There is a moment in every great team sport when everything clicks. The outside hitter reads the set perfectly. The offensive lineman fires off the line at exactly the right angle. The point guard threads a pass through a defense that seemed impenetrable. For one brief, beautiful moment, every person does exactly what they were designed to do, and the result is something none of them could have produced alone.

That is not just a picture of great athletics. It is a picture of what the church is meant to be.

Scripture uses the human body as its primary metaphor for the church, and for good reason. Every part of the body is distinct. Every part serves a different function. And yet every part belongs to the same organism, drawing life from the same source, working toward the same purpose. Romans 12:4-8 makes this connection explicit, describing how those who belong to Christ form one body together, each member belonging to all the others, each carrying gifts that differ according to the grace given to them. The assumption underneath that passage is both simple and staggering: every person has a part to play, and the whole suffers when any part goes missing.

One of the most clarifying truths about spiritual gifts is found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, where Paul describes the Spirit distributing different gifts to different people. The list is wide-ranging, covering everything from wisdom and knowledge to healing, prophecy, and faith. But before the list even begins, Paul establishes the governing principle in verse 7: the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.

Not for personal glory. Not for individual advancement. For the common good.

This does not diminish the individual. Quite the opposite. There is something deeply affirming about the truth that the Spirit of God has personally invested something significant in you, something specific to your design, something intended to accomplish real and lasting good in the world. But the direction of that gift always flows outward. It is given to you so that it can be given through you.

Think of it this way. A running back who refuses to run is not protecting himself. He is failing his team. A setter who decides not to set is not taking a well-deserved rest. She is leaving five other players without what they need. Gifts are not possessions to be hoarded. They are responsibilities to be exercised for the benefit of others.

We live in an age of artificial intelligence that studies our patterns and feeds us more of the same. Every search, every scroll, every click trains an algorithm to predict what we will do next. The result is a life that becomes increasingly narrow, increasingly predictable, increasingly shaped by our own existing tendencies rather than by anything genuinely new.
The life of the Spirit works in precisely the opposite direction.

When the Spirit of God moves in a person's life, He disrupts the algorithm. He redirects energy and attention toward things that no predictive model would have anticipated. He takes someone headed one direction entirely and calls them toward something they never would have chosen on their own. The gifts He places in people are not extensions of natural talent or personal preference. They are divine insertions, interruptions in the predictable, redirections toward the purposes of God.

The question worth sitting with is this: Is the Spirit trying to redirect something in your life right now? Is there a prompting you have been explaining away, a nudge you have been ignoring, a sense that you are meant to be doing something different or something more?

Ephesians 4:11-3 describes Christ giving gifts to the church in the form of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and it names their purpose clearly: to equip God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ might be built up. The goal is maturity. The goal is unity. The goal is the whole community growing together into the fullness of Christ.

That is not a small thing. And it does not happen through the efforts of a few highly visible people. It happens through the accumulated faithfulness of ordinary people doing what the Spirit has equipped them to do, week after week, year after year, often without recognition, often without knowing the full weight of what their service is accomplishing.

Consider what it means that a single person showing up consistently, serving with warmth and genuine care, can gradually shift the culture of an entire community toward greater openness and welcome. Consider what it means that a mentor investing in one struggling teenager might, without ever knowing it, alter the entire trajectory of that young person's life. The impact of faithful service is almost always larger than it appears from the inside.

Perhaps the most important reframe Scripture offers on the subject of serving is found in Romans 12:1-2, where Paul urges believers to present themselves as living sacrifices, describing this as their spiritual act of worship. Serving is not a debt to be paid. It is not a requirement to be grudgingly fulfilled. It is an act of worship, an offering laid before God in gratitude for everything He has already done.

First Peter 4:10-11 captures the same spirit, directing those who speak and those who serve to do so in such a way that God receives the praise in all things. The goal of every gift, every act of service, every hour invested in the life of the church is ultimately this: that God would be glorified.

When that is the posture of the heart, serving stops feeling like a burden and starts feeling like a privilege. The question shifts from what does this cost me to what does this give me the opportunity to offer.

What has the Spirit placed in you? Where is He calling you to use it? The body is waiting for the part that only you can play.

God has given every believer a meaningful place in the body of Christ. Take time this week to ask Him where He is inviting you to serve—and how the gift He has placed in you can strengthen someone else.

Watch Pastor Fred’s full message, “Through Us | What God Does When We Serve (Part 2),” to explore what happens when each of us faithfully plays the part God has given us.

Join us Sunday, August 30, at 9:50 AM between services for an update on what’s ahead at FRC. We’ll share highlights about our upcoming fall ministries and the vision shaping this next season as we continue focusing on growing disciples, raising leaders, and reaching a broken world.

We are certain that there is a place for you to belong and make a difference by using the gifts God has given you. We invite you to explore the opportunities FRC has for you to do just that by clicking here, or by stopping by the Welcome Center to learn more.
Thank you, and God bless you!

