A Closer Look at FX Camp 2012

This past summer, FBC held it first-ever FX camp at Camp Gilead.  This massive undertaking was a tremendous success.  Our thanks go to Jonita Barram for putting this photo collection together so that you can get an inside look at this exciting week.

Fifty-two “FX kids” get together at Camp Gilead for the first-ever FX Camp, Aug. 5–9, 2012.

Sean Fielder, director of FX, says, “Let us never say, ‘There is no room, come back later.’ I have learned that if God sends someone our way, it is a divine appointment. Praise God for letting us watch Him save people!”

You Did What?

Gifts from members of Faith Baptist Church paid for 52 students to attend the first FX Camp at Camp Gilead. In addition to room and board, the church paid for special activities, such as zip-line/high ropes and paintball, and providing $20 for each camper to spend at the camp store.

Campers who choose to do the high ropes are bused to Fantasy of Flight for the ropes and zip line. Sometimes they’re a little intimidating.

Riding the zip line is a favorite activity at FX Camp.

FX Campers learn that it takes balance to succeed, and it helps to have a safety harness and trained  helpers—That sounds like life too!

Although about 90 percent of the campers don’t know how to swim, they don life jackets and go out to the trampoline.

Jonathan Fielder rides the “tube” with two campers. He was a junior counselor, working with eight boys, ages 10–12. Derrick, 10, reports: “When I was swimming with him [Jonathan], he always fell off. Two kids fell off. Then one of them went back on the boat. Then after that we had another turn, and I went on the boat.”

Tubing is a favorite lakefront activity. Most of the campers have never been tubing before this week. Jamie Simmons says, “Oh, the screams are just awesome.” Gary Simpson says, “When they get off, they say, ‘I want to go again! I want to go again!’ ”

The waterfront is a busy place!

Kids 12 and older play paintball, a first for many.

Jerrid, 10, describes the camp store: “It’s nice. You can hang out there and talk to your friends that you don’t get to, because they separate the older boys from the younger boys and the boys from the girls.”

Campers react to a live snake, one of the “Creation Critters.”

It’s All about Getting to Know You

Hannah Long, junior counselor to eight girls, ages 7–11, says, “I like to get to know them. They’re really sweet.”

Sara McMahon spent the week at camp, bonding with and loving the campers. 

Shelsetta Douglas, who works with FX girls during the school year, helps in a variety of ways at camp, including securing boys’ life jackets.

Shelsetta’s love for the girls has helped her win several to salvation in Jesus Christ. 

Jocelyn, 10, likes the camp staff “because they’re nice. They help us with stuff that we need help with.” 

“There’s not a lot of kids, so it’s easier to get closer to the kids and talk to them. It’s been really good,” says one of the summer staff.

“Every camper that comes through needs someone to love them, show them that they’re cared for, and to show them the gospel,” says senior counselor Caleb Jones. “That’s what it’s all about. Kids are kids—it doesn’t really matter who they are or where they’re from.”

The Serious Stuff - Every morning, the campers used the S.O.A.P. method

S = Scripture

O = Observation

A = Application

P = Prayer

A camper gets a hand up. Many camp activities foster cooperation and teamwork. 

Christina Acree, Lauren Dyess, Jonathan Fielder, Joseph Fielder, Cody Hancock, and Dakota Hancock lead the campers in praising God. Pastor Chris Elrod held the campers’ attention as he preached from God’s Word, illustrated from his own life, and applied God’s Word to the campers’ lives.

What Was It All For?

Fourteen campers made salvation decisions during FX camp. Many of them came forward in church Aug. 26, indicating a desire to obey the Lord by being baptized. 

Jamie Simmons - photographer

Editors’ notes: This report is a summary. It leaves out a lot, including the names of many of the Faith volunteers—our apologies to them. Also, speakers quoted in a caption do not necessarily appear in the accompanying photo. And last but not least, sincerest thanks to Jamie Simmons, who recorded FX Camp with her camera, and to Hope Olden for the photos taken at Fantasy of Flight.

• Related Post:  Read the Baptist Bulletin report on FX Camp

In My Seat - A Pilot's Story from September 10th - 11th

(originally posted September 8th, 2011)

Sunday is September 11th.  It has been 10 years since the horrific attacks on our country.  If you are like me, you remember exactly where you were when you heard about the attacks.  I was a college student at Bob Jones University and was sitting in chapel when I first learned about the attacks.  I remember walking out of chapel and seeing a girl sitting in the back row.  She was clutching her cell phone, rocking in her seat, and sobbing.  I don't know her story, but I still see that image when I think about September 11th.

This video shares an unbelievable story.  Peter Scheibner, BJU senior cinema student, portrays the compelling testimony of his father, Steve Scheibner, an American Airlines pilot whose life was spared when a more senior pilot bumped him from Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

 

See also:

• 9/11 - A Foreign Perspective (by Pastor Brock)

"Philippians: A Precious Gem of Joy" Sermon Series by Pastor Osborne

Pastor Osborne recently finished a series he started on May 6, 2012 that covered Paul's letter to the Philippians.  We have gathered the links to all of the sermons for your convenience.  We hope this will be a blessing to you!

1. "Philippians - A Precious Gem of Joy" (audio) 
2. "Confidence in God Leads to Joy" Phil. 1:1-11 (audio)
3. "The Pursuit of Happiness" Phil. 1:12-21 (audio)
4. "Pulled in Two Directions" Phil. 1:21-30 (audio)
5. "Examining Christlikeness" Phil. 2:1-11 (audio)
6. "Life's Challenge to Stay in Balance" Phil. 2: 12-18 (audio)
7. "Excellent Friendship - Part 1" Phil. 2:19-30 (audio)
8. "Excellent Friendship - Part 2" Phil. 2:19-30 (audio)
9. "The Great Temptation" Phil. 3:1-11 (audio)
10. "The Patient Discipline of Determination" Phil. 3:12-16 (audio) 
11. "God's Strategy for a Lost World" Phil. 3:17-4:1 (audio)
12. "Analyzing Conflict" Phil. 4:1-3 (audio)
13. "The Universal Addiction" Phil. 4:4-9 (audio)
14. "7 Characteristics of the Mature" Phil. 4:10-19 (audio)
15. "The Doxology" Phil. 4:20-23 (audio) 

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You Might Be Mature If.... (by Pastor Osborne)

Maturity is becoming increasingly rare.  It is not natural.  It is a choice that we are all faced with.  Pastor Osborne recently preached from Philippians 4 and discussed the topic of maturity.  He defined maturity as

"the process of leaving behind childish habits and consistently moving toward emotional and spiritual adulthood."

He further provided 10 ways in which maturity is expressed.  In other words,

You Might Be Mature If...

1. You are concerned for others more than yourself.
2. You discern the presence of danger before it is obvious and too late to leave or change it.
3. You can express disagreements in a civil, kind, and adult manner.
4. You use knowledge in wise & productive ways.
5. Your goals are accompanied by action.
6. Your compassion & involvement match awareness
7. Your own spiritual growth is pursued privately & corporately.
8. You have the determination to stay committed to a task.
9. You have the courage to change when correction is given.
10. You refuse to blame others for the bad consequences of poor choices.

The Edges of God (by Stephen Simpson)

(Enjoy this post from our archives.  It was originally posted March 3, 2008.)

Have you ever been surprised by Scripture? If you are like me, then you are often surprised by what you read in Scripture. God will bring you to a verse that just totally blows you away. That happened to me recently as I was reading Job 26.

I find Job to be one of the more difficult books of the Bible to read. My mind just has trouble keeping track of all of the 'discourses.' However, chapter 26 jumped out and shocked me. It was totally amazing. In this chapter, Job describes the majesty of God. He begins with,  

"How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!" (ESV)

Job devotes the entire chapter to this subject. Verse after verse describes how powerful, and mighty, and majestic our God is. Another interesting verse is verse 7,  

"He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing." 

This seems to be a reference to our planet being suspended in space.

But I haven't even reached the best part yet! Job continues on through his discourse and reaches his climax with the last verse.  

"Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him!" 

 The term 'outskirts' is very interesting. It can be translated edges or corners or coasts. The point Job is making is that everything we know about God represents only the very edges of His ways. Everything we hear is but a small whisper.

So, here's the challenge for today. Read and meditate on Job 26. And as you travel through this week, consider the edges of God's majesty. Listen to His thunderings and understand that they are but a whisper.

Before You Pass It On, Check It Out (by Jonita Barram)

I received another one today—one of those compellingly patriotic (or Christian or Republican), staunchly conservative e-mails. The ones that make us feel good about our personal beliefs. But this one, like so many others, wasn’t completely true.

I used to believe that a story coming from an acquaintance or friend must be reliable. But one experience about 15 years ago burst my naivety about e-mails. I had used a story from an e-mail as an illustration in an adult Bible study I was working on. Our retired former boss later read the illustration in the then-published study and let the new boss know the story was fiction. Oops! How embarrassing! That experience taught me to question every story, history lesson, etc. that comes via e-mail and to check out the ones I care about.

If your inbox is piling up with those patriotic (or Christian or Republican), staunchly conservative e-mails, this is for you: Before you pass it on, check it out. I recommend visiting www.snopes.com or www.truthorfiction.com.

Snopes is owned and operated by secular people. When you visit their site, you can type or copy the heading from the e-mail or a key word into the search box. If the particular subject has been addressed, you will find a version of the e-mail you received, a rating (true, false, or mixed), and an explanation. As you read the explanations, you will notice that the author(s) don’t necessarily share our worldview. And that’s why it is helpful to check out the Truth or Fiction site as well. Its owner/operator is a believer and as a Judeo-Christian worldview, but the Snopes site generally addresses more topics.

I’m no expert, just someone who’s “been there, done that” to my own embarrassment and who has learned to check things out before passing them on. I’d like to encourage every other believer to do the same. We, of all people, should not be perpetuating falsehoods and inaccuracies.

11 Months in West Africa (by Leandra Shangraw)

Leandra Shangraw is one of the missionaries who recently joined with Faith Baptist Mission.  Last September, when the transition occurred, Leandra was just beginning an 11 month mission trip to Niger.  Her trip has now come to a close.  Read below as she shares about her experience. 

My name is Leandra Shangraw, and I just returned from spending 11 months living in West Africa in the country of Niger. Africa has always intrigued me. Maybe my fascination started when my aunt and uncle, Tim and Richelle Wright, decided to become missionaries in Niger. Maybe it started in third grade when my class read a book about David Livingstone and his exploration of the Dark Continent. Maybe it started when my parents explained to me why we had a picture of a little African boy who we were supporting on our refrigerator. I guess the timing of when I became fascinated with Africa does not matter all that much… All I know is that it has been my dream for just about as long as I can remember to go there. So when the opportunity presented itself for me to spend a year in Africa straight out of high school, I grabbed a hold of it with both hands and refused to let go.

One of my main goals in going to Africa was to learn as much about missions as I could. Someday I wish to return to the field long-term. But I wanted to see the mission field first hand – see which skill I would need to learn – before I pursued any higher education that would bring me closer to my dream of becoming a missionary. I truly feel that I gained so much from this experience! Being able to watch missionaries day in and day out, trusting God and following His will for their lives, was so rewarding.

My time in Africa will forever have an enormous impact on my life and the decisions I make. I would encourage as many as I could to do something similar. Take a year off and see what the Lord can teach you when you are not in the classroom! It is such a gratifying experience.

The main ministry with which I was involved in Africa was working in an international Christian school called Sahel Academy. It was originally started for missionary kids whose parents were not working somewhere where they could receive decent education. Since then, it has been opened up to students whose parents work with the different embassies in the capitol city and also regular African students who simply want English education. It was a great time for me to grow in maturity, and see how the Lord could use me. I was privileged to lead a 7th/8th grade girls’ Bible study, which was so fulfilling! Those girls in the study affected my life in such huge ways. I pray that the Lord used me to affect them positively in some way.

Another way that I was privileged to serve was going to an orphanage weekly and just spending time with the children there. They were so ready to receive love! The friendships that I made there were so wonderful, and I will forever cherish the time that I was able to spend with them.

I would like to thank Faith Baptist and Faith’s 100 for their help and support when I needed it most. I cannot begin to imagine what this past year would have been like if they had not been so willing to give their assistance. I will forever be grateful for everything you all have done for me. Thank you so much for this opportunity to share. God bless!

Meet some of our other FBM Missionaries:

• Kathy Miller
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
• Ken & Sarah Beckley
• Cindy Faile

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Meet Our FBM Missionaries - Cindy Faile

Briefly share your salvation experience and your call to ministry.

      I was born into a Christian home to very godly parents.  At the age of 5 I realized my need for the Savior and asked Christ to forgive me of my sins and be my Savior.  At age 9 I recognized that I belonged completely to God and that He had a plan for my life.  I gave my life to Him for His purposes.  Then at age 11 I knew God had called me into missions.  He used several factors, His Word being the main factor and in particular verses such as Is. 6:8 and Ro. 12:1,2.  At this point I answered yes to His call in my life to serve as a missionary to Africa.  The only specific was that He called me to be willing to serve somewhere in Africa.  I had His peace about that as I surrendered to Him and have had His peace about it ever since. 

What did you do before you were a missionary?

      After high school, I attended Piedmont Bible College (now Piedmont Baptist College) in Winston-Salem, NC.  From there I taught 3^rd grade in the Christian school at my home church in Hartsville, SC for 1 year.  I also worked through the years in the church office as well as doing bookkeeping for my grandfather’s furniture business. 

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

      I am currently working in Mali, Africa.  I’ve been working as a missionary to Mali since 1985, arriving in Mali in 1989 and working in church planting as a church planting assistant.  Since the end of 1995 I have been working at Buckle Bible Institute (IBB – Institut Biblique de la Boucle) in Gao, Mali.  Specifically, I’m a professor in our regular program at the Bible institute along with being the director and professor of the women’s program and working as school administrator and other positions at the school.  Apart from the school, I work through our local church in Gao being involved in the women’s and children’s ministries, visitation for evangelism and discipleship and leadership training.  God has also given me the privilege of modular teaching in other areas of Mali outside of Gao for ladies’ groups working through the local churches.  I’m currently in the States on an early furlough due to the unrest in Mali and am praying that the Lord will make a way for me to return in mid-September, for now to Bamako if not to the north of Mali.  We’re praying and trusting to be able to start our school year at IBB in October.

How long have you been serving as a missionary? 

     

      I was accepted by EBM to serve in Mali in 1985. 

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

      It’s very hard to say since a typical day has so many unscheduled happenings.  But here’s a fairly decent idea of what goes on during my day this past year: Most days I’m up by 5am due to sleeping outdoors and daybreak. Sundays – I head out for church about 8am. Services begin at 8h30 and I’m usually home again around 11h30.  During that time I pick up and take home lots of passengers as well as direct the children’s classes.  Afternoons are for visiting and studying for the week. Mon – Fri – At school by 7am.  We have classes and I either teach or am preparing/doing admin work/etc, from 7am to noon.  I leave for home about 12h30 and prepare lunch and take our rest time.  Most Malians take a rest in the early afternoon due to the extreme heat.  I also use that time to do more studying and prep work for my classes. At about 2h30 I head back to school for classes from 3 to 6.  If it’s still light after classes I usually either – visit, stay at school and work on studies or admin work, etc.  I do, because of the culture, try to get home just before dark.  Then I visit with my ‘African family’, care for other visitors who’ve dropped by for medicines or other needs, care for extra things that come up (most people know I’m home for the evening at this point), ending up with studying and prep for classes again until around 10 or 11 pm.  Somewhere along the way I prepare supper for myself and the teen girl who was living with me.  I try to be in bed by midnight if I can.  Saturdays are taken up with housework, more studies, marketing, church ladies’ group Bible study (teaching), visiting and doing activities with our church ladies and getting ready for Sunday.

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

      I think most of the highlights have been when I was blessed to be a part of seeing someone come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and then watching and trying to help that person grow into a mature child of God.  In a Muslim area it doesn’t happen as often as it seems to in some other areas.  But it’s so special to be a part of it when it does.  A sort of icing on the cake for me is being able to teach God’s Word to women and see how it touches their lives or to see them applying it to their lives.  I just am overwhelmed at times to see how much I’ve been blessed to care for, evangelize and teach in Mali.  One  highlight for me is being in the classroom whether it’s at IBB or one on one and then to see how God takes His Word and makes it grow in someone’s heart.

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

      Briefly: Loneliness and isolation, political unrest (5 evacuations over the years), being away from family, relationships with other missionaries, learning new languages.

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

      My parents, a missionary couple my home church supported when I was growing up, my childhood pastor

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

      Whether you’re ready to consider missions as a profession or not, first of all make sure you’re living according to Ro. 12:1,2.  If we’re truly the living sacrifice, then we should be open to consider whatever God may ask of us.  Dying to self and living for Christ doesn’t always sound comforting to our ears.  It can conjure up fears; mostly fear of the unknown.  Rather than look at the unknown, look at what you do know of God.  He loves you more than anyone can.  He only wants what’s best for you (even if it sometimes is hard).  He’s promised to never leave you.  He will not ask of you something that’s too hard for you and Him to do together, enabling you to do what He asks you to do.  Learn to enjoy the blessing of His presence, trust Him and let Him be your comfort zone.  He. 13:5, Mt. 28:18-20.

Please share some specific prayer requests with us.

·       First of all please pray for the political situation and unrest in Mali. Pray for our brothers and sisters living as refugees now that God would continue to heal their hearts and give them comfort and wisdom at this time, not to mention patience with each other. 

·       Pray for friends left behind in the Islamists’ controlled north of Mali.  Many are hurting, hungry, have been violated in different ways, etc.  For now there seems no one is on the horizon to come and help or whatever help may come may be a long time in coming.

·       Pray for the ones who’ve found the literature from our churches scattered across the towns.  Who knows but that in this way the rebels have done a part in spreading the gospel.  Pray for the salvation of those there who have already heard the gospel and for a means to let others hear.

·       Pray for IBB (the Bible institute), for the needs there to get things in order to finish the school year, for financial needs, for our regular donors and the need for more regular support.

·       Pray for wisdom for those of us waiting to see when we’ll be able to get back to Mali or what may be next on God’s calendar for us.  For those on furlough now like me, pray that God opens the right doors for churches and uses us to be a blessing and an encouragement to the people He leads us to along the way.

·       Pray for personal financial needs to be met.

·       Praise and prayer for my father’s health. He’s made tremendous improvement and is walking again with a cane, doing more for himself, eating and gaining strength.  He’s supposed to start a new medication which is a chemo medication but there are some huge obstacles in the financial end to get around first. Pray that this treatment will be able to be done and will also go well.  Also think of my mother who is in good health but very tired from being a caregiver.

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

      The needs we have now are for caring for the refugees.  You’re already helping greatly with this through managing the Refugee Fund.  Otherwise, your prayers are what God will use to help meet other needs.  Thank you so much for your openness and willingness to help.  You’ve taken a lot on by inviting us to join you and you don’t know how much your help, encouragement, love and kindness have been a blessing to me.  God has already been using you to meet my needs in these many ways.  Thank you!

