“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!" - Matthew 25:40 (NLT)

When we hear the word missions, our minds often go to faraway countries, mission trips, or extraordinary acts of service. We imagine people traveling across the world to share the Gospel, build homes, feed the hungry, and care for those in need. And while all of those things are incredibly important, I wonder how often we overlook the mission field God has placed right in front of us.

The truth is, missions are not simply something the Church does. Missions are part of who the Church is called to be.

Jesus never intended for His followers to simply gather together, grow in their knowledge of Scripture, and enjoy fellowship with one another. He called us to GO! He called us to love our neighbors, care for the hurting, serve the forgotten, and proclaim the Good News of His Kingdom.

In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that when we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe those in need, and care for the suffering, we are ultimately serving Him. Think about that for a moment. Every act of compassion becomes an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ.

At The Ridge Church, we often talk about four words that shape who we are: Belong, Grow, Serve, and Send. Those words are more than a vision statement. They describe the life of a disciple.

We belong to the family of God. We grow in our relationship with Jesus. We serve others because Christ first served us. And we are sent into the world to make disciples.

But here's something I want us to remember: You don't have to travel across the world to be sent by God. Sometimes being sent simply means walking across the street.

It might mean preparing a meal for someone who is struggling, helping a neighbor with yard work, serving at a local ministry, encouraging someone who feels forgotten, or having a Gospel conversation with someone who desperately needs hope.

The question isn't whether God has called us to missions. Scripture has already answered that question. The question is whether we are willing to respond.

My prayer is that The Ridge will never become a church that is content simply gathering on Sundays. I pray that we will be a family of faith whose love for Jesus overflows into our community and beyond. That we would be known not simply for what happens inside our walls, but for the way we demonstrate Christ's love outside of them.

Because ultimately, the Church does not exist merely to gather people. We gather to grow as disciples, and we scatter to make disciples.

So this week, I want to challenge you to ask one simple question:

Lord, who have You placed in my life that I can serve in Your name?

Then pay attention, be available, and be obedient. You might be surprised how God uses one small act of faithfulness to make an eternal difference.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting us to participate in Your mission. Open our eyes to the needs around us and give us hearts that reflect Your compassion. Help us to see people the way You see them and to serve without expecting anything in return. May The Ridge Church be a family of faith that not only talks about Your love but demonstrates it through our actions. Send us into our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. In His name we pray, Amen.

“Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.”

— Jeremiah 3:15 (NLT)

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and if I’m being truthful, it feels a little strange to write something about pastor appreciation when I’m the pastor! But as I’ve thought and prayed about it, I’ve realized this month is about something much bigger than appreciating one person. It is an opportunity to thank God for the people He uses to shepherd us throughout our lives.

I can look back and name pastors, mentors, teachers, and faithful Christians who invested in me, prayed for me, challenged me, encouraged me, and pointed me toward Jesus. I would not be the follower of Jesus, husband, father, or pastor I am today without people who were willing to share their lives with me.

Paul describes ministry beautifully in 1 Thessalonians 2:8:

“We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.”

That is the kind of ministry I want us to have at The Ridge. Ministry is more than what happens from a pulpit on Sunday morning. It happens around tables, in hospital rooms, over cups of coffee, during difficult conversations, through text messages, in moments of celebration, and when we simply sit beside someone who is hurting. The Gospel was always meant to be lived out through relationships. That is why I believe so deeply in who God is calling us to be as a church: a family of faith. belonging, growing, serving, and sending.

We belong because nobody should walk alone. We grow because following Jesus is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Him. We serve because Jesus has called us to give our lives away for others. And we send because the Gospel is simply too good to keep to ourselves. And here is what I hope we never forget: pastors aren't the only shepherds in the Church.

Every time you sit with someone who is hurting, disciple another believer, pray with someone who is struggling, teach a child about Jesus, encourage a teenager, welcome someone who feels alone, or walk alongside another Christian, you are participating in the shepherding ministry of Jesus.

During Pastor Appreciation Month, I am incredibly grateful for every pastor who has poured into my life. But I am also incredibly grateful that God has allowed me to be your pastor. It is one of the greatest privileges of my life to walk alongside this church family, to celebrate with you, grieve with you, pray with you, learn with you, laugh with you, and pursue Jesus alongside you. My prayer is not simply that The Ridge would have good pastors. My prayer is that The Ridge would become a church full of people who shepherd one another toward Jesus. Because at the end of the day, there is only one Chief Shepherd. His name is Jesus. This is His Church. We are His people. And what a privilege it is that He allows all of us to participate in what He is doing.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for every person You have used to shepherd us closer to You. Give us grateful hearts for those who have invested in our faith. Make The Ridge a family where nobody walks alone and where we continually help one another belong, grow, serve, and be sent. Above everything else, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Amen.

John 2:1–11

And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come.”  His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone water jars set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing two or three measures each.  Jesus *said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.  And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.  Now when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom,  and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then the inferior wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”  Jesus did this in Cana of Galilee as the beginning of His signs, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

Jesus' first recorded miracle happened at a wedding.

The celebration was underway when the wine ran out. In that culture, this wasn't simply inconvenient; it would have been deeply embarrassing for the family.

Mary brought the problem to Jesus. Then she turned to the servants and gave them some incredibly simple instructions:

“Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus told them to fill six stone jars with water. So they filled them to the brim.

Imagine being one of those servants. They knew the problem was wine, yet Jesus was asking them to haul water. It probably didn't make much sense.

But they obeyed.

And somewhere between filling those jars and serving what was inside, Jesus transformed ordinary water into something completely different. Sometimes we want transformation without obedience.

We pray, “Jesus, change this.”
Jesus says, “Trust Me here.”

We pray, “Jesus, fix this.”
Jesus says, “Forgive them.”

We pray, “Jesus, use me.”
Jesus says, “Take the first step.”

We pray for the miracle while resisting the instruction. But Mary's words remain incredibly powerful: Do whatever He tells you.

You may not understand everything Jesus is doing. You may not see how your obedience could possibly make a difference. But obedience doesn't require knowing the entire plan.

It requires trusting the One who does. Maybe the question for this week isn't, “What miracle do I need Jesus to perform?” Maybe it's:

“What has Jesus already asked me to do?”

Start there.

John 20:30–31 LSB

Therefore many other signs Jesus also did in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

When we read the miracles of Jesus, it is easy to become fascinated with what happened. Water became wine. Blind eyes opened. Storms stopped. Thousands were fed. The dead came back to life.

Those are incredible stories, but John tells us there is a deeper reason they were recorded.

“These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31, LSB).

In other words, the miracles aren't just meant to make us say, “Look what Jesus can do!”

They're meant to make us say, “Look who Jesus is!”

Throughout the Gospels, miracles function like signs. A sign isn't the destination; it points you toward something greater. Every healing, every deliverance, every impossible moment points us toward Jesus.

That's important because sometimes we can become more interested in what Jesus can do for us than in actually knowing Jesus.

We want Him to fix the problem. Heal the sickness. Open the door. Provide the money. Restore the relationship. Calm the storm.

And there is nothing wrong with bringing those prayers to Him. We should! But the greatest gift Jesus offers isn't simply a changed circumstance.

The greatest gift Jesus offers is Himself.

Over the coming weeks, we're going to walk through the miracles of Jesus together. As we do, don't simply ask, “How did He do that?”

Ask a better question:

“Jesus, what are You showing me about who You are?”

Because the more clearly we see Jesus, the more deeply we can trust Him.

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

— Proverbs 15:22

One of the most difficult things in life is knowing what you don’t know.

Whether it’s opening a Bible for the first time and taking twenty minutes to figure out that 1 Chronicles and 1 Corinthians aren’t the same book, or navigating the sudden, overwhelming reality of parenthood, we’ve all landed in moments where our ignorance was caught on full display.

Life is a series of paths, and our direction ultimately determines our destination. We often fall into the trap of the "herd assumption," looking around at friends or social norms and assuming that if everyone else is doing it, it must be safe. But asking for directions from people who haven’t been where you want to go is a recipe for getting lost.

Solomon, the wisest man to live, gives us a simple, life-changing principle in Proverbs 15:22: seek counsel from the right advisors.

Why do we resist getting advice?

• Ignorance: We think we already know enough.
• Pride: We’d rather look like we have it together than admit we’re lost.
• Laziness: It takes work to seek out wise, proven mentors.

When a friend, parent, or coworker approaches you this week with constructive input, resist the urge to get defensive. Instead, adopt the response of the wise: "Tell me what you’re seeing."

No one outgrows the need for wise counsel. Take time this week to ask God to reveal the advisors He’s placed around you, connect with someone who is where you want to be, and ultimately commit to following the ultimate Counselor, Jesus, who promises that His burden is light and His path leads to true rest.

Reflection Question for the Week:

Who is one person in your life who has successfully walked the path you are currently on, and when can you reach out to them for advice this week?

Proverbs 8 paints a picture of wisdom standing out in the open and calling to anyone willing to listen. Wisdom isn’t hiding. God isn’t trying to make His direction impossible to find. The question is whether we are listening.

“Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.”

— Proverbs 8:6 (NLT)

Every day, there are countless voices competing for our attention. Social media tells us what matters. Culture tells us what success looks like. Our emotions tell us what feels right. Other people tell us what they think we should do. And somewhere in the middle of all that noise, God is calling us to listen to Him.

Proverbs 8 reminds us that God’s wisdom is worth more than anything this world can offer:

“For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.”

— Proverbs 8:11 (NLT)

Think about that for a moment. There are plenty of things we ask God for: better circumstances, more opportunities, financial provision, healing, success, answers. But Scripture says one of the greatest things we can seek is wisdom.

Because sometimes God doesn’t immediately change our circumstances. Instead, He gives us wisdom for how to walk faithfully through them.

Maybe the prayer we need today isn’t simply, “God, give me what I want.”

Maybe it is, “God, teach me what You want.”

Before you make the decision, listen.

Before you send the text, listen.

Before you react in frustration, listen.

Before you take the next step, listen.

God’s wisdom is available, but we have to slow down long enough to hear Him.

Prayer:

Father, there are so many voices competing for my attention. Help me recognize Your voice above all the noise. Give me wisdom for the decisions in front of me and the humility to follow You even when Your way is different from mine. Teach me to value Your wisdom more than getting my own way. Today, help me listen and walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Proverbs 1 reminds us that wisdom doesn’t begin with knowing more; it begins with knowing Who we belong to.

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” — Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

We live in a world filled with voices telling us what matters, what we should pursue, and how we should live. Proverbs reminds us that not every voice deserves our attention. God invites us to listen to His wisdom above the noise around us.

One of the great dangers of the Christian life is becoming so confident in our own understanding that we stop allowing God to correct us. Wisdom requires humility. It means opening Scripture and asking, “Lord, what do You want to teach me? What needs to change in me?”

Proverbs 1 also warns us not to ignore God’s voice when He calls. The more quickly we learn to listen and obey, the more our lives begin to reflect His heart.

This week, don’t just ask God to bless your decisions. Invite Him to shape them. Before you speak, respond, decide, or act, ask: “Lord, what would wisdom look like here?”

Prayer:

Lord, give us hearts that are humble enough to listen, courageous enough to obey, and wise enough to recognize Your voice above all the others. Teach us to fear You, trust You, and follow You in every part of our lives. Amen.

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…but encouraging one another.”

-Hebrews 10:24–25

God never designed the Christian life to be lived alone. We need personal time with God. We need prayer and Scripture. But we also need people. There is a big difference between being in a crowd and being known. We can attend church every Sunday and still have no one who truly knows what we are walking through. That is why small groups matter. Small groups move us from attending church to belonging to a church family. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “carry each other’s burdens.” But people cannot help carry burdens they don't know we're carrying.

We need people who will pray for us when we're struggling, celebrate with us when God moves, challenge us when we're drifting, and remind us of God's faithfulness when life gets hard. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We grow better together. So ask yourself: Who really knows me? Who is helping me follow Jesus? Whose burden am I helping carry? Maybe your next step isn't simply attending another service. Maybe it's finding a group of people with whom you can truly belong, grow, and follow Jesus.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the gift of Christian community. Help us move beyond simply attending church and into relationships where we are known, encouraged, challenged, and loved. Give us people to walk alongside, and help us be that kind of person for someone else. In Jesus' name, Amen.

“[God] wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

— 1 Timothy 2:4

We pray about many things: our families, our health, our needs, our church, and the situations happening around us. But Scripture reminds us that one of the most important things we can pray for is people who do not yet know Jesus.

When we pray for unbelieving people, we aren't trying to convince God to care about them. We are joining God in something He already deeply cares about. God loves the lost, desires for people to know Him, and calls His Church to carry the good news of Jesus into the world.

As we move forward as a church, we want praying for unbelieving people and nations to become a greater part of who we are. We don't want our prayers to stop with the people inside our church walls. We want to pray for our neighbors, coworkers, family members, community, and people around the world who need the hope of Christ.

Jesus said, “Ask the Lord of the harvest…to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:38) Before Jesus told His followers to go, He told them to pray. Prayer changes our hearts, opens our eyes to the people around us, and prepares us to be used by God.

This week, I want to challenge each of us to begin praying for one person and one place.

One person: Think of someone in your life who doesn't currently follow Jesus. Write down their name and begin praying for them every day.

One place: This week, let's pray for Afghanistan, our Global Prayer Partner, a nation of 35.7 million people. Where 99.7% are muslim, pray for Spiritual awakening, for eyes and ears to be opened to the truth of Jesus, and for believers to be bold and filled with hope. 

And as we pray, let's also make ourselves available:

“Lord, draw people to Jesus. Give us Your heart for those who don't know You. Send workers into the harvest, and if You want to use us, we are available.”

May The Ridge increasingly become a church that doesn't simply pray for what God can do for us, but passionately prays for what God wants to do through us for the sake of others.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:8

There is something about the beginning of a new school year that feels like a fresh start. New teachers. New classrooms. New schedules. New friends. New opportunities. And, if we’re being truthful, maybe a few new worries too.

For students, back to school can bring excitement and anxiety at the same time. For parents, it can mean watching your child walk into a classroom and realizing once again that you cannot go everywhere they go. For teachers, administrators, and school staff, it means stepping into another year of investing in students while carrying responsibilities most people will never fully see.

But here is the good news: where we cannot go, God is already there.

When Moses was preparing the people of Israel for what was ahead, he reminded them that God would go before them. They were stepping into something new and uncertain, but they weren't stepping into it alone.

The same is true for us.

God goes before our children into their classrooms. He is present in the hallways, on the playgrounds, in the lunchrooms, on the buses, and at practice. He goes before our teachers as they prepare lessons and care for students. And He is with every parent who watches their child walk away with a backpack that somehow seems almost as big as they are.

This school year, our greatest prayer shouldn't simply be, “God, make it easy.” Instead, perhaps our prayer should be, “God, make us faithful.”

May our students have courage to stand for Jesus when it isn't popular. May they show kindness to the student who feels left out. May they work hard and recognize that their abilities are gifts from God. May our teachers demonstrate patience, wisdom, and compassion. And may our parents remember that one of the greatest things we can do for our children is faithfully pray for them.

Before the backpacks are packed and everyone rushes out the door, take a moment to pray:

“Lord, go before us today. Help us remember that wherever we go, You are already there. Give our students courage, our teachers wisdom, our parents peace, and let each of us be a light for Jesus wherever You have placed us. Amen.”

As another school year begins, remember this simple promise:

New year. New challenges. New opportunities. Same faithful God.

Let’s cover our students, teachers, administrators, and school staff in prayer and trust that the God who goes before them will faithfully walk with them every step of the way.