West Main

This past week I had the privilege of giving a chapel talk at my old alma mater, Sunset International Bible Institute. My message was given through Skype, the online video program. I confess that preaching to a camera in my office and being broadcasted onto a screen in Lubbock, Texas was awkward. Seeing myself on a large screen in the Sunset chapel room convinced me that I have a “face only radio can love.” Any hope of being a TV evangelist is surely not going to be a possibility for me!

 

 

The message I shared with the student body came from 2 Timothy 3:10-14 where the apostle Paul says to his young lieutenant, Timothy, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra- which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.”

 

 

In my message I keyed in on how Paul tells Timothy in verse twelve, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” I simply generalized Paul’s word to these preachers in training as, “All who desire to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as ministers of the Word will be persecuted.”

 

 

What I did not share with the Sunset students is the following statistical research concerning just how much persecution most of them are likely to encounter:

Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.

Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.

Eighty percent of pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastor.

Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.

Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.

Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.

Seventy percent said the only time they spend studying the Word is when they are preparing their sermons (This is Key).

 

 

The above statistics come from Dr. Richard J. Krejcir of the Francis Schaeffer Institute (See, http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=36562, if interested.) According to Krejcir, sixty to eighty percent of those entering ministry will leave ministry within ten years! Only a fraction of ministers begin and end their careers as ministers. In short, ministry is hard. So in light of these ministerial challenges, I would just like to say, “Give your minister a break today.” 

-- Terry

 

 

 

New Mexico Christian Children’s Home  -- Dave Dowlen will be here this Sunday, April 29.  He will have a display set up in the courtyard with information and brochures telling about the work in Portales, NM.  This children’s home has cared for over 3,000 children in the last 57 years!

 

 

Elders’ Open House – Sunday, May 6, from 2:00-4:00  p.m. at the homes of Charlie & Becky Anderson and Truman & Ferne Scott.  Maps will be available that Sunday.

 

 

Vacation Bible School  is just around the corner!  How can you help make it be successful?  What do we need?  Your kids to attend, teachers, food, prizes, and lots more!  Contact Denise Beeks any time to volunteer to help.

 

***VBS DATES: June 19-22 – Ages: Finished Kindergarten-6th Grade. Time: 9:00-11:30 a.m.

 

 

Camp is July 8-14 at Box R Ranch. Cost is $50.00 per camper.  Registration forms will be available in May.

 

 

 

 

Prayer Requests and Praises . . .  The Burchetts ask that you keep them in your prayers as they finalize their move to Portland.  Pray for strength and safety ... Vicki Pearman and others who are suffering with allergies ... Pray for Bill Viera’s friend, Bob, to find his way to the Lord and that he and his wife will have open hearts ... Eris Murphy’s grandmother has been diagnosed with arthritis and is now on medication for the pain ... Matt Pitcairn’s aunt is undergoing tests in Portland ... Cara Mia & Jesse Page as they recover from their surgeries ... Kathy York’s mom’s biopsy was benign!  Thank you for your prayers ... Our President and all of our military men, women and families.

 

 

 

Thank You Notes . . .

*Have you noticed how nice our flower gardens are looking?  Come out and enjoy the blooms if you haven’t seen them yet.  A Big Thank You to Bob Tisdel for keeping our gardens looking so nice.

 

 

*I’d like to thank everyone who helped make the Daddy~Daughter Dinner Dance so successful.  We couldn’t have done it without Barbara Logsdon and all the help from the kitchen crew who cooked the food, the people who donated all the food, the decorating crew who worked diligently for two hours to transform our Fireside Room into an elegant dinner~dance space, the people who brought the card tables (please remember to pick up your card table in the Fireside Room), to Gerry and September Flock for the use of their twinkle lights and sound system, to Josh Johnson as our emcee, to Terry Christopher for the wonderful message he brought us, and finally to the all the participants who helped clean up the Fireside Room.  Without all of this volunteer help our dinner~dance would have cost three times as much.

 

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You all for your help.       --  Marcie Dixon

 

 

Needed:   *Summer clothes for 3-5 year old boys.  See Toni Parker if you can help.

 

*Snacks for Children’s Worship such as Goldfish crackers or any snacks suitable for children that do NOT contain peanuts or that were processed on shared equipment (please read labels).  If you would prefer to give cash, we will shop for you.   :)