What’s Next?

Occasionally, I glance over old Anchor articles to see what I’ve written about recently. The theme of “what’s next” is probably the one I’ve spent the most time on, and for good reason: One of the main purposes of writing the Anchor is to let our church body know how things are going and what to expect in the near future. That’s a reasonable expectation, and one that I take seriously.

By the time this article is finished, we will have had our first in house “Charge Conference” to celebrate what God is doing and to pray for what God can do next through us. I can’t, one week out, say how it will go, or what we will learn, or what the Holy Spirit will teach us, but I can say with confidence that I expect it to be a good experience, one that I hope will become a tradition, at least for a while.

By the time you read this, we will be preparing for another Pumpkin Patch season. While it’s getting harder to “man” the Pumpkin Patch, it is still a valuable ministry and outreach. We don’t see big numbers of guests or members coming from the patch, but we do see our neighbors, generations of families, and connections being made every year – and these are a blessing.

By the time we unload the pumpkins, I will be writing next month’s article and asking myself the same questions – since the last Anchor, what is the Holy Spirit leading us to do, to celebrate, to change, or consider?
Sometimes, the answer isn’t to keep speculating on what the Holy Spirit wants, but to focus on what we do know. We know that the overall purpose of the church, of any church including ours, is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, to worship God, to bless the community, and to grow into maturity, the full measure of the stature of Christ (see Ephesians 4:13). That is, we are to bear fruit (John 15), develop our spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12), put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6), and be witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:6). Exactly how we accomplish this can vary season to season, year to year, and even individual to individual. So, instead of focusing on what’s next, this month, I want us to focus on what’s now and what’s always been.

Several things form the cornerstone of a deep and abiding spiritual life – we call these the means of grace, or spiritual disciplines. Chief among them are things like worshipping together, reading the Bible, supporting and loving one another, serving each other and the community around us, taking care of those who need care, and giving our time, talent, and gifts to help the community. I have witnessed consistently that people who do these things grow. They are like the trees planted by the water (Psalm 1) that produce fruit and remain healthy even in harsh conditions.
So, this month, may we all do what God’s beloved people have always done – keep worshipping, keep serving, keep reading, praying, studying, and helping where we can. And God will supply the increase, the growth, that will help the Kingdom of God spread light on the people around us. As always, it is my honor to serve among you!