The Thursday Update

JUNE 27, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

Almost exactly 99 years ago (July 10, 1925 to be exact), an impactful trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee.  It’s referred to as the Scopes Monkey Trial, the case of a young high school science teacher accused of teaching evolution in his class, which at the time was against the law.  So much surrounding the trial both inside and outside the courtroom was a spectacle.  In the end, Scopes was found guilty at the request of his very own attorney, Clarence Darrow, who planned to appeal the decision and needed this guilty verdict to appeal the case.  His appeal never settled the question of what could be taught in schools until many years later when, in 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a similar law in Arkansas on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment; our protected freedom of speech, religion, and the press.

While the Scopes case was won in 1925, in reality the case for God’s creation in public schools—and in other areas of society—was lost.  Today, we see the astounding consequences.  The tables have been completely turned from then in most public schools today.  It's now the case for creation that has been given very little credibility or even ignored altogether in classrooms.  Under the guise of “religious indoctrination,” classrooms treat this view as virtually the advancement of religion, the speculation of the implausible, or just plain unscientific and now things have been reversed.

Sadly, we now witness so many people who simply don’t know or don’t care if God actually created the world and all that is in it, and the consequences have been destructive on so many levels.

We are called to believe in God’s creation by faith because no one was there to witness it and there are actually strong reasons to believe in it.  Afterall, no matter which side you’re on, you must believe what you believe by faith.  But I’m convinced that an informed faith will lead you to embrace God’s creation of the world over a naturalistic evolutionary alternative.

That’s what we’ll cover on Sunday.  Hope to see you here as we continue this new series, “By Faith”.  So far, the buzz has been really positive!

Warmly,
Vince

JUNE 20, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

When it comes to the word “faith,” there are lots of ways we use the word.  Sometimes it's used of an organization that is “faith-based.”  Other times it's used for a body of truth that we refer to as “the faith.”  Still, other times we use it in ways that suggest that people who live by faith either must have none of the answers and still believe, or all of the answers before they will believe.  Then, on top of that, some people believe that faith is how you receive guaranteed health recovery no matter the sickness, significant wealth just by believing and giving, or how you can create whatever reality you want by “speaking it into existence” similar to what God did.  Yikes!

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that there is a lot of confusion on what true faith really is.  You would expect this from those outside the church, but sadly it is all too common inside the church. 

Maybe you wrestle with understanding and applying faith biblically.  If so, there’s good news!

On Sunday, we are beginning a new series based on Hebrews 11 called, “By Faith.”  In this classic chapter on the subject of faith, we’ll teach through it to help you both understand what true faith is and see how true faith works in the lives of some of the most famous characters of the Old Testament like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and the like.

I think this series will be important for all of us because faith is not only being misunderstood but it’s also being challenged and questioned at every turn in our country and in the world.

Do you need to build up your faith and understand how to live it out properly?  Then be here each week starting on Sunday. Trust me, this series will help you!

Warmly,
Vince

JUNE 13, 2024

Lakeshore Friends—

Father’s Day is this weekend and it makes me think about the important role that men play in our society and in the world. 

I am thankful that God gave me just over 21 years with my dad.  I learned a lot from him and will never forget the two things he told me often:

1. “All I ask is that you love and respect me.”

2. “You’re a DiPaola.”

The latter was not a reminder of my lineage but a charge to live in such a way that I don’t do anything to bring shame to our family.  I learned so much about the right way to do things from my dad.

I am also sad that I didn’t have more time with him and that he died suddenly and surprisingly.  Nearly two-thirds of my life has been lived without my dad.  He wasn’t alive to see me graduate from college, get married to Sue (though he did know her and loved her), give birth to our kids and grandchild, start Lakeshore, and so much more.

All of this is a reminder that we can never take our time or memories of our fathers for granted.  Fathers set the leadership tempo of our homes, provide so much that the family desperately needs, and are God’s ordained head of the family.  Despite this, culture has put fatherhood (and manhood in general) in its crosshairs and attacked this institution with constant berating and insults all designed to neuter it out of existence.  It may be causing some men to flinch, but thankfully not most of us.

This Father’s Day, I hope you’ll celebrate your father at Lakeshore.  Whether you knew him well or not very well at all, whether he was a great model for you or something less than that, God knows that honoring our fathers is best for us and for society (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2-3). 

Where would we be without them?

Warmly,
Vince