OCTOBER 5, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

One of the more interesting terms used in the Bible is the word "called".  God is the One who does the calling in the Bible and we are the ones who respond to this calling.  He does so in a number of important ways.  One of the most important questions we can ask about God’s calling is this: does God call everyone to believe in Jesus Christ and receive the gospel?  The answer is yes, in a certain sense.  Let me explain.

The gospel goes out to people over most of the world even though some have restricted access to hearing it.  People in the 10/40 window (often called "The Resistant Belt", see image) includes people between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude where the majority of the world's Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists live.  This area has very restricted access to the gospel and yet the goal of all Christians is to help get the message to these people.  And someday, God promises that He will (Matthew 24:14).  In the meantime, God starts the calling process through what is seen in creation, as Romans 1:20 explains.

And yet in another sense, not everyone has the same calling.  Consider Matthew 22:14, where it says that while many are called, few are chosen.  This indicates there is another more effective calling (being "chosen") that the gospel makes for those who will eventually believe it that not all those who are called will experience. 

Beyond that, for those who will believe the gospel, there is yet another calling that everyone should embrace once they commit their lives to Jesus, one that all of us who are Christians are urged to be a part with no exceptions.

And even further for a small subset of those who are Christians, there is yet another calling that some will engage in.  Pastor Brian Pawlowski will be an example of this when he is ordained into the gospel ministry during our services on Sunday.

If this seems a little confusing, we’ll clear up the confusion on Sunday in my message.  Be sure you’re there to understand God’s calling and to celebrate this special and sacred day with the Pawlowski’s.

Warmly,
Vince

It’s important to remember what’s important.  We remember birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and friendships because they’re important. 

The problem is that sometimes we can forget what’s important or (almost as bad) we can simply lose sight of how significant something that happened a while ago is because of the passage of time.  We forget anniversaries, birthdays, friends, and the like.  We can also forget or lose sight of the most important thing— namely, how amazing it is that God would save us by simply putting our faith in Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.  How amazing it felt to be forgiven by Him, free in Him, and filled with joy, meaning, and purpose in life, even when it gets hard.

God knew that so he calls us to a special event designed to help us continually remember Him, and we know it as communion.

I hope you’ll be here for a special service where we will better understand communion and then allow everyone who is a Christian to take communion at the end of our services.  I am trusting God that this will be an important and impactful service.  But to get the most out of it, you’ll need to be here.  I hope you will.  I also hope to see you on Saturday for our Church-Wide Prayer event at 9:30 am!

Warmly,

Vince

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

We hope that the Rochester Together services last Sunday were an encouragement for you.  There are few things better than seeing the church be a place of unity regardless of the things that so often divide us in society. 

It was so awesome to see people from predominantly Black, Hispanic, Messianic Jewish, and White churches worshipping God together, listening to messages from pastors from each congregation, and then talking and enjoying each other’s company in the Atrium afterwards.  Psalm 133 is right in saying how good and pleasant it is for God’s people to dwell together in unity.  Not only are we just one race—the human race—and not many races, we are also one Church—the invisible, universal church made up of every true Christian, not just church attenders necessarily but authentic believers in Jesus.  One day, like Revelation 7:9 tells us, believers from every nation, tribe, people-group, and language will worship around the throne of God and before Jesus in heaven.

I can’t wait!

But the hard truth is that many people will not be there because they have not heard or received the Gospel message.  What a tragedy it will be.  Imagine not spending eternity with family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, or anybody else in heaven.  Remember that if they aren’t in heaven with us, they are eternally separated from God (Matthew 7:21-23).  Of course, that can all change if we share the Gospel with them and they believed it and received Jesus by faith!

"Not only are we just one race—the human race—and not many races, we are also one Church—the invisible, universal church made up of every true Christian..."

That’s what I’ll talk about on Sunday.  This is an important message for those of us who believe that heaven and hell are real and that when people die, they will spend eternity in one of those places.  I’ll share why and how to share the Good News.

Let’s do all we can to help as many people spend eternity in heaven as possible…. Together with us!

Warmly,
Vince