Jeff worked with a translator from Brazil to learn "some" Portuguese to enhance his ability to communicate wtih the locals in Natal. He has put together a promotional video inviting people to attend the Romans 12-16 seminar he is teaching in Natal during November. Good job, Jeff!

view the video the Light in Action team from Brazil put together thanking West Houston Bible Church for our dedication to spread verse-by-verse Bible teaching across the globe.

Dear all,

As I start my first solo trip to Brazil, I’m happy to report that the local body of Christ here in Natal is starting to mature and solidify. The team here has organized everything for both conferences at which I’m teaching, from transportation and food to setting the agenda, and every detail in between. It’s been terrific to show up and teach while the local believers take the lead.

Our first conference, called “Sertão Presente” in Portuguese went well. I met with a large group of local pastors and church elders in the town of Acari, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. We discussed why we teach verse-by-verse and the sufficiency of Scripture, after which a local pastor named Arlen joined me in presenting some lessons from Romans. The group listened with enthusiasm and invited us to return in April for a full conference– which the local leaders expect to draw an audience of 500! It’s a bit overwhelming to fathom such a large number, but a great encouragement at the same time.

The second conference being held in Natal is called “Igrejia Eterna Alinca.” Arlen and I are working as a team for this event, too, teaching Romans 12-16. Including our virtual audience who are live streaming, there are 250-300 people in attendance!

An encouraging side note: Pastor Henriques has recently started teaching “versículo por versículo” (verse-by-verse) with his congregation! He makes the fifth pastor doing so since we started visiting. All these things—the support, our encouraging numbers listening to Romans, local pastors adopting verse-by-verse teaching, the local body of believers being introduced to Dean Bible Ministries—it all reminds me that God’s Word is indeed alive and powerful! You too should be encouraged because it is your prayers that are being answered in all this.

While I’ve come to Natal before on behalf of DM2, I’m representing West Houston Bible Church on this trip, so the audience is learning more about our church too. (I must, of course, give credit to DM2 for some of the materials being used.)

More to come–and thank you for your prayers and other support that are making this trip possible!

Jeff

Men's Prayer Breakfast & Deacons' Meeting, Saturday, May 10 @ 7:30am

Come for good food and fellowship!

Dean Bible Ministries Bible Lands Trip May 19-30

For more information click here.

Baby Dedication Planned 

We are planning a baby dedication sometime in the near future.  If your family would like to participate, please contact Cheryl Jeffries.

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For membership information, please contact Alan Westfall at church or by phone: 713-906-1403

First of all, have you believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Have you made the most important decision in your life?

It has nothing to do with your marital status, children, finances, education, or career. Important as these might be they effect only your destiny on earth. The most important decision in your life determines your eternal destiny. Will that be in Heaven or the Lake of Fire?

Just as your life is the result of the decisions you make, your future is determined by your answer to one important question: What do you think about Jesus Christ?

The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who died on the cross as a substitute for our sins (Rom. 5:8). God's provision of salvation is a free gift (Eph. 2:8, 9). You do not have to do anything. God, through Jesus Christ, did everything. Anything you do destroys the gift. All you do is accept that free gift. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).

The second most important decision you will ever make determines your capacity for life, love, and happiness on earth as you prepare for your eternal destiny in Heaven. God saved you for a purpose and has a special plan for your life on earth. Do you know what that is? Do you understand how to implement this plan? The only way to acquire this knowledge is to consistently study the Word of God. Only then can you learn of the vast array of spiritual assets God has provided for you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and discover how to advance from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity. The teaching at West Houston Bible Church and the other materials offered at Dean Bible Ministries are designed to enable you to learn the entire scope of Bible doctrine revealed in the Scriptures that you may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Click here for the Membership Application (PDF)

Welcome to West Houston Bible Church. We'd love to have you join us for our Sunday morning worship service and/or our weekday Bible studies. Help yourself to coffee and snacks in our kitchen. Please enjoy your visit.

Sunday Worship Service
   10:30 am - 12:00 pm
   The Book of Ephesians
 
Weekly Bible Teaching Schedule
   Tuesday - 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
   The Interlocked Series
 
   Thursday - 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
   The Book of Philippians

You will find a map to our church on the Location and Contacts page.

For information about becoming a member of our church, click here.

The responsibility of believers

We believe that each believer must grow in grace doctrine and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer's daily life must be consistent with the Lord's plan and will. This brings glory to the Lord. (2 Peter 3:18).

Every believer is responsible to be an ambassador for Christ which means witnessing to the lost when the opportunity arises. (2 Corinthians 5:17–21).

Every believer is a royal priest and therefore responsible to function in prayer for himself and others (1 Peter 2:5, 7, 9). The believer priest will offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord in order to fulfill his priesthood (Hebrews 13:10–18).

Every believer is responsible to fulfill the laws of divine establishment, nationalism, and patriotism to his country. We are told to pay our taxes and uphold the laws of the land. (Romans 13:1–8; 1 Peter 2:13–20). Believers are told to be submissive to the government and laws of the land (1 Peter 2:13–20, 1 Timothy 2:1–2). In application to this principle we honor and respect the Constitution of the United States, the three branches of government, the laws of the land, and we pray for those who have promised to protect and serve the people of this land.

Eternal state

We believe that the soul and human spirit of those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation at death will immediately pass into His presence and remain there in conscious bliss until the resurrections. At the rapture, the dead church age believers will be joined with their resurrection bodies and then the living church age believers receive their resurrection bodies. At the second coming, the Tribulation and Old Testament believers receive their resurrection bodies. At the end of the Millennium the millennial believers receive their resurrection bodies (1 Corinthians 15:23–24, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23). All these believers will remain with the Lord throughout eternity in a state of happiness.

The unbelievers from all human history will be collected, judged at the Great White Throne judgment, and sentenced to the lake of fire where they will spend eternity in conscious agony. They will not be annihilated but will be punished in everlasting flames in complete separation from the glory and fellowship of the Lord. (Luke 16:19-26, 23:43; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9, Jude 1:6-7; Revelation 20:11–15)

Second Coming or Second Advent of Christ

We believe that the Second Coming of Christ will be seven literal years after the beginning of the tribulation (Zechariah 14:4–11; Matthew 24:27-51; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10, Revelation 20:6). He returns to set up His millennial kingdom upon the earth which was offered at the first advent but postponed due to rejection by the Jewish nation. Those believers who survive the Tribulation will enter into His kingdom and will rule the earth. Those who are unbelievers will be cast into Hades for 1,000 years to await the Great White Throne Judgment.

Spiritual gifts

We believe that all spiritual gifts were given by Christ during His ascension (Ephesians 4:8) and that the Holy Spirit assigns as He desires (1 Corinthians 12:13). There are temporary and permanent spiritual gifts. The temporary gifts ceased in 96 A.D. with the completion of the Canon of Scripture. The documentation for these ceasing of temporary gifts is found in 1 Corinthians 13:8 where the word "perfect" is in the neuter gender which refers to the completion of the Bible. In James 1:25 the Bible is referred to as the "perfect law of liberty". The gifts that ceased were: Apostle, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation of tongues, distinguishing of spirits, and the gift of faith. Anyone claiming to have any or all of these gifts today is misinformed and into false doctrine.

The permanent spiritual gifts still in use after A.D. 96 are: Evangelist, pastor-teacher, teacher, administration, exhortation, financier or giving, counseling or showing mercy, helps for men, helps for women. The purpose of these permanent gifts is to insure the cooperation and smooth function of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27–31; Romans 12).