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27
million
people are living as slaves in our world today.
In the United States, one in every three little girls is sexually abused before her 18th birthday, and one in every six little boys. And it's usually not some deviant villain hanging out in the street-corner shadows, but rather a person the child knows and trusts - even a church leader. If you've ever read my story of being abused in Too Small to Ignore, you understand that I speak from personal experience.
-Wess Stafford
Compassion International
Read what Compassion is doing to battle this sad reality |
CB Annual Meeting
Sunday, March 4
2012
Calvary Baptist
Huntington Beach
3:45 - 8:30 pm |
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International
Day of Prayer
for the
Persecuted Church
Sunday
November 13
Hundreds of millions of Christians today suffer severe discrimination, imprisonment, torture, kidnappings, and even death... because they have decided to follow Jesus Christ.
BE ONE WITH THEM.
Surprise, strengthen and grow your church through the unbelievable lives of today's persecuted Christians. They want you to know. They want you to pray. We want to send you everything you'll need...
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Forgotten Christmas
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Watch
this interesting, creative and thought provoking video called
"Forgotten Christmas." | |
Help bring the focus of Christmas back to Christ and away from the consumerism and misdirected celebration. This video is designed for churches. The message moves people's hearts and minds toward helping the lost and forgotten. |
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Bad Song
Do You REALLY Know Your Kids Entertainment Choices?
This article about LMFAO, the most popular group in America, will give you a needed glimpse into your children's culture. To be honest you are not going to like this article, but it is a must read for all parents and grandparents. |
Turnaround Church
Conference
Biola
Nov 10 - 11
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Making the Most of Opportunitie s
Well, by the time you are reading this, I should be in Japan helping the recovery efforts in Ishinomaki and other towns deeply affected by the earthquake and tsunami. We appreciate your prayers. This trip comes right after our retreat season. To the best of our knowledge, we had 1,000 men and women attend one of our 5 retreats. At least 10 men at our last English retreat made decisions to acknowledge Jesus as their Lord. Regarding the trip I am on now, we had such a great response of applicants joining us on the trip that we actually had to divide our team into three different groups working with three different churches. I will write more about this trip in our next newsletter. While in Asia, Vicki and I will take advantage of the opportunity to represent CBAmerica at the CBGlobal meetings in the Hong Kong/Macua area and lead three Family and Marriage Conferences in China, Guam and Hawaii. I will also have the opportunity to preach in six different churches in China, Japan, Macua, Guam and Hawaii. As I prepared for this trip, the words of Paul jumped out at me, "Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity." (Col 4:3-5 NLT). The opportunities were there, so we have taken advantage of them. Look around, you don't have to look long to see the opportunities God is placing in your path.
 Have a great month.
Jim Smith
Executive Director
CB Southern California |
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This memorable evening is coming soon. Naeem is a former Muslin from Kuwait and now Pastor of Mosaic Church in North Carolina. You will be encouraged when you hear his testimony. This is open to all. Bring your spouse, friends, staff or other family members. Call our office today to reserve your spot: 909-944-5900. Tickets are $25 each. Buffet dinner at the Coyote Hills Golf Course in Fullerton, CA (1440 East Bastanchury Road). Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. You may email us at cbministries@cbasc.com or register and pay online here. |
 Mission Team in JapanThe CB Southern California mission team is in the midst of their 10-day trip to Japan. The team divided into three separate groups visiting three different churches in the Sendai area, north of Tokyo. They are helping distribute relief supplies, cleaning houses and churches, and visiting with pastors and church members. Several have had the opportunity to share their testimonies in churches and Phil Waters and Jim Smith have preached. They have experienced a few aftershocks as well, which have been shaking Japan at least 1,200 times since the March 11 earthquakes. This is an eye-opening and richly rewarding time for all those who went over to Japan. More to come in future newsletters. |
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Focusing on Outreach
In October, First Baptist Fallbrook started a 7-week series called "Outflow," based on a book by the same name, written by Steve Sjogren and David Ping in 2007. Its subtitle is "Outward-focused Living in a Self-focused World," which is exactly what Pastor Gary and the church leaders are trying to do in their community. All the church is encouraged to read the book and each small group will go through the book as well. Pastor Gary will also preach 7 sermons based on each section of the book. It's a good idea. The book is available online. |
 Attendance Highest in 5 YearsPastor David Sunukjian of Redeemer Church in La Mirada shared that they had 143 in attendance on October 2, which is the most they have had in the five years that David has been there. The church almost closed years ago, but though many changes, struggles, and members leaving, the benefits of "hanging in there" seem to be paying off. David is very busy with babysitting and carpooling on his day off (while his wife works), teaching at Eternity Bible College, as well as leading a turnaround church. Congratulations to Pastor David and their church leaders. |
 Pastor Sato Visits ChurchesPastor Akira Sato, Pastor of the CB Church in Fukushima, Japan, traveled to the US recently to share his story of evacuation, displacement and uncertainty. However, their faith remains unshaken. His book entitled, "Exodus Church," will be coming out soon. Many had the chance to hear him share firsthand last month, including his visit pictured here at Community Baptist Church in Rancho Cucamonga. Pastor Sato also visited our CB church in Norco, (Renaissance Church) and Oceanside (First Baptist) and well as Fuller Seminary and Saddleback Church. Below is Pastor Sato and his wife with Jim Smith, Sam Williams, Rob Acker, John Houlette and other members of the Asian Access team.
