Pastor Scott and Marcia to Israel

Marcia and I leave at 6:30 tomorrow morning for Israel. We are going with a tour from Western Seminary where I am the chairman of the board of trustees. We will return on June 6th.

We are going to learn about the Holy Land, to be sure. But, our chief motivation for this trip is our 25th anniversary. For our honeymoon we traveled all of 85 miles to Yellowstone park and stayed three days for less than $400 before we were snowed out and came home! We are very excited about this opportunity. The trip highlights how thankful we are for the work God has done in us, and to a lesser degree, through us in these past 25 years.

We would appreciate your prayers for our safety as well as for our encouragement and growth. We look forward to sharing what we learn. Thank you.

Preaching the Gospel to Yourself

A few weeks ago I had more good stuff than I could cram into a sermon. Here are some of the quotes I would have used if the sermon had lasted 2 hours!

“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in this psalm] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul?’ he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says: ‘Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.’” Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1965), 20.

“If I have observed anything by experience, it is this: a man may take the measure of his growth and decay in grace according to his thoughts and meditations upon the person of Christ, and the glory of Christ’s Kingdom, and of His love.” - John Owen

“Sin is therefore fundamentally opposition to God, rebellion against God, which roots in hatred of God.” – Anthony Hoekema

“Reminding ourselves of the Gospel is the most important daily habit we can establish. If the Gospel is the most vital news in the world, and if salvation by grace is the defining truth of our existence, we should create ways to immerse ourselves in these truths every day. No days off allowed. . .Your audience is your own heart. And the message is simple: Christ died for you sins. It’s a matter of sitting down, grabbing your own attention, and telling yourself, “Hey, listen up! This is what matters most: You’re forgiven! You have hope! Your hope is based on the sacrifice of Jesus. So lets’ not view this day any other way. Let today be governed by this one defining truth.” (Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney pg. 132‐133).

“God did not give us His Gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted. Actually, He offers it to us every day as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness... We extract these benefits by being absorbed in the Gospel, speaking it to ourselves when necessary, and by daring to reckon it true in all we do.” (The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent pg 5).

“My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, He is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me.” (Morning and Evening‐Sept 25 by C.H. Spurgeon)

There is simply no other way to compete with foreboding of my conscience, the condemnings of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the Gospel.” (The Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent, p. 14)

“You are loved and accepted by God through the merit of Jesus, and you are blessed by God through the merit of Jesus. Nothing you ever do will cause Him to love you any more or any less. (Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges, p 73)

“Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee‐it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee‐it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument‐it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to they faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.” (Morning and Evening‐ June 28 by C.H. Spurgeon.)

“Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him and say, ‘Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You took on you what was mine; yet set on me what was yours. You became what you were not, that I might become what I was not’.” (Martin Luther)

Remember the Gospel! – “There is nothing in us or done by us, at any stage of our earthly development, because of which we are acceptable to God. We must always be accepted for Christ’s sake, or we cannot be accepted at all. This is not true of us only when we believe. It is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live... it is always on His ‘blood and righteousness’ alone that we can rest.” (B.B. Warfield)

Preaching the Gospel to Christians (Week 5)

A New Sermon Series on the Reality of Grace in a Save-Yourself World

Tim Chester, You Can Change

[We] grow towards maturity by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
We build one another up through the words we say. . . . We need to be communities in which we encourage, challenge, console, rebuke, counsel, exhort and comfort one another with the truth. We need to be communities in which everyone is speaking truth to everyone. In verses 17-24 Paul reminds us why “speaking the truth in love” is central to change. He reminds us firstly in verses 17-19 that the underlying causes of sinful behavior and negative emotions are futile thinking, darkened understanding, ignorant minds, hardened hearts, indulged desires and continual lust. In other words, we think or believe lies instead of trusting God’s word (chapter 5) and we desire or worship idols instead of worshiping God (chapter 6) (170).

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church

We need to take responsibility for eachother’s godliness – not only at the level of behavior but of attitudes and underlying idolotries. Paul encourages the Christians in Ephesus to “speak the truth in love” to one another (Ephesians 4:15.). This means recognizing that apparently insignificant moments are actually full of significance (170).

Here are the Life Group study guides to accompany last Sunday’s sermon from The Gospel Lived:

Preaching the Gospel to Christians
Preaching the Gospel to Christians (Leader’s Guide)

Also, don’t forget: you can still pick-up a copy of Milton Vincent’s excellent book, A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love, at the church office or on Sunday morning for just $5.

Juneau Mission Team Banquet Invitation

The Juneau Mission Team, made up of 17 High School Students and 8 adults, would like to invite you to the "Juneau Mission Team Banquet". The banquet will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 pm this Sunday (May 16) at New Life Robinwood (19915 Old River Drive in West Linn).

The team will serve a full dinner. You will get a chance to interact with individual team members, and there will be a program explaining what the team is hoping to accomplish on this trip. This will also be a great opportunity for you to express your support for this team with prayer and a financial gift. If you are planning to come, please send an email, stating the number of people you are bringing, to office@newlifenw.com or call 503-656-8600 by Noon on Wednesday.

Thanks so much for your support!

The Juneau Mission Team

Preaching the Gospel to Yourself (Week 4)

A New Sermon Series on the Reality of Grace in a Save-Yourself World

Tim Keller, The Gospel in Life

What makes you a sexually faithful spouse, a generous—not avaricious—person, a good parent and/or child is not just redoubled effort to follow the
example of Christ. Rather, it is deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out the changes that understanding makes in your heart–the seat of your mind, will, and emotions. Faith in the gospel restructures our motivations, our self-understanding and identity, and our view of the world. It changes our hearts. Behavioral compliance to rules without heart-change will be superficial and fleeting (26).

Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer

The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my conscience), and so incredible (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should. There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemnings of my heart, and the lies of the world and the Devil than to overwhelm such things with daily rehearsings of the gospel (14).

Here are the Life Group study guides to accompany yesterday’s sermon from The Gospel Lived:

Preaching the Gospel to Yourself
Preaching the Gospel to Yourself (Leader’s Guide)

Also, don’t forget: you can pick-up a copy of Milton Vincent’s excellent book, A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love, at the church office or on Sunday morning for just $5. As a staff, we simply can’t recommend a better, more straight-forward, more practical, or more powerful book that focuses on actually living in light of the gospel.

Baptism at New Life Church River Falls

The baptisms that are planned for this Sunday will happen between first and second service. I suspect that it will be 10:20 or so when they begin. You'll want to come early or stay late. There will be some great stories.

Middle School Auction

Nearly 100 excited people packed the fellowship hall for the Annual New Life Middle School Auction and raised $2556 for their Dalit Children Missions Project!! This a new record and $500 MORE than last year!!

Each year the students donate their unused favorite toys and items and many members sacrificially give services like fishing trips or tea parties or baked goods or items like hand made jewelry and art, furniture and games. Then the New Life Middle School hosts a pizza dinner and crazy auction to let these items go to a new home with the highest bidder! You can check here for more pictures.

All the proceeds are used by the Middle School to support the Buhlers and their adopted middle school age Dalit Children in India.

The Middle School Students are learning to serve and be involved in work that spreads the Gospel and news of God's greatness from right where they are at 12 and 13 years old...

Thank you so much for making this a night of ministry to remember and for your generous donations and purchases. Praise God for His Word, the power of the Resurrection and the Holy Spirit for changing lives in Middle School and around the world!!

The Gospel and Your Idolatry (Week 3)

A New Sermon Series on the Reality of Grace in a Save-Yourself World

Tim Keller, “Talking About Idolatry in a Postmodern Age”

Sin isn’t only doing bad things; it is more fundamentally making good things into ultimate things. Sin is building your life and meaning on anything, even a very good thing, more than on God. Whatever we build our life on will drive us and enslave us. Sin is primarily idolatry.

Here are the Life Group study guides to accompany yesterday’s sermon from The Gospel Lived:

The Gospel and Your Idolatry: The Doctrine of Sin
The Gospel and Your Idolatry: The Doctrine of Sin (Leader’s Guide)

A New Cross at Riverfalls

Have you noticed the new addition to the front entrance of the Riverfalls campus? We now have a beautiful new cross, created by Val Matijacic, displayed for all to see and be reminded of our Savior who gave us new life!

The Scott Mitchell House

Fairhaven Ministries is a faith based Christian organization working with addicts committed to recovery. The home located at 7760 SW 158th Place, Beaverton will be a safe home for women who have children. On May 15th, 1:00 pm, the home will be dedicated to the legacy of Scott Mitchell, Cedar Mill Bible Church's former Men's Pastor who died in an accident involving his son Jonathon.

Dave and Diane Froode are partnering with Fairhaven to create this recovery home. They still need dressers, queen, twin or bunk beds, and refrigerators, if you have extras. Many have expressed the desire for a women's recovery house and we're glad that New Life Church members can have a part in opening this one.

Please consider attending this dedication and also pray for how you might be involved and a positive influence to these people.

The gospel is not just the ABCs . . .

A New Sermon Series on the Reality of Grace in a Save-Yourself World

Tim Keller, The Prodigal God

The gospel is . . . not just the ABCs of the Christian life, but the A to Z of the Christian life. Our problems arise largely because we don’t continually return to the gospel to work it in and live it out. That is why Martin Luther wrote, “The truth of the Gospel is the principle article of all Christian doctrine. . . . Most necessary is it that we know this article well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.”

The Gospel Lived

A New Sermon Series on the Reality of Grace in a Save-Yourself World

Week 1 | The Gospel and Your Identity
Week 2 | The Gospel and Your Righteousness
Week 3 | The Gospel and Your Idolatry
Week 4 | Proclaiming the Gospel to Yourself
Week 5 | Proclaiming the Gospel to Christians
Week 6 | Proclaiming the Gospel to Non-Christians

Most people live their lives believing the seemingly inescapable truth: you are what you do. If you do good, you are good and you deserve to have a good life. If you do bad, you are bad and you deserve to have bad life.

Whether you’re religious or irreligious, conservative or liberal, rich or poor makes little difference to this foundational way of thinking, because even though we may go about trying to “save” ourselves in lots of different ways, all of us basically believe that it’s up to us to get the job done: that love, happiness and fulfillment only come to those who earn it.

The gospel, on the other hand, is radically different. The gospel begins not with us, but with God; not with who we are and what we’ve done, but with who God is and what He’s done for us in Christ.

Join us this Spring Sunday mornings and follow along in your Life Group as we explore how the reality of grace transforms our lives from the inside out.

Good Friday Gatherings

New Life Church will have two gatherings this evening, one at 7:00 pm and one at 9:00 pm, to remember the death of our Lord. We will have a simple, sober time to reflect on Jesus' crucifixion.

Come be reminded of why the cross is so central to the Christian life. We'll remember Jesus, taking the Lord's Supper together and singing about the cross.

Both gatherings will be at the Riverfalls Campus. There will not be child care.

Grant B. and YFC

Grant Blomdahl’s a somewhat new name on New Life team. After spending last year in Oregon City with Aaron as an intern in the Teen Department, since November he’s been serving at the Riverfalls campus on Wednesday nights in the middle school group, on Sunday mornings with the worship team playing electric guitar and on Sunday nights doing anything and everything at re:Generātion. In addition to all that, Grant also serves with the Clackamas Area Youth for Christ. Here’s the latest update on what’s going on at the two clubs Grant leads (just click the image to enlarge it). If you’re interested in partnering with YFC, financially or in prayer, you can e-mail Grant at gblomdahl@yfcpdx.org.

Resurrection Sunday at New Life Church

New Life Church will be celebrating the Lord's Resurrection this Sunday, April 4th, 2010, at two different locations.

New Life Church Robinwood will be meeting at the Robinwood Campus at 10:00 a.m. for the Celebration Service following a 9:00 a.m. light breakfast.

New Life Church River Falls will meet at the West Linn High School Auditorium at 10:00. We will have a brunch following the service at the New Life Church building across the street from the auditorium. Please come and bring a friend!

Celebrate Recovery Two Year Anniversary Tonight!!

Celebrate Recovery at New Life Church began 2 years ago this March 20th and has grown and developed over time to what it is today--an amazing group of dedicated volunteers and a growing group of participants in the program. Here are a few things that have happened since we began:

• We have heard testimonies of God's dramatic work in people's lives.
• We have sent volunteers to Saddleback Church in CA. to the annual meeting.
• We have seen growth in our own church body.
• We have seen people come to Christ and be baptized.
• We have seen a closeness that continues to develop among those that attend the Friday night event at New Life.

There is a connected faithful core group and an ever-changing attendance of people with "hurts and hangups" that are consistently fed by the word and by the teachings of Celebrate Recovery. This Friday night, Mar.26th we will meet as always at 6:30pm for dinner, music and teaching that has been one of the most successful outreaches in the history of our church. Come and see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone is Welcome.

(Thanks to Dianne Froode for this report).

Middle School Auction Coming March 31st

It is time for our 5th Annual New Life Church Middle School Auction to raise money for our Dalit Missions Project. Come join us in the Fellowship Hall next Wednesday night, March 31st at 7 p.m. for pizza, a brief presentation of our missions project and then we will jump right in to the auction.

Many of you have donated items as well as "offers". You can view many of the items that will be auctioned on our web album.

Some of the "offers" that have been donated are:

A Tea Party for 6 catered by Judy Cochran including Tea, Sandwiches, Fruit and Scones
2 Separate Salmon Fishing trips!! One with Dave Froode and one with Jay Bettineski
A Photoshoot (individual or family) by Andie Haugen
A 3-student work team to come and work for 4 hours
Various baked goods
Music Lessons
A pool party for 15 by the Haugens
and others are coming in daily!
Also, please watch the 6 minute video that we made of our project. Many of the Middle School students share their thoughts on how the project has impacted them. You can find that on youtube.
If you have any questions or would like to make a donation, please feel free to call Gay Haugen at 503-319-6438.
Thanks so much!

Hiding God's Word in Your Heart

Is scripture memory a part of your devotional practice? Have you ever memorized 145 verses in one day? That's just what happened at the Awana Club's Ketch-Up Clinic this past Saturday. 21 children and 9 volunteers gathered for 3 hours to "ketch up" in their Awana hand books. They memorized verses, played games, and ate hot dogs with ketchup.

Want to learn more about this exciting ministry? Get your kids involved? Be a volunteer? Come visit us on Wednesday nights during the month of April. You can begin to hide God's word in your heart, get to know lots of new friends, and have a ton of fun!

Prayer meeting in Wilsonville

We are starting a new church and you can be a part of it. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about the ministry in Wilsonville and contribute through prayer. Come see and pray in the building where we hope to hold worship services for this new church in the near future, 27960 SW Canyon Creek Rd. Wilsonville, at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 18th. We'll pray together as we rely on God in His gospel work.

Update on Haiti Contributions

Raising funds for the relief effort in Haiti were led by our Treasureland children and resulted in a donation of $1,832.68 to Forward Edge International. Joe Anfuso from Forward Edge sent this heartfelt message:

Thank you to those at New Life Church whose hearts were touched by the overwhelming need in Haiti. Your giving will make a difference.

Spring Forward!

Don't forget to set your clock forward at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14th, or you'll be late for church!

re:Generātion Launch

re:Generātion Promo from New Life Church on Vimeo.

re:Generātion exists to engage young adults in gospel-centered community focused on worship, mission and leadership development.

re:Generātion will begin gathering this Sunday night at the Riverfalls campus from 7:00-9:00pm (Life Groups will start at 6pm).

Guatemala Team Report

This past Sunday evening several friends and family members gathered at the home of Art and Holly Foullon to hear a report from the Guatemala Mission Team. After sharing a meal together, the team shared how this mission trip had made an impact on them and the people they worked with. We saw lots of pictures of precious Guatemalan families. We heard stories of God doing amazing things.

One of the highlights was the opportunity the team had to lead a VBS with over 125 children. Randy Corbett led music. The team described what a joy it was to hear children singing with great gusto in a language they don't normally speak, led by people singing in a language they don't normally speak, all in praise to God. During the VBS the team was able to share the gospel by helping the children make their own Bibles writing Juan 3:16 inside. The team also conducted medical clinics and helped with construction projects, helping meet physical, as well as spiritual needs. Another highlight was the home visits that the team made to several Guatemalan families. Since this was the last visit our church will make to this area of Guatemala, there were bitter sweet goodbyes, with the promise of seeing one another again in eternity.

If you would like to hear more about the Guatemala Mission trip and how you can serve in short term missions, mark your calendar for our next Global Outreach Sunday, April 18th. The team will share some of their pictures and some testimonies that evening.

The Wrights on Mission

Today I would like to introduce you to the Wright family. Mike, Deb, and Samantha Wright have been attending New Life Church for about 1 year. I tell you about them today because they are planning a Spring Vacation that is bucking the trend. No hitting the ski slopes or spending lazy afternoons on the beach for this family. They are heading out on a Medical Mission Trip to St. Lucia with an organization called Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE). Here is a description of what they will be doing on the trip:

The March 2010 Short-term Medical Team Mission trip will provide compassionate health care as a means of evangelism. They will serve in several communities throughout the Island, working in partnership with the local Association of Baptist Churches. Although the St. Lucian Ministry of Health provides some care, many in outlying regions cannot access or afford this care. ABWE's team will coordinate with local personnel to ensure on-going care of both physical and spiritual needs for those seen. Extensive patient histories will be gathered to determine spiritual need. Those expressing interest in the message of salvation will be counseled. Those professing faith in Christ will be discipled by ABWE missionaries in cooperation with local evangelical churches.

This is an exciting adventure for the Wright family, and they need our help in few of ways:

1. Pray for the Wrights and their team before and during their trip which will be March 18-29, 2010.
2. The Wrights still need to raise about $1800 to finish paying for their expenses for this trip. If you have resources that could help meet this need, you can donate by clicking here, and designating your gift for "Wrights-St.Lucia".
3. Their team is looking to bring several items with them. If you have access to any of these items please leave a comment on this post or call the church office 503-656-8600. The items are:

• One pastor would like a large print Thompson Chain study Bible/ another, a KJV study Bible
• 2- regular or cordless microphones (new or used)
• KJV or NKJV Bibles
• overhead transparencies for printers
• pedestal speakers (2)
• printer paper
• school supplies:notebooks, pencils, crayons, college paper, etc.
• school books, coloring books
• deodorant, bath gel, sneakers sizes 5-10 (black)
• children's shoes: size 2ff

Strategies against Sexual Sin

The seventh commandment says, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). When Jesus applied this command He told us that "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). For all of us, adultery is a matter not merely of our bodies but about our hearts.

Here are some practical suggestions I made in my message last week that I hope will help you combat sexual temptation and avoid sexual sin:

• Consider your future self.

What will you wish you had done in a year? In ten years? What will your family wish you had done? Almost no one looks ahead and consciously says, "Hey, I think I'll blow up my life." Consider what you wish you would have done. . . then do it.

• Capture every thought.

One key to spiritual warfare is to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Be Ruthless with your thoughts. It is very easy to be lazy with your thoughts, to linger on questionable ideas, to doubt what you know to be true. If you stick to Philippians 4:8, you'll be on safe ground.

• Cultivate the presence of God.

Act as though you believe in God's omniscience and God's omnipresence. He is everywhere and He does see everything (Psalm 33:13-15). Don't kid yourself that he doesn't. David understood that his horrific sin with Bathsheba, and all the collateral damage, was against God (Psalm 51:4). Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife because he understood the same thing (Genesis 39:9).

• Contemplate the Practical and Eternal Consequences of Adultery.

If your thoughts were to play out, or you were to get caught in your sin, what would happened in both the short term and the long term. Spend time imagining the shame you and your family would experience. Consider the devastation it would cause for those who think of you as an example of a Christian person. Consider how it will destroy trust with your spouse and family, if they even chose to stay with you. And, of course, there is more. Consider explaining your actions to God on judgment day. Jesus tells us to consider hell (Matthew 5:27-29).

• Conquer your body.

Thomas Watson, a puritan pastor wrote, "The flesh pampered is apt to rebel." He reminds us of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:27 warning us that our body can disqualify us if we don't make it our slave. We can't fall of the other side, though. It is possible to workout and get in shape for the admiration of the opposite sex, gaining mastery over your body for the wrong reasons.

• Cut off opportunities.

Jesus took very seriously the need to be ruthless with the things that cause us to fall. He said, "Cut off out your eye... cut off your hand" (Matthew 5:29). This is hyperbole to remind us not to go places where we will be tempted. Get rid of the TV. Don’t be around people who tempt you. Get accountability for your computer.

• Cultivate Faith.

Fight fire with fire. The power of lust is its promise of pleasure. We fight it with the promise of God. Linger long on the joy-producing, sin-dulling promises of the scripture!
2 Peter 1:3-4 tells us we escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires by the "great and precious promises" of God!

John Piper says it this way:

"It is this superior satisfaction in future grace that breaks the power of lust. With all eternity hanging in the balance, we fight the fight of faith. Our chief enemy is the lie that says sin will make our future happier. Our chief weapon is the Truth that says God will make our future happier. . . We must fight with a massive promise of superior happiness."

I hope this helps. I would love a world where lust and sexual sin didn't ruin marriages.

re:Generātion Launch

After much preparation and prayer, re:Generātion is finally poised to launch. You can read more about our preview service—this Sunday @ 7pm—and our official launch—next Sunday, March 7th @ 7pm—over at the re:Generātion blog:

Preparing to Launch - One Week to Go (Part 1)
Preparing to Launch - One Week to Go (Part 2)

From Donna Wilson

Dear Friends:
I want to thank you for your prayers, bouquets, visits, cards, and letters of encouragement. What a treasure to have Christian friends.
I think in a couple of weeks I will be getting back more strength.

Love, Donna and Harold

Books Added to the Library

The following books have been added to the main library at the Riverfalls campus:

Fiction:
Remember by Karen Kingsbury
Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury
The Braxtons of Miracle Springs by Michael Phillips
A New Beginning by Michael Phillips
Arrow of the Almighty by Gilbert Morris
Unafraid by Francine Rivers

Teen Fiction:
A Heart Full of Hope by Robin Jones Gunn

Non-fiction:
Psalms by Eugene H. Peterson (223)
Psalm 23 by David Roper (223)
Immanuel (Reflections on the Life of Christ) by Michael Card (232.9)
The Parables (Understanding What Jesus Meant) by Gary Inrig (226.8)
Out of the Ordinary (God's Hand at Work in Everyday Lives) by David Roper (242)
Same Kind of Different as Me. by Ron Hall & Denver Moore (204)
A Walk Across Holy Ground (A young couple treks across Europe to the Holy Land on a 4,000 mile pilgrimage of faith) by Karen Whitehill (263)
I Kissed Dating Goodbye (A new attitude toward romance and relationships) by Joshua Harris (306.73)
Boy Meets Girl (Say hello to courtship) by Joshua Harris (241)
When God Writes Your Love Story (the ultimate approach to guy/girl relationships)by Eric & Leslie Ludy (248.4)

Middle School Retreat

We had a great retreat and each of the students responded to the challenge given from God's word to be of one heart, mind and body and to seek God with all their heart.

We appreciate the opportunity to love and serve your families! We appreciate your support!

Click here to see the pictures and a couple videos...

Guatemala Team Departs

Early Saturday morning the Guatemala Mission Team gathered at PDX to catch their first flight in route to Guatemala. All was going well until the team discovered that one of the team members (a late addition to the team) did not have an airplane ticket. Initial conversations with the ticket agent were not going well. The team began to pray. Eventually, the man at the counter discovered that we could add this team member to the group by switching her name with a previous team member who could not go on the trip. However, we would have to wait until another agent came into work just 45 minutes before flight departure. The team gathered to pray, and then most of the team went on to the departure gate. At 7:15, the second ticket agent appeared, the ticket was changed (at no additional cost), and the team was reunited just before boarding time.

The team saw this as the first in what would likely be a trip full of stretching experiences. They knew they would have to "walk by faith" the whole way. They saw the hand of God at work!

Please pray for this team as they spend this week ministering to children, the sick, and people in need of the gospel. Pray that the team would be unified, walking in step with the Spirit, and used of God to help build His church in Pampache and Wachob, Guatemala.