Loving Jesus In Real Life
Each week during the “Love Jesus” series, we’re featuring examples of people in our church showing us the kind of love that 1 John describes and giving you an opportunity to respond. This kind of love moves with others into the dark places of our world. So often this love is not a warm and fuzzy feeling. Often the decisions we make overcome the natural feelings we have. Normally, we’d be scared of loving someone in the darkness, or we’d resist. Because Jesus found us on the Emmaus road, walked into a locked room full of disciples, and overcame the skepticism of Thomas, we decide to love the way he loved. It also helps to see some real life examples.
Last Sunday, we commissioned eight college students who are serving in summer missions and recognized graduates who are completing this chapter of their lives. Zach baptized two of these eight who not only made decisions to follow Christ but also are serving this summer in Jesus’s name.
- Maggie Blanchard – WinShape Camps in Mount Berry, GA
- Omar Herrera – FUGE Camps in Jackson, TN
- Alexis Hickox – Rick Coram Ministries and Powerlife Student Camps in Johnson City, TN and Winnsboro, SC
- Luke Hinson – FUGE Camps in Louisville, KY
- Cara Mason – Camp Crestridge in Ridgecrest, NC
- Luke Smith – WinShape Camps in Cleveland, GA
- Nicole Tucker – WinShape Camps in FL, GA, SC, NC, and VA
- Becca Winch – Camp Greystone in Zirconia, NC
Pray for these students, and contact our office if you need contact information to stay in touch over the summer.
Over the last year, Life Groups have become one way to express that resurrection love with unreached people. Christ’s love compels us to form friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ as well. Often those relationships are intentionally with people of different backgrounds—politically, culturally, and racially. We’ll take a look at one example this Sunday and hear about the new season of Life Groups beginning this fall. We have an opportunity to start Life Groups in apartment communities around Tallahassee. New leaders will be trained to meet their neighbors, host informal gatherings with the residents, and invite those interested to learn more about Jesus. Training begins Sunday afternoon May 17 from 12:30-3:30 (lunch included). If you’re interested in learning about this ministry, praying for these groups, or participating in this initiative, contact Josh Hall.
On Mother’s Day, May 10, we’ll baptize several people who have made decisions since Easter and meet one family that God called to grow through adoption. Lee and Kim Vickery heard God speaking in different ways, and this experience led them to someone from the Florida Baptist Children’s Home who was sitting just a few pews away in worship. The Vickerys will share their testimony in two parts in each service on May 10. It’s such a powerful story, we can’t fit it all into one service. Plan to worship in both services to hear about this special commitment to love. We will also receive our annual Mother’s Day offering for the Children’s Home.
May 17 is Senior High School Sunday where we’ll recognize and bless our high school graduates and their families. Sunday, May 24 is Pentecost, as we move with the Spirit into the love God has for us.
If you aren’t involved already in showing resurrection love, sign up today for A Full Summer. Through a partnership with St. John’s Episcopal and Second Harvest of the Big Bend, you can help prepare 60,000 meals for hungry families in Leon County. It happens on June 7 from 10:00-12:00 noon. Registration forms are available in Hannah Singletary’s office, at the Connect Center, or on our website.
These are just a few powerful examples in our midst of what it means to love Jesus.