West side
THE NEWSLETTER OF WEST MISSIONARY CHURCH
FEBRUARY 2014
Agape Love
Story
Excerpt from a devotion by Rick Renner
When the New Testament was being written, there were four primary Greek words to
describe the concept of “love.” The Greek word agape is chiefly used to depict the love of
God, and it is this word that Paul uses in Galatians 5:22 when he writes, “But the fruit of
the Spirit is love…” This is what I call high-level love, for there is no higher, finer, or more
excellent love than agape love.
Church Events

Feb. 15- Unity 66
Valentine’s Day Dinner

Feb. 16 – Lay Person’s
Sunday

Feb. 23 – Soup Swap

Mar 1– Staff & Council
Prayer Retreat
In the New Testament, perhaps the best example of agape is found in John 3:16: “For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In the phrase, “For God so loved the world, “
the word “love” is the word agape.

Mar 7– World Day of Prayer

Mar 15– Men & Boys’ Night
Out
This means when God looked upon the human race, He stood in awe of mankind, even
though man was lost in sin. God admired man; He wondered at man; He held mankind in
the highest appreciation. Even though mankind was held captive by Satan at that
moment, God looked upon the world and saw His own image in man. The human race
was so precious to God and He loved man so deeply that His heart was stirred to reach
out and do something to save him. In other words, God’s love drove Him to action.

March 22– Movie Night
(Dual Feature)

Mar 30– Youth Service– PM

May 3– Mini-Marriage
Retreat

June 21– Creation Museum
In fact, the word agape is so filled with deep emotion and meaning that it is one of the
most difficult words to translate in the New Testament. Trying to explain this word has
baffled translators for centuries; nevertheless, I will now add my attempt to clarity the
meaning of this powerful word.
Agape occurs when an individual sees, recognizes, understands, or appreciates the value
of an object or a person, causing the viewer to behold this object or person in great
esteem, awe, admiration, wonder, and sincere appreciation. Such great respect is
awakened in the heart of the observer for the object or person he is beholding that he is
compelled to love it. In fact, his love for that person or object is so strong that it is
irresistible.
You see agape is the love that loves so profoundly that it knows no limits or boundaries in
how far, wide, high, and deep it will go to show that love to its recipient. If necessary,
agape love will even sacrifice itself for the sake of that object or person it so deeply
cherishes. Agape is the highest form of love– a self-sacrificial type of love that moves the
lover to action.
(continued pg. 2)
Agape cont...
Agape is a love that has no strings attached. It isn’t looking for
what it can get, but for what it can give. Its awe of the one who
is loved is so deep that it is compelled to shower love upon that
object or person regardless of the response. This is the profound
love God has for the human race, for He loved man when he was
still lost in sin with no ability to love Him back. God simply loved
mankind without any thought of expectation of receiving love in
return.
When you love with such a pure love that you expect nothing
back in return, it is impossible for you to feel hurt or let down by
the response of the recipients of your love. You don’t love them
for the purpose of getting something in return; you shower them
with love simply because you love them. It is a love that has no
strings attached, a love that loves simply and purely– the Godkind of love.
In 1 John 3:16, we are urged to possess agape for each other. It
says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down
his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.” This plainly means that we are to love and appreciate
each other just as fully and freely as God loves us.
The Father loved us to the point of self-sacrifice. Jesus’ agape
drove Him to lay down His life for us. In the same way, we are to
agape our brothers and sisters to such a high extent that we
would be willing to lay down our lives for them. If we are truly
operating in agape and they don’t respond in the like fashion,
It won’t offend or hurt us. We are not looking for what others
can do for us; we are simply focused on how to love others with
no strings attached. Therefore, the way other people respond to
us has no effect on our desire to shower them with agape love.
Further explaining the role of agape in our lives, John said, “My
little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth” (v. 18). The word “love” is again the word
agape, which tells us that when agape is at work, it is a force so
strong that it demonstrates itself with deeds and actions. This is
not an empty love that talks but does nothing. It is a love that
does something, just as God loved us and then did something to
save us from our lost and sinful condition.
You may ask, “But how can I possess such a love? Is it really
possible for me to regularly exhibit such love in my life for other
people?” If you were seeking to walk in the kind of love that
originates in the power of your flesh, it would be impossible, for
flesh is selfish and self-focused and therefore cannot love that
highly. But because the seed of God’s Word has been sown in to
your own human spirit, the potential for this divine love is within
you all the time. Now it is up to you to shove the flesh aside and
release the love of God from down deep inside. If you will let the
Spirit of God release it from your heart, you will discover and
enjoy the fruit of the Spirit called “love.” This high-level love is
already inside you. Now it’s time for you to free that love and
allow the Holy Spirit to manifest it in your life!
Unity 66 Valentine’s Dinner
Saturday, February 15th
Unity 66’s annual Valentine’s Day Dinner is coming up on
Saturday, February 15th from 6-8pm. Please, mark this
date on your calendar and bring your Sweetheart to WMC
for Valentine’s Day. Plan to relax as you are served a
delectable meal of steaming spaghetti, pungent garlic
bread, crisp green beans and a positively sinful dessert.
The music ministry of Tab Beechler will awash your senses
with feelings of romance, while calm and serenity ease
your mind as you remember that your kids are corralled
somewhere else in the church, exhausting the sitters...for
free! So snap out of your daydream and make fantasy a
reality for you and your sweetheart today! Sign-up now!
(P.S. children will not be served a meal)
You’re Photo Here
mini
Marriage
retreat
May 3rd, 2014
Pokagon State Park
More information to come
Why Children Are the Most Important People
in the Church by Damon Delillo
(An interesting view of Children’s Ministry)
Back in the day, there was a famous preacher story that
circulated amongst what were then known as “Christian
Education Directors”–our modern day family pastors. It
was said that D.L. Moody had come back from a tent
revival meeting where he reported that 2 1/2 people were
saved. Whoever he was talking to replied, “You mean, two
adults and one child?” D.L. Moody responded, “No, two
children and one adult. When you save a child, you save a
life—a whole life.”
I came to know Jesus when I was 6-years-old at a Vacation
Bible School. Over the years, I’ve found out that I’m not
alone. I’m just one of the many people who decided to
follow Jesus as a child and one of the many people who
came to know Christ at a Vacation Bible School. Nearly
80% of people in our churches today decided to follow
Jesus before age 18. 50% of them decided to follow Jesus
before age 12. In fact, it becomes exponentially rarer and
exponentially harder for a person to decide to follow
Christ after age 18.
This shouldn’t really surprise us. In a statement that He
must have known would end up on the wall of virtually
every children’s ministry in the world, Jesus said, “Let the
little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to
such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus wasn’t just
commenting on what adults need to do to enter the
Kingdom of Heaven or even insight into what the Kingdom
of Heaven is all about; Jesus was telling us something
fundamental about childhood.
There is a season in a person’s life when they are most
open to learning what it means to trust God.
It’s a season—sometime between 4-14—when people are
more moldable than they will ever be in their lifetime. It’s
when people are forming their understanding of the
world, of relationships, of love, of God. It’s a season when
people are impressionable. We should be intentional
about ensuring that they get the right impression.
What is rooted in the heart of a child is almost
impossible to uproot in the life of an adult.
I don’t think this season is by accident. When God said,
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every
matter under heaven”, I think He really did mean
everything. It is during this season we need to focus our
efforts on helping people place their trust in Jesus.
Many people call this the 4-14 Window. What we do
during this window may be the most important thing the
church does. However, in many churches, what is
happening in Children’s Ministry between ages 4 and 14 is
woefully under supported by and invisible to the rest of
the church. This is nothing new. Nearly 60 years ago,
Henrietta Mears said,
You’re Photo Here
The Landis Family
Justin and Brittney will be celebrating their 6th wedding
anniversary on February 23rd, and will be packing up the
family and heading down to Pigeon Forge to commemorate
the occasion. They have three children: Craig (7yrs) who
was born on Halloween, Layla who will be five on April 3rd,
and Arabelle who just turned three on Feb. 6th. When
Justin and Brittney met, Craig was 5 months old, and they
knew right from the start that God planned for them to be
a family. It only took Justin 5 months to purpose, and they
were married 3 months later. After they had been married
one year, Justin adopted Craig, and shortly following that
Layla was born. It wasn't until after this, that Justin decided
to go to college, and while it was considerably difficult
working and raising a family, Justin was still able to
graduate at the top of his class. They both love serving God,
and feel extremely compelled to reach the lost, and be a
light in the darkness. Their desire for this church is to see
passionate growth within the congregation and those who
come in the doors for the first time. They want to reach out
to those currently involved in serving the church and thank
each one for their sacrifice and service, as well as establish
a open door to those who have a desire to serve. The
Landis family is very excited about joining the congregation
When you look at most churches–their programming,
their staff, and their budgets–it appears that children
must first become prodigals, then we will go about
putting together elaborate programs and events to save
them.
of West Missionary and cannot wait to get to know
everyone! The sign of West Missionary Church reads:
"Come Grow With Us," and they could not think of a better
place to grow!
(Children Cont…)
Being in ministry we know that this
is not an either/or proposition. But
think about this for a moment.
Think about all of the money,
volunteers and resources we put
behind outreach events for
adults.
What if we reversed
this? What could you do in your
community
if
the
worship
department
gave
you
the
Christmas Pageant Budget? What
if all of those countless volunteer
hours
spent
in
rehearsals
beginning in July (Christmas in
July?) were spent praying for
children and families, calling and
visiting families and their children,
and equipping people to become
better small group leaders and
Sunday school teachers for all of
the families that will show up in
the fall? What if the adult Sunday
school class that has been meeting
for the last ten years, disbanded
and took all of that knowledge and
wisdom they acquired and
committed to investing in a small
group of kids every week for an
entire year? Isn’t that the kind of
small group leader or Sunday
school teacher we all want for
our kids?
Unsaved adults will always be
among us and they will need
environments designed to reach
them, but a person is a child only
for a short time. And in this short
time, the entire course of a life
can be altered.
How many adult problems would
be solved if every preschooler
who entered our churches left
knowing they have a Heavenly
Father who loves them? Or what
if every elementary child left
knowing they can place their
trust in Jesus for every area of
their lives? Or what if every High
School student left knowing their
place in God’s story and having
made a lifetime commitment to
serving Christ. What if every
college ministry developed that
calling to life service? What if
everything we did for children
focused on winning them to
Christ?
God intends that we should win
Creation Museum Trip
June 21, 2014
people in the days of their youth
BOOK OF THE MONTH!
while their hearts are young and
sensitive. But we are apt to let
the springtime pass and then
with great effort create a
religious fervor by our own
efforts and win men to Christ. We
By Billy Graham
work hard, spend thousands of
dollars and at the best get
disappointingly small returns.
We have waited too long. That
which we should do is to work
with God in His seasons.
Evangelism of Youth
Albert Gage, 1922
Jesus put the child in the midst of
His ministry and therefore we
should put the child in the midst
of the church. Not only do I
believe that God blesses this, but
Did you know Rev. Graham has
if we were really honest this
been
on the Top 10 Most Admired
would be the most strategic use
Men
list
for 57 consecutive years?
of our resources and it would
bear the most fruit for the
Borrow it from our library today!
Kingdom of God in the future.
We are shaping the future of the
church in the children’s
ministries of today.
Nearing Home
Movie Night
Linsanity
Be prepared to experience history in a completely
unprecedented way.
Undrafted. Unwanted. Unwavering. The True Story of Jeremy
Lin. PG. Run time 89 mins. Dove Rating 5/5
The state-of-the-art 70,000 square foot museum brings the
pages of the Bible to life, casting its characters and animals in
dynamic form and placing them in familiar settings. Adam and
Eve live in the Garden of Eden. Children play and dinosaurs roam
near Eden’s Rivers. The serpent coils cunningly in the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil. Majestic murals, great
masterpieces brimming with pulsating colors and details,
provide a backdrop for many of the settings.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his
idol Chester V. But he's forced to leave his post when he learns
that his most infamous machine is still operational and is
churning out menacing food-animal hybrids. PG. Run ti me 95
mins. Dove rating 5/5
Sign-up sheets and more info coming. Option to stay overnight
will be available. www.creationmuseum.org
Soup Swap
Mark your calendars for 6:00pm Sunday,
February 23rd, an d b r i n g i n a c r o c k p o t f u l l
of your favorite, most unique soup and the
recipe! Small bowls will be set out so people
can
sample
many
different
varieties
and find some new favorites! Recipes will be
collected and complied into a booklet for
people to take home and enjoy all year round.
It will be a time of fun and fellowship at its
finest!
You’re Photo Here
Linsanity will be in gym. Cloudy 2 in youth room.
West Missionary Church
Where
Everyone
Grows
Sunday
9:00 am– Sunday School Classes for all ages
10:00 am– Worship Service
Wednesday
6:45 pm- Unity 66 Youth Group
7:00 pm– Adult Bible Study, Small Groups, Children’s
Programs, & Nursery
Sr. Pastor, Keith Rupp; Assoc. Pastor, Ken Lehman; Admin. Assistant, Linda Mann;
Youth Pastor, Josh Maller; Worship Leader, Justin Landis,
Children’s Directors, Justin & Brittney Landis; Outreach Director, Michelle LeFever;
PERMIT NO. 54
Berne, IN 46711
4295 W. St. Rd. 218
West Missionary Church
BERNE, IN
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION