2025 Fully Engaged: From Follower to Faithful Disciple

 

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”  Matthew 16:24

 

 

Greetings in The Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is with great joy and excitement that I share with you these words that will center us for the year 2025. In Matthew chapter 16, Jesus converses with his followers concerning their understanding of who He is. The conversation then turns into what Jesus will do to fulfill his earthly mission. The conversation reaches a point when Jesus offers an opportunity to his followers to move into discipleship. Jesus' contention is, that if you desire to be a disciple, it will call for you to forgo personal pleasures, carry the weight of your unavoidable burdens, and engage in doing the work of Christ's mission. In likewise fashion, we must follow these guidelines if we desire to be faithful disciples. Many of us are following Jesus for a variety of reasons but have not fully engaged in the work of discipleship. This year God is calling us to be FULLY ENGAGED! There are four areas in which we are focusing our engagement: Worship, Evangelism, Giving, and Discipleship. As we continue to grow individually and collectively, it will call for us to put our foot on the gas and drive fully forward. As we move forward, trust our faithful God to lead us into pastures that are the fruit of our faithfulness to Him.