June 8, 2023
Dear Central Church,
The General Assembly for the Church of the Nazarene will convene this week in Indianapolis (June 9-16). The best way to describe this event is to imagine if a legislative business meeting broke out in the middle of your next family reunion (which may be much more desirable than other things that break out at your family reunions). Nazarenes from all around the world are coming together to make decisions related to doctrine, strategy, organizational structure, and mission.
The last time Nazarenes came together like this was in 2017. Over the last 6 years, a lot of things have changed. The world has gone through a global pandemic, war has broken out in different places, famines have developed in different parts of the world, and transitions in political leadership have occurred. We are part of a global church with ministry in more than 165 world areas. Whatever “macro” changes you see leading the headlines is most likely affecting a local Nazarene church at a “micro” level as well. General Assembly is a gathering of leaders focused on empowering local churches to be faithful and fruitful in the midst of all of this.
My family and I will join with more than 20,000 others at this event. I will be joined by followers of Jesus who speak different languages and have different skin tones than me. It’s a beautiful picture of the church as together we are reminded that we are the body of Christ. We also will be confronted with the challenges the church faces in a 21st Century context.
The hope of the church, however, is not in our ability to think, strategize, or organize. Our hope is in Jesus! I’m excited about the theme of the event: Jesus is Lord! It’s a simple proclamation, a truth as old as the church but one that must be repeated again and again.
Will you join me in prayer for the General Assembly? I’m asking God to renew the Church as we align all of our efforts around our mission of proclaiming this simple truth: Jesus is Lord. If we can do that, this will be a faithful and fruitful Assembly, and we will be a faithful and fruitful Church.
I appreciate Pastor David Goodwin filling in for me this Sunday! He’ll be continuing our “Never Alone” sermon series by looking at John 16:1-15. Pastor David is a passionate and gifted communicator. Don’t miss it!
Just as a reminder: this is our last Sunday in the sanctuary before the remodel begins. Next Sunday, June 18, we’ll worship downstairs in the Student Center at 9 and 10:30am.
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark
PS. If you’re interested, I’ll be sharing some of my General Assembly experience on social media. You can follow me on Instagram: msnodgrass23 or you can send me a friend request on Facebook.
