I’m truly thankful for the role that I get to play within GENESIS.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to share week after week what the LORD is teaching me through His Word.
I'm thankful for the opportunities I have to sit with people who just need some help, encouragement, and guidance.
I'm thankful for the opportunities I have to participate in people's moments of celebration — things like weddings and the dedication of children.
And I'm equally thankful for the opportunities I have to sit with people in their most heartbreaking moments — things like funerals and hospital visits.
There is SO MUCH that I love about the role that I get to play within our church family, but hands-down, one of my most favorite things I get to be part of is being in the water with men and women when they publicly proclaim through baptism that they are followers of Jesus.
This past Sunday, June 7th, as a church family, we had the opportunity to witness 15 men and women declare that JESUS IS THEIR RABBI. And what's not lost on me is that with every person who entered into the waters of baptism, there was a STORY of how they got there.
Someone prayed for them.
Someone planted gospel seeds.
Someone explained to them the gospel of Jesus.
Someone invited them to follow Jesus.
In other words, God uses people to bring more people into His family.
Ethan, Saulo, Kiara, Nydasia, Lliana, Bunthoeun, Erica, Eloise, Ben, Ryan, Meridith, Alex, Matthew, Michelle, and Ashly.
Those are the 15 men and women who entered into the waters this past Sunday. If you would, please take a moment to pray for each of them — that God would continue to give them the strength, courage, and grace to keep in step with Jesus.
And as you pray, here's something I don't want you to miss:
YOU WERE PART OF THIS!
Maybe you were one of those people who prayed.
Maybe you planted a seed years ago and forgot you even did it.
Maybe you simply showed up week after week, and your faithfulness created an environment where someone else could say yes to Jesus.
However you've been part of this community, you were part of the sacred moment we witnessed on Sunday. And just so you know, what we witnessed at GENESIS on Sunday wasn’t just exciting… it is, but it was so much than that, it's ETERNAL.
God is at work within our community!
God is growing people's faith.
God is bringing people into His family.
And not only do we get to see that, but WE also get to be part of it — not just some of us but ALL of us. And that's not a small thing… that is an ETERNAL THING.
In thinking about the baptisms that took place this past Sunday, I was reminded of something Jesus said in the gospel…
"The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields." Luke 10:2 (NLT)
As you probably all know, we live in one of the least reached regions in the entire country. In other words — New England is a MISSION FIELD and WE (me and you) get to serve as workers in God's GREAT HARVEST!
GENESIS started on September 1, 2009 — and whether you were there on day one or you just walked through the doors for the first time, we are ALL getting to be part of something truly special, and I hope that we NEVER lose sight of the amazing mission that we ALL get to be part of it.
Truly grateful to be doing ALL WE can as a community to help just a few more people walk with God… what a joy and privilege it is to do this with you ALL!
