Doers of the Word & Embracing Authenticity - September 2021 Newsletter

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 FROM THE PASTORS DESK


Happy September everyone! Hopefully each of you are doing well, despite all I have heard about the busy-ness of this month. This will be my first popcorn festival season! I am excited to get in there, raise some money for our missions, and get the story of Bethany Church out into the community. 


The theme this month will be AUTHENTICITY. But what does it m
ean to be authentic? As Brené Brown writes in her book The Gifts of Imperfection, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we should be, and embracing who we are.” This really resonates with me because it is too easy in our world today to hide. As a friend recently told me, the opposite of authenticity is hypocrisy. Our world knows too much about that today.


Well - if this world is so hypocritical, how can we as a church fight against that? I have a few ideas. First, vulnerability is the key. God created you to be who you are. No one on this planet has experienced everything that you have in the way you have. If you need some practice first, it really helps to get vulnerable with God in your prayers about your brokenness, and maybe see how that can work as you expand that out there. 


Second, as you’re being vulnerable, there will be tension in that space, as you’re growing in your authenticity. Embrace that tension. It’s going to be hard, awkward, and uncomfortable. As the Spirit moves in and through you, the tension has potential to bring out connections with people that may not have happened normally. 


And lastly, make sure that you connect with your devotions, and with the adventure only God has set for you. What you tell yourself connects the points of your life. You are more than the sum of what has happened to you, but embrace all that means. What has Jesus brought alive in you? What is it about our church that connects you with Jesus? These are questions that can help connect with how God can lead you into an authentic relationship with Him, and others who maybe need some encouragement.  


Building relationships and community are necessary in building the church. Communication needs to be clear to bridge that trust, and together let’s be virtuous to help grow!


Pastor Dan




PASTOR’S PICKS


Book:  The Sacred Year by Michael Yankoski. It was an amazing testimony of the author stepping into faith. Michael decided instead of talking and reading about what he was learning; he wanted to put it into action. So over the course of a year, he focused on spiritual practices and virtue engagement which brought him alive connecting with God. 


Movie: Race (PG-13) - this is a story of runner Jesse Owens at the 1940 Olympics, held in Berlin in the shadow of Nazi Germany. This true story tells of perseverance, courage, and what it means to 


Music: MercyMe, Inhale (exhale). This album is good from beginning to end. MercyMe plays pop & rock, and is familiar on Christian radio. The first and last songs bookend the theme and give a little bit of calm to what was a stressful year. My favorite song is  Hurry Up and Wait, talking about patience. 

Location: Fort Wayne, IN, USA

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