    Meet Some of Our Other FBM Missionaries:

• Kathy Miller
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 1)
• Tim & Janice Phillips (part 2)
• Ken & Sarah Beckley
• Cindy Faile 

   

Can We Trust the Bible? The Development of the OT (Lou Gentry)

We know the Old Testament was compiled by the writings of various authors and their scrolls were collected over a period of hundreds of years. Scripture tells us that Moses was a contributor: Ex 17:14, 24:4; 34:27; Num. 33:1-2; Deut. 31:9, 31:11, 31:24; Josh. 1:7-8, 8:31-32; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; John 5:46-47, 7:19; Romans 10:5, etc.) The Bible also tells us Joshua added to the writings of Moses (Josh. 24:26). Then, Samuel added his writings (1 Sam. 10:25). The writings of the prophets were collected over time (Dan. 9:2; Zech. 7:12 - note that later writings quote earlier ones). We know of this progressive collection of scrolls--the compilation of the Old Testament--not only through Scripture, but through the discovery of the Qumran Community and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

By the time of Josephus, the great Jewish historian, the OT Canon had been completed for some four hundred years. Josephus lived during the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. In his autobiography (written about 90 A.D.) he tells how the Emperor Titus gave him the sacred scrolls from the temple at Jerusalem when it was pillaged. In it we find the following quotation:

“We have not an innumerable multitude of books among us disagreeing and contradicting one another, but only twenty-two books which contain the records of all the past times, which are justly believed to be divine. . . .It is true our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath not been esteemed of a like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of prophets since that time, and how firmly we have given credit to these books of our nation, is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already passed, no one hath been so bold as either to add anything to them, to take anything from them, or to make any change in them; but it has become natural to all Jews, immediately and from their very birth, to esteem these books to contain divine doctrines” (emphasis added).

This quotation from Josephus reveals:

1. The Jews believed in verbal inspiration;
2. The Jews received the canonical books because they were written by prophets;
3. The Apocryphal books (to be discussed in a forthcoming article) and others were known not to have been written by prophets;
4. The canon included all the 39 books in our Bible today and no others (the Hebrew canon of twenty-two books is the exact equivalent to the 39 books of our OT);
5. The first and only listing of the OT books until about 170 A.D.;
6. Josephus gave great prominence to prophetic authorship; and,
7. Nno book was added to the Hebrew Scriptures after the time of Malachi (a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah--the period of Artaxerxes).

The Talmud (authoritative writing of Jewish traditions) also makes the claim that in order for a book to be canonical and included as part of the OT, it must come from the prophetic succession during the prophetic period (Seder Olam Babba 30). It further records, “After the latter prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel.”

• Our next article looks at the Apocryphal Books of the OT
        
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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6 Truths Every Parent Must Teach Their Children (by Pastor Osborne)

This past Father's Day, Pastor Osborne preached a two-part message entitled, "To Parents and Their Children."  In his sermon, he covered Six Truths that We Must Teach Our Children.  His basis for these truths came from various excerpts found in Proverbs.


Truth 1 ~ We Must Teach Them to Know God

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."  (Proverbs 1:7)

Parents must teach their children about sin.  Sin separates you from God.  Sin invades every corner of our lives.  Sin robs you of your passion for God.  Sin steals your joy.  Sin leads us to death & eternal separation from God. 

Teaching our children to know God involves teaching them that we are all sinners.  All sinners need a Savior.  Jesus is the only Savior.  Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, thus having victory over sin.  We are saved from sin through faith in Christ alone.

Truth 2 ~ We Must Teach Our Children to Stand Alone

 "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."  (Proverbs 13:20)

Standing alone means that our children know the importance of having Biblical convictions and are willing to stand up for them.  Children's friends are a constant pressure to conform and follow the crowd.  So if pointing out the right path is not enough, then a change in peer groups is/may be necessary for our children.    

This process of leaving and entering friend groups has the potential to be difficult and even painful.  But as parents, we have the opportunity to teach our children what a good friend is and remind them of the consequences of wrong choices.

Truth 3 ~ We Must Teach Our Children to be Open to God's Counsel

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3:11-12) 

Children, especially boys, need to understand that a tender heart towards God is a a hallmark in the Christian walk.  We need to teach them to respond to our counsel, as parents, but they also need to see the value of other people's correction.  If children can learn to respect the correction of teachers, coaches, grandparents, and other adults, it becomes less difficult for them to respond to God's discipline later. 

