This Weekend's Message: Love Celebrated

Sex permeates our culture. It shows up in advertising, on TV shows, in the lyrics of mainstream songs, on the Internet, in locker room conversations, and in women’s magazines. Our culture has become entirely casual about the subject of sex. It is no big deal to talk about it, and it is no big deal if everyone is experiencing it. Sex outside of marriage is no big deal, pornography is no big deal, and one-night stands are no big deal. Our bodies, our choices, our business.

 Sex is so casual in our culture that it is a topic of conversation just about everywhere. Except church. Far from being casual about sex, the subject is normally off-limits in Christian circles. This leads to perceptions, both inside and outside the church, that sex is vulgar. It may be okay within marriage, but it certainly is not something to be celebrated.

The subject is avoided whenever possible, and the only exceptions tend to be when we tell people not to do it. The Bible critiques both of these views of sex. Sex is not casual, but it is also certainly not vulgar. It is a wonderful gift of God. And Song of Songs is going to show us that, in its appropriate context, sex is to be celebrated.

Dan

Youth Serving

By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries 

In December, some of our jr. high and high school students got an opportunity to serve our local library. It was a great day. Seeing our students serving and witnessing the thankfulness of the people that worked there was very rewarding. While we were there, the students moved boxes, reorganized shelves, and dusted. Simple things, but ones that made a great impression on the people that worked there.

A Beautiful Gift From Life Bible Fellowship Church

Update on VBS Project Sent to Mercy Ships 

By Carol Hawkins, Missions Coordinator 

For the past couple of months I’ve been updating you on the packets that our kids made as a project for VBS in June. I’m so excited to share with you a letter that was sent to us directly from the ship with an update on how those precious patients are receiving those packets. I know you’ll enjoy reading this, and you may shed a tear or two like I did. It blesses my heart so much to see that the project – the patient activity kits that our kids worked so hard in putting together – is encouraging boys and girls and their families halfway around the world.

Written by Joanne Thibault, edited by Nancy Predaina, and photos by Debra Bell.

Enjoy.

This Weekend's Message: All Who Are Destitute

During the time of the Nazi rise to power in Germany, Martin Niemoller wrote a poem called “First They Came.” Here is the text of the poem:

First they came for the communists, 
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist. 
Then they came for the socialists, 
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist. 
Then they came for the trade unionists, 
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. 
Then they came for me, 
and there was no one left to speak for me. 

Our voices are powerful instruments. In fact, the Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). When we use our voices in order to help others, we give life. When we use our voices selfishly, we give death. Sometimes the most selfish way that we can use our voice is to stay silent. When someone is in need, and we choose not to use our voices to speak up for that person, we selfishly miss an opportunity give life to someone in need.

There are many needy and vulnerable people in the world. It is difficult, though, to imagine anyone more needy and vulnerable than unborn children. They are unseen, they cannot talk, and they can legally be put to death before they ever emerge from the womb. This Sunday we will have an opportunity to hear from two of our own members who are on the front lines, speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves. Come ready to be challenged and invited to lend your voice to those in need.

Dan

Kids Hiding God’s Word in Their Hearts

By Laurie Baiz, Director of Children’s Ministry 

At the end of August we had Mission & Vision Sunday and introduced our new mission statement to the church. On that same Sunday, the Children’s Ministry kicked off a memory verse program as a way for the children to focus on the Bible in their pursuit of LIFE in Jesus.

As the months have rolled on, the children have really responded well to participating in the memory verse program and we have five children that have already finished learning all of the memory verses, from A-Z. This is such a great accomplishment! I have asked each one a couple of questions on what they think of the program.

Nathaniel Casequin (1st grade) has completed the first set of A-Z verses.

1. Why do you enjoy learning your Bible verses? I enjoy them because they are fun; I like them. 
2. How did you learn your verses? By my mom and my papa helping me. 
3. What is your favorite Bible verse? X – the verse that is kind of like a poem. “Exceeding great and precious promises are given unto us.” 2 Peter 1:4 
4. What is your favorite part of the Bible verse program? My favorite part of the program is saying them out loud. 

Matthew Franklin (2nd grade) has completed the first and second set of A-Z verses.

1. Why do you enjoy learning your Bible verses? Because you get to learn more stuff about God and get prizes. 
2. How did you learn your verses? I looked at what they said and then repeated them. 
3. What is your favorite Bible verse? “Honor your father and mother.” Exodus 20:12 
4. What is your favorite part of the Bible verse program? Getting prizes like a God Has Risen rock. 

Olson Grubb (3rd grade) has completed the first set of A-Z verses.

1. Why do you enjoy learning your Bible verses? Because it is good putting God’s Word in my heart and remembering it for life. It will come in handy, and I will probably need to use it sometime in life. 
2. How did you learn your verses? I make them into songs with my mom, and I try to improve on them every night. 
3. What is your favorite Bible verse? Philippians 1:6: “Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on unto completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 
4. What is your favorite part of the Bible verse program? It feels good that I have accomplished something, especially that it is memorizing God’s Word. 

Jonathan Maschler (4th grade) has completed the first set of A-Z verses.

1. Why do you enjoy learning your Bible verses? They were a little challenging and fun. 
2. How did you learn your verses? I studied the verse cards. 
3. What is your favorite Bible verse? Y – “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15 
4. What is your favorite part of the Bible verse program? I liked competing against the other kids and getting prizes. 

Mackenzie McNutt (5th grade) has completed the first and second set of 5th-6th grade A-Z verses. 

1. Why do you enjoy learning your Bible verses? I love being able to earn prizes, and also having the word of God in my heart. 
2.   How did you learn your verses? I would do small parts of each verse and then add it to the part before, then just repeat that concept over and over until I got the whole thing. If a verse was more difficult then I would put it to music and sing it to help me remember. 
3. What is your favorite Bible verse? ”Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” 
4. What is your favorite part of the Bible verse program? I really like to earn rewards for all the verses I have learned, but my favorite is when someone tells me that I’ve done a good job and they are so proud of my accomplishments. 

I know that as I have read through their responses it warms my heart and reminds me of the importance of having God’s Word tucked in our hearts to be able to use everyday. May you be blessed and find inspiration from these children and their wonderful achievements.

This Weekend's Message: Rich Living

I happened to read a story this week about the perks of being a CEO of companies like Amazon or Coca-Cola or Boeing. As I read the article I couldn’t help but dream a little about what it must be like to live with the perks of a private jet at your disposal or have such a large estate that I need my company to pay for private security and other alarm systems. Or to have a luxurious car and driver ready to take me anywhere I want to go. Pretty nice, huh? Now that is rich living for sure.

But then on the same day, I read the passage for this week’s message and it struck me how huge the contrast was between the lives of the CEOs of today and the people Paul is writing about. And as I thought about it more and more, I soon realized that rich living can come in different forms. Now to be clear, I wouldn’t mind living the rich life of a CEO for awhile to see what it was like, but as I paused and took my thoughts to God in prayer and reflected on both ideas of rich living, I told God that I want to learn more about the rich living He has in store for me.

Come this week and let’s learn together about the “rich living” God has planned for us as we passionately pursue life in Jesus.

See you Sunday!
Gary

Worship Team Needs Musicians

By Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Worship 

Over the years God has blessed LBF with church members that not only have tremendous talent, but also have a heart for ministry and using their talents to honor God and bless the church body. Bass, keyboards, drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and vocalists have all played a major role in facilitating worship through music over the years.

As you look up on the stage, it may seem that the worship team has all the musicians it could possibly need. Thankfully, by the grace of God, there has never been a week that the team had to be without a drummer or bassist, or other key roles on the team. There have always been volunteers who have stepped up to meet the need. However, looks can be deceiving. There are many roles on the worship team that are filled with only one or two people, which means they are volunteering 2-3 times per month. And while there is certainly joy in their heart to be able to serve, it would be nice if there were some more people to help share the commitment.

So this is why we come to you. Certainly there are musicians in our church family that have the ability to serve in this ministry but have yet to step up. So, we want to give you the chance to step up. We are looking for people who play bass, drums, keyboards, electric guitar, and sing. Because of the importance of this ministry, we do not want to minimize the significance of the commitment that comes with this ministry, involving rehearsals, personal practice, and weekend hours, but we also cannot express the satisfaction that comes with knowing we are being used by God through an expression of praise each weekend.

If you have music experience in one of the aforementioned areas, please consider coming to an informational meeting on Sunday, January 20, at 12:45 p.m. in room 102 & 103. There, we will talk through some more of the details of what it takes to become part of the worship ministry here at LBF. We will answer questions you may have, get you the audition materials, and set up an audition time.

If you would like to have some more information before the meeting, you can go to lbfworship.com and click the “Join The Team” link, where you can download the info packet, which has all the details of the ministry, skill requirements, and time commitment.

Please RSVP to jeff@lbfchurch.com if you are planning on attending the meeting so that we can plan appropriately. If you have any questions beforehand, please feel free to email me.

Thank you for prayerfully considering your role in the worship ministry here at LBF. We realize that this ministry is not for everyone, but for those of you that God has gifted in this area, we are inviting you to join an exciting ministry that makes a huge impact each weekend.

LIFE Groups Spotlight: The Fiorentinos

By Lea Lee, LIFE Groups Coordinator 

This month we are starting a monthly LIFE Group Spotlight, highlighting a specific LIFE Group at LBF and their leaders. Below is an interview with Loren Fiorentino, who started leading a LIFE Group with his wife in the last year.

Names: Loren & Holly Fiorentino

Tell us about how you came to faith in Jesus Christ. I was 16 at a youth convention in San Diego when I gave my life to Jesus in the middle of the song, “Heart of Worship.” Unfamiliar with the Spirit at the time, I could only describe it as God having “swept me off my feet.” My wife grew up in a Christian home and has believed in Christ for as long as she can recall. However, it wasn’t until about three years ago that both of us began to understand what it means to make Jesus Lord of our lives. Since then we have been experiencing together an ever deepening relationship with God.

Tell us about how you found LBF. My wife and I were looking for a local church and we became interested in LBF after reading about it on the website. In the mean time, I ran into the Thursday morning men’s Bible study at Chick-Fil-A and Russ Parker invited me to join them. Holly and I attended a service shortly after and have since made LBF our home.

How long have you been leading a LIFE Group at LBF? Since May.

Tell us about your family. I have been married to my wife, Holly, for seven years and we have two children: Audrey, 3, and Joseph, 2. I work as a plant operator for PRAXAIR. Holly stays home with our children and occasionally subs as a teacher’s assistant for kids with special needs.

Tell us a bit about your LIFE Group. We are quite a mix, all unique in age, personality, and life circumstance. Each of us adds something important to the group and we are all bonded by our common love for Jesus and a desire to know Him more.

What are some of the discussion highlights you have had this year? Our favorite conversations happen when one or more of us get to share with the group how God has revealed Himself in a new way to them. We have been blessed by each other’s personal growth in Jesus.

What has been the most encouraging thing that has happened in your LIFE Group? Pursuing God as a group and sharing in each other’s journey has allowed us to witness God changing hearts. We have been blessed with a group of people all willing to be transparent. It’s encouraging to know you aren’t alone in your struggles. We are surrounded by people who want to know God more and support each other toward being better. The most encouraging part is to see weekly the evidence of a God who loves His children and is personally devoted to completing His good work in us.

How would you describe the importance of the LIFE Group you lead? Our LIFE Group is our family. My wife, children, and I anticipate Tuesday evenings because we get to connect with people we love and who love us. We are encouraged and supported by our LIFE Group. There is nothing like this kind of fellowship.

What would you say to someone that is wary about joining a LIFE Group? There is so much encouragement to be found when we walk together in our walk with Jesus, and we desperately need that.

This Weekend's Message: Privileged Gifts

One of my favorite movies is It’s a Wonderful Life. Toward the end of the movie, friends and family gather around George Bailey, who is desperately in need of financial help. Each person joyfully walks to a basket in the middle of the room and throws money in, as the crowd joyfully sings Christmas songs. The friends and family give sacrificially, but find great joy—even privilege—in doing so. After all, through their gifts their beloved friend will be rescued from disaster. It is a powerful and moving scene.

