August 31, 2020
Centennial Family and Friends,
Since March, 2020 has been a year most will never forget. Whether to keep from crying or to provide simple commentary, I am sure y’all have seen or heard the jokes with the general punchline what’s next? In other words, what more can happen in a single year? But that’s why we joke, right? We know so much more can happen.
“So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?””
All the way back in the early 30s, Jesus’ followers had a question: what’s next? Jesus had been teaching and preaching for three years, revealing himself to be God and man and Savior. Now Jesus had conquered death, so his disciples ask the appropriate question: what’s next? Here is Jesus’ answer: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). It is not for you. He then places them in the dutiful soldier’s seat, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Centennial family, I know y’all have questions. What’s next? No answer seems good right now, right? Do you feel Jesus’ words sinking in? It is not for you…
But even so, have we forgotten our call to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them (Matthew 28:19, 20)? You will receive power… you will be my witnesses…
It is true. By God’s providence and blessing at Centennial ARP Church, we have survived! Now we carry on. Now it is time to go beyond surviving into thriving.
Take a good look and you’ll see us already transitioning into this mindset, but I am calling you to more. Let me provide a few basic guiding principles for us as we move into the fall of 2020 and beyond.
1. We must worship God. One of our clearest goals from the outset of the pandemic was to ensure God received glory from his people at Centennial ARP Church. In fact, have you ever considered that we as a people of God are set apart not by our programs or events but by our worship? In the beginning and moving forward, we must set ourselves apart in worship and praise of God.
2. We must preserve unity in the body. But that does not mean “no disagreement.” This has been a season of duress, and due to our very nature as fallen humans, duress leads to sin! Should we wear masks? Should we sing? Should we meet for Sunday morning worship? What about Sunday School? What about nursery? What about children’s church? How about Wednesday nights? How will we sit in church? Should the minister wear a mask? When I think of these questions (and there are many more), I think of the opportunities that sin and Satan have to disunify our church. Centennial’s Session has and will make decisions, but they are doing it in all humility recognizing some will disagree. We must be a people who put away pride and pick up humility, who put on the full armor of God and deflect the Deceiver’s devices.
3. We must emphasize people over programs. At first glance, our programs have been demolished. Sunday School doesn’t meet like it used to. Children’s Choir time on Wednesday night is gone. Wednesday night ministries are gone! On Sunday night the church doors are locked rather than lit with the laughter, joy, singing, and praise of our youth group. But that’s at first glance. Taking another look, you will notice something special. There is still a Sunday School opportunity, and depending on the Sunday, this online class has almost thirty people in it! Yes, Children’s Choir might not be formally meeting, but music is going out to our families with encouragement to sing together. Indeed, our Wednesday night fellowship is paused right now, but Centennial ARP Church is receiving more devotional Bible opportunities than ever before. Our youth group might not be meeting physically on Sunday night, but (it better not surprise you!) our group has faithfully met week in and week out during this whole pandemic. Moreover, encouragement videos and deep-but-still-10-minutes-or-less Bible-based Sunday School lessons go out weekly to our youth and any who are interested. In almost every aspect of our church life (programs), we have already begun to transition to what we always intended with those very programs: people ministry. We must be a people who double down on people ministry as we move into the fall of 2020 and beyond. Even as we dare not neglect the worship of God (see number 1), it is unwise to neglect our fellowship. Though it might look different, our connection in Jesus Christ will see us through and see us thrive.
Centennial family, your Session, Diaconate, Staff, and other leaders of this church have had and continue to have their work cut out for them. These are the three principles through which we will begin to sift all the different parts of our church. Are we worshiping God? If yes, let’s looks at number 2. If not, let’s camp out a little bit and make sure we are getting the first things first.
Once we make sure we’re worshiping God, how about our unity? “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). To operate in disunity will bring dishonor to our Lord. Are we unified? If no, head back to number 1, because in worship of God will we find that lost unity.
If yes, what does our unity mean? “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). This is our transition point. At Centennial ARP Church, we are worshipping God, we are unified, and we are beginning and continuing a people emphasis, but we will need more before the end. We will need to call our Sunday School classmates instead of simply “missing them.” We will need to write letters to those people we are praying for every day. We will need to drop loaves of homemade sourdough bread to the sick, visit the lonely, care for the widow, and continue to connect with our people.
I don’t know what the fall will bring. I don’t know the timing on our programs or the pandemic. But I do know we can keep on going together. I know God has given us the strength by his very Spirit to continue. I know that God goes before us preparing a path. I know God has a plan. So Centennial family, I call on you to partner with me. May we be an actively worshipping, unified, and people-focused Bride of Christ.
And in that moment, don’t be surprised to see God work—to see God bring people to himself.
Blessings, and deepest regards,
Jeremiah A. Thomas