Pastor's Desk
You are a follower of Christ? Now What?
The Red Letter Challenge
During the month of August, we found ourselves venturing through Matthew, chapters 14 & 15, making use of the Bibles that sat in our pews. As you heard about the death of John the Baptist and its connection to the feeding of the 5,000 through Peter’s confession, you’ve heard that we are all called to be followers of Christ. There is a cost to being a follower or disciple of Christ.
To become a follower of Christ, it is free. It is purchased by the blood of Jesus. However, when you have been washed in the blood of Jesus and chosen by his means of grace to be his child, follower, and disciple, there is a great cost.
Not everyone will like that you are a follower of Christ. In fact, the more you stand in your faith the more you will be rejected. The devil will attack you by any means possible. He attacks through the media, family, friends, co-workers, and other parts of life. His goal is either to destroy your faith or find ways to keep your witness from the ears of others. There is indeed a cost and danger to being a disciple of Jesus.
Thus comes the question, what does a follower of Jesus look like? What does his or her life look like? That is where the Red Letter Challenge comes in. The Red Letter Challenge is a call to us the Christians who gather at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ida Grove. It is a call to take this whole discipleship seriously and like as the people Jesus has called us to be.
Our congregation makes up a sizable portion of our community. Can you imagine the impact and the difference we could make in our community? Take up along with me and your brothers and sisters in Christ the 40-Day Challenge. 40-Days of looking at the red letters of scripture, the spoken words of Jesus, and really considering how God is leading us to follow Him.
Purchase one of the Red Letter Challenge workbooks for everyone in your family. Avoid sharing if you can. You cannot live as a Christian on behalf of your spouse or children or siblings. Be in worship. Take part in any of the various groups that meet together. Attend worship. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to help further keep up. Find friends to walk along with you on this journey. Think of them as your accountability buddies.
The 40-Day Red Letter Challenge will be introduced at Rally Day on the weekend of September 10th. Day-1 of the challenge will be Tuesday, September 12th. Join us, participate, and I can’t wait to see where God leads our congregation to serve his kingdom and the community where he has placed us.
In Jesus’ Name,
Pastor Neil Wehmas
Last Updated: 9/14/2023