This week we had Ricky & Karen Sanchez, missionaries we have supported for 20+ years, sharing in our morning service. It was great to hear what God has and is doing in Thailand and how we can pray. In the coming months, we'll get them back for Gospel Conversations and get to know more of their story.

Ricky & Karen have recently transitioned from working under Multiply (formerly MB Mission), and will now be working with YWAM Thailand.

For more info about Gospel Chapel, or to connect with us, visit our website! 

It's been a long 2+ years, but today we are launching into our Fall Children and Youth Ministry year. We are excited that Battalion is back on Wednesday evenings. Awana will be starting on Thursdays. Sunday School is going well and we are fully staffed for this next season! Thank you to everyone at Gospel Chapel for making this happen. Ministry doesn't happen without the community coming together to work together. We are excited for what God is doing and will do this year.

This Sunday we started with some testimonies of how God has worked through Children's ministry in people's lives. And then Pastor Doug reminded us from 1 Peter 4:7-11, that as crazy as our world can get we are called to pray, love one another, show hospitality to one another, and serve one another all to the glory of God.

Today we are back in the Gospel Project, and looking at the story of Elijah's "ascension" and the empowerment of Elisha to take up the mantle of prophet in Israel.

Note: due to a sound issue, there is a fair amount of background noise in this recording.

Romans 8:29 - "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son..."

Isaiah 53:3 - "He was...a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..."

John 11:35 - "Jesus wept."

Being a follower of Jesus includes God's work to transform our lives, inside and out, to reflect the life of Jesus, inside and out. When we think about discipleship, or we plan and program for "discipleship" we often think of content, creeds, theology, knowledge, and a bit of serving as well. But what about the discipleship of our hearts, of our emotions? Perhaps we have a shallow experience of God and the Gospel because we do not attend well to matters of the heart, especially in regard to grief and loss.

What if these are primary tools in God's process of moving us from who we are to who Jesus is? What if our escape or denial of pain and loss undermines and undercuts our growth as image bearing Jesus followers?

In this message I refer to a couple of books and key resources. Below are some links to find out more:

Emotionally Healthy Discipleship - Peter Scazzarro

The Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas

For a deeper journey into emotional and relational health, join us at Freedom Session this fall. Check our website for dates and times.