Tag Archives: relevent Church

Faithco News and Updates:

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Last week at Faithco was pretty eventful:

1.  Pulse youth continues to grow:  I think they are approaching 60 kids for attendance now.  We believe this number will grow to 80 before the end of the year.  Also, Pulse took a trip to Lake Eufala to enjoy some fun in the sun at Jellystone Park.  You might check out the Pulse facebook wall to see some pics.

2.  Weekend Worship was awesome.  People are headed back to church from Summer activities and vacations.  It’s great to see everyone again and great to see a full house.

3.  Intervention continues to be a life changing series.  We intervene for the people around us more than we think.  The story of Jonah was familiar to us in more ways than one.  If you didn’t get to be in one of our weekend worship experiences, you should check our www.Faithco.tv.

4.  I’m excited about some of the things coming up:   This Wednesday we will have Baptism Celebration at 6:30pm.  Next weekend we are receiving our monthly Building Faith offering.  September 11-12 Faithco will be hosting Power Force Team.   FRIENDS Connect groups kick off at end of September.  If you are not connected to Faithco, GET CONNECTED! it will change your life….really.

Faithco Events and Updates:

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I am excited about the things that are happening at Faithco.  Here’s a quick look at last week and some upcoming events here at church:

1.  Pulse youth continues to grow; Kimmy Huxford delivered a great message to the youth about God’s grace and how it cleanses us.   Pulse is always a blast, and the food is always great!

2.  I spoke at our Discovery 1 session.  We are talking to 5 new families who are exploring church membership, church volunteerism and service, FRIENDS connect groups, and all the other topics of Newcomers and Discovery123.  People continue to join our church.  A healthy church is a growing church.

3.   I kicked off a new series called INTERVENTION.  This series explores how God sends people into the lives of others to confront them where and how they need to be confronted.  Last weekend we discussed how Abigail intervened in David’s life and kept him from murdering an innocent man.  This was a powerful message; I recommend that you check it out at www.faithco.tv if you were gone on Sunday.  Also, don’t miss the next parts of the series.  I believe they will be powerful messages.

4.  Things to remember:

  • August 31 –Baptism Celebration –Always a great time!
  • Sept 11-12 Next Generation Power Team — This will be something different.
  • FRIENDS Connect groups are gearing up for the new season; make sure you get connected.
  • Building Faith, the campaign for our new campus is on schedule.  Remember, we receive a monthly offering for commitments on the first Sunday of each month.  Be a part of the campaign by committing to give monthly.  No pressure…. just think about it.  It’s a good cause.
  • That’s it.

Faithco Updates:

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It has been a busy Summer at Faithco.  I can’t believe Summer is almost over.  Here are some of the happenings here at FCO for the past week:

1.  Pulse Youth ministry has a new worship band.  The prospects of the the up and coming singers and musicians are exciting.  I’m glad to help with the training.   Also Vanz (my daughter) spoke in the last Pulse gathering;  I was proud.

2.  The iServe series has got a lot of people stepping forward to be counted on for His service.   I believe iServe was one of the most powerful message series we’ve ever taught at FCO, and we are already seeing results.  The series may be over but the ripple effect continues.

3.  We dedicated 8 babies yesterday!  WOW!  Dedication of babies simply means as parents, we are committing to raise our children to live for God.  So many new babies; I’m glad we are on our way to building a new campus –we are out of space in every kids area.

Upcoming Events:

This Wednesday we kick off our quarterly Newcomers’/Discovery Series.  If you know someone who wants to get to know more about our church, invite them and/or come with them.  It’s a great learning environment with food and childcare.  This series ends with Baptism and Communion.  Don’t miss these intimate times of celebration and worship.  I believe we get so many complements on these two worship gatherings because this is one of the few “small church” things we still do.  I can’t really explain it, one has to experience it to get what happens at Baptism and Communion gatherings.

September 11-12 the Power Team (the guys that break and bend things) will be ministering at our church.  Big event.

Next FRIENDS of Summer will be September 18 –I think it is the Olympics theme.

FRIENDS ministry new season starts at the end of Summer, or at the beginning of October.

New Sermon Series in 2 weeks –It’s called:  Intervention – -You like it?  Basically, it is about bible characters who’s destructive paths were interrupted by a God sent person (I hope that makes sense).

that’s it

This Week at Faithco:

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Faithco is a blessed community of believers.  God continues to do great things through our church.  Here are a few reflections and upcoming events:

1.  Last week we introduced Destry to our Pulse Youth team members.  Butch is going back to PT school so he resigned.   We hate to see him resign, but we are happy for Butch’s opportunities and Godly direction.  In the mean time, Destry will be stepping up to serve as youth minister.

2.   The feedback from the last two weeks of weekend messages called “Stand Your Ground” have been completely positive and overwhelming.  I did not realize just how impacting this message to men would be.  If you weren’t with us this last week or two, you can view the messages at www.faithco.tv.  I strongly recommend that every man watches these messages.

3.  In a couple of weeks, we kick off a series that I’m really excited about.  It’s called iServe, and I am believing that it will change our ministry forever.  You don’t want to miss this one.

4.  This Wednesday Pulse (our youth ministry) will be meeting at John and Dawn Little’s home for a swim party.  Thanks to the Littles for opening up their home and pool.  I think I will be attending that night (sacrifices we make in ministry).

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You don’t have to be baptized.

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Throughout my years in ministry I’ve had many people ask me if baptism was required for salvation.

From what I’ve read in the bible, I do not believe baptism is a requirement for salvation.  Romans 10 says to believe in one’s heart and to confess with one’s mouth that Christ is Lord brings salvation to the sinner.  One example in the bible could be the thief next to Jesus who was saved because he believed.   Obviously he was not baptized, but Jesus told him “you will be with me”.   No, I do not believe that baptism is a requirement to be saved.

However, I do believe that baptism is a response to being saved.  For years, I’ve been giving invitations for people to come to Christ and many people have raised their hands and prayed to give their lives to Christ.

I’ve found that there is a difference in the commitment level of a person who raises a hand or speaks a prayer, and the commitment level of a person who wades down into a pool of water in front of an audience of friends, family, and some strangers.

Here’s the point:  people who get baptized mean it.

Isn’t this is the point of baptism? To publicly identify a person as a new creation in Christ.  Doesn’t it say to all who are witnessing a person being baptized:  ”I am a follower of Christ, I’m new, I belong to God”?  I believe that it does.

So here’s the deal:  Although it might not be a requirement for salvation, it is however the natural response and the next step for the person who has come to Christ.

By the way, I get the privilege of baptizing at least 9 people tonight.

What are your thoughts on baptism?

Faithco News

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Here are a few thoughts from his past week at Faithco:

1.  People continue to come to Christ through our weekend worship experiences.  Last weekend, at least 6 people committed theirs lives to Christ.  It’s a huge blessing that He trusts us to send us non-Christians from our community.  May we never take this privilege for granted.

2.  I can’t remember receiving more positive feedback for any message series than this current one.  This stuff is life changing for families and marriages.  If you haven’t been a part of any of our weekends since we began Home Builders, go to www.faithco.tv and watch last weekend’s message.  We will be archiving the whole series soon.

3.  Last night we hosted the SHS Baccalaureate celebration.  What a privilege for our church community.  We did it all FCO style.  From the service, to the barbecue dinner afterward, the whole thing was a blast.  We enjoyed celebrating with the SHS class of 2011.   Thanks to all who volunteered in the catering: Stephanie, Pam, Tiffany;  To all who worked in the creative worship side: Carren, Kevin, Macie, Bo, Butch, Anthony, Bobby, Jena, and Landon.   There are more who served in other areas.  I just want to say thanks to everyone….you made last night a huge success.

I’m looking forward to watching Jill Newman this weekend as she talks to couples on the subject of  ”Marriage Destroyers”  or something like that.  I hear there is going to be a surprise introduction to her message.  You won’t want to miss this.  Also, Jill is a professional counselor who has served our ministry for years.  She knows her stuff.  Be there.

I guess that’s it…

Faithco News

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Here are some thoughts/reflections for some of the things that happened last week at Faithco, and some up-coming news:

1.  Last Sunday our Faith Kids kicked off one of the most important series of the year called iServe.  This series will end with our kids attending iServe day camp where they will be serving our community in various ways.  This is a powerful time to impact our kids as we teach them to serve God and our community.  Make sure your kids are a part of this.  It’s huge!

2.  Last Wednesday, Discovery 123 had its second session with our new people. They were asked to complete a personality test which will be reviewed this week to find out how each person is “wired” for life and relationships.  These sessions are taught by Deana and are always a blast as people learn things about themselves and their spouses that they never knew.

3.  Pulse was off the chain last Wednesday as Butch rolled out the largest slip and slide I’ve ever seen.  You’ve got to see the pictures.  Go to Pulse Facebook and check them out.  I think they are doing the same thing this Wednesday night at 7Pm….be there.

4.  Sunday was a good day.  From the praise and worship, to the message, I believe lives were changed.  I know I was direct and sometimes a little rough as I was talking to the guys.  However, if you want men to change, you have to speak their language.  I believe the  Home Builders series will be life changing for so many families.  I look forward to speaking to the girls this weekend.  Don’t miss a single week.  It’s too important to our families.  If you have to miss, you can always watch the messages online at www.faithco.tv.

Hey… in case you didn’t know, you can subscribe to this blog and every time I have a new posting, it will be sent straight to your email.  Just click on the “subscribe” button at the top of this page.

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Marriage Training?

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As I get older and hopefully a little wiser, I believe I gain perspective on a few things.  This month at Faithco, we are spending some time talking to families in a series of messages called “Home Builders”.  We are using the following verse as our theme verse:

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.  Psalm 127:1 NLT

To be a professional in any working field in our culture, it will take a person time, training, certification, and sometimes, even apprenticeship.  We grind through all these factors so we can have a chance at being successful in our careers.

Do you know what it takes for two people to be married?  Two willing people and a licence.  Training and counseling are suggested but not required.

Too many times people get married  and have no earthly idea what is in store for them until six months down the road.  Sometimes, people are married for years before they discover what marriage is all about.

I believe the best training for marriage comes from the church, and we (our church teachers)  are speaking up on what it takes to have a strong healthy marriage.

For the next month or so,  we are diving into the subject matter of husbands, wives, kids, and singles.  I believe these messages will be life and marriage changing.

Be at Faithco every weekend, or watch the messages at www.faithco.tv.

Change things in your home once and for all.

Faithco News

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Here are a few thoughts and reflections of some of the things that are happening at Faithco:

1.  Last Wednesday night at 6:30pm, we kicked off our Discovery 123 sessions.  If you haven’t been through Discover 123, I highly recommend it.  There are a lot of creative insightful things to “discover” about God’s plan for your life through His church.  You can find out more at our website: www.faithco.org.

2.  Pulse youth continues to impact the lives of teens every Wednesday night at 7:00pm.  I can’t express enough the importance of having your teenagers involved in a God-centered youth ministry.  I believe God has given Faithco an incredible leadership team headed by Butch and Jacklyn Cantrell.  If your kids are not coming, get them here;  it will change their lives….seriously.

3.  Mothers’ Day was special.  I believe my wife Deana, is truly gifted to speak to women.  The content of yesterday’s message was powerful, especially when she brought up the different kids in the house and told people “These are my kids too”.

4.  Eleven people came home to Christ yesterday!

5.  The gift, flowers, and Phil Collins song was classic Faithco style.   Very special.

Upcoming weekends, we will continue the Home Builders series on families and relationships.  This is a great time to focus on your family commitment and relationships.  Don’t miss this series.  If you have to be gone, you can always watch the messages at www.faithco.tv.

that’s it.

This Past Week at Faithco…

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Here are a few things I felt were worth mentioning about last week at Faithco:

1.  Our Newcomers (which proceeds Discover 123) was last Wednesday, and had a few new families who have recently began attending our church.  It is always a treat to meet the new people of our church.  Newcomers is a place to learn about Faithco, connect with the leadership team, and connect with other new people.  I believe everyone who attends our church should go to Newcomers.  To learn more about Newcomers, or to sign up, contact Landon (landon@faithco.org).

2.  Pulse Youth continues to grow.  Butch reported to me that they had over 60 kids here on campus last Wednesday.  That’s huge.  The content of their gatherings is life changing.  They are talking about relationships, sexual purity and temptation, and other related topics.  I know it is life changing stuff because my kids come home every Wednesday night after youth and tell me how they were impacted.  Thanks to God for youth leadership that cares enough to teach where kids are.  You can check out and follow Pulse on Facebook.

3.  It was a big Sunday last weekend!  We called it the “Big Reveal Sunday”.  The whole idea was to show everyone what we all committed do to over the next 3 years towards our Building Faith campaign.  If you want to see these numbers and commitments, you can go to www.faithco.tv to watch the worship experience.  Seriously, if you were not at church this weekend and you consider Faithco your church, you really need to watch the message.  If you are in a hurry, skip to the end where I show everyone what we are committed to do.

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