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February 2, 2014

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. Thank you for worshipping with us.

FAMILY NEWS

POTLUCK TODAY: With the weather, this one may have slipped up on you. That is not a problem as many of us brought extra. Stay and enjoy lunch with us.

PRAYER SHEET: Please call Karl at 574-514-1400 or e-mail him at marcusen@michiana.org if someone needs to be added to the list or a change made in the prayer sheet.

SENIOR BRUNCH: The monthly get together of Christians in the area who are seniors will be this coming Tuesday at 11:00 at Bob Evans in Roseland. If transportation is an issue, check with John Clayton.

WEDNESDAY CLASS: Richard Hoyt is continuing the archeology DVD series by Dr. Harvey Porter. This is a well done series, and we discuss the lesson after each video presentation. Porter is a great speaker, and the pictures in his presentation are incredible (his wife is a professional photographer). We will be studying the lives of Old Testament heroes when this study is completed, beginning with Abraham.

TODAY'S LESSON

ARE YOU EVOLVING SPIRITUALLY?

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John Clayton
2 Corinthians 3:17 – 18 — “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is Spirit.”
INTRODUCTION — Evolution is not a dirty word?
A. Refers to a specific kind of change — unfolding
B. Used in agriculture —Charolais cattle, hybrids, Roundup Ready soybeans
C. Not a biblical issue
D. Being a Christian is about change — evolution.
1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 — “transformed” = metamorphosis
2. Chrysalis to butterfly, tadpole to frog, etc.
3. Only other use is in reference to transfiguration
E. How do we make that change?
I. BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN CHANGE.
A. Hopelessness paralyzes us.
B. Matthew 17:20 — faith is not a requirement for healing.
1. Luke 7:12 and others show that.
2. The mountains we move are fear, broken lives.
C. Mark 9:22-24 — we need to believe with God's help that change is possible.
II. BE PATIENT — CHANGE TAKES TIME.
A. How fast does change take place in nature?
B. Greek word is metamorphosis — not instant change.
C. Biblical characters evolved — Abraham, David, etc.
D. Our modem day heros evolved — C S Lewis, McKnight.
E. Church leadership is to be with older men — 1 Timothy 3:6.
III. TO EVOLVE ALL THINGS MUST BECOME NEW.
A. Butterfly has no vestiges of the caterpillar.
B. Ephesians 4:21 – 24 — Note the change.
1. Change in relationships, attitudes, influence, dress, recreation, care of your body, how money and time are used.
C. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:25 and 4:24; Colossians 3:10
IV. THERE IS AN END TO EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS.
A. In biology a butterfly is an end — the designed form.
1. Analogy breaks down — environment changes.
B. Our end is to be like God — 2 Corinthians 3:18.
1. At baptism the Spirit dwells in us — Acts 2:38.
2. It is the guiding force of our evolution — not natural selection, but God.

THE BACK PAGE

THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL

by Kevin Owen, Lebanon, Tenn.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:37 – 38).

Those words spoken by Jesus two-thousand years ago are still true today. A survey conducted in 2007 by Thom and Sam Rainer found some interesting data. They discovered that 82% of unchurched people were open to at least visiting a church if invited by a friend or neighbor. The same study pointed out that just 21% of church-going folks invited someone to church the previous year.

It sounds like more of us need to be inviting our friends. Over and over I have found our unchurched friends will come if invited. It all begins with a simple invitation. Just last week my son's baseball team, because of inclement weather, had practice in the gym operated by our congregation. I got there a bit early and was welcoming players and their parents. One player's mom began to ask me about the church. She was impressed with our facility and had several very good questions. At the end of our conversation I told her that I happened to be the preacher and would love for her to visit. I am praying she will join us in the coming weeks. I once had a conversation with a minister of a rapidly growing church. I asked him about his church's amazing growth. He said, although many things contribute, a key is that the people are so excited about what was going on they routinely invite their friends to join them.

Sounds simple and yet it is so effective. This week make it a point to begin praying about someone to invite and then take the step of faith and ask them to be with you on Sunday. Remember Jesus' words, “The harvest is plentiful . . . .”