Acts 28:31
Hey all! Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support it is much appreciated during this journey! If this is your first post you’re reading, welcome! To get caught up, visit the previous posts I’ve made, and to know more about what the purpose of this page is and who I am, visit the “Who I Am” and “Get in Touch” tabs. Last week I shared about preparing to present to my sending church about this last trip to Calgary and officially announcing my plans to move to Calgary with a brief mention of timeline, and and budget. Overall this may be about a 15 minute presentation. Wednesday, I shared with my students my plan to move to Calgary, it was bittersweet, I actually started tearing up about the whole thing! These past 3 years being their Student Pastor has been great, ups and downs I’d like to say that I’ve learned and grown from them as much as I’ve seen them learn and grow! A mutual encouragement has definitely been expressed here. I love these students that the Lord has given me the opportunity to share and disciple. Over this year, I plan on turning up the discipleship as much as possible. And honestly this reminds me of Jesus’ ministry. He spent 3 and 1/2 years preparing his disciples for life without him. In particular, Luke’s account, tells of him sending out the 72 (Luke 10:1-12; 17-20). At some point they will have to adjust to life without Jesus being physically present and know how to minister how Jesus showed them. For my students it’s a similar thing. Just as I had to learn how to be a minister of the Gospel, I’m training them to be, maybe not vocationally, but we are all given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:20). I’ve wanted them to know how to intentionally live out their faith, I’ve tried my best to display that, and I’ve dropped the ball at times, but they showed grace and it’s apparent that there is a deep mutual affection, like one from Paul to the Philippians church, where he says, “Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace...in defense and confirmation of the gospel.” Philippians 1:7 I’m finding that the process of discipleship as Jesus commanded the disciples directly (and subsequently, us) in the Gospel Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). “Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (CSB) There is a major sense of urgency for the disciple-maker, the importance of building up more devoted Christ followers is modeled by the Perfect Disciple-Maker. Jesus taught with urgency of the Missio Dei (the mission of God), by example as well as with lessons knowing the goal and prize set before him. After buying us back with his blood, and upon ascension, Jesus commissioned the 11 disciples to make more disciples (the aforementioned text; Acts 1:8). They waited until they were sent after the coming of the Holy Spirit in (Acts 2) and the church was born as the now apostles made more disciples and formed the church. What I'm doing here with these students and the person who has stepped up to help me. There is an urgency to this process. As I write this I prepare my presentation for the church to share with them my summer, and officially announce my intent to move to Calgary. As I go through this process, I'm unsure what's next but what I am sure of is that the Lord will use this time to build me up more, and make me trust him more. I'm uncomfortable, but I've found that in my discomfort is where the Lord does the most work in me. Below is the link for the online giving option. I will also put this link in the "Get in Touch" Tab. Thank you for reading this week's blog and for your prays and support! By God's grace, He will see me to Calgary. And the work he is doing in you, will be completed at the day of Christ Jesus.
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AuthorMy name is Nokomis Gregory. I'm a native of Winston-Salem, NC. After graduating from Piedmont International University I moved Calgary, Alberta as a church planting team member, with the hopes of planting a church in Calgary. Archives
September 2023
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