The Integrity of Our Witness

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Steve LaMotte

In my message at Avenue last week, I said that apprentices (followers/disciples) of Jesus Christ will do what Jesus did. Even a cursory reading of the Gospels will give us clues about what Jesus did during his lifetime: proclaim the Gospel, call people to repentance, care for the poor, heal the sick, give the thirsty a drink, clothe the naked, free the oppressed, forgive sins, and bring hope in a hopeless world. In short, Jesus’ ministry was summed up with love. A life shaped by Jesus should be becoming more loving. John Mark Comer writes, “love is the acid test of spiritual formation.”

Getting this right is vital to our witness about Jesus Christ. 

In a 2023 survey by the Barna Group, 71% of respondents said they had a favorable view of Jesus (including 40% of those claiming no faith.) Yet only 51% of respondents have a favorable view of Christianity (21% of the “nones” have a favorable view), and 47% said they have a favorable view of the local church (22% of the “nones”). People, including non-religious people, do not have a problem with Jesus. They have a problem with the Church. 

There is a ton of research, including books by Dan Kimball and David Kinnaman, that shares the emerging generation’s views on the Church. They believe that the Church is anti-science, judgmental, repressive, and too political, to name a few. There is research available (also here) stating that Christians are more susceptible to conspiracy theories. People exploring Christianity may be more likely to hear what we are against than experience the love of Christ.

When we claim to follow Jesus but espouse conspiracy theories (Covid-19, Qanon, etc), it affects our witness. When we elevate politicians and celebrities whose morality and lives do not line up with the example of Christ, our witness is nullified. If we speak of migrants, people of different ethnicities, and those living in different countries in any way less than that they are people created in the image of God, our witness is not for Christ. When we claim to follow the Prince of Peace, but our words are words of violence (and maybe our actions, too) then we lack integrity in our witness. When we would rather punch back than turn the other cheek, or allow for bitterness rather than forgive or hating our enemy rather than loving them, we have failed in our witness for Jesus.

We have to get our witness right. Our children and grandchildren need to see Jesus in us and experience Jesus through us. If we want to see them come to faith, our words, actions, and deeds must reflect the love, grace, mercy, and peace of Jesus. We must remove barriers to the Gospel rather than build walls that prevent us from offering Biblical hospitality that points to Christ. There must be integrity in our witness where our lives reflect the One we profess to follow.

As we grow in our apprenticeship with Jesus, may our witness be consistent and true as we share the love of God with those around us. May our lives reflect the love of Jesus for all people. May our choices mirror God’s Kingdom to the world around us.

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Formed By Love

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Steve LaMotte

“Love is the acid test of spiritual formation.”
-John Mark Comer

Spiritual formation is the act of allowing God to shape us so that our lives look like the life of Jesus. Spiritual formation does not miraculously happen. It takes place over years of being with Jesus and doing what Jesus says as the Holy Spirit shapes us. Spiritual formation is not a “Christian” idea. We can look at a person’s life, beliefs, words, and actions and see what has shaped them. Social media, politics, celebrity, philosophy, and religion are some forces that shape us. 

As apprentices of Jesus, love should be the thing that sets us apart from those who do not follow Jesus. In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul writes that the Fruit of the Spirit, the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control. These characteristics all flow out of our ability to love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes that we can do all sorts of great things for the Kingdom, but if we do not love, we are nothing.

If we are to live as apprentices (disciples) of Jesus Christ, we must love as Jesus loved. Our lives should bear fruit that points people to Jesus. If we are to live as Jesus lived, then others will experience the love of Christ through us. Love should be formed in our lives because of Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, as our world becomes more polarized, let us live such good lives that the world may glorify God (1 Peter 2:12). Let us sow love generously as we follow in the footsteps of our Master.

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God Remembers

Posted on May 22, 2024 by Steve LaMotte

The other day I read the story of Hannah in the Bible. It’s found in 1 Samuel, chapter one. Hannah loved God but was childless. We’ve discussed this before, but being childless in ancient culture was seen as a curse. Like some of the other barren women mentioned in the Bible (Sarah, Elizabeth, etc), God was at work behind the scenes. 

