Church and Ministry

I’d like to ask you to pray. Beginning in October, I’ve been attending Lakeland Evangelical Free Church in Gurney, Illinois. The church is about 20 minutes from Trinity and I really like it. The pastor is humble, honest, gospel-centered, funny, and seems to really understand how people grow and operate. The people worship enthusiastically and it is a very family-centered church. I’ve had a hard time connecting relationally, however. This week, I plan to join a small group and hope that will help bridge some of the relational gaps I’ve been experiencing. Pray that the Lord would connect me and use me as an encouragement.

For the first couple of months here, I met with a pastor at another local church. This church was very excited about WDA and discipleship. We met consistently for about 2 months, but the Lord began to make it clear that they weren’t to pursue a partnership with WDA and I wasn’t to be a member of their church. The process of brainstorming and meeting was exciting, but ultimately, as the pastor decided not to continue with WDA, the end was saddening for me, personally. I was disappointed not to continue on to serve them through WDA, but trust the Lord’s will and timing in the decision. Please pray for this church. Pray that the Lord would bless them and that they would continue their efforts to grow the members of their church.

I have yet to find a place of formal ministry, but that does not mean that opportunities have been lacking. Last semester, once a week, a group of students met in my home for a meal. We shared our hearts, prayed for, and encouraged one another. This time was sweet, honoring to the Lord, and helpful to encourage growth in each of us. At first, I didn’t label this weekly meal as “ministry”. Then one night, as I cooked in my kitchen, I prayed, “Lord, I really wish I had a place of ministry.” The Lord answered my plea, “Becca, look around you, this is your place of ministry.”

So, ministry may not look formal this year, it might look like caring for the people that God places in my life when the opportunity arises. And if this past semester is telling, the opportunities are plentiful. Pray that I would continue to see them as they come. I so want to be faithful to the Lord and ready when he returns.