As I was driving to work today, I noticed a few encouraging things outside.  The sun was shining brightly, the cold air felt like it was beginning to move out, and I even saw a few plants that were trying to bloom.  It reminded me that winter is almost behind us, and spring is just around the corner.  I love all of God’s seasons, but perhaps spring is the most refreshing of them all.  Especially as Texans, we are always counting down the days to spring after a few winter months filled with cold temperatures and brown landscapes.

I think our nation is looking for brighter days in general as well.  The war in Ukraine has left a dark cloud of fear and heartache over what is going to come next.  Rising gas prices and inflation as a whole has all of us frustrated and anxious.  Two years in a pandemic has left our country tired, and I think everyone is ready for more than just a spring season.  We are ready for a new season in life.  The good news is while we may be exhausted, our God is not tired.  Isaiah reminds us, “Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to Him who has no might he increases strength (Isaiah 40:28-29).  Our God does not grow weary.  All of creation may groan (Romans 8:22), but our God never does.  Instead He is steadfast in His sovereignty and resilient in His purposes.  And fortunately for us, He is willing to share His strength with us.  Isaiah continues, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:30-31). 

God can bring a spring season into your life spiritually.  The grass will turn green outside and the flowers will begin to bloom here shortly.  But the Son could also shine into your heart this week if you let Him.  Isaiah says all of us will grow weary at some point, but the Lord will renew our strength.  He said the secret is we must wait on the Lord to receive that strength.  Personally, I hate waiting.  I don’t like waiting in lines at the store, I don’t like waiting for the oven to preheat, and I especially don’t like sitting in a waiting room at the doctor’s office.  Unfortunately, sometimes we don’t like waiting on the Lord either.  This often leads us to search out quicker and lesser sources of strength.  We look for renewal through our phones and televisions, and while they may distract us, they also drain us even further.  We seek relief through food or substances, but we still feel empty even though we are filled up.  We search for relief through money or experiences, but we still feel tired when the excitement wears down.  That’s why Isaiah says we’d be much better suited to simply wait on the Lord.

When we patiently and intentionally pursue Jesus Christ, we discover that He’s always true to His promises.  He does reward those who wait on Him.  God wants each of us to mount up with wings like eagles, but the ticket to get us there is steadfast faith.  It’s reading your Bible even on the days you don’t feel like it.  It’s fighting to pray even when your mind is full of to-do lists.  It’s serving in the church even when you think someone else could or should do it themselves.  It’s going to church and worshipping even when it’d be easy to just stay in bed.  It’s so important for each of us to worship Him in our wait because God can, and will, reward our faithful hearts with the spring that we all desire.

How can you be faithful to Him this week?  Have you been searching for strength in all the wrong places?  Rest assured that God wants to give power to the faint, but you have to plug into Him to receive it.  My prayer for you this week is the same as the Apostle Paul’s: “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Have a great week, spring your clock forward on Saturday night, and I look forward to worshipping with you on this Lord’s Supper Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Our church’s mission statement is “to make believers out of unbelievers and disciples out of believers.” That statement was on my mind last week as I was preparing for last Sunday’s sermon in Hebrews chapter 6. The author of Hebrews seemed to be on a similar mission when he wrote his famous warning passages. His piercing words call for the lost to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, but they also call for the saved to press on to maturity in Jesus Christ. He reminds unbelievers that it’s possible to know a lot about Jesus but not actually know Him, but he also reminds believers that it’s possible to know Jesus but never grow up in Him. These verses are a call to action regardless of where you are at on your spiritual journey. And while his words were cutting, I’m confident his goal was not to cut you and me down. I believe his goal was to see lives changed.

Changed lives should always be the goal of the church. Our mission statement guides us, but life change is what drives us. It should be our motivation, and it is the profit we will reap when we are effective in our mission. We want to see the lost have their lives changed by Jesus. Our church must always think of those who are not here yet and aim to introduce them to Jesus Christ. People are the only thing we will take with us to heaven, so evangelism must always drive us in our mission. But we also want to see believers have their lives changed as they take their next step in discipleship. We want to see people grow up to understand the Word of God and apply it into their lives. Our goal is to see homes strengthened, communities built, addictions broken, and believers begin to experience the fullness of life (John 10:10).

The last couple weeks we have seen life change here at ABC. We have seen some surrender their lives to Jesus Christ for the first time. I’m proud of the church members who were a part of the journeys that got them there. I’m proud of those who are right now praying for their lost neighbors, friends, and colleagues. I’m proud of those who are building relationships with folks outside of our church, and I’m thrilled to see some of our church members are beginning to bring their lost friends to church. The church is not a country club for the saints, it is a hospital for sinners. The church will only come alive when each of us understands that truth, and we all begin to view the world outside our church walls with Gospel-centered eyes.

But I’m also proud of the lives we’ve seen changed from inside our church. We have seen marriages strengthened, friendships forged, and iron sharpen iron each week. I’ve seen new people step up to serve in ministries for the first time, committing to use their gifts for the glory of God. Many church members are caring for one another and carrying each other’s burdens in times of turmoil (Galatians 6:2). Some are growing to understand God’s Word for the first time through personal reading plans and commitments to BFGs. Midweek discipleship is growing, and we’ve had successful Christian enrichment events including our marriage conference and women’s ministry Twilight Tea and Testimonies event. Some have started to establish the spiritual discipline to worship through giving their tithes and offerings, and because of that, they are now partners in all these wonderful ministries that are bringing life change.

My question this week is “what is your next step?” Stagnation has no place in the Christian calling. We are told to, “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity” (Hebrews 6:1). How is God calling you to continue to mature this week? Ask Him how you can help us fulfill our mission to make believers out of unbelievers and disciples out of believers. Is He calling you to pray and minister to a lost acquaintance or loved one? Maybe He’s calling you to serve, give, or grow in a Bible Fellowship Group. I do not know what He is calling you to do, I just know that He is calling. I’m praying that you and I will simply be faithful enough to answer. Have a great rest of your week and I look forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

It was great to be back with you last Sunday!  I missed you the previous week, but my time away in Africa truly was a blessing.  Our adventure to Kenya was billed as a “band of brothers” trip, as the primary goal of this trip was to unite young pastors from around the country with the common goals of being devoted husbands, fathers, and ministers that are committed to making an impact for Christ.  Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” I was certainly sharpened last week as I spent time with these great men of God.

Our group shared some amazing experiences together in Kenya.  We were exposed to significant ministry needs as we visited impoverished villages without water, orphanages and schools that are under-resourced, and saw firsthand some of the most difficult slums.  But we also got to see some of the most beautiful parts of Africa.  We spent a few days in the Maasai Mara going on safaris to observe every animal that you can think of.  It truly felt like walking through a zoo with no walls.  We even got to ride a hot air balloon over The Mara one morning and watch the wildlife wake up as the sun was rising. 

But the most powerful experiences we shared were hearing the stories of what God is doing in Africa. One evening we heard from a Kenyan named Maureen.  Maureen was raised in the slums of Nairobi but was blessed to become a graduate of Compassion International.  At a young age, she was selected to receive sponsorship through an American family who committed to support her every month.   Their generosity funded physical nourishment and formal education, but it also gave her the hope of Jesus Christ.  She explained that she came to know Christ through her time with Compassion, and then her entire family likewise came to saving faith in Jesus.  She is now married and has a family of her own, but she also launched a women’s ministry that focuses on at-risk pregnant teens.  She devotes her life to serving 12 to 14 year old girls who are pregnant from rape, incest, or prostitution.  By God’s grace, she has saved the lives of many babies, but she has also seen God save the souls of many desperate mothers.

On another day we went into a Maasai village where families still live in huts with no running water.  For years, ladies in the village would walk 3 kilometers to the river to gather water alongside the hippos and crocodiles.  This all changed 4 years ago when Christians were motivated to sponsor a well in their village, so they now have clean water that is accessible just yards away from their homes.  We also visited a remarkable church in an impoverished neighborhood, and it was amazing to see over 2,000 people in attendance that day.  This particular church has become a beacon of hope for the area as they are the city’s hub for clean water.  People in the community come to the church to draw water, but many more have received the living water of Jesus Christ.  I was so encouraged to see hundreds of Kenyans waiting with anticipation for the doors of the church to open so they could come in and worship.

David reminds us in Psalm 86:8-10, “There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,  nor are there any works like yours.  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.  For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.”  Trips like this always remind us that God is doing a mighty work around the globe.  And the good news is He has invited each of us to join Him in that work.  I encourage you to consider how you can make an impact in missions this year.  Perhaps you need to participate in one of our 2022 ABC mission trips, or maybe God is leading you to give generously to our missions offerings.  I also encourage you to pray for me and our church’s leadership as we continue to seek God’s vision for our church’s role in international missions in the days to come.  There is more work to be done, and I believe God has bigger plans for ABC in the days ahead.  I encourage you join us on mission so that others “may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.  Consider now who you can invite to join you because you never know how one simple invitation can change a life.  Have a great week, and I’ll see you this weekend.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Last weekend was a long but rewarding weekend in the life of our church.  As many of you know, we hosted ABC’s first ever marriage conference on Friday and Saturday.  Pastor and best-selling author, Gary Thomas, did a wonderful job teaching us how marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and with each other.  I was encouraged to see the Great Hall packed with multi-generational couples who were committed to strengthening their marriages.  It has been refreshing to hear positive reports and testimonies come back from several of the attending couples.  Some spouses told me that the conference led them to talk through some important things they had never discussed before.  Others told me the most impactful moment was them praying together as husband and wife, as they had not established that routine into their homes.  I have no doubt that God sharpened many marriages and homes were strengthened because of the ministry that took place here at ABC.

I believe the momentum of the conference carried over to Sunday morning.  Dr. Stearns, Noah Hartwell, and our worship teams led us beautifully in both services, and I was encouraged by the response from many in attendance.  We once again had several new members added to the family, and we also had one gentleman surrender his life to Jesus Christ.  He explained to us that he attended the 9am service and sensed God calling him to salvation.  However, he left church following the service telling himself that he would consider it further.  But he said that he then remembered the entire sermon was focused on the idea that, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7b-8a).  He said he knew the Holy Spirit wasn’t calling him to surrender tomorrow, He was calling him to respond today.  So he turned around, came back to church, and gave his life to Jesus Christ.

I share these stories because I want you to be encouraged by what God is doing in our church.  There is a reason why we do what we do.  It’s to fulfill our church’s mission, “to make believers out of unbelievers and disciples out of believers.”  I believe we met both of those objectives last weekend.  The name of Jesus was lifted up, marriages were strengthened, and believers were discipled as we were all challenged to continue to seek His rest daily.  But unbelievers were also called to repentance and faith, and thankfully one gentleman entered into His rest for the first time (cf. Matt 11:28).  Our church’s mission statement is rooted in the great commission that Jesus gave His church: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

When we “go” and obey Jesus’ directive on our lives, I believe the church begins to see a profit its efforts: changed lives.  Life change is the motivation that should drive our church.  We want to see God continue to progressively change our own lives to look more like Jesus (Philippians 1:6).  But we also want to see God light up the lives of those who are still walking in darkness.  Gospel transformation is our motivation, and my prayer is that you will help us carry out that mission.  How can you help make believers out of unbelievers, and disciples out of believers this week?  How can you share the hope of Jesus Christ with those who are currently trapped in darkness?  And how can you help spur on other believers in our church “to love and good works”? (Hebrews 10:24).  When we each answer those questions well, the church begins to truly shine as that city on a hill.

Thank you in advance for your prayers as I head out to Africa at the end of this week.  Please pray for our group of Pastors traveling together, and pray for Bethany and the kids as they hold down the fort without me.  I look forward to joining you online from Kenya, as Dr. O.S. Hawkins delivers a powerful message from God’s Word this Sunday.  Please help he and Susie feel right at home here at ABC.  God bless you and your home, and I hope you have a great week.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Football seasons are quite the roller coaster ride.  Every team and every fan begin the season with high expectations and great hope.  All our teams start the season undefeated, but as we know, that does not last very long.  The season eventually kicks off and wins and losses begin to accumulate.  Some teams secure early wins but then start to underperform.  Other teams struggle out the gates, but then somehow find a way to right the ship.  All teams experience unexpected obstacles such as player and coaching mistakes, injuries, and bad calls by the refs.  However, some teams find a way to succeed amidst those ups and downs.  Consequently, not all teams remain standing at this point in the season.  That privilege goes to the handful of teams that learned how to persevere and get better amidst their low points.

In many ways, I think marriage could be compared to a football season.  In part, this is because marriage truly is a team sport.  Through marriage, God brings two individuals together and unites them as one team on their wedding day.  And every married team begins their season of marriage with very high hopes.  I’ve never known a bride and groom that wasn’t optimistic about their future and expecting many wins.  However, when you fast forward a little bit into their seasons, many husbands and wives are surprised to discover challenging obstacles in their home and they experience a few losses.  Nonetheless, some marriages still manage to find a way to persevere and get better, even amidst their low points.  The question is, what makes a marriage a winning team? 

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus says every home is built on one of two foundations.  Some build their houses on sand, and when the storms begin to rage, their houses begin to crumble.  Their foundation is not solid, so the wind and the floods easily sweep their homes away.  But Jesus says that wise men build their houses on the rock.  “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds below and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:25).  In the same way, your home is built on some form of a foundation.  Your homebuilder built that physical foundation for you, but you get to choose the spiritual foundation on which you will build your lives together.  Jesus tells us that He is our rock, and if we choose to build our homes on the foundation of following Him, our marriages will find solid ground.  The storms of life will still come to our homes, but Jesus Christ will give our marriages the strength that is needed to endure.

I hope you have chosen to build your home on the rock.  Working with many couples over the years, I have been constantly reminded that all other ground is indeed sinking sand.  And if you have not laid down the right foundation for your home, you can certainly change that today.  However, even if you have laid down the right foundation, it is important to note that every home still needs maintenance.  This is why we are hosting our first ever marriage conference at ABC with best-selling author, Gary Thomas.  The Sacred Marriage Conference will be a life-giving event to help couples further strengthen their marriages, so they can finish their seasons as champions for the glory of Jesus Christ.  Whether your team has been winning as of late, or perhaps you have been experiencing many losses, this conference will strengthen your home and will be a worthy investment of your time.

I hope you plan to join us this Friday and Saturday.  Online registration will remain open through Thursday (register HERE).  If you know a couple that would enjoy this with you, I also encourage you to invite them as your guests.  It will be a special weekend filled with fellowship, inspiring teaching, and lots of laughter.  I hope to see you there and in our worship services this Sunday, as we discover how we can find “better rest” in and through Jesus Christ.  Continue to stand strong on the rock this week, and I’ll see you at church this weekend.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Over the past year, Matt Gillum and I have enjoyed launching a new digital ministry here at ABC.  For a little over 12 months, we have consistently uploaded new content to our church’s podcast channel titled, “Citizen ATX” (you can find it HERE).  The purpose of this podcast is to further extend Gospel-centered conversations outside of our church walls.  Each episode features practical conversations about what it means to live as a “dual-citizen” in Austin, Texas.  We discuss cultural topics and issues with the aim of helping believers understand how to engage our city as good citizens of Austin, while still living for our true citizenship which is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).  

We have covered a myriad of topics this past year, so we chose to start out 2022 by inviting local ministry partners into the conversation with us.  Last week, we kicked off a new series called, “ATX Neighbors.”  In each episode, we are welcoming men and women in ministry from across our city to join us in the studio for conversations focused on their area of expertise.  We’ve been talking with our guests about what God is doing in their ministry areas, but we have also focused on what we can do to make a better impact alongside them.  As we have been recording these episodes, it has been encouraging to hear how God is indeed moving in their spheres of influence.  Whether it is in the lives of teenagers, college students, parents, or in home life, we have consistently been reminded that God is indeed at work in our city.

I think it’s important for us to hear that for two primary reasons.  The first reason is hearing about God’s work will show us where we need to get to work.  Henry Blackaby famously taught this principle in his discipleship curriculum, “Experiencing God.”  Christians should aim to see where God is at work and then commit to join Him in that effort for His glory.  But we also need to hear what God is doing because these stories will undoubtedly minister to our own hearts and encourage us to press on.  We live in a world where the enemy’s work gets more headlines than God’s work.  Bad news hits us from all angles ranging from our friends, our neighbors, and even our families.  We read disheartening headlines in the news, we hear painful stories from others, and the enemy’s work seems to steal the limelight almost every day.   This naturally leaves many of us discouraged, cynical, and anxious about the future.

However, I want to remind you today that God is still at work, the kingdom is still expanding, and He is still inviting you to join Him in the effort.  The apostle Paul gave this same reminder to his young protégé Timothy.  Paul famously wrote two letters to the young pastor while he was imprisoned and awaiting his own execution in Rome.  Paul tells Timothy to “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! (2 Timothy 2:8-9).  Paul tells Timothy to remember Jesus, not because he thought Timothy may have forgotten who He is.  Rather, I believe he’s telling Timothy to not forget the good news of Jesus amidst the constant bad news of their suffering. 

This is why we are being reminded through our sermon series that Jesus is better.  He’s better than any leader this world has to offer, He is bigger than any problem we may face, and He gives a better peace to anyone who seeks after Him.  We must not forget that even amidst the darkness of the world, “the word of God is not bound.”  Covid still exists, political tension continues to rise, inflation has us nervous, and people are bound by anxiety every single day.  But we must not forget that God’s word is still on the move.  I encourage you this week to open your eyes to see where God is at work in your life and in the life of our church.  Be encouraged by that good news, and then commit to join Him in the good work.  Sometimes we can get stuck, but God’s word never sits idle.  Jesus has good works for you to walk in this year (Ephesians 2:10), but you will only find them if you “remember Jesus Christ” and press on in His purposes for your life.

God bless you all, and I look forward to lifting up the name of Jesus with you this Sunday as the author of Hebrews helps us recognize the supremacy of Jesus Christ.  I’ll see you in worship at 9am or 11:11am.