Winter Spring Final 2014 cpreslar version (joe

Transcription

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// faith
// community
// service
My Name Is
Audience of One
Atheist at The Gates
A Shift in Perspective
What’s Wrong with Grace
Sound Bites
Ignite Groups
IGNITEMAGAZINE
WINTER // SPRING 2014
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Sharon Swanepoel
WOMEN’S
CONFERENCE2014
@ VALLEY
FRI // MAR 7th // 6:30PM
SAT // MAR 8th // 9:30AM
FREE ADMISSION
godsglory.org
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Rudi & Sharon Swanepoel
GOD’SGLORY
CONFERENCE
@ VALLEY
SAT // MAR 8th // 6PM
ONEICE
SUN // MAR 9th // 10AM
SERV
FREE ADMISSION
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// faith
// community
// service
CONTENTS
Audience of One
08
Atheist at the Gates
10
My
Name
Is
18
His Plan in His Hands
(Creative Director’s Note)
07
A Shift in
Perspective
14
What’s Wrong With
Grace
22
Sound Bites
with Matt Cecil
26
30
Ignite
Groups
Valley Fellowship does not necessarily endorse, guarantee, support, or agree with the health, exercise, diet, and nutrition programs that
small groups may recommend. Please note: Discuss childcare arrangements with the group leader. Ultimately, parents are responsible for
their own children. However, some members of Ignite Groups work together to hire childcare for their children. Given that these
engagements are lead by individual group members and not by the church, those members are encouraged to exercise reasonable care in
their selection and supervision of childcare workers.
IGNITEMAGAZINE
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Valley
Fellowship
Church
SERVICE TIMES
sun8:30am/10:00am
Worship Service
all ages
Worship Service
all ages
Ignitus Kidz Church
ages 4 - 12
wed6:30pm
Small Groups/Youth
231
University Dr.
www.valleyfellowship.com
3616 Holmes Ave, Huntsville AL 35816
Governors Dr.
Bob Wallace Ave.
Triana Blvd.
I-565
14th St.
Tel: (256) 533 5117
Holmes Ave.
Memorial Pkwy.
all ages
WHO WE ARE
Lead Pastors
Greg & Patti Simon
We want to welcome
you to Valley Fellowship
Church! We hope you
enjoy the experience.
Our goal is for you to
connect with God and
with others!
Greg & Patti Simon
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Co-Pastor
Youth Pastor
Carol Simon
Will Umbarger
Worship Pastor
Bookkeeper
Chris Preslar
Lisa Wester
WHAT WE ARE ABOUT
O
ur physical church building is not
God’s house; collectively, the people
of our congregation are a local house of
God. Every believer needs to be planted
somewhere in a local work of God that is
vibrantly alive and in action for Jesus. The
Bible uses the analogy of trees to describe
those who believe and walk with God.
Psalm 92:12-13 tells us that, “The righteous
will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow
like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the
house of the Lord, they will flourish in the
courts of our God.” We want you to
flourish in all that God has for you. Where
are you planted? What choices are you
making?
Choose to connect. Get involved
with people and build relationships. This
decision means you seek to become a part
of the Valley Fellowship Church family. In
order for your relationship to grow and be
connected with the family, you’ve got to
develop close intimate friendships with
those around you.
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ife”
L
w
e
N
into
g
n
i
r
p
S
“
// faith
// community
// service
IGNITE MAGAZINE
igniting faith, community, and service
Creative Director
& Senior Designer
Joseph Mackenzie
Production Editor
Chris Preslar
Senior Editor
Andrew Isley
Senior Editor
Chris Brown
Editor
Photography
Va l l e y F e l l o w s h i p
Chr istian Academy
ANNUAL
AU C T I O N
Jorge Lima
Sarah Annerton
Special Thanks To
PixelMe Photography
Matt Cecil
Barry Dudley
Pastoral Staff
Greg Simon
Patti Simon
Carol Simon
Chris Preslar
Will Umbarger
www.pixelmephotography.com
Want to join the ignite team? Or
do you have an article or story
to share? Maybe you would like
to respond to articles in the
magazine. To get plugged into
IGNITEMAGAZINE send your
responses or articles to the
following email address:
[email protected]
April 11, 2014
Browse with Desserts &
Coffee @ 6:30pm
Auction begins @ 7:00pm
Embassy Suites Hotel
800 Monroe St., HSV, AL
Purchase Tickets At:
valleyfellowship.smartevents.com
His Plans in His Hands
I am excited that you
decided to read this edition of
IGNITEMAGAZINE. This is just
a small bite size portion of the
voice of the people of Valley
Fellowship Church. We are a
wonderfully diverse group of
believers on a journey together,
and I hope the stories and ideas
shared in these pages challenge
you to read the Word, speak
with God, and grow your faith
in community with each other.
Many and great are
the plans that God has for His
people. The Word tells us this
over and over again throughout
the entirety of scripture.
I know many of you have
committed yourselves to fasting
and prayer over 21 days in
January, and like many of you I
was praying for direction to
better understand God’s plan
for my life and the life of my
family.
I can’t speak for
everyone but sometimes I feel as
if God hasn’t spoken to me for
some time or I haven’t
specifically felt His presence in
some tangible way.
I was speaking to my
brother-in-law Mark Sanchez,
who pastors a church in New
Hampshire, about this and he
shared something with me that
really opened my mind.
He went through a
similar season of seemingly not
hearing or perceiving God’s
tangible presence and he asked
God why he didn’t feel Him?
God responded with “You did.
When I said I would never leave
you nor forsake you, I didn’t
promise you would feel me all
the time. Sometimes when you
don’t feel Me, that is my
faithfulness carrying you.”
This blew my mind.
Sometimes, I find myself always
looking for a feeling of Him, or
another amazing higher level.
When in actuality, He is at work
at all times causing all things to
work together for good for those
who love the Lord.
I still long to know His
plans for my family especially as
it has grown by one; my son
Ray. One thing is for sure. He is
always there, always with us,
always protecting us and even if
He sees fit to keep me living day
to day with no revelation of
tomorrow. I choose to walk in
faith and trust His Plans, in His
Hands.
Joe MacKenzie is the Creative Director behind
Ignite Magazine. His passion is worship, and
his heart is to improve communication
through design. He has been married to his
beautiful wife Christy for 6 years now and
attending Valley for over 2 years.
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WHERE DO
YOU SERVE?
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Audience Of One
by: Greg Simon
Read more online www.pastorgreg.org
Are
you living before One Audience – the Lord Jesus Christ?
To what audience are you playing? You will either play
to an Audience of One or to an audience of many. Do
you desire to please God or impress people?
When you aren’t seeking to be noticed or publicized or praised, you
are released to accomplish great things for God’s Kingdom. Perhaps that is the
reason Valley Fellowship Church has made such a significant impact – we want
to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in the Tennessee Valley and around the world.
We don’t do what we do to be praised. We want to see Jesus exalted!
Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth, but His essential audience was
not people who surrounded Him. Jesus said, “I always do the things that are
pleasing to Him [Heavenly Father].” (John 8:29b NASB) Jesus wasn’t interested
in crowd approval (John 5:44) and He rebuked His listeners, “How could you
possibly believe? You like to have your friends praise you, and you don’t care
about praise that the only God can give!” (John 5:44 CEV)
“Most of us, whether we are aware of it or not, do things with an eye to
the approval of some audience or other. The question is not whether we
have an audience but which audience we have... A life lived listening to
the decisive call of God is a life lived before one audience that trumps all
others – the Audience of One.”
(Os Guinness, The Call, p. 70)
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Paul was a God-pleaser, not a manpleaser. I agree with Kent Hughes’
assessment that “Paul would have loved Eric
Liddell—the runner who placed spiritual
conviction and loyalty to Christ above
Olympic or national glory!” (Acts: The
Church Afire, p. 289) Paul lived his life before
an Audience of One. Consider his words:
praise. Employees perform for a boss or will
be fired. Students adjust to the wishes of a
teacher. Writers heed their readers, putting
pen to what sells. Basketball players respond
to fans, drawing energy, heart to play.
Teenagers play to their peers, claiming to be
an individual, yet listening to what others
listen, dressing to fit the trends even styling
their hair like their cliché. Have you
noticed how your audience shapes your
“We do not aim to please men, but to please
life?
God who knows us through and through.” (1
The Puritans lived as if
they
had
swallowed
gyroscopes; we
Thessalonians 2:4 PHILLIPS)
modern Christians live as if we have
swallowed Gallup polls. Or as Martin
“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the
Luther King wrote in his Letter from
approval of people, but of God. If pleasing
Birmingham Jail, “in those days the
church was not merely a thermometer
people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s
that recorded the ideas and principles of
servant.” (Galatians 1:10 NLT)
popular opinion; it was a thermostat
that transformed the mores of society.”
Leaders or panderers? Gyroscope or
“Be assured that when we speak to you we’re
Gallup poll? Thermostat or
not after crowd approval—only God
thermometer? Only those who practice
approval.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4 MSG)
the presence of the Audience of One
The Gospel of John criticizes the
leaders of Jesus’ day who “were more
concerned about what people thought of
them than about what God thought of
them.” (John 12:43 GW) Are you playing
your life before an Audience of One, or
playing before many: your peers, your
neighbors, your mentors, your family? Who
you choose as your audience has a
tremendous impact upon your life.
People adjust their lifestyle based
upon the people around them. Children
attune their own tastes, pursuing parental
can hope to attain the former and escape
the latter. (The Call, p. 73)
To live before an Audience of One
is to consider what He thinks as what counts
the most. Satisfying life results from pleasing
God, not pouring out your energy for
temporal praise. Seeking to live for an
Audience of One — the Lord Jesus Christ —
liberates you from operating out of a
response to what others say about you. Make
the decision now to surrender your life and
your lifestyle to the Lord. Ultimate success is
not fame, fortune, or power, but hearing
God’s commendation, “Well done, good and
faithful servant!”
Greg Simon is the senior pastor at Valley Fellowship. He
joined the VFC staff in 1988 and became co-pastor with
his mother after the death of his father in 1993. You
can follow Greg Simon on Twitter @GregLovesPatti or
you can check out his blog at www.pastorgreg.org.
IGNITEMAGAZINE
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ATHEIST AT THE GATES
by: Chris Brown
It
was the morning of the Valley
Fellowship Labor Day BBQ when I
was walking into church and
spotted two of our ushers speaking
to a young man in jeans and a
black t-shirt. The Holy Spirit led me to join
the conversation, and I prayed that He guide
my words as I walked over. “Christianity
disgusts me,” was the first thing I heard the
young man say as I approached the ongoing
conversation in the parking lot. I introduced
myself and reached out to shake his hand; he
reluctantly shook and introduced himself as
Bobby (not his real name). I gathered he was
a UAH student and quickly learned that he
was working on a Ph.D. in the same
department I had graduated from 10 years
earlier.
“I’m just here for the free food,”
Bobby said when I asked why he was here.
He had gotten a card about the BBQ during
a campus outreach the day before.
“There are plenty of places to get
free food without coming to a place that
IGNITEMAGAZINE
disgusts you,” I replied, knowing that wasn’t
the real reason he had come. “I just like to
troll,” he said.
I responded, “You either really like
to argue, as you say, or you’re here looking for
some truth you’ve never heard before.”
He denied that possibility
vehemently, of course, then went back to
attacking Christianity, saying, “You know
Odin was crucified for nine days, Jesus only a
few hours, shouldn’t you be worshipping
Odin?” In Norse mythology Odin crucified
himself for nine days in pursuit of wisdom,
but Bobby was not deterred by the lack of
witnesses to that monumental occasion.
One of the ushers related a time
that Jesus appeared to him and ultimately
healed a person he was praying for. “Brahma
appears to many people,” Bobby replied. The
Hindu god of creation is claimed to appear to
many, but there seem to be as few witnesses to
that as to Odin’s crucifixion. As to the
healing, that was a statistical anomaly,
Bobby’s answer for any kind of miracle. In
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case it might not have been a statistical
became one of the greatest Christian authors
anomaly, he made sure to accuse the usher of of our time. That wasn’t the first time Bobby
having used psychotropic drugs.
used the word moron to describe his present
“If someone had a limb severed and company or any other Christian. Nonetheless
it grew back, or if the sky goes black and
I promised to bring him a copy of
lights spell out ‘Bobby you’re wrong,’ I would McDowell’s extremely dense volume,
believe that,” he said.
Evidence That Demands a Verdict. I pointed
“No you wouldn’t,” I replied, “You
out some very smart people that follow
would simply come up with more and more
Christ, including several of his professors,
incredible explanations for how it happened
and Bobby was forced to backpedal a little
naturally.” That is, after all, why God doesn’t
bit. Ironically the copy of McDowell’s book I
reveal himself any more than the myriad
hope to give him was given to me by a UAH
ways he already
professor in his
does, because the
“Christianity disgusts me,” department. I
hard heart will
pointed out that
was the first thing I heard
believe no sign or
Bobby’s posture
wonder.
and body language
the young man say..
He
had changed as his
asked why he
guard dropped,
should believe Jesus even existed, and I
and he ran out of credible arguments, which
described the many manuscripts and ancient
he of course denied. Sensing a bit of
texts of those who witnessed those events.
exasperation as he exhausted his supply of
“Why should I believe any of those?”
rehearsed lines, I told Bobby I was going to
“Year after year, these people were
test whether he was really there for the free
killed in the most horrible ways,” I replied,
food. I offered him a little money to go
“Don’t you think by the 10th, 11th, 12th guy
somewhere and eat right then. He was
someone would have said ‘OK, I made it all
backed into a corner, and he had no choice
up, don’t kill me’?” He invoked Occam’s
but to take the money, which he did as he
razor for what had to be the 20th time and
stormed off. Of course he couldn’t come to
brought his more likely explanation, saying
the BBQ after that, but I believe he left with
plenty of people in cults convince themselves
a lot more to think about this way.
something is true. All I could do was laugh,
I don’t know how the Bobby story
point out he was on the wrong side of
ends. Maybe he’ll be the next Josh
Occam with that wild assertion, and that it
McDowell. It’s more likely he’ll go on being
took a lot more faith to believe in all of his
that typical hard-hearted, arrogant, angry
statistical anomalies
than it did to believe in
my Jesus.
“I find all
Christian apologists to
be morons,” Bobby said
in reply to my
description of Josh
McDowell. McDowell
famously set out to
refute any factual basis
to Christianity, and in
the end not only
became a Christian but
12
atheist. He certainly didn’t appreciate his
arrogance being pointed out, and he had no
interest in talking about his own past, saying
things like, “I went to church as a child, but
stopped when I started reading and learned
to think for myself ”; that was the most he
would say about his background. I doubt I’ll
ever know anything more about his
experience in church before or where he goes
from now.
Why have I spent the last 900 words
telling you about the conversation we had
with Bobby in the church parking lot? Jesus
spoke more than once about people’s hearts
being hardened. Bobby was a young man so
hardened against Jesus that he drove all the
way to a church on a Sunday morning for no
reason other than to pick a fight with
Christians and call them rude names. We
have a college campus, a city and a nation
filled with people like Bobby. We should be
ready to answer people like him on a regular
basis. Being mocked and called names is
hardly the level of persecution many face,
but it will be challenging for many of us. We
must respond with the love of God, no
matter how offensive a person’s words are.
We must prepare ourselves for many more
like Bobby to show up either at our church or
somewhere else in our lives.
“We must respond with the love of God, no
matter how offensive a person’s words are.”
Chris Brown is an Aerospace Engineer by day, student
and entrepreneur by night, and amateur writer whenever
his wife and daughter allow. He and his family have been
attending Valley Fellowship for six years.
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Valley Fellowship Christian Academy
Little Valley Academy provides loving care and academic enrichment for
children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old. Space is limited. We would love to see
your little one growing with us soon!
For more information go to: www.valleyfellowship.com
14
A Shift in
Perspective
by: Barry Dudley
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Picture this: You get some
free tickets to see your favorite team
play in the nearest major city. It’s all
very last minute, but you never pass up
this kind of chance, so you throw some
things together, find another willing
friend, and hop in the car. On your
way there, you make a wrong turn,
and you end up God knows where.
It’s filthy. You can almost taste the
smog blowing through the vents of
your car. The walls on every building
seem to be swallowed up by graffiti.
There’s a car with a tire missing,
presumably left to be impounded by its
owner. As you stop at a run-down gas
station to ask for directions, you can’t
help noticing a young man standing
around the corner of the entrance.
His black baseball cap is turned
sideways and worn at his eyebrows;
the shadow from the brim makes it
difficult to make any eye contact with
him. His small frame is hidden in the
hooded sweatshirt two sizes two big,
and baggy jeans sagging too low to be
comfortable. Even his gray work boots
seem too big for him. He looks right
past you.
You immediately pick up on
his nervous energy as he glances over
his shoulder and back around, taking
in his entire environment. Another
car pulls in the vacant parking spot
next to his. The engine remains
running as the occupants remain in
the car. The nervous looking young
man greets them with a nod, some
words you wouldn’t hear at Sunday
service, and a hand shake you might
see in any high-security prison yard.
After leaning with both elbows on the
open window of the car, and
exchanging some words, the car pulls
away. Using the deductive abilities
that you developed in a past lifetime of
addiction, or perhaps by watching
your favorite detective show, you
determine that the suspicious young
man is a drug dealer. The occupants
of the car that just left were
undercover police officers, unable to
get the savvy dealer to take their bait
to sell them a small bag of heroin.
What runs
through
your
mind?
I’ll tell you what I would most
likely think, or even say to my friend.
I would first point out that I know
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what that man is going through. I’ve stood right where he is, thinking that my choices would
never catch up to me – thinking that I was invincible. My favorite statement to follow the
obvious observations is usually, “That guy needs to go to church.” Or I’d go with this one,
“He needs to get saved.”
A similar situation presented itself recently. Not exactly the same, but very similar. I
was by myself, and just knew that someone was up to no good. I couldn’t help but think to
myself, “This guy really needs to find Jesus. He needs to go to church.” In that moment, God
began to change my perspective.
While he does need to go to church (we all do) how about looking at it this way - On
the streets, this young man is considered a “chameleon.” We all understand that the
chameleon lizard can change its colors to blend into any environment – just as most drug
users or street dealers have mastered the ability to relate to people of many different walks of
life and blend into any situation. What a gift that is! The Apostle Paul had that same gift –
he expressed it this way in his first letter to the church in Corinth:
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to
everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win
the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I
myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not
having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free
from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the
law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to
all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the
sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings
(1 Corinthians 9: 19-23 NIV).
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Consider also that this young man
spent a mere minute or two talking to the
occupants of this other car before he knew
not to take their bait, or he’d be spending
some time in jail. That’s a gift of
discernment! This man needs Jesus, and he
needs to go to church of course. How about
a change of perspective though? Instead of
thinking, “This man needs to go to church,”
try thinking like this, “The church really
needs men like this.”
“The church really needs men like this.”
Barry has been attending Valley for 2 1/2 years with his
wife Lauren, and their two daughters Abigail and Emma. They have been blessed by all the lasting friendships they
have formed with other members of the church. Barry
testifies to seeing each member of Valley carry the message
of God's love through service and selflessness for each
other and for the community.
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story is not about hard
times that I went
through or bad choices
I made. My childhood
was about as normal
and happy as it could
be. My family was loving and stable; I
had both parents. Even in my extended
family there were not any divorces while
I was growing up, much less any kind of
dark family secrets. My dad always had a
good job, and my mom stayed home
after I was born. We never went to
church, even on Christmas or Easter. In
fact, my parents never really talked
about faith or church.
I had a Bible story book when I
was young. Later my mother would tell
me she tried to raise me with Christian
values. She might have gone to church,
but my dad was not the least bit
interested in going. He had grown up
attending a Methodist church, but
stopped going as soon as he was old
enough to refuse. My mother grew up
Episcopal, and even completed all of the
classes in the confirmation process. The
only time I ever went to a church service
was a couple of times with my
grandparents. I never felt like anything
was missing from my life.
By the time I was a teenager I thought of
religion the way you might think of
mythology. I had friends that went to
church, but it seemed like a waste of
time to me. I saw some of the Christians
that were in the news, the ones that
always seemed to end up as great
hypocrites when they fell from grace,
and I didn’t want to be associated with
My
My
Name
Is
interview by:
Chris Brown
19
Christianity. I saw the self-righteous and the
hypocrites among Christians and wanted no
part of it. I remember lying in bed one night
when I was young and telling God that if He
was real, He should reveal himself to me
somehow. At the time I thought He hadn’t
answered me.
I am one of those extremely
rational, logical people. I excelled in math
and science, and eventually went to college to
study engineering. I lived in the dorms even
though the university was in my home town.
My roommate was a Christian. She was
serious about her faith and committed, but
she wasn’t pushy about it. I guess she made
me think more about faith and God, and I
thought back to that time I asked God to
reveal Himself if He really existed
I was still in my first semester of
college when I met a boy from Alabama at a
conference. He was a Christian just like my
roommate. In fact, I tried to set him up with
my roommate since they were both
Christians, and I really wasn’t. He was
persistent though. It started to dawn on me
that this influx of Christians into my life
could either be seen as a coincidence, or I
could see it as part of God revealing himself
to me.
But part of the problem for my
rational mind was that most of this faith
business didn’t make sense. In one of our
conversations, the boy from Alabama said
that he would be willing to die for me; he
knew where he was going when he died after
all. I didn’t know how to accept that. How
could he be that confident? Why was the
Christian God more real than any other
religion’s deity? Why Christianity instead of
some other religion? How do you believe that
people come back from the dead? Why
believe the Bible? There are plenty of other
ancient texts that are just stories. How do we
know that one is real? The circular logic of
believing something just because the Bible
said so would not be enough for me. I had to
answer some of these questions before I could
accept any belief in God or Christianity.
My roommate lent me two books by
Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ and The Case for
Faith. Strobel was a journalist who
investigated the factual truth of the Bible.
Apologetics reading was a very important
way to move past some of the intellectual
hurdles and questions. I would read
apologetics, then read counter-arguments to
the apologetics points, and then arguments to
counter those. I went back and forth, but
finally decided that I just had to make a
decision, and choose.
Even after making an intellectual
choice to believe in God and Jesus, I still
didn’t like the connotations that Christianity
held for me because of the way some
Christians behave. I still dislike the
connotation that the term “Evangelical
Christian” carries with it in my mind. But at
some point, I remember realizing that I didn’t
want to let “bad Christians” keep me from
having a relationship with God if He was
real. I had to make a decision to make this
20
“I saw some of the Christians that were in the news, the ones
that always seemed to end up as great hypocrites when they fell
from grace, and I didn’t want to be associated with Christianity”
just about me and God, and block out the
choices other people made. I had to make
the right choice for me.
Getting saved was a long process for
me, not a single moment. I can’t point to a
specific time that I suddenly knew I was
saved. It was two steps forward and one step
backward. I still struggled with the
intellectual component, and the idea that if
you studied enough material you could
silence all the doubts and prove God’s
existence to anyone. I was feeling extra
depressed one night in college, and I started
having a conversation with God. I told Him it
was a good thing Jesus died for a whole world
full of people, because it wouldn’t have been
worth it just for me. I felt Him respond that
He still would have done it just for me. And
with all the back and forth and up and down
with my walk with God, I had a sense from
God that He wouldn’t let me die before I got
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to the right decision about Him. If I wasn’t
saved yet, He would stay with me until I got
there. This was an emotional connection with
God, and the emotional component was the
missing piece to what I was trying to make
into a purely intellectual process. My faith
needed to find that emotional piece.
After my first year of college I
moved to Huntsville to transfer to school here
and be with the boy I had met. We got
married shortly after we both
finished college. Throughout
our college years and our
marriage I continued walking
through that process of faith. I
remember clearly when we
were going through a time of
great financial difficulty and
failing businesses where I was
very stressed pretty much all of
the time. Occasionally though,
I would find God for a few
moments of peace. In one of
these moments, I got a sense
that we should pray for a clean
slate, for all of those problems
to fade away. This was not a typical thought
for me at all, and we had no reason to think it
was possible for everything to just go away
with no consequences. God told me that he
had placed that thought for us to pray, and
amazingly He answered that prayer, and we
got the clean slate and fresh start we had
prayed for.
21
I don’t have a good sense of heaven being a real place.
Maybe if I did, the Christian walk would make more
sense. If I thought a seat in heaven were the only reason to
be a Christian, I probably wouldn’t be one now, but I know
that God is real and present in this life. I worked through many of
the intellectual issues with faith and eventually discovered the
emotional reality of believing. I have continued walking through my
process of faith all these years since college, and will until I get to the
heaven that awaits me. These days, I recognize that it is impossible to
absolutely prove God, but I’ve found that if you study a troubling
issue, there is usually a reasonable explanation. My rational brain
still wants that explanation, but my emotional faith and trust help me
to believe that those explanations exist without having to seek out
every one of them. I eventually got baptized at Valley Fellowship
Church in 2010, where I still attend with my husband and baby girl.
My name is Sarah Brown.
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22
What’s
Wrong
With
Grace?
by: Chris Preslar
23
Over the past few years, grace has become a
controversial topic among Christians. I'm not
talking from denomination to denomination. I'm
talking from member to member within the same
church. Many Christ followers have grabbed hold
of an idea of grace that is like fire insurance,
hoping that it covers all the wrong and sin we
have in our lives. Many of us think the Law given
in the Old Testament doesn't apply to us today.
We say a quick prayer on Sunday but “live like
the devil” during the week, thinking God’s Old
Testament Law isn’t relevant to us today. But this
idea that we can say a simple prayer and live
however we want isn't founded in Scripture. To
the contrary, the Bible warns us about such ideas
(Romans 3:8 & Romans 6:1-15). Grace doesn't
excuse us to continue sinning. We only cheapen
God's grace when we pretend that this is the
purpose of His grace. God’s miraculous grace
has power beyond just pardoning us from our
sins. John Piper, in his book Future Grace, says it
this way, “By grace I do not merely mean the
pardon of God in passing over your sins, but also
the power and beauty of God to keep you from
sinning.”
24
Let’s take a moment and
define “grace.” Grace is defined as
“unmerited favor” or in other words,
it is all the good stuff from God that
didn't require us to do anything to
deserve it. Meaning, you can't earn
God's grace no matter how many
good deeds you do. “For it is by
grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it
is the gift of God--not by works, so
that no one can boast” (Ephesians
2:8-9). It is our faith in Christ Jesus
that allows us access to God's grace
that He freely pours out on us. Imagine if we did have to
earn grace. Try going a week, no a
day, without thinking a corrupt
thought or sowing a malicious word
price. “For the wages of sin is
death” (Rom. 6:23 NIV). If we truly
had to pay for our sins, we would all
deserve to die. But the best part of
that verse comes one word later, “but
the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus
Christ our Lord.” How amazing is
that? God made a way so that man
could continue to live and maintain
relationship with Him. In Old
Testament practices, animal
sacrifices at the temple would pay
the price for sin, thus bringing men
back into right relationship.
Thankfully, we no longer have to
indulge in animal sacrifices because
God sent His pure and blameless
Son, Jesus Christ, to fulfill and
uphold the Law to die in our place as
“Imagine if we did
have to earn grace.”
or being covetous of our friends. It
would be impossible for us to earn
God’s grace. We see in Romans that,
“All have sinned.” No man or
woman is without fault. And sin isn’t
free. It comes with the highest of
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the ultimate sacrifice. So, what then is the
purpose of the Law? Firstly, how do
you know what sin is apart from the
law? You don't. “When Adam
sinned, sin entered the world.
25
Adam’s sin brought death, so death
spread to everyone, for everyone
sinned. Yes, people sinned even
before the law was given. But it was
not counted as sin because there was
not yet any law to break” (Romans
5:12-13 NLT). The law was given to
show us our sin. Secondly, the law
shows us that we cannot fulfill the
law when left to our own devices.
We cannot live righteous lives in our
own resources. We cannot get
anywhere by focusing on the law,
but only by believing in Jesus Christ through faith do we receive God's grace as the
ultimate resource to fulfill the law. Without His grace, we are unable to die to sin. We must make a
conscious effort to avoid sin, to die to the things of the flesh because the devil
prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Jesus warns us in
Matthew 26:41 to “keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.
For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” We have to turn from our selfish
ways in order to follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24). Our human nature leads us to be
selfish. We must pursue His Spirit and live by the Spirit in order to put to death
the deeds of the body (Romans 8:12-13 ESV). Yes, God's grace does forgive us
when we repent of our sins, but it is His grace that helps us turn from our
selfishness. His grace is more than an insurance policy. It’s not just there to erase
the sin in our lives. It is the power of God to actually keep us from sinning and to
stay in right relationship with Him. Let’s tap into the true meaning of God’s grace
and allow it to sustain us through every area of our lives.
“His grace is more than
an insurance policy.”
Chris Preslar is the Worship Pastor at Valley Fellowship
Church. He and his beautiful wife, Sara, came onto staff
in 2009. Chris and Sara have a handsome, energetic little
boy and a beautiful baby girl on the way. Chris loves
serving the church through leading worship and taking
people into into the presence of God.
IGNITEMAGAZINE
SOUND
BITES
SOUND
BITES
SOUND
BITES
SOUNDBITES
26
with Matt Cecil
Artist // Derek Minor
Album // Minorville
Imagine a large city, made up of various regions
and people groups, each with their own struggles.
“Minorville” is an album built on the concept of
telling the stories in this city through the eyes of the
gospel. This album deals with issues that affect rich,
poor, married, single, black and white people. As
Derek Johnson “Minor” said, he wanted to make an
album that dealt with real life so that it could truly
connect with all people. That is where this album
truly shines. The lyrics deal with real life in a direct
way, but always with the idea of showing the listener
where true life comes from. Of course lyrics alone
don’t make a good song, and this album is full of
excellent beats laid down by Derek Minor. Derek
collaborated with many artists and producers to
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make an album where the sound varies as much as
the subject matter. The sounds and production
values are at the level of any mainstream hip hop/
rap album.
There are so many great tracks on this
album, but a few really stand out for their excellent
beats and lyrics. The first standout song is
“Gimmie”. This is an excellent song dealing with
greed, the temptation of wealth, and the idea of
success in our society. The lyrics will make you
think, and the hook will get stuck in your head. “We
Gone Make It”, “Hot Air Balloon” and “We Are
(Champions)” are three great songs that encourage
you to overcome through the strength that comes
through Christ. “Love You Better” is a love song
about applying Christ’s example of love to a
marriage. “Making Me More” is the standout track
of this album. Derek Minor collaborated with blues
musician and singer Mel Moore to create this
unique and energetic song. The pair sing about
what they were before salvation, and how through
God’s continuing work they are being made new.
One of the most challenging songs is “Dear Mr.
Christian”. This song shares the perspective of a
young woman who has been sexually abused, and a
young man who joined a gang. The lyrics are raw
and hard hitting, but the overall message is a call to
show these people God’s love. This is not a song you
can listen to without truly examining yourself.
There are two things that make this album great.
The first is the music, which is top notch and will
get your head bobbing. The second is the lyrics. The
words are powerful and raw. Because of the subject
matter covered, I would give this album a PG-13
rating.
27
Artist // Dustin Kensrue
Album // The Water & The Blood
“The Water and the Blood” is the latest release from
the team at Mars Hill church. This album is the
project of their Bellevue campus worship leader
Dustin Kensrue. Dustin, formerly the front man for
the popular alt rock group Thrice, is an extremely
talented songwriter with a gift for writing fresh
lyrics. When Dustin started to write this album he
had two goals. He first wanted to make an album
that musically engaged our culture and offered a
fresh sound compared to contemporary worship
Artist // My Epic
Album // Behold
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music. The second goal was to craft lyrics that
celebrated what Jesus has done while being exciting,
theologically sound and easy to digest.
The variety of songs in this album makes it
truly engaging. While Dustin’s rock background is
evident throughout this electric guitar driven album,
it never becomes overwhelming. He blends different
sounds and hooks to make each song fresh from the
beginning to the end. The lyrics are easy to sing and
put together in a way that is refreshing. Even the
frequently used Christian expression “God is good,
all the time” is given new life in the song “God is
good”. All of the songs on this album were created
for congregational worship, except for “Not
enough”. This song deals with our inability to satisfy
our souls with earthly treasure or praise. As the
chorus says, “It’s not enough, it’s not enough/ I
could walk the world forever/ Till my shoes were
filled with blood/ It’s not enough, it’s not enough /
I could right all wrongs or ravage/ Everything
beneath the sun/ It’s not enough, it never was”. The
song “Suffering Servant” is a raw description of the
sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary. Another standout
track is “Come Lord Jesus”. This song speaks to the
authority of Jesus, and our eager anticipation of his
return. This album is full of beautiful lyrics
describing Jesus’ life, sacrifice and ultimately his
love. Musically, “The Water & the Blood” is unique
and stimulating, but the lyrics make it powerful.
“Behold” is the third record from the California
based indie rock band My Epic. This four-man
group has truly found their sound with their most
recent release. Blending ambient, progressive sounds
with indie rock they have produced a sound unlike
any other band. The vocals are strong, and the
musicianship is as deliberate and unique as the
lyrics. The songs “Arise”, “Approach “ and “Arrive”
tell the story of the return of Jesus, and carry
common musical themes throughout. The other
songs placed between these three were approached
as psalms, according to the lead singer Aaron Stone.
These songs are sung to God and express the
experience of men trying to live Godly lives. The
song titles represent the type of psalm they are
modeled after. “Confession” and “Liturgy” are two
great examples of the psalm style songs.
“Confession” is especially striking as parts of it are
sung from the perspective of the thief who Jesus
forgave on the cross. One striking part of the song
sings, “and in the end may l die as the thief/ my
28
Artist // My Epic
Album // Behold
greatest joy that You'd hang there with me/ blessed
further still if my flesh could be made an object of
grace/ to walk behind, to die beside/ then wake to
find my Lord/ my love in paradise.” Another great
song is “Hail” which also also works in the old
worship song “Majesty” in a fresh way. The song
“Curse” contains some of the most powerful lyrics
in the album as My Epic sing, “You’re not a
memory we celebrate/ You’re not a martyr that we
venerate/ And God forgive us if the church forgets/
You are not a corpse and we’re/ Not a movement/
You’re alive and we’re the flesh you’ll wear till the
worlds end.”
Overall this album has to be one of the
most exciting releases of 2013, even though it came
out in late December. It has already been labeled by
many reviewers as one of the top five albums of last
year, and will only continue to become more
popular as the album gains traction.
// WHAT PASTOR CHRIS IS LISTENING TO //
Artist // Bethel Music
Album // Tides
The latest studio album from Bethel Music is “Tides”.
Bethel Church has gained a reputation for releasing some
of the best praise music out today. Many of their songs
from previous albums are sung in churches around the
world, and that trend will surely continue with “Tides”.
This album contains great praise and worship songs with a
focus on God and his presence. Musically this album is
fresh with a slight emphasis on the electro-pop sound that is
so popular. “Letting Go” may be the stand out track on
this album. Steffany Frizzle’s voice is unique and the
musical restraint allows her voice to take center stage. This
allows the listener to truly experience the peace that comes
from letting go and letting God take control. Other
standout tracks include “Chasing You”, “Give Me Jesus”
and “Heavens Song”.
Hillsong Young and Free is a branch of Hillsong music
focused on the youth. This focus is evident in the 80’s
synth/pop sound that the album achieves. The live
recordings on this album are truly special as the energy
from the worship service comes across even more than in
most live albums. These songs will have you tapping your
foot as the drums and synthesizers pound out the melodies.
The lyrics are straightforward and easy to sing. Songs
focusing on the life we have through Jesus are the focus for
much of this album. Some of the best examples of this are
“Alive” and “Wake”. Other standout tracks on this album
include “Gracious Tempest”, “End of Days” and “Sinking
Deep”. This is a great album that will bring you to a place
of excited worship.
Artist // Hillsong Young & Free
Album // We are Young and Free (Live)
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29
// NOW FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT //
Combining elements of Hip-Hop, poetry and
spoken word, “Instruments of Mercy” is truly a
different album. Based out of Portland, Oregon
Beautiful Eulogy offers up biblically based rhymes
set to amazing analog beats. These are songs that
will preach; so don’t expect skin-deep lyrics.
Standout tracks include “Symbols and Signs”, “You
Can Save Me” and “The Size of Grace”.
Artist // Beautiful Eulogy
Album // Instruments of Mercy
All albums reviewed are available on iTunes and Amazon.com.
If you find an interesting band no matter how obscure or what style,
please feel free to share them with me at
[email protected].
Matthew was born and raised in the Tennessee valley. He attended Valley
Fellowship Christian Academy and graduated in 2003. He then earned his
A.S. in biotechnology from Calhoun Community College. Matt married his
high school sweet heart in 2006. Matt and Karen are proud parents of their
3year old daughter Ella, and have been members of Valley Fellowship
Church since 2006. He has a heart for worship and loves music.
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30
ignite groups directory
“what are ignite groups?”
By Greg & Patti Simon
What are ignite community groups? Ignite
community groups are at the heart of community
building at Valley Fellowship. These groups offer
members, friends of Valley Fellowship, and visitors a
chance to develop relationships through common
interests. Interested in golf ? Want to learn to mature
and develop your spiritual gifts? Looking for a
practical way to reach out to the community? Or
maybe you just want to spend time with friends?
Ignite community groups has you covered.
Collected on the pages following are all the
community groups offered in our fall semester.
Community groups are formal and informal
gatherings based upon the interests, hobbies, gifts,
and passions of our members. However, you do not
need to be a member of Valley Fellowship, or even
attend our services, to participate in most of our
small groups. You may be asking yourself: “How do
I get involved?” It’s as easy as contacting the small
group leader to let them know you are interested
(contact information is provided in this directory).
The groups change and begin three times a year, so
you have the chance to try out different ones in the
next semester.
While we have a variety of groups, we do not
have a group for everything. If you see a hole in our
groups, you might consider starting your own group
in a future semester. If you are interested in starting
a group, please contact the church office for
information about the next New Leader
Orientation.
D. L. Moody, a great American preacher, used a
wonderful analogy to illustrate the importance of
being an active member in God’s community. A
friend told him that he could be just as good a
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Christian outside the church as he could be inside it.
Moody said nothing. Instead, he moved to the
fireplace, blazing against the winter outside,
removed one burning coal, and placed it on the
hearth. The two men sat together and watched the
ember die out. When we don’t use our God-given
gifts and talents to serve the church as well as serve
others in fellowship we become lukewarm. Jesus
taught us what lukewarm is: no different than not
knowing Jesus at all.
Moody’s analogy is a perfect metaphor for our
ignite community groups. These groups are fueled
by your passions and ignited by God’s spirit. But a
fire either spreads or burns out. We must work
together to stoke the fire that ignite spiritual passions
and build relationships. The Apostle Paul sums up
this idea in Romans 12:11 when he urges us to
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual
fervor, serving the Lord.” Ignite community groups
are one outlet for you to develop and grow your
spiritual fire.
Spending time with others in God’s family is at
the heart of Ignite groups. Relationships are vital in
the church. Everything God has done in our lives is
demonstrated in the midst of relationships. Ignite
groups serve as an invitation to join what God is
doing in the midst of His people.
Get lit! Ignite your fire! Join a community group
and find a place to serve at Valley Fellowship.
Watch as you get ignited with a new passion for
God.
Greg & Patti Simon are Senior Pastors at Valley
Fellowship Church
A Heart for
Him Book Club
Leader(s)
Community
Women
31
Brenda North
Who’s it For?
This is a group is for women with the focus of developing
relationships. We enjoy fellowship, lunch, and discussing the book we
are reading. This semester's book is : Redeeming Love by Francine
Rivers
(Book and Lunch is provided)
Ages 19+, women only
Where’s it at?
Youth Firehouse, 3209 Holmes Ave.
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Adult Sunday
School
Leader(s)
Tuesdays @ 11:30am // 2/4, 2/18, 3/4, 3/18, 4/1, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13
256-852-0322 // [email protected]
Bible Study
Men/Women
Buford Terrell
Who’s it For?
This group meets on Sunday mornings for a time of fellowship while
studying God's Word.
Ages 23+, men and women
Where’s it at?
VF Building 2, Room 205
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
The Avenue
Leader(s)
Sunday mornings from 8:45-9:45am
256-535-4441 or 256-426-4534 // [email protected]
Bible Study & Community
College & Career
Andrew Isley & Chris Preslar
Who’s it For?
We are all doing life together, and that's what this group is about. Our
discussions cover a wide spectrum of topics from real life situations to
our spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. Come be a part of a relaxing
environment with coffee and good conversation while developing lasting
relationships.
Ages 18-39, men and women
Where’s it at?
Youth Firehouse // 3209 Holmes Avenue
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
First meeting Feb. 21 @ 6:30pm // Third Friday of each month
256-479-2514 or 256-694-1029
[email protected] or [email protected]
32
Basketball
Sundays
Leader(s)
Community
Men
Josh Laster
Who’s it For?
Basketball Sundays is a group of guys that get together and play
basketball on Sunday evenings at 5:00. The skill levels range from
beginners to guys who have played all their lives. The main focus is to
have fun and get some exercise, all while enjoying time together. We
usually play for about 2 hours and if we have enough people we like to
play full court. Come out to get some exercise, have some laughs, and
get to know the men of Valley Fellowship.
Ages 13+, men
Where’s it at?
The Dwelling Place, 2550 Redstone Rd., SW
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Better Man
Leader(s)
Sundays from 3-5pm
Bible Study
Men
Josh Laster
Who’s it For?
Better Man is a bible study that is targeted to men of all ages to help
them become better in every area of life. We talk about marriage, family,
careers, addictions, goals, and anything else that men deal with. We dive
into the scriptures to see what the Bible says a man is to be, as well as
discuss daily, common sense solutions to problems we face as men.
Ages 19+, men
Where’s it at?
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Boomers
Leader(s)
Wednesdays @ 6:30pm starting Feb. 5
Community
Seniors
Darrell and Randy Bourne
Who’s it For?
Bring together Boomer age persons and their invited guests to fellowship
around food while sharing and experiencing the love of Christ within each
other.
Where’s it at?
TBD | Contact group leaders for meeting information
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
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Feb 4 , Mar 20, April 15, and May 3
Daughters of
Zion
Leader(s)
33
Worship
Arts/Education
Diana Hase
Who’s it For?
Join with us in praise dancing for Jesus! We incorporate flags,
tambourines, fabric, and more and use all of our heart, soul, mind and
strength to give honor and glory to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He is worthy of all of our praise! No prior dancing experience necessary,
just a willing heart to adore Him!
Where’s it at?
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Firehouse
Youth
Leader(s)
Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
Community, Worship, Bible Study, Prayer
Youth
William Umbarger
Who’s it For?
We praise and worship the Lord, followed by preaching of the Word. We
also break into small groups at this time.
Where’s it at?
VF Church Fellowship Hall (Building 2)
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Friday Night
Friends
Leader(s)
Wednesdays from 6-8pm
Bible Study, Prayer
Family
Erika Medley
Who’s it For?
Based on Acts 2:46-47, we meet to study God’s Word, sing and
fellowship. We discuss God’s plan and fellowship over a covered dish
meal. Join us for dinner fellowship, teaching and prayer.
Where’s it at?
Erika Medley's home, 3005 Morgan St. Huntsville AL
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
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1st & 3rd Friday of each month; 6-9pm
34
Funeral
Ministry
Leader(s)
Description
Who’s it For?
Outreach
Men/Women
Ellen Hunter
We minister to families in our church in the loss of a loved one by
providing food. If you have the time to shop and cook and you want to
help "behind the scenes", this may be the ministry for you. Also,
monetary help is much appreciated.
Where’s it at?
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Ignite Creative
Leader(s)
We do not meet // You will be called as needed
Community
Arts/Education
Chris Preslar
Who’s it For?
If you have interests or hobbies in graphic design, photography,
journalism, videography, or other creative endeavors, then you need to be
a part of our team. Our main focus is collaborating togther to design our
tri-annual Ignite Magazine as well as develop creative designs for other
areas of our church. If you want to grow spirtually and creatively with a
group of peers who have the same passions this is the place for you!
Where’s it at?
VF Sanctuary building // Glass office downstairs
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Ignitus Kidz
Choir
Leader(s)
256-694-1029 or 256-533-5117, [email protected]
Worship
Children
Greg Simon
Who’s it For?
This kids group is focued on preparing for a performance on Palm
Sunday, April 13. We will be studying the Bible and learning fun,
interactive songs.The final dress rehearsal will be Saturday, April 12 at
2:30pm. The performane will take place during both Sunday morning
services on Palm Sunday.
Ages 5 years - 6th grade
Where’s it at?
VF Sanctuary building // Classrooms downstairs
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Ignitus Kids
Church
Leader(s)
Worship, Bible Study, Prayer, Community
Children
35
Greg Simon
Who’s it For?
Power packed Sunday morning service @ 10am for ages 4-6th grade.
Nursery care provided for infants-4 years olds in all services.
Ages infant - 6th grade
Where’s it at?
VF Church Fellowship Hall (Building 2) 3616 Holmes Ave.
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Intercession
Leader(s)
Description
Sundays 10am; Wednesdays 6:30pm
Prayer
Carol Simon
We worship and pray for the local church and family.
Who’s it For?
All ages men and women
Where’s it at?
VF Church Sanctuary 3616 Holmes Ave.
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Ladies' Bible
Study
Leader(s)
Tuesdays from 9-11am
256-533-5117 or 256-882-3734
[email protected]
Bible Study
Women
Patti Simon
Who’s it For?
This is a 6 week Bible study directed by Pastor Patti Simon. Jesus wants
to spend secret time with you—an interior relationship that's unique to
just you two. Sacred Secrets is the new 6 session study from Beth Moore
that explores the theology of secrets. Secrets can be good or harmful.
Some need forgiveness, and some should be kept between you and God.
There will be integrated times of prayer, personal ministry and exposition
from the video teachings. Come join us as we draw closer to Jesus.
Ages 19+, women only
Where’s it at?
VF Church Sanctuary, 3616 Holmes Ave.
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
IGNITEMAGAZINE
Wednesdays @ 6:30pm starting Feb. 5 // Optional Book $16
36
Married Life
Leader(s)
Community
Family, Marriage
Andrew & Angela Isley
Who’s it For?
Join Married Life as we discuss marriage, family and serving our local
church body. We are a casual, conversational group who meet over
coffee and dessert.
Where’s it at?
First meeting @ Isley's home, 133 Raleigh Way
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Pray for
America
Leader(s)
First meeting Feb. 7 @ 6:30pm // First Friday of each month
Prayer
Men, Women
Camille Nehmsmann
Who’s it For?
America needs prayer! Sequestration, debt, jobs, the economy, social and
political issues all need Divine intervention. Join us as we intercede for
our nation as directed by the Holy Spirit.
Where’s it at?
Camille Nehmsmann's home // 312 Fussy Hill Rd., New Market
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Singles &
Single Again
Leader(s)
Description
Fridays from 1-3pm // Please call first, to confirm date.
Outreach & Community
Men, Women
Dawn John
The goal is to have fun and support one another. We will have a dinner
together, short message, prayer and just hanging out with one another.
Who’s it For?
Where’s it at?
Dawn John's home // 104 Doe Creek Circle, Toney, AL
When do we meet?
Contact Us
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Saturdays from 6-9pm // Call for more information
Sunday
Morning
Prayer
Leader(s)
Description
Prayer
Men, Women, Youth
Nancy Bufkin
Cover our Sunday morning services with prayer: Impressions team,
worship team, pastors, volunteers, grounds, childcare, youth, workers
Who’s it For?
Where’s it at?
VF Sanctuary building, Room 104
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Treasure
Hunting
Leader(s)
37
Sundays @ 9:15am
256- 9457026 // [email protected]
Outreach
Men,Women,Youth
Diana Hase
Who’s it For?
Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We were that hidden treasure
that He bought with His own precious blood. Then He gave us the
command to go into all the world and make disciples starting in our own
city! There are treasures out there longing to be found and reclaimed for
the Master's use! Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborer's into
the fields that are already ripe for harvest! We also need intercessors to
pray when we go out!
All ages, men and women
Where’s it at?
Hase's home, 3300 Hastings Rd.
Description
When do we meet?
Biweekly on Saturdays @ 9am
Contact Us
Ushers
Service
Men,Women,Youth
Leader(s)
Charlie Dill
Who’s it For?
Caring for those in attendance at church services providing protection
and seating, offering, and ministry assistance.
Where’s it at?
VF Sanctuary
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Sundays @ 8:30 & 10:00am
38
Valley
Worship Team
Leader(s)
Worship
Arts/Education
Chris Preslar
Who’s it For?
The purpose of the Valley Worship Team is to edify and build up the body
of Christ by creating an atmosphere for the anointing of God to flow. Our
goal is to lead our congregation into a passionate, exhilarating, and
intimate time of praise and worship every time we come together. We
want Valley to be a place where people can experience a divine
encounter with the Lord and have their hearts prepared to receive the
teaching of the Word of God.
Where’s it at?
VF Sanctuary
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
Widows in
Deed
Leader(s)
Description
Sundays | 8:30am & 10am Rehearsals as needed
Application & audition required
Community
Women
Erika Medley
We meet for dinner, fellowship and prayer once a month.
Who’s it For?
Widows only
Where’s it at?
Various restaurants. Contact Erika for details.
When do we meet?
2nd Tuesday of each month @ 6pm // Call for location information
Contact Us
Worship Flags
Leader(s)
Worship
Arts/Education
Carol Payne
Who’s it For?
Our goal is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and to help lead the church
into worship.
Where’s it at?
Beauregards, 511 Jordan Ln.
Description
When do we meet?
Contact Us
IGNITEMAGAZINE
1st Sunday of each month @ 12pm
*
index
39
small groups | service groups
Small Groups by focus
Bible Study
Adult Sunday School p31
The Avenue
p31
Better Man
p32
Friday Night Friends p33
Ladies’ Bible Study
p35
Community
A Heart For Him
Book Club
The Avenue
Basketball Sundays
Boomers Firehouse Youth
Ignite Creative Ignitus Kidz Church
Married Life
Single & Singles Again
Widows In Deed
p31
p31
p32
p32
p33
p34
p35
p36
p36
p38
Outreach
Funeral Ministry
p34
Single & Singles Again p36
Treasure Hunting
p37
Prayer
Friday Night Friends p33
Intercession p35
Pray For America
p36
Sunday Morning Prayerp37
Worship
Daughters of Zion
Ignitus Kiz Choir
Valley Worship Team
Worship Flags p33
p34
p38
p38
IGNITEMAGAZINE
Small Groups by category
Service Areas
Arts & Education
Daughters of Zion
p33
Kidz Church/Nursery
Ignite Creative p34
Ages 4-12
Valley Worship Team p38
If you would like to serve,
Worship Flags p38
contact Greg Simon at
[email protected]
Children
Ignitus Kidz Choir
p34
Firehouse Youth
Ignitus Kidz Church
p35
If you would like to serve,
contact Will Umbarger at
College & Career
[email protected]
The Avenue
p31
m
Family
Friday Night Friends
Married Life
Marriage
Married Life
Worship Team:
p33
p36
Band/Vocals/Tech
p36
If you would like to be a part,
contact Chris Preslar at
[email protected]
Men
Basketball Sundays
Better Man
p32
p32
Recreation
Basketball Sundays
p32
First Impressions:
Greeter/Parking Lot/Security
Usher/Welcome Center
If you would like to be apart,
contact Jorge Lima at
[email protected]
Youth
Firehouse Youth
p33
Sunday Morning Prayerp37
Treasure Hunting
p37
Seniors
Boomers Women
A Heart For Him
Book Club
Ladies’ Bible Study
Widows In Deed
p32
p31
p35
p38
OPEN 20
HOUSE 14
40
Valley Fellowship
Christian Academy
come see what we have in store...
>>>Sunday, March 2nd @ 1pm
Scan to find out
more today!
CELEBRATING OVER 25 YEARS RAISING GODLY LEADERS
Fall 2014-2015
Registration is Now Open!
(
)
If you have returning students, please register soon.
We have packets of more information available for new students
to learn about VFCA, call the school office at 256-533-5248
Call: 256.533.5248
www.valleyfellowship.com
K5-12th Grade Christian Academy
Dual Enrollment for High School
Little Valley Academy* *(6wks - 4yrs. old)

Winter Spring Final 2014 cpreslar version (joe

Transcription

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