Mike Tilley 8/13/17 Mike Tilley 8/13/17

A Prayer for Charlottesville

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
—Proverbs 31:8

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." —Proverbs 31:8

This ancient proverb has timeless relevance to those of us who believe and apply the gospel. We have to speak up.

We must speak up for the unborn; speak up for those around the world in child slavery; speak up for the lost, who are heading toward a Christless eternity apart from the gospel.

Children might understand this if they think of a playground bully, picking on the kids who are new, who are not cool, who are weak, or who look different.

Yesterday in Charlottesville, Virginia, white supremacists were carrying flaming torches, and some were carrying Nazi flags. These emblems represent the evil of racial superiority. They say to those who are not like them, “We will dominate you.”

As Christians, we open our mouths to say to African Americans and all minorities: We are with you, and not with them.

We say to white supremacists: You do not represent the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so we pray:

"Thus says the Lord, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord." —Jeremiah 9:23-24

God of steadfast love, would you show your steadfast love to those who live in fear today. In love, we mourn with those who suffered loss in Charlottesville. We praise you for the saving love shown to us in Christ.

God of justice, would you exercise your justice in the restraint and punishment of evil. We pray for those whose hearts are captive to the spiritual bondage of racial superiority. Would you set them free through the power of the gospel.

God of righteousness, we know that our only hope of righteousness is in Christ. As your church, grant us grace to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness in our hearts, in our city, and in the world.

You are the Lord, who delights in these things. We believe that these things can be, through the gospel. And we believe that they will be, when, through the gospel, you renew all things

Mike Tilley 7/21/17 Mike Tilley 7/21/17

3 Questions About Abiding in Christ

The Christian life is about growth and change. Grace takes ordinary people just as they are and begins to bring about hopeful change. How does that happen? Change happens through our union with Christ, which Jesus explains through the metaphor of the vine and branches in John 15. If you ever feel stuck, read on. Learning to abide in Christ will give you fresh hope.

Let’s look at three simple questions about abiding in Christ that are answered in John 15:1-17.

1. What is abiding in Christ?

In John 15:1-5, Jesus uses a simple illustration. We are to abide in Christ as a branch abides in the vine. As we depend on Christ in this way, and draw upon his strength, our lives will bear fruit. We learn three practical things from this illustration.

God the Father is the “vinedresser” who prunes the branches. (John 15:1-2) Pruning is painful in the short run, but is good in the long run. Is God pruning you in some way these days? Sometimes I think God prunes me by humbling me. I don’t get something I want, or I don’t get my way. It helps to remember that this is part of God’s good plan. The word for pruning is closely linked to cleansing. Change is hard, but I can respond simply confessing sin and embracing the cleansing and forgiveness that Christ won on the cross.
The Christian life is a life of dependence. As a branch draws upon the life of the vine for growth and fruit, we need to draw upon the life of Christ. Apart from him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Union with Christ is good news! “Abide in me and I in you.” (John 15:4) We are in Christ, and we are clothed with his righteousness. The Bible elsewhere refers to this as “justification by faith.” But there’s more. Christ is in us, and he wants to work in us by his grace to change us. The Bible refers to this as “sanctification.”

2. Why abide in Christ?

Jesus wants us to know that good things happen as a result of abiding in Christ. Here are some of them.

We will bear fruit. Fruit is the outward sign of a healthy branch. While in Germany visiting our family, we picked raspberries straight from the garden. They were…amazing. Gospel fruit is a good thing. Henry Scougal said it well: “The root of the divine life is faith; the chief branches are love to God, charity to man, purity, and humility.”
We will see answers to prayer. John 15:7 appears to be a blank check, almost too good to be true. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Our prayer life changes when it is shaped by abiding in Christ.
We will grow in our capacity to love. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” As we internalize and experience God’s love for us, our hearts will shift and we will become more thoughtful, more loving, more giving, toward others. Dale Bruner describes this dynamic as inhaling and exhaling. First I need to inhale God’s love, then I can exhale in love for others.

3. How can we abide in Christ?

I used to think that abiding in Christ meant being passive, simply “resting in Christ.” That’s halfway true, since we are dependent on Christ and can’t change in our own strength. At the same time, we are commanded to abide in Christ. As Dallas Willard said, “Grace is opposed to earning, not effort.”

The most important thing is to maintain fellowship with Christ, as a branch maintains connection to the vine. We maintain fellowship with Christ by preaching the gospel to ourselves. Though our relationship with Christ as his beloved children never changes, our experience of fellowship with Christ can change. That’s why 1 John 1:9 says that we need to confess our sins and experience his cleansing and forgiveness. We “preach the gospel to ourselves” by confessing our sins (repentance) and trusting freshly in what Christ did for us on the cross (faith).

Give it Time

In conclusion, give it time. It takes a lot of time to grow juicy raspberries. Don’t expect instant change, instant fruit, instant growth. When you are discouraged or experience setbacks, don’t give up. When the church or friends let you down, don’t give up. If Bible reading and prayer are difficult, don’t give up. If you fail, don’t give up. Stay engaged in the means of grace, however imperfectly, and give it time.

Let’s do this.

Mike is the Senior Pastor of Lake Baldwin Church. Along with preaching, pastoral care, and forward-thinking leadership, Mike loves to invest in developing leaders for the future. Since the beginning of LBC in 2006, Mike and Molly have worked to create a culture where people can grow and use their gifts.

Alison Epps 7/7/17 Alison Epps 7/7/17

Back Story: Summer 2017

Welcome to the Summer edition of Back Story! Twice each year we look back and highlight stories of God at work in the lives of the people of Lake Baldwin Church. This is a great chance for you to catch up on the big picture. Look around for people you know. We hope these stories will encourage you

DOWNLOAD HERE

Mike Tilley 5/26/17 Mike Tilley 5/26/17

The Rhythm of Giving: 3 Timeless Lessons About Generosity

There are many passages in the Bible that teach us about financial giving. One of the most famous is Malachi 3:10. It is a powerful, prophetic passage, especially when viewed through the lens of the gospel.

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

— Malachi 3:10

What is the background of this famous verse? And how do we apply it today?

Reading the Old Testament is like dusting off a family album and looking at pictures of our ancestors. We soon realize that their story is our story, too! With this in mind, there are treasures in the Old Testament.

Malachi was a prophet. Prophets often used descriptive language to prod people who had grown slack in their worship of God. He wrote around 500 B.C., when the people of God had returned from exile. They were going through tough financial times; they were discouraged and were neglecting important areas of faithfulness to God.

As modern Christians, we can learn three timeless truths from Malachi 3:

A blind spot is revealed.
A rhythm is to be renewed.
A blessing is poured out.

1. A blind spot is revealed

Speaking through Malachi, God had a word of truth for the people.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions.”

— Malachi 3:8

It was a blind spot. Perhaps the priests had failed to instruct them. Perhaps they were fearful because of the economy.

Is it possible that we have a blind spot in the area of giving? In his book, Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller says that greed can be a blind spot in our hearts. The New Testament talks about how money can fasten its grip on us.

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

— 1 Timothy 6:10

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ”

— Matthew 6:24

One of the best ways to break free from the grip of money is through generosity. That leads us to the second lesson.

2. A rhythm is to be renewed

Malachi encourages them to return to the time-tested rhythm of giving tithes and offerings.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… (Malachi 3:10)

What was the storehouse? It was a place in the temple where tithes and offerings were kept. From the storehouse, the priests and Levites were provided for; the temple was kept up, and the needs of the people were cared for.

This is the basis for the Christian practice of giving our “tithes and offerings.” Respected biblical pastors and scholars tend to view the tithe as a good rule of thumb, or a starting point. None would argue that we are called, in the New Testament, to something less than the tithe. One benefit of the tithe is a kind of equitable spread of responsibility, based upon capacity. People with lesser incomes are not shouldered with an excessive burden; those who have been blessed with great resources give larger amounts toward the work of God.

The gospel turns giving into a grace, an act of joy. The New Testament urges us to give generously, purposefully, and cheerfully. (See 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

What about those among us who are experiencing economic hardship, and are unable to tithe? Jesus told a story, recorded in Luke 20:1-4, about a poor widow who could only put two copper coins into the temple treasury. He said that the widow put in more than all the others! The amount of our giving is not measured by how much we give, but by how much we have left after we give. A wise pastor once told me, “If you can’t give 10%, why not start with 3%, and trust God to grow that percentage over time?” I love the freedom in his counsel.

Should our church be the primary place of our giving? There is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between the local church and the storehouse of Malachi 3, but there are good reasons why many people make their church the primary place where they give. One practical principle, from Galatians 6:6, is giving to the place where we are being fed. When we think about it, who else is called to give to your local church, except for the people who worship at that church?

Like many people, our approach is to give a tithe (10%) to our local church, and then freely support other ministries with our offerings. At times we give additional year-end gifts to our church, since our church is also a mission and we have a high degree of confidence in how the money is being used.

But if we give generously, will God provide for our needs? That leads us to the third lesson.

3. A blessing is poured out

“Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

— Malachi 3:10b

Whatever might have made Malachi’s readers cautious about giving, they could be assured of God’s promise to provide for them.

This promise has been mistakenly used by some who preach a “prosperity gospel.” They teach that the more you give, the more you will get. Giving is seen by this false gospel as a path to prosperity.

In God’s providence, he may lead us into times of abundance or deprivation that are unrelated to our obedience in financial giving. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, and we need to be careful about basing God’s blessing on works righteousness. Instead, we can learn from Paul who (from prison!) said:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

— Philippians 4:12-13

Later in Philippians 4, we do see a wonderful promise that God will provide for those who invest financially in God’s kingdom work.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

— Philippians 4:19

From a human perspective, we could add up the amount of a lifetime of giving and imagine what we could have bought—better cars, better homes, more expensive toys—but the rewards of generosity are much greater. Consider these words of Jesus:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

— Matthew 6:19-21

The more we grasp the gospel, the more we want to practice “the grace of giving.” (2 Corinthians 8:7). Paul saw the grace of Christ as our inspiration for generosity:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

— 2 Corinthians 8:9

Why not begin today to renew the grace of giving?

Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.

Alison Epps 3/3/17 Alison Epps 3/3/17

Guest Post: Covenant Theology 101

The sermon this Sunday will be from Daniel 9:1-19, which contains Daniel's intercessory prayer for his people. This prayer is characterized by confession and repentance. The prophet begins: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. . ."

What is the "covenant and steadfast love" to which Daniel refers? What is the nature of this covenant relationship between God and his people? Let’s take a look at Covenant Theology in three parts: What is a covenant? What covenants did God make with his people? How can a covenant be fulfilled?

The sermon this Sunday will be from Daniel 9:1-19, which contains Daniel's intercessory prayer for his people. This prayer is characterized by confession and repentance. The prophet begins: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly land rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. . ."

What is the "covenant and steadfast love" to which Daniel refers? What is the nature of this covenant relationship between God and his people? Let’s take a look at Covenant Theology in three parts: What is a covenant? What covenants did God make with his people? How can a covenant be fulfilled?

“As Lord, God deals with human beings through covenants. A covenant is like a treaty between a great king and a lesser king, in which the great king describes the relationship, imposes law, and promises blessing to those who obey the law and curses to those who don’t. In the Bible, God makes covenants with Adam, Noah, Israel under Moses, David, and with Christ.”

— John Frame, "Salvation Belongs to the Lord"

What is a Covenant?

As we move through the Bible, although there are a number of individual covenants, we begin to understand that there is only one “Overarching” Covenant. It was given over many centuries and with expanding detail (each covenant). The nature of “Covenant” is that God has determined to have a relationship with mankind, built upon principles laid down in Scripture. He has called that relationship “Covenantal”. It is an intimate relationship between a Father and His children.

“Covenant is a relation between the Lord and a people whom he has sovereignly consecrated to himself. . . The heart of the covenant is the promise “I will be your God, and you will be my people”. This implies that God will be with us as he was with Abraham, Jacob, and many others. He is committed to us, and in response he calls for our trust and obedience.”

— John Frame, "Salvation Belongs to the Lord"

What covenants did God make with his people?

The Covenant mentioned in Daniel 9 is the same Covenant revealed to Moses in extraordinary detail. The Covenant between God and mankind is revealed early in Genesis where we see it in vague detail in Genesis 3; then to Noah as God covenants not to destroy the earth by flood again; then to Abraham where God pledges to be the God of Abraham and his descendants, through the “formal” act of Covenanting; then to Moses not only through the Covenant Documents (the tablets of the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20) but also through the explanation of those commandments (Exodus through Deuteronomy) and finally through the introduction of a New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer 31:31) and Ezekiel (Ezk 36:26).

We learn about the covenant with Abraham and his children in Genesis 17. According to God’s instructions, the sign and seal of this covenant is circumcision, performed on all males eight days old and up.

The Mosaic Covenant contains blessings by God for those who covenanted with Him and performed their obligations. It also brings curses to those who breach the Covenant. God promised them a land “flowing with milk and honey” (the “Promised Land”); homes they did not build; groves they did not plant. Nevertheless, in spite of these incredible blessings, almost immediately after they took possession, they began to breach the Covenant.

Again and again God forgives their breaches (trespasses) but finally the breaches become so severe that God brings judgment upon them and removes them from the “Promised Land” into exile in Babylon. It is here, nearing the end of their exile, that Daniel recalls their abuses of the Covenant and begs God to relent concerning His people. This is the background of Daniel 9.

How Can a covenant be fulfilled?

But we are not finished with God’s Covenant—not even close to finished. As prophesied, God introduces a New Covenant which would provide remedies for the breach by His people of the Older Covenant and would be broadened to include the Gentiles as well as Israel. Since it was clear that His people could not perform the Older Covenant, He determines to perform the Older Covenant on behalf of His people through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. He will perform both sides of the Covenant, His and ours!!! How does he do this?

Jesus takes upon Himself the burden of perfectly performing all of the obligations under the Older Covenant. Not only does Jesus perfectly perform the Older Covenant, but He takes upon Himself the punishment of God for the sins of all of God’s people in violation of the Older Covenant. If that were not enough, God then attributes the righteousness—which Jesus has thus obtained—to us.

Furthermore, to help His people more clearly understand His requirements for them, He gives each of us a New Heart and a New Spirit, emblazoning the Old Covenant requirements (the law) onto our hearts, but even then we cannot perfectly obey. However, He takes our imperfect obedience and perfects it in Christ.

Finally, Jesus promises and the Father sends the Holy Spirit to seal our “sonship” as God’s children, to bring us into an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son and to guide us and lead us to the “Promised Land”. The sign and seal of the New Covenant is baptism.

Certainly the Overarching Covenant belongs to us and to our children but it is also a Covenant with His Church. God seeks a “people” not just an individual or a family. This is why we sometime refer to the church as a “covenant community.”

Richard Hostetter serves as one of the elders at Lake Baldwin Church. He has a love for theology and is one of our favorite teachers of adult classes. Richard and his wife Susanne have a big heart for their shepherding group and for the mission of LBC. For years they have upheld the work of the church in their prayers.

Mike Tilley 2/16/17 Mike Tilley 2/16/17

Why Europe? 3 Surprises That Compel Our Mission

This week I'm joining with pastors in Europe to pray for the advance of the gospel in the "prodigal continent." This is one way that LBC partners with front-line churches in Europe, in line with our vision to bring good news to the nations.

But why Europe? Here are three surprising things I've learned as I've worked with church mission leaders over the past few years.

1. The opportunity is greater than I thought.

The big surprise here is the opportunity afforded by the English language. I knew that English speakers living abroad needed churches. I did not realize that opportunities to worship in English could reach nationals, such as the Germans and the French. This week I'll be praying with Steve Henderson, pastor of the international church in Munich, Germany. The church is slightly larger than LBC, and 25% of the participants are Germans.

But the gospel opportunity has grown even more, as refugees are flooding into Europe from the Middle East. What do people from these nations have in common? Quite often, it's the English language. There is a growing missional niche in the cities of Europe, and international churches are seeking to fill that void.

2. Our front-line church partners are more effective than I thought.

At LBC we believe the gospel of God's grace is powerful. In the cold spiritual climate of Europe, the gospel is thawing hearts. Our partner church in Prague has seen their first professions of faith by individuals from Middle Eastern backgrounds. In Nice, Marseille, Athens, Geneva, and Istanbul, the love of Christ is compelling believers to reach out to refugees and to care for them.

Another visible sign of gospel power is the gathering and uniting of people from many countries and cultures. The international church in Geneva has 55 countries represented. In a world fractured by selfishness and strife, he gospel is breaking down walls and teaching love of neighbor.

3. The challenges are greater than I thought.

In this age of people on the move, church members can be short term and transient. In Europe, Christians are a small minority, with a church attendance rate of 3% in some countries. Laws are not always favorable to Christians. Some pastors feel isolated, and the rigors of ministry can take a toll on marriages and families. Churches can be blind-sided by sin and spiritual conflict, just like anywhere.

