Six years ago today…
Dear church,
Six years ago was my first day of serving as pastor for you, my church family. It continues to be the joy of my life and the highest privilege to serve as your pastor. As I reflect on six years of serving you, my church family, here are six truths that I delight in...
Truth #1
Jesus changes people's lives.
The beauty of serving as pastor here in Douglas County is I get a first-row seat to see people's lives changed by Jesus. I have seen the chains of addiction be shattered. I have seen the wounds of infidelity be healed. I have seen hopelessness dissipate and give way to eternal hope. I have seen these things because of Jesus. Make no mistake, JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING. He gives life, meaning, and purpose for this life and hope beyond our life here. Here's the thing - you don't have to be a pastor to see people's lives changed by Jesus. In Colossians, the Apostle Paul said this..."If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,.." Shift your perspective. Seek Christ. Elevate your perspective. And you will see Jesus changing people's lives.
Truth #2
Forgiveness is necessary for my relationships to grow.
Life consists of hurts, disappointments, and heartache. In those experiences, our human tendencies take over, don't they? We isolate. We put up walls. We put up barriers. We keep people out. We block them. The way of Jesus paints a different picture of how to walk through these difficult scenes in our life. He asks us to forgive. As your pastor, I have seen how beautiful it is for relationships to be restored with forgiveness. I have also seen relationships destroyed by unforgiveness. If we are to grow in Christ, we must learn to forgive. Forgiveness is the way of Jesus. We've tried living our way - the way of unforgiveness - for far too long. By God's grace, I will walk the way of Jesus - I will walk the way of forgiveness.
Truth #3
Jesus's words give me life.
In the New Testament Jesus reminds us that the enemy of our soul, the devil, seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus, on the other hand, promises life. These words of life are within our reach, within our grasp, even within our own fingertips. Jesus' words are full of life. Yet for some reason, it can be a battle to simply read His words, let alone embrace them. For the past six years I've read and studied Scripture nearly every single one of those days and here is what I have learned: His words are timely, alive, and powerful. His words give life and they are the antidote for hopelessness and despair.
Truth #4
How I live between Sundays is a great witness for who I celebrate on Sundays.
For me, Sundays are a big deal. They always have been and I estimate that they always will be a big deal. Yet the longer I serve as pastor the more I am convinced that people will be drawn to Jesus based on how we live our lives between Sundays. Jesus said it this way in the Gospel of John..."By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." When I live in a manner consistent with the Gospel between Sundays it impacts people in such a meaningful way. - perhaps more so than on Sundays. Worshipping together on Sundays is great. Like I said before, it's a big deal. But I truly believe how we live between Sundays is a great witness for who we celebrate on Sundays.
Truth #5
There is no 'Plan B' for the local church.
Years ago, Pastor Darren and I were driving to Medford with a van full of teenagers headed to In-N-Out. I remember during that drive we were getting to know one another and we begin sharing our experience within churches over the years. Like any of us, some of those experiences were awesome and some of those experiences were not so awesome. At one point during the conversation Pastor Darren said this..."There is no 'Plan B' for the local church." He was right!!! Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. The power of that promise is extraordinary! I hold this truth with me day-to-day - that there is no 'Plan B' for the local church and that Jesus WILL BUILD HIS CHURCH. I'm so glad that First Christian Church is His church. I'm not the boss. Neither is Pastor Darren! Or the elders! We have surrendered our will to His and we rely on Jesus as the head of our church.
Truth #6
I am loved by my church family.
I am so grateful to be your pastor. Thank you for your many expressions of love. You're the best. I love you, church family. Thank you for a beautiful six years. Here's to many many more.! My prayer for you, church family, is found in Ephesians from the Apostle Paul…
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Your pastor,
Daniel
