One of the things I believe God would have us grow in as a church is to better recognize some of the ways He is at work in our midst. While I have many hopes for us as we seek to do this, three of them are primary. First, I pray that we would rejoice over His grace to us. One of our core values is “joyful worship”. Recognizing some of the ways God is working in our midst will help us to more joyfully worship Him with our lips and our lives through every season and circumstance. Secondly, I want us to be encouraged. I don’t know a person or a church body who is too encouraged. My prayer is that as we recognize some of God’s grace toward us as a church, we will be encouraged in Christ and in the worthy work He has sent us to. Third, I pray recognizing His handiwork would make us hungry for more and more of Him and His work in our midst. The truth is, God is always working in powerful and profound ways, both in the ordinary and extraordinary. Often, we don’t see it, recognize it, or acknowledge it. So, in an effort for us to recognize His gracious work more regularly, I’ll be sending out a monthly post highlighting a few ways He has been at work in our midst. 

As you read these glimpses of grace every month, I would ask three things of you. First, let’s praise God and be encouraged together because of God’s work in our midst. Second, I want to encourage you to be on the lookout for God’s work in your life and share it with those around you. Third, I’d love to hear from you if you have a glimpse of God’s grace to share. Please email me at david@sentcharlotte.org. 

Here are four glimpses of God’s grace from the month of August:

Our Sent Student ministry has had a great time together this summer. Andrew Rodgers, our deacon of Sent students, has done a wonderful job leading our student ministry this summer. They have gathered together several times throughout the summer to enjoy fellowship together, build unity around the gospel, and be encouraged as disciples who are also sent to be disciple makers. Please continue to pray for Andrew and all of our Sent students as this ministry continues to grow into the school year and beyond. 

We had another great time as we gathered together specifically for prayer and worship. On August 27th, pastor Josh led us in our third church-wide prayer and worship night of 2021. It was a sweet, intimate time for those who could be there to cry out to our merciful and gracious God together as they prayed over many things in our church, city, country, and world. We continue to be dependent people who must pray to our God regularly in prayer together. It is an absolute gift of grace that we get to do so and that we get to do so together as a redeemed and sent people. Go ahead and mark your calendars for our next prayer and worship night that will be on Friday November 12th at 5:45pm. 

We hosted Sent 101 for new faces who are interested in becoming members at Sent. On August 1st, two new families joined us at this membership class to hear what it means to be in community and on mission with the family of Sent Church. God continues to add laborers to our number. As we all seek to live sent where we live, work, and play, let’s pray He continues to do so. 

We started a new sermon series through the book of Philippians. On August 22nd, we started this new sermon series and we are very hopeful for all that God wants to teach us through this time in God’s word together as a church. It is an absolute gift of grace that God has given us His word to show us who He is and what He is like and how we can and should rightly respond to Him with our whole lives. The authoritative word of God tells the grand story of redemption with Christ being the hero who deserves all the glory. Each week when we gather we get to see and be reminded of this grand story through the proclamation of the gospel from the particular text we are walking through together. It really is such a gift. 

I pray these glimpses of God’s grace would bring us to more joyfully worship our great God and be encouraged in Him and the work He has sent us to. What a mighty, gracious, and active God we serve!