Bible Classes for Summer Quarter

Today our new Bible classes begin. There are a few options from which to choose on Sunday mornings and one class for Wednesday Night.

On Wednesday nights, beginning June 6th, several men in the congregation will take their turn in teaching during the quarter.  The class is called, What Real Christianity Looks Like: A Study of the Parables.  As we study the different parables that Jesus taught, we see the grace of God expressed to people (parable of the lost son) and we see the grace of God lived out by people (parable of the good Samaritan).  Our hope is that we gain a fresh understanding of God’s love for us and we live that out in the daily grind.  This class will be in the Auditorium. Remember, the best seats are in the front.

Sunday Morning

Auditorium  The Church That Jesus Built –

Teacher, Phil Leupold

This is a foundational study for all Christians.  It will cover the basics and the deep things concerning the Church.  As we live out the obedience of what we learn, the church will be what Jesus built it to be.  “Thriving churches have the Great Commission as the centerpiece of their vision, while dying churches have forgotten the clear command of Christ.” Thom S. Rainer, Autopsy of a Deceased Church

Room #4  Costly Grace –

Teacher, Dennis Baker

This is based on the book of the same name and it’s a modern day application of the book, the Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Walking in harmony with God’s will for our lives helps leads us to effectively walk in grace.

It is not too, late to get connected to a life group.  Hosts and locations are listed in the bulletin.  If you are interested, make a connection with the leader of the group that seems to best fit your needs. 

“The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us. We have one another only through Christ, but through Christ we do have one another, wholly, and for all eternity.

 -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

Excitement is building for this new event that will take place at Delano on June 9^th.  Please join us for this unique opportunity to visit the camp and discover or relive all the things we love about Delano.  What I Love About Camp will include great food, games, encounters and praise!  Meal tickets are $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for kids 12 and under.  The menu is burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and french fries, brownie/cookies and ice cream.  There will be a 5K Run/Walk/Ride (More details about that will be available next week) and a sports tournament.

There is still a need for volunteers to help with the food, staffing the games, and the 5K activity.  Please let me know if you can help.  We also need a few people to do the shopping for the food that will be served.  If you can help with any of these tasks, please call or text me (Dennis – 253.312.7288).

I want to encourage those who are interested in attending summer camps or working at summer camps to get your applications in.  You can get an early bird price on registration if you send in a deposit.  Go to the Delano website for details and where to send your camp registration.  If you want to serve as staff, find out who the director is, contact that person and get your staff application turned in. (delanobay.org)

Delano Bay Christian Camp is a harbor of refuge for the spiritual growth and renewal of Christians and youth in the Pacific Northwest. 

It’s mission: To provide Christ centered youth camps; To promote utilization of the facility for Christian renewal and development.

-Dennis Baker

Congratulations Graduates! You are coming to the end of one part of your life and about to enter another. It’s both exciting and frightening. Where you go from here has everything to do with how you handle freedom. That’s the issue that will determine what kind of person you will be.

Will you be a dropout? Will you have a successful career? Will you have a happy marriage? Will you marry a Christian? Will your life be happy in 20 years or will you be living with regrets? Will you be a victor or victim?

Many can remember this time in their lives and can identify with how you are feeling.  A strong cultural icon of the 50’s and 60’s was James Dean and the film, Rebel Without a Cause (Google it). We wanted to be like that but time and experience brings clearer vision. Dean died in an automobile accident at age 24 (he was at fault). Reminds me of Ecclesiastes 9:4 “. . . Even a live dog is better than a dead lion.”  His short life was sad.

At a time when oppositional defiance is popular, perhaps the idea of being a rebel with a cause may appeal. You have the choice to rebel against light or darkness.  Darkness represents sexual immorality, impurity, greed, obscene speech, etc. Light represents goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:1-17).

You should know that it’s far more difficult to rebel against darkness than it is to rebel against light – because the world puts extreme pressure on you to join them in the shadows.  While weakness causes us to go against God, the world will assure you that you are a rebel, but truthfully, you’re not; you are the conformist.  Faithful Christians are the real rebels.

Lakeview wishes to honor the 2018 Grads with a reception on May 20th, following evening service.  Plan to attend and help us to wish the best for our Graduates!

1 Peter 1:3-6 – “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”  You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

This passage is so encouraging and insightful.  It reminds us that this life is going somewhere.  It teaches us that what awaits us is “more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire”.  The people and the things that we love in this life are significant, but not by comparison.  The Resurrection of Christ is what gives us this living hope.  It is a living hope because it fills us with animation and vitality.  It is a gift that is ours by because of God’s mercy.  While we live this life, we are protected.

So many things are uncertain today.  Even this morning, our joy is threatened by struggle and doubt, but do not fear.  Confusion is conquered by truth and hate is conquered by love.

