Will your church be open this Sunday?

This question has become more and more common over the last couple of months. Each time I answer with “Most certainly and I hope you will be able to join us!” I have felt like my answer has been missing something. Meeting as a church is vitally important. The word “church” simply means assembly/gathering. We are not a broadcast we are a body. However, it takes more than gathering to be a church. Many groups meet together. Some even meet on a weekly basis.

If you join us for a service you will find that more than our doors are open. You will see open Bibles. It is not enough for us to just assemble we must assemble with a purpose.

We love the Word of God at Vision. Not because we think it makes us superior to anyone or any other church but because it is the way we can pursue a greater knowledge of God. This is the reason we provide so many opportunities to study the Bible.

• Sunday Mornings we have LifeGroups (adults) and Sunday school (kids) teachers who lead small groups in lessons and discussions in God’s Word.
• In the services our Pastor teachers verse-by-verse through the Bible. We are currently in the book of Luke on Sunday mornings and alternating between Psalms and Proverbs in the evening services.
• On Monday nights there will be a group of young men studying the Bible around the fire after consuming their weight in pancakes of some other great homemade meal.
• Tuesday nights the building is full with people learning the Bible in our Vision Bible Institute. Courses are available in English and Spanish.
• We meet on Thursday night. Why? There is so much available for us to learn we do not want to miss a chance. This is a big night for our kids to learn the Bible through AWANA.
• Throughout the week there is a wonderful group of young people studying the Bible in the Our Generation Training Center. These students will join the 50+ Bible teachers we have sent out around the world.
• In addition to the Bible teaching that takes place on our campus you will find our church through out the community studying in our one-one-one discipleship program called Foundations.

We could go on and on and list more places and ways families in our church are raising their children in the Bible. We firmly believe it takes more than opening doors for us to assemble as a church. We must also have OPEN BIBLES!

We encourage you to join us. Bring your Bible. If you do not have one we will gladly provide one for you.

The post More than the Doors are Open appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

After the service this morning I attended the Vision Bible Institute Informative Luncheon. I had the opportunity to start the meeting with prayer and ended up with a front row seat to hear the teachers speak about their upcoming classes. A free lunch is always something that I get excited about but God brought a level a gratitude to my heart that far surpassed by gratitude for a sandwich. As I sat there I looked around the room and became overwhelmed by the realization my life has been greatly blessed by having so many friends who are committed Bible students.

My life and family is being shaped by the Word of God. There are decisions we make individually and as a family as a response to the sermons we hear on Sunday. Our lives are also being shaped by conversations with our friends. As I looked at my friends at the luncheon I quickly thought of 3 different recent conversations that had really helped me.

Story One

Several of us were sitting in the back of an empty movie theater in Roswell. We have ended another night of our Vision Chapel campaign. I was discouraged that more people hadn’t attended. I was in the battle of the mind and needed truth. My friend Wayne, who loves and studies the Bible, was used of God to give the truth of God’s Word I needed at that moment.

Story Two

I was ending a phone conversation with my mother when I walked into our church foyer. On the call, I learned that my mom needed a biopsy. My heart and mind was filled with fears and doubts. In the back of the auditorium a group of ladies met for the “Card Club.” I went into the back of the room and shared what I had learned with them. My friend Shannon, who loves and studies the Bible, was used of God to give the truth of God’s Word I needed to remember to share with my family and others.

Story Three

On Monday nights me and a friend sit together and talk about all kinds of randomness as our sons practice basketball. Whatever my friend is studying to teach in his LifeGroup is always on his heart and I am thankful when he shares it with me. He shared with me some things he had been learning from the Bible about prayer. My friend David, who loves and studies the Bible, was used of God to give the truth of God’s Word I needed for a later moment. A few days later I was dealing with some restlessness over something that is extremely important to Stephanie and I but is completely out of our hands. I remember what David had said about taking my petitions to the Lord and I did just that and rested knowing I had been heard by the One with ultimate authority in the matter.

All of our lives our greatly influenced by our conversations with our friends. When they love and study the Bible these conversations are used of God to be a great blessing to us. We live in a world that desperately needs more people who “love and study God’s Word” and will be willing to share it in casual conversations with their friends. Rather it was in the Vision Bible Institute or in their personal study I am so thankful my friends study the Bible and are willing to share it with me.

You may never teach from behind a pulpit or lead a small group however do not think that your commitment to study the Bible couldn’t be greatly used to encourage all those around you. One of the greatest aspects of being a member of Vision Baptist Church is that me, my wife, and my kids have so many friends who want their lives shaped by the Word of God. This is evident in the way they teach, live, and even the small discussions they have at basketball practice.

If you would like more information about the upcoming Spring Semester at the Vision Bible Institute please go to VisionBaptist.com/VBI. We would love to help you get registered for the upcoming classes. Your friends, family, and church will greatly appreciate the time you spend studying the Bible.

The post 3 Short Stories: Concerning having friends that study the Bible appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

We had 290 people in attendance Sunday morning with 158 in the main service. We were excited to see a lot of visitors and members in attendance. Pastor preached a challenging message on Spiritual Warfare as we looked through the Bible to see the reality of demonic activity and how Satan is working to destroy our lives.

The post Sunday in Review – Tailgate Sunday appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

Lemar did not grow up in a Christian home. The only reason he went to church one day at the age of seventeen was because his friend from high school invited him. That night was the night he realized his need for the Savior and got saved.

Latasha grew up in a Pentecostal church that taught speaking in tongues as a commandment. At the age of sixteen, after years of frustration, she finally gave up on salvation altogether. She was always breaking one of the commandments because she could not speak in tongues. And since she was taught that salvation was achieved by works, it seemed like she would never be able to earn salvation.

Just at one of the darkest moments in her life, in 2005, Latasha saw a commercial that had a prayer line. She decided to call. The young lady who picked up the phone explained to her that true biblical salvation is a free gift and not earned by works. Latasha accepted this free gift and began to look for a church.

It wasn’t until 2009, when Lemar and Latasha moved to Newnan, Georgia, that they found a Bible-based church. Bible Baptist Church invited Greg to Vacation Bible School and the whole family started attending church there. When they moved to Alpharetta in 2009, their church suggested they come to Vision and they’ve been here ever since.

Lemar and Latasha value the Bible teaching and preaching at Vision. They are always being challenged to understand and apply the Word of God and speak often of how much God has changed them since coming to Vision.

Not only do they love attending Vison, but they also feel blessed to be able to serve in the ministries here. Currently, Lemar serves on the World Vision Cabinet and represents Sub-Saharan Africa. He also participates in the usher ministry, helping to take up and count the offerings. Latasha is part of the team of greeters at church and she assists in the kid’s Sunday School class. They are both excited to keep serving the Lord alongside Vision.

Written By: Anna Skudarnov

The post Member Spotlight: Lemar and Latasha appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

Pablo Hernández – Pablo’s girlfriend started coming to english classes and then started coming to church. She would try and get him to come to church but he wouldn’t so she started getting him to come to english classes then try to get him stay for church. He didn’t want to be there at first but slowly his face changing for being mad there to enjoying the service. Jimmy started working with him, and took him in from the beginning and led him to the lord, foundations, and this Sunday he baptized him.

God has been majorly blessing our Spanish ministry. Pastor Jimmy and his family have been laboring extremely hard and God has been blessing. This past Sunday afternoon the Spanish church had eighty seven people! Please continue to pray for our Spanish ministry and for Pastor Jimmy as he continues to work.

The post Two Baptized this Week!!! appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

Thursday Brother Sam brought a challenging message during the regular church service. Friday he met with the missionaries serving with Vision Baptist Missions on reaching Jews for four hours. Saturday he again met with the church on reaching Jews and outreach in general for four hours. Sunday he brought two more challenging messages on outreach.

We pray that if you were here you were challenged and will commit with many who have already in our church to do more to reach people in our community! We want to see fifty souls saved this year! Please be in prayer and be sharing the gospel so that we may see this goal reached!

The post Sunday in Review: City on a Hill appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

We kicked off our newest Sunday School (Adult Bible Fellowship) class this week. The Desi Bible fellowship will be reaching the constantly growing Indian community around Alpharetta and the surrounding areas. Be in prayer that God will continue to bless us in our goal to reach our community with the gospel.

We also had a new member join our church, Jens Looney. Jens has been a member of the Our Generation Training Center for a year and a half and has been faithfully helping out in many areas including cleaning the church. Jens has been a blessing to our church already in his attitude he brings to the church and we are excited to see him continue to grow as a member of our church.

We hope to see you this upcoming Easter morning as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Be in prayer for the service for any who may be lost to come to know Jesus!

The post Sunday in Review/ New Member appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

On occasion, we have been questioned on why we preach  through the Bible verse by verse and book by book. We know many good churches and Pastors do not preach the Book in a sequential order as we have chosen to do. We know and believe that our lessons and sermons must come from the truth of God’s Word but it is not necessary to preach in a sequential, expository manner.

We, however, believe this is the best method for our church. We have found there are many wonderful benefits to our church knowing where we are headed each week when the Pastor asks us to “open our Bibles.”

Kevin White, Staff Missionary to Bolivia, recently compiled this *list. As we have taught through over 25 books of the Bible we have also been allowed of God to send out over 25 families around the world to teach the Bible in this same manner! Here is a list of 8 reasons we preach through the Bible book by book!

1. Because that is the way the Bible was written.
   He didn’t give individual verses.
   He didn’t give us a topical index..
   He gave us 66 individual books and that it what we should preach.
2. It will maximize your time.
   Everyone will know what you are going to preach.
   Everything that you study at the beginning will build as you study the rest of the book.
3. It guarantees a necessary balance.
   This balance can be seen in each book between doctrine and application.
   Ephesians 1-3 doctrina 4-6 application
   Romans 1-11 doctrine 12-16 application.
4. It guarantees that you preach on controversial passages.
   You don’t just jump around or skip.
   There are difficult sections that the Bible include and different subjects that need to be dealt with.
   Topic likes divorce and remarriage.
   Topics like God’s sovereignty and mans responsibility.
5. You will be modeling proper Bible study methods in the Pulpit.
   Your church will study their Bible the way you preach it.
   Context is very important when you are preaching and studying the Bible.
   You are showing them how to rightly interpret the Bible.
6. It promotes long Pastorates
   After a few years most pastors have preached all the messages they have.
   They have touched on every topic they know how to preach.
7. It will prevent you from riding a hobby horse.
   We all have our pet peeves and things that we like to focus on.
   We need to preach the whole council of God.
   It prevents you from camping out on your pet doctrine.
8. It deepens the pastors understanding of the Bible and his own devotional life.
   You don’t just hydroplane over the Bible but you have to dig deeper to understand.
   It helps you to understand the Bible as a whole and it’s individual parts.

*Compiled and adapted from a podcast by Steve Lawson

The post Why we Preach Through Books of the Bible appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

This past Sunday morning we were very excited to have our newest person join our church, Joseph Reidy! Joe was saved at the age of nine during a church camp. He has been faithfully attending our church the past couple months. He loves the Lord, has a passion for reaching people, and for reaching people in the prisons. We are very blessed to have him in our church family and can’t wait to see what God will do with his life!

The post New Member! appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.

Sunday morning pastor preached a great message on Baptism. We were continuing our study of the gospel of Mark. Baptism is a very important part of our church and the great commission that was given by Jesus Christ and should not be taken lightly by His people. It was important enough for Jesus himself to get baptized. Next Sunday morning we will continue our study of Baptism.

Sunday night we were blessed to have one of our assistant pastors, Robert Canfeild, preach the first message out of 2 Kings. Judgment always comes, just as God promised, but does that motivate us to tell the lost world about Jesus?

The post Sunday in Review appeared first on Vision Baptist Church of South Forsyth.