I was reading the book “Gospel Centered Church” by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester and they said something near the end of the book that really caught my eye and my heart.

“Treat people as part of the church even before, in a sense, they really are. it will be messy at times. Church life is a lot easier if you only let respectable, sorted out people into the church in the first place. Other churches may raise eyebrows. But, drunkard, glutton, friend of sinners – these should be badges of honor among those who follow Christ.”

I pray we as a church and a student ministry see through the eyes of Christ and invite those to be a part of our community who the world has written off.   Dr. Ken Hemphill reminds us that, “The church is not the Love Boat on a self indulgence cruise, but we are a Hospital Ship going to were people need the healing touch of Jesus Christ”

Hoodies are in!!!!!!

These make great Christmas gifts and they are only $20.  Sizes available are Small to Extra Large.  See Chet or Patty in the Church Office to get yours!!!!!

THE CROSS OF CHRIST

We have started our Sunday Night Bible Study.  We meet in the Ozone from 5pm-6pm and then have a meal and some fun in the ROC from 6pm-7pm.  From September until May of 2012 we will be exploring THE CROSS OF CHRIST.  This is the study David Platt did at Secret Church and it is POWERFUL!!!

The following is from David Platt explaining what the purpose of our study will be about:

“The cross is the centerpiece of all history. Robert Leighton, ‘The whole world in comparison with the cross of Christ is one great impertinence.’ Everything in history revolves around the cross.”

“Here’s the goal. When we leave, we will go to our homes boasting in the cross. We will see that the only ground for our boasting and anything in this world is the cross of Christ, and we will see that Christianity is not about coming to Christ and leaving the cross behind and moving on to greater truths, Christianity is cross-centered from start to end into all of eternity, for all of eternity the cross will be central. The cross is the basis by which we live on a day by day-by-day basis.”

It is going to be rich and you will be blessed.  I hope to see you Sundays at 5PM at the Ozone.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Every 4 years we give our senior high and college students and opportunity to be  a part of an international missions experience.  In 2000 Fairview went to Puerto Rico, in 2004 it was Brazil, and in 2008 in was Athens, Greece.  Now in 2012 we are exploring going to Cape Town, South Africa.  One of our own, Sarah Cowan, is there a journeyman missionary for two years.  Her supervisor, Bonnie Doughtie will be speaking to our church next Wednesday, September 28 at 7pm.  Afterward we will have a question and answer session with Bonnie in the choir room for those who may be interested in going to Cape Town in July of 2012.  You will also be given some preliminary details at the time of costs, dates, etc.  Remember, this is just a meeting for those who are prayerfully considering going.  You are not obligated by coming to the service and meeting next Wednesday, September 28.

We have had another great summer at Fairview Baptist Church with our Ozone Student Ministry!!!  But it is not over yet!!

Our youth were key at Vacation Bible School and served tirelessly to make sure that the children would have the best VBS experience possible.  We saw several young people to surrender to Christ for the first time and it so joyful to see our youth invest in our children in such a Christ-like, humble, yet bold way.

Centrifuge was amazing!!!!  We choose Fuge year in and year out because of their emphasis on Discipleship.  They don’t have the “biggest” most well-known bands, or the most popular speakers, but they are always just as good, if not better, and are completely Gospel centric!!  We also got to see one of our students come to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior!!  We also saw a lot of reconciliation with different people in our youth ministry and with their siblings and with their parents.  Reconciliation would be the perfect word to sum up our Fuge experience.

Centrikid was a winner!!  I got to spend some incredible quality time with my son, Jake, and have some intense times of Bible Study and application with him.   I also got to spend some great time with our upcoming 7^th graders and I got a jump start on building relationships with them that would normally take another 6 months!!  We have a great core of youth coming into our student ministry and I am excited for the immediate leadership they will bring!!!

Camp McCall was great with Jonah.  He has such a compassionate heart and to just hang out with him for 3 solid days doing “boy” things (zip line, canoeing, creek walk, swimming in Lake Chillywater).  Also to hang out with other kids and dads from our church was such a blessing.  The McCall staff is exceptional.  Those guys are amazing and put in 18 hour plus days all summer long.  It is good for my son to see a work ethic that honors Christ and built on serving and giving others the best camp experience possible.  Plus these guys are so mission minded that it inspires our children to want to take the Gospel to “the ends of the earth.”

Next week we leave for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for PowerPlant.  We will help an African-American new church plant in the inner city.  We will be doing prayer walks, door to door evangelism, feeding the homeless on the street bag lunches and sharing the Gospel with them plus so much more.  Pray that we are ultra-flexible and are willing to do whatever is necessary to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ in a loving way to as many people as possible.  Pray, also that their hearts are open to Christ and they will surrender to Him as Lord and Savior!!!

August 2 we have our Carowinds trip to welcome our upcoming 7^th graders.  Our youth have done a great job of inviting many youth who do not have a church home. Pray that we can begin to build quality relationships with our youth, especially our guests, and that we may show the love of Christ in all we say and do.

• Will Snipes (Our Speaker)

• Hello Soul (Praise Band)

• Salvation for those who have surrendered to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

• Saved students to love Christ more, deepen their relationship with Him, and have a more vivid burden for the lost.  (A non-compartmentalized faith)

• A stronger unity within our student ministry.

• Distractions will be a minimal and drama will not interfere with hearing Christ.

• Leaders to step up and lead by example.

• Safety on trip and slopes.

• Wise choices by our students.

• Peace for the hurting and conviction for the complacent.

Click our Student Resources Tab for information on the Silver Ring Thing coming to North Greenville University on Wednesday, February 23, 2011!!