So our friends in Europe often need an infusion of hope.

That's why International Christian Community (ICC) plays a vital role in the lives of pastors and churches in Europe. Pastors' retreats and prayer events bring these faithful mission leaders out of isolation and into community. Prayer events like the one this week in Lyon warm the icy resistance on this continent. You can check out the mission of ICC HERE.

While these three surprises inspire our European partnership, we need not be surprised at God's gracious providence in orchestrating these gospel opportunities.

"The God who made the world and everything in it...made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him." (Acts 17:24-27)

Mike Tilley 2/3/17 Mike Tilley 2/3/17

We Will Feast

We have a big event coming up this Sunday. Of course, there’s the Super Bowl. But there’s also the LBC 11th Anniversary. My heart is full today, and I wanted to take a few moments to express my heart as we look forward to our 11th birthday.

My heart for the LBC 11th Anniversary

by Mike Tilley, Senior Pastor

Our first worship service was on February 6, 2006. We had a ragtag band of dreamers and tire-kickers, some of whom had been praying about the birth of a new church in Baldwin Park. Since that first Sunday, Glenridge Middle School, our building, has been transformed into a full-service church each week. Well... there was one exception, when we had the hurricane last fall.

When I anticipate our anniversary service each year, three things come to mind: Celebration, Appreciation, and Aspiration.

Celebration

Psalm 145:4-5 says: "One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate."

It’s good to stop and reflect on the mighty works of God, and on his majesty. This Sunday we will celebrate the majesty and works of God in songs, in readings, and in the Lord’s Supper. As we sing the songs of redemption, let’s reflect on all that our Savior has done for us.

This past year my emotional "water line" has been at a high water mark in my life. I’ve been feeling things more deeply. One happy benefit is the emotion I feel each Sunday when we worship together. I look forward to a feast of worship this Sunday. And to a feast at the Food Truck Event afterwards.

Appreciation

Each year at this time I feel especially grateful for the many volunteers who work to make our gospel feast possible. Actually I feel that each week as I watch people setting up, making coffee, greeting guests, preparing for worship, and working with children in SPLASH Kids.

I so appreciate our serving culture, and the fact that so many serve on a monthly volunteer team. It’s a sacrifice, and sometimes a quiet and thankless one. This week, why not express appreciation to one of our volunteers? Let them know that you notice their faithful service.

Hebrews 6:10 inspires me: "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do."

Thank you, volunteers!

Aspiration

It seems to me that feasts in the Old Testament also served as covenant renewal. For example, the Passover was a reminder to each generation of the Exodus, and of God’s salvation. I’m reminded of Joshua, and how he called the people to consecration before they went in to possess the Promised Land.

For us, the Lord’s Supper is our “Passover.” It is a chance to re-set our hearts to gospel mode, so that our faith can be renewed and so that we can obey God from a heart of love.

This Sunday, we can look forward to a new group of people taking membership vows. As they take their vows, let’s remember our own membership vows, and renew them.

Aspiration is about the future. Because of the grace of the gospel, we can always have a new beginning. In all the pressures, trials, and temptations of life, our vision can leak. We all need a fresh dose of gospel hope, and grace to pursue the vision that God has entrusted to our church.

When Jesus fed the 5000, there were 12 baskets full left over, one for each of the disciples. That was quite a feast! We may feel our limits, but we have a Savior who is the bread of life, and who gave his life for the world.

Happy 11th birthday, Lake Baldwin Church!

Alison Epps 1/6/17 Alison Epps 1/6/17

4 Ways Daniel Can Change Our Lives

We begin the New Year with a new sermon series on the book of Daniel. I’ve been waiting a long time for this one! The stories of the Old Testament have a way of engaging our interest, capturing our hearts, and changing our lives. The story of Daniel has a unique way of doing that.

In his classic book, Knowing God, J. I. Packer says this about the book of Daniel: “What effects does knowledge of God have on a person? Various sections of Scripture answer this question from different points of view, but the most clear and striking answer of all is provided by the book of Daniel.” Packer goes on to list four ways that a growing knowledge of God (as revealed in Daniel) will change us.

1. Those who know God will have great energy for God.

“The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action” (Daniel 11:32). There is no place for complacency in the Christian life. My prayer for our church is that we will see where God is working and act on it.

2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God.

Packer says this about how the story of Daniel will lift our thoughts about God: “Suffice it to say that there is, perhaps, no more vivid or sustained presentation of the many-sided reality of God’s sovereignty in the whole Bible.” As we immerse ourselves in the story of Daniel, we will all realize that our thoughts of God have been way too small!

3. Those who know God will show great boldness for God.

We tend to be risk-averse, but Daniel and his friends took great risks because they knew God. Just think about Daniel 3, when defiance of the king results in being thrown into the fiery furnace!

4. Those who know God have great contentment in God.

“There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death, and on forever.” (Packer) It’s often difficult to rest in God in our crazy world, and our hearts need to be drawn to the knowledge of the God of Daniel.

We can’t do any of this in our own strength. That’s why—most of all—we want to see Jesus in the book of Daniel.

When self-righteousness is the default mode of our hearts, we might “dare to be a Daniel” by emulating his courage, but this is to miss the point. When we see in Daniel a greater Daniel, the Lord Jesus Christ, then our hearts will be reset to "gospel mode" so we can press on in obedience, relying on God's grace and faithfulness rather than our own strength.

To see the grace of Jesus in this way, let’s place the sermon series in the context of the entire worship service each Sunday. The gospel-rich songs, the responsive readings from Psalms, the times of confession and gospel assurance—all of these tune our hearts the music of the gospel story that will be revealed in the book of Daniel.

Mike Tilley 10/28/16 Mike Tilley 10/28/16

Special Announcement: Transition in SPLASH Kids

"Dear LBC Family,

By now you may have heard that Michelle Crouse will be making a transition out of the role she has held for 5 years, as our SPLASH Kids Director. I’m writing to express my appreciation for Michelle and her whole family, for her years of partnership with us..."

A letter from Michelle Crouse:

Dear LBC Community,

I am writing to give you an update on my life and my role at LBC. Over the last several weeks I have been taking a leave of absence to work through some medical issues. It has been a blessing to have a break from work as I have focused on my health.

Thank you all for your prayers and concern. It is not a life-threatening issue as you may have worried, but it is something that needs attention and I have had and will be having procedures and surgery. The time off has given me more time to think, journal and evaluate. It has been a healthy time of reflection and I am thankful for the space that LBC has given me to do that.

Two of the thoughts that I have been working through are, “What is getting the best part of me?” and “Where do I desire the best of my attention to go during this season of life?” Through that process I have realized that my role as the Director of SPLASH Kids has become too big in my life.

I have loved working in this role and I am thankful that the Lord put it before me 5 years ago. I have loved being a part of what the Lord is doing in the lives of children and families, I have loved the relationships that have been formed through it and I have enjoyed using my creativity to put on camps, write curriculum, be a part of community events and manage the weekly tasks to run the program. But I see the Lord’s hand in my life moving me on from this, and I have stepped down from my role as the SPLASH Kids Director.

This has not been an easy process and one that I grieve at many levels. But, I am confident that the Lord gives us seasons for different things and I believe it is time for me to enter into a different season. For a long time, I have understood my life through an analogy of a big quilt with lots of patches that the Lord is putting together. Sometimes the fabric is beautiful and sometimes it is just leftover fragments; sometimes the pieces are intricate and sometimes they are an awkward shape. But when we step back and look at it, we see that the Lord is creating something unique with our story and one day there will be a completed, beautiful tapestry that points to and brings glory to God.

I see many patches on this quilt from my time at LBC. I see patches from earlier in my life that prepared me for my role at LBC and I trust the Lord with the patches He has yet to create in my life. Thank you for being a part of my quilt and for the many ways you have impacted me.

My heart has always desired the very best for SPLASH and for LBC and my prayer is that the Lord will continue to bless and grow the program and the church in amazing ways.

With appreciation and love,
Michelle

A letter from our pastor, Mike Tilley:

Dear LBC Family,

It was in July that Michelle first began talking with Molly and me about the possibility of a transition. We were in ongoing conversations about her role when her medical concerns became a more pressing factor. During Michelle’s recent medical leave, we met with her and Joshua, and they confirmed their sense that God is leading them to make the transition official.

You are aware of the influence that Michelle has had on our children and on our entire church body. For Molly and me, along with our staff, Michelle has been a partner in the gospel as she has helped grow the church. For those who have served in SPLASH Kids, participated in Kids Camp, or volunteered at outreach events, Michelle has been a caring leader, planning every detail so thoughtfully and thoroughly that it was always a joy to be part of her team. For our children, she has had a steadfast presence as a role model and teacher; orchestrating the weekly SPLASH Kids experience; dreaming and planning for Kids Camp; and creating countless crafts and games to bring the gospel home to their hearts.

For Molly and me, Michelle has been a fun and faithful friend. Our affection for her has extended to Joshua, to their children, and to her mother.

Though we will miss Michelle, she has built a solid foundation of inspired teachers and other volunteers in SPLASH. With Jenna Nelson and other strong leaders in place, we will be able to build on Michelle’s legacy by prayerfully charting the course for the next chapter in SPLASH Kids.

While events have unfolded in surprising ways from our human perspective, I’m convinced that God’s gracious providence has been at work. In Psalm 34, the Psalmist calls us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” We can trust that the recent turn of events will be good for Michelle, and good for our church.

Your prayers have sustained Michelle’s ministry over the years, and I invite you to continue to pray for her health and her transition. Continue to pray, too, for our kids, for Jenna, and for our entire SPLASH team.

Gratefully,

Mike Tilley

Mike Tilley 8/31/16 Mike Tilley 8/31/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 31

God’s grace transforms our hearts as it flows to us through the means of grace. In the past two days of blog posts we have seen how prayer and the Word of God are channels of God’s grace and power. Now we see from 1 Peter 4:10 that grace flows to us in community. What do we learn from this passage about the community of grace?

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

"The Community of Grace"

The community of grace is a loving community. When someone sins against us, our first instinct is to withdraw love. But when grace flows to us from God, we can extend that grace to others, even those who fall short of our ideal. “God loves the real me, not just the ideal me.” Now we can give that gift to others in an imperfect church. Is there someone God wants you to love today, in spite of real or perceived sin?
The community of grace is a hospitable community. Something happens when we share a meal with others. We savor the food, and we are also strengthened by the palpable sense of being loved. What if we all invited someone for dinner in the next couple of weeks? Let’s roll out the red carpet!
The community of grace is a gifted community. Have you thought lately about your spiritual gifts? We all have spiritual gifts, and God calls us to use our gifts to serve one another. When we do this we are “good stewards of God’s grace.” Amazing. God uses our heart, our humble efforts, our gifts to bring life and health to others. How are you using your gifts in the community of grace?

This Sunday during worship we will again affirm the Apostles’ Creed before the Lord’s Supper. We’ll say, “I believe in the communion of the saints.” Let’s savor those words, thanking God for the abundant grace he gives us through his people!

How to pray...

Thank God for the “communion of the saints” at Lake Baldwin Church. Thank God that his grace flows to us through the congregation in which he has placed us.
Pray for the continued unity of Lake Baldwin Church. God has graciously spared us from drama and division. Pray that we would be diligent to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Specifically, pray that our love for one another would be greater than our sins against each other.
Look around our church community, and thank God for the unique spiritual gifts that God has given to his people. Pray that we would rejoice in each other’s gifts, not preferring some gifts above others. Pray that we would all find a place to serve, using our gifts.
If you are in a community group, ask God for ways that you can express your gifts to serve as part of that group. Pray that others in your community group will find joy as they use their spiritual gifts.
Thank God for hearing the prayers of his people as we have united to pray daily during the month of August.

For the Family

Imagine a special family dinner, maybe at Thanksgiving or on someone’s birthday, when it isn’t just your parents and siblings, but all your aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents, too. Think about what it’s like when your whole family sits down together around a big table.

It’s fun, right? The food is amazing, and everyone talks and laughs because they’re so happy to be together. But maybe it’s sometimes a little awkward, too.

Maybe someone gets on your nerves because they chew too loudly and talk too much. Or maybe your great great great aunt is just kind of weird and you never really understand what she’s talking about. Maybe part of the family lives far away, so you don’t see them often and don’t know them very well.

This is kind of what it’s like to be part of God’s family, the church. The church is not only the people we see on Sunday mornings, but everyone all over the world who follows Jesus. That’s a big family! And no one is perfect, so being in God’s family can sometimes be difficult or awkward. Sometimes we don’t get along or have a hard time understanding each other.

Even though we have many differences within our church family, we are alike because God has adopted us as his children. God made each of us uniquely, with special gifts and talents, and when we all live and work in unity, we can do much more together for God’s glory than we could by ourselves.

"The Community of Grace" - Mike Tilley

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

Mike Tilley 8/30/16 Mike Tilley 8/30/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 30

In Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesian church in Acts 20, he knew of the demands that would surely press in upon them, to wear down their faith and steal their joy. So he commended them to God, and to the “word of his grace,” which would be able to build them up and strengthen them. The word of grace is one of the means by which God floods our hearts with his favor.

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

“This is grace gone wonderfully wild. This is the flood of God’s favor in which we discover the power and practice of the means of grace.”

— David Mathis, from "Habits of Grace"

"The Word of His Grace"

As we take on the demands of life in a fallen world, we sometimes feel that we are “running on empty.” Those demands can come from outside of us, from difficult people or stressful circumstances. They can also come from our own hearts, where we struggle against the downward pull of sin, or the lies and schemes of our “ancient foe.” To meet the demands of reality, we need for God’s grace to replenish our capacity. Beyond saving grace, we need strengthening grace.

In Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesian church in Acts 20, he knew of the demands that would surely press in upon them, to wear down their faith and steal their joy. So he commended them to God, and to the “word of his grace,” which would be able to build them up and strengthen them. The word of grace is one of the means by which God floods our hearts with his favor.

It seems Paul had something similar in mind in Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Jesus is the bread of life, and we feast upon him through the Word of God (Matthew 4:4) and spiritually as we commune with Him in the Lord’s Supper. When life drains us of energy and strength, when we are running on empty, let us draw upon the word of God’s grace for sustenance.

How to pray...

Give thanks for “the word of his grace” which strengthens us for the demands of life.
Pray for the preaching of the “word of Christ” in all of our sermons this fall, right up through Advent. Pray for the next 3 sermons in the DNA series; and pray for the fall series on Philippians, which begins the last Sunday in September. Especially pray that the grace of the gospel would be expressed in each sermon, capturing our hearts for the life and work to which God has called us.
Pray that the word of Christ would dwell richly in all of our community groups. Pray that we would all encounter Christ through his word in our “circles” of community.
Pray also for our SPLASH kids and our LBC Youth, as a foundation is being laid for a lifetime of loving and following Jesus.

For the Family

Do you ever feel really tired? After you have a busy day at school or spend an afternoon swimming in the pool your body might feel tired, which makes you want to lie down or take a nap.

But what does it feel like when your heart is tired? Have you ever felt down when your feelings were hurt, or overwhelmed in a big, noisy crowd of people, or weary when things were really busy? Everyone feels this way sometimes, and the bible has good news about it.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He wasn’t really talking about rest for our bodies, like taking a nap; he was offering rest for our souls. When we know Jesus, our tired hearts are filled with God’s grace, which gives us strength when we feel overwhelmed or hopeless.

Talk about ways that you need God’s grace in your everyday lives. Pray that God will give you strength, peace, and hope when your soul feels weary.

Listen to this song at bedtime, and memorize Matthew 11:28 as a family.

CONTRIBUTORS

"The Word of His Grace" - Mike Tilley

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Mike Tilley 8/29/16 Mike Tilley 8/29/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 29

The same King who answers our prayers for the advance of the gospel is also attentive to our personal needs. Even today we are all in a “time of need.” How encouraging that we can receive mercy and grace from the throne of grace!

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

“Thou art coming to a King,
large petitions with thee bring,
for his grace and power are such,
none can ever ask too much”

— John Newton

"The Throne of Grace"

This month you’ve probably learned again that prayer is hard work! Often we are like the disciples when Jesus asked them to “watch and pray” in the garden. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. On the flip side, you may have also discovered that prayer is a source of fresh grace and mercy for our times of need.

We often think of grace as undeserved favor, our acceptance with God because of the work of Christ, apart from our works. This rich truth frees us from works righteousness and from performing to earn acceptance with God and others.

But grace is also a source of God’s strength and power. So we speak of prayer and other things as “means of grace.” In his book Salvation Belongs to the Lord, John Frame describes the means of grace as “channels by which God gives spiritual power” to his people.

This month, as a church family, we have prayed “large petitions” on behalf of the lost, the found, the city, and the world. We have been praying that his kingdom would come, that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let us give thanks that he hears even our feeble prayers!

How to pray...

How would you describe your “time of need” today? Take some moments to honestly talk with God about your needs, and offer prayers for fresh mercy and grace.
The grace of God is also a source of strength and power for our congregation, as we pursue the vision that God has for us. Pray that his grace would shape and transform all of our hearts through prayer, through worship, through community, and through the Word of his grace.
Ask God for the fruit of grace in each of our lives: a growing love for God and neighbor.

For the Family

Lately we’ve prayed for lots of BIG things, like countries on the other side of the world! God made the entire universe and he is in control of it all, which is why we can pray for BIG things. Nothing is too big for God!

But did you know that God also cares about you and your personal needs? Nothing is too small for God!

Here’s what the bible says about God caring for small things: “Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

Click HERE to download a coloring sheet with this verse!

This verse describes how God is paying attention to two very small things. First it says that he knows every time a sparrow falls to the ground. So if a nest falls out of a tree, God cares about those baby birds!

But then it says God knows how many hairs are on your head. Can you imagine trying to count how many hairs you have? That would take forever! But God loves you so much that he knows and cares about every detail about your life.

So if you’re worried about a spelling test or upset because a friend hurt your feelings, God is not too busy to hear about it. God also loves it when we take time to thank him for things that make us happy. The bible says that “every good and perfect gift” comes from God. Whether it’s a new friend or a delicious ice cream cone, we can thank God for every good thing in our lives.

Talk as a family, then pray together:

What are some “small” things that you can thank God for today? Praise him for “every good and perfect gift” when you pray.
What are some things that you’re worried about or that make you sad? Talk to God about those things. Ask him to comfort you when you’re worried or upset.

Contributors

"The Throne of Grace" - Mike Tilley

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Alison Epps 8/28/16 Alison Epps 8/28/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 28

When Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold I am making all things new,” He’s not talking about the kind of "new" that replaces the old. Bible scholars have pointed out that every time the writer of Revelation, John, uses that word "new", he’s not referring to something fundamentally different, but to the restoration of something that has fallen apart.

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 21:6)

“Biblical salvation lies not in an escape from this world but in the transformation of this world.… No faith holds out a promise of eternal salvation for the world—the ordinary world—that the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”

— Vinoth Ramachandra

"Because It's Done, We Can Do It"

Revelation 21 gives us a picture of the end of the story—a new heavens and new earth, every tear wiped away, God’s dwelling place here fully, the nations walking in the light. As we think about the good news of Christ for the whole world, it’s good to keep Revelation 21 in front of us.

The word for hope in the New Testament means “expectant of a guarantee.” So the promise of Revelation 21 is not something we wish for; it’s something we bet on. “It is done,” Jesus says. “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” Which means no one gets the last letter, let alone the last word, but Jesus.

What is this glorious ending that we can bank on?

Well if you were hoping for harps and clouds and baby cherubs, you’ll be disappointed. (If that’s what you were hoping for, we should probably talk.)

When Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold I am making all things new,” He’s not talking about the kind of "new" that replaces the old. Bible scholars have pointed out that every time the writer of Revelation, John, uses that word "new", he’s not referring to something fundamentally different, but to the restoration of something that has fallen apart.

The end of the story is THIS place. Only it’s THIS place restored. THIS place without sadness, without loss, without those knots in your stomach, without abuse, without abandonment, without hunger, without human-trafficking, without greed or cruelty or envy or idolatry or addiction or death. THIS place, made NEW.

Vinoth Ramachandra writes: “Biblical salvation lies not in an escape from this world but in the transformation of this world.… No faith holds out a promise of eternal salvation for the world — the ordinary world — that the cross and resurrection of Jesus do.”

So Revelation 21 isn’t wishful thinking; it’s a guiding reality. This gives us great confidence as we bring the good news to the world, because the end is already written, and it’s glorious.

In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Shaun White (everyone’s favorite red-headed snowboarder) dominated the half pipe event. Such was his domination that he had the gold medal locked up before his final run! As he lined up for his last ride down the half pipe, the commentators wondered if he would just cruise down the middle without doing any tricks. After all, the competition was over. He was already the gold medalist. But Shaun White did more than cruise. He upped his game completely. For his last trick, he busted out and landed a Double McTwist 1260, which had never before been landed in Olympic competition, and is arguably the best trick to be landed in the history of Olympic snowboarding. And he did it when he already had the gold medal lined up.

I have a theory here: The reason that last run was his best ever was because he knew the end of the story. The gold was already promised. He was free. And free from the pressure to succeed, joy became his engine. And in joy, Shaun White took snowboarding farther than it had ever gone.

Revelation 21 is our guiding promise. We can move out into the world in joy because we know the end of the story. Even more, we know the Author of it—the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Let’s go serve Him today.

How to pray...

Praise God for the hope of the gospel, that one day God will make all things new.
Africa is a continent where many find it difficult to have hope. Pray for the work of Christians throughout Africa, meeting both physical and spiritual needs.
Pray for Greg and Amy Justice, serving with International Justice Mission (IJM) in Accra, Ghana. They are working to address issues of justice related to children. Pray for physical safety as well as their work in the area of communications.
Pray for the strengthening of churches and the power of the gospel of Christ in the face of radical Islamic terrorism.

For the Family

When we read books or watch movies, we never want someone to tell us how it ends, because part of the fun of reading a book or watching a movie is being surprised by the ending. But that’s not how Jesus wants us to live out our lives.

Jesus tells us how the story of this lifetime ends, not because he wants to spoil the ending for us, but because the end is SO much better than what happens in the middle. It makes the stuff that’s happening in our stories more exciting and more fulfilling.

Because we know that the end will be so good, it also makes the bad things that happen now more bearable.

As a family, talk about the hard parts of this life that you are excited to see “made new” when Jesus comes back. Parents, share with your kids some things that are hard for you now, like work, or sickness, or death, and how you look forward to those things being either restored or gone forever!

Then talk about how you can live, even now, with hope that Jesus will fix everything, and how that hope is something we can share with everyone!

Contributors

"Because It's Done, We Can Do It" - Joe White

Joe White serves as Assistant Pastor and part of the Sunday teaching team at Lake Baldwin Church. Joe and Tiffany (along with their children, Taylor, Lydia, and Jeremiah) recently moved back to Orlando after 6 years in Los Angeles, where Joe served as the Reformed University Fellowship pastor at UCLA. From 2005-2009, Joe did his graduate work at Reformed Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Counseling.

"For the Family" - Joel Pollard

Joel Pollard is the Director of Worship at LBC. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary and intends to pursue pastoral ordination in the PCA after graduation. Joel and his wife, Katie, have been married since 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.

Alison Epps 8/27/16 Alison Epps 8/27/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 27

So our belief in God’s sovereignty actually invigorates our evangelism as we cling to God’s promises: He has sheep from other pastures and his sheep will know his voice and will follow Him (John 10). God is the giver of Life! He has promised that there will be a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 7). Trusting in these promises, we, his disciples, can step into seemingly hopeless lands with bold hope and with confidence that our labor is not in vain.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 )

"Christ’s Last Words and the Least Reached"

by Jill K, missionary to Asia

We hold dear the truth that God is sovereign over all things, including the gift of salvation. Does this mean that we shouldn’t care about missions or evangelism, since it is God who changes hearts? Absolutely not!

The truth of the matter is that Christ commands us to teach others everything he has revealed to us. Sharing the good news of the gospel is absolutely our job and our joy… We just know that giving light, life, and saving faith to dead hearts is the work of the Spirit.

For some of us, this passion for global missions might be something new. Life is crazy-busy here in Orlando, and our connection to the world might be only as often as the next natural disaster or terrorist attack. For others of us, our passion and urgency about global missions can easily slide. We can become jaded, or the task can seem too big.

Scripture is clear, though, and we are challenged to think beyond ourselves. If we allow our hearts to be pierced by the truth of Scripture, we would be opened up to the need for the gospel among all peoples.

Christ is the only way to salvation, to forgiveness, to right standing with God (John 14:6). All the peoples who have come into our land need to hear of Christ and most can hear or have access when the church shines bright and beautiful right here at home. May we never lose our zeal to be Christ’s ambassadors, imploring people right here to be reconciled to God.

But there are entire people groups for whom there are no known Christian witnesses. No Scripture. No churches. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of every nation. We still need to go to ends and edges of the earth, to the millions who have never heard. “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?”

So our belief in God’s sovereignty actually invigorates our evangelism as we cling to God’s promises: He has sheep from other pastures and his sheep will know his voice and will follow Him (John 10). God is the giver of Life! He has promised that there will be a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 7). Trusting in these promises, we, his disciples, can step into seemingly hopeless lands with bold hope and with confidence that our labor is not in vain.

As believers in Christ, let us live as boldly as these truths deserve. Let’s pray for the church to be built among Tribal peoples, Hindus, Unbelieving, Muslims and Buddhists. (THUMB: easy to remember and pray for, right?). Let’s pray for missionaries to be sent into the unreached harvest fields (Luke 10:2) and for receptive soil in these hard places (Matthew 13:5). Please pray for the strengthening and effectiveness of the servants who are sent out and ask “that the Word of God may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you” (2 Thess 3:1). And let’s pray for disciples far away and for those of us right here, that we may live lives “worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work” (Col 1:10).

Come quickly Lord Jesus, and by your grace, enable us to live for the eternal gladness and glory ahead when we stand before you. “May the Lamb receive the full reward of His suffering.*”

*For the story of this quote, please see thereward.org

How to pray...

Pray for Matt and Jill K. and their family. Pray for their work in Asia, for creative outreach, partnering with new church planters, and reaching unreached peoples.
Pray for John Hutchings and Emily Walker serving in East Asia. They are part of our church family, and they are teaching English and building relationships in their country.
Pray for Japan, a nation that is historically resistant to the gospel. LBC has partnered with Mission to the World to do disaster relief. Thank God for the years of fruitful service of the missionaries there.
Pray for those affected by the recent earthquake in central Italy. The death toll has risen to 278.

For the Family

Today our prayers are focused on God’s work on the continent of Asia. Look at Asia on a world map… what a huge place! Over 4 BILLION people live in Asia, and they all need to hear about Jesus. Talk as a family:

Have you had Chinese food before? What is it like? How is it different from American food?
Can you imagine what it might be like to live in China as a missionary? Besides eating Chinese food every day, what do you think might be different about living there?
Talk about how brave and creative missionaries are, and pray for them.

Alison Epps 8/26/16 Alison Epps 8/26/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 26

I think Jesus is talking about more than geography in this final charge to his disciples. In the book of Acts we read about Jesus’ followers living as witnesses—not only across geographic boundaries, but across social and cultural boundaries. When you read this verse in that light, it becomes incredibly relevant.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

“We fear people because they can expose and humiliate us. We fear people because they can reject, ridicule, or despise us. We fear people because they can attack, oppress, or threaten us. These three reasons have one thing in common: they see people as ‘bigger’ than God, and out of the fear that creates in us, we give other people the power and right to tell us what to feel, think, and do.”

— Ed Welch

"Witnesses"
part 2

Yesterday we talked about what Jesus has called us to do: be his witnesses. Today we’re looking at where Jesus has called us to do that: Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

So I guess we need to pack our bags?

Perhaps. God may very well be calling you to move to the other side of the world right now. If He is, you should probably go do that.

But I think Jesus is talking about more than geography in this final charge to his disciples. In the book of Acts we read about Jesus’ followers living as witnesses—not only across geographic boundaries, but across social and cultural boundaries. When you read this verse in that light, it becomes incredibly relevant.

1. We’re called to be witnesses to our PEEPS.

Jesus sends his disciples to Jerusalem and Judea. That’s where they lived. That’s the sphere in which God had placed them. Go and witness to people in your spheres, Jesus was saying. Talk about me with your peeps.

Our peeps are the people who are like us. We have similar passions and hobbies. We’re in a similar life stage. We brush shoulders regularly. Jesus is sending us as his witnesses into the spheres we already occupy.

But there’s a real challenge to being a witness to your peeps: these are the people whose opinions matter most to you. The risk of being rejected or misunderstood feels powerful precisely because these are the people who accept and understand us.

Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others.

Jesus wants our peeps to know Him.

2. We’re called to be witnesses to our PAINS.

Jesus sends his disciples to Samaria. That was a place they would never go, let alone live. That was a sphere they wanted nothing to do with. Jews and Samaritans had a rich history of not getting along. To the Jews, the Samaritans were a pain to be around, and vice versa. But Jesus challenges them: Go and witness, even to the people you don’t like, even to the people who are a pain to be around.

Like our peeps, our pains present real challenges to our being a witness. These are people who rub you the wrong way. Their values feel incompatible with yours. The things they say and do are offensive to you.

Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others.

Jesus wants our pains to know Him.

3. We're called to be witnesses to our PERIPHERY.

Jesus sends his disciples to the ends of the earth. The news of what Jesus had done was to extend through and beyond the regions and cultures with which they were most familiar. The disciples were called to push out into the periphery of their known world, to minister to people they knew very little about.

So I guess we need to pack our bags? Again, perhaps.

But right here in Orlando we are surrounded by people who are very different from us. The challenges are obvious: These are people you don’t really understand. There are very real cultural barriers. Sensitivity and humility are required to make room at the table for people on the periphery of your world.

Jesus is always calling us to get uncomfortable for the sake of others.

Jesus wants people on our periphery to know Him.

Acts 1:8 is about more than geography. It’s about showing and telling the love of Christ with those like us (peeps), those not like us (periphery), and even those we don’t like (pains). Why? Jesus likes them all. A lot.

How to pray...

Pray for God to show you ways you can be “uncomfortable for the sake of others”.
It’s hard to hate someone and pray for them at the same time: Pray for specific “Pains” in your life.
Pray for humility to better understand people who are very different from you. Pray specifically for opportunities to build bridges with Muslims in our communities.
Pray for the witnesses all over the globe who, relying on the power of the Spirit, are sharing the love of Christ with people on the “periphery”.
Pray for the restoration of the Christian church in war-ravaged areas such as Syria and Iraq.

For the Family

A good way for us to put this lesson into practice is in a place most kids visit on a daily basis: the school cafeteria!

I remember the school cafeteria as a place where I enjoyed great times with my best friends and got annoyed with the people I didn’t like so much. I also realize now that the room had many people who I knew almost nothing about.

Talk with your kids: Think about the cafeteria at school. Do you sit with your best friends, your “peeps”? How are you showing them the love of Jesus on a daily basis? What about the people who really annoy you in the lunchroom… the “pains”... How could you show them the love of Jesus?

And finally, what about the kids who sit alone on the edge of the room, at the end of the table, or those kids who are ashamed to eat with others because they don’t feel like they fit in… How can you show those people the love of Jesus?

As a family, talk about these things:

Think about your closest friends. Which of your “peeps” needs to be shown the love of Jesus? Pray for them.
Think of someone who really annoys you. Remember that God loves that person, and pray that God will change your attitude so that you can be loving and kind.
Think of someone who doesn’t fit in. Ask God for the courage to talk to that person and learn more about who they are.

"Witnesses" - Joe White

"For the Family" - Joel Pollard

Alison Epps 8/25/16 Alison Epps 8/25/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 25

Lawyers argue. Witnesses testify. They testify to what they have seen, what they have experienced. Certainly good arguments have their place (see 1 Peter 3:15); we need to be ready to defend what we believe. But the job title Jesus gives us before he ascends to Heaven is that of Witness.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… (Acts 1:8)

“The changed person, who knows that he or she is a child of God and has received the ‘downpayment of the Holy Spirit,’ is the continuing evidence of God at work in our history.”

— Darrell Guder

"Witnesses"
Part 1

During my junior year of high school, I went through evangelism training at my church. I think they called it, “How to Convince Someone They’re Wrong About Everything in 2 Minutes or Less”. That’s not what they called it. But that’s essentially what it was.

Equipped with the tools to argue and annoy, we jumped in a bus, headed to a crowded area, spread ourselves out so as to cover the most ground, and started asking people where they would go if they happened to die that night. Here’s how you can know you’ll be in heaven: repeat after me…

I want to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Bathwater is gross, but babies are pretty awesome. Jesus has called us to go out, and He has called us to take his message (the most beautiful message the world has encountered, or ever will), but notice in Acts 1:8 Jesus doesn’t call us lawyers. He calls us witnesses.

Lawyers argue. Witnesses testify. They testify to what they have seen, what they have experienced. Certainly good arguments have their place (see 1 Peter 3:15); we need to be ready to defend what we believe. But the job title Jesus gives us before he ascends to Heaven is that of Witness.

Three things about being a Witness for Jesus:

1.   Witnesses POINT TO...

We point to Jesus, not to ourselves. The Christian faith is not good advice on how to be a good person. It’s good news about how a good God comes to save us from ourselves. This means your life can be a wreck and you can still bear witness. In fact, you’ll probably be more effective for it.

Whatever you’ve got going on in your junk drawer, Peter and Paul were bigger messes, I assure you. But they knew their own brokenness, and they knew that Jesus’ death and resurrection was holding them together. That’s what they talked about. They pointed to Him.

2.   Witnesses RELY ON…

Jesus is clear about whose power is behind our witnessing: the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Without that, we’re toast.

Think about it: The disciples, as a start-up team, were embarrassing—poor, uneducated, and cowardly. These powerless anti-heroes were sent as witnesses into a world governed by an empire that was diametrically opposed to their mission. The only way this start-up was ever going to get off the ground was by God’s power. And it did. Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead was at work within the disciples.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have that same power of the Spirit of God within you. Let that sink in for a moment. If death was no match for God’s power, then we know God can use even our feeblest attempts at faith-conversations to plant the seeds of life in someone’s heart. God can bring awesome out of your awkward.

3.   Witnesses WELCOME IN…

We must not overlook the fact that the words in Acts 1:8 were addressed to a group. The early church was a communal witness. The way in which they did life together pointed to the one who had given His Life for them.

Acts 2:42-43 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul…” Pastor and theologian Sinclair Ferguson says it was really in response to the dynamic way this new community lived in Jerusalem that great awe came upon the people.

Bearing witness is not just about you going out. It’s about creating a culture of the gospel so people are invited in. Hospitality is evangelism spelled backwards. (Not really, but you get the point.) Most people aren’t argued or even preached into the kingdom of God; most people are welcomed into the kingdom of God.

Point to, Rely on, Welcome in. Be a witness today.

How to pray...

Pray for courage among our community to take the risk and live as witnesses for Jesus in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, etc.
Pray for 3 people by name in your life who do not yet know the love of Christ.
Thank God for the gospel going to the ends of the earth to reach your heart.
Pray for the witnesses all over the globe who, relying on the power of the Spirit are pointing to and welcoming in. Pray specifically for gospel-centered churches in Europe, that they would be radiating centers of light on a dark continent.
Pray for the pastors of international churches in Europe affiliated with International Christian Community (ICC). Pray for the annual Pastors and Families retreat in Nice, France in late October. Several from LBC will be serving at this retreat.

For the Family

Have you ever seen a movie or TV show where someone is on trial in a courtroom? The “witness” is a person who comes to the trial to tell the judge what they saw or experienced.

For example, if someone is on trial for robbing a bank, maybe the witness saw the robber run out of a bank and drive away in a car. The witness might tell the judge and jury what time of day it was, what color the car was, and which direction he went. The judge might ask the witness if the person on trial for the crime is the same person he saw run out of the bank, to make sure they have the right guy.

At a trial, witnesses help the judge and jury understand what really happened and who is telling the truth.

In the Bible, Jesus tells his disciples to be “witnesses” for Him. He challenged them to go all over the world and tell people what they had seen and experienced while Jesus was with them.

Just like the disciples, God wants us to tell people about Jesus and share what God has done for us. Just like a witness at a trial, our job is to tell the truth and help people understand what really happened when Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. We want them to believe the truth that God loves them!

Talk as a family:

What are some good things God has done in your life that you could tell your friends about to point them to Jesus?
Name a few friends who you could talk to about Jesus, and pray for them.

Contributors

"Witnesses" - Joe White

"For the Family" - Katie Pollard

Alison Epps 8/24/16 Alison Epps 8/24/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 24

God’s blessing was never meant to be only for a few. In His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, God said, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God did not intend his message of salvation to be only for Israel or Judea. He intended His salvation to reach the ends of the earth: to Spain, to England, even to the “New World.”

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6-7)

"God's Heart for the Nations"

One need not drive very far in Orlando to see the need for God all around us. Only one or two miles away from our homes and workplaces we can vividly see brokenness. All around us are broken family relationships, cycles of poverty, and people who seem happy but are empty inside.

So why pursue foreign missions? Since the beginning of the human story God has always sought for an intimate relationship with those who are made in his image, man and woman. He knows that we are made for Him and we can only be truly satisfied in Him.

God’s blessing was never meant to be only for a few. In His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, God said, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God did not intend his message of salvation to be only for Israel or Judea. He intended His salvation to reach the ends of the earth: to Spain, to England, even to the “New World.” And therein sits Orlando, home of the “Magic Kingdom.” But as magical as the City Beautiful is, even if the gospel were to transform every single person here in Orlando, God’s work would still not be done.

God is about the business of Acts 1, bringing His salvation and making disciples in “Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We are to act justly, love mercy and share the good news with our Orlando neighbors. But then, as John Piper notes, what we do well here for local evangelism and mercy ministries, we can then “export” to serve the nations.

When we see God moving in other parts of the world (as Hannah Rader testified to at church last Sunday) we are encouraged to live faithfully here. There is no necessary tension between local missions and global missions; they form a reciprocal relationship.

Therefore we go, send, and pray for foreign missions because God’s heart is for all the nations. And when we offer an account of our lives before the Lord, we don’t want to have pursued “too small a thing.”

How to pray...

Pray for the long-term missionaries that Lake Baldwin Church supports, Ross and Lindsay Stowers in Florence, Italy. Besides working with Cru administration (Agape) in Italy they are also reaching out to Italians through sports ministry and networking with other young families.
Pray for the Syrian refugees in Greece that Hannah Rader spoke of last Sunday and that God would use these new Christians to spread the good news in those formal and informal refugee camps.
Pray that God would show all of us at Lake Baldwin Church how to pray for, send others, and go ourselves to all nations with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Pray for Davidson and Katie Jean-Rejouis, who visited us during the missions conference, as they prepare for their ministry in France. Pray for completion of their support, for their team in Toulouse, and for their work with worship and youth.

For the Family

Ross and Lindsay Stowers are missionaries in Italy, supported by Lake Baldwin Church. They and their children were part of our church family when they lived in Orlando.

Take a moment to find Italy on the map. Explain that most of the people in Italy do not have a church family, and need to hear about Jesus.

Invite your children to write a note to Ross and Lindsay Stowers and their children, Weston, Tessa, and Colton. Thank them for serving God in Italy. Then bring the note to church this Sunday and give it to Joy McGill. Joy and her family will be visiting the Stowers family in Italy in just a few weeks, and they would be happy to take notes to the Stowers family!

Contributors

"God's Heart for the Nations" - Ravi Jain

Ravi Jain is a member of LBC and serves as the head of the Global Missions Team. He has been a calculus and physics teacher at The Geneva School since 2003 and has devoted his work to understanding the role of math and science in a Christian classical curriculum. Ravi enjoys reading, being outdoors, and traveling abroad. He spends most of his free hours enjoying time with his wife Kelley and their two sons, Judah and Xavier.

"For the Family" - Mike Tilley

Alison Epps 8/23/16 Alison Epps 8/23/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 23

So what will make the nations glad? The scriptures are clear that the nations (all people) will be joyful and fulfilled when we worship the creator. It is for our good that God wants us to delight in the One who can bring us true joy. We were created for his glory, and when we reject the idols around us and embrace him, we will be glad.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4)

"Let the Nations Be Glad"

I remember reading this verse for the first time, and thinking, "Yes, I want the nations to be glad! How can that happen?" There have been times in my life when I have believed (or acted as if I believed) that many things could make the nations glad. Maybe we can provide food, clothing, shelter or quality healthcare to make the nations glad. Or maybe if everyone was at peace the nations would be glad...

The reality is that it's possible to do or have those things (which are all good things) and not be truly “glad” in the way God’s word describes. While it may seem that success, security, health or peace will make us glad, God has something much better for us.

As C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory, "It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

So what will make the nations glad? The scriptures are clear that the nations (all people) will be joyful and fulfilled when we worship the creator. It is for our good that God wants us to delight in the One who can bring us true joy. We were created for his glory, and when we reject the idols around us and embrace him, we will be glad. Psalm 40:16 says, “But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!”

The best way we can engage in making the nations glad is by making God king of our individual lives. When we do that, we will buy into his plans, which include redeeming people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. We will share his glory with the nations, and his Spirit will cause them to worship him and be eternally glad.

How to pray...

