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Each Sunday of this year we hosted 200-400 more people a week over last year at this same time. We are blown away and excited about what God is doing each week in the lives of members and guests. This past Sunday in Connecting With Membership we hosted 25 people who began the process for membership. Sixteen (16) people indicated they desired to follow up with baptism.

Wednesday evening was the Student ministry’s outreach opportunity, Fuel and Rush Hour. There were just over 900 students on campus who heard the gospel presented with over 40 students wanting to surrender their lives to Christ as Lord. There 50 others who had never followed Him in believer’s baptism who wanted to know how to take that step. God is doing some incredible things in our body. Pray for the LifePoint student staff and volunteers as they follow up with each of the students for further counseling and encouragement.

This coming Sunday @ 10:45 a.m. a new worship opportunity will begin in the Hub (used to be called the multi-purpose center). Micah Huebner will be leading the music along with a worship band. Pat’s sermon will be video cast into the Hub where people will be seated around tables. This may be an opportunity you would like to check out to see if it is where you would like to worship each week. This gives LifePoint members and attenders another worship opportunity to invite friends and family to each week for worship. Each time LifePoint provides new space for worship and growth God sends people and you invite friends. Make sure and do your part to invite those who you have been investing in each week.

Don’t forget Worship in The Hub, Sunday 10:45 a.m.

Amy and I made a decision several years ago when our children were in preschool that we would always be open with them about questions they had concerning their bodies. We would always answer their questions accurately and as direct as we could using age appropriate language. It is a decision we are glad we made, but it has caused us to have to work hard at investing time into learning how to communicate with our children.

We began to read books about how to discuss issues with children appropriately. We would talk with parents of kids who were a little older than ours and ask for advice on how to initiate conversations. Each time one of our kids had a question we would answer that question and wait to see if another question would follow, not leading the child to ask another one, but letting them drive the moment. Were we successful? I don’t know, we still have kids in our home and we are still walking through the process. I can assure you of this, it has opened communication between mother and daughter, father and son in very positive ways. Communication is the key.

The hardest part is gettting started.  In our culture today the worst thing we can do is ignore these conversations or hope someone else will deal with it.

Our job as Christ-Centered parents is to do the hard thing and talk with our kids. It will be uncomfortable for you and the child at first. But, it has to happen if we want to help our kids understand relationships and sexuality the way God designed for His children.

The LifePoint Student Ministry is beginning a new series on relationships next week. If you are a parent I would recommend you click here and check out the resources they have gathered and recommend for us to help us in this area (Scroll to the bottom of the page). Print it, bookmark it, do something to help you get involved in talking with your kids about healthy relationships and sex the way God desires.

Tomorrow I will tell you about how we handled our conversations concerning sex with our middle-school aged kids.

Beginning Feb. 11, I will begin teaching a new series on Wednesday evenings on why the church must go and be the body of Christ and why we send people to be the body of Christ in the world. I am looking forward to talking about what God has been doing in the world since creation to reconcile us to Himself. Just as Jesus was sent of the Father to earth to reveal the Father’s glory so we are sent into our world and the world to do the same.

So, Feb. 11, 6:30 pm in the Auditorium of LifePoint Church. If you are unable to attend you can download the teaching each week from our website, www.lifepointchurch.org.

a portion of the article…

Not all the news about Southern Baptists is negative. The convention has begun to focus on planting churches among ethnic minorities and is seeing some promising results. And some older congregations who have adopted innovative practices are thriving.

That’s the case at Life Point Church in Smyrna — which recently changed its name from First Baptist Church. On Wednesday night several hundred teenagers packed an auditorium at the church, singing along as a rock band sang “Everlasting God,” their hands raised in prayer.

Down the hallway, a group of adults hung out, sipping coffee in the church’s World Cup Cafe, while others filled a nearby classroom for a budgeting class. On Sundays, more than 2,500 people will pack worship service. The church is already making plans to expand to a second satellite location.

In jeans and a khaki pullover, the Rev. Pat Hood doesn’t look like a typical Baptist pastor. But he remains conservative in his theology, and loyal to the convention.

“We are not ashamed of being Baptist,” he said. “But at the same time, our goal is not to make people Baptist. Our goal is to make people followers of Christ.”

Longtime church member Joel Sturdivant said the rock music and casual atmosphere help attract newcomers. But he believes a change in the attitude of members was more important.

When Sturdivant, now 70, first came to the church in 1977, it was a fairly insular community, he said.

“It was a typical First Baptist Church,” he said, “more about what we and us and my friends are doing than about what Scripture says we should be doing.”

That changed when a former missionary became pastor, and urged the congregation to be more community focused.

“It’s not just about me and my friends,” Sturdivant said. The church grew, he said, by loving its neighbors with actions, not words.

To read the entire article click here.

Here is the Story. Huge day for FBCSmyrna.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 7 pm each evening @ FBCSmyrna. Do not miss this Worship Arts Production.

Get your complimentary tickets @ FBCSmyrna or call the office for will call tickets. Invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers and those you want to introduce to church.

We are a church of small groups. We have small groups that meet on Sunday morning and during the week in the homes of church members. Eddie tells me that we have around 100 adult small groups counting on campus and off campus groups. 

We also have student small groups for sixth graders through college students. There are close to 100 small groups for our students. I am a proponent of small groups. My family is part of an adult small group so we have first hand knowledge of what an active small group can do for your spiritual growth.

I want to link you to a story from Chris Hollomon, our Student Pastor about a small group story that you are going to love.

We just finished packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse) at church. Last year we packed 400 boxes and this year we are hoping to do the same amount. I wanted to post a blog from Amy’s cousin, Cheryl.

She has a great story that I would encourage you to read.

The Power of a Simple Gift

Three years ago, on a mission trip to Tamale, in Northern Ghana, I was literally dropped off at the doorstep of World Vision. Formal introductions were made and then an incredible discovery! At that very time, World Vision was partnering with Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse) to deliver almost 2,000 shoe boxes to children in rural African villages and I was invited to join them! It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
There were 3 truckloads just like this that went to each village.

This little girl was too shy and afraid to ask for a box from the white woman who visited her village, so the headmaster of the school encouraged her.

Operation Christmas Child holds a very dear place in my heart because not only do they show God’s love by giving gifts to children in desperate situations all over the world, they share the Good News of Jesus with every child that receives a box. They do this in different ways, but the most effective way is by giving them a small, culturally relevant booklet in their heart language called The Good News.

World Vision staff, along with my dear friend, Grace Brew, directed the program.

The line became longer and longer…..and there were never enough shoe boxes!! I remember looking up and seeing the line and then looking down and seeing the empty cardboard box in front of me. It is a moment frozen in time. I will never ever get that image out of my mind.

These children patiently waited in line for over 3 hours

you will want to click here and take the survey.