Audubon Agenda July 2011
~ Richard Baxter
One writer has correctly portrayed it as
“self-esteem on steroids.” In other words, it is egocentrism, or the misled belief that reality revolves around “me” and my perceived needs. This worldly type of thinking is of epidemic proportion both in our individualistic nation and in the mancentered evangelical church of our time.
In fact, the latter has been so completely inundated with it, that the common evangelical pulpit is now characterized by the therapeutic—and has no idea of its danger. This consumption with feeding the carnal self is the very opposite of what Jesus taught us to do: he said to all,
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me” (Luke 9:23). That is,
Christians are not to feed their natural, sinful inclination toward the love of themselves (Romans 3:23; John 3:19-20), but are instead to starve it! Paul followed our Lord’s instruction when he taught us to avoid self-love while shunning even the thought of embracing it: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-
control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid
such people (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Did you notice which vice was at the top of Paul’s list? Answer: “Lovers of self!” If you read very carefully through this list, then you will notice that those sins all seem to logically flow out of the sin of
“selfishness.” This narcissistic age, especially in the church, does not need more doses of self-help or self-esteem from their advocates, but more men preaching the free grace gospel of our
Lord Jesus (John 8:30-32)! When this message increases, Christ’s church will fix
[its] eyes on Jesus, the author and
protector of [its] faith (Hebrews 12:2). The fruit of taking this new, yet old, path will be more love to God and our neighbors continued

Audubon Agenda July 2011
(Matthew 22:37-40), and more selfless action toward God’s people:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit…Let each of you…look to the
interests of others (Philippians 2:3-
4). For more help on how to turn from loving yourself to loving God, please read Lou Priolo’s excellent booklet, Selfishness: From Loving
Yourself to Loving Your Neighbor.
~ On behalf of the elders,
Pastor Jerry Marcellino
Important Dates in 2011
July 6 Italian :: Family Worship Video (45 minutes) and
Family Worship Q&A with Pastor Jerry
July 12-26 Pastor Jerry ministering in the Philippines
July 13 Fried Chicken :: Hymn Sing, Praise, Devotion &
Prayer time
July 17 Ken Temple – ministry report & preaching
July 20 Hamburgers :: Salvation Testimony Night
July 27 Cajun :: Talent Night
July 18-23 VBS (July 18 – training; July 19-22 – Classes; and July 23 – program)
August 3 Pot Providence :: Pastor Jerry’s Philippines Trip
Report
August 10 Pizza & Ice Cream :: Family Fun & Fellowship
Night
August 17, 24, 31 No Wednesday Services
September 7 Kingdom Seekers & Wed. Prayer Meeting ministries begin…
September 11 Baruch Maoz – ministry report & preaching
October 28-30 19th Annual Reformation Celebration
(Speakers: Dr. James White & Rev. Ken Jones)
November 20 Fallfest
December 14, 21, 28 No Wednesday Services
December 18 Christmas program
December 24 Christmas Eve Service
2
The impact of preaching to ourselves is not found in dramatic moments of crisis, or in our ability to use words creatively…. Preaching to yourself demands asking yourself a lot of questions, both of God’s Word and especially of yourself…To preach to yourself is to challenge yourself, push
yourself, and point yourself to the truth.
~ Joe Thorn

Our Lord’s Day Services and other
Regular Ministries of ADBC: Kingdom-
Seekers (Wed); JV & Varsity; College &
Career (Sun); Our bi-weekly Rankin
County Prison Ministry teams; Women’s
Ministries; Men’s meetings; LCS (K3-12);
Audubon Christian Book Store; our
Meridian (MS) Church Plant and “The
Audubon Pulpit”: For audio go to: www.sermonaudio.com/adbc or for video sermons you can go to either: www.audubonchurch.blip.tv
or www.youtube.com/adbcvideoministry

Our Foreign and Home Missionary
efforts: The Boggess’ near Paris, France; the Temples working with Iranians in the Atlanta, GA area and also abroad; the Arroyos in Juxtlahuaca and the
Martinez’s in Oaxaca City, Mexico; the
Christian Food Mission (Robert Smith) and Center for Pregnancy Choices (Carol
Harbaugh) here in Laurel and Ms. Sarah
Grafton working with international students in the Jackson area.

Our need to be disciples so as to make disciples (2 Timothy 2:2).

The salvation of our many children and
young people and for physical and spiritual energy – to be parents – who aim to consistently and continuously live and speak the gospel before them all the days of our lives (Psalm 78:1-8;
92:12-15)

Our elderly and shut-ins: Mrs. Jean
Knight.

The Fellowship of Independent
Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE) of which our Church is a Charter member. Please visit its website and pray for our sister churches ( www.firefellowship.org
).

A great awakening in: Laurel, Jones
County, our state, the Bible-belt, our great nation, and throughout the globe
(Isaiah 11:9)!

President Barack Obama, his cabinet,
Congress, our State and local City governments, our Military and its leaders in the war against terrorism (1
Timothy 2:1-8).

Our need to evangelize the lost each day
(Psalm 96:2).
Lord’s Day Services for July 2011
9:15am 10:30am Worship Service
07/03 Sunday School Classes One Nation Under God
Is there Hope for America? (Jeremiah 18:7-10)
07/10 Sunday School Classes Glad Obedience
Obeying God (John 7:17)
The Lord’s Supper
07/17 Combined SS Classes
(K.Temple)
Our God Reigns
Ken Temple preaching (Atlanta, GA)
07/24 Sunday School Classes The New Birth
Ray Harbaugh preaching
07/31 Sunday School Classes Upon Him, We Have Set our Hope
Hope in God (Acts 24:15)