In 1 Samuel 1:19-20, the author writes this, 

“Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Samuel, for he said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

The phrase that sticks out is that “the Lord remembered her.” Did God forget about Hannah? No, for God cannot forget. Did God not hear Hannah’s prayers for a child? God certainly heard Hannah’s prayers. By “remembering,” God is acting according to his promises. 

We had a Church Council meeting last night, and Pastor Dan gave his report to those present. As you likely know, Pastor Dan has a great ministry at five local nursing homes. When he walks into a nursing home room or the home of a shut-in, he is a visible reminder to the person he is visiting that “God remembers” and is faithful in all His promises.

It’s not just Pastor Dan. Each of us carries the presence of God with us (that Holy Spirit that Pastor Neyda preached about on Pentecost Sunday). When we visit the sick, we are reminded that “God remembers.” When we pray with someone, our prayers communicate that “God remembers.” When we share our hope and faith with someone at the end of their rope, our presence communicates that “God remembers.”

Perhaps you need to hear it as you read this post: God will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). We can be encouraged that God is with us and faithful to His promises. God remembers.

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Celebrating Those Who Pass Along the Faith

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Steve LaMotte 
Sunday is Mother's Day, and the Bible is filled with stories of women essential to the Gospel. Jesus' genealogy contains the names of five women central to his story and mission: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Mary Magdalene was the first to proclaim the Good News of the resurrection. Paul tells us about Junia, who he describes as being "outstanding among the Apostles" (Romans 16:7). Scholars believe that Junia may have been one of Paul's benefactors and carried Romans to its recipients, which means she likely would have helped to have explained Paul's writings. Paul recognized that Timothy's grandmother (Lois) and mother (Eunice) were essential in developing his faith.

My faith story is filled with women who have passed along the Good News of Jesus to me. My grandmother, Gertrude, prayed for me every day. My mother, Esther, along with my Dad raised my sister and I to put our faith in Jesus. Sunday School teachers like Janet Hartley and Lois Cashdollar taught me the story of the Bible on the flannelgraph. Mary Lynn (aka ML) was always sure to check in on me and the condition of my walk with God. I see Jesus in Andrea, my wife, as she regularly shows me what love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness look like. My daughters, Abbie and Chloe, bring me so much joy and make me want to be a better Dad and person.

My faith would not be what it is without the impact of the women in my life who have answered the call to be the hands and feet of Christ to me and so many others. Past and present, Avenue is filled with many women who have shared their faith with us. As we celebrate mothers and all the women who helped shape our lives, let us thank God to those who have imparted their faith into our lives.
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Beyond the Ten Commandments

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Steve LaMotte

In 2005, The United States Supreme Court heard the case of Van Orden vs. Perry. What was disputed in the case was a monument of the Ten Commandments that was on the grounds of the Texas state capitol building. The organization that gifted the monument (in 1961) argued that the monument has both religious and secular importance. Others argued that a state placing a religious monument on state property violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. 

I remember watching the news updates about the case and reading different articles about the case. It seemed that many believed that installing the Commandments was essential to restoring Godliness to our society. There is no doubt that the Commandments are vitally important to adherents of both Judaism and Christianity and yet installing monuments will not increase the morality or faith within our people. The same scriptures that record the Ten Commandments put that emphasis elsewhere.

Parents and the family structure play the most important role in passing on the faith we adhere to. 

  • Deuteronomy 6:5-9 |  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
  • Proverbs 22:6 | “Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.”


Parents are the most influential voice in a child’s life. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be intentional about training our children to live as disciples. It is not a display of the Ten Commandments that will transform our society; it is Christians raising up emerging generations to radically follow Christ and love our neighbors with the love of God. We must go beyond wanting to display our faith through monuments and seek to display our faith through lives that have been transformed, shaped, and in the image of Jesus.



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Advent Devotions (Day 10) | Listen to Him

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Steve LaMotte

A few days ago, we looked at the story of Moses going up the mountain and encountering God. God’s presence was so real and tangible that Moses’ face was transformed. His face was so radiant that he had to wear a veil around others. There is a similar story in the Gospels about Jesus. We call it the Transfiguration.

In Matthew 17:1-9, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. When they reached the top, Jesus was transfigured, and “his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” On top of that, Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus. These are two absolute pillars of the Jewish faith. Peter, James, and John are in awe. This was a supernatural encounter. Peter exclaims, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters- one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud appeared, and there was a voice from heaven saying, “This is my son who I love and with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

When I read this story, I see Peter, James, and John wanting to stay on the mountaintop as long as possible. Who wouldn’t want to? They have just witnessed a supernatural spiritual event. Jesus was changed in front of them. Two heroes of their faith, long gone, appear before them. They want more of the experience.

Life is not one continuous mountaintop experience. We have to come down from the mountaintop. We cannot chase spiritual experiences or highs; we must learn to listen to Jesus. We must learn to be faithful to Jesus’ example and teaching. It is Jesus who transforms our lives. Rather than chasing after spiritual experiences, we must get to know the one who makes the experiences possible.

What are you doing to listen to Jesus? We must learn Jesus’ voice to follow Jesus in the low places and on the mountaintop.

God,
We are grateful for the mountaintop experiences
Where our faith is confirmed and built up.
Help us learn to listen to Jesus so that we might also
faithfully follow him in the low places as well.
Amen.

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Advent Devotional (Day 9) | Lead Me Through It

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Steve LaMotte

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end.”[1]
Luke 1:30-33

Read Luke 1:26-38

I love going on rollercoasters. I am also terrified to go on a rollercoaster. Does anyone feel the same way? When I was in Middle School, my friend took me to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point is the rollercoaster Mecca in America. On one trip, Tommy and I waited over two hours to ride in the very front car of The Magnum. When we went, it was the tallest (over 200 ft) and fastest (72 mph) in the world.

We were filled with excitement as we waited in line. The closer we got to the ride, the more excited we became. We were bubbling with anticipation when we sat down in the front seat. But when the cars started moving and we began climbing the 200’ hill, I was filled with dread. Somewhere down that hill, I may have blacked out, but as the ride progressed, fear was pushed away by adrenaline. By the time we stopped, we were ready to ride again.

I imagine that life felt a bit like a rollercoaster for Mary. An angel appeared before her, telling her she would miraculously have a child. This would not just be any child but would be called the Son of the Most High! That thrill must have turned to agony over convincing Joseph, her fiancé, that this was from God. In the end, Mary responded, “May it be to me as you have said.” In the excitement and fear of the moment, she said yes to God.

Sometimes, God calls us to do something that fills us with excitement and even trepidation. One preacher said, “If God leads you to it, God will lead you through it.” Mary was given everything she needed to treasure the excitement and handle the challenges ahead. As you say yes to God, you will be called into deeper levels of intimacy and obedience; God will give you everything you need to follow where God leads. You may need to hold tight because it will be quite the ride!

God,
Give me the courage to follow wherever you lead me.
Help me to enjoy the times of blessings and to be faithful
in times of struggle.
Be near me at all times.
Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 1:30–33.

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Advent Devotions (Day 8) | Peace

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Steve LaMotte

The post below is something that I wrote back in 2018 on here on the blog. I wrote it as something to be read while our congregation would light our Advent Candles. This past Sunday, we lit the candle of Peace. We live in a world where peace is hard to come by. So let me share this post with you:
—-
Through our Advent Journey, we have practiced a rhythm of watching and waiting by looking at God’s faithfulness, love, and the joy that God brings us. This morning, we light the Candle of Peace. Our scripture is from Micah 5:2-5

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”

3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.

4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

5 And he will be our peace
when the Assyrians invade our land
and march through our fortresses. [1]

 We live in a frantic world. A world full of anxiety and worry. Even as we approach Christmas, many of us are filled with stress about the details of Christmas gatherings, managing our finances, the prospects of seeing certain relatives, or the reality of a holiday without a loved one. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year can quickly become The Most Stressful Time.

