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Central Family,
Last Sunday we started the Joshua journey! If you have not picked up the Joshua Devotional you can drop by the office to get a hard copy or pick one up at worship this Sunday. You also can visit www.clcelkriver.org and read the Joshua devotions. Today's devotion is written by Tami Thoreson and she shares some thoughts about Joshua 24:19-31. Tami writes, "Are there 'Gods' we are serving other than the one true Lord God and Savior? This is an important question that we face each and every day. What are we trusting? In whom do we trust? Luther reminds us that "a god is anyone or anything in which we place our trust."
What is our greatest threat as we start the Joshua journey? Recently I read an article that suggested, "Our greatest threat is not an economic crisis, health care or even terrorism. We are in a spiritual state of emergency". Consider;
- 200 million Americans are 'un-churched.
- 33% of children will go to bed tonight without a father in the home.
- The United States is the 4th largest un-churched nation in the world.
- 70% of high schoolers leave church when they graduate. 1/3 never return.
The Joshua Journey that we are on this summer is all about growing deeper into the promises, purposes and plans of God! What does it mean for Central to be a body that fulfills the Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples? What does it mean for Central to be a body that fulfills the Great Commandment to love one another as I have loved you? It is the hope and prayer that we will join Joshua and declare our will and resolve, "As for me and my household we will serve the Lord." One of the great aspects of this journey is that we will grow!
Another article I recently read compared the work of the church to the work of parenting. Can you imagine what we would do if babies didn't grow? We all love babies - for a while. Infants are cute, How can you not smile, coddle and coo at a baby? But after a few years, you definitely don't want the child to be a baby anymore. In fact you would go to the Doctor if at five years old your son or daughter was still behaving like a baby. This is exactly where many churches struggle. How do we guide infants toward maturity? Just growing older doesn't automatically mean we are growing more mature. What's the point? The Joshua Journey is an opportunity for all of us to get on board and grow in our relationship to Jesus Christ as Lord.
On a personal note tomorrow I leave for Tanzania for the month of June. I am very grateful for this opportunity to go to Tanzania with my wife, Martha, and sons, Stephen and Andrew. Please know that we will be praying for you as you are on the Joshua journey and we are grateful for your prayers for us. On Sunday, June 27 I will be privileged to preach at our sister congregations in Njombe, Tanzania. I will bring greetings to our sisters and brothers in Christ and assure them of our ongoing prayers and love.
Enjoy the journey!
Paul Johansson
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