“You’re really smart.” A FFC nextgen leader said this in a casual conversation with a student. The student silently took the compliment.

The leader didn’t know it, but this student’s educational background was different than most. He hadn’t had opportunity for an institutional education. At eighteen, he faced the workforce and his future with little academic history and no high school degree.

But, as He so often does, the Holy Spirit used the leader’s simple statement to plant a seed.

Carrying those words, the student decided to test for the GED. He passed, and one step led to another. Soon he had secured a job that seemed out of reach months earlier.

Before long, his boss noticed him and gave the same compliment – “You’re really smart.” Perhaps the student smiled, knowing it wasn’t the first time he’d heard it. But he couldn’t expect what was to come. As he worked hard, stayed faithful, and gained favor, the company offered to finance his goals. They were going to pay for him to go to college and pursue his bachelor’s degree.

The student went to the ministry leader, this time in tears. He said, “You didn’t know my story, but I never was able to get a high school degree. When you told me I was smart, something went off in me. I thought, ‘Maybe I am smart.’”

He then shared the journey from his GED to his job and now college pursuit.

The leader was overjoyed and a little shocked. He celebrated the unmatched reward of serving God to love and empower the next generation.

This is only one story of hundreds that could be told of babies, kids, and students being impacted by the love of the NextGen team. Lives truly are changing, as young people learn God’s Word, form godly friendships, and grow in environments of nurture.

We’re so grateful and excited for the ministry that will continue this year through Spirit-filed services, exciting events, summer camps, and so much more.

This year, a brand-new discipleship initiative has also launched in ffcKids called Kids4Truth. The initiative guides children on a journey so that, when they enter adolescence, they not only know what they believe but why. (Think of it like apologetics for kids!) You can find details at myffc.com/Kids4Truth.

To those who serve, give, pray, and lead – thank you for nurturing the faith and potential of our next generation. The future of God’s Church is bright!

In 2017, a beach picnic took an unexpected turn. A young couple was vacationing with family on Panama City Beach. They decided to take their nieces out for a final swim.

They soon noticed commotion a distance away. “Must be a shark. Time to get out.”, these avid swimmers and beach dwellers said. But then they heard yelling, “Help, they can’t get out!”

Suddenly, the husband realized it wasn’t a shark. It was a riptide; and there were nine people stuck, with no way out.

The lifeguards had left for the day. Without help, these people were likely going to lose their lives.

The wife thought back to her own experience with unexpected loss. Her husband, a healthy, God-loving man went to the hospital with what was diagnosed as bronchitis. It turned out to be sepsis and, a short time later, this 23-year-old widow looked down at the body of her lifeless husband. In the days that followed, she received calls from her husband’s co-workers daily. They cared for her, checked on her, made sure she was getting out of bed - and one eventually became her second husband.

“What saved me”, she said, “was our community.”

The remembrance of her unexpected loss sprung her into action. She felt God had put thesepeople in her path; and this was her chance to return the life-saving power of community.

She and her husband began positioning volunteers into a giant human chain. Before the day ended, all nine people caught in the riptide were saved. A nearly tragic day on the Panama Beach was reversed by the power of community in action.

This story, though amazing and inspiring, is not necessarily a call to put oneself in harm’s way. In matters of crisis, wisdom; personal conviction; and God’s Spirit are often our surest guides.

But this story is a beautiful reminder of the power of a people with arms locked and eyes fixed on a common mission.

No one person could have made the rescue that day. The task was too great. But every person – from those in the chain, to those praying on shore, to those calling for back-up – had the opportunity to do something.

As a church Family, we are so thankful for the lives that have been saved, redeemed, and restored because of a people with locked arms and fixed eyes. Christ’s mission to seek and save the lost, to release captives, to heal the sick, and to resource the poor is one we are all invited to.

Whatever role you play, thank you for engaging in missions on behalf of a community. Thank you for linking arms and hearts for purposes that matter, not just now but for all eternity.

A story is told of a young couple who traveled from America with their young son to serve as missionaries to Africa. As a family, they would visit the different villages on market days and share the gospel with the people.

Their son struck up a friendship with another young African boy. They’d hang out
together, and he’d often go along with the family to the villages. He would help them set up the sound system, so they could preach to the people.

After a few years, the couple returned home to the states. They were discouraged because of their seemingly lack of fruit through their ministry in Africa.

But many years later, they received some exciting news - a revival was sweeping
through the nation where they’d ministered. They were overjoyed! As they read
about those leading this revival, they recognized one name. It was the name of their son’s friend who’d assisted them in their outreaches to the villages.

Those gospel seeds they sowed took root in this young boy’s heart. And now God
was using him to help change his nation! When we “cast our bread” we are sure to see a return – sometimes here but always in Heaven! God is faithful to bring fruit from our continued faithfulness.

For the past thirty years, we have “cast our bread,” into the sea of the unreached and overlooked in our world. We’ve targeted the villages of India along with the Arab world and faithfully resourced missionaries who have planted churches. We’ve also “cast our bread” to help those enslaved in some of the most dark and dangerous places in our world.

And we are seeing fruit!

To date, 540 churches have been planted and 21,258 people have become believers in the state of Madhya Pradesh India. This state alone has 9 ó percent of the world’s unreached population. And among the Abaza people in Russia, over 36,000 house churches were planted with 727, 549 new believers. Praise God!

And to those enslaved through prostitution or taken as child brides and Isis soldiers - freedom has come! Children are being rescued, and their lives are being rehabilitated through the love and nurture of Christian families!

Currently our India House of Palms has 86 children who are being discipled and educated for a respectable future. And just forty miles away, another House of Palms Campus is in progress with a summer 2023 completion date. Over a hundred more Banchada children can be housed here. And there’s already a waiting list!

The enemy’s work is being broken one child at a time! These children aren’t just surviving – they’re thriving! And it’s all because of the prayers and support of our
church family and others!

This year, we have a chance to support a church plant among another unreached region of India. It’s near the city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh India. Missionaries are ready to reach people who gather there; and, through them, reach those who have no Christian witness.”

Faith Family will also partner with others to help the Ukrainian people as well as those devastated by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. We’ll also have a part in
purchasing Bibles for the Jewish military.

God has given us wonderful and trustworthy partnerships to help us, “cast our
bread” effectively as a church.

Thank you, Faith Family, for continuing to bring hope to a desperate world! Heaven records and rewards what’s done for God here on earth. And what a joy to get to do this together!