August 15, 2024

Dear Central Church,

Our pastoral team had an interesting conversation in a staff meeting on Tuesday about the amount of water that’s displaced onto the floor when someone is baptized. There’s a lot of technology on the platform and none of it mixes well with water. Thankfully, that’s easily avoidable. We then talked about getting water on the platform that could potentially weaken the wood decking underneath the carpet.

There are ways to mitigate that and we’re taking those steps. HOWEVER, I love our team member who said, “I hope we baptize so many people that the decking wears out from so much water being displaced!” Now that’s a person who understands the mission of our church!

We’re not here to preserve a building. We’re here to see lives transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

One of those folks who was baptized last Sunday was a young man named Elizandro. If you didn’t get a chance to hear his testimony, I want to share it with you:

"I decided to come back to God…He picked me up and turned me around…He changed my name, and I’m not the same. I’m a soul with good intentions although my looks may be deceiving. It’s because of God that I’m still here…Glory to God!"

Elizandro was invited through a connection with our Hispanic congregation and then started attending our youth ministry. Our students showed him Christ-like hospitality by welcoming him with open arms. The message was clear: You Belong Here!

One of Elizandro’s friends, Angel, came to see him be baptized this past Sunday. After service, he asked him if I had a Bible he could have. I absolutely did. Angel is curious about Jesus after seeing the change it’s made in Elizandro’s life. In a short amount of time, things have come full circle for Elizandro: he is practicing the hospitality that he has experienced!

God is on the move at Central! I share all of that as a warning so you’re not surprised when the decking of the platform begins to rot out from all the people being baptized!

I know you’re like me and want to see more stories like this. Don’t miss out on the ministry fair, which will be held this Sunday in between the morning services in the upper atrium. We’ll have snacks and fresh coffee, and you can learn about different ways to get involved with what God is doing here at Central. See you Sunday!

Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark

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August 8, 2024