Legacy Maker

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Sometimes overly passionate religious people will ask, “What if you die today? Then what?” That’s an important question regarding eternity but can also feel a little too aggressive, like a scare tactic.
Maybe we should be asking ourselves, “What if I wake up tomorrow?” Who am I going to be?
Am I making the right kind of memories for my children? Am I being a good spiritual witness to others? Will I live like I believe Jesus is coming back? What about my spiritual legacy?

It’s actually the last question I want to talk about. A basic definition for legacy is, “Something handed down from generation to generation.” With all the important questions we ask ourselves, legacy is easy to overlook. Why? Because time slips away too quickly.

An 85 year old man was asked what his plans for the future were. He answered, “Honey, at my age, I don’t even buy green bananas anymore.”

Leaving a good legacy could be compared to a relay race. These races are won or lost at the handing of the baton. To drop the baton means losing the race. All the hard work, all the training, everything could be dashed with a single fumble. Rule number one of relay events is: NEVER DROP THE BATON.

But we all know someone who dropped the baton with their legacy. We have not successfully finished the race of life until we have passed on our important batons to the next generation.

Christian sociologist Tony Campolo tells of a research project once conducted with people over the age of 90. The interviewers asked these elderly people, “As you look back on your life, what do you wish you had done differently?” Three answers emerged with a sizeable majority:
1) they wished they had risked more;
2) they wished they had spent more time in reflection;
3) they wished they had done more to leave a legacy.

Did you catch that? The majority wished they had something to pass on to the next generation.

I’m sure you’ve seen the bumper sticker—usually on the back of an expensive RV or luxury car—that says, “We’re spending our children’s inheritance!” Most people slap those things on as a joke, of course, but behind the humor is the rather sad picture of people living only for themselves and their pleasures, oblivious to the needs of the next generation. But our most important legacy is neither a legacy of dollars and investments in a will, nor is it even just a legacy of a good name and moral life, but it is an eternal legacy of people who will live eternally in heaven. Our legacy is a culmination of our efforts and passions for passing the baton of faith and ministry.

 Which brings me to our 2018 large offering. The money you give to the Legacy Maker offering is not about the money. Instead, everything given from November 18 to the end of the year will go to making a stronger spiritual legacy and enduring impact on the kingdom of God. The offering collected will be divided between two important needs:
1.) Half of all collected will go toward LCC’s Appel Scholarship for students who desire Christian ministries. Our legacy is to leave as many preachers, missionaries, and Christian business leaders as we can to continue the mission of Jesus. This legacy has always been important to our church and a vital part of our DNA.
2) The other half collected will go toward refurbishing the baptismal changing rooms, bathrooms, and hall area. Baptizing new believers is another major piece of our DNA and it’s important to us to welcome our brothers and sisters well.

So, would you join us in being a LEGACY MAKER? The next generation is counting on us and will be blessed if we pass the baton successfully.

 

 

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