Beauty Remains

By Jeri-Nichole Kendall

Years ago, at the start of my worship ministry and service, a friend asked, “Do you write music?”. I laughed in his face. Behind the blatant dismissal that such a thing could be was the fear that what I had to say was not worth saying. It was a fear that reinforced every doubt and insecurity that I ever had. But God is in the business of breaking us free from the bonds of the lies we believe to do a new thing.

At the start of 2020, the Lord brought me to Isaiah 43:19,” Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Through this project, I learned that God was bigger than any wasteland out there. The wasteland that is fear, anxiety, heartbreak, my sin and shame, and even a global pandemic. See, he is in the business of making the impossible possible.

God is writing this beautiful story of redemption through the transformation and restoration of his people by the way of Jesus. He uses every single piece. Even the broken ones. Sometimes I wonder if the more broken the better because there is more glory to be displayed. My EP, Beauty Remains, is just a little piece of the whole narrative. A sliver of the story, that God loves, pursues, restores, and brings his children new life.

Each and every song has a piece of my heart. But more than that, it has echoes of what God has whispered over my broken pieces. These are the songs of deliverance that he has sung over me. My biggest hope is that every person who hears experiences the same love of the Father, hope in the Son, and comfort from the Holy Spirit. He is ALWAYS doing a new thing.

“Hold on there’s hope. Don’t rush past the pain. He heals your scars, until beauty remains.”

Thank you, Summit Family, for your prayers and your support. I hope you enjoy Beauty Remains.

Find the album on Spotify Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, and wherever you get music.

Restoration Church

We believe that what God wants to do in the world, and in Southwest Florida specifically, he wants to do through all of Christ’s people, as we see disciples and churches multiplied so that every man, woman, and child would have repeated opportunities to respond to the good news of the gospel.

That’s why we partner with and start other expressions of Christ’s Church; for gospel saturation, and ultimately for the glory of God.

For the past 2 years, we have been dreaming, praying, meeting, and strategizing about planting a gospel-centered expression of Christ’s church in the heart of Lehigh Acres; a community of more than 132,000 people. It soon became clear that many of our own people shared that vision to reach that diverse community with the gospel of Jesus Christ; Community Group leaders, Deacons, and Members all have stepped forward to embrace the call.

After months and months of development and formation under the leadership of Evan Lemkuil and Carl Belcher,  yesterday the Elders of Summit Church commissioned the Restoration Church core team to be sent out to reach the community of Lehigh Acres.

Pray that the team would remain humble dependent upon God.

Pray that God would protect them from the schemes and divisions of the Enemy.

Pray that God would prepare them to be servant leaders in the community.

To learn more, visit:

www.RestorationLehigh.com

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May I Only See Your Favor

By Ashley Johnson

May I Only See Your Favor - A poetic meditation on 1 Peter 1:6-9

May I only see your favor 
In my ordained pain
May I remember the Lord Jesus
When my perseverance wanes

May I see the face of affliction
And never blink an eye 
Knowing it was after suffering
My Savior was lifted high

May I see the fiery furnace
As a testing of my love
And let my faith become more precious
As I cling to what’s above

May I see these various trials
Inch me closer to the cross
And as I cling to it so dearly 
Count everything else as loss

Although I have not seen him
I know my soul secure 
For it was in the very testing 
I found the only cure

Watch Your Weight

By Orlando Cabrera

Have you ever heard someone say, “I am watching my weight”?  There’s a good chance you have.  Many of us are health conscious and that’s a good thing when it comes from a desire to be a good steward of our bodies and doesn’t come from a place of vanity (1 Corinthians 6). 

But what might be lost on us are the other weights we carry. The weight of sin. The weight of burdens. The weight of sadness over the loss and brokenness we experience. 

Most of us can probably identify and relate with these weights in our lives. And if we’re honest, we can admit that we often try and come up with our own fitness plans to deal with them, instead of turning to what God has already outlined for us in His Word and provided for us in Jesus Christ.

So, are you watching your weight today? And what are you doing to drop it? My encouragement would be to continue to turn to the Lord and to His Word.

THE WEIGHT OF SIN

If you are dealing with the weight of a besetting sin, look to your Savior.  Remember that the same Gospel that bought our salvation, and secured our redemption and standing with the Father, is still the same Gospel that forgives, sanctifies and frees.  We come into a loving relationship with God the Father through the Gospel of the Son, Jesus Christ, and we don’t now move from that to something else. The Gospel will forever remain the foundation of our lives, the sustenance we need, and the hope we hold fast to.  The weight of sin has ultimately been lifted and the penalty of that sin has been paid by Jesus. And one day we will be removed from the presence of all sin. But until that day, we have the assurance of grace that is made available to us through Christ.  Let’s drop the weight of sin and it’s destructive effects of shame and guilt by running to the Father who has promised that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”( 1 John 1:9)

If you belong to God, rest today in the reality, the blessing, and the joy of knowing that “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) Take that weight of sin and drop it daily at the foot of Christ’s cross and continue to ask the Lord by His Spirit to keep you from being “yoked to a spirit of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Walk in the freedom Christ has granted to you.

THE WEIGHT OF WORRY AND SADNESS

Is your weight worry, anxiety, or sadness? God has a spiritual fitness plan for that as well. Jesus didn’t promise any of us an easy life free from the pangs and pain of this broken world.  Quite the opposite in fact. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Trouble and trials are a part of the journey and you don’t have to feel unnecessary shame for feeling sad or worried. The key is to not allow those feelings to become weights that keep you from moving forward into the things the Lord has called you to, or that keep you from looking to Him as your greatest need and your greatest joy.

God doesn’t call us to ‘grin and bear it’ or to pull ourselves up by our boot straps. Instead He invites us to “cast our cares upon Him because He cares for you”. (1 Peter 5:7) As a child of God your unchanging reality is that God loves you, cares for you, fights for you and is with you. That is why Jesus lovingly and emphatically says “come to me all of you who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. (Matthew 11:28)

In other words, you don’t need to carry that weight.  God promises to keep us in perfect peace if we fix our minds on Him (Isaiah 26:3). Those unwanted pounds are shed not by our self-efforts, but by our submission, honesty, and humility before the Father.

