Preparing for Sunday | October 4

We are excited to be gathering in person this Sunday! You can use the button below to register, or to find out more about the precautions we have put in place. If you are unable to join us in person, we encourage you to worship with us via our live stream.
Register to attend a worship service Watch the Live Stream
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Build My Life | [listen + lyrics]
Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kable, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett
Hebrews 12:28
Great Are You Lord | [listen]
Leslie Jordan, David Leonard
2 Corinthians 4:6
O Come to the Altar | [listen + lyrics]
Wade Joye, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, Christopher Brown
1 Peter 1:19
Jesus Is Better | [listen | lyrics]
Aaron Ivey, Brett Land
Mark 9:24
SERMON TEXT
Mark 2:1-12
Mark 8:27-38
Thank You, Marsha & Sue!
We’d like to thank Bruce and Mike for their kind words and for our gifts. (I, Marsha, am pretty stoked about my pink umbrella. I recently lost my old umbrella, so this is the perfect gift. And I, Sue, am thrilled with my chocolate bars because, well, I’m always thrilled by chocolate.)
During this time of transition as we head into retirement, we look back on our years of being on staff at RBC and find that we have much to be thankful for.
First, we are thankful that God put us together. Our personalities and gifting are quite different and some people thought we wouldn’t work well together. But God knew that we would balance one another, be stronger together and become great friends.
Second, we are thankful for the staff at RBC. They have supported us in so many ways. They are truly a team that works together and wants everyone to succeed. We’ve been able to see up close their love for people, their strong faith, and their servant hearts.
Third, we are thankful for the many volunteers who make Women’s Ministry run smoothly. These women have given of their time and talents faithfully, in joyful service, and we couldn’t have done it without them.
Last, but not least, we are thankful for each woman who has participated in Women’s Ministry. We have been privileged to see women grow in their faith, find community and serve one another.
We are grateful for all the experiences over these past years. Whether they’ve brought us joy and laughter or challenge and growth, God has used each of them in our lives. Now as we step down, we look forward. We are excited to see what God has planned next for the women of RBC.
Love,
Marsha and Sue

Shadow of the Cross – Friday Devotional
If you missed any of this week’s devotional videos, you can click here to catch up.
Shadow of the Cross – Tuesday Devotional
If you miss any of this week’s devotional videos, you can click here to catch up.
Video from Pastor Mike: Pray With Me!
Foster & Adoptive Parent Survey

The Hope ministry at RBC is focused on serving vulnerable children who are in need of families locally and globally. Part of serving these children is supporting the foster and adoptive families who care for them.

At this time, the ministry is considering how it might best serve foster and adoptive families who consider RBC their church home. To that end, we’d like to hear from you. We’ve put together an online survey that we are asking all current or potential adoptive and/or foster partents at RBC take time to fill out. Some of the ideas listed are only ideas at this point, so we will take all feedback into consideration as decisions are made regarding how the ministry moves forward given interest, need, and feasibility.
The survey can be completed anonymously if you prefer. We’d also be happy to speak with you in person, by phone, or by email to follow up or hear more, just check that box at the end. Any questions can be directed to Kate Reen at hope@restonbible.org.
Doxologies: Mighty God (Another Hallelujah)
What a joy to offer a new song as we worship together this weekend.
Please take some time to listen through Mighty God (Another Hallelujah) and reflect on the goodness of our mighty God, who is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory.
The wind is watching every gesture of Your hand
Waves of fear collapse at Your command
I know tomorrow when the pressure rushes in
You’ll be there to rescue me again
What a mighty God, what a mighty God You are
What a mighty God, what a mighty God You are
Here in Your presence there will be no other throne
All my heart is Yours and Yours alone
The song of heaven and my soul will sing the same
Jesus Christ, the name above all names
What a mighty God, what a mighty God You are
What a mighty God, what a mighty God You are
Glory, glory, and a thousand hallelujahs
O Lord my God, how great You are
Honor, power, and another hallelujah
O Lord my God, how great You are
Celebrating Generosity: Marleny’s Story
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. – 2 Corinthians 9:13
Jesus was kind to use your gifts of time, talent and treasure you invest in our International Connection ESL program, Food Pantry and Guilford Partnership to impact Marleny’s life forever. RBC, thank you for being a generous church.
Celebrating Generosity: The RBC Garden Project
A volunteer-lead imitative that began in the Spring of 2018, the RBC Community Garden Project grows and provides several hundred pounds of food a year to guests of our weekly Food Pantry.
If you’re interested in volunteering, we are always looking for help with planting, weeding, watering, harvesting and produce delivery. We also can use help with special projects like mulching, garden box construction and grounds maintenance. If you want to volunteer or would like more information, please contact Rob Schulman. You can download a Garden Volunteer application form here.
CELEBRATING GENEROSITY: Annual Report & Succession Update
RBC ANNUAL REPORT 2018: From Sunday, December 9, here’s Executive Pastor Bruce Campbell giving an end-of-year financial update. You can find this information and much, much more by reading through the 2018 Annual Report. It is a joy to look back and remember the great things God has done, and the Annual Report allows us an opportunity to do that in the context of our church. May this year-in-review be an encouragement to deeper worship and more profound trust as we look back and are reminded of the good God has done among us for the glory of His name.
SUCCESSION UPDATE: The video above also includes a brief update from the chairman of the RBC elders, Eric Smith, regarding where we are as we trust the Lord to raise up Pastor Mike’s successor. The text of Eric’s announcement is also included below.
Since it has been some time since we have addressed the subject concerning the status of Mike Minter’s succession, the elders wanted to provide you with an update: To be clear up front, we are not announcing Mike’s imminent departure or replacement.
It has been said that every pastor is an interim pastor. God provides a pastor so that he might teach & shepherd the flock until the time that he hands off the baton to the next pastor, also provided by God. National statistics tell us that the average tenure of a senior pastor is less than 8 years. We are glad that Mike never got the memo, as he has persevered more than 40 years the senior teaching pastor of RBC. We are tremendously blessed to have Mike stand in this pulpit for all these years and although he remains youthful, we are all aware that Mike is not eternal (at least not in his present flesh).
You might not be aware of this, but as a result of Mike’s humility, he began engaging in dialog with the elders almost 15 years ago, about what a healthy succession plan might look like. Mike has demonstrated great faith in the Lord and willingness to “step out of the way” at anytime, should it be deemed best for RBC. I want it to be clear that no one in leadership is looking forward to his departure and there is no imminent concern for his replacement. At the same time, we desire to be diligent and thoughtful about the future. Our hope is that the Lord would grant us the opportunity to identify Mike’s eventual replacement, perhaps even years prior to Mike’s departure. We are also excited as we look to the Lord to see who He will provide as Mike’s successor. Understand, Mike is in excellent health and enjoying the opportunity to serve RBC with his preaching and teaching gifts.
The elders have for many years been prayerfully considering what a healthy transition looks like. We have been revisiting the position description and continue dialog regarding a succession plan. At some point in the near future, we will, Lord willing, invite the pastors, staff and all of you to consider your network of relationships in order to harvest potential names for consideration as we conduct a soft search. We will not be advertising or retaining a search firm at this time.
Although the future is not certain, we are confident that He who has begun a good work in the Saints at RBC will be faithful to complete it. He who has raised up Pastor Mike so profoundly, will He not care for His church?
We invite you to continue joining us as we earnestly pray and seek both His timing and His choice. It is our sincere purpose and hope that this transition will honor the LORD, honor you, and honor Mike & Kay, servants through whom much fruit has been born.
Thanks for co-laboring with us.
