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Small Group Serves with NHC

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Our Faith Promise small group has been serving at NHC HealthCare in Oak Ridge for the last few months.  NHC provides rehabilitative services like speech therapy and physical therapy as well as long term care for residents living at the facility. Our group works with residents in long term care. We visit and talk for bit, and then we all sing hymns together. The residents enjoy having a friendly conversation, and, whether they sing with us or just listen, they seem to find peace in the music. It is also beneficial for our group because we see different strengths and skills of our group members. Some group members are great at drawing residents out and chatting with them, and others have musical skills that help us all to sing on key. We like that we are able to bring children with us when we visit. The kids get to see adults loving and serving others, and the residents enjoy interacting with the children. Serving together has brought our group closer together, and we hope we have spread some joy, cheer, and the love of Christ.

– Kate Kerekes

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Join fpGroups for Their Upcoming Winter Semester Short Term Groups Beginning January 24th

Join us for our upcoming winter semester short term groups (6-8 week groups) beginning the week of January 24th.

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At Faith Promise, we believe groups are where faith comes alive. As Pastor Chris says, we gather each week in rows but life change happens in circles. The truth is, you can’t grow spiritually without connecting relationally. That’s why we create environments to help you connect with God and other Christ followers. One of these environments is our short term groups. These groups last 6-8 weeks and are a great first step toward connecting with Christ and others in a convenient and welcoming environment. Our short term groups will begin the week of January 24th.

For more information about what short term groups will be offered at your campus, visit the Next Steps area or you can search for Women’s, Men’s, and Co-Ed Short Term Groups Here.

 

 

 

 

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Groups Monthly Focus: Embrace Others

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EMBRACE OTHERS

Embrace others through Biblical Community – we consider each other more important than ourselves, seeking to love one another and be unified in Christ

 

Key verse: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

 

Talk about a challenge. Selfishness is at the core of who we are without Christ. How can we possibly consider others more important than ourselves? Paul tells us we have to adopt the attitude of Christ, who suspended his divine rights as God to become a servant, even to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:5-8). Jesus didn’t value his life over our need for a savior. When we recognize the incredible grace and victory God has given us despite our constant failures, it becomes much easier to humble ourselves for the sake of others.

But what does this look like for a group leader? It means we have to put the needs of the members of our group above our own. While this sounds foolish to our culture, it matches perfectly with God’s upside down economy. C.S. Lewis explains this “principle runs through all life from top to bottom. Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day and the death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.”

Even once we grasp this truth it can be difficult to live out. It’s far too easy to remain unengaged and miss the massive needs all around us. As group leaders it is imperative that we not only consider others more important, but that we also get to know them intimately so that we know their needs. It isn’t enough to pray generic prayers for the people in our group. That means sometimes we will have to get messy, getting deeply involved in the lives of broken and hurting people.

This month spend intentional time trying to get to know your people better. What are their greatest needs? What are they struggling with right now? How can you encourage them and walk through this period of their life with them? Who else in your group can you get to help carry this load? As you begin to embrace others in this more intimate level ask God to open your eyes to see how you can consider others more important than yourself.

 

Questions for Reflection

  1. Why did Jesus humble himself to the point of death (Philippians 2:5-8)?
  2. What would it look like if we began to have that mind of humility?
  3. Why is it so hard to consider others more important than ourselves?
  4. How can you begin to know the people in your group more intimately?
  5. How can you begin to break down the barriers of people who are more closed off emotionally in your group?
  6. How might your group look different if everyone began to serve one another like Jesus did (Matthew 20:25-28)?
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Get Challenged. Get Connected. Get a Job.

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Are you unemployed or underemployed? Are you having difficulty getting companies to respond to your resume? Or are you getting the interview but not an offer? If so, you are not alone.

There are over 10.5 million people unemployed in our country and nearly 35,000 just in this surrounding area; maybe competing for the job they want.  National surveys report that only 30% are in a rewarding job, meaning 70% looking elsewhere as they continue to receive a paycheck; adding just over another 340,000 more people in competition for jobs.

In the KnoxWorx Ministry Career Search Workshop, we’ll teach you what most employers are looking for in a resume and why they ask the questions they do.  Go to www.knoxworx.org and sign up for the next KnoxWorx class. 86.4 % of the people who have learned from these principles find work in less than 140 days.

This is not your father’s way of finding a job,  it’s thinking outside the box.  It’s NOT easy but effective.  So think about what you may be doing and answer the question;  “How’s that working for you?”

Classes will be held on Monday evening March 2nd & 9th; 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 1st Baptist of Concord.  The cost is only $58 to help pay for the materials.

Further questions, email Don Truza @DTruza@TheTransitionTeam.com or call @ 865-693-3193.

KnoxWorx is a partnership of churches, businesses, and individuals working in cooperation to create hope in our community through an innovative approach of providing lasting solutions to the challenges in today’s workplace.

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Get Challenged. Get Connected. Get a Job.

knoxworx

 

Are you unemployed or underemployed? Are you having difficulty getting companies to respond to your resume? Or are you getting the interview but not an offer? If so, you are not alone.

There are over 10.5 million people unemployed in our country and nearly 35,000 just in this surrounding area; maybe competing for the job they want. National surveys report that only 30% are in a rewarding job, meaning 70% looking elsewhere as they continue to receive a paycheck; adding more competition for jobs.

Thankfully, the date is set for the next Career Search Workshop hosted by KnoxWorx, and it is just around the corner.

In the KnoxWorx Career Search Workshop, we’ll teach what most employers are looking for in a resume and why they ask the questions they do.  Go to www.knoxworx.org and sign up for the next KnoxWorx class. KnoxWorx has found that 86.4 % of the people who have learned from these principles find work in less than 140 days.

Classes will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct 7th and 8th, 10:30 am to 5:00 pm each day at 1st Baptist of Concord.  The cost is only $58 to help pay for the materials. Space is limited, so apply today!

Further questions, call  Don Truza, at The Transition Team, Inc. @ 865-693-3193.

KnoxWorx is a partnership of churches, businesses, and individuals working in cooperation to create hope in our community through an innovative approach of providing lasting solutions to the challenges in today’s workplace.