Sunday Extra: An Invitation!
Pastor Corey Widmer continues to teach about spiritual disciplines. Several years ago, we got the gift to begin a relationship with and work with Third Church. Corey and I are co-mentors to a cohort of pastors.
Today he looks at John 15:5-8 and invites us into a deeper relationship with God. Corey encourages us to use that pause button to have a deeper spiritual connection to God. Jesus used the vine as a metaphor for us to celebrate and share our communion with God. Like a branch draws life from a vine, our souls crave that connection with God.
Pastor Corey gives us two ways to foster our connection to God. First, through set times of prayer following the example of Jesus, and second, we use prayer as our continual communion with God. Corey quotes Leighton to make this point, “The art of awareness of God, the art of sensing and living in his presence in our daily lives, cannot be learned off-hand…it must be trained.”
Today you will gain several very practical suggestions to deepen your spiritual relationship. Don’t miss it, and you won’t be disappointed.
MINISTRY UPDATE: ON OUR MENTORING TRAINING
Leighton Ford is speaking at Chetola 2021 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, on a life of listening. Let’s join Leighton for his guidance on listening.Church leaders from 11 denominations are for the first time experiencing an LFM Mentoring Community’s “safe people, safe places, safe times,” refreshing their souls, and learning principles for launching their mentoring groups for pastors across the USA. What is so special about this moment and time? In this video, I talk about what happens in these moments:It was my delight and honor to have been one of the facilitators along with Carrie Boren Headington and Mark Slaughter throughout the entire retreat. As these leaders and pastors return to their homes, pray as they begin to put into practice the insights about mentoring and as they form mentoring groups. Ask God to bless and multiply their efforts.
Dr. Jim Singleton
Executive Director of Missional Leadership
Leighton Ford Ministries
