2021 Q4 UPDATE
GLORIFY GOD. PURSUE PEOPLE.
Our
MINISTRY PARTNERS Serving the Kingdom Together
ERIC HERRSTROM — LEAD PASTOR
A steward in the ancient world was a person who was given the responsibility and authority to rule over the affairs of the household. For example, the patriarch Joseph became a steward over Potiphar’s household: In Genesis 39, we see he managed everything in the household and was given the authority to rule over the house. In that role, he was responsible to manage the household well. He was not to waste the resources of the family, but to make wise decisions. Yet, the role of the steward was not something that was invented by the Egyptians in the time of Joseph. The steward’s role derives from a principle of stewardship, which is rooted and seen in the creation of mankind. Genesis 1.26-28 says:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
On the very first page of the Bible, we see the creation of human beings—made in the image of God, who revealed Himself initially as the Creator of all things—and the subsequent call of His image bearers was to imitate Him in a certain way: by being productive. Human beings were commanded to be fruitful and multiply…which has stewardship implications. Some might think that the New Testament is not concerned with labor, industry, or productivity, but only that we love each other and live by grace and not by works. But when we read the parables and language of Jesus, we see an emphasis on the call to fruitfulness (stewardship). Jesus calls His people to be fruitful not just in human reproduction, but in Kingdom activity. God then tells Adam and Eve to have dominion over the earth. God installed Adam and Eve as His stewards, those who were to manage His creation. It’s not that God granted independent ownership of the planet to humankind. It remains His possession. But God called Adam and Eve to exercise authority over the animals, plants, seas,
rivers, sky, and the environment. He made them stewards of the earth; they were called to act in His name and for His glory. This same principle is to be applied to our lives: our time, our homes, our church. Lake Church longs to steward the wonderful gifts that God has given us from our mission/vision, our property, our relationships and our partnerships. These are Kingdom investments. Specifically, we have ministry partners like TAFA, BSF, Lionheart, Excel Learning, Impact, Recreation, Connection Groups and the overall ministry of the church that are to be working together for the glory and Kingdom of Jesus. We know that Jesus loves a church that serves people with Biblical conviction, Gospel-centered compassion and faithful relationships. So, would you lean into this Kingdom partnership with joy, humility, a stewardship perspective, and faithfulness?
Thank you, Pastor Eric
Kingdom Partnerships
LIONHEART CHILDREN’S ACADEMY
54%
OF LIONHEART FAMILIES ARE NOT ACTIVE IN A CHURCH
that Jesus loves them and wants to be their forever friend. We employ like-minded Christian teachers for every age and stage of a child’s life. As the children are receiving quality preschool education, they are learning God made them, God loves them, and God wants them to follow Him. As families seek to join Lionheart, we ask them if they are a part of a local church; if they are not yet involved with a church family, we extend an invitation for them to join us at Lake Church. Lake Church works alongside Lionheart as we develop Christian leaders. The Lake Kids team is a vital connection in
We are the new standard for excellence in early childhood learning. Beginning at Lake Church in 2014, with twenty-one children, our passion is to support hardworking parents with quality, affordable care and education for their children. Our purposeful and holistic approach to early care and education ensures that children have a strong and healthy
foundation for learning and for life. Lionheart wants to be a place where children not only grow physically and mentally, but most of all, we want them to grow spiritually. Fifty-four percent of our local Lionheart families are not active in church, so we are intentional in ensuring every child and family that walks through the Lake Church doors sees and hears
bringing the Gospel to Lionheart. The partnership allows Lake Church students to participate in ministry outreach opportunities through Roar Time and Pride Rock at Lionheart. Lake Church was the first Lionheart campus seven years ago and we are excited to see what God’s plan is for growing and expanding Lionheart. Currently, there are eleven Lionheart locations with the plans for significant growth over the next several years. Our prayer is that God brings many more families through our doors as we seek to introduce the generations to Jesus.
Spiritual Growth
Bible Study Fellowship’s (BSF) mission is global, indepth Bible studies producing passionate commitment to Christ, His Word and His Church. The vision is to magnify God and mature His people as they cultivate a deeper relationship with Him. Today, more than 2,000 churches around the world host BSF classes and groups. BSF believes it’s important for everyone to personally explore the Word of God in community. Groups of all ages around the world meet weekly for about one and a half hours. Women of all ages around the world have the opportunity to study the Bible together, exploring the meaningful questions of life, going deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ and connecting with other women in conversations about things that matter. BSF at Lake Church is truly a community outreach with women from diverse backgrounds and denominations. Our almost 500 women who attend Bible Study on Wednesday mornings represent approximately 18 different denominations and 121 different churches. In addition, many women attending have no church affiliation and this is the first time they have been introduced to the Bible.
ATTENDEES 500 WOMEN 100 CHILDREN
121
DIFFERENT CHURCHES REPRESENTED
18
DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS REPRESENTED
Our partnership with Lake Church has spanned more than 25 years. We are so thankful and humbled for a church to open its’ doors to us and do everything they can to make us feel welcome. Lake Church opens its’ facility for us to hold our Leadership Meetings on Tuesday mornings and on Wednesday mornings, where almost 500 women and more than 100 preschool and school-age children gather to learn and study God’s Word together.
BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP
Christ, His Word & His Church
500
C A N M A K E A K I N G D OM D I F F E R E N C E
Would you please consider a planned gift by including Lake Church in your will? One sentence in your will can make a generous legacy gift to Lake Church. “After all my bills are paid, I want 20 percent of my estate to go to Lake Church.”
As one of the new members to Lake Arlington’s outreach ministry, Texas Academy of Faith and Arts (TAFA) truly feels that God has led us to this establishment for two purposes: a growth opportunity and to assist with the church’s foreknowledge to reach the DFW area with the hope and promise of the Gospel. For this, our school is humbled and excited. TAFA began in 1999, to accommodate the homeschool community, educating and training the next generation so they may know and share the love of Christ through the Arts. The Lord has taken this prayerful vision, which began with one violin studio, and has expanded continued on next page
TEXAS ACADEMY OF FAITH AND ARTS
ON E S I M PL E SENTENCE
Gospel Sharing Through The Arts
The year 2021, in many ways, has seemingly been a continuation of 2020. COVID-19 has lingered longer and divided more than many of us expected. Politics continue to be a daily news topic, as do events around the world. Fortunately, our hope is in Jesus Christ, and the promise of all things made new. Creation was perfect, just as God intended it. The Fall brought on by sin changed the order of all things and gave Satan temporary reign in our world. But Redemption is through our Savior, and the Restoration of all things made new is our future. Our task is to make Jesus known and enjoy God’s richness towards us, but Satan wants to battle us at every turn. Our task isn’t simple. Our battle is spiritual, and Satan wants to keep us distracted. We must take seriously the charge of Scripture to make disciples. Matthew 28 states, as you go, make disciples. So as you go in your home, to the store, down the street, online, around our neighborhood, to see friends & family, to our places of paid work, to our volunteer jobs, travel around the county and overseas on mission trips, we are to be about the task of disciple-making. The task isn’t small, but we also have reason to celebrate. We rejoice and praise as we worship our King. Our weekly gatherings on Sundays and other expressions of worship during the week are a tremendous opportunities for fellowship and celebration: we come continued on next page
2022 BUDGET
TEXAS ACADEMY OF FAITH AND ARTS
it to over one hundred classes. In continuation, our desire is to not only assist the growing number of homeschool families with a proper education, but to prepare and fully armor them for inevitable spiritual battles they will face while pursuing a higher education, joining the workforce, or working in the community. We are preparing our students to be salt and light in a culture of darkness. These students may very well become the next Andrew Lloyd Webber, Luciano Pavarotti, Steven Spielberg or political leader - with a huge difference: They will be called to be a vessel of the Lord as they seek to change the world.
