When we think about the Christmas story:Jesus was born into a family!Jesus grew up in a family!Jesus found love in a family!Jesus brought His love into a family!Feature 1: Families WelcomedEphesians 2:19b (TLB)Acts 11:14 (NIV)Acts 16:14-15 (NLT)Acts 16:31-34 (NLT)Feature 2: Families RestoredMalachi 4:5-6a (NIV)Luke 1:16-17 (NIV)Feature 3: Families Firmly GroundedMark 10:6-9 (NIV)Ephesians 5:22-25,28 (NIV)Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV)PrayerGod,I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I feel empty and needy of true love! Today I am making a decision to welcome Jesus Christ into my life and heart. I confess that He died on the cross at Calvary for all my sins (past, present, and future). I believe Jesus was raised from the dead on the 3rd day, just like the scriptures foretold. Thank You for Your complete forgiveness and the unending love You have provided for me.I choose to follow Jesus in the fellowship of His church.Amen

John 1:35-51 NLTThree words that will prompt us to ask our friends, family and neighbors to COME and SEE the great things God is doing:DECLARATION---#lwcCOMEandSEEJohn 1:36 NLTJohn 1:15-16 NLTDeclaration Applications:1. USE Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for sharing a Bible verse or passage each day or each week and BLESS you friends.2. SHARE someone's status when it will bring people to JESUS and glory to GOD!3. INVITE people to church through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.4. ASK your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join you for a small group.5. PERSONAL invites are also a great way to invite people to church or share your faith.CONFIRMATION---#lwcCOMEandSEEJohn 1:32-34 The MessageJohn 1:4-42 The MessageConfirmation Application:1. SIGN UP for the Membership 101 class and it will help confirm that you Connect to God's purposes.2. WRITE your testimony on your tablet or phone "notes" app. Save it to share with others.3. ENCOURAGE someone who's become a Christ follower that you see a positive difference in his or her countenance and actions.INVITATION---#lwcCOMEandSEEJohn 1:38-39 NLTJohn 1:43b NLTJohn 1:46 NLTInvitation Application:Get a #COMEandSEE attitude and use your invite card to INVITE someone to church.PRAYER:God, You're awesome! I need YOU in my life. I need YOUR heavenly apps so that I can live a victorious life. Today, I choose to embrace an iREACH attitude. Because I know that every soul is important to you. So I will willingly use the #COMEandSEE invite card to invite the people You've placed in my life. I will trust You, Holy Spirit to draw them to the love of Christ. Give them a desire to come to church or to a small group where I believe YOU'LL meet them and reveal Yourself to each in a very special way. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

#GO App includes:Feature #1: There is service in heaven and on earth.John 14:6 (NIV)Matthew 28:18 (NLT)Feature #2: Includes Action.Matthew 28:19 (NLT)John 20:21 (NASB)Action Steps:Pray for those God places in your life.Explain the Good News to them.Share what Jesus has done in your life.Invite them to church.Ask them to attend a small group with you.Feature #3: Makes Christ followers.Matthew 28:19 (NLT)Matthew 4:19 (NLT)These five things take place:1. Christ followers will have their lives transformed by God through connection.John 15:5 (NIV)2. Christ followers will live a continuous life growing and maturing through God's Word.Hebrews 6:1-3 (MSG)3. Christ followers will take His example and serve both in, and out of the church.Mark 10:45 (NIV)4. Christ followers will be intentional about reaching their neighbors through the grace of God.Acts 20"24 (NIV)5. Christ followers will exhibit a life of worship both in, and out of church.John 4:23 (NIV)Feature #4: "Learn Christ" TipsMathew 28:20a (NLT)Acts 2:42 (MSG)Feature #5: Find my peopleMatthew 28:20b (MSG)PRAYERGod,Thank YOU that You never stopped pursuing me! Your love for me is continuous despite all my inadequacies and imperfections. Today we've earned that You desire to reach and save people. You did this in reaching me... You sent neighbors and friends who loved You to love me. Today I choose to be the kind of person who will GO and reach those around me who need the grace of Jesus. I will choose to pray for them, to share the Good News, and tell them the wounderful things You've done for me, and also invite them to church as well as ask them to go to a small group with me.In Jesus' name I GO and in His name I pray,Amen.

1. The first card that makes you is your chemistry.I Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)Galatians 4:13 (NASB)2. The second card that determines your identity is your connections.Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)3. The third card is your circumstances.I Thessalonians 5:8 (NLT)4. The fourth card is your consciousness.Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)Proverbs 4:23 (NCV)Job 3:25 (NLT)5. The fifth card is your choices.FIVE WINNING CHOICES1. I choose to get healthier.Psalm 119:73 (LB)2. I choose to deepen my relationships.I Corinthians 14:1a (NLT)3. I choose to trust God no matter what.Romans 12:2 (NLT)4. I can choose what I think about.Romans 12:2 (NLT)5. I can choose Jesus as my savior.II Corinthians 5:17 (LB)PRAYERDear God,There's some things in my hand that You've dealt me, life has dealt me, and others have dealt me that I don't like. But I thank You for the wild card, that You've made me in Your image and I can make choices and You've given me Your Spirit to guide me. Today, in Your power and in Your strength, I choose to get healthier. I choose to do things that willgive me more energy and a healthier body. Now give me sense to heed Your laws, and what I need to do in a practical way to get healthier.In Jesus' name,AMEN

1. Faith is choosing to believe in God's dream for my life.Dreamers dare to askBelive God's promisesDream BIGProverbs 29:18 (NIV)Ephesians 3:20 (LB)Jeremiah 32:27 (NLT)Psalms 2:8 (NIV)2. Faith is being willing to risk failure.Acts 15:26 (NAS)Daniel 3:17-18 (NIV)Proverbs 29:25 (MSG)Galatians 6:4 (NIV)3. Faith is expecting God to bless and use me.Philippians 1:20 (NCV)Psalm 27:2 (NAB)Matthew 9:29 (NIV)Hebrews 11:1 (GW)4. Faith is never giving up.Psalm 31:24 (MSG)Psalm 119:109 (LB)Proverbs 24:16 (CEV)Galatians 6:9 (LB)Mark 9:24 (KJV)PRAYERGod, Help me with my unbelief. I want to believe. Help me with my doubts. Give me the dream You have for my life. Put a burning passion in my heart to go after this dream. Kindle this dream like a fire when it begins to smolder. God give me an expectancy to fulfill it through the power of Your Holy Spirit and the guidance of Your Word.In Jesus' name,Amen

FIVE FACTORS THAT REINFORCE-WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER"It's not good for the man to be alone...", Genesis 2:18 NASB1. I need others to WALK with me.Colossians 2:6-7 ESVEphesians 5:2 NASB It's safer It's supportive It's smarterProverbs 28:26 CEVProverbs 11:14 KJVHebrews 10:25 TEV1 Peter 4:9 CEB2. I need others to WORK with me.Ephesians 2:10 NCVCONNECT-GROW-SERVE-REACHEcclesiastes 4:9 NCVGalatians 6:10 The Message3. I need others to WATCH OUT for me in life.Philippians 2:4 TEVHebrews 13:1 CEVwww.911commission.gov/report/911Report.pdfEcclesiastes 4:12 NLTEcclesiastes 4:10 NLT4. I need others to WAIT with me and to WEEP with me.1 Peter 3:8a Living Bible1 Corinthians 12:26 ESVRomans 12:15 TEV1 Thessalonians 5:11 GW5. I need others to WITNESS with me.John 13:35 NLT2 Timothy 1:7 Living BiblePhilippians 1:27 CEVPRAYER:Heavenly Father, Thank YOU for teaching us that community is YOUR idea! We embrace your love and fellowship! And Lord, we also embrace YOUR idea of loving each other, fellowshipping with one another and making community a priority. Forgive us for thinking that living an independent life is the key to happiness. Thank YOU for showing us that it's actually the key to loneliness and the key to happiness is dependence on YOU and interdependence on each other. We choose to make time for small groups as you lead us. Let us honor you and honor each other. May we be beacons of hope for those in our towns and communities. I commit myself to join a small group where I can learn about community your way. In Jesus Name, Amen.

WHY I NEED TO SET PERSONAL GOALS:1. Goal setting is a spiritual discipline.Ephesians 1:10 GWT2. Goals focus my energy.1 Corinthians 9:29 NCVEphesians 5:16 NLT3. Goals stretch my faith.Matthew 9:29Romans 14:234 Goals build my character.Philippians 3:12Ephesians 4:135. Goals give me hope.Job 6:11 NLTWHAT KIND OF GOALS DOES GOD BLESS:1. Godly goals, the kind that God blesses, bring glory to God.1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV2. Godly goals, the kind that God blesses, are motivated by love.1 Corinthians 16:14 NLT1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT3. Godly goals fulfill one of God's purposes for your life.Romans 6:162 Corinthians 9:26 NLT4. Godly goals are set in faith.Hebrews 11:6 NLT5. Godly goals are achieved with God's power.Proverbs 16:9 MSGZech. 4:6 NCVProverbs 3:5-6 NLTPRAYERHeavenly Father,Thank You for our church family. We love You and we love each other. We greet this new season with enthusiams. With God in us and in Christ, we desire to give you every aspect of our lives: our faith, food, fitness, friends, and our focus. May our goals align themselves with Yours!In Jesus' name,AMEN!

1. Commit my body to God.Romans 12:1 (NIV)Cleanse my body.Care for my body.Control my body.2. I must re-focus my mind.Romans 12:2 (NIV)3. I must humbly assess my current state.Romans 12:3 (NIV)4. I must get group support.Romans 12:4-5 (NLT)5. I must fill my life with love.Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)6. I must nurture my enthusiasm.Romans 12:11-12 (NIV)APPLICATION PRAYERGod, I don't want to go another day without You in my life. I give You control over every part of my heart. I offer You my body. I dedicate myself to You. In light of all You've done for me, I give mysel to You as a living sacrifice as an act of worship. Help me to renew my mind as I choose not to conform to my old ways of doing things. Transform me by Your power and make me the person that honors You with my body, my mind, my emotiions, my eating and drinking, and everything that matters. I humble myself because I know that prided will cause me to stumble. Forgive me for trying to change on my own. I want to fill my life with You so I can delight in honoring other people. I choose to nurture my enthusiasm by being in You. Because with You I can do all things.In Jesus' name,Amen

1. God expects me to manage my body.1 Corinthians 6:12-13a NIV2. My body is God's property.1 Corinthians 6:13b NIV3. My body will be resurrected after I die1 Corinthians 6:14 NIVMistakes we make:We rely on willpower instad of God's powerWe have wrong motivationWe try to change on our own4. My body is connected to the body of Christ.1 Corinthias 6:15a & 18 NIV5. Holy Spirit lives in my body.1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV6. Jesus Bought my body on the cross.1 Corinthians 6:20 NIVRomans 12:1 NIVPsalm 119:73 LBDeuteronomy 32:47 NLTProverbs 3:1-10 NIVAPPLICATION1. Trusting God is good for my health.Psalm 116:7 NCVProverbs 14:30 NIV2. Confessing my sins is good for my health.Psalm 32:3-5 NLT3 Giving generously is good for my health.Proverbs 11:25 NIV4. Haing fun is good for my health.Proverbs 17:22 NIVPRAYERFather, You created our bodies. You sent Jesus to pay for our bodies. Then you sent Your Spirit to live in our bodies. Help us to never forget that our bodies belong to you, not us. And that they're connected to the Body of Christ. And one day they will be resurrected in version 2.0. Forgive us for all the times we've misused our bodies and abused our health. We commit together to join in a jouney of health, to follow God's health plan for Your glory. In Jesus' name.Amen