We have averaged almost 200 people in attendance this summer.     Last summer we averaged 145.  That means we have grown by almost 45%.   This is all taking place in a building that was built in 1952, occupied by two churches on Sunday and located on a dead end street.

On Sunday, September 12 we will move to the new Faith Christian school facility located on Dallas Road in Grapevine.   We truly believe that this move will result in even greater growth due to our new facility and much higher visibility.  

On top of it all, I have never in my life experienced such a great sense of community and fellowship.  The people of FOTP Grapevine are a loving, caring group.

I am reading a book by a pastor in Tulsa, Ed Gungor.  The title of the book is “One Small Barking Dog – Living a life that is hard to ignore”.   Ed owns a small terrier named Frank.   He said that when other people are around Frank gets pretty excited and starts yelping.   Gungor  states that Frank is not big or ferocious but he is hard to ignore simply because he is there.   It is his ‘thereness’ that is hard to ignore.

It is the ‘thereness’  of the people of FOTP Grapevine that is hard to ignore.  The ‘thereness’ stems from their love, caring, and passion for the Lord and others.   The people of FOTP Grapvine are living lives that are hard to ignore.   Others are taking notice and wanting to know more.   They show up at our services on Sunday and eventually they too are living lives that are hard to ignore.

Wow!   We had another all time high attendance day with 227 in attendance.   We baptized 5 adults and 1 child.   Tonight we have two teens who will be baptized at our Fellowship at the Waterpark.

God is doing amazing things at FOTP Grapevine and we haven't even moved to our new location yet.  

God is good!

When my family and I walked out of FOTP 4 years ago, I asked my daughter Caroline what she thought.  She said, "I like it because they are reaching people."  She was so right.

We are so blessed to be a part of what God is doing at FOTP.  Check out this video and see what we are all about.

http://www.vimeo.com/12964372

God's hand of favor is on FOTP Grapevine.  This past Sunday we had our highest regular Sunday attendance in the history of the church.  What is so unusual about this is that the average church usually has a peak in attendance in the August-September time frame but we have continued to grow through the fall.  Our Sunday morning youth program led by Jon and Cathy Brooks started with a handful of kids in Sept. and we had 17 youth this past Sunday.  God continues to bring some incredible families our way who are committed to reaching unchurched young families.  I remember the day when we only had a few children on a Sunday and this past Sunday we had 45.

All of this seems small compared to the many large churches in our area but considering that a little over a year ago, FOTP Grapevine consisted of a few couples in our living room, it is truly amazing.  More importantly, are the lives that have been changed.

I have never been a part of a more loving, committed group of Christ followers in my life.  Pat, Caroline and I love the people of FOTP Grapevine!

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of our fist weekly Sunday morning service.  We started our two public services.  OUr attendance was 179 which is the highest attendance we have had other than Easter.  To put it in perspective, there was a Sunday last fall when we had 88 in attendance. 

It was a great day as many new people stepped up to serve.  We also started our Sunday morning youth program led by Jon and Kathy Brooks.

This has been the most amazing and rewarding year of 27 years of ministry for Pat and me.  We cannot wait to see what the future holds for Fellowship of the Parks Grapevine.

I can’t really explain God’s hand of favor but having been in the ministry for over 26 years, I know when I sense his hand of favor.  At FOTP Grapevine, I sense it in a powerful way right now.  We are seeing people come to us who say they are broken and searching.  Some of those are coming to know Christ.  Pat and I both have had the privilege of seeing people commit their lives to Christ in recent weeks at lunch or as we met at a coffee shop.  In addition, we are seeing believers deal with issues in their lives that have been preventing them from moving forward spiritually.  It truly is an exciting time.

This past Sunday we began a new series, Homelife.  We are looking at the different rooms in a house and the Biblical principles that can serve as a guide for building relationships with the people in those rooms.   This past Sunday we had 165 in attendance which is amazing for the summer.  People genuinely want to know how to experience a more fulfilling home life.

On Sunday, September 13 (our official one year anniversary) we will move our service times and have two public services (9:30 and 11).  We have had a service at 9 for our volunteers and a public service at 10:30 but with the anticipated growth we will need to move to the two services.  We believe we could have as many as 200 people attending on a weekly basis this fall. 

Thank you for your prayers.

I am really looking forward to our next series at FOTP, HomeLife.  This series revolves around the layout of a three-bedroom house.  Each week we will explore what happens in each room of the house and how it contributes to the overall health and vitality of our HomeLife.

You may not attend FOTP Grapevine but if you know someone who could benefit from these messages please invite them to join us on Sunday mornings at 10:30.  We meet at 730 E. Worth Street in Grapevine.  That is the location of Faith Christian School.  Please be aware that two churches meet at that location.  They are both great Bible believing churches but we would love to see you at Fellowship of the Parks Grapevine so follow our signs.

I am reading a great book by one of my favorite authors, The Furious Longing for God by Bennan Manning.  More to come on that soon.

Our summer attendance has actually exceeded our expectations.  Based on what took place after Easter in the spring we should have 150 – 200 in attendance this fall.  As a result we are going to two full services and moving our service times to 9:30 and 11.

Right now, I just sense God’s hand of favor on the church.  Pat and I both have had the privilege of seeing individuals commit their lives to Christ during the last few weeks.  God continues to bring us people who are searching for Christ and people who want to help others find Christ.

It has almost been a year since we started Fellowship of the Parks Grapevine, and it continues to be the most exciting and rewarding ministry opportunity I have ever experienced. 

 “Nothing is more amazing to me than the spiritual transaction that takes place when we put our faith in Christ.  Somehow my spiritual debits are transferred to Christ’s account and His credits are transferred to mine.  There is no greater moment and greater feeling than all of our guilt meeting all of God’s grace.”  - Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson

I pray that FOTP Grapevine will always be a safe place where people can experience all of their guilt meeting all of God’s grace.

Donald McCullough in his book The Trivialization of God states, “Visit an average congregation on a Sunday morning and you will likely find a congregation comfortably relating to a deity who fits nicely within the precise doctrinal positions, or who lends almighty support to social crusades, or conforms to individual experiences.  But you will not likely find much awe.”

We want FOTP Grapevine to be a place where we are constantly in awe of God’s life transforming power.

We had a meeting this morning concerning our potential location in Grapevine.  We still are working out the details and not in a position to make our location known publicly yet.  We should be at that point in another couple of weeks.

 In the meantime, our core group continues to grow as God raises up others with a like heart.  All of us look forward to being a part of a church that follows the path of FOTP Keller which has been growing by 20% a year for the last several years including this one.  As I analyzed why this growth is taking place I was reminded of quote from Frederick Buechner in his book Wishful Thinking - “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” 

I pray that like our parent church, FOTP Grapevine will be a place where God calls people to serve and the lost to be saved.  In the process it will become a place where the deep gladness of those called to serve will meet with the hunger of those who need to know Christ.  To God be the glory.