Creation. Church. Community.
God’s creation boasts many beautiful designs, often displayed in the growth pattern of plants and flowers. In the succulent, as with many plants and flowers, the younger growth occurs in the center and the more mature growth surrounds and supports the young growth. The mature leaves and petals grow to the side allowing sun and rain to nurture the new growth. Isn’t it exciting to see how this pattern reflects community and discipleship! I love how God uses His creation to teach us about who He is – He is creative and purposeful.
He shows us through this pattern that growth happens in relationship to one another and is strengthened through unity.
I invite you to catch the vision that God has laid on our hearts and join us in spreading this vision as we serve together in the Women's Ministry!
I am currently reading Exodus together with the women in my home group. While doing so, we have been struck with the holiness of God and His amazing invitation to know Him in a deeply personal way. The community aspect of how this takes place runs all throughout the book and these are some themes that have made an impression on me:
Rescue: God rescues His people as a whole group, out of slavery in Egypt. He wants them to be in a relationship with Him.
Remember: He instituted the Passover as a way for them to remember His mighty work. This was to be done in the community.
Rehearse: God wanted His people to speak (rehearse) His great work to the next generation. This was for His glory and their good.
Now, is His message the same in the New Testament (NT) and relevant in 2021? Most definitely, YES! Jesus came to save us, we are to remember His good work in community and we are to pass it on to the next generation. The letters of the NT were written to a whole group of people, not just one individual. For example, Ephesians 1:1 says, “Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” Likewise, Philippians 1:1 says, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi...” This is why the logo for the Women’s Ministry is so near and dear to my heart. My desire is for you to know that, if SWBIBLE Church is your home, you belong here and are a part of our community.
My Story of Growth in Community
Which brings me to my personal journey in the faith – it testifies of God’s continuing redemptive work in my life. I grew up in the crowded and bustling city of Mumbai, India. I am the youngest of four girls which means I have always been surrounded by older sisters. But there were many others in my community and church who played the roles of “uncles, aunts, grandmas, sisters and brothers”. You get the picture – I was watched over ALL the time, which played a big part in forming me and informing me about the world around me. My parents know and love God and taught me about Jesus from an early age. I was very aware of my sin and even though I didn’t always act on them, I knew the thoughts and intentions of my heart weren’t pure. I responded to the call of God at a Christian camp at the age of ten, when my small group leader asked if each of us had trusted Jesus as our Savior. I could not resist Him, I asked Him to forgive me, and thanked Him for dying for my sins. After that, I thought living as a child of God would be easy. Wrong! I describe my walk with God during my teenage years as the “YO-YO years”. I was super enthusiastic about HIM when I attended Christian camps (once a year) but that would slowly fizzle away once I went back to normal life. But God - He is so kind. His kindness led me to repentance, and it still does! I experienced His forgiveness in heartfelt, tangible ways. I grew to understand what it meant to be a child of God in the context of the community of Christians. I belonged to the community of believers. BUT, where I was weak in my understanding was realizing that God has a purpose for me. I did not understand that He had prepared good works for me to walk in. It wasn’t until I left my home country at the age of twenty that the rubber met the road. Having left all the comforts of family, friends, and community, I had to figure out what God meant to me apart from them. I am now convinced: it takes a stripping away of the things we cling to for identity and security for God to work in hearts. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” God was gracious, full of mercy, ready to forgive, restore, and bring purpose into my life.
As I spent time with Him, Scripture came to life. When He taught me about His personal love for me, His purpose for the church and His people, it all became even more beautiful to me.
I moved to Oregon when I was 23 to marry my husband, Sunin. Ask me to coffee if you want to hear more about this adventure! We started attending Southwest Bible Church and were immediately invited to be a part of a home group. The thing that impacted me most is that we got to watch and walk alongside others who were further along in life, as we all served in different ministries. Older women (not much older than me) mentored me officially and unofficially. They surrounded me and allowed me into the broken and beautiful places in their lives and through this, God was magnified! Through the peaks and valleys, I witnessed the strong and gentle hand of God, personally and in community. Through weakness I experienced the strength of Christ become my sufficiency, personally and in community.
In my most recent role, God has met me and asked me to step out in faith and trust HIM! He used Carole Wachsmuth, who consistently nudged me out of my safe little spot into leadership in ministry. And, once again, God caused growth! Do you see it? We, as a community of Women at SWBIBLE, can model God’s creation as we come alongside and support one another. So dear friends, if you consider SWBIBLE Church your home, you are a part of our family, which is the term the Bible, from beginning to end, uses to describe God’s people. We have so many amazing women who would love to walk alongside life with you. They can be your adopted aunts, sisters, mothers, grandmothers. This is the vision we have for you as part of SWBIBLE Church.
