In 1873, at the age of 18, Queen Victoria stepped into the role of reigning monarch over the United Kingdom. She would spend more than 60 years adapting to and walking out her inherited role in what became known as the “Victorian Era”. In reality, she became Queen the minute her reigning uncle passed away, but spent years growing into the enormity of her title.

There’s something to be said for embracing and walking in something we’ve already been given. Like gifts with “some assembly required”, and the ones that demand some devoted time with a user manual, some gifts are participatory.

Think for a second about the gifts Paul describes in 2 Timothy 1:7. Instead of giving us a spirit of fear and timidity, God has granted us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. This trio in the latter part of the verse are as hands-on as gifts come. These gifts were designed to be worn, used, and learned, as opposed to the kind you tear the wrapping paper off and stick on a shelf to admire from afar.

Some of us take a detour around the confidence offered us by 2 Timothy 1:7 by doubting that power, love, and self-discipline really belong to us in the trenches of normal life. Some might object, “There’s no way that’s true of me. My mind is the farthest thing from “sound” most days.” Okay. But if we found ourselves in Queen Victoria’s shoes in her early days, we’d probably admit, “I have no idea what this takes. There’s no way I’m fit for this.” And yet the monarchy belonged to her. If God says He has given something to His children, He has in certainty, regardless of whether we feel like it or not.

So where is the disconnect between our personal experience and what 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us we’ve been entrusted with?

SOME of what God has given us, He has designed us to learn to embody in practice, over the course of our lifetime.

John Piper says it this way:

“I want you to glory in what it means to be a Christian…You become a Christian by a decisive work of God in you and by a decisive surrender to Jesus Christ through which, by faith in Him, He becomes your substitute and your Lord. Then comes a lifelong experience of becoming in practice what you are by your position. And that becoming — called sanctification — strengthens your assurance that you are real.”

God has given us a supernatural ability to walk in power, love, and a sound mind instead of fear and timidity. It is readily available to us, but we are called to cultivate it. Much like Paul’s exhortation for Timothy to “fan into flame” the gifts that God had given him in the verse prior, we are called to cultivate the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline in our own lives.

What is it Really?  

What does it mean to have a “sound mind”? Your Bible may also translate the phrase as “discipline,” “sound judgement,” “self-control,” or “sobriety,” depending on the version you have. Its literal translation is “saving the mind”, and it pulls from the idea of “training” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). We’re starting to see why the word “discipline” makes sense here.

We have been given a supernatural ability by God to cultivate a discerning, intentional, and settled state of mind. The kindness of God is remarkable. We serve a God who not only cares for us enough to save our souls for eternity, but also gives us the capacity to create an atmosphere of peace, clarity, and stability in our minds. He wants our thought lives to be marked by peace.

Here are 5 practical ways to cultivate a disciplined, sound mind in an every-day context:

5 WAYS to Cultivate a Sound Mind

1.   CHECK YOUR INFLUENCES

So much of our thought life is a direct reflection of the myriad of stimuli offered by the world around us. Whether via books, podcasts, news outlets, sports coverage, social media, radio, television, movies, magazines, websites, sermons, song lyrics, billboards, YouTube videos, gaming platforms, blogs, commercials, or push notifications, we are being bombarded daily with information that was designed in some way to shape our thinking or sway our opinions.

This doesn’t even scratch the surface of other influencing voices that rise from personal conversations, meetings, seminars, family gatherings, emails, messages, and notes.

It’s no surprise that author Brett McCracken, in his book The Wisdom Pyramid, remarks:
“Constant distraction is a greater temptation for humans today than any generation of humans prior have faced.”

We’re blessed in that solid, gospel-driven resources are more available to us and the nations than ever before. We can download digital content that stirs our affection for Christ in a matter of seconds. But we’re also inundated with products of countless worldviews that are directly opposed to the gospel, and content that the enemy would love to use to bend our hearts, prone to wandering, away from the truth.

Increasingly, it’s getting more difficult to resolve with the Psalmist, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” (Psalm 101:3)

It’s critical for us to evaluate what we are allowing to influence our thoughts.

2.   BE A BOUNCER

We are the God-appointed gatekeepers of our minds. If we don’t, who else will vet the 6,000+ thoughts we think per day, denying entry to those that aren’t pleasing to the Lord?

If 2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches us to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” then there’s room for some “holy defiance” against thoughts that oppose the truth.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (NLT)

3.   COUNSEL YOURSELF

“Don’t think about an elephant.” What are you thinking about?
The elephant.

Rebel thoughts don’t disappear unless they’re replaced with alternatives. Paul gives some good parameters here:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV) 

Paul David Tripp says he always gets laughter in response to this, but it’s true:

“No one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do.” (Read Full Article Here)

We’ve actually been given a model for talking to our own souls in Scripture.

In Psalm 43:5, the psalmist addresses himself: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.”

We’re always talking to ourselves internally, but it’s time to steer our own conversations toward the truth.

4.   MEMORIZE & MEDITATE

Here’s a life hack: passages like Philippians 4:8 are amazing in the face of “elephant” thoughts. Occupy your mind with calling a verse to memory, and you’ll find there is little room left for the old thought pattern.

Here’s a word from Jerry Bridges:

“God’s Word must be so strongly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions. One of the most effective ways of influencing our minds is through memorizing Scripture. David said, ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’ (Psalm 119:11).”

Let your memorization lead to meditation. Things like phone reminders, Post-It notes, and mobile apps serve as great personal prompts. Get creative by writing out the passage in your own words, figuring out how to explain it to your 4-year-old, coming up with motions (cheesy, but effective), writing with a dry-erase marker on the bathroom mirror, or designing a lock-screen graphic for your phone if you’re into graphic design.

5.   BE RENEWED

Romans 12:2 overflows with abundant hope for our thought lives:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Our minds are designed to be renewed. It’s how life transformation actually happens.
For a few more practical ways to lean into what this can look like in the normal rhythms of life, click here!

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Want to learn more about how to cultivate a sound mind? We would highly recommend the book resources below!

GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD

THE WISDOM PYRAMID

A GOSPEL PRIMER

DITCH YOUR THINKING

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”  

- Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address 

It was March 4th, 1933. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had just been ushered into office as President, inheriting the Great Depression as his first order of business - and he chose to speak into the hearts of his people about fear. But, he knew something important: fear had the ability to capture that resilient, hope-fueled determination to advance against all odds, and stop it in its tracks. And leading paralyzed people is nearly impossible.  

It’s pretty easy to see why fear is a poison to the church of Jesus Christ. An army of Spirit-indwelt believers that are called to turn the world upside down with the greatest news on earth, yet who can only retreat and never advance, just doesn’t add up. It’s not the kind of church we read about in Scripture. If the church ever needed efforts to convert retreating into advancing, it's now. 

And so we, along with Paul in 2 Timothy 1:7, loudly declare that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear. Fear doesn’t belong in the church. And yet we battle it every single day. What do we do with that?  

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On Sunday, we revisited the Old Testament account of Joshua and Caleb’s conversation with the Israelites after the spies returned with a report of the Promised Land. We saw the irrationality of fear and how fear’s falsehoods can distort a glowing report into what seems like a death wish.  

Fear is destructive, but there’s something going on here that’s deeper than fear alone. Take another look at Joshua and Caleb’s plea:  
 

Numbers 14:9-11 

“‘Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.’ Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. 

And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?’” 

 
It’s interesting to note Joshua and Caleb’s words: 
“...do not rebel...and do not fear...”  

It seems that the exhortation not to rebel and not to fear were separate. (Hang on to that for a second.)

Then, after the whole gathering turned on Joshua and Caleb and tried to stone them (yes, that really happened), God clearly stepped in ready to communicate something. And what He said is such a window into His heart:  

“How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?” (vs. 11)  

The Lord’s rebuke after the people rejected Joshua and Caleb’s exhortation wasn’t a rebuke of their fear. It was a rebuke of how they provoked God with their unbelief and unwillingness to trust Him despite all He had done among them in the past. It was a rebuke of how they had rejected Him in their hearts. 

Friends, can I submit something to you? I don’t think God is offended by our fear in and of itself. He knows that the “Descendants of Anak,” — the “giants” of our own circumstances, intimidate us. He knows that from our vantage point, some situations seem absolutely impossible. 

