I’ve always been drawn to the power of potential of what could be under God, and I’m looking forward to what 2018 will bring as we continue to move forward in Lake Baldwin Youth. It is an honor to come alongside young people, see them be continually impacted by the Gospel, and help show them what it looks like to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. My heart is for this youth ministry at LBC to flourish and be a place where young people find "life in all its’ fullness" (John 10:10).
We say at Lake Baldwin Church that we want to be characterized by hearts that beat for the good news of the gospel to transform the lost, the found, the city, and the world. If that’s where we’re headed as a church, why not start there? Why not begin providing opportunities for our littlest hearts to engage with the transforming power of the gospel for the lost, found, city and world?
In Jeremiah 29, God tells the Israelites who are in exile in Babylon to seek the peace and prosperity of the city, though it was not their true home. On this side of God’s renewal of all things, we too live in a world that is not truly home. Yet the calling on the Christian is to likewise seek the peace and prosperity of the environments in which God has placed us, for his glory.
Recently I was talking with someone who was new to Orlando, and I invited him to Lake Baldwin Church. He appreciated the invitation, but said, “I can’t come, I’m not a Christian.” I quickly replied, “You can come to our church even if you are not a Christian. We always have people come to our church who are simply exploring the faith.”
Looking back. Looking ahead.
They say that “hindsight is 20/20” . . . that you can see the past with much more clarity than the present. We see in these verses from Philippians that Paul is indeed looking back, remembering the church at Philippi with joy and giving thanks to God, not just for the Philippians themselves but for the gospel progress that their “partnership” is producing. This kind of hindsight is good for the church. As 2017 draws to a close it is especially poignant to reflect on the past year in the life of the church—to celebrate milestones, to remember the many people who work together week after week to bring LBC to life, to tell our story to one another all over again, and to give thanks to God every step of the way because we know that every good thing comes from Him.
