The Next Chapter . . .

I appreciated the comment Marilyn Gross left at the end of last week's Seven Questions with KC and Michele Houston. She compared following KC, Michele, and Lina's story to reading a good book, and she finished with "Can't wait to read the next chapter!"

The next chapter, however, is a difficult one. Officials in Lina's native Lithuania made a decision that, in human terms, makes it impossible for KC and Michele to adopt Lina. Men have spoken, and they said no.

But . . . there is still another chapter to be written. What is impossible for us is possible with God. And men do not have the final say.

It was shortly after five o'clock on Monday afternoon, and I was trying to get out of my FCC office to grab a bite to eat before heading to Life Group. I was delayed three times--a phone call, the recollection of a task not completed, another phone call. When I finally walked from the office building to my car, Michele pulled up.

Michele doesn't work on Mondays, so I was surprised to see her. If I had been three minutes earlier, I wouldn't have seen her at all. So I waited, and as I she got out of her vehicle, it was apparent that something was wrong.

She'd received word from Bethany Christian Services earlier in the day that the Lithuanian Government rejected their application to adopt Lina. Bethany, the adoption agency KC and Michele are using, had appealed the decision, but the appeal was denied.

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God is no less able to accomplish this adoption today than He was before this decision was made

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Lithuanian law requires an 18-year age difference between children and their adoptive parents. KC meets that requirement. Michele misses it by a matter of months. The Lithuanian reviewer approved KC and Michele in every other way. In fact, they are now approved to adopt younger children from that country.

But God has placed Lina on their hearts. He has done it in unmistakable ways and confirmed it over and over.

So the questions poured out: Now what will happen to Lina? How is turning her out on the streets next year better than adopting her to loving family, qualified in every way except on one technical point? What do we do now? Where can we turn?

Several months ago, Pastor Tim posed a question from the pulpit: Why don't we see miracles in America on the level we hear about them in other parts of the world? Others, too, have asked this question, both publicly and privately.

Perhaps one reason is that we don't think we need miracles. We don't rely on God's supernatural intervention in our lives. Oh, we wouldn't mind seeing a miracle now and then, but we manage to feed ourselves just fine. We trust in medicine for our health. And when other problems arise, we've become pretty adept at working through them on our own.

Not so in many countries. Many believers don't know where their next meal will come from. Medical problems that are routine in America become debilitating and even deadly elsewhere without God's help. And the problems that they face daily are too overwhelming to even consider tackling alone. So they call on God, and He responds with miracles rarely seen in our country.

Today, we find ourselves in a similar situatution. We may have enough food, and our health care is still better than most. But KC and Michele (and all who choose to bear their burdens with them) are facing a problem with no human solution. At this point, there is no worldly hope to rescue Lina. We are completely dependent on God.

And that's right where He wants us.

This is not a problem for God. God is no less able to accomplish this adoption today than He was before this decision was made. He is in complete control. And I do not believe that everything we've witnessed so far has been an accident. The things we've seen were not coincidences. God has a purpose in all of this, and He is more than capable of seeing it through.

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when things looked darkest . . . we called on the Lord, and we saw Him do great and miraculous things

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So pray with me. Ask God to intervene in a way that defies all human logic. Ask Him to make a statement about His power and His glory, a statement that none will be able to deny. Ask Him to bring Lina to KC and Michele. Ask Him to rescue that 14-year-old Lithuanian orphan.

Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus' disciples asked Him why a particular man was born blind. "That the works of God might be displayed in him," Jesus replied. Today we ask why these things are happening, and it really isn't hard to see how God has allowed things to happen in such a way that His works might be displayed in them. Everything is coming together; He is ready to shine. And in one way or another, He will shine!

Be a part of that! Be able to say, at some future time, that when things looked darkest, you were part of the body that prayed, that we called on the Lord, and we saw Him do great and miraculous things.

I don't know how the next chapter reads, but I know the Author. And, like Marilyn, I can't wait!

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Ordinary and Extraordinary!

Have you visited FCC's library lately? If not, come check out two recently-added books, both by John MacArthur.

Over the years, MacArthur has ministered to millions as Pastor at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, through his radio ministry, Grace to You, and as the writer of dozens of books.

Read on for overviews of Twelve Ordinary Men and Twelve Extraordinary Women.

