Stories, updates, and encouragement from your church family at Lake Lynn. A place to connect, grow, and come home.

Hey Lake Lynn Family,

Let’s Get Creative About Inviting People to Church!

Inviting someone to church does not have to be awkward or complicated. It is not only about knocking on doors or handing out invitations. Today, we have all kinds of simple ways to reach people, and honestly, most of them are right on our phones.

People are online every day searching for hope, encouragement, or just something real. What if your invite is what points them toward Jesus?

Here are a few easy ways you can help:

1. Hit Share. Seriously, It Helps.

One of the easiest ways to invite someone is simply by sharing a post from our church’s Facebook page. When you hit “share,” it shows up for your friends and family to see. You never know who might be watching and thinking, “Maybe I should go.”

You can:

• Share our Sunday service post
• Repost special events or announcements
• Take a picture on Sunday morning and tag the church

A second of your time can open a door for someone else.

2. Follow, Like, Subscribe

If you have not already, go like our Facebook page and follow us on social media. This helps you stay in the loop and helps more people see our church online.
Invite your friends to follow too. It is a small thing, but it really makes a difference. 

3. Invite in Everyday Moments

Invites do not always happen in big conversations. Sometimes it is as simple as:

• “Hey, want to sit with me at church Sunday?”
• “We have lunch after service this week, you should come.”
• A text in the middle of the week
• A quick chat at work, school, or your kid’s ball game

You do not have to be perfect or have all the answers. Just be willing.

4. Let Your Kindness Be the First Invite

Before some people ever step into a church, they meet a Christian. They meet you. When you show kindness, listen, or care about someone genuinely, that alone can make them curious about your faith.

David said, “O magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt His name together.” That is what church is. Not just me. Not just you. Together.

So let’s get creative. Hit share. Send a text. Smile at someone new. Pray for God to open doors.

We will do our part and trust Him with the rest.

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Phil

Guest Speaker: Joe Hickson

While Pastor Phil and Kristie are away on a trip to Aruba, we’re honored to welcome Joe Hickson as our guest preacher, Sunday, November 16. Joe currently serves as the Associational Mission Strategist for the New South River Baptist Association, where he helps support and equip churches throughout our region for Kingdom work.

Joe and his wife, Maryanne, have been married for 36 years and have built a beautiful family that includes four adult children and eleven grandchildren. They have served faithfully in ministry for over 26 years, and their heart for pastors, churches, and missions is evident in everything they do.

A 1998 graduate of Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, Joe went on to earn both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Liberty University. Within the New South River Baptist Association, he previously served as pastor at Center Baptist Church in Wade for 11 years and at Macedonia Baptist Church for almost three years.

On May 20, 2025, Joe was called to serve as the Associational Mission Strategist (formerly Director of Missions) for the New South River Baptist Association, officially beginning that role on August 1, 2025.

Please join us this Sunday as Joe brings the message and shares how God is at work through local churches and ministries across our community. We’re grateful for his leadership, partnership, and heart for helping people come home to Christ.

Praying for Our Partner Churches

At Lake Lynn, we believe that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. God has placed us in a network of churches that are all working together to share the good news of Jesus and build His Kingdom here in the Fayetteville area and beyond.

That is why we are beginning a new prayer focus for our sister churches in the New South River Baptist Association. Each week, we will lift up two churches by name, asking God to bless their pastors, strengthen their congregations, and guide their ministries. Over time, we will work through all of the nearly 100 churches in our association.

These churches are not competitors. They are our partners in ministry. We are all part of one family of faith, serving one Lord, and sharing one mission: to help people come home to God’s love.

In addition to our association churches, we will also be praying each week for The Crossings Community Church in Brunswick, Maryland, the church where Pastor Phil and his family served before God brought them to Lake Lynn. We want to continue praying for their ministry as they reach their community with the hope of the gospel.

As we pray together, let us remember that every time we lift up another church, we are helping strengthen the whole body of Christ. When one church grows, the Kingdom grows. When one church is encouraged, we all move forward together.

Let us commit to praying faithfully, believing that God will use these prayers to unite His people and bring many more home to Him.

This week we are praying for:

Gratitude: All My Words Fall Short

Last Week’s Message: Thank You for Your Partnership

We kicked off our new series Gratitude: All My Words Fall Short by talking about what it really means to be thankful. Gratitude starts when we stop seeing others as competitors and start seeing them as partners in God’s mission.

We took time to pray for other churches in our area and for The Crossings Community Church up in Maryland. Paul’s words in Philippians reminded us that real joy comes when we remember how God is working through others. Gratitude remembers, gratitude trusts, and gratitude prays.

We also looked back on our Trunk or Treat event and reminded ourselves that every good thing that happens is a gift from God. It’s not about patting ourselves on the back. It’s about saying, “To God be the glory, great things He has done.”

This Sunday: Grateful in Humility

This week we’ll look at Philippians 2:1–11 and talk about how gratitude grows best in a humble heart. When pride creeps in, it blinds us to grace. But when we follow the example of Jesus, who humbled Himself and became a servant, our gratitude deepens.

Come ready to be encouraged and challenged. It’s a powerful reminder that the more we recognize God’s grace in our lives, the easier it is to say, “Thank You, Lord.”

Join us Sunday at 11:00 a.m. as we continue to learn how to live a life of gratitude.