Home

Worship Services

Location

Contacts

Bulletins

Links
Bulletin cover

January 27, 2013

WELCOME!
WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE

We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members.

FAMILY NEWS

POTLUCK NEXT SUNDAY — Next Sunday will be the first Sunday in February, and we will have our traditional potluck. Bring a dish, stay, and enjoy being with brothers and sisters in Christ, or if you cannot bring anything, just come. We need you here to enjoy the time together, to visit, and discuss plans for the future.

STATE HAS SIGNS UP — If you are driving between Niles and Dowagiac, you will notice signs announcing service groups who help clean and maintain the edges of the highway. This congregation is cleaning the section from roughly the edge of Dowagiac to the casino, and the state now has the signs up telling the community that we are serving in this way. It is one more way we are letting the people of this area know we are part of the community, and that we are here to serve and help. Our thanks to Richard Hoyt for managing this project and taking care of all of the paperwork involved. Our next clean up, by the way, will be in April. We can only do the clean up on days assigned by the state.

TODAY'S LESSON

SARDIS — THE DYING CONGREGATION

Revelation 3:1 – 6

INTRODUCTION
A. Sardis — capital of Lydia
1. River Pactolus flowed through — gold mined here.
B. Huge fortress — security was here.
C. Making and dying garments was the main industry.
1. Very wealthy town
2. All the ingredients of a dead congregation
D. Verse 1 reminds them Jesus works through the Spirit
1. Seven stars — the dignity and beauty of creation
Revelation 3:2 – 3
A. They looked good to the average person in town
1. Had a social gospel
2. Matthew 23:23 – 28 — This happened in Sardis.
3. We cannot just put on a show.
B. How we worship matters — John 4:24.
C. We need a wake up call from time to time.
1. 2 Timothy 2:3
2. 2 Timothy 4:3 – 5 — fits the time in which we live
3. 1 Corinthians 16:3
D. Congregations can die when things are tough.
Revelation 3:4 – 5 — Lots of messages here
A. God does not judge us by the congregation.
B. They were about to die — spiritually — are you?
1 .You are either growing or dying — it is a fact.
2. 1 Peter 2:2
3. 1 Corinthians 3:1 – 2 — remember Revelation 2:19
4. Do you know more than you did a year ago?
5. Hebrews 5:12
C. How you grow is up to you — BUT GROW!
1. Correspondence courses
2. Periodicals
3. Bible classes
4. Private Bible study
D. We avoid dying when we get involved?
1. Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23
2. Matthew 25:34 – 40
3. Philippians 2:12

THE BACK PAGE

ARE YOU GROWING OR DYING?

In this morning's lesson, we are talking about how important it is for each of us to be growing in our knowledge of God's word and how to apply it. Many of us may not be aware of all of the educational opportunities that are available to us. We can open the Bible and read it, but having an established course where someone will work with us and expand our understandings is a very useful tool that is available here and we want to let you know what is available.

CORRESPONDENCE COURSES — Enclosed in this bulletin is an enrollment form that lists the courses that are available. They are free, and they are graded by mature Christians who operate this course study program. If you would like to take one of these courses, just fill out the form and give it to John Clayton or Karl Marcussen and the first lesson will be sent to you within a week. We would encourage parents of grade school and high school students to enroll their students in a course. Teaching children God's word is SO vital to their success in life, and our children get a very minimal education if they are left to do this on their own.

PERIODICALS — We have a number of free periodicals available in the lobby. There is so much smut and secular material that invades our homes that we desperately need to have wholesome Christian publications available. Gospel Minutes is available free from this congregation, and copies are in the tract rack as you leave the auditorium. The Does God Exist? journal on apologetics is also available and can be taken home. Copies of Christian Chronicle, Gospel Herald, and Power for Today are available as well. Take these magazines home! Have them on your coffee table, end table, and/or magazine rack in your bathroom. Keep reading and learning!