On August 23, we will be inviting College students from our community to join us every Sunday for a homemade breakfast between services. The meal will start around 9:30am, and will continue to be available at that time every Sunday for the school year.
We like to say, It's the best free breakfast in town (but we're a little biased). Either way, we would love to see you there!

There is a moment many of us know well. An email arrives, or a text comes through, or someone catches us in the hallway after a Sunday service. They need volunteers. They need help. And somewhere in the back of our minds, before we have even read the details, a familiar weight settles in. Here we go again.

If that experience resonates with you, you are not alone. And more importantly, that weight — that sense of pressure or guilt or quiet resentment — is not what God intends for us when He calls us to serve. The invitation to serve in the church was never meant to feel like a debt collection notice. It was meant to feel like a seat at the table.

So what does God's perspective on serving actually look like? And how do we get from where many of us are to where God wants us to be?

Let us start with honesty. The expectation to serve is not manufactured by church leaders or guilted into existence by well-meaning volunteers. It comes directly from Scripture. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a parable about a man who entrusts bags of gold to his servants before leaving on a journey. One bag of gold represented roughly a lifetime of wages — an almost incomprehensible investment. The servants who took what they were given and put it to work were met with strong commendation upon the master's return. The one who buried his bag in the ground, who did nothing with what had been entrusted to him, received a very different response.

The application is clear. God has invested in each of us — not just financially, but in the form of abilities, gifts, experiences, and callings. When those gifts are buried, when they sit unused while the church limps along with gaps and holes, God takes notice. The expectation to serve is real, and it is rooted in Scripture.

But here is where many conversations about serving stop, but there is much more to think about.

If the parable of the bags of gold is the only lens through which we view serving, it is easy to slip into a transactional mindset. God has done so much for me. I suppose I owe Him. I guess I have no choice. And that posture, however understandable, quietly poisons the well.

In 1 Peter 4, the apostle Peter writes to a community of believers navigating genuine hardship. His instructions are striking in their warmth. He calls them to love one another deeply, to offer hospitality without grumbling, and then he says this:
Stewards of grace. Not debtors paying back a loan. Stewards — people entrusted with something precious, given the privilege of distributing it to others.

When we serve from a place of gratitude rather than guilt, everything changes. Colossians 3:17 captures this beautifully, describing a life where every word and deed flows from thankfulness to God through Jesus Christ. Gratitude is not a feeling we manufacture. It is the natural response of a heart that has genuinely reckoned with the cross, the resurrection, and the hope of eternity. When that gratitude rises to the surface, serving stops feeling like a burden and starts feeling like an outlet.

There is something worth sitting with in the image of adoption. Romans 8 describes believers as those who have been adopted into the family of God — not as guests, not as observers, but as sons and daughters. That identity carries weight.

Think about what it means to belong to a family. There are responsibilities that come with membership. There are contributions expected of every person at the table. A child who has never known a stable home, who has never passed the potatoes or helped clear the dishes, experiences something profound the first time they are included in those ordinary acts. They are not just visiting. They belong. And belonging means participating.

The church is no different. God has not designed the community of faith to function as a spectator sport. He has designed it as a body, with every part contributing to the health and movement of the whole. When we serve, we are not just filling a slot on a volunteer schedule. We are affirming our identity as members of God's family, stepping into the responsibility and the privilege that comes with belonging.

The question worth sitting with is this: is your posture toward serving one of "I have to" or "I get to"? That small shift in perspective carries enormous spiritual weight.

One of the most encouraging truths in all of Scripture is that God does not call us to serve in a generic, one-size-fits-all way. He equips each person with specific gifts, and those gifts are not accidental. Ephesians 4 describes a church where leaders equip the people for works of service so that the whole body grows toward maturity and fullness. Romans 12 lists gifts ranging from teaching and encouragement to leadership, generosity, and mercy — each one essential, each one given for the common good.

The gift God has placed in you is not decorative. It is functional. It is meant to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of the people around you. When a child grows up in a community of faith and one day stands to declare their belief publicly, behind that moment are dozens of faithful people who showed up week after week to teach, to pray, to serve. When a person in crisis finds genuine comfort in a small group, it is because someone chose to lead it. These are not small things. They are the kingdom of God made visible.

Every season of life is different. Some people are exhausted. Some are brand new and still finding their footing. Some have been serving faithfully for decades and need the reminder that what they do matters. Wherever you find yourself, the invitation is the same: lay this season before God and ask Him honestly what serving might look like for you.

Not out of guilt. Not out of pressure. But out of gratitude for grace freely given, identity securely held, and a family worth showing up for.

Where might God be inviting you to serve in this season? Take some time to pray about the gifts He has given you and where He may be calling you to use them. Then take a step. Visit frcoc.org/volunteer to explore ministry opportunities at First Reformed Church and choose an area you would like to learn more about. You can also watch Pastor Fred’s full message, What God Does When We Serve: In & Among Us, to hear more about how God works in us as we serve.

Serving is more than filling a need. It is an opportunity to use what God has given us, grow in our faith, and be part of what He is doing in the lives of others.

