Bethel Bible Church

Another shot from the simulcast!

Marriage Simulcast...

137 folks at our "Focus On Marriage" Simulcast from Folks On The Family.

You can check it out here

One Story Tells the One Story

The World on Wednesday by Jim Smithies, Bethel's Pastor of World

I learned a significant point this past weekend at Bethel.  I had the privilege of interviewing Adam and Katie - Bethel's newest missionaries.  In just a few weeks they will be traveling to Brazil with One Story - a mission organization committed to sharing God's Word in a novel, contextual way.

I learned that the majority of the unreached peoples in the world are Oral societies.  Some may have a written language but its use is relegated to the unimportant, mundane issues of life.  Instead, the vital, generational issues are preserved and conveyed through oral transmission.

Think what this means...and necessitates...in order to reach these folks for Christ!

One Story takes 40-60 stories from the Bible and tranlsates them into the common language of these unreached people.  They give them the whole scope of God's Word as well as the redeeming work of Christ.  It opens the door to eternal life...for this generation and for all those who follow.

As you watch the video notice also that the commitment of those like Adam and Katie is two years.  I find this phenomenal, too.  To be able to impact a culture for generations to come with the Good News of Jesus Christ...by giving just two years of our life!  That's amazing...enticing...compelling!

Celebrate with us as we thank God for Adam and Katie and their new venture for God.  Pray for them.

And as always, ask God where He might be sending you...across the street, across town, or across the world...but all Christians are commissioned to go.

FLESH TO FAITH

This past weekend was our D-Now (Disciple Now Weekend).  This weekend focused on WHAT IS TRUE DISCIPLESHIP?  Our students responded well and all of our leaders did a great job.  One aspect of the weekend really stood out.  See, we want to foster a group of students that not only say they care about people but are willing and able to actually do something (putting flesh to faith).

On Saturday afternoon the students gathered at Bethel and we sent out to make a difference in helping the East Texas Food Bank.  The E.T.F.B. is a great organization that helps others in great times of need.  http://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/

The students had one hour to go around to various neighborhoods to collect as many non-perishable food items as they could.  They then had to get creative and decorate their parking spot with the food, props, etc.  The amazing part is that our students collected 830 pounds of canned and boxed goods to help others. Great job students.

Mark Kuykendall - Youth Pastor of Bethel Bible (What a privilege it is)

Monday WorshipWord!

todd vlog ep 59 from Todd Wright on Vimeo.

Click here to listen!

How Much is that Wicked Heart in the Window?

The World on Wednesday by Jim Smithies, Bethel’s Pastor of World

Yesterday Mark wrote about the value of things – how much we are willing to pay or to give up for something that is valuable to God.  Yesterday I also learned that my wicked heart is worth about $260…and sadly, maybe only $10!  Not a very impressive day for me!

In Matthew 18:24-33 Jesus tells a parable about two servants who owed the king money.  One owed him 10,000 talents or about 60 million denarii.  The other owed him 100 denarii – a difference factor of 600,000!

"When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt."But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii ; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.'  "So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' "But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed."So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. "Then summoning him, his lord said* to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?

 

 My wife and I had overpaid one of the hospitals here in town…by $250.  I hate wrangling over money so I have been avoiding the pursuit of this…for months.  I have not had good luck getting funds back from the medical world and imagined the same endless cycle of futility and frustration on this one.  However, I walked into the business office and a very pleasant lady named Jean called out to me and asked if she could help.  So I put on my super-friendly, nice-guy smile and went into her office.  I gave her the sheet that showed our payment.  She was joyful, friendly, competent, talkative…and in a matter of moments said, “Let me go next door and get your receipt for the $250 refund.”  But…right before she left she stopped and said, “Oh….”  Guess what I was thinking…?  She then said, “We owe you another $10 from another bill.  I’ll get that refunded, too.”  And she did.  I told her that I loved her and that she was my new best friend!

 

 I had prayed for God’s mercies to precede me…in part because I hate this stuff and in part because we had some surprise bills come up that this money now mattered more.

 

 As I was leaving this wonderful office managed by Jean, stepping out into the rain, a very poorly bundled, cold, sad-looking woman stops me and asks if I have any money I can give her for food…because she is hungry.  Without batting an eye or slowing down I tell her “not today.”  I walk about 10 feet and am literally stricken by the wickedness of my heart:  God just granted me $250 AND a $10 bonus…and I have the unbelievable audacity to tell this woman I can’t help her today?!  I was stunned and ashamed by the wickedness of my heart…for the sake of the $10 I had in my wallet.

 

 So I turned around and caught up to her.  I asked why she needed money and she said her disability check had not come in.  I asked her why she was on disability and she said “because I am slow.”  Her innocent sincerity on this really broke my heart.  So I asked her if she had a relationship with God.  She said she goes to church every Sunday by the Salvation Army…so she knew she was going to heaven.  I explained that we go to heaven because we believe in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins; and, that God had us meet so that I could be sure she understood who Jesus was and what He alone did for her.  I gave her the $10 I had in my wallet.  She said “thank you” and waddled off in the pouring rain.  I never got her name.

 

 If Jesus was telling the parable today He could have used my name for the wicked slave.  I am still a little stunned over the hardness of my heart after God’s mercy to me.  Ten dollars can bring my wickedness to the surface…and it wasn’t even my $10.  God had already provided it at no cost to me.

 

 Here are three questions that come to my mind.  Pick one for you to answer or add one for me:

 

- God’s mercies are new every morning…why aren’t mine? (Lamentations

    3:22-23)

- He who is forgiven much loves much…why don’t I love more? (Luke 7:47)

- Everything of worth that I have has been given to me so why do I live as

    though I deserve to keep it? (1Co 4:7)

Happy Anniversary Kosovo

On Feb. 17, 2008 Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.  So let me say Happy Anniversary all you Kosovoans.

As I sat reading this article this morning, I began once again thinking of a message I preached last week.  Matthew 13:44 tells us about the Parable of the Hidden Treasure.  As you probably know a man finds a treasure.  Getting excited about the treasure he buries it and then goes and sells EVERYTHING he has to purchase the land so that he can have the treasure.  In fact it says that in his joy he sold all that he had.

The question is often asked how much is something worth?  The most common answer is that worth is based on how much someone is willing to pay for it.  For example, I own a Dan Marino rookie card.  I may think the card is worth $300 but if no one is willing to pay that I would be wrong.  It is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  So in this parable, the treasure is worth everything that the man owns.  So I think the powerful conclusion could be how much is our eternity and relationship with God worth?  The answer is what someone is willing to pay for it which Christ would say it is worth giving my life for.  How thankful I am for that today.

But I want to propose another answer to this worth question and I want to phrase it not from Christ point of view but from ours.  Worth can also be determined not just by how much someone is willing to pay for something but how much are they willing to give up once they have it.  If my relationship with God was placed on the auction block how much would I be willing to give up in order to keep it.  It has been purchased for me with the blood of His Son.  I could never earn that or deserve it.  But I wonder what would I be willing to give up in order to keep it?  Now I am not saying you can lose your salvation I am just asking if something is worth what you are willing to give up in order to keep something once you have it?  How much are you willing to give up?  How much am I willing to give up?

The people of Kosovo would say that freedom is a valuable thing and that for some it came at a great cost - their lives.  I would also venture to say that those who truly appreciate and understand their freedom would say that now that they have it they would give everything up to keep it.

SO HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST?

Matthew 5:16 and Texas Football

The World on Wednesday by Jim Smithies, Bethel's Pastor of World

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  Matt 5:16

This verse guided Bethel's outreach into the community a number of years ago.  The video below illustrates the power of living life this way.  Here is the set up:

This amazing football game all started when Grapevine Faith Christian's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville State Correction School team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

 

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

Simple, powerful, life-changing.  That is God's call on those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior.  Let's find somebody for Bethel to cheer for!

A-Rod Preaches "And the TRUTH will set you FREE"

You really do not have to be much of sports fan to hear all the buzz going around the baseball world.  The talk of the baseball community has been that Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankee's 3rd baseman) has openly admitted to using steroids.  I found myself very interested in the interview by Peter Gammons of EPSN.  A-Rod who will some day be a hall of fame candidate has openly admitted to taking illegal, performance enhancing drugs during the years of 2001-2003 (During these years he was with the Texas Rangers so not even A-Rod on steroids could win a championship for the Rangers).  You can check out the interview at the following link:
A-Rod Interview on Steroids

This interview and admission of guilt has spurred my thinking about the idea, practice and importance of REPENTANCE.  As I sat and listened to A-Rod I began wondering, "WHY WOULD HE OPENLY ADMIT THIS NOW?"  Here are some of my thoughts:

• Maybe he knew he was about to be caught and he wanted to get ahead of the curve.
• He wants to separate himself from other problem players such as Rafael Palmeiro, Roger Clemens, Mark Maqwire, and Barry Bonds.
• Is he looking ahead and trying to preserve his Hall of Fame ballot?
• Could he be genuinely sorry for what he did and he wants to come clean?

Only A-Rod, who is now being referred to as A-Roid or A-Fraud, can answer that.  But I heard A-Rod say, "The truth will set you free."  And I thought A-Rod is about to begin preaching.  And then the question was proposed by Peter Gammons who asked, "Should you be voted into the Hall of Fame?"  A-Rod answered with the following statement: "I don't know but I think they need to take my 23 year career, subtract the 1, 2 or 3 years and then make their decision."  WOW, interesting thought.

Then I begin thinking about the whole idea of repentance- especially in my life.

• Am I ever sorry only because I got caught
• Am I sorry because I don't want to be as bad as others
• Am I sorry for what I think it will bring me

So what should be our motivation for REPENTING?  Scripture tells us to repent for the kingdom of God is near (Matt. 3:2).  Scripture also says that unless we repent we will perish (Luke 13:3).  I will admit that this is one area I am a miserable failure at (maybe I need to repent for my lack of repentance).  So reading in my bible today I came across a motivation for repentance that I want to begin following.

ROMANS 2:4 says, "God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance."  The blessings of God should be something that drives me to my knees to come before His throne and to weep over the disgrace I bring to a Holy God and to ask for His life to reign supreme in me.

So here is a challenge.  I am reminded of a song by Chris Tomlin titled "KINDNESS."  Watch and listen to the truth of scripture and decide for yourself what your response needs to be.

Live shot from our Saturday Night "Grand Canyon Seminar"