July 2014 voice

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH STAFF 200 E. Center Ave, Sebring, FL 33870 (PHONE) 863-385-5154 (FAX) 863-385-4184 PRESCHOOL 863-385-4704 www.fbsebring.com

How to see God’s love in difficult times: - God is Faithful By Sheila Walsh Believing in God, but living as if He doesn’t exist: - The Christian Atheist By Craig Groeschel Be comfortable sharing your faith with anyone: - Share Jesus without Fear By William Fay

SENIOR PASTOR…………………………......REV. MATT CRAWFORD PASTOR OF MUSIC & SR ADULTS……...…REV. NUNO NORBERTO PASTOR OF STUDENTS……..……………………..REV. LONNIE HILL HISPANIC PASTOR…………………..….. ….…..…….REV. LUIS LUNA CHURCH BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR.…...............GEORGE SMITH MUSIC, YOUTH & SR. ADULT SECRETARY…..…...LYNDA HODGE EDUCATION SECRETARY……………………..CONNIE RODRIGUEZ PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR……….…………....DIXIE LYNN KREULEN HOUSEKEEPER………….………..………….……SANDY WISENBERG MAINTENANCE………….………………..…………….WADE LINDLEY AFTER HOURS COORDINATOR………………………...HAL GRAVES

Inspirational Fiction: Travel to Louisiana for Cajun mysteries and secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat: - Under the Cajun Moon and Whispers of the Bayou

By Mindy Starns Clark YOUR MEDIA CENTER IS LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS ACROSS FROM THE ELEVATOR. SUMMER HOURS: SUN., 9:00 - 10:15 A.M. Linda Kent

CHURCH SERVICES: SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:15AM SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP 10:30AM SUNDAY EVENING WORSHIP 6:00PM WEDNESDAY EVENING MEAL 5:00PM 6:00PM ADULT BIBLE STUDY 6:30PM KIDS ZONE

OFFICE HOURS 8:00 AM TO 4:30 PM Closed for lunch 12:30PM-1:30PM Email: lhodge@fbsebring.com Email: connierodriguez@fbsebring.com

THANK YOU!!!

Dear Church family, I would like to thank each of you for your visits, cards, phone calls, and especially your prayers. I am back to work ahead of my doctor’s predicted timetable and grateful to the Lord and praying friends like you.

In Christ’s love, Wade Lindley Thank you Church Family for all your prayers, and concerns for my family to me during the homegoing of my brother. Thank you for the flowers, cards, and phone calls.

Love in Christ Shirley Conrad

First Baptist Church Preschool is now enrolling Ages 6 weeks – 4 years old!

For more information, please call the Preschool office at 385-4704.

Located at 200 E. Center Avenue Sebring, FL 33870 ISSUE #327 MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, SEBRING, FLORIDA JULY 2014

THE VOICE

YOUR CHURCH MEDIA LIBRARY “SOME ARE” READING! ARE YOU? SUMMER TREATS AVAILABLE!

Vacation Bible School July 13-17 5:30 pm-8:15 pm Volunteers needed in all areas.

Please contact the office to sign up.

“But honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.”

I Peter 3:15 252 Crew Check out the Parent Cue App! Hey Parents, Would you like an easier way to access the GodTime devotional cards we distribute every week? You can now download the Parent Cue App on your smartphone. It’s only $1.99 and gives you devotions and talking points for the car, mealtime, bedtime, and much more. Check it out today and enjoy!

MINISTER OF MUSIC SENIOR PASTOR Hello, Church!

Christie and I had a great trip to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Baltimore last month.

We enjoyed the privileges of representing you, being refreshed through wonderful preaching, hearing of missions efforts, and meeting with some old friends from seminary. Convention is always tiring physically, but enriching spiritually.

This may have been the best SBC annual meeting we have been to because of two very encouraging factors: unity and reports of mission work. Unity was on display throughout the convention, as SBC church members and leaders from different backgrounds, church sizes, and theological perspectives focused on the fundamental doctrines of our faith and the Great Commission. Missions reports were very encouraging, as well, both from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB).

During the NAMB report, I loved hearing about God’s work through church plants in Montreal – a city that has largely been closed to the gospel and an extremely difficult environment for missionaries. A bilingual church planting pastor there brought a young and talented musician, who explained in

THE LORD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER 2014 ANNUAL CHURCH BUDGET……..$950,000 BUDGET NEEDS TO DATE……................$466,308 BUDGET RECEIPTS TO DATE…….…….$454,462 JUNE REQUIREMENTS….….…................$73,803 JUNE RECEIPTS…..………..……….….…$74,910 CHILDREN’S HOMES.………...….………$5,359

French how God had gotten hold of his life, saved him, and redirected his energies toward Christian ministry.

Also, it was wonderful to hear of a story of two churches in Baltimore. One church had a great legacy and great facilities, but they were near to closing their doors. The other was a new church plant, with vitality and growth.

The two churches, through God’s direction, happily and voluntarily chose to merge into one – combining their resources and leadership and experiencing new life and ministry. It was an awesome story of redemption and grace.

Finally, during the IMB report, we heard from Cuban pastors who came and shared about God’s work in their country over the past few decades. In spite of Communism, the church has grown incredibly fast in that island nation, especially through house churches. The Cuban pastors told us that they stood on our shoulders and looked up to us, but I felt just the opposite – they were incredible inspirations and role models to us through their faith and obedience to God in the midst of fierce opposition!

Thank you for the opportunity to represent you at the annual meeting. God bless you this month. Happy Independence Day! Please pray for Pastor Lonnie as he gets started in our student ministry!

Pastor Matt Dear Church Family, I want to thank everyone for making me feel so welcomed. I look forward to being a part of what God is doing here at FBC Sebring.

Each month, we will have a new series for the students on Wednesday nights. Our series for July is called “Awakening.” Students, make plans to join us each Wednesday for a great time of fellowship and learning from God’s Word.

Starting Sunday, July 6, we will start a Bible study for students on Sunday nights (starting at 6 PM) in the ROC. Each Sunday night, we will dig deep into the Bible and discover some of the incredible truths God has given us.

Parents, please encourage your students to be part of these times of Bible study and fellowship. Also, know that I am here to help in any way that I can.

Church family, please continue to pray for our student ministry and for God to do what only He can do!

Lonnie Hill, Student Pastor

In last month’s Voice, I promised I would share about the New York Mission Trip for the July article. So here it is.

What a blessing! With 350 other pastors, music ministers, choir and orchestra members, we ministered in the most diverse city in the United States. Opportunities to show Christ to lost people are literally in every corner.

We arrived Friday, May 30, and went straight to Central Park to set up for a concert that night. After a quick sound check, we played the concert to an audience that kept fluctuating as people would stop to hear the music and the Word of God proclaimed through song. One interesting note about that concert: a well-known Satanist from the area was present. He is always known for causing trouble to Christian groups who meet in the park. During our concert, he made lots of gestures and tried to speak out, but he was not able to say a word! He became so frustrated that he left the area where we were. I believe God shut his mouth, and our prayer is that he heard the words of hope and salvation found in Jesus. What a great and mighty God we serve.

On Sunday, June 1, we had the opportunity to divide in smaller groups and go to local churches around NYC. The group I was leading went to a church plant in Brooklyn that was meeting publicly for the first time ever . What a blessing it was to meet Pastor Steve Stallard and the folks from Mosaic Baptist Church, a church that has about 20 people and within those 20, 7 different nationalities. Thus, the name Mosaic!

That night, we shared Jesus at Times Square. We did a flash mob (a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform for a brief time, and then quickly disperse) for about 15 minutes. It is estimated that close to 50,000 people heard us singing praise to our God. On Monday, we had the incredible opportunity to sing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. Being on that world-famous stage in a worship service was an amazing experience.

And finally, on Tuesday, we had the amazing chance to go and be a part of the prayer service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. This church is known for the great work they do in the Brooklyn area, but also for their multiple -award winning choir and its director Carol Cymbala. The prayer service was so refreshing and a personal blessing to me. We prayed with about 3,000 people in the sanctuary that Tuesday night, and that was a lower number for the service because of the rain outside! That’s a church who keeps prayer in a place of high importance in her life. Something to think about, huh?

I could share several pages of stories of this amazing, God-sized mission trip. Maybe sometime.

God bless!

HISPANIC MISSION Vida en Cristo Pablo sufrió abusos como ministro del Señor en manos de personas ajenas a la iglesia y de personas dentro de la iglesia también.

En la segunda epístola a los corintios él defiende su ministerio y termina con estas palabras: porque en nada he sido menos que aquellos grandes apóstoles aunque nada soy 2 de Corintios: 12:11.

Pablo hace recordar que el cristiano debe mostrar el fruto del espíritu santo y lo enumera como: amor, gozo, paz, paciencia, benignidad, bondad, fe, mansedumbre y templanza contra tales cosas no hay ley en Gálatas: 5:22,23. Si nosotros como cristianos tomamos este fruto como la meta de nuestra vida seremos cristianos con una madurez e spiritual que nos hará fructíferos en nuestro servicio al Señor. El reto para nosotros es mostrar el amor en las relaciones interpersonales.

Esta cualidad es la que destacaba a los cristianos de la iglesia primitiva, esa era la clave de su crecimiento y es la gran necesidad que hay entre nosotros hoy.

Pastor Luis Luna

Love you in Christ!

Jezimar Nuno Norberto Associate Pastor, Music and Senior Adults

Summer is definitely here! We feel it when we walk outside, and we hear it with all the children playing games and having fun with all the summer activities we have here at the Preschool.

There is still time to enroll. We still have some spaces available for the new school year coming up in August. If you know of anyone looking for a preschool, please have them come take a tour of our church or have them call the Preschool Office at 385-4704.

Dixie Kreulen, Preschool Director