I’ve missed worshiping and serving with you, and am excited to jump back in. While living out of suitcase for about a month, I had a wonderful reminder -
I need the church!
I travelled to Israel and walked the hills of Nazareth, Jesus’ home town, stood in Capernaum’s synagogue where He taught, and most impressively, walked down the likely path that He took that first Palm Sunday into Jerusalem where He was crucified and rose from the dead. We then travelled to Athens and climbed up the Acropolis and stood at the spot where Paul preached at Mars Hill, declaring the truth about their “Unknown God.”
A few weeks later I was in Ballaigues, Switzerland, the tiny village where my father grew up. I walked by the camp where he placed his trust in Christ and remembered the summer I lived there my junior year of high school and saw the place where I would walk up, read my Bible and memorize the Beatitudes. In other words, a place that played a big part in my spiritual formation.
All these places have deep spiritual meaning to me, but it was in all places, Bethel Baptist Church in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin that the Lord reminded me that I need the church! These places were special, but I need to be in church with God’s people, singing praise to God and sitting under the hearing of the Word. Places filled with meaning and memories are a sweet gift from God, but so too is His Church - imperfect as we are.
In the comings and goings of another busy summer, I pray that you too will realize your need for the church! By God’s grace, let us be a Christ-centered church for all people where the power of the gospel is continually transforming lives, renewing our city and changing the world.
Together for Christ,
