Thanksgiving Day is almost here. And not a moment too soon! After enduring an exhausting, confusing, and sometimes maddening election cycle, Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to pivot—to reframe our thoughts and settle our emotions. It’s a season to celebrate the blessings in our lives, especially God, family, friends, and food!
I have the privilege of serving as the director of Learning Communities and Relationship Development with RENEW.org. In my role with RENEW, I am blessed to hear from many of you about how your life and ministry have been impacted by our resources, events, and training. Thank you for sharing. Your feedback is invaluable to us. Please keep it coming.
Here are two examples of such feedback. We’ll first hear from Erin, a young wife and mother in California, and then from Ken, a lead minister in Texas.
Thank You Notes
I sent Erin a simple thank you note for becoming a monthly supporter of RENEW.org. She responded with the following email.
Thanks, Mike! We utilize so many of the RENEW resources and have shared them with others, so we wanted to do something to support you guys. I especially love the On Gender book that Renee Sproles wrote (I’ve purchased many copies), and even used it to teach a group of young, engaged women what God’s design is for us as women. We had deep, meaningful discussions and I felt like it really inspired and directed them in their future roles as wives. The Baptism book has helped us as we have conversations with people from other doctrinal backgrounds who might not understand the importance of baptism. And the articles that are shared via email are always informative. My husband and I often forward them to others we know. So I just wanted to say keep up the good work and we are so inspired by everything you guys are doing!
Ken has attended RENEW.org events and participated in our Learning Community Events for Lead Ministers. He shared these thoughts about RENEW.
RENEW has been a Godsend for me. I reached the point in my ministry where I just wasn’t sure how to go forward. Most of my peers have adopted a progressive Christian approach to Scripture and practice and I couldn’t go there. And I grew up in ultra-legalism and I couldn’t go back there. I really was unsure how to go forward until I heard about RENEW and a discipleship approach. It has proven to be a solid road down which to walk as I practice ministry and life in the church. I call it a middle ground that is helping me and helping my church follow Jesus.
What do these two very different people have in common? They are both committed disciple makers in their circles of influence who found help in RENEW.org resources.
Why RENEW.org Exists
These notes do a good job of portraying why RENEW.org exists. We come alongside men and women, young and old, in the many different circumstances of life, to aid them in their efforts to make disciples based on the timeless teachings of King Jesus.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for Erin and Ken and for all of you who desire to “renew the teachings of Jesus to fuel disciple making.” It’s our privilege to partner with you in carrying out the most important mission on planet earth. Let’s go make disciples!
May God bless you all with a Happy Thanksgiving!!
—Mike Rosser
