1.1.2026
Happy New Year! I hope that this Holiday season has led you to worship our Lord Jesus Christ in the splendor of Majesty. We are praying for a fruitful 2026 for our congregation and ministries.
I wanted to take a few minutes and encourage you as we begin 2026. The word that has continually been in my head is intentionality. We live in a world where everything can be put on automatic. Everything from bill payments to software that controls when lights turn on and off can be automated and set to run without ever having to think about it. In that world of “set it and forget it,” it could be easy for us to become passive with some of the most important things in life. When it comes to following Jesus, we cannot be passive.
Our spiritual lives are not something that can just be put on autopilot and never considered or contemplated. While it is certainly the Holy Spirit that leads us to Christ, there is a holy effort that we bring to our fellowship with the Lord. Scripture encourages us in James 4:8 to, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Part of our calling is to pursue Christ, and through his grace, to pursue holiness and maturity. In Philippians 3:12-15, Paul writes, “Not that I have obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way.” These verses point to a pursuit of a call because of what Christ has done in Paul’s life. We should all be in pursuit of that very same thing.
Thinking through the challenges of scripture in the verses mentioned and in many other places in scripture leads us to consider the intentionality that we should bring every day to our walk with the Lord. We must make our fellowship with him a priority and pursue him through those spiritual disciplines that yield fruit in our lives. We press on toward that goal of the upward call and glorify Christ along our pursuit of him. This should be our intentional priority for a new year and every day.
My interest was piqued the other day to hear that the word priorities in the plural is a recent development in the English language. It was not begun to be used widespread until the mid 20th century. It is incredible to think that a priority as a singular focus is the way that modern man has understood this concept. So, in a sea of “Priorities,” it is easy for us not to have anything that is a singular focus for us. That effort to have multiple things receiving singular attention will cause our pursuit of Jesus to be watered down and dry, or to receive no attention at all. As a disciple of Jesus (meaning one who follows him), our priority should be that Christ comes first in everything. That priority is demonstrated by our pursuit of him.
As we begin a new year, let us bring intentionality to our pursuit of Christ. Let us make Jesus our singular priority, and glorify him as we live out our calling. As we start this year, we will be looking at what it is to be a disciple of Jesus. Our effort in this will be to help you think through the intentionality and priority that comes with being a Christ follower and establishing the framework for accomplishing what Paul encourages in Philippians 3. I hope that you will join us this month as we worship and grow together. I look forward to what 2026 will bring in the life of Parkview Baptist Church and for you individually as we seek to follow the Lord together!
-Pastor Chris
I wanted to take a few minutes and encourage you as we begin 2026. The word that has continually been in my head is intentionality. We live in a world where everything can be put on automatic. Everything from bill payments to software that controls when lights turn on and off can be automated and set to run without ever having to think about it. In that world of “set it and forget it,” it could be easy for us to become passive with some of the most important things in life. When it comes to following Jesus, we cannot be passive.
Our spiritual lives are not something that can just be put on autopilot and never considered or contemplated. While it is certainly the Holy Spirit that leads us to Christ, there is a holy effort that we bring to our fellowship with the Lord. Scripture encourages us in James 4:8 to, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Part of our calling is to pursue Christ, and through his grace, to pursue holiness and maturity. In Philippians 3:12-15, Paul writes, “Not that I have obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way.” These verses point to a pursuit of a call because of what Christ has done in Paul’s life. We should all be in pursuit of that very same thing.
Thinking through the challenges of scripture in the verses mentioned and in many other places in scripture leads us to consider the intentionality that we should bring every day to our walk with the Lord. We must make our fellowship with him a priority and pursue him through those spiritual disciplines that yield fruit in our lives. We press on toward that goal of the upward call and glorify Christ along our pursuit of him. This should be our intentional priority for a new year and every day.
My interest was piqued the other day to hear that the word priorities in the plural is a recent development in the English language. It was not begun to be used widespread until the mid 20th century. It is incredible to think that a priority as a singular focus is the way that modern man has understood this concept. So, in a sea of “Priorities,” it is easy for us not to have anything that is a singular focus for us. That effort to have multiple things receiving singular attention will cause our pursuit of Jesus to be watered down and dry, or to receive no attention at all. As a disciple of Jesus (meaning one who follows him), our priority should be that Christ comes first in everything. That priority is demonstrated by our pursuit of him.
As we begin a new year, let us bring intentionality to our pursuit of Christ. Let us make Jesus our singular priority, and glorify him as we live out our calling. As we start this year, we will be looking at what it is to be a disciple of Jesus. Our effort in this will be to help you think through the intentionality and priority that comes with being a Christ follower and establishing the framework for accomplishing what Paul encourages in Philippians 3. I hope that you will join us this month as we worship and grow together. I look forward to what 2026 will bring in the life of Parkview Baptist Church and for you individually as we seek to follow the Lord together!
-Pastor Chris