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The denominational Bible quiz finals will be held June 13-15 (Friday through Sunday) at Huntington University. The Saturday night awards banquet starts at 5:30. Churches from three areas will compete:
Jennifer Blandin sent these updates from Macau on June 3.
For change to occur in your church, you need to leave some things behind. That is hard. If you’re not willing to leave some things behind, you’ll never experience change. That’s true for us personally, for our families, and for our churches.
A lot of times, churches become layered: in the 1960s you did this, in the 1970s you added this, in the 1980s you began doing these things. You get all these layers operating, because nobody wants to leave anything behind.
It’s interesting the things we’re not willing to leave behind:
So ask yourself: What am I willing to leave behind? And then make sure it’s the right things.
How about it? What are some things you’ve seen that churches have difficulty leaving behind?
Carlson and Naomi Becker returned to the States on May 30, having served a three-year term in Macau. Carlson worked in the national office for about 25 years (1977-1993) in several different roles, including associate director of Missions, before accepting a pastorate in 1993. We appreciate their continued ministry during their “retirement” years, and their valuable contributions to the work in Macau. They now live in Cedar, Mich., which is northwest of Traverse City, where they previously pastored.
Devonshire Church in Harrisburg, Pa., is the latest United Brethren church to offer a podcast of the weekly sermon. That makes 17 churches doing podcasts. Plenty of great sermonizing there. A number of other UB churches are doing podcasts.
A podcast is simply a sermon you can download from a website and listen to on your computer or on a music player, like an iPod, Zune, They are typically an MP3 file.
At least two churches are doing video podcasts, which means you can watch the sermon: Emmanuel (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Mount Pleasant (Chambersburg, Pa.).
Indiana is getting its chance to host a “Hang with the Bishop” event. This is for pastors and laypersons from churches within driving distance of Huntington, Ind.
This is an agenda-less, informal meeting. Come with your questions, and Bishop Ron Ramsey and Pat Jones will do their best to answer them. Bring your staff or any interested persons from your congregation.
And by the way: lunch will be provided.
We need to know how many people are coming. So please RSVP to Cathy Reich, my administrative assistant, by June 19.
We previously held Hang with the Bishop meetings in southern Ohio, Chambersburg, Pa., and  Ashley, Mich.
Micheal E. Dean has been appointed senior pastor of Sabetha UB church in Sabetha, Kansas. He holds a local conference license.
Global Ministries is developing a strategic relationship with Samaritan’s Purse. The goal is to strengthen our relief and development efforts as a mission agency while unifying our denomination’s overall response to humanitarian need around the world.
In order to serve local churches, we will be receiving donations for Samaritan’s Purse and passing them on without charging any administration fees. We only ask that you indicate to which project(s) the amount is to be directed.
From year to year we will be able to report to you how much was given to relief needs as a denomination and individual churches. In addition, the only follow up mailings from Samaritan’s Purse will be those received by Global Ministries, not the local church or donors. We’ll be sure to keep you informed of the continuing needs and opportunities to contribute.
Currently, Samaritan’s Purse is heavily involved in caring for the needs of those in Myanmar who were victims of Cyclone Nargis and earthquake survivors in Szechuan Province in China. More information can be found at SamaritansPurse.org.
Mike Brown, pastor of Franklin UB church (New Albany, Ohio), joined Global Ministries Director Jeff Bleijerveld in the Philippines in early May, as our churches there celebrated their 25th anniversary. That’s Mike in the photo, preaching in the Philippines in 2006. As Mike began the 13-hour flight from Detroit to Japan, he prayed for an opportunity to witness. Here is what happened, in his own words.
The first 4-5 hours I slept and did some work. Sitting beside me was a Japanese man who appeared to be in his early 30s. Sitting beside him were a man and woman in their 60s. While I was working, the three of them engaged in a lot of conversation. When I wrapped-up my work and leaned my head back to rest, the woman asked if I was a Sunday school teacher or a minister.
“A minister,” I said.
We chatted briefly, and the Japanese man, who spoke pretty good English, appeared interested. When the lady turned to talk to her husband, the Japanese man started asking me nice, general questions–where I was from, my family, where was I going. I noticed he was reading a Christian book about the meaning of life, so I assumed he was a Christian. I asked him some questions from a Christian perspective, but his answers (and confusion) quickly told me he was not a Christian. As we talked, I learned that he was a very successful businessman, with degrees from the University of Michigan and Georgia Tech, and he had taken some Harvard business courses. He was flying home to Japan where he and his family lived.
I learned about the Japanese way of life, the seven-day work week, and the five-and-a-half day school week. He shared with me about his childhood; his father was a very successful construction company owner. He told me he could never remember his father eating dinner with the family, and only once does he remember “playing” with his father. Now that he was in his mid 40s (so much for my age estimate), he wanted to be more that just a money maker for his family.
I asked him how he got the book he was reading. He said his favorite business author, Peter Drucker, seemed to quote this book often. Where God took our conversation from there was fantastic. For about two hours we talked back and forth about the spiritual side of life.
He confessed that he practiced no religion. If he claimed any religion, it was a mix of Buddhism and ancestor worship. He said he really felt some “hole” in his life. What he was beginning to learn (and believe) from the book he was reading is that significance was far more important that success in life.
I shared my testimony, how at the age of 16 I became a Christian. He said, “It must have been wonderful to be at peace in your heart for so long.” I learned he had very little knowledge of God, had only heard of Jesus vaguely, and had real trouble believing a person could rise from the dead. I also learned that neither he nor his wife owned a Bible (nor even read one).
I wish I could say he prayed to receive Christ right in his plane seat, but he didn’t. The truth, is he knew almost zero about God, Christ, or Christianity. But he knew he was searching for more than what this world could offer. I asked him to receive Christ, but he still didn’t understand. Evangelism starts with seed planting.
After our conversation, we both put our head back on our seats and attempted some sleep. I prayed, and while praying God said, “Mike, when you get off the plane, give him your Bible.” I said, “But Lord, this is my preaching Bible–only my second preaching Bible in 26 years. Besides, I need it in the Philippines.”
But you never win an argument with God. As we went our separate ways in the Japan airport, I handed him my Bible and told him, “You will find significance if you read this book.” He was humbled as he received it, and I was humbled as I gave it. Amazingly, I was at peace, too, about giving away the only preaching Bible I currently own.
God taught me a lot of lessons in my encounter with the Japanese gentleman. One of the neatest lessons: my mission work began in mid-air, hours before I landed in the Philippines.
Ed Stetzer, who works with the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, says if you get serious about spiritual formation, you will have to deal with satanic oppression. Spiritual warfare is a given.
One verse that has meant a lot to me the past few years is in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, which says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
We can’t change the world by signing petitions. That’s a worldly weapon. You can sign all the petitions you want, but that’s not how to change the world.
I think Satan has been very happy with the United Brethren church for the last number of years, while Jesus has cried tears over us. We need to change that so the Lord is pleased and Satan is not. But Satan won’t give up easily. He’ll throw everything at you.
You’ll wonder, “Where did that come from?” I’ve learned, during my years of ministry, that stuff comes from unexpected places. From places you thought were spiritual, and all of a sudden they come at you as if they are the enemy. In one church recently, a long-time member said, “This church belongs to us. We let God use it two hours a week.”
Ministry isn’t easy. We’re in the trenches fighting hand-to-hand.