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 Outreach Idea
Each fall, Sunrise Church in Rialto encourages their church to reach out to their neighbors through an act of kindness. They want to demonstrate God's love by offering them a FREE pumpkin and an invitivation to church! On Saturday, October 22 and on Sunday, October 23, members could pick up the pumpkins and use them to build a bridge to their neighbors. It's worth trying.
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Women's Conference
Our CB church in San Marcos, Valley Bible Church, (1609 Capalina Road, San Marcos, CA 92069) is the site of this one-day women's conference featuring authors Kathi Lipp, Cindi McMenamin and Arlene Pellicane. The conference is on Saturday, November 5 from 9-3pm. Cost is $25, which includes a Chick-fil-A lunch.
Register online at www.strengthforthesoul.com/transformed-conferences.html or make check payable to Valley Bible Church and mail to the address above. (A printable registration form is available at the link above.) For more information, call Valley Bible Church at 760-744-0274 or email Cindispeaks@msn.com. |
 Risk Management Conference
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Friendship Baptist Church, Yorba Linda, CA.
Cutler Insurance Group is sponsoring this conference for ministries featuring Richard Hammar of Church Law & Tax Report. Richard Hammar is a leading specialist in legal and tax issues affecting churches. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he is both an attorney and Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Topics he will address at the conference include:
Top 10 Legal Issues Facing Churches Today
What Tax Changes are there for 2012
Healthcare tax credits for churches.
This event will not be sales or insurance oriented. It is a learning opportunity.This full-day program, with afternoon breakout sessions, includes tracks on the topics of Security, Legal and Finance. Cost is only $30 for the entire day, including lunch. Youth Pastors are free.
For More information and to Register! |
 Pastor's Daughter Olympic MaterialThis summer, Amy Atkinson, oldest child of Pastor Greg and Terri Atkinson, Pastor of Bayview Baptist Church in Guam and recent Biola University graduate, proved herself to be one of the fastest women in the entire South Pacific, racing in two international competitions on behalf of her home island of Guam.
In June, she competed against runners from 22 nations in the Oceania Regional Track and Field Championships, bringing home a gold medal in the 5k and two silver medals for the 800-meter and 1,500-meter races. In early September, she placed fourth in both the 1,500 meter and 3,000 meter steeplechase in the Pacific Games, a significant Olympics-style competition for nations in the South Pacific that takes place once every four years. Read the rest on the article. |
 CBAmerica Regional Executive DirectorsThis summer, Dr. Pat Phinney replaced Don Shaw as the Regional Executive Director (RED) of the North Central Region, covering MN, SD, ND, MI, IL, IA, IN, WI and NE. Pat has been a church planter as well as a Pastor in various churches in the Midwest.
 This fall David Whitaker was elected to serve as Northern California and Nevada's Regional Executive Director. Dave has been the board president as well as a pastor and will be a great leader for NextGen (CB Northern Cal).
Both will be solid additions to the REDs team. |
 Why An Association of Churches?
Randy Keeley, Executive Director
CB Mission Northeast
An excerpt from the annual report of Randy Keeley, the Regional Director of CB Mission Northeast addressing the importance of community not just within churches, but among churches.
Why an association of churches? I believe the biblical and theological evidence clearly argues for the importance of churches working together. The triune nature of God as a relational community accomplishing the work of creation and our salvation provides an example for us to follow. Throughout the Old and New Testaments and down through history God uses leaders to rally His people together to accomplish His mission. The nature of the church as Christ's body with interdependent parts illustrates the importance of working together. Christ prayed for the unity of the church, and He commands it in Scripture. There are many examples of New Testament churches working together in service and mission. Christ's model and mandate to serve rather than be served is expected of believers individually and collectively.
The sin of pride that lives in rugged individualism is condemned throughout Scripture as it creates isolation and wreaks havoc in relationships through many selfish forms. This sin was rebuked when found in individuals as well as in God's stiff-necked people and pharisaical leaders. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit yields in us characteristics of community and relationship: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This sin of pride also reveals itself in the pervasive consumerism of our culture that demands its own way and needs be cared for above all else. This what's-in-it-for-me mindset is the exact opposite of the mind and attitude of Christ demonstrated and commanded of us in Philippians 2.
The question of why may also be answered on the basis of the mission Christ gave to the church to make disciples of all nations. With fields white unto harvest we must work together utilizing one another's gifts, strengths, and resources to accomplish this. As the nations of our world are populating the communities around us we need the help and expertise from one another to meet the growing complexities of mission in our own backyards. . . . We must work together to strengthen each other for the mission Christ has given to us to reach not only our communities but also the world with the gospel of Christ. |
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