Passion was an awesome experience for me! It can be easy to get discouraged and feel very in the ‘minority’ in some of my classes. So it was really encouraging to see so many college students travel just to come to Passion and praise the Lord! The worship was an awesome time, with Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman being LIVE! And I especially enjoyed Louie’s story about a girl who didn’t get her chance to be a huge light for the Lord until her last year of college. It encouraged me to remember to keep trusting in the Lord, because I can know that He’s going to use me in HIS time. I’m really glad I got the chance to go to Passion this year, and I’m excited for what God has in store for me.

Tuesday, September 25, the Home Designers gathered at the Phillips for great soup and a pumpkin carving contest. To view some of the entries and other photos click on the picture to the left. Thanks to the Phillip’s for the smashing time.

This year our ladies hosted the Iowa Fellowship of Regular Baptist churches state ladies retreat. Peggy Walker was the guest speaker. She did a great job encouraging ladies to be content with what God has for their lives. Click on the slide show to left for pictures. Click Here for Testimonies.

A terrible plague has gripped Christianity for many years. It has ruined lives, families, testimonies and churches. It is the plague of mediocrity and it runs rampant today. Mediocrity is living below our potential. It is giving just enough to God to ease our conscience but not enough to produce spiritual transformation.

Give God Your Best (Colossians 3:23)
Whether performing responsibilities at home, at work, at church, or whatever you do, always do your best. Do it “heartily”—with all your heart. Whatever we do, whether it be small or great, easy or difficult, let’s not be guilty of half-hearted effort. We must labor “as to the Lord.” Everything the Christian does has a spiritual significance. Therefore, everything we do is a great opportunity to serve the Lord.

Our Best Brings God’s Best (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Mediocre efforts yield mediocre results. God is looking for whole-heartedness. He is merciful and gracious and does not ask more of us that He is able to accomplish in and through us. We want great marriages and godly children with little effort. We want transformation, fruitful ministries, and revival with as little effort as possible. Let’s wholeheartedly “present our bodies a living sacrifice.” Then we will experience God’s best in our behalf.

God Gave His Best (John 3:16) God gave Himself to redeem our soul from sin. It was nothing short of the blood of God shed on the cruel cross of Calvary that paid the price for our sin debt. Is He not worthy of our best, of our all? Let’s rise out of mediocrity and reach our fullest potential in Christ for He is worthy!
—copied from Betty Abuhl’s prayer letter Pastor James Gugino, Rochester New York

Hello, friends. My name is Justin Green and I have been attending Willow Creek for five years along with my wife Kristin and children Kate and Matthew. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior at the age of five. While I continued to grow in knowledge of the things of God, the experience that has most impacted my walk with Christ occurred at the age of twelve. Following a Christmas shopping trip, my family was robbed at gunpoint in our home and left bound together. But just as in the story of Joseph in Genesis, God meant the experience for good. So many Biblical concepts became clear that night: The power of prayer, the Peace that passes understanding, Eternal life, and the living Word of God, just to name a few. Psalm 118:6 says it best, “The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

During our first visit to Willow Creek, we found “The Big 3” that we were looking for in a church: 1. Biblical preaching 2. Great music 3. A young married Sunday School class. Through our growth in these areas, the door was opened for Kristin and me to serve as cosponsors of the college and career group known as YALL (Young Adults Living Life).

In Sunday School, Troy Rider and I have been teaching a series titled, “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Phillip Yancey. It has caused me to identify several unbiblical misconceptions I have had and has challenged me with the concept of Christ-likeness. If we are to be like Christ in our actions and dealings with other people, then how exactly did Jesus respond to the people He encountered? He dealt with rejection, disappointment in others, suffering, joy, celebration, hecklers and seekers, to name a few. As a pilot for Southwest Airlines, I am in the position to meet many different people on a weekly basis. The ongoing challenge is to respond in all situations like Christ. As pastor has been teaching, that ability can only be accomplished with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I am so thankful for the loving church family we have and the opportunities for growth that God has given me through His church. Please continue to pray for the YALL ministry as school resumes so that we may encourage and strengthen young believers and share the gospel to those that may not know Jesus as their Savior.

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The GARBC annual conference in Lancaster, PA, June 26-29, 2007 was a great blessing. We were happy to be among the eight from Willow Creek Baptist Church who attended. The Lord Jesus Christ, in Matthew 16:18, confidently predicted, “I will build my church…” That statement brings confidence and assurance to us believers in these troubled times.

This year, the GARBC celebrates its 75th anniversary; that fact helped to make the days we spent together at the conference very special. People from most states and from around the world (including Africa and India) gathered to lift our voices in praise to our God; praise for who He is and for what He has done. It was definitely a confidence builder.

Doug McLachlan, recently-retired pastor of Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN was the principal speaker. The grandson of a gangster in Detroit and the son of a bartender, McClachan’s preaching was invigorating and inspiring. Among other things, he said there should be “overflow—the gospel should spill out of us,” and that we should not be “hiding out in our holy huddles” or “holing up in elegant ecclesiastical holy salt shakers.”

Other speakers included John Greening (GARBC National Representative), Richard Van Heukelum, David Strope, Ernie Schmidt, and Jim Jeffery.

All of the music and the preaching were a great blessing. However, we would have to say that, for us, the greatest blessing was to hear our 18-year-old granddaughter, Heidi, sing in a mixed quartet and our 16-year-old granddaughter, Anna, beautifully play the violin in the Talents for Christ competition. Though we will admit to a little family bias, we have difficulty imagining that heaven’s music will be any sweeter.

Next year GARBC national conference, with the theme “The Glory of the Cross” (Galatians 6:14) will be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mark your calendar: June 24-27, 2008.

—Jim and Clarene Jefson

to learn more about the garbc click here

The treasure of God’s love and the truth that Jesus lives forever was discovered this past week in Vacation Bible School.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped. It was a GRRRReat week for the children and also the teachers and helpers. The high attendance of the week was on Thursday with over 150 having a great time singing, doing crafts, playing games and most importantly, learning God’s Word. Over $400 was received in the offering to be given to our missionaries to Kenya, Bobby and Lisa Bechtel, to feed the children of the Manna Feeding Centers.

A special thank you to Tony and Dianne Merrill, our directors, who could not have done it without the help of so many of you!

Click on the picture above to see more photos from the week

On Thursday May, 24 the Home Settlers traveled to the Oehlerts’ Home. A great time was had by all. Click the photo on the left for a look at more photos from the outing.

Last Night we celebrated with our children their accomplishments in learning scripture and how to apply it to their lives. Click on the picture to the left to view photos of last nights event. If you have any questions about our Awana Ministry or any other ministries at Willow Creek please click here.Don’t forget about our Summer Ministry KIDDOPUPS which begins May 23rd at 6:45pm.