Billy Graham’s life and ministry, which reached over 215 million people with the Gospel, began with one invitation. As a teenager, he was invited by a friend to attend a revival meeting led by evangelist Mordecai Ham. That one invitation changed history.

This past Sunday, as we began to work through the second chapter of Acts, I pray that you left the service with this thought: The church is not a place or an event…but a movement built around conviction and mission that we, as God’s people have the privilege to participate in.
What our individual participation in the mission of God looks like certainly varies as the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, has given each believer specific gifts and a particular calling. But make no mistake, we’ve all got a great commission task, and the Spirit has empowered us to fulfill it.

As mentioned on Sunday, one thing that all of us can and should be doing is regularly inviting our friends, families, neighbors, classmates, and co-workers to attend worship with us.
Inviting someone to church might seem like a simple act, but it holds much more significance than we often realize.

It’s not just about filling seats, either.

When we extend an invitation to someone, we're offering them a chance to experience something life-changing: a community of faith, the love of God, and the opportunity for spiritual growth.

Keep in mind that the Gospel travels best through relationships.

It does so by leveraging existing networks of trust, love, and daily connection rather than relying solely on large-scale events. Relational evangelism involves an authentic interaction that has the greatest potential of bearing fruit.

Simply put: Though Facebook ads, invitations extended during random encounters and knocking on a stranger's door in order to invite them to worship do occasionally work out well, when it comes to the likelihood of a person acting on an invitation by showing up on Sunday, there’s nothing that increases the odds like personal relationships.

In other words, the greatest factor in whether or not your friends, family, and neighbors come to church is…well…you.

By inviting someone to worship, you're actively participating in the mission of God by being a witness to the hope and joy that the Jesus offers, and you’re helping to spread the message that everyone is welcome, loved, and valued by God.

It’s one of the easiest ways to put faith in action.

It's natural to feel nervous about inviting someone to worship.

But know this: It’s not about having all the right words. It’s about offering an authentic invitation and being open to the possibility that this could be a life-changing moment for them.

Scared of rejection?

There’s no need because even if someone doesn’t immediately say yes, you’ve planted a seed.

Through that invitation, you’ve shown that you care and that you believe in the value of the church community. You’ve revealed to that individual that you really do care about their soul and that you believe in the life-saving power of Jesus.

That small act of can have lasting effects, even if they don’t immediately take you up on the offer.

Ultimately, the power of inviting someone to church is that it has the potential to change lives. Whether through the messages, the fellowship, or the worship, a healthy church offers an environment where transformation can take place.

For someone who has never experienced the grace and hope found in a faith community, your invitation could be the beginning of a journey that completely transforms their life. It’s a chance to begin learning about the story of God, to find healing for past wounds, and to find freedom from sin.

So…who will you invite?

Think about it. Pray about it.

One simple “ask” might just change a life!

By The Way…Let’s Celebrate:

• Yesterday, our Bible Fellowship attendance was nearly 130! We praise God for that, for our incredible leaders and teachers, and specifically for the fact that a full 1/3rd of those in attendance were under the age of 18! We have lots of new folks that may not realize how massive of a shift that is from just a few short years ago but those who’ve been here for a while certainly understand why it’s cause for praise!
• Understanding the significant cultural change in how people received information and viewed media that has taken place in recent years, we’ve been intentional in how we utilize digital media. Whether we’re talking about redesigning our website, the launch of the North Anderson App, our podcast, or social media engagement in general, we have sought to leverage digital media for the glory of God and the good of His church. The Lord has blessed that effort. As of today, 548 people have downloaded the North Anderson App, there have been 3,482 media plays on the website/app and though it’s difficult to measure Social Media analytics, conversations like the one Annette and I had with a waitress at a local restaurant, with her informing us that she joins us on Facebook each week and the Lord was blessing her through the online services, are super encouraging. Kudos to our Sound/Tech team in the booth that make this happen!

I look forward to seeing you for our Mid-Week services and worshipping King Jesus with you on Sunday!

- DK

All of these places bring to mind horrifying examples of genocide, don't they? Entire people groups wiped out (or almost wiped out) with the ultimate goal of ethnic cleansing.

Currently, the Rohingya people are being subjected to mass killings and displacement in Myanmar and the stated objective and active goal of many religious, political, and military leaders in the Middle East is wholesale genocide.

These awful and ongoing tragedies justifiably turn our stomachs and elicit righteous anger, along with great sorrow and grief.
 
And yet, many ask, is the God of the Bible really any different?

Skeptics and critics of Christianity have long pointed to some of the difficult passages involving war, bloodshed, and the fact that God commands it all that found in especially in the Old Testament to justify their own vitriol towards the Lord. I actually saw a bumper sticker once that read, “The only difference between God and Adolf Hitler is that God is more proficient at genocide.”

As we've journeyed through the book of Joshua together over the past several months, we've seen some incredible things and learned some invaluable truths as the people of God lay claim to the promise of Canaan...yet, if we're honest, we also have to admit that in our exposition of the text, we have read some unsettling words.

For example, in Joshua 6:21, as Jericho falls, we read that in obedience to God's command in Deuteronomy 20:17, Joshua leads his army to "completely destroyed everything in the city with the sword—every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey".

The 11th and 12th chapters of Joshua chronicle the bloody Northern and Southern conquest, with city after city and king after king falling to the hand of Joshua, empowered by the Lord Himself.

Throughout history, these passages have troubled non-believers and believers alike and it's perfectly reasonable to admit that this can be a difficult, complex issue.

Often, we feel a certain obligation, to get God “off the hook” for the deaths of so many.

Some have concluded that we’ve just misread the passage and that Joshua is acting independent of God here.

Others have suggested that what we read is just symbolic, and not to be embraced as historical fact.

Still others have argued, "Well, this is the Old Testament God and He's nothing like the God of the New Testament".

I don’t think we need to get God off the hook. In fact, I don’t think he wants to be off the hook.

On Sunday at 10:30am, we're going to wrap up our series by working through what the scriptures say about this very complex subject, what it teaches us about God, and how...even in the great darkness found in this section of scripture, the light of the Gospel beams brightly.

Happy Monday, North Anderson family and friends!
I hope that your week has gotten off to a great start! I'm still praising the Lord for the wonderful morning of Bible Fellowship and worship that we we're blessed to share in on Sunday at North Anderson and the many guest that joined us in worship of our King. I'm sure that you encouraged by the vibrant singing and were challenged and edified, as was I, by the preaching of God's Word. It's always so special to partake in the Lord's Supper as a family of believers, as well.

I would also like to share with you that I am grateful for you and to be privileged to serve you as your Pastor. Annette and I were blessed to spend a couple of days last week at a Pastors/Wives retreat that is put on by our state convention. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get some much-needed time and unhurried together, we also spent lots of time talking with fellow Pastors and wives. There were many conversations that caused us to pause and thank the Lord for placing us in such a Gospel focused, kind, and welcoming church family. We praise God for that, and for you!

I look forward to seeing you this week as we continue to grow together in grace, truth, and love.

Soli Deo Gloria! - Pastor Kyle

Tuesday:
Women’s Ministry Team Meeting from 6:30-7:30pm

Wednesday:

• 1st Wednesday Meal from 5:00-6:00pm in the Family Life Center. On the menu this week: shepherds pie, crusty bread, peach cobbler. The cost is $8/person, $32 max per family.
• Due to our desire to ensure those involved in our Music Ministry have time to enjoy their meal, rehearsal will begin at 5:45pm in the Sanctuary instead of the usual 5:30 start time. The Choir will be presenting an anthem this Sunday morning, so please make every effort to attend Wednesday’s rehearsal.
• Join us for DiscipleU Adult Bible Study at 10:30am in the FLC or at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary and North Anderson Children’s Ministry and True North Student Ministry both meet at 6:30pm

Thursday:

• Weekly Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s at 7:00am
• Senior Adult Ministry will be serving at AIM from 10:30-11:30am
• Cultural Christian Cohort at the Rydin’s at 6:30pm

Saturday: North Anderson is volunteering to serve at the Champions Run for the Champions Center in Anderson. If you would like to serve, please meet at the Ingles parking lot on Greenville St at 8:00am. If you should have any questions, please contact Mission Team Chair, Susan Bryant at sewrn14@gmail.com

Sunday:

• Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and corporate worship at 10:30am. We’ll be continuing our sermon series through Joshua as Pastor Kyle preaches a message from Joshua 9, if you’d like to study ahead.
• We are hosting the Associational Derby Car Race in the Family Life Center from 3:00-5:00pm. All 1st-5th grade boys and girls are welcome to participate in the race and all of our church family is welcomed to come cheer them on! Come on out for an afternoon of fellowship, competition, and racing.

From Children’s Ministry Director Ashley Rollins: We are collecting plastic Easter eggs and individually wrapped candy for our community Easter Egg Hunt at Watson Park on April 4. Please place donations in the containers in the welcome center March 8 - March 29.

A note from Pastor Stephen: Church family, as we do our best to steward the resources God has blessed and entrusted us with, I would like to ask you to help us with what may seem a small thing but makes a big impact: turning off the lights in the church building. Each week as I walk through the building on Mondays and Thursdays, I find lights that have been left on. It may seem like a small thing but the hours the lights left on while no one is in the building add up quickly. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Verse for the week: "Teach me your way, LORD, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name." - Psalm 86:11

Prayer Focus this week: Sri Lanka
The island nation of Sri Lanka is home to followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam, and during the month of March, each of these faith traditions will be celebrating significant festivals such as Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan; Holi, a colorful spring Hindu festival; and the monthly Medin Full Moon Poya, a Buddhist celebration of Buddha’s first visit to his father’s kingdom. Please pray for the people of Sri Lanka during this season. As individuals participate in these traditions, pray that their hearts will be stirred with a deeper longing for truth, peace, and purpose. Ask the Holy Spirit to show them that rituals and celebrations cannot mend their relationship with a holy God. Pray that many will hear the gospel and believe! Please lift up believers across Sri Lanka, asking that they will be bold and compassionate as they share the love of Christ with their neighbors. Pray for many Sri Lankans from every background to encounter Jesus, who is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and follow Him alone!

Whole Life Stewardship Challenge: “A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” – 1 Corinthians 4:1

In this short passage we find the two primary characteristics that should mark our lives as followers of Christ: servants and stewards. In this first letter to the Corinthian church, Paul says that it is these things that people should know us by…
“Servants” – Interestingly, it’s not the word that Paul most often uses for servant, doulos. Instead, the word here is a reference to the under rower, those found on the lowest galley of a boat whose only job is when the captain of the boat says, “Row”. Paul said, this is who we are and how we should be known.
“Stewards” -  This word, as we’ve explained in previous articles, describes a trusted manager or caretaker who is responsible for administering another person's property, household, or affairs.
Spiritually, of course, when we think of stewardship, we rightly view it as describing someone who understands that God has graciously gifted us with time, talents, and treasures and we’re to use these things wisely, for His glory.
Yet, here in this passage, Paul doesn’t mention the mandate of stewarding time, talent, or treasure in this passage…but rather “stewarding the mysteries of God”.

What does this mean?

Jesus often spoke of “mysteries of the kingdom” through parables and the Apostle Paul writes about these mysteries 21 times!
In the New Testament scriptures a “mystērion” doesn’t refer to some unfathomable riddle but to a divine truth previously hidden and now revealed to God’s covenant people.
“The mysteries of God” referenced here in 1 Corinthians 4:1 encompass the once-hidden, now-revealed redemptive plan centered on the incarnate, crucified, and risen Christ, extended to all nations, consummated in resurrection glory, and preserved in Scripture.
Every believer is trustee of these truths, and stewarding it well, we are called to guard, live, and broadcast them until the Lord returns.
Let’s endeavor to be careful and intentional to steward the mysteries of God so that we may be found faithful (1st Corinthians 4:2)

Join us this week for ministry, discipleship, worship, and fellowship opportunities

Tuesday
All women are invited to a Bible study titled "What Happened to Peter." We meet on the last Tuesday of the month from 6-8 PM in the Family Life Center

Wednesday
Adult DiscipleU Bible Study at 10:30am (Family Life Center) or 6:300pm (Sanctuary)
North Anderson Children’s Ministry at 6:30pm
Tre North Student Ministry at 6:30pm
 Music Ministry Rehearsal at 5:30pm (Sanctuary)

Thursday
Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s from 7:00-8:00am

Sunday
Bible Fellowship Classes gather at 9:15am and we worship corporately at 10:30am
Don’t forget – We have purchased The Sing! Hymnal, published by Crossway in partnership with the Gettys. This rich collection of biblically grounded hymns and songs will serve our congregation for years to come, helping us sing truth with joy, depth, and unity.
If you’d like to help offset the cost by donating a hymnal or hymnals, you can do so online or by stopping by the church office. You may donate a hymnal in honor or in memory of someone. This fundraising drive will conclude at the end of March.

Verse of the week: “For we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19

Prayer Focus This Week Yokohama (yoh-kuh-HAH-muh), Japan
The pastoral staff and members of a local church in Yokohama have been praying together for some time that God would open doors for their church to start a new place of worship in a nearby community. While there have been various obstacles, the members were faithful to pray towards this end all throughout the year 2025. Pray that the church would not grow weary in trusting God’s timing and that they would have clear direction as to which steps to take to start the new worship service.
Learn more by emailing pray4APAC@imb.org

Hello North Anderson Family!

We pray that you are having a great week and we look forward to connecting with you at one of the many opportunities for fellowship, discipleship, and worship that we have this week at North Anderson Baptist Church!

Here are a few things on the calendar -

Wednesday:

• Ladies Prayer Time at 9:00am (this prayer group meets the third Wednesday of each month)
• Worship Ministry Rehearsal at 5:30pm in the Sanctuary. Our Choir will be presenting the anthem, “Christ Our Hope In Life And Death” this Sunday so please make every effort to be in attendance for rehearsal.
• North Anderson Children’s Ministry will meet in the Family Life Center at 6:30pm and then be dismissed to their respective classes for their next lesson on the New City Catechism. Children must be checked in at the kiosk in the FLC from 6:15-6:30pm and must be checked out in the FLC at 7:30pm
• The True North Student Ministry will continue their study of John's Gospel at 6:30pm upstairs in the Youth room.
• Adult DiscipleU Bible Study at 10:30am (Family Life Center) or at 6:30pm (Sanctuary). We’ll continue our study through Hebrews and will be covering Hebrews 7:1-10

Thursday:

• Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s at 7:00am
• DMA Senior Adult Luncheon and Presentation at noon
• The Cultural Christian Cohort at the Rydin’s  home will take place at 6:30pm. The group will be discussing chapter 2 of the book, “Love What Last”

*Our Pastoral Staff and Pastoral Interns will be in Columbia on Thursday for a conference. If you should need anything from the church office, contact Mrs. Debbie from 8:00am-12:00pm

Saturday:

• Pastor Kyle will be leading a group of men on a hike of Table Rock Mountain. We will depart from the parking lot at North Anderson at 7:30am. If you would like to join us, please let Kyle know asap (pastorkyle@northandersonbaptist.com)
• Children’s Ministry Game Night from 5:00-7:00pm! All families with children 5th grade and under are invited to Family Game Night! Bring your favorite board game or card game to play with other families. This is a free event, and food will be provided. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Please register online to ensure adequate food supplies. If you have any question, please reach out to Children’s Ministry Director, Ashley Rollins (ashley@northandersonbaptist.com)

Sunday:
Bible Fellowship Classes for all ages and stages at 9:15am and Corporate Worship at 10:30am

NOTE: Bible Fellowship teachers and Mid-Week Ministry leaders who use curriculum – please stop by the Bible Fellowship Office and pick up the materials that have arrived for your class

Verse of the week: “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord” – Psalm 24:1

Prayer Focus this week: Theological Education in Tanzania
“All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Cultural mandates and God’s Word often clash. One such mandate, which involves young men who have reached the age of being recognized as adults in the community, requires the young men to be involved in actions and practices that are contrary to God’s Word. Some of the young men who are believers want to compromise so that they are not rejected by friends. Others want to obey God. Ask God to help those who are His children to desire to stand firm in their faith and, thus, please the Lord and not their friends. Also pray for pastors and other church leaders who are taking a stand in the community to defend their faith and their children against those cultural mandates, and pray that their defense will stand on the truth of God’s Word. “The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting” - Psalm 119:160.

Whole Life Stewardship: Leveraging connections for Gospel good.
As Christians who believe in the sovereignty of God, we do not but into the notion of happenstance of coincidence. We know that everything has a time, place, and purpose under Heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). That most certainly includes the relationships and connections that we have in life and we must be very intentional in stewarding those connections well.
For example, it’s not a coincidence that an unbelieving neighbor who just moved into the home beside the a Christian. It’s not happenstance when a coworker shares with a church member that they feel like they need to get back in church and are looking for a good one to check out. When a friend comes to a believer and shares their personal struggles and ask for advice, it’s not something out of left field when
Situations like do not come about because of random chance but by sovereign orchestration. Stewarding these connections well means taking advantage of the opportunities that the Lord has set before us by being salt and light. It’s leveraging relationships for the sake of the Gospel, sharing the good news of Christ in both word and deed.
Think for a moment about those relationships and connections, both old and new, that God has blessed you with. Are you stewarding them well? Pray today about how you can best leverage them for Gospel advance. Share the good news with that lost neighbor! Counsel that Christian friend who has confided in you with Biblical instruction. Invite that coworker or classmate to church!

Happy Monday, North Anderson family and friends!

We pray your week is already off to a great start and want you to know that you have been prayed for! We’re also praising God for the incredible weekend that He blessed us with, which began with a really helpful and encouraging training and fellowship breakfast with our Bible Fellowship teachers and leaders that took place on Saturday as well as a wonderful morning of worship on Sunday.

It’s always a joy to see the waters of baptism stirred and to corporately share in the Lord’s Supper, and it especially sweet when the sanctuary is completely packed! Praise be to God! We’re also excited to share with you that additional chairs had to be pulled out for our Church Membership Class that was hosted on Sunday morning. The Lord is moving mightily. Join us in giving Him all the praise, honor, and glory!

In this exciting season of God's blessing, it’s imperative for us to keep in mind that when The Lord moves upon a people, Satan despises it and will pull out all stops to put out the fire that the Holy Spirit has lit. Be vigilant in prayer and refuse to give the enemy an inch of ground by getting distracted by his tactics. Keep your eyes fixed upon the author and finisher of your faith and what He is doing to advance the Gospel in our community and how He is building and blessing His church here at North Anderson Baptist.

We’re looking forward to carrying this momentum that the Lord has so graciously granted us into this week and wanted to make sure that you are aware of a few things that are happening this week at North Anderson

WEDNESDAY:
Exalt Music Ministry Rehearsal – Is held from 5:30-6:25pm in the Sanctuary. Interested in becoming part of this wonderful ministry of the church? Come join in!
Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer – There are two identical opportunities for you to join us for this enriching, verse by verse study and time of prayer. The first is held at 10:30am in the Family Life Center and in the evening, we host this class in the Sanctuary at 6:30pm
The North Anderson Children’s Ministry (Nursery-5th grade) and the True North Students (6th-12th grade) will also meet at 6:30pm

THURSDAY:
All men are welcome to join us at Mama Penn’s for our weekly Bible Study. It begins at 7:00am and is wrapped up by 8:00am

FRIDAY:
Anyone who is interesting in knitting, quilting, or crocheting is welcomed to take part in the Caring Hands Ministry which meets at the home of Mary Simmons from 10:00-11:00am

SATURDAY:
The North Anderson Women’s Ministry Coffee Chat will be held in the Family Life Center at 10:00am. All ladies are welcomed to come and to bring a friend!

SUNDAY:
Our Bible Fellowship classes for all ages and stages of life meet at 9:15am and we’ll gather for Corporate Worship at 10:30am in the Sanctuary as we continue to sermon series through Joshua, finishing up Joshua 5 this week.

Please make plans to attend worship on Sunday and ask the Lord to place someone on your heart that you can invite to be your guest this week. It will be a powerful time in God’s Word and a simple invitation can be life changing!

Also, immediately following morning worship on Sunday, our True North Student Ministry will host a Spaghetti Lunch in the Family Life Center. There is no cost to this luncheon and no tickets are required. It is a donation based fundraiser and all proceeds will benefit our New Orleans Mission trip that our Student Ministry will be taking this summer.

Verse For The Week: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” – Romans 12:1-2

Prayer Focus This Week: The Global Health Strategies Network
Last year, the International Mission Board mobilized 33 healthcare providers, sending them to ministries around the world in mid- and long-term service. Praise the Lord that He continues to ‘call out the called’ to join us in reaching the lost! Ask the Lord to continue to bring His called healthcare providers to join us in effective human needs strategies that get the gospel to the lost.
For more information about how to best pray for the Global Health Strategies Network or how to get involved, reach out to healthcare@imb.org

Whole Life Stewardship Challenge:
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” - Ephesians 5:15–16

Time is one of the few resources every person receives in equal measure, yet none of us can store it, reclaim it, or slow it down. Scripture reminds us that time is not merely something we use—it is something we are called to steward.

Every second is a gift entrusted to us by God.

Paul urges believers to “pay careful attention” to how they live. Wisdom, in this context, is not about cramming more activity into our schedules, but about aligning our time with God’s purposes.

To “make the most of the time” means we recognize the urgency of living faithfully in a fallen world. Our days are limited, but our opportunities to glorify God within them are abundant.
Numbering our days doesn’t lead us to anxiety—it leads us to clarity.

