Prayer Requests for May 13th

Just post any request for prayer throughout the week in the comments below.

Let’s cultivate some deeper Fellowship.

After this morning’s pep-talk/biblical church leadership campus wide sunday-school (err, campus/small/care-group) meeting. My wife, Katherine, was approached by Billy’s wife, Kate, about having dinner sometime this week. We couldn’t agree on an evening that worked, so we went ahead and planned to have lunch, and maybe catch a flick, next Sunday after church.

I then thought to myself, “I haven’t posted anything on the Blog in a while.” Thus I post for you now a challenge! And this challenge has a purpose. That being to foster deeper fellowship within our small group. Therefore I propose, wait, I mean Challenge, each couple in our class to try and have dinner with some other couple in the class by the end of the month. Heck, If you want to fellowship with more than one other couple then go ahead and be an all-star. But, if each couple meets with at least one other couple, and we are not all just meeting with the same people we always hang out with, then by the end of this month we all ought to be quite a bit tighter as a whole. And that would be good.

So, in the “comments” below, put yourselves up for a future date. (I’ll post the first comment as an example of how this would look)

Russell

PS: The philosopher in me would like to add that our fostering greater unity through deeper fellowship and familiarity as well as knowledge of each other, is a precondition for effective future inreach and outreach.

Randy Presley

Randy is going to be teaching our campus group from June 17th throught July 15th on the topic of rearing children.  He is going to teach first, so we all need to make sure we are going to be there at 9:15, as he has to leave before 10 to lead worship.  He is very excited as am I about this class.  I hope that everyone will make the effort to attend all 5 weeks. 

Smokey

Everything I know about marriage…

This week during our campus group time we’re going to take a break from talking about the class itself and spend a few minutes focusing on marriage. I will be sharing everything I’ve learned about marriage… it should take about 20 minutes. Hope to see you there! -Dave

What’s going on these next few weeks!

Everyone ought to be praying and considering what role they would like to play in facilitating our campus group (What people used to call ‘Sunday school’).

This Sunday, April 22nd, we will hopefully nail some of the positions down and people can begin carrying out their tasks. So come prepared to speak up or nominate others to the various positions. (see post below)

This Sunday, as Smokey is out of town, I will be filling in as facilitator (God help us all). I want to talk a little about what Christ said about”outreach” and what scripture clearly states is the key to arresting the attention of the lost world. Basically, drawing inspiration from what Francis Schaeffer spoke about concerning the mark of the true Christian, I would like us to discuss the necessary component for all evangelism and engagement with our unbelieving co-workers, family members, and friends.

We will also have Piggies-in-a-Blanket and my Wife’s famous Blackberry Breakfast Bars.

Russell

Jantzen Howard Martin has Arrived!

Jantzen Howard Martin was born at 7:59 this morning. He is 8
pounds and 3 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. Everyone is doing well and Jason didn’t get sick during the delivery so that is a great praise!
Be praying for them this week as they begin this new adventure.We’ll start meals for them next week and a sign up will go around on Sunday.

Have a great week!

Emily

Prayer Requests from April 15th

Continue praying about what area God would have you serve for our
class and let Meagan know ASAP.

Everyone bring in a 4X6 photo of you and your spouse. We are going to
be updating the wall. Have this to Sommer by May 6th.

Prayer Requests:

Continue praying for our class and where God would have you, as well
as others, serve.

Dawna – brother Brian had a stroke and brain surgery on Friday. The
tumor was not cancerous. Please pray for a quick recovery and that
damage from the stroke would be minimal.

Martins – Mandy is having c-section on Wednesday morning at 7:30.
Please pray for her and Jason, that they would not be anxious and
guidance for the doctors. As well as a quick and easy recovery for
Mandy. Their car was hit again and they are going to be able to get
another car. Pray that they would be able to find something quickly
and would be able to get the most for their money.

Corcorons – Michele has pre-eclampsia. Pray for her health as well as
the baby’s. She will deliver in three weeks as long as everything
continues to go well.

Hursts – traveling to St. Louis this week for a medical conference for
Meagan. Pray for Smokey as he is the main caretaker for Darrick this
week.

Harmons – still looking for a place to live. Pray that God would lead
them to the right place. Smiley, Toby’s friend, thinks he found a job.
Pray that it would work out.

Katherine – still waiting to hear about the job. Pray for patience for
her and that she would hear something soon.

I will be sending out an email later this week with the updated
contact list. Have a great week!

Emily

Getting our act together…

The leadership of the church desires that our campus groups be comprised of leadership teams.  The following is a list of their recommendations:

 

1.    Teacher

·         Proclaimer of God’s word-constantly seeking to learn and grow in his teaching; communicates with information specialist and outreach leader regarding guests, prospects, and members who have been chronically absent; helps organize care groups

2.    Outreach

·         Leads class ministry efforts to bring and include guests; develops and maintains a working, up-to-date prospect list; introduces guests to class

3.    Care group (wolf pack)

·         Contacts every member of care group at least once a month to see how they’re doing, prayer requests, and ways they can be ministered to (care groups should have no more than six couples); there should be several of these in the class, but one will be working closely with teacher to develop groups and ensure all groups and members are receiving appropriate care

4.    Fellowship

·         Plans and coordinates regular events and parties for the group; responsible to invite guests and prospects

5.    Information specialist

·         Keeps records of attendance; assists guests in filling out registration card to get full and accurate information; makes changes, transfers, deletions to role sheet for church records; this is a ministry as this person is one of the first to speak with guests

6.    Greeter

·         Coordinates coffee and snacks; enlists someone to sit with guest in class and escort to worship; this person needs to be among the first to arrive to class

7.    Prayer

Leads class members to pray during the week; organizes a class prayer network supporting care group leaders; provides prayer updates as necessary

Have a blessed day!

Meagan Hurst

Prayer Requests and Announcements April 9th 2007

Hey, guys! Hope everyone is having a great Easter Sunday. Here are the announcements and prayer requests from this morning.

Announcements:
Fellowship at Winkles’ next Sunday night after church.

Over the next several weeks in Sunday School we will be discussing ideas, goals, and reorganization in our Sunday School class. Be praying for God’s direction for our class and join us next Sunday for more great discussion! (Meagan and Smokey will be sending out more info on this.)

Prayer Requests:

Russell – Donovan Hunter (Zach and Russell’s brother) is leaving for Iraq today. He will be gone for 3 months. Pray for safety while he is gone and a safe return. His wife Melissa just found out she is pregnant. Pray for her health, especially over the next few months while she is without Donovan.

Dawna – brother, Brian, is in hospital. Has brain tumor. Is having surgery Monday night to remove the tumor. Pray for guidance for the doctors and quick healing for him.

Harmons – needing a place to live before the month’s end

Curtis Corcoran – brother Chad and wife Lori came to church today. Pray that they will hear God speaking through Ronnie today and that Beth and Curtis will be a good witness for them. Michelle – the birth mother may have pre-eclampsia. Pray for her health as well as the baby’s. May possibly deliver in the next couple of weeks.

Meagan – brother Jared has herniated disc in his back and having surgery on Friday. Pray that this situation will draw him to God. Pray for Meagan as she is having some spiritual struggles.

Neil and Sommer – Pray for balance as they are preparing to open their new business and working. That stress would stay low.

Jason and Mandy – as they wait and prepare for their baby.

Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Have a great week!

Emily W

The Lost Tomb of Jesus? (from LeaderU.org)

James Cameron, director of the movie Titanic, and his documentary director Simcha Jacobovici, claim they have found the lost tomb in which Jesus, his wife Mary Magdalene, and their son Judah were buried, along with other family members. During The Lost Tomb of Jesus, a two hour special which aired on the Discovery Channel March 4, Jacobovici unveiled the ossuaries, or ancient “bone boxes,” where he believes Jesus’ and his family members’ bones were once buried (but have since decayed). His book, The Jesus Family Tomb, was released the same week. One thing is certain: if Jacobovici’s theory is correct, the bodily resurrection of Jesus is false. Jesus would have been just another man crucified by the Romans and entombed in an ossuary.

What are we to make of this? While Cameron and Jacobovici claim they have good evidence that this is indeed where Jesus was buried, there has been skepticism among archaeologists (especially the ones who excavated the gravesite in 1980), as well as Christian leaders who are frustrated at yet another attempt, Da Vinci style, to discredit the traditional faith. Even the secular media have been dubious. Scientific American reports that some of the scholars whose work was used in the film are angry about how it was portrayed. Other media outlets are just plain skeptical. Newsweek writes, “Good sense, and the Bible, still the best existing historical record of Jesus of Nazareth, argue against Jacobovici’s claims.” Time magazine called the theory “problematic” and filled with “debatable conjecture.” They’re right. Here’s why.

First, there is too much historical evidence that we already have about Jesus which doesn’t fit with this tomb theory. For one thing, Amos Kloner, who was involved with the original excavation of the site, knew that “Jesus,” “Mary” and “Joseph,” as well as “Mathew” were very common names at this time in Israel, so the fact that they’re in a tomb together is not surprising at all. Kloner still maintains there’s nothing special about the tomb. Second, there are names on some of the ossuaries in the tombs that we don’t have any other historical record as being part of Jesus’ family, notably “Judah” (whom Jacobovici claims is Jesus’ son). One statistician calls the presence of the “Judah” ossuary a “falsifying instance,” meaning that it is evidence that strongly counts against this being Jesus’ family tomb because there is no other historical record that Jesus had a son. Third, there are members of Jesus’ family that we do know about which are not buried in this tomb. Why would they be buried somewhere else? In fact, why would Joseph, Jesus’ father, be buried in Jerusalem at all, since he was born in Bethlehem and probably died in Nazareth? Fourth, New Testament scholars (both secular and Christian) agree that the early Christian movement could not have began without some sort of belief in the Resurrection of Jesus. But how could such a belief have been maintained (and how could Jesus’ followers have risked their lives for it) if Jesus’ tomb was right there outside of Jerusalem for anyone to look at? Surely the Jewish authorities who wanted to shut down the burgeoning Christian movement would have produced Jesus’ body for all to see. See more detailed articles on this below.

Furthermore, the statistician who was shown in the documentary showing a supposedly 600 to 1 chance that this is not Jesus’ family tomb, has now backed off that conclusion in an open letter to fellow statisticians. In his letter, he says, “I now believe that I should not assert any conclusions connecting this tomb with any hypothetical one of the NT family.” His statement here has to do with the assumptions upon which his calculations were based, including the key assumption that one of the names on the ossuaries ought to be identified as Mary Magdalene. If the identification of Mary Magdalene with this ossuary is in doubt (and it is), then the statistical probability that this is Jesus’ family tomb is unimpressive.

The articles we have collected below are mainly from some scholarly blog sites. As this is an ongoing saga, we will be adding new articles on this subject as they become available, so be sure to bookmark this page.

~LeaderU Editors
(updated March 8, 2007)

Lots of great links, articles, and resources on the Resurrection of our Lord at…

http://leaderu.org/focus/jesusfamilytomb.html