St. Luke Church

Launching the Next Gen // Matt Penny

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:26:25 +0000

None of us arrived at our faith alone. We stand on the shoulders of people who showed us what it means to know and follow Jesus. In Acts 16, Paul recognizes God’s work in a young disciple named Timothy, invites him into his life and ministry, and entrusts him with real responsibility. As the two generations serve together, the churches are strengthened and continue to grow.

Launching the next generation requires more than teaching young people from a distance. It means seeing their potential, inviting them to walk alongside us, modeling a life of faith, and giving them opportunities to lead. It also requires us to recognize that the future of the church is not about preserving everything for ourselves, but preparing others to carry the Gospel farther. The question for us is this: are we willing to get our shoulders dirty so the next generation can stand upon them and see farther?

Leading with Excellence // Brian Ebel

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 14:04:03 +0000

In Acts 4, the early church was united in heart and soul. Its members held nothing back, cared for one another sacrificially, and bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus with great power and grace. Their lives were not marked by halfhearted commitment or leftovers, but by a willingness to offer God their very best. Each of us has been entrusted with different gifts, abilities, resources, and opportunities. Leading with excellence does not mean achieving the same results as everyone else; it means faithfully using what God has given us for His glory. Excellence requires sacrifice, whether we are leading in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, or church. The question for us is this: are we giving God and the people around us our best, or only what remains after everything else?

Living on Mission // Brian Ebel

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:21:23 +0000

In Acts 4, Peter and John stand before the most powerful religious leaders in Jerusalem. Though they are ordinary, uneducated fishermen, their courage astonishes everyone because it is clear that they have been with Jesus. Having experienced the risen Christ for themselves, they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard. Their lives remind us that when ordinary people live on mission, the Holy Spirit can do extraordinary things through them.

Living on mission is not limited to church programs or trips to distant places. Wherever we go—our workplaces, classrooms, homes, hospitals, and neighborhoods—we enter a mission field. We are called to look beyond simply getting through another day and ask, “Jesus, what are You doing, and how can I join You?” The question for us is this: when tomorrow begins, will we merely go about our routines, or will we recognize that God is sending us to live on mission?

Learning Formationally // Matt Penny

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:12:28 +0000

It is possible to witness God at work and still remain unchanged. In Acts 3, a crowd gathers in amazement after a man is healed, but Peter points them beyond the miracle to Jesus—the Holy One, the Righteous One, and the Author of Life. Following Jesus is not about watching from the sidelines or simply learning more information. It is about joining our lives to God’s story, grounding ourselves in the whole truth of who Jesus is, and allowing Him to give us a new identity.

As we repent and turn toward God, the Holy Spirit puts to death what no longer belongs in us and brings new life in its place. This is what it means to learn formationally: not simply knowing more about Jesus, but continually being shaped to become more like Him. The question for us is this: are we merely learning about Jesus, or are we allowing what we learn to transform the way we live?

Loving Well // Brian Ebel

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:24:04 +0000

What we value shapes how we live, and how we live determines the legacy we leave. In Acts 2, the early church was known not for its buildings, programs, or resources, but for the way its people loved God and one another. Their devotion, generosity, worship, fellowship, and care for those in need made the love of Jesus visible—and the Lord added to their number daily.

The same calling is before us today. We are invited not simply to talk about grace, but to practice it, allowing the truth of the Gospel to shape our values and transform how we live. The question for us is this: will future generations remember us as people who loved like Jesus?

A Powerful Prayer for a Perilous Predicament // Brian Ebel

St. Luke Church Lexington, KY — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:36:48 +0000

Drawing from King Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20, Dr. Ebel reminds us that courage does not mean being unafraid—it means turning to God in the midst of fear. When life feels overwhelming, our first response should be prayer: remembering that God is above us, recalling how He has been good, and honestly admitting, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” True courage comes not from believing that we are strong, but from trusting that God is strong and that the battle belongs to Him.