Have you ever given generously and been excited to do so?

God calls us to give and to give generously. But for most of us, this is not a joyous experience. We give begrudgingly or out of obligation. And when we give with this joy-less attitude, we also tend to give less. After all, if something is painful, we don’t want more of it.

This Sunday we will explore a passage in which God’s people generously and joyfully gave...and then thanked God that He allowed them to give. It is a beautiful glimpse into what can be possibly for us. It allows us to see what it might look like if we really had our perspective shaped by the privilege that we have been given when God invites us to give generously to His work.

Dan

A Ministry Not to be Taken “Lightly”

By Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Worship 

Think about it, when you go into a library (that’s that place you used to have to go to do research before Google and Wikipedia), there is something about that environment that naturally prepares your mind to take in information, to study, and above all else, to be quiet. Likewise, as you walk through the gates of Disneyland, immediately your imagination and wonder kicks in and your emotions and mind are ready for a great time with family or friends.

This idea of environment playing a role in preparing our mind and heart is certainly true in a worship setting as well. And whether it is through music, stage props, or lighting, an environment plays a role in preparing our hearts to worship, consider the things of God, and respond to what He is doing. One of the ministries here at LBF where there is a great need (and opportunity!) is with lighting for our weekend services. We have some great equipment that allows us to create some great environments to coincide with the message of the music and sermons: lights that dim for more personal reflection, colored lights that add warmth and character to the stage. But these lights don’t turn themselves on and off. We need people for that. This is where you come in! Certainly it would be easy to just turn the house lights on and leave them that way through the music and message. Yet it has been scientifically studied and proven that we respond to our environment, which means there is the potential to create a setting more conducive to personal reflection, and focused worship than a gym with fluorescent ceiling lights. Similarly, this belief is why we have a sound system rather than just having someone come out and sing or speak ambiently.

We need volunteers that are willing to be up in the Media Loft (that’s what’s behind those windows above the doors at the back of the Worship Center), using the light board to control the lights in the Worship Center and on the stage during our weekend services. “I don’t know how to operate a light board,” you say? Well, we have people to train you, and even a DVD that we have created to show you how it all works. We will work around your schedule and use you when you say you are available. If you are a behind-the-scenes-type of person, willing to learn, and desire to make a difference here at LBF, then this may be the ministry for you.

This is a desperate need right now as we currently have only one volunteer. We need at least two more! Please consider finding out more about this really cool opportunity to make a big difference in the life of our church. To get more info or to volunteer, please email Jeff Taylor at jeff@lbfchurch.com. Or write it on your K.I.T. card next Sunday!

Thank you for your prayerful consideration in getting involved with this ministry at LBF.

The Greatest Kind of Health

By Dan Franklin, Pastor of Teaching 

At the start of a new year, many of us resolve to get our bodies into shape. We buy exercise equipment online. We join gyms. We buy diet books. We start running. We form new habits.

We do all of this because we recognize that we cannot simply go with the flow. We cannot simply say “yes” to every impulse of our bodies. Because of this, we strive to become more diligent about what is entering into our bodies, and about what muscles need to be exercised. If we are not purposeful when it comes to our bodies, they will be ill-equipped for the kinds of long and healthy and active lives that we want to live.

In 1 Timothy 4:8, the Apostle Paul says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” This verse is not downgrading our need to care for our bodies. But it is upgrading our need for something even more important. As we all take some time to evaluate our eating habits, our exercise routines, our financial status, and our educational goals, I want to encourage you not to miss the opportunity to form a more purposeful plan for how you are training yourself for godliness.

This Weekend's Message: Passionate Pursuit

This is no half-hearted journey. Our relationship with Christ and the continual deepening of the realities and rewards of that relationship is first and foremost. There is a difference between being passionate in the moment and passionately pursuing something. We who are passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus will give our full commitment and energy to our relationship with Jesus. Jesus cannot simply be inserted into our already existing life.