​Hello DBC Family,
I hope that this finds you well. We want to welcome you to our worship service for May 17, 2020. Today, we are looking at the life - and death - of Stephen and the bravery that he had, not only in being willing to die for his faith but also for being willing to forgive. 

As always, our service is on RightNow Media, our website, and Vimeo.

Thank you for thinking about each other and praying for each other. Hang in there.
Ivan

Hi Parents!
This week we are learning about Stephen. He is first mentioned in Acts 6: 5 where he is described as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. That alone is impressive. He is chosen as one of 7 who would help distribute food among the needy. The Apostles were looking for men who were full of the Spirit and wisdom (verse 3) so we can add wisdom to Stephen credentials as well. In verse 8 we learn Stephen was also full of God's grace and power. Wow! The list keeps growing! Verse 8 also tells us he did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people... but we won't learn what those were until we go to heaven.

A small group of men from one of the synagogues debate with Stephen and loose. They drum up some false witnesses and soon get many others including the religious leader involved. When asked to explain Stephen gives a condensed history of the Jewish nation that shows how God has been rejected. Rather than defending himself, he was trying to get them to repent. As they stone him to death, Stephen asks God to forgive them (not hold this sin against them). Then at the very beginning of the next chapter we are introduced to Saul.

Please read Acts 6: 8 through 7: 60 with your children. Talk about these verses and the story they tell.

Thank you!
'See' you Sunday!
Chuck​

​Dear Denali family,
We would like to welcome you to our worship service for May 10, 2020. It’s Mother's Day! I know that this day can be joyful, it can be sad, but it can also make you mad. There are emotions on all sides of the spectrum, but wherever you fall on it, I know that if you are reading this, you had a mom. I also am pretty sure that you had someone that was like a mother to you. If it is at all possible to thank them or show them love in some way, I would encourage you. We only have this life, and we only have this time.

Even though both Chuck and I are talking about moms today, the message is just as applicable to all. Our prayer is that God is glorified in this time and that you come across with a greater understand on why God made motherhood and how it can point to Him in an especially important way. Like always, we have put our videos on RightNow, but we have also put the videos on our website. The easiest options for those that hate technology are either through the website or clicking this link to our Mother's Day Vimeo page.

May you be blessed this Mother's Day. Lord-willing we will see each other soon!
Ivan

Hello DBC family,
My kids were recently playing with our dog and it seemed that when they would cover her face, she wouldn't think we were around anymore. I bet we were just imaging this because she could still smell and hear, but even so, she acted like she was alone. Strange. I wonder if we ever act like that as humans. I mean, we are way smarter, but I realize that when we haven't seen each other for a while, we begin to feel very alone and isolated. We are now on week 8 of the quarantine and even though things are lightening up slowly, I know that many, many in our congregation are still locked in and feeling alone. I encourage you this week to bust out your church directory and reach out to someone, ANYONE. Let them know that they are not alone or forgotten. God has made us a local family on purpose and He has equipped us to meet the needs of each other. You can do it!

For our midweek greetings, Mr. Chuck made a video about the Fruit of the Spirit here. I made a video about Mother's Day and my mom. I tried not to choke up while making it. It can be found here.

We elders realize that the governor will relax some of the health mandates very soon and that will allow gatherings of up to 50 people. We have been talking and praying about when worship at DBC should begin again. Even though the new limitations are closer to our regular congregation size, we will wait to hear more official guidance before making a decision. While we are waiting, we are working on a Covid-19 mitigation plan, gathering supplies needed and working through the various questions that must be answered prior to commencing worship at DBC again. Even after worshipping at the Chapel resumes, we will most likely need to run in a hybrid service environment where we have online worship AND in person worship. This will allow us to meet the needs of all of our congregation better. We will let you know next week what our plans are. Thank you for your patience and please continue praying for us to have God's wisdom.

Ivan

Dear Denali family,
We would like to welcome you to our worship service for May 3, 2020. It’s currently 1am and I am having a hard time knowing what to say to you that I haven’t already said in the many ways that I have been trying to reach out. I know that many of you are probably hoping for this quarantine time to be done and for things to get back to “normal.” You aren’t alone. But in the meantime, I truly encourage you to think about your walk with Christ. This has been a time where most everyone has had all events and meetings and plans stripped away, leaving only a time of contemplation and strangeness. God has been there in your busy times, and He is here now in your slow time. Is He asking anything of you? Is He asking you to take small steps or big steps of change? Is He wanting you to become more involved in His mission in your life? Don’t let this time pass by without asking Him to guide you and give you the strength to do what He asks. Even. If. It. Is. Hard.

Today, Mr. Chuck is talking about Pentecost, the early Church and how believers help other believers. I am talking about the early Church and how God asks us to follow Him with all that we are. Like always, we have put our videos on RightNow, but we have also put the videos on our website, as well as on our Vimeo page, vimeo.com/denalibiblechapel.  

May God guide you this week. And always!
Ivan