When we remember that our time belongs to the Lord, we become more intentional about prayer, relationships, service, rest, and obedience.

Faithful stewardship of time means asking simple but searching questions: Does this honor Christ? Is this drawing me closer to what matters eternally? When our calendars reflect our devotion to God, our lives bear lasting fruit.

Ask the Lord to reveal to you and ways in which you are not stewarding the time He has given you wisely and to teach you how you can best do so moving forward. Let’s commit to being a people who live with purpose, not distraction, and to invest our days in what honors God and best serves our neighbors.

DON’T FORGET – Our “Sing!” Hymnal Fundraiser is ongoing. We are so grateful for the many who have already generously donated one or more hymnals. As a reminder, if you chose to do so, you can donate hymnals in honor or memory of someone (which will be noted in the leaf of the hymnal). You may make this donation online or see our Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Debbie Crain, to do so in person.

Hello North Anderson family and friends!

What a wild couple of weeks it has been! Between crazy weather patterns, service cancellations and moving worship times, things have been anything but normal! Thank you so much for your understanding and flexibility during this time!

We’re hoping that this week, we’ll be returning to a bit of normalcy! Here are a few things that are on the calendar for this week:

Wednesday
Please join us from 5:00-6:00pm for our First Wednesday meal in the Family Life Center! The cost is $8/person or $32 max per family and you can pay in person or online (click the event itself and follow the prompts)

Worship Ministry Rehearsal will be held from 5:45 – 6:25pm in the Sanctuary
Adult DiscipleU (10:30am or 6:30pm), North Anderson Children (6:30pm) and True North Students (6:30pm) are all on schedule!

Thursday
The weekly Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s will be held at 7:00am and the will be a Cohort Meeting at the Rydin’s at 6:30pm

Saturday
The Bible Fellowship Teachers brunch that had to be cancelled due to inclement weather a couple of weeks ago will be held from 9:30-11:00am in the Family Life Center

Sunday
Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and Corporate Worship at 10:30am
After having to postpone our Membership class for the last two Sundays in a row, we're going to try to host it again this Sunday at 9:30am in the Conference Room of the Church Office

During worship, we'll continue our sermon series in Joshua, and we will also be celebrating the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper!

KEEP IN MIND - Our "Sing!" Hymn book Fundraiser

We’re excited to launch a fundraiser to purchase new church hymnals—The Sing! Hymnal, published by Crossway in partnership with the Gettys. This rich collection of biblically grounded hymns and songs will serve our congregation for years to come, helping us sing truth with joy, depth, and unity.

By clicking the link below, you can:
a. Select how many hymnals you’d like to help purchase
b. Dedicate your gift in honor of or in memory of a loved one

Here’s the link - https://subspla.sh/62cdz5q

You can give toward this fundraiser in person, of course!

Verse For The Week: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.” - Psalm 120:1

Prayer Focus This Week: The Khmer (kuh-MY) of Western Cambodia
Ming Vanny sells rice at the local market. She is a middle-aged widow with three adult children. Her daughter helps her at the market; her son is a migrant worker in a factory in South Korea; her other daughter lives in the capital. Ming Vanny is a devout Buddhist and has heard the gospel, but she is not interested. Please pray that mature believers will not give up in sharing Christ with her in word and deed. Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of her heart to see the Lord for who He is.

Whole Life Stewardship:
When it comes to stewardship, few things will more clearly reveal where our priorities are than our wallets. Please don't take my word for it...the Lord Jesus himself said in Matthew 6:21, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".
Church family, your contribution forms for 2025 are now located in the Welcome Center and we encourage you to review them, evaluate what they might say about your affections and if necessary, make needed adjustments in 2026. Let's strive to be great stewards of what the Lord has blessed us with! 

As you are all well aware, there is more inclement weather being forecast for this weekend in our area. As this email is being written on Wednesday afternoon, there is a 92% chance of snow beginning around midnight on Friday and continuing throughout Saturday. With the temperature not climbing above freezing on Saturday, it is highly probable that travel to church on the Lord’s Day will be impossible for many as the road conditions will be very poor.

With that being said, we do not want to miss gathering for worship for two weeks in a row (can you tell how bad we missed you guys?!?!). This announcement is to notify you that we will be moving our worship service at North Anderson to this Friday evening at 6:30pm.

The service will be the same as it would have been on Sunday with one exception, we will not be observing the Lord’s Supper. That will be postponed until February 8th

While we’d much rather gather on Sunday, this seems to be the best option for our church family to be able to gather together and lift high the name of Jesus.

Disclaimer: If the forecast proves to be totally wrong and it’s sunny and 75 on Sunday, first of all, thank God for that…and secondly, take it as an opportunity to worship with wonderful bothers and sisters in one of the many Gospel centered churches in the area!

Please help us to spread the word by calling or texting a few of your friends!

We look forward to worshipping with you on Friday at 6:30pm!

Good Monday morning to you, North Anderson family and friends!

We sure missed worshipping with you on Sunday and pray that you are staying warm and toasty during this inclement weather! We are really looking forward to gathering together on Wednesday and hope you’ll make every effort to join us!

As far as our preaching and teaching schedule goes, Pastor Kyle will simply share the sermon from Joshua 4 that was supposed to be preached on Sunday on this upcoming Lord’s Day.

Speaking of not being able to assemble this past Sunday, if you’d like to stay on track with your giving and haven’t done so already, you can give safely and securely here – https://www.northandersonbaptist.com/httpssubsplashcomunorthandersonbaptistchurgive

Here’s what is going on this week at North Anderson:

Monday – The church office is closed due to icy road conditions. The staff is working remotely and is available via cell phone or email, should you need to reach one of us. You can also contact your assigned Deacon, should the need arise.

Tuesday – The church office will open at 10:00am

Wednesday –

• Music Ministry Rehearsal at 5:30pm (Sanctuary). The Choir will be presenting “Come Thou Almighty King” on Sunday, so please make every effort to be in rehearsal.
• Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer at 10:30am (FLC) and at 6:30pm (Sanctuary). We will be wrapping up Hebrews 5 this week and possibly covering the first few verses of chapter 6.
• North Anderson Children’s Ministry – Parents / Guardians, please check your children from 6:15-6:30pm in the Family Life Center. The children will be sent to their respective classes from there. Please arrive to check them out in the FLC at 7:30pm
• True North Student Ministry – meets upstairs in the Youth Room at 6:30pm

Thursday –
All men and boys are welcome to join our weekly Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s @ 7:00am

Sunday –

• First Steps Membership Class with Pastor Kyle and Annette at 9:30am in the Conference Room of the Church Office (this class had been scheduled for this past Sunday, so we just bumped it to this Sunday). 
• Bible Fellowship Classes will be held at 9:15am. There’s a class for you! Please join us!
• We will gather for corporate worship at 10:30am in the Sanctuary. With it being the first Sunday of the month, we will observe the Lord’s Supper.

UPCOMING:
There are three needs that every Christian man has: Adventure, Adversity, and Accountability. This year at North Anderson, Pastor Kyle will be leading a discipleship intensive designed to work those three things into the rhythm of life through activities and Bible studies that stretch us spiritual and physically. This ministry is called “Forge” and due to the nature of what we’ll be engaging in, space is limited. Register ASAP by emailing church@northandersonbaptist.com

Our first expedition is a Table Rock Mountain hike on Saturday morning, February 21st . At the summit, we’ll have a Bible study and theological discussion before descending.

NOTE: While this is open to all men, keep in mind that the Table Rock Trail is rated “very strenuous”. It’s a 3.6 mile trek (one way) with a elevation gain of approximately 2,000 feet to the summit of the imposing granite dome (elevation 3,124 feet). We will be hiking at a steady clip.

Verse for the week: “Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” – Psalm 51:7

Prayer Focus This Week – The People Of Nepal
Please pray that lost people in one province in Nepal, which is 89.5% Hindu and 9.3% Buddhist, will find freedom in Christ. Pray that there will be local harvest workers for this province, especially among the Brahmin and Chhetri peoples.

Whole Life Stewardship Challenge -
God cares not only about our souls, but also about the bodies He’s entrusted to us. Scripture reminds us that our bodies are not our own—we were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). That truth reaches all the way to our daily choices, including what we eat and drink.

Being a good steward of our nutrition isn’t about vanity or legalism; it’s about gratitude and readiness. When we fuel our bodies wisely, we honor the Creator and position ourselves to serve Him with strength, clarity, and endurance. As Paul writes, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Each meal becomes an opportunity: to practice self-control, to give thanks, and to choose what helps rather than harms. We won’t always eat perfectly—and grace covers our failures—but a heart that seeks to honor God will aim for wisdom over impulse.

What do you need to add to or eliminate from your diet in order to better steward the health that the Lord has blessed you with?

• Wednesday:
  Ladies Prayer Meeting from 9:00-10:00am in the Classroom near the entrance of the Family Life Center
• Music Ministry Rehearsal (All Musicians, Choir, and Praise Team) will be held from 5:30-6:25pm in the Sanctuary. The choir will be singing an anthem on Sunday so please make every effort to be in rehearsal this week. Can’t make it by 5:30pm? Just come when you can!
• Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer Time at 10:30am (Family Life Center) and 6:30pm (Sanctuary). After dissecting a few major points of emphasis in the first several verses of Hebrews chapter 5, we’ll see how they all flow together this week.
• The North Anderson Children’s Ministry (Nursery-5th Grade) meets in the Family Life Center for Check-in (parents/guardians stop by the kiosk) from 6:15-6:30pm and then dismiss to their respective classes.
• At 6:30pm, the True North Student Ministry comes together in the Youth Room upstairs for fellowship, fun, and a lesson from God’s Word from Pastor Stephen and the student ministry volunteers.

Thursday:

• All men are welcomed to join our weekly Bible Study at Mama Penn’s (begins at 7:00am and wraps up by 8:00am)
• There will be a Christian Cohort meeting at the Rydin’s this Thursday at 6:30pm. This Cohort is working their way through the book, “Love What Lasts” by Joshua Gibb. As chapter 1 is discussed this week, everyone is asked to bring their favorite poem to share, along with the name of their favorite movie. How to approach film from a Christian perspective is the topic that will be discussed.

Friday:
The DMA (Senior Adult Ministry) will have an outing to Booty’s Fish House in Royston, Ga. If you need any information on this, please contact Lynda Rigsby

Saturday:
Bible Fellowship Teachers Brunch from 9:30-11:00am in the Family Life Center
Sunday:

• Praise Team run-through from 8:30-8:45am // Full Choir Call Time at 8:45 and final sing through of the Choral presentation at 9:00am
• Our quarterly First Steps Church Membership Class will be held at 9:30a. in the Conference Room in the Church Office. If you would like to attend this class and have not done so already, please register here – https://subspla.sh/cnksjxv
• Bible Fellowship Classes for ever age and stage of life will gather at 9:15am and if you are not already plugged in, this Sunday would be a great time to do just that!
• We assemble together for Corporate Worship at 10:30am. In preparation for Sunday, we encourage you to read through and meditate upon Joshua Chapter four, as well as praying for the Lord to move in mighty way in hearts and lives!

Memory Verse For The Week – “He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he ordained for a thousand generation” – Psalm 105:8

Prayer Focus This Week – The Peoples of Aceh (AH-chay), Sumatra, Indonesia
Widespread flooding and landslides have caused great damage and destruction to the province of Aceh. Many people lost their lives, and tens of thousands were displaced. Pray that as they pick up the pieces and rebuild, the Lord will provide opportunities for His light to break through the darkness of this province and that through this disaster, His name will be glorified. May the local church boldly proclaim His name in love while serving their neighbors during this crisis.
For more information, please email pray4APAC@imb.org

Whole Life Stewardship –
We all know that too much of a good thing isn’t a good thing and that’s especially true in regard to the time we spend in front of screens.

Look, we live in a increasingly digital world and in order to simply function, like it or not, it’s necessary to adapt to some technology. We’re all accustomed to screens now. Whether it’s a TV, laptop, phone, watch, tablet, gaming system…fill in the blank…we’re on them.

While at one time screens were pretty much relegated to where we’d get our entertainment, today, not only do we get our entertainment there but it’s also where most of us do our reading, working, banking, playing, on and on.

The rapid advancement of technology and proliferation screens has, in many, many ways, been a tremendous blessing and help as it relates to human flourishment…but as with most things, there have also been unintended consequences.

I think we know that excessive screen time has a negative effect upon the ability to sleep well and function socially….but did you know that spending too much time staring at a screen can actually alter the structure of the brain, thinning the cerebral cortex (which controls memory and perception) and reduces gray matter that is crucial for daily life.

This impairs cognitive function such as focus and memory and actually overstimulates the brain’s reward system, increasing impulsivity, and raising risks for anxiety and depression, rewiring the brain for constant, fast-paced stimulation rather than deeper engagement.
While the Bible certainly doesn't mention "screens," it does provide several principles that imply excess time in front of screens is at best, unwise.

The scriptures highlight things such as self-control, time management, guarding the heart, and prioritizing God over worldly distractions. All of these things are applicable to limiting screen time for a more focused, purpose-driven life that honors the Lord.

We are called to steward our mental health well and I think that one of the ways that we can better do that is through limiting the time we spend in front of screens each day.
I want to challenge you to really think about the amount of time you are scrolling through social media on your phone, sitting in front of your TV or on your gaming system.

Ask the Lord if you are being wise in the stewardship of your time? Of your mental health?
Make adjustments accordingly.

Here are a few tips:

• Most phones have a built in function that set limits on screen time. What a gift that is. Use it!
• Trade your device for the real thing! Whenever you have an opportunity to use a physical book rather than a digital one, take it. Look, I get it. I have a Kindle and have lots of books on it! It’s easy, cheaper, and more accessible…but if I can pick up a physical book instead, I’m doing my brain a favor! The same is true with our Bibles, by the way. We have digital access (and I am GRATEFUL that we do), but reading from a physical copy is just better for us, so let’s endeavor to do that!
• Go outside and enjoy God’s creation (and leave your phone in the house while you do!)
• Parents, take the lead in this! It's crucial for the long-term health of your child to establish good habits and patterns in relation to screen time very early on (there may be weeping and gnashing of teach initially, but it's worth it!)

Happy Monday, North Anderson family and friends!

We're so grateful to God for the wonderful morning of worship that we were blessed with this past Sunday, and we pray that your week is off to a great start already! We also hope that that you are actively and intentionally looking for ways to share the good news of the Gospel with those around you.

Please keep in mind that due to the ongoing electrical renovations being done to our office, our staff is still working remotely. We do anticipate being back in the office at some point this month but until then, you can reach us by cell or email, should you need to connect.
Not having printing capabilities at the office, we weren't able to have physical copies of the bulletin but do want to share with you some wonderful news that would have been included in it as well as the events of the week that you can be looking forward to

Here's some great news: Now that all of the Lottie Moon Christian Offering has been tabulated, our church family has given almost $10,000 toward international missions this year. Thank you for your generosity and heart for the nations!

And here are a few things going on this week that we hope you’ll take advantage of:

Tuesday
There will be a Drive Through Nativity Debriefing at 6:30pm in the classroom located near the entrance of the Family Life Center

Wednesday
Music Ministry Rehearsal from 5:30-6:25pm in the Sanctuary
Adult DiscipleU Bible Study (Hebrews 5) at 10:30am (FLC) or 6:30pm (Sanctuary)
North Anderson Children’s Ministry at 6:30pm
True North Student Ministry at 6:30pm

Thursday
Men’s Bible Study at 7:00am (Mama Penn’s)
DMA Senior Adult Luncheon and Presentation at 12:00pm (FLC)

Friday
The True North Student Ministry departs for their Winter Retreat

Sunday
Praise Team Rehearsal at 8:30am (Sanctuary)
Bible Fellowship Classes for all ages at 9:15am
Corporate Worship at 10:30am – Our Series in Joshua continues as we make our way into chapter 3

Verse Of The Week – “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” – Psalm 115:1

Prayer Focus - South Asian Unengaged Peoples
Give thanks God that after over a year of faithfully praying to find the Ghosi people, a group of believers has finally made contact! There was and still is much that’s unknown about this unengaged, unreached people group. In a way that only God can orchestrate, as a believing sister was in a nearby village doing a follow-up with a friend, she happened to ask her friend about this people group — and her friend said that she knew who they were! After many failed attempts, the two finally visited another nearby village and officially met someone from the Ghosi group. Praise God for this answered prayer! Please pray that gospel seeds will be sown among the Ghosi and that “people of peace” (Luke 10:6) will be found among them. Pray that the believers will learn more about them and see God change hearts for Him!
Learn more here - http://www.imb.org/adoptauupg

Whole Life Stewardship Challenge – This week, we challenge you to be intentional in getting a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise in each day. This could mean going to the gym or for a jog, and many members of our church family get their exercise that way, but please don’t limit the term “exercise” to those two things.

Think of exercise as movement of any kind. That could be a walk around the neighborhood or at one of the many beautiful tracks we have in town. It could also mean playing at the park with the kiddos or if mobility is limited, aerobics from a chair. The main thing is just to make sure that you are moving for at least half an hour each day! That’s the key.

If you are reading this and are part of the North Anderson family, you know that we began a new expository sermon series through the book of Joshua a little while ago.

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve worked our way through the first 9 verses of chapter 1. I won’t rehash what we unpacked in those sermons here…but they are available here on our website of on the North Anderson Podcast if you missed them or would like to review.

This Sunday (January 11th), we’ll be moving on to the second chapter but I wanted to take a couple of minutes to write a little on the last few verses of chapter one.

As I read Joshua 1:10-18, I can’t help but see it as a masterclass on effective leadership.

Here’s the reality: Some leaders are especially gifted in communicating clear objectives and motivating people towards a specific goal….but have enormous deficiencies in cultivating and implementing the kind of strategy or plan that is required in order for the vision to be realized.

On the other hand, there are some leaders who are exactly the opposite!

They are extremely decisive; in fact, they are far often too quick to make decisions, and put very little thought into decisions or the ramifications of the decisions they make.  They are all gas-no break but lack clear objectives, goals, and struggle in follow-through.
 
An effective leader must have both of these qualities, and Joshua certainly did.

Immediately after the Lord’s commissioning of Joshua in Joshua 1:1-9, we read:

“Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’” – Joshua 1:10-11

No vagueness, no focus groups or whiteboard sessions to discuss river crossings, no action without goals or goals without action.
 
What an incredible leader Joshua is! In this passage, not only is His decisiveness obvious, so are his objectives.

But notice that He’s wise enough to realize that no matter how intentional, clear, and well thought out his plans were, he fails without partnership.

Joshua understands that he can’t do everything himself and that if he tries, he will fail to take advantage of the gifts and leadership acumen of those in whom the Lord surrounded him.
In this passage, Joshua tells the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people.”
 
Had Joshua been the kind of leader who HAD to have his fingerprints on everything, to be up front, get the spotlight, and ultimately receive the applause, he would have said, “Gather the people on the banks of the Jordan, I have something to say.” 

Joshua was a leader who preferred to work through others.
 
He had a good teacher in this, by the way.  Do you remember the story of how Moses nearly suffered a nervous breakdown in Exodus 18?

Moses is leading Israel solo and it the weight of that task almost kills him.

His father-in-law, Jethro, arrived from Midian for a visit, sees the way people are coming to Moses one after another, demanding he settle their disputes and solve their problems. He explains to Moses that he couldn’t go on like that. Ultimately, it’d be bad for him but for Israel as well!

In leadership, it’s easy to develop a “Messiah complex” of sorts…to have all the answers, to solve all of the problems, to lead all of the ministries, to be available at all times.
The problem with that is that earthly leaders, even the best of them, make for terrible Messiahs.

We don’t have all the answers or solutions and don’t have the capacity to be front and center of all that is going on.

A leader who makes themself available at all times is never fully available at any time because they are stretched so thin that they can’t give the best of themselves to their people.

Jethro wisely advises Moses to delegate what responsibility he can to other trusted and gifted individuals and let them do what the Lord has called and gifted them to do.

Joshua learned from Moses and we see that here!

As we read on in the passage, we see that this great leader was not only decisive and able to craft effective strategy, also knew how to inspire and motivate his people.

“Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and he will give you this land.’ Your wives, dependents, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But your best soldiers must cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers and help them until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on the east side of the Jordan.” – Joshua 1:12-15

The power to inspire others to service and sacrifice is a special gift, especially when you need to get them to do something they don’t particularly want to do.
 
In verses 12-15 we find Joshua addressing specific tribes: The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
 
These three tribes had decided to settle down in the area which is now Jordan instead of crossing the Jordan River to settle in Canaan.  Moses had given permission for this, but Joshua knew that the men of these tribes were needed for the conquest of Canaan.
Instead of revoking Moses’ promise and charting another course, which some leaders might have done, he offered an alternative.

He granted them the land they wanted but asked that all their valiant warriors help with the conquering of the Promised Land.  He let them know that as soon as the job was done, they could return to the east side of the Jordan to join their wives and children.
This provided a great incentive to deal with the Canaanites swiftly, and it inspired these three tribes to follow Joshua.
 
So Joshua, soon after Moses dies, is proving his mettle as successor.

By the grace of God, he’s got what it takes to lead effectively.

They people sure took notice, didn’t they? Look at their response to Joshua’s display of leadership -

“They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly the Lord your God will be with you, as he was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!” – Joshua 1:16-18

Leadership can be a very lonely position.
 
Most leaders are in a great need of encouragement.  The responsibility and pressure of leading can be overwhelming, at times.
 
