Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in the Lord!

Sermon Recap

Last Sunday we continued our series in the book of John. Pastor Chuck asked this simple yet often confusing question: “What does it mean to be a Christian?” From John 1:35-51 we saw that to be a Christian means to follow Jesus and to help others follow Jesus. To follow Jesus is to entrust our lives to him—to accompany him as our leader wherever he goes. Chuck encouraged us to be a people following Jesus so closely that we are caked in the dust that his shoes kick up. This will happen increasingly as we hear Jesus’s voice through the Scriptures, and submit to his word.

We do not only follow Jesus, but we also invite others to do the same. This is the pattern we see throughout the New Testament. People do not regularly come to know Jesus by an audible voice from heaven, but through the simple invitations of others—“Come and see!” (John 1:46). This may look like asking a friend to visit a Sunday service, meeting for coffee to explore what the Scriptures say, inviting a family member to attend a Gospel Community, or a simple conversation with a stranger about Christ’s goodness in your life. Ask yourself this week, Who are the people that you are inviting to “come and see”?

Members Meeting Recap

Last Sunday was an encouraging time to hear from members of the body, as well as to hear important updates in the life of the church. If you missed it, here are a few key points:

  • Todd Diehl and Randy Hagler are stepping down from the Transition Team to continue the process of eldership candidacy. Lord willing, elder candidates will be presented to the church in the next Member’s Meeting in October.

  • This Sunday we will announce 2 candidates to replace Todd and Randy on the Transition Team. The following Sunday (Sept. 10th) we will vote on these candidates.

  • We are currently behind by about $21,000 in the church budget.

  • The transition to two gatherings has gone incredibly well. More people have opportunities to come and hear the gospel, and more people are serving in the church than ever before. Thank you for all of the sacrifices you’ve made for the sake of Christ’s body!

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Ps. 34:8)

In Christ,

Phil Hoshiwara