Highlights of 2022
Dear Church,
One (among many) of my favorite things about December is the year-end reviews — the lists of “Best,” “Most,” and “Top” that look back on the whole year.
Apple Music has already reported to me that I listened to 21,087 minutes of music in ’22 (and my top song was “Stronghold (featuring John Marc Kohl)” — which is a very good song).
There are also the yearly book awards, and while some of those aren’t yet released, TGC has already doled out theirs. And the “Award of Distinction” in the Ministry category goes to … Workers for Your Joy — congrats, Pastor David Mathis!
Alongside these enjoyable highlights, I thought it would be worthwhile to point out some examples of God’s faithfulness to our church in 2022.
So much of the Christian life — and our progress along the pilgrim way — is invisible. There’s no way we can quantify the work of God here and now. His kingdom has a spiritual economy, and he’s always doing ten thousand times more things than we can see. And while that’s true, in his kindness he does let us see some. There are a handful of things, of numbers even, that represent his profound blessings upon our church.
For example, in 2022, our church of 301 covenant members witnessed 25 baptisms, added 56 new members, and continued steadily with 20 Community Groups (soon to be 21). Come this Sunday, we will have commissioned one new church plant in Gospel Joy Church, bringing that to four plants since 2018.
By God’s grace, we’ve completed four sermon series, including Galatians, The Heart of the Gospel, another segment of Psalms, and Leviticus. At least 37 adult discipleship classes have been taught in varying contexts, over 50 devotional articles have been written, and our church’s website has been visited more than 190,000 times. Interestingly, three of the top sermons searched and played were
You Shall Not Steal (2020)
We’ve also completed a key portion of the Rooted renovations, and the fellowship hall demo is underway! The entirety of the ‘link building’ is now occupied by our ministry every day throughout the week — which is no small thing.
This is not to mention the number of engagements and weddings in our church, and the babies born and adopted! What about the number of prayers we’ve prayed this year? And the prayers specifically answered? Or the encouragements spoken? Ministries enacted? Faith sustained?
There’s truly no end to the display of God’s faithfulness, and the main evidence right before us is that we’re here. We’re alive now, at this moment, still held fast, profoundly loved by God — and he has a future for us!
For a minute now, in reflection upon God’s goodness to us this year, would you join me in giving him thanks? We don’t deserve a single thing from him, and he has continued to overflow our cup. What shall we render to Yahweh for all his benefits to us? We will lift up the cup of salvation and call on his name — Amen, God! Thank you, God! More, God!
Because Jesus is real,
Pastor Jonathan
