This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.

After Jesus’ resurrection the ‘not-so-brave’ disciples are behind locked doors in an upper room in Jerusalem for fear of their lives wondering if the same men who had taken Jesus would come for them. Then the risen Jesus himself shows up (John 20) moving through a locked door appearing and disappearing as He desires. Jesus begins to remind this group of followers of some of the things He taught them before his crucifixion. He really wants to drive home the promises He has made and specifically that in His leaving the Holy Spirit would be coming – this Spirit of help, counsel and empowering. Actually Jesus gave very clear instructions to ‘not leaveJerusalem’ until after they have waited for the Holy Spirit. He tells them: “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1: 4 –5) The disciples then asked what might have seemed to them like a significant theological question. “Lord, is this the time that you will be restoring the kingdom toIsrael?”(Acts 1: 6) His reply is perfect. He says: “it is really not your issue,” as He hopes they will be focused on something else. Jesus is laser like focused; “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and

you will be my witnesses… (Acts 1: 8)And, although these words are spoken at the time of the ascension, this is the promise of Pentecost. “…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” We can believe the Holy Spirit is an appendage or an option to our faith. The Holy Spirit is not a static force but dynamic and living. He is likened to the wind (John 3) always in motion and blowing wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going… (John 3: 8)and more still, “So it is [not only with the Spirit, but also] with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” needs to be understood in this way. The promise of Pentecost was not an easy chair in which to sit or a pillar we lean on. The promise of Pentecost was the promise of God’s own power, at work by his Holy Spirit in the lives of His people. The story of Pentecost is about the birthing of the church with the keen realization that churches are only birthed and sustained with the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not something we can do on our own. The calling and assignments that Jesus gives His followers and His church cannot be lived out apart from waiting for the Holy Spirit and His power.  Jesus said, “Make disciples of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything that I have commanded you to do.” And how are we going to accomplish this? How are we going to change the world? How are we going to prevail against the gates of Hell itself? In our own strength? I don’t think so. But then, that was never God’s intention. He didn’t mean for us to persevere in our own strength. He didn’t mean for us to conquer in our own power. He didn’t mean for us to

prevail because we are so smart. He meant for us to be filled with his own Holy Spirit. He meant for us to receive His own power to do and to endure. Embedded into His commands is the great promise that Jesus said, “I am with you always…” and here, in Acts one, we have his own promise, fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, “…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be witnesses. This is a great season to wait on God. As I wrote you last week about Change Ahead and our need to spend time in God’s Presence, I underscore it again. We need Him. This Pentecost Sunday and beyond, wait for Him. Focus on the most important things, let God be God and allow His power to come to you as you contend for Him.

May you be filled with His Spirit as you wait on Him.  (more next week on this subject)

Pastor Bernie

A Season of Change

In my prayer times for you and LFC, I hear the voice of God to my soul and I believe His words are not just for my own life but yours as well. It is a season of change. It is said that no one likes change except a wet baby. And while that may be true, the God we serve is all about change. He however never changes. In Malachi 3:6 the Lord speaks to us and says: “I am the Lord and I do not change.”  You cannot change perfection and God is perfect. He tells Moses (as we saw last Sunday) that ‘I am that I am.’  His statement is one of deep hope and power. Moses is being told that whatever he will need will be found in God and that God will be consistent in His presence and power and consistent in His dealings with Moses. As we press into the God who never changes we realize His consistency of perfection, we are not surprised by Him. God desires to change us and He always does. He is at work (Philippians 1:6) and His work is to change us to be the best version of ourselves we can be, to reflect His glory and beauty, and to see us become more and more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Recently I spoke with a man who said, “I am this way, have always been this way, and I don’t plan on changing.” He was saying, ‘I am that I am,’ and yet He is not God and is in desperate need of an overhaul of the soul. His declaration was as sad as they come. Life’s grand pursuit is to live out our calling and purpose and this is discovered as we move toward change and renewal of life and heart allowing God to do His masterful work in and through us of change.

If you are sensing a need for personal change, I offer these suggestions:

1/ Spend Time in God’s Presence.
This week, one of our scriptures was Psalm 91 and in it we are told of the value of the being in the shadow of God’s wings and in the secret place. That secret place has everything to do with our being still and silent and letting God simply be with us and then listening to Him speak and disclose to us areas of change. Some people enjoy God’s presence and desire the ‘goose bump’ experience that leads to some personal euphoria. I am not knocking people who want to ‘feel’ God, but His presence is to create more than a feeling, it is to build relationship with us, to assure us that the ‘I am that I am’ still is and that He is for us.  As biblical commentator C. H. McIntosh said, “To be left alone with God is the only true way of arriving at a just knowledge of ourselves and our ways.”

2/ Spend Time in Worship
Find some time each day to simply that God for who He is and what He has done. It is in these moment we sense that we sense our God is greater than us and deserves our worship and gratitude.  Corinthians 3:18 (NASB) tells us, “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” And (KJV) beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. God’s coming to us is not simply so we can say we have sensed His presence, or we have goose bumps that move us to euphoria. Rather, His presence has a deeper work, comfort, reassurance, relationship with us, and change. He loves to be with us but loves us too much to let us stay the way we are. He is at work as the greatest change agent of all time and He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. It is in worship we find His glory and His glory changes us.

3/ Spend Time With the Bible
Use our daily reading plan and get your S.O.A.P. going.  This stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.  As we come to the scriptures for the day, write down the one that most speaks to you, then move to your observations of the passage and then (very critical piece) write down how you will live differently (change) based on what you read and then write out a prayer to God. As you read the bible or more directly as the bible reads you, you will be changed.

4/ Spend Time With Christian Friends.
Being with trusted Christian friends is essential in seasons of change. An old friend is your best mirror. Ask hard questions of them to see if you are growing and changing for the better. What traits and habits have they seen you gravitate toward? How do they see your witness for Christ and your attitude towards family and friends? Ask them to hold you accountable in the process of your change.

5/ Spend Time Serving
It may seem like a counter intuitive thing to do while working on yourself. But much change takes place when our hearts are soft and open. Giving your life away in some manner to others really serves to open our heart.

6/ Spend Time Encouraging Others                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    As you see others making changes, applaud those changes and affirm them. As we make changes to various things at LFC, more with those changes. You see, as God changes people individually, He also changes them in community. The changes in you and me, while being personal will impact our gatherings in a positive way. LFC has been a church of change for several decades, new facilities, added services, ministries, people, the incoming and outgoing of our wonderful military families and our outreach to the community. Lots has changed. It would be easy to (as in some churches) fight the change, disagree with the changes and become disgruntled while the best thing is to embrace it and encourage it. The changes happening in you will also be happening at LFC! A change will do us all good!

Keep going and growing, you can change and it will be good.

God is empowering you to change,

Pastor Bernie 

Disappointments

 Reading an article by John Koessler in Christianity Today (April 2012) got me thinking about the type of Jesus many of us want to follow. In his article he speaks of the disappointments that come our way: “Those who serve Christ are as prone to disappointments as anyone else. If the Gospels are any indication, we might even say that disappointments are certain.” – Koessler. If you recall John the Baptist’s style and approach to his own ministry was counter to the approach that Jesus had.  In Matthew 3, we find John speaking to the prideful and arrogant religious folk of the day. He tells them that Jesus is coming with an ax and fire. According to John, Jesus had come to burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. ( Matthew 3: 7 – 12) Instead, Jesus was out in the hillside healing the sick, preaching the gospel. Jesus approach to ministry was no doubt a disappointment to John. Koessler says; “failed expectations lies at the heart of every disappointment. We expect one thing and get another.” Jesus came for us, but that does not mean that He came to please us, do all we ask,  and never allow us to go through trials and sifting. Jesus came for us but He does not answer to us. He came to give His life for us and as a servant, He provided salvation, but I am not His master, He is mine. Jesus will not surrender to my plans, my agenda and my ways, not matter how great those plans might be. In the midst of the disappointments of life, Jesus offers not a magic lamp, but something far greater – He offers Himself. When it comes to the difficulties and disappointments of life, what could be better? Remember the words Jesus said of Himself:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, (Luke 4:16-21 RSV)

Jesus said he was a physician that came to heal the sick. The sick were the blind and lame but also the sinners and publicans. Among those healed was Zacchaeus, chief tax collector. Jesus comes to the home of  Zacchaeus  and confronts him on defrauding others. He has no ax and no fire, just Himself and His righteousness. Jesus says: “Today salvation has come to this house… for the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10 RSV).

Jesus did not divide the hurts and afflictions he encountered into categories: some people in need of medical doctors, some in need of social reformers, some in need of psychiatrists. All came under God’s power. Jesus brought inward peace to those whose inner wars paralyzed them. Luke’s gospel tells the story of the man who lived naked among the tombs. He could not bear the company of other people. But when Jesus spoke to him, he was healed and he was left in his right mind. When the people next saw him, he was sitting and listening to Jesus. When the man wanted to follow Jesus in his travels, Jesus asked him instead to return home and declare what God had done for him. Some might say this man was disappointed by not getting his way, even though fully healed.

In these stories of Jesus’ ministry, he brought peace and healing where there had previously been only fruitless struggle and pain. He brought reconciliation where there had been only hatred and separation. He brought wholeness and love to people whose lives had been full of hurt, poverty, and greed. The wounded and those who wound were both in need of healing and reconciliation. Jesus’ ministry reached out to encompass them all.

So what has Jesus done for you?  What does He desire to do for you and through you? If you are close to Him and really allow His Spirit to fill you, you will be disappointed. When you are disappointed you can either hold on to disappointment or hold onto the Savior. The tighter we hold disappointment, the tighter it grips us. When Jesus was baptized we hear the voice of God from Heaven saying: “This is my Son, whom I love and with Him I am well pleased.”  (Matthew 3:17). Jesus disappoints everyone. Everyone except for One.

• Let me conclude by these thoughts and I hope you will think about them deeply:
• Let Jesus be your Lord and Master, follow His will and way.
• Don’t attempt to have Jesus do all that you say, and follow your plans.
• Surrender to Jesus who came for us to save us, but not to please us.
• Don’t buy into the theology that all you ask for will be given to you.
• Don’t buy into the theology that Jesus will do things your way.
• May you do all you can to allow your life to give Jesus glory and honor.

In disappointments, don’t cling to the disappointment but cling to the Savior.

Grace to you in disappointments!

Pastor Bernie

Connections

Psalm 133:1
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! (The Message)

 

I have been doing lots of thinking and reading about people getting connected with other people in the context of church community.  Last weeks post was about community and I even referenced the above verse. With our church being in another growth surge, we realize more new people coming to LFC and some who left for a season are now returning. Add this to the incoming and outgoing Air Force families, it makes it a bit tougher than most churches in most communities to get connected in. What I have learned is that many people do not connect within the church, and attempts to connect are often, “contrived and forced…” My heart and prayer is that there will be a genuine connectedness. Our society has lost its ability to connect socially, we may facebook and tweet and get linkedin but still never connect at a heart level.  I wrote this last week: “Our vertical relationship with God and His desire to be relational with us is priceless. Our horizontal relationship with people God has giftedly placed into our lives is also priceless – family and friends.”

 

People that come to church are secretly hopeful that church may provide the relational answers. But how often have people told me that the various churches they have attempted to connect with have often left them disappointed. Our connection is not to a program, but a common Savior, Jesus. Our connection is not to a program but to a purpose that we are better together than we are alone and truth is, we need each other. You cannot legislate that from a pulpit or force people to want to be together. It must be in response to a longing in heart to be better by having others sharpen you and to invest in making others better. I have learned too that deeper connections happen when people ‘stay put’ in a church. Sure, I understand people need to leave for various reasons and at various times, sometimes God is nudging them onward. But when you are in a church for several years, you can build new relationships. If that is you, look around at the new people coming in and make room in your life for them. You have been given much so you can share it with others.

Because of Lompocs transient nature and military moves, some may think it useless to invest in relationships. But I challenge you to get to know others and to invest in getting to know military families, they are a treasure and provide so much blessing to us.

LFC offers Life Groups, Wednesday Night Deeper (taking the Story even deeper), Woman’s weekly study, Men’s monthly breakfasts, serving teams, three services so you can meet people coming and going. We also have an entire building we call, Connections Building and a Connections Café. Those spaces are intentional and created so that you might utilize them to get to know others. Step out and introduce yourself, smile at someone you have not met, invite someone to the Connections Café for coffee. Ask them to tell you a bit about their life story – go ahead.

Recently in the series, The Church that Makes Heaven Smile, I shared how genuine and healthy relationships are absolutely critical for any church.  Using our physical bodies as a picture, we can have all of the joints in line, all our vital signs just right, but unhealthy relationships or no relationships is like our skin is dry and cracked, every movement hurts. If we do not have healthy relationships or if we are alone we can have every moving part in place, but every motion hurts because of a lack of relationship.  Our church is fortunate to have many great people that are a part of it. Get to know them. Reach out, join a ministry team, get in a Life Group, or come on Wednesday Night, or use whatever means you can to open your heart to others.

Psalm 133:1 – 3
How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It’s like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, Flowing down Aaron’s beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It’s like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes ofZion. Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life. (The Message)

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Pastor Bernie

Growing in Community

We all have a golden opportunity in front of us. It is investing time, effort and heart into the relationships around us. It is depositing the gold of care, compassion, challenge and support into the lives of those around us. Community is not something that happens to you when you walk into the doors of the church or sit in the sits.  It is however, something that happens as we step out, share our stories, listen to others, serve together and simply allow time to be with others. The most valuable assets we have in life are faith, family and friends. Our vertical relationship with God and His desire to be relational with us is priceless. Our horizontal relationship with people God has giftedly placed into our lives is also priceless – family and friends.

It is easy to get busy in life and also to isolate ourselves from others. But there is a great value in sharing your life. Discipleship happens, really happens life upon life. At the end of a person’s life, what matters most is their faith in God and relationships. Sometimes we don’t recognize what’s most eternal until we are face to face with it. But why wait?

Jesus reminded us that the greatest commandment in Mark 12:30 is to love God with all we’ve got, and then do the same with those around us. He then concludes with these words: “There is no greater commandment…”  this is our target for life: Love God and Love People.

Community or communitas in Latin means “with or together and gift.” It is interesting that when we join together in relationship, that what we call unity (the unity part of community) is really defined as a gift and it is! Healthy relationships are so important to the Lord that he would rather we didn’t have church without them. Jesus said that if while offering a gift on the altar we remember a disjointed relationship, we are to leave the gift and go and make it right and then come back and offer the gift (Matthew 5:23). The church becomes a beautiful expression of Jesus when our hearts are open to relationships and fostering unity among us.

Living in unity…

It doesn’t mean we always agree. It does mean, however, that we always support. We always speak well of. We always love, and we always stay on the same team. We’re one body. We cheer each other on and enjoy being together. When God sees that happening in His family, He leans over the banister of heaven, and with a sigh of delight, says, “It just doesn’t get any better!”

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! (NIV)

What can you do today and this Sunday that will promote unity with your brothers and sisters at LFC?

Let’s build a true community with others…it will be one of your most valuable assets.

My life is better because you are in it!

