We have taken the past 3-4 months and really looked at our family schedule and realized we were going through months where we very limited nights without any commitments.  Those few nights we decided we were going to protect for the family.  Looking back, we did protect them, but what did we do with them?  Did we spend time talking, praying, playing & treasuring the family God has given us?  Did we build into the boys Godly character?  Or did we just sit in the same room watching TV, playing games on an iPhone, while mom & dad Facebooked?  Was the time intentional?

I wish I could answer that we excelled…but I am not sure.  I hope some of it was intentional, but would guess a lot of the time was just in the same house.  While eating lunch alone, I decided I would be intentional.  Every Tuesday, a different son of mine will be eating with me during lunch.  We will read our Bibles together.  We will pray for the workers of the restaurant.  We will talk about what God is calling us to through Scripture & challenge both of us to follow!

Yesterday, I took my oldest to get a Bible that is not in pieces from misuse to promote actually reading it.  We read 2 Timothy 1 & talked about the key passages.  My goal is to over the three weeks he is not at lunch with me, to memorize the key verses in that chapter. Then read chapter 2 the next time we go.

  We prayed for Austin (the owner of Pitza 42) and what God is doing through them.  Austin shared the story of how God had shown him the spot for the restaurant, but someone already had a contract on it.  They felt this was the place God had given them and continued to pray.  A few days after being joined by family & friends praying in the spot the patio is now, they got a call and the contract with the other business fell through.  What a great story for my young son to hear from a man living for God & to see God’s faithful provision!

This morning on his own my son read an entire chapter in Isaiah…before I got out of bed.  I am not trying to be a super dad that gets praise.  My heart is to be intentional with my family & all those God brings into my life. I will fall, fail & make a mess of things, but I will not stop! I will continue to rely on the Holy Spirit to empower me to pour out what He has filled me with & intentionally choose to do His will. I also desire to be intentional about sharing this journey with you in hopes that the Holy Spirit will use where He takes me to encourage & motivate you.

We are asking everyone to go through closets & garages to declutter.  We would love to have your tax deductible items for our fundraiser!  We will be looking for donations of working items in decent to great condition.

“Tube”  TV’s, tube tops, printers, tube computer monitors or non-working appliances won’t be able to be accepted.

You can contact the church office 327-3444 to schedule a drop-off time or bring your items by during normal office hours 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM.  We appreciate your support!!

“As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah  62:5b

Girlfriends Ministry invites women to come experience a personal wedding reception celebrating your union with God.

March 10th 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Fellowship Bible Church, The Venue

Tickets $10, Childcare upon reservation $3/child with a cap at $10.

Speaker:

Dr. Angela Webster-Smith is Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies at UCA. In addition to teaching, she serves as a personal coach and consultant to schools in curriculum design, public relations, human resources management, leadership and organizational inclusiveness. Angela serves as a mentor for minority students at UCA and hosts a radio spot, Reflective Living with Dr. Angela.

She is an active member at the Full Counsel Metro Church in North Little Rock. She is active on the intercessory prayer team, the harvest team, and the street evangelism team. Dr. Angela is the daughter of Dorothy Webster and the late Roosevelt Webster, and sister to five siblings. She is married to James. Their blended family includes three daughters, a son, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law. Her pride and joy is her two grandchildren  – - JahZion Ava and Josiah Aiden.

For more information on Dr. Angela, you may visit reflectivelivingwithdrangela.com

The Art of Marriage by Family Life consists of six video sessions and an accompanying manual that provides couples with projects to help apply the principles taught during each session. The manual is also designed for couples to use after the event by offering articles, date night ideas, and useful tips for continuing to strengthen their marriage.

This new resource will help couples in your church and community build the God-honoring marriages that they desire. It also brings a fresh approach to a video event by weaving together a variety of elements that help the principles come to life.

The Art of Marriage will be offered at Fellowship Conway on Sunday mornings at 9:00am starting on February 26, 2012. The cost is $35 for a set of workbooks. Reserve your spot in this class below, spaces are limited to 10 couples.

The Art of Marriage brings together some of the most respected and influential pastors and experts on marriage and family all in one setting: Voddie Baucham, Michael Easley, Dennis Rainey, Barbara Rainey, Mary Kassian, Wayne Grudem, Dave Wilson, Ann Wilson, Crawford Loritts, Al Mohler, Bryan Loritts, Paul David Tripp and Dave Harvey.

As he started talking to the 1800 men in the room about courageously leading their families, he took a turn towards discipleship.  I was pretty excited. I knew he would give great insight into leading youth to greater heights with the Lord…However, as I leaned up in my seat, Dennis made a statement that did not make me feel warm and fuzzy.  He said, “before you even think about discipling someone else, do you have a plan for discipling your own kids?”

Here I am sitting there with my borrowed Ipad ready to soak up rays of truth so I can improve our recently launched discipleship program in the high school & I am confronted with the uncomfortable truth that I have given no, nada, zero, NO time thinking about how to disciple my own kids.  What truths do I desire for them to know in 3 months? One year? 5 years?

Two months of praying and processing what to build into our youth at church & no time in the three kids God has given me!  What a tragedy!  I am setting up my boys to rely on someone else down the road to disciple them from the ground up, because I am too busy building elsewhere. In fact, too busy is an excuse I give for lots of things.  I imagine you can relate? How often in the past two weeks have you used that phrase in any of its many forms when asked to do something?

Well this time I did not say I was to busy…in fact I asked questions of myself, “Why am I too busy to build into my own kids?  What is so important that I am not giving my own kids what I believe the youth I work with need? Who am I expecting to build Biblical Truths into the lives of my kids?” We have a fantastic children’s program at Fellowship & I love Pastor Andy, but guess what, Andy only gets to teach them for an hour and a half a week. Is that all I think my kids need? Do I think I should recruit someone to come spend a few hours with them every week so that they can know Biblical Truth and will be pointed to Jesus?

As I was thinking about all of this, I realized it was ridiculous, I was ridiculous.  I am the one who has been placed in the lives of my sons by God! I am the one who has the God-Given responsibility to lead these boys to spiritual maturity. I am the one who needs to point to the Great I AM and show them their need for Him!  Where have I been?  I have been passive.  I have been lazy. I have been selfish.  I have been unfocused. But NO MORE!

So now my question is where does one begin?

We will look at that question in part 2 click here to read…

So where do I begin?  I have already started.  I have prayed with my sons three nights in a row.  I have repented (turn and go in a complete opposite direction) of my sin before them for the way I get frustrated, angry and do not treat them the way God calls me.  I have made time to read a book called “Giant Love” which is an illustrated book on the Gospel. I have spent hours reading God’s Word.

What is the concrete plan for discipling my 3, 6 & 7 year old?  I do not know, but I will not let that be the excuse that keeps me from moving forward.  Until I have a concrete plan, I will pray and talk about the Lord with my boys.  I will point them to God when they stumble and I will lead our family in pursuit of the Lord.

God has given me three sons. He could have given them to anyone… but He chose me!  I have chosen Him.  As is seen time and time again in Scripture, one faulty, inadequate, messed up individual with Almighty God can accomplish any task that He has been given. 

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 is a fantastic passage on how I should lead our family.  Ephesians 6:4 is a specific call to fathers that I need to be reminded of daily.  I will no longer be to busy or to lazy or have any excuse for not leading my sons to God.  I accept my responsibility.

What about you? What has been your excuse, your lie, your reason? God has called you, God has given you & God will guide you in raising up your sons & daughters… but we have to make time.  We have to accept the responsibility.  We have to courageously persevere as we pursue God & lead our families!  You do not have to walk alone.  As men we need to band together and spur one another on to resist passivity, resist selfishness, resist any excuse that would keep us from fulfilling our God-given role!  Are you with me?

Make it a fun night out!  Married couples, singles, families with children 10 years and older (child care will be available for kids under 10, $5 per child, sign up below by February 20). The movie is general seating.  An offering will be taken at the end of the movie to raise money for Men’s Muster (our annual men’s weekend) scholarships.

We desire to see 100 men from Fellowship join us .  If you want to feel connected to others at FBC, this is the way to do it.  Recharge and learn how God can make your family strong.

The details:

Date: April 20-22

Cost: $149 for two nights, three days, 5 meals.

Scholarships: available if you have a need, please contact Todd at gerdes@alliancecable.net

Who: Men who are 18 years and older

To help celebrate the 10th anniversary, we invite you to also share pictures from the last 10 year’s of Men’s Musters.    We will compose a slideshow commemorating 10 years of building into the lives of men.  You can e-mail pictures to Todd at the e-mail above.

Grab some family members, grab some friends, bring someone you are discipling and let’s join together at this year’s 10th Annual Men’s Muster!

Andrea, Melody, Kayla, Susan, Ashleigh & Marcee (our youth leaders) are hosting the ladies for food (taco salad), fun and games.  Come in your PJ’s and be ready to compete with one another in all sorts of fun!

There is no cost for the night and you are encouraged to bring some friends & your favorite board games with you.  Please fill out below to let us know you are coming.

Ladies please bring a dessert

Guys please bring a Bag of chips & 2-liter

We do ask that if you are picking up your student after the game that you will do it promptly to enable our host homes to straighten their home & be able to get their families to bed at a reasonable hour!  Looking forward to the Big Game!