The Christmas season is officially in full swing at ABC.  The church is beautifully decorated, we observed our first Advent Sunday, and excitement is beginning to build as we look forward to all that God has for us this month.  When we think about the Christmas season, different words usually come to mind.  For some of us, Christmas is all about family.  We cherish the special time that we get to spend with loved ones this time of year.  For others, the word “busy” comes to mind.  We get stressed as we wrap our minds around long to-do lists and countless events popping up on our calendars.  Some of you may also think about the amazing food, music, and traditions that this season brings unlike any other. 

But when I think about Christmas, the word “generosity” quickly comes to mind.  People tend to open up their hearts this time of year.  As we humbly count our blessings, we often find ourselves trying to be a blessing to others who need it.  Many in our church express generosity this time of year through gifts.  We packed over 300 shoeboxes full of gifts to go to children in need all around the world through Operation Christmas Child.  Angel tree gifts are now starting to pour in as well, and we will soon see hundreds of white bags filled with gifts for our White Christmas on December 19^th.  Some are expressing their generosity through their time.  Choir and orchestra members have been generous with their time through many weeks of rehearsals for our upcoming Christmas concert at, “Merry Christmas Y’all.”  An army of volunteers was generous with their time as they set up all of our beautiful Christmas decorations.  We will soon see hundreds more joyfully serve with us at White Christmas and our special events this month.  And of course, many in our church are expressing their generosity right now through their finances.  Many will generously give to our Lottie Moon missions offering, and so many will faithfully give their tithes and offerings as we approach year end giving.  In fact, nearly 25% of all general fund contributions typically come in the month of December.

I want to thank you for being such a generous church.  It’s my joy to pastor a generous people because I know your generosity is glorifying to our generous Savior in heaven.  We must not forget Christmas truly is a celebration of the generosity of God.  Paul tells us, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-7).  On that first Christmas, Jesus humbly stepped away from His throne and glory, and instead, He generously entered the very world that He created.  And our Father generously gave His only son to make room for us to be adopted into His family through Him.  God has richly blessed each of us in Jesus Christ, so it is appropriate that we respond in worship with grateful hearts this Christmas season.  I encourage you to be generous this month with your time, talent, and treasure, and I’m confident that God will continue to bless you as you are a blessing to others.

Be sure to pick up one of our “Christmas at ABC” booklets this Sunday so you can stay up to date on all the amazing things that are happening this month at ABC.  I look forward to continuing our Christmas series with you this Sunday, and I can’t wait to hear from our Children’s Choir as they help lead us in worship this weekend.  Invite a friend to be your guest in worship, and I will see you Sunday at 9am or 11:11.

Last Sunday, we set an encouraging milestone as a church family.  We were honored to baptize three more individuals during our two worship services, which brought us to a new record for the most baptisms we’ve seen in a year at ABC!  I hope you’re as encouraged as I am to see more light bulbs go into our “Let There Be Light” sign, as more people proudly raise their flags for Jesus Christ through believer’s baptism each week.  I’m excited to watch that sign continue to light up, as our God continues to light up the lives of those around us.

The Great Commission will always be the heartbeat of our church.  Before ascending to heaven, the resurrected Christ told all of His followers to “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).  ABC is firmly committed to walking in obedience to Jesus’ words.  We want to see God light up our homes, our neighborhoods, and the world around us.  I pray that God will continue to use ABC to raise up more disciples here in Austin, but I also pray that He will use our church to make an impact all around the world.

This Sunday is an important weekend as it’s themed around this critical mission.  I hope you make plans to join us for “Missions Sunday,” as it will be a unique opportunity to get informed and mobilized in God’s mission through ABC.  This Sunday we’re going to have a special guest speaker from the International Mission Board.  You will be formally introduced to Brother John during our services, but he has decades of leadership experience in the IMB, and we’re thrilled to have him come share a special word about what God is doing all around the world through the faithful efforts of the IMB.

Additionally, this Sunday we will spotlight many great ministry opportunities for you to partner in.  We will have a ministry fair in our Great Hall showcasing some of the key local ministries that ABC supports.  These organizations receive both funds and volunteers from our church, and we want to give you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with their work.  They will be able to answer questions and help you get mobilized in the kingdom efforts they are leading in.  You will also receive a missions brochure in our worship services, and it will spotlight some of ABC’s upcoming missions opportunities for 2022. 

As you know, COVID put a wrench into all of our travel plans these past 18 months, and it unfortunately made a negative impact on mission trips as well.  However, we are working hard right now to offer several great opportunities for you to go on mission with ABC here in our country, and around the world.  Pick up a brochure this weekend and begin praying for wisdom on whether God is calling you to go this coming year.  This Sunday will also be the official kick off to our annual Lottie Moon offering.  We have set a church goal to raise $50,000 above our regular tithes and offerings to go directly to missions during this Christmas season.  Please begin praying now on how God is calling you to partner through this special offering.

We’ve got lots to be thankful for at ABC.  I pray that Missions Sunday will prepare your heart for Thanksgiving as our church “give thanks” for changed lives at ABC, but also for changed lives all around the world.  I pray that God will continue to light up your life this week, and we look forward to you joining us for this special Missions Sunday at ABC.

Last Sunday was a special Veteran’s Day celebration at ABC.  We had a wonderful time worshipping the Lord and honoring our brave service men and women.  I hope you had the chance to drop by the “Wall of Honor” to pay tribute to our local ABC heroes.  If you didn’t, please make sure to do so this Sunday as we are leaving the wall up for one final weekend.  I especially want to thank Christina Mendoza for all her hard work in coordinating this meaningful display.  Be sure to pass on your gratitude to her as well for a job well done.

Last week, we celebrated a big night at Midweek.  Our ABC Student Ministry hosted a special evangelistic event called, “Impact.”  Our Student Minister, Nathan Wood, and his team did a fantastic job organizing an exciting new event for our students.  They offered lots of attractions including golf games outside, inflatables, 9 square, and of course, plenty of free food.  Most importantly, all student in attendance participated in a powerful worship service that evening.  In total, nine students made decisions for Jesus Christ in that service, and several are looking to be baptized in the coming weeks. See the recap video here:

I was so proud of how our students stepped up to invite their friends that night.  In fact, our volunteer team registered 30 new guests that evening, and 20 of our regular students brought at least one of their friends with them.  I loved hearing that one student even borrowed his mother’s minivan so he could fit more friends in the car!  That kind of outward focus made an eternal impact, as 8 of those 9 decisions were made by first time guests that evening.  It’s always amazing to see how one simple invitation can have the power to change someone’s life. 

This makes me think of Jesus’ famous encounter with the paralytic man in Mark chapter 2.  As you may recall, Jesus was preaching in a home, and we’re told the house was packed.  There wasn’t room for anyone else, not even at the door.  But four friends were determined to introduce their friend to Jesus that day.  In their case, they didn’t use a minivan to get him there, but instead they took him up to the roof.   They famously made an opening and lowered the man on a bed.  From there, Mark 2:5 tells us “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’.”  Jesus recognized the extraordinary faith of these friends, and He rewarded it by not only healing their friend physically, but He more importantly healed him spiritually as well.

God rewards the faithful hearts of His followers.  James tells us that “the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:15).  The prayer of a righteous person has great power.  Yes, prayers can lead to physical healing, but they can also lead to spiritual healing.  In fact, I would argue that most salvation stories began with unseen prayers from loved ones.  Whether it is parents praying for the salvation of their children, students praying for the salvation of their classmates, or adults praying for their co-workers and neighbors, prayer is always that first critical step in evangelism.  God hears those prayers, and I believe He then opens up doors for us to lead others to Him.  He prompts us through the Holy Spirit when we are to testify to the hope that is in us.  And I believe He also prompts us through the Holy Spirit to invite others to experience the life of our church.  I would contend that one of the most powerful testimonies of Jesus Christ in this world is the authentic worship of His people.  I’ve personally seen that testimony be used by God to draw people to Himself time and time again.

My question is, “who do you need to bring to the feet of Jesus?”  I encourage you to begin praying for that person by name this week.  And I encourage you to follow our students’ example and invite them to worship with you this Sunday.  You never know, one simple invitation could change the trajectory of their life.  I look forward to worshipping with you this weekend on a special Lord’s Supper Sunday.  If you happen to bring a friend, please take a moment to introduce me to them.  I’d be honored to meet them.  Have a blessed week and I’ll see you Sunday.

Temperatures are dropping and leaves are beginning to fall.  It’s hard to believe it, but November is already here.  We are just a few short weeks away from Thanksgiving, and from there it will be a full court sprint to Christmas.  I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year.  Yes, our calendars are beginning to fill up, and yes, lots of planning and stress is undoubtedly commencing.  Nonetheless, I’ve found this season can also bring a refreshing new perspective.  As our schedules get more crowded, our minds also tend to see things more clearly.  The holiday season slows us down to focus on the people that matter the most, and on our God who is the source of all our blessings.

Psalm 77:11-13 says, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.  I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.  Your way, O God, is holy.  What god is great like our God?”  I encourage you to slow down this week and remember the deeds of the Lord.  Here at ABC, we have a lot of great things to remember.  Today I’m remembering the 47 lights that have gone into our “Let There Be Light” sign in the Great Hall.  Each light represents an individual who was baptized this year, and each baptism represents a life that has been forever changed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I remember the 130+ new members that have joined our church in 2021.  I remember our new staff members, and the wonderful lay-leaders who have risen up to serve our church.  I remember all the deeds that God has done through our ABC Kids and Student ministries this year.  And I remember the impact that God has made through our church as we’ve seen Him light up our homes, neighborhoods, and the world around us.  As we ponder His work, we should all come to the same conclusion as the psalmist: “What god is great like our God?”

I encourage you to slow down this season and give thanks to our great God.  Give thanks for what He’s doing in our church, but also give thanks for what He’s doing in your life.  If gratitude is not a natural discipline in your life, I encourage you to journal this November and December.  Every day, as you spend time with the Lord, I challenge you to write down three specific things that you are thankful for.  Your list can include specific family, friends, leaders, circumstances, resources, or anything else that you consider a blessing in your life.  James reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).  Anything that you consider “good” in your life is not there by chance.  It’s there because a good Father purposefully blessed you with that gift.  I pray that we all may remember that truth this coming season and give thanks to the Father of lights.

This Sunday, I’ll be giving thanks for two specific things.  First, I’m be giving thanks for an extra hour of sleep!  Don’t forget to “fall back” and move your clock back one hour when you go to sleep on Saturday night.  We should all come to church rested and ready to worship.  But I will also be giving thanks on Sunday for our veterans.  As you know, Veteran’s Day is November 11^th, so we’ll be paying honor to all of our local heroes in church this Sunday, November 7^th.  We will recognize our veterans in our both of our worship services, pray for our country, and we will have a beautiful Wall of Honor display in the Great Hall.  Take some time to drop by this wall, which will pay tribute to ABC’s military heroes.  I encourage you to wear red, white and blue to church this Sunday, and give thanks to the men and women who have served, and are serving, to protect the freedom that we enjoy.  But above all, give thanks to God for giving us the great privilege to live in such an amazing country, and pray that God will continue to bless America in the days to come.

I encourage you to invite a friend to join you this Sunday.  One simple invitation can make a life-changing impact on someone who is around you.  Stay warm, give thanks, and I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Last Sunday’s Trunk or Treat was a hit!  I hope you were able to participate in all the festivities last weekend.  God blessed us with a huge crowd, and it was an exciting event as we welcomed hundreds of new faces. I was especially proud of our church family for inviting their friends.  I was stopped by many families who wanted to introduce me to their personal guests.  The greatest way to grow a church will always be the personal invitation.  Thank you for being proud of your church and for taking the opportunity to introduce your friends and family to the life of ABC.  I encourage you to invite them back this Sunday to join you in worship.

I especially want to thank everyone behind the scenes who made Trunk or Treat possible. Kati Dobbs and Rachel Tovar did an excellent job spearheading the event with our ABC Kids ministry. Derek Tackett and his facilities team led well through every step of the set up and tear down, and our amazing volunteers truly made it a party!  Thank you to the 39 car owners for setting up amazing displays and going all out on the decorations.  Thank you to our student ministry for stepping up to lead games on the field, and we of course appreciate all of the generous folks who donated candy this past month.  Thank you to our registration teams, inflatable volunteers, parking team, and all of the logistics positions that made the event go off without a hitch.  Trunk or Treat truly is an ABC team effort, and I’m proud of how our church represented itself to our community.

This week we’ve been following up with our registered visitors at the event.  All guests received an email from me and a personal phone call from one of our staff members, and it has been encouraging to hear stories come back from those contacts.  One guest wrote me a note explaining that her family was hesitant to go as they haven’t been to church much.  However, she said her son “walked into the blow up area (inflatables) and was blown away.  He said that he thinks that this is his church.  They all had a fabulous time.  The cars were all fantastic, and yes, everyone was more than friendly.  My son went home and said he wants to come and wants to do Sunday School.”

Stories like these are why we do events like Trunk or Treat.  I know you will not always get to see an immediate return on your act of service or generosity, but I do believe God plants countless seeds into the hearts of our community through events like this.  We will have new first-time guests as a direct result of this event, and I pray that God will continue to light up more homes for Jesus Christ through the intentional outreach of our church.  Thank you for your continued generosity in giving to our general budget, as ministry like this is only possible through your faithful stewardship.  And thank you for showing up big to roll up your sleeves and help make our community feel welcomed at ABC.  Pray for our student ministry as they are up next and preparing for their new outreach event on November 3rd, “Impact.”  We are praying that God will continue to touch lives and reach the next generation for Jesus Christ through Austin Baptist Church.

As we learned last week from Jonah, we do serve a “sending” God.  My hope is that we will continue to go when he tells us to go, because if we do, I believe our church will continue to make an eternal impact on the lives of those around us.  “For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be glory forever.  Amen” (Romans 11:36).  I look forward to giving him glory alongside you in worship this Sunday.  Have a great rest of your week.

It was encouraging to watch our church light up the world last weekend.  Nearly 80 volunteers spent their Saturday morning packing 20,000 meals for Haitian children who are in desperate need.  Then on Sunday, we saw dozens of ABC members get out of the bleachers and into the game at our church-wide ministry fair.  It was encouraging to watch folks commit to walk in the good works that God has planned for them, and I’m excited to see the ministry impact each of these individuals will make in the coming days.  Although we have now wrapped up our City on a Hill sermon series, the work of shining His light truly has just begun.  As we continue to let God light up our lives through His Word, I’m confident He will continue to light up our homes, our neighborhoods, and the world around us.

A few months ago, I was on the road for Dallas when I decided to make a stop at a gas station somewhere north of Waco.  It began as a typical road trip stop, as I filled up the gas tank, grabbed a drink, and quickly tried to get back on the road.  However, I learned that getting back on the road was going to be anything but typical.  As I left the gas station and turned onto the feeder road, I realized I wasn’t going to be getting back on the highway anytime soon.  I could see down the road that the next on-ramp was closed due to construction.  This of course led to bumper-to-bumper traffic, and I began to crawl forward towards the next on-ramp.  Unfortunately, when I finally got there, I discovered that it too was closed.  This pattern repeated itself as on-ramp after on-ramp was closed down, and it led all of us on the road to a growing sense of frustration.  We wanted to get on the highway and get moving, but all we could find was closed doors.

I believe many people who visit churches feel the same way that I felt on that frontage road.  They go to church in search of an on-ramp, as they want to merge into the life and fellowship of a church family.  However, many get frustrated when they realize it isn’t easy to move from the outside to the inside.  The truth is some churches set up blockades in front of their on-ramps.  Some churches have closed-off small groups that don’t want new people.  Some churches do not offer community events for the public and lack opportunities for new people to serve.  Some churches can have new people walk in on a Sunday morning, and no one takes the time to welcome them or learn their names. Consequently, visitors at those churches become frustrated as they cannot find a way to merge in.  I’m proud to Pastor at ABC because I truly believe this isn’t the case here.  Our church family wants new people to get engaged into the life of our church, so consequently, we offer a lot of on-ramps.  We provide on-ramps through our BFG classes.  Every week, classes for all ages warmly welcome new faces into their fellowships with open arms.  We offer open on-ramps through our volunteer ministries.  We want people to walk in their giftedness and serve in our community, so we work hard to merge new people into our volunteer teams.  And we consistently provide on-ramps through our intentional community-wide events.

This Sunday is our annual Trunk or Treat event.  This fall tradition is a great on-ramp for new people, as they get to come and experience the excitement and fellowship of ABC in a casual setting.  We will have nearly 100 volunteers ready to welcome people this Sunday afternoon with over 40 cars that will be decorated by our faithful church members.  We’ll have tons of candy for kids, train rides, inflatables, a petting zoo, and food on site to provide a great atmosphere for community fellowship.  I encourage you to not miss this opportunity and be sure to invite someone to be a part of the festivities.  If you bring a guest, stop me on Sunday as I’d love to have the chance to meet them and thank them for their visit.  If you see someone new, take the time to introduce yourself as well and let them know how glad you are that they are there. Check out our Trunk or Treat promotional video and pass it on to a friend:

It’s essential that we continue to maintain our healthy on-ramps, as we must always “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).  This Sunday in worship we will be kicking off a new study in the book of Jonah.  We’ll be looking at the famous prophet who was sent by God to serve on mission for Him, and I believe we’ll walk away with great practical application for our own mission that Jesus given us.  Be sure to welcome others this weekend at church, and I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Thank you for making last weekend’s “Go Blue Sunday” so special at ABC.  It was exciting to have the Austin Police Department’s new chief, Joseph Chacon, join us in worship along with several officers from our local law enforcement agencies.  I know they were encouraged to witness a sea of blue in our worship center, and they were so grateful for your kindness, hospitality, and prayers.  I was encouraged to hear our chief make a bold profession of faith from stage, and I encourage you to join me in continued prayers for him as he steps into this important position of leadership.  Every day, our officers need our prayers and support, as they are called to one of the most challenging, yet also most vital, positions of service in our city.  May we each continue to express our gratitude when we see them serving in our neighborhoods this week

While Go Blue Sunday was a big success, last weekend was memorable for another reason.  As you all heard, there was a big football game that took place in College Station.  Over 12 million people around the country tuned in from their homes to watch my beloved Texas A&M Aggies shock the world (and me) by upsetting the #1 ranked team in the nation.  I normally go to bed early, especially on Saturdays, but I of course stayed up to watch the Ags take down Alabama.  It was thrilling to watch the game winning field goal go through the uprights, but it was equally exciting to watch what happened afterwards.  Soon as the game clock ticked to zero, thousands of Aggies came flying down the bleachers to rush the field in celebration.  This spontaneous act did come at the cost of a hefty $100k fine, but I’m pretty sure no one in College Station cared. 

Why do fans do this after every big win?  This is a fair question to ask because the Ags weren’t the first to rush the field, and they certainly won’t be the last.  Anytime a team experiences a big victory, people can’t seem to keep themselves from exiting their chairs.  It seems that when we see big things happening, we naturally desire to be a part of the moment.  I believe this should be the same in our spiritual lives as well.  When we see God doing big things in our midst, we should all be rushing to the field to be a part of it.  I do believe God is doing big things at ABC.  Every week, we are seeing new people come through our doors, new members joining the church, and we are continually seeing more light bulbs go into our sign.  In fact, by the grace of God, we could have the best baptism year in church history by year’s end.  Our kids and student ministries are growing, people are getting connected in our BFG’s, and lives are being touched through our prayer and cares ministries.  We’re packing 20,000 meals for Haiti this Saturday, we’ve got a big community event coming up with Trunk or Treat, and lots more is on the horizon.  God is blessing our church with many victories, and this weekend we’re going to give you an opportunity to “rush the field.”

Following each of our services, we’re going to offer a church-wide ministry fair in the Great Hall.  The purpose of this event is to showcase the many ways you can get out of the bleachers and into the game.  All our major ministry areas will have tables with staff and volunteers ready to answer your questions and help you find the right place to use your spiritual gifts.  Paul explains, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1 Corinthians 12:4-5).  If you are in Christ Jesus, God has empowered you with at least one spiritual gift, and that gift was given to you for the glory of God and the good of others.  God wants to mobilize His people to build up His church and expand the Kingdom here in Austin, Texas.  My question is, are you willing to answer His call, or are you going to stay put in the bleachers?  It’s so much more exciting to get on the field and play.  And as our church continues to grow, so do our ministry needs so we need everyone to prayerfully consider how they can help build up this City on a Hill.  I encourage you to begin praying in anticipation for this Sunday, and I can’t wait to see what God is going to do as more and more people transition from spectators to participants on the field.  God bless you and your home, and I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday.