Days of Important Prayer

David Staff   -  

Discerning the Lord’s Will in Decisions

Jesus, the son of Mary and God the Son, prayed.  So much so that his disciples longed to get in on it.  “Teach us to pray,” they begged, “the way John the baptizer taught his disciples.”

But clearly, their appetite to pray was also whet by watching their Master’s daily life.  When they couldn’t find Him, they figured he had again found yet another private place where he could both listen to and make requests of his Father.  Paul Miller rightly noted  that Jesus was the most dependent human being who ever walked on planet earth (A Praying Life).  He was constantly praying (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Jesus modeled what he believed living a supernaturally directed life required.  Prayer was necessary.  Attended by a sense of urgency, it was the life-line for living in the power of the Spirit.

Discerning God’s Will for Christ Community Church

This year, our Missional Leadership Board has been reading and discussing Pursuing the Will of God Together.  This helpful (albeit meaty) book by Ruth Barton coaches groups on discerning the will of God for their particular situation.  She writes, “Discernment, in a most general sense, is the capacity to recognize and respond to the presence and the activity of God—both in the ordinary moments and in the larger decisions of our lives.”

As Christ Community Church moves through this challenging year, it is being called upon to discern God’s will in several large decisions.

First, on Sunday afternoon, October 25, Christ Community Church’s membership will receive a report from the MLB on the outcome of its “internal search” (i.e., within our present ministry staff team) for a qualified candidate who could be God’s choice for our next Lead Pastor.  A candidate will be offered for Christ Community Church’s membership to prayerfully consider and evaluate.  As per our by-laws, the final decision will be in the hands of our collective membership.  Together, we will need to prayerfully discern God’s will together.

Second, at our Winter Membership meeting (January 2021), Christ Community Church’s members will again be asked to choose two new Missional Leadership Board members.  For 6 years, our ministry has been served wonderfully by two very godly leaders, Brad Heemstra and Scott Beckwith.  As their terms come to a close, it is important we discern God’s will for new leaders on the board, men of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 character.

Such decisions, and their long-term impact on the health of Christ Community Church underscore the importance of “membership.”  A healthy church needs engaged members whose habit of life is fervent, urgent, eager praying…and listening to the Spirit.

Commending Servanthood at Christ Community Church

This week, Loyas Gemmill concludes 25 years of full-time service to the Ministry of First EFC and Christ Community Church.  In October of 1995, Loyas stepped in to the “shoes” of Lucille Lahm, who herself had served the Lord well in our ministry’s offices.

Loyas has served with sacrificial faithfulness and excellence in data management and financial administration, a testimony to the momentum that true servanthood can bring to a growing church.  Loyas, we commend you (and love you!) for all that the Lord has done through you!

Loyas will finish the calendar year in a part-time role, and then fully step away in January.  Please pray for God’s help as we seek to “fill her shoes.”

Dear members and friends of Christ Community Church.  Though we’ve been distanced by COVID and unsettled by a turbulent year, let’s lean in together as Jesus’ vibrant body!  Let’s pray.  Let’s listen to the Word and the Spirit.  Let’s discern God’s will.  Let’s make great choices confident of our Father’s love and direction.