I don’t claim to be a master gardener or possess any sort of green thumb, yet somehow over the last several years, plants that have been gifted to ARC on various occasions have found themselves under my feeble watch.  I enjoy the looks of the greenery and the variety that it adds to our décor, but I feel very inadequate to care for them.  There is a reason that you won’t find a living plant in my house!  Oh there have been plants; they are just no longer living.  I can never remember if leaves falling off the plant mean that it has been watered too much and yellowing leaves mean it was watered too little, or vice versa or something all together different.  I never know if the poor plant is drowning or starving!  Thankfully George, our resident plant professional, was willing to coach me and give me some advice.  Rule #1 was for me to pick one day of the week to water the plants and then do it.  He said that way I wouldn’t forget.

So I decided to get the job done right away and water the plants every Monday.  This plan worked well for awhile, until… I got busy and forgot.  Monday faded into Tuesday, Tuesday rolled over to Wednesday, Wednesday slid into Thursday, and by Friday morning I was greeted with green leaves that were no longer standing at attention, but were bowed low to the ground.  Oops!  I wondered what George would say…  I was sure that I had killed the plant, but I decided to give it a long overdue drink anyway and see what happened.  To my amazement, within hours the plant was completely renewed.  The leaves were glossy and smooth and once again stood upright.

I pondered how this plant reflected my life. Many times I have made a plan to regularly spend time with God in prayer and in His word.  I wake up early to pray, start a new devotional book, or commit to a small group Bible study, and I feel alive and refreshed.  My steps seem lighter and my nerves less frazzled.  I echo the words of the Psalmist when he writes “He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul”.  (Psalm 23:2-3)

But then sometimes the things of life get in the way.  A rushed morning leads into a busy day which multiplies into a busy week and soon the plan is pushed aside or forgotten.  The calendar and to-do list have become more important than an open Bible and a bowed head, and I feel dry and deserted and my spirit droops.  Just as with the drooping plant, I do not need to wonder what is wrong, I know what is lacking.  And just as with the original disciples of Christ—the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

So what do we do when we fail? We need a drink. In John 7:37, Jesus offers the invitation: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” There are so many opportunities to come to the water. Maybe it’s in your bed while you are lying awake at night, maybe it’s falling on your knees and telling the Lord you are sorry for forgetting or replacing Him, maybe it’s sitting in the Prayer Room or the Worship Center and saying nothing more than, “I’ve missed you, Lord”. Another opportunity to drink deeply was offered last Monday night at the Celebration of Prayer and Praise. I think most that attended would agree that their cup was filled that evening and they walked out the door thirsty for more of the One who supplied the drink.

Like the plant that I forgot to water was refreshed, so it is with you and I when we drink of the Living Water that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Drink deeply, my friend!

Erin Jacobsma, Office Administrator

Introducing…The ARC Youth Praise Band!!!

As most of you are aware this past school year we have had the chance to allow many members of the middle school and high school youth group to begin experimenting with leading worship as a part of various praise teams on Wednesday nights. It has been a thrill to see the teens taking on this challenge with a real passion in their hearts, and how the other members of the youth group have gradually given themselves more and more to worship as a result. This summer we will be taking a group of these young people “on the road” to lead worship and share testimonies at various events around the community and region.

Beginning this Monday, May 19^th, the students will meet each afternoon for a full week to receive intense training in music, worship, personal faith, and prayer. They will also learn how to effectively share their testimony both with a large group and one-to-one. Over the course of the following weeks we will continue to rehearse and will also engage in team-building retreats which will combine work projects, worship, and other activities designed to enhance unity and faith on the team.

The youth team would like to ask all of the members of ARC to support them with prayer and encouragement as they take their faith to the streets this summer. This will take a lot of courage, and we expect God to do great things! We will keep you informed of the events as they are scheduled and would love to see you there! Below are the ones we currently have on the schedule…

June 18 (W)  ARC Picnic & Praise   5:30-8 PM

July 17 (TH)  Hot Dog Night (Wiener Dog Race)   6:15 PM-?

July 21-25 (M-F)  Worship @ Inspiration Hills   all day

August 31 (Su.)  Worship @ ARC   9:30AM

Other engagements we have in the works include leading worship at the State Park, Farmer’s Market, and the Southwestern Youth Center. If you have other suggestions for community events where we could share some music, please let me know!

