This year is passing by so fast. Two-thirds of the year has already gone by. As Cal Poly has transitioned to a semester system and the fall semester has begun, a new season has begun for us as well. Every new season gives me a chance to “reset” and gives me new hope. It reminds me of 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”
This is so comforting to me. Our past failures and regrets have passed away, and new mercies, new hope, and a new beginning wait for us. It is terrible to live in the past. The weight of the past can be so heavy that it can paralyze us and keep us from moving forward. But this verse declares that the old has passed away and we can live in the NEW. I like new stuff. I love the feeling of putting on a pair of new shoes. I love opening a new book for the very first time and hearing the pages crackle. I enjoy the moment when I pronounce a newly married couple for the very first time, “Mr. and Mrs.”
There is something exciting about new things. And being a “new creation” is the greatest kind of new. A new season reminds me of this truth. As I enter this new school year, there are a couple of things I am thinking about. One is our college ministry. We are in San Luis Obispo, and Cal Poly and Cuesta are right here in our town. I know that they are our mission field. We pray for the students, and we want to actively engage in making disciples on these campuses.
One thing I need to do better is to share this vision with our congregation and provide leadership. We do Mystery Dinners and provide opportunities for people in our church to build relationships with college students. I am constantly praying for this ministry to take off and for a great number of students to become actively engaged in our House Churches.
Some of our House Churches are already doing is inviting college students. I think this is a great and natural way to reach the college population. Invite them into our homes. Feed them. Get to know them. Love them. And invite them to be part of our House Church community.
Another thing I am thinking about is our House Church ministry. I know House Church is not a church-growth program, but I do get a little anxious about the fact that we have been at 14 House Churches for a while. This weekend, we are having our Shepherds Retreat, and I am going to share about two things: shepherds tithing and coming up with House Church VIPs. I want to clarify that tithing means giving 10% of our income to the general purpose of the church, rather than designating it to something we choose. I also want each House Church to go through a two-week process of prayerfully coming up with House Church VIPs—people whom we can pray for and intentionally engage with.
I am hopeful about all areas of our ministry because God is sovereign and He is good. He is at work even when we cannot see everything He is doing. His will is very clear in the Bible. He wants us to make disciples. He wants us to reach people who do not know Jesus. He wants us to love one another and bear fruit. As we allow God to work in us and through us, I am confident that He will do a “new work” in our church in this new season as we continue to seek Him and abide in Him.
I am looking forward to seeing what God will do in this new season.
The old has passed away, and see, the new has come!