“Growing Kids God’s Way”

by Gary Ezzo

Growing Kids God’s Way (GKGW) is a comprehensive values-based parenting curriculum now utilized by more than 10,000 churches and schools worldwide and serves over a million households. In 2007 the student manual entered its 91st printing. There are several reasons why Growing Kids God’s Way is popular with the masses. The message is clear, the information speaks to the heart and mind of the child, the lessons are practical and the results are compelling - morally responsible children with a healthy view of self and others.

“Knowing God”

by JI Packer

In 2006, Christianity Today voted this title to be one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals! During the past 20 years, J. I. Packer's classic has revealed to over one million Christians around the world the wonder, the glory and the joy of knowing God.

"Ephesians"

The theme for the book of Ephesians is the Christian's riches in Christ. Paul examines the source of our blessings, the scope of our blessings, and the sphere of our blessings in this letter. The fact that Paul is writing about wealth would be significant to his readers, because Ephesus was considered the bank of Asia. He compares the church to a temple and explains the great wealth that Christ has in His church!

"College and Career Class"

Practicing Basic Spiritual Disciplines by Charles Stanley

Athletes know that to become strong they must follow certain disciplines. The same is true of the spiritual life. Charles Stanley helps you develop a stronger and more consistent walk with God through the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer, witnessing, church attendance, service, and obedience. As you learn to live out the basic spiritual disciplines highlighted in Practicing Basic Spiritual Disciplines you will be more likely to hear from God, experience His love, joy, and peace, grow in the effective use of your talents, and receive blessings that overflow like living water from your inmost heart out into the needy world.

Good News Bible Church was proud to team up with the Iowa City Police Department and the Broadway Neighborhood Center in sponsoring events for the Pepperwood/Broadway communities.  About 150 kids from the neighborhood visited the church, ate delicious Dane's Dairy ice cream, played in an inflatable "bounce house", watched a movie, met members of the Iowa City Police Department, and enjoyed a surprise visit from both McGruff the crime fighting dog and the University of Iowa's own "Herky the Hawk"!

"National Night Out" was designed to meet four specific goals, including: 1. Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; 2. Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; 3. Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; 4. Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Again, as an evangelical church we know that crime and criminal activity are the results of a fallen and depraved humanity.  We also know that the ultimate deterrent to criminal activity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  It's our hope that meeting these children, as well as some of their parents, will forge new relationships and opportunities to ministers in the lives of the people of the Pepperwood/Broadway community.