A N N U A L R E P O R T

2013-2014

GOD’S PURPOSE FOR A CHURCH STARTS WITH DISCIPLESHIP BECAUSE THE

CHURCH IS A PEOPLE, NOT A PLACE. THE CHURCH IS A FAMILY OF DISCIPLES.

Discipleship is the heartbeat of Fellowship. God calls us to be disciples so that we can spread His grace and love. Discipleship means connecting to God and others. Fellowship believes that through meaningful connections, disciples are made. Disciples understand the world’s need for God and respond by serving the world locally and globally. The church’s purpose is to reach others, and the only way to accomplish that is through Discipleship. God’s purpose for a church starts with discipleship because the church is a people, not a place. The church is a family of disciples. It has been exciting to see how God has brought us to focus on our mission as a church, to make disciples. Here at Fellowship, we have many ways to get connected and share life with others. One of those ways is through Renew.

ReNew is beginning its second year and God’s grace and glory is evident in so many lives. Through worship, teaching and Discipleship Groups, we have seen God’s grace meet people in their need and the response has been salvations, comfort, healing, equipping, care and life. We cannot wait to see what God will do this year as we continue to encounter His grace in our need. *Represents All Three Campuses

NUMBER OF BAPTISMS*

127ACTIVE IN D GROUPS*

2,905ACTIVE IN SERVING*

1,618

DISCIPLESHIP

The story God has created is so much greater than us because we are now privileged to walk with others that find their marriage in a place beyond repair.

MARRIAGE, MIRACLES &A MERCIFUL GODFour years go our marriage was over.

The idolatry of ourselves led our marriage to destruction. It was only then did we realize our clear need for God and were able to recognize and embrace His power. God worked through His word and through men and women who were faithful to the call of discipleship to guide us back first to Christ and then to our broken marriage. These people were willing to jump into the middle of our messy lives and love us as they shared God’s love, grace and mercy.

As the Bible says, “God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.” We firmly believe this as we have watched Him heal a marriage out of brokenness and into a story that only God could ever write. Our marriage has been restored and because of it, our children will be raised in a home with two faithful parents. The story God has created is so much greater than us because we are now privileged to walk with others that find their marriage in a place beyond repair.

Natalie and I are both actively involved in ReNew on Tuesday night and humbly get to watch miracles when a husband and wife find their affection in God before each other. Discipleship happens when Christians are able to share the broken parts of their lives and grow together as Christ continuously shows His love and grace.

By Clay & Natalie Freeman, ReNew Leaders

DISCIPLESHIP

God Story

Discipleship Strategy

CORE

DiscipleshipIn Depth

CONNECT

DiscipleshipIn Life

CARE

DiscipleshipIn Need

Discipleship Groups

D GROUPS

D GATHERINGS

D RESOURCES

Our goal at Fellowship is to not just be a church in the community but for the community.

A CHURCH FOR THE COMMUNITYChrist’s command to make disciples has formed our mission statement at Fellowship. We are called to not only make disciples at home but also in the community. Our goal at Fellowship is to not just be a church in the community but for the community. Last year we hosted a Fall Festival at Chapel Ridge Apartments here in Benton. Since then, God has opened doors to allow us to further bless these kids and families at Chapel Ridge by getting the opportunity to host Epic After School Program as well as family dinners.

Since the start of Epic in February, we have been helping students with subjects like reading and math, but also use our weekly time to create purposeful relationships with them, showing them the love and Gospel of Christ. Our volunteers have been taking the students on a journey from the Old Testament to the New Testament to show the story of the Gospel. Through the stories we show them how we all need to be rescued by God’s grace. God has provided many opportunities for our volunteers to lead discussions about how Jesus is our rescue and our hope. Last spring we had four kids respond to the Gospel and place their trust in Jesus.

We cannot wait to see what doors God will open as we continue spending time with these children. We fully believe that He will continue to do great things for His glory this school year. Please be in prayer as the students are discipled and as our volunteers continue to minister to them and their families.

By Cody Calhoun, Benton Campus Pastor

DISCIPLESHIP

God Story

AS THE BIBLE SAYS,

“GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW.”

WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS AS WE HAVE WATCHED HIM HEAL A MARRIAGE OUT OF BROKENNESS AND INTO A STORY THAT

ONLY GOD COULD EVER WRITE.-CLAY & NATALIE FREEMAN

Fellowship Missions exists to lead and equip members of Fellowship to go beyond the walls of the church and to make disciples among the lost. We do this by providing both local and global training and experiences for D Groups and individuals in four ways:

PRAY Exposing opportunities to pray for the lost & impoverishedGO Developing strategic partnerships & helping people get involvedDISCIPLE Creating opportunities for our people to disciple & be discipledGIVE Investing our assets in strategic Kingdom causes

Through our partnership with Fellowship Associates, nine new churches were started this year in locations as close as Franklin, Tennessee and as far away as East Asia. It is a tremendous blessing to partner with gospel-centered, emerging church leaders who identify with Fellowship’s approach to ministry and to train and support in such a way that establishes healthy churches that will make disciples by God’s grace and for His glory.

Locally, we are experiencing God’s leading as we seek to make disciples through our ministry efforts in prison, orphan care, adoption, international student needs, medical care and leadership development. In the past year alone, God has moved in marvelous ways in the South Midtown area ministries.

Fellowship is now offering Short Term Mission trips to Little Rock. Restore Little Rock was designed to build and train students in a short-term trip environment. During the seven-day trip, participants will live at Tyler Street Opportunity Center, serve local outreach partners, explore a foundation for missions, and experience the power of God.

FELLOWSHIP BELIEVES DISCIPLES ENGAGE IN MISSIONS THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THE SHARING OF TRUTH AND DEMONSTRATION

OF THE GOSPEL EXPAND THE KINGDOM.

MISSIONS

JUSTIN BINDEL I Salt Lake City, UTTERRENCE BROOK I Long Beach, CA MATT JENSEN I Jacksonville, FLDAN KO I Boston, MAMATT LAWSON I Los Angeles, CAJOEL SENGOGA I Kigali, RwandaJAN VEZIKOV I Boston, MA

2014-15 I FELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATESFELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATES RESIDENCY CLASS

FellowshipAssociates.org

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH PLANTS

Partners MISSIONS

Fellowship is committed to utilizing both financial and human resources to demonstrate the love and grace of God, exercise biblical stewardship, and impact the community and the world in the most effective ways possible. Our desire is to be faithfully responsible with the resources we have been given to spread the gospel in word and deed both locally and globally. Much prayer and thought is given to the investments we make. As we seek to meet physical and spiritual needs, our hope is that disciples are made and God is glorified.

LOCALOutreach Partners

ORPHAN/$297,818Bethany Christian ServicesThe C.A.L.L. - LRThe C.A.L.L. - CabotC.A.S.A. - CabotImmerse ArkansasCrisis Pregnancy CenterPartners Against Trafficking HumansProject ZeroThrive

SCHOOL /$210,506Young Life UrbanSTEPOK ProgramAR Kids ReadPassport to Success

PRISON/$206,447Hidden Creek Pathway to FreedomAR Baptist College / DCC ProgramDiscipleship Inside the DCC

HEALTH, FOOD & SHELTER/$86,105Lonoke County Christian ClinicA Woman’s PlaceHopes ClosetFirst CareCommunity of Grace Health CenterI CanHere’s Life Inner CityGarden of Hope

CHURCH STRENGTHENING/$216,255Nehemiah NetworkCity ConnectionsCompass FinancialSearch MinistriesWoman On A Mission Video ProjectFamily Council DownlineTyler Street Opportunity CenterUpward Soccer

CONGREGATIONAL MISSIONS/$12,879Benton Mission ProjectsCabot Mission ProjectsSage Works Mission Projects

GLOBALOutreach Partners

AFRICA/$60,670Gaynelle NewportChuck & Judy BrodBible Training College

ASIA/$118,023Jim & Judy Burrows Jerry & Cheryl WonderDavid & Lisa LumChris GloverAsian Christian Academy Student MobilizationStephen & Kelly SpurlockHartley Hambrice

MIDDLE EAST/$95,060Dave & Gloria FurmanBrian ParksHayden Sewall

EUROPE/$55,090Austin & Becky McCaskill Amos & Meredith Anderson Clay & Lauren KannardEvangelical School of TheologyRebecca LeMaster

CENTRAL AMERICA/$191,015New Life Deaf MinistriesOperation New LifeWorld Gospel Outreach Mike & Lyn Ferguson Robert &Jennifer Butts Neuve EveFellowship Guatemala

NORTH AMERICA/$47,951International Friendship OutreachMarvin SmithCulture Link, Inc.Rwanda Presidential ScholarshipCtr/Missions Mobilization - BurnsYoung Life - Rodriguez SupportJohn & Gloria Sewall

SOUTH AMERICA/$67,800Esperanza Church Jeff Rody (SAM)Hosean International Ministries

SENDING/$15,140Joe & Janelle Holloway Kerby GoffKaren Tuttle

CHURCH LEADERSHIP TRAINING/$114,805Fellowship Associate Joel & Anne Sengoga

SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIP/ $29,800Daniel Thomson Kristina McCartneyStacey HammonsSheryl Lackey

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS/ $72,026Summer ProgramJ-TermEmerging Leader

MISSIONARY PROJECTS/ $27,362

THIS CLINIC WAS A REAL LIFE SAVER TO ME AT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I HAD NO MONEY OR INSURANCE BUT HAD TERRIBLY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.MY SISTER BROUGHT ME INTO THE CLINIC & THE DOCTORS & NURSES WORKED TO GET MY BLOOD PRESSURE UNDER CONTROL. I COULD HAVE SUFFERED A STROKE OR DEATH, BUT THE MOST MEANINGFUL THING WAS WHEN THE NURSE TOLD ME THAT WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WOULD LOVE TO PRAY WITH ME.

I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE GOD’S LOVE ALL AROUND THERE.- Community of Grace Health Center Patient

CAMPUSES

Fellowship Benton has a heart to serve, whether it was serving on Sunday or in one of our mid-week ministry meetings, there were a lot of hours served on campus. At the same time, the Benton campus has seen a re-birth of the call to be a church for the community. One of the ways our ministry to the families and children of Saline County has grown this year is through our EPIC after school program. Since the start of Epic in February, we have been helping students with subjects like reading and math, but also use our weekly time to create purposeful relationships with them, showing them the love and gospel of Christ. God has provided many opportunities for our volunteers to lead discussions about how Jesus is our rescue and our hope. Last spring we had four kids respond to the gospel and place their trust in Jesus. We pray God continues to bless this ministry and our church.

BENTON

The Cabot campus began as a few dozen people with big dreams of their community being transformed by the gospel. In the eight years since then, we’ve seen these dreams become reality as hundreds of people now engage with God’s message of grace weekly through worship services, serving, and D Groups. This past year has been highlighted by more people committing to the mission of Fellowship through membership, more students than ever growing in the gospel through FSM Echo and small groups, and a larger team of Elders to shepherd and disciple the congregation. The Cabot campus received several needed improvements to the worship and kids spaces to help facilitate increased attendance. We are also seeing the gospel go out into the community through ongoing partnerships with several local ministries, including Lonoke County Christian Clinic, The CALL, CASA, and Options Pregnancy Center. This summer a team of adults traveled to New Life Deaf Ministry in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to serve the children, families and staff at the school and church.

CABOT

ONLINE

The purpose of the Online Campus is to make the transformative power of Jesus accessible to everyone. From it’s beginning, our desire for our online ministry is to be a place where people can begin and continue their journey towards faith in Jesus Christ no matter where they are located or their life situation. Our Online Campus not only reaches those outside our church community but has also benefitted us as a church. It provides a way for those who are sick, home-bound or who are doing missions somewhere else in the world to stay connected with their home here at Fellowship. While it always remains our desire to move people from this virtual community to true in-person active biblical community in a local church, the Online Campus can be a place for people to begin their journey in faith or as a temporary community while individuals find their next church home.

VIEWERS

18,8698% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

SERMON SHOWINGS

486 >100 CITIES

>37 COUNTRIES

CAMPUSES

VALUES

CONNECTION

TRANSFORMATION

MULTIPLICATION

IMAGINE

GIVEN THROUGH IMAGINE

FINANCIALS

GIVING BUDGET

LITTLE ROCK

$10,029,000$10,714,000

$493,000$613,000

BENTON

$633,000$575,000

CABOT

$5,873,000Given to Date

$9,000,000Mortgage Remaining

ORPHAN CAREImmerse Arkansas $20,000The CALL Arkansas $20,000The CALL Pulaski County $20,000Project Zero $20,000Bethany Christian Services $20,000

TOTAL

$11,155,000$11,900,000

$745,000Deficit

CHURCH PLANTINGAfrica New Life Seminary $25,000Asian Christian Academy $25,000Redeemer Church of Dubai $50,000

EACH ONE MUST GIVE AS HE HAS DECIDED

IN HIS HEART, NOT RELUCTANTLY OR

UNDER COMPULSION, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:7

Cabot

FellowshipCabot

FellowshipCab

As Fellowship continues to focus attention on our social media and web presence we have seen an increase in new visitors who are becoming interactive with our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. We have also seen an 18% growth in how many new people have visited our website in the past year. We pray that God can use this outlet as another way to reach others with the gospel and the good news of His grace.

VISITS

183,920

WEBSITE STATISTICS

SERMON VIEWS BY VISITORS

28,000

FRIENDS,FOLLOWERS,FANS

6,791

SOCIAL MEDIA STATS

98% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

FIND US ONLINE

VIEWERS

18,8688% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR

ONLINE CAMPUS

SERMON SHOWINGS

468IN MORETHAN

100 US CITIES

GREATERTHAN

37 COUNTRIES

Little Rock

FellowshipLR

FellowshipLR

FellowshipLR

Benton

FellowshipBenton

FellowshipBen

fellowshiponline.com fellowshipbenton.com fellowshipcabot.com

LOOKING AHEAD

It is why we were created by God in the first place. It is why we were saved by Him at all. It is why we do what we do as Christians. And it is why we do what we do as a church. In a world that is longing for purpose, for meaning, and for a mission in life, we know why we exist. For the glory of God.

And so this year we are going to focus on the glory of God as a church. We are going to preach to it in the pulpit. We are going to teach to it in our D Cafés. We will wrestle with it in our D Groups. And we will focus on it in all that we do.

Because when we remember why we are here, the mission of our church becomes obvious. To be used by God to make more disciples who will glorify Him forever. We are here to be a public display of His infinite worth to a world that doesn’t think He is worthy.

First and foremost, we recognize that some of those people are already here every Sunday. So you will feel us being more intentional this year about ministering to people directly in each of our venues including our campuses. Investing pastors, elders, and gifted lay people to each service to get to know the people God is already

bringing to us every week and helping them discover their divine purpose with us.

We have also talked about our passion for the 600,000 people disconnected from Spiritual Community in Central Arkansas. And so this year we are challenging our disciples to be used by God to glorify Him in the sharing of the Gospel with at least two new people. To pray for them, spend time with them, and bring glory to God by proclaiming His infinite worth, whether they receive it or not.

And finally, we know that no matter how much God uses us to reach those who are far from Him, no one church is going to be able to reach them all. Not only do we want to begin to reach those God has brought to us, and not only do we want to reach those He has not, but we are going to partner with St. Mark’s Baptist church this year in some strategic initiatives to be a public display of His infinite worth in a broader way than just our church can do alone.

We exist, not for our glory, but for His. Not for our name, but for His. And making His name known among the people He has brought to us and to people He has not, is worth our time. It is worth our lives. To God be the glory! Amen.

FOR GOD’S GLORYTHE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF HIS INFINITE WORTH

2014/2015

Fellowship Ministry Calendar

D Café

Fellowship Women Launch Benton

Fellowship Men’s 33 Launch

FW Fall Retreat Cabot

FSM Fall Retreat Benton

SageWorks Main Event

Baby Dedication

Tullian Special Event

Family Fest

Thrive Heart Gallery

Global Village Benton, LR

Global Village Cabot

2014SEPT 7

SEPT 8

SEPT 24

SEPT 26-27

SEPT 26-28

SEPT 28

OCT 5

OCT 16

OCT 26

NOV 1

NOV 16/19/23

NOV 23, 30

2015JAN 7

JAN 9-11

JAN 11

JAN 28

FEB 1

FEB 6-7

FEB 7

FEB 20-22

FEB 14

FEB 18

MAR

MAR 28

APR 4

APR 19

APR 23

APR 26

MAY 3

MAY 10

MAY 13

JUN 14

Fellowship Women Spring Kick-Off

FSM Junior High Winter Chill

D Café

Fellowship Men Spring Kick-Off

Baby Dedication

Fellowship Women IF Event

Daddy Daughter Ball Benton

FSM Senior High Winter Chill

Daddy Daughter Pancake Bkfst Cabot

Ash Wednesday

FSK Family Worship Night

FSK Easter Egg Roll Cabot

Community Egg Hunt Benton

D Café

Core Gathering

SageWorks Main Event

Senior Sunday

Baby Dedication

FSM Night of Prayer

D Café

FELLOWSHIPONLINE.COM