Homecoming Sunday at Lake Lynn Baptist Church! As we celebrated 74 years of God's faithfulness, guest speaker Cameron Knowles, Associational Discipleship Strategist with the New South River Baptist Association, asked a question every church needs to hear: what makes a healthy church?

A church can celebrate its past while neglecting the very things that made its past worth celebrating. We can remember the fellowship without practicing fellowship, remember the preaching without submitting to God's Word, and remember the prayers of past generations without becoming a praying people ourselves.

In Acts 2:42-47 we meet a church with no beautiful sanctuary, no denominational structure, and no generations of tradition - yet it possessed something far more important: a people transformed by the gospel, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and devoted to the things of God. From verse 42, Luke gives us the four pillars of a healthy church:

• Devoted to the word of God
• Committed to the fellowship of God's people
• United in Christ-centered worship
• Dependent upon God through prayer

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47
Speaker: Cameron Knowles, Associational Discipleship Strategist | New South River Baptist Association
Homecoming Sunday, 74th Anniversary | October 18, 2026

Plan your visit at lakelynn.org

What has Jesus given you to use for His church and His kingdom? In Week 2 of the Benchwarmers series, Pastor Phil Graves teaches from Ephesians 4:7-16 about the gifts Christ gives to every believer. Serving is not limited to pastors, deacons, teachers, or people who have been Christians the longest. Every believer has a place, a purpose, and a contribution to make.

This message challenges us to stop waiting for a perfect plan, a title, a committee, or a ministry that already exists. Ministry begins with a real need and a willing person. Whether you serve publicly or quietly, inside the church or in the community, Jesus can use your gifts to build up His people and point others toward Him.

You will be encouraged to discover your position, notice the needs God has placed in front of you, and take one practical step of service this week.

Key ideas: spiritual gifts, serving in the church, Christian ministry, finding your place, discipleship, Ephesians 4, creative ministry, every member serving, and building up the body of Christ.

Key line: Don't get in a pickle. Make a play.

If you have never trusted Jesus, your first move is not serving. Your first move is coming to Christ. Salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus.

What does following Jesus look like beyond Sunday morning? In “More Than a Jersey,” Pastor Phil Graves opens the Benchwarmers series with Mark 12:28–34 and Jesus’ command to love God wholeheartedly and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Before we talk about serving, we need to understand how we belong to Jesus. Salvation is God’s gift through faith in Christ. We cannot earn it through good works. But receiving His grace begins a life of growing, loving, and serving.

This message explores three practical steps:

• Love God with your whole life.
• Love your neighbor in practical ways.
• Respond to the truth you recognize.

Whether you’re exploring Christianity or have followed Jesus for years, consider one person you can love and one step of obedience you can take this week.

You have a place. You have a purpose.

Scripture: Mark 12:28–34; Ephesians 2:8–10
Series: Benchwarmers, Week 1
Pastor Phil Graves | Lake Lynn Baptist Church
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Find out more and plan your visit: https://lakelynn.org

In the final message of our Don’t Take the Bait series, Pastor Phil Graves examines one of the most subtle traps we face: making life about ourselves.

Philippians 2:1–13 calls us to reject selfish ambition, value others, and develop the humble mind of Jesus. But biblical humility is not something we produce through willpower alone. God works within us, changing both our desires and our actions for His good purpose.

In this message, we learn to:

• Protect unity by putting others before ourselves
• Follow the humble example of Jesus
• Depend on God’s work within us

The bait may be pride, recognition, or the need to have our way. Through Jesus, we can refuse the hook and live for something greater than ourselves.

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13 ESV

This is Week 5 and the concluding message of Don’t Take the Bait: A Biblical Path Through Offense, Anger, and Division.

Lake Lynn Baptist Church
3363 Gillespie Street, Fayetteville, NC
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship: 11:00 AM
https://lakelynn.org

How can we forgive someone who has hurt us repeatedly? In Matthew 18:21–35, Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive. Jesus responds with the parable of the unforgiving servant, showing us that forgiveness begins by remembering the immeasurable mercy we have received.

In Week 4 of Don’t Take the Bait, Pastor Phil Graves explains three biblical steps toward forgiveness:

• Stop counting the offenses
• Remember the mercy you received
• Release what you are owed

Forgiveness does not excuse sin, erase necessary boundaries, or instantly restore trust. It releases our demand for personal revenge and places justice into God’s hands. Forgiven people forgive because the mercy of Jesus is greater than the debt we are being asked to release.

Scripture: Matthew 18:21–35
Series: Don’t Take the Bait
Message: Forgiven People Forgive People

Lake Lynn Baptist Church
3363 Gillespie Street
Fayetteville, NC 28306

Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship: 11:00 AM

Learn more at https://lakelynn.org

Most of us become uncomfortable when someone says, “I need to talk to you.” We may avoid the conversation, assume the worst, or talk to everyone except the person involved. But unresolved sin does not disappear simply because nobody mentions it.

In Week 3 of Don’t Take the Bait, Pastor Phil Graves examines Matthew 18:15–20 and the process Jesus gives us for responding when sin damages a relationship.

Jesus calls us to:

• Go to the person
• Go for restoration
• Get help when necessary

The goal is not to win an argument, embarrass someone, or prove that we were right. Jesus says, “If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” Biblical love speaks truthfully, privately, gently, and with restoration as its goal.

This passage does not require someone to confront an abuser or dangerous person privately. Abuse, threats, criminal behavior, and unsafe situations should be reported to the appropriate leaders and authorities.

Primary Scripture: Matthew 18:15–20
Supporting Scripture: Matthew 5:23–24; Galatians 6:1–2

This message was preached at Lake Lynn Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on September 13, 2026, during a special service in which five believers were baptized.

Not all gossip sounds like gossip. Sometimes it disguises itself as concern, helpful information, venting, or even a prayer request.

In Week 2 of Don’t Take the Bait, Pastor Phil Graves teaches from Ephesians 4:25–32 about the power of our words. Our speech can spread corruption and division, or it can build others up and give grace. We will learn how to recognize gossip, refuse to give it an audience, and redirect our conversations toward truth, healing, and restoration.

Key truth: If I am not part of the problem or part of the biblical solution, I need to be careful about becoming part of the conversation.

Technical note: Our internet connection dropped several times during the livestream, causing a few brief interruptions in this recording. We apologize for the dropouts and appreciate your patience.

Primary Scripture: Ephesians 4:25–32
Supporting Scriptures: Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 26:20; James 3:5–10

We live in a culture built to keep us angry, outraged, and offended. But Jesus said in Luke 17 that offenses are sure to come, so the real question isn't whether you'll get hurt. It's what you do with it.

In this message, Pastor Phil opens Week 1 of "Don't Take the Bait: Escaping Offense, Gossip, and Bitterness" by walking through three steps for handling offense biblically: expect the bait, examine your heart, and engage with grace. You'll learn the difference between being hurt (which isn't always a choice) and staying offended (which usually is), how to tell whether an offense should be overlooked or addressed, and why anger, even anger that feels justified, doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

Texts covered: Proverbs 19:11, James 1:19–20, Luke 17:1–4