THREE RIVERS BIKER CHURCH CONDUCTS BENEFIT FOR ARKANSAS BAPTIST CHILDREN'S HOMES

The Benefit for the Arkansas Baptist Children's Home went well this past Saturday.  Riders from around the state and some from Kentucky participated in the event, enjoyed the food, fellowship and worship. John Steer was the guest speaker, and by the way, he is a great singer too.

It is estimated that 160 attended the event with at least 57 coming by motorcycle.  (Notice the last picture to get an idea of nearly 60 cycles in the parking lot.)  I saw a number of churches represented at the event from our area and around the state.  It was great to see another new church helping out at the event -- Bar None Cowboy Church had folks helping out with directing traffic and parking, and cooking. 

The gifts to the AB Children's Homes were 7 bags of toys and nearly $1000 in financial gifts.  I appreciate the efforts of Three Rivers Biker Church (3RBC) and their pastor, Jim Greenslade.  God is at work at 3RBC!

John Steer and Jim Greenslade, Pastor of 3RBC

Guest Speaker John Steer is surprised by friends from KY

3RBC Parking lot is filled with Motorcycles -- just like they hoped

MARK LOWRY CONCERT -- WHAT A BLESSING!

Mark Lowry

A glimpse of the crowd

Stan Whitmire accompanies Mark

Mark engages the crowd

 It was standing room only (approximately 1100 attending) Monday evening at First Baptist Church in Mountain Home as Mark Lowry gave a great performance for the Senior Adult Night of Encouragement.  Before Mark began his concert, First Day, an "a capella" group from Mountain Home, gave a performance that was well received by the crowd.  Folks from the White River area churches and across northern Arkansas attended and enjoyed this special night for Senior Adults.  

Mark, with his accompanist Stan Whitmire, gave us inspirational encouragement from new musical solos as well as hymns of the faith that Mark sang or led us to sing with him.  In addition, Mark helped us all laugh at ourselves and at his antics on stage.  For sure, not many persons besides Mark Lowry can take a major auto accident and a motorcycle accident and turn those stories into an opportunity for laughter.

Mark closed the concert with a moving presentation of the song he wrote -- Mary, Did You Know?  As he closed, he gave a clear, simple, and complete presentation of the gospel.  I was blessed from the first till the last.

This is the 5th year the Senior Adult Night of Encouragement has been offered, and it was Mark's second appearance.  In these 5 years, Dennis Swanberg and Buddy Greene have also appeared as guest performers. I appreciate all the preparation that was made by Max Pyron, Senior Adult Minister at FBC, and his senior adult leaders.  I am glad that White River association was able to help in a small way to jointly sponsor this event with First Baptist Senior adults.

MARK LOWRY IN CONCERT

 What? Senior Adult Night of Encouragement                               

What's That? Free Concert for Area Senior Adults 

When? September 27 - 7:00 PM

Who? Mark Lowry, gospel singer and humorist

Where? FBC Mountain Home, 400 Club Boulevard

Contact Info?  870-425-6961

Sponsored by FBC Senior Adult Ministry and Family Ministry of White River Baptist Association

Reminder -- Sunday School/Bible Study Leader Training

One Hour on Sunday -- Making it Count

I just wanted to remind Pastors and other leaders that White River Baptist Association is sponsoring a Sunday School Training event this Sunday at 1 PM, with a meal provided at 12:30 PM ($5 each for the meal).  It is hosted at FBC Mountain Home Christian Life Center.

Leaders for the event include Josh Hunt who will train utilizing his Disciplemaking Teachers material.  In addition, Bob Bunn, Todd Capps, and Jerry Vogel will be leading sessions for Youth, Children, and Preschool teachers/leaders respectively.  Bob, Todd, and Jerry serve with LifeWay Resources in Nashville.  

This level of training is not often available in our area, and we hope there will be additional persons who will attend the training event, which is designed to support the local churches. 

Contact Barbara at White River Baptist Association (870-453-2575) by Thursday at 3 PM to pre-register for the meal.  If you do not reach her, contact the office at FBC Mountain Home.  If you miss those two offices, then I encourage you to show up at the door.  If you haven't preregistered for the meal we cannot promise but hopefully there will be food enough for you.  However, if you arrive only for the training, there will be plenty of space.

I hope to see you there.

THE LAND BETWEEN

In early August I attended the Global Leadership Summit sponsored by Willow Creek Association and hosted at FBC Mountain Home. One of the speakers was Jeff Manion, Senior Teaching Pastor of Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  His subject was "the land between."  His presentation was a significant part of this year's Summit, and I purchased his book by the same title.

The Land Between is subtitled "Finding God in Difficult Transitions" and therefore it deals with our response to changes that life brings "where life is not as it once was, and where the future is in question."  Manion outlines the difficulties of the Sinai Wilderness that Moses faced while leading the people of Israel from the security of being an enslaved people in Egypt to becoming the people of God living in the Promised Land.  The land between appears to be a place or time that is ripe for complaint and meltdown as we experience the unwelcomed changes in health, employment, relationships, and fear of an uncertain future.  Have you been there?  Most of us have ... or will. At the same time the land between is also a time in our lives that is fertile for growth in faith and spiritual maturity.  

 While we face those difficulties transitions, it is good to know that God sees our burdens, hears our prayers, and cares and seeks to rescue us for our strengthening.  And sometimes that strength for us may come through the pain of being disciplined, stretched, and trained in the midst of those unwelcomed changes.  I recommend highly this poignant book that is filled with illustrations of personal stories of Manion's own journey as well of those of friends and parishioners, while sharing further insight of what it meant for Moses to lead a people who found difficulty in The Land Between Egypt and Canaan.  Where are you on this journey?

TO SAVE A LIFE MOVIE EVENT AT FIRST BAPTIST OF FLIPPIN

 

Just the facts:

When? -- Saturday, September 11, from 7 to 9 PM

Where? -- FBC, Flippin at intersection of North 8th and Alford Streets

How much does it cost? -- FREE

Why? -- It may change your life forever.  For many, it has.

What else? -- Hang out after the movie for FREE food and drinks

Looks like a great event to bring your friend to attend ..., or a group of friends.  By the way, this is rated PG13. 

To go to the official website of To Save a Life Movie, click on this link. 

Brad Gilliland makes it to Red Square

Jack, Sara, and Brad in front of St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square

I took the photo from Jack's Udmurtia blog.  It is such a great picture, and not only is it great that the team arrived in Moscow, but that Jack and Sarah's son, Brad, got to make the trip.  Jack has wanted to take Brad there for sometime, and now the mission is accomplished.  To know Brad is to love him.  I am somewhat sad that I couldn't make this trip, but glad they are there.  Jack's latest posting is a great one that picks up on lost sheep being found.  I hope you will check it out.  Click HERE to view all his postings from the current trip.