LCBC Past Present and Future
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Intro
Barbara
Facts -
160 people have been baptized in the life of LCBC
God was so Gracious to us..... 40% of churches started do not make it to their 10th birthday!
In 1997.... I was only 6 and just moved to Waco Texas with my family.... while there was a group of families praying, preparing, and planning what a church would look like!
LCBC baptized in a pool at abaptism camp.....
What emotions were going through their heart and mind? -
Holy Discomfort.... - Uncomfortable that moved to action..... who is going to do this work? US.... because God has called us to it!
urgency - no one is here........ Obedidient to make disciples and the gospel.....
NEED - The harvest is plentiful
If we don’t..... then this isn’t going to last.....
This morning, I want us all to say thank you to God for His Grace in getting us this far!
As I have thought about this Sunday, and what God would want us to hear as a 30 year old church..... I think it can best be summed up in...... Get us grant us again a holy discomfort..... that urgency for the Gospel to be lived by us and to go forth from us!......
I want us to take a look at a church plant and their reputation as our source of challenge and encouragement....
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Live By Faith
1. Live By Faith
A Church was planted in Thessolonica.....
- Paul was concerned about a church he planted, but he was so encouaraged by what he heard that he wrote this letter.
They were facing hostile jewish leadership..... most of the Thessalonian Jews became indignant and formed a mob to drive the men out of the city. Acts 17…
Church plant..... Paul wrote because the existence of this church was in a hostile environment and he didn’t want to see it fizzle out!
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Work of Faith
More than just a verbal agreement about Jesus......
Faith in Action..... Trust Jesus and Obey him
Galatians says it this way...
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We there is no risk there is no faith! For without risk there is no faith, and the greater the risk, the greater the faith.
Søren Kierkegaard
Moving from the house to Lebanon
moving from Lebanon to 200 Longbranch
Building several buildings.... you gave some sweat equity on some of these amen!....
Starting a parent’s day out program
Hiring a 35 year old pastor.... I am a year older now.... I have aged well… got some grey coming in :)
I think the greatest enemy for our church today is the evils one’s use of comfort and complacency......
We have adopted a Field of Dreams mentality “If you build it they will come”
We need a mission impossible mentality which sees every impossibility POSSIBLE in JESUS CHRIST!
I know that is corny, but it is very true...... when we replace risk with comfort we are creating something that is not the church of Jesus Christ....... We must live by faith!
How is God calling us to deeper faith and trust in Jesus in the next 30 years?
Fruit of Faith.... not just knowledge of Faith....
We would sound forth our faith!
8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
This begins in our family units..... training the next generation the Gospel
This begins with us..... not someone else.... you and Jesus.... Daily!
The word will be taught, preached, studied, meditated, and shared at LCBC!
Be aware of the temptation to give up! When the kingdom is advancing.... the evil one wants to thwart that!
5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
2. Known by Love
2. Known by Love
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Labor of Love
The Greatest Commandment of Jesus fulfilled! - Love God and Love others
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
There is something that Paul adds that is tough..... Labor.... not hardwork.... but a struggle, like wrestling, or beating the rug to get the dust out.....
Ephesians and Colossians - Bear with one another in love.....
Love is SEEN..... and It’s Heard.....
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
How have we loved each other well? and others?
Adopted great grandchildren, and fostered, and adopted
We have served meals to our neighbors
We have prayed diligently for the growth of our church and the health each other
Generous beyond measure - to the Manna House, Baptist Children’s Home, First Look, Mission work around the world......
Sacrificially, generous and joyful… - One Sunday this month we gave 4% of our annual budget...... put that into perspective.... that is double what we expected.... Mindblown!
WE have made each other mad.... AMEN?.... we have forgiven.... A mark of a healthy church is not a church absent of problems, but a church that is filled with imperfect people finding the forgiveness of Jesus that binds them together in harmony!
How will we be known by love in the next 30 years?
We are going to be seen and heard in our community! It’s in our name..... that’s my desire!
That’s where I was dedicated to the Lord
That’s where My parents go for marital counseling
Thats where I had my birthday party
Thats where I went to grief Share
Thats where I came to believe in Jesus
That’s where I went when I needed help
That;s where my grandparents go to church
That’s where we go for fun, activities, etc!
That’s my community Church!
3. Offer a Voice of Hope
3. Offer a Voice of Hope
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Steadfast - The greatest example I can think of is Jesus holding onto us.....
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Jesus is our only hope in life and death - Jesus provided life’s ultimate purpose for them.....
Not a building
Not a program
Not a pastor
Not a worship leader
Not a job
Not a family
Jesus!
If you have hope, you share hope...... Simple recipe for church successs.....
PRayer for one another, for Hope to increase
plans are forming now to increase our prayer for one another and for our church
Defined more by our sending capacity then our seating capacity
Celebrate those that go and share the Gospel - here and around the world!
We Celebrate -
Starting a church
Locations we have been
Buildings we have built
Programs we have run - VBS, PDO,
We celebrate being a generous church!
We celebrate Jesus.... Because of the Hope in Him
You think of the gifts that God gave the church.....
People.... They come and go, bear fruit for the kingdom and go to heaven......
- The Lord’s Supper and Baptism..... Symbols that point to Jesus! Talk about a celebration everytime that happens!
Life Cycle of a Church......
Last three 4 years of attendance.....
Baby, Toddler, Child, Adolescent, Adult, Senior Adult....
Where are we now?.....
Baptisms over the last 30 years
160..... 15:1 is a growing vibrant church.... that means this year are goal is 6 people..... who is next?
What is our journey ahead in our life cycle?
Return to the urgency of Evangelism, Worship, Prayer, Bible intake, Community Involvement,
Church Health Survey - Where are we now.....
1 New Bible Study Group Next month!
Increased Prayer opportunities - After the service and during the week.
Fill the tub! - Holy Discomfort of Inviting, Praying, Going
Two weeks from now, we will see Jonah Boldway get baptized.... I just want you to think of the legacy of faith in that..... one of the first baptisms is now leading to their child being baptized..... May we be known by love in such a way that generations are transformed by Jesus and that our community sees a LEGACY of FAITH, LOVE, and HOPE.
Invite you this morning to the altar.... to thank God..... and to pray for our church in the 30 years ahead!