This is Us

We are the church, whether we are gathered or scattered--each one of us, a part of the body of Christ, wherever we go, whatever we do.

So, where can you find us, and what are we doing? 

Another Apex missions story this week. Five Oaker Daniel Visness (far left in the picture) shares a bit of his experience in Japan, a 7-week immersion in missions. By the way, we'll be sharing more about the next Apex opportunities in the coming weeks. 

"Before this trip, I had really been struggling with my identity as a Christian; honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I was one anymore. But through my experiences, and especially through talking with my team leaders, I am now confident of my faith and know that, yes, I actually am a Christian. Truthfully though, the most change has occurred in my life through the interactions with my teammates. It took me a long time to realize it, but, upon looking back, I realized that working alongside them opened my eyes to a lot of junk that was in my life. I hadn’t even realized it, but I was struggling with depression and serious judgmentalism; it was really hard for me to get along with anyone, especially people who I judged more harshly than others. ...Looking back, I know God used this trip in my life to change me, to force me to open up to people again, to become someone who actually represents Christ in everything I do. I’m making progress, but change doesn’t come easily to me; still, I praise God for what he is doing in my life."

How to Develop the Courage to Live by Your Convictions

This weekend's passage is one you might be familiar with. It’s the story of how three young men defy a king’s command to worship an idol and, as a result, are thrown into a fiery furnace. These three young men have the courage to follow their convictions all the way to their deaths. 

As you read this narrative, it seems to be a story about courage and convictions and a story that offers an example to follow. 

But it’s actually much more than that. It’s a story carefully crafted and told so as to get to the core of their convictions and to get to the core of their courage. 

It’s not just an example to follow, it’s a study on how to develop the courage to live by our convictions. 

You might be facing a challenge to violate your convictions right now, and you’re failing and it’s eating you up inside. 

Where are you lacking courage to face hard challenges to your faith, to living your faith and standing by your convictions no matter what the consequences? 

When these three young men in our story today violate the order to worship the idol, they know the consequence and the consequence is death— a painful death. 

You might say, “Yeah, I get it, but I’m just not that tough. I know my consequences aren’t anything like that so all you’re going to do is make me feel more guilty than I already feel.” 

You may think that, but that’s not where I’m going this weekend in the sermon. I want to show you how to develop the courage you need.  

That's what the sermon is about--how to develop the courage to live by your convictions.

Hope to see you this weekend and consider inviting a friend.

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash