July 20, 2011
CAMP WORSHIP
Well, camp has come and gone. And, as always, it was a wonderful and life changing week. Lives were changed. Souls were touched. Hearts were affected. And people were renewed. As you heard, we had 14 baptisms. We had many more make new commitments, and even more let old baggage go!
Camp is truly a special place. There is an energy that permeates the air. You can feel it all around you and everywhere you go. Everything seems electric. The sermons cut straight to the heart. The bible lessons convict. The worship is turned up a notch. The buzz all around you is contagious! It is a magical and awesome place to be!
I am trying to figure out what makes it like this? Part of it has to do with the enormous amount of youthful energy in the place. There is a spirit unbound by too much responsibility or burdens. Part of it is that everyone there is gathered for the same purpose and is fired up. Part of it has to do with the fact that we are so separated from worldly distractions. Somehow these all come together to make a formula for that seems to let the spirit move in ways we often miss.
What I want to propose is that it need not be only confined to camp! We have this ability to feel this way EVERYDAY! We could worship with that energy EVERY Sunday! It is up to us. It is determined by OUR expectations. We can choose to let go of burdens and issues and approach the throne with the same fervor every time we gather….but somehow we often choose not to do so when we come together each week.
I challenge each of us to reconsider this. What would happen if we came to church with the same ideas, energy, and expectations we bring to camp worship. I’d love to hear chants of “all the time” and “magnify” ringing loudly through the auditorium. It is up to you and me……
Jesus made us free to worship Him. What will we do with this?
----Pannell
For the past two weeks and ending this coming Sunday, we have been studying in our Sunday morning class the topic of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Teaching these past couple of lessons has reminded me of the many potential pitfalls that face any serious reader of Scripture. I have no intention of tackling such a complex issue in a bulletin article, but would like to just highlight some of the challenges that face any interpreter of Scripture.
One challenge that faces all who believe the Bible is God’s Word is how to generalize what we are reading to contemporary concerns. We rightly believe that the Word of God is the authority by which we ought to make our decisions, formulate our thoughts, and guide our behavior. After all, what could possibly be better than what God says and reveals? However, there are many questions we are confronted with that do not lend themselves to a straightforward answer from Scripture. The Bible is not like a box of pills we simply open up and digest for whatever happens to trouble us. There is often not a direct one-to-one correspondence between what the biblical text is saying and what we are attempting to address. For instance, what does the Bible teach about nuclear warfare? We cannot look up in our concordances “nuclear warfare” or “atomic bombs” and derive a direct response to this topic.
So what do we do if there is not a one-one correspondence or an exact match to the question we are asking of God’s Word? Are we on our own to come up with an understanding? How do we verify that what we believe God’s Word is saying on an issue such as nuclear warfare? Some would contend that as long as we do not seem to be violating any clear and direct commands, then we are free to formulate what we think is best. Others will offer various systematic theologies where multiple verses are pulled together under some proposed system of logical thought in an attempt to have the Bible speak where the Bible seems silent. Yet others will offer up some form of “proof-texting” where verses and words are taken out of context, and applied in ways no biblical author could have imagined.
So what are we to do when we are uncertain about how the Bible speaks to issues not directly spoken of in Scripture? The book of Hebrews offers up some insightful words: “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12-13).
The book of Hebrews teaches us several things about the nature of the Bible. The Bible is not an answer book, but a living Word from the Living God. The Scripture is not designed to answer our questions as much as it is meant to ask us God’s questions. One question I suppose is, “Are we listening to what God is asking?” Perhaps the Bible is not meant to be interpreted as much as it is meant to reveal? The problem with so much interpretation is that it appears to put us in control. In other words, we seem to be asking, “How do you interpret the Bible?” Next, we end up arguing over how each one interprets, and we often end up in apparently endless discussions over who is a better interpreter.
So is there a better way? If the Word of God is living and active, then somehow God is presently engaged with His own Words. The Apostle Paul said to Timothy, “And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you” (Phil 3:15). We need to leave room for the Holy Spirit to help us understand what God has revealed and what we are to think and do. I realize this can be abused as hopelessly subjective, but God does not abandon His Word or us. We must leave the most room in our reading to God’s actual presence. This kind of reading allowing for God to actually be present requires humility, patience, prayer, and time. We need to be patient with one another in hope that God will not leave us in confusion, but will guide us to see together in a unified way. God does not contradict Himself, so we have nothing to fear in seeking His thoughts from His revealed Word. The question is, do we really believe the Word is alive and active, or dead and irrelevant? .....Terry
LADIES PRAYER RETREAT
Ladies, we will be having a prayer retreat August 5 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and August 6 from 9:00-noon at the home of Jessie Pannell. We will be taking a look at five aspects of prayer: Praise, Request, Confession, The Word, and Thanks.
It will be a wonderful time of fellowship and time together in worship. We hope you can all be there. Please let Jessie Pannell, Ronda or Crystal Holm know if you will be able to attend. We need to know by August 1. We have a few fun goodies to give you and we need to know how many will be attending so that we have enough for everyone.
Friday night there will be snacks and Saturday morning we will have a continental breakfast.
WEST MAIN BIBLE INSTITUTE will begin classes on September 8 at 7:00 p.m. Classes will meet on Thursday evenings from 7-9:00 p.m. in the upstairs ladies classroom. Class topics are: Bible History I, Distinctive Nature of the Church, Historical Christian Evidences, Bible History II, Timothy and Titus.
Please see the Bible Studies guide for information on price, course times, and classes. The guide is located at the information desk in the courtyard.
All students must complete a Student and Course application to attend WMIBS. All applications need to be received by August 19. Applications are also available online at http://www.extensionschool.com
If you have more questions, please contact Dan Beeks.a
PRAYER REQUESTS
Sharon Englert is recovering from surgery at Hearthstone Care Facility, Room 59. She is doing well and thanks you for your prayers, cards, flowers and visits - she will have her chemo treatment at a later date....For Ethan Jostad, a nine-year old boy who has cancer....Shayla Davis - for safe travel...For Cooper Albright who is feeling good and enjoying being a boy....For our new brothers and sisters who were baptized at camp....For Danielle Morgan as her family prepares for the birth of the new baby, Jaeden Marie....For Connie Kennedy who will need surgery August 12 and she thanks you for all the help you have given her....For our President, military men and women and their families.
A SPECIAL CORPORATE BUSINESS MEETING will be held Sunday, August 7, 2011, to discuss the new bylaws of the congregation. The meeting will be held in the Fireside Room following morning services at noon. Copies of the Proposed Bylaws, our Relational Commitment Booklet, and Children’s Protection Policy will be available this Sunday for review. Please get your copy on the information desk in the courtyard or on the tables in the lobby. More information will be announced this Sunday.
BAPTISM
We want to welcome John Kelton to our West Main family who was baptized on Monday, July 18. John is the grandson of Bill and Nellie Kelton. Please welcome John to our West Main fellowship if you haven’t met him already.
CAMP BAPTISMS
We were blessed with many camp baptisms this week at camp. We would like to welcome our new brothers and sisters in Christ. Some of these campers were from neighboring congregations in our region.
Lane Auguston; JC Axtell, son of Vicki Pearman; Karalyn Cross; Quinn Drew, daughter of Laura Drew; Aidan and Alexis Easton; Mollie Frederick; Karizma Kelsey; Mishael Liles, daughter of Stephen and Diane; Dylan Moreno, son of Mark and Kristi; Kayla Olson, daughter of Brad and Christi; Jacob Stapp, son of Bob and Lee; RJ Weston; Alaina Woods.
Thank you to all of the staff that made this camp week awesome - it was GREAT!
CAMP LOST AND FOUND
Are you missing some clothes from camp? If so, please check the lost and found table in the Fireside Room this Sunday.
KITCHEN DISHES
Please check the kitchen this week for any dishes that you might have left behind from our recent dinners or from taking meals to some of our members. We would like these picked up ASAP.
NURSERY HELP is needed for September 4. If you can help, please contact Diane Liles.
The Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass has invited us to a seminar September 16-18. Their topic is Archaeology and the Bible- Light from the Past by Dewayne Bryant. Please see the announcement posted on the courtyard bulletin board for complete details.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
July 23-29: Pump
August 1: Deacon’s Meeting;7:00 p.m.; FSR
August 3: Service Project (Community BBQ at Park; 6:00 p.m.)
August 5-6: Ladies Prayer Retreat
August 21: 2nd Annual Encampment at Emigrant Lake
August 27: Clothing and School Giveaway
Coffee Servers needed for September - thank you for your help.
