by Dr. Randy Johnson

with contributions by:

Roger Allen Scott Johnson Noble Baird Shawna Johnson Holly Boston Debbie Kerr Trevor Cole Chris Knuth Caleb Combs Josh Lahring Carole Combs Lorna Lyman Isaiah Combs Pat MacDermaid Jen Combs Jim Mann Bryan Fox Jill Osmon Donna Fox Philip Piasecki Michael Fox Dani Reynolds Debbie Gabbara John Sanchez Danielle Hardenburg Ryan Story Sue Harrington Kyle Wendel Matt Hatton Ty Woznek Larissa Hicks Katrina Young John Hubbard Tommy Youngquist Randy Johnson Copyright © 2016 The River Church

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of The River Church. Inquiries should be sent to the publisher.

First Edition, June 2016

Published by: The River Church 8393 E. Holly Rd. Holly, MI 48442

Scriptures are taken from the Bible, English Standard Version (ESV)

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

WEEK 1: THE LAW 11 Study Guide 17 Testimony 1: Ryan Story 21 Testimony 2: Sue Harrington 23 Testimony 3: Isaiah Combs 25 Testimony 4: Debbie Gabbara 27 Testimony 5: Donna Fox 29 Testimony 6: Debbie Kerr

WEEK 2: THE CROSS 33 Study Guide 43 Testimony 7: Danielle Hardenburg 45 Testimony 8: Katrina Young 47 Testimony 9: Carole Combs 49 Testimony 10: Pat MacDermaid 51 Testimony 11: Kyle Wendel 53 Testimony 12: Shawna Johnson

WEEK 3: THE RESURRECTION 57 Study Guide 65 Testimony 13: Jim Mann 67 Testimony 14: Holly Boston 71 Testimony 15: Josh Lahring 73 Testimony 16: Dani Reynolds 77 Testimony 17: Roger Allen 79 Testimony 18: Philip Piasecki WEEK 4: REPENT AND BELIEVE 83 Study Guide 89 Testimony 19: Lorna Lyman 91 Testimony 20: Ty Woznek 93 Testimony 21: Tommy Youngquist 97 Testimony 22: Chris Knuth 101 Testimony 23: Matt Hatton 103 Testimony 24: Bryan Fox

WEEK 5: BE BAPTIZED 107 Study Guide 115 Testimony 25: Michael Fox 117 Testimony 26: Jill Osmon 119 Testimony 27: Noble Baird 125 Testimony 28: John Sanchez 129 Testimony 29: Larissa Hicks 131 Testimony 30: John Hubbard 133 Testimony 31: Jen Combs

WEEK 6: HELL IS FOR REAL 137 Study Guide 147 Devotion 1: Goats and Sheep 149 Devotion 2: The Great Commission 151 Devotion 3: The Need for a Savior 153 Devotion 4: Rejection of Sharing of the Gospel 155 Devotion 5: Lifestyle Sanctification 157 Devotion 6: Can Anyone Share?

WEEK 7: WORSHIP JESUS A-Z 161 Study Guide 167 Devotion 1: Encourage One Another 169 Devotion 2: Birds of a Feather 171 Devotion 3: More Than a Song 173 Devotion 4: Filling the Temple 175 Devotion 5: Look Up 179 Devotion 6: God and Us

WEEK 8: STUDY THE WORD 183 Study Guide 201 Devotion 1: Time to Grow Up 203 Devotion 2: Babies 205 Devotion 3: Tests 207 Devotion 4: Growing Pains 209 Devotion 5: Jesus Grew 211 Devotion 6: Read and Pray

6

7

8

For Dee, A faithful Martha, who became a loving Mary.

9

10 1

THE LAW Pastor Ty Woznek | Pastor's Academy Lead Instructor

hristianity is a wheelchair, not a crutch. A coworker at the deli I worked at responded with a common Cphrase about the Gospel: “Religion is just a crutch.” I replied that Christianity is not, in fact, a crutch. Christianity is a wheelchair. A crutch assumes we had or will gain the ability to walk. The Bible says we cannot. Suddenly she was listening.

While training staff for a day camp, I mentioned that anyone who says people are innately good has never worked with children. Many of the staff were students at Penn State. This did not sit well with them. Various rebuttals were fired at me. None of them had worked with kids yet, surprising for education majors. Two hours into camp a young lady storms up to me, finger pointed and tersely said, “Don’t say a word. You were right.”

Positive thinking is looking at reality and then seeking out a solution.

The Gospel is a positive story, but “The Law” is that hard dose of reality. The bottom line of the law: We are all broken. The solution? Jesus died and rose again to fix that. So, take a deep breath, and this week we learn how bad we are first. Walk through these

11

verses and pick out where the law comes from, list the problem, and list how it affects you.

Read The "Law" of The Problem My Problem Romans 1:18-23 Romans 2:14-16 Romans 2:17-24

Read The “Law” of The problem My problem Romans 1:18-23 Romans 2:14-16 Romans 2:17-24

Paul gives us three “laws” from God: Nature, our conscience, and the Law (first 5 books of the Old Testament). If we violate any of these we are? ______

Is the problem with God or with us? In these passages do we really want God, and can we really be perfect/ just/ right/ etc.? ______

Paul concludes his thought on the law. Read Romans 3:21-23. True or false, we are all broken and why? ______

12

It gets worse… Read Ephesians 2:1-3. How does Paul describe people before they trusted Jesus? ______

What do dead people do? Can dead people save themselves? ______

It gets even worse than that… Ever hear the advice “oh, just follow your heart?” Read what Jeremiah 17:9-11 says. Why is following your heart bad advice? ______

What will be the end result if we follow our heart? ______

Oh, way way way worse! Romans 7 deals with a critical issue, is the law good? The Law is a good thing, but there is a problem. We cannot follow the law! Here is how following the Law worked out for Paul:

Read Romans 7:13-24 and Philippians 3:4-7

Where did the Law get Paul? ______

13

How can Paul say he was stuck in Romans 7 and yet say he was blameless in Philippians 3? (Hint: Ever put on a smile when stepping out of your car at a gathering after arguing on the way there?)

Recap, and it gets worse. In our brief discussion on “The Law,” we learn that we are horrible, awful, deceitful, foolish, misguided, really bad, dead people. In these discussions, people often say that the environment is the problem. There is one HUGE problem with that response. Read Genesis 1:31.

In Genesis 1 and 2, the world is perfect and without sin. God even walked with Adam and Eve. They had ONE LAW; Do not eat of the tree of good and evil lest you die. Satan deceives them saying “you will not surely die” (Genesis 3:1-4). Read Genesis 4:8, Genesis 5, Romans 6:23.

In a perfect environment, with one law, and with God meeting them face-to-face, what did Adam and Eve do? What was the result?

We need a wheelchair, not a crutch. The Bible teaches that you and I are horribly broken. It does not mean we do the worst things possible, but we could. God even gives us instruction on what He wants for our best, but we cannot follow it. Try as hard as we will; we are stuck sinning. We cannot be perfect even when we try.

In the 20th century, we had the most scientific and engineering expansion in world history. We had more access to education and literacy than any other period. We had more secular human governments than ever before. At the pinnacle of human

14

achievement, knowledge, government, and education, we witnessed more humans being killed unjustly than any point in human history.

The law of nature failed us. The law of human conscience failed us. The law can only show us for what we are: Broken.

It gets better Read Romans 5:6-8. Despite our brokenness and our weakness, what did Jesus do for us? ______

Positive thinking is looking at reality and seeking a solution. We cannot ignore our brokenness, but it should not be our focus. We do not have to stay broken. The rest of this guide we will seek the solution. What are you most looking toward to as we share “My Story”? ______

15

16 TESTIMONY 1 RYAN STORY Student Pastor

efore I ended up at The River Church, I went to The Rock in Fenton. This was the first church I ever willingly Bstepped foot in. Now when I was 23, I had my view of what religion was. I knew what Christianity was. I was a smart guy. I made an informative, logical decision of what and who I believed god was (note the emphasis of the lowercase g). A girl who I was dating at the time invited me to church one night, and I remember her telling me about her crazy pastor. I went to church and truly loved listening to this man. To be honest, I could have cared less about the Jesus he was preaching about at that time, but I loved the morality, I loved the public speaking ability, I loved seeing a man truly love and encourage people. It blew my mind that this man would come and shake my hand every week I was there. His first message I ever heard him preach was about changing. “You do not want to be the same person you are in 2007 as you will be in 2008.” I was hooked; I wanted to become better. I did not want to be the same person. I knew I wanted to change, but I did not want anything of this Jesus guy or church.

Now my major issue with Christianity was two things. The first was Christians themselves. I had a Christian girl rebuke me at a party because I was drinking. The weird thing was she was doing the exact same thing. I could not stand (and still cannot stand) that sense of judgmental arrogance the church has for someone who does not even attend. And two, no Christian could ever explain to me why a loving God would put His children through hardship. Now I do not like to give my testimony; I never want it to be about me, nor do I want my life to seem like it is something that deserves to be made into a movie. My life was rough; I had parents who did not really parent after I was 14. I am the product

17

of a broken home with divorced parents. No God. I had a mother who left her children to go live her own life because she “couldn’t do it anymore” when I was 15. I had a father who struggled with alcoholism, overworking, and had many deep-rooted issues that were never resolved. My family imploded with so many things year after year; I do not even like talking about it. I finished my high school as a mean kid. I grew into an adult as an even meaner person. I always had two deep-rooted questions that never could be answered; “why did I go through all of that” and “if God was real why did He make my life so dang hard.”

After a few months of Bible studies, long talks (and I mean long) with any person I could, and going to church weekly, I finally called out to Jesus, and He was there. That did not make those questions go away. Then life got really frustrating. I would ask people to help with my questions I had, and I would get “pray about it,” “read your Bible,” and my favorite (sarcasm implied) “just have faith God will take the thorn from your flesh.” It seemed like either people did not have the time for me or they did not know the answer. I was getting to my wits end and figured I made the whole Jesus thing up in my mind. Once again, that pastor showed up in a very weird way. Back before anyone could just find any sermon online, you could download them from ITunes. I had several random sermons dating back as far as 2006. I cannot remember too much of the message but I remember it was about the Israelites crossing the Jordan River, and the Jordan stopped upstream. I cannot tell you any other detail only that this pastor was speaking directly to my soul. “God works upstream’” I was down in my room, and I felt like something was ripped out of me. I felt I lost something, something that had been with me for so many years, was missing. The two biggest weights on my heart were gone. God did not put me through all the rough because He hated me or wanted to punish me, He did not make my life rough

18

just because. He did it because He had a purpose for my life that I can only see now because I can look back.

In my life, I have had several things thrown at me by God, and I could never understand why He would do such a thing. As time passes and I look back to see how and why God was working in the way that He was, it makes sense. Life is not always easy, and it does not always make sense, but when you keep following Him and stay close to Jesus, He will show you why He is the one who can “work together for good.”

19

20 TESTIMONY 2 SUE HARRINGTON Secretary

hen I was five-years-old, I went before my Pastor, who at that time was Dr. Tom Malone at Emmanuel Baptist WChurch in Pontiac with my mom to get baptized. I had already asked Jesus into my heart because being Baptist and being in church every time the doors were open (thanks to my mom who was single and made it her mission for us to know Christ), I learned about Jesus at a very young age.

My mom sat me down and coached me on what questions my pastor may ask me and how to answer those questions regarding baptism. When standing in at that time seemed to be a huge baptistery looking out into the great crowd of people, I am not sure I knew what I had committed to.

Sure, I knew all the songs and motions to them. I could quote John 3:16 and knew to behave in church. It wasn’t until I was married a few years later in my 20’s that I felt getting baptized again, knowing the true meaning of it, was something I needed to do. I already believed that Jesus was the Son of God and that I was truly saved. So I did take that great plunge again knowing this time what I had committed to.

Today, I work at The River Church and love serving God and the people God trusts me with. My desire is to be used by Him and hope that somehow, some way they see Christ through me.

My favorite verse is Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good for those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose! That verse means the good, the bad, and the ugly. I have learned to thank Him through all three

21

of those situations, hard as it may sometimes be, but He knows all and has me (all of us) in His care. He knows exactly what I (we) need in our lives to keep us on track and to keep us focused to desire Him only and for His perfect will in our lives, thanking Him for the outcome!

A few of my favorites:

**Trust Him, thank Him!

**Lead by example with the following characteristics: Have consistency, humility, emotional investment, endurance, boldness, and faithfulness to the gospel, ultimately pointing people to Jesus.

** Psalm 141:3 - Ask God to curb my careless speech and put a guard on my tongue every day!

**A moment of patience can prevent a great disaster!

**Avoid penalties, set up your defense!

22 TESTIMONY 3 ISAIAH COMBS Young Adults and Worship Leader

like to refer to my testimony as my Jonah story. I was five years old when I accepted Jesus’ free gift of salvation. I know I five is a young age. However, I believe I was smart enough to realize that I needed Jesus to save me from my sins. I was baptized the next Sunday.

I would love to tell you the rest of my life was super easy, and I never had any problems. I would love to tell you I lived every day 100% for Jesus. Just like Jonah, I was called by God. When I was 16 years old, I knew God had called me to serve him. I was scared. I thought I was not smart enough or that I was not good enough. I was scared what other people would say. He only wants to be a Pastor because his Dad, Grandpa, Uncles, and Brothers are Pastors. So like Jonah, I ran from God. Instead of going to school and working to become a Pastor, I joined the Air Force at 18. In the Air Force, I lived a self-pleasing life. I knew God had great plans for my life, but I continued to ignore His call on my life for nine years.

It was not until I had children that I realized God’s great love for me. I love my children when they are doing good or when they are doing bad. I love my children no matter what. I would do anything for them. Even lay down my life. I believe this is a great example of God’s love for me.

God’s love doesn't even compare to the love I have for my kids. It is much deeper and much wider. I could never comprehend His great love. I was not living the way I was supposed to. I was running from God, but I knew He still loved me and had great plans for my life. I am one of His children.

23

So like Jonah, I gave into God. I got down on my knees and submitted my whole self to him. I believe the most overlooked part of the Jonah story is when the sailors threw Jonah overboard. The Bible says the seas and winds died down, and the sailors believed in Jonah's God. Even when we are not doing what we are supposed to, God can use us to save those around us. Submitting to God’s will the first time is a lot easier than spending three days or nine years in the belly of a great fish.

24 TESTIMONY 4 DEBBIE GABBARA Assistant to the Reach Pastor

have been in church and hearing the Word of God taught all of my life. My mother died when I was a young girl, and I my father and grandmother raised me. Grandma took us to church and taught my sister and me about Jesus. She taught the four and five-year-olds in Sunday school. We spent Saturday evenings cutting out flannel characters for her lessons. I knew all of the heroes of the Bible: Noah, Samson, David, Jonah, and of course Jesus. When I was nine-years-old, I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Savior. I loved church, and I loved learning about the Bible. My faith grew.

Life turned upside down, and when I was 17, I stopped going to church. I never intended to stay away from the church for ten years, but somehow I did. During that time, my life was a mess. Jesus always still lived in my heart; that can never change once you give your life to Him. You become a child of God, and no matter how many wrong choices you make, you are always still His child. Shortly after my second marriage, I realized that I was miserable and overwhelmed by my life and my bad decisions. One day on my way home from work, I finally stopped running from God. I pulled into a parking lot and offered my life back to Him. I immediately knew that I was forgiven and that Jesus still loved me. He was right there waiting for me to come to Him.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” God has made this verse so real in my life. My grandmother showed me what the love of God looked like. She lived her faith every day.

25

When I was a girl, God was the God of my Grandmother, the God of my family. I knew who God was; I prayed, and God forgave my sins and saved me, but I was not rooted and grounded in my faith. My roots were shallow, and when the storms came, I was not equipped to survive. It was not until I began to really study the Bible that I began to yearn to learn who He was and make Him MY God. The more I study His Word, the surer I become of my faith and the God I love. Jesus has been my Savior since I was a girl and now He is my Lord, my Rock, my everything.

Jeremiah 29:12-14 NIV “’Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD.”

26 TESTIMONY 5 DONNA FOX Assistant to the Growth Pastor

grew up on a farm, in the country. I led a very sheltered life. We never went to church. When I was a kid, I went with my I neighbors to Sunday School a few times, but that was it. My first real church experience was when I was around 30 years old. Our kids were young, and we decided we wanted them to find out more about God. I always believed in God; I just did not “know” him.

The kids started attending special events at the old Atlas Church (now The River) after a friend invited them. A new pastor had just been called, and I wanted to see what they were talking about. Then I started taking the kids on Sunday mornings. I wanted to find out why there was more to it than just believing in God. I met with the pastor, counseled with his wife, and read. I read the Bible every spare minute I could. I was so thirsty to learn the gospels, and to read the Bible stories that everyone else seemed to know so readily, but I had never heard before.

I learned about salvation, making a public profession, and baptism. I still thought I was saved. I was a good girl. I believed in God. I was all set, right? It took a couple of years of listening to sermons, reading the Bible, and being mentored, but on April 24, 1994, I knew what I had to do. I had one of those white-knuckle events. My hands held onto the pew for dear life, but something just overcame me, and I stepped out and walked up the aisle.

A dear older lady, Dorothy Martin, took me into the back room, and we sat down with the Bible and walked through Romans. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior that day. Not long after, I was baptized.

27

I know now that just because you are a “good girl”, or just because you were born into a Christian household, or because your grandma prayed for you – none of that means you are saved. You have to make the decision for yourself and make a public profession. You need your own date to hold onto and write in the front of your Bible as “thee day.” Once I did that, my life changed. I had peace, I had a relationship with Jesus, and I knew what was going to happen when I died. I did not have the promise of heaven and eternity with God before…but now I do!

I had given my life to Christ, but I had not given Him my all. It took some time, but I soon realized I needed to surrender my finances to God as well. Once I stopped holding back, and began giving Him my best – because it all belongs to Him anyway, and He just wants obedience, that is when I really began to see the power of Christ in my life. I have been so blessed that I cannot even begin to tell you all the stories of God’s providence over my family and me, the way He orchestrated the house we would live in, the job we would have, and the way He would provide when we were in need. I have definitely learned that obedience, FULL obedience, is what God wants and what He deserves!

Are you a white-knuckler? Have you given it all over to Him in obedience? If not, today is the day! Make this the date you write in the front of your Bible!

28 TESTIMONY 6 DEBBIE KERR Office Administrator

was born and raised in a godly, loving family. My dad was in and out of full-time ministry my whole life. When he was not I on Pastoral staff at a church or in some other form of full-time ministry, he and my mother faithfully served in lay (unpaid) ministry. Their experience and example taught us that it was fun (not always easy) to serve Jesus.

I was born again when I was 11 years old at a revival service at our church and baptized a year later. While attending a Missionary Conference at the age of 13, I dedicated my life to full-time ministry. I can honestly say, all three of those decisions were very real to me, and it was very evident that my own personal walk with Jesus had begun. I loved to read my Bible and as a young teenager, I sat in the front row at church with pen and paper to take sermon notes. I was a normal teen girl with crushes on cute boys, enjoyed going to the mall to shop for the latest trendy outfit (still do), and I liked to listen to teenybopper music on the radio. What made me unique among my peers was the thought of trying out what the world had to offer scared me to death.

A Christian school had recently opened near our city and in 9th grade, just before entering High School, I remember begging my parents to send me there. They were reluctant for fear I would be too sheltered, but that was exactly what I wanted. I did not want to see and experience what was happening in the wild 70’s; drug overdose, free love, partying, etc. I admit I was a little too sheltered, but the foundation I received growing up has helped me through many tough times.

29

Twenty-six years ago, God blessed me with a wonderful godly husband and we have faithfully served God. With His help, we raised our four children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I have worked in both secular and ministry vocations. Regardless of the setting, it is a priority for me that my walk matches my talk. It is easy when you have a testimony like mine to think you are better than others, but what I have learned through these almost 50 years with Jesus, is that I’m on the same journey as everyone else.

The foot of the cross is on level ground; we all come to Him in the same condition.

I am incredibly blessed by my upbringing and heritage, but I am no better than anyone else. I was a sinner in need of a Savior. He is refining me day-by-day and moment-by-moment. If it were not for God’s amazing, unfathomable grace, I would be nothing. My life is far from perfect. There have been many hard times, but God has always been faithful. It is in the refining fire that we begin to reflect His image. It is my prayer that each day finds me looking a little more like my Savior. This is my story….to be continued.

30

31

32 2

THE CROSS Dr. Randy Johnson | Growth Pastor

s God unloving? Is God dumb? I I tend to ask these questions when people explain getting to Heaven other than through the cross of Jesus Christ. If there is another way to get to Heaven (good works, baptism, everyone goes to Heaven because God is love, and even having a position as priest, minister, or pastor), then there appears to be only two choices: 1) God is not loving because He allowed His Son to die or 2) He is just flat out dumb.

Is there another reason how there could be another way to Heaven? ______

Please do not be offended. I believe God is love. I believe God is All-Knowing. Therefore, I believe Jesus dying on the cross for my sin was the ONLY way I could be reconciled with a holy God. It is the only way I could be saved from the wrath of God (Hell and even Lake of Fire) to the presence of God in Heaven.

Let’s examine three key points: 1) God is love, 2) God is All- Knowing, and 3) The cross was God’s plan the whole time.

33

1. God is Love.

God is love. Christians and most unbelievers would equally accept that point. However, it is still good to look to Scripture.

1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

How would you define love? ______

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Gospel 101 – Whom did God love? ______

Gospel 101 – How did God show His love? ______

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.’” Billy Graham

2. God is All-Knowing.

34

Did you know – Studies say that blondes have an average of 150,000 hairs, those with black or brown hair average 115,000, and the average redhead has 90,000 hairs on his or her head. God knows because He knows everything: “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30).

God is omniscient (All-Knowing). Psalm 139:1-6 says,

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”

God knows the past. Does anything in this verse show He knows the future? ______

“To say that God is omniscient is to say that He possesses perfect knowledge and therefore has no need to learn. But it is more: it is to say that God has never learned and cannot learn.” A.W. Tozer

3. The cross was God’s plan the whole time.

35

Genesis 3:1-13 record the sin of Adam and Eve. Immediately, God places His punishment on the serpent (Satan). Verses 14-15 say, “The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’”

What is the curse on the serpent? What do you think the serpent looked like before the curse? ______

What is the curse on Satan ? ______

Whose heel was bruised? How or when? ______

Hebrews 9:22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

What did God say was needed for forgiveness? ______

36

Leviticus 17:11 says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

Whose life needed atoning? Or whose life doesn’t need atoning? ______

1 Peter 2:24-25 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

What does it mean to have been healed? Healed from what? ______

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

“Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us—a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” John Piper

Why do people view the cross as foolishness? ______

37

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”

What does the phrase “the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” mean? ______

Colossians 2:13-14 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

What was our “record of debt”? ______

Finally, Isaiah 53:3-10 describes what the then future Messiah would need to go through. We have seen this fulfillment in Jesus Christ throughout the Gospels. “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

38

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

What does it mean, “he was pierced for our transgressions”? ______

How did this bring us peace? ______

What are we healed from? ______

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered

39

that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

We find the phrase “will of the Lord” twice in verse 10. How was this the will of the Lord? ______

“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” John R.W. Stott

What does this mean? ______

Is God unloving? No, God is love.

Is God dumb? No, God is All-Knowing.

When Adam sinned, he set the stage for all mankind. We are now all born with a sin nature. The only means for forgiveness is a blood sacrifice. However, to cover the sins of all, it needs to be a perfect sacrifice. Therefore, the “only” suitable candidate was God Himself. So, Jesus died for our sins on the cross.

40

41

42 TESTIMONY 7 DANIELLE HARDENBURG Nursery and Pre-K Director

hree different moments in my life have shaped my T salvation story. The first is in a classroom at the church where my parents were married. I can remember the first time I prayed with a leader asking Jesus to come into my heart during VBS at Five Points Community Church. The next 30 times after that are a little harder for me to remember. I was always the one who would raise their hand to come pray with a pastor/leader to ask Jesus into your heart. Every time it was asked, my hand went up. I prayed the prayer they said with me, but afterward, I never felt different. Every event, AWANA program, Sunday school, camp, anything I attended –I prayed it. I thought I must be doing it wrong; God can’t possibly hear me, so I will just keep doing it. I remember my parents patiently waiting for me after services and reminding me that I asked Jesus into my heart last week. This went on until my family, and I moved “up north” and stopped attending church regularly. Time passed, and while growing up, I still doubted I ever did it right. I continued to pray but continued to doubt.

The second place is the basement of my home. Eleven years into my marriage, and few kids later I found myself on my knees crying out to Jesus. My life was a wreck, and nobody knew it. I was exhausted, my marriage was all but over, and I was sinking in my failures. The life I “planned” was shattering around me and I was finally surrendering it all. At my rock bottom there on my knees in the basement, I somehow knew the only One who could hold my broken pieces together was Jesus. I cried, prayed, and surrendered.

43

The third is driving in my car on I-75. I was facing all my failures, finding ways to move forward in a life I did not plan. My mind was desperately trying to wrap itself around my “new” life. Then it hit me. I am not in control, God is, and I belong to Him. I cannot explain the joy that came to me that day driving in my car, but it has never left me. I knew no matter what happened; I was going to be okay. I struggle sometimes because it took me so long to understand that, but I am so thankful for God’s grace and patience. Four days after my 30th birthday I was baptized, and six months later so was my husband.

My journey to salvation is threaded through the first 30 years of my life, and when I think back, I see countless times where God was with me; countless times I heard the Holy Spirit whisper Truth. Through all of my doubts and wandering God was right beside me, waiting for me with grace.

44 TESTIMONY 8 KATRINA YOUNG Nursery and Pre-K Director

eremiah 29:13 - “You will seek Me and find Me when J you search for Me with all your heart.” I attended a Catholic School during my elementary years, and my family went to church on a regular basis. I was baptized as a baby and confirmed as a young teenager. I thought I had made all the right decisions for my faith, yet I always felt something was missing in my life. I knew God was my Creator and thought I understood who He was, but somehow knew even as a child that there was more. My journey to come to know my Savior took place over a long period of time where God gently led me down a path and nurturing me until the point I would come to know Him personally.

While at college, I met new friends and went to church with them on the weekends. I began to see God through my friends in a very different way; they knew Him in a more personal way than I had ever experienced. Although I had grown up in church and was faithful and prayed, I knew they had something that I did not have. This is where I began to question and search for answers.

After college and through the next several years, I made life choices that led to many struggles and hardships. I look back on those years, even though they were some of the most difficult times I’ve ever experienced, I could sense God’s hand upon me as He placed people in my life to encourage me and give me spiritual guidance and hope.

My life changed forever when my boss invited me to come to a Bible Study at her apartment. I had never attended an actual Bible

45

Study before that night. The pastor read from the book of Romans and talked to me about salvation. I was introduced to Jesus as my Lord and Savior that night. Everything that I had been searching for suddenly became very clear to me. I now knew and understood that there was nothing I could do to be good enough or religious enough, but that because of Christ’s death upon the cross, and His grace and mercy, my sins had been forgiven. I was a now a new creation through Him!

I was hungry for the Word. God continued to bless me with people who would disciple me and teach me, also teach me how to study the Word. Today I serve in ministry and am blessed to minister to preschool children. I have the privilege each week of loving on them, leading them to an understanding of biblical truths, and to teach them about the love of Jesus.

46 TESTIMONY 9 CAROLE COMBS Wife of Lead Pastor Jim Combs

have been there so many times before, sitting in the same place listening to the sermon the Pastor was preaching. Something I was different that day. The words that the preacher spoke were piercing deep inside my soul. I was convicted of the sin that was in my life. I realized it was my sin that separated me from a relationship with God.

At the end of his sermon the preacher invited all those that would like to accept Jesus as their Savior to come to the front of the church at the altar and someone would be there to help me receive Christ into my life.

It was the day that changed my life forever, a day that changed my life for all eternity when I was twelve years old.

I remember a few days later the Pastor of our church came to our home to talk to my parents and me about baptism. He explained that baptism was an act of obedience for a new believer. I was baptized the next Sunday. It was through baptism I showed the whole congregation what had happened in my life. It was the death of Jesus, the burial of Jesus, and the risen Jesus that conquered death, hell, and the grave that saved my soul!

I am thankful for my Mom who took my sisters and I to church even before we could walk. She knew what Christ had done in her life, and it was vital to her that her family knew Him also. My Mom went through a lot just to keep us in church. Having a Dad that did not go to church with us was very difficult for her as she led the family spiritually. I remember many Sundays as a teenager rolling over and covering my head when my Mom came

47

into my room to get my sister and me up for church. I knew my Dad was not going; I questioned why I should have to go. My Mom was relentless. Needless to say, I think I ended up with perfect attendance at church. Moms? Dads? Are your children's souls important enough to you?

When I was fourteen, after listening to many missionaries at my church, I made a commitment to the Lord that my life was His to be in full-time service for Him. I thought I would go to India or Mexico as a missionary. Little did I know that I would be a Pastor’s wife for the last 36 years.

I remember the day I accepted Christ so clearly as if it was not forty-four years ago. I remember where I was sitting when the conviction overwhelmed my soul and the walk toward the altar that seemed forever. I am glad I moved when Christ called. Have you been ignoring his call? Is pride keeping you in your seat? Step out and trust Jesus!

48 TESTIMONY 10 PAT MACDERMAID Clothing Closet

I was born into a strict Catholic family and went to a strict Catholic school. In spite of all the wrong things I was taught, it is there where I learned about Jesus. I will forever be grateful to two nuns who told me about my Savior, who He was, what He did, and why He did it.

The first time I heard the story, I knew I belonged to Him, and I would never let Him go. I do not have a time or place to give you. There was no altar call for me, just a Jesus call. I wanted to be a nun, live in a convent, and pray all day. Thank God He doesn’t always give us what we pray for. I left the Catholic Church at age 15 as there were too many things I could not agree with.

I married at 17, had four children and four grandchildren. I have been a widow for 28 years. God gave me the most wonderful family. I worked for Kmart for ten years, had my own gift shop for two years, and then took a temporary part-time job at a new video store in town. I needed a full-time job. I had no idea they rented and sold porn in a back room. I did not want to be there. I prayed and prayed, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I was where God wanted me to be. That was the start of years going in early to go into that room. I would get on my knees and pray that people would stay out of the room. I prayed for everyone having anything to do with it. During this time, the Lord led me to give away Bibles and Christian books at the store. I prayed about it and told the Lord that He would have to help me pay for them because He knew how much money I made. I felt Him speak to my heart, “Feed my people and I will feed you.” I have never stopped giving them away! There is a table outside the entry to the clothes’ closet to this day that holds free books and Bibles.

49

After ten years, the owner of the store told me to sell all the porn, as they did not want it in the store anymore. I shared the news with my Bible Study class, and a wonderful lady suggested I ask them how much money they wanted for all of it. I called and was told to put together whatever I could, and they would accept it. So we purchased thousands of dollars of porn for $351.00. Then he told me to give the money to the church. First, we burned all the porn, and then we bought playground equipment for the courtyard at the downtown building.

I left the store two years later, went to the clothes’ closet (it needed much TLC), and have been there six years. Saturdays are crazy, but we are meeting needs. We give out love, hugs, prayers, and my Jesus. It has been such a joy to serve Him.

50 TESTIMONY 11 KYLE WENDEL Children and Student Ministries Director

did not grow up into a Christ-following family. However, growing up I had always believed in God. I believe that He I was real and had heard that Jesus died on the cross, but I never knew that there was an action for me to take beyond that. I always thought that most people go to heaven. That being a good person would get me there. I mean I never killed anyone, so I am not a terrible person going to Hell, right? I soon found out that is far from the truth.

In high school, I started to get involved with the Point Church. I started going on Sundays and youth group during the week. In small groups over the next couple months I learned more and more about whom Jesus really is and how it was more than just saying He was real. I knew that God was real and that Jesus died for my sinful self, but I just was not ready to make that full commitment yet. It would not be until my junior year that my faith became real. I remember vividly sitting at youth group and the youth pastor was preaching about the urgency to follow Christ. I remember feeling like no one was in the room besides me and he was speaking directly to me. That night I decided to completely put my faith and trust in Jesus. My life was now His. Once I got home that night, I even texted my girlfriend of the time like a 10- page text on how God had radically changed my life.

From that moment on my life has radically changed. I was devoting myself to reading the Bible (which was shocking since I didn’t enjoy reading). Every single week I could be at youth group I was there. I soon became a student leader and was serving in any way possible. I was huge into hockey (and still am), and my

51

mom even noticed that hockey was not the most important thing to me anymore. My life had been transformed.

Over the next year, God was working in my life; it was crazy! I started to feel Him calling me to ministry, which I said “no way” because I hated public speaking. I knew God was calling me since it was something I would never choose on my own.

After high school I started working at the church in the maintenance position. I was pumped! God taught me a lot over the next three years of maintenance and then opened the door for me to move into the Children’s and Student’s Director position at our Grand Blanc location. Even more pumped! It is so amazing to look back at my life and to see how God saved me and has changed me completely!

One of my favorite verses that has stuck with me is Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” My life is to be all about Jesus and to not be afraid of anything because to die is gain since my eternal place is secure in Christ.

52 TESTIMONY 12 SHAWNA JOHNSON Tech Assistant

grew up with four parents. I lived with my mom and stepdad, and regularly visited my dad and stepmom. I wanted and I needed for nothing. My mom never missed a basketball game, and my dad sent flowers every birthday; I was loved.

When you grow up feeling like you have everything, you don't even realize anything is missing. It was not until I began making poor decisions, getting into trouble, and experiencing conflict within my family that I felt the void; the void that I learned only Jesus could fill.

There were few instances throughout my childhood and teen years where I had heard peers talk about God. I never thought too deeply about it but those moments were stored in the back of my mind.

By the end of my freshman year of high school, I had become an avid partier, drinking whatever alcohol was available, and had experienced physical relationships in ways I did not know at the time were meant for marriage. It was around this time I began feeling the weight of my decisions; the void I just couldn't seem to fill.

Shortly after that, I began occasionally attending youth activities with one of my closest friends. She and her Youth Pastor picked me up from school one day and went for ice cream. He shared who Jesus was and what He had done for us. After that, I began attending church with my mom. Every time I went, I cried. I felt like the Pastor was speaking directly to me. I finally made the decision to accept Christ as my Savior and was baptized.

53

Though I accepted Christ as my Savior, I had not chosen to follow Him with my actions. I stopped attending church and continued to live a life satisfying only myself. I continued partying and making poor decisions until one day those decisions cost me. This time, the battle was not within; I was in trouble with the law. When the officer told me I had a warrant out for my arrest, I remember thinking, “No way, Shawna. What are you doing? You can’t go to jail.” After appearing in court and paying thousands of dollars in fines, I was convinced it was time to get my act together. The pattern continued, I went to church until things were looking up and slowly faded away again.

Life seemed good until the next battle came; this time, the circumstances were out of my control. My family dynamics were drastically changing, and I learned that the person closest to me struggled with a life-threatening eating disorder. When everything I knew changed, and my once seemingly perfect world was not so perfect anymore, I knew I could not do it on my own.

You guessed it; I went back to church.

Only this time, I decided to get involved. I began serving and developing friendships with people who were willing to teach me what it looked like to live for Jesus. We would read our Bibles together, and I quickly learned that despite my circumstances He still loves me. It has been over five years that I have continually been serving and learning more and more of who Jesus is. Let me tell you friends, He is incredible. My life isn't perfect, but it is peaceful. The void has been filled.

