The high point of an old-style Billy Graham crusade was when the call to faith was issued and the music started. “Just as I Am” was frequently played, reminding people that we come to Jesus, not as pure, righteous, self-justified saints, but “just as we truly are”—broken, sinful wretches in need of God’s grace and mercy. No truer expression of the Gospel can be imagined: We come as we are, and through the cross, we are redeemed and saved.
That truth, however, does not mask another, equally important truth, that while God embraces us “just as we are,” He loves us far too much to allow us to remain “just as we are.”
Transformation is built into the Gospel—it is a necessary consequence of our salvation and crucial component of our redemption. We are redeemed as slaves to sin but not to remain as slaves to sin. Instead, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we “are being transformed” more and more into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Why transformation? Because we are sinful people, yet God desires for us to be righteous in His eyes. Thus begins the long, long process of sanctification—to be made (transformed) like God declares us to be through the cross. He declares us to be just in His eyes, and then He works in us to make us so.
How? What are the tools, the process, the pathway that we walk down as we are being shaped more and more into the very image of our Lord? It is, of course, not by our might, not by our power, but by the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). We are made new by His work in us, not by our own efforts (Romans 5-6). And how does He do this? The Spirit works by means of the Word of God (Luke 8:11).
So, this Fall we are putting a renewed emphasis upon the Spirit and the Word. While we have always centered our life together here at Hebron on the Word of God, we plan to stress this anew for everyone in our congregation. Of course, by God’s blessing our worship will continue to be in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Our ministries to children, youth and adults both inside and outside of the church need always to be centered and oriented around the Spirit’s use of the Scripture in our lives. Our outreach and service to the community is made in God’s love expressed in word and deed.
It is our hope, prayer and even expectation, that everyone at Hebron will be exposed to the Scripture, and hence, to the Spirit’s transforming power. While this will continue in our formal teaching settings, in worship and in service, we are planning on providing opportunities for everyone to experience the Spirit’s presence in smaller group venues. These Growth Groups, occurring on Sundays and weekdays, at the church and at homes, will be places where we will come face-to-face with one another, and hence, with the indwelling Spirit. Opportunities for fellowship, for care and nurture, for service in our church and community, and for growth spiritually and biblically will mark our time together in these Growth Groups.
In the weeks ahead, you will be hearing more about our plans for the coming school year. These plans, we trust the Lord will use to expose each of us to the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the Word of God. Please take advantage of these opportunities—for the Lord is in the midst of transforming you more and more into the very image of His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
And, of course, our goal remains the same—that we might do all things “to the praise of His glory!” Henry