WATCHING OUR WEIGHT

So, let’s watch our weight; not so much the kind that is affected by what we eat. But the kinds that consume us and threaten to overwhelm our minds and hearts; sin, sadness, brokenness.

Let’s take all these different weights to the One who carried the weight of the cross and our sin so that we could taste the weightiness of God’s goodness, grace and glory that we do not deserve.

 There is a race set before us to run. It’s a way that’s already been blazed by Jesus. And now the invitation is extended to every child of God to run the race by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Here’s the fitness plan. “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

We are forever thankful

Church,

It has been a joy to be a part of this community over the past 7 years. God has taught us so much through the love and care that you have shown to us as a family, you have been to us a picture of the gospel and an extension of God’s grace toward us.  

We have been on a journey for about a year now of working out some of the symptoms Arie, our eldest daughter, has been experiencing. After consulting with a specialist in November, it became apparent that we would need to move out of Florida to a different climate to give her the best chance of healing and detoxifying from mold that has built up in her body over time. It’s a long story, with many more details, but in essence, the Lord has made it clear that this is what we must do for our family, and yet it breaks our heart to leave you, our church family. 

When we look back on our time here, we can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude. There is so much the Lord has done in us, through you, the people of this church. There is such a maturity and steadfastness in the midst of trial that exists among you that has caused us to marvel at your faith. It’s been a joy to pray alongside, contend for and weep with you. For the picture you’ve been of faithfulness in suffering, and how you have wept and prayed alongside us in our sufferings, thank you. 

We’ve been blessed beyond measure by your generosity and love in how you’ve rallied alongside us in times of need, and how you’ve spoken life and truth over us. For the way you have been an extension of God’s love, encouragement and care, thank you!

We are so thankful to the Lord for calling us to Summit Church. It’s humbling to reflect on how much God has grown us here. We’ve seen God raise up and send leaders out from our midst, we’ve been able to write and record songs for you and with you, contend in worship and prayer together. We’ve seen God move as we’ve pressed in to see more of his heart, activity and manifest power in our midst. These moments that we’ve shared, we treasure, and yet know with a sure and certain hope that we will be together again, even if it is not this side of forever, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be together again. So for that moment, stay faithful and until then, stay in touch!

Finally, while it is with a heavy heart that we leave, we know that the good thing that God has done in our midst started long before we arrived, and will continue long after we are gone. We are convinced more than ever that God deeply loves YOU, the people of Summit Church, that He is on the move in your midst, and that the good work He has begun in all of us, is yet to be realized in full. While we may not have the privilege to labor side by side in this next season, please know that we love you and are praying for you. We are forever thankful for the indelible mark and deposit that God has made in us here. 

With love, 

Andy, Rachel, Arie and Ellis

Helena's Grace Story

Nearly every Sunday for ten years of my life I sat in sturdy metal chairs with red padding that spread across the worship center of Independent Bible Church. I watched body after body dunk below the surface of the still hot tub water and raise to walk in newness of life. I listened to heart wrenching stories of salvation from the pits of despair, the depths of depression, from walking alone in a destitute life. 

I knew it was expected of me to profess my faith for the deity that had been introduced to me at a young age, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

The inevitable question was posed at the end of every teary eyed ceremony. “When is it your turn?”

On paper I had all the criteria. I understood the gospel, I could recite scripture at the drop of a hat, I participated in Bible studies and youth groups and missions trips. 

I believed in God. 

The problem being, God was not MY god. 

I was.

For years, I followed my own path, walked my own walk. It led me into the hands of depression. The kind of sadness that doesn’t dissipate with a hug or disappear when your favorite song comes on the radio. The kind of sadness that cripples you, shatters you, leaves you an empty shell of yourself. I fell further and further away from God until I landed in the hands of addiction.

They say that left untreated, an addict is destined for jails, institutions, or death. It was within the white walls of a psychiatric hospital that I met this fate. 

I had traded my padded red chairs for stiff blue ones that were intentionally too heavy to lift and use as weapons. Ground to the floor in a room full of people who had lost their grounding. I was hopeless. I was alone.

Living in a perpetual state of rock bottom. Lying, stealing, manipulating my way through life. Grasping for anything and everything on a chase to feel better. 

It became a cycle. Drugs and drinks and sea salt tears. Bruised knuckles and bitten cuticles, quiet signs of suffering. 

Alone.

There was no flash of lightning that brought me to my knees, crying out a desperate prayer. My salvation more closely resembled the eye of the storm gradually rolling away as I was reintroduced to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It was an agglomeration of deep conversations and mornings on the porch watching the sun rise, evenings of deep sleep and afternoons on the beach watching the tide roll in. Admiring God’s beautiful creation of life.

It dawned on me at no particular point in time that I cannot do this on my own. That I was created with a purpose and that my own path will never lead me there. 

I need God, desperately. I need his presence and his grace. I need His hand to hold as we walk together through the complicated mess I’ve made. I need His guidance. 

I’ve known God my whole life. But for the first time, I am putting my trust in Him.

God is my God.

WAKE 2021 Recap

“On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” – Psalm 145:5

It seems likely that throughout the last year, many of us have had to learn to deal with “normal” simply not having a place on the table. If you’re anything like me, when security is low and uncertainty is high – not only is your confidence challenged, but the place in where your confidence lies is challenged. As Christians, our hearts that are prone to worry can rest in the faithful presence of our strong God. How wonderful it is that trusting in God’s faithfulness will always bring a greater return on investment than trusting in what “should be” will. 

Though WAKE 2021 was not “normal” for any of our campuses, our faithful God went with us and made it a great experience for our students! Competitive natures were embraced through tournament games. Old friendships were strengthened, and new ones were made. Students grew in their understanding of the Gospel, what it means for them, and the unshakable hope it offers to the world as the power of God for salvation to all who would believe. Students deepened their trust in our leaders to disciple them. Students embraced what it looks like to be ambassadors for Christ in their lives. The heart of Jesus to welcome all who have sinned and the power of God in the ordinary was present. Our faithful God went with us.

Students, be encouraged by God’s work in your life through all that happened at WAKE! Take note of what you want to remember, what prayers God answered, and things you want to keep praying for. Take heart that though seasons change and what is normal comes and goes, God is greater and goes with you! In the classroom, at your jobs, at home, wherever you are; consider the presence of the God who is mindful of you (Psalm 8:4)

Student ministry leaders and volunteers, thank you for your unique roles of service and discipleship of our students – know that you are loved and valued deeply! Church, thank you for praying for our student ministries and for investing in our students! 

Continue to pray for our ministry leaders, students, and the community of youth in SWFL. Pray our students would have new songs of praise to our God. Pray for them to grow in recognizing God and His activity in the mundane. Pray that they would embrace the ways of Christ in the places they live, work, and play. Pray for the boldness and grace of the Gospel, that our students would be a people speaking the praise of the Lord and inviting all to bless his holy name forever and ever. 

- Robby Barr

Summit Students Director - Naples

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So The World May Know

Within hours the Savior’s knees would crumble on the earthy dirt of the Gethsemane garden. The anguish and sorrow of the looming cross hovering over his head would produce sweaty drops of blood. Soon his body would hang on a tree, suspended in the air with his hands and feet nailed to the cross. The agony of being abandoned by his Father, with the sin of the world upon his shoulders, would be too much to bear. But before Jesus was betrayed, mocked, beaten, scorned, and forsaken to die on a cross, he had one final meal with his beloved disciples. An intimate evening with his closest friends permeated with candid conversations about life without the Savior. Soon he would be with them no more and they would be sent into the world to continue his mission. To face this reality, they would need to be thoroughly prepared to meet it head-on.

Awaiting to celebrate Passover, Jesus and his disciples make arrangements to share this celebratory meal together (Matt. 26:17-19; Mrk. 14:12; Lke. 22:7-8). His disciples find a large upper room furnished and prepare for the arrival of Jesus (Mrk. 14:13-16; Lke. 22:9-13). Soon they recline at table and begin the meal. But somewhere between the Institution of the Lord’s Supper and the betrayal of Jesus at the hand of Judas, Jesus has an intimate conversation with his closest friends (Matt. 26:20-29; Mrk. 14:17-25; Lke. 22:14-23). The words spoken by Jesus and captured by the Apostle John in his Gospel are traditionally known as the Upper Room Discourse (Jhn. 13-17). In this farewell address, they discuss the importance of service in the kingdom of God, the connection between love and obedience, the role and power of the Holy Spirit, and what it means to abide in Christ.

But the aim of this preparatory farewell address was singular in focus and most clearly articulated by Jesus as he prays over his disciples. This prayer–now known as the High Priestly Prayer–captures a summary of the discourse's primary themes, culminating in its missional thrust. Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, he was now sending his very own disciples into it (Jhn. 17:18). In other words, in the same way, and for the same purpose, Jesus now sends his followers “so that the world may know” (Jhn. 17:23) his love. It is through the faithful actions of his followers, living as a faithful presence of God’s love and care for his creation, that the world will come to know the one sent by the Father. Empowered by his Spirit, reflected in our love for one another and through our obedience to the Son, the world may indeed come to know the love of the Savior. This primary theme reverberates throughout the Upper Room Discourse and continues to instruct followers of Jesus today.

In this series, So the World May Know, we will consider how the words of Jesus continue to teach us how to live as his faithful presence in the world today. As we peer into the intimate conversations captured in the Upper Room Discourse, we too will be equipped and empowered to faithfully bear witness to the love we have received in Christ. Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, we also are being actively sent with the power of the Holy Spirit to give every man, woman, and child an opportunity to respond to the gospel. As one writer comments, "Nowhere else have we the heart of God so unveiled to us." Come, hear the words of your Savior revealed for you in this discourse, that you too may be prepared to represent the gospel as a faithful presence of God in the world today.

Phillip's Grace Story

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee, finding Philip, He said to him, “Follow me. “

John 1:43

My journey started with a Catholic upbringing that included church on Sunday, the sacraments, and religious education. I’m grateful for the foundation it laid and the love and fear of God it instilled in me as a child. I’ve always loved Jesus, but I didn’t know Him. The Bible was an intimidating mystery I kept away from. 

As years went by into my adulthood, I saw and heard things within the church that just didn’t seem right. Something was missing and I felt for a long time that I needed something else, something more. 

My wife Jennifer felt the same and we began our journey searching for the truth. I read many books on Buddhism, went on a long weekend retreat to a monastery and “followed” a Zen master. I considered myself a Christian Buddhist.  Looking back this was so reflective of my confusion. But, I never wanted to leave Christ. Still not fulfilled, I kept walking my path. 

Next was a gradual transition into New Age spirituality. Again, I read many books, went on retreats and listened to lectures by famous people saying thinks like; “Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real.” 

You can see how I was still confused. These teachings gave me comfort, but I knew something was still missing. I kept walking the path. 

In retrospect you could say I was lost. But, I wasn’t really lost, because to be lost means that no one can know where you are. Jesus always knew where I was. And like the jealous, loving God He is, He was clearing the path to Himself. 

Then God’s great gift to me, my wife Jennifer, who was also struggling on her own separate journey, tells me she wants to look into a Christian church. I was reluctant at first, but I knew she was unhappy with the Catholic Church as well and felt a similar void. By that time we had already stopped attending Sunday service regularly anyway. I think God helped me to realize what I needed by letting me see what Jennifer needed.

Upon moving to Florida, Jen found a Christian Church. I never had a lightening bolt moment of surrender or a “hit rock bottom ” story. I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and relief one Sunday upon realizing that I finally found what I was in search of.

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. ”

— Isaiah 42:16

All along the journey my steps faced obstacles that kept me from the Word and Jesus. But, by God’s grace and mercy, my path was laid by Him, to Him. I knew of Jesus, but I didn’t know Jesus. Now I know Jesus and He knows me and He walks my path with me. The obstacles I face now bring me closer to Him. 

I have found the way, the truth and the life in Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your steadfast love, unbounded mercy, and the precious gift of my salvation. 

Amen. 

- Philip A.

Read It Again

By Mark Siverling

When I came to faith as a teenager, I asked my pastor what I should read to understand Christianity better. He said I should check out Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. I devoured it, and read it eight more times in my first couple years of being a Christian. It became a part of how I think and feel and see the world. Most people who know me have heard me say, “C. S. Lewis once wrote…”

I’m the same way with other books that move me. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings trilogy multiple times, as well as my favorite novel, G. K. Chesterton’s Manalive. Maybe you’re not a book nerd like me. But you’ve probably watched your favorite movie more than once or binge-watched reruns of your favorite television show. We like to return to things that resonate with us – it’s comforting to laugh at the same jokes, watch the same scenes, or hear the same songs. They become a part of who we are and shape how we see the world.

This is the kind of familiar delight you can bring to the Word of God. It is a comforting old friend – perhaps you first heard the stories in Sunday School. But there are so many layers of truth, challenge, and encouragement, that no matter how many times you turn to the same underlined, highlighted passages, you can always come away with something new. The Bible is not like any other book. It is living and active to change your life today. There is more in it than you could receive in many lifetimes of study.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

            Hebrews 4:12 ESV

When you read the Bible over and over, it becomes the normal lens for how you process your life. If you read social media or the news more than you turn to God’s Word, they become the main narratives for your story. But if you keep going back to the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus shapes your heart more than anything else.

The Bible is a big book. And it takes a long time to get through the whole thing when you study and digest it. But if you set aside a little time each day, you can cover a lot of ground in 365 moments each year. As you read it, over and over, it changes who you are. It is the actual Word of God; if you believe it is true, it can’t not affect you.

It’s fun to watch your favorite episode of The Office or to listen to your favorite album for the hundredth time. I encourage you to use that natural love of repetition and familiarity to tap into God’s wonderful Word. Read it over and over, and receive new gifts of clarity and correction from your good Father each and every time.

Haiti Bible Mission - Xpansion Partner

"Summit family, we are so excited to kick off 2021 because we believe God has a lot in store for us this year. God was so faithful last year and we believe he will be faithful again this year! We have 7 new men and women coming into our leadership program this year and believe they will become the great leaders God has called them to be.

We had three of our leaders start their own businesses in town last year and become self-sustaining and we are working on helping five more leaders start businesses this year so we can get them on their own and bring more men and women into the program.

Please pray for the 103 individuals that came to Jesus last year, that they would grow in their faith.

Please pray for the economy and the exchange rate to get back to normal.

Please pray for the government as the elections are causing a lot of riots in Haiti.

We are looking for financial help to cover the costs of empowering, equipping and investing into these new leaders. Would you consider partnering with us to help us multiply leaders to transform the nation of Haiti?"

-Mark Stockeland, Executive Director

Deeper into the Calm

A poetic meditation on Psalm 138

The curtain of common shrouds most of the days
misframing the moments, misleading my ways
Dying for help and running past healing
Yearning for eternity and settling for reeling

And this dichotomous soul rages and fears
what has been tended and untended for too many years
idolatry misdiagnosed, covered over as struggle
Pride just under the surface, quiet and subtle

But if the call of this life is to grow into the next
Why forfeit the fruit based on what I expect
Why allow wisdom to not truly take hold
Of a heart so divided, a heart so uncontrolled

Oh but the beauty of grace’s easy stride
hard fought, but so simple when I attend and abide
one foot humility, as my ego exhausts
the other foot gratitude, as I count all else loss
and then again humility, deflating the persistent
and now again gratitude, crushing idols resistant

and so the footpath of this vacillating mind and
this divergent heart that seeks what it cannot find
wades deeper into the calm of the love yet to be mined
to know the goodness of God, the steady rhythms of grace,
to know humility and gratitude, and to know the deep joy of the race

By Vicky Stinziano

Poor in Spirit

By Mark Siverling

In Recovery, we are taking several months to consider Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached (Matthew 5-7). We’re calling our series “Right-side Up Living” because living as citizens of Jesus’s Kingdom is totally different from the upside-down ways of this fallen world.

The sermon starts with nine “beatitudes” or blessings. Jesus reveals who is blessed by the coming Kingdom. This first is this:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

-Matthew 5:3

Poor In Spirit

To understand what it means to be poor in spirit, consider the story in Luke 7. One day, Jesus went to the house of Pharisee named Simon to eat and fellowship. Pharisees were devoutly religious Jews who kept the ceremonial laws. Jesus was known for associating with the lowly, but He was not afraid to love the spiritually uppity.

In that culture, they would lay around a low table to eat. It’s called “reclining at table.” As they were reclining at table, a woman came in and approached Jesus. The Pharisee recognized her as a prostitute from the city. She knelt at Jesus’s feet and began to kiss them, weeping and drying her tears with her hair. She anointed His feet with expensive oil.

This would have been shocking and controversial, since sinful women did not touch teachers, and women in this culture did not let their hair down in public. Simon saw this and judged Jesus, thinking: “If this man knew what a sinner she is, He’d be so embarrassed.”

But Jesus is God, so He can read minds. He turned to Simon and said, “I have something to say to you.” Let’s pick it up in Luke 7:41

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii [almost 2 years’ wages], and the other fifty [about 2 months’ wages]. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””

      Luke 7:41–50

Poor in spirit means empty-handed, bringing nothing to the table. Like this woman, when we realize how awful we are and how good God is, we are overwhelmed. I don’t believe she was one bit more sinful than anyone in that room except Jesus. What made her different was her awareness of her sin and need for Him. That is poor in spirit.

Kingdom of Heaven

What does Jesus mean by the Kingdom of Heaven? According to pastor John Piper, the Kingdom is God’s reign. It is a present reality and future hope, here today, but not yet fulfilled. God reigns from Heaven now, but someday He will bring this Kingdom to Earth in full. To have it means that we have what Jesus has. He shares His Kingdom with us.

To have the Kingdom means that we have spiritual blessings. This is not the Prosperity Gospel, a false gospel that tells us life will be easy if we have enough faith. Spiritual blessings are not less than physical blessings, but greater. Here are five:

1. We have grace and forgiveness.

No matter what terrible things you have done, you can be forgiven and accepted because of what Jesus accomplished. God is merciful and compassionate to you. He loves to forgive sinners; it is the most natural inclination of His heart. The Bible describes God as having to be provoked to anger and punishment, but quick to forgive and abundant in mercy. The Kingdom of Heaven has a gracious King. His wrath is only for those who are not His.

2. We have the presence of God.

Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to live in us and walk with us our whole lives. In the Old Testament, God was manifestly present in Eden until Adam and Eve messed that up. Then He was present in the tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant, as Israel wandered. Then He was present in the temple that Solomon built. But in the New Testament, God is present as a man, Jesus of Nazareth. Then Jesus ascends and sends the Holy Spirit to be present in every member of the Church.

You can speak to God any time, any place, and know that He hears you, that He cares, and that He is with you. This is an incredible privilege – better than speaking to any human ruler or celebrity. We get to have intimate relationship with the Maker of the Universe.

3. We have the family of God.

Some of us come from messed up families. Our new family, of God’s people, is a little messed up too, because Jesus hasn’t finished making all things new. But because of God’s Spirit, this messed up family is messed up together, and we are learning to love one another well. Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven love one another.

4. We have the Word of God.

The Bible is not just a religious textbook or a handbook for life. This is God’s living Word, His revelation of reality to the people He loves. It is full of truth and it tells us the great Story that makes sense of the world – the Gospel. It gives us purpose by showing us who our King is and who we are as His people. It is a treasure, and I encourage you to study it every day. Understanding this book is the key to life in the Kingdom.

5. To have the Kingdom means that we are promised future restoration.

Someday, you will not be a sinner or suffer from others’ sins. Someday, your relationships will be restored. Someday, your body will be whole. Someday, you won’t have to worry about finances. Someday, every broken thing will be made better than new. Nothing can stop God from bringing this to pass – nothing, nothing, nothing.

To have the Kingdom means to hold the blazing fire of this great hope in your heart in every hard moment of life, and to let it lift your worship higher as you experience God’s blessings. If you are a child of God, your future is much different than when you were lost, so your life now can be much different as you live as a citizen of this wonderful Kingdom.

The poor in spirit are blessed in the right-side up Kingdom of Jesus. That is very good news.

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To learn more about Recovery at Summit, visit www.recoveryatsummit.com

Suffering as Sojourners and Exiles

By Michael Girado

AN UNINVITED GUEST

The Christmas trees, lights, and decorations are stored away. They now wait 12 long months to be released from the darkness of their storage containers. But although Advent is over, a new year now awaits, along with its endless possibilities of new adventures and experiences. We can now live into the hope, love, joy, and peace anticipated throughout Advent with eager expectation. But what if those experiences come to us through an unexpected manner–the invitation to suffer? I know what you’re thinking: “Seriously! You want to start the new year by talking about suffering?” Choose a different topic!”

I get it; no one's excited to consider the possibility of suffering, especially when a new year so often represents the opposite. But if our shared experiences have taught us anything, it’s that we can expect to meet suffering this year in one way or another. It may not come today or tomorrow, but at some point in 2021, the suffering we dread and hope we somehow will escape will come knocking on our door. The question isn’t if we will encounter suffering this year, but rather, how will we respond to its inevitable visitation.

A FAMILIAR REALITY

As we jump back into our teaching series, Sojourners and Exiles, the Apostle Peter now races towards the end of his letter by primarily addressing the topic of suffering. In chapter 4, he writes, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). No, suffering isn't a strange or surprising experience. For the Christian, it's a familiar reality we should come to expect. Suffering acts as an agent that identifies our heart's longings and exposes the groaning for more than mere existence. It enables us to hope for something more and affirms our innate desire for the eternal.

As Christians, suffering serves as a reminder that this world is not our home. We have been delivered from “the domain of darkness and transferred” to the kingdom of light (Col. 1:13). Our citizenship is now in heaven, and “from it we await a Savior” (Phil. 3:20). We have “no lasting city” here on earth, but instead “seek the city that is to come” (Heb. 13:14). We are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:13), temporary residents longing to be “home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). But what will we do with the "various trials" (1 Pet. 1:6) we must suffer as we await that day when all will be made new? Will we pass up our exile in a state of passivity, sitting idly by for the Lord to return?

A FAITHFUL PRESENCE

Throughout the book of 1 Peter, we find that our exile is not a passive state of being. Instead, our sojourning and the suffering we endure in it is purposed to bring about a joy-filled hope that distinguishes God’s people from the rest of the world. Our hope enables us to serve this world during our exile with “brokenhearted joy and long-suffering mercy, for the good of man and the glory of Jesus Christ.”[1] No, our sojourning is not passive. It is active and intentional. It is a faithful commitment to God’s presence that makes him “concrete and real amid the world’s struggles and pain.”[2]

Understanding that we are sojourners–pilgrims or nomads traveling through this world–the rest of 1 Peter will encourage us to see how the hope of the gospel empowers us to stand firm in the grace of God (1 Pet. 5:12), not despite our suffering, but because of it. As we head back into our series, Sojourners and Exiles, let's consider how God calls us as his people to live as a faithful-gospel presence. Let's embrace our identity and purpose in the world, enabled to be a presence that “proclaims the excellencies” of God’s mercy (1 Pet. 2:9), even amid the world’s suffering and pain. So come what may in 2021, may we "rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" because we know our future–"the salvation of (our) souls" (1 Pet. 1:8-9).

[1]                John Piper, Christian Exile. Tabletalk Magazine, 1 May, 2011, www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/christian-exiles

[2]                David E. Fitch, Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines That Shape the Church for Mission (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2016), pg. 10.

Christmas Outreach Update

We wanted to share with you some of the conversations we had as we served families in our community through our Christmas Outreach Project. Please continue to pray for these individuals and families to come to know Christ. Here’s a firsthand testimony we received via text message.

“I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful gifts I have wrapped everything and now I'm so excited for Christmas morning!! Thanks to you and the church my son will have a nice Christmas. If it wasn't for you, Garrett and I would have no Christmas at all! I am super busy at work and even with the extra time I couldn't buy gifts or Christmas dinner. Our landlord is having us evicted because I am not catching up on the rent fast enough so I must save every penny I have to hopefully find us an affordable rental very, very soon. I'm sorry but I wanted to explain how truly blessed we are for what you have done. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! God Bless! - Nicole”

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DEACON AND STAFF UPDATES

“This is my 3rd year of experiencing our Christmas Outreach deliveries; each year has had its own personality and this one was no different.  After simply arriving and asking, “How are you doing?”, I realized 30 minutes into the conversation that the family is experiencing loss, fatigue, death, confusion, financial hardship, and anger.  A set of sweet grandparents raising and caring for their children in midst of trial; I was able to listen and share.  I shared the hope of Jesus and I shared stories of his restoration in my own life.  I shared our Sunday morning service times and offered to greet them at the door any Sunday morning.  I was told that the only Christmas that would be experienced in the house this year was what Summit provided in the envelope I had handed to them.  I learned that the morning of my visit the family was due to have their electricity turned off. 

People want to be heard and seen and to know that they are loved and that their words matter. Finally, I learned that the simplicity of a few gift cards in an envelope at just the right time can change the entire trajectory of a family Christmas.  Although the family has not visited us on a Sunday morning, we were able to share Jesus and we were able to BE the church and go visit and give to the hurting and the downcast.  I’ll continue to pray for this family. ”

— Sam J. - Deacon

“Meeting our Christmas outreach family looked completely different this year compared to last year’s pre-Covid dinner outing. I met Patricia and her family inside of Publix for a masked exchange of introductions and passing along gift cards. I told her about the Spanish Summit Ministry (Ministerio Summit Español) and invited her to the Spanish Christmas Service. It was such a blessing to be able to share this wonderful news with her and offer a tangible way for her to take part in the church. ”

— Nicole S. - Deacon

“This morning I had the pleasure of meeting St. Lyse Thervius. She is married and a mom of three boys. She was hesitant when she stepped out of the car and promised to show me her ID so that I would know for sure that I had the right person. I assured her that wouldn’t be necessary. I handed her over the envelope with gift cards and showed her a Creole Bible that the church was also gifting her. Her mother and father are from Haiti and she was overjoyed to have it. I asked her if her family needed any specific prayers and her response to me was “we always need prayers, you aren’t alive if you don’t”.

I asked her if I could pray for them in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot and she agreed. I thanked God for bringing us together on this day and asked him to bless her family and fill in the gaps where needed. I prayed for Him to draw her and her family closer to him and gave thanks for all the people that donated and gave in our outreach project. When I was done praying she thanked me and said she accepted that prayer. She then asked where our church was located and asked that I text her the address and service times. I am praying and trusting that God will draw them to our church body through Christmas outreach and that they can become another family that our church can minister to and share the hope of Jesus with. I am so thankful that each year I get to be a deliverer of such a blessing to families in our community and I hope and pray that God moves in their lives.”

— Erica I. - Deacon

“Amanda Scott (our Summit Kids Director at UNV) and I met Melissa, a single mom, who came to our University Campus to pick up gifts for her daughters. She struggles with chronic illness and crohn’s disease. We were able to bless her with those gifts and as we walked them out to her car, we asked to pray over her. We shared that God loved her so much that he sent Jesus to forgive our sins and secure a future for us with him, in a place without brokenness and illness. That’s what Christmas is about. We prayed for her and her daughters to experience that love this Christmas and invited her to our services. She texted us later to tell us that the boxed lunch we gave her was amazing and that she is interested in bringing her girls to Summit.”

— Joe O'Neal

“I met with Mary and her 12 year-old daughter, Whitney, at the Gateway Campus. Mary is a single mother with 4 kids, 12 and under. She is currently unemployed and is searching for a job. She has been on hard times but is hopeful to find employment in the new year. Her daughter Whitney has moved up to a new school this year and is struggling with social anxiety. She gets so overwhelmed that she throws up and is not able to stay at school and usually has to be picked up early because they will not let her due to Covid protocols. This has also made it difficult for Mary to gain employment since she is having to pick up her daughter a lot from school.

I was able to pray with both of them and invite them to services. Mary seemed excited for the extra Christmas help.”

— Amy L. - Deacon

“I was able to deliver the gift cards that our church collected for Laura on Wednesday evening. She said it would save Christmas as they didn’t even get a tree and that she couldn’t begin to express how much this would mean for them. Laura has a son in 2nd grade and a young daughter not yet in school. She mentioned that she loves God, that he is her only constant, and that she knew this season would be hard, but that this (gift from Summit) was God’s way of letting her know she’s doing the right thing and he’s got her. 

The next day when I knocked on the door, she and her kids came out. Her son was especially excited that someone wanted to give them gift cards for Christmas! We chatted for a little bit and the kids went inside to eat their happy meals. Laura asked how we knew they needed help and I mentioned Summit’s relationship with the school and that they helped us identify families in need. As we talked, she said that she had recently got out of 20 year abusive relationship. Her and her kids are just beginning to rebuild their lives. She said she’s been talking to her kids about the real reason for Christmas and that they have kid Bibles they are starting to read. She even said she watched one of the Summit services in October. I told her the times of our services and let her know she could reach out to us if she needed anything. 

Summit was truly the hands and feet of Jesus to this family who needed to know they are cared for and loved.”

— Holly S. - Deacon

An Advent Invitation

By Orlando Cabrera

For many of us, 2020 has not been an ideal year, or the year we were anticipating. But believers can know for certain that it was exactly the year God knew we would face. Maybe the thought for you right now is “oh, please let this year be over”.  Understandable. But, I think there is another way we can approach this time and that is this; “God thank you for your sustaining grace. Thank you for your faithfulness and steadfast love.”  

What if, instead of wanting this season to end, we took the opportunity to drink richly from the spring that is the Father’s grace to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ, experienced every day by His Holy Spirit, through His eternal Word? 

Right now is the Advent season; a season intended for the believer in Christ to reflect back on Jesus’ first coming and to look forward to His second coming with great hope and anticipation. As we do, we remember and recount the beauty, power, and promises of the Gospel. Our Savior reigns today, tomorrow and forever.

So, here’s an encouragement for us as we come to the close of 2020…

#1. Slow down.  Don’t let the craziness of the season steal from you the most important things: time with your Savior and time with those God has placed around you. “Be still and know that He is God.” (Psalm 46:10).  Sit at the table set for you each day by our Heavenly Father and feast on His Word.  Remember “His mercies are fresh and new each and every day, for great is His faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Make time in this season for your family and friends. Give them your presence and let their presence be a gift and encouragement to you. In my years as a pastor, I have never heard someone say I wish I had NOT spent so much time with my loved ones…so slow down.

#2. Wear gratitude every day.  Negativity, discouragement, and cynicism is all around us. But if there is one thing the season of Advent reminds us of, it is that we are in the middle of the story. There is a day that is coming that will be greater than our hearts and minds can imagine. Jesus has come and He will come again. And because of our faith in Him, and the grace of God we can worship in all seasons and in all trials of life.  His presence, His power, and His promises are both sure and available to us.  So, wear your gratitude, declare your gratitude, and share that gratitude with others. Let that gratitude fill the rooms and relationships where God has you, and when you leave them, leave behind a sweet aroma of Jesus. “give thanks to the LORD with our whole hearts and recount all of His wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1

#3.  Share the Gospel lovingly and often.  Research tells us that the Christmas season is a wonderful time to invite someone to church. But it’s much more than that. It is a superb time to share the hope you have because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So let’s pray for “open doors for the word to, declare the mystery of Christ” like the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 4.  Pray fervently in this season for your unsaved family members, friends, neighbors, classmates and coworkers. Ask God to draw them to Himself and to use you as salt and light. He can use you for His Gospel purposes and mission.

Let’s not squander or miss what God has for us this Advent season.  Slow down, draw close to God, spend time developing relationships, wear your gratitude on your sleeve, share the Gospel lovingly and often.

Let’s use this Advent season to talk more about the Christ of Christmas than the crises of 2020. Only He is eternal.

Faithful God, Faithful Father

2020 Year in Review

As we reflect back on this year, it’s truly sobering to think of all the challenges and trials that we as individuals and as a community of faith have faced together. The world has been shaken by natural disasters and a global pandemic affecting millions of people. Our own nation has faced civil unrest, violence, and divisive political discord. Many of us have had to make difficult decisions about employment, about our children’s education, and of course about the health of our families, parents, neighbors and friends.

It would not be surprising in the least if we found ourselves weary and worn. Life has been hard. The brokenness and sin in the world and in ourselves is evident. 

And still, as a church family, if we think back, there is so much evidence of God’s faithfulness to us. 

He’s been our Father, holding us close as we trust Him in the uncertainties of life. And He’s been our faithful God, providing insight, wisdom, abundant resources, and transforming lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’ve seen men and women delivered from addiction. We’ve prayed with people to receive Christ.  Dozens of people have chosen to be baptized. Community Groups have grown. Vulnerable children have found loving homes. Hungry people have been fed. And God has been worshipped, online and in-person. He has truly been a Faithful God and a Faithful Father. We hope you are encouraged by this reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of God. He has been good to Summit Church. And if you are in Christ, he has been good to you. Let’s respond with thanksgiving and open-handedness, with worship, singing and praise. Let’s respond by pressing deeper into intimacy with our faithful God and Father.

- The Elders

10 Myths about Recovery

Recovery is a vital ministry at Summit Church, but many people wonder what it is and how it works. Please allow us an opportunity to address a few misconceptions.

1.     “Recovery is only for addicts.”

Common things we address in Recovery include: anxiety, control, depression, addiction and substance abuse, sexual integrity and identity, body image struggles, divorce, codependency, addiction in the family, abortion, eating disorders, anger, emotional and physical abuse, dysfunctional family, shame, and guilt. Recovery is a safe community and a process of exploring your story and inviting God to heal and restore you. We are all affected by the brokenness of the world and of ourselves. Many of us are stuck and need clarity. We don’t know how to feel our feelings. Recovery helps with all of that.

2.     “Recovery is secular.”

At Recovery at Summit, we use several resources, but we use our own Gospel-centered material based on God’s Word. We acknowledge that whatever our struggles, the root problem is always sin (our own and others’), and the solution is always Jesus. We define our Higher Power, but we’re a safe place for those who don’t know the Gospel.

3.     “Recovery is a replacement for counseling.”

We work hand-in-hand with Summit Biblical Counseling, and referrals go both ways. Recovery is the community aspect of discipleship, a place to let yourself be loved.

Recovery is an ongoing community of healing, while counseling has a beginning and end.

4.     “Sobriety is stopping.”

Though sobriety is important, it is not the goal. God wants our whole heart. A phrase you hear in Recovery is, “The opposite of addiction is community.” We are made for relationships (with God, self, and others), so we participate in a community of love and sanctification. Sobriety is just one of the outcomes.

5.     “I haven’t hit rock bottom, so I don’t need Recovery.”

Why wait until you hit rock bottom? The people who have hit rock bottom always wish they hadn’t. According to Jesus, life should be “abundant” (John 10:10); if you’re just surviving, you are missing out.

6.     “Recovery is a one-time process.”

Recovery is a “pit stop” for those who need help along the journey. It is a place to intentionally focus on being restored to God’s intended purpose for a season. Then you can be launched into your personal mission, either within Recovery or in another place. Recovery gives you tools and relationships you can use your whole life. You don’t “graduate,” because Recovery is a pattern of sanctification, which is a lifelong process.

7.     “No one will understand me.”

Uniqueness is a trap that Satan uses to keep us from asking for help. We say in Recovery that “you are a garden-variety addict.” Others will identify with you. Recovery is the most likely place to find someone will understand. But even if no one understands you, the growing faith God has called you to is the same as for the rest of us. Recovery helps you grow.

8.    “God alone is enough for me, so I don’t need others.”

God gives us the body. James 5:16 says to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” This is not optional. God comforts us so we can comfort others. We say that “You’re only as sick as your secrets.” If you haven’t told anyone your secrets, they are making you sick.

9.     “My spouse needs Recovery, not me.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Health and holiness in your home must begin with you, because you can’t make others change. Also, your spouse’s sin is a hurt to you and Recovery is for hurts.

10.  “Recovery will fix everything.”

There is no perfect formula. There is no sanctification “fast-pass.” Life is hard and it will be until Jesus comes back. Even if Recovery fixes the thing you come for, it reveals other things to work on. Sanctification is a beautiful but long and messy process. Recovery gives you tools and a community to keep you moving forward.

Join us on Thursday evenings from 7:00 – 9:00 PM at our University or Gateway Campuses (child care is provided), or e-mail your questions to recovery@summitlife.com.

Raised to walk in new life

I was raised Catholic; baptized as an infant, received first communion, and made confirmation. But as I grew up and life got busy my relationship with the church faded.

Life was filled with sports, travel, friends and family. Through middle school and high school we visited church on Christmas and Easter, and a handful of days in between. 

In college, I searched a little bit to find a church community, even attending Summit when it was first starting on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University. But I didn’t find a home. I was too preoccupied with collegiate basketball, drinking, partying, and friends.

Life continued, and in 2011, I retired from the NYPD on a job-related disability, eventually moving back to Southwest Florida. I was a bit of a lost soul, searching for something I thought would make me happy. I bounced around to a few different careers but felt trapped, mentally. 

In 2014, I was 275 pounds, drinking heavily, and in a lot of pain both physically and mentally. I realized that I was carrying inside of me a lot of resentment, judgement and anger. I began self-medicating with marijuana, thinking this was a healthy alternative to excessive alcohol consumption.

“I realized that I was carrying inside of me a lot of resentment, judgement and anger. ”

Between 2014 and 2020, I believed I was in control of my life, my emotions, and my thoughts.  I prayed and made attempts at attending church, but I always put my own needs before a relationship with Christ.  I was good at justifying my sins. I thought God would approve of me if I tried to be a good person and prayed.

In August, several significantly negative personal and professional events consumed my life. After increasing my marijuana use significantly, I wondered if it was now time to stop.  The approach I took, coupled with a downward spiral into depression, caused me two have several debilitating panic attacks in September.

While all were serious, one in particular caused me to sustain physical injuries. During the episode, I was certain I was dying and eventually caused myself to believe that I had. Barely breathing, my heart racing, I faded in and out of consciousness several times. During the two-hour panic attack, my wife and I prayed loudly to God.  Lying on the shower floor, I felt myself pass, but was woken with a jolt and tingling throughout my body. I was breathing and claiming that the Holy Spirit was here.  Fading in and out of consciousness several times, I experienced many things I could not explain.

Jeremiah saw me a few days later unable to walk, depressed, lost, confused, and having experienced something I struggled to put into words. We prayed together, and in those moments I vocalized my need for Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  I repented from my sins, and the 37 years I walked alone, acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and Savior.  For the first time in my life, I truly understood how and why Jesus died on the cross, for me, and for my sins, knowing that only He can save me.  

“For the first time in my life, I truly understood how and why Jesus died on the cross, for me, and for my sins, knowing that only He can save me.  ”

I had truly believed I lived a Christian life.  I now know that it lacked real faith in Jesus, and that no amount of good deeds would have ever been enough.  

I am incredibly excited for my relationship with Jesus to begin and for the opportunity to be baptized now as an adult.  I look forward to the next 37 years and am hopeful in knowing that I won’t walk alone. 

Recovery and Community - Blog

When I first walked through the doors of Recovery at Summit on a Thursday night, I was looking for freedom in one particular area of my life (lust). I wanted to get in, work the process as quickly as possible, and get on with life. In my mind, I was planning on sticking around for six to nine months.

Four and a half years later, I still love Thursday nights. God has brought freedom from the issue that brought me, and I have discovered several other areas where I needed God’s transforming power. I am deeply grateful for what God has done in me.

But healing in those broken places is only part of the story. The other big reason to love Recovery (besides the snacks) is the community. Many of us had never experienced a place of such vulnerability, acceptance, and love. We had never known a place where we could put all our joys and struggles on the table and be confident that nobody would run away or find us strange. Here we find the Church being the Church, a hospital for souls in a broken world.

When I read Romans 12:6-9, I see a picture of this Recovery community:

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”

— Romans 12:6-9

A friend who is in a painful place because of addiction reminds me: “The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety. The opposite of addiction is community.” That’s why churches need Recovery. We are able to be the minsters of reconciliation to and with each other.

But deep community isn’t just for Thursday nights. Recovery is a pitstop, a place to find safety and healing, to learn to tell your Grace Story, and to be launched out into your Personal Mission. Many men and women have come to Recovery for a season, received healing, and left to do other things. That’s awesome. We need safe and vulnerable people in every area of the church, and the lessons of love and grace we learn at Recovery are for all of Summit and all of the churches we serve.

This passage in Romans is not just for one ministry. This is a picture of all true Christian community. At Recovery at Summit, we want to be sober. Not just to avoid wrecking our lives, but because we have a part to play in making the Church, the Bride of Christ, ready for her Groom. Let our love be genuine, at Recovery, at Summit, and in every Gospel-centered body of believers.

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Find out more about Recovery here.