A tribute to Aunt Lucille...

Well today we learned some sad and happy news for our family. Cheryl's great Aunt Lucille Cooper went home to be the Lord this morning a little after 6:00 a.m. central time at the ripe old age of 103. It's sad for our family because all of us loved "Aunt Cille" as we called her. She had lived with Cheryl's parents for a number of years after her husband Uncle Dick passed away. On the other hand, this news is happy because Psalm 116:15 says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." I preached that text at Grandmother Cotten's funeral who was Aunt Cille's sister and Cheryl's grandmother. It applies to Aunt Lucille as well because she had placed her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ years ago and she was ready to meet Jesus. 

She lived a wonderful life and though Aunt Cille had no children of her own, she loved us all like we were her kids. She was a young woman - not in age but in attitude. She gave up her driver's license when she was in her 90's and when she was in her 70's she drove a red Pontiac Firebird. I remember once when we were in South Texas for a visit and we were trying to get Aunt Cille to go with us to the mall and she didn't want to go because it would have been hard to walk around a long time. We tried to convince her we'd push her around in a wheel chair and she flatly refused because as she put it, "It would make her look old." We were all cracking up because we were thinking "Aunt Cille, you're nearly 100 years old - you are old!" Aunt Cille used to walk around Mom & Dad Wychopen's house in a pair of little pump shoes even when she had to started using a walker. She wanted Mom Wychopen to get her hair fixed, her make up and lipstick on so she'd be presentable when my father in law Hal came home from work. I remember she had beautiful hands and routinely wore red nail polish on her manicured nails. She was a constant fixture and blessing to our entire family at family gatherings. She stay up with us and just do what we loved to do most, hang out together. She'd quietly listen and interact with us until she couldn't stay up - she'd bid us all goodnight and retire to her room. I remember my kids all greeting her and giving her a hug on our arrivals from a 4 day drive from New Hampshire to south Texas. I also remember the many tears we'd all shed having to say goodbye to "Momo & Papa" and Aunt Cille for the long journey back north, wondering aloud in most cases if that would be the last time we'd see Aunt Cille this side of heaven. 

I know it's sad for my beloved in-laws Hal & Carol because they've faithfully cared for Aunt Cille the same way they did for Carol's mom Grandmother Cotten having them both living in their home for many years. My father in law Hal  built a garage and apartment that was home for both Grandmother and Aunt Cille at various points along the journey. Aunt Cille and Grandmother Cotten both had the sweet disposition of a Proverbs 31 woman and it was evident those sisters were filled with the Holy Spirit and they loved the Lord. Aunt Cille would ponder why the Lord didn't just take her home because she outlived all of her friends and almost all her immediate family. 

Well Aunt Cille, you need not wonder any longer, the Lord has carried you safely home. I'm not sure but I have a feeling that your neighbor in your new heavenly mansion is your beloved sister Aileen. I can picture the Lord Jesus himself escorting you on one arm and Aileen on the other, with Uncle Dick and Grandpa Royal walking behind you with great anticipation to see your reaction on your first tour of Heaven. You've finished the race here on earth and you've joined the cloud of witnesses the writer of Hebrews told us about. Well done Aunt Lucille! We love you and we'll miss you, but our sorrow is not like those who have no hope because of Jesus. Would you do me a favor? Would you hug the Savior for me? Would you hug Addison for me and tell her that "Pops" is thankful she's safe with Jesus? Maybe you can meet my grandparents and tell them all hello as well. Have fun in worship with the heavenly throng singing praises to Jesus and give Uncle Dick the responsibility for saving the rest of us seats....

We love you Aunt Cille!

Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

 

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Mystery trips...

One of the things my father has done with his grandkids and I’ve done on occasion with my kids is to take them on what we call a “destination unknown”. It’s simply a surprise, fun outing to the bowling alley, the mini-golf place or maybe something more adventurous like a hunting or fishing trip. In every case, these destination unknown outings are always a lot of fun for the kids and for their dad or granddad as the case may be. As much as I’d like to give credit to my dad for dreaming up the destination unknown idea, I can’t do it because I believe the destination unknown idea belongs to none other than God Himself. You see, in Hebrews 11:8 God’s word says “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” This refers all the way back to God’s call and promise to Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 12 when God chose Abram to be the patriarch of the Jewish nation. Abraham obeyed the Lord and God led him on quite the adventure, a lifetime adventure of faith. We could say Noah went on a mystery trip, a destination unknown with the Lord in the world-wide flood in Genesis 6. I believe that Adam went on a mystery trip and destination unknown many times when He walked with God in the garden in the cool of the day before sin entered the world. Adam was definitely in uncharted territory when he boldly went where no man had been before being the first to experience the mystery trip of marriage to Eve.

Hebrews 11:8 holds a special place in my heart about old Abraham because it was this verse God used to confirm His call upon my life to full time ministry as a Pastor. When I said yes to God, I agreed to go on a mystery trip with my Lord having no idea what adventures lay ahead. That mystery trip adventure of faith began with seminary, planting a church in New Hampshire, moving to an associate pastor role in Houston and now back to a senior pastor position here at Calvary. I’m excited however as the mystery trip continues as I’m preparing to leave for my first mission trip to West Africa. Many of you have asked about this trip so I thought I’d share a little of what we’ll be doing. Because we’re going to a country that is not “Christian”, I’ll not share the exact location here in this format. I will say that it is a very difficult place and the purpose is to see how we as churches can work together to reach unreached people groups where we don’t have a constant missionary presence with our International Mission Board (IMB). This is of prime importance because we cannot not expect the IMB to engage all the people groups without access to the gospel that have been identified. It’s going to take churches like ours who will take on the responsibility for engaging these peoples with the Gospel message of salvation. It will be up to churches like ours to develop and train lay pastors in remote villages to help them reach their own people. I’m thrilled to be going with two other pastors of sister churches in our association and state convention and we’ll see how our three churches can make a difference in a dark part of the world.

We’ll be gone from January 31^st and returning Lord willing February 11^th. We’ll be meeting with village chieftains and tribal leaders building on relationships already established by the pastor leading myself and the other pastor. We’ll be utilizing a “Bible Story” cloth which provides a visual illustration of a major Bible event leading all the way to Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. We’ll depend on local translators to help us share the stories of Scripture. We’ll also be training some lay pastors in some aspect of ministry. We’ll spend much time developing relationships “with people of peace” praying for open avenues of access to these remote villages. We’ll base camp in a house of some sort and make 2-3 day trips via bush taxi or hiking out to remote areas and we’ll live out of a back pack on those excursions and will probably be sleeping on the ground in villages. The conditions will be harsh. Disease is rampant and I’ve even heard of people being kidnapped by terrorist groups who have training camps in the region. Am I a bit scared? Yes and no. On a human level, I’m concerned I’ll get sick and not be effective for the team or worse for the Lord. But I know God has called me to go on this adventure with Him and that He’s going to care for us. Even if I were to die on this trip, I know God would be glorified and He’d take care of my family. I’m scared in that I’d do something culturally offensive to the people we’re trying to reach and I don’t want to do that and alienate them from the Gospel.  I pray in my weakness, God will make Himself strong. I pray He’ll open many doors of opportunity and we’ll see Him do some amazing things. I can’t wait to share with you on the other side of this trip and I know God is going to do a real work in me personally. I’m excited about this mystery trip of faith and who knows, maybe I’ll be taking you along with me next time… Until then, I’d appreciate your prayers for myself, Pastor John and Pastor Curtis on this particular mystery trip from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

A new beginning...

January 2, 2011 began my third year of ministry as your Senior Pastor here at Calvary and I continue to marvel at our Lord’s goodness in calling me to such a wonderful church. Your many cards and notes of encouragement have been such a blessing to my family. I know all of our staff appreciates so much the tokens of your love for us all that have been shared this past Christmas. I know with each passing year there is the reality for all of us that time continues to fly past us. Many will reflect on 2010 as a good year, many others for a variety of reasons are thrilled to see 2010 draw to a close. New Year resolutions have been made and some may have already been broken which if we let it, can discourage us. A New Year is greeted with anticipation by most as it represents a chance for a new beginning in so many areas. Sometimes we have plans, hopes and dreams that do not come to pass and unmet expectations cause us great difficulty in many cases. Many times we’ll hunker down with a sour attitude early on in January because the New Year hasn’t at all started the way we hoped and the New Year just becomes another year of the rut we find ourselves stuck in. I heard someone say one time that at rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out of it. We trudge through year in and year out and wonder about the purpose of it all.

Let me encourage you that each day is an opportunity to start fresh with God. With every setting of the sun, you have the opportunity to pause and thank the Lord for His many blessings and ask Him to forgive for the many failures we may have had that day. With each dawning of a new day, you have a marvelous opportunity to sow your time in personal devotions, a quiet time, an appointment you set with God where you read His word, you  allow Him to speak to you and you begin your day in prayer. You cannot do anything about the failures of yesterday, you can only focus on what God wants you to do today and must not worry about the challenges of tomorrow. When I look at what I hoped to accomplish in 2010 that didn’t happen, when I contemplate how much more I wanted to do, I can become discouraged. When I look forward to the mountain of challenges and decisions that await in 2011, I can become overwhelmed with it all. Yet the Lord Jesus invites me to step into each day fresh with Him, to walk with Him by faith and not by sight, to commune with Him in fellowship and trust His guiding hand that He’ll be with me no matter what adventure, challenge, difficulty or distress that comes my way.  I don’t know what 2011 holds for me, I don’t know what 2011 holds for you and I certainly don’t know what 2011 holds for us a church family; but I know that this can be a great year if we all choose to walk with God each day as individuals and as a church family.

On January 2^nd, I realize we had families still traveling and many who were ill or hindered from being in worship. In that service, I shared with the church what I called “The State of the Church” message. We celebrated God’s work from 2010 among us here at Calvary and I cast a vision of what I believe God would have for us in our future, not only in 2011 but for many years down the road. I shared with the church the Lord’s leading with me, our staff and in consultation and work with our personnel committee, along with the prayers and encouragement of our deacons and vision team, some direction related to ministry staff positions. I shared a two pronged approach of winning people to Christ and discipleship and ministry to family units and the leadership needed in these critical areas of Calvary’s future to carry out the Great Commission. I provided the church with drafts of job descriptions for two positions: 1) Associate Pastor of Missional Outreach & Administration; 2) Associate Pastor of Discipleship & Family Ministry. If you were not able to attend, please pick up a copy of each job description in the Narthex or at the greeter’s desk to review and prayerfully consider. At our January 30^th Church in Conference, our primary agenda will be to discuss these two ministry positions and vote on them. I’m hopeful CD’s of that message or the podcast will be available for you if you’re interested in hearing it to give insight behind this vision I tried to articulate. One way or the other, I’m prayerful that God’s will would be confirmed for us as a church family. Our personnel committee and vision team has been earnestly seeking God’s direction and working hard to help guide us and I’m grateful for their continued efforts. Please pray and plan to attend our CIC on January 30^th  at 5:00 p.m.

I hope 2011 is a wonderful year for you and your family, I pray it will be a great year of faithful ministry for us at Calvary and that we’ll accomplish much for God’s honor and glory and to expand God’s kingdom. I’m so proud of you as a church family and I’m thrilled to begin a new year of ministry alongside you. Looking forward to a new beginning from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Christmas reflections...

Our family Christmas celebrations have all been wonderfully unique and somehow strangely different than each one previous; but not in a bad way. It's just that at Christmas we are routinely involved in ministry responsibilities and that's been going on long before I became a Pastor. Somehow the places of ministry have changed over the years, housing situations have been very unique and different, finances have been good, bad or downright ugly. We've been separated by extremely long distances from either my parents or Cheryl's. I've been in hospitals praying for divine intervention for members in distress. I've chopped wood with my father on Christmas Eve for a member who desperately needed wood for heat and made it home through a blizzard in time for Christmas Eve dinner. I remember once in seminary we spent $50.00 on our total Christmas presents ($35.00 for 5 children $15.00 between Cheryl & I). This was made possible because of the generosity of the members of Bayleaf Baptist Church in North Carolina with their seminary toy chest - they bought the toys and the most we could spend as we shopped for each child was $7.00. I was supporting all 7 of us on a 35 hour a week salary and my boss needed 60 hours a week from me while I was going to seminary full time and teaching Sunday School. No matter where we've been or what was going on in our lives, two things have been consistent, the presence of Jesus superintending and guiding our footsteps as we've walked with the Lord together; and all of our children being with us for Christmas....until this year.

For 24 years, Cheryl and I have enjoyed all of our children being with us and seeing the excitement on their faces as we've read some portion of the Christmas story before opening presents. It has always been so special as we've shared gifts with one another and it seems like yesterday it was just three girls and they were each getting dolls made to look like them. Boys were added to the mix along the way and "GI Joe's" or Nerf guns were plotting surprise attacks. Now in our 25th year marriage, for the first time, one of our married daughters was not able to be with us on Christmas so we're in new chapter of life. Once again adding a unique twist to our Christmas celebration but with the aid of technology, we were able to video chat with them as they celebrate with our son in law's family in Texas. Sad in a way but part of the spice of life and the adventure we're on with the Lord. You see He has never changed and He always makes our Christmas celebrations so special because our focus is on Him, not on us. Like the Apostle Paul, we've literally learned that whatever state we're in to be content. Whether we have much or a little, whether our housing is great or lacking some things we'd desire.  Whether we were having a church full of people or whether it was 9 of us - the 7 in our family and one other couple; we've learned to be content.

I think this may be part of the "Peace" that the angelic messengers proclaimed to those shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. There is a contentment that only Jesus can bring to your life no matter what your condition happens to be. The world system wants you to buy in to the lie of Satan that contentment comes from more stuff, the latest, greatest, newest, or whatever happens to be the hot must have item. The world system says the next relationship will be the one, the next job, or whatever. But the void in our lives seems to get bigger and the Lord says "What are you doing"? How long before we realize that the Lord Jesus Christ alone can fill that void our lives? 

Our circumstances have been so dramatically different now for 25 years of marriage; there is no doubt in my mind next Christmas will unfold some unique challenge or situation for us as a family. This one has been different for sure. Last year at this time, we were given a stuffed bear with the recorded heartbeat of our 1st granddaughter Addison Lynn Deason in anticipation of her birth in the spring. Little did we know instead of giving her her first Christmas presents as her "Nana" & "Pops"; we'd not have her with us and that she would in fact be with Jesus whose birth we celebrate. Little did I know I'd be able to feel the movement of my second grandchild in the womb of our eldest daughter at this Christmas and talk with Addison's mommy & daddy online who are expecting grand baby number 3 as well. Seeing first hand new life forming in the wombs of my precious daughters this Christmas causes me once again to take a deep breath and stand in awe and wonder of that night 2000 years ago when a young virgin named Mary gave birth to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I stand in awe that our Lord would come to earth so each member of my family could be forgiven of their sins, that God would call me to serve Him full time as a pastor to proclaim that message of salvation, and that He offers forgiveness to all who will accept it by faith.

I hope you'll never get over the wonderful truth of Christmas that "unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." I don't know what your circumstances are, but I can promise you no matter what they may be, if you'll make Jesus the center of your lives, you'll have peace that only He can provide no matter what adventure you're in at the moment. I hope these Christmas reflections will encourage you, and Merry Christmas; from my little corner of the world to yours...

 
Pastor Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

  www.calvarybelair.com

 

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

Encouragement from the courthouse...

We live in a world where only bad news sells it seems in the news media and watching the local or national evening news can be downright depressing. We’re told all that’s going wrong in our country today. Politicians seem to be able to easily talk out of both sides of their mouth to please the particular audience they have at that moment.  They have the unique “skill” to be non-committal on everything and sufficiently vague with their comments so they can’t be pinned down to their views on certain controversial issues. The court systems seem to be nothing more than a charade of justice because justice really isn’t blind if you can pay. Well I had the occasion to be at the Harford County Courthouse this past Tuesday to be with one of my sheep who was to appear before a judge to see if the unfortunate incident he was involved in would finally be resolved. Because of my law enforcement experience, I know the “hurry up and wait” routine really well. It seems to me in my experience  that the proverbial wheels of justice grind slower than a slave trying to push a mammoth grind stone alone. Continuances,  lawyers double booking cases, detached judges not interested in other people’s time, officers detained and not able to appear, witnesses who don’t show and you can begin to see why stuff takes so long to get resolved as this is the “normal” courthouse routine.

While waiting for my friend’s hearing and having a general interest in the law since I actually considered law school as a career, I enjoy watching the proceedings to kill time since you can’t have your cell phone or computer with you in court. Well I was treated to a wonderful breath of fresh air watching the honorable Judge James Vaughan hold court. From what I was able to glean, Judge Vaughan is a highly respected judge in Maryland who retired from his full time post and apparently was filling in on Tuesday. He was prompt and kept things moving. We were treated to his discussion with an attorney representing a client from out of state related to a traffic ticket and she did not show up for court apparently for the last time. Judge Vaughan warned that attorney he was tired of this woman manipulating the system and the taxpayers of Maryland with her shenanigans and that there would not be a next time!

We were treated to a public defender who was extremely late coming into the courtroom after having Judge Vaughan’s bailiff go tell the lawyer the court was in session and waiting. When he finally came in with a flippant “my apologies your honor”; Judge Vaughan instantly corrected the young barrister that his delay and apology were not acceptable to the court. He told the attorney he had a courtroom full of people waiting for him, people with jobs, lives and things to do and he had no right to delay when he was summoned to the courtroom and the judge did not appreciate him holding all of us hostage. He told this shocked attorney now standing before this no-nonsense judge that if he needed more time to prepare, he could have the time but he needed to ask for permission from the judge and not presume upon the court’s goodness. Wow - A judge who cares about other people’s time and lives and won’t stand for arrogance from anyone, no matter what law school they went to!

We were shocked and saddened as Judge Vaughan had to decide a case where a father had taken a car belonging to his 22 year old daughter, who consequently pays the car payment faithfully and her own insurance, and withheld it from her for 3 months, driving it and even wrecking it and filing the claim on her insurance, along with her purse, checkbook, bank card and numerous personal items leaving her no choice to file theft charges against her own dad. Judge Vaughan asked the question everybody was dying to holler…. “What kind of father????” In finding this man guilty, he told this man point blank he was a thief and a bully; a man who steals from his daughter and bullies his own child. Yet the judge was compassionate and gave the man a chance to leave with a deputy to get the poor girl’s belongings, 45 minutes provided to make amends before sentence pronounced. I wondered while watching this public servant preside and decide cases what it must have been like to watch King Solomon render justice in Israel (CF 1^st Kings 3:16-28).

As he pondered my friend’s case and read all the reports; not having had any exposure to any of the previous discussions in court, I appreciated him examining the evidence of my friend’s unique medical situation that caused his encounter with law enforcement. This Judge did not publically disclose the problems my friend had that would embarrass him; showed great kindness in allowing him to remain seated and signed off on the agreement reached by the state and the defense. An answer to prayer for sure as the case turned out the best for all parties involved and justice was served.

As I walked out of that courtroom and headed to my truck after a morning there, I thanked the Lord for the honorable Judge James Vaughan. I was encouraged to see all hope is not lost for our country and there are still people who serve the public faithfully with the wisdom only God can provide. I was thankful for seeing a public servant, a man with authority given to him by Almighty God exercise some good old common sense in dealing with people who’ve royally messed up their lives, holding them accountable but also with compassion and dignity. I don’t know if Judge Vaughan is a Christian but I pray that he becomes one if he is not already. Paul was inspired by God to write “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1^st Tim.2:1-4).” What an opportunity we have as believers to influence our communities for Christ by praying for “kings and all who are in authority” that God would save them! There is hope for our country, it’s not in judges, lawyers, or the government, it’s in “God our Savior.” It’s amazing that verse 5 continues “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” As much as I’m thankful for Judge Vaughan, I’m thankful the Lord Jesus is my mediator, my advocate with God the Father. When I stand before the Judge of the Universe someday, I won’t have to fear because Jesus will plead my case for me and He’ll tell the Judge that He’s already paid my sin debt and that I’m forgiven; Satan has no case against me; not because I’m good, but because of Jesus Christ and what He did for me on that old rugged cross.

So I remind us all of our obligation to pray for our public servants to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth and to thank God for them. Pray that God will grant to them wisdom to rule with righteousness, justice and mercy and they would walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). I was encouraged at the courthouse the other day and thought I’d share it, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

When I was a kid, I remember my mom playing Christmas records (that’s right a record…a big, round, black piece of plastic with a little hole in the middle that went into a huge console stereo system with a needle that when placed on this record, made sound come out through the speakers). We had no concept of CD’s, IPods or MP3 players. I remember her decorating the house and smells coming from the kitchen where you didn’t really know what was in the oven, but the anticipation of delight would make its way through your nostrils to the pit of your stomach because you knew something good was on its way. One of the songs I remember being sung which to this day is one of my favorites; was by Andy Williams called “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. While it’s a secular song and there’s not really any reference to the Christ of Christmas, the song mainly focuses on the traditions of families and friends as they gather to celebrate and the familiar refrain “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I think that refrain alone is one reason why this song continues to be so popular and one of my favorites. It really is a wonderful time of year and probably would be considered by most believers to be the most wonderful time of the year with Easter being a close second. Probably because Christmas is the celebration of the Savior, Jesus Christ and His birth into the world. Easter cannot ignore the cruel death on the old rugged cross and the pain of that knowledge in our souls, so because of the pain involved around Easter, my suspicion is that most of us would rank Christmas as the most wonderful time of the year.

There’s something about the wonder of the Christmas season and the birth of this special Child named Jesus, Emanuel – God with us; the long awaited and promised Messiah, the one who would “save His people from their sins” (Matt.1:21) that makes young, middle aged or old want to celebrate. There is a magic about Christmas like no other holiday that turns strangers in the hustle and bustle of life into cordial acquaintances. People who would at any other time of the year not greet you on the street or going into the store but at Christmas begin to do so. There’s an anticipation that begins around Thanksgiving that builds with excitement and downright joy begins to well up in hearts usually more calloused due to the rigors of life. Who can explain how a baby changes everything? Who can explain how people who never attend church 50 weeks of the year are suddenly drawn to attend at this most wonderful time of the year? There’s something truly special about this time of year. For believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, we know the answer to that. We know that Jesus is the reason for the CHRISTmas season. The announcement of the angels to the shepherds foretells of this divine act of God some would call “magic” in Luke 2:10 “Do not be afraid, for behold I bring good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” I think the Lord begins to stir in the hearts of even the most hard-hearted individuals that there is something unique about Christmas even now, over 2000 years after that blessed first Christmas when Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem and laid in a cattle feeding trough.

I hope and pray that you’ll take full advantage of the wonderful God-given opportunity we have at this most wonderful time of the year to be a faithful witness for the Lord Jesus. Never miss an opportunity to wish people you encounter “as you go” a hearty “Merry Christmas”. While the Satan & politically correct crowd would want to convince you in order to not be offensive to not talk about Christ and substitute a bland and tasteless “Happy Holidays”; don’t shy away from reminding people of the Greatest Gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ. Take advantage of the opportunity to give joyfully to our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Our church goal is $28,000.00 and we can reach it if we each ask the Lord what He’d have us to give sacrificially so that others may come to know Jesus as Savior. Take advantage of the opportunity to invite a friend, co-worker or family including in-laws and “out-laws” to come with you to our Christmas musical on Dec. 19^th or our Christmas Sunday celebration Dec. 26^th. There is no time like Christmas where people would come if personally invited. God is already working in their hearts to prepare them, all you have to do is ask. Take advantage of the opportunity to pray for a harvest of souls, new birth in Christ as people respond to the message of Christmas, pray for me to have boldness and clarity as I share these good tidings of great joy.

From all of us here in the church office at Calvary, we want you to have a marvelous and Merry Christmas at this most wonderful time of the year. May the Christ of Christmas bring great joy to you and your family as you celebrate the Savior’s birth. It is my thrill and joy to serve as your pastor and I love you, from my little corner of the world to yours…

Ralph Green

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

www.calvarybelair.com

Subscribe to Pastor Ralph's Blog: http://pastorralphgreen.blogspot.com/  

Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RalphGreen  

Posted via email from Pastor Ralph

A word about the new NIV Bible translation...

With Christmas coming, a new Bible might be on someone’s gift list and a quick trip down to the local Christian Book Store to check off your gift list and you have a Bible. But should you buy a Bible based on the sale price that happens to be going on? The leather cover, the fancy notes and colorful illustrations and the study notes (which by the way are not inspired, infallible or inerrant, but a human’s study into the Bible). You need to remember that Bible publishers need to sell Bibles to make a profit just like anyone else in business. Christian Book stores, even the one connected to our denomination need to sell books and Bibles so publishers and book stores will market and provide prime floor space to help them sell their products. Big publishers have more money to spend to market their product and that is fine within certain moral limits.
When purchasing something that is designed to feed your soul and spirit, in this case a Bible; or it is to feed someone’s soul and spirit you care about deeply, you want to make an intelligent and informed decision on that  purchase. That being said, I can heartily recommend a New King James Version which is the Bible I preach out of each week. It is a faithful translation of the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts. I like this Bible personally as I grew up on the old King James version so it has that kind of feel but in a modern more readable language easy to understand. I would also have no problem recommending a New American Standard, Holman Christian Standard or English Standard version. I have copies of each of these and like each of them as they are faithful translations of the original languages. My personal devotions and Bible reading each morning is out of an ESV which I have grown to love. 
The NIV Bible is published by Zondervan Publishers and while I have NIV Bibles, I’m hesitant to recommend it because a few years ago they came out with the so called “gender-neutral” Bible the TNIV. Bowing to the winds of political correctness, the publishers tried to neutralize clear references to either male or female under much criticism and controversy. They are set to come out with new version of the NIV in 2011 where they have tried to correct some definite problems from the TNIV. Sadly, there are apparently still issues with this new version so I would caution you to steer clear of this translation. Until Zondervan sorts through their translation philosophy and abandons the desire to be politically correct or overly culturally relevant; I would think the problems that spill over into their translations of the Bible will continue. In the mean time, you need Bible and you need to hear what God wants to communicate to you as He loves you whether you’re a male or a female and He needs no one to apologize for what He wants to say to you – stick with a Bible choice from the list above and you’ll be on solid ground. All you need to do is make time to actually read the Bible you purchase. If you’re interested in reading further about these concerns related to the NIV, you can check out this statement made by the “Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.”
http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/CBMW-Responds-to-New-NIV2011
There is much to understand about Bible translations and the philosophy behind that translation that I cannot go into here but inside each Bible should be a statement from the publisher about their process of translation. Books like “The Message” are not really Bibles but simply a paraphrase by one man who paraphrased what he thinks the Bible says. While it may make for interesting reading, it may not give you an accurate picture of what God said in His Word. With accurate translations that translate word for word from the original manuscripts readily available in readable and understandable English, you don’t need someone telling you what he thinks it says; you can read it for yourself. I hope this helps you make some educated choices as what you feed your spirit and those you love because this is of critical importance. Just a simple word of caution from my little corner of the world to yours…
Ralph Green
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church
www.calvarybelair.com
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