2022 Ministry Plan
OUR MINISTRY PLAN - 2022 BUDGET
together as the gathered church before once again we scatter to go about our disciple-making. Don’t take this lightly. The gathering is a freedom that many of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ aren’t afforded. It is easy for us to gather. Don’t neglect this. As you read the pages of Our Ministry Plan, do consider your part in making Jesus known and enjoying God’s richness. Disciple-making can happen wherever you go because you are the disciple-maker. Consider how you will partner with the Kingdom to fund the work of the church as a steward of the resources God has given you.
Glorify God & Pursue People.
A. W O R S H I P
To provide a life-changing worship experience every week of the year. Our 2022 budget includes funding to open the doors wide to our local community, the families we know, and those we don’t. We are inviting our students, both domestic and international, to worship with us. We welcome new parents and empty nesters. We welcome single language families as well as those who speak multiple languages. All who want to worship are welcome, and we will radiate hospitality as we provide life-changing worship experiences every week of the year. We aspire to a Heavenly worship experience, the diversity and beauty of every tongue, tribe, and nation worshipping our Creator and one true King... In His presence for all eternity.
Related Hills: Hill 3 Radiate hospitality, resulting in the church being known as the community’s home. (Acts 4.31-37) Until Heaven, we seek to share Christ and His kingdom with all peoples. When people enter into that eternal relationship with Christ, they take the first step towards becoming whole, towards human flourishing. A broken society looks like a soup kitchen...a flourishing society looks like a potluck. A flourishing church community is one where all people recognize their ability to worship & serve the Kingdom as they serve one another through their labor, influence, finances, and expertise.
Budget Total — $670,457 (This total includes a percentage of Personnel, Plant & Facilities, Administration, Building Loan, Worship, Children, Youth & Communication.)
OUR MINISTRY PLAN - 2022 BUDGET
Related Hills: Hill 1 Pray over every member, every ministry, every nation, and our city at every hour of every day. (Acts 4.2331; 9.40; 16.25; 20.34) Hill 2 Own the responsibility of discipleship for the 976 weeks of a child’s life. (Acts 16.13-15)
B. D I S C I P L E S H I P To invest in and nurture people in their faith journey towards discipleship.
Flourishing only happens as people recognize who they are in Christ, and that doesn’t fully occur outside of discipleship. Our world, and often many inside the church, need to understand and follow the Word of God. Through our connection groups, our adult, college, youth, children, and family ministries, we seek to disciple those in our church. But we also strive to train families to disciple their own children. While traditionally, that training may have come predominantly through the church, we seek to press into the discipleship relationships between those older and those younger. From a parent to a child, a grandparent to a child, as well as empty nesters to a younger generation...we must all be about investing in the next generations. Your coworkers, neighbors, brother, and sisters all need someone to help them work out their faith. There is nothing better than this; to invest in others and help them to grow. Society is broken and desperate for the hope of Jesus found in the eternal Word of God. If you have that hope, you are qualified to disciple.
Hill 4 Transform communities through Kingdom business development, job creation, and educational resourcing. (Acts 18.1-3) Discipleship starts with prayer and the additional action of investing in others through relationships. It’s not easy, and it’s not clean. It can be painful, but it can also bring some of the greatest joy to this side of Heaven. God designed us for relationships, and our investment in others is honoring to our Creator. Discipleship is more than coffee once a month, and it can be more radical than we have previously thought. While discipleship can take many forms, the single common thread is that it always begins with a oneto-one relationship.
Budget Total — $1,082,785 (This total includes a percentage of Personnel, Plant & Facilities, Administration, Building Loan, Communications, Adult, Impact Counseling, Children, Youth, Young Adult, College & Recreation.)
OUR MINISTRY PLAN - 2022 BUDGET
Related Hills:
C. M I S S I O N S
Hill 4 Transform communities through Kingdom business development, job creation, and educational resourcing. (Acts 18.1-3)
To reach & engage the lost and disenfranchised beyond the walls of Lake Church. 1) To invest in and reach the local community where they are through the use of Lake Church facilities & programs. 2) To invest in & reach beyond Arlington to share Christ with a lost & dying world. Our world is scared, lost, and hopeless and is seeking something of significance. People are looking to their work, their families, themselves, and countless other wrong places for fulfillment. We have the hope they need. We will continue our work in 2022 of investing in ministry partners around the globe, as well as seeking creative ways to build relationships with our local community for the sake of human flourishing. We want more potluck and less soup kitchen.
Hill 5 Facilitate the planting of 500 churches. (Acts 1.8; 4.8-22) Considering our local initiatives of EXCEL and the UTA house as well as the continued partnerships with our partners further away in Washington, Colorado, Cuba, Israel, SE Asia, Turkey, UAE, Argentina, Bosnia, Matamoros, Syria & Spain, and eventually Africa, we are a church that is only content when we are advancing the Gospel. Finding innovative ways to access countries and build relationships, with an effort to fulfill our Gospel commandment to plant churches, your financial investment will ensure the Gospel is indeed taken to the nations.
Budget Total — $933,819 (This total includes a percentage of Personnel, Missions, Plant & Facilities, Administration, Building Loan, Communications & Recreation.)
2022 BUDGET WORSHIP DISCIPLESHIP MISSIONS
TOTAL
$670,457 $1,082,785 $933,819 $2,687,061
W O R S H I P - 25% D I S C I P L E S H I P - 4 0% M I S S I O N S - 3 5%
2021 YEAR TO DATE OF LAKE CHURCH
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES SOURCE OF FUNDS
AMOUNT
%
$1,825,359
68%
$44,592
2%
$15,417
1%
$309.576
12%
Recreation Ministry Revenue
$83,272
3%
Loan Retirement Donations
$21,615
1%
Gas Well Revenue
$159,445
6%
Event Revenue
$110,999
4%
Fundraising Revenue
$10,030
0%
Church Facility Use Revenue
$58,653
2%
Other Ministry Donations
$15,907
1%
Investments Gain/(Loss) & Other Revenue
$30,998
1%
Tithes #notyetfinished Missions Donations Revenue Excel Learning Academy Donations & Revenue Impact Counseling Donations & Revenue
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ASSETS Cash & Bank Accounts Investment Account Accounts Receivable Prepaid Expenses
LIABILITIES $1,384,969 Current Payables $627,566 Facilities Loan - Frost Bank
$107,210 $2,070,947
$7,413 $19,056
Fixed & Long-Term Assets $8,672,787
TOTAL
$10,711,791
TOTAL
$2,178,157
FUNDS USED
FUND BALANCES Donor Restricted Funds
$279,652
Gas Well Fund
$247,771
Investment & Cash Reserve Funds $827,566 Church Designated Funds Unrestricted Net Assets
$172,185 $7,006,460
TOTAL
$8,533,634
TOTAL LIABILITIES &
$10,711,791
FUND BALANCES
TOTAL
AMOUNT
%
Cost of Program Services Provided
$639,432
24%
Administration & Facilities Expenses
$588,860
22%
Missions Expenses & Support Given Out
$230,012
9%
Excel Learning Academy Operating Expenses
$45,099
2%
Impact Counseling Operating Expenses
$391,641
15%
Recreation Ministry Operating Expenses
$153,966
6%
Loan Retirement Payments (P&I)
$155,254
6%
Gas Well: Loan Principal Reduction
$49,940
2%
$15,944
1%
$186,164
7%
$113,137
4%
Fundraising Funds Expended
$7,730
0%
Church Facility Funds Expended
$10,381
0%
Other Ministry Donations Expended
$23,758
1%
$7,158
0%
Gas Well: Missions & Ministry Expenses Gas Well: Capital Expenditures Event Funds Expended
The data on this page was collected from Lake Church’s internal financial statements ending August 31, 2021.
$2,685,863
Other Revenue Expended
TOTAL
$2,618,476
CHRISTMAS AT THE LAKE
Wonder For A Weary World
D E C E M B E R 10 T H & D E C E M B E R 1 1 T H
Come experience a night of worship through the arts. Who will you invite to come see and hear of the hope we have in Christ?
Connection Points A very special family
Over the course of several years, the Lifestyle Sports & Recreation facility has enjoyed great relationships with families in the Arlington/Kennedale/ Mansfield communities by offering sports camps and leagues. Through the avenue of recreation, the goal of the LC is to reach as many families as possible with the Gospel of Jesus. Soccer, basketball, drills & skills, fitness, and other camps has allowed us to enjoy a gratifying relationship with one family in particular. As a single, special-needs parent of more than one child, one of our families consistently depends upon a scholarship from our Faster Than A Pastor 5K fund in order to participate. Because of the generosity of our sponsors and racers, they pay only a fraction of the cost to play. This past fall the LC sent out a bulk email advertising our back-to-school supplies drive. Thankfully, the family got word. As they were walking down the sidewalk of the LC that morning, I saw the friendly smile of Mom – that kind of “relief smile” you give when continued on next page
you gratefully recognize someone safe – even when you are coming to an event such as a free give-away. After we greeted each other warmly, I walked them into the LC where they were able to get shoes, backpacks, and other school supplies. But school supplies weren’t all they received that day. The family also made a connection with the Lake Church karate ministry. The school supplies drive was taking place on the same morning karate was being held. They met a karate volunteer who kindly walked them over to the Fellowship Hall where they were able to see the karate ministry live and in-person. And in only a way God can orchestrate, there was a special needs karate instructor who just happened to be present that morning. Today, they are engaged in the karate ministry.
“We truly do want everything we do to make much of Jesus.”
Sports leagues and camps, Faster Than A Pastor 5K, the school supplies drive, and the karate ministry are all connection points providing avenues for families to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. LC Sports and Recreation is a ministry of Lake Church that God is using to create Kingdom investments.
Join us for FRIENDSGIVING November 18, 7PM
RECREATION
Lake Young Adults (YA) is a ministry made up of individuals ages 22 to 30 years-old, singles and marrieds. Learn more about our community groups, Thursday night gatherings, and upcoming events by visiting www.lakechurch.news/lake-young-adults or contact Hannah Morris for more information: hmorris@lakechurchdfw.org
For the past year and a half, five to seven hours per day, Madilyn stared at her computer screen. She pretended to read and then chose the box she hadn’t chosen the last time she stared at her computer screen, hoping this time the answer would be correct. Sometimes it was. Most of the time, it wasn’t. But no one knew because report card grades weren’t a true reflection of what hadn’t been learned during the Covid 1.5
years. Returning to in-person education, Madilyn’s third grade teacher realized that she was not able to read. Carolyn, Madilyn’s mother, called Excel Learning Academy at Lake Church. That’s where she met Susan Hall, one of Excel’s premier tutors. After four weeks of one-on-one tutoring and focused learning, Madilyn’s confidence grew, her reading improved dramatically, and most of all, Madilyn loved school – again!
EXCEL LEARNING ACADEMY
Carolyn sent this email today:
“Excel Learning has met my child where she is and is bridging the gap, taking her where she needs to be. Mrs. Hall is more than I could imagine for a tutor. Her upbeat energy, positive encouragement, and creative learning tricks keeps my daughter engaged and aids in making learning fun. I am very grateful for Excel! With a thankful heart, Carolyn” Excel Learning’s mission is to work together – student, parents, teacher, and tutor to build a respectful, nurturing environment focused on maximizing each student’s potential. We provide tutoring for students of all ages. Language therapy, specialized Dyslexia services, all foreign languages, every core subject, music, arts, computer science, and specialized subjects are all in our scope of teaching. We offer SAT, ACT and TSI test preparation courses, Study Skills Classes, Organizational Strategies, and continuing education classes. Excel Learning is committed to serving Arlington and the surrounding communities with excellence. Our partnership with Lake Church allows us to introduce families to a Christcentered church which provides resources to support families mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Let us know how we can help your student EXCEL their learning!
Loving Learning Again
Recognizing a growing need in our community for professional biblical counseling, in the fall of 2003, God made clear that Lake Church was to provide such a ministry. We dedicated the area to be used for the counseling center and church members constructed the space. Generous contributions made furnishings and finish out possible. After much prayer and preparation, we launched Impact Counseling and Guidance Center in April of 2005.
engaged couples, and families. We counsel people from many different religious backgrounds and belief systems, a third of which attend church randomly, occasionally, or not at all. For over 90% of the people we see, their first connection point with Lake Church is through Impact.
We have been privileged to witness the mighty work of God transforming lives, marriages, and families for 16 years!
We have partnered with 6 different seminaries and universities to provide supervision and training for 67 counseling students that are now advancing the Kingdom locally and globally.
By the end of 2021, Lake Church will have facilitated over 60,000 professional counseling sessions for individuals (preschool, children, teens, and adults), married and
We partner annually with Mission Arlington, providing free counseling at their location for people that cannot afford counseling, but desperately need it. continued on next page
IMPACT COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE CENTER
Working Together For Kingdom Investments
This was a bold step of faith and financial commitment for Lake Church. We intentioned affordable, professional counseling and a true ministry for the community. While Impact would be a resource for our church families, the primary objective was to help people outside our walls discover the hope and healing that is only found in Jesus.
IMPACT COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE CENTER
Year one 4
COUNSELORS
1
ADMIN
966
SESSIONS/YEAR
Today 16
COUNSELORS
I M PAC T I N G W I T H I R A D I S T R I BU T IO N S
6
ADMIN
7,000
SESSIONS/YEAR
We partner with mission groups to provide counsel to missionary families that are in the DFW area on sabbatical. Dr. Laymance, the founding director, began Impact with a staff of 4 counselors and 1 admin. The staff now includes 16 counselors and 6 admins. There were 966 sessions in year one. This year that number will be around 7,000. Our local community outreach has become Metroplex wide with people zooming or driving in from all over Texas. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says
“God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” Thank you, Lake Church. Your generous giving is facilitating a massive eternal IMPACT for the Kingdom!
For individuals at least 70 ½ in age, traditional IRA account owners can make required minimum distributions and other distributions out of their IRA to a church and/or ministries that bypass tax implications. These distributions can make an impact on the Kingdom! Contact David Chase for more information. 817-451-4110 or dchase@lakechurchdfw.org
PASTOR DAVID CHASE — EXECUTIVE
Final Thoughts What a joy it is to be in partnership with others who are likeminded in our pursuit of the King. In this edition, we've read how TAFA is bringing light to the arts, Impact Counseling is redeeming relationships, Lionheart is introducing Jesus to families and providing care for our smallest of friends, Excel is leading the way in educational flourishing, BSF is helping others know God through His Word, and our Recreation ministry is serving as a light in our community by integrating faith and fitness.
Each one of these organizations and ministries is stewarding its unique call to help others flourish. It's the same sentiment as what is presented in 1 Corinthians 12. We have all been gifted in unique ways, and God has entrusted us with a specific purpose. Some are eyes, some are ears, and others, noses, but collectively we make up the whole body of Christ. You may have heard it said we are only as strong as our weakest link. If we let the distractions of this world keep us from fully living for the Kingdom, then we have created a weak link in the body of Christ. We are to steward all the abilities and possessions God has given us. We are to act as stewards seeking to return things better than we found them. Just as all of the previously mentioned ministries are focused on others, we should be as well: A life of service to others for the sake of the Kingdom is what we are called to. We are to be fully devoted, heart followers of Christ. Jesus was never satisfied with the status quo; He was always generous. I encourage you to be generous as well. The Old Testament commands a 10% tithe, but the New Testament isn't satisfied with 10%. The New Testament calls for generous givers. As the local church, we have the greatest opportunity to impact eternity, and I encourage you to give to the church's mission generously. Helping people fully flourish means knowing God and Jesus in a salvation relationship. Local outreach, global missions, and developing disciples are what we are about and are all part of the 2022 budget.
Would you please consider a generous yearend gift, over and above your tithe, to not only support the work of your local church but also to remind yourself, and Satan, that you won't be distracted by this world?
To keep current on all things at The Lake, please refer often to our current events site at lakechurch.news.
2912 LITTLE RD. ARLINGTON, TX 76016