R E D E F I N E DF B C S TA R KV I L L E N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 5

G AT H E RA N a s h v i l l e C h r i s t m a s

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G I V EO p e r a t i o n C h r i s t m a s C h i l d

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CONTENTS

G AT H E RA N a s h v i l l e C h r i s t m a s

6MINISTRY STAFFC H I P S T E V E N S S E N I O R PA S TO R | cstevens@fbcstarkville.com

C L I F TO N C U R T I SA S S O C . PA S TO R O F PA S TO R A L C A R E & FAC I L I T Y A D M I N .

ccurtis@fbcstarkville.com

TO M J E N K I N S A S S O C . PA S TO R O F M U S I C & M E D I A | tjenkins@fbcstarkville.com

J A S O N D U R A N A S S O C . PA S TO R O F FA M I LY M I N I S T R Y & D I S C I P L E S H I P

jduran@fbcstarkville.com

N AT H A N TAY LO R U N I V E R S I T Y & M I S S I O N S M I N I S T E R | ntaylor@fbcstarkville.com

N E I L T U L LO S YO U T H M I N I S T E R | ntullos@fbcstarkville.com

L E A H F R A N C E S E ATO N DIRECTOR OF CHILDRENS MINISTRY | lfeaton@fbcstarkville.com

C H A R I T Y G WA LT N E Y DIRECTOR OF PRESCHOOL MINISTRY | cgwaltney@fbcstarkville.com

B O B BY D ’A L E S S A N D R O DIRECTOR OF MEDIA & TECHNICAL ARTS MINISTRY

bobbyd@fbcstarkville.com

4 First Word from Chip Stevens

FEATURES5 MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Apartment Ministry

14 GIVE: Luke Smith's & Operation Christmas Child

16 GO: Lottie Moon

18 Spotlight: FBC Kids Intern Blair Hill

OUR CHURCH FAMILY20 Parents Page/Upcoming Events

21 Calendar

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write this article after a very refreshing three days of rain. Starkville looks a little cleaner and a little greener afterward. It’s amazing how water makes a difference in our lives! We’ve also experienced the biggest recorded hurricane in the Western Hemisphere with no lives lost.

Although Mexico got hit with high winds and rain, it drifted over to Mississippi as gentle showers. There was an amazing photo of Hurricane Patricia from space that showed the immensity of the storm. As I consider all of this, I have to respond in awe and wonder at the creative power and majesty of God. It’s often very difficult for us to obtain a Godly perspective, but when we do, the impact in our lives is amazing.

Often, we experience crises in our lives that, in their immediacy seem overwhelming and tragic, but God brings good from every aspect! In the lightning, thunder and storm, there is also the gentle rain. We may not see it at the time, but when we get a Godly perspective, we can see God working in and through it all.

Take a few moments to read this month’s edition of Redefined and get a divine perspective on God’s work in and through the members of First Baptist Church. From mission activities around the world to ministry right here in Starkville, it’s refreshing to know that God is at work! God desires to work in and through your life to minister to others as well. It may be through a hurricane or a gentle shower, but God is waiting to rain down his Spirit upon you to effect change in your life and for the glory of His kingdom. We have a great opportunity for you on November 15 to get a global perspective of the work God is doing around the world. We’ll be hosting Missions Launch to inspire and inform the church about our 2016 GO projects. There are many ways to be involved and I want to encourage you to find out how you can GO in 2016.

Let’s pray for more rain - the rain of God’s Spirit within us as we become ever more receptive to His guidance and glory.

FIRST WORDFROM TOM JENKINS

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 5

The ministry to Children at FBC includes a full program on Wednesday nights called Stark Kids. In my work as the Director of Children’s Ministries, I felt the Lord leading to involve more university students in leadership positions. I remember when I first began working with children. It was as a University Student! I then moved on to become the Children’s Ministry Intern at FBC Jackson and continued through summer camps at Pine Cove Christian Camps. It was fun and challenging, and the great benefit was that it ultimately brought me closer to the Lord. I knew that collegiate students would bring a great energy and dynamic to the Children’s ministry, but I also knew that they would be changed through their involvement. We began with around six students in the Fall of 2014.

I'll never forget the reactions of the first and second-grade boys as we introduced them to their leaders. They kept asking, "When is our real teacher getting here?" You see, they expected women, more specifically moms to lead their activities at church. After that night, I knew we were heading in the right direction.

Today, we have 30 university students and 3 moms who lead Stark Kids, a program designed to teach kids Bible skills as they memorize verses and study God's word each week. Our desire is for kids to experience truth and discover who God is! Since adding these students, I have seen a renewed excitement from kids to not only want to come to church but to be actively involved in the ministry.

Each week, our kids are being poured into by the men and women who serve with us. They are watching 19-23-year-olds dedicate their time to teach them God's word and commit to being an active member of the local church. Yet, our kids aren't the only ones being taught. I want to share with you some of what our university students are learning too:

I have learned that kids need patience. I've also learned how much they look up to the older people around them, and the impact that simple things like encouragement can have on them. One thing that the Lord is still teaching me is the importance of being patient and selfless with everyone. Also, I better understand the importance of teaching spiritually immature believers and helping them to be rooted in Scripture.

Blake Hill

Leah Frances Eaton

I have learned many things about the local church- how important it is to be involved, how we must all serve each other, and what kind of heart we should have while serving the local church. FBC Starkville has been a huge blessing in my life. It has become my home church, and I have actually transferred my membership to FBC Starkville. I have enjoyed getting to know the people that are a couple steps ahead of me in life, and this is something that I love most. FBC focuses so much on community and truly wants to teach its members how to grow in their walk with the Lord. I have seen this not only from working with FBC Kids but also through D-Groups and Sunday Night Bible Studies.

Kaleigh Davis

The Lord has made me realize how selfish I am. He has taught me to be present in the moment. There is a difference in physically being there and emotionally, spiritually, and mentally investing in the kids.

Matthew Evans

StarkKids

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GATHERF B C S TA R KV I L L E

"Is there something that makes

your ce lebrat ion of Chr istmas

d i f ferent f rom the secular

wor ld? IS there a d i f ference?

Our unchurched f r iends are

constant ly cons ider ing th is

quest ion, whether they,

or we, know i t or not ."

B Y TO M J E N K I N S

IT 'S TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

s there something that makes your Christmas different? Many have special traditions and family-centered celebrations. Of course, opening presents, surrounded by friends gathered around a Christmas

tree is central for so many of us. There are office parties, Community Group get togethers, school concerts, banquets and more. But is there something that makes your celebration of Christmas different from the secular world? IS there a difference? Our unchurched friends are constantly considering this question, whether they, or we, know it or not.

Santa Claus is a wonderful addition to our Christmas celebrations, but for many families, Santa has completely replaced Jesus as the focus of Christmas. Let’s use our Christmas season as a way to introduce others to the true meaning of this holiday. Christmas gives us special opportunities to gather as God’s family. Let’s focus on three events from the Music and Family Ministries of First Baptist that offer a unique way to gather for worship and to invite others to join you.

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 7

N A S H V I L L E C H R I S T M A S

“Nashville Christmas” is the Celebration Music Ministry Christmas concert. At a special time - Wednesday, December 2 at 6:00 pm - this event provides a great way to kick-off the Christmas season with family but also, and more importantly, a great way to invite people who may not attend a church to experience the uniqueness of the Christian Christmas. The concert brings in two guests from Nashville; singer-songwriters Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens. Both of these artists have multiple albums, Dove nominations and awards and many years of music ministry in their experience. The Celebration Choir and Orchestra will be joining our Nashville friends in sharing both new and familiar songs of Christmas. Along with an added string quartet, we’ll also have a fiddle player, mandolins, banjos and multiple guitars to bring new timbres to our concert. A bit of contemporary, folk, traditional carols and some original music will complete the evening.

C H U R C H FA M I LY C H R I S T M A S

The FBC Church Family Christmas is a big social pot-luck affair on Sunday night, December 13 at 5:00 pm. The evening begins with performances by our Children’s & Preschool Ministries in the Warehouse Outreach Center. A meal, centered around your favorite Christmas goodies, follows in the gym.

It’s a great time to invite those people who would enjoy the children and enjoy getting to meet new people by sitting around a friendly table to chat.

C H R I S T M A S E V E S E R V I C E S

Our Christmas Eve service is a perennial favorite. This short service features traditional carols, a message from our Pastor and a closing sequence with a beautiful display of candles all over the sanctuary. Because this service is often overly crowded, we are offering TWO opportunities this year. The first Christmas Eve service will be at 4:00 pm while the second service will begin at 5:30 pm. During the 4:00 pm service, childcare is provided from birth to 4 years old. There will be plenty of room to bring guests!

These services offer a way to introduce your friends to the Christ of Christmas, without all the added extras that our culture has piled on. Reserve these dates on the calendar now and prayerfully consider whom you will invite to gather with us as we celebrate the coming of the Messiah!

DR. TOM JENKINS serves as Associate Pastor of Music and Media. You can connect with him on Twitter @DrTJenkins or on The City.

Nashville singer-songwriters Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens will be joining us for the Nashville Christmas on December 2 at 6:00 pm.

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GROWF B C S TA R KV I L L E

B Y N E I L T U L LO S

SQUAD. MANY MEMBERS. ONE FAMILY.

group. A team. A family. A squad. There are numerous examples of groups of individuals working together as one: fifty musicians playing different instruments but playing one fight song that brings a crowd to its feet;

five big offensive linemen, each with different assignments and responsibilities, all working together to move the opposition out of the way in order for their running back to run through the opening they've created. It is a unique feeling when we are a part of a group that leaves behind individual agendas for the good of the team.

As much as we appreciate teamwork, and as good as it feels to be part of a team, it is still rare for us to truly experience being a team. It’s certainly not for a lack of information on the topic. There’s an endless list of blogs, books, podcasts and conferences that tell us of the importance of teamwork and how our group can achieve it. Despite all of this information too often we find division rather than unity as the prevailing trait among the groups with which we are associated.

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 9

NEIL TULLOS serves as our Youth Minster. You can connect with him on Twitter @neiltullos or on The City.

Our youth ministry’s goal for this school year is for us to be a SQUAD. Not that we will be perfect or all the same, but rather that we would be a team. A place where every teenager can belong. A place where musicians, athletes, honor roll students, and those who struggle just to pass their classes, can all gather together and be one. Every teenager needs a place to belong. How great would it be for a group, that identifies itself with a Leader who commanded his followers to love their neighbor as themselves, be the place for every teenager to find acceptance?

It is a challenge because our youth ministry is as diverse as any teen group in our city. We have teens from different schools, some who love sports and some who see it as a waste of time, musicians and people, like me, who cannot even clap in rhythm. We have racial diversity and socioeconomic differences. Most groups of teens are groups because they share the same school or a passion for an extracurricular activity. Not so with our group. We must find our identity in something beyond what commonly brings together groups of teens.

Why is becoming a team a worthy goal? It is what Jesus prayed that would happen among his followers. In John 17:20-21 Jesus prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Jesus prayed that we, his followers, would be one. Not that we would be all the same and not that we would agree on everything, but that we would find our common identity in Him. We as his followers would reflect the unity of the trinity. As we follow Jesus we become more like Him and become a better reflection of the unity that is found between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We are to be one as he is one.

As much as we want to be one, we still must maintain our diversity. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” We want great diversity among our group. We need teens from every school in our community. Teens who play in the band, perform on stage, football fanatics, debate team members, extroverts, introverts and every other variety. Our group’s unity and diversity will help us to reach teenagers from every background and see God’s kingdom expand here in Starkville. It is what Jesus prayed would happen in John 20:21.

In order to become a SQUAD, we are asking that teens fight for our unity. That we would choose to fight with our words and our actions. That we would guard our mouths, use words that build one another up and use pronouns like "we," “our” and "us," that communicate that we are a team. We are also choosing to fight with our actions by intentionally tearing down the barriers that could divide us. Our teens are fighting with their actions by sitting with group members who are not in the grade, students from one school choosing to go and cheer on their friends at a different school, and making sure to invite new people into our circles.

We began in August working towards the goal of being a SQUAD. Since then, we have seen our group fighting for this goal. We are seeing more racial diversity in our group. Every week I notice a high school senior eating with a group of junior high students or sitting with them on a Wednesday night, and I have seen students from one school in the stands at a different school cheering for their friends. We are not there yet, but we are making progress.

Jesus' prayer was for us to be unified. Not all the same, but one. In the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Our goal for this year is for our group to see this happen and, in doing so, see teenagers who do not currently follow Jesus begin to follow him. May we be a SQUAD: Many Members. One Family.

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 11

The Great Commission tells believers to "go and make disciples of all nations," and on November 15, FBC will focus on how our church members can make a difference locally and globally through missions.

Missions Launch, a Sunday totally focused on missions, will feature three International Mission Board missionaries joining us in both the morning and evening services, as well as in the Community Group hour. Minister of University and Missions Nathan Taylor says he hopes through hearing the sermon and stories, members will understand our Biblical call to be a part of taking the gospel to the world and find out how they can be involved through FBC Starkville.

"We want people to know that everyone in the local church is called to make disciples," Taylor said. "Everyone can't necessarily go on a mission trip, but they can play a role in missions through praying, giving, or serving closer to home."

Taylor says FBC is growing to become a more missions-centered, "going" church. Sign-ups will be available for the five FBC mission trips planned for 2016, including another Spring Break trip to Victoria, British Columbia, to host children's sports camps for Canvas Church, and an April trip to Rwanda to serve vulnerable women and children alongside FBC member Chris Bushby. In addition, other unique opportunities will also be offered through Missions Mobilization from the Mississippi Baptist Convention.

"Get a passport and be ready," Taylor advises. "For me, going and serving a local church in some other place in the world is one of the biggest blessings because you see the big picture a little bit better. You can have a different perspective of what church looks like and how it works in a different area, especially outside the Bible Belt. The God of Starkville, Mississippi, is the God who's sovereign over Victoria and Beijing."

IMB missionaries speaking at Missions Launch include Rebekah Clark, who served in Spain as part of the Journeyman Program; Neil Treme, who serves in Mexico; and Kevin and Christy Del Ben, who serve North African and Middle Eastern people groups. Taylor stresses, however, you do not have to be a professional to do missions. In fact, be encouraged from these FBC members describing their missions experiences in their own words.

B Y M E G H A N G O R D O N

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and telling the Gospel are to me, but because I went, they will know my heart.

Another truth I have realized more than ever is that the words that you say in the grocery store or in your own neighborhood, the ideas that you plant as a child's Sunday School teacher or GA leader, as a choir helper, or in the minds of your own children, the money that you give so a child can go to camp, all of these are vitally important.

Nathan was right. Our mission to be the Gospel is easy. Be intentional. Bring the name of Jesus into every conversation. Meet people, smile, hug, eat with them, walk with them, pray for them, live and share the love of Jesus with them. I'm so glad I went!

B E T H CO O K

One day about three years ago, Nathan Taylor stopped me in our church parking lot and asked, "Would you consider going with a group that I am taking to East Asia in a few months?" I know that he was as surprised as I was when I answered, "Yes, I'm your girl." Immediately, my heart just overflowed with the desire to go.

After asking Owen and applying for a passport, I began trying to find out what I would be doing on the trip, and I began praying. Nathan's answer was always that I would meet people, smile, hug, eat with them, walk with them, pray for them, show and speak the love of Jesus to them. That seemed too easy, but that is exactly what we did.

All day, every day, I met students and invited them to the nightly gatherings on their campus, where they could meet new believers and other seeking students who were meeting to hear the Truth taught. I would say to everyone I could meet during the days, "What do you do on the weekend?" Then, I had an opening to tell them what I did every weekend and why I went to church. Sometimes, I would ask if they knew if anyone in their family had ever been a Christian. Then, I could tell them why I am a Christian. I would invite students to go with me to whatever the next meal was and to meet me for the nightly gatherings.

That mission trip was one of the highlights of my life. Tears rolled down my face a lot in East Asia, as I recalled all of the verses of "We've A Story To Tell To The Nations," a hymn that I learned at Camp Garaway. God was allowing me to see, to be a part of all of those missionaries' pictures and testimonies of His power to provide, His power to save, to save even me. "He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."

After returning home, I realized I won't be around when our grandchildren are grown to tell them how important mission trips

B R A D, S H AW N , G A R R E T T, & G R A N T S M I T H

This past March, Shawn, Garrett, Grant and I went on our

first family mission trip. FBC's Nathan Taylor introduced us to the opportunity to go to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. We would be supporting Mississippi native Ashley Austin and his family at their recent church plant, Canvas Church.

Victoria is an economically affluent city, but it is also spiritually poor. The residents have good jobs, nice homes, and live in a beautiful area. As such, many don't see that they have any needs that they can't fix on their own. This is a tremendous spiritual obstacle, but one that Ashley and his family are working hard to overcome. One of Canvas Church's strategies is to meet families through their kids, specifically by offering various sports and art camps.

In March, the church had a basketball camp. FBC sent 20 of us to minister to families by coaching basketball. We brought young kids, high school kids, college students, and adults. Overall, our basketball knowledge was not at the level needed to host a first-class camp, with one notable exception: Coach Sharon Fanning-Otis was our ringer. She is an incredible blend of energy and knowledge, and she whipped all of us into shape before we left home. Our only worry was that she would be a day late because the SEC was honoring her as a coaching legend at the conference basketball tournament.

After arriving in Victoria, we stayed extremely busy. We worshiped with Canvas Church. We met with, prayed with and

Shawn & Brad Smith

Beth Cook

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 13

became friends with church members and the Austin family. We saw a truly beautiful city, hiked its mountains, walked its beaches, and even kayaked in the Pacific Ocean. Although we all were from different ages and circles, we grew tight as a church family. My family got to know some awesome college students and hear their testimonies. As a fifth grader at the time, Grant participated in the basketball camp and made new international friends. Garrett was a little too old for our oldest camp division, so he got to coach first and second graders, a great learning opportunity for the players and the coach. Shawn helped run the gym. I had a team of fourth through eighth graders.

With 21 hours of basketball sessions, we were tired… but it was a good tired. God was there. These 100 or so kids were having a great time. Their parents started showing up to watch. Local high school coaches were watching, and learning from, Coach Fanning-Otis. Her leadership had parents and coaches thinking we did this together all the time. Older high school siblings started coming. They all heard the gospel every night. We had a thorough devotional at every practice, usually led by one of our great college kids.

For many of the camp kids, and the adults watching, this was something completely new. The messages and the messengers had an effect on the people we met. Ashley has followed up with us about camp families that had never heard of Canvas Church and didn't attend any church, who are now attending Canvas Church. He's told us about camp kids that taught their parents how to pray, and why to pray, and Who to pray to. Why? Because of what they heard at a basketball camp. A basketball camp coached by below-average assistant coaches. A basketball camp with a very good head coach. A basketball camp planned for and prayed for by a visionary church planter and our mission leader. A basketball camp that God watched over, blessed, and managed every detail. I'm so glad my family got to go along for the ride.

MEAGHAN GORDON , a communication instructor at MSU, is married to Wes Gordon. They have four children, Mary Reeves, Murphy, Max, and Mamie.

B R I T TA N Y D O N A H U E

Missions have always been special to me. As a young child, it puzzled me to know that there were unreached people in the world. Missionaries fascinated me, and I loved hearing stories about other cultures coming to know Christ. My heart longed to share the gospel in a place like the Philippines, but I did not understand the magnitude and necessity for missionaries across America.

San Francisco is a cultural hub. Being a port city, it brings hundreds of different groups to one concentrated area. On June 1, 2014, I flew to San Francisco. My primary location was off the corner of Little Italy and Chinatown, in what we called the Red Light District. My team's goal, along with the San Francisco Peninsula Association, was to establish relationships with promoters and strippers within that industry.

I had a lot of preconceived notions going into the area. I expected the Red Light District to be a filthy area in a dilapidated section of the city, but to my astonishment it was just outside many of the city's tourist attractions and the Business District. In the midst of uptown restaurants and bookstores, there were seven strip clubs and several popular night clubs in the area.

Nightly, we set up a coffee stand in hopes of forming relationships with locals. About three weeks into our mission, I met Kate, who worked in a club. Kate had been raised in the Catholic church but had grown weary of the ritualist traditions. She did not feel love and did not see Christlikeness in her church. She had never had a mentor or anyone to look up to. At 18, she ran away from home, and this led to 10 years of working in clubs.

The first night we met, Kate told me her parents had custody of her children because of her lifestyle. That night, I got to share with her about finding hope in God's forgiveness. I was able to minister to her not just once, but several times. After that night, we talked weekly at the coffee stand. In one of our later chats, she told me that she had taken fewer hours at the club. Kate had started looking for a new job and a way out of the clubs. She had begun praying. She was seeking God. Until that summer, no one had taken the time to know Kate. She had been told that she was loved by God, but she had never seen Christian love demonstrated. Those nights sipping coffee, we formed a bond. There are so many testaments to what God can do through a person, and this is just one of the many stories of how God's grace can transform a life.

Brittany Donahue and the team she served with in San Fransisco.

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hristmas is right around the corner, so it won’t be long before every commercial on television will feature Santa Claus or families

gathered around their trees waiting to see what gifts await them on Christmas morning. For most of us in America, these scenes that are played out in advertisements are pretty relatable. We anxiously await the Christmas season every year, as it means more time to spend with family, an excuse to indulge in tasty treats, and, of course, presents! If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the materialism that the Christmas season brings, which makes it too easy to forget the real reason why we, as Christians, celebrate Christmas in the first place. The abundance of “stuff” that we associate with Christmastime also makes it hard to fathom that many people around the world do not get the opportunity in the way that we do to celebrate Christmas. Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is an organization that seeks to remedy that problem for children in underdeveloped and economically poor areas of the world. This organization arranges for shoeboxes full of small gifts and daily necessities to be sent to children around the world as a way of

GIVEF B C S TA R KV I L L E

B Y C O U R T N E Y D U I E T T

LUKE SMITH'S EXPERIENCE WITH OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

sharing God’s love with them and their families. According to Vicki Teeter, our OCC liaison here at FBC Starkville, “Since 1993, 124 million boxes have been delivered to more than 150 countries and territories.” While many of us have packed boxes, one of our college students, Luke Smith, got the opportunity to actually hand out some of them to children in India during his time as a summer missionary there in 2013. I had the privilege of talking with Luke about this experience, and here is what he had to say:

Q:What made you decide to go on this particular trip? Had you worked with Operation Christmas Child in any way before?

A:Well, I had wanted to serve for a summer, and I felt like God was calling me to go to India. When I signed up for the trip, I actually had no idea that I would be handing out the boxes. It was actually completely random that we had the opportunity to hand the boxes out. I had been packing boxes since I was in probably 7th or 8th grade, but I never had the opportunity to do anything beyond packing the boxes before this trip.

Q:What did you see God do through this ministry?

A: It is honestly hard to put it into words how much I saw God do in this ministry. There is almost no way to describe what it was like seeing around 300 children who literally only had the clothes on their backs (most didn’t even have a full set of clothes) receive these boxes. The joy that filled their faces is one like I had never seen before. These boxes of simple items that we take for granted every day are the only possessions that these children now owned, and they loved it. Not only that, but every single child who receives a box also hears the gospel, and that is something that will last much longer than the toys or other items. So, seeing first hand how these boxes contribute directly to millions of children hearing the gospel was truly indescribable.

Q:How was your life impacted by serving God through OCC?

A: I think the biggest lesson I learned was not to take the basic necessities for granted. Growing up in America, we have so many things; we almost always have food on the table,

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 15

a roof over our heads, and clothes in our closets. We never stop to think that not everyone has these things, so being able to experience such extreme poverty really put into perspective how much we really have. It has really made me think twice before complaining about pretty much anything. I’m constantly reminded that no matter what situation I am in here in America, it could always be worse. I have tried to be more thankful for the things I do have instead of complaining about the things I don’t have.

Q:Are there any special moments or stories that really stand out from your trip?

A:The most special moment actually came after we handed out the initial batch of boxes. We had about 100 boxes left over, and during the whole ceremony, homeless children had been lining up around our building, so the director started ushering in the homeless children into the building. We got to sit these children down, share the gospel with them, and pray for them. Most of the other children we had already given boxes to were from the slums, so they at least had a roof over their heads; however, these other children were the ones who literally slept on the street. We got to give these children some items that would bring them some temporary joy, but we also got to share with them some news that could bring them eternal joy.

Q: What would you say to people here about how they can be involved?

A: I would say to pack as many boxes as possible. Each box that you pack is taking the gospel to a child somewhere around the world, so the more boxes that are packed, the more people that hear the gospel. Also, if you have the opportunity, sign up to go help in the distribution center, or even sign up to go on the trip when they deliver the boxes.

I hope that Luke’s story inspires you the way it has inspired me. To imagine the faces of 300 children lighting up at the receiving of what is such a small token and representation of all that we have to be thankful for here in America is such an inspiring thought. If you would like to get involved with OCC through FBC Starkville, consider packing a box or maybe even several boxes. The deadline for bringing your boxes to the church is November 15.

COURTNEY DUEITT is an instructor in the English Department at MSU and a newlywed who is happy to have found a wonderful church home and family at FBC Starkville. You can connect with her on The City.

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GOF B C S TA R KV I L L E

eed it be said, why the week before Christmas is chosen? Is not the festive season when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?

– Lottie Moon, September 15, 1887

Charlotte Diggs Moon was born on December 12, 1840, in Abemarle County, VA. In December 1858, after a brief rebellion against Christianity, Lottie dedicated her life to Christ and was baptized at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville, VA. After earning her Master’s degree in 1861 (and becoming one of the first women in the South to do so), she followed her sister Edmonia to Tengchow, China in 1873. Lottie served in China for 39 years where she mainly taught in a girl’s school, teaching them the Good News of Christ. Lottie died on December 24, 1912, on board a ship in Kobe, Japan when she was 72 years old.

During her missionary career in China, Lottie wrote many letters home in which she kept churches up to date with her work. Her passion and zeal for the people of China was evident in each letter she wrote. Her main desire in life was to see them come to a saving relationship with Christ. She also wrote letters urging churches to financially and prayerfully support their missionaries. In her “letter that started it all,” which a portion is quoted above, she urged her fellow Southern Baptist women to rally together and give sacrificially for mission work around the world. She understood that without financial and prayer support from a church family back in the States, a missionary would not be able to complete the work that they have been commissioned to do. This is why the offering that we collect every year around Christmas bears her name.

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is very important to our Southern Baptist missionaries because it funds 58% of the IMB’s total budget and 100% of funds collected through this offering is sent overseas. Not a single penny stays in the United States. It is used by our missionaries to fund

LOTTIE MOONB Y H O L LY F R O N

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F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 17

schooling for their children, buy vehicles to reach peoples in remote areas, rent for homes, and to meet many other needs. The following testimonies show how important LMCO is to the work and lives of our IMB missionaries.

“I was 30 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child, and not doing well. I was a long, hard, 14-hour drive from the capital in the desert of a 3rd world country with no decent medical care. LMCO allowed me to book a plane ticket for the next day to fly out of our little town to the capital and on to Johannesburg, South Africa. God made it possible for all the flights to be on the same day. LMCO made it possible for me to be in a first world hospital to deliver our baby girl and that had an NICU since she was 5 1/2 weeks early!” writes Nickolee Roberts, a former missionary to Madagascar.

Katherine J. (name changed due to security reasons), a missionary currently serving in West Africa, shares, “Because of Lottie Moon, we have a 4x4 vehicle that helps us to drive many of the unpaved roads to share the gospel in villages that have no believers. We have used LMCO funds to pay for memory cards that are loaded with a dramatized audio New Testament in our people's language. We have given them to seekers and believers and used them as a way to share Bible stories in groups and with individuals. For example, I'll play the story on my smartphone a couple of times through, then ask questions and we discuss the truths in the stories and I ask them to retell them to make sure they've understood and retained what

they've heard. I asked a family member of someone I gave a memory card to if they were listening to the stories and they said that they listen to Bible stories nearly every night before going to bed. This is a Muslim family.”

It is no secret that the past year has been difficult for the IMB financially. We have heard the stories of missionaries being offered voluntary retirement and having to leave the countries and people God has called them to serve. Giving in Southern Baptist churches over the past several years is down and the impact it has on the IMB is now very evident. Lottie Moon’s charge to Southern Baptists in the 1800’s is still relevant today – our missionaries still need our support.

At FBC Starkville our goal this year is $90,000. There are several different ways you can give to Lottie Moon. Around mid-November, be on the lookout for LMCO envelopes in the church pews. You can place your gift in these envelopes and then place it in the offering plate. You can also give your gift online. Simply go to fbcstarkville.com and click GIVE at the top right of the page. Then follow the on screen instructions and under fund select Lottie Moon.

The generous giving of Southern Baptists is greatly appreciated by all our IMB missionaries. And never before has our giving been more important to our IMB missionaries. Please prayerfully consider how God is calling you to give this year.

HOLLY FRON is a graduate of Mississippi College and Mississippi State. She is married to RC Fron and currently is a stay-at-home mom where she spends her days pushing toy tractors across the floor with 1 year old Henry.You can connect with her on The City.

Photo from imb.org

Photo from imb.org

Lottie Moon set sail for China at age 32. Her path was not typical for

an educated woman from a wealthy Southern family. But God had

gripped her with the Chinese peoples' need for a Savior.

Missionary women (from left to right) Ella Jeter, Lottie Moon

and Jessie Pettigrew pose at the missionary residence,

"The Little Crossroads," in Tengchow.

18 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1 1

laire Hill is the Children’s Ministry Intern here at the church and is also a student at Mississippi State. As a church member, you may not know much about her at all. You may not even know that she has been serving on our staff. I assure you, she has an important role within our church. Spend some time and get to know her a little bit. And if you see her around our church, be sure you tell her

you appreciate all she does for our children’s ministry and our church.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I am from Pelahatchie, MS.

Q: What year are you at State? What is your major? What brought you to State?

A: I am Senior, Foreign Language major, with a concentration in Spanish. I transferred from Hinds Community College, and my brother goes to school here at State. I wanted to be where he was, as well as not being too far away from my family.

Q: Tell me about your call to ministry?

A: If you had told me this time last year that I would be in ministry, I would have told you, “No, ministry is not for me. That is just not what I am called to do.” My call to ministry was very sudden. I wanted to help with kids on Wednesday nights, so I asked my brother Blake during the spring semester if I could come with him and help. He brought me along, and I absolutely loved it. By the second week of working with the FBC kids, I really felt like the Lord was telling me that I should be doing more than just coming for an hour on Wednesdays. I asked the Children’s Minister, Leah Frances Eaton, if FBC did internships for children’s ministry. She responded, “I am actually in the process of getting that position approved.” Immediately, I knew that this was where the Lord wanted me.

SPOTLIGHTF B C S TA R KV I L L E

B Y M A R K YO U N G

F B C S TA R K V I L L E . C O M 19

Q: What is your position at the church and how long have you served here?

A: I am the FBC Children’s Intern, and I have been in this position for eight months now.

Q: What are your responsibilities as intern?

A: My responsibilities vary, and I have several different jobs. If teachers are unable to make it on Sundays, I will teach for them. I am responsible for preparing rooms for Sundays and Wednesdays, making sure that they are clean and ready for the next time that teachers come in. Leah Frances and I also work together to plan events like Vacation Bible School and kick-off nights.

Q: What has been a highlight during your time of service at FBC?

A: I have had many highlights in the short time that I have been here, and the opportunity to work for a church that desires to make the Gospel known has been a huge blessing in my life. Overall, the highlight that first comes to mind is just being able to work with FBC kids. To be able to pour into them, to teach them how to walk with Christ, and to prepare them for life by making the Gospel known has been the most amazing experience for me. Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” I wholeheartedly believe that children need to be rooted in Christ, and as they get older, they will be able to look back at those roots, at what they learned growing up. My prayer is that what they have learned through FBC kids will help them stand firm in their faith. Knowing that I have been a part in training our kids in Christ is by far the greatest highlight of my job.

Q: What is something you have learned from Leah Frances?

A: One of my favorite things about Leah Frances is the way that the Lord designed her creative mind. So many times we are taught to stay inside the lines, we are taught that everything has to be done a certain way, and if it is not done that way, it is not right. Children’s minds do not work like this! They want to be creative, competitive, and active, and they want to have fun. Leah Frances has this incredible, God-given gift of being able to combine all of these to teach the Gospel to our kids. She has taught me to think in a different way, and to know that it is not wrong to be creative, especially when it comes to children’s ministry. I love that she can portray the Gospel in a way that is fun for the kids, so that they will remember what they have learned. Having a visual reminder from the activities that they have done helps the children to remember the stories, verses, and books of the Bible that they learn weekly.

Q:What are your future aspirations in ministry and life?

A:Many have asked me why in the world I am a Spanish major if I am working in children’s ministry. My desire to work with children grew when I served in Honduras with my home church. I went to lead a Vacation Bible School; however, I could never communicate with the children, and a translator had to speak to the children for me.

MARK YOUNG serves as our Family and Youth Associate. You can connect with him on Twitter @MPYoung17 or on The City.

I began to wonder how I can gain the trust of the people of Honduras in order to share the Gospel with them if I could not even speak to them personally. I decided to major in this language, mostly because my desire to work with children all started in Honduras. I would very much like to lead mission trips to Spanish speaking countries and serve as a translator. As of right now, I am not sure where the Lord is leading me in life; however, I do feel like Christ is calling me to lead children to the Truth. By gathering with the children of the church, growing with them in Christ, giving my time and resources to further the Kingdom, and going wherever the Lord may call me, FBC Starkville continues to fulfill its mission statement, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful ministry.

20 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | I s s u e 1 1

8TH GRADE ADVANCESunday, November 15 | 12:00 - 6:00 pmCost$10

DISCIPLE NOWJANUARY 15-17$40 if you register by Dec. 31; $60 beginning January 1

We have begun to work on our Preschool Christmas musical, "Hurray for Baby Jesus." All preschoolers who want to sing in this musical need to consistently be in attendance.

FBC KIDSFBC KIDS SINGING IN WORSHIPNOVEMBER 88:30 & 11:00 AM WORSHIP SERVICE

CHILDREN'S CHURCHNOVEMBER 29 | 8:30 & 11:00 AM2nd Floor Children's Building

FBC YOUTHECHOSUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 NOON - 1:30 PMYouth & Parents luncheon with Andy & Karen TaggartRegister at FBCStarkville.com

PARENTS PAGE

UPCOMING EVENTSTHE MESSIAH GUIDESCOMING NOVEMBER 15

Pick up your Messiah devotional guide and

join us on the journey as we celebrate the

season of His birth. Guides will be available

starting Sunday, November 15 and the journey

begins Sunday, November 29. Guides will be

avaiable in the front foyer and The Commons.

WOMEN'S EVENTTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 126:00-8:00 PM | WAREHOUSE OC

A night of fellowship, encouragement

and refreshment for women.

SENIOR ADULT THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 | 11 :30AMWAREHOUSE OUTREACH CENTERCOST $5.00

CHARLIE SORTO’S RECITALNOVEMBER 8 | 3:00 PMSANCTUARY

THE COMMONS FOR MOM & DADWEDNESDAYS | 5:45-7:00 PMEveryone is invited to join us in the Commons for coffee while your children attend Stark kids, Preschool M3: Music, Missions, & More, and youth activities.

FBC PRESCHOOLPRESCHOOLERS MISSIONS NIGHTSUNDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 15 | 5:00 PMPreschoolers (ages 3-5) will be learning about and celebrating missions while adults have their own missions night. The evening's activities will include a little bit of international food, missionary videos, crafts, games, and a whole lot of fun!

M3 WEDNESDAY NIGHTS FOR PRESCHOOLERSBegins at 5:45 pm every Wednesday

COMMUNITY GROUPATTENDANCE FOR OCTOBER

OCTOBER 4 | 654

OCTOBER 11 | 1040

OCTOBER 18 | 979

OCTOBER 25 | 954

LUNCH BREAK MENUS

NOVEMBER 4Red beans and rice, salad bar

garlic bread and dessert.

NOVEMBER 11Chicken spaghetti, green beans

green salad and dessert

NOVEMBER 18Baked potato bar, chili and dessert

NOVEMBER 25No Lunch Break

Happy Thanksgiving!

OFFICE CLOSEDNOVEMBER 26-27

WOMEN’S MISSION GROUPS

• Monday, November 9 Houston Mission Group | 2:00 pm

• Monday, November 9 Reed Mission Group | 6:30 pm

For more information please contact the church at 662.323.5633.

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

Community Groups if you need

childcare for your Christmas party plan

your party for December 6 from 4:30-

7:00 pm and the church will provide

childcare in the children's building.

THE COMMONS FOR MOM & DAD

Everyone is invited to join us on Wednesday

in the Commons for coffee while your

children attend Stark kids, Preschool M3:

Music, Missions, & More, and youth activities.

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$90,000 | You can give your gift online. Simply go to fbcstarkville.com and click GIVE at the top right of the page. Then follow the on-screen instructions and under fund select Lottie Moon.

P E R I O D I C A L S

106 East Lampkin St. Starkville, MS 39759

FBCSTARKVILLE .com | 662. 323. 5633

FBCSTARKVILLE

@FBCSTARKVILLE

@FBCSTARKVILLE

FBCSTARKVILLE