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November/December 2017 Plan of Salvation: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
A Message From Good News Press
Why is the Gospel Message Good News? With his final words before his ascension, Jesus issued to his followers the task of conveying his message to the world. Armed with this directive, the total number of Christians exploded from a mere 120 to over 3,000 within the span of two weeks. By the end of the first century, an estimated one million people had responded to the Christian message by becoming followers of Jesus. Today, nearly two thousand years later, the Christian faith has grown to become the largest faith in the world with over two billion adherents. Still, Christians continue to treat Jesus' mandate seriously and persist in spreading his message far and wide.
to as the "Gospel," which means "good news." Specifically, it is the good news about Jesus—who he is, what he has done, and what he offers. Essentially, the message is that Jesus was God in the flesh, that he came into the world to reconcile humanity to himself, and that his salvation is freely offered to each person who will respond in faith.
contain a code of conduct as well as doctrinal and theological statements, the central message is more about placing faith in the person of Jesus than it is about conforming to any code. The primary emphasis of Christianity, then, is to point people toward Jesus and the salvation that is only available from him.
Furthermore, the Gospel message explains that salvation is only possible through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Though thousands of books have been written about these events, the core idea is that, through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the price for our sinfulness (rebellion against God), thus offering us forgiveness. Then through his Resurrection he conquered death, What is this message, though, and why removing it as the penalty for our sin is it so important? Why have countless and replacing it with the offer of eterChristians pledged and even given their nal life. lives in order to promote it?
The Christian Church has taken different forms throughout the centuries, but this central message has remained the same. It binds all of Christendom together. Despite the various branches of Christianity in the world today—most notably Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy—this Gospel message acts as a unifying element. Though adherents to the faith include people from every walk of life, this message binds them all together. Throughout the Christian Church, this message of salvation is considered to be the hope of the world.
The Christian message is often referred
Though the Christian Scriptures do
What Survey with Pastors Reveal In Retaining New Converts Lifeway Research study reveals what really mattered to retaining new converts by Pastors. Here are some of their findings. Among pastors of churches with the most retained converts:
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93 percent say their church engages in ministry outside the
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church at least every six months to share the gospel with the unchurched. 92 percent consistently hear reports of church members engaging in evangelistic conversations and sharing their faith with nonChristians. 68 percent offer classes for new attenders at least every six
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months. 66 percent ask people weekly to commit to Christ following a personal presentation of the gospel. 57 percent block out time on their calendar at least once a week for the purpose of sharing their faith with non-Christians outside the church office.
Cont’d See Survey Next Page
The Christian message is often referred to as the "Gospel," which means "good news." Specifically, it is the good news about Jesus—who He is, what He has done, and what He offers. Essentially, the message is that Jesus was God in the flesh, that He came into the world to reconcile humanity to Himself, and that his salvation is freely offered to each person who will respond in faith. The Gospel message explains that salvation is only possible through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the price for our sinfulness (rebellion against God), thus offering us forgiveness. Then through his Resurrection He conquered death, removing it as the penalty for our sin and replacing it with the offer of eternal life that is only available from Him to all those that place their faith in Him.
Good News Press - Page 2 Hurricanes, Earthquakes & More Are We Living In the End Times?
tell our neighbors about the Good News of Jesus Christ and reap Good News Press is a Christian outreach eternal rewards. publication in the San Francisco Bay Area. Good News Press This popular high-quality, newspaper, inbelieves that this forms and inspires believers, as well as commission begins plant seeds into the hearts of men and in our own backwomen. yards. There are Good News Press covers world, national, more than 7 Miland local religious news and events, and lion people in the Bay Area. We want to features inspiring Christian articles and inshare the good news, and bring to them the sights. It is available, both digitally online love of Jesus Christ. and in full-color printed format. • Urgency… We believe that these are the Christian newspapers reach a targeted audi- last days and that Jesus Christ is soon to ence-specifically a family oriented, audireturn. ence, with strong loyalties and convictions. Good News Press is produced by Baron & Why Support Good News Press Connie Woods. Support Our Work by Call• Fulfill the Great Commission! Help us us ing Our Ads, Placing an ad, or by giving.
Partner With Us in Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to our Community!
Billy Graham Team Sends Chaplains to Santa Rosa to Assist Victims of Wildfires The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has deployed chaplains to the Santa Rosa, Calif., area to offer hope and comfort to those who have been displaced by the massive and deadly wildfires.
Rapid Response Team continues to work in five areas of Texas (Houston, Pearland, Rockport, Santa Fe and Victoria) following Hurricane Harvey and two areas of Florida (Key West and Naples) following Hurricane Irma. Ministry has been completed in "The images we've seen are Fort Myers and in shelters grim and shocking, and yet they throughout both states. Chapdon't even begin to provide the lains who live in Puerto Rico full context for the suffering continue to reach out to their that is taking place as so many churches and communities folhave had their lives turned up- lowing the devastating impact side down in the blaze," said of Hurricane Maria. Finally, Billy Jack Munday, international diGraham Rapid Response Team rector of the Billy Graham Rapid chaplains are also in Las Vegas Response Team. "When people following last week's shooting. are evacuated they lose their safety net and comfort zone. In All told, some 380 crisis-trained many cases, they don't know if chaplains have rotated into they'll ever see that piece of these deployments dating back themselves again, or if they'll to Hurricane Harvey's landfall in return to an ash-covered slab. late August. They have prayed Our chaplains will share the with and comforted more than hope and comfort of Jesus in 24,000 people during that time. the midst of the pain." For more information on the It is anticipated that the initial ministry, including videos, phoeffort will include ministry in tos, news articles and an intershelters and alongside churches active map of former and curin the impacted areas. rent deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. UpThe deployment to California is dates can also be found at the latest in a two-month span www.facebook.com/RRTChaplai that has seen an unprecedented ns. series of natural and man-made disasters. The Billy Graham
In recent weeks there were devastating hurricanes, wildfires in the West, solar flares, earthquakes, and a solar eclipse. Many have been devastated and homes, businesses, and lives have been lost. People are wondering what does all of this mean and are these signs. In Matthew 24, Jesus disciples’ asked him what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the world? Jesus responded in Matthew 24:
Matt. 24:3-8 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilenc-
es, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. According to Jesus and these scriptures false christs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines would be the beginning of a time that would eventually usher in a tribulation period followed by the second coming of Jesus Christ. All those that placed their faith in him as Lord and Savior would be saved and live an eternity with him.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Survey cont’d from Front Page •
51 percent attend training on personal evangelism at least every six months. 26 percent have a higher percentage of the church’s budget (30 percent or more) given to evangelism and mis-
sions. The full article and research can be found at: http://lifewayresearch.com/2017/08/28 /when-it-comes-to-evangelism-thesmall-things-really-matter/
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Try These Healthier Holiday Cooking Tips A generation or two ago, people ate more food with a lot of fat, but they still weighed less than people weigh today. It was probably because they were involved in physical work instead of sitting at a desk. Or maybe they ate less every day. Whatever the cause, tweaking Grandma’s recipes is a great idea. Some examples:
Refrigerate the gravy and scoop off the hardened fat before reheating and serving.
Use less bread in turkey dressing and more onions, garlic, celery, and vegetables. Moisten with chicken broth and applesauce.
Make mash potatoes with skim milk, chicken broth, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese instead of
whole milk and butter. Some recipes call for fat-free sour cream.
Try a new recipe for eggnog; four bananas, 1 1/2 cups skim milk, 1 1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon rum extract and some ground nutmeg. Puree the ingredients and sprinkle the nutmeg on top.
For dessert, make pumpkin pie using two egg whites for each whole egg and replace cream with fat-free evaporated milk. Replace heavy cream in cheesecakes and cream pies with evaporated milk. Top cakes with powdered sugar, fresh fruit or fruit sauce.
Remove the skin from roasted turkey before eating it or placing it on a serving dish.
Family Support Services
Are You a Caregiver who is taking care of a relative’s or friend’s child? Family Support Services offers assistance to Kinship and Guardianship Families, as well as foster services. For more info: (510) 834-2443. Ext. 3008
Good News Press - Page 4 The Equifax Scandal and the Need for a New Identification System By Todd Strandberg Last month, Equifax announced that it had suffered a cybersecurity breach; where cybercriminals accessed approximately 145.5 million U.S. Equifax consumers’ personal data. I didn’t think much about the breach until a couple of weeks later, when my online bank had a huge banner warning that I was one of the Equifax consumers. If someone had asked me who is Equifax, my best guess would be that it is some antiquated company that makes Fax machines. It turns out that Equifax is one of the largest consumer creditreporting agencies in the world. It tracks credit history on over 800 million individual consumers and more than 88 million businesses worldwide. Experian and TransUnion are the two other firms in the trinity of credit management, and they both have around 200 million consumers. The CEO of Equifax, Richard Smith, was called before two House and Senate Committees to explain why his firm had suffered such a huge data breach. While lawmakers were chewing out Smith, the IRS was in the process of awarding Equifax with a non-bid contract to help validate the identity of taxpayers communicating with the agency, on the telephone or through its website. Just as large banks are too big to fail, big credit is too big to assail.
cards issued to me expired without use. I don’t connect well with the $65 trillion credit that people have built up. For me, going out on the town involves a trip to Texas Roadhouse; which has to be limited to once or twice a month because of my cholesterol. My biggest consumer purchase of the year was a $250 comforter from Macy’s.
There have been many credit breaches in recent years. In 2013, hackers got into the Target Corp’s financial database and compromised at least 40 million cards. In 2014, Home Depot had a major breach affecting people who used payment cards on its self-checkout terminals. Just last week, the fast food giant, Sonic, said that credit and debit card numbers may have been acquired as part of a malware attack at some Sonic locations. The company did not disclose which locations or the specific time frame of the incident. I don’t understand the complexities of how credit card information is stolen. I do know that the basic problem is because of I read in the news reports that Equifax, Experian, and TransUn- two factors: speed and the modern ability to store vast amounts ion are required by law to give of information. In the early days everyone a free credit report of the internet, it would take once a year. I was wondering if those cybercriminals several there was a Nigerian version of myself, who might be flying to the years to transmit the records of 154 million consumers, and they Swiss Alps for wild shopping sprees in the finest stores in Zü- would need a truckload of floppy disks to store all that data. Torich and Bern. It turns out that I day, you can transfer the Social died around 2009. My current Security numbers of every Americonsumer statements all show zero activity. The last three credit can in a few minutes, and they
would all fit on a single thumb drive. The Equifax scandal has Washington questioning the security of our ID system. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg news both reported that the Trump administration is exploring ways to replace the Social Security number with a safer system, based on modern technology. Rob Joyce, the White House’s cybersecurity coordinator, said that one possibility is using cryptographic keys, or a combination of long random numbers, to unlock personal data. The merit of such numbers is that they could be revoked once they are found to be compromised, he explained. If you issued an ID code that is 50 places long, there is obviously no way for you to remember this sequence of characters. The shortfall of a cryptographic key is needing to track who is receiving your information in a transaction. To maintain security, a central system will need to track and is-
sue a new cryptographic key every time a person creates a new transaction. The key can make the transmitting of data safe, but it needs to be placed in a safe location. The human body seems to be the only logical choice. The amazing prediction made 2,000 years ago is rapidly becoming a necessity. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Revelation 13:16-18). – Todd Strandberg Website: RaptureReady www.raptureready.com
Good News Press - Page 5 Behind the Scenes at the Super Bowl Super Bowl week is full of meetings and activities conducted by Christians. For example, Tony The NFL often criticized for play- Dungy’s organization, All Pro Dads presents an All Pro Dad of ers who do bad things. It’s all over the news when an NFL play- the Year award during Super Bowl week at its Faith, Family er does something wrong. What and Football breakfast. This most people don’t know is that the NFL has programs, services year’s recipient is Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of and resources available to their Football Operations. players to assist them in doing the right thing, in having a career after their NFL playing experience, and being role models to a He played 15 years in the NFL and is the only NFL player to be society whose children need awarded all four of the NFL charsomeone to look up to. acter awards the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the Whizzer White NFL Man of the In reality, if a player is fortunate Year award, the Bart Starr Man of enough to make it to the NFL, the Year Award. In addition, NFL there is no reason in the world players and their families worship that he cannot be a success in the Lord in the annual Super Bowl life. I know. Part of what I do inGospel Celebration. volves strategic character and leadership development for the NFL. The vast majority of NFL This year, the Bart Starr award players are successful, positive went to Matthew Slater of the contributors to society. Behind all the glamour at the Su- New England Patriots. This award per Bowl are meeting after meet- is presented by Athletes in Action, ing focusing on character devel- the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. It goes to the opment-most of which are conNFL player who best exemplifies ducted by Christian men and outstanding character and in the women who care. The NFL home, on the field and in the stresses and encourages good character and excellence. We see community. Slater’s father, Jackie, also won the award. this in its Walter Payton Man of Awards such as these are just the Year Award—to the player indicators of how the NFL and who exemplifies character and football in general promotes leadexcellence both on and off the ership and character among its field. players and coaches. It’s real easy to find offense if you are looking for it, and the news media All of the 32 teams nominate a does a good job pointing those player who does outstanding things out. But let’s not ignore the work in the community and is a role model to fans-young and old, positive things that people do, inalike. The nominees each receive cluding football players, who donations of $5,000 in their name many will say that they are 1 Corinthian 10:32 men-in whatsoever to a charity of their choice (usually their own foundation that they do, they “do all to the glory of does great work in the communi- God.” ty). The winner is awarded $50,000 for charity work. Many NFL players are Christians.
