I hope you would agree that The Sights and Sounds of Christmas was incredible! We welcomed nearly 1,500 people to our campus for an amazing Christmas concert and festival. I want to thank Dr. Todd Stearns for his outstanding vision and leadership in our musical presentation. The entire team did a superb job, and I know we were all blown away by the talent on stage. I also want to thank our Director of Media, Stephen Vaughn, and our Director of Operations, Derek Tackett. That concert and festival would not have been possible without these two men and their teams. Thank you to every volunteer who served behind the scenes to make it such an impactful day in the life of our church.
One of our core values at ABC is impact. Jesus envisioned his church being an impactful people. He said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Light always makes an impact on darkness. God sent his Light into the world through His Son, and Jesus Christ has now commanded His church to shine for Him. I encourage you to help us make an impact in these final weeks of December. How can you shine your light for Him? I encourage you to invite and invest.
Invite others to church. Christmas is the perfect opportunity to invite guests to church. I loved having so many church members introduce me to their friends last Sunday. In fact, I had one church member pull me to the side to share how surprised he was that his friend actually came! The reality is many people would go to church if they were simply asked. Invite your neighbors, co-workers, and friends and pray that God will light up their lives this Christmas season.
Invest in our church. The Christmas season presents a unique opportunity for each of us exercise generosity in response to God’s generosity to us. Nearly 25% of our annual contributions come through year end giving. I encourage you financially invest into the life and ministry of ABC. I am grateful for every person who gives because your faithful partnership allows us to advance this mission forward. Your giving is making an impact in our community and our world, and I truly do believe the best is yet to come.
I’m looking forward to pressing on to week three of our sermon series, The Heart of Christmas. This Sunday we’re going to see that the good news of great joy is for all people. I will see you at 8:45am or 11:15am.
Onward and upward,
Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 