December 2014 / January 2015 Newsletter

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

Forever Home

COLLIN WOOD | P6

Accountability Matters

TIM LAFLEUR | P14

It's the Most Wondeful Time of the Year

BRYAN SKINNER | P4

Brainerd Baptist Church December 2014 / January 20152

From the PastorI am humbled and amazed as we end

one and enter another exciting year at

Brainerd. We have had the privilege

of seeing God continue to move in and

through our church over the past year.

Our leadership team continues to seek

His direction for our church. I am grateful

for a church body who rejoices along with

me in God's work at Brainerd.

Last year, we saw our D-Group

participation at Brainerd double to 767

people as many of you joined thousands

of believers from around the world in the

Growing Up Challenge. The time of year

has come again when people evaluate

their lives and resolve to improve. Many

of your friends, family, and co-workers

will add their spiritual life to that list. I

want to encourage you, Brother or Sister

who is a part of our church and seeks to

know God more every day, to find those

people in your life and start a D-Group. If

you're doubtful, I urge you to set aside the

two things that usually keep people from

leading a D-Group: uncertainty and fear.

1. Uncertainty

Perhaps you are simply unsure about

what to do since you haven’t seen a

group lived out before you. Maybe it's

because you’ve never seen the benefits of

walking closely with other believers for

encouragement and accountability.

2. Fear

Still, many more would say, “I haven’t

been there and done that before, so I

can’t lead a discipleship group.” When

you don’t know what to do, you don’t do

anything at all.

We have solutions to both of these

problems. The Growing Up Challenge

provides videos in which our pastors

walk alongside you, like a coach, through

the process of preparing and leading a

discipleship group. We also give you the

resources you need to lead with confidence.

Sign up at growingupchallenge.com

to check out the videos and resources. I

highly encourage you to take the plunge.

I promise you'll be glad you did.

If you led a group or were part of a group

this past year, find 2 to 3 new people that

you can walk with through the challenge

in January.

I am excited about the celebration of the

birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and the

time of new beginnings before us. As

always, I implore you to grow ever closer

to our King and to develop roots that

reach deep into the well of Christ.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy

New Year!

Robby GallatySenior Pastor

Twitter: @rgallatyBlog: replicateministries.org

December 2014 / January 2015 Brainerd Baptist Church 3

300 Brookfield Ave., Chattanooga, TN

(423) 624-2606

brainerdbaptist.org

twitter.com/brainerdbaptist

facebook.com/brainerdbaptist

instagram.com/brainerdbaptist

PASTORALLEADERSHIP TEAMRobby GallatySenior Pastor

Barry WilksMissions Pastor

Bryan SkinnerWorship Pastor

Collin WoodCreative Arts Pastor

Tim LaFleurDiscipleMaking Pastor

MINISTRY TEAMAndrew PerryWorship Leader

Avé SmithDirector of Preschool Ministries

Bo DunkleStudent Pastor

Carlos BetancourtPastor to the Hispanic Community

Corey ShipleyDirector of Assimilation

David WileyCommunity Outreach Director

Mark GougeDirector of Children’s Ministry

Steve RowlandSenior Adult PastorBRA I N E RDBAP T I S T .ORG/CHR I S TMAS

Christmas Makes Everything NewDecember 7 at 4pm & 6:30pm | Sanctuary

Presented by BBC Choir and Orchestra

3rd Annual Keyboards At ChristmasDecember 14 at 4pm & 6:30pm | Sanctuary

Guest Musicians: Frank Jones and Bruce Clark

Christmas Eve ServicesDecember 24

4pm Sanctuary | 5pm BX | 6pm SanctuaryTickets required (Available at Welcome Desk)


by Bryan SkinnerWorship Pastor

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

has been sung for over half of a century

at Christmas time and become a favorite

to people all over the world. Written in

1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle

and made popular by pop singer Andy

Williams, this is a song of celebration

that encourages people to gather together

for various types of holiday traditions,

family gatherings, office parties,

singing Christmas carols, shopping

for that perfect gift for a loved one or

friend, decorating the tree, roasting

marshmallows, and preparing for a cold

and wintry season. So what exactly makes

Christmas “the most wonderful time of

the year?" These holiday traditions are

just some of the reasons that people would

include. However, for those of us who have

a personal relationship with God know that

the answer to this question is actually not

IT’S THEMOSTWonderfulTIMEOF THEYEAR


a “what,” rather a “Who.” That person is

our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the most

wonderful gift of all. Isaiah 9:6 proclaims,

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be

given to us; and the government will rest

on His shoulders; And His name will be

called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (NASB).