Share experiences of life with them!  Real life lessons that we have learned will give our children something they will remember, understand, and hold on to for the rest of their lives.  Sharing victories, defeats, and what we learned when we were their age will make the values more real to our children.  As parents, we must give sufficient amount of time to our children.  Presence and availability will shape our children's personality for the full scope of life's responsibilities.  

Truth 4 ~ We Must Teach Our Children How to Deal with Temptation

"And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.  Keep your way far from her,  and do not go near the door of her house," (Proverbs 5:7-8) 

Parents must explain the beauty of intimate marital love that is found in Song of Solomon and Proverbs 5:15-19.  God's plan is for the flames of passion to increase in intensity within the boundaries of marriage.  As parents, we must also explain the dangers and consequences of sexual relationships outside of marriage.  Temptation comes from the center of our hearts and minds.  If our children resist lust or give in to it is determined on the daily battlefield of their hearts and minds.  We must prepare them by teaching the value of purity and how to detect the slightest glimmers of immoral enticement.

"Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags." (Proverbs 23:20-21)

We must be honest and frank with our children about the destruction resulting from letting the search for pleasure dominate our lives.  They need to understand how easy it is to become addicted, the false promises of lasting pleasure, and how it destroys.

Truth 5 ~ We Must Teach Our Children How to Handle Money

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." (Ephesians 4:28) 

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10) 

There are four areas of financial responsibility that children need to learn: earning, giving, saving, and spending.

1. Earning means learning a skill that puts your mind to work.  It will help our children develop, train, evaluate, and improve to earn a living. 
2. Giving is our way of honoring the Lord with our income.  We need to teach our children to make giving to the Lord the number one priority on the budget sheet.  
3. Saving is teaching children the discipline of providing for not only today but for tomorrow's needs as well.  It teaches them to deny themselves today, which allows our children to be better followers of Christ.
4. Children need to be taught that spending revolves around one central idea: "If your outflow exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall."  In other words, our children need to understand that in order to keep their spending in check, they need to have a budget and open communication.

Truth 6 ~ We Must Teach Our Children the Value of Hard Work

"A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.  He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame." (Proverbs 10:4-5)

Our children must grasp the concept of hard work pays off.  As parents, we must not make the mistake of only giving to our children without allowing them to experience the value and reward of hard work.  Assign chores for them to do around the house, teach them ways to earn money, and let them share in some of their own expenses.   

Final Thoughts

These truths must be taught by parents, but there are two keys to teaching our children successfully.  First, we must be consistent in discipline.  Second, we must have constant delight in our children.  While they are going through life and learning the difficult lessons of discipline, they must know that we care about them, delight in them, love them, and are proud of them.

To hear Pastor Osborne's Father's Day sermons, click the links below.


To Parents and Their Children - Part 1
To Parents and Their Children - Part 2

A Faith of Equal Standing As the Apostles (by Matthew DelValle)

(photo by Paul Cleveland)

I was reading 2 Peter the other day and the opening greeting jumped out at me. Peter writes

“to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (2 Pet. 1:1) 

He’s talking about ordinary Christians like you and me—which makes this an astonishing statement. Really Peter? We have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles? Is this hyperbole, or are you being serious? We actually have a faith that is on par with the apostles?

I don’t know about you, but when I read about the faith of the apostles, I do not compare. These guys wrote the Bible. These guys built the church. These guys preached and thousands were saved in a single day. Peter actually raised a woman to life from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). How can he possibly say we have a faith of equal standing as him?

Reading the rest of the text helps. Yes, we have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles. But how? “By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Note what Peter is not saying. Peter is not saying that the subjective quantity of our faith is equal with the apostles. No. There are certainly varying levels of faith among God’s people. All have faith, but some have stronger faith. This is why we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” No, Peter isn’t making this point. He’s not talking about the subjective quantity of our faith.

So what is he talking about? He’s talking about the objective quality of our faith. We have obtained a faith of equal standing with the apostles, not because our subjective faith is as great as theirs, but because the object of our faith is a great Savior. We are on a level playing field with the apostles because we wear exactly what they wear: The cloak of the righteousness of Jesus. We wear the same uniforms.

If the subjective quantity of our faith determined our standing before God, then we would ride the bench, and all the Hebrews 11 folks would be out on the field. But as it is, we are all of equal standing. When God looks at you and me and Peter and Paul, he sees us as equal in standing. Why? Because we all place our hope and trust, not in our ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus.

Think about this Christian. Do you ever feel as if your faith is weak? Do you ever doubt God’s favor towards you, that He shouldn’t be gracious to you as He is to others because your faith isn’t as strong? Do you ever feel like you’re just not cut from the same mold as other Christians whose faith you admire? These are thoughts the Deceiver loves to plant in our minds. Satan wants very much for you to believe you’re of lower standing than others. But take heart! You have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles themselves! How? By the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is yours by faith. It is perfect righteousness. It is the best kind of righteousness there is. And it’s now yours. And therefore God our Father never looks at you as anything less than His righteous, precious, beloved child. In fact, you couldn’t possibly have a higher standing! What can surpass the righteousness of Christ? Is there anything better? No way! It is supremely satisfying to God. And you have it. It’s yours by faith.

Will there be days when the subjective quantity of your faith is weak? Certainly. But a weak faith is still a faith. A little child may not be strong, but if his trust is in his father who is strong, then he will be safe. What matters ultimately is not the subjective strength of your faith but the objective strength of your Lord. No matter how weak you feel your faith may be, the Christ of your faith is so great and so glorious that nothing can change your standing in Him.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“I have a great need for Christ and a great Christ for my need.” 

So it is with us. We have a great Christ for our need. His righteousness is ours by faith. And therefore we have a faith of equal standing as the apostles. This is great news.

And, lest I give the impression that the subjective quantity of our faith doesn’t matter at all, may I point out the next verse: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” What an interesting concept: The multiplication of God’s grace towards us! Sounds great. How do we get it? In the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord—which happens, of course, through studying the Scriptures. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us more like the Son of God.

So this is my prayer for you: I pray that God would use this knowledge of having a faith of equal standing as the apostles by the righteousness of Christ to multiply His grace and peace towards you, and I pray that this multiplied grace in your life would strengthen your faith. May the Lord be gracious!

Read more by Matthew DelValle

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Thoughts from the FPEA Homeschool Convention (by Stephen Simpson)

Just over a month ago, Nicki & I attended the FPEA Homeschool Convention in Orlando.  Having decided to homeschool our oldest daughter for Kindergarten this fall, we attended this convention hoping to learn more, in general, about homeschooling.

Overall, it was a great time.  I thought I would share with you some of the things I learned.

1. You can't homeschool if you are never home!
2. No two homeschooling families are alike.  I already knew this, but it was never more obvious than at this convention.  Homeschool families come in all different shapes and sizes.  Everybody homeschools differently.  This is very comforting.
3. It is important to have a vision for my children.  This is true for every parent regardless of whether they homeschool.  What do you want you child to be like in 10 or 15 years?  Answer that question and then develop a plan to make it happen. 
4. God created individuals - not classrooms.
5. Good Stories are better than textbooks.  None of us remember a favorite textbook from elementary school or high school.  Yet, we all remember our favorite stories.  Too often we quickly forget what we read in a textbook.
6. Long-Term memory is more valuable than short-term memory.  Teach for long-term memory.
7. Each child is uniquely created just like a fingerprint.  So, teach each child differently.
8. Use an inflatable globe.  It won't break when it falls down the stairs or when it gets knocked over. :)
9. The essence of home education is the parent/child relationship.
10. Raising good people is more important than raising smart people.
11. Education and schooling are not the same thing.
12. I need to spend more time thinking through the concept of an Age Segregated Church vs. a Family Integrated Church.  I was introduced to this concept at the convention and I'm not sure what I think about it yet.  It is very interesting.  Look it up...\

Did you attend the FPEA Convention?  If so, what did you learn? 

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