R E D E F I N E DF B C S TA R KV I L L E J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5
O N E - O N - O N E W I T H C H I P
A c o n v e r s a t i o n a b o u t t h e c h u rc h ’s m i s s i o n a n d g o a l s f o r 2 0 1 5 .
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O U R S TO RY O FA D O P T I O N
T h re e F B C f a m i l i e s s h a re a b o u t t h e i r a d o p t i o n e x p e r i e n c e .
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P U T T I N G F E E T TO FA I T H
H o w o n e S u n d a y s c h o o l c l a s s i s l i v i n g o n m i s s i o n .
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2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1
CONTENTS
O U R S TO RY O FA D O P T I O NT h re e F B C f a m i l i e s s h a re a b o u t t h e i r a d o p t i o n e x p e r i e n c e .
10
GATHER: ONE-ON-ONEWITH CHIP STEVENS6
GIVE: PUTTING FEET TO FAITH14
CHURCH 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 .
D R . 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 Worship Redefined
8 GROW: D-Group Testimony
16 GO: Retirement on Mission
OUR CHURCH FAMILY18 Senior Adult Spotlight
19 Our Church Family Updates
20 Parents Page/Upcoming Events
21 Calendar
On the cover Meaghan, Wes, Max, Mary Reeves, and Murphy Gordon.
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remember, as a business student at Mississippi College, learning that the three rules of real estate are: Location, Location, Location! Now, having served as a pastor for many years, I’ve learned that the three rules of church leadership are: Communication, Communication, Communication! In a growing church filled with people whose lives are getting busier every day, it is always a challenge to communicate effectively. In fact, in staff
meeting, we often talk about how effective communication is not measured by how many times you communicate, but by whether or not people have grasped the message you’re communicating.
At FBC Starkville, we want to be effective at communicating three things: 1) how God is working in and through the church, 2) the mission of the church, and 3) opportunities for people to be involved in fulfilling the mission and seeing God at work for themselves. This is almost impossible to do in a two-minute announcement time at the conclusion of a service or in a one-page weekly newsletter. For this reason, we have made the decision to communicate through this new, monthly magazine, Redefined.In this edition of Redefined, you will read some incredible stories of how God is at work among His people. These are individuals and families that you can see walking the hallways or sitting in the sanctuary, but they have a story that needs to be told. You’ll hear about how, just like the rest of us, they’ve wrestled with God’s call, how they’ve experienced ups-and-downs, but also how they’ve seen the faithfulness of God for themselves. You’ll also read about how the church is seeking to fulfill our mission of:
Glorifying God by GATHERING together for worship and Sunday school,
GROWING through discipleship, GIVING ourselves in ministry,
and GOING out into our community and world with
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Finally, you’ll read about opportunities this month and in the near future to help you grow in your relationship with Christ. So grab a cup of coffee, find a quiet place, and enjoy!
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
e live in what some might describe as the most prolific worship music time of human history. Artists, songwriters, composers and lyricists
are busy churning out songs, hymns and spiritual songs around the world in every conceivable style and genre. This phenomenal growth began with the hymns of Martin Luther and the music of J.S. Bach over 400 hundred years ago. To date, there are thousands of possibilities for music to be sung on a Sunday.
So what do we sing THIS Sunday!!??
THE NUMBER ONE GOAL of the music ministry is to provide for the congregational expression of worship.
It seems that should be an easy task. Simply find the music you like to sing and call the piano player. It is easy, when you ask one person, but when you ask 900 people, you get 900 different answers! So how do we choose among thousands of songs?
WE LOOK TO GOD AND NOT PEOPLE. Everyone has a favorite style of song, but
the music ministry is not in place to please people with entertaining performances but to please God with our service of worship. How should we use music? To Gather, Grow, Give and Go! Entertainment isn’t one of the 4Gs. We GATHER for worship and use music as a vehicle for our praise and prayers. We GROW together and edify one another as we “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16) We GIVE of our time, talents, and gifts to rehearse together and lead in worship and events. And finally, we GO to share the song of Jesus with our church, our community and the world.
FOUR WAYS YOU CAN REDEFINE WORSHIP• GATHER: Sing from the pew. Remember that you are SERVING in worship, not that you
are to be served. Worship is not a spectator sport! You may not have confidence in your voice, but have confidence that God is listening for the song of your heart. Jesus quotes Isaiah when he said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me...”
• GROW: Look for the message in the music. Our music ministry carefully selects songs each week and places them within the service as God would lead. There is a message in the music for you!
• GIVE: Join the music ministry and become a worship leader. There is a place for you in our Celebration choir, band, orchestra or tech team. You might also be interested in assisting with our children’s or preschool music activities.
• GO: Leading worship on Sunday, participate in local mission events, or go on a mission trip. Music can always be a part of any mission work. Check the church calendar for monthly mission activities.
Psalm 40:3 tells us that “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” May 2015 be the year you find your place of praise!
HOW TO GET INVOLVEDIf you would like to get involved in the Music Ministry, please contact Tom Jenkins at [email protected].
DR. TOM JENKINS has served as our Minister of Music since 2005. You can connect with him on Twitter @DrTJenkins or on The City.
WORSHIP:REDEFINED
B Y D R . TO M J E N K I N S
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urrently in his ninth year as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Chip Stevens has cast a new vision for the church. After prayerfully seeking the Lord about the direction God desires to take FBC Starkville, God has led him to redefine our mission and function as a church. I sat down with
Pastor Chip first to talk about the process of discovering God’s vision for the church, secondly the January Study, and lastly to hear his heart for the future of FBC.
MARK: Specifically, how did God lead you to create a new vision for FBC? What does it mean to “Gather. Grow. Give. Go?”
CHIP: In leadership, our vision always needs to be reevaluated. The vision does not change as much as it evolves. As the church grows, it changes. We needed to look at where we’ve been, where we are, and where the Lord is leading us to go.
Our new vision for FBC came about from our deacons' retreat in January of 2014. It was there that we discussed the five functions of every Southern Baptist Church. These functions are taken from the book of Acts in the New Testament. These functions are the following: worship, Sunday school, discipleship, ministry and missions. I understand not every member in the church knows these five functions. A mistake that is easy for us as a staff to make is assuming that people know things like this without our teaching them about it. Therefore, I shouldn’t assume that every member knows what they are. The main thing the deacons and I decided about our new vision was that it needed to emphasize these five functions of the church. We have taken the five functions and made them into four easy terms to remember: Gather, Grow, Give, and Go. This way every member will begin to understand the goal and function of being apart of FBC.
GATHERF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y M A R K YO U N G
A CONVERSATION WITH CHIP STEVENSMARK: Where did the term “redefined” come from? What does that mean for our church?
CHIP: After eight years I felt like it was time to go back and examine what our church is supposed to be and make sure that everything we are doing is centered around what the Bible says the church should be.
A church is like a closet. Many times a closet collects clothes from different eras and then those clothes never get thrown away. Eventually, the closet has all these clothes that are never worn. Churches often times create ministries and programs based upon whatever Lifeway is promoting. After many years go by, churches are full of many things that are good but no longer effectively engaging people. These things take the church away from its mission. So I came up with “redefine.” Redefine doesn’t mean to change the definition. It means to define again. Its purpose was to look at what the Bible says the church should be and ask ourselves, “Are we what the New Testament says a church should be? And if not, what changes do we need to make?”
MARK: Why did our church need a new vision statement?
CHIP: Eight years ago, we created the “Firmly Planted Trees” mission statement and there is no doubt in my mind that was the right one for that time in our church. Now, we need to define the process of becoming what God wants us to be. It is essential for those who have come to faith in Christ to understand the process of their spiritual development. Therefore, our new mission statement presents four objectives that describe that process. Our utmost goal as a church is to glorify God. The process of “gather, grow, give and go” is how we seek to bring God all glory.
MARK: What are some new things that the church is doing and/or plans to do in order to practically apply the new vision?
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 7
CHIP: A major change would be the plan to go back to one Sunday school hour. We hope to make this change in February. This will put an emphasis on the Gather aspect of our vision. This will create a more comprehensive offering for whoever comes to visit. To Grow means to grow in depth not numbers through D-groups. D-groups have allowed us to take another step in discipleship. D-Groups bring people together to study the Word, pray, and have accountability. In accomplishing the aspect of Give, we want to continue to improve on giving of ourselves in ministry. We are looking to hire a Family Minister who can better assimilate people into the life and ministries of the church. Finally, in order for our church members to Go, we have moved forward in offering opportunities to be on mission. We are offering international trips and local mission opportunities. Also, we have made a commitment to do one mission project per month through this church year to remind our church that we are to continually think outside the walls of the church and to be intentional in our community.
MARK: Similar question: what ways do you hope to see the vision lived out practically in the lives of the church members?
CHIP: Our goal is to see every single member move through the process. We want to see the person who comes to a worship service plug into a Sunday school class. We want them to join a D-group. As they grow
in faith, we desire to see them pouring out themselves in serving. Finally, we desire to see members living out their faith in the marketplace and around the world. We want to see every member walking through the process of spiritual development.
MARK: What is the purpose and goal of the January Study?
CHIP: It is going to help us think through the “4-Gs” (Gather, Grow, Give, Go). Each Sunday morning in January, I’m going to preach on one of the 4-Gs. On Sunday nights for three of the four weeks we are going to provide an opportunity for the church family to go deeper in their understanding of the functions of the church. This will be done by providing exposure to ministry opportunities. Also, we plan to bring in guest speakers who
will share ways they have implemented these functions of ministry in the life of their own church.
MARK: What are the future ways to reinforce this vision for the church in the hearts and minds of the members?
CHIP: We want to continually reinforce the vision by communicating it every opportunity we get. It will be communicated from the pulpit and through the new Redefined magazine which will be mailed out monthly. One of the goals of the Redefined magazine is to tell stories of how God is at work in the lives of the people of FBC. It will also present future opportunities for church members to move through the process that is defined in the vision.
MARK: What is your heart for First Baptist Church in the years ahead? What do you want to see God accomplish as we move in this direction?
CHIP: When I think of First Baptist Starkville, I think of influence. The community looks at First Baptist in a unique way to be a leader—an influence in the community of Starkville. The more individuals we have glorifying God by growing and moving through the process, the more people of influence are positioned in different places all over the community. Influence for Christ is a big part of who we are and where we need to be going. My ultimate desire is to see that influence spread throughout the community.
“When I th ink of F i rst
Bapt ist Starkvi l le , I th ink
of inf luence. I th ink the
community looks at F i rst
Bapt ist in a unique way
to be a leader —
to be an inf luence in the
community of Starkvi l le .”
-Chip Stevens
HOW TO GET INVOLVEDIf you would like to be a part of the mission of FBC Starkville please contact Emiliy Washburn at [email protected].
MARK YOUNG has served as our Youth Ministry intern since 2012. You can connect with him on Twitter @MPYoung17 or on The City.
V I S I O N S TAT E M E N TAt FBC STARKVILLE, we seek to GLORIFY God by
GATHERING for worship and Sunday School,
GROWING through discipleship,
GIVING of ourselves in ministry,
and GOING out with the Gospel message.
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GROWF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y M A R K YO U N G
irst Baptist Church implemented D-Groups into the life of the church in August of 2014. D-Groups are small groups consisting of 3-5 people, in which these members are able to engage in Bible study, prayer, and accountability together. These discipleship groups memorize
Scripture, tell stories, and do life together. D-groups are done in a setting of the groups choosing, many of which take place outside the walls of the church. It is common for D-groups to meet during breakfast, lunch, or over a cup of coffee. This discipleship strategy was put in place by Pastor Chip, and it is derived from a discipleship book called Growing Up by Pastor Robby Gallaty. D-groups are the next step in the life of FBC to see that the believers in our church are
growing deeper in their relationship with God. Discipleship is a thread woven through Scripture. It is perfectly demonstrated in the example of Jesus as he taught his 12 disciples to follow Him. This is why small group discipleship is so important. It is vital in order to know Jesus Christ deeply, and is essential in strengthening our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God gave us the church to grow together into the image of Christ. Jesus gave the church its mission and purpose which is to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). Small group discipleship, in the form D-groups, is how FBC Starkville seeks to further accomplish that mission.
The following testimonies are given by two men in the FBC family that have seen the impact their own D-group has had in their lives.
COMPANIONSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND GROWING IN CHRIST
JOEL WASHBURN
Joel Washburn, 35, is a software developer. He is married to Emily, and they have 3 children. His D-group is made up of 5 men who meet over breakfast at a local bakery at 6:30 on Monday mornings. He sat down with me and shared how his D-group has impacted his life.
“Companionship has been the major gain for me. The best part of the group is that we have really embraced the concept of accountability. We send texts and communicate throughout the week. It has been huge to have a brotherhood and establish friendships with these guys. We are diverse, but we are all in like-stages of life.
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 9
In our meeting we share Scripture with each other, pray together, and talk about what’s going on in our lives right now. It’s encouraging. It’s more of an intimate setting, where we can share things with the group that we would not normally share in a Sunday school class or in a Bible study group. That is one of the benefits of being in a small and intimate group. We hold each other accountable for different things going on in our lives. We are able to share things we may not feel comfortable sharing with other people. Since we meet every week, it is great for seeking and sharing advice witheach other regularly. I take advantage of this group of men as a 'brain-trust.'
D-groups help develop a sense of responsibility in life. For those who are seeking to dive into Scripture and desire to grow more intimate with Christ, there’s no better way to do that than to be in a D-group and participate in that growth together.”
“The accountabi l i ty
quest ions we ask weekly
have made me quest ion,
'How much t ime are you
spending with your wi fe?
Studying God’s Word?
Praying together? ' I t ’s
made me more aware of
how intent ional I ’ve been
with my wife.”
- Jordan CraftHOW DO I GET IN A D-GROUP?If you are interested in joining a D-Group you can go to FBCStarkville.com or contact Emiliy Washburn at [email protected].
MARK YOUNG has served as our Youth Ministry intern since 2012. You can connect with him on Twitter @MPYoung17 or on The City.
aware of how intentional I need to be with my wife.”
In Gallaty’s book, Growing Up, he presents a journaling technique called “H-E-A-R”. Which stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply and Response. Which is designed to take one deeper in their personal quiet time.
“The H-E-A-R journals have helped me to focus and meditate on what scripture is saying. Before using H-E-A-R, I didn’t journal when I would read God’s Word. I would just read and pray, which has never given me much depth. Doing the H-E-A-R journals and memorizing Scripture has taken me to a new depth in my spiritual life. Now I have a different perspective when I read Scripture. When I read while doing the H-E-A-R journals, it's allowed me to see new things that I wouldn't have seen before. It's benefited me in becoming consistent in journaling and journaling my prayers. The journals have allowed me to see God more clearly.
Believers need discipleship. That’s a hurting part of the church. There is a lack of believers holding each other accountable to God’s Word. When believers study God’s Word together, it creates a bond that allows us to learn from one another. If you're weak or struggling in a certain area, the people in your D-group can support you, hold you accountable, and walk through it along side of you.”
“Having graduated from the university in the last couple of years, I've had several friends move off. There comes a point when all the guys you're close to, leave. Well, this D-group has connected me to a new group of men, which has been a good thing for me to have men in my life that are Christians that edify you. Keeping each other accountable and memorizing Scripture together has been big. I've never really been good at that.
In regards to my marriage, it's been good to have men who truly care and don't gossip. The accountability questions we ask weekly have made me question, ‘How much time am I spending with my wife? Studying God's Word? Praying together?’ It's made me more
NEW DEPTHJORDAN CRAFT
Jordan Craft, 24, works for Mississippi State University. He is married to Charity. His life has changed a bit since he graduated from college in 2013. Joining a D-group has significantly impacted his life. His D-group consists of 5 guys who meet at Chick-fil-A for lunch on Thursdays. Jordan told me how God has used his D-group to grow him deeper in his walk with Christ.
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THE CALLA CONVERSATION WITH MEAGHAN GORDON
LEAH FRANCES: When did you feel the call to adopt?
MEAGHAN: We began sponsoring a boy from Ethiopia through Compassion International right after Mary Reeves was born in 2008, and we believe the Lord planted a seed with that small act. We loved parenthood with Mary Reeves and then with Murphy, but after a couple of scares with his pregnancy and delivery, we decided we didn’t want to try immediately for any more biological children. However, we knew our family wasn’t complete, and the Lord began placing more signs in our path leading us to adopt. There wasn’t one certain incident, but we felt His call so strongly and so surely.
We started the adoption process in July 2011, and Max came home from Ethiopia in October 2013. It was a long road, but so incredibly worth it. We are so blessed to have Max as our son, and now we are excited to add a young girl from China to our family!
LEAH FRANCES: How did you decide where to adopt?
MEAGHAN: Many factors went into our decision about where to adopt from the first time. Each country has its own requirements regarding age, length of marriage, number of children in the home, income, etc. Because we were under 30 years old at the time, we only qualified for a couple of countries. But, honestly, most of all, we felt the Lord leading us to Ethiopia and to a son.
For our second adoption, we wanted to go back to Ethiopia, but the adoption situation has become more uncertain there. After learning more about Chinese adoptions from friends who have their children home or those who are in the process, we decided to adopt an infant or toddler girl with mild to moderate special needs. Many special needs are correctable with the health care available in the U.S., and we can’t bear the thought of a child languishing in an orphanage with no family because she was abandoned due
to her medical needs. We are so thankful to be a family of five, and we can’t wait to be a family of six in 2015 when we bring our daughter, Mamie, home from China.
“Could we love a ch i ld who
wasn’t born to us b io logica l ly?
Yes , I love Wes and he’s not
re lated to me bio logica l ly.
Our love for Max is no d i f ferent .
We fought for h im,
and he is ours .”
- Meaghan Gordon
Our story of
Brian, Cathryn, John Scott, Dottie, Emily, and Beckett Lesley
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 11
LEAH FRANCES: What was your biggest concern about adoption?
MEAGHAN: Other people had more concerns than us. Could we love a child who wasn’t born to us biologically? Yes, I love Wes and he’s not related to me biologically. Our love for Max is no different. We fought for him, and he is ours.
Our concerns about adoption included the financial aspect of it. International adoptions and domestic newborn adoptions are very expensive. The paperwork fees, travel expenses and more totaled around $30,000 for Max’s adoption. That’s a scary amount of money to come up with, but the Lord provided every time. It was amazing to see His provision through His people. Again, we are starting another adoption, with much less money in savings this time, but again, we trust that it will be fine. He “sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:6)
How would bringing another child into our family affect our biological kids? This has been the best thing to see. They love their little brother with their whole hearts, and their bond is so strong! My big kids are learning to value other people, embrace diversity, and know that the world is much bigger than them. We celebrate Max’s Ethiopian culture because it’s a part of our culture as a transracial family. Our kids are better because adoption is a normal part of their lives. We have made amazing friends in the adoption community, and we are thankful that to all of us, adoption is totally normal.
LEAH FRANCES: What would you tell someone considering adoption?
MEAGHAN: We tell people who are considering adoption that if they are even thinking about it, then the Lord may be starting to work in their hearts already. Of course, it’s not something to rush into (just as trying to have a biological child isn’t either), but it’s so worth it. Through our adoption, we saw the Lord more clearly and closely than either of us had previously. He walked with us every step of the way and protected Max until we could bring him home with us forever. The miracles God performed to get our son home will forever be etched on our hearts and minds as evidence of His faithfulness.
THE PROCESSBY MARK YOUNG
The adoption process for Nathan and Ashley Taylor has been anything but an easy journey. Beginning in the fall of 2006, Nathan, FBC University and Missions Minister, and his wife, Ashley, have experienced mountaintop highs and gut-wrenching, faith-testing lows.
It was eight years ago when the couple began trying to have children. It would not be long before they discovered their battle with infertility. Ashley began wrestling with the reason of why God was not allowing them to have children. It took years of battling those thoughts, questions, and confusions
to eventually come to a point in which she believed that God was leading them to adopt.
About four years into their journey of infertility, the Lord moved in Ashley’s heart that she needed to be willing to adopt. It didn’t mean that she believed God wanted them to adopt, but she knew God wanted her to be willing. This was the first step in preparing their hearts for being open to the possibility of adopting a child.
The couple wrestled with the Lord’s call to adopt for several years. “We didn’t want it to be wrapped around, ‘we’re only doing this because we want children.’ We wanted to make sure it was what the Lord wanted for us,” said Ashley.
About five and a half years into their journey, they were praying and moving forward toward adoption when God completely blindsided them.
Ashley was pregnant. Taking this as an answer to prayer, their
pursuit to adopt was put on hold. Little did they know, their faith was to be tested further.
They were finally going to have a child. In their excitement, they began to plan out how they would reveal to their family and friends that they were having a baby. However, all their excitement of expecting their first child quickly faded when they soon found out that Ashley had miscarried.
God allowed this tremendous heartbreak and grief to enter their lives and marriage, ultimately bringing them closer together.
Nathan reflected, “The morning that we knew we had miscarried, we were an emotional basket-case, lying there crying … It was one of those cementing moments.” He continued, “Regardless of what we go through: lose a child, lose a job … Ashley is always going to be there for me.”
Ashley said, “While that was one of the darkest days of our marriage, it was also one of the sweetest days of our marriage because of that. I remember thinking, ‘I have never loved Nathan more than I do right now.’ It made me see that even though I’m the one experiencing the physical aspect of it, that hurt and pain is just as much his as it is mine.”
After their grieving process, they began to pursue adoption again in August of 2013.
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On September 7, Nathan got a call about a private adoption opportunity of a baby that was to be born that coming December. “All of sudden it looked like we were going to have an adopted child in about three months.” They were elated! Their dreams were finally coming true.
But God was still working. Still testing. “It was almost like a fairy tale. Everything
seemed—after all these years—to be falling into our laps,” said Ashley. As tears began to form, she continued, “Then in October we got word that she was not going to give us her baby. In some ways that was harder to grieve than the miscarriage.”
Because they did not seek out this private adoption, it seemed as though God was working to bring them their first child. This led to continual heartbreak and grief. They wrestled with God, asking ‘Why? Why would He do this?’
Seeking God for hope during this process, Ashley began to pray that the Lord’s will would be done in their lives, even if that meant not having a child. She wanted whatever God wanted for them.
“God didn’t put me on this earth to have a baby. He put me on this earth to bring glory and honor to him. That may mean having a child. It may not,” said Ashley.
This leads up to the most recent and hopeful part of their journey. They began their newest adoption process in February 2014, in hopes of adopting a domestic infant. Since that time, they have gone through the long process of paperwork, intense interviews, background checks, multiple meetings with
the adoption agency, and completing their home study. They currently sit fully approved to adopt a child.
They are currently farther along in the process than they have ever been. However,
“God didn’t put me
on th is earth to have
a baby. He put me on
th is earth to br ing glory
and honor to h im.
That may mean having
a chi ld . I t may not .”
- Ashley Taylor
their adoption process is not determined by a waiting list that they are on; rather, it is completely up to a birth mom to select them. They have no idea when that may happen, or if it will happen at all. Today, they are completely resting in God’s control and patiently waiting on him to move. That is all they can do.
“We could have a child in two weeks, or two years, or never,” said Nathan.
After all they have experienced over the past eight years, they know that what God wants may not always be what they want.
Nathan talked about his current mindset as they wait and see what God does. “We’ve had heartbreak in this process. We’ve had our emotions crushed. Trying to have hope, but guarding yourself—it’s just a weird dynamic.”
God has graciously used this long and difficult road to strengthen their faith in Him and grow them closer to Christ. Ashley said God has taught her to truly and tangibly “trust the Lord with her life.”
As they hopefully wait for that special phone call and finally hear the good news that they get to take home their adopted child, all they can do is patiently rest in God’s faithfulness.
As Nathan has learned, they are trusting in this promise: “God is sovereign.”
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 13
COMING HOMEBY LEAH FRANCES EATON
Within a month of joining the staff at FBC Starkville, I sat down with Brian and Emily Lesley to talk about their heart for orphans and missions. It was evident that orphan ministry was a priority for their family. At that time, they were still in the adoption process but their prayers were unwavering—God would bring them a child through adoption.
In the Spring of 2014, I was sitting at the main gate of GTR anxiously awaiting the arrival of Dorothy “Dottie” Elizabeth Li Lesley. As the door opened and Brian and Emily appeared, Dottie in Emily’s arms, there was applause and cheers from friends and family. Beckett, John Scott and Cathryn were waiting as the double doors opened and they could run into the arms of their parents who had been in China for 14 days. It may have been one of the sweetest moments I’ve ever seen as the Lesley family was reunited and complete. Fast forward 10 months and you can find a joyful little girl filled with personality following after Beckett, John Scott and Cathryn. Dottie is the perfect addition to the Lesley Family.
I met with Brian, Emily and Dottie for lunch to discuss what life has been like now that they have Dottie. Brian and Emily took me back to the beginning. Traveling to China and picking up their little girl was hard for them and for Dottie. Her whole world was turning upside down. After almost two years in an orphanage with other children fighting for attention, Dottie learned not to attach to anyone. Now that her forever family was ready to take her home, that instinct was hard for her to turn off. It would continue to be a struggle for weeks after returning.
This was new territory for everyone. Brian and Emily had to learn how to attach to a child who, at the age of 2, had already experienced fear and abandonment. Emily says she repeats to Dottie that “Mama always comes back.” They had to set boundaries and schedules in order for Dottie to learn that she would never be abandoned again. They were very rarely separate from each other and spent a lot of time at home. Emily describes
how much the Lord revealed Himself to her during those hard moments- “Throughout the entire process we thought the reward was Dottie. We didn’t realize until we brought her home that our reward is Jesus.” God used this adoption to sanctify and change Brian and Emily so that they would experience Him in new ways. The whole adoption process has made the gospel more “real” to everyone in their family. In addition to thanking God for Dottie, Beckett and John Scott now thank God everyday for adopting them as His children.
During our time together at lunch, Brian and Emily made it clear that their call to adopt was not because of their expertise as parents. In fact, they both had resisted the thought of adoption because of their own insecurities. In the end, they were obedient and the Lord blessed them with Dottie and they can’t imagine life without her. Recently, after running errands and picking her up from daycare, Dottie took Emily’s face in her hands and said, “Mama always comes back.” Brian and Emily can’t wait to teach her that like Mama, her Heavenly Father will always come back for her.
ORPHAN CARE EXPOLET’S UNITE FOR ORPHAN CAREJANUARY 18 | 4:00 PM
Dr. Rick Morton will join us as we seek
to understand the need and importance
of serving orphans in our daily lives.
Opportunities are available for families and
individuals that can make a huge difference
in orphans locally and globally. Plan to
attend this wonderful, eye-opening event!
The Orphan Care Expo opens at 4:00 pm
in the Outreach Center gym and will be
available after the 5:00 pm service until
6:30.
JANUARY MISSIONOPPORTUNITY
14 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1
GIVEF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y C H A R I T Y G WA LT N E Y
utting feet to faith,” is a key focus of the Empty Nesters Sunday school class, taught by Terry and Cathy Kemp. This class, comprised of those
adults whose children have grown and have left the “nest”, has made both teaching the Word and visibly living out its principles a priority; a priority that has included over the years: supporting private individuals in need, funding BSU missions and missionaries, providing breakfast and support for new parents on Baby Dedication Sunday, writing
PUTTING FEET TO FAITH
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 15
cards to men in prison, making home visits and leaving small gifts, being involved with Christian Women’s Job Corps, and helping out at children’s ministry events.
“This class’ desire, not only to deepen their faith, but also to go out and minister to others in need grew out of the desires of the class itself”, said Terry and Cathy. The class began eight years ago when Terry and Cathy’s last child graduated from high school and went off to college. Up until that point, the Kemps had co-taught in the Youth Department. With their last child out of the home, they were not sure what to do next. They were then asked by Clifton Curtis to lead a class for people like themselves—Empty Nesters. And from that point, the class has grown, both numerically and in its focus of ministry outside of the classroom walls. As the Kemps point out, their age group doesn’t have children at home anymore, so they have more time and more resources than younger couples do to use for ministry and service.
Said Cathy Kemp recently, “Our class tries to be the embodiment of the church, and to have the characteristics of the church in one Sunday school class.” The class currently boasts an average attendance of 45 on Sunday mornings. To provide for the planning of social functions and for care and accountability, the class has self-divided into four groups: Winter, Summer, Spring, and Fall.
Another thing that bonds this class together is the power of prayer. Cathy continues, “People truly do commit to praying for each other as life events come their way.
It is another one of the bonds that holds us together as we join with God to minister through prayer.” In addition to the church- wide prayer list, the class maintains its own prayer list and has a card ministry where they mail cards, along with a class photo, to those for whom they pray.
The class additionally has its own
Missions Committee. This committee takes the ideas of missions or ministry projects that are mentioned during class time, meets outside of class to pray and make decisions on the projects, and then brings recommendations for projects to the class during the Sunday school hour. “People (in the Empty Nesters' Class) are tuned to the main focus of ministry” so there is no lack of opportunities for service projects, according to Terry Kemp.
Each spring, the highlight for this class is their yearly auction. At this auction, class members and invited guests can bid on items and services. The items and services are donated by class members and the purpose of the auction is to raise monies to be used all year round for their Sunday school ministry
“Our c lass t r ies to be
the embodiment of the
church, and to have the
character ist ics of the
church in one Sunday
school c lass .”
- Cathy Kemp
projects. Last spring, the Empty Nesters class raised $6,000 at their spring auction. Some of those funds went to BSU missionaries, Christian Women’s Job Corps, Samaritan’s Purse, and to needy individuals in the Starkville community.
The Empty Nesters Class provides us with an incredible picture of what it looks like to see the gospel lived out. Their example challenges and motivates us to serve rather than be served.
CHARITY GWALTNEY has served in Children’s
Ministry at FBC since 2004.
You can connect with her
on Facebook and The City.
If you have any questions about how you can
get involved in a Sunday school class or serve
in ministry, please contact Emily Washburn at
HOW DO I FIND A SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS?The Empty Nesters Class meets at 10:30 am in Applegate 317. If you are interested in visiting a Sunday school class, visit the Welcome Center on Sunday morning or contact Emiliy Washburn at [email protected].
16 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1
ildred Deese, retired fast-pitch softball coach out of the University of South Florida (17 years), marks this verse as being her motivation through her retirement in January 2014.
“It’s the action verbs that really caught my attention,” says Deese, member of FBC Starkville
for 12 years, “God’s words penetrated my heart and created in me a desire to give my retirement to God by saying ‘I will’.”
Deese sought heavily after the Lord in her retirement through reading His Word daily and looking for any opportunity to serve through the church. One of the first opportunities Deese found was to teach VBS to 3rd and 4th graders.
“I had never worked with children before or taught VBS, but I felt God leading me to do this, so I trusted in Him through it.”
Shortly after the VBS in Starkville, Deese was asked to join members of the church on a mission trip to Red Lodge, Montana, to work VBS with full-time missionaries there. Staying true to her promise to God, the young retiree was quick to jump on the oppor-tunity to serve. Through this experience God began to soft-en Deese’s heart towards mis-sions and the necessity of it.
“I have traveled all over America as a coach for a Division 1 soft-ball team, but I had never seen it like this. I had never stopped to con-
GOF B C S TA R KV I L L E
B Y C O DY R O B E R T S O N
sider the needs of the people living in the places we visited, much less question if they were believers or not. God opened my eyes on this trip. It only makes me wish I would have been listening to Him earlier in life.”
Sharing her experience with her Sunday school class, Deese con-veyed the need she witnessed in those areas, and how God put a burden on her heart to do something about it. After much discussion with her Sunday school class, the idea arose to have a church-wide garage sale to raise money for the missionaries living in Red Lodge. The idea was simple, and not too much was really expected from it, but the members of this Sunday school class joined together and faithfully obeyed the idea they believed God had given them.
The garage sale took place on August 2nd, and as the event drew closer, Deese began to realize how “in over her head” she really was.
“Items to sell kept pouring in and we were so blessed, but greatly understaffed. I started getting worried, and just dropped to my knees praying to God that if He wanted this to happen, then it was going to have to be by His power alone.”
God not only allowed for this event to take place, but displayed His power by having it raise over $6,000.
“I never would have dreamed for the garage sale to raise this much money, it truly was all God’s doing.” Exclaimed Deese, “I stayed true to God in following and obeying Him, He caused the impossible to happen.”
“I WILL GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD WITH MY WHOLE HEART; I WILL RECOUNT ALL OF YOUR DEEDS. I WILL BE GLAD AND EXULT IN YOU;
I WILL SING PRAISE TO YOUR NAME, O MOST HIGH.” – PSALM 9:1-2
CODY ROBERTSON is a senior communications major from Richland, MS. You can connect with him on Twitter @CodyRobertson31.
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 17
VICTORIA, BC CANADAMARCH 7-14
CANVAS CHURCHBASKETBALL CAMPS
SIGN-UP BY FEBRUARY 1INTEREST MEETING SUNDAY, JANUARY 11 AT 4PM IN THE OC.
LEARN MORE AT FBCSTARKVILLE.COM
Founded in Starkville in 2012, Reclaimed Project
connects those who wish to serve the “least
of these” in the state and around the world.
Reclaimed Project is a nonprofit organization
birthed out of a desire to exalt Christ by fulfilling
the biblical mandate to serve orphans and the
poor. They seek to accomplish this by focusing
on three priority areas:
1. Assisting those who adopt
2. Launching orphan care centers
3. Empowering others through job creation
FBC members Brian Lesley and Wes Gordon
both serve on the board of Reclaimed Project,
after helping start the organization. The
University ministry has collected items to be
sent to the orphan care centers.
MINISTRY UPDATE
Reclaimed has opened two orphan care centers
in Loboste, Botswana, and will open another
orphan care center in Losotho. They have given
more than 20 adoption grants to couples who
are adopting domestically and internationally.
The heart of Reclaimed is to serve orphans.
The areas in Africa that Reclaimed serves have
some of the highest rates of AIDS in the world.
Due to AIDS, there are millions of orphans and
Reclaimed wants them to see the love of God.
Learn more at reclaimedproject.org.
FBC Starkville financially supports Starkville
Pregnancy Care Center through our Baby
Bottle Boomerang fundraiser as well as through
prayer.
Starkville Pregnancy Care Center educates
women facing unexpected pregnancies on all
their pregnancy options—one option being
adoption. During the counseling session, they
answer many questions a client may have about
adoption and give her informational resources.
If a client would like to do an adoption plan,
she is referred to several Christian adoption
agencies that she can choose to contact for
assistance.
FBC members can become involved in the
ministry of Starkville Pregnancy Care Center by
volunteering in various capacities, praying daily
for the ministry, or becoming a financial partner.
Their contact information is: 662-324-7011
MISSION SPOTLIGHT
2015 MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
MIDDLE EASTMAY 18-28
RELATIONAL/COLLEGIATE OUTREACH
TEAM SIZE: 8
FORT COLLINS, COAUGUST 2-7
STORYLINE CHURCH
CHILDREN’S BASKETBALL CAMP
EAST ASIAMAY 18-28
RELATIONAL/COLLEGIATE OUTREACH
*PARTNERSHIP WITH CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH
GTBA WORLD CHANGERS
JUNE 22-26GOLDEN TRIANGLE
YOUTH MISSION TRIPJUNE 22-26
MISSION FIRST
JACKSON, MS
More information and opportunities to come in the months ahead. Contact Nathan Taylor for more details at [email protected].
ORPHAN CARE EXPOLET’S UNITE FOR ORPHAN CAREJANUARY 18 | 4:00 PM
Dr. Rick Morton will join us as we seek
to understand the need and importance
of serving orphans in our daily lives.
Opportunities are available for families and
individuals that can make a huge difference
in orphans locally and globally. Plan to
attend this wonderful, eye-opening event!
The Orphan Care Expo opens at 4:00 pm
in the Outreach Center gym and will be
available after the 5:00 pm service until
6:30.
JANUARY MISSIONOPPORTUNITY
18 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1
harlene Callaway has been a part of the First Baptist Church family since around 1970. She retired from her work
at Mississippi State University in 1992. The next year, she came to work at First Baptist as the part-time music secretary, a job which she cherished for 12 years. She continues to use her time to serve at the church during the
week. For roughly 25 years, she has been involved with preparing church mail-outs, as well as doing various other clerical jobs that have needed to be accomplished. She even remembers when they used to do this work down in the old church kitchen. Charlene has two children who reside in Tuscaloosa and Oxford, respectively.
She has continually been an active Sunday school member. She is presently a member of the “Grace/Ruth” class, taught by Marjorie Usher.
Charlene has several fond memories of being a part of the FBC family. She remembers when her son made a profession of faith in Christ at FBC. She has been a greeter on Sundays for about 15 years, and she loves doing it. With a big smile on her face, she mentioned how she loves the joy and expression in peoples face as she greets them at the door.
You can find Charlene on Sundays at her greeting “post” at the main door of the Applegate foyer next to the Sanctuary. Be sure to pay Charlene a visit. She would love to welcome you to worship. She is sure to brighten your morning, guaranteed.
She has a recipe that she loves to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it’s a big hit. The dish is called “Betty’s Apple Ambrosia” and she was kind enough to share her recipe. It is meant to be a dessert, but her family loves it so much they eat it along with their dinner. Be sure to save and use this recipe to make for your family. You will find the ingredients and directions below. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:• 1 cup orange juice with lots
of pulp, or more as needed
• 3 ripe, sweet apples,
such as Red Delicious
• One 8-ounce can
crushed pineapple
• ½ cup frozen grated
coconut, thawed
• ¼ cup sugar
DIRECTIONS:Pour the orange juice into a
medium bowl. Peel and core the
apples, and then grate them into
the orange juice using the large-
hole side of the grater. Add the
pineapple, coconut and sugar. Mix
well, adding more orange juice if the mixture is not juicy enough. Store in the refrigerator until
ready to serve. The apples will continue to absorb juice, and orange juice can be added as needed
to keep it as juicy as you like. (Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood)
SEN I O R ADULT SPOTL IGHTB Y M A R K YO U N G
WELCOME BACK SOC IAL
JOYFUL NO I SEMAKERS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27 | 2 : 00 PM | CHO I R R OOM
F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 19
OUR CHURCH FAMILY
GIVING REPORT
DEC. 7 | $75,440.71
DEC. 14 | $35,376.72
DEC. 21 | $39,573.90
SUNDAY SCHOOLAVERAGES FOR 2014
ADULT | 393
UNIVERSITY | 58
YOUTH | 70
CHILDREN | 79
PRESCHOOL | 91
OTHER | 130
TOTAL | 821
LUNCH BREAK MENUS
JANUARY 7Soup, salad bar, cornbread, and crackers
JANUARY 14Catfish & hush puppies,
baked beans and coleslaw
JANUARY 21Hamburgers, potato salad, and dessert
JANUARY 28Chicken pasta Florentine,
salad bar, and dessert
S TO R I E S T E A MWe tell stories through the help of our volunteer team. These volunteers serve
through photography, videography, writing, editing and other areas. Our Stories volunteer
team allows us to encourage and empower the artists and creatives within our church by giving them opportunities to serve the body
with their various gift sets.
If you are interested in joining our team
go to FBCSTARKVILLE.com.
20 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1
be at this meeting. Important information will be given regarding the NEW Children’s Building and changes in Children’s activities.
FBC KIDSJANUARY 14 | 5:45 PM 3RD FLR. APPLEGATE
All 1st - 6th Graders are invited to join us this semester as we learn to study God’s Word and hide it in our hearts. We will have games, activities and more each Wednesday! You won’t want to miss it!
CHILDREN'S CHURCHJANUARY 25 | 10:30 AM FELLOWSHIP HALL
YOUTHONE NIGHTJANUARY 18
Starkville churches are coming together for a night of worship on January 18 in Lee Hall at Mississippi State. Be watching for more details.
DISCIPLE NOWJAN. 30 - FEB. 1
Disciple Now is annually our biggest event. It’s goal is to help teens grow in their relationship to Christ. This year’s theme is Bright Lights
PARENTS PAGE
UPCOMING EVENTSSUNDAY SCHOOL LEADER TRAININGJANUARY 7 | 5:45 PM
• Adult | Applegate 114-115 Tom Crocker, Lifeway Consultant, will be leading our session on Sunday school in the new year.
• Pre-School | Fellowship Hall
• Kids | 3rd Floor Applegate
• Youth | Outreach Center
SWEET TUESDAYJANUARY 6 | 7:00 PM“KNEAD” TO KNOW
Our very own Vicki Leach invites us to join her in the kitchen as she demonstrates the art of bread making. Home of Vicki Leach - 314 South Jackson St.
HEARTFRIENDS BIBLE STUDY
The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker
Starting Friday, January 9
8:30 - 10:30 am | Outreach Center
Do you feel trapped in the machine of excess? Are you finding that more isn’t always better? In this study, we will look at some of Jen Hatmaker’s ideas about staging a mutiny against excess in seven critical areas of life: food, clothes, possessions, media, waste, spending, and stress. Contact Charity Gwaltney or Lydia Edwards to let us know if you need a book or childcare. HeartFriends is a group open to women of any age or stage in life.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR THE NEW YEARWEDNESDAY NIGHTS STARTING JANUARY 14 | 5:45 PM
• What Love Is - Letters of 1, 2 and 3 John
By Kelly Minter
• All Pro Dad: Seven Essentials to Be a Hero to Your Kids
by Mark Merrill & features Tony Dungy
WOMEN’S MISSION GROUPS
• January 12 | Houston Mission Group 2:00 pm | 208 Shadowood
• January 12 | Reed Mission Group 6:30 pm | 107 Hiwassee
PRESCHOOLSUNDAY SCHOOL LEADER TRAININGJANUARY 7 | 5:45 PMFELLOWSHIP HALL
ZIP RESUMES FOR 3S-K5JANUARY 11 | 5:00 PMFELLOWSHIP HALL
Zip into God’s Word on Sunday nights with Bible study, music, crafts, recreation, snacks and a ton of fun!
MUSIC, MISSIONS, MORE RESUMESJANUARY 14 | 5:45 PM3RD FLOOR RAY BLD.
Worship God Wednesday night with a little bit of singing and basic music skills, a little bit of missions and missionary stories, a little bit of Bible learning and crafts, and a whole lot of fun!
KIDSFBC KIDS LEADER TRAININGJANUARY 7 | 5:45 PM
3RD FLOOR APPLEGATE
This training event will be for all adults who work with 1st-6th Graders on Sundays and Wednesdays at FBC. Please make a point to
from Philippians 2:15. College leaders and our speaker, Todd Core, will guide our group through Philippians. Teens will stay in host homes on Friday and Saturday nights. Matt Collins and his band will be here to lead worship. The cost for the weekend is $55. If you sign-up before January 15, it’s only $45. After
January 25, the cost goes up to $65.
SUPER BOWL PARTYFEB. 1 | 5:00 PM | OUTREACH CENTER
The Super Bowl is one of those events each year where folks are looking for a place to get together to watch the game and hangout with friends. Our Outreach Center will be open from 5:00 p.m. until 30 minutes after the game for teens to come and watch the game. We’ll provide food & drinks. At halftime, we’ll have a guest speaker share his testimony and present
the Gospel.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADER TRAININGWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 | 5:45 PMOUTREACH CENTER
We’ll spend time sharpening our skills as youth leaders and familiarizing ourselves with our new Sunday School curriculum, Bible Studies for Life.
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Thank you for investing in our gospel ministry by giving to the
Capital Campaign so that the next generation can grow in the legacy of faith we have in Jesus Christ.
Go to FBCSTARKVILLE.com to learn more or to give to our Capital Campaign.
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
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