No Longer Good Enough…

May 17, 2012 by at 9:00 am 1 Discussion

I’ve been challenged with this thought over the past couple of years: Good enough isn’t enough, best is best. 

As you begin to consider these words, they can be used almost as a mantra not only as part of the decision-making process, but as a way of life. The word best becomes part of the lingo used and heard often. And even still, while you may frequently wrestle to detect what this best that’s looming out there is supposed to look like, it’s done in a way where growth and being confronted with Truth is part of the  process of lives continuing to be changed by Christ.

The danger, though, is that each of us can come to LCBC on the weekend and settle for good enough while God desires best for our lives; he desires us to come alive fully in Him.

LCBC is a big place. With four (and soon to be five) campuses God has been doing some incredible things and has gone to mind-blowing measures to bring people through the doors…many who would say that they are or have been far from God at some point in their life.

The reality is that as more and more people come and seek out God’s best through life with Jesus, care becomes a bit of a tricky task. With a staff of about 120, it’s not physically possible to individually care for each person’s unique needs…nor would it be best. Good enough care doesn’t truly meet needs.

Connecting in a LIFE Group at LCBC is where the care takes place. It’s where community is built and lives are shared. It’s where neighbors love on neighbors and needs are met. It’s where conversations lead to life change, where specific prayers are whispered, and where we are challenged to grow in our relationship with God, each other, and our community.

Connection is part of the process of moving from good enough to best…and it’s mission critical in our lives as followers of Jesus.

If you are interested in more information about getting connected, please email LIFEgroups@lcbcmail.com.

(Photo Rights)

The Facts Of Life

May 15, 2012 by at 9:00 am 1 Discussion

This past weekend I heard a number of stories. A man who was thinking about filing for divorce, a son who has left home, a woman struggling with cancer, a student unsure what to do with their life. All of these were the facts of their present reality.

Jason spoke on Mark 5:35-43, the story of Jesus bringing a 12 year old girl back to life. We talked about how the people around Jesus said that there was, “no use”. No use troubling Jesus because the girl had already died. That was the fact of the present reality, but the truth was that Jesus was going to bring life out of death. Jesus can bring the same truth into our lives, He can make what is broken, whole and make what is dead, alive. He can redeem a marriage through a man that is thinking about filing for divorce. He can bring the lost son back home. He can heal the woman from cancer. He can give purpose to a student struggling to find their way.

Jesus said to the dead girl’s father, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith”. What is Jesus saying to you and what can you trust Him with? What are the facts of your life and what is the truth that Jesus wants to say to you? What seems like a permanent condition, is really a temporary circumstance.

11 + 4 = life change

May 10, 2012 by at 9:00 am 5 Discussion

At LCBC you will hear us talk a lot about – and really only ever ask you to do three things; Gather, Connect and Serve.

When we talk about Gather we mean regularly and intentionally joining us every weekend on one of our campuses for a gathering. In that gathering, we talk to God expressing how we feel about Him by singing and praying, and He talks to us through opening the Bible and seeing what He says about life, how to do life and do it well with Him. When we open the Bible we find that it is His word, His view, His perspectives that matter and help us to know how to live a life that is full and satisfying. Not our opinions. Not David’s thoughts about life – or Jason’s or John’s or Keith’s. It’s what God tells us His thoughts are.

And, our hope in that gathering is that what we hear we will live. It’s knowing and doing that creates a life changed by Christ — for you and for others. That’s why we gather and provide the opportunity for you to invite others.

Gatherings, 11 of them across four campuses – soon to be 13 across five in the fall. See you soon – and regularly!

Promises, Promises

May 8, 2012 by at 9:41 am 1 Discussion

This weekend as we continued our Mordinary series, we returned to the figure of Joshua and this amazing request he made of God in Joshua 10: asking for the “sun to stand still.” It was a crazy prayer, it was an audacious prayer, and it was a prayer that God honored. The sun actually stood still.

As David was teaching he highlighted the thought that Joshua was able to respond with such faith and make such an incredible request because he actually knew the promises that God had made to him (found in Joshua 1:3-6). And for us today, the same is true. To claim God’s promises, we have to know them. We can’t claim God’s promises if we don’t know God’s promises.

And it’s probably worth saying that it’s hard for us to claim promises that we don’t take the time to understand. Think about it…have you ever heard someone claim a “promise from God” and think to yourself, “There’s no way that’s what’s promised, right?” At times, we don’t see promises of God fulfilled because we haven’t taken time to understand what’s really happening in the passage from the Bible.

One such passage that get’s “claimed” a lot comes from Matthew 18:19-20 which says:

I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.

Ever heard this promise claimed?…in order to get that new job? Or that new relationship? Or even for physical healing? Only to have nothing happen? It can be disappointing, right? But if we take time to look back at Matthew chapter 17 and 18 we learn that this verse isn’t about how to ask for something and get what you want. Instead, it’s a passage that deals with how to bring about reconciliation amongst people when there is division. Understanding what is actually being promised is important to seeing our prayers answered.

If perhaps you’re asking, “How can I be sure I understand what God’s promises are or what the Bible is really saying?” then LCBC’s Bible Discovery Class is a great place to start! It’s one class that helps each of us to be able to read and understand the Bible better. The Bible Discovery Class is offered at each of our campuses and you can check the schedule to see when it’s offered HERE.

The Story Of A Song Part 3

May 3, 2012 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

We’ve be walking through the writing process for a song we’ve been singing together as a community called “Almighty.” Let’s pick up where we left off! Last time we talked about phase 2 – idea development. Now on to the final phase…

Phase 3 – Other Voices
After a lot of time creating and developing our idea, (and after a lot of time recording instruments) we finally reached a point where we had a fairly complete song! We should be happy right?! Maybe, but now starts the most difficult part of creating. It’s the moment where we release the creation to be interpreted by others. This thing we’ve spent so much time on, this work that has become apart of us, this piece we’ve been managing down to the finest detail, now is released to be controlled by others.

Sometimes that’s hard to deal with. What if they don’t like it? What if they don’t get it? What if it doesn’t mean as much to them as it does to us? Many creators get caught up in the fear of sharing their work that they never do it.

One way we work through fear, is to get other voices to speak into our creation. We share our songs first with people we trust and allow those individuals to speak into the final outcome. By doing so we are able to get real, honest feedback and criticism (which is always hard to hear by the way!). They give us notes on parts they really love and ideas on how we can make it better. Hearing from other voices also ensures that we get opinions and reactions outside of our own bias, which helps gauge how others will interpret it.

As we shared “Almighty” with our fellow LCBC music team members, we were able to get a few valuable responses that helped us make the end result better. Had we not allowed these other voices to speak into the song, the final work would not be what it is today.

What have you created and developed that now needs reaction and input of other voices? Who are the individuals you trust to give you that input and feedback?

  • Take time to create.
  • Take time to develop what you create.
  • Allow others to speak into what you create.

Thanks for tracking along with our Story of a Song and the process we used to create the song “Almighty.”

« Older Posts