Click Here for Online Registration

Taking off our masks.

Temple Baptist Church - West Campus, Hattiesburg, MS 

Friday, September 10, 2010 - Saturday, September 11, 2010 

2011 Women's Events Registration will open August 1!

Because together we can believe God for more.

Going Beyond is an intimate and inspiring women’s conference like no other. Come spend time with passionate Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer and worship leader Anthony Evans as they encourage you from God’s Word and lead you in a special prayer experience. You’ll leave knowing that the challenge to take your relationship with the Lord to the next level is worth your every effort.

Priscilla’s ministry to women across the country and around the world is focused on the expository teaching of the Word of God. Her desire is to see women come to a full understanding of who they are in Christ by hearing the uncompromising truth of Scripture. She is author of He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God, Discerning The Voice Of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks, Can We Talk?, and One in a Million

Going Beyond is for women of every age, culture, and background. You don’t want to miss this extraordinary Bible study, prayer, and worship event!

Click here for more information and online registration!

Tickets are also available at The Oasis! Ticket price is 45.00 plus tax( $48.15 )

Set1Free Works to Combat Human Trafficking - Get Involved!

Out of my distress I called on the LORD;

the LORD answered me and set me free."

Psalm 118:5

The Set1Free campaign actively empowers WorldCrafts buyers and aids artisans by highlighting those groups working to free women involved in human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Learn more...

Annual Passion for Fashion Fundraiser

This spring CWJC is teaming up with the Fashion Merchandising Department at the University of Southern Mississippi for this year's Passion for Fashion consignment sale. This annual sale is in its fourth year and boasts a wide selection of apparel and accessories for everyone in your home! Join us in raising fund for the Pine Belt CWJC during this year's sale.

Come shop the consignment sale for bargains for you, and at the same time support the CWJC. All merchandise sold under the CWJC name will receive 60% of the sale price. All sale proceeds will be given directly to CWJC to provide financial support to our ministry.

SALE DATES:

Monday, April 26th - Friday, April 30th

TIME:

9:00 AM - 5:30 PM

LOCATION:

In the USM Union 2nd Floor Rooms A, B & C

HELP Change Lives

CWJC seeks to offer HOPE to women in need by offering a life and career skills program, tutoring, mentoring and lots of love. Get involved with what God is doing in and through the Pinebelt's three CWJC locations... Call Pinebelt CWJC Main Office: (601)544-4855

There is an immediate need for volunteers and supply provision. To donate supplies contact Patsy at (601)296-7581 or leave at TBC main office...

* 2 1/2 inch binders

* paper

* pens

* journals

* healthy snacks

* paper plates

* cups

* coffee

* water

* office supplies

* Walmart cards ($15 & $25)

* financial donations

What is Christian Women's Job Corps/Christian Men's Job Corps? The purpose of CWJC/CMJC, a ministry of WMU, is to provide a Christian context in which women and men in need are equipped for life and employment; and a missions context in which women help women and men help men. To learn more: www.wmu.org

CWJC is also in need of volunteers for: mentoring, tutoring, encouraging, prayer and much more! Use your unique giftedness to go on mission locally!

A heart for Women's Ministry

Nearly 40 ladies braved the rain and cold to share their heart for women's ministry Thursday night... a quick glimpse...

Would you like to lead or join a support group?

Are you interested in Third Thursdays?

Would you be willing to serve on a women's ministry subcommittee?

Would you like to volunteer for a specific ministry or event?

If you have a heart for Women's Ministry we want to know!

Come get involved!

Email us: womensministry@tbclife.net

Get Involved...

Thursday, February 4 :: 6-8 p.m.

You've asked what you can do - here's your chance! Join us on Thursday, February 4 from 6-8 p.m. in the Refuge at the West Campus. We need your ideas and input for the Women's Ministry of Temple. Childcare is provided. Make reservations by January 31 withclynn@tbclife.net or 601.450.3069. Questions? email: womensministry@tbclife.net Join us on facebook @ tbc women's ministry

Coming September 10-11, 2010

Going Beyond is an intimate and inspiring women's conference like no other. Come spend time with Priscilla and worship leader Anthony Evans as they encourage you from God's Word and lead you in a special prayer experience. You'll leave knowing that the challenge to take your relationship with the Lord to the next level is worth your every effort.

Going Beyond is for women of every age, culture and background. You don't want to miss this extraordinary Bible study, prayer and worship event.

Contact: Lifeway Registration 800-254-2022

"Defend the Cause of the Fatherless..." (Is 1:17)

The following poem was written by Antwone Fisher, an orphan boy who grew up in the foster care system in the US. His questions apply to orphans everywhere:

Who will cry for the little boy lost and all alone?

Who will cry for the little boy abandoned without his own?

Who will cry for the little boy who cries himself to sleep?

Who will cry for the little boy who never had for keeps?

Who will cry for the little boy who walked through burning sand?

Who will cry for the little boy, the boy inside the man?

Who will cry for the little boy who knew well hurt and pain?

Who will cry for the little boy who died and died again?

Who will cry for the little boy, a good boy he tried to be?

Who will cry for the little boy who cries inside of me?

-Antwone Fisher

As we prepare, as a church body, for an emphasis during the month of November on justice and mercy ministries... let's begin earnestly praying for the estimated 147 million orphans around the world. As Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan and plead the widow's cause."

October Gatherings...

Join us Tuesday, Oct. 13th...

* 11:30 AM at TBC East Parlor with Melba Wiggins

* 1:00 PM at TBC West 126 as guest speaker, Amy Thornton, shares about her recent trip to Ukraine

* 6:00 PM at TBC West 126 before traveling to visit the Lighthouse Rescue Mission to meet with Director Kenneth Thronson

Coming Soon to the Oasis...

Read one Cambodian woman's testimony of how God is using WorldCrafts to protect a family from the temptation of selling their daughter into sex slavery here.... WC items coming soon to the Oasis!

(Pictures from mission trip last year to Vietnam & Cambodia)

Renee McLain speaks to Women on Mission

What is Women on Mission? Women on Mission is a missions organization through which women pray for and give to missions, do missions, learn about missions, grow spiritually toward a missions lifestyle, and participate in the work of the church and denomination.

How Can I Get Involved? TBC Women on Mission is an open group that gathers on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at three different times:

11:30 AM @ the East Campus Parlor

1:00 PM @ West Campus Room 126

6:00 PM @ West Campus Room 126

Contact the Church Office for more information and specific ongoing mission opportunities: 601.450.3000

Special Guest Speaker: Renee McLain

We were privileged to welcome Renee and moved by her testimony of the journey God has put she and her husband, Ron, on thus far... Her primary challenge to each of us was the understanding that we are all missionaries. God has set us apart for good works for the glory of His Name. We must continue to pray for one another and do so earnestly. She shared about the spiritual climate of Belgium (including most, if not all of Europe), being a common state of apathy. People don't care what you believe... God is not even a part of their thinking or vocabulary. Though they possess an entirely different worldview, they like to be and desire to be loved.

One of the many convicting things shared, was the story of a Pakistani believer who was a student where they serve. Another believer connected she and the McLains upon hearing of her struggle due to the lack of persecution. In Pakistan, every day was a matter of life and death as a Christian for her. In Belgium, no one cared. The oppressive state of apathy was warring against her soul. Shortly after this student was connected with the McLains, they heard of the horrific murder of one of their daughters back in Mississippi. As they grieved together, the student said, "Renee, you are being persecuted for the glory of God." This same student, Renee shared, has since returned to Pakistan and prays daily for persecution... that by living under it she would look more like Jesus, who is the hope of glory!

May you, whatever your circumstances, find grace to walk for His Glory!

We would love for you to join us this Tuesday, as we have the privilege of welcoming Renee McLain. Renee will share her testimony about the work God is doing in Europe and in her own life. Renee and her husband, Ron, serve as IMB missionaries to Brussels, Belgium. They are currently stateside enduring the murder trial of one of their daughters. Come show your support as a sister shares about the grace of God in the midst of pain and His glory among the nations. Invite a friend or neighbor! What: Women on Mission When: Two opportunities - September 8 @ 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. Where: Temple West Campus room WC132

"A Mother's Heart" Bible Study

A Mother’s Heart

beginning

Wednesday, September 9

9:30 a.m.

Ladies if you desire:

* to know God more deeply

* to study His word

* to fellowship with other women

* to be encouraged

Then you need to join us!

Childcare provided.

Book: A Virtuous Woman: shattering the Superwoman Myth

By Vicki Courtney

Contact: Christy Moorehead at 601.296.1233

Ladies - Don't Forget: Christmas in August THIS Sunday!

www.imb.org

Giving shortfall risks Southern Baptists' opportunity to re-engage closed country

8/20/2009

By Don Graham

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--A rare opportunity to place missionaries in a highly restricted Central Asian country may soon slip through Southern Baptists’ fingers due to a serious shortfall in missions giving.

The country — which can’t be named without risking missionaries’ chances of obtaining a visa — is home to more than several million people, mostly Muslim. Only about 2,000 are believed to be evangelical Christians.

Shane and Melanie Johnson* were on track to become the first Southern Baptist personnel to serve inside the country in nearly a decade. But now that plan is in jeopardy.

On July 10, the Johnsons received word from IMB (International Mission Board) that their missionary appointment had been put on hold.

“It hurts,” Melanie said. “It’s really sad that in times of crisis [giving to] the church and charities is the first thing to go.”

“We want to go to one of those places on the map of lostness that’s totally black, where there is nobody there,” Shane said. “We know the Bible is clear about the Great Commission. We are to make sure that someone from every tribe, tongue and nation bows before the throne of God and praises His name.”

The Johnsons are among 69 long-term missionary candidates who are being delayed because of a lack of funds to send them to the field. That’s in addition to an estimated 350 short-term candidates who also are on hold.

In May IMB announced it would severely limit the number of missionaries sent in 2009 due to reduced giving through the Cooperative Program and a $29 million dollar shortfall in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. More than half of IMB’s annual budget comes from the Lottie Moon offering, 100 percent of which is used to send and sustain more than 5,600 Southern Baptist missionaries serving overseas.

The goal for the 2008 offering (which funds the 2009 budget) was $170 million, but only $141 million was received, $9 million less than last year.

But even if there were no shortfall, getting the Johnsons inside that Central Asian country won’t be easy.

Southern Baptist missionaries began spreading the Gospel there for the first time in 1993 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. But by the year 2000 all missionaries had been asked to leave. That left behind 500 new Christians and a young church struggling to survive under intense persecution.

Since that time missionaries have been painstakingly training and discipling national believers by flying them in and out of the country. Though that strategy has seen success, it’s also slow, cumbersome and expensive, which is why IMB wants personnel living in country again.

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

Kris Plummer* leads Southern Baptists’ efforts to spread the Gospel in this area of Central Asia, including the country where the Johnsons want to serve. Once inside, he said their goal will be to lay the groundwork for IMB to re-establish a presence there.

Before they were delayed, the Johnsons planned to arrive in early 2010. But due to the financial shortfall, that isn’t likely to happen until that summer— at least a six-month delay. Plummer said the longer they wait, the risk is the situation may change.

“Right now we have a window of opportunity to try and place them in [the country],” he explained. “But we don’t know how long that window’s going to be open. … We’re ready to take advantage of this opportunity, but if this delay stretches out too long the window may close on us.

“It’s a disappointment because we’ve been trying to get back into [this country] for so long. … When we got the word the Johnsons were delayed, it’s just one more barrier to cross. And it’s a barrier that really shouldn’t be there.

“It’s not a question of Southern Baptists having money — even in this financial crisis Southern Baptists have money,” concluded Plummer. “It’s more of a question of what’s their priority for spending that money.”

Maybe even rarer than the window to enter the country, Plummer said, are missionaries willing to pioneer the work there — alone.

“Like most things in Central Asia, you never know until you try, and even when things look very wide open they can slam shut very quickly,” he said. “The glorious thing is we’ve got somebody like the Johnsons who are willing to try. Those kind of people don’t come around every day, and I want to take advantage of their heart and desire.”

PERSONAL HARDSHIP

Besides risking their chance to enter the country, the Johnsons say the delay is also causing them significant personal hardships as well.

They’ve both just graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and were planning to transition straight to the mission field. But now, without jobs, they’ll have to live with Melanie’s family in order to save money.

“Because of the delay we’ve rescheduled our whole plan for the next eight or nine months,” Shane said. “It was tough to come to terms with but it’s water under the bridge at this point.”

Adding to their stress is the impact the delay will have on their growing family. Midway through the application process the Johnsons found out they were pregnant with their first child. They were counting on IMB salary and medical benefits by the time the baby arrived, but the delay makes that impossible. They have some health insurance available through GuideStone Financial Resources, but the rest will have to come from Medicaid and their savings.

“The bottom line is that God has always provided for us,” Shane said. “We’re not in debt at all; we’ve made it through seminary … He’s going to take care of us just like He always has.”

TRUE COST OF DELAY

The greatest impact from the delay, the Johnsons said, will be on the peoples of Central Asia that God has asked them to serve.

“We’ll never know what the time we missed overseas might have resulted in as far as yields for the Gospel,” Shane said. “Even one believer can multiply exponentially and have a tremendous impact for the Gospel. … That’s the true cost [of the financial shortfall], and we’ll never really know what that is.”

*Names changed.

Don Graham is a writer for IMB.

WorldCrafts Display

One way you can support missionaries and the poor or abused abroad is by investing their livelihood. Check out: www.worldcraftsvillage.com

Loving the Poor

"Blessed is the one who considers the poor!" Psalm 41:1a

This August the Women on Mission will have a foyer display of World Crafts items. If you are looking for birthday, Christmas or any other kind of gift, this is one practical way to invest in the needs of others. Many of our IMB missionaries across the world work in ministries that employ the poorest of poor, teach them a trade and help them reintegrate into society. This is one way you can support these artisan groups while buying meaningful gifts for your friends and family.

Tickets NOW Available!

Sights and Sounds from the Clothes Closet...

Some Sights and Reflections from Saturday's Clothes Closet...

"I am sunburned, exhausted, and totally blessed by giving away clothes to sweet, grateful people!  What a wonderful day!"

"I was able to help everyday this week, except for Tuesday.  It was amazing that God sent everything we needed just in time every day... when we needed help, it was there... when we had help, but needed more to do, others would bring in a load of clothes. The generosity of the church family was overwhelming... our cup runneth over."  

"It was just an amazing blessing to see God's people reaching out into the community. I sat back and looked around at all the clothes we had collected.... Someone asked if we had been collecting them for a year... They weren't kidding :)  Also seeing the Temple family helping everyone with everything you can imagine... I'm just so glad I got to be a part of it."

"My favorite story of the day is from a woman whose daughter teaches school in Baton Rouge. The daughter has many students who were relocated from the Ninth Ward after Katrina, and they still have very little. The daughter calls the mom each week with specific sizes of children who are especially needy, and the mom takes her Saturday mornings to shop at garage sales for the needed clothing. She walked away with two bags of clothing for the students and was excited about going to Baton Rouge tomorrow to take the clothes to her daughter."

"Today, my favorite part was interacting with the ladies who wanted to see what we were hanging up as we got it out of the bags! They were so sweet and grateful :)  One quote from someone leaving with bags of clothes today, 'It's a blessing any way you figure it...Thank you'.  I also had a sweet moment when I sat down on the steps for a break and was immediately surrounded by three little girls... one who did not speak English, only Spanish...they were so cute, and talking to them made my day!"  

My favorite quote of the day was "Thank you."

Thanks to all who were able to participate.  To God be the Glory great things He hath done!