Deer Park First Baptist by Philip Goodman

WE WILL DO GREATER THINGS It is a daring thought that we would do GREATER THINGS than Jesus. If you or I suggested it, we would be laughed at or called arrogant. However, we aren’t the ones that proposed this amazing idea. He did! Jesus has told us that, if we have faith in Him, we will do even greater things than what He did while He was walking with people on this earth. What does this mean? How can we do even greater things than Jesus? The fact of the matter is that Jesus still has a mission to accomplish on this earth, a mission for the Kingdom of God. The work of the Kingdom didn’t stop when Jesus ascended to Heaven. It wasn’t put on pause. It was handed to us, the church, and we were given great resources with it.

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 1

OUR CHURCHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MISSION IS CONNECTING HOPE TO REAL LIFE Think of the resources Jesus gave us to work with that were not present during His earthly ministryâ&#x20AC;Ś

The Gospel and His own completed work of salvation through His death and resurrection

Himself as an advocate for us before the Father night and day (Romans 8:34, 1 John 2:1)

The Holy Spirit as ever-present counselor in every believer (John 14:16-17)

The greater things we are called to do are the greater things of the Kingdom: reconciling the world to God by reaching people with the Gospel and helping them connect the hope of the Gospel to real life. We are a church committed to greater things. God has been doing these greater things since the beginning of our family of faith. He is doing them now and if we keep focused on the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, greater things are yet to come.

1934

In an abandoned school house at the northwest corner of Center Street

and Highway 225, thirteen dedicated Christians met to form First Baptist Church on September 16, 1934.

1938

Shell Oil Company, owner of the congregationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meeting place, sold the

building to First Baptist Church and members moved it piece by piece to lots secured on Sixth Street.

1955

First Baptist Church occupied its first brick auditorium at 601 Center

Street in November 1955. Within a year, educational space had been added to handle the growth in Sunday School.

1958 1960 1978 1985

A ten acre plot was purchased for the site of a new church building on

Eighth Street.

Construction began on the new church building on Eighth Street. The

congregation moved into the new building in 1962. Educational, nursery, office and food service facilities, plus a gymnasium

were added in a major expansion program. Plans for constructing a new worship center were formulated. The new

worship center was completed in 1987. In 1988 the former sanctuary was remodeled into educational space.

2007

The church entered into a special focus of 40 days of Prayer and

Fasting regarding Renovation or Relocation.

A Leadership Team was formed to

research both options.

2008 2013

The Leadership Team presented their findings to the congregation

and the decision was made to renovate the current facilities and not relocate. The renovation team presented a plan to demolish the middle section

of our facility and build a new one-story facility. The congregation voted to move forward with this plan.

DEER PARK

FIRST BAPTIST

MISSION CONNECTING HOPE TO REAL LIFE!

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NLT)

MAKE A C3 COMMITMENT Connect With God

Connect With Your Church

Matthew 22:37-38 (NLT) Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

John 13:34-35 (NLT) So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Romans 12:2 (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Worship Small Group Ministry

Prayer Word Obedience

Connect With Your WORLD Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Family Neighbors Nations

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NLT Over the past seven years our family of faith has supported many ministries. We encourage our members to invest outwardly in our world. As a family of faith we have made a commitment to give back 11% of our budget each year to various ministries. These ministries are located in the Greater Houston area, Texas, North America, and all over the world.

Total given over the past seven years: $1,011,000 Jerusalem Deer Park/Greater Houston

Mission Centers of Houston Baptist Student Ministry @ San Jacinto College Lifehouse Pregnancy Center Sarah’s House—Women’s Homeless Shelter The Refuge VBS—low income apartments in Pasdena Rose of Sharon VBS Hurricane Ike Relief Primeria Iglesia—Houston Union Baptist Association Church Planting Hosanna Korean Church Church in the Center—Medical Center Lifehouse Community Church—Humble Movement Church—Houston Indian House Churches – Houston

Judea Texas

Bill Glass Prison Ministry Mission Trips - Arlington, Abeline Church Planting Covenant Fellowship—Huntsville, TX

Samaria North America

Vintage Church—New Orleans Sound Life Church—Washington State Mission Trips Mississippi, Montana, Louisiana, Mexico, Canada, El Salvador

Ends of the Earth the world

Timothy Missionary Bookstore—East Asia World Hunger—IMB Lottie Moon Offering Missionary support Yeagers - Mongolia Davis—East Asia Niscavits—South Asia Mission Trips— Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, East Asia,

FROM OUR PASTOR

reater Things is a good way to describe what God has been accomplishing in and through our family of faith over the course of its history. It all started with 13 Christians gathering in an abandoned schoolhouse to organize the First

Baptist Church in Deer Park. It is so exciting to read the story of our family of faith. What great things God has done throughout our history and yet what humble beginnings! God loves to orchestrate Greater Things in the lives of His people. Is that not what we see again and again in God’s Word? There are several common characteristics in each of these stories: people in desperate need, people seeking God’s help and people willing to obey God when He speaks. I am honored to be a part of a family of faith who again and again has witnessed God intervene and lead us through our time of need. Let’s look at recent years. We faced a major decision concerning relocating our facilities or renovating our facilities and remaining in our current location. We launched into this decision making process with a time of fasting and prayer. After months of prayer and discussion a team of our best leaders recommended that we remain at our current location and press forward with a Kingdom driven vision. At the same time this important decision was taking place, our family of faith continued to invest strategically in missions and ministries at home and abroad. We continued to invest our financial resources and our energy into making disciples of all nations. We continued to support church planting in Houston, North America and to the ends of the earth. We continued to support ministries that uniquely and strategically engage in building God’s Kingdom. In addition to giving 11 percent of our budget towards missions each year we also participated in the Blessed to Be A Blessing emphasis annually. In the past seven years alone our family of faith has given over $1,011,000 to Kingdom work outside the walls of our facility. We have partnered to plant seven churches in North America during the same time period. These congregations combined for an average weekly attendance of over 500 people this past year. Several of the churches we partnered to plant are now themselves partnering to plant new churches. In addition to our North America partnerships we are blessed to be able to continue partnering with our missionaries in East Asia. Our missionaries have experienced again and again the Greater Things Jesus spoke of. Since 2010…12,092 people have become new believers, 6,623 have followed Christ in baptism, 265 new churches have been started, 12 new cities have been engaged with the Gospel, 28 new network partnerships have been birthed,

2 million gospel tracts have been shared and over 100,000 Bibles have been distributed. Greater Things are now more a reality in North America and to the ends of the earth because you pressed forward with a Kingdom driven vision to make disciples of all nations and plant churches. I believe God longs for Greater Things to be more and more a reality within the walls of our church as well! On June 30th our family of faith overwhelmingly embraced constructing a new 27,400 square foot one story facility that will address the ministry needs of preschool, children and adults. The current worship center will connect to the new educational facility by a welcome foyer that will provide a strategic area to welcome guests, sign up for ministry opportunities, promote upcoming events and visit with friends. The new chapel, entrance to preschool and children’s ministry area and library will be located adjacent to the welcome foyer. In addition the plan addresses select gymnasium facility renovation and maintenance issues where our students meet and provides office space for our staff. As we enter into this project we will take a major step towards providing our families with facilities that serve as a strategic tool to meet the spiritual needs of both children and adults. The cost of the project is 3.4 million dollars. Construction is projected to begin May 1, 2014 and we anticipate the project lasting 9 months from demolition to completion. On more than one occasion I have been asked, “How are we going to pay for this project?” On Sunday, September 29th, we will officially kick off our Greater Things capital campaign. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been

I believe God longs for Greater Things to be more and more a reality within the walls of our church as well!

doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” The project before us is a huge challenge. With God’s direction and provision I believe we can raise between 1 and 2 million dollars for this project. I am not excited about incurring indebtedness but I am confident that God has directed our church down this path. It is this confidence that gives me peace as we move forward. This is an attainable goal! Here’s how – by placing our faith in God to do it through us, and by all offering God something greater than we’re giving right now. The best way to think of it is like a ladder. If each of us takes a step up to the next rung, we will be able to accomplish Greater Things. Will you pray about that? Will you have the faith to ask God to take you to the next level of generously giving back to His purposes? This is a generosity initiative for everyone in our church, not just a select few. It is for you if you have never given before, and it is for you if you have given to God for decades. This is an incredible opportunity for you to be a significant part of reaching a generation for Christ. He wants to use you! Will you join me in believing in, praying for, and giving to Greater Things?

Pastor Dale 1

Four and a half years ago our church voted to renovate our current facility and not relocate to another property in the area. We are addressing the challenges presented by our current facility through a comprehensive master plan that strategically connects our facilities and addresses preschool, children, adult, and maintenance needs.

THE PLAN

We will demolish 36,458 sq. ft. of our current facility and then construct a 27,400 sq. ft. one story facility that will address the ministry needs of preschool, children and adults. The current worship center will connect to the new educational facility by a welcome foyer that will provide a strategic area to welcome guests, sign up for ministry opportunities, promote upcoming events and visit with friends. The new chapel, entrance to preschool and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ministry area and library will be located adjacent to the welcome foyer. The preschool/childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s area provides both classroom space and large group worship space for both age groups. An indoor play area will provide a space that can be used year round. The new facility will also provide space for our staff offices. The plan addresses select gymnasium facility renovation and maintenance issues where

our students meet. Sixty percent of the gymnasium related expenses are related to plumbing and foundation repairs. We will take a major step towards providing the families of our congregation and of our community with facilities that serve as a strategic tool to meet the spiritual needs of both children and adults. Â Â We plan to begin construction May 1, 2014. The length of the project is projected to be 9 months from demolition to completion.

THE COST

The cost of the project will be approximately 3.4 million dollars.

New Facility 2,770,000* Gymnasium 350,000 Parking Lots 300,000 _______________________ Total Cost 3,420,000 *New facility costs include all demolition, site preparation, new facility, furnishings, landscaping and temporary ABF facilities.

The project will involve sacrifice on the part of our family of faith. The cost of the project will be approximately 3.4 million dollars. We expect to raise between 1.1 and 2.2 mission dollars over the 3 year emphasis.

GENEROSITY LADDER Abundant

Greater things in our faith family won’t be accomplished because the wealthiest gave or because the ones who always give gave more. Greater things will come if every one of us takes a sacrificial, generous step of faith. Where are you on the generosity ladder? Can you commit to move up one rung on that ladder?

Tithing

PRAY

Greater Things is a discipleship process more than a fundraising campaign. It is about shaping our hearts to be the generous, faith-filled people God desires us to be. Go through the daily prayer guide. Allow God to speak to your heart and challenge you. Ask Him what He is calling you to do

Intentional

in this area of your life during this season. Seek His direction, and ask Him for the faith to follow that direction.

COMMIT

With God’s leadership, make a commitment. Don’t just commit to an amount, but to a change. Look at the generosity ladder.

l a n o i s a c Oc

Can you step one rung up on the ladder? What does that mean for your life? What sacrifices does that require? How does God have to provide in your life for that to be real? Make a commitment to take that step in faith.

GIVE

Giving is what takes our commitment and our faith and makes

e m i T t Firs

it real. Generosity is one of the fundamental keys to a Christcentered life. It requires faith, sacrifice, and vision. View each gift you have pledged as a step on that faith journey. Begin by making the first step. Maybe God is leading you to make that first step a leap by giving something abundant. Let God direct that step and give the way He leads you.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 27TH

On Sunday, October 27th, we will have a special worship celebration to culminate Greater Things. We are asking every person at Deer Park First Baptist to go through this process and allow God to shape their commitment and their gifts. On October 27 we will make these commitments together to the Lord using a card like the one you see here on this page. The commitment has three parts.

AResolve COMMITMENT STEP FORWARD IN FAITH to move up on the generosity ladder. Where is your current level of generosity and giving back to God? How is God leading you to move forward with that commitment?

AYouTHREE-YEAR GIVING COMMITMENT will receive a worksheet with your commitment card. Use the worksheet to figure out how ad-

vancing your giving to the next level for three years can have a multiplied effect. You may be amazed at what you can do by simply giving to God in a greater way over time. Will you commit to this level of generosity for three years? Ask God to help you make a commitment that stretches your faith.

AWhether ONE-TIME GIFT you are a tithing giver wanting to give a generous and sacrificial gift or a first time giver who wants to get started giving back to God, you can make a one-time gift outside of your regular giving. This could be a gift of some stock or property, the proceeds of a garage sale, or the fruit of some single sacrifice in your life.

A NOTE ABOUT THESE COMMITMENTS The Greater Things pledges are faith commitments we make together as a church toward the purpose of God. They are not legally binding and can be changed or canceled if needed based on your life circumstances. Your individual commitment is confidential and will not be published or shared in any way.

FAQ How do I participate in Greater Things? First and foremost, pray. Ask God for direction about what He would have you do. Allow God to speak to you through the Bible studies in Adult Bible Fellowship, the Sunday morning messages, and the prayer guide. Be open to how He directs your faith, and respond to His leadership about making a three-year commitment to give.

How soon would construction begin? We will address plumbing and foundation maintenance items related to gymnasium in the fourth quarter of 2013. Mobilization of the contractors involved in the project will occur in April, 2014. Demolition followed by new construction will begin in May, 2014.

When would we move into the new building? We would expect to be able to move in to the new building 9 months after construction begins. This timeline is dependent primarily on construction processes that are beyond our direct control.

How does this affect my regular giving? Any commitment to Greater Things should be in addition to your regular giving to the ongoing ministry of Deer Park First Baptist. Our hope is that every person, whether they have never given to church before or are committed tithers, can find a way to participate by moving their giving at least one step forward to greater generosity.

What should I give? No other person can tell you what to give. Start by determining your current level of giving faithfulness to God and asking Him to show you ways to go beyond that. Look for creative ways to increase your ability to give or sacrifices that you can make in order to invest in the Kingdom of God. Every person has a different capacity to give, and each of our gifts should be generous, sacrificial, and faith-inspired in comparison to our capacity.

What kind of commitment am I being asked to make? We are asking you to make a three-year commitment to give at a level greater than what you already give. No one person or small group of people can accomplish these faith goals by themselves, but there is great power if every person in our family of faith makes a commitment to give to Greater Things.

Can I change my commitment later? These commitments are not legally binding, but they should be real commitments. Pray and seek direction to make a real faith-led commitment. If life circumstances change, you can increase or decrease your commitment to match your circumstances. Simply seek to be faithful to God’s leadership and provision in your life.

Are there creative ways to give over and above my tithe that I haven’t thought of? While most gifts will be weekly or monthly gift commitments, you can also give single gifts of stock, cash or property. This type of gift isn’t reserved for those with large assets. In fact, you may benefit from favorable tax treatment for the contribution of appreciable assets. Check with your tax consultant or financial advisor regarding your specific situation. Additionally, a very helpful brochure entitled “Over And Above Giving” is available to you.

What can my family do together to help the campaign? Make prayer your first priority. Pray individually and together that we will respond to His call on our lives. Pray that everything we do in this campaign will be consistent with God’s expressed design found in His Word. Pray about your sacrificial gift, and have faith that God will provide. Brainstorm creative ways to give to the campaign. Ask your kids to drink one less soda a week or make the decision to eat out as a family less. Designate an envelope or container that should be used to gather the money saved from these decisions and encourage your kids to deposit the money during the week and then count it before giving it to the campaign.

How do I make my commitment? You’ll receive a commitment card that can be turned in during the special worship service on October 27th or mailed to the church.

PRAYER GUIDE

SPIRITUAL

WEEK ONE

S E P T E M B E R 3 0 - O C TO B E R 4

PREPARATION

M O N D AY

SEPTEMBER 30

Are Greater Things Possible? John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. What are you expecting God to do? Do you really expect Him to do greater things in your life, at work, at school, in your family or at church? Are you expecting God to do greater things? Jesus said, “anyone who has faith” will do what He did and do even greater things. Be honest. What are your thoughts when you hear this? “How can I raise the dead, heal, and teach like Jesus AND do it better than He did?” Yet Jesus is the one who said greater things will happen through those who have faith [expect] that God will do GREATER things. Maybe we are not expecting greater things to happen because we do not know what “things” Jesus was talking about. What might be some of the greater things Jesus was referring to? Pray: Ask God to help you to expect greater things in your life, your church, your neighborhood, at school and at work. My Response:

O C TO B E R 1

T U E S D AY

The First Step Genesis 12:1-4 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him. How do we discover what Jesus meant by greater things? We can do what Abram [Abraham] did: respond even without knowing the details. Abram was told to leave his homeland [read as: walk away from everything you have ever known] and the Scripture says, he “left, as the LORD had told him.” The Bible teaches in Romans 4:20 that Abram did not “waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” The first step to understanding greater things is to respond to what God has said. Many times when God calls us He asks us to take a step without seeing the end result. All we have is faith in His promise. Are you willing to respond to God’s Word even when you do not understand all of the details of the greater things He has planned for your life? When God calls you to go is your first response where? …why? …how long? …with what? Or is your response simply, “Yes.” Pray: Ask God to help you be willing to obey even when you don’t understand all the details He has planned. My Response:

W E D N E S D AY

O C TO B E R 2

It Is All for the Mission Matthew 28:19-20 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus helped us understand the greater things He has promised by giving us this assignment shortly before His departure. These words are known as the Great Commission. This is the mission of every follower of Jesus Christ: help each person become a disciple of Christ. We are here for a purpose—to make fully devoted, fully developing disciples of Jesus Christ. Our steps ahead have to be measured by that mission. When Jesus returned to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every Christ-follower (John 16:5-11). Thus, Jesus is present in us through His Spirit, and He can promise, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” So what is greater, Jesus physically present in one part of the world or Jesus spiritually present in millions of believers throughout the entire world? Greater things happen when we carry the mission of Jesus into the world. In what ways are you fulfilling the mission of Jesus in your life? Who is being led to follow Christ because of your words and actions? Pray: Ask God to help you see your world as your mission field and to empower our family of faith to be fully committed to the mission to make disciples of all people. My Response:

T H U R S D AY

O C TO B E R 3

Coming to No Will of My Own Luke 22:42 “…yet not my will, but yours be done.” John the Baptist was a great leader. His desire was that Jesus would increase and he would decrease (John 3:30). For all of us, this is a difficult thing to desire. Are you willing to allow God’s purpose to increase in your life so that greater things can happen through you? What this means is that we say the same thing Jesus did when He said, “Yet not my will, but Yours be done.” Are you willing to analyze your own motivations? For great things to happen in your life, this is a must. Our own agenda can be driven by so many deceptive motivations. We have to come to a place of allowing God’s agenda to super-cede our own. If you are completely honest, what are some of the things you want that may get in the way of what God wants for you? Pray: Ask God to replace what you want with what He wants. My Response:

F R I D AY

O C TO B E R 4

Beware of the Enemy Ephesians 6:11-13 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Many times Christians forget that the devil is not in hell with a long tail and a pitchfork. He is alive and well on planet Earth. Attempting anything great for God draws Satan’s attention. You have to prepare yourself for spiritual warfare. When the Scripture says take your stand against the devil’s schemes, it means prepare yourself because the devil has a plan, trick, method, or crafty scheme. These schemes can come in multiple ways, from simple doubts that you may have, to conflict with others, or that subtle temptation at the right place and the right time to bring you down. As you walk through the Greater Things emphasis, be on the lookout for the work of the enemy, especially in your relationships and your personal weaknesses. Make it a point to be spiritually ready for the attack. In what areas do you find the enemy is seeking to gain ground in your life (fear, temptation, doubt, conflict, busyness, etc.)? Find a verse that answers this particular area and write it down to keep with you always. Use it as a weapon anytime you begin to be attacked in that area. Pray: Ask God to protect you, your family, and our church from the schemes of Satan especially as we go through the Greater Things emphasis together. My Response:

CELEBRATING

WEEK TWO O C TO B E R 7-1 1

GREAT THINGS

M O N D AY

O C TO B E R 7

Looking Back Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Always Bad Psalm 78:2-4 2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old-- 3 what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. Sometimes we are encouraged to forget the past and move on. However, when we look at the past and see what God has done in our lives it reminds us how faithful He is and the great things He has done. When we look to the past, longing for what has been, we can become trapped in an illusion that kills our vision. However, when we look to the past as a reminder of what God has done and how greatly He has provided, then it can give us strength to step forward into the next challenge. The Israelites had a practice of passing along the stories of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise and deliverance. Over and over they would retell the promises God gave to Abraham and Jacob. They would recount the many miracles of the Exodus. They did this not to stay stuck in the past, but so that when the next challenge came they would remember that they served a God who had always been faithful to provide and strong to deliver. God has done many miracles in the life of Deer Park First Baptist Church. It is important that we remember them as an assurance for our future. How have you seen God provide and work in your life? When difficult times come, do you focus more on the circumstances or the God who always delivers? Pray: Ask God to refresh our faith in Him and remember that we serve the same God who parted seas, provided bread in the desert, and still works in our lives today. My Response:

O C TO B E R 8

T U E S D AY

When All You Can See Is What You Don’t Have, Remember Mark 8:16-21 16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. 20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” Jesus had to have great patience with His disciples. Time after time they missed the point or just couldn’t quite get it. When Jesus used a word picture by describing the negative influence of the Pharisees as the “yeast of the Pharisees,” the disciples couldn’t understand His message because they were only focused on what they didn’t have: bread. They missed the big picture because they were only focused on temporary situations. Jesus directed them to remember what He had done. Bread wasn’t an issue. He had shown them how easily He could feed thousands with next to nothing. If we are going to accomplish greater things, we are going to have to see past the temporary limitations of now. We cannot look at what we don’t have. We have to look at the one who can do all things. What limits do you see that keep you from stepping forward with God? How has God already overcome these limits in the past? Pray: Ask God to help us see past what we don’t have and our temporary limitations to see what He can do through us if we believe. My Response:

W E D N E S D AY

O C TO B E R 9

Seeing What Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Thereâ&#x20AC;ŚYet Hebrews 11:8-10 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Abraham had vision shaped by faith. He could see things that were not yet real. For Abraham, many of these things would not even become fully real in his lifetime. But they were real because God promised them. It takes faith to look at our existing facilities and envision a new facility connected to our current worship center. That same faith was demonstrated by both the leadership team that encouraged us to renovate instead of relocate and by our renovation team who after much prayer and planning presented us with a great solution to our current facility challenges. The greater things God desires for our future will involve our family of faith more and more becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. The same faith that was exercised by our leadership team and our renovation team is called for today in each and every one of us. We need the faith to look at what God has put before us and not see what it is, but what it will be through Him. When you look around our community, do you see houses, businesses and plants, or do you see opportunities, people to reach, and promises to be fulfilled? Pray: Ask God to give you the eyes of faith to see what He is doing. My Response:

O C TO B E R 1 0

T H U R S D AY

There Will Always Be Naysayers Numbers 13:27-33 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large… 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report… When we finally decided as a church to renovate instead of relocate, who would have ever thought developing a renovation plan would be so complicated. Asbestos testing, plumbing testing, multiple foundation assessments, HVAC evaluation, parking evaluation, architectural consultations with Lifeway—to be quite honest it seemed like all we received was bad news! I know at times there was discouragement within the team and within our family of faith related to how long it took to develop a comprehensive plan. It is surprising that some did not just give up! The tenacity and faith of our renovation team should be commended! Like the spies that Moses sent into the promised land, some people will see with the eyes of faith like Caleb and Joshua, and others will see only what could go wrong. When God calls you to do something there will be those who say that it can’t be done. There will be those whose response is fear. For the Israelites, it cost them forty years in the desert. It cost them a generation. What will you do with the criticism and obstacles? What kind of voice are you, fear or faith? What about the voices around you? How can you prepare yourself to answer the voices of fear with a voice of faith? Pray: Ask God to strengthen your faith to withstand criticism and obstacles to His plan. Ask Him to raise up voices like Caleb that will give His answer. My Response:

F R I D AY

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Greater Things to Greater Things Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. The three thousand who chose to become believers on the day of Pentecost represented two things: the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of greater things and the beginning of a movement of even greater things. Jesus left behind about 120 believers. He promised that through Him these believers would accomplish even greater things. In one day, the believers didn’t just double, their number grew 30 times larger. However, the disciples did not stop there. They didn’t assume that this was the end of the greater things Jesus promised. It became the birth of a movement. In a generation, the Gospel would spread across the Roman Empire. We have truly experienced greater things as a family of faith, but they aren’t the end of what God is doing at Deer Park First Baptist Church. They are the beginning. We have the opportunity to be a part of a movement of God that changes our community and our world for Christ if we believe. Think about the “greater things” God has done in the past seven years. What would stretch your imagination for Him to do in the next seven years? Pray: Ask God to do exceedingly more than you can even imagine through our church and to give you the faith to be a part of the greater things that He is doing. My Response:

GREATER

WEEK THREE O C TO B E R 1 4 -1 8

THINGS

M O N D AY

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A Greater Legacy Matthew 18:5, 14 5 “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me…14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” There is no way around it; kids matter to Jesus. Children model for us the faith required to enter the Kingdom. Ultimately our children become our legacy. Whether we have impacted this world in a lasting way or not will be determined by how we impacted the littlest ones among us. Our spiritual responsibility to them is clear. We have to invest in them during these most crucial years of their lives. What we do with these little ones will be our legacy to our community. Will we raise them up to love God and know His Word? A big part of the Greater Things campaign is to provide new first-rate facilities to help us reach children and grow them in faith. How does a child’s faith challenge your own faith? Pray: Ask God to give us a heart for our children and the children of our community and to give us fruit in reaching and discipling these children to follow him. My Response:

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A Greater Opportunity to Disciple Ephesians 4:11-13 11 It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. The work of the church isn’t just to draw a crowd and it isn’t complete when someone accepts Christ. We are called to help people become disciples. This means we need to connect them to the body of Christ where they can grow into maturity, becoming more and more like Christ. At Deer Park First Baptist Church the foundation for connecting adults to discipleship is our Adult Bible Fellowship and/or Connection Groups. We have seen many people come to Christ and many more become part of our family of faith, but that is just the starting point. We still need to connect many more to discipleship in Adult Bible Fellowship and/or Connection Groups. It is a crucial step in our mission to make fully devoted, fully developing disciples of Jesus Christ. It is one of the greater things we are asking God for. Are you in an Adult Bible Fellowship or Connection Group? If not, take the step to get connected to other believers for discipleship and community. If you are, take the time to invite someone else to be a part of your group. Pray: Ask God to give us a new wave of excitement for discipleship to reach the adults who need to be connected to Adult Bible Fellowship or a Connection Group. My Response:

W E D N E S D AY

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A Greater Witness Matthew 5:14-16 14 â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. A light is lit for a reason: to shine. The light we radiate, together as a church and individually as believers, is the Gospel. Our responsibility to our community is to be a continual witness for Jesus Christ. We have been given a bright light and a very large place to shine. It is vital to our life as Christ followers that we continue to seek every possible way to shine that light into our community. Although our campaign has a great deal to do with new facilities, when it comes to hiding our light under a bowl our mindset is typically more important than facilities. Our mindset can actually become a bowl! When we are content with what we have done, and settle into comfort, then we have chosen to stop shining. An interesting thing happens when you place a candle under a bowl. Eventually, it goes out. What will we be, a city on a hill or a lamp under a bowl? How is your light shining into the community around you? Are there â&#x20AC;&#x153;bowlsâ&#x20AC;? in your life that are covering your light? Pray: Ask God to help you shine in your community and remove anything that dims your brightness. Ask Him to give us the faith and resource as a church to shine as brightly as possible for the lost in our community. My Response:

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A Greater Work Matthew 9:36-38 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” If you could fly over our community what would you see? Homes. Lots of them. Now think about these homes. Each of them represents a family. There are still many that are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. The greater things we have experienced over the past seven years have only scratched the surface of the spiritual need in our community. We need to have the same heart for the lost and spiritually needy people of our community that Jesus had. The harvest is far from over. We are the workers that God has put in this field. Let’s keep planting, watering, and harvesting, and keep praying that God would send more workers into the field. Stop to think about the people you see on a regular basis. How do you see them? Do you see them as nameless faces? Friends and neighbors? Do you see them as Jesus saw them as people in desperate need of Him? Pray: Ask God to let you see the people all around you as He sees them, and ask Him for strength to do the work in the field you have been given. My Response:

F R I D AY

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A Greater Fruit Matthew 13:23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” A farmer can’t control the outcome of his work. He can tend to the work faithfully. He can plow and prepare the soil. He can plant the seed as carefully and strategically as possible. He can water and feed those seeds, and when the time is right, if God has blessed his faithfulness, he can harvest the crop. The same is true for our ministry as a church. We can’t control the outcome of our ministry. We can be faithful in tending the soil, planting, watering, feeding, and harvesting. We have seen over the past seven years the fruit of faithful labor and faith-filled risk. The harvest has not been a hundredfold but no doubt a greater fruit still lies ahead if we are faithful to the work. How have you seen God use you to plant a seed for the Gospel, nurture a seed someone else has planted, or harvest a seed in leading someone to salvation? Pray: Ask God to give us strength for the work and a multiplied harvest of people whose lives are changed by the ministry of Deer Park First Baptist Church. My Response:

UNLOCKING

WEEK FOUR O C TO B E R 2 1 - 2 5

THE FUTURE

M O N D AY

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Greater Commitment Matthew 10:37-38 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Greater things requires following Christ, and following Him requires greater commitment. Jesus gave us a standard for our commitment to following Him. It must exceed even that of the commitment to our own father, mother, son, or daughter. Who would willingly betray their father or mother? Who would freely sacrifice their own son or daughter? Yet, our commitment to Jesus has to exceed even the strongest of family relationships. The path to greater things comes with greater commitment. Think about your closest family relationships. What level of commitment is required for these relationships? How can your loyalty to Christ exceed these relationships? Pray: Ask God to deepen your level of commitment to follow Him fully. My Response:

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Greater Risk Matthew 25:14-15; 20-21; 24-28 14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.” … 20 “The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” ... 24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and a gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 Take the talent from him an give it to the one who has the ten talents.’” Which servant received commendation from the master, the one who took risks or the one who took the safe route? Greater things are rarely achieved without greater risk. As a family of faith, we have been invested with great potential and great responsibility. This responsibility calls on us to take greater risk for the Kingdom and trust in God’s provision. We are called to leave what is comfortable and safe and invest what has been given to us to return a greater reward for Christ. Faith or fear? That is the choice every servant must make with the Master’s talents. How have you seen risk bring rewards in our life? How have you seen taking the “safer” route hold you back? Pray: Ask God to give you the faith and wisdom to risk what is necessary. My Response:

W E D N E S D AY

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Greater Sacrifice 2 Samuel 24:24-25 24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel. When David needed to make an offering to the Lord, he refused the opportunity for his offering to come cheaply. His statement here is a reminder of what the offering is about. The offering is not about money. The offering uses money to make an impact on our life for the Lord. Greater things often require a price from us. Does God need our money to make greater things happen? No. According to the Psalmist the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. Yet, God often requires a sacrifice from us for the process because of what the sacrifice does in our heart. Sacrifice causes us to align our heart and our life with God’s plan and purpose. It tests whether our faith is real. Giving a gift that costs us nothing does nothing, even if the gift is large. Yet a gift that is costly, no matter how large or small, brings change to our heart and glory to God. Do you give to God out of your leftovers or do you make a decision to give to Him in a way that requires your life to change? Pray: Ask God to show you how you can sacrifice to bring greater glory to Him. Then, ask Him to align your heart with His purpose through giving that gift. My Response:

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Greater Generosity Mark 12:41-44 41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.â&#x20AC;? We often equate generosity with large amounts given. We praise the wealthy who can give massive gifts to charity and have their name put on the side of a building as generous philanthropists. Yet as Jesus watched the gifts given in the temple, it was the gift of a poor widow He found generous: two copper coins. Why was this gift generous? Because, it was all she had. Generosity is defined by our willingness to give with a right heart and spirit. The widow gave a gift that was abundant for her. She was truly generous. The wealthy, whose real goal was public praise, gave gifts that echoed loudly in the treasury box yet made no impact on their heart. Whether you have much or little, accomplishing greater things requires giving something generous and sacrificial. Are people more impressed by the size of a gift or the impact of the gift on the heart and life of the giver? Which does God look at? Pray: Ask God to give you the generous heart of the widow to give back to Him a gift that is truly generous by His standards not the worlds. My Response:

F R I D AY

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Greater Faith Romans 4:18-22 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-- since he was about a hundred years old-- and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” Faith requires filling the gap between God’s promise and the present reality with our action. Abraham lived a life based on a promise that had not yet been fully realized because he was full of faith that God could and would do what He said. He did not wait to see the reward before stepping out. He stepped out and let his faith fill the gap between the present reality and the promise of God. “He did not waver through unbelief” and God called this “righteousness.” Are you waiting on God to show you the end of the road, the reward, or the resource needed for the task? What faith is required to see what you need? To accomplish greater things, we need a vision that requires faith, not a faith that requires vision. What is God calling you to do? What circumstance are you waiting on before you act on that faith? Pray: Ask God to give you the faith to act without seeing, to rely on His promise not what you perceive. My Response:

September 29 The Generous Life, part 1 Proverbs 3:9 (NLT) Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.

Priority

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October 6 The Generous Life, part 2

Investment

Matthew 6:20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21 (NLT) Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

October 13 The Generous Life, part 3 Luke 6:38 (NLT) “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Blessing

October 20 The Generous Life, part 4

Mission

1 Chronicles 29:16 (NASB) â&#x20AC;&#x153;O Lord our God even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you!â&#x20AC;?

October 27 The Generous Life, part 5 Matthew 26:7–8 (NLT) While [Jesus] was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over His head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said.

Love

DEER PARK FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH www.dpfbc.org