One of the most important things Jesus ever said to his followers was also one of the last things he said to his followers. We remember it as the Great Commission:   

 Therefore go and make disciples of all 

 nations, baptizing them in the name of the

 Father and of the Son and of the Holy

 everything I have commanded you.

 (Matt 28:19-20)  

   What Jesus says matters. But the way he said it also matters. In the Greek language in which Matthew wrote his gospel, you can understand the word “Go” in one of two ways.

   The form of the word “Go”, as Matthew recorded it, can be understood as a military command: “GO!. That is an order.” Thus, Jesus is commanding all Christians to actively become witnesses to everyone.

 But the word “go” as Matthew wrote it can also be translated to suggest a continuing action: “as you are going, make disciples.” So instead of obedience to an order, witnessing becomes our lifestyle.

 I think Jesus chose His words carefully. He spoke the Great Commission as He did because He meant both – He is telling us to go forth and be witnesses. And He is telling us that sharing our faith should be, must be, part of our lifestyle.

 And here in Wheaton and Montgomery County, we have one advantage when it comes to the Great Commission: “all nations” have come to our door. The residents of our community represent over 100 nations. So we can go to “all the nations” and still sleep in our own beds each night.

   Jesus has told us what to do. The only question is, are we going to obey?

FREE MOVIE NIGHT THE ENCOUNTER SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 at 6:00pm  Stranded, five strangers find themselves marooned in a deserted roadside diner. They all come face to face with a diner owner, a genial host who is a certain Nazarene. He knows all of their secrets and possesses the answers to all of their problems – if only they would trust him. It is a miraculous Encounter that will leave them all changed. (Not Rated/PG)   All Movies are FREE to the public.  FREE Refreshments will be provided and there will be supervised activities for young children

A recent study shows that among people who wonder about the meaning of life, 50% go to church. Among those who do not consider that question, almost none go to church. But to effectively ponder the meaning of life, there are some questions you need to answer. Join us on Sunday nights starting February 19 as we seek to answer these 7 really important questions:

March 18      What Happens When I Die?
March 25      Are All Religions Equal?
April 1          Does Jesus really matter? 

Share God’s Love …

Would you like to share God’s love with your neighbor this Valentine’s Day? Here are some easy ways to reach out to them:

·         Bake or buy cupcakes or cookies. Package them in boxes or containers and attach a Bible verse about God’s love.

·         Buy wrapped candies and fill one of the bags from the Evangelism table in the sanctuary hallway. (Each bag has a verse already attached!)

·         Buy red or pink carnations. Tie a few together and attach a Bible verse!

Join us as the women of our church lead us in worship.
If you would like to participate, please contact the church office.
All women are invited to be a part of the women’s chorus,
please meet in the choir room at 10:30am on February 26th!

On January 22^nd at the Quarterly Business Meeting the following items were discussed:

·         The goal for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was set at $1,800. The week of Prayer for North American Missions will be observed March 4 – 11

·         The congregation approved to allow the Montgomery Baptist Association to hold a seminar here as part of the “Embrace Silver Spring” effort for missions in our community.

·         The Linkages to Learning program at Viers Mill Elementary extended its Thanks to VMBC for their continued generous participation in the Christmas giving program. 

The Women on Mission need your help collecting items for heath kits for MD/DE Baptist ministries to migrant workers, prison inmates, homeless, seamen and international students. 

The following items are needed: 

·         large bath towel

·         wash cloth

·         adult toothbrush and toothpaste

·         large comb (no rat-tail combs)

·         shampoo

·         deodorant

·         bar of soap. 

Please note that full sized items are needed (no trial/travel sized). Items can be placed in the box in the Sanctuary Hallway that is labeled HEALTH KITS. Please contact Sandy Hayslett for more information or if you would like to make a monetary donation to purchase items.

The Church office will be CLOSED:

·         Monday, February 20 in observance of President’s Day.

·         Fridays during the month of February for staff vacations.

 

 
Viers Mill’s Goal: $3,500

Received: $4,016.25

 

Vital Signs

January 1, 2012             Worship    Bible Study     

Spanish Mission….               No Report
Fellowship Baptist Church…. 41            5
Total….                                   156          103
Budget Gifts….                       $3,899.00

January 15, 2012   Worship Bible Study  
English…                                75            53
Nursing Home….                   No Report
Chinese Mission….                               84            64
Spanish Mission….                               No Report
Fellowship Baptist Church…. 52            12
Total….                                   211          129
Budget Gifts….                       $2,904.15

February 5            Joint Worship
February 12          Rev. Cecil Mahendranath
February 19          A Really Bad Idea
                                Exodus32: 1 - 14
February 26          Baptist Women’s Day