:10 Jesus reveals His main purpose for coming to this earth: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” He has always been concerned for the lost and he stresses how urgent the harvest continues to be. Jesus says again in John 4:35 “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” Before ascending back up to heaven, he gave His disciples that same mission recorded for us in Mt 28:19-20: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Jesus was all about saving people and wants His church to be dedicated to that mission as well.

Even though we can always do better and never want to become complacent in our service, it can be very beneficial to reflect how well we performed throughout the past year. We had a wonderful year at Estes in 2015! With 17 new members baptized into Christ and added to His church and 27 new members coming our way, the Lord added a total of 44 new members to the church at Estes during 2015 and the first couple of months in 2016!

But with success comes a new problem. It’s hard to know who is new and who isn’t! So… the elders have asked the 6:2 Ministry team to coordinate a new members’ dinner to take place after evening services on March 6th. We will take this time to re-introduce ALL of the new members that came our way in the last 14 months. We are asking the entire congregation to support this event and bring potluck dishes, except our new members of course. Just bring yourself and be ready for a fun-filled evening of food, fellowship and introductions.

–The Estes elders

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Rejoice and Rejuvenate
Refreshments | Fellowship | Devo with the Estes Ladies
Monday, February 22, 7-8 pm in the Fellowship Room

Our Mission for Estes Women’s R&R is to connect all women at Estes through devotion to God, fellowship with one another, spiritual growth, and encouragement. Our theme for 2016 comes from I Thess. 5:11, and we will focus on building one another up. We will have monthly meetings- most are already planned and will alternate between Monday nights, Saturday mornings and a few Friday nights. We hope that all women of the congregation will find a way to serve and be uplifted through this ministry. To love one another more, we have to know one another more. We want YOU involved!
Love to cook? Have a great service idea we can all get involved in? Know a great speaker we could invite to our devotionals? Contact a committee member below to share your ideas and help us all enjoy and grow from R&R.

2016 EVENT DATES

February 22 – Monday Building Love – Devo & Fellowship
March 12 – Saturday Building Skills – Talent Sharing
April 23 – Saturday Building Relationships – Ladies’ Day
April 29 – Friday Building Relations, part 2 – Ladies’ Night Out
May 23 – Monday Building Faith – Devo & Fellowship
June 25 – Saturday Building Good Will – Blessings Bags
July 8 – Friday Building Fellowship – Ladies’ Night Out
August 22 – Monday Building Your Spirits – Devo & Fellowship
September 9–10 Building Sisterhood – Retreat
October 17 – Monday Building Trust – Devo & Fellowship
November 14 – Monday Building Gratitude – Soup Night
December 10 – Saturday Building Joy – Christmas Party

Leaders

Coordinators Cherri Walker & Ashley Estes
Service Kelda Massey & Lynne Moore
Food/Setup/Cleanup Tamara Lockridge & Shannon Morris
Invitations/Social Media Kelsey Rotz & Yvette Messenger
Devotional Cindi Cotton & Sara Wood
Event Planning April Schulte & Shawna Northrop

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Honoring Our Senior Saints

…with the Senior Saints’ Valentine’s Day Banquet. It is only appropriate that we all honor our older brothers and sisters, and our young members are to commended for this gift of respect and appreciation. These people in our midst have incredible experience and wisdom to share with all of us. They are wonderful examples of people who have endured hardships, triumphed over problems, savored blessings and success, and offered examples of the faithful Christian walk. Here are some biblical reasons to honor our Senior Saints:

  • They are hard workers in the kingdom despite age and infirmity: They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green. (Psalm 92:14)
  • They are our parents and have sacrificed for us: Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the Lord your God gives you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)
  • They are great Christian examples: But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. (Titus 2:1-4)
  • They are deserving of honor and respect: As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete. (Genesis 15:15)
  • They love us: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. (Genesis 37:3)
  • They are examples of dedication: And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
  • Their proven, steadfast faith in the Father gives them strength and spirit:
    Who redeems your life from the pit,
    Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
    Who satisfies your [a]years with good things,
    So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. (Psalm 103:4-6)

Say “Thank You!” to a senior saint this week.

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Jesus—Savior, Lord, King & Servant

As we prepare our thoughts, for the 80th annual FHU Lectureship week, consider these words from Brother David Sproule in 2008:

The angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced to her the favor that she had found in the sight of God, to bring forth and raise the Son of God. The role which Gabriel emphasized that God’s Son would have was that of a King. “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33). Jesus is our Lord and King! He is the ruler. His word must be obeyed.

After Mary was found to be with child, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream to explain the miraculous and wonderful events that were taking place, telling him that the Child “conceived in [Mary] is of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:20). The role which this angel emphasized that the Son of God would have was that of a Savior. “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Even the earthly name chosen for the Son of God (Jesus) literally means, “Savior.” Jesus is our Savior! He died for us. His blood, shed in His selfless, perfect sacrifice, can save all who obey Him. Most religious people today want to focus solely on Jesus being their Savior. While this truth is emphasized heavily in the Bible, some today want to take the emphasis to an unhealthy level where they either forget or perhaps even ignore that He is THE Lord and King whom we must obey (cf. John 12:48; Col. 3:17; Heb. 5:8-9). To focus on one aspect of the Son of God to the neglect of other Biblical emphases is to miss the whole picture (thereby, misunderstanding it and possibly misrepresenting it).

One of the great positions that the Son of God took while on Earth was that of a Servant. If one misses this part of the picture, his portrait of Jesus is incomplete. For those men who spent the most time with Him, this quality apparently stood out in their minds. As Peter and John preached in Jerusalem and before the Sanhedrin, they referred to Jesus, no less than four times, as “His Servant Jesus” (Acts 3:13, 26) and “Your holy Servant Jesus” (4:27, 30). Jesus not only served His fellow man (Matt. 20:28; John 13:1-17), but Jesus was the Servant of God (John 4:34; 9:4; Heb. 5:8). Jesus is our example of a servant!

I need Jesus as the Savior. I must obey Him as the Lord and King. I ought to imitate Him as the Servant.

By David Sproule, Sunday, 27 January 2008 (borrowed from the Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ Website
http://www.pblcoc.org/2008-Bulletin-Articles/jesussavior-lord-king-a-servant

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FHU Lectureship 2016: Come Dine at the Table of Righteousness

As he began his “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus expressed some core ideals for his people in the form of “beatitudes” or blessings (Matt. 5:2-11). Among these beatitudes is a simple but compelling blessing for those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness”—they shall be filled (v. 6). The Lord knew the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes from drinking deeply from the well of God’s word, and he wanted us to experience that too.

During the week of February 7-11 you will have the chance to have your hunger satisfied in a special way. The annual FHU Bible Lectureship will take place at the University and you are invited and encouraged to participate. This year’s theme is “In My Place: The Servant Savior in Mark.” Doug Burleson, the Lectureship Director, says, “Mark’s perspective on Christ challenges readers to consider the power of the suffering Savior who ultimately came to pay the price for the sin of humankind. Christians today should not forget the power of the Christ who suffered and died in their place.”

The Lectureship offers several new options this year, including a “Kids’ Lectureship,” Hispanic Ministry Workshop, and lesson series for students, young families, women, and senior saints.

Let’s accept the invitation to dine at the table of righteousness and experience the fulfillment that only God Himself can provide!

–Mark Blackwelder

Find everything you want to know online at fhu.edu/lectureship.

  • Registration https://www.fhu.edu/forms/lectureship/registration.aspx
  • A downloadable pdf of the 2016 booklet, with speakers and schedule details http://www.fhu.edu/docs/default-source/lectureship-url/lectureship-program-2016.pdf (A printed version will be available on campus during lectureship week.)
  • Open Forum Question Submission Form https://www.fhu.edu/lectureship/open-forum
  • A customizable schedule of sessions that you can email to yourself https://www.fhu.edu/lectureship/schedule
  • There’s even an app for that! https://www.fhu.edu/lectureship/lectureship-mobile-app

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Moving Forward in Haiti

This past week we hired interim houseparents for Sonlight Children’s Home. Martial and Ketty Viciere have agreed to a three-month trial period. They have a sixteen-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old son. Martial has a bachelor’s degree in political science from a university in Haiti, and ten years experience as a police officer. Ketty is a homemaker and beautician. Martial is also one of the top students in the International School of Theology which Larry Waymire has been leading in Port au Prince for the last two years.

The Vicieres will not move into the home for a couple of weeks. During that time, they will be visiting the home several times each week to get acquainted with the children and to check on repairs and other preparations that are underway there. They will both be on staff full-time at the home. Martial’s ability to speak English is good, and Ketty is learning. They both have committed to continuing to build their English skills.

Many of the children at Sonlight were being homeschooled by Roberta, although a few were enrolled in Haitian schools. This week twelve of the younger children who were in the homeschool track are being enrolled in a nearby Haitian school that agreed to work with our staff to place them at an appropriate grade level and help them integrate now at mid-year. The older children have the opportunity to continue the homeschool curriculum or to receive vocational training. Karen Thomas, Widlord’s new bride, has agreed to oversee their homeschooling in the near term. These changes in school arrangements will increase our education costs. Now would be an excellent time to commit to a regular donation for education. Contact Jesse Robertson (jrobertson@fhu.edu) or Richard Taylor (rtaylor@fhu.edu) for more information on how to conveniently do that.

Widlord and Karen Thomas are still in Texas awaiting the approval of his immigration paperwork. The forms are in the hands of immigration services and, if approved, will allow him to travel freely back and forth to the U.S. for reporting and fundraising. They are also busy with fundraising for their own salary and work fund. If you know of a congregation or individuals that could help, please have them contact Widlord at widlordthomas@hotmail.com.