Speaker:  Pastor Elijah - for October 5, 2008
Text:            Acts 17:11: 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter:20,21
Theme:      Series: N/A; 10th Message: Q. & A. Sunday
Title:           N/A
Preparatory for Next Sunday:   Please read Ehpesians the 5th Chapter

Q & A. Sunday:
Every first Sunday of the quarter is dedicated to answering questions from the congregation 
from a biblical perspective.  Questions regarding: theology, doctrine, the Christian fiath, 
church structure/administration, the bible, etc. are all welcome.  This will take the place 
of our usual Sunady Morning Message.  So, please come join us and bring a question.

REMEMBER:  If you are looking for a Church home, please consider Straightway
      Bible Fellowship. A Bible believing, Bible teaching, local assembly.  Come on out and 
      visit us sometime.  Give us a chance to show you how much "Straightway Bible
      Fellowship cares about YOU.

Audio tapes & CD's of all our messages, may be obtained by writing to:
                    Straightway Bible Fellowship
                    P. O. Box 181020
                    Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118
                    Attention:  Audio/Visual Ministry
      When requesting an audio tape, please include the date of the message, the title 
      and the speaker's name.  Tapes are available for the small fee of $4.00.  Please do
      not send cash in the mail.  You may use a check or a money order.  

      Now you can hear Pastor Elijah on WHKW, 1220 AM, "The Word," every Friday, from 
2:00 - 2:30 p.m., on our Radio Broadcast,"Victory in the Word".


OUR PHILOSOPHY ON MINISTRY

	Our philosophy on ministry is based on a holistic approach.  That is to provide
avenues to meet the spiritual, emotional, social, and financial needs of the body of Christ
(adult & youth) as well as those in the community of  Greater Cleveland.

OUR PHILOSOPHY ON TEACHING

	Our philosophy on teaching/preaching is based on an Expository approach.  That is
to communicate the meaning of a biblical text through a literal interpretation within its
historical, cultural, geographical, and literary context along with its relevance to the
present day hearers.


                                 -ABOUT OUR PASTOR-

Elijah J. Span

Elijah was born on March 12, 1956, to God fearing parents, Elijah and Lauretta Span, who reared 
him in the Church.  He accepted Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 12.  His family was very 
active in their local Church--attending any and all activities related to Bible Study.  This fostered, at a 
young age, a deep love and dependence on God??s Word.  


When Elijah was 14 he felt God tugging at his heart to serve him, but in what capacity he knew 
not.  He just had this longing within him that some day he would make a significant difference in the 
lives of others by serving them.

Upon completing high school, Elijah joined the U.S. Coast Guard thinking this area of service 
would fulfill the longing within him, but the sense of fulfillment was short lived.  After four years of 
service to his country, he was no closer to realizing how his service to others would make a difference.  
He came home and went to work for a local company, as an electronic mechanic, building environmental 
detection devices for nuclear power plants; again thinking this service to the community would fill the 
void that had been with him for so long, and again it was short lived.  After about a year, he was given 
the opportunity to serve the citizens of Cleveland as a Firefighter.  He thought, ??Surely risking one??s own 
life to save others, would put an end to the despair he was enduring, for even the Bible proclaims, 
??Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.?? [John15:13 - NIV].  He 
embarked upon this new quest with great enthusiasm--only to find that it also was a dead-end--leading 
nowhere near the fulfillment, the significance, or the sense of purpose he felt he was destined to possess 
by serving others. 
 
Four long years passed as Elijah just went through the motions of every day life--having reached 
the conclusion that this was all life had to offer.  He was at a point where he could no longer 
endure his sense of meaninglessness, so he finally cried out to the God of Heaven not only as Savior but 
as the Sovereign LORD, and asked for direction.  God heard his cry, and led him, through His Holy 
Word, into service as a faithful Christian in November of 1984.  This was the first time that the 
longingness, the void, the despair had totally left him.  By the spring of 1985, God was leading him into 
service as a minister of the Gospel.  During this time in his life, The Lord also joined him in marriage to 
Margie (Gausha).  (They have two daughters: Tiffany (who is married to Rev. Frank Williams) and 
Sholanda.).  He was licensed to preach the Gospel in July of that same year.  He studied for the next four 
years to prepare himself, and was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in December of 1989.  He finally 
believed he was making a positive difference in the lives of the people he had an opportunity to serve.  

He had a purpose.  In the fall of 1991, God was leading him to serve as a pastor, and in March of 1992 he 
was installed as pastor of Straightway Bible Fellowship--where he joyfully serves God's people even till 
today.