Fellowship Bible Church Columbia

Men’s Prayer and Reflection Time

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:48:01 +0000

Men: How much time do you invest in tackling the stresses in your life? What are your goals this year? How are you going to get there? Are you running toward your “giants”, as David ran toward Goliath, or are you running away from them? Men are designed for battle, but the concerns of life tend to overwhelm and immobilize. Our public lives unravel because we don’t plant good seeds in our private lives.

As is our custom at this time of the year, the men gather for a morning of personal reflection on the course of their lives, the goals they’d like to achieve, personal planning, and delighting themselves in the Lord. The majority of the morning is your time to “getaway” and be with the Lord to do what you think is important and ending with a few minutes of group interaction. Don’t know what to spend your time doing? We’ll have plenty of suggestions in the form of handouts.

Join us Saturday morning, February 25th from 9 am to 12 noon. Bring your Bible, pen and paper. We’ll have the coffee and donuts. Questions? Contact Mike Harvell (803-447-9991) or Jeff deBessonet (803-351-1067).

Men’s Ministry Spring Calendar

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:45:19 +0000

Prayer and Reflection Time

When: February 25, 2012
Where: At the church
Time: 9am – 12 noon
Click here for more information

Movie Night and Discussion

What: The movie “Courageous”
When: March 9, 2012
Where: In a home – TBA
Time: 6:30pm

BBQ and Challenge for Men

When: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Time: 6:30pm
Where: Lake Frances Club House (Lake Frances Drive off Ramblin Road, West Columbia)

Women’s Bible Study: Mercy Triumphs

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:13:31 +0000

The spring bible study, MERCY TRIUMPHS a study of the book of James by Beth Moore, will begin on Thursday, February 9, 2012. The daytime study will be from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and the evening bible study will be from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Sign-up sheets and workbooks will be available beginning this Sunday, 1/8/2012. The cost of the workbooks is $14.95.

Please make your checks payable to FBC and write “Bible Study” in the memo line. For more information, please contact Bobbie Humphries at 803-781-4829 or Leslie Cirrincione at 803-767-5220. Childcare is provided.

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Save the date for a night of worship!

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:56:51 +0000

SAVE THE DATE!!!!! On March 16, 2012, Women’s Ministries will be hosting a salad supper, concert and night of worship with “One Purpose”– a group of three ladies, Beth Greer, Laura Christy, and Miriam Beacham who are connected with Crossover Ministries. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for outreach so bring a friend and plan to join us for this special evening . Visit One Purpose’s website at http://onepurpose.com/

“The ministry of One Purpose is touching the hearts of women all over the country. The talent, giftedness and spiritual anointing on the lives of these women comes through with every note they sing. I have been encouraged by their music, challenged by their heart for ministry and most importantly touched by their integrity.”

Priscilla Shirer
Bible Teacher & Motivational Speaker
Cedar Hill, Texas

Beautiful Outlaw Study

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:09:28 +0000

Lael Arrington and Lauren Watson want to follow up the Christmas Brunch with a discussion of Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the playful, disruptive, extravagant personality of Jesus by John Eldredge. In the comfort of Lauren’s home you can welcome friends who may not have a church home or who might prefer an alternative to a traditional Bible Study.

Each week will begin with a ten-minute video featuring John reading chapter highlights. Additional images and video footage make the text come alive. Women don’t have to read the book to get into the discussion, but it will help them enjoy it far more.

We’re still working out the details of time and dates and welcome your feedback. Please let Lauren or Lael know if you are interested in coming and bringing a friend.
laela@laelarrington.com; laurenwatson2@gmail.com

From the website http://updates.ransomedheart.com/beautifuloutlaw/:

Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is likewatching television with the sound turned off. The result is a dry, twodimensional person doing strange, undecipherable things.

In BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW, John Eldredge removes the religious varnish to helpreaders discover stunning new insights into the humanity of Jesus. He wasaccused of breaking the law, keeping bad company, heavy drinking. Of being thedevil himself. He was so compelling and dangerous they had to kill him. Butothers loved him passionately. He had a sense of humor. His generosity wasscandalous. His anger made enemies tremble. He’d say the most outrageousthings. He was definitely not the Jesus of the stained glass.

In the author’s winsome, narrative approach, he breaks Jesus out of the typicalstereotypes and welcomes readers into the rich emotional life of Christ. All ofthe remarkable qualities of Jesus burst like fireworks with color and brilliancebecause ofhis humanity.

John goes on to showreaders how they can experience this Jesus in their lives every day. This bookwill quicken readers’ worship, and deepen their intimacy with Jesus.

Aiming for Christ-likeness in 2012

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:48:54 +0000

by Jack Arrington

That’s the mission of our church. Right?

To partner with God in transforming people into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Shouldn’t that also be our personal mission? That in some way or another each one of us grows to be more and more like Jesus during the coming year? Of all New Year’s resolutions and personal mission statements, I couldn’t think of another that would be more important, more meaningful, or more eternal.

If you are open to suggestions on good books to assist you on that journey, I have a suggestion. It comes from an unlikely direction. It comes from my reading for the Marriage by Design series we did most of this past fall. The by-line of Gary Thomas’s Sacred Marriage is this: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?

Holiness: not a common word. Maybe even a scary proposition. But I can think of one word that sums up the concept of holiness, and that word is Jesus. To be holy is to be like Jesus. To be Jesus is to be holy.

To be holy like Jesus is our mission. As a church. As individuals.

So let me give you a few quotes from Sacred Marriage, along with a few personal comments. I believe every person—married or not—would profit greatly from reading this book. And I hope these words encourage you to get and to read this book. (SM = Sacred Marriage; JA = me)

Here’s the opening salvo:

To spiritually benefit from marriage, we have to be honest. We have to look at our disappointments, own up to our ugly attitudes, and confront our selfishness. We also have to rid ourselves of the notion that the difficulties of marriage can be overcome if we simply pray harder or learn a few simple principles. Most of us have discovered that these “simple steps” work only on a superficial level. Why is this? Because there’s a deeper question that needs to be addressed beyond how we can “improve” our marriage: What if God didn’t design marriage to be “easier”? What if God had an end in mind that went beyond our happiness, our comfort, and our desire to be infatuated and happy as if the world were a perfect place? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?

Why would we expect marriage to be any different than the rest of life? There will be some really good times and there will be some really hard times. There are no spiritual life keys that make everything smooth and pleasant if we would only follow them. All of life and marriage is filtered through the loving purposes of God who intends us “to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” (JA)

If the purpose of marriage was simply to enjoy an infatuation and make me “happy,” then I’d have to get a “new” marriage every two or three years. But if I really wanted to see God transform me from the inside out, I’d need to concentrate on changing myself rather than on changing my spouse. (SM)

According to pollster George Barna, self-described “born-again” Christians have a higher rate of divorce than nonbelievers (twenty-seven percent to twenty-three percent)…Those who adopt the label “fundamentalist Christian” have the highest divorce rate of all (thirty percent)…What most divorces mean is that at least one party, and possibly both, have ceased to put the gospel first in their lives. (SM)

For me, this is where the book pushes way beyond the boundaries of marriage into every corner of our own lives. What does it mean to put the gospel first in our lives? (JA)

While our society has become expert in self-care, we seemingly have lost the art of caring for others. Sacrifice has taken on such negative connotations that people fear being a “codependent” more than they fear being perceived as selfish. (SM)

John Owen, one of the greatest Puritan scholars ever: “The person who understands the evil in his own heart is the only person who is useful, fruitful, and solid in his beliefs and obedience. Others only delude themselves and thus upset families, churches, and all other relationships. In their self-pride and judgment of others, they show great inconsistency.” (SM)

What marriage has done for me is hold up a mirror to my sin. It forces me to face myself honestly and consider my character flaws, selfishness, and anti-Christian attitudes, encouraging me to be sanctified and cleansed and to grow in godliness. (SM)

Lasting relationships require God’s grace whether in the home or in the church. We will see the other’s sin. Will we forgive? We will see our own sin. Will we repent? Repentance and forgiveness are required of any meaningful relationship. (JA)

Ask yourself this question: Would I rather live a life of ease and comfort and remain immature in Christ, or am I willing to be seasoned with suffering if by doing so I am conformed to the image of Christ?

If we live without an eternal perspective, earthly trials become larger than life. Without the hope of heaven or the sense of the importance of a growing character and refinement, there is nothing to prepare for, nothing to look forward to; it is like practicing and practicing, but never getting to actually play a game. Life gets boring, tedious, and tiresome. If we are seeking glory, honor, and immortality before God, daily and quiet persistence, faithfulness, and obedience is the road to get there. (SM)

That’s why you and I need to read books like this. In our flesh we long for ease and comfort. But reborn spirits yearn for Christ.

Make that your mission in 2012.

Survival Strategy for the Holidays

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:44:06 +0000

Ready. Set. Go. The gun is about to sound for the race though the holiday season. Ready or not, it’s coming.

It’s better to be ready.

So how do you do that?

One word: budget.

Budget your time. Budget your money. Have a plan. Don’t just let the holidays hit you. If you don’t manage them, they will control you.

So take a hard look at your finances and decide what you can afford, what you should and shouldn’t spend. I hope you already have a family budget. We do. All year long—a little bit each month—we set aside money in savings for end of the year spending.

Never, never, ever do holidays on borrowed money. It’s fine to use a credit card for the points or the cash back IF AND ONLY IF you pay it off every month.

Don’t do your holidays on what you should be giving to the Lord.

Decide what you can spend on entertainment. Decide what you can spend on gifts. Stick with those decisions.

Maybe you build in a fudge factor. But if you don’t have a plan and stick with it, the thrill of holiday celebrations will lead to the depression of debt.

The same goes for your time. Plan it. Budget it. Control it. Master it. Don’t be its slave.

Get out your calendar and write down your family ‘must do’ dates. Don’t let anything get in their way.

Plan time with your un-churched friends and neighbors. When will you have them over? Will you have them over for a meal? Or Coffee and dessert? Decide it. Do it. This time of year, be strategic in using your time for the Kingdom. People love parties. So did Jesus. Parties are a great way to help people get to know him.

Budgeted holidays are survivable holidays—happy holidays, even.

For the Reason for the season,

Pastor Jack

Women’s Christmas Brunch

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 02:53:55 +0000

Ladies, make plans to join us on Saturday, December 10th at 11:00am for a Christmas Brunch at Fellowship Bible Church! We will have great music provided by Megan Pifer as well as a message by Lael Arrington titled “Tap Dancing Through The Holidays”.

For more information please feel free to contact us.

Sorry, childcare will not be available.

2012 Ladies Retreat

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:18:50 +0000

Ladies, it’s time to start making plans for our 2012 beach retreat, “A Fresh Brewed Prayer Life”. The dates are January 27 – 29, 2012 at Long Bay Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC. The cost of the 3-bedroom condos is 70.00 if registered and paid in full by 11.27.11 After 11.27, the price will be $80.00. The speaker for this year’s retreat is speaker/author Cheri Fuller. Cheri is an engaging speaker who shares practical wisdom through storytelling leaving audiences inspired and challenged to face life’s struggles with hope and purpose. Please stop by the registration table in the church foyer this Sunday, 11.06.11 to sign up and view/borrow several of Cheri’s books. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Using the following form, you can ask questions about the event or sign up:

Trunk And Treat!

admin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:24:25 +0000

Come join us for Trunk and Treat! We’ll have car trunks full of candy, face painting, games, and more!

Monday, October 31st, 6:00-8:00 P.M.

6108 Old Bush River Road (at the corner of Bush River Road and Coldstream Drive)

We’d love to have you join us! And click here to download a Trunk and Treat flier, use it to invite your neighbors!