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About Us
WRITERS
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SALES
Matthew Ruckman
423-503-1410
Email: goodnewstn@gmail.com
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Caleb Prytherch
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PHOTOGRAPHER
Paula Knipp
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GoodNews Dalton
EDITOR/ARTICLE COORDINATOR
Sandra Gilmore
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Matthew and Bethany Ruckman
Cell: 423-503-1410
E-mail: goodnewstn@gmail.com
OFFICE
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Hello Friends,
We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have six beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, Leah Jean, Emma, and Cooper. We live in Cleveland, Tennessee, and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed.
GoodNews Christian Magazine is a complimentary, Christian lifestyle publication. You can find us throughout the community in retail establishments, churches, restaurants, and more. Our magazine opens the door for Christians to work together to grow and strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising.
GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and women in the community who love and serve the Lord. Our hearts are open and willing to be used by God to reach out to the community to spread the GoodNews!
Disclaimer
All of the content in the
is for
and/or
Such contents does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) a decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is the personal opinion of such experts/consultants/persons and is not subscribed to by GoodNews Christian Magazine. The information in GoodNews Christian Magazine is provided on an “AS IS” basis, and all warranties, expressed or implied of any kind, regarding any matter pertaining to any information, advice or replies are disclaimed and excluded. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article we deem inappropriate.
Promises, Principles, Proverbs, and Prophecies
by Brian Branam
When interpreting and applying Scripture, it is important to distinguish between promises, principles, proverbs, and prophecies. The common error is to count most all the Biblical statements regarding what God says He will do, provide, or how He will respond as promises. For instance, Psalm 37:25 ESV says, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” By considering this statement as a promise one may draw the conclusion that God has promised that the righteous will never go hungry or be left to beg for provision of any kind. Yet when we survey the historical and present experience of many devoted followers of Christ, we quickly realize that many of them have indeed been hungry. Paul expressed in Philipians 4:12 that he has experienced need and hunger. In this case, Paul does not mention God’s provision, rather he mentions that he responded by learning the principle of contentment. Most glaring for us is that on the cross, the righteous Son of God asked a poignant question of God, “Why have you forsaken me?” In desperate circumstances, it is not uncommon for God’s people to feel forsaken. It is important then, for us to exercise a faithful hermeneutic, to rightly handle the Word of God (see 2 Timothy 2:15) by distinguishing between promises, principles, proverbs, and prophecies. Promises
A promise is a declaration of God that grants to its recipients the right of expectation. God does not fail to keep His promises because of His righteous character.
Principles
Principles are rules, axioms, or doctrines that we take from Scripture and apply to the habits of life. If promises are what God says He will do, principles are what God says we should do. When it comes to principles we should investigate three aspects of a principle for proper application. When was the principle given, to whom, and why? 1 Timothy 2:9 calls for women to adorn themselves modestly. Some equate this as a command for Christian women to wear something like burlap and to routinely put their hair in a bun. The result is often a judgmental reaction to a woman who wears jewelry, has a
trendy haircut, and enjoys fashionable clothes. Personally, I married a hottie and I would like to avoid burlap at all cost!
Proverbs
Failure to distinguish promises from proverbs is perhaps the greatest hermeneutical error committed against the Biblical text. While promises are declarations that give one the right of expectation, proverbs are observations that give one a sense of general expectation. Proverbs are so because God has ordained the moral laws of the universe to work according to certain patterns.
Prophecies
There is a great deal of misunderstanding of the nature of prophecies. Most believe prophecies to be Nostradomas-esque statements that supernaturally predict the future. While there are these types of statements in the Bible, the general definition of prophecy is concerned more with “forth” telling rather than “fore” telling. Forth-telling carries the equation God’s will in God’s Word + human reaction = future consequence. Prophecy is the Newton’s apple of the Bible. If I jump from a tall tree it will not go well for me; bank on it!
If we are not to be led astray or lose faith when it seems that the statements of Scripture do not meet expectation and experience, we must rightly handle God’s Word and discern the difference between promise, principle, proverb, and prophecy. In any case, God’s Word is not to be treated like a lottery ticket, but rather as an invitation to participate in God’s righteous covenant.
JNew Year, New Changes, New Unknowns
Money Matters Rick Hughes with
Driven by a passion to educate, inform and prepare future retirees, Mr. Hughes founded Hughes Retirement Group in 2007. His main interest is helping his clients in reducing their taxes.
anuary always comes with changes, some of which we choose and some of which we have no control over. We almost always think about changes on a personal level and sometimes forget to think about these changes on a financial level. What changes are in store in 2025 that could have an impact on your savings and retirement planning future?
Let’s take a moment to look at the known changes and how they may benefit your retirement in the future. The Secure 2.0 Act went into effect in 2022 but some of the changes it mandated are to begin in 2025. Annual contribution and catch-up contribution limits to your 401k have increased.
The tax bracket rates would revert to 2017 rates, which would mean higher marginal tax rates across income levels and a top tax rate of 39%. It has been stated that it would be the intent of the new Republican Administration to make these tax cuts permanent, rather than allowing them to expire.
Another change for 2025 is that there are now eligibility requirements for long-term, part-time employees. For 401k plans effective after December 31, 2020, the act provides that the employee be eligible if they have completed 3 consecutive 12-month periods, each with at least 500 hours of service. This will also cover 403b accounts in 2025 as well. For plan years after December 31, 2024, this term is shortened to 2 consecutive 12-month periods and the employee must have obtained age 21 by the end of the second 12-month period. These are all great additions to allowing individuals to save more for retirement.
We also know what the income tax brackets and standard deductions for 2025 will be.
What we do have to keep in mind is that these rates are set to expire on December 31, 2025. If this happens, the deduction amounts would lower to $8,300 for single filers and $16,000 for joint filers.
We can see how to save more for retirement and how tax brackets will affect our income in retirement, what we can’t see or know for sure is how administration policy changes and legislation will affect the markets and the direct impact that may have on our retirement funds. We saw the markets rally after Trump won the presidential election and then level out going into December. There are many unknowns for the economy with possible tariffs, a possible newly appointed Fed Chair in 2025, and a more domestic approach to drilling, all of which would have an impact on the economy and the markets.
Potential sectors that may benefit would be Banks & Financials, Defense, Oil & Gas, Small Cap Companies, and TIPS, while sectors tied to China, Mexico, electric vehicles, healthcare, renewable energy, and long-term Treasuries may decline. Pullbacks in the market are to be expected and understanding that money managers tend to have these pullbacks factored into their current portfolio allocations can help when we see market swings, but, as humans, we most often react with our emotions before analyzing the data. This is where meeting with your financial advisor and diving into your portfolio’s asset allocation mix will be key. A properly diversified portfolio can be allocated to balance out the winners and losers of market sectors so that your portfolio doesn’t decline or rise as sharply as the markets. Retirement planning is a marathon, not a sprint and our reactions to market changes should follow that stance.
If you would like to review your portfolio’s risk and allocation as we begin 2025, we would love to sit down with you. HRG’s goal is to help create your personal Retirement Playbook™ by developing your game plan and coaching you through your retirement season.
Investment advisory products and services made available through Impact Partnership Wealth, LLC (IPW), a Registered Investment Adviser.
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What Satan Wants from You and How Fast He Works to Get It
by Rodney Jones
Satan wants from you exactly what he wanted from Eve: her soul. And he got her soul, at least for a while. He would have taken her to Hell with him had not God Himself shed innocent blood on her behalf. It only took Satan a matter of hours to get what He wanted!! Think about that: from perfection to corruption in hours! Make no mistake about it, Satan wants you dead, and worse still, he wants to drag you down to the pit.
He comes on the scene only three chapters from the beginning of the Bible and He continues tormenting mankind until three chapters from the end of the Bible. In between these chapters are thousands of years of deception, misery, and death. This fallen angel is vicious, feared by thousands, and hates you.
If you have not been saved, you are in incredible, eternal, danger. At death, you will wake up in a world that you cannot get out of, lost forever. The good news is that if you are saved, you are beyond Satan’s eternal reach. But if he cannot have your soul, he will settle for your total destruction. Satan spends his time seeking whom to destroy. And how quickly does Satan work? His work is immediate! When God makes progress in the human soul, Satan comes immediately to take it away.
In Mark 4:15 *KJV the Bible says, “….Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the Word that was sown in
their hearts.” He comes immediately because he knows that the Word of God itself is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. (see Hebrews 4:12 KJV). The Word of God saves souls and transforms lives. Satan does not want that to happen. Therefore, he attacks quickly.
He wants your faith to fail. “Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you… But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:31-33).
He wants to corrupt your mind (see 2 Corinthians 11:13).
He wants an advantage over you. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians. 2:9).
He wants to fill your heart. “why hath Satan filled thine heart?” (Acts 5:3).
He wants you to savor the wrong things. “Get thee behind me, Satan … for thou savourest not the things that be of God” (Matthew 16:23).
He wants you to turn aside from the work of God. “For some are already turned aside after Satan” (1 Timothy 5:15).
He wants you to speak things you ought not. “They learn to be idle … speaking things which they ought not” (1 Timothy 5:13-15).
He wants to take you captive. “Who are taken captive by him at his will” ( 2 Timothy 2:26).
He wants you to give place (flinch, hesitate, re-consider). “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-2).
How do we defeat Satan? The same way that Jesus defeated him, by using the Word of God. In the wilderness, Jesus said, “It is written, it is written, it is written!” So, read it, memorize it, preach it, teach it, quote it, post it in your house and Satan will be defeated!
All Scriptures KJV.
Rodney Jones is a retired police officer and is presently a housing and residence life staff member at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Rodney is a member of Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Ringgold, Georgia.
All My Hope
by Karen D. Jeffery
Jesus and the disciples have quite a lot to say about hope. Biblical hope has as its foundation faith in God.
The word 'hope' in English often conveys doubt. For instance, when folks might say, “I hope it will not rain tomorrow.” In addition, the word ‘hope' is often followed by the word ‘so.’ This is the answer that some may give when asked if they think that they will go to Heaven when they die. They say, “I hope so.”
However, that is not the meaning of the words usually translated ‘hope’ in the Bible. Trust in the Lord and live solely each day for Him and I believe you’ll see Jesus.
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word batah has the meaning of confidence, security, and being without care. Therefore, the concept of doubt is not part of this word. We find that particular meaning in several Scriptures:
*Job 6:20 KJV, “They were confounded because they had hoped they came thither, and were ashamed.”
Ecclesiastes 9:4 “For to Him that is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
God in His Word. Our faith is confident assurance, for it is founded upon the Rock of our Salvation the Lord Jesus Christ. All of the actions of the heroes of the faith recorded in Hebrews 11 were made possible because they had this faith based in their confident assurance or hope in God. As believers, we are also called to give an answer for the hope that is within us to any who would ask. (See 1st Peter 3:15).
Psalms 16:9 “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
Psalms 22:9 “But thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.”
In most instances in the New Testament, the word ‘hope’ is the Greek elpis elpizo. Again, there is no doubt attached to this word. Therefore, Biblical hope is a confident expectation or assurance based upon a sure foundation for which we wait with joy and full confidence. In other words, there is no doubt about it!
One of the verses in which we find the word ‘hope’ is Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This verse is at the beginning of the faith chapter (Hebrews 11) and it carries with it all of the confidence that comes with knowing for sure, with no question, what we have been promised by
Biblical hope is a
and not a
hope carries no doubt. Biblical hope is a sure foundation upon which we base our lives believing that God always keeps His promises. Hope or confident assurance can be ours when we trust the words from John 6:63, “He who believes on Me has everlasting life.” Accepting that gift of eternal life means our hope is no longer filled with doubt but, rather, our hope has at its sure foundation the whole of God’s Word, the entirety of God’s character, and the finished work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We make a change in our lives by giving Him all the glory in all we do. Through the good times and the bad times, He is still our Rock and our Salvation. We give up the hate and the fear and let Him take it away. I hope this blesses you and you get into a Bible-believing church.
*All Scriptures are KJV.
Karen Jeffery loves her family and her church family but most of all her Savior.
Therefore
reality
feeling. Biblical
Flying Jewels
by Jan Merop
Hello, Kids! This article is part of our Chatty Critters series. Check in future issues for another installment in this series.
One hot summer day, Jewell, the caterpillar, crept along complaining as she crawled.
“If I had been a duck, I’d have been the ugly duckling.” Never mind that she and her fellow caterpillars looked alike. She couldn’t see passed her worm-like appearance.
“Mom, why did you give someone creepy like me an elegant name? I wish I looked like you.”
and see.”
how to learn. But her impatience robbed her from listening fully and learning details that would have helped her understand her nature. She dragged herself in another direction as soon as words like struggle, hope, and future change came up.
to feel the stirrings of something deep within her. She couldn’t describe it or ignore it. Again, her mom said, “Just wait and see,” knowing God’s process was about to begin.
After a time in the cocoon, she felt restless. So she pushed and struggled against the wrapping. “Won’t someone help me get out of here?” she called. But, the answer came back that it was in the struggle that she would develop strong wings.
“Wings like my mother has?” came her heartfelt hope.
