April is going to be an amazing and action-packed month at Grace. Check this out:
April 14 – Spring Renewal Sunday
  Three Services in One Day

• 9:45 am – A Call to Repentance
• 11:00 am – Our Ministry of Reconciliation
• 6:00 pm – Renewal in Christlikeness

  Tim Douglas, Preaching
 
April 15 – Holy Week Services
      Grace Hosting Oakwood Neighbor Churches, Monday Night – April 15
                         (BRING DESERTS)
 
April 19 – Good Friday Service at Grace, 5:00 pm
       Students Stuff Easter Eggs and Pastor Mike’s and Robbie’s
 
April 20 – Children’s Easter Egg Hunt at Flowery Branch Park, 11:00 am
 
April 21 – Resurrection Sunday Services

• 7:00 am Sunrise Service at Grace
• 8:30 am Early Service (Traditional)
• 9:45 am Sunday School
• 11:00 am Service (Contemporary)

 
April 26-28 – DNOW Student Weekend (UPRISING)
 
April 27 – Men’s Ministry “Single Ladies Car Care and Motor Cycle Drive In”
 
The Bible says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
 
If the month of April was filled with our work done with our energy and for our satisfaction, we would complain and say it all is in vain. But everything that happens this April is for the Lord. It’s not our work, but His. Notice the promise, “…you will receive the reward.” I can’t wait to see everything God is going to do at Grace this April.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

The practice of the Solemn Assembly comes from the Old Testament, “For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord; it is a solemn assembly. You shall do no laborious work.” (Leviticus 23:36)
 
The solemn assembly was a special day set apart from the normal activities of worship and celebration. It was a day of dedication and sacrifice. The solemn assembly was a day on which vows were made to God and repentance was expressed by God’s people. It was a day in which restoration and renewal was called for within the congregation of the Lord. The solemn assembly was in short, a prelude to revival.
 
On April 14, I am calling our church to come together to observe a special solemn assembly emphasis that we will call “SPRING RENEWAL SUNDAY”.
 
The will be three worship assemblies that day:
 
9:45 am – Getting Right with God, Emphasis on Repentance
 
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
 
11:00 am – Coming Together in Christ, Emphasis on Reconciliation and Fellowship
 
“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” (2 Corinthians 5:18)
 
6:30 pm – Be Renewed in Christlikeness, Emphasis on Spiritual Renewal and Holiness
 
“…be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:23b-24)
 
I have asked Tim Douglas, our good friend, son in the ministry and former missionary to return to our church to preach and lead this emphasis. There will be special emphases in each service that will bless the worship experience and prepare us all for what God wants to accomplish. Begin to pray now that God will have His way in our lives and will do a mighty work among us.

SPRING RENEWAL SUNDAY
APRIL 14, 2019
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Tim Douglas, Preaching
Theme:

• Getting Right with God
• Coming Together in Christ
• Being Renewed in Christlikeness
  

Invite Anybody and Everybody
Don’t Miss a Single Service

The apostle Paul said, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)
 
Today, on this one-year anniversary of our presence in this new location, I have to compliment everyone who is a part of the Grace church family for their hard work that has resulted in a multitude of blessings from the Lord. Let me just name a few:
 

• We have completed our “One Mile for God’s Glory” Capital Campaign by reaching our goal of $150,000
• We have completed total renovation of the upper building and worship center.
• We have started the TeamKid discipleship ministry for children
• We have added 39 new members
• We have extended ministries into the community through block parties, Vacation Bible School, and service projects.
• Our worship has been blessed through the ministry of praise and worship led by our Praise Team.
• Our Student Ministry meets regularly to worship, memorize scripture, study God’s word, have fun, and grow in number and devotion to the Lord.
• We have active Women’s Ministry and Men’s Ministry work.

