1/7/2025
Count
them. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 . . . and
now 9! That’s how many congregations Journey
has helped launch! The new church start
Journey is sponsoring in this new year is Restoration Fellowship
Ministries. This new community of faith in
Roanoke is led my Pastor Mark Turner and his wife Marcheta. The Journey Church family has had the
privilege of getting to serve alongside them in the community and to have times
of joyful fellowship with them.
Starting
new churches is a part of Journey’s strategic plan. Our church supports these new communities of
faith by providing financial resources, equipment, and coaching on leadership
and logistics.
Why does
Journey do this? To obey Jesus’
command: Therefore, go and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new
disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.” Matthew
28:19-20 (NLT)
The New
Testament book of Acts describes the starting of new churches as a crucial way
to spread the gospel and fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission. Please pray for Mark and Marcheta as they
have responded to God’s call to launch this new outpost for Kingdom
ministry.
-Michael
---
1/13/2025
I got the
text. And I thought: “What?”
The person texting wanted to know if:
“ya’ll canceled church.”
My first
thought was: “Of course, not.” My second thought was: “Of course, not.” My thought every time is: “Of course, not.”
Now, you
may be like: “What? We just canceled church because of the snow.”
No, we
didn’t. That is to misunderstand.
Church
can’t be canceled. Church is not a
service held at a particular time and place which may be canceled.
The church
is the body of Christ, which can never be canceled!
The church
is God’s people active in the world, embodying the sacrificial love of Jesus,
which can never be canceled!
The church
is the hope of the world because we’re commissioned by Jesus to go into all the
world and make disciples, which can never be canceled!
Jesus
said: Now I say to you that you are
Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all
the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matthew 16:18 (NLT)
The church
is greater than all the powers of hell.
We who are followers of Jesus are a part of God’s life-transforming
movement of love at work in the world.
We can’t be canceled. Let’s live
like it!
-Michael
---
1/21/2025
Serve and Ski is an annual tradition for Journey Youth, where we dedicate
the long MLK holiday weekend to a blend of service and adventure. This year, we
once again headed off to Bland, VA, to assist at their ministry center. Our
weekend was packed with hard work, fellowship, and unexpected weather
challenges, but it was an experience that left us all inspired.
The heart of our trip is always the service. We stayed at the ministry
center’s volunteer house, ready to contribute to their mission. Our primary
task was at the food warehouse, where we spent the day assembling and
distributing boxes of food to feed roughly 1,000 people. Despite the cold
temperatures and the open bay door letting in the chill, our teenagers worked
tirelessly.
What stood out the most was the spirit in which they served. There was no
complaining, just diligent, joyful work. The warehouse echoed with the sounds
of singing, laughter, and camaraderie. Our youth not only connected with each
other but also formed bonds with the regular, often elderly, volunteers. They
were respectful, joyful, and hardworking, embodying the very spirit of service.
One particular story stood out. An elderly gentleman, who had recently lost
his wife, chose to stay and serve alongside our teenagers rather than go home
to an empty house. He found solace and joy in their company, a testament to the
incredible impact our youth had on everyone they encountered.
As the workday wrapped up, they took to the snow, engaging in snowball
fights and sledding. It was a sight to behold—pure, unfiltered joy that even
drew the regular volunteers to stay and watch. They wanted to soak in the
happiness radiating from our group.
A highlight of the weekend was when the staff person in charge of the food
warehouse took a moment to thank our teenagers. He expressed how impressed he
was, noting that our youth were defying the negative stereotypes often
associated with their generation. His words of appreciation and the open
invitation for our teens to return anytime were heartwarming and well-deserved.
After a full day of service, we received the unfortunate news that we would
have to head back early due to incoming inclement weather. This meant that, for
the second year in a row, our much-anticipated skiing and tubing adventures
would be canceled. One might expect grumbles and disappointment, but instead of
complaints, they embraced the situation with grace. They understood the
importance of safety and took the news in stride. It was a testament to their
maturity and the joy they find in serving others.
Reflecting on this experience fills my heart with pride and gratitude.
Watching these young people serve joyfully and grow in their spiritual walk is
a privilege. It’s a reminder of the profound impact that serving others can
have, not just on those we help but on ourselves as well.
So, here’s my challenge to the rest of the Journey family: Are you serving?
And are you serving joyfully? Take the next step and see just how good God is.
Don’t just take my word for it—ask one of these tremendous teenagers!
-Jackie Taylor
---
1/28/2025
Journey Church is committed to the vision of connecting people to Jesus and a community of caring in life-transforming ways. But how is that possible, especially after in recent years church outreach efforts have been dramatically altered, as people have grown hesitant to engage with traditional institutions, including churches?
Carey Nieuwhof has written about how in today’s world engaging in effective outreach requires more than a single interaction or casual invite. Multiple meaningful interactions, or touchpoints, are needed to build trust long before someone considers coming to a church.
These touchpoints could include things like sending a personalized text invitation, sharing a devotional that speaks to their current struggles, offering a prayer, or sending a relevant sermon link that resonates with them.
Before the pandemic, it took 3 to 5 touchpoints—interactions like a personal invitation—for someone to feel comfortable visiting. Today, that number has soared to 12 to 15 touchpoints. People today want consistent engagement that shows they’re seen, known, and valued.
Recent studies reveal that nearly half of Americans are more open to God today than before the pandemic. While people are more spiritually open than ever, many remain increasingly hesitant to engage with traditional religious organizations.
People are searching for spiritual answers, but are cautious about where they turn for guidance. To bridge this divide, churches must build trust and demonstrate genuine care consistently over a long period of time.
As Journey seeks to move forward in accomplishing our God-called vision, who is the Lord calling you to reach out to and touch with the love of Jesus again and again and again so that they might connect in a life-changing way?
-Michael DuVal
