TBC Blog

eNewsletter 08-18-11 Weekly Events

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Hooray, the hottest summer in memory is behind us! With the welcome drop in temperature comes a quick rise in the activity of TBC's ministries. Our heartbeat – why we do what we do – is to bring each one of us closer to knowing and serving Jesus. Our leadership has identified the process to do this in three simple steps: Discover – Connect – Serve. Check out these weekly Fall opportunities as you discover who He is, connect with other followers of Him and then serve Him.

WEEKLY EVENTS

KIDS LOVE AWANA!
We love kids and kids love Awana! Whether racing around a game circle, participating in a Minute to Win It competition or connecting with a leader while learning the Word, your child will gain so much from this Wednesday evening program. Open for kids ages 3 through 6th grade. Register your child here. And visit our Open House on Aug. 31st - anytime between 6:30 & 8 PM in the Mulvane Building.

JR HIGH TIME
It's high energy and lots of fun as our 7th and 8th graders meet with friends and study together on Wednesday evenings in the College Avenue Building Basement, 6:30 to 8 PM. If you're a Jr. Higher, you won't want to miss this – Sep. 7th is our first time together – we look forward to seeing you there!

SR HIGH NIGHT
Sr. Highers, come raid Scott's house to hang out and dig into the Word every week. We'll get together every Thursday evening 7 to 8:30 PM at 3125 SW 31st Ct. Join us Sep. 8th and every following Thursday.

COLLEGE STUDENT – YOU CAN KNOW GOD’S WILL!
Ever struggle with knowing what God wants you to do? Join us Sunday morning at the Gathering, 9:30 AM in the basement of the College Avenue Building as we discuss Decision Making and the Will of God. We'll also have Bible studies during the week – contact Hank@DiscoverTBC.com to learn more.

HEY GUY – JOIN THE NEW MEN’S FRATERNITY!
In 28 weeks, you can become the man God loves and your family admires! Join us on Wednesday mornings, beginning Sep. 14th at 6 AM in the Xenos Room (College Avenue Building) for a brand new Men's Fraternity. "Jim 'n Hunter in the Morning" will take you through a well-designed program of spiritual and leadership growth especially designed for men. Click here to register.

WOMEN IN THE WORD
Ladies, dig into the Word and watch your lives transform as you grow closer to Christ. We have several different studies, offered at various times during the week. Click here to find out more details and get involved.

DIVORCE CARE
Nothing touches lives quite as deeply as divorce. And complete healing comes only through the love of Christ. If you've been affected by divorce, consider joining us on Wednesday evenings, beginning Sep. 7th at 6:30 PM in the East Conference Room of the College Avenue Building.

eNewsletter 08-18-11 Special Fall Events

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500

In addition to our weekly ministries, mark your calendars for these TBC Fall activities:

Discovery Day is here! - Pull into the parking lot this Sunday, Aug. 21st, and you'll be greeted by a large tent, filled with booths highlighting our ministries. Walk around, visit with ministry leaders and discover how you can use your skills for God, make new friends, and become a part of TBC.

Fall Festival is Kids' Favorite! - Kick up your heels on Oct. 2nd and have a great time at this annual favorite at Gary's Pumpkin Patch. Bring the family, run through the corn maze and take in all the fun. This is one you won't want to miss!

Trunk or Treat - Bring the kiddos out and grab all the candy their little fists can hold in our parking lot on Oct. 23rd. No scary costumes - just plain ole fun.

Praise & Turkey - Join us on Sunday, Nov. 20th and give thanks to our God for all He's done and is doing. Then stay after 3rd service for turkey, stuffing and conversation with your TBC family at our annual Turkey Feast.

eNewsletter 08-18-11 Our Final Baptism of the Summer

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Can you think of anything better than celebrating the birth of a new baby, with all the hopes and promises it brings? Celebrating new physical life is terrific, but the joy of new spiritual life - one that'll last forever - now that's even more reason to cheer!

Join us Sunday, August 28th, at Lake Shawnee as we celebrate those who have found new life in Christ. Bring your lawn chairs at 6 PM and get ready to hear some amazing, wonderful accounts of God changing lives. You'll hear stories like these from our June baptism:

. . . Unfortunately, our family had some tough things occur early in my life. Some of these things were life changing events and my family ended up having a very difficult time just trying to live day by day . . . With the early teens, I was introduced to drinking beer ... social drinking turned into a crutch for me. Over the years this became more and more of an issue . . . After a particularly bad weekend of drinking, I needed badly to make a change. It was there I prayed to God to give me the strength to turn away from this behavior and be the man my wife and two young daughters needed me to be . . . Several years later we found ourselves at TBC . . . It was there after a year I prayed to Jesus to be my Savior. My life, along with my family's, is so much better than I could have ever imagined . . . The only thing that truly matters is our relationship with Jesus Christ, which I am so thankful to have.

Mike Ball

Or how about this precious story from one of our 9-year-old's?

When I was at preschool I was thinking, "Why should I be sinning when I could have a relationship with God?" I thought that since I go to church I should listen to the minister. So I started to listen at church. I learned that I'm going to die. If I believe in Jesus when I die, I will forever live with God. But if I die without Jesus, I will go somewhere else - hell. I did believe Jesus died for me to take away my sin. So I asked Jesus for forgiveness for my sins, asked Him to be my Savior and asked Him to help me not do bad things in the future. I'm thankful Jesus died for me and that He can be in my heart ALWAYS.

Mia Coker

Come on out on the 28th and get ready to be blessed with more great stories of life change!

eNewsletter 08-18-11 Trash Mountain Project

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500

There’s nothing like being involved in the Lord’s work, is there? Over the last year, TBCers have thrown themselves with all their gusto into our partnership with Trash Mountain Project ministry in the Dominican Republic. Several groups have flown to the island to lend a hand in numerous ways. Just this summer, TBC has partnered with Trash Mountain Project to accomplish the following:

Young adult baseball camp
Construction of new baseball field backstop for the community
New outdoor eating area floor and roof construction
Technical school/health clinic land excavation
Care of elderly
Eye care clinic
Aquaponics plans developed
New campus pastor hired and home built for his family
Four week Narnia-based VBS camp
Retaining and perimeter walls for Technical school/health clinic
Building prepared for new Bible church plant
Youth-led VBS camp at Kids With A Hope
New uniforms purchased and distributed to students

What a list - and to think that all has been accomplished within the last three months!

But TBCers have never been ones to rest on their haunches. There's still a lot of work to be done at the ministry, including:

Hope Bible Church Plant - the ministry has hired Pastor Jose Ramon to be the new campus pastor at the Kids With A Hope School. He's also been asked to start a church at the school on Sunday mornings, since there are no other options in the community for those who want to attend Sunday services. The church, which will begin services on Sep. 4th, will be non-denominational and modeled much after TBC.

Technical School/Health Clinic - the ministry has plans to build a technical school and health clinic to allow skills to be taught and medical services provided to individuals in the community. To date, land has been purchased and perimeter and retaining walls have been constructed. Plans call for the project to be completed by Spring 2012.

If you'd like to be involved with helping to fund these future projects, it's easy. Simply make your donation to TBC, with Trash Mountain Project noted in the memo and drop your check in the offering plate on Sunday mornings or drop in the mail to the TBC Office, 1135 SW College Ave, Topeka, KS 66604.

eNewsletter 11-29-10 Forward in Faith

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

If you were in church yesterday, you heard that we have a new BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) here at TBC: to create a Children’s building in the east courtyard of our College Avenue Building, in order to “expand the borders” of our children’s ministry, and greatly benefit several other TBC ministries.

For the past year and a half, the elder board has taken seriously its “shepherding duty” of investigating the needs of our fellowship and the requirements of our vision to lead people to life in Christ. This investigation has has been watered with prayer and seeded with ideas from staff, deacons, volunteers, and the Capital Improvement Team (aka Renovation Committee). In the end it became clear: our greatest need and opportunity lie in our thriving children’s ministry, and the best solution to that need is to give our children new, versatile space.

“Forward in Faith.“ This phrase was chosen as the theme of our building campaign because it describes our life as Christ’s disciples. We are not to turn back, but drive forward. And God tells us to move forward in faith, because though He promises us a bright future, He does not reveal it to us.

TBC is moving “forward in faith” on this project to fundamentally change and improve the quality and effectiveness of our outreach to children and their families. When this project is complete, we will have one dynamic facility that seamlessly combines the size of the current College Avenue Building (CAB) with the versatility and space of a new addition. And TBC will be able to serve young families all in one place.

Is children’s ministry really that important? Let this statistic seize you: 86% of believers trust Christ by age 14. A church whose mission is leading people to life in Christ must therefore be serious about leading children to life in Christ. The TBC body has expressed it numerous times over the last decade: our children, and outreach ministries to children, are where our heart is. The stories of children at TBC who have asked Jesus to be their Savior just in the last few months have reinforced this priority.

A few specifics. To meet the needs of our children, this project will create a 30,000 square foot addition to the CAB that will completely enclose the eastern courtyard. Among other things, it will include:

• A 450 seat auditorium that will double as the Awana activity area on Wednesday nights

• Two 60X40 ft. children’s theaters, a game room, and multiple break-out rooms.

• A secure and expanded nursery facility and cry room.

• An industrial kitchen off of the auditorium which will give TBC a true multi-purpose facility capable of hosting weddings and receptions, large church-wide dinners, and other functions.

In addition to creating a family-friendly environment, this new addition will also address two major needs within the children’s ministry that have just arisen in the last few years. The first is a need for a more dynamic learning environment in the form of children’s theaters. If you haven’t been around our Sunday School classes in the last year, you might be surprised at the changes that have taken place. TBC has fully embraced the curriculum created at Andy Stanley’s church in Atlanta called 252 Basics. This ground-breaking curriculum has proven itself to change young lives. 252 Basics takes its name from Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” It teaches children how to live the life of a Christ-follower through focusing on a different biblical virtue each month and by utilizing an incredible mix of activities, video, worship, and live skits. As you can imagine, most of those elements are designed to be carried out in a theater set-up, and while we’ve done the best we can with our available classrooms, we are at present able to carry out a fraction of the curriculum because of the limitations. Today there is an increasingly intense battle to win the hearts and minds of children and show them that the gospel is relevant to their lives. This curriculum does the best job that we have seen at breaking through to diverse kids from diverse backgrounds, and producing life-altering results.

Another aspect of 252 Basics that cannot be implemented currently is the desire to bring parents and Sunday School teachers together as a team to teach kids the truths of the Bible. By having parents and kids all in the same building, we will be able to offer moms and dads the chance to be exposed to the same teaching on occasion, which will better equip them to carry on the lessons of Sunday throughout the rest of the week at home.

The second great need that has arisen at TBC for our children is the dynamic growth of our Wednesday night program in the form of the Awana Club. Awana is well-known throughout the country as one of the very best tools to reach both churched and un-churched kids with the truth of the gospel. In just its second year at TBC, our Awana Club has grown to almost 300 children attending each Wednesday night, and we are simply not able to accommodate all of those kids with our current facility.

A natural question – one the board asked itself early on – is: “Why build something new when there is much of the CAB that is unused?” In answering that question, it’s first important to note that the proposal includes using half of the CAB 2nd floor. Secondly, the needs that we now have – for children’s theaters and a large multi-purpose room – simply cannot be located in the current CAB building. We’ve consulted with architects and engineers, only to be met with the same answer, “The CAB was constructed to house small rooms. Converting it to larger rooms for theaters or an auditorium would be exorbitantly expensive.” Thirdly, understand that much of the upper floors of CAB are currently being used, even though most TBCers never see it. Let’s face it, a congregation our size and with our activities requires a lot of storage space (after all, all those fixtures from the light show, clothes with the Clothes Closet and appliances/furniture with the Makeover Ministry have to go somewhere!). Finally, know that we’re investigating the possibility for long-term use of the upper floors of CAB to be used for a permanent community outreach ministry, adult class rooms and – you guessed it – storage.

If you’d like to take a look at the proposal, check out an artist’s renditions of the exterior and interior of the proposed lobby currently on display in the Welcome Center of the Mulvane Building. There, you’ll also see the proposed floor plans.

But better yet, please accept our invitation to come to an information meeting in the Xenos room of the CAB this Thursday, Dec. 2nd, at 7:00 PM. We’ll explain in detail the process we took to arrive at this proposal and more specifics about what we believe to be the next phase in the life of our church. And we’ll be available to answer any questions you may have.

Additional information about the plan is available here. There you’ll be able to read about the plan details, see the proposed floor plans, check out the response to frequently asked questions and also submit any question you may have. We value your input.

The estimated cost for this project is $4.4 million. With $1.6 million already funded, we are left with $2.8 million that needs to be raised in order to make this vision a reality. We invite you to prayerfully consider giving some of the resources with which God has blessed you to this project over the next year, starting with a year-end gift. Once the fundraising benchmark has been passed, the construction of this facility will require an estimated 15 to 18 months to be completed.

Let’s move “forward in faith” on this project to fundamentally change and improve the quality and effectiveness of our outreach to children and their families. By offering one dynamic facility that seamlessly combines the utility and size of the current College Avenue Building (CAB) with the versatility and open space of the new addition, TBC will once again be able to minister to young families all in one place.

Psalm 78:4 states “We will not hide these truths from our children. We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power and the mighty wonders He has done.” Help us reach the children of our community in an even greater way with the power of God’s love for them, and train them in His word so they will glorify Him to the ends of the earth. We’re excited about this opportunity and our prayer is that you, too, will share our determination to move “Forward in Faith.”

eNewsletter 11-29-10 What's That In Our Auditorium?

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

You saw it yesterday during the worship service - the large 8 ‘ by 8 ‘ map of Topeka at the side of the auditorium. And you also noticed that 1,399 addresses - the exact number of homes occupied by a TBCer – have been pinpointed and are shining light as part of our December “Lighten Up Your Holiday” campaign.

“Lighten Up Your Holiday” is comprised of three terrific events – LOL Christmas, the Light Show and Christmas Eve. Each of these events is an excellent opportunity to reach out to neighbors, co-workers and friends who may not have a personal relationship with the Lord.
You won’t be embarrassed or disappointed to invite someone to these events. LOL Christmas, which will take place Dec. 13th and 14th, is high-class, with extraordinary refreshments, entertainment and a speaker who will have you laughing in stiches, while also clearly explaining how each of us can have a personal relationship with the Lord.

Another event in our campaign is the Light Show, now in its fourth year, to take place Dec. 10th, 11th and 12th. This event is unparalleled in its creativity and execution. You and your guests can sit in the comfort of your cars, “oohing and ahhing” over the music and synchronized lights. And yet you’ll hear the gospel presented in a clear and compelling way.

Last but not least, don’t forget our Christmas Eve service, which provides an opportunity to draw together with your TBC family to reflect upon God’s greatest gift to us.

So why the map? It’s a visible demonstration that each of us is to reflect God’s light in our neighborhood and in our city. As each of us invites someone to one of our three events, we’re asking that you place an adhesive orange dot on the map to represent that home. The dots can be found beside the map in the auditorium. As the map fills with dots over the next few weeks, we’ll be reminded to pray for each of those homes.

Thanks for inviting someone; thanks for praying for all the homes reflected on the map; and thanks for doing your part to lighten up someone’s holiday with the opportunity to know the Lord and change their life.

eNewsletter 11-29-10 Can I Really Make a Difference

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

TBCers are creative in the ways they reach out to share the love of Christ. And it’s always a delightful surprise to see what God does through those efforts. As we pray about whom and how God might use us to lighten up someone’s holiday, perhaps an example from three years ago can best demonstrate how He can work through our efforts. Lee and Laurie Reisinger came to our first light show. At the time, they didn’t regularly attend church, but they’re both active at TBC now – Laurie in women’s Bible studies and Lee as an invaluable part of our tech ministry.

But let’s let them tell their story in their own words:

We moved to Topeka, from Olathe, in July 2006. We visited several area churches in search of a permanent church home. In December of 2007, Valerie Barkley and her kids delivered some of Val’s homemade goodies to our door for Christmas. Included in the package was a card advertising a Christmas Light Show at TBC. We decided this might be fun and we took our young grandson with us the first night of the show. Well, we were very impressed with the presentation and everything about it. From the parking attendants, who seemed expert at their jobs, to the live band and all the lights…even getting in and out of the lot was a breeze. But the biggest surprise was that no one would take our donation when we left. They told us it was their gift to us. We enjoyed it so much we decided to come back the next night ourselves so we could fully enjoy the show.

After our second visit to the show we decided we had to try this church because it was obvious something was going on here and we wanted to find out what it was. We visited the following Sunday and were warmly greeted with a welcoming handshake by Bill Stewart. Several other folks welcomed us to the service but no one seemed pushy or aggressive. We were allowed to be ourselves and to easily come and go. The service seemed to fit what we were searching for so we decided to continue going into the new year, to see if this was just a holiday fluke or was this for real. Eventually we took the welcome class and became more involved in the church family. We thank God, working through the Barkleys and the Light Show, for leading us to TBC.

Whose name is God whispering in your ear to invite this year?

eNewsletter 11-29-10 Simplify Your Life

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Let’s be honest. Church finances and giving can be a touchy subject; that is, at least, for many churches. Thankfully, TBCers have a long history of being very generous in giving to the work of the Lord, whether it’s for TBC ministries, local missions or ministries across the world.

Historically, TBCers have been encouraged to use offering envelopes for their contributions if they’d like to receive a contribution statement at the end of the year. Statements are also prepared for all individual gifts of $250 or greater, regardless if offering envelopes are used.

Starting in 2011, however, our capability to provide contribution statements is changing. We will provide statements for all check contributions given to TBC, regardless if they are given in an offering envelope and regardless of the amount of the gift. This removes the need to use offering envelopes for any contributions given by check.

What does that mean? TBC will record each time an individual drops a check drawn on their account in the offering plate for any amount, whether it’s $10 or $100,000 or anything in between. Then, in early 2012, we’ll send a listing of all such gifts, making it convenient for tax reporting purposes.

Please take note, if you give cash contributions and would like a record of those, you’ll still need to use offering envelopes. Boxes of envelopes for those individuals will still be available to pick up in the Welcome center during December. Otherwise, simply drop your tithe checks in the offering plate and say goodbye to one more thing to keep track of.

And don’t forget, we have automated giving available, in which you designate an amount and authorize TBC to withdraw that amount from your bank account either once or twice a month. Go to www.discovertbc.com/tbc/pages/415-automated-giving to start that process and simplify your life even more.

eNewsletter 07-21-10 Introducing Kaleb and Sara Wilcox

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Introducing Kaleb and Sara Wilcox

Video systems, audio systems, DVD ministry, on-line sermons, office computers, musical click tracks, in-ear audio systems, main auditorium, LA Worship, Xenos ... whew, it makes me exhausted just to run through the list!

Remember when ministry was simple? One microphone, a pulpit and maybe an overhead projector – that was all there was. But the past few decades has brought the explosion of technology, and the world of ministry has been at the forefront of those changes. Just as the radio revolutionized missions outreach two generations ago, and the television expanded opportunities in this past generation, the Internet and DVD’s are opening up new ministry and mission possibilities today.

For several years, Nat Diliberto was our trusted do-it-all guy, handling our entire music ministry including drama and technology. But doing it all simply became too much for one person. So Kevin Givens was hired as a part-time Tech Assistant to Nat. But Nat’s responsibilities continued to grow, so Bryan Nelson was hired full time as Worship Pastor to give oversight to the music/drama aspects, while Nat assumed responsibilities as Tech Arts Pastor and Facilities Manager. In the last couple of years, however, those responsibilities have continued to mushroom, and will continue to do so. Kevin’s health issues prevented him from being able to give any more time than he was already giving.

And so, a few months ago, the elders approved the creation of a full-time position of Technology Director. This will allow Nat to focus on the expanding needs of our campus, while allowing the new position to meet the growing technology needs of our ministry.

We began a nationwide search, praying that God would bring us an individual with the technical skills necessary, who also had a heart fully dedicated to the Lord and His work, a person who would be willing to come to TBC. The Lord answered our prayers. And now we are very excited to to introduce this person to you.

On July 19, Kaleb Wilcox will begin working as TBC’s first full-time Technology Director. He is a recent graduate of Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, where he received double degrees in Audio Production and Video Production. While acquiring his degrees, he also worked as the audio engineer for the university’s 3,600 seat auditorium. But much more than being academic and industrious, Kaleb has also been active in hands-on ministry, leading worship (he plays drums and guitar) for his church in Cedarville. Kaleb is married to Sara, who hails from upstate New York and has a degree in art.

In their free time, Kaleb and Sara like to be outside, running or biking. They also enjoy visiting art museums, attending music concerts and spending a free evening catching a movie. More than anything else, though, they value spending time hanging out with friends.

As you see Kaleb and Sara around TBC, give them a hearty Kansas welcome and let them know you're glad they're a part of the TBC family and team.

eNewsletter 07-21-10 Also Introducing Our New Logo

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Also Introducing Our New Logo

Logos say a lot about an organization, don’t they? For instance, the designers for the Toyota logo were very intentional with their design. You've seen their logo with its three ovals: an outer oval, with intersecting vertical and horizontal ovals inside in the shape of the letter "T" for Toyota. The two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota, while the white space in the background symbolizes Toyota's global expansion and unlimited potential. Symbols can carry a big message in a small space!

So when it came time to freshen up the TBC logo, we knew our new design must communicate our mission -- "leading people to life in Christ" -- in a clear and creative way. Is there a logo that can communicate Christ, the cross, and the coming of people to Him? The staff, with professional help, think we've come up with it. And so we’re excited to unveil our new logo, and we hope you like it.

The cross design is the first thing you notice. But the same symbol also represents roads, representing the movement of people to Christ. We chose the color red, representing the blood of Christ that saves us, the foundation of our faith.

So step aside, Toyota, we’ve got our own message to communicate loud and clear: TBC is a church that cares about Christ and people, and bringing people to Christ.