The Messenger
M O U N TA I N B I B L E C H U RC H
Volume 28 Issue 1
January 2015
Walking is Always a Good Idea!
Wouldn’t you like to take
a walk with Jesus along the
shores of the Sea of Galilee
today? You might be interested to know that Jesus
will stop to do some fishing
along the way!
A Bible story that captured my imagination as a
child (and still does) is when
Jesus took a walk along the
shores of the Sea of Galilee
and called the first four of
his disciples to follow him.
Even though this may seem
like a happen-chance encounter at first glance, I believe every step Jesus took
was driven toward accomplishing his purpose.
Jesus had been preaching
in the area of Capernaum
about the coming Kingdom of
God and doing many miracles to affirm to seekers that
he was indeed the Messiah.
So these four disciples had
no doubt seen him do many
miracles and heard him
preach about the coming
Kingdom of God before their
momentous encounters with
Jesus that forever changed
their lives.
The first encounter Jesus
had was with brothers Peter
and Andrew. They were
casting their nets when Jesus
called to them to follow him.
They left everything and
immediately followed Jesus.
Jesus walked further
along the shore but now he’s
not alone, Peter and Andrew
are with him. Jesus encounters two more fishermen he’s
going to call to follow him.
The brothers James and John
had stopped fishing for the
night and were repairing the
nets with their dad. When
Jesus called them to follow
him they also left immediately and followed him. Listen to
how Matthew records these
encounters.
“One day as Jesus was
walking along the shore of
the Sea of Galilee, he saw
two brothers—Simon, also
called Peter, and Andrew—
throwing a net into the water,
for they fished for a living.
(19) Jesus called out to them,
“Come, follow me, and I will
show you how to fish for people!” (20) And they left their
nets at once and followed
him. (21) A little farther up the
shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in
a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets.
And he called them to come,
too. (22) They immediately
followed him, leaving the
boat and their father behind.
(23) Jesus traveled throughout
the region of Galilee, teach-
ing in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about
the Kingdom. And he healed
every kind of disease and illness. (24) News about him
spread as far as Syria, and
people soon began bringing to
him all who were sick. And
whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demonpossessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. (25)
Large crowds followed him
wherever he went—people
from Galilee, the Ten Towns,
Jerusalem, from all over Judea,
and from east of the Jordan
River.” Matthew 4:18-25
(NLT)
That invitation made sense
to them and they immediately
left their boats and fishing
tackle and followed Jesus.
Jesus didn’t go to the big
metropolis to find his most
faithful and ardent followers.
He didn’t even call a big conference and appeal to the
people in that environ. He
simply took a walk along the
shore of the Sea of Galilee
and he also stopped a couple
times to fish for people.
Christ promised that he
would mentor them to become
fishermen for people if they
followed him. Jesus would
both show them and tell them
how to fish for people as he
The Messenger
did in Matthew 10 for the
faith to recognize him and
twelve disciples and Luke 10 the Messiah.
when he sent the seventy out
There is so much we can
in pairs to the cities of Israel. learn from the ways Jesus
The early mentoring Jementored those who wanted
sus gave his disciples was
to become “Fishermen of
often conducted during
People.” The foremost menwalks along the shores of
toring concept was simply to
Galilee. Soon the entire
love and trust God comcountry of Israel was encom- pletely, unconditionally, and
passed and people reprethen to love people and trust
senting a variety of situaGod to work through you to
tions and occupations were
reach those who will believe.
encountered.
That’s an exciting and
For example, the “Pool
life changing opportunity
of Bethesda” is in the meJesus has invited us to actropolis of Jerusalem where cept. Witnessing the authorthe man who had been afity of Jesus over every type
flicted for thirty eight years of sickness and disease and
was healed. Where ever
his authority over all the
Jesus did miracles, he held
power of demons the peothe ones who witnessed them ple should have recognized
accountable to respond in
him as the promised Messiah
of Israel!
We also have seen even
greater demonstrations of
Christ’s authority than they
did because we know about
his bodily resurrection from
the dead. It’s my purpose,
and I pray yours also, to
decide to implement the
plan Jesus gave us; let’s
learn to love and completely
trust Jesus unconditionally
every day.
Let’s decide today to use
even walks in the neighborhood as an opportunity to
get to know people and to
call those who are seeking
for greater meaning and
purpose in life to accept
God’s special gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.
Invite them to begin attending a church where salvation
through Jesus Christ is
preached and the Bible is
believed as the divinely inspired message of God to
man! Mountain Bible Church
is such a church.
Let’s begin 2015 with a
heart for God and a commitment to follow him, and
honor him by submitting to
Jesus and his authority over
us. He can still fill empty
fishing nets and cleanse lepers. He has even promised
his followers that he will resurrect us to eternal life with
him in his kingkom.
Love and special prayers
for God’s blessings to be
upon each of you for 2015,
Pastor Marv
Christmas Parade
Mountain Bible Church's
entry into the city Christmas
parade was sweet. The
theme was 'Christmas in
Candyland' and our float
let everyone know that
'Jesus is sweeter than candy!'
A big thank you to
Cheryl Gusbeth and Jerry
Harris for designing and
building the float. It looked
so good. Several children
from the Good News Club
volunteered to ride on the
float that depicted Mary,
Joseph, and baby Jesus as
well as shepherds, and
townspeople from Bible
times. The float was towed
by our infamous John
Deere tractor driven by
Larry McIntyre. No MBC
parade participation would
be complete without Jerry
Harris' Model A which was
cheerfully driven by Darrin
Mason. Good job everyone!
Volume 28 Issue 1
New Year’s Eve 2014
The Messenger
THANK U'S
A BIG THANK YOU TO
DENNIS COLLINS FOR THE
AWESOME TRANSFORMATION OF THE STAGE
FOR THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM. IT LOOKED SO
GOOD. IT REALLY HELPED
SET THE TONE FOR THE
PROGRAM.
Movie Night
A fun evening for young
people and families is being planned on January
30th. Movie Night! In addition to showing a fun, family oriented movie there will
be prizes, games and
snacks. The featured movie
will be...'THE UGLY DACHSHUND' starring Dean Jones,
Suzanne Pleshette, and
Charlie Ruggles.
Mark your calendar,
invite a friend or two, and
come enjoy a relaxing
evening.
January 30---6:008:30ish
ANOTHER BIG THANK YOU
TO NEYA FOR ALL THE
HARD WORK AND EXTRA
HOURS SHE PUT IN TO
MAKE OUR CHURCH LOOK
SO GORGEOUS FOR
CHRISTMAS. NEYA, YOU
ARE A JEWEL.
Letters To The Editor
Here is a selection of
letters sent in to the Washington Post by the clueless,
usually in response to a
headline.
To the editor:
Does The Post so hate
America that you wish to
deliver our national secrets
into the hands of our enemies? I refer of course to
The Post's publication of
page after page of
"Classified" information,
blatantly labeled as such in
type so large that even the
most dimwitted spy can
hardly fail to miss it!
20,000 POUND PAVEMENTS TO HELP HOMELESS
To the Editor:
Are you people idiots?
What the homeless need
are homes, not 10 tons of
additional pavement! This
donation is cruel, like giving
20,000 Zippos to a burn
ward. You should all be
ashamed of yourselves.
UNPRODUCTIVE MIDS
TRAMPLED AT HOME
certain faiths. Everyone
errs occasionally, not just
Catholics. I guess Mr.
Greenberger feels Jews
never drop the ball, but
I'm here to tell you I found
one who did, in this awful
article.
Our nation's military
academies are and should
remain highly competitive.
But it is horrifying that parents are resorting to corporal punishment when a
student has fallen behind in
his studies. I am especially
dismayed to learn the
Southern Methodists had a
hand in this savagery.
CATHOLIC FUMBLES,
STUMBLES IN PLAYOFFS
Catholic fumbles? I cannot believe your sportswriters are allowed to single
out for criticism persons of
PALESTINIANS SAY
ISRAELIS VIOLATED ACCORD
So now they're blaming the Jews for every car
that's broken into?
MARYLAND AGREES
TO TOBACCO SETTLEMENT
Well, that's just great.
Just what we need -- an
entire settlement of people devoted to their cancer sticks. What's next, a
drunk driving commune?
To the editor:
You Washingtonians are
so self-absorbed! Take Sunday's weather report. You
go on and on about weather
in the Washington area.
You can bet that here in
Muscateen, we don't spend
all our time talking about
Washington's weather.
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP
VACUUM MIGHT OPEN
DOORS FOR GOVERNORS
When will these Poindexters in Washington understand that the American
public won't put up with their
gross misspending of U.S.
tax dollars -- $600 hammers, $2,000 toilet seats,
and now vacuum cleaners to
open doors for Governors?
Please.
Volume 28 Issue 1
Children’s Christmas Pageant 2014
BRANDIE JOHNSON
GRADUATES
“MY DIPLOMA CAME IN
THE MAIL! I DID IT I
EARNED A BA IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
& DEVELOPMENT AND I
WAS ABLE TO GRADUATED
MAGNA CUM LAUDE. I
TRULY HAVE A LOT TO BE
THANKFUL FOR.”
DOCTOR AND LAWYER
A DOCTOR AND A LAWYER
WERE TALKING AT A PARTY. THEIR CONVERSATION
WAS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPTED BY PEOPLE DESCRIBING THEIR AILMENTS
AND ASKING THE DOCTOR
FOR FREE MEDICAL ADVICE.
AFTER AN HOUR OF THIS,
THE EXASPERATED DOCTOR
ASKED THE LAWYER,
"WHAT DO YOU DO TO
STOP PEOPLE FROM ASKING YOU FOR LEGAL ADVICE WHEN YOU'RE OUT
OF THE OFFICE?"
"I GIVE IT TO THEM," REPLIED THE LAWYER, "AND
THEN I SEND THEM A BILL."
THE DOCTOR WAS
SHOCKED, BUT AGREED TO
GIVE IT A TRY. THE NEXT
DAY, STILL FEELING SLIGHTLY GUILTY, THE DOCTOR
PREPARED THE BILLS.
WHEN HE WENT TO PLACE
THEM IN HIS MAILBOX, HE
FOUND A BILL FROM THE
LAWYER.
Page 5
The Messenger
Church Bulletins Bloopers
CAUSES OF ALL FATAL
ACCIDENTS
DO NOT RIDE IN AUTOMOBILES: THEY CAUSE
20% OF ALL FATAL ACCIDENTS.

The Fasting & Prayer
Conference includes
meals.

The sermon this morning:
"Jesus Walks on the
Water." The sermon
tonight "Searching for
Jesus."

DO NOT STAY HOME:
17% OF ALL ACCIDENTS
DO OCCUR IN THE HOME.
DO NOT WALK ON THE
STREETS OR SIDEWALKS:
14% OF ALL ACCIDENTS
HAPPEN TO PEDESTRIANS.
DO NOT TRAVEL BY AIR,
RAIL, OR WATER: 16% OF
ALL ACCIDENTS HAPPEN
ON THESE.


ONLY .001% OF ALL
DEATHS OCCUR IN WORSHIP SERVICES IN CHURCH,
AND THESE ARE RELATED
TO PREVIOUS PHYSICAL
DISORDERS.

HENCE, THE SAFEST PLACE

FOR YOU TO BE AT ANY
TIME IS CHURCH. [BIBLE
STUDY IS SAFE, TOO. THE
PERCENTAGE THERE IS
EVEN LESS.]

GO TO CHURCH! IT
COULD SAVE YOUR
LIFE!

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
Our youth basketball
team is back in action
Wednesday at 8 PM in
the recreation hall.
Come out and watch us
kill Christ the King.
Ladies, don't forget the
rummage sale. It's a
chance to get rid of
those things not worth
keeping around the
house. Don't forget your
husbands.
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today
has been canceled due
to a conflict.
Remember in prayer the
many who are sick of our
community.
Smile at someone who is
hard to love. Say "Hell"
to someone who doesn't
care much about you.
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of
the congregation would
lend him their electric
girdles for the pancake
breakfast next Sunday.
Don't let worry kill you
off - let the Church help.
Miss Charlene Mason
sang "I will not pass this
way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
For those of you who
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


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
have children and don't
know it, we have a
nursery downstairs.
Next Thursday there will
be tryouts for the choir.
They need all the help
they can get.
Barbara remains in the
hospital and needs
blood donors for more
transfusions. She is also
having trouble sleeping
and requests tapes of
Pastor Jack's sermons.
The Rector will preach
his farewell message
after which the choir will
sing "Break Forth Into
Joy."
Irving Benson and Jessie
Carter were married on
October 24 in the
church. So ends a
friendship that began in
their school days.
A bean supper will be
held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.
Music will follow.
At the evening service
tonight, the sermon topic
will be "What Is Hell?"
Come early and listen to
our choir practice.
Eight new choir robes
are currently needed
due to the addition of
several new members
and to the deterioration
of some older ones.
Please place your donation in the envelope
along with the deceased
person you want remembered.
The church will host an
evening of fine dining,
super entertainment
and gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday
at 5:00 PM - prayer
and medication to follow.

The ladies of the Church
have cast off clothing of
every kind. They may
be seen in the basement
on Friday afternoon.