Pastor Bernie 

Watch the Grumpiness

Recently I noticed several people becoming grumpy – just grumpy. I noticed I was getting that way too. You cannot do ministry, run as hard as many on our team do and not become abrasive at times. It happens in every home, on every team and in every church, especially when people are tired and have not had any down time to refuel their being.  At LFC, we have many great servants and some that have worked with others along time. Some are brand new and still learning the nuances of the older guard. In all of it, our goal is to welcome others and make sure the rules of love, encouragement, respect and humility are followed for all.  Most on the current teams are quick to extend extra volumes of grace while there are a few who  are quick to point out the fumbles or failures of others. It is all a part of the human condition and how we respond or react to certain issues. Just because you come to a church community does not mean you leave your flesh at the door. Last I checked, it always travels with you. I am so grateful for the people that are willing to extend grace to me – thank you! I have noticed in many football games, how easily teammates can get tangled up and trip each other up. How many running backs and have ran into their teammate or had their teammate run into them, resulting in a loss of down, yardage or worst yet, and possession of the ball. Just like in any relationship you will have bumps and bruises along the way, but the key is to not hold grudges and move on quickly towards healing. Today I learned a simple lesson. It had to do with the times we bump into others or feel hurt or offended. The answer is that we should S.L.A.M them. That’s right, give them a good S.L.A.M.

 

S = Settle Down : This is a place where we count to 100, or better yet from 1,000 down to zero, backwards. Settling down and removing ourselves from the situation can be of great benefit.

L =  Lower Your Voice: I would add lower your anger, blood pressure etc. How many people have forgotten to use their ‘inside voice’ and gotten in big trouble. When we speak to others, especially during a tough moment or when tired and worn out, we should lower our voice.

A =  Ask a Meaningful Question: During this time it is best to understand rather than attack. Appropriate questions might be, “can you help me understand what happened here?” or “ I obviously missed out on part of the conversation, or the process that brought you to this decision, can you help me understand?’

M =  Make a list of resolutions that will work towards solving the problem.  What will you do differently based on what you have discovered and realized.

This lesson today, caused me to think of two key values:

 

1/ A Humble Heart.
When in a marriage, a team, or serving on teams at LFC, it is best to look for ways to build others up and not tear others down.  It is better to give credit away than to take it for yourself. When you do, it will always come back to you.

Proverbs 27:2 says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” One of the best ways to build humility and to humble yourself is to give credit away and to support others.

2/ A Respectful Heart

Respect is so incredibly important in building strong relationships that will last. Even in the grumpiness of myself or others, respect must be pulled out above all. What I mean is this: I cannot tell you how many times people have reacted to others based on the moment, rather than a lifetime or a season. It is said, the musician or singer is only as good as their last song. Well, our encounters with each other cannot be based on the encounter itself. We must take into consideration, the totality of our relationships (not the last phrase, act or song).  Prior to one of our Easter services there was a small issue that arose. Nothing monumental, one person snapped a bit and became demanding, I responded quickly with a statement that an observer took the wrong way. Then the person that snapped a bit said this: ‘ I am so sorry, there has been so much going on and I just realized how many hours you spent this weekend. We will be fine.” I was greatly touched by this exchange and we all moved on and the services were amazing.  God says in Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3 that respect is mutual — not just a one-way road. Later, I thanked that person for their kindness, respect and understanding. You see, their humility and respect allowed them to be in my spot and the spot of others on the team who had done so much.

In a marriage this is so essential. The Lord speaks to the husband and the wife in Ephesians. “Let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself, and let the wife see to it that she respects her husband” (Eph. 5:33). Respect is sort of like a soil in which love grows. If you respect somebody, it’s easy to love that person. When you lose respect, it’s very difficult to love that person.
Our goal at LFC is to serve well together. To make room for others to come alongside us and partner with us. We want the culture of LFC and the truth that People Matter to God to be in everything that we do; that we are gracious in all our dealings and as we are doing church as a team, we work with one another, not against one another.  You may need to step back and S.L.A.M. someone or simply take a quick moment and let them know that you understand where they are at and what has been going on. If we do, we will create a healthy culture that not only shows the love of God to others but makes room or others to join in and find their way, especially emerging leaders who we must work with and build up.

let’s all pursue  kindness while realizing the reality of working closely with others. And maybe giving them a S.L.A.M.

Smiling,

Pastor Bernie

Easter 2012 and more…….

