Depth

Contributed by:
Tyler Ward
Spiritual Formation Pastor

One of the things that many Christians seem to be desiring is greater depth in their faith and relationship with Jesus. I think this is a great thing that as a pastor I celebrate - and as a fellow follower of Christ, I am desiring as well.

Heartbeat for Relationship

Contributed by:

Becky Johnson

Women's:Life Director

Recently, I ran across this prayer of Father Simon Tugwell:

“So long as we imagine that it is we who have to look for God, we must often lose heart. But it is the other way around. He is looking for us. And so we can afford to recognize that very often we are not looking for God: far from it, we are in full flight from him, in high rebellion against him. And he knows that and has taken it into account. He has followed us into our own darkness; there where we thought finally to escape him, we run straight into his arms. So we do not have to erect a false piety for ourselves, to give us the hope of salvation. Our hope is in his determination to save us, and he will not give in.”

Deliverance

Contributed by:

Tyler Ward

Spiritual Formation Pastor

This past weekend Ron Klopfenstein continued our series called The Story. We looked at chapter 4, which tells the story of God delivering the Israelite people from their slavery in Egypt through a man named Moses.

Through this story of deliverance, we were reminded of a variety of things that we need deliverance from – our past, the mentality that when God asks us to do things…it's all up to us, our comfort, and our tendency to fear and try to control things. As Ron pointed out, not only do we need deliverance in these areas, but thankfully God is fully willing and fully capable of delivering us. 

Here We Go Again

Contributed by
Eric Dunaway
Communications/Missions Pastor

My journey at Pathway has been a very interesting one...and one that I've enjoyed immensely. In August of 2006 I started here as the middle school pastor. At the time, I thought I would be in student ministries forever. If there's one thing that seems to be consistent in my ministry, however, it's that God never ceases to surprise me by his calling...and regularly gives me cause to eat my words.

A Story of Love

Contributed by:

Staci Overbeck

Ministry Assistant

Once upon a time there was…nothing. It’s kind of hard to believe isn’t it?  Nothing. Nada. Zilch. While on our honeymoon my husband and I visited a cave in southern Indiana. As part of the tour, the guide took us deep into the cave and then turned off all the lights. If you have never experienced total darkness, there is no way you can know the feeling. It is as if nothing else exists.

Fully Engaged

Contributed by:
Eric Dunaway
Small Groups Pastor

I remember my marriage proposal to my wife like it was yesterday. I had purchased the ring weeks in advance, and managed to keep it a secret...something that shocks me even to this day. My friends knew about it, my future in-laws knew about it...but my soon to be fiancé (I hoped) suspected nothing. In fact, I had managed to guard the secret so well that when I finally did propose to her on December 12, 1998, she was blown away...maybe a little too blown away. I don't think I had a firm answer from her for a solid ten minutes, which was the amount of time it took her to get over the initial shock. In case you're wondering, she said "yes."

The Greatest Resource

Contributed by:
Ron Klopfenstein
men's:life director
    
The focus of this past weekend was the greatest resource in the church today -- the people in the body.  No amount of technology, great graphics, wonderful buildings or amazing websites can equal the impact on our world that God's people working in community can have.

Don't Go It Alone

Contributed by:

Becky Johnson

women's:life director

   

It’s been an interesting year at our house. A year filled with surgeries, recoveries and trying to move forward. Through it all, we have seen and felt what it’s like to be included in authentic community. We’ve seen and felt what it’s like to not have to go through difficulties alone…we’ve experienced community!

Be Human

Contributed by:
Tyler Ward
spiritual formation pastor

Last weekend, Pastor Ron began a new series highlighting the four Life Values that we are chasing after together as church. The first of these four values involves “Living a Transformed Life.”

Sandy Time

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

Paul Bunyan was good with an axe and stronger than 20 men. Hearing stories of Lucky Pierre, a champion lumberjack from Bangor, Maine, Paul headed east to challenge him. Although an old man, Lucky accepted Paul's challenge to see who could cut more wood in six hours. After an hour, Lucky stopped working, went into the woods, then returned 15 minutes later. Paul kept chopping. An hour later, Lucky took another 15-minute break. Every hour he went into the woods. After six hours of chopping, Paul was sure he had won. Paul was stronger and had worked an hour longer. But when the wood was counted, Lucky Pierre had won the contest! Puzzled, Paul asked Lucky how he had done it. Lucky just smiled and said that when he went into the woods, he used that time to sharpen his axe.