Layton Avenue Baptist Church

09/06/2026

Greetings Church!
This month we will conclude my sermon series "Let's get started" by covering the "four pillars" of the church – one for each Sunday of the month. These are my basic philosophies for ministry and are essential to having a healthy church:
Preach The Word 2 Tim 4:1-8, Mark 16:15
Worship the Lord Ps100, 150, Jn 4:23-24
Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thess 5:17, Phil 4:6, Jn 15:7, Matt 21:13
Witness the Lost World Matt 5:16, Acts 1:8, Isa 55:11, 1 Pet 3:15, Matt 28:19
This week is all about preaching! Why do we preach the word of God every Sunday? Why do some churches choose not to do so? Is it really necessary?
I hope you are blessed by this worthy study in Paul’s second letter to Timothy where he said: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (4:1-2).
God bless you, I am praying for you. -Pastor Mike-

Join us for worship this morning at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...

09/06/2026

The flowers on the Communion table this morning are given in memory of Billy Houston, a faithful member of our church and servant of our Lord.

08/30/2026

What a blessing to join Rev. Michael Pickering in his ordination service. Thank you to all the Laytonians that made the trip to Pleasant Prairie. We are honored and blessed by God to have Rev. Mike Pickering, his wife Beth and their beautiful children.
Keith CogburnLakeland Baptist Association

08/30/2026

Good Morning Church Family!
I want us to consider the question:
“How does someone come to faith in God?”
Surely we have all heard the ABC’s of salvation, and most certainly salvation belongs to our God and is a work of his
grace! But I also have good news for each of you: God uses his people to articulate the good news to a lost world!
Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” This is our God-given responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Paul also said earlier in that same chapter “How then will they call on him
whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who
preach the good news’” (vs 14-15).
Faith does not come from deep within, faith does not come just from observing nature, or gazing at the stars. While it is good to dig deep, it is wonderful to stand in awe of
God’s creation, the gospel of Jesus Christ has to be clearly articulated for someone to come to faith in Christ! I encourage you all to take a look at your sphere of influence,
and look for ways to articulate the good news this week!
Question: How does someone come to faith in God? Answer: Through you!
-Pastor Mike-

Join us this morning. Worship service starts at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...

08/23/2026

Good Morning Church!
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I have long since decided that the topic of forgiveness must be among my first five sermons as senior pastor. Well, here we are and the Lord has led me to preach it on my third Sunday! This colossal topic is central to our faith and vital for the health of the church body.
The Main Idea for this week: You are never more like God than when you choose to forgive.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their tresspasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their tresspasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.”
A bitter heart grieves the Holy Spirit and robs our relationships of the joy God intends when we dwell together in unity. I pray that we, as a church, can say together, ‘I choose to forgive’.
-Pastor Mike-

Join us this morning at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...

08/19/2026

Lakeland Association folk, please share this message to help us get out the word. Thanks, klc

08/16/2026

Greetings Church!
This week, we continue our
series “Let’s Get Started” by
looking at one of my all-time favorite passages – a
moment where the Apostle Paul offers one of his most passionate and decisive statements:
Galatians 6:14 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
This week is all about the cross. In the Church today, we sing about the cross; we wear the cross as jewelry, the cross is very familiar to us. But Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
As your new pastor, I pray that we all pause and consider afresh the glory and power of our Lord’s cross.
Pastor Mike

Join us this morning starting at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...

08/09/2026

Good morning, Church!
My family and I are thrilled to be with
you this morning and officially be a
part of Layton Avenue Baptist
Church. God is good!
While I plan to start a book of the Bible sermon series this Fall, I wanted to get started with a few key messages that have been on my heart. So today we are starting a short sermon series entitled “Let’s Get Started”.
Today’s message comes from our Lord’s sermon on the mount. A passage I believe is of first importance for us as individuals and us as a church body.
“But Seek First the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
Today we are talking about prioritizing our lives and living out your full kingdom potential. Matthew's gospel mentions the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven more than any other gospel.
Let's get started together by putting first things first!
Pastor Mike

Join us starting at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...

08/02/2026

Good Morning, Church,
I have often used the following passage at
weddings and it is a great passage for that.
However, many of the principles are applicable
in friendship relationships as well.
Eccl 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a
good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who
is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they
keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against
one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
I have heard it said that you are stuck with family but you can choose your friends.
We are family as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. However, for many years we have
considered and treated each other as friends. Perhaps not the friend at midnight type
of friend but nonetheless friends. The above passage indicates that love and friendship
is expressed in actions. As your new pastor begins his ministry, I have no doubt that
you will demonstrate the Christian principles of love and friendship to him and his
family as you have to Dee and me.
Although we no longer have a pastor/church relationship, we can still consider and
treat each other as friends.
Peace and Blessings , Pastor Clyde

Join us this morning at 10:45 AM

Find today's bulletin here: https://laytonavenuechurch.com/sunday-b...