DISCIPLE MAKING

Living in Hope

Krista Barlow / Monday, March 29, 2021

 

“Which of God’s promises have meant the most to you lately?”

That was the final question in our Bible study discussion on Zoom last week. “That God is with me all the time; that He promised to never leave me nor forsake me,” Rosanne offered. I followed with, “That Jesus will return again as the righteous judge and make all things right.”

We live in a time when it seems like a lot has gone wrong.

  • A microscopic virus has wreaked havoc around the world, leaving millions dead, and profoundly affecting most aspects of daily life.
  • In addition to the health threat of COVID-19, restrictions due to the virus have limited social interactions and disrupted world economies.
  • Family breakdown and food insecurity are on the rise.
  • At the same time, political polarization is driving families apart, sending us racing into our ideological silos.
  • Truth is being assaulted from every angle — a perfect breeding ground for the proliferation of conspiracy theories and confusion — leaving people even more divided.
  • Isolation, loneliness, fear, and despair are on the rise.

Indeed, a lot has gone wrong.

Desperate for Hope

People are desperate for hope. Enter the vaccine! Never before in human history has a cure for a pandemic emerged so quickly. We can foresee a time in the next few months when we will be able to meet together again, for in-person worship and in-home hospitality. We will be able to hug, to laugh and to pray together.

But hope in the vaccine teeters on the edge. Will there be enough of it? Will enough people take the vaccine to reach “herd immunity”? Will the burgeoning virus variants outrun the vaccine distribution and injections? Will we ever see the end of this pandemic or are we on the cusp of another one?

While we wait for the vaccine rollout, there are other things to hope in — our wise investment choices, our growing real estate equity, the warmer weather allowing us to meet our friends outdoors, borders opening up again so we can travel, to name a few.

We are clinging to any sign of hope. Yet, it does not take long before we realize that these hopes are on shaky ground.

Circumstances change and suddenly we are afloat, looking for another lifebuoy of hope on which to cling. Pandemics have a way of pulling back the curtain, revealing misplaced hope, and driving us deeper into the search for real hope.

Finding Hope

Where can I find hope...a hope that does not disappoint?

I have to find my life in the context of a greater story that transcends my circumstances. I look to Easter morning and the empty tomb. Jesus died and rose again.

Jesus loved us so much that he bound himself to the human condition — taking into himself all the injustice, suffering, and sin of humanity — and allowed it to destroy him, to kill him. On our behalf, he fought the rulers, the authorities, the power of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12). And he won! He defeated death. On the third day he rose victorious and inaugurated a new world order.

His resurrection opened up a new future of the universe and of humanity — one governed by love and justice and peace.

A Life of Hope

My hope lies in binding myself to Jesus, above all else, and placing my hope in this greater narrative of resurrection.

I forsake all other hopes, all other alliances, and trust my life to Jesus.

He is the one who can rescue me from sin and death. He is the righteous Judge who will return and set all things right, make all things new. He will return to fully establish his kingdom, creating a new heaven and a new earth. Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57)

Easter reminds me that this life is but a shadow of what is to come. Death is not the final word. Resurrection and a new creation are where the story is heading.

How I live my life now counts for eternity. Placing my hope on the promise of Jesus’ return to rectify all things frees me to fulfill my calling now — to love God with all that I am and to love my neighbour as myself.

Resting in this hope, I can live a life of hope, even in a pandemic.


Krista Barlow hails from Colorado but has spent more than 25 years living in the Comox Valley. She is a retired teacher and lifelong educator, previously working as a campus minister, educational assistant, and special education teacher. Krista holds academic degrees in the fields of Nutrition and Dietetics, Theology, and Education. In retirement, Krista wanted to focus her energies on activities she could pursue with purpose and passion—becoming a chaplain for the Town of Comox has been just that. She considers it a privilege to listen deeply and walk alongside the people who serve her community. For fun, Krista loves swimming, hiking and biking in and around the Comox Valley with her husband Dave. She’s also a huge fan of her grandson, his parents, and her daughter.

 


print



4 Disciple Multiplication Stories 4 Disciple Multiplication Stories

We pray that these four stories about disciple-making & disciple multiplication (from Simply Mobili...
Read More..

8 Disciple-Making Principles 8 Disciple-Making Principles

A few years ago, I spent several months reading and re-reading the book of Acts. I was trying to un...
Read More..

A Training Cycle for Disciple-Making: MAWL A Training Cycle for Disciple-Making: MAWL

Why did I fail to teach my youngest daughter to ride a bike? Why did I keep failing to make discipl...
Read More..

Shaping the Church of the Future: The Diaspora Effect Shaping the Church of the Future: The Diaspora Effect

Many of us have mixed feelings about the changes that diaspora movements have brought to the world ...
Read More..

40 Disciple Making Quotes 40 Disciple Making Quotes

Here is a collection of 40 quotes about Disciple-Making -- words of wisdom from Christian thinkers,...
Read More..

How the Church can Make Disciples in 2023 How the Church can Make Disciples in 2023

We, as followers of Jesus, are called to prioritize inviting others to follow Him. Why? Becaus...
Read More..

5 Discipleship Attributes 5 Discipleship Attributes

How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus?  In some circles, discipleship is measured by activ...
Read More..

4 Ways to Make Disciples Like Jesus Did 4 Ways to Make Disciples Like Jesus Did

In the Great Commission, the remaining eleven are commissioned to make disciples just like Jesus ma...
Read More..

Making Disciples of All Nations in Canada Making Disciples of All Nations in Canada

Statistics Canada has just released the CENSUS 2021 data on population and reported that “millions ...
Read More..

Wasting Seed Wasting Seed

Anybody who has visited my house knows I like to garden. A few years ago, my husband and daughter b...
Read More..

