Trunk N Treat 2011

Today is Halloween. I am looking forward to Trunk N Treat at NRN this evening.
Here is the info: Monday, Oct. 31, 2011 • 5pm-dark

This is an alternative family event for the Halloween evening. Your kids can get just as much candy right here at the church in a safe environment! People from North Raleigh Nazarene will make available the trunks of their cars to put gobs of wrapped candy. From 5–7:00pm, the kids will go from trunk to trunk gathering treats.

There will also be an inflatable bounce house and some carnival-type games for the children to enjoy. Refreshments and snacks will also be available for all. Free hog dogs and popcorn. Hot coffee for all!

You have seen the light shows for homes at Christmas. Enjoy this expression of Halloween 2011:

Week 2 of the New Testament Challenge

Our reading and listening schedule this week for the New Testament Challenge takes us to the Gospel of Mark. To add to your time with God I thought you would like a few insights about the book of Mark:

Quick Facts about the Book of Mark:

- Mark is believed to be the earliest of the 4 Gospels. It was written within a few decades of the death of Jesus and in circulation among the early church. It is the earliest account of Jesus’ life that has survived.

- There are sections of Mark that appear almost word for word in both Matthew and Luke (written just a few years later). This leads scholars to believe that both Matthew (one of Jesus’ disciples) and Luke (a doctor who traveled with Paul on some of his missionary journeys) had the Gospel of Mark sitting in front of them and were using it as a reference as they wrote their own Gospels.

- It is believed that Mark is Peter’s account of Jesus’ life and that Mark wrote down the account from listening to Peter tell stories about Jesus (perhaps from Peter’s sermons).

- Mark was the nephew of Barnabas and traveled with Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s first missionary journey. But Mark abandoned the journey. Later when Paul and Barnabas were about to go on a 2nd missionary journey, Barnabas wanted to take Mark, but Paul didn’t. So, Barnabas and Mark went together and Paul and Silas went together. Later on Paul and Mark reconcile and Mark travels with Paul again.

- Mark is the shortest Gospel in length. In fact, there are only 24 verses in all of Mark that don’t also appear somewhere in Matthew or Luke.

- Notice that the Gospel of Mark is all about action. It has fewer of Jesus words, but tells story after story of Jesus in rapid fashion.

- Notice that in Mark the disciples seem to always lack faith and never seem to understand who Jesus is until the very end. Compare that to the blind man Jesus heals in Mark 8:22-26. Note that the blind man can’t see clearly at first…and then later the picture becomes clear. That is a picture of the disciples faith in Mark – gradual.


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Last Sunday I shared about the FREE resource for the New Testament Challenge.
Here is a tutorial on how to best use the CD. I hope it helps:

Preview of the New Testament Challenge

This past Sunday at NRN we featured BFF Sunday! Barbecue - Friends - Fun !

I was greatly blessed with 9 friends that I had invited to join us. I admit I was disappointed by the number of church family that are usually at church but was not there. The ministry of so many people was outstanding. It was a GREAT day had by all in attendance.

It was also the day I launched the preview message of the new teaching series:

The New Testament Challenge consist of 3 parts:

1) Spend just 28 minutes a day ( 5 days a week) to read/ listen to the portion assigned of the New Testament.

2) Be in church each Sunday of this teaching series ~ or ~ listen to the podcast of the message found on the church website.

3) Allow the Word of God to speak to your heart and life over the next 63 days.

In order to assist you with the challenge - we are providing a FREE CD of dramatized New Testament . This CD is in MP3 format and is part of a listening program designed by Faith Comes By Hearing. You can download the MP3 version of the New Testament onto your computer, iPod, or phone. There is a Bible.is app for your phone. We even provide free iTunes reading guide on iTunes.

If you do not live in the Raleigh, NC area but would like to join us on the journey of the New Testament Challenge - simply provide a comment below and provide me with your contact information.

28 minutes a day - could change your life - forever.