Cory Grimm, Worship & Outreach Director

Ten years ago I ran a private health club. I learned a lot as we served the upper class and occasionally the lower class via an inner city ministry the club partnered with. On one particular day, God used a series of events to teach me firsthand when grace begins. It’s a day I will never forget.

The morning started out by training a very wealthy family. As I was working with the son, I overheard a conversation his mother was having with other members. The discussion was about fundraising efforts of their school. One of the ladies of the group was on the school board. She commented about how surprised she was to learn that the lower income families in their school donated more to fundraisers than the wealthiest families. Right after she was done sharing this comment, the mother of the boy I was training said, “That is not surprising to me; that is why we have more money because we use it more wisely.” The comment brought laughter from the group. It saddened me because I knew some of the school’s fundraising efforts helped support the same inner city kids we worked with.

As I finished training the son I began to work with his mother. It was obvious that her conscience was convicted as she began to justify her actions by sharing how much money they donated to other agencies that year. She said she felt compelled to give because they made their fortune by purchasing run-down apartments and then rented them out for an inflated price to lower income individuals. She said that by giving back it helped her to sleep at night.

Next I began to train the husband and father of the family who we will call “Karl.” Karl continued to share with me how they amassed their wealth and how he was frustrated with poor people as they were lazy and irresponsible. He felt that everyone could accumulate wealth if they worked harder and managed their finances better.

The final individual I trained that session was a boy named Trevon. Trevon came to our club via the inner city ministry we partnered with. That day he didn’t have a ride home so I offered. However, there was a problem. He had no home. His mom lived in a crack house and he never knew his father. He slept on couches of friends and distant relatives. He didn’t want to go to the crack house as his mom’s boyfriend often beat him so I dropped him off at a friend’s place. He was hoping he could get some sleep there so he was ready for his exam the next day. I never met a more respectful or hard working kid in my life. After learning more of Trevon’s family story, he became one of my heroes. The generational pain and trials passed down to them were so immense.

God broke my pride while I was driving home that night. I couldn’t fathom being Trevon and everything he had to overcome. A verse came to mind, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:8-10.) Then I heard, “My grace begins in advance–at birth Andy. I placed you where I did for a reason and a purpose.”

God then reminded me that Karl was adopted as a baby by a very wealthy Christian family. We trained them as well years prior and they asked me to begin praying for Karl. As I continued to reflect on the day, I wondered how different Karl’s life would be if instead he had been adopted into Trevon’s family? What if I had been born into a different family? This experience was extremely humbling and I pray will always keep things in proper perspective for me and my family.          Andy Anderson, Youth Ministry Director

John 5:39-40 says, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal
life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
You’ve probably heard the expression “It’s not what you know—but who you know!” That’s really true in the
Christian life as revealed in these verses. I believe it is important to know the Bible as “Your Word is a lamp
to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) God’s Word sheds light on how we should live our
lives with peace and joy even with the reality of pain and disappointment.
The Bible tells us how the world was created, has accounts of people who followed God’s directives while
others chose to do their own thing without regard to His will. The Bible shares the good, the bad, and the
ugly that happens in the lives of people from Eden to Revelation.
There are many people whose stories are shared in scripture that lead to the plan of salvation. Abraham
was living comfortably at home when God called him to move to Canaan, he trusted God and moved. God
promised Abraham was to be the father of a great nation and in his old age Isaac was born. God put
Abraham to the test by asking him to sacrifice his only son and was found obedient to God. “I swear by
myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I
will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on
the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your
offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:16-18
This story in Genesis is one of many that point to God’s plan for his people that there is hope of being
reconciled to God through His plan of salvation. Read John 5:39-40 again and understand it’s not scripture
that saves us but the Word becoming flesh—JESUS who is the way, the truth, and the life. Scripture points
to Jesus and His saving power for those who accept and believe in Him. We can be thankful for God’s
Word and for how it reveals God’s great love for us through Jesus. Praise God from who all blessings flow!
George Bonnema

ARC Family,

Below you will find a few snippets from our most recent post on the H.I.M. (Haitian International Missions) blog. It comes from some teaching by Zacharie, the director of the ministry. He is an amazing and godly man. Please take a few moments to soak in his insights on wealth and faith… to read more go to www.ouradventuresinhaiti.blogspot.com

Cory Grimm

1. Where your treasure is your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21)

…A treasure might be a person or an object that has great value in our eyes. God wants us to give him our (whole) heart. Therefore if we keep thinking of other things and forget God, we put God out of our life. It is not bad if you love your friends or family, but sometimes focusing on them too much can turn your heart away from God… It is the true sense of these Bible verses that we should not seek earthly things, but heavenly treasure. What treasure would you like to choose: earthly treasure or heavenly treasure? Unfortunately we can’t choose both…

2. No one can serve God and material things or the devil at the same time (verses 22-24)

…Those who trust in material things always think that the things of the earth are the greatest parts of life. They don’t know it is impossible to serve two masters at the same time. When your work compromises your spiritual life, that is materialism, because many people neglect their spiritual work to focus on material things. Some are too busy to study the Bible or pray to God because they choose to serve money instead of God…

3. We must not become anxious about our needs (verses 25-32)

These verses help us put material things in their proper perspective. Why do people look so energetically for money and the things money can buy?

1- To satisfy their desires and…

2- To find security

These reasons, neither one nor the other is acceptable for a Christian. The Christian must find deliverance of his desires or he will not be a Christian for long. A Christian finds his security in God through faith in His Word, and not in his earthly possessions or wealth.

4. It is much more important to be just than to be rich. (verse 33-34)

The last two verses conclude by stating that the most important thing we can do is to seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God. The material interests are not as important as the spiritual interests. We expect to live much longer in eternity than here on earth. Is it not absurd to amass earthly security at the expense of your heavenly treasures? These verses tell us that if we seek first the kingdom of God, all the things we need will be added to us as well.

When my kids were little, one of the things that they liked to do each day was watch Sesame Street.  It was an hour of learning fun with Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Bert & Ernie and many other characters.  One of the games that the characters played was a comparison activity.  There were always four items displayed, but one was different.  Sometimes there were 3 pieces of fruit and 1 vegetable, or 3 squares and 1 circle, or 3 large shoes and 1 small shoe.  It had a catchy little song that accompanied it that went like this:  “One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong.  Can you tell which thing is not like the other, before I finish this song?”  As an adult, it was very obvious which item was different, yet all the items had something in common and it was sometimes difficult for the characters on Sesame Street or my kids at home to decide on the correct answer.

Now, I haven’t watched Sesame Street in quite a few years, but I have been thinking this week about things that don’t seem to belong, and that silly song popped into my head again.  We all have places where we feel like we belong and also places where we don’t.  You’ve heard the phrase “I feel like a fish out of water” to describe someone who feels completely out of place or who doesn’t belong at all.  I myself feel like a fish out of water at a black tie event or a junior size clothing store.  Perhaps a pig farmer – fresh from the barn – would not feel like they fit in at The Bluestem, or a mechanic who just completed a days work would not belong on the living room couch.  I can only assume that a single person feels out of place in a room full of couples, or that a person bound to a wheelchair feels out of place in a world that caters to those who can walk.

So where do we belong?  I find that the places where I feel that I belong are where things are familiar and similar.  I feel like a fish at sea when I am in my home, or in my office; with my friends, or with my family.  It is there that I have things in common with others.  Recently, I was visiting with a dear friend before worship and they expressed their feelings that someone who joined us in worship didn’t belong there.  At the time, I didn’t know what to say, and I understood why they would think that, but it has been rehearsing in my mind all week.  As I sat in the sanctuary on Thursday evening, I wondered if I belonged there.  What makes me any different or better than someone who we would say doesn’t belong?  If Judas had showed up at Calvary, would the other disciples have told him that he didn’t belong there?  Would Jesus have spoken those words?

Honestly, none of us belong here.  One of these things is not like the other, and that would be Jesus Christ.  He is the perfect one who doesn’t fit; the only one who would have reason to say that he doesn’t belong with the rest of us.  And yet he loved us so much that he paid the ultimate price so that we could all belong.  Galatians 3:28 says  “There is now no distinction; neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, (rich nor poor, young nor old, intelligent nor simple); for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  We are all sinners in need of a Savior.  The ground is level at the foot of the cross.  Praise God we all belong!

Erin

A couple of months ago, a friend stopped in my office wondering if I could use a few craft supplies she had come across at home. As she listed off the items she wanted to share, she mentioned she had some polished rocks that her children had put through their rock polisher years ago. I commented how I had always wanted a rock polisher as a kid, but never had one. A few days later she delivered the little ‘treasures’ including the polished rocks. (no rock polisher) 🙂

Several weeks later, my friend appeared outside the door to my office. She had a package in her hands and a smile on her face. After working at Justice For All she came across a new rock polisher and she thought about me. I couldn’t wait to try it out! I was like a little kid after opening her birthday presents! Like all good women, I read the directions. Much to my disappointment, as I read, it became very clear that these little polished stones were going to take nearly 3 weeks of continuous turning, washing, tumbling… definitely not what I was expecting. I wanted the pretty polished rocks quicker than that.

Much like the rocks in the tumbler, we are tossed around in this world with different adventures both large and small. Some of the experiences are joyful, like when we welcome a new baby into the family. The precious, little child we hold in our arms is a beautiful creation and gift from our Father in Heaven. The joy of getting to know that child and raising them to know our Lord is amazing. I’m not a perfect parent and there are some things I would maybe do a little differently with my children, but I wouldn’t delete any of the experiences we have journeyed through together.

Sometimes as we are being polished, it hurts. We often would rather skip over these portions of our life. Times of sickness, bitterness, sorrow, depression, forgiving others… The list can go on and on. As my sister-in-law battles cancer, I want her to be healed of this disease. But, do I want her to miss the realization of the power of her mighty God? Not for one moment.

1 Peter 5:10 says, “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

Friends, God doesn’t promise us a life full of consistent joy, peace and happiness. According to Google, we have an average of 80 years on this Earth. Seems like a pretty good amount of time, but in the grand scheme of things, it is just moments. Moments we can spend seeking our Father’s face or doing things our own way. Sometimes I stumble, but God is always there watching over me, teaching me something and most of all extending His hand for me to hold on to and just trust Him.

Suffering for a little while… Like waiting for those tiny stones to be made beautiful ,we too need these times in life. God is polishing and refining us to be perfect masterpieces when we arrive in Heaven someday. He uses these earthly moments, both joyful and painful, to make us fully and completely His.

Becky

Driving to Sioux Falls on Friday at 8:00 AM, I was in prayer for the upcoming weekend.  This weekend would be different than most.  I was going to “Brothers in Blue” with twenty other men and women from Iowa and South Dakota to go into the Jameson Annex of the South Dakota State Penitentiary for three days.  I prayed for my teammates as well as the inmates that we would share this weekend with.

We worshipped and prayed together before entering the prison with nothing but our Bibles.  We greeted each of our prison brothers with a handshake.   These men had signed up to attend, but their reasons varied.  Some looked at it as a way to get out of their cells for a few days.  Others thought it would look good when they went before the parole board.  A few came to worship and be discipled.  As I reflected on the reasons these men came to the event, I thought about the varied reasons that we go to church each Sunday.  Some go to escape the regular routine of work and school.  Some go because we think it looks good on the “record”.  And others go to worship God with a community of believers.

We were divided into small table groups.  We laughed, cried, and ate together.  Singing songs of worship, praying, meditating, celebrating communion, listening to talks given by team members, and talking around our table groups, it became evident that these men were all across the board as far as their faith was concerned.  Some were Christians practicing their faith within the walls of a prison.  Some had a basic knowledge of the Christian faith from their childhood, but that was all.  And some knew nothing or practiced a different faith.  This reminded me of our church family.  We are all at different levels of our walk with Jesus.

Most of the guys were younger.  Listening to their stories of hurt and pain, it broke my heart to hear that the environment they experienced as children and young adults left them with little chance of leading a healthy lifestyle, much less knowing what it is to be a follower of Jesus.  They were longing for someone to love them and give them a sense of belonging.  Those who were followers of Jesus shared that prison is a hard place to be a Christian.  It is a dark place with a demonic presence and gang activity.  Not unlike our world today, is it?

Our team left the prison around 9:00 PM each evening and returned the following morning at 7:30.  As each day passed, it was evident that God was present and many of the men were being convicted by the Holy Spirit.  A prayer room was manned the entire weekend by two of our team as well as four inmates.  Someone was in prayer constantly for everything that happened and for each person present.  Prayer requests were also accepted and prayed over.

On Sunday afternoon, approximately 20 guys stood up and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.  We encouraged them to maintain contact with the prison chaplain and to read their Bible daily.  By the time we left, we were calling each other “brothers in Christ” with hugs of love and caring.

As I left the concrete walls and iron bars of prison and began my drive home, I again prayed.  A couple of things weighed heavy on my heart.  These “brothers” have very little hope of ever getting out of the vicious cycle they are in, due to their past, their old “friends”, and the stigma that society places on them.  I longed to be able to maintain contact with them and disciple them, but we were warned not to because of prison rules and the risk of jeopardizing future “Brothers in Blue” events.

Secondly, I realized that there were many people who were victimized by the actions that sent many of these men to prison.  It was easy for me to love these men and to call them “brothers”.  However, how would I respond if I had been victimized by one of these men, or if one of my family members or friends had been hurt, killed, or raped by one of these men?

These thoughts reminded me of what Jesus did for me.  I had no hope of ever getting out of the bondage of sin.  There seemed to be no way that I would ever be set free.  Then Jesus shed his blood and freed me from “prison”.   Galatians 5:1,13(MSG) “Christ has set us free to live a free life.  So take your stand!  Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.  It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life.  Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom.  Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.”

I think of how Jesus forgave me when I spit on him, beat him, hurled insults on him, and nailed him to the cross.  He still calls me his “child” and loves me.  Meditate on this as we observe Lent.

Free forever,  Merlin Wynia

Prior to Easter, I like to take time to meditate on the numerous ways God shows us His love through His life, death, and resurrection. A recent devotion led me through John 14, where verse 9 pierced my heart.

[John 14:9 NASB]  Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

After meditating on God’s love as a perfect father through the life of Christ, I now see He gave up all his physical comfort for my spiritual growth. He left his pleasures and home in Heaven. He never even bought a house on earth. He lived life as simply as humanly possible. He spent all of His energy on being obedient to His Heavenly Father while loving on and educating His kids. He taught them through the Word and through His life. He modeled perfect humility, love, and sacrifice. He gave them the gift of His Spirit and the hope of a better tomorrow, one that is not controlled by a fallen creation but is set free through a complete creator.

I, like every other parent, desire a more comfortable life for my kids. The spirit of this world teaches us comfort comes from the outside in. If we amass money, a better car, a better carnal education, a better job, a better house, a better mate, a better benefit plan etc., then we will find more comfort. Our Heavenly Father teaches us the opposite through His Word and life while He was here on Earth.

[Luke 12:34 NASB]  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

As a child of Christ, I first have to ask myself if I will truly accept my Heavenly Father’s teaching. As a father to my daughters, Grace and Elise, I next have to ask myself how much am I willing to commit my life to live like Jesus for their sake? Am I willing to give up my physical comfort for their spiritual growth? Am I willing to give up my time, my talents, my resources, my pride, and myself for the next generation?

[1John 2:6 NIV]  Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

What would the Church of the future look like if more adults raised up kids like Jesus did?  What if those kids taught their kids to do the same? By evidence of the eleven disciples that Jesus sowed His life into, the Church would reap a lot more fruit and have more influence on the Earth. The logic is simple. The decision is not. In some of His last words Jesus said when He returns to rule the Earth the reward will be worth it.

[Matthew 19:28-30 NIV] 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.”

Do I believe the reward is worth the sacrifice now? Do I believe Spiritual comfort is greater than carnal comfort? Do I believe Jesus? Am I willing to accept all of His teachings along with His death and resurrection for my salvation? What will I do? What will you do? What will the future Church look like?

Blessings in Christ,  Andy

Have you ever had a piece of fruit that looked so good, but when you took a bite of it you found it to be bitter, spoiled or rotten?

When you read the paper or hear the television commentators report that 55% of those poled believe it is good to legalize marijuana or that 61 % believe same sex marriages are good and therefore the laws should be changed to coincide with what the majorities report, do you go along with it?

Are our standards determined by what we think is good or looks good or acceptable to us?  Are we attempting to determine what is right by what a majority believe?  How does this thinking honor what God sets as absolute truth?  Are we being “fooled” into accepting what the majority believe or are we striving to keep the truth by knowing God’s Word?

The majority of the people of Israel wanted to have a king just as all the nations around them.  The prophet Samuel understood that the leader of Israel was God, who led them out of the land of Egypt and through the wilderness with a cloud by daytime and fire in the night.  Samuel tried to convince the people to trust God as their leader—but to no avail.

And the Lord told Samuel, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their King.” (1 Samuel 8:7)  God allows us to have free will even when we sometimes choose to do what is not God’s desire for us—even if “everyone else is doing it”.

Dear God, Help me to use Your Word as my guide rather than allowing my decisions to be made by what I hear on TV or read in a paper or what the majority of people believe.  Thank you for the Bible and your truth!  Help me to be grounded in your Word and trust Your leading in my life.  Amen.

George