top of page

Family Life Groups

Family Life Groups meet the 3rd Sunday of each month from

January-October at 5:00 p.m. 

Family Life Group 2024

Family Life Groups.png

Family Life Groups
God bless our next time of fellowship in our Family Life Groups! 
Keep fired up! Next Group Meeting:  10/20/24 5:00 p.m.

-

Dfield Central       Knights Forest        West                           Jenkins                           Pittsburg                           Hughes Springs               Choose Group

God bless our Fellowship

     My prayer is that the Lord strengthen you and comfort you by His grace and mercy.  At the youth devotional this past week; Keldyn reminded us of the passage in Acts 2:42 and the importance of being in fellowship.  May we always make the most of every opportunity to be in fellowship with one another and our Lord.

     In fact, the very word fellowship is koinonia in Greek, and synonyms for this word are community, joint participation, communion, intimacy, and social interaction. (blueletterbible,org) This is acted out in what we have in common and the opportunity to have together to serve our Lord.  We are sharing and participating together as a body in the work of Christ, growing closer to one another in our intimacy with each other, and contributing together for the work of our Lord. 

     It is very important for us to see this bond formed in the church since the day of Pentecost and how they dedicated themselves to this area of fellowship as well as other areas mentioned in the verse.  We can understand that our fellowship is based on the gospel we have received and the privilege to share together.  Paul would say in Philippians 1:3-6 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship(partnership) in the gospel from the first day until now;  6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”(KJV) Paul had preached the Word in Philippi and they responded to the message by being baptized into Christ and their fellowship began together.  Their fellowship (partnership) was so strong they counted it joy to help Paul in his missionary journeys.  Why? Because of intimate relationship based on the eternal life they shared together in Christ.

 

Family Life Group

     In fact; the most joyous thing we have is fellowship.  John would write “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.” (1 John 1:3-4 NIV) John, the apostle, greatest joy was that we may have fellowship with the Father and his Son along with them.  May we be joyful in the fellowship we have with one another.    The very motivation we have to continue in fellowship with one another is to walk in the light. (1 John 1:6-7).  We no longer walk in darkness but in the light of the Lord who purifies us all from sin.  Praise God for this fellowship we have. 

     Just as I said earlier, the youth were challenged to make the most of the opportunity to fellowship with one another.  May we as a church come together in communion to remember our Lord, as we use the opportunity to grow together in our Bible classes, as we make the efforts to participate in Family Life Groups, see the blessings of how our partnership is impacting the world, as we use opportunities during the week to be together to pray or simply have time together.  May our fellowship with the Lord and one another be joyful.  Let us share the gospel so that others may become part of the fellowship in Christ.  Keep fired up, Mark.

     In Acts 12:1-19 we encounter Peter being in jail ready for trial and how an angel of the Lord appeared to him while in the cell and helped Peter to escape.  Some Bibles use the heading for this story as “Peter’s Miraculous Escape from Prison”.  I think it would also be appropriate for a heading of “The power of prayer for Peter’s life”.  We can understand from verse five that the church was gathered together praying for him.  Acts 12:5 says “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”  Certainly, we can tell that their prayers were answered in a marvelous way by how the Lord used an angel to free Peter from prison. 

      By the time Peter fully comes to the realization that he was truly rescued, what will he do?  Acts 12:11 says “Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.””  Praise God that the prayers were answered in such a mighty way.  We can even notice what Peter wanted to do as he was fully sure of what happened.  He wanted to go to the house of Mary, the mother of John-Mark.  Acts 12:12 answers in this way “When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.” Brothers and sisters were meeting at her house and Peter went to let them know what had happened.  They could hardly believe it themselves. 

     When Peter leaves them, it says he left for another place.  Where could this other place be?  Perhaps where more brothers and sisters that were meeting and praying on his behalf to be freed from prison.  He would also tell them to tell James and the other brothers and sisters about his escape.  Why?  Certainly, to be encouraged that he had been rescued and emboldened to go and proclaim the message of the gospel. 

     May God bless our Family Life Groups over this year as we continue in prayer, in study of God’s Word, and in fellowship with one another and our Lord.  We pray that we may hear from one another how the Lord has worked through your Family Life Group so that all the church can be encouraged and strengthened.  Thanks to our Group Facilitator’s and those hosting, and your presence.  May the Lord bless your time together just as he did those meeting at Mary’s house long ago.  Don’t miss out, participate.  KEEP FIRED UP IN THE LORD!!!

Fellowship in a Family Life Group 

      The word in the classical new Greek for fellowship is κοινωνία.  The definition of fellowship is association, community, communion, joint participation, as well as intimacy (blueletterbible).  In other words, what we have in common as a community of believers is our fellowship with one another through Christ.

      1 John 1:1-7 uses the word fellowship four times.  “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.  5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.” (NIV)

     We know and understand from Acts two that the early church spent time together in fellowship with one another.  Acts 2:42 states “42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  The goal of the Family Life Group is to help us grow in our intimacy with one another as we share what we have in common through Jesus Christ. 

     We would like to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for the Family Life Groups and participate in these times of fellowship with one another spiritually.  With that being said, you may be thinking how this will be accomplished in the groups.  There are three things we believe very important in accomplishing this goal.  Those three are listed below:

  1.  Share time together in getting to know each other.

  2. Pray for one another.

  3. Learn together through God’s Word.

     Our Fellowship is based upon these three aspects as we meet together on the third Sunday evening of each month.  We would also like to note that we are thankful for those who will host a family group at their house.   A note to all of us, the hosts receiving a family life group in their home is not responsible for a meal.   In this way we can all take advantage of the time together in fulfilling the three aspects of the Family Life Group time.   We don’t anyone feeling like a Martha (Luke 10:41-42) in this time of fellowship. 

      Be praying for the people encountered on your list in your group, and pray for all of the groups that we may accomplish the goals of growing closer to one another and inviting friends and family in our community.  The facilitators of the group are fired up and are looking forward to this opportunity to serve.  The definition of fellowship in Family Life Group’s is to share, pray, and learn together.  God bless and Keep fired up!

A great beginning to the church at Philippi  

    “One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.  When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.”  Acts 16:14-15

 

     The relationship that Paul had with the church in Philippi is notable.  Paul was obeying the Macedonian call and the Lord directed him to the city of Philippi.  When he decided to go to a place of prayer he encountered Lydia among the other women that were there and she responded to the gospel.  She then invited them to her home.  What a joyous occasion!  Imagine the conversations.  Further on in the chapter we see Paul and Silas in prison because of the preaching of the gospel and the Word of God gave us the opportunity to see the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his family at their house.  After Paul and Silas were released where did they go?  “they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them…” Acts 16:40

 

     We are thankful to those who are opening their homes for the Family Life Group’s.   We pray that as you meet together you will be encouraged and strengthened by one another.  It was great to hear from some after the first meeting that they loved meeting some brothers and sisters that they never had the opportunity to get to know, also others who were able to share and encourage one another in their time together.  Continue praying for all the Family Life Groups’.  We pray each group continues to share with one another for the purpose of building relationships, praying for one another, and learning together from God’s Word.  If you were not able to make it last month; we sure would love to have you this month.  May we be encouraged just as much as those brothers and sisters that met at the house of Lydia. 

Keep fired up, Mark “make the most of the opportunity” Eph. 5:16

FAMILY LIFE GROUPS 
“Allowing Jesus in our homes and community”
Luke 19:1-9
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abra-ham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
We serve an awesome God! Can you imagine Zacchaeus desiring so much to see Jesus running ahead, climbing in the tree just to get a glimpse of Jesus? All of a sudden, Jesus looks up to Zacchaeus and says I must stay at your house. There is no doubt that Zacchaeus was fired up to have Jesus at his house. The Bible says he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. Imagine them walking to his house and the joy he had, but others thinking what in the world is Jesus doing? We see Zacchaeus now making a great statement that if he had done anyone wrong he would make it right. Jesus saw the heart of Zacchaeus and said salva-tion had come to his house. Wow, great and marvelous words! Then Jesus states his purpose to come and to seek and save the lost.
God bless all of the family life groups as we open God’s Word and allow Jesus to speak to us through His Word. We thank those who have opened their homes. We are so happy to hear what Jesus is doing in each Family Life Group as we invite him into our houses through prayer and His Word. May your relationships be strengthened with one another and with the Lord. We also have the opportunity to invite friends, neigh-bors, and relatives to the group and plant the seed of the Word of God. We look forward to hearing how the Lord is working in each group.
May we take advantage of all the opportunities we have to be together in fellowship and give the oppor-tunity for the Word of God transform us by the renewing of our minds as we live as a living sacrifice. “Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaim-ing the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” I love how one sister commented on Family Life Groups say-ing “It’s all about God and His Word and getting to know one another” Amen. May God be glorified in all that we do as a church family. Keep fired up—Mark White

bottom of page