Why Should I Participate in Sunday Classes?

Healthy things grow. We are the kind of people who believe that Sunday classes are one of the steps God uses to grow our faith. Growth is good. Stagnation is bad. 2 Peter 3:18 says, Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

When we grow in our Biblical knowledge and understanding we see very specific benefits. The primary benefits is to grow in love: to love God more fully and to love others more boldly. Here are three additional benefits: 

1. Resilience is better than anxiety. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. (Ephesians 6:14a) Stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. (Colossians 4:12b)
2. Discernment is better than deception. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. (Ephesians 4:14)
3. Relationship is better than isolation. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

What steps are you taking to grow your faith? 

Let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. (Hebrews 6:1)

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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In Process

I’m regularly apologizing for the state of my garden. In early spring, I say, “It is just getting started.” Later, I say, “It will look better in a few weeks.” In the middle of summer, I say, “It needs some weeds pulled.” Late in the season, I say, “It is past its prime.” Or, I say, “Wait till next year, it will be much better.”

My garden is always in process. Here is a photo taken last night. It will probably look better next week. Like the church. Like my life. In process.

The book The Story of Reality, by Greg Koukl, explains that living “in process” is part of our worldview as people who follow Jesus. Our “in process” comes in four stages: Creation (How things began), Fall (How things got broken), Redemption (How things will get fixed), and Restoration (How things will be once they are fixed).

Every worldview must account for these four stages. We account for them this way: 

1. How did things begin? God made the world and called it good. 
2. How did things get broken? Rebellion against God. (Weeds)
3. How will things get fixed? Jesus makes all things new. 
4. How will things look once fixed? All things good again in God’s Kingdom.

This worldview is good news for anyone who has ever been abused, oppressed, or mistreated. It is good news for anyone who has ever had grief, or pain, or trauma. It means that all that is broken can be fixed. All injustice can be made just. All grief can be healed. All sin can be forgiven.

Jesus obeyed perfectly and died a horrifying death to take on the rebellion of the world. Jesus was raised from the dead, and whoever puts their trust in Jesus as their Savior will be made right with God and live in God’s Kingdom now and forever. 

For those who trust in Jesus, he will one day wipe away every tear. One day. Until that day, we are “in process” because we live in the tension between the “now” and the “not yet” of God’s Kingdom. Like a garden, “It will look better in a few weeks.”

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

God is Working Hard (pt. 3)

(read part 1) (read part 2)

In gym class, I was always relieved when chosen. (Particularly if not chosen last.)

In Guatemala, we give goodies to the kids who show up at our work sites. A doll, a cap, a granola bar, matchbox cars, candy. 

Once word gets out, the number of kids grows rapidly. Some of those kids are very timid. They lurk around the edges, waiting to see if they will be chosen to receive a gift. When we invite them to receive a gift, they smile.

Last week, two little girls, Madelyn and Astrid, from Guatemala chose Mary and me. Madelyn said she picked us because we “seemed kind, friendly, and nice.” She was probably looking at Mary.

The Bible tells us how God chooses people to be his people: “God, your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure.

God wasn’t attracted to you and didn’t choose you because you were big and important—the fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise he made to your ancestors.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, MSG)

I’m glad to be chosen. Being chosen makes all the difference. Jesus said, “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you.”  (John 15:15-16, NLT)

We are chosen!

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.