Author: Believers Church

What are we up to now?

April 13, 2020 Believers Church

Church may look different now, but the mission remains the same. We still seek to spread the truth of Jesus into our community. We still desire to disciple and be disciples. The church’s job still remains to equip believers to make a difference in the community that they are in. Although recent happenings in the world and regulations change some of the ways we minister as a church, they do not change why we are here.

Weekly Services

We continue to have Sunday and Wednesday services by live streaming our current sermons on our YouTube channel. You can catch our most recent sermons here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKDmfLCRACaIa06KPJhLDA. Sermons start at 10:30 am every Sunday and at 7 pm on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. We are in the middle of a series through the epistles of John on Sunday mornings and nearing the end of 2 Kings on Wednesday evenings. It is amazing to see the sovereignty of God in our passage week after week. He seems to perfectly align our verses to the needs of our church and the circumstances of this world. It is clear God knows what we need and provides exactly that, and we thank Him for it.

Staying Connected

Being united has always been an important thing for us. It might be a little harder than before, but we’re finding ways to stay connected as a church. We seek to continue to encourage one another, to not neglect meeting together, to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, to pray for one another. Although our circumstances may be different, God’s expectation of the unity, fellowship, and love that we are to have for each other hasn’t changed.

Getting together for a night of games seems to have always been a part of our church. We decided that we would do it over a video call. One night a group sharpened our drawing skills, and played Pictionary over a video call. It was a great time, although sharing snacks was made much more difficult.

A game of digital Pictionary (I believe that was some sort of bird?)

Community Involvement

We still want to reach out and be there for our community even when our doors are closed to our typical weekly services. To do this we made a commercial to be put on social media and aired on local TV stations. The goal was to let the community know that we are here for them, that God loves them, and that we would be happy to pray for any of their needs during this time. The commercial was a combined effort of several members of the church which proved to be an interesting challenge while also being under a shelter in place order. Through technology we were able to all work on this project together. If you are interested in seeing the final video, you can find it on our website at jfbduluth.com.

Without a doubt the church calendar looks different than normal. God still has plans for us as a church and as individual believers. We intend to continue seeking Him and figure out what it is that He is accomplishing through us and perhaps more importantly inside of us. Please pray that we would cooperate with God. Ask that we would let Him to change us into the disciples of Jesus that He would have us be

Makeover

April 10, 2020 Believers Church

If uncertainty were a virus, more people would test positive for that one than for COVID-19.

Men & women all over the world are dying to know what the future holds, why we’re in this mess, and what to do to make it stop. With information changing by the hour, even Christians are left to question what God means by all of this: How are we supposed to be remain “on mission” with so many social restrictions? What will we do when “two or more” are no longer able to legally “gather”? How are we supposed to “seek and save the lost”? Through Snapchat?

God’s Purpose in a Pandemic:

The answer is simple: God is allowing the Church to suffer like she is because it’s a vital part of her beautification. It’s always been this way, and it’ll always be this way until the Lord returns. His goal from the very beginning has been to “present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph.5:27). He’s removing the “spots & wrinkles” through a process He calls “sanctification”. He employs the use of trial & tribulation to enhance the Church. That’s what He’s doing right now. He’s making her prettier.

A Classic Technique:

Certain crises throughout the history of the Church are largely responsible for the way she looks today. From the very start, God’s people have been intermittently hit with sudden, unexpected emergencies that forced her to either adapt or die; to become beautiful, or to remain ugly. These were watershed moments; paradigm shifts. Undesirable at first, but vital for the overall strength & success of the Church. Situations that initially seemed to be disastrous, were actually being used by God to customize an attractive Bride for His Son.

A difficulty like this one is nothing new for the Church.

Beauty School:

In her infancy, for example, when Christ ascended into heaven, He left the Church behind to learn how to navigate life with a different “Helper” (Acts 1 & 2). As uncomfortable as it was, the change needed to be made. Had she not been forced to depend upon the Holy Spirit, the Church might still be trying to serve the Lord in the strength of her flesh. But she stayed true and learned to put her trust in the Spirit, all for the One she loves. How beautiful!

Or how about when she was so severely attacked that her people were “scattered throughout the regions” (Acts 8:1)? Had the Lord not exposed her to persecution, the Church might have been stopped dead in her tracks, going no further than the city limits of Jerusalem. But, she remained faithful and learned to adapt herself to a different routine, all for the One she loves. That’s beautiful!

And then there was the time when the Church realized that Gentiles were every bit the object of God’s love as the Jews were (Acts 10:28). A hard pill for a Hebrew to swallow, but had the Lord not forced the issue, many of us would still be in the dark, to this very day. Difficulty came upon the Church, but she faithfully rose to the occasion, and she’s never looked the same since. She’s beautiful!

Another Treatment:

In classic form, the Lord has introduced the modern Church to another sudden & unexpected emergency. In only a few short months every area of life & living has become governed by COVID-19. Our physical, social, emotional, financial, vocational, educational, and even our spiritual purviews have all been brought under its domain. We are, and will be, forced to make decisions that will affect the trajectory of the Church for generations to come. Worship, service, and fellowship have already begun to look different for us. Will we adapt, or will we die?

The Help We Need:

It’s true that we didn’t ask for this. But God saw that we needed it. Sometimes, the only way to move forward, is to go through a wall of fire. But when the fire is lit by God Himself, we know that He doesn’t plan to kill us with it, but to purify us through it. What’s happening today is no accident. The Lord brings a crisis upon His Church whenever He sees that the Church needs a crisis. We might not like what He’s doing, but it’ll be hard to argue against His decision once you see the outcome. The discipline of God can look and feel extreme, but the results are no less stunning.

Pretty Already:

But maybe you think you’re pretty enough as it is. Perhaps you don’t feel it necessary to make changes or adapt yourself to the Lord’s ideal because you assume that you’re already there. The truth is, when a person sees themselves as naturally irresistible, they inevitably reject God’s attempt to sanctify them any further. People like that can’t see a need for God’s help at all. They don’t think they need to be made appealing, because they believe that they already are.

Adapt or die…

Experts are saying that the world will never be the same again after this, and I suppose they’re right. I hope you won’t be either. Without compromising any of our core beliefs, I hope the Christians of our generation will allow the Lord to make the changes He wants to make. The Church will be more beautiful if we do. Especially in our knowledge of Christ, and our role in this world. I hope that each of us, as individuals, will embrace our plight and remain true to the Lord. We won’t be getting any prettier unless we do.

A Better Bride:

If you want to become the person God’s designed you to be, now’s the time. It’s important for us to understand that our current situation was orchestrated with that in mind. This is one of God’s sovereign purposes for the Coronavirus. There is nothing like a global pandemic to reveal the true heart of the people in a church. When all of this is said and done, the Church will either be more attractive than ever, or no better than we were before.

Sometimes, the only way to move forward, is to go through a wall of fire

God wants us all to learn and to grow through the crisis He’s provided. Our main interest during this pandemic shouldn’t be so much in keeping our hands clean, as it should be in remaining faithful. We need His help in becoming a different Church, a better Church, and these are the circumstances He’s provided through which that can happen.

Serve the Lord, remain faithful, and I can guarantee you, the Church will never look the same again.

How far are you willing to go to let yourself become more attractive to Jesus?

What To Do

April 8, 2020 Believers Church

There are various ways to keep yourself and others in your household busy at home. Rather than feeling like you are stuck at home, there are edifying free activities such as podcasts, reading, teaching videos, video chat with friends/families and crafts/hobbies.

Click on the pictures below to link to free resources

eBooks

101 Simple and Amazing Crafts to Help Teach Children the Bible, by Gail Schoonmaker

Free PDF

Videos

The Biggest Story: Animated Short Film, a journey through the Bible in 26 minutes.

LINK to Video

The Final Days of Jesus video series

LINK to video

Devotionals

LINK here

Podcasts

Parenting in the light of the Gospel, by Paul David Tripp

LINK here

Articles

God is still in Control, by Bob Cutillo, MD

LINK here

Bookstore Contact Information

For questions about our inventory in stock or to order a book:

Email: bookstore@jfbelievers.com

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Domestic Missions 2020

April 1, 2020 Believers Church

The Domestic Missions Team from JF Believers Church headed out from our perspective towns heading to the airport… We checked our bags, received our boarding passes, and started heading for Napoleonville, LA… and Southern Hospitality.

The Work

Upon our arrival we were greeted at breakfast like long lost family, we ate together and started our devotions going through the Book of Philippians. We talked through three of the biggest projects that needed to get done and where there was the greatest need with Rick and Ray. These two were the guys on the ground that have been working on this church for over the last two years since it was burned down when it was struck by lightning. We then split off into our perspective workgroups for the day… coming back together for lunch getting to know our extended family, how they came to Christ and eating some homemade Louisiana Cuisine. After lunch, heading back to our perspective work areas, working hard until we received the cue to wash up, get sanitized and head in for some more Southern Cuisine provided by the different members of the church. After dinner was bread pudding, cherry cobbler, and if that wasn’t enough there were two tables full of snacks… We worked from 8 am-5 pm Tuesday-Saturday. By the end of the week, we finished the three main projects and were able to knock out about two or three more… Finally, on the last day of work we ran out of supplies to do the work as the church portico was finished off. We all signed the last piece of wood going up, JFB Missions 2020… It is going to be covered by vinyl siding, but we all know it is there

The People

When we first met the people we understood why God put us together and why Tim said this was the place. We met 15-20 people who were finishing well, they loved the Lord, and they were serving him in any way they can. There was a video that Tim shared of Miss Bobbie, an 85-year-old widow who is serving any way she could, making dessert, bringing silverware and napkins to the table, not sitting down until everyone is served. To Joyce, Kim, and Linda and other church ladies that were providing the meals, getting to the church at 6 am and leaving after us @6pm and sanitizing everything for the next day. We were blessed to hear the stories of Rick, Ray, Dean, and Bill an 82-year-old man who helped us in any way he could through just the right tool, sharing well-placed wisdom when needed. Then there is Pastor Chuck who is 82 and preaches like he is 40 who received the Lord at age 37 and kept moving… Ending our week off with worshipping together. At the end of the day, we don’t have enough time or space in a blog to share all of the names, faces, stories, tales of fine Louisiana Cuisine, and the Southern Hospitality we all experienced. If you want to hear a little more just grab one of us and we can share a little.

