Pennies For Asher (P4A) Foundation

The Pennies for Asher Foundation was established to support children who are battling cancer along with their families.

In 2014, Asher Smith was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Intrachromosomal amplification of chromosome 21 (ALL w/ iAMP21). While the diagnosis was an aggressive invader, Levine Children's Hospital's Hematology & Oncology group began an immediate attack with a regiment of chemotherapy and systematic treatment. Having spent his 9th birthday in the hospital recovering; Asher experienced what so many children undergo while "walking through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). While in the darkest part of that valley, Asher continued to smile while looking to his Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ for comfort and hope.

Asher's father, Casey Smith, who is the pastor of CRBC asked him, "if you ever make it to the Major Leagues, what are you gonna do with all that money?" Asher's response was, "I will help children with cancer and their families!" Through planning and much prayer, Asher's desire to help children and families fighting cancer has already taken flight with the establishment of our foundation. As a ministry of CRBC, the foundation is an extension of the Gospel call and admonition to "do unto others as you would have others do unto you" (Matthew 7:12). Asher, in establishing the foundation, has taken that admonition to heart.

An avid baseball player and #1 fan of the San Francisco Giants World Series pitcher, Madison Bumgarner, Asher adopted the black and orange colors used in our logo design in honor of him. Bumgarner remains a source of encouragement to his young fan who is determined to "strikeout" childhood cancer as he would opposing batters. The ministries "pitching mound" is a place of prayer and effort to support childhood cancer patients and their families through the financial gifts of our loving supporters. We ask you to prayerfully join us in this worthly cause.

Each month, the Pennies for Asher Foundation staff, which includes Asher, his mother, father, and sisters, stuff gift bags to the brim with candy, toys, games, and crafts. The bags are rounded off with the signature touch of a personal letter of encouragement from Asher including a chosen Bible verse and most importantly, a copy of God's Word. This is done with great joy knowing God's will is being done, children and their families are encouraged, and the Gospel is being carried out. We are grateful to the staff at Levine Children's Hospital for their willingness to distribute the gift bags knowing the good that comes from a selfless effort to bring joy and comfort to those in need.

In baseball, we often say to the pitcher, "just keep throwing strikes!" At Pennies for Asher, we often say, "just keep praying and giving!" With your help on both ends, much good will come - good that was birthed from the heart of a child going through the darkest of hours. By God's grace, Asher has entered into remission and the prognosis looks great! If God intends for Asher to ever make it to the big leagues, that's great, but more important than that, he's already been called up to the most important team that exists - God's team. That team includes others who want to fullfill the Great Commission upon which the Pennies for Asher Foundation is established. Please join our team by supporting our efforts with your prayers and financial support.

Thank you,

Dr. Casey Smith, Pastor|Sponsor

Thank you for giving!

Please support our ministry with your love gift by clicking the PayPal Donate Now button below
Make Pennies for Asher a part of your regular giving - all gifts are tax-deductible
Checks made payable to Pennies For Asher/CRBC may be mailed to: PO Box 2476, Shelby NC 28150

SUNDAY MORNINGS:

11:00 AM: CORPORATE WORSHIP & BIBLE STUDY

MON-SAT:

INDIVIDUAL PRAYER, STUDY, & OUTREACH

LOCATION:

As for our current meeting location; our committment to Biblical Stewardship constrains us, and so, we will not commit our finances until we can no longer accomodate the number in attendance during our normally scheduled meetings, which are currently being held in the Smith home. Until then, meetings may also be held at other families' homes with Dr. Smith moderating as well as others the Lord sends our way.
As a Family-Integrated-Church; our plans incorporate one-on-one discipleship buidling eachother up in the faith. Part of that calling includes local outreach through our community, especially to the poor. With friends working in various community organizations; we leverage our relationships to extend the Gospel to local foster children and families facing financial challenges.
We support the Cleveland County Rescure Mission as part of our long-term commitment to minister to the men and women who are blessed to be served by this great outreach.
Our missionary support abroad will continue to include the Cuneo Family (Italy), Dr. Samuel Thomas (India), Voice of the Martyrs and Heartcry Missionary Society. We are also praying for missionary opportunities in Palestine as we are currently in contact with Brethren there as we trust the Lord to open doors for us to take the Gospel, as He wills it.
With Dr. Smith's connection to GWU athletics; we are scheduling a series of Bible Study/Devotionals in support of the university's baseball & softball teams to be held, on campus, at their field house. This will give us an opportunity to provide a strong Biblical resource for student-athletes and coaches, and we praise God for His providential hand in bringing these opportunities to minister to others to us, in answering our prayers.
Beginning in the fall of 2021; Dr. Smith has been invited to sponsor a community Bible-study at the Ruby C. Hunt YMCA Library, in Shelby. The dates and times will develop as we await the lessening of COVID-19 restrictions, but a few of the topics that are expected to be covered, just to name a few, include the following:

