In the high-tech, low-touch culture of America, many of us are searching for a place to belong. We wrestle with issues of life such as relationships, money, self-discipline, insecurity and fear in our search for peace and significance. We weren’t meant to walk through life alone; and true growth, spiritual and personal, often take place in loving, supportive, grace-giving, truth-telling relationships – like those found in V•Groups.

Still, sometimes it’s hard to take that first step. So, as an encouragement to anyone who may be unsure, here’s what one recently new V•Group member wrote to her V•Group facilitator:

Thanks so much for taking me in and treating me like you have known me forever. You don’t know how much that means to me. I been trying to come to this group for about a month and always found an excuse not to show up. But God’s timing is perfect … When I felt there was no exit, when I felt I couldn’t keep on anymore … I got another invitation and, even though it’s only been two weeks, and I am still struggling to show up (because I am so shy!), I am starting to feel that there is hope, and that somehow, I am going to be okay. My smile came back, and slowly, I am getting my strength back. I am starting to get hope in my heart and I am starting to learn to trust God again … And I just started coming to group! I can’t not wait to see what’s ahead!!

Thank you so much for all the unconditional love and support, for making a difference and for reminding me that I am not alone and God is always looking out for me.

You ladies rock! =)

~ Lindsay

Don’t keep putting it off; get connected to a V•Group today. You won’t regret it!

To learn more about V•Groups or find a V•Group near you, visit victoryatl.com/doyoubelong.

And, if God’s been doing something in or through your life at Victory, please be an encouragement to others by sharing your story here.

For the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about How to Think About & Handle Money. Thus far, we’ve talked about shifting our values, having the right vision and seeking wisdom. The idea is that we need to make the shift from being consumers to being stewards.

If you’ve been coming to Victory for a while, you know that one of our core values has always been to steward the money that we receive in such a way that we can give outside this church to make a difference in the world.

It’s clear in Jesus’ teachings on money that He wants us to capture the essence of having a giving heart. I realize we all come from different backgrounds concerning money, and much of our thinking has been formed by our circumstances. However, at some point, when one decides to become a true Christian, one of the greatest signs is in the area of giving. So. as a means of encouragement, and to help anyone who is struggling in this area, I want to share from my heart seven reasons Why I Give:

1. I give because I want to demonstrate a THANKFUL HEART to God at all times. When I began to study the Bible, I noticed how the Israelites were constantly forgetting what God had done for them; turning to idols because of ungrateful hearts. From this, I realized that my heart is affected by what I do with money!
2. I give because I want to demonstrate a FULL SURRENDER to the God I serve. I’ve made my decision, I want to give full control to Christ.
3. I give because I made a COVENANT with God and the people of this LOCAL CHURCH. I learned a long time ago that God functions with a covenant mentality. Rather than be a covenant breaker, I decided to live with a covenant mentality; and this is true in marriage, serving. giving, etc.
4. I give in order to POSITION myself for God’s BLESSINGS AND PROTECTION. I’m very mindful of the promise of scripture. Read Malachi 3:8-10. Regardless of how tough times may get, I’m fully convinced that as long as I remain faithful to God in giving, He will take care of me – and not just financially, but also in health, protection, favor, etc.
5. I give because I really believe in the VISION of our CHURCH. From time to time, Colleen and I will ride past the daycare where we first met as a church and reflect. I love the fact that:
   • We are doing things to bless the community (Norcross Co-Op, transitional housing, paying people’s bills, etc.)
   • Marriages heading for divorce get turned around
   • People are set free from drugs, alcohol and depression
   • People with serious illnesses are healed
   • Young people are inspired to live for God
   • Entire families are transformed
   • Over 100 nations gather every week
   • New churches are planted
   • We support missions projects all over the world
   • Every week something is happening with the money I give that makes a difference in eternity!
6. I give because I want to be an EXAMPLE to my CHILD. Over the years, my daughter Lauren has been able to share in our giving model.
7. I give so that someday I will hear the COMMENDATION of the one I love: “WELL DONE!” I’ve had to sort out over my life what I’m living for.

If you’re one who already tithes and gives faithfully, I congratulate you. You’re operating under the blessing and promises of God. If you’re someone who has struggled in this area, let me challenge you to put your full trust in God and put him to the test in this, even as he has invited us to do. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Listen to or watch this message online here.

The proof was in the pudding on a recent Friday night when close to 200 married couples came out to fellowship and spend time with their spouses at Married Couples Date Night, hosted by Family Ministries and emceed by Pastor Randal McNeill. The V-3 building was transformed into a movie theater and the doors could barely swing open before people started to rush in. Talk about being excited, the married couples took it to another level, for it was their night. What movie wouldn’t be complete without the right fixin’s to snack on; there was a concession area that included pizza, popcorn, sodas and candy…at a reasonable price (significantly less that what you’d usually pay at the theater).

Among the attendees were David and Margaret Brown from Richmond, VA. They have two boys, ages one and three. Ms. Brown said that the boys are very active, so she and David don’t get a lot of time to spend together. “We are thrilled to have this opportunity to spend some quiet time together. It’s hard for married couples with young children to have a date night because often we don’t have childcare. When we heard the announcement about Date Night, we jumped at the opportunity.”

After the couples were settled in, the lights were dimmed and the movie – No Greater Love – began to play. A lot of the couples said they needed to see this movie, which centered on the separation of a husband and wife, who later reunited after ten years of being apart. The father raised his son alone and had met another young lady. After spending much time with her, he was contemplating on asking her to marry him. But as fate would have it, he sees his wife at a Christian summer camp where his son was attending. That’s when God did something magnificent. He brought the two of them back together towards the end of the movie, but not without some controversy. They were able to work things out and reconcile their differences.

This situation was all too familiar for Betsy and Jarvis Mejias. Their marriage was nearly over. According to Betsy, it was Jarvis’ fault for the break up, and he agreed. But after attending the Matrimonio Para Siempre (Married Forever in Spanish) class led by facilitators Pete and Gladys Torres, their marriage was fully restored, and they are now enjoying their brand new baby girl, Esther!

The focus of the movie centered on reconciliation. God is constantly reconciling us back to him and each other. It’s up to us to recognize the recurring theme of reconciliation in our lives. In closing, Family Ministries Pastor Randal McNeill offered prayer for those who needed to be reconciled back to God. It was a poignant moment when several couples stood together, hand in hand…restoring their commitment back to HIM!

Be on the lookout for our next married couples date night – Jazz on the Lake – later this fall. In the meantime, if you’re married or thinking about it, you may want to consider taking one of our Fall 2010 Marriage or Premarital classes, which begin next week, and for which registration ends this weekend (August 29th). Click here for more info.

Hey! Has God done something amazing in or through your life here at Victory? If so, please Share Your Story here!

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of welcoming Pastor Jeff Hidden from Victory North in Kennesaw to speak in our services. His message was dynamic, encouraging and empowering, and challenged us all to make a switch in the way we think about money from the world’s way of thinking to Kingdom Thinking. If you were there, you know what I’m talking about when I say that he took us through a major paradigm shift from anxiety to hope. If you missed it (or even if you didn’t), and you want to be encouraged and learn how to experience God’s provision, you should listen to or watch this message online today! For now, here are a few of the key things Jeff said to whet your appetite:

Read Matthew 6:31-33

There’s a world’s way of thinking about things – it’s all about going after more things, more money. God says, instead, to think about going after his kingdom first and his righteousness – then all you need will be given taken care of.

We don’t seek God in order to get the things. Rather, we seek his way of doing things, which means we will renew our minds, and begin making new decisions based on God’s kingdom. If we want to live long and prosper in kingdom success, we have to think and operate within the kingdom way of doing things. To the degree we have kingdom thinking we will have God’s kind of Kingdom success. We’ve got to start thinking different.

