The Treasure Principle Study and Sermon Series

     For some time now several of our leaders have suggested that our church walk together through a study on financial giving.  The reasons they have given are several: (1) We have many new members in Calvary who perhaps have never gone through a study on giving; (2) Every so often it is good for those who already have studied the subject to have a refresher; (3) We adopted a challenge (faith) budget this year and it will not be reached apart from earnest prayer and responsible education.  I agree that these reasons are sufficient for conducting such a study.  In addition, I would suggest that the most important reason for a study on giving is so that individuals can discover the joy of giving and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

     There are several reasons why we have delayed in adopting a study that would involve all Adult Bible Fellowships.  One of those reasons is that we wanted to find a study that would have the right approach to giving.  I commented on my blog post about the proposed budget back on November 10, 2012 about the various approaches to giving (toward the middle section of the post).  Chad Mason, our staff pastor who relates to the Adult Bible Fellowships, recommended the book "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn.  Pastor Rolando and I read it and found it to be a very good book.  It is a pleasant and yet challenging read.  It is written as a book for individuals not as a curriculum piece for a class but the material is worth considering in a class setting.  We are grateful also that the book is available in English and Spanish.

     Last Sunday Rolando and I began a sermon series using the book title and the chapter titles to discuss the subject.  This series will go through the end of May.  We will not be preaching the chapter contents.  That can be done by each individual who has a book.  We will unpack selected Bible passages and consider their implications for the management of the whole Christian life.

     This coming Sunday, Adult Bible Fellowships in English and Spanish will begin the book study.  The author of the book definitely has a grasp on this subject and he lives by the principles he advances.  As the pastoral staff at Calvary we are by no means imposing all of ideas that Alcorn proposes in this book.  Our invitation to each ABF and to each individual is to, yes, read the book, but most especially, to study the Bible passages.  The authoritative material is the Scriptures themselves.  My prayer is that as you study them with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they will speak to you and those in your group, helping us all to grow in the joy of giving and living for the Kingdom.

     When considering principles like these, it is always important to remember that our responsibility is to examine the Scriptures and discuss them together.  But it is the Holy Spirit's job to bring conviction to people.  He will deal with each individual in a different way.  When we try to do the Holy Spirit's job, we become legalistic.  Legalism lends itself to self-righteousness and judging others by our own standards.  On the other hand, when people are convicted by the Holy Spirit and they obey Him, they will discover joy in their obedience and a humble attitude toward others.

    Pastor Chad is making available books for each participant and discussion questions for teachers.  If you have questions or need resources for this study please do not hesitate to contact him: chad@calvarymcallen.org

     Our desire is that not only ABF leaders and participants take advantage of this study but leaders in all areas of our church.  Ultimately a Scripturally-based and Spirit-driven practice of giving will benefit the individual believer, the local church and the cause of Christ around the world.

Ordination of Benjamin Aguirre

Benjamin Aguirre has been serving as our Spanish Language Ministry Associate since 2011 (He served as interim from 2009 to 2011).  Our church licensed him to the ministry in the summer of 2010.  In this role Benjamin leads the Spanish language worship service each Sunday, has a significant teaching ministry with adults and assists Pastor Rolando in pastoral ministry matters.  On Sunday April 21 the church will consider ordaining him to the ministry.

The process for ordination is as follows.  On Sunday, April 21st, Benjamin will share his testimony of call to ministry in the 9:30 and 11 o'clock services.  He will preach in the 12:30 service that same day.  An ordaining council made up of ordained pastors and deacons will meet with Benjamin that same afternoon at 5:00 PM.  They will examine Bro. Aguirre as to his testimony, his call, and his doctrine.  Based on their examination they will then make a recommendation to the Church in Conference which will meet on the same date at 6:30 PM.  The congregation will have an opportunity to ask questions before they vote.  Should the church vote to ordain Benjamin, the laying on of hands (ordination service) will take place on Sunday, April 28th during all three worship services.  

Benjamin's biographical highlights are provided here by his own hand:

"I was born and raised in Mexico City in a Christian home.  I received Christ at age fourteen.  My father was a pastor who educated me in God's Word.

Since I was a child I was taught music by ear.  I graduated from the Technological University of Mexico in 1987 with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration.  I married Nancy in 1989 and we have three children Yozy (21), Benjy (20), and Israel (12).  I studied guitar for two years with various private teachers and from 2003 to 2005 in the Higher School of Musical Composition and Arrangement in Mexico City.  I also studied studio recording and sound engineering from 1997 to 2000.

God called me to the ministry when I was age 16 and I began to work with Campus Crusade in Mexico through a music ministry called Mexico 80.  I also served with various evangelistic musical ministries such as "Tierra Prometida" (Promised Land).  I worked with Christian recording and touring artists such as "Torre Fuerte," Yuri, Maria del Sol, Ana Gabriel, and others, either playing guitar or engineering sound.

God allowed me to study at the Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas where I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor degree with a pastoral ministry concentration.

God brought me to Calvary by the invitation of Mark Richardson where I ended up serving as interim in the Spanish Language Ministry with Pastor Rolando Aguirre."

We are grateful for the life and ministry of Benjamin Aguirre.  Let us pray as we consider the opportunity of affirming his call through ordination.

Texas Baptists Family Gathering

The Texas Baptist Family consists of about 5,500 churches in Texas of multiple ethnicities and languages.  This year a "Gathering" of this Texas Baptist Family has been planned for July 14-17 in San Antonio.  This is a historic event.  Usually the annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) takes place in the fall.  Throughout the year other BGCT-affiliated fellowships also have their annual meetings such as the Hispanic Baptist Convention (Convención), the African-American Fellowship, the Vietamese Fellowship, the Chinese Fellowship and the Western-Heritage ministry (Cowboy churches).  When the BGCT met in McAllen a couple of years ago, messengers voted to have a gathering of all these fellowships in one place at one time every five years to celebrate what God is doing throughout the state in our churches and ministries.  This is the first one of those!

The various fellowships will have their meetings throughout the day, workshops of different kinds will be offered, and each night there will be a corporate worship celebration (including the Lord's Supper on one of the nights).  Because the meeting is in the summer there will be a track for students and a day camp for children.  There will even be a "Baptist Day" at Fiesta Texas on Saturday.  You can see more information about the schedule, the venue, the speakers and the hotel block here: Texas Baptist Family Gathering

Any interested person is welcome to attend.  Any Calvary member may be elected as a messenger.  A messenger is able to vote on officer elections, budget adoptions and other decisions brought to the floor.  Any Calvary member, at his/her request, may be elected as a messenger to the BGCT and/or to "Convención" (and to any other fellowship he/she might be interested in).  If you or someone you know would like to serve as a messenger to this meeting(s), please contact Alma Escobar in our church office by Friday, April 19 and indicate to which of the conventions/fellowship you would like to be a messenger.  (Keep in mind that you can be a messenger to more than one of these regardless of which service you attend at Calvary or of your ethnicity.  This is based on your interest only).  On Sunday, April 21, the church will vote to elect the messengers.

Whether you plan to attend as a messenger or simply as a participant, I encourage you to check out the hotel information at your earliest convenience since there are number and date limitations on this block.

Church in Conference on April 21st

On Sunday April 21st we will hold our spring Church in Conference at 6:30 PM.  Please note the items that we will be considering so that you can be prepared in prayer and otherwise.  In addition to hearing reports, the church will also:

1. Entertain nominations (from the nominating committee and the Coordinating Council) to fill committee vacancies;
2. Entertain nominations (from the nominating committee) for part of the 2013 Deacon Screening and Nominating Committee;
3. Have an opportunity to elect messengers to the Texas Baptist Gathering in San Antonio this summer.  (Click on the link to find out more information).  If you would like to be elected a messenger, please notify our office by Friday, April 19;
4. Entertain a motion (from the Coordinating Council) to elect a "Music and Worship Staff Study Committee."  Please pray and think about names of people who might serve in this committee.  If you have names submit them to Joe Averill, chairman of the Coordinating Council.  See more information about this subject by clicking here: Music and Worship Interim Plan
5. Entertain a motion (from the Ordaining Council) to ordain Benjamin Aguirre to the ministry;
6. Entertain a recommendation (from Pastor Rolando Aguirre) to license Raul San Martin (who has been pastoring our Sullivan City mission for over a year) to the ministry.  Raul will share his testimony during the Church in Conference.

We will gather as Church in Conference in our worship center.  As usual, we will begin our time with worship through singing and prayer as we seek God's direction and blessing on all we do.  The reports and documents for the Church in Conference will be available for downloading from our webpage this weekend.  We provide these documents on-line for two purposes: (1) We want the congregation to have an opportunity to see the reports before the actual meeting; (2) We want to reduce the amount of paper copies we make in order to save resources.

Please plan to participate and encourage Calvary members to do so also.

Music and Worship Interim Plan

     Since our Pastor for Music and Worship position is currently vacant, I have worked over the last several weeks, in coordination with the personnel committee and the coordinating council, to put an interim plan in place.  The search process for a pastoral position can be a lengthy one.  And it should be so.  We do not want to rush filling such an important position.

     The interim plan for music and worship will consist of a team of individuals with special skill sets in order to address the needs in each area.  They are,

• Jared Solis, Media & Worship Associate.  Jared will continue to be the one to coordinate all logistical and communication aspects for all three worship services.  He will be in charge of the administrative aspect of the music and worship ministry.  Jared will also continue to be the worship leader for the 11 o'clock service.
• Andy Muskrat, Interim Worship Pastor for the 9:30 service.  Andy (biographical information below) will be in charge of planning the 9:30 worship experience with special attention to congregational singing.  He will lead worship for the 9:30 service and play the piano/keyboard for the 11 o'clock service.  He will be available to help in both the 11 o'clock and 12:30 services as needed.  (Chad Mason will lead the 9:30 service on April 7).
• Chuck Olson, Interim Choir Director (9:30 service).  Chuck will lead the choir rehearsal on Wednesday nights and the choir song in the 9:30 service.
• Diann Whisnand, Interim Assistant to the Choir Director (9:30 service).  Diann will assist Chuck with the direction of the choir and will also assist with orchestra coordination.  
• Benjamin Aguirre, SLM Associate.  Benjamin will continue to lead the 12:30 service in addition to this pastoral responsibilities in the Spanish Language Ministry.
• Kathleen Beecher, Music & Worship Ministry Assistant.  Kathleen will continue to provide administrative support to the music and worship ministry.

The personnel committee has approved this plan already.  It is effective this week with the exception of Andy Muskrat who begins work next week.  Chad Mason will be filling in for the 9:30 service this Sunday, April 7.  The agreement with those holding "interim" in their titles (Andy, Chuck and Diann) is initially through the end of May with the possibility of extending it through the summer and beyond if things work out on both sides.

     All of these, with the exception of Andy Muskrat, have already been very involved and deeply invested in the music and worship ministry under the leadership of Mark Richardson.  The one new element is Andy.  So let me tell you a little about Andy.  First, here is his photo:

Andy currently lives in the Waco area (China Spring).  He was born in Joplin, Missouri, accepted Christ at the age of 7, grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a child of (IMB) music missionaries (his parents taught at the Baptist Seminary in Buenos Aires).  Andy is married to Heather Rebecca Ward and they have two boys: Jacob (age 2) and Braeden (6 months).  Andy received a B.M. degree with piano emphasis from Baylor University (Waco) in 2005 and an M.A. in Worship from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute (Arlington, Texas) in 2012.  He was ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church, Bentonville, Arkansas, where he served on the music and worship staff.  He has served on the music and worship staff in several churches including First Baptist, Bentonville, Arkansas; High Pointe Baptist, Cedar Hill, Texas; and First Presbyterian, Hillsboro, Texas.  Andy is a very talented pianist, worship leader and is fluent in English and Spanish.  Since our 9:30 service is a "classy" blend of traditional and contemporary worship music, Andy is an excellent fit.  He has knowledge and appreciation of both worship styles.  This delicate balance is a rare find.  He will be commuting from the Waco area each weekend.  We are blessed to count on him during the interim time.

     Our bylaws make provision for the search process of pastoral staff positions.  At the adequate time, the Church in Conference will elect a search committee that will work to find a candidate for the church to consider calling.  The Coordinating Council (made up of all the administrative committee chairpersons and the chairman of deacons) and I feel like it would be important at this point in the life of Calvary to evaluate and assess the current reality and needs of our church in relation to music and worship.  Thus, at our next Church in Conference (April 21st), rather than recommending the election of a search committee, the Coordinating Council will bring a recommendation of electing a "Music and Worship Staff Study Committee."  This committee would be tasked with the responsibility of studying, evaluating and assessing current music and worship needs with a view to developing the profile for a future Pastor for Music and Worship.  If you have suggestions of names for this study committee, please send them to me julio@calvarymcallen.org or to Joe Averill joe@averillbuilders.com chairman of the Coordinating Council (and of the personnel committee).  This committee will report back to the Personnel Committee.  Once their work is done, the church may elect a search committee to look for a candidate that will fit the profile.

     Most importantly, please pray much.  Pray for Mark and the Richardson family in their transition.  Pray for our current Music and Worship team.  Pray for the study and search process.  Pray for Calvary.  This is a time to fully depend on God for his blessing, power and direction.  When we rely on Him and we follow his direction, then at the end of the day, He will receive all the glory.  Ultimately, worship is more than our Sunday morning services.  It is the giving of all the glory to God in everything that we do.

Starbucks, Supreme Court and Same-sex Marriage

Many of you know that I have been a faithful Starbucks customer for quite sometime.  Earlier this week my father sent me an e-mail letting me know of the statement that Starbucks CEO made regarding the company's support for same-sex marriage.  Not long after that a church member sent me a similar e-mail.  Needless to say that was a painful and uncomfortable read.  I really like starbucks coffee but I strongly believe in the biblical view of marriage.  Furthermore, while I believe in loving all people in Christ's name, and while I believe every American should have equal freedom and rights, I strongly believe that a nation where same-sex marriage is rampart is a nation that will experience moral decay and disintegration.  

As this same-sex marriage thing has been on the news so much this week and it has been the conversation in many talk shows, etc., we continue to pray and think about our Christ-centered, Bible-based response.  I usually don't jump on every bandwagon issue out there because it can be time-consuming, controversial and divisive.  However, I find it necessary to speak on it this time.  By no means is this blog post a thorough treatment of the same-sex issue.  I am merely responding to the issue of whether or not to boycott companies like starbucks.  Earlier this week I read a blog post from a pastor in Waco that briefly addresses this on the surface:

http://doughankins.com/how-might-christians-respond-to-the-question-of-homosexual-marriage/

I agree that our response has to be primarily in terms of educating our families and our church about what the Bible says on this issue and what the Christ-like spirit looks like in addressing this issue.  We must acknowledge that there are multiple audiences: (1) our children and our church as they seek to be shaped by the Scriptures and a Christian world-view; (2) the people that we personally know or encounter who identify themselves as homosexuals; (3) the unbelieving world that is watching our response; and (4) the GLBT (Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender)  movement agenda.  Obviously, the first three require a sensitive, loving but firm approach.  It is the fourth one that is really challenging.  They are advancing an aggressive and offensive agenda with propaganda, government-support, lobbyists, and huge financial contributions.  They are out for the kill.  We cannot be intimidated by them.  We must speak the truth but we must do so in a way that is sensible.  They will probably still dismiss us as bigots, intolerant and haters but we won’t give them much ground to stand on, and perhaps at points the truth may get across to somebody.

Dialogue about the issue is one thing.  How it affects commerce is yet another.  The difficulty that exists in identifying companies that overtly support the GLBT agenda and those that openly support a traditional understanding of marriage is that the list will continue to grow.  For example, I did a quick search on the internet and (unfortunately, I used “Google” which openly supports same-sex marriage) found out the following (To be honest, I quit after about one-hour because it became so overwhelming):

Companies that overtly support the GLBT agenda with their advertising, their employment policies and/or their financial contributions (the actual links to the websites are at the bottom of this e-mail):

1. Budweiser
2. Absolut
3. Target
4. JC Penney
5. Kenneth Cole
6. Amazon.com/Kindle
7. Levi’s
8. Microsoft (Windows, Bing, Xbox, etc.)
9. Expedia
10. Huffpost.com
11. AOL
12. Martha Steward Living
13. Smirnoff
14. Oreo cookies
15. Nordstrom
16. Nike
17. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
18. Google
19. Apple
20. eBay
21. Intuit
22. Adobe Systems (software)
23. Boeing
24. Starbucks
25. RealNetworks
26. Goldman Sachs
27. Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
28. Hewlett-Packard
29. Zynga Inc.
30. Allstate Insurance
31. Facebook
32. Morgan Stanley
33. Verizon
34. American Apparel
35. American Airlines
36. Applebee’s
37. Best Buy/Geek Squad
38. Clorox
39. Brita Filters, Glad storage bags, Hidden Valley Ranch, Pine-Sol
40. Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid, Poweade, Dansani
41. Concur Technologies
42. Costco
43. Delta Airlines
44. Electronic Arts
45. Ford/Lincoln
46. Gap
47. Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime
48. General Mills (Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper)
49. General Motors (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC)
50. Youtube, Zagat
51. Hilton Worldwide (Double Tree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Waldorf-Astoria)
52. The Home Depot
53. IBM
54. Kraft Foods (Cadbury, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Planters, etc.)
55. Marriott Hotels (Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard Inn, Fairfield Inn
56. McDonald’s
57. Nationwide insurance
58. Converse
59. Olive Garden
60. PepsiCo (Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Aquafina, Frito-Lay, Quaker Oats, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc.)
61. Proctor and Gamble (Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Duracell, Gillette, Old Spice, Pampers, Tide, Vicks, etc.)
62. Red Lobster
63. Rite Aid
64. Sears
65. Land’s End
66. Southwest Airlines
67. State Farm Insurance
68. United Airlines
69. UPS
70. Vulcan
71. Walgreen’s
72. The Walt Disney Company (ABC, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, The Muppets)
73. Wells Fargo
74. AARP
75. MasterCard
76. Yahoo
77. MillerCoors

Companies that have taken a stand for traditional marriage with their statements or their financial contributions (the actual links to the websites are at the bottom of this e-mail):

1. Chick-fil-a
2. Urban Outfitters
3. Exxon
4. Wal-Mart
5. A-! Self Storage
6. The Salvation Army
7. Cinemark
8. Pep Boys
9. Lowes
10. Toys R Us
11. AutoZone
12. Cracker Barrel
13. Dish Network
14. Domino’s Pizza
15. Gold’s Gym
16. Golfland Entertainment Centers
17. Insure.com
18. Meijer Inc.
19. OutsidePride.com
20. Request Foods
21. Forever 21
22. Whole Foods
23. Tom’s of Maine
24. Tyson Foods, Inc.
25. Hobby Lobby
26. ServiceMaster (Terminix, American Home Shield)
27. Herman Miller
28. Interstate Batteries
29. In-N-Out Burger
    

The discrepancy in the size of these lists is incredible.  We might argue that it is hard to know which companies support what and so ignorance is bliss.  However, the stand these companies take is very open and overt.  You can find it with a very simple internet search.  It is evident that the traditional (biblical) marriage stand is counter cultural in the U.S. at least when it comes to corporations.  The difficulty becomes in how we respond with the stewardship of our money against this growing giant?  It should be noted in our conversation that there are two aspects of this: (1) individual choice by each Christian and (2) use of Calvary church funds.  To be honest, it gets pretty overwhelming to carry around this list and it is probably a list that grows and changes each week!

Suddenly, I identify with the first century believers in Rome who lived in an environment that was completely hostile or ignorant of Christianity.  The meat sold in the market place was all offered to idols.  Believers had the choice of going completely vegetarian or of buying the meat asking God to bless it in spite of where it came from.  The apostle Paul then offers Spirit-inspired counsel in Romans chapter 14.  Admittedly, eating meat sacrificed to idols is not exactly the same issue as buying things from companies that support same-sex marriage.  Nevertheless, as Bible-believing Christians we begin to wrestle with the issues that the first century believers faced: namely living in a world that is hostile or ignorant of a Christian worldview.  (This is without even considering companies’ stands on other moral issues such as abortion, immigration, fair-trade, human-trafficking, child-labor, pornography, legalization of marijuana and other drugs, etc., etc, etc.).

So what do we do?  Personally, some choices are easy for me.  I don’t care for Budweiser, AOL, absolut, Smirnoff or MillerCoors.  It’s easy to give up what you don’t really use!  But what about other more subtle choices such as food products from the grocery store and restaurant chains, etc.  That becomes a bit more difficult.  It is certainly important to be informed and be aware.  One action that is constructive is to definitely support traditional marriage companies.  So Chick-fil-a, Wal-Mart, Cinemark and Hobby Lobby can definitely count on my continued support.

As far as the church is concerned, the level of difficulty increases.  The choice is easy when you have Home Depot on one side and Lowe’s on the other.  But what about when both Microsoft and Apple are on the same side.  That’s Windows and iOS.  IBM and Hewlett Packard are also on the same side.  It’s easy to serve Folger’s instead of Starbucks but to get rid of computers and software becomes much harder.  Most airlines are on one side of the issue.  Do we drive everywhere and make sure we only use Exxon?  When Coca Cola and Pepsi products are on the same side of the issue, does it mean we’ll have to resort to Dr. Thunder or some other HEB private label pop?  For some, it does.  (You should drink water anyway!)  What about our food pantry?  The items that we get from the food bank to give to those who are hungry?  The ingredients we use for our Wednesday night suppers?  Our baskets of hope ministry?  Do we limit the amount of food we distribute to the needy by identifying brands that should be avoided?  These are the issues Pharisees spent much energy on and Jesus corrected.  Jesus said it was more important to heal a man with a withered hand than to observe the Sabbath law, for example.

That’s where Romans 14 provides at least 7 good principles even if the issues are different (Wow! Multiples of 7.  I’m feeling good about this!):

1. The issue is complex and should be treated with concern and sensibility (Romans 14)
2. Our energy should not be spent on quarreling over disputable matters (v. 1)
3. We should be sensitive to each other as we sort out our convictions (vv. 2-5)
4. The focus in our decisions and actions should be to glorify God (vv. 6-9)
5. The effect of our decisions and actions should not cause our brother to stumble (vv. 13-16, 19-21)
6. Our energy should be invested in the kingdom of God: righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (v. 17-21)
7. Our actions and decisions should be made with great reverence toward God (vv. 12, 22-23)
   

Allow me to note that these principles are used to guide believers when there is not a biblical prescription.  The issue was not whether idolatry was wrong or not.  Idolatry is always wrong.  The issue was whether to buy/eat meat that was offered to idols or not.  In other words, Romans 14 does not apply to whether same-sex marriage is right or wrong.  The Bible is clear about that already.  Romans 14 can be used to apply as to what you do about doing business with particular companies.  The Bible did not include a list of these companies obviously.  What Paul says is that deciding whether or not to buy "tainted" stuff is a matter of the conscience.  Both, vegetarians and meat-eaters can be right if their heart is right toward God.  Both boycotters and non-boycotters can be right if their heart is right toward God.  Both should be respectful of each other's position without passing judgment.  So Paul would say that if you choose to boycott every company that supports anti-biblical principles, like the vegetarian believers of Rome, you should do so because of your own conviction.  If you choose to use your freedom in Christ to buy from these same companies, like the meat-eating believers of Rome, you should also do so because of your own conviction.

So, what should be our action responses?

1. Teach our families and church what the Bible says about the issue (marriage is for one man and one woman for life; homosexuality is against God’s design and homosexual behavior is sinful; Jesus loved all sinners and died for all sinners);
2. Love those who identify themselves as homosexuals while communicating God’s design for marriage & sex;
3. Speak the truth in love when interacting with the culture around us (Ephesians 4:15a);
4. In terms of personal financial stewardship, support those companies that stand for traditional marriage in as much as possible and, when personally convicted, avoid those companies that stand for same-sex marriage.  This should not be done out of legalism or by imposition of others but in the freedom of Christ and in accordance with the principles in Romans 14.
5. As a church, be sensitive, informed and diligent about identifying companies than can be avoided.  In as much as possible, avoid doing business with companies that are hostile to Christianity or biblical principles, understanding that we don’t want to develop burdens that no one can carry.  Let Romans 14 guide our attitude, our decisions, our actions and our freedom in Christ.
   

At Calvary, we will give attention to the teaching/curriculum issue in the weeks to come.  We will also do our due diligence in regard to number 5 in the list above.

I report to you that this week I have opted for brewing my own coffee and also drinking the coffee from Taco Palenque and Corner Bakery.  (I'm afraid to ask about their stand on the issue but their coffee is almost as good as starbucks).  Of course, I also believe that  my God is bigger than the idols of Rome and the CEOs of America.  My God can bless a cup of Starbucks coffee as much as he can bless a T-bone steak that was offered to idols in the City of Rome.  That's me.  I'm not imposing that on you or anyone else.  I'm also committed to not being a stumbling block to anyone, in as much as it is within my power.

Let us not be afraid or discouraged.  The church of the New Testament thrived in the hostile environment of the Roman Empire.  It did so because it had the power of the Holy Spirit.  We too have the Holy Spirit and the promise from Jesus that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church.  God is not surprised by what goes on in the world.  If He is for us, who can be against us?

Here are the links to the websites that I used to make the lists above:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/26/companies-that-support-gay-marriage_n_2957634.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/major-brands-that-support-gay-marriage-photos-2013-3?op=1

http://www.policymic.com/articles/10810/you-would-never-believe-which-anti-gay-companies-you-support-with-your-money

http://money.msn.com/investing/where-companies-stand-on-gay-rights

http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2013/03/26/which-big-name-ceos-back-same-sex.html?page=all

http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/29/news/companies/same-sex-marriage-companies/

http://www.examiner.com/article/shopping-to-support-traditional-or-gay-marriage

http://mainfo.blogspot.com/2012/08/17-pro-traditional-marriage-companies.html

http://www.ketknbc.com/news/10-religious-companies-besides-chick-fil-a

Mark Richardson Called to Another Church

It is with great sadness that I post Mark Richardson's letter below.  I have grown to love Mark and have really enjoyed working with him here.  I understand being called away from a place where you are “comfortable” because that’s what I had to do 2 1/2 years ago.  I know it is not easy for either party.  We will greatly miss Mark.

Here is his letter:

Dear Calvary Church Family,

It is with deeply mixed emotions that my family and I submit our resignation effective Monday, April 1, 2013, to accept a call as worship pastor at a church in Lindale, TX. Our emotions are mixed because we love you so much and are sad to go, yet are excited about God's call to a new challenge in our lives. Whenever I hear someone is leaving a church, I wonder "What's the back-story?" Let me assure you, our leaving is not because of any strife or difficulty here. In fact, the decision to leave is made more difficult because of how much we love this church that has been our home for so long, because of how much we love and respect our pastor and staff, and because life and ministry here have been so fulfilling. But we have sensed God's clear leadership to make this move. Throughout our time here, I could not have asked for a more supportive, encouraging pastor, nor a closer friend than God has given me in Julio, nor could I have asked for a more loving and supportive church family or music team with which to work. You have been a gracious gift from God to us and we will miss you very much and will pray for you often.

Mark Richardson

I have spent the weekend and the better part of this week working on an interim plan from April forward.  I want to ensure a smooth transition.  At this point, we have worship leaders for the 11 o'clock and 12:30 services but will not have one for the 9:30 service after March 31 (as of yet).  In addition to leading the 9:30 worship service, Mark has:

1. Led the choir and the orchestra;
2. Been the team leader for all things worship, including seasonal events (Christmas, Easter, Church in Conference);
3. Been the point person for weddings and funerals at Calvary and for Calvary members;
4. Been the weekly bulletin editor;
5. Been the team leader for communications.
   

My primary concern at this point is finding the right person to be the worship leader at 9:30.  I love the 9:30 congregation.  As you know, our 9:30 service is not a traditional nor a contemporary service.  It is an artistic blend of the two.  It is a service for all families, including, but not limited to, many of our senior adults.  It is difficult to find someone with the skill set for such a service.  I ask for your prayerful support in that respect.

I have asked Jared Solis, in his role as worship & media associate, to be the point person for all things worship.  This primarily means that he would be the coordinating person for the three Sunday services.  However, he will only lead the 11 o’clock service.  Each service will have a different worship leader who can dedicate his/her full attention to the particular service.  This is the plan, at least for the interim period.

Mark has shared his decision with the staff and with the music & worship leadership and with the choir.  We are planning to make the “official” announcement to the congregation this Sunday at the conclusion of each of the English services.

This will be a difficult transition but I am convinced that, if God is in this, he will bless Mark and his family and he will see Calvary through this.  Our hope is in Him.  His plans are always best even when it may not seem evident immediately.  When we look back in the years to come, we will see how God glorified Himself in Mark's life and ministry and in Calvary's mission.  All the while, we must fully depend on Him.

I thank you in advance for your prayerful support.  Please know that I am willing to listen to any concern you might have.