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But You Are Rich

“…The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'” (Revelation 2:8-11 NASB)

A Sacred Occasion

This afternoon Eastside Baptist Church adopted new policy, based on Scripture, to help wedding parties understand with clarity that Eastside Baptist Church does not approve, condone, participate in or in any way recognize any marriage that is not between one man and one woman.

The full policy is posted at www.esbcTwinFalls.com 

Eastside Southern Baptist Church
Wedding and Marriage Policy

Wedding and Marriage Policy for Eastside Southern Baptist Church:
All weddings that are requested to take place on Eastside Southern Baptist Church (ESBC) property or parties requesting a minister of ESBC to officiate a wedding ceremony must be scheduled through a pastor. All pastors of ESBC are required to follow the guidelines of this policy.

This marriage and wedding policy was established by Eastside Southern Baptist Church to express our belief and to help you in your planning. ESBC holds that the marriage ceremony is a sacred occasion and should be performed with high honor to the glory of God. We believe that marriage is established by God and should be done with care and respect to biblical authority.

It is not required that you believe all that is stated in this policy, but if use of ESBC property or requesting an ESBC pastor to officiate your wedding you will be required to submit to the following policy. With respect to you and the law of our land, others in the region are able to perform ceremonies that don’t meet the standard set forth in this policy.

Please note: ESBC does not approve, condone, participate in or in any way recognize any marriage that is not between one man and one woman. Same-sex “marriages” will not be performed at ESBC and the pastors of ESBC are not permitted to officiate same-sex “marriages.” Nor will ESBC and the pastors of ESBC approve, condone, and participate in any marriage ceremony that is opposed to Holy Scripture.


Definition of Marriage:
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. (Baptist Faith and Message 2000)


Non-Eastside Southern Baptist Pastors:
We do allow non-ESBC pastors to officiate the ceremony and/or premarital counseling. In the event that an ESBC pastor is not performing the ceremony or participating in it, you must choose an ESBC pastor as a sponsor to oversee the process. All requirements of this policy must be followed for non-ESBC pastors/ministers.


Premarital Counseling:
ESBC requires 5-6 hours of premarital counseling. The premarital counseling may be conducted by a non-ESBC pastor, approved by an ESBC pastor.


Other:
• A church wedding is a service of ESBC and the music should honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to assure appropriate music is used, the final approval of any musician and all music used in the ceremony and reception rests with an ESBC pastor. Use of any sound equipment will need to be coordinated with a pastor and qualified technician.
• No alcohol (exception of wine for communion with bride and groom) or smoking is permitted anywhere on church property.
• Any damage done to the building or property related to the wedding party will be the responsibility of the wedding party.
• It is the responsibility of the wedding party to clean ESBC rooms used during the rehearsal and wedding ceremony after use of the building.

December, 2014

Stop Trying to Save Yourself

In preparing for the Christmas Eve service at Eastside Baptist Church coming up on December 24, at 6:00 p.m. I came across an last year’s message. It was also published in the Times News as my Here is a good reminder to all of the redeeming work of Christ. By the way… you are invited to join us.

TimesNews: December 28, 2013

Audio Version:

Stop Trying to Save Yourself

As one devoted to giving my attention to the study of the Bible and the preaching of the Bible to
a weekly gathering of Magic Valley residents, I hope to be clear and concise on a matter of
greatest importance.

It is likely that you have crossed paths with the biblical nativity scene somewhere in the past
several weeks. Have you stopped long enough to consider that scene? After all, why would
anyone make such an ordeal of this baby in a manger? It is just a baby right? If so, why do so
many people want to display this manger scene and why do so many want it removed from
public places? How is it possible that a baby in a manger and a man on a cross can generate such
opposite emotions?

Take a moment with me and ponder one more time and ponder these acts of the Almighty God
toward humanity.

According to Scripture, all have sinned against God and are found insufficient to reconcile this
offence of sinning against God and justly condemned to face the full wrath of God. Do not try to
save yourself from this wrath.

Be mindful of this; if it were possible for us to save ourselves, there would be no need for God to
send His only begotten son, born of a virgin, to eventually satisfy His wrath against sinners on a
cross.

God put the value of heaven at a price that we are not capable of paying. As God placed a value
on heaven, it required that He bring all of humanity through the death, burial, and resurrection of
His son. Will you still hold that your good works are sufficient to buy heaven for yourself? Will
you dare to gamble on any price less than the blood of His only begotten Son?

Have you considered this insult?

Why would he put His only begotten Son to this task if a better deal could be offered? Why
begin with a manger? Why a cross if this act of salvation could be done any other way? Why
even attempt to barter with such a requirement as this?

To accept these terms means we must be humbled by the weight of such an offence. To accept
these terms means we are too weak, too sick and completely spiritually bankrupt to meet the
terms and in need of a Redeemer.

As you begin to see the manger scenes removed from yards look quickly to the cross of Golgotha
and see the price due for our wretchedness. Believe quickly with joy! Rejoice that this payment
has been made and is credited to your spiritually bankrupt account. It is no longer insufficient.
This cross will be, to some, an offence and foolishness, to others it is the best news we have ever
heard.