I feel certain that Joshua, looking across the Jordan at the fortified walls of Jericho and knowing that the Lord had tasked him with leading the people into that land, felt that pressure.
I think that the Israelites acknowledged the pressure that he must have been feeling because they encouraged him in an incredible way in this text: “May the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses…be strong and courageous, Joshua”. The Israelites affirm Joshua’s leadership and encourage him to press on!

I can just see him beaming after receiving the affirmation and encouragement of those he was called to lead. Judging by the resolve Joshua soon shows in following through with God’s plan for His leadership, I have to think that this word of encouragement was a pivotal moment in Joshuas story.  

The truth is: We will never know how powerful and transformative affirmation or encouragement can be in a persons life and we should be quick to offer both.

Just a quick reminder that due to the electrical renovations being done to our church office, there will be no printed liturgy on Sunday. There is a digital liturgy available on the North Anderson App.

I look forward to jumping into the incredible story of Rahab and ask that you pray for me as I preach God’s Word.

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor DK

We wanted to take a moment to share some great opportunities for you to get plugged in at North Anderson this week!

On Wednesday
We have our 1st Wednesday Meal from 5:00-6:00pm in the Family Life Center. On the menu will be delicious baked potatoes and salad! The price per plate is $8 and the cost per family is capped at $32. You may pay in person this Wednesday or online

We’re excited that after a few week off due to the busy holiday season, our Music Ministry Rehearsal picks back up this Wednesday at 5:45pm in the Sanctuary. This rehearsal is for the all musicians and the full choir so if you have been thinking about joining in, please join us (we’d LOVE to have you)!
*Reminder: The Praise Team will have a run-through on Sunday morning at 8:30am*

Adult DiscipleU Mid-Week Bible Study resumes at 10:30am (Family Life Center) or 6:30pm (Sanctuary). We’ll be picking back up our exposition of the book of Hebrews and will be diving into the first few verses of chapter 5.

The True North Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) will meet upstairs at 6:30pm for a great time of fellowship, fun, and a lesson from Pastor Stephen. If you have a child in this age group, make sure they are at church this Wednesday!

SPECIAL NOTE: Our brand-new North Anderson Children’s Ministry will launch this Wednesday!

A couple of need-to-know’s for Wednesday’s Children’s Ministry:

We’ll begin in the Family Life Center so children should be dropped off there from 6:15-6:30pm. All children will be accompanied by their teacher as they transition from the FLC to their classrooms at the appropriate time.

While our 3 years old-5k children will continue in Mission Friends, our 1st – 5th Graders will begin a new curriculum called the New City Catechism which will both enhance their understanding and application of Biblical Theology through fun, interactive, and age-appropriate means. These classes will ALL meet downstairs and be separated into two groups, 1-2nd grade and 3rd-5th grade.

*There will be a Digital Check-In station at the FLC entrance, and all children must be checked in and out by an adult each Wednesday. There will be no exceptions to this made. This helps us ensure the safety and security of our children.*

Thursday
Our Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s resumes at 7:00am. Men, if you have not received your copy of this year’s devotional, “New Morning Mercies” by Paul David Tripp, see Mark King (Pastoral Intern) on Thursday morning. He will have the extra copies.

The Cultural Christian Cohort meets at 6:30pm at the Rydin’s. The book that this cohort will work through is Love What Last by Joshua Gibb. If you should have any questions, please see Cody or Kelsey Rydin.

Friday
Caring Hands Ministry meets at 10:00am at Mary Simmons home

Saturday
All ladies are welcome and encouraged to attend the first Women’s Ministry Coffee Chat of 2026 in the Family Life Center at 10:00am

Sunday
We gather for Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and for Corporate Worship at 10:30am
In addition to continuing our sermon series through Joshua (chapter 2 this week), we’ll be celebrating baptism once again and well as dedicating several babies to the Lord!
These are just a few of the events taking place this week at North Anderson. There are things going on throughout January that are not listed here but will be highlighted closer to their dates.

Because we have so much going on, in order to ensure the flow of our Sunday morning worship services are not overloaded with announcements, we are striving to only share the events and opportunities that are on the calendar for the week ahead, as well.

For all that is going on each month, you can simply click the events tab here on our website or the North Anderson App and you'll have access to everything, keeping you up to date with all that is going on!

Verse of the week: "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

Prayer Focus This Week: Venezuela
Most of you will have seen reports about major developments in Venezuela over the weekend, including the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by United States military forces. The situation is still unfolding and carries significant implications for the country and the broader region. Though we currently have no International Mission Board personnel living or serving in Venezuela, personnel serving elsewhere among American peoples partner closely with Venezuelan pastors inside the country or serve alongside Venezuelan diaspora communities throughout the Americas. For our brothers and sisters connected to Venezuela, this is a moment filled with hope for the future, uncertainty, fear, and many unanswered questions. Please pray specifically for the protection and safety of all people in Venezuela and for peace and restraint amid instability and transition. Pray also for provision of food and resources for people living in Venezuela; for strength, wisdom, and courage for pastors and church leaders; and for God’s purposes to prevail and His peace to be known.

We're still praising God for the great morning of worship that the Lord gave us yesterday. What a joy it was to baptize the 14th and 15th individual of 2025 as we celebrated together. God is good! We are asking the Father for even more baptisms in 2025 and we're already off to a great start in that our next baptism is already on the schedule for January 11th!

We were also blessed to approve our Personnel Team's recommendation of calling Ashley Rollins as our new Children's Ministry Director. Join us in praying for Ashley as well and encouraging and supporting her in this pivotal role.

This week will be a little quieter than usual here at North Anderson as we wind 2025 down and rest and recoup from a wonderful but extremely busy Christmas season.

There will be no mid-week services or rehearsals this Wednesday, due to it being New Year's Eve and there will be no Men’s Bible Study on Thursday as Mama Penn’s will not be open for breakfast on New Years Day.

Our Mid-Week ministry will resume on January 7th and the Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s will pick back up on January 8th.

Speaking of the Men’s Bible Study, for the brothers who attend our Thursday morning Bible study, the new devotionals, "New Morning Mercies" by Paul David Tripp have come in and can be picked up at the church office during regular hours Mon-Wed of this week. They will also be made available on Sunday.

For those who can join us, we will be taking down and storing the Christmas decorations at the church on this Friday (January 2nd) from 9:00am-12:00pm.

On Sunday, we will gather for Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and we will continue our new series through the book of Joshua during worship at 10:30am. We'll also share in the Lord's Supper on this first Sunday of 2026. We encourage you to be in pray for the Lord to move in a mighty way and to invite a friend to join you!

During January we will be collecting items for the Haven of Rest Women’s Ministry.  We will be collecting paper towels, paper plates, toilet tissue, laundry detergent, Tylenol, ibuprofen, DayQuil, One a Day vitamins, coffee, powdered coffee creamer(flavored). These items may be placed in the Welcome Center near the sanctuary during January.  Thank you for supporting our Mission Projects.

On a final note, you may remember during our last family meeting that Pastor Kyle shared that throughout 2026, we will strategically emphasize “Whole-Life Stewardship”. This focus will challenge us to be more intentional about our faithfulness in stewarding our spiritual lives, physical health, personal finances, and our relationships.
As part of that initiative, each month we will provide a simple “Whole Life Stewardship” guide that will help you be disciplined and accountable in your stewardship of these very important aspects of our lives.

If you’d like to download the guide for January, you can do so here:,

If you would like for us to print a copy of the guide for you, please email us a church@northandersonbaptist.com

We pray that you and your family have a healthy, fruitful, and prosperous new year!

JOIN US THIS WEEK AT NORTH ANDERSON FOR THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES:

Candles, Carols and the Christmas Story: Christmas Eve at North Anderson 
We invite you and your family to join us on Wednesday at 3:00pm in the Sanctuary for a simple and meaningful Christmas Eve service where we’ll gather together to sing long cherished and Christ centered Christmas hymns, a special reading of the Christmas story to our children, hear a devotion on Christmas, and light our final Advent candle before lighting candles held by every person in attendance as we celebrate the light of the world, who came to dwell among men!
There will be no childcare as we desire to have all children in the Sanctuary for this short service!

There will be no Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s this Thursday (Christmas Day) or next Thursday (New Years Day). Our study will resume on January the 8th

Join us this final Sunday of 2025 as we come together for Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and for Corporate Worship at 10:30am.
We are praising God for the fact that we will be celebrating even more baptisms this Sunday! Speaking of baptisms, what an incredible year it has been as we’ve been able to witness so many take their next step and enter the waters of baptism, publicly professing their faith in Jesus. To God be the glory. Would you join us in praying that the Lord would give us even more baptisms in 2026?!?!

We will also begin a brand new sermon series through the Old Testament book of Joshua and encourage you to make every effort to be in attendance for this incredible important introductory message, invite a friend to join you, and read/meditate upon the first chapter to prepare your heart.

In Other News:
We announced on Sunday, on behalf of our Personnel Team, that Mrs. Debbie Crain has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant here at North Anderson. We’re looking forward to Debbie joining the team. She will begin in late January, after renovation of the electrical system in the Church Office is complete.

On that note, please keep in mind that while it is being re-wired, the office will be inaccessible, and our staff will be working remotely. During this time, things such as bulletins will be digital only. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

It was also announced that the Personnel Team has selected Ashley Rollins to lead our Children’s Ministry as the new Director. While there were multiple resumes sent our way for the Administrative Assistant position, there was only one for the position of Children’s Ministry Director….and we believe that it was the exact one that the Lord had for us!

Though Ashley was the sole applicant, our Personnel Team maintained protocol and conducted a full and thorough interview with her. In this interview, it became apparent that this was a perfect fit due to Ashley serving our Children’s Ministry so very well over this past year as Chair of the Children’s Ministry Team, her experience as a Children’s Ministry Director in a sister church, the vision that she has for our Children’s Ministry moving forward, and her high level of education and experience in the public school system.

The Children’s Ministry Director will report to the Pastor.

There will be a brief called business session this Sunday morning to affirm the recommendation of the Personnel Team to call Ashley Rollins as our New Director of Children’s Ministry. This is a session for vote only, with no discussion, so if you should have any questions, please contact member of the Personnel Team or Pastor Kyle prior to Sunday’s vote.

We want to, once again, say a special thank you to those who serve on our Personnel Team, Chair Mickie Gibson, Matt George, JoAnne Stephens, Mike Dugan, and Dr. Duduit. You all are appreciated!

Finally, please keep in mind that in order for your financial contributions to be included in the 2025 tax records, all gifts must be a) Postmarked December 31st b) In the office by noon on December 31st or c) Processed online by December 31st

Because of your faithfulness and generosity, 2025 has been a strong financial year for North Anderson. Your year-end gift of any amount will help us to finish even stronger so pray about what the Lord would have you give and what to give towards, whether it be to the General Fund, a gift towards debt retirement, or any other designated fund. We thank you in advance for your selfless and sacrificial giving. YOU are making a difference and we praise God for you!

Verse For The Week – “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” – Joshua 1:8 CSB

Prayer Focus – The Shia People of Iraq and Beyond
Faith has been in and out of a relationship with a man she has seen only a few times over the past couple of years. Their relationship has left her depressed, and she has begun a search for hope. After hearing the gospel and reading from the Bible for the first time a couple of weeks ago, she has continued reading Scripture every day. On a journey to better her relationship with God, she is learning who Jesus is and why He came. Faith expressed to a believer, “I feel fortunate that God has chosen to reveal Himself to me just as He chose others I’ve read about in the Holy Book.” Even though Faith is reading stories in the Bible, she is also daily reading the Quran, and she has become more committed to the five daily prayers required in Islam. She feels that she is being a good Muslim by learning about Jesus, even though she is aware of the contradictions between Christianity and Islam. Pray for Faith to come to true repentance and new life in Christ.

North Anderson Family,

What a week we just had! We praise God for the goodness, grace, and provision he has demonstrated towards us as we sought to reflect His love in the Drive Through Nativity and as we gathered for worship and celebrated several more baptisms on Sunday morning.
If you missed the final message in our series through Titus on Sunday, you can find it by clicking the media tab here on our website or on the North Anderson App.

Speaking of Sunday, while we didn’t cover the last few verses during our sermon, I wrote about them here -

https://www.northandersonbaptist.com/blog/2025/12/15/wrapping-up-titus

I know that I have already vocalized this but let me once again express my sincere gratitude for everyone who helped and served in any way at the Drive Through Nativity. However you served, please know that you made an impact and that is our goal. Well done!
Altogether, we increased the number of guest coming this year from 2023! There were 2,265 people that came through in 685 vehicles with 47 four-legged friends.

We also made a change this year in that instead of receiving donations to offset cost of the production, we advertised that 100% of the donations made would benefit the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. We were blown away in that Drive Through Nativity attendees gave $2,078 to this offering!

We praise God for all that He has done in our Drive Through Nativity!

*On a related note, if you have a receipts related to Drive Through Nativity that you are seeking reimbursement for, those receipts must be in Pastor Stephen's hand by this Sunday, December 21st. Please be prompt with this so that we can ensure funds used for the 2025 Drive Through Nativity can be allocated from the 2025 budget.

This week at North Anderson:

Wednesday:
We have our regularly scheduled mid-week activities with Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer at 10:30am or 6:30pm, Children’s Ministry and True North Students at 6:30pm, and
Music Ministry Rehearsal will take place in the Sanctuary at 5:30pm. Choir members, please make every effort to be in attendance as we will be putting the finishing touches on two Christmas songs that we will be performing on Sunday.

Thursday:
Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s at 7:00am (Men, remember that we will take up a special “tip” to bless our waitress for Christmas)

Sunday:
Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am

Corporate Worship at 10:30am

We will sing Christmas hymns, hear a Christmas sermon, and share in The Lord’s Supper

True North Student Ministry Scavenger Hunt at 4:00pm!

Please remember that we are receiving the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering throughout December. Pray about what the Lord would have you to give to international missions and then obey Him gladly, knowing that He will use your gift to bless the nations!

UPCOMING

Our Christmas Eve Service this year will take place at 3:00pm. We pray that this new time will enable more of our children and seniors adults who don’t want to be out late to attend

New Sermon Series – We’ll begin a verse by verse exposition of the Book of Joshua on Sunday, December 28th!

ALSO NOTE - There will be no Wednesday morning or evening services on New Year’s Eve (December 31st)

Verse for the week: “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.” – Isaiah 9:6-7

Prayer Focus: The Pedi Peoples of South Africa

(PEH-dee) – The problem is not unique to Africa, but it is significant there. Honest, believing, sincere, and humble spiritual leaders are hard to find and harder to retain. Because of the patriarchal culture of many South African people groups and the power that secular leaders are given over people, many men and women seek positions of leadership in the church because they are greedy for power and prestige. Many church leaders are not shepherds who have a genuine concern for the sheep and are willing to lay down their lives so that Christ can be formed in them. Please pray: “Lord, we pray for two Pedi pastors, Peter and John. Lord, You know how hard these true pastors work as they travel to small church plants and encourage believers. Jesus, please protect them from greed. Do not let any seed of greed take root in their hearts. Protect them from a love of power or position. Please raise up godly, trustworthy men and women who can help them in their shepherding. Jesus, You gave Paul so many helpers: Timothy, Silas, Aquila, and Priscilla. Please provide fellow helpers, friends, encouragers, and partners in ministry for Pedi pastors Peter and John.”

North Anderson family,

While we wrapped up our series through the New Testament epistle of Paul to Titus on Sunday, I wanted to take a few moments today to address the last few verses, as we did not get to them.

“Avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning.  For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned.
When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.
Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you.” – Titus 3:9-15

The threat faced by the church in Crete was two-fold.
First of all, they faced the licentiousness of the culture which corrupts the character of those within the church. A healthy portion of this series has dealt with that already, so we won’t spend a lot of time on it here.

The second threat, which the last few verses of Titus three seems to deal with, was the legalism of the circumcision party.

We referenced this group when we preached through the first chapter of Titus and found the Apostle Paul describing this group as people who had rebelled against the Lord, spoke hollow words, and were deceitful in their motives.

The Circumcision party being referenced was made up of Jewish converts to Christianity who refuse to recognize the fullness of Christ’s satisfaction of the law and therefore sought to impose the ceremonial requirements of the Mosaic covenant upon one another and upon gentile converts…in other words, those of the Circumcision Party were adding stipulations to the Gospel.

As we were reminded in Sunday’s sermon, a true understanding of the gospel emphasizes that our salvation is not due to our righteousness or quite literally anything that we have done but only through the great mercy and matchless grace of the Lord.

That great Gospel truth was what the Circumcision Party that had infiltrated the church of Crete was working hard to dilute.

Scripture warns against altering the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, especially by mixing in works, laws, or extra requirements, which fundamentally changes the message of grace and undermines Christ's finished work, calling His sufficiency into question.
An understanding of the Gospel of grace must serve as a north star for the church. If the church gets off course here, it will get off course everywhere.

That’s why Paul concludes his letter to Titus with a strong warning regarding how to deal with those who subtly crept in, distorted the Gospel and caused great harm to the church and her mission.

He begins by saying in verse 9 “Avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless”

The word “avoid” (peristemi) means to turn away from and it being a present imperative, Paul is talking about a continual action.

Four things to avoid:

• Foolish Debates

The most common meaning of debate (zetesis) refers to the exchange of words for the purpose of argument, engaging in contentious, controversial questions.
It speaks of a preoccupation with pseudo-intellectual theorizing. It is a picture of one who engages in debates not due to an honest and genuine search for information but for arguing for arguing’s sake.

This exhortation to Titus is very similar to the warning that Timothy received from Paul who spoke of those who were “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7)

Chales Spurgeon commented on this verse: “There are always plenty to argue about, and there are certain professors who spend half their lives doing so about nothing at all. There is no more in their contention than the difference between Tweedledum and Tweedledee; but they will divide a church over it, they will go through the world as if they had found out a great secret,-it really is not of any consequence whatever,-but having made the discovery, they judge everybody by their new-found fad, and so spread a spirit that is contrary to the Spirit of Christ.”

The true purpose of these individuals and their arguments is to sowing doubt and discord.
Paul told Titus to avoid such arguing and we’d do well to follow suit.

• Genealogies

In context, these genealogies were far more than a family's genealogical record, which by itself would be an innocent thing. Clearly the genealogies were not treated primarily as historical documents, but according to many commentators they were subjected to a highly symbolic interpretive scheme. Names, dates and places supposedly contained hidden meanings which became the basis for esoteric doctrines.

Again, Paul had to instruct Timothy about the same thing in 1 Timothy 1:4, telling him to “pay no attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.”

Please note that Paul is not referring to the genealogies found in Scripture, for these are critical for determining the lineage of the Messiah, as noted in the opening of Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

Here, Paul is referring to the many ridiculous interpretations of such genealogies which would easily degenerate into controversial speculation and strife.
Avoid such needlessly divisive topics.

• Quarrels

The word use here for “quarrels” refers to persistent contention, constant bickering, and petty disagreement

It really reflects an antagonistic competitiveness that fights to have its own way, regardless of cost to itself or of harm to others. It is produced by a deep desire to prevail over others, to gain prominence, and to receive the highest recognition possible.

A person given over to quarrelling is a person with an oversized ego.

In order to stroke that ego, they must continually stir up arguments that they can “win”.
To accomplish this, they’ll be quick to critique and to nit-pick, as well as relying on provoking debate with open-ended questions and statements that will be sure to get a response.

Paul says to Titus…avoid them.

• Disputes About The Law

As evidenced in Jesus addresses the Pharisees in His day, there is certainly a temptation to spend much time in the examination of the finer points of the law as a means of avoiding the weightier matters of the law.

I think that is what Paul is dealing with here in relation to actions and teaching of the Circumcision Party that were harming the church in Crete.

Their central claim was that circumcision must take place in order for anyone to truly be included in the church but there’s no doubt, that it went even further than that. A quick look at Paul's letters to Timothy or to the Galatian church indicates that there were also stipulations concerning what food Christians would be able to eat and what feast were required for Christians to participate in.

Paul tells Titus: Avoid that nonsense!

At the end of verse 9, Paul calls these debates over genealogies and laws worthless and unprofitable in that they do not offer any benefit.

The only other New Testament usage of the word Paul uses in Titus when he calls these things worthless is in Hebrews 7:18 where the author calls the Old Covenant useless (in the sense that it could not save or bring about internal transformation)

Knowing now what the Christian Church in Crete was facing, we get a glimpse of the pressure would have been mounting in their congregation.

These fruitless quarrels about trivial matters and endless debates about the law both infect and divide the body of Christ and must never be trivialized or excused.

How do we handle such issues as they arise in individuals or groups within the body?
"Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning.  For you know that such a person has gone astray and is sinning; he is self-condemned" Titus 3:1-11

The word that Paul uses to describe the problematic people is “divisive”. Interestingly, the word used is actually the Greek word for heretic.

A heretic is in essence, one who refuses to accept true doctrine as it is revealed in the Scriptures, and instead chooses for himself what he/she will believe

Paul, following the pattern that Jesus gives us out Matthew 18, instructs Titus to warn them, but if they refuse correction and continue to insist upon these foolish debates and divisive rhetoric, they are to be rejected, as their continuation in sin gives evidence of an unregenerate heart.

That may seem harsh, but the opposite is true. It would actually be harsh to excuse perpetually sinful behavior and silently allow a heretic or a divisive person to persist in their wickedness as though their souls are not in danger.

The goal of church discipline is repentance and restoration, neither of which happen apart from confronting wayward individuals with the truth of Scripture.

Wrapping up chapter 3, Paul has a few final words concerning his ministry partners and his plans.

“When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.
Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. All those who are with me send you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you” Titus 3:12-15

Paul’s plan is to send Artemis and Tychicus to serve in the in Crete so that Titus could return to serve with Paul.

Once again, in this we see a sincere care for the church. This young congregation in Crete, faced with so many problems from the outside and within, could not be left alone quite yet, but with proper care it one day would be.

With this letter to Titus, Paul is working toward that goal: The healthy and vibrant church that will make an impact for generations to come. May we all strive to work towards that same goal.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor DK

Monday & Tuesday
9:00am - Drive Through Nativity Setup

Wednesday
10:30am – Adult Bible Study and Prayer over Drive Through Nativity (we will meet in the Sanctuary this week)
5:00-5:45pm –Dinner served to DTN participants in the Family Life Center
5:00-7:00pm - Costumes will be assigned (Family Life Center)

Thursday
7:00am – Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s
5:00-5:45pm – Dinner served to DTN participants
Please be in costume by 6:00pm and in position by 6:15pm
*Remain in character and in position until the final car passes through at 8:30pm*

Friday
Dinner served to DTN participants from 5:00-5:45pm
Please be in costume by 6:00pm and in position by 6:15pm
*Remain in character and in position until the final car passes through at 8:30pm*

Saturday
*No meal will be served (please eat before arriving)
Please be in costume by 6:00pm and in position by 6:15pm

Sunday
No Bible Fellowship Classes

We will worship together at 10:30am and there will be a lunch immediately following service provided for those helping disassemble and pack away the Drive Through Nativity production (will take place immediately following lunch)

*Feel free to wear work clothes to church or bring a change of clothes with you*

UPCOMING

December 14th – The third Sunday of Advent and baptism celebration at 10:30am (remember, no Bible Fellowship Classes)

December 21st – The Fourth Sunday of Advent and The Lord’s Supper at 10:30am
At 4:00pm, the Truth North Student Ministry (6th-12th grade) will have their “I’ll Be Gnome For Christmas” Scavenger Hunt

Christmas Eve – Candlelight and Carols Service at 3:00pm

*Over the past couple of years, we’ve noticed that there were two groups of people in our church family who were largely missing in our late night Christmas Eve service: children and senior adults.
After much conversation, we found that the reason given by both for not being present was not a lack of desire to attend this special service but rather the late hour. 
In an effort to better serve the whole of our church family, we have adjusted the time to 3:00pm. We recognize that there simply is not a time that is going work for everyone but believe that hosting it at 3:00pm, sandwiched between the lunch festivities and supper plans that many families have on their Christmas Eve schedule, is our best option for maximizing engagement across all age demographics of our church body.
Again, our reason for adjusting the time of the Christmas Eve service is to better serve the needs of our growing congregation as a whole and thank you in advance for understanding that. As we often say around here, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape”!

We look forward to seeing you this week! Please be in prayer for Drive Through Nativity and its impact upon our community!

Family Meeting, December 3rd 2025

We had a great crowd and a great time at our scheduled Family Meeting.

In case you missed it, we wanted to share a few of the highlights.

We began our Family Meeting with Ministry Team reports that included encouraging data about the continued growth that we are seeing in our Bible Fellowship ministry. We’re averaging over 80% of our Sunday morning worship attendance also being engaged in a Bible Fellowship Class each week (and we’ve been as high as 90+% recently). We praise God for that and encourage you, if you aren’t already, to get plugged into one of our classes!
We also heard a report from Mike McCollum, Chair of the Drive Through Nativity Team, who shared the exciting news that we have purchased the scaffolding we use for set-up and now how a permanent solution instead of having to rent the product each time we do the presentation, saving a tremendous amount of money. On a related note, this scaffolding will also be a great benefit to the Building and Grounds Team who can use it for projects here at the church rather than having to rent a lift or pay for the service of a bucket truck.

JD Smith, Chair of Building and Grounds team shared that there are a couple of pressing issues that must be addressed. First, there is an immediate need to totally rewire the North Anderson office. Secondly, we must address an issue of a water leak under the parking lot (near the Sanctuary). The third issue that we must address is replacing one of our HVAC units before summer. The cost of meeting these will be met through the budgeted amount for Building & Grounds as well as drawing from Capital Reserve.

Our Mission Team shared some exciting news about ongoing mission projects and opportunities going into the new year and we heard about a new initiative for our Worship Ministry in the purchasing of the new SING! Hymnals from the Getty’s. We’ll continue to employ the use of technology to provide song lyrics on screen but will provide these hymnals as well, as we seek to strengthen congregational singing and involvement. On a related note, we plan to offer a couple of workshops this year that will teach participants the basics on how to read music. We believe this will bless our congregational worship in a tremendous way!

Pastor Kyle shared that the date for receiving resumes for the open positions of Children’s Ministry Director and Administrative Assistant has been reached and the resumes that came in have been forwarded to our Personnel Team. Interviews will begin soon and the Team will announce these hires as they are made.

The Nominating Team Chair, Ashley Rollins, presented their proposed Ministry Teams to the church and the body voted to approve this unanimously.

Stephen Bryant, Chair of our Finance Team, presented the proposed 2026 Budget to the congregation and it was also approved unanimously.

We were blessed to license Kaden Caudell, who is finishing up his year-long internship this month, to preach the Gospel. The church voted, again unanimously, to affirm his licensing and we look forward to seeing how the Lord uses him in the future.

We heard a word from Pastor Kyle concerning our emphasis for 2026, “Whole Life Stewardship”. Based upon 1 Corinthians 4:2, “It is required in stewards that we be found faithful”, we’ll take time this year to explore ways that we can better and more intentionally steward (manage) good gifts that we are entrusted with, leveraging the whole of our lives for the sake of the Gospel. This includes our spiritual lives, physical health, our relationships, our finances, and the mission that we’ve been given to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Finally, we closed our Family Meeting by praying over and commissioning one of our Mission Teams that will be departing for Kentucky on Friday.

The unified, Gospel centered, mission driven heart of our church family was demonstrated in our Family Meeting, and we are grateful for that!

We look forward to worshipping with you all this Sunday!

Happy Monday, North Anderson family and friends!
With December now upon us, we pray that you are in the Christmas spirit and will make it a priority to join in on the opportunities and festivities that will be going on at and through North Anderson this month!

Please take note that because of the full calendar that we have, there are some schedule changes that will be taking place. You can access the “Events” tab here on our website at any time to in order to be aware of those changes and to keep up to date with all that is going on.

This week at North Anderson:

Wednesday – We will host our Bi-Annual Family Meeting at 6:30pm in the Family Life Center. We will be presenting the proposed Ministry Teams for 2026 from our Nominating Team, the proposed 2026 budget compiled by our Finance Team, as well as hearing some exciting news from Pastor Kyle about our emphasis for 2026.

Both the proposed ministry teams and budget were made available to you and we encourage you to seek out members of the Nominating Team or Finance Team to ask any questions you may have prior to our Family Meeting as we desire to be respectful of everyone’s time and these teams will happily answer any questions that you may have, and this aids greatly in helping us to ensure efficiency in the Family Meeting as many questions could be easily answered through private conversation.

Coffee and sweets will be served as we fellowship around the table and meet.

*There will be no regular mid-week services or classes on Wednesday. Aside from the Family Meeting, the only activities that will go on will be Music Ministry rehearsal at 5:30pm and Children’s Ministry play practice at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary.

Thursday – Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s resumes at 7:00am

Friday – Those attending the DMA trip to Connie Maxwell Children’s Home for their Christmas Program will meet at the church at 5:00pm

Sunday – After a great 5th Sunday Bible Fellowship Breakfast this past Sunday, we will be back to our regular Bible Fellowship Class schedule this week. Classes for all ages and stages begin at 9:15am

During our morning worship service, our Children will be presenting their Christmas Play and we’ll continue our sermon series in Titus, unpacking the last few verses of chapter 2.

Keep in mind that throughout the month of December, we’ll be receiving the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. 100% of this offering will go directly to the mission field! Also, this year, we have decided that all donations given during the Drive-Through-Nativity will also go directly towards the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering!

Passage of the week – “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” – Titus 2:11-13

Prayer Focus This Week - Yangon, Myanmar
Burmese believers eagerly await the month of December! At midnight on December 1, they celebrate Sweet December, the beginning of a month-long celebration of Christmas. This month, many Burmese believers will invite their Buddhist neighbors to their homes to hear the Christmas story. Pray that believers will be bold to share the gospel with their neighbors. Ask that God will draw many families to Himself during these Christmas celebrations.

Happy Monday, North Anderson family and friends!
We’re still praising the Lord for the incredible day of worship that we were able to experience together on Sunday as we gathered for discipleship and fellowship in our Bible Fellowship classes and worshipped the Lord corporately in our morning services.

It’s always powerful to observe the Lord’s Supper together, but to do so during a season where gratitude is already on our minds, makes the remembrance of the sacrifice the Jesus made for us even more meaningful. Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Please keep in mind that due to the wonderful, but busy schedule that so many of us will have this week due to Thanksgiving festivities, there will be no mid-week services this week. There will also be no Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s on Thursday.

We do, however, look forward to this Sunday, November 30th as all of our Bible Fellowship Classes gather together in the Family Life Center at 9:15am for our quarterly 5th Sunday Pot-Luck breakfast and devotion. Please, if you are able, bring a breakfast dish to share!
At 10:30am, we’ll assemble in the freshly decorated for Christmas sanctuary for worship, commemorate the first Sunday of Advent, and continue our series of messages in the book of Titus!

A couple of quick notes:
* As mentioned on Sunday, our Missions Team is at work on Christmas Baskets for Shut-In/Homebound Members (They are collecting the following items to be placed in the Welcome Center bucket between November 16 and Dec. 14)
- Tissues (cube size boxes only) - Body Lotion - (Reg. size, no strong scents))
- Body Wash ( Reg. Size-no strong scents) - Small Writing Tablets
- Individual Bags Soft Peppermints - Ink Pens
- Word Find Books
Donations of money may also be given to Susan Bryant or Judy Brown or placed in an offering
envelope marked - Christmas Baskets. Donations from Groups or Bible Fellowship Classes are welcome.
Also, a list of shut-ins will be available in the Welcome Center so that you may prepare a Christmas card for them if you like. The baskets will be prepared on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

* Special Thanks to all who cooked, donated, prepared and prayed as North Anderson provided a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal to 80+ food-insecure children at Whitehall Elementary School last week.

* Special thanks also to the great crew who came and decorated North Anderson for Christmas today! It looks great and if there are any Scrooges among us, it’ll help transform their “bah humbug” into hallelujah!

Lastly, in advance of the Family Meeting that is scheduled for December 3rd at 6:00pm, we will, upon request, be happy to email you a copy of the 2026 Proposed budget on Wednesday. Physical copies will be available in the Welcome Center on Sunday as well. As you have opportunity, please thank our Finance Team for their hard work and dedication as they have created a budget that reflects our missional heart as well as stewards well the resources that have been entrusted to us.

* Please Note - We do not list all of the events for the month here in this weekly update. Everything that is upcoming can be very easily found by clicking the "Events" tab on our website. We encourage you to do so regularly*

Verse For The Week: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Prayer Focus This Week: Missions In South Korea

Please pray for evangelistic Christmas events happening next month to reach university-age young people and children. These events will take place near university campuses in the city of Gwangju. This city is in the southwestern region of South Korea and is the sixth-largest metropolis in the country. In a smaller city in the same region, a special evangelistic event for children is also planned. Young adult volunteers from America will join young adults from Korea. These partnering young people will host the events and share the gospel. Please pray for faithful Korean young adults to be mobilized to join and serve in these evangelistic efforts. Please also pray for the American young people as they travel to and minister in Korea. Lastly, please pray for the many Korean young people and children who will hear the gospel, that they will experience salvation in Jesus and be discipled in the context of a healthy local church.

Wednesday:
All of our regularly scheduled discipleship opportunities are on go this week with –
Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer at 10:30am (FLC) and 6:30pm (Sanctuary)
North Anderson Children’s Ministry (Nursery-5th grade) at 6:30pm
True North Student Ministry (6th-12th grade) at 6:30pm
Music Ministry Rehearsal in the Sanctuary from 5:30-6:25pm

Thursday
Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s at 7:00am

DMA Thanksgiving/Christmas Gathering at noon (this is a catered event and is open only to those who’d purchased their meal)

Sunday
Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am
Corporate Worship at 10:30am (continuing our series in Titus)

UPCOMING EVENTS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR
Monday, November 24th – We’re decorating for Christmas! Many hands make light work, so come join us from 9:00am-12:00pm and get in the Christmas spirit in the process!

Wednesday, November 26th - There will be NO mid-week ministry activities due to Thanksgiving travel and family gathering plans.

November 30th – 5th Sunday BFG Breakfast! Our Bible Fellowship Groups will meet in the Family Life Center to enjoy a potluck breakfast and devotional! Please bring a breakfast food to share.

Wednesday, December 3rd - No regular Wednesday services. We will have our end of the year family meeting in the FLC at 6:00pm

December 5th – DMA will be going to the Connie Maxwell Children’s Home Christmas Program. There will be a live nativity, wagon rides, and a Christmas program performed by the kids. A $5 per person cost will cover transportation (the events at Connie Maxwell is free). Contact Lynda (864-933-6201) or Bill Rigsby (864-933-6200) to sign up (required).

December 14th – Baptism Celebration. We praise God for yet more baptisms at North Anderson. Need to take your next step? Let us know!

Drive Through Nativity Schedule
Wednesday, December 10th – meal and assigning costumes
December 11-13th – Drive Through Nativity Production is live!

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – We will be collecting the LMCO throughout the month of December. Please pray about what you would give toward this offering for International Missions!

On a related note, check out this short video that the Creative Team at the South Carolina Baptist Convention produced using Artificial Intelligence technology that brings Lottie Moon’s story to life - https://youtu.be/0aqf8BjvmUY?si=tFure7gXij_LpYKX

Verse for the week: “Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us” - Titus 2:6-7

Prayer focus for the week: The Punjabis people of Pakistan
The people of Pakistan, including those in the province of Punjab, are a majority Muslim people, practicing the religion of Islam. Please pray that through the efforts of the local Pakistani church and Pakistani believers, many of these Muslims will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May the hearts of those practicing Islam be pricked by the Holy Spirit, leading them toward the truths of the gospel.

Tuesday: 
Drive Through Nativity Planning Meeting at 6:30pm in the Classroom just before the FLC entrance

Wednesday:
- First Wednesday Meal (5:00-6:00pm) in the FLC
$8/person, $32 max per family. Prepaying online does not guarantee a reserved plate as unforeseen circumstances may impact availability.
Menu: fried turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, mac & cheese, rolls, & pumpkin cake

Mid-week Ministry – Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer at 10:30am or 6:30pm, Children and True North Student Ministry at 6:30pm

Choir Rehearsal – 5:45-6:25pm in the Sanctuary

Thursday:
Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penns at 7:00am

Nominating Team Meeting at 6:30pm in the classroom just before the FLC entrance

Saturday:
Women’s Ministry Coffee Chat from 10:00-11:30pm in the FLC

Sunday:
Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and Corporate Worship at 10:30am (This Sunday will mark a special time in the life of our church as we will ordained two brothers as Deacons at the conclusion of the service)

Operation Christmas Child Packing Party in the FLC at 5:00pm

Deacons Meeting in the Faithbuilders Bible Fellowship Class at 5:30pm

Memory Verse For The Week – “Those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Timothy 3:13 (CSB)

Prayer Focus This Week - Persians in Southeast Asia
Pray for two Bible study groups that have outgrown their spaces and are searching for a new location in which to meet. Ask God to provide a safe and easily accessible place for both of them, and pray that He will guide them with wisdom and unity as they search for a new location.

We praise God for the wonderful Lord’s Day that our gracious Father blessed us with yesterday! We enjoyed a wonderful time in Bible Fellowship Classes, celebrated more baptisms, welcomed another member to the North Anderson family, heard a wonderful presentation from Gideon representatives, KC Gilchrist and Paul Erhlich, and enjoyed a delicious meal and wonderful fellowship as we honored our Pastoral staff.

In addition, we praise the Lord for your generosity in giving toward our annual Gideon offering. In addition to the sacrificial giving to Gideon’s International, over 60 Bibles were donated in our Pastor’s honor. Praise God!

We’re looking forward to another great week at North Anderson. Here are a few of the things going on over the next few days:

Tuesday: The DMA Leaf Looking Trip to Pretty Place and Aunt Sue’s for lunch will depart from North Anderson at 9:00am and arrive back home around 3:00pm

Wednesday: All of our regular Mid-week activities are on schedule with Adult DiscipleU (at 10:30am or 6:30pm), North Anderson Kids and True North Students meeting at 6:30pm

Also, Choir Rehearsal begins at 5:30pm in the Sanctuary. We would LOVE for YOU to join in!

Thursday: Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s at 7:00am
Sunday: Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and Corporate Worship at 10:30am. To kick off the Thanksgiving season, Pastor DK will be preaching a sermon from 1st Thessalonians 5:18 on Biblical Gratitude

A few upcoming dates to circle on your calendar:

Monday, November 3rd – Baptist World Day of Prayer from 2:00-3:00pm in the Sanctuary

Wednesday, November 5th – 1st Wednesday meal from 5:00-6:00 in the FLC
$8/person, $32 max per family.
Menu: fried turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, mac & cheese, rolls, & pumpkin cake

Saturday, November 8th – Women’s Coffee Chat at 10:00am in the FLC

Sunday, November 9th – We will host a Deacon Ordination at 10:30am

November 10th-11th - Be in prayer for the Annual Meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention which is being held here in the Upstate this year at Taylor's First Baptist Church!

If you would like to attend, which we encourage you to, please let us know so that we can register you as a messenger or as a guest.

Be in prayer specifically for the South Carolina Baptist Pastor's Conference, of which Pastor DK is President, as it convenes on November 10th, also at Taylor's First Baptist. There is no registration needed for the Pastor's Conference. If you would like to come and be encouraged by great preaching, inspired by Christ centered music and support our Pastor as he leads, here is a link for the details of the Conference:

https://annualmeeting.scbaptist.org/pastorsconference/

TRUE NORTH STUDENTS – Get registered now for Winter Retreat January 16th-19th)! Join us in Pigeon Forge for an unforgettable weekend of fun, fellowship, and faith as we discover how the gospel transforms us! Cost: $150 per person (plus some extra for spending money)

*Listed here are only a few things that are going on at North Anderson. Please click the events tab to see all that’s happening in November and beyond!

Verse for the week: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name” – Psalm 100:4 (CSB)

Prayer Focus This Week: The Shia peoples of Iraq and Beyond

It is reelection season again for government positions in Iraq. Pray that God will raise up God-honoring men, like the biblical figures of Daniel and Joseph, to bring good leadership to the country. Pray that those leaders will be wise, just, and compassionate, and pray that they will work for the benefit of the Iraqi people and make decisions that bring greater freedoms to men, women, boys, and girls. Ask the Lord of the harvest to use earthly means to open doors for the gospel to flourish in that desert land.

Wednesday – All regularly scheduled mid-week activities are happening this week with Adult DiscipleU Bible Study and Prayer at 10:30am or 6:30pm, as well as True North Student Ministry and Children’s Ministry at 6:30pm

Thursday – Men’s Bible Study at Mama Penn’s @ 7:00am

DMA Trip to Pretty Place - departing at 9:00am

Saturday – Bible Fellowship Teachers Brunch in the FLC at 9:30am

Sunday – Bible Fellowship Classes at 9:15am and Corporate Worship complete with Baptism at 10:30am

This Sunday is Gideon Sunday with Mr. KC Gilchrist at North Anderson, and we pray that you will prayerfully consider sacrificially giving, above your regular tithes and offerings to the Gideon Ministry. You can discover more about the work of Gideons International here - https://gideons.org/

Following the morning worship service, we will have a pot-luck lunch in honor of Pastor’s Appreciation month. Please join us and bring a dish or dessert to share as we honor the Pastoral staff at North Anderson, Kyle, Stephen, and Matthew.

A note from Pastor Kyle: North Anderson family, I do want to say thank you to so many who have already shown Annette and I such kindness this month. I consider it a great joy and honor to serve as your Pastor. With that said, several have asked how they could best honor me this month and here’s my sincere request: If you’d like to bless me, make a Gideon Offering in my honor this Sunday. I can think of no better way to show me honor this month than by getting the Word of God, that I cherish so much, into the hands of as many people as possible, and that is what Gideons do!

ALSO – Many members of our church family have received an email with my name attached to it, asking them to contact them immediately to discuss a pressing matter. If one were to follow through with that request, the email would ask for money. This is a scam. I will never contact anyone through email asking for money to be sent to me.

Verse of the week: "God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend." - Job 37:5

Prayer focus: Students & Young Professionals, Seoul, South Korea
The university fall semester started at the beginning of September and is in full swing, which means that campus ministries have started again. Leadership of the English worship service at one of the universities has shifted from a missionary who is currently outside of Korea to a team made up of a Korean sister who was partnering in the ministry last semester, a Ugandan student who has been attending faithfully for the past four semesters, and a brand new Journeyman missionary who just arrived this month. Please pray for unity and friendship among this team of leaders, asking that they will work well together and keep their focus on Jesus. Pray that the Holy Spirit draws the right students to attend English worship from week to week, and that each week, there would be genuine encounters with Jesus and real friendship in the faith.