The Fountain

Carrying on the Legacy (by Matthew DelValle)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

John Piper & RC Sproul (Ligonier Ministries)

This is my final post in a series I began over a year ago on “Two Men I Thank God For.” I am so thankful for the ministries of R.C. Sproul and John Piper. They have shifted my focus time and time again away from myself to the glory of God and the splendor of his holiness (Ps. 29:2, 115:1). These men have what I call a holy passion. Their lives and ministries are consumed with the reality of a holy God. This is what drives them. This is the legacy they will leave. And this is the legacy I want to continue.

It is the job of every generation of pastors to continue the legacy of faithful ministry. Paul told Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). I want to be one of those faithful men. I want to be entrusted with the Scriptures and teach others the same glorious truths about our sovereign God and our glorious Christ that I have heard, not only from R.C. Sproul and John Piper, but from Pastor Osborne, Pastor Pete, Pastor Jerry, Pastor Bobby during my time at Faith, and now here in Louisville, from Pastor Tom Schreiner, Pastor John Kimbell, and all my professors at Southern Seminary. This is why I am in Louisville going to seminary: To learn to teach others also. I want to carry on the legacy of the faithful men who have taught me.

Pastors: “God-Besotted” Men

What does it take to become a faithful pastor? This is a question I often ask myself. Taking into account varying levels of giftedness, how does one reach the sustained faithfulness of a R.C. Sproul or a John Piper or a Pastor Osborne or a Tom Schreiner or an Albert Mohler? I think what it takes most of all is a radical focus on God above everything else, a striking God-centeredness of life. John Piper writes:

Our people need a God-besotted man. Even if they criticize the fact that you are not available at the dinner on Saturday night because you must be with God, they need at least one man in their life who is radically and totally focused on God and the pursuit of the knowledge of God, and the ministry of the word of God.

How many people in your churches do you know that are laboring to know God, who are striving earnestly in study and prayer to enlarge their vision of God? Precious few. Well then, what will become of our churches if we the pastors, who are charged with knowing and unfolding the whole counsel of God, shift into neutral, quit reading and studying and writing, and take on more hobbies and watch more television?

In other words, it takes a holy passion. It is no surprise to me then that every time I visit home and talk to Pastor Osborne and update him on my seminary studies, he always tells me the same thing: “Don’t lose your passion!” Why does he say that? Out of all the things he could say, he repeats these precise words. What is he getting at?

I think he recognizes, rightly, that the most important thing a pastor must be for his people is “a God-besotted man.” He must be the one man who will forsake other legitimate uses of time in order to read and study and write about the things of God. His entire pulse of life beats to the rhythm of knowing God more truly and loving God more fully. And this, it is known, is the secret to serving God more faithfully.

Satan’s Quest to Kill Passion

But I think another truth Pastor recognizes is that passion can be lost. It can dry up. We can lose our first love. The love of many can grow cold. And that’s why Pastor’s words to me are both an admonition and a warning: An admonition to keep fanning into flame the fire of passion for God, and a warning to not allow the Enemy to douse the fire with his deceitful snares. Therefore I must not become lukewarm in my affections for God lest I gag Jesus and he spit me out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16).

Seminary is an academic institution. Seminary exists to give people an education. It does not exist to give people experience. That is what the local church is for. There are two training institutions for pastors today: The local church and the seminary. Both are necessary. But each has its own function. The seminary does “head” stuff really well. It equips men and women to think well and to think rightly about the Bible and theology. Thank God for seminaries!

But there is a difference between loving the Bible and loving its Author. All my study should serve to help me love God more. The final destination for truth is not the brain; it is the bloodstream. The greatest commandment is not to know right things about God; it is to love God. We fill our heads to fuel our hearts. Again, Dr. Piper says it best:

Right thinking about God exists to serve right feelings for God. Logic exists for the sake of love. Reasoning exists for the sake of rejoicing. Doctrine exists for the sake of delight. Reflection about God exists for the sake of affection for God. The head is meant to serve the heart.

So seminary can be a great place if used correctly. But seminary can also be a dangerous place. Seminarians must be careful. Satan can misuse the seminary to produce proud people. He knows that “knowledge puffs up” (1 Cor. 8:1). And therefore, Satan will try to short-circuit my study. Satan wants nothing more than to snuff out the heart-adoration of Adonai with the heady atmosphere of academia. He wants to produce professionals, not pastors; proud pedants, not poor-in-spirit preachers.

Pray for Me

What must I do then? How can I cultivate and sustain a holy passion? I must stay on my knees. I must go to God in prayer every day, bending his arm to change me and make me more humble, make me more loving, make me more Christlike. And I echo the point of my previous post: The greatest asset of any pastor (and seminarian!) is people who pray for him.

So brothers and sisters, I ask you: Pray for me. Pray for my time here in Louisville at Southern Seminary. Pray that I will study in the strength that God supplies. That I will not just affirm truth with my head but adore truth with my heart. That theology will lead to doxology. That I will work diligently to worship deeply. That God will make me a pastor, not a pedant. That I will always remember that systematic theology did not die on the cross for my sins; Jesus did. That I will stay free from deceitful desires of the flesh and live a life that is above reproach. That I will be faithful and carry on the legacy of many faithful pastors.

I covet your prayers. Thank you for your faithful intercessions on my behalf. I cannot thank you enough.

“I pray that the great, initial passion of our hearts at the beginning of formal theological training would be the great, persevering passion of our hearts at the end, both of our training and of our lives. That we would say, we have not studied nor have we lived for ourselves, but for him who for our sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:15).” ~ Jonathan Parnell

Posts in This Series:

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Start Birding Today: Enjoy The Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) by Dan at Zoo Miami

I trust you are enjoying our "Start Birding Today!" series. We have been trying to motivate you to go out and observe the many birds around you. This is the second article about "Enjoying The Lord's Paintbrush" Click for first one. Seeing as our subtitle is "Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective," I want to do a few articles that you won't see in most birding books. We believe that the world and all that its critters were created by the Lord and not evolved.

For thus says the Lord--Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited--I am the Lord, and there is no one else. (Isaiah 45:18 AMP) O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— (Psalms 104:24 NKJV) Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28 NKJV)

King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) by Lee at Brevard Zoo

While creating the birds, the Lord has used a fantastic array of colors and designs. I can imagine Him using a fine brush when some of my favorite birds here in America were being dressed for "His pleasure." Zoos are a fantastic place to see birds that you would have to travel to other countries to see. It is more economical to travel to a Zoo nearby.

The birds at zoos are well cared for and many are being bred to preserve their species. Some birds are so endangered by loss of habitat and other causes, that the only birds left are the ones in the zoos or preserves. We are fortunate to have some very super zoos right here within a day's drive and our country has many others that are first class also. The birds seen here in this article are some of the fantastically painted birds created by the Lord that Dan and I have seen in Zoos.

Look at the Mandarin Duck at the top. He is related to the Wood Duck up there last week. Another beautiful bird that likes to hide and make it difficult to get a good photo of him. The male is the colorful one and the female is a plain brownish to protect her while on the nest. She is in the background and you can see her painted eyelines.

Now if you have an ugly vulture and want to pretty it up, look at this design on the head of a King Vulture.

King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) by Lee at Brevard Zoo

Here are a few more beauties by their Creator: How about these feathers on the Scarlet Macaw?

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) Feathers - Brevard Zoo

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) by Lee Brevard Zoo

Or the gorgeous Blue-and-yellow Macaw?

Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) at Brevard Zoo

My favorite "painted" bird at the Brevard Zoo was this one:

Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros corrugatus) Brevard Zoo by Lee

Wow!!!

Down in Miami at the Wings of Asia aviary at Zoo Miami we were able to see these beautiful birds:

Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo (Cacomantis castaneiventris) Wings of Asia

Or this cool bird which I call "Joe Cool." Looks like the Lord painted sunglasses on it.

(Black and White) Sumatran Laughingthrush (Garrulax bicolor) by Lee

An Inca Tern seen at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA:

Inca Tern by Dan at National Aviary

This Victorian-crowned Pigeon is at most of the zoos we have visited. They look like lace was placed on its head.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon by Dan at National Aviary

Back here locally to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, there are many birds to enjoy. We met a group of Homeschoolers over there on Friday and had the pleasure of introducing them to my avian friends there. They enjoyed all of them, but had the most fun feeding the beautiful Lorikeets.

Rainbow Lorikeets at Lowry Park Zoo

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

Rainbow Lorikeet at Lowry Pk Zoo by Dan

Homeschoolers at Lowry Park Zoo

There are many more that could be shown, but if you"Start Birdwatching Today" with a trip to a zoo or somewhere similiar, you might just be surprised by the beauty and magnificence of the birds. Then thank the Lord for His many blessings to us.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 NKJV)

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

Start Birding Today: Series Introduction
Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
Start Birding Today: What is the Sound?
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

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Start Birding Today: Enjoy The Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 21 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Wood Duck by Dan at Lake Hollingsworth

I trust you are enjoying our "Start Birding Today!" series. We have been trying to motivate you to go out and observe the many birds around you. Seeing as our subtitle is "Birdwatching from a Christian Perspective," I want to do a few articles that you won't see in most birding books. We believe that the world and all that its critters were created by the Lord and not evolved.

