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December 2016
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THE CENTRAL CONNECTION
"We are an organization of churches that is committed to the mission of Christ to multiply disciple-making churches through evangelism, leadership training, and connection with other like-minded churches."
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From The Director
"Braking for Christmas"
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The picture displays the brake lights of thousands of vehicles trying to escape Los Angeles for Thanksgiving. Did you know that nearly 49 million Americans journeyed 50 miles or more from home be with family and friends? That is incredible. That means about 15% of our total population in America was rushing somewhere to eat turkey and watch football.
We survived the hurriedness of Thanksgiving; the crowds of Black Friday; the onslaught of Cyber Monday; and now the mad retail dash to Christmas. It is the busiest time in our churches. There is the decorating, the planning of children's programs, the arrangements of too many parties, the organizing of the Christmas Eve service, and even the planning of annual budgets. We will soon feel like the people in LA stuck in bumper to bumper traffic rushing out of the city to find some peace.
Can I remind us of something important? WE BRAKE FOR CHRISTMAS! As we get busier at church this month, ease up on the accelerator. Calm down that inner motor. Release that stress frown on your forehead. Take three deep cleansing breaths and sing the song of the Psalmist, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalmist 46:10)
As you brake for Christmas, remember the incarnation
. This means that God himself, who is Spirit, stepped into the empirical realm through the womb of the virgin Mary. It blesses me to know that for thirty-three years God revealed himself as flesh and blood in a way that I understand. Many may disagree in the church with the eternal security of the believer, the time of His coming, the nature of baptism, the role of the church, speaking of tongues or any other issues you wish to discuss. In order to be a true believer of Jesus Christ, you cannot disbelieve or reject the truth that God was incarnate in Christ. He was Deity. He was humanity. He was fully God. He was fully man. This absolute truth of His deity is the watershed of Christian orthodoxy. John wrote it clearly for us in chapter 1:1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." Wow! Keep braking for a moment. We have God in a body. In Jesus, God is in a person. In Jesus, God is in a life. Putting it in other words, the living Word and the printed word are twin records of God in this world. Amazing.
As you brake for Christmas, remember the revelation. In coming into the world, God after hiding himself for centuries decided to make himself fully known to people everywhere. On the one hand God distanced himself from people when He said, "Don't touch me. You cannot look into my face and live. Take off the shoes from your feet, for you are standing on holy ground." Good news! In Christ, God came to fully reveal himself to all mankind. "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us." 1 John 1:1-2 Jesus is the exact representation of the Father to all mankind (Hebrews 1:1-3). Put the brakes on that. So, if I want to know God, I must know Jesus. If I want to ask the question, "What is God like?" I must ask, "What is Jesus like?" This is so cool. We can look to Christ for all things because He is the authorized revealer of the Father. A typical Christmas gift usually represents the personality of the giver and then it meets the need of the recipient. Another braking moment. God sent us a Christmas gift that bears the stamp of the sender.
While serving in the military, my life was in ruin because of sin and I was days from committing suicide. I kept crying out to God, "Who are you? What difference can you
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make? I am desperate God!" Then it happened. I discovered in my barracks room that God sent someone to me that truly represented who He was. I found Jesus and it made for a perfect Christmas. That is why I always brake at this time of the year. Understanding who Jesus is at Christmas and why He came, may deeply motivate you to take the gospel to a lost and desperate world that is crying out, "Who are you?" We hold the answer that will change the world. Celebrate! Rejoice! Now go!
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Pat Phinney
CB North Central Regional Director
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Pastor's Wives . . . Just For You
"The Ambience of Light"
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What is it about Christmas lights? They seem to make everything look better. We have decorated the front of our house and even the bushes that have no leaves left on them look great! The ambience that is created with strands of small lights is pretty amazing. Read more
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I pray this Christmas season you will experience the Light all around you.
Merry Christmas,
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Karen Phinney
Wife of Regional Director, Pat Phinney
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2017
MOODY PASTOR'S
C O N F E R E N C E
May 22-25, 2017
More information coming soon |
Moody Bible Institute's Pastors' Conference 2017 will feature messages from Erwin Lutzer, Crawford Loritts, Derwin Gray, and many others.
Visit website
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Also, during a break-out session, those with CB North Central will enjoy time with Andy Meverden, Director of Chaplaincy, CBAmerica and Dougg Custer, Vice President of Mobilization Ministries for WorldVenture.
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Demographics for Your Church
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Who are the people in your neighborhood? Families? Singles? Retirees? You can learn so much about the people you're trying to reach with a demographic report of your area. Demographic reports based on a 5, 10, or 15 mile radius of your church are available for free by contacting the CB North Central office. Call 763-205-9330 or email wendyj@cbnorthcentral.org.
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The CB North Central administrative office
will be CLOSED Dec. 24th thru Jan. 2nd.
Regular hours will resume
Tuesday, January 3rd as we
'BELIEVE GOD FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE'
in 2017.
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YEAR END GIVING
Gifts received by CB North Central postmarked on or before December 31 will be credited to the 2016 contribution records. Anything postmarked January 1st and after will go to your 2017 giving records. Thank you for your continued support and blessings to each of you as you begin a new year!
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PREPARE/ENRICH
a leading relationship inventory and
skill-building program
Thursday January 12th, 9am-4pm
Hosted at Lakeside Church
Worthington, MN
Prepare/Enrich is a fantastic assessment tool for marriage and relational counseling.
Upon the completion of the training, you will be equipped to use this relationship assessment tool as a Prepare Enrich facilitator. Read more about Prepare/Enrich here.
Bring your spouse and invite someone you know who may be interested in being trained as a facilitator. Cost of training is $175. For more information call Pastor Wesley Kouba at 507-376-9735 or email him at wesley@lakesideworthington.org.
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#GettingToKnowYou
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Pastor Rob & Robyn Buhl
of First Baptist Church, Whitehall, WI on the birth of their son Silas Spencer, November 10, 2016. Little Silas was 3 weeks early.
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Rob became the pastor of First Baptist Church in Whitehall, WI in September. Please pray for him and his family as they transition into their new home and community as well as adjusting to the schedule of a newborn!
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Left to Right; Titus, Robyn, Silas, Rob, and Leeann
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CBAmerica Chaplaincy
"Now Hear This: Ministering on a Floating City"
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"The evening prayer over the ship's intercom is one of the enduring US Naval traditions. It is also one that is still being fought against, by anti-religion groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation." -by Chaplain Aaron Carlton, US Navy - afloat, as reported to Andy Meverden, Director of Chaplaincy.
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Director of Chaplaincy
CBAmerica.org
3686 Stagecoach Rd, Unit F
Longmont, CO 80504
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Please Pray for the Following Churches in Transition:
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Senior Pastor
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Delavan Baptist Church - Delavan, IL
Wildwood Baptist Church - East Moline, IL
Bethany Baptist Church, Jackson, MI
Oak Park Community - Blaine, MN
Bazetta Baptist Church - Warren, OH
Eureka Baptist Church - St Croix Falls, WI
First Baptist Church - New Richmond, WI
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Seeking Pastoral Candidates
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Eureka Baptist Church in St. Croix Falls, WI is seeking pastoral candidates. Men who would consider a
part-time position with a parsonage + utilities and $
400.00 per week until the church grows and then this could become a full time position.
Eureka is 40 miles from Stillwater. Eureka Baptist is a well kept, clean brick building, that has a 135 year old history. There is an annex building for children's and youth ministry. The parsonage has a double garage. All buildings have new roofs and there's a new sidewalk to the Church building.
For further information please contact Interim Pastor Larry Forsberg at 763-274-8445.
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A Letter to All Pastors
"May these bring encouragement and remind us we are all in this ministry life together."
-by Ronnie Floyd, ChurchLeaders.com
Read More
Current Status of Overtime Rule
"It's the implementation of a new overtime rule that almost was!" For those of you who have been following the status of the 'Overtime Rule' you may find this piece informational.
- ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)
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Copyright No-Nos
Overtime Law Challenges
Hard Feedback: Management Roundup
"Trends, tips, ideas, and stats to help church leaders manage well this week." -
by Matt Branaugh, ChurchLawandTax.com 10-24-16
Read More
5 Reasons Millennials Are Not Giving To Your Church
"Millennials are generous. But their generosity doesn't look like prior generations. They are not motivated to give in the same way that prior generations are motivated to give."
5 Ways You May Be Destroying Your Marriage
"As the song goes-it's a slow fade. A good marriage doesn't deteriorate overnight. It diminishes gradually."
- by Ron Edmondson, ChurchLeaders.com
Read More
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CB North Central Cluster Groups
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To be decided - watch for details.
Steve Daggett, Cavalier Baptist, Cavalier, ND
701-265-8989
Central Minnesota
Monday, December 12, 10am to Noon
We're reading: "Old Paths New Power", by Daniel Henderson.
Meeting at River of Life Church, Hastings, MN
Steve Schoenwald, River of Life Church, Hastings, MN
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Tuesday, January 10, 12 noon - 3 p.m.
Pastor Rob Buhl will be hosting at First Baptist, Whitehall, WI.
Pastors should bring or purchase their own lunch.
Wade Duroe, Crossroads Church, Chippewa Falls, WI 715-723-1054
Eldon Carlson, Bloomer Baptist, Bloomer, WI 715-568-1979
Iowa
Not meeting in December, January to be announced.
Jay Jentink, Calvary Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids, IA
(319) 668-2157
Illinois
January 24th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Meeting at Wildwood Baptist Church in Moline, IL
Art Georges, Living Hope Community Church, Bartonville, IL
309-633-0028
art@livinghopecentral.org
To be decided - watch for details.
Leo Cumings, Bethel Baptist Church, Jackson, MI
517-416-1247
For more information on a Cluster Group in your area please contact the CBNC office.
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Enjoy this season of Christmas
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don't forget to 'pump the brakes' when things get busy!
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and remember . . . Jesus, just Jesus.
From all of us at the
CB North Central Regional office
to you and your families,
Merry Christmas!
Pat, Wendy, and Amy Jo
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CB North Central
PO Box 490441, Blaine, MN 55449
Pat Phinney, Regional Director
patp@cbnorthcentral.org
Pat's Office: 952-322-7173
Pat's Cell: 952-500-3743
Wendy Jonasen, Administrative Assistant
wendyj@cbnorthcentral.org
763-205-9330
Administrative Office Hours: Tues. thru Fri. 8am - 1pm
Stay Connected
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