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Contents AUGUST 2016
Vol. 7 / Issue 5
On The Cover
To submit story ideas, events, or comments: info@ValleyChristianMagazine.com
p20 - Logos Community: Story of a Church Plant
CONNECT WITH US: Twitter: @vcmagazine
what you’ll find inside:
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Texas Christian Publications c/o Valley Christian Magazine 3827 North 10th Street, 301 McAllen, TX 78501
956-314-O161
6
Abram Gomez
8
Lysa Terkeurst
Headlines
What Makes Rejection So Awful
10 Greg Laurie
Valley Christian Magazine is a free monthly magazine published by
In Search of the Spiritually Hungry
12 Mark Driscoll
How Did Jesus Teach the Bible?
Valley Christian Magazine is a publication of Texas Christian Publications (a 501c3 organization). Texas Christian Publications reserves the right to edit, modify, revise, rewrite and reject editorial materials and assumes no responsibility for accuracy, errors, omissions or consequences arising from it. All correspondence to this publication becomes the property of Texas Christian Publications. Texas Christian Publications shall be held harmless indemnified against any third-party claims. Texas Christian Publications accepts no claims made by photographers, agents or contributors. Writers’ and columnists’ opinions are not necessarily those of Texas Christian Publications or its publishers. Advertisements appearing in Texas Christian Publications present only the viewpoint of the advertisers. We assume no responsibility for advertising claims made in this publication. Valley Christian Magazine is printed in Mexico. Reproduction without the expressed written permission prohibited. Copyright 2016.
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14 James MacDonald
Big Prayers -- Big Peace
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16 Luis Palau
Falsas Soluciones
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18 Kids Talk About God 20 a Valley Christian Q&A: Story of a Church Plant
22 New Music Spotlight: Leeland | Invisible
24 Dave Ramsey Ask Dave
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HEADLINES BY ABRAM GOMEZ
It’s a bit hard to avoid the headlines these days. Whether you are perusing through social media or reviewing the weekly articles in local newspapers, you can quickly see how times have changed. Even for a mature believer, it’s a bit hard not to get discouraged by the images and fearful rhetoric that fills the media highway. As a pastor, I realize that many will see headlines and feel that we are in the end of days. After all, it is almost certain that prophecies are being fulfilled right before our very eyes. Never before have so many things that have been predicted by Scripture appear on the global stage all occurring at the same time. It has been called by several Biblical scholars, teachers, and prophets – a convergence of end time events. You do not have to be spiritual to see that every day there is something taking place in multiple parts of the world. Now, I am not here to startle you. I simply want to shed some light into this convoluted fog called reality. Growing up, I was always taught that Jesus would come back for His church like a thief in the night. I grew up with this fear that Jesus was simply waiting for me to sin, and then blow the trumpet. Whether you believe in pre-tribulation rapture or post-tribulation rapture, the point is that I grew up afraid of biblical prophecy and end time events. However, over the years, I have come to appreciate the insights the Bible gives us concerning the time before His return. More than a quarter of the Bible is prophetic in nature. God has embedded thousands of prophecies in the Bible to reveal that Scripture is accurate and to give us hope. Pastor Rick Warren stated, “One of the reasons I can know that the Bible is true and trustworthy is that it has thousands and thousands of prophecies that have come true and will come true in history.” As believers, we are to have a Biblical view of the world, and not a cultural view. Why would God give us prophecy? Why would He want us to know? I believe for several reasons. First, God does not want us to be in the dark, but He wants us to be in the light. I was right about one thing when I was younger. Jesus is going to come like a thief in the night. However, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are not in the darkness because we are children of the light! Secondly, God does not want us to be afraid, instead He wants us to be aware. Scripture provides for us comprehension and understanding concerning the events that will unfold before our eyes during the last days. Thirdly, God does not want us to be perplexed, but He does want us to be prepared. Knowing that what He said is true should provoke us to place all of our trust in Him. Lastly, God doesn’t want us to be hopeless, but He wants us to be hopeful. Remember, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! If you have made Jesus the Lord of your life, you do not have to fear. God is sovereign, and we are a city set on a hill to be a beacon of hope and life! Abram Gomez is the Executive Pastor of Cross Church, formerly known as Valley International Christian Center, in San Benito, TX. He serves under the leadership of Bishop Jaime Loya and helps in leading the 2,500-member congregation. Abram is a graduate of Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Church Ministries. He recently earned his Master’s Degree in Human Services Counseling with a specialization in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. Abram is the founder and director of NextGenRGV, a movement designed to mentor Next Generation Church Leaders. Through NextGenRGV, Abram has established an online presence providing resources for young leaders with blogs, videos, and podcasts. Additionally, he has founded the Tribe, an intensive coaching program for leaders between the ages of 18-40. Abram recently received approval as a team member and representative for Nation 2 Nation University, a video-based ministerial school offering two and four year degrees. His teaching is a part of the curriculum including Youth Ministry, Church Administration and Church Growth. Nation 2 Nation University has partnered with churches around the world to establish ministry training centers equipping pastors and leaders. Occasionally, Abram writes for Valley Christian Magazine, a regional periodical that covers the entire valley. He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Harlingen along with their precious daughter Isabella.
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About Lysa: Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times best selling author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has lead thousands over the past 15 years to help make their walk with God an invigorating journey. In the midst of her ministry, though, Lysa is a real, everyday woman who simply seeks to glorify God through her life and family. Used by Permission Proverts 31 Ministry www.provers31.org Copyright 2016
y
mouth was dry. My hands a bit numb. There was a stabbing tightness in my chest. My mind blurred as my thoughts became a fragmented kaleidoscope of a million pictured hopes I thought were just around the corner for me. For us. For the us that was now becoming just me again.
As I kept making this list, one line finally emerged that seemed to sum up rejection better than the others: I don’t want my normal to be snatched away. Life feels impossibly risky when I’m reminded how unpredictable circumstances can shatter and forever change what I know and love about my life. And in the fallout, some pieces never find a way to fall back into place.
We were only dating. But my mind had already run ahead in time and built a life with this man. In the future we had romantic picnics to take, snowball fights to laugh through, a wedding to plan, a house to build, and kids to name who had his smile and my eyes.
It’s like taking a photograph containing all the people you love and suddenly some of those people purposely cut themselves out of the picture. And the gaping hole left behind is in some ways worse than death. If their absence was caused by death, you would grieve their loss. But when their absence is caused by rejection, you not only grieve their loss but you also have to wrestle through the fact that they wanted this. They chose to cut themselves out.
M
I’m not sure these were ever real to him. But to me, they were as real as the stone-cold coffee now sitting in front of me. The one I kept stirring to have something to focus on but that I never intended to drink. Drinking coffee seemed a bit too normal of an activity to participate in when my entire inner life had just been declared a state of emergency. Because all of a sudden, the rest of my planned-out life was aflame. I wasn’t just losing a boyfriend today. I was losing the connection to all those dreams for tomorrow that now would never be. His words were making their way through my ears to my heart. I felt the full impact of their harsh landing. As they skidded their way across the most tender places inside me, their piercing weight burned and cut and ripped apart what I thought would be so very permanent. Rejection always leaves the deepest, darkest marks. That was decades ago. But I can pull up the memory of it as if it were yesterday. I have to search around a bit in my past, but there it is. The wound isn’t pulsing with pain any longer. It’s more of a scar. Like a war wound, it’s just a story now. I pulled out my journal today and tried to capture the raw essence of what makes rejection so awful. But in the end I couldn’t capture the depth of it with finely crafted words. Instead of diving deep with my thoughts, I let them come in simple, personal phrases. I like stability. I don’t like getting caught off guard.
Rejection steals the security of all we thought was beautiful and stable and leaves us scared and fragile and more vulnerable than ever. But God. He’s there. Jesus said, “I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness,” (John 12:46). With Jesus I can walk out of this dark place. Yes, He is the One whom I know can help me. Heal me. Show me what to do when I’m hurting. Therefore, I must do whatever He instructs me to do right now. I must embrace Him. And I know I can’t continue to fully embrace God while rejecting His ways. So I turn to Him. And really listen to where He’s leading me with a willing heart. God drops a word into my heart. Like a swig of orange juice just after brushing my teeth, I recoil at the unexpected taste. Of grace. Why grace?! Because grace given when it feels least deserved is the only antidote for bitterness. Just because I’ve been hurt doesn’t mean I now have to live hurt. I can get mad and bitter and spread more hurt around. Or, I can give grace and gentle responses and spread more hope around.
I like feeling known. I don’t like feeling thrown away.
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Though you are devastated, they are possibly walking away feeling relieved. Or worse, they might even feel happy. And there you sit, staring at a jacked-up photograph that no glue in the world can fix. Normal has been taken. Not by accident. But very much on purpose by someone you never expected could be such a thief.
Hurt people, hurt people.
August 2016
Healed people, heal people. And I want to be in that latter group. There’s nothing we can do to eliminate the pain of rejection. Oh, how I wish there were. With every fiber of my being, I wish I could remove it from my world and from yours. But I can’t. The only thing I’ve seen work in my life to help my heart heal from these deep wounds is the constant pursuit of the sweetest grace. To love God is to cooperate with His grace. And since I’m so very aware of my own need for grace, I must be willing to freely give it away. Each hole left from rejection must become an opportunity to create more and more space for grace in my heart.
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I n S e arch o f th e S pi ri tually H ung ry By Greg Laurie
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. —Lamentations 3:25
Have you ever lost something and searched endlessly for it? I lost my iPhone the other day. I looked everywhere for it but couldn’t find it. So I used a feature called Find My iPhone. As it turned out, the phone was eight feet from where I was sitting. I had dropped it in the cushion of a chair. When I mentioned this to my son Jonathan, he said, “I’ve done even worse. I used it, and my phone was in my shirt pocket.” When you lose something, you search for it until you find it. God searches, too, although He doesn’t lose things like we do. He knows where everything is and where everyone is. Yet He is searching for people who want to grow spiritually. He is looking for fertile, receptive soil where He can plant the seed of His Word, soil in which His Word can take root in our hearts. God won’t force His truth into our lives; He wants us to desire it. He doesn’t force-feed us. As 1 Peter 2:2 tells us, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Healthy people are hungry people. If you are in good spiritual health, you will be hungry for the Word of God. A spiritual appetite is a good sign of a mature Christian. God is looking for soil like that. He is looking for people who want to hear His Word. We are the ones who decide what kind of soil our hearts will be. We decide whether we will move forward spiritually or whether we will go backward spiritually. It is really up to us. God wants us to grow, but we must want to grow as well. There is God’s part, and there is our part.
Greg Laurie is Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. He began his pastoral ministry at 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Since then, God has transformed the small group into a church of 15,000 plus, one of the largest churches in America. for more, visit www.greglaurie.com. used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie, PO Box 4000 Riverside, CA 92514 Copyright © 2016 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
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Imagine
you were in a coma and awoke after many years. What’s the first thing you would do? Whatever that thing is, it would reveal your passions, your pleasures, and your priorities.
And that is exactly what Jesus does for these disciples, and consequently for us. The Bible Is All about Jesus
If you picked up the phone and called a pizza company, that would tell us something about you. If you ran home and hugged your mom, that would tell us something about you. If you went back to work, that would tell us something tragic about you. You, in that moment, would reveal your highest priority.
In that moment, Jesus revealed himself to these disciples, saying, “‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that te Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
Jesus showed us his highest priority in his actions after rising from death three days after his bloody death on the cross.
He then proceeds to teach about himself and the Scriptures, As Luke records, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Spiritually Blind
Talk about the most epic Bible study ever.
In Luke 24:13–35, we read that the very day Jesus rose from the dead two of his disciples were going to a village named Emmaus, and per the text, were, “talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Jesus is right there, and these disciples don’t see him. Jesus has a little fun with this situation, asking, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” Luke records, “And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas answered him, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’” “What things?” Jesus asks. The two men respond, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.” There is a great lesson to be learned here: you can be physically alive and yet spiritually blind. The sad truth is that this is the state of all people who are apart from Christ and those of us who are in Christ that choose to close our eyes to the truth of Christ. God has to open our hearts, our minds, and our eyes to know and understand him.
Importantly, we learn from this story how Jesus taught the Bible. There’s morality in the Bible, but it’s not primarily about morality. There’s religion, tradition, history, and miracles in the Bible, but it’s not primarily about those things. What Jesus teaches us is that the Bible is primarily about him. Jesus’ Priority Jesus loved his mom, but the first thing he did wasn’t to hug his mom. Jesus had brothers, but the first thing he did wasn’t to go to his brothers and say, “I’m back!” (That would all be later.) No, the first thing Jesus does after he rises from death is go to his disciples, open the Old Testament, and methodically teach through it, connecting it all to him. And Luke records “And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” The first thing Jesus did after the first Easter was to teach his disciples what the Scriptures said about him. I can think of no better example to follow. Who has God put in your life to sit down and explain the Bible to? About Pastor Mark Driscoll: Pastor Mark Driscoll is a Jesus-following, mission-leading, church-serving, people-loving, Bible-preaching pastor. In 2010, Preaching magazine named him one of the 25 most influential pastors of the past 25 years. He’s grateful to be a nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody. With a skillful mix of bold presentation, accessible teaching, and unrelenting compassion for those who are hurting the most—particularly women who are victims of sexual and physical abuse and assault—Pastor Mark has taken biblical Christianity into cultural corners rarely explored by evangelicals. Various ministries trace their roots to Pastor Mark’s leadership. Mars Hill Church began as a Bible study he and his wife Grace taught in their home. He is also the founder of Resurgence, a ministry that offers resources for Christian leaders, including books, events, classes, multimedia, and a blog. He is the co-founder of the Acts 29 Network, which has planted over 400 churches in the US and 13 other nations. More Info at www.MarkDriscoll.org Used with permission from Mark Driscoll. Copyright 2016
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Big Prayers – Big Peace by james macdonald
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7, ESV
James MacDonald is founding and Senior Pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel in northwest Chicago. James’ teachings can be heard on Walk in the Word, a daily radio program reaching more than 3 million people across North America.
T
hroughout the day we need little arrow prayers—quick prayers in the car, in the office, in the kitchen. When we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), this connects us to the Lord in sweet communion. But these quickfire prayers, though important, don’t yield the deepest peace. Nor does ritual praying. Mindless repetition is unbiblical and won’t bring you peace. Little prayers yield little peace. Big prayers yield big peace. Here’s a practical checklist: fervent prayer, by yourself, out loud, kneeling down, with a list. If you pray like that for five or ten minutes, a river of
“PEACE IS COMING LIKE A FLOOD TO A PERSON PRAYING FERVENTLY TO THE LORD.” peace will rush down the parched canyon of your anxiety. Peace is coming like a flood to a person praying fervently to the Lord. The enemy of your peace is anxiety. If you are living crippled by anxiety, that suggests your prayer life could use some focused improvement. Review the past month of your life. Have you been fretting over some things? Fearful? Anxious? Worried? No doubt, those feelings increased as you moved further and further from your last, fervent prayer time with God. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your prayerfulness over the past month? Ten means you’re rocking your world several times a day
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with faith-filled, awesome prayer. Zero means . . . zero. A prayer vacuum in your life. Perhaps you can’t even recall the last time you knelt down and prayed out loud fervently with a list. On the same scale of one to ten, rate your anxiety level. Zero means you are calm. Nothing deeply divides you. Though bad things happen to you, they don’t rob you of peace. Ten equates to frequently freaking out, crippled by dividing cares— no peace.
God’s résumé of faithfulness, you become more aware of who He has been and will continue to be. In light of His faithfulness, your anxiety will minimize and your problems will shrink into perspective.
Now notice the correlation. The lower your score in prayer, the higher your score in anxiety. The higher your score in prayer, the lower your score in anxiety. Where fervent prayer abounds, peace abounds.
On a scale of one to ten, how did you rate yourself on prayer? How about anxiety? Describe the correlation you see between the two scores.
If you want to lower your score in anxiety, the solution is to raise your score in prayer. This isn’t a mystery. It’s not a function of personality, as if some people are natural pray-ers and others missed out on that gene. Philippians 4:6 clearly links anxiety and prayer. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” When anxiety goes up, up, up, you must pray it back down. Start by reviewing what you know to be true about God and His faithfulness. Go in a room by yourself, shut the door, pray out loud fervently with a list, and begin to thank God. Thank Him for who He is, all He has done in your life, the ways you’ve seen Him provide, and His personal, intimate care for you. When you pray “with thanksgiving” and review
August 2016
It’s a holy exchange—anxiety for peace, through prayer. Available for you today.
j ou r n a l
Write a prayer list of all you need to express to God: first, your thankfulness for all He is and has done for you, and second, your needs, worries, fears, doubts, hopes, etc. Now discuss that list with God in fervent prayer.
P r ay
Our Father, thank You that You don’t want me to live crippled by anxiety. Thank You that You are available anytime I pray. Forgive me for my prayerlessness and my stubborn attempts to handle my problems on my own. I know that’s not working for me. Lord, teach me to pray with fervency, with thanksgiving. Give me a clearer view of You, Lord, that my anxieties would fade into perspective. Though my problems are real and at times feel overwhelming, they are but light, momentary afflictions. I choose prayer. I choose peace. I choose You. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, amen.
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Falsas Soluciones -Luis Palau
¿Por qué hay tantas personas amargadas que viven una vida irresponsable, cargadas de culpabilidad? ¿Por qué es que tan pocas personas tienen una conciencia transparente? Hay cinco soluciones falsas que muchos hombres modernos buscan para resolver el problema de una conciencia que está contaminada, manchada y corrompida. En primer lugar, muchas personas usan el shock ecléctico, este es un método que muchos psicólogos y psiquiatras me han dicho personalmente que no resuelve nada, porque lo único que hace es sacudir la memoria para olvidar, pero resulta que la mente humana no se puede limpiar por un sacudón eléctrico. La segunda falsa solución es ?aprender a soportar el problema? pero eso no es una solución, el ser humano no fue creado para vivir con una conciencia sucia y al decir que ?soporte? es incrementar el dolor. La tercer falsa solución es ?comprender sus acciones? tratan de justificar sus actos racionalizando, así sólo se intensifica su sentido de culpa. La cuarta solución falsa es cuándo el individuo le dice ?lo que usted hizo no tiene nada de malo, no es pecaminoso.? No se limpia la conciencia tratando de justificar o contemporizar, eso no ayuda para nada. En quinto lugar, algunos consejeros cuando alguien viene cargado de culpa le dicen ?usted es humano, no está solo? pero la respuesta del que viene acongojado es ?No me importa que los demás estén en la misma situación que yo?. Satanás quiere que usted esconda sus ofensas, la Biblia dice que él es el príncipe de las tinieblas, de la oscuridad de este mundo, que él es el ladrón que viene para matar, hurtar y destruir, los ladrones vienen generalmente de noche, a Satanás le encanta que usted esconda sus ofensas, que no las saque a la luz, que no las confiese, que las entierre para poder destruirlo a usted. Dice Jesús en Juan 8 ?Satanás es mentiroso y padre de mentiras?. Si ha buscado soluciones falsas sepa que hay un enemigo que quiere destruirle, pero Dios le ofrece libertad, libertad de todo aquello que impide nuestro crecimiento, de todo aquello que impide maduración espiritual, emocional y total. La Biblia dice: ?Estad, pues, firmes en la libertad con que Cristo nos hizo libres.? Cuando recibimos a Jesús en el corazón por la fe como Señor y Salvador nos da la libertad de conciencia, el hombre puede estar preso en una penitenciaría por el resto de su vida por ser un criminal pero puede tener la conciencia limpia y libre cuando la sangre de Cristo le limpia de todo pecado. Dios le ama y le ofrece libertad; la Biblia dice: ?Por cuanto todos pecamos estamos destituidos de la gloria de Dios.? Todos tenemos culpas pero no tenemos que seguir culpables. En 1Juan 1, 6-7 dice: ?Si decimos que tenemos comunión con Dios, y andamos en tinieblas, mentimos, y no practicamos la verdad; pero si andamos en luz, como Él está en luz, tenemos comunión unos con otros, y la sangre de Jesucristo su Hijo nos limpia de todo pecado.? No tenemos que seguir culpables, puede gozar de una conciencia transparente; si las saca a la luz, se las confiesa a Dios, las arregla con sus amigos, en la Biblia dice que la Sangre de Cristo le va a limpiar de todo pecado, va a tener perdón, paz, conciencia transparente y va andar en la luz con Dios.
Luis Palau
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Luis Palau ya entró en la historia moderna como uno de los contados hombres que le hablaron a más personas en el mundo. Su mensaje fue, y es escuchado por más de 800 millones de personas en 112 países a través de la radio y la televisión, y tiene el privilegio de haberle hablado a más de 22 millones de personas cara a cara en 80 países del mundo, organizando, junto a un selecto grupos de colaboradores internacionales y con el apoyo de invitaciones locales, congresos, seminarios, charlas informales, conferencias y recitales-conferencia llamados “Festivales”.
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What Can We Learn From Jesus Feeding 5,000 People (John 6:1-15)?
“A boy gave Jesus five bread and two fish. I’ll give him 50 muffins a day,” says Caden, 5. Somebody likes muffins. “The people were surprised when they saw two fish and five loaves feed all of them,” says Alejandro, 7. Surprised is a gross understatement. They were impressed. They wanted to seize Jesus and make him king. Jesus took a boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish and fed 5,000 men (John 6:10). If you add the women and children, this crowd could easily have numbered 10,000 to 15,000. Jesus was not impressed with the crowd’s enthusiasm to make him king. He sent his 12 disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee in a boat while he departed to a mountain by himself. Jesus knew that a cross upon which he would die as a sacrifice for our sins awaited him in Jerusalem. The crown would come later, but not from an enthusiastic mob that probably saw in Jesus their liberator from Roman rule. After breaking the bonds of death on Easter Sunday and ascending to heaven, God the Father crowned Jesus King of Kings and Lord of Lords. “I learned from Jesus to share my pencil and share erasers,” said Celeste, 6. Celeste, if the same multiplier of Jesus feeding 5,000 men with a boy’s lunch applied to sharing your pencil and erasers, I suppose sharing one pencil and eraser could supply every kid in your school for the entire year. “Have faith and trust in the Lord,” says Andrew, 8. “You have to trust in what God is going to do for you.” When Jesus saw the crowd coming toward him, he asked his disciple Phillip, “Where
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shall we buy bread that these may eat?” The same Bible text in John 6 tells us that Jesus already knew what he would do, but he tested Phillip with this question. There is a big difference between testing and temptation. God will test his people so that they may grow in their ability to trust him. God always wants us to pass any test he sends our way. When Satan tempts, he always wants to draw us away from trusting God. To be sure, the evil one wants us to fail. Also, he will try to make us feel guilty about our sin. Only the grace of God can break this downward spiral. How refreshing it would have been for Jesus to hear from Phillip: “Lord, you turned the water into wine at the marriage feast. Why don’t you take that boy’s lunch and feed everyone?”
Artwork is by Danella Prinkey, age 6
Instead Phillip replied, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9). When we fail to look up, we are bound by the limitations of our own resources. The feeding of the 5,000 begins with this statement, “Then Jesus lifted up his eyes,” (John 6:5). The sentence continues, “and seeing a great multitude coming toward him…”. Think about this: We must encounter each problem by lifting up our eyes to the Lord. The more we fix our gaze on the Lord Jesus, the smaller our problems seem because nothing is impossible for him. Memorize this truth: “But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Ask this question: Where do you look when you encounter problems?
August 2016
Carey Kinsolving’s Kids Talk About God syndicated column is available as a free, weekly family devotional by email at KidsTalkAboutGod.org. Also, view a Bible-lesson archive of all columns. Kinsolving is the co-founder of the RGV Children’s Arts Festival. Two Valley children will win dude-ranch vacations for up to five family members. One will go to Medicine Bow Lodge in Saratoga, Wyoming and the other to Coulter Lake Guest Ranch in Rifle, Colorado. Each will receive a check for $600 to help pay for travel expenses. For details go to KidsTalkAboutGod.org/rgv.
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August
2016
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Logos Community:
Story of a Church Plant... In 2008, Logos Bible Church met for the first time at 500
Sycamore in McAllen, Tx. 8 people were there. Songs were sung of worship led by Jason Hatton, a local entrepreneur and Christ follower. Tom Weaver got up and preached the bible for about 50 minutes. Those few people had no idea what the Lord was about to do in the following years. The vision Pastor Tom had was to preach the Bible verse by verse and it explain as simply as possible to people who had not been a part of church before. To see people who did not understand the Bible, or really know who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish come to an understanding. Pastor Tom and his leaders wanted people to know and receive the Gospel, that is, Jesus Christ came to seek and save lost people. Sinners. Broken people. Hurting people. People with no hope. The following is an interview with Pastor Tom about Logos Community, and this unique, church planting church.
VCM- So thanks for meeting with me today! You guys were our first magazine cover when we got started!
what Jesus has called us to do. When we begin to focus on other things, other details, we get off course.
PT- That’s crazy, right? I remember meeting you guys at Starbucks off Trenton. That feels like a long time ago.. (check it out online at https://issuu.com/vcmag/ docs/april_edition_small_pdf)
VCM- Is is really that simple?
VCM- Five years..April 2011. A lot has happened since then for you guys. You have planted two more campuses, grown, moved location.. What do you think the biggest changes have been to Logos Community these past 5 years? PT- Oh wow, that’s a good question. I think my elders would agree with me that we have learned a ton, seen incredible Gospel fruit, been humbled by our own bad decisions, and been upheld by King Jesus for His glory. The Church with a big C has only one authority and that is Jesus Christ. He disciplines, watches over, protects, and leads His church. We are thankful for that :) VCM- So what would you tell the 2008 you? The one who got up in Josh Stockel’s living room, and preached to 7 people? PT- I would start by saying, humble yourself, or God will. Put your wife and kids in priority right after Jesus. Prepare yourself to not be in control, and seek the Holy Spirit everyday. Church planting is not for the faint of heart. Honestly, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding. I would tell myself to put Jesus above all else, don’t seek numbers, but seek to share the Gospel with as many people as you can, and focus on teaching them what the Bible says through equipping, and life on life discipleship. The rest is papitas, as one of our elders, Ruben Degollado says. VCM- What defined those early years? PT- Definitely a heart for people who did not go to church, or know who Jesus was. We had so many folks come that had never set foot in a church before, let alone know Jesus. As we plant Edinburg this August, it’s the same heart. Pastor Mike Govan loves to share the Gospel. All the time. So does Pastor Jeff Neal in Harlingen. This is something we constantly refocus on, because we believe that’s
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PT- Don’t get me wrong. There are bylaws of the church, administration of three campuses, counseling, children, youth, women and men ministries to attend to, and we do this with excellence, but WHY we do these things must not be to attract a crowd, but to share the Gospel and be about the work of Jesus. Seeking and saving lost people. That make sense? I have been guilty of this, and I see other pastors do it as well. The concern and focus can be on programs, attendance, and pleasing people rather than pleasing Jesus. We want to please Jesus, so therefore we need to obey him, and treat others as He did. As best we can. VCM- I agree with you on that. So simple Gospel ministry can be done. PT- Yes! But it costs you everything! :) VCM- So after you planted in someone’s house what happened next? PT- Well, we grew to about 25. We had folks sitting in the hallway, and in the kitchen. This was August and we were meeting at Josh and Ashley Stockel’s house. There AC was working overtime and we needed more space. BT, which was led by Trevor Carpenter, still my very good friend to this day, told us we could come use their pavilion, which was really a big garage. We moved in, in the Fall of 2008 and had a blast! We set up chairs, cleared a room for the children’s ministry down the hall, eventually built a stage, hung some lights, and we all invited everyone we knew that didn’t know Jesus! We called it the bat cave.
