Lamplighter

Vol. 7 Issue 4 April 2014

The

Our Church Staff

Gary Burden
Senior Pastor 919-631-6789

Landon Orr
Assoc. Pastor of Discipleship & Evangelism 919-229-9379

Chastity Comeau
Admin. AssistantFinances

Pat Baucom
Admin. Assistant - Publications

Week of Prayer for North American Missions: April 6-12 National Goal: $ 70 Million Bethesdas Goal: $ 3,000

We Worship a Risen Savior!

April Highlights
Current Highlights Note from the Pastor Note from Landon Upcoming Events April Calendar Financials Extended Session Birthdays Anniversaries Bethesda News p. 1 p. 1 p. 2 p. 3 p. 4 p. 5 p. 5 p. 5 p. 5 p. 6

But what is worship? Im afraid that so much of what we do, calling it worship, is not worship at all. Thats a strong statement, I admit. Easter time is a great time to evaluate our worship and I mean more than just our gathered time in the worship center. After all, if worship in its most basic sense is all that I am responding to all that He is, then it includes all of lifeand it does! Our crucified, risen Lord Jesus deserves our true worship. So what better time to address at least a few angles of worship. I want to borrow from one source this month and another at a later time. First from Kenny Lamm (Consultant for worship and music, Baptist State Convention of North Carolina): While there are many things we can do to set an environment conductive to great times of worship, we cannot manufacture renewal. Often, church leaders feel that changing the form or style of worship is the answer to bringing worship renewal to the church. Graham Kendrick said, It is impossible to draw rich worship from poverty-stricken hearts.
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Worship should develop along-side spiritual growth...but if we merely impose new styles and methods on top of a dead situation, we will end up with nothing better than a beautifully decorated coffin. In my teaching around the state, I lift up the importance of personal worshipspending time worshiping God on a daily basis. Corporate worship is an out-growth of personal worship. When the people of our churches come to church hungry to be in Gods presence and when they have experienced revival in their lives, our times of corporate worship will become truly magnificent. If you want to experience great times of corporate worship in your church, the answer is not in the style of music or selection of songs, it is in the condition of the hearts of the people.

the world. A better understanding of the word keep would come from looking at how the Old Testament uses it elsewhere. Keeping describes the occupation of Abel as he attended to his flocks (Genesis 4:2), God protecting his people (Genesis 28:15, 20), and frequently, observing covenants (Genesis 17:9-10, 18:19, 26:5, Deuteronomy 4:6, 7:12, 29:9). It is also used to describe priestly duties and the faithful carrying out of Gods instructions (Lev 8:35). When God made man to keep, he not only made him to keep a physical guard over creation, but also, more importantly, to watch over his creators commands, making sure that humanity remained faithful in all that it did. The placement of the command given to man in Genesis 2 supports this point further. Immediately after Scripture indicates that man was put in the garden to work it and keep it, God delivers his first command to man. God created man to work the ground, but also to faithfully guard Gods command, making sure that the inhabitants of the garden remained obedient to the Lord. When this failed to happen, God expelled man and woman from the garden, and placed a cherubim with a flaming sword to keep it. With careful observation, the reader sees a play on words in the Hebrew text here. Man was placed in the garden to keep it (mar), but when he failed to do so, God had to send the cherubim to guard it (mar). If you look in the parenthesis, you will notice that the same verb is used in both cases. God had to send the cherubim to do what man was not able to do. While man failed in the garden to protect, that does not mean that God has forever removed the task of protection from the man and placed it onto someone else. Men do have a responsibility to protect their families from physical harm, but they, more importantly, have a responsibility to protect their families from spiritual harm. Genesis 2:15 shows that Biblical manhood includes a calling for men to embrace their created role of being the spiritual leader of a family, making sure that, in their house, the Word of the Lord is being upheld faithfully.

Gary Burden
Genesis 2:15 states that the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Accord ing to this verse, man had two purposes from God: to work and to keep. Last month I discussed biblical manhood's role of work, and now I will address the role of keeping. In context, readers should interpret the word to keep as a form of guarding or protecting. God placed man in the garden to be its primary protector. Therefore, according to Genesis 2, men have a responsibility to protect. Culturally, men have been considered protectors. The assumption is, based on physical differences between men and women, namely that men are usually bigger and stronger, that it is natural for men to be physical protectors. What Genesis 2:15 shows us is that this sort of protecting also has a spiritual aspect to it. God made men to protect, not only physically, but also spiritually, guarding their families from all sorts of harm. Have you ever considered from what threat God was telling Adam to guard? There was no threat of physical attack from another man and there was no threat of attack from a wild beast. Natural disasters, manifestations of an earth groaning (Romans 8:22) under the weight of sin, would not occur, since sin had yet to enter

Landon Orr

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Saturday, April 12 10 AM - 12 N Wilson Farm for Children through 5th grade

Well, you would think things would be slowing down as the Awana year is winding down, but things are anything but dormant around here. Every week in March has brought new faces, record attendance, tons of awards, and plenty or enthusiasm from the clubbers. While Awana has been a part of Bethesda for quite sometime, I am fairly new to this ministry. As I look back over these last three years, there is no doubt God has been showing up and showing off here at Bethesda. Prayerfully, even hesitantly, I agreed to serve as commander, feeling inadequate and unprepared for such a ministry. I think I even said. "Okay God, if its only about 30 kids I think I can do it." Now we near 70 in attendance each week, while leaders pray for more kids to be brought to us, and it is so humbling. The Awana workers at this church are amazing, totally committed, for His glory, and such an encouragement. They made themselves available, and God is using them in tremendous ways. What about you? Has God placed Awana in your heart? Do you have questions about the requirements of serving? God uses even hesitant, inadequate, unprepared people. Now is a great time to learn about how our ministry works. He will "equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever." (Hebrews 13:21) Apr 2 9 16 23 30 Bring A Friend Twin Night Easter Break NO AWANA Duct Tape Creations Canned Food Drive

Word of mouth is always the best advertisement. Would you, our church family, share with your family and friends about the opening of our WEE Ones Preschool? We are excited about what the Lord can do through this outreach in our community. We appreciate your prayers and support. Here is the basic information:

Bethesda WEE Ones Preschool 4967 Hwy 70 W Business Clayton, NC 27520 bethesdaclayton.com/weeones
Bethesda Baptist Church is proud to announce the opening of our caring, Christcentered Weekday Early Education program. WEE Ones is now accepting enrollment applications. If you have a child age 2 through PreK, contact us at 919-907-0933 or weeones@bethesdaclayton.com. WEE Ones opens on Tuesday, September 2, 2014. We will operate from 9:15 AM to 1:00 PM and offer 2, 3, and 5 day programs. WEE would love to hear from you!

Gettys Concert Southeastern Seminary Tuesday, April 1, 2014 7:00 PM

You are invited to attend the concert presented by the Gettys. If you missed the sign up date, you can still purchase tickets on line at www.sebts.edu. Tickets are $16.32 each. We will be traveling as a group and leaving the church at 5:15 PM on April 1st.

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Sunday

Monday
1

Tuesday

Wednesday
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Thursday
4

Friday
5

Saturday

Gettys Concert Southeastern Seminary

6 Weekly Sunday Service Preschool /Childrens Council 4:30PM

7 Board Meeting 6:30 PM

8 Deacons Meeting 7:00 PM

9 AWANA and Weekly Wed. Schedule

10

11

12
Easter Egg Hunt Wilson Farm Ages 0-5th grade

10 AM12 N
17 18

Week of Prayer for North American Missions

13 Lords Supper 10:30 AM Palm Sunday Service Easter Music 6:00 PM 14 15 16 No AWANA Weekly Bible Study / Choir 7:00 PM

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*******Spring Break*******
21 22 23 24 25 26

20 Sunrise Service 7:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 AM Easter Morning Worship 10:30 AM No PM Activities 27 Weekly Sunday Service Church Council Mtg. 4:30 PM

Church Office Closed

AWANA and Weekly Wed. Schedule

Mens Breakfast 8:00 AM

28

29

30 AWANA and Weekly Wed. Schedule

Sunday Schedule
9:15 am ................................................................... Bible Study Fellowship 10:30 am .........................................................Morning Worship Celebration 6:00 pm .......................................... LifeLine...Get Connected (Small Groups)

Wednesday Night Schedule

6:30 pm .......................................................... Awana, Youth Bible Study 7:00 pm ...................................................... Adult Prayer and Bible Study Choir Rehearsal

Student LifeLine

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APRIL EXTENDED SESSION AND KIDS CHURCH

Sunday, April 6 - AM Babies: Kathleen McLamb & Cherilyn Murphy Sunday, April 20 - AM Babies: Sondra Gatewood & Jane Gatlin 2s: Brittany & Andrew Arant 3s/4 s: Wendy & Chris Gatewood K-3rd Kids Church Terry Gatewood & David Duncan Sunday, April 20- PM No Activities Wednesday, April 23 Brittany Arant & Ginger Starling Sunday, April 27 - AM Babies: Faye Wells & Jan Culpepper 2s: Wendy Beasley & Sara Orr 3s/4s: Kristol & Nick Flanigan K-3rd Kids Church Leigh & Will Smith Sunday, April 27 - PM Sarah Jay & Sondra Gatewood Wednesday, April 30 Brittany Arant & Ginger Starling

Birthdays Della Edwards (105!) Brian Harrison Jimmy Peele Emily Dean Reagan Creech Sue Wilson Hunter Johnson Ellen Batten Ed Daley Mary Puckett Jean Wall Ellie Harrison Anniversaries Ed & Glenda Daley Daniel & Sandy Gordon Brandon & Hannah Beasley L.D. & Ellen Batten Harvey & Jean Wall Shelton & Sharon Johnson 11th 16th 18th 20th 21st 30th 7th 8th 8th 10th 13th 16th 18th 20th 20th 20th 23rd 30th

2s: Heather Henry & Tori Smith 3s/4s: Julie Brueggen & Lewis Chong K-3rd Kids Church Frances Burden & Robin Hotakey Sunday, April 6 - PM Sharon Johnson & Sharon Levin Wednesday, April 9 Brittany Arant & Ginger Starling Sunday, April 13 - AM Babies: Brigitte & Larkin Creech 2s: Tobi & Brandi Sauer 3s/4s: Mandy & Brianna Windham K-3rd Kids Church Ginger Starling & Angel Duncan Sunday, April 13 PM Jane & Johnnie Gatlin Wednesday, April 16 Spring Break

Facts & Figures for March 2014

Date S.S. AM Worship 167 154 155 176 652 163 Budget Offering 7,953.30 4,762.00 5,967.30 3.957.41 22,640.01 5,660.00 His Vision Our Mission 1,222.99 1,356.00 1,140.00 527.02 4,246.01 1,061.50

Mar. 2 Mar. 9 Mar. 16 Mar. 23 Total Avg.

108 102 105 105 420 105

Preschool Regis. Desk Diane Duncan

Average Attendance & Offerings for March 2013 Avg. 116 166 6,383.68 1,193.00

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(Continued)
Thats right. Our new building campaign team is suggesting we continue our current pay-off-the-debt theme until September when a new theme will be launched. In order to continue our vital ministries and in order to consider new ministries, it is imperative that we rise to the occasion and meet this debt obligation as soon as possible. Along with the portion of the loan payoff included in our regular budget giving, we encourage all who can either begin or continue giving above our tithes and offerings to the His Vision/Our Mission campaign. The Lord is doing a great work here for His glory. Lets trust Him to do a great work through our faithful giving in this matter as well! Additional giving cards and envelopes will be available, although designation for the HVOM can be made on your regular giving envelopes. Pray for your leadership team: David Duncan, Terry Gatewood, Sharon Johnson, Brian Murphy, Missy Urban, Charles Wilson, and Johnnie Gatlin (chairman).

Music/Worship Vision Team Update

Your Music/Worship Vision Team, along with Pastor Gary and Landon, have been meeting regularly. As announced at our last business meeting, we believe we are on the right trajectory for now. Landon is providing leadership as we are incorporating both the choir and a praise/worship team in our morning worship. A good, healthy balance of music is being incorporated as well. Our goal is to, when the budget may allow it, maybe search for a part-time person who will primarily give more focused attention to the choir. Until then, keep praying for Gods leadership as you pray for our Music/Worship Vision Team members: Jerry Dalton, Tommy Jones, Nicole Langdon, Steve Levin, and Brandi Sauer.