Monthly Archives: March 2018

[AWAKENING CHURCH UPDATE] 3 ways to live because of Easter

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It’s Easter week and we are excited about all the opportunities that this season naturally opens. Over the past several weeks, we have dedicated time in our ESL class discussions to the Easter story. At the conclusion of class, we ask how many people have ever heard the Easter story before. So far, we’ve only had two people that had heard about the victory found in the Easter story! We are so thankful for the opportunity to share the life-changing gospel with people in Bellevue.

Over the past several months, God has given me several opportunities to preach at many churches in western Washington. The Landing Church in Bothell, WA is one of those churches. The pastor, Andy Brown, and I have formed a great relationship over the past months as we have relocated to the area. Andy planted The Landing Church about five years ago.  They have done a great job connecting and serving the east side of Seattle in the name of Jesus Christ. They have seen over 70 people come to know Jesus and have made great strides in making multiplying disciples. They have had a significant impact on this community and the Kingdom of God.

About a month ago, Andy asked me to pray for their family as God was leading them to transition to Alabama to care for his father-in-law. After many conversations and prayer, The Landing Church has asked me to step in as their interim pastor during this season of transition. As we continue with our vision to plant Awakening Church in Bellevue, we sensed God open this door for us to expand our reach. This Easter weekend will be my first weekend as the interim pastor at The Landing Church.

As Easter quickly approaches, we are drawn to 1 Corinthians 15 where we find one of the most detailed descriptions of the resurrection of Jesus. At the end of the chapter, Paul thanks God for the victory of Easter and immediately follows it up with three ways to live. As our vision is expanded, we’re focusing on these three ways to live!

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

3 WAYS TO LIVE BECAUSE OF EASTER

1. With Abnormal Stability

Steadfast and immovable are the words that Paul uses. Is my life a picture of abnormal stability? Is my life anchored in the good news of Jesus and His victory at Easter… or am I shifting with the winds of challenging circumstances, relationships, and realities of our fallen world?

The Empty Tomb teaches us that God is powerful, faithful, and willing. We no longer need to live in fear and doubt; we can stand on the Rock…He is stable.

2. With Long-term Activism

Because of Easter, we should be “always abounding in the work of the Lord.” This should push us to be hopeful, courageous, and motivated. If we actually believe that Jesus defeated death, and that He reigns in power, what should we fear?

Because of Easter, we believe in victory, transformation, deliverance, and abundant life.

3. With Real Hope

We must interpret life by looking through the lens of the empty tomb of Jesus. Because of the victory of Easter, we believe that our present work that God calls us to “is not in vain.” Paul tells us to root our heart in that truth.

In the darkest of circumstances, when God seems to be silent or even absent, we can have hope! May our celebration of Easter not be limited to a weekend. Instead, let our confidence in the Risen Christ shape our everyday lives.

Thank you for partnering with us as we pursue a life of obedience and faithfulness, dedicated to making the name of Jesus known around the world.

Please join us in praying for…

  1. Our developing vision as God expands our ministry platform and reach.
  2. The development of our new life rhythms as I step into leadership at The Landing Church in Bothell, WA.
  3. For God to continue raising up partnerships and core team members willing to journey along side our vision to plant Awakening Church in Bellevue.

[AWAKENING CHURCH UPDATE] Spiritually Fit

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Spiritually Fit

There are innumerable tasks that go into planting a new church. Our schedule can be so busy that we can easily get bogged down with the workload and become emotionally and spiritually unhealthy. Lance Witt, in his book Replenish, writes:

“Godly leadership is always inside out. God always has and always will choose to smile on men and women who are healthy, holy, and humble … a pastor’s greatest leadership tool is a healthy soul.”

It takes intentionality to become and remain emotionally and spiritually fit. As we plant Awakening Church in Washington, we have an opportunity to create the DNA of emotional and spiritual health. In doing so, we are intentional about prioritizing this as…

MARATHON PACED

Our task of church planting is less of a 100-yard dash and more of a long-distance marathon. Relationships, helping people discover Jesus, and developing leaders all take time to bloom. But often we feel like we have been fired out of a cannon! If we don’t have a marathon pace, it can be tempting to run at a speed that isn’t healthy or sustainable — leading to emotional and spiritual burnout.

INTIMACY CENTERED

It’s easy and natural for me to focus on the things that I do for God while neglecting the time I spend with God. However, when I fail to look after my relationship with God, it quickly begins to take an unhealthy toll on my life and soul. Occasionally we all need a reminder that our joy should come from our relationship with God…not our achievements for Him.

HEALTH FOCUSED

“The bigger the better” is the cultural trend. The goal of the New Testament church was never to have the biggest church on the block, but rather to lead gospel-centered, multiplying churches that are in right relationship with God and people. Success should not be defined by numbers or popularity…but obedience to the will of God. Anything other than that can become idolatry.

We are constantly reminded of how big this task of planting Awakening Church is. But as we focus on our relationship with Christ, He leads through us. On a weekly basis, we are consistently teaching an ESL Bible study, new believers class, and other international service opportunities in our community. We have many non-believers coming to our “New Believers” class each week that are visibly hungering and thirsting for God. What a joy to walk this journey with them as they discover Jesus. This past week our friend, Jack, came to our ESL Bible study. We have been praying for him and his family for months. For the first time, we had a great opportunity to share about Jesus as we studied the Bible and shared about the life and legacy of Billy Graham. The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” In similar fashion, many people are taking their first steps on their spiritual journey to Jesus.

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Over the past month, I’ve had great opportunities to preach at several different churches. Our relationships are continuing to grow and God’s vision for Awakening Church is continuing to take shape. As we recognize our inability, we become more dependent on the One who has the ability. As co-laborers, we also rely on the prayer support of our partners, friends, and readers. Please continue praying for the work that God is doing in and through us. We greatly appreciate the support!

I am pleased to announce that we recently launched our Awakening Church website (www.awakeningbellevue.com). I encourage you to check it out and let me know what you think. I sincerely value the honest feedback.

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