The Future of Serving Our City
In Jeremiah 29, God tells the Israelites who are in exile in Babylon to seek the peace and prosperity of the city, though it was not their true home. On this side of God’s renewal of all things, we too live in a world that is not truly home. Yet the calling on the Christian is to likewise seek the peace and prosperity of the environments in which God has placed us, for his glory.
by Joe White
In Jeremiah 29, God tells the Israelites who are in exile in Babylon to seek the peace and prosperity of the city, though it was not their true home. On this side of God’s renewal of all things, we too live in a world that is not truly home. Yet the calling on the Christian is to likewise seek the peace and prosperity of the environments in which God has placed us, for his glory.
Here’s how we at Lake Baldwin Church take this to heart: we want to be the kind of church that, were we to disappear tomorrow, would be missed by our city. We want LBC to be known as a church that cares deeply about Orlando.
But how do we do that? What are some of the ways that we can express our heart for the city in 2018?
LBC Member Jack McGill, Founder and board member of Elevate Orlando pictured with students at the annual Elevate Orlando Vision Breakfast.
One way is to continue to highlight and champion our partner organizations, such as Elevate Orlando, Jobs Partnerships, 306 Foundation, and Grace Medical Home. (Learn more about our partners HERE.) As a growing local church, we don’t have the expertise and experience that these organizations have, but we do have the opportunity (such a cool one at that) to partner up and support what God is doing through them. Many at LBC already offer time, money, and volunteer support to these agencies. Through increased Sunday morning exposure, and identifying a “champion” in the congregation for each organization, we anticipate even greater support and connection in 2018.
LBC Member Lori Crocker, teaching a cake decorating class for students in the Toolbox4Life program. T4L is a life skills class offered by 306 Foundation, an organization led by LBC Members John and Jane Hursh.
Another avenue for seeking the peace of our city is through our Community Group ministry. While we love offering church-wide service opportunities throughout the year (more on that in a bit) we believe that there is something uniquely powerful about people in a community group brainstorming and praying about how God might use their group to care for the community.
These “grass roots” efforts began springing up in 2017— I’m reminded of one group in particular. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, this community group, filled with people all across the spectrum in their faith journeys, decided to rally together to help pack meals through Feeding Children Everywhere. Inspired by stories like this, other Community Group leaders have requested that we highlight serving opportunities for them throughout the year. As a result, in 2018 all our group leaders will receive monthly updates featuring a variety of opportunities to care for our city together as a group.
LBC Member John Hursh, founder of 306 Foundation, pictured with a student of the Toolbox4Life construction program.
In addition to community group initiatives, we have a goal of offering 2-4 church-wide opportunities this year. Last summer, our SPLASH Kids program hosted a service day to donate and pack backpacks filled with school supplies for homeless and displaced kids enrolled at Glenridge Middle School. It was an opportunity for the whole church to come together and be the hands and feet of Christ in our community. (Check out the video below.) More opportunities like that are in store for 2018!
But there’s one more aspect to caring for our city that I would be remiss to leave out. In a very real sense, God has been bringing the city to us.
The needs are not only out there, but in here. Because of this, we’re grateful for a growing Deacon team that offers assistance through the deacons' fund to care for those God brings our way.
As 2018 is already underway, would you join me in praying for, and engaging in, the mission that God has for us? Ours is a mission to be a church not just for ourselves, but for our city. To God be the glory.
Want to get involved?
Habitat for Humanity work day
Saturday, February 24th, 9:00-noon
This opportunity is limited to 10 volunteers from LBC, so email David Runnels today to sign up! Volunteers must be age 16 and older.
The Future of Community Groups
As we head into 2018, I’m excited about the future development of our groups ministry at LBC. Our vision is to create environments where we Encounter Christ Together, Share Our Lives with One Another, and Love Our City Well.
by Joe White, LBC Assistant Pastor
As we look back, 2017 was a BIG year for community groups at LBC. Here are a few things worth highlighting:
- New Community Groups! Brand new leaders have stepped up, opened up their homes to believers and seekers alike, and provided atmospheres where people can grow in their faith. A couple of the new groups I’m excited about are the “Family Community Groups”, also known as the “beauty in the chaos” groups, as parents bring their kids along with them! We’ve found this to be a rich relationship building time for the adults and the children. In addition, the kids get the rich experience of witnessing their parents study the Bible, a formative memory we hope will stick with them into adulthood.
- Community Groups Serving! Multiple community groups this year have participated in grassroots service opportunities. We love it when groups take the initiative to put action behind our vision to bring the good news of the gospel to our city.
- Community Group Leader Training! As we do every year, in September we had two Community Group Leader Huddles for leadership training and alignment. These huddles were an exciting opportunity to put our heads together as leaders and better equip ourselves for the future.
As we head into 2018, I’m excited about the future development of our groups ministry at LBC. Our vision is to create environments where we Encounter Christ Together, Share Our Lives with One Another, and Love Our City Well.
In addition to starting several new groups this coming year, we plan to implement our vision through a community group wide roll out of our “Discover Grace” class as a video series. Our hope is that through this series, more and more folks in our church will come to experience the power of the means of grace in their growth process.
If you’re reading this right now and you’re not yet in a community group, let me take this opportunity to encourage you to connect with one. This is the best way to find family in LBC, and grow alongside brothers and sisters in Christ.
As Scot Shiflett remarked last year, “Our community group is why we stuck at LBC.”
To learn more about how you can get involved, visit the online group directory:
The Future of Assimilation
Do you remember the first time you walked through the doors of a church? Did it feel awkward? Did you know anybody? Did you feel welcomed?
by TJ Sellers
Do you remember the first time you walked through the doors of a church? Did it feel awkward? Did you know anybody? Did you feel welcomed?
Many people at Lake Baldwin Church (including myself) would say that the hospitality, warmth and friendship that our church body demonstrates to first time visitors is a key reason they came back for a second visit. This generates a positive buzz within our congregation about having a welcoming environment, and can leave us thinking that we have that box checked. However, the reality is we probably never hear the negative feedback from the people who slip through the cracks and never experience the connectedness that many of us cherish.
There is no doubt that LBC already has a welcoming environment that most people experience, but as the Lord continues to add to our number, maintaining this culture becomes increasingly challenging.
As we anticipate an even greater number of new faces visiting LBC in 2018, we are trusting God to grow our capacity to help each person connect into healthy relationships that will help them thrive spiritually.
To do this, we will be building on the already well-established assimilation plan that includes elements such as Sunday worship, welcome lunches, membership classes, community groups, and service. We believe that each of these are key steps to helping individuals become fully connected into the LBC community.
In 2018, a new Connect Team will form to focus on helping new attendees (and long-time attendees who are on the fringes) assimilate into the life of the church. The formal team will be small, but impact will be widespread as we aim to mobilize our entire congregation to participate in helping those around you connect into community, discipleship and service. The team will be responsible for refining and communicating the assimilation strategy to the congregation, managing our existing greeting team, expanding our “welcome” efforts to after the service, and developing a plan for following up with our guests.
Despite the growth of our staff team in 2017, the increase in attendance at LBC is outpacing the ability of our staff to follow-up with all new attendees. Similar to broad-based giving, we want our entire congregation to participate in our effort to help newcomers flourish at LBC.
What part could you play?
Often times, welcoming someone is as simple as extending an invitation to lunch after church, your next community group meeting or just introducing them to another member at LBC. When it comes to assimilation, many hands make light work.
Do you have a heart for helping people feel welcomed and find their place at LBC? Contact TJ Sellers for information about the new Connect Team.
Telling God's Story
Recently I was talking with someone who was new to Orlando, and I invited him to Lake Baldwin Church. He appreciated the invitation, but said, “I can’t come, I’m not a Christian.” I quickly replied, “You can come to our church even if you are not a Christian. We always have people come to our church who are simply exploring the faith.”
by Mike Tilley, LBC Senior Pastor
Recently I was talking with someone who was new to Orlando, and I invited him to Lake Baldwin Church. He appreciated the invitation, but said,
“I can’t come, I’m not a Christian.”
I quickly replied, “You can come to our church even if you are not a Christian. We always have people come to our church who are simply exploring the faith.” Since then, my new friend has been attending the church, where he can meet people and explore the gospel at his own pace.
The message of Christianity is such good news that we want to be a place where people can be welcome in our church community even if they are simply seekers or even skeptics.
In fact, we would love for the people of Lake Baldwin Church to help spiritually interested people get past religious stereotypes so that they can hear the simple, core message of the gospel. The New Testament gives some great advice for how believers can relate to people who do not yet have a personal faith:
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
As you can see, a little humility and respect can go a long way!
What might this look like practically? Most of us who are believes are not evangelists, but ordinary people with a faith story. Here are four things we all can do:
- Friendships: I find it fascinating that Jesus was known as a “friend of sinners.” He went to their dinner parties, he served those who felt excluded from religion, and he showed tenderness toward people with a non-religious life. We can be friends without agenda, friends who aren’t lifestyle referees, friends who simply care and enjoy common interests. Once you get to know some people, your heart will begin to care, and you’ll want to do the next thing, which is to pray for them.
- Faithful prayer: Most of us came to faith because God worked in our hearts, and not because someone pressured us. Some of our friends and family members might not feel a need for God at all, but we can simply place them in God’s hands. As you pray for people, God might work in their life and give them some spiritual interest. Once that spiritual interest bubbles up, you’ll want to be able to invite them to check out Christianity.
- Forums: Many honest people are willing to learn and check out the faith if they are invited to a forum that is non-pressure and respectful of their process. In fact, we’ve learned that our Sunday worship service is a great place for that! It’s relaxed and the message is accessible without being watered down. We have other forums too, such as Youth Alpha, Christianity Explored, Beer With Dead Guys, Financial Peace University, and other special events. Once someone gains a positive exposure to the gospel, they will need a friend to help them begin a relationship with Christ.
- Framework: By framework, we simply mean a clear outline of the gospel. I like to be able to ask people, “If you wanted to become a Christian, would you know how?” The ball is still in their court, but at least they would be informed. If someone were to ask you how to become a Christian, would you have a simple way of explaining the gospel? Over the years I’ve used a variety of outlines, but my favorite is the booklet, Would You Like to Know God Personally? It’s clear, succinct, and easy to share with someone.
Isn’t it great to know that you don’t have to be an evangelist or a salesperson to share your faith? In fact, God is often more likely to use the ordinary person who simply has a caring heart for people. And, if you experience a little fear as you take the next step, that’s okay. God has given his Spirit to be with us.
The Future of Worship: 3 Reasons to Sing
Even when you don’t feel like it, sing. Even when it’s hard, sing. Even when you don’t know if you really believe these things, sing, because singing will help stir the affections of your heart and confirm to you and those around you that these things we hold to are true.
by Joel Pollard, LBC Director of Worship
In 2017, we saw God bless our congregation in a myriad of ways, but I’m specifically thankful for his continued provision for our worship services. We continue to have more musicians than I know what do with and we’ve seen and heard how greatly we’ve been blessed. I’m thrilled to be able to continue to lead and serve with so many wonderful people. As a way to incrementally move the needle on the quality of our worship, I was able to purchase a new keyboard and new drums this year. I believe you’ll notice, even if you aren’t a musician, the improvement in sound from these purchases.
Looking ahead in 2018, my biggest goal is to see our congregation engage even more in congregational singing. I hope to one day look out and see everyone singing! Now, I know some people might ask why I make such a big deal out of singing and I have a couple of answers to that question.
First, singing is important because God himself is a singer.
As his image bearers, we are to reflect his character back to him. In Zephaniah 3, the Lord is described as loving his people so much that he sings loudly over them. If singing is important to God and a way that God himself expresses his love and delight for us, then perhaps we should take note and sing back to him.
