Church Media. What is it and why should I care?

We recently had a ministry fair where you could learn more and get involved if it was an area that you were interested in. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be spotlighting some of the ministries that Lighthouse is involved with, starting with church media:

Church media includes social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, this blog, etc), email, web, print, videos and pictures. Basically everything that you see and/or read. It’s no different from the media you see everyday involving other business and people, it just happens to be about a church.

You might be thinking to yourself: Why should I care what this media looks like? Isn’t it normal for churches to grab clip-art from Google to use in their bulletin?

Our culture is a very visual one. We are used to high-definition everything, from TV’s to smart phones to pictures. We expect excellence from the brands we buy, the programs we watch and the things we view everyday. Why should the church be any different? The church, more than ever, needs to be excellent in all that we do. Not because everyone else is doing it, but because to anything less isn’t glorifying to God.

1 Corinthians 10:31- So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

If the church is providing “ok” media, it tells the world that we don’t care. And if we don’t care enough about how we communicate, than it gives off the impression that we won’t care about the individual and whatever issues they may be facing. On the flip-side, when the church provides “excellent” media, it tells the world that we are listening and we understand them. It tells the individual that we want to get to know them.

“OK”                            vs                                              “Excellent”

   Which image speaks to you more?

Why is church media important? It’s how the world communicates today.

So how does Lighthouse use church media?

Here at Lighthouse on 11th, we use email, social media and print to communicate and connect with our members and the community at large. We are striving for consistency and excellence across all our communication. So if you have an event or gathering coming up that you want highlighted, make sure we have all the information as soon as possible. If you are in need of graphics, talk to our team so they can create one for you.

How can you help?

We are looking to add more content to the blog as well as Facebook and Twitter and could use some help.  It  would entail looking for articles, quotes, etc and submitting them for review to be posted on the various social media sites. We are also looking for someone who enjoys using Twitter and could help run the church’s Twitter account.

Church media is a unique ministry, yet it is one of the very first things that people connect with. You don’t have to be an expert at it, just have a willing attitude and we can teach you the rest! (Trust me, if I can do it, so can you) Contact Nicole French to learn more at jnbf05@yahoo.com or by filling out the form below.

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Senior Pastor Search

In case you aren’t aware, we have been searching for a new senior pastor for the last few months. The search committee has been very busy, reviewing 140 resumes, listening to countless sermons and meeting with candidates. Last week, they recommended Doug Swink to our church board who unanimously voted to recommend him as the next senior pastor for Lighthouse on 11th.

What happens now? Well, Doug and family will be joining us on Sunday, February 15th and Doug will be speaking during both services. After meeting him and hearing him speak, there will be a vote to call him as our senior pastor. We are encouraging EVERYONE to make an effort to come on Sunday and vote. If you are unable to be with us, you can still vote absentee by stopping by the church office.

So now for the stuff everyone wants to know: Who is Doug Swink?

Well, Doug Swink and his wife Shawn have been married for 24 years. They have 3 daughters – Madie (20) is a junior at Spring Arbor University, Alex (17) is a high school senior, and Tori (15) is a high school sophomore. Doug enjoys most sports and played baseball in high school and college. He is also an avid runner having participated in the River Bank 25K in Grand Rapids twice and the Chicago Marathon once. He also enjoys grilling, which is why he runs – so he can eat what he wants.

Doug also enjoys developing relationships and helping people understand who God is and His intense love for them. He finds joy in missional opportunities, local and international, and seeing people serve God and seeing how God blows up their lives and their perspective of the rest of the world.

He grew up in a home that did not initially follow Jesus. His dad was an alcoholic and his parents were very close to divorce when an old army buddy of his dad’s invited the family to church. After going to church “one time” and God grabbed his dad’s heart and his mom’s and ultimately the entire family. Doug first accepted Jesus in children’s church, but didn’t really understand what it meant until his senior year of high school.