Matthew 5:12

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…(NIV)

With a great Easter behind us we move forward.  Today we hosted the Lompoc Police Department and prepared and served them an amazing lunch  (over 80 in attendance) for their annual awards luncheon. I was honored to greet them, brag about them and pray a prayer over the department and the meal. Our staff and servants were stellar, yet once again.

#1 – The final numbers are in, 1,342 attended an Easter services and 43 gave their lives to Jesus Christ!!  Every one of these dear people have a name and a story and they caused Heaven to celebrate and we did so as well. Thanks to our video and tech people that allowed over 200 people to participate in our services from our Connections Building next door. Without this video venue, the 200 would have been turned away. Some of the 43 salvation responses took place over there – wow!

 

 

#2 – Thank you to the many who prayed, invited friends and used your invitations to connect with people. One man came to church simply because his door was bombarded with fliers and hangers from other churches and he received a personal invite from a neighbor and a hand delivered flier. The personal, relational way is the best way. He was here and said, ‘I have never experienced anything like this…I will be back.”

#3 – To our team, our servants and our staff: Thank you for giving it your all. From planting flowers to prayers to the most

 

wonderful buffet line, to children, to the choir and drama and making it so easy for me to preach the God news of the Awakened Christ! Remember on the Cross, God put you above His own Son and on the Cross, Jesus put you above Himself.

 

# 4– I hope you will invite your friends (those without a church home of course) to our new series, The Story. We will spend 32 weeks going through the major themes and stories of the bible. We will have books for all ages on sale this Sunday at greatly reduced prices and we will learn together how we fit into God’s story. You may be a bit intimidated by the Bible. You’re not alone; many people are. And no wonder, its pages mention odd names like Jehoshaphat and Nebuchadnezzar. It contains accounts from places you probably never heard of, like Sinai and Samaria. And it seems to be made up of a lot of different, seemingly unrelated stories. But it really is one big, exciting story. You can see it easily if you open your Bible to the beginning and then flip all the way to the end.

The first words found in Genesis 1:1 read: ‘In the beginning God is creating the heavens and the earth. At the end he is creating a new heaven and a new earth. ” So the big question is this: “What on earth happened between the beginning and the end of the Bible?” If you can answer that question you will have uncovered the one seamless story of God. We will learn together, our children and our youth as well, the same theme each week. I have known young people to simply leave their faith and never open the bible again, once they leave home. However, if you as a parent engage your children in the experience of reading and discussing the Bible, the percentages actually go way up that their faith will remain strong. Seeing how the stories of the bible fit together and utilizing our daily bible reading and journaling will be keys to life. I hope and pray you will be with us through this journey. It is going to be great.ad: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Then, if you turn all the way to the back of the book, Revelation 21:1, you find, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . .”

Last but not least.  I love my church! What amazing people attend here, serve here, give here and love others here. We are in a great season and please be praying for many who came on Easter to return. Invite those you invited to Easter to come back. Together, let’s keep growing and going for it.

God has more for you,

Pastor Bernie

 

 

Easter at LFC

Our team has worked really hard to put together a great Easter experience for all.  Recently a pastor told his congregation that they should not worry about all the extra stuff, just preach the bible and worship, that is what will build the church. While I respect his opinion, I am grateful that we have made a way for people to use their gifts. We have an added choir, special things for kids to do on Easter (since our team is using their gifts too) and our hospitality folk are kicking up the more than continental breakfast for Easter Sunday and cookies and beverages for Saturday Night, and our kids have a song during our Easter service as well as a drama that explains the heart behind the story of Easter. So many people thanked us for making room for their gifts to be used for God’s glory. No offense to the pastor, but I think we will keep finding as many ways for people to use their gifts and talents to present the Gospel in creative ways – what joy.

 I believe Easter is too important not to share. Do you have a neighbor, co-worker, friend or relative who needs to hear the Easter story? Kids that need to be impacted by fun and friends and a trip to the Son Rise Sweet Shop? Bring them with you! All it takes is a simple email, message or call to invite someone to Easter at LFC, and it could change their life forever!  It is still not too late to invite them.

 

God’s Story Your Story

I am so grateful for the Savior  and His heart for each of us.On the cross, God put you before His own Son and Jesus put you before Himself. 

Thank God He allows His story to become ours.  And you know what? There is more to be written!

Grace to you and Blessed Easter to all,

Pastor Bernie Federmann

Your Heart For Easter

This is a great season at LFC and last Sunday we saw over 20 people say ‘Yes’ to Jesus for the first time – God is good. Easter is upon us and there is still more rehearsing of music here and the preparations for the weekend (one Saturday Night and two services on Easter Sunday). I will be participating in the communitySunriseservice at the mission as I have for 20 plus years. It would be easy to do something else, or simply do our own sunrise, but I feel a connection to our community and a brotherhood with the other pastors. Okay, with all that going on and the numerous things you have going on, what about our hearts for this Easter? It would be easy to go through the motions and miss the heart that we need to possess.

We need to possess:

• A heart of gratitude realizing the love of God for you.

 

• A heart determined to not go through motions but look for God’s presence in moments.

 

• A heart willing to invite others (unchurched) to Easter with you

 

• A heart calibrated to not miss the truths surrounding Easter.

The accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are so familiar that we can miss the full impact of them. Though Jesus warned His disciples, they were not at all prepared for the trauma of His death or the shock of His resurrection. Because we know the outcome, it’s hard for us to identify with what His followers must have felt. Few want to read and meditate on the details of what He suffered. Easter is easier to embrace with decorations, colorful eggs and the ‘more than’ continental breakfast at church. Yet we cannot forget the exact reason why God the Father let His Son hang on the cross and why Jesus chose not to run from it. We need to grasp the love Jesus has for us, the willingness to be sacrificed and the power and glory of His resurrection. singing:

My sin—O, the bliss of this glorious tho’t—

My sin—not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!  – It is Well With My Soul – Horatio Spafford

 

• A hope-filled heart where there is past pain or current brokenness.

Easter is synonymous with hope. It is reminder of hope in the face of the dreaded issues of life. What is missing in the heart of so many, is hope. They get so overwhelmed by economy, by relational breakdowns, by broken promises and issues of the past, they fail to embrace the hope that is ours today in Jesus. For many, hope is missing.

“He is not here, for He has risen.” (Matthew 28:6)

Chuck Swindoll writes: ‘I cannot explain what happens, nor do I need to try. The simple fact is this: there is something altogether magnificent, therapeutic, and reassuring about Easter morning. When Christians gather in houses of worship and lift their voices in praise to the risen Redeemer, the demonic hosts of hell and their damnable prince of darkness are temporarily paralyzed. When pastors stand and declare the unshakable, undeniable facts of Jesus’s bodily resurrection and the assurance of ours as well, the empty message of skeptics and cynics is momentarily silenced.”

I pray your heart will flow with hope, you will be bold to invite others to Easter, you will find moments to rehearse the love and grace of God for you and as we gather, this Sunday, Palm Sunday and on Easter weekend the surge of celebration and song and hope will move us all deeply and cause many to say ‘Yes’ to Jesus for the first time.

I Peter 1: 3 & 4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, (NIV)

The benefits of the living hope are many.

• Our past does not hold the same power it once did.
• Our worries are overshadowed by His power.
• Our illnesses don’t seem nearly so final.
• Our fears fade and lose their grip.
• Our grief over lost loved ones is diminished in our hope of Heaven.
• Our resolve to move forward in spite of obstacles grows.
• Our identity as Christ-followers is strengthened, as we realize we are part of a mighty and numerous band of saints today and down through the centuries who have echoed back:  ”He is risen, indeed!”

This season, a hope transfusion awaits us – prepare your heart.

Hopeful,

Pastor Bernie  

Connected to Your Place at LFC

 

I spoke with someone a few weeks ago following service. I was making the rounds when I went over to say hello. The response I received was not the most favorable.  Yet, there they were standing before  me and waited for a counter response.  They looked puzzled and a bit frustrated.  You see, they were not all that thrilled about our church and I was ready to suggest some others in town that might be more suitable to what they are looking for. Turns out they had been to several and had stayed at one for a couple of months (their record).  They had been to some in town, up in the Village and one that even meets in a school.  They had tried every flavor of church and nothing was matching their taste.  I realized that just like them there may be some at LFC who in their ‘couple of months’ too and not finding their place or fit here.  I would never want to think that the many newcomers here are going to fit right in right away. It does take time, but during that time we have decided to assist with the restlessness by being low-pressure and yet inviting. We are never pressing people to jump in, or even make their presence known. We do invite and attempt to make as many opportunities as possible for each one to find their place.

What I know is this: No church is perfect and no one church is right for everyone.  Don’t give up looking for the right church until you’ve tried to follow some simple steps.

If you are looking to connect with LFC or any church for that matter:

You need to Show Up:  You have to make a decision that this church will be part of your weekly routine. Especially if you have children, the bouncing in and out, back and forth teach children a lack of commitment and devalues church attendance in their mind and heart.  I personally believe you should support the services the church offers in order to get the most benefit from the church. If the church meets on Sunday or has some other connection like a classes or small groups you should make the attempt to attend. At LFC we have several opportunities outside of Sunday to connect and yet we do not expect people to do it all.  We have gone to three services due to growth but also to accommodate families who desire a later service and many without children who enjoy an 8 am service. You need to show up in order to connect. Find the service that works best for you and show up.

Commit – If you are a church shopper ( like the couple I met) you have to decide to attend for a season. One lady told me after just one Sunday here she did not like a particular aspect about the church. What she did not know was that particular piece is something we have done three times in about five years. You need to attend more than once and maybe even at a different time. While our 8 am service is pretty time locked, our second and serve have an additional fifteen minute cushion and more people in attendance. Normally we drop one song at our first service too. Start the weekly habit of going to church. Many church experiences get “better” as you begin to see the church as your church and not just as a church.

Serve – Find a place to serve within the church. You’ll get to know the people involved and feel that you are a genuine part of the church. You’ll enjoy the  church more when you serve within that church and when you serve within ‘your’ church. With Easter just around the corner we have many areas for you to serve. You can attend on Saturday night and then serve on Sunday or vice versa. You will meet new people and experience the joy of serving.  You can sign up to serve and we will assist you. Read the bulletin and check the website for upcoming ways to connect. For us, we have a cleaning day, just four hours of time on March 31^st, great time to serve and get to know others.

Give - Become a financial investor in the church. If you believe in the mission, then be a part of funding it. You’ll be responding to the biblical mandate of tithing and God will honor you for it. You will also learn that you grow to love the places where you invest your time and money.

Time – Besides the investments into serving, you can also come to events like, Movie Night (March 30 @ 7 PM)  or a New Comers Reception or Discover LFC, coming in April and May.

Learn - Make sure you listen and come with a learning and teachable heart as we come to the teaching time. Take notes, follow along and utilize the notes we provide and the ‘Deeper’, Life Group questions.  When you take any teaching and follow up with personal study and reflection or in small group learning, you grow deeper and stronger.  If you can’t be present in person listen to the messages online during the week.

Pray - Decide to pray regularly for the pastor, the staff and volunteers who serve at the church.  When people are praying for the church, they come to it expecting to see that God has answered their prayers. God may surprise you with a deep love and appreciation for this church as you learn to pray for it.

Invite – Bring some friends along with you next time you attend. With Easter around the corner there is rarely a great time to invite your neighbors and family to join you. You’ll enjoy the feeling when someone you care about joins you at church and your love for the church will grow too.

If you are newer to LFC, stick with it. We want to help you and hopefully this is the place for you. If not, you will still need to apply these tips to the next place you try out, otherwise you will end up shopping or worse yet, decide no church is for you and not attend any.

My prayers are with you and please let us know how we can serve you and answer your questions and help you get connected to your place at LFC.   Our heart is to help you make LFC your home, your church.

God’s grace and blessings be yours,

Pastor Bernie Federmann