A N N U A L R E P O R T

2012-2013

GOD IS ON THE MOVE CONNECTING PEOPLE AND

TRANSFORMING LIVES.

The heartbeat of all we do as a church is discipleship. Disciples understand and pass on the grace that God pours out on the world every minute of every day. Disciples live for the glory of God and specifically declare that the glory of God is the purpose of mankind’s existence. Disciples who are following in the footsteps of Jesus lay down their lives for the good of others to impact the world locally and globally. Everything God uses us for as a church begins with discipleship, because the church is a people, not a place. The church is a family of disciples.

How exciting it is to see God bring focus to our mission as a church this past year to make disciples who live by His grace and for His glory at home and across the world. What a blessing it is to see Him refocus our values as a church to reflect the definition of a disciple as one who by God’s grace is connecting to God and others, is being transformed in attitude and action, and is multiplying disciples at home and across the world. What a joy to see the head start He has blessed us with by His grace of having over 2600 disciples already in our midst who are ready to take the next step toward being equipped to multiply their faith in others across Central Arkansas and around the world. As we launch Core groups this coming year to add to the Connect and Care groups that we already have, just dream about the power God is giving us to multiply His glory and grace in the days to come. He has already done so much. We can’t wait to see what He continues to do as He adds to our number day by day. *Represents All Three Campuses

NUMBER OF BAPTISMS*

231ACTIVE IN D GROUPS*

2,698ACTIVE IN SERVING*

2,589

DISCIPLESHIP

Rhythm. It is a value that we highly esteem within the 501 ministry context. One such life rhythm we consistently engage in as a community is eating. Every Thursday night, 30-50 501’ers celebrate this by descending upon the culinary masterpiece known as Buffalo Wild Wings. BDubs, as we affectionately call it, progressively became the gathering place in which we enjoy one another over a meal and share our stories.

Interesting things happen when narratives are consistently shared over a meal. They intertwine, creating entirely new story arcs, many of which can only be described as scandalous acts of grace. Such was the case when we first met James. The first few weeks that James waited on us seemed to be the standard waiter/patron fodder. We would exchange pleasantries, he would bring us delicious wings and keep our drinks filled, and we would tip him well. And we would share our stories. Though there was a strong, consistent core of 501er’s, there remained one constant on Thursday nights: James. Several of us began to see James as a part of our weekly rhythm of life. He had a story. And Jesus began to give us a corporate heart to not only hear it, but to experience it alongside him as well.

After several months of praying for and building community with James, we asked him how we could pray for him. He broke down in tears in the middle of his shift and became incredibly vulnerable with us. And the Lord burdened us with one overwhelming question: “How can our community bless James?” Knowing his need, Jesse Pierce and Ben Wilson began to raise money. They set a goal of raising $400 and also wanted to give him a nice Bible. When all was said and done, they raised a grand total of $700 for James.

James’ heart has been so moved by the tangible outpouring of the gospel that he has been attending church at Fellowship since January. We meet regularly, and it has wrecked us both. My view of evangelism being separate from discipleship has been totaled. His views of Christ and His church are being undone. The gospel is faithfully proclaimed to James. And it is changing all of us.

By Scott Fitzgerald

DISCIPLESHIP

God Story “Discipleship”

My view of

evangelism being

separate from

discipleship has

been totaled.

Discipleship Strategy

CORE

DiscipleshipIn Depth

CONNECT

DiscipleshipIn Life

CARE

DiscipleshipIn Need

Discipleship Groups

D GROUPS

D GATHERINGS

D RESOURCES

God Story “Revolution”

My husband and I got married over 11 years ago. Like many other couples we had our happy times, our ordinary times and our rocky times. When a child entered our well-established relationship we pulled together like champions. That’s when I felt closest to my husband. We were winning at life.

I don’t really know when things started to crumble. It was a slow and steady fade. One day about a year ago we had a talk. It wasn’t an emotionally charged argument, and at one point I looked at my husband and said, “If this is all there is, if we’ve both checked out, then let’s not drag it out.”

I was sad and distracted when I attended Fellowship Women’s Bloom the next day. I told my small group about the conversation the night before, and without hesitation those wonderful women gathered around me on their knees and prayed. They prayed for me. For Jon. For Kate. They fought for my marriage when I didn’t have an ounce of fight left.

The second after we finished praying my friends were on the phone making me an appointment with a counselor at Fellowship. My husband agreed, in fact he thought it would be a good idea! Over the next two months we met with the counselor and did all of our homework. Through these things the Holy Spirit moved in us both.

We survived. We look back embarrassed at how we let our marriage get to that place. It amazes me to think just how much the prayers and support of my Bloom friends helped me through this.

Soon after God told me to offer my story openly to all the moms at Bloom. Only by the power of prayer I shared what God had done in me – the healing, the pruning, the growth in my own life. I felt so exposed, so raw, and so free.

We all want to present our best selves to the world, to hide the yucky stuff, but here’s what I’ve learned: If we will be bold and vulnerable and share our yucky stuff other people will do the same. It will become a revolution: people being real with each other, making connections, and growing and serving each other in real ways. I experienced this revolution in Bloom, and I pray God will work in the lives of these women the way he worked in me.

By Jen McCalmont, LR Campus Member

They fought

for my marriage

when I didn’t

have an ounce

of fight left.

DISCIPLESHIP

HERE’S WHAT I’VE LEARNED: IF WE WILL

BE BOLD AND VULNERABLE AND SHARE OUR YUCKY STUFF,

OTHER PEOPLE WILL DO THE SAME. IT WILL BECOME A

REVOLUTION. PEOPLE BEING REAL WITH EACH OTHER,

MAKING CONNECTIONS AND SERVING EACH OTHER

IN REAL WAYS.–Jen McCalmont

Because our desire is to make disciples by God’s grace and for His glory at home and across the world, our outreach efforts extend from our homes, to our neighbors, to coworkers, to the community and ultimately to the world. Our prayer is that the gospel will continue to bear fruit both locally and globally.

One of our strongest commitments to multiplication is through our church planting partnership with Fellowship Associates. Nine new churches are slated to start in 2013-14 in locations as close as Franklin, Tennessee and as far away as East Asia. It is a tremendous blessing to partner with gospel-centered, emerging church leaders who identify with Fellowship’s approach to ministry and to train and support in such a way that establishes healthy churches that will make disciples by God’s grace and for His glory.

We also enjoy multiple partnerships with pastors and churches all over the world where the gospel is being proclaimed both in word and in deed.

Locally, we are experiencing God’s leading as we seek to make disciples through our ministry efforts in prison, orphan care, adoption and international student needs here in Central Arkansas. In the past year alone, God has moved in marvelous ways in the South Midtown area ministries. The newly-acquired Tyler Street Opportunity Center is home to the Franklin Elementary “Passport to Success” family connection and after school program, Shepherd’s Hope Neighborhood Health Clinic and the “Let’s Chat” gathering for international students.

In addition, Hidden Creek has celebrated another year of making disciples and helping men and women re-enter society from a minimal security drug and alcohol facility. This transitional home has become a disciple-making environment where residents experience the love and grace of God, work to create a life plan, and discover the joy of life in Christ.

FELLOWSHIP BELIEVES DISCIPLES ENGAGE IN

MISSIONS THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WHERE

THE SHARING OF TRUTH AND DEMONSTRATION

OF THE GOSPEL EXPAND THE KINGDOM.

MISSIONS

CLAUDE ATCHO I Boston, MABLAKE CHILTON I College Station, TX JEDIDIAH COPPENGER I Franklin, TNCALEB DAVIS I Denver, COSTEVEN LEE I Washington, DCK.C. MADDOX I Lawrence, KSDERRICK PUCKETT I Chicago, IL

2013-14 I FELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATESCHURCH PLANTING LEADERSHIP RESIDENCY CLASS

FellowshipAssociates.org

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH PLANTS

Partners MISSIONS

Fellowship is committed to utilizing both financial and human resources to demonstrate the love and grace of God, exercise biblical stewardship, and impact the community and the world in the most effective ways possible. Our desire is to be faithfully responsible with the resources we have been given to spread the gospel in word and deed both locally and globally. Much prayer and thought is given to the investments we make. As we seek to meet physical and spiritual needs, our hope is that disciples are made and God is glorified.

GLOBAL$848,957

LOCAL

$791,147

$1,640,104

LOCALOutreach Partners

ORPHAN/$168,950Bethany Christian ServicesThe C.A.L.L. - LRThe C.A.L.L. - CabotC.A.S.A. - CabotImmerse ArkansasCrisis Pregnancy CenterPartners Against Trafficking HumansProject Zero

SCHOOL /$210,731Young Life UrbanSTEPOK ProgramAR Kids ReadPassport to Success

PRISON/$118,551Hidden Creek Pathway to FreedomArk Baptist College / DCC ProgramDiscipleship Inside the DCC

HEALTH, FOOD & SHELTER/$74,245Lonoke County Christian ClinicA Woman’s PlaceHopes ClosetFirst CareShepherd’s Hope Health CenterI CanHere’s Life Inner CityGarden of Hope

CHURCH STRENGTHENING/$157,117Nehemiah NetworkCity ConnectionsCompass FinancialSearch MinistriesWoman On A Mission Video ProjFamily Council Downline

CONGREGATIONAL MISSIONS/$10,619Benton Mission ProjectsCabot Mission ProjectsSage Works Mission Projects

TYLER STREET OPPORTUNITY CENTER/$50,934

GLOBALOutreach Partners

AFRICA/$118,910Gaynelle NewportChuck & Judy BrodDadiya Translation - Seed Co.Maranatha Bible College Bible Training CollegeMusanze Opportunity Center

ASIA/$162,600Jim & Judy Burrows Jerry & Cheryl WunderChris GloverAsian Christian Academy Student MobilizationStephen & Kelly SpurlockHartley & Kristi Hambrice

MIDDLE EAST/$15,000Dave and Gloria FurmanBrian ParksHayden Sewall

EUROPE/$68,635Austin & Becky McCaskill Rebecca LeMaster Amos & Meredith AndersonEvangelical School of Theology

CENTRAL AMERICA/$160,318New Life Deaf MinistriesOperation New LifeWorld Gospel Outreach Al and Terri Runnells Mike and Lyn Ferguson Robert and Jennifer Butts Neuve EveFellowship Guatemala

NORTH AMERICA/$69,929International Friendship OutreachMarvin SmithCulture Link, Inc.Rwanda Presidential ScholarshipU.S. Centers for World MissionsJohn & Gloria Sewall

SOUTH AMERICA/$42,450Esperanza Church Jeff Rody (SAM)Hosean International Ministries

SENDING/$22,513Adam HambrickJoe & Janelle Holloway Kerby GoffKaren Tuttle

CHURCH LEADERSHIP TRAINING/$101,394Fellowship Associate

SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIP/ $31,900Daniel Thomson Marty SkrivanosKristina McCartneyChris LindermanStacey Hammons

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS/ $32,330Summer ProgramJ-TermEmerging Leader

MISSIONARY PROJECTS/ $22,978

I LOVE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A CHILD ONE ON ONE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE ALL GOD INTENDS FOR THEM TO BE.–Jacki Conklin VOLUNTEER I Passport to Success After School Program

Since becoming a multisite church back in 2006/2007 Fellowship has now expanded to three physical campuses and one campus online. All of our campuses have experienced God’s blessing as we have seen lives transformed and discipled through Jesus. God has raised up men and women on all our campuses who continually pour out their time, talents and resources, which was seen clearly in the last year in the form of caring outreach, active service and abundant giving.

CAMPUSES

Fellowship Benton has a heart to serve whether it was serving on Sunday or in one of our mid-week ministry meetings, there were a lot of hours served on campus. At the same time, the Benton campus has seen a re-birth of the call to be a church for the community. Through partnerships with Hurricane Creek Elementary leading ministries like All Pro Dads and the Daddy-Daughter Banquet, and working on summer camps and school supply/backpack drives at the Boys & Girls Club of Bryant and the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County we’re committed to making a deep impact in Saline County and beyond.

BENTON

From the start, Fellowship Cabot has been a strong community of people following Jesus together. In the last year, God has graciously allowed our Cabot campus to experience a year of healthy growth in several areas. The increased numbers of parents and children attending on Sunday and throughout the week, outreach efforts and overall giving, this demonstrates the body’s commitment to the mission and community of Fellowship. Outwardly our Cabot campus has served those in need wholeheartedly at Lonoke County Christian Clinic, The CALL, C.A.S.A. and A Woman’s Place. Trips were taken to Guatemala and Honduras where lives were changed and decisions made to follow Christ.

CABOT

ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD’S BLESSING AS WE HAVE SEEN LIVES TRANSFORMED AND

DISCIPLED THROUGH JESUS.

ONLINEThe purpose of the online campus is to ‘make life transformation through Jesus accessible to everyone.’ We want this campus to be a place where people beginning their journey towards faith in Jesus Christ can take their first steps. This use of technology has also provided some other wonderful benefits for us as a church—we have people in our own congregation who can join us for service each Sunday even if they are sick or have another commitment. Some of our missionaries have been able to stay connected to us while serving in countries around the world. Others have used the online campus as an opportunity to invite others to join them in coming to a service. This global and mobile ministry has the ability to impact people wherever they are.

VIEWERS

17,45111% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

SERMON SHOWINGS

584 >80 US CITIES

>30 COUNTRIES

CAMPUSES

VALUES

CONNECTION

TRANSFORMATION

MULTIPLICATION

FINANCIALS

GIVING BUDGET

$10,612,512$10,504,000

LITTLE ROCK

$566,941$570,000

BENTON

$614,538$533,000

CABOT

$11,794,091$11,607,000

TOTAL

$187,091

OVERABUNDANCE

EACH ONE MUST GIVE AS HE HAS DECIDED IN HIS HEART, NOT RELUCTANTLY OR UNDER COMPULSION, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.2 CORINTHIANS 9:7

With the rapid growth of technology and online communication, we have been given a great outlet to

reach even more people with the Gospel. Over the past year we have seen receptiveness in our web

presence, and we’re looking forward to seeing how God uses our online communications in 2013.

VISITS

183,9201 1% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

WEBSITE STATISTICS

OVER

30,000SERMON VIEWSBY VISITORS

FRIENDS,FOLLOWERS,FANS

3,433

SOCIAL MEDIA STATS

130% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

Another way we are able to get connected to people

inside and outside the church is through service. We have

great volunteers who help us serve on Sunday mornings

and the rest of the week. Because of these thousands

of people with we are able to further make disciples at

home and across the world.

ACTIVELYSERVING ON

ALL THREE CAMPUSES

2,589

ACTIVELY SERVING

GET CONNECTED

VIEWERS

17,45111% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

ONLINE CAMPUS

SERMON SHOWINGS

584IN MORETHAN

80 US CITIES

GREATERTHAN

30 COUNTRIES

LOOKING AHEAD

By God’s grace. That phrase speaks volumes. It captures how we become disciples, how we live as disciples and how we continue to make disciples. It is this thread of God’s grace that you will hear, see and experience in all of our ministry endeavors this next year. It is only by God’s grace that we make disciples at home and across the world. Grace will be what we preach about. Grace will be what’s on the menu for our D Café that meets quarterly to challenge us in areas of theology, practices, missions and relationships. You will see it and feel it everywhere.

Grace will be multiplying in new places as we seek to more fully embrace being one church in several locations. As we continue to make disciples across Central Arkansas, it will become even more important to establish multiple Fellowship sites in areas where disciples are already making an impact. These new campuses will create an environment of encouraging disciples and an opportunity to make more disciples.

Grace will also be evident in a new way through our Core discipleship groups we launch this year. And what exactly is Core? It is a D group of men or women growing in grace and knowledge, being discipled by someone more mature in the faith. The intent is for disciples to make disciples who will in turn make disciples. Consisting of a defined framework of curriculum, practices and experiences, Core is designed to multiply disciples in the context of relationships.

Grace will take center stage this fall as we make disciples with a new heart through Renew. Renew is designed for anyone seeking to grow in grace; for anyone longing to see how grace and the Gospel meet us in our moments of need. It meets on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm in the Warehouse and will speak into four key areas of our lives: personal renewal, marriage renewal, financial renewal, and family renewal.

And by God’s grace, we will look to live and serve with a new freedom as we complete what God started several years ago when we prayerfully decided to build three campuses. We desire a new freedom to use God’s resources without carrying our current mortgage. In October and November, we will join together in seeking God, paying off our building mortgage and advancing His Kingdom in the process. Through this Kingdom campaign called “Imagine”, it is our hope that we can glorify God “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20)

So, as we look ahead, we do so with great anticipation. And, by God’s grace, we will make disciples for His glory at home and across the world!

FELLOWSHIPONLINE.COM