fp Celebrate is super excited to have Pastor Chris back with us on Monday May 21st.

Please join us at the Pellissippi Campus in the Satellite at 6:00 pm for dinner, followed by praise & worship, and closing with an exciting message from Pastor. This is an evening and a message you will not want to miss. Childcare is provided. Bring a friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker, or anyone else you can think of. Can’t wait to see you guys there!

Celebrate on Monday nights starts at 6:00pm with great food, then a time of awesome worship and a challenging message from a variety of engaging speakers, such as our very own Chad Funk the leader of our fp Celebrate Ministry. Following our corporate time together we have several Celebrate Recovery and Celebrate Growth Groups for you to plug into to be ministered to and help you navigate your next steps toward growth and in your walk with God..

Celebrate is a vital part of the Groups Ministry here at Faith Promise Church. As with all of our groups, we focus on creating environments where people Encounter God, Embrace Others, and Engage the World Around Us.

Hey everyone! I’m Justine- I am the Apprenticing Coordinator for Student Ministries here at Faith Promise Church. It truly is such an honor and a privilege to have this job. I love connecting with people and helping them find the area in their life where they know that this was why God made them. There are many great opportunities at Faith Promise to find your area and if you feel a call to serve in Student Ministry send me an email at justineb@faithpromise.org and I would love to get you connected! Also, if you want to know how to connect with your student and experience Church with them visit www.faithpromise.org/Students to see upcoming events!

I Was Made for This….

Have you ever been to a circus and wondered why an elephant doesn’t break through the chain tied to its ankle and escape? The reason is because it has developed what is known as “learned helplessness.”

Now you may be thinking, what does this have to do with me? Or what does it have to do with my children? The reality is that so many people are living in this “learned helplessness” state of mind that they don’t even realize it.

You see, when an elephant is young and weak the trainer attaches a heavy chain to the ankle. As the elephant gets stronger the trainer doesn’t need to make the chain any heavier because the elephant believes that it isn’t strong enough to move it. Thus creating the “learned helplessness.”

There are many people who are living like this today. Through whatever circumstance or situation, they have been trained to believe that they can’t do something. They develop a learned helplessness towards a specific thing. I believe that this is prominent in the Church today. God has given each of us a specific purpose and calling. Satan, however, comes to steal, kill and destroy- the majority of the time he does this by slowly chipping away at who we are, piece by piece. Overtime creating this learned attitude in our lives, which eventually leads us to where we aren’t doing anything that we were created for.

So how do we change this? How do we reverse this learned habit and stop believing the lies that Satan is telling us? I believe that we need to 1) surround ourselves with people who are speaking life into us. The absolute best way to do this is join a small group. 2) Become intentional in your prayer time. Satan will try to fill your mind of all the reasons in the world of “Why Nots.” He will continue lying to you and the only way according to Colossians 4, to combat those lies is to “devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”  3) Another essential thing to do in order to change this learned effect is to do something that you know you were created for.

My prayer is that the Church would be full of people who are living life on purpose and leaving the things that they are committed to saying, “I was made for that.”

What are the things you were made for? Maybe for some it’s greeting others as they walk in on a Wednesday or Sunday. For others, they may feel alive when they are apart of their students’ lives- not just at home but experiencing their lives at Church and School. And still for others the moments that they feel alive are when they are leading students and helping them experience Christ and watch they grow in their walk with Him.

Whatever it may be, don’t allow Satan to have the “learned helplessness” effect on your life and keep you in the same place forever. Step out, have faith, surround yourself with encouragement, and find that thing that when you leave you say, “I was made for this.”

Few people realize just how much goes on ‘Behind the Scenes’ to prep for fpKIDS every weekend.  We’ve got a team of workers that serve throughout the week turning knobs and pulling levers to make sure the stage is set for every child to have a great fpKIDS experience!

We’re on the lookout for some more outstanding volunteers to join our ‘Behind the Scenes’ team.  Is that you?  Check out all the opportunities below:

BLN Campus

Supply Center Guru – This person invests up to 4 hours per month organizing and maintaining the Campus Supply Center.  Put your OCD skills to work for a great cause!

Laundry Extraordinaire – This person invests 2 hours per week laundering blankets, towels, crib sheets and other various items in preparation for the weekend.  This task is completed at home and the items returned to the campus by Thursday morning of each week.

Room Prep Technician – This person works alongside a gaggle of team members buzzing around the campus getting all curriculum elements, stage props and other various pieces in place and ready for the weekend.  This team serves every Thursday morning from 9-11am.

To jump on board and serve in any of these roles, contact Gina at ginam@faithpromise.org 

PEL Campus

Shipping & Receiving Team – This team of workers compiles and packages curriculum supplies for all campuses.  This role requires a focused, organized person that believes everything should have a label.  Volunteers in this role serve 2-3 hours per week.

Cart Cleaner-Uper – This team member clears all supplies from the curriculum carts and restocks them.  Volunteers in this role invest 1-2 hours per week on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Room Prep Technician – This person works alongside a gaggle of team members buzzing around the campus getting all curriculum & stage elements set up in preparation for the weekend.  This team serves every Thursday from 9-11am.

Home!

The following ‘Behind the Scenes’ tasks can be done from home at your convenience.  As noted, some of the tasks will benefit all campuses while others will be campus specific.

Birthday Cards – This is a campus-specific task accomplished by that artistic volunteer that loves to doodle.  This volunteer invests 2-3 hours per month writing personalized Birthday cards to the fpKIDS at their campus.

Curriculum Prep – This is a global task that benefits all campuses.  If you love to cut, staple, glue or label, this is a great job for you.  This volunteer invests 2-6 hours per month completing simple prep work to ensure our activities are easy to implement on the weekends.

To jump on board and serve in any of these roles, contact Jamie at jamied@faithpromise.org 

For families, the arrival of summer brings with it amazing potential. As you consider summer begin by determining that this approximately 10 week window will be a form of fun and deepening relationships for your family. The following are a few summer thoughts:

1. Plan the fun. As a family plan some intentional fun activities at least one time per week. This doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation. Depending on the age of your kids have a water balloon fight in the yard (my family has soaked me a few times upon my arrival home), go to a park with a picnic; rent a movie (bed times are often more relaxed in the summer), etc. Let each member of the family offer suggestions and perhaps be in charge of developing the activity for a particular week.
2. Plan to serve. One of the best things any of our families can do is to experience serving together. Is there a project or cause that your family can benefit from through service? Whether it’s at church or a neighborhood project, summer provides a window for a new experience. Start serving together.
3. Plan to grow. Summer often provides, because of relaxed scheduling for kids, opportunities for intentional growth. A few possible growth possibilities include:

• Visits to the public library
• Begin a family fitness program. Start walking or play the Wii together
• If you have elementary, middle or high school students, check out the Faith Promise Church summer camps. Camp provides a great setting for our children to deepen their walk with the Lord in a fun filled environment.

Ready or not summer is headed toward your family. Start making plans today for a great summer.

God Loves Me

This week we continue to drive home the truth that God LOVES your preschooler! God shows us his love in so many different ways. The most important of all is the way He forgives us through His son.

Joseph is a great example of the power that lies in forgiveness. His brothers betrayed him in the most hurtful ways. They hated Joseph and sold him, AFTER they tried to kill him! God took all the bad circumstances in Joseph’s life and made great things come out of them. At the end, Joseph had an amazing opportunity to forgive his brothers and walk in the power of God. Because of Joseph’s ability to DO THE RIGHT THING, an entire nation was impacted.

Create a Rhythm with your children by praying this prayer together and actively forgiving others. Teach them that forgiveness releases power in their lives. Talk about ways they can forgive others. Even at their ages they can hold grudges! Don’t let them develop a habit that will cripple them when they are older!

“Dear God, thank You for helping us to forgive others, even when it‟s hard. We know that You want us to do the right thing and that You are always with us. You are amazing God, we love you so much. Thank You, God! Amen”

Elementary (K-3rd Grade)

Responsibility is showing you can be trusted

with what’s expected of you

This week we are talking about our responsibility to choose the right words, with the RIGHT HEART. Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let foul language or unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only words that are good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others. Often times religion gets hung up on the idea that the “foul words” in this verse are what our culture would call “cuss words”.

Words only have meaning because of the meaning we give them. Words are only beneficial or harmful because of the heart they are spoken from. We must bridle our tongues and take responsibility for the words we say. However, the right words will come out of a heart that is right. It takes a lot less effort to say the right things if you have the right things inside, waiting to come out.

Are the words spoken in your home LIFE GIVING? Or do they DEVALUE the person they are intended for? Create a Rhythmwith your student by spending time in the word finding all the good things God says about us. Get those words in your hearts so they become the words you choose to say about others. Here’s a great starting place http://bible.org/article/who-does-god-say-i-am.

Club 45 (4-5th grade)

BULLIES: TAKING DOWN GOLIATH

This week we are wrapping up the Bullies lesson. We have been talking about the reasons people bully, ways to avoid bullies and most importantly how to forgive a bully.

As hard as it might be, your student needs to know that they will walk in power when they walk in forgiveness. The best way to beat a bully is to forgive that person. We want your student to remember that people are bullies because they have something in their lives that is HURTING THEM. There is always a root for the behavior we exhibit, good and bad.

Imagine the End with your student by talking about how they can show love and forgiveness to the bullies in their lives. Even if they aren’t the target, an act of unexpected kindness could turn the tide for a kid who bullies and totally change their lives. Encourage your student to show love to the unlovable, the way Jesus did. There may even be an opportunity for you to be an example for your student! Don’t miss it!

Today marks a unique day in the journey of our family.  As I write this blog post my wife and I are preparing to spend the last day with our daughter before she officially becomes a toddler.  She will no longer be a baby, but transition to the next stage of development.  I am being told daily that this just gets faster and fast from here.

 As I reflect over this past year there is one particular thing that sticks out in my memory.  Right after our daughter was born a dear friend commented on a picture of Elin, my daughter, taken right after she arrived home from the hospital.  She reminded us that children are a gift from God.  She told us to always remember that our kids are on loan to us from God and that we get the chance to show them exactly who God is while they are on loan to us. 

            I love that thought.  It is a reminder that our kids are not an accident, but that they are carefully planned and placed with us from God.  It is our job to do our best to show them who God is through how we live out our lives in front of them.  If we are going to give our children a healthy image of God, then we will have to reflect some key pictures of God in the lives we share with them. 

Picture of God # 1:  Always Present.  Today as I was studying the word, a name of God jumped off the page at me that I don’t always do a great job of remembering.  It is Jehovah Nisei.  This literally means God, always present.  The reality is that God is always present.  He is everywhere we go and his is always accessible to His children.  As parents we must model this to our own kids.  They need to know that when they need us that we will always be there…that we are willing to move Heaven and Earth to make ourselves available to them.  When we are always present in our kids’ lives, it becomes easier for them to know that God is always present in their lives, and a part of their foundation of faith and relationship with God. 

Picture of God # 2:  Unconditional Love.  I love the fact that God has no reason for loving me…He simply loves me.  There is nothing about me that warrants God’s affection and love towards me.  That is the same type of love that God calls us to love our kids with.  At least once a day I will ask my daughter Elin this question:  “Elin do you know that your Daddy loves you so much?”  Then I will ask her this next question:  “Elin do you know why your Daddy loves you so much?”  After a pause I will answer my question like this: “Elin your Daddy loves you simply because you are Elin.”  I want her to know that my love for her is not based on being good, or following my instructions, taking her naps, or playing well with her toys.  I want her to know that I love her simply because she is my daughter.  When she knows that my love for her is unconditional, she will be better able to trust that God’s love for her is the same. 

Picture of God # 3: Comforter.  You know there are those times in our lives where all we need is a little comfort.  There are those times where all we need is for someone to remind us that we are cared for and loved, for someone to simply support us.  One unfortunate fact about Elin is that she does not like to be cuddled.  It is a sad reality that I have had to come to grips with.  The only time that she does want to be cuddled is when she is sick.  Usually Elin gets her bath at night before she goes to bed, but on some days when things are really super busy, she takes her bath with me when I get my shower in the morning.  The other morning I was getting out of the shower and had Elin on my side wrapped in her hooded towel when all of a sudden she wrapped her left arm around my back and her right arm up over my shoulder and laid her head on my shoulder against my neck, and my heart melted.   For whatever reason, in that moment, she wanted to be comforted and snuggled up to her dad.  After a few minutes she perked up and was ready to go and get dressed.  I don’t know what was running through her little mind in that moment.  What I could sense was that she wanted to be comforted and reminded that she is cared for and loved.  It was my honor and responsibility as her Dad to see that moment and reflect to her that God is her comfort.   As parents God is calling us to show our kids that He is their ultimate comforter. 

            I am so thankful for my friends post almost a year ago.  It was a great reminder that our kids are not ours…they are simply on loan to us from God.  I believe that it’s the best loan we can ever have.  As good stewards of the gifts that He has given us, we are called to reflect God by the pictures of Him we show our kids with our how we choose to live our lives out in front of them.  So as you read this post today, what image of God are you reflecting to your kids?  Do your kids have a healthy image of God?  Can they see that God is always present, that He loves them unconditionally, and that He is their comforter through the way you live your life out before them?  I believe with everything in me, that when we take these pictures of God, and start reflecting them to our kids through how we live our lives, then they will have a healthy, biblical view of God.  It is then that we will prove good stewards of these great gifts that God has entrusted us with.

This week fpStudents: High School is continuing the series “There’s No Place Like Home” with a discussion on our true home, Heaven.  That destination is the “end” that we as Christ-followers are all striving towards.  As parents, we must interact with our students with the end in mind, as well.  As such, we have provided this prayer guide to give you a consistent way to pray for your student and their future.  Know that we are praying for you and your family as you lift up your student!

 Please click the link below for the Parent Prayer Guide:

Parent Prayer Guide

At FP we use lots of technology, all the time.  For instance, I am currently typing this on a computer (not pen and parchment).  At various times today I will send out “tweets” from my twitter account (@michaelbwallace) and from fpStudents (@fp_students) to keep info flowing out to the Family Ministry community.  We even have a special text service now for students where one can receive a text a week with special info about our Wednesday night services.  All you have to do is text “PELSTUD” (or BLNSTUD, NKXSTUD for other campuses) to “75309”.  Shameless promotions, I know…but here’s the point:  While we use technology in a GREAT way at FP, I tend to find myself hyper-focused on the tools of technology.  Do you?

While my phone has the ability to connect me we families, students and volunteers at a moment’s notice, what should my response be when I find myself neglecting my own family because I am glued to a device?  The simple response is to just “put it away” but I will be back on it tomorrow, right?

So, I have two questions for you today.

1. Are you using technology as a tool to leverage to make Jesus famous? What I mean is, do you harness the influence you have in your own circles to share Jesus with others?
2. Are you using technology as a tool to distance yourself from others? Parents, are you telling your kids that they are less important than your phone/laptop/ipad? Students, are you creating a techno-wall between you and your family?

I am, by no means, an expert at finding the “happy medium” between using and abusing technology.  What are your thoughts? How are you able to be affective with technology without alienating those around you?

Hello Faith Promise Family,

We have finished up our Road Trip, and on May 9-10 we will begin a vital new six-week sermon series called Modern Family. Can the modern family survive in today’s culture?  The divorce rate is over 50%, and families have never been busier.  There are more distractions and attractions pulling and tugging at us than we could ever count.  Is this really the way God planned for it to be?  I think not!  Join us at one of our five campuses and let’s see what the Word has to say about His perfect design for the family.  Check out our website for service times and locations.

I am so excited about this series and its potential to help all of us grow closer to each other and to our Lord.  You won’t want to miss a single week!  With vacation season about to begin, please remember you can always watch online while you are away making memories with your loved ones.  Internet Campus times are Sundays at 9:00, 10:20 and 11:45 am, and 9:00 pm.

Also, as your Pastor I would like to issue a challenge to all of us.  Most churches experience a “summer slump” in attendance and giving after school is out.  We all need and deserve some R & R, but I firmly believe God will draw new people to Faith Promise and help us grow and thrive during the summer months. Let’s all pray for a super summer as we faithfully come to worship, invite those who need Jesus, and give our tithes and offerings to help ministry continue during this season.  Our God Can!

I love being your Pastor and can’t wait to see all God will do during the next six weeks.

See you this weekend!

Pastor Chris

New Emotional Management Women’s Group starting Monday May 14 @ 6:00 pm.

Join us at Celebrate on Monday nights at 6:00pm for this new Women’s Celebrate Growth Group study led by Luana Blanton.

Ladies you don’t have to let anger control you.

Many things in life can make us give in to angry feelings: relationships gone bad, cross words between friends, difficulties with our parents, frustration with our children. But lingering anger usually hurts the one feeling it more than anyone else.

You can overcome your anger and use it positively in your life. In this group, we’ll learn to:
•accept the truth of your anger
•examine where it comes from
•be honest about how you use it
•be open to change
•be willing to forgive–even yourself
•be willing to feel something besides your anger

We also focus on other emotions as well such as shame and guilt. We discuss self-talk and how that effects our emotions, the use of “I” statements, and negative barriers to good communication. Other topics include perfectionism, forgiveness of others and ourselves, and making healthy choices in nutrition.

In addition to “Every Woman’s Guide to a Managing Your Anger, the facilitated discussion draws on materials from Joyce Meyers, “Healing Damaged Emotions” by David Seamands, Andy Stanley’s ” Enemies of the Heart”, and
“Prayer Portions”.

This New Emotional Management Group can help you face your anger issues, move beyond them, and live the life you were meant to live.

Celebrate on Monday nights starts at 6:00pm with great food, then a time of awesome worship and a challenging message from a variety of engaging speakers, such as our very own Chad Funk the leader of our fp Celebrate Ministry. Following our corporate time together we have several Celebrate Recovery and Celebrate Growth Groups for you to plug into to be ministered to and help you navigate your next steps toward growth and in your walk with God.

Celebrate is a vital part of the Groups Ministry here at Faith Promise Church. As with all of our groups, we focus on creating environments where people Encounter God, Embrace Others, and Engage the World Around Us.

As I was praying, journaling and thinking about what my next blog topic would be I was trying to hear God’s whisper and process what I believe He is teaching me right now.  It should come as no surprise, how God works in our lives. For me, I am recognizing how God is connecting and using everything in my life right now to teach and re-shape me. Whether it is the books I’m reading, the passages in His Word, the current sermon series at FPC, conversations with individuals, or blogs; there is something(s) I KNOW God is trying to show me.  The odd thing is I can’t say specifically, WHAT it is.

Our small group has begun a DVD study based on the book The Circle Maker. One of our assignments was to identify what we believe God is asking us to pray a circle around.   I came up with several for “others”. However, I couldn’t really identify anything specific for myself.  That was quite frustrating for me, being the control freak that I am.  My journal is filled with questions, with pleas, with requests; with thanksgivings…sometimes it’s a lot of NOISE.  When I  joined FPC in participating in a 21-day fast, one thing it had caused me to do, is slow down.  And when I slow down, then and only then can I hear God’s voice and direction more distinctly.  So often, I want a tangible thing, a specific event or action from God to be answered or revealed to me. Give me an action-step, what to DO next.  So often my prayer is “God give me wisdom to “fix” myself or “fix” a situation or even “fix” someone else” so I can have closure and move on.  But finally, in my stillness, I realized it’s healing from the Healer that I desperately desire and need. I am broken and it’s okay. I don’t have to have it all figured out or have a plan. I am a broken mess and its okay. I lay that brokenness at Jesus’ feet. I want to approach each day being okay in my brokenness knowing, believing, living in the fact the Jesus is my Healer. By His stripes I am healed. I don’t have to be “fixed”.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made. What a weight that lifted off my shoulders.

It took a lot a rambling on my part but finally being STILL and listening and being reminded how much Jesus loves me and Jesus LOVES you TOO!

Recently, I had the privilege of taking my 14-year old daughter, Maggie, out on a date. We had been planning and anticipating this special time together for over a month. We both dressed up and Maggie wore a beautiful dress and fixed her hair special. She called it her “prom date” (too bad I won’t always be able to be her prom date). We had dinner at a nice restaurant and had the sweetest time just talking. We talked about her dreams and her future. I took the opportunity to speak life into Maggie and who God has created her to be as well as talk about what I believe God has for her. Maggie and I took pictures to remind us of this special evening.

Dads, if you have a teenage daughter or younger, plan a special night for the two of you. We have an incredible opportunity to show our daughters how they can expect to be treated on a date. More importantly, the affirmation and attention we provide our daughters will likely have a profound impact on how they see themselves.

Preschool (2yrs to PreK)

God wants me to do the right thing!

Elementary (K-3rd)

Responsibility is showing you can be trusted with what’s expected of you.

Club 45 (4th & 5th grade)

“Game Plan For Life” Simulcast with Joe Gibbs and Tony Evans

Join Coach Joe Gibbs via a pre-recorded Simulcast, at fp Men’s Groups Breakfast Saturday, June 2, at 8:30 am in Satellite-1 at the FPC Pellissippi Campus, as he takes you inside Joe Gibbs Racing for an exclusive look into his race shop. You will hear testimonies from men working in the race shop and how the Gospel has impacted daily living. Coach Gibbs will share how the Gospel has impacted his life as a husband, father, grandfather, coach and NASCAR owner. Tony Evans will challenge Men to get involved in accountability and discipleship. Dr. Evans will engage men to fulfill the great commission and make disciples of all nations.

At the end of the broadcast, we’ll break, have some snacks, and sample Joe’s groundbreaking Game Plan for Life 6 week study group for men and provide an opportunity to sign up for new groups on Monday nights, beginning June 18 at 7:00 pm at the FPC Pellissippi Campus. Game Plan for Life is a men’s Bible study with Joe Gibbs that provides an honest look at 11 key issues facing men today.

Guys, we have continued to be blessed with childcare! If you need childcare, please register here.

Featured Guests

Joe Gibbs – Speaker

Joe Gibbs is a Super Bowl winning NFL coach, NASCAR Champion- ship team owner, and two-time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. His Game Plan for Life ministry helps men be successful by living according to God’s Word.

Tony Evans – Pastor

Dr. Evans has served as the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship for over 35 years, witnessing its growth from ten people in 1976 to now over 9,000 congregants with 100 plus ministries.

Dr. Evans has authored over 50 books including Oneness Embraced, The Kingdom Agenda, Marriage Matters and Victory in Spiritual Warfare. Dr. Evans served as chaplain for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and continues to serve as chaplain for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, a ministry he has done for over 30 years.

The Skit Guys – Comedians

Tommy Woodard and Eddie James are The Skit Guys. They have been best friends since high school. Think of them as the wise guys in class who had everyone laughing and managed to make a career out of it. They’ve been teaching God’s word using comedy, drama and whatever category talking action figures fit into for over twenty years.

For past fp Men’s Group breakfast messages, go to past breakfast messages.

“Soaking In The Son”

Please join us for our quarterly fp Women’s Group Gathering on Friday, June 1 @ 6:30 p.m. in Satellite 1 to “Soak In The Son”!

As summer draws near it makes me giddy to think about sitting by the pool or on the beach and reading a book, just relaxing soaking in the sun. We all have been made aware of how harmful the sun can be to our skin, but, honestly, there isn’t much that makes me feel better mentally.

Over the last few years we have been hearing more and more about how unhealthy the sun is for us, but then we have also been hearing about how the majority of people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. As we learn more about vitamin D, we learn that the best way to get it is through soaking in the sun for 15-20 minutes a day. Vitamin D is essential for our health. Since healthy levels of vitamin D protect and promote so many of your body’s functions, a deficiency may mean your body lacks the tools it needs to keep you in optimal health.

Just like the body requires the sun to keep in good health, each of us needs to soak in the Son in order to remain spiritually healthy. Essentially when we soak in the Son, we are in a place of rest where we are waiting on the Son to pour out His Spirit onto us. Soaking is more than a five minute dip. Soaking is allowing ourselves to become saturated and full. By soaking in the Son, we are becoming full of what we are soaking in – the Son’s presence.

When we soak in His presence, we become more like Him. At our next fp Women’s Group Gathering, we will hear from three different women. Each woman will show us, through sharing, that in every circumstance we can continue to “Soak In The Son”. Like Vitamin D – “Soaking In The Son” keeps us healthy. Make plans now to join us on June 1.

At fp Women’s Group Gatherings you will find a warm, friendly, and fun atmosphere providing an opportunity for you to connect, develop friendships, grow in Christ, and be equipped for service. We will have sign-ups for our Women’s Groups and sign ups to serve at the Gathering. It will also be an outreach to other women in the community that need Christ or Christian fellowship.

• Our Theme Verse is “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
• We will not do the elective classes at this Gathering
• Door prizes will be awarded
• Dinner will be served
• Childcare will be provided
• Please register here so that we have an accurate count for food and child care.

fp WOMEN’S GROUPS PURPOSE STATEMENT: fp Women’s Groups exist to help women become who God created them to be in order that they can fulfill their destiny. We will equip and encourage women to connect with other women, grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and serve one another, our community, and the world.

OUR GOAL: CONNECT – GROW – SERVE

OUR MANIFESTO: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” –Colossians 2:6-7

A Special Note To Parents:

It is likely that you are familiar with the concept of the classic film “The Wizard Of Oz”.  In the movie, Dorothy is transported away from her home during a tornado to the magical land of Oz and is forced to find her way back to Kansas.

I believe that many students, if not all, fail to fully recognize the importance of the word HOME.  For some it may be a place of tension and turmoil.  For others it is a place of solitude and loneliness.  It may even be a place of love and laughter!  Whatever home looks like for you, it is likely at best a shadow of the HOME we are designed to experience in eternity. In our new fpStudents series “No Place Like Home” we will dig into the elements of our homes that are mirrored in eternity.  It’s a series your student can’t afford to miss!

As a supplement to this series, we are offering a special Parent Breakout session during the service.  This will be an awesome opportunity for parents of high school students (at the Pellissippi campus) to enhance their parenting process and lead their students to be mature Christ-followers.  These Breakouts begin tonight and continue through this series.

May 2 –   How To Pray For My Student
May 9 –   How To Prepare My Student For Life After High School
May 16 – How To Support My Student’s Dreams

These experiences will coincide with the fpStudents services, beginning at 6:30pm and ending at 8:30pm.  If you would like to join us for the Parent Breakouts, please RSVP by emailing tonjab@faithpromise.org today so we can have materials prepared for you. 

I’m praying for your family and the impact you get to have as a parent!

Here For You,

Michael Wallace

Everyone needs a group of people they can count on!

If you are looking for a group, the fp Groups Ministry would like to invite you to our Group Connection on the weekend of May 19-20. We will have representatives from lots of groups who would like to introduce you to what just might be the perfect group for you. Stop by the Satellite before or after any service on May 19-20.

FIND PEOPLE LIKE YOU…
GROUPS AT FAITH PROMISE CHURCH

Living in community helps us to live life well. At Faith Promise, we believe spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. People who stay connected with their brothers and sisters almost invariably grow. So why not try a group this semester? It might be one of the most fulfilling things you’ve ever done!

The fp Groups Ministry -
Creating environments where people:
Encounter God
Embrace Others
Engage the World Around Us

Series:  The Dead
Topic: Salvation

Service Summary:

This special series called “The Dead” was concluded with a special movie premiere of our newest short film, with a unique zombie theme.  After experiencing this movie event, we discussed the reason that Jesus came to earth.  As Jesus communicates in John 3 to Nicodemus, he didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive!  God sent Jesus so that we wouldn’t have to spend eternity separated from Him, but living with Him in Heaven. 

If you have a relationship with God, at some point your story has told this unique transition from death to life.  At the point of salvation we meet Jesus and our story changes forever.  It is greatly important to tell this story!

Family Discussion:

1. How often do you share and celebrate your story of salvation with your family?  Take the time over your next meal to do this.

Recently I attended the movie “The Lucky One” with my wife Emily. In the spirit of full disclosure it should be noted that this type of movie (love story) is really not my favorite. In fact, my son Zach said that if I went to this movie I would have to surrender my “man card.” While this type of movie may not my favorite, Emily without question is my favorite and I enjoyed spending a day with her doing what she wanted.

I want to share a couple of parenting principles that jumped out to me based on one scene from the movie. In this particular scene a little boy (8-9 years old) had spent considerable time practicing tying a tie for a formal event. The little boy was proud of his hard work and ran to show his dad. The dad immediately began to fix his tie and remarked something like “you need to learn to tie a tie.” Naturally, the little boy was demoralized.

Parenting Principle: Recognize, appreciate and encourage our kids when they have tried their best even if the outcome is less than desired. They won’t always hit a homerun or make straight A’s. If they did their best, recognize their effort. If necessary, we can then focus on how we can appropriately help them. Our words are powerful and can impact our kids for years or even a lifetime. Is it really a big deal if an 8 year olds tie isn’t perfect?

In the same scene the grandfather of the little boy criticizes his son’s choice of suits. This criticism was so similar to the way his son had just criticized his grandson about his tie.

Parenting Principle: We often parent like we were parented. Let’s keep the positive parenting examples we learned from our parents. However, let’s not repeat the characteristics or habits that don’t benefit our kids.

If you didn’t have the blessing of Godly parents I encourage you to seek out parenting role models. While there are no perfect parents, Biblically based parenting is God’s best for our kids.

Preschool (2yrs-PreK)

Jesus is my good friend!

In John 14:1-4 Jesus tells the disciples something very important.   They have lots of questions about what He is saying and are obviously distressed (14:1).  Jesus proceeds to talk about going away and preparing a place for them (and us).  But the most important instruction he gives to the disciples is in v1.  He tells them to “….adhere to, trust in and rely also on me.”

Jesus is telling them that no matter what, don’t be worried, just trust Him!  Stay close to him, rely on him.  He will make it all ok.  Isn’t that what a good friend does?  Your preschooler relies on you the same way.  They stay close, trust we will make the best decisions for them and rely on us at all times.  You are the good friend that they learn about Jesus through.  Sort of sobering huh?  How can we make sure we are the best example of the good friend that Jesus is to our kids?  By letting him also be that good friend to us.

Fight for the Heart  this week by talking to your preschooler about what a good friend Jesus is to you.  Tell them about all the ways He shows His love to you, and show that same love to them.  Let them see you clinging to, trusting in , and relying on your good friend, Jesus.  They will do the same.

Elementary (K-3^rd Grade)

Jesus has overcome the world!

This week we continue with our virtue, Hope-believing that something good can come out of something bad.  Your student will see an example of hope in the story of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (Acts 3:1-10).

When Jesus left, he told the disciples to go about doing good and telling everyone about God.  Peter and John did this!  Everywhere they went they met people who needed to hear and see that Jesus had overcome the world.  In Acts3, as they were walking to the temple, they met a crippled beggar.  The beggar asked them for a gift.  He was thinking money.  Peter had another idea!  Peter got the man’s attention and told him to get up and walk!  Jesus didn’t come to provide a temporary fix.  He overcame the world and all the trouble we might have while we live here!  The crippled beggar was healed and given new life…and he responded by walking and leaping and praising God!  He was now telling others about what God had done…and Jesus’ ministry continues through us today.

Create a Rhythm with your student by making a list of all the great things God has done in your lives.  Talk about them and be ready to tell others! Practice telling each other!

Club 45 (4-5^th grade)

BULLIES: TAKING DOWN GOLIATH

This week your preteen will be learning ways to “Beat the Bullies”.  Goliath was a bully.  David didn’t play his game though.  He established who God was and who he was because of God.  Then he won!  There are multiple ways kids are bullied these days.  We will be talking about real life examples and giving your kids tools to help them win!

You might hear your student say “I don’t play that!”.  That is the number one way to overcome a bully….just don’t play his game!  We want your student to be as confident in God as David was so they can walk away from a bully.  We want them to know that they don’t have anything to prove and that God will always come through for them.

Create A Rhythm with this list of things we can all do when confronted by a bully.  Talk about these options with your preteen so when they are faced with a situation, they know what they are going to do, how they are going to react.  We fail because we don’t have a plan.  Help your student develop a plan so they can “Beat the Bullies”!

- LEAVE THE SCENE

- STAY AWAY FROM THEM

- LEARN KARATE

- TELL AN ADULT

- BECOME THEIR FRIEND

- DON’T LET THEIR ACTIONS BOTHER YOU

- DON’T LET THEIR ACTIONS CHANGE WHAT YOU DO

- PRETEND YOU DON’T HEAR THEM

-PRAY FOR THEM!!!!