Faith Promise Listed In the Top 100 Fastest Growing Churches Again!
Hey Friends,
Do you ever get used to watching God move? I sure don’t. Like the creatures in heaven that do not stop crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord!” They never get used to to His beauty, power, or glory. I never want to get accustomed to His life-transforming power or His miraculous ability! Do you see it?
We are in a sermon series at FPC called GRO-UP and God is dealing out His Word with some serious conviction. I hope you don’t miss any of the messages that are meant to equip and encourage you to grow to your full potential. At FPC we pray that we are able to reach our full redemptive potential for Jesus. To accomplish this feat we will all have to work with all of our hearts.
We just received notice from Outreach Magazine that last year we were listed again as one of the top 100 fastest growing churches in America . Thank you, God! So what do we do next? We keep going, pressing, praying, casting vision and growing people! Now is not the time to slow down. Our time to work is coming to a close and we must keep climbing. We must grow as individuals because “big people” are required to build big churches. Our current series is meant to help this become a reality. In the series we will dicuss six tools God uses to grow each of us.
What “One Thing” could you start that would help you become more like Jesus? Let us forget what is behind us and march on to what is in front of us. We have all failed in the past so let’s get up, shake the dust off and go on to maturity. Our goal is to grow big fat sheep - a church full of healthy sheep, producing more sheep for the Lord we serve.
What are you doing to keep growing in a stagnant world?
Your to count on,
Pastor
P.S. I want to let you know about a great opportunity for personal growth coming up this Thursday, September 24. Chuck Carringer, our Pastor of Family Ministries, will be teaching his monthly leadership seminar from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. in ST-1. This month’s topic is: Don’t Play Fair: Relationships – Give More Than You Receive. You won’t want to miss it!
10 Comments
Ahhhh, I see the video of last weekend’s sermon is on line at FPC’s website. Cool! Can the ASL (deaf) version of the sermon be put there too sometime and not just on Sunday mornings?
wow! Thats awesome! I’m praying that the Holy Spirit continues to hang out at FP.
what am i doing to keep growing? Trying to stay current in books that are relative to my calling/gifting. love to read! I used to review my PGP once a year(ha!). now i keep it on my desk where i can see it and that really helps. at the bottom it has a question…where do i need to improve? i wrote, “I need to improve my scripture memory.” “I need to improve my solitude.” “I need to improve my fasting.”…and i have short goals for each one. they are proving to be tough ones.
Thanks for writing today! -Lee
Isn’t it crazy how when you are staying close to God…that EVERYTHING seems to work together…when i say that i mean things like the same verse that you read that morning shows up again that day…or one of the craziest ones is you can see those who are walking by the Spirit because you are in tune with each other…its like God has his own radio channel and if you are tuned in you get the same message (random thought). I get a question pretty often with kids…”How do I know that I am walking with God?” “How am I suppose to feel?”….i say “warm and fuzzy” lol…naw…but i do try to explain all of this. Ok im over my limit on posts today…lol
This past Sunday was the first time my family had been to church in a while and I am so thankful that we did. I have been yearning to grow up
I read your blog for the first time yesterday morning and couldn’t wait to see if their was already a new one this morning. I also picked up my “in touch” magazine (that I subscribed to a long time ago but never really take the time to read) and read the daily devotional this morning before work, amazingly it was about believing and obeying. I truly want to grow as a Christ follower. My husband and I have been attending FPC since Aug 2006 and we have yet to commit to a small group. I would love to do this ( I need it), but I always let everything else get in the way. Please help me to pray that I can find the group that is right for me. I need this in my life! Thank you Chris for being a wonderful leader in our church!
Staving off the stagnant. Sometimes that seems so easy until you really step out in faith and become connected for all to see. Yesterday was the first day I have ever spoke in a blog and could hardly type for shaking, but was glad I did. Today is not much better, but that’s ok. God gives all His children a voice and He celebrates us as much loved when we simply trust Him to lead us. The one thing I do to pursue becoming more like Jesus is simply ask Him. To some that may seem very childish but I know He answers, so is it really childish? I share this because I have seen that that is the one most mature thing that I have ever done. Above Lee Easley and Pastor Chris commented about being excited, almost giddy to see God move and His Holy Spirit breathe in those around them, and I concur. We get that way by being Fathered by A father who guides us, our every step.It becomes obvious to those around us because what we tell Him in secret He reveals openly Mathew 6:6.Becoming sensitive to that same revealing on those around us. I avoid obscurness,complacency, and stagnation because over the years God has made this my way of life.Believe me the alternative is bleak at best and at worst unbearable.So I ask my Heavenly Father IN Jesus whatever question my life provides and wait in full assurance that He will show up. He provides an underlying awareness continually throughout the day or days and reveals himself everywhere.The provision is the sensitivity to His Spirit, in nature,people,occurance,bumper stickers whatever. The point is He is not confined to speak only how man thinks He can and should speak, we do not council Him, He councils us.We must have our roots in the Word and our feet on His sure foundation, however to live this way because if you don’t KNOW HIM than how can you hear Him? Yes, Pastor I do see. Thank you, Maybe this can be my small group for a while????? I want to encourage others by pouring out what He has given me, by way of loving to be like Mary at His feet. He taught me His Soveriegn this way and became life saving, life giving and precious beyond all capacity to measure this way. He equips me to endure and understand this way and I know that others share in what I have seen here because He says we are one. We must help others to Him by way of what grace He has shed in our individual lives for the benifit of the whole. So today I share and refuse to be stingy and keep my secret of peace to myself…because you asked Pastor but most of all Jesus said John 15:9-16 these words His words pretty much sums up this post.Joy remains just ask Him. I challenge whoever if you don’t know what this scripture says please I implore you get your Word and soak in His beauty don’t just take my word for it take His…His are LIFE.
I loved the list of books from the staff! I made the decision to take all my secular books to McKay’s a get as many books as I can off the list provided. I want to use these as an extension of my daily Bible reading to grow my relationship w/YAHWEH-ELOHAY to limits I can’t even envision. Thank you encouraging us to become “big honkin fat sheep”!
my “1 thing” is reading your blog each morning. i can do this while i feed the baby and let my 3yr old watches a show. it is the only time of day i can guarantee that both kids are occupied / quiet. it’s a great way to start the day off right and get some encouragement as we get going.
Day 2 of the call to action. How am I trying to continue to grow? First, I have brought one of my Bibles to my office and leave it next to my monitor. I’m a doctoral student, so there’s lots of reading to do, and having a task list is critical to getting things done. So I have my Bible right by my monitor to remind me to read it daily, and I have “Bible” written on my daily to-do list. Secondly, I have bookmarked Dr. Stephens’ blog and am going to read it daily. Great inspiration. Praise God for his work through FPC and using it as an arm with which to work! Let’s validate being on that list by remaining focused on God.
Well, I’m a student at Maryville College and I have got myself in a rut of only doing school work and neglecting the time that I take to get to know the Savior. Not to mention, my spiritual life is suffering from lack of feeding it. So I have resolved to read the Bible every night with my husband so that we can grow spiritually together. I have also started a journal that I write to God in daily. I already feel the Father pruning me.
@ Betty, great idea I’ll mention it to Pastor Kyle
@ Lee, great imput I hope others take it to heart
@ Melissa, you excited you guys are here, praying for you
@ Sabrina, great insight thanks
@ Christy, I hope more people follow your lead
@ Leslie, you can do it
@ Josh, great plan keep it up
@ Heather, great start you can do it.