Sermon Recap - Fulfilling the Joshua Challenge

I'm praying that 2011 is going to be a good year for us church. These are the slides from Sunday's message. If you missed it...then here you go. Please read the whole thing, all the way to the end.

The basic idea of these verses is that God calls his people to commit. We need to be challenged to step up our commitment b/c we drift. Gravity pulls us away from God and the church.

253 total people represents those who are involved to some extent (not those who fall into inactive status)

The smart people who do research on church growth tell us that 80% of seating capacity is as much as a church can seat on a recurring basis. For a one-time event (like Easter) we can seat over capacity, but we won't sit shoulder-to-shoulder on a weekly basis. We like our space.

Wow.

Our 2010 average was almost 100 below our the number of our members and attendees. This is unacceptable to me. It should be unacceptable to every one of us.

Commit - we are literally asking you not to miss this year (vacations excepted) - on Sunday mornings don't be on the lake, in the bed, on the golf course, out in the woods hunting, etc...
Create - we want to have a seating problem immediately

Engage - sing with us, open the Bible, serve in ministries with us, etc.
Expect - so often we don't even expect that God will show up and work...let's start expecting

MOST IMPORTANTLY - Take this challenge and pass it on to 5 other people. We want everybody to challenge 5 other people to commit, create, engage, expect.

Prayer Week - Day 3 - Work / Neighbors

Here's the prayer guide for day 3. Thanks for praying even if you can't be here. Later today I'll upload a really important post reviewing Sunday's message and challenge.

Some Ideas to Get Us Started Praying for Our Work and for Our Neighbors.

• pray to impact your work for the kingdom of God
• pray that our church would do all things to the glory of God
• that we would live out the love of Christ
• neighborhoods impacted for Christ
• our hearts would be turned to our lost neighbors and co-workers.
• our attitudes at work and home would reflect Christ
• that we would love our neighbor as ourselves
• we would recognize opportunities to share Christ

Some Scriptures to Pray

• Matthew 22:36-40
• Leviticus 19:18
• Colossians 3:23
• John 15:12-13
• James 2:8-10
• Galatians 5:14
• Proverbs 17:17
• Luke 6: 27-35

Prayer Week - Day 2 - Church

Here's the prayer guide for day 2 of our prayer week. The topic for day 2 is our church.

Some Ideas to Get Us Started Praying for Our Church

• that the gospel would be central to everything we do
• God to do a mighty work among us, a work different than anything we might expect
• that we will be willing to let God do his work among us
• that we will be hot in our evangelism here in Smithville
• that we are inviting people to church regularly
• many people to be saved through our church
• us to grow in the depth of our faith, to be rooted and grounded in Christ
• our commitment level to God and the church to greatly increase
• our worship times to be passionate
• God to raise up missionaries out of our church who will take the gospel around the world
• the preaching of the Word to be highly valued
• that there would be no divisions among us and that forgiveness would be quick when we hurt each other
• that love would be so evident among us that it is irresistible to those outside the church

Some Scriptures to Pray for Our Church

• John 15:1-8
• Acts 2:42-47; 11:19-26
• Romans 12:4-8
• Hebrews 2:10-12; 10:24-25
• James 2:1-4
• 1 John 4:7-12

Weekly Announcements (1.3.11)

Here's the roundup for the week.

• Prayer Week - This week is prayer week. If you're unable to make it, check the blog everyday for a new prayer guide. You can pray at home also. The guide for day 1 is already posted below (scroll down past this post to find it).
  

• GIVE. ME. FAITH. - Our new sermon series starts this Sunday. In all seriousness, I think this will be the most important series that I've preached since I've been at the church. Don't miss a week of this series.

• Stepping Up Our Commitment in 2011 - Hope you were here yesterday for worship. If not, there will be a repost here on the blog later this week. Here's the basic scoop: We are challenging you to commit to being here without fail every Sunday morning this year when you are in town...and we want you to pass the challenge on to 5 other people. More to come later this week. Stay tuned.

• AWANA returns - AWANA starts back this Wednesday.
  

Prayer Week - Day 1 - Home/Family

It's prayer week at First Baptist!!! We're praying everyday at 7am, 12 noon, and 6:30pm in the Golden Circle room. Come join us...but, we've got you covered even if you can't make it. We still want you praying with us, so we're posting our daily prayer guide on the blog for you to pray along.

Each day with have a different focus topic. Today we're praying for our families and homes. Here's today's guide...

Some Ideas to Get Us Started Praying for Our Homes and Families

• pray for a God-focus in our homes
• pray for men to lead their families spiritually
• children to hear the gospel from their parents
• children to see the gospel in their parents
• families to be committed to coming to worship
• for our children as they go to school (protection from the world’s influence, God to use them as witnesses)
• husbands to love and lead their wives as Christ loves and leads the church
• wives to follow their husband’s leadership
• protection from Satan and the world’s influence
• that our homes would be fertile soil for raising children who love God and want to change the world for Christ

Some Scriptures to Pray for Our Homes and Families

• Exodus 20:12
• Deuteronomy 6:6-8, 31:12
• Joshua 24:15
• Psalm 32:8; 103:17; 127:3-5
• Proverbs 22:6; 31:30
• Ephesians 5:21-6:4
• Titus 2:1-6

Weekly Announcements (12.20.10)

There are some really important things coming up in the life of our church. Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with everything...

• First Sunday of the New Year (Jan. 2nd) - The first Sunday of 2011 is a challenge Sunday. The staff has been praying for you and for God's work in the church and we're going to extend a challenge to each of you on the first Sunday of 2011. Don't miss it. This Sunday will also be tied together with our prayer week.

• Prayer Week (Jan. 3-7) - We're going to start our year off with a corporate prayer week. Prayer is such a privilege. Let's hit our knees together and beg God to do great things among us. Daily times of prayer at the church will be 7:00am, 12:00 noon, & 6:30pm. We would like everyone to try and make 1 of the 3 prayer times each day.

• GIVE. ME. FAITH. - Do you live by faith??? Have you lost faith??? What does the life of faith look like??? Can you really step out in bold faith and see God move in a mighty way??? GIVE. ME. FAITH. sermon series starts on January 9th, 2011. Be here for all 5 weeks of the series!!! "Without faith it is impossible to please God." - Hebrews 11:6

• Hot Topics - Do you have a question about a passage of Scripture? Not sure about what the Bible says on a certain topic. Pastor Mark is will answer you questions on Sunday nights starting in January. Use the "Hot Topics" box in the side lobby to ask your question or email Bro. Mark with your questions.
  

• Christmas Cards - There are hundreds (literally) of unloved and unclaimed Christmas cards sitting in the church mailboxes. Please pick them up asap. :)
  

Weekly Announcements (12.12.10)

We're retooling this blog to use on a weekly basis, primarily for announcements and to raise awareness about church events. In combination with our new facebook group (please join if you're on facebook), this will be a place we want you to check regularly to get your info about what's going on at church.

Important Things on the Horizon...

• First Sunday of the New Year - The first Sunday of 2011 is a challenge Sunday. The staff has been praying for you and for God's work in the church and we're going to extend a challenge to each of you on the first Sunday of 2011. Don't miss it. This Sunday will also be tied together with our prayer week.

• Prayer Week (Jan. 3-7) - We're going to start our year off with a corporate prayer week. Daily times of prayer at the church will be 7:00am, 12:00 noon, & 6:30pm. We would like everyone to try and make 1 of the 3 prayer times each day.

• New Year, New Sermon Series - Do you live by faith??? Have you lost faith??? What does the life of faith look like??? Can you really step out in bold faith and see God move in a mighty way??? Our first sermon series of 2011...

Sunday, January 9th - February 6th. Don't miss a single week of this series!!!