Journey Fall 2009

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V o l u m e 2 · I s s u e 3

W i n t e r 2 0 0 9

North Richland HillsBaptist Church

If you would like to become a member of North Richland Hills Baptist Church, you are welcome to join our fellowship during the invitation of our worship services by coming to the front of the Worship Center or by going to our “Encourager Room” just outside our Worship Center by the Ministry Gallery. Our church accepts people for membership in the following ways:

Those individuals who are inviting Jesus Christ into their life to forgive them of their sin and take control of their life, and who wish to be baptized as a symbol of their acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Those individuals who have previously accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, but have not yet been baptized by immersion and wish to be baptized as a symbol of their acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Those individuals who are members of another Baptist church of like faith and belief.

Those individuals who have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, who have been baptized by immersion, and who are members of another church of like faith.

If you have a question, one of our ministers would be happy to discuss it with you.

Pastor Tommy TeaguePastor Tommy Teague

Pastor Tommy How to Join North Richland Hills Baptist Church

North Richland HillsBaptist Church

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life … Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before

you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm." Proverbs 4:23, 25-26 (NIV)

A good friend recently sent me an e-mail with a rather disquieting thought. “If people in your community are not responding to

the Gospel the way people responded in the New Testament, one possible reason is that they are not recognizing God in what you are

doing as a church!” Has the church in America lost her focus? Has America forfeited her spiritual heritage?

At a subsequent meeting with a group of pastors from around the country, the question was asked, “What is the spiritual temperature of

your congregation?” The list of responses was very disquieting: Barn Sour Christians - Complacency - Bible Study Junkies - Bored and

Lethargic - Predictable - Joyless. Today, the church has more resources, trained leaders and virtually unlimited access to the world. Yet,

churches and denominations are in decline, many believers are unaffiliated, and we are failing miserably in fulfilling the Great Commis-

sion and the Great Commandment. Our saltiness has lost its flavor, our light is beginning to diminish, and, seemingly, many Christians

really are bored with their faith.

One of our greatest enemies in life is broken focus. The Bible tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” People of excellence

refuse to break focus because they realize that doing so results in their demise. Mediocrity will always focus on that which is urgent, but

excellence will always seek that which is vital. Our ability to maintain focus causes us to rise above the circumstances that come our way

and exceed the expectations of others.

These are the days that the church must look forward with a sustained and intentional focus. It is no secret that Christians all around the

world are being marginalized and are objects of ridicule and mockery because of their faith in Christ. But this is the season when the

church must remain focused on her mission, steady in her doctrine, and confident that our eternal destiny is not in the temporality of this

world but heavenward.

Let's stay FOCUSED on the mission,

To become a Christian, a person must first realize that he or she is “lost” – totally estranged from God,

separated from God by a sinful nature. Through scripture we see the history of God’s relationship with

humankind, and read from Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

A person alone cannot reconcile the lost relationship between himself or herself and God. To provide

a remedy, God sent his only Son, Jesus, to live the perfect life God demands. Romans 6:23, “For the

wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Although humanity through sin has separated itself from God, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross

bridged that gap. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still

sinners, Christ died for us.”

All that God asks is that a man or woman repent of his or her sins, turn from them and accept the

sacrifice Christ made on the cross for those sins. Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth,

‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God promises in the Bible that anyone who accepts Christ as Savior shall be saved. Romans 10:13,

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

February 7Join us Sunday morning February 7 as we flavor our worship services witha taste of the Super Bowl. This is an optimal time to invite your friends,neighbors, and co-workers to church.

February 209:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts GOD. Sheila’s unique speaking style combines honesty, vulnerability and humor rooted in her passion for God’s word.

March 5 - 6Join author Patrick Morley at a Momentum event for the men of our church and community.

April 3, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.Join us for our annual Easter party on the Boulevard. We’ll have snacks, candy, bounce houses, games and prizes.

How to Become a Christian

Using primarily hymns, this service is in a traditional format. A choir, accompanied by keyboard and piano, worshipfully participates in this service.

Drawing from the broad scope of worship music available, our Adult Choir, fullInstrumental Ensemble, and Worship Leading Team lead worship in a passionate way.

Today’s current worship music delivered in a simplified approach is the format for this service. Progressive elements of media, vocals and instrumentals inspire worshippers.

Everyone has a “heart language” of worship. Although services will differ in form, content in each worship service inspires a holy and right response to our Lord God.

a.m. Service

a.m. Service

a.m. Service

9:15 – 10:30 a.m. Grades 2 and 3

K.I.D. Worshipin the Kid ZoneK.I.D. Worship

in the Kid Zone

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.4 Years – 1st Grade

All ages, except middle school students, visit the Welcome Center or our Web site for descriptions and room numbers. (Middle school students attend 9:15 worship and 10:45 Bible study.)

All ages, except high school students, visit the Welcome Center or our Web site for descriptions and room numbers. (High school students attend 9:15 Bible study and 10:45 Worship.)

Join us for Bible StudyJoin us for Bible Study

10:45 a.m.9:15 a.m.

9:15 – 10:30 a.m.

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

10:45 a.m.9:15 a.m.

Upcoming Events:

FRONT COVER:The cover pictures were taken at "Christmas on the Boulevard," which took place December 6.

FUTURE ISSUESIn future issues we want to share how God is working through His people at NRHBC to reach others for Christ. To submit an idea or an

article, please send information to Danny Roberts at [email protected].

Have you ever been amazed by how awesome God is? This happens to me on a pretty regular basis. My husband

Bob and I are blessed to be the parents of three young daughters, and we are always looking for ways to improve our

parenting. We want to do more than simply raise obedient kids. We want to shape their hearts to love and obey God. God

blessed us recently through the Parenting Solutions conference offered in early November. The training we received gave

us some great insights and strategies to try with our girls.

One simple thing we learned was the importance of honoring others. We are now teaching our girls that honoring another

person means treating them as special, doing more than what’s expected, and having a good attitude. Wow, what a

concept! At the conference, we caught a glimpse of how our kids’ lives could be positively impacted if they were internally

motivated to honor other people every day. As we interact with our girls now, we both have a heightened awareness that

properly training their hearts will make a tremendous difference in their lives.

Imagine what could happen when they choose to do the right thing simply

because it is right, not because it’s what we told them to do.

God’s word gives us everything we need to be great parents and He prom-

ises to walk with us daily if we just ask Him. It’s not a coincidence that God

chooses to live in our hearts and then gives us the hearts of our children to

shape and mold according to His Word. I’m so thankful we have such an

awesome God to help us along the way, aren’t you?

ever been am d by how awesome his happens to me on a pretty ular basis My hhusbaned This gumazeazed me God is? Th ty reg

Shaping Children’s Hearts

Debbie Miller said, “It gives me great joy to see children excited about learning God’s word and hiding His word in their hearts.”

“I enjoy interacting with the children and making lasting relationships with children and their families,” Chuck Julian shared. “Also, by being a part of their spiritual growth, I am truly blessed!”

Our Wednesday evening discipleship program for kids, known as W.I.L.D., “Walkin’ in the Lord’s Direction,” is making a difference in the hearts of more than 150 kids each week. This program focuses on teaching children Bible skills and applying Bible verses to their hearts and lives. “I am blessed with an outstanding team of leaders to serve alongside,” commented Sharon Julian, children’s discipleship director.

April HagenBob, April, Rachel (6), Sarah Grace (4), and Leah (2) Hagen

Join our W.I.L.D. leadership team and be blessed.

In K.I.D. Connection this fall, our boys and girls learned to “Live Like Jesus” by loving, caring, and serving others in tangible ways. As part of this lesson, classes were given a four-week challenge to create a giant stack of non-perishable food items. The kids brought so much food that it almost reached the ceiling! These donated food items will be used to help meet immediate needs of people who come to NRHBC seeking help.

Animals are all around Angel Land Preschool with “Zoo Phonics” curriculum in

place and “roaring” right along.

The children in Angel Land are establishing the early skills needed to become

strong readers as they grow and mature. Using the fun world of animals, the staff

is engaging children in the processes of phonemic awareness, letter recognition,

and letter/sound correspondence. This multi-sensory (hearing, seeing, moving)

approach to phonics allows children to develop and maintain early literacy skills; and best of all, it is fun. In addition, the

children are learning about the world around them through hands-on experiences. They use their senses to explore and

their minds to problem-solve and think creatively.

Each day affords opportunities to learn about God and His fascinating world, to work in relationships with peers and

adults in a Christ-like manner, and to develop concepts and abilities that will support later school success. Each week

brings learning activities through music, library, and computer times, too. Weekly chapel visits from our church’s ministe-

rial staff provide instruction in Bible truths, stories, and concepts. Chapel also establishes a worship time that contains

scripture memory and songs, along with special times for birthday recognitions and blessings.

Becky Stamps, the mother of Reese, a student in a four-year-old class, said, “I have been so impressed with the educa-

tion my son has received at Angel Land. Every day he comes home with a new skill and has such a zeal for learning.

I appreciate so much the personal attention he gets from his teachers – one of his teachers even came to his T-Ball

game! Wow! I can’t say enough how much I love this preschool!”

In K.I.D. Connection this fall, our boys and girls

KidsMission

On

Check out some other ways we are teaching kidsto be hands-on with missions.

Kids and teachers prayed for inmates and decorated more than 150 placemats for Kairos Prison Ministry.

Kids and families filled shoe boxes for OperationChristmas Child.

This winter, kids are collecting gloves and socks to help needy children in our area stay warm.

