Time With God

What does God want from you? To have relationship with you, to know you and for you to know HIM! How? Each day carve out that quiet time to spend with Him and get to know Him more intimately. Think about those you are the closest with... a spouse, your children, best friends, parents. The best way to get to know them is to spend time with them, the more time you spend with someone, the better you come to know them and hopefully love them! Intimate time is what it takes, like that really get to know you quality time with someone! God desires that with each and every one of us! Are you taking the time to get to know Him? Can you say you know Him like you do some of the others listed above?

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 (NIV) This is one of the first scripture verses I memorized and wow, how powerful that is! Do you have scripture hidden in your heart?

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:22-25 (NIV) Receive all that He has for you!

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
Ephesians 1:17

He chose you, make time for Him today and everyday, you will be glad you did!
Have a great week!
Lisa Hanna
Life Church Franklin LifeKIDS Coordinator

Community

Its a word that we here and usually associate with our town or the area we live in but it means so much more. Wikipedias definition of community is a group of interacting organisms sharing an environment.
Now I am not going to get all scientific on you but lets just say that a community is a group of interacting people sharing an environment. Essentially any time we are together we could be called a community! But, there is so much more to that. We as a body need to be more of a community that shares LIFE together rather than just an environment. As we spend time with people and get to know them better, let our walls come down and let people see us( the real us) we become closer to them.
Brandi and I have some couples in our lives that know us for who we really are. People that we can talk to about what ever and not have any awkwardness. People that have made us better people. Some of these couples are also in our Life Group. When you spend time with people or even better share a meal with someone you are taking things to the next level. When you invite someone into your home you are allowing people to come into your environment. That's were people really see you, they see you in your element.
Are you allowing people to see you in your element? Are you seeing others in theirs? Are you even spending time with other families, couples or Life Groups etc..? What is it you are doing to create community? If we at Life Church are going to continue to have a strong foundation or core of people then we have to do that by spending time with each other. Invite some one out to eat or have them over to your house. Do whatever it is to take the first step towards being a community that shares LIFE together, not just an environment!!

Lets stop talking about it and Be the Church!
Jason

Baptism Bash Video

A couple weeks ago we held our second Baptism Bash of the year and baptized 7 more people. It was an incredible celebration. These are the moments that make Life Church so special to me. Seeing the lives that are being changed by the love of Jesus Christ is just so amazing. I pray these moments continue to happen over and over again at Life Church. Thank you for being a part of this move of God!
Check out this video.
Patrick

Around Life

- I issued a challenge to our church to join in a 3 day fast (starting today) to pray for our church, community and church leadership. The response was amazing and I pray that God is going to use these days to show, guide, teach and direct Life Church to the next level of ministry he has for our church.

- If you are joining the fast please pray specifically for these 3 areas:
1) Life Church Franklin - What is next for our church? Where is God leading us to reach out in our families, work places and community to really be the Church?
2) The Franklin Community - There are many people in Franklin who know of Jesus Christ but few who really know him. We are going to pray God gives us the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus with as many people right here in Franklin as he leads us to.
3) Church Leadership - Pray for me, our staff, our volunteers and elder team. All of us take our roles very seriously and we are begging God to continue to show us how to lead and serve our church and community even more.

- I Believe In You week 2 was an awesome message. If you are a parent you need to really soak this message up and use it. We will have it posted on the church site by lunch tomorrow (Tuesday).

- Our volunteers are awesome, but they can't do it alone. We are looking for more volunteers in our LifeKIDS ministry. I don't have a total final count yet, but we had 43 kids in just 1 of the 5 classes yesterday! You can sign up here.

- We work very hard to create a welcoming and real environment for anyone to come into and hear the Gospel and be encouraged and challenged. The following comments were left on our Facebook fan page from some first time guests. I think they speak for themsleves:

"My daughter, son-in-law, their 3 kids and I (tagged along as usual ;) also attended worship service this morning for the first time at your Life Church. What a spirit-filled church and it was wonderful seeing many of my neighbors and friends there! Thanks for making us feel so welcome! We'll see you next Sunday!"

"Today was my first visit to Life Church and I'm sure it won't be my last. I have NEVER felt so welcome anywhere before! The worship service was amazing and my 10 year old son loved children's church. I truly believe that I have found my home here!! Thank you all so much!"

Praying for you!
Patrick

A LifeKIDS Life

This Sunday it was so amazing to have several LifeKIDS children baptized! God is so good! Wow, what a wonderful message this week from Craig! Where are you in your walk with God right now? As Christians, we are all equipped to be the Paul and the Timothy he referred to. Step out of your comfort zone, make time and find that someone. It could be someone you already spend a lot of time with or someone God has placed on your heart lately. Mentoring will grow both persons! Spend some time in prayer over this and start today!

LifeKIDS Volunteers Rock!! Each week LifeKIDS happens because at least 22 people are serving HIM through the giving of their hearts and time to the children of Life Church! These wonderful volunteers are sowing into the next generation by connecting with these kids to grow into becoming fully devoted followers of Christ! If you are not already serving somewhere in the church, consider how God may be calling you to help sow, connect and grow these young hearts! Please talk to someone at guest services, or check out our web site at www.lifechurchfranklin.com Serving is a fun and rewarding experience!!!

Lisa Hanna
Life Church LifeKIDS Coordinator

Around Life

- We had our second baptism bash this year and it was simply amazing. We baptized 7 people right on the front walk off the theater at the end of our worship experience. People we cheering and clapping and celebrating every life. It is one of my greatest honors to see someone express their faith in Christ through baptism. What an amazing celebration.

- We started week 1 of the new series I Believe In You. If you were a 30 and under person in the building I hope you were greatly encouraged. This was one of the best messages I have on a Sunday morning directly spoken to young adults and students.

- To piggy back on Craig's message from Sunday I want to say that young adults and student are NOT the future of the church, they ARE the church! I have and always believe that everyone in the Church is the Church and we need to quit pushing back the younger generation. I'm only 32, but I know their are younger adults and students that can and will do ministry so much better than I could or ever would. We want you to know Life Church is YOUR church. We are cheering you on and want to see you chase God passion and dream to the fullest.

Have a great week!
Patrick

Life Church and LifeKIDS partnering with Compassion

I am so excited that LifeKIDS classes will be partnering with Compassion International to sponsor ten children from South America! This past weekend the Loop, All-Stars and Motion classes were introduced to their children during class. This is an opportunity for the children of LifeKIDS to see their offering at work! Compassion International sent us a picture of each child for us to meet! LifeKIDS were given the birthdate, name, country and information about how these children live in the information packet! Each week LifeKIDS will pray over the children we are sponsoring and then have a chance to give an offering that will be sent monthly to help sponsor these children! A special offering can has been placed in each of the classrooms labeled Compassion International and an offering time is part of the curriculum each week! Ask your child about the children their class has adopted! Each class has three or four children assigned to them. They range in age from three to twelve years old and were assigned to the classrooms respectively. Parents, please help us to support this ministry! This Sunday a group picture will be taken in each classroom to send over to the adopted children to meet LifeKIDS! All-Stars will be locating them on a globe too!

Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,

Have a wonderful week!
Lisa Hanna
LifeKIDS Coordinator

Around Life

- We had a few more sign up for our baptism bash this coming Sunday! I'm so excited about our 2nd baptism bash this year. We will hold the baptism at the end of worship. Come and celebrate and cheer these people on as they make this outward expression of their faith in Jesus Christ.

- The Tony Dungy interview was so encouraging. What a godly example of a men who really cares for others. His challenge to each of us to be a mentor and find a mentor is one that I totally second. I think we all need someone who is speaking into our lives to build us up and that we need to find someone to do the same to. I hope some of you are finding your mentors even this week.

- I have 3 mentors that speak life into me as a pastor, father and husband. It's been some of the most rewarding and life changing relationships I've ever had.

- Life Groups are in full swing. If you have not found a group yet or want to get involved take time now and check out the groups available. Here are all the current groups listed on the LCF website.

- We have a Life Group for youth (7th - 12th grade) that is blowing up! This group meets every Sunday night and is a fun, relevant, engaging time for any students in this age range. If you are a student or have one in this age group please come check it out. Email Barry and Deidre Breeden at: barry.breeden@yahoo.com or check out the facebook fan page here.

Have a great week!
Patrick

An Insider Look At LifeKIDS

Do you know what goes on in The Fun Factory each Sunday in LifeKIDS? We have a GREAT group of volunteers that give of themselves each week to pour into the lives of these precious KIDS!

- Our classrooms are a fun way for children to become Fully Devoted Followers of Christ!
- Our youngest group is the Safari class for one year olds!
- The Quest classroom is made up of two and three year olds and they are beginning a new set of Bible stories with a series called Play-N-Worship!
- Motion is made up of four and five year olds and they have just begun a fun filled series in the construction zone to learn about how God loves them and that He made them each so special!
- The All-Stars group is six to ten year old students. Each week they have a special time of worship to start their morning and then have games and small groups that focus on how God loves them!
- Our oldest group in LifeKIDS is the Loop made up of eleven and twelve year old students. They are finishing up a series called “The Pour” that has focused on how they can pour into the lives of others through serving!

LifeKIDS is a great place to serve if you are not already serving somewhere! There is nothing that can fill your heart like the smile on a child's face!
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Hope to see you there this week!
Lisa Hanna
LifeKIDS Coordinator