The Experiment

The Experiment is a commitment to the five specific challenges below.  Every member of the UBC family is encouraged to be a part of The Experiment by prayerfully considering how to personally engage in each of these areas..

The Challenges

Read Through the Entire Word

Choose a reading plan and read through the entire Bible in one year.  If you have already begun reading through the Bible, continue your plan.

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Resources

• The Discipleship Journal Reading Plan – Our Bible Reading Plan is a PDF developed by NavPress. For more information go to www.discipleshipjournal.com
• The Bethlehem Bible Church Reading Plan – The reading plan used at Bethlehem Bible Church where John Piper pastors. This plan can be cut into 4 easy to use bookmarks

Pray for the World

Using the resources of Operation World, pray for all the countries of the world over the course of one year.  Use the book, Windows on the World, as a supplement for children.

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Resources

• Come by one of The Experiment tables to purchase a copy of Operation World for $12 or order online at Amazon.com
• You can purchase a copy of Windows of the World online at Amazon.com to use in family worship or as an added supplement to Operation World
• Sign up for daily email prayer points from OperationWorld.org

Sacrifice Your Money for a Specific Purpose

For the next year, look at all of your expenses as individuals and as families through the lens of specific need in the world.  Put a cap on your lifestyle to free up as much as you can to give away for the glory of God.

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Specific Purposes within UBC:

• General Reach Fund (mission scholarships and special mission projects)
• Adoption Fund (helping families in the adoption process)
• Church Planting Fund
• Seasonal Offerings: Annie Armstrong (national missions), Dixie Jackson (state missions), Lottie Moon (international missions)
• Debt Retirement Fund

Specific Purposes with our Direct Support Ministries & Missionaries

• Come by The Experiment tables to pick up a list of all of our direct support ministries and missionaries with their contact information
• Or download the list here: UBC – Direct Support Missionaries.pdf

Specific World Needs

• Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief
  Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief: Go to www.IMB.org, click on “Japan Response” to contribute.  (The IMB is the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.)  Or go to www.Asianaccess.org, click on “Japan Tsunami Relief Fund” to contribute.  (Asian Access is the mission agency of Stu and Hilary Lynch, a direct support mission family serving in East Asia.)
• Watch for other opportunities as the need arises

Resources Online

• Generous Giving
• Crown Financial Ministries
• Dave Ramsey
• Eternal Perspective Ministries

Resource Books

• Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn
• The Treasure Principles by Randy Alcorn
• The Law of Rewards by Randy Alcorn
• Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
• Stott on Stewardship by John Stott
• Secrets of the Generous Life by Gordon MacDonald
• Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell D. Moore
• Too Small To Ignore by Wes Stafford
• Fields of the Fatherless by C. Thomas Davis
• When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…And Ourselves by Brian Fikkert, Steve Corbett, and John Perkins
• Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions by Craig Blomberg
• Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper

Spend Time in Another Context

As you embrace the great commission to go and make disciples of all nations, commit to give 2% of your life in taking the Gospel to another context.  This amounts to one week over the course of a year.  The list below includes ways you can be involved locally, nationally, and internationally.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Opportunities to Serve

• Find it Here
  Find it Here (April 20^th): On Wednesday, April 20th, we will blitz the Wilson Park neighborhood inviting families to be a part of our Easter activities/services over the Easter holiday weekend.  We will go door-to-door leaving door hanger bags providing materials about our church, our service times, and most importantly the Gospel.  Meet at the Wilson Park Gazebo at 5:00pm on Wednesday, April 20th to be a part.
• Reach Work Day
  Reach Work Day (May 7^th): We will partner with our five local Jerusalem (NWA) Ministries: BCM, Second Mile, Compassion House, Loving Choices, and Lightbearers serving in hands-on outreach projects, from landscaping to painting.  Sign-ups will happen through Bible Fellowships and will begin on Sunday, April 10th and run through May 1st.  We will meet on Saturday, May 7th at at 8:00am at The Zone to pray and receive instruction before heading out to our worksites, working from 8:30am-Noon.
• West Coast Church Planting Vision
  West Coast Church Planting Vision (May 15-20): As part of our desire to see UBC plant healthy, gospel-centered churches, we are exploring cities in the Northeast and West Coast regions this Spring.  We are wanting to target cities comparable in size to Fayetteville, with a major university and little evangelical presence. This particular trip will do survey work in Palo Alto, CA and Boulder, CO.   This trip is filling up fast, but we can certainly use a few more individuals or another married couple to join this team.  The trip cost is approximately $1,200. Team size is limited to 6 people. Sign-up at the Reach Desk if you have interest in going or learning more about this trip.  Contact Ryan Martin for more details.
• VBS in the Community
  VBS: In the Community (June 20-22): This year, our LifeGROUP’s will be taking our annual Vacation Bible School to their communities through Back Yard Bible Clubs. Be sure to connect to a LifeGROUP to get involved with this great opportunity to evangelize our neighborhoods by reaching out to the children. Contact Bev Worley for more information.
• Family Mission Trip
  Family Mission Trip (July 17th-23rd): This year we will be going to Mission Arlington to lead in Backyard Bible Clubs within apartment complexes in downtown Arlington.  Our evenings will be spent doing work projects and enjoying the sites of Arlington.  Sign-Up at the Reach Desk if you have interest in going on this trip.  Contact Ryan Martin for more details.
• Church Planting Mission Trip
  Church Planting Mission Trip (July): Once we return with all our survey data from these Church Planting Vision Cities, a team (comprised of mission team members & lay leaders) will sort through the data assessing the need and receptivity in each city based on the survey results.  We will then fervently pray and seek God’s direction about the city He would have us a plant a church in.  Our desire then, is to begin taking subsequent trips back there to begin further outreach and lay the groundwork for a UBC church plant, starting with our summer trip in July.  We would love to see families and individuals who might have a desire in serving as lay leaders (within this new church), take part in this trip.  We will have more info as to the location in the upcoming months.  The trip cost will be approximately $1,200, including transportation, food and lodging for the week. Opportunities will be available to raise support for this particular trip.  If you have interest in going on this trip, sign-up at the Reach Desk.  You can email Ryan Martin for more details.
• Oaxaca Mission Trip
  Oaxaca Mission Trip (Sept 2011): We are in our second year of partnership with Kerry and Mauri Johnson, missionaries to Oaxaca Mexico.  This trip will include working in and around the city and state of Oaxaca serving in various ministry projects.  These projects will include very simple agricultural projects to empower the nationals, particularly in remote villages, to earn an income and provide means for their families.  Working with these nationals to gain various skills sets also provides us with unique opportunities to engage in Gospel conversations as well.  The trip cost is approximately $1,100, which provides transportation, food and lodging for the week.  Team size is 6-9 people.  Sign-up at the Reach Desk if you have interest in going or learning more about this trip.  Contact Ryan Martin for more details.
• Deserts of Africa Mission Trip
  Deserts of Africa Mission Trip (Christmas Break 2011): This will be our fifth trip to the Deserts of Africa to work among our newly adopted unreached People Group, the B-People.  Within the Deserts of Africa, the B-People number around one million people with no known believers among them.  This trip will continue our efforts to establish relationships in key villages in the desert and gain a Gospel hearing among the B-People.  In this trip, we hope not only to focus on friendship evangelism and prayer-walking, but also to send a small dental/medical contingency to set-up clinics within these villages. The approximate trip cost is $1,400, which includes transportation, food and lodging for the week. There will be opportunities to raise support for this trip.  Team size is limited to 6 people. If you have interest in joining us on this trip, sign-up at the Reach Desk.  You can email Ryan Martin for more info.
• Second Mile Ministries
  Volunteer at Second Mile Ministries: You can contact Katherine Brill for more information on how to get involved with this vital ministry to the hurting and needy right here in our community.
• Club247
  Volunteer with Club247: (An outreach of UBC’s bus ministry) – You can be a host to one or more of our kids by sitting with them during worship and being a mentor/disciple-maker. Or you may be able to give our kids a ride to church who live close to you or live along your path to church. You can also be a Friendship Partner with them by meeting with them a couple of times a month for a meal, an activity, or even a simple trip to Walmart. Contact Rob Ahrent for more information.
• Conversational English Partner
  Volunteer as a Conversational English Partner: On Wednesdays from 3:45-4:45 in the Fellowship Hall, just prior to our Wednesday night meal, you can meet with an International to help them learn English. Contact Vicky for more information.
• International Friendship Partner
  Become a Friendship Partner with an International Student: Meet with them a couple of times a month for a meal, an activity, or even a simple trip to Walmart. Contact Debbie Rohman for more information.
• The Tommy House
  Volunteer at the Tommy House: The Tommy House is an emergency placement home in West Fork with the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes.  Learn more about Emergency Shelters with the ABC Homes here.

Commit Your Life to Multiplying Community

Commit yourself wholeheartedly to the local church.  But even deeper than that, commit yourself to one of our LifeGROUPs that meet every other week for the purpose of equipping on another to live life in biblical community.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Suggestions for Multiplying Community

• Join the Church
  Join the Church: Seek out the next Discovery Class to find out more about who we are, what we practice, and how you can become involved. Then complete the membership process.
• LifeGROUPs at UBC
  LifeGROUP’s at UBC: Join a LifeGROUP by coming by the LifeGROUP table in our foyer to find a group that meets near your home.  Groups meet every other Sunday at 6:00pm.  You may decide to Host a LifeGROUP. We are continually looking for new host homes and leaders. Multiplying LifeGROUPS happens as groups grow; we want to see them multiply, expanding our reach within the community.
• The CALL Foster Care Training
  The CALL Foster Care Training: A ministry dedicated to mobilizing the Christian community to provide a future and a hope to children in Arkansas foster care.  We will have an Informational Meeting at UBC on September 19 from 6:00-8:00pm. Then on October 15-16 and October 29-30 we will have Foster Care Training from 9:00am-6:30pm on the Saturdays and 1:00-6:00pm on the Sundays. Both weekends are required training for prospective foster parents.  Visit The C.A.L.L. at their website for more ways to be involved at www.TheCALLinArkansas.org.
• Growing Kids Gods Way
  Growing Kids God’s Way – Weekend Retreat: June 10-11 from 6:00-9:00pm on Friday and 10:00am-1:00pm on Saturday. Come join John and Angela Mueller as they lead you through Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo’s video curriculum Growing Kid’s God’s Way.
• Get involved with Discipleship
  Get involved with Discipleship: Our LifeGroups are the primary extension for discipleship.  Our men’s and women’s ministries also help to connect those who want to be discipled to those who desire to disciple.  Come by our Renew desk to sign-up for discipleship.