What Kind Of Tree Are You?

…You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will know them by their fruits.
– Matthew 7:16-20

Have you ever gotten take out/drive through and gotten home [or too far to turn back] only to realize they got the order wrong. What a bummer! People can disappoint us like that, too. We think we are getting one thing, but they turn out to be something else. If we can use our Holy Spirit discernment, however, we can often see what people are made of. Even if initially we are fooled, we will eventually know...if we just examine their fruit. Jesus tells us that we will know a person by his/her fruit. Likewise, people will know us by our fruit...by what pours out of our hearts and into our lives.

What type of fruit are you producing? What kind of tree are you?

...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. - Galatians 5:22-23,25


In Christ

Flamingo Road Church is the 4th Most Innovative Church in America!

According to Zondervan and Outreach Magazine, Flamingo Road Church has been named #4 of the Top 25 Most Innovative Churches in America! Not exactly sure what that means, but that's good, right? It shows that our Pastor and church know how to think "outside-the-box" to reach our communities and make an impact for Christ. It means never being content with the accomplishments of yesterday or today and always looking forward. "Creativity" and "Innovention" are two of our Ethos. It is leveraging our resources, talents, people and creativity to discover and develop new and unique ways to share the gospel and change lives.

Here is a list of the Top 10 Innovative Churches:
1. LifeChurch.tv (Edmond, OK) :: Craig Groeschel
2. Mars Hill Church (Seattle, WA) :: Mark Driscoll
3. Granger Community Church (Granger, IN) :: Mark Beeson
4. Flamingo Road Church (Cooper City, FL) :: Troy Gramling
5. Seacoast Church (Mt. Pleasant, SC) :: Greg Surratt
6. Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) :: Rick Warren
7. Mosaic Church (Los Angeles, CA) :: Erwin McManus
8. Fellowship Church (Grapevine, TX) :: Ed Young Jr.
9. North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, GA) :: Andy Stanley
10. Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, IL) :: Bill Hybels

"You Have To Be Obedient To Be Obedient"

We are usually quick to point out when our children are being disobedient. We tell the older kids to 'set an example' for the younger ones. But what about us? What kind of example do we set when it comes to being obedient?

We don't like to think of ourselves as having to obey. Our pride makes us impatient and selfish. It tells us that our way is better; we should not have to wait; the rules should not or do not apply to us; our situation is the exception; we should get what we want. We always have some reason or justifucation to break the rules....even when it comes to God's rules.

Pastor Troy noted last week that if we want to position ourselves to receive God's blessings, we have to be obedient...and that we "have to be obedient to be obedient."
It's actually quite simple. Not easy. But simple.

To OBEY: to follow the commands or guidance of; to conform to or comply with [Merriam-Webster]

If you love me, you will obey my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth.
-John 14:15-17

The Love Test

If "loving" were based on feelings...would Jesus have been tortured and crucified for us?
Love is a decision. Loving is action.

Are we really loving? Our litmus test is right in 1 Corinthians 13.
Are we patient?
Are we kind?
Are we envious, boastful, arrogant or rude?
Do we insist on our own way?
Are we arrogant or resentful?
Do we rejoice in wrongdoing...or truth?
Are we long suffering?
Do we beileve and hope in the best?

Let us consider ourselves and how we are toward those whom we say we love. Do we pass the test?

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. - [1 Cor 13:1-3]

In Christ.



Connect Group Leaders- stay connected with each other on NING !

The Log In Our Eyes

The first order of things to be changed is me, the leader. After I consider how hard it is to change myself, then I will understand the challenge of trying to change others. This is the ultimate test of leadership. -John Maxwell

It is usually pretty easy to point out how someone else needs to change. But, if we TRULY consider even half of the things for which we criticize others...we are often guilty ouselves. The "do as I say and not as I do" concept has a great big hole in it shaped just like hypocrisy. And, it is hard to respect and follow a hypocrite.

The next time you feel the need to criticize and/or change the behavior or another, take a moment to reflect on your own life. What changes do you need to make?

Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or, how can you say to your neighbor, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.
-Matthew 7:3-5

Access Our Ning Community on Your iPhone

Access Our Ning Community on Your iPhone

Did you know that our Connection Leadership Online Community comes with an iPhone interface? This is great when you want to keep up with the community when not at your computer. Using this interface, members with iPhones can access a simplified version of our network that looks great and loads quickly, even on a 2G iPhone.

To access the iPhone interface, you simply need to add /m to the URL of our community network (ie. to access our community on an iPhone, type http://www.frcsmallgroup.ning.com/m

Using the iPhone interface, you can view photos, and photos will even rotate to accommodate the direction in which the phone is being held. You can also view embedded YouTube videos and scroll, over multiple pages, through our community's Latest Activity.

After scouring recent activity, photos and videos, you can browse members in out network — and add people as friends or leave comments on their profile pages. Our Forum is also completely accessible on the iPhone interface. You can start a discussion or reply to existing discussions. Ning hopes to incorporate additional features in this mobile interface over the next several months. Keep connecting!

A Quote For Today

Life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards.

- Soren Kierkegaard

Weekend Anticipation...

Thank God for another day to serve Him!

Our Family Mess series continues this weekend.

Don’t miss Pastor Troy and Stephanie teaching together this week! No matter where we are in our lives and in our walk, we can ALL learn more about our relationship and family dynamics. Be sure to remind and encourage all your connect group members to attend.

From Colossians Chapter 3:12-17

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, CLOTHE yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. BEAR with each other and FORGIVE whatever grievances you may have against one another. FORGIVE as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues PUT ON love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And BE THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. [emphasis added]

Be active in your faith.

Looking forward…In Christ

A Quote for Today...

Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul. -John Maxwell

Let's make it a point to encourage at least one of the FRC staff members this week. They do such an AWESOME job for us all and to further FRC's pursuit to share the GOSPEL !!!

Connect group leaders: stay connected with each other on NING !

The Saints Come Marching In

The New Orleans Saints were not the only winners this past Superbowl Sunday. Next Step, our Flamingo 101 Partnership class, was also held on Superbowl Sunday on most of our campuses. This Sunday we had 40 new members partner with Flamingo at our Pensacola campus, 25+ new members at Cooper City with 1 salvation and 1 baptism, 2 new members partnered with Flamingo at Doral, and 17 new salvations in the RUSH at our Hallandale Beach Campus! How do you like those stats! Thanks to our Flamingo MVPs who volunteered and helped change some lives! ...[Mike Markcity]


Vision- a vivid, imaginative conception or anticipation.
FRC Vision- 50 campuses - 100,000 weekly attendees - $150,000,000 annual budget

Join us TONIGHT as Pastor Troy unleashes FRC's next step toward making this vision REALITY !!! - Unleashed: Feb 10, 2010 - 7pm - Cooper City Campus.


Connect Group Leaders: stay connected with each other on NING!