Gope Weerasak from Thailand

Christian Contemporary music from Thailand. Sounds just like American Christian Contemporary, just not in our lingo.

Texas World Series Ball Player Josh Hamilton's Faith

Josh Hamilton talks about his faith and how God rescued him from addictions to drugs and alcohol.

Did You Say Something? I Wasn’t Listening

 
I got into trouble when I sent my wife on a fools errand. She went to pick up my son at his friends house, about 20 miles from here. And wouldn’t you know, right after she left he comes walking up the drive way. Our friend Adele said that she told me she was going to drop Edward off at our house. And so I knew I was in deep trouble. How can I have forgotten such a crucial piece of information?

I tried to remember what Adele said to me and when she said it. I thought about pleading ignorance and claiming that she didn’t tell me. The only problem with this strategy is that I do remember her telling me. But I wasn’t really listening. I was thinking of something else at the same time she was speaking to me. And so I remember hearing her, but I also remember other things going on in my mind as well. If I had paid more attention to what she was saying and focused on how important it would become, I wouldn’t have been sweating it out as I waited for my wife to return. And the things that were distracting me weren’t important anyway. I have to remember to stay focused. It is really important to listen to people. That way I won’t get killed by my wife.

The skill of listening to people is very important. It means disciplining our minds to really pay attention, and not letting our thoughts wander. When we’re talking to someone, we need to zoom in on our friend’s words, look into her eyes, and understand everything she is saying. This takes practice and self-discipline. I think about how often I have allowed my thoughts to wander onto the football game that is being played on the television, instead of listening to what my wife is saying. I’m sure she senses that my mind is drifting, but she puts up with me anyway. But I would understand if she became angry with me. Let’s face it, when we open our mouths we all feel we have something important to say. And when people ignore us, it gets frustrating. So when I feel that someone is paying no attention whatsoever to my words, I just want to walk away and do something else. Learning to focus on what other people are saying communicates that we care to the person who is speaking.

And that’s what this is all about - building up our friends. We care about so many people. We care about our friends, our neighbors, and our relatives. Most of us care about the people around us and so we want to help them feel good about themselves. No one feels good when being ignored. So that’s why it’s so important to listen. But there are other ways in which people communicate their thoughts and feelings.

I love to look at the birds of prey migrate over the Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary in PA. Every year thousands of different raptors - hawks, falcons, kites, Osprey’s and Eagles - fly over the mountain on their way south. And on the mountain thousands of bird enthusiasts stand and sit on rocks with their necks craned upward to look at the birds as they fly over. Among the throngs of people sitting on rocks are the expert bird watchers that count the flying travelers in order to monitor bird populations. A bird flies over and the expert says it’s a Coopers Hawk. Another bird flies over and he says it’s a Northern Goshawk. I can’t tell the difference. Even when I look in the bird book, they look almost identical. How can these people looking through binoculars at a bird a mile away tell the difference between them? Because day in and day out they watch the birds and they learn to recognize the subtle differences that make them unique.

In the same way it is important for us to love our friends by learning to recognize the subtle ways they communicate. We don’t always say what we mean. We don’t always express our thoughts. But you know the old expression; he wears his thoughts on his sleeve. It is impossible for me to hide my mood. It’s as plain as the nose on my face. And my wife definitely knows if I am angry just by looking at me. I make it obvious that I am mad or upset. But I drop other more subtle hints about my mood because I’m not so sure I want to talk about it. My family and friends have learned over the years to recognize my mood swings. When we care enough about each other we can learn to pay attention and understand the unspoken communication in the body language of our friends.

Paying attention to the details of a person’s life validates them. My wife comes home from work and talks about what she did during the day. She used to work in the Food Industry surrounded by chemicals all day. She would come home and talk about the product she was working on or the smelly chemicals she was working with. She didn’t have to tell me about them because I could smell them. I had no clue what she is talking about because chemistry was my worst subject in grade school, along with English (and now I am writing a book, go figure.) But just listening to her talking makes her feel good. And as long as I am really paying attention to her and not letting my mind drift off onto other things, I let her know that she is important to me. I believe this is part of the reason our marriage is so wonderful.

The people we love need to feel important. And it is not that hard to help them to feel good about themselves. It doesn’t make us feel too bad either. We just need to pay close attention to what they say and do. Our faces and bodies tell others how we feel. Our words tell others what is going on inside. We communicate our emotions even when we want to conceal them. I believe that all of us can understand each other better. I know that it is possible to be more caring of others. The trick is to understand people by paying close attention to their words and deeds. A good person listens to her friends.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

True Happiness

Pastor Bill talks about how to be happy in our relationships.

5th Anniversary Telugu Service Pictures

Click on this picture to see the Slide Show of all of the Pictures from our 5th Anniversary of the First Baptist Church Telugu Service. God is Good!

Creating an album for Maxine

Friends,

On September 12th we are going to honor Maxine Carey at First Baptist Church. We would like to create an album for her. If you would like to send a note, a remembrance or a picture to place in the album, just forward that on to me and I will take care of it.

Thanks,
Pastor Bill

Women's right mark special anniversary in Auguust

Ninety years ago, American women earned the right to vote after waging a decades-long fight. The names of the heroes of that campaign rightly still resonate today, among them: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Burns, Dora Lewis and the immortal Alice Paul.

President Woodrow Wilson was not an immediate fan of women having the right to vote. However, through what amounted to sheer bravery on the part of women from the Suffrage Movement, most notably women like Burns, Lewis and Paul, he did come around. Consequently, in 1920, a movement that was waged for the better part of a century came full circle and realized victory in passage of the 19th Amendment.

These women were not sunshine warriors in this struggle, as they dealt with public ridicule, in some quarters, harassment, beatings, even physical torture by the U.S. Government to achieve this win.

There are religious implications to the Suffrage Movement because, in the United States (as opposed to some other countries at the time), women waged a campaign of non-violence to win these rights. And, theirs is a fight directly tied to the human spirit and dignity.

Not only should every woman pause to remember, this month, about the work of these suffragettes, but every American. Theirs was a cause that transformed American history and, indeed, America.

Captions: 1. Suffragettes protest, 2. Alice Paul, and 3. Lucy Burns

Editor's Note: The Alice Paul Institute is truly a wonderful institution, and I heartily suggest readers bookmark that site.

The quest for fame and how it can go too far

Guest preacher to deliver sermon on God's healing power

This Sunday, August 15th, Min. Jim Purcell will deliver a message about the healing power of God at First Baptist Church of Rahway.

"I am very excited to get the chance to preach at FBC Rahway. It is such a special community of faith that is wholly unique in its approach to expanding ministries," Min. Purcell said.

Min. Purcell is licensed through Stelton Baptist Church, which is his home church. He is currently completing his Master's of Divinity after earning his Master's of Parish Ministry from New York Theological Seminary, in Manhattan.

Min. Purcell lauded FBC Rahway's Pastor William Whitehead. "I am very honored to get a chance to preach at Rev. Whitehead's church. He is not only a friend, but one of those forward- looking people in ministry that is making a profound difference," he concluded.

Pastor Bill responds to NY Times article about clergy stress

The Rev. William Whitehead responds to an article in the New York Times about clergy burnout.

The Yao People of Malawi Africa

The Yao People of Malawi have close associations with Islam and represent the least reached people in Malawi. Nonetheless a small church has emerged and is learning to worship God in their own cultural forms.


This lively and celebrative song is a good representative of their music, dance, and drumming. The title is "Kwana Ambuje Kwinani", which translated means "God Is In The Heavens".

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES VISIT THE WEBSITE OF HEART SOUNDS INTERNATIONAL AT . . .

www.heart-sounds.org

Samba! Praising God in Brazil

The Perfect Way

This video comes from the northern part of Brazil near the coastal city of Recife. It is the center of the historic slave trade that made its way into South America about 350 years ago. Although the trade no longer exists it has greatly affected the country of Brazil.

Brazil is the fifth wealthiest country of the world, yet poverty is endemic with about one-third of its population living in "favelas" or slums. A large percentage of the people in the favelas are of "mixed blood" having roots in the African slave trade. The rhythms and music of the Africans have greatly influenced Brazil's music, and Samba is an example of this flavoring.

Samba is the a heart music of the poorer people of Brazil and, as such, is often rejected by those of means. The church, too, has typically opposed the use of Samba due to its association with lewd practices.

However, a number of Christian musical groups have "redeemed" this musical form, setting it to lyrics with a Christian message.

The four young men in this video are a part of a ministry that is reaching into the favelas with the compassion and love of the gospel of Christ. They are a street band who use this Samba to attract the attention of those who love Samba music. Once drawn to the music, the lyrics suprise the listener with a different message than is normally heard.

The growing worship expression by the churches which are forming within the favelas often incorporate Samba musical forms into their music by which they return their love and devotion to God.

Samba also has its accompaning dance form, and this, too, is increasingly found in worship in sectors of the church.

Heart Sounds International

Family Seminar and Retreat

Saturday, August 7th
3 PM to 8 PM

Featuring
Bro. Jayaraj Chinta &
Kailas Chinta

Ark Family Ministries
Hyderabad, India
http://www.arkfam.org/

Theme:-

Enriched Christian Family
Hebrews 13:4

Subjects:-

1. Blessing and preciousness of Marriage
2. Conflicts/Conflict Resolution in a Christian Home
Dinner will be served after the Seminar

Pastor William Whitehead
First Baptist Church Rahway
FBC Telugu Service 177 Elm Ave. Rahway, NJ 07065
Call for more Details: 973-979-3536 / 908-380-3075
http://www.fbc-rahway.org/ (Directions)
www.fbcrahway.blogspot.com
www.fbcts.org/ - TELUGU—Bro. Ebenezer Pattabhi

Sept. 12th: FBC Rahway honors Maxine Carey!

First Baptist Church Rahway Touching hearts, Changing lives.

There will be a special service and lunch honoring Maxine Carey on Sunday, September 12th, 2010 (Spread the Word, But Don’t Mention It to Maxine)

For more information call, write or visit...
Pastor William Whitehead
First Baptist Church Rahway
revwhitehead@comcast.net
www.fbc-rahway.org
www.fbcrahway.blogspot.com
http://www.fbcts.org/ - TELUGU

177 Elm Street
Rahway, NJ 07065

Prayers for Friends with Cancer

Our Father in Heaven,
We ask that you continue to bless those who have cancer and heal them according to Your perfect will. Let them feel You close to them and watch over their families and caretakers too. In Jesus's name we pray.
Amen

Dear Lord,
I pray that you bless us with a cure for this disease that has taken so many of our loved ones from us. Please have mercy on us and help us find a way to stop cancer. Please ease the pain in those who suffer from it and protect those who might get it. In Jesus' name,
Amen

Dear Heavenly Father,
For all those who are in pain and suffering this day with cancer I ask that you touch them, heal them and let them know how close you are to them, watching over them and holding them close in this time of need.
Keep them safe and in Your loving arms as Your perfect will is done.
I ask this in the precious name of Jesus.
Amen


Please Pray for;
Debbi – cancer
Michael – cancer
Jackie – cancer
Hema – cancer, recovering after treatment
Laura Ann – Cancer
Bob – Cancer, recovering after treatment
Bethany – leukemia
Matthew – cancer
Luci – cancer
Bridget – cancer
Sylvia – cancer
Rey – cancer
Dave – Tumor
Jacqueline – cancer
Connor – Tumor
Donald – cancer
David – Tumor
Mark – cancer


If you want to add a friend to the list, Send Pastor Bill an email (link is above this post) or tell us about your friend in a comment. Peace.

From Darkness into Light

Former Drug Dealer and Gang member tells of giving his life to Jesus Christ in prison.

FBC Rahway to host Vacation Bible School

Click on image to make it larger.

Make a Sale Everyday

I was never any good at selling things. When I had to sell candy for the Boy Scouts I was petrified. Going door to door was absolute torture for me. And so the last thing that I thought I would be when I grew up was a salesperson. A funny thing happened on the way to adult-ville. I felt a calling to become an evangelist or a salesperson for God. Sounds like a peculiar calling for a person who lacks natural gifts in this area. For some strange reason I embraced the idea and set out to find out what it takes to be a great salesperson. I learned two rules that have become my credo.

Rule No. 1 – Love the People
I have met so many wonderful people in my life. One of them is Bernie. He is a retired paint salesman from New York City who now winters in Florida and summers in Pennsylvania. Bernie is always busy. He works around his house fixing the endless problems that come up when you live in a house older than you. He has beautiful gardens and is always tending to them. And Bernie paints. You would think that after so many years in the paint business Bernie would not want to touch a paintbrush. But he keeps the paint on his house in tiptop shape. And he has painted some of the common areas in his homeowners association. And when Bernie paints something it comes out beautiful and lasts forever.

I asked Bernie one day about what it takes to be a good paint salesperson. Bernie’s answer was simple and surprising. He said that a successful salesperson has to “love the people.” It was that simple. Bernie traveled from store to store talking to the owners. He would always smile and be gracious even when he was asked to leave. But he would always come back. He said that he showed them through his actions that he was dependable and caring. He simply loved his customers and that made all the difference. After many years of persistent selling he told me he didn’t have to leave his office to have enough orders for the month. People responded to his love.

Rule No. 2 – Don’t let the sun go down without making a sale
I asked another friend who was a fine salesman the same question that I asked Bernie. I expected to hear from him sage advice on how to approach people or how to pitch a product. Or maybe he would suggest I read a book on how to be a success. He suggested a book alright, but it wasn’t what I expected.

He gave me a book called, “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino. I love this book. It has communicated so many wonderful things to me. At one point it says that a great salesperson should make a sale everyday. “Don’t let the sun go down without making a sale.” I have taken that saying to mean that each day I should try to understand another person, or help another person, or encourage another person. Each and every day I should try to lead someone to a closer relationship with God. Every single day I should try to love someone else. And this is exactly what I have been striving to do. Sometimes the sun goes down and I felt that I haven’t made a sale. But when I do, I can’t describe the wonderful feeling that comes over me.

And so like the Fuller Brush man I plod along the road of life searching for a sale. Over time, and to my surprise, I have found that I do have some gifts in this profession. Maybe I had them all of the time and didn’t realize it? Maybe God gave me what I needed? Or maybe it’s just plain easy to love people every day and anybody can do it? You decide. And while you are pondering this riddle, make sure you don’t let the sun go down without making a sale.

God Understands Our Troubles

The Rev. William "Bill" Whitehead is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Rahway, in Rahway, New Jersey. He is also a graduate of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary.

A Little Garlic Makes for Good Friends

There is no greater gift than that of a good friend. I have close friends who have supported me over the years through many of my ups and downs. I have friends who despite being separated by long distances are still a big part of my life. How empty our lives would be without our friends. I want to be the best friend I can be to all of these supportive people.

I met Peter while I was out of work. He had befriended my wife while working on his product. Peter created an amazing garlic spread, Don Pietro’s Gourmet Garlic Delight. He used to say it makes every meal a feast! It was a great product. Betsy worked in a food processing plant and Peter used to come over and make his garlic spread. The place smelled great. And Betsy used to come home smelling a little too garlicky good.

Peter needed a bookkeeper so he hired me. I would go over his house and wrestle with his company’s checkbook. I got to know him pretty well in a short period of time. He would tell me of his struggles to keep the company afloat. He went to small grocery stores selling his spread. Some people would give him some shelf space, others would tell him to get lost. He had battles over the location of the product. If it were too high on the shelf, nobody would see it. The place everybody wants is eye level. He would stand in the stores for hours and give out free samples. Most people liked it, but some would give him a hard time. Peter always had a smart-ass reply for anyone who gave him a hard time.

Peter is a wise guy from Brooklyn, NY. Verbally abusing your fellows is a right of passage there. I am a wise guy from Rahway, NJ. We got along great. He would give me a hard time and I would give it right back to him. He tells me that he can beat me in basketball any time he wants to, artificial knees and all. But I tell him that at 40, I am playing the best basketball of my life, and getting better every year. At 50 I’ll be ready for the NBA. Not everybody likes a wise guy, but both of us love the verbal sparring. Maybe it helps us to deal with the challenges that we face in life.

It’s great to have a friend who accepts you for who you are. If I start in with the wise guy stuff around anyone else but Peter I get into trouble. People don’t expect their pastor to make sarcastic comments. And I can understand why. I am held to higher standards in their regard. I am ok with this. But it is so nice to get on the phone with Peter, relax, loosen up and be a wise guy. It’s so wonderful to have a friend who accepts me for who I am.

Peter and I had big dreams. We dreamed of making the product a big success. He was going to mass produce it and put it in every store in the country. I was going to go to work for him, maybe even be a partner. At the time I was in seminary, and I even thought of putting off becoming a full time pastor until I made my fortune with Peter and his gastronomic success. We would become the Kings of Garlic. Everyone would know who we were, if only by the smell alone. Peter’s story would be in newspapers and magazines as a rags-to-riches story. Yes indeed, Peter and I had big dreams.

Things started to collapse for Peter not too long after I got my job back. Peter always had trouble getting enough of his spread produced. He would sign a contract with a company to package his product, and then they either wouldn’t do it, or the product would be lousy. Then he signed a contract with a grocery store chain to sell the product, and they ripped him off. In the end he was left with no more money and he had to fold the operation. All dreams end badly.

There are several things that I have learned from my friendship with Peter. First, a true friend supports you beyond what is expected. We have stood by each other through some pretty tough times. For Peter, watching your dream crash and burn was terrible. I had to endure some trouble when he wasn’t thinking too clearly. And when my life got rocky, he had to listen to me whine. I’m surprised that he didn’t slap me around some to snap me out of it. Second, a real friend accepts you no matter what. Some people just don’t understand me. But Peter doesn’t care if he understands me or not. He loves me even when I’m acting like an idiot. That’s what friendship looks like.

A close friend is a precious gift. A gift that we need to hold dear for the rest of our lives. Treat your friend’s right and you will always be rewarded.