Southside is on FIRE!

Hey everybody! Check out the update to the Southside website, new sermon series is online now, update to the summer schedule...

Facebook Like Page

To get my updates please go to: http://www.facebook.com/southsidenewberg and LIKE my page, that will get you on the inside scoop. 

The Ultimate Servant Series at Southside

I wanted to give you a little taste from Pastor Greg Knox, the special speaker that will be joining us this Sunday to kick off our new series on Servant Evangelism.

Here is a blog post of his from a while back, I hope you enjoy!

Pastor Willy 

I suppose we could avoid the hostility of unbelieving family and friends if we just kept quiet about Jesus.  I suppose the devil wouldn't be focusing on us if we threw our lot in with him.  I'm sure there isn't that battle between good and evil when only evil dominates a person.  Jesus has called us to a life different from that.  It’s like salmon making their epic runs in the spring.  Every inch they are going to be going is against the flow.  Only the dead ones go with the flow.  Only those who are no longer Christians will go with the flow of this wicked, wicked world.

“Rather, be afraid of the One Who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.  But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before My Father in heaven (28b-33).”

Look at the sparrows, He says.  Those birds which are almost worth nothing according to our estimation, God is so concerned with His creation, sustaining it and upholding it by His mighty hand, that not one of those sparrows ends its short life apart from His will.  Well, let’s take something even worth less than a sparrow!  And something a lot closer to home!That head of hair most of you have!  God is so interested in us that He knows how many hairs we have left on our head.

It’s not idle curiosity on His part.  It’s because He loves us.  That’s God’s attitude towards us.  “I will never forget you,” He says, “I have written you on the palm of My hand.”  He comforts us like a mother comforts her newborn infant in her arms, cooing and oohing, blowing kisses and watching the face of her child so intently that her love for that child grows by the minute and she is comforted as much as she comforts her child.  That’s the picture of God’s loving knowledge of us.  It’s Jesus, after His resurrection, taking Peter aside and asking him, “Peter, do you love Me,” three times and then three times telling Peter to “Feed My sheep/lambs,” so that Peter knows that his denying Jesus three times is all is forgiven.  And the best part of it?  Peter doesn’t rely on himself at all.  “Yes, Lord.  You know all things.  You know that I'm Your friend. (John 21.17).”

How do I know I am loved by God?  How do you know you are loved by God?  We don’t look at ourselves, our wonderful lives, our good intentions, the potential we have.  We look to our God.  We are loved by Him because He says He loves us and He shows He loves us.  “You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Sit at Jesus’ feet and we will be transformed.  We will reflect Him more and more in our lives and that’s a good thing.  Not only can we put His teachings into practice every day of our lives, the circumstances we find ourselves in will demand it.

-Pastor Greg Knox
Phil. 1:6

Summer Update!

Relationships Trump Experiences

Recently I have been complaining to my wife about this nagging feeling that some of the people we give money to, so that they can go on short term missions trips feels a lot like we are funding a vacation for said people. Now don't get me wrong, I believe in short-term missions trips, I really do, it's just when you see those people sightseeing, with pictures of them eating ice cream in the public square posted on Facebook and you wonder, what are they doing there? Reaching the lost or buying trinkets in the tourist market? Well this short article by Bishop Matt Thomas sums up very well how I feel about short term missions... check it out. 

As a Free Methodist bishop, I travel a lot. I just returned from a trip that included California, Asia, Indianapolis and back to Washington State. I depart in a few days for Hong Kong and Taiwan.

This issue of LLM is about the church around the world. I have seen the church on all six populated continents, and I have learned the impact Americans have on the church outside the United States.

From the global church’s perspective, there are two kinds of Christian brothers and sisters who visit.

One group includes those seeking an experience. The other group includes those seeking a long-term relationship.

The ones seeking an experience cannot get enough of the travel and the exposure. They want to see the world and experience other cultures. Wanderlust draws them to do a little here and a little there for people scattered around the world. You can hardly mention a place or culture without their eyes lighting up and their mouths prepping to tell their stories. They often have big hearts and always have curious minds.

Those seeking relationship may not have been to many places. If they have, it was to find a place and a people where a love relationship might develop. These relationships include heart, head and hands — commitment for the long haul.

When I travel to Cambodia, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Mexico, Burundi or Ethiopia, I quickly learn who is in that second group. The eyes of the international brothers and sisters light up when they mention members of the relationship-seeking group. I am often inundated with stories, pictures, smiles and sometimes tears of gratitude as they speak intimately about that man, woman or couple who have been like a father, mother, parents, brother or sister to them.

Both groups might be mentioned, but when speaking about the second group, people respond as though I had asked them about family members.

No one can commit to everyone everywhere. No one can know everyone everywhere in a meaningful way. The church around the world will always have and appreciate drop-ins, but drop-ins are seldom remembered.

The church around the world longs for stay-withs. The stay-withs are always remembered. Choose to be in that group.

Tina Turner... Dead!?!

Well today there was a hoax on Twitter that Tina Turner had died! So many famous/iconic people have died over the last two years it was a pretty easy hoax to get going.

You know, this got me thinking about the story of Alfred Nobel who as the story goes, woke up to read in the paper his own obituary. He was recognized as someone who profited from selling bomb making materials and was not recognized for much else, motivated by a rare insight, he dedicated his fortune to bettering the world, most notably with the formation of the Nobel Peace Prize.

What would it be like if you didn't wake up tomorrow? What would you be remembered for? Who would remember you, how would they remember you? It is not too late to start thinking about what will happen after you are gone, (this is starting to sound like a pitch for life insurance... ha!)

Seriously though, how are you making a difference?

Questions, Questions, Questions...Always Questions!



What are the top Bible Questions that you have? If you could ask any question and not feel
embarrassed about asking it, what would it be. Would you ask about hell, who is going who is not? Would you ask about sex or dating? Maybe you would ask about Jesus and if he really was a man who was God and is it true that He NEVER sinned?

Whatever the question, I want to hear it! We will be doing a one time talk at Southside where we answer any and all questions that you have. So, don't be shy and don't hold back. Let the questions flow! Post them in the coments section below or email them into me at burns.willy@gmail.com