Week of February 23, 2026

All FBC-Pigeon Forge ladies and their friends are invited to attend a new book study with Gale Adams that begins Tuesday, March 3. The weekly meetings will be held in the fellowship hall beginning at 10 a.m. and will continue through May 26. The study focuses on the book Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You, written by John MacArthur. Books will be provided on the first day.

In Part 1, we saw that biblical community isn’t optional — it’s part of God’s design for His church.

In a place like Pigeon Forge, relationships can easily stay at the surface. Life moves quickly. Schedules fill up. Faces change from season to season.

But at FBC Pigeon Forge, we believe God calls us to something deeper.

If we truly want to move from attenders to family, we must ask a practical question: What does it actually take to build real community here?

Because a healthy church family doesn’t just happen. It grows when we pursue it — intentionally, consistently, and together.

If community is essential, how does it actually grow? At First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge, we don’t just want to gather for worship — we want to grow as a church family.

But real community doesn’t happen automatically. It is intentional. Not accidental.

A healthy church community doesn’t happen because people like each other. It happens because leaders create space for it and members prioritize it.

Hebrews 10:24–25 tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.” Notice the intentional language — consider how. Biblical community requires thought, effort, and initiative.

Community grows and deepens when we create space for it — and when we step into that space.  

The early church didn’t just believe in fellowship; they practiced it. Acts 2:46 says they were “attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes.” They gathered in large settings and in living rooms. Worship and tables both mattered.

At FBC Pigeon Forge, we create space for that kind of connection through:

• Sunday School classes
• Small group gatherings
• Choir and music ministry
• Service opportunities
• Shared meals and fellowships

Structure doesn’t guarantee connection — but it creates opportunity for it.

If you’ve been thinking about joining a class or getting involved in a ministry, this may be your gentle nudge. Community often begins with simply showing up consistently.

If our relationships only exist in a pew for one hour a week, they won’t grow deep roots.
Galatians 6:2 calls us to “bear one another’s burdens.” That can’t happen if we don’t know what those burdens are. It requires conversation. Presence. Follow-up.

Real connection grows when we:

• Send a text during the week
• Visit someone who is sick
• Celebrate answered prayers
• Sit together at a ballgame or share a meal

If our relationships only exist in a pew for one hour, they won’t grow deep roots. Romans 12:10 challenges us to “outdo one another in showing honor.” That means we don’t wait to be invited. We take initiative.

Hospitality isn’t about having a perfect home (or an awe-inspiring church building). “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). It's about opening our lives to each other.

Pigeon Forge is a special place.

Some of us have deep roots here. Others are newer to the area. And every Sunday, we worship alongside guests who may only be with us for a short time.

That makes intentional community even more important.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 reminds us, “Two are better than one… For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.”

Community strengthens faith. Isolation weakens it.

The church becomes family not when everyone knows everyone — but when someone chooses to know someone.

This week, don’t wait. Reach out. Invite. Follow up.

Long-time members can:

• Invite newcomers into conversation
• Share the story of what God has done here
• Help someone feel at home quickly

Newer members and visitors can:

• Introduce themselves
• Join a class early
• Step into service opportunities

At FBC Pigeon Forge, we want to be more than a place people attend while they are in town. We want to be a church family that reflects Christ’s love clearly and consistently.
Community doesn’t grow by accident.

It grows when someone takes the first step. It often starts small—but grows through intentional pursuit.

This week, who could that someone be?

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