Investing in the Future

CP Beach Reach 2016 from Texas Baptists on Vimeo.

     Calvary Baptist Church supports missions in primarily two approaches.  One approach is what we call direct CBC missions, which are CBC-specific initiatives in which we lead, support and participate.  The other approach is Cooperative Missions.  Cooperative Missions joins with thousands of other churches to support mission initiatives that are coordinated by our denomination at the RGV, Texas, North America and International levels.  It is doing together with others what we could never do alone.  This week CBC is recognized as one of the top giving churches through the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program.  The video above tells about one of the many ministries we support through the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program. (If you’d like to watch other stories of what our offerings through the Texas Baptists CP support, you can go here and scroll down to the video thumbnails: http://texasbaptists.org/ministries/other-ministries/office-of-cooperative-program-ministry/resources)

     This week's text for discussion in your group is Luke 12:13-21.  (I hope you have received the session outline cards by now).  We are calling the session and message "Investing in the Future."  As you move toward the application and goals for the session, share with the group that investing in the future through Calvary includes our regular financial support of the CBC budget, as well as additional opportunities.

      As the year 2018 has begun we are thankful for everyone in our congregation who is committed to our regular and generous giving through the CBC budget, which supports local and global ministries.  We pray that those who are not doing so will consider discovering the joy of investing in the future by regular giving through the CBC budget.

      Beyond our regular support of the church budget, which we call the tithe and which is continuous, we will ask individuals and families to consider special above-and-beyond sacrificial giving toward two causes, which are short-term:

1. A capital campaign to remodel the Student Ministry area (more information about this forthcoming); and/or
2. Sponsoring a child through Food for the Hungry in the Philippines (FVR, Bulacán)

     While we believe that systematic, proportionate and continuous support of God's work through the church is expected of every believer (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23), we understand that above-and-beyond giving is a free-will offering, for a short-term, where each person needs to be led by God as to where and how much to give (Exodus 35:29; Psalm 54:6; 2 Corinthians 9:7).  The former simply requires faithful obedience.  The second requires prayerful discernment.

     It all begins with commitment based on biblical truth.  Obedient faith then results in blessings for God's work and blessing to the giver.  Encourage your group in this.  Yours and their investment will go a long way.  Let us invest in the future for His sake!

Giving as We Have Received

Student Testimonies from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

     As we explore this week's topic of "Giving as We Have Received," I am sharing with you this video of CBC student testimonies.  We are thankful for adults who are investing in the students' lives to make them disciple-makers.  We are excited about students who are giving of themselves as they have received, being disciple-makers and living on mission.  I hope this encourages you as you lead your group to be disciple-makers.

     This week's Bible texts to explore in your group are the following:

• Matthew 10:8
• Matthew 23:23
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
• 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

The idea is to explore New Testament principles for giving.

     Instead of a blank outline, we are now making available business-card size outlines.  You should receive a hard copy of it tomorrow.  If you don't, please ask Pastors Paulo or Chad for some.  They look like this:

     The "Look Back, Look Up, Look Ahead" side gives you an overview of the session.  The "Head, Heart, and Hands" gives you guidance as to the "Look Up" portion.  You can keep this card in your wallet, purse, pocket or Bible.  You can also give them to those you are training.

Owning the Mission

2414 movement from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

     As we continue the series "Owning our Moment," we explore God's mission and our role as families along with the investment of our capital.

    This week we are again providing a blank outline with the passage to study for you to fill in.  We want you to build the confidence of leading a three-thirds session and training others how to do so as well.

     Below you can see the blank outline with this week's text in JPEG format or you can download and edit it here in Word format.

Hello 2018!

Children Testimonies from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

     As we begin the New Year, we are thankful for the progress toward disciple-making.  As you can see in this week's video above, Calvary children also participate in disciple-making.

     During our Sunday messages from the pulpit and our Bible Fellowship discussions we are focusing on "Owning our Moment."  We are grateful for the 60 years of history we celebrated in 2017.  And we are ready to write a new chapter in the history of this great church.  This is a chapter for the next generation.  Whether we are adults, students or children, we get to own this moment and make the best of it.

     The passages we are examining in the next several weeks are as follows (you can refresh your memory about our new series here):

ABF Date    Pulpit Date     Bible Texts

12-17-17       01-07-18         John 10:10; Mark 10:17-26

01-07-18       01-14-18         Matthew 6:33; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:42-47

01-14-18       01-21-18         Luke 16:1-13

01-21-18       01-28-18         Matthew 10:8; 23:23; 2 Cor. 9:6-11
                                             2 Corinthians 16:1-2

01-28-18      02-04-18          Luke 12:13-21

02-04-18      02-11-18          Matthew 9:35-38

   
     In December we left blank one of the three thirds for you to write your own.  This week, we are leaving blank the entire outline for you to fill in.  Since there are three different texts this week, you may do one of two possibilities.  You may either do head, heart and hands with each of the three short texts or you may read all three texts and do head, heart and hands with all three texts combined.

    You can view the blank outline below in JPEG format or you can download it in PDF format by clicking here.

Merry Christmas!

    I pray that the joy and peace that Jesus came to bring lives in your heart and home this season.

    Our Bible Fellowships are not meeting on campus for the next two Sundays (12-24 and 12-31).  Continue to pray for your Bible Fellowship during these two weeks.  Attend one of our candlelight services this Sunday.  Visit our webpage to view our holiday schedule for 12-24 and 12-31.

     Please also pray for the next series of messages and studies which I shared with you in last week's post.

     Lastly, I share with you one of the many ministries our church supports through our Cooperative Program giving through Texas Baptists.  See the photo below and click here to read more about it.

Writing the Third Third

     This week we skip the video as we transition to a new series of studies and as we change gears for the holidays.  Please take time to read about the new series here.

     This week's study anticipates the sermon that I will preach on January 7, God willing.  In following up with our previous two blog posts, this week we have left the third portion blank so you can write the "Looking Forward" portion of the outline.

     Since the study deals with what it means to find abundant life as we surrender all we have to Jesus, consider writing the goal portion in a way that invites participants to take inventory of their material possessions.  As they think of a new start in 2018 perhaps they can consider surrendering all their resources to God.

     Remember Bible Fellowships will not meet on 12-24-17 or 12-31-17.

     Below you can view this week's session outline in JPEG format or you can download it in PDF format here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND

A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR GROUP

"Owning Our Moment" Series

     Starting with the first Sunday of January we will put our Mark series on pause.  From January 7 to February 11 we will be preaching a series called "Owning Our Moment." As a follow up to our 60th anniversary celebration, where we affirmed the generous investment of those who came before us, we want to now own our moment.  We want to receive the baton, running our leg of the race.  We want to own the gospel, own the mission and manage the resources with which God has entrusted us.  Below is the plan for the series.  Notice the dates.  (ABFs begin series on 12-17-17).

    On 2-11-18 our Guest Speaker will preach a message titled "What if God Showed up?" based on Matthew 9:35-38.

     During this series we will explore how as disciple-makers and as extended families on mission we invest our time, energy and money in kingdom ways as part of our fruitfulness.  We will invite every participant in our ABFs, disciple-making groups and worship services to make commitments in regard to the investment of their resources for the kingdom.  We will explore the idea of the "Five Capitals" as presented in the small paperback book Oikonomics: How to Invest In Life's Five Capitals the Way Jesus Did (2014) by Mike Breen and Ben Sternke; although this is not a book study nor is this the only resource that will be referenced.

     As the year 2018 begins we will invite everyone in our congregation to consider their regular and generous giving through the CBC budget which supports local and global ministries.  Beyond our regular support of the church budget, which we call the tithe and which is continuous, we will ask individuals and families to consider special above-and-beyond sacrificial giving toward two causes, which are short-term:

1. A capital campaign to remodel the Student Ministry area; and/or
2. Sponsoring a child through Food for the Hungry in the Philippines (FVR, Bulacán)

While we believe that systematic, proportionate and continuous support of God's work through the church is expected of every believer (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23), we understand that above-and-beyond giving is a free-will offering, for a short-term, where each person needs to be led by God as to where and how much to give (Exodus 35:29; Psalm 54:6; 2 Corinthians 9:7).  The former simply requires faithful obedience.  The second requires prayerful discernment.

     Please pray for yourself, your family and your group that we may all discover the grace, the joy and the blessing of generous giving and that God's mission advances as we invest of ourselves in it.