From time to time, we all need to step back and evaluate. Our lives are often busy and hectic, and we can move from one crazy season to the next without giving attention to our life rhythms or the direction we are moving. There are several encouragements or commands in the Bible that teach us to intentionally evaluate our lives.

“Consider your ways.” (Haggai 1:5)
When the people of God had wandered in their relationship with Him, God rebuked them through the prophet Haggai, telling them to consider their ways.

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. (1 Timothy 4:16)
The apostle Paul told Timothy to keep a close watch on himself. I believe all of us would be wise to heed that command.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Peter tells Christians to be sober-minded and watchful. We are more easily devoured and led astray by our enemy when we are not considering our ways or our adversary’s ways.

I know people that love new year’s resolutions (and some who despise them), while some prefer to choose a word or a theme for the new year. I’ve done each of these and have benefitted from both. However, what has been most helpful for me is to have a rhythm of evaluating my life, and the new year provides a great time for that. My current rhythm is doing bigger evaluations around the new year and in June/July and then doing mini-evaluations on a monthly basis.

I want to share some questions that have been helpful in this rhythm. My hope is that if you do not have a rhythm of considering your ways, this may provide a starting place. I’d encourage you to set aside a few hours or a half day to prayerfully consider the following questions.

1. In what ways have I grown or become more healthy over the last year? 
It is important to reflect on wins and growth, which often leads to prayers of thanksgiving.

2. Which area of health do I most need to prioritize? 
Spiritual health, emotional/mental health, physical health, financial health, relational health (marriage, parenting, friends, family)? These areas have overlap and impact each other, but it has been helpful for me to have categories to think through.

3. What’s one thing I could change that would improve our family life? 
What are areas of frustration in family life? What's robbing your family joy? Does it have to do with becoming less busy, being less glued to the phone, working on communication, being intentional to rest and play, etc.?

4. What conversations do I want or need to start with my child based on their current age and level of development? 
Conversations about pornography, puberty, sex, gender issues, dating and relationships, financial stewardship? I'd rather these topics be ongoing conversations in the home rather than becoming off-limits topics. Our kids will learn about these issues, and I'd prefer their first exposure be from parents or church rather than from the internet or peers.

5. Is there any unresolved conflict in my life? If so, have I truly done everything I can do to be at peace?
The scriptures have a lot to say about conflict (Matthew 5:21-26; Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 12:14-21). Many of us are quite conflict avoidant, so we need to make intentional decisions to engage in healthy ways rather than subconsciously “sweeping it under the rug”.

6. On which spiritual discipline do I most want to make progress? 
Bible reading, in-depth bible study, scripture memory and meditation, fasting, prayer, consistently gathering with the church in larger and smaller groups, evangelism, serving, giving, silence and solitude, rest and sabbath? Remember, excelling in the disciplines do not make God love you more, but they do help you to experience His love and love Him more fully. 

7. What one biblical doctrine do I most desire to understand better by the end of this year, and what can I do about it?
There may be many, but picking one to begin studying may be the best way to get started. In the past I've chosen spiritual gifts, God's love, and others that have helped me to choose what to read and study.

8. What one thing could I do to most improve my prayer life this year?
It may be having a designated time and place to pray rather than only praying on the go. It may be writing prayers as well as praying throughout the day. If you haven’t been attending your church’s corporate prayer meetings, which we call Encounter at Sojourn, that’s a great place to start.

9. What’s a prayer I want to consistently pray in this next season that is impossible unless God does it?
Over and over in the scriptures we see the phrase "but God ...". Nothing is impossible with God! This may be praying for a specific person to be saved through faith in Christ or for you to overcome a long term sin struggle.

10. Is there a sinful habit/pattern I have that I've been seeking to manage rather than seeking to put to death? 
It may be pornography, dependence on alcohol or another substance, gossip, unforgiveness, financial dealings that lack integrity, etc.
(Colossians 3:5) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
(Romans 13:14) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. 

11. What is a helpful new way I can strengthen my church? 
You may think of a new way you can strengthen the church or simply to re-commit to ways you are already seeking to build up the church. Some ways may require increased time or resources, which you may have. However, some ideas will only require courage and intentionality. For example, you may decide to be intentional about showing up a few minutes earlier and meeting someone new each time the church gathers.

12. What’s one way I can bless those who minister to me? 
I only have 10 years of pastoral experience, but I can tell you that most pastors and ministry leaders receive complaints, advice, and criticism rather frequently. I’ve known of several pastors who have resigned or come close to resigning over the last few years, not because they sensed a change in their calling, but because of burnout or just wanting to be done. What is one specific way you can intentionally build up your pastors, ministry leaders, community group leaders and hosts, or anyone else who ministers to you?

13. What is my most important financial goal, and what is the most important step I can take towards meeting it? 
Does it have to do with budgeting, reducing debt, giving to your church, saving for something important, or pursuing an additional income source? Considering this question a few years ago led my wife and I to begin saving a little each month so we will be able, Lord willing, to take each of our kids on a one-on-one trip around their 13th birthday. If you’d like some help thinking through a financial issue, don’t forget about Sojourn’s financial coaching ministry (https://www.sojournchurch.net/financial-coaching).

14. Has my income changed? If so, how will it impact my giving to my church and other gospel causes?
An increase in income may not be to improve only your standard of living, but your standard of giving as well.

15. What skill do I most want to learn or improve in this year?
It may be a hobby or something related to your work.

16. What is the biggest time-waster in my life right now, and how do I desire to change in this area?
Don’t only think about what you will quit doing, but also consider what you will be able to do with the time you free up. Be aware that escape and rest are not the same. True refueling rest is not a time-wasting activity, but compulsive escaping activities are.

17. What area of my life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way I can simplify that area? 
I want to intentionally promote my core values by removing what distracts me from those values. The long marathon of simplifying your life begins with the first step. What might that step be?

18. What am I doing that I can stop doing so that I can devote more time, money, and attention towards the things that matter most? What is my family doing that we should stop doing?
Again, discontinuing something allows us to give more to what matters most.

19. What’s one thing I can begin doing this year that will matter the most in 10 years? In eternity?
Considering this question years back led me to start scheduling focused one-on-one time with one of my kids once per month. Not only is it a highlight of my month, but I am hopeful it will be an investment that bears fruit for decades to come. Let’s not let the tyranny of the urgent cause us to neglect practices that could have great long-term impact.

20. Am I content with my general physical health? If not, what are 1 or 2 changes I could make that would have a positive impact? 
Of course this may have to do with considering your diet and exercise, but it also may have to do with finding a primary care doctor, doing medical checkups, drinking more water, sleeping habits, etc.

21. What habit would I most like to establish this year?
What action, if it became ingrained into your daily, weekly, or monthly routine, would increase your joy and bless those around you?

22. What is the most important decision I need to make?
Is there a decision you are not being forced to make, but it would be wise to make? Is there a decision you have been putting off that is causing you anxiety and draining your energy?  

23. What is the most significant way I hope this year is different from last year, and what is my part to play in making it different? 
Much of what happens is out of our control, but our prayers, decisions, plans, and pursuits matter.

24. What are some one time actions I will take or one time decisions I will make this year based on the questions above?
Some changes require consistent focus and working through a process. However, sometimes we just need to make a decision or do a specific task we have been putting off and it makes a big different. Based on your reflections above, are there any one-time tasks you can complete or decisions that you can make to help set you up to move forward?

25. What are my 1 to 3 biggest focuses for this next season?
For most of us, focusing on only a few things is more effective than trying to do everything, so don’t think that you must implement something from each of the questions above. Consider and pray about a few things from above that you can seek to implement to move in a healthy direction. May the Holy Spirit give you wisdom and discernment as you consider.

If these questions were helpful, I hope you will return to them on a regular basis. Most of the questions are not original to me. Feel free to throw away the questions that don’t seem helpful and tweak or keep the ones that do. May the Lord help us to live joyful and intentional lives that bless our families, our churches, and the world around us as we seek to consider our ways.


* Many of the origins of these thoughts and questions were from Don Whitney’s articles entitled “10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year” and “Ten (More) Questions for a New Year”.

Dear Sojourn Family,

I wanted to sit down and digest the summer with you and reflect on the wonderful gift that my family received in the sabbatical. I view this as somewhat of a memoir of the past few months of my life. So, I’m just gonna kick back and let my fingers relay what my heart feels and all the rabbit trails that my mind feels like chasing. I typically prefer to chase them all. So many epic adventures happen traveling down rabbit trails. Like this rabbit trail for instance. I am literally following a rabbit trail that is about rabbit trails. This should be fun. Let’s get into it.

