Sunday Service

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to celebrate the abundant life offered in Christ as 11 people expressed their commitment to following Jesus through the waters of baptism! What a fantastic time together.

As I end my time in this role as Teaching Pastor, I thought 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 offered a fitting reflection as part of the Resilient series. In this section, Paul emphasizes his purpose of writing the letter - not to shame but to warn. Absorbing the perspectives and thought-processes of the society around us does damage to ourselves, our relationships, and our witness in the world. It's important to be diligent and discerning. In this season of pastoral transition, I encourage you to:

1: Want to be pastored more than you want a pastor (vs 15): It's easy to find a sense of security in a leader, but it's more necessary to have a heart posture that is willing to be graciously reminded, lovingly challenged, and humbly corrected.

2: Keep the main thing the main thing (vs 17): While the faces and names change in leadership, the message is the same. Christ-followers are to grow in reflecting Christ as they embody the ways of God's kingdom.

3: The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (directly from vs. 20): It's not just what you say or how you say it - but how the life of Christ is reflected in your lives. God's power isn't like the power of the world. God's power is demonstrated most fully in the selfless, loving sacrifice of Jesus' on the cross - our lives together get to demonstrate something similar.