Why Read the Bible?

By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor

There is no argument that the Bible is the single most popular book ever written. It continues year after year to remain a bestseller. The Bible is the single most important book ever written because it is an account of historical events that have literally shaped the world. It is a connection with the maker of our world. It is a revelation of God and His plans and the way our world works. 

Here are three reasons to read the Bible:

1. The Bible has transformed the world. A good number of people around the world read portions of the Bible every day. And as they read they gain an understanding not just of history, significant events in history, and  significant people in history, they also get a glimpse of the God of creation who has revealed Himself in the Bible. And those who read the Bible come away changed.
2. The Bible contains a life-changing message of freedom. Reading the Bible has freed many from oppression. It raises the dignity of every human being ever born. It contains life-giving truth on the value and worth of every individual. Reading the Bible will speak directly to your heart because it is the very word of God. If you know nothing about God, you will know a great deal about God after reading the Bible. If you believe you know much about God, you will know even more about Him after you read the Bible. Reading the Bible will change your life.
3. The Bible connects you to history’s most important person. We are, of course, talking about Jesus Christ – the Son of God. You may think you know Him, but each time you read the Bible you will see and learn something new about Jesus. The entire Old Testament points to His coming and the entire New Testament affirms His teachings and actions. For those who call themselves “followers of Jesus,” the Bible is really the best way to connect with what He taught.

At LBF we want to focus on reading the Bible – not just once in a while but everyday reading and reflecting on the truth written to us by God. Read it with an open mind and open heart. It contains pure truth about God, about life, about humanity. And as you reflect on your reading be quick to do what it says. In this way we truly become followers of Jesus. Happy Reading!

Life Kids Tuck God’s Word into Their Hearts

By Laurie Baiz, Director of Life Kids Children’s Ministry

Hello January 2014! With every new year there is a feeling of starting fresh and getting life back into routine after all the wonderful festivities that come along with celebrating our Savior’s birth. Hopefully our memory verse program for the 1^st-4^th graders will be one of the activities in your family’s weekly routine. This program has two purposes: teach kids to work together for a common goal as a group and encourage them to memorize God’s Word and tuck it into their hearts. This part of our Sunday morning program begins in worship with a time called “Traditions.” During Traditions the kids are given the opportunity to recite the memory verse and/or show their teacher that they have brought their Bibles. For each tradition that they do, they receive one Lego block to build on the Traditions wall. When the Traditions wall is full of Legos, the whole class will pause as a community and celebrate, with a fun treat or activity. 

Another part of this program that is different than our previous program is the verse that the kids are learning is reviewed for a month at a time. Although the verse is longer, focusing on one verse for a longer period of time gives the kids the opportunity to truly know the verse and have it stick with them. The memory verse, or as we refer to it, “Remember Verse,” is practiced with the kids during our Traditions time and the teachers also review it with the kids in their small group when time permits. The Remember Verse cards are located at every sign-in table along the hall and our teachers have them in the classroom for the kids to take home as well. Also new this year, I will be setting up a monthly email with the Remember Verse on it that you can subscribe to. So be on the lookout for more information on how to sign up and receive the information electronically! 

The new curriculum and program is going great and although the kids have not quite filled up their Traditions wall, I know with continued support and practice from home they will reach their goal soon!

Read the Psalms in November...with LBF

By Dan Franklin, Pastor of Teaching 

This past July we finished up a year-long Bible Reading Plan at LBF. We wanted to do something formal to encourage everyone to taste and experience the benefits of God’s Word. Several hundred of you chose to take us up on the offer, and we had a great time reading and discussing what God was saying to us. This month you will have another opportunity to dig into God’s Word with your friends at LBF. For the month of November we are going to dig into the Psalms. Why Psalms? Three main reasons:

1. During November we will be talking about prayer each Sunday morning. The Psalms are prayers. They are songs being sung to and about God, and many also serve as personal prayers to God. They model to us what authentic prayer can look like. 
2. Reading one psalm each day will give us the opportunity to read and respond to God’s Word without getting lost in reading too much content each day. It will be a great way to put your toe in the water if you are not a regular Bible reader, and it will be a great way to slow down if you regularly read larger chunks of God’s Word each day. 
3. On December 1, we will follow up our “In Jesus’ Name” series and the Bible Reading Plan with a Deeper event that will springboard off the subject of prayer. This will serve as a great resolution to both the series and the plan. 

As you prepare to approach the Psalms, you can know that you will be exposed to a number of different kinds of prayers. Here are just a few:

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.

A-B-C Your Way Through 26 Bible Verses

By Laurie Baiz, Director of His Kids Children’s Ministries 

As you already know, here at LBF we have put an emphasis on reading and getting to know God’s word everyday through our Bible Reading Plans. As we have been doing this together, it has been very beneficial and enlightening for our lives. This is an experience that we would also like our children to experience as well.

This fall the Children’s Ministry at LBF have put together a fun and wonderful way for your children in 1st-6th grade to participate in memorizing 26 Bible verses throughout the school year. All the children will be learning the same verses, but the 5th-6th graders have extended verses to make sure it is challenging for them as well. We will have tracking charts in the hallways, flashcards to take home, and small prizes will be given out each time they have reached the goals set. In addition to all that, the Children’s Worship Band will be playing a special song that will help them memorize their verses!

The Children’s Ministry is really looking forward to this fall session with all of the exciting things that will begin! I know that the Service Directors, volunteers, and myself are energetically looking to see your children learn and grow in the word of God.