Happy Monday Church!

Yesterday was a great day of worship and the Word. I hope you left there encouraged and challenged. May we function with faith fervently today. As I am pondering this email and what to communicate, I could not get away from a specific thought. We have been growing at Cedar Grove. It has been wonderful to see and experience. We know that this is not for our glory but rather for the glory of God. I do know it is good and okay to enjoy this season. However, it can also be easy to become complacent. If we take this season of growth for granted, we could very well see a decrease in impact and ministry.

I need you to hear my heart on this. There is nothing wrong with a small church. As a matter of fact, most of the churches in the world are smaller than 100 people every Sunday. I love the freedom and personable character of our church. There is something wrong with a church that has lost its passion. How does a church lose its passion? Complacency takes over where fervency once was. We have seen some incredible things happen the past year and a half. New families have joined our church. Souls have been saved and baptized. Expansion projects have been started. This is why we are to stay diligent. Numbers do not always indicate the true health of a church. The members of that church show the true health. Our faith, service, witness, and unity are the optimal pipelines to magnify the ministry at Cedar Grove.

So, this Monday Mourning Issue is about challenging you. Do not become complacent. Let's not lose the joy of being a part of a local church who magnifies Christ. May we not become content with mediocrity. We do not serve a mediocre God. We serve the living and true God. We serve the thrice holy God. We serve the creator of the universe. We serve the one who made the way for our salvation through His only begotten Son. How can we serve Him any other way than with all that we are?

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the aauthor and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary band lose heart.Hebrews 12:1–3.

This coming up Sunday we will be celebrating 213 years of ministry on our hill. What a testimony! What a cloud of witnesses. I am sure the faithful few who began to gather in Jesus name all the way back in 1813 never could have imagined the impact Cedar Grove would be having today. And YOU are a part of that. Remove the weights brother and sisters. May we consider what Jesus has done for us. Do not lose heart and do not grow weary.

I love you Cedar Grove. I am thankful for you. I look forward to gathering with you again soon. Happy in the Lord, Buh-bye.

Pastor Jacob