Bravely Onward!

  One of the things that happens when we follow Christ is that our worldview becomes different from those around us. As we study His Word, our perspective aligns with the Lord's. Our affections and interests change. A lot of the time this creates distance between us and our families. It can cause our friends who do not follow Christ to reject or even mock us! Jesus taught us that people would reject us because of Him (John 15:18-25). Sometimes being a Christian can be a lonely road. This is one of the big reasons for the local church. Church members share a common view of Scripture and have a shared belief that Jesus Christ is Lord. We come to realize just how important it is to be with people who share our most treasured beliefs, who see the world with a similar world-view.  The Bible uses the term fellowship  to describe this affinity and friendship between fellow church members. Though Christians may not share the same DNA or background, there is a kindred spirit ...

 Last week my family read a fictional story about children who visited a palace in ancient Egypt. The children were stunned by the wealth and magnitude of the home. Seeing the luxury that the wealthy Egyptians enjoyed, they asked one another, "Would you wish that you could live here in such extravagance?" One of the children replied, "Not at all." The others were surprised at the response and asked, "Why not?" The child who answered spoke up and said, "Have you seen the sad faces of the Egyptian children? They have everything in the world, but it's still not enough. They never lift a finger. Only servants tend to their clothing and belongings. The servants cook all their meals. The children look bored and dissatisfied."  Christians today can suffer in the same way as these Egyptian children. Many Christians see their faith as a religion where God exists to give them what they want. They see the church as a place to go to receive goods and ser...

2021 was a fruitful year in the life of our church. So many in our congregation were bold for the gospel and took leaps in their obedience to Christ (e.g. 83 people in our church shared the gospel 918 times). Looking to 2022, there is another opportunity for dramatic growth as we serve the Lord together.  For the sake of Christ and for our spiritual growth, I want to give you a big ask. Would you commit to do the following list with me? For many, this list will be uncomfortable and probably unpopular. For others, it may be one of those lists that we will give a nod to, but then hope everyone forgets about it. Yet, those who commit to reach for it will likely experience profound growth in Him.  Living out the lifestyle outlined below will only be possible by the power of God in us through Christ. We will need each other and accountability for the items listed below to become habits and convictions. But will you try with me? Will you commit to live this out with me? I hope you w...