Once a year, we set aside a Sunday to talk about Lakeside. If you are NEW to Lakeside, we want you to know what kind of church this is. But if you are a REGULAR attender, or a MEMBER, we want something more. We want you to be ALL IN. At the end of this service we are asking members to stay seated for a few minutes to receive an annual report and to affirm our slate of elders and trustees for the upcoming year.
1. Lakeside is Jesus-centered
Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV) says, "Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."
Jesus is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Genesis 1:1 says that God created the universe by his word. Hebrews 1:3 says that God sustains the universe by his word! What's true of the universe is true for us. It is true that we were created by Jesus, and for his pleasure. And God sustains us by his word. Apart from Jesus, our lives spiral into chaos and pain. But in Jesus, we are being reconciled, redeemed, and renewed.
The one overarching purpose of Lakeside is to help people FIND, FOLLOW, and BEAR FRUIT for Jesus. If we fail to give people Jesus, we fail them in worse possible way.
2. Lakeside is Elder-led
1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) says, "Let the elders who rule well (direct the affairs of the church) be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching."
Some churches are governed by a dominant personality-- a patriarch, a matriarch, or a charismatic pastor. Some are governed by denominations. Others are governed by popularly, or democratically, elected leaders. Lakeside is governed by a team of elders.
The duty of elders is to discern God's will for this church by being fully yielded in submission to God's creative, sustaining word. It's not the duty of elders to represent men, majorities, minorities, or to please men. Elders seek to please God, and to direct the church without partiality or fear, in a way that honors Christ.
Elders are not micro-managers. They're macro-managers, leading at the fifty thousand foot elevation. Elders are the culture creators and culture carriers of this church. They are men who, along with their wives, model life in Christ. They are leaders who are living well, or even finishing well. They are setting an example of faith, love, and discipleship.
With your affirmation, the elders for this coming year will be Mike Hannah, Royce Kirkpatrick, Gaylin Lack, Walter Stayton, and J.D. Stevenson. The entire slate of elders are reaffirmed every year, and can serve for a term of up to 4 years. By virtue of my role as lead pastor, I also serve as an elder. Should you feel that our elders are the best men to lead us deeper in the will of God, you should affirm them. And if you consciously object, don't affirm them. I preach, lead, and serve in submission to the larger team of elders. Should this church lose confidence in my trust, the elders must address that situation.
Some phrases that describe the work of elders are that they discern purpose, vision, values, and the principles that govern this church. They pastor and protect the flock. They discern direction, doctrine, and they take up matters of discipline and discipleship. They guide, guard, and govern. We also elect trustees at Lakeside. Trustees audit the financial management of the church.
3. Lakeside is Staff-equipped
Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV) says, "And he (Jesus) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ..."
We have paid and unpaid staff. When Mark Gannar retired from the Illinois State Police, he began serving on our staff team and was ordained. Gaylin and Ulla Lack serve on our team, building up our 55 Plus ministry. We have leaders over building and grounds, finance and budgeting, the Girlfriends ministry, the Pro-Staff Men's ministry, and worship. We have countless group leaders. We look to these leaders, and not just paid staff, as deacons or deaconesses. Men and women are fully engaged in ministry here.
We don't elect elders, deacons, or deaconesses at Lakeside. We affirm them. We don't nominate and elect someone and then hope that they will serve. The elders look for people who are already serving, and affirm God's call on their lives. We don't get hung up on titles and positions. We get hung up on equipping. Leaders equip the body of Christ to do works of service. Good leaders aren't just doers. They are developers. Good leaders embolden, empower, equip, and enlist people in the work of the kingdom. Leaders multiply themselves in others, and create bandwidth! This isn't a church with a pastor. Lakeside is a pastor-creating, worker-deploying, servant-leader factory.
4. Lakeside is Growth-oriented
In 1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV) Paul says, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
When you make a personal investment in people, God causes growth. A healthy, fully vested church is inevitably a growing church. We challenge our leaders to teach about Jesus, train people for godliness, tend to groups 10 or 50 in size, and trailblaze!
Trailblazers take people on mission. They say, "Let's go to that school, hospital, shelter, home, or dark corner to speak the words and do the works of Jesus." They say, "Let's care for that person, let's connect them into God's church, let's challenge them to take steps, and let's encourage their faith." Lakeside is a growing church because so many of you are ALL IN! Our invitation is, "Don't steal bandwidth. Create bandwidth." Roll up your sleeves and get in the game. Enlarge this church's capacity to serve.
5. Lakeside is Youth-inspired
In 1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV) Paul tells Timothy, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
In most churches there is a lot gray hair. Now don't get offended. I've lost most of my hair, and my remaining hair is turning gray around the edges! When people come to Lakeside, one of their first comments is, "Look at all the young people!" Even young people notice this! Young people love coming to a church where other young people are on fire for Jesus. But don't be mislead. Older people love it here just as much!
At Lakeside, our youth don't merely attend group. They set an inspired example. We have elementary students, junior high students, senior high students, and young adults who are leading fellow students to Jesus, then baptizing them. I attended a student leadership meeting, and a dozen youth were in a circle coaching each other on how to help their friends find Jesus. Earlier that week, one of the leaders had baptized her friend! Did you know that Lakeside is one of the top sending churches of students to Lincoln Christian University? We have students serving around the world, like Ally Howell, who's on the mission field. We have young members serving, like Brenna Byerly in South America and like Mandi Hand in San Francisco. This next generation is raising the bar.
6. Lakeside is Globally-engaged
In Matthew 28:19 (ESV) Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..."
Lakeside has partners all over the world. The scope of what we do is GLOBAL! In 2013 we gave over ninety thousand dollars to our missions partners. We translated the Bible for unreached people groups, helped plant churches, and helped build orphanages. Our website is accessed by tens of thousands from around the world. They read sermons!
Our missions team created a prayer calendar, highlighting ways we can support our partners throughout the year. On March 2, our missions team is holding an informational meeting about a trip we are taking to Chicago to help a church plant. Check your bulletin, newsletter, connection card, or visit the Welcome Center to get involved.
7. Lakeside is Generosity-enabled
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (ESV) says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Everything you want and enjoy requires generosity. You want a place to park, and you want it to be plowed and salted. You want the building heated in winter and cooled in the summer. You enjoy receiving bulletins, newsletters, video updates, and logging on to the website. You enjoy that cup of coffee and the ministry spaces that you, your children, and students gravitate to. You enjoy the lighting, stage design, musical instruments, sound system, and outreach events. Video equipment enables you, and people in hundreds of countries, to watch services. You enjoy a church with quality staff, who are well paid, that have healthcare, and are able to provide for their own families, and stay here!
Not a single thing happens without someone's generosity. The level of our generosity can accelerate the mission or stall the mission. When we show generosity from the heart, God causes good works to abound and multiply.
The general fund covers everything from salaries to utilities, coffee, youth trips, capital purchases, loan interest, and even missions. The general fund determines the octane of our homefront ministry. The caring fund provides relief to families in financial crisis, giving priority to Lakeside families. The building fund decimates our debt and reduces interest costs. This year we are establishing a parking lot fund for parking repair and parking expansion. We can only serve about 400 people at a time with our existing parking. You can give by using our envelope system. At the welcome center, you can set up automated giving by check, debit, or credit. You may not like it that Lakeside is a generosity-enabled church, but it's the only kind of healthy church there is, and it's the only kind of church you'll ever attend.
8. Lakeside is Spirit-reliant
Zechariah 4:6 (ESV) says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts."
We believe that with God, all things are possible! Prayer undergirds everything we do here. In prayer, we're asking God to pour out his Spirit on this church. We're also pledging ourselves to be ALL IN, and keeping in step with the Spirit. What a privilege it is for us to be part of such a church as this! I pray that when it comes to things of God, you'll be ALL IN! Invite your friends. Invest time, talents, and treasure here. Be an influence!
Our worship team will now lead us in song. At the end of the service, we'll share an annual report on the state of the church and affirm our 2014 elders and trustees.