24-1110: Christ-followers testify of God’s love to the world by our love for one another. As John writes to late First-Century Christians, he teaches them of the full impact of God’s love. And his rationale is clear. If God is love, and He is, then when we know God it will be most accurately and fully displayed by our lives that are marked with love for one another. And if God is love, and He is, then those who know God should love like God loves. When one lives as they have been loved by God, this will be the greatest testimony of God to the world. The way a Christ-follower’s life shows God is love is by loving one another. In this message, Pastor Lane provides three reasons for Christ-followers to testify that God is love to the world by loving one another. We pray this message helps and encourages.

24-1103: Christ-followers live by Holy Spirit discernment to walk in the light of God’s truth. There are so many messages in this world that confuse and create chaos. How is it that one navigates to follow the Lord in the midst of so many sources trying to distract and deter from faithfulness. At some point in the life of following Jesus, every Christ-follower asks, “How do I know whether something is from the Lord Jesus or not?” This is one of the most important questions a Christ-follower can ask. Do you have a framework for how you think about things? “Worldview” is a word used when speaking of the way that Christians view the world and all that is in it. It is a framework built by intentional things we include to think about all things in accordance with Jesus Christ. The “frame” through which you think about, view, and understand the world should be built by God’s truth. In this message, Pastor Lane provides four exhortations to build a framework for Holy Spirit-led discernment to walk in the light of God’s truth. We pray this message helps and encourages.

24-1027: Love from God gives life that becomes life-giving as we love one another. Once John establishes the character of God as the foundation of our understanding for Him, and that our relationship with Him is due to His love for us to make us His children, he moves to the next aspect of fellowship with God, love one another. Love for one another is central to God’s greatest commandment. It was never an after-thought, not an instruction given when the kids couldn’t get along, not an answer to a theoretical question of debate, nor a preferred solution to a problem. The new command to love one another is as old as love for God because through it one demonstrates love for God. In this message, Pastor Lane highlights three blessings of the power of God’s love. We pray this message is a help and encouragement to you.

24-1020: Children of God live to consume their life with more of Jesus, so more Jesus comes through their life. With the understanding that many antichrists are already active in the world, it is important for Christians to understand how they can live faithfully now. And what does John recommend? He repeated his exhortation to “abide”. Abiding in Christ provides the Christ-follower all they need to remain close to Jesus, so to see Him come through in the way one lives. In this message, Pastor Lane provides four reminders for encouragement that John provides for one to fill their life with more of Jesus. We pray this message helps and encourages.

In case you have not yet heard, it was announced today that I have recently accepted a position with Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to become their Vice President for Institutional Advancement. You can read the whole news release here. My principal role will be to build a strong network of relationships with pastors, churches, individuals, and foundations to help continue the seminary’s strong growth and advance the training of more pastors, missionaries, and gospel laborers for the next generation. I am very excited about all the Lord is doing as I step into this new role. But the decision has not been easy.

Christin and I recently celebrated twenty years with LifePoint Church. When you plant a church, twenty years seems so far away and little more than a dream. But when you reach that milestone there is a special sense of gratitude to the Lord and to His people for the privilege and blessing of shepherding the same congregation for two decades. We had no plans but to remain in our God-given assignment. So, I can’t tell you how surprised Christin and I were at this opportunity, both in its nature and timing. We had never considered a role of this nature. And while I have been privileged to serve as a Trustee at Midwestern for the last six and a half years, I was not only surprised to learn of the opportunity when it was first presented, but doubtful that what they were looking for would align with my calling, strengths, and gifting. However, the more I listened the more intrigued I became, and the more the Lord began to steer my heart in that direction.

Of course, the excitement in considering this new role was met with waves of sadness at what that would mean; we would have to resign and leave LifePoint. Most people would look at our situation and question my sanity for even considering this. LifePoint is enjoying a high season of health and happiness, as well as strong fruit from gospel ministry. And I would concur with people’s question but for one exception, the Lord was making clear his will and direction. After several weeks of prayerful consideration, I went to the Elders and asked them for their counsel and prayer. They were gracious and generous with both, and for their friendship and brotherhood I could not be more thankful. They have continually encouraged me, prayed for me, and expressed their love, confidence, and support. LifePoint has been our life work in every way. But it has become clear the Lord is leading us both in new directions, with mutual love, encouragement, and blessings for one another. We are praying with great anticipation of the future for LifePoint Church. Twenty years is a great beginning for a church plant, but it barely scratches the surface for the advance in gospel mission the Lord has prepared for this church in the years to come. Christin and I could not be more confident and clear of the Lord’s leading, both for the Harrisons and for LifePoint Church. We are forever grateful to the Lord for our years at LifePoint. Nothing will ever dull the love we have for this great congregation of people. LifePoint, we love you dearly, and we will return to see the work the Lord continues.

As for the labor and mission at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I could not be more excited to work with such a strong team of dedicated people. Dr. Jason Allen has proven to be a man of integrity and a leader of strong conviction and compelling vision. Even with the reports for this most recent Trustee meetings, the incredible growth over twelve straight years continues. I have always held a passion to raise up the next generation for gospel ministry and mission. I am thankful to Dr. Allen and his team for the opportunity to come alongside and serve with them.

Many have asked, “Will you continue to preach in your new role?” I will not preach regularly as part of this role, but I definitely plan to continue a preaching ministry. My father left a legacy of rich, gospel preaching through full-time, bi-vocational, and interim ministry. I have a clear vision for how I believe God will call us to serve in the future. I will also continue to give myself to coaching, equipping, and encouraging pastors and consulting with churches. This is a passion for me, and as much as the Lord gives me opportunity, I will continue in this work.

Christin and I covet your prayers in this whole endeavor; our relocation to Kansas City, my new role at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and future ministry among churches, our children as they adjust to mom and dad leaving “home”, and countless other challenges that will no doubt be encountered. While we hold a high excitement for this next season of ministry the Lord is leading us into, we leave with the deepest love and joy for and sadness in leaving LifePoint Church. There will always remain within us a great blessing of God’s love known as LifePoint.

I would love for you to come along with us on this journey by following me here at the website, mlaneharrison.com, on my Pastor Lane Harrison Facebook Page, and on Instagram, pastor_lane_harrison.

In all, may the gospel advance and the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be made known as we seek to serve His call on our life in this world.

Because Jesus Lives,

Pastor Lane Harrison

24-1013: Abiding in Jesus Christ guards one against deception to remain faithful and live ready for His return. John begins this passage by stating that many antichrists are already here, many who want to be like the Antichrist, who actively serve in the same spirit. And this is how we know we live in the “last hour”. John is not speaking of chronology, but in culmination of redemptive history by the Lord Jesus’ second coming. He writes to strengthen Christ-followers to remain faithful in the days they live as they await Christ’s return. In this message, Pastor Lane provides four recognitions to prepare a Christ-follower to trust in Jesus daily as you live ready. we pray this message helps and encourages.

24-1006: Abiding in God’s love empowers one to truly walk in His light. John continues to show Christians how God intends for us to walk in His light as we are completely immersed in His love. This has been God’s design from the very beginning, because, as John later states, God is love. But at the same time, this is a new command! How can it be both an old and a new command? John’s answer to this is simple: God’s command to love, which is as eternal as His nature, is new with increasing power every time one walks in His light. In this message, Pastor Lane three ways true love from God works to lead us in His light to implore you to walk in the light. We pray this message encourages and helps.

24-0929: Real Christ-followers live by faith in the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to walk as he walked. John writes his letter out of a deep abiding with the Lord Jesus and from a deep affection for His followers, to remind them that the foundation for all his message is the unending, abounding, overflowing love of God in Jesus Christ. This becomes evident in the titles he uses to address his readers, such as the “My Little children” that he begins with here. His aim is to implore you to abide in Christ. Once he establishes this deep sense of affection for his reader, he then states, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin,”. His statement is one of high vision for the life of every Christ-follower, followed by the reality in which they live. The tension between these two statements leads the reader to ask, “But how does one live by such a high vision of following Christ?” In this message, Pastor Lane identifies three roles of Jesus Christ by which every Christ-follower is empowered to abide in Him. We pray this message helps and encourages.

24-0922: Christians live in fellowship with God when we walk in the light of His righteousness. After John opens his letter by introducing life with God as fellowship, he then moves to provide greater clarity about what fellowship really means. He begins with the truth that God is light. Then, he shows how we must walk in the light in order to be in fellowship with God. In this message, Pastor Lane identifies three tests to understand what walking in God’s light, and from these tests to apply it to life to know if you are living in true fellowship with God. We pray this message helps and encourages.

24-0915: The essence of the Christian life is one of fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. The letter of First John opens in a unique manner characteristic of the Apostle John’s writing. In his introduction he reveals how we have life with God, and how real and eternal this life truly is because the One who sources it is real and eternal. In this message, Pastor Lane outlines five characteristics of fellowship, our life with God, to show how the eternal One who came from heaven to us has given us eternal life with Him. We pray this message helps and encourages.