THANK YOU EMILY!!!!!!

Just in case you missed this morning at the 11:30 service we said thank you to Emily Kelly for over 4 years of faithful service as our college women's ministry director. Emily and Mark and Jake will be leaving in July to move to Texas where Mark has a job at Baylor University.

Emily has been an amazing gift to our church and to me personally as she has helped take our ministry to college students to an exceptional level. I have known Emily since she was a middle-schooler (in fact she was leading bible studies as a middle schooler). I wanted to post this for all the world to see just how much Emily has done for the Kingdom in her time here.

* She started as an intern in Summer of 2011.
* Came on staff part-time, creating the position of College Women's Director during the Spring of 2012.
* First girls' D-team started in the Fall of 2011 with 4 girls - 3 of the 4 went on to start their own groups.
* D-teams grew over the next several years, with most groups being lead by girls from existing D-teams.
* This past year (2014-2015) there were 18 girls' D-teams with over 100 girls in those groups
* Emily personally led 1 or 2 D-teams every year.
* Led Spring and Fall college girls' retreats.
* Helped start a Ladies Night in 2011 a weekly gathering for girls to hang out and listen to the testimonies of older women in the church.
* Emily met with 5 or 6 girls per year for 1-on-1 discipleship.
* She helped lead The Great Exchange on several campuses (especially UGA), including two trips to Alabama.
* Met with or called college aged girls who wanted to be baptized.
* Spent the Summers of 2012 and 2013 at Freshman orientation (Had Jake in 2014, otherwise she would've been there again in 2014).
* Co-led/hosted a Family Group
* Led 3 Precept studies for the girls.
* Personally counseled countless college girls with major decisions.

Emily has been like a right arm to me and she will be greatly missed. As we learned today through the life of Paul though God has a perfect plan to carry his gospel to the nations and his plans will not fail. While we weep tears of joy for what God has done in giving us this great grace gift of Emily we also look forward with anticipation to God doing even greater things through our Emily!

WE LOVE YOU- THANKS!

Top 10 Books

As a college pastor I'm often asked what books have been the most influential in my life.  This is a reasonable question but a very difficult one to answer because I read a lot.  But in an effort to give the people what they want, I sat down at Jittery Joe's this morning and wrote down the 10 books that came to mind. Interestingly, I've read all of these more than once (a pretty good sign that it has had an impact).  Anyway, in no particular order, here they are: 

Where the Red Fern Grows - by Wilson Rawls

This book made me fall in love with reading.  If you have a son and you want him to read, give him this book.  But be warned he will also beg you to buy him two dogs as well.

Desiring God - by John Piper

 

No other book has had such a profound influence on my life.  This book changed the way I thought about God and the world.  Every sermon I preach or conversation I have about life is shaped by the ideas in this book.  "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." 

The Old Man and the Sea - by Ernest Hemingway

This story is so hauntingly beautiful and speaks to the very nature of masculinity.  Power, courage, humility, triumph and devastating loss converge in one simple character and his battle with a fish. 

A Good Man is Hard to Find (and other stories) - by Flannery O'Connor

 

 I think O'Connor is the unmatched master of the short story.  Her characters are soaked in the religious overtones of the south and are always a mixture of creepy, lovely, and insane desperately searching for glimpses of redemption.  Her stories are like the train wreck you can't look away from. 

The Holiness of God - by R.C. Sproul

I love this book because Sproul takes a very difficult subject (one we usually ignore in the Western church) and makes it very accessible.  His use of story and illustrations also make it clear that God is the greatest story-teller every and the theme is his holiness. 

The Chronicles of Narnia - by C.S. Lewis

  

Yes, I know it's more than one book! But if you've only read one of these or only "seen the movies" then you don't really know the story.  The definitive allegory of Christianity! 

The Prodigal God - by Tim Keller

 

What Piper did for my understanding of God's glory, Keller did for my understanding of God's grace.  In my estimation this is probably the most important book written in the past 10 years.  If you haven't read it you should. 

The Raggamuffin Gospel - by Brennan Manning

 

All you need to know about this book is that Brennan Manning writes like Rich Mullins sings.  Every time I read this I'm reminded of how kind God is and how glorious his love of "ragamuffins" like me is. Oh, and you will cry I promise.  

Pilgrim's Progress - by John Bunyan

 

Spurgeon once said you could illustrate every sermon from this book and he's probably right.  I actually read this book every year during the Christmas break and the characters and the story never get old. 
From one pilgrim to another, do yourself a favor and read this.  

Knowing God - by J. I. Packer

The first time I read this I realized that I only knew "about" God; I didn't "know" Him.  Chapter 4 (The Only True God) is worth the price of the book.  This is one you could read every year.

Winter Retreat 2015

Hey gang-

Here's some info about this years winter retreat and why you should come.

The Retreat is "the place" to get connected with other students at Watkinsville.  We realize that it can be difficult in the course of a normal Sunday to get to know a lot of people and genuinely feel connected to and be in community.  We design The Retreat with that in mind and build in a lot of time for you to meet new people and hang out with our leaders in a setting where you're not rushed to move from one thing to the next.

The Retreat is on a holiday weekend.  We always do the retreat on MLK weekend which this year is January 16-17.  We go from Friday night through Sunday around lunch so you get back in time to do any studying you need to do. 

The Retreat is close.  We will be staying at High Harbor Camp on beautiful Lake Burton.  We will have the entire camp to ourselves.  Click here to check it out.

The Retreat is inexpensive.  For just $125.00 you get to hang out with some of the coolest kids on the planet.  The $125 also gets all the meals plus you all the junk food you can eat (and healthy food if you're into that).  There will be literally gallons of Jittery Joes coffee.  And of course included in the cost is the fabulous t-shirt designed by our very own artist in residence Chelsea Jay (she's the coolest).  

The Retreat will have great bible centered teaching from Mark McAndrew and Graham Sibley.  This year our theme will be "Jesus in the Old Testament".  In addition to the usual amazing bible teaching.  Will Parker (worship ministry intern and all around great guy) will be leading worship for us during the weekend.  

Seriously, if you only do one thing with Watty College this year we think it should be The Retreat. If you really want to go but just don't think you can come up with $125 or you can only cover part of the cost let Vic know and we can find you a scholarship. If you have any other questions please contact Vic.  706-202-1764 or vic@watkinsville.org

It's super easy to sing up- just click here and you can reserve your spot. 

Vic