Some might say “Well I don’t sing because I’m not a good singer.” I know it may be uncomfortable, but I invite you to consider the way the Bible talks about worship. The Bible says in a lot of places to sing, but it never says you have to be a skilled musician or that only the talented people should participate. But it does say in a lot of places to make a joyful noise. One of my favorite memories about this from growing up was hearing a certain man in church sing. He was a former Marine and the local high school wrestling coach. You get the image. Not the guy you’d picture loving to sing. But there he was, every Sunday, singing his heart out. And whether that sound is musically beautiful or not, God loves it.
Second, singing does something to the human heart that few other actions can do.
I think part of our God-given design is to connect our hearts and minds through singing. It’s why every culture on earth has some form of music. It’s why countless numbers of people go to concerts, listen to music throughout their workday, or use music as a way to mourn or grieve, as well as celebrate. Through singing God’s truth, we connect what's in our heads with our hearts, and so we are able to more wholly believe it.
A great illustration for this is in the movie Elf. At the end of the movie, after Buddy the elf and his dad help Santa fix his sleigh, there’s a group of people who break out into caroling. But Buddy’s dad doesn’t sing, even though he just saw Santa with his own eyes. He doesn’t connect his head with his heart until he starts singing.
Finally, singing in a congregational setting isn't only about you.
When we gather to sing together, one of the things we’re doing by singing is saying to everyone around us that we truly believe these things, even enough to put our self-consciousness aside and sing. It’s one of the unique things about Christian worship, this singing we do together.
When a person who doesn’t know God is in our midst and sees a bunch of people wholeheartedly singing together about our faith, he’s bound to ask questions. But if we stand around and don’t sing, what questions will that same unbeliever ask?
For that matter, what about the believer who is struggling or grieving? Just as Moses needed help from his friends to hold his arms up, we hold up and support one another by affirming that God's promises are true and trustworthy.
Even when you don’t feel like it, sing. Even when it’s hard, sing. Even when you don’t know if you really believe these things, sing, because singing will help stir the affections of your heart and confirm to you and those around you that these things we hold to are true.
Let’s make 2018 a year of singing. Because God is good and kind. Because he’s king. Because singing changes us from the inside out. And because singing about what we believe might be the means God uses to draw that person sitting next to you to himself.
Want to get involved? If you have musical or A/V gifts to contribute to the worship at LBC we'd love to hear from you! Contact Joel Pollard.
Back Story: Winter 2017
Looking back. Looking ahead.
They say that “hindsight is 20/20” . . . that you can see the past with much more clarity than the present. We see in these verses from Philippians that Paul is indeed looking back, remembering the church at Philippi with joy and giving thanks to God, not just for the Philippians themselves but for the gospel progress that their “partnership” is producing. This kind of hindsight is good for the church. As 2017 draws to a close it is especially poignant to reflect on the past year in the life of the church—to celebrate milestones, to remember the many people who work together week after week to bring LBC to life, to tell our story to one another all over again, and to give thanks to God every step of the way because we know that every good thing comes from Him.
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Looking back. Looking ahead.
They say that “hindsight is 20/20” . . . that you can see the past with much more clarity than the present. We see in these verses from Philippians that Paul is indeed looking back, remembering the church at Philippi with joy and giving thanks to God, not just for the Philippians themselves but for the gospel progress that their “partnership” is producing. This kind of hindsight is good for the church. As 2017 draws to a close it is especially poignant to reflect on the past year in the life of the church—to celebrate milestones, to remember the many people who work together week after week to bring LBC to life, to tell our story to one another all over again, and to give thanks to God every step of the way because we know that every good thing comes from Him.
But of course Paul, although he was writing from a Roman prison, was never one to stay “stuck” in the past. Though his future must have looked bleak from that prison cell he writes with great hope: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…”
We’re glad to report that the future of Lake Baldwin Church is far from bleak—in fact we’re very excited about sustaining and growing our existing ministries in 2018 while highlighting a few focused initiatives. In this issue of BackStory we will look back (as the name suggests) but we will also look ahead to the future, resting in the hopeful promise that God will continue the great work that He has begun in our own hearts, in our church, in our community, and throughout the world.
7 Questions About LBC Finances
Last month the elders of Lake Baldwin Church sent a letter to the congregation, penned by Bart Johnson. He mentioned many reasons to be encouraged about the growth and health of the church, but he also shared concerns and information about a shortfall in giving. This post is a follow-up to that letter, to answer questions that might be on your mind.
Last month the elders of Lake Baldwin Church sent a letter to the congregation, penned by Bart Johnson. He mentioned many reasons to be encouraged about the growth and health of the church, but he also shared concerns and information about a shortfall in giving. This post is a follow-up to that letter, to answer questions that might be on your mind.
What’s the latest on our church finances?
At the end of November we had a shortfall of $94,000 for 2017. However, we have seen a significant increase in contributions for December, and that deficit has been reduced to $54,000. We are praying for continued generosity as we hope to finish 2017 with our budget fully funded and be in a strong position for 2018.
Here's where we stand as of December 22nd
Why the increase in expenses for 2017?
The increase is simply due to the filling of core staffing positions in 2017. We hired Joe White in 2016 and we raised capital funds for that position for the first year. We knew that this strategic “chess move” would be good for our growth, and we also knew that it would stretch us. The assistant pastor role is now being funded through our general offerings. The good news is that the growth of the church in attendance and membership (up 20% in 2017) is happening, just as we had hoped.
In July we also brought on Mark McKinney as youth director, and Heather Shiflett as director of SPLASH Kids. For the year prior to that we were not fully funding these positions. We are grateful for the “temp” staff that kept these ministries going (Lindsay Buono for youth, Jenna Nelson and Molly Tilley for SPLASH), but that was not sustainable for the long haul.
We are grateful and blessed to now have a full staff team, and every staff role is vital to the mission of Lake Baldwin Church.
One other significant item to mention is our commitment to give from our church budget to global missions, local missions, benevolence, and church planting. Just this year we are giving $18,000 to the Florida Church Planting Network to help fund new church planting, including two multicultural churches downtown.
Our budget is provided at the membership class and is updated each year. It is available upon request, and you can look for a summary in the latest issue of the Back Story newsletter.
Why has financial giving not kept pace with our budget and with our growth?
We are blessed to have many who give generously and consistently. While we have often been stretched financially, God has always provided.
However, we began to notice that congregational giving has not been broad-based during 2017. So we want to encourage everyone to participate at whatever level they can.
We can’t be sure why some are not participating in the grace of giving. It could be due to lack of teaching about giving, an assumption that others will take care of it, or a season of financial stress. Often there is a spiritual issue, an issue of the heart. That’s why Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Since we have a financial shortfall for 2017, does that mean that Lake Baldwin Church has a deficit and is spending money that we don’t have?
No, Lake Baldwin Church is not spending money that we don’t have. Over the years we have made a prudent decision to keep a 3-month cash reserve, so we are dipping into that reserve to cover our shortfall. Our only debt is our office mortgage, and the payment is less than we used to pay in rent. We pay our staff and all of our vendors in a timely way, and we continue to support our missionaries. Our hope and prayer is that God will provide for our church and replenish our reserves through December giving.
What has church leadership done in 2017 to guide the congregation on these issues?
First and foremost, we have prayed and called the church to prayer. We’ve also worked to consistently cast a clear vision to address the “why” of LBC. This happened last May when we talked about future growth milestones, along with information about giving. We also placed our vision before the congregation throughout August, with sermons and animated videos on the fourfold vision of Lake Baldwin Church. Along the way, of course, you’ve seen the monthly financial report in the Weekly Update and the Sunday bulletin.
As pastor I don’t prefer to call the congregation to periodic giving based on the emotion of the moment. This is essentially a discipleship issue that we talk about in membership class and preach on from time to time. We also offer teaching opportunities about stewardship through cohorts like Financial Peace University.
We also don’t wish to use pledge campaigns, and we want to be clear that the pastors, staff, and elders do not monitor your giving. Scripture calls us to generous, purposeful giving from the heart, and not under compulsion. Our primary aim is to preach the gospel, offering good news to the found, and trusting God to stir our hearts to give to the mission of the church.
What is meant by tithing? What if I can’t give a full tithe to the church?
Tithing is based on Malachi 3:10 and is a good rule of thumb used by New Testament Christians. It means returning to God a portion of all that he has given to us, and that portion is understood to be 10%. Tithing has the effect of distributing responsibility equitably. Those who have been blessed with greater resources end up giving more, while those with lesser incomes give less (while still giving 10%).
If you are not able to give a full 10%, I don’t think God would want you to feel discouraged or ashamed. One of my first pastors encouraged people to start with what they could (perhaps 3% or 5%) and trust God to grow that percentage over time.
Sincere followers of Christ might differ on whether the whole tithe should go to the local church. I like what John Piper says: “I can’t prove that, but here’s why I do it.” Galatians 6:9 seems to encourage us to give where we and our families are fed. It’s good to remember that other organizations can raise funds from anyone, but those of us who worship at LBC are the only ones called to give to this church.
LBC would not exist were it not for people who believe that they should give their tithe to LBC (and their additional offerings to other individuals and organizations).
What can people at LBC do at this time to make a difference?
First, I want to express appreciation for what you already do for the church. We thank God for your participation in worship, discipleship, service, and giving.
Please do pray about giving a generous gift to the church this month. And, as you plan your giving for the coming year, please set up a plan to give faithfully, from the heart. It would be a big encouragement if you would return the response card that you received with Bart Johnson’s letter.
Finally, please be praying as a church family for God’s provision. It’s amazing to see all that God is doing in the lives of people through our worship service and our various ministries. Our best years are ahead of us, and we want everyone to share in the joy of praying and giving.
If you'd like to make a year-end contribution or set up a recurring gift to Lake Baldwin Church, you can do so HERE.
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.
Why We're Thankful for This Community
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
— Psalm 100:4
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
It’s Thanksgiving Day, and we’re preparing for a feast with family and friends. Like many of you, I like to remind myself of all of God’s blessings over the past year. At the same time, there is no escaping the fact that Thanksgiving is often tinged with sadness. It’s comforting to know that God can handle this mix of sadness and thanksgiving in all of our lives. Such a gracious heavenly Father still welcomes our expressions of thanksgiving, though faltering and sometimes through tears.
It’s a great blessing to be able to do life, with its mix of joy and tears, with a loving and healthy faith community. With a full heart, I’d like to share why Molly and I are thankful for the church that we serve, Lake Baldwin Church. I’m preaching this Sunday on the “New Community,” so I’ll draw my thanksgiving list from Galatians 6:1-10.
Why we're thankful for THIS community:
1. When we wander, we’re restored.
In the early days of the church, my wife Molly used to say that “we move forward together as sinners.” That means that we relate humbly and tenderly to those who wander. We all fall into sin, but we believe that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a showcase for saints. Galatians 6:1 encourages us to “restore that person gently.” Jesus dealt tenderly with sinners, too. “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” The good news of the gospel is for all of us, and we all need a Savior every day. I’ll never forget the night this year (this year?!) that I lost my temper during our community group. I was devastated that I could be so hurtful. But when I apologized, they restored me tenderly. One guy even said, “That’s why we like this church.” As the chief repenter, that’s why I like this church too!
2. When we have burdens, we are supported.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The law of Christ is to love one another. So that’s one of our core values. It’s been beautiful to see that played out this year. Sometimes the help is financial, through our deacons fund. Sometimes the help is practical, like helping others with home repairs. Sometimes the help involves meals, or baby sitting, or hospital visits. Sometimes the help is emotional, weeping with those who weep. I wish we could share all the stories, but much of the help is given confidentially. But it’s happening in many ways, both visible and unheralded. That’s why we’re thankful for this church.
3. When we partner in the mission, we all do our part.
One of the pitfalls of the modern American church is that we can be consumers rather than partners. At our first worship service in 2006, we compared the church to a restaurant. Our vision is that we would all work together to serve the bread of life to those who come our way. Galatians 6:5 says, “For each will have to bear his own load.” The word for load here is not the same as the burden of Galatians 6:2. It is rather the word for “backpack.” Everybody does their part. Today, I think that 80% of our church serves on a once/month team. That’s how a miracle takes place each Sunday, when Glenridge Middle School is transformed into a full-service church. The bee hive has people doing set-up, greeting, serving coffee, teaching our children, or working with our A/V and worship team to give us a beautiful worship service. That’s why we’re thankful for this church.
