Commissioning service

This weekend Headwaters Covenant Church will be commissioned for its work by the church that is planting us, the Evangelical Covenant Church of Helena. It will be a time to introduce our launch team, a time to present our vision, and a time for prayer.

As we’ve been preparing for this, the first chapters of Joshua have been on my mind. That’s where we read the story of how Israel entered the Promised Land. They had witnessed God’s mighty power in Egypt, received the Law at Mt. Sinai, wandered in the desert, and now were ready to go into the land that God was leading them to.

As they stood on the shore of the Jordon River, preparing to cross into Canaan, looking over into the unknown, their leader Joshua stood before the people and declared, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”

Get ready. Prepare for God to do great things. Expect miracles—you’ll need them.

While we’re not going to literally cross any rivers, march around Jericho, or go into battle with swords and spears, we are being set apart to go into the unknown with the Lord going before us. God loves the people of Helena. He has called us to serve the people he loves, especially the poor and the “poor in spirit”, the hurting and the broken (see Matt. 5:3 & Luke 6:20).

We are about God’s work. It is God who loves and invites, forgives and restores. It is God who is longsuffering and compassionate, full of mercy and care. It is God who takes up the cause of the oppressed, comforts the lonely, and heals the broken. And we are called to join in God’s work, God’s mission, God’s labor for those he loves.

If you’re in Helena this weekend, join us at one of our commissioning services at ECC (800 N. Hoback). The services will be Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m.

If you can’t join us, I invite you to pray for us. (And even if you can join us, please pray!) Pray that we will be strong and courageous. That we will be obedient to God’s call and God’s word. That we will not give into fear or discouragement. That we will be diligent in our preparations. That we will trust in God.

Three days before venturing into the Promised Land, Joshua and his officers went throughout the camp, encouraged the people, exhorting them and giving them instruction. And this was the response of the people: “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go” (Joshua 1:16).

Pray that this will be our response as well.