God wants to give us wisdom in order for us to walk in His provision and success.

If God provides wisdom and the power to obtain wealth and have good success, why do we pray for the money, or the job, or other things?

God provides for us as we grow in the wisdom and power he gives us.

We should be praying for wisdom, not the treasure.

God is not going to cancel our debts; he’s going to give us the wisdom and ability to cancel our own debt. We get into debt by not acting wisely…we get out of debt by acting wisely.

The key to living in God’s provision is listening to Jesus and following His wisdom.

The teachers, staff and support team of Victory Children’s Ministry are an Amazing group of people!! Each week we drop off our child or children to their classes, and we know they’re in good hands. Well, behind the scenes, much more than what we see takes place. That’s where the Blitz Conferences come into play. And we’ve got another one coming up at the end of this month. To give you an idea of what these conferences are like, here’s a look at the last one, held earlier this year:

As we entered the V3 auditorium we were cheerfully greeted and invited to have some breakfast. With a football theme, there were jerseys, helmets, shoulder pads and a referee. Everything we needed to get the game started off right, although no equipment was necessary for the women vs. men football toss. As the hula hoops hung down over the stage the challenge was to throw the football through the hula hoop without hitting or knocking it down. Congratulations to the football toss finalists, Lana Soviravong and Keith Hall.

Pastor Colleen, who could not be present due to a conference in Nicaragua, pre-recorded a message emphasizing the value and importance of the children’s ministry. “These children are our mighty warriors and we must make the connection now. They are the church of the right now.” She also expressed that just as a football player must understand the importance of their position on the field, it’s vital that each member of the children’s ministry understand they too have a valuable role. It’s not just one person that wins the game; rather, it takes a team effort to achieve a victory.

Instant Replay

Family Ministries Pastor Randal McNeill, our referee for the day, enlightened us on how his Sunday School teacher impacted his life, and how we must impact the lives of Victory’s mighty warriors. Referencing Genesis 26, he encouraged each person to keep on digging, regardless of his or her situation or past experiences. When we encounter opposition and strife, keep digging! Our children are depending on us. God wants us to open up new wells for ourselves, as well as our children. So keep digging!

After a brief huddle/review of the schedule, the teams broke for their assigned classes. I briefly observed each class while they were in process. I was so excited for the children that attend these classes weekly. Their teachers were learning how to interact with them in ways that are sure to impact their lives, from the nursery to elementary. Wow!!

Our Children’s Ministry leaders and teachers are incredibly dedicated. They desire to make a difference in our children’s lives. They want to ensure our children are well equipped with the knowledge it will take to have a personal relationship with Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is so important for us parents to make sure our children go to their classes so they can continue to grow in Christ, just as we grow in Christ.

After the class sessions, we all met back in the V3 Auditorium for the drawing for a 37″ flat screen television. Congratulations to the winner Myrtle McIntyre. Other prizes were given out as we played the “how well were you listening” game). After all the excitement calmed down, Pastor Olin Holly opened up the floor for comments. He then closed us out in prayer.

As we were dismissed, all I could think of was Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old he will not depart from it.” (NKJV) Exactly what the scripture states is what Victory’s Children’s Ministry is all about! Teaching the Word of God, making an impact and developing leaders by making the connection now!! ~ Renee J.

If you’ve ever given thought to helping out with Children’s Ministry, this is a great way to get started. In fact, we invite you to join us for our next Blitz Conference titled, Blueprint: Wisdom Builds the House on Saturday, August 28th, 9am-3pm. Click hear to find out more.

If you missed the announcement, we’ve dedicated a page on our website to answering your questions and providing some background.

Visit the Victory @ Hamilton Mill page.

Currently we have 1,200 families who attend Victory and live in the Hamilton Mill area and the existing facilities are not equipped to handle that kind of a crowd. This is why Victory @ Hamilton Mill will be our iCare focus for the months of August and September.

