N E W S L E T T E R
1425 Co Rd 134 St. Cloud MN 56303 ~~
320-251-2801
Fax: 320-251-4997
~~
granitecitybaptist.org
[email protected]
September
2010
ADMINISTRATOR AGENDA
Brian Lauer
PASTOR DENNIS D. CAMPBELL
Member Testimony
D. Min., M. Div. Central Baptist
Theological Seminary
B.S. Degree SDSU
Bob Jones University 2 years
Granite City Baptist Academy
is off and running with 20 children
bell
enrolled and others pending. We already have completed staff
training and parent orientation. Four of our teachers attended the
Accelerated Christian Education Educators‟ Convention in
Bloomington. We had the annual Soccer & Volleyball Tournament
with teams participating from Foreston, Karlstad, Mankato, St.
Paul, Larimore ND, and Superior WI. Miss Emily Moeller was
named to the VB All-Tournament Team, and Mr. Nic Lauer was
named to the Soccer All-Tournament Team.
We are looking forward to the first Academy Program at 6pm on
Sunday Oct. 3rd – everyone is welcome to attend! The Minnesota
Association of Christian Schools VB/Soccer Tournament will be in
Rosemount Oct. 28-30th.
If you have questions about the Academy, stop by or give us a call
320.251.2801, or email [email protected]. Also, check
us out on the web (granitecitybaptist.org).
The Christian Law Association (CLA) Newsletter, The Legal Alert,
featured an article, “Education in America”. The article clarified
that parents primarily are responsible to educate their children, not
the government. Before the 1850‟s, most schools were organized
and run by churches. Government schools did not exist the first 5075 years of our nation‟s existence.
“Our founders were well educated. They believed that to
remain free, America must always have a well-educated
citizenry. They did not believe that an educated citizenry
required the government to provide, regulate, or operate
schools. Church schools were provided at all levels –
elementary, secondary, and college. Some of these
schools provided free education for poor children.”
Schools were established in early America so citizens could read
the Bible. When communities had more than 50 children, they
would establish a high school. Most schools were organized by
churches. When President James Madison wanted to establish a
federal university, Congress said “no.” President James Buchanan
vetoed legislation that brought federal government into the
education arena.
“I wouldn‟t wish divorce on my worst
enemy” – two of my friends had each
been divorced; and they said those exact
words. They understood firsthand the
pain and anguish of having part of you ripped in half. “What
therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
(Mark 10:9) I did not want a divorce, yet it was coming at me like
a freight train.
Mary and I were married in 1990. God blessed us with Nicholas in
1992 and Raymond in 1994. By 1995 we had serious marriage
challenges. Our „good jobs‟ were dividing our family, which was
not helpful to our children. We were scurrying around like
squirrels looking for nuts: get up, get ready for work, get the kids
ready for daycare, run the kids to daycare, work all day, pick the
kids up, go home, do household chores-- cooking, cleaning,
laundry, dishes. Put the kids to bed, and fall into bed to get ready
to do the same routine again tomorrow. Life was a stressful blur,
but that was the lifestyle that society valued. We were chasing the
dollar bill.
My dad had always said, “Get your education; nobody can take
that away from you.” My dad was a good father, who was a school
superintendent that raised eight children in various small towns in
Minnesota. I grew up in Lynd, Royalton, St. Cloud, Barrett, and
Verdi. My mom, bless her heart, got good at moving and making
new friends. It may not have been the life she would have chosen,
but she supported her husband and was a loving mother. Mary‟s
dad and mom also raised eight children on a hog farm near Fulda.
In 1995 I was a husband, a father, a full-time employee, and a
part-time graduate student. Mary was working and busy with the
children. We had too many plates spinning, which led to serious
marriage challenges. The plates came crashing down. What was
important? I had to prioritize. My family came first, but I could
not provide for them without a job. So reluctantly, my job came
first. I put everything on the chopping block. If something was not
part of the solution, it was part of the problem. Graduate school
and religion were not part of the solution, so they got eliminated.
In April 1997 a friend who owned three Taco Johns recommended
that I attend a weekend business seminar. I asked him if I should
bring Mary. He asked me, “Do you want to stay married?” That
was a tough question. By this time we had separated, taking turns
staying in an apartment away from our family. It took me two days
Administrator’s Agenda continued
Member Testimony continued
In 1806 Holland was the first country to create a state regulated
education, and Prussia followed in 1819. America began in 1817,
and it gained momentum 20 years later with the leadership of
Horace Mann, a Puritan turned Unitarian. He crusaded for the
government to control education so the schools could downplay
religion and infiltrate secular common beliefs. Mann laid the
groundwork for government control of education. Parents viewed
his ideas as antithetical to their freedom to pass on religious beliefs
to the children.
to come to a conclusion regarding Jim‟s question. I asked Mary to
go to the seminar, but she declined.