For thus says the Lord--Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited--I am the Lord, and there is no one else. (Isaiah 45:18 AMP)

O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— (Psalms 104:24 NKJV)

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28 NKJV)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) by Daves BirdingPix

While creating the birds, the Lord has used a fantastic array of colors and designs. I can imagine Him using a fine brush when some of my favorite birds here in America were being dressed for "His pleasure." Look at this Blue Jay, seen in most parts of our country or his cousins out west. Can't you just imagine a painter or artist putting the colors and marks on him?

His cousin the Green Jay from down in the valley of Texas.

Green Jay (Cyanocorax luxuosus) by S Slayton

Or, how about a Painted Bunting that looks like He just took a little dab of this and a little dab of that?

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) ©©Flickr

The Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Red-shafted ©WikiC

and its cousin the Acorn Woodpecker.

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by Raymond Barlow

Tiny birds that have iridescent colors like our Hummingbirds just glisten when the light shines on them the right way.

Our eastern Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird by Ray's Wildlife

and the western Magnificent Hummingbird.

Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) by Judd Patterson

Do you see a designer and a painter at work? My favorite one of all is the Wood Duck at the top. Dan took that at Lake Morton in Lakeland. (It really is a live duck, not a painting.) Those fine lines are just awesome to me. They actually have a cousin that hangs out more on the western side of America. It is the Harlequin Duck.

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) ©WikiC

There are many more that could be shown, but if you"Start Birdwatching Today" they may just pass by for you to take a look. Then thank the Lord for His many blessings to us.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 NKJV)

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

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Three Observations From John 11 (by Bobby Thompson)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

It is hard to believe, but our blog has well over 600 posts. These posts stretch all the way back to 2007. From time to time, we like to re-post something from the past. This is one of those posts. It was written by Bobby Thompson and was originally posted in September of 2007.

John 11 records the familiar story of Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. Most people know the details of the events in the story, but have you ever stopped to think what we can learn about God through the words and acts of Jesus in this account? Here are three short observations and maybe you can think of more:

1. God is working in our lives for His glory.

If you look at verses 1-4 you will find two perspectives on the situation at hand. For Mary and Martha they saw a difficult and desperate situation – their brother was sick unto death. Jesus saw the situation through different eyes. He saw how the Father and the Son could receive glory in it (v.4) so he said, “This illness does not lead to death”. Yes, Lazarus did die, but ultimately Christ gave him life again in this age and in the age to come.

2. God is at the same time working in our lives for our good.

In verses five and six we read, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed two days longer in the place he was.” That is a pretty remarkable statement. What he said is essentially, “Because I love you, I am going to stay here and let Lazarus die.” This seems rather odd and unloving until we read verses 14-15, “Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.' ” You see, Jesus not only had the glory of God in mind, but also the good of his friends. He knew that they needed to trust him, more than Lazarus needed to live – Which leads into the third observation…

3. God is always working in our lives to produce faith in Him.

John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” Have you ever wondered why Jesus wept at this particular point in the story? I have often thought it had to do with his feelings for Lazarus or his empathy with Mary and Martha. The closer I look, it seems that he was weeping for their lack of faith. Earlier in the chapter Martha did respond in faith saying, “I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give to you.” Later however Mary came to Jesus with other Jews, and they were all distraught and weeping; It is at this point that Jesus also weeps. Surely Jesus had great affection for Lazarus and his sisters and friends, but more that anything he wanted was to see faith in God produced in them, and by application, in us also.

Extraordinary faith in God brings him great glory and us great satisfaction.

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Start Birding Today: What Is The Sound?

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Birds are very vocal at times and they give us a great clue as to what bird it is. Eventually as you become better in your birdwatching adventures, it will help to learn some of their sounds and noises.

As you are observing birds that are singing or calling, you can learn to associate that sound to that bird. That is the beginning and it is almost automatic. When you hear a bird, but do not see it, then you will either recall one you have seen and be able to ID it, or you can start studying the sounds so the next time you can know what the unseen bird is.

There are several methods that birders use. Audio CDs and computer programs have Bird sounds along with photos of the bird to assist your learning.

The Internet has places like the WhatBird, All About Birds, Birding by Ear Basics,

Here is an interesting video about blind people birding by ear. Very interesting.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/ZIxElCuaNgg]

Here are some of the birds you may already know. These are local birds here, but also seen around other parts of the country. Also a very nice verse to remember while "birding by sound." I used this verse when taking my General Amateur License test that was all Morse Code. It helped calm my heart even though it refers to the Lord hearing us, but it helped me to hear those dots and dashes. (Only 8 of 115 of us passed the test that day.)

LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: (Psalms 10:17 KJV)

All of these sounds are coming from the Xeno-canto.org website.

Blue Jay in tree at Hampton Pines

Click for the sound of a Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) by Daves BirdingPix

Click for the sound of a Northern Cardinal

Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) at Lake Howard, Winter Haven, Florida By Dan'sPix

Click for the sound of a Boat-tailed Grackle

Red-winged Blackbird at Bok Sanctuary

Click for the sound of a Red-winged Blackbird

Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) by BirdsInFocus

Click for the sound of a Eastern Whip-poor-will

Great Horned Owl - Lowry Pk Zoo by Lee

Click for the sound of a Great Horned Owl

How many did you all ready know?

Some like to put words to their sounds like these from Birding By Ear -- Bird Song Identification

Listen here to a few bird songs and calls that have good mnemonic phrases:
Eastern Towhee -- "Drink your tea-ea-ea"
Whip-poor-will -- The name says it all.
Black-capped chickadee -- Some music and talk first, then the "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee"
White throated sparrow -- "Poor Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody"
Black-throated green warbler -- "Zee zee zee zoo zee"
Barred Owl -- "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all"

Links:
Birding By Ear -- Bird Song Identification
WhatBird
All About Birds
Birding by Ear Basics

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

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The Beatitudes: Be a Peacemaker - Preach the Gospel! (by Stephen Simpson)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9 - ESV)

As we continue through The Beatitudes, understand the ‘shock-factor’ in Christ’s statement. The Jews were not looking for peace. They were looking for victory over Rome. In their minds, peace was not an option for all of the wrongs that had been committed against them. Yet, Jesus came preaching “blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who actually pursue and promote and foster and make peace.”

Like most of the Beatitudes, we must be careful to not misunderstand these words of Jesus. Jesus’ words have nothing to do with political peace. Jesus is not primarily concerned about peace between nations or even peace between you and your neighbor. Jesus has spiritual peace in mind – Peace between man and God.

Peacemakers are needed because there is sin in the world. Sin has broken the peace between God and man. John MacArthur has written in his commentary on this passage, “Men are without peace because they are without God.” Blessed is the man who seeks to restore that peace.

So, how do we ‘make’ peace?

First of all, we must make peace between ourselves and God. We must trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. He is our peace. He is the only way we can be reconciled to God.
Secondly, we must preach the Gospel. “To preach Christ is to promote peace.” (MacArthur) A peacemaker recognizes those who have no peace and shows them how to find true peace. A peacemaker points to Jesus Christ as the only way to have peace with God.

A godly peace-maker is one who passionately pursues peace without sacrificing truth. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matt. 10:34) A peacemaker passionately defends and promotes the truth even when the truth does not appear, at first glance, to foster peace. A peacemaker lovingly but honestly says “you are a sinner.”

Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are the evangelists. Blessed are those who tell other people how to have peace with God.

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Start Birding Today: When Should I Go? (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Wood Storks in Trees in Fog at Circle

Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?

You can go birdwatching anytime, but you may or may not find many birds. There are benefits of finding out when the birds you are looking for is out and about. In the beginning stages of birding, you just want to find birds, right?

The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. (Song of Solomon 2:12 NKJV)

To start, most birds are active in the morning. Many around sunrise are getting up and are hungry from resting all night. Just like us, they need some "breakfast." They start stretching, singing, searching for a meal. Give or take around 11:00 am they are resting or starting to settle down for most of the afternoon. Then around 3 or 4, depending on the time of the year, they start looking for a snack or meal before they again settle in for the night.

If you have feeders in your yard, the same is true. The morning and for a few hours before dark will be your most active times to see the birds.

Birds that roost together as a flock start heading to their night-time hangout. For instance, locally at Circle B Bar Reserve, the Herons, Egrets, Wood Storks, Ibises and White Pelicans (during winter) come back in to rest for the night. One of my neatest experiences was when the White Pelicans started arriving at Circle B around 4:45 pm for the night. (Ignore my crazy talk, I was just flabbergasted!)

If you like to see Owls, Nighthawks, Whip-poor-wills, and the other night birds, then, they are quiet in the daytime, but come out to "hoot" and "holler" right around dark and throughout the night. They start settling down around dawn.

Weather is a big factor also in when to go. Fog makes it hard. Windy days will cause the many birds to stay low. It is as if they are "grounded." Rain of course makes it rough on you to go out and watch and they are seeking shelter which can make them harder to observe. They are out there and they still get hungry. Also, down here in the winter, we get lots of visiting birds and that is a good time of the year to watch our feathered friends.

Mom and Baby at Lake Hollingsworth

"Many birdwatchers occupy themselves with observing local species (birding in their "local patch", but may also make specific trips to observe birds in other locales. The most active times of the year for birding in temperate zones are during the spring or fall migrations when the greatest variety of birds may be seen. On these occasions, large numbers of birds travel north or south to wintering or nesting locations. Early mornings are typically better as the birds are more active and vocal making them easier to spot.

Weather plays an important role in the occurrence of rare birds. In Britain, suitable wind conditions may lead to drift migration, and an influx of birds from the east. In North America, birds caught in the tail-end of a hurricane may be blown inland." (Wikipedia) This is not an in-depth study, just some of my tips to get you started in your birdwatching adventure. Trust you are enjoying our series, Start Birding Today.

Links:

When to Go Bird Watching - IdentifyBirds.org
Where to Look - Audubon
Best time of day to watch birds ? - Bird Forum
Bird Watching Tips - All About Birds

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

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Can We Trust the Bible? The Septuagint (by Lou Gentry)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Considered one of the most important Bible translations ever made, the Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew OT into Greek. It is referred to in manuscripts as “according to the seventy” (“Septuagint” is Latin for “seventy”). “LXX” is often used in place of the word “Septuagint.”

The legend behind the “seventy” goes back to the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus at Alexandria (284-247 B.C.). This monarch allegedly sent an embassy to Jerusalem with a letter to Eleazar the high priest, requesting that six elders from each of the twelve tribes should be sent to Alexandria to develop a new translation of the Hebrew OT into the Greek language.

“The seventy-two duly arrived with a copy of the law written in letters of gold on rolls of skins. . . . . .The translators were provided with a satisfactory retreat on the island of Pharos, and Demetrius [Demetrius Phalerius, librarian of the famous library of Alexandria] exhorted them to accomplish the work of translation. . . . . .So they set to work, comparing their results, and making them agree. And whatever they agreed upon was suitably copied under the direction of Demetrius. . . . .In this way the transcription was completed in seventy-two days.” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5, p. 343).

The majority of biblical scholars agree that the Septuagint is a worthy translation of the Hebrew OT. For example, Dr. Neil Lightfoot in his book How We Got the Bible notes:

“Although there are numerous textual variations between the Septuagint and the Hebrew text, the great majority of these are minor. Often it is not mentioned how very much the Septuagint supports the Hebrew text. Yet even when the Septuagint differs and offers a better reading, nonetheless it never replaces the Hebrew as the standard form of the text. Because it is a translation, the Septuagint always remains secondary. Only with great care, then, can one speak of ‘the authority of the Septuagint’.” (p. 149)

Influences the Septuagint have had upon the Bible we use today (via the Latin Vulgate) include:

dividing the OT into grouping of books--Law, History, Poetry, and Prophets
giving names to the books of The Law--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
subdividing some books--for example, 1 and 2 Samuel.

Additionally, the Septuagint holds special interest for Christians inasmuch as it was the Bible used by the early church; and its language prepared the way for evangelism in the Greek world.

Our next article will begin a discussion of Canonicity
Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This? (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) by Daves BirdingPix

What kind of birds is this? Are you kidding, Stephen, that is a wide open question? If you have been following this "Start Birding Today" series you know that Stephen, our Assistant to the Pastor, asked me to do some new articles about birding for our church blog, The Fountain. He came up with the titles and I am writing the articles. This one can go so many directions and involves more effort than our previous blogs, for me and the readers. Now we are getting into the "heart" of birding or birdwatching.

I have been encouraging you to become aware of the birds around you and to take notes about them. This is where all birders begin to learn about the birds. When you go out birdwatching it is nice to go with someone who has been birding for awhile. They can tell you the bird's name and something about it. Even those of us who have been doing it awhile don't know every bird. Being by yourself or just seeing one out your window brings you to this question, "What kind of bird is this? So, what do you do?

Sandhill Cranes - Adult and Juvenile in yard 8/27/10

Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens." So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23 NKJV)

This is where Bird Guides come in handy, but here in America there are over 900 species. Now begins the process of elimination. When the Lord created the birds, He did not put name tags on them, but in a way, He did. You will discover that each family of birds differs from other families, yet within families, there are different colors, markings, and subtle differences. If your bird is small and you have seen our local Sandhill Cranes, you can eliminate that whole Crane family. Most have seen a sparrow at one time. Was your bird about that size? Now you can eliminate almost the front half of your Guide. In other words, size is very important as a clue.

Blue Jay II at Bok Tower by Dan's Pix

What color was it? Another clue. Most guides don't list the birds by color, but there are some that do (The Easy Bird Guide), also on the Internet, there are places to find the bird by color. WhatBird is a great example of this. If you go to the Attributes Page you will see what are the main things to ask about the bird. Notice the list of birds above the buttons, it starts with all 924 birds. As you make selections, the number decreases and you eventually end up with just a few choices to make your selection from.

Location - Where did you see it? Florida, Georgia, etc.
Shape - Chicken like, Duck, Gull, Hawk, Hummingbird, etc.
Size - Very small, small, medium, large, very large
Color - Primary and Secondary colors
Habitat - Was it at the coast, mountains, desert, lake, etc.
Bill Shape - All purpose, cone, curved, dagger, etc.
Bill Length - Same as head, longer or shorter than head
Wing Shape - Broad, long, pointed, rounded, tapered, very long
Backyard Feeder - Frequently or rare
Others - Order, Family, Song pattern or call.

I think for now, that is enough. We will need to cover more in another article. I have put several photos on the page which you probably already know. Try using the What Bird tools and see if you can get to the right bird. Start with the Northern Cardinal. Put in Florida for Location (924 to 362), Shape=Perching-like (362 to 165), Color Primary=Red (165 to 8), Bill Shape=Cone (8 to 4). You now only have 4 choices to look at. Try it. As you click on the name you will see lots of information about that bird.

Links:
What Bird Tools
How to ID Birds - All About Birds
How to Identify Birds - Audubon
Bird Identification Tips - About.Com Birding/Wild Birds
How-to Videos:
How to Identify Birds
Topography (Parts of the Bird)

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

Start Birding Today: Series Introduction
Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
Start Birding Today: What is the Sound?
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

(Tim & Janice Phillips, Mikayla and Jayson)

Today we continue introducing our FBM Missionaries. Tim & Janice Phillips serve in Niamey, Niger with their two children, Mikayla and Jayson. Tim & Janice answered our questionnaire separately. Last time we heard from Janice. Today we hear from Tim.

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry.

I was raised in a Christian home in Cedarville, OH. I had many Christian influences around me. As a result, I made a profession of salvation when I was 5 yrs. old and was baptized when I was 8. Growing up, however, proved that the relationship with Christ was more important and that became very evident to me in high school and college. I never intended to be on the mission field. I loved teaching and thought I would always be in America doing just that. Then one of my kids’ dads came to me to ask if I would be willing to go teach in Africa. After a bit of hesitating, I felt this is just what God had for me for a change. Boy, did he change my life that year. Not only did missions become something of importance to me, but I met my wife! I went in single and came out married! My wife and I decided not to pursue going back to Africa just because we met there, but after some time and not us talking about it, we came to the same conclusion that we need to at least pursue it until God closed the door. After much prayer, we decided that we were to return to Africa, but didn’t know where since ICA had just closed its doors. Through many stories too long to state here, we ended up in Niger. While Niger is not a vacation hotspot, I cannot imagine being someplace else The kids are great, the people are great and this ministry to MK’s is just awesome.

What did you do before you were a missionary?

I taught high school history and government at Kokomo Christian High School.

Tell us about your current ministry. Where are you and what are you doing?

We are at Sahel Academy serving as dorm parents to 17 wonderful children with wonderful families.

How long have you been serving as a missionary?

We are completing our 5th year. One year in Quebec and four years here.

What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?

For me, there are no typical days which are something I love. I get up, see the kids off to school, and then start on projects. Sometimes I spend time fixing lights, toilets, or an assortment of things. We do all the shopping for the dorm as my wife oversees all the meals. When the kids come home from school, there is homework to help with, projects to do, and sometimes just playing ping pong(I know, tough life ) While the kids are in school, I have spent time talking with our guards, learning language, which is still an ongoing problem for me. I find that building relationships seems to be something I do with not only the MK’s, but also with the Africans. I also help out with the school’s hot lunch program to be sure all have paid and all get what they ordered. I coach softball during the tournament times and play a lot, also. I am sure that there are many more things, but they all run together. I just do things that need to get done.

As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry.

Seeing one of the dorm kids as well as our daughter accept Jesus! After that? I think just watching the dorm kids grow, mature and take on more and more responsibility. This is a rather large family we build here, so to see the dorm kids succeed makes us righteously proud (I learned that word from other missionaries) Watching these teens walk lives that are worthy of our Savior is just incredible!

What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced on the field?

Language, the heat, sometimes interpersonal relationships, etc. I always have to tell myself, “these kids are really good kids, don’t major on the minor things!” You know sometimes when people in general drive you nuts and kids are no different. You ask them to do something and they don’t, so you ask them again, and they still don’t. That is a challenge because of all the different cultures we come from. I often tell the kids when we have to remind them all to do something that this will not make a difference for eternity! There are things way more important.

What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life?

Really? What a question. Probably John Jackson. He is the man who got me to Africa the first time. At least he planted the seed for God to grow. When he and his family came home from South Africa, his family became my family and I loved the way he guided his family closer to God. But there are many more

What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession?

That is a good question. Missions aren’t for everyone, especially here. But I would never say that until they have tried it. A short term mission trip is a great thing when it is not just a two week thing. Those trips are great, but you can’t make a good judgment for a career until you have been someplace a year or two. Take those steps of faith. Kids all the time would ask me what the will of God is for them. My reply was always, “Obey the Word of God!” If you are in the Word, obeying and living it, you will know exactly what God wants in your life. I don’t believe His Will is meant to be secretive. Obey and listen to God.

Please share some specific prayer requests with us.

Again, language. I am trying to get more fluent in French, but would love to speak Zarma, also.

Consistency as a dorm dad.

Good leadership to lead this dorm where God wants it to go… as well as my own family so my two little ones don’t get lost in the mix.

What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs?

Right now, getting ready to come home on furlough, we have no idea of what we are doing. We need a house, a car and money to pay for it all. We have none of those three. We know God will provide when we need them, but it would be easier if we could make plans. I have no idea of how to go about raising funds. With only a year, I know many churches won’t be able to schedule me for at least 8 months to a year and we really need to raise more funds to be able to return here. I just don’t know what to expect, I guess is a better way of saying all that. We really want this year to be a year of recuperation, but also of developing and renewing relationships there in North America. So, please pray that all this gets accomplished and that there are people back in Indiana who are already doing stuff that we don’t know about yet!

Meet Some of Our Other FBM Missionaries:

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Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go? (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

: Circle B Bar Reserve Sign

We have answered some of this question already as we have been working our way through this Start Birding Today series. The easiest is to look or go outdoors. That is our starting place.

He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. (Psalms 104:10-12 NKJV) The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. (Song of Solomon 2:12 NKJV)

When you are working in your yard, playing outdoors, walking to your car, talking to a neighbor, getting your mail, or just looking outside, become aware of the birds around you and over you (look up). Birdwatching does not have to be expensive or wearisome. Just let it happen. It will happen, the birds are very plentiful, at least here in central Florida, most of the time. For those who live in colder climates, most of their birds head down here and beyond for the winter, but the Lord has created birds that like the cold and can survive in it. The birds that stay put and don't migrate are called "residents." We have plenty of residents right here and so do you wherever you are.

: Upward Soccer 4-5 yr olds

: Upward Soccer 4-5 yr olds Girls

Besides your "yard birds" there plenty of other places to go see what our avian friends are up to. Saturday, while watching our Upward Soccer games at church, I not only enjoyed watching the 4 and 5 year olds try to figure out which goal they were suppose to kick the ball in, but I observed 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Turkey Vulture, 2 Ospreys, 7 White Ibises, 1 Wood Stork, 1 Great Egret, 1 Boat-tailed Grackle, 2 Anhingas fly overhead. I also saw the baby Mallard that the Mincey's had in a cage. Did you see any of them, those of you that were there?

: Anhinga Flying Over Soccer Fields

At the top of the article I placed a photo of the Entry Sign to our neatest place to go birding or birdwatching in this area, the Circle B Bar Reserve. Birding enthusiast from all over the state come here to go watching the birds. It is becoming a prime "hot spot" because of the variety of birds found out there. "The bird list for this property exceeds 185 species making it a must see birding location. The best season for birding is winter although any season can turn up unusual bird. Spoonbills, Wood Storks, Limpkins, and many species of wading birds are easily seen and photographed from the hard surface trails." (Polkcountybirds) We watched or heard 85 ourselves out there.

Locally there are several nice places to get near the birds. The South Lake Howard Nature Park, Lake Hollingsworth, Lake Morton and Lake Parker Park, Saddle Creek Park. All five of those places are nearby, do not cost to get in and the birds are usually active enough to start your birding adventure easily. Those in other areas also have nearby parks, preserves, refuges, lakes and other place to visit the birds with little or no cost. Here in Polk County we have over 500 lakes and surely there are birds on, over or near them.

As you get more adventurous, start expanding your areas to explore. The Internet, bird magazines and bird books will give you ideas of places to go. Zoos make for great places to see birds. Not only the captive ones, but there are what I call the wild "free-loaders" who are eating the zoo animals food or at least trying to grab a meal.

More places to visit: The beach, Wildlife Refuges, parks, State Parks, National Parks, Wetlands, Everglades, Great Florida Birding Trail, on and on. Oh, and don't forget the local store or parking lot. Look in their trees and the letters of their signs. A favorite place for birds like Sparrows. Sometimes they are even in the store. The other day we were in Lowes and they were into the bird seed. They had broken open several bags and were having a wonderful time. Not so sure the company was as happy.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26 NKJV)

You can get as much involved as you desire in birding. Some travel around their country and around the world to see birds. I enjoy watching the birds, and seeing the Lord's Creative Hand at work, but I just enjoy birdwatching wherever I am. With over 10,000 birds in the world and at my age, I think I will let the others go take the photos and videos and see them through their lens. Would I like to go where they are? Sure, but there are plenty in my paths for me to enjoy. So can you, so Start Birding TODAY wherever you find yourself.

Links:

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

(Tim & Janice Phillips, Mikayla and Jayson)

Today we continue introducing our FBM Missionaries. Tim & Janice Phillips serve in Niamey, Niger with their two children, Mikayla and Jayson. Tim & Janice answered our questionnaire separately. So, today we will hear Janice's answers. Next time, we will hear from Tim.

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry.

I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'. I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When I was 7 our pastor's daughter was baptized, through her testimony it dawned on me that I needed to make my own profession of faith, so I knelt in the pew and asked Jesus to forgive me and committed my life to him. When I was 17 my parents moved to Quito, Ecuador. I went to the Alliance Academy to do grade 12. I saw missionaries up close and personal... anyway the experience changed my life. I came back to Canada and started school in Regina, Saskatchewan to become a missionary. After earning a BA in Biblical Studies and an MA in missiology I went to Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire to Bethel Dorm to be a Dorm assisstant. I was there from 1991-2001, where I met my sweetie who is now my husband, Tim (and still my sweetie). Our daughter Mikaylah was born in 2004 and our son Jayson was born in 2006. We now live in Niamey, Niger where we serve as dorm parents at the Sahel Academy.

What did you do before you were a missionary?

I spent one gap year working at Instant Custom Signs as a manager. I spent another year helping in a church plant in rural Ontario. I also had odd jobs at the YWCA and Menard's (a hardware store in Indiana).

Tell us about your current ministry. Where are you and what are you doing?

Currently my husband Tim and I are "Co-parents" to 17 teenagers at the Sahel Academy, in Niamey, Niger, West Africa. Our "kids" come from five different "passport countries" Including Benin, Great Britain, Korea, New Zealand and USA. Their parents work in rural Niger, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo. Their parents are in remote villages where there is no way to educate their children. We provide a home away from home so the teens can study at Sahel Academy.

How long have you been serving as a missionary?

Since 1991.

What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?

Our day usually starts about 6am... after breakfast and morning routine the kids are off to school by 7:25 depending on the day there is either shopping, Bible Study, Dorm Staff meeting or Moms in Touch Prayer Meeting. I am also directing our house helpers. I provide lunch for our house workers and our smallest child is in Kindergarten so he comes home for lunch too. We try to have Siesta after lunch, make snack ready for the kids when they get home from school, then there are piano lessons, homework, supper prep, and after supper devotions. The bedtime routine begins at 7pm and usually all the kids are in bed by 10:30 or 11, depending on the crises of the day :) The weekends are a little more lax but, with 21 people in the house you can imagine the energy :)

As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry.

Mentoring kids through their teen years has its own joys and sorrows. Adding the fact that none of these children are in their native culture or living with their nuclear family. Now that many of "my kids" are grown up and are using their lives to glorify God and shine for him wherever they are from Korea to Africa to Europe, Canada and the USA, I am humbled and rejoice that the Lord has allowed me to have an influence on so many.

What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have face on the field?

Probably one of the biggest challenges is raising our own children within our "transient" family. Dealing with the grief of saying "good bye" is something that never goes away, something that we all must deal with until we are finally home in heaven.

What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life?

Hands down my parents.

What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession?

While God can be glorified wherever you are and you can serve him no matter what you do for a living, I can't get away from the huge need for personnel. I have yet to see a ministry that has said "we have plenty of workers, don't send any more"! It feels like much of our prayer time is dedicated to begging God to provide more workers.

Please share some specific prayer request with us.

Ha ha, more workers :) Personally, we are begging God daily for wisdom. It seems that we are often making decisions that effect us, our kids or our workers or colleagues that are life-changing. So, please pray that we will make wise God-centered decisions.

What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs?

We are coming up to our first home assignment as a family. This will be the first time our son has lived in the US and the first time our daughter will remember being in the US. We need to find a place to live, a school for our children to attend and a vehicle to get us around for a year. While we are looking forward to Taco Bell and Target and renewing relationships with our friends and family, it is actually stressful to think of all that has to be done within the year that we are in the US.

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Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birder (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Savannah Sparrow by Ray Barlow

Surprisingly when I put "open" and "eye" into my Bible search with e-Sword to find a verse for this article, I found 49 verses that had both words. The reason for a verse with your eyes being open, is because that is your first tool you need as a birdwatcher when you go birding is your eyes. Here are a few examples:

Gen 21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; ...
Num 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way...
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:20 ... that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold,
Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Matt 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

I know these verses do not apply to birding or birdwatching, but I think they reveal some truths that do apply. The LORD or God opened their eyes. Would it be wrong for us to ask the Lord to open our eyes to see His marvelous creation, especially the birds? Once their eyes were opened, they saw different things. We are going to see different birds on different outings.

Also, Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Look at the birds of the air:..." (Matthew 6:26 ESV)

The second "tool" that is very useful is your ears. Some people cannot see because of blindness or poor sight, but does that keep them from birding? No! Fanny Crosby was blinded early in life, but in my opinion, she was a fantastic birder. She may not have seen, but she "heard" the birds. When I first started my research for Birds in Hymns, of the first 44 hymns I found 10 were written by Fanny Crosby! Here are two examples:

"Happy am I, the bird is singing" - Tried and True
"And the bird in the greenwood is singing with glee" - Praise the Giver of All

Listening to the sounds around you can reveal hidden treasures. Birds sing, call, alert other birds of danger, make sounds with their wings, etc. Having our ears open to their sounds can help locate them. After awhile, with a little practice, you will recognize birds just by their calls and songs. Even if you never see the bird, the avian friend can be counted on your "life list," but that is another article.

The first two tools, Eyes and Ears, could be summarized as "Awareness." If you are not aware of the birds, you will miss finding them. Basically, those two tools are all you need.

Yellow-throated Warbler by Bob-Nan

Third: To find the birds and see them closer, a pair of binoculars are very useful. It is not required, but I use mine most of the time to observe better details that help me identify the birds. There are lots of articles in books and on the Internet about which pair to buy, what strength they should be, how much to pay, etc.

So what should you buy? Every birdwatcher will give you different thoughts, but here is what I have. I use a 8 X 42 lens. "The first number is the power of magnification of the binocular. With an 8x42 binocular, the object being viewed appears to be eight times closer than you would see it with the unaided eye." "The second number in the formula (8x42) is the diameter of the objective front lens. The larger the objective lens, the more light that enters the binocular and the brighter the image." (Bushnell) There are things like the kind of lens, coating, field of view, etc. that you can get from their site and others.

My only other advise is not to buy a 10X or larger because it is harder to hold the image steady, at least for birding.

The fourth "tool" would be a small notebook to keep a list of the birds you see. Even if you don't know what they are at first you can still make notes of what they looked like, colors, sounds, beak shape, feet, wings, time and date, and other notes about your observing the bird. Later, that will help to identify the bird. More on "Lists" in another article.

The last main tool would be a Bird Guide to find out which bird you just saw. (Again, another article) You can use the Internet to assist in that also, like What Bird.

There are other tools that are useful, but when you first Start Birdwatching Today, they are not a necessity, but in time, they also become very useful. Here are a few:

Camera - helps with ID and enjoyment later
Spotting Scope - great for birds far away
Audio Tapes of Birds - to learn their songs
Handheld Electronic Devices - helps ID in the field

We are trying to keep this series simple, at least at first, so that you realize that you can "Start Birding TODAY"

Informative Links:

Bird Watching Tips For Beginners! from Wild Birds Unlimited
Birdwatching for Beginners : Bird Watching Tips for Backyard Birding
Birdwatching for Beginners : Essential Bird Watching Gear
Birdwatching 101 by Michele Anderson
All Best Binoculars

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

Start Birding Today: Series Introduction
Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
Start Birding Today: What is the Sound?
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

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Someone You Know Trusts Planned Parenthood (by Stephen Simpson)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

"Someone you know trusts Planned Parenthood"

Really? Can this be true? I recently saw this message printed on a new billboard in our town. Previous billboards at this location have been much better. They have promoted mouth-watering ribs from Sonny's or a local A/C contractor. But now, a giant billboard from the nation's largest abortion provider greats all who drive by.

I have never been into a Planned Parenthood office. I am afraid to go. I am afraid of the emotions that would overwhelm me. I am afraid that I would look at each employee or volunteer and wonder "How many unborn children have you helped murder?" I cannot fathom trusting Planned Parenthood. "Trust" and "Planned Parenthood" do not belong in the same universe, much less on the same billboard.

There are many things in life that we should trust. I trust my children's pediatrician. I trust him completely to care for my children. I trust my Pastor. I trust that he will always tell me the truth - regardless of whether I like it. I trust my insurance agent. He has provided sound advice and is a good friend. Most of all, I trust my Savior - Jesus Christ.

But, I do not trust Planned Parenthood. Why would I trust an organization that profits from the destruction of life? How can I trust an organization that murdered 331,796 unborn children in 2009 and another 329,445 in 2010? (source) Each abortion they perform destroys an unborn life and grievously harms the life of the mother.

One who trusts Planned Parenthood is like the child who whines and cries to get whatever he wants. The child says, "I want a candy bar." The parent replies, "no." The child then whines and cries and stomps on the ground. Finally, the parent decides, "Fine. You can have the candy bar." In the child's mind, they have just solved their immediate problem. All their troubles are over. Tragically, the child does not see the dangerous path he is traveling on. He does not realize that he is on his way to being an adult who pitches fits to get whatever he wants.

Trusting Planned Parenthood is just like this. A woman experiences a legitimate crisis. Often it is an unplanned pregnancy. She is unsure what she should do. Planned Parenthood offers her a quick and easy solution to her problems. She does not like the solutions she hears elsewhere. To her, they all sound like the parent who says "No." So, she decides to 'trust' Planned Parenthood. Just like the child, she gets her 'candy bar.' Just like the child, she fails to realize the dangerous path she is headed down. She has started down a hard road of grief, regret, and guilt.

There are many solid alternatives to Planned Parenthood that are worth trusting. But, they do not offer quick and easy solutions. Rather, they offer long-term solutions. They offer hope. The best of these alternatives offer salvation through Jesus Christ.

So, please, I beg you, do not ever trust Planned Parenthood. At first it may seem like they have helped you. But, in the long run you will see that they were not worthy of your trust.

Related Posts:

Planned Parenthood's Plan for My Child (by Stephen Simpson)
Planned Parenthood, Gospel Generosity, & 9 Lessons to Learn

Abort73.com: Abortion Unfiltered

Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds? (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Marian (Naturalist at Avon Park Range) and Lee

I almost cracked up when I read the title Stephen gave me for this blog. He gave me the suggested titles and I am suppose to write the articles. Some deal! We would like this series to be informative, but mainly to encourage all of us to "start birdwatching today" no matter our level of experience.

So, why should you go outside? Mainly, because that is where most of the birds are. Yes, there are some in cages in peoples house, but the majority are outside flying freely about waiting for you to come watch them. The birds are busy doing what the Lord designed them to do; singing, building nests, eating, finding food for their young, arguing sometimes (especially those in the Dove-Pigeon family), Why do they argue? They are actually showing dominance or defending their territory, or who knows what else. If you are not outside, you might miss all this. You can watch through your window, so even those who are ill or handicapped, can still get to enjoy the antics of our avian friends.