During summer camp his senior year of high school, he was sitting in the chapel by himself waiting for service to start (which was out of the ordinary as he is a very social person), when all of a sudden a voice spoke to him. The voice was everything but audible (which he believes is God’s voice) that said to Doug, “Do you love me?” after responding yes, God immediately pointed out a habitual sin that Doug struggled with. After confessing and repenting, God asked him, “Will you serve Me?”. He answered unhesitatingly that he would and God said, ” I want you to go into ministry.” It was an honest conversation between God and Doug, no “service” going on, no speaker giving an altar call, no “Just as I am” in the background. Just God convicting, redeeming and then calling.

Doug is passionate about proclaiming the Word of the Lord – being God’s instrument to proclaim His good news and challenging the body of Christ to live up to the standard He has set in order to reach a lost and dying world. He is also passionate about giving and leading God-given vision for God’s body and mentoring men and leaders. He is an energetic, expository, application oriented speaker. Bathed in prayer, seeking God’s direction, he aims for information, growth and encouragement. (Do you want to hear a sample or 4? Check out these links: Jesus Teaches, The Wonders of the World of Parenting, Battlefield of Sacrifices, Perspective)

Doug is excited about where the direction that Lighthouse is going. He thinks after hearing the story of Lighthouse’s journey that God is getting ready to some great things and he always wants to be a part of the party that God is throwing.

We are very excited that God has brought Doug Swink and his family to Lighthouse. If you have questions that weren’t answered here, please let us know! And make plans to come on Sunday, February 15th to hear him speak and get the chance to vote him as our new senior pastor.

We also want to say a very special thank you to the search team (and their familes)! They gave up hundreds of hours as they worked to narrow it down to Doug. THANK YOU ALL!!

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Jail Ministry

Lighthouse on 11th has been involved with the Kalamazoo County Jail for a number of years. It first started out as financial support and has evolved into so much more. The jail is often a place that is forgotten, yet it can be a place of amazing grace and mercy. Elaine Wheeler, our ministry assistant, shares her testimony on how she got involved:

Jail ministry…not on my radar.   Never thought about it, never was interested in finding out about it and certainly never felt a call to it.  Then I was given an assignment…make a phone call to see how Lighthouse could be involved beyond just sending a monthly check to Forgotten Man Ministries. I was pretty sure, and maybe even hoping, I would run into a brick wall.  But I was intrigued by my phone call to Chaplain Larson.  I could tell he was committed to sharing the hope of Jesus with inmates.  “Good for him,” I thought.  Then God hit me between the eyes.

A group from Lighthouse went to lead the afternoon worship services one Sunday afternoon in May of 2011.  I went, not to participate, but because I had organized all of these people who were involved….I should probably be there.   In that basement room at the Kalamazoo County Jail God began a process of changing a hard part of my heart.  On a scale of “full-of-mercy-and-grace to you’re-getting-what-you-deserve” I was pretty far to the right.  But something Pastor Mark Swank said that day has stuck with me.  “We are all habitual offenders.”  That really hit me.  What right did I have to be so judgmental?  In God’s eyes I’m just as in need of His grace, forgiveness and transformation as any inmate.

Since that day God has changed my heart and my mind.  I love serving at the jail!  There have been some amazing worship experiences in the last four years.  I especially love encouraging young women and helping them understand that God is crazy in love with them and has so much more for them than they could ever dream.  I long to be part of people knowing God, getting free in their spirits and growing in an authentic relationship with Him that transforms them and brings glory to the God I love.  I’m not a teacher or a speaker but I’m committed to doing whatever God calls me to do–soon that will involve teaching in the new women’s God Pod.  Pray for me!

So how about you?  Maybe you are…or aren’t…called to jail ministry.  But I am sure that you are called to something…something bigger than yourself.  I’m a firm believer that serving is sometimes more about what God is doing in us than through us!

Do you want to learn more about how you can be involved with the jail? Or maybe you have another area that is tugging at your heart. Please contact us so we can help you plug into the ministry area where you can serve.

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A Year in Review…

This has been a great year for Lighthouse. We have been able to share the gospel with thousands this year. We have built relationships with those in the jail, juvenile home, and Lakeside. Those who serve in those locations have made connections not only with the inmates, but also those who work there.

Our community relationships have expanded this year, and we served Prairie Ridge School, Evergreen South, Heritage Schools, local homeschool groups, Oshtemo Rotary, and Alternatives of Kalamazoo. In the summer we held many different summer camps, a VBS and the Kids Tri-for-Hope. The Tri-for-Hope gave kids from the area a great opportunity to challenge themselves while raising money to build a city (an actual city!) in Cambodia. We partnered with Ratio Christi, a university campus ministry, to offer two apologetics seminars to teach people how to defend their faith.

As a church, we read the New Testament in a different way with Books of the Bible. We celebrated Easter by partaking in a traditional Passover Seder. And a marriage seminar was held which ended with a renewing of vows. Lighthouse also adopted “Mission 19:10” referring to Luke 19:10 – The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Just like the passage, Lighthouse is committed to helping people enter into a relationship with God.

August brought us CJ and Jen Ward to serve as our new student ministry pastor. They have made an impact with the students already. In September, Pastor Mark announced that he and his family would be heading to Cleveland, TN to work for the Church of God headquarters to raise money for orphanages across the world. The LBA commissioned a search team to find the person that God has prepared to lead Lighthouse. The search team has received 117 individual resumes. They continued to work through the holidays and believe that God is moving us closer to a candidate and that He has great plans for Lighthouse in His mission to reach the lost of Kalamazoo.

To finish the year, we held our 2nd annual Journey to the Manger live nativity. We had over 3,100 people come and hear the gospel presented through an amazing experience. (Look for pictures on our Facebook page!)

With all that happened this year, not one person could be a part of it all, but it took all of is to do it. Lighthouse on 11th is a team, and 2014 was a team win. Thank you all for your passion to serve God and help make a Kingdom impact in Kalamazoo!

If you are interested in becoming more involved in 2015 or finding your ministry passion, please let us know and we will connect your to a ministry that will help you find your calling.

Lighthouse Kids

Lighthouse Kids is a busy, happening place to be on Sunday mornings!  From practice for the upcoming Christmas program, worshipping all together, getting into our small group classes for a closer look at the Bible,  all the way to the nurseries for the littlest kiddos, Lighthouse Kids are growing and learning to be leaders for God.  Each week kids are encouraged to live, love, and lead for God in their communities and everywhere they go each day!

We hope you can join us for the children’s Christmas program on Sunday, December 7 at 5PM.

Lighthouse Kids serves children from birth thru 4th grade.  Want to learn more or have questions about what goes on? Contact Jesse or Carrie Evans at kids@lighthouseon11th.com

A Second Look at Second Service

Change is something that happens. It is a part of being human. There can be big changes and small changes. Both good and bad. But change does not always mean new or unknown. In fact some of the changes that make life, ministry and Sunday morning gatherings better is just clarifying what is at the core of our mission and re-aligning and returning to the basics. After we are readjusted we are called to use whatever resources we have to help reflect, support and enhance those things.

Since September both the leadership and the congregation have been seeing, implementing and experiencing some of those changes. For second service those changes have included the transition to re-introducing creative elements again such as videos, set and stage design, and better lighting and tech items. Again, these are not “new” but they are improvement changes that we believe are slowly but surely reflecting and supporting the desire to reach the lost and share the gospel of Christ with excellence and creativity.

Another area of change that may feel “new” is really just a visual representation of a “new” change that happened years ago regarding tithing and on-line giving. As the leadership team moved forward with options of how to tithe, on-line giving became a HUGE blessing to many families and the leadership team. It brought increased and consistent giving for the busy, active and yet still committed families of Lighthouse. It gave families the option to tithe and stay connected to their commitments when they were unable (or forgot) to bring their tithes into the storehouse.