First of all, I want to express how thankful and how honored I feel to have the opportunity to take a sabbatical. Honestly, I’ve never been in a church before where this happened. For us as a family, this was a first time experience. This was uncharted territory. It was such a unique gift. I started leading worship as a 14 year old in our FCA group at school and in the band at church. For the last 26 years I’ve basically been in a role of weekly leading worship in churches and ministries. This summer was really the first time I’ve ever taken a long break from it. Also, I don’t think there has been a three month season where I’ve been around Meghan and the kids as much as I was able to this summer. During normal life, I’m always leaving for work or leaving for meetings or leaving to visit people. It’s a lot of leaving, so it was really special to take a long season to just be. No appointments. No obligations. No work. Nowhere to be. Full disclosure, though – I was a little worried that my family wouldn’t be as impressed with me after they experienced an entire summer completely saturated in my presence. Thankfully as I write this today, they still love me and appreciate me being around. Crisis averted.

While I’m thinking about it, please allow me to throw out some heartfelt thank you’s. To all the pastors, the staff team, and members of Sojourn who took on more responsibility so that I could pull away and rest with my family, I want to express insane amounts of gratitude. Thank you so much.  I’m thankful to be a part of a church family that is so willing to serve and shoulder the load. I’m also thankful to be a part of a church that can exist when pastors are not present. The pastors aren’t the lifeblood of Sojourn Church, Jesus is. This is His church and I’m thankful to be a part of this family with you.

We don’t travel much. Not that we’re against the idea, but it’s just never been our thing. As we learn and grow with our little man J.R. in the world of autism, the idea of traveling through long car rides or plane rides or boat rides to unfamiliar places is typically a recipe to turn our world upside down. However, this summer, through the systematic and calculated efforts of my beautiful Meghan, we (mostly she) came up with a plan to go try some stuff. It’s not often that we get a season like this with three months at our discretion. Honestly, it kind of felt like I was a 10 year old kid again. You remember back in the day when we used to get those really long summer breaks? I was energized with the excitement of a preteen but in reality I was a 40 year old man taking cholesterol medicine and often visiting the chiropractor while belting out “School’s Out For The Summer” with Alice Cooper. It was a strange but electric feeling.

“Dollywood Or Bust!!” We never broke out the shoe polish to christen the back windshield of our Chevy Traverse, but we took off to Sevierville, TN in a blaze of glory. With Dolly’s greatest hits slapping in the car speakers we headed to the homeplace of the lady who inspired Jolene’s name. Of course, as I looked in the rearview mirror I could see Samiah and Christiana slowly slip ear buds into their ears and drift off to a land where Wande, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift fill their worlds with wonderful music. What can you say? We love music and music of all kinds. It’s also been such a joy of mine to trade music suggestions with my daughters. We get to introduce each other to so many different artists. It’s truly become one of my favorite pastimes with them in the car. Dollywood treated us well, however I made a crucial mistake in the themepark that I may never live down. I didn’t do any research, per usual. Samiah and Christiana haven’t been on many roller coasters and Jolene had never ridden one in her life. Guess who took them on the Lightning Rod – a nationally ranked roller coaster reaching 70+mph with a death defying drop of 165 feet? Yep, this guy. Even worse, it was the first roller coaster we tried that day. We literally transitioned from the bumper cars to one of the scariest rides in America. Direct quote from Jolene as the coaster mercilessly came to a stop, “That was terrible!!!” Something should have registered in my mind when the theme park employees made us read the safety warning before boarding the ride. But it didn’t. Yep, Father Of The Year.

During the summer, we also got the opportunity to spend significant time with family over weekends and on the beautiful beaches of the pan handle. There’s few things greater than being on the beach with your family playing in the sand, splashing in the waves, catching fish, and just soaking in the sun. When I have a rod in my hand in the ocean I just come alive. Nothing makes you feel wild like catching sharks in the surf and frying them up for supper. There’s just something about being a man and eating a man-eater. I know that way of flawed thinking is a byproduct of the 1975 Jaws propaganda but it gives me a rush nonetheless. We love the forgotten beaches of the rural pan handle. I mean, who wants to relax and play on the beach with 75,000 strangers. You can have Panama City and Daytona. Give me those misbegotten, desolate beaches where you don’t even have to watch your kids. There’s just nobody there. Just like God intended. We were so grateful to get to spend a couple of weeks at the beach.

There was nothing more wild this summer than my excursion down the Ocmulgee River. I had been dreaming about doing this for years. A couple of friends and I loaded up into canoes at the Amerson Water Park in Macon and four days later got picked up at the bridge on highway 96. It was beyond epic. Being on the Ocmulgee River for that many hours and days in a row was so incredible. It was like a healing balm for the soul in many ways. None of us had ever been down the river like this so it was a "learn as we go" and "we'll find out when we found out" type of adventure. We experienced cows venturing into the campsite in the middle of the night sniffing the tarp covering my hammock. I mean, this behemoth was so close I could hear the wind vibrating the walls of its nostrils as he sniffed me out. I was worried he was going to pull my tarp off like a vacuum hose sucking up a plastic candy wrapper. We cruised passed countless alligators as we slowly paddled downstream. Once the wind blew the nose of my canoe into an overhanging wasp nest and I was forced to jump into the river with an alligator that just entered the water. No big deal. Just pretending to be Middle Georgia's version of Steve Irwin over here. We hung our hammocks over freshly rooted hog sign and tried to sleep peacefully with pistols in our bathing suite pockets. It was so wild. We were in the elements. We were living the adventure.

During our sabbatical we also took the opportunity to prioritize our emotional and spiritual health through counseling. For the six of us, we logged several hours meeting with counselors and therapists. This was beneficial for all of us, but particularly beneficial for me personally. When I entered sabbatical I was pretty exhausted. I tend to connect and empathize with people’s pain and trauma on a very high level. It’s something God has gifted me to do and I am honored to do it. Nothing makes me feel more connected to someone than climbing down into the ditch of their suffering and sitting there with them trying to hold onto hope. With that being said, my heart and soul had logged a lot of mileage leading up to the summer. I was coasting on fumes and felt somewhat hollowed out. My struggles with anxiety heightened greatly at the onset of the sabbatical, making it difficult to sleep and settle down. I was so grateful that I had the time to slow down, work with a counselor, and let Jesus replenish my tank.

One of the ways I slowed down and refueled over the summer was to log countless hours on my front porch. There in the suffocating heat, surrounded by 70 year old red oaks, I sat there like a Mayberry Sunday afternoon and read books, breathed fresh air, talked to Jesus out loud, listened to the blue jays alert the woods, watched the sun warm the dew on the pasture grass, watched the red tail hawks coast across the clearing scouting out their next meal, and things like that.

The Lord spoke to me so specifically through Dane Ortlund’s book Gentle and Lowly. This is a book about the heart of Christ. At the end of it, I literally sat back in the rocking chair and said these words audibly, “I think I’m finally convinced that God actually loves me.” I was overwhelmed with the love of God and it was completely unattached to any efforts to prove myself to Him as someone who was worthy of His love. This was one of those “sweeter than honey from the honeycomb” moments that David talked about in the psalms. Those are rare occasions but I’m so thankful to have experienced one. On that hot, sweaty porch I also read the biographies of Crazy Horse and Dave Grohl. Native American heritage is incredibly special to me and I am so inspired by much of their way of life. Also, as a music man, reading Dave Grohl’s first person account of how Nirvana took over the world back in the 90’s was pure gold. I’ll never forget hearing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for the first time in middle school. It was like a portal to a new sonic dimension instantly opened up in the atmosphere. It was incredible. If only the kids these days who buy the Nirvana shirts at Target knew about how epic of a time that was. But they won’t. They typically can’t name two Nirvana songs. Shame.

I truly feel rested coming off of this sabbatical. Like truly. Rest came pouring in from so many directions: date nights with Meghan, movie nights with the kids, the front porch sanctuary, catching bass with friends, grilling steaks with friends, staring at the stars at night and often spotting Elon’s satellites, reading good books, slowing down to hear the Lord’s voice, listening to the song of nature, enjoying long conversations with Meghan, spending countless hours feeling the vibrations of the diesel tractor pulse through my body, carefully slicing fillets from the wings of a stingray to feed our family at the beach, walking in the field barefoot feeling connected and grounded by the cool grass, picking wild blackberries while the thorns scar my forearms and fingers, listening to the coyotes call role after the sun sets behind the trees, and on and on and on. I truly had the opportunity to stop and to smell all of the roses. Every last one of them.  

It was so good to not be needed. In one way it was good to not be needed so that I could take a break and rest. In another way it was good to not be needed so that the Lord could reassure me that the church rests upon His shoulders and not mine. My shoulders are weak and are not fit to carry a church. Plus they’re typically sunburned and sweaty. Not the place a church would want to sit anyways.

All this to say, thank you Sojourn Church. You gave my family a great gift and we are better for it. We are so glad to be back in the mix with our church family. We cherish the Sunday gatherings with all of you. We thrive off the local community we have with the Sojourn folks in the Byron Posse. It was good to be gone and it’s good to be back.

On behalf of my family, we love you very much.


Josh


P.S. If you’re still reading this you deserve some type of award for your perseverance. I’d love to take you out to lunch. Either that or just give you a hug. On second thought, let’s just go with the hug. Much more economical.

From time to time, we all need to step back and evaluate. Our lives are often busy and hectic, so we can sometimes move from one crazy season to the next without giving attention to our life rhythms or the direction we are moving. There are several encouragements or commands in the Bible that teach us to intentionally evaluate our lives.

“Consider your ways.” - Haggai 1:5
When the people of God had wandered in their relationship with Him, God rebuked them through the prophet Haggai, telling them to consider their ways.

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. - 1 Timothy 4:16
The apostle Paul told Timothy to keep a close watch on himself. I believe all of us would be wise to heed that command.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” - 1 Pe 5:8.
Peter tells Christians to be sober-minded and watchful. We are more easily devoured and led astray by our enemy when we are not considering our ways or our adversary’s ways.

I know people that love new year’s resolutions (and some that despise them), while some prefer to choose a word or a theme for the new year. I’ve done each of these and have benefitted from them. However, what has been most helpful for me is to have a rhythm of evaluating my life, and the new year provides a great time for that. My current rhythm is doing an evaluation around the new year and in June/July.

I want to share some questions that have been helpful in this rhythm. I’ve changed them over the years and constantly tweak them. My hope is that if you do not have a rhythm of considering your ways, this may provide a starting place. I’d encourage you to set aside a half day or even two hours to prayerfully consider the following questions.

1. In what ways have I grown or become more healthy over the last year? 
It is important to reflect on wins and growth, which often leads to prayers of thanksgiving.

2. Which area of health do I most need to prioritize? 
Spiritual health, emotional or mental health, physical health, financial health, relational health (marriage, parenting, friends, family)? These areas have overlap and impact each other, but it has been helpful for me to have categories to think through.

3. What’s one thing we could change that would improve our family life? 
What are areas of frustration? What's robbing your family joy?

4. What conversations do I want or need to start with my child based on their current age and level of development? 
Conversations about pornography, puberty, sex, gender issues, dating and relationships, financial stewardship? I'd rather these topics be ongoing conversations in the home rather than becoming off-limits topics. Our kids will learn about these issues, and I'd prefer their first exposure be from parents or church rather than from the internet or peers.

5. On which spiritual discipline do I most want to make progress? 
Bible reading, in-depth bible study, scripture memory and meditation, fasting, prayer, consistently gathering with the church in larger and smaller groups, evangelism, serving, giving, silence and solitude, rest and sabbath? Remember, excelling in the disciplines do not make God love you more, but they do help you to experience His love and love Him more fully. 

6. What is a helpful new way I can strengthen my church? 
How can your church be stronger and healthier because you participate? Some ways may require increased time or resources, which you may have. However, some ideas will only require courage and intentionality. For example, you may decide to be intentional about meeting someone new each time the church gathers.

7. What’s one way I can bless those who minister to me? 
I only have 8 years of pastoral experience, but I can tell you that most pastors and ministry leaders receive complaints, advice, and criticism rather frequently. I’ve known of several pastors who have resigned or come close to resigning over the last few years, not because they sensed a change in their calling, but because of burnout or just wanting to be done. What is one specific way you can intentionally build up your pastors, ministry leaders, community group leaders and hosts, or anyone else who ministers to you?

8. What is my most important financial goal, and what is the most important step I can take towards meeting it? 
Does it have to do with budgeting, reducing debt, giving to your church, saving for something important, or pursuing an additional income source? Considering this question a few years ago led my wife and I to begin saving a little each month so we will be able, Lord willing, to take each of our kids on a one-on-one trip around their 13th birthday. If you’d like some help thinking through a financial issue, don’t forget about Sojourn’s financial coaching ministry (https://www.sojournchurch.net/financial-coaching).

9. Has my income changed? If so, how will it impact my giving to my church and other gospel causes?
An increase in income may not be to improve only your standard of living, but it could be to increase your standard of giving as well.

10. Is there any unresolved conflict in my life? If so, have I truly done everything I can do to be at peace?
The scriptures have a lot to say about conflict (Matthew 5:21-26; Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 12:14-21). Many of us are quite conflict avoidant, so we need to make intentional decisions to engage in healthy ways rather than subconsciously “sweeping it under the rug”.

11. What skill do I most want to learn or improve in this year?
It may be a hobby or something related to your work.

12. What one biblical doctrine do I most desire to understand better by the end of this year, and what can I do about it?
There may be many, but picking one to begin studying may be the best way to get started. In the past I've chosen spiritual gifts, God's love, and others that have helped me to choose what to read and study.

13. What one thing could I do to most improve my prayer life this year?
It may be having a designated time and place to pray rather than only praying on the go. For some, learning to pray scripture may be a great step. If you haven’t been attending your church’s corporate prayer meetings, which we call Encounter at Sojourn, that’s a great place to start.

14. What’s a prayer I want to consistently pray in this next season that is impossible unless God does it?
Over and over in the scriptures we see the phrase "but God ...". Nothing is impossible with God!

15. What is the biggest time-waster in my life right now, and how do I desire to change in this area?
Don’t only think about what you will quit doing, but also consider what you will be able to do with the time you free up. Be aware that escape and rest are not the same. Also, true refueling rest is not a time-wasting activity, but compulsive escaping activities normally are.

16. What area of my life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way I can simplify that area?
I want to intentionally promote my core values by removing what distracts me from those values. The long marathon of simplifying your life begins with the first step. What might that step be?

17. What am I doing that I can stop doing so that I can devote more time, money, and attention towards the things that matter most? What is my family doing that we should stop doing?
Again, discontinuing something allows us to give more to what matters most.

18. What’s one thing I can begin doing this year that will matter the most in 10 years? In eternity?
Considering this question years back led me to start scheduling focused one-on-one time with one of my kids once per month. Not only is it a highlight of my month, but I am hopeful it will be an investment that bears fruit for decades to come. Let’s not let the tyranny of the urgent cause us to neglect practices that could have great long-term impact.

19. What habit would I most like to establish this year?
What action, if it became ingrained into your daily, weekly, or monthly routine, would increase your joy and bless those around you?

20. What is the most important decision I need to make?
Is there a decision you are not being forced to make, but it would be wise to make? This decision may or may not be connected to something you considered from a previous question.

21. What is the most significant way I hope this year is different from last year, and what is my part to play in making it different? 
Much of what happens is out of our control, but our prayers, decisions, plans, and pursuits matter.

For most of us, focusing on only a few things is more effective than trying to do everything, so don’t think that you must implement something from each of these questions. I’d encourage you to consider and pray about one or a few things that you can seek to implement to move in a healthy direction. For this reason, the last several questions seek to help narrow focus to what seems most important. May the Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and discernment as you consider.

If these questions were helpful, I hope you will return to them on a regular basis. Most of the questions are not original to me. Feel free to throw away the questions that don’t seem helpful and tweak or keep the ones that do. May the Lord help us to live joyful and intentional lives that bless our families, our churches, and the world around us as we seek to consider our ways.


* Many of the origins of these thoughts and questions were from Don Whitney’s articles entitled “10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year” and “Ten (More) Questions for a New Year”.

This Sunday you will notice two changes having to do with communion, also called The Lord’s Supper. First, we will begin taking communion corporately, rather than individually or as families. If you have been to Encounter, it will be similar to how we do it at Encounter. Secondly, we will offer wine and grape juice along with gluten free bread. Yes, you read that correctly. We will not have the difficult to open pre-packaged styrofoam bread packets!

Why are we beginning to offer wine? 

In 1869 a British-American Methodist Minister by the name of Thomas Bramwell Welch developed what he called “unfermented wine.” He did so by applying the pasteurization process to grape juice, which stopped the natural fermentation process of the grapes. The result became what we know of as Welch’s Grape Juice.

Throughout most of American and world history, the communion drink was wine rather than grape juice. It seems that many American churches shifted from wine to grape juice after Welch’s development, along with the prohibition-era contempt for alcoholic beverages.

I am not going to seek to give a comprehensive teaching on wine in the Bible, but I do want to provide some reasons we are going to begin offering wine during communion at Sojourn.

Wine in the Bible

The Bible is filled with positive things to say about wine, and it is filled with warnings against drunkenness. Wine is a gift of God, but like other gifts of God, can be abused. If you’d like to hear more about what the Bible teaches about alcohol in general, you can find the most recent sermon we preached on it HERE.

Psalm 104:14–15
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

Joel 3:18
“And in that day
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
and the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the streambeds of Judah
shall flow with water;
and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD
and water the Valley of Shittim.
 
Other helpful verses include Deuteronomy 14:23, Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 23:31, Isaiah 5:11, Joel 3:18, John 2:1-12, Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:18, and 1 Peter 4:3-4.
 
Wine at the Last Supper

It seems clear that Jesus served his disciples wine at the Last Supper, which was the original communion. The gospels teach that the Last Supper was a Passover meal, and wine was the drink used in the Passover meal. Jesus said, “For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes” (Lk 22:18). This leads us to believe that wine was the drink he had used in the institution of the Lord’s Supper. It seems wise and best to offer the same elements in the Lord’s Supper that Jesus used when he originated it.

Wine as a Symbol

Wine is a symbol of celebration and gladness. Psalm 104:14-15 and Joel 3:18 (above) show that wine is a gift of God for gladness and celebration. Psalm 104 specifically says that God gives wine to “gladden the heart of man.” Wine was used at the Passover meal, which was a celebration for God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt. Again, at the Last Supper Jesus said that from now on he “will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes,” which indicates that wine will be part of the celebration of our salvation. It seems good and best that wine is used in communion as a symbol of celebration and gladness that Christ’s death on the cross brings.

Wine is also a symbol of God’s judgment and wrath throughout the scriptures.

Psalm 75:8
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
and all the wicked of the earth
shall drain it down to the dregs.
 
Isaiah 51:17
Wake yourself, wake yourself,
stand up, O Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD
the cup of his wrath,
who have drunk to the dregs
the bowl, the cup of staggering.
 
Matthew 26:39, 42
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” … Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
 
For the symbolism of judgment and wrath, also see Isaiah 19:14, Isaiah 51:21-22, Jeremiah 25:15-29, Ezekiel 23:31-34, Revelation 16:19, and Matthew 20:22-23.
 
When Jesus uses wine at the Last Supper to represent his death, it seems he is connecting it with the cup of wine (God’s wrath) He was to drink on the cross. It reminds us of the cup of wrath he drank for us, that we may drink the cup of forgiveness and gladness.
 
The cup in the Lord’s Supper can symbolize for us celebration and gladness. It also reminds us of the wrath he endured in our place.
 
So, we plan to begin serving wine for communion, as it seems to be in line with scripture and the historical practice of the church.
 
What about those who struggle with addiction to alcohol?

We will continue to also serve grape juice. One of the main reasons we will do this is because it may not be wise for some to drink wine. If you struggle with addiction to alcohol, there is no pressure at all to drink wine. Although we believe it is good to serve wine due to the symbolism in the scripture and the historic practice of the universal church, we do not believe grape juice is a meaningless or bad beverage to use. It still has a color that makes us think about the blood of Christ and is from the same fruit.
 
What about those with weaker consciences?

Scripture is clear that we should accommodate those with weaker consciences when it comes to non-essential matters or matters of personal conviction. Those with stronger consciences are not to encourage or pressure those with weaker consciences to go against their conscience. Those with weaker consciences are not to judge or condemn those with stronger consciences. You can learn more about this in Romans 14.
 
We also need to keep in mind that Jesus himself originated the practice of communion with wine. Even still, if drinking wine in communion would burden your conscience, we encourage you to partake of the juice as you continue to wrestle with what is most biblical and wisest for you.
 
What about the kids?

Many Christians throughout history have allowed their children to celebrate communion, and passover before that, with them by drinking wine. They have found the benefits of using the bread and wine to outweigh concerns associated with minors consuming alcohol. Also, in the state of Georgia, it is legal for minors to consume alcohol in a religious worship service.
 
That being said, another reason we will continue to provide juice is for parents that desire their children to participate in communion but do not believe it best for them to drink alcohol at their age and maturity level.

This Sunday
 
So, we are looking forward to taking corporate communion during our service this Sunday. You can grab the elements during the service, or if you prefer you can grab them as you enter before finding your seat. The wine and the juice will be clearly labeled. All of the bread will be gluten free. We hope and pray that taking communion together when we gather will be worshipful for Christians as they participate. We also hope and pray that people who are not Christians will gain a deeper understanding of the gospel through watching believers take communion together. After all, Paul wrote, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).