Below are some of the immediate financial needs:

• Building out of basement to accommodate the elementary aged children, this includes installation of a stairwell and elevator for handicap access
• Remodel of current Newborn – K children’s space. The current space is small and includes outside modular buildings. We will be remodeling to move all Children’s Ministry inside the building and removing the modulars from the property. This will include transforming current office space into children’s ministry rooms so that we have more room to care for our precious kids.
• General upkeep and needed maintenance on the buildings and property. We need to do some painting, repair and general upkeep to the grounds and buildings to keep the property in good condition.
• Installation of new signage around the property to identify it as Victory @ Hamilton Mill and to provide better directional assistance to those visiting the campus for weekend services.

Additionally, we believing that within a year we will have the current debt on the property paid off – about $993K is owed on the existing property which is valued at $2.6M.

God has truly blessed us with these new facilities and our new family at Hamilton Mill. Thank you for always giving generously to iCare and for praying along with us as we launch into this new phase Kingdom growth.

To give to iCare online, click HERE.

There’s a lot of uncertainty in the future, but with God, there’s a real certainty. We really have to learn to trust God completely with every area of our lives, especially our finances. Granted, with everything that’s going on, it’s not the easiest thing to do these days. For most of us, our culture and our circumstances are screaming for us to take matters into our own hands and try to take care of ourselves and our future. In our society, that means getting more stuff. Everywhere we look, we get the message of the world’s materialism.

Yet, Jesus taught us not to let our lives be consumed with getting more stuff or storing up earthly treasures, but rather, to work toward storing up treasure in Heaven. (Read Matthew 6:19-24) This teaching is the very centerpiece of Jesus’ most famous and important teaching, called The Sermon on the Mount.

It’s interesting that right in the middle of teaching about money, Jesus starts talking about our eyes, or in other words, our vision. Some have been confused by this seemingly out of place interjection of an entirely different subject, but the truth is that Jesus never stopped talking about money. You see, vision is such an important part of understanding how to handle your finances. Our entire life is affected by our vision – how we see the future, our treasures, our family, our job, etc.

Many of us, especially when we’re young, tend to get distracted by seeking after more money…then we get off onto the wrong track, not God’s track for our lives, and it brings a lot of hardship and pain. So many people are struggling along the wrong path because they don’t know that God has a path for them – and they stay in the dark for the rest of their lives.

God wants to care for us, to provide for all our needs, to give us everything we need to fulfill the purpose for which he created us. God wants us to get out of the cycle of poverty and debt – and to the place where you don’t have to have the help of others, but are able to help others. We have to get to the place of vision. God never intended for us to pursue money.

So, how do we get from the place of always pursuing money to where money is always there when we need it? We need to understand these three principles of living by a vision from God:

1. The Principle of First – We have to make the shift from earning a living to receiving a living. In God’s economy, if we put him first in everything we do, HE WILL take care of us! That means in EVERY area – in our relationships, in our time and in our finances.
2. The Principle of Goals – The reason a lot of people never succeed in life is because they have no goals. If we have no goals, we’ll surely hit them. Just remember, success is not measured by what we have, but by the goals we achieve.
3. The Principle of Focus – Once we start down the path of giving and getting debt free, it is so important that we stay focused in order to stay on target.

Want to learn more about living by this Vision? Listen to or watch the message I gave this past weekend here.

At Victory, we strive to minister to ALL of your needs because every aspect of your life should reflect the character of Christ. As believers, it is important for us to make sure that we are good stewards over everything God has blessed us with, including our finances, gifts and talents. So, each fall and spring, we offer various classes to equip you with the biblical principles of good stewardship, providing an excellent foundation for you to build upon. Financial Peace University (FPU) is one of the most sought after and successful classes we offer. Here are what two of our FPU graduates have to say:

I decided to enroll in FPU at Victory after I was promoted in 2009. I have always been very money-minded and am often asked to give advice to friends and family about how to handle money. With my promotion, I received a $15,000 salary increase, yet was still BURIED IN DEBT! I always had the idea that it was safer to make purchases with credit cards, yet I was not diligent enough to pay them off. Once the balances got high, I would use them for everyday purchases so I would be able to make the minimum payments. The FPU class gave me the courage to…(continued online at vwcblogs.com) let go of the plastic and put my faith in God regarding our finances. My husband and I also began to tithe faithfully while attending the FPU class. We quickly built our $1,000 emergency fund and hope to finish Baby Step 2 by the end of 2011. Thanks, Victory and FPU, for helping my family down the path to be debt free! ~ Melissa K.

As I attended the FPU course at Victory, I was excited about implementing the steps as outlined in the class. After I created my very first allocated spending plan, I tried my best follow it exactly as outlined. Well, I had to have maintenance done on my vehicle. I had allocated $25.41 for auto maintenance. Since I only needed an oil change, I knew that I would be able to stay in budget. I received a coupon in the mail from my dealer for a $19.99 oil change. So I took my car in and mentioned that I noticed that oil had been leaking when I parked. They said that they would take a look at that issue. Well, when they called me to check out, they told me that the screw in my oil pan was stripped and that they went ahead and replaced it. In my head I started to panic and thought, “How much is this going to cost?!”, “I won’t have enough money to pay the bill!”! When I got to the cashier’s window and told her my name, she said that my total was $25.41. I started to laugh. She asked if I was okay. I told her that I was going through the FPU class and that I had allocated EXACTLY $25.41 for my car maintenance. It was just confirmation that I should have complete trust God and of how much He loves me. ~ Tanya T.

Hey! What’s God been doing in or through your life at Victory? Please share your story here.

Also, more info about this and all our classes is available here.

Of all the subjects to talk about in church that make people get all tightened up inside, money has got to be at the top. But, God has quite a bit to say about it in the Bible. In fact, it’s one of the most frequently mentioned topics. So, for the next few weeks, I want to talk about money, not from the world’s view, but from God’s, that is, from the viewpoint of stewardship.

We live in an incredibly materialistic culture. Our economy is steeped in a cycle of fear, worry, greed, spending, debt, wanting, envy and selfishness…anything but the peace God has offered us. Clearly, something is wrong with the world’s economy that we’ve been operating under. As we read the Bible, we find that God has an economy that’s altogether different from the world’s economy. His economy is based on trust…trust in him and his word…that what he says he will do is what we will do. But learning to trust God completely is one of the biggest challenges we face. It goes against our culture, and it goes against our old sinful nature. God wants to bless us and provide for us, but we’ve got to make a value shift from the materialism of the world’s economy to the faith and trust of God’s.

You’ll know if you’ve made this value shift when:

1. You shift from worry to peace. Although we typically struggle a lot with peace during hard economic times, God never intended for us to worry over finances. The bottom line is that we worry way too much. When we worry, we’re practicing atheism. We need to get to the place where we trust him, believing that He’ll take care of us and our family. We put too much stock in our own human abilities to provide for ourselves rather than trusting God to do it. God wants us to trust him. The Lord is our provider. He will provide for you! God can bring water out of rocks, bread out of heaven, IF we just stop worrying and trust him.
2. You shift from wanting more to contentment. We need to simplify our lives more than we do. We don’t need everything, the latest, the best, etc. We need to stop believing the blaring messages of our culture that tell us what we “have to have” and that we need more, more, more, and we need it yesterday. We must learn to be content, trusting that God will give us good gifts and everything we need.
3. You shift from selfishness to generosity. A person under control of money has no joy in giving. In America today, the biggest givers by percentage are those who make the least. If you read the New Testament carefully, you’ll see that every time Jesus addresses rich people, it’s with a warning or a challenge – not because he disapproved of wealth, but because wealth can be a huge stumbling block to trusting God. It’s not the amount of money you give, but rather, the percentage. It’s all about sacrifice. King David said he would never give anything to God that didn’t cost him something.

Listen to or watch the message on this topic online here.

