The Thursday Update

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

What in the world is happening today?

Everywhere you turn, you hear more bad news taking place locally, nationally, and globally. And on top of all of this, there are threats of more bad news on the time horizon. It would be hard for anyone with a straight face to say things are getting better these days. In fact, about two thirds of Americans think they are getting worse. I wonder why the other one third doesn't think the same. 

Well, to answer my original question, the world is going exactly where God is leading it to go. Before you ask why God is letting the world get worse, ask yourself the question, "Why are we as a people forsaking God and His words of life and wisdom?"  Answer that last question and you'll have the answer to the why question. 

God has a clear plan for the future that He shares with us in the Bible, and that will be my subject for the next four weeks as we begin a new series called, "What in the World is Happening?"  We'll look at four interesting topics that are important for us to understand if we want to grasp what God is doing today.

I can't think of a better topic that will scratch where curious people are itching today. People want to know what's happening and where things are going. If you have friends like this, please invite them to join you for church this Sunday. I promise we'll do our very best to clearly and compellingly explain God's plan for all that is going on. 

Send a text, make a call, pay a visit, and do whatever it takes to invite people to Lakeshore. It will help them. 

I look forward to seeing you and them on Sunday. 

Warmly,
Vince

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

Hey Lakeshore,

The autumn twilight is coming earlier, the nights are cooler, days are still warm, and the leaves are starting to turn and fall.  One of my favorite things about this time of year is the distinct smell that autumn always brings.  It sends me back to autumns long ago and some of the things I most enjoyed. 

The weekends of my youth before high school were spent in the rolling hills of Nunda, NY where my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived.  There were times afield in the beauty and ever-changing moods of fall.  There was fresh apple cider, Sunday afternoon football, and the start of school and all the other things that kicked off during the early days of September.

One of the things I remember so distinctly was our weekly attendance at the small country church.  The autumn mornings were perfect for walking to church, not too hot and not too cold, and beautiful in their splendor and aroma.  The average church attendance was between 12 and 25 people per week.  That church didn’t have a Small Groups ministry— it was a small group ministry. 

I knew everyone there.  I can’t remember their names, but they taught me lessons of faith I will never forget.  They instilled in me a love and a longing for those Small Groups of people who gather to discuss the Bible, faith, care, community, and biblically driven life-change.  That small church had a big impact on establishing my faith in Christ.

It might be one of the reasons I’m so passionate about the Small Group ministry here at Lakeshore.  Disciples are formed in the forges of Small Groups.  Faith is grounded and established in Small Groups. Biblical truth becomes practical in Small Groups.  All the risks that come with being part of a Small Group couldn’t possibly outpace the rewards of being in a Small Group.

That’s a part of my faith story.  It’s also what we'll be talking about this Sunday as we finish this two week series, Why You Need a Small Group.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Brian R.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

It’s so important that we have the right relationships in our lives, isn’t it?  Relationships with people that care for us deeply, and with whom we care for as well.  People who will help us and who we can help.  People who help us become better followers of Jesus and who we help do the same.  These are the people who we can “do” life with, who we can hang together with, and just have fun with too!  They are the kinds of friends that Proverbs 18:24 says stick with us closer than a brother or sister does.

We all want those kinds of friends.  We all need those kinds of friends.  And yet, we all wish we had more of those kinds of friends.  Some of us wish we had just one of those friends.

Where do you find friends like that?  I can tell you from experience it’s not easy.  Friends like this are hard to find.  And once you find friends that might be candidates, it takes time to arrive at a place like what I just described above.  After all, you can’t get close or deep with a person without time.  While there are many circumstances that lead us to establish great friendships, the Bible identifies one of the most powerful ways to make this happen.

Small groups.

They offer us three important ways to grow together and three important benefits that will come from them.  And in time (and it will take time), they can help us find some of the best friendships we’ll ever find.

Over the next two weeks, we’ll talk about why you need a Small Group and how you can plug in to one as they kick off this fall.

Who knows? It could be one of the best things you could do to make friends and have relationships with others who you grow to love.

Warmly,
Vince