Kern County Southern Baptist Association Volume 59, Issue 4 Message From Dr. Bennett Continued 2 Leadership Network Info 3 Our Monthly Financials 4 Calendar of Events 5 KCSBA VBS Training 6 Semi-Annual Meeting 7 Our Churches 8-9 Youth Fellowship 10 Leadership Forum Info 11 In This Issue A Special Message From DR. RANDY L. BENNETT APRIL Grow in Christ Many years ago a fellow missionary and I travelled to Puebla, Mexico to attend a two-week Spanish Language School. It was quite an experience. Each morning we gathered to study Spanish. Each after- noon we visited cultural sites including pyramids and Catholic Cathedrals. In fact Puebla is known as the City of Cathedrals since the city has 366 cathe- drals, one for each day of the year. At first I was amazed at the gold and dramatic decorations within each cathedral. I noticed something else that ate away at my soul. Every cathedral had a glass coffin with a dead body of Jesus. It was very dramatic but only told part of the story. This past summer my wife and I along with that same fellowship missionary and his wife went on a study tour of Germany where we visited most of the major “Martin Luther” sites in celebration of the 500 th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Along the way we again visited five or six Catholic Cathedrals. I noticed almost the same thing I saw in Puebla.
Transcript
Kern County
Southern Baptist Association
Volume 59, Issue 4
Message From Dr. Bennett Continued 2
Leadership Network Info 3
Our Monthly Financials 4
Calendar of Events 5
KCSBA VBS Training 6 Semi-Annual Meeting 7
Our Churches 8-9 Youth Fellowship 10 Leadership Forum Info 11
In This Issue
A Special Message From DR. RANDY L. BENNETT
APRIL
Grow in Christ
Many years ago a fellow missionary and I travelled to Puebla, Mexico to attend a two-week Spanish Language School. It was quite an experience. Each morning we gathered to study Spanish. Each after-noon we visited cultural sites including pyramids and Catholic Cathedrals. In fact Puebla is known as the City of Cathedrals since the city has 366 cathe-drals, one for each day of the year. At first I was amazed at the gold and dramatic decorations within each cathedral. I noticed something else that ate away at my soul. Every cathedral had a glass coffin with a dead body of Jesus. It was very dramatic but only told part of the story.
This past summer my wife and I along with that same fellowship missionary and his wife went on a study tour of Germany where we visited most of the major “Martin Luther” sites in celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Along the way we again visited five or six Catholic Cathedrals. I noticed almost the same thing I saw in Puebla.
The churches depicted Christ on the cross. Nowhere did I see any artistic depiction of the Resurrection of Christ! I saw a beautiful mural on the wall of one of the Cathedrals. It started with the birth of Christ. Sadly, it ended with the death of Jesus on the cross. I looked and looked for the next mural depicting the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I couldn’t find it anywhere. I was extremely discouraged.
Paul the Apostle defines the Gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in I Corinthians 15. There is no good news without the Resurrection. The Bible celebrates the Risen Savior while calling us to faith as we remem-ber the death and burial of Christ. Jesus does not want our sympathy as the suffering savior. He wants our belief.
Near the end of our Puebla trip I stood in the shadow of another glass coffin holding the crucified remains of Christ. All of a sudden I found myself singing out loud – “Lo, in the grave He lay Jesus of my Savior, Waiting the coming day – Jesus my Lord! Up from the grave He arose. With a mighty triumph o’er His foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
I am in hearty agreement with churches celebrating Good Friday. It is important to remember each part of the gospel including the death of Christ on the cross. It is tragic and doctrinally impure however to omit the Resur-rection of Christ. As our family loves to say every Easter, “He is alive!”
Your Missionary, Dr. Randy L. Bennett
Page 2 The Good News Grapevine
Plant Seeds of Truth
1 Cor. 3:6
Volume 59, Issue 4 Page 3
Pray
2018 Leadership Network of KCSBA
APRIL
3 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
15 SAT BI-VOCATIONAL PASTORS LUNCH - Black Bear DIner
17 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calenders
24 TUES CHURCH HOSTED LUNCH - TBD
MAY
1 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
5 THURS LEADERSHIP FORUM - 9:00am Fellowship Baptist Church
15 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
22 TUES CHURCH HOSTED LUNCH - TBD
29 TUES SUPER NETWORK MEETING - Fellowship Baptist Church
JUNE
5 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
14 THURS LEADERSHIP FORUM - 9:00am Fellowship Baptist Church
19 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
26 TUES CHURCH HOSTED LUNCH - TBD
JULY
3 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
12 THURS LEADERSHIP FORUM - 9:00am Fellowship Baptist Church
17 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
24 TUES CHURCH HOSTED LUNCH - TBD
31 TUES SUPER NETWORK MEETING - Fellowship Baptist Church
AUGUST
7 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
09 THURS LEADERSHIP FORUM - 9:00am Fellowship Baptist Church
21 TUES BREAKFAST - 8:00am Marie Calender’s
28 TUES CHURCH HOSTED LUNCH - TBD
Page 4 The Good News Grapevine
MARCH 2018
FINANCIALS
We sincerely thank the following churches and missions for their contribu-
tions during MARCH 2018. Financials are based upon contributions received
by the last work-day of the month. Any contributions received after the last
day of the month will be accounted for in the next months financials. We are
grateful to these churches that make missions a priority and give faithfully
to KCSBA.
Bakersfield Chinese Baptist Ch
Buttonwillow Community Ch
Columbus St Baptist Church
Country Oaks Baptist Church
Daybreak Baptist Church
Fairfax So Baptist Church
Fellowship Baptist Church
First Baptist Ch, Edison
First Baptist Ch, Kernville
First Baptist Ch, Tehachapi
First So Baptist Ch, Porterville
First So Baptist Ch, Taft
First So Baptist Hispanic Ch
Golden Valley Christian Fllshp
Grace Baptist Church
Griffith Ave Baptist Ch, Wasco
Harmony So Baptist Church
Mt. View So Baptist Church
Primera Iglesia Bautista, Arvin
Primera Iglesia Bautista, Wasco
Resurrection Church
Seguidores de Jesus
Sherwood Ave Baptist Church
Valley Baptist Church
Vision Plus Church
Weldon Baptist Church
Income from Churches 2018 Monthly Difference
for March 2018 Budget Projection for this month
$10,214.68 $ 12,068.38 -$1,853.70
Working together to spread the
Gospel of Christ . . .
Thank you for your giving!
Volume 59, Issue 4 Page 5
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a
crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Mark 4:20
2018 KCSBA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April _____________________________________________________________________
1 Sun Resurrection Sunday
8 Sun SBC – Cooperative Program Sunday
15 Sun SBC – Baptist Doctrine Sunday
10 Tues KCSBA Administrative Committee and Associational Council Meeting
Associational Office, 25 Garnsey Ave – 10:15 am.
14 Sat VBS Training - Valley Baptist Church 8:30am
14 Sat Youth Fellowship - Rexland Acres Park, Fairview Rd, Bakersfield
