At the beginning of a new year, most of us resolve to change our lifestyles by deciding to eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more, learn a new language, or start a new hobby. Here at FEC, we’re making a resolution of our own. We resolve to engage more in 2019. Engage is our 2019 annual conference theme and our focus as we start the new year. As we think about engaging our culture here at FEC, we are focused on four key areas:
Our Jerusalem. Our Jerusalem represents those people both near us and generally like us, including our neighbors, our coworkers, the parents of our kids’ friends, and more. Engaging our Jerusalem means taking time to interact with those around us. Spending time with, talking to, and just being with those people in our daily interactions.
Our Judea. Engaging our Judea means drawing a larger circle that includes not only our geographical area but also a nearby city or state. It could mean sending people out to start a ministry or church in an area that we don’t currently impact.
Our Samaria. Engaging our Samaria means connecting with those people or populations who are different from us. This initiative could mean providing recovery groups for people affected by the opioid epidemic in our country; teaching English as a second language to immigrants struggling to learn a new culture; or learning to love and listen to people who have differing beliefs.
The Very Ends of the Earth. Estimates say that well over 5,000 people groups in the world are completely unreached by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Full engagement means that we need to look for ways to impact people in different countries and cultures.
By early February, 80% of New Year’s resolutions will be abandoned. But, we pray that 2019 will remain as a year that we learn to engage with more people, in more places.
