I like to walk with Grandpa
and Grandma,
Their steps are short like mine.
They don’t say “now hurry up.”
They always take their time.

I like to walk with Grandpa
and Grandma,
Their eyes see things like mine do…
Wee pebbles bright, a funny cloud,
Half hidden drops of dew.

Most people have to hurry,
They do not stop and see.
I’m glad that God made Grandpa
and Grandma
Unrushed and young like me.

Author Unknown

Great Expectations
SUNDAY
SCHOOL
INSTITUTE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2010
9:00 AM — 3:00 PM
AT
ESTGATE BAPTIST CHURCH
4226 ATHERTON RD, BURTON

BREAKFOUT CONFERENCES
PASTORS, SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTORS,
LEADERS OF ADULTS, YOUTH
CHILDREN AND PRESCHOOLERS

GUEST SPEAKER: BOB MAYFIELD
SUNDAY SCHOOL & ADULT DISCIPLESHIP LEADER,
BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF OKLAHOMA
AUTHOR OF “MISSIONAL PIVOT POINTS” AND
“POWER-UP YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL.”

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
EXPECT NEW PEOPLE EVERY WEEK
EXPECT PEOPLE TO SAY YES
EXPECT CLASSES TO REPRODUCE

Cost: 5.00 per person (includes lunch)
Please pre register by August 27 at 810-714-1907 or bob@bscm.org

Chat N’ Chew
Sunday, September 5th @ 9:15 a.m.

Everyone is asked to bring a breakfast item to share
and join us in Fellowship Hall.

Round –Em-Up!!
High Attendance Sunday
September 26, 2010

Potluck lunch after church. Invite a friend or two, dress western and bring a dish to pass that feeds at least 10. Come and enjoy the fellowship.

GREATER
THINGS FOR
MICHIGAN
SEPTEMBER 12-19, 2010

STATE GOAL: $101,000
CHURCH GOAL: 1,200

The outpouring of love for Tom and me has given me so much strength, not only this week, but in the years we’ve been dealing with the cancer. We always knew that we were being lifted up daily to the throne of God. We have such a strong network of Prayer Warriors in the Bay Area.

I think Tom’s testimony was stronger through his fight with the cancer than it would have been if God had healed him. I begged God for healing throughout the whole time along with so many others. Tom was able to stay strong in his assurance that God, was in control and he made sure that everyone knew it, even the doctors!

There is no way that I can thank everyone for all the work they did to make Tom’s viewing and funeral just like he wanted it. The ones who cooked, who served, who ministered and so many other things that I will never know that were done. I feel so taken care of right now.

I thank you for your love and continue to lift me up to our Lord. I’m a lot stronger in my walk with God than I was when this all started. I thank god that He let me go through this blessed trial with Tom, because He was blessing us all the way.

I pray that Tom’s love for our Savior, for this church and for each person that serves God through this church will continue to spread the news that salvation through Jesus Christ is the only way to be in the presence of God like Tom is right this moment.

Love,
The Tom Martin Family

P.S. Tom would have really enjoyed the chicken!

Kenny was miserable. Dad had to work late and couldn’t take him to the ballgame. Mom made him eat food he hated at supper. And now he had to do homework instead of watching TV.

Have a “Kenny contest.” Let each member of your family show how Kenny will probably act by making faces, by the way they walk or sit.
Then read Acts 16:16-34. Together list some things Kenny might have praised God for, even though he was disappointed. Then make a list of things your family can praise God for. Post the list where everyone in the family can read it. The list will remind you that praise gives us the power to be happy even when things go wrong.

Many Christians today lack an understanding of WHY Jesus had to come, therefore leaving them without answers when new beliefs or ideas arise. Others just are confused because so many religions have different ways to get to heaven. This computer-animated video takes you through the rise of the Israelites and their fall into captivity. It shows how the tabernacle was used to cover their sins, and how Jesus came to permanently PAY for their sins. In only 40 minutes the video shows concepts that aren’t easily understood through preaching alone and concludes with the Bible’s plan of salvation by grace of God through our faith.

WHO ARE BAPTISTS?

Church leaders sometimes assume that all members and guests within a church have long understood everything about the particular denomination.  This, of course, may be a VERY inaccurate assumption.  Therefore, expect to see pieces in your newsletter that address issues concerning Baptists.

PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS

Southern Baptists affirm the priesthood of all believers.  This means that Christians have equal rights to go to the Father in prayer, and to minister in His Name.  We do not embrace a notion that  the clergy, the “official” ministers, are the only ones who represent the church before the Lord.  For that reason, on all levels of SBC work, there is a strong push to involve laymen on boards and in decision-making processes.  When the veil was split from top to bottom in the Temple at Christ’s death on the cross, it was signified that man no longer needed a human “go-between.”  As the Apostle Peter would say, God has made us ALL a “royal priesthood.”

GOD THE FATHER

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe.  he also reigns over His creatures and the flow of human history.  He does this according to His purposes and according to His grace.  God is Father in truth and in a special eternal sense to those who become His children by faith in Jesus Christ.

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is NOT a ghost.  He is the eternal Spirit of God.  He exalts Christ Jesus.  He convicts people of sin, of righteousness and of  judgment.  He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism and in service. 

GOD THE SON

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  In his incarnation He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.  He honored divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.

GOD

There is one and only one living and true God.  The Eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.

MAN

Man was created by the special act of god, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation…By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race…The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man;  therefore every person possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.  And as a dearly departed pastor friend said, “I believe God has a sense of humor because He made monkeys and some people I know!”  (He also believed as do I, God made us all.)

AUTONOMY

By and large, Baptists affirm the autonomy of the local church.  Each church is free to determine its own membership and to set its own direction.  Thus a church may enter into alliance with other churches as it chooses, in accord with the similar wishes of other churches or groups of churches.

What is true of each local church is also true of other Baptist Bodies: such as  local associations of churches.  We are part of Bay Baptist Association, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, and the Southern Baptist Convention.  Each of these bodies also freely determine their own membership and decide their course.

There is a common misconception that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to which Emmanuel belongs, “runs” the local church.  Not true– as stated at the first, each local church is autonomous.  ALL Southern Baptist entities derive their authority from the thousands of local churches.

e” which He certainly  possesses and the statement   from    the Bible which says, He “is not willing that any should perish.” (I Peter 3:9)

PREDESTINATION

This month’s doctrinal statement takes up an “easy” topic, predestination!:)

From the Father’s point of view, he certainly KNOWS who will and who will not accept His Son as Savior and Lord. But   there is NO contradiction between that “foreknowledge” which He certainly  possesses and the statement   from    the Bible which says, He “is not willing that any should perish.” (I Peter 3:9)

MOST Baptists believe that Hell was never intended for ANY human to go there, but for Satan and his demons when   they are finally judged and sent to that place of punishment.

Paul taught that those who hear God’s call to them and are born again are predestined to be conformed to  the image of Jesus Christ, His Son.  Read Romans 8:29-30.  For OUR purposes, we should assume that NO person is beyond the reach of God’s grace.  God knows who will reject His Son, but WE DO NOT KNOW!  Since none who are saved are saved BECAUSE of their holiness, we ought to agree with the Apostle Paul again as he said, “I am obligated (or I am a debtor) to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and to the foolish.  That is why I am so eager to preach the Gospel also to you who are at Rome.”  (Romans 1:14-15)  We AGREE with God who is willing that ALL be saved!
(1 Timothy 2:4)

APOSTASY AND THE SECOND COMING

Having previously taken on topics such as predestination, I have decided to launch into another “easy” topic.
Apostasy refers to a “falling away.”  Different religious groups view just what that means in MANY different ways, and some actually do not think about it at all.    I take the New Testament “red letter” approach.  In other words, I have always tried to be mostly guided by the words attributed to our Lord Jesus Himself.
Jesus said a couple of things about the Apostasy that I want to focus upon.  One thing is that He said the Church WOULD fall away.   And the second thing is that this would be a forerunner of His second Advent.  Getting right to the nitty gritty as I see it, this has meant His Second Coming could have come at about any time up until now.  I say this because I believe the Apsotasy about which He warned, and which He assured would happen, began shortly after, if not even during the during the lives of the Apostles.   The Church fell away and continues to do so greatly from the power we observe as recorded in Acts.  This falling away from God corresponds to a falling away from one another which has occurred simultaneously!   The pace of this dual falling away has continued to increase and the most serious implication of this is that we have failed, and done so hopelessly, to fulfill the Lord’s Great Commission.  I defy any one to name a MORE splintered or divided entity in the world today than the  Church, which is  to be built upon ONE  faith, ONE baptism, ONE  God and Father.  Pray that all UNITY may one day be restored!  (See Eph. 4:13)

Christ’s Second Coming

There is wide variation of view among Baptists and Believers in general when it comes to the doctrine of the Second Coming.  It seems a good idea to focus on the critical aspects of MOST importance to the Savior, after all, He is the One who taught, promised and is the Hope for which His followers should long and pray!  Jesus on at least one occasion indicated that occupants of the planet might ought to check their enthusiasm at His coming back.  When SOME of His advocates seem largely
focused on their enemies getting what is coming to them in the Lord’s return, Judgment, maybe this is NOT the kind of faith Jesus Indicated he would hope exists at His return.  The old adage, “actions speak louder than words” comes to mind.  If we REALLY believe the Savior of mankind is coming soon then wouldn’t we be about our BEST efforts to spread His love, plead with unbelievers to turn to Him, and strive to walk daily in His Word and by His Love?  Motive is a big key as to whether Baptists and ALL professing followers are REALLY ready for the Trumpet Call and the Shout of the Archangel!

Your comments and questions are welcomed.  If   you wish to contact our pastor by e-mail: samuelatemmanuel@yahoo.com