God’s Son, Emmanuel—God with us—is the

reason we celebrate this season of the year.

We are blessed to have the opportunity

to join in worship each day, each week,

and each season of the year as we lift

our voices to our Heavenly Father in

praise. What makes the Christmas season

different than the other seasons of the

year in our worship? During this season,

we celebrate the gift of

eternal life through God’s

Son by singing Christmas

carols and telling the great

story of Christ’s birth. We

rejoice with the angels,

shepherds, and the other

witnesses to His arrival.

They knew this was no

ordinary baby because

the prophets had told of

His coming hundreds of

years before. Over Bethlehem a shining

star marked where He would be born.

The angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in

the highest, and on earth peace among

men with who He is pleased” (Luke 2:14

NASB). This birth was like no other

before it, nor has there ever been another

one like it since. Why? God chose to

use an ordinary woman, a virgin, for an

extraordinary purpose—to bring His Son

into the world. Christ’s miraculous birth

brought love to save us, hope for eternal

life, and joy and peace to the world.

Each carol we sing paints a beautiful

picture of the Christmas story and echos the

scriptures, God’s Holy Word. Silent Night,

Away In A Manger, Hark! The Herald

Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy To

The World, and O Holy Night are a few of

my favorite carols. These songs and many

more portray the beginning of the greatest

story ever told. Imagine what it would have

been like to experience this in person! I can

see Him now, lying in the manger, wrapped

in swaddling clothes—a baby, the Savior

of the World. I can see Mary and Joseph

holding and cuddling Him in their arms,

knowing that they were holding the Hope

of the world. I can hear the shepherds and

the angels rejoicing in harmony because

the newborn King had arrived. I can see

the wise men coming later to bring Him

gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This

miraculous event is the inspiration for the

carols we sing each year.

What could possibly make this story even

more wonderful? What would encourage

us to sing His praise in every season of

the year? God, in His infinite wisdom,

brought His Son into the world to be our

Messiah King. This baby gave mankind

a way to be with God for eternity. Jesus

Christ grew to be a man and became the

sacrifice for our sins through His death

on the cross. John 3:16 says, “For God

so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in

Him shall not perish, but have eternal

life” (NASB).

This is what our Christmas celebration

is all about. This is why we have hope.

This is why we can have peace. This is

why we are joyful and

offer our worship with

all of our heart, mind,

soul, and strength. This is

what makes singing and

praising Him during this

season so special.

Christmas is a busy time of

year. It’s a time of family

gatherings, singing carols,

enjoying great holiday

meals, exchanging presents, and drinking

hot chocolate with the people we love.

In the midst of all these celebrations,

I pray that we all remember and reflect

upon why we celebrate in the first place.

Christ, the Savior is born! This is why it’s

“most wonderful time of the year!" Merry

Christmas!

Each carol we sing paints a beautiful picture of

the Christmas story and echos the scriptures,

God's Holy Word.


Collin serves as our Creative Arts Pastor

and has been on staff here since 2003. He

and his wife, Stephanie, recently adopted

a little girl from China.

September 2, 2011:

The Announcement

After much prayer, we have decided to

have another baby. This time is gonna be

a little different though…we have started

the process of adopting a little girl from

China. We are scared and excited and

have many questions, but we know God

is leading us to grow our family this way

and experience his grace in a new way.

While we’ve had months (really years) to

consider and pray about international

adoption, you are just hearing about

our intentions for the first time and may

have some questions. Over the coming

days we hope you’ll allow us to try and

answer some of those questions (that

we’ve probably had too) and let you

follow us on this journey.

God willing, we will sign our agency

contract and begin our home study next

week. Pray for us as we begin this crazy

adventure.

Those familiar with the process of

adoption will understand the gravity

of those words—and the length of the

journey that both came before and

followed them.

That first post was a short one. But to us,

the message we’d received from God was

unspeakably clear: “Grow your family

through adoption.”

When we made the announcement to

adopt, our family was already five strong.

My wife, Stephanie, and I had three

incredible children: Madison, Carter, and

Griffin. Why in the world would we want

to adopt?

The first answer to that question has to

do with numbers. There are estimated

to be somewhere around 200 million

orphans in the world, but because of the

way the children are counted, the number

is likely substantially higher. In America

alone, there are 500,000 kids locked in

the foster care system; 130,000 of those

are available for immediate adoption.

With 225 million professing Christians

in America alone it is difficult to find

a reason why these children are still

waiting for their forever families.

ForeverHome

A TALE TO ENCOURAGEBELIEVERS TO ADOPT


The first answer is, by no means, the final

one, though. We decided to adopt also

because we, as believers, were adopted

first. Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But when the

fullness of time had come, God sent forth

his Son, born of woman, born under the

law, to redeem those who were under the

law, so that we might receive adoption as

sons.”

The question we were faced with wasn’t,

“Why should we adopt?” It was: “Why

shouldn’t we?”

We completed mountains of paperwork,

submitted background checks, registered

fingerprints, and faced down the piling

expenses without fear. We believe God

never calls us to do something that He

doesn’t provide the resources to complete.

By the end of that year, we had completed

our home study.

November 10, 2012:

God's Child for Us

Jinan is the capital of Shandong province

in Eastern China, and rests on an area

that had been inhabited for thousands

of years by the time of Christ. It is full of

history, stories, the remains of millennia-

old structures. Somewhere in that city in

2012, a child was born to a mother who

we will likely never know.

It is impossible to know the exact reason—

political pressure to restrict the number of

children in a family, cultural pressure to

have male children, or abject poverty and

the inability to provide for her—but little

Margaret Jun was abandoned. She found

her first home, her “for-now home”, at

the Children’s Welfare Institute 326 days

after we first expressed our joy on our

blog over completing our home study.

September 2014: Time to Go

Suddenly, following a period of waiting,

patience, and prayer, there was a burst

of activity. In September of 2014, we

announced that we were leaving for

China on October 8.

You can imagine the bustle: sixteen days

to pack; sixteen days to journey around

the world to a place that could not be

more different than home.

The next weeks were filled with stories:

our drive to the airport, our adventures

in rickshaws, our home-cooked Chinese

meals, our soaking in the history of

Tiananmen Square. But the common

thread throughout our journey was not

one of tourist wonder, it was of familial

anticipation. We could not wait for the

day we would meet the newest member

of our family.

October 13, 2014: Gotcha Day

That morning, we met our guide, John,

at 8am and drove about an hour to

the orphanage. The orphanage itself

was much larger than I expected and

was bright and clean. They currently

have around 600 children there and

200 caretakers. It’s hard to describe

the feelings we had as we drove to the

orphanage or as we saw it for the first

time or as we got off the bus and walked in

the front door. For me, it was as if a tidal

wave of emotions were being held back by

a paper thin dam that would break at the

slightest crack. Part of me wanted to just

go ahead and cry, but I didn’t want MJ’s

first sight of me to be crazy, crying Dad.

We were taken into a lobby/waiting area

that was large with windows and some toy

rides like you’d see at the mall. We didn’t

know how everything would happen. We

were just anxiously waiting to find out if

we would go to them or if they would

This is the first glimpse the Woods

got of MJ at the orphanage.


Forver Home (Continued)

bring them to us. All of a sudden a worker

walked through the door with one of the

children, and his parents went to him. It

was a sweet introduction. Now we were

really anxious because we knew MJ could

come through the door any second…

and then she came. We recognized her

immediately and went to meet her. She

was clinging to the teacher and didn’t

know what to make of the three strangers

in front of her. The teacher put her down

and walked away a few steps. MJ quickly

walked to her. We didn’t even know she

could walk! The teacher kept telling her

we were her mama and baba (mommy

& daddy in Chinese) and then made her

go to Stephanie. MJ didn’t like that and

cried a little. After a few minutes she

started to warm up and was at least calm.

As more time went by she let Stephanie

hold her and feed her. She started copying

Madison if she clapped her hands and

even said, “uh oh” when Madison would

say it.

Before we left one of the teachers came

to talk to MJ who was in Stephanie’s

arms. She said a few things to her and

then held out her arms for MJ to come

to her. MJ shook her head, said “mama,”

and laid her head down on Stephanie.

And that’s when I lost it. Stephanie and I

looked at each other in disbelief. Did our

child whom we just met an hour or two

ago really just call Stephanie “mama?”

As we drove away from the orphanage I

was thanking God for His goodness and

grace. MJ would never spend another

night in a room full of cribs with other

orphans. She’d never again be one of 40-

50 children being raised by 2 caregivers

and who doesn’t have anyone to call

mama or baba. She was ours and we were

hers!

Forever Family

To read our whole story, please visit our

blog: anothertreeinthewoods.com. It

captures the emotion we felt in real-time

as we navigated the paperwork, journeyed

around the world, took home our baby,

and chronicle the adjustment period

afterwards.

We were a family already full by Western

standards, yet God still called us to take a

beautiful, sharp, excited little girl into our

lives. My family and I strongly urge you

to pray about taking a step as we did, for

there is no place to which He’ll call us that

He can’t sustain us through.

Perhaps you are not prepared to adopt;

that is completely acceptable, also. There

are a huge number of people both willing

and able—but struggling to afford it.

Adoption is expensive. If you cannot take

a child into your family, perhaps you can

help somebody else who can. Consider

giving to our church's orphan care

ministry called Arms of Love that helps

those looking to adopt.

Whatever the case, we finally urge you to

pray for the millions like our daughter,

MJ. Pray that they will find their forever

home, of course—but beyond that, that

they would find their forever Father.

A room of cribs where MJ once slept in an orphanage of a few hundred children.

Signature MJ laugh.


IN MEMORIAMLamar Lindsey

February 19, 1922–September 19, 2014

Martha SurrettFebruary 5, 1939–September 30, 2014

Ruth CatesMarch 30, 1925–October 1, 2014

Dorothy WaszakDecember 16, 1938–October 14, 2014

Charlene PlemonsApril 2, 1936–October 23, 2014

Our Church FamilyCONGRATULATIONS

Arnold & Joy Arredondoon the birth ofEmery Joy

October 10, 2014

Collin & Stephanie Woodon the adoption of

Margaret Jun October 13, 2014

STEWARDSHIP REPORTSeptember

Offering Receipts: $234,292Online Receipts: $58,598Total Receipts: $292,890

YTD Budget Goal: $2,777,322YTD Budget Receipts: $2,284,965

OctoberOffering Receipts: $256,824

Online Receipts: $66,114Total Receipts: $322,938

YTD Budget Goal: $3,135,686YTD Budget Receipts: $2,607,903

9/7 9/14 9/21 9/28 10/5 10/12 10/19 10/26

Sanctuary Sunday 804 813 706 745 704 741 726 660

BX Saturday 336 267 217 276 218 209 187 186

BX Sunday 908 735 757 782 653 634 570 628

Children Saturday 144 113 100 119 33 92 93 93

Children Sunday 126 140 125 133 72 111 120 142

Hispanic 22 41 43 35 45 43 42 35

Cambodian 20 24 24 17 23 23 20 21

Total Weekend Worship 2360 2133 1972 2107 1748 1853 1758 1765

Life Groups 1249 1224 1144 1214 1056 1026 1051 1107

WEEKENDATTENDANCE


by Brian ChaunceyMissions Logistics Coordinator

Can you imagine living in a place with no

access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? For

many of us that concept may be difficult

to comprehend. However, of the 7 billion

people alive today, the International

Mission Board reports that 1.7 billion

people have little or no access to the

Gospel. Billion... with a B! Practically, this

means that a 1.7 billion people around the

world will be born, live full lives, and die

without ever hearing the Gospel. They

will never see a church. They will never

meet a Christian. They will never know

that Jesus died for the sins of the world,

including theirs!

The Apostle Paul asked this question in

response to this hard reality: “And how

can they believe without hearing about

Him?” (Rom. 10:14). As a church that

is passionate about the living and active

Meeting Jesus forthe First Time

Word of God, we believe that every

unreached person on earth should have

access to the Good News. God has used

your generous giving to give unreached

people around the world access to the

Gospel. Through your giving, Brainerd

Baptist has been used by God to place

over 32,600 Bibles and Bible tools in the

hands of unreached people around the

world.

More than 32,600 Bibles and Bible tools have beendistributed in over 55 countries around the world through BBC


“Stephanie and I were able to participate in a training of 50 house church network leaders in South Asia. They were able to follow along using their own copies of the

Word of God in a language that they understand. They use their Bibles to lead their churches, disciple new believers, and share the Gospel in their unreached communities.”

Brian, BBC Short-Term Team Member in South Asia (Bibles)

“Three years ago I accepted Christ. When driving I listen to the Word of God

on my memory card. I also used it to share the Gospel with my mother and father who both accepted Christ also.”

Truck Driver in West Africa(SD Cards)

“Amber and I both think the tools helped empower our believing friends to share the Gospel with their friends.

We praise God for your help to sow seed to those who have never heard.”

Nathan in Southeast Asia(Projector with Jesus Film)

GOSPEL IMPACT

BIBLE TOOLS

BIBLES (ARABIC)• Bibles translated into local languages

• Essential for discipleship & church planting

BIBLE STICKS• Loaded with Bible translations for oral

learners or closed countries

• Used for evangelism & discipleship

PROJECTOR• Loaded with Jesus Film & discipleship media

• Used for evangelism & discipleship

SD CARDS• Loaded with the Jesus Film, Bible translations,

and discipleship materials in local languages

for use in cellular phones.

• Evangelism and discipleship

PROCLAIMERS• Loaded with Bible translations for oral

learners & groups

• Evangelism & small group discipleship


by Paul LasoPastoral Assistant

As 2014 is coming to a close (unbelievable

to think), I reflect back on that entire

year. It's incredible to think about all that

God has taught us, as a church, through

His Word. We navigated through one of

the most memorable series in the years

that I’ve been here both as a member

and staff member: True North. The

question that was consistently asked,

“Will we bend to man’s opinion, or stand

on God’s Word?” couldn’t have been

a better walking point for that entire

series. For many of you, this resonates

as powerfully as it did for me.

I am as equally excited about the upcoming

series in the Gospel of John. The Series

will be split into three incredible sections

that will provide answer to the question,

“Do you know Him?”

The first section will cover the seven

signs that Jesus did in order to

demonstrate His power over creation.

The next section will cover the seven “I

AM” statements that Jesus claimed as

He walked this earth. And to close the

series in John, the final section will cover

the seven witnesses that spoke of Jesus.

Within each of these sections questions

such as these will all be answered in

an effort to provide evidence of His

power, exclaim His greatness, and be

encouraged to proclaim, as the witnesses

did, who Jesus is:

• Do you know what Jesus did?

• Do you know who Jesus is?

• Do you know who spoke of Jesus?

As we begin this year, I’m praying that

as we study through the Gospel of John,

God will give us a deeper appreciation of

our Savior, a longing to share that with

others outside of the faith, and produce

in us a sense awe as we worship our

great God!

Knowing JesusBY PAUL LASO


by Hamilton BarberStaff Writer

With Christmas just around the corner

and families eager to either begin new

Christmas traditions or revive old ones,

we’d like to share with you two resources

that can be used to communicate the true

message of Christmas (the birth of Jesus

Christ) to your children.

The Christmas Story for Children

The Christmas Story for Children, written

by the powerhouse team Max Lucado,

Randy Frazee, and Karen Davis Hill,

presents in a simple, easy-to-understand

way, the story and significance of the

birth of Christ.

The focal point of this book is Christ

as Messiah and as the Son of God.

Accompanied by rather stunning

watercolors by illustrator Fausto Bianchi,

it profoundly recounts Israel’s wait for

the Messiah, Jesus’ birth and fulfillment

of that role, and finishes up with Jesus’

baptism and the start of His ministry.

The Christmas Story for Children tells

the story of Jesus’ foretelling, birth,

and call to ministry simply, but in some

places the language may be over the

heads of the youngest readers to tackle by

themselves. The story is timeless, though,

and increasingly crucial in this age and

season. It would be perfect for a parent to

read along with their child.

Itsy Bitsy Christmas

Itsy Bitsy Christmas, also by Max Lucado,

takes a rather different approach: it tells

the story of two mice in Bethlehem trying

to rouse their friends because they’ve

heard (from a donkey, no less!) that a

King is coming to town.

The strong points of this book are its

incredible simplicity and the powerful

message that children will surely be quick

to pick up on: the donkey said it best, “This

King is special. He comes for everyone, big

and small.” Older readers will pick up on

under-the-text themes, too, like the mice’s

inability to find this King with the wise men,

the nobility, the busybodies, the lazy, the

businessmen, but rather in a lowly stable.

The youngest readers will be charmed

by the little mice, drawn in by the sparse

words, and jubilant when they learn that

this King came for everyone, even the

little ones like them.

It is never too early to share the message

of the birth of Christ with your children,

and these books are simple, fun ways to

do that! Pick up one (or both) of them and

spend an evening reading and learning

about the King Who came to save us all—

even the small ones.

Christmas Books Reviewed


by Tim LaFleurDiscipleMaking Pastor

At Brainerd Baptist Church we define disciple-making as:

“Equipping believers with the Word of God through

accountable relationships—empowered by the Holy Spirit—so

that they can mature in their faith, and replicate the process.”

Believers throughout the church are meeting in gender-

sensitive accountability groups of 3 to 5, so they can become

more Christlike and help others to do the same. These groups

allow them to develop close, intimate friendships (which is a

natural consequence of like-minded people in small groups

meeting together regularly), but perhaps most importantly,

they allow for accountability.

But what is accountability? And why is it so important?

What is accountability?

According to Webster’s dictionary, accountability is: “The

obligation to report, explain, or justify; being responsible or

answerable to someone.”

Practically speaking, accountable relationships can happen

when we give others the right to walk alongside us, observe

our manner of life, and share with us those things that don’t

measure up to Christ.

As Rod Hadley puts it, accountability “Will not remove sin or

keep you from sin, but it helps you become aware of your sin,

and helps you focus your attention back on Christ.”

He goes on to say, “Being accountable (to another person)

takes honesty, and if it doesn’t exist, it will be a meaningless

experience!”

You and I are living in a fool’s paradise if we think that we can

AccountabilityMatters


live the Christ-like life alone. We need one another! This is

especially true as we walk the path He has set before us.

Why do we need it?

Since I am a man, I don’t know all of the struggles that women

face. But as a man, I know personally that we often struggle

with such things as: power, position, prestige, job situations,

and lust.

At this point, some may push back and say, “Why do we need

the help of others when we have the indwelling Christ living

within us?” While it is true that Christ dwells within every

believer, it is easy for us to be deceived into thinking that all is

well in our fellowship with God.

All of us have what some have called blind spots. All of us have

talked ourselves into thinking all is well, yet all the while we

have bad habits, destructive behaviors, and things in our lives

that don’t honor God.

Consider the stakes of a believer’s walk with Christ:

• Their battle is against a three-pronged enemy: the world,

the flesh, and the devil

• Their every move is being scrutinized by an unbelieving

world

• They desire desperately to be in a right standing with a

perfect, holy God

• They want to be in a position to be able to encourage and

build others up, as well as to be able to continue growing

personally

Is that a load you’d like to bear all by yourself? Of course not! A

three-stranded cord is not easily broken, and the last thing that

anybody wants when they’re feeling beaten down or broken is

to be alone. We believers desperately need accountability in our

lives, and I believe the best place to find it in D-Groups.

In this course you'll learn things like:

Who You Should Ask to Be in Your Group

How to Invite Someone to be in Your Group

What Material to Use

How to Lay Out Expectations

Why an Authentic Walk with God is Important

How to Conduct a D-Group Meeting

What to do if You Don't Know All the Answers

BRAINERDBAPTIST.ORG/GETINTHEGAME


Serving as Church Administrator, Todd Wood’s role allows him

to work directly with each ministry at BBC. “The administrative

and operational roles of the church are only here to support the

ministries themselves. It’s not the other way around,” states Todd,

adding, “It is exciting to see the vision of a minister come to life,

and know that we helped in some small way.”

Raised in church as a young child, Todd came to know Christ

just before his parents divorced. Looking back, he believes God’s

timing was divinely orchestrated. After serving for several years,

in various lay-leadership roles, Todd had an insatiable desire to

do more.

“I enrolled in seminary, walked away from steady employment,

and began serving as a pastoral intern to BBC. God has opened

remarkable doors of opportunity for me since then,” Todd

testifies. He is half-way through his M.Div. courses at Southern

Baptist Theological Seminary.

In addition, Todd has been married for 16 years to Tara, and they

have a son, Dax (10). Tara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker

for Erlanger North Hospital. She provides counseling on behalf

of their adult outpatient program.

Contact Todd and let him know in what ways God has gifted you,

and how you might be able to work together in serving the Lord

and BBC.

Todd’s Favorites

Restaurant: Carrabba’s

Vacation Spot: Beach

Book: Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate by J. Clif Christopher

Todd Wood, Church Administrator


Before coming to Brainerd Baptist Church, Student Ministry

Assistant, Mary Kate Work, originally from Cleveland, TN, lived

in Las Vegas, NV for two years where she worked at a church and

at Starbucks. “I love coffee, sports, and I recently finished my first

marathon,” she adds.

“At seven years of age,” Mary Kate says, “I felt Jesus tug on my

heart." After a revival meeting at her church, she asked her parents

many questions about following Jesus. She recalls, “I asked Jesus

into my heart that night, and have been following Him ever since;

doing my best to obey Him in everything.”

Mary Kate’s calling to vocational ministry stems from that night.

She felt God place a huge burden on her heart to be willing to do

whatever He wanted to her to do. “I think God is still in the process

of revealing what my vocational ministry will look like for the rest of

my life, but for now, His plan for my life is to serve students and to

get my masters from Southeastern Seminary in Christian Ministry,”

declares Mary Kate.

“I love hanging out with the students and hearing about what God is

doing in their lives. I believe they are the generation that can change

the world,” Mary Kate says.

If you are interested in serving in any capacity of student ministry,

email Mark Kate Work at [email protected] or

Bo Dunkle at [email protected].

Mary Kate’s Favorites

Restaurant: Chick-fil-A

Vacation Spots: Hawaii or California.

Books: Radical by David Platt, Multiply by Francis Chan, and

The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler.

Mary Kate Work, Student Ministry Assistant


Christmas Makes Everything NewSunday, December 7 4pm & 6:30pmSanctuaryChristmas Makes Everything New is a Christmas musical presented by our choir and orchestra to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Keyboards at ChristmasSunday, December 144pm & 6:30pmSanctuaryUsing six grand pianos, a pipe organ, and more than a dozen pianists, Keyboards

at Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ featuring traditional sacred Christmas music, as well as some favorite holiday classics. Guest musicians include Frank Jones and Bruce Clark.

Christmas Eve ServicesWednesday, December 244pm: Sanctuary5pm: BX6pm: SanctuaryHoliday traditions like drinking hot chocolate, baking cookies, and decorating the tree signify the beginning of one of the most important seasons

in our history. This year on Christmas Eve, we’ll be gathering in three intimate settings on our own campus to celebrate as a faith family the birth of Jesus. To ensure we have enough space to accomodate everyone and any extended family that may be visiting with you, please pick up tickets from the Welcome Desk for the service time you’d like to attend.

Get in the Game (D-Groups 101)Saturday, January 178:30am-12pmBX Crosspointe

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2

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28 29 30 31 25

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Christmas MakesEverything New

Sanctuary4pm & 6:30pm

Parent’sNight Out

6-10pm

Parent’sNight Out

6-10pm

Lunch with Dennis

SwanbergGym11am

Keyboards atChristmasSanctuary

4pm & 6:30pm

Christmas EveServices

4pm: Sanctuary 5pm: Gym

6pm: Sanctuary

DECEMBERNo WednesdayNight Activities

Christmas Day

Church Offices Closed

Women on Mission

Room 20910:30am-12pm


Get in the Game is a training time for those who are new to leading a D-Group. During this time we cover all the basics including how to decide who should be in your group, what to do if you don't know all the answers, and what material you should use.

Membership MattersSunday, January 258:30am-12:30pmFellowship HallMembership Matters is a class designed for both new members and those considering becoming members of Brainerd Baptist Church.

Men's ConferenceFriday, January 31 (6-9pm)Saturday, January 30 (7am-1pm)BX Crossing$30This year, we will host a simulcast of the Johnny Hunt Men’s Conference. The 2015 theme is Win From Within: Feel the Force of Forgiveness. No matter what kind of losing (or winning) streak you may find yourself in, we’ll tackle once and for all the issues that keep us from the goal line. It starts with God’s forgiveness—the freeing force that fuels the most epic comebacks!

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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Wednesday Night Activites

Resume

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JANUARY

Parent/ChildDedication

Parent/ChildDedication

MembershipMatters

8:30am-12:30pmFellowship Hall

Men's ConferenceBX Crossing

New Year's Day

Church Offices Closed

REGISTRATION AND MORE

INFORMATION FOR ALL

OUR EVENTS ARE PROVIDED

ON THE EVENTS PAGE

OF OUR WEBSITE. IF YOU

DO NOT HAVE ACCESS

TO A COMPUTER OR THE

INTERNET, YOU CAN CALL

OUR CHURCH OFFICE AT

(423) 624-2606 TO REGISTER

FOR ANY EVENT.

Get in the GameBX Crosspoint8:30am-12pm

Women on Mission

Room 20910:30am-12pm

Saints AliveBX Crosspoint

10am

step 3: get a group together

The Growing Up Challenge is a 13-week journey with 2-4 other believers that will help you grow in your

relationship with God by practicing six core activities in an environment of encouragement and accountability.

take the challenge now at growingupchallenge.com

step 1: get a copy of growing upfrom the welc0me center

Every person in the group should have a copy. In the book, Pastor Robby talks about why being

a part of a D-Group is vital to your relationship with God. He then walks you through six core

activities that should be present in your life and that will become deeply instilled habits

by practicing them with a small, intimate group of fellow believers over the next 13 weeks.

step 2: sign up for the challengeIf you’re leading the group, sign up at growingupchallenge.org to get:

• The Growing Up Almanac (Study Guide)

• Weekly Growing Up training videos (13 weeks)

• All the resources from the book in printable PDF format

• Exclusive access to our discipleship community to ask

questions and get answers

Now it's time to start thinking about 2-4 people you can approach about

being a part of your group. If you don’t feel comfortable leading, don’t let that stop

you from approaching people you know to be a part of a group. Once you all get signed

up, watch the first video, and look through the material, you can decide which of you

should facilitate the group. Remember, the videos and materials are designed to guide

you through leading a discipleship group even if you’ve never led one before.

Documents

December 2014 / January 2015 Newsletter