May 22, 2022 - Rob and Donna Thommarson will be leaving for a new assignment training people to become disciple-makers. We want to express our love and appreciation for them and their ministry at Puna Baptist Church for the last 5+ years. Rob and Donna led in our adult Sunday School classes and helped with our AWANA program. The Thommarson’s equipped our church to be evangelistic and missions minded. The Thommarson’s lead discipleship groups. Rob helped new members understand who we are in Christ and what we believe as a church and helped all of us find our place in the body of Christ. Donna ministered to several women in our church and encouraged women to minister and be aware of God’s love for the nations. We are privileged to have the Thommarson’s as part of our church family. We appreciated all they did to help us grow as Christians and as a church. I know you will be praying for them and their family, as well as their ministry. Be praying for an opportunity PBC can partner with them in New Zealand. Pastor Alan
We had a wonderful Mother’s Day. I want to thank the Men’s Ministry for their hard work and to thank all the women who gave the men a helping hand.
Last year police across our nation were severely criticized. However, our police officers put their lives on the line every day. On Thursday, May 19th we will join other churches to sign wave showing our support to our police and EMS personnel. We will be in front of the Pahoa Fire station from 4:30-5:30 PM.
The Thommarson’s are counting the days before leaving for New Zealand. We are having a Pot-luck luncheon for them on Sunday, May 22nd. You will be able to sign up to bring your favorite dish.
On May 29th we will be celebrating with our graduating High School seniors and their families by having a Graduates' Banquet after church. Our featured speaker will be Aaron Harkness who serves as a Ranger in the United States Army.
Our quarterly business meeting has been postponed until Sunday, June 5th.
I realized this is the second Mother’s Day without my mother. I was happy to have her in our home, so I could keep my promise to take care of her. I thought we would have more time to be together, but she went to be with Jesus 9 months after moving to the Big Island.
As a child, I can remember my mother teaching me how to tie my shoe laces. She cut out a shoe pattern from my dad’s cigarette cartons. I had a yellow rain coat but no hood. My mother would always make me a hat out of newspaper. I had asthma and allergies growing up. I was allergic to almost everything. I love fried chicken but was allergic to flour. My mother figured out how to batter the chicken using mochi powder. Too bad she did not patent her recipe, because Mochiko Chicken is a poplar local dish.
Mom tried to organize me. She had signs everywhere: “We put our toys away after playing with them.” “Please keep your room clean.”
I always enjoyed her reading to me before bedtime.
My mother grew up a Buddhist most of her life. She became a Christian in March of 1978, during a revival service. It was the happiest day of my life. For the last several years of her life, my mother would say she was ready to be with Jesus. Now, she lives forever in His presence.
This is for those of you who want a copy of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment:
There were a series of studies on delayed gratification done in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Children were offered one marshmallow to eat immediately, or they could wait and have 2 marshmallows. If children decided to wait receiving a second marshmallow, the tester left the room for 15 minutes. Most children attempted to wait for a second marshmallow. Some children would cover their eyes, turn around, or got under the desk. Other children distracted themselves by kicking the desk or pulling out their hair. Some children even stroked the marshmallow as if it were a stuff animal.
Others would eat the marshmallow as soon as the tester left the room. Roughly one-third of the children were willing to wait. The children who were willing to wait and delay gratification were later studied. Those children had higher SAT scores, better educational achievements, and a better Body Mass Index measurement.
It is time for the return of the Mighty Church. As COVID restrictions are being lifted let’s take full advantage of this opportunity to impact our community for Jesus Christ. I want to make you aware of some important dates:
George Schroeder, VP at Southwestern Seminary will be our guest speaker on Sunday, May 1st. During the afternoon, he will be leading us in a workshop to prepare us to give everyone an answer for the hope within us.
On May 3rd, we will have our next Brown bag lunch. This time we will be meeting at the Zoo.
May 8th is our Mothers' Day Luncheon, hosted by the Puna Baptist Men's Ministry for the whole Church.
May 21st Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Training will be held in Waikoloa.
May 22nd is a special Potluck aloha for Pastor Rob and Donna Thommarson.
We have several young people in our church, who will be graduating in the spring. We are planning a special celebration on Sunday, May 29th.
Finally, our next business meeting will be on Sunday, June 5th. Blessings, Pastor Alan
Happy Easter! Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose from the grave, He brought hope to the hopeless, light in the midst of darkness, and eternal life in the midst of death.
It is time for the return of the Mighty Church. As COVID restrictions are being lifted let’s take full advantage of this opportunity to impact our community for Jesus Christ. I want to make you aware of some important dates:
George Schroeder, VP at Southwestern Seminary will be our guest speaker on Sunday, May 1st. During the afternoon, he will be leading us in a workshop to prepare us to give everyone an answer for the hope within us.
On May 3rd, we will have our next Brown bag lunch. This time we will be meeting at the Zoo. May 8th is our Mothers' Day Luncheon, hosted by the Puna Baptist Men's Ministry for the whole Church.
May 21st Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Training will be held in Waikoloa.
May 22nd is a special Potluck aloha for Pastor Rob and Donna Thommarson.
We have several young people in our church, who will be graduating in the spring. We are planning a special celebration on Sunday, May 29th.
Finally, our next business meeting will be on Sunday, June 5th.
Last time I wrote about the definition of witnessing. Witnessing is not arguing with someone about the existence of God or the truthfulness of Christianity. It is not quoting a bunch of Scripture verses at a person.
Witnessing is telling your story about what Jesus has done for you. No one can argue with you about your Christian experience. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict a person of their need to ask Christ into their lives not ours.
I want to share with you an effective way of telling your story. An effective way to tell your story is done by building personal relationships with people. When we get involved in people's struggles, joys, and significant life experiences, we earn a right to speak into their lives. When we minister to people's need and show the love of Jesus with them, barriers to the Gospel come down.
One way to get into the lives of people is to find out what you like to do and find other people with like passion.
Many of us have fears of witnessing for Christ. We think witness means standing on a street corner preaching to people. We are afraid to be asked questions we can't answer. We don't know enough about the Bible to talk to people about Jesus.
Let's ask ourselves this question: What is a witness? For example, you are standing on a street corner and see an accident in the intersection. The police officer questions you about the accident. The police officer doesn't want to argue whether there was an accident. He doesn't want to hear your opinions as to why the accident happened, or your opinion on who was at fault. The police officer just wants to know what you saw. He wants to hear your testimony.
It is the same idea in sharing our testimony. We tell our story of what Jesus did for us. Witnessing is sharing what Jesus has done in our lives. Witnessing is not arguing with people on whether Jesus existed or not. It is not disproving our religions. It is not just quoting Bible verses to someone. No one can argue with you about how Jesus transformed your life.
Look at the story of Jesus healing a blind man. The religious leaders questioned the man. They told the man to tell the truth. Is Jesus a sinner for healing you on the Sabbath?
The man replied: "I don't know if Jesus is a sinner, but one thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see!" (John 9:13-25). Yours in Christ, Pastor Alan