Good Morning Bethesda!
Work begins this week on a new church directory (no pictures). Please fill out the enclosed form either electronically or handwritten and return it to the pastor. We need, at a minimum, your name, address, and phone number. If you would rather not list the years of your birth or anniversary, that’s fine.
Urgent Prayer Requests
- Brida Lovett, recoving from heart surgery at home
- Debbie Walker, recovering from foot surgery at home
- Jill, a friend of Pete & Brenda, who lost her mother last week.
- The Bunch family on their Minnesota mission trip.
- Marilynn Norvell
- Pete & Brenda Koelling & Brenda’s father
- Cynthia Wordlaw, her mother, father, and sister suffering physically
- Gene & Lois Schulze at home.
- Caroline, Anne Overton’s sister-in-law, fight with cancer.
- The Overtons as they search for a new church in Indiana.
- Our church and need for revival
“The knowledge of God which is to be had in Christ is a most clear and distinct knowledge; for it is sight.”
– George Hutcheson (Scottish Presbyterian who died in 1678)
Upcoming Activities
- Bible Study (2 Corinthians) & Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
- BBQ/Wii Fellowship, Saturday, Noon
- Sunday School, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
- Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. including the Lord’s Supper
- NO Discipleship Training, Sunday
- 5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship, Sunday, 6 p.m.
Summer BBQ & Fellowship
Our Summer BBQ & Wii/KINECT Fellowship is this Saturday, July 28, beginning at noon. Bring a side dish, dessert, and a drink and join us for a great time of fellowship!
5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship
This Sunday, July 29th is a “5th Sunday”. That means we will meet at 6pm in the Fellowship for our next “5th Sunday Q & A Fellowship”. Please bring a snack and drink to share and join uns.
If you wish to submit a question for the pastor, please write it on a piece of paper and place the question into the container on the table in the foyer. You do NOT have to add your name if you do not want to do so.
Progressive Dinner
Our August fellowship is a progressive dinner scheduled for Saturday, August 18, beginning at 5 p.m. We will meet at the church for directions, travel to various homes for courses of the meal, and end the dinner with dessert at the Fellowship hall with dessert. If you are willing to include your home as one of those on our Progressive Dinner route, please contact Karla soon and let her know.
… From Yesterday …
“They had lived day in and day out with the ‘image of the invisible God’; the one in whom ‘all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form’; the ‘radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature’. Yet despite being with Him for so long, the disciples still did not fully comprehend the truth about Jesus and His union with the Father.”
– John MacArthur
Pastor’s Postscripts
I truly love the people of God who call themselves Bethesda Baptist Church! Yesterday, one of our beloved members remarked to me about using some word in the sermon which they did not know. That’s nothing. Sometimes I use words even I don’t know! :) Seriously, though, I do understand your dilemma. I have sat in enough classes and listen to enough speeches to know how you feel when the speaker throws out a word I do not know. This is actually a common occurrence. Frequently, while reading some book, I find myself pulling out my dictionary to look up the meaning of a word used by the author. But that’s a good thing! It expands your vocabulary and your knowledge!
As you likely know, my sermons are not written down. I use some notes but most of what you hear is extemporaneous (spoken without preparation). I do my best to speak in the vernacular (common spoken language) and to explain theological terms as I use them. But, of course, I do not always succeed with my efforts.
So, here’s what I suggest for you who hear me use some word you do not know: write it down and ask me later what it means. I STRONGLY encourage this approach when the word is a theological term (such as “modalism” which I used yesterday).
You see, one aspect of preaching is teaching. And one way I can teach the people of Bethesda is to use, from time to time, the language of theology and to explain what it means.
The next time your pastor uses a word you do not recognize, write it down and ask him about it! It might help you better understand some Biblical concept. AND it might help the pastor be more careful in the words he uses while preaching! May Christ be kind to you this week!
Pastor Bruce
636-233-0645
TheSaxonHus@hotmail.com