The Pastor’s Corner

If We’re Not Growing, We’re Dying:

Embracing the Future Over Yesterday

As followers of Christ, we’re called to be living, breathing expressions of His love and truth in a constantly changing world. Growth is at the heart of discipleship—spiritual growth, communal growth, and even growth in how we impact the world around us. The truth is, if we’re not growing, we’re dying. This principle isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a sobering reality. Stagnation in our faith, in our relationships, and in our church can signal a slow decline, and if we’re not careful, we can find ourselves stuck in the past, unable to move forward into the fullness of what God has for us.

When we become too focused on the glory of yesterday, we risk losing sight of the opportunities of tomorrow. We can easily get so caught up in what God did in the past that we forget He is a God of the present and the future. Yes, God’s work in history is profound and worthy of honor, but we must be careful not to idolize the past to the point where it becomes a hindrance to what God wants to do in and through us today and tomorrow.

This mindset applies not just to the individual believer but to the church as a whole. If we’re satisfied with what we’ve accomplished in the past, if we cling to old traditions and methods simply because they’re comfortable or familiar, we risk becoming irrelevant. History is not our blueprint for the future; the Spirit of God, speaking to us today, is.

Think about it this way: if we stay focused on how things were “back in the day,” we might miss how things are meant to be in the days ahead. God is always doing a new thing, and His call is always forward moving. The Israelites in the wilderness were reminded, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:18-19). This wasn’t to negate the importance of their history but to remind them that God’s future for them was greater than anything they had experienced.

We must ask ourselves: Are we allowing yesterday’s successes and traditions to hold us back from the new opportunities God is presenting to us today? Are we willing to adapt and innovate in ways that help us better fulfill the mission of Christ in the world, or are we so preoccupied with preserving what once worked that we become ineffective in the present?

If we’re not growing, we’re dying. This doesn’t mean abandoning our roots or the rich heritage we’ve received—it simply means that growth is an ongoing process. The church was never meant to be a museum of the past but a living, breathing body of believers actively engaging with the world around us.

Yesterday doesn’t matter if it hinders the future. If our past, no matter how great it was, keeps us from stepping into the future, we need to reevaluate. If our traditions or methods are limiting the reach of the Gospel, we must ask God for the courage to change. The mission of the church—to make disciples and share the hope of Christ—is far too important to allow nostalgia to hold us back.

In the end, the question we must all face is: Are we willing to let go of what was in order to embrace what God wants to do next? Growth requires change, and change requires a willingness to leave behind what no longer serves the greater purpose.

If we’re to live as Christ intended—vibrant, growing, and reaching out to the world around us—then we must commit to continually moving forward, trusting that the best is yet to come.

Stop Coming to Church; Start Being the Church

As a pastor, I often hear people talk about “going to church.” It’s a phrase so ingrained in our culture that it rolls off the tongue without much thought. But here’s a challenge: What if we stopped thinking about church as the place where we go and started living as the church we are called to be?

The Bible doesn’t describe the church as a building. It describes the church as a people—God’s people—on mission together. When Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), He wasn’t talking about a sanctuary with stained glass windows. He was talking about us: believers who are united by His Spirit, equipped to carry His message of love, grace, and redemption into the world.

The Problem with Just “Coming to Church”

When we reduce church to a Sunday routine, we risk missing the bigger picture. Sitting in a pew or chair once a week doesn’t automatically make us disciples of Christ. It’s possible to attend services faithfully but remain spiritually stagnant. Worse, it can create a consumer mindset where church becomes just another product to consume—something we evaluate based on how it meets our needs rather than how we can contribute to God’s kingdom.

Even more concerning, we’ve fallen into the trap of cultural Christianity. Too often, church becomes a social club rather than a place of transformation. We treat it as a venue to network, maintain appearances, or check a box for our spiritual “to-do” list. But Jesus didn’t call us to a comfortable, cultural faith. He called us to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him.

Service, too, has been tainted by the desire for convenience. True service is about sacrifice, not comfort. It’s not about fitting God into our schedule but allowing Him to set the agenda. Jesus Himself modeled this when He washed the feet of His disciples—an act of humility, discomfort, and love. If we want to follow His example, we must embrace the messiness, inconvenience, and selflessness of serving others.

Start Being the Church

Being the church means embracing our identity as the body of Christ. It means asking ourselves, “How am I living out my faith Monday through Saturday?” Are we serving others? Are we showing the love of Christ to our neighbors? Are we living in community, supporting one another in prayer, accountability, and encouragement?

The early church in Acts gives us a beautiful example:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

This was a movement, not a meeting. A lifestyle, not a location.

Practical Ways to Start Being the Church

Engage in Your Community

Find ways to serve outside the walls of your church. Volunteer at a shelter, mentor a student, or simply reach out to someone who’s hurting.

Build Genuine Relationships

The church isn’t just a crowd; it’s a family. Invest in the lives of those around you. Share meals, pray together, and walk through life’s ups and downs as a community.

Be the Light Wherever You Are

Whether at work, school, or home, you carry the presence of Christ with you. Let your words and actions reflect His love and truth.

Live Missionally

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is a call to go. Don’t wait for people to come to you. Take the gospel into your everyday interactions, sharing the hope you’ve found in Jesus.

Final Thoughts

God never intended the church to be confined to a building. He created us to be His hands and feet, actively participating in His mission to restore and redeem. So, let’s stop coming to church and start being the church. Let’s shift our mindset from “What can I get?” to “How can I give?” Let’s move from attending to abiding, from consuming to contributing.

And as we do, let’s leave behind cultural Christianity. Let’s stop treating the church like a social club and start embracing it as the living, breathing body of Christ. It’s not about our comfort or convenience; it’s about living boldly for the One who gave everything for us. Remember, service isn’t about what’s easy or fits our preferences—it’s about sacrifice, just as Christ sacrificed for us.

You are the church. Go and live it.

January 2025 Newsletter Article

Dear Church Family,

Happy New Year! As we step into 2025, I am filled with hope and excitement for what God has in store for us. A new year is a fresh start, and I believe God is calling us to grow together in two vital areas: prayer and outreach.

This year let’s commit to becoming a powerfully praying church. Prayer is essential to our relationship with God and to seeing His will done in our lives and community. I encourage you to join us every Monday evening at 7:00 PM for a time of united prayer. Together, we will lift up our families, our church, and the city of Norfolk, seeking God’s guidance and blessing. To help strengthen your personal prayer life, we’ll also provide monthly prayer guides.

Outreach will be another central focus for us in 2025. Norfolk is our mission field, and we are called to share the love of Christ with our neighbors. As part of this, I am challenging each of us to invite someone new to Sunday morning worship every week. This could be a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor—anyone who needs to experience the hope and joy found in Christ. Alongside this challenge, we’ll be organizing service projects, partnering with local organizations, and hosting events to connect with our community in meaningful ways.

Additionally, I want to invite you to join a special Scripture reading challenge this year. Together, we’ll journey through the entire Bible in chronological order, exploring God’s story from beginning to end. This challenge will deepen our understanding of God’s Word and draw us closer to Him. Reading plans will be available at church.

As we commit to these goals, I am reminded of the promise in Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I believe that as we focus on prayer, outreach, and Scripture, God will do amazing things in our church and community.

Thank you for being part of this church family. I am grateful for each of you and look forward to seeing how God works through us in 2025. Let’s seek Him wholeheartedly and step out in faith!

In His Service,

Pastor Jason

December 2024 Newsletter Article

Advent: A Season of Hope and Anticipation

Dear Church Family,

As we enter December, we begin the season of Advent—a time of reflection, waiting, and preparation for the coming of Christ. “Advent” means “coming,” reminding us not only of Jesus’ birth but also of His promised return.

Throughout the Advent season, we focus on hope, peace, joy, and love, symbolized by the lighting of candles each week. I encourage you to reflect on these themes in your daily life and family traditions, whether through prayer, an Advent wreath, or quiet moments of gratitude.

Amid the busy preparations for Christmas, Advent calls us to remember the true gift: Emmanuel God with us. Christ came to bring hope and salvation to our broken world, and this season invites us to seek His presence more deeply in our lives.

May this Advent season be a time of intentional preparation, where we reflect on the wonder of Christ’s coming and share His love with those around us.

In His Service,

Pastor Jason

November 2024 Newsletter Article

1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

As November arrives, our thoughts naturally turn toward thankfulness. It’s a season where we gather with loved ones to share a Thanksgiving meal, reflecting on the many blessings we’ve received throughout the year. Yet, as Christians, it’s important that we don’t limit our gratitude to a single day or season. True thankfulness isn’t confined to a holiday – it’s an attitude of the heart that should define our lives every day of the year.

Each morning, we have an opportunity to begin anew by offering thanks and praise to a gracious and merciful God. He is not only good, but His mercy endures forever, as the psalmist reminds us. It’s a mercy so deep and boundless that He provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him. Through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary, we have been given the gift of eternal life – a gift beyond measure.

Let us, therefore, cultivate a heart of thankfulness not only in this season but in every season of life. Whether in times of plenty or in moments of trial, we can rest in the assurance that God’s goodness and mercy are unchanging. And so, with every breath, let our lives be an offering of gratitude to the One who made a way for us to live forever in His presence.