FEBRUARY 8, 2024

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

This Sunday is the big game, the Super Bowl.  While most of us don’t have our team in the game, it is nonetheless an event that we’ll all watch.  Well, almost all people in our country will watch.  Not only do we watch the game, we watch the commercials which are (most of them anyways) funny.  It has become a time when the very best attention-capturing commercials air.  As for the halftime show, that’s when I take a break from watching.

I spent this week looking at most of the commercials that were aired during last year’s Super Bowl.  I chose five of them to share during my message this Sunday that I think are funny, encouraging, and have a message that I’ll pick up on and share with some Scripture to teach us some important points.  It was a big hit last year and I hope it’s an even bigger hit this year at Football Sunday.

We’ll also have great music, a fun element to the service, and a fantastic tailgate party in the atrium after each service. 

So here are my asks:

1. Make sure you’re here! There’s no better  way to start Super Bowl Sunday than at church.

2. Wear a jersey or or your favorite sports apparel!  Represent your favorite team.

3. Invite everyone you can!  It’s a can’t-miss Sunday to attend with friends and family. Send a digital invite here.

Hope to see you here with friends and family!

Warmly,
Vince

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

We live in a culture that thrives on fast food.  We live fast lives, have fast schedules, and operate with fast expectations, so fast food just makes so much sense.  It fits right in with our pace of life.  That makes restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, and Arby’s popular, as they deliver fast food to us.  Not necessarily healthy food, nutritious food, or good food… but FAST food.  If you doubt any of this, see how long it takes that fench fry that fell between your seats last year to decompose.  Any other questions?

Against this backdrop is the biblical concept of fasting.  This flies against the whole idea of getting food when you want it and how you can “have it your way.”  The latter is all about satisfying yourself whenever you want, while the former is about denying yourself for spiritual purposes.  It’s easy to see why so few Christians practice (or even have ever tried) fasting.

And yet, Jesus calls us to fast.

What is fasting?  What are some misconceptions of it?  Can you do it wrongly?  Why would we do it besides the fact that the Bible says we should?  What are the benefits of making such a sacrifice to abstain from food for spiritual purposes?  I’ll answer these questions and more as I teach about what God says about fasting.  While I have taught this at Midweek Bible Study a couple of times over the years, and sent out short videos on this subject, this will be my first time teaching it on a Sunday.  It’s been long overdue.

"And yet, Jesus calls us to fast."

On the one hand, I can’t think of a topic that has less appeal than this one for those who want to live a casual, convenient Christian life. 

On the other hand, I can’t think of a topic that is more demanding and rewarding all at the same time for those who want to live an even more committed life.  Fasting will deepen your faith and help you become the spiritual champion that I believe you all want to be. 

I guess we’ll find out on Sunday!

Warmly,
Vince

JANUARY 25, 2024

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

If you have ever watched tennis, you know how important it is to hit your very first shot well; your serve.  Hit it well enough and the other person can’t even hit it in return.  That’s called an ace.  The average pro tennis player gets around 10-15 aces per match.  I found out that a player named John Isner holds the record for the most aces in an entire tournament at 214, which he accomplished during the 2018 Wimbledon tournament.  Wow!  When you get these aces, it makes winning easier because you do less hitting and running and competing with the volleys that follow.  So you’d think that great tennis players would work to improve their serve if they want to be the best they can be.

If you go to a nice restaurant, you evaluate your experience on the food, the environment, and the service.  When you have a great server, you walk away impressed and satisfied by the experience.

More important than these are the way we serve others.  It doesn’t take great athletic prowess like in tennis, but it does take a desire to serve and get better at serving.  When we serve others in God’s love, we do the kind of serving that satisfies everyone involved.  God loves it, people are benefitted by it, and we find satisfaction in it… if we do it with the right pieces in place.

"When we serve in God's love, we do the kind of serving that satisfies everyone involved."

How well do you serve others in your world?  Do you serve your family well?  Do you serve people at work with a smile?  Do you serve God’s people at church?  How can you learn to do it better?  I’ll try to answer those questions on Sunday. 

In the meantime, learn to ask this question in your everyday life: how can I improve my serve?  You’ll find that true greatness will follow.

Warmly,
Vince