By Bill Wilson
Good News Press - Page 6 Scoffers Will Come By Howard Green On March 27th of 1980, there was a small eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state. The volcano rumbled awake after a one hundred year sleep. In the weeks to follow, a series of small earthquakes warned of the danger building below the surface of the mountain. Federal and local government officials alerted the public to the growing threat and said a large-scale eruption was imminent. Many tourists, backpackers, campers, and local residents heeded the warnings and complied with evacuation orders. There were dozens of others who decided to ignore and even scoff at the warnings about the growing danger and chose to stay in harm’s way. On May 18th, 1980 at 8:32 am. Mt. St. Helens erupted ferociously, sending a pyroclastic blast and a wall of superheated gas and ash racing down the sides of the mountain at over 300 mph. In the wake of the volcano’s fury, 57 people lost their lives because they either ignored or scoffed at the warnings of impending danger. The Bible tells us about a time when scoffers will mock people who warn others about coming of the Lord. 2 Peter 3:3-4 – “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’” The word scoffer denotes a person who is engaged in the act of jeering, scorning or mocking. In this case, the Bible warns us about people who will be scoffing at the possibility of the Lord’s soon return. Please take note of the fact that the Bible zeroes in on a particular time in history. Peter warned that these people will be around in the last days. Another key aspect of these people is the fact that they are following their own sinful desires. The Bible tells us that these people will mockingly ask, “Where is the prom-
ise of his coming?” I have been around for awhile and I’ve observed some non-Christians mock the notion of God’s coming judgment and Jesus’ soon return. They will call God a mean cosmic bully, a manmade illusion, or a sky fairy. I watched a guy throw my Bible across a room as he cursed at it and called it fake. While that level of animosity isn’t the norm, there is still the widespread denial of the Bible’s authority.
If a pastor or a Bible teacher you learn from ignores this subject, chances are high they are doctrinally flawed in other areas. Ignoring or scoffing at Bible prophecy should be a big red flag and I would advise you go elsewhere for biblical instruction and find a godly servant who teaches the whole truth.
When I became a Christian in the mid-1980s, there was a great deal of interest in all things relating to Bible prophecy. End-time books Television, radio, and social media were everywhere, many churches are brimming with people who scoff taught on this subject with regulariat the idea that Jesus is coming ty, and it was a big topic among again. My heart goes out to these Christian friends. Here we are decpeople because they are not the ades later, and it is my opinion that enemy, Satan is and he wants to interest and teaching on end-time keep them blinded. Knowing the Bible prophecy are at an all time stakes are eternal, we must tell low and I think many of you would them about God’s holiness, coming agree. judgment, and redemption through Jesus. This is indicative of a church that is We want to focus on the elephant in living their best life now instead of the middle of the evangelical living living for the one to come. Many room. The elephant in the room is who call themselves believers are the continued ignoring of sound end too busy playing church instead of time Bible prophecy teaching. Ask being the Church. Today’s yourself the following questions: “Christian” bookstores are chock full When was the last time you heard a of quasi-Christian self-help books sermon on Bible prophecy? When that focus on self-esteem instead of was the last time your small group God’s glory. discussed the end times? Can you We throw around words like auremember the last time your church thenticity, discipleship, and Christinvited a guest speaker to teach on likeness, but they have become an end-time subject? Christianese talk for masses of lukewarm people who are following I’m guessing many of you feel the a movement instead of the Savior. same as I do. I have noticed a The Great Commission and personstrong departure from teaching end al holiness underscore the imtime Bible prophecy in most evan- portance of end time Bible prophegelical churches today. This is sad cy. Matthew 24 is full of Jesus’ and unbelievable in light of the fact warnings and encouragement to that the four gospels, the epistles, His followers. He tells us to be alert, and the Old Testament are overto endure to the end and tells us the flowing with chapters that are heavi- gospel must be preached in all the ly eschatological. world. I call end time Bible prophecy the elephant in the evangelical living Matthew 24:14 – “And this gospel of room because so many of today’s the kingdom will be proclaimed well-known leaders either choose to throughout the whole world as a ignore it altogether or in some cas- testimony to all nations, and then es, they have become the very the end will come.” scoffers the apostle Peter warns us As we think about Peter’s warning about. It is an absolute disgrace of scoffers coming in the last days, and dereliction of duty to ignore or we must understand that there is scoff at Bible prophecy, yet many of the element of personal holiness at today’s big names do this regularly. the center of the issue. The people
who were scoffing appear to have a form of godliness and are quasiChristian because they reference his delay coming. When I take a 10,000 ft. view of the popular evangelical landscape today, it seems that where Bible prophecy is important, so is personal holiness. Where Bible prophecy is ignored, personal holiness becomes religious speak and not a matter of personal conviction. This is important to understand because Peter ties the understanding of end time Bible prophecy closely together with godly living in the last days. 2 Peter 3:11-12 – “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” Bible prophecy isn’t a distraction or divisive as several popular evangelical teachers have said. End-time Bible prophecy is woven throughout the scriptures to call us to godliness, witnessing, and for understanding the times we live in. So many well-known leaders choosing to ignore or scoff at end time teaching is indicative of the last days spiritual deception and blindness Peter warned us about. We were told that scoffers would come in the last days. All for Him, Howard
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