5 Reasons for Making Disciples 5 Reasons for Making Disciples

“Why should I make disciples?” Listen again, in Matthew 28, as Jesus speaks to his disciples. Here ...
Read More..

A Simple Recipe for Making Disciples A Simple Recipe for Making Disciples

When I have a bit of extra time, I enjoy cooking. I especially enjoy cooking for other people, and ...
Read More..

37 Verses on Making Disciples 37 Verses on Making Disciples

What does the Bible even say about Making Disciples? Here are 37 verses to start ... Outreach ...
Read More..

Discipling Our Nation Discipling Our Nation

No matter how well the church may have done in the past, the challenge of discipling our nation is ...
Read More..

Hospitality as Mission Hospitality as Mission

"Our homes are becoming more and more important as a centre of mission. I would say, especially for...
Read More..

A Leader’s Personal Litmus Test A Leader’s Personal Litmus Test

A ‘litmus test’ does not change the leader; it reveals the leader’s character. Here are three litmu...
Read More..

Scripture Earth: Sharing the Gospel in Diverse Languages Scripture Earth: Sharing the Gospel in Diverse Languages

The website, ScriptureEarth.org, containing one of the largest repositories of Bible resources avai...
Read More..

8 Qualities of Shepherd-Leaders 8 Qualities of Shepherd-Leaders

Here are eight qualities of a shepherd-leader we can learn from the good shepherd in John 10.
Read More..

Trinitarian Hospitality Trinitarian Hospitality

I have coined the phrase “Trinitarian Hospitality” to describe the mysterious truth that the triune...
Read More..

The Joy of Evangelism The Joy of Evangelism

If you’re like me, when someone starts talking about the need to get more involved in evangelism, t...
Read More..

Mobilizing Movements: An Interview Mobilizing Movements: An Interview

An interview with Murray Moerman, about his new book Mobilizing Movements. Murray speaks from his p...
Read More..

Mobilizing Movements to Jesus Christ Mobilizing Movements to Jesus Christ

The need of Christ above all is the impetus for the Great Commission, and the Great Commission is t...
Read More..

How Should We Then Live? How Should We Then Live?

The question is asked, “How do we move forward as a moral and ethical minority in a secular and plu...
Read More..

Opportunities & Threats for the Canadian Church: Whats Next? Opportunities & Threats for the Canadian Church: What's Next?

"What’s next?" is a big question. We may not know the next step, but do we know the right direction...
Read More..

Four Components of Disciple Making Movements Four Components of Disciple Making Movements

How can a disciple-making group lead to more groups and, perhaps, even to a disciple-making movemen...
Read More..

Stop Training People Stop Training People

Stop training.  You are probably wasting your time and that of those you are training!  Seriou...
Read More..

Whats Next? Hope Amidst the Mess What's Next? Hope Amidst the Mess

As we move into this next season, let’s not be surprised when things are messy or challenging. We n...
Read More..

...

Discovery Bible Study: A Challenge for Canadian Ministry Leaders
In the first two parts of this blog series, we shared Teresa’s story of introduction to Discovery Bible Study (Part 1) as well as stories of Teresa’s missionary journey through Asia (Part 2).  In this final install...
Read more...
Stories of a Disciple-Making Movement in Asia (Part 2)
In her modern-day missionary journeys throughout Asia, Teresa has been focusing on training leaders and equipping them to facilitate disciple-making-movements, primarily through the tool of Discovery Bible Study. In thi...
Read more...
How an Introduction to Discovery Bible Study led to a Disciple-Making Movement
“She has a map! That's just like in the back of your Bible, the missionary journeys of Paul”, Craig Kraft, OC’s Executive Director, excitedly shared about an OC missionary and her recent travels through southeast Asia. ...
Read more...
4 Disciple Multiplication Stories
We pray that these four stories about disciple-making & disciple multiplication (from Simply Mobilizing Canada) encourage your heart and inspire you to action! The Letter - the story of just one letter and ho...
Read more...
8 Disciple-Making Principles
A few years ago, I spent several months reading and re-reading the book of Acts. I was trying to understand how the Church had gone from a handful of people hiding out for fear of the authorities, to a bold and fearless...
Read more...
A Training Cycle for Disciple-Making: MAWL
Why did I fail to teach my youngest daughter to ride a bike? Why did I keep failing to make disciples who multiply? Simply, I didn’t use the training cycle of Model, Assist, Watch, Launch (MAWL). Jon shares about t...
Read more...
Shaping the Church of the Future: The Diaspora Effect
Many of us have mixed feelings about the changes that diaspora movements have brought to the world and to our neighbourhood--there is no question that it represents both challenges and opportunities. For those of u...
Read more...
40 Disciple Making Quotes
Here is a collection of 40 quotes about Disciple-Making -- words of wisdom from Christian thinkers, including Outreach Canada team members ...
Read more...
How the Church can Make Disciples in 2023
We, as followers of Jesus, are called to prioritize inviting others to follow Him. Why? Because Jesus did. Making disciples was demonstrated to be the priority of Jesus. He said, “As the Father has sent me, so...
Read more...
5 Discipleship Attributes
How can you recognize a disciple of Jesus?  In some circles, discipleship is measured by activities such as reading the Bible and praying; attending church and participating in religious programs. These can be valu...
Read more...
4 Ways to Make Disciples Like Jesus Did
In the Great Commission, the remaining eleven are commissioned to make disciples just like Jesus made disciples - despite their failures and hesitancy. How do disciple-makers model themselves after Jesus, and how d...
Read more...
Making Disciples of All Nations in Canada
Statistics Canada has just released the CENSUS 2021 data on population and reported that “millions of people from all over the world have chosen, and continue to choose, Canada as their new home. In 2021, more than 8.3 ...
Read more...