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The Lenten season has officially begun. Here are a few things to note about upcoming events and happenings.
1. Lenten Lunches are on Tuesdays until Easter. There are a great group of area pastors that have been invited to share our Lenten devotionals with us. I am excited to hear from each of them. Next Tuesday we will have Rev. Scott Carter from Flora Methodist Church as our guest speaker. You can read all about him in the bio below. Remember to bring a “brown bag” lunch. Drinks will be provided.
The Lenten season has officially begun. Here are a few things to note about upcoming events and happenings.
2. A new sermon series begins this Sunday – Return to Me: A Journey through the Minor Prophets. I will be preaching through the minor prophets in the Old Testament in worship for the next several weeks. We will do a deep dive into this section of Scripture that is filled with some great imagery and themes that relate directly to Lent. These prophets of God were interesting characters. The narrative arc of this series is the journey from sin to repentance to restoration. This is the pathway to transformation and all the good things that God has for us – full salvation, freedom, healing, greater peace, abundant life, etc.
One more thing about worship. In both worship spaces, a “Lenten tree” has been set up by our creative design team led by Tara Holmes, Lorraine Gilbert, and Sarah Beth Rowland. Why a tree? Because Scripture says the righteous are like trees planted by streams of water. Because repentance leads to new growth. Because what looks bare in winter doesn’t stay that way.
Over the next 40 days, this tree will transform to mirror the inner journey we make during Lent. And by Holy Week, we’ll see what God has grown among us.
3. 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting start now. You are invited to step into the spiritual rhythm of daily fasting and prayer with us during Lent. We had over 100 people commit to join this challenge at our Ash Wednesday service last night. If you didn’t make it, you can still make the journey with us.
Below is some of what I shared last night in the service.
Lent is not about religious performance. It’s about transformation. Fasting is not about earning grace or impressing others. It’s about making room for grace. When we remove something that fills us, we create space for what forms us.
Throughout Scripture, forty days is never random. After forty days, something always changes.
We see it in
Noah’s flood – cleansing and new beginnings
Moses on Sinai – encountering God and receiving direction
Israel’s spies in Canaan – testing and trust
Elijah’s journey to Horeb – renewal in exhaustion
Nineveh’s warning through Jonah – repentance and mercy
Ezekiel’s symbolic fast – bearing burdens and intercession
Jesus’ wilderness fast – preparation and identity
Jesus’ 40 days after resurrection – clarity and commissioning
Forty days marks seasons of testing, repentance, preparation, renewal, and transition. God does deep work in forty-day seasons in our lives.
This year, instead of one unified emphasis for the 40 days of prayer and fasting, I invited our church to choose their journey. Not everyone is in the same place spiritually. I talked about eight types of fasts connected to these biblical stories:
A Cleansing Fast (confession and repentance)
A Preparation Fast (seeking direction and clarity)
A Courage Fast (trusting God in uncertainty)
A Renewal Fast (rest for the weary soul)
A Repentance Fast (turning fully back to God)
An Identity Fast (anchoring in who you are in Christ)
A Commissioning Fast (discerning next steps in calling)
An Intercession Fast (praying for others and our city)
The invitation is simple: Don’t choose the one that sounds the most spiritual. Choose the one that sounds the most honest to you.
Forty days is long enough to shift habits. Long enough to soften hearts. Long enough for God to do deep work in us. The invitation of Lent is not more religious activity, but transformation.
You can find the handout that outlines these 8 types of fasting by clicking here. Choose the one the Holy Spirit reveals to you based on what is most needed in your life.
I hope to see you Sunday!
Jimmy