Macedonia

Change has arrived

2011-08-28T14:41:00.000-04:00

This site will be maintained as an archive to the years of work and prayer that our church has invested into the kingdom of our Lord. Our new fellowship has begun, please bookmark the following address

http://branchbaptistfellowship.blogspot.com/.

Yours in Christ

Russell

Our own little worlds

2011-08-28T14:27:00.001-04:00

kids day 2011

2011-08-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

Zack was a wee little man :)

Noah had a lot of work

A Fiery furnace

The kids had fun acting out scripture

Our Lord has been good to us !!

Love In Christ ,
Russell

Change

2011-07-06T21:47:00.001-04:00

Get Ready for Change !!!

John 15:1-11
(1) I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
(2) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.
(3) Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you.
(4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
(5) I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(6) If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
(7) If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.
(8) In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.
(9) As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; continue in My love.
(10) If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
(11) I have spoken these things to you so that My joy might remain in you and your joy might be full.

Easter 2011

2011-05-15T14:31:00.000-04:00

Passing Thought

2011-05-15T14:27:00.000-04:00

I use to love to go hunting! When I was a teen, that was all I thought about, going into the wood to deer hunt was a passion of mine. Now, I still think about it, from time to time, but its just a passing thought at best. Time has brought about new things to consume my thoughts.
In the life of many Christians, Christ has become just a passing thought. Jesus was at a time consuming their thinking, but now He's just something they can talk about, if they have to.

Hebrews 2:1-3
(1) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.
(2) For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
(3) how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard;

Neglect, is a result from Jesus just becoming a passing thought on Sundays..........

Mothers Day

2011-05-04T21:17:00.000-04:00

I thought this was so true !

The Church

2011-02-05T08:06:00.000-05:00

The time has come for the judgment to begin, and it will begin with God's family……. (1 Peter 4:17)

A Blog I read posted this ( these are not my ideas )

My “Book” Of Theology February 2, 2011

Whew! Been looking at a lot of theological papers and books lately…so, just for fun I decided to write my own theological postion paper right here on my blog, here goes…

GOD – He’s awesome!

JESUS – See above…same person

HOLY SPIRIT – See above…same person

SALVATION – It’s awesome, includes the package deal off all three above, which are really one…but they are three…but one…uh…

MANKIND – We suck (translation, we’re not awesome!)

END TIMES – It’s going to be awesome (and people who try to predict it are stupid!)

CREATION – It was awesome, then mankind, who sucks, messed it up and have been doing so ever since. BUT…one day God is going to make it awesome again!

SIN – People think it’s awesome, but it sucks…but God saves us from it, which is awesome!

THE BIBLE – It is a story about a God who is awesome!

There you go…probably will not be quoted in a lot of theological articles…but it works for me! :-)

(These are My Ideas )

1. They have lost sight of the purpose of the New Testament church.

2. They have not followed sound teaching.

3. They don’t adhere to sound doctrine as declared through the entire bible.

4. They seek after fame and recognition.

5. They desire material gains.

6. They do not pastor.

7. They do not love the people of God.

8. The teaching of self-help and self-wealth run contrary to the word of God.

9. They do not make disciples, but only followers.

10. Have a form of Godliness but truly deny the power of God; they build earthly Kingdoms.

11. Have become too familiar with the things of God. The offices and ordinances are no longer holy.

Spring

2011-02-04T12:22:00.001-05:00

The time of change can be frightful at times. But when God is the one making the changes we have no need to fear !!

Zoie is Here

2011-01-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Monday 1/17/11 was Zoie's birthday !! I have a link to her blogspot posted :)

Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes

Love In Christ,
Russell

New Year

2010-12-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, (Luke 2:30)

This year was special for all of us, in different ways. Many changes have taken place, but one thing is for certain: Our eyes have seen the salvation of God . In Christ Jesus we have received that which trumps all of life's victories or failures. We who have tasted the mercy of God , will proudly and humbly proclaim the salvation God has given this New Year !

His name is Jesus.

May God Bless and Keep you,
Russell

From a little leaven Posted by Chris Rosebrough on 12/06/2010

2010-12-14T14:28:00.001-05:00

Some Thoughts on Labels and Bible Passages That Are Used as Road Blocks

I am always amazed by the depth of God’s word. No matter how many times I read it I always find deeper and more profound truths hiding in plain sight right there in the text. One particular text, a very strong law passage, that I am very conversant with smacked me up side of the head the other day while I was discussing it with one of the Outlaw Preachers at their 2010 Reunion. The passage is 1 Corinthians 6:9–11. It is one of the clearest passages of scripture that addresses the sin of homosexual conduct in the Bible, and this was the reason it was being discussed. Here is what the text says:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

During my conversation I was focusing this particular Outlaw Preacher on the words “as were some of you”. The implication of those words is deep and profound. This passage is literally saying that those folks in the church who’ve committed the sins of idolatry, adultery, theft, homosexual sex, and drunkenness were no longer identified by those labels. There was no need for them to wear a scarlet letter A or H or D or T. Repentant and forgiven sinners who are justified and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, have been given Jesus' Name and His Label which supersedes those other labels and cancels and covers them.
So often, someone’s known sin is the thing that we label that person with. Tiger Woods is an adulterer. Brett Farve is a perve etc. etc. But, that is not how we are to think of those who are our fellow Christian believers because that is not how Jesus sees them or labels them. If Tiger Woods were brought to repentance and the forgiveness of his sins through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, then for those in the Church he would and should only be known as Tiger Woods, Forgiven in Christ. The label of adulterer would have no choice but to give way to the Name of Jesus because there is no other name given by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Now, as deep and profound as that concept is, there is even one that is deeper still. This text actually gives us a snapshot of the folks who comprised the membership of the church at Corinth. The text reveals that this was a church filled with screwed up misfits. This was a church filled with repentant and forgiven adulterers, alcoholics, homosexuals, idolators, con men and thieves. That’s quite a membership role. Would you be comfortable leaving your child in the Sunday school class at the Church in Corinth? I bet you wouldn’t. How comfortable would you be sharing a common communion cup with a repentant homosexual whom you secretly worried was HIV positive?
This text forces all of us to ask a very awkward and challenging question, “Do our congregations have a bunch of repentant and forgiven adulterers, alcoholics, homosexuals, idolators, con men and thieves in them? Sadly, they may not. And one of the reasons for this, I fear, is that far too often 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 is used to keep those misfits out of our congregations when in reality this text is welcoming them to our churches to hear about the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of their sins won for them by our Great God and Savior. This text is not a road block to keep sinners out of our churches, but rather when you really read what this passage is saying, you'll discover that its an invitation for sinners and rabble of all stripes to come and be forgiven and to receive a new label, a label that says “Forgiven in Christ”. This is exactly what Paul would later say to the misfit members of the Church at Corinth when he said:

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:16–17)

So I’ll ask the question again, “Do our congregations have a bunch of repentant and forgiven adulterers, alcoholics, homosexuals, idolators, con men and thieves in them?” If the answer is, no, then may I kindly suggest that maybe, just maybe our congregations have lost site of what they are supposed to be, embassies of the Kingdom of God, tasked with the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ NOT the ‘ministry of death’ (2 Cor. 3:4-11).

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18–21)

When our congregations are embassies of the Kingdom of God and are beacons of the ministry of reconciliation then and only then are misfit rabble sinners welcome to come and hear the amazing and blessed good news that "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them". These texts challenge us and show us that our churches are supposed to be places where forgiven adulterers, alcoholics, homosexuals, idolators, con men and thieves, like you and like me, can come and join hands as brothers and sisters in Christ and sing in one communal voice...
Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed His blood for me;
Died that I might live on high,
Lives that I might never die;
As the branch is to the vine,
I am His, and He is mine.
O the height of Jesus’ love!
Higher than the Heaven above;
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lasting as eternity;
Love that found me—wondrous thought!
Found me when I sought Him not!
Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart;
Peace that flows from sin forgiven,
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven;
Faith and hope to walk with God
In the way that Enoch trod.
Chief of sinners though I be,
Christ is all in all to me;
All my wants to Him are known,
All my sorrows are His own;
Safe with Him from earthly strife,
He sustains the hidden life.
O my Savior, help afford
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!
When my wayward heart would stray,
Keep me in the narrow way;
Grace in time of need supply
While I live and when I die.

Our Great God

2010-10-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

We truly serve a Great and powerful God !!! some really good songs that testify to this ..

Time for change

2010-10-07T20:37:00.000-04:00

(Ecc 3:1) To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Sometimes we wonder the purpose for the trial or troubles we face ... and we miss the fact that God is in control , nothing escapes His loving eye. His answers to our questions ring to this verse, in due season we all will reap a harvest if we faint not . There is a season for all things in the life of those who love Jesus. Some are good times some are bad .... its these times that make us more like Him...

David and Luda singing

2010-10-01T20:05:00.000-04:00

We all have stories to share..... but one story we should all love to talk about is the story of Jesus and what He means to us ....

Home coming service

2010-10-01T19:58:00.000-04:00

(Eze 11:19) And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

This will be the passage for our Home coming service, be praying for God to use us to our full potential as we strive to serve Jesus.

Beautiful singing

2010-09-25T17:27:00.000-04:00

God sends encouragement in the small things, that he will use in big ways. God used this family to encourage me while I was in the Ukraine. Luda her sister and mother.

Urkaine mission trip video

2010-09-18T12:32:00.000-04:00

Discipleship

2010-01-07T08:46:00.002-05:00

Seems that true bible study may be a thing of the past when church is involved. The New Church model ..Keep people ignorant of scripture so you can better control their vision. Some how have missed Jesus and His command to make disciples, not mindless followers of mans wisdom dazed by bright lights and loud music (form of mind control so you can pump their heads full of junk though I do like loud music, Just don't try to teach me anything after a Third Day concert ). When the church stops promoting discipleship as a must for new followers of Christ,.then we have broken ranks and are now following man. I

Happy New Year !!

2009-12-30T08:56:00.005-05:00

John chapter 6 for Sunday morning... read it !!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T16:57:00.000-05:00

Luke 2:1-14
(1) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
(2) (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
(3) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
(4) And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
(5) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
(6) And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
(7) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
(8) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
(9) And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
(10) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
(11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
(12) And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
(13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
(14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

May we all Remember the reasons for this wonderful time of year !!

Russell

A Race to the end of 2009

2009-10-12T19:09:00.001-04:00

We have a busy few months ahead .. October 31- Fall festival..November 14 -Evangelism Conference.. Thanksgiving meals to be served (200 this year) Pray and ask God for wisdom and strength to reach people for His glory.. Here's the Order of service for our November 14 conference
May God Bless our efforts

Order of service:

9:00 Ryan welcomes everyone
9:05 Pastor from Macedonia opens in prayer
9:10 Ryan will introduce Justin Burns (How to organize a D2D outreach)
9:40 Ryan will introduce Dr. Bob (Spiritual gifts)
10:10 Ryan (Fear)
10:40 Ryan will introduce Dwayne (How to Evangelize)
11:45 Lunch

12:30 D2D Outreach

2:00 Testimony time and a song
2:30 Pastor from Macedonia close in prayer

Dwayne Bethesda Ministries P.O.Box 676 Anderson South Carolina,29622

church 08.09

2009-08-31T17:43:00.003-04:00

This month has been a whirl wind ....703 professions of faith in Costa Rica...developing plans to reach out to the community .....a 5th Sunday night singing...we have been able to do a lot for Jesus this month...
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Now as we enter into September,we need to encourage one another with these words . Allow only good thoughts into your mind so as you may be a blessing to those around you. Never be a source of confusions and discouragement, in every thing Glorify Jesus first !!

In Christ
Russell

praise the world won't understand

2009-06-03T07:27:00.003-04:00

1Ch 16:8-12
(8) Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
(9) Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
(10) Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
(11) Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

(12) Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

even when things look bad, God gives reason to smile

Russell

Barbecue 09

2009-05-19T07:59:00.003-04:00

It was fun !! Thanks to all those who helped and bought plates !!