E-note From Pastor Andy 7-4-15

July 4, 2015

Dear Eastridge Family,

I’m on my way to Florida but I wanted to leave you with a few thoughts and a couple reminders.  I recently read the following from Pastor Tony Evans on discipleship that I wanted to share:

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a lot different than just going to church once or twice a week. To get excited because the preacher moved you and the choir inspired you is nice, but that’s not spiritual growth. To enjoy fellowship with your friends is a wonderful part of the Christian life, but it in and of itself is not discipleship.

The goal and the cornerstone of your activity, that which brings God the most glory, is for you to become a disciple. God’s goal is not salvation; that is just the introduction to God’s goal. His desire is that those who are saved become disciples.

It is not enough simply to say: “I’m on my way to heaven.” The issue is, are you becoming like the One who is taking you to heaven? That’s discipleship, and that’s what Christ wants from you.

Discipleship is that developmental process that progressively brings Christians from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity so that they are then able to reproduce the process with someone else. The singular, overarching goal of a disciple is to bring all of life under the lordship of Jesus Christ and then help someone else to do the same.

Notice that this brings discipleship around full circle. Disciples are to turn around and make other disciples. Ultimately, that’s how you fulfill the mandate of Matthew 28:18–20. Whether that be at home in your relationships, at work, in church, through mentoring or volunteering at the local public school, or in a variety of ways—your life ought to be about discipling others to become more like Jesus Christ. That is your highest calling and purpose.

Homosexual Marriage

          In light of the recent Supreme Court decision on marriage our General Superintendents released the following statement:

Societies across the globe are engaged in conversations to redefine marriage. Media debates, election-day balloting, and governmental court rulings have provided the platform for this redefinition. We believe a biblical view of marriage involves a monogamous, covenantal relationship between a man and a woman. Jesus said, “... At the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matthew 19:4-6 NIV).

Today the United States Supreme Court, in the 5-4 decision of Obergefell v. Hodges, legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. We remind our people that while the civil law of yet another country has changed, divine truth has not changed. We will learn how this civil definition functions within the context of our constitutional and religious freedoms. Our commitment to the orthodox biblical Christian faith remains the same. We continue to call Nazarenes around the world to a life of holiness, characterized by holy love and expressed through the most rigorous and consistent lifestyle of sexual purity. We further call our people to a generosity and graciousness of spirit that extends kindness to those who do not share our belief. We pray that God will help us be examples of His truth in a world that needs to see God’s love demonstrated in word and deed more than ever.

Jerry D. Porter, J. K. Warrick, Eugénio R. Duarte, David W. Graves, David A. Busic, Gustavo A. Crocker - Board of General Superintendents, Church of the Nazarene

District Assembly

          Kansas District Assembly will be held July 12-14, 2015 at Wichita First Church of the Nazarene.  We will not have our evening service so all can attend Sunday evening service and hear our new District Superintendent Jim Bond.  On Monday morning we will have the missionary convention and Monday afternoon the SDMI convention.  Tuesday will be our church assembly with pastor’s reports from across the Kansas district.

Missionary Speaker Dave and Kim Hane - Sunday morning July 12

          Dave and Kim Hane are missionaries with the Church of the Nazarene and serve in Singapore in the Asia-Pacific regional office.  Dave and Kim were first appointed as missionaries in 1991 and were assigned to the regional office, then located in Manila, Philippines.  In 2006, they moved with the regional office team to the current location in Singapore. 

          Dave serves as the Regional Personnel coordinator and JESUS Film coordinator. He is also coordinator of AsiaServe, a program designed to place more English speaking Nazarene school teachers and administrators in strategic countries on the region.

In addition to being a full-time mom, Kim assists in regional office duties as needed.   Dave and Kim are also involved in ministry to international students studying in Singapore and serve as pastor coordinators for a church plant.

          The Hanes have two children.  Jonathan will be starting his junior year at Southern Nazarene University in August 2015, and Joy will be entering 8th grade in Singapore.

Movie night

          Do You Believe?—the latest film from the makers of God's Not Dead.  Watch for details to be announced with date and time.  This movie is about a local pastor who is shaken to the core by the visible faith of an old street-corner preacher, he is reminded that true belief always requires action. His response ignites a faith-fueled journey that powerfully impacts everyone it touches in tangible ways that only God could orchestrate.

Box tops

          We have a box in the entryway to collect box tops and Campbell soup labels.  If you have been collecting them please bring them to the church and we will send them off to Sun Valley Indian School to help purchase equipment, including a van.  (Please make sure you bring the whole Campbell’s label, the UPC code is needed).

Kitchen remodel

          This week measurements were taken to make our counter top.  I’m not sure at this point how much money that will cost but if you would like to contribute just mark your check or envelope Kitchen remodel.  Hopefully we will have things completed soon and we will be ready for a church dinner celebration.

Pastor Josh and Pastor Gloria will be preaching tomorrow so I will miss worshipping with you tomorrow.  I pray God’s presence will be evident to all who seek Him in worship tomorrow.

Andy Heer