Enter the main sanctuary of Victory World Church and take a look around. On the walls you will notice four large pictures, each with a statement: Reconciling Cultures, Building Families, Transforming Community and Impacting the World. Those statements are Victory’s pillars and on Saturday, July 10th members of the Victory World Church family brought the pillar of Transforming Community to the Alcovy Springs Subdivision in Lawrenceville.

When most people think about transforming a community they imagine a poor neighborhood in the inner-city or a desolate village in Africa, so I was more than a little surprised as I turned into what appeared to be a very nice, middle-class neighborhood. “This is where we’re serving?” I asked myself as I navigated the sidewalk-lined streets and waved as I passed several teams of people wearing blue tee-shirts proclaiming “This is What Community Looks Like” and bravely battling the 95º+ heat as they cut lawns, painted mailbox posts and trimmed hedges.

As I climbed out of the air-conditioned comfort of my car, and was nearly knocked down from the intense heat, I was convinced that the extreme heat was causing me to hallucinate. I checked my directions and confirmed that I was indeed in the right place so I headed off to find the organizers of the event. I quickly caught up with our V•Groups Pastor and newly-elected Alcovy Springs Homeowner’s Association President, Rich Mace, as well as Missions Pastor Dennis Russell.

As we walked through the neighborhood, Pastor Rich explained that he and Pastor Dennis Russell had wanted to organize a family-friendly outreach that focused on the pillar of Transforming Community. Pastor Rich explained “We often focus on the needs of the poor, but there are many people living in middle-class neighborhoods that are suffering and many do not know the Lord.” It was this revelation that led him to propose the idea of a community outreach to the Alcovy Springs Homeowners Association, and within five weeks, he was given the go ahead.

“The community has responded well” he commented. “They are seeing the blessing and coming out. The idea is to pay it forward. Hopefully they will go out and do this in another neighborhood.” Pastor Dennis Russell further explained, “This is a model. A lot of our outreach focuses on the poor and the homeless. We wanted a way to minister to the middle-class and bring Jesus to them as well.” He continued, “It allows us to connect and build relationships. It is a spiritual connection and brings healing and restoration.” Pastor Dennis Russell added that it will take a few months to see the impact, but the mid-term effect will be in how well the homeowners maintain their homes and community.

Karri Street, an Alcovy Springs resident came out with her children, Victoria 11 and Kyle 9, to participate. “I think this is a great idea. It’s nice to have a lot of people chipping in. Every neighborhood needs this. I hope this fosters community spirit.”

Peter Dawkins, a Victory World Church member for almost 4 years, brought his small group out to help. His wife, Lorna, shared how a homeowner had approached her team with tears in his eyes and stated that this outreach was “huge” and should be taken world-wide. Like Carol Holcomb, many volunteers were moved by the reaction of the homeowners as they realized the impact their effort was having.

After all the hard work, volunteers and community joined together for a cook-out complete with music and games. While cooling down and enjoying the food and festivities, Victory World Church members Carrie and Robert Raboud explained their reason for volunteering. “We have been asking the Lord for ways we could serve” said Carrie “and the Lord has been giving us opportunities.” While unsuccessful in getting daughter Izabella to participate in the Hokey-Pokey, they both agreed the experience had been great.

Finally, in response, neighborhood resident Mike Vincent wrote the following:

Thank you for your parish’s time and service. The day of service/volunteer work you provided our subdivision was amazing. Since the birth of my first child, I haven’t been able to do all the things I would like to maintain my home. I am still trying to find a good work/life balance with the new one.

Your help a couple of weeks ago served as a reinforcement that good people do exist and that teamwork always win. I hope this act of kindness brings our neighborhood together like I know it will.

Once again thank you for the time and generosity. We hope as a community we will be able to return the favor.

Well done, Victory! This is another great example of your commitment to being the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone around us and around the world!  (by Karla E. – VWC Press)

Hey! What’s God been doing in or through your life at Victory? Please share your story here.