Invite & Include!

For Sunday, May 3, 2026:

Colossians 1:7 NLT: “You learned about the Good News (Gospel) from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker.”

How did you learn about Jesus? You’re fortunate if your parents taught you, brought you to church as a child. But nowadays, many people aren’t so lucky. A lot of families don’t have a church home, and may not be believers.

Consequently our territory, our evangelism responsibility increased. One pastor I know claims people are in our pews because somebody told somebody who told somebody. I believe that’s right!

Two words need to be in our vocabulary: invite and include. “I’d like to invite you to my church. Where you live is on my way. I could pick you up next Sunday!” -or- Three of us are going to the Bible study at my church. There’s room in the car for a fourth. We’d like to include you!”

Jesus told all believers to make disciples of all nations, not just the pastors. We should start in our own backyards!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Job Search Ended!

For Sunday, July 20, 2025:

Luke 16:11 NLT: “If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?”

In the parable of the shrewd manager, Jesus was setting a high bar for his followers. You may recall that the shrewd manager was making gifts of his master’s wealth, thinking that when he got fired he could call in favors from those he had gifted. Jesus acknowledged the man’s skill in providing for himself, but could never condone the thievery it required.

Jesus has appointed each believer to be the manager of their personal evangelical efforts. You’ve been ‘hired’ whether or not you realize it. New believers quickly transition into seasoned recruiters and teachers. It’s all intentional, God’s plan for growth and expansion. Christian leadership didn’t just fall off of the turnip truck! (Which means it’s no accident!)

Many believers have a not-so-nice past, a time before they met Jesus. This isn’t unusual since Jesus is in the rescue business, and many good Christians really needed divine intervention to separate them from their past iniquities.

Consider the Apostle Paul, who was known for persecuting Christians. It took a personal visit from the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus to convert Paul. But he also had to sojourn to Jerusalem to convince Christian leadership that they were all on the same team. It was a tough sell. That time could have been invested in evangelism rather than in cleaning up Paul’s mess. Nonetheless, given his situation, it was necessary.

So from now on, you are the hired manager and Jesus is your master. Let’s all get to work! Be good stewards of the time, talent and resources he has bestowed upon you. Be more honest than the shrewd manager in the parable. See if you can make Jesus smile today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Purpose!

For Friday, May 3, 2024:

Colossians 4:3 NLT: “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.”

Most people would lament the fact that they’re in prison. But Paul sees it as an opportunity! By the time his sentence ended, the prison staff, the guards and a lot of his fellow prisoners knew about the redeeming grace of Jesus!

As newcomers are considering Christianity, they often ask, “Why am I here? What is my purpose?” Paul’s call was the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations. He went at it with vigor!

New Christians are filled with excitement. They overflow with enthusiasm. A radical transformation has taken place, so much so that close friends might not recognize the new believer. You might as well tell your peers. They’ve already seen the new you! Telling others is a part of your mission.

Other purposes might be based on your gifts and talents. God creates each of us to be unique. Putting those gifts and talents to work as the church grows is also your mission.

Seek to turn challenges into opportunities!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Living or Dying?

April 22, 2024 Monday Message:

Philippians 1:23-24 NLT, Paul writing to the Philippian church: “I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

Paul lived during a time when death was a daily possibility. Disputes were settled with violence, executions were a daily occurrence, and Paul was sending this message from prison – not a positive scenario!

Ironically he was imprisoned for preaching salvation through Jesus the Christ. Romans claimed divinity for their current emperor; they considered preaching for Jesus to be preaching against Caesar, a crime worthy of arrest, imprisonment, and who knows what else!

I believe Paul was intelligent and well-educated, a seeker of truth. As a result of his beliefs, he could live or he could die. Paul considered both.

Most people are apprehensive about dying, but Paul’s faith gave him a deep-rooted belief in a heavenly destination in the next life. So to him, death wasn’t to be feared; it was something that we should anticipate joyfully! After all, believers get to spend eternity alongside Jesus in the presence of God! Suddenly dying looks like an attractive option! It doesn’t get any better than that for Paul personally!

But what’s better for evangelism, spreading the Good News about Jesus, and for the church? Paul writes, “To me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. If I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.” Wisely, Paul is leaving the choice in God’s hands. But clearly he’s looking forward to spending more time with Jesus!

Q: Do you fear death, or regard it as an opportunity? Paul advises that we trust the Lord to make that decision. God always knows what’s best!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Concordance!

For Friday, January 5, 2024:

Mark 3:24 NLT, Jesus speaking: “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse”

Similarly in Matthew 12, Jesus states the same principle. “Every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”

Jesus had been casting out demons, when teachers of religious law theorized that Jesus’ power originated with Satan. Jesus denies every word of that, saying, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” It would make no sense. Satan is fighting to take away God’s position as Supreme Being. Satan will lose that battle, but until then he’s fighting tooth and nail to control a larger portion of the kingdom. It would make no sense for Satan, in his quest for supremacy, to take a step backwards, and Jesus points out the illogical nature of his accuser’s position.

The same principle is applicable in our churches. We need the same goals as our fellows. We probably can’t start much of a children’s ministry if our thrust is visiting prisoners. We can learn from the beginning of Acts 2. Jesus had told his followers to go to Jerusalem, and then wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them before proceeding. Jesus was right. Without the Holy Spirit, the believers would have accomplished little. But finally, when the time was right, evangelism could begin. Peter preached the best sermon ever, and 3,000 were added to their number that day, the result of everyone working together, sharing the same goal. You could say that they were all on the same page, pulling together to achieve a common goal.

This isn’t just for churches. The same principle holds true in business and family situations. Start by making the goal clear and understandable. Concordance is the goal! Much can be accomplished!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Radical Transformation!

For Sunday, December 31, 2023:

Mark 2:15 NLT: “Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)”

Levi is known to us as Matthew, whose name graces the first book of the New Testament. He’s a former tax collector. Tax collectors were known for charging a bit extra and skimming a little off the top. Therefore we believe that Matthew lived a comfortable life, a life of opulence. Jesus was gathering disciples and apostles, many of whom had loathsome backgrounds. But Matthew had the resources to host a big dinner party for all of them. This would be their chance to learn from the Messiah!

Pharisees questioned the wisdom of people purporting to be holy hanging out with known sinners. But friends, that’s the only way evangelism works! If the saved never talked to those with questionable morals, there would be no new Christians! If your church is working right, there should be quite a number of disreputable citizens in the pews! Churches need to get off their high horse and get used to it! Jesus answered the Pharisees: “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

The first step may be casting out demons!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Unashamed!

For Sunday, July 9, 2023:

Romans 1:16 NLT: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

Scriptures tell us that the Messiah will come through the Jews, but his mission is to redeem ALL who believe, specifically both Jews and Gentiles. Most of us are Gentiles, i.e. not Jewish.

Many Jews weren’t sure about this new guy, Jesus. And when you’re holding an opinion contrary to the mainstream, the tendency is to keep your thoughts to yourself. But Paul is speaking out, in fact evangelizing, sharing the Gospel with all he meets. Paul was a strong-willed individual. His mind was made up about Jesus, and he wasn’t ashamed to tell the world! The Jews wouldn’t listen, so Paul took the Good News to the Gentiles. He might have told our ancestors!

The power of God saves all believers. No task we can do assures our salvation, but faith in Jesus the Christ does. He will separate the sins of the world from believers. He will go ahead to prepare a place for those who believe. Jesus is your Savior and my Savior!

If Paul does a better job, there’s more work for Jesus to do. He’s happy to do it. Jesus is the model for servant leadership!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Cooperation!

For Friday, July 7, 2023:

Romans 1:12 NLT: “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

Paul was writing from Corinth, but his personal goal was to bring the Good News to Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire. There were some believers already in Rome, and Paul wanted to join up with them, wanted to include them in his mission of getting the Gospel in front of Roman leadership.

Evangelism always goes better when everyone cooperates. After all, we share a common goal. Jesus’ Great Commission called all believers to take the Good News to all nations, to all people.

Example: When a Billy Graham Crusade is scheduled, they start by including local churches, often up to a year in advance. We see Baptists working with Lutherans, United Methodists working with Presbyterians, with the operative word being cooperation. The goal is to make more believers, more Christians, and not to advance any one denomination.

Your denomination has a lot in common with other Christians. It is only our differences – oftentimes small – that divide us. I pray that we could agree to disagree on our differences but work together to bring salvation to more people.

I believe that’s what Jesus would want!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Apostles!

For Wednesday, July 5, 2023:

Romans 1:5 NLT, from Paul: “Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”

I used to work at a church that worshiped 800 weekly and had close to 3,000 on its membership roles. The budget was over $1M annually. But one day the senior pastor lamented to me, “The same 18 people do everything!”

We needed a cheerleader like Paul, always ready to round up a posse to share the Good News! In Paul’s mind, once someone was saved, once they became a believer, they joined the leadership team. Paul says that through Christ, believers are apostles, and apostles are chosen to preach the Gospel. ALL the apostles are charged with sharing the Good News!

Never forget that evangelism is a privilege. Serving Jesus us a privilege. Standing up for Jesus brings him honor and glory.

We serve out of gratitude for all Jesus has done for us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship