“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  On this Memorial Day Weekend, we give honor to the many men and women who have laid down their lives to protect our freedom.  We must never forget that freedom always comes at a high cost. 

Jesus Christ laid down his own life to set us free from sin and death.  Many American heroes have likewise laid down their lives to provide freedom for our nation.  Take time this weekend to give thanks to God for our liberty.  Pray for the families that are missing a loved one this Memorial Day because he or she paid the highest price for us.  May God bring great comfort and peace to those families, and may God continue to bless our nation.

Next weekend, June 2^nd, is “I Love My Church Sunday.”  Be sure to note our schedule change for that special day.  BFG’s will meet at 9:00am, we will have one large worship service at 10:30am, and we will have a church-wide carnival and luncheon at 11:30am.  This will be a special day to celebrate all that God has done through ABC these past 17 years.  Children and Youth will also promote that day to their new grade level classes, and we will have an exciting community event after church for all ages.

Plan to wear your favorite ABC t-shirt on I Love My Church Sunday, and be sure to invite your neighbors and friends.  That morning will be the perfect opportunity to introduce someone new to the ABC family.  The invitation is simple: “I love my church, and I think you would too!”  Have a wonderful week, and we will see you this Memorial Day weekend.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).  This Sunday is ABC Student Weekend, and I am looking forward to watching our teenagers set the example for us as a church family.  We will have students lead us in worship through music, prayer, and the sharing of their testimonies.

We will also have students share their testimonies in some of our adult BFG’s, and more teenagers will be helping greet, usher, and serve behind the scenes.  Plan to stick around for lunch after church to support these students.  Our “Super Summer Student Spectacular” is our annual luncheon designed to subsidize the cost of summer camp.  Our student ministry is looking forward to going to Colorado in a few weeks, and your support at this luncheon will help us ensure no student gets left behind.  Come with an empty stomach and a generous heart as we have an opportunity to support our students.

I’m thankful to pastor a church that prioritizes the next generation.  It was wonderful seeing a dozen young families participate in our Parent Child Dedication last weekend, and it will be encouraging to watch these students take the reigns of leadership this weekend.  If you see a student this Sunday, be sure to let them know how proud you are of them and their commitment to Christ.  It is a blessing to be a multi-generational church!  I’m looking forward to seeing God work through these students in the years to come to help reach the next generation for Jesus Christ.

P.S. Save the date for “I Love My Church Sunday!”  June 2^nd will be a special day in the life of our church.  We will have BFGs at 9am, one large worship service at 10:30am, and a church wide cookout and carnival at 11:30am.  It is the perfect opportunity to invite someone new to experience the life of our church.  The invitation is simple: “I love my church, and I think you would too.”  Grab some invite cards this Sunday and get out to your neighborhood next week.  I look forward to seeing you at 8:45am or 11:15am this Sunday.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Mother’s Day weekend is here!  I want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms who make ABC such a special place.  You are a blessing to your family, and you are a blessing to this church family.  We are looking forward to celebrating you this Sunday in both of our worship services.

As part of the celebration, we will recognize twelve young families that are participating in our Parent Child Dedication.  We are proud of these moms and dads who are publicly committing to raise their children in Christ-centered homes.  I am thankful to pastor a multi-generational church that lovingly encourages and supports these young families as they embark on this exciting journey of parenthood.

Our worship services will also feature a special video tribute from our children, a Mother’s Day message, and we will have flowers and a photo spot available for moms after the services.  Be sure to bring your entire family for this special day of worship.  Mother’s Day also offers the perfect opportunity to invite moms from your neighborhood to come and worship with their families on this special day of recognition.

Proverbs 31:28-29 says, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all’.”  I hope every mom feels encouraged this week, and I’m looking forward to celebrating you all this Sunday. 

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

“And the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them” (Isaiah 19:21).  This weekend you will have an opportunity to hear an update from our ministry partners in Egypt.  As many of you know, our church sponsors a campus in the city of Fayoum (two hours SW of Cairo) through a dynamic evangelical ministry called TC Egypt.

This Sunday we are excited to have the founders of TC Egypt, Tony and Vanda George, back with us at ABC.  You will get to watch a video report from Fayoum and hear directly from Tony and Vanda in both services.  In recent weeks, God has opened an additional door for Tony to serve as the Pastor of a local Baptist church in Fayoum.  He needs our additional prayers as he not only leads TC Egypt going forward, but he also leads a local family of faith in this season.

We are excited to send a group back to Egypt this October, as Matt Gillum is planning to lead a team from our church (please contact him for more information).  I am thankful that our church continues to expand its mission’s footprint year by year.  In these coming months we will send a group of students to the U.K., a group of all ages to Harlingen, Texas, and we will send this group to Egypt in the Fall.  I am also thrilled to announce that our Missions Committee is sending a much-needed gift to Samaritan’s Purse this week to address the current food crisis that is happening in Sudan.  This $10,000 donation will provide food in Jesus’ name for 1,000 people for an entire month.

I pray that God will continue to open more doors for ABC to make an impact and shine our light even farther across the world.  Invite a friend to join you this Sunday for worship as we wrap up our study in the book of Revelation.  We will look to the last words of Jesus in chapter 22, and we will pray with the Apostle John, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus come!”

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:4-5).  The Christian life is one of service.  Just as the Son of Man came to serve and not be served (Mark 10:45), we are now called to serve in His likeness.  I’m so excited that over 200 ABC volunteers have answered that calling and will be serving our community this weekend at ABC Serves.

ABC Serves is our annual church-wide service day.  While this certainly is not the only day we serve, it is a special day where we mobilize our BFG classes together to make an impact on Austin.  These 200+ volunteers will be serving 10+ local ministry partners, and we will have some teams deployed to the homes of our widows and senior adults to assist them with projects.  I’m so thankful to pastor a church that is willing to roll up their sleeves and make an impact on others.

I’m also thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who serve our church every single Sunday.  It is a fact that we cannot do church without our amazing servant leaders!  Faithful volunteers lead the way in our children’s and youth ministries, our BFGs, the music ministry, media ministry, greeters, ushers, food services, first impressions, and more.  If you have not found a place to serve at ABC, I encourage you to reach out to a staff member this week.  I believe God has given you spiritual gifts for the specific purpose of building up a local church family.  When you begin to walk in obedience to that call, God begins to bless you with a joy that can only come through serving Him.

This Sunday is a Lord’s Supper Sunday so get here early, bring a friend, and come ready to worship together at 8:45 or 11:15am.  Read ahead in Revelation 21, and I look forward to talking about Heaven with you this weekend at ABC.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

One of our core values at ABC is authenticity.  We believe that God wants every person to have an authentic relationship with Him and experience the joy of authentic relationships with others.  John tells us, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  I believe God wants you to experience true fellowship with believers in this church.  We must be careful to not reduce church to a mere event that we attend.  Church is meant to be a family that we belong to.

As we continue to grow larger as a church, it is imperative for us to continue to get smaller.  This is primarily achieved through our Sunday morning Bible Fellowship Groups.  BFGs are where a big church becomes small.  Every Sunday over 700 children, teenagers and adults of all ages, gather at 10am to have fellowship with one another at a BFG before or after the worship service they attend.  They study the Word together, but they also pray together, support one another, and do life with each other outside of our church walls.

If you have not found a BFG, I want to encourage you to try one this Sunday at 10am.  We are blessed with many wonderful classes to choose from, so please let our staff know if you need help in locating the right class for you.  Above all, I encourage you to pursue authentic relationships with others in this church family.  Praise God that as we continue to walk in His light, He blesses us with fellowship with one another and His blood continues to cleanse us from all our sin.

Join me in continued prayer for Israel this week.  May our nation and our churches continue to stand with Israel in support and prayer during these difficult and dark days.  I look forward to unpacking Revelation chapter 20 with you this week.  Invite a friend and I’ll see you Sunday.

Onward and upward, 

Jonathan Spencer

Our mission at ABC is to lead people into a life-changing relationship with the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.  Jesus offers us salvation from the penalty of our sin, but He also offers us salvation from the power of our sin.  I believe Jesus wants to change my life, and He wants to change your life as well.  He wants lost souls to come to know Him, and He wants saved souls to become more like Him.  We as a church must continue to keep this mission before us in all that we do.

One way we advance this mission is through short term mission trips.  We have three opportunities coming up on the horizon that I’d love for you to consider.  First, we are sending a group to Egypt on October 1-10^th.  Dr. Matt Gillum will be leading this group overseas to partner with our TC Egypt campus in Fayoum.  He will be holding an informational meeting this Sunday if you would like to learn more.

Second, we are sending a group to Harlingen, Texas on July 29^th to July 31^st for “Light Up The Valley.”  This group will partner with local churches in the valley to provide ministry to the surrounding community.  We will be offering sports camps for kids, local outreaches, and service projects.  All ages are welcome, and Bethany and I are looking forward to bringing our children with us on this trip.  If you’d like more information, you can sign up online.

Third, we have an opportunity coming up on April 27^th to serve right here in Austin.  We are hosting our annual “ABC Serves,” which is a church-wide service day.  We will deploy volunteers to 10+ local partners to spend the day serving our community.  If you’d like to roll up your sleeves and join us, you can find signs ups in any of our BFG classes.

One way you can live on mission this week is by simply inviting someone to church!  Never underestimate the power of a personal invitation.  Your simple investment in someone else’s life could lead them to experiencing the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing you in worship and as we look to the glorious return of King Jesus in Revelation chapter 19. 

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

What an incredible Easter weekend!  Thank you to everyone who invited their friends, and thank you to the hundreds of members who served in a multitude of ways to make the weekend a big success.  We had a total attendance of 2,013 for our three worship services on Easter morning, and 588 attended our beautiful Good Friday service.  Praise God for the eight baptisms and an incredible weekend celebrating our risen Savior!  May we not forget this week that Christ is still risen, and I pray that each of us will choose to live on mission for Him.

One way our church lives on mission is through our ongoing ministry partnership in Egypt.  Because of your giving, we are able to financially support a ministry center in the city of Fayoum through a dynamic evangelical ministry called TC Egypt.  This ministry center offers discipleship, outreach ministries, support groups, and children’s/youth ministry each week in an area with little Christian influence.  