We continued to grow from there, established community groups and over the next three years grew to about 160, experienced 80+ salvations and baptized over 100. We then moved to Legacy event center for a while, and then on to our present space here on the corner of Harvey and 10th street. Logos Community Harlingen was planted in 2012. That campus is led by Pastor Jeff Neal, and he is doing a fantastic job of leading that location with Pastor Chris Elliott, his Executive Pastor. http://logoscommunity.com/about-us/about-harlingen/ They are located at 2730 S 77 Sunshine Strip and gather on Sundays at 10am. VCM- You guys have been busy! So obviously, Logos Community is serious about planting churches. May I ask why? Aren’t there enough churches today? PT- Great question! The truth is, churches shut down every year. All over the country, all over the Valley. The elders of Logos Community want to be true to the great commission, and Jesus is pretty clear: Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (HCSB) Not only are we to go where God calls us, but to establish new communities of people whom we baptize, teach, and disciple. These are new churches. We love the churches in the Rio Grande Valley. Many of them have been doing solid Gospel work for years! As the area grows, so does its need for new churches meeting the needs of new people and folks from the next generation. The truth is, if every church in the Valley grew 100% this next year, there is still a greater need for more churches, and more gospel communities. We want to be part of that. VCM- Again, that makes sense. So what would you say to the churches already present? PT- I would say that we want to join you in Kingdom work! I mean, all of us should be looking towards that day when Jesus comes back, right? VCM- You’re right. So what’s in the future for Logos Community in the Valley? PT- We are already looking at Weslaco, Pharr, Mission, and La Joya as great places to plant. If you are a man in our community interested in planting, come talk to us! We would love to help you or have you join what the Lord is doing through us. What we are focused on this Fall is Logos Community Edinburg. Pastor Mike Govan, who was our counseling Pastor in Mcallen, is four months on the ground at the Boys and Girls Club meeting Sundays at 10:30. Our official launch is August 14th. We would love to have everyone join us for this event. Here are a few words from Pastor Mike Govan: “When God brought my family and I down to the RGV about 15 years ago, we most likely had no clue as to what He was up to. I certainly had no idea that a
calling to be a pastor was coming and the changes that would require in our lives. Edinburg for a long time was the little city just a bit north of our front door and that was about it. But that would begin to change in a big way after I returned from a conference in Austin a few years ago. I came back with a very persistent and peculiar seed in my heart that grew into a desire to plant a church somewhere in the valley. Now this seed grew slowly, and began to “irritate” my comfortable position as counseling pastor of Logos Community Church in McAllen. I recall one day sitting down with Pastor Tom Weaver and sharing with him what was in my heart and in his usual encouraging way, he guided me through a conversation that allowed me to express what the Lord had planted in me. From that point forward I began to pray and ask, “Ok, where, Lord? Which city do you want us to go to?” The same answer that seemed to return over and over was the “little city that was just north of our front door”, the city of Edinburg, and I could not get it out of my head! God began to give me a heart for the lost in Edinburg and He made it clear that we need to go there, preach the gospel in an uncompromising manner, partner with the local leaders, and come along side the churches already there and take this city back for Jesus Christ. As my wife and I continued to pray, God began to reveal the resources that He had already gathered for us, and the people He called to join us stepped up. There can be no doubt that God has gifted Logos with strong church planting skills, and having already planted successfully in McAllen and Harlingen has given us wisdom on the challenges that can and do come. This wisdom has already blessed us big time in Edinburg. We prayed for a building and told God how much we could afford, and He blessed us with an incredible space that was more than we had asked for and even a bit under our budget! We are so pleased and definitely blessed to be partnered with the Edinburg Boys and Girls Club and of course thankful for the opportunity to share the gospel there! So fast-forward to today, almost four months into our church plant, and we have already baptized 10 souls, had 1 salvation and served the Edinburg Police Department about 100 meals and began spending time with foster children in our community. This is merely a scratch in the surface of what God has made known must be done for His people and His city. The burden in my heart for this city is a big one and we know it will not be easy but the love God has for His people in Edinburg is so evident and it cannot be held back. “ (Pastor Mike Govan, Lead Pastor, Logos Community Edinburg) VCM- Thanks Pastor Tom! We look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for Logos Community, and are thankful for you and your leaders in the Rio Grande Valley! PT- Thank you. We are grateful to Valley Christian Magazine, and thankful we get to do ministry with all of the Gospel driven churches in the RGV.
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NEW MUSIC RELEASE:
Leeland INVISIBLE
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” -Philippians 3:12 (NIV) Family. It comes in all shapes and sizes. No matter how far we are from home, we all long for a place to belong and a circle of like-minded people to call our own. Family is all worship band Leeland has ever known. Raised on a steady diet of southern gospel and traditional church music, Leeland Mooring and his brother and sister toured with their parents when they were growing up in Baytown, Texas. As they got older, the siblings stepped out on their own to write and record under the moniker Leeland. A major label record deal, four GRAMMY® nods, eight Dove Award nominations, a slew of radio hits, four albums and two EPs later, the meaning of family has been redefined for the group as they release their fifth studio project, Invisible (Bethel Music). With a current lineup comprised of Mooring and Casey Moore, Leeland feels like they’re finally coming into their own as musicians and as people. Casey connected with the band six years ago at a music festival and has been playing with them ever since, quickly becoming a welcome addition to the group and a brother to Leeland. Now, after a decade of writing, recording and touring, the members of Leeland not only have a new album but also a new family with whom to share this next chapter of their storied career. A NEW SEASON WITH BETHEL MUSIC From his early years making music with his siblings to forming a brotherhood with his bandmates, family has been a theme, and a solid foundation, the frontman didn’t even realize was significant in his story. However, when he rekindled a friendship with Bethel Music’s Brian Johnson through a songwriting endeavor, Leeland began to realize Bethel Music might just be a family where he could belong. “Through the years, we were just big champions of everything—of their heart and what they were doing,” Leeland says of Bethel. “If anything, I just wanted to have relationship and friendship…in this new season, feeling unsure and walking into new territory.” Despite the fact that the members of Leeland all now reside in Nashville, a partnership with Bethel naturally fell into place. After officially signing with Bethel Music in 2015, the band has comfortably integrated into the respected worship collective’s tours, conferences and events. Most of all, the group has quickly identified with the heart behind Bethel’s ethos. “We’ve seen the vision in Bethel Music’s church—their heart for the world and for the kingdom—and it just resonates with us; and so we’re championing that,” Leeland shares, adding, “I feel like it’s a residual relationship, where not only are they lifting our arms up and encouraging us to keep going and to venture out into new territory; but, at the same time, we’re also getting excited and encouraging them and lifting their arms up in whatever way we can.” FINDING MUSICAL IDENTITY With the support of Bethel Music, Invisible—Leeland’s first full-length project in nearly five years—cements the band’s musical identity as it showcases colorful pop melodies that recall their acclaimed 2006 debut, Sound of Melodies. However, Leeland admits establishing their identity has taken nearly a decade of discovery and personal growth. “It takes years to find out who you are musically and what your passions are and what kind of artist you want to be and what kind of person you want to be,” Leeland offers. “It took us years. “For a long time, my identity was in music and the success of our band,” he admits. “I was so affected by the ups and downs of a music career, and I was so affected by what people thought.” With all of the transition that has shaped the last few years, Leeland and Casey are entering a new season with fresh perspective and an identity firmly rooted in Christ. “The Bible says, ‘To know the love of Christ is to be filled with the fullness of God.’ And I think we’re experiencing that more and more with every passing day,” Leeland shares. “Our identity is just getting uprooted from music, uprooted from ministry, uprooted from all the good things. You can’t really enjoy them until your heart isn’t rooted in them. When our identity’s rooted in Jesus, we can really enjoy music; we can really enjoy ministry… We can finally, whole-heartedly be exactly who we want to be with no fear.” They also now define success by a different barometer. “Success is knowing Him,” Casey maintains. “We know our identity is not wrapped up in what we do. We can really live in freedom and just be ourselves… I hope this record really speaks that message to a lot of people, just that their identity can be rooted in knowing they’re a son or a daughter of an amazing Father who loves them so much.” The title track gives voice to the story of every believer’s relationship with an unseen God, encouraging listeners that they’re not overlooked. Inspired by the narrative
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of Thomas, the song serves as a reminder that the invisible God is real. “He’s not a religion, and He’s not a theology. He’s a person,” Leeland concedes. “He’s not looking for lawyers to debate His existence; He’s looking for witnesses. He wants to encounter us with the reality of His love, and then out of that encounter of Him revealing Himself to us…then we become this witness where we just say, like Thomas, ‘I’ve felt Him. I’ve touched Him. I’ve heard Him. He’s real to me.’” THE SONGS “Lion and the Lamb,” an anthem co-written with Johnson and Brenton Brown, was undoubtedly God-breathed. The band was leading worship in California years ago when Leeland says the chorus literally fell from heaven as he played piano quietly during a prayer time at the conclusion of the service. On multiple occasions, he attempted but failed to complete the song with other writers. “I tried writing with two other people on it, and it just didn’t really work out. They didn’t seem too excited about it, and I wasn’t going to force it, so I just kept it close to my chest and was waiting for the right person to write it with—someone I connected with,” Leeland shares. Brenton Brown became that trusted co-writer after Leeland shared the initial lyrics with him at a songwriter’s retreat. Following their co-write, Leeland texted Johnson for his additional input. “I felt so uninvolved in the song. The song just kind of happened to me… But those are the best ones, I feel like,” Leeland admits. “It’s been a special journey getting to watch that song have a life of its own.” Elsewhere on Invisible, the Redding, California collective’s fingerprints abound as their influence connected Leeland with Bethel’s renowned stable of writers for the first time. “Over the years, we’ve gotten to write with a lot of co-writers, but what’s been so cool is getting to see the heart behind all the writers at Bethel because they carry something different; they carry something unique,” Leeland asserts. Passionate track “Perfect Love” features the poetic contributions of budding lyricist Steffany Gretzinger, while “Beloved” was written in Australia with Darlene Zschech, whose music had a massive influence on Leeland and his family growing up. “It felt less like a songwriting session and more just like a worship time together,” he says of the co-write. In addition, powerful cross-centered ballad “Son Was Lifted Up” provides a standout moment of worship that focuses on Christ’s sacrifice, with an assist from Johnson. All in all, Invisible feels like a fresh beginning for a band who’s spent the last 10 years honing their craft, refining their identity and using their gifts for the glory of God. Now, after a little wandering, they’ve finally found a new home and a family with which to share the journey. “I feel like with this album, we’ve finally come back to who we were meant to be—and not just musically, but with the heart of the songs. All the songs talk about identity and who we are in Christ because that’s what God’s been speaking to us,” Leeland offers. “We don’t feel like we’re doing all this for God now; we feel like we’re doing it with Him. We’re just enjoying the ride with Him.”
Snowball Switch? Dear Dave, We’re working the debt snowball, and together my husband and I make $93,000 a year. The amounts of our remaining three debts are so close we wonder if we should take interest rates into account. Two are student loans for $2,970 and $6,700, while the other is credit card debt in the amount of $4,750. I also got a recent bonus of $3,600. Should we put that toward our debt snowball? Robin Dear Robin, In a strictly mathematical sense, my advice of paying off debt smallest to largest may be wrong, but it’s still the correct advice. Besides, if people were so good at math they wouldn’t have debt in the first place, would they? If I’m in your shoes, I’d have that lowest student loan paid off in a heartbeat with the bonus you mentioned. I’d throw the remainder, along with your regular snowball payments, at the credit card and keep the debt snowball rolling just like I normally advise.
When you’re pushing to get out of debt fast, interest rates don’t really matter much when you add up actual dollars on interest spent. If you were going to keep debt around for six or seven years, then we’d have something to talk about. But when you knock out the little debt and immediately plow through the others with a vengeance, it gives a real sense of accomplishment and confidence. Remember, personal finance is 80 percent behavior and only 20 percent head knowledge.
Dave s y a S
So, mathematically speaking, the advice I’m giving you might be a few dollars wrong, but you’ll benefit in other bigger, long-lasting ways by gaining a sense of closure on your debts, learning how to delay pleasure and staying on a plan! —Dave
It’s Not Discrimination Dear Dave, I’m in the middle of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I’ve worked for years in the automotive industry, but lately I’ve been thinking about a different line of work. The problem is I’m afraid I will be discriminated against when applying for jobs because of the bankruptcy filing. I think the government has given businesses the permission to look at my financial history. Do you have any suggestions? Joe Dear Joe, The government doesn’t give businesses permission to look at your history. They had that right anyway. And it wouldn’t be discrimination, because it’s a part of their analysis as to whether or not they want you working for them. That kind of thing is perfectly reasonable. It’s not discrimination. A lot of this, however, depends on the job and how seriously the employer is considering you. If you’d be doing something where you have to be bonded, then you’ll have trouble because the bankruptcy can prevent you from being bonded. If you would be handling large sums of money or be given access to large sums of money, the Chapter 13 bankruptcy would reflect poorly on you and make you a higher risk.
* Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8.5 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
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Just be honest and disclose it, Joe. If they ask questions, explain things truthfully and the reasons behind why it happened. Also, don’t carry around a chip on your shoulder about the bankruptcy. We all make mistakes, and the smart ones among us learn from them. I wouldn’t necessarily have an issue with someone just because they had filed bankruptcy in the past, but it would create problems if they tried to hide it from me. —Dave
August 2016
Without Rival: Embrace Your Identity and Purpose in an Age of Confusion and Comparison Author: Lisa Bevere Publisher: Revell
Bold Bible Teacher Empowers Women to Live Free from Comparison and Rivalry In this day of challenge and opportunity, women have been the victims of constant comparison and rivalry. It has robbed the church of the feminine voice and contribution that would make her strong. In a wild, vibrant, and relatable style, Lisa challenges women to: · embrace the fact that God loves us uniquely rather than equally · realize their undisputed calling · reconnect to their divine identity · dismantle the rivalries that keep us from God’s fullness There has never been a more desperate need for each of us to discover who and why we are a daughter without rival, loved by a God without rival, entrusted with a promise without rival, to complete an assignment without rival, that is destined for an eternity without rival. Includes questions for personal reflection and small group discussion, plus additional questions designed for use with Insights to a Life Without Rival video sessions.
You’ve Got it In You
How to Depend on God’s Power in You to Accomplish God’s purposes for You
Author: Renee Swope Publisher: Revell This book is for the woman who feels overwhelmed, inadequate, and convinced she just doesn’t have what it takes to do and be all that is expected of her. Then she feels guilty for not being enough. She wanted most of the roles, responsibilities, and relationships she has, but now her soul feels depleted and her mind divided. Why she doesn’t have it “in her” to be more, give more, and get more done? Based on Ephesians 3:20, You’ve Got It In You helps a woman live in the beautiful truth that Christ is not only with her, he is in her. Therefore she has all she needs to be who God created her to be. Renee Swope empowers and equips a woman to stop focusing on all she can’t do and rely on what God promises to do, in and through her, as she fully depends on him. Using powerful Bible teaching, vulnerable personal stories, and practical life-tools, Renee shows a woman how to - rely on Christ’s power in her to accomplish his plans and purpose for her - let go of what others think and cultivate courage to become who she already is - confidently identify what she can do, and say “no” to what she can’t without regret - identify stress-inducers that cause worry and replace them with stress-reducers that prompt worship - exchange guilt-based sense responsibility with a grace-based response to God’s ability to work all things together for good
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2016
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Raul “Rudy” Rodriguez attorney at law Some historians may argue that among the greatest restoration stories of mankind are the European Renaissance or perhaps the post-World War II era. The cultural movement known as the European Renaissance roughly took place during the 14th through 17th centuries. This moment in history saw the face of Europe evolve with respect to its arts, architecture and long held science tenets. It also saw a rediscovery of the Greco-Roman classical knowledge and a rebirth of the study of Latin and vernacular languages. It served as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern Era. Closer to home, America saw its restoration take place in the years that followed World War II. During this era, couples who could not afford families during the Great Depression made up for lost time. The mood in America suddenly became optimistic. At that time, the unemployment rate of the Great Depression dropped dramatically and the economy improved substantially. The G.I. Bill empowered many honorable service members to finish high school and attend college. As their skills were improved, so was the financial well-being of their families. But, without a doubt the greatest restoration that can take place is when a person does as Romans 10:9 instructs us to do. Romans 10:9 says: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The message is simple: invite Christ into your heart and make him your personal Lord and Savior. At that time, your restoration will be complete. Next He will do as Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” As you seek and strive to honor God with your life, He will reward you by allowing you to take on His characteristics. Hosea 14:4 says, “I will bring my people back to me. I will love them with all my heart; No longer am I angry with them.” I pray that you will invite Christ into your heart and allow Him to restore you! At my office, I also want to be part of your restoration plan, albeit in a different way. I pray that God will use me for His honor and glory in helping me address your needs. If you have been involved in an auto accident and/or other serious injury or if you have lost a loved one as a result of someone’s negligence, I will do my best to restore some sense of normality to your life. I will also help you in matters involving family law, criminal law and real estate and will issues. As always, I bear in mind that in honoring God with the way I handle my business relationships I will be honoring you my esteemed client.
Raul “Rudy” Rodriguez
www.raulrudyrodriguezlaw.com Phone: 956.380.1421 / Toll Free: 877.480.1421 Fax: 956.380.2920 / Mobile: 956.655.5455
511 W. University / Edinburg, TX 78539 e-mail: anointed511@gmail.com