Your Neighbor, The Cult Member: A series addressing the Biblical mandate to "expose the unfruitful works of darkness," by studying key Biblical passages addressing heretical teachings from sudo-christian cult groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventism, The Masonic Lodge/Shriners, Christian Science, and The Word of Faith Movement. We'll also cover major world religions including Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. You may just be living beside someone trapped in any one of these false religious systems. Our goal will be to equip you with a Biblical understanding and contrast in order to testify of Jesus Christ as you "love your neighbor as yourself" by applying the Word of God in conversation and character as you interact with anyone apart of these groups.

Church History: A series looking at the rich heritage through which God has blessed many nations with the Gospel. Christians come in different shapes and sizes, doctrinally speaking. As Reformed Baptists, our perspective is that it's vital to understand doctrinal distinctives in light of the legacy given to us by God through faithful stewards of His holy Word. We'll cover key differences with a focus on Sotieriolog (the doctrine of salvation) and Eschatology (the study of last things).

Money & Ministry | Biblical Stewardship Series: In this series, we'll address important topics covering Paid Clergy, Debt, Confronting the Culture, Gifts/Tithes, Missions, and the Biblical guidelines for sound money management. In his career as a Financial Advisor, Dr. Smith is one of few in the southeast who is a certified in Biblical Stewardship and is equipped to counsel individuals, families, ministries and corporations by the National Association of Christian Financial Advisors | NACFA.

Sodomy, The Ultimate Idolatry: This series will cover what is commony called in our generation "Gay pride," "homosexuality," and an "alternative lifestyle." The Biblical response is the only response to those who question the issue of sodomy and we'll uncover the sodomite agenda, the spirit behind it, and both the historic and future implications in light of Holy Scripture. We'll prepare eachother with Biblical support to addressing sodomy in the love and power of Christ while discussing how to recognize this antichrist spirit among those who profess to love Christ while supporting this wicked and adulterous sexual deviancy in our day.

Leaving Left Behind, Behind: This series will expose the ficticious and unscriptural damage done throughout Christendom by the infamous movie and book series, Left Behind, produced by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. We'll contrast the pre-tribulation rapture tradition with Biblical doctrine and discuss the difference positions held by many Christians including Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, and the CRBC position, Amillennialism. We'll gain a better understanding of the tension between the positions and why it is often such a divisive issue today.

Who Leads the Church?: For this leadership series, we'll address the importance of establishing and maintaining a Biblical model for leadership by addressing Pastor Rule vs. Elder Rule that will also include who may Biblically hold the office of Pastor, Elder or Deacon and why so many of fhe current positions are completely outside of the scope of Scripture such as the popular Youth Minister or Music Minister titles. This sensitive issue will demonstrate key battleground texts are often misapplied to create paid positions that do little more than advance a worldly, incorporated, tax-collector for Caesar rather than represent the Bride of Christ in Her purity. We'll also pull key portions from our Money & Ministry series to address how following the money in ministry reveals the damaged done in so many areas of leadership in ministry.

Are You a Jew, a Gentile, or in Christ?: This series exposes the false system known as Dispensationalism whereby it is taught the God has two disctinct bodies - The Church and Israel. We'll share the liberating Good News of the Gospel and how, through Christ, there is therefore now "neither Jew or Gentile," but only those who are "in Christ" and part of the "Body of Christ." This study series will systematically deal with the divisions created by Dispensationalism and particularly, among many Southern Baptist Churches, a willful and blind allegiance to the nation of Israel while disregarding the "Israel of God" the Apostle Paul revealed to in his letter to the Galatians.

Separation of Church, State, & the Family: A series comparing the separation of church and state has been replicated in many congregations who divide members into classifications by age or experience. The contention for this series will be that dividing members by age or experience creates an unhealthy and unscriptural subculture. We'll look at statistics and hear testimonies from other church families that have transitioned into an integrated church family structure and the blessings that have resulted from it.