But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Job 23:10

We are continuing in our conversation about being leaders in the church this weekend at the Vineyard!

Everyone has a backstory. You see it all the time in movies, and especially with the rise in these superhero adaptations; people love to learn how people became who they are now.

In the book of Acts, Paul recounts his testimony, his story of coming to faith in Jesus Christ, three times because it's worth telling. And if you know the story of Paul, he's got an incredible backstory!

Being a leader in the church, we are called to mine for gold. We have the unique opportunity to sift through the sand, dirt, and mire in peoples' lives, and remind them of how God has brought good out of their bad situations! Joseph tells his brother this truth at the end of Genesis, "What you intended for harm, God used for good." And Paul wrote about it as well in Romans 8:28. God has an incredible way of making something beautiful out of our storied pasts.

This week, we're going to spend some time in the spiritual practice of mining for gold!