Tuesday, December 24th, 2024
4pm & 5:30pm
We hope to see you and the whole family at MBC for our 2024 Christmas Eve service times. This year, we will be having two services at 4pm & 5:30pm.
Questions?
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The Deconstruction of Christianity Adult Education Class
Join us for our Winter Adult Education Class!
Starting Sunday, January 5th 2024
Sunday’s @9am in the YFMB Great Room
Beginning January 5th, 2025, we will be offering six-week course called, “The Deconstruction of Christianity.” This study is based on the work by Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett with the same title. This be video based followed by group discussion. Here is a an overview of the class:
A movement called ‘deconstruction’ is sweeping through our churches and it is affecting our loved ones. It has disrupted, dismantled, and destroyed the faith of so many, and this book can help you not only understand what’s happening but also stand your ground and respond with clarity and confidence.
• Maybe you have a loved one who is deconstructing their faith, and you are struggling to know how to respond;
• Maybe you are trying to understand the radical spiritual makeover your friend or family member is going through;
• Maybe your relationship with a loved one has been strained or even cut off because of your “toxic” Christian beliefs and you don’t know what to do;
• Maybe you’re experiencing doubt yourself and facing hard questions about truth, God, the Bible, theology and the gospel.
Some who leave the faith feel wounded by the church. Others feel repressed by some of the moral imperatives found in Scripture. For some, it leads to a custom-made spirituality. For others, deconstructing their faith leads them away from the truth into agnosticism, atheism, the occult, or humanism.
In this seminal book, Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel?, and Tim Barnett, creator of Red Pen Logic, will help you understand what deconstruction is, where it comes from, why it is compelling to some, and how it disorients the lives of so many. You will be able to think through the main issues around faith deconstruction and explore wise and loving ways to respond from a biblical worldview.
Questions?
A Night of Revival, January 17, 7pm
On Friday, January 17 at 7pm MBC will be hosting “A Night of Revival”.
At this event there will be worship, a message, and some time for prayer. We are also encouraging people to invite friends, family, and neighbors who are both saved and unsaved to the event so that they might get to experience the love of Christ and hear the word of Christ proclaimed!
We hope you join us for A Night of Revival.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
For more information email Noah Graves
Year-End Giving for 2025
Firmly Planted, Growing Together, Made to Multiply in 2025.
Partner with us as we sow seeds of faith, cultivate spiritual growth & bear life-giving fruit within our community.
MBC is thrilled to be a part of the emerging growth of God’s redemption and mission for our church.
In the year 2025, we will accomplish our vision of increased cultural engagement by equipping the MBC body of believers, working with our local and global partners, and continuing campus upgrades.
We are thrilled to announce that in 2026, Millington Baptist Church will be celebrating its 175th anniversary! For nearly two centuries, God has been faithful to our church, guiding us through seasons of growth, change, and impact in our community. This milestone is not only a testament to His grace but also to the legacy of faithfulness passed down through generations of believers. As we look ahead to this special anniversary, we invite you to join us in celebrating our rich history and anticipating the future God has in store for our church. Stay tuned for more details as we prepare to commemorate this incredible journey!
Serving Him Together, Pastor Dave and Pastor Bob
Vision for 2025
Please ask God to guide your giving and consider making your best possible donation as an investment so we may be firmly planted, growing together, and sharing God’s love to everyone. We envision that your generous contributions for the five initiatives we outline below will deepen our congregation’s love for God, widen our love for each other, and live tall so we may be a beacon of hope to the community here where we are planted.
Please take a look below to see what
MBC has in store for 2025.
Because of
Your Generosity
We are filled with joy for an incredible 2024 at MBC!
2024 was a remarkable year of growth for MBC, both in terms of impact and spiritual depth. MBC’s call to advance the Kingdom of God in NJ is accomplished through your support in time, talent and treasure. Thank you for your radical generosity! The list of all God did this past year is breathtaking. We began a partnership with Buxmont Christian Counseling Center, allowing many people to find healing. Our summer internship program trained three interns for leadership in the church and marketplace. MBC was able to provide educational scholarship our partner organization, Street Hope Alive, as well as funding for a summer sports camp in Romania through Josiah Venture. The next generation was empowered through our Youth Summer Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic and our AWANA program continues to flourish. Finally, our Digital Outreach ministries continue to spread the Gospel through podcasts and videos, and our Pickle ball ministry has connected many into deeper community. Praise God for what he did through your generosity!
Church Operations
Effective Management for Ministry Growth
Millington Baptist Church has a long history of serving the community and fostering spiritual growth. To continue this mission, we have multiple areas of our ministry that we will use to expand the kingdom.
Raising our next generation leaders:
Internship Program Expansion
Last summer marked the first year of a revitalized internship program at MBC. We took on three internships in the ministry areas of worship, youth ministry, and production arts. In additional to their practical experience, these interns participating in a biblical worldview training course to prepare them for ministry in the church or marketplace.
This program was a success and this year we envision an expansion. We want to double our interns in a variety of ministry fields. Our goal is to train and raise up a new generation of Christian leaders who will guide the people of God within, or outside the walls of the church. You giving will help fund this program in the coming year.
Welcome our New
Director of Discipleship & Connections
We are excited to welcome Amy Huber as our new Director of Discipleship and Connections, starting January 1, 2025. Amy brings a wealth of experience in student engagement and spiritual development, having served in various roles that foster belonging and growth within the church community. Her passion for helping others connect, grow in their faith, and build meaningful relationships will be a tremendous asset to our ministry. Please join us in welcoming Amy to the team as we look forward to the impact she will have in shaping our discipleship and connection ministries!
Download our new & improved
MBC Church App (CHMS)
We are excited to introduce our new church database system and app upgrade, known as CHMS (Church Management Software)! This powerful tool will enhance our ability to connect, engage, and serve our church community more effectively. With CHMS, we will streamline our administrative processes, improve communication, and provide a user-friendly experience for our members.
The upgraded app will allow you to easily access important information, register for events, manage your giving, and connect with small groups and ministries. We believe that CHMS will not only improve our operational efficiency but also foster a deeper sense of community among our congregation. We look forward to rolling out this new system and app, and we can’t wait to see how it will help us grow in our mission to serve and connect with one another!
Enrich Your Advent Season: Daily Reflections on the Gospel of Luke
MBC’s devotional Book for the Advent season
This Advent season, we invite you to journey with us through our new devotional, inspired by the Gospel of Luke and thoughtfully written by members of our congregation. We hope that as you read and reflect on these devotionals, you will find new wonder and peace in the Savior who came for you. May these reflections enrich your heart as you celebrate the gift of Christ this Christmas. If you’d like to get a copy on Amazon click HERE
Celebrating Christ
for Spiritual Growth
Cultivating the Christian Life!
In the realm of spiritual formation, this year has been nothing short of transformative. Our journey on Sunday mornings in 2024 has taken us through the entire Gospel of Luke and the Book of Revelation, offering profound insights and fostering a deeper understanding of Scripture and its relevance to our lives. The launch of numerous new small groups has created intimate spaces for fellowship, prayer, and shared spiritual growth, connecting members in meaningful ways. Our adult education program has flourished, providing intellectual and spiritual nourishment with courses on ‘How to Read the Bible,’ an enlightening eschatology seminar, and a Financial Peace University (FPU) class. These initiatives have not only broadened our knowledge but also ignited a collective passion for continuous learning and spiritual exploration.
Local Compassion
Faith-based mobile front-line provider of homeless
City Relief
City Relief (CR) is one of our strategic local partner ministries—and they do amazing work! They are a faith-based mobile front-line provider of homeless services that operates in communities where individuals are struggling and need support. Our vision is to create a world where everyone has a place to call home, the support to thrive, and the opportunity to give back.
One of the communities they seek to impact in Newark, NJ. CR is set to expand its outreach efforts in Newark, with the goal of launching two weekly direct service opportunities and establishing an office space in the city to provide more sustained services. Through these initiatives, we expect to serve at least 70 people each week, welcoming them into a safe community where they can access essential resources such as meals, socks, and hygiene kits, and much more.
How can MBC help? To effectively serve the Newark community, CR needs to hire additional staff, invest in outreach and other startup costs, and allocate a budget for increased ongoing programmatic expenses to support our services in Newark. By adding a Newark Programs Manager and Coordinator, CR can transition from monthly street engagements to consistent weekly outreach efforts.
You giving will reach the poor and unhoused in Newark this year!
We are launching
Grief Share!
We are excited to announce the launch of a GriefShare ministry at Millington Baptist Church next year. GriefShare is a caring support group designed to help those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. This Christ-centered program offers encouragement, understanding, and healing through practical resources and compassionate community. Whether you are grieving a recent loss or continuing to work through your grief, GriefShare provides a safe place to share, learn, and find hope in Christ. Stay tuned for more details as we prepare to begin this important ministry.
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Brick & Mortar
3027 Valley Road Purchase
For many years, the church has had a long-term vision of acquiring adjacent properties to create opportunities for future growth and expansion. This strategic plan has been driven by the desire to ensure that the church can continue to meet the needs of its congregation and community as it grows. One of the key steps in this vision was the acquisition of nearby properties, which would allow for greater flexibility in the development of new programs, facilities, or services.
This year, we are excited to announce that we have successfully completed the first phase of this vision with the purchase of the house at 3027 Valley Road. This milestone marks a significant achievement in our efforts to prepare for future growth, as it positions us to utilize the surrounding space in ways that align with the church’s mission and goals. The acquisition of this property brings us closer to realizing the larger plan for expansion, which we believe will benefit not only our church family but the community at large.
Thanks to careful financial planning and the availability of assets, we are pleased to share that this purchase was completed without the need for financing. This means that the church is able to move forward in a fiscally responsible manner, free from additional debt, and remain focused on our vision for the future. This is a blessing and a testament to the resources and support we have been fortunate to receive over the years.
The house, which was cherished for many years, is currently undergoing construction with direction from Mark Melillo. We are thrilled to share that the renovations are nearing completion, and we look forward to seeing the updated space fully realized soon.
Financial Covenants
Church finances often consist of various funds designated for specific purposes, earmarked funds if you will. After careful review, the finance team and elder board identified some long-term funds and made the decision to un-restrict a portion of them to assist in the cash purchase of 3027 Valley Road. This decision was made with the commitment to restore those funds to their original accounts and purposes.
To ensure this, the finance team has established quarterly goals to fully replenish the funds by the end of the fiscal year. While this is an ambitious target, the team is confident that, with the continued generosity of our congregation, the funds will be restored as planned
K&M Maintenance Contract
As the campus continues to expand in both numbers and size, the amount of onsite activities is also increasing. With the growth of events and people on campus, our facilities will naturally require more upkeep and attention. In October, we were excited to announce a new partnership with KM Maintenance Company. KM will provide us with a staff member onsite every weekday for miscellaneous cleaning projects, room setups, and smaller tasks.
Additionally, there will be a dedicated person responsible for managing cleaning across the entire campus to ensure continuity. KM Maintenance is a local company that truly cares about the community and the presentation of our campus. They also service other large facilities, such as Summit Medical Group and Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church. With their impressive responsiveness, KM Maintenance is well-equipped to manage the many large projects occurring around campus.
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Next Generation
Radical Mentoring
We are excited to continue our Radical Mentoring program at Millington Baptist Church in the coming year, helping men grow deeper in their faith through intentional discipleship, accountability, and community. Radical Mentoring has been transformative for many, and we’re committed to continuing this life-changing journey.
In addition, we are launching a new follow-up program designed for those who have completed Radical Mentoring. This second-year program will focus on continued spiritual growth, leadership development, and practical ways to live out your faith in all areas of life. Stay tuned for more information as we equip men to take the next step in their walk with Christ!
Passion Conference
The next generations (or young adults) are not the future leaders of the church, they are already the leaders of the church. They need to be empowered to go out and lead with courage and boldness now as our church desperately needs to minister to the next generation. Our culture is pulling them in with all it’s might and we need to train our young leaders today to disciple and win people for Christ.
We will prepare our young adults to lead and walk by faith through our new initiative of a bi weekly small group as well as sending them out to the passion conference in Atlanta Georgia in January. May the Lord bless these endeavors as our next generation of leaders are being equipped.
Mark 16:15
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Global Missions
Senegal
At MBC, missions is part of our heartbeat. We love when people come to know Jesus, and we love when the Kingdom of God is built in very tangible ways. Specifically, MBC has a strategic focus on Senegal, West Africa. We support World Partner missionaries in the country and we partner with a local congregation in their evangelisms efforts in rural Senegalese villages.
This year, we feel led to give above and beyond to support the Bartimee Hospital in the strategic city of Thies. Your giving will help us purchase critical medical equipment, meeting the physical needs of the Senegalese people. The Lord calls us to proclaim the Gospel—he also calls us to be Salt and Light as we demonstrate the Gospel by caring for the poor.
Youth Mission Trip
As our teenagers are growing in their faith and taking this as a personal relationship with their maker, their hearts to serve and bless others are growing as well. Our summer mission trips are always a highlight of our students summer as they go out of their comfort zone and typical day to go serve the Lord where he calls us. Our church support not only allows them to go but allows encourages them knowing the church truly cares about them and their walk with the Lord.
1st Timothy 6:17-19
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”
Evangelism
Contend Conference
Living your public life as a Christian in not easy! Each year new challenges arise as the culture grows increasing hostile to our faith. What do we do? In 2023, MBC hosted it’s first “Contend Conference” to great effect. The goal of this conference is “equipping the saints the engage the skeptics.” This involves the areas of cultural engagement, apologetics and public theology. We believe MBC has the resource to lead regionally in this area and bless other churches!
Our keynote speaker is Alisa Childers, a popular author and sough after speaker on these topics. The theme is “resisting the drift” in both culture and theology. With your generosity through time, talents and treasure, we hope increase our impact up to 30% through live attenders and livestream participants.
In recent memory, it has never been more important to ground yourself with a robust Biblical Worldview to influence the outside world for the Gospel. Your generosity will change our world!
Colson Fellows Affiliate
As a follow up to the Contend Conference, MBC plans to launch a Colson Fellows Training Program in summer of 2025. What is the Colson Fellows Program? Here is how the Colson Center for Christian Worldview describes it:
“Colson Fellows from across the globe complete a rigorous course of study that begins each July and concludes with their commissioning in May of the following year. In this ten month program, candidates follow a daily curriculum that is carefully curated and updated each year, read 12-14 books, and attend two live webinars each month with leading Christian thinkers in which they are able to engage in a lively, free-flowing exchange of ideas.”
We are praying for 10 members from MBC to participate in this program. The training will equip each person as a Christ follower in the marketplace to influence the world with the Gospel.
Your giving will help to cover some of the tuition costs for our participants! By extension, you will bless others and transform lives.
Please ask God to guide your giving and consider making your best possible donation as an investment with us as we Plant Deep Roots in the Limitless Love of God.
Year End Giving
Overhaul of the Heart – Begins January 5th
A Journey Toward True Revival
In a world of division and distraction, discouragement is a natural reaction. The polarization of our culture, and within the church, leaves many wondering—what is God doing? Is there any hope? Will there be a revival?
This sermon series will tackle the topic of “revival,” both personally and corporately. It is so easy to get caught up in the noise of our world, that we forgot our first focus should be our relationship with Christ. When our hearts are transformed by his Gospel … everything else follows.
Over these four weeks, we will answer four questions about revival. What is it? Why do we need it? How do we get it? How do we know it’s real?
We pray your heart is both overhauled and refreshed this January
Supporting Resources
Se7en Churches of Revelation – small group workbook
Se7en Churches of Revelation – Sermon Series
Symbols in the Book of Revelation.
Act I Sermon Schedule:
12/3 Luke 1:1-4 Intro: Letter to Theophilus & Overview
12/10 Luke 1:5-38 Prediction of John and Jesus’ Birth
12/7 Luke 1:39-80 Mary’s Prayer and Zechariah’s Prophecy
12/24 Luke 2:1-52 The Birth of Jesus
Christmas Eve Morning at 10am
Christmas Eve 4pm & 5:30pm
Don't miss ACT II - Introduction of Jesus, Luke 3-9. Beginning December 31
Previous Sermons in this Series
The Unveiling, Revelation of Jesus Christ
Revelation of Jesus Christ
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is an unveiling. It is an unveiling of the true person and work of Christ against the powers of darkness, an unveiling of the Spiritual Realm and an Unveiling of the future and an unveiling of the mysteries of John’s visions. We will explore the timeless truths and profound revelations woven into the fabric of this extraordinary biblical story. From the triumphant Lamb of God to the cosmic battles between good and evil, the book of Revelation was a letter that serves as both a warning and a source of hope for believers of all ages.
Join us as we navigate the vivid imagery, decipher the symbolic language, and discover the enduring message of victory, redemption, and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s divine plan.
Supporting Resources
Se7en Churches of Revelation – small group workbook
Se7en Churches of Revelation – Sermon Series
Symbols in the Book of Revelation.
In the midst of uncertainty, the book of Revelation inspires believers to a steadfast faith and a resolute hope in the God who holds the future in His hands. Primarily, Revelation is a book about true worship. Will you bow your knee to the powers of this evil world, or will you bow your knee to the one who is worthy? Embark on this profound journey through the apocalyptic tapestry in this captivating sermon series and rediscover and appraise the one who is worthy
Act I Sermon Schedule:
12/3 Luke 1:1-4 Intro: Letter to Theophilus & Overview
12/10 Luke 1:5-38 Prediction of John and Jesus’ Birth
12/7 Luke 1:39-80 Mary’s Prayer and Zechariah’s Prophecy
12/24 Luke 2:1-52 The Birth of Jesus
Christmas Eve Morning at 10am
Christmas Eve 4pm & 5:30pm
Don't miss ACT II - Introduction of Jesus, Luke 3-9. Beginning December 31
Previous Sermons in this Series
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is an unveiling. It is an unveiling of the true person and work of Christ against the powers of darkness, an unveiling of the Spiritual...
Current Sermon Series, unveiling 2024
Bible Study Fellowship, Mondays 6:55pm
Men & Women's BSF
Begins Monday, September 9th @ 6:55pm, MBC
For centuries, people have attempted to unlock the mysteries of Revelation. In Revelation: The Hope, we will discover that Jesus Christ is central to every prophecy, promise, and passage. Revelation gives us hope of a world made new by the redemption and restoration that Jesus offers today and for eternity.
Questions? Contact: John Drew, Men’s Class Administrator, or Priya Mamidi, Women’s Class Administrator.
Women will meet in the YFMB (Youth & Family Ministry Building). Men are in the Sanctuary.
FREE Rightnow MEDIA
MBC brings Rightnow Media resources to our congregation
We are excited to share that our church now has unlimited access to RightNow Media—the world’s largest streaming library of video Bible study resources. This extensive library has more than 20,000 videos taught by leaders like Francis Chan, Jennie Allen, J.D. Greear, Dr. Tony Evans, and many more. These Bible study videos can be used as part of a group study or for personal devotions, and many series include free discussion guides and handouts.
Our church believes that RightNow Media is a tool that can help you live out your faith in every area of your life—at home, at work, and in your community. In addition to series on books of the Bible, RightNow Media has videos for everyone in your family on a variety of topics like marriage, parenting, personal finances, mental health, and more. As a bonus you will also find a variety of MBC video content at your disposal. There’s even a library just for kids with over 2,000 safe, entertaining videos. RightNow Media has a free app that’s available on all major streaming devices so you and your family can access content anywhere, anytime.
You should have already received an email invitation for FREE account registration.
To get started, simply click the link in the email, create your free account, and start browsing more than 20,000 inspiring videos. We pray that RightNow Media will be a blessing to you and your family!
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Call the church office at 908-647-0594 or email Church Office
How do I log in to RightNow Media?
1. If you haven’t created your free EBC account, click HERE.
2. Once you have an account created, go to https://login.rightnowmedia.org/.
3. Enter your email and password.
How do I manage my account?
1. In the upper right-hand corner, click on your profile picture/icon.
2. Click on edit my profile to upload a photo, edit your name, email, password and curriculum preferences.
3. Click on help/support if you experience technical issues, want to browse tutorial videos, read FAQs or submit a support request to RightNow Media.
How do I invite my small group members or other friends/family?
1. In the upper right-hand corner, click on the people icon.
2. Click on ADD USER on the left-hand side.
3. Enter the email addresses of the people you’d like to invite to use this resource (your small group members, friends, family, neighbors or co-workers). Click on SEND INVITATIONS.
4. Let them know an invitation is coming their way from media@rightnow.org so they don’t think it’s spam.
How do I connect my devices to RightNow Media?
1. Click on Connect to TV in the toolbar at the top left of your screen. Select the device you’d like to connect.
2. Each page provides videos and step-by-step instructions on how to connect your device.
How do I navigate this site?
1. We suggest starting off by browsing the EBC Recommended Curriculum channel (the first section on your screen).
2. Use the top left navigation bar for a quick glance at all of the channel categories, to narrow down your search based on recently added or most popular videos or to view your queue.
3. Hover your mouse over a video to read a brief description or to add it to your queue.
4. Click on the video to read more information.
5. To watch a video right now, simply click on the sessions on the right-hand side.
Annual Meeting Presentation
CONTEND 2025
Save the Dates: January 31- February 2, 2025
Volunteer at Resist the Drift 2025! Your time and talents can help make the Contend Conference an extraordinary event. We’re looking for volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks including setup, guest services, and breakout sessions. Please provide your top choices for volunteer positions and join our mission to inspire and equip others at Millington Baptist Church. Contact Sue Turner for Volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer Registration: If you will be registering to volunteer at the event, please make sure you register to volunteer before registering to attend. This will give you a discount code for your registration to attend.
Resist the Drift:
Contend Conference
Something is happening in our world … can you feel it? Do you see it? It’s not surprising if you don’t. The change is slow, almost unnoticeable. Like a swimmer floating in the ocean, the waves can carry you far from shore. It doesn’t feel like you’ve moved until you open your eyes and look.
Culturally speaking, this “drift” has been happening for a long time. However, recent events have caused people to open their eyes and see how far the waves have taken us. What was once considered truth is now questioned. People we work with, go to school with, and live near have no understanding of the Gospel and the truths of the Bible. Their view of Jesus is skewed. These assumptions have made their way into the church. Leaders and institutions we once trusted … have drifted.
What Now?
On January 31 – February 2, 2025, Millington Baptist Church will be hosting its second “CONTEND” Conference. The theme for this conference is resisting the drift. It is so easy to be carried along by the cultural waves. It is so easy to drift. The writer to Hebrews was combating this same issue. In a culture—and church—filled with compromise, Hebrews exhorts us: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it (Heb. 2:1).”
We must pay closer attention to what we have heard. This weekend conference will help you recognize the drift and resist it with clarity, boldness, and conviction.
Are you ready to Resist The Drift?
Conference Schedule
6pm- Bookstore, Food, Connections Lounge
7pm- Conference Open, Worship
7:20pm- Welcome Address: “Recognize the Drift ” (Bob Erbig)
7:35pm- SESSION ONE: “Progressive Christianity: A Biblical Response to a Growing Movement” (Alisa Childers)
8:45pm- Worship, Next Day Activities
9:00pm- Dessert Social
8:00am- Bookstore, Breakfast, Connections Lounge
NOTE: Childcare and Kids Programming Available During Morning Sessions (8:45am-12:15pm)
9am- Day Two Open, Worship
9:20am- Short Talk: “Spiritual Formation to Resist The Drift” (Dave Henstchel)
9:35am- SESSION TWO: “Parenting and Social Media” (Jason Thacker)
10:45am- BREAK
11:00am- Short Talk: “Helping Teens Resist the Drift” (Johnny Graves)
11:15am- SESSION THREE: “Live Your Truth” (Alisa Childers)
12:30pm- LUNCH!
1:30-2:30pm- BREAKOUT TRACKS (Local Leaders)
2:30-5:00pm- Break
5:00-6:30pm- SESSION FOUR: “Critical Theory and Social Justice Ideology” (Neil Shenvi)
NOTE: This session includes a sit down dinner and requires REGISTRATION.
7:00-8:30pm – Panel and Q & A + Worship (Bob)
- Short Talk: “Music of The Revolution” –Pastor Bob
8:30am- Bookstore, Lounge and Food available in FH Ministry Center.
9:00am- “The Gospel as an Apologetic” Neil Shenvi
NOTE: Alisa Childers Interview in Both Services.
10:45am- “Wisdom and Discernment in a Chaotic Public” Jason Thacker
Speaker Resources
Alisa Childers is a wife, mom, author, and speaker. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is a popular speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences. She is the author of Another Gospel? and Live Your Truth and Other Lies. She has been published at the Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision Magazine, and the Christian Post.
Neil Shenvi is an apologist, author and follower of Jesus Christ. He has written two books: Why Believe? and Critical Dilemma. Neil has an A.B. in chemistry from Princeton and a PhD in theoretical chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. He worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed scientific papers. In addition, his writings on critical theory have been published by the Journal of Christian Legal Thought, the Gospel Coalition, Eikon, Ratio Christi, and the Liberty University Law Review, among others. He is married and currently homeschools his four children.
Jason Thacker serves as an assistant professor of philosophy and ethics at Boyce College and Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also is a senior fellow in bioethics and director of the research institute at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is the author of several books including Following Jesus in the Digital Age and The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. He also serves as the editor of The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society and co-editor Baptist Social Ethics and the Essentials in Christian Ethics series with B&H Academic.
SESSION INFORMATION
SESSION ONE, Friday, 7:35 pm.
“Progressive Christianity: A Biblical Response to a Growing Movement” (Alisa Childers)
In this talk, Alisa will walk the audience through the history, key beliefs, and key figures of the movement of progressive Christianity, and ultimately show how progressive Christianity is at odds with historic Christianity and even disagrees with Jesus on what the Bible is, what Jesus accomplished on the cross, and the definition of the gospel.
SESSION TWO, Saturday, 9:35 am.
“Parenting and Social Media” (Jason Thacker)
Social media is a tool that can be used for both good and ill, but also is profoundly shaping every aspect of our hearts, minds, and souls. Recognizing this reality is one of the key steps in raising up the next generation in the pursuit of wisdom and virtue. We need more than simple tips and tricks on how to use technology better as we recognize that these tools have become one of the primary ways that we are being discipled today and transformed by the patterns of this world. Learn how to think deeply about the nature of these tools that never leave our side and how we might practically equip the next generation to wisely engage them as they seek to follow Jesus in a digital age.
SESSION THREE, Saturday 11:15 am.
“Live Your Truth” (Alisa Childers)
Popular slogans like “live your truth,” “follow your heart,” “you are enough” “you are the boss of you” and “you’re perfect just as you are” flood our social media feeds. In many cases, even materials marketed as “Christian” promote these ideas. But are they biblical? In this talk, Alisa will walk the audience through 3-5 cultural lies, demonstrate the bad thinking underneath them, and then turn to the Bible for a much better story.
SESSION FOUR, Saturday, 5 pm.
“Critical Theory and Social Justice Ideology” (Neil Shenvi)
Critical theory and its expression in fields such as critical race theory, critical pedagogy, and queer theory are having a profound impact on our culture. Contemporary critical theory’s ideas about race, class, gender, identity, and justice have dramatically shaped how people think, act, and view one another—in Christian and secular spheres alike.
BREAKOUT INFORMATION
BREAKOUT ONE: A Street Level Guide To The Morality Debate (Steve DiSebastian)
Whether we realize it or not, we’re all swimming in the waters of morality. Debates surrounding politics and cultural issues are unavoidably questions of morality. Even atheists who deny the existence of a transcendent moral law cannot escape making moral judgments. Join us to learn how to use these morally contentious times to both defend and share your faith in Christ.
Click HERE for Steve DiSebastian’s bio.
BREAKOUT TWO: Addressing The Realities of Sex Trafficking (Adrienne Livingston)
The purpose of this session is to delve beneath the surface of our world and uncover the harsh realities of sex trafficking. By its very nature, sex trafficking is deceptive, often hiding in plain sight. Three key factors contribute to this problem:
Perpetrators Disguise Themselves: Those who commit these crimes often appear as “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” making it difficult to identify them.
Consumers’ Blindness: Driven by lust, consumers are often unable to recognize their role in trafficking, choosing to see only what they want to see.
The Myth of Choice: The misconception that the sex industry operates on choice and free will further obscures the truth.
In this session, we will explore God’s heart for justice, discuss ways to prevent sex trafficking, and consider how we can best respond to this grave issue.
Click HERE for Adrienne Livingston’s bio.
BREAKOUT THREE: Sharing The Gospel Across Cultural Boundaries (Dr. Alfonse Javed)
Have you struggled to share your faith with someone of a different culture? Do you have friends who are Muslim or Hindu? This session will help us understand how the complexity of culture enables the gospel to spread powerfully within a culture. It will also explain why the Gospel message does not “jump” easily across cultural boundaries. At this end of this session, you will be able to articulate what culture is, how to understand it, and practices that facilitate the jump across barriers that have long obstructed the advance of the gospel among the least evangelized.
Click HERE for Alfonse Javed’s bio.
BREAKOUT FOUR: Teens Track (Andy Imbimbo)
In a culture sprinting away from the Gospel, teens are bombarded with conflicting messages about identity, truth, and purpose. “Resisting the Drift for Teens” is about anchoring your life in Jesus amidst all this chaos. This session will equip teens to recognize the culture’s pull, stand firm on the authority of Scripture, and experience how the supremacy of Christ transforms everything. Teens will discover how to live boldly for Jesus, even when the world says you’re missing out.
Click HERE for Andy Imbimbo’s bio
Brought to you by The Underground Sessions
Hotel Reservations
Hotel: Courtyard Marriott in Basking Ridge
Address: 595 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
MBC has provided Contend Conference attendees with a discounted block rate hotel reservation opportunity. The fee for this hotel room is $125.00 (plus taxes & fees) and you can make that reservation through Courtyard Basking Ridge with the link below. Use the code MBRS for your discounted rate.
BREAKOUT INFORMATION
BREAKOUT ONE: Human Trafficking (Adrienne Livingston)
“TBD” (TBD) Text Description to come
BREAKOUT TWO: Muslim Theme (Alfonse Javed)
“TBD” (TBD) Text Description to come
BREAKOUT THREE: Teens
“TBD” (TBD) Text Description to come
BREAKOUT FOUR: Kids Programming available Saturday, 9am-12pm
“TBD” (TBD) Text Description to come
Brought to you by The Underground Sessions
Portal Link, Resource Page, and Follow-Up Next Steps Coming Soon!
Be a part of the MBC Kids Team
Building our MBC Kids Team
There are opportunities to serve in the nursery, as a teacher or teacher’s assistant, buddy for kids with special needs, and on the check in team. If you are interested in learning more about serving on the MBC Kids Team, please reach out to Lenore Tosi or Rachel Rickershauser.
| * Nursery/Preschool & K—Lenore Tosi | ltosi@millingtonbaptist.org | |
| * Elementary (1-6th)–Rachel Rickershauser | rachel@millingtonbaptist.org |
Building our Summer & Fall Teams
If you are interested in serving in the Children’s Ministry in the Summer or Fall, please reach out to Lenore Tosi or Rachel Rickershauser.
| Nursery/Preschool & K Lenore Tosi |
| ltosi@millingtonbaptist.org |
| Elementary (1-6th) Rachel Rickershauser |
| rachel@millingtonbaptist.org |
