Dear Friends:

This is the season for conversation about back-to-school.  The signs are everywhere.  School supplies abound.  Clothing sales for children are rampant.  Students are trying to get in one more outdoor activity. And teachers are getting anxious!

The season is the same for the church.  Except instead of thinking about back-to-school, we would like for you to ask the “what’s next” question about your journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The answer to that question will tell you how to approach the closing days of the summer season.

When I ask the “what’s next” question for my own life I think about the goals I have for mission service and for a deeper investment in the community.  I also think about my need for a systematic engagement with Scripture.  The answer will be different for you but the question is the same.  What is the next step in my discipleship journey?

The answer to “what’s next” for you might direct you to become part of a fellowship group like Dinners For Eight.  Or it may point you to enroll in a Disciple Bible Study experience.  Perhaps the answer for your life will be about some form of service in the world or within the church.  The Lord has an answer for each one of us if we are willing to ask the question!

In the next few weeks you will find the Connections booklet being distributed within the church.  That is our effort to help you ask and answer the most important discipleship question anyone can ask.  The Connections tool will give you a snapshot of places you can serve, groups you can join, and experiences that will expand your horizons of faith.  I hope you will get your hands on a copy and consider taking the next step in your journey with the Lord.

While I would love to invite everyone to find a place or an experience…I also want to add a word of caution.  Don’t sign up for something that will create a struggle for your family or deplete the time you have to invest in the people you love.  Be sure you balance your life!  Don’t get so busy that you neglect the most significant part of your life.  There is a appropriate balance to our journey.  Make it work for you in a way that is a blessing to God, a reward for your own life and a gift to your family.

What’s next for you?  Stronger worship attendance, deeper investment in Scripture, engagement in mission, connections to others in fellowship…Find the place and the people that will bless you, and then go for it.

I am looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!

 

God bless your journey!

Randy Jessen