Twelve Ordinary Men
Contrary to popular belief, we do not have to be perfect to do God's work. Look no further than the twelve disciples whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Jesus chose ordinary men - fisherman, tax collectors, political zealots - and turned their weakness into strength, producing greatness from utter uselessness. MacArthur draws principles from Christ's careful, hands-on training of the original twelve disciples for today's modern disciple - you.

Twelve Extraordinary Women
Celebrated for their courage, vision, hospitality, and spiritual giftedness, it's no wonder women were so important to God's plan revealed in the Old and New Testaments. It wasn't their natural qualities that made these women extraordinary but the power of the one true God whom they worshipped and served.

In Twelve Extraordinary Women, you'll learn more than fascinating information about these women, you'll discover-perhaps for the first time-the unmistakable chronology of God's redemptive work in history through their lives. These women were not ancillary to His plan, they were at the very heart of it.

Visit FCC's library today to check out these and other great books.

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Seven Questions with KC and Michele Houston

What do KC and Michele Houston have in common with previous Seven Questions subjects, Paul and Jeannie McKean?

Both have a vision to share the love of Christ with people living outside of their native land.

Paul and Jeannie accomplish this in a big way by reaching out to thousands of expatriates across the globe through their ministry, ExpatAlive. KC and Michele hope to accomplish their vision in an equally important, though very different way. They are working to rescue Lina, a 14-year-old orphan, and bring her from her native Lithuania to their home in Whatcom County. KC and Michele have begun the process to adopt this difficult-to-place child. It's an exciting story, and it's just beginning!


Question 1: How did you first become aware of Lina?

We first became aware of Lina through one of Bethany Christian Services publications.


Question 2: Describe how God worked in your hearts as He has led you in this.

Nearly a year ago we recognized God's call on our lives to serve Him through missions work. We have been praying and seeking wisdom and have begun a process of preparation for whatever God has planned. We have talked to a lot of different people about their experiences in missions and the common thread among all of them was that when you are on the right track you will know.

We decided to take opportunities when He presented them. We trusted that God would tell us if we were on the right track, and if we weren't that He would to teach us what He would have us learn. As many of you know, we took a mission trip to Guatemala last summer. We worked with Dick Rutgers and the Mooney family in their wheelchair ministry. It was an amazing trip and we learned much about God’s love and mercy and the plight of the poor and fatherless.

While in Guatemala, we saw incredible need, and it was clear that there was much we could be doing to help. But we both sensed that Guatemala was not where God wanted us at this time in our lives. I never want to rule things out because God may just want to prepare us further before he sends us back there. But at that moment we knew that God had something else planned for us.

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God has provided me with a godly wife who is strong where I am weak, and her faith, not clouded by my fears, has led us to this next step in our journey.

---

So we continued to wait and prepare. Knowing that we needed to be serving our Lord wherever we were, Michele decided that this year she would like to join me in working with the junior high youth group. And we continued to trust that He would reveal His plan with perfect timing. Then around a month ago Michele came home and showed me a picture of a girl from Lithuania who was in Bethany’s Children of Promise publication. We had always talked about adopting, even in our pre-marriage counseling.

But Lina had just turned 14! My first reaction was "no way!" Even if we could afford the adoption fees, starting a family with a potentially troubled teen girl was not what I had in mind. I tried for a while to talk Michele out of it, but she was hearing the Spirit's leading and continued to believe that we were supposed to be this girl’s family. Finally after working through all my logical arguments it came down to the facts that we can't afford to pay the fees and that we didn't even know if she had already been adopted. I agreed that we could inquire and find out more information about Lina and the process of adoption.

Secretly (in my own fear), I hoped that there was already a loving family who would adopt her before she "ages out" of the orphanage, and that would be God's way of telling us that she was okay. Michele inquired and was told that there was a family already in the adoption process who was going to adopt her. I was happy that Lina was going to be adopted, but I was surprisingly sad that it wasn’t going to be us. I must admit that it was a little confusing because I was asking God to tell us yes or no, and I got the answer I thought I wanted. But I wasn’t happy about it. Two days later the agency emailed and told us that the family who had been looking to adopt Lina had a family crisis and wouldn’t be adopting her after all. If we were interested they would send us the paperwork to start the process. We said yes and are now in the process of adopting.

It took me a little longer than it took Michele to recognize God's plan because sometimes I get bogged down with practicalities like "how am I going to make this work?" This is especially true when I realize that I can’t make it work. Fortunately God has provided me with a godly wife who is strong where I am weak, and her faith, not clouded by my fears, has led us to this next step in our journey following Gods plan for us.


Question 3: As you look back on your lives, how has God prepared you to respond to this calling?

My first experience with adoption was as a youth when my family decided that we would serve God as a foster family. We worked with Bethany and took in newborn babies that were waiting for the adoption paperwork to finish. We had 13 babies during my middle school years and I learned that adoption was a wonderful thing.

I have also been involved in youth ministry for nine years. Most of that time was spent with middle-school-age kids. Michele has also been involved in youth ministry. We were both camp counselors at Camp Firwood.

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No one wants to get crushed. And we are well aware that adopting a 14-year-old girl who was abused and abandoned could crush us. But no one ever said walking with God would be easy.

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Michele also worked with World Vision after she finished college. She traveled on Christian concert tours promoting child sponsorships. During that time God placed on her heart compassion for the older children. The older a child got, the less likely that they will get picked up for sponsorship. She would see the same faces of young boys time after time that would not get sponsored. She began to rally her volunteers to encourage people who may not be sure who to choose to sponsor the older kids. Adoption is the same way. God placed compassion for older orphans in her heart long ago in preparation for this time in her life.


Question 4: What has the response been like as you’ve shared this calling with friends and family?

The responses we have received have spanned the spectrum. From "Wow, that’s great; here’s $35 to help" to "All the people we have known who adopted older children say that is was the worst decision they ever made."

That last statement was a pretty heavy emotional blow, and I think that God knew we needed encouragement. The next night we were meeting with a couple that have three adopted kids and are in the process of adopting a fourth. They were very excited for us. They shared their experiences and offered to be a support along the way. They were just the blessing we needed.

Overall, the positive responses far outweigh the negative. I am reminded of the well-used analogy of God as the Potter and we are the clay. We can live our lives in fear and tell God "no not me," and I believe he will leave us alone. But if we are going to grow in our faith and relationship with God we have to be willing to be used by Him even if it means we are going to get crushed. God will be faithful and remake us better than before. No one wants to get crushed. And we are well aware that adopting a 14-year-old girl who was abused and abandoned could crush us. But no one ever said walking with God would be easy.


Question 5: I know that you have needed to trust God at every step in this process. What is the next big thing (that the world might call a hurdle or a problem) that you’re trusting God to accomplish?

Everyone we talk to always says, "Don’t worry about the money." Sorry, I can’t help it. I know that we can provide for Lina once she is here but the adoption fees are beyond our ability to manage. We are hoping to apply for grants. And because Lina is a special-needs child (because of her age) we stand a good chance to receive funds. The problem or hurdle is that you can’t apply until you have completed your home study and other paperwork that costs between four and five thousand. God wants us to know that if this happens it is because He made it so.


Question 6: If someone doesn’t intervene in Lina’s life, what does her likely future look like?

We also asked this question. In Lithuania the children can only stay in the orphanage until they are 15. After that, they are given a small amount of money for an apartment or something and put out. 10-20% of the children who age out commit suicide; 70-80% end up on drugs and become criminals or prostitutes; only 10% adjust and become productive members of society.


Question 7: Share with us an example of God’s hand at work in this process.

If you have read this far I think you will agree that God has been at the heart of this process from the very beginning, from Michele not being able to get Lina off her mind to God working on my fears and all the confirmations that He is with us.

Members of our body have already begun to help! FCC has received a couple of finacial gifts designated to aid with this vision. In response, we have set up a designated fund. If you feel led to help, you can do so by writing "Orphan Rescue" on your check or on an envelope and placing your gift in the offering or sending it to the FCC office.

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Upcoming Events at FCC

Here are a few of the things that are happening at FCC over the next several weeks:

Library Grand Re-Opening!

Brenda Sprague has spent the last few weeks overhauling our church library, sorting out some of the old books that haven't been checked out in an age (or, in some cases, ever!) and reorganizing the remaining books. What she's uncovered is a virtual treasure trove of Christian literature and media.

Join us following the Morning Worship Service this Sunday, October 28, for a Grand Re-Opening. Enjoy refreshments and rediscover this valuable resource!


THRiVE! 2007 Women's Conference

How would you rate your relationships, work, health, finances, and most important, your spiritual life? Knowing that there's always room to grow, you can jumpstart that next leap of faith witha a day devoted to realizing your full potential.

Join us November 3, 2007, for a conference for women unlike any other. Live via satellite, speakers including Gary Smalley, Kim McManus, and Shannon Ethridge, will coach you in practical strategies that will equip you to grow, to change, and to become all God wants you to be.

7:00am Coffee Fellowship
7:40am-4:00pm THRiVE! Simulcast
Lunch provided by Pastor David!

Pick up your free tickets this Sunday morning or call the Church office at 360-354-0536. A love offering will be received to help defer the cost of the conference. For more information and a full list of speakers visit the THRiVE! 2007 website.


Samoan Jubilee

All those who traveled with Faith Community Church to Seattle to worship with Jubilee Christian Fellowship last spring know it's an experience like none other. And now it's coming to us!

Join us on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 6:00pm in FCC's fellowship hall for an evening of food and fellowship--Island style!

Taste the feast, hear the word, and feel the Spirit move.



Monday Night Football

Men! Join Pastor David to cheer on the Seahawks against the 49ers on Monday, November 12, at 5:45pm.

Dinner is provided, and so is the time-out entertainment (courtesy of Pastor Mike). There will be prizes, and, at half time, we'll hear from the Word.

Don't miss this chance to watch the Seahawks on the big screen, fellowship with your brothers, and be challenged in your Christian walk.

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Seven Questions with Paul and Jeannie McKean

Seven Questions is going to be a semi-regular feature in which we sit down with people who are from our body or who are in some way connected with our body. We'll talk with them about their various ministries and vision and discover some of the exciting things God is doing through His people.

Our first edition of Seven Questions focuses on Paul and Jeannie McKean, both of whom are quite involved at Faith Community Church. Among their many ministries to our body, Paul has taught many Adult Sunday School classes (including a current one on the book TrueFaced), and Jeannie plays a key role in Women's Wednesday Morning Bible Studies. But God is using this couple far beyond the borders of Whatcom County, reaching out from their home office in Custer to touch lives across the entire globe on a daily basis.

These two pioneers founded ExpatAlive, a ministry to an often neglected but strategic group of people. And today they took some time to explain to me a little more about what God's been doing and about the vision He has given them.


Question 1: A lot of us have heard you use the term “expatriate” and thought you were saying “ex-patriot” (which would be something completely different). Can you tell us exactly what an expatriate is?

An expatriate is anyone working or serving outside their homeland. This would include missionaries, educators, those involved in medicine, students, business executives, State Department, and military.

In each of their roles they have a unique entrée to the local population. Because they are there to serve and benefit the local schools, health programs, or business ventures (providing jobs), or represent authority from the sending country (consular and embassy) they can speak of the gospel with unusual authority.

They are in a separate community themselves with other expats and as a result can minister to their fellow expat’s needs (family, marriage, and spiritual).


Question 2: So the purpose of ExpatAlive is to minister to these expats, and also to minister through them to those they have influence with around the world. Minister in what ways?

ExpatAlive uses several avenues.

Our ExpatAlive website has biblical resources on it and other tools which help the expats to cope in this new world they find themselves in.

We send out emails to 400 addresses. Our goal is to respond to them within 48 hours. We have been able to phone them directly and have made an effort to connect in person as we have traveled.

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Talk about ‘bang for your buck’; the expat community properly trained and challenged are ‘missionaries’ who are funded by their companies and sending organizations.

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This summer we contacted those who were back in the US for summer break. Two couples were in the US and in our travels we made a point to go by and visit them and see ways in which we could be available to them.


Question 3: Are there any generalizations you can make about where most expats live? Are there certain countries that have more expats? Do they tend to be in large cities as opposed to smaller towns?

There are 3 million Americans who serve as expats. In the city where we lived there were over 1 million non-Americans who were expats. Americans and Europeans represented another half million.

Expats tend to live in pockets within the city by nationalities. On the whole expats live in major cities, but it is not totally uncommon for them to live in smaller towns. We have friends in Mexico, Italy, and Africa who live in small towns.

Areas that attract expats are in Iceland, Ireland, and throughout Asia, China, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, Latin America and in larger cities in Africa.


Question 4: Don’t expatriates have their own built-in support system? Aren’t there likely to be other believers who are expatriates working at the same companies? Or don’t they find support with local believers? Why is ExpatAlive needed?

This answer is hard to be specific because conditions vary from location to location. I would say that on the whole you have conflict of interests. Your boss may be the leader of the local international church so you aren’t going to tell what is going on in your heart or family.

Most expatriates have a group of friends but they would be pretty closed about problems; limiting their support system. In most situations the local believers and the expats do not mix because of language and cultural differences.

That’s why we created ExpatAlive We can be a listening ear without being incriminating. You can look at our studies and share your questions without being thought silly.

This young man’s story is all too often what we hear from expats. He has no support system. He is trapped in a job without any one to confide in. He writes to us because we are safe and we will find answers for him.

I am only 24 and moved here for work and because I thought the Lord was leading me here for some reason, but I am not sure why. I have talked to several people who have told me that in this city of more than one million people there is not a single church, which saddens me greatly because I am so craving Christian community and fellowship.

Question 5: If expatriates are spread out all over the globe, and you are, for the most part, here in Washington State, USA, how do you minister to them?

With the internet it doesn’t matter where you are because we can connect where ever in the world people are. Further we have a calling plan that allows us for pennies to call anywhere in the world. We talk to friends in China for 40 minutes and it costs $2.00

As you know Paul has traveled to Asia over the past 2 years, spending a great deal of time among the expats to minister to them on location.


Question 6: That’s exciting! So if I support ExpatAlive, how is that money used?

Our mission with ExpatAlive has been to be a listening ear, share the gospel in a positive format, train and challenge them to reach their fellow expats and the local people with whom they have influence.

ExpatAlive provides tools for this unique group of people. When you support Jeannie and me in this ministry you partner with us to reach the expats globally.

Talk about ‘bang for your buck’; the expat community properly trained and challenged are ‘missionaries’ who are funded by their companies and sending organizations.

Technology and travel are not cheap. We raise our own salaries, all our related expenses, social security tax, medical, business expenses, international calling, and travel.


Question 7: Share a success story with us. Tell us how God was able to use ExpatAlive in an expatriate’s life.

Jon has been an expat most of his adult life. He employs 1200 factory workers and a technical staff of 30. Jon’s deep desire is to share the gospel with these people. His company is in a closed country.

He asked us how he might do that. We were able to offer the Jesus film in the local language for him to discreetly distribute to his workers. What a powerful outreach Jon has to these who would otherwise have not heard.

Jon and his wife began a ‘home church’ with expats. They saw a steady response of 30-35 attend. One of their outreaches has been a marriage encounter weekend to minister to the families and marriages among their expat friends. The home church they planted now is over 600.

Steve and his wife, Kathy (one of Jeannie’s first disciples from 1971 at Illinois State Univ.) live and serve in Russia. Their initial call was to the local population. As we have shared our vision Kathy began to minister to the expat women with whom she associated.

Steve picked up the challenge and has begun to work with the expat men. He recently had a retreat with expat men and Steve’s local disciples so they could share each others burdens.

If time allowed we could tell of account upon account of expats who are making a difference. In fact as a church we support expats from our midst in several countries of the world.

Jeannie and I are grateful to FCC for the generosity and loving care you have shown to us.

Paul and Jeannie McKean
Missionaries of FCC with Campus Crusade for Christ, International

FCC plays a small role in ExpatAlive through prayer and financial support. If you're interested in adding to that in any way, or just want to hear more about this exciting ministry, you can contact Paul and Jeannie at pnjmckeanpnj@yahoo.com

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Survey Results from Fall Kick Off

Those of you who were here on Sunday, September 7, 2007, graciously shared your thoughts and opinions with us as we conducted our Fall Kick Off Survey. And the results are in!

We learned a lot of exciting things, and we're eager to share those findings. For instance, as the pie chart to the right shows, the large majority (a total of 72%, in fact!) generally likes our basic evening worship format, either exactly as it is or with a few suggested changes. Those suggestions range from periodic fellowship nights to variations in worship and teaching to offering a service on an evening other than Sunday. Others (22%) favored trying a different format, such as Life Groups on Sunday evenings, and we've already implemented a few Life Groups to meet those needs as well. See the full list of comments on this topic for more insight into the ideas expressed by members of our body. And read on for the results from the whole survey including links to other sets of comments.

Breakdown by Age

Survey Takers	Age Group
20	Under 11
57	12-18
35	19-29
47	30-39
66	40-49
47	50-59
30	60-69
18	70-79
5	80 and up

Results

1. Do you have email?

275 Yes
45 No

Do you have access to the internet?

301 Yes
21 No


2. What are your thoughts about us striving to have the morning worship service end by 11:20?

109 No problem for me, that’s perfect
27 That is too long, strive to get out a little earlier
161 Doesn’t matter to me, go however long you need


3. Knowing we will continue to offer a mix of music, how would you classify the style of worship YOU prefer?

107 Contemporary
44 Traditional
175 Don’t care or prefer a mix


4. Do you prefer music that is led by:

94 Guitar
45 Piano
168 Don’t care or prefer a mix


5. Are you willing to put aside your preference and support what’s played each Sunday?

304 Yes
9 No


6. What positive feedback do you have with our current style of worship?

(See comments)


7. What, if any, suggestions do you have in this area?

(See comments)


8. Do you share the vision of our church moving from “maintenance” to “vision” perspective? Remember, maintenance is to stay the same. Keep everyone happy, comfortable, safe, and predictable. Vision is to dream big dreams based on the greatness of God. Move ahead. Take risks! A church with passion for winning people to Christ and teaching, training, and sending them to their mission.

279 Yes
6 No


9. I will commit to pray regularly for our church?

279 Yes
6 No


10. I will commit to pray regularly for our Pastors and their families, Elders, and Deacons?

295 Yes
6 No


11. I recognize the fruit I have to offer this year as an FCC attendee?

185 Yes
21 No


12. Sunday evening service is not well attended, what suggestions do you have regarding Sunday night? (check all that apply):

61 Keep the service as is and do nothing different
46 Offer more Life Groups on Sunday night
92 Focus more fellowship nights on Sunday
14 Do away with it
0 Other ideas

(See comments)


13. This usually is a sensitive topic, but we don’t want to ignore it…We appreciate your financial giving to the ministry of Faith Community Church. In seeking God’s purpose for this church we trust Him to supply the finances to do His work. While we do not want to pressure people to give, we also do not want to forget our responsibility of challenging people to give back to God what He has supplied. With that in mind, are you willing to increase your giving this next year to help in this vision? (No one will be checking on you. This is between you and God. We just want you to think about it…)

(See comments)

Download full survey results by age category as a Microsoft Word document

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Providence Christian School FAQ

What happened?

Providence Christian School needed a place to hold school four days each week. Faith Community Church has a facility that has been largely unused on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. So we invited them to use our campus, beginning this past Monday (September 24).


How did we know God wanted us to do this?

As Providence's director shared the need, the Holy Spirit impressed on Pastor Tim that this was something we were supposed to do. But we know that we need to seek confirmation when we sense the Spirit leading in such things. So Pastor Tim asked Pastor Philip to meet with Providence, and the Spirit moved him in the same way. The rest of the pastoral staff--Pastors Mike, David, and Blake--as well as others in leadership at FCC, have since affirmed this calling.

We also sought confirmation in Scripture, and the Spirit confirmed over and over with passages such as 1 John 3:17, “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” It was apparent that the Spirit expected us to put into practice the sermons Pastor Tim has preached recently on Loving Obedience, and that only by loving God and these children in this practical way could we hope to be obedient to Him.


What was the urgency that required such quick action?

After a lengthy period of interaction and application between Providence and Whatcom County, the county decided to disallow the use of Providence's former location as a school. Just two weeks into the school year, this left 35 children without a place to go to school. This is why action was required within days rather than in weeks or months. We will, of course, continue to evaluate our arrangement and seek God’s leading in how He wants us to proceed as we move forward.


Do they believe what we believe?

Yes. Their Statement of Faith includes all of the tenets of our faith, from the deity of Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross to the infallibility of the Word of God.


What's this going to cost us?

There will be no out-of-pocket expenses to FCC. They are paying us an amount that will easily cover increased utility costs and other expenses. They are also paying for the increased insurance coverage we put in place to cover any potential liability we might incur.


What about wear and tear on the facility?

It's going to happen. Although they've already shown themselves to be respectful and conscientious guests, the reality is that the carpet will wear out earlier, a wall might get dinged, and sooner or later something is going to get broken. But we're confident that God entrusted these resources to us to be used for His Kingdom, and not to be safely buried away for most of the week.


What impact is this going to have on our other ministries?

There will be an impact, there’s no question about it. But it won't be the kind of impact that will prevent any ministry from occurring or even lessen its effectiveness. All ministries--from Bible Studies and other groups to weddings and funerals--will continue to happen. And those ministries that have been most affected have been extremely gracious, often offering to accommodate in ways that go much beyond what will be necessary to make this a successful partnership.

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