I've heard it said quite a bit lately that our church is a growing church. I'm really encouraged by that. It's a sign that we're living into God's call for us. Our church's mission is to "Grow Disciples of Jesus, transforming lives for Christ". Our vision of how we hope to do that is by "Cultivating grace-filled authentic relationships so together we become more like Christ." I want to share some ways we've seen that in action in our church recently!
Our latest council meeting was a nice little snapshot. We began the night with a couple profession of faith interviews from some college bound students, which is always a highlight for us. They spoke of growing up in the church, how they had grown in their walk with Jesus and how they were pursuing futures where God was the center of their lives, studies and work. Also present in our meeting was our very own seminary intern who grew up in this church. That alone is a reminder of God's faithfulness to this church and how the Spirit has led us over the years. People are growing IN our church and listening to God's call. These are not exceptions. Over the past few months we've seen several professions of faith and baptisms of children and newer believers. We still have a few yet to witness. Their stories are varied. We have some stories of people growing up in this church. We have people finding a home in our church after being in other churches for a long time. We have people who are coming back to church after a while apart from it. We have people who haven't spent much time in church at all. These show us that it doesn't matter what our lives have looked like in the past because God can call us to belong to himself any time he wishes. We simply respond to his call in joyful obedience. What a thing to celebrate!
But growth is not simply growth in numbers. Anyone involved in agriculture knows it's not just the number of seeds that are planted, it's also about how those plants are nurtured along the way that helps them produce fruit. I don't know about you, but in my life I have grown the most in surprising seasons. Sometimes it's a time of doubt that leads us to pore over the scriptures seeking God. That helps us develop a confidence about who and what we believe. Sometimes it's when a loved one gets sick that suddenly helps us rely on our faith in God more deeply. Sometimes it's in grief that the presence of God becomes the most evident. Sometimes a life change prompts us to reprioritize our lives and suddenly become passionate about prayer and God's Word. I never wish hard times on anyone. I'd prefer God to use other means to get our attention. But that's why God is God and I am not. However, I can say that I love to see the growth that happens in the family of God through some of those surprising seasons. What always seems to help, is brothers and sisters who encourage us along the way. That's why we need the church to grow.
Other people's stories and passions challenge me in my own walk with Jesus. Someone else's faith story may inspire you in your own. As we pursue Jesus together, we need to cling to the people God has called to walk alongside us and watch for who God may be calling us to help grow. I hope you're as encouraged as I am to see a growing church.
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