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October 11, 2008 |
| Dear Adventure Sports Enthusiast, I have a few important quick notes then a BAS devotional for you.
B.A.S. Devotional from Greg Weisman: Last Sunday I was on a street motorcycle ride with some friends, grinning ear to ear while riding an impressive 2008 Yamaha Raider with its 113-cubic-inch (1854cc) air-cooled, pushrod 48-degree V-twin. No, I didn’t really know that much about the motor, I just copied that from Roseville Yamaha’s website. This was their demo bike and they let me take it for a spin for a birthday celebration. Yeah – it rocks. So as I was riding along I realized that simply by getting on a bike I became an instant member of a kind of exclusive brotherhood. Every time a bike was coming the other direction the rider, like, recognized me! He would take his left hand off the grip, lower it just about 4 inches, and perform this cool little signal thing with just his index and middle finger...kind of a horizontal peace sign. After about the 10th one I began to laugh out loud in my helmet at the shear breadth and depth of my new brotherhood! The members were young and old, riding sport bikes and cruisers, new bikes and old bikes – it was amazing... I had so many new friends! Then I began making up new call signs to see if I would get any different responses – I would lower my left hand and spread my fingers as wide as I could like I was experiencing an electric shock. I would pump my arm up and down like I was an Atlantic Braves fan. I would wave my forearm with fingers straight like a baseball umpire calling a runner “safe!” I was having a great time communicating with “the brothers”. When I got home I realized that what I experienced was but a small example of how our Adventure Sports Ministry really works. You and I both know that there are so many adventurers out there that don’t think that they have anything in common with a person who would call themselves a Christian. They don’t believe that they could experience a true connection with people who go to church. Then something strange happens. They meet people like you and I who are involved in the same adventure sports that they enjoy and surprisingly to them, they actually discover that we aren’t all that weird (well, you aren’t all that weird). We are God’s ambassadors to the Adventurers of this world. We are following a pattern that the Apostle Paul began 2,000 years ago. He wrote, in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 the following words...”Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” The next time you are out on an adventure, look for those connections you might have with others. Find the brotherhood. Then be the one that bridges the distance between them and Jesus Christ – invite them to come on an adventure with Bayside Adventure Sport, then – when it’s right – invite them to Bayside Church with you! To the Bikers I become a Biker, Greg Weisman |
September 25, 2008
Dear Adventure Sports Enthusiast,
I turned 50 last week and this past Sunday was
teaching in Bayside’s HomePort Gold class – which is a class for
empty nesters and those who
are, like, older. Wow, what a one-two punch, huh? Fortunately, I’m not yet a
regular in that class – just a guest teacher brought in with my
mountain bike to teach them
about shifting. The point was to talk about why, when, and how
to shift…in life not just on a bike. It was a fun class to
teach.
Bayside Adventure Sports (BAS) is now ten years old and also at a shifting point
in its life and I want to challenge you to be a part of its next chapter as it
transitions from being mostly supported by Bayside Church to being self
supported primarily through memberships and donations.
With guidance from legal and insurance experts, BAS
was incorporated as a separate
California Religious
Non-Profit Organization (501c3) in 2003. Bayside
Church generously funded BAS for ten years to launch it. Now it’s time for BAS
to advance to the next level of protecting the church through the legal
separation and providing for itself financially.
Only a small portion of BAS' funding now comes from
Bayside Church and as a standalone non-profit, its future depends on our ability
to raise funds to cover the expenses of the ministry. The primary way we cover
our insurance and operating costs is through memberships, which offer terrific
benefits (outlined on the website) for just $50 per family per year (we hope you
agree that $50 is a small price to pay for such a robust ministry!). We have
recently made the decision to make membership mandatory for participation in BAS
activities and we are transitioning to that practice. Also, proof of your BAS
Membership via your membership card is now required for the generous 10-25%
discounts at the many participating retailers.
At this point about 1,200 families participate in some
way in BAS every year but only about 200 of those are actually members. Between
our Insurance and operating costs for BAS, we need to raise $25,000 via
memberships & donations by the end of 2008 or we will face difficult decisions
such as reducing the scope of the ministry or a complete shut down. It’s that
serious.
It’s time to
shift. I am asking you to shift from just being a participant to becoming a
supporter of this valuable ministry by joining BAS today. I know these are
tough economic times for many of you, and our ministry is no different. If you
have ever valued this ministry and the many relationships and/or the spiritual
growth your family may have experienced first hand, you can help BAS continue
its mission by making sure we have adequate funding. You can do so online at
www.baysideadventuresports.com
<http://www.baysideadventuresports.com>
. We do not solicit donations in lieu of giving to Bayside Church. If, however,
beyond your contributions to Bayside you choose to donate to BAS, it is tax
deductible and you will receive a receipt for it. If you have any questions
about any of this, please do not hesitate to email me.
This fall we will be celebrating our Ten Year
Anniversary as a ministry with a Fabulous Banquet
on November 6th. I hope to stand before you that night and share how we
are shifting into high gear for the next ten years! Please go online today and
become a member and help us get there!
In High Gear,
Greg Weisman
Bayside Adventure Sports, Inc.
GregW@Baysideonline.com
C 916 847-473