Jesus
A Family
Place
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
MAY 2017
BARRE, VT
Thoughts from the Pastor
Hello from Pastor Craig,
May has special meaning for me because my son is born in May and I got
married 8 years ago in May. But as we feel the weather continue to warm
and we spend more and more time outdoors it is a good reminder that the
summer is a great time for us to meet with people we have not seen often
during winter, and to do things that the cold has discouraged.
As we approach the summer it is also a great time to remember the call on
each person at FBC to be intentional about being a disciple maker. To
make disciples, we need to know what a disciple is. If you want to know
how the Bible talks about disciples, you should read Matthew 28:18-20.
Matthew is the first book in the New Testament. What I have learned as I
study this subject is that a disciple is somebody who is committed to Christ,
conforming to Christ, and cultivating Christ in others. A book called the
Vine Project said it like this “A forgiven sinner who is learning Christ in
repentance and faith.”
2
As we think of making disciples we need to ask first what is a disciple.
And we should always start with “am I a disciple?” Are you waking up
every day committing your life to serving Jesus in every part of that day?
Are you conforming the way you do things around the teaching of
Jesus? Are you conforming your desires to be those of Jesus? Are you
helping people in your Relational Sphere of Influence (RSI) see and savor
Jesus? Is there one or two people in your life that you are helping meet
Jesus for the first time or love Jesus more?
Being an intentional disciple maker means as we enter summer we are
inviting others into our summer activities and participating in other
summer activities so that we can be the light of Christ as we enjoy our
summer. Praying that you get the joy of helping those around you fall in
love with Jesus this summer.
Pastor Craig
3
I would like to also take this moment to comment on the News letter that
Bob has started. This can be a great tool to help you understand the
gospel and communicate it to others. There will also be testimonies in
here to show how the gospel touches our lives. I encourage you to read
them and think about giving your testimony to Bob to put in here to
encourage others.
Pastor Craig
4
Full Circle Disciple
Commit
Disciple
of
Jesus
Cultivate
Conform
What’s going on behind the scenes?
Missions Group
6
Missions – OCC shoebox project - $9.00
By Lorna Carty
• The Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoebox project has
been a mission of FBC for many years! It began with
individuals packing one or more boxes and bringing them in,
along with shipping money. More recently, we've asked
people to donate items during August/September/October
and we've had a packing party in November to fill the
boxes. Money was donated for the shipping by Women's
Alliance, the Men's Fellowship group, and individual
members.
After receiving a shoebox gift, children have the opportunity to enroll in The Greatest Journey, a dynamic, 12-lesson Bible
study course guiding them through what it means to faithfully follow Jesus Christ. In 2016, 11,485,662 shoeboxes were sent to
over 100 countries around the world.
This year, we plan to digress from the past. We will NOT be asking for any items to be donated. We will NOT be having a
packing party. On behalf of our church, one of our members has already packed 40 boxes and would like the church
family to simply contribute funds towards the shipping, which has increased this year from $7.00 to $9.00 per box.
It will cost $360 to send the 40 boxes. $31 has already been donated. If you feel led to contribute, money can be donated
at any time from now until early November. Several boxes are on display in the church lobby.
For information on OCC, check out the website at www.samaritanspurse.org or look for them on Facebook!
7
Testimony
8
The Hebrew Alphabet
Every aspect of the
letter A in Hebrew is
designed to teach
us something. There
are three parts to
the letter A.
The “dot”
above is Yud
The diagonal line is the Vaw
The Yud below represents a person
who dwells on earth. When we
realize we are but a dot compared
to the Almighty, we become
teachable.
The “dot”
below is Yud
God is above – beyond our
comprehension. In comparison
to His true essence, our
understanding is a mere dot.
Thanks to Chabad.Org.
9
How can I be saved?
Here’s our problem: Sin has separated us from God
Ephesians 2: 1 And you
…who were dead in
trespasses and sins
Romans 6:23 For the
wages of sin is death;
10
How can I be saved?
Good works, religion, morality cannot bridge the gap
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear.
Romans 3: 23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
11
How can I be saved?
Only Jesus can provide a bridge
What do I
have to do?
John 1:12 But to all who have received him--those who believe in his
name--he has given the right to become God's children
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent
12
How can I be saved?
What do I have to know?
Ephesians 2:9-10 For by grace you are saved through faith and that
(faith) is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any
man should boast.
Titus 3: 5-7 He saved us, not by works of righteousness which we have
done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new
birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us
in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have
been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident
expectation of eternal life.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
13
How can I be saved?
How did God provide for salvation?
Romans 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for
us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
So that’s how God made us “worthy” to come across the bridge
over our sin provided by Jesus’ cross. Here’s another verse written by
Peter to confirm this:
3:18 Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust,
to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being
made alive in the spirit.
14
How can I be saved?
Is there something I have to do?
3:16 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and
only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but
have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through
him. 18 The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who
does not believe has been condemned already, because he has
not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
God’s decision is that we believe in Jesus. We have to recognize our
sinfulness and realize that nothing we can do in the flesh can save us
and then rely totally on Jesus alone for our salvation.
There’s a prayer on the next page that is a suggestion for how to tell
God you believe in Jesus.
15
A Prayer of Salvation
Dear God,
I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I deserve death but He
came that I could have abundant life.
I believe that He died on the cross for me and that He rose again on the
third day.
I ask that you forgive me of my sins and accept me as your child
because of what Jesus did.
Thank you for coming into my heart and cleansing me from sin. I give my
entire life to you, past, present and future. I will serve you now instead of
myself.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
16
The FBC Church Covenant
Statement
We believe that God has revealed by His Word that He is pleased to walk in a
way of covenant with His people. He promising to be their God and they
promising to be His people.
We, therefore, desiring to worship and serve Him, and believing God has called
us to walk together as one Body in Christ, do freely and solemnly covenant with
God and one another. We commit ourselves in the presence of God, to
acknowledge Him to be the Creator and Eternal Father, and us to be His people.
We confess our love for Christ Jesus, the Son of God, the only Lord and
Redeemer, and declare our full allegiance to Him as head of the Church.
We agree, the Spirit of God enabling us, to walk together in brotherly love in this
world in all God’s ways as they have been made known, or shall be made
known to us, through His revealed Word.
May the God of Peace, Who brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip us
with every good gift, that we may do His will, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
17
SUN
M
A
Y
2
0
1
7
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
30
1
2
3
4
NATIONAL DAY
OF PRAYER 6:008:00 PM (FBC)
5
6
7
MISSION
GROUP 3:30
PM (ERIC’S)
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
MISSION
GROUP 3:30
PM (ERIC’S)
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
18