4 Current Ways People at Central Can Make An Impact Globally, Regionally, & Locally

1. Sponsor a child through Compassion International.  The table from last week’s Compassion Sunday is still set up in the back of our sanctuary with information, and Lisa Johnson will be available to speak to if this is something you would like to do.  (Global impact)
2. Give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. This offering funds the ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Some of the people in our own association of churches are partially funded through NAMB.  Our church’s goal is $1,000.  What we give will be added to the gifts of Southern Baptists all over the country to see the kingdom of God expand in our continent!  (Regional Impact)
3. Donate non-perishable food items to the Marion ACT food drive. This Sunday (4/17) is the last Sunday the box will be in the church foyer area.  This food will be added to the food given by people all across our town and will be used for people in our town who need help. (Local impact)
4. Invite people to Easter weekend activities so they hear about Jesus. We put 2 invitation cards in our bulletin this past Sunday for everybody to give out.  Sorry, but we don’t have them in a file format that can be printed by you.  But there might be a few more left at Information Central if you would like to use them.  You could also point people to the expansive details about Easter at our church website.  Paste this link into all your social media outlets and emails to friends:  http://cbmarion.org/content.cfm?id=350 One of our members was even wanting to take CDs of the sermon I preached this past week (on John 3:16-21) to distribute with invitations.  I thought that was great, and even sent her my manuscript, although the written manuscript still comes out differently than the preached sermon.  If you would like to do that, you’ll be able to access the sermon on the church website soon, or you could ask Camma in our office.  She can make them.  Also, just email me if you want the manuscript.  (Local impact)

“Do We Really Believe What We’re Saying?” David Platt Asks

Do We Really Believe What We’re Saying? from The Church at Brook Hills on Vimeo.

David Platt is the senior pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL.

Back in Gear…

It’s been one month since I’ve posted anything here.  Partly that was because of traveling.  Partly that was because much has been in the works that was not finalized to be revealed yet.  And partly, that was because when tasks necessitate prioritization for completion, blogging is not the top on my list!

It’s been a busy summer with family as we tried to use vacation time to travel and spend as much time as possible with family.  And it’s been a very busy time with the ministry work at Central as final touches are placed on VBS (next week!) and Fall outreach initiatives.

Some things to expect:

Operation Christmas Child report

Our church participated in Operation Christmas Child this year, as did many churches across our country.  The impact we can have on children across the world is phenomenal with this effort led by Samaritan’s Purse.

In worship yesterday, we had a “commissioning” time for our boxes, where we had people bring their boxes to the front and then prayed over them, asking God to bless these children who receive them and to bring salvation into many homes as a result.  After worship, the boxes were put into my truck and I took them to the drop-off site, which was at the Womens Home on East Center Street, 2 houses west of mine.

As I took the boxes in, I learned something I didn’t know in all the years I’ve done Operation Christmas Child- a salvation message tract of some sort is put into every box in the language of the area it is going to!  Before they are finally shipped from Samaritan Purse’s headquarters, they put an age appropriate tract in each box so that the child is sure to read about Jesus as the giver of all gifts, not just someone somewhere in the world sending them Christmas gifts.  I thought this was great!

So Central- in all, we packed 33 boxes plus had $60 given to Samaritan’s Purse as a donation for helping send the boxes to these children!! Good job!  It’s great to think outside of ourselves to bless and be a witness to others.  Let’s keep it up!

CP v. MAC

Here’s a funny paradoy video of the Mac v. PC commercials for the Cooperative Program (CP).  It includes a CP person and a MAC (Mostly at Church).  Its a funny way of showing how our church can be apart of something much larger than just functioning independently by participating in the Cooperative Program.

With Central being a Southern Baptist church, we participate in this network by giving financially, which allows us to be apart of many great mission endeavors and ministry works. For more info on the Cooperative Program, click here.