 
There is more to be celebrated, but this list is enough to convince any onlooker that the people of Grace have worked diligently throughout this first year. I am thrilled with the progress our church has made and the obvious blessing God has provided over these past 12 months. We give thanks to God for His amazing gift of power and grace as He has led us in spiritual advancement all year long. I truly believe that we are a better, more unified and firmly engaged congregation in the work of God’s kingdom because He has brought us to this location and given us these facilities. We are not the same church we were just one year ago.
 
What are the next steps? I think Paul had it right and points us toward the future when he says, “…let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

• We keep on doing good.
• We are to plan good ministry that will reach new people.
• We should perform good work that will meet the needs of people who live in our communities.
• We must speak good words that will encourage people and point them in the right direction.
• We are called to live good, wholesome lives that will show people what it means to be fully committed to Jesus.
• We are committed to treat each other with respect and caring compassion.

 
Can you ever do too much good? The obvious answer is NO! Year number 2 should be a duplicate of year number 1. We keep on doing good because we serve a God who is good in every way. Let’s make this coming year GOODER than any other we have ever had.

Brother Tim Douglas will be preaching today as he is back in his home state visiting family. Tim and his family have been overseas for the past 13 years serving the Lord in the Republic of Georgia as a church planter and leader among pastors and churches there. The Lord brought them back to this country a few months ago and given him a ministry just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Pray for this dear family as they are seeking to find God's leadership in the next phase of their ministry.

• 7:30   AM Sunrise Service
  
• 8:30   Early Service (Traditional)
  
• 9:45   Sunday School
  
• 11:00 Contemporary Service
  

 
Plan now to invite friends and family to join you in celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday our Students quoted their first memory verse from the list of 15 verses which comprise the Student Ministry “Bible Memory Honor Roll.” They all stood together and recited, “Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
 
After they finished saying their verse together, I had 3 adults say to me, “Pastor Mike, can you make a copy of those verses for me.”
 
There was one of our adult Sunday School teachers ask me for copies of the verses to be passed out in her class for every member. It looks like this commitment to memorize scripture started by our young people may spread throughout the church. Praise God! You are never too old to “…hide the word of God in your heart.” (Psalm 119:11)
 
Last night, our students spent the night together participating in a “Movie Night—Scripture Memory” sleep over. The boys spent the night at the home of Scott and Cassie Sturgill. The girls bunked out at Pastor Mike and Robbie’s house. They watched a movie and had snacks. They played games and had a Bible study together. They also put the following verse to memory, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless His holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul; and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:1-2)
 
You will hear them recite this verse during worship this morning. As they lift their voices to proclaim the truth of God’s word together, give thanks that our young people are demonstrating for all of us that they are “…doers of the word and not hearers only.” (James 1:22)
 
Bible study is a priority at Grace. During the month of February, over 70 adult, young people, and children participated in Sunday School every Sunday morning. On most Sunday’s, over half of the people participating in worship have already fellowshipped together in an hour of Bible study, wholesome conversations, uplifting connections. Bible study at Grace is more than an education experience. It is a spiritual relationship between believers who love the word of God and each other. The Bible is meant to be discussed between the people of God who have given themselves to living by its teachings. Sunday School is a mutual activity, like a team sport, in which those who participate help each other, encourage one another and hold ourselves accountable to do what the Bible says. You can call what we do in Bible study every week, TEAM SUNDAY SCHOOL.
 
There was a small girl who was fortunate enough to have her mother help her memorize the Lord’s Prayer. They worked hard together repeating every word and then every sentence until the girl wanted to do it by herself. The girl started slowly saying every word with the precision that her mother taught her. When she got to the “…and deliver us from evil,” part, she said, “…and lead us not into temptation,” pausing for a second to gather her next thought, she added, “…but deliver us from Facebook.”
 
That little girl is spiritually advanced beyond her years. What better way to deliver yourself from temptation and Facebook, that “…hide the word of God in your heart, so that you might not sin against God.” (Psalm 119:11)
 
If you are not a part of TEAM SUNDAY SCHOOL, there is a place for you and every member of your family. Become involved in the TEAM SUNDAY SCHOOL movement at Grace.