According to Job, you might even learn something from watching the birds:

But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; (Job 12:7 NKJV) Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven? (Job 35:11 NKJV)

Wood Stork at S. Lake Howard Nature Park

Stare at the birds? If you do that to a person, they get upset, but I am not sure a bird would, but then again they just might. One of the things I was taught when I first became interested in birding or birdwatching was to have "soft eyes." If you stare at a tree or a certain area, you might see a bird. If you look at a tree, but not stare, then you can catch movement or activity in that tree that you might miss if you are only staring at one spot.

Are there times to stare? When I am really concentrating on a bird that I have already spotted, then, yes, I will stare as I try to observe details about the bird. But we will save those details for another blog.

Enough for this article. So either slide your chair or wheelchair up to the window, or go outside and stare at the birds, after you find one.

Other Posts in our Start Birding today Series:

Start Birding Today: Series Introduction
Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
Start Birding Today: What is the Sound?
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

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April Faith Day 2012 Report

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Sunday, April 1st, 2012, was April Faith Day. It was simply amazing to see what God did through our April Faith Day Offering. Consider these 'offering stats.'

The 2012 April Faith Day Offering was over $130,000.
A total of 172 contributions were given towards the offering.
The average contribution was $764.05.
The largest single contribution was $15,000.
The smallest contribution was $1.27.
Almost 64% of the gifts were under $500.
There were 40 gifts of $500 or more.
There were 15 gifts of $1000 or more.
There 3 gifts of $10,000 or more.

There is one big lesson we can learn from this year's April Faith Day offering - God cannot be limited. In the conversations I have had, most have been stunned by this year's offering total. Most of us thought that the offering would be considerable lower. We assumed that giving would be down. We assumed wrong. God had other plans. He once again reminded us that He will do whatever He pleases. He is in control. We simply are tools in His hand. May this year's April Faith Day offering serve as a reminder that we cannot limit God.

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Can We Trust the Bible? Introduction (by Lou Gentry)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Last year, I was given the privilege of delivering the message for three Wednesday night services. On two of these nights, the topic discussed was, “Why We Can Trust The Bible?” Two 25-30 minute messages cannot do justice to this topic--in fact, many books have been written on it. As a result, I have been asked to do a series expanding upon these two messages. It is appropriate, perhaps, that we look at this subject inasmuch as 2011 was the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Version of the Bible.

The foundation of this series will be the book by Erwin W. Lutzer, Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust The Bible, although many other sources will be used. A listing of these sources will be posted at some point during the series. The following outline provides information as to what topics will be covered during the forthcoming months:

INTRODUCTION

HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE

THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Hebrew Old Testament
The Septuagint
Canonicity - Definition and Development

How a Book is Determined to be Canonical Scripture
Development of the Old Testament
Old Testament Apocrypha Books
History of Progress Toward Canonization

External Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the O.T.

Archaeological Evidence
Manuscript Evidence

Internal Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the O.T.

Fulfilled Prophecies
Jesus' Perspective on the O.T.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Canonicity

Reasons for a New Testament
Development of the New Testament
New Testament Apocrypha Books

External Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the N.T.

Manuscript Evidence

Comparison with Other Ancient Literature
Transmission of Manuscripts
Reliability of the Early Manuscripts

CONTRIBUTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

INERRANCY

Definition
The Biblical Basis of Inerrancy

CONCLUSION

I trust the information which will be presented will not only strengthen your faith in the reliability of the Scriptures, but also enable you to better refute the doubts expressed by non-believers. Stephen and I would welcome your comments at any time throughout this series of articles.

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Start Birding Today: Some Background Information (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Silver-breasted Broadbill by Peter Ericsson

We know from Genesis 1 that the God created the birds, along with everything else. They were created on the fifth day. When Adam became conscience, the birds and critters were already present for him to discover and enjoy.

Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens." So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23 NKJV)

Then the LORD God brought the birds to Adam to let him give them a name.

Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. (Genesis 2:19 NKJV)

Psalm 111 reminds us that the things that were created are great and are to be "sought out" and enjoyed.

The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. (Psalms 111:2-4 KJV)

Galah and Dan at Brevard Zoo

Fast forward to today. If Adam was to enjoy the birds and put names on them, should we not try to discover them, enjoy them, and try to figure out what their names are?

The birds are all around us, in the sky flying or gliding on the wind (currents), on the power lines, on feeders, on bushes, in trees, or singing or calling in the distant. (Sometimes they are even on cameras.)

Start birdwatching today for pleasure and realize the goodness of the Lord to us.

Other Posts in our Start Birding Today series:

Start Birding Today: Series Introduction
Start Birding Today: Some Background Information
Start Birding Today: Why Should I Go Outside and Stare at Birds?
Start Birding Today: The Few Tools You Need To Be A Birdwatcher
Start Birding Today: Where Do I Go?
Start Birding Today: What Kind of Bird is This?
Start Birding Today: When Should I Go?
Start Birding Today: What is the Sound?
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - U.S.
Start Birding Today: Enjoy the Lord's Paintbrush - Zoos

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March Recap

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

2012 Mission Conference: What Is That in Your Hand? ~ Read about the guests that participated in the conference & more

The Beatitudes: Do You Have Mixed Motives? (by Stephen Simpson) ~ Continuing in his series through The Beatitudes, Stephen looks at the verse "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
SLMF Meeting: My Personal Opinion (by Jonita Barram) ~ Jonita shares her thoughts on the Sunshine Ladies Missionary Fellowship Meeting.
A Parable in Poetry (by Matthew DelValle) - Matthew shares an original poem based on Luke 18:9-14.
Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Kathy Miller ~ FBM missionaries currently serve the Lord in the West African countries of Niger, Mali, Benin, and Nigeria. This is the first post in a series to introduce these missionaries to you.
Start Birding Today - A New Series (by Lee Dusing) ~ Learn the secrets to becoming amateur birdwatcher.
Can Your Child Thrive in a Public School? (by Stephen Simpson) ~ Stephen tackles this difficult question and shares a book recommendation.

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Can Your Child Thrive in a Public School? (by Stephen Simpson)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Can your child thrive in a public school? I believe the answer is YES! Should your child attend a public school? This is a much more difficult question to answer. The answer to that question will vary from family to family.

My wife and I are currently facing this decision. Our oldest daughter starts kindergarten this fall. Needless to say, this is no easy decision.

Naturally, we have been doing some reading on these subjects and have talked with many people to get their counsel. Recently, we came across a book entitled Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School. Written by Christian authors, this book tells the story of one family who has sent all eight of their children through public schools.

Before we continue, please realize that the purpose of this post is not to settle the question of public school vs. private school vs. home-school. The purpose of this post is simply to tell you about an excellent book.

Going Public does not promote or advocate public schools for everyone. The authors do not say public school is the best option for everyone. They have written their book for families who find themselves in public schools. Many christian families send their children to public schools. There are numerous reasons why public schools are the best (or only) option for these families. Going Public was written to encourage these families and to let them know how their children can thrive in public schools.

If your children are in public school, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors make several points that I especially appreciated. Here are just a few highlights.

Everybody Should "Homeschool" - "God gave these children to us. He gave your children to you. He will hold each of us accountable for their upbringing. We are their first and ultimate teachers. What goes into their minds and souls is our responsibility." (p. 155) This is so true! Regardless of where our children go to school, we are responsible for their education. We, as parents, are the ones who will give account to God for our children. "We view ourselves as the primary instructors, and the classroom teacher as our deputy. The ultimate outcome rests squarely on our shoulders." (p. 157) Imagine how our public schools would be different if every parent had this mindset!
Don't Complain! - "If we parents don't provide the school with a student who is (a) awake, (b) alert, (c) fed and (d) cooperative, we have no right to complain about test scores...If by some miracle, every public-school student showed up to class tomorrow morning with an obedient spirit, American education would be instantly revolutionized." (p. 76)
The Magic of Being Nice - The authors devote an entire chapter to encouraging parents to be nice in their interaction with teachers and school officials. "The question is not whether to deal with substantive issues and disagreements. The question, rather, is how to deal with them." (p. 103) This chapter is absolutely golden! Consider the power of disagreeing with respect and with a soft answer. Consider the power of humbly submitting to the authority of school officials - even if you disagree with their decision. One of the most important lessons you can ever teach your children is how to properly submit to authority.

All in all, this book will prove tremendously helpful to the parent of public-school children. In fact, any parent would profit by reading this book - regardless of their schooling situation.

Other posts by Stephen Simpson that you might enjoy:

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Start Birding Today - A New Series (by Lee Dusing)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) from Wikipedia

Stephen asked if I would consider another series for the Fountain. Thanks to Stephen and his assistance in getting the first “Birds of the Bible” series started, those articles and my resulting blog have grown beyond what was ever imagined. Now, we are beginning another new series.

Some of his first suggestions were like, "Birdwatching for Dummies" and I assured him that that book had already been written. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Birdwatching has also been written. Between the two of us, we just want to encourage you to start birding today.

Okay, so I am suppose to start "birding," what is it?

"Birding", "Birdwatching", "Bird Watching", "Looking at or for birds", "Enjoying seeing birds" or whatever you want to call it, are basically the same. It amounts to watching the many wonderful birds that the Lord has created. If you observe only one bird, you are still "birding."

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (Song of Solomon 2:12 KJV)

Blue Jay at Bok Tower by Dan

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Kathy Miller

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:00:00 +0000

(Kathy Miller with one of her students)

Last fall, Faith Baptist Mission (FBM) welcomed an entire team of missionaries (read more about this). These missionaries serve the Lord in the West African countries of Niger, Mali, Benin, and Nigeria. What a joy it has been for FBM to partner with them. Today we would like to start introducing each of these missionaries. First up is Kathy Miller.

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry. I was born in a Christian family and at the age of 8 I accepted the Lord into my life. My mother led me to the Lord. As a second grade child I mentioned to my parents that I wanted to be a school teacher when I grew up. My parents planted the seed in me to become a missionary school teacher. I felt burden for the children who were sent to boarding schools at a young age, and the Lord lead me to teach the young children where they were living, so that they did not need to be sent to a boarding school.

What did you do before you were a missionary? I taught in the states for 10 while working on my Master’s in Reading. I taught 4th grade for 2 years, 2nd grade for one year and kindergarten for seven years, while in the states.years,

Tell us about your current ministry. I am still teaching school. Right now I am living in Niamey, Niger teaching at Sahel Academy. This is my third year at the school. My first year I taught 5th/6th grades, last year was 3rd/4th grades and this year it is only 3rd grade.

How long have you been serving as a missionary? I joined EBM in 1985 and taught the families of children in Northern Mail for about 20 years. I lived in a few different villages during those years of teaching.

What does a typical day look like for you while you are on the field?

My alarm goes off at 5:15 and I start the day with breakfast and devotions.
At 6:30 I leave my house and since I live on the school ground, I unlock the school buildings at that time for the national workers to get into the rooms to do their jobs.
At 7:10 I am outside for playground duty as the students are arriving at school.
7:30 – 2:30 I am busy with teaching the students.
2:30 – 5:30 giving piano lessons, attending teacher’s meetings, working in my classroom to prepare for the following day or week, etc.
5:30 – 9:00 back home for supper, Bible study, preparing for company, taking my dog for a walk, etc.
9:00 getting ready for bed

As you reflect on the years you have spent as a missionary, please share with us some of the highlights of your ministry. While in Mali, working with the same family for 4 – 6 years. I got to know the students very well for teaching. Also being a part of the village church. While here in Niger, working with more than my mission group and leading little ones to the Lord. This school year I have been able to share with four of my students and lead them to the Lord. These students have been from Embassy homes.

What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced on the field? As a single lady, I had to deal with loneliness, living by myself while in Mali. The families were wonderful whom I worked with, but I still did not have my own family to fellowship with. Here in Niger, I am around people all of the time, and I am enjoying the times I am by myself in my house.

What person(s) has had the biggest influence on your life? My parents

What would you say to encourage others (young or old) to consider full-time missions as a profession? Be in the Lord’s Will not your will. The Lord does not call everyone to serve Him overseas, but He does call all of us to serve Him wherever we are living.

Please share some specific prayer requests with us. On a daily basis I want my students to see Christ shine through me. My desire is to be a servant of the Lord, through teaching, listening, serving meals, working on the school grounds. Pray that even when I am worn out I will still have the desire to serve the Lord, not myself.

What are some current needs that you have and what can we do to help meet those needs? Right now I do not know how to answer this question. I am planning on being in the states for six weeks this summer and I am working on putting a schedule together. I know with EBM closing this past year, I have a lot of reporting to do with my supporting churches and friends.

A Parable in Poetry (Matthew DelValle)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:00:00 +0000

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” ~ Luke 18:9-14

A Parable in Poetry - by Matthew DelValle

Our Master once told a story

About two men: A Pharisee

Who kept the law and did what’s right

But looked on other folks with spite,

Such as the “other man” who would

Collect the tax from bad and good,

But would not lift his eyes to God.

Instead, he beat upon his bod

And cried, “Upon my soul, Lord, pin

Your mercy, for I’m great with sin.”

One went to his home justified;

The other left condemned to die.

This is the tale that Jesus told

Of which I now seek to unfold.

Why would just one receive God’s grace?

Did not the other plead his case?

“I am not like these other men;

I keep commandments one through ten!

I fast from food two times a week;

I give a tenth of all I reap.”

He even gave the Lord his thanks:

“I thank you, God, to be quite frank,

That I am not like other men.

But for your grace go I! Amen.”

Surely, a man as just as he

The Lord would look upon and free!

And yet, this man God did not save;

Only the other God forgave.

In one key place he was amiss.

The crucial truth he missed was this:

The one whom God declares as just

Is one who has the proper trust.

To understand this lesson well,

An error we must first dispel.

This man whom God did not forgive

Did not err in trying to live

A life of righteousness produced

By strength that was not God-induced.

Clearly, he saw his life of good

As from God’s hand. He understood

That righteousness is from our God,

And not a man who walks this sod

Can be perfect all on his own.

This was a truth that was well known,

For this man knew that God was key.

That’s why he said, “God, I thank Thee

That I am not like other men.

But for your grace go I! Amen.”

No, this man knew he needed grace;

That is not where he lost his place.

Why then the four and tragic words

That he thought would never be heard?

“Rather than the other,” Christ said,

“I justify this man instead.”

He justified the sinful man,

And not the Pharisee, whose plan

Of being right with God by law

And worshiping with fear and awe

Had come to be the way of death,

And not the way of life and breath.

Despite his thanking God for grace,

He still fell short at one key place:

This one man was not justified

Because he held onto his pride.

To whom did Christ direct this tale?

What truth did He wish to unveil?

He spoke to those who placed their pride,

Not in our Lord, Christ crucified,

But in their own righteous efforts.

Although God’s grace they did assert

And saw their good as from God’s hand,

They still trusted in good in man.

That was this man’s biggest mistake.

We must not ever, ever stake

Our right standing before the Lord

On what is inherently stored

Within.Even a God-produced

Righteousness is of zero use

When brought into God’s court of law.

It’s still our works, and therefore flawed.

Our righteous deeds are filthy rags;

Our Lord hates them; they make Him gag.

We have no merit of our own.

Even that which by grace is sown,

Is not enough to be perfect.

This way to God we must reject.

We cannot come to God in pride,

Or we’ll never be justified.

We must keep the commandments, yes,

And keep them all! Nevertheless,

Our own good deeds we must forsake

And something else a hold of take,

If we would be declared as just.

We must possess the proper trust.

So now I ask: What is this trust?

Who is the one God declares just?

If we must forsake good in us,

Then clearly, we may conclude thus:

What we need most is to possess

Somebody else’s righteousness.

Paul said it best in Romans four:

“Now to the one who does not pour

His life out as one with a job

But trusts our ever gracious God,

His faith counts as his righteousness.”

This is a point that I must stress:

God does not look for employees,

Apprentices, or internees.

Instead,He seeks those who believe

In His Son, and to Him do cleave.

All trust in ourselves we must shirk

And by faith connect with Christ’s work.

What is this work? Christ came to earth

As God in flesh, and from His birth

He lived completely without flaw,

And thus fulfilled God’s holy law.

Then He was lifted up to die,

And “It is finished” was His cry.

He became sin, who knew no sin,

That righteousness would be in Him.

Three days later, Jesus was raised;

Now all who love Him give Him praise.

By faith in Christ—His life, His scars—

All that He is and has is ours.

If not for Christ, we would be damned;

Instead, our sin went on the Lamb

Who for our sake, and God’s glory,

Was slain. That’s the gospel story.

Our hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Through faith in Him He calls us friends.

You see, my dear friends, in the end,

Justification is by deeds.

But whose good deeds? The deeds we need

Are not our own, but those of Christ.

Only his righteous works suffice

To not be looked at and reviled,

But looked at as a righteous child.

By faith our God sees us perfect

Because in Christ’s garment we’re decked—

The cloak of righteousness that dons

All believers. This is no con

Or legal fiction, as some say,

But is the gospel, clear as day.

The one whom God declares as just

Is one who has the proper trust.

We must not look to what’s in us,

But look alone to Christ Jesus.

If we trust partly in his death,

But still trust in our life and breath

Than Jesus’ glory is but half,

And He’s no better than a calf.

But as it is He dies and lives

So that His Father may forgive

All those who repent of their sin

And by faith place their trust in Him.

The devil will try to deceive.

He’ll try to get us to believe:

“You have to have your own merit.

Righteousness must be inherent.

Your evil deeds you can’t undo.

You’re too wicked; God can’t love you.

With your next sin you’re going to lose

Your righteousness.” He will accuse

Us in this way. What shall we say

In order to drive doubt away?

“No one can bring a charge of guilt

Because the blood of Christ was spilt.

No matter how much we may fail,

All the elect in Christ prevail.

Our God is always on our side;

Forever we are justified!

One day we’ll see Him face to face,

And it’s all because of His grace.

So we’ll sing the old, old story;

To God alone be all glory.”

My friends, this is the greatest news:

In Christ alone we cannot lose.

SLMF Meeting: My Personal Opinion (by Jonita Barram)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I like to smile at strangers in stores. I’ve gotten some interesting responses. Sometimes I get a friendly smile back. Sometimes I get a “Wow! I can’t believe somebody smiled at me” smile. But most of the time, I get no smiles.

I went to a store after the Sunshine Ladies Missionary Fellowship (SLMF) met at our church on Mar. 13. I noticed a contrast. All day I had been smiling at strangers, but all day I’d gotten smiles in return—friendly, “Hi, sister. Isn’t God good?” smiles. I felt so refreshed from the fellowship and challenged by the messages, both spoken and sung. I’m glad my boss let me attend as a reporter. (Read my official report at www.BaptistBulletin.org.) I’m also grateful for Lee Dusing, who took photos all morning and then lent me her camera to use after she had to leave.

Ruth Rhoden and Lorraine Hooser greet ladies and help them sign in.

The morning began with a continental breakfast provided by the church. I didn’t see Beth Brown, but I know she worked behind the scenes to organize everything. Then Evelyn Dinsmore, Dorothy Albritton, Dot Malcolm, and Mary Pence served and cleaned up both breakfast and lunch. The breakfast was a great time for reconnecting with ladies from other churches and meeting ones I didn’t already know.

Evelyn Dinsmore, Dorothy Albritton, Dot Malcolm, and Mary Pence serve and clean up so others can enjoy a great meeting.

From there we went into the chapel, where the SLMF president, Maribeth Smith, welcomed everyone. Then Bea Ide spoke on behalf of the Faith ladies. “We love you all, and we’re glad you’re here,” she said.

Bea Ide, liaison between the SLMF and Faith, welcomes the ladies.

I won’t give a detailed account of the day, but I would like to touch on some highlights and our ladies’ involvement.

Sheila Vegter, accompanied by Rebecca Tarquino, sang “I’m Surrounded by His Love” during the morning session and “Don’t Quit” during the afternoon session. Both songs were written by Doug and Donna Lowry. When Sheila introduced the first song, she mentioned that she is related by marriage to Doug Lowery: he is the brother of Jerry Vegter’s wife Diane. (Jerry is Bill’s brother, Vi’s son, and so forth and so on.) Doug is an evangelist; he and Donna travel the country as a ministry team.

Sheila Vegter sings "I'm Surrounded by His Love

Rebecca Tarquino accompanies Sheila

I noticed several of “our ladies” looking over the book table, brought by Connie Overholt from Heritage Baptist Church. Maribeth thanked Connie and the others from Heritage for bringing the books. Then she plugged her brother Larry’s book, Elephant Trunk Steaks and Other Adventure Stories about growing up as MKs in Africa.

Carla Gaswint and Ellen Balsley visit the book table, managed by Connie Overholt (Heritage Baptist, Lakeland, far right)

Margaret Tolosa, the SLMF secretary/treasurer, told us about this year’s project. EBI (Editorial Bautista Independiente) has put together a 26-book library for pastors in Spanish-speaking countries outside the U.S. A pastor can pay $20 for his library, but it cost $150 more to publish the books. So EBI is asking for others to donate the funds. (EBI covers the postage.) Ladies groups in the various churches have been saving money since the October 2011 meeting. When the offering was collected on the 13th, the project money amounted to over $730! That’s almost half of the SLMF’s goal to raise $1,500 to purchase 10 libraries.

Margaret Tolosa introduces the 2012 missions project: purchasing 26-book libraries for 10 pastors in Spanish-speaking countries outside the U.S.

When we ladies divided into pairs or threes to pray, I had the privilege of praying with Margaret and with our missionary speaker for the day, Nancy Ball. Nancy was a missionary in Ghana for 45 years. She gave her testimony in the morning and showed slides in the afternoon. She was part of a literacy work, teaching nationals to read. (For more details, see my report at www.BaptistBulletin.org.)

Nancy Ball points to a stack of Bibles: two New Testaments and one complete Bible in the Waalii language of Ghana.

Stephen Simpson ran the sound so we could hear Nancy speak, Sheila sing, Maribeth lead the music, others make announcements, and Maribeth and her cohorts put on two hilarious skits about translating for American speakers. (For more details on the skits, see my report at www.BaptistBulletin.org.) It was good to laugh so much!

Stephen waits for the afternoon session to begin so he can run the sound system.

Maribeth Smith and Dessie Johnson demonstrate the language barrier when Americans use figures of speech and interpreters translate literally.

People who enjoy an event always tell those who weren’t there, “You missed a great time.” But really, ladies, if you weren’t there, you missed a great time. Think about attending the next meeting, October 9, at Bethany Baptist Church, Avon Park.

2012 Mission Conference (by Jonita Barram)

www.faithbaptistwh.org (www.faithbaptistwh.org) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:02:00 +0000

The 2012 Missions Conference began Friday night. Chaplain John Murdoch opened the conference by preaching from Exodus 3 and 4. He pointed out how the shepherd’s rod Moses had in his hand (4:2) became “the rod of God” (4:20). He challenged everyone to use for God whatever He has placed in their hands. Read more about the Murdochs.

Saturday
The next day we ate breakfast with the missionaries. The delicious meal was prepared and served by men of the church and Beth Brown. Following the meal, Pastor Brock divided us into three groups, who rotated between the auditorium, the chapel, and the fellowship hall to meet with our missionaries.

Curt and Bonnie Jones work in the Far East, including China. They encourage and minister to missionaries and national pastors in those countries. Read more about the Joneses.

Jim Blizzard and our own Jim Phillips and Sean Fielder talked about the partnership between Child Evangelism Fellowship and Faith’s FX program. All the local elementary schools that Jim Blizzard contacted about having after-school Good News Clubs turned him down. So FX busses kids from Westwood Middle School to the church as part of its ministry. Read more about Jim Blizzard.

Sunday
During the Sunday School hour, Chris and Diane Marine reported on the transition from their previous mission to Faith Baptist Mission. Read more about this transition. They also reported on their current ministry. Listen to their report.

(Chris & Diane Marine)

Sunday morning, Dr. Jim Jeffery, president of Baptist Bible College and Seminary, preached “Training Up Timothys.” He defined missions as “the extension of Christ’s redemptive mandate in this world.” He said,

“The work of the church today is to extend that message to the entire world ... If you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ and you are not in some way involved in fulfilling that mandate [Acts 1:8], then you’re totally missing what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.” Listen to “Training Up Timothys.”

(Dr. Jim Jeffery)

Sunday evening, Pastor Brock questioned the missionaries. We learned what Scripture verse or passage has most impacted each missionary’s life (the book of Romans won), what each one enjoys most about ministry (people), and the biggest discouragement faced daily in ministry (various answers). Curt Jones and John Murdoch told how God led them from the pastorate into their current ministries, and several shared stories of how they personally have seen the gospel change a life. Listen to the Q&A time.

The Kids Conference
Lisa Brock, Kelly Hill, Jennifer Taylor, Jim Taylor, Buzz Rutenbar, and Helen VanHorn led the kids conference. Kids had to follow clues that uncovered passages of Scripture and application. Buzz appeared as Detective Herlock Sholmes, and Jim as Tick Dracy. Buzz says,

“The message was that, little as the kids are, God has put something in their hands. As they grow, they should look for what that is.”

(Buzz Rutenbar aka 'Herlock Sholmes')

Helen taught an object lesson Friday night, using 25 different styles of gloves as the objects. She pointed out that a glove has no value until someone puts it on. She encouraged the children to put themselves into the things that interest them, and use them for God.

The next day the kids enjoyed singing and skits put on by young adults, as well as their own round robin. Three classrooms were spectacularly decorated to match the missionaries’ countries. Lisa Brock taught the children about Chaplain Murdoch’s ministry, Kelly Hill talked about CEF, and Jennifer Taylor taught about China and the Joneses’ ministry there.

Pastor Brock, says the conference reached the goal of encouraging people—even kids—to use their gifts to minister the gospel in local areas and around the world.

Other Posts from the 2012 Mission Conference:

2012 Mission Conference Recap & Reflections (by Stephen Simpson)
2012 Mission Conference Report (by Jonita Barram)
2012 Mission Conference - Curt & Bonnie Jones
2012 Mission Conference - Chaplain John Murdoch
2012 Mission Conference - Jim Blizzard & CEF