Hello Church Family,
This past Sunday I preached on faith renewed community. I’ve had lots of conversations this past week about what it means to be in community. Most people acknowledge that community can be hard. It is easier to connect with people who think and look like you. But there can be so much growth when we are willing to get uncomfortable and to reach out to people who may look and think differently than us. That is the image of the early church in the book of Acts and what John mentions in Revelation 7.
Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV)
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
We have an opportunity to build that type of community here on earth at RiverStone. How are we reaching out to those in our community? What type of community are we building here at RiverStone? What type of community do we want to build at RiverStone? Are we willing to reach out to someone who looks or thinks differently and to invite them to join us for community?
It takes all of us inviting at least one person to join us at church. It starts with understanding that everyone has been made in the image of God and that we are all fallen people in need of a savior. If we believe both of those things, inviting someone to church becomes easier. The invitation is one of inviting them to community. As our community grows stronger, we are able to serve our community better.
Join me as we build our community together one person at a time.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Jeremy