Dear Members and Friends of IBCZ, What will be the legacy of your life and example among those you leave behind? The people around you do influence you, for better or worse. The converse is also true, for better or worse, you in turn will affect the people around you.
Continue readingDear Members and Friends of IBCZ, The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians “Devote yourself to prayer” (4:2) This verse challenged me at the beginning of the year, and I am committed to making pray a more constant practice. I must, however, confess that like Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane,
Continue readingDear Members and Friends of IBCZ, Our focus at IBCZ this month is on prayer. Why prayer? The power of prayer deepens our dependence on Him and sharpens our faith. When we pray we choose to put everything in God’s hands knowing that His hand will show up in every
Continue readingWhen I went to study at Bible College, I wore a beard. I had sailed on a yacht across the Atlantic Ocean from South Africa to the United States and having a beard was practical for me. But for some Christians, at that time, I was judged. It was during
Continue readingAs we enter the 60th year of the International Baptist Convention, we look back with gratitude. God had a vision for English-speaking churches among displaced peoples living on foreign soil. When twin brothers Herman and Herbert Stout and their families returned to Germany from Texas, they came because of vision.
Continue readingJeremiah 18 is one of the most famous chapters of the Bible put to music and sung by the followers of Christ. Adelaide Pollard was a deeply discouraged missionary, who was not able to raise the funds she needed to go to Africa. As a girl she suffered from many
Continue readingMay 2023 be a wonderful year for you and your family. I believe God has great things in store for us as a church this coming year. A promise that comes to mind at this time is Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the
Continue readingDear Members and Friends of IBCZ, The amazing love of God has been revealed through the incarnation of Christ. On Sunday I commented about this after the lighting of the 4th Advent Candle. The love of Christ needs to be evident among us as God’s people. Christian love means doing
Continue readingDear Members and Friends of IBCZ, If you are blessed with a wonderful marriage or you have a very close friend and you get asked the question, “Why do you love this person so much?” You probably will list a number of qualities. I read of one married couple where
Continue readingDear Members and Friends of IBCZ, Having a good a friend, a real friend is a gift of God. Someone said, and I have heard it quoted in different forms, “If you can count real friends on one hand and you can fill up one hand, you’re a rich man/woman.”
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