I think what He is ultimately concerned with is our response to our fear. Will we follow fear’s suggestion to doubt God’s goodness, sovereignty, and love, hardening our hearts toward Him and resorting to self-reliance and self-preservation? Or, will we allow fear’s alarm to send our hearts returning to God’s flawless track record of faithfulness, steadfast promises, and empowering presence through His indwelling Spirit within us?  He has given us the freedom to choose.

If we allow the lies of fear to sink into our hearts, we will soon find our hearts bending to rebellion instead of returning to Him. 

The fruit of fear is often a rebellion against faith and trust in the Lord. 

But with the gracious help of the Holy Spirit living in us, the fruit of fear doesn't have to be rebellion; we’re not enslaved to that anymore. Instead, the fruit of fear can be return – a supernaturally-enabled homecoming to the promises and character of God.  

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So, what does the fruit of fear look like in your life? Is it tempting your heart to lean away from God’s presence? Is it tempting you toward self-preservation and coping mechanisms? Or is it drawing you closer to Him?  

FDR said that “unjustified terror...paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” The Bible takes it one step further by suggesting that unjustified (ungodly) fear not only paralyzes our advance but leads to sinful rebellion, and ultimately, rejection of God Himself.  

But when we allow fear to be the catalyst to return to God, strengthening our faith and trust in Him, it converts our retreating into advancing. And the church of Jesus Christ is in need of advancing today – am I right?!  

So, I would tweak FDR’s speech a little bit for us as a family:

The only thing we have to fear is fear that doesn’t return to faith.  

You know I love you, right? 

In Christ,  
Pastor Phil  

THIS BLOG POST IS A COMPANION TO THE SERMON BELOW.
We pray it is a blessing to you!

FBC | ELKHART · "Supernatural Rx For Fear" | 10/17/21

Phil Byars serves as the Lead Pastor at FBC, where he pours himself into leading, teaching, and caring for our church community. Phil and his bride Robin love road trips, spending time with their family, and drinking their morning coffee together. For Phil, it doesn’t get better than hearing his grandkids call him “Poppy,” taking in the beauty of the Colorado Mountains, and, of course, enjoying a PB&J.

There’s something about God’s people passionately ascribing His worth that catches the world’s attention. When a woman who lost her husband to cancer 3 months ago stands in a worship service with tears running down her cheeks, and, somehow, unmistakable hope radiating from her countenance, it stands out. When a high school senior walks through the hallways with striking joy, uncommon compassion, and unashamed truth, it stands out. When a young married couple fresh out of college opts to plant their lives in the Middle East, denying the comforts of freedom and security to take the gospel into risk-laden territory, it stands out. When a retired veteran and his wife spend the best hours of their day at homeless shelters and food pantries instead of re-tracing their favorite golf course, it stands out. The world can’t ignore the contrast, and it begs the question of what’s different.

In 2018, songwriters Corey Voss, Dustin Smith, Michael Bryce Jr., and Michael Farren penned the lyrics of a song that quickly became one of our favorites at FBC. The bridge reads:

“The world cannot ignore it
When all the saints are roaring
Hell where is your victory
Death where is your sting?”

- “Praise the King”, Corey Voss -

If you’ve ever found yourself planted in a room full of believers worshiping, you know that there are no words to fully describe the spirit of joyful agreement in those moments. They are moments drenched in collective unity. They’re brimming over with celebration over having been rescued. They loudly proclaim the victory and resurrection that is ours in Christ. And for believers, those moments just feel…right. They’re what we were created to do.

This kind of passionate worship, expressed in the large meeting rooms of American Congregations and the crowded basements of the underground church, carries the gospel to the nations. The kind of worship that’s lived out in cubicles, hospital waiting rooms, lecture halls, dining rooms, coffee shops, hard phone calls, elementary school pick-up lines, grocery store aisles, football fields, and facebook comment sections, also carry the gospel to the nations. How? Because the kind of people who can stare life’s trials, injustices, sufferings, conflicts, brokenness, and discouragements in the face and yet retain a resilient joy not their own, stand out.

The passionate worship of the people of God carries the gospel to the nations.

Whether by direct exposure to gospel-laden truth, or by the experience of interacting with believers who are filled with the Spirit of Truth, gospel seeds are planted. When all the saints are roaring with their song and with their lives that God is good, victorious, glorious, worthy, holy, compassionate, just, kind, gracious, merciful, and loving, the world cannot ignore it.

If we want the nations to understand God’s worth, we need to be a people who proclaim it.

John Piper explains,

“…worship is the goal and the fuel of missions: Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Missions is our way of saying: the joy of knowing Christ is not a private, or tribal, or national or ethnic privilege. It is for all. And that’s why we go. Because we have tasted the joy of worshiping Jesus, and we want all the families of the earth included.

“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.” (Psalm 22:27)

Seeking the worship of the nations is fueled by the joy of our own worship. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. You can’t proclaim what you don’t prize. Worship is the fuel and the goal of missions.”

(READ FULL MESSAGE HERE)

To learn more about how you can engage in MISSIONS at FBC, get to know our church’s missionaries, and be inspired by how God is leading the nations to worship Him, visit our Missions page by clicking the button below.

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting example of “the domino effect” than COVID-19. It’s touched virtually every part of our lives, and yet we’re still learning more of its residual effects on a daily basis. Unemployment, labor shortage, shifting supply and demand, mass migrations to digital platforms and back, ever-evolving education policies, social mandates, vaccination discussions, ethical dilemmas, and political responses have each affected us at some level. And for many, the pandemic has left deeper marks - endangering or even taking the lives of loved ones. The cause-and-effect relationships formed by a pandemic are far more than biological - they’re personal, economical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

There was a time when the collective lament, “When will things return to normal?” flavored most conversations. Since then, dynamics have changed on both organizational and personal levels. Restrictions have fluctuated. Some families have taken a collective sigh of relief as a degree of “normalcy” has been restored to them. Other families are still reeling from permanently altered careers, the loss of a loved one, or grief over how things “used to be”. Still others lie somewhere in between - relaxing into some pre-COVID rhythms and re-learning what it’s like to watch a movie in a theatre, while at the same time wrestling with a growing awareness that, for many reasons, our world is still very much not okay.

We’re humanly wired to find physiological equilibrium. Our bodies were designed to maintain consistent temperatures, blood pressures, and hydration levels. The term “homeostasis” borrows Greek root words meaning “similar to” + “standing still.” Essentially, in order to sustain life, we need biological consistency that’s sustained. When things are off-balance, we feel the effects.

Don’t we see this trend bleed into our spiritual lives as well? Our default practice is to find stability IN THE NORM, not out of it. When our lives are shaken up, our souls feel the effects. And we know deep down that we need to return to a posture of stability. Our hearts need to return to the places where they can stand still, calm and sure. Over the past two years, our world has been shaken. It’s easy to imagine the cumulative cry for “homeostasis” that’s risen up from every corner of the earth.

Here’s the breakdown. We think that our restored stability - that factor that will once again still our souls - will be carried by situational homeostasis:

“When the restrictions loosen, we can get on with our lives.” 

“When the vaccine achieves herd immunity, we can finally put this behind us.”

Or, 

“As long as we can somehow preserve medical autonomy, our kids will be ok.” 

“When the economy turns around, we can pick up where we left off.” 

“I’m just waiting for the day when mask mandates are a thing of the past.”

We long for every form of “normalcy” to be restored, each one loudly advertising to us the return of comfortable routines, personal freedoms, and unhindered preferences. And while we would gladly slip into those luxuries of old, like a favorite sweater, we need to ask ourselves if we’re trusting in the return of “normalcy” more than we’re trusting in God to provide our deepest sense of stability.

God reminds us with:
His Word,
His flawless track record of faithfulness,
His indwelling Spirit,
The strong testimony of His church,
And His steadfast promises,
that He is singularly able to place His hands on our lives and restore stillness and peace to our shaken souls, regardless of our situation. He wants to be our stability both IN the “norm” and outside of it.

We need not place our wellbeing in the hands of circumstance instead of the Savior. 

In every moment of circumstantial chaos, we are offered the same possibility of steadfast, sustained stability of soul and spirit, no matter whether our situation looks seemingly “normal” or nowhere near it. Why? Because we don’t need homeostatic circumstances to thrive as believers. We need - and we have - an unchanging God.

How do we access that stability on a daily basis? We’re so grateful for this application from Pastor Blodgett’s message on Psalm 46:

As you evaluate where you are seeking stability in this season, our prayer is that these passages and lyrics draw your spiritual vision to the true refuge of our souls:

“Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
And seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well, with me”

“It Is Well”, Bethel Music

“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.”

Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

"God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable],
A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains tremble at its roaring.
Selah.”

Psalm 46:1-3 (AMP) 

“Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)

For added reminders of the stability God has offered us in Himself, we’ve created a Spotify playlist surrounding this truth. We pray it is a blessing to you.

“Looking back now, it’s easy to dissect what happened. We were naive. We weren’t sitting up at night thinking ‘something’s wrong here.’ It was just normal - you use a credit card; you go out to eat. It wasn’t even a second thought.” - Patrick and Kellie Fox 

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We’re really grateful to bring you a conversation we shared with Patrick and Kellie Fox focused on the “how” of giving. Around the family table in their home, we listened as they shared their personal journey with finances and generosity. Our prayer is that this post invites you into the room to catch a glimpse of how intention serves generosity in a real-life context. 

STARTING OUT 

Patrick and Kellie candidly described the first several years of their lives as newlyweds, fresh out of college: “If you look back at that time in our life, we had money, but if you would have known what was going on behind the scenes, you would be saying, ‘Where’d all your money go?’” They recounted the metaphorical burden that they carried during that season - a building sense of financial stress that grew bigger with time. “It’s unnerving to live like that,” they reflected. 

The introduction of Financial Peace University (FPU) came as part of a bigger move of God’s hand in Patrick and Kellies’ journey. Our God doesn’t touch only isolated “compartments” of our lives. Instead, He transforms us by the renewal of our minds. In a holistic, sweeping act of grace, He changes us at a heart-level, affecting the way we interpret every area of life. Romans 12:2 implies that this kind of renewal is the very agent that allows us to resist conforming to the world and its norms - including the financial ones.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

“Certain people came into our lives,” Patrick and Kellie recalled, “and God worked on our hearts in MANY areas, not just finances. Whatever you do with your finances is just a reflection of what’s going on in your heart.” Together, they read one of Dave Ramsey’s books and started grappling with hard questions like, “Whose money is it?” and, “What are we really entitled to?” God was at work.

ENTER: FPU

A short time later, Financial Peace University was offered as a class at FBC. Patrick and Kellie dove in fully and described their experience as if the blinders came off. The practice of building monthly budgets and telling money where to go, rather than allowing impulse purchases to dictate, was the factor that unlocked the financial transformation they experienced. But far from merely changing their habits, they aligned their priorities with God’s Word until their budget reflected it. Looking back, their monthly budgets became a visual reflection of their changing spiritual priorities. They started seeing heart change on a spreadsheet.

Working through the Financial Peace University process wasn’t a quick fix. It took time and gritty effort. Kellie remembers making rice and beans for dinner - a lot. But as they kept at it, they started to see the return. As they paid off debt, God gave them timely opportunities to take on new callings made possible because of the financial freedom they had gained.

SINCE THEN

Ever since the class, Patrick and Kellie have been budgeting each month and carrying principles from FPU into the rhythms of their family’s life. Their kids know words like “budget”, “savings”, and “interest”. They each have personal savings accounts with Dad as the banker. (He’s offering a pretty great interest rate on their savings accounts!) They’re growing up seeing Mom and Dad sit down and plan a budget on the first Saturday of the month. And they’re being actively challenged and encouraged to be generous in their own contexts with the resources of time and energy that they’ve been given.

Patrick and Kellie have seen the transformation in their lives that started with a shifting of priorities in their hearts and worked itself out practically in zero-dollar based budgeting, among other habits. They’ve had the pleasure of teaching several FPU classes and are passionate about sharing what they’ve learned with others. And they’ve observed that intentionality paves the way for generosity. “Giving, for us, is one of the keys,” they reflected. “If you were to look at our life from when we first got married to now, you would see an almost parallel trend of increased giving to increased serving to increased blessing. It’s a privilege to be able to take the time and talents and treasures that God’s given us and to release those and to share that grace. That’s humbling, as it should be. I don’t think you’ll ever have more fun than giving money away.”

FREEDOM IS BIGGER THAN WE THINK

“The goal of the “American Dream” is SELF, but the end goal of God’s idea of financial peace is that we would be all about God and His kingdom. When you’re financially free, you can do so much more than write a check,” they explained.

There is a kind of freedom God wants to give His children that is far deeper than freedom from debt. 

“You can afford to either send somebody to Africa, or go yourself,” Patrick continued. “And maybe, you can retire a little bit early and invest in Kingdom things that you weren’t able to do when you worked full time.” 

Financial freedom maximizes our ability to further the Kingdom. That kind of reasoning as a catalyst for financial change is sturdy enough to withstand the growing pains of adapting to new budgeting habits. That kind of reasoning is backed by Romans 12:2. When we see finances with a Biblical lens, the way we manage our resources becomes yet one more way that we can make much of Jesus Christ and share His hope and love with our world. Kellie described it so well: “You can set yourself up through FPU so that you can have peace about giving and have the ability to do it. Your hands aren’t tied by other things.”

FPU THIS FALL

We’re thrilled to routinely offer Financial Peace University at FBC, but we don’t offer it so that more families at our church can become glittering examples of achieving financial stability. We offer it as another means to equip families to love God, love people, and influence our world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, with greater freedom. Like Patrick and Kellie experienced, we believe God is orchestrating some kingdom opportunities in the lives of FBC families that will be unlocked by financial peace. 

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To be one of the first to know when we will offer the next FPU class, and to learn about other opportunities at FBC, keep an eye on the MY FBC page of our website, and connect with us on social media!

Patrick and Kellie Fox have a deep love for Christ’s church and have invested their hearts in the weekly rhythms at First Baptist. Along with their 3 boys, they’re building an active and vibrant life, full of family time, adventures with close friends, playing sports, and enjoying northern Indiana. 

Know how to tell if you TRULY love someone? Here’s one surefire sign: you’re willing to give them the very middle of a freshly-baked cinnamon roll. Right out of the oven. Pillowy soft and couched inside layers of more cinnamon-y goodness. Perfectly positioned to receive the maximum amount of cream cheese frosting. That’s true love. 

When you love someone this much,
you want to give them the best part.

What if we thought about giving this way? This love-fueled desire that eclipses all sense of self-gratification is what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” We love God desperately and want to give Him the best part of what we’ve been entrusted.

This whole thought tugs at an Old Testament concept called “Firstfruits.” These were special offerings dedicated after a bountiful harvest or after new property was acquired. Israelites would offer the first portion of their harvest before dealing with the rest. Because when you love someone this much, you want to give them the best part. 

We want to be this kind of people, don’t we? We want to freely offer the first and best part of everything to God. But if we’re honest, giving often triggers an inner wrestling. We count the cost, and sometimes we find we’re holding more tightly to our resources than we’d like to admit. We live in a culture saturated with “FOMO” (fear of missing out), and we can’t help but let our minds drift to the alternative ways we could use the portion we’ve considered offering. Giving exposes the contents of our hearts.

Why? Because giving is tied to our affections. People don’t just wake up one day and decide to be radically generous. Something happens to them at a heart-level first. There is an affection that has motivated and stirred their heart to give.

After all, we see the supreme example of this motive-pattern in the heart of our Heavenly Father, who so loved the world that he gave His only Son (John 3:16). And as His image bearers, we give because we love. We are willing to absorb a personal cost because we love. Just like that prized portion of the cinnamon roll, we’re willing to sacrifice it, not begrudgingly, but cheerfully, out of anticipation of the joy it will bring to the one we love.

When love motivates the gift, the sting of the cost is overwhelmed by joy.

This principle that we give because we love will motivate men to purchase expensive engagement rings, women to endure the pain of childbirth, and families to tenderly care for a grandparent gripped by dementia, just to name a few examples. Our love leads us into profound and even joyful sacrifice.

How, then, do we stimulate this kind of giving that joyfully surrenders the best part? We cultivate a love for God that places Him first at the center our hearts and lives – a love that supernaturally reorders our affections. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul writes about the motivation behind the giving of a remarkable church in Macedonia:

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-5)

Out of love, the Macedonian church had given themselves to God before they gave of themselves to bring relief to the believers in Jerusalem. It’s Biblical to assume that they were in fact able to display such horizontal generosity because they had already given all they had and all they were to God vertically. And the same is true of us. As we increasingly surrender every aspect of our lives to God, we will only find it fitting to gladly offer up our finances to Him as well.

A Prayer of Response:

God, we know that You can stir our affections, because You have already stirred them toward You. By Your grace, please increase our affection for You to the degree that we earnestly long to give You the best part of our lives, including our financial lives. When we are tempted to grieve the cost, would You replace the sting with reminders of the joy that comes from blessing Your heart and being used by You. Let our love for You overflow in generosity with all we are and have.

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Our leadership team at FBC highly recommends this small volume by Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle, as a tool to help you guide your heart in honoring God’s design for generosity. You can purchase a copy by clicking on the button below.

1 Thessalonians 2:8
“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

We know Paul’s affection for the Thessalonian church ran deep. He LIVED to bring others the message that had so deeply transformed him. He brought that message to a city named Philippi, but was imprisoned and later thrown out of the city. Desperate to keep sharing, Paul walked 94 miles east through Greece until he reached Thessalonica. Can you imagine the thoughts that flooded his mind as he walked? The conversations he had with God?  

Can you imagine the tears that likely filled his eyes when the people he found in Thessalonica received the gospel with sincerity (1 Thess. 1:5)? This time, Paul stayed in the city for weeks, teaching the new believers and kindling the flames of a first-generation church (Acts 17:2). When Paul later reflected on that time with them, he remembered being delighted at the chance to share the gospel. But he also remembered another layer of delight – the joy of sharing his life with them.

Maybe one day in Heaven, we can ask Paul about the moments that flickered across his mind when he wrote this down. Did he recount moments of patient reasoning in the Jewish synagogue? Or looking into the Thessalonians’ eyes and describing the love that led Jesus to the cross? Maybe sharing life looked like the meals he enjoyed in the homes of these new believers, trying the Greek food they fixed for him. Was there Tzatziki sauce back then? Maybe he remembered meeting little ones who tugged on his hand and begged him to let them show him around their town. Maybe he told them about meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Maybe he just took it all in – letting these new spiritual brothers and sisters introduce him to their bustling, commerce-driven seaside culture. Those who were strangers only days before suddenly shared the most important thing in common – belonging to Jesus. And Paul got to spend time with them exploring what it would now look like to carry this new identity into their everyday lives - what it would look like to build the church. He shared his life with them.

What does it mean to share life today? If all the formalities and expectations of what “community” is supposed to look like were stripped away, what would be left? Hopefully, you’ve experienced it. If you want to know who you truly share life with, just ask yourself:

• Who are the first handful of people you share news with?

• Who do you call when you’re desperate to make sense of what’s happening in your life?

• When you need help with a project, who do you ask without feeling awkward?

• When you have an abundance of something good, who do you want to share it with?

• Which relationships in your life are sturdy enough to support more than small talk?

• Who would you drop everything for if they were in need?

Do you share life in Life Group? It’s all too easy to abandon the pursuit of life-sharing for fear we don’t have enough in common to experience real camaraderie. But because we belong to Jesus, we have the most important thing in common - regardless of the diversities in age, ethnicity, education, sports team loyalties, occupation, income, political affiliation, or music preferences.

A shared identity in Christ provides a deeper and more relevant platform for relationship than any other kind of solidarity.

With that understanding, Life Group becomes a context not only to meet together once a week, but to truly share life in the way that brought such joy to Paul in Thessalonica. Life Group becomes a celebration of our shared love of Jesus set against a vibrant patchwork backdrop of dynamic life experiences and personalities (complete with all of our personality quirks!). A group of wildly distinct people curiously united by their common love for Christ makes our world do a double-take. It’s the beauty of the gospel.

So, in the name of the beautiful and awkward and 1,000% worthwhile pursuit of life-sharing, here are 10 practical ways to actually share life in your Life Group this year:

1. Small but Mighty

   Don’t underestimate the power of a quick text or call to check in with someone in your Life Group. “Hey, just wanted you to know you’ve been prayed for today. Care about you.”

2. Wanna Join?

   Let’s say your family is grabbing ice cream on Friday night. In the spirit of spontaneity, check with someone in your Life Group who lives on that side of town to meet you there and share in the simple stuff. Relationships are formed over hundreds of small shared experiences.

3. Read Something

   Ask the girls or guys in your group if they want to read 1 book together over the next few months – 1 chapter a week. The time you dialogue with each other could be as simple as 1 takeaway each on a group text or a quick meet up for coffee. (P.S. You don’t need to be a Life Group Leader or Assistant to instigate something like this!)

4. Keep Praying

   Find a creative way to share prayer requests with your group. Group texts and Facebook groups are great, but the sky’s the limit here. Have the girls and guys find prayer partners of the same gender within your group to follow up with each week. Each night when your family prays for dinner, pick out one individual or family from your Life Group to pray for specifically. Don’t forget to follow up and ask about the requests that have been shared.

5. Share a Skill

   Most likely, there’s someone in your group with a skill you’d like to learn. Or, there’s someone that would love to learn a skill you have. Think: changing the oil, keeping a garden, painting your house, making sourdough bread from scratch, building a table, fixing a vacuum, navigating the toddler years, doing your own taxes, replacing a water heater, picking out a computer, learning hospitality, or cutting hair, just to name a few examples. You’ll benefit from sharing the skills, but you’ll benefit even more from the time spent sharing them.

6. SERVE TOGETHER

   Visit MY FBC and find a local community outreach opportunity that sparks your interest. Get your Life Group Leaders on board and give your group a day and time where they can jump in with you and bless someone. Whether you’re raking someone’s yard or serving meals to homeless families in our city, you’ll find an incredible sense of unity as you carry the love and hope of Christ into our community.

7. SPARK GENEROSITY

   Plan and pull off a random act of kindness together with your Life Group that no one will know about except for your group. Pool some extra cash together to anonymously bless someone. Or surprise someone in your group with free babysitting for a date night, a Starbucks gift card, or a surprise service like mowing their lawn. Gather your family and find one creative way to bless one individual or family in your Life Group each week. Think: handwritten notes and drawings from your kids, a surprise drop-off of their favorite snacks or drinks, their go-to coffee order dropped off at their workplace, etc. If you have kids, let them in on the spontaneity and watch them learn to love the practice of being generous.

8. Get Intentional with Sunday Mornings

   Next time you see each other on a Sunday morning, go a little deeper than the customary “how was your week?” Ask about what they’ve been reading in their Bible lately. Ask if there’s a way you can be praying for them specifically this week. If you’re not seeing someone in your Life Group at church for a few weeks, give them a call.

9. GET OUTSIDE

   Plan a walk together and bring the kids, find out if you go to the same gym, or meet up and walk a few laps around our church’s outdoor trails. Explore a disc golf course, take the dogs for a walk, host a bonfire, or find a playground for the kids.

10. SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE!

    Share your favorite music playlists, the best podcast you’re listening to right now, a favorite recipe you’ve tried, or something that brought joy to you this week. You just might find out you share more in common than your love for Jesus.

If you’re not currently part of a Life Group, we’d love to help you find your community and share life. Click on the link below to start a conversation with us!

Hebrews 10:24
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…” (ESV)

In other paraphrases of this passage, the work of considering sounds a lot like getting creative:

“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out…” (The Message)

“Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.” (The Passion Translation)

Creativity in the Church transcends time.

In every era of church history, God’s people have carried out Hebrews 10:24 in thousands of ways unique to their own cultural contexts. We don’t have to look too far back to remember some examples:

If you grew up in the church, you might have memories of faithful Sunday School teachers who pulled out a flannelgraph and made Old Testament stories come to life over powdered lemonade and sandwich cookies. Maybe you knew the driver for the Sunday morning bus ministry, fueled by a desire to see the elementary boys and girls they transported become first-generation Christians that would change the spiritual trajectories of their families forever. At some point, someone shared an idea for men’s and women’s Bible studies, Vacation Bible School, and short-term missions trips. Individuals created card ministries and coordinated hospital visits and organized meal trains and helped people move out of and into houses.

In other words, the people of God got creative and intentional about how to motivate each other to love and serve.

Our greatest hope for this platform, The FBC Blog, is that it will mobilize Hebrews 10:24 in our little corner of the big “C” Church. Our prayer is that the practical ideas in these posts will
inspire,
stimulate,
incite,
encourage,
stir up,
spur on,
and motivate you to love God, love people, and influence the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ in fresh ways. We pray it will unlock and ignite your imagination to use the resources you have to impact the lives of others for God’s glory in ways you never dreamed of.

And by God’s grace, this communication platform will find its place in the long lineage of creative tools God’s church has used to further His Kingdom.