December 2018 Texts

     We are just days away from Thanksgiving and from December.  We are concluding the series of messages and sessions about Disciple-Making at Home.  It is our desire that we have grown both in our understanding and our practice of what it means to be families on mission.

     In December we will be looking at the various accounts of Jesus' birth and/or the incarnation from the gospels.  The messages from the pastor will focus on what these passages teach us about worship.  However, as you facilitate discovery in your group using head, heart and hands do not feel limited by this theme.

     Here are the dates and passages.  (Please note that there will be no Bible Fellowships for adults, students or children on either 12-23-18 nor 12-30-18):

Weekend     Text

11-25-18:     John 1:1-14

12-02-18:    Luke 2:1-10

12-09-18:    Matthew 2:1-12

12-16-18:   Philippians 2:5-11

12-23-18:    No ABFs

12-30-18:   No ABFs

     We pray that as you lead your group through the three-thirds method, that disciple-makers continued to be formed.  We also hope that you and your group continue to pray for those who are close to you but far away from God.  Discuss ways to reach out to them and dream about possibilities of multiplying your group.

October & November 2018 Texts

     We have come to the end of our Kairos series on the Gospel of Mark!  What an incredible time we have had studying this fast moving and fascinating book for the last year!

     During October and November we will be exploring various texts that deal with disciple-making from the perspective of our family and extended family.  Below are the texts that we invite ABFs and other disciple-making groups to explore during this season:

Week of: Text

10-07-18: Acts 1:1-14

10-14-18: Genesis 1:16-28; 2:18-25; 12:1-3

10-21-18: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

10-28-18: Psalm 127

11-04-18: Luke 5:1-11

11-11-18: Acts 2:41-47

11-18-18: John 15:1-12

11-25-18: John 1:1-14

     We will be preaching a series titled "Disciple Making Starts at Home" during our Sunday worship services that will correspond with most of these texts.

     We pray that each of us as leaders and as group participants grows in our disciple making within our biological families and grows as a family on mission within our ABFs and disciple making groups.

Family on Mission and Four Fields

     Beginning this week the blog posts regarding our CBC strategy and implementation of our vision 2020 will be coming from Pastor Chad's blog.

     This week's post introduces the concepts of Family on Mission and Four Fields.

     If you are a disciple-maker, or you want to learn more about what it means, or you simply want to continue to receive this information, I encourage you to subscribe to the blog.  Simply go to the home page, scroll to the bottom and enter your name, email and click "subscribe."  (The blog posts will be available in English and in Spanish).

Reproducible Disciple-Making

Chad, Chris, Maki, Philippines 2018 from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

          Chad, Chris and Maki share the vision of reproducible disciple-making based on John 15 and on 2 Timothy 2:2.  Their recent experience in the Philippines is an example of how this can be simply implemented in a short-period of time.

          Our ABFs and other disciple-making groups should own this vision of making disciples to the fourth generation and of reproducing themselves as groups to the fourth generation.  What needs to happen in your group for this to be a reality?

Sabbatical by Numbers

          Please click here to read this post on my Pastor Julio's Plug Blog.

Thanks!

Mark Texts for this Summer (2018)

          This summer we will continue with our Kairos series on the Gospel of Mark.  Below are the dates and the texts that ABFs and other disciple-making groups will be exploring this summer.  (Remember that we are preaching these texts the week after the groups explore them in order to give groups the opportunity of discovery).

          We trust that you are continuing to use the three-thirds method as we believe this is an optimal method for making disciples within your group and which helps to train group members to reproduce it as they make disciple-makers beyond your group.  As we move forward toward our 2020 vision it will be critical for all our groups and leaders to be proficient in the use of the three-thirds methodology.

          If you have questions, doubts, need assistance please do not hesitate to contact me or Pastor Paulo or Pastor Chad or Pastor Rolando in regard to adult groups, to Pastor Marcus in regard to students, Pastor Susan in regard to children groups and Pastor Benjamin in regard to Spanish groups.  We are here to encourage you, equip you, and serve you!

Resurrection!

           
           Jesus is risen from the dead!  What a powerful message!  This incredible event sets the gospel apart from other religions.  The resurrection of Jesus is a historical event.  Yet it is a relevant truth for us today.

           This Sunday we will celebrate this earthshaking event as we gather together.  We will worship a living Savior who is at work in our world today.  We will be reminded of his power to change lives and our call to share His message with those who do not know it yet.

           As you gather with your group this Sunday take time to thank God for this.  Remember that you and your group will be exploring Mark 9:1-13 which is the account of the Transfiguration.  The following Sunday (April 8) you and your group will explore Mark 9:14-29 where Jesus delivers a boy who is possessed with an evil spirit.  I hope that you are getting the benefit of using the three thirds method with your group and that it is now second nature to you.

          Should you have any questions about the three thirds method and how to continue to use it, please do not hesitate to contact me, or Pastor Paulo or Pastor Chad.  We are here to encourage you and support you as you make disciplemakers.