First Baptist Church of Ojai, California

Merry Christmas!

Blog break until January 3rd.

New Bulletin Info for the Inside Pages

Left Side:

Welcome to First Baptist

We know that visiting a church is a big step, and we want to do everything we can to make your worship experience overwhelmingly positive.  Here is some information that might help:

Nursery:  Our nursery is staffed each Sunday morning from

9:15-12:15

by our nursery director Debbie Mathieu and caring volunteers.  The nursery is located to your left as you enter the front doors of the church.  It has a large window making it easy to peek in on nursery activities and the well-being of your child.  The nursery is for newborns though four years old. 

 

Children:  The worship experience each Sunday is designed with the whole family in mind.  Each week kids are invited to come forward at a point during the service for a special children’s message (and candy!).  The kids are then dismissed with adult leaders to our children’s worship program “Kidmo!”  This ministry meets across the parking lot in the fellowship hall and is for children ages five years old through fifth grade.  Parents are welcome to attend this ministry with their children.

 

Teenagers:  Zac Cannon is the newest addition to the staff at First Baptist in the role of youth director.  He and his wife Jess are passionate about investing in the lives of Jr. and Sr. High students.  Home base for youth ministry is the youth lounge at the end of the educational building (closest to the softball field).  Sr. High youth meets on Wednesday nights at

6:45

.  Jr. High youth ministry (6^th-8^th grade) takes place on Sunday nights at

6:00

.  The youth lounge is open on Sunday nights from

5:00-6:00

for both Jr. and Sr. High students.

Right Side:

Ways to Get Connected

Welcome Card:  If you are new with us, we would love to get to know you better.  Please complete one of the welcome cards from the seat pocket in front of you and place it in the offering plate when it comes around later in the service.

 

Discover First Baptist: Find out all the details about First Baptist Church including its mission, vision, theology, history, and government.  The class is offered on a regular basis and is a prerequisite for church membership. 

 

Bible Institute: Each Sunday morning at

9:30

, classes are available to all ages for growing deeper in the knowledge of God’s Word.  Children meet in the couch room in the hallway behind the sanctuary for Bible Blitz with Christy Zaucha.  Youth meet in the youth lounge for Core Truth with Chad Zaucha.  Adults meet in the fellowship hall with Dan Bergstrom for the R.C. Sproul Bible survey curriculum Dust to Glory. 

 

Crave:  Crave is an intimate worship experience that meets around round tables in the sanctuary on Sunday nights at 6:00.  A light meal is served from

5:00-6:00

and a time for small group sharing follows worship.  Come for part or all of the Crave experience. 

 

Please visit our website (www.fbcojai.org) and ministry weblog (www.firstbaptistojai.typepad.com) for information on other ministries at First Baptist. 

 

Pastor

Chad

may be reached at 805-272-5893 and chad.zaucha@gmail.com

Highlights From Today's Bible Reading

Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV) 

    For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,

        as the waters cover the sea.

 

Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV) 

    Lord, I have heard of your fame;

        I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.

    Renew them in our day,

        in our time make them known;

        in wrath remember mercy.

 

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV) 

    Though the fig tree does not bud

        and there are no grapes on the vines,

    though the olive crop fails

        and the fields produce no food,

    though there are no sheep in the pen

        and no cattle in the stalls,

    [18] yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

        I will be joyful in God my Savior.

 

Habakkuk 3:19 (NIV) 

    The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

        he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

        he enables me to go on the heights.

So Close...

Congratulations to the First Baptist Basketball team who wrapped up a stellar season last night.  After winning the regular season title, we lost in a close tournament championship game. Well done!

This Week's Bible Journey

Monday, December 15th
Micah 1:1-4:13
Revelation 6:1-17
Psalm 134:1-3
Proverbs 30:1-4

Tuesday, December 16th
Micah 5:1-7:20
Revelation 7:1-17
Psalm 135:1-21
Proverbs 30:5-6

Wednesday, December 17th
Nahum 1:1-3:19
Revelation 8:1-13
Psalm 136:1-26
Proverbs 30:7-9

Thursday, December 18th
Habakkuk 1:1-3:19
Revelation 9:1-21
Psalm 137:1-9
Proverbs 30:10

Friday, December 19th
Zephaniah 1:1-3:20
Revelation 10:1-11
Psalm 138:1-8
Proverbs 30:11-14

Saturday, December 20th
Haggai 1:1-2:23
Revelation 11:1-19
Psalm 139:1-24
Proverbs 30:15-16

Sunday, December 21st
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17

Kids' Movie Night!

What?  Kids' Movie Night

When?  Saturday, December 13th, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM.

Where?  First Baptist Youth Lounge

Cost?  $0

This would be a great time for parents to go on a date or to finish Christmas shopping.

What's Next? Message Preview

Series:  "Humbug!  The Scrooges of the Bible"

Part #3:  Jerusalem

Matthew 2:3 (NIV) 
    When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

Why was Jerusalem so disturbed by the coming of Jesus?  Shouldn't they be excited?  Are we like Jerusalem?  If so, how?

(photo by Stan Zaucha)

Highlights From Today's E.M. Bounds Reading on Prayer

The Church is God’s manufactory on earth, and its primary duty is to create and foster righteousness of character. This is its very first business. Primarily, its work is not to acquire members, nor amass numbers, nor aim at money-getting, nor engage in deeds of charity and works of mercy, but to produce righteousness of character, and purity of the outward life.

What we are with God gauges our influence with Him.

 

We pray feebly because we live feebly. The stream of prayer cannot rise higher than the fountain of living. The force of the inner chamber is made up of the energy which flows from the confluent streams of living. And the weakness of living grows out of the shallowness and shoddiness of character.

As is the life, so will the praying be. An inconsistent life obstructs praying and neutralizes what little praying we may do. Always, it is “the prayer of the righteous man which availeth much.”

Highlights From Today's Bible Reading

Rev. 2:10 (NIV) 

    Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 

Rev. 2:17 (NIV) 

  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Sermon Rewind

Series:  "Humbug!  The Scrooges of the Bible"

Scrooge #2:  Herod

Text:  Matthew 2:16

Herod represents perhaps the greatest human Scrooge of them all.  He hated Christmas with a violent rage.

What could possibly drive a man to murder all of the boys in Bethlehem two years old and under?

Herod relentlessly pursued two things:

1. Security

2. Control

There is a little bit of Herod in all of us.  We too tend to relentlessly pursue security and control.

We are only truly secure in Jesus Christ.  Our lives only make sense under the control of the Holy Spirit. 

The one who tried to destroy Christmas would have found all that he was missing in the Christ of Christmas.  The same is true for you and me.