July 2026 Highlights

July 1—VBS Family Night 

July 3—Church Office Holiday

July 4—Independence Day

July 12—Lord’s Supper

July 18—Serve NC Workday at Joyner Elem.

July 19—Life at Lawndale Class

July 26—Quarterly Family Business Meeting

July 27-30—3rd & 4th Grade Basketball Camp

Discipleship 201

More should be expected from those who have walked with God longer. They’ve had more time, more opportunities, more experiences (positive and negative). In college you only take a 201 class after you have completed a 101 class. Jesus began to expect more from His followers as they spent more time with Him.

God inspired Luke to write down an orderly account of Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke records His birth and early years (1-2), then he writes of Jesus’ early ministry (3-9) and later ministry (10-17) before recounting His death and resurrection (18-24). As a church family, we have one more section to cover of these four, chapters 10-17. The intensity of Jesus’ training and the urgency of preparing His followers became evident as He headed towards the cross. His followers were ready for Discipleship 201!

Here’s what the Sunday morning texts look like for July:

July 5: Disciples Go, Luke 10:1-24

July 12: Disciples Invest, Luke 10:25-42

July 19: Disciples Pray, Luke 11:1-13

July 26: Who Is His Disciple? Luke 11:14-32

The older we get the more we realize what we are responsible for. I surrendered to Christ at 11 years old (1976). To be a follower of Christ for 50 years now, it seems I should be a lot more advanced, more faithful, less fearful, and I could go on. I realized God was calling me into vocational ministry by the time I was 17 years old, started vocational ministry as a part-time youth director at 20, and was ordained at 21 (1986). I have been ordained over 40 years. I’m thankful for what God has entrusted to me but also have a heavy weight of responsibility with all the experiences and opportunities I’ve been given in that timeframe.

Jesus expected more from His followers the longer they were with Him. Do you sense that call too? The timing for Luke 10-17 and Discipleship 201 is good for us all. Are we walking closer to Him, serving Him more faithfully, enjoying Him more? Jesus said in John 16:12, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” I understand the context of the Spirit’s coming, but I also understand their slowness to learn. The writer of Hebrews didn’t mince words when it came to lack of spiritual progress: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles . . . You need milk, not solid food” (5:12). I need, you need Discipleship 201.

Since I’m being so self-confessional, let me also say a brief word about an upcoming sabbatical. When I came back to Lawndale in March 2021, I was offered a month’s sabbatical after I completed 5 years. In over 40 years of ministry, this will be my first. My highest priority for the sabbatical is to draw closer to God. My goals will be to focus on prayer, reading the Scriptures, reading some specific resources, and hopefully writing a little as well. I will also be visiting with some Pastors who seem to have a close walk with the Lord and who are leading their churches to be healthy and biblical. The Sundays I’m gone from the pulpit will be primarily filled by former staff members (July 26, August 2, 9, 16).

Thank you for your support, prayers, and the privilege of serving alongside you to make disciples who make disciples. I’m grateful we get to take Discipleship 201 together in this next semester of learning.

June 29-July 5 . . . Dr. Zach McCraw

July 6-12 . . . Cliff Stewart

July 13-19 . . . Luke Earwood

July 20-26 . . . Noah Darnell

July 27-August 2 . . . Jimmy Jackson

   If no one answers immediately, please leave a message with a contact number

and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Dr. Zach McCraw, Discipleship & Next Gen Pastor (zemccraw@lawndalebaptist.org)

Nathan Morrison, Children’s & Family Pastor (nhmorrison@lawndalebaptist.org)

Abby Miller, Children’s & Family Director (acmiller@lawndalebaptist.org)

Terrell Perkins, Student Families Director (tjperkins@lawndalebaptist.org)

Martha Stone, Weekday School Director (msstone@lawndalebaptist.org)

Ben Harrison, Students & Sports Assistant (bharrison@lawndalebaptist.org)

Abby McCraw, Children’s & Family Admin (acmmccraw@lawndalebaptist.org)

Lori Eanes, Students, College, and Young Adults Admin (ljeanes@lawndalebaptist.org)

“Making disciples who make disciples all for the glory of God.”

The Disciple’s Path: Reach the Lost. Connect with the Church. Learn the Bible. Grow in Discipleship. Serve in Ministry.

For Everybody

• Happy Independence Day!—July 4

• Church Quarterly Business Meeting—July 26, 5 pm

Weekday School

• If you know of anyone looking for a great Christian preschool, please tell them about the Lawndale Weekday School. Registration forms are available online and outside the Director’s office on the first floor in the children’s wing. Contact Martha Stone, Director at 336-282-4177 or msstone@lawndalebaptist.org. There are limited spaces available for the upcoming school year. We look forward with anticipation to what God has in store for us.

Kids (Babies–Grade 5)

Serve in Ministry—adult volunteer opportunities for both Sunday morning hours:

• Life Groups (babies through grade 5). Commitment: weekly.

