Discipleship

June 2025 Newsletter

Hello!
It’s been a hot minute! The first part of this month’s newsletter will be a rapid-fire bulleted list of updates.

We wrapped up May with all kinds of end-of-the-year celebrations from teacher appreciation luncheons to handing out lemonade in the parent pick up line at Harvest Ridge.
I have been meeting with so many new people, trying to get plugged into serving at Harvester and joining groups. Keep your head on a swivel for new faces and ask our age-old question, “How long have you been attending Harvester?”
I also had many of our Local Outreach Crew Leaders over to my house for a time to connect with each other and lean into the idea of honoring Sabbath, Silence, and Solitude. We talked about the need to lead from a position of rest rather than weariness. I encourage you to explore what God’s word says about creating rhythms of rest. I personally really get a lot of studies created by John Mark Comer. Here is a free one through your Right Now Media account called The Sabbath Practice.
The Sharing Shed hosted an open house for Harvester on June 21. It was incredible to walk in and see our Harvester folks being the hands and feet of Jesus, meeting the physical needs of our neighbors. You can see some of the pictures of the event down below.

You will remember that Harvester participated in the EWR network this past winter, offering an overnight warming center for our unhoused neighbors. This summer, we are a part of a Cooling Center pilot program. HCC will be on call the weeks of July 6-12, July 27-August 2, August 17-23 and August 24-30 from 12 – 6 p.m. We will be mobilized if the temperature is expected to be over 100 degrees for 2 days in a row. Volunteers will be needed during the day to offer cold drinks, light refreshments, and extend a hospitable hand to our neighbors should they need a cool spot to come to get out of the heat. If you would like to be added to the Cooling Center group to have access to schedule please email me at cfiggins@harvester.cc

Our big push for the summer is to engage as many people as possible with the Good Neighbor Challenge. This is a serving opportunity for the entire church across all campuses to Love God and Love Our Neighbors as a concerted effort of unity, as mentioned in John 17. I encourage you to sign up for the daily texts and join in reading the same scripture, praying the same prayer, and taking on the same daily neighboring challenge as hundreds of other Harvester Christians. Don’t delay signing up to serve with your neighbor, family, co-workers, or small group in at least one of the serving opportunities between July 24 and August 12th.

Included in the Good Neighbor Challenge are all of our Pack A Pack projects. We need to fill 900 backpacks between now and July 27. You can purchase directly from our Amazon Wish List and have items shipped directly to Harvester, or print off this list or pick up one in the worship lobby. Drop off your items in the worship lobby any Sunday between now and July 20. When you scroll through all the serving options at the Good Neighbor Challenge, you will see our typical Pack A Pack events like the Boys and Girls Club Back to School Bashes, weeding and mulching at our local school partners, preparing food to serve for teachers as they return to school but also some new events. We are hosting our first Good Neighbor Market on August 8. For several years, there have been 20-30 families who come directly to the church for their school supplies. But we have never shared the gospel with them. The Good Neighbor Market will be an opportunity for us to share how much God loves these families and then provide a dignified storefront experience for families in need to “shop” for school supplies. Francis Howell has invited us to serve at their immunization clinic on August 12. It is required to go through the FHSD Volunteer Background Check. We need more people to become cleared volunteers to serve with the schools, so I highly recommend going through this process as soon as possible.

Summertime for Local Outreach is always jam-packed. I am hoping you can commit to at least one serving opportunity this summer to receive a a new and fresh blessing from God over your life.

Prayers:

Prayers for our church family to engage and commit to the Good Neighbor Challenge, and that they learn to incorporate serving their neighbors as a lifestyle rather than an event.

Prayers for the families and unhoused neighbors making the choice to trust the church and come to use to help meet their needs. Pray authentic relationships are formed.

Prayers for me because between the Cooling Center and the Good Neighbor Challenge, I have a lot of moving parts to manage. Pray I also, like you, can serve from a place of rest rather than weariness.

March 31, 2025

in Child Welfare, Church, Community Partner, Discipleship, Food Backpack Program, HCC, Local, Ministry Partner, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Serve Teams, The Sharing Shed, Uncategorized

April 2025 Newsletter

New Life in Christ: A Season of Baptism and Service

Spring is a season of renewal, a time when we can usually shake off any worries of bleak winter days and look forward to days that just burst with vibrant new life. It is so wonderful to be able to celebrate Easter in this season—the ultimate reminder that Jesus conquered death and offers us new life in Him. At Harvester Christian Church, we see this truth come alive in so many ways, but few are as powerful as witnessing baptisms during this time of year.

Baptism is a public declaration of faith, a moment when someone steps into the water to proclaim that they are leaving behind their old life and stepping into a new life with Christ. Romans 6:4 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” This new life is not just about our own salvation—it calls us into something greater: a life of service, generosity, and love for others.

March 26, 2025

in Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Blog, Ministry Partner

Finding Joy in the Unexpected Ring: A Lesson in Divine Timing

At one point or another, we can all relate to wrestling with God in the middle of the night. We seek him for reason, purpose, and peace. I think you will enjoy this guest blog post from Michael Wilson, a Harvester Christian deeply invested in one of our ministry partners, Bad Boyz Jail Ministry. Look for themes of joy and purpose and comment below on how God has provided joy in your life no matter the circumstances.

Finding Joy in the Unexpected Ring: A Lesson in Divine Timing

Guest Blog by Michael Wilson

The pre-dawn hours often feel like a battleground. For me, they were a daily struggle, a restless dance of body and mind. The joyless start to my day was a persistent shadow, a stark contrast to the light I longed for. Seeking a shift, I turned to a devotional titled, “Finding Joy Despite Our Circumstances,” hoping to illuminate a path through the darkness.

The devotional presented four pillars of joy: confidence, purpose, the Holy Spirit, and fellowship. That Friday morning, I immersed myself in the first principle, confidence. The questions posed were simple yet profound: “What areas of your life do you feel confident in? And, how does that confidence impact your overall joy?”

My answer was immediate: teaching. After 25 years in the classroom, even seven years into retirement, my confidence in my ability to educate remained unwavering. The devotional then challenged me to consider how to cultivate greater confidence in God’s work in my life, based on that established confidence. My response, penned in my journal, was a tentative, “Perhaps I could get back in the classroom.”

The ink was barely dry when my phone rang. The caller ID revealed the principal of my former school. An invitation to substitute teach for the next few days followed. The timing was nothing short of miraculous, a clear affirmation that God was actively orchestrating my journey.

The following days were a testament to the power of aligning with one’s God-given purpose. Stepping back into the classroom was like returning to a familiar, beloved home. The confidence I held in my teaching ability translated into a tangible sense of joy. The familiar rhythm of the school day, the eager faces of the students, and the satisfaction of imparting knowledge filled a void I hadn’t fully recognized.

Remarkably, the restless mornings ceased. The usual tossing and turning were replaced with a sense of anticipation, a quiet contentment. I realized that my joy wasn’t merely tied to the act of teaching, but to the divine confirmation that I was operating within my purpose. This experience served as a powerful reminder that God’s timing is perfect, often exceeding our wildest expectations. He uses our strengths and passions to guide us, revealing his presence in the most unexpected ways. God is indeed good, all the time, and sometimes, he answers our whispered prayers with a ringing phone.

Michael Wilson is a devoted Christian husband of 37 years and father of two adult children. Upon leaving the classroom after 25 years, Michael volunteers at various ministries/organizations around the area. Michael “sharpens his saw” by creating and building around the house.

December 9, 2024

in Discipleship, HCC, Jesus, Local, Outreach, packapack, School Outreach, Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Shannon Sebastian

Meet Shannon Sebastian, a dedicated Local Outreach volunteer at Harvester Christian Church who humbly embodies a heart for service. While volunteers like Shannon rarely seek the spotlight, we believe it’s important to highlight how God is moving through individuals to transform our community. Shannon’s commitment to unleashing the hope of Jesus shines through in her faithful service, and her story serves as an inspiring reminder of the power of generosity and compassion. Let’s celebrate what God is doing through Shannon and the ripple effects of her faithful work in our local outreach efforts!

Where do you serve with Local Outreach?

Food Pantry, pack a pack. Tree House of Greater St Louis

How are your gifts and talents used in this service?

I love doing anything that I know is going to help kids. I also love to organize so packing backpacks for back to school and packing food for the schools is my jam! Also, I have been around horses most of my life so working at Tree House was working with therapy horses and kids. The looks on the kids’ faces when they were riding was all I needed to know I was where I was supposed to be.

What inspired you to start volunteering with Harvester Christian Church Local Outreach?

I started volunteering at HHC when my kids were little, I worked in the nursery. I worked full time back then so Sunday was pretty much the only day I didn’t work and I felt that I wanted to know the people I was going to church with and be part of the community. Over the past several years I have been fortunate to have more free time, so I have been able to do more with Food Pantry and the Pack a Pack programs.

How has serving impacted your personal relationship with Jesus?

I feel like God knew where I needed to be. I always knew I wanted to serve but wasn’t sure where. He pointed me in the right direction because He knew where my passion for kids would be put to good use.

What advice would you give to someone considering volunteering for Local Outreach at Harvester?

Do it!! There are so many opportunities, find what calls you. So many people think they don’t have time, it doesn’t take much to make an impact on a person in need. Once you start, you will want to do more! Get involved as a family or a couple, it can start all kinds of amazing conversations.

How do you see God working through the Local Outreach efforts at Harvester?

HCC is such a generous church. I have seen individuals and groups at our church do good things in the community and around the world. God knows that and He points us in the direction of where He knows we will share our love of Jesus and lead others to follow Him.

September 14, 2024

in Discipleship, Jesus, Local, Outreach, Serve Teams

1 Comment

A Little Raw & Honest Truth: Do We Need A Serve Week?

I will get right to the point. I debated for a long time this year on whether it was a good idea or not to organize another Serve Week for our HCC family. Let me be clear. My ping-ponging in my head was not about whether it was a good idea or a needed thing much less a commandment to serve. The Bible is pretty clear on that one. If you need a list of biblical proof you can find a growing list here.

My concern is if I was giving people a reason NOT to serve. I worried that if we focused all of our attention and energy on this one week would we be fooled into thinking we had done our duty for the year. That somehow there was a spiritual checklist that we checked off serving one time that we were good to go until next year. I debated on perpetuating the idea that serving in this day and age had to be convenient, it had to fit in between this soccer game, this trip to the lake, this business engagement, and these two birthday parties, and if it was a full moon, and if it was not too hot and not too cold and with the people I know, doing a thing I know how to do that wasn’t too hard or too strenuous or too involved or too messy or if it interfered with my work-life balance. We tend not to commit to something ongoing or even one time as we wait to see if something better or more enticing or entertaining comes along.

Did I mention this post was a little raw and honest this time?

I am genuinely worried that we are selling ourselves short of all the blessings God truly intends for us by offering ourselves up as a living sacrifice obedient to Him. There are loads of “feel good” reasons to serve. You no longer feel guilty about sidestepping your Local Outreach Pastor (wink, wink). It makes for some very likable Instagram posts. Science also tells us that serving makes us healthier, it helps us live longer fulfilling lives because we have a sense of purpose and identity in something greater than ourselves. Our service directly glorifies Him. Serving isn’t a clickable option for living as a Jesus Follower. God hard-wired us to serve. Serving others is a form of worship. It puts us in our proper place and posture to God. But it’s also messy, And it doesn’t always work out into a neat social media post. And the people we serve are not always dripping with gratitude. And the people we serve with are just as likely to be stinky, biting, obstinant sheep like us. Serving is probably going to test our boundaries and push us way out of our comfort zone. It usually takes place during a time that doesn’t fit the family calendar.

Serving allows us to experience God’s presence in a new way. If we stop relying on an annual serving event to remind us that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and rather allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit to serve others we start to see that the small, cumulative intentional acts of kindness, gentleness, and love in God’s name are what are truly pleasing to God. When we are real and authentic about serving, the cost of serving, the reason why we serve, and WHO we serve, this is what will lead our neighbors to find and follow Jesus.

we start to see that the small, cumulative intentional acts of kindness, gentleness, and love in God’s name are what are truly pleasing to God.

So here’s the confusing part about being raw and honest. God has cleared the way for Serve Week. 🙂

Our Good Neighbor Serve Week is September 28-October 3. I hope you will take advantage of some of the serving opportunities we have lined up to use your gifts and talents for God, connect to other HCC members, meet our neighbors at Fieldview Church who are also serving with us, to unleash the hope of Jesus. I also hope you and your life group will seek God and see where He wants you to consistently serve your neighbors again and again.

But my ultimate prayer is that you will wake every day asking God how you can love and serve others in His name through the everyday seemingly small but intentional acts of love. I hope you can’t help yourself because of what Jesus has done for you.

Click the link below to sign up for one of our

Good Neighbor Serve Week

serving opportunities here ==>

https://harvestercc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/487/responses/new

August 22, 2024

in Alleviation of Poverty, Child Welfare, Church, Discipleship, Jesus, Local, Outreach

The Good Neighbor.

In Luke 10, we read a story that we have heard since we were kids, the Good Samaritan. It is a story that can encompass a lot of lessons learned throughout life. If you haven’t read the story or maybe haven’t read it as an adult…..take a moment to read it:

” And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” – Luke 10:25-37

It’s a fascinating story when you really dig into the content. First off, Jesus, being a master story/parable communicator, finds a man that is looking to catch him off guard and/or trick him into saying something that the Pharisee’s could use to arrest him, so Jesus uses a story to answer his question. Secondly, the content of the story revealed a glaring piece to not only the social status/structure, but also the image that some of these people that everyone would have known, had to the public. Lastly, Jesus uses a kind of a dark horse character in the end to illustrate the point of the story.

This story, as much as it is about Jesus teaching about the two greatest commandments of the 10, but he also calls those that follow Him, to a goal in life:

to be The Good Neighbor.

That might look different for all of us. It might literally mean the person that lives right next store to you, in all reality those neighbors should be on your heart all the time, but it could also be someone that lives around the corner or up the street or around the block or in a different apartment building. It could be someone that lives in a completely different area.

The thing about this story Jesus tells, is that it is in a random spot on the side of a dangerous road where this outside of the time, shows what it means to really show mercy to someone. The Good Samaritan in this case, was The Good Neighbor.

The question of our day, is will you be The Good Neighbor?

John 13, gives us another example of what Jesus means by loving and being a good neighbor. In the upper room, before passover we see Jesus take the place of a servant, by bending down with a basin or water and a towel to wash his disciples feet. This was the role of typically a servant of the house to clean the guest’s feet, not the person sitting at the head of the table. But Jesus does this and then he looks at his disciples and says:

” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. ” – John 13:12-17

Even as Lord and Teacher and Rabbi and Messiah and King….Jesus showed us what it means to be The Good Neighbor.

A few moments later, Jesus also commands his disciples to love one another and those around you just like Jesus loves them and that BY THAT LOVE SHOWN, people will know you are disciple of Jesus.

As people, we have a hard time looking past our own situations and problems and seasons and tasks and home to-do lists and schedules and the rest of the things that keep us bogged down. What if as a group of people that love and follow Jesus, we look to be The Good Neighbor? Not just to our own neighborhood, but the one’s that need their lawns mowed or that need help moving or need help with getting a dresser up some stairs??

We have the ability and the time, we just need to think about re-prioritizing that time.

If you would like to stay in touch with our Local Outreach opportunities — BE THE GOOD NEIGHBOR — click that link, it might bring you an experience that you don’t expect.

When we allow God to work in our lives and then also through our lives……we can also be The Good Neighbor.

August 21, 2024

in Discipleship, DTOTD

Under the Fig Tree…

” Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ” We have found him of who Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.: Nathanael said to him, ” Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, ” Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, ” Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, ” How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, ” Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” – John 1: 45 -48

Doubt. Uncertainty. Confusion. Clouds of sorrow. Seasons of depression. Distractions.

These symptoms of life can be causes for concern and panic for most who experience them or even those who are around them. It is never easy to see a loved one, a friend or even yourself go through any of these moments in life. Our first inclination whenever someone experiences a season of “bad” is to help them fix it.

There have been times in my own life where all of these things have taken place, some of them all at once. The hard thing to grapple with as you are in them, is to ask God for help. Or better yet, to ask God to show himself during those times.

About 9 years ago, life was in all sorts of transitions. A new location to call home, new kid, new job, new situation, new financial questions to be asked and to be honest, I hit rock bottom. I was lost and confused after stepping away from a ministry that I had loved. I had, and still have, a wife that is way to gracious for me to even comprehend, especially during that season of our life. Two beautiful young children that I had the weight of taking care of and growing and teaching and nurturing. All the while, trying to plead with God to allow me to go back into ministry while I needed to heal and relearn who God was in my own life.

All of the symptoms that are listed above were symptoms that I masked the best I could. I laughed and played and experienced life as best as I could. However, deep down, I was curling in a ball wishing no one would ever find me, let alone see me in that way.

” When you were under the fig tree….I saw you.”

Not sure about you, but I can resonate with Nathanael in this calling. Here is how the rest played out:

” Nathanael answered him, ” Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, ” Because I said to you, ‘ I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, ” Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” – John 1: 49-51

Nathanael was in a doubting place in his life. We see it from his reaction to Jesus being from Nazareth. There was a sense of sarcastic doubt when Philip told him about Jesus the first time. But yet, the moment Jesus see’s Nathanael, Jesus reveals something to Nathanael that Nathanael couldn’t believe.

Not only does Jesus combat Nathanael’s sarcastic doubt, he encourages him, builds him up and then promises him he will see even more than Jesus seeing him under the fig tree.

When we are walking through these seasons of doubt, depression, sarcastic doubt, unbelief, confusion, sorrow, even uncertainty, know this:

Jesus see’s you there.

Right where you are.

He doesn’t go looking for you in the places that you won’t be. He doesn’t go looking for you in the places that you should be. Jesus doesn’t go looking…..

Jesus already see’s you.

As I trudged through the mud that I was stuck in for years, there was a moment in time when I realized….. That Jesus saw me and knew me and grabbed me by the hand and lead me to where He wanted me to go. Just like when Philip in Acts 8 was told to go to a specific road and to be ready…. Jesus saw me. He saw I needed him. He sees me now, knowing I need him more than back then. Whatever season in life you find yourself in…

Jesus see’s you.

As hard as it is sometimes to know and remember and lean into, take the time to meditate/contemplate that you are seen and known by the son of Man and that no matter where you find yourself in life…

Jesus, see’s you.

May 23, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, Guest Services, HCC, Jesus, Outreach, Serve Teams

An Ode to Volunteer

” …. But that misses out the vital middles stage – that those who are declared to be in the right, to be God’s people, are the renewed humans, the people God had in mind when creating his image-bearing creatures in the first place, the people who now, in the present age have a decisive role to play in the coming to birth of the new creation….”

– NT Wright, Into the Heart of Romans pg. 16

” All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. THEREFORE, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Paul, 2 Corinthians 5: 18-20

Serving is hard. Serving is counterintuitive. Serving is putting others before ourselves. Serving is thinking differently than we typically would. Serving is not always the hot thing to do. Serving doesn’t always lead to a sexy outcome. Serving doesn’t also bring about all the accolades that we might be searching for.

However, serving may not be the things listed above, it is something that we are called to do. Even if we are not serving in a role or on a serve team or at an event. Serving is what we are called to do always.

Rich Villodas, a pastor in New York, said this about Jesus ” Jesus went towards all….”. He was making reference to how Jesus continually found himself around people serving them however was needed. Whether it was teaching, clearing out a temple, healing, relieving from a demon, recovering the sick, waking the dead or drowning a herd of pigs after putting demons in them. Jesus was always serving, wherever he was with whoever was around.

Every week, we have the chance to serve others when we open the doors for worship services on Sunday’s. I know, serving does not only have to happen on Sundays, but there is a lot of opportunity on Sundays to serve others. Some that do are consistent and others not so much. But whether you are there every Sunday or once a month, you are an ambassador of Jesus to those you are serving. You cannot change that fact.

For those that serve, we thank you! For those that will serve, we thank you! For those that have not yet served…..think about it.

Here is one guests story about their encounter on a Sunday morning:

From:
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 1:29 PM
To: Lead Pastor <leadpastor@harvester.cc>
Subject: Recent Visit

Nikomas Perez,

I was happy to attend Harvester this past Sunday with my son on the way to his hockey game. My interest

was piqued at your invite to the Living Room. I enjoyed meeting you and wanted to share how I came about

coming to Harvester. My home church is Oak Bridge but when I cannot attend I love to seek out other similar

Christian Churches just enjoy the service and see how well they welcome visitors.

I had been to Harvester for an event but not a service when I decided to attend on a cold snowy

day in January. It would have been easy to stay in bed, the roads were bad and I wasn’t even sure the

church would be open since some churches were canceling due to the weather. I had to make the trip

to Wentzville anyway so if being early was the only negative I decided to forge ahead. The Harvester

Facilities team had cleared the lot and salted the steps, kudos to them for a job well done. I walked

in as a familiar looking gentleman held the door open and greeted me with a smile. Wearing a hat with

a jacket I didn’t get a great look at who it was but once inside I had to turn back and see who the

familiar face was. Sure enough I recognized Kim Forney! Kim had attended Oak Bridge and knowing

he had chosen Harvester as his home church I knew I had picked the right church to attend.

Everyone from the parking lot to my seat was cheerful, friendly, and willing to provide any information

that I needed. Knowing a little about the operation of a church, I had to send a note of praise to your

team and all the wonderful volunteers at Harvester. As I mentioned earlier, I brought my son with me

on Sunday and holding open the same door and greeting me with a smile was Kim. Please double his

salary!

Thank you Harvester for reflecting Jesus in such an excellent and authentic way!

Sincerely,

Again, serving is not always the easiest thing to do. But when you do, you make a difference in other people’s lives.

If you need help, let us know. We would love to help get you plugged in to a serve team!

May 21, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, HCC, Jesus

Dwelling.

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Brendon

“ I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt….” – Leviticus 26:11-13a

In today’s world, the thought of who you are with is becoming more and more apparent and judged.

Oh you hang out with that crowd….

Oh, I didn’t expect you to be hanging out with that kind of person…

Oh you believe the same thing as them??

It’s almost like the people we hang out with or dwell with will determine what everyone will think of us.

It’s like the question, what high school did you go to? The answer will determine everything someone needs to think and know

about you.

However, what if we start to think about the people we dwell with. The people that we do life with. The people that influence us the most. The people that can determine what your outcome in life could be like.

God makes this statement over all of the Bible.

In Genesis we see Adam and Eve had a very personal relationship with God. In Gen. 3 we see it noted that in the cool of the evening, God came to walk with Adam and Eve in the garden. But we see that because Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree they were not supposed to, they hid from God. ( Gen. 3:8-9 ).

In Leviticus, we see that already, God is wanting to dwell again with his people. God leads them out of Egypt and along the way they fall away from God over and over and will continue to do so. ( Lev. 26:11-12 )

In the prophet Ezekiel’s book, we see that after God brings a valley of dry bones back to life, God make mention to covenant of peace and that God’s dwelling will be with his creation. ( Eze. 37:27 )

In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul makes this claim again that God desires to dwell among his people and they will know Him and know that he is their God. ( 2 Corin. 16c)

Then again in Revelation, the apostle John writes in Revelation 21, that behold, the dwelling place of God is with his his creation. That He will dwell with them and they will be his people. ( Rev. 21:3 )

We can see that God from the beginning of life, to the end of life, has one goal….to dwell or be with close contact with his people.

And in seasons of life it is incredibly hard to understand and really embrace this truth. The truth that God really does love you and desires a relationship with you.

In seasons of winning: when you have great health in your family or when you get the promotion you worked so hard for or when you move to a new location that brings new life to our heart or when you have a healthy baby come into the world or when you win the lottery!

In seasons of losing: when health is an issue, when you lose your job, when you don’t get that promotion, when you look at your bank account and it is not where you thought it would be, or when you look at your house and see all of the repairs that you are not able to make, or when you look at your relationship with your spouse and it is on the rocks or when you lose a loved one.

God still, desires to be with you.

Life is hard. Jesus tells us that in John 16:33.

Even when we fall away from God.

Even when we forget about the things he calls us too.

Even when we stop thinking about him.

Even when we don’t feel his presence because of what is going on in our life.

Even when……..

God desires to dwell with you.

Whatever season you might find yourself in today, rest in this peace, that God desires you.

With all of your shortcomings. With all of our mistakes. With all of our doubts and fears. With all of our thoughts that lead us away from Him.

God still and wants desires a relationship with you.

May 21, 2024

in Church, Discipleship, DTOTD, HCC

Words on a page or words of truth?

This thought has been one burning in my mind for a little while now, because it is a thought that is going to become super important with a middle school daughter. And to be honest this next season of life for her, I am excited for! She is smart and dedicated and strong and powerful. My prayer and thought for her, is what will she do with all of that in her life?

So as we begin this thought, I want to say that I believe the Bible, whether you believe it or not, can be boiled down to this:

” In the beginning God created……..” Genesis 1:1a

Those five words can dictate the way that we read the Bible, interact with the Bible and even allow the Bible to interact with our hearts, minds and souls.

” All scripture is God breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God, may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16 – 17

The graphic above, you probably have seen floating around your social media feeds over the last few months. It is a graph that shows in detail the cross references of the Bible in its entirety. Not just a few of them but all the references that are used in the bible. As one pastor put it, ” if this was the work on one man, we would think that he is the greatest composer of all time. But in reality, the scriptures were written by over 40 people and over 1500 years of history…” The graph shows that there are 63,779 cross references in scripture.

To be honest with you, this thought is one that over my entire life span I have never asked, is the Bible real or is it just a group of made up stories? I have never once asked myself, why do I believe what is written in these pages? Why do I continue to study these scriptures throughout my life?

The answer……because I believe the first five words of the Bible are true.

I believe that God created the earth and sky and space and heaven and stars and trees and oceans and waters and animals and birds and humans. I believe that when in the garden of eden when humans were left to their own choices, we made the wrong one which brought separation from God who created us to be with him in His creation. I believe that God then set humans, his creation, apart from the rest of creation to be the key piece to reconciling his creation back to Himself. I believe that God used fallen humans to be spokesman for Himself by giving the words of the Bible to men and woman to write down and be taught and remembered and passed down. I believe that God used his creation to send his Son Jesus down to earth to live a life that is worth of emulating and following because that is the way Grace was given to anyone who will listen and believe. I also believe that without the Bible, Christianity would not have a guide that is living and breathing and interacting with minds, bodies, hearts and society….even when society doesn’t know it.

The Bible is the story of God and God’s people. God’s people in the Old Testament being the nation of Israel and in the New Testament we learn that the people of God are not just limited to one group but to any and all that will listen and believe and turn back to God. God working through his creation, even though fallen and separated from Him due to sin, to bring his creation back to himself.

Does the Bible have some crazy stories inside the covers, absolutely! A man being swallowed by a fish and then being spat out in the exact place that he needs to be, or how about the story of a king that is transformed into a donkey because he makes some dumb decisions, or what about the stories of kings going to war for the soul purpose of covering up the fact he slept with the wrong person. The Bible is full of stories that are crazy to the reader, especially when you read in the book of Judges that a man took his concubine and cut her up and sent pieces of her to all over the world at the time.

But here is the key – In the beginning God Created.

There are lots of holy texts in the world, whether it is the Qur’an, the Dhammapada of Buddhism, The Tanahk of Judaism, The Rig Veda of Hinduism, the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible and even the book of Mormon.

Holy texts can be found in all religions across the world. The genuine question that comes back to any written scripture or literature for a religion is…..

Do you believe it?

Whatever the holy text is….that is always the baseline question.

For me, the Bible in all of the craziness and all of the cross references and even the things that I do not fully understand points me this:

A love God, that created everything so that his creation can be perfect with Him. And throughout the 2 canons of the bible, we read God’s story of constantly loving, forgiving, rebuking, teaching, drawing closer, grace-giving and in the end, defeating the power of Sin to give his creation the ability to come and reconcile their relationship with Him. For me, the first five words of the Bible are true. Which means everything else in the Bible, whether I understand them or not, I will wrestle and interact and allow God’s Spirit to work in my life through the study of the Bible and allow me to extend that love and grace that I learn to those around me as I become more like Jesus reaching out to introduce others to Jesus.

Might be the least amount of Bible usage to have a thought on the Bible, but scriptures are something that you have to interact with and come to your own conclusion on whether or not to believe it or whether or not you pick and chose and only believe what you want to believe.

The Bible is full of hard lessons and ideas to comprehend and demonstrations to follow, but that is also why this journey of following Jesus to be reconciled with God in the work of the Spirit is not one that comes to an end or a finish line. It is a journey that will be forever long and however you run the race, the Bible will never change, just like its heavenly author will never change and just like its main hero will never change and just like the love, grace and mercy that is free to anyone who will listen will never change.

The Bible is the written word of God, and God breathed the words into over 40 different people to write the story of how God wants to reconcile his creation to himself. The Bible is the lifeblood of the Christ follower and the authority in which we should live and direct our lives.

April 17, 2024

in Discipleship, DTOTD, Jesus

what the old can teach the new

” Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” – Exodus 1:8

Over the past several months, the Old Testament has been speaking loudly. Not just in terms of learning or academic knowledge, but speaking life to an overworked mind and heart. There have been revelations about certain stories that have been read hundreds of times. There are have been new thoughts about how stories are connected within the context of scripture that were never thought about before. There is a fresh view of why some of these stories are even written down and told and read and taught throughout human history.

Something struck deep however when reading a commentary book on the last book of the bible. Revelation is one of the most hard and, probably, misunderstood books of the bible. It is a masterpiece of images, analogies, and hyperbole that makes anyone question what they are reading. When you dive into the text and you have some guidance, there begins to be a revelation of your own when reading the confusing stories of the great beast or the Scarlett beast or great whore who is torn apart and burned. What was fascinating about a portion of a book I was reading was this:

” This clear link with Egypt reinforces St. John’s emphasis on WORSHIP, for we recall that the ten plagues were not visited on the Egyptians because they were an extraordinary evil people, but for a single reason which had no apparent moral content to it at all: they were determined to prevent Israel from WORSHIPPING God.” – Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder pg. 143

Can you let that sink in for a second…….the ten plagues of Egypt happened solely because Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelite people worship God the Creator.

Peterson goes on to talk about the concept of worship and how it is central to the life of a Christian because without worship, there is no way we can stay attune to what God is doing and as Christians we should be praying and looking to where God is active to be able to move towards him.

There are a few things here to point out. Firstly, God is a jealous God. Not because other things that he created are bad, but because God created you to BE WITH Him. Think about a time when you felt dried up or burnt out or maybe you were so busy that you hadn’t been able to get to church to worship with others for a while. How did life feel? What were the the feelings and emotions like that ran through your body? What were your thoughts like? When we are not able to spend time in worship being with God, it becomes easier and easier to miss the point of worship, being connected to the God that is jealous for our attention.

Secondly, God will go to no boundary to bring his people to him. Reading through the ten plagues, some of them are crazy! Frogs, millions of frogs. Locusts…..turning water into blood, which would kill anything in the water…darkness…..death of the firstborn. These are some intense plagues that barely changed Pharaoh’s mind about letting the Israelites go. God shows in this situation, as well as in Revelation 17. & 18, that He will do what he must to bring his people to a place of worship. When there are things standing in the way, God will put something into motion that will change the course back to Him.

Lastly, God always provides a way through the darkness. In the case of people of Israel, they were enslaved for hundreds of years and Egypt became accustomed to having such a large force of slaves to build their buildings and take care of their lands. What Egypt didn’t do was realize that the God who brought forth creation, would bring about a way for His people to leave and worship him. Personally, this was something experienced when in a transition period of my life. Darkness overshadowed everything that happened. Whether good or bad, it was clearly a moment of darkness in life that could not be avoided. For some reason though, as God continued to pave a way, the hard part was putting one foot in front of the other each day to continue moving in the direction of God’s call on my life. There is a lot more to say about that season of my life, but to turn it back to scripture, the plague of Darkness was an interesting one, because as the Egyptians were cased in a darkness that they could not see –

” The the Lord said to Moses, ‘ stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven , and there was pitch darkness in ALL the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, BUT ALL the people of Israel HAD LIGHT where they lived.” Exodus 10:21-23

For those of you that might be going through a time of darkness where it paralyzes you with fear and makes you stay right where you are, know this, that the old can teach the new. Know this, that God is the light that you are looking for. When you come to Him in worship, the light begins to be brighter. It may be dim at first, but as time goes and worship happens and our actions and heart continue to grow closer to our creator and savior, the light begins to brighten.

April 15, 2024

in Discipleship, DTOTD, Jesus