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Vol. 48, No.
15 SOUTHSIDE ORACLE June
17, 2005
The Bulletin Board
Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp – The two-week junior camp session begins
Sunday at Fallhall Glen. Southside campers that we know of are Ricky Baas,
Rebecca Dickson, Maggie Mahan, Dylan Ribar, and Rachel Valentine. Tim
Shilts is directing the session. Others serving on the staff are Bobby
Valentine, Cathy Ribar, Ian Ribar, Dennis Saunders, and Karen Van Handel.
Soul Quest – Daryl Miller and Juan Santana are taking five of our youth
plus two others to Soul Quest at York College this week. This is a very
enriching program for youth and we are glad our young people can benefit
from it.
ATTENDANCE RECORD
Two years ago Last
year Last week Goal
Bible
classes 173 120
117 170
Morning
worship 220
237 *221 250
Evening worship
70 35 no service 80
Contribution $4084.10
$3959.05 $3011.05 $4900.00
Calendar of Events
June 19 –
July 2 – Junior session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
July 3 –16
– Middle session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
July 17 –
30 – Intermediate session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
July 31 –
August 13 – Senior session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
August 14
– 18 – Quest, all ages session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp
Do You Know Jesus?
“Do
you know Jesus?” The question came from a young man who had just become a
Christian. He showed up one Saturday morning to help a group of us go out
into the community for a door knocking blitz. Our objective was to secure
Bible study appointments. After he had listened to my instructions on
technique, he said, “Norman, why don’t we just ask, ‘Do you know Jesus?’” I
didn’t think much of his suggestion and I told him so. I thought it was
naïve.
Even
now, I don’t think I’d want to use that question as an opening line with
someone I’m trying to approach cold turkey. But then, in all honesty, I
really don’t know if there’s a good way to start up a spiritual conversation
with someone you haven’t met before.
I
find myself wondering why his question bothers me after all these years.
Did I really assume that everyone we met would already believe and
understand that Jesus is the virgin born Son of God who died on the cross
for our sins and rose from the dead? If I thought that, then I was the one
who was naïve. Was it because I didn’t have that much interest in teaching
someone who was either ignorant or passive about Jesus? After all, we were
pushing a teaching method that concentrated on straightening out doctrinal
misconceptions which were held by professing believers in Jesus. Could it
be that he touched a sensitive nerve? Did I regard it as some kind of
threat, a veiled suggestion that my life centers on something besides
Jesus. I really don’t know why his question bothered me; I just know I’ve
never been able to forget it.
I’m
glad that question keeps surfacing in my conscious thoughts because it
reminds me where my focus is supposed to be. With Paul I must “resolve to
know nothing….except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). I’ve
preached in some pulpits where brethren put up a little sign which could be
viewed only by the preacher. It read, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” Whether
the sign’s there or not, I try to remember that I’m supposed to help people
do exactly that. I’ve taken some wrong turns here and there in life. I’ve
done a few things I’ve regretted, but no one ever regrets making Jesus
Christ and him crucified the center of his teaching and his life.
__Norman Bales
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