I would like to start my little article with a thank you. Thank you for all your prayers, the support I have received, and your help in our ministry here at American Reformed Church. I appreciate how we have embraced the tweaks and changes we have made. Change can be scary; but I’ve enjoyed seeing the fruit from our thoughtful evaluations as we seek do follow God’s desire. There is so much joy finding yourself being used as an instrument for God’s great plan.

One of the most recent modifications has been the children’s offering. The Discipleship Team desires to ensure we are teaching our children about what our offerings are and how it is an act of worship given to our Heavenly Father. The kindergarten through fifth grade classes have even had the opportunity to vote a few times where they would like to send our money to bless others. Just last week the children voted to purchase a foot powered water pump (or perhaps two!) for a village. I was once again surprised they chose a boring piece of equipment and not the cute pink piglet. After I commented on their choice, George A. Bonnema asked if he could say something about the option they had chosen. Eager to hear what he had to say, I welcomed his comment. He told the kids he was happy they had chosen the pump because often times when only one family receives an animal or something similar, it can create jealousy in the village. This was something that would go farther than only blessing one family. Thank you George, for sharing from your heart and seizing that teachable moment!

Our offering in February was for school lunch accounts. It was meant to help families who are caught in the gap of not having money to purchase a school lunch, but do not qualify for a reduced lunch. The reasons could be endless; maybe a parent has just lost a job or medical bills have piled up. Whatever the reason, we set out to bless families. We had a total of $600 to use to bless those around us. Turns out we have students in six different school districts here at ARC, so each district received $100. Now, for the fun part! I sat down to begin the process of making phone calls to explain why they would be receiving a check in the mail to the different school superintendents and other staff. Each one took the news a little differently. Some with great excitement; some were in a state of disbelief; others knew exactly where the money was needed. That was the reaction that left me in tears on the phone.

At one of the schools I was put in touch with the woman who handles the lunch accounts. I again explained what we were doing to which she replied, “God’s providential timing is amazing.” We both sat in silence for a few seconds until I commented she must know the perfect family for our gift. She went on to explain there had been a family who had been eating cold sandwiches for about a month and this month there wasn’t any money for sandwiches. We were both completely overwhelmed when we realized this would feed these children a warm meal for the rest of the school year. I couldn’t speak for a minute or so. We both sat on our end of the phone with tear filled eyes in silence knowing as sisters in Christ, God was at work.

I was blessed that day. It was so much fun to be used as His instrument in not only blessing the family who would receive the gift, but the woman who would get the joy of sharing the gift with the family. So, thank you ARC family. Thank you for embracing our ministry of not only being an example to our students, but allowing me to be able to share how God is at work through their acts of worship. May we always give generously from the heart, as we seek to glorify and honor our great and mighty God.

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” Proverbs 11:24 Becky Ossefoort

A week ago this past Tuesday night at approximately 11:00 PM, Vicki and I received a phone call from Mitchell informing us that Traci had taken our two-week old granddaughter to the emergency room at the hospital in Sioux Center. Understandably distressed, Mitchell shared with us that Noelle was having difficulty breathing and therefore asked if we would pray for her. After hanging up, Vicki and I immediately and confidently lifted Noelle and her parents before the throne of grace trusting that we would receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

We had hardly begun to pray when Mitchell called again to inform us that Noelle’s oxygen level had dropped to 48 and therefore she would be transferred immediately to Avera in Sioux Falls by helicopter. A flood of emotions filled my heart knowing that only those with life-threatening health complications get those kinds of rides. As did Noelle’s father, I felt helpless and afraid. At this point neither of us knew the exact cause of illness since Mitchell was still at home watching Rilyn and Sauren.

Eventually Mitchell found someone to watch the two girls. After arriving at the hospital he called again to verify that the helicopter would be leaving shortly. Vicki and I immediately set out for Sioux Falls, however my mind decided it would set out in a thousand different directions. I first reflected on the goodness of God, in that, our nuclear family has really enjoyed a lengthy season of peace—would our extended season of peace be thrust into a season of emotional pain and grief?

I began picturing thousands of other families who have traveled those fearful miles to a hospital wondering the outcome of a loved one’s future. I began to celebrate the gift of God’s grace knowing that Noelle had the absolute best care and technology available; including the possibility of a $6000 helicopter ride. I began to think of the mom in Titanyen Haiti whose little baby was dying in her arms because she didn’t have four dollars to get her into the medical clinic. I began to think of all the moms and dads and grandpas and grandmas who experienced the horrific death of a child or grandchild. I began wondering if it was possible that God, in his infinite wisdom, had determined that Noelle’s days would only number 13. I was overwhelmed with sadness as I considered how Mitchell and Traci may have been feeling. I began to wonder if God was good “all of the time.” (I am out of space to share all the other places my mind traveled).

Then as I turned off of Highway 75 on to the onramp to Interstate 90 I remembered that the first song on the CD in the car was Chris Tomlin’s Good, Good Father. In the midst of a tornado of emotions swirling in my heart, combined with the endless barrage of questions that come with runaway-mind (that’s when your thoughts eventually take you to the worst possible scenario), the Spirit quietly whispered to me, “play the song.”

It goes like this…Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think you’re like. But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night. And you tell me that you’re pleased, and that I’m never alone. You’re a Good, Good Father. It’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are. And I’m loved by you. It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am…cause you are perfect in all of your ways….

For those of you had heard about Noelle’s diagnosis of RSV and pneumonia, we thank God for all of your prayers. After much antibiotics and oxygen, Noelle is home again and is doing well. And regardless of how this story may have ended, we certainly have a good, good Father… it’s who he is!
From his beloved, Mike Altena, that’s who I am!

There’s a story behind everything.  How the van got that dent; how the supper was burned; how that bone was broken; how the accident happened.  Stories join the past to the future.  But stories are fragile; made up of nothing more than 26 letters and a few punctuation marks.  Our stories tell of life and death, joy and pain, love and hate.  Portions of our stories are secret, while other parts are quite public.  There are chapters that we wish no one else could read, and other pages that are dog-eared from being told over and over again.  From birth to our final breath, we are all stories.

Over the years, I have been impressed by other people’s stories, but never really felt like I had anything special to share about my life.  I didn’t think I had a testimony to give or at least not one that anybody would want to listen to.  That’s when one of our overseas missionaries was home for a visit and they were going to be speaking during our worship service.  For safety reasons, they asked that I would not list their names in the worship order as giving a Missionary Update, but rather as a Testimony.  They explained that a testimony wasn’t just telling about their conversion experience, but testifying to the good work that God was doing in their life and around the world.  Suddenly I realized that I also have a testimony.  I can’t name the date or event that led me to accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I can testify that once I was dead and now I’m alive, and my God who began a good work in my life continues to do so.

In Mark 5, we read about a man known as Legion who had quite the story to tell.  The man had been possessed by multiple demons and made his home in the graveyard.  However, one encounter with Jesus and he was set free of the evil spirits and begged permission to go with Jesus and his disciples.  But Jesus makes an interesting statement in verse 19.  “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”  Isn’t it odd that Jesus would send this guy home?  After all, isn’t that the hardest place for us to be real and share the intimate parts of our stories?  Even Jesus was rejected in his hometown and by his own family.  But more importantly, Jesus instructs this man, just like I believe he instructs all of us, to share his story and testify to what the Lord has done for him.

Last week at the Beautiful Life Women’s Conference one of the worship songs that we sang was “My Story” by Big Daddy Weave.  Some of the lyrics go like this: “If I told you my story, you would hear hope that wouldn’t let go.  If I told you my story, you would hear love that never gave up.  If I told you my story, you would hear victory over the enemy.  And if I told you my story, you would hear freedom that was won for me.  If I should speak, then let it be of the grace that is greater than all my sin, of when justice was served and when mercy wins, of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in, oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him.”

I pray this is true of all of our stories!  Whether our stories are shared in private or in front of 400 people, on Easter Sunday or on Monday night, whether they make us laugh or cry, to tell our story is to tell of Jesus Christ.  My story isn’t going to make the front page of the newspaper, but what a joy it is to celebrate God’s faithfulness in the good and bad.

1 Peter 3:15 encourages us “If someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.”  May we not only be ready to share our story, but may we be eager to listen to one another’s story.

“This is my story, this is my song; praising my Savior all the day long.”

Erin Jacobsma

After announcing our decision not to go to Haiti and to remain serving ARC in Luverne, I have truly appreciated the outpouring of love and support from you, our church family.  A common comment was, “I’m sorry you didn’t get to go to the mission field, but selfishly I’m glad you are staying!”  I totally understand and appreciate the sentiment behind that type of comment, and it parallels what we have been experiencing.  It is as if God took something away from us, and yet gave me and my family so much more in return.

The last couple of months have been a sort of roller coaster of emotions as I wrestled with that decision, and I learned many lessons about God and myself.  One lesson I learned is that God will stop at nothing to get us to a place of complete dependency on Him.  II Cor. 1:8b-9 has been speaking to me:

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened so that we might not rely on ourselves but on God…”

Paul was able to attribute all of the persecution and other sufferings in his life to the simple purpose of being forced to rely completely on God.  If that was the case for Paul, should it not also be happening to us?  What if we looked at every difficulty, hardship, suffering, disappointment, conflict, or trial as a blessing from God designed to draw us closer to Him?  (See James 1:3-4, Rom. 5:3-5)

The result of these types of thoughts has been a renewal in my heart and mind of understanding the jealous nature of our God.  Ex. 34:14 – “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  Not only is God a jealous God, but HIS NAME IS JEALOUS!  Again, He will stop at nothing to get us thinking about Him, whether through trials or blessings.  This reminds me of the Nirvana lyric, “I don’t care what you think, as long as it is about me…” and the modern maxim often applied to public figures like Donald Trump, “All press is good press.”   Don’t forget Revelation 3:  “I wish you were either hot or cold.  Because you are lukewarm, I am about to spit you out of my mouth!”

As someone with the spiritual gift of evangelism, I’ve noticed that people who are angry at God, and even will curse God or Christians, are usually closer to accepting Christ than people who just don’t care.  Similarly, people going through hard times tend to be more interested in Jesus than those whose lives are progressing nicely.  Any pastor will tell you that hearts are much more receptive to the Word at a funeral than at a wedding.

There is something we all must be reminded of…this life, this world, this existence we have been graciously given…it’s not about us.  It’s about God and His magnificent glory!  He is the main character of this story and the hero.  He is the King, the Queen, the Bishop, the Knight, and the Rook.  We are all just pawns, and we should consider ourselves fortunate to even be that!  God will receive all the glory.  The only question that remains is whether or not we will be the ones to give the glory.  The great news is that when we aren’t generating much glory, God in His mercy will send any diversion necessary to get us back on track.  He commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son!  After that is any object lesson out of bounds?  So I’m glad He allowed us to accept and later give up the call to Haiti, because the result has been a renewed passion for His glory and for service to His people.  Our Jealous God is Mysterious and Amazing!

Cory Grimm

Often times on social media you will find a photo or a story that has gone viral. One of the latest photos was that of a drive thru window with a few young men holding hands with an individual in a car. It caught my eye because of what appeared to be three or four men in a bear hug, hanging outside the small drive thru window. Apparently the person waiting for her coffee in her car behind found it interesting too, because she snapped a picture. The story to go with the picture goes something like this:

A woman pulled up to grab her cup of coffee in tears. An employee exchanged a few words with her and learned her 37-year-old husband had just passed away. Upon learning this, the employee said “There’s nothing more you need to say. We got this. We’re going to do what we do every time we get someone who’s in pain or hurt. We’re going to give them our love.” They did just that as they all stood and prayed for her and then invited her to come back for prayer and support, as well as anything else that she might need. They didn’t make any excuses or worry about the customers waiting behind her; they were simply obedient and prayed with her.

I nearly scrolled by this photo without giving it any thought, but I am glad I was able to read what they had done. It did cause me to wonder why we do not witness more of this in our world. Why is that? Could it be you and I are not taking those small moments in time because we are scared, or we should mind our own business? I know many who reach out to the hurting without thinking about it, and it warms my heart. But how many of these opportunities are we missing out on because we refuse to listen or don’t think we can   do it?

For a long time I did not think I could take those opportunities because I did not know my scripture well enough, I was not comfortable praying in front of others, and I did not want to make them feel bad (Make them feel bad? They are already crying!) Perhaps my favorite excuse of all time – I was taught to mind my own business. Yes, my list of “not now Lord” was nearly endless and I was quick to grab one.

The truth is God has programed us all with the ability to do His work. God’s Word tells us this in 1 John 4:13 “This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” God’s Spirit is within each of us, and we should obediently use what He has given us. God will use you to show His love everywhere, but you must allow Him to do so. It could be at the coffee shop, while strolling down the street, or even at work. Let it never be said of us that we did not take the opportunities God gave us to shine Christ’s light in this dark and dreary world. Rather we took the moment in time to be still and let His love flow through us.

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

Go and be used by God! I had the opportunity to pray with the person that came to service my vehicle just the other day. There are so many opportunities with each new morning. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Sit in the school parking lot and pray for our school and those within. Stop in and visit someone who could use encouragement. Volunteer to read with a child at school or help with homework club. Sign up to help someone in need at ATLAS or volunteer at Redeemed Remnants. While at work, ask your co-worker how they really are. Whatever you do, seek out God’s plan for your time in that place.

Go shine your light,

Becky Ossefoort

In my last Not So With You article I shared about a retreat that the Ridder Church Renewal team was going to attend in Sioux Falls. Although we are still processing what we learned and how we are going to share it with you, let me just say it was a valuable time of learning how a congregation functions together.

A piece of what our team is learning is Naming and Mastering Your Emotions. Emotions are a natural part of the human experience. Having been created in the image of God, an emotion is something we feel in response to a stimulus in which your brain has given meaning. In fact the emotions we know as sadness, fear, anger, joy, love and peace are actually the final expression of a bodily process that happens automatically. Emotions are neither right nor wrong—they have no moral content—they just are. They can be pleasant or painful, mild or overwhelming, and therefore we must be careful never to insinuate they are bad or inappropriate.

Jesus experienced a full spectrum of emotions. When he saw the people had “missed the time of his coming” on Palm Sunday, he wept. When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, he felt so much anguish he began sweating blood. When he saw the people being ripped off by the moneychangers in the temple he was filled with anger and began chasing them away. And one can only imagine as the little children gathered around Jesus, he must have felt great joy.

So again, our emotions play a very important part in reflecting the image of God through our lives. The challenge of course is how we respond to our emotions. And I will admit mastering my emotions is a significant growth area for me because of the erroneous patterns of thinking I developed before I became born again. What’s been most helpful for me is to be reminded of the progression of how my thinking triggers my feelings, and how my feelings then impact my attitudes and actions.  Solomon summed it by saying, “As a person thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). And so I’ve been learning that if my thinking is misguided, it will result in the wrong emotion, which then may trigger the wrong behavior.

If I’m going to grow in naming and mastering my emotions, I must learn how to more accurately diagnose a particular threat or situation. I must learn to give proper meaning to the situation. See, what I didn’t realize is that seven to nine seconds before I feel an emotion, my brain has already assessed the situation, given meaning to it, and then proceeded to pump all kinds of chemicals into my blood stream to create an emotion.

Let me share an example of how I incorrectly gave meaning to a situation which then created wrong feelings which then produced wrong action. Last week Sunday morning I asked you to consider how Jesus has radically changed your life. After giving you a minute to reflect I asked if anyone was willing to share. Then after only 7.11 seconds (I went back and timed it) Ken came up and shared how Jesus has been transforming his life. However in that 7.11 seconds of silence, I began to create wrong meaning. See, even though I know how scary speaking in front of crowds can be, my heart immediately became saddened that in the midst of a loving and graced filled congregation, apparently no one would feel safe in sharing how Jesus was changing their life.

Well, after those few brief moments of giving that situation the wrong meaning, which then produced the wrong feeling, I said something really stupid and untrue. I suggested that the reason Ken came forward was because “he didn’t feel right, that in a congregation our size, no one could share how Jesus changed their life.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I’ll admit I’ve said some pretty stupid things, but that had to be one of the worst and therefore I ask you to please forgive me, again. May God have mercy on me! And please pray for me, that it would not be so with me, that I so quickly jump to wrong thinking, which produces wrong feelings, which produces wrong attitudes and action.

Feeling remorseful… yet forgiven,

Mike Altena

One of the challenges and privileges of working full-time at church is that you get to be there when people wander in looking for help in some form or other.  Erin shared last week about Judith, who happened to stop by church during the Winter Retreat and ended up joining us for most of the day, adding a lot of interesting insights to the small group discussions.  A few weeks ago another interesting character presented himself at church, looking for some spiritual guidance.

Mr. Jackson first of all called church to see if there was someone to talk to about a problem he was facing.  Erin talked to him a little bit and said he was welcome to come in.  Mike wasn’t around at the time, but I was there working on some music.  He showed up and Erin directed him to the sanctuary.  She had asked him if he needed financial assistance, and he answered, “No, I just need someone to talk to.”

Mr. Jackson appeared to be in his early thirties, though his hair was thinning and grey.  He wore cowboy boots and was nicely dressed.  His southern accent jumped out and announced the fact that he hadn’t grown up around here.  We began talking and it was very clear he was agitated about something.  Without much prodding he began to open up and share that he and his wife, who was in the car outside in the parking lot, were having a disagreement about money.

About a year earlier Mr. Jackson’s father had died in a farming accident in Arkansas.  He didn’t say a whole lot about that incident other than the fact that it caused him to inherit quite a bit of money.  Sadly, the extra funds had become a source of strife in his marriage, mainly because his wife’s parents began to ask for money on a regular basis.  As Mr. Jackson described the situation, they (the in-laws) had tried to retire early, in their early fifties, but hadn’t taken into account how much tax they would pay on their withdrawals from a retirement account, so they were in trouble with the IRS and were asking for help from their kids.

So Mr. Jackson described how he had helped them several times with bills and with a couple of larger loans, but nothing had been paid back on the loaned money, and now they were asking for additional funds.  He had finally put his foot down and said they needed to work it out on their own, especially since recently the parents-in-law had reupholstered their pickup truck, not to mention buying a new camper.  Mr. Jackson was fed up, but the breaking point was when his wife went behind his back and wired several hundred dollars to her parents despite his wishes.  So he had blown up at her while they were staying at a motel in Luverne (while passing through on a trip from Colorado to Minneapolis…this was one of those nights when we had ice on the roads), and now he wanted to talk to someone before talking to his wife again.

We talked through the issues he presented, but at one point I felt the Holy Spirit guiding me to ask him about his father.  That was a turning point in the conversation.  It seems he walked away from God when his father died in the accident.  After that time he wasn’t sure if God was really a loving God or not, and he had been wandering spiritually ever since.  Now his lack of spiritual foundation was making it hard for him to deal with the situation with his wife in a loving and patient way.

Mr. Jackson asked if there were any books or other resources I would suggest for his situation.  Luckily, there was a book on “boundaries in marriage” in the library, something left over from some small group study someone did in previous years.  There were chapters in there on money management, which I thought would be helpful.  I gave him a copy, we prayed, and he was on his way, probably never to set foot in ARC again.

I’m not sure how much I helped him and his wife that day, but in the end the conversation helped me a lot.  I was getting a little bit bored preparing meetings and running copies of music, so it was a God-thing to have someone to talk to in such an open and authentic way.  I left the encounter thinking about how we “follow Jesus” for the sake of the world, but in the end we ourselves get even more from it than those we serve.

Cory Grimm

“Refreshments will be served”. Have these four words ever caught your attention? They tend to tickle my taste buds. I enjoy refreshments. The announcement hints at the possibility of homemade sugary delights, but at the very least promises a cold glass of water or a steaming cup of coffee. In addition to the morsels of goodness that come to my tongue, the conversations and togetherness that tend to accompany the tidbits of sustenance fill my heart as well.

In reality, there are many things that bring refreshment. Rain showers reinvigorate the earth after a dry spell. Sunny days breathe new life into a dismal winter season. A visit from a friend, encouraging words, or a whole-hearted hug replenishes a parched soul. We are refreshed by a good night of sleep or a nap in the arms of our favorite Lazy Boy.

Last week Saturday God served up some refreshment to a small group of people who participated in the Winter Retreat. The whole event was a day of renewal, bringing about inspiration and challenge. Worship was uplifting, the teachings were inspiring, conversations with fellow believers were joyous, but the unexpected bit of refreshment for me came from a woman named Judith. Judith was not invited to the retreat. She had not received a registration form, or read any announcements concerning the event, or gotten called and encourage to attend. She was simply there.

I had never met Judith before. She was a jolly soul and reminded me of a character from a childhood tale who appears out of nowhere at the innocent wish of a child. I had been praying for God to use this day as a pick-me-up for myself and others, and to speak clearly to his children. And he sent Judith. Innocently enough, Judith stopped at the church to use the restroom. (While that may seem odd to some of you, it is not uncommon at all.) The sounds of music were echoing through the building as our guest entered the church and she was captivated to join us in worship. Not by coincidence, she grabbed a seat behind me. After introducing myself and explaining the logistics of the day, Judith felt welcome enough to stay and listen to the words of Clay Harris, and join us in our small group discussion.

As I was already a bit nervous about leading a small group, I questioned God and wondered what he was up to placing Judith in my group. I hoped there wouldn’t be awkward silence, and there wasn’t. Judith was very confident in her faith, secure in her relationship with God, and at ease in embracing life with complete strangers. We shared delightful conversations, unique observations, and many laughs. It was utterly refreshing to share this time together. Judith shared with me how welcomed she felt by everyone there. And as mysteriously as Judith came, she left that afternoon and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.

As I reflected that evening on all that had happened, I texted a friend and told her, “I met Jesus today; his name was Judith”. You see, the Bible tells us that God created us in his own image and we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory through the Spirit. I saw Jesus in the presence of Judith. His love and passion radiated from her. I saw attributes in her that I desired for myself. Whether Judith knew it or not, she was on a divine appointment that morning.

May the same be true of us, that when people spend time with us, they encounter Jesus. Proverbs 11:25 says “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” I pray that Judith was refreshed by our presence also.

Erin Jacobsma

Last December we started taking the children’s mission offering a little differently than we have in the past. It is the desire of the Discipleship Team to be more intentional in teaching our children about their offerings to God. In fact, today’s Sunday School lesson for the elementary students is based on just that! Let me take a minute to update you on how our children have been blessing God with their offerings.

At the beginning of January, I had the elementary students decide where January’s offerings would go. They chose between purchasing a goat and two chicks for a family or clean water for two through World Vision. Each gift would cost $100 and they were excited to see two people get clean water. Well, they surprised me! Not only did they provide clean water for two people; they provided clean water for ten! Our check was mailed and we praise God for allowing us to be used in His kingdom.

Since in January we supported a mission “globally”, in February we chose a local blessing strategy. I once again proposed two options for the students to vote for. The option they chose was to bless those in need of help paying for their school lunches. This was not meant to pay for all negative lunch accounts, rather those that struggle to pay for their meals even while on some type of assistance. Our focus in the month of February was to assist those who are on a reduced fee lunch but still struggle to pay their portion because of other bills and circumstances. We wanted to help bring their negative lunch accounts back in the black.

Last month I checked with the local school to be sure this would be a possibility. We went through the different ways we could do this and I told them I’d see them in a month. This week I was given additional information when I went to get the details on how to best get the money where it belonged. I discovered the state of Minnesota is now matching the reduced fee lunches making them free. So, in order to bless families in the six school districts ARC has students in, I am working with the guidance counselor from each to find a family that does not qualify for assistance, but is struggling financially. The same goal of reaching those in need will be reached, but we are going about it just a touch differently than previously planned. This will be an anonymous gift and we will not know who receives it. These families will be sent a note that there has been a gift placed in their lunch account to bless them.

Moving into March, we will once again be supporting a global project. For this month’s giving, we will be supporting Lacy as she begins raising support to become a career missionary in Africa. Lacy is a graduate from Southwest Christian High School and has a heart on fire to bring the gospel to areas that have never heard it before. We were blessed to hear her testimony last fall after she returned from an undisclosed location and I look forward to following her life as she goes where God calls her. Today she will share some of her experiences with the children during our Sunday School time together.

As we continue to move forward in our giving and teaching, I am looking forward to watching our students learn how we honor God through our gifts. Please keep this and all our teachings here in your prayers as we continue to live and love like Jesus.

Becky Ossefoort

By the time most of you read this article the Ridder Church Renewal (RCR) Team will have returned from our first workshop in Sioux Falls. We will have three more of these workshops in the next 18 months. Although I have briefly shared about the RCR process at the congregational meeting, I’d like to share a little bit more about it.

Since the Consistory consented to engage the RCR process, I have often referred to “God’s preferred future for American Reformed Church”—God’s preferred future and the abundant life are one in the same. According to the RCR process, God’s preferred future for us includes “faithful and fruitful missional living demonstrated personally and corporately.” So basically, working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, the Ridder team will help implement a discipleship strategy that is focused on equipping us to experience more of the abundant life.

Establishing and building on four core values will provide a proper seedbed for the gospel to take root. The four core values are integrity, authenticity, courage, and love. Integrity is defined as keeping and honoring your word—doing what you say you will do, when you say you would do it, in the manner it was to be done. Authenticity is bringing all of what you know to all of what you know of God—authenticity is saying “what is so” regardless of fear or shame. Courage is the ability to engage in crucial conversations and then love is seeing, caring, and acting for the good of another.

In addition to living into those four core values, we will work to develop five skill sets. We will develop a culture of disciple-making that follows Jesus’ cycle of discipleship in that he first introduced his disciples to new truths about living in the kingdom of God, and then he sent them out to practice what they learned, which was followed by a time of reflection in community with one another of all they had seen and done.

We will help create an awareness of how chronic anxiety in our congregation hinders us from radically following Christ in mission and how we can do so in spite of the pressure to do otherwise.

Sharing a compelling vision of the abundant life Jesus came to bring, we will embrace the creative tension between conflict and progress.

High performance teams will seek to listen to the Holy Spirit and engage Christ’s kingdom mission for the purpose of bearing fruit.

And we will seek to understand the components of congregational system and how to distinguish operational from adaptive leadership.

While all of this may sound foreign and complicated, basically it’s what we see being lived out between Jesus and his Father, his family, his disciples, and those he encountered along his journey.

Members of the RCR Team are George A. Bonnema, Randy Sasker, Dave Sandbulte, Angie Fick, Tammy Johnson, Vicki Altena, Erin Jacobsma, Becky Ossefort, Cory Grimm and myself.

I am excited to see how God will use these new ways of thinking and being as they are lived out in our community. May it never be said that we would settle for less than what God has planned for us simply because we were ignorant of how we could experience more of the abundant life. If you would like to know more about the RCR process, feel free to visit with one of the team members, I’m sure they would be excited to share more of what they are discovering about God’s preferred future for ARC.

Thy kingdom come, Mike Altena