We want to thank you all for your prayers… We had a safe, successful trip and gained some new family members through your prayers… this did not go unnoticed.

The Pictures

God’s Timing…

March 25, 2020 Believers Church

Read the latest update from Shofar Mission Cebu.

Street Level Ministries

At the beginning of March, we were able to reach out to students with a live radio broadcast near the University of the Visayas. During the broadcast, we passed out copies of Street Level’s college magazine Word on the Street. Street Level Radio volunteers also had trivia questions for students to answer for a free Street Level Radio t-shirt. Halfway through the broadcast, we needed more magazines and t-shirts since so many students participated! We didn’t skip a beat and told students that more shirts were coming, so they could come back later for their prize. When shirts arrived, one of the DJs asked where they were as she saw the magazines in my hand and my full backpack. Depending on the day and event, my backpack has carried anything from the kitchen stove to science experiments. That’s completely normal here.

Earlier in the month, we held a few Street Level meetings and hosted a Saturday movie night at the office. At this point, many students have gone home since classes were suspended and Cebu was placed under community quarantine. During this time, we are planning to stay connected to them via video chats and members group chats.

Exploring Creation Science

At the beginning of March, I was able to reconnect with students at three schools before the school year came to an early end. Two of the schools only go up to grade 6 and the other school group was students in grades 10-12. During the events, school staff addressed students about moving to new schools and what that means. The Exploring Creation Science lesson focused on why it is important to know why you believe what you believe. Video clips with discussion questions helped students see the importance of being a thinking individual as they move into junior high or university.

The students in grades 10-12 at Southern Bethany (a school we have been working with for a number of years) remembered Shofar coming to teach them about God. There are not many students in grade 12, so students in grades 10 and 11 joined the lesson to encourage them to start thinking about these things. At that time, the tentative plan included a possible recap with grades 10 and 11 during the summer session. Instead, the recap session will most likely be when the 2020-2021 school year starts.

Prayer Requests:

Please continue to pray for the staff and students in all levels that we have met over the course of the school year. This break seems to be timely for where many are at with God and all the information they have been presented with (whether it is the SLM material or Exploring Creation Science lessons).
Pray for all the students that have gone home since classes are not in session.
At the beginning of February, large group gatherings were prohibited for all public schools. We were able to teach one Exploring Creation Science lesson in January at a public school here in the city. I am reminded of God’s timing as this group meets 1 time per month. God knew that day that would be the only meeting with those students. They have welcomed us back again next school year. In the meantime, please continue to pray for the students and staff.
Please pray for the Filipino people that are afraid during this time….we pray that their eyes would be open to God.

Children’s Ministry Update & Easter Activity

March 22, 2020 Believers Church

Our Mission

Our mission as the Believer’s Church Children’s Ministry is to enrich what parents are already teaching their children about God at home so they can come to know and love Jesus and grow in a relationship with Him. With all of the closures and cancellations going on right now, we are obviously not able to hold our typical Beginnings and Foundations classes for children. But one way we can still come alongside parents during this time is to share an Easter activity idea that you could use with your kids at home. Maybe it will even turn into a tradition for your family like it has for ours.

“Easter Mountain”

A few years ago, I came across an excellent idea for an activity to help prepare young children for Easter. The idea came from Noel Piper’s book Treasuring God in Our Traditions. Since the culture we live in tells us that Easter is all about bunnies and colored eggs and baskets filled with candy, I was thankful to find an activity that has helped us teach the real meaning of Easter to our children.

In short, after making an “Easter Mountain” out of homemade play dough as well as some pipe cleaner people, we use these props each day of the week leading up to Easter to act out some of the main events of Holy Week. After laying Jesus in the tomb in the mountain on Friday and covering the entrance with a “stone”, the highlight is Sunday morning when Jesus is moved to the top of the mountain, showing that He is triumphantly alive! For an excerpt of the book with a fuller explanation of this activity, click here and scroll to the “Holy Week” section of the blog entry.

Photo Highlights

Here are a few pictures and video of what we were up to in the Beginnings and Foundations Rooms since our last update.

Beginnings Room Worship

Prayer Requests:

For us as parents to make the most of the extra time we have right now with our children to teach them about God and what it looks like to trust Him.
For opportunities for families to minister to neighbors and other families, and to see the needs around us.