Odd Facts Known By Few

In Australia, Santa's sleigh is pulled by kangaroos, not reindeer.

Odd Facts Known By Few

A Japanese company has invented training wheels for high heels.

Chocolate-covered Anything Day

The only question I can think of here is...ANYTHING?

4Him

As we enter into the holiday season, you will undoubtedly hear many different songs related to Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. I really love the song by 4Him entitled "A Strange Way to Save the World." If you haven't heard it yet, take a minute to listen to it down in the playlist in the sidebar.

Written back in 1993, this song describes the questions that must have been running through Joseph's mind while he sat in the stable and watched the infant Christ in the manger. As the song continues, we get a vision of how the birth of Christ might have been different "if Jesus had come as He deserved." Born into a palace rather than a manger; surrounded by kings and royalty, not shepherds and livestock. Looking at His humble beginnings, one would never be able to comprehend that this baby would become of the Savior of the world. Yet God's plans are always far better than ours.

Accompanying "A Strange Way to Save the World" is a variety of other Christmas songs to fill your hearts and homes during the rest of the Christmas season.
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To view the complete lyrics to "A Strange Way to Save the World", click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Ancient Egyptian children played with toy hedgehogs, like the one pictured above.

Christmas Card Day

This day was created to honor the creator/inventor of Christmas cards, Sir Henry Cole. He produced the first commercial Christmas card in 1843, making the holiday tradition of sending Christmas greetings through the mail 166 years old.

If you haven't finished sending out your Christmas cards, by now, why not use today as an incentive to wrap this segment of the Christmas season.

Odd Facts Known By Few

The average wink lasts 0.1 second.

National Fritters Day

What is a fritter? It is pretty much anything that is coated in batter and then deep fried. It could be served for dessert, as a side dish, and sometimes even as a main course. The two most popular types of fritters in America are apple fritters and corn fritters. They may not look like much, but when you try them, you'll see they're good enough to warrant their own holiday.

December Newsletter

Children have some of the biggest imaginations. I have learned this firsthand through our daughter, Caroline. Whether she is “cooking” food in her kitchen or talking on the phone to a pretend friend, her life is probably a lot like your children’s: filled with creativity and wild imaginative ideas.

I am reminded of where Paul attests to the Lord’s power in Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” He can do more than we ask for in prayer, and He can do far more than anything we could ever think up. Every imaginative thought or plan that enters our minds, God has the power to bring to fruition. That’s the strength of our sovereign God! That’s why Paul continues on in verse 21 of that chapter with the words, “to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” That’s why He is worthy of our worship and praise.

This is the last newsletter of 2009. I will spare you the cliques of not believing how fast the year has gone by. But these twelve months have brought many blessings to me and my family, the most recent of which is our new son, Carter. No doubt, you as well can look back and see the Lord God providing for you and your family throughout this last year. As we wait expectantly to see His hand in the year to come, continue to put your faith into practice and trust in Him for everything.

Our youth group Christmas party will be on December 11 at our new house. We will head to Macon after Christmas for the Youth Evangelism Conference on December 28-29. For more details on these two events, see the youth bulletin board.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Humans have about 1.4 million hairs on their body.

Odd Facts Known By Few

American soldiers in Vietnam sometimes used a Slinky as a radio antenna.

On This Day in History...

Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the most famous speeches in history, The Gettysburg Address. (The real question is...can you read it here?)

Phil Stacey

Compared to the groups and musicians from the last few weeks, Phil Stacey is a relative newcomer to the world of Christian music. Best known for his appearance on Season 6 of American Idol, he signed with Christian recording label Reunion Records in January of this year.

Stacey's song "You're Not Shaken," this week's Song of the Week, caught my ear recently on one of the local Christian radio stations. All throughout the song, the lyrics speak of the troubles that come up in a Christian's life. He finished off the chorus with the words, "I won’t let go of You now because I know You’re not shaken." How true it is that in our stuggles, God is not thrown off or surprised by the circumstances that have taken place. He is fully aware of our trials, what we have faced and what we will soon face. What a great feeling it is to serve a God who never gets caught off guard, but has a plan for everything and everyone even in the times when it all seems so dark.

In addition to "You're Not Shaken," I've included a few other songs with Christian themes from several former American Idol contestants down in the playlist in the sidebar.

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For the complete lyrics to "You're Not Shaken," click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Before 1920, it was technically legal to send children through the mail.

Veteran's Day

To all of the brave men and women who have risked their lives for our freedom, we say, "Thank You." Words can never express the gratitude we have for the sacrifices you have made for your country.

Kutless

Many Christian music groups have unique reasons for choosing the band name they record under. Kutless is an obvious example. Based on Romans 3:23 (For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord), the band members say that "He took our cuts for us...leaving us Kutless."

The Portland-based rock group has released our current Song of the Week, "Strong Tower." Every time I hear the song, I think of two things: Nahum 1:7 and The Wizard of Oz. Strange, I know, but hear me out.

In Nahum 1:7, the prophet writes, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him." God is the one we run to in times of trouble; we can always find safety in Him. And who can forget one of the opening scenes in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's family and friends all spot the tornado approaching and rush to the storm cellar for safety. They trust that shelter to withstand the violent impending storm.

In much the same way, the Lord desires for us to have faith in Him so much that we take shelter in Him during the tough trials of life. Rather than trusting in ourselves or someone or something else to get us through the hard times, we must consciously decide to run only to the Lord, for He is the only one in whom we can safely take refuge.

I hope you enjoy "Strong Tower," plus a couple of other songs from Kutless in the playlist down in the sidebar.

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For the complete lyrics to "Strong Tower," click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Japanese apple farmers use turkeys to guard against monkeys.

Happy Anniversary...

to Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln! On this date in 1842, old Abe married his sweetheart, Mary Todd. He may have been given the name "old Abe" because he was a good bit older than Mary, ten years to be exact. The couple went on to have four sons, and they spent a little over four years serving as President and First Lady of our country. Today, if they could, they would celebrate 167 years of wedded bliss!

November Newsletter

What an exciting day High Attendance Sunday was for the youth group! We had the highest number of students that day in the two years that I have been here, eighteen in all. The next evening was the Youth Emphasis night at the revival, and around a dozen students came to enjoy the pizza prior to the service and the worship and preaching by Doug Stroup. God is really using each of the students to share about the church and invite their friends to Bible study. We have had several new faces that have begun to attend fairly regularly on either Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings.

I wanted to share with all the youth parents about the Winter Retreat at the end of the year. We will be heading to Macon, GA, to take part in the 2009 Youth Evangelism Conference. Ed Newton, the speaker from our camp in 2008, will be teaching during the conference, along with Anson McMahon. The teaching points will be illustrated by the Skit Guys, two men whose presentations are as spiritually challenging as they are funny. Christian music artist Todd Agnew will lead the worship segments of each meeting, and the David Crowder Band will be in concert during the evening session.

Our group will be leaving the church during the early afternoon on Monday, December 28, and we will return the following afternoon. I realize this falls right into the middle of the holiday season; however, I feel it is a tremendous opportunity for growth in our group, one that we cannot pass up. I will be sending out a letter to parents in the next week or so giving information on cost and more specific details about the trip. Should you have any questions about the conference, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please be sure to see if there’s any possible way that your student can join us for the Youth Evangelism Conference, even in the busiest time of the year.

Odd Facts Known By Few

The word "and" is used 46,277 times in the King James Version of the Bible.

It's Bill Gates' Birthday!

What do you get for the man worth more than $40 billion and could buy anything and everything he would ever want for the rest of his life? Obviously you'd give him a spot on the thr3e Student Ministry's webpage!

Jeremy Camp

Jeremy Camp has been recording Christian music for about five years, a relatively short time compared with some other contemporary Christian music legends. He has a wonderful talent for penning songs that detail his remarkable journey of faith. However, a tragedy in his personal life a few years ago has added a unique perspective to the songs that he writes.

Less than four months after he and his wife Melissa were married, she passed away due to cancer; she was only 21 years old. Through this heartbreaking trial, Camp maintained his trust and faith in the Lord as his provider. Out of this experience, a song he called "I Still Believe" emerged. This song is our Song of the Week. What a statement - after all that he went through in the passing of his wife and the questions that no doubt ran through his mind, to still be able to say unwaveringly, "I still believe in your faithfulness...Even when I don't see, I still believe." What faith!

A close second in the running of Camp's songs for SOTW is "Enough." This popular praise song has been on my mind for the last few days. The chorus, which talks about how the Lord God is enough to be able to satisfy all of our needs, has caused me to do an honest evaluation of my relationship with Him and how much I let myself be satisfied in Him. May it do the same in your life.

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory." (Emphasis added)

Take a moment to listen to "I Still Believe," "Enough," and some other Jeremy Camp songs in the playlist down in the sidebar.

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For the complete lyrics to "I Still Believe," click here.

For the complete lyrics to "Enough," click here.

Law and Order

"Juror number 141!" I looked up from my seat in the crowded court room when I heard the judge call the juror number I had been assigned earlier that morning. My first experience with jury duty had landed me a spot in a domestic violence case in Orlando, FL. As I filed out of my row and approached the jury box, it hit me that this was the moment I had waited all those long, boring hours for. After questioning each of the potential jurors, both the prosecution and the defense had felt that I would make a suitable member of the group that would decide the case against the defendant.

I felt like I was starring in one of those TV dramas about the criminal justice system. Throughout the day, we heard opening arguments from both sides, testimony regarding the evidence and facts surrounding the case, and the closing arguments led by the defense attorney and the prosecutor. Afterwards, the jury was ushered into a small "deliberation room," where we discussed all of the points made and evidence shown as we moved toward a verdict of guilt or innocence. Although it lasted only one (LONG) day, I gained tremendous insight into the inner workings of the judicial system and got an up-close view of what I had watched play out on TV so many times.

Read 1 John 2:1-2; vs 2 is the key in this passage.

1. Think back to the latter part of chapter one (vs. 5-10). How does it relate to today's passage? Why was it best for John to write 1:5-10 before moving on to 2:1-2?


2. Verse 1 says, "These things I write to you so that you may not sin." Is that really possible to live a life without sin? Then what's the point?


3. Our spiritual defense attorney, or "Advocate" as John calls Him, is Jesus. What makes Him able to fill that role for us?


4. Jesus is our "propitiation," or a substitute offering for the sins we've committed. Do you remember to thank Him often for stepping in and taking the punishment you deserve?


5. What does this passage teach about who Christ gave up His life for?

Much like that defense attorney the jurors and I heard during the trial back in 2002, if you are saved, Christ has become your Advocate, the one who represents you before God the Father. Because He has given His life so that you can be forgiven, He is able to stand before the judge's bench of God and pronounce your innocence. Sure, it is impossible for us to live a completely blameless life, even after we are saved. But each day, we are to make perfection our goal as we consider how to think, talk, and act. What awesome love Jesus Christ displayed, as He willingly offered up His life as substitute for the sins of "the whole world"! He is indeed worthy of our praise and worship!

** Today's devo is part of a series studying through the book of 1 John.

Odd Facts Known By Few

A 30-minute cartoon may contain over 18,000 separate drawings.

Count Your Buttons Day

If nothing else, this day has been created to prove that nothing is too boring, nothing too mundane to be recognized with its own holiday. It's probably also helped to raise the national awareness of button neglect. For example, right now I have 14 buttons on my shirt, and I most likely would have never realized that otherwise. (Thank you, Count Your Buttons Day!)

Third Day

Not only has Third Day been around for a while, but the group was birthed not far from here in Marietta, GA. Recording Christian music for over 15 years now, Third Day's latest album Revelation contains this week's Song of the Week, "Born Again."

"Born Again" explores the idea behind the newness that one experiences after beginning a relationship with Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes these words: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." In the words of the SOTW's chorus, after your commitment to Christ, you also will say that "it feels like I'm living for the very first time in my life."

Hope you like listening to "Born Again," as well as some other popular Third Day songs in the playlist in the sidebar.

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To read the complete lyrics to "Born Again," click here.

Caught in a Lie

The story is told of four high school boys who couldn't resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch, they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions. Then she said, "First question...which tire was flat?"

This story, while quite funny, leads us to a pretty good point: that it's very true that lying gets us nowhere. But do you realize how much people tend to lie without even giving a thought to it? Most of the time, the purpose behind a lie is to make the liar look better or be seen in a more positive light. We want people to see us how we want them to see us, so it seems so easy to stretch the truth to accomplish that.

Read 1 John 1:8-10; take an extra second to look at vs. 9 a little more closely.

1. Why would it be deceiving to tell someone that we have no sin?
2. How does admitting we are sinners relate to receiving salvation in Christ?
3. Verse 9 emphasizes the importance of confessing our sins. Is a one-time confession of guilt enough? Why or why not?
4. Not only do we live outside the truth when we lie about our sin, but there is also another result found in verse 10. What is it?

Who really wants to admit that they don't have it all together, right? Nobody honestly wants to have to come to grips with the fact that they have made mistakes in life. But it is nothing more than that old prideful nature rising up inside that would bring someone to say, "I haven't done anything wrong...ever." John is actually addressing some false teachers with his comments in this passage. Not only were they walking in darkness (vs. 6), but they actually had the boldness to claim that they were without sin!

Why, you may be wondering, would our unwillingness to acknowledge our sinfulness cause us to call God a liar? In many places throughout Scripture, but specifically through the word of an Old Testament prophet, God has told us that we are lost and sinners down to the core. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" God has said we sin; if we say we don't, we are telling Him that He's all wrong.

Consistent times of confession of sin are NOT necessary to keep from losing your salvation because salvation cannot be lost. But confessing your shortcomings to the Lord regularly keeps your relationship with Him intact and the way that it should be. Don't fall victim to the temptation to build yourself up by denying your mistakes. The one who recognizes and admits his errors regularly draws nearer to God.

** Today's devo is part of a series studying through the book of 1 John.

Odd Facts Known By Few

65% of all Americans claim that TV is a necessity.

National Dessert Day

If you could only eat one thing in your celebration today of National Dessert Day, what would it be? (Mine would be a big slice of chocolate chip cheesecake.)

Remedy Drive

A fairly-new group to begin their journey of recording Christian music is Remedy Drive. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, the group is made up of four brothers; it is this band that brings us our Song of the Week this time around.

"All Along" has been playing on Christian radio stations since Remedy Drive's Daylight Is Coming album was released in August 2008. The message of the song zeroes in on the character of God. With clever lyrics, the song exalts God as being "so much more" than anything else we could want or long for. The Psalmist writes, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" [Psalm 42:2]. That is the message behind "All Along," that no matter how long you search for things in the world to satisfy you, you will find that the Lord has had what you desired all along.

Take a minute to enjoy "All Along" and a couple of other Remedy Drive songs in the sidebar's playlist.
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For the complete lyrics to "All Along," click here.

Opposites

On and off. North and south. Happy and sad. Ever since we were kids, we've understood the basic concept of the way opposites work. Opposites are characterized as being "contrary or radically different in some respect common to both." Two things that are opposites could not possibly be more unalike than they already are. In other words, there is nothing more different from the idea of light than the idea of darkness.

Read 1 John 1:5-7; focus on vs. 7.

1. Throughout these verses, John uses the words "light" and "darkness" as symbols. What was he really getting at?
2. What does verse 6 say results when you claim to have a relationship with God and do not live like it?
3. How can we tell if we are walking in "light" or in "darkness"? Which one would more accurately characterize your life right now?
4. What can you do this week to begin walking more in the "light" so that your relationship with God and other Christians will grow?
5. Have you come to a time when, as John writes in verse 7, the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed you from all unrighteousness?

Probably one of the simplest opposites we learned early on as a child were right and wrong. We are shown by our parents and teachers the right way to behave, and we are disciplined when we show the wrong way to act. In much the same way, these opposites play a tremendous role in our spiritual journey of becoming more and more like Christ. As we grow in our faith and maturity, we will be characterized more and more as walking in the "light" and less and less in light's opposite, "darkness".

Someone once said that "fellowship with the brethren [other Christians] is the proof of fellowship with God." Do you enjoy meeting together with other believers for the purpose of studying God's Word and praying together? This is a sign of growth in your love for the Lord and a consequence of walking in the Lord's will. As you continue down the path of faith, may it be said about you more every day that you are "walking in the light."

** Today's devo is part of a series studying through the book of 1 John.

Odd Facts Known By Few

The average American only knows about 10% of the English language.

World Smile Day

Why not show off your pearly whites a little more today...unless your smile tends to look a lot like his!

David Crowder Band

The David Crowder Band will be performing during the Youth Evangelism Conference we are planning to attend on December 28-29. Their song "You Are My Joy" is this week's Song of the Week.

In Psalm 43:4, David refers to the Lord God as his "exceeding joy." It is in that vein that this song has been written by DC*B, as their name is abbreviated. When a Christian is truly living for the Lord, then whatever God has in store for that believer brings him complete happiness and joy.

Hope you enjoy this week's SOTW, "You Are My Joy," as well as a few other songs from DC*B down in the sidebar.

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For the complete lyrics to "You Are My Joy," click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

On average, Americans as a whole spend two billion hours a year mowing their lawns.

October Newsletter

This past month was the annual day of prayer at schools known as See You at the Pole Day. Students all across the country gathered around their school’s flagpole before school on Wednesday morning, September 24th. They spent time in prayer, Scripture reading, and worship through song. Several of our youth were involved at the prayer times at both East Coweta Middle School and East Coweta High School. This was a tremendous stand to take in front of their friends and peers. What a witness it is to come to school early to pray for the nation and its leaders, schools, and churches.

This month will be First Baptist’s annual Fall Revival. Monday evening of revival week will be the youth emphasis service. Our revival evangelist Doug Stroup will be bringing a special message for the students in attendance that night. Why not start inviting everyone you know to come be a part of this worship service? Be sure to be praying for the all meetings throughout the week as we seek for God to move among us as a church body through His Holy Spirit.

In the past few days, God has been bringing Jeremiah 29:13 to my mind regularly. Through the Old Testament prophet, God is found saying in this verse, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” This verse highlights the reason why the Christian life is a continuous journey. We as believers are constantly in pursuit of the Lord and His desire for us. Were we to ever comprehend all there is to know about God, then our pursuit of Him would dwindle down to nothing. You don’t chase after something you already have. You run after those things that you desire and that are most important to you, but you have not yet obtained. May we always make the Lord our most important priority; for in doing so, we will learn more and more of Him as we devote our whole heart in our search for Him.

Aaron Shust

Today's Song of the Week was written and recorded by Christian artist Aaron Shust. While he may not be as widely known as other recording groups, Shust has a tremendous gift for developing songs that focus on praising God and exalting His name.

The SOTW is called "My Savior My God," off of Shust's album Anything Worth Saying. John 20:28 finds the disciple Thomas making a very similar statement about the Lord Jesus Christ, calling Him "My Lord and my God." The song emphasizes the eternal nature of the Trinity, speaking of how God has, is, and will care for His children.

Hope you enjoy "My Savior My God," as well as some other songs by Aaron Shust in the playlist in the sidebar.

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For the complete lyrics to "My Savior My God," click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

A million dollars in pennies would equal 597,916 pounds...almost 300 tons!

See You at the Pole Day

We've talked about this day for the last several weeks in the youth group. Below are some photos taken this morning at ECMS and ECHS. If you have a story you'd like to share, please leave a comment and tell us how SYATP impacted your life today.

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Toby Mac

One of my favorite Christian artists right now is Toby Mac. Formerly of the group dc Talk, Toby McKeehan has done fairly well since he released his first solo album. Now with several more albums under his belt, he provides our Song of the Week for today. It is "Lose My Soul" off of his Portable Sounds CD.

The song seems to come straight off the pages of Scripture when you read Mark 8:36 - "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" If we choose to give up living for the Lord in return for the earthly pleasures of this world, then we will indeed forfeit the heavenly rewards meant for those who finish the Christian life strong and serve the Lord with their whole life.

Hope you enjoy the music of Toby Mac as much as I do. There's this week's song plus some others in the music player in the sidebar.
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For the complete lyrics to "Lose My Soul," click here.

Odd Facts Known By Few

The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."

National Playdoh Day

Two interesting Playdoh facts to pass the time with in celebration of today:

1) If combined, the total amount of Play-Doh Compound manufactured since 1956 would weigh more than 700 million pounds.

2) If all the Play-Doh Compound made since 1956 was extruded through the Fun Factory®, it would make a "snake" that would wrap around the world nearly 300 times.

Britt Nicole

Today's Song of the Week comes from a fairly new artist in the Christian music world, Britt Nicole. The song "You" is from her first album, entitled Say It.

"You" is a really great song, focusing on the significance that God has to each of us. As the chorus goes, He really is "the only thing I know worth living for." Without Him in our lives, we would have no meaning and purpose. But, thankfully, we do have a purpose, and it is to glorify God and make His importance to us show by the way that we live.

Hope you enjoy "You," as well some other songs by Britt Nicole, in the playlist down in the sidebar.
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To read the complete lyrics for "You," click here.

SYATP Question - Round Two

Many people equate See You at the Pole day with just prayer. Can you name two other activites done around the flagpole that day besides praying? HINT: check out syatp.com for some ideas.

Eyewitness

"You just had to be there!" You know you've said this at some point to your friends, and you could have been talking about any number of things - a concert or game you attended, a joke you heard but struggle to recount, a crazy situation that you found yourself in and wondered how you got there. Even through you tried as hard as you could to relay the experience to another person, words could not really begin to describe all the details that took place. There's just something different about being there and seeing it happen with your own eyes, about witnessing it for yourself.

Read 1 John 1:1-4; reread vs. 3.

1. What was John describing here in the first verse? Who is the Word of Life?
2. After reading verse 3, what have you found that John did with what he heard and saw?
3. What is the expectation that will happen once the message of God has been declared to others?
4. What does this tell us about our responsibility to pass along our testimony to others?
5. Can you see God preparing friendships around you so that you have an opportunity to talk with them about Him? Will you speak up of your love for the Lord?

How awesome is it that this God we love, worship, and serve doesn't close Himself off from us. On the contrary, He has opened Himself up to us and allowed us the opportunity to experience Him first-hand. If you have accepted Christ as Lord of your life, then you too are an eyewitness of the miraculous work that Jesus did your life, wiping away your sin and changing you forever. We need to share what has happened to us with those around us. We should be just as excited in sharing with them about eternity in Heaven as we are when we are talking about how we spent our weekend. Be a strong eyewitness for Christ because you have seen Him work with your own eyes.

** Today's devo is the first in a series studying through the book of 1 John.

Odd Facts Known By Few

Technically speaking, coffee is a fruit juice.

Guess what day it is...

It's 09.09.09!

(How exciting...this will only happen once in our lifetime, unless you are Methuselah)

SYATP Question - Round One

See You at the Pole was born out of the minds of a youth group during a DiscipleNow weekend. In what year and state did these students develop the concept for the first SYATP?

Odd Facts Known By Few

Houseflies hum in the key of F.

V-J Day

It was on this date in history that World War II officially ended. On September 2, 1945, on the deck of the USS Missouri, Japan agreeed to terms of the Potsdam Declaration, thus completing the surrender of the Axis nations. President Harry Truman declared September 2 to be named V-J Day (Victory in Japan Day).

September Newsletter

What an awesome God we serve! He has truly had His hands upon this church, molding it and shaping it so that He can use us as He desires. I am excited about the growth that I see happening among us. Our members are growing in the Lord and in their hunger for His Word. Wherever I look, it’s easy to see the hearts for service in you who call First Baptist your church home. We are excited to see more and more visitors come during the different weekly worship opportunities. This is an obvious sign of God’s blessing on our congregation!

God has entrusted this church with a tremendous responsibility: to reach our community for the cause of Christ. He has been preparing and growing each one of us in spiritual maturity to make us ready for carrying out that task. Take a look at where you are in your life, and realize that God has orchestrated every circumstance to bring you to that place for one purpose: to affect your sphere of influence for Him. Maybe it means approaching that long-time friend with the Gospel truth. Maybe it means sharing with someone how the Lord has brought you through a particularly hard time recently. Maybe for you it means simply inviting someone you know to a church service. If you are faithful to step through whatever doors God opens for you to share Christ, He will not leave you trying to figure out what to do next. He will guide you as you carry His message to the others in your life. Take God at His word; He will always be faithful to it.

Our youth are just beginning a new Nucleus study called “The Defense.” During the rest of this year, we’ll be looking into some solid reasons as to why we believe what we believe. Peter gives Christians two specific challenges in 1 Peter 3:15 – 1) set apart Christ as Lord in your hearts, and 2) be ready to defend your faith. Our study in apologetics, or providing reasons for our faith, will prepare us to face the questions and criticisms that Satan uses in his attempt to extinguish the fire of God in each believer’s life. If you’re a youth, there’s never a better time to jump into what’s going on than right now!

Newsboys

The Newsboys have produced our Song of the Week this time around. The song is "In Wonder" off of their Go album. It reminds me of Psalm 19 where David talks about the heavens declaring the glory of God.

You can find this week's Song of the Week in the playlist down in the playlist in the sidebar, along with some other songs written and performed by the Newsboys.

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To see the complete lyrics for "In Wonder," click here.