That we won't be pleased with the fleeting joys of this world, but that we will treasure Christ above all. Pray that the love of Christ would fuel our hearts for the glory of God being proclaimed among the nations.
For Peter and Jenny Boling, missionaries and church planters in La Paz, Mexico. The Bolings serve with Mission to the World, and they hosted the LBC mission trip to Cabo in 2015. Peter also spoke at our first Missions Festival in January. Pray for fruitful work as the Bolings team up with a Mexican church planter in La Paz.
Pray for the advance of the gospel throughout Latin America: in Brazil, host of the Olympics; and in Venezuela, a nation in crisis.
Pray for church planting among the growing Puerto Rican population right here in Orlando. LBC and our partners look to God in faith for gospel work among the Latino population in coming years.

For the Family

Look at a map of the world as a family and talk about the different nations of the world. For the younger kids, help them find where you live on the map and talk about how long it might take by boat or plane to get to different places around the world.

Download a world map coloring page here

Have your child name all the different languages that they have heard about.

The world that God created is so big and there are so many people. God is so amazing—he not only created everyone uniquely but he loves each person unconditionally and hears all the voices of all the nations.

Have your children point to a random place on the map and pray for that nation together.

Contributors

"Let the Nations Be Glad" - Andrew Balducci

Andrew Balducci and his wife, Ellen, moved to Orlando from Oxford, MS in 2011 to work with the General Counsel Office at the Cru headquarters. Andrew and Ellen are members of LBC and co-lead a community group for young adults, along with TJ and Anna Sellers. Andrew is a member of the Global Missions Team and participated in an LBC missions trip to Cabo, Mexico in the summer of 2015.

"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse

Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.

Mike Tilley 8/22/16 Mike Tilley 8/22/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 22

This gospel story would be “preached among the nations” and Jesus would be “believed on in the world.” Our lives in Orlando might feel small, and we might even feel helpless in a chaotic world. But our story has a meaningful place in God’s plan.

He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

"God's Larger Story"

The Bible opens our eyes to God’s larger story, and his plan for the nations. Our Scripture verse for today reminds us of the life of Jesus: his incarnation, his resurrection, his ascension, and his exaltation. This gospel story would be “preached among the nations” and Jesus would be “believed on in the world.” Our lives in Orlando might feel small, and we might even feel helpless in a chaotic world. But our story has a meaningful place in God’s plan.

How does our story, individually and as a church, fit into God’s larger story for the nations?

With Christians around the world, we share the mission that Jesus gave to his disciples: “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19)
The world has grown smaller, and we are in a new world of missions. We can be global citizens, connected to the world with transportation, technology, and even the global language of English. Think of how short-term missionaries from LBC have been able to make a difference as we partner with churches and organizations around the world.
God has blessed Lake Baldwin Church with a remarkably high number of people who are connected globally.
A world in crisis is seeing Christians go to the front lines of social justice, aiding the needy and advancing the gospel.

This week, as a church uniting in prayer, let us offer up fervent prayers for a broken world, and for the people among us who stand ready to “proclaim him among the nations.”

How to pray...

Pray that the good news of Jesus would shape our vision for a world in need of the gospel.
Thank God for the many members of our church who are engaged in global work for the advancement of the gospel. Think of one you know, and pray for that person.
Thank God for our Global Missions Team: Ravi Jain, TJ Sellers, Andrew Balducci, Sarah Madsen, Matt Watts, and Bart Johnson. Pray for them as they serve the church and refine their vision and plans for the coming years.
Pray for a world in crisis: global terrorism, untold numbers of refugee families, human trafficking, and corruption.

For the Family

There are many ways that people learn about God but often the time and voice of another person is very powerful in our understanding who God is and what he did to show his love for us.

Sometimes we take it for granted that we are surrounded by people who can help us grow in our understanding and relationship with God and so it is hard to comprehend that there are people in the world that haven’t had this same privilege.

Share with each other how each of you first heard and learned about Jesus.
Talk as a family about what it means to be a missionary. What are missions trips?
Do you know someone that has gone on a missions trip recently? Would it be possible as a family to connect with this person so they can share with you about their trip and for your kids to ask questions about it?

CONTRIBUTORS

"God's Larger Story" - Mike Tilley

"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse

Scott Crocker 8/21/16 Scott Crocker 8/21/16

2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 21

As followers of Christ, we believe that it is only the Great Physician that can bring ultimate healing to the people of Orlando and to our great city. Let’s pray to that end.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”

— Hippocrates

"The Healing of Orlando"

The weekend of June 10, 2016 was a difficult one for Orlando. On that Friday night, singer Christina Grimmie was killed after a concert at The Plaza Live. The following night, 49 people were murdered at the Pulse nightclub. A couple days later, two-year-old Lane Graves was killed by an alligator while on property with his family at a Disney resort.

In the days and weeks following these tragic events, the family of LBC gathered in prayer, moved forward in generosity and sought to serve those affected by these deaths. But the grief remains for the family and friends of those whose lives were lost and the road to recovery still exists for many of those injured.

Sadly, the aftermath of the Pulse shootings displayed a fractured relationship between our churches and the LGBTQ community, not only in Orlando but throughout our country. As a church, we have sought to reach out in love and compassion to those affected by these shootings. I believe that God is calling us to continue to live out the belief that the gospel is “good news for our city.”

As followers of Christ, we believe that it is only the Great Physician that can bring ultimate healing to the people of Orlando and to our great city. Let’s pray to that end.

How to pray...

Pray that we will “weep with those who weep” and “mourn with those who mourn.” Pray that we would allow ourselves to grieve these senseless tragedies.
Pray that we would look for opportunities to provide a listening ear and non-judgmental conversation for those who have had negative experiences with the Church.
Pray that LBC would continue to be a church marked by an Outward Focus and a Gospel Culture. Pray that we would be welcoming to all those that God might allow to cross our paths.
Pray that God would heal our city through the power of the gospel. Ask God to open the hearts of people to the gospel. Pray that Christians would represent Christ well to those who appear to be without hope.

For the Family

Share with each other a time when you were really hurt or upset. Did you learn anything during that time?
We live in a beautiful world but it is full of pain and challenges. What does injustice mean? Are there things that seem unjust to you in our world?
Do you know someone who is going through a hard time? Maybe a friend at school or church or a neighbor? Pray for them and brainstorm ways that you can be beside them in their pain.

Contributors

"The Healing of Orlando" - Scott Crocker

Scott Crocker is the Chief of Staff for Ethnic Field Ministry, a ministry of Cru committed to seeing spiritual movements launched among ethnic minority students and faculty throughout the world. His family attends Lake Baldwin Church, where Scott serves as a deacon and leads the church’s mercy ministry to those in need. In his free time, he is a diehard fan of the Michigan Wolverines & Detroit Tigers and has coached youth basketball and football since high school. An avid reader, he particularly enjoys biographies and books about culture and American history. Scott and his wife, Lori, have four children and live in Orlando, Florida

"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." —Proverbs 31:8

1. What is abiding in Christ?

2. Why abide in Christ?

3. How can we abide in Christ?

Read more! Download the PDF: "Preaching the Gospel to Yourself"

Give it Time

1. A blind spot is revealed

2. A rhythm is to be renewed

3. A blessing is poured out

What is a Covenant?

What covenants did God make with his people?

How Can a covenant be fulfilled?

1. The opportunity is greater than I thought.

2. Our front-line church partners are more effective than I thought.

3. The challenges are greater than I thought.

My heart for the LBC 11th Anniversary

by Mike Tilley, Senior Pastor

Celebration

Appreciation

Aspiration

1. Those who know God will have great energy for God.

2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God.

3. Those who know God will show great boldness for God.

4. Those who know God have great contentment in God.

We can’t do any of this in our own strength. That’s why—most of all—we want to see Jesus in the book of Daniel.

A letter from Michelle Crouse:

A letter from our pastor, Mike Tilley:

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

"The Community of Grace"

How to pray...

For the Family

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

"The Word of His Grace"

How to pray...

For the Family

CONTRIBUTORS

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

"The Throne of Grace"

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 21:6)

"Because It's Done, We Can Do It"

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 )

"Christ’s Last Words and the Least Reached"

How to pray...

For the Family

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

"Witnesses"part 2

How to pray...

For the Family

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… (Acts 1:8)

"Witnesses"Part 1

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6-7)

"God's Heart for the Nations"

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4)

"Let the Nations Be Glad"

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

"God's Larger Story"

How to pray...

For the Family

CONTRIBUTORS

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

"The Healing of Orlando"

How to pray...

For the Family

Contributors

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Read more! Download the PDF:
"Preaching the Gospel to Yourself"

"Witnesses"
part 2

"Witnesses"
Part 1