It was great to be back with you last Sunday to kick off our Homebuilders series. I’m looking forward to what God is going to do in the next several weeks as we learn how to Biblically build Christ-centered homes. Last Sunday, we learned that our homes will only look different when we begin to look different ourselves. So I encourage you to focus on some home renovations this week. Spend time with the Lord to take off your old self, renew your mind, and put on your new self (Ephesians 4 22-24). This will prepare you for this weekend where we will shift our focus to “cleaning house,” by examining Ephesians 4:25-32. I encourage you to invite another family to join you for this special series as we strive to build together homes that will last.
This Sunday is also themed as “Back to School Sunday.” Most of our local schools are beginning classes next week for the 2022-2023 school year. In light of that, we are going to have a special prayer emphasis for all our returning students, educators, and administrators. We will have some special guests worshipping with us this weekend including Leander ISD Superintendent, Dr. Bruce Gearing and Hyde Park School’s Head of School, Dr. Chris Coy. I’m looking forward to encouraging and praying for these men and all the servant leaders and students at our local schools. 1 Timothy 2:1 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” The church is called to pray for all people, and I cannot think of a better place to start than praying for our schools in this season.
Our children are constantly attacked by various worldly ideologies, sinful peer pressure, and the constant comparison of self to others. Teachers and administrators are so often underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. I hope that you plan to join me in praying for God’s protection and favor over this coming school year. You can do that by joining us in worship this weekend, but you can also do that individually next week by picking up a prayer bracelet at church. Each bracelet will have the first name and grade level listed for a child in our church. We’re going to encourage adults to pick one up after our worship services and put it on your wrist this week. This will remind you to pause each day and pray for that child specifically by name.
Thank you for being a prayerful church, and I do look forward to praying over this coming school year with you. I’m also proud to say that “Project Homebuild” is officially underway! If you haven’t heard, we are building a house at ABC! While we are focusing on spiritually building up our homes in Austin, we will also be physically building up a home in our Great Hall. This home is being constructed for a family of 12, the Quintana family, who are living in Penitas, Texas. We are partnering with Buckner Missions to bless them with a much needed home in south Texas. After we finish our part of the construction here in Austin, we will ship these assembled materials to Penitas and an ABC missions team will help assemble the pieces there on site. If you would like to volunteer, please go online to austinbaptistchurch.com to be a part of this exciting special effort.
I pray that you will let there be light in your life and in your home this week. Invite a friend to church this weekend, and I look forward to worshipping with you at 9am or 11:11am.
Onward and upward,
Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 