Jesus Christ is alive!

I mentioned this in the latest Western Word... Why don't we start baking a big birthday cake for our yearly Happy Birthday Jesus Celebration (aka Christmas) and have a big celebration at church. Be sure to make it a very good tasting cake, so that no one will gripe. Be sure to put 33 candles on it. Explain why. Everyone, who loves Jesus, will love celebrating His birthday.

You could do this as an evangelistic emphasis in church. You could add: "Jesus wants to invite you to not only His birthday party, but to put your faith in Him completely and follow Him. He died for you. He rose from the dead for you. Will you accept Him and His invitation today?" Be sure to explain just how upset the heavenly Father (Jesus' Daddy) is going to be, if they turn down His the invitation to His Son's party (see Matthew 22).

If no one in your church knows how to bake a good-tasting cake (some of our churches with younger memberships might have this problem), then go to Publix and order one. Make sure it says "Happy Birthday Jesus!" and make sure it has 33 candles. You can even explain it all to the folks working at Publix. (or Kroger, or Food Lion, or Wal-Mart, etc.)

Let's start this new tradition. Like I wrote in the Western Word, I'm sure that this would please our heavenly Father.

I pray that you and your family experience all the blessings of our Lord during this celebration of His birth. Happy Birthday, Jesus, Celebration to one and all!

Growing Together for His Glory!
Bro. Wayne

UPCOMING EVENTS in the WBA...

• Dec. 21 No Ministers' Meeting
• Dec. 23-25 WBA office closed
  
• Dec. 25 Happy Birthday Jesus!
• Dec. 28 No Ministers' Meeting
• Dec. 30-31 WBA office closed
• Jan. 1 Happy New Year!
  

- 2010 -

• Jan. 4 Ministers' Meeting at 11:00 AM WBA building.
  

• Jan. 8-9 Disaster Relief Phase I Training. Royal BC. This is an official state-wide GBC training event. Register Online (Deadline in Jan. 1 !) at: www.gbcdisasterrelief.org
  

• Jan. 11 Ministers' Meeting at 11:00 AM WBA building.

• Jan. 12 (Tuesday) Western Baptist Bible Institute classes begin. Dr. Paul Dennis, professor. Rev. Ken Norton, dean. Course: Formation of Ministry. Cost: $190 (includes books).

• Jan. 18 Ministers' Meeting at 11:00 AM WBA building.
  

• Jan. 22-23 “Chainsaw School” Disaster Relief Training at Rockridge Baptist Assembly, Franklin, Ga. (Phase I Training required!). Register Online (Deadline is Jan. 15 !) at: www.gbcdisasterrelief.org
  

• Jan. 25 Ministers Meeting. 11:00 AM WBA building. Vicki Hale (Coweta County Pregnancy Services) will present program.
  

• Jan. 26 “How to have a winning Sunday School” area-wide conference at Royal BC. 6:30-8:30 pm.
  

• Feb. 8 Super Evangelism Conference at Northside BC. 7:00-8:30 pm (Same conference at each location)

• Feb. 9 Super Evangelism Conference at FBC Moreland 7:00-8:30 pm(Same conference at each location)
  

• Feb. 26 VBS “Early bird” Directors meeting. 7:00 pm TBA

• March 2 WMU Spring Inspiration. 6:30 pm First Baptist Church, Newnan
  

• March 20 WBA - VBS Team attends VBS Regional training clinic at FBC Cartersville, Ga.

• April 15 (Thursday Night!) Executive Committee meeting. WBA building. 7:00 pm

• April 20 Annual Spring Meeting. Living Proof Baptist Church 6:00 pm

• April 23 WBAssociational VBS clinic. Royal BC. 6:30-8:30 pm

Jesus Christ is our King!

We are going to celebrate our annual Ministers & Wives Christmas banquet tonight at Royal Baptist Church. Brother Paul Dennis is cooking the steaks and we are going to have a lot of fun.

This year we are going to try a new game (the old White Elephant - Steal each other's gift game took FOREVER!). This year we are going to play "Musical Gifts". It's kind of like musical chairs.

Here's how it works: Eight people are sitting at a round table. Then they all get up and go get a gift from the gift table (not the gift they brought!). Then they sit back down and open the gift. Now the music starts and they must pass their newly opened gift to the person on the right. The gifts keep getting passed around the table - all gifts at the same time. When the music stops, you have to keep the gift in your hands. I hope it works out.

I love our times of fellowship in the Western Baptist Association. I especially enjoy our Monday morning ministers meetings at 11:00 AM at the WBA building. Our ministers are a great bunch of folks.

I hope you can come to our meeting on Monday, December 14. We will be discussing in detail our WBA Evangelisitic Campaign 2010. We want to reach every family in our WBA with the Gospel in 2010. This is going to be fun.

See you Monday!
Bro. Wayne

Upcoming Events in the WBA!

• Dec. 10 Ministers & Wives Christmas Banquet at Royal BC 6:30pm - $15 for individual / $25 for couples. Please bring a gift ($10 or less) to play “MUSICAL GIFTS”
  

• Dec. 14 Ministers Meeting at 11:00 AM WBA building. We are going to discuss in detail our WBA Evangelism Campaign for 2010!! Please try to come.

- 2010 -

• Jan. 8-9 Disaster Relief Phase I Training. Royal BC. This is an official state-wide GBC training event.
  

• Jan. 12 (Tuesday) Western Baptist Bible Institute classes begin. Dr. Paul Dennis, professor. Rev. Ken Norton, dean.

• Jan. 22-23 “Chainsaw School” Disaster Relief Training at Rockridge Baptist Assembly, Franklin, Ga. (Phase I Training required!)
  

• Ministers Meeting. 11:00 AM WBA building. Vicki Hale (Coweta County Pregnancy Services) will present program.
  

• Jan. 26 “How to have a winning Sunday School” area-wide conference at Royal BC. 6:30-8:30 pm.
  

• Feb. 8 Super Evangelism Conference at Northside BC. 7:00-8:30 pm (Same conference at each location)

• Feb. 9 Super Evangelism Conference at FBC Moreland 7:00-8:30 pm(Same conference at each location)
  

• Feb. 26 VBS “Early bird” Directors meeting. 7:00 pm TBA

• March 2 WMU Spring Inspiration. 6:30 pm First Baptist Church, Newnan
  
• March 20 WBA - VBS Team attends VBS Regional training clinic at FBC Cartersville, Ga.
  

• April 15 Executive Committee meeting. WBA building. 7:00 pm

• April 20 Annual Spring Meeting. Living Proof Baptist Church 6:00 pm

• April 23 WBAssociational VBS clinic. Royal BC. 6:30-8:30 pm