Beginning Sunday, November 29, 2020, join us every Sunday at 10am either IN PERSON or ONLINE for our Advent Series The Gift of Risk – The Radical Yes of Christmas.
Each Sunday leading up to Christmas, including our Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve (RSVP for this special service here), we will hear about true Kingdom risk-takers in the Christmas story and you’ll be invited into taking fresh risks with the Holy Spirit.
Here’s an excerpt from the Study:
“When God said His ‘Yes’ at Christmas, He knew the future it would bring about. And fulfilling His plan through willing, yet scared-out-of-their-wits human beings, seems to be the way He likes to do things. The purpose of this prompt is to help you connect with the overarching story of risk that flows throughout the Scriptures. Imagine, just for a moment, the entire Christmas project as a great ‘risk’ for everyone involved. Mary risks her life and reputation to see God’s will done. Joseph risks the same, and needs a dream to help him take his next step of obedience. Jesus risks everything in a Gospel drama that welcomes us to follow Him in a life of faith and action. These are the ‘gifts of risk’ in the Christmas story.”
John Wimber, the late founder of the Vineyard Movement, popularized a phrase that has impacted the church world for almost a half-century.“Faith is spelled R-I-S-K.”* In other words, we may say that we have faith, but it is not until the moment we have to put that faith on the line – with real actions of trust and belief in God’s willingness to come through – that we see what kind of faith we actually have growing in our soul. The characters in the Christmas story had to put their faith into action, and the guided journal provides a simple roadmap to help you see, hear, and respond to God’s invitations to risk in your day-to-day life. To view or download & print the guided Advent journal, click VDM-The-Gift-Of-Risk-Print-Study
How To Use This Journal: This journal contains five prompts/practices related to the faith risks the Holy Spirit invites us into every day. Each prompt/practice contains an introduction, a Scripture, a practice, things to notice, and journal space in which to document your experience. Spend as much time in one practice as you like. If you have children, we encourage you, after going through each prompt/practice yourself, that you lead them through parts of the exercise in a way they can understand. The five practices follow the four themes of Advent and Christmas Day, but they are applicable anytime. Dive into the theme that most resonates with what you need, or you think God is welcoming you into. Savor the practice that moves you. Stay there as long as you like. This season, let’s take a journey of the heart into the many risks that made Christmas – the Incarnation – possible.
This Advent and Christmas season, take your place with the risk-takers of Christmas. The world needs us now more than ever before!