Thy Rod & Thy Staff
Nondenominational Church
A place to serve, not sit.
What We Do
Church Purpose
Our purpose at our Bible base church is to get people to be like Christ and turn from that which is contrary to Him. We would like very much to lead others to make Christ the foundation of their lives. We would like to show Jesus as a faithful friend, a loyal companion, as someone who will stand by our side when no one else will.
As a body of Bible based Christian believers, we see our whole purpose as doing the will of God so that His Spirit might be manifested in our midst. With His hand we hope to convince others that Christ is our Lord and Savior. We want to show that if we trust in Him, He will very clearly show us that He is who He claims to be.– a Provider who can supply whatever we need whenever we need it under any and all circumstances, a Physician with no limitations in His healing power, a Counselor with infinite understanding and wisdom. We would very much like to reflect Christ in our midst as the Good Shepherd (Psalms 23 and John 10:1:18), as the one and only way to God, our Father in heaven.
Consequently, our Bible based churches goal is to get others to see the love of God and act accordingly. Undoubtedly God wants us to do His will but He wants it to be done out of love. God wants us to serve Him not because we have too but because we want too. God wants us to serve Him because we see Him as He is. He wants us to do His will because we see that doing His will is for out good. This is the purpose of our church and the platform on which it stands. We want to weld together a body of believers who love Jesus Christ so much that they want to be just like Him.
What Jesus Did
‘You Will See Him in the Place of Ministry’ – Mark 16:7
[Speaking to the women, the angel in Jesus’ empty tomb continued:] “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”
Key Thought
Jesus is about ministry. While it is not emphasized in Mark, Matthew speaks of Jesus as Immanuel — God with us. Jesus reminded his disciples that they would experience his presence in their fellowship and worship, [1] in their service to those in need, [2] and in crossing cultural boundaries to share his teaching with others. [3] He wanted his disciples to carry on his ministry. So he wanted them to know that as they ministered in his name, he would be with them. They would see him personally raised from the dead after his resurrection, but they could also “see” him after his ascension by ministering to others. Jesus continues to meet his followers in the places of ministry. — Matthew will be the focus of this next year’s “What Jesus Did!” devotional series. As we stand near the close of one year and look forward to another, let’s use both Mark and Matthew to remind us that Jesus will meet us in the place of ministry!
[2] Matthew 25:37-40.
[3] Matthew 28:18-20.
Today’s Prayer
Gracious, holy, and merciful God, please use me as an instrument of your peace, grace, and reconciliation. May I be found as a “vessel for honor” [A] — a tool you can use for your purposes in ministry to others. I know, dear Father, that your Son will be present as I minister. Please make his presence real to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Ⓒ 1996-2024 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.