Who Influences You?



Our dear friends, Roger and Joy Powell

Twenty years ago, as the result of being a part of a conference honoring Charles Finney and his two hundredth birthday, the Lord allowed my path to cross with Roger and Joy Powell. At that time, Roger was the music director for Pastor R.B. Ouelette in Bridgeport, Michigan. Immediately, the Lord knit our hearts and He used Roger to be a strong influence in my life in the area of Biblical music.

Very patiently, Roger taught me that God does provide Biblical principles in the area of music, and he showed me how to apply those principles to the music ministry of the church. I am very grateful for the time and energy that Roger took to influence me in this way.

Who influences you? As a result of the influence that these people provide, do you love the Lord more?  Are you more like the Master as a result of this influence? Paul was a great influence in Timothy's life, but he could only have an impact on his life as far as Timothy would let him. As far as my music standards, I was at the point in my life where I wanted to please the Lord in this area, but I didn't have a clue where to go to learn about this. The Lord, in his mercy, brought the Powells into our lives and I am eternally grateful to God for this.

If people are going to influence me, that means I have to be willing to let them identify areas in my life that maybe are not pleasing to God or areas where I may need some direction. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10-11, "But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. " Paul allowed Timothy to get close enough to him that the young man was able to be infuenced in many areas by the older teacher. We must be willing to let godly people have that kind of an impact in our lives.

I am so grateful for that time twenty years ago when the Lord allowed me to meet Roger and Joy. I am also thankful that, beginning in February, the Powells will be a part of the ministry that is Greater Cumberland Baptist Church. I am praying that the influence Roger has had on my life, he will be able to have on the lives of many people at this church.

Who influences you? I am interested to hear about the people who have had a positive impact in your life.

RWE 2011

The Nepali Family Conference

Dr. Prashant, his wife, Susie and Pastor Ken Shaver

No matter where you live, your marriage and your family can be a great blessing to you. No matter in what part of the world you live, the principles of a godly family and marriage are consistent. Currently, I am in Nepal spending time with some American missionaries and trying to be a help to the Nepali people regarding issues of the family.

One of the couples, pictured above, is Dr. Prashant and his wife, Susie. Prasant, a Nepali, got his medical training in the Republic of Georgia, where he met Susie, who is Armenian. After their marriage and finishing medical school, they came back to Nepal where he opened up a private clinic. Because of her homesickness and Russian Orthodox upbringing, Susie talked her husband in to taking her to church. The first church they came to was the one where the American missionaries that I am visiting are doing a work. By God's grace and mercy Both Dr. Prashant and Susie trusted Christ and have grown in their faith by leaps and bounds.

The challenges that Nepali families face are, for the most part, consistent with the challenges that families around the world face. The answers are also found in the same place, the Word of God. For three days, the Scriptures were presented in such a way so that the families could find help that they needed for the problems they encountered. The vast majority of the teaching and preaching was very foundational. We dealt with the very basic issues of the family and everyone's role in it. The response was very, very encouraging. After the services, the believers would gather around and ask questions regarding what was presented. Pray with me that there will be fruit that remains from this time.

The picture that you see above is from a top-shelf video presentation the missionaries are putting together. It presents the life of a young Russian Christian girl who is arrested at the wedding altar for her faith and imprisoned five years before being allowed to go free. Susie play the girl, and Prashant plays the young man she attempted to marry. It is a very moving story on a young woman's strong faith.

Ken Shaver
www.visitgcbc.com

What Commitment for Christ

Pastor Pradesh is a faithful Nepali and was my translator during the conference.

I have had the distinct pleasure of speaking to a group of Nepali Christians on issues of the home. I have done this as a part of my trip to Kathmandu and villages in Nepal. Prior to their salvation, the people of Nepal have been under a strong Hindu influence. Also, Buddhism, Maoism and demon possession are very strong here. I was introduced to people who had been demon possessed and delivered by God after the Hinduists, witch doctors, and others failed.

There was a great number of people who attended the conference from within Kathmandu. The local missionary here has been doing a wonderful work and the Lord has blessed the work with much fruit. Additionally, there were a very large number of Nepalis who attended from the villages. Some of the people traveled as far as 14 tortuous hours by bus to be a part of this meeting and to hear the preaching and teaching of God's word. Fourteen hours. At our church in Kentucky we have several families that come from over an hour away to be a part of our services, and one family that has been members for almost nine years drives over 90 minutes. But fourteen hours? What a humbling thing it was for me to represent Christ to these dear people. What a challenging thing it is for me to see the commitment of these saints of God. You have to understand, seven of the ten tallest mountains in the world are right here. the winding roads make circuitous routes up and down these mountains. Catastrophic bus crashes over the sides of these mountains are a way of life for the people from the villages. Typically, there are no survivors. And yet, they came for three days to sit on the floor all day long and hear about the unsearchable riches of Christ. They came to find help for their families. They came to be challeged. Yet I was the one who was challenged.

Oh God, help us to be committed to You and to your Son.

Ken Shaver
www.visitgcbc.com

Reaching the World

Beautiful, Needy Nepal

           There is a responsibility on the part of the local church to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the “regions beyond.” It has been the privilege of Greater Cumberland Baptist Church to be the sending church for missionaries to the country of Nepal.

I believe that for the church to fully respond to this task, she must not be satisfied with just sending missionaries. II Timothy 2:2, says, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Winning souls, baptizing converts, discipling the believer, establishing churches, providing a quality translation of scripture, and establishing a Bible institute to train the next generation of missionaries and pastors; all of these are important parts of what the church should be doing as she sends out missionaries. I am grateful that we are working toward that goal of doing a complete missionary work.

            It is a joy for me to be able to go to Nepal and see first hand what God is doing there. It is also a great blessing to be able to participate in a family conference while I am there, and to try to present to the Nepali people God’s way for establishing and maintaining a family. Additionally, I will be taking time to explore the country with the intention of seeing what the Lord has for the future of the ministry there.

            Pray with me that the Lord would be glorified and would provide us a straight path for the work He would have us do.

            Do you agree with the scope of the missions program presented here? Let me know what you think.

Ken Shaver
www.visitgcbc.com

Family Crusade 2011

We are so grateful for the times when we can concentrate on issues of the family. For the last five years, Greater Cumberland Baptist Church has taken the month of July and dealt with issues pertaining to the home. Using the Scriptures, we have been able to provide direction to families so that they can get the help they need and be what the Lord wants them to be.

This last month, we have dealt with issues like; using the Bible to determine the direction of the home, problems in parenting, Harmony in the Home, Faithfulness in the Family, and other topics that I believe can be a great asset to any family.

This year, we did something we have never done before. Several families joined Robyn and me on our first-ever marriage retreat. I was so pleased by the response to the time together for the husbands and their wives, and I think it was a great source of encouragement to them. The feedback was very positive. We had several sessions for the couples together, and then we presented several times for the men and women separately. We are already making plans to host our next couples retreat in March 2012. Stay tuned for details.

If you are interested in listening to some of the messages, just follow the link and listen online. If you would like all of them, you can order them for a gift of $30.00. Just email me at pastorshaver@visitgcbc.com and we will ship them to you.

Ken Shaver
www.visitgcbc.com

Five Reasons to Come to the Harmony In The Home Marriage Retreat

Greater Cumberland Baptist Church will be hosting her first-ever marriage retreat July 28-30 in beautiful New Harmony, Indiana, which is nestled on the Wabash River.

I truly believe this event is one of the most important events that we have ever hosted. Let me give you five reasons why you should make plans and attend:

1. It will be a great time to restart your marriage. A twenty-first century marriage is an on-the-go relationship. The demands of life are hard, and it is so important to take time to get back to the basics in your marriage.

2. It will be a refreshing time with your spouse. There will be opportunities for you and your spouse just to enjoy each other's company. Some great games for the couples are planned, and you will have a wonderful time together.

3. The retreat will allow you to reinvigorate your marriage. With the vast majority of couples that I have counseled, the issue is not, 'what is right,' but, 'we know what is right and need some help.' This time together will give you the help needed for doing right in your marriage.

4. You will be able to renew your commitments to each other. Remember when you knew that this was the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? Remember the feelings you had? The things you did together? Take a few days and renew that commitment.

5. In Harmony, Indiana, you will be able to rebuild your marriage. The Christian life is about getting rid of the old man, and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). At our marriage retreat, we will take time to show you how to do exactly that.


Ken Shaver
www.visitgcbc.com