Lakeside Community Presbyterian Church

I know that many of you are reading through the Bible with others using The Bible Recap plan. Well, in just a few days, we will be passing the half-way mark. It is exciting to think that we have been reading the Bible together for half-of-a-year.

I will say that it has been great meeting weekly with others discussing what we have read. There has been great interactions and interesting comments each time we have gathered (I have been a part of the group that is meeting by Zoom each week).

You may be thinking, “I wanted to read the Bible this year, but I didn’t get started on time!” Let me say that starting now, at the start of the July, is a great time to begin. It is the half-way mark and you can read through the rest of the year.

The most important thing is to start reading. Reading the Bible, even if it is just a few verses, is a great habit to have. So let me encourage you to start reading. If you need any suggestions on where to start, let me know, I would love to point you in the right direction.

Love God, Love People, Make Disciples of Jesus

Our church’s mission statement above is one that many would agree with. It is a statement that should be lived out not only by a church but in each of our lives and it fits within the narrative that Jesus taught throughout His life on earth.

When Jesus was asked by one of the experts of the law which was the greatest commandment, His answer was:

³⁷ “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 22:37-40)

So, let me ask, how are you living out our mission statement? How are you loving God, loving people, and making disciples?

As the summer begins, think about how you will put into practice one aspect of the mission statement. What is one thing that you can do to love God more deeply, or to love others in a practical way, or make a disciple? Don’t make it complex, kept it simple but take a step to do one thing in one area to live out your mission statement.

As the weeks go by, I would love to hear how you are doing and how you are growing as a follower of Jesus. You can email me, text me, or we can go out for coffee.