A few weeks ago at CrossHope Chapel we were challenged by Steph to pick a word that has meaning for us as we go into a new year. I picked the word “steadfastness” and gave an emotional attempt to share with you the meaning for me.

That same day, CrossHope Chapel launched into its seventh year of gathering as a fellowship for the glory of God and growing in grace together. Not particularly a long time, but a meaningful time none the less.

It occurred to me that you and I are not part of the CrossHope Chapel fellowship for any reason other than the Spirit of God is bidding us to be steadfast in growing “grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

There is no earthly reason that makes enough sense for our continual gathering as a church. There is no motivation of salary to receive by me or anyone, no cool band with dynamic music to come listen to, no large crowds to mix with, no lofty articulation of words bringing spell-binding homiletics excellence to our ears, no orchestrated programs offering child services or activities for senior clubs, and even our facility and seating is merely sufficient, but certainly not comfortable enough to draw us out of our secure homes.

We are simply a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ who gather around the word of God. No flashy bigness or really neat things that we could even think to lure our neighbors into attending. We have Jesus. We have the word of God. That has been the motivation behind our steadfastness.

I thank God for all of you and pray for you and the circumstances of life you each face. I would echo the encouraging words that conclude one of the greatest chapters of all the Bible, 1 Corinthians 15, a great chapter because Paul heralds the end of death and the victory that will soon be ours in the resurrection, and those words from are…

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV).