What's Your Next Step?
Our calling as a church is to cultivate disciples who impact the world for Christ. We want to help each person at Valley take the next step in their journey of following Jesus. Furthermore, we all want to take that next step ourselves. Barnabas shows us what next steps look like and how to help others take them.
Each week in our current sermon series, "Next Steps With Jesus: The Life of Barnabas," Valley will offer a few ideas for disciples to take their next step in growing in their faith. Look for new content on this page each week during the series, which runs from May 20 through June 11.
Week Four: Sharing (June 10/11)
Sharing can advance God’s Kingdom and help us grow as disciples of Jesus. Is there a Next Step you might take in generosity?
Here are three examples to consider, along with tips to help you get started:
1. Begin by Praying.
Begin praying for one lost person you know to come to faith in Christ. The person could be a family member, friend, work colleague, neighbor -- even someone you don't know very well. The important part is to pray sincerely and regularly for that person.
2. Live the BLESS Lifestyle.
Make a commitment to live the BLESS lifestyle. BLESS is an easy five-tool approach to sharing about Jesus. If you do Step 1 above, you've already begun! The "B" stands for "Begin With Prayer." Click the link below to our "How to Share Jesus" page. Scroll the page to learn more about BLESS, along with several ideas of how to start living the BLESS lifestyle.
3. Go on a Short-Term Mission Trip.
Start preparing your heart now to make the commitment and go on a short-term mission trip in the next 12 months. There are several mission trips being planned in the 2023-24 ministry year. You can start preparing now by praying about how God might want to use you and your skills on a trip, planning for vacation time or financial savings so you can make the trip, or talking to our World Outreach staff about your interest.
WHY GO?
Week Three: Generosity (June 3/4)
Generosity can advance God’s Kingdom and help us grow as disciples of Jesus. Is there a Next Step you might take in generosity?
Here are three examples to consider, along with tips to help you get started:
1. Give Something.
Giving an amount one time or occasionally is a great place to start. There are giving boxes in the back of the Sanctuary if you want to give by cash or check. Or simply go to our PushPay giving page, linked below, to set up a one-time gift using your credit or debit card.
2. Give Strategically.
Plan an amount of money or a percentage of your income to give regularly. Electronic giving is a great way to give strategically, because you can set up recurring giving and then adjust it at any time. You can set up recurring giving for once a week, once every two weeks, or once every month. Go to our PushPay giving page, linked below, to set up recurring giving.
CLICK HERE TO SET UP RECURRING GIVING
3. Give Sacrificially.
How might God be calling you to do something sacrificial to advance his Kingdom and give you great joy? Consider giving sacrificially, such as a special gift to our World Outreach Fund or our Deacon Fund, which is used to provide emergency assistance to church attenders in a crisis situation. When you go to the Give page (linked above), just select the intended fund in the drop-down menu. Click below to learn more about giving, including an easy way to cover our processing fees.
your guide to giving
Week Two: Listening (May 27/28)
Barnabas listened in ways that changed lives and advanced God’s Kingdom. Listening can advance God’s Kingdom and help us grow as disciples of Jesus. Is there a Next Step you might take in listening?
Here are three examples to consider, along with tips to help you get started:
1. Listen for how God might be calling you to serve, using the gifts He has given you.
The best way to learn about ways to serve at Valley and with our Local Outreach Partners is to go to the SERVE page on the website, linked below. You can also find out more at Connect Point in between Sunday services, or simply call the church weekdays at 860.673.6826.
2. Listen to God by engaging in a group with other believers.
Gathering with other Christians in a group can open up pathways to hear God better. The primary way we gather at Valley is through our Community Groups. You can click the link below to let us know you're interested, and we'll find the right fit!
Also, the next 12-week session of our foundational Equipping Class, called "Real-Life Discipleship," begins June 8. This Group Life experience will connect you with others interested in how to be a better disciple. Book cost is $20. Click the button below to sign up.
I'm interested in a community group
3. Learning the Bible and Living the Mission helps us listen to God. Be in the Word. BLESS others.
The best way to learn the Bible is to ... read it for yourself! There are hundreds of great Bible reading plans available with simple internet searches, and the YouBible app has all kinds of reading plans. It's easy to find one to fit your daily routine. Sound complicated? Here's an easy way: Pick one of the four Gospel accounts of Jesus' ministry (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and just read one chapter each day.
Valley's BLESS strategy is an easy way to intentionally lean into the life of someone who doesn't know Jesus. When you do so, you may discover that you're hearing God better by Living the Mission He planned for you. Learn more about BLESS by clicking the button below.
LEARN MORE ABOUT "BLESS"
Week One: Serving (May 20/21)
Barnabas served in ways that changed lives and advanced God’s Kingdom. Serving can advance God’s Kingdom and help us grow as disciples of Jesus. Is there a Next Step you might take in serving?
Here are three examples to consider, along with tips to help you get started:
1. Volunteer for an event like "The Gift" where you can serve people to advance God's Kingdom
"The Gift" is a fully-staged musical drama about the birth, life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. We're delighted to announce that Valley Community Baptist Church will once again stage "The Gift" in December, 2023! In the past, our sold-out performances in the Sanctuary have introduced many visitors to the actual Gospel story at Christmastime. It's a wonderful way for our church to SHARE about Jesus.
But we need your help to make it happen. We hope that everyone, from kids to adults, considers how you might SERVE to make "The Gift" happen this year! We need:
- Technical Crew (sound, video, lighting, camera operators)
- Stage Crew (sets, props, makeup)
- House Support (ushers, welcomers, refreshment help)
2. Find a volunteer role where you can serve people to advance the Gospel on a regular basis
The best way to learn about ways to serve at Valley and with our Local Outreach Partners is to go to the SERVE page on the website, linked below. You can also find out more at Connect Point in between Sunday services, or simply call the church weekdays at 860.673.6826.
3. Identify one person to invest your time in, that they might grow as a disciple of Jesus.
In our BLESS strategy for evangelism, the first "S" stands for "Serve With Love"
Ideas For Serving with Love
» Grab a rake and offer to get those leaves off your neighbor’s lawn.
» Got a vegetable garden or flower bed? Share a bit of your harvest or foliage with someone at work.
» Offer to babysit (for free!) so a friend or couple can enjoy a night out.
» If a co-worker has just come back from a couple of sick days, ask what you can do to help them catch up on the workload.
» Leave a positive online review for your favorite business or restaurant
» Offer to walk an elderly neighbor’s dog when the streets are icy
» Help someone with a resume or learn a needed job skill