As we finally admitted to ourselves that we had offered a needed and valuable service to our church family through on-line giving we realized we had never let go of the ritual of passing the plate second to reflect that change. Now, we are excited to have the Offering Boxes, located at the rear of the sanctuary that provide a safe place for anyone (first or second service) to drop in connection cards or financial contributions. Each week at staff meetings we are able to pray for and be encouraged by the willingness of many of the Lighthouse family who share requests and/or comments with us about how God is moving them through services.

We get that change is hard even if it is similar to a previous change. Many of embrace it easily…but the one thing we can all agree on is that when change happens it ALWAYS invites new people into our spaces and lives. We as a leadership team are so thankful to be a part of a family of believers that admit change is hard but are willing to acknowledge when it hurts and welcome those it brings along who are drawn to what God is doing at Lighthouse on 11^th…a NEW THING!

If you have any questions on the changes you have been seeing, please don’t hesitate to ask them. Find any leader on Sunday morning OR email or call the church office.

Be Involved With Juvenile Justice

Many of you may know about Lighthouse’s involvement in the Kalamazoo County Jail ministry, but did you know that we are also involved in the Juvenile system as well? Maurice Reynolds tells us more:

The Juvenile Justice Ministry (Gull Road and Lakeside Academy) is operated through Kalamazoo Youth for Christ.  Any type of chapel service or ministry goes through them.  Chapel service can be a variety of things from singing, speaking God’s Word, musicals, testimonies and other. Lighthouse is at the Gull Road facility every second Sunday of the month and at the Lakeside facility every last Sunday of the month.

At the Gull Road facility (Service is held from 8:15am – 9:15am) we usually run our services like this: someone opens up in prayer and gives an introduction of our church.  From there we will have some worship by the members that come up (usually Susan Fennema and whomever she brings).  The Word of God is taught and we wrap up with prayer and a short interaction with the youth on their way out of the chapel room.

At the Lakeside facility, it is sort of the same except, because of the later chapel time of 9:30 am to 10:30 am, the musicians usually can’t attend, so Jan Elwitz normally picks a song to sing with the youth there.  From there, we may have the youth come up and present something. My wife, Lanate, has done praise dances (at both facilities) and then the Word of God is taught.

We can always use more volunteers, especially younger youth.  We have about a handful of regulars for the Lakeside facility and about two handfuls of regulars for the Gull Road facility.  Pastor C.J. Ward is working on coming up to speak at both facilities and he plans on getting some of the youth involved once the growth groups are solid.

Along with volunteers, prayers are always in order.  The negative part of these services is that, due to rules and regulations, it is hard to follow up with the youth.  The guidelines are very strict and they do take them seriously.  Yet, blessings come by being able to speak a Word into the life of these youth and the joy of thanksgiving when one of them gives his or her life to Christ.

If you have questions, or would like to get involved with this amazing ministry, please contact Maurice at mjreynolds1116@gmail.com, (269) 348-5712 or the church office. And be sure to keep Maurice and all those involved in this and other ministries in your prayers regularly.

Fresh look at our Youth

There have been changes over the last year at Lighthouse on 11th. One of those has been in our youth group. There are some amazing things that have already happened this year! Our Student Ministries Pastor, CJ explains more:

Youth ministry is gaining momentum at Lighthouse. Already this year we have seen 5 students make a commitment for Christ. We’ve had over 30 students in our building at each of our outreach events and have seen progress in worship with each service we have held.

Just this week, we have launched our new small group model of ministry. Our high school small group saw 12 students at the first week, including 2 brand new teens.

One of the new faces of student ministry at lighthouse is the Mix56. Every Sunday morning our 5th and 6th graders meet for their own small group time and lesson. They play games and learn the word of God together as a group in a setting tailored for their age group.

