Yvonne Ortega is a published author, a cancer survivor, a fascinating person and a member of Seaford Baptist Church. You can read her blog at her website www.yvonneortega.com You can purchase her book “Hope for the Journey Through Cancer” here
Her new blogtalk radio show, “Hope for the Journey,” starts today, Tuesday, 2/9/2010 at 10:00 am at this site
Add comment February 9th, 2010
Tom Gilson will be speaking on National radio today on a subject which God has been opening doors for him lately, including the really big one today. (Following is a note from Tom that went out a couple of days ago that explain this)
Following is a note Tom sent about today’s talk.
As one of our prayer supporters, you might be interested to know that from 4:05 to 5:00 EST Monday afternoon, February 8, I will have the privilege of being interviewed by Dr. Alex McFarland on his Sound Rezn radio show on American Family Radio. Dr. McFarland is a leading Christian thinker and the president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, NC. We’ll be talking primarily about strategies for more effective Christian influence in today’s world, especially to help Christians stand on the truth of our faith with knowledge and with grace.
You may be within reach of an AFR station (listed here, PDF file), but if not, you can click “AFR Talk” here. If you can’t listen, I’d be grateful if you could pray for our talk!
Thank you for all of your support and prayers. We really appreciate you!
Yours in Him,
Tom Gilson
1 comment February 8th, 2010
Many of us in the church have helped Global Aid Network’s humanitarian aid efforts, in Pennsylvania at the Distribution Center, and in Belarus, North Africa, and Jamaica. Some of us have had the opportunity to meet GAiN’s CEO, Duane Zook. Here is his latest report from Haiti (Jan 19).
Add comment January 21st, 2010
I’ve been writing, thinking and agonizing over these verses (and several others leading up to these) this morning preparing for Sunday.
John 13:12-15 ESV
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
Add comment January 20th, 2010
This is a straightforward lesson…or is it? Reading these passages of scripture, we find that there is power, intrigue, failure and victory all in a single area. And, you can wrap it up with a nice bow and deliver this package to the recipient. Or so I thought!
When these four returned to the other disciples, they find them being confronted by the teachers of the law who were bickering with them in front of a large crowd. The religious leaders wanted to confound and confuse the disciples – to make them a spectacle in front of everyone and anyone they could. Then Jesus approached – and the show was over. The crowd showed no more interest in the ‘sport’ of point-counterpoint, they were now focused on The Master. In Mark’s account (vs. 16) we see Jesus questioned what they were arguing about.
Depending on how you choose to read this, either someone from the crowd answers the question, or Jesus is rudely interrupted from getting the answer. Let’s go with the former for this lesson. The issue was one of a man who had a son who was possessed. The man seems to have confidence that the disciples could help him (by removing the demons from his son), but they couldn’t help (read that – they failed).
We see the response from Jesus (O unbelieving generation). Who was that to? The disciples? Keep in mind they had been given the authority to specifically perform such actions (Matthew 10:8) and had just come up short. Or to the father and the crowd / teachers of the law? You see, the son appears to have been brought as a test of the authority that belonged to Christ and as a test of the disciples as His representatives. The nation – to whom Christ refused to give a sign – was still looking for a sign.
You see, these people would not be convinced nor would they believe until they were certain Jesus was who He claimed to be. Because of that, this ‘additional test’ was crafted to gather more evidence – and I believe that this is what caused Christ to call this group and unbelieving generation. How many signs did they need? Did another matter – because they hadn’t believed yet!
Jesus asked that the boy be brought to Him. Once it came close to Jesus, the evil spirit threw the boy to the ground. More information was given (the boy had been like this from childhood) and the evil spirit did more than this to the boy. In verse 22 we see the father say ‘But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us’. Jesus says ‘If you can?’
That begs the question – was the deliverance of this child based solely on Christ’s power? Jesus had delivered others from demon possession, many in the same condition as this boy. The principle here is everything is possible to the one with faith. Jesus could give mercy to the father by delivering this boy. But….
Here the father publically confesses his faith in the person of Christ. He also asks for help in overcoming his unbelief. So Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of the boy and never enter him again. The evil spirit complied, but resisted to the limits it could – so much that when the struggle was over, onlookers said the boy had died. He hadn’t died, he just needed a hand up from The Master.
What Christ did for the demon possessed boy revealed what He could (and would) do for the nation of Israel – if they would just put their faith in Him. Their deliverance did not depend on His ability to deliver – but rather on their faith in His person.
But what about the disciples problems with casting out this demon? I mean, they were previously given the authority to do this (and I would venture a guess they had experienced success at this). Jesus explained this saying that they lacked faith. You see, it appears that the disciples were trusting in the authority that had been given to them earlier to cast out demons instead of trusting in Christ Himself. Then He says this type only comes out by prayer. What’s that about? Boiled down to its essence, prayer is essentially and attitude of utter dependence on God.
In the future, them disciples would not find it sufficient to trust in their previous experiences in casting out demons. And that hits home to us today as well. The power of God – if you have experienced it – has a dependency, and it’s not one of previous experience. It is of our current level of faith in Him. It is in our utter dependence on God to do what only He can do. It is our faith, not our position – that makes it possible for us to fulfill the ministry we are entrusted with. How’s your faith doing?
Add comment August 30th, 2009
These have been incredibly difficult days at Seaford Baptist. We have grieved and cried together over the charges against Jack Duffer. There are many needs for prayer and for action generated by these circumstances, but in this space, I want to inform the church body what the immediate plans are for our student ministry.
In the immediate aftermath of Jack’s arrest, I assigned Aaron and TJ to begin direct ministry with the students. They both eagerly got to work and have done an excellent job in the last couple of weeks, giving the urgent care needed at this time. That was the immediate term solution. However, they both have many other responsibilities and they cannot sustain that level of effort and still keep up with their other duties. Step 2 is to bring on Bryan and Janet Dunn for the next few months in a volunteer capacity to lead the student ministry. They will work with those who have been serving as interns, as well as with parents and others who want to serve our students. Bryan is a high energy, creative and biblically grounded man. He is also an ordained pastor and holds a degree from Luther Rice Seminary. Janet possesses excellent organizational skills. Together they will be able to encourage our students and mobilize the church body in providing strong student ministry. Parents meeting on Sunday September 13th at 11:30.
A third possible stage is that at some point, the church could call a paid interim youth pastor. The fourth and final stage, calling a new youth pastor, would not likely begin until after the new senior pastor is in place.
It is obvious that many are, but please do not stop praying for this church body and especially for our students and all those who are seeking to love them and care for them directly.
Gene
3 comments August 26th, 2009
Here are six (maybe seven) things young people may need more of in a difficult time:
Students need more of all these kinds of things when they’re going through a tough time. All of these take time, and they might not all fit in a day. Some will be more important on some days than others. So they need a seventh thing, too:
Come to think of it, other than possibly number 7, these things could really help all of us.
Add comment August 16th, 2009
There are many signs that God is at work at Seaford and I want to be sure that you are not missing them. During our week of Vacation Bible School in June over 50 children responded to indicate that they were making first time decisions to follow Jesus. Over the course of that week, the children raised $2773.31 to support Camp Open Arms. A couple of weeks after that, our student ministry led our church body into our third summer of the Lackey mission effort, working alongside Rising Son Baptist Church. That week culminated in a very conservative estimate of 23 first time decisions to follow Jesus and a verbal commitment to continue this mission work with Rising Son, but more focused in the Seaford community for the next three years.
Since Easter Sunday, we have added 28 new members, 26 of whom have been by profession of faith and baptism. Ten were baptized on Easter Sunday itself, two more in June and then fourteen on July 12th. That particular Sunday evening, deserves a little more explanation. It was an incredible night. You may remember that we were scheduled to have a cookout and a baptismal service that evening at Yorktown beach. However, a thunderstorm ran us off the beach just at the time we were set to begin. So everyone, I think, made their way back to the church, where tables and chairs were quickly set up, food laid out and we ate together mostly in the dark, because the storm had knocked out the power here at the church building. We then moved to the worship center and baptized those 14 in a rather cold baptistery, having no way to heat the water! I hope you are encouraged by these signs that God is transforming lives through the ministry of Seaford.
On another note, I am incredibly grateful for the work of Wayne Powell in serving as the volunteer leader of the band here at Seaford since 2002. Wayne is stepping down as the leader of the band, though fortunately he will continue to play with them. Through Wayne’s leadership, the band has grown in both numbers and in their sound and we have all been greatly blessed by his work. When you see Wayne, please let he and Judy know how grateful you are for his many years of service. Scott Beasley, who has been serving as Wayne’s informal assistant for several of those years, will now serve as the band’s official volunteer leader. So please encourage and pray for Scott as he continues to lead this group that contributes so strongly to our corporate worship at Seaford.
Add comment July 23rd, 2009
http://kcornett1.googlepages.com/home
Add comment November 2nd, 2008
The church is a family expecting guests! Every week God intentionally sends to churches those they are able and willing to welcome. He prepares the heart of the guest, prompts and invitation from a friend or neighbor and wakes them up Sunday morning walking them through your doors. Are you ready to accept these gifts from God?
Greeting, caring, and preparing for those who walk through the door as though they are walking into your own home. A family expecting guests!
Whether you are on a greeter ministry team or not, every church member (family member) has the responsibilty to accept the gifts that God sends them weekly.
The Responsibility of Every Member
Ministering to Guests
1. Speak with guests when you first see them, and again before they leave. Invite them to come again.
2. Always, Always, Always offer help to a guest that seems unsure or apprehensive.
3. Never leave a guest to find their way alone with spoken directions. Walk them to the right place and use this opportunity to get to know your guests.
4. Introduce your guest to 2 other family members.
5. After the closing prayer, turn on your “guest radars” and greet everyone in your section. Go immediately! The slightest delay could mean loss of contact!
If every family member would respond in these ways and make intentional adjustments to treat these gifts as if they were guests in your own home, I believe God will be honored. As God sends gifts to your church, what will you do with them? Be a family expecting guests!
Add comment September 26th, 2008
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