First Baptist Church of New Carlisle, Ohio has a rich and unique history in our community. Since 1955 we've been establishing ourselves as a lighthouse for Jesus Christ in our hometown of New Carlisle, Ohio.

We have Bible Study at 9:15 am and Worship Service at 10:30 am every Sunday. Childcare/nursery provided for all services. Wednesdays we have Prayer Meeting at 7:00 pm and Revive Student Ministries for youth at 7:00 pm

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Web Ministry? Why a Web Ministry @ FBCNC

A recent Barna Group survey states that when people look for a church home, more than 75% start by using the Internet. They also state that less than 2/3 of American churches have websites and only 1% of those websites are actually designed to lead people toward Christ and lead people to join a local church. If you are familiar with the Internet of today, you have to be asking yourself: Who doesn't have a website and/or online connection?

First Baptist Church of New Carlisle has maintained a website (fbcnewcarlisle.org) in some form or fashion since the early 90s. If having a website meant having a Web Ministry, then FBCNC has been online. The FBCNC website was born during a time when the Internet was just becoming mainstream and everybody was rushing to take their place on the World Wide Web. Websites back then were mainly static pages of information that changed very little and basically told you a little bit about the church, some contact information, and directions. Boy! How the Internet has changed in the last 20+ years. Everything on the Internet is now "Interactive" in form and based around making personal connections with you as an individual. That personal connection could be to sell you a product, give you information about a college, check the status of your bank account, fill out an application for a loan, connect with friends/family on Facebook, share your photos via Facebook, share your videos on YouTube, and share just about anything you want to open up to the world. If you are a writer and love to share your opinion with others, you might even maintain a "Blog". The Internet is now filled with people, places, and things wanting to make a personal connection with YOU!.

So...Why does FBCNC need a stronger Web Ministry? Personal Connections is the reason. As church members/Christians we need to be actively present in our online communities. A "Ministry" in the church today often can be defined by its purpose. The Bethel Churches United Food Pantry is a ministry providing food to those in need. Upward Sports is a community ministry providing a safe place for young children to play sports and do cheer-leading in a loving supportive Christian environment. There are many other ministries all performing similar functions and filling needs in people's lives. The common thread in all these ministries is that they all make personal connections with people just like you and me.

A number of years back, Rick Shoemaker and I had several discussions about what the Internet and all of this online stuff means to us as a church and to each of us, as Christians. If you knew Rick Shoemaker it should be very easy to determine what Rick's number one use for all this online stuff was; Jesus! You would be correct! The Internet is another tool to help make personal connections and to tell others about Jesus and share the Good News with a dying world.

So...the question should not be "Why have a Web ministry at FBCNC" but "Why aren't we doing more with our Web Ministry!"

Demons and Fallen Angels - By Ken Lawler

Back in December of 2013 I heard a man on the radio say when the Bible talks about demons and fallen angels it’s the same thing. I don't claim to be an authority on this (or any other) topic but I disagree with him.

The Bible has a lot to say about angels, much less to say about demons. In fact, the word demon is not in the King James Version; it uses the words devil, devilish and devils. Those words are only used four times in the entire Old Testament, but lots of times in the New.

One of these days I'll write an article about angels, but for this one I'll be brief about who they are. Angels are heavenly beings who are superior to humans in power and intelligence. They are spiritual beings who have the ability (I assume with God's permission) to take on earthly form. Several times the Bible has them appearing on earth as a man. They seem to be organized into three functional groups: God-praising, messengers, and soldiers. The Bible doesn't say how many there are, but when Jesus was being arrested He said He could summon "more than twelve legions" of them to help Him. Even if He was talking only about Michael's soldier angels, using the average number of soldiers in a Roman legion of that day, it would be between 80 & 90 thousand. When angels are being discussed in Rev. 5:11 it talks about "10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands." This expression has been estimated at between 100 million and 100 trillion. I think we can safely say there are lots of them.

The concept of fallen angels comes from Rev. 12:4, 7-9, where a great red dragon (Satan) is at war in heaven with Michael and his angel army, and v4 says the dragon "drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth." Many Bible scholars agree these stars are 1/3rd of the angels in heaven that followed Satan in his rebellion against God and were cast out of heaven. The question as to whether these "fallen angels" are the demons on earth I think was answered in 2 Pet. 2:4, where Peter says they (fallen angels) were "cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." They are in prison in hades, not roaming around the earth.

So who or what are the demons and where did they come from? I think they are the spirits of the wicked "giants" destroyed in the flood of Noah's day. The word giants in Hebrew is nphiyl (nef-eel'), meaning a feller, a bully, or a tyrant. The Hebrew Bible calls them Nephilim, the same word used in ancient Ugaritic literature to describe "god-men," or half-divine demigods. It was because these Nephilim had corrupted the human race, according to Gen. 6:2, 4, that God destroyed all humans except Noah and his family. The New Testament speaks often of the spirits of devils inhabiting people and generally causing havoc on earth. Both Matt. 25:41 and Rev. 20:10 say their ultimate fate is everlasting fire (the lake of fire).

Kitchen Korner (Holiday Fudge) - By Dolly Lawler

In my search for a recipe one might want to use during the holiday season, I landed on this excellent fudge recipe.  Although in my book, it's entitled "Ken's Holiday Fudge," it actually came from Chuck Srode.  Many of you will remember him and Charlene; both were members of our church at one time and active in our music ministry.  I really should just call it "Good and Easy Fudge" or maybe "Super Simple Fudge."  You call it whatever you want, but it's sooo good.
 
KEN'S HOLIDAY FUDGE
 
12 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts (English or Black)
 
1.  Grease an 8-inch bake dish with softened butter.  Set aside.
2.  Combine the first 4 ingredients into a medium saucepan; put on the stove and
     turn the heat to LOW.
3.  Stir chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes.
4.  Stir in nuts.
5.  Scoop the fudge into the buttered 8-inch bake dish.
6.  Refrigerate and chill until firm.  Cut into desired serving squares or slices.
 
Please submit a favorite recipe to:
lawlers@windstream.net

Why do you go to Church? - By Wanda Hess

How many times have you been asked that question?  Don’t you wish you had some quick answer?  Some might answer like this: I like the music, I like the preaching, My Sunday School is the best, my friends go to this church, my mom makes me go….Whatever your answer I feel if that answer gets you to church that is a first step. Now Bonnie Zimmer gave me an answer to this question and I want to share the thought with you.
 
In 2 Tim 2:21 it says: Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from these things he will be a vessel for honor sanctified useful to the Master prepared for every good work.
 
Let’s compare ourselves to a vessel (or pitcher).  It can be a refined one or a hard old antique or a brand new one never used.  If you think about how useful a pitcher can be but you have to fill it up to get its best potential.  You could sit your pitcher on a shelf and let it collect dust. Or we could fill it up with knowledge. You can also fill up your vessel by attending church where others come to fill up their vessels.  And then it is up to us to either keep the knowledge or joys we learn and let it remain in our vessel or pour it out to others.  Pour it out to family and friends.  Pour it out by joining church.  Pour it out by being in service for your church.   Luke 8:16 says No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed but puts it on a stand so that those who  enter may see the light.  So no one should fill their vessel and not pour it out!
 
2 Corinthians 4:7 says But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of GOD and not of us.
 
Why do you go to Church?  To get filled up and ready to pour it out!
 
God Bless You All

What Happened to My Church? - By Pastor Jeff Christmas

Have you been asking yourself this question lately? Do things just feel different for some reason? As I reflect back on the last year it seems surreal to me that more than 12 months have passed since we were severely traumatized at the loss of our beloved Pastor, Rick Shoemaker. There are times that I still find myself incredulous at his passing. Maybe it is middle age that causes me to be nostalgic, but it really doesn’t seem that long ago that I was 14 years old and wondering what the next pastor would be like. How could I ever have imagined how my life would be forever affected some 35 years later by a man and his family? Many of us could say the same thing which makes it even more difficult to imagine what the next chapter will be like. Rest assured, however, that there will be a next chapter and God is completely aware of our hurts and struggles as well as the course of our future. That being said, I believe there are a few things that we must remember even in the midst of our difficulties.

God is still on the throne. No matter what we are going through, we know Who holds the future. We can rest in the knowledge that our Creator loves us (He’s proven that many times). He knows us and He knows what is in our best interest. It may be easy for us to complain, it always is, but imagine yourself in the very throne room of Heaven. Would it be so easy then, bowing down before the One we call Lord? Don’t get me wrong. God is big enough to hear our complaints but at some point we just need to realize that He is in control and that He works for our good. I am reminded of God’s response in Habbakuk 2:20 as the prophet complained about the injustice in the world. “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” (KJV)

God understands. He sent His Son to this earth not only to die for us but also to live for and with us. Jesus is “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3) He knows loss, pain, discomfort, and most anything else we can think of that is a part of the human experience. Hebrews 2:17 says that He is a merciful and faithful high priest since He was made like us. Trust me that no one understands us like Him. Not only does He empathize, He pleads our case before the Father. (Romans 8:34) Our task is to allow Him to do His good work on our behalf in His time.

It’s not about you or I. That’s right, I went there. If most of us were to be honest, much of our time is spent trying to be more comfortable. When our “zone” is violated in some way, we squirm, complain, and go to most any length to return to our placid state of repose. It becomes easy to point the finger of blame in any direction but our own when things don’t go our way. We let personal conflict lead us off course or allow us to walk away rather than strive to lean in and work it out. We tend to think ours is the best solution rather than come together in one accord through prayer to find the answer. We all know in our minds that we should be supportive and encouraging to one another but our hearts tend to forget. Just whom are we serving here? Whose church is it anyway?

Church family, it may feel like we’ve fallen on hard times, but God has not forgotten about us. He has provided us with all that we need to grow during this time. He has given us a transitional pastor with a wonderful heart toward Jesus and our community. He has given us each other and all the things He has brought us through together. I can look back on my life and see all the times that I needed my church family to be there for me and all the times that they were there for me. Folks, First Baptist needs you and me more than ever. Now is the time to come together and do what God has called us to do, not complain and disengage. If you think we need change (and we do), then be the change.

Bro. Jeff

Tim's Thoughts - By Pastor Tim Binns

December can be one of the busiest times of the year for families.  So many gatherings, events, as well as shopping, crowd our schedules.  We can get so involved in the Christmas season that we forget what the meaning is all about.  It is all about the coming of our Savior Jesus.  So as your life gets hectic this month, remember to put a priority on worshiping the One whose birth we celebrate.
 
Transitional Notes:
We have an online survey that we really need as many people to complete as possible.  This will help us get a better picture of our church.  The survey can be found at http://tc.lifeway.com.  The passcode for our church is xeescybfgk.  If you cannot complete this online, we are researching some options including setting up a few computer stations at the church for you to complete the survey on a Sunday morning. 

Solemn Assembly

In the Old Testament, a solemn assembly would be called for God’s people to get back on track with God.  It was time to return to God for His forgiveness, mercy or special direction.  I believe as we move in the transitional process it is time for us to repent and focus on God to show His direction as we continue in the process and before we can consider forming a pastor search committee.  We will be having a special Solemn Assembly prayer service on January 7th at 6:30 PM.  We need as many of our church membership to be involved in this service.  It will be for youth on up.  Please plan to attend. 
 
My family and I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!
 
Brother Tim