The Thursday Update

JANUARY 4, 2024

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

The greatness of every successful team is its players.  Rarely does a collection of not very good players form a championship team.  The players need to be able to contribute individually before they can make the team better collectively.

At the same time, the greatness of every player is seen in their teamwork. The team brings out the very best in the player and as a result the team is stronger.  Get enough of these players and you have a championship caliber team.

Team work is the ultimate double-win for players and teams alike.

I think these two concepts parallel the role of the church in the life of every Christian. On the one hand, we all have to establish our walk with God and our spiritual development with God alone.  We have to make sure we are the “players” we need to be individually. That’s where it always has to begin.  That’s why we read the Bible and strive to put what we learn into practice  as individuals and why we will all stand before God individually as well (if you were here last Sunday, we covered how to practice “Bible intake,” because the Bible is our playbook). 

And on the other hand, we are always better in growing as a Christian in the context of a team.  Being around other “players” helps us stay focused, encouraged, sharp, and knowing our role on the team we call the body of Christ, or the church. When we grow together, we grow stronger. As king Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4, two are better than one and a cord of three strands is not easily broken.

This is why God created this beautiful team of players called the church.  He wants us to be players on His eternally grand team and to run plays in our lives that bring pleasure to our Coach, and a championship lifestyle into our lives.

Why should Christians be a faithful part of God’s team, the church?  Is the church really necessary?  Judging by all the data and evidence, it seems many Christians seem to think that it really isn’t necessary at all.  If it is, what is the church called to do as a team?  What defines a championship church?  Are there things each person should do to make the church a winner in God’s eyes?

I’ll try to answer these questions and more about the church on Sunday.  Because in God’s eyes, church teamwork makes His dream for us work.

Warmly,
Vince

DECEMBER 28, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

We trust that you had a great Christmas celebrating with whoever you chose to celebrate with.  We hope that the services on Christmas Eve were used by God to help you do that at a super high level of joy and worship of Jesus.

As you enjoy a few days or the entire week off, we hope to help you prepare for the new year with our New Year’s Eve services (again at the usual times of 9 am and 11 am) as we kick off a new series to help you prepare for the new year with a spiritual growth plan for your life.  More than resolutions to lose weight or change some behavior, we want to focus on what you can do constructively more than what you must no longer do.

So I hope you’ll end your year thinking about the Lord at Lakeshore.  We have so much to thank Him for in 2023 and to look forward to Him doing in 2024. 

Warmly,
Vince

DECEMBER 21, 2023

LAKESHORE FRIENDS—

Christmas is almost here and I hope you’re excited about what it really represents: the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  I recognize this is a busy week for many of us so I’ll be brief. 

I hope you’ll do three things as Christmas draws near:

1. Prepare yourselves!  Read Luke chapters 1-2 and Matthew chapters 1-2, and take in the miraculous wonder of Jesus coming to earth as a child.  Ground yourself in the reason for the season above all else.

2. Be at church!  Attend a Christmas Eve service at 9:00 or 11:00 am, ready to have your heart moved if you come open for God to do it.  Be sure to arrive early, as it will be busy and pretty crowded.

3. Invite people to join you!  Have a conversation, make a call, send a text message, hand out an invite card, or email as many people as you can.  God will use the services, I am convinced of it, but people have to be here for that to happen.  I have many invites out and I’ve been praying that many will come.

Warmly,
Vince