Spring 2013 Caring Place Magazine

CARINGPLACE Volume 48, Issue 1

That’s My King page 1

RELATIONSHIPS

FOR LIFE page 10

Building the Noble Dream At Whitesburg Christian Academy pages 6 & 7

Get Your PLATE

in SHAPE! page 11

Spring 2013

Inside

CARINGPLACE Volume 48, Issue 1

4

Contents

12

the caring place

WHITESBURG BAPTIST CHURCH

Caring Place magazine exists to open a window into the multifaceted ministries of Whitesburg Baptist Church whose purpose is to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known. We desire to know Jesus Christ through the Word and Worship, to exalt the Savior through education and evangelism and to mature all believers to minister and to be on mission.

Caring Place magazine is a bimonthly publication by Whitesburg Baptist Church, 6806 Whitesburg Dr., Huntsville, AL 35802-2299. (Permit No. 446) To get your copy call (256) 704-5678, ext. 210 and leave your mailing address.

Subscription Rate: $12.00 donation a year anywhere in the U.S.

Publisher: Whitesburg Baptist Church Editor: Dr. Greg Corbin Publishing & Graphics: Melissa Schuster, Ron Snyder Editorial Assistants: Karen Tidwell, Beverly Dishman Distribution Team: Jennifer Baggett, Billy Davis, Larry Hardy, Marylin Johnson, Bob Raines, Walter Tharpe, Paul Lanier Bundling Team: Claire Byrd, Martha Cain, Jimmy Campbell, Debbie Canida, Betty D. Cloud, Mabel Evans, Nina & Tim Hopper, Marsha Quick, Linda Robertson, Barbara Saunders, Phyllis Smith, Dee Tolomei, Cynthia Williams.

Spring 2013

1 That’s My King

Inspiring words by Dr. S.M. Lockridge

2 Souper Bowl of Caring

Meeting needs in our community

3 Fitness Goal: WALK!

Extra steps make a difference

3 Outdoor Expo 2013

With guest speaker Clay Dyer

4 Friendship

Thoughts about friendship

6 Whitesburg Christian Academy A Kingdom ministry for our community

8 Compelled

2013 Mission Journeys

10 Relationships for Life

Relationships and their challenges

11 Get Your Plate in Shape

Practical tips and nutrition advice

12 Voice of the Martyrs Persecuted Christians

As we look toward the great celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, I thought that we might all be inspired by these words from Dr. S. M. Lockridge: “He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful.

He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. He’s God’s Son. He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s unparalleled.

He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme.

He’s preeminent. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest idea in philosophy. He’s the fundamental truth in theology. He’s the miracle of the age.

He’s the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously.

He supplies strength for the weak.

He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves.

He guards and He guides. He heals the sick, He cleans the lepers. He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers captives, He defends the feeble, He blesses the young, He serves the unfortunate, He regards the aged, He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek.

Do you know Him?

Well, my King is the King of knowledge, He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance, He’s the pathway of peace, He’s the roadway of righteousness,

That’s

My King

By Dr. Jimmy Jackson

He’s the highway of holiness, He’s the gateway of glory, He’s the master of the mighty, He’s the captain of the conquerors, He’s the head of the heroes, He’s the leader of the legislatures, He’s the overseer of the overcomers, He’s the governor of governors, He’s the prince of princes, He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.

His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting.

His love never changes.

His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He’s indescribable.

He’s incomprehensible, He’s invincible, and He is irresistible.

I’m coming to tell you this, that the heavens can’t contain Him, let alone a man explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him

off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him.

Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I’m talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He’ll have no successor. There’s nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign. We try to get prestige and honor and glory to ourselves, but the glory is all His. Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, and ever, and ever, and ever.

How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever, and when you get through with all of the forevers, then . . .Amen!

Oh I wish I could describe him to you.”

All we can do is just add Glory!

Glory! Glory!

Dr. S. M. Lockridge was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, San Diego, CA from 1953-1993. He entered heaven in 2000. He is well-known for this passage out of his sermon titled “He’s My King.”

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 1

By David Dye

Most of us have never had to wonder where our next meal is coming from.

But for more than 49 million Americans* (one in six adults and one in four children) it is a very real concern. Every week the food pantry of Whitesburg Baptist Church helps many families in our community to answer that question.

One of the main ways we keep the food pantry stocked is through the Souper Bowl of Caring. On the day when friends and families around the nation gather to watch the Super Bowl, we collect nonperishable food items for the Souper Bowl of Caring.

