Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Lamplighter: Bearing One Another's Burdens
The Lamplighter: Bearing One Another's Burdens
V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 3 M A R C H 2 0 1 0
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
From Pastor 2
Bearing One Another’s Burdens
Brian’s Desk
By John MacArthur But that is precisely why the lated than ever.
Youth Scholar- 2 church is so important. It is our
ship Information The troubles of this world are duty as believers to help bear And let’s be honest — Reformed
manifold and relentless. It’s not one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). and evangelical churches nowa-
Why Believe 3 easy to stay so focused on When someone staggers, we days often imitate the culture
Moses? Pt. 2
heaven that we remain unper- help steady the load. If he is precisely where we most need to
Wednesday 3 turbed by the afflictions of straining, we help bear the bur- confront and counteract its influ-
Prayer Meeting earthly life. We’re commanded, den. And if he stumbles, we lift ence. As churches seek to be-
of course, to set our minds on come bigger, flashier, and more
Spring 4 things above, not on earthly technologically savvy, they usually
Poem things (Col. 3:2), but even the tend to become more cold and
Katie Wells most committed believer will impersonal. Contemporary
4
Update testify that earthly trials some- churches sometimes even seem
times obscure the heav- to encourage the “me first”
Cabin Fever 4 enly perspective. agenda of self-love rather than
the “one another” commands of
We worry. We grieve. We stum- Scripture. As a result, we don’t
Beyond the 5 ble. We strain under the toil of bear one another’s burdens as
Shoebox
our daily labors. We feel the guilt we should.
Birthdays/ 5 of our fallen condition. Mean-
Anniversaries while, we are assaulted with Yet Paul made this duty a high
John MacArthur
adversities of various kinds. priority. It was the centerpiece of
From the Church 5
Those are just a few of the many his admonitions to the Galatian
Library him up. Helping fellow believers
worldly burdens that frequently churches. The first half (or more)
keep our thoughts from rising carry the weight of their worldly of Galatians is a defense of justifi-
Church Lockup 5 to heaven. troubles is one of the chief prac- cation by faith and a series of
Schedule tical duties that ought to con- arguments against the false teach-
And yet we are commanded sume every Christian. ing that threatened to place
Quizzing 6
repeatedly to “seek the things those churches in bondage to the
that are above” (Col. 3:1). We Of course, that concept is con- Law. In Galatians 5:14 he re-
AWM Spring 8 are instructed to “look not to trary to the drift of our culture, minded them: “The whole law is
Refresh the things that are seen but to with secular society’s tendency fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall
the things that are unseen” (2 to foster self-absorption. Our love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Bulletin Board 9
Cor. 4:18). We must not allow generation has developed an
the burdens of this life to divert unhealthy obsession with enter- How is that love best manifest?
our hearts from heaven. tainment; we are daily assaulted “Bear one another’s burdens, and
with a plethora of trivial diver- so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2).
How is that possible? When the sions; and we tend to interact
load weighs us down and the with one another in sound-bites The first and preeminent exam-
troubles become too much for or through faceless media. We ple of burden-bearing Paul men-
one person to bear, pie-in-the- live in crowded cities and over- tions involves dealing with the
sky sentiments can sound populated neighborhoods; yet
very hollow. most individuals are more iso-
(Continued on last page)
PAGE 2
world meets
God’s world?”
Applications for the Youth Servant Leadership Scholarship are available in the church office. The scholarship
committee will be looking at the following criteria for the award:
condition of all
true prayer is
From the Official Directory & Prayer primary condition of all true prayer claim that the petition thus con-
the renunciation
Guide of the C&MA: is the renunciation of our own will formed to His will shall be impera-
so that we may desire and receive tively fulfilled." of our own will
God's will. But having done this and
Adopting a Posture for Effec- having recognized the will of our so that we may
tive Intercession Father as the standard for our de- We invite you to join us Wednes-
Excerpts from The Life of Prayer, sires and petitions, we are to claim days at 7 pm in the Butternut desire and
Unlocking the Secrets of Access to these petitions that are in accor- Room as we pray for the Church,
dance with His will, with a force and the needs of its members. receive God's
God, by A. B. Simpson
and tenacity as great as the will of will. “
God itself. This petition, then, in-
Confirming Our Faith - "Real stead of being a limitation on Prayerfully Yours,
praying is not simply asking for prayer, is really a confirmation of
things because we want them. The our faith, and it gives us the right to
Larry Petry
PAGE 4
Katie Wells Update
Spring Time is in God’s hands. He
will work how and when He
took the very nature of a
servant.” Though Jesus was a
wills. Oh God that I would be King, he came to serve, and
By Dorothea Dyer willing to wait, just as much often he taught by asking
as I am willing to go, and questions, though he could
Spring comes in subtle ways
willing to learn, just as much see into others hearts. It is
Unhurried and unseen
Melting snow, a breath of warm air as I am willing to teach. This such a process to surrender
And patches of tender green past month from January 21st self and become more like
until February 20th I took the Christ. How can I see others
A crocus peeps out of the snow Intercultural Communication through His lens of grace?
And pussy willows pop Course offered by JAARS
Until another blast of Winter comes (Jungle Aviation And Radio It is thrilling to see more of
And all advances stop
The deadline for Services, a support ministry you at LaFayette Alliance
Then there comes a warm day for Wycliffe Bible translators) Church rise up and stand with
the April issue of When Spring is in the air in Waxhaw, North Carolina. me as I prepare to return to
You smell it and you feel it The key pillars of the course Bolivia with South America
the Lamplighter is And KNOW that it is there were: Suspend Judgment, Mission. The S.A.M. mission-
Sunday, March Assume Goodwill, Tolerate ary pilot told me the brick
And then before you know it Ambiguity, and Think Gray. layer in San Fernando has
You look and you will see
21st. Please submit The grass has all turned green
We studied cultural elements, finished my house!!!! Yet the
And there are leaves on every tree as well as our personal char- water tank is not yet hooked
your articles to the acters and the Character of up. My house will have running
Yes Spring comes in on quiet feet Christ. “Your attitude should water, a novelty in San Fer-
church office. And in the dark of night be the same that of Christ nando.
While with each dawn new life abounds Jesus.” Philippians 2:5, 7 “who
As the sun shines warm and bright
Cabin Fever
Flannel graph may be consid-
ered out dated by some, but I
have been receiving training by
experienced missionaries and
It’s that time of the year! Following dinner, there will be a am excited to use it in San
talent portion of the evening Fernando.
Are you getting cabin fever at 6:00 pm. If you have a talent
this winter? Well mark your you would like to share—music, Thank You for those who are
calendars for our annual skit, etc. please contact Pastor joining with me in this mission
“Cabin Fever” night Brian or the church office. to San Fernando! Please con-
on Sunday, tinue to pray for God to raise
March 21st. Please sign up for the dinner and
up more people to commit to
the talent portion on the Butternut
To kick off the Room doors. be monthly supporters and for
evening, we will God to bless those who are
have a covered This is always a fun time in the life already committed. Acts 1:8
dish dinner at of our church. Don’t miss it! together let’s be witnesses to
5:00 pm. Please our Jerusalem, Judea and
bring a large dish to Samaria and THE ENDS OF
pass and your own
THE EARTH! Glorify God is
table service.
all things.
\
Schedule
16 – Margo Sullivan
17 – Louise Benedetto, John Coye
20 – Sarah Doolittle, Brian Ness
This is a reminder for church officers who are on 21 – Crystal Compton, (Jerry & Gail Patterson)
the lock up schedule for the month of March
23 – Bill Bowe
March 7 Clayt Roberts Jr. 24 – Katie Titus
March 14 Bill Bitler 25 – Gabriel Benedetto
March 21 Ralph Maloney
March 28 Marty Andrews 26 – Becky Mintz, Jennifer Patterson
27 – Esperanza DiStefano, Bev Storrier
28 – Gail Patterson
If you are unable to be at church on the day you are
scheduled for lock up, please arrange to change with 29 – Margo Christopherson, Justin Gates
someone on the schedule.
30 – Mary Smid
PAGE 6
Quizzing
Junior Quizzing News
Cost:
Room:
up to 4 people
Sign-up:
or see Shaun
Standford
Deadlines:
Hotel Room:
March 19th
Registration/Meals:
March 28th
Our mission is to know Jesus Christ; exalt Him as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King,
and complete His Great Commission.