by Lakeshore Christian Church on Jan 30, 2024
In the exploration of a simpler approach to Christian life, the focus is on the essence of Jesus' teachings, which are often straightforward but challenging to live out. The complexity of modern life, even among Christians, can lead to an overcomplicated existence, detracting from the core of what it means to follow Christ. The series of discussions have highlighted the simplicity of Jesus' teachings, the overburdened schedules of believers, and the materialistic accumulation that can distract from spiritual growth.
The early church, as recorded in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts and the Pauline epistles, led a less complicated life than many contemporary Christians. The early followers of Christ were not encumbered by the elaborate structures and programs that characterize many modern churches. Instead, their faith was marked by a straightforward mission: to make disciples of all nations, as commanded by Jesus in the Great Commission. This mission did not involve running numerous programs or setting up committees but was centered on the simple act of disciple-making.
A philosophy professor's anecdote illustrates the tendency to overcomplicate matters. In a final exam, students were asked to prove a chair's non-existence. While most wrote extensive arguments, the student who passed simply wrote, "What chair?" This story parallels the way churches have sometimes made faith more burdensome than it needs to be, adding programs and activities that may be good but distract from the main mission.
The book "Simple Church" by Tom Reiner and Eric Geiger, published in 2006, is referenced as a significant work that resonates with the desire for a simplified church. The book's findings revealed that churches had become overly complex, struggling to keep up with their own activities and failing to make disciples effectively. This complexity led to church decline and closures. In response, some churches, including the one discussed here, have chosen to simplify their approach, focusing on three basic elements: connecting, growing, and serving.
The early Christians devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. These simple practices were sufficient for their spiritual growth and community building. They did not rely on church-run programs but took personal responsibility for their spiritual lives. The early church's example shows that a simple approach to faith can be both profound and transformative.
The message concludes with a call to action for individuals to commit to connecting, growing, and serving within their church communities. The emphasis is on personal responsibility and the importance of each believer's role in the body of Christ. The church provides support and resources, but ultimately, it is up to each person to pursue spiritual growth and service.
Key Takeaways:
- The early church's simplicity serves as a model for contemporary believers, emphasizing the importance of returning to the basics of faith: disciple-making and living out Jesus' teachings. This approach can lead to a more effective and fulfilling Christian life. [21:30]
- The Great Commission is a reminder that the primary mission of the church is not to entertain or run programs but to make disciples. This simple yet profound task requires a shift from consumerism to active participation in the faith journey. [24:20]
- Personal spiritual growth is a responsibility that falls on each individual, not the church. While the church can provide resources and support, such as teaching, devotionals, and life groups, it is up to each person to be devoted to practices like studying scripture and prayer. [53:21]
- Serving within the church begins with a heart of gratitude for what Jesus has done. It is an expression of love and commitment to the community, and it can start with simple acts of service that reflect the love of Christ to others. [01:08:00]
- Simplifying church life does not mean sacrificing depth or significance. By focusing on connecting, growing, and serving, believers can experience a deeper and more authentic faith that aligns with the practices of the early church. [33:48]
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. **Acts 2:36-42** - "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
2. **Matthew 28:19-20** - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
3. **Ephesians 2:10** - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
#### Observation Questions
1. What were the four main activities the early Christians devoted themselves to according to Acts 2:42?
2. In Matthew 28:19-20, what are the two main actions Jesus commands His followers to do?
3. According to Ephesians 2:10, for what purpose were we created in Christ Jesus?
4. How does the anecdote about the philosophy professor's exam illustrate the tendency to overcomplicate matters in the church? [22:31]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the early church focused on such simple practices as described in Acts 2:42? How might these practices contribute to spiritual growth and community building?
2. How does the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 challenge the modern church's focus on programs and activities? [24:00]
3. What does Ephesians 2:10 suggest about the nature of our good works and how they should be integrated into our daily lives?
4. How can the story of the philosophy professor's exam be applied to our approach to church activities and programs? [22:31]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current church involvement. Are there activities or programs that might be distracting you from the core mission of making disciples? How can you simplify your church life to focus more on connecting, growing, and serving? [31:33]
2. The early church took personal responsibility for their spiritual growth. What steps can you take to ensure you are devoted to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer in your daily life? [40:01]
3. Jesus' Great Commission emphasizes making disciples. Identify one person in your life who you can begin to disciple. What practical steps can you take this week to start that process? [24:00]
4. Serving within the church begins with a heart of gratitude. Think of a recent act of service you performed. How did it reflect your gratitude for what Jesus has done for you? How can you find more opportunities to serve with this mindset? [01:08:00]
5. Simplifying church life does not mean sacrificing depth. How can you deepen your faith while focusing on the simple practices of connecting, growing, and serving? What specific actions can you take this week to grow in one of these areas? [33:48]
6. The sermon emphasized that personal spiritual growth is each individual's responsibility. What specific practice (e.g., daily Bible reading, prayer, fellowship) can you commit to this week to take ownership of your spiritual growth? [53:21]
7. Reflect on the idea that the most effective outreach is personal testimony. Who in your life needs to hear your story of faith? How can you share it with them in a meaningful way this week? [45:03]
Day 1: Returning to the Basics of Faith
The early church's simplicity serves as a model for contemporary believers, emphasizing the importance of returning to the basics of faith: disciple-making and living out Jesus' teachings. This approach can lead to a more effective and fulfilling Christian life. [21:30]
The early church, as recorded in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts and the Pauline epistles, led a less complicated life than many contemporary Christians. The early followers of Christ were not encumbered by the elaborate structures and programs that characterize many modern churches. Instead, their faith was marked by a straightforward mission: to make disciples of all nations, as commanded by Jesus in the Great Commission. This mission did not involve running numerous programs or setting up committees but was centered on the simple act of disciple-making.
The early Christians devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. These simple practices were sufficient for their spiritual growth and community building. They did not rely on church-run programs but took personal responsibility for their spiritual lives. The early church's example shows that a simple approach to faith can be both profound and transformative.
Acts 2:42-43 (ESV): "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles."
Reflection: What are some ways you can simplify your faith practice to focus more on the basics of disciple-making and living out Jesus' teachings?
