April 2021
Coming Events and Information

Jim's Journal April 2021

UNEXPECTED
They were expecting a conquering hero… instead they found a crucified friend.
They were expecting a king claiming victory… instead they found a cold borrowed tomb.
They were expecting to celebrate together…instead they found themselves mourning alone.
Everything they expected… died!

But here's where the UNEXPECTED begins…Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark Mary Magdalene went to the tomb…” –John 20:1a

Now, Mary Magdalene was a woman who……before Jesus was plagued with a psychotic disorder that would result in chronic, violent seizures…after Jesus she was healed! She was free! Her life was completely transformed!

And Mary became one of his followers. A disciple. She wanted everyone else to experience what she had experienced! Mary had high hopes for Jesus – she believed he was everything he claimed to be - the long-awaited Messiah. Yet what she hoped for, even expected – DIED!

But then came Sunday morning, and Mary Magdalene woke up early…while it was still dark. Even though her heart was broken… even though she couldn't make sense of his death…she was still grateful for what Jesus had done for her. So, she decided to go to the tomb and see if she could somehow get someone… or a lot of someone's… to move the stone so she could anoint his body with spices to prepare it for burial.

And here's the most important part – when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb that Sunday morning, she expected to find Jesus' body! Yet, when she arrived at the tomb, she…“…saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” –John 20:1a

Mary's first assumption was that someone had broken into the tomb and stolen the body! You know why? She wasn't expecting to find Jesus alive! She wasn't expecting a resurrection! Nobody expected to find no body!

Mary staring into the empty tomb; she's talking to a gentleman who she thought to be the gardener over her shoulder. And Jesus replies… I love this…Mary.” –John 20:16a Can you imagine the look on her face as she hears her own name? Can you imagine the shock as she suddenly understands? Can you hear her whisper back as she turns, Jesus?” She turned toward him and cried out …Rabboni(which means Teacher”).” –John 20:16b

Jesus is alive! Death has been overcome! Mary expected a crucified friend…a cold borrowed tomb…to mourn all alone...REMEMBER? That UNEXPECTED ending on Friday
…became an UNEXPECTED beginning on Sunday when Mary found what nobody expected…and that was to find no body!

But what she got in the Resurrection was an UNEXPECTED NEW beginning! And all our lives can have UNEXPECTED NEW beginnings too because of the resurrection! We live in an Easter world where the stones already been moved, and Jesus has risen. But Mary lived in a Good Friday world where all hope seemed lost.

Intellectually, you know you live in a world where Jesus was resurrected (HOPE), but it sure feels like Good Friday (HOPELESS) on most days and we live and act as though He is NOT RISEN. Don’t we?

This season were celebrating, the most important moment in human history… the pinnacle of the divine story… the moment God came to earth and took his place on a cross all the while JESUS is calling your name.

Jesus is calling out your name, but he also asks a critically important question: Will you call out my name?” Jesus. There's power in that name! There's love and forgiveness in that name! There's hope and life in that name!

Today, will you call on the name of Jesus?

I celebrate His death, burial, and resurrection and claim that story to be MY STORY! How about you?

Your Lead Follower,
JIM
Revival in Every Church

Thursday, April 15, 11:30 a.m.
NKBA Office

As we take the Gospel to Every Home, let's also plan for Revival in Every Church!
Wes Fowler, 2020-2021 KBC President, encouraged this initiative for two reasons: Because revival services can serve as harvest events for the Gospel to Every Home and because people all around us are perishing without the salvation of Jesus Christ.

For more information and to register for the Revival to Every Home event at the NKBA, visit the website below:
NKBA Mission/Ministry Opportunities
Here are some ways that your church members can be involved in our local mission opportunities.
Moore Activity Center
What is happening?
1. Family Bags on Thursdays:
Every Thursday we deliver roughly 40 family bags that connects with 106 preschoolers, children and youth. These bags include: snacks, drinks, crafts, simple lesson, prizes (candy/toys) and one or two grocery items. This is our way of staying connected to our children and youth that were regulars at our Thursday programs. 
2.  Community Events:
Since we cannot have people in for these events yet we are looking at providing meals for those that want to come by to pick them up and take them home. We usually say to plan for 100 meals.

Assistance Needed?

Summer Simply Dinner:
Dates available for churches to volunteer to provide meals on June 1st, 15th & July 20th, 27th.
Family Bags on Thursdays:
If your church would like to help with any items that go in to these bags that would be a huge help.
Community Events:
-We need churches to help provide for meals. You will bring food for 100 people. You can stay and help with the distribution or just drop it off. We would love to have a meal once a month.
-Churches could also help by purchasing to-go containers that can come to us plain or decorated with a message of love on top of each box.

Contact Amy Wilhelmus, Moore Activity Center (macmissions.com) at [email protected] or 859-261-2300, for more information or to schedule to help!
Lighthouse Ministries Food Pantry

The Lighthouse Ministries Food Pantry continues to grow. Our Lord has been blessing in all kinds of wonderful ways. Thanks to the support of the NKBA, The Horizon Funds of Northern Kentucky, our church, Oak Ridge Baptist, and several food distribution ministries. We have been busy upgrading our shelving and working space. Our walk in refrigeration cooler and freezer are getting close to being operational. We had a few weeks where we didn't have any of the USDA food boxes, but we are receiving regular loads once again. Our Lord has been supplying us with lots of good food to help families with. We are doing our best to help and support many other ministries with food in the Covington area and hand out as many boxes as possible. The Lord seems to have opened the door for us to express His love and compassion in a mighty way throughout our communities. Now we are looking forward to having monthly drive thru food handouts and regular hours for families to come and pick up food on a weekly basis.
 
What we need more than anything else is prayer support. Specifically, that everything we are doing is the Lord's will. That the Lord's love and compassion will be felt, and through that, their hearts will be open to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That through this outreach, God the Father will be honored, and will receive praise and glory. And that we will be able to proclaim the gospel in genuine love, that many will receive salvation.
 
We are finding it difficult to find donated household cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items. Having assorted men's and women's hygiene items in zip-lock bags to hand out to the homeless would be a big blessing. Also, included in those bags, a personal card or letter of encouragement with some scripture would be a great outreach. In fact, if we had personal cards or letters to share with our food handouts, that would be another great way of reaching out. We have been stopping at the Covington Panorama Senior living apartment complex and handing out roughly 50 boxes a week. They are loving the extra food, but have asked if someone could maybe come and have services their with them. So, there is a ministry opportunity that someone could help us with.

For more information on these mission opportunities, contact Byron Lile, Lighthouse Ministries at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, at [email protected].
Baptist Campus Ministry
The BCM would like to have a church or individual build a Gaga Ball pit for them. The picture is to the left. If you have some scrap lumber or a group looking for a building mission project, this could be your opportunity!

Also, there is a church in Alabama that is coming up this summer with a team of 40 students and chaperones. Does your church or ministry have need of a team to help for a day or half day with something?

Contact Josh Skipper, [email protected], if you are interested in more information, or to help out!
softball_equipment.jpg
Church Softball League Forming

Harold Davis, owner and operator of His Pins (missions through archery) is interested in forming a church softball league in Northern Kentucky. If your church or group would be interested in participating, please contact Harold Davis directly. He can be reached by email at [email protected]
or by phone at 859-486-9724.

Requested by Stuart Chowning