The Thursday Update

DECEMBER 4, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

One of the most common questions people have about the gospel— the Good News message of eternal life found through faith in Jesus Christ alone— is what about those who have never heard it? What about the person in a far away place who doesn’t come across any Christians? What about the person in our neighborhood who has never heard a clear and compelling presentation of the gospel message? Will everyone have a chance?

This is a crucial question and one that impacts me personally. I became a Christian 42 years ago when a friend of mine who had just became a Christian shared the gospel with me. I remember it vividly and knew what he was telling me was true because the Holy Spirit was making the truth of this gospel presentation clear to me. It took two more months before I accepted the gospel and received Jesus into my life by faith, but when I did my life was radically changed.

But here is the sad news. Except for one person who gave me a little pamphlet on what it means to be a Christian (and that person was not living a godly life at the time), I do not recall hearing the gospel message for the first 22 years of my life. In America, of all places, the land that has sent so many missionaries to so many countries and where there are so many churches and so many Christians. How can that be?

While it is clear that people in other parts of the world haven’t heard the gospel yet, I wonder how many Americans have never heard a clear and simple presentation of it today? I think it’s a lot more than any of us realize.

Back to my original question, I think the answer is that there are so many people here and around the world that have not heard the gospel yet. And we have to do all we can to give everyone a chance to hear it and choose how they will respond. So what are we supposed to do? Two things are clear:

We’re called to tell everyone we can about the gospel, whether they are across the street or around the world (Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:18-20). This is not a suggestion but a command of God to every Christian.

We’re promised by God that one day everyone will hear the gospel and have a choice to make during the great 7-year tribulation that will be coming to the world very soon, after the Rapture of the Church (Matthew 24:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). This is God’s curtain call to everyone, a chance before He returns to the earth.

So what do we do in between the two— between today (when not everyone has heard here and in every nation), and the end times (when God will ensure that during the tribulation that everyone has heard)?

We tell everybody we can! We tell our friends, family, and others we see personally by sharing it with them and answering their questions. And we tell others who are far away through our support of missionaries and Christian organizations who are near them and who can tell them personally. And finally, we get the message out through every means available like print, social media, and the like so that we give every single person every single chance to accept the gospel.

If we believe that the gospel is really Good News (and it is!), we tell others so that everyone has a chance to receive Jesus into their lives. Then, we leave the rest to God to fulfill His promise that one day all will hear.

On Sunday, I’ll unpack what God says is true about sharing the Good News with others and how this can shape our lives in six critical ways.

If people matter to God (and they do!), and if people matter to you (and I believe they do!), then let’s do all we can to help as many people as possible hear the gospel that brings the only cure to our sin problem as well as the only hope for our eternal destiny.

Warmly,

Vince
Senior Pastor

NOVEMBER 26, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

As we head into Thanksgiving, I’m reminded how important it is to pause and express our thanks to God for His goodness and mercy. Giving thanks isn’t just a seasonal practice—it’s a way of realigning our hearts with the truth that every good thing in our lives comes from God and expressing that appreciation to Him with our mouths.

When we intentionally thank God, even for the everyday blessings we often overlook, it deepens our trust in Him and fills our hearts with peace. I hope you take time this week, and on a regular basis, to slow down, reflect, and genuinely thank God for His faithfulness.

This Sunday, we’ll continue in our Tell Somebody series by looking at Luke 15:1–10. In these parables, Jesus reveals God’s heart for those who are far from Him—a heart that seeks, pursues, and rejoices when that which was lost is found. As we give thanks to God for pursuing us, saving us, and bringing us into His fold, we should be compelled to share that same hope with others.

I’m looking forward to worshiping with you this weekend. I pray you and your loved ones have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and may God fill your home with joy, gratitude, and meaningful conversations about the hope we share in Jesus.

Make a great day!

Frank D.
Executive Pastor

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Lakeshore Friends,

Last Sunday’s message concluded our series on “Heaven, Hell and Everything In Between” with an outline of God’s plan for the future. There was a lot of material shared, especially for those who are either new to Christianity or have not spent much time understanding biblical prophecy. In fact, even for people who have been Christians for many years this subject is one that few churches teach about. That’s unfortunate.

Below, I have provided a copy of the chart we displayed last Sunday during my message to help you have a tool to grasp God’s timeline for the future. If you missed this important message (or need to hear it again at your own pace), you can watch it here.

The purpose of God giving us such detailed information on His plan for the end times is to encourage Christians as the end of life on earth as we know it arrives. Consider this:

1. After describing the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, the Apostle Paul ends the passage with these words in verse 18: "Therefore encourage one another with these words.” God provides prophecy to encourage those of us who are Christians with the truth that there is something amazing that awaits us when this life is over. Jesus will come to the clouds to take us to be with Him forever (verse 17b). What an incredible thought. So, if you’re like me and find that sometimes life can get you down, look up and see the clouds and remember that Jesus will one day call you up to them, and be encouraged!

2. In the next chapter, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the Apostle Paul describes “The Day Of The Lord”, a period of time which starts with the seven-year tribulation where all hell will break out on earth. The wrath and judgments of God during these terrifying seven years are described in Revelation 6-19 and Matthew 24. They will bring sudden destruction on the world, right when they think that world peace and safety have been achieved (1 Thessalonians 5:3). But Paul goes on to say that we should not be surprised by this “Day” (verse 4) and that we should be spiritually awake (verse 7) because of our faith in Jesus. He even goes on to say that God has not appointed us to suffer His wrath in the seven-year tribulation (verse 9) and He does this by taking us up in the rapture before the seven-year tribulation begins (Revelation 3:10). Paul ended that passage with these words in verse 11: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” God reminds us that every Christian will avoid this terrible time because we have been forgiven of every sin the moment we have trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior. God wants us to encourage each other in tough times with this truth. That’s why we come to church, so that we will encourage each other with these words.

3. In Titus 2:11-13, the Apostle Paul wrote these words, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Our great hope is the Rapture of the church, our deliverance from the wrath to come when we will be with Jesus forever! Nothing in this life can ever bring us this kind of true, lasting hope. So when life discourages you, be encouraged by our one true hope, the Rapture of the church.

I hope that you will let the truth of the Rapture and Christ’s return to earth encourage you.

God wants to use this truth to prepare you and not to scare you (assuming you are a Christian by trusting in Jesus alone for your salvation).

He wants us to not fear life but to fear Him since He is over all life.

He wants us to look up, when life tries to keep us down.

He wants us to be ready and live steady so that when He returns He will find us faithful.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42)

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20b).

Vince
Senior Pastor