Today nearly 90% of American children are educated in
government schools. Courts ruled in 1947 that no government
money could go to private religious schools. This monopoly of
education tax dollars for public schools makes it difficult to
provide religious education for children.
According to the Bible, Bill explained, Jesus is the only way to
heaven. We cannot do enough good deeds, go to church enough,
or say enough prayers to get to heaven. Only the shed blood of
Jesus pays for our sins. Jesus said to go to heaven, “… Ye must be
born again” (John 3:7). Jesus must be not only our Savior, but
also our Lord.
The CLA has defended and won over 8,000 cases which has
provided Christian schools the liberty to exist. Are your children
getting a humanistic and secular education or a Biblical and
Theistic education?
SOCCER/VB TOURNAMENT RESULTS
SOCCER
W
Heritage (Karlstad)
3
Faith (Foreston)
2
Faith (St. Paul)
1
St. Cloud / Mankato (Grace)
0
ALL-TOURNAMENT
Tyler Eidsvoog, Faith (Foreston)
Michael Golightly, Faith (St. Paul)
Josh Hammer, Faith (Foreston)
Nic Lauer, GCBA
Matthew Steien, Heritage (Karlstad)
MVP: Brian Russell, Heritage (Karlstad)
VOLLEYBALL
W
Twin Ports B.S., Superior WI
4
New Testament B.S., Larimore ND
3
Faith (Foreston)
2
St. Cloud / Mankato (Grace)
1
Faith (St. Paul)
0
ALL-TOURNAMENT
Aerica Hall, NTBS (Larimore ND)
Nicole Legla, Faith (Foreston)
Emily Moeller, GCBA
Rachel MacArthur, NTBS (Larimore ND)
Aquinnah Tchop, Twin Ports (Superior WI)
MVP: Ruthanne Wark, Twin Ports (Superior WI)
L
0
1
2
3
L
0
1
2
3
4
COMING EVENTS
Academy Picture Day
Sept 20
Academy Parent Training, Sat 9am-3pm
Sept 25
MACS Athletic Tournament, Rosemount
Oct 28-30
Parent Conferences, Monday
Nov 1
Revival Evangelistic Meetings, Ev. Joe Mark
Nov 7-12
Set Free Program: overcoming habits/addictions
Every Friday 7-9pm
The week before the seminar Mary and I both gave up. We would
call a divorce lawyer the next week, but that Sunday Bill Hawkins
gave a talk I will never forget. He gave a gospel presentation. In
32 years of church going, I had never heard how to get to heaven.
Being raised a Roman Catholic, I was taught that purgatory,
penance, sacraments, and indulgences were all a part of salvation.
Bill explained that the Bible is the Word of God and is
scientifically, historically, and archeologically accurate. The Bible
specifically predicted future events that have come to pass. Only
God could put this book together on three continents, in three
languages, by over 40 authors.
Bill advised, “if you are living together, get married. If you are
having marriage troubles, fix it. Don‟t think you will do better
next time.” He was stepping on my toes, but I respected him for
taking a stand. It was refreshing to hear somebody with a
backbone who spoke the truth of God‟s Word. On Sunday 4-13-97
I invited Jesus into my heart to be my Lord and Savior.
A co-worker invited us to an „Experiencing God‟ Bible Study.
Roughly four months later Mary accepted Jesus as her Lord and
Savior. We started reading the Bible to our children before
bedtime. The Bible is not an outdated book; its marriage,
parenting, and financial skills are timeless values. We learned that
Jesus had brothers and sisters, that prayers should not be vain
repetitions, and that baptism should follow repentance. Mary and I
were baptized in Cedar Lake near Upsala.
In 2008 we became aware of Granite City Baptist Academy and
were impressed at what the students could do. We saw confident
and respectful students who could compete athletically, and
everybody could play a musical instrument and give public
presentations. We became members of the church because of its
emphasis on the Bible and spreading the gospel. We support the
church and academy because it develops strong Christians who
will not compromise the Word of God in order to fit in with
society.
Mary and I were searching, and Jesus is the answer. Our marriage
challenge was not the problem; it was the symptom of the
problem. Our sin nature was the problem. We were more
concerned with making ourselves happy than obeying God‟s
Word. True joy and blessings came when we let the Bible guide
our lives. We are a testimony of how God can do miracles in
marriages and lives.
My scripture promise is Rom. 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”