Help for Japan

Hello everyone, Me and Melanie want to thank our class for for all the support you have given us. Mylee is doing well and looks forward to meeting everyone. She will be 2 weeks old tomorrow so we aren't quite ready to bring her to church yet but hopefully soon. My brother Todd Bridges has a friend who is a pastor in Tokyo named Yoshi Owasaki. Todd has been to Japan with him and met him when he went to Christ For The Nations. A couple of the ABS classes are planning to help with a monetary gift and he asked me if I would share it with our class. Yoshi's congregation is eager to reach out to those who are suffering all around them from the Tsunami/earthquake. In Japan there is a lot of idol worship and this is a great time for the people to come to know the one true God Jesus Christ. By providing a monetary gift, Yoshi and his congegation can get supplies and meet the needs of the people who have lost so much!More importantly they can share the love of Jesus with the people. I am pretty sure they will be collecting money through the Sunday of April 10th. If you want to write a check be sure to make the check out to Valley View Baptist. As far as I know we won't be at church Sunday morning but Todd is in the ABS class that meets right after us. You can give the money to him or his wife Jess. It is not an obligation but if you feel the Lord leading you to give, know the money would go directly to meet the needs of hurting people. Thanks!

THE CROSS

Have you ever really thought about The Cross?

What it means; what is has gone through; what it has seen; what stories it could say?

After Wednesday, I don't know if I will ever look at another cross the same. That night I nailed stuff to that cross that satan uses to drive a wedge in my life. If we can not recognize those things, how can we ask for forgiveness and grow in Christ. I know none of use want to admit our faults, weaknesses, and trials. But what if we did? Would it make us stronger?

Thank you LORD for forgiving me! May I seek your will in all I do. Let my life shine for you.

ABS newsletter

Here is the newsletter from Mark from this week, and also please pray for a couple in our class, they have a silent request. Thanks, Chris

There is a single sentence from our ABS study last week that has challenged me. As I listened to my ABS mentoring – teacher read this verse, I heard the Holy Spirit ask me if this was true of me. Listen to what was written of Samuel…. The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. I want to know that God is speaking. I want to hear His word. I want to respond to His word. And I want His words to shape my life and for NONE of His Word to fall to the ground. I am not sure that is true of me, but I am asking God to align my heart with His Word. I am praying that our Valley View faith family is a fellowship that hungers for the Word and, when heard, allows the Word to shape us so powerfully that ‘none fall to the ground.’ That is and will be transformational!

3 Things To Celebrate….

- Our women had an amazing night last night. I have heard that worship was beautiful; Carla taught the Word with passion and clarity; and hearts were poured out around our men as they were being invited to the cross.

- Our men were challenged to be Men at the Cross. Our men were called to love the cross and to spend their lives for the sake of the cross. I am praying for men who live with passion for Christ in their home, church, workplace, and spheres of influence. Over 400 Valley View men gathered… Christ was lifted high and it was a remarkable night! More results (decision cards) to be discovered next week.

- Speaking of decisions, we are scheduled to baptize 20 folks this Sunday evening in our monthly baptism! Praise God for His continuing outpouring of grace and goodness in the life of Valley View. Sunday night will be a GREAT celebration!

3 Things to Know…

- If you have someone who would like to be a part of baptism or if you have folks in your class who need to and are ready to make that step, they can meet in WC146 (choir room) at 5:30 Sunday afternoon. Let’s add to the party those who are primed and ready to be baptized!

- On March 30, 2011 our student pastors (TJ & Steven) will release a new name for our student ministry with great hope that the name will reflect the hearts and lives of hundreds (thousands!) of students as they pass through this ministry over the next years. New excitement prevails in our student ministry!

- Our choir and fellow thespians are preparing for an amazing season and worship encounter. Easter is a ridiculously good holiday for every follower of Christ. Easter is filled with the promise of hope, life, freedom, and passion. April 15,16, & 17 @ 7 PM our choir & drama team will be presenting The Promise that we have due to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Pray, Invite, & Expect!

I hope that you guys are loving this Spring weather. Flowers bloom (sneeze!)…. Sun shines…. Daylight is lengthened…. Bats crack and balls whistle through the air….. it’s just a good season. I love that Christ makes all things new and things just feel new right now. I am praying for the most amazing Spring and Summer in the history of Valley View. Pray with and raise your level of expectancy (even if your expectancy is already sky high!). We are awakened and let’s continue to expect more than we can ask or imagine. Thank you for allowing me and my family to share life with you. We count it a joy and a privilege.

By Grace… For Glory,

Mark

Dinners For Josh & Melanie

Please post a comment with the day that you can take dinner to Josh and Melanie.

Saturday, March 19 - Short's
Sunday, March 20 - Morgan's
Monday, March 21 - Bridge's Family
Tuesday, March 22 - McMichael's
Wednesday, March 23 - Bridge's Family
Thursday, March 24 - Gunter's
Friday, March 25 - Bridge's Family
Saturday, March 26 - Beech's

Thank you!

Jenn

Pray Warriors

Pray Warriors and anyone else, I need you to please lift up my sister in law, Rene in pray. Her pregnancy hormones are not where they should be and doctor has asked her to go in for another scan tomorrow.

ABS newsletter

Men at the Cross seeks to provide an intentional pathway for men to grow in Christ and to lead others to Christ. Wednesday, March 23 will be a life-changing, church-changing, city-changing event as men are challenged to live as passionate men of the cross in their home, work-place, and sphere of influence. As ABS leaders, lead the way in encouraging men to jump into the movement. We expect the Valley View men to be in the house. Our theme is BRING ONE. We want our men to not only come, but to BRING ONE! Joe White, Ted Cunningham, and Johnny Musso will be teaching and sharing. Worship will be amazing. ABS leaders are CATALYSTS in getting this news across our church.

Also, on the 23^rd:

- Our young men will spend time in the main room, while also having a break-out session with Joe White. He will address what is means to live as a young man of integrity

- Our young women will have a Proverbs 31 event from 6 – 7:15 in the student room

- Our children will have normal kid activities

- Our women will have a worship, prayer, and devotional time in the Gym

MATC – BRING ONE! I want you to give this event a MASSIVE push in your group on Sunday AM.

DISCIPLE LEADER EQUIPPING – Sunday @ 4:45 in WC 146

Stop and Celebrate!

- Over25 folks have joined with our church in the past two weeks

- We baptized 37 new believers in Christ this past Sunday! If that sentence does not evoke even a small ‘woot’ from you, then your ‘wooter’ is totally broken!!!

- We expect to baptize a bunch at our March baptism (it is the 27^th of March). If you have folks in your group who need to be baptized, challenge them to dive in and throw a party as a class at the baptism celebration.

Things you need to know…

- SPRING BREAK PREPARATION – March 13 – One Service @ 10 AM and No PM. Our ABS will NOT meet, but Bro Billy will likely tackle Hannah and we will NOT take a break in our study. Press on with personal Yahweh study even though we won’t meet as a group and on the 20^th of March, we will be studying “Hearing God’s Voice (Samuel)”

- If you did not catch the above note – March 13 is ONE SERVICE @ 10 AM with NO PM

- Our student ministry will soon release a new name… new focus…. new look… and a never-ending hope that Jesus will use this church to display the resounding glory of Jesus Christ.

- Experiencing God on Wednesday Nights promises to be ripe with opportunity for life-change.

Mission Training Review from Sunday, 2.27

1. Help our ABS discover, develop, deploy a servant heart

a. Assume that our people are generous – with resources, lives, and gifts. Christ is the epitome of generosity and b/c He lives in us, we must assume generosity

b. Re-Define Mission from ‘going’ to ‘being’. Going will happen… Being is never-ending, all-places, all-times

2. Every Member on Mission

a. Increasing number of our folks serving.

b. Mindset of servanthood developing – practically expecting that we live on mission with one another via meals, love, care, etc.

3. Live on Mission

a. Practical application of project implementation

b. Serve while having fun – Monthly mission ministry project

All Believers are one in heart and mind (Acts 4). I am praying that you are living with a high level of hope for UNITY and EXPECTANCY in the heart and life of Valley View. I am so deeply grateful to share this partnership in God’s glorious gospel with you. We get to change the world together. That is so good and so remarkable! Have a fantastic weekend!!

By Grace… For Glory,
Mark

We are back up and running on our blog. We had a redirect code in one of the post, so be careful what you post, know where it came from and if it can be trusted. Thanks Chris