The
CBNortheast@msn.com E-Letter
www.missionnortheast.org
Editor: Dr.
R. Peter Mason, Executive Director
Volume
1, Number 2
April,
2001
To the CBMissionNortheast Family: This is an important time of
year to reflect on the significance of Christ's death and to celebrate His
resurrection. Forgiveness of sins and hope for eternal life rest on
these historical facts received by faith alone. It is a wonderful
privilege to serve the Risen Savior together!
An
Invitation!
Pastors
and wives, please plan to join me in meeting with our new CBAmerica
National Director, Dr. Dennis Gorton.
He
is planning on being with us in the Northeast for three fellowship
and equipping events.
Dinner
on May 19th, 2001 in the Hudson Valley near Fishkill\Peekskill, NY.
Lunch
on May 21st, at Lakeside Christian Conference Center in Pittsfield, MA,
Lunch
on May 22nd at South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham, MA,
He
will be sharing his heart for planting and growing healthy churches.
Please
mark your calendars and I will follow up this announcement with more
details soon.
In
this E-Letter:
The
Challenges of Men’s Ministry
Brian
Doyle, Men’s Ministry for Vision New England and Consultant to
CBNortheast
Ministry to and through men has some
challenges. Churches that make it a priority do so because of conviction,
not because it is easy.
The
number one challenge of the local church is equipping the man who is
already in the church for personal ministry. Men need to be trained to be
the spiritual leaders in their homes and Christ’s representatives in
their cities. This training takes the proclamation of the Word of God
and the slow work of small groups and personal mentoring.
The
number two challenge of the local church is outreach. When it comes to
men, the local church is simply not relevant. Most men look at the church
and shrug their shoulders—they don’t understand why it would benefit
them to “attend” a church. The feature entry point of a typical church
is Sunday morning and men are not “attending” in large numbers.
But
wait, there is hope!
If
the local church equips men to be spiritual leaders in their home and
Christ’s representatives in the community, then the feature entry point
of the local church will change. The entry point will now happen in the
neighborhood; on the playing field; in the workplace; around kitchen
tables as men reach out to the men in their lives. The work of outreach is
done as men and women “reach out” to others.
Please
pray as CB churches cast this simple vision all over the Northeast. There
are millions of men in this region who would not even consider entering
the door of a local church. Let’s prayerfully and purposely equip men to
go and reach out to lost men.
Editor's
Note: You can contact Brian Doyle at BrianDoyle@cleanweb.net
regarding two men's equipping events called "2001
New England Men's Conferences" focusing on the theme "Light
in the Darkness." You may also check our website www.missionnortheast.org
and look under "News and Info" and check "What is
New?" The dates and places are as follows:
Saturday,
April 28, 2001 8:30
AM - 4:30 PM
Valley Community Baptist Church
in Avon, CT
Saturday,
May 5, 2001 8:30
AM - 4:30 PM Grace
Chapel in Lexington, MA
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"CB
Spurgeon Fellowship"
for
Renewal Through the Truths of God’s Word
by
Ron Bridge
Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said:
“All the hope of our ministry lies in the Spirit of God operating on the
spirits of men.” In wholehearted agreement with the “Prince of
Preachers” a small group of Conservative Baptists have joined together
to form the Conservative Baptist Spurgeon Fellowship. This is an
association of pastors who believe that the answer to the general malaise
within the Christian Church at this time in history is not to be found in
any array of programs, but in a return to the principles that have always
attended revivals of the church in ages past—Scriptural fidelity (not
only inerrancy, but sufficiency), fervent prayer, expository preaching,
theological renewal and godliness in every aspect of a Christian’s
individual and corporate life.
The
Fellowship desires to call pastors away from the seductive techniques of
modern culture, away from entertainment based methodologies and
psychological needs based approaches to ministry. We desire to call the
Lord’s servants back to the exposition of the Word as the principle
God-given means of exalting the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming the
Gospel. The fellowship also exists to recapture the once accepted standard
that every pastor be a theologian in order to exegete not only Scripture,
but the culture, thereby erecting a hedge of sound doctrine to defend the
church against the relativism that dominates society and threatens the
church (2 Timothy 3:1-4:5).
For
more information about the CB Spurgeon Fellowship and to find out how to
become a member log on to www.klink.net/-reklueg/spurgeon/
or call Pastor Ron Bridge 508.252.6437 or Pastor Jim Harrison
914.628.4230.
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Setting
a Church Free
Russell
Bailey
Churches,
like individual believers, are subject to temptation, carelessness and
spiritual failure. As time goes by, failures can accumulate and a
spiritual bondage can be the result with very little if any awareness on
the part of the people in the church!
The
leadership of the West Bridgewater Baptist Church in Massachusetts was
aware that a major problem existed but was struggling with the exact
nature of the problem and the solution. Former interim pastor, Wally
Holder, was used of God to identify spiritual bondage as the problem and
recommend Setting Your Church Free by
Dr. Neil Anderson as the tool God would use to address the problem.
After
twelve weeks of preparation, using Dr. Anderson’s video taped teaching,
a day of intense examination and prayer was led by Gene and Sandy Heacock,
to acknowledge and confess sin, to “announce” new commitment to God’s
plan and the accept the promised forgiveness and cleansing from Him. Where
Satan had gained a foothold and bound the ministry, the authority of
Christ was claimed to break that bondage and receive freedom in Christ.
Since
that day, April 8th, 2000, a new environment of freedom,
strength, purpose and fruitfulness have been experienced in the church.
The enemy has attempted to challenge that gain, but returning to the
biblical principles of spiritual freedom has enabled the fellowship and
ministry to maintain that freedom, peace and joy. Several new decisions
for Christ have been part of that victory. I would be happy to share with
and encourage other churches that might suspect the same hindrance to
ministry.
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Windham
Baptist Church to Host Small Group Leadership Training Seminar
April
28, 200
Windham
Baptist Church, 973 River Road, Windham, ME 04602
wbc@wrld.com
The
Pilgrimage Training Group and NavPress will be co-sponsoring a
comprehensive "BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH SMALL GROUPS" Seminar
at Windham Baptist Church at 973 River Road in Windham, Maine on Saturday,
April 28, 2001. The seminar
will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (registration begins at 8:00
a.m.). This training opportunity for small group leaders will provide
practical ideas in the areas of caring, leadership skills, worship,
leading dynamic discussions and Bible study. The day's format will include
lectures, small group experiences and resources for developing or
strengthening church-based small groups.
The regular registration price of $89.00 includes a seminar
training manual, refreshments and discounts on great resources. Discounts
are available for groups and early registration (14 days prior to workshop
date). For more information,
or to register call Pilgrimage at 1(800) 477-7787. Information is also
available at the NavPress website www.navpress.org.
You may also contact Christina Pulkinen, Church Administrative Assistant,
at the church office (207) 892.3652 or at her home (207) 892.3850.
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Remember to Mark Your Calendar for
"The George Barna Seminar"
on May 10, 2001 in Syracuse, New York
We receive a discount on the registration
when we register with Barna (www.barna.org)
under "CBNortheast."
"CBNortheast Come Together" at
Word of Life Inn, October 1-3, 2001
Check the calendar on our website www.missionnortheast.org
for other coming events!
God's
Holy Word says:
"Therefore,
my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves
fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the
Lord is not in vain."--
1 Corinthians 15:58
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The
CBNortheast@msn.com E-Letter
is designed to update friends about the ministry of CBNortheast and about
what the Lord is doing among our family of churches. Articles from
our churches and ministry staff are welcomed. Mail submissions and
comments to cbnortheast@msn.com. Feel
free to forward the E-Letter to others who may be interested. Most of
all, your prayers would be most appreciated.
Thank you for your partnership in the ministry of CBNortheast, PO Box
3701, Albany, NY 12203.
Visit
our web
site
www.missionnortheast.org