Fellowship Family of Churches

The following is an excerpt from the State of Montana press release about FBC and the Ready Montana Award:

The Fellowship Baptist Church, in Sidney, is a 2012 recipient of a ReadyMontana Award for their commitment to providing for the needs of the new influx of people to the Sidney community.

The Fellowship Baptist Church responded to the Bakken oil boom in Sidney by opening their doors to address the needs of the new population. As a member of the Montana Southern Baptist Convention, the church secured their disaster relief shower trailer and provided over 1,300 showers in the 4 months the trailer was set up this summer. This winter the church has been a warming station for those living in sub-optimal housing. The Fellowship Baptist Church also runs a food pantry that provides food and supplies such as towels, toiletries, blankets and clothing to those in need. Pastor Jordan Hall credits the generous support of their 120 members and volunteers like Brad Moore who are dedicated to helping new neighbors in need.

Stephanie Lachapelle, AmeriCorps VISTA with the Richland County, writes, “Recognizing the new and vast needs of the Richland County community, Pastor Jordan Hall and the members of the Fellowship Baptist Church took action… The church works tirelessly to provide sustainable resources for Richland County residents in need during the time of crisis, and has had a significant impact on the lives of many new residents.”

The Fellowship Baptist Church is Dedicated, Altruistic, and Determined!

 

Fellowship Sidney recently hosted the Richland County Home School Association's Valentine's Party. It is our pleasure to accommodate the Home School association at any opportunity and encourage them in their good work. For more information about the Richland County Home School Association, contact Pastor Jordan's wife, Mandy at 406-973-4256.

A sad assumption in many evangelical circles is that the Gospel is introductory for the life of the believer. In other words, the Gospel is what gets us into the club, and then we move on to the deeper topics like sanctification and holiness. I would assert that the Gospel is not introductory, but rather is essential for every aspect of our lives – and especially parenting. How do Christian parents incorporate the Gospel in the rearing of children?

First, what is the Gospel? The Gospel by definition is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1^st Corinthians 15:1-4). The Good News of the Gospel is that through this death, burial and resurrection, God accomplished salvation for the believer because the one who had no sin became sin on our behalf so that we might be right with God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This salvation is received by faith and demonstrated by repentance. The question now is, “how does this apply to parenting?” The following are practical ways for the Christian parent to incorporate the Gospel in their day-to-day parenting.

First, teach your children the principles of Law and Gospel and use Biblical terms to do it. There are two equally-important factors in the religion of Jesus; the first is justice and the second is grace. Jesus had to go to the Cross because God would not neglect justice in order to give grace. Sin still had to be punished and His wrath still needed to be poured out. Thankfully for the believer, Jesus took our sins and suffered in our place so that justice was still done and grace could be given to the sinner (Romans 3:26). Parents don’t punish their children every time they misbehave – sometimes the place is not proper for discipline, sometimes the parent is too tired to discipline, sometimes the child has already learned their lesson, etc… Parents incorporate the Gospel when they verbalize in these circumstances that the child just “received grace” and that your kindness is meant to lead them to repentance (Romans 2:4). Other times, discipline can’t be avoided and it should be verbalized that the child will be receiving justice (the fair punishment for their misbehavior).

The point of the Law is to teach us our duty, make clear our condemnation, and show us our need of a Savior (which just happens to be an answer in my children’s catechism). When your child misbehaves or disobeys it should be clear to them that it’s not only misbehavior, it is sin – a sin for which Jesus had to die. This is because without understanding God’s Law, the child will never understand their need for the Gospel. When your child misbehaves (sins), ask them which of Ten Commandments they just broke. Then remind them what Jesus did for us to avoid an eternal punishment for that infraction.

In these small teachable moments, children can begin to understand why Jesus went to the cross. They can begin to understand that just like a parent can’t always forgo discipline or else they would be a bad parent, God would be a bad judge if He simply overlooked our sins. Thankfully, Jesus took both our sins and our punishment for us. This principle also teaches children that discipline (or justice) is not contrary to good parenting and it’s not contrary to the love of God.

 

FBC Sidney was given the "Ready Montana Award" by the Governor’s Office of Community Service, the Montana Commission on Community Service and First Lady Nancy Schweitzer.

"The purpose of these awards is to recognize individuals of all ages and backgrounds who, through their dedication and commitment to community service, have greatly enhanced civic life in Montana. There will be several awards given in each category"

In particular, the Ready Montana award  is "For service specifically related to disaster services, emergency preparedness, and emergency response."

FBC Sidney continues to provide showers to those without running (or warm) water, food to the hungry through its food bank, and is serving as an emergency warming station for those left in the elements without heat.

 

 

Church leadership is asking every adult male member to re-group with authorities after worship tomorrow for the search of missing Sidney teacher, Sherry Arnold. Please continue to listen to public announcements regarding the search, and we'll try to have the latest instructions after worship tomorrow. We will have a time of prayer to ask for a successful rescue/search. The information below is from the Sidney Herald.

Search parties were called back to Sidney High School just before sun down after hundreds of volunteers went on foot to search for missing Sidney teacher Sherry Arnold.

Sidney police told the Herald at 5:15 p.m. that a piece of clothing was found but no body, despite budding rumors. An all-day search included airplanes and volunteers on four-wheelers scouring streets, fields and the irrigation canal. Sidney and Richland County law enforcement were joined by volunteer fire departments from Sidney and Savage, and the Montana National Guard.

Police report Arnold went on a run at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and wasn’t seen since. Her normal running route includes Holly Street, near the Sidney Country Club, the walking path, the truck route and cemetery road.

Click here to find out more!

Earlier this afternoon, authorities were given information that led them to focus search efforts in northeast Sidney, near Blue Rock and Sidney Sugar businesses.

Search parties were organized at Sidney High School, the main information hub, that were sent out throughout the day.

Anybody with any information should call Sidney police at 433-2210.

A prayer service is being held at 7 p.m. at Trinity Luthern Church Saturday. A search will begin again at 8 a.m. Sunday. Volunteers will meet at the Sidney High School gymnasium.

 

This photo is of one of our deacons, CJ Johnsrud - a Hidatsa Tribal Member - visiting today with neighborhood children who came to the church out of curiosity to see who we were.

Fellowship Sidney is partnering with Mandaree Baptist Church on the Ft. Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. Fellowship will take on financial responsibilities in relation to their facilities and ministry expense as well as all teaching and preaching. Mandaree Baptist will be submitting to the Elder leadership of Fellowship and entering into mission status under FBC Sidney until they can be an autonomous, healthy church. They are now a member of the Fellowship Family of Churches. We pray God will utilize this to win souls from the Hidatsa, Mandan, and Arikira. 

 

Pastor Jordan is holding a little baby girl from the Tribe whose name is also "Jordan Hall."

Fellowship Church is beginning a Bible Study in Williston, North Dakota as part of our area-wide outreach. Fellowship members who currently drive each week from Williston will be hosting it at their home and other public venues. For info, please call Bill at 701-339-1310.

Fellowship Church is providing its facility to the community as an emergency "warming place" for those in campers, RV's, and other less-than-ideal winter accommodations in case they lose power, propane, or heat. Individuals can call 433-4004 any time (24 hrs) to receive immediate, temporary shelter until power or heat can be restored. Please don't risk the elements in a Montana blizzard. Fellowship is concerned the many oil-boom workers in temporary mobile housing may underestimate the severe conditions that come at a moment's notice.

 Below is an article on tips for surviving a blizzard and extreme winter conditions:

  Outside

• Seek some form of shelter immediately. Blowing winds can cause the wind chill to reduce your core body temperature to dangerous levels. The risk of frostbite and hypothermia increase every minute you are exposed to the cold weather.
• If you are wet, try to get dry. Lighting a small fire will not only provide warmth, but will enable your clothing to dry out.
• Deep snow can actually act as an insulation from the wind and cold temperatures. Digging a snow cave can actually save your life.
• Stay hydrated, but do not eat snow. You need to melt snow before eating it. Your body must still heat the ice and melt it. Instead, gather snow in some sort of vesicle and attach it to your body for a slow melting process. A canteen inside your coat, but not directly next to the skin will speed the melting process.

In a Car or Truck

• Never leave the vehicle. If you are stranded, the vehicle offers a form of protection from overexposure to the cold. A single person walking through the snow is also harder to find than a stranded car or truck.
• It is okay to run the car for short periods to provide some heat. Remember to crack the windows a small amount to allow for the circulation of fresh air. Dangerous exhaust fumes, including carbon monoxide, can build up very quickly. This is especially true if the tailpipe is buried in the snow.
• Keep yourself moving. A car offers little room for you to keep your blood flowing, but exercise is a must. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and move around as much as possible at least once an hour. In addition to keeping your body moving, keep your mind and spirit from wandering too far into gloom. While potentially dangerous situations are not a time of joy, keeping yourself from added stress will allow you to make smarter decisions when necessitated.
• Make the car visible for a rescue. Hang bits of bright colored cloth or plastic from the windows. If the snow has stopped falling, open the hood of the car as a signal of distress.

At Home

• If the electricity goes out, use an alternative form of heat with caution. Fireplaces and kerosene heaters can be dangerous without proper ventilation. Keep children away from any alternative heat source.
• Stick to one room for heat and close off unnecessary rooms in the house. Make sure there are no air leaks in the room. Keep sunlight streaming through the windows in the day, but block all windows at night.
• Keep hydrated and nourished in case the heat is out for an extended period. An unhealthy body will be more susceptible to the cold than a healthy one.
• Pets must also be protected from the cold. When temperatures drop below freezing, outdoor pets should be moved indoors or to a sheltered area to protect them from the cold.

Other Tips for Winter Weather Safety

Always have a winter weather emergency kit available. Ideally, you should create an emergency kit for your home and your car. If you have small children, remember to actually practice using the kits. In the event of a winter emergency, kids should know where the kit is located and how to use the kit. You may want to try the Family Disaster Quiz to determine how prepared your family is for a weather emergency.

In addition to having a winter safety kit, all family members should be able to recognize the signs of hypothermia and basic first aid treatment for cold exposure.

Finally, if your region is prone to winter storms of any type, you are encouraged to buy a weather radio or scanner in the event of an emergency. Multiple types of winter weather advisories each have their own dangers.

Reference:

A Guide to Survival from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - National Weather Service Warning and Forecast Branch
November 1991
NOAA/FEMA/The American Red Cross

 

 

The question of the hour is "what is the Gospel?" Not only is knowing the answer to this question important for discerning between authentic and false churches, but at the center of this issue hangs this thing we call "Christianity." Christianity is defined by the Gospel. If a person, preacher, or church has the Gospel, it is Christianity. If not, then they "have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof" and are no more "Christian" than the LDS or Jehovah's Witnesses or any number of cults that use a Christian vocabulary but are by no means Christians.

Thankfully, the answer to this all-important question is not a difficult one. It is not difficult because Paul defines it:

 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures... (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV)

The Gospel is this: It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and what that accomplished by God for the believer.

Sure, the Gospel can be further defined or articulated and Paul certainly does a good job of that. We know that the process by which God saves us includes election, predestination (those two are different), calling, justification, sanctification, and glorification (read Romans 8:29-30 for details). These things are fleshed out in the life of a converted person by demonstrable faith and repentance. But the above definition in bold will suffice for a clear and easily discernable understanding of what it is that makes Christianity, well...Christianity.

Without the Gospel (given above), a church is not a church, a preacher is not a preacher, and a Christian is not a Christian.

This Gospel is to be proclaimed to every creature. The Good News must be spoken of in light of the Bad News (God's wrath is being poured out without it - Romans 1:18) or else people will not see their need for a Savior. This is done in Christianity by preaching both Law (God's standard of perfection) and Gospel. My children's catechism last week asked "What is the purpose of the Law?" and the answer was "Teach us our duty, make clear our condemnation, and show us our need of a Savior." Therefore, things like law and justice and sin must be spoken of to give us saving knowledge. Romans 10:14 makes it clear that this Gospel must be proclaimed in order for someone to hear it, believe it, and be saved by it.

In light of this indisputable truth of the Gospel, the following are things the Gospel is NOT:

1. The Gospel is not "lived" by the believer. The Gospel was lived by Christ, died by Christ, and resurrected by Christ. The Christian lives "in light" on the Gospel, but the Gospel is what Jesus has done...not what man does. That would be law - not Gospel.

2. The Gospel is not behavior modification. The message "do better" or any version of that (think better, make better decisions, live better, etc...) is Law. It only condemns us. We should do better, think better, and live better. But that's not Gospel. If this is all we teach, we leave people condemned under the Law.

3. The Gospel is not "Love God and Love Others." That is Law (it is a different articulation of the Ten Commandments). What Jesus listed as the two greatest commandments actually condemn every single person who ever lived. Once again, we should love God with all of our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. No one does that. These commandments are designed to show us our need for the Gospel.

4. The Gospel is not "live life abundantly" (by modern standards). It's true that we ONLY have life through Jesus. But the prosperous living mentality would not ring true to the countless thousands who have died for Christ and countless millions who are saved by Christ but God never rescues from poverty. This is speaking of a spiritual abundance and heavenly prosperity.

5. The Gospel is not serving the community. The Gospel is Jesus came to save the community from their sins. Community service without articulation of how Christ did this through His death and resurrection is not the Gospel.

All of the above things are good things. But they're not the Gospel. Someone can live a good life, try hard to love God and their neighbors as much as they should, be prosperous and happy, and serve their community and split hell wide open when they die. Ghandi was supposedly a great person. Atheists and homosexuals are many times "good" people. But the Scripture teaches that no one is good (Romans 3). The fact is, you don't need Jesus for any of the above five things. You can have a perfectly Christless religion with the above messages masquerading as Christianity. You don't need a cross for these things. You don't need a resurrection for these things.

And here is the saddest part; with all the good intentions oozing from the above five misunderstandings of the Gospel and genuine love represented there, the preachers of these false Gospels leave their people under a yoke of Law and burden equal to that of the Old Testament Law. The message "be good, be happy, be loving" can only condemn people who are (according to God's standards) none of the above.

Only the Gospel sparks in man's heart regeneration (being born again). Only the Gospel is a life-changing message. Only the Gospel is a saving message. Let us all challenge ourselves to focus on proclaiming what Paul calls "of first importance."

 

FBC was pleased to open its facility for the Richland County Home School support group to host its harvest party. Fifteen children and their parents too part in the games, food, and fun on October 27th. For more information on the support group, please call Mandy at 406-973-4255.