Each level of our student ministry is challenging our teens to not only become part of the church, but to engage the word of God on their own. They are being pushed to make their faith a defining part of their lives and held accountable by peers and by adults who care for them.

Pray with us as we push toward the goal of seeing 15 students make decisions for Christ this year!

Do you have questions about Lighthouse Student Ministries? Or maybe have a teen that you want to get connected to church? Feel free to contact Pastor CJ Ward at CJ@lighthouseone11th.com or 605-951-4055. You can also find Lighthouse Student Ministries on Facebook!

What does it mean to be a Chaplain?

Do you know what a chaplain is? Or where they serve? You will most commonly hear about chaplains being in the military or hospitals. You might think that chaplains are men that have gone through seminary and are considered pastors. But chaplains can be man or woman, and are often members of a church who have gone through specialized training to serve as chaplains in a variety of areas.

Lighthouse on 11th is blessed to have several chaplains, including Mike Kemple who coordinates chaplains through the church as well as the director of Missional Chaplains, an organization designed to help identify, train and support individuals becoming Chaplains. Here is what he has to say on Chaplaincy:

Now you may ask, where can we see chaplains in our community? Is the county jail, Lighthouse on Lamont, at the Gull Road Juvenile Home of Lakeside Boys & Girls or KPEP (Kalamazoo Probationary Enhancement Program), maybe an elementary school, one of the hospitals, an assisted living facility, a skilled nursing home or at the county Department of Human Services, serving Social Workers and Protective Services professionals. Let’s talk about our local law enforcement officers, rescue workers or fire departments. How about an area manufacturer or a service organization that deals with high stress or crisis, even trauma? Could each of these places in our culture benefit from a chaplain? They absolutely can and do… this is exactly what The LORD is doing in our region with chaplaincy.

Within the past 3 years we have seen no fewer than 40 chaplains trained within the Southwest Michigan region. The International Association of Community Service Chaplains from Cleveland, TN have facilitated trainings and will continue to do so as we grow and identify the needs in our area, our culture that is truly crying out for hope, purpose, identity and acceptance.

You may have sensed a call on your life. Maybe you worked in foster care or have adopted or been adopted. Maybe all these years you have been getting prepared for this exciting adventure that will stretch you to the absolute max but will be exactly what you have been waiting for… As you explore the possibilities, the options, the ways to better live like Jesus. To serve others and not ourselves while at the same time making sure that this journey does not get too all-consuming.

There are several things to consider…will this affect my family? Are there going to be challenges that are far beyond my wildest dreams, and is there any chance that this pursuit could really transform me into something I have only prayed for and trusted that Father God would equip me to accomplish… things only He could do through me upon yielding and surrendering it all?

When you stand on the edge of this vast canyon and you look into the distance it is difficult to really get a clear picture. And yet, as you take the step into the unknown and really trust The Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct and comfort you along the journey… You stand amazed! This is oh so real and very scary and yet… GOD

HE has created us to serve, to suffer His reproach, to walk alongside those who are hurting, wounded and just plain tired of the grind. We are agents of transformation because we are daily being transformed, changed, our minds renewed by the Logos, God’s Word.

Love The LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind & with all you’re your strength. Then we can love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Ask and see what GOD says.

Wow! God has been doing some amazing things through Chaplaincy. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mike Kemple, Community Service Chaplaincy and Outreach. 269.348.8317 mike@missionalchaplains.org

It’s New! And Fun!

Welcome to the new Lighthouse on 11th blog! The idea behind this, is to have a place that will provide ministry and missionary updates as well as sermon recaps. Look for weekly posts on Thursdays from the different areas that our church is involved in, both inside and outside the church walls.

Do you have a ministry that we don’t know about yet? We want to help support you in however you need, whether it is with volunteers, items or even just with prayer.

Want to connect with us? Head over our website as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.