Since Souper Bowl of Caring began, more than $90 million in dollars and food items have been collected nationwide. One hundred percent of those collections have gone directly towards feeding the hungry in the local communities where they were raised.

From a simple prayer voiced in 1990

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to the nationwide movement that it has become today, Souper Bowl of Caring gives you the opportunity to join others in doing what is good. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.�

In the past two years Whitesburg Baptist Church and Whitesburg Christian Academy have jointly collected thousands of food items for our food pantry. The food collected during the Souper Bowl of Caring provides for families well into the year, allowing us to help even more families.

So make your plans for next Super Bowl Sunday. Will you help us tackle hunger in Huntsville? *Source: feedingamerica.org

Fitness Goal:

WALK! By jane baker

The New Year has started and you are looking for a fitness goal.

I am putting words in your mouth, right? Well, I have an answer for you. Put $10 in your pocket, go to your local sporting goods store, Wal-Mart, Target or similar store and purchase an inexpensive pedometer. For one month, wear it every day, from when you get out of bed in the morning until you go to bed at night. Keep a record of your total steps for each day.

Pedometers are an excellent tool WHITESBURG BAPTIST

OUTDOOR

to help you gain an understanding of your daily activity level. Just think of all the benefits you will receive from being more active, including weight management, reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

You can take a pedometer with you almost anywhere and it requires no equipment. The best part of all -- after your initial investment, it is FREE! Now that is money in your pocket.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a daily goal for most

healthy adults is 10,000 steps per day, or approximately five miles. If you find that you fall below this recommended suggestion, set reasonable goals for yourself. You might want to increase your steps gradually until you reach your goal. Try adding 1,000 steps per week. That is only 143 more steps per day. Walking to the mailbox and back each day might be just enough to reach your new goal. Happy Trails!

2013 OUTDOOR EXPO WITH GUEST SPEAKER CLAY DYER

Friday, March 1, 2013 Whitesburg Baptist Center

7300 Whitesburg Drive 256-704-5678, ext. 715

Ticket Information Tickets can be purchased in the Recreation office at the Whitesburg Baptist Center.

Adults - $12 in advance or $15 at the door Children 10 and under - $6 in advance or $8 at the door Outdoor Expo Schedule 4:30 pm Outdoor Vendors

Wild Game Tasting and Snacks 6:00 pm Madison Mountaintop Band 7:00 pm Clay Dyer Door prize drawings throughout the evening!

The Whitesburg Baptist Church Recreation Ministry is pleased to announce that Clay Dyer, a professional sport bass fisherman, will be our guest speaker for the Outdoor Expo this year.

Clay was born without any limbs, with the exception of a partial right arm. His art for casting, reeling and tying knots with his limitations is nothing short of remarkable. At the age of 5, his love of fishing began and by the age of 15, his competitive

nature was expressed in numerous fishing tournaments.

By 1995, he was a professional angler and began touring. Clay has been on numerous television stations, CNN Headline News, ESPN, the Outdoor Channel, and Fox Sports South to name a few.

In his spare time, Clay volunteers at his local high school, Hamilton High, in Hamilton, AL, as an athletic coach. His motto is “If I can, you can.”

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 3

friendship noun the state of being a friend; association as friends: to value a person's friendship.

Emily I have learned over the years how important friends are to me. They fill a role in my life that was designed by God. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” My friends are the first ones there when I have a problem and need help. They are also the ones cheering me on when things are good.

I don’t know what I would do without them.

That being said, friendships are hard work! It is hard to make friends and find time to be a good friend. My marriage, being a full time mom, school activities, working part time, sports, housework and cooking nutritious meals (ok, maybe just semi nutritious meals that my picky eaters will eat) takes up the majority of my time.

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That just doesn’t leave much time for friendships. I have come to realize that in order to cultivate good friendships I have to work at it. It is not something that just comes naturally.

One of my favorite ways to stay in touch with my friends is to text or email every day. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated but a quick, “How are you?” or “How can I pray for you today?” goes a long way towards developing meaningful friendships.

Since I have young kids, most of my friends these days are the moms of my children’s friends. We plan play dates that work on our kid’s schedules. We let the kids play while we visit. I also try to have a “girl’s night out” with my friends every couple of months. That is a great way to get caught up on what’s going on in their lives without the distraction of kid interruptions.

We usually go out to dinner and just sit around and talk. Nothing fancy but just a fun, easy way to stay connected.

I have a wonderful group of friends with whom I go on a “girl’s only trip” every year. We make it a priority to find time each summer to get out of town and do something we all love – shopping!!

I am by no means a perfect friend.

In fact it is something I struggle with a lot of the time, but I do pray daily that God would use me and make me into the kind of friend He desires for me to be.

Matt and Emily Eckley are members of Whitesburg Baptist Church. We asked them to tell us, from their individual perspectives, about being a friend.

Matt I have 180 or so Facebook friends.

For comparison, the mother of one of my friends has more than 1,000. I don’t say that to belittle myself (or out of pride). For me, instead of deepening my relationships with others, social media friendships contribute to my isolation and self-centeredness. Silence

and solitude are certainly beneficial, but fellowship and community have proven to be equally important in my development as a follower of Christ.

My wife and I have grown close to several couples over the years, but I’ve found that the sense of community I experience with other guys is increasingly valuable.

There are several ways that I interact with my guy friends. One of the most fun is through different activities. Outdoor activities like disk golf, golf and hiking allow time for me to catch up with friends while still doing something physical. These kinds of activities in particular allow for long conversations away from the crowds.

Games have also provided great opportunities for getting closer with friends. Some of the greatest, deepest theological discussions I have had with friends have occurred over boards of Axis and Allies or Settlers of Catan.

With young children, dinners out become scarcer than when I was younger; but going to lunch with a friend has proven to be a good way to further develop friendships. While not always very private, they are good ways to keep up with equally busy friends.

Within the last year a group of us have met together for an early morning Bible study through John’s gospel. While the depth of our study through the Bible has been great, the accountability that this group of men have with me has been really worthwhile.

The real thread that has run through each of these edifying relationships is our common relationships with Christ and our individual, mutual failures in relation to the perfection of Jesus.

Openness and honesty in relationships is not easy. It is not as easy as a status update or 140 character tweets. But it has made so much more difference in my personal growth. So feel free to friend me on Facebook, but promise you won’t be upset if I don’t get around to approving your friendship until I log on a few months from now.

Photos by Katie Dye.

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 5

A KINGDOM

FOR

The need for a Christian world view has never been more crucial than at this point in

Dr. Jimmy Jackson

the history of our nation. I am so pleased that we are a conservative, evangelical, Bible-believing church and that the Lord has blessed us with many forms of ministry, one of which is the Whitesburg Christian Academy. As we move forward together to make the Academy all that God wants it to be, will you join me in praying, helping, and giving? This is one of the greatest opportunities in the world to invest in the much needed spiritual awakening and reformation of America.

Love in Jesus, Brother Jimmy

Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is the projected completion date of the new building?

The schedule for completion is December 5, 2013.

2. What is the projected total cost of the new building?

Total projected costs are currently in the $4.7 to $5 million range.

3. What will be included in the new building?

The building will include 15 classrooms, a computer lab, library/media center and administrative office space.

4. What is the funding plan for the new building?

The new building will be funded primarily from a capital fund-raising campaign called Building the Noble Dream.

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The Academy has spent a full year in this campaign resulting in almost $2.6 million in pledges to date. The campaign will continue to seek pledges from parents, church members, and community friends of the Academy for a three year period. To date, over $1 million has been received toward pledges made. Pledges and gifts may be made by contacting the Academy at theacademy@ wbccares.org.

5. What grades will be moved to the new building?

The current plans include space for grades 4 through 12.

6. What are the Academy’s plans for future growth?

As funds become available, the Academy will add buildings

MINISTRY

OUR COMMUNITY We are involved in something God is up to in our world.

After months of planning and study, Whitesburg Baptist Church has announced the construction of a building to house Whitesburg Christian Academy. This is a unique project, combining the resources and expertise of the church with the commitment and sacrificial giving of Academy parents from over 60 different churches across our community. This is a joint effort to build the first phase of buildings dedicated primarily to the use of the Academy.

This building is a major step forward in a Kingdom ministry, in a work that has unknown and unseen potential to bring change to our community and nation.

The mission of Whitesburg Christian Academy is to provide students with an academically excellent and Christ-centered education for life-long service to Christ. We are training servant leaders to make a difference in our world. We are excited that Whitesburg Baptist Church has made the commitment to be involved in this Kingdom ministry and has taken the next step in making the Noble Dream a reality – a building for Whitesburg Christian Academy.

Existing Pavilion

N

Existing Martha Fleming Center New Academy Building Existing Whitesburg Baptist Center

Whitesburg Center

WHITESBURG DRIVE

needed to move all grades to the new campus, to accommodate future expected growth in enrollment, and to expand programs and electives.

This will include a “cafetorium” for food service and student assemblies, a competition gym for PE and athletic events, a fine arts center, and a second and third classroom building as growth warrants.

Approved site of the new Academy building WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 7

Compelled Reach out to our community and the world. Be part of a 2013 Mission Journey from Whitesburg Baptist Church.

New York City High School Mission Journey

The PLACE at Pulaski Pike The satellite ministry of Whitesburg Baptist Church at 3911 Pulaski Pike in Huntsville. Leadership opportunities include serving in Preschool, Children, and Youth Life Groups on Sunday mornings at 11:00 am. In addition, there are opportunities to serve in AWANA on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. For more information contact Campus Coordinator Rev. Rico Vega at rico. vega@wbccares.org.

Date: March 23 - 30, 2013 Cost: $600* Evangelistic concerts and service projects in the greater metropolitan New York City region. You must be a member of Resolved Student Music to join the mission team. For more information contact Matt Sloma at matthew.sloma@wbccares.org.

Appalachian Regional Ministry

Mission Organizations Every Wednesday evening during the school year Whitesburg has five Mission Organizations that meet at the Main Campus (6806 Whitesburg Drive) to train children, youth and adults to join God on mission. For more information visit wbcglobal. org.

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Date: July 1 - 5, 2013 Application deadline: May 6, 2013 Cost: $225* excluding transportation Vacation Bible School with the Wolf Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Kentucky.

Construction and Backyard Bible Clubs in the Williamsburg Housing Authority community.

Middle School Choir Mission Journey Date:April 19 - 21, 2013 Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee Cost:$100* Minister through music and hands on ministry projects in the northeast Tennessee region. Must be a member of Resolved Student Music to join the mission team. For more information contact Matt Sloma at matthew. sloma@wbccares.org.

* Cost subject to change

Rwanda

Zimbabwe

Green Hills Mission Date: January 7-15, 2013 Cost: $2,800* WBC will be joining Pastor Fred Katagwa and the staff of Africa New Life Ministries in Rwanda in medical, leadership training and evangelistic outreach in the Kigali and surrounding communities.

South of the Sahara Mission Date: September 10 - 21, 2013 Cost: $3000* Evangelistic outreach and leadership training seminar with WBC, TIME Ministries, Call to Africa, and Open Baptist Church.

Israel

Haiti Fun in the Son Festival with Andrew Palau Date: March 12-18, 2013 Cost: $1,850* Evangelistic and medical outreach at the 2013 Fun in the Son Festival in Port-au-Prince.

For more information visit www.palau.org.

Christian Bible Land Seminar Date: May 27 – June 6, 2013 and/ or December 27, 2013 – January 6, 2014 Cost: $3,585.00* Come join Dr. and Mrs. Dick Thomassian for eleven days of spiritual blessings following the footsteps of Jesus. Contact Dr. Thomassian at Friends of Nazareth, 256-319-2072, for more information.

Romania

London, UK London Bridges Mission Date: July 25 – August 3, 2013 Cost: $2500* at Highbury Centre; Cost: TBD* at Laughton Baptist Church Reach out in our adopted borough of London, Red Bridge. We will be serving with our partner, Loughton Baptist Church in evangelistic outreach through Holiday Clubs.

Jewel of Central Europe Date: October 17 - 26, 2013 Cost: $2300* Evangelistic outreach among the Roma Gypsy population as well as leading in a Leadership Training Seminar at Betania Baptist Church.

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 9

Relationships for Life

by Sherry Rausch, Director of Whitesburg Biblical Counseling Ministry

A new year, a new beginning, filled with the promise of new hopes. This is especially true in the realm of relationships. The past year, in review, often has been less than optimum in our interpersonal relationships.

Holiday stress and expectations may have intensified conflict, feelings of hurt, anger and disappointment.

Some struggle with depression, hopelessness, and unforgiveness.

Many long for a deeper, more intimate relationship with our CreatorRedeemer God. He created us, in His image, for relationship with Himself and with others.

When Adam fell, the trouble in relationships began. Man was now at enmity with others, and a great chasm estranged him from the lover of his soul. But, God is love, and He had a plan for redemption, reconciliation and restoration. This love was manifest in God giving His only begotten Son for us who believe on His name (Jn. 3:16). When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is…Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mt. 22:37, 39). Before His crucifixion Jesus admonished his followers, “Love one another” (Jn. 15:17). As believers we have the high calling of “one anothering.” Our horizontal relationships with family, friends, peers, employee-employer, neighbors, etc., will not flourish to the fullest unless our relationship with God is characterized by love for, and

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obedience to His Word. The inerrant and sufficient Word addresses the varied relationships in our lives, be it family, church family, those in authority, or even an enemy. It is practical truth, unchanged by time.

The “vertical” relationship with our Lord is inextricably linked with our relationships with others in the “horizontal” realm of our lives.

Some common hindrances in relationships are communication difficulties, unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, and a self focus that misses the admonition of Philippians 2:3-4 to think higher of the other person than self, to not be solely focused on your own concerns. When our focus is to please the Lord and to love and serve others, then a critical, demanding spirit is eradicated. In our fallen condition, two things are certain. We have all been sinned against and just

as certain -- we have all sinned against others. Our responses to both of these issues will help to determine whether our relationships will be positive and God honoring, or become divisive and destructive. Romans 15:13 reminds us that our God is the source of true hope.

The Whitesburg Biblical Counseling Ministry (WBCM) is available to those who may need help in dealing with relationships in a Christ honoring way. We can be reached at 256-7045678, ext. 721. Please leave your name and phone number. Your call will be returned in a timely manner, at which time additional information about our ministry will be provided.

Two Biblically based resources that WBCM recommends are: Relationships, A Mess Worth Making by Paul David Tripp and The Peacemaker by Ken Sande.

Photo by Katie Dye.

Get your

PLATE

in SHAPE!

by Linda Steakley, MS RD LD

If you made a New Year’s Resolution to eat better, eat less or exercise more you are probably like most of us!

Just about now you may be taking a detour from healthy eating and losing momentum. Try some of these tips to help you get back on track. Slow steady changes that you can live with are better than drastic changes you only do for a short period of time. Taking good care of your physical health is important to God too. When we are healthier we can serve Him better.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Choose bright colored vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, peppers, spinach, cabbage, dark salad greens, green beans, cucumbers, asparagus, brussel sprouts, kale, turnip greens, etc. They are loaded with antioxidants which help reduce your risks of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Aim for 2 or more cups of vegetables every day.

Eat fresh fruits in season or choose fruit canned in its own juice. Try to eat 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruit every day. A medium apple is about 1 cup.

If half your plate is fruits and veggies make the other half protein (about 3 ounces) and a starch (about ½ cup) or a grain.

Choose lean protein and eat a portion equal to the size of a deck of cards. Include fish two times a week.

Try eating less fried meats. Beans and eggs are good sources of protein too— try having a meatless night at your house once a week.

Make half your grains whole grain.

Look for 100% whole grain breads (if it doesn’t say “whole” wheat or “whole” grain then it is nothing more than white flour bread). Choose brown rice, whole grain pastas, whole grain cereals and crackers too.

Switch to low fat or fat free milk.

Milk is your best source of calcium for strong bones and teeth. Aim for 2 servings a day. Low fat yogurt and cheese are great ways to get your dairy. Choose 2% or lower fat cheeses such as Mozzarella cheese.

Stay away from Sofas (Solid Fats and Added Sugars).

Drink water instead of sweet beverages.

Increase your water intake to about 6-8 cups a day. Major

sources of saturated fats and or added sugars include desserts, ice cream, pizzas, cheese, sausage and hot dogs, wings, fatty meats, butter and other solid fats. Get off your sofas and get some exercise too!

Try some of these simple ideas to get back on track with eating healthy. You will feel better and have more energy when you eat healthy and increase your activity level.

Try it and see!

Sign up for the Nutrition Class at the Whitesburg Baptist Recreation Outreach Center starting in February.

Call 256-704-5678, ext. 713 for details.

Graphic courtesy of ChooseMyPlate.gov.

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 11

“I will not be bullied into disobeying God. My life is in his hands.”

- Manuel, Chiapas, Mexico

Voice

by Angela Lipscomb Thompson

of the Martyrs

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” 1 Corinthians 12:26 “Another Sunday and I have nothing to wear…. It’s too hot to walk this far in the parking lot…. There is someone sitting in our pew…. Do we have to stand during each stanza? Forgot my Bible; guess I’ll use my Bible app on my iPhone. It is freezing in here; the coffee is weak. Service ran late again….

Restaurants are going to be packed!”

- Does any of this sound familiar?

“Pray for me that I may open my mouth boldly, to preach the gospel for which I

12 CARINGPLACE | SPRING 2013

am in chains.”

- Paul, Ephesians 6:18-20

“We haven’t been discouraged. We can’t worship here, but we have other places to go.”

- Member of the Linfen Fushan church, closed by Chinese authorities “I read the Bible, not as a duty; I read it to receive a message from God.” - “Arman,” Iran

“As wife of a Christian prisoner, if I didn’t have faith in God and receive God’s Word of comfort, I don’t think I could withstand this hard agony.”

- Eban, Vietnam

“Allah isn’t God. How could I worship him?”

- Mary, Sudan “My life is expendable.”

- Alethia Stendal, American missionary, Columbia

“I have been waiting 80 years to have my own Bible! This is a great day in my life, because I now have my own Bible. I can have it, and I can touch it, and I will keep it with me for the rest of my life. I can kiss it every day, and I will also pray for the rest of my life for those who gave me such a great gift.”

- Elderly man, recipient of an Action Pack, Pakistan, pictured to the right

There are over 50 hostile and restricted nations around the world where Christians face opposition for their faith. Here are just a few of their stories.

Christians, Dora Lilia and husband, Ferley, both school teachers in a farming village in the jungle, were shot by FARC Guerillas leaving three orphaned children. – Columbia

77 year old Shuying, arrested nearby Olympic Park in Beijing, sentenced to two years in prison on fabricated charges. Prison guards made her stand naked outside all night without moving, beaten, interrogated, and forced to drink her own urine. While serving her sentence, her 91 year old husband became ill and authorities refused to let her see him. After two years, Shuying was released; she went immediately to the hospital. Her husband died 1 day later. – China Christianah, Christian high school teacher, brutally murdered by Muslims after touching a student’s backpack which a student claimed contained a Quran. Her husband, Femi, has forgiven

those who murdered his wife. “I have no option but to forgive those who have taken my wife’s life away even though justice has not yet prevailed.

Even though I can forgive, it is not easy to forget.” – Nigeria

Christians continue to worship outside their destroyed church building at the Bait el Dokulamo church, eight years after jihad extremists burned their building and killed 35 people. Muslim mob also attacks Arastamar, the country’s largest Bible College; students are forced to live in tent dormitories and have class surrounded by mud. – Indonesia

“We asked God for everything we needed. If we needed a drink of water, I asked God for a drink of water and if we came to a stream, I drank the water. It didn’t matter that it was dirty.

It was water and God had provided it for us.” – Gracia Burnham, American Missionary, survived a year in the jungles of the Philippines as a hostage with her husband, Martin. Martin was shot and killed the day Gracia was rescued.

“We do need to pray really hard for our persecuted brothers & sisters in Laos and anywhere else in the world. We do also need to pray for the persecutors as well, for they do not know what they are doing. Pray that our Lord shine the light on them and forgive their sins, realize

that they are sinners and need The Savior Jesus Christ, & become, themselves, our brothers & sisters.” – Somchith Khounmano, former Buddhist from Laos, now Chairman of Deacons at All Nations Baptist Church, Huntsville, Alabama

Voice of the Martyrs has partnered with persecuted Christians for over 40 years. VOM provides items such as Bibles, radios, medical aid, blankets, supplies, and encouragement to these believers. Pray for the lives of those around the world who are suffering for their faith. Ask the Lord to give them strength, peace, hope, and compassion to forgive their persecutors. Pray the political leaders and extremist groups in these nations will see Christ in the eyes of the Christians they are persecuting, and that one day they will give their hearts to the Lord.

Photos and stories courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA www.persecution.com

WHITESBURGBAPTIST.ORG | CARINGPLACE 13

Whitesburg Baptist Church

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

6806 Whitesburg Drive Huntsville, AL 35802

PAID

Huntsville, AL Permit 446

the caring place

W H I T E S B U R G B A P T I S T C H U R C H

LOCATIONS & SUNDAY SERVICES Whitesburg Baptist Church 6806 Whitesburg Drive Huntsville, AL 35802

Bible Study 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am Blended Traditional Service 9:30 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Evening Service 6:15 pm

The PLACE

3911 Pulaski Pike Huntsville, AL 35810

Worship 9:30 am Bible Study 11:15 am

WhitesburgBaptist.org Pictured above: High School students at camp.