The Cross Neighbors I will declare Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. Psalm 22:22 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14 God uses the body of Longview Heights Baptist Church to boldly DECLARE the cross of Jesus Christ. Truly living out our motto Until He comes, Go, LHBC has become the hands and feet of Jesus in our community, and around the world. LHBC is committed to loving people the way Jesus loves. We are positioned by God in a readily accessible location that allows people from surrounding cities, counties, and states to openly DECLARE the name of Jesus, and change lives for Him in areas far and near. God has clearly shown our church family that LHBC is a part of His plan in sharing the truth of His gospel with the world. It is the desire of LHBC to continue to DECLARE the cross of Jesus Christ to our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation by increasing community, national, and worldwide missions as we live out God s commands. Until He comes, Go! 2 Where have we been, and where are we going? In 1994, Dr. Wayne Marshall became the pastor of Longview Heights Baptist Church with a call from God to lead our church family in living out Psalm 22:22. Praise, assembly, and DECLARING the cross to our neighbors is exactly what we have done! LHBC has grown in membership from 500 to over 3,000. Those members have reached local neighbors through: Small group Sunday School classes which have grown to include more than 1,200 attending each week. Vacation Bible School, which began as just 1 week on campus, now spans 4 weeks in length over multiple locations. Mission trips both domestic and international, have grown from 1 to more than 15 annually. 25 new church plants and over 90 individuals in full time ministry and/or missions show LHBC s commitment to furthering God s kingdom through services. LHBC has become a community church teaming with organizations in the surrounding DeSoto county to host more than two dozen events each year for the past three years. 3
Nations All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You. Psalm 22:27 The Next Generation A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. Psalm 22:30 Making disciples of all nations is the call that Longview Heights Baptist Church has consistently Leaders and members alike believe God is calling Longview Heights Baptist Church to do more received from God. Traveling to reach those nations where the truth of Jesus has never been to prepare the next generation to go further into our neighborhoods and to the nations. heard aligns directly with Matthew 28:19, and with our motto Until He comes, Go! God s Word tells us, A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next Kingdom ministry is what LHBC is all about. We first reach out to our neighbors, and then generation. They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He go forth into the nations, For the kingdom is the Lord s and He rules over the nations. has done this. Psalm 22:30-31. A major barrier to this happening is the remaining $8.5 million Psalm 22:28 debt on our campus. God has blessed us with beautiful buildings in which to do Kingdom work. He has blessed us LHBC has been able to reach the world from 4501 Goodman Road, because people matter to with a ministry staff, and with people who love their neighbors. He has given all people the God. All that has been accomplished for God s kingdom while having this debt is clearly visible. greatest gift of all, His Son Jesus Christ, as a Holy and perfect sacrifice, who died for all of our God has blessed His neighbors, His nations, and His next generation. But we still have much sins...providing believers with everlasting life. We need to DECLARE the word of His amazing work to do to further His kingdom. How much more will be accomplished with a reduction in grace to the nations! our current $8.5 million debt? Imagine those monies freed up to fund missions and ministry. It can happen! Until He comes, Go! Presently, our full mortgage payment is included in the annual budget. As we pay down principle, the monthly mortgage requirement will be reduced. By freeing these monies for ministry and missions we can reach more of our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation. 4 5
Obedience to God Action The 5 P s of Giving Sacrificially He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6,7 Prayer - Ask God what gift would be pleasing Him. It is through prayer that we seek God s will in our lives, and DECLARE is about living God s will. Personal - Our response to God s blessings in our lives is personal. Gifts are not based on what someone else can give. They are based on our personal response to God s desires for our lives. Proportional - The value of our gift is not based upon its quantity, but rather its quality. It is in proportion to the blessings God has provided. Sacrifice means different things to different people. Your proportional gift will be sacrificial for you. Pleasing - We seek to please God with our offering. Offering is about bringing Glory to God. From where does this call to DECLARE originate? Psalm 22, beginning in verse 22, King David Peace - When we give proportionally to God s blessings in our lives, with an intent to please begins to declare God s faithfulness. Him, with decisions rooted in prayer, then we will know peace that passes all understanding in our giving. Psalm 22:22 I will declare Your name to my brethren (Neighbors) Psalm 22:27 all the families of the nation shall worship before You. (Nations) Psalm 22:30 It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. Ways You Can Give (Next Generation) Give the gift of time in prayer. Every group shall praise the Lord! We are to DECLARE the praises of God to whom? Give financially above your ongoing tithe. Through God s leadership, you may choose to give To Everyone. weekly, monthly, annually, or a one-time gift. Declaring the cross is claiming a picture of what God has done for us and sharing it with our Give of the resources with which God has blessed you. This may include securities, stocks, neighbors, nations, and next generation...right now! bonds, property, vehicles, jewelry, or other valuables. Are you ready to make it happen? Are your ready to DECLARE the cross to every corner of You may wish to pray about something from your life work which will last forever. Others have every nation? pledged from their Last Will and Testament a gift of a certain percentage of their Estate for the purposes of supporting LHBC for many years in an endowment. Please contact Alan Wilson in the church office for more information. 6 7
Longview Heights Bapitst Church 4501 Goodman Road Olive Branch, MS 38654 Phone: 662.895.1900 www.lhbc.me/declare