Seek First the Kingdom

Seems like the older I get; the faster time passes. Is that true for you? I cannot believe that we are in the year 2022, but here we are. I am excited about the coming year for our congregation as we seek to engage our community and our world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. For the first time in 15 years, we are headed into a new year without debt! I am so encouraged that our 2022 budget reflects this congregation’s heart for evangelism, discipleship, and ministry.

Our 2022 calendar is already beginning to fill up with many ministry opportunities throughout our community, and many mission opportunities here at home and around the world. We are looking forward to continuing to come alongside of our many ministry partners and our community partner. We are also excited about the addition of several new partnerships that will begin this year.

God has poised this congregation to engage this community with the hope of the Gospel like never before. Jesus says in Matthew 9:37-38 “Then he (Jesus) said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We cannot approach this new year convincing ourselves that this world will not respond to the truth of the Gospel. Nor can we convince ourselves that we do not have a responsibility on the work. We do, personally and corporately. As believers, we are all called to advance the Kingdom. We are all called to “labor in the harvest.” The good news is that the harvest is not only ready, but also “plentiful”. That means that God has already gone before us changing people’s hearts so that they will respond to the saving power of the Gospel. Our work is not in vain. It will produce lasting results. This verse is saying to me that the church is not seeing the harvest God is providing because we as a church are not laboring in the fields to gather the harvest. The harvest is there, and it is ripe, and it is plentiful.

My prayer for you and for this congregation is that we continue to keep our focus and our gaze on Jesus and Jesus alone. That we “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...” I truly believe that if we do, God will use us in ways that we cannot even imagine.

May God bless us as we enter this new year with anticipation and with obedience. I love you all and it is a great pleasure to serve alongside of you in the harvest.