How was your New Year celebration?
At our house, it was on the quiet side. After months of on-again, off-again activity to prepare for my son’s wedding, the weekend had finally come and gone. We were pretty spent. It all went well. We hosted a rehearsal dinner and attended an outdoor wedding at a venue in Southern Illinois. It was a balmy 47F and sunny (thank the Lord). There was an epic reception party and then off went the happy couple!
There you have it! My proud papa moment slipped into my work on this blog.
So, there we were, December 31, 2023. Back home, exhausted. We went to bed early and slept well. But now what?
What’s next? What will life look like for Julia and me officially empty-nested? It’s a poignant and exciting question as we continue to live life and do ministry here in the mission field of St. Louis.
What about you? What will 2024 look like if you have your way?
If you knew the Lord would 100% say ‘yes’ to a prayer in 2024, what would that be?
One of my prayers for us here at West County Church is for a deepening of our love for Jesus and his Word. Nothing can stop a group of Christians when they are united by a sincere desire to pursue and know Jesus more fully. To learn not only his words but to imitate his ways is the secret sauce to vibrant, growing, churches.
People focused on Jesus and his Great Commission, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.’ Such a people, organized around this command of Jesus, rather than around being consumers of religious goods and services, cannot be stopped.
And to that end, what steps or goals or, dare I say it, resolutions, will you implement to bring this to fruition in your life this year?
I have an idea or two (you knew I would).
A regular habit of reading scripture and praying is the foundation of it all. Encountering the Bible as though it were a personal address to you is the best mindset to have.
Here are a few suggestions to make this happen:
This link will direct you to the NALC prayer and bible reading plan. You can download a paper copy, or sign up for texts or emails with the same information. Check it out! Explore. The NALC website is rich the devotional resources.
YOUVERSION Bible App is another fantastic resource:
Literally point your phone or tablet camera to the QR code in the center of this graphic and follow the prompt to the website to download the app.
Lectio 365 – yet another guided prayer and bible reading app: https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/lectio-365/
the Bible in One Year: https://bible.alpha.org/en/
Try something! Be spiritual explorers! Don’t fall victim to the perfection or nothing virus. Give yourself permission to learn, fail and try again as you develop a reading and prayer habit.
This is the ground floor of something new for this church. Church growth never starts apart from people regularly in the Word and at prayer. Join me this year. Ask questions. Challenge me! Share what you are learning with others. Let’s make 2024 the best year yet!
Pastor Mark
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