Sagemont Baptist Church11300 S. Sam Houston Pkwy E.

Houston, TX 77089

Also visitwww.sagemontchurch.org

Or call us at281.481.8770

M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

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Houston, TX

March 2012Vol. 34, No. 3

www.facebook.com/SagemontChurch

Women Build

5K

The Sagemont Women’s Ministry is partnering with the Bay Area Habitat for Humanity and other local churches to support Habitat for Humanity. We will walk the 5K as a team on

March 25. We will help build a home for a family in LaPorte after March 31.

For more information go to www.bahfh.org

March 25 • 2:30 - 5:00 pmUniversity of Houston - Clear Lake

Minimum donation of $35

Art at SagemontA Look at 3 Artists

& Their Contributions at Sagemont

Answer to PrayerAn Adoption Story Years in the Making

Cover Photo:Inside the New Café in the New Building

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Registration is now underway! Register for either of these classesOnline - Receptionist’s Office - Children’s Building Mall

T W O N E W C L A S S E S

COVENANT: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS IN SCRIPTURESunday mornings 9:30 - 10:45 am, Begins April 1 in Room 119 • Cost: $26Covenant is one of the most important theological truths in Scripture. See the incredible covenant thread running from Genesis through Revelation. God enters into a binding agreement with His people and always keeps His promises. Trusting Him as a covenant partner frees us from the bondage of worry and anxiety. This study will transform the way you read the Scriptures! Registration deadline: march 18

2 PETER: LIVING WITH DISCERNMENT IN THE END TIMESSunday mornings 11:00 am - 12:15 pm in Room 230 • Cost: $20In a day when false teachers are leading countless people astray, we need to know the truth to live effectively for Christ. What do you know about false teachers, ungodly men, and mockers? Find out from God’s word exactly what you need to know for these days in which we live - things that we need to be continually reminded of, things that will encourage and enable you to grow in spiritual discernment. Registration deadline: April 8

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

II Timothy 2:15

Spring is a time to look around and see the changes taking place as new life begins to become apparent – the grass grows, the flowers bloom, leaves

return to the trees and shrubs. At the same time, many animals are giving birth to their young. There is a purpose for all that is happening. Look closely at what God is doing in your life to conform you into the image of His dear Son. He wants to use you for His glory. Study His word and you will see new life returning to areas of your life. These are exciting days.

Your Pastor,

from our pastor...

Remember this song growing up? “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight – Jesus

loves the little children of the world.” This song holds so much meaning for many, but especially for those who are unable to bear children of their own. It holds true for Brian and Ann White. However, they recently welcomed beautiful Abigail Joy into their life and asked if I would write their story. I’ll admit this is one of the hardest stories I think I’ve ever written. I was extremely honored as well as nervous about writing their story. Their story shows how life is a giant puzzle that God puts together one piece at a time.

Brian and Ann met in 2000 while taking dancing lessons. After some time passed, they were partnered up by the instructor to be a part of the dance team and things slowly progressed from there. Brian has been a member of Sagemont since 2000, but Ann, who was raised Catholic, was baptized on Mother’s Day in 2003, just months before they were married. Ann, slightly older than Brian, hadn’t planned on having children; she had put that thought in the back of her mind.

They began searching for a new home in 2006 and bought a house in August of that same year. As Ann was walking through the house, she decided it needed to be filled, so they began the journey to parenthood. It wasn’t an easy journey and consisted of much heartache. Ann went for testing to ensure she was able and healthy enough to have children and everything appeared just fine. At first they wanted only their own biological child. However, after trying and a couple of rounds of fertility drugs, they realized that God was just not opening that particular door. They then decided to look into domestic adoption, but after checking out a couple and praying about it, they felt it just wasn’t for them. This was in December of 2008.

In 2009 Brian and Ann met with Jim Hastings, who is in charge of the Helping Hands Ministry here at Sagemont, on a matter that was unrelated. Somehow the topic of adoption and their decision about it had came up. Jim then mentioned international adoption and put them in touch with a Sagemont family, Scott and Karen Hebert, who had adopted internationally through an agency in Dallas, Buckner International.

The journey from this point required a lot of patience and much prayer. They were asking for a healthy girl under the age of three. So began the application process, a half-day seminar that introduced them to the various countries they worked with and much more paperwork, doctor visits, medical examining and home studies. Russia was their choice because of the Heberts’ experience. They had become mentors to the Whites. It was a tedious and lengthy process and it was valid for only one year, so they had to go through it all two more times. The home studies consisted of an individual from the agency coming to their home, investigating it and asking numerous personal questions. It went on for two years until they finally received their first referral in March of 2011. By Russia’s standards, a child had to be in the system for at least a year before he or she could be adopted. When Brian and Ann received the referral of a nine month old child, they were thrilled. Receiving a referral means they received a photo and a report about the child along with any available history of the parents’ and the child’s health. They accepted the referral only to find out two weeks later they lost her to a domestic adoption, which could mean anything from a family member taking her in or another Russian family adopting her. It was a difficult time for them because for over two years they’d waited patiently and Brian said there wasn’t a night during all this time that they weren’t on their knees by their bed praying for God to bring a child into their lives. He said he often remembered the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18 when he had feelings of giving up. Then there was the story of Hannah

Sweet Child

of Mineby Cindy D. Cañas

About two decades ago, our pastor, Bro. John Morgan, first met South African artist, Kobus Möller, at a Dallas Safari Show.

Bro. John was naturally intrigued by the artist’s beautiful paintings and his innovative technique, but there was also something else that made Kobus Möller stand out to our Bro. John. He noticed on the left lower corner of the paintings the words, Soli Deo Gloria, Latin for “Glory to God Alone.” As our pastor approached Kobus to express appreciation for his art, he quickly recognized that Kobus’ countenance reflected his love for God and people. On set-up day before a show began, Kobus carefully walked off his assigned area and dedicated it to God, praying that he would be able to minister to everyone who entered his booth however God would lead. When the show started the next day and people began to come into his booth to view his paintings, Kobus greeted them with a smile and was ready to share a friendly conversation that ended with his sharing of his faith.

Fast forward to the present. God is leading Sagemont Church in a building project that has been one of the most exciting and incredible experiences in our church’s history. God has known from the very beginning what the history of Sagemont Church will be. God knew that we would be in this building project at this time because He planned it. God also knew it would be awesome to express the vision of Sagemont Church through the medium of art….But let’s back track a bit first.

Kobus Möller was born in Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe, in 1949. In fact, his whole family—father, mother, three older brothers and he—were all born in the same little town of Fort Victoria (now Marvingo). His father was an artist and his oldest brother is a professional wildlife artist. Kobus has been painting and drawing for as long as he can remember.

When Kobus was very young, even before he went to school, he thought everybody in the world painted. Something significant happened when he went to school that made him realize that his father, brother and he had a special gift. After a day or two at school, the teacher handed out paper and paints. Kobus proceeded to paint a horse. The subject was not really too unusual, because all the boys played games of cowboys on horses. What was different was that five-year old Kobus’ horse galloped, and his depiction of the anatomy of the galloping legs was really, really good. Kobus was so busy painting that he didn’t notice the teacher behind him until he heard her shriek as she grabbed his painting and rushed out the door. He was terrified, wondering

PAinting Living Proof

An Introduction to Artist Kobus Möller

by Sharon Rigsby

Photo: Kobus Möller working on one of Sagemont’s murals

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in 1st Samuel as well as Abraham and Sarah’s story. These were other obedient children of God and as Brian and Ann were persistent in their prayers, they knew God would find favor with them. Their faithfulness was rewarded, and in April of 2011 they received the report and not a photo of Abigail, but a video. They just fell in love at that moment!

For the next few months Brian and Ann went back and forth to Russia and to numerous doctor visits. Russia was very particular that the adoptive parents were also in good health. For their first visit with Abigail, they were allowed to see her for only two hours a day for four days. They said she was extremely comfortable with them and the doctor was even amazed at how much Abigail resembled Ann and could pass as her own. However, their next visit was a challenging one. They were leaving for Russia on a Saturday for a doctor’s appointment on Monday and to be in court on. They missed their flight because of a random customs check. It was all worth it though because on September 27, 2011, the Russian judge granted them custody and told them they could pick Abigail up on October 10 after a ten day waiting period. Abigail was picked up on October 13, 2011 by her new, overjoyed parents! Their first experience with their daughter included her throwing up in the car a few times – car sickness. Welcome to parenthood. Their first family meal was at the hotel restaurant in Russia where Abigail was introduced to tomato soup. Her first day in the U.S. was October 20 and her first steps into Sagemont were that following Sunday. Brian and Ann couldn’t wait to show her off.

I remember earlier in the year when they sent home a paper with my children in the AdventureLand Pre-K class Brian and Ann taught asking if we would commit to praying for them. Just

to see little Abigail in their arms brings joy to my heart and tears to my eyes. She is a remarkable little girl! As I sat with them in their home, it seemed like she had been there all along. Her laugh and smile are contagious along with blue eyes that just sparkle like stars in the night sky. One of her favorite things is bath time; coming from a poor country where she didn’t have the luxury of a large bathtub, it was like being in a mini swimming pool.

Abigail was born on December 21, 2009, and Ann said, “The Lord made her just for us.” Remember, when they first began this process, Abigail wasn’t even born yet, but God knew His way was going to be even better than anything they could have imagined. Abigail’s mother was HIV positive, had Hepatitis C and was also a heroin addict; no father was listed. Abigail has had numerous tests and is totally free of any disease and there seem to be no lasting effects from the drugs. It was also

interesting to learn that she wouldn’t eat anything with her fingers for a while. She was used to using utensils because her food was mush. Abigail also didn’t like being dirty and would pick up things around the house; she liked things to be neat. She doesn’t care for fruit much except bananas and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her eat some American pizza that evening. You can see in the photos that Abigail was specially designed for Brian and Ann.

Their home is now complete with the laughter of a child, the love of godly parents and the instruction of a Mighty God who puts all things in motion. The Whites would like to thank all those that have prayed for and supported them over these last couple of years; it was those prayers that gave them the strength to persevere.

Brian, Abigail, and Ann White

registration for 2012-13 Playschool

Begins March 1Playschool is a weekday program for children ages 6 weeks through 4 years old as

of September 1, 2012. Classes are held on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 am - 2pm.

Register in the AdventureLand Office. Monthly tuition is $150 per month, per child, payable one month in advance. Discounts for siblings and full-year tuition payment are available. A one-time non-refundable registration fee of $75 is also required at

registration., so total registraiton cost is $225 (first month + reg. fee).

Classes begin Thursday, September 6.

Contact sara.mullins@sagemontchurch.org with any questions.

Resigning and becoming a full-time artist received all six votes.

Kobus says that this decision was his first move made in faith. He made sure his family was aware of all the risks and they really came through for him. They prayed together and laid their lives before the Lord and asked Him to provide for them.

Kobus Möller defines art as:“our passionate but inadequate efforts to manifest, on our medium of choice,infinitesimal elements of God’s creation,the only true artistic masterpiece.”

Kobus has named his particular genre in the art world “Corporate Conceptual Art.” He uses the elements of visual images, symbolism, color, texture and all the other elements used in fine art to depict the corporate identity and future of an institution. Another application is to paint the heritage of a person or a place. His greatest challenge is to represent someone else’s dream honestly and accurately while being true to his own

world view even when they should conflict.

In 2009, Kobus was asked by Doxa Deo Ministries to paint a mural for their new Hartbeespoort campus in South Africa. Doxa is the Greek word for glory and Deo is the Latin word for God. Kobus took this challenge and used the story in Mark 6:34-44 of the feeding of the 5000 with a few loaves of bread and two fishes to give direction for the vision for the mural.

what he had done wrong. Soon, the headmaster of the school and the teacher came rushing back into the classroom. He had expected to be punished for something, but instead, they made a complete fuss over him. Kobus couldn’t speak English—they spoke Afrikaans at home—so he could not understand what they were saying. He did understand that they were not angry with him, and that they were extremely excited about what he had painted.

Kobus spent the next 35 years or so figuring out what he wanted to be when he grew up. He went to school, served in the army, attended college, taught school, married, worked at different jobs, went back to school for a while, and painted occasionally. However, he was always generally frustrated and not really satisfied with what he was doing at any given time. At one point, he was actually doing quite well in the line of work he has chosen at the time, and his chances of advancement were really good. While on a six-month sabbatical, he had a vision in which he sat at a desk in a head office, pushing papers. He realized then that all motivation for what he had been doing was gone. He went home and painted for the rest of his sabbatical. He counts it a blessing that he sold enough of his paintings to show him that it was possible to make a living from his art. He called his family together for a meeting and they all decided as a family what their future would be. They each had an equal vote. He gave them his proposal. He would resign his job and become a full-time artist, or he would return to his studies and try to be the “biggest bigshot” in the education department.

Late last summer a mutual friend called Bro. John and said Kobus wanted to meet with him. God had laid on his heart a new concept in his painting. He no longer felt the challenge in painting animals. He was seeking new ways to glorify the Lord. Bro. John’s friend said that when Kobus’ pastor first called him about the Doxa Deo project, it was just to paint something to portray the church’s mission statement for the foyer but ended up filling a whole wall of the foyer. Everyone who enters their building now and sees the mural knows the heart of the church.

When Kobus spoke to Bro. John, he said, “God has placed Sagemont on my heart.” Sagemont has become Kobus’ spiritual home in America. Through prayer and God’s lead, Kobus Möller has been commissioned to paint murals for our new building that will reflect the heart of Sagemont Church. He also sketched the design for the Empty Tomb that will be constructed outside the main entrance to the new worship center.

The first challenge was to produce the panels so they would fit exactly in the specific areas in the church. Then, without doing much more, Kobus immersed himself in the teachings of Bro. John and the other teachers at Sagemont to saturate himself with the character and direction of this particular body of Christ, Sagemont.

Kobus has listened to “The Sagemont Story” and talked to the pastors and many different members of the church. He has attended several of our services and had a meal with us on Wednesday night. With the internet, we are just a click away.In November, Kobus started filling the panels of the murals with texture and paint, in his own words, “with no idea where this would be leading. I honestly did not have the faintest idea of how to portray the core values of the church in such a way that could be understood by anyone looking up at it.” He was frankly

becoming a little concerned, when his wife, Vita, asked him if he had asked for the leading of the Holy Spirit. He told her that yes, of course, he had, but when he thought about it, it was a kind of, “Lord, help me,” in passing.

In Kobus’ words:“I went down to the studio and brought the work before the Lord. In a very short time, He opened my mind to a simple, but strong concept of how to present the art. When a project like this starts coming together, my passion is stirred, and I sometimes become arrogant. Fortunately, God has given me my wife, who knows how to remind me that I am only an instrument. God is the Master Artist.”

Sagemont Church will enjoy the fruits of the labor of Kobus Möller in our new building. We will see his paintings named Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and The Ends of the Earth at the four entrances. These paintings will be 14’ x 5.’ We will also see a mural on the upper wall in the main lobby above The Divine Servant statue. The mural will be 11 4’ x 8’ panels, side by side, and look like one complete painting. At this point, no one but the artist knows what the mural will look like. The artist himself will install the mural. When the new building is complete and people, members and visitors alike, walk through the doors into the lobby, they are going to be enveloped with God’s Vision.

According to Bro. John, Kobus Möller is the real thing. Everyone who knows him says he will stand the close-up test.

Pray for Kobus and his family as he completes this God ordained assignment. Kobus’ wife. Vita, has been having some serious health issues. As brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s all pray for God, the Great Physician, to touch her and heal her body to His glory.

South Aftican artist Kobus Möller

little things can make a huge difference in our church’s worship experiences:

1. if you are physically able, park far away. Think of the single mom who is juggling her children alone on Sunday mornings. Think of the father who arrives at church for the first time with a preconceived notion that all Christians are hypocrites. Think of the older couple who has to walk slowly and carefully to maintain balance. Could they benefit from a parking space up front more so than you?

2. Be on time and stay until the service is over. When you arrive late or leave early, you draw attention to yourself and away from God. Adjust your plan to get to the service on time. By arriving late or leaving early, you may be missing just what you need to help you connect with God. Plus, you never know if the person sitting behind you is desperate for a word from the Lord and your movement is the very thing that keeps him from hearing it.

3. Sit toward the middle of your row.Nothing can do more damage than making people feel as if they’re not wanted. Many people who are hurting want to slip in quietly and easily without drawing attention to themselves. If the only seats available are in the middle of the rows, they are more likely to turn and leave, missing out on God’s message for them.

4. Allow your children to go to the Children’s Building.Before we built this new building, we built a fabulous, state-of-the-art facility for our children believing that they are the greatest in the kingdom of God. Your children do not want to sit quietly and listen to preaching. They want to sing and dance and do crafts and be loved on by the hundreds of volunteers who serve in AdventureLand every Sunday. Give them the chance to learn about God in an age-appropriate way, and give yourself an opportunity to worship the Lord without being distracted.

5. turn your cell phones off.God will not text or email you during the sermon. And you may think that there’s no reason to turn your ringer off because no one would ever call you on Sunday morning anyway, but that’s exactly what everyone else who has ever received an embarrassing phone call during church thought too.

6. Dress appropriately.There is no dress code at church. God does not care if you wear a suit or jeans. But He does care if your clothing draws attention to yourself or becomes a distraction for others.

Above all, remember that eternal things are happening all over the church campus at any given moment. People are worshipping. God is speaking. Lives are changing. And Satan is losing. Let’s keep it that way and all do our part to allow God to do His work in lives.

Keeping Services Worshipful

Worship. It’s a time to be in the presence of God and to speak to Him as well as listen to Him. Worship is a vital part of our lives as Christians, and corporate worship is extremely important as we unite our hearts in the presence of God.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)

As we prepare to worship in the new building, there are many things that you can do personally to make sure that the services at Sagemont maintain an atmosphere of worship and reverence for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Here are just a few practical suggestions, and though they may not seem important, these

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i Corinthians 15:50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Proverbs 31:30Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Psalm 73:26My flesh and my heart may fail,

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

passionate inspirationthe Word of God in Art

word. I could make my work about all kinds of things that I find important, but in the end, it all comes back to who God is and what God says.”

One of her current themes is the eternal nature versus the temporal nature of human beings. “Some pieces in this series focus more on the temporal nature of now, while others are about the eternal nature and the idea that while a part of us may die, another part of us is going to live forever,” Jennie said. “It’s also about how those two natures overlap because even though our souls are eternal, they are encased in this flesh.”

She illustrated this concept through one of her smaller works done in encaustic. This ancient technique which is becoming

popular again with contemporary artists combines melted beeswax with damar resin. The resin makes the wax harder and more transparent to allow for many layers. “The layering of different images creates symbols,” Jennie explained. In this particular painting she depicted the occipital nerve within the brain with a neuron and surgical stitches. Layered within the wax is a prescription as well as pills.

“I decided to concentrate on that subject matter because almost four years ago I was in a car accident,” Jennie explained. “There is something about my body that makes me hurt easily and the car accident didn’t help at all, so I have suffered from chronic migraines and have had a lot of joint problems ever since.”

Despite the frustration repercussions from the accident have caused for Jennie, she has accepted the limitations God has placed on her. “This is what my life is supposed to be so I keep working for Him regardless. It’s hard not to get irritated sometimes,” she said, “but I need to make sure to do what His will is for me. Even though sometimes I might rebel or drag my feet, I just keep trying to get closer to who He is and what His vision is for me.”

Jennie often uses doors as her canvases, choosing them specifically for their shape. “I like working big and I really like the shape of doors,” she said. “There is an innate connection that people have to a rectangle because it is person-shaped and person-sized. So even if someone is not looking at my

painting and realizing it’s on a door, they have a subconscious connection to the shape and I want that.”

In all of her art, Jennie likes to interact with her audience on several levels. “You have that first impression of the composition and the colors,” she explained, “and then the lines hit you. After that, you have to keep looking to see the details and intricacies of the meaning. Ideally, I like making works that have three different levels of interaction and three different amounts of time that you would spend in each part.”

Perhaps as a natural outflow of her current series, Jennie is also creating works dealing with the rapture which focus on several ideas. “They are about the idea that as Christians we look

by Janie

Southard

Growing up in her mother’s art studio, Jennie thought drawing and painting were a natural part of life and she loved it. Both she and her sister spent many fulfilling

hours working alongside their mother. Though there was a time in high school when Jennie thought perhaps she might become a scientist like her father, that idea was short lived. After graduation she chose Missouri State University to seek a degree in studio art with a concentration in drawing.

As it turned out, God had something even better than a degree for Jennie. Her time there proved to be life changing in more than one way. Not only did she meet Nathan Kimbrough who would become her husband, she also met Jesus who became Lord of her life. “It was Nathan’s fault,” Jennie laughed. The son

and grandson of Baptist ministers, Nathan’s faith was obvious. “Before, I didn’t really like Christians,” Jennie said, “but God put several Christian friends in my path to get me to realize that Christians were not who I thought they were. It caused me to want to know more when I saw the light coming from those people.”

Now 29, Jennie has been a believer for seven years and her art is wholly centered on the word of God. “As an artist,” she said, “I’ve always felt you have to make your art about what is most important to you, not just things you kind of like, but the things you are truly in love with. Those are the things which you are passionate about and which are extremely pertinent to who you are and what life is. As a Christian, that is God and His

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Brother John Morgan describes Max Greiner, Jr. as a fine Christian man who lives in Kerrville, Texas. When Max approached Brother John about sculpting a “Divine

Servant”® bronze sculpture for Sagemont around 20 years ago, the timing was just right. Max had created the life-size “Divine Servant”® and was assisted by Jose D. Mendoza. He had sold a few of the statues and he wanted to place one in a church. Max had heard about Sagemont and asked if he could come and talk about the statue. He sent Brother John some pictures prior to the visit. During his visit, Max shared that the Lord had laid on his heart to donate a significant part of the cost of the statue. Arrangements were made for Max to embark on the project for the church.

According to Brother John, “About the time that the idea for the bronze of Jesus washing Peter’s feet was being put in Max’s mind, we began to develop a real fresh look at the church. It’s not just about the preaching style or the music style, but that God wants us to be as He is. When a person becomes a believer, we take on the heart and the mind and the mission and the commandments of Christ and the Scripture talks about, of course, the humility of the Lord Jesus.”

After the “Divine Servant”® was completed, Sagemont held a presentation service. Max attended and gave his testimony of how the Lord had revealed to him to do this. By the night of the

special service, gifts had come in that covered the balance of the cost.

At the special service, the bronze was covered so there could be an unveiling and everyone would get to see it at the same time. Leading up to the unveiling, a ceremony took place. Brother John says, “I called one of the church members up and I washed his feet. He, in turn, called up somebody in his ministry and did the same. That continued through the whole church so that many people washed the feet of the others in that ceremony. And we had a wonderful time being reminded that we’re here to serve Him and serve one another; love God, love one another.”

The bronze statue was placed in the foyer with a quotation from Scripture on the wall behind it: “…as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).

There is a special way to take in the full effect of the “Divine Servant”®. Brother John describes it well: “When you look closely at the statue, Max designed it so that the way the hair of Jesus hangs down, you literally have to get on your knees in order to look up and see the face of Jesus. You

As He Is, So Are We to BeA PORTRAIT OF HUMILITY

by Darcy Grindel

“Divine Servant”® is the copyrighted and trademarked creation of Christian artist, Max Greiner, Jr. of Kerrvile, Texas © (www.maxgreinerart.com)

forward to this event so there is anticipation, a waiting. There is also a need for the rapture,” Jennie said. “Then there will be that moment when we get to go and what it will mean for us to be gone and why.”

A painting titled “Anticipation” depicts the longing that Christians have for the rapture. Bible pages from the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Revelation are layered for the background because they contain the major portions of end time prophesy. In all of the works in the rapture series Jennie has included something red that pops out to symbolize Jesus and His blood given for us and covering us. In one is a young girl wearing a rendition of Jennie’s own wedding dress which was also red.

One of the reasons Jennie is able to concentrate fully on her art is the support of her husband. “Nathan is amazing,” she said. “He really feels I need to do what God has called me to do and what makes me happy. He doesn’t put any pressure on me to go out and get a job as long as I make enough money to pay for what I’m doing. If I had to work 40 hours a week it would be really hard to squeeze in any painting or have the energy for it.”

Nathan joined the Sagemont staff as a video content producer in 2008 and is also extremely creative and talented. He is responsible for most of the in-house video work and promotional pieces seen on the screen in church, including the “3b4” pre-service announcement videos as well as other slides and videos. He is also in charge of the Awaken media volunteer team and is on the Awaken creative team which plans content for upcoming

services. Many church members know him as the young man who auctioned his long, curly hair for the Living Proof Project last year, vowing to cut an inch for every thousand dollars bid. His commitment netted over $13,000.

Jennie’s paintings have been displayed in many exhibits and in Houston area churches including Sagemont. Currently some of her paintings can be seen in the bookstore. Many more of her works can be seen at jenniekimbrough.com. She will also soon be participating in a show with other Christian artists in Malaysia. For this event Jennie is experimenting with a new medium, Mylar, a translucent plastic that doesn’t wrinkle like paper and has the distinct advantage of being very light which will make shipping

her work more affordable.

When Nathan and Jennie married, she was in graduate school in Springfield, Missouri preparing to be an art professor. But after Nathan received the offer from Sagemont, God took their lives in a different direction and she willingly withdrew from school. “What Nathan does is very specialized and you have to be willing to go where the job is,” Jennie explained. “Houston is great for both of us because it has a much better art scene with connections to close cities such as Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and New Orleans. My work can easily go to those places without a huge shipping issue. And I really like the cultural side of Houston. We’d be happy in plenty of places, but here is really nice.”

Anticipation rescue

Waiting

see the face of Peter but you don’t see the face of Jesus unless you kneel. I think Max captured some of the personality of Peter. Peter didn’t want him to do that, and, in his pride, he wanted Jesus to be as proud as he was. But, Jesus, in his humility, knelt, and of course, in the bronze, even Peter is taller than Jesus. Jesus is kneeling.”

The message of the sculpture, the “sermon in a picture,” is for everyone. Brother John continues, “All of the symbolism is there of the message we want to portray to all who come in the doors of Sagemont—we want them to understand that God has saved us to serve, and if we are born again, the nature of God should be our nature. And as he is, so we’re to be, and he was a servant.”

“Jesus served in every period of His life, even to the lowly washing of somebody’s feet, and there was nothing any filthier in those days than bare feet. The only shoes they ever had were sandals, so, the bunions and the callouses and the rottenness and infection were there. Jesus embraced it all, and said, ‘that’s what I’ve come to do.’”

“When Jesus washed Peter’s feet, the other disciples were overwhelmed because He did something they were unwilling to do. They were not going to wash the dirty feet of their fellow disciples, but Jesus did it. It impacted their lives; they understood what Jesus was teaching them. He was saying, ‘I’m calling you literally to go out and be a servant. You are to humble yourself and meet people at the point of their need.’ The disciples happened to have dirty feet when Jesus washed their feet. There’s nothing sacred about the feet or the towel or the water. It has to do with the symbolism

that no need is so small that God is not concerned about it in our lives. And we eventually incorporated this concept as we developed our mission statement to be living proof of a loving God to a watching world.”

Brother John admires Max’s work on the “Divine Servant”®, saying, “He did a masterful job of it. He did a super job.” Max went on to make many more bronze statues based upon the Bible. “Max and his wife have a great ministry. They’ve been able to get their art into a world that we haven’t been able to preach to. He’s highly respected by his peer group.” For information about the making of the “Divine Servant”®, to look at a catalog, or to learn about Max’s other endeavors, go to his website at www.maxgreinerart.com.

Max gave Brother John a miniature of the bronze so he could use it in his personal ministry. Brother John used the miniature in his office for years; then he put it in the Connection Center where more people can see it. Volunteers in the Connection Center “can show the miniature and tell the story of who Jesus really is. Many people come in worn out from the road of life, and they’re tired.

They carry some of the dirt of the world, but Jesus is the master of washing feet.”

In the new building, the life-size bronze will be on a platform in the foyer. Brother John says, “We are going to be lifting it up in the new building because of the massiveness of the space where it’s going to be. It’s going to have a beautiful spot in the foyer. People can walk up to the statue and look at it and see the humility of Jesus as he washes his disciple’s feet and they will be able to see into the face of Jesus.”

The new home of the “Divine Servant” ® in the foyer of the new building.

p e t m i n i s t r y

WORKSHOPSaturday, March 3

10:00 am - 12:00 noonRoom 137

Any Sagemont member who has a dog or cat with current immunizations is welcome to

attend. Please do not bring your pet to this workshop. Call Beverly Hale at 281.992.3279 to register

for this free workshop.

griefr e c o v e r y

suppor t group

Wednesdays7:15 - 8:45 pm

Room 110

Anyone suffering from a loss due to

the death of a loved one is invited to come

participate in this support group.

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As you drive by looking over at the 170-foot, brilliantly white cross with its tranquil waters beneath, you may have asked yourself, “Who helped create all that?” Then,

looking beyond the mammoth cross, you see the construction of Sagemont’s beautiful new 2,500-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium which also includes a library, bookstore, adult classrooms, music suite and those much anticipated wide halls and large Buc-ee’s style bathrooms. You again ask yourself, “Who is working behind the scenes to make all this happen? “ Many people have been instrumental in the success of the Living Proof Project, including Senior Pastor, Dr. John D. Morgan, who has led the entire church body in selflessly giving over twenty-six million dollars for the project. The entire building is completely paid for, in keeping with the debt-free core value of our church. The man whose life is dedicated to the completion of both the Cross and new building can be spotted every day sporting a white hard hat and reflective yellow construction vest for his time spent at the building site. You may also find him in his office at his computer or working on blueprints of the new building which cover two tables behind his desk. He is Sagemont’s Living Proof Project Manager, Charles Hunsucker.

Charles is no stranger to reading blueprints or managing large projects. In 1961, shortly after receiving his BS in Mechanical Engineering, he was drafted into the Army and served his tour of duty at White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, New Mexico, working on research and

development of missile systems. In the years after the military, his jobs and projects included working on the Saturn Apollo Program with launch vehicles, the space boosters for the moon rocket which sent the Apollo to the moon, thermal vacuum testing for the Apollo capsule in the big space simulation lab at the Johnson Space Center, and the Sky Lab program, which was the first space station. By 1974, Charles’ career changed to focus on project management for engineering, procurement and construction of refinery expansions involving new technology. He explained, “Only a couple of refineries had been built like that before. It was really ground breaking at the time.” Later, he managed engineering development using new technology for a very complicated heavy oil processing system called a Cat Cracker. Charles officially retired in 2001, not realizing his expert skills would come in very handy seven years later when

Sagemont Church would come calling!

Charles is quick to point out that he is a native Texan raised in Port Neches, where his family opened a grocery store when he was six months old. He attended church regularly and was saved when he was about thirteen years old. “And I have had the Lord in my life from that day forward. Not always as faithful as I should be, I guess, in some situations, but Jesus has always been my Savior and I have always looked to Him for my power and strength.” Charles recalls that his favorite Bible verse is the same since he was a young child: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him

From Outer Space to Worship Place

by Mikelle Challenger

Sagemont Living Proof Project Manager Charles Hunsucker

SAGEMONT LIFE (USPS 585730) is published monthly by Sagemont Baptist Church, 11300 S. Sam Houston Parkway E., Houston, Texas. Periodicals Postage Paid at Houston, TX. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SAGEMONT LIFE, 11300 S. Sam Houston Parkway E., Houston, TX 77089.

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should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Charles and his wife, Judith, have been active members of Sagemont Church since 1992. They are no strangers to Sagemont or God’s call on their hearts to serve. Charles has served as an active, ordained deacon since 2002, and they together have served as a host couple for the Discovery class since 1995. One Sunday morning, he found himself serving alongside fellow deacon, Frank Rigsby, in the weekly Lord’s Supper room. They talked of the new building project and then Frank began to ask him about his work background. Charles recalls what happened next, “He asked me if I would consider being a part of the Living Proof Project. I said yes. He nailed my feet to the floor and I started volunteering in 2008. All the conceptualizing had already been done.”

Charles started out strictly as a volunteer for the first two years, and then he joined Sagemont’s staff in 2010. He was originally named project manager of the Cross project which was completed in February 2009. He said, “They used some of my ideas for the cross and landscaping. I also had a few of my design ideas approved for the new building as well.” Even though the new building plans had already been approved, Sagemont’s needs had changed and Charles would be instrumental in helping with the design of those changes. He explained, “The initial design of the new building did not have a Connection Center. So when Bro. John created one in the existing building, we had to design a Connection Center for the new building as well. Where do we put it? Finally, we decided to take up some storage space under the sanctuary seating which was accessible from the lobby. I also came up with a Connection Center entry design where we will have the Divine Servant.”

One of the challenges for being the Living Proof Project Manager for both the Cross and the new building is the fact that Sagemont operates debt free. You would think that would make things easier, but Charles insists that that was not the case. If the cash is not there ahead of time, the work on the building will not happen. Though Charles was not a part of building the Children’s Building ten years ago, he understands that though it was also a cash-only situation, it was still very different. He explained, “They actually would come up on a Sunday morning and say, ‘If the monies don’t come in

today, we can’t continue working tomorrow!’ They never did slow down because God always met their needs so they could keep on building!” Because of changes in the laws, the Living Proof Project had to be built in phases. So, when the money became available for each phase, that stage of the project was released to the contractors and the work could begin and be completed. On the church’s 45th anniversary celebration June 5, 2011, Charles was ecstatic! “I will never forget standing at the foot of the Cross following the announcement that the Sagemont family gave well over the amount we needed to continue the project! We were tremendously relieved and crying out to God in praise when we realized that all of the monies had been given to complete the entire project! My wife and I were just crying on each other’s shoulders. We had never experienced such a miracle. At one point Judith said laughingly, “I guess I’ll get to see you again next year!”

He said that one of the many perks of being a part of this project is the relationships he has made with other church members and staff who have given their time and energy. He said, “It was a real pleasure working on the Cross project with Steve Maricelli,

as well as on the new building with Jim Green, Frank Rigsby and many others.” Not only does Charles work with Sagemont people, but as project manager, he also daily interfaces with the project construction companies and general contractor, First Precept.

Charles’ support from his entire family and genuine enthusiasm for the project keep him motivated. He added, “I want people to realize this is going to be one awesome facility. It’s coming together now, though we still have some issues to work through with the city.” Charles is happy to report that the last phases of the Living Proof Project are now in their final processes of being completed. He stated, “It’s all on the Lord’s schedule, not ours. He will finish it in His due time. It is going to be absolutely beautiful and I just hope everyone really enjoys it!”

So, the next time you find yourself passing by the Sagemont campus, you don’t have to wonder

anymore who is behind all that construction. Just say a prayer for our project manager, Charles Hunsucker. You can be assured that he is working hard behind the scenes, making our new house of worship worth the wait!

Charles Hunsucker watched over the construction of the Cross, and has continued

to watch over every detail of the new building for Sagemont.

Wednesday Night Dinner

Serving lines open 4:15 - 5:50 pm

March 7 - Ernie’sYour Choice of Hamburger or 2 Hot Dogs, Chips, Drink, Ice Cream** Special price of $5 per meal for everyone!

March 14 - Luby’sChopped Steak or Chicken Tetrazzini, Macaroni & Cheese, Fresh Green Beans, Roll, Salad Bar, Brownie

March 21 - Ernie’sJuicy Pot Roast or Chicken Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Salad Bar, Rolls, Cobbler

March 28 - Massa’sBow Tie Pasta Alfredo with Shrimp or Chicken, Italian Green Beans, Salad Bar, Italian Cream Cake. Children’s Choice: 2 Hot Dogs, Chips and Drink

March Staff Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following friends and co-workers who celebrate an employment

anniversary with Sagemont Church during the month of March.

Rev. Rex Forsyth19 Years

Minister of Pastoral Care

Mrs. Mary Jo WoodTwo YearsCounselor

Mr. Al BrownOne Year

Help Desk and Computer Technician

Dads and Kids Camp Out

friday, March 2 • 5:00 pmthrough

Saturday, March 3 • 12:00 noonthe Lodge at Danbury

For all dads and their sons and/or daughters ages 8 and under. Cost is $20 per dad and child; $5 each additional child. Register online or in the Men of Sagemont office. Payment must accompany registration.