VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL ~ June 28-July 2

6:30-8:30 p.m. Each Night

Family Night ~ Sunday, June 28

Church Office 217.732.7618 I Fax 217.732.5683 I lcchurch@lincolnchristianchurch.org

June 2015 Vol. 64 No. 6

Ron Otto

Preaching Minister

Don’t You Fear God? Fear can be a powerful motivator. It’s one of

the problems with our world today; we don’t

fear God anymore.

God is a God of both love AND justice;

both grace AND wrath, and sometimes I think

we need to hear Him roar to remind us of His

holiness. God said He would be a vengeful

God. That’s hard to reconcile; love AND

vengeance!

The Bible instructs us to fear the Lord over

100 times through scripture. After several

plagues had already happened, Moses said

to Pharaoh, “I know that you and your offi-

cials still do not fear the Lord God.” (Exodus

9:30) That was too bad for them because the

death angel was on his way.

“Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate His

rule with trembling.” (Psalm 2:11)

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the

people of the world revere Him.” (Psalm 33:8)

Even during the crucifixion as one thief was

taunting Jesus, the other criminal rebuked

him. “Don’t you fear God?” he said. (Luke

23:40) “There is no fear of God before their

eyes.” (Romans 3:18)

Whenever God appeared to people in

Bible times, the results were an overwhelming

sense of terror and dismay, a terrible sensation

of sinfulness and guilt. Today, we experience

such a shocking disrespect for God that the

idea of God being someone we should have

a healthy fear of couldn’t be more foreign.

When the Bible talks about the fear of

God, it’s talking about the fear that we feel at

the Grand Canyon, in which there is a realistic

danger. There are fences to remind us of the

dangers of falling to one’s death. And in

some places, there is nothing more than a

sign, a written word, to warn us. And yet, the

Grand Canyon is such a beautiful thing, such

an awesome grandeur, that you are drawn to

it.

The fear of God is not a fear that drives you

away; it is a fear that draws you in. It is fear

that causes us to bow and acknowledge He

is Lord. If you are the Lord of your own life,

look out! God is to be feared…no question.

I know the New Testament says, "God has

not given us a spirit of fear…"(II Timothy 1:7)

And it also says, “Perfect love cast out fear.”

(I John 4:18)

We’re told both of those passages are writ-

ten to people who have a relationship with

Christ. If you have Jesus in your life, you no

longer have a reason to fear God. I’m not so

sure of that. Fear can also mean respect, but

on a much deeper level. It doesn’t matter

how many times you visit the Grand Canyon

or how well you may feel you know it, main-

taining a healthy level of fear would still be

wise.

Perhaps no one has captured the charac-

ter of God better than C.S. Lewis in his Chroni-

cles of Narnia, a series of 7 fantasy novels in

which he portrays the Lord Jesus Christ as a

lion, as John does in Revelation chapter 5.

"As the Lion passed by they were terribly

afraid He would turn and look at them, yet in

some odd way they wished He would." The

question was asked to one who knew this Lion

well, "Is He safe?" His reply was, "Safe? Who

said anything about safe? Of course He isn’t

safe. But He’s good. He’s the King, I tell you."

We don’t like the fact that God can be

scary sometimes, but the Bible pictures Jesus

as both the Lamb and the Lion.

Current Sermon Series

Join us as we

look at Great

Comebacks of

the Bible. “Out-

numbered” is a

series of sermons

looking at the

seemingly unwinnable battles we find

throughout scripture. They are there to inspire

us. They are there to teach us about God.

They are there to give us hope!

July 5 Gideon and the Midianites

July 12 Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

July 19 Elisha and the King of Aram

July 26 Job vs. Satan

Aug 2 Shadrach, Meshach, and

Abednego

Aug 9 Daniel and the Lion’s Den

Brandon Boyd

Minister of

Adult Discipleship

Adult Sunday School Join an Adult Sunday School Class. These classes

meet for study and friendships. You can visit any

class, any Sunday. The classes meet at 9:30 a.m.

A Sunday School class is a great first step for those

new to Lincoln Christian Church or new to the

Bible. Visit several classes and join the one that is

best for you.

Beacons

Senior Adults

Meets in Room 15

Current Topic: Old Testament Prophets

Crusaders

Empty-Nesters

Meets in Room 16

Current Topic: People of Faith: A History of

Christianity in America

The Open Door

School-Age Families

Meets in Room 305

Current Topic: Gods at War, based on the

book and video by Kyle Idleman

Friendship Corner

Senior Adults

Meets in Room 10

Current Topic: Standard Lesson Series

Little Lambs

Mixed Ages

Meets in Room 300

Current Topic: Various books and topics

Encouragers

Empty-Nesters & Senior Adults

Meets in Family Room #1

Current Topic: Galatians

SonSeekers

Mixed Ages

Meets in Room 303

Current Topic: Ephesians

4:19 Discipleship As Christians, it is important for us to remember

that Jesus wants to change us on three levels:

The Head Level (“come and follow me”) the

Heart Level, (“and I will make you”) and the

Hands Level (“fishers of men”). As summer 2015

gets rolling through, take time to evaluate your

growth in these three areas.

Discipleship Website

For the latest information

on the adult discipleship

ministry, check out the

website—

lccdiscipleshipminis-

try.wordpress.com.

Local Impact Deliberate Acts of Kindness Cards – An

Opportunity to Witness When we do something kind for someone else,

we often do not have the opportunity (or the

courage) to let them know it is because we are

Christ Followers. To help you with your witness, we

have Deliberate Acts of Kindness Cards for you.

After you complete an Act of Kindness, you can

hand them a Card or leave one in their door. The

Card includes a scripture and information about

Lincoln Christian Church. Deliberate Acts of Kind-

ness Cards are available at the Welcome Center

and in the Church Office.

Zach Ramsey

Student Ministry

Parent Texts Hey Parents, please sign up for our

text messages for Junior High and

High School. For Junior High, text

Join Fuel to 40650. For High School,

text Join Gathering to 40650. This is

the easiest and fastest way to get

updated news about the ministry.

Summer Calendars Be sure to pick up Summer Calendars for both

Junior High and High School at the Youth Info Desk

(back of Welcome Center).

Summer Sunday School Throughout the summer, High School Sunday

School (Incoming 9th-Graduated Seniors) will meet

upstairs in Rm. 310, and Incoming 6th-8th Graders

will meet in Family Rm. 2.

Junior High Bible Study Wanna go deeper? Grab a Summer Calendar at

the Youth Info Desk (back of Welcome Center) for

information and dates.

Greenhouse - High School Bible

Study Our High School Bible Study called Greenhouse

starts July 1! Grab a Summer Calendar at the

Youth Info Desk (back of Welcome Center) for

more information and more dates.

Six Flags Trips for High

School & Junior High The Six Flags Great America Chi-

cago trip for High Schoolers is Tues-

day, July 14. The Six Flags St. Louis

trip for Junior Highers is Tuesday,

July 21. These trips are going to be

awesome! Grab an information

packet or Summer Calendar at the Youth Info Desk

(back of Welcome Center) for more information.

Both Junior High and High School trip deposits are

due Sunday, July 5.

Our New Fundraising Program

We will continue to use on-hand physical gift cards/

certificates that earn rebate percentages for Stu-

dents and Families to use for trips, but we’re now call-

ing it Family Fundraising Accounts because we’re

adding Scrip; an online option, featuring many stores

and instant electronic cards whose rebates credit

your individual family account. Because of this addi-

tion, you can go online and order electronic gift

cards/certificates that you can print out and use

immediately, or even email to family or a friend! For

more details about how to register and order, please

see Jenni at the Youth Info Desk (back of Welcome

Center).

At-a-Glance:

IGA-$10 on-hand rechargeable cards=10%

to General Youth Fund quarterly

Kroger-Use your Kroger Plus Card. Varying

% to General Youth Fund quarterly (See pink

1/2 sheet at Youth Info Desk--back of Wel-

come Center--for instructions on registering)

Sorrento’s-$10 on-hand certificates=15% to

Individual Account monthly

Thornton’s-$10 on-hand rechargeable

cards=2% fuel / 7% food to Individual Account

quarterly

Walmart-$25 or $100 on-hand cards=2.5% to

Individual Account monthly

Scrip-online of various amounts for hundreds of

stores to use instantly & credit Individual

Accounts!

Marcia Wells

Children’s Minister

KIDS WORSHIP—Wisdom Quest!

July 2015

Kids, join us for Kids Church

in July, where we will be

DISCOVERING what the

Bible says about being

wise! We’ll learn to:

Respect God to

become wise.

Ask God for wisdom.

Use the wisdom God gives us.

Show wisdom by following Jesus.

We’ll learn how to live wisely 24/7 and to embrace

God’s gift found in our key verse: “For the Lord

grants wisdom!” Proverbs 2:6

Sunday, August 23, 2015 Save the date! We’ll be celebrating our kids’ leap

forward to their new classes. Kids, toddlers through

fourth grade, will be promoted to the next grade.

This is an exciting time, so make sure your family will

be with us that day. Your child will want to tell you

all about their new class! Make sure to congratu-

late them!

Preschool Openings There are currently openings for fall in LCC’s Pre-

school. LCC Preschool offers a Christian environ-

ment where young children can develop spiritu-

ally, intellectually, emotionally, physically, and

socially. Abundant opportunities are awaiting chil-

dren this fall to develop in the above areas as they

prepare for Kindergarten. To receive an applica-

tion, call the Church Office at 732.7618.

Lazy Days of Summer Project By the time you receive this newsletter we will be

gearing up for VBS! Once VBS is over, we will be

working hard on fall plans for our kids. We will have

just a few weeks of the “lazy days of summer” to

get plans made. During July we would like to do

some general cleaning in the Children’s Ministry

area; things like cleaning toys and furniture, etc. If

you or you and your kiddos would be willing to

help by coming in for an hour or two, just give the

office a call and ask for Marcia or Renay.

Camp Registrations There’s still some great summer fun

waiting for kids at Little Galilee. If

you haven’t made it to camp yet

this year, check the camp bro-

chures, available at the Welcome

Center, for remaining available

weeks! You’ll be glad you did!

Laurin Hill

Worship Minister

Good News Summer Tour 2015 Good News just completed our eight-day tour,

taking the message Unashamed to eight different

cities in five states. Our theme verse for the tour

was Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the

gospel, because it is the power of God that

brings salvation to all who believe . . .”

Our tour began with a home concert here in

our Sanctuary, June 8. Early on June 9, we set off

in a charter bus, and our van and trailer, with 43

students and 17 adult sponsors. Our second con-

cert was at Zeandale Community Church, Man-

hattan, KS, where Sheri and I attended during

college, and where I served as the Worship Minis-

ter right after college.

Our third concert was at Elitch Gardens

Amusement Park in Denver, CO, right at the

entrance under the big ferris wheel. People had

to pass by us to enter the park, so we had

T.R.A.S.H. play to gather a crowd, then we sang a

little Jesus into them before they went to scream

on roller coasters. When we finished our concert,

we packed the risers and our equipment back on

the bus and went back into the park to enjoy the

rides ourselves.

On our fourth day, we had the wonderful privi-

lege of singing two a cappella songs in the Air

Force Academy Chapel in Colorado Springs, CO.

The group sounded amazing in the Chapel’s

nearly perfect acoustics. We also got to sing

“America the Beautiful” at the top of Pikes Peak

after riding the cogwheel train up. The group

sounded wonderful even in the thin air at 14,110

ft. elevation. We got to sing again on the trip

down the mountain for everyone else who was

sight-seeing with us, around 120 people. That eve-

ning, we had our fourth concert at Central Chris-

tian Church in Colorado Springs, CO.

Our fifth concert was at my home church, First

Christian Church in Dalhart, TX. That afternoon, we

drove down to Amarillo, TX, to Washington Avenue

Christian Church for our sixth concert. This church is

where I served as the Worship Minister after serving

at Zeandale Community Church.

Our seventh concert was at First Christian

Church in Webb City, MO, and our eighth and fi-

nal concert was in Williamsville, IL, at Williamsville

Christian Church, where many of our parents,

grandparents, and friends came to see us.

Because he didn’t like what we were doing,

Satan tried to thwart our mission through sickness.

In fact, on the fourth day of tour, two girls had to

go to the ER and have IV fluids for dehydration.

However, we were able to contain the sickness

with God’s help through prayer and intentionality

of quarantining those who were sick. We never

had a soloist, main T.R.A.S.H. or Worship Band

member, or even one line of drama missing in any

of our concerts. God strengthened those people

to go on even when they didn’t feel 100%.

Members of our group did ministry in other

ways, too, like feeding homeless people in two dif-

ferent locations and praying with a man who had

messed his life up with drugs, but wanted to know

about the Good News that was advertised on our

t-shirts. Praise the Lord!

He used us to change lives and to encourage

and challenge others to live for Jesus and to shine

their lights brightly to bring people to Him.

A great big THANK YOU to

. . . the 43 students

. . . the assistant directors

. . . the adult tour sponsors

. . . all of our church family who gave so

generously to make this tour possible.

We couldn’t do it without you!

“How beautiful are the

feet of those who bring

good news.”

Romans 10:15b

Mission of the Month: Asia Pacific In-

ternational (API)

Lincoln Christian Church has supported API ever since

Nance and Chuck Winegarner presented the need for

Christ in the largest Muslim population of the world, even

though not so large in land mass. Indonesia is made up

of thousands of islands, although many are not inhab-

ited. Most live on the five largest islands.

After the Winegarners retired, Gi and Mei

Tanbunnan became the directors; they

visited Lincoln Christian Church many

times. Mei and her Muslim quilters are

responsible for the beautiful quilts sold at

Harvest of Talents—as part of a ministry to

Muslim women. Since Gi and Mei have

retired, Edi and Mawar Silalahi are the

current directors.

As of now, churches exist in 28 of the 33 provinces.

Church planters in training are required to pray for a year

for the Lord to lead them to their place of service. In

addition to the church planting focus, API also includes

the ministries of the Mission Training School (MTS); a free

medical clinic serving 10,000 to 13,000 people yearly who

cannot afford a doctor; a Bible Correspondence Pro-

gram with 3,000 participants; a prison ministry; Smart

Point—a ministry to preschool children and their mothers

to learn needed skills for entering public schools and skills

to increase the income of the family; the Sundanese Tra-

ditional Dance and Drama ministry to preserve the

ancient art forms. These performers are often invited to

dance at many civic affairs.

Daniel was won to Christ by Freida (a recent MTS

graduate) in a bus station while she was waiting to travel

to Sulawesi. He became a Christian and entered the Mis-

sion Training School. He followed God’s call to become a

church planter in Aceh, one, if not the most, strict Muslim

areas in Indonesia, enforcing shar’a law. In spite of that,

Daniel began a Sunday School which grew quickly. He

married Hotida and continued ministering there while

rearing three children. We are sad to report that Hotida

recently died of Stephens Johnson syndrome. Pray for

Daniel for comfort and help in rearing the children.

Chandra is another example of answering God’s call

on his life from a prison because of drug usage. He

accepted Christ and is now a student at the Mission

Training School. All the church planters learn skills which

will benefit the people with whom they intend to minister.

Chandra is learning about chicken breeding and repair-

ing mobile phones.

One other dear Indonesian brother needs our prayers.

Tjjie Wie (Chee We) lost his wife in a motorcycle accident

a few months ago. (Women ride motorcycles as often as

men do in Indonesia.) He also is left with three children to

rear. Pray for comfort, peace, and help for these two

families.

A mission trip to API is certainly possible to any who

might be interested, especially during the summer when

their ICON conference takes place. All the church plant-

ers come in from all over the islands. What great reunions

to witness! This conference is for strong constitutions,

meaning they start early and end late. But they pack as

much into each of the four days as possible. You will be

treated royally, and you won’t want to miss anything.

News for the Family

New Members

By Baptism: Hattie Mourning - 6/19/15 - at Little Galilee Horse

Camp

Makenna Wilham - 6/19/15 - at Little Galilee Horse

Camp

By Transfer: Josh Polley - 5/24/15

Beth Ann Polley - 5/24/15

Welcome to the Family!

In Sympathy Jerry & Karen Birdwell and Tim & Tami Kennett and

family at the passing of Karen & Tim’s brother, Doug

Kennett; the family and friends of Mary Ellen Smith;

Jim & Lisa Drew and family at the passing of Lisa’s

father, Harold Seelye; Linda Sullivan and Dennis Davis

and family at the passing of their uncle, Keith

Baughman; Rob & Kim Hall and family at the passing

of Rob’s aunts, Marjorie Howell and Pat Stahl; Todd &

Judy Givan and family at the passing of Todd’s great

aunt, Mary Hunt; Ruth Fuiten and family at the pass-

ing of her brother, John Cherry; Wayne & Barb Lolling

at the passing of Barb’s brother, Kenneth Dale Ball;

Jerry & Karen Birdwell at the passing of Jerry’s

brother, Bill Birdwell; and Judy Burger and Brandon &

Sarah Boyd and family at the passing of Judy’s hus-

band and Sarah’s father, Rick Boyd.

Thank You I have finished my last chemo! I’ve had 2 surgeries, 16

chemos, and too many tests and doctor’s appoint-

ments to count. Thank you for the prayers and sup-

port. I was very happy to receive the homemade

prayer shawl. My next step is radiation and continued

Herceptin infusions.

Shannon Hughes

Summer Office Hours

The Church Office summer hours

are 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00

p.m. - 4:00 p.m. These summer

hours will be in effect until August

17.

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World It’s not too late to join the 30 Days of Prayer! You can

pick up a 30-Day Prayer Booklet at the Welcome

Center to guide you as you pray. The 30 Days of

Prayer goes through Friday, July 17.

Edi & Mawar

Silalahi

The Call is published monthly by Lincoln Christian Church,

204 N. McLean St Lincoln, IL 62656-2847. U.S.P.S. 559620

periodical postage paid at Lincoln, IL 62656-9998 Postmas-

ter: Send change of address to Lincoln Christian Church

204 N. McLean St, Lincoln, IL 62656-2847

Register now & save your child’s spot for

LCC’s Preschool!

Phone Lincoln Christian Church at 217.732.7618

for an application or for more information.