4. When we hire church staff, we care for them.
Galatians 6:6 says, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” We used to be missionaries, and the first year of the church we were bi-vocational. Over the years, Lake Baldwin Church has taken good care of us, and we don’t take that for granted. We are more than thankful. We love this church, and I often say that I would not move to another church even if I were offered a million dollars (but Molly might be tempted). As the church has grown, we have worked with our leaders to hire staff, and our aim has been an “optimal” staffing plan. So the biblical principle of remuneration is applied to our children’s director, our youth director, our administrative manager, our worship director, and our assistant pastor. None of them are in it for the money, and I can vouch for them that they are more than grateful for the care extended by Lake Baldwin Church. That’s why we’re thankful for this church.
5. When we see needs in our city, we do good.
Galatians 6:10 says, “…as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.” This fits with the first line in our original DNA document: we are for the city. Over the last few years, our culture has sadly become quite hateful and divisive. In this climate, we’ve stayed away from politics and division. Jesus did not draw lines when he related to those on the margins, and nor do we. After the Pulse massacre, we saw people in our church rush to offer care. Last summer, our SPLASH Kids and families had a “SPLASH Serves” day when they put together over 50 backpacks for kids in need at Glenridge Middle School. During Advent season people bring Publix gift cards for those same families. Space would not permit me to list all of the grassroots efforts that happened this year to work with excellent non-profit groups serving the city. This past summer that care extended to a building project in La Paz, Mexico, and in 2018 the care will be extended to a medical mission in Nicaragua. That’s why I’m thankful for this church.
With thanksgiving,
Mike and Molly Tilley
Mike welcomes your comments, questions, and feedback. You can email him here: mike@lakebaldwinchurch.com
Mission to Europe: On the Front Lines
Recently Mike and Molly Tilley participated in the annual Pastors Retreat for International Christian Community (ICC), a network of pastors and churches bringing the light of the gospel to the cities of Europe. Here is Mike's report.
Recently Mike and Molly Tilley participated in the annual Pastors Retreat for International Christian Community (ICC), a network of pastors and churches bringing the light of the gospel to the cities of Europe. Here is Mike's report.
Drew and Becky Stephens live in Prague, Czech Republic, where Drew serves as pastor of the International Church of Prague (ICP). The church of 280 draws people from many countries to its English-language worship service. Of the four elders in the church, two are American, one is British, and another is Chinese. The church began in 1990 as a Bible study for people working in the British and American embassies. Today, the church is reaching internationals (ex-pats from various countries), Czech nationals, and immigrants from the Middle East and Africa.
Drew and Becky Stephens (left) with Mike and Molly Tilley
To better reach immigrants from many countries, ICP began a ministry center right off the main square in downtown Prague. Refugees are offered a meal and a chance to shop for clothes in the basement. They can get haircuts, Czech lessons, and even access to a lawyer who is an advocate with the Czech government. New fellowships are being started for various sub-cultures within the church, such as Filipinos, Indonesians, and Chinese. Recent baptisms have included people from the Arab world.
The ministry center location is not for the faint of heart. The staff and volunteers walk past 500 sex workers each day. Drew and Becky are truly on the "front lines" of the gospel!
Drew Stephens is just one of many pastors who attended this year’s Pastors Retreat, held October 23-27 in Germany. Retreat attendees included front-line pastors from Moscow, Budapest, Nice, Marseille, Munich and other European cities. ICC's dream for all of these churches is the same: to be flourishing, gospel-centered churches reaching internationals, in-country nationals, and immigrants.
Molly Tilley with attendees of her seminar, "What Your Wife is Trying to Tell You."
Molly and I know how much stress pastoral ministry can put on a marriage. This stress is especially intense in Europe, and we have seen marriages struggle. That’s why Molly taught a seminar for pastors called, “What Your Wife is Trying to Tell You.” Molly should know. She has a lot of experience trying to get through to a stubborn husband!
My part was to teach a 3-part seminar series on “Gospel-Centered Leadership.” These pastors need tools to lead effectively on such a complex playing field. I also worked with the Euro Team, a group of pastors on the continent who guide the overall work of ICC. In addition to the strategic work we do together, I’ve enjoyed growing friendships with each of these guys.
I’m thankful that the LBC Global Missions Team has adopted this network (ICC) as one of our global partners. The partnership has grown as leaders from Europe have visited LBC, and as our church has freely lent expertise to the work in Europe. This has included Joel Pollard leading worship for the pastors the last two years, along with Katie Pollard designing and maintaining the ICC web site. And, we all can play a part through our prayers and investment in the vision of LBC, including “good news for the world."
2017 Retreat attendees at the Mirabell Gardens during a day trip to Salzburg, Austria
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.
A Prayer for Tragedy
Early today a tragic shooting took place in a church in Sutherland Springs, TX. In the wake of this terrible act of violence, it seems timely to repeat the prayer of confession from this morning's worship service at Lake Baldwin Church.
Early today a tragic shooting took place in a church in Sutherland Springs, TX. It is currently estimated that at least 26 people have been killed. In the wake of this terrible act of violence, it seems timely to repeat the prayer of confession from this morning's worship service at Lake Baldwin Church.
Heavenly Father, we believe that you are good, yet there are times when we are overwhelmed by the brokenness that surrounds us. Your word tells us to expect suffering, yet we are often surprised, angry, and fearful when hard times come. We cannot ignore the powerful evils that still have a stronghold in this world. We confess that we are often tempted to despair, to worry, and to fear.
Gracious God, may this repeated command resonate in each of our hearts this morning: "Do not be afraid." May we remember your power and authority, and may we rest in the peace that only comes from you. Give us the courage to go forth into this broken world and shine your truth into darkness, clinging tightly to the eternal hope of restoration that is promised to all your children.
Sovereign Lord, may we be captivated by your steadfast goodness, power, and beauty. May we love you for yourself alone. By the power of the Holy Spirit, show us your beauty, attract our hearts, and capture our imaginations, so that we find joyful pleasure in serving you. Amen.*
*paragraph 3 adapted from:
Keller, Timothy. The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms. Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition, page 49-50.
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
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.
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).
Read more! Download the PDF:
"Preaching the Gospel to Yourself"
As we maintain fellowship with Christ, we draw upon his grace and strength through the ordinary means of grace given to us by God for our growth and renewal. And here’s the rub. Each of these will require effort on your part. God wants us to participate in these means of grace, and engage them. Here they are:
The Word of God: Jesus said in John 15:7 that his words are to abide in us. We take in the Word through reading, reflection, and through the preaching of the Word during worship.
- Prayer: In prayer we “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) Prayer can be difficult, so it will take some sacrifice and effort. But it’s worth it. During August we are asking the LBC family to set aside some time, even a few minutes, each day to seek the Lord and to pray for the work of the church. Look for your heart to change as you spend time in fellowship with God through prayer.
- Fellowship: we often can more readily internalize the love of God when we love one another. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The Christ in (our) own hearts is weaker than the Christ in the word of other Christians.” If you isolate yourself from the fellowship of the church, your spiritual life will wither. Take the time, make the effort.
- The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper: In communion, we “commune” with Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit. In baptism the gospel is proclaimed to us afresh through the “visible words” of the cleansing water. The sacraments do not merely represent historical events. They strengthen us to live by faith in a fallen world.
These “means of grace” combine most strongly as we gather each Sunday for worship. We hear the voice of God in the call to worship. We hear the gospel afresh and see Christ’s beauty as we sing. We preach the gospel to ourselves in confession and the good news of assurance in Christ. We hear and receive the grace of God as the word of Christ is preached from the pulpit. The visible words are portrayed to our hearts through the sacraments. And we experience the grace of the Helper, the Holy Spirit, in the benediction.
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.
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
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
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
“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. ”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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.
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!
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.
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 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.
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,
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.
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
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"
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?
- 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
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.
"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.