This past weekend we shelved the sermon and invited everyone to instead text-in honest, anonymous questions about faith and relationships.  

It was a fantastic Sunday at Life Church and we ran out of time to address every question that came in.

For what it's worth, here are the remaining questions with brief answers from Dr. Jon.  Enjoy!

Changes and transitions in relationships can be hard and painful sometimes.  We are made for relationship, not for heart break.

Getting over someone may be as simple as getting back to Someone: Jesus.  He promises to stick closer to you than anyone else and that He will never turn His back on you.

Perhaps the end of your relationship was God's merciful way of actually bringing you back to your first love, Jesus.  Focus on Him, fix your thoughts on Christ, and see what God can do through you.

Anything that controls you masters you.  We are called to only be mastered by the Holy Spirit: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit..." (Ephesians 5:18).

To that end, recovery programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are fantastic pathways for breaking addiction and creating new, healthier habits.

Um, no.  Punch them and run.

Jesus taught that in our daily relationships, choose to empathize rather than criticize. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Choose to be defrauded for the sake of your witness rather than giving Christians a bad name by taking someone to court.

Go to bed 5 minutes earlier tonight and set your alarm to go off 5 minutes earlier in the morning.  Use that time to pray.  If you don't know where to start, I recommend C.H. Spurgeon's Morning & Evening devotional as a guide.

Number one, I am so very sorry for the loss and pain you have experienced in life.  I cannot imagine what that might feel like and I feel nothing but sympathy for your journey.

Number two, understand that God loves you so much, He entered our pain-filled world through the Person and Works of Jesus Christ.  Jesus encountered and endured every hardship that we do, so He understands us deeply and personally.  

Hebrews 4 says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

Number three, the Scriptures are breathed out by God and actually speak to each of these unique hardships.  Seek the truths found only in the Bible for guidance and solace in moving forward with Christ.

Yes.

Grief comes in waves.  Give yourself permission to grieve appropriately.

You may find some peace in reading Phillip Yancey's book, What's So Amazing About Grace?

It doesn't, because this is not God's best for our lives.

The best gift you could give your children is a solid, stable home with a married mother and father raising them.

It's never too late to make things right with God.

Put a ring on it, set a date, and let's aim for God's blessing in your relationship!

You find the will to forgive by remembering how you have been forgiven by God through Christ.

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5)

It sounds like you're describing a relationship that is one-sided; you are always giving while the other person is always taking.  That sucks (literally).

Have an honest conversation with the other person.  Bring up your concerns in the form of questions:
 

• "Have you noticed that sometimes you will do ---- while I offer you ----?"
• "Do you ever feel like I'm always giving in this relationship while you are always receiving?"
• "What are your long term goals for our relationship?"

Make a move:

• Double-date/Game Night with another seasoned couple.
• Read a book together and discuss... You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity might be a good start.
• Consider a Weekend to Remember.
• Serve together at church!

Refuse to settle and make a move!

The Bible tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things and should not be our guide.  Don't follow your heart, follow your Bible.

In general, no.  I believe in reconciliation, even if it means leaving my door open and the welcome mat out!

To be unequally yoked means two will be living life in opposite directions, so the plow cannot go in a straight line. There can be no peace, no rest. The work is hard as a result, and the yoke is heavy.

Spiritually mismatched couples can have a loving relationship if they commit to being respectful to one another. As long as you can lovingly coexist, stay with the relationship. 1 Corinthians 7:13-16 offers some guidance:

“If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”

Broken relationships leave damage in their wake so don’t be quick to step out of a relationship.

If your spouse has moved from disbelief of your faith to disrespecting your faith or to disrespecting you, seek help.

If your spouse demeans you or undermines your ability to practice faith or forbids you from engaging your children in faith, then you need some support to help you modify behaviors or develop an exit strategy. Abuse and neglect are not behaviors that God desires for our relationships. We all carry the image of God and we need to treat one another as God’s image bearers.

When you discover a church that makes a big deal about Jesus, teaches the Bible, has biblically-qualified leadership, and shares a vision that your household can 100% get behind, you know that you're home.

Our heartbeat is to reach people who rarely darken a church door.

Authenticity, humor, and modern worship are our flavor.

Before COVID, we were a movement of changed lives in Midland.

Then everything shut down.

Now we're ready to reopen our doors to serve people who don't always *like* going to church.

Before we actually reopen our doors in Midland, it's important to remember why we're doing what we're doing.

Here are 4 Key Reasons to Relaunch Our Midland Campus.

Going multisite is an act of obedience to Matthew 28's Great Commission of “making disciples” and to the mission of our church. The starting point in considering multisite begins with the vision of our church. What is God calling our church to be, and then do in the Great Lakes Bay Region?
 

• Is my church growing at least five percent a year through conversions, baptisms and changed lives?
  
  
• Is my church meeting resistance to enlarging our current campus due to zoning rules, environmental concerns, or traffic congestion?
  
  
• Is my church facility exceeding 50% capacity at the optimal inviting hours?
  
  

(Though preachers and worship leaders prefer packed auditoriums, unchurched people in the post-pandemic era are more comfortable with space between strangers. Think about where you prefer to sit when going to see a movie at a theater full of strangers). 

Do you know the redemptive potential of our region? Jesus said, “Lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are ripe for harvest!” (John 4:35).

What was true 2,000 years ago is even more so today. Most communities across America are 75-95% unchurched and our church is planted in the midst of a great mission field. Do you know the size of the harvest around you?
 

• Is our community 50% or more unchurched? (Answer: Yes!)
  
  
• Does my church have a good reputation in the community?
  
  
• Would my church be missed by the community if it disappeared? 

Multisiting is all about taking your church to the people in the community next door. One of the most amazing and consistent facts about church attendance in America is that the majority of church-goers live within a 15-minute drive of their church building. The rest live within thirty minutes. Only a very few, if any, will drive more than thirty minutes to church.

If our church can reproduce itself 20-30 minutes from its current location, it will expand its geographical reach into a new mission field.
 

• Does my church want to be more accessible to more people in our region?
  
  
• Is my church compelled by a vision to launch new congregations in our region that are healthy, sustainable, and reproductive?

Multisite campuses cost less but have greater impact.  COVID finally cured American churches of our addiction to unsustainable mega-campuses and demonstrated that buildings don’t reach people, people reach people. 

We also learned that buildings don’t generate income, life-changing ministry does. Going forward new church buildings will be smaller, simpler, multipurpose, multi-venue and community-centric. Small is the new big!

Multisite churches reach more people better, faster and cheaper because they offer a good balance of evangelism and discipleship. Multisite churches provide more opportunities for volunteers and more support for them. Multisite campuses can reach more people from a solid base of mature believers who already live in the target area, who attend your church and carry your church’s DNA.

• Does my church want to release more people into high impact, meaningful ministry?
  
  
• Does my church want to reach and serve more people in the most efficient and cost-effective way?

Sometimes I wonder why Amber and I have such audacious dreams. 

I suppose we were cut from the same cloth... we root for the underdog and believe in the impossible.

When we planted Life Church 9 years ago and acquired our Saginaw Campus facility and property 7 years ago, we never believed this tiny little church would grow so fast, that staff would be added so fast, all while pursuing three more infant adoptions for our young family. 

But there was this still, small Voice that whispered, "The time is now."

Our hearts have always been to reach the lost at any cost.

So we jumped in feet first and never looked back despite the many obstacles along the way.  The hard work.  The unrelenting repairs.  The ups and downs.  The pandemic.  The disappointments.  The loss of income.

We are currently in a season of Rebuilding Home, facing a host of unknowns and needs for the months ahead.  We feel the weight of it and we are humbly asking for your partnership as we navigate Life Church into the future.

I'll admit, at times like this, I wonder why we were given the opportunity to steward such an incredible church... such an incredible people.

I wonder why we were entrusted with an amazing facility that serves area families on Sundays, area youth on Tuesdays, and small groups throughout the week.

I wonder why church planting is such hard, sometimes exhausting work.  Miscommunications and misunderstandings easily occur when a church experiences such rapid growth, and it hurts every time.

But then I remember...

The families who came, the lives that were changed, the hearts renewed, the baptisms celebrated, and the souls refreshed.

I remember the good.  The beauty.  The forever friends.
All found and forged right here in the middle of the Great Lakes Bay Region.

I'm reminded of the great calling we have and the enormous privilege it is to steward a legacy of love and healing.

I can get stuck wondering when I know in my heart of hearts, our work here is just getting started.

We are standing on the edge of a promise with only unknowns before us.  Personally, our family is planted here and we aren't going anywhere. 

Honestly, we are in a season of dried-up resources and a huge responsibility to sustain.  We are holding all of this with open hands as we are reminded that we are only caretakers of this church and vision.

If your life has been touched by the ministries of Life Church, would you consider sharing a special gift this Giving Tuesday or during our Christmas Offering on Sunday, December 11th?

Life Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so your donations are tax-deductible at LifeChurchGive.com.

And if you simply want to give because you can, we would be so grateful. 

Thank you,

Pastor Jon

Depression is something a lot of people feel but few talk about.

If you are struggling with depression, or anxiety, or both, you are not alone. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, depression affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the adult population in a given year.

Someone struggling with depression feels discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated, or disinterested in life in general. Depression can last for short seasons or long seasons. When these feelings last for more than two weeks and begin to interfere with daily activities, it’s likely a depressive episode.

Lots of things can trigger depression, such as loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a major life change, a traumatic event, or difficult relationship. Experiencing depression does not make you less of a Christian, and it does not mean you are doing something wrong.

Romans 8:39 promises, “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing in all creation includes your depression. Even when life feels out of control, and God seems far away, we know that He loves us greatly, and He is always near.

If you are struggling with depression, asking for help is the best thing you can do.

Maybe your next step is honesty with your spouse or close friends about how you are feeling. Maybe it is asking for prayers from others, or joining a small group to have community and remind you that you are not alone. Maybe your next step is seeking professional help from a counselor or medication from a physician. Whatever your next step, know that God has given us the gift of each other to encourage us and help us along our journey.

We need to invite others into what is going on in our lives. We need to open up about how we are feeling and let others pray for us and offer encouragement. 2 Thessalonians 2:5 says, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

Not only does the Lord give us hope, encouragement, and strength directly, He also gives us those things through other people. When we talk to others about our struggles, the encouragement and strength we receive from them is one way Jesus shows His love for us.

Being vulnerable is scary, but we aren’t meant to carry burdens alone. That is one of the amazing reasons God made the church.

Sometimes the depression is more than we can work through on our own. Taking medication, pursuing counseling, or both, doesn’t mean you are weak. Having the courage to ask for help shows you are strong.

Just as God has given you special gifts and abilities, He has given others, like counselors, physicians, and therapists, special gifts to help those struggling with depression. The prophet Isaiah references this variety in calling and gifting when he says, “The Lord has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1). God gave Isaiah a specific mission: to help those who were hurting. All around us, God is doing the same thing — setting aside people to help us through tough times.

If a doctor or counselor recommends medicine to help your depression, keep an open mind. Nowhere does the Bible say you can’t take medicine for depression. If you have a heart disease and need medication, you wouldn’t think twice about heeding your doctor’s advice and taking medication. Taking medication for you mental health is no different than taking medication for your heart health. Sometimes we need additional help, and that’s OK.

Romans 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Maybe one of the tools God has given us to help us endure is medication and/ or counseling.

Decide that you are going to be strong and work through this depression in whatever form it looks like. Get the help you need that God has provided.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” You are never forgotten. The Lord promises that He is with you, always, and that He is close.

Depression is real, and it hurts. But God has given us amazing gifts in Himself and each other. God has what we need and has given us others to help encourage us, lift us up, and push us forward.

“Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

“I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12)

“...For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:5).

Spiritual gifts are supernatural empowerments given by the Holy Spirit to the followers of Christ so that they can do the work of building up the body of Christ, that is, the church, and extend the Kingdom of God throughout the world.

Spiritual gifts are not innate, natural talents, like an ear for music or the ability to draw, but rather they are empowerments that the Holy Spirit gives to a believer to minister to the body in ways that were not possible by mere natural effort apart from the Holy Spirit. In the ministry of the apostles in the book of Acts, we see that they performed miracles, healed people, preached, and spoke in tongues, which they had not been able to do apart from Christ.

Spiritual gifts are empowerments for building up the church and extending the Kingdom of God.

In 1 Corinthians 14, the Apostle Paul instructs this congregation on the function of spiritual gifts. He repeats several times that they are to strengthen or build up the church.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).

…try to excel in gifts that build up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12).

…All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Of course, it must also be noted that Paul suggests that spiritual gifts can have a witnessing function to non-believers.

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1 Corinthians 14:24–25).

The New Testament lists 21 different spiritual gifts, all coming from the Third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit.

The definitions and characteristics of some gifts are so similar, some believe the Scriptures use synonyms in some cases.

1. Miraculous Gifts
   • Apostle - 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11
   • Tongues  - 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 30
   • Interpretation - 1 Corinthians 12:10, 30
   • Miracles - 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28
   • Healing - 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28
     
     
2. Enabling Gifts
   • Faith - 1 Corinthians 12:9
   • Discernment  - 1 Corinthians 12:10
   • Wisdom - 1 Corinthians 12:8
   • Knowledge - 1 Corinthians 12:8
     
     
3. Team Ministry Gifts
   • Evangelism: passionately leading others to the saving knowledge of Christ - Ephesians 4:11
     
     
   • Prophecy: boldly and fearlessly proclaiming God’s truth - Romans 12:6; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28
     
     
   • Teaching: making clear the truth of God’s Word with simplicity & accuracy - Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28
     
     
   • Exhortation: motivating others to action, application and purpose - Romans 12:8
     
     
   • Shepherding: overseeing, training, feeding, coaching/leading - Ephesians 4:11
     
     
   • Serving: providing practical help both physically and spiritually, Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28
     
     
   • Mercy-showing: identifying with and comforting those in need - Romans 12:8
     
     
   • Giving: releasing material resources to further the work of the Church - Romans 12:8
     
     
   • Administration: organizing, administering, promoting, leading - Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28. (Source: Dr. Larry Gilbert, ChurchGrowth.org)

The Holy Spirit is the owner and dispenser of the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7,11). As believers, we are stewards of the gifts of God (1 Peter 4:10). Every believer can expect the Holy Spirit to minister through him or her with spiritual gifts.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… (1 Corinthians 12:7; emphasis added).

This protects us from a static view of spiritual gifts and leads into a more dynamic relationship with the Holy Spirit where we can expect Him to move through us in multiple ways for His Glory as He sees fit.

Spiritual gifts can be experienced immediately following conversion, but are often received at various moments subsequent to conversion. Paul encourages Timothy, “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you” (1 Timothy 4:14).

It is not clear exactly when this happened in Timothy’s spiritual journey, but it was probably when he was commissioned by the church to begin his ministry. This also suggests that gifts can come by impartation from spiritual leadership. This is not some kind of “magical” touch, but instead the culmination of a relationship of discipleship accountability and submission to authority. It is also clear from Scripture that spiritual gifts can be received when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; 10:44–48; 19:6).

“While our Lord Jesus was on earth, he did not accomplish his great deeds of power in the strength of his deity. I believe he did them all in the strength and authority of his Spirit-anointed humanity.” 

(A.W. Tozer, Jesus, Our Man in Glory, chapter 6)

Though the focus of Acts is on the ministry of the Apostles, we also see that regular people exercised spiritual gifts (Acts 6:8; 8:6–7; 9:17–19; 10:44–46; 19:6–7). Thus, every believer can expect God to work through him or her with spiritual gifts.

Various passages in the New Testament mention a variety of gifts, principally 1 Corinthians 12:8–10 and 29–30; Romans 12:4–8; Ephesians 4:11; and 1 Peter 4:10–11. It is not easy to define or describe each of these gifts. Some seem to be quite evident in their nature. The Scriptures do not indicate that the list of spiritual gifts is exhaustive. The number of spiritual gifts is not important, but rather the understanding of what they are and how they are to be used.

Spiritual gifts should work together, complementing each other. There is a need for them to be active in the church. Paul exhorts the Corinthian congregation to eagerly desire spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1). This does not mean, however, that gifts should be used to exalt the individual or to feed an immature desire for attention. He repeats in v. 12 that they should try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 

Spiritual gifts must be used in love (1 Corinthians 13; Romans 12:9; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Peter 4:8). If they are not used in love they will be abused and cause trouble in the body, rather than blessing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Love, when used with spiritual gifts is like oil in a machine. It makes all the parts work well together.

We must also remember that our “comfort zone” is not the same as spiritual discernment, and at times even a gift manifested in love may make those ignorant of it uncomfortable. Therefore, patient teaching on the gifts and their manifestations is a necessity (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Romans 12:4, 5; Ephesians 4:12,15,16).

All the gifts are needed in the body of Christ. All the gifts are equally valid. In 1 Corinthians 12:12–26, the Apostle Paul instructs the church that no one should despise his/her own gift by comparing it to the gifts of others. And he also says that no one should despise someone else’s gift as being less than his/her gift. Some gifts are more apparent than others, but each gift is important.

Paul indicates that the gift of prophecy is an important gift, one to be desired (1 Corinthians 14:1). First Corinthians 14:1–25 compares the gift of prophecy and the gift of speaking in tongues in the context of public worship. The clear indication is that the gift of prophecy is more profitable for building up the body of Christ than the gift of speaking in tongues is, unless the tongues are interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:5, 27–28). The context of the ministry is what determines the value of a particular gift.

Speaking in tongues is a valid gift for today. However, in the public ministry setting, the gift of tongues must have someone to interpret for it to be profitable for strengthening the body. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two – or at the most three – should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God (1 Corinthians 14:27–28). This would indicate that if there is no interpreter present, tongues should be used in a personal prayer to God for which no interpretation is necessary.

This, of course, is also of value to the individual believer’s edification and ultimately for the edification of the church and must not be considered a lesser gift.

It is possible for a person to neglect a spiritual gift. Paul warns Timothy not to neglect his gift (1 Timothy 4:14), and he also encourages him to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hand” (2 Timothy 1:6).

Therefore, it is a biblical necessity that believers discover and move in the arena of spiritual gifts. It has been said that Christians are not primarily natural beings having temporary spiritual experiences. Rather, we are spiritual beings having a temporary natural experience. We live in a spiritual, Kingdom reality.

If the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts, then their discovery must by nature be a spiritual experience. When we walk in obedience, we must trust that the Holy Spirit will respond with the revelation of His gifts in our lives. Having said this, there are some diagnostic instruments that may help us uncover what God has given.

What kind of ministry do you enjoy the most and shows the most fruitfulness? That probably indicates where there are spiritual gifts operating in your life. If you enjoy teaching and find that people are edified through your teaching ministry, it is likely that the Holy Spirit has given you a gift of teaching. If you find that the Lord puts people in your path who are ready to surrender their life to Christ, you probably have a spiritual gift of evangelism. If you enjoy inviting people to your home, either for a meal or to stay, you probably have a gift of hospitality.
There are “tests” available that might indicate your spiritual gifting -- at Life Church, we like this Spiritual Gifts Test. However, some of them measure more what a person’s natural talents and preferences are, rather than truly identifying one’s spiritual gifts. These inventories also focus on past experience and are not always a good indicator of what the Holy Spirit might lead us into in our future ministry.

A better way of confirming a person’s spiritual gifting is through the local congregation and its leadership. What do the leaders and the local body think that you do best that contributes to the welfare of the congregation? That is probably your spiritual gift. A person does not need to announce or advertise his/her spiritual gift. The local congregation will recognize and validate genuine spiritual gifts as the gifted person’s ministry contributes to the building up of the local church body. Of course, this requires the individual believer to step out in faith and obedience to God’s Word. The gifts of the Holy Spirit operate through obedient and faith-filled disciples.

Life Church Midland is a proud sponsor of Great Lakes Loons baseball at Dow Diamond!

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When you're in a car accident, you can power through the initial trauma because of adrenaline.  It isn't until months later, during the cascade effects, that you begin to notice things like headaches.

The pandemic was a global trauma that we all powered through using our emotional and spiritual reserves.  Now that things have subsided, we are all searching to replenish ourselves.  Yet nothing seems to work: vacations, rock concerts, eating out with friends... While these are fun events, they don't replenish us at the deeper level.

This is why Paul prayed in Ephesians 3, "I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being."  Only the Lord can replenish what the pandemic squeezed out of our reserves.

This is why Psalm 1 talks about, "The person who is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers."  God is the rushing water that replenishes our inner being.  Ask the Lord to refill you daily and slowly, as your soul is renourished, you will see what God can do through you.

And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land.

But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,  Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.  The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”

(Exodus 7:1-5, ESV)

Every plague pronounced by Moses is YHWH exalting Himself above the Egyptian gods.

Plague 1: Nile River is turned into blood.  Apis & Isis are the Nile gods while Khnum is guardian of the Nile.

Plague 2: Plague of Frogs.  Heket is the frog-headed Egyptian goddess.

Plague 3: Plague of Gnats.  Moses strikes desert dust that transforms into gnats.  Seth is the Egyptian god of chaos and the desert.

Plague 4: Plague of Flies.  Re and Uatchit are depicted as flies in Egyptian artwork.

Plague 5: Death of Livestock.  Hathor and Apis are Egyptian guardians of cattle.

Plague 6: Plague of Boils.  Sekhmet, Sunu, and Isis are the gods of health.

Plague 7: Plague of Hailstorm.  The Egyptian sky goddess is Nut.

Plague 8: Plague of Locusts.  Osiris is the crop god and Seth is the storm god.

Plague 9: Plague of Darkness.  Re is the supreme sun god and Pharoah is dressed like Re.

Plague 10: Death of All Firstborns.  This leads to the Jewish Passover:
 
"For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord."  (Exodus 12:12, ESV)

Through the 10 Plagues of Exodus, YHWH is exalting Himself above the false gods of Egypt.

Pastor Jon walks us through how to get ready for our summer teaching series - Binge the Bible, Season One!

Today was AMAZING and Christ-honoring as we brought Worship & the Word to Midland’s Dow Diamond!  

So many new faces… and in Christ, the BEST is yet to come!

#TogetherWeWin

#WeLoveMidland

#EveryPersonMatters

LifeChurchMidland.com

Sunday morning's event is free and open to public
by Jon Becker, for the Midland Daily News  |  May 19, 2022

MIDLAND — Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and … church? Yes, you read that right. America’s pastime is not normally associated with passionate preaching, live bands and a worship service, but that’s exactly what’s going on Sunday, May 22 at Dow Diamond.

Life Church, a Great Lakes Loons 2022 partner, is holding its weekly church service at the Loons' home stadium beginning at 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The nondenominational church likes to get creative in its approach to inspiring people to become engaged in their faith.

“We believe that faith is a journey, not a guilt trip,” said Jonathan Herron, founding pastor of the nine-year-old church. “We take our faith seriously but don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Since Life Church is sponsoring Faith & Family Nights throughout the Loons’ 2022 season, “We thought it would be fun to actually hold a church service along the first base line,” Herron said. “We’re always brainstorming for new ideas for engaging our community at Life Church. We love bringing families together.”

Minor League Baseball is noted for its family-friendly game experiences. The Loons, who hosted their second School Kids Day of the year on Tuesday, are all in for a Sunday sermon at the ballpark.

“Faith and Fellowship Nights has been a staple at the ballpark for well over 10 years,” said Tyler Kring, the Loons’ assistant general manager of business development. “Faith is part of the journey for many of our players. We’re excited to be partnering with Life Church this season.”

The church’s house band, Kingdom Sound, will lead modern worship songs outdoors, followed by Pastor Herron sharing scripture from atop the first base dugout. The pastor also plans to interview some current Loons players about their faith journeys.

“Through this event, we hope to engage more Midland and Sanford area households as we gather a core group to launch our Midland campus this September,” Herron explained. “The plan is to become one church in two locations. We’ll have worship Sundays at 9:30 a.m. via Northwood University’s Griswold Theater, followed by worship at our Saginaw campus at 11:15 a.m.”

Michaela Yenior, of Midland, attended her first Life Church service about a year and a half ago and was quickly captivated.

“They’re on to something here,” Yenior remembers thinking. She added of Sunday's plans, “This event is really exciting and works within the scope of Life Church’s mission: reach the lost at any cost. The church is willing to think outside of the box.”

“We’re kind of known for doing things big,” said Herron, noting the church’s annual Easter Egg Helicopter Drop as proof positive that Life Church will pull out any and all stops to advance its mission.

“Pastor Herron is an incredible guy,” said Life Church parishioner Arnel Hipolito. “He’s selfless. The church has been through some ups and downs, but he’s kept going forward. He’s done a lot of outreach in the community. It’ll be interesting to hear him preach gospel from the dugout. He’s a passionate, fired-up guy, but it’s his leadership acumen that really stands out.”

Hipolito, also of Midland, plays drums and guitar in Kingdom Sounds. He played at Dow Diamond a couple of times last year and really enjoyed the experience.

“It was hot and a lot of work, but fun,” he said. “You’re outside and you’re watching baseball. Who doesn’t enjoy watching baseball?”

On another occasion, the Greater Midland Tennis Center (where Hipolito works) treated a group of its employees to a Loons game.

“It’s great family entertainment,” Hipolito said.

Sunday will mark Life Church’s first foray into serving the Lord at Dow Diamond, so Herron is unsure how many people will show. However, “According to our Facebook Page, over 300 people have indicated that they are planning on coming.”

“Hopefully, we’ll get enough people to reopen our Midland location,” Yenior said.

Life Church in Midland closed during the pandemic. This Sunday’s morning event is part of the plan to relaunch Life Church’s Midland campus this fall, Herron said.

Herron encourages people to invite neighbors and friends for church at the ballpark and to then to stick around and purchase tickets for the ballgame that follows. At 1:05 p.m. Sunday, the Loons will conclude a six-game home series against the Lansing Lugnuts.

Putting Down the Hammer

April 2nd, 2022
by Jonathan Herron


Reading Luke at the moment. Gotta love Jesus.

Puts down the hammer aged 30 (Luke 3:23) and, in his distinctive northern accent announces he's the long hoped for Messiah (4:21). He's like a car mechanic from rural Ukraine telling the crowd he's destined for world domination.

In Luke 5 he starts recruiting for his kingdom and heads straight for the docks to head hunt a few unsuccessful fishermen, next a leper, then a paralysed man, then the most despised wretch in the region, a tax collector. The religious authorities object but he brushes them off.

"I'm not here to police spiritual health," he says, "I'm a doctor for the sick." And on he goes, doing his rounds, healing the sick, forgiving sinners, lifting the lowly and blasting the lofty. They eventually catch up with him and do their worst but he doesn't make a peep.

He spreads his arms to the world, bleeds for his enemies, prays "Father, forgive" and he's dead and buried aged 33. Turns out though the Jesus movement did not die. Far from it. Turns out a carpenter from Nazareth has done exactly what he said he'd do: take over the world.

Don't know if you believe in miracles but 'water into wine' has nothing on this. How do you turn godforsaken execution into world domination? Whatever you think of miracles, Jesus has pulled off a marvel far greater than water into wine.

Christianity rose from death in the first century. To believe that Christ himself rose is not to add to the list of improbable events you affirm. It is to explain events that would otherwise be baffling. The man on that cross has built our world—we can see that culturally.

We live inside that miracle today. And Christians say: He made our world because he is Maker. And what a Maker! — a carpenter from Nazareth surrounded by nobodies and no-hopers.

But his movement grows today. He's still recruiting.

Pick up Luke and read. The Doctor will see you.

- Glen Scrivener 

On his deathbed, history records that famed evangelist D.L. Moody (1837 - 1899) said,

“Soon you will read in the papers that Moody is dead.  
Don’t believe it, for in that moment I will be more alive than I have ever been!”

Jesus often spoke in parables to help us understand spiritual truths.  One day, Jesus told the following story:

There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.
The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment,
he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—
for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  
He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

(Luke 16:19-31, ESV)

BIG IDEA:
THE AFTERLIFE IS LESS ABOUT ‘WHERENESS’ AND MORE ABOUT AWARENESS.

As Americans, we don't often pause and reflect on our future "game over."  And yet, one day we will step into eternity.  The statistics stand at 100%!

Everybody has an opinion, but what is real and true?

WHAT HAPPENS ONE MINUTE AFTER YOU DIE?

1) YOU DON’T TURN INTO AN ANGEL OR A GHOST.

LUKE 16:22-23
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.
The rich man also died and was buried,  and in Hades.

Pop culture is replete with examples of dead people becoming ghosts like Patrick Swayze in the hit movie, Ghost.  

One of CBS' highest rated new comedies is literally called Ghosts.

And a current Top 10 Series on Netflix follows self-professed psychic-medium Tyler Henry as he channels supposed dead people in communication with the living.

As Christ-followers, we must be wise and discerning so that Hollywood entertainment does not become our own Hollywood theology.

In the Hebrew Testament, there are many laws and regulations from God.  Some laws only apply to a certain Hebrew people living at a certain time in world history under God's theocracy of ancient Israel.  Other laws are universally-binding and apply to all people living in all places at all times.  Here is one such universal law from the Lord:

When you enter the land that the LORD, your God, is giving you, don’t take on the abominable ways of life of the nations there.

Don’t practice divination, sorcery, fortunetelling, witchery, casting spells, holding seances, or channeling with the dead.

People who do these things are an abomination to the LORD.
(Deuteronomy 18:11-12, MSG)

God loves us enough to protect us.  Deuteronomy 18 tells us that playing with Ouija boards and communicating with "dead people" is completely off-limits.  To play around with such dangerous activities is to invite real demonic forces into our daily lives.

Yes, it appears that Tyler Henry is channeling messages from long dead relatives itching to communicate with the living.  However, it's not a loved one reaching out from beyond:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
(2 Corinthians 11:14, ESV)

In the King James Version of the Bible, the idea of mediums is often translated into "familiar spirits."  Indeed, these fallen angels seek to short-circuit our faith any way that they can.  One way is to carefully observe the living and then communicate facts from a "long-lost relative" through a "psychic" to fool the living and eclipse their faith in the one true God!

WHAT HAPPENS ONE MINUTE AFTER YOU DIE?

2) YOUR CONSCIOUS PERSONALITY CONTINUES.

LUKE 16:23-24
...and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.  And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

Death is not the end of the road, it is simply a bend in the road.  Our conscious personality (biblically known as our "soul") continues, uninterrupted as we step into eternity.  We do not cease to be nor do we fall into some sort of soul-sleep.  Without skipping a beat, we are fully aware and retain the immaterial aspects of our personhood.

Another example from Scripture:

MATTHEW 17:2-4
And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him.
And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You wish, I will make three tents here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Here's a question: how did Peter know that their names were Moses and Elijah?  Were they wearing name-tags?  No, who they are continued beyond physical death!

The Apostle Paul puts it this way:
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

WHAT HAPPENS ONE MINUTE AFTER YOU DIE?

3) YOU WILL ENTER AN INTERMEDIATE STATE: PARADISE OR HADES.

When you die, you will not go to the final heaven or hell.  Neither yet exists!  Only after the Second Coming of Jesus will Hades be thrown into the final Hell (Revelation 20) and the cosmos will be physically resurrected as the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21).

When you die, while your physical body rests in the ground, your consciousness will experience a temporary existence in either Paradise or Hades.  Remember what Jesus taught:

The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.
The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment.
(Luke 16:19)

The HEBREW TESTAMENT talks about SHEOL, meaning the region of departed spirits.

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake,
these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
(Daniel 12:2)

The NEW TESTAMENT, written in Greek, talks about HADES, the region of departed spirits with two compartments known as Abraham's Bosom and Hades.

Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
    Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me.
(Psalm 49:13-15)

Here's where things can get a little tricky to understand, so please bear with me.

Sheol, mentioned 65 times in the Hebrew Testament, referred to two areas before the time of Christ's Resurrection: Abraham's Bosom and Hades.

After Christ's finished work on the Cross, something happened.  Abraham's Bosom was relocated by Christ to Paradise.  Thus, Jesus was able to say to the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with Me in Paradise."

When did this relocation of Abraham's Bosom into Paradise occur?  The most we can infer from the Scriptures comes from a passage in 1 Peter 3:18-19:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.

Further, the Apostle Paul expands upon this Roman-era paradigm of making a spectacle of losers in Colossians 2:15:

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.

This hints at Christ declaring the Gospel before princes, powers and principalities, whose chief location would be centered in Hades.

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed,
in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able,
and none may cross from there to us.’ (Luke 16:26)

Jesus taught that once we step into the afterlife, your eternal trajectory is fixed and unchangeable.

This bring us back to one final teaching from Jesus.

4) YOU WILL BE PHYSICALLY RESURRECTED AT A FUTURE TIME

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

...so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 
(Philippians 2:10-11)

Paradise and Hades are temporary until Jesus returns at the Second Coming to bring about the culmination of history.  To be clear, the resurrection has not yet happened.  This is why Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica of our future resurrection:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

At a future date and time known only to God the Father, Jesus will return to resurrect everyone:

...for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.  (John 5:28-29)

Thanks to our amazing Lifers, this Easter was all about bringing families together via Life Church’s annual Easter Egg Helicopter Drop!

Start volunteering right away and see the immediate difference you can make by serving on a Team!

(from Jonathan Herron)

Recently I started serving as a Hospice Chaplain in addition to serving at Life Church. With my ADHD, choosing to do chaplaincy visitations is not my strongest gifting. It’s part of a huge shift I’ve intentionally made in my life and leadership.

My reasons for serving the terminally ill and dying in this way is two-fold. The first reason is because I have felt deeply challenged by Bob Goff to live out Matthew 25: “Love is sacrifice and commitment. Jesus wants us to love hungry people, thirsty people, naked people, sick people, strange people and people in jail. That’s it. That’s what I’m trying to do. It’s a weird business card. I want to help people.”

One way Amber have lived this out over the years is by adopting five infants and creating a new kind of family. Now I am embracing hospice chaplaincy to also live out Matthew 25 in my own life. By holding the hand of an elderly, declining patient with Alzheimer’s, I am (hopefully) being Jesus to them in their final weeks of life.

The second reason for this big shift in my life springs out of my own struggles with depression and loneliness. Over the past two years, all of my closest friends have either died or ditched me. Literally. It’s been brutal. As I’ve sought God in prayer and through Scripture during this season of being alone, I’ve sensed the Spirit telling me to focus on others who truly experience deep loneliness: the dying.

What I’ve discovered along the way is that we all can slow down and spend time listening to people who are not like us, especially when they are unable to leave their homes or their assisted-living facilities. There is a special grace to be experienced in simply being present for patients and compassionately listening.

I hope that this small new endeavor spreads love and hope into the lives of those facing hospice care in our area. And I hope to find healing in my own heart as I continue to extend a hand in love.

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all..."
(2 Corinthians 5:14)

When Covid hit two years ago, everything shut down, including our church.
Building back up continues to be a slow and steady process.
Every Sunday we continue to roll out the red carpet for Guests and invite our friends to join us.

This past Sunday, something special happened: we experience pre-pandemic attendance levels in ALL of our ministry environments!  This is a HUGE win for our team!

Thank you for continuing to pray, invest, and invite -- Let's see what God can do through you!

OUR CORE VALUES

Core Values are important in any organization as they articulate the kind of organization we dream of becoming.

Putting into words the culture you are seeking to model into existence is hard work.

For what it's worth, here are our Core Values, Version 2.0...

WE ARE UNITED UNDER ONE VISION

To reach the people no one else is reaching, we will do the things no one else is doing.
We will do anything short of sin to reach people far from God.
We will unapologetically and aggressively defend our unity and vision.

EVERY PERSON MATTERS

All people are image-bearers of God and are wonderfully made.
Because every person matters, relationships are not disposable.

We will always choose conversation over condemnation.
We will always seek to maintain the relationship over winning the argument.
We choose honesty over hypocrisy and gospel over gossip.

WE STRIVE FOR INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

We do not gossip or spread rumors.  No insider politics here.
Full of honor and integrity, we will choose to do the right thing even when it hurts.
Our position is to out-love, out-serve, and out-give those who misunderstand us.

Because we have nothing to hide, we value humble transparency in all areas, including finances.

Everyone is accountable to someone at Life Church.

FOUND PEOPLE FIND PEOPLE

We will put more effort into reaching the Lost than keeping the Found.
We will never allow this lifeboat to become a yacht club.
We will spare no expense because the just-one-more is worth it.
We will celebrate every story because every person matters.

SAVED PEOPLE SERVE PEOPLE

“... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..."  (Jesus in Matthew 20:28)

Becoming more like Jesus means we focus on serving others.
When we take the spotlight off ourselves and place it on other people, it will result in improving our marriages, making a difference in our workplaces and discovering our spiritual gifts.

We are never more like Christ than when we see Sunday mornings as our mission field.

GROWING PEOPLE CHANGE

Jesus accepts us as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way.
Over time, the Lord changes us from the inside out.

Colossians 3:9-10 reminds us that we have "taken off the old self" and "put on the new self."
Once we know Jesus, we can’t go back to the people we were before.

As we listen to Jesus and do what He says, our desires change.
We begin to think and act and love as He did.

I CANNOT OUT-GIVE GOD

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  (Jesus in John 3:16)

It is a spiritual impossibility for us to outgive God, because He has already given us everything.

Everything belongs to God and we are simply managers of God's stuff.
When we give, we’re giving God back a small portion of what He’s already given us.

 - LEARN MORE -

JESUS IS OUR ONLY CELEBRITY

We celebrate the contributions of God's servants to our spiritual education and formation,
but we look to Jesus above all others and put our hope in Him alone.

MOVEMENTS MOVE

We are not Atari, we are Apple.
We believe in humor over hammer.

We will always maintain a posture of humility and learning new methods for reaching people far from God.

We will always narrow the focus in all we do.  We think steps, not programs.

We loved having our friend Erskin Anavitarte as our Special Guest Worship Leader this past weekend at Life Church!

Erskin Anavitarte is a Texas-born Singer-Songwriter, Diversity Spokesman, Adoption Advocate, and music Co-Producer. He connects with people through his energetic personality, musical artistry and lyrical truth. Whether across the country or around the world, Erskin’s focus is to strengthen ministries, engage the culture and create impactful art.

Erskin currently resides in Nashville, TN, with his wife Kelli and their two children. Their heart for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable people has led Erskin and his family to become advocates for several non-profit organizations including Holt International, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Life Action, and Project Connect Nashville.

Raising children is hard work, and yet Scripture tells us that children are a blessing, not a burden.  The Psalmist equates children with arrows:

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the children of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame...
(Psalm 127:3-5, ESV)

In our family, we lovingly refer to each of our five children as our Arrows!  Four years ago today, Levi Tozer became Arrow Number Four of Team Herron.  Being part of Levi's life is a special delight for us.

Adoption is a beautiful picture of how God relates to us — accepting us into His family with no strings attached.  The Apostle Paul wrote:

Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, God had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.

Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son.

(Ephesians 1:3-6, MSG)

Just as the Judge affixes her official seal, making the adoption irrevocable and unchanging forever, so also in Christ we are declared heirs of the Most High God and the recipients of His never-ending, never-giving-up love.  

In Christ, as in adoption, we are given a new name, a new family, a new inheritance, and a new destiny... and we did nothing to earn it or deserve it!

May the beauty of adoption always enthrall our imagination as we continue seeking to chase after our Carpenter-King.

Sharing our faith doesn't have to be weird; it's all about investing our lives in others and naturally talking about what we are passionate about: Christ!

Cru¹ recently reported that 84% of the U.S. population is ready and willing to have conversations about Jesus -- as long as these five postures exist in the conversation:

1. Be present and listen.  Follow the conversation and not your agenda.

2. Find common ground.  Build a relational bridge.

3. Walk in their shoes.  Understand their story.

4. Talk like a real person.  Use words meant for real people and not the pews.

5. Create a better story than the one they've heard.

____
1 Chen, Josh. "Evangelism Reimagined: Seeking the Thriving and Wholeness of Others," Outreach Magazine (Jan/Feb 2022).