Why We Gather
My dad came from a large family, with eight brothers and seven sisters. Growing up, we would gather at Christmastime with my aunts, uncles and cousins in my grandparents’ basement, feasting on holiday goodness in rows of long tables with folding chairs.
Eyes on the Prize
It’s not uncommon to find people who begin to pursue Christ with unbridled enthusiasm only to see them falter when life gets hard. Paul had a deep desire to know Jesus more and more. That’s why he pressed on to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
LifePoint Kids – October 23
Hold on because God knows what you’re going through. In week four, we discover God’s plan for rescuing the Israelites. In Exodus 3-6; 7-12:42, we see how God’s plan started. Moses was watching sheep on the side of a mountain and saw a bush on fire—but it wasn’t...
Worth the Wait
Like most couples, my husband and I are a classic case of opposites attracting. He is the kind of guy who prints out the map and fills the gas tank the night before. I’m the kind of girl who is 30 minutes into the trip before realizing I don’t have the address. He is blueprints and floorplans. I’m the sledgehammer swinging before deciding which room we are renovating.
Heart at Home
When Lindy Sanner was growing up in South Africa, she remembers that her mother always got to church hours before service started. At the time, Lindy didn’t question why her mother took so much time to clean the church, pray over the pastors, and sing in the choir, but now she knows that it was because acts of service was her mother’s love language.
Finding Your Confidence
So many factors conspire against our living in a way that pleases God. We can unwittingly embrace a conspiracy of confidence in our lives—trusting our accomplishments to validate our worth. This kind of confidence can move us away from the sufficiency of Jesus and ultimately contribute to a wasted life.
LifePoint Kids – October 16
Hold on even when you don’t know what to do. In week three, we head to Exodus 2:1-10. Joseph’s family, God’s people, were growing in number. Pharoah enslaved them and made life miserable for them. That’s where Moses came in. Moses was born when Pharaoh went even...
The Grandest Adventure
When my fears of the unknown regarding my grandson’s future strangle me, I cling to the words “holy plan.” As great as my plans for this boy were, they could never be as great as the plans God has for him. What a promise!
The Numbers
Under the cemetery’s customary blue canopy of the burial site, there were whispers of uncertainty about how to respectfully engage in a celebration of life during an occasion that evokes tears and sorrow.
Connecting and Reconnecting Others
As followers of Jesus, we are able to share with one another the rewards and joys of our faith as well as its demands and sorrows. In doing so, we come to experience the love and comfort of belonging to a community of believers that is as concerned for us as we are for ourselves.
LifePoint Kids – October 9
Hold on because there’s a bigger story. This week, we continue Joseph’s story in Genesis 41-45, where Joseph was in prison, forgotten. Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. The cupbearer remembered how Joseph had interpreted his dream. At once, Pharaoh...
Life’s Mazes
More often than not, life’s experience can be like finding our way through a maze. We’re surrounded on both sides and in the center of doubt. Directionless. All we can see is the corn stalks. We move forward; we backtrack. We grow weary as we realize “we’ve been down this path before.”
Meeting Where They Are
For Peter, serving others has allowed his personal relationship with Jesus has to grow. He is now able to see with and feel with the heart of Jesus. He is immensely grateful for Joe Duke’s teaching and the leadership team at LifePoint for guiding him and encouraging him in his own spiritual journey.
Our Work and God’s Work
Christian growth is complex but simple. God does His part, we do ours. And part of that process involves how we treat each other. Our attitude toward each other often speaks louder than our words—especially before a watching world. And no matter our circumstances, we have reasons to rejoice!
LifePoint Kids – October 2
Hold on because God is with you. For week one, we pick up God’s Big Story in Genesis 37, 39-40. We learn how Joseph was his father, Jacob’s, favorite son. Joseph’s brothers were completely jealous—with their jealousy fueled by Joseph’s dreams that had them bowing down...
The Right Time
God is never in a hurry. His timing is perfect, even if it means that a season of pain lingers longer than we’d hoped. We don’t always get to see how perfect God’s timing truly is, but I’m grateful when He offers me a glimpse of His generous, patient heart.
A Celebration of Joy
While reflecting on my son’s beach progression from lap to death-grip hand-holding to untethered enjoyment, I noticed a profound parallel to our roles as parents and guardians.
Really Living
Have you ever had a moment when you thought, “Now, I’m really living!”? All of us want to experience that good life, but those feelings of “really living” seem to fade over time. This week, we’re remembering that life with Jesus allows us to really live. But, what does life with Jesus look like?
LifePoint Kids – September 25
You can trust that God has a plan.In week 3, we meet Isaac’s sons Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25, 27, and 28. Jacob and Esau always had a complicated relationship from the moment they were born. Jacob eventually took advantage of Esau’s moment of exhaustion. Of course,...
Fear Not
I lacked trust. It felt like there was a fine line between putting my complete trust in God to see me through and keeping some level of control over the situation. Then I realized – that’s the pride in me.
I came to understand that putting my complete trust in Him means letting go and trusting other people as well.
Teach What Is Good
Welcome to our Circle of Influence article series! As we recognize LifePoint's 35th anniversary, we are celebrating the ripple effect of more than three decades of influence in and through the people of LifePoint. We've chosen several unique stories to share. ...
A Clear Perspective In Unclear Circumstances
Experiencing hardships is a normal part of life that can cause us to focus on negative feelings and anxiously anticipate negative outcomes. During a difficult time in his life, Paul rejoices and models for us how having a Christ-centered perspective will help us to maintain a positive attitude while having a positive influence on others.
LifePoint Kids – September 18
You can trust God even when you’re worried.We finish the month by discovering what happened to Jacob and Esau’s relationship. In Genesis 31:3, 32:3- 32, and 33:1-17, we find out that Jacob knows that God wants him to return home after years of living away from Esau....
Captive Thoughts
Our minds are not immune to the battle of good versus evil. Since the devil comes to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10), thoughts can creep in that take our minds off God’s goodness and faithfulness.
But, praise God, we serve the One who has already won the war over evil.
All for One
My husband and I had recently decided to be baptized. However, I agreed to this before learning what a public spectacle the celebration would be.
Your Lens for Seeing Life
Like the lens of our eyes (or eyeglasses), we all carry around internal thoughts, feelings, and ideas that filter our everyday experiences and help us make sense of life. As the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Philippi, he begins by giving us insight to his core principles that help him understand life through the lens of joy.
LifePoint Kids – September 11
Trust God no matter what.Next, we discover Isaac venturing out on his own. In Genesis 26, we find out that Isaac moved to a region where he reclaimed the wells that had belonged to his father, Abraham. For years no one had cared about the wells until someone reopened...
A Conduit for a Blessing
As it says in Jeremiah, like the tree, we must plant ourselves by the water and extend our roots by a stream. When we plant ourselves in God’s presence and drink from His Word, He never fails to produce fruit.
A Conversation with Titus O’Bryant & Joe Duke
We have countless stories of God’s faithfulness to our church over the last three decades, but we believe He’s just getting started. This morning, Joe Duke sits down with Titus O’Bryant in his first weekend as our new Sr. Pastor. Get to know Titus better as we move into an exciting future of continuing to influence people to find and follow Jesus.
LifePoint Kids – September 4
Trust God even when you have to wait.For week one, we pick up where we left off last month and continue with Abraham’s story. In Genesis 15, 18, and 21, we discover that God’s promise to Abraham takes longer than Abraham might have thought. This tests Abraham’s trust...