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July 23, 2004
Dear Church Family,
One of the most uncomfortable words in the English language for us to hear is c-h-a-n-g-e, especially when it is in reference to us. However, God never desires that we stand still. We know that because we have always been in the state of change since the day we were born. Think about it, life is seen as a series of struggles that eventually lead us to higher levels -- through childhood, into adolescence, into adulthood, marriage, parenting, careers, etc. As Bruce Wilkinson in The Prayer of Jabez says, "Our territories are always changing -- and God wants us to be victorious." Likewise, our church is always changing. Just three years ago, the Hope Center was completed, two years ago we began serving Family Night Meals on Wednesdays (which will soon be resuming), and last summer we sponsored our first foreign mission trip. While these have been somewhat subtle changes, they have also been monumental changes in the life of the church, as well as, the people involved.
God isn't just calling the church to change; He is also calling each of us to change, too. He is calling each of us to change spiritually in order that we will become more like him. God has a specific purpose for each of our lives and if we want to know the purpose of our life, we must begin with God, not ourselves or what others think. We were created for God's purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 (LB) says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" Ephesians 1:11 (Msg.) says, "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, and had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." We have no idea the tremendous things God wants to do in our lives or in His church!
Without knowing God's purpose for our life, we will wander aimlessly through life as Moses and the Israelites did in Deuteronomy, as we found Solomon did in Ecclesiastes, and, unfortunately, as many of us are doing. I pray that as our church embarks upon yet another change that we will all open our hearts and minds to being changed and let God change us spiritually to become more like him.
In Christ,
Russ Bradley
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