Pastor Jonathan's Monday Reflection:
"The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." Exodus 14:15 (ESV)
God can be trusted to fight for you... God can be trusted to fight for the church! We wake up this Monday, some of us in the midst of a long weekend, others still grinding away, and our church has a new name.
The Covenant Members overwhelmingly affirmed the change of our name to Reservoir Church. It is a new season for us, a new name but the same trust in God to do his work in and through us for his glory.
If has been a long road to this day. Not merely in embracing a new name, but in traversing the wilderness after a very difficult and devastating couple of years as a church.
Founded twenty-one years ago as a body focused on the gospel and building community, this church flourished by the embrace of not only shared doctrine but shared values in other things of life as well. Families would drive long distances to participate in what God was doing among us.
There was the birth of a church in Texas, shifts in leadership, the birth of a church in Orange County, the departure from a church network and eventually the birth of a church in La Mesa, close to home but in need of the gospel.
Along the way, gospel doctrine did not necessarily engender a gospel culture and when it came time to make important decisions about the future of the church, division persisted. Accusation followed and the resignation of each leader leaving the church confused and uncertain about the future. As Israel, we were encamped between an Egyptian army outpost and the impossible-to-cross sea.
But God has a plan. He will build the church and it will outlast our best-laid plans. So a people trusted and continued as a body. Making hard decisions, aligning for unity and calling leaders whose commitment was to both gospel doctrine a gospel culture for God's glory. New families put their stakes in the soil of this church and deep relationships are being formed.
It has not been easy. But God has been faithful. Here we are today with a new name. Here we are today with the same God that can be trusted to carry out his plan and purpose. And we exist to bring him glory by following it.
Rejoice that God fights for us. We will go forward, trusting the divine warrior. This body of believers will proclaim the gospel and live in response to the goodness of Christ's grace, knowing Jesus and making him known.