Newsletter Archive

"Be careful how you treat God, my friends. You may say to yourself, 'I can sin against God and then, of course, I can repent and go back and find God whenever I want him.' You try it. And you will sometimes find that not only can you not find God... More

"I think my walk with Christ took a step in a more radical direction when I began to live actively in a church community. When the local church really became a family I was committed to, nominalism simply ceased to be a viable option. You can’t walk... More

“All our obedience, every resolve to do good, and every work of faith is ‘by his power’ and so that the Lord Jesus would be glorified because of the grace he gives. Yes, we must pursue obedience, but that obedience must always be cruciform, formed... More

"While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves - blessed riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the... More

The editorial team of the Builders newsletter (i.e. Ben Whipple), in an all-too-common moment of ineptitude, forgot to include a key announcement in this last newsletter: Meals of March. Meals of March Here's the latest info from Emily Rummel:... More

"I'm against sin. I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist. I'll butt it as long as I've got a head. I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. And when I'm old and fistless and footless and toothless,... More

"Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one... More

[Here's a longer quote for you, one that fits well with our class theme and last week's message . . .] "You and I are not integrated, unified, whole persons. Our hearts are multi-divided. There is a board room in every heart. Big table. Leather... More

Some of you might have seen this on Facebook, but I wanted to urge all of you to participate in this. If you're confused, this is simply a request to urgently pray for the Sabens over the course of today and tomorrow. This is an urgent last-minute... More

"People tend to make two mistakes when they think about the redeemed life. The first is to underestimate the sin that remains in us; it's still there and it can still hurt us. The second is to underestimate the strength of God's grace; God is... More

Hi Builders! I wanted to remind you of the wonderful opportunity we have to serve and fellowship with the international students over a plate of spaghetti this Sunday after the 10:45 service in the ministry center. We still need some food and help,... More

Builders class, here's a note from the Kempsons regarding Ryan and Sarah Cardinal: Hey everyone~ Most of you probably already know that Ryan took a royal spill at the ski slopes. He hit his head and ended up with a brain bruise that took him to the... More

"God created mankind in His image to reflect His glory by showing us that He is the ultimate object of our desire and worthy of our imitation. This is what it means to worship: to make something ultimate in our desires." ~ Mark Driscoll In this... More

"I first lay down these two propositions, concerning spiritual liberty and servitude: A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone." ~ Martin Luther In... More

"Why can we have the tree of life? Because Jesus Christ climbed the cross, the tree of death. And because Jesus climbed the tree of death you can have the tree of life." ~ Tim Keller In this (last) issue (of 2009) . . . Sunday Preview Upcoming Ski... More

Gentlemen of the Builders, Are you interested in exercising your Christmas cookie-crammed bodies? Come and play some basketball! Tonight at 7 PM, all guys are invited to shoot some hoops in the KSBC ministry center. Feel free to invite anyone you... More

"Most of us have never really understood that Christianity is not a self-help religion meant to enable moral people to become more moral. We don't need a self-help book; we need a Savior. We don't need to get our collective act together; we need... More

He became what we are that he might make us what he is. - Athanasius In this issue . . . Sunday Preview CoKS Builders Breakfast Club Daddy Christmas Tips Sunday Preview Here a sneak peak of what you can expect this Sunday and how you can prepare.... More

If God loves us so much as to become man, then the blessings which he intends to bestow must be incalculable. - Charles Spurgeon In this issue . . . Iron Chef Sunday Preview Advent CoKS Iron Chef It's tonight! You may want to bring something to take... More

Builders’ ABF Iron Chef Guidelines for Competition Saturday, December 5, 2009 Secret Ingredient: Bacon The “secret ingredient” will be announced one week prior to competition. This ingredient MUST be in the main dish but may also appear in side... More

Here's where the short, insightful quote to get you thinking goes. But I'm enjoying time with my family instead of finding one. Better luck next week. - Mikel Berger In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Iron Chef The Manhattan Declaration Sunday... More

Today, too many churches are full of people who act arrived rather than live sent. - Ed Stetzer In this issue . . . Game Night! Sunday Preview Iron Chef The return of Sam Hanni Google Interview Questions Game Night It's tonight starting at 6:30 pm !... More

One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego. The self is more distant than any star. G. K. Chesterton ( via John Piper ) In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Game Night! Iron Chef Help the Johnsons move SCL Tim Keller speaks at Google Sunday... More

“We are unable to do what the law commands us to do, but Jesus did it for us. And because he lives in us by his Spirit, we are enabled to do it, not from obligation, but from delight. So every command in Scripture points us to our own inadequacy . .... More

“If God were not just, there would be no demand for his Son to suffer and die. And if God were not loving, there would be no willingness for his Son to suffer and die. But God is both just and loving. Therefore his love is willing to meet the... More

"Redemptive grace is always unexpected, beyond the norm, and out of the ordinary. Grace can never be taken for granted, assumed, or presumed upon. God is never obligated to redeem." ~ Michael D. Williams, Far as the Curse is Found , 105 In this... More

“For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that naught is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary... More

“Jesus Christ is not merely the means of our rescue from damnation; he is the goal of our salvation. . . . He is not merely the rope that pulls us from the threatening waves; he is the solid beach under our feet, the air in our lungs, and the beat... More

[A LITTLE BIT LONGER OF A QUOTE THIS TIME, BUT WELL WORTH YOUR TIME...] "We are the richest people ever to walk the face of the earth. Period. Yet, most of us live as though there is nothing terribly wrong in the world. We attend our kid’s soccer... More

Andy and Emily Rummel welcomed their son, Adam Paul Rummel, into the world on Friday morning at 12:31 AM. Adam is 19 1/4 inches long and 7lbs 6oz. The best way we can congratulate them is by helping them out with meals, which is where you come in!... More

"The gospel word and the gospel community are closely connected. The word creates and nourishes the community, while the community proclaims and embodies the word." ~ Tim Chester & Steve Timmis In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Hubble Telescope... More

"We need fellowship with others to be alone safely. We need solitude to be with others meaningfully." ~ Mike Bullmore In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Modern Day Foot-washing All is Not Well: Famine in Ethiopia Little Kid Parallel Parking Sunday... More

The Builders Retreat is this Friday and Saturday, and its shaping up to be a doozy! [editor's note: not quite sure what a "doozy" is or does, but it seemed to fulfill the desired sentiment] For those who have not signed up yet or are on the fence... More

"I have yet to meet a couple locked in hostility (and the accompanying fear, self-pity, hurt, self-righteousness) who really understood and reckoned with their motives. James 4:1–3 teaches that cravings underlie conflicts. Why do you fight? It’s not... More

“This world may be in the proverbial handbasket. It may be circling the drain. Our bodies are indeed winding down (and more than a few of us have bodies widening downward). But our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, the keeper... More

Read below about a special way you can help out with the Sabens family's adoption: NEWS ALERT! We need more teams to compete in the Amazing Race! The more teams there are, the more fierce the competition (and the more money raised to go towards... More

Alexa Jo Starr was born this morning at 8:52am weighing in at 7lbs 5oz! We want to start bringing them meals next Monday. To access Daryl and Allison Starr's personal CareCalendar site, visit http://carecalendar.org/logon/20691 and enter the... More

“If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his... More

“The object of the work of redemption is not limited to the salvation of individual sinners, but extends itself to the redemption of the world, and to the organic reunion of all things in heaven and on earth under Christ as their original head." ~... More

“The holiest Christians are not those most concerned about holiness as such, but whose minds and hearts and goals and purposes and love and hope are most fully focused on our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~ J.I. Packer In this Issue . . . Rummel Slip N Slide... More

"You are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14 If I am not under grace but under law, then the burning issue in my life moment by moment is, Am I sinning? If I am not under law but under grace, then the burning issue in my life moment by... More

I had the dates wrong for the events related to Tonya's garage sale. Pricing and packing is Wed. the 8th at 8pm . Driving the items to Royal Center is Thursday the 9th in the evening, or Friday the 10th in the early morning . If you can help price... More

"They all say the 'the ordinary reader does not want Theology; give him plain practical religion.' I have rejected their advice. I do not think the ordinary reader is such a fool. Theology means 'the science of God,' and I think any man who wants to... More

I neglected to mention this event in last week's newsletter. How could I possibly forget this one!?! The Hodsons will be hosting a wild and crazy cookout/party at their house this Saturday, July 4th, from 4-10 PM. This is a doozy of a shindig, so... More

"Often the doctrine of 'Christ for me' appears common, well known, having nothing new in it; and I am tempted to pass it by and go to some scripture more taking. This is the devil again -- a red-hot lie. 'Christ for us' is ever new, ever glorious.... More

"Your danger and mine is not that we become criminals, but rather that we become respectable, decent, commonplace, mediocre Christians. The twentieth-century temptations that really sap our spiritual power are the television, banana cream pie, the... More

"Love begets a likeness between the mind loving and the object beloved . . . A mind filled with the love of Christ as crucified . . . will be changed into his image and likeness." ~ John Owen In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Magnuson Update Brandt... More

"Revival is Jesus bringing the fulness of His life into the emptiness of ours. For every lack in us there is a corresponding grace in Him. He is light for our darkness, life for our death, bread for our hunger, living water for our thirst, rest for... More

"Jesus does not say, 'Come to me, all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest.' No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, 'Come to me, all who are weary and... More

Editors note: This is Mikel filling in for Ben If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair. - C.S.... More

"We are not called to build the kingdom of glory, but to carry a cross in the kingdom of grace. To forget the cause of missions is to forget the purpose of Christ in a world still spared from destruction. The purpose of your life must be the purpose... More

I forgot to mention this yesterday, so here's a quick reminder: Charlie and Rachel Armstrong could use our help on Sat., May 9 at 2p.m. to help them move out of their Purdue Village Apt. ( 216 Nimitz Dr., Apt. 5 ) They will be headed back to Alaska... More

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." ~ Hebrews 12:3 In this issue . . . Why you should take Charlie's survey Sunday Preview KSBC Summer Schedule The Expanded Bible... More

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sorry about getting 2 of these! I accidentally sent the first draft too soon, before I could format and put in all the links. Here is the final version. In this issue . . . Sunday Preview 2 Moving Opportunities KSBC Network Study... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview 2 Moving Opportunities KSBC Network Study Reminder Getting to Know You Sports Commercial from Yesteryear Sunday Preview Builders - Paul Briggs will be continuing in our miniseries on evangelism - we have 2 more... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Gals' Night Tomorrow Night HGCF Family Night Omasan Ileleji is Having a Party! Getting to Know You Spotlight: A MuteMath Video Sunday Preview ABF - Paul Briggs will be back at it, leading us in a time of teaching... More

Hello again Builders, The college group is having their annual formal dinner at the church this Friday, April 24 at 7:00 pm. They could use a few people to help serve. The dinner is being catered, so there's no cooking involved. Please contact Jared... More

"Only by seeing our sin do we come to see the need for and wonder of grace. But exposing sin is not the same thing as unveiling and applying grace. We must be familiar with and exponents of its multifaceted power, and know how to apply it to a... More

This just in.... Dean Zimmerman and Ron Chapman have organized a group from KSBC to go down to Twin Lakes camp to do some landscaping work there. Several people in the group are unable to go at the last minute. They could really use 3-4 more people... More

"We are adopted into God's family through the resurrection of Christ from the dead in which he paid all our obligations to sin, the law, and the devil, in whose family we once lived. Our old status lies in his tomb. A new status is ours through his... More

Ben, Janet, and Isaac have made it home! They are all glad to be home but still recovering from being in another country and days of travel. So we want to help them out with meals starting tomorrow (Tuesday, April 7)! Go to the CareCalendar .... More

(Editors note: This is Mikel filling in for Ben again while they make their way back from Ethiopia.) In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Ladies Night Guys Night Daily Audio Bible Podcast Sunday Preview Builders ABF - Paul Briggs begins a series on... More

(Editors note: This is Mikel filling in for Ben while he is on the other side of the planet.) Sometimes we cannot see the light, but God always sees the light, and that is much better than our seeing it. Better for the judge to see my innocence than... More

"God is good to all in some ways but good to some in all ways." ~ J.I. Packer In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Magnuson Baby Shower Thought-provoking article on homosexual Christians Free online book Sunday Preview Builders ABF - Mikel Berger will... More

"Let us look on Him by faith, as one that hath had thoughts of kindness towards us from everlasting. It is misapprehension of God that makes any run from him, who have the least breathing wrought in them after him." ~ John Owen In this issue . . .... More

This is going to be a short newsletter! See you on Sunday . . . In this issue: Sunday Preview Magnuson Baby Shower Election Poll on the Blog Sunday Preview Builders - Matt will be teaching us about the doctrine of the resurrection this Sunday.... More

"'If I knew I were one of God's elect, I would come to Christ; but I fear I am not.' To you I answer: nobody ever came to Christ because he knew himself to be one of the elect. It is quite true that God has of His mere good pleasure elected some to... More

"On Christ, and what he has done, my soul hangs for time and eternity. And if your soul also hangs there, it will be saved as surely as mine shall be. And if you are lost trusting in Christ, I will be lost with you and will go to hell with you. I... More

In our last newsletter, we asked you to write an e-mail to Tonya Small as a birthday greeting . . . but we forgot the e-mail address! Here it is: tsmall@ebm.org Thanks!

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview A Praise from the Sprungers Tonya Small's Birthday Last Call for Meals of March Hosts Save the Words! The Power of Love and the Power of Grace Sunday Preview This Sunday we will be starting the ABF hour at 9:30 AM... More

In this issue . . . Amazing Hosting Opportunity! Sunday Preview Sovereign Grace Sale MacBook Wheel Amazing Hosting Opportunity! Meals of March is coming up in, uh, March, and we need hosts. You might ask, "What is a host? What does a host do?" To... More

"At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of the morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New... More

Arwen and little Logan Revis are having a baby shower this Sunday, and we need your help in putting the shindig together. These are the ways in which you can help: bring a fruit tray (2 needed) provide 30-40 thank you cards make monetary donations... More

"Christianity is the true worship and service of the true God, humankind's Creator and Redeemer. It is a religion that rests on revelation: nobody would know the truth about God, or be able to relate to him in a personal way, had not God first acted... More

I wanted to get in touch with you about a few things that just couldn't wait until Thursday . . . In this issue: New Builders Blog entry The Livengoods need 3 more meals Kempsons are moving International Meal reminder New Builders Blog entry For... More

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to still be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would... More

An invitation from Matt Borg . . . Looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve? What could be better than good, fun fellowship, AND a delicious chocolate fountain to usher in the new year? My answer is a resounding NOTHING. You’re all invited... More

Hi Builders, I just sent an announcement about this on Saturday, but I wanted to give you a quick update as to what meals are still needed. Meals are still needed for 12/24, 12/26, 12/30, and 1/1. If you are able to volunteer for one of those dates,... More

In this issue . . . Logan James Revis Sunday Preview A Message from the Donaths 25 Days of Free Christmas Music Logan James Revis Born: 12/16/08, 9 PM (ish) Height: 21 in. Weight: 7lb 6.5 oz. We're rejoicing with Benj and Arwen Revis at the birth of... More

Hey Builders, I was talking to Dana Gottfried tonight. He mentioned that the international ministry is in some serious need of people to provide rides to KSBC for international students this Sunday. Apparently the group is doing something after... More

In this (early) issue . . . Sunday Preview Iron Chef Recipes Breakfast on the 21st! Sunday Preview Builders ABF - The final week of the Church Structure series is here, and you do not want to miss it. Mikel Berger will be walking us through a... More

In this issue . . . Quote of the week Sunday Preview A Look Ahead Music Deal of the week Quote of the week I found this quote from C.S. Lewis to be troublesome - in a good way. I guess some would call that "being convicted". Here it is for your... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview KSBC Christmas Program Advent Conspiracy Sunday Preview Builders ABF - I'll be leading us through a discussion on the congregation's role in Biblical structure. That's us! Check out the Builders Blog for a few... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Magnuson Benefit Auction We Need You to Reach Quorum! Last Call for Andrew Peterson Concert Sunday Preview ABF - we're back together this week, and we're continuing our trek through church-structure land. Matt Borg... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Builders Announcements A Convicting Article to Read Sunday Preview Combined ABF - we're meeting with the rest of the church for a combined time in the sanctuary. Dr. Samuel Fang, president of Living Hope... More

In this belated issue . . . Sunday Preview Builders Announcements Bible Translation Poll Doctors Choose Camels Sunday Preview Builders ABF - Matt will be leading us through a discussion on the role of a deacon. Check out the Builders Blog for all... More

I called Chipotle, and it is true, but it only goes from 6-close. Secondly, there is no basketball after Family Gathering. Have a great Halloween!

In this action-packed issue . . . Sunday Preview Sign up for Iron Chef Whipple Shower: Help Needed Its the Pastor's Birthday Today! Random Stuff Sunday Preview Here's the rundown on this Sunday, November 2, 2008: Builders - Mikel Berger will be... More

In this issue . . . Sunday Preview Andrew Peterson Christmas Concert Random Videos and Photos Sunday Preview Here's a quick rundown of what's happening this Sunday, October 26th: Builders ABF - We'll be on week 4 of the church structure series,... More

Hi Builders, This week's newsletter is short and to the point: make sure to check out the Builder's Blog in preparation for this Sunday's lesson. Matt Borg is speaking on elders and unity . . . important stuff!! So GO FORTH YE BUILDERS!!!

In this issue: Builders Game Night Pics for the class directory Looking towards Sunday Trickin' and Treatin' for Christ Builders Game Night Ladies and gents, make sure to come to the game night tomorrow night , in the church ministry center ,... More

In this issue . . . Game Night! Restructuring KSBC Series Prayer Requests Request Psalm 145 Game Night! October has descended upon us - can you believe it? Schedules are busy, commitments are pulling us every which way, and its easy to get so caught... More

In this issue . . . The Sunday Preview Persecution in India Death By Love The Sunday Preview This is it! We've trekked through the major covenants of the Old Testament, and we're finally to the covenant that all the other covenants point towards:... More

All's quiet on the Builder's front - this is one of those weeks where I don't have much to write about, which could be a good thing: I use up less of my time to write this newsletter, and you spend less time reading this newsletter. I did, however,... More

The Kempsons and baby Victoria need our help with meals. They will be starting on this Monday. Below is the care calendar info for everyone to use in order to sign up. If there are any questions or problems signing up, you can contact Arwen Revis... More

In this issue . . . Welcome Victoria Kempson!!! The Retreat Recap The Sunday Preview A Possible new KSBC worship element Welcome, Victoria Kempson!!! Victoria Elise (not necessarily final spelling) Kempson arrived a little after 10 AM this morning.... More

This week's newsletter is simple and to the point: IT'S RETREATIN' TIME!!! Tomorrow evening, the 2008 Builders Class Retreat officially begins! Just in case you deleted last week's newsletter, all the information you need to know about the retreat... More

IN THIS ISSUE . . . The 2008 Retreater's Guide to KSBC Builder Retreats How to Prepare for Sunday: The Noahic Covenant Kossuth's Hidden Gem Look at your Fish! Eating Glass with Reverend D. Ray The 2008 Retreater's Guide to KSBC Builder Retreats What... More

IN THIS ISSUE . . . READ IT ALL . . . I KNOW YOU CAN . . . The KSBC Picnic: why you should come, and how you can help Builders' Retreat 2008 7 things to do at Fall Kossuth that you couldn't do at Summer Kossuth How to prepare for this Sunday The... More

Its time to get back together! Join us this Sunday in the Builders classroom at 9:30 AM for a time of food , fun , and fellowship . Since this announcement is a little bit late, we won't have an elaborate scheme on who brings what. Instead, here's... More

The Kempsons need our Taco Fixins! Folks, without our help, the Kempson shower will be nothing more than a bunch of women sitting around a table watching a pregnant lady open gifts! WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!! To illustrate how Becca might feel if... More

Everyone is invited to the Rummel residence on Saturday, July 26th for volleyball, slip n slide, and other games. Please arrive anytime after 4:00 and bring lawnchairs if you have them. We will plan on ordering and eating pizza around 6:30 if you... More

Ladies and gents, remember to mark your calendars on September 5 & 6 for our class retreat. This year we're having it at Andy & Emily Rummel's house (yay Rummels!), and our speaker is Kevin Haehl. We're planning to have a totally rad... More

Sam Hanni is moving to Kansas, and Lafayette (not to mention the rest of Indiana) just won't be the same without him. Sam has invited everyone over for one last shindig: Hello all, As many of you know I moving to back to Kansas on the 14th of July.... More

The Hodsons will provide burgers, hotdogs, lemonade - Bring a side or dessert. We'll play games until it gets dark. After that we'll burn through any fireworks we have (Matt will have some, but more are always welcome). Matt will also be attempting... More

The Paschals are back in town for a couple of days, and have added a new member to their family! Nolan Levi Paschal was born last night at Home Hospital. To check out stats and pictures, visit their blog .

Builders, I trust your summer has been great so far - I miss seeing all of you! We have an opportunity to remedy that . . . check out the invitation below from the Rummels: Everyone is invited to our house on Saturday, June 28th for volleyball ,... More

Hi Builders, I'm chalking this one up to it being the summer AND the fact that we're trying a new communication medium, but let's not forget about the Bergers . . . they still need meals. Here's the original newsletter info . . . We want to help out... More

Hi Builders class! We're not meeting together all summer, so it'll be important that we stay connected with what's going on in each other's lives. Since our e-mail list-serv has gone bye-bye, we decided to try out this newsletter idea. The idea is... More

The Berger couple is now the Berger trio! Read below the description from Mikel's blog : "Gunnar James Berger arrived earlier this morning via C-Section at 1:16 am. He weighed in at 6 lbs 11 oz and is 21 inches long. He’s pretty tall and skinny... More