Miraclous Recovery and the Love of God from Knoxville to Huntsville @fbcknox

FBC Stories - Link Hudson from First Baptist Church, Knoxville on Vimeo.

Link Hudson serves every day as a husband, father, soccer coach, Sunday school teacher, video producer, and mentor to so many college students. But his powerful story of recovery is a testimony of God's love through the FBC family from Knoxville to Huntsville. He share his story with us today as we kicked off the Fall Festival of Faith.

Living on Deadline

Sometimes you need a deadline, the date that says, "by this time," I'm going to buy the house, remodel the bathroom, purchase the car, make the change.

The only timeline for God's movement is on our watch. For God, we're always living in the eternal now. Any time is the right time. But for calendar-bound believers, having a date on a calendar gives us time to set priorities, change our thinking, commit to renewal, and to join others in the decisions.

From August 22-September 26, our church family will be in a season of renewal called the Festival of Faith. September 26 is "Next Step Sunday." On the calendar, it's the deadline to make decisions to take the next step of faith that comes out of your decisions during the Festival. They might be the decisions that you've been procrastinating longer than the repairs to the kitchen sink. Spiritually, it's never too late. But sometimes there is comfort in knowing that other people will be making decisions on the same day. You won't be alone on Sept. 26, and I'm inviting you to make 1 of 3 decisions: Believing, Belonging, or Becoming.

Believing in Jesus. This is the 1st step for those who have never said yes to God's invitation through Christ Jesus. This decision says yes to Christ and requests baptism as a member of First Baptist. Many parents wait until there children are ready to take this step so that they can share the waters of baptism with family. Others have been wrestling with the decision of public faith for a long time. This is your step.

Belonging to First Baptist. Many people attend church for a long time without identifying publicly as a member. You can choose to join First Baptist by transferring your membership from another congregation or by stating your faith publicly in Christ and planting your life in the church membership.

Becoming a better disciple. After you believe, what next. The Festival offers many opportunities to grow deeper as a follower of Christ. We will offer you a chance to serve on mission, participate in future Bible studies, or volunteer in a ministry of the church. We will have a commitment form available on Sunday Sept. 26 for you to respond to the invitation to become.

Each door of faith is so important and appropriate. Set the deadline to take the next step, and be open to Christ's movement this month.

To register for the Festival of Faith click here.

For more information about the Festival of Faith click here.

Crossroads Ceremony for 1st,6th grade & Passage Children's worship 4 K-1st launches @fbcknox Sunday.

William D. Shiell
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
Knoxville, Tennessee
www.fbcknox.org

God doesn't want to fix u or replace you.U r not a project or an invention.U are created.God intends to redeem & restore you.Sun @fbcknox

William D. Shiell
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
Knoxville, Tennessee
www.fbcknox.org

Diving into the Festival of Faith

I am not a diver. I have tried and failed enough times to take the plunge that the cannonball will have to do. I have learned through enough attempts that (1) I never feel as if I'm ready to dive. The closer I get to the water, the less willing I am to go. (2) I should have started learning to dive much earlier in life. (3) It's never too late to try to dive in.

When do we ever feel as if we're ready for renewal, refreshment, or challenge in life? As a young person, the youth minister did the hard work for us. He placed the event on the calendar, and the parents paid for the trip. But even then as a teenager, I was sort of glad all that remained in the woods or on a college campus. We never feel ready for revival; and when we do, we're usually thinking that someone else needs this more than us.

During times of change, life has a way of handing us gifts. Over the last couple of years, the people of God have sensed the need to return again to Christ and his work again to create us and shape us to become the people he intended us to be when he formed us in the garden. Seasons of renewal set aside 40 days to develop new habits, disciplines, and ways of living surrendered to "Jesus Christ as Lord."

I invite you to pray with me for the Festival of Faith Aug. 22-Sept. 26. During this season, we are going to ask people to make three steps of faith: to Believe, to Belong, or to Become.

To Believe in Jesus as Lord following that commitment with Baptism.

To Belong to the body of Christ of First Baptist Church as a member.

To Become the person that Christ created you to be through the work of First Baptist.

Pray for people who need to make public decisions about their relationships with Christ. Pray for families who are waiting for children to be baptized so parents can join them in the water. Pray for guests who will be contemplating decisions to join us on the journey of faith. Pray for the steps that you need to take to become the person Christ created you to be.And together, maybe we can take the dive.

For more information about the Festival of Faith or to register for a small group, click here.

Deaf @fbcknox: On Mission in Honduras w/ New Life Deaf Mission

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