March 2024
Learned in Darkness, Spoken in Light
Section 1 News
Pastors, please feel free to submit a teacher from your local assembly receive the Fl District teacher of the month award. Submit photo and short bio to the CM Email: Fldistrictcm@gmail.com
Announcing our very own section 1 Rev. Gerald Wooten as the newly elected FL District Children's Ministry Secretary.
He has served faithfully in the Children's Ministry in Section 1 for almost 9 years. It is now an honor to have him serve in the capacity of secretary for the district!
Announcing the election of Rev. Timothy Cole as FL District Children's Ministry Director!
Rev. Cole has served faithfully in Children's Ministry since 2017. He served as Section 5 CM Director, District CM Promotions, and CM Secretary. Now, what a tremendous blessing he will be to the office of CM Director!
Announcing the 2024 Fl CM Save Our Children Offering goal!
The Toby's Top Dog Challenge is a great opportunity for our kiddos to get involved in the ministry of Save Our Children.
Visit https://www.fldistrictchildrensministry.com for resources and more information. There are printable resources and a downloadable video available.
Our section leadership is praying for 100% participation among churches in our section and $25K!
February 9th was the Youth Ministries Section One Kickoff Rally. There were 127 in attendance and a great spirit of worship among our young people.
Rev. Nathan Harrelson preached, "Small Steps and Giant Leaps" calling our young people to commit themselves to Jesus and reach their world.
Thank you to Pastor O’Neal, Calvary United Crestview , and all that came and supported our youth!
Please note the location change for our 5/3 and 9/27 rallies. All rallies start at 7:30p.
5/3 - MTM Kickoff - Apostolic Life Pensacola - Pastor Mitchell - Speaker: Kerry Jones, Evangelist
8/9 - District Back to School Rally - First Apostolic Church Milton - Pastor Webb - Speaker: DJ Hill, YM President
9/27 - First Pentecostal Church Pensacola - Pastor Kinsey - Speaker: Petru de LaGarza, FLYM District
11/2 - REC Event more into tba
Bible Quizzers are back at it again on MARCH 2ND, 2024 AT 9:00 AM
This tournament will be hosted by:
The Pentecostals of Orange Park (Pastor Cody Thompson)
530 Madeira Drive
Orange Park, FL 32073
Material Coverage:
Beginners through Acts 4:22 (94 verses)
Juniors through Acts 6:8 (131 verses)
Intermediate through Acts 6:15 (193 verses)
Experienced through Acts 7:53 (246 verses)
Later this month, quizzers from across all divisions are participating in the Southwest Extravaganza (with opportunity to secure their ticket to nationals). This is an exciting tournament and the quizzers/coaches/parents work hard to prepare for this event.
Please be in prayer for the churches from our section participating.
March 14-16, 2024: SENIOR Southeast Bible Quizzing Extravaganza
Sanctuary of Praise - Pastor Russell Drake
518 Stone Dr
Anderson, SC 29625
Early registration ends Sunday, February 25
Registration closes Wednesday, March 6
Intermediates through Acts 7:29 (222 verses)
Experienced through Acts 8:17 (270 verses)
March 22-23, 2024: JUNIOR Southeast Bible Quizzing Extravaganza
Eastwind Pentecostal Church - Pastor David Myers
1021 Emerson Dr NE
Palm Bay, FL 32907
Beginners through Acts 5:11 (105 verses)
Juniors through Acts 8:34 (165 verses)
Save the date for Steadfast, Florida Ladies Conference 2024! Early registration ends March 10th - flupciladies.com
Please submit any upcoming events you would like announced by emailing kherbst@firstpent.org
Learned in Darkness, Spoken in Light
Matthew 10:27, What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
As Christians, we aspire to be vessels for God’s work and feel the power of the Holy Ghost, especially when we speak in tongues. Although we desperately need the power it grants us, we often lack the patience to cultivate it through battle.
Though it would be ideal to learn all our lessons on spiritual mountaintops, the lessons learned in life’svalleys prove the most valuable.
Before we can climb the mountains to share the Apostolic message of truth, we must first learn to attune our ears to the faint whispers of God’s voice that speaks even in the darkest areas of our lives.
Through the comforting words of Psalm 91:1-3, many of us have discovered inner strength to weather our storms. These beautiful verses, full of poetic grace and majestic imagery, speak of the refuge and protection that can be found in God. However, it begs the question of where Moses learned these incredible insights.
During his time in the desert, wandering for 40 years and refusing to be identified as the son of Pharaoh’sdaughter, he truly learned to hide himself in God. Even as he faced the might of Pharaoh’s armies, Moses refused to be defined by circumstances; therefore, he found the strength to abide in the secret place of the most High and trust in His divine protection.
The New Testament also documents Paul’s journey along this very path. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, he shares a powerful message expressing that
God’s grace was sufficient for him, for it was in his weakness that God’s strength was perfected. Despite asking the Lord to alleviate his “thorn in the flesh,” Paul realized that God’s grace was more than enough when his plea went unanswered.
While he waited to be beheaded in the Mamertine Prison in Rome, he penned these words to the Church of Corinth, choosing to glory in his infirmities so that the power of Christ may rest upon him.
To speak honestly, our abode is in the valley.
While the mountaintop may be splendid, it is uninhabitable due to the scarcity of air and excessive chill. In our existence, we traverse the obscure valley path at some stage.
However, this should not be for naught.
We must learn the lessons that the valley teaches us.
We must accept responsibility and not blame others for the dark place we are in.
These lessons should be used to teach others how to win victory, even during a storm.
We need to identify these five factors to make the most of this time.
1. Look for Jesus. He is still King in the darkness. Remember, it was in the fire that the fourth man appeared with the three Hebrew children.
2. Look for the opportunity to minister to others. Others who are walking their valley paths often need what you can share with them. Victories are won in the valley, not the mountaintops, and people come to Jesus.
3. Look for the Lily in the valley. Flowers don’t grow on the mountaintops. The flowers, fruit trees, and gardens all grow in the valley. That is where we find our nourishment.
4. Look UP in the valley. Don’t hang your head and give up! Psalm 121:1-2, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Jesus was crucified on a hill, but His blood ran down to the valley.
The Upper Room gave birth to His Church, which spread its influence far beyond its origins. There is no need to resent the valley, as it is the place where we find the vision, heal our souls, form relationships, raise our children, build churches, and truly carry out God’s work.
Only when we are planted in the valley can our roots take hold, and only when we are rooted can we grow and produce fruit.
Yours for the Kingdom,
Pastor Brian Kinsey