-Dennis

A profound piece of evidence for the Christian faith is found
in this fact: The Old Testament announced that the Messiah
is coming. The New Testament states that the Messiah has
come. This is a powerful truth. Below is a way to outline
Isaiah 53 that brings out the significance of what Jesus did:
1. Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm
of the Lord been revealed?
2. He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root
out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us
to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire
Him.
3. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of
suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people
hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low
esteem.
4. Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we
considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and
afflicted.
5. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was
crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us
peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
6. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all.
7. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His
mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a
sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His
mouth.
8. By oppression and judgment He was taken away. Yet
who of His generation protested? For He was cut off from
the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He
was punished.
9. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the
rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was
any deceit in His mouth.
10. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush Him and cause Him to
suffer, and though the Lord makes His life an offering for
sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days and the
will of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be
satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify
many, and He will bear their iniquities.
12. Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and
He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured
out His life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors. For He bore the sin of many and made
intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53 NIV).
-Dennis Baker

And remember, I am with you always…
These words of Jesus inspire us to take up the mission of
the Body of Christ. What words of comfort and strength.
What an amazing reality. What a confidence booster for us
when we feel like we are not up to the challenge. As we
move toward bringing our Life Groups on line, what we have
to remember is; we don’t walk this path alone (see John
14:15-18.) I want us to think deeply of the implications of
this statement.
As we meet in small groups, we get a unique opportunity for
the Holy Spirit to be active in a personal way. As we walk
with the Spirit, things happen that we do not expect. That’s
the experience of the first Christians we read about in the
book of Acts. People met and interacted and the Spirit was
creating an atmosphere that was characterized by love,
gentleness, kindness, humility and other character traits that
are the result of the Spirit living in believers. As we meet,
the Holy Spirit is present and prompting and guiding. What I
say and what I do is what the Spirit would say and do.
When I enter the room, the Spirit is there.
Small groups are a place of discovery. As we are led by the
Spirit and follow the Spirit, what we discover is the truth of
the Spirit. This is what we need for daily life. The
application of truth gives the Spirit more control over our
lives and more freedom to move among us.
Small groups can become a place of division, if we interact
in such a way that quenches the Spirit or grieves the Holy
Spirit. Paul mentions in Galatians 5 that things like conceit,
provoking, and envying are not of the Spirit. Simply put, if
we are argumentative or arrogant as we interact, the Spirit
will have no room to work. If we are negative and
insensitive to the situations and feelings of others, we will
create strife.
I am with you, means, I am there among you; Emmanuel;
God with us. God the Father wants to do something
profound, powerful, and important through the Spirit as we
meet in small groups to talk about life. When people are
loved, accepted, comforted, served and prayed for,
transformation takes place. We see the love of God take
root, develop and grow in all of us. We are able to maintain
the unity of the Spirt through the bond of peace. May we
have this vision as we learn how to have effective Life
Groups.
Life Groups Change Life

2018 marks some significant changes for Lakeview.  Our new ministry wing will be completed and we are moving toward becoming a Small Group Church.  Two habits that will help us connect with these changes are being available and missional prayer.  Being available means I seek to make my calendar available to God, to be used by Him.  Missional prayer means my prayers are directed to God and the work He wants to do in me and around me.

A couple of specific opportunities to grow or serve include:

Joining a Men’s Focus Group – these are small group studies where men study and discuss spiritual truths that speak to the things men deal with.  There’s one that currently meets at the Canyon and 176^th Starbucks at 6:00 am, every other Thursday.  Our next focus group is February 1st.  Talk to Jonathan Karkosky if you would like to participate in a focus group at a different time and location.

Ladies Prayer Group – Every second Saturday at 10:00 am, several ladies meet at the Church building in Room 2 to pray about personal, family, social and spiritual matters that concern all of us.

We need someone to maintain the Reader Board on our sign.  Talk to Jim or Dennis if you’d like to serve in this task of a communication ministry.

Helping feed homeless people in our neighborhood.  You may have noticed  there are many more homeless people in Parkland and Spanaway.  Giving warm food and a kind word can help.  Talk to Dennis if you can help with this or need more information.

“But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had murdered by hanging Him on a tree.  God exalted this man to His right hand as ruler and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.  We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  Acts 5:29-32

As Peter is explaining why they are doing what they are doing, after they have been told not to, he teaches us three important facts that should motivate every believer when they feel doubt or attack.  The First Fact is, God Raise Jesus from the dead.  In doing this he gave us an option that confirms the value of life and God’s power to direct it.  The Second Fact is, Jesus was raised to be King and Savior.  He has established His right to rule and those who follow Him are victorious.  The Third Fact is, Jesus offers the final solution to the human problem.  The guilt and baggage we carry is the result of sin.  As subjects of the King, we have forgiveness and can offer forgiveness. 

This freedom from fear, oppression and guilt pushes us to live in a way that brings our King honor and motivates us to share this freedom with others.  Peter explains that they are obligated to teach to truth of Jesus.  Even after being warned not to, because of the compelling way God honored their obedience, they had no choice.  May we capture that boldness and sense of purpose.  We are on the winning team.  Run to win the prize.

-Dennis

Spiritual growth of believers is the goal of the New Testament Church. The church as a whole should be fulfilling the Great Commission of making disciples by baptizing and teaching. That means that individual activity should contribute to the goal. If we are Christians, we are already saved. What follows is the process that enfolds in the life of the growing disciple. As we grow as individuals, we should keep these four truths in mind:

Growth is possible.

Every believer has an opportunity and potential to experience spiritual growth. God wants to mature all believers. No one is left out of that plan. If someone is not growing spiritually, there is a reason.

People are responsible for their spiritual growth.

Growth occurs best in community.

Many have expressed that significant spiritual growth happened in the context where people are engaged in committed, healthy and intentional relationships with other believers wanting to mature. Iron does sharpen iron. Disciples make disciples. If you want to grow spiritually, consider who should be on your team or group committed to making disciples.

Having a personal desire for spiritual growth is the key.

While these principles reflect biblical truth, they are not a magic formula, but simply a guide that sets out a strategy to follow. If we aim high, we will certainly be close to this goal which for many is far off, but definitely preferable.

-Dennis