At the right time, Jewell emerged with bright yellow/ orange wings edged in black. Transformed into a delicate, graceful butterfly, she finally fit her name…Flying Jewell.
soon find out, her Creator had fashioned her uniquely. Jewell awoke to find her unattractive body becoming wrapped in a cocoon. She didn’t understand, yet it seemed the most natural occurrence and she easily gave into the process.
Joining the many other “flying jewels," she brought the beauty of new birth to the world: from a creepy, complaining caterpillar to a gentle, graceful, breath-taking, exquisite butterfly.
Exploring Truth Through God’s Creation
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5: 17 NKJV).
The Butterfly and You
Discontentment and lack of patience cause us to be unhappy and unable to learn the truth about our sinful nature. When at last we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts, He enables us to work out the beauty He has put in us. Be content (accepting) in your circumstances and show joy! In Christ, you have been transformed from your old self into a new, ‘uniquely His’ creation. You can be a “flying jewel” for His kingdom!
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Not One, Or Two, But ALL Things
by Nikki Hill
“How do you have the strength or the patience to keep going?” I am often asked this or similar questions when others find out that not only do I work from home, but I also homeschool my son. Moreover, I take care of my other little blessings (under the age of two) while also trying to maintain a clean household. I can answer the above question comfortably and boldly with
thanksgiving in my heart, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV).
There are situations that sometimes occur while working that make me ask the question, “Is this job for me? Am I not good enough? Should I come back to this type of work when I feel I am able to?” And the last question which encourages me to let me know I must be doing something wrong or right depending on how one looks at it, “Why haven't they fired me yet?” Whether it is rebuke, a warning, or more training, I am thankful that there is still mercy and grace from my place of work. Instead of receiving the rebuke, warning, and training as an insult or attack, I see it as God giving me mercy, grace, and another huge benefit: discipline. As I continue to work my job, God has exposed more dark areas in my life that I need to work on as well as the good things and talents I can do to further my career for the common good.
Furthermore, I have come to find homeschooling is not an easy task to accomplish for many reasons, but the main one is if I, or my child, don’t have patience with one another as well as with my other children or his younger siblings, homeschooling will not work. Yes, patience with one another is vital in my household (my husband is not excluded). My Lord is patient.
He is the ultimate example of who I should look up to when I am feeling anxious and impatient when there are days that my son does not want to fully engage in his lessons while his brother is throwing a tantrum, and the baby is getting fussy, in need of sleep and food. So, when I look to the Lord and call upon Him for His strength in these times, He restores me. I am reminded of how He may feel when I am being a difficult child, yet exposing the disobedience in my heart, in which I am, in turn, remembering to have patience with my children. Lastly, after finishing work and school with my son, it seems I barely have the energy to do housework. Although I have not been diagnosed with OCD, there are things I have to do to accomplish certain tasks before moving to the next task. Moreover, when my husband lends a helping hand, I sometimes reject it because of the above sentence and so I feel overwhelmed by the mess and wonder how I will get it clean. In addition, I struggle to utilize the help given to accomplish my tasks.
But God exposes the messes in my life and encourages and reminds me, “...With men, this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 KJV). Enter faith, trust, and hope. He cleanses me of my thoughts of self-inadequacies and places in me a renewed mind of self-worth and improvement. He reminds me to keep ripened fruit like a fresh apple available. This symbolizes patience to me when dealing with my son when he is hungry and cranky. In my son’s weakest moments, I am reminded of myself, just as the Father sent Jesus to save us from our sins when we were weak. And when filth and foulness begin to rave my home and my life, I am reminded that God wants me to give all my anxiety to Him as well as my trust and obedience. He works ALL things out for my good!
How Can I Help My Child Get Closer to God?
by Dr. Brent Madaris
Irecall reading an account about Celeste Sibley, onetime columnist for the Atlanta (GA) Constitution, when she took her three children to a diner for breakfast one morning. With the diner full of patrons and limited seating available, the family sat apart from each other. All was moving along well until the eight-year-old daughter named Mary broke over the usual diner hub-bub with a loud voice, speaking to her mother as if no one else was around, “Mother, don’t people say grace in this place?”
While the stunned Mrs. Sibley stalled and gathered her
thoughts, silence reigned over the dining room. It was the counterman’s turn to speak as if no one else was around. He said, “Yes, we do, sister. You say it.” With bowed heads, the patrons sat in reverent silence as Mary offered thanks for the meal, “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food…”
Don’t you just love kids?
It has always been distressing to me to see so many children so far removed from God in their daily lives. I do not know the reasons for this, nor the answers to it in every case, but parents must realize their great responsibility in this matter. The following suggestions, I feel, are extremely important in keeping your children close to God. Choose, and implement, as many of them as you possibly can.
Establish a family altar. Read and study the Bible together. Sing gospel songs together. Pray together. This will be a difficult project to establish and maintain, but it will reap eternal dividends and rewards in the lives of your children. It is best to start a family altar when children are very young. Make it a natural part of their lives.
Labor to lead your child to faith in Christ. Live the right kind of life before your children. Be a genuine Christian in every sense of the word. Get as close to (and stay as close to) God as you possibly can. Hypocrisy, on the parents' part in this matter, is terribly destructive to children. There is no doubt that one of the main reasons why many children turn away from God is because their parents are
pretending to be Christians or fakes. In your home, maintain a spirit of praise and joy. Nothing turns off young people any more than a gossiping, backbiting, critical, pessimistic, negative approach to life. When children live in that kind of environment is it any wonder that they struggle spiritually?
Go, as a family, to a strong Bible believing, Bible preaching, soulwinning, fundamental church. Don’t look to a church to entertain your child. Look to a church to educate your child in the ways of God and the Bible! Participating with your child in some form of Christian service with the express intent of leading others to Christ is a powerful way to keep your child in love with God. Encourage them in their efforts to serve God. If they show interest in devoting their lives to God in some full time capacity (Pastor, Missionary, Evangelist, etc.), do everything in your power to encourage that desire and help them fulfill it.
Spend time with your children doing fun things together. Take an interest in them and their interests. Praise your children when they do right. Lovingly correct them when they do wrong.
Greatly limit or even eliminate television. Television has been the greatest means of moral destruction in our
generation. Try to think of one modern day clean, decent, moral show that encourages and inculcates genuine biblical principles? Television is filled with things that are directly contradictory to the Bible and its principles. It constantly bombards the mind with a worldly approach to life. No child (or adult either) can get close to God, or stay close to God with such materials being constantly put into the mind. Be extremely careful with electronics, like cellphones, iPads, iPods, Computers, etc.
Be very careful about which school your child attends. If a child is exposed to worldly, humanistic, and evolutionary philosophy for eight hours per day, even the strongest Christian home will struggle to raise godly kids.
Be careful who you let your children run with. Many a child has been ruined by the wrong kind of friends.
Last but not least: Pray for, and with, your children! Pray! Pray!! PRAY!!!
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Dr. Brent Madaris, a family nurse practitioner, recently earned his Doctorate of Ministry and shares his expertise with our readers. Learn more about Dr. Madaris at his websites, www.ministrymedicine.com or
ELocal CASA Volunteers Change a Child’s Story
by Chelsea DeWaters
very year, hundreds of local families are separated from each other. The children are taken into foster care, and the parents are court-ordered to complete services to help them recover from addiction, mental health struggles, and trauma. This is a process that can bring healing to families in crisis. It’s incredibly painful, frightening, confusing, and traumatic for children and parents alike, to be separated from each other, with no assurance of reunification. Imagine already being in the hardest season of your life, and then having your children taken from you. Imagine being a child, and suddenly being ripped away from your home, parents, friends, and siblings, and placed in a stranger’s house or group home, with no idea whether you’ll ever be able to go home again. When Murray and Whitfield Counties’ children come into the foster care experience, it is akin to the experience of being a
refugee. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and right now, these kids really need their village.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers are members of this community who go through training to learn how to come alongside these families in this time of crisis and grief. Not everyone can be a social worker or a foster parent, but through the CASA program, everyday members of the community from all backgrounds and walks of life can still volunteer their time to help.
CASA volunteers are trained as court advocates for foster children. Many CASAs have no background in social work, child welfare, or even childcare, but they want to serve their community, and they go through training with the CASA program so that they can become advocates for our local kids in foster care, and, by extension, for their families.
It can be scary to be in foster care. Many children change homes frequently while in foster care, losing once again any stability or sense of normalcy they may have established with their foster placement. Changing homes usually also means changing schools, which means making new friends, finding a new favorite teacher to feel safe with, losing a cherished place on a basketball team or in the drama club’s production, and confronting a new administration that might or might not have the same awareness of the history that’s led to the child’s behavioral disruptions or academic struggles. Changing homes also often results in a change of therapist, pediatrician, psychiatrist, and visitation with their parent or relatives. Loss piles upon loss, grades struggle, self-esteem takes hit after hit, and the all-important sense of security and attachment to a caregiver that all children need to survive and thrive can be eroded completely.
With their CASA volunteer, these children know they have a person who will keep showing up, no matter what. Regardless of where they go, how they behave, or what struggles and fears they may not trust to reveal, someone is there beside them, each step of the way, through this sometimes fearful journey. They know their feelings will be considered by this person, their voices heard, their wishes taken seriously, their struggles met with support, and their fears acknowledged and met with compassion and care.
As the Special Advocate for the child, the CASA gets to know that child, develops a deep understanding of that child’s individual needs, and forms clear, well-informed conclusions about what is in the best interest of that child.
The CASA then makes recommendations to DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services) and the judge. Throughout the case, the CASA stands as both a support and friend for the child and parents and as a support and advisor for the judge, who is working to make incredibly difficult, lifechanging decisions for families separated by foster care.
CASA Volunteer Melissa is known for the constant, compassionate care, and consistency of attention, generosity, and belief in people that she brings to each one of her cases. Two of her little ones got to go home last year. Their dad, Justin, was in foster care himself as a child and went through an amazing recovery journey while Melissa was assigned to the case. Justin said, “Getting my kids back was a major, major motivation to me to get clean. Everything they asked me to do, I did my best to go above that.” Throughout this process, Melissa was not only a consistent,
nurturing presence for the children but also for Justin. She encouraged him and helped him along the way.
She says, “He was working on his plan, so I just kept track of him and kept track of the kids. I went to the school and talked to the counselors. We had a plan just like he did, and we were working on that. We were all working on reunification.”
Melissa maintained months of aftercare when the kids returned home, as the only person the judge still had checking in on the case, while Justin worked to make his custody permanent through superior court. By the time the DFCS part of that case had closed, Melissa had built a bond of trust with this dad and was there to help connect him to legal aid services and navigate the superior court process. This is just one of the hundreds of ways that CASAs advocate for their assigned children, and work diligently to help them find their way home to the parents they love so much.
CASA volunteers see local kids in foster care, not as the government’s kids, but as “our kids,” members of this community who need the support of their hometown. CASA volunteers are a voice for what is possible for families, what is excellent in families, and what is best for children. They are a daily example of what it means to love one’s neighbors and a daily inspiration for the larger community to work hard at taking care of each other. Learn how to join the CASA team, or find out more about our upcoming volunteer training, by calling Tracy Harmon at 706-428-7931.
Justin, with his family, CASA Melissa, and Melissa's supervisor, Yurilen.
The Good News, You Are More Than
by Garrett Nudd
After all the Christmas decorations are packed and returned to the attic, and the children head back to school, things are slowly settling back to normal. A long January ushers in new beginnings, fresh challenges, and opportunities to start the year on the right foot.
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? I used to make resolutions every year, but I stopped because I was tired of falling short and disappointing myself. Did you know sources indicate the average New Year’s resolution is broken before January 31?
A few years ago, at AdventHealth, we did an advertising campaign centered around the concept of ditching traditional resolutions and instead focusing on living with resolve. The headline was “Fewer Resolutions, More Resolve,” and I loved it.
As we start 2025, I’m not going to ask you to make resolutions, but I would like to encourage you to have resolve. Take some time to think about the things in your life that you can adjust—even slightly—and get closer to becoming the person God intended you to be.
For whatever it’s worth, here’s my list of 10 qualities I’m resolving to work on in 2025:
I resolve to be loving.
I resolve to be forgiving.
I resolve to be positive and optimistic.
I resolve to be peaceful.
I resolve to be content.
I resolve to be proactive.
I resolve to be intentional.
I resolve to be consistent.
I resolve to be more present.
I resolve to assume positive intent.
There’s no magic to coming up with ten, just come up with whatever feels right for you. The truth is, I’m addicted to these types of things, and ten is overkill—kinda makes it hard to focus. (Maybe I should add “I resolve to be focused” to my list, but that would be crazy because no one has enough resolve to focus on eleven items!)
Perhaps a more realistic strategy would be to identify a single word for 2025—a word that you can own and make yours throughout 2025. This word would be one you can carry with you as your north star, your bullseye, and your personal battle cry for the year.
So, think about it. What’s your word for 2025? Skip the resolutions and resolve to focus on one word. My friend’s word for the year is intentional. His goal is to be intentional with his family, with his work, with his relationships, with his faith, with his time, and with his finances. I really like this because his word—intentional—will impact several areas of his life, resulting in significant positive gains for the year.
At the heart of resolutions is the desire we all have—at least I hope you have!—of becoming a better version of yourself.
I recently came across the following quote that really resonated with me: “Who you are is God’s gift to you. And who you become is your gift to Him.”
Think about that for a minute. Go ahead re-read it.
What does God want for you? And what does He want FROM you?
Aesop, in his classic fable “The Tortoise and the Hare,” teaches us that slow and steady wins the race. And current author, James Clear, in his wildly popular book, Atomic Habits, reminds us that small, incremental adjustments every day add up to significant improvements over time.
Aesop and Clear remind me of the fact that God has given me the tools I need and the foundation to do something remarkable for Him. And maybe that’s the best New Year’s resolution of all.
I Am Retired, What Now?
by Brenda Dedmon
When I graduated from seminary and moved to my first church, I was eager to begin my ministry as Minister of Education. I began to answer questions no one was asking! The last thing on my mind was retirement during those early years of ministry. It was some time later that retirement became a focus from a financial matter; however, it seemed a long time away.
I retired in 2020, having served 43 years in churches in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Georgia. I made wonderful friends in those years of ministry. I had a front row seat in seeing God’s presence in joyous victories as well in disappointing circumstances that left a weary soul.
I was ready for retirement, but it was an adjustment. The first few weeks seemed like a long vacation that was desperately needed. Afterwards I begin to feel like, “What Now?”
Here are four things that I have discovered about life in retirement:
• Discovering who you are outside of your job is a challenge. The last 24 years of my ministry I had a wonderful relationship with a therapist that provided me with a safe place to explore life. When I retired, I began to recognize that my self-identity was more related to my profession than I had realized. I once again sought the wise counsel from my therapist to re-discover this new place in life. I sought ways that my gifts of ministry could still be used in diverse ways that brought happiness as well as serving others.
Setting my own schedule or not even having one was a reward for retirement.
• Dressing down is fun. I can remember the days when we began to have “Casual Fridays” which meant t-shirts and jeans were acceptable work attire. A few church members were not pleased; however, it was a favorite day by the staff. I now have a t-shirt that says, “I am retired, this is as dressed up as I get”! T-shirts are essential for retirement.
• If I only had more time. I said many times, “If I only had more time, I would.” I discovered that was not really my problem. I had more time, but those things I said I would do never got done. I realized that I had to take initiative-taking measurements to accomplish things.
• Not setting an alarm is a fantastic way to live. I have always been a “night” person and hearing an alarm in the morning was not a welcome sound. I found freedom in being able to do things on my own schedule and not defined by time restrictions. Doctor and hair appointments were even better in the afternoons. Brunch or lunch with friends became a favorite time.
I found this scripture to be a reminder of what is important in life even in retirement. “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need” (Hebrews 13:6 TLB).
Rev. Brenda Dedmon, retired director, Children’s Learning Center, First Baptist of Dalton, and an avid Bama fan.
Gò0 dNews for your Taste Buds
Hearty Winter Vegetable Stew
January calls for comfort food that warms you up from the inside, and a hearty vegetable stew is the perfect answer. Serve it with crusty bread or a side salad for a complete meal. Packed with seasonal vegetables, this stew is not only nutritious but also incredibly flavorful. Here's a detailed recipe to guide you through making this delightful dish.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Vegetables: Begin by dicing the onion and mincing the garlic. Peel and chop the carrots, celery, potatoes, sweet potato, and butternut squash into bite-sized pieces. This prep work ensures everything cooks evenly.
2. Cook the Base: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing them until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. This forms the aromatic base of your stew.
3. Add the Vegetables: Incorporate the chopped carrots, celery, potatoes, sweet potato, and butternut squash into the pot. Stir well to coat the vegetables with the oil and onions, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. This initial cooking step enhances the flavors of the vegetables.
4. Combine and Simmer: Pour in the diced tomatoes along with their juice and the vegetable broth. Stir in the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and cooked through.
5. Add Green Beans and Peas: Once the root vegetables are tender, add the green beans and frozen peas to the pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes to cook the green beans and heat the peas through.
6. Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
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We Shall Overcome
by Jamie Renee Hill
We will walk together We’ll walk hand in hand
Breaking racial barriers And together we will stand
We are not afraid Of what the enemy may do We will overcome
The Lord will see us through
We will live in peace
Yes, the whole human race
Every heart will sing Of God’s amazing grace
We will overcome We will overcome
And the victory will be won some day.
for Everyone Rookie Mistakes
by Dr. William Lamb
It was a rookie mistake. I didn’t mean to do it. Honestly, I can’t believe it happened! But the proof is in the eyebrows.
Let me explain. About 10 years ago, my boys and my bride bought me my first Big Green Egg. In case you are not aware of what that is, it is a kamado style grill and smoker. They are incredible cookers. You can smoke, grill, bake, sear, broil, etc., the possibilities seem endless. You can hold temps as low as 200 or as high as 800 degrees with the use of two vents: one at the top and one at the bottom.
But be careful. It also can be dangerous, if you forget to burp it.
known as the high sea’s disaster or the sinking of the Titanic which was estimated at $7.5 million dollars in 1912. That’s about $168 million dollars in today’s economy. Plus, the loss of over 1500 souls to the frigid sea.
So how can we prevent “rookie” mistakes that will cost us money, a few burns here or there, or even the loss of life or relationships? Here are three steps that require we ACT.
Acknowledge your propensity to make mistakes. No, this does not mean you are accepting a reality that you will fail or mess up. This just means that you are aware that you are not perfect and can fall short of the goal at times. Part of being able to prevent the failure is realizing that you can fail. Then, putting into place the necessary tools to prevent the mistake or the failure.
Once the Big Green Egg is lit, one must burp or vent the dome, by cracking it slowly multiple times to avoid a flashback. I know this process having used the grill hundreds and hundreds of times. But on Saturday, June 29th I forgot to burp it. As a result, the hair on my left wrist and both eyebrows were singed because of my rookie mistake.
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a rookie mistake is “a basic mistake, like one that a person with no experience of an activity would make.” The problem is not just in the mistake but also the result which can sometimes be costly. One of the costliest mistakes is
Correct the action you did not like. That you wish you had never repeated. It could be behavior, a skill set, a choice, etc. If you make the decision to correct the areas of your life that cause you to make repeated mistakes, then you will establish a corrective culture and minimize repeated mistakes.
Think. Much of what happens in our lives is attributed to how we think. Think smart. Think wise. Think pure. Think right. Then…be smart, be wise, be pure, and be right.
Rookie mistakes can also be attributed to a person’s level of maturity. One of my least favorite demographics of people are the childish adults. You know the type. They are not just jovial or fun people, but they act with childish behavior that one should know better than to repeat.
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things…” What childish behavior do you need to put away today? What activity do you need to quit repeating?
William Lamb, PhD Lee University
Center
for Health & Fitness
Winter Boosters
by LaBreeska Wiseman
With winter upon us, I wonder: do you ever get the winter blues or blahs? Me too! For my discouraged, depressed, or down and out friends this winter season, I’ve been there. And wrote the book, literally. (It will be published soon). But that’s not what I’m talking about. Not taking it lightly or assuming there’s a quick fix, here are a few helpers to keep us all moving along to those “brighter days.” Like the apostle Paul said, “I think myself happy…” These are a few things that move your brain in a higher, happier direction.
You may see it differently but here’s a thought: Laughter really is medicine. It’s scientifically proven that laughing, even if you have to start out faking it (it usually becomes real after a few seconds) releases important chemicals in your brain for emotional health and it also vibrates your organs for physical health benefits. So I have had times when I begged my friends to make me laugh. I would send out texts or post a request for friends to send me funny memes or videos or jokes. My kids would start rolling in with hilarious TikToks, or friends would comment with a string of memes. Sometimes I would just go on YouTube myself and search “funny animal videos” or stream a movie guaranteed to make me laugh. My number one picks are Nacho Libre and Pure Luck. Both of those literally make me laugh out loud.
This is also something that is scientifically proven to release endorphins in your brain: exercise. Go to the gym, drag a friend along, play basketball, or go roller skating with some kids or kidsat-heart. A double endorphin blessing is to exercise while looking at beautiful scenery, like going for a walk or a jog at a nice park or nature trail. I hike because it’s my therapy! The beauty of nature and the struggle to gain altitude gives me a rush!
One more thing that gets the happy chemicals flowing is accomplishment. The feeling of having conquered something or learning something new floods our brains with boosters. A strenuous hike up to an awesome overlook, or waterfall, gets my muscles screaming while my heart is pounding and my mind is declaring “But look what I did!” Try these on for size:
• Tackle a home improvement project, even if it’s cleaning out the closets!
• Find some YouTube videos that teach you how to make something or cook an exotic new recipe.
• Download an app to learn a new language.
Lastly, my favorite is worshipping the Lord. If I can put on some awesome worship music (or even better, if I can go to a worship gathering someplace where they’re really going to take time to go deep), there’s just something about lifting up the Lord that lifts me up also!
You have friends and family who love you but they get busy and might not be thinking of you at exactly the moment you need them. It’s okay to reach out to them and ask for attention. Snap your selfie in the gym or on a mountain top and send it to them to show off what you did. They will be happy along with you! Send them another reminder: “Make me laugh!” They will be happy to do that. But, here’s the best reminder: don’t forget the love of the Lord. Do a search of all those “Jesus Loves Me” scriptures and read them, write them, and say them out loud. Keep yourself reminded that He is with you, cheering you on, and celebrating you!
LaBreeska Wiseman is an international evangelist and recording artist. Her ministry, Freedom International Evangelism, has touched
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Rotten Without Realizing It
by Jennie Arnold
Recently we had several massive trees removed from our yard. One we hadn't intended to remove originally but when the tree guy came by to give an estimate on a couple of others, he pointed to this huge oak not far from my house and told us it was dying and should come down. We had noticed over time that huge limbs would fall but didn't think much of it. After he informed us the tree was dying, we looked up, and sure enough, all the way to the top there were dead limbs just waiting for an unsuspecting victim to walk underneath!
Later on, I started to compare that tree to our spiritual lives. How many of us walking around think we are doing alright in our walk with the Lord but we have those "rotten" places still in us that need to be removed?
I’m including myself here. “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33 NIV).
Having that tree removed from the spot it was in all these 37 years I've been in my home has been difficult to get used to. We get comfortable with certain things, don't we? Well, something I have noticed with all those overhanging limbs and leaves gone is that the sun is much brighter on my deck area. “Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun” (Ecclesiastes 11:7 NIV). It's like things have really opened up and there is so much light coming through.
Sadly, they were tossed out. I've had the same with squash, so pretty and yellow. Then with a closer inspection, I see where something just doesn't look right. The next thing I know that squash is off the vine and dying. Didn't Jesus say something about vines and branches? In John 15:5 NIV, He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
I'm reminding myself to be more aware of not letting anything start to "decay" in my spiritual walk and to keep my relationship with the Lord fresh every day. I certainly don't want anyone (or Him) to look at me and see rottenness that I didn't know was there.
All these lessons learned from rotten trees also applied to my garden last summer with the drought and heat we experienced. When I looked at some tomatoes, they were beautiful on top but then I looked underneath—rotten!
We might get all dressed up and think we're looking good, ready to head to church to worship, but in our hearts we could be hiding something like anger, jealousy, bitterness, towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. I don't think that makes us as close to Jesus as we would like to be, unless we repent of those things and remain as secure to Him as possible. We desire to bear as much fruit as possible for Him. Let's not allow ourselves to look good but be totally rotten and not useful for the King. We are His representatives to this world.
Jennie Arnold loves her garden and her family. They attend Holly Creek Baptist Church in Chatsworth.
for Everyone
Why I Love These Lyrics
by Heather Guthrie
In the Garden by Charles A. Miles (Public Domain)
Here are a few reasons why I love this hymn. He walks with me and He talks with me. There are many times I forget that the Lord is right here with me, especially in the overwhelming times or when I'm trying to figure things out all on my own. There are also times I'm celebrating something that no one else could fully understand the excitement of why. The need for someone to “get it” is still there. When I bring it up to the Lord, I know He shares the excitement with me and I feel that it's been acknowledged completely.
He tells me I am His own. I've struggled with being accepted most of my life. In His Word, He tells us we are chosen and that promise addresses my struggle. 1 Peter 2:9 KJV specifically says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
The enemy is good at what he does and tells us the opposite of God’s Word. When God’s Word is in a song, the message tends to linger. It sticks better when melody and lyric paired with the Word. His kindness and His love are tangible with these lyrics. These lyrics paint a beautiful picture of each of us walking and talking with the Lord through this journey of life. It also reminds me of when man fell short of the glory of God and sinned in the garden. God was so gracious and sovereign. God already knew what man would do and had already made a way for him. He made a way for us all through His son Jesus Christ on the cross. He sent His comforter and guide, the Holy Spirit, to walk with us and talk with us. What a comfort and confidence builder: We are never alone!
I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses, And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain:
And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
I’d stay in the garden with Him, Though the night around me be falling, But He bids me go; through the voice of woe His voice to me is calling.
