Greetings Lifers,Missed you guys! I was in Texas last weekend enjoying some time with old life group mates from a previous church family. In my absence I was praying for you all as you assembled last Saturday and Sunday? It’s nice to go away, but it’s great to come home - I am amped to be talking to you again at our upcoming services and look forward to seeing you at one of them. The Bible is clear on our mandate as a body of believers – it's for our best that we gather together each week:
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
Looking forward to being gathered, spurred, and encouraged! As for what I am talking about this weekend – I know I’m not alone in being the guy who walks into a room, pauses, and then walks back out because he can’t remember why he went in there. I stand for prolonged periods over open drawers in my kitchen trying to recall which utensil is best for eating soup. I sit down to my computer screen and notice an email I started to write to my church 2 hours before but failed to complete (this may or may not have occurred with this particular offering). I am over-prone to forgetting my point.
So it is with church. We can show up week after week, serve faithfully, give generously, and have little to no clue as to why we are doing these things or to what we are giving ourselves. This week, we will be reminded of why we are in our room and of what God is wanting to use us for as we walk this part of life’s journey with Him. Come ready to listen and be changed by God’s mission for us. See you soon.
Peace,
Mark
At the INFOdesk@baylife.org
Life Group Leaders Bonus Training – Oct 30 | 6:30 pm in the loft
Men's Retreat – Nov 4 & 5 | Register at the INFOdesk - $50
Holidays of Hope Food Collection begins on Nov 5 | in the lobby
Scrapbook & Crop for Missions | $25 – fliers at the INFOdesk
Revolve Student Retreat – Nov 11-13 | $65- visit the Family Ministry Center
Sewing Team Meeting – Nov 13 | 1 pm in the Conference Room
Life Group Leaders Training – Nov 13 | 6:30 pm in the loft
Ladies Missions Bazaar – Nov 16 & 17 | 7 pm & 9 am in the lobby
Thanksgiving Dinner – Nov 24 servers needed | register to serve at baylife.org
Friday, October 28, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Lifers, Start Your Engines!
Greetings Lifers,
I have never been mistaken for a gear-head, one of those guys who can tell what’s wrong with your vehicle by listening to it idle and then fix it with a crescent wrench and a stick of Doublemint. On top of that, I have yet to take in a car race of any kind; open wheel, closed wheel, professional or amateur, street or track (although I may be guilty of trying to beat another car to a drive-thru lane at a fast-food joint a time or two – I don’t think that counts as a full on race though). But here’s the deal - even I know that race cars won’t race until the drivers crank the motor. Hence the pre-race request for the starting of engines. Spoiler alert – you’ll never win a race in a parked car.
This car talk comes to you courtesy of this weekend’s service subject – on Sunday I will be preaching through the first 10 verses of Ephesians 2, where the Apostle Paul explains, as clearly as anywhere in Scripture, what the gospel of Jesus Christ is. He points to what we’ve been saved from, what we are saved to, how we are saved, and then what happens after that. So here’s where the car stuff comes in – I know many of you have taken advantage of our worship stations during our services, and whether it’s been in a prayer request pinned to one of the crosses or in a name placed inside our walls, you’ve asked God to lead one of your not-yet-saved friends/family members to repentance and regeneration. I love that about our church – we know that people need a Savior and we are committed together to seeing the gospel spread in our world.
This weekend is a chance for you to shift out of neutral with some of your friends who need Jesus. You have between now and Sunday morning to pray for them and ask them to join you at church. If we’re going to have a car in this race with Jesus (and we all do if we have found faith in Him), then we’re going to need to steer it into traffic at times like these. I’d love to be a part of God’s plan in reaching your friend – let’s double-team ‘em on Sunday. You get them here, and together we’ll point them to Jesus! Lifers, start your engines!
This car talk comes to you courtesy of this weekend’s service subject – on Sunday I will be preaching through the first 10 verses of Ephesians 2, where the Apostle Paul explains, as clearly as anywhere in Scripture, what the gospel of Jesus Christ is. He points to what we’ve been saved from, what we are saved to, how we are saved, and then what happens after that. So here’s where the car stuff comes in – I know many of you have taken advantage of our worship stations during our services, and whether it’s been in a prayer request pinned to one of the crosses or in a name placed inside our walls, you’ve asked God to lead one of your not-yet-saved friends/family members to repentance and regeneration. I love that about our church – we know that people need a Savior and we are committed together to seeing the gospel spread in our world.
This weekend is a chance for you to shift out of neutral with some of your friends who need Jesus. You have between now and Sunday morning to pray for them and ask them to join you at church. If we’re going to have a car in this race with Jesus (and we all do if we have found faith in Him), then we’re going to need to steer it into traffic at times like these. I’d love to be a part of God’s plan in reaching your friend – let’s double-team ‘em on Sunday. You get them here, and together we’ll point them to Jesus! Lifers, start your engines!
Peace,
Mark
At the INFOdesk@baylife.org
Blood Pressure - Oct 9 | after services in the Cry Room
Bay Life Kids Drama Clinic – Oct 9 | 1:30 pm in the Student Center
Kids First Step Class – Oct 16 | 10 am in Rm 606, register at the INFOdesk
Welcome Lunch – Oct 16 | 1 pm Register by Oct 9 at the INFOdesk
Life Group Basic Training – Oct 23 | 6 pm in the loft
Prayer Night – Oct. 25 | 7 pm in the Student Center
Men's Steak-n-Games – Nov 4 & 5 | $50 register at the INFOdesk
Scrapbook & Crop for Missions Nov 5 | 9 am $25 register at the INFOdesk
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