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R E D E F I N E DF B C S TA R KV I L L E J U LY 2 0 1 5
G AT H E RYo u t h S u m m e r C a m p
P. 8
G OS u m m e r M i s s i o n P ro j e c t s
P.1 6
G I V EV B S Vo l u n t e e r s
P.1 4
FINDINGREST
2 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
CONTENTS
F I N D I N GR E S T
G R OWG ro w i n g l i k e a w e e d
8CHURCH STAFFC H I P S T E V E N S S E N I O R PA S TO R | [email protected]
C L I F TO N C U R T I SA S S O C . PA S TO R O F PA S TO R A L C A R E & FAC I L I T Y A D M I N .
TO M J E N K I N S A S S O C . PA S TO R O F M U S I C & M E D I A | [email protected]
N AT H A N TAY LO R U N I V E R S I T Y & M I S S I O N S M I N I S T E R | [email protected]
N E I L T U L LO S YO U T H M I N I S T E R | [email protected]
L E A H F R A N C E S E ATO N DIRECTOR OF CHILDRENS MINISTRY | [email protected]
C H A R I T Y G WA LT N E Y DIRECTOR OF PRESCHOOL MINISTRY | [email protected]
B O B BY D ’A L E S S A N D R O DIRECTOR OF MEDIA & TECHNICAL ARTS MINISTRY
4 First Word from Chip Stevens
FEATURES5 MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: CWJC
6 GATHER: Youth Summer Camp
16 GO: DHS Family Fun Day
18 Spotlight: Open and Closed Doors
OUR CHURCH FAMILY20 Parents Page/Upcoming Events
21 Calendar
G I V EV B S Vo l u n t e e r s
14
4 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
ith our lives becoming increasingly busy, it’s harder
and harder to find time to rest. However, God not only
commands it, but also modeled it for us. In the beginning,
God set a rhythm with the first week. For the first six days,
He worked, and on the seventh day, He rested. That doesn’t
mean He slept or that He stepped away from being Sovereign over the world,
but that He took some time to enjoy what He had made. How long has it been
since you’ve really stepped back and enjoyed what God has done? For me, it’s
been a while.
During the month of July, I will be taking the month off from regular
duties to rest. The staff will handle the preaching responsibilities throughout
the month to give me an opportunity to take a step back and really reflect
upon what God has done at FBC these last nine years and to pray through the
direction He’s leading us in the future. Though it will be very different for me,
I’m really looking forward it. Even though you may not be able to step away
for a month, would you consider stepping back from your regular routine for
an hour, a day, or even a week? God wants you to know Him and to see the
wondrous things He has in store for you. So go ahead—rest.
This month’s edition of Redefined has some great articles that will help you
see what God has been doing through His people at FBC Starkville. I hope you
will enjoy reading it, and that you will consider how God may want to use you
to be a blessing in this world.
Thank you for allowing us to GATHER, GROW, GIVE, and GO with you!
FIRST WORDFROM CHIP STEVENS
Twitter: @fbcstarkchip
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 5
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S JOB CORPS?Christian Women’s Job Corps is a ministry of the Golden Triangle Baptist Association
(an association of 65 Baptist churches in the Golden Triangle – FBC Starkville is a member). CWJC is not an employment agency. Instead we offer free job and life skills training to
women with a lack of marketable job skills and/or who need a fresh start. Our classes include Bible study, Computer training (Microsoft Word and Excel), Career training (resumes, inter-viewing, online job search, appropriate dress), Marriage and Family, Money Management, Personality Inventory, Conflict Resolution, and others.
WHY SHOULD WE HELP? The short answer is that God told us to. This shows up all through Scripture, so He must
have meant it. Christian Women’s Job Corps facilitates a safe and loving environment where we can fulfill that commandment and where women (both the women we serve and the volunteers) can find their purpose in Christ.
OUR CONTRIBUTIONCWJC has several unique features. In every session, we teach a Bible study, and Scrip-
ture is woven into all of the curriculum. We match each participant with a Christian Friend who offers prayer, encouragement, and guidance. We also have a Computer Lab that partici-pants use during and after class. There is even a clothing ministry helps participants to look and feel their best for work or church.
The ministry of CWJC is a great encouragement for both participants and volunteers. Psalm 3:3 says that God is a “shield for me. My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” We have literally seen this happen. Some women come to us to enroll for classes, hanging their heads and not looking at us in the eye. Before the end of the session, their heads are lifted up and they look at us with smiles.
Recently, two participants from the very first session (Spring 2011) came back to the site to visit and volunteer. They had recently lost their jobs and came back for encouragement so they could get back out there and begin again.
HERE ARE SOME TESTIMONIES FROM WOMEN WHO HAVE ATTENEDED CWJC
• I came to the Women’s Job Corps not knowing what to expect. I made new friends, and my computer skills are a lot better. I even learned how to write a resume. I feel like a completely different person. I came in with a past, and now I’m leaving with a future.
• When I came to CWJC I didn’t have friends and was very shy, but God sent me here to gain these strengths, and thanks to God and CWJC, I have confidence. Thanks to God and CWJC, I’ve learned so much more about the Bible. The Bible class was AMAZING.
• All my life I’ve been told I was nothing, until I came to CWJC and felt like somebody.
OUR VOLUNTEERSEven our volunteers get healing and
encouragement. Several women have tim-idly volunteered and later praised God and thanked us for the opportunity to learn and grow or to be healed spiritually. Our volun-teers come from all walks of life and from throughout the Greater Triangle area. God continues to provide very high quality help-ers, sometimes from the least likely of sourc-es. God is continually at work as women help women.
VOLUNTEER OR DONATEIf you are looking for a place to serve,
we invite you to join us in ministering to the whole person by volunteering, praying, and/or giving financially to CWJC.
Here are some ways you can volunteer or donate.
• Prayer Team – once a month • Christian Friend (women only) • Night leadership in spring and summer• Teacher • Computer Tutor • Individuals or groups to provide a meal • Office Volunteer • Publicity and/or web presence• Donate supplies – call for current needs
To volunteer or to donate materials or clothing, contact: Rita Usher, Site Coordina-tor (662) 722-3016
To donate meals, contact: Pat Belcher, Meal Coordinator (662) 251-0040
To donate financially, contact: Golden Triangle Baptist Association (662) 328-6802, 560 Willowbrook Road, Columbus, MS 39705.
To donate through the Kroger Commu-nity Rewards Program, visit krogercommu-nityrewards.com and enter #53944.
As always, we thank FBC for their con-tinued support of our ministry. We could not function without the kindness, time, and resources that the church and members pro-vide.
6 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
his summer, our youth ministry put a new spin on summer camp. Traditionally, a youth ministry summer camp means going to a retreat setting for several days or joining with other churches through an organization like Centrifuge or Student Life. Both are great options, but to best meet our goals for this year’s camp, we needed a different experience. May 26-29 was an adventure for our group as we traveled
first to Atlanta and then to Chattanooga to help our teens have a variety of experiences together. The goal was to help them understand that life is an odyssey. It’s filled with difficulties and unforgettable experiences. For our Bible studies, we traveled through the life of the Apostle Paul and used his journey to discover how we are to follow Jesus through every situation. I’m grateful for how our church is committed to helping teens discover and grow in Christ through events like Odyssey. Colin Diaz will be a high school senior this fall and he’s written the article below detailing the trip.
A LOOK BACK AT YOUTH SUMMER CAMP
GATHERF B C S TA R KV I L L E
COLIN DIAZ
For four days and three nights, the First Baptist Youth Group was able to spend time away from Starkville in Atlanta and Chattanooga. While on the trip, we were able to learn more about God in a distraction-free environment while also being able to do fun events. The name of this trip was called Odyssey because a lot of us were doing things we had never tried before and were getting out of our comfort zones. While physically doing new experiences, we also went on a spiritual adventure, or Odyssey. The word
INTRODUCTION BY NEIL TULLOS
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 7
itself means an adventure or a journey, and that is exactly what the trip was like. Our days would start with a nice breakfast followed by a sermon given by a youth leader. The messages were perfect for us because the leaders prepared them based off of what was going on in our lives. We would then break off into small groups where we could engage in discussion about the sermon. Then we were able to do the activity of the day. On Tuesday we went to Sky Zone in Atlanta, Wednesday was Six Flags, and last was white water rafting in Chattanooga. These events gave us time to get to know people we may not have known before and to spend time with old friends. We would then repeat the morning schedule in the afternoon, only this time with a new topic that gave us more life tips and understanding about how to live for God and with God.
While having a fantastic time with all of our friends, we were also able to hear great sermons and worship God. Throughout the week, the sermons covered the life of the Apostle Paul. We talked about many things such as how a person changes before and after encountering Christ, Paul’s ability to keep trusting God despite hardships, how Paul and Silas’ hope and trust in God payed off when they were able to spread God’s word in jail even though things were looking horrendous, putting God first in every relationship, and your relationship with others on your Odyssey.
In between sermons, we were able to do all kinds of unforgettable activities, such as Sky Zone (indoor trampoline park), Six Flags, and white water rafting. Each activity offered new challenges and adventures just like our relationship with Christ offers new challenges. Fortunately, we had all our friends to help us through. Once you get comfortable with the activity, you start having tons of fun. Another upside to Odyssey was all of the new friends I met. God used Odyssey to bring me together with other Christ followers, who are the people that you should surround yourself with, or to people who may need your wisdom and faith to help them with their own journey.
WHAT YOUTH ARE SAYING
• “My favorite was Six Flags because all the rides I rode were fun... my favorite Bible study was probably the one when we had just gotten together in our small groups and talked about the jailer and how he was about to commit suicide, but he didn’t and became a believer” - Ben Brown, 8th grader
• "My favorite fun thing would definitely be white water rafting because I love it As for something I learned, I would say it came from the quiet time about how God is so big and amazing. He doesn't need your help, but He chooses to use you so that you can experience Him and His power in new ways" - Sara Grace Duncan, 10th grader
• “My favorite fun thing was probably Six Flags because of all the different rides and roller coasters. Goliath was my favorite ride. My favorite Bible study was about Esther. We discussed that Mordecai was explaining to Esther that God didn't need her to complete his work: it would be done with or without her and that many times, He gives us open doors, and it's just our decision if we want to take the chance and walk through them or not. It made me realize that God doesn't need us at all; He didn't create us so we could run His errands. He created us and allows us to have opportunities for our benefit and to show our willingness to serve Him. ” - Rush Brown, 9th grader
• "My favorite fun thing was six flags (my favorite ride was Goliath). The thing that stood out to me the most that I learned was to consider every person you meet/encounter as an opportunity that God has given you even if it's someone you don't want to be around because God put you there for a reason." - Alligrace Story, 12th grader
• "The rides at Six Flags were amazing, and it was great to just have a day to have fun with everyone. I thought it was awesome how Paul's life and ministry was literally unstoppable. Paul basically said "put me in prison, beat me, but if I stay alive I will continue to share Christ regardless of my condition, and if you kill me then so be it; heaven is way better than earth anyways. 'so to live is Christ and to die is gain.'" That's why they couldn't stop Paul" - Reid Stevens, 10th grader
8 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
GROWF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y TO M J E N K I N S
GROWING LIKE A WEED
It takes constant attent ion or,
overnight , bermuda grass invades
the rose bed, pr ick ly lettuce sprouts l ike
the proverbia l
magic bean sta lk and the cute l i t t le
partr idge pea def ies a l l sprayings
of weed k i l ler to, once again , grow
in every crook and cranny of
s idewalk and dr iveway.
m sure you’ve used the expression ‘growing like a weed’. It’s usually applied to the amazing tendency of children to grow six inches, seemingly overnight. The analogy is perfect! I’ve experienced the real thing in my home gardens. I’ve weeded a flower
bed and, three days later, been very surprised by a two foot tall weed posing as an ornamental. Sneaky! Most of my yard duties seem to be weed and grass control. It takes constant attention or, overnight, bermuda grass invades the rose bed, prickly lettuce sprouts like the proverbial magic bean stalk and the cute little partridge pea defies all sprayings of weed killer to, once again, grow in every crook and cranny of sidewalk and driveway. Still, I’m amazed, even with all the maintenance work required, at the wonder and power of God’s creation.
The seed is a complex little piece of dynamite which God has designed to be a storehouse of DNA and energy. When you
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 9
put the seed in the right conditions, BAM! The seed breaks apart with an explosion of growth. The seed contains all the information it needs to become something that looks completely different. It also contains food and energy to get the seedling started as it learns to draw energy from the sun, soil and water. It really is amazing to see a big bushy plant develop from a squash seed or to understand that mighty oaks come from small acorns.
If Jesus were incarnate today, I wonder if he might have a part-time job with the MSU Extension service as an AG consultant. I’ve met many of these guys through our church. They have a sometimes enviable job of traveling the state and working with people from all walks of life in their gardening and farming concerns. I had never heard of a weed specialist until I moved to Starkville, but they exist! Jesus used many agricultural allegories to speak about God and His relationship with us. He used sheep, fig trees, seeds, fishing, wheat, harvest, vineyards, the vine and it’s branches and more to share with us the great message of God.
One example is the story of the sower and the seed. Found in Matthew 13, Jesus tells this parable,
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The story is immediately familiar to the listener in Jesus day. They lived everyday close to the fields. There were no grocery stores with refrigerated foods! The listener could identify with each seed situation. Jesus explains the deeper meaning to the disciples soon after when he says,
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Just as God has created the seed to be a powerhouse of creative energy, the story Jesus shares equates the seed with the Word of God, which has the power to save and transform lives. As the sower scatters the seed, the Word of God is shared with all. Sometimes it
DR. TOM JENKINS has served as our Minister of Music since 2005. You can connect with him on Twitter @DrTJenkins or on The City.
falls on a path or a hard heart and is not received at all. Sometimes it falls on rocky ground or in weed-infested areas and is not able to grow because the troubles, worries and upside-down priorities choke its life. BUT sometimes the Word of God takes hold on good soil and produces great fruits.
Maybe, like me, you’ve experienced the dynamic spiritual energy of a new life because the Word of God was planted within your heart. Just like a seed, the Holy Spirit was able to take root and burst forth with new life transforming you into something completely different! Like the seed which draws energy from the sun, soil and water, you’ve grown in your spiritual life by discipleship, worship and obedience. Our prayer is that we can produce wonderful fruits of the spirit and of the kingdom that are a ‘hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’
But also, maybe like me, you’ve seen those pesky weeds creep back into your life. That bermuda grass of a bad habit that slowly crowds into your garden. Maybe it’s a spiky prickly lettuce that represents a continuing sin or the low-lying invasive partridge pea that is disobedience creeping through the edges. We must be vigilant, as all gardeners must be, to maintain our spiritual lives so that that seed of the Spirit can continue to be nourished and grow and change us into someone that only God can imagine! ‘Growing like a weed’ means that something or someone springs up dramatically. So it is with weedy sins that spring up ‘seemingly overnight’ and try to choke out the Word that desires to richly dwell within us. Let’s do some daily maintenance and keep our gardens flourishing, both the gardens of our homes and the gardens of our lives.
We must be v ig i lant , as a l l gardeners
must be, to mainta in our spi r i tua l l ives
so that seed of the Spir i t can cont inue
to be nour ished and grow and change
us into someone that only
God can imagine!
10 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
FINDINGRESTBY RENEE YOUNG
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 11
hen we think of the word “rest,” many of us would jump to the same conclusion: a week-long vacation, a day off work, a night without the kids, or a morning
of sleeping in. We could probably even recall a few Bible verses that define rest. We typically desire rest more than we get it, but why? This is partially because of our unwillingness to unplug from the world and to plug in to Jesus; however, maybe it’s partly due to the stressors of this world that we allow to cloud our already anxious minds. If you are anything like me, you can admit this is true. More often than not, rest is a foreign concept to us because we fail to follow in Christ’s footsteps.
Our relational God created the entire universe in six days, and on the seventh day he rested. Did we miss this prominent detail in Genesis 2? God rested. If God thinks it’s imperative to find rest, so should we. He gave you and I an example to follow in the stillness of his creation. In God’s rest, he never stopped being God. Likewise, in your rest, you don’t stop being a spouse, a friend, a parent, an employee, or a child of God.
Living in a city where a university dictates a majority of our schedules, we feel the desire to get away from the day to day grind as summer approaches. For a school teacher like myself, the countdown is on until a break from students arrives. Summer comes with all its splendor, but then I find myself anxious about what the next school year will hold. I find myself harping on the fact that the number of days until I have to return to work is dwindling daily. A number of unending questions flood my mind and leave me in anything but a state of solitude. Can you relate?
Summer is now in full swing. Summer is deemed a time of rest, but when I look around, summer seems to be busier than any other part of the year: send the kids to back-to-back camps, try to volunteer at a few events, plan a family vacation, attend weddings, move into a new house, visit family. Life isn’t slowing down for any of us, but
God’s example and command to rest has not been and will never be retracted.
So where do we find rest? If we could tap into each other’s conversations, a vacation is what we all plan to get away from the real world, but do we really need a vacation to rest? Maybe. There certainly are wonderful familial memories formed over a week at the beach which can leave us mentally and physically recharged for the weeks to come. In fact, I like to travel when the opportunity presents itself; however, if vacation after vacation is all we have planned, and we leave God out of our vacation, we might fail to experience what we truly need to to feel rested and rejuvenated: spiritual rest.
HOW WE FIND SPIRITUAL REST:
1. Surrender to Christ’s authority
2. Seek Christ wholeheartedly
3. Serve others
SURRENDER TO CHRIST’S AUTHORITY
Hebrews 4:9-11 tells us that we must enter into rest.
“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”
The only way we can hope to enter into spiritual rest is first surrendering our lives to Christ. Lack of rest can come from the perpetual bondage of sin.
Romans 6:6-11 reminds us that without Christ, we are nothing but slaves to our sin nature.
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. How if we have died with Christ, we believer that we will also live with
12 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Christ willingly died on the cross and absorbed every single sin we have or ever will commit to demonstrate His love for us. Romans 5:8 tells us, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He took on our punishment for our disobedience to a holy God. He physically rose from the dead conquering our sin and breaking every chain of sin that could hinder our relationship with Him. John 3:16-18 reminds us of this truth.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
For those who have surrendered their lives to the will of Christ, this is true. This is the beginning of spiritual rest.
SEEK CHRIST WHOLEHEARTEDLYBreaks in our work schedule or away from the kids are (more
often than not) gladly welcomed, but if we don’t use that opportunity to seek Christ in stillness, the Word, or prayer, we will miss out on opportunities to know Christ deeper. Our days fill up before we have had our morning cup of coffee, and it seems like the day ends before we have the chance to take a breath. Romans 3:10-11 reminds us of the reality that we often choose not to seek God. The last thing we might desire at the end of a chaotic day would be to sit down, read, and do more thinking, but to find rest, this is imperative.
“No one is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.”
The time we do have free should be used to seek the Lord in stillness, in his Word, and in prayer. He will always show Himself faithfully. If we do seek the Lord, Deuteronomy 4:29 tells us that we will find Him. Finding Christ is what we have to do because in Him only is there rest.
“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
This is an opportunity to wholeheartedly listen to what He would desire of you, an opportunity to get away from the chaos around us and spend time with the only One who can give us peace. When we gladly approach God, we are able to recharge and refocus our minds on Christ. We cannot be forced to seek Him. We cannot be half-hearted and lukewarm about it. We must jump all the way in to find rest in Christ.
Psalm 63:1 depicts the kind of longing with which we need to seek Christ.
“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
When we have been beat down by the world around us and willingly seek Christ and His goodness, we are gifted with supreme rest in Christ as Hebrews 11:6 states.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”
Without seeking Christ, rest will remain a foreign concept.
SERVE OTHERSIt is unnatural for us to want to give of ourselves when we feel
as if all of our energy has been depleted. When we are in need of rejuvenation, serving others is probably the last thing we desire. However, if we miss out on serving those around us, we miss out on the divine rest given to us by Christ. Mark 10:45 declares that Jesus’s
Chr ist wi l l ingly d ied on the cross
and absorbed every s ingle s in
we have or ever wi l l commit to
demonstrate His love for us .
Romans 5 :8 te l ls us ,
“but God shows h is love for us in
that whi le we were st i l l s inners ,
Chr ist d ied for us .”
He took on our punishment for
our d isobedience to a holy God.
He phys ica l ly rose f rom the dead
conquer ing our s in and breaking
every chain of s in that could h inder
our re lat ionship with Him.
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 13
RENEE YOUNG is a science educator at Starkville High School. She and her husband Mark are expecting their first child in November. You can connect with her on Twitter @noodlenay42 or on The City.
life was dedicated to serving people in love. We know Jesus to be full of rest and peace in God. If Jesus set an example of serving others, then we should follow in his holy footsteps.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
As a Christ-follower, when we serve others, we serve Christ. When we walk in a manner worthy of our calling, the darkness that causes a lack of rest in our hearts is expelled. Isaiah 58:10 tells us that truth.
“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.”
Colossians 3:23-24 also reminds us of that truth.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
When we give of ourselves in service to others, God blesses our efforts. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 that Christ supplies every need of ours. For most of us, what we desperately need is a lot more rest. God is the only one who is able to provide lasting rest.
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
Though volunteering for a mission trip or Vacation Bible School, serving in Sunday School ministry or Christian Women’s Job Corp; or giving of yourself through hospitality or financially may seem burdensome and taxing, if you have ever experienced this, you know that there is nothing more rewarding or life-giving than serving as Christ served. However you are serving, serve well.
For the one who gives, satisfaction in Christ and rest are a result.
IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRISTThough summer is hectic and rest may have escaped us, we can
always find rest in the presence of Christ. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
By surrendering our lives to Christ and giving ourselves over to His authority, we can experience the ultimate peace of Christ in our lives because we have relinquished control to an all-knowing, ever-loving, good God. Seeking Christ in prayer and in His Word is another way that we get to experience rest. God promises that we will find Him when we seek Him with all of our strength. Serving others in love with the purpose of glorifying Christ brings an unexplainable rest into our lives. Surrendering, seeking, and serving are not meant to be one-time experiences. We can have an everlasting rest in Christ when we recognize that our lives are not our own, and when we use them to know more of God’s character and to emulate Him.
QUESTIONS TO SEE IF YOU’RE IN NEED OF REST:
1. Have you surrendered your life to Christ?
2. Do you have a daily quiet time in the Bible and in prayer?
3. Do you get excited about having a daily quiet time in the Bible
and in prayer?
4. Do you speak encouraging words more than you complain?
5. Do you cheerfully support the Church financially?
6. Have you served the Church in the past 3 months?
7. Do you use your free time to invest in other people?
8. Do you look forward to daily tasks at work more than the end
of the day?
9. Do you look forward to each day more than vacation?
10. Have you recently taken a family vacation with the intent of
finding solitude?
If you have answered ‘NO’ to any one of these questions, you may need to ask God to search your heart and help you to find rest.
When we are in need of
re juvenat ion, serv ing others i s
probably the last th ing we des i re.
However, i f we miss out on serv ing
those around us , we miss out on the
d iv ine rest g iven to us by Chr ist .
14 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
GIVEF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y S AVA N N A H D ' A L E S S A N D R O
olunteering at VBS requires nothing more than a willing spirit. As a school teacher, I am very hesitant to commit to working with children at church. Teaching is a draining job that leaves me with little energy outside of my second grade classroom. However, I felt the Lord urging me to volunteer to teach a class this summer at VBS.
There are countless reasons why one might choose to volunteer, but I saw this as an opportunity to serve by giving of my time to invest in the lives of others. I was able to devote time to precious 1st graders through teaching Bible Study. Several other volunteers also shared with me why they chose to give of their time and what they got out of the experience. Brandy Engelmann, 1st grade class leader, chose to volunteer at VBS because she remembers the incredible impact VBS had on her as a child. She recalls, “Those fond memories were not all about games and arts and crafts, but I know deep down they instilled in me a comfort in getting to know my Savior before I realized how to accept Him into my heart.” Janice Brunson, 3rd grade Bible Study teacher, says VBS has become her passion and she has served for years. Janice tells how her reason for volunteering has changed over
“THIS IS THE WAY. WALK IN IT.” ISAIAH 30:21
Savannah teaching her 1st grade Bible study lesson.
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 15
her years of service. She states, “Originally, I think I worked because it was a church function, they needed help, I liked children, so I volunteered. Somewhere along the line, I began to realize what an impact Bible School has on children and their families. One example that stands out in my memory was a girl whose grandmother brought her to Bible School. The grandmother was a Christian but no one else in the family was. The girl became a Christian the week of VBS, and she and her grandmother started coming to Sunday School and church. The grandfather began to come with them and soon gave his life to The Lord. Sometime later, the girl’s mother began to come to church, and she became a Christian. Eventually, the father also accepted Jesus as his Savior. An entire family was changed because of God working through VBS.”
As a volunteer, it is not just about what you contribute to the lives of the children, but it is also about leaning into every moment and listening to what God is teaching you through the children and through your experience. On day one, I had forty, yes, FORTY energetic first graders in one classroom. Teacher or not, that is scary. All morning before Bible study, I worried about how I was going to get forty talkative first graders to be quiet long enough to listen to a Bible story and do a couple of activities. After worrying and then praying, God completely blew my mind. For the entire Bible study time, those sweet children were as quiet as could be! I was extremely impressed, which leads me to share with you what God showed me through my week of volunteering at VBS. I was reminded of child-like faith and curiosity. The kids were so interested in learning all that God had for them that week. They so intently listened, asked questions, and interjected things they knew in addition to what our story was about. I was so impressed by the desire they had to know more about Jesus and who He is. I was also amazed at what the kids already knew; they kept me on my toes answering questions about different Bible characters and stories. My week at VBS challenged me to look at the way I read the Bible and how deep I dig daily into
God’s truths. Like a child, I want to desire to soak up every inch of truth I can and tuck it away so that when trials and difficult seasons seem to cloud my life, I can trust, with childlike faith, that my God is going to take care of me.
Each person who volunteers receives a different blessing of lesson from the Lord. Janice was reminded of God’s faithfulness and says, “I learned that no matter how prepared you think you are, expect the unexpected. I’ve been involved in VBS a long time, so I tend to think I know what I’m doing and don’t need God’s help. Well, God showed me very quickly that I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. He sent nearly fifty third graders to my class, and most of them were boys! Unexpected! I realized I did indeed need the Lord’s help because I didn’t know what I was going to do with that many third graders! But, God is faithful. He sent awesome helpers to work with the children. I also learned that third graders have interesting questions about the return of Jesus. I learned that I cannot answer all of those questions. I was reminded, once again, that God is faithful. He does not leave me dangling over a precipice; he sends help. Even when I am not faithful to Him, He remains true to who He is and is always faithful to me.”
I am thankful that I listened to the Lord’s prompting and spent a week of my summer teaching Bible study at VBS. It was a fun, challenging week, and if you have the opportunity, serve at VBS next summer. No matter your level of experience, I encourage you to say Yes to serving. If you are feeling uncertain, remember that God is faithful to bless!
SAVANNAH D'ALESSANDRO is a graduate of MSU and is currently serving as a second grade teacher at New Hope Elementary.
Milton Robinson leading recreation time during VBS.Anna Hayden Taylor served as a
youth volunteer during the week.
16 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
id you know that nearly 3,000 children in Mississippi are in foster care?
These children of all ages face uncertainty in what should be the most certain area of their lives—their own homes. Foster kids are good kids in bad situations, through no faults of their own, and foster families provide a safe and stable environment for these
children. By working with the Oktibbeha County Department of Human Services, FBC will serve local foster families through celebrating them at a Back to School Party on Aug. 1 and by providing backpacks and school supplies for each school-aged child in our county currently in foster care.
The Back to School Party, one of our churchwide summer mission projects, will take place Saturday, Aug. 1 from 11 am to 1 pm Along with a hamburger and hotdog cookout, the party will include inflatables, face painting, treats, games and more at the Children’s Building.
“We are excited to provide a fun break for these families, who undoubtedly have their share of hard times,” says Kelli Anthony, who serves on the Orphan Care Ministry team and has helped FBC in our partnership with DHS. Kelli adds, “The orphan care ministry wants to provide everyone in our church the opportunity to provide for the fatherless. You don’t have to adopt or foster to do your part. You can paint faces or grill burgers for the families caring for these kids from hard places.”
Another facet of supporting our local DHS office includes providing lunch and office supplies for the social workers and office staff. Often overworked, these employees do their best to support the many
DHS FAMILY FUN DAY
GOF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y M E AG H A N G O R D O N
families in our area through foster placements, mandatory visitations, and adoption cases.
The need for foster families in Mississippi is great. According to DHS, our state needs 800 more families to meet the placement needs for these children, as intensive services are provided to their parents or until kinship care is found. When foster care is at its best, each child can be matched with a family who best meets the child’s specific needs or interests, instead of just going to a foster home with an empty bed.
In June, FBC hosted a foster care recruitment meeting in conjunction with Rick Valore of 200 Million Flowers, local DHS representatives, and a panel of current foster parents. The event,
Rick Valor speaking at the foster care recruitment meeting in June.
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 17
which we hope to repeat in the coming months, shed light on the requirements, hardships, and joys of serving children through fostering.
FBC member Leah Donald, who served as a foster mother to a sibling pair in 2008, says she really saw the hand of God through her foster care experience.
“Most people are so afraid of the unknown with fostering, but life is made up of unknowns,” she says. “The Lord will bless you with the children who fit into your family, and He will equip you to take care of the children placed in your home.”
“Even as a single person at the time, I felt the calling to stand in the gap for this brother and sister. It was one of the happiest times of my life,” remembers Leah, who says she had a wonderful experience as a foster mom. “If God has laid it on your heart to be a foster parent, trust that He will give you the children you can parent.”
Leah also says that events such as the Back to School Party will make these children feel very special. Because they are moved around, many times the kids in foster care feel a lack of control of the situation as well as insecurity.
“When the children were in my home, they never wanted to miss church because it was very exciting to them, and it immediately plugged them into a group,” she says.
FBC recognizes the importance of providing encouragement and support for the parents, as well. The church hosts an Orphan Care support group, with free childcare, on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 pm on the second floor of the Children’s Building. Bringing together parents who are just starting down these roads and families who are walking them now, the group is a place for advice and prayer. It is open to anyone, and we are thrilled the group includes parents from many churches around our community.
We are excited to see how this partnership with DHS and local foster families will continue to grow as the Lord leads. For more information on how you can help serve our county DHS and its families through these projects, please contact Minister of University and Missions Nathan Taylor at [email protected].
MEAGHAN GORDON , a communication instructor at MSU, is married to Wes Gordon. They have four children, Mary Reeves, Murphy, Max, and Mamie, who will come home from China this summer.
Nathan Taylor, DHS staff, Emily Lesley, Meaghan Gordon delivering baby supplies to DHS.
Photographer Kelli Anthony
18 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
SPOTLIGHTF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y C O U R T N E Y D U E I T T
n life, we are all faced with decisions regarding opportunities that God places before us. Like-wise, we all have certain dreams and ambitions that we often hope are part of God’s plan for our lives. However, those aspirations don’t always come to fruition at the time or in the manner that we might choose; therefore, we have to dil-
igently seek God’s direction, often placing our own desires on the backburner, in order to notice God’s opening of a door.
J.C. and Martha Prather are no strangers to listening to God’s direction and to patiently waiting for God to open doors and provide opportunities for them to serve Him, regardless of the wait or the obstacles encountered along the way. Their journey through God’s series of open doors for their lives and ministry began in 1977 when J.C. surrendered to God’s calling on his life to become a preach-er. He followed through with this calling by attending the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. After finishing school, J.C. began his ministry as a pastor. He says that it was during his time serving as a pastor that his love and his heart for missions really began to take shape. This was also true for his wife, Martha,
OPEN AND CLOSED DOORS
who felt a longing to serve as a missionary through her involvement with the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU). Both thought that this growing desire to serve the Lord through mission work might be God preparing them for an open door leading to foreign mission work; however, the Lord had other plans, and He shut the door in 1988 due to some health issues the couple was facing.
Despite not being able to follow their personal dream of doing foreign mission work, J.C. and Martha continued to serve the Lord faithfully, and in 1990, the Lord presented a new opportunity for the Prathers to be involved in associational missions, so the cou-ple walked through this door and embraced this new calling on their lives. Together, they served from 1990 until 2006 when J.C. retired. He says that they were blessed to be involved in many different min-istry opportunities and were able to take part in many mission trips, some lasting three months at a time. J.C. also had the opportunity during this sixteen year service to receive training in order to serve as an interim pastor once he retired, so he chose to do this because he “thought this would be a good way for Martha and [himself] to continue in mission ministry during retirement.” Again, the couple thought this might be their next open door; however, J.C. says that he
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 19
COURTNEY DUEITT is an instructor in the English Department at MSU and a newlywed who is happy to have found a wonderful church home and family at FBC Starkville. You can connect with her on The City.
has only been asked to serve as an interim on a couple of occasions since retiring nine years ago. J.C. commented that even though he and Martha were continually answering God’s call for him to preach whenever asked, both still had a deep yearning for a mission oppor-tunity that they could both embrace and be fully involved in.
Little did J.C. and Martha know, but God was already pre-paring their next open door, as He had been doing for some time…since 1990, actually. J.C. and Martha belonged to a travel club that they joined in 2004, and while camping in Ocean Springs, MS, in 2013, they had a visit with a former deacon from J.C.’s last church that he pastored back in 1990. This deacon just happened to be in Ocean Springs on business, so they met with him to catch up. This man and his wife were looking for a travel trailer to stay in as they did their own ministry work, and J.C. and Martha were able to connect him to someone looking to sell her trailer. During this exchange, J.C. and Martha were invited to travel to Mission Texas with this couple, so in 2014, they did just that, and they drew closer to God’s next open door for their lives and their ministry.
When they arrived, they parked their RV at the El Valle Del Sol RV and Resort Park, one of 35 RV parks in Mission, TX, and one of 400 RV parks in the Rio Grande Valley. Many of these parks offer worship services on Sunday mornings because of the volume of peo-ple they attract, so J.C. inquired about this particular park’s Sunday morning activities. He learned that they had conducted worship ser-vices from 2000 until 2012, but had been unable to find a park pastor for the past two years. There were two requirements to become park pastor: the pastor must live in the park, and he must do everything on a complete volunteer basis, no pay. This had made it impossible for them to find a new pastor. J.C. says he thought, “Lord, are you opening a door?” so he told the manager that he could serve as pastor
in 2015, if they were interested, and it turns out that they were! On the day they were set to leave, three weeks after offering his services, he was told that they would love to have him serve as pastor in 2015.
In January of this year, J.C. and Martha travelled back to Mission for their three month stay as park pastor and park pastor’s wife. The first Sunday they had 116 in attendance with a 14 mem-ber choir! They also collected an offering each Sunday, which totaled over $2,500.00 by the end of the twelve weeks, and they were able to present this offering to various ministries in the Valley. J.C. was hap-py to announce that he and Martha have been invited to serve again in 2016, and they are looking forward to going back.
J.C. says that he and Martha are very thankful to their church family, here, for our prayers and encouragement, and he also says that they are grateful for the support they receive through the Margaret Lackey State Missions Offering. Giving to this offering al-lows people like J.C. and Martha to fulfill God’s calling for their lives and to continue to seek out and walk through His open doors.
The Prather’s story proves that God never stops present-ing us with doors to walk through, despite our age or our health or any other circumstances that we think might prevent us from being used. God desires to use each of us in His service; we just have to be willing to say yes and to take the first step through the doors that God opens in our paths.
JC Prather preaching to the congregation in Mission, TX. JC Prather preaching at the RV Park in Mission, TX.
20 J U LY 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 7
YOUTH
BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY August 9 | 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Country Club | FREE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT KICKOFF
August 12 | 5:30 pm | Outreach Center
JR. HIGH RETREATAUGUST 21-23 | LAKE FOREST RANCH
COST: $90 | GRADES 7-9Athlete. Honor roll student. Cheerleader. Musician. Junior high student. Sports fanatic. Artistic. Teenager. We all wear labels. Some labels make us swell with pride. While others we'd prefer to peel off. Where do labels come from? Who has the right to label us? Why do labels stick? Are some labels more important than others? Join us for our Jr. High Retreat as we discover that labels are both powerful and
dangerous.
HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT October 30-November 1Lake Forest Ranch |Cost: $90
PARENTS PAGE
UPCOMING EVENTSCHURCH WIDE MISSION PROJECTS
• Sunday, July 12 | Random Act of Kindness Outreach Center | 5:00 pm
• Sunday, July 19 | Block Party College Station & The Polos | 5:00 pm
• Saturday August 1 | DHS Family Fun Day Children's Building | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ORPHAN CARE SUPPORT GROUPMONDAY, JULY 206:00-7:00 PM | 2ND FLR. CHLD. BLG.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD IN JULYTHE COMMONSDuring the month of July we want to encourage you and your family to pick up Operation Christmas Child boxes to pack as a summer family project. If you are unable to pack a box and would like to donate supplies there are donation boxes around the church. For more info checkout the display in The Commons on Sunday morning.
KICKIN' IT IN THE PARKSUNDAY, AUGUST 24:00 - 6:00 PM | MCKEE PARKThe entire church family is invited to play or cheer at our kickball tournament. Families with kids 4 and up can register to play on the Family Field. Youth and individual players 11 and up can register for the Competitive Field. Register by July 27 in the Commons or at fbcstarkville.com.
LADIES NIGHT OUTFRIDAY, AUGUST 14 | 6:00 - 8:30 PMThe Women's Ministry Committee is please to invite all the ladies of FBC to another wonderful night planned for you! On August 14th from 6:00 - 8:30 pm, we will gather in small groups in assigned host homes, enjoy a light dinner, mix and mingle, and have a special worship time together. Please sign-up in the Commons Area on Sunday mornings, in your Sunday School class, or by going to FBCStakrville.com. Deadline to sign-up is July 19th.
PRESCHOOL
WATER & WATERMELONSWEDNESDAY, JULY 22 | 6:00-7:30 PMGWALTNEY HOMEPreschoolers and their families are invited to the Gwaltney home for an evening of water play and watermelon. Wear a swimsuit, bring a towel, and you may want to bring some additional lawn chairs. Go to The City events or contact the church office for the address.
KIDS
WE WILL GO DAY MISSION TRIPJULY 18 | ALL DAY | JACKSON, MSOur time will be spent serving this inner-city ministry through light construction, cleaning projects, and other acts of kindness in their community. While this opportunity is ideally for families with children, all are welcome to take part. For more information, contact Leah Frances Eaton at [email protected]
CHILDREN'S CHURCHJULY 26 | 8:30 & 11:00 AM2nd Floor Children's Building
SUNDAY SCHOOLATTENDANCE
FOR JUNE
JUNE 7 | 848
JUNE 14 | 841
JUNE 21 | 832
JUNE 28 | 869
LUNCH BREAK MENUS
JULY 8Sandwiches, chips, and dessert.
JULY 15Lasagna, green salad,
garlic bread, and dessert.
JULY 22Baked chicken, loaded mashed potatoes,
green beans, green salad, rolls and dessert.
JULY 29Hamburgers and fixings,
french fries, and dessert.
This month be intentional with your time by
adding to your calendar opportunities to
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July 8 - The Refuge Meet in the OC parking lot and we'll return at 8:30.
We'll grill burgers, play games & have a Bible study. Bring bug spray.
July 15 - No gathering tonight due to Super Summer
July 22 - Bill & Vicki Burnett's House
July 29 - Kevin & Becky Armstrong's House
40th Anniversary WeekAugust 17- 21, 2015
Spirit Week with special “dress up” daysfor children to participate.
Thursday, August 20th/4:00 - 6:00 pmReception in foyer of the Children’s Building for current and former CLC families and staff.
T-shirts will be designed and sold for the occasion.
P E R I O D I C A L S
106 East Lampkin St. Starkville, MS 39759
FBCSTARKVILLE .com | 662. 323. 5633
FBCSTARKVILLE
@FBCSTARKVILLE
@FBCSTARKVILLE
FBCSTARKVILLE