Day 2: The Great Commission and Active Participation
The Great Commission is a reminder that the primary mission of the church is not to entertain or run programs but to make disciples. This simple yet profound task requires a shift from consumerism to active participation in the faith journey. [24:20]
The Great Commission, as given by Jesus, is a clear and straightforward command: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20). This mission is not about creating elaborate programs or entertaining congregations but about actively participating in the work of making disciples.
In today's consumer-driven culture, it is easy for believers to fall into the trap of being passive recipients of church services and programs. However, the call to make disciples requires active engagement and personal involvement. It means stepping out of the comfort zone, building relationships, and sharing the gospel with others. This shift from consumerism to active participation is essential for fulfilling the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Reflection: How can you move from being a passive recipient to an active participant in the mission of making disciples? What steps can you take today to engage more deeply in this task?
Day 3: Personal Responsibility in Spiritual Growth
Personal spiritual growth is a responsibility that falls on each individual, not the church. While the church can provide resources and support, such as teaching, devotionals, and life groups, it is up to each person to be devoted to practices like studying scripture and prayer. [53:21]
Spiritual growth is a personal journey that requires individual commitment and responsibility. While the church plays a crucial role in providing resources, teaching, and community support, the onus of spiritual development lies with each believer. The early Christians understood this well, as they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. These practices were not dependent on church programs but were personal commitments to grow in faith.
In today's context, it is easy to rely on the church for spiritual nourishment, expecting programs and activities to drive growth. However, true spiritual maturity comes from personal devotion to studying scripture, prayer, and living out one's faith daily. Each believer must take ownership of their spiritual journey, seeking God earnestly and consistently.
2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV): "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take to take personal responsibility for your spiritual growth? How can you incorporate practices like studying scripture and prayer into your daily routine?
Day 4: Serving with a Heart of Gratitude
Serving within the church begins with a heart of gratitude for what Jesus has done. It is an expression of love and commitment to the community, and it can start with simple acts of service that reflect the love of Christ to others. [01:08:00]
Service in the church is not just about fulfilling roles or completing tasks; it is an expression of gratitude for what Jesus has done for us. When we serve with a heart of gratitude, our actions become a reflection of Christ's love to others. This service can take many forms, from simple acts of kindness to more structured roles within the church community. The key is to serve with a genuine heart, motivated by love and thankfulness.
The early Christians exemplified this attitude of service. They shared their possessions, cared for one another, and served the community selflessly. Their service was not driven by obligation but by a deep sense of gratitude and love for Christ. As modern believers, we are called to emulate this example, serving our church and community with a heart full of gratitude.
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: How can you serve your church and community with a heart of gratitude? What simple acts of service can you start with today to reflect the love of Christ to others?
Day 5: Depth in Simplicity
Simplifying church life does not mean sacrificing depth or significance. By focusing on connecting, growing, and serving, believers can experience a deeper and more authentic faith that aligns with the practices of the early church. [33:48]
The idea of simplifying church life often raises concerns about losing depth or significance. However, the early church demonstrates that simplicity can lead to profound spiritual growth and community building. By focusing on the core elements of connecting, growing, and serving, believers can experience a deeper and more authentic faith. These practices align with the early church's devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.
Simplifying does not mean doing less; it means doing what truly matters. It involves stripping away the unnecessary complexities and focusing on what fosters genuine spiritual growth and community. When believers prioritize connecting with one another, growing in their faith, and serving others, they create a vibrant and meaningful church life that reflects the essence of the early Christian community.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: In what ways can you simplify your church involvement to focus more on connecting, growing, and serving? How can these practices lead to a deeper and more authentic faith experience for you?
Welcome again, everyone. We're so glad you're here with us today. Welcome to Smyrna Campus. We love you guys. Glad you're connected there. And everybody that's connecting with us online, we're so happy to have that connection with you today.
We're going to be finishing up a series that we've been doing for the past several weeks called "Less is More." What we've really been focusing on is how the teachings of Jesus are many times simple. They're easy to understand, but they're not always easy to implement and live out in our lives. We tend to overcomplicate our lives, even as Christ followers.
In week one, we talked about how the teachings are simple, but they're not easy. In week two, we talked about how we overpack our schedules and we are too busy all the time, committing ourselves to too many things. It takes us away from the best things that we need to be focused on.
Then in the next week, we talked about how we are stuffed with stuff in our country. We have so much stuff that it consumes us—just providing for the stuff, just making room for the stuff, just managing the stuff that we have in life. All the material possessions that we have and the money that God entrusts to us need to be simplified and used in the right way.
This week, we're going to be talking about something that's very dear to my heart, and that is an uncomplicated church life. As I read in scripture about the life of the early church, we have a great record in the book of Acts, the Pauline epistles, and other resources. We have a great record of the early church and the lifestyle of the early church.
I've got to tell you something: it was not nearly as complicated as we've made it. We've made it a lot harder to be a Christian in our country than it really needs to be. We've made it a lot harder to make disciples than it really is by trying to overcomplicate what this is supposed to be like, what we're supposed to be doing as Christ followers.
There was a philosophy professor in college who had an intro to philosophy class that he was teaching. For the final exam, he had all the students in the room and he just gave them a blank sheet of paper. The assignment, the final assignment to pass the course, was this: they had to write down on that paper something that would convince the professor that the chair he put in the middle of the room did not exist. He gave them 40 minutes to write to convince him that that chair did not exist.
At the end of the 40 minutes, they handed in their papers, and all the papers had these long, complicated explanations and paragraph after paragraph of proofs and supporting information on why that chair didn't exist. But one paper only had two words on it. It said, "What chair?" He's the only one that passed the exam.
You see, we overcomplicate things. We make it harder than it needs to be. The church in America has been guilty of allowing ourselves to overcomplicate church life. We've made it oftentimes where it's more of a burden for people than it is the blessing that God intended it to be. We just kept adding more and more programs, activities, presentations, and systems that we set up, and it just began to take a toll on the church in America because we weren't focused on the best things. We were so busy with good things, but they weren't the main thing that God called us to do as a church.
When Jesus, in his simple teaching, was preparing to leave this world and go back to the Father, he gave us what's often called the Great Commission, right? A lot of you know the Great Commission: "Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." He said, "I'll be with you always to the very end of the world." It's the main assignment for the church. It's not to run programs. It's not to set up committees. It's not to do big presentations. It's to go and make disciples of everybody in the world. It's simple. It's not complicated at all.
It's hard because we want all the programs. We want all the activities. We want to be entertained by the church instead of actually doing what Jesus commanded us to do as followers of Jesus Christ.
Way back in 2006, for some of you, that's way back. For some of us, that's not way back at all. It seems like just yesterday. But back in 2006, there was a book published called "Simple Church." It was by Tom Reiner and Eric Geiger. In that book, they had done extensive research and pulled in research from Barna and from the Pew Research Institute and their own research. They got all this information and pulled it together on the health of the church in America.
When they got all the information, something stood out way more than anything else in their study on the condition of the church in America. They ended up writing the book "Simple Church" in response to all the research that they had found. I'm going to summarize it here a little bit. You can still get the book; it's still out there. I've got one in my office.
The end result was this: what stood out more than anything else is churches had become so complicated they couldn't keep up anymore. They couldn't keep doing all they were trying to do. That was one main thing that stood out. Here's the other main thing that stood out: they weren't making disciples very well, and churches were declining and closing their doors.
We were so busy running programs that weren't bad; they weren't evil. But we weren't teaching and challenging and calling the average Christian to go and make disciples, which is the main thing Jesus told us to do as a church. People love the programs. I get it. They love all the activities. They love the big events. Christian people love that stuff. We eat it up. But we weren't making disciples, and churches were declining, and doors were being closed to the churches in America.
Now, the book "Simple Church" didn't fix all that; it just exposed all of that. Back in 2006, I got the book and I read it because I liked Tom Reiner and I like his stuff. I thought, "Well, yeah, that makes sense. It's a good thing." So I went through this study of "Simple Church" with our elder team, and they agreed that, yes, that makes sense. We went through the study with our staff, and the staff said, "Yeah, that makes sense."
So we made some adjustments and started scaling down a little bit on everything we were trying to do as a church. Only we didn't take it as seriously as I think we should have. Here's what happens when you just don't take it seriously: that stuff gets added back in there all the time. We start filling up the schedule more. We start new activities. We start new programs again instead of just keeping it simple.
Remember, early on in the study, we talked about how we sometimes allow ourselves to think that the more activity we have, the better Christian we are. But the more we fill our schedule, especially if it's church stuff, church activity, that must make us better Christians, more committed Christians, because we're so busy with church stuff.
What makes us a good Christian is representing Jesus well in the world where other people find their way to Jesus through us. That's what makes us good Christians. Remember, we're lifting up Jesus, and people are being drawn to Jesus through us.
Again, the programs weren't evil, and they weren't something that anybody would have looked at and said, "You don't need to be doing any of those things," until you realized that we were substituting good things for the best thing. We were staying really busy at the things that weren't the best things.
So we went back to it again. We've gone through the study a few times as a staff and elders, and we kept coming back to the fact that if we're going to be serious about being a simple church, simple doesn't mean not deep at all. If we're going to get back to being a simple church, we've got to really scale down because here was the third thing the study showed: trying to run all these activities and programs was wearing out the staff, the pastors, wearing out the volunteers, and depleting all the resources of the church that could have been used to make disciples.
It's hard to turn a ship around when it's a great big ship going one direction. People don't like it if you had a program that was their favorite program that the church was running, and all of a sudden they say, "We're not going to be doing that anymore." People don't like that. Church members don't like that because we've allowed church members to think that's what the church is about and what makes us good Christians is all the programs and being able to say, "Look at how many we had attend that program," like that makes us a successful church.
That's how churches get measured: by the attendance of all the activities and the programs. That's how we measure the church, right, and the effectiveness of the church. But Jesus says, "Make what? Disciples." That's how we're supposed to be measuring the church.
When we say measuring the church, what's the church? We are. We're the people that are the church. So if we're going to measure the church, we have to measure, "Am I making disciples?" That's the true measurement of the church. Not that I attend that event and enjoy it. Not that I really like that program because I'm a good Christian. The true measurement is, "Am I living out my calling as a Christ follower by making disciples, by representing Jesus well and pointing people to Jesus in my life?"
So we made the decision to really get down to three basic things as a church. You're going to see these words all the time. You may have already noticed them or heard these words all the time. They're in the mission statement, vision statement of the church. Three words. Some of you will know them immediately when I say them. We've got them in the hallway out there. If you've never noticed them, we've got them on the front of the entrance to the building here at the Antioch campus. We've got them on our website. We've got them on our social media pages. We've got them everywhere.
It's three words: Connect, Grow, and Serve. It's that simple. When we look at the church in the New Testament, if we will do this work of connecting people to Christ and each other, growing people to maturity in Christ, and serving people in the name of Christ, we have done exactly what the early church was doing. They turned the world upside down for Jesus.
I'm convinced if we can get back to focusing on the main things, we can be a much more effective part of the kingdom of God on earth today, which is the church. That's what we pray for Lakeshore. That's what we want for Lakeshore.
Believe me, the leadership understood that doing this was going to cause people to get upset. It was going to get some people mad. They weren't going to like it if we stopped the program that they liked or quit doing some event that they really enjoyed before. We try to educate. We try to teach while we're doing it. But some people just still aren't going to like it because we've trained church members in America to expect the church to do that stuff for them that the early Christians were doing for themselves.
You see, they were responsible for their own spiritual walk, their own spiritual life. They didn't expect the church to do that for them because they were the church. They understood that as the church, they were supposed to be doing that themselves.
Today, I'm just going to remind us from scripture of why we decided to become a more simple church. I know when I say "simple church," it sounds like it's more elementary. That's not what we're talking about. In fact, we've been able to go much deeper because we've simplified. We've got a deeper core now than we've ever had before—deeper in understanding of scripture, deeper in commitment, deeper in that example of life that they need to be setting.
We are deeper today as a church than we've ever been by getting more simple and focusing on the things that really matter the most that the church was supposed to be doing the whole time.
Now, here's what's continued to happen since that book came out. One of the other things they found in that book was this: even in 2006, as we saw that trend start with more churches closing their doors, there were some churches that were standing out as really vibrant churches that were reaching people for Jesus. You know what they found out about them? They kept it simple.
Those churches didn't try to overcomplicate it. They weren't trying to run every program out there that everybody wanted them to run. They were simply focused on the main things. They also found out something else: there were some other outlier churches that showed a lot of growth during that time. When more churches started simplifying, other churches that didn't simplify started showing a huge amount of growth. You know what it was? People leaving the churches that were simplifying to go to those churches because they had the programs they wanted.
That's how deep our commitment was in the Church of America. If you don't run the program I want, I'll go find a church that will. I like it; I don't think you should have stopped it, and I'm going to go find me another church because of that. That's a very shallow level of commitment as a Christ follower because it never should have been about the church doing that for me. I'm the church. I should be involved in doing what Christ called me to do for others. That should be the higher priority of my life.
In Acts chapter 2, we find the beginning of the church. I love the book of Acts. I've talked about it a lot. It's a great history of the early church. What we're going to learn from the early church is that there were some main focuses of the early church, and they weren't running programs or committees or activities and big events. That was not the focus of the early church at all.
Let's look at it in Acts 2. We find Peter preaching the first gospel sermon. He's bringing that sermon to conclusion, and unlike many of us preachers today, when he said, "In conclusion," he meant it. In verse 36, he's near the end of the message and he says this: "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Messiah."
So who is Peter lifting up? Jesus. He's pointing people to Jesus as Lord and Messiah. You see, that's at the core of the beginning of the church: to lift up Jesus to a world that needs to see Jesus. Here's what he said: "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" Friends, that's critical, right? For some of these people, this is the first time they realize Jesus really is who he claimed to be. He's the Messiah, he's the Lord, he's the Savior, so they're wanting to know a view of their sin that put him on that cross. What can we do about this?
Peter's answer is critical. He replied in verse 38, "Repent." When's the last time you saw a church or heard of a church that their main focus is calling people to repentance? Before God, we're trying to tell people, "Everything's good. It's all good. You just come and have good fellowship and attend our programs and activities. We'll have some big events that we all enjoy. It'll be great." We're not calling people to repentance like we should.
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." Oh, they actually talked about sin and called people to turn from and repent of their sins. They didn't try to water it down. They were loving, caring people, but they didn't water down the message for the current culture. You see, they were in a very pagan culture at that time, too.
So he said, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Then in verse 40, it says, "With many other words he warned them and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.'" Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day. You know what? In scripture, sometimes you do see that they counted people because people matter, right? But they're not counting how many attended a big event. What are they counting? How many people responded and were baptized in Christ? How many disciples they made? That's what they were counting. Why? Because that's the main thing. That's the mission of the church. That's what it was supposed to be about from the very beginning of the church.
We're the ones who complicated it over time. We're the ones who made it about all this other stuff—not God, and not the early church. It goes on here. After it says 3,000 were added to the number that day, there's a summary verse here in verse 42. It says this: "These Christians that made up the church, they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer." Boom! It's like a mic drop. That's it. That's as complicated as it got. Didn't have to go beyond that. Didn't have to develop a systematic way of doing things. Why? Because they were just being Christ followers all the time. They were just doing what Christ followers do. They were devoted to it.
The church didn't have to do this for them. They are the church. They're the ones doing this. And it was really simple. Doesn't mean it was easy. It's never easy to live out the life God has called us to. But it's not as complicated as we're trying to make it.
Way too many pastors are leaving the ministry. Way too many members are jumping from church to church to find the program they want. Way too many pastors and staffs are just overwhelmed. And way too many church budgets are overwhelmed by trying to maintain a big complicated kind of church instead of just doing what God called us to do by being the church at home and at work and in our neighborhood and wherever we go.
So let's look at how we live out Acts 2:36-42 here at Lakeshore through our vision statement and our focus. That's what I'm going to finish with today really quickly here. Let's look at it. The first one is Lakeshore exists to, what's the word? Connect people to Christ and each other. When I say Lakeshore exists, I don't mean this building or the building down at Smyrna. I don't mean the organizational structure. When I say the church exists to do this, what do I mean? You exist to do this. I exist to do this if I'm connected to Christ.
We exist to connect people to Christ and each other through being connected to Christ. You see, when the structure of the early church was set up, there was no complicated structure. People connected to Christ, and if they were connected to Christ, that automatically connected them to who? Everybody else that was connected to Christ. No more layers there. That's it. See how simple that is? Help people connect to Christ, and if we're connected to Christ, we're connected to each other.
Remember Acts 2:41 again: "Those who accepted this message were baptized. About 3,000 were added to their number that day." Their number is the people who were added to the church, and they're added to each other when they're added to his church because we're all the church. People that say, "I can be a Christian without being part of the church" are lying to themselves. In scripture, those two are directly connected to each other. You can't do one without the other because you are the church when you are following Jesus. You can't separate yourself from that.
So let's quit acting like, "Well, I'm an unbeliever, but I don't really like the church. I don't want to get involved in the church." Well, you're supposed to be the church. Quit trying to disconnect from that. That's exactly what you're supposed to be: the church.
He says they were added to their number. Later on, just a few more verses, they continued doing this. In Acts 2:47, it says this: "These Christ followers were praising God, enjoying the favor of all the people, and the Lord added to their number, what's that word? Daily those who were being saved." How often was this happening? Daily, on a regular basis, people were being saved. How does that happen? The church was talking to people about Jesus. Who's the church? We are.
They weren't dependent on programs or big events or activities being run at the church. They were the church out there in the world, and they were talking to people about Jesus. They were lifting up Jesus. They were being an example for Jesus. They were ambassadors for Jesus, and people were being brought to Jesus through the everyday life of the church, and it was happening all the time.
Today, we've developed all these evangelism programs and step-by-step discipleship processes, and we've developed how you've got to come. Some churches today, if you want to be baptized, you've got to sign up for a class and go through it, and you've got to make sure you can pass all these courses before they let you get baptized. Friends, baptism is the beginning of the journey, not the middle or the end. You've got to start where you are. It starts with baptism. That's not in the middle somewhere after you've figured it all out.
Let's keep it simple. That's the way they did it. That's why here at Lakeshore, we don't just baptize people. Some churches have gone to this. I've got to tell you as a pastor, I try not to complain. I really do. I try to stay positive all the time. But one of the things that really hurts my heart so much is all these churches that started doing baptism Sunday. Like we're going to set one Sunday out of the month or out of the quarter where we call people to get baptized. What should we have been doing the whole month? Baptizing people. Every day, whenever they came to know Jesus, we baptized them. Made them a disciple because our main job is to make what? Disciples by what? Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We need to get back to being that church. You know what the number one most effective outreach for the church is? Always has been. Every study today shows it the same thing. It's not big events. It's not ministry programs. It's not some rock star preacher that's with all the latest trends and fads. You know what the number one outreach for the church is? You. Just telling your story. Pointing people to Jesus. That's always been the most effective way to bring people to Jesus. It's very intimate. It's very personal. And it's very much the way the early church turned the world upside down for Jesus.
They were just out there excited about coming to know Jesus and telling other people their story of coming to know and follow Jesus and the difference it's made for them. Now, again, this is not a condemnation of anything we've done in the past. It's not a condemnation of what any other churches are doing right now. I just believe that we've overcomplicated it, and we didn't need to. I believe the scripture teaches that.
I believe if we get back to focusing on the main things and doing the main thing God called us to do the way we see the early church doing it, that it will still turn the world upside down today. The research is showing that to be true. Because most of the growth in the American church has just been moving sheep from one pen to another pen. You understand what I'm saying? People weren't happy here, so they all went over to that church, and that church looks like it's growing. But what's not growing is the kingdom, even if that church is growing. Because new disciples aren't being made; they're just being moved to another church.
I'm convinced that we need to get back to being the simple followers of Jesus, telling people about Jesus, helping them find their way to Jesus. And then we invite them to come assemble with the church because being connected to Jesus is being connected to others who are connected to Jesus.
Here's the problem with that. As simple as it is, it's the hardest way to do it. You see, it's easier to attract crowds with big programs and events and activities. You bring in the right Christian superstar singer, and you can pack the building. We would all enjoy it because there are some really good ones out there. But you know what most lost people aren't going to do? They aren't going to attend a Christian concert. The overwhelming majority of them would never buy a ticket and go to that concert.
Some people are brought to Christ at those concerts. We don't want to say they aren't; they are. But the overwhelming majority of people that are brought to Christ aren't brought through an event like that. They're brought through somebody else who already knows Jesus telling them about Jesus. That's how most people are brought to Jesus.
So if we want doors to stop closing on churches in America, if we want the church to really grow—not just by moving people from one church to another, but by bringing more people to Jesus—then maybe, just maybe, we need to start connecting people the way the early church connected people to Jesus. Through individuals like us representing Jesus well and telling our story to the lost people around us.
You don't have to have a program to do that. We don't have to set up a committee for this. We don't have to set up a new ministry team to do this. You know why? You are the ministry team. You are the team that's supposed to be doing this. So am I. We're all supposed to be doing this all the time.
So we need to connect people to Christ and each other. We exist to do that. The second thing we exist to do is to grow people to maturity in Christ. Let's go back to those early Christians, Acts chapter 2, verse 42. It says they devoted themselves to some things. Remember, it's not complicated. It's simple. What did they devote themselves to? To the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
That's just four simple things, and they overlap. They're all connected to each other. So it's really not even four completely separate things. It's really, really simple here. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching. Now at that time, they still had who there with them teaching them? The apostles. They were still there teaching. Everything hadn't been written down yet. So they had the live teaching of the apostles.
Today, we don't have the apostles here now, but what do we have? The written scripture now. We have that for us. So if we're devoted to the apostles' teaching today, it means we'll be devoted to the Bible, to God's Word, to learning and growing in God's Word.
Now, I know the church is the people, and the leadership of the church has a responsibility. We want to provide you opportunities and support to do this, but whose responsibility is it for you to be devoted to the apostles' teaching? Whose responsibility is that? It's yours. It's not ours. You shouldn't have to be begged into it. You shouldn't have to be saying, "We've got to get you into something to do this because you're not doing it." You should be the one on your own saying, "I want to be devoted to this" when you commit your life to Christ.
Now, we provide support for that. We always will. We do. You may not have noticed this. I hope you have. I get feedback a lot on this. My preaching style and the preaching style of others who speak here on Sundays is a teaching style of preaching. It's not a lot of the hellfire brimstone yelling and pounding the pulpit. It's a teaching style, right? You know why we do that? Because you need to be growing in maturity as a Christ follower.
So we're providing some teaching for you to be able to do that. We supplement that. A lot of you don't ever look at it and don't pay any attention to it. We put an outline in your bulletins every week. You could take notes on that. By the way, we've got somebody getting some more pins. I don't think we got them out yet. We'll have pins for you. You could take notes and all that.
If you're a serious student of the word, it might be good to take notes. In addition to that, I just recently started adding a five-day devotional that goes along with the sermon every week. We send that out by email. In addition to that, we do a midweek podcast where we review the message from the previous Sunday and preview the one coming up the next Sunday.
In addition to that, we offer life groups where you could go and connect with other people and study God's word together and discuss God's word together and do life together as Christ followers. With all of that provided, that's as complicated as we want to get, friends. The rest of it's up to you. Are you going to commit to any of that? Are you going to be devoted to any of that?
And you know what the bottom line is? Even with all of that, the early Christians spent time daily in the word, in prayer, on their own. They didn't depend on some church-run program to do that for them. Again, we don't need a whole nother program for this. We just need you to do it the way the early church did it. It's that simple.
That's how you grow up as a Christian. That's how you mature as a Christian is you devote to the things they were devoted to. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching. That was one thing. And to fellowship. Fellowship means they didn't take that cop-out that I don't have to be in the church to be a Christian. They understood they were the church and others were part of the church, and that connected them to each other through Christ.
The fellowship means they shared life together with each other. You don't really share life through big events and programs. You know how you share life? In smaller groups. Sometimes just one-on-one. Sometimes just a handful of people doing life together, reading the Bible together, praying together. That's where real connections are made. That's where real fellowship takes place, not through great big run programs by the church.
Who's responsible for you connecting to something like that? If we provide it, who's responsible for the connection? You are. You're responsible for that, for being devoted to that fellowship. We offer a service on Sundays. We offer three services, in fact—two here and one at the Smyrna campus. You've got option zero, how you can connect to a service at your church. We don't want to get more complicated than that. We've got that. It's available.
Who decides if you're going to connect to that or not? Who's responsible for that? You are. Nobody else. You have to decide to take that step, to be devoted to that. So when it comes to growing people to maturity in Christ, understand that the main person responsible for your spiritual growth is you. The main person responsible for my spiritual growth is me. I'm responsible for that for my life. You are responsible for that for your life.
So the connecting part, if you take that step, you connect, then you are devoted to these things that the early church was devoted to. They were also devoted to the breaking of bread. Most scholars believe, and I agree, that they use that phrase in a couple of ways. But in this passage, in the context of this passage, they seem to be talking about being devoted to what we call communion or the Lord's Supper, coming around the Lord's table on a regular basis. They were devoted to doing that.
So here at Lakeshore, what do we do? We offer that at every service. But whose responsibility is it to get you here and be part of being around the table? Whose responsibility is that? Yours. It amazes me how many people expect the church to constantly plead with them and beg with them just to show up around the Lord's table. Like somehow the church is privileged if you do that. You know who's privileged to be around this table? Everybody that shows up. We're all privileged to be here. None of us should have to be begged to come be part of this.
We should all want to honor our Lord and Savior by being here the way he asked us to remember him without being begged. It should be what we choose to do because we're devoted to Jesus. And this is part of being devoted to Jesus—being around this table, remembering his body and his blood the way he asked us to remember his sacrifice. Why should the church have to keep pleading with you to come? You are the church. The church is supposed to do this.
They were devoted to the apostles' teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread. One more item they were devoted to—we can't leave this one out. There's so much power in it as they were devoted to prayer. And again, when it says they were devoted, who are we talking about? The church, which is what? Christ followers. It's us. If you're a Christ follower today, if the early church was devoted to prayer and we're just trying to follow that pattern, what should you be devoted to? Prayer. It should be part of your life that you're devoted to on a regular basis.
Should you have to depend on the church to do this for you? No, of course not. Now, we love praying for you. The leadership team, the elders, we love praying for you. But friends, you're responsible for your own prayer life on a personal level. You have to be devoted to prayer. You see, when you look at the early church, it was that simple. Those are the main things. That's what they did regularly. That's what they sacrificed for. That's what they committed to. That's what they were devoted to in their lives.
They didn't need anything else because that covers it. If we just do those four things, you know what will happen to us? We will grow up to be like Jesus. What's the goal of every disciple? To grow up to be like Jesus. If we just do those four things, we will grow up to be like Jesus. And they're not even four separate things because a lot of these go together, right? The fellowship, around the Lord's table, that's all the same thing, really. They're all connected. It's not even really four separate things. It's simply that. That's all we need, according to the early church.
Now, is it evil to run some other program or activity? No, but it can take away from, right? Remember, the good things can take away from the what? The best things, the more important things, the more valuable things. So we need to understand that we've got to grow people to maturity in Christ. The early church did it like that. It was real simple.
The last thing we have in our vision statement is to serve people in the name of Christ. Remember, connect people to Christ in each other, grow people to maturity in Christ, and then serve people in the name of Christ. When you read about the lifestyle of the early church, here's what we see them doing: they were doing those simple things for their own relationship with Jesus. And then they were using their resources and abilities and gifts that God had granted them to serve other people.
By the way, there was no program set up for it. This was just how they lived their lives. They just served other people. They didn't have to set up a committee for it. They didn't have to set up some kind of organizational structure to make it happen. What did they just do as a part of their lives? They just served other people. That's how they lived life. That's what they were known for. In fact, they often exclaimed about the early church, "My, how they love one another. They're taking care of each other. They're serving. They're meeting needs without some organized program run by some organization in the church."
Look at Ephesians 2:10. It's a description of Christians. It says, "We are God's handiwork." Some translations say "masterpiece." I like that one. "Created in Christ Jesus to attend church programs." Is that what it says? No. "To attend every concert of that Christian artist that tells us how good we are." We're created in Christ Jesus to do what? "Good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." That's what makes it hard. It becomes our responsibility, not the church's responsibility. Because we are the church.
A lot of people want to tell the church what the church ought to be doing to help people. It's easy to sit back and say the church ought to be doing that. But guess what? Who are you? You're the church. You should be doing that. Because you are the church. You represent Jesus in the world today.
Now, not everybody should be doing the same thing, right? The Bible is clear on this in the early church. What they started looking at was different people have different gifts and different resources. So the key is you find that thing that God has gifted you for, given you the passion for, and you just serve people that way. You use your gifts and abilities to serve others. Nobody should have to organize this for you if it's your passion. You just do it.
We've got people here doing that all the time, and it's great to see. You're out there serving on a regular basis in the name of Jesus. Because we're his people. He said, "I didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many." If we're growing up to be like Jesus, he was the ultimate servant. So we need to be more like Jesus by serving others, not asking the church to serve us.
Something that we want. I know this is hard for a lot of longtime Christians, especially because the church in America started catering to the members a long time ago and offering all the programs the members wanted, trying to keep all the members happy. And you know what ended up happening? The studies revealed that churches began declining in America big time because we were making it about us—getting what we want—instead of about Jesus being honored by serving the way Jesus served.
We can turn it around, and we already are here at Lakeshore turning it around in a lot of ways. Now, here's the thing: the simplified thing is simple, but it's not easy. You know why? Because even as we've simplified, what has happened? New people have come in with ideas and things they want to do and things they want to see. They're always telling me things like, "Well, at my last church, we had this program. Why don't you guys have that?"
I want to tell them all the time, "We're just too simple. We couldn't handle it. We can't do that. We can't pull it off. We're too simple on purpose. We're too simple. We want to keep it as simple as the early church." Not necessarily in the resources we have available. They're different than what they had available. But the goals should be the same that the early church had.
The message has never changed. We're never going to compromise or change God's Word or God's message. We don't ever change that. But just maybe it's important for us to keep it simple as a church. There are so many opportunities for you to serve.
Here's something I want to point out to you that so many people don't get when I say you need to serve is they don't understand that it starts within the own church family. You see, the early Christians were known for loving each other well. That set them apart from people out there in the world—the way they loved each other. Well, how do you love each other? You serve each other.
Well, we have opportunities as a church for you to serve others in the body of Christ. Every Sunday. Just on Sunday. During the week, we've got other things. But just on Sunday, listen, we've got babies that need to be cared for in the nursery. Families come here. They're trying to connect with the church and find a church home. They've got babies that need to be cared for so they can listen and learn in the service and grow themselves.
So we need adults who are willing to give some time on a Sunday morning to be back there with the babies and take care of babies. You think that's not important? I want to do the important things. Let me tell you something: there's no more important thing you can do than to show that baby the love of God and show that family that God loves their baby. There's nothing more important than that you could be doing on a Sunday morning.
And it goes right on up. We've got the preschoolers. Oh, preschoolers are so much fun. I love preschoolers. I had one this morning come tolling in here. For the first time, he usually walks right by me, doesn't pay any attention. He came right up and gave me the biggest hug. I love it. A preschooler hugging me like that. He's just happy to be here and see familiar faces, right? It's something he's connected to now.
But in order to do that, we've got to have people working with our preschoolers, making that opportunity there for them, serving families that way. It goes on up to the grade school. Every service, we've got a grade school back there—grade school kids being taught the word of God and being introduced to other grade schoolers who are learning and growing too and learning to connect as friends and connect as fellow people who are part of the church.
And then we've got our middle schoolers. We've got high schoolers, right? They need us to serve so that we can develop them. You see, they can't yet be the mature Christians they're going to be. So they need us to serve in a way that helps them grow up to become those mature Christ followers. But us adults, we need to be further along than that in our level of maturity so that we're willing to serve.
We need to be teaching them at an early age that God's calling them to serve too. That's happening through all of our programs. They're being involved in serving in those programs for those kids as part of the way it's designed. It starts with greeters, with people coming in the door.
Have you ever gone somewhere and felt like you were invisible? I have. It's usually because I'm so short, nobody sees me. But sometimes it's just, you know, you walk in and you're walking into a place where you want to feel like you're welcome there. Friends, those greeters out there on Sunday morning, that's a way to serve that's valuable to the kingdom of God.
Here's what happens a lot of times: we are so comfortable and familiar with the church that we're out there talking to each other. We're not even paying attention to people coming in the door who you don't have a clue their story that got them there that day and how hard it might have been for them to even get there. The decision was so hard for them to get up and come here that day.
Don't you want them to feel welcome when they walk in the door? Could God use you to serve them that way? Now, in order to serve that way, you've got to be able to get here early and smile. Some of you are not equipped or gifted for this. But if you are, wouldn't it be great to let God use you to serve that way?
Let me tell you something about people that come in late because you tend to really criticize and tear down people coming in late. You don't know what it took for them to get here late and still get here, but they still got here. We need to just thank God and praise God that they got here. It could be that they're hanging by their last thread in their home and their marriage with their kids. It took everything they could muster up just to get here when they got here.
Don't criticize them. Don't tear them down. Don't ridicule them. You don't have a clue their story until you get to know them better. Just serve them. Serve them well like Jesus would serve them.
It could be working in the cafe. There are so many different ways you could just make people feel welcome and included and connected to the body of Christ just on Sunday mornings. So many opportunities for that are musicians that work and serve in the praise team. You don't see behind the scenes all the effort they put into it, the preparation, the practice. It's an act of service when they do that.
Even your pastor did a little bit of preparation to talk to you today. I know some of you just think I only show up on Sundays, but I'm actually working on things during the week as well. Our other pastors and staff are too—all week long. They're preparing to serve. You see, the early church saw themselves as servants, not people who come to be served, but people who show up every day in life to serve others.
The more people we could have with that mindset, the more we'll be like Jesus, and the more people will come to know Jesus. Now, you could serve outside Sunday mornings here too—ministries like the branch and Youth for Christ and things like that that we have connections with. We partner with so many others where you could go out and serve with them alongside others that are serving with them.
We've got people doing that on a regular basis too, and it's a beautiful thing because what we're doing when we do that is we're not making a big name for ourselves. We're pointing people to Jesus. We're just pointing them to Jesus. Someone said a long time ago, "It's amazing how much work can get done if nobody cares who gets the credit."
I like that, except that there's one thing about it for Christians we need to remember: it's amazing how many things can get done if we only care about Jesus getting the credit. That's why I love partnering with other people out there doing work in the kingdom of God. It doesn't have to be Lakeshore. It doesn't have to be all about us. We can just serve through other people that are doing good stuff to partner up with them, go alongside them, and help people find their way to Jesus.
You see, the local church doesn't have to run all those programs. There are other people out there doing a good job with it. Why should we multiply that and compete with them? Let's just partner up with them, come alongside them, and serve Jesus and lift up Jesus.
So as I close today, here's the challenge. If you want to be part of this local church, we would love for you to be. If you live in this area, if you're online, we want you to connect with a local church wherever you are. If you're in this area, we'd love for you to come and visit with us and connect with us.
But if you want to be part of the local church here at Lakeshore, we're not going to make this overcomplicated. It's really simple. We want you to focus on connecting, growing, and serving, period. Keep it that simple. Attend the services regularly. Come around the Lord's table. That's what the early church did. Commit to that. Devote yourself to that.
Devote yourself to learning scripture, growing up as a Christian in your knowledge of the Word of God. We'll provide you some resources, but you have to do this consistently yourself on a regular basis. And then find a way to serve.
What I love about new Christians is this: oftentimes at our welcome lunch, we give them this survey to try to find out more about who they are, what resources they might have or training or experience, so we can help them connect and serve in some way. Oftentimes they give us that information. But here's the thing: new Christians usually will just check every box. "I'll do whatever, and I'll sign up for everything. I'm so excited just to be a Christian, to be part of the church."
No, don't do that. Simplify it. Find yourself one area to serve in and give yourself to that fully and completely. Here's what happens: you're already busy. Your schedules are already full. If you add 10 more things to do at the church, what's going to happen to the joy you have in serving? It's going to disappear. It's going to be a burden to you, not a blessing. And when it's a burden to you, how effective are you at helping people see Jesus? Not very effective.
So keep it simple. If you love the youth program, serve there. Don't take on a bunch of other stuff. Serve there. If you love babies, just go take care of babies. Just serve there. Help us out with that. Now, it may take you a few tries to find that thing that you really love, but do something to start with while you find it. Just find somewhere to plug in and serve in the body of Christ.
You don't know where to start. People always ask me, "Pastor Andy, I want to serve. Just tell me where you need me." And the answer is everywhere. We need help in everything we're doing as a church. So you've got to help us out a little bit here. Say, "What are you willing to do? What do you want to do? What do you feel gifted to do? What do you feel like you've got some training for?"
We'll help connect you with something where you might serve in that way. That's what the Welcome Lunch is all about. We've got one next Sunday. If you're new to Lakeshore, we'd love for you to sign up and attend and find out more and look for opportunities to get connected in that way and serve.
If you've never been one of those, I really want to encourage you to sign up and attend. But here's the thing: the early church lived with this mindset. It's the mindset of Jesus. And I don't mean they were perfect. They didn't always get it right. But they lived with this mindset: "We're so grateful for what Jesus has done for us. We just want our lives to show our gratitude to him."
We want to live like that, where it's obvious how grateful we are for what Jesus has done for us. Maybe that's you today. And maybe you're ready to connect and grow and serve with us here at Lakeshore.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you. We thank you that we have this opportunity to teach and to grow and to learn to be more like Jesus. We thank you for the encouragement of the fellowship of others who come to be part of the service today. We pray that we might encourage each other, build each other up. We pray that we might love each other the way Jesus loves us. And we pray that we might serve because we want to be like Jesus, who came to serve and not to be served.
Father, I pray for those who might be ready today to make a decision to connect and grow and serve with a local church. If it's Lakeshore, Father, I pray they would take that step today or wherever they may be. I pray that they would take that step in the days ahead.
Father, I thank you for those who already get it, who already understand and support and work and serve and grow as a part of this fellowship. Lakeshore is impacting the world for the kingdom of God because of people like that. Help us to continue to grow and develop into those servant leaders. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
If you're here today and you're ready to take that step, we're going to offer this time of invitation. As we stand and sing, we invite you to come right up front, and we'll lead you in those next steps.
Let's stand and sing together.
Everybody be seated, please. We have some prayer requests today especially that we want to share with you. Tammy, come on up. Come right up to the mic there. Have we got that mic on?
Okay. A while back, Tammy asked for prayer for a friend of hers. What's his name again? Mike. Mike for dealing with cancer, right? And they've determined at this point that he's only got a few weeks left most likely and how it's progressing. So we certainly want to lift him up and his family up in prayer. So we'll join Tammy in praying for Mike in just a moment.
Kelly, come on up. Kelly is a part of our church family here, and she's been going through a battle with cancer as well. This is a good thing, but there's more yet, okay? But the good thing is she just finished her chemo treatments that they had scheduled for her. Well, thank you for that. But here's the thing: this battle is far from over, and tomorrow they're going to be doing an MRI to determine they have surgery scheduled for her, and the MRI will determine the extent of the surgery and exactly what kind of surgery they're going to be doing. It's scheduled for the twenty-first of February.
So we just want to be lifting Kelly up and her family up in prayer. Her family is a part of our church family too. We just want to be lifting them all up in prayer as she faces that in the days ahead.
Come on. Tell everybody your name.
My name is Amina Zucanovic, and she comes asking for prayer. You have two grandmothers, and they're back in Bosnia, correct? And they're both battling with terminal cancer right now. So we just want to be lifting—now tell us their names.
Shefika and Jamila. Everybody remember that. We may not remember the names, but God knows who they are, right? So we can join with her in praying for them and for your family through all this process as well.
Let's be praying together.
Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus. We boldly approach your throne of grace through him, not because we're worthy or we've earned it, but because he made the way for us to come to you. We thank you that as we come to you and your throne of grace, we can find the help that we need.
We lift up these needs that they've come forward to talk about today. I know there are many others within our church family, and none of these things is too big for you. None of them caught you by surprise or off guard in any way. And you're there. Help everyone involved to feel your presence and your power and your provision through it all. And may Jesus be lifted up and glorified. In his name, we pray. Amen.
God bless you. Thank you. Thank you.
At this time, Dr. Ed's going to come and lead us in a time of communion around the Lord's table.
Well, again, we want to thank you all for being here with us today. We are encouraged by your presence, by your decision to be here and be together with us for this assembly time for the church. Remember, we're still the church, though, after we dismiss here and go our own way. We're still the church out there, and we need to keep living out that life of pointing people to Jesus all the time. That's how we continue our worship even beyond this.
If you'd like to continue your worship through giving offerings, we have offering boxes available—one in the back of the auditorium and one in the hallway there. You can also give online at LakeshoreChristian.com. Just click on the Give tab, or you can scan the QR code in your bulletin shells. You can scan that code. It'll take you to that page, and you can mail in your offerings to the church office.
However you do it, it's an act of worship, and it supports the work in the ministry of the church. So we thank you for doing that. I'm going to ask Jeremy to come up. He's going to close us out with some announcements and a word of prayer.
We thank you again for being with us today.
1) "The teachings of Jesus are simple, but not easy, and we tend to overcomplicate our lives, even as Christ followers." [21:30] (Download)
2) "The early Christians spent time daily in the word, in prayer, on their own. They didn't depend on some church run program to do that for them." [53:21] (Download)
3) "The early church turned the world upside down for Jesus. They were just out there excited about coming to know Jesus and telling other people their story." [45:58] (Download)
4) "We need to get back to being the simple followers of Jesus, telling people about Jesus, helping them find their way to Jesus." [46:57] (Download)
5) "If we're going to be serious about being a simple church, simple doesn't mean not deep at all." [29:29] (Download)
6) "The true measurement is, am I living out my calling as a Christ follower by making disciples, by representing Jesus well and pointing people to Jesus in my life?" [30:37] (Download)
7) "We exist to connect people to Christ and each other. When I say the church exists to do this, what do I mean? You exist to do this." [41:36] (Download)
8) "The early Christians were known for loving each other well. That set them apart from people out there in the world the way they loved each other." [01:04:45] (Download)
9) "We are deeper today as a church than we've ever been by getting more simple and focusing on the things that really matter the most." [33:48] (Download)
10) "It's amazing how many things can get done if we only care about Jesus getting the credit." [01:10:41] (Download)
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