Messages

Pastor’s Message

Carolyn and I want to thank you as a church for the expressions of love shown to us in October. You will never know how much we appreciated each word, card, or gift. Thank you also for the beautiful flowers. We are so blessed to be able to serve our Lord alongside you here at Lynn Garden Baptist Church.

I’m looking so forward to our time of revival this month. I hope you will make a special effort to be here each Sunday evening in November for our revival services.

Revival is a word that churches often use. The word revive means to restore something to its original condition. A lot of people today like to restore old cars and trucks and are real sticklers about original paint and original parts. Spiritually speaking, to be revived means to get back to God’s original design. While we have scheduled services each Sunday evening this month, a genuine revival is not something that we start or stop. It is something God does supernaturally.

“But how,” you may ask, “do we experience true revival? What are the steps we need to take?” First, there must be earnest prayer. The Bible says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Second, we must forsake our sins. Again, the verse above says, “If My people … turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven”.

Third, we must live in obedience to God as Christians. Charles Finney, a great revival preacher in the 1800’s once said something that is just as true and relevant today as when he said it, “The experience of revival is nothing more than a new beginning of obedience to God.” Any genuine revival that has ever happened in human history has brought about repentance in the lives of the people, acknowledging that we have strayed from God, and that we have not made Christ the center of our lives. We may believe in Him, but over time, our faith has cooled and we’ve pushed Christ from the center to the edge of our lives. We’ve become like the Christians of Laodicea, of whom Christ said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. … You are lukewarm” (Revelation 3:15-16).

We need a real revival today — not just an emotional high. We need to see God work, because our nation needs it as never before. I want to tell you, revival is not only possible; it is inevitable when God’s people get right with God.

I hope to see you and your family in church this coming Sunday and in each service of our revival!

Don’t forget to let your light shine for Jesus!

Pastor Rick

Message From Andy (Student Minister)

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?”

– Luke 15:4

I had the privilege back in September to once again speak to the Dobyns-Bennett football team during the pre-game meal that our church sponsored. I look forward to this every year, and I appreciate how our church supports this ministry opportunity!

I was talking with Kristy about sharing with the team later that evening when Luke asked me, “Daddy, did you see the one player who left before you started?” (Just to clarify, Coach Christian has to offer the opportunity for any player to excuse himself before the devotion begins.) I immediately thought of Jesus’ teaching in The Parable of the Lost Sheep when Luke mentioned this player, and I was reminded of the awesome responsibility we have to chase after the “one”. As awesome as it was to speak to that room full of players and pour into them about Jesus, I was and continue to be burdened for that one. He has been on my heart and in my prayers since then, and I invite you, church family, to pray with me for him to find Jesus and accept Him as his Savior. It is so important for us to pray for lost people and to pray for God to raise up laborers to seek them out, and it is a great responsibility for us to pray for that “one” God places before us who is lost.

This November, as always, I am thankful to serve alongside each of you as we GROW GOD’S GARDEN TOGETHER!

Andy