When it comes to God, how is your relationship? Relationship is defined as having a connection; association; or involvement. What is amazing is Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth; desires to have a personal relationship with mankind. The question is, “Does man desire to have a relationship with God?”
A relationship with God is made possible by experiencing a spiritual birth. In John 3:3 Jesus says, “… I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Following a spiritual birth where a relationship with God is established, one must then work to strengthen it. This requires four characteristics. Each will strengthen your relationship with God.
KNOW God. To know is to be familiar; aware of; acquainted with; to understand clearly with certainty. This requires more than just “knowing about,” it is to “know personally.” Philippians 3:10 says, “I want to know Christ…”
LOVE God. Matthew 22:37 says, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”
TRUST God. Trust is to have confidence in; to depend on; rely on; to believe in. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
SERVE God. Serve means to put other’s needs ahead of your own; to consider others more important than yourself. You need to put God first in your life. Psalm 100:2 says, “Serve the Lord with gladness…”
Let’s have a strong relationship with God by – knowing, loving, trusting and serving Him!
-Tony Cooper
Celebrating 28 Years of Service as Exec. Director, Jimmie Hale Mission
Birmingham based McDowell Bible College is offering free* on-line classes for churches. Churches are allowed one non-credit class of up to 30 students for any of the college’s courses scheduled during their three 15-week terms. If a church can provide at least five students, they may select from any of the courses in the college catalog appropriate for their staff or ministerial needs, not just the current term schedule. View course listings at www.McDowellBibleCollege.org. Church students will be provided access to on-line classroom lectures, quizzes and assignments and churches will be provided with their results at the end of the term. To enroll in this program for the coming Spring term, send an email with your requirements to [email protected].
*Churches or students are responsible for the cost of course textbooks and computer and online requirements.
Q&A with McDowell Bible College Founder, Rev. Larry McDowell
Q. What led you to establish McDowell Bible College?
A. A Bible college in the 21st century should train and equip with knowledge all who want to be in service to the Lord, without amassing expensive infrastructure and demanding high tuition. The college first started out as a programming exercise – sort of a challenge. In music ministry for fifty years in piano, organ and occasionally worship leader in military chapels and churches across America, Asia, Latin America and Europe, I was called to pastoral ministry about four years ago. I began training at Luther Rice College and Seminary. Having completed an MA in computer resources management, programmed professionally for 25 years, and teaching at five college and universities on three continents, I was very irritated at the functionality, bugs and flaws in Blackboard. It is used at Luther Rice and 75% of U. S. colleges for on-line training. So, two years ago I sat down and decided to write my own classroom management program. It went so well, that I wrote a college website around it and decided to offer a Bible college that charged about 10% of average fees and tuition. I named it after myself, not for ego, but because I wanted to force myself to make this a quality effort. I can do this because I do not need to pay six figures up to a quarter million annually for Blackboard. We also use qualified faculty and staff, like my wife and myself, who volunteer or will work for low pay as an outreach in preparing workers for the Lord. It is fully on-line, so we do not have a lot of overhead.
Q. Why did you decide to offer free classes for churches as a part of the mission of the College?
A. In pursuing my Doctor of Ministry, I read John Dickerson’s The Great Evangelical Recession. The first half is a dark picture that included the problems of churches to fund their staff at current levels even now, and certainly after the older givers, who tithe better than younger generations, pass away. His solution was to depend more on volunteer lay ministers to do the work. However, the church would be unable to fund their education and if people funded it themselves or amassed education loans, they would need to get salaries to be compensated. Therefore, colleges like mine must step up and provide this education to help churches meet their needs. We also offer some free tuition scholarships to those who cannot afford our low requirements as well.
I have always been fascinated by trivia. I love to discover an obscure detail of history which explains why things are the way they are, or an odd fact that seems so counter-intuitive that it’s often met with incredulity. Trivia, by definition, is information that is not inherently important. The value of such information rests not in its importance or degree of relevance, but in the sheer pleasure of its discovery.
The incarnation of God is not a trivial matter. The manner in which we observe and celebrate the birth of God’s Son, however, is an entirely human enterprise. As such, it is a season filled with history, customs, artistry, and intriguing facts. In his book, Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas (Zondervan, $14.99), Ace Collins reveals the source behind many of our Christmas traditions. From the origins of Advent and Epiphany to the use of poinsettias and Christmas ornaments, Collins explores how the customs which we take for granted came into being.
