Are you a Consumer Christian or a Follower of Christ?

 

I saw this cartoon yesterday and was thinking about how we act in church. Some of those "messages" ring true in our churches in Montgomery, AL and all across the world. We are wanting the church to be a place to come and get away from the world(understandably)but we have become so exclusive and want to "consume" their services that we are forgetting what "the church" is all about. What does the Bible say to us today?

Acts 2:41-47says:

 

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added. 42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and held everything in common, 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 46 Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 47 praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.¹

1 John 3:17-18 New International Version (NIV) 

¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

 

In both verses, God shows us what the church should be: giving, fellowshipping, sacrificing for other, praying, etc.  I don't see anything in there about being "politically correct so we won't hurt feelings, being consumers and takers of what is offered, etc. That is what I see often in churches that I visit. 

Who are you? Are you a follower of Christ or a Consumer Christian? There is a difference. As we seek to serve the Lord, let us not become one who takes and consumes all the time. Let us be like those in the book of Acts, let's turn all we have over to the Lord and give to help others.....

 

 

ESL Training Yields New Teachers for Montgomery Churches

On August 7-9th, about 22 adults came together at the MBA office to attend training on how to be a teacher of ESL. These students worked very hard to become certified to teach. They had to put in 14 hours of class time plus some homework. They were great. We had a good time, laughed at ourselves and shared deep things with each other. 

A neat thing this time was that two former MBA Conversational English students came to the training. They speak very good English and were able to be trained in teaching it. They will be starting as assistant teachers for MBA CE School this Fall! WOO HOO!

Mission Serve Comes To Montgomery!

Extra! Extra!! Read All About It! Missions is Happening ALL OVER MONTGOMERY!

What a summer it has been!  To God be the Glory for seeds planted not only through our local churches neighborhood outreaches but through those who “came to” Montgomery to serve.

*Sister churches from all over the United States partnered with MBA local ministries sharing the gospel through word and deed.

*Summer missionaries Clint Knight (Eastern Hills)and Angelique Hilliard (Gateway)worked hard at Community of Hope and Forest Park Ministry Center sharing with kids and their families. They are now preparing to go back to college this fall with a different view of their city!

* The Mixteco Task Force heard from two missionaries from Mexico who work with this people group there, in fact, they work in the area that most of our Montgomery Mixteco’s are from. New direction and vision for that outreach is forming. More to come later….

Jesus continues to work in the lives of so many hurting people. Despite high crime rates and other issues greater Montgomery faces every day, God keeps working in the hearts of individuals across our great area through Christians who are open and willing to serve and love the way Christ loves us. 

One project that I would like to highlight is our Mission Serve Week, July 20-27^th.  Mission Serve is a group out of GA that brings together churches from all over the U.S. to work on local mission projects both in construction and ministry. Two churches from North Carolina and Phenix City, AL came to work that week! They worked not only with Forest Park Ministry but some of our partners such as Community of Hope, Family Promise, Urban Trec, Friendship Women’s Shelter and Inner City Evangelism. They did block parties, Backyard Bible Clubs, pizza and hot dog cookouts, cleaning, painting and sorted donated clothing. We are so grateful they came to work alongside the ministries here.

I want to thank in particular our LOCAL churches for hosting them, feeding them and praying for them. Here are the MBA churches who stepped in and did a GREAT job showing GREAT hospitality!

THANK YOU to theses churches for contributing lunches and snacks

Capitol Heights Baptist Church, Dalraida Baptist Church, Eastern Hills Baptist Church, Eastmont Baptist Church , First Baptist Church , Gateway Baptist Church , Heritage Baptist Church , McGehee Road Baptist Church , Mt. Zion Baptist Church , Snowdoun Baptist Church.

A BIG thank you to Ridgecrest Baptist Church for housing and hosting these teams!

Thanks also to individual volunteers from Gateway, Ridgecrest and Eastern Hills for transportation, serving meals on the weekend and running errands!

Thank you most of all to Sharon Myers who organized and prepared our churches for their arrival!

Looking forward to seeing how Christ will work in the Greater Montgomery area this fall through YOU and I as we continue to open ourselves up to service.

Making a WORLD of Difference in Montgomery, Alabama

Montgomery Baptist Association Conversational English will be celebrating 35 years of ministry next year. Over the years, thousands of foreign born people have come through the classes that have been taught by trained volunteers. Quite a few have come to know the Lord. Many have gone back to their countries with a better view of the United States and Christians than what they saw and heard on TV. Each student has received a Bible in their heart language. Volunteers have made a GREAT difference by investing in their lives. They have been salt and light to the students. Would you like to join them?

Here is a message from MBA CE Director, Susan West on how to do that:

If the tables were turned, imagine yourself in a foreign country. What if you didn't understand the language? How would you communicate? Would you feel scared? Intimidated? Lonely? What if you had the opportunity to learn the language? In Montgomery, there are over 46 languages spoken. Many of them need to learn English to be able to survive for the time they are here. Many of them need to experience the LOVE of Christ through YOU! There are also other opportunities to serve if you can’t teach. Would love to talk to you about that! Contact me at montgomeryceschool@yahoo.com or call me at 334-312-7057 for other opportunities. 

When is the training? August 7-9^th the Montgomery Baptist Association will be sponsoring a training to teach volunteers how to teach English. It is a 14 hour training where you will be certified to teach ESL.

The main requirements? You have a relationship with Jesus,you speak English and you finish the 14 hour training.

The cost?  $30 for the book and other training materials.

How can you sign up?   Email jgwin@mgmbaptist.org or call us at 334-271-6794 for registration information.

What Do You Know About Hunger and Food Issues in AL?

Click on this link to find out more....................
                                                 http://alabamapossible.org/issues/

Samaritan Inn Banquet Raises Funds for Families!

Samaritan Inn Challenges Supporters to “Go Light Your World”

On Tuesday, March 12^th, approximately 100 volunteers and supporters gathered at Heritage Baptist Church to celebrate the good news of how the Lord has been working in the lives of families who were ministered to by Samaritan Inn Ministry, which has been around Montgomery, AL for over 30 years. SI serves families who come to the Montgomery for a longer term hospital stay. Families in need of housing are taken care of by volunteers under the supervision of director, Debbie Jones.

Guests were blessed with hearing Michael Jones, our soloist, who is a member of Taylor Road Baptist Church. Kim Wilson, director of Footprints Ministry, spoke and thanked Samaritan Inn for partnering with Footprints Ministry. Our highlight speaker was Crystal Hawthorne, parent of a child who was ministered to while in the NICU. Their son, although full term, was born with pneumonia and had to be in the NICU for over a week.  Samaritan Inn Ministry provided housing and love to their family.  All were inspiring. All challenged guests to “go light their world” being the hands and feet of Christ.

This year, along with Heritage’s WMU Crafters, Samaritan Inn asked for donations of goods to have their first ever Silent Auction. Bidder went away with unique paintings, crafts, homemade goods, jewelry and other wonderful things, all donated to help the ministry.  All money raised through the auction, crafts and pledges will go to directly help families have a comfortable and caring stay while here in Montgomery.

Many thanks to EVERYONE who participated and donated items. If you would still like to contribute, you can send your tax deductible donation to:

Montgomery Baptist Association, Church and Community Ministries,Inc. 20 Interstate Park Drive, Montgomery, AL 36109          Memo: Samaritan Inn Ministry

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?  The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Luke 10:36-37

                                      From the Parable of the Good Samaritan

 

Compassion

Is there really anymore that needs to be said? Scripture speaks for itself.

Helping Our Neighbor

LOCAL MISSION OPPORTUNITY
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil”. Ecclesiastes 4:9

 

 
On Saturday, March 16th, our Lowndes County Baptist churches along with other Christian denominations will be holding an Operation Inasmuch ONE DAY MISSION BLITZ working on 20+ homes of senior citizens in the county. They are looking for mission teams who have experience with light construction/handyman and some to visit with the homeowners while the others are working. They are inviting Montgomery area churches to partner with them. This is a great way to do missions right near home and it is a ONE DAY trip!!

If you would like to participate either by providing money for building supplies OR bringing a work team, contact Audrey Marlette at am@rushtonstakely.com OR call her at 334-268-3174 for more information.

 Matthew 25 "Inasmuch as you have done this to the least of these...."

CCM Winter Events 2013

Already, so much is happening in 2013! Here are a few things you might be interested in knowing! 


             Conversational English School Winter Festival

February 21st 

First Baptist Church, Montgomery

9:30a.m. Fellowship Hall

  

        Everyone is invited.... food and fun from all nations represented in our CE School. 

********************

Samaritan Inn Ministry Fundraiser Banquet

"Go Light Your World"

March 12th 

6p.m. 

Heritage Baptist Church Family Life Center

$10 per person
A silent auction will be held that evening. All monies will go to help Samaritan Inn families. 
 

RSVP Requested  
 Jennifer at 334-271-6794

jgwin@mgmbaptist.org 

 

Pray for these events.May the Light of Christ be shown in all we do!