New Release: Songs for the Pain Album 09.27.2019

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For the last year or so, our team found ourselves in a season of writing that hasn’t been like the seasons we’ve written in before. We began writing songs that didn’t exactly fit in the “Songs for Sunday morning” category. But the problem was, we didn’t know what to do with these songs. It was then that we started to think, “what if these songs weren’t necessarily made for the platform”? Does it mean that they’re not any good? What if God wanted to write a story through us to share with people who were going through times of despair; for the moments when people felt by themselves, for the moments that no one sees on Sunday morning. What if it was time to transition off the platform and into the prayer closet? This is for those times: Songs for the Pain.

New Song Release – Matchless One – Now Available!

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We’re excited to announce the release of our new song “Matchless One”. You can get it now, on all of the digital platforms available to you. For musicians and worship leaders, free lead sheets and rhythm charts are available now for download. We also have multitracks, choir arrangements, and orchestrations! Help us spread the word! Use the icons below to share this post on social media. Watch a snippet of the song below!

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Anchor Devotional 7: Singing in His Sufficiency

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By Seth Carter “When mighty waves come rushing in, my God will prove his strength again.” I remember it so vividly. I was 18 years old, a freshman in college out at the movies with some new friends I had made, when I got the call: “There’s been an accident. You need to come back to the dorms right now.”  A core member of the friend group I had grown up with, Andrew, had been killed in a car accident. I remember weeping bitterly with one of my best friends for hours as we wondered how this could have happened. But what happened after was much more memorable. At Andrew’s funeral, I remember the worship service taking on an air of celebration. We thanked the Lord for the time we had with him and celebrated his comfort and peace with Jesus in the present. As we sang Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name” at the top of our lungs, I remember the line that shook me to my core. I watched my friends and family declare with tears welling in their eyes: “You give and take away. You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, ‘Lord blessed be Your name.’” Even in the darkest moments, we can find cause to worship and be thankful. I’ll rephrase that: even in the darkest moments, we must find cause to worship and be thankful.  I’ve taken that memory with me into every trial I’ve faced since. From this memory and other experiences, I’ve witnessed God prove himself time and time again to be more than enough for me. He is, in a word, sufficient. Looking to Scripture, the prophet Jeremiah had reason to despair during the devastation of the city of Jerusalem the defeat of his people. Yet in the midst of this loss, the song on his lips was this: “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23, CSB). Jeremiah found God’s character to be more than enough for him to worship and give thanks, even though he was surrounded by reasons to lament. That is a faith and a testimony that sees beyond the present circumstance. The very first line I wrote for Anchor was “When mighty waves come rushing in, my God will prove his strength again.” The thought that I wanted to scream to myself was “Great is His faithfulness!” God’s power will never find an equal, God’s peace will never be upset, and His promises will never be broken. He is sufficient in all circumstances! To that, I’m reminded of the lesson of Philippians 3:8 (ESV), which says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” If I have Christ, …

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Anchor Devotional 6: Living in True Victory

