Summer is coming to a close, school has started, football season has begun, and fall is only a few days away. It is also that time of year when we begin a new church year. September 1st marks the beginning of the new church year in our churches.
It is my hope and prayer that the 2024–2025 church year will be a banner year. For that to happen, we must all fully commit ourselves to God and seek how and where He wants to use us. In Acts Chapter 9, we read the remarkable story of the conversion of Saul, who later became known as Paul, on the road to Damascus. In verse 6, we find one of the most powerful questions asked in the entire Bible. Immediately upon his conversion, Saul asked, “Lord, what will you have me to do?”
For most, if not all of us, when we asked Jesus to save us, we promised Him something like this: “Lord, if you will save me, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” However, over the years of our Christian lives, that promise may have faded or been forgotten altogether. As we begin this new church year, I believe we need to ask again this very plain and pointed question that Saul asked. If we were to ask this question with a willing heart to do whatever He says, we would experience a fresh and powerful move of God in our lives and churches.
God is desiring and willing to do a heaven-sent work in each of our lives and churches if we will ask as Saul did, with the intent of doing whatever He says. We can only imagine how different our churches would look and be if this were to happen. We would see people saved in record numbers. New ministries would begin, and existing ministries would be rejuvenated. Sunday School would be healthy and growing, worship would be vibrant and exciting, and our churches would be overflowing. All of this and much more can really happen if we ask, “Lord, what will you have me to do?” and then fully surrender to His answer.
May we see this happen across our Association and experience a phenomenal new church year!
Bro. Wendell
Mark 12:30–31