Shoal Creek Baptist Church


The following proposal was approved by the Church in conference on August 30, 2009… The Building Committee recommends that the Church renovate the existing bathrooms in the Educational Wing and construct additional Sunday School Rooms to replace those displaced by this renovation with the cost not to exceed the amount of funds on hand in the current Building Fund on a cut-off date to be determined later. This would also include new landscaping and walks, etc. to accommodate the traffic flow and enhance the experience of being on campus. With the passage of this proposal, the Building Committee has been authorized by the Church to work with architects, and other consultants as needed to complete the planning and oversee the construction of the above project, Phase I. In consultation with the Pastor, the Deacons, Building and Finance Committees have elected to begin a Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign to lead the church to provide funding for the building improvement project listed above, as well as the planning and construction of Phase II of our facilities expansion, a Youth Center/Student Life Center… The cut-off date for contributions into the Building Fund to be used in Phase I has been set for Wednesday, September 30, 2009. After this date, under the Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign, all monies given into this account will be used for the future development and construction of Phase II.
Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign September 15, 2009 Dear Church Family and Friends, As I write this, I am reminded of the few great events we get to be a part of in our lives. A lot of activity will find its way into our lives, and tremendous energy will be spent on some things that matter, and a lot of things that do not. We are standing on the brink of a watershed event in the history of our church. On Sunday, August 30, 2009, our congregation agreed to move forward with Phase I of the expansion of our church facilities, the enlarging of the existing bathrooms in the Educational Wing and construction of additional Sunday School Rooms to replace those displaced by this renovation. But as I said in the conference, this is only the beginning, it doesn’t stop here… Many of you may have already heard a little something about our launching of a Capital Stewardship Campaign called “Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow” with a goal of raising as much funding as we can over the next three years to augment the construction of Phase II, a Youth Center/Student Life Center. This is one of the greatest financial challenges we have ever faced and the stakes are high. What a wonderful opportunity the Lord has placed before us through our Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign. Undertaking a capital stewardship campaign is a tremendous step in the life of any church! The need for new facilities or for expansion and renovation indicate growth, and can be seen as a reward for hard work and a blessing from God! Through God’s grace and our giving, we will be able to impact the lives of future generations, if the Lord should tarry, well into the foreseeable future and beyond. As we focus on Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow, I want to ask you to reflect upon God’s blessings in your life and upon our church. Certainly, we cannot help but feel gratitude and anticipation as we seek God’s will. I am confident that Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow will continue to open new doors of opportunity for every ministry of Shoal Creek Baptist Church. With the success of this campaign, we will be able to effectively address the educational and worship needs for our entire church family for the conceivable future as well as make a bold statement to our community of the value that Shoal Creek puts on the young people of Troup County. Through our Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign, we will be challenged to give sacrificially, over and above our current giving, for the next three years. This campaign requires diligent prayer and obedience to God’s leading. I genuinely believe that the people of Shoal Creek Baptist Church are ready for the challenge that this campaign offers. Let us enter boldly into this endeavor, believing in God’s provision and grace. We have often said that we believe that God never guides where He will not also provide. As God leads us now may we be found faithful. Our church leadership is asking you to be a part of our Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign. With a heart full of gratitude and faith, I ask you to consider your part in this campaign. What is given is a personal decision between individuals and God. I recognize that not everyone will be able to give the same gift but I do believe that we all can equally sacrifice. What we accomplish together will benefit many. My prayer is that each family will make a genuine sacrifice. The result will be a new sense of unity and a fresh dedication of the membership toward God’s work. If everyone will seek the Lord’s heart through prayer and give based on what He reveals, it can be done! What an opportunity to share a witness with the community and glorify God for what He has done in individual lives through sacrificial gifts. Together with God, we can make it happen! There is so much to tell you, but it is too much to fit into one letter. But don’t fret, you will be hearing a great deal about our future and its funding over the course of the next several days, weeks, months and years. I want all of our church family and friends to be fully informed about the next steps in the journey this church is taking together. Please do not hesitate to ask questions and seek information… You may talk with me, your deacon or any member of the Building and/or Finance Committees at any time along the way. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may His name be glorified in this endeavor. By His Grace, Pastor Anthony Hovey Shoal Creek Baptist Church 1032 Youngs Mill Road LaGrange, GA 30241 706.883.7400 scbc@wirelesshometown.com www.scbclg.com
Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign September 23, 2009 Dear Church Family and Friends, As we begin an intensive giving program in our church, I want you to know that I count it a great honor to be your Pastor. When I think about God's goodness to us in the past, I am filled with gratitude. When I think about what God wants to do for us and through us in the future, I am filled with anticipation. The Bible tells us, "One generation shall praise thy works to another." We are the soul winning, life-changing church we are today because of those who went before us. If we are to influence our generation for Christ and pass on to our children a rich heritage and dynamic church fellowship, the success of this giving campaign is crucial. Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow challenges us to do the extraordinary, to give "above and beyond," sacrificially for the next 156 weeks (3 years). The title reminds us that we can all make a significant difference as we allow our giving to bless future generations for the Kingdom of God. Your church leadership and I ask our entire fellowship to join with us in watching God do something so powerful, that only He can receive the glory. On Sunday, October 4, 2009, I am asking all of us to bring our commitment to the altar in a demonstration of the unity and power that we have as the family of God to launch our three year journey and to celebrate what we can look forward to in the coming weeks. Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow provides all of us a wonderful opportunity. It is the opportunity to know in a fresh way the blessings which come through giving. Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over..." (Luke 6:3 8). I earnestly believe that we, the people of Shoal Creek Baptist Church are ready for the great challenge which Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow offers. Let us each enter into this exciting effort prayerfully and enthusiastically. Please mark your calendar for Sunday, October 4 as we bring our commitments to the altar. This will be an exciting time you will not want to miss! Sincerely Your Pastor, Pastor Anthony Hovey Shoal Creek Baptist Church 1032 Youngs Mill Road LaGrange, GA 30241 706.883.7400 scbc@wirelesshometown.com www.scbclg.com
Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign September 29, 2009 Dear Church Family and Friends, We are now coming down to the home stretch in the Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign. I am writing to encourage you to pray fervently before you arrive this Sunday. As you know, this Sunday, October 4th is Commitment Sunday. I am going to be asking our fellowship to come forward and declare their commitment to the campaign we have been describing for the last few weeks. Make no mistake about it; the enemy will do everything in his power to keep us from victory. Now it is time for the us to come forward and declare our intentions regarding the Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Capital Stewardship Campaign . When we come together this Sunday, at the close of the service, I will ask each family to bring their commitment cards to the altar as an act of worship. If you cannot attend this Sunday, you can submit your card anytime by placing it in the special offering box build especially for this campaign. Our church leadership is asking you to be a part of our Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Stewardship Campaign. With a heart full of gratitude and faith, I ask you to consider your part in this campaign. What is given is a personal decision between individuals and God. I recognize that not everyone will be able to give the same gift but I do believe that we all can equally sacrifice. What we accomplish together will benefit many. My prayer is that each family will make a genuine sacrifice. The result will be a new sense of unity and a fresh dedication of the membership toward God’s work. If everyone will seek the Lord’s heart through prayer and give based on what He reveals, it can be done! What an opportunity to share a witness with the community and glorify God for what He has done in individual lives through sacrificial gifts. Together with God, we can make it happen! This is bigger than we can accomplish on our own! That is why I have been asking you to pray. Please know that I am praying for you as you and your family consider what God is asking you to give to help us prepare for the future. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may His name be glorified in this endeavor. Yours In Christ, Pastor Anthony Hovey Shoal Creek Baptist Church 1032 Youngs Mill Road LaGrange, GA 30241 706.883.7400 scbc@wirelesshometown.com www.scbclg.com

Giving Today… Growing Tomorrow Commitment Day Sermon 10.4.09 A Look At Giving From God’s Perspective Mark 12:41-44 As with all things in our life, God’s takes note of our giving… In our text we see a remarkable meeting between a poor woman and Jesus… In his book, Exploring Mark, Pastor Jerry Vines writes… “What an encouragement this woman must have been to Jesus… As for as we know, they never spoke and she perhaps never knew that Jesus had even noticed her… But she has become one of the best-known characters in all of scripture… She has become the symbol of all those unnamed and unnoticed saints of God who keep our churches going… She represents those who, just because they love Jesus, do the work of the Lord unselfishly…” Let’s look at her wonderful story found in Mark 12 and then we’ll talk about how her story applies to us today… Mark 12:41-44 Net… 41 Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. 43 He called his disciples and said to them, I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had…. From their encounter, we can gain some valuable insight into the biblical principles of giving by taking A Look At Giving From God’s Perspective… First, we notice that… I. Jesus Examined The People (vv. 41-42) 1. Jesus Noticed Who Actually Gave… This may come as a surprise to some of you… Not everyone who is saved by the marvelous grace of God gives… 2. Jesus Noticed Their Attitude In Giving… Some give to make a pious impression, others give to make a powerful impact for the glory of God… 3. Jesus Noticed Their Ability To Give… We are never expected to give equal sums, but we are all expected to make equal sacrifices… 4. Jesus Noticed The Amount They Gave… But more importantly, He noticed what they kept… This may surprise you as well… But God gauges you’re the sacrifice of your giving not by how much you gave, but rather, how much you kept… II. Jesus Exalted The Person (v.43) 1. Jesus Noted Her Coming… she came to the right place to give her offering … Malachi 3:10… Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house… 2. Jesus Noted Her Condition… He noted her feebleness and her finances… 3. Jesus Noted Her Commitment… a. We See Her Faithfulness To God Being Privately Displayed… Matthew 6:2-4 KJV… 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly… b. We See Her Faith In God Being Publicly Displayed… Proverbs 3:9-10 NET… 9 Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled completely, and your vats will overflow with new wine… 4. Jesus Noted Her Cost… He noted her forfeiture - her surrender of all that she had… Mark 10:29-30 NET… 29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much – homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life… 5. Jesus Noted Her Courage… she was fearless, having trusted and tried the Lord… she was free from the bondage of the things of this world… Psalms 23:1 NET… The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing… 6. Jesus Noted Her Concern… certainly His testimony of her giving supports the fact that her giving was sacrificial and not stingy…she wanted the kingdom of God to move forward… Dreams Take Dollars… III. Jesus Explained The Principle (v.44) 1. We Are To Give Personally… 2 Corinthians 9:7a… Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give… 2. We Are To Give Proportionally… Deuteronomy16:17… Every man shall give as he is able according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee… 3. We Are To Give Passionately… 1 Chronicles 29:9… Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect hearts they offered willingly to the Lord…2 Corinthians 9:7b… so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver... Luke 12:34… For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also… CONCLUSION: Before we give an offering of our possessions, we must first give the offering of our person… 2 Corinthians 8:5b… This they did . . . [they] gave themselves first to the Lord… In 1 Corinthians, Paul gives us a profile of the kind of people that God uses… Listen to his words… 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NET… 26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. 27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, 29 so that no one can boast in his presence… Through our dollars and dedication, God can do it… By our giving and by His grace, we can do it…