I have been working through a study book on the life of Paul. As I have been studying, I have found the way Paul – then Saul – was raised to be very interesting and also pretty convicting. Saul was raised in a culture that seemed to have a law and a way of doing tasks for everything. Some of the practices of his youth seem very strange to me. For instance, each morning he had to put on his tefillin (phylacteries) “at the first moment in the morning when enough daylight was present to recognize a neighbor at a distance of four cubits.” Say what? At our house we are lucky to get up in the morning without hitting the snooze button more than once!

As a young man, Saul set out to obey the scriptures and show his deep devotion to God on a daily basis. He lived a life of following the law and seeking that of what pleased his Creator. Saul was sent off to rabbinic school to learn and upon graduation set out for a place to serve. However, somewhere on his life’s journey, something changed within him and his obedience of serving God became more about obeying the law and religious practices of his day. His love was removed from his obedience, and his love of following the law and his religion quickly became his god.

I have been reflecting on my reading wondering what God wants me to learn from Saul’s young life. What areas of my life have I allowed to become more about law-abiding rather than serving my Father out of love? After all, without love as my motivation to serve, I am just trying to be good. Where have I crossed the line and made how I raise my children and practice my daily life more about religious actions rather than humbly serving our great King?

In Matthew 23 we see Jesus addressing the religious leaders and Pharisees, “¹³Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” Those are some powerful statements. There are others in Matthew 23, but verse 13 grabbed me and caused me to stop. Do my actions ever shut the door to the kingdom of heaven for those I encounter? What about us as a church? Do we have empty religious practices we are passing down to our own children? Are we rule followers for the sake of following rules or are we acting in love as we seek to be obedient?

I have often wondered what God thinks about how we do certain traditions both in our lives and in our church. What motivates me to teach my children about their Savior? Is it because of my love for God, or because it is the right thing to do according to my religion? When we commune as the body, do we come with a humble heart remembering all Jesus did for us, or do we concern ourselves more with how the bread and cup are prepared and to whom they are served?

Beth Moore says, “Godly people are valiant people. They are people with the courage to ask God to spotlight areas of weakness, sin, and failure. Then God can strengthen, heal, and complete what is lacking.” May those words be so of each of us as we seek to open the doors to the kingdom for all we encounter. I encourage you to ask your Father in Heaven to reveal your weakness, to highlight your failures, and perhaps examine the influences in this world that may be keeping you from showing others the door to the kingdom of heaven.

Becky Ossefoort

Would you agree our life comes with challenges?  Some challenges we encounter are hardly noticed and we are quick to take care of it without much thought.  Other challenges cause us to stop and address the situation and maybe even carefully assess before moving to a solution.

Part of the Ridder Church Renewal (RCR) team’s homework the last several months has been to identify our Current Reality. Our Current Reality is a “You Are Here” dot on the map of ARC’s ministry, so to speak. The team discovered many wonderful truths about our church and community and celebrated where we are. Yet, we also discovered there are a few areas we could be even more effective at reaching others and caring for one another if they were to be intentionally addressed. This led the team to identifying what our Technical and Adaptive Challenges are.

For example, I was recently made aware of a Technical Challenge during a conversation with a couple ladies from our church. One of the moms has only been attending ARC about a year and commented that she didn’t know who her child’s Sunday School teacher was for months. I was shocked when she said that, but quickly recalled what it was like 13 years ago when my family started attending here – we knew almost no one! This challenge is technical in nature due to the fact that it can be remedied by simply tweaking something within what we are already doing. The solution can be taught from the experience of other similar challenges encountered in the past.

I knew my opportunity to begin remedying this challenge could be a simple fix that would work best at the beginning of the Sunday School year. So, next Sunday as part of our kickoff, there will be a Meet & Greet opportunity for parents, students, and teachers. It should be a great way to meet new people in our church family and be able to put faces and names together. More details will be given next week.

I find the Adaptive Challenges to be a bit more…well, challenging. Adaptive Challenges are situations we have never encountered before. The church has never been the church in the 21^st Century and as we reflect on how the things of this world have changed around us in the last fifty years, will the church continue to operate as we always have, or will we need to think outside of the box as we live into God’s Preferred Future? While our mission will always remain the same, our methods may need to change and adapt to those they are intended to teach. Adaptive Challenges will require a change of heart in some areas and a little experimenting along the way, because we simply have never done it before. There will be tension as we journey together, but in the tension I pray we all feel compelled to march forward to an even greater fruitful and effective way of missional living, both personally and corporately.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

Becky Ossefoort

Have you ever discovered a place filled with so much beauty and tranquility it made you feel like you could never leave? Toward the end of the trip to Rocky Mountain High, our group went on an adventure to an area a few kids had discovered on a hike. For something a little different, we planned to spend our youth group time there instead of the assigned room the Rocky staff had given us. It was a bit of a jaunt and I began to wonder if the boys who were leading us had another plan for their gullible followers. Just as they had promised, after rounding a corner deep within a ravine, I spotted a brook with a lovely little bridge extending over it to the path on the other side. It was a beautiful and breathtaking spot for us to stop as a group, and a place I would venture back to, given the chance.

Our group spent some time there together, and concluded that time in silence listening to praise music. As I sat perched on a log by the brook within God’s tranquil creation, I took notice of the smooth boulders below the surface of the shallow, chilly water. I questioned if the large stones began as huge chunks of jagged mountain that had fallen to the stream below years before. Over time the water has carved those rough boulders into smooth, rounded formations, now making up the bottom of the brook. When I looked up from the water, I noticed the trees plunging their roots deep into the bank of the brook for the life giving water to keep their leaves lush and green. A little higher on the bank was a small, old, abandoned shack falling in on itself and, I’ll admit, it seemed a bit out of place. I quickly forgot about the shack as I looked up the trail a bit further to see a stairway of rock and tree roots only to lose sight of the path as it disappeared up the mountain.

As my mind was taking it all in, I realized how much of a metaphor the scene was of my life and made me think of how God has been at work in me throughout the years. The cold, jagged edges of my sinful heart have become more smooth and gentle as I have experienced my Father in Heaven. I know I can now travel through the rushing waters of this life, and trust God is with me; and when I pass through the rivers they will not sweep over me. (Isaiah 43:2) My Savior has let me drink of His living water and as the life giving water flows through me, it has washed my sins down the stream where they are remembered no more. (Hebrews 8:12) And the old shack on the edge of the bank? Well, that’s the ugly place I abandoned when my Savior’s hand clasped mine and called me to walk with Him as we co-labor together in His beautiful creation.

May this be so of you also, that you cannot escape the beauty and tranquility of our Father in Heaven, the gift of His Son and may the river of living water flow freely through you and into the lives of others.

Becky Ossefoort

Have you noticed how tall the corn is getting in the countryside fields? It seems like only yesterday the little plants were just a few inches high as they emerged through the dark top soil. The old phrase “Knee High by the 4^th of July” to this generation seems odd because the plants are usually chest high by the fourth of July! Genetics of corn and soybeans has changed a lot in my lifetime; I can only imagine how much it has changed since both my grandfathers planted their first crop on their family farms.

Always imagining I’d marry a man who lived in the city, I never paid much attention to the crops as a kid. Now that I live surrounded by fields of corn and soybeans, I take a little more notice to their growth. This spring I was especially struck by the process in which a farmer cares for their crop. They prepare the soil by stirring it around, spreading fertilizers, planting the seed, and then trust the Creator of all things for rain and warm sunshine. There was no lack of wet weather early this spring and along with the cool temps, farmers were no doubt getting a little worried about a harvest this fall. Eventually the weather was more favorable and the seedlings sprouted through the top layer of soil, and then the work of spraying for weeds began. Some of the chemicals used for this process will burn your skin right off if you are not properly trained and take appropriate safety precautions. Yet, when diluted down with some water and applied to the field accurately, only the weeds shrivel up, not the tiny, fragile plants. Pretty incredible.

Similarly, our spiritual lives need the proper tender, loving care. As I grew up, my parents read God’s Word to me, we went to church on Sundays, and attended Sunday School and Midweek each week. They taught my siblings and I how to care for the needy and spread God’s love and kindness through the way they lived their life each day. They meticulously cared for not only my physical needs, but also my spiritual needs. Yet, the noxious weed of sin was part of me and threatened to choke out any fruit in my life. As I continued to grow into adulthood, I had to make choices to continue to care for my spiritual life. Sadly, there were times I allowed the weeds of sin to run rampant in my life. I was more concerned about what the world had to offer than seeking the gifts of my Father in heaven. Often times the world’s thrills seemed exhilarating, but usually were empty promises and short lived.

It’s true, there are times I do not care for my spiritual life as I should. Sleeping an extra half hour is more tempting than spending time in silence with my Father. I let a spiritual discipline or two slip and then complain about how hard it is to get back in the groove of practicing them. It’s amazing though, even in my mess, when I eventually recognize something is missing, I see God at work creating a way for me to come back to Him.

⁶So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness…¹³When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,¹⁴having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2

Are we as meticulous about our spiritual lives as the farmer is with his crop? Do we go to great measure to fix what is not right deep within us? May it not be so of us that we are so tangled up in the things of this world we neglect to care for our spiritual life rooted deep in Christ Jesus.

Becky Ossefoort

Selective hearing. Is this a common disorder in your home and family? I had a good chuckle about it just last weekend at Austin’s baseball game. My mother-in-law said something to my father-in-law and Josh, but they were both completely oblivious to anything she was saying. They kept watching and cheering not hearing a word she said. With a smirk and a slight eye roll, she turned to me and said “Selective hearing, it must run in the family!” We had a good laugh and continued watching the players take home a victory.

I would like to believe I hear well, but the truth be told, I know I don’t hear everything I should. My kids call for me and when I don’t answer their plea becomes louder – but I would never pretend not to hear them! J When I reflect on my day, I all too often see where God asked me to do something, but I didn’t hear Him. Even worse, I sometimes choose not to hear Him. Often times the small, gentle voice of God is simply drowned out by the noise this world has to offer. How my soul wrestles to tone out the racket and simply be still and listen.

Last week the staff had the opportunity to take a retreat to Inspiration Hills for a day of quiet, reflection, and listening. Among the busyness of spring activities and preparing for a week of VBS, I wasn’t sure how I would have the time. Yet, my soul longed for a day to focus only on my Heavenly Father and be refreshed. Now before you think we all played hooky for the day, this was part of the study we are working through together called “A Way of Life.” Every one of us has been invited into a friendship with God and this study explores a way of life that is faithful to God’s good work. A portion of the study included a retreat to spend two hours alone in solitude and prayer.

In the scriptures we often see Jesus “retreating.” He would often withdraw from the crowds and things He was doing to spend time with His Father in prayer. Jesus knew the importance of having quiet time alone with the Father, in order to draw closer and be restored. Our “A Way of Life” study book puts it this way, “We must build into our lives what Jesus did – a deserted place to pray – if we hope to engage the world compassionately like Jesus. We need extended times and quiet places to stop, to reflect, to pray. For there we encounter more deeply our dignity, mystery, and uniqueness as persons in God’s image.”

Our lives are jam-packed full of responsibilities and distractions, and when you think about it, Jesus’ life was somewhat similar. He was always with his disciples teaching them; he was often interrupted by someone who desired His healing touch or others who wanted to challenge His teaching; and then there were the crowds who followed Him. Can you imagine being followed by thousands? How quickly one could grow weary from that!

What about you? How’s your hearing? Do you hear all that your Heavenly Father has to say to you? Do you yearn for a retreat to drink in the goodness of your Lord and Savior? May it not be so with us that we were so deafened by this chaotic world’s noise and busyness we could not hear the sweet, gentle voice of our great Master.

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31b

Becky Ossefoort

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

These are a few words from the story of creation. More specifically, the part of creation God said was “very good.” We have all probably heard and read this verse countless times in our lives. Even the youngest among us hear these words at a very early age in Sunday School. Yet, even with its familiarity, it took a while for a portion of this verse to really grab my attention and pause for deep thought and consideration. You and I were created “in the image of God”. It is pretty incredible to sit and think about how the creator of all things has created you in His image.

Not only were you and I made in God’s image, everyone we encounter has been made in His image and is loved by Him. Each of us is created to reflect the character of our Creator and we are all valued by Him. No one should ever be degraded, belittled, or cursed. James 3 says “⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” People are precious to God, and at times our words are right and pleasing to God, glorifying His image. At other times, because of our sin nature, our words are destructive and hurtful to God’s very own masterpiece.

In youth group we recently talked about how we label people in a variety of ways. Everyone shared positive and negative labels we have given or received on little pieces of paper and placed them on a board. As a group, we reflected on these labels and how they make us feel, and even how easy it can be to place labels on people we encounter. One individual shared of how she caught herself labeling a lady in a store as she judged her because of the things she was saying to the clerk. Another recalled, on our mission trip to Benton Harbor, how they had labeled a group of residents “lazy” as they watched us clean up their neighborhood. When we sorted all of our little papers into categories of “Negative” and “Positive” we were surprised to learn how much easier it seemed to be to come up with negative rather than positive labels for others. Much like it seemed easier to place a negative label on the board, we are also quick to believe the negative labels others put on us.

As we continued to discuss our topic, the verse above from Genesis 1 popped into my head. I shared the verse with the group and reminded them we are all made in God’s image. Which left us to consider, if we wouldn’t label God with these negative labels, why would we do it to others? And as children of God, why would we believe the hurtful labels others place on us?

Have you ever stopped to consider we are all made in his image? As you encounter others, I challenge you to look at them through the eyes of our Heavenly Father – Holy and dearly loved by the Creator of all things.

Becky Ossefoort

A little over 5 years ago, Josh and I purchased a small farm outside of Luverne. While I was excited to move out of the city limits for the first time in my life, I was also hesitant of this new lifestyle. As our friends and family followed us to our new home, with moving trailers in tow, Josh asked me if I was ready for country life. I replied with an uncertain “yes” and without missing a beat he said “Good, cause our address is never going to change!” Needless to say this farm boy, who had been trapped in town for over 11 years, was excited! We had finally bought the farm and all the joys (and critters!) that come with it.

Now after making the farm our home for the last 5 years, I can only faintly remember what it was like to live in town. Actually, it would take a considerable amount of convincing to get this town kid back within the city limits! As a family we have found much joy on this simple piece of land. We’ve spent countless hours training cattle for the county fair; many driving lessons; bonfires under a starlit sky; the sweet aroma of cattle and hogs (I still think it just plain stinks!); and most of all, time spent together. I think of our conversation from moving day sometimes and it always brings a smile to my face.

I’ve been reading through the book of Acts the last couple weeks and the memory of moving day entered my mind as I read. Pondering the words Luke wrote of how the Christian faith spread throughout the land, a common theme emerged as I read the first few chapters. Verse after verse speaks of how the believers were together. The believers fellowshipped, broke bread, and prayed together (2:42). Daily they met together, ate together and worshiped together (vs.46-47). What a beautiful picture of unity. As I read through chapter 4, I continued to see this same pattern, but I stopped to ponder these next verses a little longer than the others. “³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had…³⁴there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”

Much like Christ, the apostles and their community not only took special care of each other; they sacrificed all they had for one another. As Jesus left this earth for His throne in heaven he instructed the apostles to wait for the gift His Father would be sending and that they would be His witness to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:4 & 8). The apostles obeyed His final instructions and they are the example we should follow. Would I be willing to sell my home, change my address, for the good of someone else? How about you, are you willing to sell it all and have it given to anyone who has a need?

My husband will be relieved to know I have not heard God ask me to sell the farm and give it all to those in need – at least not yet.  I don’t believe God asks each of us to sell everything we have, but I do believe His desire for our life is we would be willing, if we were asked. The footnote in my Bible for these verses says “The spiritual unity and generosity of these early believers attracted others to them. This organizational structure is not a biblical command, but it offers vital principles for us to follow.” Indeed it does. It does leave me to wonder how I’ve been doing with sharing the generosity of Christ with the sojourners along my journey. How about you?

Becky Ossefoort

I was scanning through the birthday card aisle awhile back and stopped when I came across a cute card with an old lady in a hospital gown on it that said “My mind says I’m in my twenties. My body says ‘Yeah, You Wish!’” I chuckled to myself, but then recalled my own age and the relentless ache in my knee. An older friend of mine recently purchased his first pair of reading glasses and was amazed how clear print really could be when reading. In fact, his comment to me was, “Wow, these glasses really speed up reading and make things clearer!” Yes, it’s true, my husband and I are not in our twenties anymore. For many of us we take these physical gifts for granted until one day we wake up and our body requires a careful stretch before movement or an extra arm adjustment to read the morning paper.

I’ve worn glasses since the fourth grade so I had to snicker a bit when Josh was explaining how great his new glasses were. The clarity one finds when putting on the new spectacles is really pretty exciting. I wonder if this excitement of new found sight is true of our spiritual lives too. Both Josh and I grew up knowing our Savior mostly due to the families we were born into. We never questioned who Jesus was or why our family participated in different ministries. We were given the lens of the Gospel early on and accepted it into our hearts as adolescents. I would say this is probably true of most of you reading this little article, but what about the others?

The others? What do you mean, Becky? I simply mean the others – those who do not sit among us in the church pews; whose lives may lay in ruin; the folks who seek peace from the world never finding it. Simply put, those who do not know Jesus to be their Savior. For many, the lens of the Gospel has never been offered to them, others have denied the need for it. So what does that have to do with us? Everything! We have the gift of sight, and Jesus instructs His servants to share it with others!

All this talk about sight reminds me of Paul. After all, he was blind and then had the gift of sight restored – in more ways than one! Still known as Saul, he was traveling down a road one day minding his own business when suddenly a bright light and voice appeared to him and just like that he was blind. After his physical sight was restored he received the gift of the Holy Spirit and began his ministry. In Acts 26 Paul reflects on the day his life changed forever with King Agrippa sharing the words Jesus spoke to him on the road, “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul obeyed Jesus’ instructions and shared the Good News with everyone he encountered. As he showed the light of Jesus to others, hearts were transformed and eyes were opened to know their Creator and lives were restored. We have been given the same instructions, and like Paul, the same Holy Spirit that worked through him works in us.

Becky Ossefoort

“I don’t know how.” It’s a common phrase around our house. My husband uses it when doing household tasks. My children use it when they need help with homework. Even I use it when trying to get out of going in the hog barn. Yet, as a mom, I often have to find out how to accomplish these tasks no one else knows how to do – Biology homework and all!

A few weeks ago I heard this familiar phrase uttered from an adult and it left me to do some thinking. Let me fill you in on our conversation a bit. A gentlemen and I were discussing lesson ideas for the youth of our church. I mentioned it would be great to get the students outside the church walls and have a lesson on service and being more mission minded in our day-to-day activity. He agreed and just as I started brainstorming out loud, he stopped me and said, “But, I don’t know how, so you are going to need to teach me.” I knew this man had an understanding of what it means to serve and even how to do so, yet he felt inadequately prepared. I assured him he had all the “know how” he needed downloaded into him from the power of the Holy Spirit, but I understood where he was coming from. We each grew up in different churches, but had a similar upbringing. Our conversation continued by acknowledging we had been raised in the church, we had been taught what we are called to do, yet the instruction of “Go!” is sometimes difficult to put into action.

In The Tangible Kingdom Primer Hugh Halter writes “This gap between learning and action has handicapped the modern church by producing passive ‘disciples’. We have taken discipleship off the streets and brought it into the classroom and the church pew.” When I read this I was reminded of the “I don’t know how” statement in the conversation about the youth lesson. Hugh is right. Now how are we going to change it?

I am not sure when the shift of taking a more passive approach to discipleship began, but I do believe God is instructing us to turn course and find ourselves out among the world. Turning to the Gospel will be a key tool in learning how to engage in the lives of those who do not know their Savior. Jesus was a living example as He instructed the twelve disciples on how to show others the Kingdom of God. Jesus said “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

I believe another way to start would be to pick up your copy of The Tangible Kingdom Primer and get yourself in a Life Group! Jesus always sent His disciples out in pairs or groups and you should do the same – plus it is a lot of fun to do together. I am certain there are many within our church family who “don’t know how”. So, let’s learn together without any shame, no feelings of guilt, and filled with grace as we practice this new way of life. Just as I help my children learn how to do something new, Jesus will lead us as we follow Him across the street or fence. Living an intentional lifestyle will take a little work at first, but like anything else, the more you practice the easier it will become; and soon you’ll be living it without any extra effort at all. As we grow together, may we ignore the “I don’t know how” voice in our minds and focus on our Leader as we shift our discipleship out of the seats and into the streets of our community.

Go and be a blessing, Becky Ossefoort

Stuff. I am not a fan of stuff. Extra things on my desk, miscellaneous clutter in the corners of my home; it all just plain stresses me out! Simple has always been my preference, but truth be told I am no different than anyone else. I struggle with the need to acquire things or have just a little more of other possessions.

I was talking to some friends who had recently shown their children where they lived while attending college as a newly married couple. The apartment building they lived in was never much to look at, but years later it now sits among much newer buildings, and looks really rough. Their children looked at them oddly, questioning if they had really lived there or if they were pulling their leg. He somewhat ashamedly admitted their first apartment would probably fit in the living and dining room of their current home. His comment was, “It was enough and all we needed.”

1 Timothy 6 reminds us how we brought nothing into this world and we will leave the same way. So, why do we have a deep desire for so much? Are we constantly trying to fill an empty feeling inside that will never go away? This world is full of things; things that can so easily become idols and turn our eyes from our Creator. As we are trying to acquire and load up, what message are we really sending our children? Is it a message that the things of this world are enough and will eventually fill emptiness inside?

I was convicted the other day when the Christmas music started on KNWC. I realized while I had 95% of my Christmas shopping completed, I had not given much thought to the reason we celebrate the Christmas season. I began to feel a lump in my throat as the music played and the words pierced my heart.

Stuff…things…all paraphernalia we will eventually lose interest in or send to the second hand store. What if this year we take the same energy we use to purchase the perfect gift, and spend it on getting to know someone who doesn’t know our Savior? Maybe stop and share God’s purpose of the Christmas story with a co-worker or friend. I don’t know about you, but sharing the gift of salvation is something I’d like to lavishly give to others!

1 Timothy 6 goes on to say  ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. Whether you did your shopping on Black Friday, sat in your PJs on the couch on Cyber Monday, or are waiting for all the bargains on December 23^rd, do not fall into the trap of filling the emptiness with things that do not really fill you up at all. Instead focus on the joy of the season and the richness of the gift born in a stable that night so long ago. The gift of knowing Jesus is the only gift that will ever truly fill anyone up inside.

This Christmas, may the gift in the manger stall be enough and all you really need!

Becky Ossefoort