What is FREEDOM?



John 8:32(ESV)
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I love this time of year, when we come together as a country to celebrate the gift our forefathers fought and paid for with their own life and blood--our American freedom. You will see people waving and high-fiving, sharing fireworks displays with neighbors and friends and united in a crowd of hundreds as they watch the public displays. There is a uniting that freedom has, it brings people together.
I truly love fireworks and picnics and time out on the lake ,but my favorite 4th of July tradition is the Annual LakePointe on the Lake Worship Service & Baptism Bash!
This is the fourth year we have held this event where we have a worship service out on the lake and invite the community to come and join us.
This year we had free food for the community. We ended up feeding over 500 people BBQ and the trimmings and also raised money and support for a local charity, Stomp Out Hunger, by taking donations for their cause of eradicating hunger in Garland County in Jesus’ name.
There were hundreds who heard the message of God’s love for them, which is seen tangibly in Jesus. This year we spoke on the Apostle’s Creed, the CORE of our faith. It was super cool to hear hundreds of people saying together the Apostles Creed, confessing what we believe together! We talked about how heaven and hell are very real places and how Jesus promised to return! We worshiped our God of eternal freedom and at the end of the service we had what we call a “baptism bash.” This year we baptized over 40 people, mostly adults. It’s incredible to see God at work in this amazing way. There is nothing more heart-warming then seeing whole families come into the baptismal waters, receiving new life and freedom found only in Jesus Christ. Whole families that are now living for Jesus and are sons and daughters of the King!




I want to thank all of the amazing volunteers that helped make this event happen, including our LakePointe Staff, who once again knocked it out of the park! If you missed the LakePointe on the Lake Baptism Bash this year, no worries, plan on attending next year, same time, same place, to God’s glory!
Enjoy your freedom today! Don’t let it hinge just on our freedom as Americans but drill down to the root of our freedom seen in the sacrifice of Jesus, whose bloodshed sealed our freedom for:

Romans 10:13
For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Acts 16:31
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 7, 2011 at 10:45 PM

    LOVE it, brother! Having 40+ baptisms in a single day has to be simply amazing. Reminds me of the early church, having whole households baptized into Christ. Thanks for sharing the story ... and keep it up, man!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Greg BearssJuly 9, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    Thanks so much Aaron! It is simply amazing, no other word for God's grace at work and in action in the lives of His people. The means of grace never gets old and seeing a whole family come into the waters of baptism for the first time will 'wreck' you! We are humbled to be a part of what God is doing. Thanks for the encouragement!

    ReplyDelete

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