- 1st grade: 2 regular teachers

- 3rd grade: 1 teacher

• Extended Teaching (ET, babies through Kindergarten). Commitment: monthly.

- Teachers for all ages

- Music

- Bible

If you don't see your preferred age group or time commitment option, there may still be an opportunity--feel free to reach out for more info.

Students (Middle School and High School)

• Fusion Worship—Wednesdays at 6:15 pm in the Chapel (with no Fusion on July 1 during VBS week or on July 15 during Summer Camp).

• Student Summer Camp—Fort Caswell, Oak Island in NC, July 13-17.

College

• Life Together class. Sundays at 9:15 am in House B.

Sports

• Basketball Summer Camps—Register online and see Ben, if needed. We are also looking for volunteers to help out. All sessions are 9 am–noon, Monday-Thursday.

- Rising Grades 3-4 (July 27-30) Registration closes on July 13.

- Rising Grades 5-6 (August 3-6) Registration closes on July 20.

• Adult Summer Basketball League—stop by the CLC to watch the games on Monday evenings from 6-10 pm through August 10. The tournament will be August 13. (There will be no games on July 6 or July 13.)

• Play & Pray—Co-ed pickup basketball and prayer time continues on Thursday evenings from 6-8 pm in July for ages 14 through adults. There are no signups or cost to participate. (There will be no basketball July 9 or July 16.)

Dr. Curt Dean, Executive Pastor, cdean@lawndalebaptist.org

Reed Gold Mine, July 25—We will leave the church at 10 am to visit the gold mine, tour the caverns, and pan for gold. Tickets are $10, and you will want to bring money for lunch at Dairi-O on the way. Sign up with Genny in the church office at 336-288-3724.

Questions? Call Joanna Gerrald at 336-392-7731.

Dr. Curt Dean, Executive Pastor, cdean@lawndalebaptist.org

Cliff Stewart, Senior Adults Pastor, crstewart@lawndalebaptist.org

A word of encouragement: The joy that comes from knowing that God is good.

Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

"Joyful noise" means to shout, raise a sound, cry out, to shout in applause with religious impulse. "Gladness" means to have joy and mirth while rejoicing with gaiety and pleasure. "Singing" means a shout for joy with a ringing cry of triumph. All this stems from the inner joy of knowing that "the LORD, he is God!" and "he is good."

Events to look forward to:

Our next Prime Time Luncheon will be September 17—no Prime Time in July or August.

Life Groups—Sometimes a church our size can be a bit overwhelming. That is where Life Groups come in. Friendships, personal care, prayer, good conversion, fellowship, and a small group Bible Study can go a long way toward finding a place where you can feel more comfortable. We have six senior classes to choose from. These are not “couples only” classes. Let me help you get connected. Contact me at 336-288-3824 x966 or email me at crstewart@lawndalebaptist.org.

Senior Life Groups:

• Mixed Blessings: Rm. 217, Packie and Beverly Watkins

• Walking in Faith (Ladies): Rm. 261, Carol Howard

• Logos: Rm. 215, Kim & Lillie Cooper

• Looking to Christ: Rm. 162, Jeff & Brenna Payne, Fran Brown

• Hearts Holding Hands: Rm. 234, Bonnie Barger, Susan Pearman, Brenda Alexander

• Kindred Spirits: Rm. 163, Cliff & Sherry Stewart

Jimmy Jackson, Missions Pastor, jjackson@lawndalebaptist.org

Serve NC Workday, July 18—We will meet at our partner school, Joyner Elementary, at 8 am for a half day of inside work. This is an opportunity for families, Men’s Ministry, Bible study groups, and Life Groups to help beautify the school by painting, wiping down walls, cleaning desks, and more. Sign up on Church Center.

We will have another workday opportunity at Joyner Elementary on August 8. Work on that day will be outside and will involve grounds maintenance.

Lilies of the Field (clothing outreach)—Declutter for summer! Help stock our summer inventory. Donation bins are located on the back deck of House B at 3508 Fox Place. Be sure your donation bags are 20 lb or less, and “Only share what YOU would wear (No stains, tears, or doggy hairs).”

Shepherd’s Shelf (food pantry)—July is a time for picnics, and our families will have their own picnics with the July items of the month. Bring donations of baked beans, ketchup and mustard. The church will provide hot dogs and buns. You can purchase items at a local grocery store such as Food Lion for less than $10. 

• Baked beans (One 28 oz can OR two 16 oz cans, any brand)

• Ketchup (32 oz bottle, any brand)

• Mustard (20 oz bottle, any brand)

Just a reminder: we need approximately 50-60 donations for each of our families to receive an item of the month. 

If you would like to see a visual of the requested items, look for a flyer on the donation table beside the church office, on the bulletin board in the children's lobby, or in your Life Group (we provide a monthly flyer for each class). Thank you, Church, for continuing to support Shepherd’s Shelf items of the month. I know we say it often, but we truly couldn't do it without you. 

A note to Lawndale gardeners: if you have an abundance of produce from your garden this summer, Shepherd’s Shelf would be thrilled to take any extra! Contact Linda Register at rlindar@bellsouth.net.

Lee Anne Wade, Women’s Director, lewade@lawndalebaptist.org

Women’s Ministry—The next monthly meeting will be August 2 at 4 pm in the Chapel. Join us for a time of worship, Bible study and instruction and discussion. Childcare will be provided. 

Healing Hearts Widows Ministry—The next monthly meeting will be on July 11 at 10 am in the Fellowship Hall. Lawndale’s very own Nelda Lockamy will share inspiring information and experiences about several of her mission trips through the years! All widows are cordially invited to come and enjoy fun and fellowship together as we celebrate our anniversary, and begin year six of the Healing Hearts ministry! 

Ladies’ Wednesday Morning Bible Study—is on break for the summer and will resume in the fall. Details will be provided in the August newsletter.

Women on Mission—Our three women’s mission groups are taking a break over the summer. Stay tuned for details about when meetings will resume in the fall. For more information, call Fran Brown at (336) 292-8508.

NC Baptists Women’s Conference—Lawndale will host the conference on September 19 from 9 am (doors open at 8 am) until 3:30 pm. The theme is “Seated and Sent” and includes a special track for high school girls. Register online for your $30 ticket that includes sessions, snacks, lunch, and a copy of the book Sent by our featured speaker, Heather Holleman. (Dr. Heather Holleman is an associate teaching professor of advanced writing at Penn State, speaker, and author. She has written ten books and also serves with Faculty Commons in the professor ministry of Cru.) 

Terrell Perkins, Student Families Director, tjperkins@lawndalebaptist.org

Men’s Ministry—We will not have an on-site meeting the first Sunday, July 5. Instead, we are encouraging all men to participate in the Serve NC Workday at Joyner Elementary School on Saturday, July 18 from 8 am to 12 pm. Men of all ages, along with their children ages 10 and up, are encouraged to attend as we will be working on various interior projects. Light snacks and water will be provided. Sign up online on Church Center. 

The next monthly meeting with be August 2 at 4 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Join us for a time of worship, Bible study, and fellowship. Childcare will be provided.

Please be in prayer for the Men’s Ministry leadership team as we plan out future events for our men at Lawndale. Also, please reach out to Terrell Perkins for any questions, comments, suggestions, and prayer requests.

This month, we will be singing a new song that comes directly from Psalm 130, titled "I Will Wait For You." The more "modern" part of the song is surrounded on both sides with verses from a Psalter from the Free Church of Scotland from the same psalm. One of those verses reads:

I wait, my soul waits for the LORD,

My hope is in His word;

More than the watchman waits for dawn,

My soul waits for the LORD!

This month, as we sing this song together, may our hearts echo the words of the Psalmist -- "My soul waits for the LORD!"

1956-2026

On Sunday, September 13 you are invited to join us in celebrating Lawndale Baptist Church’s 70 years of ministry.

A lunch catered by Stamey’s Barbeque will be served in the CLC following our 10:30 am worship service. The registration signup will be available in August.

If you have memorabilia and/or photos that you would like to share, please email Pastor Jimmy Jackson.

Life at Lawndale Membership Class—For anyone interested in joining the church, the next membership class will be July 19 at 4 pm in Guest Central. Childcare will be available by request. Register online on Church Center.  

Family Quarterly Business Meeting—Our quarterly update will be July 26 at 5 pm in the Worship Center. Childcare will be available.

Sunday Flower Arrangements—Provide flowers for the church lobby on a Sunday of your choice in honor or memory of someone. Arrangements are $125 and can be taken home the Sunday after the service. Look for the signup sheet on the 2nd floor elevator lobby. Be sure to provide your contact information so a staff member can contact you prior to your Sunday to get the wording for your flower card. 

Shepherd's Shelf—Shepherd's Shelf is looking for YOU, the person who loves to listen to and pray with those in need. It's a rewarding blessing for you and the one in need. For more information, please contact Linda Register at rlindar@bellsouth.net. As always, we welcome you to visit Shepherd's Shelf in the Fellowship Hall any Tuesday we are open, from 2:00-3:30 pm. (We are not open the first Tuesday of the month.)

Play & Pray Basketball—Invite a friend and enjoy fellowship with co-ed pickup basketball followed by prayer time. Basketball is walk-in on Thursday evenings from 6-8 pm for ages 14 through adults. (There will be no basketball July 9 or July 16.)

In response to many of you asking for ways to give tithes and offerings, we want to offer these giving options to you:

• Drop box - Drop off tithes in the drop box at the church reception desk (weekdays) or in the lobby (Sundays)
• By mail - 3505 Lawndale Dr., Greensboro, NC 27408; ATTN: Financial Office
• Online - www.lawndalebaptist.org. Go to the Give tab under Lawndale Link.

Lawndale has a brokerage account to receive gifts of stock. For more information, contact Dana Martin in the church office. 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! Psalm 33:12 (ESV)