STIRRINGS AT BETHESDA
Weekly Newsletter of the Bethesda Baptist Church
March 17, 2014
LADIES Book Study
Ladies, your new book study begins next Tuesday, March 25. Pam will lead you as you look at the Sermon on the Mount in a study entitled “Living Your Life As A Beautiful Offering”.
If you would like to join the study but failed to add your name to the sign up sheet at church, contact Pam TODAY and let her know!
Recent Prayer Requests
* Elijah Mueller – recovering at home
* Praise to God for the birth of Olivia Mueller
* Alicia’s mother
* Meghan Bartner
* Zachary Mueller
* Cynthia Wordlaw, need for a kidney
* Dennis fighting kidney failure
* Marilynn Norvell
* Debbie, recovering from foot surgery
* Reppergers on vacation
* Prayer for the conversions of the lost, especially those in our community
* Praise to the Lord for our visitors
* Our church and need for revival
“A Christian whose inconsistent, hypocritical life belies biblical truth can’t be a deacon.”
Alexander Straech
The Bethesda Academy
TONIGHT is the return of the Bethesda Academy! We meet at 6:30 p.m. for an informal study on the subject of future events.
Come join us tonight for an hour of fellowship and study!
Upcoming Activities
1. Bethesda Academy, Monday, 6:30 p.m.
2. Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
3. Sunday school, Sunday, 9:15 a.m.
4. Worship Service, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
5. Discipleship Training (Ruth), Sunday,
5 p.m.
Mission Trip
Julie is preparing for her 10 week mission trip this summer and needs our help. Please keep her in your prayers. And, if you are able, please help her with the financial cost of the trip. You may with a check by making the check out to Bethesda Baptist and noting it is for “Julie’s Trip”.
Bethesda Congratulations for the Week
Happy Birthday wishes this week to:
* Sali Standley – Sunday
Sermon Extras
Verse 11 of yesterday’s text has been debated for some time. Paul is obviously addressing women (the first word in the verse may be translated “women” or “wives”) but who are these women? There are many good commentaries presently varied interpretations of this verse but, briefly, here are the top 3 views:
1. Paul is talking about a church office in addition to pastor & deacon, namely, deaconess, a woman deacon. I do not accept this view for a couple of reasons. First, it makes little sense for Paul to insert one verse to describe this office sandwiched between verses referring to the office of deacons. Verses 8-10 clearly are speaking to men who serve as deacons as does verse 12. If Paul intended to introduce an office of deaconess, why not wait until you complete verse 12 to do so? Second, a deaconess would represent a leader in the church and that would raise issue with Paul’s own words in 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
2. Paul is talking about women in the church assisting the deacons. Certainly the male deacons would run into situations where it would be very helpful to involve a woman. This interpretation renders the first word of the verse as “women” in stead of “wives” and views other women in the church who assist the deacons in their work. The same to reasons I gave to answer (1) above apply here. Furthermore, it would be an extremely uncomfortable position (unheard of in the first century) for Christian men to work alongside Christian women who are not their wives.
3. Paul is describing the wife of a deacon, assuming he is married. Given the context of the passage, this interpretation makes the most sense. It also answers the need for a woman to assist in certain situations yet removes the obvious difficulty of that woman not being the deacon’s wife. I see the context as firmly supporting this understanding of the verse.
Think About It
“Seeker friendly” churches are those churches that try to make the lost visitor comfortable in their surroundings. They use worldly attractions to draw them in and keep them there. They have “give aways”, frequent promotions, and entertainers in place of true worship. Such churches believe the best way to evangelize the lost is to make yourself more like the world. The great British pastor David Martyn Lloyd-Jones disagreed.
“The glory of the gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariable attracts it.”
North American Missions
Our church’s goal for this year’s Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is $1200. In two weeks you have graciously given $700 towards our goal! Praise the Lord!
All the monies received towards this offering goes to support North American missions. You have through the month of April to give. Please seek the Lord and discern what He would have you contribute.
Pastor’s Postscript
Praise the Lord for our visitors! Praise the Lord for our new deacon! May God give each of you a terrific week!