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HOT
SHOTS
Kingdom Pictures Presents “HOT SHOTS” AN L.A. CHURCH OF CHRIST PRODUCTION
Featuring: BUD CHILES HOPE FOR KIDS CESAR LOPEZ JR.
PRODUCED
BY
AL BAIRD
DIRECTED
BY
ROGER LAMB
SCREENPLAY
BY
MARYANN ROSE
PRODUCTION
DESIGNER
Church of Christ
©1994 BY THE LOS ANGELES CHURCH OF CHRIST.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
A KINGDOM PICTURES RELEASE
EMILY BRINGARDNER
EDITORIAL
BY AL BAIRD
“You are the light of the world. A city on a
hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people
light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives
light to everyone in the house.”
Matthew 5:14-15
L . A . S U N D AY AT T E N D A N C E
SEPTEMBER 25
OCTOBER 2
OCTOBER 9
6,975
6,889
7,472
SHINING LIKE STARS
Twenty Thousand Disciples Create a Bright Light
T
HE GOOD DEEDS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
there, but they were far more visible across
the U.S. on October 1 than on any other day
so far in the short fifteen year history of God’s
modern-day movement. Twenty thousand excited
disciples working for HOPE for Kids, signing up
over ten thousand “at risk” pre-school children in
fourteen cities, is newsworthy. No wonder we have
become “stars” in President Clinton’s Immunization Program. When I told the supervisors at
Willowbrook Park in Los Angeles to plan for 5,000
people to attend our Immunization Day Rally, I
could see the skepticism in their faces. They
thought that perhaps 500 would be more realistic.
Their skepticism turned to amazement as 5,000
turned out. The county health officials likewise
expected us to sign up a few hundred children,
rather than the actual 2,500 names we gathered.
More positive TV footage was aired about
HOPE For Kids and the church in just one day
than in the previous fifteen years combined. Nearly
all project cities were covered by at least one
major station. The rally in San Diego was shown
on four stations including ABC, NBC and CBS.
The officials and dignitaries who came to
speak were profuse in their praise. State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt of Buffalo, New York said, “This
is the most exciting group of people I’ve met in
a long time.” The representative of U.S. Senator
Harris Wofford’s office in Philadelphia began by
saying that he thought he was supposed to speak
to the group to inspire them, but instead he was
the one who was inspired. Carl McCall, the highest black elected official in New York City said,
“In 25 years of participating in meetings and rallies in Harlem, I’ve never seen a group that
brought all races and colors together the way
that this group does.”
Even though most of the East Coast cities
held their rallies in heavy rains, neither their
number nor their spirits were dampened. Upon
hearing a comment that people in Harlem turn
out for rallies – rain or shine, Ruth Messanger,
Borough President of Manhattan, responded
“No, no! Not in the rain. God and the church
produced this!” To top it all off, one large local
Baptist church was so impressed with the results
and excitement of HOPE For Kids that they asked
for someone from the New York City Church of
Christ to preach for them the next Sunday and
tell them what we are doing for people.
We do not do what we do to be seen on TV,
or so that influential people will say nice things
about us. We do it to help those in need, and to
please God. But Jesus says that a result of our
effort will cause people to praise God when they
see our good deeds. Our purpose is and always
will be to seek and save the lost as Jesus did
(Luke 19:10). However, our nature must also
be the same as Jesus – to help those in need
(Luke 4:18-19). Helping those who can give us
nothing in return is Jesus’ expectation (Luke
2
14:12-14). We will not stray into the “social
gospel” where people are helped, but no one is
saved. Likewise we cannot be so “spiritual” that
we become the priest or Levite in the parable of
the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, who ignored
the obvious pain of the man in his path. On
October 1, the efforts of the US churches were
an incredible beginning in meeting the needs of
children at risk.
ore positive TV footage
was aired about HOPE
For Kids and the church
in just one day than in
the previous fifteen years
combined.
M
On another front, I cannot say enough
good things about our new managing editor
Roger Lamb, the former editor of the late, great
Upside Down Magazine and my longtime
friend. He also serves as the director of KNN.
His creativity and hard work are already bearing
fruit in our transforming the bulletin into a news
magazine for the Kingdom. Our new design will
be released soon. With this issue we start a new
column entitled “Miracle Stories.” The world is
full of broken relationships, yet multitudes have
been healed in God’s kingdom. We believe that
God’s miracle stories will be an encouragement
to all our readers. We have no way of hearing
about all the great stories in your church. If you
know a particularly good one, please send it to
us in care of the news magazine. Who knows, it
just might be used to inspire thousands of disciples
around the world.
Hope for
HOT SHOTS
INKids
ACTION
Cory Blackwell served as coordinator of HOPE for
Kids in South Central L.A.
“I was so proud to be part of the International
Churches of Christ that Saturday when I saw 3400
Christian volunteers gathered in Harlem in the
driving rain to reach out to the community.”
– Bud Chiles
Pictured at left are Brenda and Mike Leatherwood,
Project Directors, and Kitty and Lawton (Bud) Chiles
II, Executive Directors.
S
ATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1994 WAS NATIONAL
Immunization Day in the United States.
In fourteen cities all over the country,
20,000 disciples knocked on the doors of
100,000 homes to inform parents about the
importance of vaccinating their children against
serious infectious diseases.
It is estimated that in the inner cities of the
United States, only one in five children receives
a complete set of vaccinations, and are therefore unprotected from disease until the age of
six when they are required to be immunized
before they enter kindergarten. These unprotected children are at real risk for contracting
diseases such as measles, polio, and spinal
meningitis which can cause serious lifelong
injury and in some cases, even death.
Currently, free immunization clinics exist in
every major U.S. city, yet children still are not
adequately immunized. Clinics may be far from
their homes and hard to reach; the long lines
and red tape make it difficult for a parent to
work and take care of this need as well, and a
full series of vaccinations takes a total of fifteen
months to complete. Because of this, epidemics
of preventable diseases are breaking out in large
cities, crippling and even killing young children.
HOPE for Kids, a part of the benevolent
BY
BUD CHILES
arm of the International Churches of Christ, is
radically changing this situation. On National
Immunization Day, 20,000 disciples canvassed
neighborhoods, knocked doors and spoke with
parents about childhood immunization. The 14
cities include New York and Buffalo, NY;
Newark, NJ; Chicago, IL; Miami, Orlando and
Tallahassee, FL; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA;
Dallas and Houston, TX; Los Angeles and San
Diego, CA; and Washington DC.
Nearly 5,000 disciples of Jesus Christ
descended on South Central Los Angeles to reverse
the sad trend – with tremendous success!
Speakers at the Saturday morning rally included
Dr. Betty Jo Warren, Chief of Pediatrics at Martin
Luther King/Drew Medical Center, who expressed
her gratitude to the cheering crowd.
Then the task began. Talking individually
with parents, Christians walked through surrounding neighborhoods and identified children in
need of immunization, explaining the services
now available to them.
The success of this effort is based upon
biblical principles. Rather than seeing the needs
and suffering of others without doing anything
about it, HOPE for Kids is building relationships
3
between the local clinics and the community by
serving as mediators who put needy people in
touch with available services. Contrary to past
low turnout for community volunteer programs,
the International Churches of Christ provided an
unprecedented number of people willing to
lend a hand.
ur goal is to connect
inner-city infants with
medical care. We want
to achieve a 90% or better
rate of protection from
childhood diseases, and
we are doing it through an
entirely volunteer-driven
tracking system.
O
Just as Jesus was unafraid to reach out to
the sick to demonstrate God’s love, his modernday disciples are committed to helping the
needy in a “hands-on” way. Our Christians have
also been strengthened by putting their faith into
action – and the smiles of healthy children made
their efforts worth it.
I MMUNIZATION
“LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN
that they may see
your good works
and glorify your
Father in Heaven.”
– Matthew 5:16
On October 1 the Light of HOPE did shine
– even in the rain – all across the nation.
Pictured from top to bottom:
5000 L.A. disciples at Willowbrook Park.
“Not the Pops but the Shots” –
Boston rally at the Hatch Shell early
Saturday morning.
“A Family Affair” –
The campus students were involved as well
as the children. Pictured – Amy Jones,
a senior at Northeastern in Boston
with eager helpers.
All across the nation –
Clockwise from above left:
Connie Mancini, Women’s Ministry
Leader for the L.A. North Region, knocks
on another door to inform a family
about immunization availability.
“Love them. Immunize them,” says
Barbara Porter, Women’s Ministry
Leader for the Orlando Church –
pictured with son Joseph.
Ron Brumley, elder in the Chicago
Church, equips the disciples to go out
and help others.
A shot in Orlando.
Steve Johnson, lead evangelist for the
N.Y. City Church addresses the crowd
amid a sea of umbrellas.
“We love the babies in Harlem,” says
Cynthia Powell, Women’s Ministry
Leader in the NYC Church along with
the daughter of a friend.
M I R AC L E
STORY
A FAMILY COMES TOGETHER
“All the riches in the world cannot come close to what Jesus has done in our family.” – Cesar Lopez Jr.
A
ROUND THE WORLD, EVERY TWENTYfive minutes, someone is baptized into
Christ. Each baptism is a miracle, and
often God compounds miracles by baptizing an
entire family. Such is the case with the family of
Cesar Lopez Jr., co-lead evangelist for the Metro
Manila Christian Church.
The Lopez family was wealthy and powerful,
both in the Philippines and in Filipino communities in California. For a short time, Cesar’s
dad served as mayor of the city of Wilmington,
California. Cesar’s parents had a successful business, and their constant involvement in local
charities won them the respect of many. However,
their marriage had deteriorated over time. Cesar’s
mother, Esmeralda, spent most of her time in
the United States while Cesar Sr. traveled the
world extensively. This amounted to long-term
animosity and a separation that was extremely
difficult for their children, Cesar, Gina and Angie.
Cesar attended college at San Francisco
State University, and at that time began dating a
Filipina beauty queen named Jennifer dePerio.
They were the ideal Asian couple with many lofty
plans for their future. God’s plan for them was
far different from their own. Jennifer began
studying the Bible with two sisters from the San
Francisco Church of Christ and was baptized on
BY
MARYANN ROSE
October 18, 1990. Cesar immediately flew to
San Francisco to see what changes had taken
place in her life. She stunned him by refusing to
let him stay at her apartment that night, referring him to the Bible passage against “even a
hint of sexual immorality” (Ephesians 5:3). He
stayed with brothers from the church, hoping to
get into a fight with them out of his anger.
Instead, he was humbled by their humility, hospitality, and willingness to understand his confusion. Returning to Los Angeles, Cesar wanted
to study the Bible and see the church there.
Cesar was introduced to Willie Flores and
immediately began to study the Bible with him.
When he first got to know the Flores family, he
was certain that their closeness was “just a
show.” Soon, however, he saw that Christians
had found what he had longed for his whole life
– real family. Cesar was baptized in the ocean at
Manhattan Beach just a few weeks later.
Cesar’s and Jennifer’s families rapidly
became unified in Jesus Christ. Cesar’s sister
Gina was baptized three months later. She is
now a part of the AMS region of the L.A. Church
and was recently engaged to be married. Their
youngest sister, Angie, was in the Philippines at that
“All smiles” at a recent wedding in Manila are (from left to right) Cesar Jr. and Jennifer Lopez, Cesar Sr. and Melda
Lopez, and Gina Lopez.
6
time, studied the Bible there, and was baptized.
She is now a strong disciple in L.A.’s West Region.
Cesar and Jennifer were married on
October 19, 1991. They entered the full-time
ministry together, and Cesar had the great joy of
baptizing his mother five months later. However,
Cesar’s father was disappointed in him for leaving the family business to go into the ministry.
The business itself began to decline. He refused
his wife’s efforts at reconciliation. Cesar and
Jennifer prayed for Cesar’s father every day for
an entire year. Cesar spoke to his father by
phone, urging him to study the Bible in the
Manila Church; he agreed to visit the church,
but refused to study with anyone except Cesar –
who was miles away.
e saw that Christians
had found what he had
longed for his whole life
— real family.
H
Cesar wondered when his next trip to the
Philippines might be so he could study with his
dad. Two short weeks later, he and Jennifer were
asked to move to Manila to assist in leading the
church there with Preston and Sandie Shepherd.
His prayers had been answered! They arrived in
Manila on June 4, 1993, and Cesar held his dad
to the promise of studying the Bible with him.
Cesar then watched his father’s amazing
transformation as the Word of God penetrated
his heart. He repented of his sin, reconciled
with his wife, and was baptized into Christ on
July 23, 1993. Since that time, they have both
been a very fruitful couple in the Manila church
and have an average of five visitors with them
every Sunday.
Reflecting on his life as a disciple, Cesar Jr.
is overwhelmed with gratitude to God and to the
Church for all the miracles in bringing his family
together in Christ. He explains, “It is so amazing
to me – my father and I have Quiet Times
together, my mother shares with me what she is
learning about God, I hear their prayers, or see
them singing with the biggest smiles on their
faces. All the riches in the world cannot come
close to what Jesus has done in our family.”
T HE
MISSION
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
By the fall of 1995 the International Churches of Christ
will have at least one church in each of the fifty states.
O
NLY FIFTEEN YEARS AGO A LITTLE
church of 30 people had a dream to
grow a powerful church in one of the
most difficult mission fields of the United States of
America—Boston, Massachusetts, home of the
Puritans, the witch burners, the revolutionaries
and now the academic and humanistic elite of
the most powerful nation on earth. Three years
later that little group had become a multiplying
church with a Sunday attendance of nearly 600.
The inspired young evangelist, Kip McKean,
stretched the dream. He called the church to
plant similar churches in all the major cities of
the world that would, in turn, plant churches in
their areas of the world. Many scoffed, more
doubted, some believed. Some feared, “But would
our own cities and hometowns be reached?”
Today, fifteen years later in that difficult
BY
ROGER LAMB
mission field, the Boston Church of Christ is the
largest single congregation in the history of New
England with an attendance of 5,500 on Sundays.
Also, the International Churches of Christ are made
up of 173 churches in 65 nations of the world.
The largest of those churches is the Los Angeles
Church which averages over 7,100 on Sundays
with a weekly contribution of nearly $140,000.
I
ncredibly, the Denver
church has sent out five
mission teams this year.
These international churches are averaging
one new church planting every two weeks. The
US churches are also growing and building new
ones to reach their own states, cities and towns.
From July through September, 1994, churches
have been planted in the cities indicated below.
Of these churches, seven were the first church
plantings in their states. Incredibly, the Denver
church has sent out five mission teams this
year. When the Little Rock planting goes out in
December, 1994, the Dallas church will have
planted churches in all of the states under her
charge in only four years. With the church plantings scheduled for next year, Lord willing, by the
fall of 1995 the International Churches of Christ will
have at least one church in each of the fifty states.
In Pittsburgh last month, 16 disciples working for three weeks saw 330 come to the first
church service. Our growth shows that when disciples take the gospel to the whole world, we
also take it next door.
★Missoula
★Portland
★Boise
★Cheyenne
★Omaha
★Bloomington
★Salt Lake City
★Fresno
★Hartford
★Pittsburgh
★Colorado Springs
★Flagstaff
★Little Rock
CITY
SENDING CHURCH
Bloomington, Illinois.......................Champaign, Illinois
Boise, Idaho .................................Denver, Colorado
Cheyenne, Wyoming ..................Denver, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado........Denver, Colorado
Flagstaff, Arizona...........................Phoenix, Arizona
Fresno, California ..........................San Francisco, California
Hartford, Connecticut ................Boston, Massachusetts
Little Rock, Arkansas ..................Dallas, Texas
Missoula, Montana .....................Denver, Colorado
Omaha, Nebraska ........................Lincoln, Nebraska
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ..............Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Portland, Maine ...........................Boston, Massachusetts
Salt Lake City, Utah.....................Denver, Colorado
(Bold type indicates the first planting in the state.)
7
L.A. Church of Christ Directory
A F F I L I A T E D
W I T H
Elders & Teachers
Dr. Albert W. Baird
David Graham
Isaiah Pickett
Joe Rodriguez
Bruce Williams
Dr. Martin Wooten
Lead Evangelist
Kip McKean
Super Region Leaders
Cory Blackwell
Marty Fuqua
Bruce Williams
Leader of Women’s Ministry
Elena Garcia McKean
Women’s Ministry Leaders
Gloria Baird
Megan Blackwell
Chris Fuqua
Coleen Graham
Gloria Rodriguez
Robyn Williams
Congregational Deacons
& Deaconesses
John & Emily Bringardner
Marvin & Lillian Jones
Tom & Etta McCurry
Greg & Shelley Metten
Dr. Jerry & Erlyn Sugarman
Keith & Maryann Rose
John & Frances Thorne
Cecil & Helen Wooten
Missions
Copenhagen, Denmark
Moscow, Russia
Odessa, Ukraine
Helsinki, Finland
Tblisi, Georgia
Novosibirsk, Russia
Vladivostok, Russia
Stockholm, Sweden
St. Petersburg, Russia
Kiev, Ukraine
Oslo, Norway
Minsk, Belarus
Tallinn, Estonia
Kharkov, Ukraine
Yekaterinburg, Russia
Editor
Dr. Albert W. Baird
Managing Editor
Roger Lamb
Associate Editor
Maryann D. Rose
Art Director
Emily Bringardner
Volume1,Issue 15, October 23, 1994
T H E
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Metro Super Region
Marty & Chris Fuqua...............(310) 470-4843
—Anthony & Saun Galang
Asian Sector
Anthony & Saun Galang......(818) 545-9100
Collin & Sunny Lee...............(213) 388-4559
Downtown Sector
Steve & Kelli Saindon...........(818) 240-5292
Foothill Sector
Dr. Henry & Lanna Cramer....(818) 248-9706
Deacon/Deaconess
Bill & Arie Lea Throne
Harvey & Kellie Woodford (FN)
Central Region
North Region—
Mark & Connie Mancini........(818)
Antelope Valley Sector
Bob & Barb Harpole.............(805)
San Fernando Valley North Sector
Dave & Kathy Eastman.........(818)
San Fernando Valley South Sector
Ron & Cheryl Hammer..........(818)
Deacon/Deaconess
Lathan & Erin Collins
Doug & Nancy Domel
Eric & Susan Hauck (FN)
363-7464
723-7533
341-1233
347-6763
West Region— Reese & Mary Kay Neyland
Marina Sector
James & Wende Hamann......(310) 397-8053
Santa Monica Sector
Tim & Julie Huffman..............(310) 277-5750
Westwood Sector
Reese & Mary Kay Neyland....(310) 446-1415
Greg & Shelley Metten...........(310) 474-7929
Mike & Shauna Ostrom..........(310) 207-3309
Westside Sector
Marty & Cathy Wooten..........(310) 475-5341
Deacon & Deaconess
Greg & Shelley Metten (FN)
John & Frances Thorne
Southland Super Region
Bruce & Robyn Williams...........(714) 551-8400
AMS Region—
David & Coleen Graham.......(818) 558-7070
Media District
Jeff & Lane Morrell.................(213) 782-3901
Sports/Entertainment District
Jess & Cindy Asper................(310) 376-2285
Studio District
Kevin & Tracena Holland.........(818) 559-8702
B.J. Jefferson.........................(818) 843-8466
Deacon/Deaconess
Roy & Gwen Smith
Mike & Kim Upton (FN)
L.A. Office
3530 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1750
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone (213) 385-5434
Fax (213) 385-5854 Church of Christ
Copyright ©1994 by the Los Angeles Church of Christ. All rights
are reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced in any
form or by any means without the permission of the editor and
publisher. Published by the Los Angeles Church of Christ.
C H U R C H E S
O F
C H R I S T
East Region
—Willie & Tonya Flores
Latin Sector
Joe & Gloria Rodriguez.........(818) 369-1690
San Gabriel Sector
Willie & Tonya Flores.............(909) 869-0914
South Hills Sector
Steve & Jacqueline Gansert....(818) 810-4997
Deacon/Deaconess
Robin Heskett (FN); Humberto & Sylvia
Castillero
Orange County Region
—
Mike & Libby Rock................(714) 559-8800
Anaheim Sector
Rodney & Denise Mosely........(714) 283-3112
Cal State Fullerton Sector
Delano Stewart.....................(714) 524-1927
Nadine Robins......................(714) 447-4592
Huntington Beach Sector
Scott & Coleen Miller.............(714) 962-8334
Irvine Sector
Mike & Libby Rock................(714) 559-8800
Deacon/Deaconess
Lee & Jackie Spath
Administrator
Jake Jensen (FN)
Ventura Region
—Ed & Karen Townsend
Santa Barbara Sector
Kip & Bethany Harms.............(805) 682-9978
Tri-Valley Sector
Ed & Karen Townsend............(805) 532-9200
Ventura Sector
Larry & Laurie Head..............(805) 641-3201
Deacon & Deaconess
Jeff & Debi Sabotin (FN)
John & Andra Walsh
Tri-County Super Region
Cory & Megan Blackwell..........(310) 672-7300
Inland Empire
—Jeff & Mary Wadstrom
Palm Springs Sector
Luis & Cathi Martinez............(619) 773-9433
Riverside Sector
Jeff & Mary Wadstrom...........(909) 247-8959
Don & Jennifer Splitt..............(909) 276-3984
San Bernardino Sector
Dan & Heidi Rice..................(909) 948-3719
Administrator
Pat Toomey (FN)
South Central Region
—
Cory & Megan Blackwell
Inglewood Sector
Cory & Megan Blackwell.......(310)
Al & Gloria Baird..................(310)
Mid-Cities Sector
Anton & Sharon Ivy...............(310)
Dominguez Hills Sector
Doug & Angella Wens...........(310)
Administrator
Michelle Brown (FN)
South Region
672-7300
973-1222
803-3629
515-4882
—Chuck & Carol Bray
Lakewood Sector
Dennis & Lorna Heide............(310) 988-0245
Long Beach Sector
Chuck & Carol Bray...............(310) 675-2040
Peninsula Sector
Jay & Carol Kelly...................(310) 373-4739
Deacon & Deaconess/Administrator
Eddie & Janelle Ledger
Brian & Karen Plymell
Yuriko Stallworth (FN)