Looking Ahead: Building Toward April 12
There is something exciting taking shape at Archer’s Chapel Church.
On Sunday, April 12, we will launch Connect Groups, the main way discipleship will happen at ACC. These groups will help every person be active in knowing, connected in growing, and commissioned in going.
Why talk about something six months away? Because what happens between now and then matters. These next months are about coming together, building leaders, and preparing our hearts for what God is about to do.
1. The Book Club: Anatomy of a Revived Church
Starting Sunday, November 2, we will gather every Sunday evening through December 28 to read Anatomy of a Revived Church.
Fourteen people have already expressed interest, and there is still room for you.
This is not just about reading a book. It is about rediscovering what it means to be a healthy, revived church. If you want to see God move in and through our church, or if you are interested in becoming a Connect Group Leader, this is where to start.
2. MVP Training: Mission and Vision Partners
On Sunday, November 16, we will have lunch after service for everyone who wants to learn what it means to be an MVP, a Mission and Vision Partner at ACC.
This session is more than membership. It is about ownership.
You will learn how God has called us to serve together, understand how our church functions, and discover your role in the mission.
We do not just attend church. We are the Church, and we get to do this together.
3. The Pilot Connect Group
Early next year, Pastor Franco and Jackie will lead our first Pilot Connect Group for everyone interested in leading one of their own.
This will model what Connect Groups look like and give leaders a hands-on opportunity to experience, practice, and prepare before launch day.
By the time April 12 arrives, our leaders will be ready, and our church will be united around one clear goal: discipleship that multiplies.
A Church Becoming
These next months are not filler. They are formation.
We are setting the foundation for the kind of church God is shaping us to be: one built on grace, structure, and people.
Every Vision Window, every House Talk, and every service points toward one thing.
A church that is not about consumption but contribution.
Not about programs but people.
Not about attending but abiding.
We are not just planning for April 12. We are preparing for revival.
And we get to grow this together.
If you have questions or want to get involved, contact Pastor Franco.
There is room for you in what God is building at ACC.
We The Church - Recap
Bottom Line: The church thrives when every believer belongs, grows, and serves in their place under Christ the Head.
Yesterday we tackled a big question: how does the church actually work?
We dug into Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 and discovered something amazing: Jesus did not skip you when He handed out grace. Grace was given to each one. That means you. Yes, even if you think you are the one exception. No one gets left out when Christ gives gifts.
We laughed a little at the idea of a “manchild” because maturity is not automatic. Sitting in a pew for decades does not mean you are steady in Christ. God’s goal for us is to grow up in Him so we are not tossed around by every new idea or trend. Maturity means stability.
Then came the heart of it. Shepherds equip, saints minister.
That means pastors are not called to do everything and church members are not called to sit and spectate. Everyone has a role to play. We saw it in Acts 6 where the apostles kept preaching and prayer at the center, while others were equipped to serve. The result was growth.
And of course, we told the “Christmas ham” story. A family kept cutting off the end of the ham before cooking it, all because great-grandma’s oven was too small. Tradition got passed down, but it was never necessary. Paul would say to us: let’s not settle for dried out church because of tradition. Let’s align ourselves with the Word.
Here is the invitation:
Belong. Every believer has a place.
Grow. We pursue maturity in Christ.
Serve. Saints are ministers too.
We ended with a powerful time of confession and communion, reminding ourselves that Jesus is the Head and His blood is the only blood that matters at this church.
Let’s be the church this week. Not just in name, but in how we live together under Christ the Head.
ON MISSION!
The church may burned down, but we are a body not a building!
The mission continues!
God does not have a mission for his church, but the church for his mission.
Dear Church,
2025 has begun with a strong focus on mission for ACC.
On January 5th, I shared a message titled “Cross-Examined” from 1 Corinthians 8-9. Paul’s teaching on Christian rights challenged us to lay down anything that could be a stumbling block to others knowing Jesus. We ended with this challenge: Let the cross examine what we need to put to death so we can fully live in Christ.
On January 12th, Brother Jackie delivered a powerful word from Acts 10. Peter resisted God’s vision because it was unfamiliar. The takeaway? Just because it’s always been done one way doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. This message laid the foundation for what followed.
On January 19th, we revealed our new logo, mission, and definition of a disciple.
The cross in our logo reflects our story: On May 21, 1989, fire destroyed the building, but the cross stood firm.
