Break Down OUR Walls
For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall…
Ephesians 2:14
BREAK DOWN OUR WALLS BUILD HIS KINGDOM UP for more than 50 years, forest hills baptist church has been a beacon of god’s faithfulness. We have seen God do great things, but He’s not finished with us yet. As we prayerfully consider the future of our church, we must
address the barriers holding us back.
Forest Hills can do even better, and we will.
The process will be difficult. It will require
sacrifice. And change is sure to make us
uncomfortable. But we can and will make
room for God to work in our hearts,
our building, and in our community.
We are praying and preparing for
spiritual renewal from the inside out.
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It’s time to break down our walls, so we can build His kingdom up.
THE CHALLENGE
OUR ANSWER
walls, both physical and spiritual.
ourselves how we can become better stewards
The future of our church is threatened by Kids are welcome and loved here… Our space should make that clear. Guests are valued and
treasured... Our visitors should see hospitality in our building. Discipleship through Sunday School is critical to our church… Yet we
have to put our classes into portables, the
Fellowship Hall, and offices — and where will we put new classes in the future?
TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY. IT’S CLEAR THAT OUR BUILDING IS HINDERING OUR VISION TO LOVE GOD & LOVE PEOPLE BY SEEKING OUT, GROWING UP & SENDING OUT DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST.
Over the past 18 months, we’ve asked of the great church God has given us.
As a body, we’ve prayed, considered, and voted to implement a new construction
project that will bring new life to Forest Hills and prepare us for growth.
By aligning our physical building with the vision God has given us, we are doing our "next right thing." Creating new space opens new doors for us to make disciples and reach our community for Christ. We can make way for the goodness God
might have for us by breaking down our walls
and rebuilding a church that better serves His vision.
We need more classrooms. Our hallways
are congested. Our Preschool & Children’s Ministry areas are dated and vulnerable.
Interim fixes have been established, but we need long-term solutions. So what will we do? 3
break down our walls
New Main Entrance For the first time, our church will have a clearly marked main entrance to welcome both guests and members alike. The entrance leads to an open, airy atrium where cherished friends meet and new relationships form.
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forest hills baptist church
New SUNDAY SCHOOL SPACE New centrally-located education space will allow us to increase the attendance of our weekly Sunday School classes by 300 adults. Fully dedicated to the discipleship of believers, this new construction communicates how seriously we take the call to make disciples of Christ through Biblical teaching.
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New Atrium & Renovated Gathering Area 6
break down our walls
Built with a stunning glass ceiling and plenty of room for gathering, the new atrium will act as the "heart" for our church -- a meeting place dedicated to welcoming visitors and fostering moments of authentic fellowship.
In the renovated gathering area, the importance we place on unity is evident...
Gone are the congested crowds that greeted people as they tried to enter the sanctuary.
Forgotten are the days of guests unsure of where to get information on our ministries.
forest hills baptist church
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break down our walls
Renovated ELEVATE Worship Center This modern, state-of-the-art Sunday morning worship space -- with updated fixtures, new lighting, and quality A/V technology -- also lends itself to seminars, concerts, youth events and more; better serving our church's current and future needs and allowing us to better reach our community. Every detail of the space promotes an atmosphere of focused worship and testifies to our belief that God deserves the best we can offer.
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break down our walls
New Preschool HALL ENTRANCE, Children’s Ministry Staircase Entry & Indoor Playground Our updated, kid-friendly spaces will show just how dedicated we are to the youngest members of our church and their families. By providing our children with a space they will look forward to visiting each week, we are helping foster their relationships with the living God. And this is true not just for the children who belong to our church now, but for all those who will come.
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PHYSICAL WALLS SPIRITUAL WALLS
As a church, we pride ourselves on our closeknit feel, but right now our building divides
us in many ways. That is a problem we must
address. But something even more menacing than physical walls that can prevent growth and God's goodness are the walls that may have built up around our hearts.
In this process, we will all be challenged to
ask ourselves, “What’s more important? My
comfort, or the Lord’s magnification?" And, "What’s more critical, keeping the status
quo or reaching the lost and broken in our community?"
As we break down the physical walls of our current building, we must also tackle the
spiritual walls within ourselves. We must
remember that Forest Hills isn’t our church,
it’s God's. The things that matter most to Him must be the things that matter most to us!
Urgently, we need sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and the lost. No matter how uncomfortable it
So we ask ourselves: what actions are most
Obedience should take first place in our hearts.
of Christ?
makes us. No matter how challenging it feels.
That is why this initiative nurtures physical and spiritual fellowship.
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THIS EXPANSION INITIATIVE IS SPIRITUAL AT ITS CORE. WE’RE NOT CHANGING OUR BUILDING TO MAKE OURSELVES MORE COMFORTABLE. WE’RE CHANGING OUR BUILDING TO MAKE AN ETERNAL INVESTMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD. TO TRADE GOOD FOR GREAT, TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF OUR CAMPUS, & TO FULLY BECOME ONE BODY. true to our calling as believers and followers
The time is now to boldly take the next step forward in His plan for us, together!
SO WHY NOW?
We believe physical acts of obedience can
have spiritual consequences. By renovating and recreating our building, we open
ourselves up for spiritual renewal in practical ways. Breaking down our walls isn’t about destruction. It’s about making space to
rebuild, restore, and repair. We want to
remove anything that might separate our church from God’s plan for the future! We are all part of a story. A story of
obedience. A story of faith. A story of
excitement and growth. But to our guests,
our building tells a very different story. As a church, we’re focused on our mission
to make disciples, but where will we put
them? We're dedicated to unity, but where can we all gather? We're committed to
expanding His kingdom on our corner, but
our fastest growing worship service meets in a increasingly inadequate facility.
That is why moving some physical walls is
so important. Showing we care about young families and ELEVATE, transforming our building to facilitate fellowship, creating a
dedicated Sunday School space that invites growth... Our building will either limit or empower us to enact our vision. We can’t wait, and there's no reason to hesitate.
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WELL DONE, GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT
Matthew 25:14-22, 24-29
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents... to another one... Then he went away.
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more... But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful
servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master... I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’
But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not
sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him
and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
In the beginning, God entrusted us with a
little. And over the past 50+ years, we have seen that little increase. Moving forward, if
we are ready and wanting for God to make us faithful over much, we must bravely use the
resources He has given us! We can't hide our talent in the ground. Rather, we must strive to do the "next right thing" out of faith and
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obedience.
AS BELIEVERS, OUR HOPE IS TO SOMEDAY HEAR THE LORD SAY TO EACH OF US, “WELL DONE, GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT.” AS WE JOURNEY INTO A NEW SEASON TOGETHER, LET THIS HOPE BE OUR GUIDE!
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HOW CAN I TAKE ACTION? 1. Pray • Spend time meditating on God's Word • Ask God to prepare your heart and your mind to be faithful, obedient, and bold
• Ask God to reveal any walls in your heart that may be stopping you from experiencing the fullness of what He has for you and for our church body
• Begin to ask God to reveal to you how he might be leading you to contribute financially
2. Plan • Begin to think of practical and creative ways you could find or free up money and other resources to contribute, based on where you feel the Holy Spirit leading you
• Determine the best path to carrying out this commitment, put it into writing, and discuss it with your spouse or family
3. Act • Once you’ve prayerfully prepared and planned, step out in faith and make the commitment the Holy Spirit has laid on your heart
• Guard your heart as you give and remember that every challenge you face during this process is also an opportunity to respond with grace and faith in God’s goodness!
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making your pledge After prayerful consideration, I / we plan to give a total of $ to help renew the campus of Forest Hills Baptist Church. The gift will be given accordingly:
A
B
$
one-time gift during the next 12 months or
$
annually for 3 years or
$
monthly for 36 months or
$
C
other giving schedule (outlined on reverse) or
$
D
gifts other than cash
SIGNED NAME PHONE EMAIL
TOTAL over 3 years
$
Please bring your completed pledge card with you to church on Commitment Sunday, May 21.
HOW YOUR PLEDGE CARD WORKS A
TOTAL GIFT
B
FORM OF YOUR GIFT
The figure you write here represents the full
In this section, you'll inform us of how the
the campaign above and beyond your regular
period.
amount you'll give the over next three years to tithes and offerings.
C
OTHER GIVING SCHEDULE
church will receive your gift over the three-year
D
GIFTS OTHER THAN CASH
If circumstances require you to extend your
Some may find it advantageous for tax reasons
outline your giving schedule on the back.
current value of those assets here.
pledge, write in the amount of the gift here and
to give appreciating assets... Indicate the
Remember to bring your completed pledge card with you on Commitment Sunday, May 21.
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COMMITMENT PRECEDES PROVISION When God called Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac in Genesis 22, He was asking
for something that made no sense to Abraham. Yet, God always has a purpose in everything He does. Among the things God was up to:
1. He was seeing what was Abraham’s first love.
2. He was asking Abraham to sacrifice that which was most cherished by him. 3. He was calling Abraham to trust Him when He didn’t understand. 4. He was testing Abraham to demonstrate his faith for Isaac’s sake.
When Isaac asks his father on the way to the place of sacrifice, “Where is the sacrifice?” Abraham simply replied, “God will provide.”
Just before Abraham took the life of young Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice, there appeared in the bush a young ram. God indeed provided that which was needed in response to Abraham’s willingness to obey the seemingly unreasonable command by God.
One of the spiritual principles of scripture is that God honors those who honor him. When God issues a command or challenge, it is a test of our faith. If we obey, He will honor our
commitment and make provision. Our faith is most persuasive when it is most greatly tested. The Break Down Our Walls campaign offers the opportunity for the faith of every church member to be tested, demonstrated and honored by God. He truly will honor those who
honor Him in ways that are “exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we could ever ask or
think” (Ephesians 3:20). As we lean into the future, learning from the past, may we live fully in the present by offering to God in a sacrificial way to His ministry at Forest Hills Baptist Church.
May every participant in this campaign see again (or learn
for the first time) how truly commitment precedes provision.
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Sam Boyd, senior Pastor
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing... Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.�
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Isaiah 43:18-19
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2101 Old Hickory Boulevard | Nashville, Tennessee 37215 | fhbc.org S A M B OY D, S EN I O R PA S TO R