Pastor celebrated 4,000 first-time decisions for Christ during the recent “At the Movies” series and called new believers to their next step: water baptism–“the starting line, not the finish line.”
Launches “Fight the Good Fight,” a nine-week verse-by-verse walk through 2 Timothy, shifting the church from “reaching wide” to “growing deep”–the church is “not in the crowd business but in the disciple business,” and disciples love the Word of God.
Today’s text, 2 Timothy 1:1-5, opens Paul’s final letter, written from the Mamertine Prison in Rome to his “dear son” Timothy.
Big idea: to one day say “I have fought the good fight,” we must walk as disciples–taking concrete steps, rooted in mentoring relationships, family faith, and the secure love of our heavenly Father.
Pastor Josh continues Lake Pointe’s Acts series, “There Is More: Endgame,” by tracing Paul’s declaration before the Sanhedrin: “I have fulfilled my duty to God with a good conscience to this day.”
The weekend also celebrates the largest baptism weekend in the church’s history, with around 700 people publicly identifying with Christ.
The sermon defines conscience, explains why it matters, and walks through four biblical conditions of the conscience: good, defiled, seared, and weak.
The message moves from teaching to direct response, calling listeners to examine their conscience before God and obey Jesus publicly.
Leader opens with a personal update: son (22, Marine Corps, Camp Pendleton) placed on higher-alert status; unit itself non-deployable but he could be re-assigned. Group thanks members for earlier texts and prayers.
Ice-breaker: “When you’re driving, would you rather be lost and moving or know where you’re going but be stuck in traffic?” – designed to explore control, patience, and adventure before linking to the Bible text.
