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THE RECORD Volume VolumeXXXII XXIX July, April, 2009 2006Number Number 6 4 It’s Important – Please Read! What’s important? Well, religious liberty in America for one thing! As we celebrate America’s birthday this month, think on this… As more states – like Iowa – approve same-sex marriage, marriage “conservatives” warn that freedom of religion is in peril. Same-sex marriage advocates accuse the “conservatives” of engaging in hysterical gay-bating. Who’s telling the truth?

News Item – Christian physicians refused to provide in vitro fertilization treatment to a woman in a lesbian relationship. The doctors referred the woman to their partners, who were willing to provide the treatment. That wasn’t good enough. The woman sued. The California Supreme Court agreed with the woman, saying that the doctors’ religious beliefs didn’t give them the right to refuse the controversial treatment. News Item – In Massachusetts, Catholic Charities was told they had to accept homosexual couples in their adoption service, or get out of the adoption business. They opted to get out. News Item – In Mississippi, a mental health counselor was sued for refusing to provide therapy to a woman looking to improve her lesbian relationship. The counselor’s employers fired her – a move that was backed up by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Convinced? Clearly the homosexual “marriage” agenda and religious liberty cannot co-exist, because activists will not allow them to. Marriage expert Maggie Gallagher says “Same-sex marriage advocates believe and claim that religious faith itself is a form of bigotry.” Come hear an expert on religious liberty at our next RBA Gathering, Mr. Kelly Shackelford, President of the Liberty Legal Institute in Dallas. Kelly is a nationally recognized constitutional attorney who has argued cases before the Texas and U.S. Supreme Courts. As Chuck Colson says, “We may soon find ourselves being forced to accept as a moral good what God calls evil.” (Isaiah 5:20) Bring your lay leaders…they need to be informed! Yours for Liberty!

Kent Pate Executive Director

P.S. By the way, we have some excellent DVD’s any church or Sunday School class may check out to use this month when we emphasize America’s Godly Heritage such as… The Role of Pastors and Churches in Civil Government; The Foundations of American Government; The Spiritual Heritage of the U.S. Capital

A word from our Director of Hispanic Ministries For information: (Taken from Southwestern Theological Baptist Seminary) Statistics reveal facts. Hispanic Americans are growing in unprecedented numbers. US demographic experts project that by 2050 over 120 million Hispanics will live in the country (Pew Hispanic Center, Population Projection, 2008). People of Spanish heritage will number approximately one fourth of the US population. However their percentage of the population in the Southwest US will be dramatically higher. Such numbers demand attention. The historic and ever growing presence of the Hispanic community in the Southwest cannot be ignored. To do so would be to shut ourselves out of what God plans to do now and in the future, in our Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria! Texas will be high in Hispanic population especially the Southwest, East is our location and in big need to preach the Gospel, Now! We can look at numbers from here to there, but what is lacking are leaders who have a true calling from God. Let us continue in “The Baptist Faith and Message”; Scriptures. God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Man, Salvation, God’s Purpose of Grace, The Church, The Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, The Lord’s Day, The Kingdom, Last Things, Evangelism and Missions, Education, Stewardship, Cooperation, The Christian and the Social Order, Peace and war, Religious Liberty and Family. I am reminded of a Scripture from Paul to Timothy, 1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shall both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

July 3 ~ RBA Office Closed for Holiday July 7 ~ Spiritual Development Team Mtg. 11:30 a.m. @ RBA Office July 16 ~ Team Leader Mtg. 2 p.m. @ RBA Office July 21 ~ Administrative Development Team Mtg. 10 a.m. @ RBA Office Missions Development Team Mtg. 7 p.m. @ RBA Office July 22 ~ Leadership Development Team Mtg. 11:30 a.m. @ RBA Office July 23 ~ RBA Gathering New Beginnings Fellowship, Sul. Spgs. 6 p.m. Meal ~ 6:45 Meeting

Personally, prayer is needed and action that we are to take heed of ourselves and persevere in the doctrine in order to establish a true edification in us to edify the Body of Christ. Only then can we truly use our calling to preach, teach, and equip in continuation of THE SCRIPTURES! Para informacion: (Tomado de Southwestern Theological Baptist Seminary) Las estadisticas revelan los hechos. Los Hispanosamericanos estan creciendo en numerous sin precedents. Los demograticos expertos de los Estados Unidos proyectan que para el ano 2050 mas de 120 milliones de Hispanos viviran en el pais (Centro Hispano Pew, Proyecciones de Poblacion, 2008). Las personas con herencia hispana seran aproximadamente un cuarto de la poblacion en los Estados unidos. Sin embargo, el porecentaje de hispanos en el suroeste sera mucho mayor. Estos numerous demandan nuestra ATENCION. La historica y cada vez mayor presencia de la comunidad hispana en el suoreste del pais no puede ser ignorada. Hacerlo asi seria cerrarnos a los planes que Dios tiene para ahora y en el future en nuestro Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria! Tejas sera mayor en numero de Hispanos especialemente en suroeste, El “Este” es nuestro lugar y en urgencia en predicar el evangelio, YA! Podemos ver los numerous de aqui a alla, pero lo que falta tambien es liderazgo con el verdadero llamado de Dios. Debemos continuar en, “El Mensaje y Fe Bautista”; Escrituras, Dios, Dios el Padre, Dios el Hijo, Dios el Espiritu Santo, El Hombre, Salvacion, El Proposito de la Gracia de Dios, La Iglesia, El Bautismo y la Cena del Senor, El Dia del Senor, El Reino, Las Ultimas Cosas, Evangelismo y Misiones, Educacion, Mayordomia, Cooperacion, El Cristiano y el Orden Social, Paz y Guerra, Libertad Religiosa, y La Familia. Soy recordado de una Escritura Pablo a Timoteo, 1 Timoteo 4:16 “Ten cuidado de ti mismo y de la doctrina; persiste en ello, pues hacienda esto, te salvaras a ti mismo y a los que te oyeren.” Personalmente se necesita oracion y accion que debemos de tener cuidado de nosotros mismos y de la doctrina y de establecer verdadera edificacion asimismo para equipar al Cuerpo de Cristo. Entonces en el llamado podemos predicar, ensenar y equipar en continuacion de LAS ESCRITURAS!

Eloy Gonzalez

Student Evangelism Conference Cost: $20 per person Pre-registration deadline is July 17, 2009. After July 17, registration is $30. If tickets are still available the price will be $35 at the door. Register online at www.planetstudents.org Friday, August 7 2 p.m. Registration/Check In Begins 5:45 p.m. Doors Open 6 p.m. Session 1 10 p.m. Session Closes 11 p.m. After Party Closes Saturday, August 8 8:30 a.m. Doors Open 9 a.m. Session 2 12 Noon Conference Closes

TEX (Teaching English with Excellence) Basic ESL Training for New Teachers of Adult Students Thursday, July 23, 2009 At New Beginnings Fellowship Baptist Church, Sulphur Springs Meal will be at 6 pm. and the meeting will follow at 6:45.

Special Guest Mr. Kelly Shackelford

Mr. Shackelford is the President of Liberty Legal Institute in Dallas. He is a constitutional attorney who has presented cases to the Texas Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court. He is a foremost defender of religious liberty and Christian values in America! Bring some of your key leaders to hear Kelly.

American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches Regional Strategist: Byron Houck On the mission field in Alabama where 4.7 million people live, I was invited to the Alabama Baptist Building to be part of a brain-storming effort to reach the lost in Alabama where it is believed that about half of the 4.7 are lost. They are going to be working with us as we seek God’s direction to plant a Cowboy Church in Alabama. We had a core group meeting in Alexandria where 36 people came. A man that was instrumental in helping get this first meeting together and finding an arena available in Alexandria has been out of church for some 25 years. So we ask for your prayer as we move with God in Alabama.

August 28 & 29, 2009 Friday, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Arrive before 6 p.m. to check in & receive your materials. Held at First Baptist Church 411 North St. Nacogdoches, TX (936)564-7379 Cost $20 Reservations required by Tuesday, August 25 For reservations contact: Robin Feistel [email protected] (936)564-6017 Payment made August 28 (1st day of workshop) by check to First Baptist Church or with exact amount of cash. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ September 11 & 12, 2009 Friday, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Arrive before 6:30 p.m. to register & receive your materials Held at Crossing Baptist Church 1060 Clay Mathis Rd. Mesquite, TX (972)222-7070 For directions: www.crossingbaptist.org Cost $35 (Includes lunch & notebook manual) Reservations required by Tuesday, September 8 For reservations contact: Robin Feistel [email protected] (936)564-6017 Payment made September 11 (1st day of workshop) By check to Crossing Baptist Church Or with exact amount of cash.

God Bless! Your Brother in Christ, Byron Houck

Literacy ConneXus ESL training certificate given Questions concerning content of the training? Contact TEX Trainer: Robin Feistel Literacy ConneXus Teacher Trainer & Ministry Consultant

Rehoboth Baptist Association Extends Sincere Sympathy to Lynn Patton in the loss of her husband Van Patton his service to the Lord will always be remembered.

Because the majority of Texas ESL adult students in church ministries are beginners, the emphasis is on teaching that level. Due to time allotted for this training, references to higher levels will be limited but many of the same techniques used for beginners are also appropriate for the higher levels. Higher level teachers who have never attended a basic workshop will benefit from this training.

If your church has a special event or information you’d like to share in the newsletter, please email [email protected] or call the office, 903-885-2868. The Newsletter deadline is the 15th of each month.

Church News

Please be in prayer for our: Pastorless Churches Cornerstone Crimson River Cowboy Church Cross Country Cowboy Church Enloe FBC, Como FBC, Sulphur Springs Grace Baptist Fellowship Macon New Beginning Baptist, Mt. Pleasant Ridgeway Baptist Church Saltillo Baptist Church Union Baptist Church

FBC, Dike ~ July 12 - 16, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Weaver ~ July 18 & 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (pre-registration for Weaver July 15th)

VBS Reports First Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon ~ June 1 - 3rd ~ 334 total enrollment, 2 decisions to accept Christ First Baptist Church, Sulphur Springs ~ June 15 - 19th ~ 583 total enrollment, 16 decisions to accept Christ Greenwood ~ June 15th (Day long VBS) ~ 22 in attendance, 5 decisions to accept Christ Tabernacle ~ June 22 - 26th ~ 81 in attendance Praise the Lord for these great VBS reports!!

The Record IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY REHOBOTH BAPTIST ASSOCIATION 1139 INDUSTRIAL DR. E. SULPHUR SPRINGS, TX 75482-3326

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 160 Sulphur Springs, TX

PHONE; 903-885-2868 FAX 903-885-3506 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB ADDRESS: www.rehobothonline.org

KENT PATE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ELOY GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR OF HISPANIC MINISTRIES SHELLY HUFF, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Thursday 8:30AM - 4:30PM Friday 8:30AM - 2:30PM

Mission Statement The mission of Rehoboth Baptist Association is to offer leading edge assistance in creating healthy New Testament churches that honor Jesus Christ by their very existence.

Changed lives through ChristChrist-centered churches