18 Jul Weekend Update

I hope you’re having an incredible week, as the summer rolls by. I just have to say, I’m feeling very encouraged and grateful at the work God is doing in our church, as expressed this past Sunday.

If you missed it, we received another 12 new members, water baptized another 4 people, all of whom had powerful behind-the-scenes stories of God’s active working in their life. Seeing these people publicly express their commitment to Jesus never gets old! Then, we heard from an incredible missionary family we support in Niger, Scott and Lucia Eberle. They updated us on how the Lord protected them during the violent rioting and burning of churches in Niamey, Niger, by Muslim extremists back in January. They also expressed their gratitude to our church for our financial partnership with them in their ministry to teach and reach Muslims for Jesus in a poor and disadvantaged nation.

But we weren’t done, as God had more for us—we had 3 spontaneous baptisms at the end of our time together. These were people who decided that they couldn’t wait any longer, and in obedience to God’s word, they got up, not knowing when they woke up that day that something like that would happen that morning. It was a moving and encouraging moment, to be sure.

All of this is great, but none of it happens without 2 things:

1. The mercy and grace of God, who loves us and is for us as we seek to reconcile the city to Him and to one another.

2. Tireless and passionate energy, service, and trust from all the amazing people in this church.

I was praying for us and who we are together this morning, thinking, “I would not want to be with any other church and any other people than this church and this people.”

And it’s true—you bring all of that energy, service and trust week in and week out, and you demonstrate Jesus’ love to me week in and week out.

So, thank you—I’m believing for more of all this to continue to spring out of the good soil that God has given us and that we are tending together.

With love,
Morgan