STEP UP

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? - 1 John 3:17

Hey GBC,

I can't tell you just how much I LOVE MY CHURCH and how much it excites me to see all of you stepping up to serve our community. For example, we distributed over $2,000 between four ministries that are literally changing lives thanks to the pennies your children brought in at VBS! I just watched a sermon last night talking about how we are to serve the non-Christians, the less fortunate, the poor, the hurting, the lonely and how everything we do for "the least of these" (http://bit.ly/duc0Tf) is free for them. We are to expect nothing back. But, obviously, it isn't free for everyone. Pastor talked about this on Sunday when he mentioned there being many needs in our area. To a "normal" church this may sound like we are begging for your money. Nope. I just want to encourage you to step up and help those in need in our area. Get involved in all that we have going on here - between the soup kitchen that 5:16 does once a month, Angelfood meal donations for families in need, Celebrate Recovery on Friday nights helping those with hurts and hang-ups,  AMPED's upcoming trip to Evansville Christian Life Center, etc. There are so many people in need all around us, and we offer so many amazing ministries here at The GBC to help them. Go to our webpage here: http://bit.ly/o6MQVm if you would like to get in touch with any of the ministry leaders. Just speaking from a personal standpoint, our students decided they want to do more than just go and serve for a day at the Evansville Christian Life Center on July 20. They want to bring items that the center uses every day to serve the less fortunate. We have a list of these items on the Welcome Center outside the sanctuary as well as a drop off box just inside the doors at the church.
Let's step up. Let's Be The Change.
Love. Grow. Serve.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
students@thegbc.net

NUMB3RS

 READ THIS FIRST:
http://bit.ly/ojdMoJ

Believe it or not, I'm constantly being given a hard time about my obsession with numbers when it comes to attendance. One thing is true: if you are so worried about attendance that you spend all your time figuring out how to get people to church but never actually heavily invest time in God's Word with them, preparing them, discipling them, and just plain getting to know them, then the numbers obsession is a stumbling block. But we should never be happy with just having the same kids/people in our youth groups/church each week. Proof: http://bit.ly/5NHTMv  I heard this in a sermon that I watched this week, and I am actually going to preach about it in one of my sermons this fall: God is exclusive in that there is only ONE way to Him (http://bit.ly/3cURCT). God is also inclusive in that He invites us all to walk through that door known as Jesus. We as the Church can NOT be content with keeping our faith to ourselves. We may have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it is NOT to be kept quiet! Our motto in AMPED is making disciples that make disciples that make disciples that make disciples...etc. You get the point. (Making disciples that make disciples [for short]). I love how the guy (a high school pastor) ended his blog: "If that’s what being “all about the numbers means”…then yep, I’m all about the numbers, just like Jesus and the apostles. I want more…"  Awesome. Jesus was always on the lookout for the lost, hurting, and lonely. Let's mirror that here at The GBC. He also never turned away or ignored anyone in need of His saving grace. Neither should we.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
The GBC
www.thegbc.net