What a memorable day last Sunday was in the life of our church! Ingathering Sunday for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is always a highlight, but yesterday it was especially the case as hundreds of you streamed forward at the end of the service to place your offering in the boxes. As that was happening, I kept thinking of all the people who are going to be helped around the world. Truly, the local church is God’s chosen instrument for accomplishing His purposes, and local churches are composed of individual believers who are seeking to follow Jesus’ Great Commission. I am thankful to be a part of such a local church, and to be united to such believers in a faith family!

Yesterday it was also inspiring to hear a message that challenged us to say, “Here I am” to the Lord. In other words, “Lord, here I am. All that I am for all that you are.” As we presented our gifts to the Lord, we were presenting ourselves. That’s powerful and life changing.

As I write we have made fantastic progress toward our LMCO goal of $62,000. By God’s grace, after just one Sunday, we stand at $42,784. Thank you for what has already been given, and let’s keep pressing toward the mark in the weeks ahead!

It was also wonderful to experience our worship team’s presentation of “Adore.” Michael and our whole team once again helped bring us into the presence of Christ and helped us adore Him. We become like what we behold. Thank you worship team for using your gifts and hard work in helping us behold our Savior!

For the next two Sundays we will press in hard on the Christmas story in Luke’s gospel. Many Christians assume they know all there is to know of this story. But as we dig beneath the surface for the next two weeks, I believe you will see things in the text that will help the story of Christmas explode in your mind and heart like never before. This Sunday we will look at Luke 1:26-38 and talk about the fact that “Nothing Is Impossible With God!”

Invite a friend. Christmas is one of the best times in our culture to share Christ and invite friends to church! Come prayed up and ready to worship with all your mind and heart.

By His Grace, For His Glory, To The Nations,

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.