Fall is here and with it peak leaf season in the Smoky Mountains! Sarah and I have enjoyed watching the colors change and the cooler temperatures that have slowly started to come in. This past month has been full with learning the ins and outs of ETM, what our roles/responsibilities are, and what the schedule looks like. We have gotten to meet with people, share our vision for the Church, and continue to invest in people at Robbinsville First Baptist Church.
Our work with ETM enables Sarah and me to continue to be a part of the RFBC youth group, and we introduced the new students that came into youth group this school year by having an overnighter at the church. We played a lot of games, ate a lot of junk food, and had good conversation with the teens through the overnighter, and while it took several days for us to recover, it was a special way to build relationships with the youth.
Life groups have also started again at RFBC after a summer break, and we are hosting/facilitating one of those groups that meets every Monday evening. The relationships formed in this time are special, and these groups are one of the main tools we have for discipleship at RFBC. Youth life groups have also restarted for the school year, and Sarah and I have already experienced a new depth to the relationships compared to last year.
I have also been busy learning my new role at ETM. Because ETM is designed to host families and church leaders, there is a considerable amount of property to maintain. This property maintenance, along with study, discipleship groups, leadership within the youth group, and sermon preparation has certainly kept me busy! Meanwhile, Sarah has continued to help ETM with tracking finances, and oversees the office and hosting side of things. In addition, Sarah has been able to meet with ladies for discipleship, and has become a substitute teacher to help supplement our income. We are grateful for the work and continue to pray for more opportunities with ETM to help train church leaders and equip local churches. Please pray with us in that endeavor.
Next week, RFBC will be leading a Men's Ministry camping trip in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for 3 days. Please pray for that time with the men, that the Lord would use this annual trip to deepen relationships and encourage one another in their pursuit of Christ. I will also be given the opportunity to continue preaching at RFBC. My next sermon will be on October 24th, and you can watch on RFBC's Facebook page or YouTube channel. In addition, you can see past speaking opportunities on our website here.
Please pray for us this month, that the Lord would open doors with other churches who are in need of help and that we would be able to serve well with the opportunities the Father has given us. If you would like to join our ministry support team, you can return to our home page and scroll down to the "Giving" section. If you have any questions about what we do, or if there are any ways we can be praying for you, please reach out to us. We love to hear from you, and are grateful for your support.