Heather Guthrie, daughter of the King dancing in the deep and encouraging others with truth. She loves to meet people where they’re at in ministry. She can be reached at Higuthrie215@gmail.com.
Dalton Church Directory
Assembly of God
Christian Fellowship Assembly
3656 Chattanooga Road, 30755
706-280-7594
The Sanctuary 515 Reed Rd NW, 30720 706-270-2088
The Healing Center Church 515 Reed Road, 30720 706-229-9456
Baptist
Abundant Life Baptist Church 811 J and J, 30721
706-278-5289
Antioch Baptist Church 1205 Antioch Road, 30720 706-278-1305
Beaverdale Baptist Church 2496 Beaverdale Rd NW, 30721 706-259-7089
Calvary Baptist Church 2115 Chatsworth Rd, 30721 706-278-6324
Carolyn Baptist Church 2305 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-8142
Centerpoint Baptist Church 420 Centerpoint Drive SE, 30721 706-277-2100
Christ Reformed Baptist Church 1378 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-226-3026
Concord Baptist Church 1054 Hopewell Rd, Cohutta 30710
706-694-8618
Cove Baptist Fellowship Church 461 Carbondale Rd SW, 30721 706-277-3484
Crown View Baptist Church 502 West Tyler St, 30720 706-278-7422
Deep Springs Baptist Church 1660 Beaverdale Rd NE, 30721 706-259-3255
Dug Gap Baptist Church 2031 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-2377
Eastbrook Baptist Church 204 Hill Rd, 30720 Eastside Baptist Church 913 East Morris St, 30721 706-278-8553
Eleventh Avenue Baptist Church 2550 South Dalton Bypass, 30722 706-278-7020
Emmaus Baptist Church
4268 S. Dixie Rd, 30735 706-483-5251
First Baptist Church
802 Kenner St, 30721
706-226-9681
First Baptist Church of Dalton 311 North Thornton Ave, 30720
706-278-2911
Grace Baptist Church 2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721
706-537-6884
Good Hope Baptist Church
2525 Lake Francis Rd, 30721
706-259-3719
Grove Level Baptist Church
2802 Cleveland Highway, 30721
706-259-8519
Good Samaritan Baptist Church 3137 Cleveland Rd, 30721
706-259-7239
Gospelway Baptist Church
336 Jupiter Cir, 30721
706-278-1424
Grace Baptist Church
2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721
706-537-6884
Harmony Baptist Church
187 Lower Dawnville Rd, 30721
706-226-5521
Harvest Baptist Church
3986 Cleveland Hwy, 30721
706-694-8951
Hill Crest Baptist Church
1901 Cityview St, 30720
706-279-1267
Hopewell Baptist Church
3527 Airport Rd, 30721
706-226-5987
Kinsey Drive Baptist Church 2626 Kinsey Drive,30720
706-277-3505
Lakeshore Park Baptist Church 12 Crescent St, 30720
706-275-6050
Liberty Baptist Church 506 South Pentz St, 30720
706-226-5535
Lindsey Memorial Baptist
706-673-7650
3503 Lindsey Memorial Rd.
Rocky Face, Ga. 30740
Macedonia Baptist Church
1355 Dawnville Rd NE, 30721
706-259-9220
Maple Grove Baptist Church
347 Maple Grove Rd, 30721
706-483-6300
McFarland Hill Baptist Church
307 Brickyard Rd, 30721
706-277-5521
Mount Rachel Baptist Church
332 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720
706-278-5192
Mount Ridge Baptist Church
1401 M L King, Jr. Blvd, 30721
706-278-0335
New Hope Baptist Church
900 Roan St, 30721
706-226-2093
New Hope Baptist Church
706-673-8050
2105 Tunnel Hill-Varnell Road
Tunnel Hill, GA 30755
New Life Baptist Church
2620 Old Grade Rd, 30721
Northwest Georgia Baptist Church
222 North Pentz St, 30720
706-463-3490
Olivia Baptist Church
1817 Guy St, 30720
706-278-3507
Pine Grove Baptist Church
4004 Airport Road, 30721
706-264-8630
Poplar Springs Baptist Church
897 Poplar Springs Rd, 30720
706-259-8727
Reformation Baptist Church
244 N. Hamilton St, 30720
706-314-8711
Rocky Face Baptist Church
1544 Rocky Face Railroad St, 30740
706- 226-5751
Salem Baptist Church
1448 Pleasant Grove Dr, 30721
706-259-7045
South Dalton Baptist Church
498 Lakemont Drive, 30720
706-278-4946
Shiloh Baptist Church
2014 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 30721 706-226-5981
Temple Baptist Church 2310 South Dixie Hwy, 30720 706-226-6785
Tunnel Hill First Baptist Church 706-673-2085
202 South Cherry Street Tunnel Hill, GA 30755
Valley Baptist Church 2907 Old Rome, 30720
Welcome Hill Baptist Church 2772 E Welcome Hill Circle, 30721 706-278-0368
Whitfield Baptist Church 2134 Dug Gap Rd, 30721 706-278-6776
Fellowship Bible Church 2044 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-6269
Catholic
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church 968 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720 706-278-3107 Christian
First Christian Church 1506 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-7244
Church of Christ
Central Church of Christ
515 N. Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-278-8051
Riverbend Church of Christ 2218 S Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-226-0819
Church of God
Church of God of Union Assembly 2311 South Dixie Rd, 30720 706-275-0510
City View Church of God 3688 Chatsworth Hwy, 30721 706-226-6686
Crosspointe 2681 Underwood Street 30721 706-278-2649
Lifegate Church 2744 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-0016
Valley Brook Church of God 1474 Mineral Springs Rd, 30720 706-279-3296
Community
Church on the Hill 1035 Abutment Rd, 30721 706-278-9208
Community Fellowship Church 409 North Fredrick St, 30721 706-278-3204
Freedom Community Church 908 Elk Street, 30720 706-463-2690
The River Community Church 2410 Cleveland Hwy, Suite 112, 30721 678-314-7994
Rock Bridge Community Church 121 W Crawford St, 30720
Episcopal
Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church 901 West Emory St, 30720
706-278-8857
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1309 Applewood Drive, 30720 706-529-0192
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1817 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-270-0156
Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 610 Shugart Rd, 30720 706-278-5295
Lutheran
Christ the King Lutheran Church 623 S Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-3979
Methodist
Bethel AME Church 620 Spring Street, 30720 706-226-2714
Bethel Methodist Church 123 Bethel Church Rd, 30721 706-278-3309
Dalton First UMC 500 South Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-8494
Fairview Church 1735 Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-996-5057
Five Springs Methodist Church 2823 Five Springs Rd, 30720 706-277-3928
Mineral Springs UMC 4079 Airport Road, 30721 706-517-0200
Mt. Vernon UMC 597 Lafayette Road Rocky Face, GA 30740 706-673-4667
New Haven UMC 4040 South Dixie Highway, 30721 706-217-1879
Pleasant Grove Methodist 2701 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-3141
Trinity UMC 901 Veterans Dr, 30721 706-278-4042
Varnell Church
3485 Highway 2 Cohutta, 30710 706-694-8023
Wesley Chapel UMC 808 Jamestown CT, 30721 706-270-2331
Nazarene
First Church of the Nazarene 2325 Chattanooga Rd, 30720 706-278-8428
Grace Church of the Nazarene 1111 Nelson St, 30721 706-278-1171
Non-Denominational
Abundant Life Bible Church 901 Chester Road, 30721
706-270-9733
Bridging the Gap Ministries
514 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 30721
706-277-7575
Relentless Worship Center
210 Robinwood Dr, 30721
706-313-1129
Dalton House Of Prayer
897 College Dr, Conference Rm 3, 30720
706-915-6545
Dawnville Community Church 1409 Dawnville Rd NE, 30721
706-259-5342
Good Neighbors Church 910 South Thornton Ave, 30720
706-226-0846
Gospel Light Tabernacle
804 Sheridan Ave, 30721
Grace Fellowship Ministries 620 N Glenwood Ave 2&3, 30721 706-280-1375
Northwest Christian Fellowship
272 Main St, Varnell, GA 30756
706-694-9830
River of Life Church of Dalton 2919 East Walnut Ave, 30721
706-965-6683
Saint James Overcoming Church 400 North Fredrick St, 30721
706-278-0319
Tunnel Hill Community Church 706-673-4022
121 North Varnell Road Tunnel Hill, GA 30755
Pentecostal
Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Fuente de Agua Viva 1007 Underwood St, 30721
706-278-4963
La Senda Antigua 308 East Matilda St, 30720
706-270-8826
True Gospel Pentecostal Church 109 South Henderson St, 30721
706-278-5696
Shadow Ridge Worship Center 122 Wheat Drive Varnell, GA 30721
706-280-4546
Presbyterian
ChristChurch Presbyterian 510 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-529-2911
First Presbyterian Church 101 S. Selvidge St, 30720 706-278-8161
Grace Presbyterian Church
2107 Threadmill Rd, 30720
706-226-6344
Salvationalist
Salvation Army 1109 N. Thornton Ave, 30722
706-278-3966
Seventh Day Adventist
3 Angels Hispanic SDA
701 E Morris St, 30721
706-618-1182
Dalton Hispanic SDA 112 W Long St, 30720
706-275-0523
Dalton SDA Church
300 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-226-2166
Chatsworth Church Directory
Baptist
Blue Ridge Primitive Baptist Church
706-517-9849
134 Hyden Tyler Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Calvary Baptist Church
706-695-7747
Highway 225 North
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Center Hill Baptist Church
706-695-7988
65 Berry Bennett Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Cisco Baptist Church
706-695-9270
Highway 411 North
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Cool Springs Baptist Church
706-517-5388
Holly Creek Cool
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Fellowship Baptist Church
706-695-2626
4396 Highway 52
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
First Baptist Church
706-695-2112
121 West Market Street
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Flat Branch Baptist Church
706-695-2663
3443 Highway 286
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Free Hope Baptist Church
706-695-3717
4176 Highway 76
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Holly Creek Baptist Church
706-695-8522
422 Holly Creek
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Liberty Baptist Church
4221 US-76, Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Little Consauga Baptist Church
706-517-5733
1100 Sugar Creek
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Maranatha Baptist Church
706-695-6330
Highway 225 South
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Mount Pisgah Baptist Church
706-517-8944
2309 Old Highway 411
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
New Hope Baptist Church
706-517-3089
1273 New Hope Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
New Prospect Baptist Church
706-629-9521
7629 Highway 225
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Old Fashion Baptist Church
706-695-5420
885 Ben Adams Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Open Air Ministries
706-386-484
1058 Mtn Crest Dr.
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Prayer Baptist Church
706-624-9216
10859 Hwy. 225 South
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Shinning Light Baptist Church
706-517-1739
801 North 5th Avenue
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Smyrna Baptist Church
706-695-5815
1913 Smyrna Church Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Spring Place Baptist Church
706-695-5532
441 Highway 225 South
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Total Praise Baptist Church
706-695-6441
1461 Greeson Bend Rd,
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Zion Hill Baptist Church
706-517-5913
Highway 225 North
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Grace Bible Church
2599 Leonard Bridge Rd.
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Church of Christ
Woodhaven Church of Christ
706-847-7400
508 West Peachtree Street
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Church of God
Chatsworth Church of God
706-695-9388
Highway 411 South
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Central Community Church
706-695-4242
60 Pine Hills Drive
Chatsworth, GA 30705
Spring Place Church of God
706-695-8000
717 Tibbs Bridge Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Faith Worship Center
706-695-6866
189 Hyden Tyler Road
Chatsworth GA 30705
House Of Prayer
616 Jenkins Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Methodist
Casey Springs
7250 Chastworth Highway South
Chastworth, GA 30705
Center Valley Methodist Church
706-971-4646
5394 Highway 225 North
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
First Methodist Church
706-695-3211
107 W Cherokee Street
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Fullers Chapel UMC
2144 Fuller’s Chapel Rd
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Spring Place UMC
706-695-5143
Po Box 248
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Non-Denominational
God’s Light House
784 Smyrna Church Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705
The Church of God of the Union Assembly at Chatsworth, GA
706-695-7335
Highway 52 Alternate
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Liberty Tabernacle
706-517-3140
2196 Smyrna Church Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Living Word Christian Fellowship
706-695-5005
960 Cherokee Drive
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US New Beginnings Ministries
706-695-6067
646 Floodtown Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
North Gate Church
706-548-4967
7727 Highway 225 South
Chatsworth, GA 30755 US
Tabernacle of Praise
706-517-0377
1435 Leonard Bridge Road
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Wings Of Faith Ministries
706-695-1527
1122 North Holly Drive
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Pentecostal
Victory Tabernacle
706-517-1458
355 Ellijay Street
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US A Place to Worship 706-517-8568
259 Old Landfill Rd
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Presbyterian
Sumach Presbyterian Church
706-695-4773
2089 Sumach Church
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Seventh Day Adventist
Hispanic Adventist Church of Chatsworth
706-264-4299
88 North Park Drive
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
706-517-5124
1115 Highway 52
Chatsworth, GA 30705 US
