The Legacy We Leave Behind

Church family,

This past Thursday, we had the honor of hosting the funeral for John Wesley Moody, Kyle Moody's grandfather, at our Walnut Grove Campus. Johnny was a veteran who served our country in Korea, but he also spent 70 years of his life in full-time vocational ministry. (Obituary Here)

At one point during the service, the congregation was asked to raise their hands if Johnny had led them to the Lord. Hands went up across the room. It was a powerful picture of a life spent faithfully sharing the gospel.

What stayed with me most, though, was the legacy he leaves behind. The gospel has taken root in his family from one generation to the next. His family includes pastors, worship leaders, and others who are faithfully serving the local church. What God did through Johnny did not end with Johnny. His faith continues to bear fruit through the people who came behind him.

As I sat in the service, I found myself wrestling with a few questions:

What legacy will I leave behind? Will the community I serve be able to share stories of how God used me in their lives? Will my children and grandchildren talk about the way I invested in them and showed them what it looks like to follow Jesus? I sure hope so.

As leaders at Church at the Grove, we need to be men and women who take our faith seriously, love Jesus deeply, and serve him wholeheartedly. The decisions we make today will shape people we may never meet. The way we follow Jesus in our homes, our church, and our community can become part of a legacy of faith that reaches far beyond our lifetime.

This is one reason I believe our current sermon series, Scars, is so important. Many people are carrying deep wounds that have never been healed. For some, it is bitterness. For others, it is shame, grief, anger, or a heart that is still holding on to unforgiveness.

If we refuse to deal with our wounds, they rarely stay contained. They show up in our marriages, our parenting, our friendships, and our leadership. What we will not face can become something the people closest to us are forced to carry.

We have to do the hard work now so that we do not pass our wounds to our children and grandchildren. We need to pursue healing so we can pass down the fruit of the Spirit instead. We do not seek healing only so we can feel better. We seek it for the people who are coming behind us.

So take some time this week to wrestle honestly with these questions:

• Where do you need healing?
• Who do you need to forgive?
• What intentional step can you take to pass your faith to your children, grandchildren, or someone you are discipling?

Our time here is short. If we are not proactive and intentional, we can miss the opportunity God has placed in front of us. But if we are faithful with the life, relationships, and influence he has entrusted to us, the Lord can use our obedience to shape generations.

Events & Opportunities

• Social Circle Friendship Festival — Saturday, October 3, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in downtown Social Circle. We still need volunteers to help represent Church at the Grove and serve our community. You can sign up here: churchatthegrove.com/sign-ups/social-circle-friendship-festival
• Community Groups — It is not too late to join a group. Many of our groups are just beginning to meet, so this is a great time to find a place to build relationships and grow in your faith. Explore the available groups at churchatthegrove.com/groups.

Would you pray with me this week?

• Pray for our staff as we get away for our annual staff retreat Monday through Wednesday. Ask the Lord to deepen our relationships with one another and give us wisdom and vision for the future.
• Continue praying for our staffing decisions, especially as we search for a student pastor at our Social Circle Campus.
• Pray that the Lord would send more laborers into the harvest, men and women who are ready to serve, disciple others, and help carry the gospel into our communities.

Resource to Consider

I recently came across this sermon from Jon Tyson, given at the Strategic Launch Church Planting Network Conference. Jon challenges us to reconsider what fills our prayer lists in light of Jesus' words: the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

It connects directly with one of our prayers this week and is worth your time: Watch the sermon

Grateful for you

Nathan