The Thursday Update

As we have gone through the current series on what God says about government, I’m reminded that there really is only one answer to all the challenges that face us.  It’s something that my wife told me that Tyler Perry so eloquently stated during the Oscars (I’m not a movie guy, so I didn’t watch it).  You know what it is?

It’s love.  It’s God’s love.  It’s God’s love lived out by more and more people for others to see.

Yelling louder, fighting harder, damaging more, and hurting people (or hurting them back for hurting us) has been tried and found wanting.  It’s high time that we realize that God’s love is the answer.  And that means it must start with us, those of us who have tasted God’s love, know how transformative it has been in our lives, and want others to know how amazing and beautiful it is.

How do we do it?  We simply live it out every day.  We model Jesus as if we are the only Jesus some will ever see because, in fact, we are.  And then when it makes sense to do so, we explain God’s love to others without feeling the need to convince anyone… that’s God’s job anyways!

When that happens, lives change, one by one.  Then, and only then, can our nation change.

God’s love is the answer,

Vince

Lakeshore Friends—

We were all saddened, grieved, and angry at the news that broke that the principal of Northwood elementary school is alleged to have had inappropriate contact with minors.  I first caught wind of it two Sundays ago when a family told me something really sad happened and then of course saw the news that he was arrested.  My neighborhood is in this school district and many neighbors send their kids there.

I debated saying something at church this past Sunday, but felt for a number of reasons that I would address my thoughts in this weekly email.  Feel free to forward this to others as you see fit.

First, it goes without saying that these allegations, if true, are absolutely despicable and a violation of the sacred trust that people place in schools (and all organizations).  To take advantage of young children is about as evil as it gets.  Even Jesus had a staggering warning for those who would harm a little child (you can read it in Matthew 18:1-6, especially verse 6).

Second, parents are hurting and we all hurt with you.  Your trust has been broken and so have your hearts.  We stand in love and support with you.  We want you to know that to the degree we can help you, we will.  If you need some referrals for counseling, we can help with that too.  As Bill Withers once sang, “Lean on us, when you’re not strong, and we’ll be your friends, we’ll help you carry on.”  Of course we do so in the Lord’s strength.

Finally, I want to assure you that for our entire history we have taken the care of your children seriously.  From the beginning we have established protocols to protect them the best we can.  It is a sacred trust that we work hard to maintain it.  If we ever were to detect even a bit of impropriety in our Lakeshore Kids or Lakeshore Students ministry, we would address and resolve it immediately and you would know about it.  We have never and will never conceal any issues from you, ever.

Let’s pray for the families impacted and for everyone involved.