Independence Day

Happy almost Independence Day! This weekend we will celebrate the birth of our nation. Some of us will celebrate by gathering together with friends and family, eating together, and maybe even watching a fireworks show. Growing up, my family would always go to a friend’s house along with several other families. We would eat great BBQ, the kids would all play together, and once it became dark enough, all of the dads would get together and put on a fireworks show for the kids. It was fun! Sometimes it was a little too much fun and a stray firework would accidentally get launched at a neighbor’s house! I have so many fond memories of the Fourth of July as a kid.

As an adult, and especially now that I have a family of my own, I have a new appreciation for Independence Day. Yes, we still plan to spend time with family and friends, eat yummy food, and watch fireworks. But I have a new appreciation for what Independence Day means. The Fourth of July is an opportunity for us to celebrate the values that are the foundation of our country, like liberty, freedom, unity, honor, and justice. It is also is a chance to celebrate the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. To be thankful for the grace and mercy that has been offered to us as children of God, and to extend that invitation to others. My hope is that I can teach my own kids about Independence Day and how it is more than just good food and fireworks. I hope to teach them that the Fourth of July is a reminder of the freedom that we have as Americans, just as our faith should be a reminder of the freedom we have in Jesus.

This week in worship we are starting a new sermon series “God isn’t Done: Major Promises from the Minor Prophets”. Each Sunday over next four weeks we will focus on a different minor prophet and discover how God is still using these little books to teach us big lessons. This Sunday we are exploring the book of Micah. We’ll unpack the message that God gave to Micah and discover lessons in justice, mercy, and humility. We hope you will join us in worship this week and that you have a very safe and happy Independence Day! See you on Sunday!

Thank you,
Pastor Mike

PS – Don’t forget to join us for our Stars and Stripes event on Saturday from 5pm – 7pm! It’s going to be so much fun and great way to love on our community!

Original Research in Unexplored Territory

Growing up, either my mom or dad would tuck my brother and me into bed and we would “say our prayers” before bedtime. We would pray for things like peace, health, family, and friends. Sometimes we prayed for fun things like pets, birthdays, and toys! “Saying our prayers” became one of my favorite parts of our bedtime routine. This would happen almost every single night until I became old enough to do it on my own. It was because of my parents that I learned to pray on my own and that I developed a practice of prayer. It is also something that I am excited to share and instill in my daughters as they get older. I owe the prayer practices that I have now to my parents because they are the ones who taught me to pray.

In his book Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster talks about prayer as “original research in unexplored territory” (Foster, 30). While we have many models of prayer found in scripture, especially the ones that came from Jesus found in the Gospels. Prayer isn’t a “science”. There is no magic formula or words that we need to say, especially in our private prayer. There is nothing that we say that makes some prayers “heard” and some prayers not. Personal prayer is how we connect to God. Prayer can be life-changing and life-giving. That is also because is not a one-sided conversation. Prayer is a part of sanctifying grace because the more that we pray and have these conversations with God, the more that we become like God. We begin to see things through God’s eyes and our hearts begin to reflect God’s heart. Healthy prayer life can lead to inward transformation!

This week in worship we are continuing our worship message series “Finish Strong” as we talk about being “Revealed in Prayer”. As we continue to move forward in this campaign, the main question we are asking everyone to consider is “Lord, what do you want to do through me?”. This is a question that requires prayer! It requires us to talk to God and to seek wisdom and guidance, to find that “unexplored territory”. For us to “Finish Strong” we must first start with prayer. It starts with our personal connection and communication with God, which can lead us into great things. So, let’s Finish Strong together as we continue in this campaign!

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Mike