Ministry Year 2021-22 Prayer & Action Goals
From our Lead Pastor, Garrett Spitz
Introduction
In 2020 the world contended with a crisis. Now there is a hopeful emphasis on recovery. For this year’s Prayer & Action Goals we will focus on what it means to recover and we mean that in more ways than one. To recover means to return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength but it also means to find or regain possession of something that has been lost.
re·cov·er
/ri'kӘvӘr/
verb
1. return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
2. find or regain possession of something stolen or lost.
This year, in addition to recovering emotionally and spiritually from a period of significant trial and tension, we also want to regain God’s heart. Ever since Adam and Ever first sinned in the garden, all humanity has sought to go our own way. Instead of sharing God’s heart and living as we were created to live by loving the things that He loves, we have all too frequently given ourselves over to disordered loves.
Through Christ, we can regain God’s heart. We can recover what has been lost. This year as a church, we believe that God is calling us to recover His heart for unity in a divided and broken world. We believe He is calling us to recover His heart for the lost and hurting among us. We also believe that He is calling us to recover His heart for making disciples locally and globally.
Among all the things you do this upcoming year, if Peninsula Community Chapel is your church home, we hope you will join us in pursuing these goals. Through our prayers and practical efforts, I am confident that God will help us recover in more ways than one.
For His glory and our good,
Garrett Spitz, Lead Pastor
re·cov·er
/ri'kӘvӘr/
verb
1. return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
2. find or regain possession of something stolen or lost.
This year, in addition to recovering emotionally and spiritually from a period of significant trial and tension, we also want to regain God’s heart. Ever since Adam and Ever first sinned in the garden, all humanity has sought to go our own way. Instead of sharing God’s heart and living as we were created to live by loving the things that He loves, we have all too frequently given ourselves over to disordered loves.
Through Christ, we can regain God’s heart. We can recover what has been lost. This year as a church, we believe that God is calling us to recover His heart for unity in a divided and broken world. We believe He is calling us to recover His heart for the lost and hurting among us. We also believe that He is calling us to recover His heart for making disciples locally and globally.
Among all the things you do this upcoming year, if Peninsula Community Chapel is your church home, we hope you will join us in pursuing these goals. Through our prayers and practical efforts, I am confident that God will help us recover in more ways than one.
For His glory and our good,
Garrett Spitz, Lead Pastor
Knowing His Joy
Word
Gain God’s heart for unity in a divided and broken world by studying and applying the book of Ephesians.
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
Ephesians 2:14-16
- Participate in a Home Group Study or Women’s Ministry Bible Study of Ephesians
- Memorize some helpful verses from Ephesians
- Read one of the following books about racial reconciliation and talk about it with someone else about it
- One Blood by John Perkins
- Letters to a Birmingham Jail edited by Bryan Lorritts
- United by Trillia Newbell
- Participate in a Discipleship Class on The Church and the Racial Divide
- Pray for God to help you strengthen your bonds with brothers and sisters in Christ who hold different views than you
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
Ephesians 2:14-16
Worship
Explore how my emotions can help me reengage with God and others.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19
- Read Untangling Emotions by J. Alasdair Groves & Winston Smith and talk about it with others
- Listen to and apply a sermon series on emotions
- Complete a personal devotional to help you address a specific emotion in your life (Anger, Anxiety, Grief, Contentment)
- When you read God’s Word, take a moment to acknowledge how you feel, why you feel that way and pray for God to engage your emotions with His Word
- Participation in a Discipleship Class on emotions
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19
Changing His World
Equip
Participate in and then lead a discipleship study.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.
Ephesians 1:16-19
- Go through one of these studies with a group and then lead another person or people in the same study:
- The Core by Fellowship of Christian Athletes (8 studies)
- Introducing Jesus by Tim Chester (7 studies)
- The Mission Centered Life by Bethany Ferguson (10 studies)
- Contact someone at Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, or Peninsula Student Ministry to help you find others to connect with for a replicating discipling study
- Invite people at work or in your neighborhood to do one of these studies with you
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.
Ephesians 1:16-19
Engage
Local: Pray for God to give me His heart for my neighbors (the lost, those who are culturally different from me, the suffering).
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-13
Global: Discover which of the Six Ways to Reach God’s World* I am specifically called to and pursue it.
*These include learning, praying, sending, going, mobilizing, and welcoming.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 3:7-10
- Use the Evangelistic Sociogram to help you be intentional about building relationships with neighbors and better understanding where they are spiritually
- Sign up on BlessEveryHome.com and use it as a tool to help you pray for your neighbors by name
- Ask your neighbors how you can pray for them and then do it
- When you identify a neighbor with a need, look for ways to rally other neighbors together to help meet that need
- Give out PCC’s Advent Devotional to neighbors and coworkers and invite them to worship with us at Christmas
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-13
Global: Discover which of the Six Ways to Reach God’s World* I am specifically called to and pursue it.
*These include learning, praying, sending, going, mobilizing, and welcoming.
- Watch the “Six Ways to Reach God’s World” videos
- Pray that God will help you to identify which of the “Six Ways” God is calling you to
- Help someone else in the church discover what role God is calling them to play in reaching His world
- Participate in the Fall or Winter Global Ministry Conferences and use them as an opportunity to try out some new ways to reach God’s World
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 3:7-10
Why Have Goals?
"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul the Apostle declares that even he hasn't "arrived" yet and still has room to grow. He invites us to adopt the same mentality. This spiritual "pressing on" is what our yearly Prayer & Action Goals are all about at Peninsula Community Chapel.
Our church elders have identified several goals for us to pursue as a church this year. Some of these goals will excite you while others may make you say, "Ehh…" And that's kind of the point.
Your walk with God is a community project! Because of that, some of our goals will relate to things that you are already passionate about. Other goals will stretch you to take action and pray for an area or topic that you might not have that much interest in at first and that's the beauty of growing in community. When we grow together as a community, we help one another to address blind spots and areas that we could use shoring up in. None of us has "arrived" yet and we all have areas in which we need to grow. By growing together as a church family, we help to ensure that our growth is biblically balanced and nourished by other people's perspectives and experiences.
If we only pursue goals that we are already excited about, our spiritual growth will be stunted as we simply reinforce our own interests and passions. But when we grow together, we stretch ourselves to explore new areas and press on to know the Gospel's influence in every corner of our lives.
So join us this year in using these goals to guide your prayers and actions. We are excited to have you with us for this adventure!
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul the Apostle declares that even he hasn't "arrived" yet and still has room to grow. He invites us to adopt the same mentality. This spiritual "pressing on" is what our yearly Prayer & Action Goals are all about at Peninsula Community Chapel.
Our church elders have identified several goals for us to pursue as a church this year. Some of these goals will excite you while others may make you say, "Ehh…" And that's kind of the point.
Your walk with God is a community project! Because of that, some of our goals will relate to things that you are already passionate about. Other goals will stretch you to take action and pray for an area or topic that you might not have that much interest in at first and that's the beauty of growing in community. When we grow together as a community, we help one another to address blind spots and areas that we could use shoring up in. None of us has "arrived" yet and we all have areas in which we need to grow. By growing together as a church family, we help to ensure that our growth is biblically balanced and nourished by other people's perspectives and experiences.
If we only pursue goals that we are already excited about, our spiritual growth will be stunted as we simply reinforce our own interests and passions. But when we grow together, we stretch ourselves to explore new areas and press on to know the Gospel's influence in every corner of our lives.
So join us this year in using these goals to guide your prayers and actions. We are excited to have you with us for this adventure!
