Hey everyone,
Summer is right around the corner. The summer break from school changes the schedules and responsibilities of our kids and students. Free time, vacations, sleeping in; it's all very exciting. The old way of living is gone, and a new way has arrived. While this might be how students and kids view a very long break from school, many of us don't look at change in the same way. Change can be difficult and confusing. It could even be scary, often causing us to avoid it entirely and just keep living the same ole way instead of embracing the new. What if we saw change like a student, as exciting and fresh?
God is said to be unchanging, meaning his character is consistent and reliable. It says this in James 1:17:
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
I love how James talks about God's faithfulness. He doesn't change his mind or convictions on a whim. If you have ever moved an object while under a steady light, the shadow dances all around the room, but the light is consistent. God is the light, steady, and dependable, while we are like the object. When we are moved, it has the potential to change us and everything around us as well.
While James talks about how God is unchanging, Paul talks about how easily we change. In his letter to the church in Corinth. He says this:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
Look at the celebration of the new! There's also this realization that the old way of living is behind us. This transformation is like God restoring a part of his creation, restoring it to its former glory and purpose. It's exciting because it's fresh compared to our old way of living.
Change like this is more significant than just taking a long break from school. This isn't seasonal and can be experienced by anyone! I love reading these passages together to teach us about our relationship with God. He is unchanging while we are always changing. His gifts are good, and these gifts are what lead us to the exciting new things in our lives. For me, the change that comes from God doesn't have to be difficult, confusing, or even scary because I can trust a God who is dependable in his promises and convictions. My faithfulness through the change is possible because God's faithfulness doesn't change.
I see exciting changes in my life when I allow God to show me something new about myself or when He teaches me something new about Him. Often, these two things overlap. The more I learn about God, the more I learn about myself, and if I am truthful with myself, I will learn about God's gifts for me. So, I want to give you something to consider as we prepare for the summer season, a season of change.
What have you recently learned about God that has inspired a new, fresh understanding of your relationship?
And,
What have you recently learned about yourself that has encouraged a deeper trust and reliance on God?
Each of our answers will be different, but they come from the same truth: God is unchanging, which means we can trust Him. At the same time, we are always changing, which means we really need to trust Him.
While you are thinking about changes in your life, I'd love to share some exciting changes happening in NextGen Families over the summer, too. Lauren Bailey, our NextGen Small Group Director, is sending out an email to all families with a kid or student in NextGen this weekend. Here's part of what she's sharing:
"NextGen's mission statement is to create a safe environment at church and in the home where kids and students can discover God, relationships & purpose. As we celebrate all that God has done, we realize that when there is a culture shift, we need to shift the ways in which we reach kids and students. The message doesn't change, but the methods do. Because of this, we have the responsibility to evaluate the methods in which we do ministry to maximize our impact on the lives of the next generation. Every cultural shift creates an opportunity for growth and innovation. So, over the past year, our staff team has carefully watched, prayed, and listened to our volunteers, kids, students, and parents. And we are very excited to share the summer and 2024-25 vision for NextGen with you!"
So, if you have a kid or student in NextGen, be on the lookout for her email and get excited about everything happening. While the email will explain what is changing, we want to invite you to our NextGen Open House Celebration to explain the why. The Open House is Sunday, June 9th, from 12:00-1:00. There's no need to register; it's open to all families with a kid or student, birth-12th grade. Come hear all the exciting things happening and the changes that will take place over the summer in NextGen for all the phases. Join us right after the 10:45 service for all the exciting details. If you are hearing this and are interested in being a part of our incredible Impact TEAM, get the ball rolling by filling out our serving form at the link below. All you have to do is fill out some basic information and select NextGen kids or students; we'll contact you to talk about it. NextGen Impact TEAM Interest Form
We get excited about changes in NextGen for the same reason I'm excited about changes in my own life. My faithfulness through the change is possible because God's faithfulness doesn't change.
Praying for you, church family!
Doug Vance
NextGen Large Group Pastor
