I hope you enjoyed The Sights and Sounds of Christmas!  Last Sunday was an incredible day in the life of our church, and I’m thankful for what God did through our special Christmas event.  Over 1,000 people joined us for one of the two concerts, and many more came for just the festival.  The music was incredible, and I loved hearing the beautiful, full sound of the choir and orchestra coming through our new sound system.  The fellowship at the festival was wonderful, and I was so encouraged to watch our people simply enjoy spending time with one another.  I believe the entire event honored the Lord and served as a great witness to our community.

Thank you to the many of you who brought your friends, family, and neighbors to be a part of the night.  I’m honored that you believe in your church enough to want to share it with those who are around you.  I also want to especially thank Dr. Todd Stearns for his outstanding leadership with our worship ministry.  A production like that is only possible with great vision and direction from leadership.  Thank you to the choir, orchestra, tech team, and the many staff and volunteers who worked so hard behind the scenes to make it all happen.  You can only pull off an event of that magnitude if you have an A+ team.  I’m thankful to pastor a church with so many talented individuals, and so many willing servants.

This Sunday will be another big weekend as we approach our annual “White Christmas” Sunday.  As you likely know, our church will be blessing 110 families in need with baskets full of food this weekend.  I encourage you to not come to church empty handed.  Instead, bring your gift to worship and we’ll have a special time of offering during our services.  Additionally, we will not have our preschool or children’s worship services this weekend (nursery will still be open), so we encourage you to bring your children/grandchildren to church for this meaningful time of worship.  Immediately following the 11:11 service, you will have an opportunity to help assemble the baskets and get them loaded into cars for delivery.  All 110 baskets will be delivered after church by our amazing volunteers.

I pray that you will come to worship this weekend with a generous heart.  White Christmas reminds me of the words from the author of Hebrews: “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16).  God’s people are called to be a generous people.  This generosity is, of course, in response to God’s generosity to us.  Every Christmas, we celebrate the greatest gift that has ever been given.  God gave us his own son, and then the Son gave his own life so we could live.  In view of God’s great mercy and grace, we are now called to present our entire lives as living sacrifices to the Lord (cf. Romans 12:1).  Sharing food with a family in need is just one small way you can this.

I encourage you to maintain this spirit of generosity as we close out our year end giving.  About 25% of our general fund contributions historically come during this final month.  Your tithes and offerings to the general fund are essential, as they fund the life and ministry of our church.  Thank you for being a generous church, and last Sunday’s great outreach event reminded me of the blessing that you are.  We were only able to offer ministry like that to our entire community because of your continued stewardship.  May we each continue to shine our light for Jesus Christ in these coming weeks, as we celebrate that the Light has come.  I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

I’m looking forward to being back with you in worship this weekend.  I’m currently wrapping up my Israel trip and looking forward to telling you more about it in Austin.  It has been a phenomenal experience, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it once again with many of you next year.  A trip like this changes the way you view Scripture.  It is thrilling to see the words of the Bible come alive in person in the Holy Land.   As a reminder, registration is now open for our November 2023 trip, and you can learn more about it and put down your deposit HERE.

It’s going to be a big Christmas weekend here at ABC.  We’re pressing on to week two of our sermon series, “The First Songs of Christmas.”  Over the course of this study, we’ll get to examine those first songs of praise recorded during that first Christmas season.  We’ll study the songs of Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, the Angels, and Simeon as recorded in Luke chapters 1-2.  I want to thank Dr. Gillum for delivering a great sermon last weekend, and I’m excited to see how God will continue to prepare our hearts during this advent season.

This Sunday is also our special community event, “The Sights and Sounds of Christmas.”  I’m thrilled to see our choir, orchestra, and music ministry come together for an amazing time of worship at 3pm and 6pm.  In between those two concerts, we’ll have a family friendly Christmas festival at 4pm featuring a snow slide, inflatables, ice sculpting, cookie decorating, hot chocolate and more.  This event is the perfect opportunity for you to invite a neighbor or friend to join you.  I’m confident that they will have an incredible experience, but most importantly, they will get to hear the hope of Jesus Christ through message and song.

Don’t miss the opportunity to shine your light this Christmas season.  Many in our city are disconnected from the Lord and the church, but Christmas gives us a divine opportunity to reach out in a fresh way to those who are around us.  This is the season of light, so “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).  Begin praying for your neighbors, colleagues, and friends, and then invite them to come experience Christmas at ABC.  One simple invitation can change a person’s life.

As we press on this December, I do want to thank you for your continued generosity.  Weekends of ministry like this are only possible because of your faithful stewardship and partnership in ministry.  As we approach year end giving, I encourage you to continue in that spirit of generosity and join me in prayer that God will continue to meet our needs so we can serve as that city on a hill that he has called us to be.  I look forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

I hope you had a restful thanksgiving and are preparing for all that God is going to do this Christmas season.  We are going to have a spectacular December here at ABC, and I hope you plan to be a part of it each week.  This Sunday, we are kicking off our new Christmas sermon series, “The First Songs of Christmas.”  In this series, we will examine Luke chapters 1-2 to study the first songs of praise that were sung during that first Christmas season.  Additionally, ABC Kids will be having a “Polar Express Sunday,” and we’ll have hot chocolate available for all to enjoy this weekend.

This Sunday, Dr. Matt Gillum will be kicking off our series because, as you know, I am currently in the Holy Land.  It has been a phenomenal experience so far to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples.  Over the course of this trip, I’ll get to see where the Christmas story began right there in Bethlehem.  Additionally, I’ll get to experience some phenomenal Biblical sites including Jericho, the Mount of Olives, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem.  We’ll float the Dead Sea, see the Valley of Armageddon, the empty Garden Tomb and so much more.

I’m on this trip for two primary purposes this week.  First, I’m taking this trip for my own spiritual development.  This is my first trip to Israel, and I know this experience will help me better understand and teach the Scriptures.  It’s incredible to see the Bible come alive in person, and I am confident that God will use this entire experience to grow my faith and enhance my ministry to you.  But secondly, I am here in Israel to prepare myself to lead a group from ABC in 2023.  I’m having a great time partnering with another Pastor and getting to sit under his solid teaching and leadership this week.  I’m also enjoying getting to work with Signature Tours, who will be coordinating our own trip next year.

With all of that in mind, I’d like to invite you to join me for a 10-day tour on November 5-14, 2023.   This truly will be a trip of a lifetime, and I encourage you to prayerfully consider joining me for this discipleship experience.  Information and registration is already online HERE.  Consider putting down your $500 deposit this holiday season to secure your spot for 2023.  Additionally, this Israel tour may be the perfect Christmas gift for you to consider giving this month.  I can’t wait to come back next year and see God’s Word come alive in your eyes as well.

I’m already looking forward to what God has in store for our group next November.  I encourage you to continue to pray for me, but also pray whether God may be leading you to join me in the Holy Land next year.  I’ll miss you this Sunday, but I know you will be blessed by your time of worship and fellowship together.  I look forward to seeing you back in Austin next week.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

It is great to welcome back our mission team from South Texas!  As many of you know, we sent a group of men to build a new home for a family of 12 in Penitas, Texas.  We actually began this mission project months ago through our first ever “Project Homebuild.”  Over 100 ABC volunteers rolled up their sleeves during the month of August to build the framing for this home inside our own church.  That structure was then disassembled into sections and shipped to its final destination in South Texas.  For the past week and a half, 20 ABC men gave up their time and money to go finish the job.  Not only did they reassemble the framing, but they finished the entire exterior of the home!  They then went on to complete all the plumbing and electrical installations as well.  Pretty amazing accomplishment for 9 days of work.  Most importantly, they got to meet and spend time with the Quintanna family.  We now pray that this home will be a blessing for this sweet family for many years to come.

I love these kinds of stories because that is what the church is supposed to be about.   The Bible tells us, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  Jesus Christ laid aside his interests to take on our interests.  He did not come to earth to be served, but rather to serve us.  As Christ followers, we must strive to walk in his likeness.  Every day, we have opportunities to lay down our own lives for the sake of others.  I encourage you to maintain that heart of service.  God wants to use you, and I believe he gives you opportunities every day to be his hands and feet.  However, our hearts must remain soft and responsive to his invitation.

This weekend, you will have another unique opportunity to serve our church.  Christmas will be officially in full swing after our worship services.  Volunteers will begin flooding our hallways with Christmas trees and beautiful decorations.  I encourage you to consider rolling up your sleeves and joining us in the effort.  Additionally, this weekend is “Lottie Moon Sunday.”  We are launching our Christmas missions offering, and you will have an opportunity to give above and beyond your tithes to support missionaries around the world.  We are also welcoming Dr. Todd Lafferty as our special guest speaker in worship.  Dr. Lafferty serves as the Executive Vice President and COO of the International Mission Board.  He will give us a great message about what God is doing around the world and how we can be a part of it.

I encourage you to join us this weekend and make the same commitment that we heard from Nehemiah: “We will not neglect the house of our God” (Nehemiah 10:39).  Don’t neglect meeting together, but instead commit to worship in the house of the Lord.  Don’t neglect giving your tithes and offerings, but instead commit to year end giving.  Over 25% of our church’s contributions are received during these final few weeks, so I encourage you to approach this season with generous hearts just as Christ has been generous to us.   Join me in prayer that God will continue to use ABC to meet the needs of others in our city, our state, and around the world for many years to come.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

I hope you would agree that it was a great weekend of worship at ABC!  I want to publicly thank Nathan Wood for delivering a fantastic message last Sunday.  It was a great blessing to “sit in the pew” and be fed after coming back from a long week out of the country.  And it was easy to do so because of the confidence that I have in Nathan and our entire staff.  It is a blessing to Pastor a church that has a strong staff team, filled with gifted and capable servant-leaders.  I find great joy in watching God continue to develop each of them in their unique giftedness and callings.

In the Scriptures, the apostle Paul took great joy in watching those under him grow up into Christian maturity.  He famously mentored young Timothy and entrusted to him a high-level pastoral position.  But Paul also warned Timothy to not get lackadaisical in his giftedness . Instead, he told him to, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).  Timothy is exhorted to reach his potential in ministry.  He’s called to maximize his spiritual gifts, not neglect them.  He’s commanded to grow in his dedication to the Lord, and not to become complacent.  Paul says if he will remain faithful to his calling, something special will happen in his life: people will see his progress.  Spiritual growth is not a secret that we can keep.  When we faithfully walk in God’s purposes for our lives, people will begin to take notice.

As Christians, we have each been entrusted with at least one spiritual gift just like Timothy (1 Peter 4:10, Eph 4:7-8).  Further, we have also been called by God to exercise those gifts and develop them over time.  When we do this successfully, people begin to see spiritual progress in our lives.  They begin to see God moving through us in practical ways, and they can see the impact that we are making on the lives of those around us.  Our families notice the life change, our workplaces notice the life change, and our fellow church members will certainly notice it as well.   My question for you to consider this week is simple: Do you think others around you can see spiritual progress in your life? 

If the answer is “yes,” then praise the Lord!  Continue to practice and immerse yourself in those things.  But if the answer is “no,” ask yourself what specifically needs to change?  Perhaps you have let your gifts go dormant and you need to start exercising them again.  Or maybe others aren’t seeing God work through you because you aren’t letting Him work in you each day (John 15:5). Perhaps it is because you have set aside your spiritual calling to focus all your time and energy on other things that are calling for your devotion.  If any of this is the case , the good news is it can change today and you too can begin to make progress in your spiritual journey.

In sports, we all appreciate a good comeback story.  Every year, there seems to be a team that does not start well, but somehow, they begin to build momentum and finish their season strong.  Of course, this never happens by accident.  Behind the scenes, those comeback teams practiced incredibly hard.  They immersed themselves in the exercise of their athletic gifts and built lasting discipline.  And because they were faithful to those things, they started to perform differently and others began to take notice.  I encourage you to take Paul’s advice.  Practice these spiritual things.  Immerse yourself in them.  Steward your time, talent, and treasure for the glory of God.  As you do so, I’m confident that you will begin to see a difference in your own life.  But I’m also confident that others will begin to see that difference each day.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday in worship.  Invite a friend this week, and continue to invest your life in what God is doing here at ABC.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

If you haven’t heard, we currently have a large team of AV professionals working tirelessly to install a brand new custom designed PA system inside our worship center.  I find it appropriate that these men are putting their hands to work while we are studying Nehemiah and the Israelites do the same.  I’m so thankful for these men and this AV project because I believe their good work will indeed make a difference in the life of our church. 

I do want to thank you for your good work in this project as well.  The audio overhaul is only possible because of your continued generosity.  Your faithful tithes and offerings have made this project a reality.  I’m praying that God will continue to provide in His timing and that this will be the first of several technological upgrades.  In the coming months and years, we want to shift our attention from audio to some much-needed upgrades in our video, lighting, and online broadcast ministries.  I believe each of these upcoming enhancements will better equip us to communicate the Gospel with excellence and reach more people for Jesus Christ in our city and around the world. 

I want to encourage you to continue being a difference maker this week.  As we learned last Sunday, it takes a team to build something special and God has invited each of us to be a part of the work.  One practical way you can join the team this week is by partnering with us for our upcoming Trunk or Treat.  This event is one of our favorite outreaches every year, and it will certainly take a team to make it a success.  Consider donating candy on Sunday morning, so we can bless the children in our community.  We also need more volunteers and more cars signed up, so prayerfully consider how you can be a part of the excitement that evening.  Most importantly, think about who you can invite to join us for the special event.  Trunk or Treat is the perfect opportunity to invite a young family to come and experience the love and fellowship of our church.

I encourage you to continue to invite and invest here at ABC.  God is building something special, and I know He wants to use you to make a difference.  May we each respond like the Israelites last week: “And they said, ‘Let us rise up and build.’ So they strengthened their hands for the good work” (Nehemiah 2:18b).  Let’s rise up this week and walk in the good works He has planned for us..

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Every time I go on a road trip, I find myself making the same stop.  It does not matter the direction I’m driving, I will usually pull over to walk into a Buc-ee’s convenience store.  Of course, I’m not the only one making that stop.  Many of you are making that stop with me because the stores are always packed.  Thousands of people flood through their doors every day for their wide variety of goods, clean restrooms, and fresh coffee.  While all those things are signature marks of the Buc-ee’s experience, I would contend one other thing stands out: their customer service.  They have hands and feet everywhere, and I usually find myself loudly welcomed as I walk through the doors.  There may be hundreds of people around me, but their staff is trained to acknowledge a guest and welcome them in.

Many churches could take cues from a convenience store.  Church buildings can likewise feel crowded with lots of people quickly rushing in, and without trained intentionality people will undoubtedly be overlooked.  It’s easy for people to get lost in the shuffle and never be greeted in a church.  This happens in many places, but I’m thankful that our church family has always worked hard to exercise genuine hospitality.  I watch it every weekend as I see strangers being greeted at the front doors.  I watch families being walked down the hallways and introduced to the children’s areas.  I watch staff and BFG leaders lovingly follow up during the week with guests who fill out visitor cards.  I believe this this open-armed spirit honors the Lord as Paul instructs us, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).

We are seeing more and more guests walk through our doors every Sunday.  I’m so thankful that God is bringing new people into our church family, and if you are new, let me be the first to say, “welcome home.”  But as our church grows, our need for hospitality will only increase as well.  I encourage you to not walk into our building with blinders on this Sunday.  Yes, we all naturally want to connect with our friends, family, and BFG class members.  However, we must remind ourselves that there are people around us who likewise need a connection.

The truth is church can be a terrifying place for someone who is new.  We forget this when we become established in a church body because it feels like home to us.  We thankfully become comfortable, but we also sometimes forget that there are others who are uncomfortable around us.  We can miss the people who are unfamiliar with the building and feel like they do not know anyone.  Oftentimes these same people are also wondering, “will I fit in here?”  Sometimes, they feel overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start on making a connection.  This is why it has to start with us as the church.  We must have our heads on a swivel every Sunday, mindful of those that God has placed around us. 

Ask yourself how many new people did you meet last Sunday?  If the answer is zero, I would contend that is a problem.  Even if it was just a couple people, I would still say that you are missing out on an opportunity that God has given you.  God places new people around us every weekend, and we must be on mission to welcome them for the glory of God.  Look for someone you do not know and take the time to introduce yourself.  Encourage someone to join you in your BFG. Invite someone to sit with you in worship.  Ask someone how their week was and demonstrate genuine care for their life.  God has blessed us with new people, so we must be faithful to steward that blessing well. 

May we continue to “be kind to one another and tenderhearted” just as Christ has been kind and tenderhearted to us (cf. Ephesians 4:32).  I look forward to welcoming you, and others, in worship this weekend.  Invite someone to come with you, and invest into what God is doing at this city on a hill.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer