Merry Christmas Gaines Church!!!

WOW! What a year! From the 100+ services we've had to the families in our community we've blessed with financial and food support, to the big events like the Community Festival, Mega Sports Camp, Mission Trips to Panama and Kansas, and many Kid's Hope kids mentored. What a year we can praise God for!

Your ministry staff of Gaines Church offer you the warmest of Christmas wishes and God's blessing of peace, hope, love and joy.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Kelly Burnside
Ryan Wright-Student Director
Krista Noyes-Kids Director
Linda Radmacher-Kids Hope Director
Joshua Greenfield-Music/Communications Director
Joshua Kohns-Music Assistant
Megan Smith-Office Manager
Patti Ullery-Special Events Team Leader

Prayer Requests: A Conviction

I was recently rereading Knocking on Heaven's Door: A New Testament Theology of Peitionary Prayer by David Crump, and I found myself convicted about the content of my prayer life. As I read Crump's analysis of the prayers in Paul's letters, I realized that my prayers are misguided in their trajectory. While I know I can go to God with any need, request, or emotion (Just read Psalm 137!), Crump's analysis of Paul made it clear that I am missing a key request.

According to Crump, there are 9 Wish Prayers in Paul's letters. A wish prayer is a request Paul brings to God about his audience--something he "wishes" will happen. They are:

1. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 15:5-6)


2. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13)


3. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.(1 Thess. 3:12-13)


4. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:23)


5. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thess. 2:16-17)


6. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (2 Thess. 3:5)


7. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thess. 3:16)


8. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains...May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.(2 Tim. 1:16,18)


9. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.(2 Tim. 4:16)

Crump brought to my attention that many of these prayers highlight aspects of spiritual growth. In fact, Paul asks God for his audience to experience lavish, overflowing spiritual growth. Paul doesn't just want a modicum of growth. He wants an abundance. And he expects God to do it! When I write out my weekly prayer log, how many of my requests focus on spiritual growth? How often do I ask God to "give people the same attitude of mind toward each other as that Christ Jesus" or "fill them with all joy and peace as they trust in him" or "make their love increase and overflow for each other" or "strengthen their hearts so that they will be blameless and holy" or "sanctify them through and through" or "encourage their hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word"? 


My prayers for other people (and myself) tend to focus on health, finances, improved family dynamics, the economy, and other matters from day-to-day life. Crump makes a fairly shocking observation about such prayers: "Paul does not pray for lower unemployment rates, improved social standing, physical well-being, or financial security, because none of these things has any real bearing on whether we 'will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones' (1 Thess. 3:13)" (Crump, Knocking on Heaven's Door, 235). This is especially shocking to us in light of our current economy.


The problem with my prayer life is that there is a gaping hole in it: prayer for spiritual growth in myself and others. I'm quick to pray that I will get that miracle check to pay off my car loan, but slow to ask for a deeper understanding of who God is. It doesn't help that I try to convince God (or is it really only myself?) that the miracle check will free me to put more money toward Kingdom work, as if this justifies the focus of my prayer. Why don't I prayer more for spiritual growth?


Even Paul's statements of thanksgiving at the beginning of his letters focus on spiritual growth. Take Philippians 1:9-11 for example:


And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ--to the glory and praise of God


Or Colossians 1:9-12:


For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Or Philemon 6:


I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.


How often do I pray like this? How often do I pray that people will grow in their understanding of God's knowledge, love, and wisdom? I would venture to guess that the answer is "not enough." I have been reevaluating my prayer life in light of Crump's insights into Paul's prayers. Now when I pray for someone, I try to balance out each request for health, finances, or improved family dynamics with a request for knowledge of God, blamelessness, and wisdom. This is a challenge because my prayers want to default to their old forms, but my goal is to be faithful to the form of prayer Paul left for us in the Bible.

Keith, our Personal Growth Director

Welcome to the Rock!

This year at the Rock, kids are learning the nine qualities of the Fruit of God's Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).  We are discovering that as we grow our faith in God, we grow this good fruit in our lives so that we can love others like God loves us.

It is important for the kids to know that the stuff we learn about God's Word as children applies into their adult lives.  I am really excited to have special guests such as a fireman, a nurse, a dental hygienist, builders & veterans visit us and share about their careers and how they show the Fruit of God's Spirit in their work environment.

We have fantastic volunteers at the Rock this year!  About 18 volunteers (snack, bus drivers, teachers, media assistants) show up every week to love these kids that God has entrusted to us.  Not only do our kids hear from special guests on how to make a difference in our world outside of church, but they get to become friends with so many adults who are committed to raising up the next generation of Jesus' followers.  It's a tough job and somebody has to do.  I'm glad God asked me!

Restoring Relationships

Hello, my friends and brothers and sisters of Gaines Church!  I figured I would take the opportunity to fill you all in on some of the things that God has been doing in the Roots and Imago Dei student ministries.  We’ve spent a lot of time talking about how much God values our relationships with others.  It’s evident in the scriptures that Christ is highly concerned with how we conduct our relationships with those around us (Matthew 5:23, 1 Peter 4:8, and Matthew 22:36-40).  The scriptures are littered with these references.  We’ve touched on many of these passages in the student ministries, and it’s been incredible to watch how God has been moving in the hearts of the students.

We always make sure to give the students an opportunity to respond to the word at the end of our worship services.  Recently, we had these little contracts printed out that a student could sign and give to someone with whom they have a rocky relationship.  The contract states that they would do everything in their power to extend love and kindness toward the other person in a way that would glorify God.  There are two young boys in the Roots group who have had a rocky relationship due to past quarrels.  It was encouraging last week to watch one of them fill out that contract and hand it to the other boy and offer an apology for his part in the divided relationship.

This was certainly inspiring for me and caused me to take a step back and view some relationships that I have had that went down the tubes.  We’ve all had those relationships where we’re entirely convinced that the fault lies with the other party or parties involved.  But I was reminded of how relentlessly God pursued me when I deserved judgment—when I deserved to be cut off from Him and His grace.  But instead of dishing out the justice I deserved, He chose, rather, to give of Himself and offer His son as a ransom to bring me back to right relationship with Him.  If I am to model my relationships after the way that God relates with me, then even when I know I’m justified in my actions I should relentlessly pursue right relationships with those who have done me wrong.  To make the relationship right takes cooperation on both sides, but Paul tells us in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends… on the contrary if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

I would challenge all of you to take a step back and look at the relationships that are broken in your life and ask God how you can take intentional steps toward repairing and redeeming those relationships in a way that would bring glory to Him.

Ryan, our Student Director

Fresh Songs for our Sunday Gatherings

We love fresh new song discoveries! Recently, Joshua Kohns and I (Joshua Greenfield) have developed a short list of hidden gems we'd like to "introduce" to you in our services. Take a look at these links and leave some feedback for us here on the Blog!

"God of Justice" -Tim Hughes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TCh31xg4vA

"Never Once" -Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=722zPX1npcA&ob=av2e

"Forever Reign" -Hillsong

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au3EGgISYMc&ob=av3e

"I Will Follow" -by Chris Tomlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohvhmGSfxI&ob=av2e

Josh, our Communications Director

Student Ministries Hinged on Scripture

Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”

It’s no surprise that God’s two greatest commandments are hinged on relationship.  God Himself exists in relationship as a Trinitarian God.  He designed us to exist in relationship with others too so that we would mimic His image.  God first created Adam alone, and Adam lived in a close relationship with God.  But God looked at the situation and decided that it wasn’t good for man to just be in relationship with God alone.  So He created Eve in order that man could mimic His image of relationship.  It’s now threefold.

The Gaines Church student ministries, Imago Dei and Roots, are designed specifically to be a place where students will be engaged in relationship as they come together with fellow students and adult leaders as well as coming in contact with God.  If you draw three circles that each overlap in the middle, you end up with three circles with different sections.  Label one circle “God,” another “Others,” and in the last one write someone’s name (maybe your's or a student’s).  That section in the middle is Gaines Church student ministries.  All three are coming together in one place.  In the student ministries programs, our goal is to help students learn how to be in right relationship with others as well as learn how to be in right relationship with God.

The second commandment also has a somewhat hidden implication.  It says, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  Love of self is also incorporated in that commandment.  We also want to help students understand their value and their significance.  Every student is immensely important to God and therefore important to us as well.  They were designed with specific gifts and abilities that we want to help them identify, cultivate, and employ for the sake of the Kingdom of God.  Every student has a unique contribution to the Kingdom just like everyone else on the planet!

This week, consider how you might mimic the image of God as you live in right relationship with others, God, and even with yourself.  Engage with God one-on-one this week.  Also, remember that God rejects our offerings when we have unresolved problems in our relationships.  He tells us in Romans 12:18-21 to do everything we can on our part to mend relationships.  God is in the business of restoration and redemption.  We should be too.  Consider if there are relationships that need mending, whether the damage done was due to you, them, or a mixture of the two.  Also, ask what unique contribution you may have.  God can use the smallest things.  Are you a great cook?  Post your recipes on your Facebook and share them with others!  Perhaps it will start a conversation with someone who is out of touch with God.  Maybe by sharing recipes, you can connect with someone and help demonstrate for them what it means to be a Godly man or woman.  Are you a talented guitarist?  Tell some folks at work that on Mondays at 7 p.m. you’ll be teaching some chords and tricks to anyone interested in learning a thing or two about playing the guitar.  Ask yourself what you’re good at and pray that God will give you guidance on how to use it!

Ryan, our Student Director

An Opportunity to Serve: Kid's Hope USA

Our Kid’s Hope USA program (KHUSA) begins in October, but before it can start, there is a great deal that must be done.  Letters go out from the school to parents of selected children.  The school’s social worker discusses the needs of the students with their various teachers and tries to select those who most need the help and encouragement that KHUSA mentors can give. Once she receives permission back from the parents, the job of pairing mentors with children begins. This year will see several new assignments because of family moves and the successful graduation from the program of some of our students (always a cause for celebration!).

The largest contributors to the health of our church’s Kid’s Hope USA ministry is our mentors and prayer partners.  I thank God for the returning mentors and their prayer partners, many of whom are in their fourth year of sacrifice to the Lord.  Make no mistake; it is a sacrifice of love that they lift to God each and every week on behalf of little children they would otherwise never even have met.  I am constantly awestruck with the thought of all the prayer that is directed toward Cross Creek, its students and staff, because of our church’s KHUSA ministry.

Sadly, some of our mentors cannot return.  Either they find that this is not a good fit for them; or job, schooling, or other commitments make it impossible for them to return.  That leaves a hole in the number of children’s needs that we can meet.  Maybe it is time for you to listen to that still small voice prompting you to volunteer your help to a waiting child.  You will be trained, supported, prayed for, and valued as you commit to the school year.  If you are hesitant, and have a little more freedom in your schedule, you could volunteer as a substitute mentor. You would be filling in for a mentor taking time out for a planned trip, or something unforeseen that would be more than a week’s duration.  It may be possible for you and another mentor to share a child with each of you taking half of the school year.  Believe me, if you have the will to serve – God will find a way for it to work.  You would be surprised to learn how many employers grant time for their employees to be involved in this program!  It has proven itself to be an amazing tool in the lives of at-risk kids.

If you are sure that mentoring will not be a fit for you at this time, but you have a heart for this ministry, there are other positions, one of which may be ideal for you.  We will need a ministry leadership team.  Maybe you could be one of the following:

• Prayer Coordinator – The behind-the-scenes Prayer Partner is essential to each mentor-child relationship and to the KHUSA ministry.  Recruitment, encouragement,and on going support of  Prayer Partners requires a passionate leader. Could that be you?
• Celebration/Event Coordinator – There is a need to demonstrate the hospitality of the Church to the child and perhaps his or her family at events and celebrations hosted at the school, at community venues, and eventually, at the Church facility itself.  Such events, when the family is included, allow mentors to get to know their students’ families and the families to get to know our church body. Do you have great ideas for fun?

Think of what more opportunities to reach into the hearts and lives of our mentored kids and their families could mean for them and the Kingdom of God.  Those opportunities require planning and prayer.  We need people to step up and get involved.  We need you.

Linda, our Kid's Hope USA Director