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A weekly update from First Baptist Church of Strafford
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Biblical Stewardship in 2021 & Beyond


<<First Name>>,

This coming Sunday, January 3, 2021, will be our kick-off for the sermon series titled, “Ten Percent: A Call to Biblical Stewardship.” John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, the authors of The State of Church Giving through 2017, tracked Americans’ giving trends to the church. In 1968, Americans gave 3.02 percent of their income to the church. However, by 2017, after a long slow decline, the percentage dropped to 2.13 percent. 
 
Ronnie Floyd writes, “You must think about giving from two perspectives, like two sides of a coin. One side reveals the percentage of the donor’s income given. The other side reveals the amount in terms of actual dollar amounts given.  So, while giving in terms of amounts has increased, giving as a percentage of income is declining.”
 
When looking at only one side of the coin, it has the possibility of crafting a false sense of security about the financial health of the church. Often, the decline is so slow, it is not easy to detect the subtle change. The lingering question is how many people in our churches are actually giving according to the teachings of God’s Word? How many people in our churches are honoring God by giving the first ten percent of income through their local church and their place of worship of the Lord? 
 
Most of us have heard it said, “It is my money and I will spend it as I please!” This statement could not be farther from the truth. Money does not belong to people, God’s people, to keep in their pockets, because all money belongs to God. God calls people to honor Him regularly through an ongoing practice of generosity to kingdom work through spreading the gospel. I strongly believe the greatest financial security for all followers of Christ is to practice the plan God has instructed in His eternal Word, the Bible. Following His pattern of stewardship laid out in Scripture blesses both the work of His Kingdom and the giver. 
 
Beginning in 1968, the church has experienced a steady and slow decline in giving. By the year 2050, at the present rate of decline in giving to the church, Americans will only give 1.66% of their disposable incomes to the church. This means that in less than thirty years, churches could see almost a fifty percent decline in giving. Every church will be impacted by this, with thousands closing their doors for good. I want to help our church avoid that!
 
In closing, the first message in this sermon series is titled “God Is The Owner of Everything,” from 1 Chronicles 29. I want to encourage you to read this Scripture before Sunday.
 
Wishing you a Happy New and Prosperous Year in 2021!
 
Pastor Rick

Worship With Us This Sunday!


Join us for worship this Sunday, January 3, as Pastor Rick begins our series, "Ten Percent: A Call to Biblical Stewardship," based on the book by Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. You can preview the service plan HERE and download the sermon outline HERE.

Our personal financial security and our church’s financial security are more certain when we follow God’s financial plan as revealed in Scripture. This stewardship focus builds upon biblical financial principles to help you prioritize, elevate, and accelerate generosity.

"Ten Percent: A Call to Biblical Stewardship" focuses on six principles:
  • God is the Owner of Everything (January 3)
  • We Own Absolutely Nothing (January 10)
  • Honor God with at Least the First Ten Percent (January 17)
  • Bring the Full Ten Percent to the Church (January 24)
  • Practice Over and Above Giving (January 31)
  • Focus on the Great Commission Always (February 7)
Study notes and extra content that corresponds to the series will be made available each week on the "FBC Strafford Family" Facebook group. Request to join the group if you haven't already done so.

We hope to see you and your family for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:45. We are also continuing to post our services online for those who can't join us in person. The worship service video will be posted no later than Monday to our Facebook page. It will also be available at FreeChurchOnline if you do not have a Facebook account. Be sure to comment and let us know that you're watching with us! If you need any technical assistance, email Josh Erisman.

Read Through the Bible in 2021


As we open a new year, we'd like to invite you to read through the Bible with us in 2021! We will be using a plan from The Bible Project.

The Scriptures are divided up into sixteen “parts” and organized in semi-chronological order. You’ll read two or three chapters a day, and sometimes skim through larger portions that contain genealogies, census information, etc. Each time you come to a new biblical book or section, there will be a short animated video about that book's design and message and what to look for as you read.

In addition, one Psalm is listed each day for you to slowly pray through, making its words your own. By the end you’ll have prayed through the book of Psalms 2.5 times.

You can check out the entire plan by clicking here.

We will be posting each week's plan in the FirstUpdate as well as on the "FBC Strafford Family" Facebook group. You can also access the plan through YouVersion (though it does not include the Psalm readings). Talk with Josh or Brittany Erisman if you have any questions.

CREATION & FALL
January 1 | Genesis 1-3 (video); Psalm 1
January 2 | Genesis 4-7; Psalm 2
January 3 | Genesis 8-11; Psalm 3

ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
January 4 | Genesis 12-15 (video); Psalm 4
January 5 | Genesis 16-18; Psalm 5
January 6 | Genesis 19-21; Psalm 6
January 7 | Genesis 22-24; Psalm 7

Quarterly Business Meeting


Our next quarterly business meeting will take place on Sunday, January 10, immediately following our worship service (approximately 12:00 noon). We will NOT share a fellowship meal this quarter.

In preparation for this meeting, the Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, January 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Josh Erisman will be updating the 2021 church calendar over the next couple of weeks, so all ministry team leaders are encouraged to send any important dates/events to him ASAP!

Operation Christmas Child Update


Many of you have been asking about the Operation Christmas Child boxes and how to track them. Because we activated all of our church's labels together, we can track them as a group. Our boxes were sent to the country of Liberia in west Africa on December 11. Check out this link to find out more from Samaritan's Purse.

2020 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering


Your giving (above and beyond your tithe) to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions enables Southern Baptist missionaries to be sent to make disciples and multiply churches among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God.

Our total Lottie Moon offering for 2020 was $1,549. To God be the glory! Thanks to everyone who sacrificially gave to support this work.

SBC Missionary Highlight

Among a predominately Christian population in South Asia resides an unreached Muslim people group. Despite the presence of Christ-followers in the area, many Christians are afraid to share the Gospel as they have doubts about whether Muslims will choose to follow Christ as they have historically been resistant to the Gospel.

IMB workers Ralph and Lovie Adair*, along with their team, seek to embolden and equip local Christians to share the Gospel with their Muslim neighbors. They diligently look for native-speaking Christians who are willing to learn how to effectively share the Gospel. During ministry training events, the couple models evangelism and one-on-one discipleship. Participants have a chance to put their training into practice by going out into the community to share.

THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM (CP) is the financial fuel for reaching every person for Jesus Christ in every town, every city, every state, and every nation. Your support of both CP and THE LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING provides the Adairs with the tools they need to train local believers to share the Gospel among their community.

PRAY for the Adairs as they share the Gospel and train local Christians to do the same. Ask the Lord to embolden local Christians to share the truth with this unreached people group.

*Names changed for security

In every edition of the FirstUpdate, we are highlighting the efforts of the International Mission Board (IMB), the North American Mission Board (NAMB), the six Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) seminaries, and the various Baptist state conventions. Each month, our church and the other 47,000+ churches in the SBC contribute a portion of our undesignated offerings to these important Cooperative Program (CP) ministries. For more information about CP, click HERE.

Giving Options


Even if you aren't joining us for in-person worship on Sunday, please continue to remember your tithes and offerings. The church’s ministries and operational expenses go on in spite of the current situation. We want to be a blessing to our community and it takes resources to do that. Your faithful giving makes it possible!

In addition to dropping cash or checks in the offering box on Sunday morning, there are multiple ways to give your tithes and offerings:
  • Online through Tithe.ly or the Tithe.ly app
  • Mail a check to First Baptist Church, PO Box 367, Strafford, MO 65757
  • Several of our members have begun using online bill pay through their bank to send in their offering. This is a free service that some banks provide. All you have to do is add the church’s name and address as a vendor, just like you would the electric company or any other business.
  • You can also drop your offering by the church office, but please call ahead to make sure that someone will be in the office.
Thank you again, church family, for your generous and faithful giving! If you need help setting up online giving or have any questions, contact Josh Erisman.
Website
Website
Facebook
Facebook
Instagram
Instagram
FB Group
FB Group
Email
Email
Give Now
Give Now
Tithe.ly App
Tithe.ly App

This Week @ FBC Strafford


Wednesday, December 30
Office closed through January 1
No NOW (Christmas Break)
Youth Movie Night (contact Brianna Conyers or Garett Bowles for details)

Friday, January 1, 2021
New Year's Day

Sunday, January 3
9:30 a.m. | Sunday School
10:45 a.m. | Worship Service

Monday, January 4
6:00 p.m. | Men's Group

CLICK HERE to view full calendar.

This Sunday, January 3


ECM | Brittney T. & Debby B.
Greeters | Dennis & Wenda N.
Information Desk | Wanda G.
Audio | Wayne S.
Video | Jeff P.
Security | Gary M. & Randi R.
Counters | Kenny W. & Sandy S.

If you cannot serve on your assigned Sunday, please arrange a substitute and let the church office know by calling 736-2148 or emailing church@fbcstrafford.org.

Thank you to all those who serve our church in these important roles each Sunday morning!
Copyright © 2020 First Baptist Church of Strafford, All rights reserved.


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