First Baptist Church

208 South Church Street
Thomaston, Georgia 30286

Office (706) 647-7889
Fax    (706) 646-4595
Location:

West Lee At Church Street

Email:  faith@fbcthomaston.org

Regular Worship Services

 Sundays:
8:30 and 10:55 am
6:00 pm

Wednesdays:
5:30 pm Fellowship Meal
6:30 pm Refuge (Students)
6:30 pm Bible Study
6:30 pm Boys on Mission, GA's, Mission Friends

Sunday School
9:40 am

Global Focus Mission Teams

Our Jerusalem = Upson County

Our Judea = Georgia

Our Samaria = USA

Our Ends of the Earth = Every where else

"...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth." Acts 1:8

Whether it be Local, National or
International, you have a place
of service with one of the Global Focus Mission Teams.

Global Focus

The "On Mission" Commission Church by Ann McDaniel

It all started over two thousand year ago, with one person and eleven followers, then twelve.  Jesus ministered primarily by his teaching and preaching of the gospel, urging men to repent and come to him to find rest. He commissioned the twelve to "witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the Earth." The task being so difficult and terrifying, Jesus, as a master strategist, trained them to be with him so that eventually they might be well equipped to go out to preach also.  And, in Acts 4 we are told "that the number of believers now reached a new high of about 5,000 men."

The Great Commission is a personal calling to step out in faith and spread the Gospel.  It is faith in action!  Christians who obey this command enrich their own spiritual lives forever.  It could be spreading the Gospel to a neighbor next door, a friend at work, or moving to another country to reach people who are lost.  It could be sharing with less fortunate people across town or spreading the Word in a town an hour away.  Wherever we go, we are compelled through obedience to share the Gospel.

Our journey with Global Focus will enhance existing programs, create new ministries, utilize the uniqueness of each member's gifts, and coordinate the efforts of each activity to maximize the spreading of the Gospel.  The Southern Baptist Convention has joined in partnership with Global Focus to strengthen and empower its churches in missions.

The Acts 1:8 challenge is an opportunity for First Baptist Church to commit to a comprehensive mission strategy in our community (Jerusalem), State (Judea), Continent (Samaria) and the world (Ends of the Earth).  To  "witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the Earth" is God's call to each of us.  Revolutionary action is necessary for us to meet this challenge.

Global Focus stresses mobilization as a process of spiritual transformation that ultimately begins with Biblical truths that we accept in our heart as believers, a philosophy of life and ministry that we believe with out intellect and implementation that we accomplish with out actions. 

Global Focus defines personalization as, "The process of helping believers discover their role and fulfill their purpose in God's global kingdom by using their gifts, abilities, and resources to advance God's global cause, which is gathering worshippers unto Himself. 

We look around us and see so many people with various talents and abilities but never really think about how these gifts can be unified for a strategic purpose.  What God makes us to be determines what he intends us to do.  The key to knowing God's will for our lives is to understand the purpose for which we were created.  This is the personalization evaluation that will help us be successful in meshing our many gifts as a congregation to fulfill Acts 8:1, Jesus' last recorded words to the church.  The mission is unique, purposeful, and urgent. 

As a believer in Jesus Christ, where has he called you to go?  Who has God put in your heart to share the gift of salvation?  What small or large steps can you take, with the knowledge that Christ will be by you side, to "witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Ends of the Earth" ?

Note:  Information used to write this article was taken from Global Focus resource manuals and literature with update edits from the original article written by Ann in July of 2007.

 Global Focus 2008-2009

In March 2007, a group of 13 church members attended a Global Focus conference in Conyers. That group came away with a unanimous feeling that this was something our Lord was leading our church to implement. In August 2007, we had our own Global Focus Local Church Seminar where more of this strategy was introduced to our entire church family. Well over 200 church members attended. In September 2007, First Baptist Church began a Mentoring/Coaching process with Global Focus. The purpose being to glorify God by equipping FBCT to mobilize its personnel, prayer and financial resources and develop a corporate strategy that will give every church member the opportunity to discover their role and fulfill their purpose in God’s global kingdom.

Global Outreach Plan (GOP)

2010-2011

Global outreach Plan (GOP)

2010-2011

Jerusalem 

FBC Multi Media

Heritage Family Resource Center

Boy Scouts

New Life Church

Centennial Association

House of Care

Antioch Baptist rebuild

Community Care Thrift Store

Pass the Salt 

Judea 

Disaster Relief-Georgia Baptist

Christian Women's Center-Griffin

GA. Baptist Children’s Home-Meansville

Vision Atlanta-Roberta

MedShare-Atlanta

Clarkston International Bible Church

SAMARIA—2010

New Orleans, Louisiana…Cross Roads/Desire Street Ministries

April 18-24

Ryan Garrett--Team Leader

Approximately $250pp

Ongoing projects include the renovation of homes that were damaged

by Katrina and other hurricanes since the assistance to inner city ministries

and church plants in fulfilling their goals of outreach, street cleaning, and

outreach events targeting youth and children.

Baltimore, Maryland…Lansdowne Baptist Church

July 17-24

Dannie Smith--Team Leader…

approximately $250pp

There will be a variety of ministry opportunities including assisting with a

Sports Camp and Bible Clubs during the day at Cedar Terrace, an

apartment community near the church.  In the evenings we will assist the

church with VBS.

Lynch, Kentucky…Meridzo Center Ministries

October 10-16…?????--Team Leader

approximately        $200pp

Solomon’s Porch, Shekinah Village, The Stables at Creekside Glen,

Community Christian Center

Spartanburg, South Carolina

GracePointe Ministries

September 12-18

Chad and Terri Rosborough- Team Leaders

approximately $200pp

Work with a Soup Kitchen, Homeless Ministry, programs

for Troubled Youth, and other diverse and active ministries in Spartanburg.

SAMARIA—2011

Lynch, Kentucky…Meridzo Center Ministries

April 17-23 and June 26-July 2 or July 3-9

Seattle, Washington…Lifepointe Community Church…Costs and Dates TBA

New Orleans, Louisiana…Cross Roads/Desire Street Ministries,October (Fall Break)

Spartanburg, South Carolina…GracePointe Ministries…Dates TBA

Two additional probable…Details TBA

Ndola, Zambia...Jubilee Centre…May 28-June 11…Keith and Vicki Huckaby—Team Leaders…
approximately $3500…Medical missions and local community
projects/ministries through a local church. Passport required.
Minimum age if not accompanied by a parent is 15 years of age.
Missionary: Lawrence and Martha Temfwe

Toronto, Canada…Canadian National Baptist Convention/Toronto Church Planting…July 16-24…
?????-- Team Leader…approximately $1400
Toronto is now an immigrant city, having more than 50% of its residents
born outside of Canada. It was named by the UN as being the most
multicultural city on earth. Working with a church plant doing Sports
Camps, Block Parties, Food Drives, Home/Apartment Maintenance, Cleaning Parks/Roadways, Drama, Jesus Video Distribution,
Prayer Walking/Driving, and Children/Youth Ministries
Missionary: Dan Collison, MSC, North American Mission Board (NAMB)

Belize City, Belize…International Sports Outreach
October 8-16…
Mark Matson—Team Leader
approximately $1700
International Sports Outreach is a Christ centered, volunteer organization.
This organization uses men’s and women’s God given athletic abilities
to spread the Gospel of Christ throughout local communities and abroad.
Our goal is to train and equip athletes with the knowledge and skills to
use their ordinary, or extraordinary athletic abilities as a tool to open the
door to share the Gospel of Christ to the world.
Missionary: Mark Tatko, President of ISO



PERSONALIZATION 2010
Round 6: March 14, 21, 28, April 11
Round 7: August 8, 15, 22, 29, September 5