Newsletter / Calendar
(Online Sonriser, February, 2012)

All I can say is WOW God is good! We had an amazing revival and we are praying this revival will continue. We saw eleven people trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior and four others recommit their lives to Christ. We have been praying for revival the whole month of January and God answered with this outpouring of His grace and mercy. Let’s continue to pray for revival in our church and in our lives individually. Remember, revival is not the event or the meetings at the church. Revival is the work God does in our hearts to lead us back into fellowship with and obedience to Him. We need this! Every one of us needs this. Let’s continue to pray, asking God to revive us.

Along with our rejoicing over these decisions, we need to remember that we have been given a great entrustment by God with these new believers. Not a single one of us would think of giving birth to a child and then abandoning that baby. Nor would we merely acquiesce to allow the baby to live in our house but tell the baby she was on her own if she wanted food and drink or needed to be changed because “we are just too busy.” We would be horrified at such atrocious neglect. Our stomachs would turn and our minds could not comprehend such a lack of love and care for a newborn. Sunset Baptist has given birth to 11 new baby Christians. We MUST care for them and lead them, and teach them how to walk in Christ. To NOT do this would be tantamount to neglect of a newborn.

So how do we do this? How do we disciple these young believers? Glad you asked! We need 15 church members to help disciple these new believers. I am currently seeking a simple training book that these church members will lead our new believers through. I am asking you to build a friendship with this new believer and spend 1 hour a week for 4-5 weeks with them walking through some of the basics of the Christian life. Be open and honest with them. You don’t have to know everything. You do have to be willing to share the truth to the best of your ability. We share the truth because it is the truth, not because we have mastered it. We are still learning many of these same things too and you will be excited to get to relearn many of these basics of the Christian life like how to pray, how to study the Bible, how to share your testimony, connecting with a Sunday school class, why we baptize, listening to Jesus by reading His Word and then obeying, among other things! I am excited because I will be doing this with my youngest who accepted Christ during the revival. I get to share these truths with him and be refreshed myself by reviewing these awesome privileges we have in Christ. Will you join me in discipling a new believer? Will you be willing to sacrifice some time for the glory of the Lord Jesus and the extension of His kingdom?

Early in February, we will have a training session with the discipling material for all people wanting to help. We will go over the material with you, answer questions, give you ideas on how and where to meet, and anything else you may want to cover. I want to encourage you not only to cover the material but also to get to know this new Christian personally. God doesn’t merely give us life, He gives us HIMSELF. In the same way, we need to share our lives with these new believers as well.

This is what God moving in our midst looks like, Sunset family! It is awesome and exciting and yet it also takes our obedience as well. Join me in helping these new baby Christians grow in Christ!

Looking forward to all that God is doing in us and thru us!

Bro. Matt

Bill Justice

We will attend the Old Time Laughin’, Singin’, and Preachin’ Conference for Mature and Senior Adults in Branson, MO on April 23-25. Cost will be $210 for Sunset members and their families, and $225 for those outside the Sunset family. The sign-up sheet for this conference is on the bulletin board outside the Amen classroom.

Call Church Office, 580-765-8170.

Our third C is Biblical Content. Among the more important distinctions that separate a Sunday school or small group from most other groups is that we study the Bible in Sunday school. Studying your Bible during the week is vital if you want to have deep study. You may have curriculum that the church provides, but you will get as much out of your study as you put into it. The Holy Spirit cannot bring to your memory that which you have not studied, so make a commitment to read through the entire Bible in one year - study guides are available in the office!