"WHEN" IS MORE NEEDFUL THAN "IF"
June / 28 2017
FOCUS ON MINISTRY
Do You know who planted the flowers underneath our church sign? 
The answer later in the email
The Benefits of Yoga should not be left to those who know nothing of a real soul workout.
When Pigs fly? The beauty of "when"
-----
     On a recent bike ride with a friend of mine, we noticed a group of people on the South shore beach in South Haven, practicing their Yoga. Now, to be honest, my first thought when I encounter Yoga is to assume a negative posture and connect it directly to Buddhism or Hinduism without separating the exercise from the philosophy that undergirds it.  That said, many who practice yoga have bought into the mind emptying nature of eastern meditation that often is part of its practice. 
But more important to me as a student of the Bible is the priority of the Scriptures' instruction, its transformational power, and its connection to exercise in developing our souls and bodies. 
God has not placed a wall of separation between healthy living and the spiritual practices that sustain it. 
When we consider the passage from Paul's first letter to Timothy in chapter 4, verses 7-8, it may be easy to miss the larger point. 

But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

First things first, the word for discipline here is the word from which  we get our modern term, gymnasium. In effect, Paul says we should step into the gym and make our whole lives a disciplined endeavor. That means that the food I consume, the exercise I engage, and the spiritual practices I embrace should prepare me for the world I face everyday and the world I plan to inhabit when God calls me home.

Funny thing, Jesus never said, if you pray and if you fast, or if you study; he assumed we would want to study, our desire would be to pray intentionally, and fast regularly. Only we in our sophisticated culture have driven a wedge between the physical exercise which keeps our bodies in check and the disciplines that keep our soul enlivened with the Spiritual energy we need to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. In fact it was Jonathan Edwards who regularly road his horse into the woods if only he might confer with the living God and bend his own mind to conform to that same infinite being with which we all have to do.

So, I'll look forward to seeing you on the road, but please excuse me if you see me talking to myself or waving my arms uncontrollably. It's likely I'm working through the details of a sermon, praying for my kids, or just praising God. Better yet, why not join me and strengthen everything that really matters. I have no horse, but my bike is easier to store... and clean up is easier too. MJC

Walk wisely

MJC

WHAT'S HAPPENING
  This week in small group Bible study we our examination of the Lord's Prayer in John 17. This week, verses 11-12

On Friday morning at 6:30 am,  the men will converge on Cousins and continue to study the framework of our faith. What should we know about Jesus, God, and Holy Spirit? 

On The Lord's Day, We will worship and open the Scriptures and celebrate the Lord's day. This week my friend and fellow pastoral servant (Larry Heinig) will open the Scriptures with you while I attend my wife's family reunion in Kansas. 

WHAT'S NEW: Our evening service has started again. We're back in our study of the Bible. IN OBSERVANCE OF THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS THERE WILL BE NO EVENING SERVICE THIS WEEK. 

AWANA is currently on Summer break. Look for it again in September.

Books you should read:
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi: I'm working through this one with our High school Bible class. Perfect book to re-acquaint you with the distinctiveness of Christianity. 
More than a Carpener by Josh McDowell: This is the subject of our AWANA Trek group study.
Know What you believe, by Paul Little
Through the Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliott. 

Follow the link, and you can find them on Amazon

Take me to Amazon
WHO WE ARE
  Between the Ends is a weekly update from  Pastor Mark Congrove and Bethel Baptist Church. it stresses the days between Sunday and Sunday- between one weekend and the next, as a priority for the believer.

Connect to Mark's site
CTCT-20161103_202746_0