Focal passage: Ephesians 1:20-23; 2:8-10, 19-22
When I moved to Wake Forest in 2011 to begin seminary, I didn’t know anyone. I had sensed the call into ministry at 16 and attended a summer forum for youth where I met two women – one in her 20s and the other in her 40s – both pursuing their masters of divinity, and I knew right then that would be me. Fast-forward five years. I was 21 and moving hand-me-down furniture into Flaherty Farms with my parents, hyped at finally getting to study theology at a formal institution. I didn’t realize how hard moving somewhere alone would be, even if I was literally living my dream come true.
In God’s grace (and President Danny Akin’s loving, but unapologetic push in orientation for students to find a local church), I was led to Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville. Over the next year or two, my church became my family. I went to Wednesday night Bible study led by our pastor and an inductive women’s Bible study led by a woman (a space that was so needed and refreshing for me as a female seminary student when most of my classes were predominantly male).
When God calls us to Himself, He also calls us to His church – a group of different people who come together to be family for one another. We pray together, study the Word together, weep together, rejoice together, repent together and continue on together – all because of Christ, the One who calls us and then joins us together!