Beloved by Jesus,

New Year; New You! (I know I'm about a week and a half late with this but since it's my first newsletter of the year perhaps you'll give me a little leeway.) It's one of the more popular slogans this time of year. I received no less than three emails in my junk box this week with that heading. Something happens when the calendar turns. Only one number changes but it feels like everything changes with it. 

The reality is, there isn't a whole lot you can do at the beginning of a new year that you couldn't have started two weeks earlier. But "New Year; New You" captivates and excites us. So we commit to making some changes to better ourselves. We commit to eating better and exercising more. We commit to cutting back or eliminating things that aren't good for us. We commit to focussing on and spending more time with the things and people that truly matter to us. And all of those things are well and good but, sadly, how many of them last into February? Still, it's good for us to evaluate our lives from time to time and see what needs to change. 

How often do you do this spiritually? It's pretty easy to see and feel what needs to change physically. We can step on a scale or go to the doctor. Heck, it can even be as easy as trying to put on what used to be your favorite jeans. But detecting when spiritual changes need to be made isn't as easy to see or feel. To make things even more difficult, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh work extra hard to convince us everything is fine, especially when it isn't. 

So, what follows is my attempt to help you evaluate your spiritual life. These are only questions to help you ponder, pray, and assess. If you'd like to speak further regarding anything I say or suggest, please know that my door is always open. 

1) How's your worship life?

As I mentioned in my previous email, our average weekly worship attendance increased once again this past year. God be praised! But did yours? Part of our increased numbers is because, by the grace of God, our congregation is growing. In addition to our weekly average, I also personally keep track of what I call 'unique worshipers' each month. We might average 70 people in church each week for a month, but in that month we often have well over 100 unique people making up the 70 each week. I oftentimes wonder what it would look like if all 100 showed up on the same Sunday. Well, a normal Sunday might look more like Easter or Christmas Eve! 

I bring this up not because I'm looking to boost numbers. But because being in regular contact with the Means of Grace (i.e. the gospel in God's Word & Sacraments) which are proclaimed and distributed here every Sunday morning, is the leading factor in determining one's spiritual health. I often hear this false dichotomy shared that "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car." While I understand what the funny quip intends to say, when you drive home, where do you park your car? Why does your house have a garage? What do you expect to find inside someone else's garage? Here's the reality: cars and garages have everything to do with each other. So do Christians and church. 

I don't want you in church because it makes 'us' as a congregation or 'me' as a pastor look better. I want you in church because Jesus wants you in church. And Jesus wants you in church because He wants to reassure you of His loving promises all over again. Jesus wants you to receive His pardoning forgiveness to squelch your guilt from the previous week. Jesus wants you in church because He wants you comforted and at peace rather than saddened and afraid. Jesus wants your kids in church because He knows what challenges lie ahead of them and He wants them equipped for the battle. Jesus wants you in church to guide, uplift, and strengthen you. Jesus wants you in church because you are a part of His Body, the Church, and without you the Body is incomplete. 

I know Sunday morning isn't the most entertaining couple hours of your week. My prayer, however, is for the Holy Spirit to make Sunday morning the most indispensable hours of your week. So, look back on your worship attendance last year. Did you average one Sunday a month? Can you set a goal to make it two or three? If you were at two or three, have you tried committing to attend every Sunday for a month? Here's the promise: you will be spiritually blessed by increasing your connection to and reception of the Means of Grace. The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25). Let us not give up meeting together, friends, rather let's increase it!

2) How's your spiritual growth?

Do you know more about the Bible than you did a year ago? Have you grown in your ability to decipher what is right and good and true? Do you feel more confident in addressing the various ways our culture attacks your faith? Do you have a better grasp of key doctrines with which you have previously struggled? 

While our worship attendance increased in 2023, our Bible class attendance did not. This is partly my fault (maybe even more than partly). We cut back our midweek classes last year due to my limited availability while my son was in the hospital. I've been hesitant to bring those back because I feel like my family needs me at home in the evenings right now. Additionally, we had a large number of guest preachers throughout the year which made Family Bible Hour on Sunday mornings sporadic, causing people to get out of the routine. Currently, we've been reading through a book on baptism and I know that makes it hard to start in the middle and without a book. I think all of those are/were contributing factors. 

But we just started our Bible Information Class on Wednesdays and will be finishing our current Sunday morning class in the next week. With the start of the new year, it's a good time to commit to growing in your faith and knowledge of God's Word. I'm looking for suggestions for our next Sunday morning class. If there is a book of the Bible you'd like to study or a spiritual topic you're interested in, please let me know! Come check out a Wednesday night class and meet some of the new people who are working toward membership. (I do plan on adding another midweek Bible class in the future but not sure when just yet.)

We've got an unbelievably dedicated staff for Sunday School, committed to nurturing the faith of our children. Take advantage of this with your kids on Sunday morning; it's not like this at every church. While it is your responsibility as parents to teach your children the precious truths of Scripture, your church is here to assist you. Sunday School is an awesome assist while parents can be growing themselves in adult Bible study. If you've never been to a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening class, or it's been a while, come check it out and grow alongside your spiritual family. 

At the same time, spiritual growth doesn't just happen on Sunday morning. It can and should happen any time at any place, especially in your home. Do you have a plan to read or study Scripture during the week? Would you like to make it through the Bible in a year or three years but don't know where or how to start? Do you need a recommendation for a personal devotional book for you or your family? Come check out my library and borrow a book that will challenge you on a topic in which you're interested. I'm happy to provide any and all of those. Just let me know. St. Peter gives us this beautiful encouragement in his closing words to his second epistle: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen" (2 Peter 3:18). We are growing numerically; let's also strive to grow individually. 

3) How's your stewardship?

To be a 'steward' is to be a manager. So how well are you managing what God has graciously entrusted to your care? We typically break stewardship down into three general areas: time, talents, and treasures. How well do you manage your time? How often do you use your God-given talents and in what ways to serve your neighbor and glorify God? Where do you put the financial resources God has generously blessed you with and how generously do you share them with others? 

Managing my time well is a constant struggle for me. I regularly say to myself: "There just aren't enough hours in the day..." Whereas, if I'm being honest with myself, there are plenty of hours in the day, it's often that I waste a lot more of them than I care to admit. My #1 time killer is my phone. I waste way too much time on that stupid thing. I convince myself that I need it for emails and texts for my job, but the reality is I do very little of that compared to how much time I waste doing nothing. This needs to change for me. Does it for you? How better could we use our time? The two previous questions above might give us some ideas. If you have a hard time breaking away from your phone, then maybe start by adding some spiritually beneficial things to read and watch on your phone. There are a number of great devotional apps and people to watch on YouTube that will deepen and strengthen your faith. Again, if you'd like a suggestion or recommendation, let me know. It is so much easier to waste time than it is to use it in a spiritually wise way. A wise encouragement from St. Paul says, "Watch carefully then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15,16).

What talents or abilities has the Lord gifted you with and how do you use them? For some of you, that's an easy question to answer. For others, not so much. The one thing you absolutely CANNOT say is, "I don't have any talents or abilities." I hear that from far too many people. Ask your spouse, your kids, your parents, your friends. If none of them can list any, ask your pastor. I love the long but not exhaustive list Paul gives to the Roman Christians: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully" (Romans 12:6-8). Once you learn what talents the Lord has gifted you with, then it's figuring out how to use them in service to others and to glorify God. While there are probably endless ways you can use your talents in your home, at your job, or throughout the community, my suggestions will pertain to church.

We will have a couple positions opening up on our church council in the next month. For those interested in learning more, please speak with me. And just a heads up, if I don't hear from you, you will probably be hearing from me (*wink*) to consider serving. We will be starting up our small group ministry later this year which will be completely driven by your talents and interests. We've got a number of things that need to be done around, before, and after church every Sunday that are currently being done by a handful of people. We're always looking for more ushers and greeters. Kylee Hamilton has already compiled a list of potential humanitarian aid projects for our congregation in 2024. Will you be involved? But there are also 'unofficial' church things we can all be doing. Making and delivering a meal for a family in need. Actually praying for the people on the prayer list below. Calling or stopping by visit someone you haven't seen in church for a while. Going out of your way to welcome and introduce yourself to someone new on Sunday. Sending cards to or grabbing a cup of coffee with someone who needs support. 

I saved our 'treasures' for last because it's normally the most difficult one to address. How do you use your money? Just to type that question is difficult. We view money as one of the most private and personal affairs in life. The stigma that exists regarding churches and money is often (and sadly) well-deserved. Greed is a powerful thing and it exists in churches, too. Hopefully, however, you have not sensed that at Prince of Peace. We don't talk about money much but when we do it's NOT because "the church wants more of your money." We talk about money because Jesus talks about money ... A LOT. In fact, Jesus talks about money more than anyone else in the Bible and it's not even close. Why?

Think back to the Old Testament when people would bring their crops or a sacrifice. What did it benefit the priest or the tabernacle? They burned it on the altar and watched as the smoke wafted up into the skies. The purpose and benefit wasn't for 'the church' but for the individual. Because giving an offering to God is a beautiful way to visibly confess that what the psalm says is true: "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1). When we give back to God from what He has given to us, we rightly admit that all we have rightly belongs to God, who in His mercy has called us to manage it for a while. When we give back to God we confess our trust in Him to provide for our needs, that He won't leave us without what we've just given up. 

While I am not so much concerned with 'how much' you give in your offerings, I am more interested in how much prayerful consideration went into determining the amount. When was the last time you and your spouse discussed your offerings? How long since you sat down, took inventory of how God has blessed you and determined what it means for you to "give generously"? What percentage of our income would we like to give back to God, to support the ministry of the gospel, to express our love for and trust in Him? If you haven't had that conversation in a while, I would encourage you to do so. And, again, as with all the questions I've laid out, please reach out to me if I can help you think through any of this. 

New Year; New You. Maybe, maybe not. But let's go with it. A new year is a new beginning, a new opportunity to evaluate our lives and the many wonderful blessings with which God has filled it. I pray this has helped you begin or continue that journey and I hope to see you on Sunday. 

In Christ,

Pastor Bater