firstIMPRESSIONS
from Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan

What do a grilled cheese sandwich, a cinnamon bun, and now a piece of sheet metal have in common? Well, at least for some people, they believe they have seen the face of Jesus in them! Thomas Haley, an employee at the Hardy’s Hardware store in Manchester, CT, had a religious experience on the job recently as he was unloading supplies. He found what he says is the face of Jesus on a $15.49 piece of sheet metal.

Now, according to a February 26th AP story, “Haley and a co-worker are hawking the holy hardware on eBay, hoping potential bidders will agree that the blurry oil stain on the sheet metal does, indeed, resemble Jesus.”

Haley and a co-worker have shown the sheet metal to several other people who agree with their judgment as to the identity of the image, though others think it looks more like deceased rock star Jim Morrison of The Doors. The online eBay auction runs until March 8. As of last night, there were already 32 bids, and the current winning bid is already over $1,000. To see the actual listing, click here.

After the initial amusement at the whole thing wears off, I find myself both disturbed as well as challenged. I am disturbed that people believe that our Lord actually inhabits sandwiches and sheet metal. Disturbed that some people will bilk mistaken seekers of truth out of their finances. Disturbed that scores of people are willing to pay money for some shred of hope that they can touch God through created materials. Disturbed that some people are so willing to deceive others, and that so many are willing to be deceived.

However, I am challenged, too! Challenged that people still seek Him! Challenged that people are so hungry for Jesus, they will pay over a thousand dollars for what they believe is His image. Challenged because so many need to know the real Jesus, and we have such a huge task in front of us.

People out there are seeking Jesus, my friend, and we have the good news that the price has already been paid! No eBay auction is needed!

Here is your copy of firstIMPRESSIONS, Volume 6.09. Live for God, on purpose, for there is a world out there looking for the Jesus who lives within you!

This Sunday, March 5, 2006, WFA is pleased to welcome Fred and Betty Howsare, missionary-evangelists to the Asia-Pacific. The Howsares travel throughout Asia Pacific assisting in church planting, compassion and project ministries. They also provide funding for Asia Pacific Media Ministry and Good News Evangelism in target areas.

Prior to their current ministry, they were involved in missions evangelism to French and Indian communities in Quebec and Ontario, Canada and also the nation of Haiti. They also served as missionaries in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Rev. Howsare has also served as an associate evangelist with the T.L. Osborn Crusade Team for three years.

WFA has supported the missions-evangelism ministry of the Howsares for some thirty years. You will be blessed as they share the wonderful things that the Lord has been doing around the world!

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Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet.”

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.”

The driver with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.”

When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, “O God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

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Said a great musician: “If I stop practicing for one day, I know it. If I stop practicing for two days, my closest friends notice it. If I stopped for three, the connoisseurs would know it. If I stopped for four days, the world would know it.” So it is with prayer. Fail to pray for a short time, and poise and power begin to go. Fail to pray for a longer period and soon others notice that you are moody, irritable, and depressed. To have the rewards of prayer, keep praying.

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The highest privilege ever afforded to man is the power of prayer.
...then why don’t we pray?

The right to talk to the highest potentate in all the universe...
...then why don’t we pray?

The most powerful force accessible to man is the potential of prayer...
...then why don’t we pray?

The greatest longing in the heart of God is to talk to His children...
...then why don’t we pray?

Nothing is impossible to those who pray...
...then why don’t we pray?

No man ever fainted or faltered who gave himself to prayer...
...then why don’t we pray?

Every sin is forgiven, every stain is washed clean, all guilt diminished to the man who prays...
...then why don’t we pray?

Hell moves farther away, satan flees from the man who prays...
...then why don’t we pray?

Anointing will come, mountains will be moved, valleys made smooth, rivers made crossable, the inaccessible made accessible, the impossible made possible, dreams come through to the man who prays...
...then why don’t we pray?

Jesus said that men ought always to pray...
...then why don’t we pray?

Paul encouraged prayer without ceasing...
...then why don’t we pray?

The riches of heaven are open to those who pray in His name...
...then why don’t we pray?

Everyone can pray, the young, the old, the rich, the poor, the strong, the weak, the child, the aged, the sinner, the prisoner, in any nation, in any language, all can pray...
...then why don’t we pray?

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by Wayde I. Goodall

Many Christians ask, “Is joining a local church necessary?” The New Testament has ample evidence that when a person trusts Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and takes on new identity in Christ, that person immediately attaches to a local band of believers.

10 REASONS FOR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

1. It was an apostolic precedent (Acts 2:42-47)
In the Early Church believers met with the apostles daily for teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. No indication is given that any believers remained separated from the local church. For example, the apostle Paul tried to “join the local disciples” when he relocated to a new community (Acts 9:26).

2. The first-century believers kept track of each other (Acts 2:42-47).
Several times in the Book of Acts the phrase, “The Lord added to their number daily,” is recorded. The church kept track of who was becoming a part of the body of Christ. Numbers represented believers, and they added those believers to themselves. Other places in Acts reaffirm the first-century church practice of “adding to their number” (Acts 2:47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1,7; 9:31; 11:21; 16:5).

3. Ekklesia is the original Greek word for “church.”
Ekklesia means “the called-out ones.” The word itself denotes being called out of something (the world) and into something else (the church). This includes both the Church universal and the local church. Spiritually speaking, we become a part of the Church (the body of Christ) worldwide. Practically speaking, however, we become a part of the local church in our own communities and spheres of influence. We cannot be called out of one thing without being called into another. The Book of Acts does not mention an “invisible church.”

4. Church membership is an expression of commitment.
In a world where commitment is diluted and loyalty is nonexistent, the church serves as a standard of commitment. Jesus is looking for those who will not look back, have counted the cost, and are willing to give up everything to follow Him (Luke 9:62; 14:33). Church membership is a commitment to the Body through the times of blessing as well as times of trial.

5. Church membership models caring.
Church members exist to accomplish many functions, including devotion to each other, honoring one another, sharing with each other, and practicing hospitality (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12). The apostle Paul went so far as to say that the members belong to each other. This model of a caring community can best take place when the individual members of the Body make a commitment to one another. In the Assemblies of God church membership is considered the best means to accomplish these standards of caring in our pursuit of becoming a Romans 12 church.

6. Church membership shares the burden.
We are instructed to carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). The picture here is of a beast of burden (the mule) who can carry 10 times more baggage than one man can bear. It is the same with the church. Sometimes we need each other to carry the heavy burdens life hands out. A commitment to church membership says, “I’m willing to share the load and help carry someone else’s burdens. I’ll be available when needed.” This also allows the individual members to rest assured that someday they’ll need help carrying a burden, and someone will be there to help-much as a healthy family functions (1 Corinthians 12:26).

7. Church membership breeds encouragement.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24,25). Being spurred on (motivated, energized) and encouraged are just two of the blessings we receive and are called to give out as a result of being committed to the local church.

8. Church membership says, “I’ll serve.”
As one must join the military to have the privilege and duty of serving one’s country, so it is with the church. We must join the ranks of the committed to receive the full benefit of serving God. Someone has said, “You are either a spectator on the sidelines or a participant in the trenches.” God is looking for participants in His army. Ephesians 4:12 declares that the members of the church are to be equipped for service. Only true members are issued equipment to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). All spiritual gifts are intended to operate within the context of the local church (1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Peter 4:10).

9. Church membership is an attitude of submission.
Church members submit first to each other and then to Christ (Ephesians 5:21-24), for Christ is the head of the Church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Scripture is clear that the church is not an organization with a ladder of hierarchy, encouraging its members to climb the ladder. In sharp contrast, the church is like a body with Christ as the head-at the controls. All members are to submit to the head, her one and only leader. The result should be mutual submission to one another and to Christ. This allows accountability with each other and enables others to add counsel and correction to our lives if necessary (Matthew 18:15-17).

10. Church membership is symbolic of our heavenly citizenship.
“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household...” (Ephesians 2:19). Being committed to the family of God grants us citizenship and eliminates our alien status. When foreigners want to become official citizens and gain access to the rights and privileges of a different country, they must make a commitment to and take responsibility for the safety of, defense of, constitution of, and authorities of that country. Christians are God’s people through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6) and are added to God’s household.

CONCLUSION
Making a commitment to the local church means much more than adding your name to a roll book. It means taking the responsibilities that come along with the privileges, being blessed and blessing others, and saying “No” to the world’s standard of commitment and “Yes” to God’s. These are good reasons to encourage people to join the local church.

Wayde I. Goodall, D.Min., is senior pastor of First Assembly of God, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

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As the story goes, they built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it. They admired its beauty! Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure-except the nail! No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous.

“If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!” So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud.

That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit!

But what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon by eaten up by rust!

The moral of the story – every member is important to the church! You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present for worship, in some way the body of Christ hurts. We are ALL a part of the Lord’s ministry.  1 Corinthians 12:26-27

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Dear Church Member:

Don’t wait until the hearse hauls you to church. If you do:

• You will go, regardless of the weather.

• You will go, regardless of the condition of your body.

• There will be beautiful flowers there, but you won’t enjoy them.

• You will go, regardless of how your family feels.

• The minister may say many good things, but they will do you no good.

• There will be beautiful music, but you won’t hear it.

• There will be heartfelt prayers, but they will not touch your heart.

• There will be friends and relatives there, but you won’t worship with them.

• You will go, no matter how many hypocrites are there.

• You will go, no matter how much you are needed at work or at home.

• You will receive no blessing from the service.

• You won’t feel concerned about your clothes.

• You will never have to decide about attending church again.

Aren’t you glad to be alive and well and full of zest and able to choose to go to church?

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While touring historic buildings in Alexandria, Virginia, we visited an old church. The guide said that George Washington had attended services there and pointed to his pew.

A reverent silence fell. The guide, encouraged, went on to tell us that church services back then had been very lengthy – not infrequently lasting three hours.

The mood of the moment was shattered when an anonymous voice from the back of the tour group whispered loudly, “So George Washington slept here too!”

Well, we have had some lengthy services here at WFA – including last Sunday! But, we surely experienced a great move of God! I am anticipating another tremendous time this week as we worship the Living God together! Looking forward to seeing you then!

Yours for HIM,
Timothy Satryan
Senior Pastor
WILMINGTON first assembly of God

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