Join us as we kick off the Young Adult Ministry Year! We will gather in the Northeast Lawn of FRC for a night of good food, games, and fellowship. Please bring a lawn chair, a side to share, and your own meat to grill. A grill + grill masters will be provided! Bring your friends!

If you have questions, please contact Allie Eckmann.

This summer, Habitat for Humanity is building a home in Orange City for the Chavez family. First Reformed Church is excited to partner in this effort and provide opportunities for our congregation to serve alongside Habitat volunteers throughout the construction process.

We are grateful for the opportunity to come alongside the Chavez family and our community partners as we help build a place they can call home. Please continue to pray for the family, the volunteers, and the ongoing construction process.

Volunteer Sign-Ups:

Now Hiring: Assistant Custodian We're seeking a dependable part-time Assistant Custodian (10 - 20 hours per week) to help provide a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for our church family. View the job description and apply at frcoc.org/jobs by August 24.

GriefShare is a welcoming, 13-week support group designed to help you navigate the journey of grief with hope and encouragement. Whether your loss is recent or happened years ago, you'll find practical tools, compassionate support, and a safe place to heal.

Two GriefShare groups are meeting in Orange City this fall.

FRC is hosting a group on  Thursdays from 6:00–7:30 p.m. in the FRC Office Conference Room, beginning September 3. Sessions are led by Suzanne Haverdink and Cheryl Hiemstra. A participant workbook is available for $25.

New Hope E-Free church is also hosting a GriefShare group. Their group meets in the Orange City Library from 6:00–7:30 p.m. on Mondays starting August 31.

If you or someone you know could benefit from GriefShare, we encourage you to join us for this meaningful time of support and healing.

We invite you to join us on Wednesday, September 2, at 5:30 PM for food, games, and community. Then, at 6:30 PM, we will gather in the sanctuary to watch high-energy comedian, Bob Smiley, take the stage with a fun-filled show for all ages.
Invite your family, friends, and neighbors for a night of laughter, connection, and a great start to the ministry year!

On Sunday, August 23rd, we at FRC would like to invite Students of all ages, teachers and school staff to bring their backpacks to worship. During both services, we will take time to pray over the upcoming school year. We want to remind every student and educator that they are loved, known, and prayed for. Please, come join us!

Grab your Nerf blaster and get ready for an afternoon of laughter, friendly competition, and chicken nuggets!
Incoming 6th graders through current 8th graders are invited to Middle School Nerf & Nuggets Night on Wednesday, August 5, from 4:00-5:30 PM in the Gym. Bring your own Nerf blaster if you have one, or use one of ours. We'll provide extra blasters, darts, eye protection, chicken nuggets, refreshments, and everything else you need for a great afternoon.
This isn't just for serious Nerf people. Whether you're a Nerf expert or it's not really your thing, everyone is invited to jump in with challenges, hidden-identity games, and plenty of fun. It's a great opportunity to meet new friends, reconnect after the summer, and enjoy an afternoon together in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
No registration is needed—just show up, bring a friend, and come ready to have fun. We can't wait to see you there!

If you have a child from birth through fifth grade, now is the time to register them for the 2026–2027 ministry year!

At First Reformed Church, we love kids. These are such important years as children begin building the foundation of their faith and discovering who God is, how much He loves them, and what it means to follow Him. That's why everything we do in Kids' Ministries is intentionally designed to help kids know God, trust Jesus, and live out their faith. Through engaging Bible teaching, meaningful relationships, and fun, Christ-centered experiences, every lesson, conversation, and activity helps children take their next step in following Jesus. We'd love to partner with your family along the way.

Use the registration link on this page to sign your child up for our birth–5th grade ministries. If you have any questions or would simply like to learn more, we'd love to connect with you. Contact Sarah Kuiper.

Registration is now open for all students entering grades 6–12 for the 2026–2027 ministry year! In our Youth Ministries, we help students experience the full life Jesus promises in John 10:10 by creating a place where they can belong, grow in faith, and have fun. Through biblical teaching, honest conversations, meaningful relationships, and plenty of laughter, students are encouraged to know Jesus and begin making their faith their own. Registration includes both Wednesday night Youth Group and Sunday morning Bible study. Questions? Contact Ross Enger.

Brazil Mission Trip Wish List
This August, a team from First Reformed Church will travel to Manaus, Brazil, where we will partner with an indigenous missionary serving among the Hixkaryana tribe. Together, we will travel by boat along the Amazon River, build relationships, encourage local believers, and share the hope of the Gospel in remote communities.

As we prepare for the trip, we have the opportunity to bring items that can be used to bless indigenous families and support ministry efforts while we are there. We invite our church family to partner with us through donations and prayer.

Ways You Can Help
1) Purchase Items from Our Amazon Wish List: Many of the needed items can be purchased through our Amazon Wish List and shipped directly to the church. This makes it easy for our team to collect, organize, and pack supplies before departure.

