Grace Fellowship Church

A Church in Lawton, OK

Spiritual Growth

Child Dedications | October 2019

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My name is Ashley Melancon and I am the Preschool Director here at Grace. I have the honor of working alongside Pastor Nichole, leading and serving with an amazing team of volunteers who get to love on the kids here at Grace! These kids are truly amazing!   We had such a beautiful Sunday a few weeks ago — Child Dedication Sunday. At Grace, we invite families to do more than just say that they are committing to leading their child to know Jesus and pray as a unified body of the church; we ask them to take the first step and continue to take these steps by actively committing to show their kids who Jesus is. We believe in the importance of speaking a blessing over their life. If you speak future vision over a child’s life it gives them hope and direction. They will want to live up to what you speak over them. We believe God has made each of us unique. In Genesis 48, we see Jacob gives each of his grandsons an individual blessing, unique to them.  
“Then Jacob looked over at the two boys. “Are these your sons?” he asked. “Yes,” Joseph told him, “these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt.” And Jacob said, “Bring them closer to me, so I can bless them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48:8-9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬, emphasis mine)
We encourage families here at Grace to speak a blessing over their child(ren), it can be difficult to find those words but they are worth speaking!  

Bitterness: The Choice is Ours

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Bitterness is one of the the most consuming of emotions. It’s human nature to feel disappointed, betrayed, envious, and frustrated at times; but we must be cautious as to how we refine those feelings on a daily basis. If we aren’t regularly tending to our heart it quickly becomes a breeding ground for seeds of bitterness and eventually leaves us with a garden of resentment. Hebrews 12:15 stresses this very value.
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”
The choice is ours. We choose how we cultivate our hearts. We choose who we give control to. We choose if we forgive those who’ve wronged us. We choose. Our heart can either be a place where bitterness thrives or one where bitterness dies — the choice is ours.   –Brooke

Life Groups & Ice Cream Recap

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Exciting news… here’s what happened! On September 8th, we celebrated our Fall Life Group Launch with an ice cream party on the patio! We had 10 new Life Groups kick-off and over 85 people sign up to join a Life Group. Not to mention the tons of ice cream we consumed! A great big THANK YOU to Cherry Berry for providing all of the ice cream and toppings that made our day so special! I am truly grateful to see how God has not only grown our church but how God has grown our hearts toward each other in community, fellowship, and friendship. “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

What is Worship Night?

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In Psalm 149:1, the psalmist writes, “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.”

Did you catch that?

The psalmist commands that we sing praise to the Lord together, as a church! As we gather together as ONE unified body we find power in community all in the name of Jesus.

Worship Night FAQs

What is Worship Night? 

Worship Night is a time dedicated specifically to worship through music; it’s a time to gather together in song, giving all glory and honor to our God. It’s a unique, free, and live-giving event! Our prayer teams are also available throughout the event for individual  prayer needs.

So it’s free? 

Yupp! Absolutely free!

How is worship night different from a Sunday service?

Worship night consists of approximately an hour and a half of worship whereas Sunday morning services have approximately 20 minutes of dedicated worship coupled with a 30-40 minute message.

Do I have to stay the entire hour and a half. 

Not at all. While we encourage it the event is come and go as you need. We understand everyone’s schedules are different and may be unable to attend the entire hour and a half.

So, what can I expect if this is my first worship night experience?

You can expect warm welcomes and absolute freedom to worship the Lord. As you enter the building you’ll head directly into our main sanctuary on the top floor (if you have kiddos you’ll check them in first downstairs at the kids check-in counter). In the sanctuary you find the event. Please note that for our worship night events we remove most seating to allow for more people to attend. We have a designated seating area for those who are physically unable to stand the entire duration of the event as we want everyone to come, enjoy, and engage in worship!

Can I attend if I don’t attend Grace Fellowship? 

Absolutely! You don’t have to attend Grace to attend our events. We believe everyone is welcome whether you call Grace or another church your church home or don’t attend church at all!

Will there be childcare?

Yes, there will be childcare provided for children 8 years and under.

Can I invite others to come? 

YES, YES, YES! What better way to invite someone to church than to invite them to a worship night!

How often do you host a worship night? 

We host a worship night approximately every 2-3 month. Stay tuned for updates on our events page.

SOAP-ing

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SOAP-ing: A Bible Reading Method for All

Whether you’re opening your Bible for the first time or been reading it for years, SOAP is a simple  and all-inclusive method  to dig a bit deeper into God’s Word. S.O.A.P. is a very common and highly recommended Bible reading method that helps us engage further into Scripture so that we may grow in our understanding of God’s Word, and thus God himself, as well as who we’re called to be and the significance of our beings.
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12)
As you read a selected passage (which we highly recommend following a Bible reading plan) listen for what God is speaking to you specifically through His Word. And we can almost guarantee that the verse (or often, verses) meant for you will not just jump off the page or flash in neon as you read it; nor will you hear a voice shouting, this one’s for you! If you do … that’s great, too! But for us ordinary folks who don’t necessarily hear God audibly or see the disco-ball of divine cues as we read we must remember to focus on the main point — spending time with God and subsequently growing in our relationship with Him. That’s it! God desires that we spend time with Him. He doesn’t care how messy our journaling looks or how goofy our prayers sound. It’s your time — your dedication to knowing him deeper — that he cares about. Sometimes we can become so overwhelmed in trying to get it right or not missing what He’s saying that we avoid spending time with God — we avoid reading and praying. Don’t allow reading Scripture to intimidate you. You like to doodle? Then doodle as you SOAP. You prefer to make notes in bullet points? By all means, SOAP in bullet points. Whether you use four pages or half a page, it really doesn’t matter; because it’s your heart that truly matters to God.
“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.”(Proverbs 23:26)
 

How to SOAP

S – Scripture

Write down a specific verse or two from the passage you read that spoke to you as you read.  

O – Observation

What do you think God is saying to you in this specific scripture? Write down any specific observations or questions you may have had while reading the scripture.  

A – Application

How does this passage apply to my life right now? Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, a new promise, or correction for a particular area of your life.  

P – Prayer

This doesn’t have to be some long, extravagant prayer. Let it be messy and real! Begin with “God, help me …” (e.g. “God, help me believe …” “God, help me see …” “God, help me hear …” “God, help me repent …” “God, help me be …”)  

Want to know more about the importance of Bible reading and SOAP-ing?

Listen to this message from Pastor Josh