11.10.2017 | by Patrick Voelker, Executive Administrator
Here at River of Life this fall we have begun to look at what are the steps or process we engage in as people of faith or people looking to find out what part faith has in their lives. We are currently describing this path to faith and transforming our lives on Sunday mornings as: Discover Jesus; Connect to Others, Serve the Community, and Give Financially.
That is certainly a mouthful! So we want to unpack these one by one as we continue to focus on them. Let’s begin with Discover Jesus.
Discover Jesus is really about figuring out who He is and how does that impact me. First, we all have to deal with the fact that Jesus said that He is the Son of God. A pretty bold statement. Then His followers confirmed that after Jesus was killed on a cross. He came back to life, physically, spent time with them, and then went to heaven to be with God, His Father. Wow, that’s all pretty unbelievable.
That brings us back to Discover Jesus. It has each one of us on a journey of asking and finding answers to our questions. Questions like: Does God exist? Is Jesus His Son. Did Jesus really die for me, for my sins, and then rose again to conquer death? Where is my faith at today? What does this all mean for my life today? I could go on and on, as we all could, listing more questions.
In the bible, John, one of Jesus’s closest companions writes; “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:17) What a great place to start when we talk about Discover Jesus. Is this true? Jesus came to save me? How? This is how we journey in faith, by asking questions, meeting together, and doing life together.
But that is why Discover Jesus is a journey. A journey of faith. Answering questions. Realizing the impact those answers and faith have on my life. Some are at the beginning of the journey, while others have been on this journey for many, many years. And each person is important and valued as they journey.
That is what River of Life is all about, discovering Jesus. We want to allow everyone to Discover Jesus in a warm, friendly, and loving environment. Where there are no wrong questions, no judgement on where each of us has been or is at the moment. Discovering Jesus is about finding truth, truth from God’s Word the bible and finding life, life that is absolutely unbelievable when we allow Jesus into it.
This is why our steps along the journey are built on these principles:
Discover Jesus – “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17
Connect to Others – “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Serve the Community – “God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” 1 Peter 4:10
Give Financially – “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, if you do, I will open the windows of Heaven for you.” Malachi 3:10
So, let’s all join together on a journey of faith, a journey of Discover Jesus; Connect to Others, Serve the Community, and Give Financially; and see what it looks like in each of our lives.