The Thursday Update

March 12, 2026

Lakeshore Friends—

A number of years ago, Jackie DeShannon sang a song that proclaimed something most people believe.  It was titled “What The World Needs Now Is Love”.  The refrain in the song says what should be obvious to everyone:

“What the world needs now

Is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
No, not just for some, but for everyone.”

This is one of many songs that espouse the virtue and value of love and how our world really needs love if it wants to survive.  Despite this, our world is sorely lacking in love.  There is a lack of love everywhere we turn— it’s on the streets, at our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, in our politics, and even in our families.

So what’s the problem?  Simply put, while our world talks about love, it clearly has no answer for what true love is, how love is fully expressed, and where love itself comes from.  Without those answers, people can never express true love.  Perhaps another song sung by local artist (and Gates Chili graduate 😊) Lou Gramm best describes the state of many when it comes to the world’s understanding of love: “I want to know what love is”.

So what’s the solution?  The Good News is that God says that we can know what true love is, how to express it to others, and where it comes from.  We’ll explain how, and so much more, in a new series we’re beginning on Sunday, “No Greater Love”.I’ll teach through four important passages of Scripture over the next four weeks leading up to Easter and provide answers to these questions about love. We’ll learn how there is no greater love than the love of God expressed in Jesus Christ.

I hope you’ll be here.  And if you know someone who has been “Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places” (by Johnny Lee), invite them to join you.

Warmly,

Vince