We are closing in on the last quarter of 2024 and have made this entire year a time of looking at our “NEXT STEPS.” We have been gratified to see how seriously you have taken finding your next step, and we encourage you to keep asking God about the next things He wants for you.
So, a good question to ask is, “What should our next step be as a church?”
As we have studied through Acts, we have noticed certain recurring themes. I believe that these recurring themes show us what should be at the forefront of all that we do. While there are many avenues that we can take with each of these priorities, the following short list seems to tell us what the church should do day by day and week by week.
First, we must tell of the wonderful things God has done through the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. The church is first and foremost about the work of the Son of God sent to save sinners. We must never forget this all-important task. Jesus Himself asked: “What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”
Second, we must care for the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ and for the needs of people around us. This is a very difficult time in American history. Our children and teens are struggling in almost every way, and adults are hurting and anxious.
One of the ways we’ve sought to deal with this is by offering “healing ministries.” These are ministries like Celebrate Recovery, GriefShare, and DivorceCare, as well as groups that deal with anxiety and caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
We also have ministries and programs that help with marriages, family life, and raising children. All of these help us and others be light and salt in a dark and hurting world.
I believe that one of our “next steps” is to help in this healing process. As we move forward, I want to ask you to think and pray with me of how God would use us to be a blessing to others and to make Christ known.