"On Today": Special Birthday Edition

Sunday August 2, 2026 

Hold up, wait a minute. Let me put some HONOR in it!

Now you know we couldn’t let our Apostle’s birthday slide without making some noise!

Scripture tells us to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). Today, we shower our leader with love and gratitude. He gives so much to our church community every single week—and not just on Sundays.

Ministry isn’t a Sunday gig for him; it’s a lifetime commitment that he fulfills with love, joy, and reverence. It’s a God-given assignment that he executes with integrity and uncompromising faith.

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” — Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

His walk with God is evident in his everyday encounters with people. Whether it’s impromptu prayer in the produce aisle of Whole Foods, deliverance at the dinner table in a 5-star restaurant, encouragement in between reps at the gym, or ministry during the intermission of a play, he’s going to be exactly who God called him to be. He doesn’t just preach what it means to follow Christ—he lives it.

“For him, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ’ isn’t just a scripture; it’s the blueprint by which he leads, loves, serves, and lives.” — Dominique Rutledge

How blessed we are to have a leader whose genuine love for people reflects the heart of the Father for us—a love that is consistent, unselfish, and unrelenting. If you’ve ever encountered him, you already know! Be it for the first time or on a regular basis, you are always met with a contagious love that makes you feel like you matter and that you belong.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV

Our Apostle is a leader who, like Jesus, will leave the 99 for the one—and we’ve all been that one at some point or another. He not only encourages us in our faith walk, he walks alongside us. He is not afraid to get into the trenches with us; he is not afraid of the “messy middle” in our journey of becoming.

“He won’t let your purpose or your potential become casualties of your brokenness. He teaches you how to let God build you in the broken places.”  — Kandice Randall

If there’s one thing our Apostle is going to do, it’s steer you in the direction of your purpose. Oh, you think you’re going to hide? You think you’re going to sit on what God put in you? Well, think again, because not on his watch!

There’s no way you can know Michael G. Lewis and not be challenged to do the thing God meant for you to do. Not only that, he will ensure that you are not simply relying on talent, intellect, or giftedness, but allowing God to cultivate in you the character needed to sustain you in the assignment your gift is connected to.

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” — Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As a voice and example to all generations, Apostle demonstrates what it means to uphold a standard in Christ. His revelatory teaching makes biblical principles accessible, practical, and applicable to every life scenario. Whether he’s pulling mind-blowing revelation out of a single word of scripture on Sunday or turning a casual chat into an unexpected teaching moment—no conversation is safe, but in the best way possible!

“And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.” — Jeremiah‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This quality especially resonates with our young people, who find the understanding to navigate their world through his down-to-earth and sometimes humorous breakdowns of scripture.

“Being at church and hearing Apostle preach makes me see how to do things the Godly way and not the way the world influences me to.” —Maddie 

“The word always comes up for me in my conversations outside of church. When I’m talking to someone, I can always remember something Apostle said that’s just right for that moment.” —Paityn

To our Apostle: We love you! We honor you for who you are and who you have been to all of us. You are a man after God’s own heart who truly loves God and His people. You were born for this. You always say that we are born to be a solution to a cry in the earth—you, sir, are definitely that. So on today, we don’t just celebrate a birthday; we are celebrating a life of profound IMPACT.

Happy Birthday!

– Love, Zadok Worship Center