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By Troy Coates “Your blood declares a better word than any boast of hell.” “The boast of hell” is a strange phrase. Hell is boasting–bragging, if you will–that the powers of darkness are guaranteed to win, or are at least heading towards victory. The deceptions of the evil one and the lies of our hearts tell us that life is about survival and self-reliance. Our goals in life revolve around gaining satisfaction, accomplishment, or happiness while living on this earth. God tells us that these lies distract us from true joy! By these deceptions, we are torn from the satisfaction, accomplishment, and joy found in Christ! Throughout middle school and high school, I developed sinful behaviors. Lying, lust, disobedience, and pride became common in my life. But the sad part about all of it, and the most discouraging part for me was the fact that I thought I had to hide my sin and brokenness. I even thought that I had to fix my sins to qualify for true Christianity, which was strange because I knew that salvation was by faith alone. I deceived myself into believing that I had to clean myself up before trusting God with everything else. This was disastrous because I continually found myself believing my sinful habits would provide satisfaction, relieve stress, or produce security. Because I would repeatedly fall for these lies, I believed I was unable to overcome my sin or receive blessings from God. What I have learned through these times of deception was that the “boast of hell” can be both loud and soft. Hell’s boast is often loud and powerful, as it declares through our surroundings that hope is lost, pain and depression are all that exist, and brokenness is now our cage. But other times, the “boast of hell” can be soft, giving suggestions of unworthiness and opportunities to promote selfishness. In the midst of the brokenness produced by these lies, there is a sure hope that influences every moment of our lives. We do not have to listen to the lying boast of hell because we know the truth: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came down from the glory of God to dwell with sinful man, die for the sins of the world, and raise to life in victory. That victory extends to us as well! This is the truth that must be held onto over any lie that threatens to tear us down! We have victory in Christ! Death is defeated and sin is no longer our master. Christ is your Savior. Christ is my Savior. I do not have to save myself from the lies of hell, for Christ has won the victory for me! Paul rejoices in this truth in 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (ESV): “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:     ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’       ‘O death, where is your victory? …

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Anchor Devotional 5: Knowing the Lord’s Sovereignty

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By Mark Warnock “In You, I find my dwelling place; No evil shall prevail.” Moments of crisis are common, both in history and in our own lives, but sometimes many crises hit at once and everything falls apart. In 1918, the world was preoccupied with World War I, which overtook the normal lives of people everywhere as the great powers of the World clashed in a horrible, bloody conflict. While the war was going on, another crisis arose. A deadly new strain of the influenza virus began to spread all over the world, quietly and barely noticed at first, but then breaking out with astonishing speed and ferocity. The press widely downplayed the pandemic, but as people began to see perfectly healthy young people dropping by the hundreds and thousands before their eyes, unease blossomed into alarm throughout the communities of the world. Even when authorities didn’t admit it, everyone knew the situation was dire. In the end, the Spanish flu of 1918 became the deadliest epidemic the world had ever seen. In some places, as many as 20% of those infected died. Estimates for worldwide deaths range from 20-50 million people, including nearly 700,000 Americans. As if the war wasn’t enough to worry about! It was hard not to be paralyzed by fear in the midst of events like these. Many people feel that way about our society now: families are broken and hurting everywhere you look; the political conversation is ugly, mean, and divisive; the values and traditions that have stabilized our society are being questioned and even overturned; racial tensions have flared in ways we haven’t seen in many decades; young people are more depressed than ever, struggling to find good jobs and good relationships. Centuries ago, the Psalmist, facing a time of chaos, asked, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3, NIV). When faced with a cascade of problems, it is easy to become paralyzed with fear, confusion, and frustration. As the circumstances crash in around you, it can be hard to know what to do. It can be easy to lose hope. The Psalmist goes on to answer his own question, reassuring himself, “The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord is on his heavenly throne” (Ps. 11:4a, NIV). When it feels like the world is falling apart, God is still in charge. Nothing escapes his notice, and “the upright will see his face” (Ps. 11:7, NIV). The worst circumstances that arise within our communities, our nation, and our world cannot cut us off from our hope in Jesus. The worst social injustices and political crises will cause pain, strife, and frustration for a season, but our confidence rests in the sovereignty of God and the promise that His will shall be done. “When mighty waves come rushing in, my God will prove his strength again.” Even when you don’t know what to do, you can rest assured that God is sovereign over it all, and at the end …

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Anchor Devotional 4: Facing Our Fear and Shifting Our Focus

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By John Stepp “My rock, my refuge, my defense; In you, my heart will stand.” Fear. It’s a natural part of being human. I don’t know that I go through a single day without facing a fear of some sort: fear of change, fear of the future, fear of rejection, fear of uncontrollable circumstances or lack of control. None of us are immune to the many fears that haunt our daily thoughts. The things we fear and the degree to which we fear them varies, but we are all tempted to fear at some point. Fear is natural when facing extraordinary circumstances and powerful obstacles. Not knowing if a loved one will make it through the night, being abandoned by someone who was meant to protect and love you, or dealing with the crushing pain of depression are all experiences that occur daily throughout the world. The solace that believers have is in the power of our God. In Psalm 46:1 (ESV) we read “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  When we recognize the reality of God’s strength and care for His people, it drives our fear away. Our focus shifts from the world’s turmoil to God’s peace, creating a quiet confidence that God is in control. General George S. Patton, one of the greatest battlefield leaders of World War II, was once asked if he ever experienced fear. “Just before an important engagement and sometimes during a battle,” he responded, “but I never take counsel of my fears.”¹ When we begin to listen to the counsel of our fears more than we believe the promises and power of God, we shrink back into a small-minded, self-centered, miserable existence that can paralyze and render us ineffective in any area of our lives. Being tempted by fear is natural, being controlled by fear is often a choice. In times where fear seems to overshadow everything, we must choose to find our strength and refuge in God. Throughout the Scriptures, God tells us to cast out fear because of who He is and what He is able to do. It is not unusual to see statements such as “Do not fear!” “Fear not!” or “Be strong and courageous,” followed by a declaration of confidence: “for the Lord your God is with you!”. God promises that He is with us and will help us in our time of need. He proved this when He sent Jesus Christ to die for the sin and brokenness of our lives so that we could be restored and pursue the design God has for us. God wants to give us hope through his provision, power, and protection. Even when your world seems out of control and you are overwhelmed with extraordinary circumstances or powerful obstacles, here is the truth: God remains the same. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8, ESV) and He “is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Questions for …

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Anchor Devotional 3: Trusting Beyond Comfort

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By Krystal Gutierrez “Your Word allows my every breath, I’m held within Your hand.” Becoming parents is something that my husband and I have always wanted. For Leo, this dream sparked at age 10. How sweet is that? We had even picked out the names of our future children while we were dating! We had our minds set on being young parents, so we only waited a year after being married to try to start our family. However, the Lord had other plans in mind. After a year of not being able to conceive, we started seeking medical advice. Countless doctor visits ensued to find out why we had not been able to get pregnant. After being poked and prodded for months, it didn’t help when we were told that we were completely capable of having babies on our own without medical intervention. Yet nearly six years down the road, our arms are still not filled with a sweet bundle we get to call our own. In early 2016, the Lord opened my heart to foster care through the influence of a local church initiative. I bought into the vision of providing for the needs of the many displaced children here in our own neighborhood and region. When I presented this opportunity to Leo, he was initially turned off to the idea. Foster care was a temporary living arrangement. He had always wanted to adopt and provide a permanent home to a child in need. Like many, Leo was consumed with the fear of becoming attached to a child, only for the child to leave to be returned to their biological family. After convincing him to attend a few training classes, he quickly let his guard down. We both realized that using the attachment excuse as our main deterrent was extremely selfish. There were kids being displaced every day due to circumstances outside of their control, and there we were, hesitant to take them in because we might get attached. Once our perspective shifted, we decided to proceed with becoming licensed foster parents. We opened up our home to love on kids who needed it. And this opportunity had more effects than we had anticipated. God began to use our circumstances to change us and depend more on Him. Over the past two years, we have had the opportunity to show love to and foster several children. The ability to become parents in a non-traditional way has proved to be a blessing that words cannot describe. At the beginning of 2017, we welcomed a sweet boy named Evan into our home. This transition into foster-parenting truly tested our dependence on Christ, forcing us to surrender the situations that were truly out of our control. After many ups and downs, and several instances of potential removal, we were given the great news that we would be adopting Evan and becoming his forever parents. This certainly was not the way we foresaw our family starting. However, we are constantly comforted in knowing …

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Anchor Devotional 2: Fighting for the Lord’s Will

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By Christian Ramos “My Soul will sing no other name. Jesus, You’re all that I need.” Just the other day a good friend of mine texted me, letting me know that his car had died in the middle of the road. I immediately asked him if he needed me to pick him up, to which he replied “Yes.” I got in my truck and drove to his location. As I arrived, I saw him standing in the middle of the road with cars going around him while he stood there, unable to move his vehicle out of the way. I pulled up in front of him and attached some straps I had in the bed of my truck to the frame of his car. We put his car in neutral and I began pulling him to a safe location. As I was doing that, I noticed a small but significant detail. The only way for me to know that his car was still attached was the pull of the straps against my truck. As I drove him to the parking lot of our church, I kept feeling for that tug and tension to indicate that the vehicles were still attached and I was still leading him to safety. There is a constant tension that we feel every day as we struggle with the conflict between our own desires and the desires of God. As we experience daily battles with our sin and flesh, God’s will and our will find themselves in competition with each other. Paul speaks of this tension in Romans 7:21-25a (NLT): “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…” Paul knew that this tension experienced throughout the life of a believer would be normal. Yet, he also knew that we could have victory over our sinful desires in Jesus Christ. The tension between our flesh and the Spirit is felt every day. But that tension is evidence that there has been a change in our hearts. It is evidence that even though our flesh is still broken, our souls have been restored. It shows us that even though our bodies are broken, our souls are renewed in Christ. Paul saw this tension as a constant reminder that we can’t do anything good apart from Christ. Our victory is only in Him. So be encouraged today, knowing that the tension you feel daily in your heart between what you want and what God wants is evidence of the fact that you are tethered to Christ, who is your Anchor. When you find yourself …

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Anchor Devotional 1

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By Winner Olmann “O Lord, You’ve proved Your faithfulness in every desperate hour.” In 2017, my prayer list was overwhelming. As I knelt before the Father countless times, I would find myself not knowing where to begin. Who should I pray for the longest? Should I pray longer for those facing an illness or the countless church members and friends struggling through marital issues? Maybe I should just start with myself. I can attest that 2017 was not easy for me either. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of catastrophes surrounding me. But in a whirlwind of emotions, in the midst of calamity, in the fear of the near future, my soul was quieted time and time again by this simple yet complex truth: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8, ESV). What I find most beautiful about this passage is that I see a characteristic of Jesus Christ that is often lacking within my own character: consistency. I am not particularly consistent in anything. I am not consistent with working out. I am not consistent with studying. I am definitely not consistent with prayer. I am, however, consistent with worrying. I could also say I am constantly overwhelmed. But in the midst of my inconsistency, I am comforted by my Savior who is consistently good, consistently faithful, and consistently showing me that He has everything under His control. Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV) expands on this idea: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (emphasis added). Isn’t that good news? Praise the Lord that He is God and I am not. Praise the Lord for He is not overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. Praise the Lord for He holds all things together so that I don’t have to. This promise remains true: “My God will prove His strength again.” Note it is not my strength, but His strength. He is the strong one. He is the mighty one. He is the one that can push back the tides if that be His will. We are called to pray. We are not called to be God; that is His job and He always does a better job at being God than we do. I am so deeply filled with gratitude to Him for that blessing. God is faithful and consistent in his character. So “when mighty waves come rushing in,” we can say with full assurance, “My God will prove His strength again.” Maybe you’re reading this today and there’s an overwhelming circumstance in your life. Maybe, like me, you’ve felt overwhelmed by the tragedies surrounding you throughout the lives of friends, family, or people in your church. Consider praying this simple prayer: “You are God. I am not.” …

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Combined Campus Night of Worship

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Twice a year, all the Family Church campuses come together for a night of worship and celebration.  On May 7, it was standing room only as Family Church overflowed the new, 800-seat performing arts hall at The King’s Academy. We ordained nine men to the gospel ministry, celebrated our first round of Launch Worship Training, baptized seven new believers and celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. The hall resounded with praise as our people sang FC Worship songs “Revive Us,” “I Found Freedom,” and the brand new song “Anchor.” Here are some pictures from the event: