This Sunday we will spend our final week examining the Great Commission through our sermon series, “On Mission.”  While the sermon series will be coming to a close, the mission itself will continue to advance forward.  In fact, you have an opportunity to live on mission this month through our new Christmas outreach, “Light Up Austin.” 

This holiday season, we will build on the foundation of generosity that has been established at ABC for many years through “White Christmas.”  Instead of offering our traditional White Christmas experience, we are launching a new event which will be focused on giving generously and serving selflessly in our community.  On Saturday December 2^nd, we will send over 120 volunteers to take Christmas on the road to the Texas Baptist Children’s Home and bless families in need.

Our volunteers will be serving dinner to these families and hosting a Christmas carnival for the kids.  We will provide a special program with entertainment, music, and a Christmas message filled with hope.  Additionally, every home will be blessed with much needed household items to meet their growing needs.

My hope is that this will be the first of many “Light Up Austin” events in the years to come.  I pray that ABC will be able to take Christmas on the road to many more communities in need in the greater Austin area.  I encourage you to partner with us this year on mission by helping in one of two ways.

First, you can help us purchase household goods to bless these families.  The Texas Baptist Children’s Home has provided us with a very specific list of items that these families need.  These lists will be distributed through our BFG classes.  If you would like to help purchase a gift for one of these families, please work with your class to make that order.

Second, you can help us by serving on December 2^nd.  We will need lots of volunteers to love on these families and help us create a warm and hospitable event.  If you or your family would like to serve with us, I encourage you to sign up through your BFG class.

It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are almost here.  I pray that you will be intentional with this upcoming season.  May we all shine our light and strive to be a blessing to those who are in need.  I look forward to seeing you in worship this weekend at 8:45 or 11:15am.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Last Sunday was a historic day in the life of our church.  I Love My Church Sunday was a record-setting morning, as we saw 1,141 people join us for worship.  That was the biggest crowd we have ever welcomed on a non-Easter Sunday.  Most importantly, we also baptized the most people we have ever baptized in a single day.  Thirteen believers took their faith public by obeying Jesus’ commandment to be baptized.  I’m so thankful for Dr. Stearns and his leadership in the service.  The worship was dynamic, and it was powerful to have our entire church together as one body.  Thank you to Derek Tackett and the many volunteers who made the lunch and carnival such a success.

Most importantly, I want to thank those who invited their friends to church.  I was so encouraged to have church members introduce me to their guests all day long.  In fact, I had a few church members pull me to the side and say how thrilled (and surprised) they were that their friends said “yes” to their invitation to go to church.  Last Sunday should remind us that you can never underestimate the power of a personal invitation.  Jesus told us that the harvest is ready, but it is the laborers that are few (Matt 9:37).  God will always bless our efforts when we labor for Him.  You still have the opportunity to live on mission this week.  I Love My Church Sunday has concluded, but our mission presses on.  I don’t know about you, but I still love my church, and I believe there are others out there who would too.

I look forward to worshipping with you at 8:45am and 11:15am this week.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’!” (Psalm 122:1).  David reminds us that there is joy in the house of the Lord.  Going to church isn’t something we just have to do; it is something we get to do!  Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, but being a Christian should make you want to go to church.  This is because there is joy in worshipping Jesus Christ together, there is joy in hearing God’s Word, and there is joy in building community with others.  I truly love gathering with our church, and I hope you do too.

“I Love My Church Sunday” is all about celebrating what God is doing here at ABC.  It is a special day to come together as one church family, and it will be the opportunity to invite others to come and see.  This Sunday, we will offer a unique schedule for this special day: 9am BFGs, 10:30am worship, and 11:45am church-wide lunch.  Immediately following worship, we will have free hamburgers for all, a BFG dessert competition, and fun games for all the kids.

As a part of our celebration, our children’s choir will sing a special song in worship, and we currently have eight individuals scheduled to be baptized!  I am praying that even more will make that decision to be baptized in the coming days.  I encourage you to follow up with the folks from your “go card” and invite them to join you this Sunday.  Get here early to save your seat, and I look forward to worshipping with you at 10:30am.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Psalm 126:3 says, “The Lord has done great things for us; We are joyful.”  The Lord has indeed done great things for ABC.  Our church has always been a testimony of God’s grace.  The Lord continues to bless our church family with growth, unity, and testimonies of life change.  It is important for us to not look past these blessings, but instead to pause and give thanks for all that God has done.

Sunday October 22^nd will be a special day of celebration.  We are altering the schedule for one weekend to bring the entire church together as one family of faith.  That day will be themed as “I Love My Church Sunday.”  We will offer 9am BFGs, a 10:30am worship service, and an 11:45am FREE cookout and carnival for all.  Our BFG’s will be hosting a friendly dessert competition during the luncheon, and all our classes will be on display for those who are searching for a group.

I Love My Church Sunday will also provide you a couple unique opportunities.  First, we will have a special baptism emphasis that day.  Baptism is meant to be a celebration for the church, so we are planning to make that an integral part of our celebration Sunday.  If God has put believer’s baptism on your heart, I encourage you to take your next step of faith on October 22^nd.  Contact our staff, and we would love to discuss it further with you.

Secondly, October 22^nd will provide the perfect opportunity for you to invite a friend to church.  I hope you are praying over the names you listed on your “Go Card” last Sunday.  Immediately following our October 15^th services, we will leave church on mission to invite those individuals to join us the following week.  The invitation is simple: “I love my church, and I think you would too.”

I encourage you to continue to look outward because the mission field is all around us.  God has given our church a great opportunity to make an impact in our city and our world.  May each of us be available to the Lord this week to love, to serve, and to share the hope that is in us.  I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

October is missions month at ABC.  We engage in missions all year long, but we bring missions to the forefront during this particular month.  Each Sunday in October, you will learn about one of our ministry partners at ABC.  You will also have an opportunity to give above and beyond your tithes and offerings to support ministry partners through drives with Samaritan’s Purse (Operation Christmas Child), Hands of Luke, and the Texas Baptist Children’s Home.  We are also providing an opportunity for you to serve on October 21^st by helping us pack 20,000 meals for families in Haiti.

I’m praying that you will not only participate in missions month, but I’m also praying that you will learn to live on mission this month.  You do not have to get on an airplane to find a mission field.  In fact, every Sunday we leave church, we are entering the mission field.  God has called you to be an ambassador for Him wherever you go (2 Cor 5:20), and He has planned good works for you to walk in (Eph 2:10).  For the next six weeks, I’ll be unpacking the Great Commission that Jesus left His church (Matt 28:19-20).  I pray that each of us will not just be hearers of these words, but doers of them.  If we do, I believe this church will begin to shine in ways that it never has before.

Have a great week, and I look forward to seeing you in worship.  Bring a friend, and I’ll see you at 8:45am or 11:15am.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  Jesus has called His church to shine light into dark places.  Here at ABC, we always look for opportunities to shine, but we also look to form partnerships with like-minded ministries that are pushing back darkness.

I’m so thankful for our church’s continued partnership with TC Egypt.  Last March, we opened a campus in the city of Fayoum to extend the Gospel into a dark area with little Christian influence.  I thank God that our Fayoum campus is now serving nearly 100 Egyptians every week.  Our campus is offering ongoing discipleship classes, children’s and youth programs, work and faith seminars, and recovery programs for Egyptians in need.

This past week I was also blown away to see how TC Egypt pulled off a massive Christian conference for teenagers.  They hosted their first ever student leadership conference in Cairo and saw over 700 teenagers in attendance from all across Egypt!  Those students gathered to worship Jesus Christ, be equipped by his Word, and to be encouraged through prayer and community with one another.

But I was also encouraged by the mission work of our Women’s Ministry this past weekend.  Our ladies themed their “Sweet Sunday” event around our Egyptian ministry partners.  The ladies in attendance learned more about what God is doing in the Middle East, and they prayed over the women from our church who will be going to Egypt next month.  Although not everyone can go to Egypt, all the ladies had an opportunity to make encouragement bracelets that will be distributed to women in Egypt.  These ladies reminded us all that we can find ways to shine if we simply look for opportunities.

This Sunday we are going to celebrate another ministry that has been shining light for many years right here in Austin, Texas.  I’ve invited David Gillian from the Texas Baptist Children’s Home to come and share how God is using the TBCH to push back darkness in central Texas.  Our church is a proud partner of the TBCH both through ongoing giving and volunteer efforts.  This Sunday you will hear about an exciting new opportunity for each of us to bless this ministry in a special way during this upcoming Christmas season.

I believe God is using this city on a hill to shine light every day.  I encourage you to do your part and find ways to let your light shine before others.  May God continue to use ABC to light up your life, your home, your neighborhood, and the world.  I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in worship.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Our mission at ABC is to lead people into a life-changing relationship with the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.  The mission of God must always be the heartbeat of God’s people.  Before His ascension, Jesus commissioned His church to reach others for Him.  I’m thankful to pastor a church that believes in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.  In fact, we consistently look for new ways to extend our mission even further.

Last Friday, over 200 young adults gathered in our church for our first ever Summit Night of Worship.  It was amazing to see how God drew new young men and women into our church from our surrounding community.  I’m so proud of the 30 young adults who worked hard the past 4 months to pull that event together.  However, their work isn’t done yet.  The Summit will now launch as an ongoing midweek worship service for young adults every Wednesday at 7pm. 

On Sunday evening our Women’s Ministry had their big event, “Ticket to Paradise.”  It was incredible to watch 250+ women come together for fellowship and encouragement in God’s house.  The Women’s Ministry leadership team knocked it out of the park and created an impactful evening that these ladies will always remember.  I loved hearing about the dozens of visitors who walked through the doors and were welcomed by our community of faith.

Over the past year we’ve been able to expand the reach of our ministries like these, but we’ve also been able to expand our partnerships locally, regionally, and internationally.  I’m continually amazed by our ministry center in Egypt.  God is using our church here in Austin to reach men, women, and children in the Middle East with the hope and love of Jesus Christ. 

Because of your continued generosity, this week our church is also sending a $20,000 gift to Send Relief to help meet needs in Maui.  Additionally, we’re sending a $5,000 check to our local Pat Mustoe Baptist Community Center to restock their depleted pantry.  I hope you agree that this is in the kind of impact we want to continue to make as a church family.  God is growing the footprint of missions in our church, and I believe the best is yet to come.

This Sunday you can make an impact through partnering with us in our annual Mary Hill Davis Offering.  We’ve set a goal for our church to give $15,000 to help advance the cause of Texas missions.  I hope you prayerfully consider giving above and beyond your regular tithes and offerings to be a part of this special effort.

Take time this week to thank God for what He is doing through this city on a hill.  May we each be faithful to our part with our time, talent, and treasure to extend the light of Jesus Christ into places that need it.  Let your light shine this week and I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer