We're launching for the year this Sunday. It will be a great time when we, as a church whanau, focus together on what we're seeking in 2023.
Our theme for the year is be part of someone's story. Seek to play a part in others coming to know and grow as followers of Jesus.
When I think back to my own story there were many people who played a part in my coming to faith and subsequently growing as a follower of Jesus. Each one played a part in what God was doing in my life.
There were parents, friends, youth group leaders, siblings and a whole cast of others who, in one way or another, helped me along the way. Now, as I reflect back, I am sure that some of them have no idea the part they played whereas others were very deliberate in encouraging me to Christ.
One group that stands out were my friends at high school. For some reason most of them were Christian even though I was not. I had been going to the Mormon Church (that's a story for another day!) and yet they welcomed me into their friendship group.
A few months after my family left mormonism they realised that something had changed and that I wasn't going to Mormon Church each week. It was then these pretty normal Christian kids invited their pimply ex-mormon friend along to their youth group.
When I arrived I was warmly welcomed by the other kids. Some of the leaders spent time to get to know me and my situation. There were a group of parents who cooked the BBQ and another group were praying for the youth ministry of that church.
One day a ministry apprentice did a Bible talk explaining the gospel from Ephesians 2 and it was then God exposed my pride and humbled me by his grace. I realised the only hope I had was in the cross of Jesus.
How I came to know and grow as a follower of Jesus wasn't particularly noteworthy but God was working through it all to bring about the most profound miracle of them all - a proud sinner repenting and trusting in Jesus alone.
And all along the way God was using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
We deeply long for more and more people to be saved through the mercy and grace of God in Christ. And when that happens it is most often through very ordinary means of normal people seeking to be part of someone's story.
The prayer, the invitation, the welcome at the door, the 'hello' when the kids go out to kids church, the coffee and morning tea, the meal, the lift home... It's all working to be part of someone's story.
We're going to think more about this on Sunday. It's not a week to miss!
Grace & peace,
Andrew
eNews - 9th February 2023