Stop trying to save yourself.

Broadcasting at Sermon Audio

For the past four years Eastside Baptist has been broadcasting sermons online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We currently have over 200 sermons available. By the kindness of generous friends of Eastside, we are able to provide this ministry to local shut-ins, those who miss upon occasion due to illness or travel, and anywhere internet access is possible. You can listen directly online, download to a phone, save on a disc, mail to a friend, share on Facebook or Twitter, or email a group of friends.

The 200+ sermons that are currently available from Eastside have been downloaded over 6,400 times (1,406 of those downloads are from mobile devices.)

May the Lord bless the kindness of generous friends. May the Lord bless the preaching of His word. May the nations hear the gospel.

Here is yesterday’s message from Philippians 4.

Access to all archived sermons: www.sermonaudio.com/thebridge

SermonAudioChurch

Open Letter to Magic Valley Bible Church

Dear Magic Valley Bible Church,

It was a pleasure to join you this past Sunday evening. Your generosity and kindness to welcome Eastside Baptist Church was what I’ve come to expect from those who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m thankful to the Lord for our shared kinship and hope we have in the blood of Christ.

It is a pleasure to labor in the city and valley with your pastor. I look forward to your pastors monthly column in the Times News, I know I can encourage others to read it without reservation. I’ve discovered in our friendship that He loves the Lord and longs to faithfully exhort the treasury of God’s word. In all of my conversations with pastor “Bear”, he speaks of his love for you. It’s clear that He has a great interest in his family and longs to see the gospel banner advanced throughout the world. I count it a pleasure to know your pastor as friend.

May the Lord strengthen your gospel work in the city. May the residents of Twin Falls and the Magic Valley always find you a faithful refuge, heralding a trustworthy message. May you endure with joy in the Lord. May the favor of the Lord rest upon your fellowship.

I’m thankful to the Lord for your laboring ministry and I look forward to more times together. I count it a pleasure to know the Lord’s people of Magic Valley Bible Church and their pastor.

Paul Thompson
Eastside Baptist Church

 

85 Reasons I Like Living in Idaho

Here are my top 85 reasons I like living in Idaho

GE1) Family: I’m thankful to the Lord for my family.

(left to right: Renee, me, Silas, Bianca, Emily, and David)

 

thebridge

2) Church: I’m thankful to the Lord for my church family, Eastside Baptist Church.

Eastside Baptist Church is a courageous family of believers striving to keep the Glory of God in front of us, the Lordship of Christ directing our steps, and obeying the Spirit promptly. We gather on Sunday mornings at 9:15am for bible study, 10:30am and 6:30pm for worship; Wednesday nights at 6:30pm for a weekly prayer gathering.

 

 

 

Martinez3) Friends: I’m thankful to the Lord for friends like John Martinez.

Hey, write my buddy a short note and tell him hello. Pray for his ongoing ministry with the soldiers of the Idaho National Guard.

 

 

Provider Farms4) Raw cow milk from Provider Farms to go on my oatmeal tonight.

Provider Farms delivers fresh farm produce to Twin Falls every Monday morning. You should visit www.providerfarms.com this week and place an order. They make the local delivery at the Eastside Baptist Church parking lot. Take time to come in and say hello while you are here.

 

IMG_3868

5) Adventure awaits me around every corner and there is always a mountain top that needs to be climbed.

We are planning a trip to the top of Mt. Borah again in late August. Contact me about the date and join in on the ‘Borah Shuffle’.

 

 

80MPHHere are the remaining 80 reasons I like living in Idaho. Beginning July 1, interstate travel in most of Southern Idaho will increase to 80 mph.

 

Open Letter to Twin Falls County

I spent the day preparing and hand delivering a letter to the Twin Falls County Courthouse to express my hope that this county will stay with the strong historic language of “Husband” and “Wife” on the license application. (Here are my thoughts on this matter earlier today.)

The kind and helpful ladies in the county clerks office endured my questions and received my letter with grace and appreciation. I decided there were a few things I could do with the extended time of grace from God on this matter and decided I must speak kindly on this important topic to God.

SBC LIFE

Today the Baptist Press article that ran at Baptist Press last month was in print at SBCLIFE, a journal of the Southern Baptist Convention on page 16.

Here is a link to the SBCLIFE article. With some additional information from the Southern Baptist Executive Committee.

The part of greatest joy for me in this is that for the past 12 months God has been using Eastside Baptist Church to be involved in something bigger than we could imagine. New Horizon Home, a ministry of Eastside Baptist Church, is moving our 20 girls into a new home this weekend and preparing to receive 10 more girls in need of a home.

Where it is a pleasure to look back and see the kind hand of God  in a difficult season of life, I can’t stop blessing the Lord for His ongoing kindness to use this church in Idaho to provide food, housing, care, spiritual teaching and education to our daughters in Haiti.

GE

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