All of us have had “turning points” in our lives, where the direction we were going suddenly changed, often dramatically! Those times in our lives were usually “life-changing” and left us “different” and even “transformed”! That is certainly true for us, who have experienced a “spiritual turning point” in our life experience, where God takes a hold of us and makes us, in biblical terms, “new creatures in Christ.” The Bible is full of examples of this, most notably the conversion of Saul on the Damascus Road and Lydia in Thyatira. They were not only transformed inside-out, but God turned them around and gave them each a new mission in life that brought the Gospel to millions in the then known world.

During the Lenten Season 2012, in all of our worship services from February 25/26 to Easter, we are going to focus as a church family on the theme of “turning points!” There will be an emphasis on STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION, a.k.a. “turning points”, which are made possible through a personal relationship with God. We will explore the stories of men and women of Scripture and see how God worked in each one of their lives to bring about a “turning point”. We will see how this “turning point” left each one radically different as persons and how that experience gave their lives new purpose, meaning and focus.

A significant part of what we want to learn together as a church family as a result of these weeks of worship and teaching emphasis include three different aspects of “turning point stories”:
1. Listening to the stories of others, 2. Telling our story, and then 3. Sharing His story.

It is so important that we take time to LISTEN to others and their life stories to hear clearly about those experiences, that have shaped and formed their thinking and their attitudes especially about God and faith. Why are they perhaps indifferent about the Christian faith? Or, why do we sense such an antagonistic and even angry attitude at the very mention of God or the Church? Often, usually, there is someone or something that has triggered such a response. Listening to their story results in our understanding them better and gives us perhaps a more sensitive and appropriate opportunity to TELL our story about how God has worked in our lives and what a difference it has made. Eventually, there will come a time (as we pray for them) when they indicate a desire to know more about this relationship with God and ask how they can experience his life-transforming help. That is the point when we are able to SHARE the Good News of Jesus Christ a.k.a. “His Story!”

Our hope for this Lenten Season for each one of us in the Lake Avenue Family could be summed up in this statement:

The Turning Points Challenge: Let’s every one of us be ready to share our story with a friend!

Here are some examples of “turning point stories” from our church family:
…“My life now has purpose and meaning!”
…”I have found a deep sense of joy and freedom…”
…”I have exchanged my fear for his peace!”

Let’s pray that over the next six weeks there will be hundreds more of just such fresh “turning point stories” that will be told by our friends and neighbors, who have heard and responded to the Good News of Jesus!

To His Glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor