How to Begin

1. Get To Know Each Other

You may be new to acknowledging there is a God and much newer to the idea of having a relationship with God! You may also be new to this community of people called Church. Like any new relationship, we need a little time to get to know one another.

Here are some things you can do:

a) Learn about us through our website, like you’re doing now.

b) Check out our e-newsletter, "Lakeside Monthly" to see what we’re doing.

c) Come visit us for worship at 10:30am on Sunday. You’ll find directions on our home page.

d) Visit a small group (see groups under “Gathering” and “Growing” headings).

e) Join us on one of our “Sowing” mission projects.

We encourage you to experience our way of life learning to follow Jesus so you can discern whether you want to follow Jesus too.

Pray

We build our relationships with each other through conversation. The same is true in our relationship with God. Talk to God or write to God in a journal about your experience at church. What are you learning about God? What do you feel God is calling you do be or do? Ask God for help. Ask about what areas of life at Lakeside will help you grow in your faith. And feel free to talk to Pastor Cameron or a leader about the opportunities we offer to help you grow.

Come To Faith

As you experience life with Jesus at Lakeside, gathering, growing and sowing his love, we hope you will be drawn to have faith in him. Dramatically or over time, you may come to realize that your life is not whole or complete and that you know only Jesus Christ can forgive you of your sin, make you whole, and give you the power of his Spirit for life change in you and in the world. This is a first step.

The second step is trusting, by faith, that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that he lived, died, lived again and will return to bring wholeness to you and to his whole creation. Next, commit to follow and serve him wherever his Spirit leads you. It is a good idea to talk with a Lakeside friend, a leader, or Pastor Cameron about where you are in your walk of faith. A helpful resource we developed is called the “Grower’s Guide.” You can find it in our resources.

If you feel ready to trust and follow Jesus, do it! Then tell Pastor Cameron, so that we may celebrate your faith in the church through your baptism.

Choose a Relationship to the Church

At Lakeside, we have decided to clarify different kinds of relationships people have with our church in order to provide clarity on the steps people can take to grow in their relationship to Jesus and the church. We also hope that clarifying these relationships will free us from the manipulation that often happens in churches to get people to “become members.” Our job is to show you the various relationships you can have to the church, invite you to pray about it and choose which kind of relationship God is calling you to now. We seek to invite you deeper, not demand it. Authentic spiritual life is intentionally chosen. We encourage you to be where God has brought you to now without shame, and go where God is calling you to go without hesitation.

Neighbor

When Jesus said “love your neighbor as yourself” he was thinking of “neighbors” inclusively as he did when speaking of the parable of the good Samaritan. Every one of the people God created is a neighbor. In fact, all of creation is the target of God’s love and saving grace. So everyone is a neighbor we are trying to serve and love. John Wesley is often quoted as saying, “The world is my parish!”

Acquaintance

Many people are coming just to check out this thing called the Christian faith, coming to check out the church or seeking to find healing or hope. Some are just getting acquainted. Some may visit once in a while on their way to developing a deeper relationship with Jesus and the church, and others may stay at this place for a while as they seek and explore. Acquaintances have not chosen to consistently participate in our life of faith together.

Friends

Those who have visited at least 3 times and have chosen to participate consistently in worship, small group life, service, and/or giving have become friends of Lakeside. They often participate fully in gathering, growing, and sowing the love of Jesus except in leadership positions.

Family

Those who have professed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, been baptized, and covenanted together with God and other Lakeside family members to gather, grow, and sow the love of Jesus in their families, church, community, and world are family members of Lakeside. They are committed to gather new people to Jesus and His Church. They are committed to grow in their faith by regular worship attendance, Bible study, and attachment to a small group of Christians. They are committed to sow the love of Jesus by using their gifts to serve others and by growing in their financial support of the ministry towards a 10% tithe of their income and beyond to generosity.

Leader

These are family members who have taken the additional commitments of leading a ministry of Lakeside.

Keep Gathering, Growing, and Sowing the Love of Jesus!

The adventurous journey of following Jesus with others continues! The Lakeside Family now walks through life together, seeking to gather new people to Jesus, grow together in the likeness of Jesus through small groups, worship, prayer, and study, sow the love of Jesus in acts of service to our families, community, and world.

Resources

Books:

Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell

Love Beyond Reason, by John Ortberg

The Life You’ve Always Wanted, by John Ortberg

The Bible (Start with the Gospel of Mark or Luke in the New Testament)

Websites:

Upperroom.org

Tools:

Spiritual Gifts Assessment

Bible.is - Bible App for your iPhone - Free!

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