Beauty from ashes—just like the gospel. We look back to the crucifixion’s pain and forward to the resurrection’s hope.
Our mission is now clear: Loving People to Life in Christ!
Our disciples are defined as:
Active in Knowing – Knowing Jesus, His Word, and His people.
Connected in Growing – Abiding in Christ as the source of life.
Commissioned in Going – Fulfilling the Great Commission together.
On January 26th, we unveiled our vision for Kids and Youth Ministries.
“NextGen” is now “ThisGen” Ministries because THIS generation is His generation.
Our kids and youth are part of the body of Christ now, and we are committed to investing in them intentionally.
This vision is going to be reflected in our soon-coming revamped Kids Church Ministry, built on the truth that everything is led by Christ and the work of the cross.
Let’s move forward together, united by the cross, to love people to life in Christ!
Keep Pressing On,
Pastor Franco
Prayer Sermon Series!
This Sunday starts our 8 week Sermon Series on Prayer!
Pastor Franco shared about it on Facebook and we are putting it here too.
This Sunday starts our 8 week Sermon Series on Prayer!
Pastor Franco shared about it on Facebook and we are putting it here too.
These first two weeks, we are going to have “Prayer 101” messages. The following 6 weeks will be a journey through The Lord’s Prayer.
I would strongly encourage you to get the book The Lord and His Prayer so that you can learn, retain, and grow even more through this series.
You can purchase the book here —> https://ticsms.co/Prayer/Book
Here’s another unique thing that’s going to happen for the next 8 Sundays…
Well, actually, watch the video to find out :)
It’s going to be a great 8 weeks together, after which our Advent series begins!
Looking forward to an incredible end to this year with you church!
Sunday 9/29 Update!
Our Church Service will start at 10 AM (NOT 11!).
Make sure to bring $10 for a delicious lunch!
There is no Sunday School this week.
We will keep our service short so that we can all help/participate in the benefit that will be taking place in the gym starting at 11 AM.
ACC, this Sunday is going to look a little different!
One of our own, Jessie Smith, is heading up a community benefit for Sara Bushart Walton.
To support her, and the Bushart/Walton families, we will be hosting the benefit right here at Archer’s Chapel Church.
Here’s what this means for Sunday:
Our Church Service will start at 10 AM (NOT 11!).
Make sure to bring $10 for a delicious lunch!
There is no Sunday School this week.
We will keep our service short so that we can all help/participate in the benefit that will be taking place in the gym starting at 11 AM.
Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday as we get to bless this family in this season they are in!
Make sure your friends know church starts at 10 AM this week and not 11!
The good news is for those who don’t get the memo and show up at 11, for $10 they will have a delicious lunch awaiting them :)
(Y)Our Story!
We want to continue telling the story of Jesus by telling the stories of how God used this church to minister to you, us, and others.
We want you to be a part of the story on the 29th.
We are looking for anywhere from 4-8 stories for the 29th.
Please help us make it happen!
If you are interested, text STORY to 731-749-7599.
You’ll be asked to fill out a contact card, and then Pastor Franco will reach out to you for more details on how to have your story heard on September 29th.
Stories.
We all have them.
We have stories we love to tell.
Stories that grip the heart, stir up good feelings, and powerful memories.
It’s why we want your story to be a part of our story on September 29th!
On September 29th, we are going to start telling the story of being an intergenerational church.
We are going to start telling a story of what the future looks like and the part that you can play in that story.
It’s a story that we are going to start telling together and keep telling together.
Archer’s Chapel Church is what it is today because of the long, rich history we have.
In that history, I have no doubt there’s a story of yours about how God used Archer’s to help you, bless you, encourage you, and lift you up.
That is a story that needs to be heard!
We are asking YOU to have your story be a part of our story on September 29th.
Sir Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Archer’s Chapel Church can dream of a vision for the future because we stand on the shoulders of all the pastors and people who helped this church be all that it is today.
We want to continue telling the story of Jesus by telling the stories of how God used this church to minister to you, us, and others.
We want you to be a part of the story on the 29th.
We are looking for anywhere from 4-8 stories for the 29th.
Please help us make it happen!
If you are interested, text STORY to 731-749-7599.
You’ll be asked to fill out a contact card, and then Pastor Franco will reach out to you for more details on how to have your story heard on September 29th.
We. Press. On.
It’s why I wanted us to draw a line in the sand and say that on Sunday, July 14th we came together to focus our energies on this ONE thing - Let’s look forward to what lies ahead!
What a joy it is to have nearly 140 names represented on the cards that we signed!
I’m excited to believe that our church is going to be coming together and doing what Philippians 3:13 says in the NLT…
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing ALL my energies on this ONE thing…
Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race…”
I can’t say enough how much I believe that the best is yet to come for us as a church.
It’s why I wanted us to draw a line in the sand and say that on Sunday, July 14th we came together to focus our energies on this ONE thing - Let’s look forward to what lies ahead!
I have a few things I’m excited about that I’m looking forward to building with you and alongside you for us to be a church on mission, remembering one very critical thing: God doesn’t have a mission for his church, he has the church for his mission!
Here’s a sneak peek at some things I plan on sharing for our mission and vision as ACC.
1) Prayer Partners Team - Developing, training, and building a prayer team that will pray in service and pray at the altar with people at the end of services.
2) September - Back to Church Month
9/8 - Invite a friend to church Sunday!
9/15 - Baptism Sunday
9/22 - Child Dedication Sunday
3) Intergenerational Sunday - 9/29 - A message dedicated to what this means and where I’m asking all of our church members 55 and over to stay after for a lunch and celebration.
On this Sunday, I will also be sharing our Kids and Youth Ministry Rebrand that will emphasize everything about this vision of being intergenerational!
4) January 5th - Introducing our new church motto and defining a disciple - We are going to set the tone for 2025 by defining what we as a church should be producing as disciples. We need to know what a disciple looks like to make sure we are producing it.
There’s so much to look forward to church!
Let’s keep the main thing the main thing!
WE. PRESS. ON!
The Depths of Love
Philippians 2:5-11 is such a stunning portrayal of the gospel.
In yesterday’s message, Pastor Franco contrasted Christ’s humility against the pride of Roman culture, as well as Lucifer.
Considering that Roman society was so stratified and wasn’t upwardly mobile in terms of class, what Paul is saying here is incredibly radical and countercultural.
Roman culture was so steeped in pride that what you wore let everyone know your class. You dared not wear what wasn’t yours to wear.
But Jesus?
The King willingly became a servant.
A servant obedient to death.
Even death on a cross.
A leveling down that would never happen in Roman culture.
This “leveling down” is why he’s now glorified.
When you contrast Jesus against Lucifer, it gets even better.
Lucifer aspired higher and got cast down.
Jesus came down and is now lifted high.
Jesus took on the form of man.
He “dressed” as a commoner.
For all who belong to Christ Jesus, we are cloaked in righteousness acquired through no effort of our own.
It’s almost like spiritual “stolen valor.”
Except it’s not.
Because we could have never stolen it.
It could only have been given
By a savior
Willing to plunge
Unfathomable depths
That we might one day
Be gloriously resurrected with him
To reign forever.
Humility
Humility doesn’t come naturally to us. It’s easy to think of ourselves first and most, while we think of others second and least.
Yesterday, I preached on Philippians 2:1-4 again, but this time from the angle of humility. It cannot be missed that for verses 2-4 to happen, it can only happen with a spirit of humility.
Humility doesn’t come naturally to us. It’s easy to think of ourselves first and most, while we think of others second and least. I was originally going to use the text to discuss how we should cultivate a culture of hospitality. However, to establish that culture, we need humility. We can’t elevate people over preferences without it.
This passage gets so much deeper when you consider the cultural context of the Philippian church. With Philippi being a Roman colony, Paul very intentionally speaks about humility to the church because the secular culture that surrounds them is built on pride. It’s a great way of showing how Christianity is always counter-cultural. The church CAN be counter-cultural if Christ is the source.
I am excited at all that lies ahead for ACC. I want to strive together side-by-side with you for the faith of the gospel. For us to have the strength to do that, we need to get the heart of the church right.
The body can’t be strong if the heart isn’t right. For us to accomplish what God is calling us to, our first focus needs to be the heart of the church.
We’ve started praying together on Sunday mornings.
We are reengineering our youth ministry.
We are firmly establishing God’s Word as unequivocally central to
Who we are
Why we exist
What we are called to
This coming Sunday, we are going to be reflecting on Philippians 2:5-11 and see how Paul presents the gospel in such a clear and powerful way. I want to encourage you to take a chance this week and invite that friend to church. The person who has been asking you questions. This is a perfect week to invite them to hear the gospel. One characteristic of a healthy church is the desire and effort to see the lost saved. I’ll be praying for God to give you the opportunity to connect with someone and bring them to church this Sunday.
Thank you for making it to the end of this week’s update!
I’m looking forward to Sunday.
Love you church!
~Pastor Franco
INTERGENERATIONAL
It’s easy to be multigenerational, but it takes humility, love, and considering others more significant than ourselves to be an intergenerational church.
On Sunday, we started discussing Philippians 2:1-4.
We broke the passage down in 2 significant ways
The “If-Then” Statement
Verse 1 = The If Clause
Verse 2 = The Then Clause
If we don’t have verse 2, then we haven’t accomplished verse 1.
Humility
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but to think of yourself less.
If we are all drawing from the same source, Jesus, then we should be able to esteem others more significant than ourselves, as well as do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit.
From there, we talked about a piece of the vision for Archer’s Chapel Church’s future, and that is that we be an INTERGENERATIONAL church and not just a multigenerational church.
It’s easy to be multigenerational, but it takes humility, love, and considering others more significant than ourselves to be an intergenerational church.
So what does it mean to be intergenerational?
The simple definition is this: Archer’s Chapel Church is going to meaningfully celebrate every generation, and intentionally connect them to each other.
Sunday was just the start of this piece of our mission and vision. There’s so much more to come that I am excited to share when the time is right!
I’m excited to see what Archer’s Chapel Church can become as an intergenerational church!
Unless the Lords builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Building Culture
As part of the message, I’m going to be asking you to join us in a mission this summer. It’s actually going to be a small part of a bigger-picture vision for us to pursue together as a church.
This coming Sunday, we are going to be dwelling on Philippians 2:1-4 and how it should encourage us to have a culture of hospitality as a church.
There’s a difference between being a welcoming church and a hospitable church. It is important for us to know the difference so that we can strive together, side-by-side, to establish a culture of hospitality.
As part of the message, I’m going to be asking you to join us in a mission this summer. It’s actually going to be a small part of a bigger-picture vision for us to pursue together as a church.
This week’s update is short, and coming to you on Monday, to ask you one simple request…
Will you take the time to pray and prepare for Sunday’s service so that you can join us in some form, shape, or fashion for this Summer?
Take some time and read the passage.
Dwell on it.
Study it.
Pray on it.
Thank you for being a part of ACC and daring to be:
AWARE
CALLED
CULTIVATING
Cultivating Good Soil
Last night was the start of a process here at Archer’s Chapel Church.
I’m excited for what lies ahead of us in laying the foundation for a solid and healthy youth ministry to take root here. As I’ve been reflecting this morning, I’ve been continually reminding myself that this is a process.
For all the parents and youth leaders that came and participated last night, thank you for lending your voice to the conversation. I hope you heard last night that what we desire for a youth ministry here won’t happen without you. You are vital to this process.
Last night was a transition from having signed our names to be “Aware, Called, & Cultivating” to actually beginning to do the work. Our commitment to this won’t show just by penning our name on a line, but in the work we do to break hard ground and begin cultivating good soil.
Good soil doesn’t just happen. It’s a process. Seeing as we live in farm country, you all know how true this is in a very real sense. It’s just as true spiritually, as it is physically.
What weighs most heavily on my mind today is this from Ephesians 4…
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
ACC, we have an awesome calling ahead of us. That is to break hard ground, uproot what might remain that is no longer needed, and cultivate good soil for the benefit of our children’s spiritual discipling.
You have a part to play in this. We all do.
Aware.
Called.
Cultivating.
Let’s do this together!
New Beginnings!
2024 holds a lot of promise here at ACC.
January 7th, 2024 saw a new season begin here at ACC. Jackie and I are so thrilled to be here, and I’m honored to have been chosen as ACC’s lead pastor.
As this year unfolds, I think it is important that we stay connected. I’m excited from all I am learning about Archer’s Chapel, and I look forward to getting to know all of you, our ministries, and begin walking alongside you in pursuing everything God is calling us to!
My goal with this weekly update is simply to get the opportunity to talk about things that are happening here, share encouraging thoughts along with vision for the future.
I look forward to what God does in and through us this year!
If there’s one truth about Christianity that always excites me, it’s this: The best is yet to come!
It’s not just a pithy little saying.
It’s a promise.
Here we go!