Dakota Happenings | March 2021 |
|
Passage: Joshua 7:1-26
....After their smashing victory at Jericho, the Israelites were feeling pretty good about themselves. They looked at the Rand-McNally road map and saw the next town down the highway was Ai. And good news! It was just a small village with a ragtag army. The scouts recommended that Joshua send a small contingency of benchwarmers for an easy win.
....What they did not know was that God, who gave them the victory at Jericho, decided to stay on the sidelines for the Battle of Ai. The reason??? “The sons of Israel acted unfaithfully, for Achan . . . took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel” (Joshua 7:1).
....Israel was routed at Ai. One man’s sin brought defeat to an entire nation. And, until they dealt with the sin of that one man, they remained a defeated nation.
....That hardly seems fair to us today. The world has a different view of holiness than God. We say things like, “It’s only a little sin.” Or, “I’m better than most people.” Or, “It doesn’t affect me.” We have become good at rationalizing our own sin, while shaking a finger at others for their sin. He says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (I Peter 1:16). He, not those around us, is the measuring stick for right and wrong.
....Don’t think this is an insignificant matter. Our nation is careening towards destruction while pundits philosophize over whose hate and how much hate is tolerable and whose hate and how much hate is intolerable.
....How much sin is too much? Paul answered that question for his friends at Corinth: “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?” (I Cor. 5:6). They had allowed gross immorality to creep into the church, justifying it with a wink and a nod. Maybe they thought, “It’s just one man,” or “He’s only hurting himself.” Wrong!!! God sees His people as a body. What you do impacts me and vice versa. Paul commanded the church to deal with it.
....This applies to us personally, as the body of Christ, and as a nation. Don’t overlook little sins in your life. A minor indiscretion here or a tiny flaw there can grow into a lifestyle that invites God’s discipline. Don’t allow small rifts to become wide chasms in your church before you take notice. Don’t tolerate, excuse, or justify hate on any level, in any place, for any reason. And, above all, don’t wait for someone else to take the lead or fix their sin first . . . start with your own heart, head, and hands.
.....How much leaven does it take to make unleavened bread leavened? How much is too much? Well, that’s too much!
|
|
|
Dr. MacDonald's Tentative March & April Schedule: |
|
|
|
7
14
.......20 (Sat)
21
28
4
11
18
25
|
|
Yankton: Restore Church
Phoenix: Evangelism Meeting
AM: Badlands Assoc Meeting
PM: First Nations Assoc Meeting
Fort Totten: Wilbert Robertson memorial
OPEN
OPEN
OPEN
OPEN
OPEN
|
|
Exciting news from
Restoration Ministry Center
by Pastor Patrick Boll
We have had 11 baptisms at Restoration this year already and several new decisions for Christ this month (Feb)! “Grubby” [2nd row, last picture] is a Vietnam vet who never felt welcome in churches but last fall prayed with me to receive Jesus and then was baptized in January.
|
|
We also have had up to 212 people attending on the weekend for our two services lately. God is blessing our little church so much. |
|
We were able to remodel our sanctuary which was in dire need. This spring we are hoping to paint the exterior as well.
Our House of Boaz has several success stories, but they are more difficult to share. One young lady sent us a before picture from several months ago and one from last week. The change is incredible. She stated, “You guys are saving my life!” House of Boaz is a women’s shelter that we started several years ago. We get to minister to strippers, prostitutes, and people struggling with addictions. Every day we get to share the love of Christ with those for whom HE came. It is very hard work, but HE is worth it and they deserve to hear the gospel.
|
|
Bridled for Christ Cowboy Church
goes on mission
A group of five men, including Pastor Jim Ward, from Bridled for Christ Cowboy Church went to central Georgia this month to do some small construction projects for Stillwater Pastor Retreat. According to Stillwater's website, "The purpose of The Pastor Retreat Center is to provide a ministry of revitalization to Christian pastors, pastor’s wives and their families (including staff members, ministry leaders, missionaries and their wives) that serves to rekindle the fires of their passion for God and ministry as well as their love for each other."