Save the date for May 5^th as TC’s leaders, Tony and Vanda George, will be joining us in worship to share an update on what God is doing through TC.  We are also looking forward to sending groups back to Egypt later this year.  Matt Gillum is currently coordinating a trip for October of this year, so please email him if you are interested in joining that team for an opportunity to visit our ministry center and serve the people of Egypt.  He will be holding an informational meeting on Sunday April 14^th.

Also save the date for our Discover ABC Dinner on April 14^th.  This dinner is designed for people who are new to the ABC family.  Current visitors and recent new members will have an opportunity to enjoy a free dinner (with childcare) and get to know some of our staff and other new faces at ABC.  Registration is open for the event and people can sign up online at http://www.austinbaptistchurch.com.

I’m looking forward to returning to the book of Revelation with you this Sunday.  Invite a friend and I will see you in worship at 8:45am or 11:15am.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Christ is risen!  Holy Week is here, and I’m looking forward to celebrating the greatest day in history alongside you.  The significance of the resurrection cannot be overstated as Paul explained it best: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17 ESV).  If Jesus did not receive new life, we cannot receive new life either.  But praise be to God that the tomb is empty, our debt is paid, and together we can boldly proclaim, “He is risen indeed!”

I want to invite you to join us for a meaningful weekend of worship.  Our 6pm Good Friday service will set our focus on the cross.  Dr. Stearns and the worship ministry will do a wonderful job leading us in beautiful music, scripture readings, and we will conclude our service with a brief message and the Lord’s Supper.  Childcare is available for 3 and under, but all other kids are encouraged to attend with their parents.

Sunday morning will be a great celebration of Jesus’ triumphant resurrection.  We will offer three identical services at 8am, 9:30am, and 11am.  Our annual egg hunt will commence immediately following the 11am service.  This egg hunt is for all kids 5^th grade and under.  Keep in mind BFGs will not meet on Easter Sunday, but the nursery and Uplift (preschool worship) will be open during worship services for children ages 5 and under.  All older children are encouraged to attend a worship service with their parents on this special day.

I want to encourage you to do a few things to help us make it a great Easter.  First, I encourage you to invite!  Never underestimate the power of a personal invitation.  Many in your community would go to church this Easter if they were simply invited by someone they knew.  Second, serve others.  Easter is an “all hands-on deck” Sunday.  There are many ways to volunteer, so please reach out to a staff member to find a way to serve.  Another way you can potentially serve is by coming to the 8am service.  Last year our two later services were packed, so we are adding an early service to make room for growth.  If you are an early riser, consider attending the 8am service to free up your seat for others in the community at 9:30 or 11am.

Thirdly, I encourage you to pray.  Thank God for this holy week that changed the world.  Ask for God to use this Easter weekend to impact lives across our city and our world.  Pray for God to give me clarity in the preparation and power in the presentation of God’s Word.  Pray for all our musicians, media team, and worship leaders who will help us point people to our resurrected Savior.

It’s going to be a great Sunday.  Get here early for your service, bring someone with you, and let us all celebrate together that “He is risen indeed!”

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer

Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 

Palm Sunday is the celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  The prophet Zechariah prophesied some 500 years before that first Palm Sunday that God would send His king into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.   Jesus entered Jerusalem just as Zechariah promised, and this led the Jewish onlookers to begin waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13).  Hosanna communicates the message, “save now!”

Let us all remember this coming week that Jesus came to “save now.”  He entered Jerusalem on a mission to save the world from the penalty of our sin.  Jesus is our great Passover lamb and He died a substitutionary death on Calvary so we can live.  But the Gospel not only saves us from this penalty of sin, but it also saves us from the power of our sin.  Through faith, we have now been reconciled to God and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.  We now have a great high priest in Jesus Christ who is ready to give us grace and mercy in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16)

So, what do you need saving from this week?  Maybe you need saving from an addiction or sin that has gotten a stronghold on your life.  Jesus can save you from it .  Maybe your marriage is crumbling and needs help.  Jesus can save it.  Maybe your finances or career are in turmoil.  Jesus can save it.   Maybe you need saving from your greed, anger, anxiety, or shame.  I want to encourage you to pray those same words they shouted on that first Palm Sunday: “save now!”

Spend some extra time in the latter parts of the Gospels for these two weeks.  Focus on Jesus’ last days to prepare you for Good Friday and for Easter Sunday.  Invite someone to join you for this special Palm Sunday featuring our children’s choir in both services.  As a reminder, we are also taking questions this week for our upcoming “Ask Me Anything” episode on our Citizen ATX podcast.  As we take a break from our Revelation study for Holy Week, I invite you to submit any questions you may have from Revelation chapters 1-18.  We will do our best to answer as many of them as we can in next week’s bonus episode.  You can email questions to info@austinbaptistchurch.com or send a direct message to our @austinbaptistchurch pages on Facebook and Instagram.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend for a special Palm Sunday message and hour of worship.

Onward and upward,

Jonathan Spencer