Purchase a ticket from one of the youth, the main office, or on the FBC Front Porch.
Proceeds go to missions.

Charles Billingsley is recognized as one of Christian

music’s most powerful inspirational vocalists.

When he was 22 years old, the day after his college graduation Charles Billingsley packed up his red two-door Ford Explorer, attached a little trailer behind it and headed to a church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to perform his first professional concert. Almost twenty years later, after 24 records, 17 years of marriage, two children, and 3,000 concerts, Billingsley is releasing his 25th album. Never Forsaken, releasing early 2012, is a collection of songs ranging from recreations such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Another Day in Paradise” to intimate autobiographical tracks like “Baby I Blinked,” as well as the impassioned truth-telling like “God So Loved the World” and the title track.

Eight years since his last solo artist album, Billingsley is excited to share Never Forsaken with the world, and its catchy tunes are served with a powerful message: “It’s a plea to the church,” Billingsley explains. “Look beyond the four walls of our buildings and get out there and love the world. It’s just a reminder to us all–God actually loves them as much as he loves me.”

Elaborating on that message is the album’s catalyst song, “God So Loved the World.” Written by Billingsley along with Keith Smith, Adam Lancaster and Tony Wood, the song serves as a wake-up call to the church: “Every preacher in the pulpit/Every cynic on the street/Every poet/Every pauper/Every soldier/Every lawyer…God so loved the world.’

Billingsley, with his with his wife Shae and their two boys, recently took an eye-opening trip to Guatemala along with the humanitarian organization Causelife. During their visit, as they journeyed through numerous villages in dire need of fresh water, Billingsley’s inspiration deepened to help build wells across third world countries.

 This trip also grew the inspiration for his new project, especially for its title track. “The song ‘Never Forsaken’ is for those people in the world who are hungry, lost, afraid, malnourished, thirsty, who cry out every day for something called hope,” he shares. “They won’t hear this album. This record is for the people who will hear it to do something about it.”

 Billingsley’s message for the record became clear: “Give away today, whatever that means. Your love, time, money, talents, whatever it takes, let God use you.”

You Don’t Want to Miss this Amazingly Talented Family

Sunday morning, March 4th, the Annie Moses Band will perform the special music and then, at 6:00 pm, they will perform a full concert that will dazzle you beyond belief.

The Annie Moses Band is an ensemble unlike any in America today. A blend of fiddle, jazz, and
classical influences fused with soaring, folk-inspired vocals creates a sound that is both refreshing and familiar. The Annie Moses Band is a family bringing classicism to the common man.

With 1000+ hours of airings on PBS stations across the country (the highest debut for any artist on public television to date), a top-ten Classical Crossover album (Billboard Magazine), a bustling tour schedule of over 80 concerts a year before 100,000+ people, and a plethora of appearances in print and on television, this family is pulling new fans from across musical genres to their eclectic style of music making.

Named in honor of the children’s great-grandmother, the group is poised to broaden its impact with their new project and public television special, Pilgrims & Prodigals. Scheduled for release in 2011, Pilgrims & Prodigals is a two-disc cd/dvd package giving audiences the visual thrill of the group’s live performance, as well as the accessibility of a studio album.

The music is a tapestry of Americana favorites and original tunes. Jazz re-imaginings (“Poor Wayfaring Pilgrim”), Copland-esque renditions of Celtic classics (“Blarney Pilgrim”), Appalachian echoes (“Girl of Constant Sorrow” and “Trail Mix”), and progressive strings and vocals (“The Road Well Traveled”) make Pilgrims & Prodigals the Band’s definitive project thus far.

Beyond this success, the Annie Moses Band enjoys the fact that their music is an inspiration to a new generation of young artisans. “Everywhere we perform there are returning children, who say to us, “I started playing a couple of years ago after we saw your concert.’ This scenario is exactly what we hope will happen,” Annie explains. To bolster this reality, the Band hosts the annual Fine Arts Summer Academy in Nashville, TN where over 200 students from ages 4 to 22 come to hone their artistic craft, and discover their innate gifts as performers.

What will it take to change a generation?  
Can making one pledge make a difference in the future of our children?
Make “Parent a Verb”!

Though changing our parenting style is hard work, it can be done. We encourage you to begin today by taking the FamilyStrong Parenting Pledge. We believe making this five session investment can change the direction of your family, your children, and our country. These Sunday sessions will be lead by Drew Read of Paul Anderson Ministries:

• January 8  – 10:20 am
• January 8    – 6:00 pm
• January 15  – 6:00 pm
• January 22  – 6:00 pm
• January 29  – 6:00 pm

The five sessions will cover the six topics
listed below:

Dangerous Trend 1:  Parents vs. Culture: Will the Real Leader Please Stand Up?

This generation of parents have abdicated their place of authority and leadership, letting media and culture capture our kids’ hearts, mold their minds, and shape their future.

Dangerous Trend 2:  Identity Crisis: Moving from “Who Am I” to “Whose Am I?”

Youth (even kids growing up in Christian homes) are growing up with little or no sense of their identity united to Christ.  As a result, they are desperately looking for value, worth, acceptance and love in all the wrong places.

Dangerous Trend 3:  Technology: Looking For Connection in All the Wrong Places

This generation is spending increasing amounts of time plugged into media (and away from real human contact); many tech trends lead kids into false and dangerous intimacy.  Plus: signs that your child is caught in the technology trap.

Dangerous Trend 4:  Sex, Drugs, and Porn: Entertaining Ourselves to Death

Empty, bored and looking for value and connection, youth are getting ensnared — earlier and earlier — in the traps of premarital sex, drug abuse, and porn use… with devastating immediate and long-term effects. Plus: signs that your child is involved in destructive activities (sex, drugs, porn).

Dangerous Trend 5:  Depression and Suicide: Coming Up Empty vs. 
                                      Finding Our True Source

Having trusted sex, drugs, porn, perfect image and achievement, etc. to fulfill them and give them identity and worth, youth are “coming up empty” and seeing no true source for what they’re missing.  Hopelessness, self-hatred and self-destruction are the logical response.

Dangerous Trend 6: It’s NOT Too Late: Winning Back the Hearts of Our Children

Most parents are either oblivious to what’s really going on in culture and their kids’ lives OR hiding their heads in the sand. Overwhelmed, they have given up the fight, and given over their kids to the culture (and the enemy).

Join the FamilyStrong parenting movement to “Make America FamilyStrong!”Take the Pledge now

familyStrong website

Maps will be available on Saturday morning at First Baptist Church along with coffee and cookies!

$5 tickets will be donated to International Missions

Pick up tickets at one of the following locations:

• First Baptist Church - 107 2nd Street
• Seasons Design Center – 117 NW Main Street 
• Studio on Main - 6 W Liberty Street, Claxton GA
• Sheer Transformation – 3309 E 1st Street
• Paige’s Place – 168 N Jefferson Street, Lyons GA
• Panache – 501 Jackson Street

This Marriage Tune Up Conference being sponsored jointly by FBC Vidalia and FBC Lyons will offer you the unique chance to work on and celebrate your marriage in a relaxed atmosphere filled with laughter, insight, and interaction with your spouse.

$25 (per person) Early Registration – Ends December 18
$30 (per person) Regular Registration – Until January 27

Friday, January 27 → 7:00 pm to 9:45 pm
Saturday, January 28 → 8:00 am to 12:45 pm

Jeff and Debby McElroy, founders of Forever Families, Inc., have designed the conference to be unlike any other you’ve attended on marriage. As the most sought-after couple in the area of marriage enrichment in the country, they have used their experience on the national speaking circuit to design a conference with…

Humor.

Let’s face it. We don’t get the chance to laugh enough. That won’t be a problem this weekend. As Jeff and Debby share their look at marriage, you’ll find your ribs hurting – either from laughing so hard, or from your spouse elbowing you! You’ll be amazed at how, in the midst of hilarious, engaging laughter, you’ll find deep…

Insight.

Insight into each other, insight into your marriage, but even more important, insight into how God is at work through many of the very things that seemed like road blocks in your relationship. Jeff and Debby’s back & forth teaching style will allow you to see and hear it from both the husband and wife’s point-of-view with…

Straight Talk.

No psycho-babble. No abstract theories. Just plain talk from the heart of their marriage to the heart of yours. Jeff and Debby are real. Before founding Forever Families, Jeff worked for IBM and Debby was a school teacher. They became so burdened for the plight of the American family, they felt compelled to do something about it. They don’t try to impress audiences, they want to minister to them. That means they have to be honest with their struggles and how God has used those struggles to strengthen their relationship. Jeff and Debby want you to walk away with more than just information, they want you to leave knowing you’ve had a life-changing…

Experience.

Throughout the conference, Jeff and Debby will use their award-winning dramas and comedies to allow you to see the teaching anchored in everyday life. They’ll give you time to share with each other. To make memories. To experience something you’ll refer back to for years as a landmark weekend in your marriage.