July Reallife

July 2009

theVogel family

For the love of the DomiNIcans Kaitlyn, Teri, Lindsey, Steve, & Zach

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of SPRINGDALE & THE CHURCH at PINNACLE HILLS

July 2009 A message from Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Senior Pastor

Investing in People The end of July marks the first year anniversary of Andy Wilson as our Executive Leader of the Ministry and Operations. Andy has done a tremendous job learning the ministry and then immediately leading the ministry into growth. I’m thankful for his and Becky’s commitment to Christ and their love for our church, and we pray that God will give them many years with us in this position of leadership. Andy, please know we love you and appreciate everything you do for our church.

church financially. When you make financial investments into this ministry through the giving of the tithes and offerings, it enables us to touch people’s lives and to be used by God in a significant way. Please be faithful, weekly, in the giving of the tithes and offerings. We need your assistance to reach our Summer Program of Giving goal and without your gift, regardless of how small or large it may be, ministry will not take place. We need small gifts, we need medium-sized gifts, and we need large gifts. Most of all, we just simply need you to obey God and give the first tenth of all God has given you just like His word describes it. I am thankful for so many families in our church that continually do this.

Speaking of investing in people, another one of our young men just graduated as the leading graduate in his school at Liberty University. Brad Mayes, the son of Ben and Sue Mayes, received the Academic Achievement Award in Intercultural Studies at Liberty University. He is going to continue his seminary education and move forward in pursuing God’s call to his life. Brad is a brilliant young man with a tremendous future. Let’s pray for God to use him to change the world.

Just one other note concerning investing in people, Andrew Miller left on July 1 of this year to spend two years as a Journeyman with the International Mission Board in the country of Japan. We commissioned Andrew on June 21 and what a great moment it was. I am so proud of this young man; he comes from a tremendous family in our church and now has the opportunity for two years to change the world. This is another reason our financial gifts are so important, because without our church giving, it would not be possible for this young man to join the International Mission Board to do what he has been called to do for these two years. We must give more and we must do everything we can to help lead other churches in a great commission resurgence.

Investing in people is exactly what this summer has been about on both of our campuses. We have seen people come to Christ, we have seen people’s lives changed, and we have seen God do some amazing things, like 117 people baptized at the foot of the crosses! I cannot wait to hear the stories that are still yet to be told for all that goes on in the rest of our summer. When you invest in people, you send the entire ministry to a new level. One of the greatest ways to invest in people is to invest in our

May the Lord bless you and give you a great summer. Let’s continue strong.

is available to view online at www.fbcs.net or www.churchph.com. Real Life is published monthly by First Baptist Church of Springdale and The Church at Pinnacle Hills. For any inquiries, please call 479-751-4523. Cover photo by Brian Armas. July 2009

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u If you would have asked Steve Vogel when he was just a boy what he wanted to be when he grew up, he wouldn’t have hesitated with his answer.

He wanted to play baseball.

the REAL

BIG LEAGUE by Angela Slaughter

A

s he grew, Steve’s dream of playing baseball professionally pushed him to work diligently toward his goal, and by the time the young athlete graduated from high school in 1983, he was drafted into the minor league. Nevertheless, Steve resolved to first attend college with the hopes of being drafted again after his college career. That same year, Steve accepted a scholarship to Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Arizona, and in his freshman year, his team won the NAIA National Baseball Championship. Steve’s future had never seemed brighter, and his dreams of playing the sport professionally were just within reach. Until one day in 1985 that changed everything. As Steve participated in a training exercise, a misstep caused him to fall, tearing all the ligaments and cartilage in his knee, as well as fracturing his knee cap. The devastating injury marked the end of his athletic career and lifelong ambition of playing professional baseball. “I was very angry and confused,” Steve described. “I had trained to be a baseball player my whole life, and in one fell swoop, it was over.” In 1988, Steve married his wife, Teri, and together, the couple had two daughters, Lindsey and Kaitlyn, and a son, Zach. Like his father, Zach fell in love with the sport of baseball at a very young age, and Steve saw an opportunity to give himself over again to the game. This time, not as a player, but as a coach. “I knew that God had given me special abilities in baseball and that I should use them for His glory… so I turned to coaching.” Steve began coaching Zach’s baseball teams when Zach was only five years of age. Over the next five years, Zach’s teams won two league championship titles, as well as the California District 7 Championship. Once again, baseball was alive for Steve Vogel, and though he wasn’t holding the bat, his passion for the game burned just as strong. But in yet another strange turn of events, when Zach Vogel was just eleven years old, doctors diagnosed the boy with a heart condition that, like his father’s knee injury years before, brought his baseball career to an abrupt end. “I was very confused and distraught,” Steve said. “I could not figure out why God had taken baseball away from

us again.” Little did Steve know that God had already set into motion a great plan for the former baseball star, one that very much centered around the sport he loved. In 2002, two years before Zach’s diagnosis, Steve’s wife and daughters had approached him with the idea of the entire family going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Steve admits, “I tried to think of every excuse as to why we couldn’t go.” But in the end, he relented. While in the Dominican Republic, the family had the opportunity to minister in a variety of ways to people who inhabited one of the poorest areas of the world, many of whom lived in one-room buildings made of cardboard or scrap wood with no electricity or running water. The mission trip had nothing to do with baseball, but it had planted a seed deep within Steve’s heart. After Zach’s diagnosis, Steve began to see God’s plan unfold, and it was a simple one: Use the game of baseball as a tool to reach the people of the Dominican Republic for Him. “Before, I had always focused on either playing or coaching. It wasn’t until a year after that was taken from me [with Zach’s diagnosis] that my heart was opened to what God really intended.” Since their first trip in 2002, the Vogels have returned to the Dominican Republic four times, utilizing the many doors God has opened to share the gospel in a way that, in Steve’s words, “naturally draws the Dominican people.” Through their baseball ministry, the Vogels have seen hundreds of children come through the baseball clinics, with many of them receiving Christ. Steve describes that the basic principles used in baseball are utilized to teach the boys how to be godly men. “For example,” Steve explains, “we talk about how if you want to be a good baseball player, you have to practice. The same applies in being a Christian. We have to read His Word and pray to practice becoming the person God has called us to be.” Today, the Vogels partner with a ministry called International Youth Initiative. The family participates in prison ministry, youth and university outreaches, as well as outreaches using baseball clinics and games. Just this month, on July 3rd, Steve and Teri Vogel, along with their children, made their fifth journey to the Dominican Republic. The family is focusing this mission trip on prison ministry and youth baseball clinics. “Through these mission trips, our family has been forever changed. We are on fire for serving

Pictured from top to bottom: Steve teaching the fundamentals of fielding grounders, a group of 14 and 15 year olds who participated in a baseball clinic in Los Alcarrizos, Steve and Zach with their good friend Miguel, a local boy who they met on their very first trip - August 2008

the Lord in whatever area He opens and are excited to see what He has in store for us.” Steve Vogel had a big baseball dream. Little did he know, God had an even bigger one. And while Steve never knew the thrill of playing the game he loved in a stadium surrounded by thousands of cheering fans, there are hundreds of young men in the Dominican Republic who, no doubt, see him as a hero—a man who not only taught them to swing a bat, but who pointed them to the cross.

Steve and his wife, Teri, live in Cave Springs and are members of The Church at Pinnacle Hills. July 2009

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Springdale Campus F I R S T B A P T I S T C H U R C H o f S P R I N G D A L E | 479-751-4523 | www.fbcs.net

Weekly Schedule & Upcoming Events Sundays

Preschool Ministry

Connection Groups

8:15 a.m. Connection Groups

Preschool Play Days

“Bite-Size Theology” Sunday mornings, May 31–August 16 in Adult Connection Groups

Wednesdays

Thursdays in July Preschool Play Days are fun days planned for parents and their preschoolers to connect with each other, friends, and neighbors. July 2 from noon–2 p.m. - “Springdale Aquatic Center” July 9 from 9–11 a.m. - “Fun City” July 16 from 9–11 a.m. - “Tyson Park Picnic Day” July 23 from 9–11 a.m. - “Art Day” July 30 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. - “Murphy Park Picnic & Aquatic Center” Register online at www.fbcs.net. Please register by the Monday before each “Play Day.”

5:30 p.m. 24/7 Café and Building opens

Children’s Ministry

6:00 p.m. Orchestra Rehearsal

Ice Skating at the Jones Center

9:15 a.m. Worship Service Kidz Church (grades 1–5) DiscoveryLand Preschool 10:55 a.m. Connection Groups

6:45 p.m. Study of the Parables - Chapel Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Kidz Inc. Inside Out 24/7 JV Overdrive (grades 6–8) 24/7 Varsity Overdrive (grades 9–12)

For grades 3–5 completed Thursday, July 2

5th Grade Trip to Silver Dollar City Thursday, July 23

Water Wars For grades K–2 completed Thursday, July 30

Overdrive at the Movies Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the 24/7 Building A summer message series for students

King of the Beach Volleyball Tournament Wednesday, July 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Campus-Wide Event End of Summer/Fall Kick-Off Cookout Sunday, August 23 from 4–7 p.m. under the South Porte-Cochere Come celebrate the end of summer and help us kick off the fall. Food and drinks will be provided.

R E A L life

Sunday, August 16 from 4–7 p.m. Our annual leadership camp for all Connection Group leaders.

Young Couples Ministry Volleyball/Cookout Friday, July 10 from 6–9 p.m.

Summer Family Fun RESCHEDULED! Sunday, August 7 from 6:30–9 p.m. at Murphy Park and the Springdale Aquatic Center We will eat together at 6:30 at Murphy Park and at 7:00 we will go to the Springdale Aquatic Center for an evening of fun with the family! Invite your friends and their children. For more information, contact Staci at [email protected].

Women’s Ministry Flavour 2009

Student Ministry

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Leadership Camp

Monday, August 10 from 6–8 p.m. in the Theatre Have dinner, fellowship with friends, and hear our guest speaker Mary Kay Beard’s incredible life story. Cost is $5. Register online.

“Living Proof LIVE” Beth Moore Simulcast August 28–29 at our Pinnacle Hills campus “Living Proof Live” is a life-changing weekend with biblically-sound messages from Beth Moore. It’s a chance to be spiritually renewed along with thousands of other women. Connect with friends and experience a fresh encounter with God! Cost is $15. Register online at www.fbcs.net.

“Our lives were touched in ways no one ever expected.”

6:30–9 p.m. at Murphy Park & the Springdale Aquatic Center Join our Young Couples Ministry as we enjoy a night at the park together. All couples and families are welcome to come!

Pinnacle Hills Campus T H E C H U R C H a t P I N N A C L E H I L L S | 479-271-7799 | www.churchph.com

Weekly Schedule & Upcoming Events Sundays

Student Ministry

Women’s Ministry

9:15 a.m. Worship Service (simulcast)

Life Connect Groups

Women’s Friendship Dinner

Sundays at 9:15 a.m. in the Student Building Come and join a Life Connect Group. Not only will you be able to study God’s word, but you will be able to meet and form relationships with other students in your grade.

Thursday, August 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Gatheria “Women Sharpen Women” - This will be a very special evening hosted by Jeana Floyd. We will celebrate how women sharpen our lives and bid farewell to Kathy Ferguson. Cost is $12. Contact Kim at 271-7799 for more information.

Creation Station (preschoolers) Kids Worship (grades 1–5) Life Connect Groups (grades 6–12) Connection Groups 10:30 a.m. Financial Peace University

FUEL grades 6–12 Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Student Building Enjoy a fun-filled evening of worship and praise!

10:55 a.m. Worship Service

Martial Arts Class

Creation Station (preschoolers)

Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Student Building A self-defense class led by Kevin James.

Kids Worship (grades 1–5) Connection Groups 5:00 p.m. “Letters to the Seven Churches” with Scott Kaufman

Campus-wide Event Family Night at Murphy Park & the Springdale Aquatic Center

6:15 a.m. Sharpen Men’s Bible Study

Sunday, July 19 at 5 p.m. Come join us for a picnic at Murphy Park then fun at the Springdale Aquatic Center. Bring your family and friends to this free event and enjoy the food and fellowship!

Wednesdays

Pre-Marital Conference

10:00 a.m. Daytime Connection Group

“I Thee Wed” for Better or Worse

Tuesdays

12:30 p.m. Weight Watchers 6:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal (will not meet 7/1 & 7/8) 7:00 p.m. FUEL (grades 6–12)

Saturdays 7:00 a.m. Men’s Link Bible Study

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R E A L life

Friday, July 17 from 6–10 p.m. & Saturday, July 18 from 8 a.m.–noon in Surge This is highly recommended for engaged couples seeking a strong Biblical foundation for a healthy and life-long marriage. Cost is $50 per couple and includes materials, a light dinner, and continental breakfast. Register and pay online. For more information, contact Michelle Holden at 271-7799.

Prayer Ministry Prayer Link If you would like to request prayer or would like the opportunity to pray for others’ requests, e-mail us at [email protected].

“Living Proof LIVE” Beth Moore Simulcast August 28–29 in the Worship Center “Living Proof Live” is a life-changing weekend with biblically-sound messages from Beth Moore. It’s a chance to be spiritually renewed along with thousands of other women. Connect with friends and experience a fresh encounter with God! Cost is $15. Register online at www.churchph.com.

Focus Groups Riders for Christ Meets the first Saturday of each month Contact Carol at [email protected] for more information.

Exit-83 Young Singles Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in Surge Exit-83 is a great way to get in fellowship with other young singles and also get some awesome teaching from God’s word!

The Next Level 30–40 Singles Monday nights at 6:45 in the Lifestyle Room A community of single adults navigating life together. A place to take faith and authentic relationships to the next level.

180° 40+ Singles During the summer months, the 180° group will be meeting every other week at various locations. Please contact Donna Rowley at 903-0538 for more information.

Pre-Marital Conference Friday, July 17 from 6–10 p.m. & Saturday, July 18 from 8 a.m.–noon This is highly recommended for engaged couples seeking a strong Biblical foundation for a healthy and life-long marriage. Cost is $50 per couple and includes materials, a light dinner, and continental breakfast.

Cost is $12. Contact Kim at 271-7799 for ticket information.

Register and pay online at www.churchph.com. For more information, contact Michelle Holden at 271-7799.

Employee of the Quarter

Debbie Francis Debbie is extremely dedicated to her job, often working long hours in our Print Shop to serve our church and our people. She does her job with an extreme dedication to excellence. She pays fanatical attention to detail, often exceeding expectations, and is always looking for ways to improve her area. Debbie serves others and does it with a great attitude. She is often the one we run to at “the last minute,” and we all have given her impossible deadlines to which she responds with a “get-it-done attitude.” She often saves the church and school monies by doing things in-house and coming up with a better way. And after her work day, she is a talented violinist and much-appreciated volunteer in our Worship Ministry. Congratulations, Debbie, and thank you for all that you do!

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Program of

GIVING Weekly goal:

16 weeks:

May 24 thru September 6

BROADCAST SCHEDULE All times are CST.

International Television Daystar Sunday

4:30 p.m. (Ch. 6)

Local Television

16-week goal:

$287,500 $4,600,000

KHOG Family 45

Sunday Sunday Tuesday Thursday

9:30 a.m. (Ch. 7) 5:00 p.m. (Ch. 21) 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m.

Live Radio (Northwest Arkansas) FamilyFM Sunday 9:30 a.m. (89.3 FM) www.R onnieFloyd. co m

Automated & Online Giving Your tithes and offerings can be automatically drafted from your bank account. Download an authorization form online. You can also give online via PayPal.