What makes it all worthwhile...

All the planning,
All the funding raising,
All the packing,
All the traveling...



All the balloons,
All the face paint,



All the playing,
All the praying,
All the waiting...



All worthwhile...

Thank you to all who gave so that we could help change lives.

Pastor Mike and Allison
Bobby and Susie Hickman
& The South Dakota Team

End Times Game Plan

In light of the current spiritual climate, I have been pondering just what my game plan should be as a Christian living in the end times. In light of the current political climate, it’s not unwarranted to suppose that we will soon be faced with the same types of persecution that Christians in most other parts of the world are already facing. 1 Peter includes several very long and detailed passages about suffering for doing right and simply for being a Christian (3:13-17;4:1-2, 12-16, 19). And in between those passages are clear instructions about how to live (2:15; 3:11; 2:13-18; 2:1-12; 3:1-7; 3:8; 4:9-11; 5:2-3). Not surprisingly, the instructions are to keep doing what we’ve supposed to have been doing all along: be obedient to Christ, surrender to Him and live in unity with other believers. But what about those specific moments, that will inevitably come, when we will be forced to decide to either fight or turn the other cheek? Most of the Old Testament includes God’s people fighting for their land and their people and God helping them to win when they obey Him. But when Christ was being arrested, Peter tried to defend Him with the sword, and Christ forbade him. How will we know if it’s the moment to stand strong and defend ourselves, our family, and what is right, the moment to give ourselves and our families up as martyrs or the moment to flee and wait for further instructions from God?

I believe we can look at the lives of David and Paul for our answer. David lived a life full of conflict, one after the other, right up until the moment of his death. As I’m sure you remember, David fought successfully (with God’s help) against Goliath and many other Philistines (the enemies of God’s people in his time). But he also spent a good portion of his life running from the evil King Saul. How did he know when to fight and when to run? The answer in scripture is clear. When faced with each battle, David sought the face of the Lord to find out what God would have him do. Every time, God gave David instructions about whether or not to fight. If David was instructed to fight, God even told David what plan and strategy to use in light of the role that God Himself would play in the battle (1Samuel 16 - 2 Samuel). The same is true in Paul’s life. He left one town after another, and moved on to the next in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Because he was obedient, His ministry continued and many more were won to Christ or discipled as new believers. In Act 17:10, we find one such example: Paul fled to safety leaving Thessalonica secretly by night through the help of other believers . Yet before and after this event, Paul unswervingly shares the gospel despite constant beatings and nearly-successful attempts on his life (Acts 20:22-24) and we know that eventually Paul did become a martyr. The key here is that he didn’t try to figure out any situation for himself, but instead trusted the Lord, who sees the end from the beginning.

The deciding factor is the same as it has always been. Stick close to the Lord, stay in close communication with Him. Talk to Him and LISTEN to hear His voice clearly. So what is the best course of action for now? We must get practiced at hearing God’s voice and obeying immediately so that when we need His instructions in those critical suffering and persecution moments, we will know for sure that we have heard the voice of our Lord and therefore be confident in the actions that we take in obedience to Him.

-Jenny Greene

Just in Time for the Summer Heat...

Healthy Frozen Treats

Do the hot summer days have you reaching into the freezer for ice cream more often than you probably should? Me too! Here are some healthier frozen treats to cool you off without the guilt afterwards.

1. Juice Pops – Fill popsicle molds with 100% juice. (If you use a juice that also contains vegetable juice, like one of the delicious flavors of V8 Fusion, you’ll even be getting some veggies in your family’s diet as well.) Place the filled popsicle molds in the freezer for a few hours. Carefully remove the handle from the mold and enjoy your delicious juice pop. If you do not have popsicle molds, you can use an ice tray. Fill the ice tray with juice; cover it with cling wrap; poke a popsicle stick through the cling wrap into the juice in each section of the ice tray. Place the filled ice tray in the freezer for a few hours. Remove the cling wrap from the ice tray. Twist the ice tray to loosen the juice pops. Enjoy!

2. Banana Pops – Peel a ripe banana; cut it in half. Place a popsicle stick or fork into the flat end of each banana half to be the handle. Place the banana halves in a freezer-safe container; place the container in the freezer for a few hours. Carefully remove a banana pop from the container. Enjoy!

3. Frozen Grapes – Remove grapes from their grapevine. Wash and thoroughly dry the grapes. Place the grapes in a freezer-safe container; place the container in the freezer for a few hours. You now have bite-sized sweet frozen treats! (If giving these to young children you should cut the grapes in halves or fourths before freezing them to reduce the choking hazard.)

4. Frozen Fruit – You can also just buy a bag of already frozen fruit and eat it still frozen as a treat.

5. Frozen Yogurt or Yogurt Pops – Buy refrigerated yogurt and place it in the freezer for a few hours. Eat it with a spoon as an alternative to ice cream or traditional frozen yogurt. You could also put this yogurt in an ice tray to make yogurt pops following the directions for juice pops above.

I hope you have found a few new ideas to try for healthier frozen treats this summer. Happy eating!

-Anna Spraker

Mixing Strands...

“It is not good that man should be alone.”

This scripture in Genesis is about the merits of matrimony.

But this tremendous passage also reinforces man’s need for fellowship, not just with the fairer gender specifically, but with others in general.

Man was created for relationship. For physical health, one of our most basic needs is for acceptance and belonging.

We need fellowship for our spiritual health too. We draw strength from one another. Ever notice that the strongest rope is not made from just one strand? It’s made from three. That’s scriptural, by the way. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

When making a rope one of the final steps is dipping the three strands that have been twisted together into a chemical sealer. Over time those three strands mix with each other. Fibers from one strand begin to mesh with the others so that eventually it is difficult to tell where one strand ends and another begins. That’s a big part of where the rope gets its strength. Can it be any different with the people of God?

The strongest buildings are constructed using triangular supports. Again, three sides.

When we make a choice to fellowship on a regular basis we are intertwining our “strand” with other strands. The Holy Spirit then becomes the chemical sealer, if you will. And over times we begin to mesh with those believers around us and gain strength.

On the flip side, when we choose not to fellowship on a regular basis, or when we forsake the assembly, as the Bible indicates, we separate our strand from the rest of the rope. Not only does that make us vulnerable to the devil’s schemes as individuals, but it weakens the other strands as well. When that happens, our enemy – a liar and father of lies – moves in for an easier strike. When we choose to be alone or to separate ourselves from the rest of the body, we make ourselves easier prey to the influences of destructive forces.

At the risk of sounding too morbid, have you ever notice that soldiers are never tortured in large groups? That’s because basic human nature is to draw strength from others. A soldier, anyone really, can survive under adverse conditions much longer in a group than alone. The will to live is tremendous and is even stronger when we are in the company of other like-minded people.

So what does that mean for believers? Simply that church attendance and involvement is a not only a good idea, but in a very real sense fellowship and mixing our “strand” with the strands of fellow believers is a commandment of God.

-Ben Hanneman

More 4th of July Celebration...

Radford Worship Center's Choir gave an outstanding presentation celebrating the Fourth of July this year. Lead by Dana Farmer the eleven member choir lead the congregation in Patriotic songs reminding us of the sacrifices made for our country and challenging us to cherish our hard won freedoms. The children as always are a highlight of any service they are in and this one was no exception. Let us take what the choir sung about and what the speakers spoke about and truly remember to cherish our freedoms and pray for our country.

4th of July... What does it take to truly be free?

Here is a portion of Sunday's Fourth of July Service. Pastor Chris Blackburn gave a thought provoking message before the final song "God Bless the USA" and after several requests here is the text in it's entirety.

Land of the free and home of the brave . . . Is this nation really free or have the people become slaves? . . . Fallen into sin time and time again. . God shed His grace on thee, this nation used to see . . . That Jesus Christ, not our own desires, is what it takes to be free.

During this time of celebration we are called to reflect upon the true history of this country and how it was that we became a nation. We formed this nation based on Godly, Biblical principles that define the true meaning of freedom and we stood for what is right. We did not back down to tyrannical leaders and forms of government who desired to control us. We fought against unbelievable odds and triumphed because our faith as a nation in God and in ourselves was greater than the power of the opposition. We believed in a destiny that this nation, America, would be a shining example of freedom to the world and that through our example, God would be glorified. With that determination, we won our independence.

During the time America fought to win its independence, our leaders had a deep understanding of God’s plan and purpose for His people and for this country. They understood that God should come first. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men are created equally and they are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. We know from the Bible that all men are equal when we read John 3:16 . . . “For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”.

The first Presidential inaugural address given in 1789 by George Washington . . . our President opened with both his concerns and the burden of the responsibilities that lay before him as the first leader of this new nation. Following that opening paragraph, George Washington acknowledged God stating, “IT WOULD BE IMPROPER TO OMIT IN THIS FIRST OFFICIAL ACT MY FERVENT SUPPLICATIONS TO THAT ALMIGHTY BEING WHO RULES OVER THE UNIVERSE, WHO PRESIDES IN THE COUNCILS OF NATIONS, AND WHOSE PROVIDENTIAL AIDS CAN SUPPLY EVERY HUMAN NEED.” Washington would later state “NO PEOPLE CAN BE BOUND TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADORE THE INVISIBLE HAND WHICH CONDUCTS THE AFFAIRS OF MEN MORE THAN THOSE OF THE UNITED STATES.”
In that part of his speech, George Washington, our founding father, is reminding us that the people of the United States of America, more so than any other nation on earth, should acknowledge and adore that God is the provider, the protector, the author, foundation and finisher of our faith as a people and as a nation!

What has happened to us?

In the song just presented, the words should grip our conscious and provoke a repentant spirit within us . . . Generations lost, over time this land has strayed . . . From leading all the children in Your holy ways . . . Many only reach to You when there’s a need . . . But then it’s back to the world and on sin their spirits feed . . . What has this land become? What have the father’s done? . . . They’ve betrayed their role as leader and failed more than just one Son . . .

As Christians, we are called to be Christ’s example to the world . . . to the people of this nation . . . to the people of our neighborhoods . . . to our friends and to the loved ones in our home! Our national motto cries out “In God We Trust”, and it is mocked every time we go to the polls and we vote our pocketbooks instead of our Christian values. As a nation, we have become distracted by the parlor games that our media plays . . . red state vs. blue state . . . Republican vs. Democrat . . . Conservative vs. Liberal . . . right vs. left when it should be about what God’s Word says is right vs. wrong. We now define ourselves by what the media labels us as and we are choosing daily not to live the example that Jesus set for us. We no longer understand that the greatest commandment is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as we love ourselves. Instead we are quick to judge, quick to condemn and demonstrate the same hate towards others as is being shown to us as Christians by a nation quickly turning its back on God.

In fact, we as Christians have submerged ourselves into the melting pot of this world. We now indulge ourselves daily with the pursuit of a life that puts Christ in the background as we chase worldly idols that we are convinced that we need more than Him. Our happiness is no longer based on our salvation through Christ’s work on the cross, but through the pursuit of those things that bring joy into the day. Our liberty now seems to be based on the size of our salary, our savings and our ability to live in a manner that is not dependent on God’s provision. It is obvious to those who take a sincere look at our nation, at our people . . . and at the man in the mirror, that we have turned our back on God. We no longer have a true understanding of His love, His mercy, and His grace for us. How hypocritical of us as individuals and as a nation to say one thing, but to live another.

So where do we go from here?

In II Chronicles 7:14, the Word states clearly “If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” God is calling us to repentance . . . as individuals, as a community and as a nation. We must begin by taking a long, serious look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s unchanging Word and humble ourselves to the fact that we are all sinners, and fall short of the glory of God. We have no hope without the selfless work of Christ on the Cross. We must choose to give the most valuable asset that we have, our lives, back to God and walk in the life, liberty and freedom that only He can provide. Only then can real change come to our homes, to our communities and ultimately to our country that we take such pride in. A pride that is reflected in our final number today, Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The USA”.

As we perform this final number, I ask that you take a moment to reflect on this nation . . . on our history . . . on our communities . . . but most importantly on your relationship with Jesus Christ and your Heavenly Father. It is not enough to be saved . . . but we must once again choose to be the Christ-like example to the world before it is too late. This world, this nation and our communities will eventually pass away, but God has promised us in His Word in Matthew 28:20 “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I am with you always, EVEN to the END of the age.”

- Pastor Chris Blackburn

I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag...

Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day fill our summers with patriotic holidays. Each one represented by the colors of the Flag of the United States. Red standing for valor; white for purity and innocence; and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Early patriots determined the colors and general design of the flag. From the beginning, the colors remained the same. The stars and stripes were debated but agreed upon eventually. In school we are taught that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag with the specifications of George Washington. Later, Congress passed laws to make flags exactly the same, to a particular scale, to hang a certain way, to never be thrown away, to be carried before any other flags, and so on. Since the flag has come to be the symbol of patriotism, Americans recite a pledge to it. It is an oath of loyalty to the United States of America. School children say it everyday and even the Senate and House of Representatives recite the pledge at the begining of their daily sessions.

The first pledge was written by Francis Bellamy. He was a Baptist minister, a children's magazine editor, and a socialist. He was a member of a committee for the 400th anniversary ceremony of Christopher Columbus. In the September 1892 issue of The Youth's Companion Magazine, Bellamy wrote:

"I pledge allegiance to my flag, and the Republic for which it stands: One Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all." That October 12th, children all over the country recited the pledge for the first time. Since the original, changes have been made and Congress adopted The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America. Today debates and lawsuits over the words in the pledge are common. So let's think about these words for a moment...

I pledge allegiance...I promise my loyalty
to the flag of the United States of America...to the symbol of my country
and to the Republic for which it stands...and the government that it represents
One Nation under God,...one country, with The God as the true ruler, overseer
Indivisible,...not separate states, together,
with liberty...with the freedom to speak, think, share, pray,
and justice...and fairness and equality
for all....for every single person.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: One Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

July 5th Radford Worship Center will be having a choir special to celebrate our God and our country. Please come join us!

- Susie Hickman