The team connected to Stillwater through Pastor Rusty & Denise Stewart. Pastor Jim Ward used to minister with Pastor Rusty as a youth minister in Georgia. Later, the church that Pastor Rusty was a part of sent a mission team to Bridled for Christ Cowboy Church. It seemed only fitting for the group at Bridled for Christ Cowboy Church to return the favor by helping out the Stillwater Pastor Retreat center.
|
|
Youth and Children’s Ministry Safety
by Everett Hornbostel
Pastor – Cornerstone Community Church, Mobridge.
Church Relations Missionary
Safety in Youth and Children’s Ministry is a topic that we often overlook. From megachurches to tiny churches, keeping our younger population safe when they are away from parents who are in worship is of utmost importance. There are a variety of ways to work through keeping the students safe while still having freedom to engage in Gospel-focused teaching without feeling like we need to constantly be looking over our shoulders.
-
Background Checks: Background checks should be completed for every Youth/Children’s Ministry worker, whether they are paid staff or volunteer workers. These should be completed before the person starts working with kids. It is also helpful to randomly complete follow-up background checks on workers. These are important even in small churches where most of the members are family and the kids in these ministries are part of the family. Background checks can be completed through LifeWay or Ministry Safe.
-
Training: Take part in the Caring Well challenge at caringwell.com. If your church doesn’t already have the book “Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused," it is available for download as a PDF or an eBook at churchcares.com. It is important for all church leadership and ministry workers to understand the signs to look for when abuse may be present. It is vital that churches seek proper training in how to operate these important ministries to our younger generations.
- Working in the ministry area: There should always be at least two workers present any time ministry activity is going on, even if it is a family situation where an aunt is working in the kids’ ministry. Protocols should be put in place for checking kids in and out of the children’s ministry area. There are a variety of programs available that allows check-in/out to be done by a smart device app. There should also be a means to communicate with a parent in case there is a need. Some churches use a “now serving” type of sign that displays a number behind the pulpit so a parent can be notified. Texting is another option, however some families silence or turn off their phones during worship so they aren’t inundated with notifications. Find what works best for your church. Typically, youth ministry isn’t so restrictive, because teens are typically old enough to communicate clearly if there is an issue.
There are other topics of discussion that can be addressed, such as cameras, securing ministry areas, and when kids need go to the restroom. I would be happy to discuss these topics and other Church Security topics if questions arise.
|
|
Week of Prayer - Annie Armstrong Easter Offering
The Week of Prayer for North American missions is annually observed by SBC churches to pray for missionaries, their ministries and their families. Prayer is the fuel for spiritually sustaining missionaries in places where the gospel is greatly...
Read more
www.anniearmstrong.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Request or Become a
Summer Intern
The Dakota Baptist Convention has a desire to train the next generation of church leaders and pastors. Each summer we have opportunities for teens and young adults to explore ministries and what God may be calling them to do. We are looking for both summer interns and churches willing to host and train interns.
Churches should be receiving a letter and brochure in the next couple of weeks with details about the program. You can also learn more by visiting our website.
|
|
|
|
June 7-11
Crystal Springs Baptist Camp
Medina, ND
We will be using the story of Moses leading the Israelites and how looking back constantly backfired on them. We need to let go of our past and our sins and look ahead to Jesus!
More information coming soon!
|
|
|
|
DBC website gets new look
If you recently visited the Dakota Baptist Convention's website, you have noticed that it looks a little different than it used to. The website has been updated to better fit the needs of those who use it. You will find that upcoming events are now listed on the home page. You will see that the menu has been narrowed down and that many of the pages have been reduced. The directory of churches has pastoral staff on the right side and there is a forms page that gives a brief description and link to help you navigate to the right form.
|
|
As with any update, you may find some errors. If you do, please let Paul at the DBC office know ( [email protected]) so he can correct them. |
|
2021 SBC Annual Meeting - Nashville TN
Join us on June 13-16, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center for four full days of equipping, and inspiration. With more than 100 ancillary meetings, events, and gatherings throughout the week, you'll connect with leaders and...
Read more
sbcannualmeeting.net
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mission:Dignity | GuideStone
Mission:Dignity helps almost 1,900 households every year with extra money needed for housing, food and vital medications. It also ensures a well-deserved dignity, independence and, often, the ability to continue serving the Lord.
Read more
www.guidestone.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
