Church guide

A message from Pastor Cliff: Today I am thinking about gifts we find in the Bible. In Romans 6:23 we are told that God gives the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In I Corinthians 12:4 we are told the Holy Spirit gives different kinds of gifts to his people. Every Christian has at least one gift, maybe more, according to the work of the Holy Spirit. There is one list of gifts found in Romans 12:6-11. One of the purposes of these gifts is to build up the Church. I Corinthians 12:7 says they are for the common good. When these gifts are practiced, God is glorified. SO PRACTICE YOUR GIFT AND GLORIFY GOD! May the joy and peace of the Lord be with you all.

From Lois Phillips @ 6100 E State Rt A, Drexel, MO: Daylilies are in full bloom! Please come enjoy God's beauty with me at my home Friday morning, beginning at 9:00, to enjoy the daylilies up close, and stay for a snack and iced tea. 25 different types of blooms! If you have walking difficulty, you can ride with me in the golf cart 😀

SFBC's Car & Motorcycle Show yesterday was a wonderful success, with fun, food, & fellowship. A huge thanks to all who brought entries, including the Christian Motorcyclists Association, & all who participated in any way. We had 7 car & truck entries, & 10 motorcycle entries. Best in Show for Car went to David Knifong with his 1965 Ford Thunderbird. Best in Show for motorcycle went to Bill Fordyce with his 2005 KC Creation Kustom motorcycle. Here are just some of the pictures taken.

A message from Pastor Cliff: As we celebrate the 4th of July, we remember our Independence as a nation, and our freedom from religious tyranny. Men and women have given their lives in many wars to secure our freedom as a nation, and a people of God. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Freedom has in the past, and still does, come at a cost. As I think of these sacrifices, I am reminded of the greatest sacrifice ever made, the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the greetings of the book of Revelation, Revelation 1:5b-6 says, "To him (Jesus Christ) who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen". So, our freedom from sin and eternal separation from God comes at the cost of Jesus Christ's very life. FREEDOM IS NEVER CHEAP!

South Fork Baptist Church Revival Services, Sept. 22-27, 2019 Service Times: Sunday 11 am; Each evening Sunday through Friday, 7 pm Evangelist: Bro. Woody Wilson, ORBA Director of Missions Music Evangelist: Lee Glaze Pray, Pray, Pray! If we want Revival in our homes, in our churches, in our cities, in our nation, in our world, IT MUST BEGIN WITH US...WITH YOU AND WITH ME.

Check these trophies out for South Fork Baptist Church's Car & Motorcycle Show, being held on Saturday, July 6th, from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Bring your car or motorcycle to show off! Food & fun for all ages. Bounce house for the kids! Please, no alcohol on the premises. First place trophies will be awarded for the best car & the best motorcycle.

A message from Pastor Cliff: I am often puzzled by people who declare there is more than one way to Heaven. I think to myself, "Haven't they read the word of God?". Jesus said in John 14:6, " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus said there was a narrow gate, and a wide gate. He is the narrow gate that leads to the narrow road, that leads to Heaven. The symbolism is this: the narrow gate is your salvation experience. The narrow road is your spiritual journey which ends up in Heaven. The wide gate leads to the wide road, which leads to destruction and eternal separation from God in Hell. The people that pass through this wide gate are those that say, "There are many ways to Heaven". The people on the wide road are those who say, "I can do anything I want to do with my life", or who say, "There is no God". Sadly, the wide gate and the wide road lead to Hell. The small or narrow gate and the narrow road are hard to find, but the God of Heaven shows us the narrow gate through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and draws us to faith in Jesus Christ, who is the ONLY WAY to Heaven. CHOOSE THE NARROW WAY!

South Fork Baptist Church is having a Car & Motorcycle Show on Saturday, July 6th, from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Bring your car or motorcycle to show off! Food & fun for all ages. Bounce house for the kids! Please, no alcohol on the premises. First place trophies will be awarded for the best car & the best motorcycle.

South Fork's Community Garage Sale is still on for today. We have set up in the basement of the church.

A message from Pastor Cliff: It feels like summer, and it seems to many that now our days are really going to get busy. Busy with sports activities, trying to schedule vacations, planning weddings & garage sales, farming, predicting the weather, and the list goes on. This all leads to stress. When stress occurs, out the door goes peace of mind. A definition for peace is freedom from disturbance; calm. Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22. Jesus wants peace for you. He said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid". RELAX, ENJOY YOUR SUMMER, AND MAY THE PEACE OF GOD BE YOURS.

REMINDER: The South Fork Community is having a Garage Sale in South Fork Baptist Church's parking lot on Saturday, May 18th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call Cliff Bennett at 816-258-3123 to reserve a space in this safe environment. Bring your own tables. The entire community is welcome to come shop at this event.

A message from Pastor Cliff: We, at South Fork Baptist Church, are having Revival. From September 22nd through 27th we will be having Revival meetings. However, REVIVAL has already started in the hearts of our people. Read John 1:35-42. John 1:40-42 says, "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus". Individuals in our congregation have made our "Andrew" lists of friends and family who we want to bring to Jesus. We are praying for these friends and family members, and God is blessing the church with Revival. Our church is growing, and last Sunday we baptized three men and two boys who followed the Lord in Believer's Baptism. PRAISE GOD! HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS, AND HE ANSWERS!

Sunday, April 28th, was such a special day as 5 gentlemen followed the Lord in Believer's Baptism in very, very cold water. All of our hearts were warm though, as we celebrated together. Here are just a few pictures. Feel free to share more.

Baptismal Service & Celebration this coming Sunday, April 28th, immediately following Morning Worship. GOD IS SO AWESOME & POWERFUL! We have 7 individuals being baptized, which includes 6 men & boys, & 1 woman. They are all following Believer's baptism, giving testimony to our Lord, to His church, and to the world. Join us at 11:00 a.m. for the regular Worship Service & stay for the Baptisms.

A message from Pastor Cliff: Easter is the celebration of the most profound expression of love the world has ever experienced. It is also the most awesome act of power ever displayed. Our infinite God, in his power and glory, completed the act of redemption by the resurrection of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, from the grave. God's word says in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". But, praise God, he also raised Jesus from the grave. I Corinthians 15:20 says, "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep". BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST LIVES, WE TOO, SHALL LIVE BY FAITH IN HIM!

We are having a Carry-In Dinner following Morning Worship this coming Sunday, April 7th. Join us as we fellowship together.

A message from Pastor Cliff: People ask me why do I stress the importance of attending Sunday School and Worship? So here are a few reasons why: 1. It is Biblical. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us not to give up meeting together, but to encourage one another. 2. God is pleased and glorified. 3. It is also a witness to your faith in Jesus Christ. Your neighbor will see you going. 4. You will be drawn closer to God, and will understand what it is God has, and wants, for you. 5. Everything you do or don't do affects those around you. Others will be encouraged by your example. They will be drawn to Jesus, and will come and worship. Jesus saw the importance of being in the Lord's house. Luke 4:16 says, "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom". God bless you all, and I will see you in Church Sunday. After all, YOU ARE THE CHURCH!

A message from Pastor Cliff: WHAT DOES GOD WANT FOR YOU? In a letter to the Israelites who were exiled in Babylon because of their sin and disobedience, the Lord said in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". God has not, and will not, change. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He chose Israel to be his special people to bring Jesus Christ, our Savior, into the world, and to give us eternal life through faith in him. God has a plan for you, not only to give you eternal life, but to give you an abundant life, or life to the full, on this earth as promised in John 10:10b. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, he gave me eternal life, but he also gave me a purpose for my life, a reason for living, and he supplied all I needed. He will do the same for you when you seek him and follow his plan for your life. MY PRAYER FOR EACH OF YOU IS THAT GOD WILL BLESS YOU AS YOU FOLLOW HIM.

A message from Pastor Cliff: I just finished reading the book of Daniel. This book teaches us that God takes care of his people. The book of Revelation teaches us that God will be victorious over sin and the grave, and we will live forever in the presence of Jesus Christ. I am reminded of the song, "Victory in Jesus". The apostle Paul believed that no matter how bad things got for him, there was a better place. That is what he taught the Philippian Christians. Read Philippians 1:18b-26. Paul was in jail for preaching the Gospel. The possibility of being put to death was very real. Yet Paul rejoiced that there were two options: to be released and continue to serve the Lord, or execution which would immediately bring him into the presence of Jesus Christ forever. It was a win, win situation. That is why Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!'. God is good. BE HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY IN THE LORD, because HE cares for you, even when it snows, and snows, and snows. LOOK UP!

A message from Pastor Cliff about abortion: God's word says in Exodus 20:13, "You shall not murder". Life begins at conception. Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, "The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations'". Even before our conception, God knew us. God created us in the womb. Psalm 139:13 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb". A baby is God's special creation, To abort a baby at any time is murder, because a baby, at any stage, is a living person, Abortion is a sin. But God is the God of love and forgiveness. God's word says in I John 1:8-9, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". If your heart is breaking because you had an abortion, remember this: GOD LOVES YOU! If you will confess your sin, HE will set you free from your burden and give you peace. God's word says in I Peter 5:6, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you". God loves you, and so do I.