How is Prince Albert largely responsible for the use of Christmas trees in England and America? Where is the symbolic reference to Jesus in the carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and why do we stand during the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah? How did an act of kindness by a 4th century priest toward a peasant girl lead to eight stockings hanging on my fireplace mantle?
Discover the answers to these and many other fascinating questions in Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas.
-Darrel Holcombe, Owner Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts Colonial Promenade, Alabaster
Join in the 24th Annual Meadow Brook Run December 15. No race fee but ministry donation appreciated, www.meadowbrookruns.org.
Christmas lights. Family. Food. Friends. Gifts. Jesus. Running. For more than two decades, runners have been racing down the streets of Meadow Brook in Shelby County at Christmas time. What began as a beautiful, empty race weekend on the calendar now is a holiday tradition. Dr. Robert Cosby began the Meadow Brook Run in 1995 as an evangelistic outreach to the running community. Local vendors and volunteers from all over the community have joined in the tradition. December 15, 2018 will be the 24th Annual Meadow Brook Run beginning at Valley National Bank (formerly US AmeriBank) Meadow Brook, 1100 Corporate Parkway, Birmingham. The 5K starts at 9 a.m. and the Fun Run at 10 a.m.
The Meadow Brook Run race fee is voluntary. The suggested amount is $15-$25 and all proceeds benefit the “Jesus Video Project of Alabama” which shares the Good News of Jesus as well as other ministries including Alabama Teen Challenge, First Priority of Greater Birmingham and Young Life. Come join in the fun- whether you are a runner or not- and make this one of your family holiday traditions. For more information visit www.meadowbrookruns.org. †
Brought to you by: Community Partner Aho Architects, LLC, www.ahoarch.com
On Thursday, November 15, the Hoover Met filled with athletes, students, and coaches together to hear a message of hope from former NFL quarterback, professional baseball player and SEC announcer Tim Tebow. This crowd came from all over Alabama and even as far away as Mississippi.
This night of sharing the Gospel with students began over a year ago when Birmingham Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Metro Director Coach Bill Gray had two crucial conversations that helped to birth “A Night with Tim Tebow.” The conversation that began this vision was with Louisiana FCA State Director Terry Slack. Slack shared with Coach Gray that having Tim Tebow come and speak to their students was the best event that they had ever done for the students in their community. In surveying coaches in metro Birmingham, Coach Gray asked Ramsay High School Coach Reuben Nelson what FCA could do for him. Coach Nelson shared that Birmingham needed a large rally where teams could unite under something that was bigger than their own mascots in order to hear a message of hope. Coach Gray shared these conversations with the FCA staff and board, and they began to pray that God would lead them and open the doors that He desired. Eight weeks prior to “A Night with Tim Tebow,” God answered Coach Gray’s and the FCA team’s prayers and provided the funding for this rally of hope to happen.
A crowd of more than 4,500 recently gathered at the Hoover Met for “A Night with Tim Tebow” hosted by FCA Birmingham.
From his own faith journey, Tebow shared with students from Ephesians 2:10 that they were “God’s masterpiece” and He was writing a story with their lives. Tebow encouraged students that “walking by faith doesn’t mean that we know the next step, but that God knows the next step.” Coach Josh Whitt from Berry Middle School commented, “Tim did a great job tonight of reminding us on a ‘cold night’ not to have a ‘cold heart’ when it comes to Kingdom work in showing and sharing the love of Christ.” Though the impact of “A Night with Tim Tebow” will continue beyond the rally, there were hundreds of students that made decisions to follow after Jesus at the event. FCA is continuing to partner with athletes and coaches to fulfill their vision of seeing “the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.” For more information about FCA Birmingham and their ministry in our community, visit www.fcabirmingham.org.
Many Christmas’ ago, the big gift under the tree for my son Jonathan was his first bike. Not long after that, he experienced the freedom- or should we say fear- of “No Training Wheels.” He wanted to ride his bike- but he did not. A wide grin would cross his face as he would find himself peddling on his own. Then, a look of terror would strike as he realized- he was peddling on his own. He would begin to look down or stop peddling. If you’ve ever tried to teach a child how to ride a bike you know the rest… Thank God for bike helmets!
It provided me with a good reminder of how God wants us to face the challenges of life. First, we must prepare ourselves as much as possible. Like the all-important bike helmet, the study of the Word will protect us on the toughest rides. In the midst of a challenge, we must remember to simply keep our eyes on Him. And finally, when we begin to have those doubts about whether “we can do it” we must remind ourselves, “we don’t have to”—God is in control! Keep peddling!
Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year from Our Family to Yours!
“Look to the Lord & His Strength, Seek His face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
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Adoration of the Magi by Claude Vignon (France), 1624 is one of the 30 works that are a part of theThe Embodying Faith: Imagining Jesus through the Ages free exhibition opening December 8, 2018 at the Birmingham Museum of Art and running through April 22, 2019.
A visit to the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) offers a great way to help you and your family focus on the Reason for the Season. The BMA’s new exhibition, Embodying Faith: Imagining Jesus through the Ages presented by Altec Styslinger Foundation opens December 8, 2018. Drawn largely from the Museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition showcases 30 works that span more than six centuries and feature varying depictions of Jesus by artists working across the globe: from Ethiopia to Italy, France to Fayette County, Ala. The exhibition traces how artists across time and cultures depicted the life of Jesus and includes work in a range of media including prints, drawings, paintings, sculpture, quilts, flags, and books.
For centuries, artistic production in Europe, and elsewhere, was dominated by Christian themes. This religious art served many purposes, from embellishing altars and aiding in private devotion, to educating the faithful and acting as propaganda either for or against the church during the Protestant Reformation. Artists often conveyed complex theological concepts through their representations of the figure. Types of images, such as the Madonna and Child, developed and evolved over time.
December 8, 3-5pm enjoy the free celebration of the opening of the Birmingham Museum of Art’s new exhibition that traces how artists across time and cultures depicted the life of Jesus.
“Historically, visual traditions were critical in communicating important events from the life of Jesus and reflecting his central role in the Christian faith. This exhibition encourages visitors to explore the many ways artists represented the life of Jesus and how these traditions and conventions changed with time and place,” says Dr. Robert Schindler, The Fariss Gambrill Lynn and Henry Sharpe Lynn Curator of European Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art. “Works that in essence express the same narrative, could have widely different aesthetics and purposes. Depictions of the Crucifixion, for instance, could focus on the symbolic meaning of his death, imagine the historical setting, or aim to evoke an emotional response in the viewer.”
The BMA will celebrate the arrival of Embodying Faith on Saturday, December 8 from 3-5 p.m. with a holiday event that is free and open to the public. The afternoon will feature a moving performance by the renowned Birmingham Boys Choir, along with holiday treats for guests. The special free exhibition will remain until April 22, 2019. Learn more at www.artsbma.org. †
Most people think of Hanukkah as a strictly Jewish Celebration, but did you know that the only place in the entire Bible that Hanukkah is mentioned is in the New Testament? The Gospel of John 10:22-23 reads “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” The word “Dedication” in Hebrew is “Hanukkah”! At the Feast of Hanukkah, Jesus is walking around the Temple in Jerusalem. And not only is He there, but it is written that at this time, Jesus, whose name in Hebrew is “Yeshua” (Yeh-SHOO-ah), promises four Hanukkah gifts to all His followers! In John 10: 27-29 Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” Four extraordinary Hanukkah Gifts from Jesus: the ability to hear His voice, to be known by Him, eternal life, and eternal security that no one can snatch His followers from His hand .
The Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, is a time to remember and celebrate both a historical event and a miracle of God. Historians record that around 139 BC, the Temple in Jerusalem had been polluted by pagan idols and other defilements from the occupying forcesof Antiochus IV Epiphanes. After years of oppression, the overthrow of Antiochus was won by the Maccabees, led by Judah. Judah was called “Maccabee,” a word composed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem, “Who is like You, O God.”The Maccabees won this military victory against overwhelming odds. They proceeded to cleanse the Temple and rededicate it and re-light the Temple Menorah, or Lampstand. They only had enough oil to light the Temple Menorah for one day. By a miracle of God, the Lampstand continued to burn for eight days, until new oil was made available.
In memory of this, the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, is celebrated to this day by lighting candles for eight days, beginning on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the date of the original re-Dedication. This year the first candle is lit on December 2, 2018, and candles increase daily until 8 candles are to be lit on December 9.
Because of the miracle of a little oil multiplying, the Feast of Hanukkah features foods fried in oil, such as jelly-filled donuts, in Hebrew called “sufganiyot” (soof-gahn-ee-YOTE), and potato pancakes, or “latkes” (LAHT-kees). Another Hanukkah tradition is the playing of the Dreidel Game (DRAY-dul), which features spinning a special top and winning gold-foil-covered chocolate coins. Some say this game originated when it was forbidden to read Scripture, the Hebrews would quickly whip out a top and coins and play to fool the oppressors.
Experience Hanukkah Week Celebrations at Beth Hallel, Hoover. Learn more and experience Hanukah at Beth Hallel Messianic Synagogue. December 4 at 7 p.m. enjoy a Family Hanukkah Party with traditional food and games, giant Menorah and Festival of Lights. The Feast of Hanukkah, or Feast of Dedication continues Friday, December 7 at 7 p.m., with Erev Shabbat, including Temple Lampstands, Hebraic Dance, Lively Worship, and teaching about Hanukkah, followed by a Community “ONEG” (delightful refreshments.) Bring a dish to share! Saturday, December 8, at 11 a.m. celebrating Hanukah continues on Yom Shabbat. All are welcome!
Ways to minister to special needs persons and their families is the focus of the January 8, 2019 Disability and the Church Conference, www.eve.samford.edu.
Birmingham, Ala. is fortunate to have available many professional services and resources for families with members that have special needs. Public schools in the area offer quality special education classroom experiences for these children and youth. Several non-profit organizations in the area offer services and resources related to autism; hearing, speech, and visual impairments; physical disabilities; and mental challenges. A growing number of congregations in the area have responded to the need for ministries and services for these persons and their families.
The Center for Congregational Resources at Samford University will offer a conference for churches interested in beginning or expanding ministries to special needs persons and families. The one-day conference will be held on January 8, 2019. Participating in conference leadership will be faculty from Samford’s Center for Worship and the Arts, Orlean Beeson School of Education, Center for Faith and Health, and School of Public Health. In addition, Dr Barbara Newman, from the Calvin Institute for Worship and author of Making Worship Accessible, David Glover, founder of Pure Ministries and author of A Better Way: Where Least is Most, and Amy Fenton Lee, special needs ministry consultant and author of Leading a Special Needs Ministrywill be keynote presenters.
The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 5:00 p.m. Breakout sessions will be offered following the morning presentation by Barbara Newman and the afternoon presentation by David Glover. The day will conclude with a question-answer conversation with a panel of conference presenters and Samford faculty. “Samford University is in a unique position to help churches wanting to minister to special needs families,” said Michael Wilson, Director of the Center for Congregational Resources. “We hope the conference will give participants practical ideas and useful resources as they think about the ministries they hope to offer.”
One goal event organizers have is to help groups of churches learn how to begin or develop special needs ministries. To this end, the Center for Congregational Resources will provide financial assistance and consultative support. A proven model used by the Center gathers groups of three to five churches that choose to work together to learn from each other as they develop their ministries. The Center will make available a limited number of financial grants to congregations participating in groups.
Cost of the conference is $40 and includes break refreshments, lunch, and a book by one of the conference presenters. Register by December 11, 2018 to receive a $10 early bird discount. Group discounts are also available. For more information, visit the Center for Congregational Resources at www.samford.edu/congregational-resources or call 205-726-4064. Online registration is at: www.eve.samford.edu. †
The Tri-City All About Referrals group invites you to bring the family to have Cookies and refreshments and have your children’s pictures taken with Santa. We will have refreshments and we will print your pictures at Kai’s Koffee house at 2953 Pelham Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124. Kai’s is directly across Hwy 31 from the Pelham Post Office. We look forward to seeing you there. Contact Dianna Howell at 205-568-5435 or Brandy Hamilton at 205-410-5633 if you need further information.
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