Way to go, kids!Way to go, kids!

Marge Anne Key

IT’S A ZOO IN HERE!

Dear Loan,

I arrived in the United States on April 20, 2004. I was picked up by one of my sisters-in-law at the DFW airport. WOW! I couldn’t believe

how beautiful it was. I kept watching the dynamic activities at the airport. There were a lot of things happening which I had never seen

before in my life. It was great.

A few weeks later I met one of my former Vietnam neighbors at the zoo. We were delighted to see one another again. He shared with me

the details of how he arrived here. He said he was supposed to be in California for a family reunion, but he missed his plane. I asked

him how that happened. He looked at me and said, “I cannot speak or read English, I couldn’t make out the California destination.”

How quickly this reminded me the importance of learning English. I am the one who learned English by the self-taught method – by

picking up all the unknown vocabulary. (You can find the meaning in your English-Vietnamese dictionary and you can watch the T.V. for

the American’s accent.) I am now able to communicate with the Americans. I can read, write and speak English and am very pleased to

let you know that I have passed the United States citizenship test. Now I am very happy to live in the most free land in the world and

breathe the air of liberty under our great flag in the United States of America.

Thuy Do

Thuy Do came to the English as a Second Language (ESL) classes last spring to learn more about English, especially how to write English. While living in Vietnam, he began teaching himself English by listening and conversing with Americans stationed there.

Now 70, Thuy has come far in speaking and writing the English language. He studied very hard and both he and his wife, Hoang earned their American citizenship in August 2009.

Below is an excerpt from a letter written by Thuy.

h D t th E li h S d L (ESL) l l t i t l b tt i l

as a Second Language:Another Success Story

NRHBC’s ESL class has had many success stories. There will be many more to come.

I came home from work and automatically began my usual routine. My husband was on work assignment in New Mexico, so I did not have to cook dinner. After I completed my few chores, I sat down to watch a little TV. The phone rang and I was expecting my evening call from my husband. I answered the phone and my world stopped. My husband was calling me to say that after 27 years of marriage, he wanted a divorce. I looked to the sky and said, “OK GOD, YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION.”

I am 61-years-old and have been a Christian for a long time, but I had turned away from serving God and His church. Yes, I believed in Jesus and acknowledged God, but only when I had time.

I called the children to let them know what was going on and everyone was in shock. How could this happen to me? After months of mourning my loss of spouse and home, I relocated to Haltom City. I was desperate to get help.

I began visiting North Richland Hills Baptist Church because my daughter and son-in-law are members. In addition, I sought counseling through Cornerstone Counseling Center. I was so relieved and grateful to get help. I began to see how God could use this tragedy in my life to transform me into the woman He intended me to be.

My daughter encouraged me to enroll in DivorceCare hoping it would help with my depression and the healing process. That was the beginning of a dynamic journey of healing and restoration with God. The leadership actually loved me back to wanting a life. The sharing with others like myself and the message each week was a balm for my soul. After a few months, I was able to join the 9:15 worship choir and additional healing began. I was able to worship again and through the ministry of the people in that organization, I began to find the joy of praising God once again. God used the people of NRHBC to help me get through what could have been the end of my life, but instead I found a new beginning.

I have graduated from DivorceCare and am now involved in helping people like myself who need intensive care after the trauma of divorce or death of a spouse.

The CrossBridge class was created to minister to people fresh out of DivorceCare and not yet ready to fully incorporate into the singles life. Our singles ministry is well rounded and there is a place for everyone, including the wounded, the hurt, and those under reconstruction. I am blessed that God sent me to NRHBC and that His people are truly dedicated to reaching out and helping others. Everywhere I turned, there was encouragement, support, love and sound Biblical teaching. Thank you for your part in my healing and my reconciliation with God and His church.

Healing After the HeartbreakHealing After the Heartbreak SusanGeorges

Pictured in center, Susan Georges along with others from DivorceCare.

by:

Pictured left to right:

Thuy and his wife along with Hue Leita Harvey.

Ministering

Story after story has been shared over the last six months of how lives have been changed since the completion of our church-wide experience with “Financial Peace University” (FPU). Finances are coming under control, finance related stress is on the decline, better financial decisions are being made, priorities are shifting, and relationships are improving as a result of people implementing what they learned from Dave Ramsey and each other during FPU. Here is a letter received that is representative of what many in our church have been experiencing the last six months. We are sharing this with the family’s permission, and we are celebrating with them and with all who are on the journey to financial peace.

Dear Pastor Tommy,

Keith and I wanted to let you know how excited and blessed we are to be part of such a great church, and especially having you as our pastor. We appreciate the way you focus on the importance of growing in our Christian faith and how to apply it to everyday life. We are especially thankful for the way you have focused on the church being debt free. When I am asked what church I attend, I not only tell about how you teach the word of God and the great church body we have, but how we are 100% debt free and have raised all of the money to pay for upgrading and remodeling of the church. I also tell how you encouraged us as a church to take Financial Peace University, so that we could learn to be good stewards of the money God has provided us.

Since going through FPU, Keith and I, for the first time in our seven year marriage, are not worrying about how to put food on the table. When we began FPU in February, we were a single income family and 60 days past due on our mortgage, 30-60 days past due on our cars, praying that the lights were still on, and I had enough gas to get to work.

As of today, we have more than $1,500 in savings and paid $3,000 in medical bills down to approximately $500. We are current on all of our bills and about to pay off one of our cars. We are also paying off $3,400 in bad debt this week. Most importantly, for the first time, we have been able to tithe regularly! Thank you, Jesus!

We look forward to continuing to be a part of the great things God has in store for this church and having you as our pastor. God bless!

Sincerely,

Keith and Melanie Earles

The Youth Ministry of NRHBC has formed a wonderful partner-ship with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Around the country on October 14, the FCA hosted its Fields of Faith rally. Locally, the event took place at Birdville High School.

The goal of the event was to hold a high-impact rally for teenagers in which the Gospel would be presented, and students would be encouraged to follow Jesus Christ.

The final numbers of the local event were staggering. More than 300 teenagers made some sort of spiritual decision for Christ that

evening. Of those, 107 students became Christians. Bedford Junior High, alone, had 31 students get saved.

When asked to give her thoughts about the hundreds of students that responded to God, Paige Burroughs, Birdville High School senior said, “It showedhow hungry my generation is for Christ. We are all looking for answers and to know how to better follow Christ. When all of those kids stood up, I thought it was amazing!”

On a national level, there were more than 50,000 students in 38 states and 443 individual venues that attended Fields of Faith. Of those, 3,114 students became Christians.

Area Director of FCA, Kevin Baze, commented, “I don’t know of any event within the Christian community that can bring together Baptists, Catholics, Church of Christ, Methodists, and you name it types of kids, for a night of worshipping God. God moved in an incredible way!”

The partnership extended beyond NRHBC sending their students to the event. Not only did our kids have a wonderful evening, but they made some significant spiritual decisions as well. One student became a new Christian that night, and many made commitments to follow Christ more. Nathan Riggsby, an eighth-grade student at North Ridge Middle School, became a new Christian at Fields of Faith. He says, “Since that night, my life has gotten so much better. I have been really active at NRHBC. I used to come to church some and sit on the back row, but now I’m on the front row really getting into God.”

“Fields of Faith was a great event for our students and community,” Stuart Doyle, minister to middle school students said. “Our students were challenged through this event and connected with other believers from the area. It was a big event and God moved in a big way.”

In the past, God has brought revival through teenagers of different churches and different denominations.In the future, the Youth Ministry of NRHBC looks forward, with great hope and anticipation, that God will do it again.

Six Month Celebration of Changed Lives

August 6, 2009

USPS 619-280Published Quarterly.Periodicals Postage

PAID at Ft. Worth, Texas

Join author Patrick Morley at a Momentum event for the men of our

church and community.

Morley authored The Man in the Mirror, and has been a leading

figure in men's ministry for years. NRHBC will host this event as

dozens of churches send their men to join us for a conference that

will change their lives.

hor Patrick Morley at a Mo

church and commu

Morley a

fig

mentum event for the men of o

nity.

I m a g i n e U p d a t e

Phase III of our Imagine campaign is in the process of winding down toward completion. This includes offices for many of our staff on the first floor and classrooms on the second floor for middle school and some adults.In January we will be holding an open house for these areas as well as a brief glimpse at our current older high school area. The dates for the open house will be posted on our Web site, in the “Rejoice,” and will be announced from the pulpit. As we move toward occupying our newly renovated space, keep in mind there is much more to do. The next phase will include space for our high school ministry, new restrooms, and a great hangout area for all of our young people. Thank God for the faithfulness of His people in bringing us to where we are. As we get close to the $640,500 needed for the next phase,construction will then begin.

a g i n e UUU p d a t e

construction will then begin.

TAILGATE SUNDAY

Join us Sunday morning,

February 7 as we flavor

our worship services with

a taste of the Super Bowl.

Tailgate snacks will be

provided throughout the

morning, and all are

encouraged to wear jeans

and their favorite football

jersey. This is an optimal

time to invite your friends,

neighbors and co-workers

to church.

MARCH 5 - 6

POSTMASTER:Please send address changes to: The JourneyNorth Richland Hills Baptist Church6955 Boulevard 26North Richland Hills, Texas 76180

North Richland HillsBaptist Church

6955 Boulevard 26North Richland Hills, TX 76180

Dr. Tommy Teague, Senior Pastor

[email protected] · www.NRHBC.org

The Journey published by:

"The Journey" published quarterly

USPS 619-280

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