54

55

56 3

THE RESURRECTION Carole Combs | Wife of Lead Pastor Jim Combs

Death, it is not a fun topic to discuss. Nobody looks forward to going to funeral homes and cemeteries. To put it bluntly, I do not like death. Call me weird, but I do not even like to kill the spiders in my house. I am not afraid of them; I just do not want to see them die. I pick them up and set them outside. I have asked my husband not to get me cut flowers because I hate to watch them die. Winter season here in Michigan is so gloomy because everything is dead. However, you and I know that death is a real happening that happens to all of us in this life. 1 Corinthians 15:26 describes death as our enemy.

When I am at a funeral home or cemetery, it makes me ponder my own mortality.

What are some of the things you have thought about at a cemetery or a funeral home? ______

Has it ever made you think of your own life? ______

57

I have stood over the caskets of loved ones, over babies, over an entire family that perished at the same time, and over friends. It sure makes a funeral different when you know that person or that family knew Jesus as their savior. It is not that they will not be missed in this life, but it is the assurance that they will be seen again. This is why it is a celebration of life funeral. We can celebrate their home going and share with family and friends why we do not mourn as the world mourns.

“But we do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about those who are asleep (dead), that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (died)” (1 Thessalonians 4:13,14,18).

I am personally looking forward to seeing Jesus, but also those family and friends that have moved and have an eternal address on Divine Lane. Besides Jesus (the most important person to see first in heaven), who will you be looking forward to seeing in heaven? ______

I do not know when I will exit this life and enter into eternity, but one thing that I am certain about is that after passing into death, I will enter eternal life alive in the presence of my savior Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus made this a real happening in my life, and He will give eternal life to all those who will put their faith and trust in Him as the savior of their eternal souls.

58

“The Jesus who became sin for us, he was sinless, died on the cross and was resurrected the third day...just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4b).

What does Christ's resurrection mean to you personally? ______

What are you trusting in to see Jesus? ______

We should never look at Christ's resurrection as only a means to pass from this life to the next. Christ's resurrection takes the focus off death and puts the focus on life. It allows you and me to look at life in a completely new way. We have been given the privilege and wonderful opportunity to live a life right now that reflects the life of Christ. It is the darkness of sin and death, our enemy, Satan, deceitfully works to disguise sin to look like the real living to only entice people to join his misery. The Bible tells us “we are a slave to the one we obey” (Romans 6:16b). Satan wants to enslave you so you will miss out on what life God intended for you.

Who are you obeying more? God? Or Satan? ______

59

“And you who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world...but God, being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him and seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-6).

What are you allowing Satan to have control over in your life? (If you are Christ's, it is only if you are allowing Satan the control) ______

I know the battle is real within us. The Apostle Paul described the battle quite well. He said, “The things I didn't want to do, I did, and the things I wanted to do, I didn't do” (Romans 7:19). Just as Paul knew, and so do I, the resurrected Christ gives us the victory and the power over sin. We can cheer the victors cry, V I C T O R Y!

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you (Romans 8:11).

What steps can you take to live a more victorious life? ______

Why have you been living a defeated and powerless life? ______

60

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:6,9,11).

These last verses make me want to woohoo on the inside if you are like my husband the woohooing comes on the outside.

Is this a new truth that sin has been defeated for you? ______

What part of your old self is trying to be resurrected? ______

What do you figuratively need to nail to the cross of Christ so you can be alive in him? ______

We will continue in this life to face the death of our mortal bodies. We will feel the heartache and pain of the death of our family and our friends that often seems unbearable. However, that is not the end of the story. Christ was resurrected, and He defeated death that our mortal bodies will be alive again. If that does not excite you enough, He defeated sin that it no longer has control of your life. I can say with confidence, and I hope you can also.

61

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Jesus took the stinger out of the sting. He made the defeated victors!

“But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Can you say with confidence that the sting of death is gone for you and you can chant the victor’s cry? If not, why? ______

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God...” (1 Peter 3:18,21,22).

Christ's work is done on earth. I am thankful for the resurrection and what it means in my life. What do you say? ______

62

63

64 TESTIMONY 13 JIM MANN Security Supervisor

on’t think that just because you are a sinner and have a horrible past that God cannot use you. He can and will if D you submit unto Him. I did not grow up in a Christian home. I never had even been to a church. I grew up in a world where drugs, alcohol, womanizing, and lies were a normal way of life. There are pictures of me as a toddler with a party joint so big that I could not even hold it. As I grew up, I did not have high hopes for my life. I was working as a bouncer for several of the area bars, fighting for sport, treating women as though they were disposable, selling drugs, and drinking to the point of passing out. This was my life. I never thought I would see 30 years old.

I also had worked as a waiter in a local restaurant. I remember one of the waitresses nagging at me about my lifestyle. I saw this girl and her parents walk in the restaurant. I knew this girl did not like me. Well, that was an understatement! I told the waitress to set me up on a date with Kathy, the girl that had just walked in, and I would change my ways. What I did not know is that the two of them knew each other. After a couple of weeks, we went out. There was something different about her. I even told her I was going to marry her on our first date. That did not go over well.

Kathy’s dad was dying. He had cancer. I stepped in to help wherever I could. This was strange. It was not like me to do things like this. After a couple of months, he died. Kathy’s mom asked me to be a pallbearer. I had no idea what that was, but I said I would do it. I remember standing in the church that day at Faith. It was strange. I thought for sure the church would fall down if I walked

65

in. I remember listening to Pastor Jim talk about how Kathy’s dad was in Heaven. I had a feeling come over me like nothing I had ever felt before. I could not explain it. After the service was over, I asked Kathy if this was the guy she came to listen to on Wednesday night, Sunday morning, and Sunday night. She said it was. I asked if I could "go listen" the next time. That was the beginning. From that moment on, I wanted to be at church for every single thing that was going on.

A month later, on a Sunday night, Pastor Jim had an alter call at the end. I remember feeling a tugging on my heart. I looked up and started walking. Pastor Jim met me halfway down the aisle. This was one of the most incredible moments of my life. I was so excited that I wanted to share my news with the world. Well, I quickly found out that not everyone wanted to hear my news that I asked Jesus into my heart, especially my family. They called it a fad and said I would be back to my old lifestyle soon. In October, it will be 25 years since this “fad” started and is stronger than ever.

Looking back, I could never dream how awesome my life would have turned out by accepting Christ as my Savior. He has forgiven me for my past and helped me to not miss those things. On the days where I am struggling, I still lean on God’s Word. One of the first verses I learned is still my favorite. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It does not matter who you are, what you have done, or how horrible you think you are. God can give you the strength to overcome all of your obstacles. All you have to do is ask Him into your heart.

66 TESTIMONY 14 HOLLY BOSTON Women's Ministry Director

grew up attending the Methodist church off and on. I do not recall ever reading the Bible, and church was purely a social I outlet. I was raised to be a self-sufficient young woman and strongly encouraged to pursue a successful career and be “completely self-supporting in case.” In 1987, I graduated from college with a degree in Occupational Therapy and several months later married the kindest man I had ever met who has loved me unconditionally for nearly 28 years. When we married he asked only to marry and raise our children in his church. In 1989, I became a member of his church just in time for the birth of our first son. For the first three years, it was mission accomplished: I was a successful therapist, making as much money as my husband, and raising our son as agreed. I was completely in control so I thought.

By 1995, it was abundantly clear that I was in control of nothing. I was working full-time with a 5-year-old, eight and a half months pregnant, and having major marital problems; that I now know stemmed from my desire to control everything including my husband. On top of it all, I watched as my parents’ marriage totally disintegrated. Plagued with anger and anxiety, I began to question my beliefs. Somehow, I believed adultery was wrong, and divorce was never an option. I knew then that my children’s beliefs had to be based on more than my flawed example. Desperate for peace and guidance, my sister introduced me to my Savior in April 1995. I knew my Jesus would take care of my problems and give me the peace I needed. Or would He?

The next four years would bring one trial after the next. The birth of our third child was followed by three surgeries and a cancer

67

scare. Unable to return to work, our income was cut in half, and my successful career was gone. My husband took another job that ultimately led to job loss and three major moves. In 1999, we found ourselves living in my grandparents’ lake house on the west side of Michigan. With no employment prospects and a child who would later be diagnosed with Autism, I was at the end of myself. I called my sister and told her, “If this is what life with Christ is like, I’m out.” My sister’s response was the typical “You need to join a Bible study and go to a Bible teaching church.” Minutes later, my brother-in-law called and said, “I don’t understand you. You are ready to walk away from Jesus, and you don’t even know him!” He put me in touch with his youth pastor from 20 years ago who (just happened) to pastor a church ten minutes away. Miraculously, my husband agreed to go and I spent the next six months seated at the feet of Jesus. I learned that God never promised I would not have problems (James 1:1), but He did promise to always be with me (Hebrews 13:5) and give me peace (John 14:27).

In 2000, we settled in Clarkston unbeknownst to us is the hub for Autism. I guess God has to allow some tough stuff to get you where you need to be. We returned to my husband’s church and discontentment set in. I enrolled in BSF at Faith Church and began to see the difference between God’s Truth and man’s doctrine. With my husband’s blessing, I began attending Faith on Sunday evenings. Concerned for my family, I set out to convince my husband we needed to leave his church. My approach included reasoning, criticism, and manipulation. The result was arguments, offending my husband, and him resenting “my church.” Realizing the damage I was causing in my marriage, I cried out to God and asked Him to take control. Days later, my son came home saying he was told Noah was just a story God used to make a point. We began spending a half hour each week waiting for my husband

68

after church as he explained to the priest why his message was wrong. God was working in my husband, not me.

Within weeks, we were attending Faith Church. I never imagined that I would witness the salvation and baptism of all three of my children, let alone my husband. I was finally convinced God’s way was the best way (Isaiah 55:8). The single best decision of my life was to give my life to Jesus. The second was to give Him control. Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

69

70 TESTIMONY 15 JOSH LAHRING Production Director

was blessed to grow up in a good home. Every Sunday my parents took my three sisters and me to church. I did I all the things a “good Christian kid” was supposed to do. I asked Jesus into my heart, got baptized, attended AWANA, went through confirmation, and was a church member, yet I still felt like the same person. I felt hypocritical being one way around church people and another way with friends.

Around 15 years old, I decided I did not want to go to church anymore. There seemed to be no purpose going and pretending. What is the point of going to church if I was a fake Christian? I had so much anger and hatred in me that I did not really care about anything or anyone.

Almost every night, though, I would pray and ask God to forgive me and come into my life. I felt like such a terrible person, but I could not find a way to change. I knew deep inside that the way I was living was not right.

Well, long story short, I met my wife then girlfriend, Tiffanie, in my junior year of high school and we realized our parents went to the same church. Both of us figured we would start going since it would be another hour to see each other on the weekends. After a few months, her family decided to try out a new church and start going to The Rock Church in Fenton, so I went too.

We eventually started attending a Wednesday night Bible Study. The first week I attended, Pastor Jim taught about how you can know that you are saved. He had a saying he kept repeating while teaching, “You can know that you know that you know.” It was

71

crazy because that is what I didn’t know and desperately wanted to know. When he taught on Ephesians 2, I actually understood the whole Gospel message that I had heard from when I was so young:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

When I heard about how salvation is a gift that God had been freely given to us, and there is nothing I could do to earn it, and nothing I did to deserve it, I realized what I was missing. I could never grasp why God would want to rescue someone like me from Hell when that was what I deserved. I always felt so sinful. I never realized how great the love of God is that He would freely give His Son to take my place on the cross and cover all my sins past, present, and future, once and for all.

I had asked Jesus to come into my life for so long, never realizing that He was there all along waiting for me to give Him mine.

That day I became a new person. A few weeks later, I was baptized and started serving in the church using my gifts for His glory.

72 TESTIMONY 16 DANI REYNOLDS Graphic Designer

I am a single mom raising four wonderful kids. I love them and am guilty of being over-protective. I think kids need love, someone to protect them, and of course, Jesus. I learned this the hard way. Here is my story.

I was raised unchurched except for a few times when the neighbors took my sister and me to their church. Unfortunately, I was abused there. So, I did not go back. As I got older, something kept pulling me back to church, but once I got there memories of my childhood flashed before my eyes. Honestly, I was scared something would happen again. So, I never went.

In my childhood, I felt empty and rejected. I was a product of an unwed high school dropout who was searching for love in all the wrong places. My bio dad did not stick around. I had always felt an emptiness in my life but did not understand why. My mom did get married when I was two. He accepted and loved me. At that time, I did not know that my dad was not my dad. Keith, the man who married my mom, is all I knew of a dad until my sister told me that my “real dad didn't love me and her dad felt sorry for me and took me in.” When I was ten, my mom and dad got a divorce and soon after my dad remarried. Even though my dad had divorced my mom, he did not divorce me. Until his “new” wife decided that I was not technically his real daughter and that they were going to pull back from doing things for me, like gifts for the holidays, like he would do for his real daughters. My mom started dating someone who was not wonderful. He was a monster. My mom was blind to see that her boyfriend was verbally abusive to her and sexually abusive to me and some of my friends. I did not realize that until years later during a therapy session when repressed

73

memories surfaced. At the age of 12, I found my real dad and tried to have a relationship with him. I moved in with him, his wife, and their two sons for a year but never felt connected to them. I felt like an outsider. I spent most of my life feeling like a window shopper. On the outside looking in and yearning for someone to love and accept me. I spent many years of truly believing that I was dumb and unlovable.

My upbringing affected me in all ways. I also have ADHD, which that in itself has its own obstacles to get through. I have been told that I am weird, clumsy, uncoordinated, flakey, oddball, etc. So, my childhood left an empty hole in my heart. Through all of this, my grandmother (“Grams”) and aunts tried to be there for me.

I desperately wanted someone to love me. I did not realize love comes from your heart, not from being physical with someone. Eventually, I sought love, acceptance, and value in guys. I did not realize how immoral I was. It was all I knew, and it seemed natural. These relationships failed me again.

During a separation, I realized that my ex had a change going on in his life. It was something spiritual. I needed to figure it out. I went to his church. I immediately connected with the Pastor. He was ADHD and flaky (in a good way). He was energetic, and his thoughts seemed all over the place, but I followed it all perfectly. I felt connected there. I started attending that church, but my life did not really change. I was still doing things I had always done. I started attending a women’s Bible study and the more I got into the Word, the more I felt guilty about my choices in life. I felt like I was disappointing God but I did not know why. One day I saw a sign on the side of the road by my house and did not make any sense to me. It said Ephes something. Every time I drove by it, I noticed it said something more. One day I was talking about it

74

in my Bible study and was saying that it was weird that I keep seeing this sign. I do not know what it means. Carole, Pastor Jim’s wife, said, “You mean Ephesians?” I had no idea what she was even talking about. The next time I drove by, I saw the sign and it said Ephesians 4:20 (“But that is not the way you learned Christ!”). I was like what does it mean. She said it meant I have not taught you that way. I still did not understand why I kept seeing this sign. Time had passed and one day my light bulb came on, and I understood what that sign meant. God did not teach me to be that way. God taught me that he loves me. HE LOVES ME!! No matter what I have done, no matter how flaky I am, GOD LOVES ME! He was showing me signs that I was not to live my life feeling empty and rejected that if I accept Him and know that He is God I AM LOVED! So when I made this discovery, I was so pumped to tell Carole what I had discovered. The funny part about this story is that once I realized what that sign said I drove by it again, and it never said Ephesians 4:20. It said Pheasants 4 for $20. I was reading the sign wrong. That has been my life. I have been reading the sign wrong. I was searching for love and acceptance through man, and I should have been searching for love and acceptance by GOD!

My childhood is not the one you would draw up for your daughter. It eventually brought me to Jesus. I now know I am loved; I have value. I still want to be accepted, but the emptiness in my heart is gone.

Thank you, Jesus!

75

76 TESTIMONY 17 ROGER ALLEN Facilities Director

hen I read Romans 1:19-21, I realize that is how I lived my life for 46 years. I was raised in a non-Christian W home, where the only time I heard the name God or Jesus was in a form of a curse. However, from a young age, I knew there was a God, and I felt His presence, yet I blocked Him out and worshipped the world. God put many people in my path to reveal Himself to me. A neighbor, a high school friend, and my future wife, yet I remained unrepentant. Drinking, drugs, playing music in the bars, and self -indulgence was the rule of the day for me. There were many times out of desperation that I would quit drinking and doing drugs. The last time I quit, I managed to stay sober for 10-years. I thought I would never go back, but there was still this unexplainable void in my life. When I decided to go down that road again in my early forties, things quickly spiraled out of control for me. I just kept pushing the limit, but now my marriage of 23-years was in complete collapse by my selfish behavior, and I am not sure I cared.

To appease my wife I agreed to attend church with her. I did not intend to go again. This was a one-and-done kind of thing. A friend recommended a church in Waterford, which was not close or convenient but my wife felt strongly that is where we should go. That was January 16, 2005, the day my life was changed by God’s grace.

As I was walking up the stairs of Faith, something was happening to me. I could not shake the feeling. As the Pastor preached his message on Lazarus, I felt the sin and shame of the way I had lived my life lifted. I could not wait to get to the altar. If it had been an option to jump off the balcony, I would have! It was not

77

until a few days later after reading John 11 that I understood the meaning of the Lazarus sermon. I know without a doubt I was raised from the dead on January 16, 2005.

When I returned to work the next day, those who knew me best were shocked to see a Bible in my hand. I was as bold with the Bible as I had been with my sin. Everything changed for me that day. By God’s grace, the truth was revealed to me, and I began the process through biblical principles and discipleship of rebuilding my marriage and to lengthen my stride each day for God.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

78 TESTIMONY 18 PHILIP PIASECKI Worship Leader

was five years old when we first set foot into Faith Baptist Church. For as long as I can remember my parents made I sure that we were consistently gathering with the church. Whether that was Sunday morning, Sunday night, Saturday night, Wednesday night, or at Awana, we were always involved in as much as we could be. I remember sitting on my parents’ bed when I was probably eight or nine, and I committed my life to Christ. A few years later, Pastor Jim baptized my brother and I in the lake in our back yard in front of friends and family. I was so blessed at a young age to have the opportunity to learn so much about Christ and have such amazing Godly parents and family as examples. It is something that I try to never let myself take for granted.

When I think of my testimony, I tend to think more about my sanctification along the years instead of my initial moment of salvation. I was blessed to be able to be saved at such a young age, but that does not mean my walk with Christ has been without its tough spots. At different points in high school and college, I had times where I strayed away from the things of Christ. I never stopped attending church, and I never stopped serving, but in my personal life, I was farther from Christ than I would have liked to admit. During those times, God used different events in my life to knock me down, wake me up, and call me back to Him. When I strayed, He never stopped pursuing me and unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way a couple of times. I am so blessed, though, that Christ has never given up (and never will give up) on me when I strayed from Him.

79

In 2013 I graduated from Oakland University, married my beautiful wife, Mary, and was hired as a Worship Leader at The Point Church (known now as The River Church). God has blessed us in so many ways, but life has not been without its difficult moments as well. Two months after Mary and I started dating, her father was diagnosed with brain cancer. Six months later, he passed away. Just earlier this year our one and a half-year- old nephew suddenly passed away. Moments like these in my life have significantly tested my faith in God. When Mary’s dad passed away in 2012, it was the hardest thing either of us had ever experienced. Moments like that cause you to ask God every question in the book. I learned that it is in those moments that you have to hold onto Christ with everything that you have. Those two deaths were the hardest things I have ever had to deal with, but I learned that God is good in every circumstance. The best way I can describe my testimony is a relationship with Christ built on striving to grow closer to Him each and every day even in the midst of the darkest of circumstances. Our prayer needs to be that God continues to mold us in the image of His son for the rest of our lives.

80

81

82 4

REPENT AND BELIEVE Pastor Scott Johnson | Connections & Growth Pastor

any believers have often heard the word repent or repentance whether it has been through a sermon or M our reading and study. We have heard it from John the Baptist and Jesus. However, do we understand what it means to repent?

Webster’s dictionary defines repent “to feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you want to do what is right.” Although simply stated, this is a good starting point for understanding repentance in Scripture. Many of us are sorry for some of our actions. However, true repentance will show when we take action to correct it. That action comes from an internal change.

Do we often see sorrow without repentance in our culture? ______

In Luke Chapter 3, John the Baptist was preaching repentance while preparing the way for Jesus.

83

“And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” 7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

What is significant about verse 8? ______

Why do you think Abraham was mentioned here? ______

How is bearing fruit (verses 8 and 9) related to John’s message of repentance? ______

84

As John the Baptist was preparing the way for the Messiah, it is important to understand that there needed to be belief and an inner change in a person for them to truly repent.

But why does a person need to repent? What are they repenting from? Just a couple chapters later, in Luke chapter 5, Jesus gives us this answer. ______

When Jesus called Levi to follow him in Luke, Jesus ended up dining at Levi’s house. The Pharisees were looking for ways to find fault in Jesus.

Luke 5:27-32 “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Why did Jesus hang out with tax collectors and sinners? ______

85

What was Jesus saying about those who are well and righteous? ______

What is the message that Jesus is teaching here? ______

Who needs to repent? ______

In Luke 13, Jesus teaches the penalty for refusing to repent, and who al that includes.

Luke 13:1-5 “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

What is the penalty for those who do not repent of their sin? ______

86

What is the significance of comparing different people’s sins in this case? ______

Many people believe in God. Many believe in Jesus. Many people would tell you that they are followers of Him. However, the passages that we have studied help us to understand the importance of not only believing but also repenting. True repentance means understanding that we are sinners, facing the sin, and having that inner change that makes us change our habits and deeds.

This does not mean that works are necessary for salvation. The Bible clearly teaches against that idea.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

As verse 10 states, good works are a result of our salvation, not a prerequisite. When we accept Christ in our life, there is a desire to change. Repenting from our sin and the desire to change demonstrates that it is genuine. This does not mean that we will never sin. It just means that if we are actually sorrowful, we will want to turn from our sin to honor Christ.

87

88 TESTIMONY 19 LORNA LYMAN Receptionist

y husband John and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary this August. God has blessed us with two M wonderful girls. Jordyn is 19, and Madison is 16. We have been attending Faith Church since 2006.

I grew up in an Episcopal church. I always loved going to church and was very involved in the youth group. It was not until much later in my life that I realized what my church I was growing up in was missing. I had learned many Bible stories as a child, and I knew the Lord’s Prayer. However, I really did not learn the Bible. I was saved as a young child at a 5-day club in my neighborhood sponsored by another local church. I later rededicated my life to Christ as a teenager. I was baptized by immersion in 1992.

I have seen God work in some amazing ways in my life. My husband and I are both cancer survivors. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005; I was 34. John was diagnosed seven years later with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

I was not surprised by my breast cancer diagnosis. I was kind of expecting it because so many of my family members had already been through it. God taught me many things during John’s cancer journey and mine. When you are diagnosed with cancer, everything is hurry up and wait. It is hard waiting for those test results or for surgery. I had to learn patience - James 1:3 helped. I had to learn to rely fully on God. I had no control over the situation. My life verse is Philippians 4:13. I have learned God will always walk alongside me, but we will still go through storms. They help build and stretch our faith. 1 Peter 4:13 says, “But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings

89

of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” After my cancer, the Lord used me to encourage other women going through cancer. This took me out of my comfort zone. God was stretching me.

Some people wonder why? We say why not? The Lord does not promise us a life free of trials (James 1:2). John and I were doing the Experiencing God Bible Study just before John was diagnosed. We started asking God to use us. He answered our prayer. God was truly using us! (Romans 8:28). We were often asked how we were handling cancer. We were able to share our faith with many more people. I am grateful to see the hand of God working in my life through my life in the good times and the stormy times.

90 TESTIMONY 20 TY WOZNEK Pastor's Academy Lead Instructor

ou then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the Y presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

No beer? I was born in Coshocton, Ohio. My parents got a divorce when I was two years old. I lived with my mom for two years and then lived with my dad since I was four. In 1985, dad started taking me to this thing called church. Someone had invited him from his work. As we started to attend, I noticed that my dad began reading his Bible and getting involved. I also noticed there was no beer in the refrigerator (my dad was not an alcoholic). When asked why he did not have his daily beer, he said he did not need it anymore. I figured I should pay attention to what was going on.

Indiana Jones October of 1985 I went forward during a missions conference, thinking ministry was much like Indiana Jones. However, something was missing. Sunday night, January 5, 1986, before school started back after Christmas break, I thought about what church taught me. I knew I needed Jesus Christ, and I knew I was not perfect. (I did not understand that meant gaining eternal life. I learned that soon after and thought, “Wow, this keeps getting better!”) As soon as I opened my eyes after asking Jesus to save me, a light on the barn across the street turned on with a big yellow smiley face underneath.

Serving Right Away I eagerly participated in church, starting with setting up and

91

taking down chairs on Wednesday nights, and shared the Gospel with my friends. I was baptized during my 7th-grade year, as that was the earliest my church would allow. From there I started teaching the Bible and have not stopped since. God opened one door after another. God shut the door to missions but opened the door to being a pastor. Every church I was blessed to help, every life changed made me want to pursue God and share the Bible more.

Wounded In 2010, a church deeply hurt me. Honestly, quitting was on my mind. I hated church, but I did love Jesus. Tempted to walk away from it all one thing stood out: Jesus rose from the dead, and that changes everything. The issue is not how we do church, but whom we do church for. Jesus heals the broken. Jesus loves imperfect people like you and me. Jesus did not give up on me, or you. Jesus saves us, and Jesus sends us to tell of His amazing love. Family and church are hard for me because of past hurts, but the Gospel of Jesus heals. How can we keep silent or walk away from such an incredible gift? An old song says “The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back, no turning back.”

92 TESTIMONY 21 TOMMY YOUNGQUIST Children's Pastor

was born on March 27, 1985, to Tom and Cindy Youngquist in Pontiac, MI. My whole life was surrounded by something I named “God.” I was saved at the age of five and baptized a week later.

I grew up in a Christian home. My parents made me go to church three times a week, and I went to an “independent, fundamental, conservative” Christian church and school (grades 3-12).

While growing up, I was saturated with a legalistic, Baptist mentality (if you can relate, then you know). Religion plagued me. I became a very hollow person because of this mentality. I knew what to say, to who I needed to say it to, but it was never the way I truly felt. I believed how I looked and what I did merited favor with God. Consequently, this thinking always leads to disappointment because we cannot earn God’s love. I became hypocritical in everything I did, saying one thing, and doing another. I was, and am, convinced I was saved, but my salvation was never complete. To tell you the truth, my salvation was never complete until the age of 25.

I like to relate myself to Gomer in the book of Hosea. If you know the story, you are probably wondering what I am talking about considering Gomer was a prostitute, but I will explain. Hosea was a prophet of God called to preach to the country of Israel. God told him to marry a prostitute named Gomer in chapter one. Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea and left him for another man in chapter two. In chapter three, though, the Lord redeems Gomer and brings her and Hosea back to each other. The amazing thing about these two people is that Gomer’s name means “completion”

93

and Hosea’s name means “salvation.” Completion left salvation for a time, but God reunited the two by his grace and mercy. For a time in my life, completion had left salvation, but God broke me in 2010 and for the first time, my salvation was complete.

All through school, I played basketball, soccer, and baseball. I love sports (especially Detroit sports). My mom made me take music lessons if I wanted to play sports, so consequently I learned how to play the piano, trumpet, and tuba (weird combo, I know). I graduated high school in 2003 with no clue on what to do next. I ended up working with my dad doing commercial flooring for seven years. During that time, I went to five different colleges and either dropped out or failed. I lived extremely selfishly from 2003 – 2010. I was the most selfish person I have ever known. I quit trying to merit favor with God and just gave up. I thought to live the Christian life was impossible, so I quit and started living for me.

In 2010, all of those selfish, deceitful, and sinful choices I was making caught up to me. My world crashed down around me, and I did not know what to do. I betrayed and lost my friends, I was in the poor house, and I saw no future for myself. It was a real-life prodigal son moment. I made the decision to start going to church again at a church in Holly called the River. For the first time in my life, I found myself surrounded by genuine Christians. People who loved other people because Christ loves them (1 John 4:19). People who wanted to live rightly not because of rules, but because they truly loved God and wanted to live life more abundantly (John 10:10). I started filling my time with volunteering at the River. I started reading the Bible for personal gain for the first time in my life. It was amazing! My change was not instantaneous, but I started the process.

94

One day I was walking into the River to get ready for Fusion (our teen program) and Pastor Caleb offered me an internship. Of course, I said yes (anything to get out of construction, right?). I remember saying to myself, “I’ll work anywhere besides children’s ministry.” Well, today I am the Children’s Pastor at the River Holly. I have been doing it for four years now. I went back to school, got my degree in business management, and was ordained as a pastor is 2015. I love my job! I love the kids here! My process of change is not done, nor will it ever be. However, I will never give up again. I will always try to honor God with the decisions I make, the words I say, and the things I do.

I am married to an amazing, wonderful woman named Ashley, and we love serving God together. We are looking forward to our future and excited about it. We love our River Church family. We are looking forward to starting a family of our own. We are living free of the chains of legalism and living in the grace of God. Life is still hard, but we are persevering for the glory and honor of our Lord!

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrew 4:16 NLT).

95

96 TESTIMONY 22 CHRIS KNUTH Worship Leader

was raised in church all my life. I remember as a child when there were Sundays I did not want to go to church, and I I would try to fake being sick. My folks would say, “Unless you are throwing up, you are going to church.” Of course, I was never that committed to my ruse. I grew up assuming that I was Christian because my parents were. One time I accepted Jesus at a Five Day Club so that I would get a lollipop, other than that, I was the classic church kid who rode the spiritual coattails of my parents.

About the time I was twelve, I got to that age where the preacher no longer sounded like the ambiguous adults on a Charlie Brown cartoon but said actual words. I found myself frustrated as I realized I had no real opinions about what I believed. I only mimicked the beliefs of my parents. I also discovered I had never really made any decision or commitment, so I began reading the Bible. I remember shadowing my Pastor when I was in seventh grade and badgering him with questions about how he prepared his sermons every week. I wanted to know how to study the Bible. Looking back, I see that he taught me some basic hermeneutics that day that unlocked the Scriptures for me.

The Church I grew up in was very small and did not have a youth group, so that same year I told my parents that I wanted to go to a youth group. My parents found another church that was the same denomination in the next town, and I went there. I did not know anyone there but I craved a Bible Study, and I wanted to meet other kids like me, who craved the things of God. This youth group was a wonderful place for me, but I think the real growth came from my ride to youth group with a man named Brad Pebble. It

97

was hard for my folks to make the half hour drive to the church, so my mom called the church to find someone who lived in our area. Brad would pick me up, and I would sit in the front seat while his wife and two kids sat in the back, and Brad and I would talk. I do not know if this was his intent, but Brad became my first real mentor, and we spent the drive time every Wednesday talking about God, life, and girls.

The following summer I went to summer camp with my newfound youth group. I went for fun and girls, but God had other plans. I never had trouble listening when the preacher was talking because I was always genuinely interested in what he was teaching, but for some reason during that morning chapel I could not hear what the preacher was saying, I was distracted, but not by a disruption or another kid, it was the Holy Spirit. God was calling me. It was an experience I will never forget because it was the first time I experienced God. I did not know what was happening as my eyes began to well up with tears so I put my head in my lap, wept, and gave my life to the Lord. Sitting next to me was a senior higher that had taken me under his wing, and I remember him placing his hand on my back and quietly praying for me. I have no idea what was taught during that chapel, but I met Jesus Christ that day.

My Calling God called me to ministry when I was 18 years old and a counselor at an elementary kids’ camp. It was the last chapel of the week, and the preacher brought the staff in early to pray that God would change lives that night, and He did. I was sitting in the front row that night with my young campers and I could tell that something was happening in my heart. The preacher was describing a courtroom drama with God as the Judge and called me up to play the defendant. He read my charge, “Chris, you have been charged

98

with every sin under the sun. How do you plead?” “Guilty.” I said. “Then I sentence you to eternal suffering in Hell.”

The preacher then began to describe, using one of my campers to represent Jesus, how just as the gavel is about to echo it’s decree of finality, Jesus Christ bursts into the courtroom and says He will take my punishment for me. Standing before all, the preacher expounding on the atonement of Christ, something happened inside of me. It was the first time I experienced God’s immense greatness, and my unworthiness. All I wanted to do was to fall on the floor and hide my face in the presence of the Lord of Hosts. The preacher, seeing me lose my countenance, allowed me to sit down. A storm began to rage outside, lightning split the sky, and the thunder shook the floor beneath. The lights went out in the chapel leaving only the faint light from the windows. I sat bent over in my seat with my entire cabin of boys looking at me in shock as I wept like a man who has truly know grace and mercy, and was filled with gratitude for what Jesus had done for me. It was then that I realized that I could do nothing else with my life but serve Him alone and devote my life to the proclamation of the Gospel and the building up of His Kingdom.

That day changed the entire course of my life, and I have not wavered from the call to further the kingdom.

99

100 TESTIMONY 23 MATT HATTON Student Ministries Director

accepted Jesus at a young age. My parents always made me go to church when I was younger (which I’m now grateful for), I where my Sunday school teachers and small group leaders would tell us about heaven, hell, and Jesus coming to die for our sins. As a child, I knew that I was a sinner, that I had disobeyed God, and that I was going to hell because of my sin. My response to that understanding was to ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins so I would not have to go to hell and face the punishment that I fully deserved. I remember being ten years old and praying alongside my Sunday school teacher for God to forgive me of my sins and to save me from hell. The years went on and I never really wanted to go to church, I never cared nor knew what it meant to further Gospel, I never lived life with an eternal perspective, but I still called myself a Christian. I knew who Jesus was, I knew that God sent Him to die on the cross for my sin, and I knew I needed to believe that and trust in that to be saved… but where was the passion? Where was the yearning to live my life entirely for the Cause of Christ? I knew Jesus but did I really know what it meant to LIVE my life for Him?!

Winter camp, when I was sixteen years of age was a huge turning point in my walk with Jesus. Spending time in prayer, listening to preaching and teaching, and being in God’s Word during that weekend and the weeks to follow became a forming point in my life. I felt the conviction to take God’s Word to all the earth, a passion to not waste my life, and live sold out for Him began to grow inside of me like never before. Reading the Bible and listening to God’s Word became the center of EVERYTHING that I pursued in life!

That moment/time in my life was like many others that followed

101

to help shape and mold me into the follower of Christ that I am today. The good experiences in my life as well as the most horrific of moments, God has used to sanctify and build me into the man that He wants me to be!

Every one of us is different, and each has his or her own story. Christ saved me in my youth; I give Him all the glory! No matter your background, good, bad, or ugly, our lives are now God’s. The stories we have written, and the ones that we have yet to write should be told with Jesus at the center!

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.”

102 TESTIMONY 24 BRYAN FOX Deacon of Facilities

hen my mother married my father, she was raised Baptist, and he was raised Catholic. They decided W that they would meet in the middle and become Lutherans. We were baptized as infants at Trinity Lutheran Church in Utica Michigan, and my two older brothers and I went to the Lutheran school. I attended until seventh grade when we moved to Richmond, Michigan. I was given the choice at that time to go to a Lutheran school again or to the public school. I decided on the public school on the condition that I would complete the confirmation class at the local Lutheran Church. Looking back on those years it was great to be a part of a school where I could learn about the Bible, all the Bible stories, and Jesus. Once I completed the confirmation class, I felt like I had done all I needed to do and now it was time to live my life. After all, I believed that Jesus died and rose again three days later, and I most certainly believed that God had created everything as the Bible states.

The next 20 or so years were tied up with me trying to climb the corporate ladder, get ahead in the world, and be the man I thought I was supposed to be to provide for my family.

When Donna, my wife, started going to church it bothered me because I did not think I needed to go to church and I was afraid that she would drag me back in there. I would go on occasion and then a little more frequently to satisfy my wife and children but I was still convinced that I could be a Christian without going to church.

When I started going a little more regularly, I started listening to the sermons and was amazed how the Gospel was presented.

103

I soon realized that I was not living as I should be and doubted my salvation. I decided to come forward one week after I was convinced that I was not saved. The relief that I felt was just incredible. I knew that I was finally doing the right thing. I was baptized a few weeks later on Father's Day 1999.

I found out that there was a group of ladies (Donna included) that had been praying continuously for a few of us men to come to the realization that we needed to be saved.

I knew at that time that just being saved is not the end of the story. Growing in the Word and reaching out to the lost is our mission.

I am just so glad that God did not give up on me back then and is giving me another chance to live for His glory.

104

105

106 5

BE BAPTIZED Pastor Trevor Cole | Communication Pastor

picture is worth a thousand words. That simple statement applies perfectly to baptism. Despite often A being surrounded by confusion, this act symbolizes multiple aspects of an individual’s faith in Christ. Some of you may have wondered why Jesus would teach something as unusual as baptism. Why, in one of his final moments on earth, did he say, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)? God teaches us throughout his Word that forgiveness and salvation come only through faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Even the previous four lessons in this study emphasized this very fact. I hope that through this study you will be given some clarity.

Let’s examine this amazing picture of baptism.

Romans 6:3-4: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

107

What do these verses say that followers of Jesus have been baptized “into?” ______

This idea of being baptized “into” the death of Jesus emphasizes that we are no longer the people we once were before we put our faith in Jesus. Our old self has died. That is why we do not simply sprinkle with water when we baptize because being placed beneath the water during baptism portrays our burial with Christ perfectly. It is also important to remember that because we have died with Christ, our future death no longer has the terrible implications it once did which is eternal separation from the God who created us. We can now look to the future with hope and not fear.

What does verse 4 say we should “walk in?” ______

You have never seen a baptism where they tried to hold the person under the water, did you? That would not be good on so many levels, but the believer is not left underwater because they have risen with Christ. Their old self died with Christ, and their new self has risen. Your baptism represents the new walk that you have been called to and given the power to live by Christ.

Colossians 2:12: “Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

108

This verse explains in more depth how we are buried together with Christ. How are we raised with Him? ______

I hope that you never forget that baptism paints such a beautiful picture of our faith in Christ. That we died with Him, are risen with Him and are now living out the life He has called us to; a new life in Christ.

Read Acts 8: 26-40. Pay particular attention to verses 34-38: “And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”

If you are reading this study and have not been baptized, can you articulate why you have not been baptized? ______

As I read the verses from Acts 8, I can just imagine that when Philip tells the man the good news of Jesus, he believes right away and cannot wait to be baptized.

109

Why do you think many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not get baptized? ______

There are numerous reasons why people do not get baptized, but we will just look at a few of the big ones. First, many people simply do not understand what baptism means and why they should do it. I hope you have been given some clarity on what baptism pictures so beautifully through this study.

The picture is important, but it is also important to be reminded that we are commanded to be baptized.

Acts 2:37-38: “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ 38 And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

What does Peter tell them to do first? ______

What does Peter tell them to do after they repent (turn away from their unbelief and put their faith in Jesus)? ______

110

Some people understand what it means, they know we have been commanded to do it and yet they do not. Why? If you understand baptism and you know you have been commanded to do it, why have you not been baptized? ______

It takes a certain amount of humility to be baptized. You have to stand in front of others and say that you are choosing to follow Christ, and for many people that is difficult. If fear or pride is keeping you from doing what you know you should do, humble yourself before God and ask for His strength to follow Him in this beautiful picture of baptism. I hope that you do not let the fear of what others think of you keep you from taking that next step in following Jesus.

Some of you may be saying, “I understand what baptism means and I am not afraid to do it, it is just not a big deal to me.” That indifference is affecting your whole walk with God. You cannot simply choose the parts of God that matter to you and the ones that do not. Either you follow Him with everything or you are not following Him at all.

If you have not been baptized, please ask yourself these questions. Have I not been baptized because I do not understand what it means or how important it is? If that is why, then after this lesson you should know. Am I really a follower of Jesus? Have I chosen to ignore it? Am I afraid of what others may think of me? Am I to proud to admit that I should have been baptized long ago? ______

111

If God’s Word about being baptized has challenged you, please contact a Pastor and take that next step in following Jesus as soon as you can.

112

113

114 TESTIMONY 25 MICHAEL FOX Production Director

accepted Jesus when I was 12 years old; however I did not grow up in church. I began attending church when a friend I invited me to a children’s event around age 10. Looking back now, I can see this was the start of God beginning a great work within my family. I remember going to church off and on with my friend, and eventually my mom began attending as well. The church we were attending went through a transition, bringing a new Pastor, which eventually led to my mom, sister, and I beginning to attend regularly.

Over a period of time, I began attending Sunday gatherings as well as Sunday School and midweek children’s program where I began to learn about Jesus. Eventually during Vacation Bible School, I accepted Jesus as my savior. I now watch my son, who is six, beginning to learn through Awana and other programs, and cannot help but think about how vital it was for me to learn and memorize the Bible when I was young. I was blessed with parents who even though were not saved at the time, raised my sister and I well. This proved to be a great foundation to build on once we started learning the Bible and following Jesus.

My dad did not initially attend church with us, and I remember him not wanting anything to do with it. However, God did a great work there, and it did not take long for him to begin attending with us and eventually accept Jesus as well, with my entire immediate family. This was one of the coolest transformations I have seen, as we watched God change my dad and my entire family. I look back and am thankful for the simple invitation from a friend (and his family supporting him to encourage his friends to come to church),

115

as well as the volunteers at church who eventually helped lead me to Jesus.

I did not graduate High School planning to be in ministry; however, God had a bigger plan. I am able to serve God as a Production Director every day, and it is awesome being a part of God moving here at The River. God allows me to take my skills in technology and use them to help further the Gospel, and I pray that I can continue to keep my focus on Him through serving. It has been a blessing to watch my parents and sister serve over the years, and watch God change those around us. My parents have created a great legacy to follow; all pointed towards Christ. I have not seen anyone work harder than my parents, which has helped point me in the right direction over the years. I am now blessed with a family of my own, a wife who loves to serve, and a son who is eager to learn about Jesus.

One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengths me.” This simple but powerful verse reminds me whom my strength comes from each day as I strive to serve Him.

116 TESTIMONY 26 JILL OSMON Assistant to Lead Pastor

am a planner. I am a control freak. So when my life did not go the way I had planned as a teenager, I was perplexed, I I felt unheard by God, I felt alone. I grew up in a church culture that you get married, have children, and serve God. So what happens when that does not happen? It took me many years to understand my identity in God, my identity in the church, and how God’s plan was far greater than I could have ever planned, even if it was not what I thought it would look like.

I was raised in a Christian home, accepted Christ at the age of 11, went to a Christian school, went to a Christian college, and made good choices. In my human, imperfect mind all of that equaled God granting me my heart’s desire. My favorite verse growing up was Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Awesome, I delighted in God, so I was going to get everything I wanted. Let me say what a dangerous way to look at God and the expectation and entitlement that goes along with it. I went many years thinking that God owed me the life I had planned... marriage, kids, home, etc., but I am so thankful God rescued me from this deeply flawed life view.

God got my attention at a conference many years ago under a sermon by John Piper. Piper is very deep, very philosophical speaker. I will be honest; I usually have to listen or read his sermons multiple times before I fully grasp what he is saying! This particular sermon deeply affected me, shifted my perspective, and helped me understand that a life planned by God is the only life that we should choose. Piper asked the audience a question, “Do

117

you feel more loved by God because He makes much of you or because He enables you to make much of Him?”

I came to a moment where I understood that my desire was misplaced. I wanted those things to feel loved by God so I could make much of Him through them; however, God is asking me to make much of Him with whatever He gives me. If he calls me to be single, I make much of Him, if God calls me to be married, I make much of Him, if he allows devastating circumstances to surround me, I make much of Him. My identity, my sole identity, no matter who or what I am here on earth (daughter, wife, mother, career, finances...) is in Him. I should not honor Him because He has done for me, but I should honor Him because my deepest joy comes from Him and I cannot help but glorify Him.

When my perspective shifted at that moment, God showed me a lot of grace and helped me lay my plans at His feet, to hold fast to His promises and know that making much of Him wasn’t contingent on what He gives to me but a reaction of who He is.

One of my favorite verses is still Psalm 37:4, but for very different reasons. I love it because it frees me to delight in my God with whatever life He has planned for me, and my heart’s desire is to make much of Him... it is that simple.

118 TESTIMONY 27 NOBLE BAIRD Guest Services Director

t happened for a reason. I think if I am honest with all of you and myself, my story has been filled with a lot of hurt and I anger. Hurt and anger that was not necessarily directed at a person or an organization but toward God. March 22, 2013, is the day my father was let go from his position as the connections director of our home church of over 15 years. He had been on staff for over five years but had been terminally ill since November 2012. So, since we spent countless days and weeks in and out of the ICU, ER, and hospital rooms, the church felt it best to simply let my father go and with our family as well. Naturally, I would have been angry at the church, but instead I was angry with God. Not only was He taking my father away from me slowly, but also the church had now turned away from us.

When I was in Kindergarten, my parents enrolled me in a private Christian school in Clarkston, Michigan called Clarkston Christian School. While at CCS, my teacher, Pastor Bonnie, challenged us to come to church. As any good five-year-old would do, I bugged my parents constantly to go to church. You see, CCS was also a church, Clarkston Community Church. Finally, after a couple of weeks of me bugging them, my father said we could go. We arrived late and grabbed the seats in the back, closest to the door of course! Even though my father had all intentions to leave early, we did not. It was that first Sunday, sitting in the back of the church and ready for any excuse to leave, that my parents found Christ; it happened for a reason.

As the years came and passed, my parents and I became more involved in the church. They loved serving alongside Pastor Bonnie in the children’s ministry, and I would help her any chance I could.

119

Even though she started as simply my Kindergarten teacher, she quickly became our family pastor and one of the greatest blessings our family has ever received. When middle school came around, it was time to find a new school, since CCS did not go past elementary. After looking around at the schools in the area, I found myself in a new school all the way in Auburn Hills called Oakland Christian School; it happened for a reason.

The end of my sophomore year, OCS was planning to begin a football program for the first time in school history. My buddies and I were very excited and began training for the upcoming season. As the fall drew closer and we continued to prepare for the season ahead, the youth group at my church was preparing for a missions trip to Atlanta, Georgia. I was asked by a friend at church, one Sunday, if I had considered going and I had not. Not only was I not involved in the youth group, but also, I really had no desire to be either. However, I asked my parents what they thought, and they encouraged me to go. So, I asked the youth pastor the following weekend if there was any space available and he said someone had already paid for me to go; it happened for a reason.

After that trip to Atlanta, my eyes were opened, and I experienced the love of Christ in a way I never had before. While I was on the trip, I lied. In my foolish attempt to impress the girls in the youth group, I made it known that I was not only a football player but also a drummer. My father is an incredible musician, just as his father was. We had a drum set at home and I would mess around with it from time to time, but never anything serious, and I could barely keep a beat. However, word got back to the youth pastor, and the youth worship band was in need of a new drummer...me. There was clearly no way I could back down now, I was caught in my lie, and I either had to admit I could not play or ask my dad to

120

teach me a thing or two so I could get by. I went with the later; it happened for a reason.

As my junior and senior year came and went, I got more involved in my youth group and in serving. My father was brought on staff part-time then full, and I spent almost every day of my junior and senior year at the church in some capacity. From playing drums in the worship band to leading Bible studies, and even being a counselor in training with the youth, I simply could not serve enough, and I loved it. As the time for college came, I only applied to one school: Moody Bible Institute. At first, I was deferred and offered a spot in Spokane, Washington, but I really wanted to go to the Chicago campus. Then, in April of my senior year, I received a final letter that I was not expecting, “Accepted to Chicago Fall 2010”; it happened for a reason.

Freshman and Sophomore years at MBI were awesome. I loved being able to study God’s Word and to continually become more equipped to serve Him full-time. Then Thanksgiving 2012 comes, and we take my father to the hospital only to find out that he has liver failure. The doctors gave him until September 2013, maybe Halloween unless he received a transplant. Over the next several months, we were constantly in and out of the hospital. On top of all this, my grandpa’s health began to seriously deteriorate. Although he did his best to keep fighting, on February 27, 2013, my grandpa went on to hang out with Jesus. Less than a month later, where my story began, my father was let go from our church of 15 years; it happened for a reason.

The year 2013 was off to an awful start. I was preparing to drop out of MBI, and the doctors told us that they would be surprised if my father made it to August. My mother was now in the middle of a legal battle over my grandpa’s estate, and I wanted absolutely

121

nothing to do with God. I was angry, hurt, alone, and hopeless. My grandpa was gone, my dad was dying, our church had turned away from us, and the last thing I felt was the love of Christ. As summer came, I always passed a church just off the Holly exit as I went home every day. For some reason, I decided to stop in one Sunday morning and filled out a communication card. Part of me honestly did not want a call from anyone on staff, so that I could prove the fact that all churches were the same. Come Tuesday afternoon I get a phone call from John Rigg. At the time, he was in charge of the community outreach in downtown Holly, and he just wanted to talk to me and see how I was doing. Somehow, during the conversation, me playing drums came up, and he kept it in the back of his mind. That Friday I got another call from John, and he asked if I would be willing to play drums for the weekend at church since the drummer they had could not play last minute; it happened for a reason.

That church was The River. That weekend was my first of an entire summer of playing drums for weekend and weekly gatherings. Over the course of the summer attending The River, hearing Pastor Jim, and beginning to get back into church again, my hardened heart began to break. I decided I would go back and finish my final semester at MBI. On August 8, 2013, we received a letter that my father had been placed on the transplant list and was finally in line to receive a new liver; it happened for a reason.

August 10, 2013, is a day that has forever changed my life. It was the day that I finally understood the reason it had all happened. I met with Pastor Jim for breakfast; however, we were only able to meet for 10 minutes. The reason our breakfast was cut short was that we had received a phone call on August 9 that they had found a liver for my father and needed him at the hospital at 6 AM on August 10. When I told Pastor this, he thought I was crazy

122

for meeting with him, but my father told me that I needed to have breakfast with him. I briefly told Pastor this story. He then asked me what was next. I honestly said that I needed an internship for spring 2014 so that I could graduate and finish my degree. Without a seconds hesitation he told me that when I came back from my fall semester at MBI, an internship would be waiting for me at The River. Then, Pastor Bonnie picked me up and took me to Henry Ford Hospital to see my father into surgery. After a 10- hour surgery, the doctors came out to tell us that my father now had a new liver and more importantly, a second chance at life; it happened for a reason.

My story is not finished, and neither is yours. Looking back, I understand, I see why it all happened. However, none of it made sense at the time, and I was left angry, hurt, and mad at God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul writes this simple passage, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” If there is one thing you get out of all this, I want you to remember this passage. The road we are on and the story that is unfolding before us is not going to be easy. There are going to be many times when we do not understand why things are happening, but God does. He knows why and He knows that it is happening for a reason. At the end of the day, never forget to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks.

123

124 TESTIMONY 28 JOHN SANCHEZ Deacon of Operations

t was a beautiful morning in New York City. Five-year-old Johnny and his younger sister were excited. Their Mom I was readying them to visit their Grandmother, who lived on the other side of town. It was a warm sunny morning, and little Johnny was trying to get his mother’s attention to ask permission to bring his brand new Big Wheel riding toy along with them. If he could only get her attention...

Mom and Dad were in a serious “discussion.” Their exchange was not casual, but serious. However, to five-year-old Johnny, the body language went unnoticed. He earnestly begged for his Mom’s attention until, in utter frustration, she stopped to hear his eager request and responded “Yes!” completely flustered.

Johnny rushed to his room to grab his Big Wheel, when he realized the discussion going on in the living room turned to yelling, then to screaming, then into crashing sounds. Johnny rushed out to see what the commotion was about, with Big Wheel in tow. What he and his younger sister witnessed was hard to decipher in their young minds. Mom was angry, smashing anything she could find on their father’s head with their father desperately trying to block and stop her emotional frenzy. It all seemed to happen in prolonged slow motion, though it probably only lasted a half-a- minute or so.

Young Johnny’s only thought was that their anger was over him because he wanted to bring his Big Wheel. He rushed back to his room, putting the toy back in its place, and raced to the living room where his Dad sat on the couch. Johnny and his younger sister watched as Dad balled up a sheet of newspaper to soak up

125

the blood running down his forearm. The sharp edges of figurines and knick-knacks that Mom haphazardly grabbed in her anger had done their damage. To Dad’s credit, he never hit or hurt their Mom. However, the pain he inflicted was different, deeper… profoundly deeper. Broken vows and promises not kept. The sort of things a young wife would find unbearable to deal with.

As the weeks passed, Dad would be seen less often. He would not be around. Discussions about Divorce would be had with Johnny and his sister. Mom and Dad would go to great lengths to assure them both that their love for them would never change, despite the change of circumstances. Little Johnny would find some comfort in those words, as much as he could in his young mind.

In the months to come, the weekend visitations began. They began seeing Dad on weekends, and coming back home to Mom on Sunday evenings. Little Johnny and his sister would look forward to those weekends, but Johnny would dread the Sunday night shuffle back home. Not because home was a bad place, but it meant dad would leave again. And again. And again. Until one weekend little Johnny could not bear the pain. He broke down to his dad when he dropped him off. Dad did not understand why the “sudden” onset. All Johnny could explain or understand was that he had “too much fun” with dad that weekend. The truth was Johnny was afraid the circumstances would not change. Life would never go back to what it used to be. In the months to come, Johnny’s fears would be confirmed on the fateful weekend when dad came to pick them up - And take them to his home to meet his “new” wife.

I wish I could say the story above was fictional or even dramatized for emotional effect. However, it is not. Every fact and detail is accurate. It is a true story. It is my story.

126

Growing up in inner city New York, coming from a broken home was not the exception. It was common in the government-assisted rent districts of the South Bronx. However, the pain and emptiness was still real. Do not misunderstand me; I consider myself to have had a good childhood – pleasant memories. I am certainly not trying to paint a sob story. However, the emptiness of growing up without a dad is a reality I cannot deny. It leaves a sense of loss, incompleteness, and brokenness – to a degree beyond repair. As a young boy, I can remember lying in bed at night questioning my worth. Oddly, I found my mind wondering about God, my “Heavenly Father.” Wondering if I was “good enough” for heaven. Wondering if I would die that night, would I go to heaven?

Those haunting questions would be answered one day when, at the age of 16, I attended an evangelical church my uncle invited us to. That day the Pastor spoke on John 3:16, how God sent His Son to die for our sins and John 3:3, how we can know without a doubt we are destined for Heaven if we were “Born Again.” What was this concept of being Born Again? Becoming a part of God’s family? Growing up in the Catholic Church, the Scriptures regarding salvation were never opened up to me in this way. This was so utterly simple and right out of God’s Word. The realization that my broken past did not mean a broken future was in store for me. The Holy Spirit tugged at my heart in a powerful way that day.

After answering the altar call, I could only explain my experience as “Feeling brand new.” I understood what the Apostle Paul described in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

127

Later, I would come to find the promise in Psalms 68:5, how God promises to be a Father to the Fatherless. This was a promise that would be profoundly meaningful to me.

Perhaps your journey has similarities to mine. If so, have you experienced the healing touch of Christ? Have you come to know the power of a personal relationship with your Heavenly Father?

He is real, profoundly real. Ask me about it sometime. I would love to share Him with you!

128 TESTIMONY 29 LARISSA HICKS Accounts Payable

have always been part of the church family. My parents brought me to church for the first time when I was ten days I old. It has always been a part of who I am. As a kid, I loved going to children's church. It was there that I received Jesus into my life. Through my youth, I stayed involved in church as much as I could. I believe that is what helped me make better decisions despite the temptations going on around me. I also started working at the church at the age of 16 and had an enormous amount of good role models and leadership every day.

I married young at the age of 19 to an amazing man. We will celebrate 17 years of marriage this year! Even though I was involved in church and I worked at the church, I did not really understand what a relationship with God was really about. I have since learned that without God, life has no joy! In every aspect of our lives, God is evident. It is when we get away from God that we stop seeing Him in everything. My husband and I have two amazing children. I want them to grow up understanding what a real relationship with God is. My goal every day is to focus on what God has in store for my family and put myself aside. It is not always easy of course, but the goal is to try.

I am grateful for parents that brought me to church. I cannot imagine our lives without the love of Christ.

129

130 TESTIMONY 30 JOHN HUBBARD Children's Director

came to my faith in Jesus at a very young age. My entire family was very active in our church, holding various I volunteer and leadership positions such as deacon, elder, Sunday school teacher, worship leader, you name it. Sunday was always a day where we were the first family there. I remember that it was my job to shovel the sidewalks each wintery morning, and set out the nametags. I did this while my dad got the coffee ready before he and my aunt ran through what hymns we would be singing that morning. Being around so much weekly church activity kept me very immersed in that culture.

I still remember that every so often we would have a Communion Sunday. I was told I was not old enough to take communion and that you could not take communion just because your parents do. My parents used communion to show me the Gospel, why we do it in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us.

After trusting in Jesus, I wish I could say I had it all figured out. I still remember a time shortly after I was baptized that I made an intentional attempt to invite my neighbor Brian to a Wednesday night kid’s discipleship event. I was so proud when he decided he wanted to come, and his dad said it was all right. He was having such a good time. I was sure I was doing the right thing. However, when it came to lesson time the wheels came off, all of a sudden the teacher was so upset that she was crying. I was so focused on making sure my friend had a good time I lost sight of the reason for inviting him so that He could hear about Jesus! Instead of leading Brian to Jesus, I led him to church and thought that would be enough. I gave up being intentional when I walked in the doors. I treated my neighbor’s salvation as if it was my first

131

day as a mailman, I had his soul in a little brown box marked “this side up” and I got him to the church, signed that delivery was made, and I clocked out.

After a long talk with my parents and a very embarrassing apology phone call to the Bible teacher’s house, it was clear to me that Jesus commands to reach people, teach people, and encourage them to obey Jesus was a way bigger investment than I was prepared for. Since then it has been my goal to focus on getting Jesus to people in their environment, not getting people to Jesus’ environment. They need to see how Jesus can change their lives right where they are. I believe that when they see that, they will be overwhelmed by the love of God, and their lives will be changed!

132 TESTIMONY 31 JEN COMBS Wife of Lead Pastor Josh Combs

Jen Combs, was foolish, disobedient, led astray, a slave to various passions and pleasures, passing my days in malice I and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3:3). Before Jesus, my life was nothing, meaningless, and directionless. Honestly, I do not even know when I officially gave my life to Christ, but I know that I am His now and that is all that matters, right? Here is a little glimpse into my journey with Jesus.

I started going to church when I was five years old with one of my aunts. I grew up attending Awana. I could memorize verses with the best of them. I went from kindergarten all the way through to fifth grade. Back then, I used to believe that it was a prayer that I prayed that would save me and get me to Heaven eventually. I remember going into a room in that little Baptist church and someone leading me in a very specific and rehearsed prayer. However, that was it for me; I prayed that prayer probably hundreds of times over the years just to make sure it worked then I left God at the building and picked Him back up next Sunday. It most definitely was not something that I lived out. However, I believe in these years God was pursuing me. They were seeds planted in my heart. I was always aware of Him and believed in Him, but He was not the Lord of my life that Romans 10:9 teaches. I tried to make deals with God, if I stop doing this, then I need you to make this happen for me. I was lost in moralism and compared myself to other people. I thought that as long as I am a good person and try not to do bad things, then I was good to go.

It was not until I was 17 years old standing alone in the Faith Church balcony, listening to Pastor Jim preach about Jesus, that I truly gave my life to Him. In that moment I felt the Holy Spirit

133

speak to me like never before telling me, you need to figure out a way to serve Me more. You are going to do this with your life. I remember laughing and having a conversation with God that went something like this, “Lord I’m willing, but I don’t know how you’re going to pull this off. I am a 17-year-old girl, with no idea how to do this, I have no experience, my family is kinda crazy, and do you know the life I lead? I need a neon sign pointing me out of my mess.” He softly told me, “Don’t worry; I’ve got this.” Two months later, I met my future husband. Then I did some more laughing; I did not think there was any way his family would let him date me. God used Josh to rescue me, speak Godly truth into my life, and point me right out of my mess. For that, I am forever grateful.

The end of that Titus verse is, “BUT when the goodness, loving-kindness of God our savior appeared, He saved me, not because of works done by me.” I believe that day in the balcony Jesus saved me and commissioned me into ministry. Not because of anything I did, but because of His goodness and loving- kindness.

134

135

136 6

HELL IS FOR REAL Dr. Randy Johnson | Growth Pastor

grew up during the Lost in Space years, I was not much for Sci-Fi, so I physically moved the channel dial to sports or The I Three Stooges. Lost in Space was an attempt at high tech with such a “sophisticated robot.” Regularly the robot warned Will of immediate danger.

Do we realize danger is coming? Are we warning others? ______

I remember during a Californian earthquake bridges were breaking up with a drop-off. People took pictures, but wouldn’t get out, stop travelers, and warn them of the imminent danger.

Fill in the mission: The Church exists to glorify God by ______the world, ______with the saints, and ______in the Word.

Reach keeps a focus on sharing the gospel. Society today is infatuated with the whole “Heaven is Real” concept. I believe it is more important to know “Hell is Real.”

137

Admitting Hell is real seems to be politically incorrect. It is almost as if people would rather be comfortable, ignorant, and end up in hell. They just want to be comfortable now. Fortunately, there are speakers willing to make people uncomfortable and force them to realize they are making a choice:

“I hate thinking about it, teaching about it, and writing about it. But the plain truth is that hell is real and real people go there for eternity.” (Bill Hybels)

“The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” (C. S. Lewis)

“I believe the Scriptures teach that there's a literal heaven and a literal hell, just like Jesus said. And without forgiveness of sins that, yeah, the place of punishment is called hell. (Kirk Cameron)

“[Hell is] very real. It is a place we need to avoid at all costs.” (Francis Chan)

“… he [Jesus] himself speaks twice as often of hell as of heaven.” (D.A. Carson)

Not only is Hell real, but Bible scholars have noticed an interesting fact:

“He [Jesus] spoke more often about hell than he did about heaven. We cannot get around this fact.” (Leon Morris)

“Jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven in order to warn men of its reality.” (John MacArthur) “

138

“Jesus said more about Hell than Heaven.” (Jerry Falwell)

“Obviously I do believe in hell. Jesus spoke more about hell than heaven.” (Rick Warren)

“Jesus said more about hell than about any other topic. Amazingly, 13 percent of his sayings are about hell and judgment …” (Mark Driscoll)

Heaven is real; Hell is real. Jesus spoke more about Hell than Heaven. It appears to be more important to see what we are saved from than what we are saved to. If I were drowning, I would not care if you saved me to a boat, dock, or island. I would not care what floatable item you threw to me. It could be a life jacket, cooler, raft, or little pink girly arm floats. I just want to be saved from drowning. Likewise, being saved from Hell and the wrath of God is much more important than spending eternity in Heaven. However, believers get that too.

Several verses that describe what Hell will be like:

1. Isaiah 33:14 “The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: ‘Who among us can dwell with the ______? Who among us can dwell with ______?’”

2. Isaiah 66:24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their ______shall not be quenched, and they shall be an ______to all flesh.”

139

3. Daniel 12:2 “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to ______and ______.”

4. Matthew 5:22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the ______of ______.”

5. Matthew 5:29 “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into ______.”

6. Matthew 5:30 “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into ______.”

7. Matthew 8:12 “While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer ______. In that place there will be ______and ______of ______.”

8. Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and ______in ______.”

140

9. Matthew 13:41-42 “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the ______. In that place there will be ______and ______of ______.”

10. Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of ______shall not prevail against it.”

11. Matthew 18:9 “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the ______of ______.”

12. Matthew 22:13 “Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer ______. In that place there will be ______and ______of ______.’”

13. Matthew 23:33 “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to ______?”

14. Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you ______, into the ______prepared for the devil and his angels.’”

15. Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into ______, but the righteous into eternal life.”

141

16. Mark 9:47-49 “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into ______, ‘where their worm does not die and the ______is not ______.’ For everyone will be ______with ______.”

17. Luke 12:5 “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into ______. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

18. Luke 16:23 “And in Hades, being in ______, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.”

19. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “They will suffer the ______of ______, away from the ______of the ______and from the glory of his might.”

20. Hebrews 10:26-27 “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of ______, and a ______of ______that will ______the adversaries.”

21. 2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into ______and committed them to chains of ______to be kept until the ______.”

142

22. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should ______, but that all should reach repentance.”

23. Jude 1:7 “Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a ______of ______.”

24. Revelation 14:11 “And the ______of their ______goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

25. Revelation 20:10 “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the ______of ______and ______where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be ______day and night forever and ever.”

26. Revelation 20:12-15 “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were ______by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were ______, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown

143

into the ______of ______. This is the second death, the ______of ______. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the ______of ______.”

27. Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the ______that ______with ______and ______, which is the second death.”

The same word that is used for eternal judgment (Hebrews 6:2) is used for eternal life (John 3:15), and for eternal God (1 Timothy 1:17). If one of these is temporary, then the others must be too.

I like “the story that is told of a chaplain who reported to a new duty station. Upon arrival some of the men came to see him and asked him this question; Do you believe in a literal hell? When he replied that he did not. The men asked him to resign, and he asked them why. Their response to him was; ‘ If there is no Hell, then we don’t need you and if there is a Hell, we don’t want you to lead us astray.”

In Dante’s Divine Comedy, the author journeys through the Inferno. There is a sign posted over the mouth of the entrance to Hell that reads: Abandon hope all you who enter here.

C. S. Lewis was told about a gravestone inscription that read; “Here lies an atheist – all dressed up and nowhere to go.” Lewis quietly replied, “I bet he wishes that were so.”

144

Are you sure you are going to Heaven when you die? ______Are you sure your family will go to Heaven when they die? ______

Are you sure your friends will go to Heaven when they die? ______

What are you going to do? ______

145

146 REACH: DEVOTION 1 GOATS AND SHEEP John Hubbard | Children's Ministry Director

Growing up in a Christian home was a blessing for me, but I always struggled with the idea of reaching other people. It seemed as though I went from one extreme to the other, from a loving family of followers of Jesus to a school where nearly everyone seemed lost or even openly defiant to God. How could I reach them? One day I had come across an old Keith Green album in my father’s collection that had a song called “The Sheep and the Goats” that was literally Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 25 put to music (Check it out if you can, it is 70’s music gold).

In Mathew 25:31-46 Jesus says,

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did

147

it to me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Jesus is describing these two different groups and their relationships with other people. The sheep acted out love to all people even ‘to one of the least of these’ and are commended by Jesus Himself. The goats behave selfishly and do not feel inclined to help those around them in need. Jesus loves these people who are hurting so much that when you care for them, help them, or even do something as small as giving them a visit or just plain being nice, He regards it as though you have shown love to Him personally. What a great way to think about reaching other people, rather than trying to argue their belief system into a submission to God, but instead reaching out in sacrifice just as Jesus sacrificed his life for us!

We can all think of a time where we felt the pull to help someone in need and shied away or made excuses. How can you turn that thinking around today? I encourage you to keep some time flexible to allow you to love someone in a new way today.

148 REACH: DEVOTION 2 THE GREAT COMMISSION Kyle Wendel | Children's and Youth Ministries Director

nd Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given “A to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

As Christians, we have the responsibility to share the Gospel. These verses are labeled as the Great Commission from Christ. Sometimes I think we forget the seriousness of these verses. Jesus does not just say, “Oh hey guys if you want you guys can go tell people about the Good News, but if you are not really feeling it then don’t worry about it.” We often forget that this was not just a suggestion from Jesus, it was a COMMAND. Jesus commands us to go to all nations telling the Good News of salvation! We need to GO! Our whole lives should be about this command from Christ. We need to go and make disciples for Jesus. We need to be teaching everyone we know about God. We often neglect this command in our lives. Often we get too uncomfortable to share with people. Sometimes we just want to live life in a way that we are happy and do not intrude on anyone else.

If you look at Jesus’ and His disciples’ ministry, it is profound. They gave up their entire lives to follow a man. Jesus often put them in situations that were not comfortable for them. Jesus broke social barriers by sharing with people that were sinners, sick, outcasts, women, etc. How often in our lives do we not share because we are too uncomfortable?

149

Recently I went on a mission’s trip with our High School students from the River locations. At night, we had an optional Bible Study where the leaders and students would get together and study the book of Philippians (If you have not read it yet, read it!). One of the senior boys said a quote that just shook my world. “People’s eternal salvation should be more important than your own comfort level.” I was blown away at that sentence. The Holy Spirit spoke right to my own heart at that moment. How often do I not talk to someone because it makes me uncomfortable? Jesus does not say if you are uncomfortable to stay back and be comfortable. He commands us to go outside our comfort because people being saved from eternal damnation or separation from God is more important. Our hearts should burn for people coming to God.

I pray that we, as a church, rally behind this command. That it becomes real and evident in all our lives. I pray this command from Christ flips our worlds upside down for the cause of Christ. We should want to tell people what Christ has done for us. Remember God has given us all a personal story for a reason. Let God use you! Don’t be afraid to break that comfort level for someone to possibly come to know the Lord from you stepping up.

150 REACH: DEVOTION 3 THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR John Hubbard | Children's Ministry Director

vercoming objections to the need. Romans 3:9-18 says, “What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we O have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, just as it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.’ ‘Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’”

In these verses in Romans, Paul does not hint at the righteousness of humanity. Is anybody righteous? No. Are Jews more righteous than Greeks? No. Does anyone qualify for less of a punishment for his or her sin? No. We like to think that because we go to church, we sing, we smile, and we go to lunch with people afterward that we have developed some kind of worthiness from God. Some of us even fall into thinking that since we go to a weekly Bible Study, or we read daily devotions from our church (much like this one) that we’ve shed our unrighteousness. Paul goes on in verse 23 to say that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So then are those things bad? No, of course they are not. However, do they bring us to some level of righteousness? No. Then can we claim to attain righteousness that way? No.

I know what you are thinking, "man this guy likes to say no." Although that may or may not be true, I am trying to emphasize the

151

same thing as Paul does when he makes it very clear the absolute only way we can be saved. Through Jesus we are righteous; we are only justified to God by His grace through the redemption that is found in Jesus Christ. We can only boast righteousness from one thing, and that is our faith in Jesus Christ.

It is not about whether or not we are good people, how moral or good we can be. It is about our faith in God first. This is what the world needs, a savior for its sins. Not to be reminded of how to be a good person.

What can you do to point people to Jesus today, rather than to morality for morality’s sake?

152 REACH: DEVOTION 4 REJECTION OF SHARING OF THE GOSPEL Kyle Wendel | Children's and Youth Ministries Director

ave you ever shared the Gospel with someone and he or she completely rejected you? How about a time when H you shared with someone and thought it was going somewhere, but nothing changed in him or her? I have often gone away from a conversation about the Gospel with someone and thought to myself what could I have said better or worded a different way? Maybe if I said it differently or better then that person would have gotten saved. I would often give myself all the credit, good or bad. God showed me that it was not my job for that person to be saved, but rather it was my job to share the Gospel with them. The rest is up to God.

Let’s look at Acts3:5-9: “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.”

Something we need to realize is that it is the Holy Spirit working in someone, not the words of us. The Scripture says here that the one who plants or waters is nothing, but only God gives growth. Next time you share the Gospel, remember it is not up to you whether that person is to come to God or not. It is only your responsibility to plant and water a seed in that person. Most times you will not see that seed growing for a while. God will use you to plant or water someone’s seed but then down the road, He will also use other people to water that seed more through

153

different conversations and life experiences. You could have the absolute best Gospel presentation and the best vocabulary, but it is not up to you for the results.

So next time remember that even though someone may reject your Gospel presentation, you may be planting a seed or watering that previous seed already planted. Seeds do not grow into plants right away. Be patient and never cease in praying for people to grow. There is a burden lifted off our shoulders when we trust God with the results. However, let us never neglect the responsibility to share the Gospel with everyone.

154 REACH: DEVOTION 5 LIFESTYLE SANCTIFICATION John Hubbard | Children's Ministry Director

anctification" comes from two Latin words: sanctus which means holy, and ficare which means make. "S John Piper points out that words like sanctification and holy are such old words that do not carry the weight that they used to. “The word ‘holy’ isn't much more relevant today than sanctification—what with ‘holy mackerel’ and ‘holy cow’ and ‘holy buckets’—we've just about ruined one of the highest and most valuable words in the Bible.”

When we come to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit begins this process of sanctification. We may not use that word often, but it is a crucial part of every believer’s life. When someone you have not seen since you came to salvation notices something different about the way you live, the way you act, that is sanctification. When someone who has known you since you have been saved points out a change in you, that is sanctification, too. It is so important that non-believers can see your life becoming sanctified.

In Romans 15 Paul writes, “But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed.”

155

In Romans 15:16, Paul makes known his goal to sanctify the Gentiles and make them an acceptable offering to God. He directly correlates sanctification to obedience to the Holy Spirit in verse 18. Sanctification is obedience to the direction of God through the Holy Spirit. If we continue to disobey the call of the Holy Spirit, we lose our effectiveness reaching out to non-believers. They will not see Jesus love shining through us; they will readily use our hypocritical behavior as a weapon against their own salvation. When you think of your own disobedience to God as a hindrance to another person’s relationship with God, it is a terrifying thing to be responsible for.

What is sanctification to you?

What is the Holy Spirit urging you to change in your life today?

156 REACH: DEVOTION 6 CAN ANYONE SHARE? Kyle Wendel | Children's and Youth Ministries Director

Do you ever feel like you are not qualified to share the Gospel, or you cannot share the Gospel? I remember growing up thinking I could not share the Gospel with people because I did not know enough. Sometimes when I would be in sin, I also did not feel qualified enough to share with people the Good News of Christ. I want to show some Scriptures and hopefully, help anyone that struggles with this. Let’s go to John 4:3-19: “He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?’ (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be

157

thirsty or have to come here to draw water.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.’ The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.”

Verses 25-26 continues, “The woman said to him, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’”

Verses 28-30 say, “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him.”

Verse 39 finishes, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.”

We look at this interaction between Jesus and the woman at the well, and it is profound. First, something that is important that we tend to forget is women and men were not allowed to communicate as they are today here. This woman was an outcast of the town. As you see, it is very clear she is a sinner, and people would not want to be around her. Jesus, however, makes her important on His agenda. Then it gets even crazier after this woman realizes Jesus is the Messiah. She left her jar and went straight to the town and starts telling people about Jesus. Often I feel like we think we have to take a class to reach people or go to Bible College. However, look at this woman, immediately after her encounter with Jesus, she goes back to her town where she is looked down upon by everyone

158

and is telling everyone. She did not care what they thought of her at that point. Of all people, this woman would seem to appear as the least qualified to share the Gospel. However, Jesus appointed her of all people to go and tell the Good News. Moreover, because of her many of the people of her town were saved. How awesome is that! Remember that as you struggle with being “qualified.” Jesus equips the called.

159

160 7

WORSHIP JESUS A-Z Dr. Randy Johnson | Growth Pastor

he Church exists to glorify God by reaching the world, T gathering with the saints, and growing in the Word. Gathering with the saints is so important. We need others and others need us. Hebrews 10:24-25 expresses the need for believers to gather together: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

According to these verses, what actions should believers be considering? ______

“Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all.” (Augustine)

Acts 2:41-42 describes the actions of believers in the early church: “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

161

What actions were present in the early Church? ______

What did the disciples do at the end of the Last Supper (Matthew 26:30)? ______

“I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need.” (Charles Spurgeon)

There are several ways we can worship God. One is to acknowledge who Jesus is. Look up these verses and see who Jesus is A-Z!

A______A______Revelation 1:8

B______Hope Titus 2:13

C______Isaiah 9:6

C______Matthew 1:16

D______Psalm 40:17

D______of the sheep John 10:7

E______Father Isaiah 9:6

F______of Living Water Jeremiah 17:13

G______Shepherd John 10:11

162

H______of Salvation Luke 1:69

I______Am John 18:6

J______Acts 10:42

K______of ______Revelation 19:16

L______of ______1 Timothy 6:15

M______Star Revelation 2:28

M______1 Timothy 2:5

N______Above Every Name Philippians 2:9

O______Revelation 22:13

P______of P______Isaiah 9:6

Q______Spirit 1 Cor. 15:45 (KJV)

R______and the Life John 11:25

S______of the World John 4:42

S______, my Psalm 23:1

T______John 14:6

U______Psalm 92:15

163

V______John 15:5

W______John 1:1 eX______John 13:15

Y______2 Cor. 1:20

Z______of the Lord of Hosts Isaiah 37:32

Another way to worship Jesus is through prayer. Take time now to choose a couple of Jesus’ titles and pray them to Him. Let Jesus know why you like specific titles.

“There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.” (Billy Sunday)

164

165

166 GATHER: DEVOTION 1 ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER Shawna Johnson | Tech Assistant

ife can be challenging. The great thing about the church is that we do not have to go through it alone! Over the L last few years, I have had the opportunity to both sit in and serve at our Recovery Gathering. It is such a beautiful place to be. If you have never been, I urge you to visit at least once. As we gather to hear from God’s Word, nothing is hidden or left out. Nothing is sugarcoated; this is real life, and sometimes life is hard. The beautiful thing about coming and gathering together is that we can walk alongside each other, encouraging, uplifting, and reminding one another who Jesus is and how He saves lives. We do not have to live this life alone.

After being in church for a while, I noticed a difference between Tuesday night and Sunday morning. On Tuesday night, people are not ashamed or afraid to say they need help. On Sundays, people are not as open. I have often noticed struggles are hidden, and we pretend everything is okay. I heard a Pastor mention once that if we always pretend everything is okay we ultimately rob God of the glory of getting us through it! We all know we need help, and we simply cannot get through our struggles on our own, it is okay to ask for help.

Hebrews 10:24-55 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

As we gather during weekend gatherings, small groups, or friend groups, remember the importance of lifting each other up and encouraging one another. I want you to think of the last time

167

someone encouraged you. Not the “I like your shirt,” or “Your hair looks cute,” kind of compliment, but the last time someone genuinely encouraged you? When was the last time you encouraged someone else?

Society today is continually reminding us of how we should look, what we should buy, or how we should act to be successful. Life is tough enough; let us be the light God has called us to be and help each other. Begin praying that God would reveal someone to you that you can encourage this week, and as you attend weekend gatherings be on the lookout for opportunities to love others. You will find that blessing others will bless you!

168 GATHER: DEVOTION 2 BIRDS OF A FEATHER Shawna Johnson | Tech Assistant

hen I was young, my parents often warned me about my choice of friends. In school, they taught about peer W pressure and the impact our friends had on us. I liked to think I was my own person and even if my friends made poor choices, there was no way I was going to give in simply because they were doing it. To be honest, for a long time I never gave in, but we know what happens; the more time we spend with someone, the more we become like him or her.

Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

As I continue to grow, God reveals Himself to me more and more. I now know that there is so much truth to that statement. The people we surround ourselves with do in fact play a role in our lives.

A personal goal of mine, as a follower of Jesus, is to become more and more like Him. In doing so, I have to be mindful of the things and people I surround myself with. Friends I used to party with, music I used to listen to, and even activities I once used to entertain myself have begun to change. I still love my friends, there is no doubt about it, but that love has changed. I no longer want to spend all my hours partying with them, but instead, show myself as a living testimony to how God changes lives. Let me tell you, friends, He has changed my life!

If I told you I never think about my past, or occasionally put on music I probably should not listen to I would be lying. I have found that when this happens, I find my mind wandering to places

169

it should not, and the words that come out of my mouth are no longer glorifying God. I begin sounding like the “me” I used to be. It is then that I am quickly reminded that I do not want to go back there. I left the old life behind for a reason.

This is where friends who love Jesus come in! I am so thankful for friends who have the ability to speak truth into my life and to remind me to be the best me I can be. I have recently begun discussing with a good friend the necessity of an accountability partner. It is important to have someone you trust that loves you enough to set you straight.

We are not perfect, none of us are, but we can strive to be the best version of ourselves as possible. Through God’s Word, prayer, and by gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ we are stepping foot in the right direction.

Maybe there are some activities you participate in, or people you give your time to you know you should not. Be in prayer and ask God for friendships that have a foundation built on Him. Set up accountability partners to help you succeed on your journey! The old life has nothing to offer; I promise you that!

170 GATHER: DEVOTION 3 MORE THAN A SONG Shawna Johnson | Tech Assistant

et the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, “Lsinging psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).

When we gather on Sunday, it is the perfect opportunity to pursue and experience God. Whether it is through worship, the message, or even the people that surround us, we want nothing more than to seek His presence.

When I first started attending church, I did not understand why people raised their hands. I was not really sure why they even sang at all. Was it for entertainment? Was it supposed to be like a concert? I did not quite get it. As I continued attending (still not fully sold on the songs), I cried almost every time. The message seemed to always speak directly to me, and boy did it hit hard. I have since continued growing in my walk of faith, and I have learned that God can speak to us in a multitude of ways, and one way being in song. One of the first songs I remember connecting with was “No Turning Back,” by Chris Tomlin. I remember being so grateful God saved me from the mess I was in and there was absolutely no way I was ever turning back. This was the moment I realized why we sing.

Praise and worship have now become one of my favorite ways to spend time with God. It is not only an opportunity for us to declare our praise to the Lord but for Him to speak to us as well.

Next time you are in a gathering try your best to put all distractions aside and sing along. Don’t worry about your neighbor or what

171

others may think if they hear you singing. (The words are up there for a reason!). I often joke that I have a voice only Jesus could love, and that is okay because you know what, He does love it! Also, He will love it when you sing too!

P.S. - Isn't it absolutely beautiful when the whole congregation is singing His praises? Imagine how much more He loves it than we do!

172 GATHER: DEVOTION 4 FILLING THE TEMPLE Chris Knuth | Worship Leader

ave you ever been so overwhelmed by God's presence during a worship set that you could no longer sing or H play? Just a few weeks ago at Sunday Gathering while we were singing "Great Are You Lord" I found myself so moved in the moment that I could not sing. My eyes welled up with tears, and my voice choked with emotion. I believe that I was experiencing the glory of the Lord.

There is a great moment in 2 Chronicles 5 where the Israelites gathered to inaugurate the completed temple built by Solomon and to celebrate moving the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God's presence, from its nomadic existence to its final resting place in the inner sanctum of the temple, the Holy of Holies. Solomon assembled all the who's who of Israelite leadership, the priests made countless sacrifice before the Ark, and of course, the band was there! Let’s pick up at verse 12:

"And all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,’ the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God."

173

First, I love that some of the musicians were deemed significant enough to be kept in the records. Second, I love to imagine what it must have been like when that temple was filled with the cloud. The same cloud that led the people of Israel through the wilderness by day, the same cloud that let them know that God was with them. God's glory was there, with them in that temple and they were overwhelmed to the point that the priests were not able to perform.

My prayer each week is that we would experience God's presence in worship. Not that we are chasing an emotional fix but that we would truly connect with God as we lift up His Name in song. That our worship would be pleasing to Him and that He would fill our churches with the glory of the Lord, just like He did in that temple thousands of years ago.

What is it that you are looking to experience at your weekend gathering?

Would you describe yourself as a spectator or a participant at your weekend gathering?

When was that last time you had an emotional response to God’s movement in your life?

174 GATHER: DEVOTION 5 LOOK UP Chris Knuth | Worship Leader

he great American author Kurt Vonnegut once said in a commencement speech, “If I should ever die, God forbid, T let this be my epitaph: The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.”

I can still remember the first time music affected me in a profound way; it was sitting in third grade music class. I loved music class, but judging by the moans and groans that accompanied Miss Swift’s third graders on the way to the music room, I think I may have been the only one. On this particular day, Mr. Lidicky wanted to introduce us to a composer named Johanne Sebastian Bach. While the boys fidgeted and picked their noses, and the girls giggled and gossiped, Mr. Lidicky popped in a cassette tape and pushed play. Then out of the speakers, over the din of adolescent chatter, washed the most beautiful melody I had ever heard. A simple but elegant melodic line that lifted you up into heaven for a glimpse of glory before descending gently back into the atmosphere played masterfully on a pipe organ, it was “Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” If you do not know the piece of music, you need to Google it right now. I had no idea music could carry you to another place, another frame of mind. For me, what that song did was make me look up. Make me look beyond that music room, beyond the drama of trying to fit in amongst my peers, to something more beautiful, more meaningful, and more powerful than anything I had ever known.

As a worship leader I am often asked why we sing in church, and in a day where school music programs are being defunded, there are few places left where we sing together in our culture. I believe

175

there are many reasons why singing is an integral part of our worship as Christians.

1. Connection with The Holy Spirit Paul in Ephesians 5:18, 19 tells us, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

If we are drunk, we are controlled by the things of this world and are out of the control of the Holy Spirit. By participating in musical worship with each other, we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and guide our words and actions.

2. Internalizing the Word of God Paul says similarly in Colossians 3:16, ”Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Paul says that the Word of Christ needs to dwell in us. The Scripture needs to not only live in our hearts but also be at home there. The two ways this happens according to Colossians 3 is through teaching and singing. The teaching is for understanding, but the singing is what internalizes the Word. Many do not know that most of the lyrics we sing on Sunday are from the Bible for this very reason. I can struggle to memorize a verse, but if it is put to music, it burrows down deep in my soul. There are Bible songs that I learned in Sunday school 30 years ago that I could sing to you at the drop of a hat. Those Scriptures have shaped my whole life. I thank God for those Sunday school teachers who taught me the Word of God in song.

176

3. Expressing Gratitude The default attitude of every believer should be one of gratitude. We who were once dead in our transgressions and sins have been made alive in Christ! We have been adopted as sons and daughters into His family, and our inheritance is eternal life and fellowship with the creator of the universe. We have been saved by grace; we did not deserve it. There is only one response to such love: gratitude. How is it that we are to sing? According to Paul, it is with thankfulness in our hearts. I can think of no better way to say thank you to Christ but in song.

Music can lift us out of the monotony of our daily grind. Music rooted in the Word of God can move us toward Jesus.

I am convinced that it was listening to Bach in that 3rd-grade music class that first turned my gaze toward God. I believe God calls to us through music that He is beckoning us to experience Him in the moment. I believe that who God is can be known in the mysterious complexity and simplistic beauty that is music. When we come together as His people each weekend, my prayer is that through music our hearts would experience something transcendent and cause our eyes to look up and see the face of God.

177

178 GATHER: DEVOTION 6 GOD AND US Chris Knuth | Worship Leader

hen I was a kid, one of my favorite movies was “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” I loved watching the fedora-donning W college hunt down and discover ancient artifacts while single-handedly taking on the Nazi regime who sought to use these ancient treasures for nefarious purposes. All Indiana Jones needed was his brain and his trusty bullwhip by his side, and he could accomplish anything because the history he uncovered “belongs in a museum.” I spent countless hours as a child running from the Nazis and swinging from trees to avoid snakes. I think most of us at some point have idolized a “Lone Ranger” type character. Maybe it is Rambo taking on the National Guard, or Captain America, the one man standing against corruption. The American ethos is all about the rugged individual. From our rebellious founding to the pioneer spirit, from superstar athletes to Justin Timberlake leaving the Backstreet boys and going solo, we have elevated the power of the individual to the greatest good of our country. The problem is this mindset does not work in the Christian life. In fact, individualism is the complete opposite of what God wants in His kingdom and His church.

Hebrew 3:12-14 says, “Take care brothers lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

What these verses are telling us is that we require each other to live this Christian life. The writer of Hebrews is emphatic about how crucial it is that we stay in community with each other. He says that every day we need to encourage each other, urge each

179

other to live in a manner pleasing to God. To hold fast to our beliefs and convictions, to stay rooted in the truth of His Word, to remember the grace that first brought us to Jesus. Why? If we try to do it alone, we will fail in our walk with Christ. Left to our own will and our own devices, we can rationalize any behavior. When we isolate ourselves from the fellowship of believers, we give sin a foothold in our lives. Sin will deceive us; it will cause us to question what is good and what is not. Behaviors that our sinful nature craves find a way of not looking so bad anymore, and before you know it, your conscience has been dulled, and the Holy Spirit working in you has been stifled.

Back in my early college years, I used to meet weekly with two brothers in Christ. We became friends our senior year in high school, and we loved hiking and canoeing by day, and hanging at the local coffee shop by night. We would sit, drink our overpriced coffee, play chess, and talk about the Bible. We would talk about what God was doing in our lives, confess our struggles, and encourage one another to live holy lives. One night at the coffee shop, my friend told us about a romantic relationship he was involved in with a girl that did not share his convictions about a God-honoring relationship. We encouraged him to stand firm on his convictions and that he probably needed to end the relationship. After that conversation, he began avoiding us, would not answer our phone calls, and stopped meeting with us for many months before God got a hold of him, and he ended the relationship.

Sin likes isolation. When temptation comes, the devil will work to tear you from the fellowship of believers. So gather together with other believers. Worship together in church. Get together for breakfast and chat over the Scriptures. Find a community of believers that can spur you on to running after God. We need

180

each other. This Christian walk is not so much about God and me; it is about God and us.

181

182 8

STUDY THE WORD Dr. Randy Johnson | Growth Pastor

aving knowledge of the Bible is essential to a rich “H and meaningful life.” (Billy Graham) “If our children have the background of a godly, happy home and this unshakable faith that the Bible is indeed the Word of God, they will have a foundation that the forces of hell cannot shake.” (Ruth Graham)

Matthew 28:19-20 is referred to as the Great Commission. It is the last two verses of the book of Matthew. Jesus has already risen from the dead, and He gets the disciples together for some last words. It is like a coach’s last pep talk as the players enter the arena for a big game. He says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

It is these verses that are the basis for who we are as The Church: The Church exists to glorify God by reaching the world, gathering with the saints, and growing in the Word.

183

This mission seems quite clear from Jesus’ words:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (glorify God by reaching the world),

Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (glorify God by gathering with the saints),

Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age (glorify God by growing in the Word).

This process is not a straight line with an ending point. It is more like a spiral as we reach, gather, and grow. We should then want to be reaching more of the world, gathering, and growing.

Please remember the focus of every step – Glorify God!

The Church exists to glorify God by reaching the world, gathering with the saints, and growing in the Word.

Part of growing in the Lord is to better understand His Word, The Bible. The central character of the Bible is Jesus! In 2015, Pastor Jim Combs shared how Jesus is found in all 66 Books of the Bible. Some of them have been modified a little. Let’s see Jesus in every book of the Bible.

184

Old Testament

Genesis He is the Creator and promised Redeemer. Exodus He is the Passover Lamb. Leviticus He is Our High Priest. Numbers He is the Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night. Deuteronomy He is the Prophet like unto Moses. Joshua He is the Captain of our Salvation. Judges He is our Judge and Lawgiver. Ruth He is our Kinsman Redeemer. 1 & 2 Samuel He is our Trusted Prophet. 1 & 2 Kings He is the Lord our King. 1 & 2 Chronicles He is our Reigning King. Ezra He is our Faithful Spouse. Nehemiah He is the Builder of broken down walls. Esther He is the Protector of His people. Job He is the Mediator between God and man. Psalms He is the Lord our Shepherd. Proverbs He is our Wisdom. Ecclesiastes He is our meaning for life. Song of Solomon He is our Bridegroom. Isaiah He is the Prince of Peace. Jeremiah He is the Balm of Gilead. Lamentations He is the Weeping Prophet. Ezekiel He is the wonderful four-faced Man. Daniel He is the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace. Hosea He is the faithful Husband. Joel He is the Holy Ghost Baptizer. Amos He is the Burden Bearer. Obadiah He is Mighty to Save. Jonah He is our Foreign Missionary. Micah He is the Messenger with Beautiful feet.

185

Nahum He is the Avenger of Gods Elect. Habakkuk He is God’s Evangelist. Zephaniah He is Our Savior. Haggai He is The Restorer of God’s Lost Heritage. Zechariah He is the Fountain Open in the house of David. Malachi He is the Son of Righteousness with Healing in His Wings.

Are you surprised how prevalent Jesus is through the Old Testament? ______

New Testament

Matthew He is the Messiah, who is King. Mark He is the Messiah, who is a Servant. Luke He is the Messiah, who is a Deliverer. John He is the Messiah, who is a God in the flesh. Acts He is The Foundation of the Church. Romans He is the righteousness of God. 1 & 2 Corinthians He is our Sanctifier. Galatians He is the Redeemer from the curse of the law. Ephesians He is the Christ with Unsearchable Riches. Philippians He is the joy of our life. Colossians He is the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily. 1&2 Thessalonians He is Our Coming King. 1 & 2 Timothy He is the Mediator between God and Man. Titus He is The Faithful Pastor.

186

Philemon He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Hebrews He is our High Priest. James He is Our Great Physician. 1 & 2 Peter He is The Chief Shepherd. 1- 2 & 3 John He is Love. Jude He is The Lord Coming with 10,000 of His saints. Revelation He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

What picture(s) of Jesus stand out to you the most? ______

What book of the Bible do you feel led to study now? ______

It has been said, “Dirty Bible, clean heart; Clean Bible, dirty heart.”

What does that mean to you? ______

“Scripture is the manger in which the Christ lies.’ As a mother goes to a cradle to find her baby so the Christian goes to the Bible to find Jesus. Don’t let us inspect the cradle and forget to worship the baby.” (Martin Luther)

187

Sarah Wilson in the Lutheran Forum took on an interesting project by selecting one verse from each book of the Bible. It is the Bible in 66 verses:

Genesis "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (1:1)

Exodus “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (20:2)

Leviticus “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.’” (9:2)

Numbers "Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Arise, O LORD, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.'” (10:35)

Deuteronomy “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the Lord is one.” (6:4)

Joshua “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (24:15)

188

Judges "In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (17:6)

Ruth "Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'” (1:16)

1 Samuel "And the LORD said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.'” (8:7)

2 Samuel "David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said to David, 'The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.'” (12:13)

1 Kings “Listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.” (8:30)

2 Kings "But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, 'Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.'” (5:8)

189

1 Chronicles “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head above all.” (29:11)

2 Chronicles "The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD." (34:30)

Ezra "They kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel." (6:22)

Nehemiah "Then he said to them, 'Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our LORD. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'” (8:10)

Esther “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (4:14)

190

Job “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” (38:4)

Psalms "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (23:1)

Proverbs "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (1:7)

Ecclesiastes "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity." (1:2)

Song of Solomon "My beloved is mine, and I am his; he grazes among the lilies." (2:16)

Isaiah "But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." (53:5)

Jeremiah "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (31:33)

191

Lamentations "The LORD has become like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all its palaces; He has laid in ruins its strongholds, and He has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation." (2:5)

Ezekiel "And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, you know.'” (37:3)

Daniel "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him." (7:13)

Hosea "I will betroth you to Me forever. I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy." (2:19)

Joel "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." (2:28)

Amos "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (5:24)

192

Obadiah "For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head." (1:15)

Jonah "I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and He answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice." (2:2)

Micah "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (6:8)

Nahum "Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off." (1:15)

Habbakkuk "Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright within him; but the righteous shall live by his faith." (2:4)

Zephaniah "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD." (2:3)

193

Haggai "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts."

Zechariah "They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets." (7:12)

Malachi "Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before Me. And the LORD Whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts." (3:1)

Matthew "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (5:48)

Mark "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (10:45)

Luke “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (15:32)

John "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.'” (11:25)

194

Acts “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (1:8)

Romans "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." (3:28)

1 Corinthians "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1:25)

2 Corinthians "For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (5:21)

Galatians "Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'" (4:6)

Ephesians "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (4:5)

Philippians "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (2:8)

Colossians "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." (1:15)

195

1 Thessalonians "Rejoice always" (5:16)

2 Thessalonians "But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one." (3:3)

1 Timothy "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (6:12)

2 Timothy "By the Holy Spirit Who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you." (1:14)

Titus "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." (3:5)

Philemon "I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart." (12)

Hebrews "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (12:1)

196

James "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (1:27)

1 Peter "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (2:9)

2 Peter "He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." (1:4)

1 John "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (4:8)

2 John "And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another." (5)

3 John "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (4)

197

Jude "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (3)

Revelation "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." (21:1)

What verse(s) jumped out to you? ______

We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy. (R.C. Sproul)

“I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He has written it down in a book! Oh, give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be: “A man of one book.” (John Wesley)

Do you want to be known as a man or woman of the Book? ______

198

What should be your next steps? ______

199

200 GROW: DEVOTION 1 TIME TO GROW UP Isaiah Combs | Young Adults and Worship Leader

magine you are born. You come out a healthy 8 pound 7-ounce perfect baby. Now imagine still being that 8 pound 7-ounce I baby. Ten, 20 and 30 years down the road you never grow and never develop. You still wear diapers. You still drink out of bottles. You still have to be given baths. You still have to have everything done for you. You are a 50-year-old 8 pound 7-ounce baby. You still think and act like a baby.

I know this sounds outlandish and is a goofy scenario, but it is real. Christians are being born again every day and never grow. They stay that newborn Christian for 10, 20, and 30 years. They stay that way for a lifetime. 2 Peter 3:18 tells us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

It is a hard thing to look in the mirror and ask, “Am I a baby?” “Did I never grow up in my grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ?” Now that you have looked in the mirror, what do you see? Did you see a baby or a grown up in Christ in the mirror? 2 Peter told us to grow in grace and knowledge. It did not tell us to grow and then when we felt like we were old enough, stop growing. We should never stop growing. It is a never-ending process.

What that says to me is that we should be GIANTS in grace and knowledge. I wish I could say I was a giant. I wish I could say I never stopped growing. I would say I am a toddler in grace and knowledge. Sadly, that is true for most Christians. We never grow and never develop or we grow a little, just enough to get by.

201

Here is my challenge to you and myself. Whether you are a baby just starting out, whether you are a baby and been a baby forever, whether you are continuing to grow continually, or you feel like you have grown enough, let us all grow together in grace and knowledge. It is time to grow up.

Let us all be giants.

202 GROW: DEVOTION 2 BABIES Isaiah Combs | Young Adults and Worship Leader

ast August my wife gave birth to my son Rocket Danger (never let your husband name your kids). I do not consider L myself a baby guy. I prefer kids when they can eat, drink, and entertain themselves. I have two little girls as well, and I like that they are older. They can buckle themselves in the car, and I can take them to work. They can sit on the floor and color or entertain themselves in some way. Then they usually clean up after themselves (Depending on their sleepy levels).

However, like any guy that wants to be a good father, I took an active role in feeding, burping, and changing diapers of my son. I believe it is important for me as a father to build that type of relationship with my kids. I start by doing the baby stuff (feeding, burping, diapers, late nights, and early mornings). Then as they grow, you can teach them how to feed themselves, go to the bathroom in the toilet, clean up after themselves, and be self- sufficient. This takes time and development.

In the Bible, Peter describes new Christians as babies. “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” Just like Rocket, new Christians need to be fed to grow. Rocket needs milk to grow. New Christians need God’s Word and teaching to grow. If they are not fed, they will never grow. They will stay a baby in Christ forever. Peter says they long for the pure milk of the Word.

Rocket cannot feed himself, but my two girls can. This did not happen overnight. I had to feed my girls and eventually they grew and learned to feed themselves. This is the same with new Christians. They need people to feed them. They need someone to

203

teach them. Then eventually they will be able to feed themselves. One of the best moments as a parent is when one of your children learns to feed themselves. Then as they grow and it becomes second nature to feed themselves. I can use them when I need a fourth hand. I can give my five-year-old a bottle and she can feed Rocket. This is how it works with new Christians. You feed them. They learn to feed themselves. Then they feed others. This is called growing in your salvation.

204 GROW: DEVOTION 3 TESTS Isaiah Combs | Young Adults and Worship Leader

emember in school when you would sit down and the teacher would write on the board “POP QUIZ”? The R whole class would gasp for a breath and begin whispering to each other questions and worries. I was never very good at pop quizzes. Probably because I did not study or do my homework. I was not prepared. We as followers of Jesus are being pop quizzed or tested every day. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” We are going to be tested. The Bible says it, so it is true. However, unlike when we were kids dreading the teacher’s horribly timed pop quizzes, James tells us to be happy about it.

I know you are asking, “Why should I be happy about a test? James calls our pop quizzes or tests, various trials. As all of us know, there are many trials in life.

I find that when I am focused on Jesus and trying to live my life for Him, the tests seem to get worse and worse. The devil is like that mean teacher who would give pop quizzes. He wants to see if you are going to continue following Jesus or fail the test and give up.

Therefore, when James tells us to count it all joy, he is saying to be happy about it. You are prepared. You are studying. You are growing. You are doing all you can do, and the devil hates it. The more you are tested James says, you “produce endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may

205

be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” When I was a kid, I was never prepared for the teacher’s pop quizzes. However, as a follower of Christ, I can be prepared. I can be prepared by studying the Word. If you are having trouble finding someone to mentor and help you navigate through the Word, get involved in a growth community so you can grow with other people going through the same things. The only way to be prepared for the tests is to know the answers. The only way to know the answers is to grow in the Word and grow in Christ.

206 GROW: DEVOTION 4 GROWING PAINS Pastor Caleb Combs | Gathering Pastor

can remember, as a child, having the worst pains in my legs. They would most commonly come when I was laying down in I bed or while I slept at night. I would wake up and feel like my legs were in a vice. One instance that I can vividly remember, the wrenching pain was so unbearable, and I felt like I could not walk or move. I yelled out for my dad to come and help me through the pain. He rushed into my room, half-asleep, trying to figure out what was going on. I explained to him what was going on, and he told me that I was experiencing growing pain. I thought to myself, well I am not sure growing is worth all of this pain. The pain in my legs was so brutal; I just wanted it to stop.

When thinking about this in our own walk with Christ, growth is painful. I know a lot of you have gone through a considerable amount of pain in your walk with Christ. The sad part about it is we also know many people who have given up growing in Christ because it was too hard. The enemy does not want you to grow. In fact, Satan wants you to do the opposite of growth, and that is death. We as Christians have been called to grow in Christ but realize this is not going to be easy. Many of you have lost friends, family, jobs, and more because you have decided to grow in your walk with Christ. Others may not be as extreme, and you just miss your favorite weekly television show to come to a growth community or study the Bible. Wherever your situation falls, you must remember one thing; you have an adversary and he does not want you to grow. It will take grit and determination to grow. The difference between physical and spiritual growth is that spiritual growth will not just happen on its own. You will physically grow as you age and for some of us now we are no longer growing up, but growing out.

207

Spiritual growth takes discipline and time, but the reward is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” As painful as spiritual growth may be in your life, the eternal reward will be much greater than you could ever imagine. So, as you go through the growing pains, do as I did, call on your Father for comfort. He has given freedom to call on His name in all circumstances. I realize, as you work through your growth, you may want to quit at times, but do not. Go to your heavenly Father for encouragement to keep battling to grow in and through Him.

208 GROW: DEVOTION 5 JESUS GREW Pastor Caleb Combs | Gathering Pastor

s we continue in our week focused on growth, I could not get this verse out of my head. Luke 2:52 tells us, “And A Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” We see the ultimate example of whom we are supposed to strive to be like. This concept amazes me. The almighty God, humbled Himself, came to earth as a man and grew. Now let us look at this breakdown a little more in depth. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. Therefore, we know that the God in Him could not grow. However, the man part of Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and with others. A base level question I ask myself is why would the God of the universe come to this earth and put Himself subject to growing in those areas? As crazy as it sounds, Jesus, being fully God, experienced infancy, potty training, and even puberty. He humbled Himself to grow. There we see the one key element to all of growth, humility. You cannot grow unless you humble yourself to let someone or something teach you. Pride will swell up in an area you may feel you know it all, and in that case, you are unable to learn. We always say that Jesus humbled Himself and came to this earth as a man, yet we forget all the practical aspects that come with that. Humility is key to learning.

The areas we see Jesus growing are interesting and challenging to me. Let’s just say that Jesus was a well-rounded student (total understatement by the way). He grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. I picture Jesus being the smartest, coolest, best looking, and strongest kid in school; but that is just my imagination. We know that Jesus humbled Himself to grow in these areas. He grew physically as a human being, and I am sure He fell while trying to figure out how to walk. He grew mentally

209

smarter as a human, which is crazy to try and theologically figure out. We do not have time to talk about that now, but really thinking about that will blow your mind, and that is not the most extreme. He grew spiritually, and the Bible says, “in favor with God.” Now pause and let that sink in a little. The only perfect person grew in His walk with the heavenly Father. MIND BLOWN! However, we see Jesus submitting to the will and plan of God, following it to a ’T.” I can think of Jesus’ prayer in the garden and Him telling the Father, “Not my will but yours.” Lastly, we see Jesus growing socially. We see Jesus as a 12-year-old amazing the teachers in the synagogue with His knowledge and articulation of the Scriptures. Jesus, being the greatest teacher ever to walk on the earth, had thousands of people following Him around to hear what He would say next. To think His social skills were developed over His life is incredible.

Now, we can practically look at our own lives and try to live up to growing in these areas. We will not be perfect, but at least we have a standard to shoot for. We know that Jesus humbled Himself and put Himself under teaching so that He would grow. So, why won’t we? We all need to grow in one area or another. Let’s get honest, we all could grow in all four of these areas: mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. We need to be better husbands, wives, parents, coworkers, grandparents, friends, neighbors, etc.; you fill in the blank for your own life. We need to strive to Grow. Jesus humbled Himself and set a standard for us to live by daily. NOW LETS GROW!

210 GROW: DEVOTION 6 READ AND PRAY Pastor Caleb Combs | Gathering Pastor

can remember as a child downstairs at Faith Church in a big block room yelling at the top of my lungs as a 6 year I old, “Read your Bible, read your Bible, pray every day, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow.” The reason I was yelling this was because the boys’ side wanted to be louder than the girls’ side. There was no way I was going to let the girls’ side win this sing-off. Little did I know what this was doing in my life. All these years later, the words of this little song echo in my head. The many mistakes I have made, the struggles I have gone through, and the many times I have gotten to see God do incredible things; yet these simple words are crucial in growing in Christ. It is not simply reading and talking that will create growth (hang on I am going somewhere, so do not throw anything at me before I can explain my point), but the engagement of your heart in the Scriptures and the conversation with the most high God. An open heart reading verses you have read many times, and yet God still speaks in and through them in a miraculous ways. It is sad to say, but I have only started to appreciate the importance of prayer, as I became an adult. It is an open engagement with God. Whether you are driving down the road (keep your eyes open please), walking down the street, on lunch break at work, or simply putting your children to bed, we have been invited, and better yet implored by God to come to Him. Prayer is in incredible thing. So looking at these two “exercises”, we see one major correlation, connecting with God. It is about you opening your eyes, ears, and heart to Christ and inviting Him to speak into your life.

We cannot grow without Christ. Wait let’s hear that again and I am going to make that personal, YOU CANNOT GROW WITHOUT CHRIST. Jesus tells us in the book of John, "I am

211

the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” The word ‘abide’ there is crucial to understand, better yet abide or hold to. We are to hold to Him on a journey of growth. It is not a sprint and in one day, you will be grown and mature. It is a marathon that we hold to Jesus. Just as we sang as loud as we could in kids’ church, “Read your Bible, read your Bible, pray every day, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow,” we were being taught two basic yet important principles to growing in Christ; study God’s Word and praying continuously. May you seek the Lord daily in all that you do!

212

213