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This Sunday, February 7, is the Super Bowl involving the New Orleans Saints and also Super Connection Day involving the Saints of FBCJ. For Super Connection Day we have a high attendance goal of 2,800 in Sunday School.
Thank you, Sunday School leaders, for all your work in preparing your lesson, contacting absentee members, and reaching out to the lost and unchurched. May we all take advantage of this opportunity and invite someone to Sunday School and worship this Sunday.
The survey ended this past Sunday at midnight. On Monday, we mailed the paper copies of the survey to the data processing company that will be tabulating the results. We have been told this will take a number of weeks to complete and to get the results to our consultant who will give us the results and a report. The results of the survey will be made known to the congregation as soon as possible.
Don’t forget about Shine 2010. This special week of service in our community will begin one Sunday (Feb. 28) and end the next (March 7). On that first Sunday we will have an opportunity for the entire church to participate. We are asking everyone to bring food items to the back of the Christian Life Center where the Scouts from Troop 8 will be helping. A list of food items needed by the local shelters will be made available.
In the weeks ahead, please be looking in the bulletin, Baptist Record, and on the website for all the great ministry opportunities the week of Shine 2010. There is something for everyone! |
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This Sunday, January 31, is the deadline for turning in a completed survey. Thank you for your participation. Thus far, 1,440 people have completed a survey - 1,280 online and 160 paper copies. That’s a tremendous response and we are grateful for your thoughts and input.
If you have not filled out a survey, please take time to do so. You can click here and complete a survey online or you can pick up a paper copy of the survey on the third floor of the church. Remember, the deadline for turning in surveys is this Sunday, January 31.
This weekend we will have Robert Morgan, the author of the popular book, “The Red Sea Rules,” with us at FBCJ. He will speak at our deacons banquet on Friday and then downtown Sunday in the morning services in the sanctuary.
Sunday evening he will lead a great time of Bible Study from 5:00-7:00 in Fellowship Hall East (Going Deeper classes and the chapel worship service will not meet that night). Sunday night he will go through his book, “The Promise,” which deals with Romans 8:28. He’ll speak from 5:00-5:45, we’ll take a 15 minute break, have some refreshments, and then he’ll go from 6:00-7:00.
Two things: (1) please bring some refreshments (cookies, brownies, etc.) to the Sunday evening Bible Study; and (2) I will be taking advantage of this opportunity by preaching at the Madison Campus Sunday morning.
This past Sunday was Sanctity of Life Sunday. I shared at the end of the service that we would be announcing a way this week to support God’s gift of life. The way we are offering is through supporting Personhood Mississippi.
Personhood Mississippi is a voter initiative to amend the Mississippi Constitution to define personhood as beginning at fertilization or “the functional equivalent thereof.” Its purpose is to protect all life, regardless of age, health, function, physical or mental dependency, or method of reproduction.
For the next two Sundays, all registered voters will have the opportunity to sign a petition that would place the Personhood Initiative on the ballot in November. There will be three tables set up in the atrium outside the sanctuary downtown. The tables will be labeled Hinds County, Rankin County, and Madison County. If interested, go to the table of the county where you are registered to vote. All you have to do is write down your name, address, and the county in which you are registered to vote.
In addition, there will be workers near the exits of our buildings. They will not bother you or harass you. However, if you are interested, simply approach them and ask to sign a petition that would place the Personhood Initiative on the ballot in November. Workers will also be at the Madison Campus this Sunday.
Many other churches in our state have already participated in this initiative drive including Colonial Heights, Pinelake, Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo, and Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, among many others. This is a great opportunity for us to show our support for the unborn children of our state and to stand against the lone remaining abortion provider in Mississippi.
Now we know. Many have speculated. Dates have been projected. But now we know for certain: the world must be ending soon because the Saints are GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! I never thought I could write those words with complete accuracy. But it’s true!
The Super Bowl is February 7 but that is not the only exciting thing happening on February 7. That’s also the date of Connection Day in which we have a high attendance goal of 2,800 for Sunday School. Our teachers are working hard, making contacts, and preparing lessons. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and invite a friend, neighbor, coworker, or even a complete stranger to come to Bible Study and worship on February 7. God may use this day to change your friend’s life and then it really will be a Super Sunday! |
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Many have asked how we at FBCJ can respond to the crisis in Haiti. There are two ways to help financially. You may write a check to FBCJ and put “Haiti” in the memo line and we will forward all funds directly to the IMB for the work in Haiti. Or, a more direct way to give is to go to www.imb.org and click on “How You Can Help.” There, you can give online and it tells you that 100 % of your gift will be used for meeting the needs of earthquake victims in Haiti.
Thank you for your participation in the downtown worship service this past Sunday. There was a great spirit among the people. There was a wonderful crowd and lots of energy. The choir and orchestra blessed our hearts as usual. Many of you shared how you had been praying for the service and it was very evident.
If you have not filled out a survey, please take time to do so. You can click here and complete the survey online or you can pick up a paper copy of the survey on the third floor of the church.
In my Quite Time this morning I was reading a devotional book by Andrew Murray. After quoting John 5:44, he wrote something that was very convicting as well as thought-provoking:
"As we see how in their very nature pride and faith are irreconcilably at odds, we
learn that faith and humility are at their root one, and that we can never have more of true faith than we have of true humility. It is possible to have strong intellectual convictions and assurance of the truth while pride is still in the heart, but it makes living faith, which has power with God, impossible.”
This quote was convicting, especially the last sentence, because I like to have strong intellectual convictions and I like to be sure of the truth, but I have to admit that these things can be sources of pride and pride makes living faith impossible. Just something to think about this week.
In two weeks, we will have a weekend with Robert Morgan, the author of the popular book, “The Red Sea Rules.” He will speak at our deacons banquet on Friday, January 29. He will preach downtown Sunday morning, January 31, in the morning services in the sanctuary, and then lead a great time of Bible Study Sunday night from 5:00-7:00 in Fellowship Hall East (Going Deeper classes and the chapel worship service will not meet that night). That Sunday night he will go through his book, “The Promise,” which deals with Romans 8:28. He’ll speak from 5:00-5:45, we’ll take a 15 minute break, have some refreshments, and then he’ll go from 6:00-7:00.
If you have ever been through a difficult time, or if you are going through one now, you will not want to miss this teaching time from Robert Morgan. “The Promise” is a great book that gives hope for the future, regardless of the circumstances.
In addition to his speaking at the church, Dr. Morgan will speak at Aven Hall at Miss. College on Thursday, January 28, from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. He will be discussing “Crisis Management for Your Life” as he walks through “The Red Sea Rules.” This is for everyone in the Jackson metro community. There is no cost and you can contact Lee Cope at 601-922-0066 for more information. If you have an unchurched friend who is facing tough times, this may be the perfect opportunity to point them toward the Lord.
A number of people have asked me about the letter Vicki Heath wrote following the fire at her home shortly before Christmas. It’s a letter of hope and faith and trust in God. You can find the letter on the front page of our website in the section called “Pastor’s Corner.” Click here
If you, or someone you know, are not currently receiving emails from the church, then we must not have your email address. Please send your email address to tsaxton@fbcj.org and we will add you to the list. You may be missing out on important communication from your church if we do not have your email address.
If you are not a football fan, just ignore this section of the column this week. Like some others in Mississippi, I don't know what to do. I'm terribly conflicted. It's horrible and yet it's great at the same time. The Saints are playing the Vikings this coming Sunday to see who goes to the Super Bowl. As someone from south Mississippi and a loyal Southern Miss alumnus, I always cheer from Brett Favre of the Vikings. And yet, I always cheer for the Saints who finally, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, have a legitimate chance to go to the Super Bowl. I cannot imagine rooting against Brett. But I cannot imagine rooting against the Saints. Oh the angst! Oh the confusion! I think I'll just head on over to Dr. Mumbower and get some counseling for this dilemma. Any suggestions?
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This Sunday, January 17, 2010, is a very important day in the life of our church. There will be no Sunday School and one joint service at 10:30. There will be no 9:00 service and no LINK service. We will all meet together at 10:30 in the sanctuary.
During the service, we will hear from Bill Eubank, the chairman of the Growth and Health Task Force. Bill will share with the congregation the process the task force has been through as well as an option regarding our Sunday morning schedule.
In addition, I will share a message in which we examine the challenges we face and the opportunities that are before us.
Following the morning worship service, a new set of Frequently Asked Questions will be made available to everyone. It is very important that you receive and read the Frequently Asked Questions. This document will answer many of the questions you might have regarding the option shared by Bill Eubank. After the service, the Frequently Asked Questions will also appear online at www.fbcj.org.
Please spend the next few days praying for this Sunday. We are expecting a fantastic morning of worship, complete with orchestra and full sanctuary choir. We ask that you come with an open mind and an expectant heart as we spend time in prayer and worship and as we seek to determine what God has in store for the future of FBCJ.
In addition to the joint service on Sunday morning, we will begin our Going Deeper classes on Sunday night, January 17, 2010. If you have not yet registered for a class, you can still do so by going online at www.fbcj.org. It would be a big help to have everyone registered before the classes begin this Sunday. However, if you decide Sunday afternoon that you want to attend a class that night, please come and we will register you for the class when you arrive. The classes will begin at 6:00 pm and so will the traditional worship service in the chapel. |
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I am once again amazed at the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of His people. As of this writing, we have received $360,693 towards our Lottie Moon goal of $375,000. That is an extraordinary amount considering the difficult economic times in which we find ourselves. That tells me God will accomplish His aim of sharing the gospel with the nations and that the membership of FBCJ is committed to the cause of Christ and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
We are still tabulating the year-end giving and the expenses for 2009 and those numbers will be given as soon as possible. In the meantime, I want to thank you for your faithfulness in the area of giving. As will be seen, you have a tremendous belief in the mission of FBCJ and your giving is evidence of your desire to see people touched, changed, and made alive in Christ.
If you have been looking for something to do or somewhere to go on Wednesday nights, come to Prayer Meeting in Fellowship Hall East for a Bible Study I will be teaching. We will begin with an overview of the Old Testament and then move right into a study of the book of Genesis. I think you’ll find this study interesting, informative, and challenging. The service begins at 6:00 pm, but you can come for a meal beginning at 5:00 pm.
Don’t forget to sign up here for the Sunday night discipleship class of your choice. Our Going Deeper classes will begin Sunday night, January 17. There are classes on doctrine, discipleship, daily living, and prophecy. In addition, we will have the classic Sunday night worship service in the chapel.
The Growth and Health Task Force has called the church to a special time of prayer and worship on January 17. On that day, there will be no Sunday School and one joint worship service in the sanctuary at 10:30 am. We will hear from Bill Eubank, the chairman of the task force. In addition, I will share a message about the great challenges and opportunities we face in the years ahead. |
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