This evening at 7 PM
there will be a hymn
singing in the park
across from the Church.
Bring a blanket and
come prepared to sin.
Ladies Bible Study will
be held Thursday morning at 10AM. All ladies
are invited to lunch in
the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet
Thursday at 7PM.
Please use the back
door.
The eighth-graders will
be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the
Church basement Friday
at 7PM. The congregation is invited to attend
this tragedy.
Weight Watchers will
meet at 7 PM at the
First Presbyterian
Church. Please use
large double door at
the side entrance.
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
The Associate Minister
unveiled the church's
new tithing campaign
slogan last Sunday: "I
Upped My Pledge Up Yours”
Volume 28 Issue 1
COLLEEN KLAPPROTH HAS
MOVED CLOSER TO TEHACHAPI. HER DAUGHTER
AND HUSBAND HAVE ADDED A ROOM TO THEIR
HOME JUST FOR COLLEEN.
INSTEAD OF BEING 4
HOURS AWAY IN SAN
DIEGO, SHE IS NOW 2
HOURS AWAY, NEAR HESPERIA.
HER NEW ADDRESS IS
11530 OAK RIDGE
DRIVE OAK HILLS CA
98234.
JESUS AND THE BURGLAR
A BURGLAR BROKE INTO A HOUSE ONE NIGHT. HE SHINED HIS FLASHLIGHT AROUND, LOOKING
FOR VALUABLES WHEN A VOICE IN THE DARK SAID, 'JESUS KNOWS YOU'RE HERE.'
HE NEARLY JUMPED OUT OF HIS SKIN, CLICKED HIS FLASHLIGHT OFF, AND FROZE.
WHEN HE HEARD NOTHING MORE, AFTER A BIT, HE SHOOK HIS HEAD AND
CONTINUED.
JUST AS HE PULLED THE STEREO OUT SO HE COULD DISCONNECT THE
WIRES, CLEAR AS A BELL HE HEARD 'JESUS IS WATCHING YOU.'
FREAKED OUT, HE SHINED HIS LIGHT AROUND FRANTICALLY, LOOKING FOR
THE SOURCE OF THE VOICE.
FINALLY, IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM, HIS FLASHLIGHT BEAM CAME TO
REST ON A PARROT.
'DID YOU SAY THAT?' HE HISSED AT THE PARROT.
'YEP', THE PARROT CONFESSED, THEN SQUAWKED, 'I'M JUST TRYING TO WARN YOU THAT HE IS
WATCHING YOU.'
THE BURGLAR RELAXED. 'WARN ME, HUH? WHO IN THE WORLD ARE YOU?'
'MOSES,' REPLIED THE BIRD.
'MOSES?' THE BURGLAR LAUGHED.
'WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WOULD NAME A BIRD MOSES?'
'THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD NAME A ROTTWEILER JESUS.'
NO MONEY AT COLLEGE
A YOUNG MAN AWAY
FROM HOME AND AT COLLEGE WAS FEELING LOW.
HE HAD NO MONEY AT THE
PRESENT TIME, SO HE DECIDED AT ASK DAD FOR SOME
HELP. HE SENT A SIMPLE
THREE LINE SIX WORD LETTER TO DAD. IT SAID,
"NO MON.
NO FUN.
YOUR SON."
A WEEK LATER HE HAD A
RESPONSE FROM DAD ANOTHER THREE LINE SIX
WORD LETTER. IT SAID,
"TOO BAD.
SO SAD.
YOUR DAD."
For Help and Answers
Call the church office-----———————————-----822-7541
Crisis Prayer requests————-—Call Christine, 822-8849
Change address or phone———————————---822-7541
Doctrinal questions-----——————-–————--------822-7541
Wedding questions----———————-————---------822-7541
Hospital visits----------------——————————-—------822-7541
Counseling Information--———–———————------822-7541
Child dedication Service -———————————---822-7541
Student Ministries (Junior High to College)—-822-7541
Membership/Baptism-----———————————-----822-7541
The Messenger of Mountain Bible Church
Office Manager and Editor: Donna Eastham
Contributing Writers: Lori Henry and Pastor Slifer.
Distribution: Neya Kuithe
Sunday Morning Services at Mountain Bible Church: 8:30 and 10:30
Children’s Programs are available at the same times.
Infant care (0-2 years) is available in the nursery.
Senior Pastor: Dr. Marvin D. Slifer
Children’s Ministries Director: Lori Henry
Youth Ministries Director: Christy Boyd
Human Resource Director: Christy Boyd
Trustees for 2014: Andy Eloff, Robert Garcia, Paul Hughes, Ron Rohe, Paul Smith, Ed Weston and Ron Williams.
Elders for 2014: Dennis Collins, Sam Conklin, Ed Dunlap, Dae Lantz, Tom Lichtenwaldt, Darrin Mason, Andy McCain and Andy Ohmit.
The Messenger is published monthly. All submissions to The Messenger are due the twentieth (20th) of each month. We would like
contributions of news articles, photos and other information from the Youth Group, Men’s and Ladies Bible Studies, Missions Team, Let’s
Eat Cafe, Energizers and Praise Team. Please remember to put your name on the article so we can give proper credit.
The Messenger is published by:
Mountain Bible Church 630 Maple Street Tehachapi, CA 93561 661-822-7541
MOUNTAIN BIBLE CHURCH
630 Maple Street
Tehachapi, CA 93561
Phone: 661-822-7541
Fax: 661-822-8557
www.mountainbiblechurch.org
E-mail: info@mountainbiblechurch.org