The Binder...Feb. 2014
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Family...Friends...Community have a lot of devotionals and readings sent to my email. Truth be told most of them I do not read because after reading them I did not really connect with them all that much. There is one however that I always read and many times share with others. Without name dropping it is a email to pastors written by a Baptist pastor here in Nashville and his church is one of the largest in the area. His burden seems to be to share his years of experience with others and allow the reader to learn something from his journey. Proverbs 19:20-21 says “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the pur- pose of the Lord that will stand.” Two things to be said here: First make sure that you are listening, reading, and taking in the wisdom of those who are sound and solid in the faith. Allow those who have attained wisdom to share that with you so that your journey of faith can be richer and deeper. Secondly, and just as important, pray that God allows you to disciple others He places in your life. We know from research that many Christians are not helping new Christians learn the faith and sharing the journey. Most Christians seem to be in constant student mode when they could teach another. Pray that God will allow you the honor and privilege of speaking His truth into another person’s life. Pray that He will allow you to disciple one, two, or more people in the faith. He will provide you what you need to do so in either situation. Pastor Steve This Month’s Thought Pastor Steve The Binder The Monthly Newsletter of Edgefield Baptist Church February 2014 I
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The February edition of The Binder...the monthly newsletter of Edgefield Baptist Church, Nashville, TN.
Transcript of The Binder...Feb. 2014
Family...Friends...Community
have a lot of devotionals and readings sent to my email. Truth be told most ofthem I do not read because after reading them I did not really connect with
them all that much. There is one however that I always read and many times sharewith others. Without name dropping it is a email to pastors written by a Baptistpastor here in Nashville and his church is one of the largest in the area. His burdenseems to be to share his years of experience with others and allow the reader tolearn something from his journey.
Proverbs 19:20-21 says “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gainwisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the pur-
pose of the Lord that will stand.”
Two things to be said here: First make sure that you are listening, reading, and taking in the wisdom ofthose who are sound and solid in the faith. Allow those who have attained wisdom to share that withyou so that your journey of faith can be richer and deeper. Secondly, and just as important, pray thatGod allows you to disciple others He places in your life. We know from research that many Christiansare not helping new Christians learn the faith and sharing the journey. Most Christians seem to be inconstant student mode when they could teach another.
Pray that God will allow you the honor and privilege of speaking His truth into another person’s life.Pray that He will allow you to disciple one, two, or more people in the faith. He will provide you whatyou need to do so in either situation.
Pastor Steve
This Month’s ThoughtPastor Steve
The BinderThe Monthly Newsletter
of Edgefield Baptist Church
February 2014
I
2014 Conference & Camp Info
THE BINDER“Bless be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love...”
Steve Saunders, senior pastorJohnathan Woodside, worship pastor
Daniel Davis, student pastorLinda Gawel, nursery worker
Peggy Hawkins, church secretaryLetha Culver, church cookRodney Jenkins, custodian
700 Russell StreetNashville, Tennessee 37206
www.edgefieldbaptist.org
Church Office Hours:Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am-2:30 pm
Weekly Schedule:— Sunday —
Worship ................................................10 amCoffee & Fellowship............................11 amBible Study ......................................11:15 am
— Wednesday —Fellowship Supper...........................5:15 pmChildren & Student Groups ................6 pmPrayer Meeting & Bible Study .......6:15 pm(Pre-school care is provided for all regular weekly activities)
Ushers This Month:Tim Kernell, William Odom
The Binder is published monthly through-out the year. Copies are available at thechurch, via US Mail, or via e-mail. For ane-mail, or mail, subscription, please con-tact the church office.
2 February 2014 THE BINDER
Women Of Joy...Beyond BeautifulConference is coming up Friday, April25th-Sunday, April 27th in PigeonForge, TN. This conference is open towomen of all ages, and features ChrisTomlin, Christy Nockels, Rachel Ram-sey Cruze, Nancy Stafford, Marian Jor-dan, Candy Wood Lindley, and CharlesBillingsley. The $99 registration fee is due by Sunday, February 23rd. Formore information, or to submit registration fee, please see Tricia Murphy,Lacey Woodside, or Sue Woodside.
The Main Event...Lifeway’s Conferencefor Men is coming up Friday, August 1st-Saturday, August 2nd at Nashville’sBridgestone Arena. This conference is opento men of all ages, and features George W.Bush, Bobby Bowden, Tommy Bowden,Darrell Waltrip, Thom Rainer, Michael W.Smith, Jeff Struecker, and many more.More information about cost, and registra-tion, will be forthcoming. Watch for de-tails, and plan to join us!
Centrifuge Deadline, for Edge-field Students planning to at-tend this summer, is coming upon February 1st. A $50 depositshould be paid to reserve yourspot. Students will be attend-ing fuge, June 23rd-28th.
Journey Camp, for EdgefieldKids, is coming up Friday, May16th-Saturday, May 17th.There is a sign-up sheet on thekids ministry bulletin boardand a $25 deposit is due bySunday, March 2nd.
Sympathy......is extended to Sharon Lane, and family, on the recent passing of her brother, MikeCornog.
News & Notes...The Big Game Football Fellowship is coming up Sunday evening, February 2nd, at 5 pm,in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite football munchies, invite some friends, andcome join us for a fun evening of food, football, and fellowship!
Chili Supper & Dessert Auction Centrifuge Fundraiser is comingup Saturday evening, February 8th, at 5:30 pm, in the FellowshipHall. Invite your family and friends and come join us for thefirst big fundraiser for our students summer trip to Centrifuge.
Prices are the same as for our Wednesday night fellowship sup-per. There will also be a dessert auction...If you’re able to donate a
dessert for the auction, please contact Christy Davis.
Winter Worship at Edgefield is underway as we relocate to the FellowshipHall for Sunday worship throughout the winter months. You can access thebuilding from the parking lot and fellowship hall entrances only. Some ofour Sunday School classes are relocating to the fellowship hall as well, somake sure to check on where your class is scheduled to meet.
2013 Record of Contribution is available, upon request, from the church office. ContactPeggy at 255.0468, or [email protected] to request yours.
February Dates To Note...Fellowship Hall Reserved – Saturday, February 1stMonthly Business Meeting – Wednesday, February 5th, 6:15 pmSt. Valentine’s Day – Friday, February 14thPresident’s Day (Church Office Closed) – Monday, February 17thUnderstanding God Class (Rejoice) – Saturday, February 22nd, 1 pm
February Small Groups...
Sunday School - Every Sunday morning following WorshipWAGOH – Tuesday, February 4th, 6:30 pmMOPS – Friday, February 7th, 10 amPro:31 – Monday, February 10th, 6:30 pmWAGOH – Tuesday, February 18th, 6:30 pmMOPS – Friday, February 21st, 10 amMOE Breakfast – Saturday, February 22nd, 7 am
Get involved in an EBC Small Group!
Prayer Needs...Church Family:Henrietta DavidsonMary FoxAnn GallaherBarry GrayJuanita GrayGeorgia HobbsMildred Preston (Trevecca Health & Rehab)Edna Casto-Qualls (Bethany Health & Rehab)Grady QuallsHelen StevensJuanita Tomlinson (McKendree Healthcare)Billie Wheat (Cumberland Manor)Dixie Wooten
Family & Friends:Kenneth Casto (Edna Casto-Qualls son)Rosella Jackson (Gary Jackson’s mother)Fred Maddux (Erin Brake’s father)Brenda Ramsey (Christy Wilson’s mother)Loretta Sanford (Lisa Jennette’s mother)Patricia Wix (Peggy Carter’s step-mother)Hazel Wright (Sue Woodside’s mother)
Ministries at Edgefield:MOPSRefugee HopeRejoice MinistriesSight Ministry
Community & Beyond:East Nashville ChurchesEast Nashville Cooperative MinistryNashville Rescue MissionMilitary Personnel serving around the worldMissionaries serving around the world
Please contact the church office with updates oradditions. Thank you.
Monthly Digest...Church Attendance:Bible Study & SmallGroup Weekly Average ..............................53
Church Stewardship:Tithes & Offerings..........................$5,876.50Received Year-To-Date ..................$5,876.50Year-To-Date Requirement ...........$9,347.24Difference (+/-) ............................- $3,470.74
Centennial Campaign:Monthly Gifts ......................................$25.00Given To Date ...............................$20,242.81Balance On Hand ...........................$2,766.09
Other Giving:Benevolence Offering .......................$195.00
THEBINDER February 2014 3
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An Open Letter to my Denomination: Have we lost our first love?
4 February 2014 THE BINDER
By Thom S. Rainer
Dear Southern Baptists:I could be writing to a broader audience. Perhaps I should be. And I know many outside our denomination will readthis brief letter. I hope those readers will bear with me as I have a “family discussion.”Please hear me clearly. I am not writing out of any sense of superiority. Indeed, many of you could put me to shame.But my heart is breaking with what I perceive to be a lossof passion for those who do not know Christ. Many ofyou have seen the numbers. We are reaching fewer peo-ple for the gospel today than we did decades ago whenwe were a much smaller group.
The First Love
Where is the passion in most of our churches to reach thelost? Where is the passion among our leaders, both inour churches and in our denomination? Jesus told those at the church at Ephesus that they had sound doctrine, thatthey hated evil (Revelation 2:1-7). But He also told them they had lost their first love. When we truly love Jesus with allof our hearts, we can’t help but tell others about Him. We can’t help but share the good news.I thank God for our contending for the faith. I thank God for our affirmation of the total truthfulness of Scripture. Ithank God for orthodoxy. But I pray that it is not becoming a dead orthodoxy—an orthodoxy that has lost its first love.
The Purpose of the Letter
The purpose of this letter is not to chastise. I am a messed up sinner who has no right to look at the splinter in the eyesof my brothers and sisters when I need to deal with the plank in my own eye. I need to fall more deeply in love withJesus. I need to share His love as part of my very being. In His power I must do more and I must do better.No, the purpose of this letter is simply to share a broken heart, and to express a heartfelt desire to change. I must loveJesus more deeply and tell others about Him more often. I must show Christ’s love not only with my words, but withevery action and interaction I have. I must be more like Him every day.I have no proposal. I have no new programs for now. I simply have a burden.And as a commitment to God first, but then a commitment to you, I am asking God to lead me to love Him moredeeply than I ever have. I am asking God to put people in my life where I can show His love, and tell them about mySavior.
It Must Begin with Me
My life’s desire is to glorify God by loving Him with all my heart. And I have no right to say that unless I am so muchin love with Him that I “am unable to stop speaking about what (I) have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Evangelism mustbe as natural to me as breathing.Pastors, will you join me in this plea? Will you be an evangelistic example for the churches God has called you to serve?Laypersons, will you pray for evangelistic hearts in your own lives? I must make that prayer a part of my life every day.Have we lost our first love? Is that love reflected in how we share the gospel of Christ every day?May God break me until I am all His, telling others about His Son every day.And may the sharing of the good news of Christ once again become the focus of all our lives in the churches of our de-nomination.This letter appeared at thomrainer.com on January 13, 2014. Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources.
Baptist Press
