I hope your week is off to a great start.  I just got back from Dallas, where we held this year’s ABC staff retreat.  Several of our staff members were able to get away to plan, prepare, and pray over all the ministries of our church.  We were honored to partner with Prestonwood Baptist Church for a portion of the retreat, as the church graciously opened their doors to our team.  We were privileged to hear from their executive staff, tour their facilities, and our staff members were able to spend time with their counterparts at PBC.  It was a great moment of iron sharpening iron, and our team left inspired to continue to offer ministry with excellence here in Austin, TX.

This week, there will indeed be a lot of ministry happening here at ABC.  It will all start on Wednesday night at our ABC Kids Open House.  Our staff and volunteer teams will be opening up our classrooms for parents and children to meet their new teachers, all while enjoying some free ice cream and fellowship.  Our Student Ministry will be hosting a 6^th Grade promotion party on Saturday to welcome our newest students into the ABC Student Ministry.  This is all leading to our Promotion Sunday, where we will move all our kids and youth up a grade level this weekend for the start of a new school year.  Our BFG classes will get in on the celebration through a fantastic breakfast social in the Great Hall called the “BFG BFG” (Bible Fellowship Group Breakfast Food Gala).  I hope you’re planning to come early and come hungry to enjoy this fantastic breakfast spread provided by our volunteers.  We’ll also be honoring our first graders through a 1^st grade Bible presentation during each worship service, and we will have a time of prayer for all of our students and educators heading back to the classrooms .  It will be a big day in the life of our church, so I encourage you to make plans to join us and consider who you can invite to be a part of the excitement.

I’m so grateful that our church continues to press on in ministry and mission.  As we all know, times remain challenging for our city and our nation.  COVID numbers have obviously gone up and many unvaccinated people have flooded our hospitals.  The political divide seemingly continues to widen, inflation keeps rising, and many in our country are left feeling dejected.  In some ways, I think our friend Daniel could resonate with where we are at.  If you remember last week, Daniel received a vision that was largely discouraging about his own nation.  He began to understand that God’s people were going to be persecuted and opposed by foreign nation after nation in the years to come.  The vision in fact even included a terrible disruption to Israel’s worship and the desecration of God’s holy temple.  It was a lot of bad news to soak in, and the Bible tells us Daniel was overwhelmed by what he saw.  Daniel explains, “And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days.” (Daniel 8:27a).

Daniel was so grieved by all the bad news, that he had to stay in bed for a few days to process it.  I would presume he was perhaps frustrated, saddened, and even anxious over what he saw his nation was going to endure in the generations to come.  I believe many Christians in our city feel the same way as Daniel.  So many feel stuck, as they too grieve and fear what will happen to our nation in the years to come.  Like Daniel, consistent bad news has shaken many of us up, and for some, it has even paralyzed them in their spiritual progress.  Sadly, many have been “laying in bed” spiritually for well over a year. Some continue to sulk, worry, and even get angry as they don’t see a way to move forward. And while the bad news of our land is indeed real, just as it was for Daniel, I think it’s important for us to learn from Daniel’s response.  He said, “Then I rose and went about the king’s business” (Daniel 8:27a). Daniel did not stay in isolation and remove himself from the problems of his culture.  Instead, he got out of bed and continued to walk in God’s purposes for his life.

I believe that is a message many in our country need to hear.  Like Daniel’s situation, yes, things are hard, and yes, we seem to receive more discouraging news every day.  Nonetheless, we too are called to get up and get to the business of our King.  Paul tells the church, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).  If you are in Christ, God designed you to walk in good works.  If you have breath in your lungs, God has purpose for your life. And the text does not say that we are only supposed to walk in those good purposes when we are walking in good times.  In fact, the book of Daniel shows us that perhaps good works are even more essential during hard times.  We are called to serve God and worship Him in all seasons; we cannot simply choose the convenient ones.  My hope is that all of us will get to our King’s business this week just like Daniel.  May we all worship Him with a community of believers. May we serve His church with our gifts and build up His body. May we be His hands and feet outside of the church walls, and look for opportunities to shine light and hope into dark places. And may we not allow fear and discouragement to rob us from walking in God’s purposes for our lives. God has good works for you to do this week, but you will only walk in them if you get out of bed.

I hope you are having a great week and enjoying these last few days of summer.  The start of school is right around the corner, and so is ABC’s Promotion Sunday.  August 15^th will be a special day filled with celebration as our children “move up” a grade, and we are offering all kinds of festivities to commemorate the big day.  We are hosting our first ever First Grade Bible presentation to celebrate an important milestone in our children’s lives, we are having an amazing breakfast spread for all adults at the “BFG BFG,” and our children and student ministries are offering exciting themes and attractions for that big day.  I hope you plan to join us, and I encourage you to bring a friend so they can also experience the life and fellowship of ABC.

Last Sunday we kicked off our new series, “Last Things,” which is focused on Daniel’s end-times prophecies.  I’m looking forward to us continuing to unpack these complex visions that are essential to our eschatological understanding.  You will notice that these visions will change week to week, but you will also notice a common theme in Daniel’s responses.  Daniel consistently has an emotional and physical reaction to what he sees from the Lord.  For example, remember last week when Daniel saw the four beasts, the Ancient of Days, and the son of man.  After receiving those amazing visions, he said, “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me” (Daniel 7:15 ESV).  Daniel saw what God has planned for creation, and how does he respond?  He is worried and frightened.  In future weeks you will see him also lose sleep and even get ill after he receives these divine visions. 

Why does Daniel react this way?  I believe it’s perhaps because he senses the weight of these visions.  As Daniel’s mind began to understand God’s magnificent plan for salvation, the establishment of His kingdom, and the promise of His coming judgment, Daniel couldn’t help but be moved emotionally.  Like other prophets, Daniel carried a burden for his people.  These prophecies not only stirred his mind, but the message behind them also stirred his heart for others .  I believe in some ways this too should be our reaction in the coming weeks.  Faithful study of eschatology should not only engage our minds, but it should also impact our hearts.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.  Some Christians study eschatology solely as an academic exercise, and that mindset often leads to a place of pride and arrogance.  This is because they will study the end times to receive higher knowledge and fresh ammunition for debate with others.  They often want to make bold predictions and desire to be seen as a scriptural authority amongst their peers.  But I believe God didn’t give us these visions to puff up our heads.  He gave us these prophecies to fill up our hearts.

My prayer is that each of us will not only grow in our understanding of scripture these next couple months, but I pray that we will grow in godliness as well.  I believe these prophecies have the power to transform our lives.  I pray these visions will humble each of us in the coming days.  Some conclude an end-times study with the belief that they are now an authority on the topic.  But a proper study of the topic leads one to the rightful conclusion that we in fact have no authority at all.  Daniel explains that the Son of Man “was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and language should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14 ESV).  Jesus Christ has all authority over creation, and over each of our lives.  May we all leave this study with a better understanding of that truth, and may we learn to follow him more humbly and more closely each week.

But I also pray that this study of Daniel will motivate our hearts.  Daniel’s visions will indeed open our eyes to the dark days that are ahead of creation.  The last days will sadly not go well for many.  Those days will be heavy days filled with pain, remorse, and separation from God’s goodness.  May we all finish this study with a sober understanding that people all around us are separated from God.  We should aim to help others “be ready” for that day, just as Jesus instructs us (Matthew 24:44).   Jesus invites all of our neighbors, friends, and colleagues into His kingdom, and He has given each of us the high calling to serve as His ambassadors to deliver His invitation (2 Corinthians 5:20).  I’m excited to see what God will do through each of us in the coming days as He engages our minds and our hearts through this study. Have a great rest of your week and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

I hope you enjoyed the last couple months as we’ve navigated through the book of Proverbs.  God’s Word tells us that wisdom does work in our lives, so I pray that you will put wisdom to work in the coming days.  While the sermon series is now wrapped up, it’s important to note that our pursuit of wisdom is far from over.  Experts say the average adult makes roughly 35,000 decisions a day, so we are in constant need of more wisdom and discernment.  This should lead all of us to take Solomon’s advice and “get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth” (Proverbs 4:5 ESV).  If you find yourself needing wisdom this week, Solomon simply tells you to go receive some more.  The pursuit of wisdom is a lifelong journey, and fortunately we serve a generous God that is able and willing to provide wisdom to us in our times of need (James 1:5-6).

This Sunday we are pressing on to a new sermon series titled, “Last Things.”  We will look at a subject that the church has spent centuries both studying and debating: the topic of eschatology.  The word eschatology is derived from the Greek word, eschatos, meaning “last” or “final.”  So eschatology is simply the study of the last things.  We are blessed as Christians because God provided us with an amazing amount of information regarding this important topic.  God’s Word not only tells us where we and this world came from, but the scriptures also share His plans for the world in the coming days.  There will indeed be an end to this world as we currently see it, and God wants us to understand, to a certain level, how those final days will actually transpire.

When you Biblically dive into this topic of eschatology, you cannot help but make your way to the book of Daniel.  God providentially gave Daniel some amazing visions of what is to come in those last days.  I believe you will be encouraged and excited as you see prophecy come alive in God’s Word.  I hope you come ready to dig into chapters 7 to 12 these next couple months, and I believe all of us will leave the series with a greater sense of anticipation and joy as we look to the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His kingdom.  Jesus Christ will return!  Because of that, we should open our eyes to the things going on around us and look also to the future.  Jesus says, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect (Matthew 24:42-44 ESV).  May we all open our eyes and our hearts to Daniel’s words these coming weeks, and if we do, I believe God will better prepare us for the return of our King.

This Sunday we will indeed start this new series, and I am confident that we will continue to also welcome new guests.  Every weekend we are thrilled to meet new people that are walking through our church doors to worship and experience the fellowship of ABC.  God has blessed us tremendously with many new faces this summer, so we’re also preparing for some special events to help these folks feel welcomed into our church.  Be on the lookout for our first ever “Discover ABC” dinner on Sunday August 22^nd.  This dinner is for new visitors and new members to help them meet our staff/leadership, hear more about our church, and learn how they can quickly get involved into the life of ABC.  If you came to ABC this summer, I’d like to invite you to join us, and I only request that you RSVP for this free dinner so we can prepare for you (childcare is available). 

Also, save the date on August 15^th for our first ever “BFG BFG” (Bible Fellowship Group Breakfast Food Gala).  All BFG’s will host large breakfast spreads in our Great Hall during the Bible Fellowship Group Hour.  We are having this large-scale fellowship event for classes to rub shoulders with one another, but also to provide an opportunity for new visitors and members to meet our classes and hopefully make a connection.  You may not know it, but we now have 150-200 people join us for worship every Sunday that have not yet found a BFG to attend.  This will be a great opportunity to help them experience the life of our church and get them connected into the community at ABC.

God is continuing to bless our church in this season, and I look forward to seeing what He’s going to do as we seek to understand His plans through this new sermon series.  Have a great week and I’ll see you Sunday.

It’s hard to believe, but the month of July is already winding down and the end of summer is on the horizon.  Summer at ABC has been quite the sprint.  From our Summer Kick-off Party to our Beach Camp, to Vacation Bible School and Freedom Over Austin, our summer has been filled with exciting events and impactful ministries.  Combining the church calendar with family vacations and the resurgence of tourism, I think it’s fair to say this summer has been quite the whirlwind for all.  From my perspective, every week has had something different going on, and while it has indeed been exciting, I’m also ready to reestablish some routines in my life.

Whenever I think of routines, I often think of athletes.  Of course, right now all eyes are turning toward Tokyo to watch the world’s greatest athletes compete for gold.  These finely-tuned Olympians are always so fascinating to study.  Viewers get to know them for just a few short days as they have their shining moment on the biggest stage.  However, we must not forget that there were countless unseen moments that got them to that stage.  Virtually every American is familiar with the name, Michael Phelps.  Phelps is of course one of the most famous Olympians of all time, earning 28 Olympic medals and the label as the most dominant swimmer of all time.  But if you have studied Phelps, you know that a lot of work happened behind the scenes to make those achievements possible.  He daily consumed over 10,000 calories to fuel his body with the exact nutrients it needed to compete at the highest level.  For years, he trained every day of the week, and did two-a-days three times a week.  Phelps would swim 80,000 meters weekly in practice and spent the rest of his time taking ice baths, stretching, working with his trainer, getting massages, and getting lots of rest.  In fact, he even slept in an altitude chamber to help his body get adjusted to wherever he was competing.

As you can see, Phelps didn’t win gold simply because he was the fastest.  Phelps was a champion because he sacrificially committed himself to the necessary disciplines to get him there.  It’s interesting how God’s Word frequently uses athletic metaphors.  This is because physical principles so often shed light on the spiritual realm as well.  Paul explains, “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7b-8 ESV).  Paul acknowledges that physical disciplines are important.  There indeed is value in eating right and exercising, however, it is even more important to train your body for godliness.  Like physical training, spiritual training is rooted in a steadfast commitment every day.  It is sacrificially saying “no” to the things of this world, and instead saying “yes” to the things of God.  It is pursing God’s will for your life and training your heart and mind to walk in righteousness.  Paul explains that just like athletes, we too train for a purpose: “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

Our prize is far greater than anything in this world (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9).  Because of that, we too should establish routines and disciplines into our lives.  We must wake up and pray to our Father, through the Son, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  We must renew our minds in Him and yield ourselves to His will everyday (Romans 12:1-2).  We must read His Word to hear from Him but also to be filled up by Him so we can face the day’s challenges (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  We must make church a priority and not neglect meeting together (Hebrews 10:24-25).   My question for you this week is, “What does your spiritual routine look like?”  If you’re like me, summer has been anything but routine, but the good news is you can start fresh today.  If you need some help building those kinds of disciplines into your life, I encourage you to check out our latest Podcast series, “The New Normal.”  Matt Gillum and I have been focusing on various spiritual disciplines in hopes of helping you develop those routines into your life so you can become a champion for Jesus Christ.  You can find that content here:  Apple Podcast Channel or  Spotify Podcast Channel .

Run your race well this week, and I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday as we wrap up our Wisdom Works study.

It’s great to be back in Austin, Texas!  I missed seeing you all last weekend, but our family did have a wonderful time away on vacation.  Bethany and I were grateful to spend most of the week celebrating our anniversary in Charleston, South Carolina, while our kiddos had an adventure filled week with their grandparents in Houston.  We also had the opportunity to catch up with old friends from our last church, and they were thrilled to hear about all that God is doing here at ABC.  It was an encouraging reminder to me that there are many people in other cities that pray for our church family daily.  I believe God has been answering their prayers, as well as our own, as He continues to bless ABC.

While I did miss seeing you all last week, I was grateful to be able to leave knowing that a fantastic staff would keep the ship sailing just fine.  I especially want to thank our Executive Pastor, Dr. Matt Gillum, for delivering a terrific message from the book of Proverbs last Sunday.  God has truly assembled a great team here at ABC.  Last weekend happened to be my one-year anniversary, and because of that, I’ve spent the last several days reflecting on all that God has done these past 12 months.  The list goes longer than any single article I can share, but one thing I’ve been thanking God for is our staff.   God has brought a dynamic team to serve our church family.  Our staff is filled with individuals who are passionate about Christ and eager to serve our church family.  They have worked incredibly hard this summer to equip our volunteers and to provide leadership in ministries that are making an impact for Jesus. From our facilities and food services teams, to our administrative team that keeps us organized and on track, to the ministerial team that helps shepherd our flock, I’m very proud of each staff member and grateful for their contribution to this church.  I encourage you to thank them when you see them, because the truth is we could not have had the summer we’ve seen without their A+ efforts.

This summer we’ve welcomed 50 new members into our church family and 24 individuals raised their flags for Jesus Christ through believer’s baptism (May – July YTD numbers).  In fact, this Sunday will be our sixth straight weekend with at least one baptism, and we’ve been seeing multiple first-time visitors enter our doors every Sunday morning.  I share those numbers for two reasons.  First, we should all thank the Lord for blessing our church during this summer.  We cast the seed, but we must not forget that He makes it grow (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:15, Matthew 16:18).  But secondly, I share those numbers in hopes of motivating you to join in on that good work.  Reaching people for Christ does not happen by accident.  It happens when church members embrace their individual callings and step up to share their time, treasure, and talent for the glory of God.  Reaching people is indeed hard work.  Paul reminds of this fact when he wrote, “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29 ESV). 

Paul toiled for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He worked hard to reach people so that he could “present them mature in Christ” (verse 28).  My hope is that you and I will likewise roll up our own sleeves for the Gospel .  We roll them up when we come to church ready to serve others and not just be served. But we also roll them up during the week when God sends us to our mission fields in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools.  If we commit to toil for God’s glory, Paul says the good news is “His energy” will work powerfully in and through us.  I pray that you will make an impact for the Kingdom this week, and I look forward to rejoining you in worship this Sunday as we learn how we can speak to each other with “wise words.” 

Last Sunday certainly was an exciting day in the life of our church!  By the grace of God, we were privileged to celebrate 12 baptisms in our worship services last weekend.  God has been stirring hearts in our church in recent weeks, as we now have baptized 18 people in three weeks.  Thankfully, we even have several more baptisms scheduled for these upcoming weekends including this Sunday.  But amidst that excitement, it’s important that we do not forget the message each one of these baptisms brings.  These individuals have been raised to life through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:5).  That miracle of salvation is worth celebrating, and I’m so proud of these who have boldly raised their flags for Christ through believer’s baptism.  It was a great weekend of worship and thanksgiving for all that God has done.

It’s important to note that last Sunday would not have been the same without the extended efforts of our Director of Media, Carlos Jordan.  Carlos wears many technical hats in our church that most will never know about.  But a few weeks ago, we gave Carlos a challenge by adding one more hat to his full plate.  We sent Carlos to Beach Camp with a vision to bring the beach experience back to Austin, and he did a fantastic job turning that vision into a reality through our reflections video.  We appreciate his talents and the extra hours he put in to edit a meaningful testimony of God’s work in our students’ lives.  Be sure to extend your appreciation to Carlos for all his hard work when you see him.

I believe momentum in our church is going to continue to build this weekend.  As you know, this Sunday is the official first weekend for our new Worship Pastor, Dr. Todd Stearns.  Todd and Sonya are still in the process of selling their home and fully relocating to Austin, so please continue to be patient and pray for them as they navigate through this season of transition.  In the meantime, Todd is going to begin spending a few days in Austin each week to run our rehearsals and lead us in worship on Sundays.  We’re excited to have him lead us especially on this important 4^th of July Sunday.  It will be an exciting patriotic day as we worship God with grateful hearts for how He has given us freedom through this amazing country, and even more importantly, how He has given us freedom through His Son.  Wear red, white, and blue and join us for a meaningful morning of worship.

Of course, I must also mention that the celebration truly will begin on Saturday night.  Make sure you don’t miss our Freedom Over Austin event here at ABC.  The festivities will begin at 7pm with an All-American carnival featuring inflatables, train rides, petting zoo, face painting, live music, food trucks, and more.  At 9pm, we’ll have a brief outdoor program with a few songs, a time of prayer, and of course an amazing fireworks show right here on our property.  Please note that parking will be limited so come early to park on-site, or plan to park down the road at Four Points Middle and Vandegrift.  We’ll have parking teams ready to direct you and bus shuttle services ready to assist you.  When you get on site, we will have some tables and chairs available, but folks are welcome to bring a comfortable lawn chair with them as well.

Consider now who you can invite to Freedom Over Austin.  This event provides the perfect opportunity to introduce someone to the ministries at ABC.  We want Freedom Over Austin to be a blessing to our entire community and an opportunity for others to experience the fellowship of our church family.  It’s amazing what one simple invitation can do.  In fact, we had multiple baptisms this past Sunday because their friends simply invited them to our church a few weeks ago.  Their friends got them through the doors, and God ministered to them through our church family in a powerful way.  I believe advertisements certainly have their place in churches, but the most effective tool to get people to church will always be a personal invitation.  So prayerfully consider who God might be leading you to invite and extend that invitation for all the festivities this weekend.

 “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad” (Psalm 126:3).  God has been very good to ABC, and I believe many more great things are on the horizon.  May we come together this weekend with hearts filled with worship and thanksgiving for who He is and all that He has done.  I look forward to seeing you on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.   May God bless you and your home this week.

Thank you for your prayers and support these past two weeks.  As you know, it has been a busy season here at ABC.  We just returned from Beach Camp last weekend, and now we are in the middle of hosting a large Vacation Bible School every morning at the church.  But amidst all the busyness, I’ve been proud to watch our church step up and serve so well.  I’m grateful for staff members like Derek Tackett and his facilities team who have gone above and beyond to make sure our facility is pristine and ready to welcome hundreds of children each day.  Jennifer Wilcoxson and her team are here early and stay late to keep us well fed and happy, both on Father’s Day as well as every day at VBS.  Our ministerial team including Nathan Wood, Kati Dobbs and Rachel Tovar have put in countless hours behind the scenes to make these two weeks possible.  And hundreds of volunteers have worked tirelessly to help us reach the next generation of Austin for Jesus Christ.  I’m grateful for every individual who gave up a week of their time to serve on the beach or here at VBS.  They are the true heroes, and my prayer is that these weeks have been just as transformational for them, as I know it has been for the children and youth they served.

A couple days ago I was greeting at the front door for Vacation Bible School when a young mother approached me.  She began to complement our church and said how much she appreciated our VBS program.  She explained that her family does not currently attend our church, however, she admitted she is now considering paying us a visit in the coming weeks.  She said her motivating reason was our volunteers.  She was blown away by seeing the number of youth and adult volunteers that gave up their time to faithfully serve people they didn’t even know.  She explained that she is coming from a church home that is constantly struggling to engage and enlist their people for service.  Their ministries apparently are struggling to recruit volunteers in all of their areas, and consequently, the church has become stagnant and ineffective in many ministries.

I think it’s important for you to hear that story for two reasons.  First, it should encourage every volunteer to continue to press on in their service.  I know sometimes it can feel like your efforts are going unnoticed by the world around you.  I understand that it can be a thankless task to move chairs, greet kids, or prep crafts for classrooms.  But scripture tells us that God sees your good works, and so does a world who is watching.  Jesus knows this so he commands us to “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 ESV).  Your faithful service is a living testimony to the living Savior whom you serve.  God designed us to walk in good works, in part, so that others could see the motivation behind our toil.  So don’t grow weary in doing good, but remain steadfast in God’s calling on your life to serve. 

But secondly, I share that story in hopes that it will motivate others who are not serving right now.  You too could be a difference maker for the Kingdom of God, and in fact, that is exactly what God made you to do (Cf Eph 2:10).  Peter tells us, “as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another” ( 1 Peter 4:10 ESV).  God has given us spiritual gifts so that we can use them to build up His church.  It’s important to understand that churches don’t grow solely because of preachers and facilities.  Yes, preachers and facilities are certainly important, but those things alone do not ensure growth.  There are many empty large church buildings with talented preachers that prove my point.  So how does a church grow?  Churches see dynamic growth when the people of God rise up and allow their great builder, Jesus Christ, to use them as living stones to build up His house (Cf. Matthew 16:18, 1 Peter 2:5). 

My prayer is that you will allow God to use you as one of those stones.  There is still much work to be done, and we need more pieces for this sacred construction project.  Paul instructs us to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 ESV).  This Sunday we will be celebrating some of that harvest from these past 2 weeks.  We’ll be showcasing highlight videos from Beach Camp and VBS, including several testimonies from students who gave their hearts to Jesus Christ on the beach.  We’ll also be celebrating changed lives through believer’s baptism in both services.  I believe it will be a powerful weekend that will remind us all why we do what we do.  I hope you plan to join us this Sunday and I encourage you to invite a friend to come and experience the fellowship of God’s people and the testimony of our worship together.  Do not grow weary in doing good, because the best is yet to come.

It has been quite an eventful week at ABC.  Last Sunday we prayed over nearly 100 students and leaders as they loaded up buses for Orange Beach, Alabama.  These students and leaders are currently having a big week at Beach Camp, and God is moving in the hearts of our teenagers.  In fact, I’m thrilled to report that five students have already made decisions for Jesus Christ this week.  Additionally, last Sunday was a milestone in our church family as we welcomed our new Worship Pastor, Dr. Todd Stearns, along with his wonderful wife, Sonya.  We should all celebrate God’s goodness and provision as he has sent us a wonderful shepherd to guide our family to the throne of grace each week.  Right now, our ABC Kids team is dialed in on VBS prep.  We are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of new visitors in the coming days and hosting one of the biggest vacation bible schools we’ve seen in recent years.  It’s our hope and prayer that many children will come to Christ through the ministry that will take place inside our church walls.

While all those big things are happening at ABC, we also have some big things happening in Nashville.   As many of you know, our church is participating in our annual Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tennessee this week.  This meeting is indeed annual, but of course the SBC was not able to come together in person in 2020 due to the pandemic.  That missed year helped make this year’s meeting one of the largest gatherings in recent memory, with over 15,000 messengers registered in Nashville.  I’m currently writing this week’s article from my hotel room before I head off to the final day of our meeting.  There has been much media coverage leading up to this week and I know many in the church, and outside of the church, have been looking to see what would transpire in Nashville.  To put the moment into perspective, this year the SBC issued four to five times more media credentials than they have in recent convention years.

That increase was for a purpose.  Many outside the faith are hoping to find a headline or controversial sound bite that will spread across our nation.  And there has indeed been robust discussion and debate over difficult topics this year, however I am grateful to report that there is also a spirit of unity that is alive and well.  Thousands of southern baptists remain steadfast and committed to the inerrancy of scripture, the autonomy of the local church, and the great commission that binds our hearts together.  While the SBC has indeed experienced numeric decline in recent years, our convention is alive with 45,000 churches that are committed to Gospel ministry around the world.  To put that in context, that is more churches than all Starbucks, McDonalds, and Subways in our country combined.  While that is worth celebrating, I also invite you to pray that God will give us more.  As part of the SBC’s Vision 2025, our cooperating churches are going to begin praying for God to raise up 5,000 new churches to bring us over that 50,000 mark.  Further, we’re praying that God will call 500 new full-time missionaries, giving us 4,200 fully funded missionaries through the IMB.  We’re also praying for the baptism waters to be stirred in our churches by children and teenagers.  As a convention, we are in agreement that we must each sacrificially do our part to reach the next generation for Jesus Christ.

These are ambitious goals but nothing is impossible for our God (Luke 1:37), and God’s Word actually instructs us to dream big and pray big (Ephesians 3:20).  So I ask you to do exactly that.  Pray that God will work through Austin Baptist Church to expand the kingdom, and for our church to unite in mission together.  During our SBC President’s address, Pastor J.D. Greear, gave an illustration that stuck with me.  He mentioned his friend and former SBC President, Pastor Steve Gaines, once told him Baptists are like hunting dogs.  When we have a mission, we all unite together and we are a force to be reckoned with.  But when we don’t have a mission, like those dogs, we always start to fight with each other.  My prayer is that we ABC will be united by one clear mission: to light up our city with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It is both easy and tempting to sniff out things to fight about.  If our mission is to find something to argue about, we will always accomplish that mission in our churches and convention.  But it is so much more profitable and edifying to find a mission that unites us and brings glory to the Father.  Fortunately, we need not look far for that mission because Jesus Christ already gave it to us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ 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 ESV).  May this mission burn on our hearts individually and on the heart of our church collectively.  I pray that God may pour out his grace on your life, so you can be an effective witness to your neighbors, co-workers, and families for glory of God.  Invite a friend to join you this weekend, and I look forward to seeking God’s wisdom with you through worship on Sunday.

Last Sunday was a special day in the life of our church.  I think it’s fair to say that the Summer Kick Off party was a blast for all in attendance.  We had over 400 people stick around after church for a fantastic lunch and special event.  I loved seeing folks from both of our worship services come together as one church to enjoy fun and fellowship on a Sunday morning.  I want to thank everyone who participated and helped make it all happen.  Jennifer Wilcoxson knocked it out of the park with her food services team, Derek Tackett led a great team of staff and volunteers that got our Heritage Hall ready for the kids, and Terry Odneal did a wonderful job organizing our classic cars outside.  The BFG’s showed up strong for our chili cook off competition, and I want to congratulate Maranatha for taking home the prize!  Last Sunday truly felt like there was something for everyone, and I’m thankful for all who were a part of it.  I’m also proud of many you for also capitalizing on the big weekend to invite your friends.  We had dozens of visitors last Sunday, which simply reiterated the power of a personal invitation.  Churches grow one person at a time, so I encourage you to continue to invite your friends, families, and co-workers so they can experience what God is doing at ABC.

While last Sunday was a big success, it is important for us to press forward as we have many other big endeavors on the horizon.  It all starts this weekend with the presentation of our Worship Pastor candidate, Dr. Todd Stearns.  I hope you’ve been able to familiarize yourself with Todd this past week, and he and Sonya are looking forward to meeting you this weekend.  The weekend’s schedule is enclosed in this week’s issue of The Bridge, and I hope you plan to join us for another important moment in the life of our church.  Additionally, this Sunday we are sending off about 100 teenagers and leaders for our student ministry’s Beach Camp in Gulf Shores, Alabama.  We’ll be recognizing the group in the 9am service and praying for them right before they load the buses and hit the road.  Then one week later, we’ll be celebrating our Vacation Bible School as their big week starts with a rally on Sunday June 20th.  Last but certainly not least, we’re also looking ahead to our “Freedom Over Austin” event on July 3^rd.  This event will feature a free All-American carnival, food trucks, and a professional firework show for the entire community here at ABC.  Once again, I encourage you to capitalize on this event as an opportunity to invite someone to come experience what God is doing in our church family.

With so many important things around the corner, I think it’s important for each of us to slow down and not miss what matters the most amidst all of it: prayer.  It’s easy to get busy and forget that all these things mean nothing if God is not in the middle of them all.  Proverbs 15:29 reminds us that, “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”  God hears us when we call out to him, so I encourage you to call out in unity for these things:

• Pray for Dr. Todd Stearns and his family as they prepare for this weekend.  Pray for the future of our worship ministry and that God will be honored in our business meeting.
• Pray for our students heading to the beach.  Pray that they will each have a divine appointment with God and come back fueled by God’s Word.
• Pray for our VBS.  Pray that Gospel seeds will be planted into homes.  Pray for salvation in children’s lives.  Pray for parents to be impacted by what God does in their kids’ lives as well.
• Pray for Freedom Over Austin.  Pray that new people will feel welcomed and encouraged by the unity of our fellowship, our love for our country, and most importantly our love for Christ.
• Pray for me.  Pray that God will continue to guide me and give me vision and wisdom to lead His church.  Pray for me as we begin a new sermon series this weekend in the book of Proverbs.

God’s Word tells us He can do more than we can ask or dream (Ephesians 3:20).  So dream big and ask big from our great God.  If we unite in prayer as one body, I have no doubt that we will see God do amazing things this Summer.   I look forward to seeing you Sunday.   

It looks like most of the rain is clearing out just in time for a big holiday weekend.  As you know, this coming Monday is Memorial Day, and many families are making plans for a fun filled 3-day weekend.  I hope you get to enjoy some time outdoors at the lake or pool, or perhaps a BBQ with some of your closest friends and family.  But amidst all of the excitement, I also hope you take some time to pause and reflect.  This weekend should remind us that we are blessed beyond measure to live in the United States of America.  Many today have tragically lost sight of that reality, but that does not negate the fact.  Despite all the problems our country currently faces, I still contend that we live in the greatest nation in the world.  Every day, you and I experience a level of prosperity and freedom that most of the world has never seen firsthand.  It’s important for us to humbly acknowledge that truth with great thanksgiving to our God, but we must also remember that our blessings came at a high cost.

Jesus reminds us, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 ESV).  Thousands of brave men and women have demonstrated this kind of love by willingly laying down their lives on our behalf. Our freedom is not free, and many heroes that we’ll never know paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our liberty.  They must not be forgotten, and that is why Memorial Day is so important.  So I encourage you to remember them by praying for the families that will be missing someone at their family gatherings.  Pray for the spouses and the children that are pressing on with heavy hearts.  Pray for the parents and grandparents that have gone through the pains of burying a child.  And pray for protection over all our current service men and women who are protecting us just like the heroes that walked before them.

This Sunday we will have a special time of prayer together as a church family.  We’ll be praying for all the things I just listed, but we’ll also be praying for others in the world that are not experiencing the freedom we have.  We’ll lift up in prayer our brothers and sisters in Myanmar and in other areas that are experiencing hostility and oppression every day.  We’ll also be praying for Israel as they continue to navigate through unrest in the middle east.  If you’re in town this Sunday, I encourage you to join us for this service.  One of the best ways you can honor the lives of our heroes this weekend is to exercise the freedom they protected for you to gather and worship our savior Jesus Christ.

Lastly, make sure you’ve bought your lunch for Sunday June 6^th!  We’re going to have our first ever Summer Kick Off Party at 12pm that day.  We’re treating this as a high attendance day, so I encourage you to find someone that you can invite to church that Sunday.  We’re cooking out burgers/hot dogs, our BFG classes are having a chili cook off, and we’ll have inflatables and tailgate games out for people to enjoy after church.  It will be a great day of fellowship so make sure you wear a Hawaiian shirt and come ready to celebrate the arrival of summer.  You can buy your lunch ticket right now by clicking this link: www.austinbaptistchurch.com/summer.  Come expectant to meet with the Lord this Sunday and I look forward to worshipping with you on this special weekend.