2) Purchase Mission Balls: Mission Balls are a simple but effective ministry tool that help create opportunities to connect with children and families. Choose the Portuguese language when purchasing.

3) Create Handmade Items: Volunteers are invited to knit or crochet potholders and other simple handmade items that can be shared as gifts with families we meet along the way. Contact Sara Van Zee if you are interested in creating handmade items.

4) Give Financially: Financial gifts help cover ministry supplies, transportation of materials, and other outreach opportunities connected to the trip. Designate your gift “Brazil Mission Trip Fund.”

Learn More
You can stop by the Mission Desk in the Fellowship Hall or speak with Sara Van Zee to learn more about how you can partner with our Brazil team as we prepare to share the love of Christ with the Hixkaryana people.

There is a reason so many beloved hymns and worship songs draw their lyrics directly from the book of Revelation. Handel's Messiah, with its thundering declaration of worthiness, comes straight from Revelation 5. (Revelation 5:1-14) The modern worship song "Is He Worthy?" is rooted in the same chapter. We sing these words with conviction, yet many of us rarely open the book itself. We love the music it inspires, but we hesitate at the door of the text.

That hesitation is understandable. Revelation is complex, layered, and filled with imagery that can feel foreign and even unsettling. But at its core, Revelation is not a mystical puzzle designed to confuse. It is a deeply practical, profoundly comforting, and urgently relevant word for every generation of believers, including ours.

Revelation was written by John, likely the apostle, while he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos for his faith. (Revelation 1:9) The Roman Emperor Domitian was actively persecuting Christians. Suffering was not a theoretical concept for the people who first received this letter. It was daily life.

John addressed seven actual churches in Asia Minor, each facing its own specific pressures. Some were being persecuted violently. Others were drifting into moral compromise, seduced by the comforts and culture of the Roman world around them. The temptation to abandon or water down their faith was enormous. Into that reality, Revelation speaks with clarity and power.

And because it was written to address real people in real circumstances, it speaks with equal force to us today.

If you walk away with only one thing from the book of Revelation, let it be this: Christ has won the ultimate victory over the forces of evil.

That is the heartbeat of the entire book. Every vision, every symbol, every trumpet blast and bowl of judgment ultimately serves that declaration. The Lamb who was slain is also the Lion who conquers. (Revelation 5:5-10) He reigns. He wins. Nothing in heaven or on earth or under the earth can undo what He has accomplished.

But Revelation does not stop there. It pairs that declaration of victory with an honest reckoning of what life looks like in the meantime. The church of every generation is comforted and called to stand firm through judgment and suffering, until Christ returns physically to usher in the new heaven and the new earth.

That is not a message of fear. It is a message of steel-spined hope.

One of the most important things Revelation does is pull back the curtain on the spiritual realities that surround us. There is a battle underway. It is not confined to the first century, and it will not resolve itself before Christ returns. In fact, Revelation 12 describes the devil as filled with fury precisely because he knows his time is short. (Revelation 12:7-12)

This matters because many of us sense the weight of this battle without having language for it. The darkness in the world, the suffering, the moral decay, and the relentless pressure to compromise are not random. They are expressions of a cosmic conflict that has been raging since the fall and will intensify before it ends.

Revelation uses symbolic language drawn heavily from the Old Testament to describe this conflict. The seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls all represent waves of judgment and suffering that increase in intensity over time. These are not meant to be mapped onto a precise timeline of future events. Rather, they are layered images of an ongoing reality, one that will crescendo before Christ brings it to its final end.

Understanding this does not make life darker. It actually makes the light of Christ shine more brilliantly by contrast.

Against this backdrop, one of the most striking elements of Revelation is what Jesus says to the seven churches. He does not offer vague encouragement. He speaks directly, honestly, and sometimes with sharp rebuke.

To the church in Laodicea, he delivers one of the most sobering assessments in all of Scripture. He describes a congregation that is neither cold nor hot, a community that has grown comfortable and self-sufficient, convinced it lacks nothing, while being spiritually impoverished. His response, described in Revelation 3, is visceral. He is about to spit them out of His mouth. (Revelation 3:14-22)

This is not the language of a God who is indifferent to how His people live. It is the language of a God who loves too deeply to allow lukewarm faith to go unchallenged.

When the spiritual battle is this real, when the stakes are this high, casual Christianity is not a neutral position. It is a dangerous one. Revelation calls every believer to be fully alive in their faith, not as a burden, but as a response to everything Christ has already done and everything that is yet to come.

Revelation does not end in darkness. It ends in glory.

Revelation 21 and 22 describe a new heaven and a new earth, a holy city descending from God, a place where He dwells with His people and wipes every tear from their eyes. There is no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain. The tree of life reappears, echoing all the way back to the garden of Eden. The river of the water of life flows clear as crystal from the throne of God. His servants see His face.

This is where the whole story of Scripture has been heading from the garden that was broken by sin, through the long arc of redemption, to a restored creation that surpasses even Eden in its beauty and permanence.

Revelation is the capstone of a 66-book story that declares: God made it, we broke it, God fixes it.

And He will.

Read Revelation not as a code to be cracked, but as a letter written to strengthen your heart. The Lamb who was slain is worthy. He is worthy of your confidence, your courage, and your wholehearted devotion, today and forever.

Revelation is not a book meant to leave us fearful or confused. It is a book that calls us to worship Christ, remain faithful through every season, and live with confident hope because He has already secured the victory.

To deepen your understanding of Revelation and see how its message speaks into everyday life, we invite you to watch Pastor Fred's full message, Book of the Week: Revelation. As you read this remarkable book for yourself, may you discover not just what Revelation says about the future, but what it calls us to today.

Help Welcome Northwestern College AthletesIn just a couple of weeks, more than 300 Northwestern College athletes will arrive on campus, and we have the privilege of serving them a meal on Wednesday, August 12.

We're looking for people to help provide:
Tavern Meat
Lettuce Based Salads
Fruit Based Salads
Bars & Cookies

If you'd like to help us welcome these students and show them Christ's love in a practical way, please sign up below:

The goal of the Back-to-School Fundraiser is to raise $16,000 to help out students begin the new school year proudly. In August, our team in Haiti begins the process of ordering uniforms while purchasing classroom supplies and curriculum for the upcoming school year. Donations received by August 15th ensures Children of the Promise can purchase uniforms, books, and school supplies in time for the first day of class!

The 2026–27 school year marks an exciting new chapter for Children of the Promise. Students at ICEP will begin learning in our new primary school building, and we are reopening our middle school classrooms with the support of a generous partner organization. Together, we can help every child walk into the classroom prepared, confident, and ready to learn!

When you support Institution Chrétienne Enfants de la Promesse (ICEP), you are not only providing quality Christian education for vulnerable children, but you are also creating a safe place for children of all abilities. Our inclusive school model is changing the narrative across Haiti by demonstrating that children with disabilities are created with purpose and deserve equal access to education. Your partnership strengthens our Haitian team of teachers to live out this calling every day in the classroom.

To give, click the button below and select "Haiti Children of the Promise School" or drop off a check and designate it "COTP".

Life has a way of feeling like a mountain stage that never ends. You wake up, and the road ahead is steep. The wind is in your face. Your legs are burning. And somewhere in the back of your mind, a quiet voice whispers that it might be easier to just stop pedaling.

If you have ever been in that place, the book of Hebrews was written for you.

The book of Hebrews was written around AD 64-65 AD, one of the most turbulent seasons in early Christian history. Emperor Nero was intensifying his persecution of believers. The destruction of Jerusalem was only five years away. And a specific group of people, Jewish men and women who had converted to Christianity, were being pushed to their limits.

The pressure was immense. Family members questioned their choices. Communities ostracized them. Children paid a social price for the faith of their parents. And so, many of these believers were tempted to do the reasonable thing: walk it back. Return to the familiar patterns of Judaism. Take the foot off the accelerator and blend in.

The letter of Hebrews is the Spirit-inspired response to that temptation. And its message is not gentle in the way we sometimes expect spiritual encouragement to be. It is bold. It is urgent. And it makes one central argument with extraordinary force.

Jesus is better.

The word "superior" or "better" appears fifteen times in the book of Hebrews. That is not an accident. The author is building a case, brick by brick, that Jesus surpasses every source of spiritual help, comfort, or mediation that came before Him.

He is better than the angels. Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. They are powerful, and their service is real. But Jesus exceeds what they can offer.

He is better than Moses. Moses was the towering figure of the Old Testament, the one through whom God delivered the law. Hebrews 3:3 states plainly that Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses. If Israel faced consequences for rejecting Moses, how much more serious is it to turn away from Jesus?

He is better than the priests. The high priests of Israel served an essential function, standing between a holy God and a sinful people. But they were imperfect. They had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could address the sins of the people. Their work was never finished. They could never sit down, because there was always more to do.

Jesus sat down. That single image carries enormous weight. Hebrews 1:3 describes Him sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven after providing purification for sins. The work was complete. Done. Finished. Once for all.

That phrase, "once for all," echoes through the middle chapters of Hebrews like a drumbeat. He entered the holy place once for all by His own blood. He appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages. He sacrificed for sins once for all when He offered Himself. The repetition is intentional. The old sacrificial system required endless repetition because it could never fully accomplish what Jesus accomplished in a single, definitive act.

He is better than the sacrifices. He is the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

And because He is all of this, Hebrews 4 offers one of the most comforting invitations in all of Scripture. Since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, we are invited to approach the throne of grace with confidence, to receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. He was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. He knows the weight of the climb. He has felt the burn in his legs. He understands.

Here is where Hebrews does something that comfortable Christianity sometimes avoids. It does not stop at comfort. It issues a command.

Persevere.

The theological argument about the superiority of Jesus is not simply meant to make readers feel better. It is meant to fuel endurance. The logic runs like this: if Jesus is truly superior to every other source of help, then there is no legitimate reason to abandon Him when things get hard. The sufficiency of Christ is the foundation for the call to press on.

Hebrews 12:1-2 captures the heartbeat of the entire letter. Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, readers are urged to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and to run with perseverance the race marked out for them, fixing their eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

The cloud of witnesses is not decorative. Hebrews 11 catalogs men and women who endured torture, imprisonment, stonings, and death rather than abandon their faith. They did not receive in their lifetimes what was promised. But they held on. And Hebrews 11:40 makes a stunning declaration: God planned something better, something that would only be complete together with us. Their story and ours are bound together.

The book of Hebrews does not pretend that the climb is easy. It acknowledges destitution, persecution, and suffering without flinching. But it also refuses to let hardship have the final word.

Three challenges emerge from its pages that are worth sitting with honestly.

Are you becoming spiritually lazy? Hebrews 6:12 calls readers not to laziness but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherited what was promised. Spiritual laziness is not simply passivity. It is refusing to do the one thing God is calling you to do, especially when it is hard.

Are your knees growing weak? Hebrews 12:12 calls for strengthening feeble arms and weak knees. The soul can grow anxious and timid. The answer is not to ignore the fear but to press into the God who disciplines and shapes us for our good.

Are you tempted to walk away entirely? Hebrews 12:25 carries a sobering warning against refusing the one who speaks from heaven. The door is not closed. But do not harden your heart.

Whatever stage of the climb you find yourself on today, the message of Hebrews is worth receiving in full. Not just the comfort, but the challenge. Not just the promises, but the command.

Jesus is better. Better than the comfort you've been chasing. Better than the escape you are considering. Better than the substitute you've been leaning on. Better than anything this world offers when the road gets steep.

And because He is better, there is every reason to keep pedaling.

Hebrews reminds us that following Jesus isn't always easy, but it is always worth it. If you'd like to hear this message explored more fully, we invite you to watch Pastor Fred's sermon on Hebrews. As you do, our prayer is that you'll be encouraged to fix your eyes on Jesus and keep pressing forward in faith.

This ministry event is intended to create an opportunity for the Senior Adults (65+) in our community to join together and praise the lord through the accompaniment of Duane Beeson's stunning pianism.

It will take place on Thursday, August 13, at 2:00pm, in the FRC Sanctuary. We hope to see you there!

Give thanks unto the lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever.

Have a blessed day!

On Sunday, August 9, we are wrapping up our middle school summer with pizza and three hours of unlimited fun at Thunder Road in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

For just $5, incoming 6th-9th grade students will get pizza, go-karts, laser tag, mini golf, bumper cars, arcade time, and more. This will be a great event to invite a friend to, especially someone who may not normally come to youth group. It’s also a fun, low-pressure way for students and adult leaders to get to know each other before the new ministry season begins. You may register your child for this event using the button above.

Parent volunteers and drivers are needed. If you would like to Volunteer or Drive, feel free to contact Ross Enger, using the button below:

In a world that constantly chases happiness, there exists something deeper, more enduring, more transformative: joy. While happiness depends on circumstances—successes, celebrations, things going our way—joy transcends our situations and anchors itself in something eternal.

Consider the powerful testimony of the Popov family, Ukrainian refugees who fled a war-torn homeland, leaving behind careers, homes, and the familiar rhythms of life. Facing uncertainty and displacement, they chose joy. Not because their circumstances warranted celebration, but because they recognized a profound truth: "In our earthly life, there are not only days of joy, but also days of sorrow. And God always directs our eyes to heaven because our reality is not of this world."

This perspective echoes the ancient words spoken to shepherds on that first Christmas night: "Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)

The book of Philippians stands as one of Scripture's most remarkable documents—a letter overflowing with joy written by a man in chains. Paul, the author, penned these words while under house arrest, literally chained to a Roman guard. He couldn't move freely, couldn't travel to the churches he loved, couldn't continue the missionary work that defined his calling.

Yet throughout this brief letter, the words "joy" and "rejoice" appear more than sixteen times.

How could someone in such restrictive circumstances radiate such profound joy? The answer reveals itself in Paul's opening words: "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy." (Philippians 1:3-4)

Paul's joy wasn't rooted in his circumstances but in something unchangeable: the reality of what Christ had accomplished and the transformation he witnessed in others' lives. The church at Philippi held a special place in Paul's heart. Their founding story began dramatically—with an earthquake that shook open prison doors and led a jailer and his entire household to faith in Christ. (Acts 16:25-34)

At the heart of Philippians lies one of the most theologically rich passages in all of Scripture—the Christ hymn. These verses capture the essence of why joy can exist even in suffering:


This is the foundation: Jesus, who had everything, gave up everything to rescue us. His humility and sacrifice mean that no matter what life throws at us, we can have joy because of what Jesus has done for us.

Let that truth settle deeply: No matter what life throws at us, we can have joy because of what Jesus has done for us.

We live in a culture obsessed with doing. When we meet someone new, we inevitably ask, "What do you do?" We define ourselves by our careers, our accomplishments, our productivity. But we are human beings, not human doings.

Paul understood this tension. If anyone had reason to feel purposeless while chained in house arrest, it was him. Called by God to travel and preach, he now found himself stationary and restricted. Yet Paul discovered something profound about purpose:

"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I gain Christ to be found in him." (Philippians 3:8)

Paul's purpose wasn't ultimately about what he did but about who he knew. His relationship with Christ defined everything. This led him to one of Scripture's most challenging yet liberating statements: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." (Philippians 3:13)

This isn't about denying the past or pretending painful experiences didn't happen. It's about refusing to be defined or imprisoned by what's behind us. We learn from the past; we're shaped by it. But we don't dwell there. We press forward, leaning into what God has ahead.

Paul's circumstances were genuinely uncertain. He didn't know if he would be executed or released. He couldn't control what would happen to the churches he'd planted. Yet in the midst of this uncertainty, he wrote these comforting words:


This peace isn't the absence of problems but the presence of God in the midst of them. Paul had learned contentment—not as resignation but as confidence in God's sovereignty: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need. I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:11-12)

Then comes the familiar verse: "I can do all things through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

This isn't a promise of superhuman abilities or guaranteed success in every endeavor. It's assurance that Christ will provide the strength to endure whatever circumstances we face. The power isn't ours; it's His, working through us.

Joy becomes contagious when it's shared. Paul understood that authentic Christian community requires intentional encouragement. He wrote: "Therefore, if any of you have encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing of the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love." (Philippians 2:1-2)

The early church transformed culture not through political power or social status but through deep, connected relationships and caring communities. They showed up where others wouldn't—caring for the sick, the poor, the ostracized. Their love was so compelling that the surrounding culture wanted what they had.

Encouragement isn't merely about positivity; it's about giving courage. It's an action that glorifies God and strengthens others to press forward in faith.

Paul's summary statement captures the essence of a joy-filled life: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

This isn't escapism or a death wish. It's the freedom that comes from knowing that whether we live or die, we belong to Christ. If we live, we have the privilege of serving Him and sharing His love. If we die, we enter His presence fully. Either way, we win.

This eternal perspective transforms how we face each day. We're not merely surviving until heaven; we're participating in bringing God's kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." We get to be part of something far greater than ourselves.

In a world that constantly disappoints, where circumstances change and happiness fades, joy remains available to all who anchor their lives in Christ. Not because life becomes easy, but because we're held by Someone greater than our circumstances.

The invitation stands: Choose joy. Not naive positivity that ignores reality, but deep, abiding joy rooted in the unchanging reality of who Jesus is and what He's done. That kind of joy can sustain you through anything.

One of the best ways to discover the joy Paul describes is to spend time in his letter yourself. Philippians is only four chapters long, making it a wonderful book to read in one sitting or over a few days. As you read, notice how often Paul speaks about joy, encouragement, humility, and Christ—even while writing from prison.

To deepen your understanding of this remarkable letter and hear how these timeless truths speak into our lives today, we invite you to watch Pastor Mark's full message, Book of the Week: Philippians.

You may find that the joy you've been searching for isn't found in changing your circumstances, but in knowing Christ more deeply.

On August 2, 2026, our summer worship schedule will come to a close. So, we will return to our regular worship times on Sunday. Join us for worship at 8:30am, 10:30am, or both, if you so choose. As always, we will gather together to worship, grow, and welcome others into our church family.

Standing on the edge of a dock at dawn, watching the sun break over Moon Lake in northern Manitoba, there's something profound about the quiet. The stillness. The anticipation of what might bite. Fishing has a way of teaching us patience, but it also reminds us of an ancient invitation—one that echoes through Scripture and into our lives today: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Mark 1:17)

This isn't just a pleasant metaphor. It's a calling that refuses to let us settle.

The book of Acts is one of the most inconvenient books in the Bible for comfortable Christians.

We've established our homes, cultivated our friendships, filled our calendars, and created our safe spaces. We've built lives that feel complete—and then Acts comes along and disrupts everything. It pushes us out of our cozy church gatherings and familiar routines, asking us to become uncomfortable for the sake of something greater.

The disciples wanted to know the ending. Standing with the resurrected Jesus, they asked, "Is this when you'll restore the kingdom? How does this all wrap up?" (Acts 1:6) It's so human, isn't it? We desperately want to know how things will end—our careers, our health challenges, our children's futures, the state of the world.

But Jesus refused to give them the ending. Instead, He gave them a mission.


Don't worry about the endings, Jesus was saying. Focus on the living.

When a baby giraffe is born, it falls six to eight feet to the ground. Welcome to the world. Then the mother does something that seems cruel—she nudges the baby, sometimes repeatedly, with her powerful legs. Why? Because predators are lurking, and if the baby doesn't get up and start moving, it won't survive.

The early church experienced something similar.

Acts 8 records a shocking moment: "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." (Acts 8:1) Stephen had just been stoned to death. Saul was dragging believers from their homes and throwing them in prison. The comfortable cocoon of 3,000 new believers in Jerusalem was violently torn open.

But here's what happened next: "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." (Acts 8:4)

They didn't hide. They didn't retreat into silence. As they fled for their lives, they witnessed. They shared. They proclaimed Christ in every place they landed.

This is how God creates a world-impacting, life-changing movement—not through comfort, but through the tension and struggle that forces us out of the nest.

Philip was a deacon, not an apostle. He was busy doing important work—performing miracles in Samaria, seeing people delivered from impure spirits, witnessing great joy breaking out in the city. His plate was full. His ministry was thriving.

Then the Spirit interrupted everything.

"Go south to the desert road," an angel told him. (Acts 8:26) So Philip left his successful ministry and walked fifty miles to a desolate road. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch—essentially the CEO of the Ethiopian National Bank—sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah but not understanding it.

Philip explained the gospel. The man believed. They found water, and Philip baptized him right there on the spot.

Then, in one of Scripture's most fascinating moments, "the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:39)

Philip didn't get to build a relationship. He didn't get to disciple this new believer or see the fruit of his labor. But that Ethiopian official went back to his country with his faith fixed in his heart, ready to witness in a part of the world that had never heard of Jesus.

One conversation. One person. Immeasurable impact.

The book of Acts reveals a pattern: the church impacts culture when people inside go outside.

Churches that remain insular—focused solely on internal education, good order, and fellowship—often become the most susceptible to cultural influences. But churches and individuals who move outward with conviction, who engage the world with the gospel, develop a strength and resilience that both impacts others and shields them from compromise.

This doesn't mean we neglect discipling the children in our midst. If we fail at that, we've failed at the heart of the gospel. But if we fail to reach the community God has placed us in, we've also failed at the heart of the gospel.

It's not either/or. It's both/and.

What does this look like in real life?

It looks like a pediatrician at a funeral home, discovering there's no one to officiate a service for an infant who has died. The family is from a different religious background. There's no pastor available. And in that moment, despite the fear and the unfamiliarity, he steps forward and offers comfort through faith.

It looks like seeing the new neighbors who just moved in and initiating a conversation instead of a wave.

It looks like the Vacation Bible School leader who serves not just the church kids but intentionally invites the community's children.

It looks like the workplace conversation with a colleague who's struggling, where you listen well and, when appropriate, share the hope you have in Christ.

It looks like being willing to be plucked out of your comfortable routine because the Spirit is leading you toward one more person who needs to hear about Jesus.

The book of Acts isn't just history. It's a commissioning—or perhaps a recommissioning—to the fundamental call woven throughout all of Scripture: to bear Spirit-powered witness wherever we go, for the global impact of God's kingdom.

From Abraham, who was called to be a blessing to the nations, to the early church scattering across the known world, to us today in our neighborhoods and workplaces, the call remains the same.

The movement hasn't stopped. The Spirit is still moving. The question is whether we'll move with Him.

So perhaps today is the day to stop searching for the end and start living the mission. To combat fear with faith. To trade familiarity for faithfulness. To look for the one more person God is placing in our path.

The book of Acts reminds us that we're called to go fishing—not for northern pike on a quiet Canadian lake, but for people who desperately need the hope of Jesus Christ.

The nets are ready. The Spirit is willing. The question is: are we?

The book of Acts isn't just the story of the early church. It's an invitation to discover how the Holy Spirit still works through ordinary people today.

This week, take time to read Acts for yourself. As you do, notice how God repeatedly uses unexpected people, unexpected places, and unexpected circumstances to advance His kingdom. Ask yourself, "Where might God be inviting me to join His work?"

To gain a deeper understanding of Acts—its historical context, major themes, and practical application—we invite you to watch Pastor Fred's full Book of the Week: Acts message. We pray it helps you read this remarkable book with fresh eyes and renewed confidence.

In June, we had the opportunity to partner with Pastor Vadim in Kyiv through our connection with Dave Nonnemacher. Through our Missions Budget, we were able to help send 20 refugee children to a Christian camp called Vysota, which translates to "The Heights."

The timing of this opportunity has been especially meaningful. As bombing in and around Kyiv has intensified again over the past several weeks, these children have been able to spend time in a safe, encouraging environment where they can experience God's love, build friendships, and simply enjoy being kids.

Thank you for your faithful generosity. Your giving allows us to come alongside trusted ministry partners at just the right time, providing practical support and sharing the hope of Christ in meaningful and impactful ways.

Hello brothers, good afternoon;

God bless you. I hope you are doing well; here in Guaymas, the heat has already risen above 105°F. We have been doing street evangelism over the past few weeks, and on Saturday, we wrapped up with an outreach event at the city sports court.

Praise the Lord, several families and children—about 60 people in total—came over. Some allowed us to pray for them, and others accepted Christ into their hearts, so we are going to begin discipleship work with these new families.

I ask that you continue to pray for us. We continue working with great joy in Empalme.