The Champions Spirit
Volume 68, Issue 10
March 15, 2009
In This Issue
TRUE BEAUTY!
Don’t you love this time of the year? (Well, except for the green blanket of pollen that covers everything outside in about two seconds!) The azaleas are blooming and look as though God has placed dazzling brush-strokes of bright paint—pink, red, white—all around us, beautifying our landscape and causing us to marvel. With each stroke of the brush, tiny drops of the same color fall underneath the bushes as these blossoms fall, temporarily adding their beauty even to the dirt or grass below. How it blesses our day to see the beauty and power of color in God’s physical creation.
I also enjoy seeing the beauty in God’s spiritual creation! This beauty is even more astounding than that of the azaleas and other spring flowers. “Blooming where they are planted,” Christians grace the classroom, the office, the home, the neighborhood, as well as this congregation with the beauty of Jesus. Their colors are as bright as their qualities of honesty, sincerity, purity, integrity, and commitment. As the “fruit of the Spirit” is seen in their lives—qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, true beauty is seen in an otherwise drab sin-filled world.
As a faithful child of God, your life is adding something sorely needed in our world—TRUE BEAUTY!
—Larry Keele
FAMILY MATTERS...
If you are our guest today, we want you to know that you are most welcome. May the Lord bless our time together in study and worship and, in all things and in every way, may He be glorified.
We are happy that Emily Finley has chosen to be a part of the family in Champions. She has already been a help in some youth functions (she is Aubri’s sister). Get to know her and welcome her into the family at Champions.
Spring break is always an exciting time for us as we are able to have some of our college students back for a short while. Of course, we also have a number of our own members who are traveling and using the break for a time of rest and rejuvenation. As our area schools have different weeks selected for spring break, for some the break is over while others have their break this week. Our prayer is that all can enjoy the time with family and friends and return safe and ready to continue their work for our Lord.
Bible class teachers...you are a special group! The congregation is privileged to honor you for the service you give in study and preparation in order to bring the message of God’s Holy Word to your students. From the teacher of the cradle roll to the oldest adult, we are blessed as you help us learn to walk closer to the Master’s side. I hope that you will be able to attend the banquet, March 21, in your honor.
Parting Thought: The right road isn’t always the well-beaten path!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!
Jeremy's Junction
We were pleased to have Ben Treme come visit us Wednesday night. While trying out for our youth intern position, he taught class, led a song, and gave the devotional thought. Most times when people in his position are given the opportunity to lead a song they choose an easy one. Ben led song number 23: Our God He is Alive.
Ben is a Bible major from Harding University who wishes to go into youth ministry. He was raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and has been seeking to be a minister for quite sometime. Anyone who saw his class or heard him speak knows that he comes with a lot of passion and a lot of skill. We are pleased to have him on board for the summer.
Please continue to pray for Ben and our youth program. With LTC coming and summer right behind it, we are set to have great things take place in our program. Our teens are embracing the opportunity to grow spiritually and are looking forward to the opportunities the summer may bring. Having Ben will definitely help in their maturation. In addition, we hope and pray that Ben's experience at Champions will help deepen his desire to serve God to his full potential. Please continue to pray for Ben, the youth group, and all the adult workers who are sacrificing time to chaperone this summer. Give the LTC coaches a big hug and tell them you are proud of them. And finally, pray that God continues to works through the youth in this church.
—Jeremy Guerin
John's Jogs
TEACHERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF ANY CONGREGATION
When you study church growth it becomes obvious that the educational program is vital to a growing congregation. When a congregation ignores the educational program it stagnates and dies. But when it has an active effective educational program the congregation is alive and growing.
So much depends on our knowledge of the Word of God. Note II Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” We are comforted by the Word of God (Rom. 15:4). We are kept by the Word of God. We are led by the Word of God (Acts 20:32; I Peter 1:5; Romans 10:17). We grow by the Word of God (I Peter 2:2).
Bible teachers are truly a special group of people. To be effective they must catch the attention of their students, hold their interest, create a desire to learn and inspire action on the subject being taught. They spend many hours of study in order to know and understand the topic they are teaching. To really be effective they must also know their students and how to respond to their needs. This is especially true when teaching children. Then they must know how to treat various students because each one has different needs. My experience has taught me that children may not remember what we teach them, but they will remember how we treat them. Therefore, a teacher must be a special person.
Bible teachers have the most responsible function in the world. Note why we study the Bible: We study it to learn of creation, of man’s fall and of God’s plan of redemption. Then note the reason we teach it is because of Jesus’ Great Commission for us – Go, Teach to Convert, Baptize and then Teach to observe all previously taught. Teaching to observe includes going, teaching to convert and baptizing as well as teaching the love of God, love of man, service of humanity and teaching others to do likewise.
Any school, church or secular class, is only as successful as the teachers who relate to their students. THAT’S HOW IMPORTANT A TEACHER IS!!!”
This coming Saturday evening we will be showing our appreciation to our teachers by honoring them with an “Appreciation Banquet.” Let me suggest that you individually tell your teacher or your children’s teachers how much you appreciate them. Further I suggest you think back on those teachers who had an effect on your life and call or visit them and let them know it.
—John Qualls