Micah describes a coming leader who will “be our peace even when the Assyrians invade our lands.” Sometimes, it is easy to miss this in hearing the text, but if the Assyrians are invading, then there will be destruction, there will be death, and there will be suffering. The Word of God says that “When” this happens, this leader will be our peace. Our strength. Our security.

When your job lets you go, when you begin life without a loved one, when your finances don’t seem to match up, when that relative reminds you that you’re not doing something right, and when your faith seems to be doing somersaults- Jesus will be our peace. The prophet Isaiah reminds us:

And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.[2]

Let us Pray:

Almighty God,
In these troubled times, help us to find our security and our protection in the shadow of your wings. Send the presence of your Spirit in our lives so that we might be filled with peace amid life’s storms.  We ask these things in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

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Advent Devotions (Day 7) | A Strong Tower

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Steve LaMotte

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe[1]

Read Psalm 46 and 61

There is an epic battle in J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings series at Helm’s Deep. The forces of Rohan find refuge and fight the evil forces of Saruman. King Théoden once said, “the Hornburg has never fallen to assault.” If you’ve either read the book or watched Peter Jackson’s incredible film adaptation of the books, you know that the Sauraman’s forces nearly prevail. But the fortress in the rock provided the protection that Rohan needed to claim victory.

Look through pictures and illustrations of castles and fortresses and you will find that they often claim the high ground. This make it easier to see and enemy approaching and to have the best offensive and defensive position. These strong towers provided safety for the men and women in the kingdom.

The psalmist cries out to God to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” The psalmist longed for God’s protection and provision. God is our “strong tower” against the foes that we face. In Psalm 46, the writers proclaims that God is “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of need.”  By the time we get to the gospels, we see Jesus telling Peter that he [Jesus] is the rock that the church will be built upon (Matthew 16:18).

Do you need to seek “the rock that is higher than I?” Throughout our lives we will be under assault from principalities and powers. We will need to find refuge. God is our refuge and strength. God is our help. God is our strong tower against our foes. As God to lead you to the rock, the fortress, and to give you refuge from every assault of the enemy.

God,
You are our strong tower.
You are our refuge and strength.
Help us in times of trouble.
Protect us from the powers that comes against us. Amen.

[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ps 61:2–3.

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ADVENT DEVOTIONS (Day 6) | On the Mountain

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Steve LaMotte
The Great Cross of Jummonville is seen by a drone.

30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
Exodus 35:30

In Middle School, I attended church camp at Jumonville in South Western Pennsylvania. One of the features of the camp is that they have a large 60-foot steel cross that can be seen for miles. God worked powerfully in my life at this camp. My life is different because of the way that I encountered God at Jummonville. Years later, I took some young men from my church as part of a whitewater rafting weekend. We spent time in worship and prayer below the Jummonville cross. For me, this mountaintop cross was sacred ground.

In Exodus, God calls Moses to Mt. Sinai for a little face time. While Moses was on the mountain, God began laying out the commandments and what it looked like for Israel to be the people of God. When Moses came down the mountain, something had happened. Exodus tells us that “the skin of his face shone” to the point that the Israelites were afraid. Moses’ encounter with God was so powerful that it changed his physical appearance. God was with Moses on the mountain, and Moses was filled with God’s presence.

In our life with God, there will be mountaintops where we experience the presence of God in such a powerful way that there is a near-instant transformation in our lives. Just as the people saw Moses’ skin “glowing” in the presence of God, our lives will reflect that we have had a mountaintop experience.  

As Christians, we should make it a habit to meet with God regularly. Sometimes, these meetings will feel mundane. Other times, God’s power and presence will fill our lives in a new way. Daily Bible Study, prayer, and weekly worship should be regular habits for spending time in God’s presence. Camps, retreats, and conferences can be mountaintop experiences because we have set aside so many distractions to encounter God. God is with us when we intentionally set time aside to meet with Him. God is with us on the mountaintops.

Almighty God,
We thank you for the times we have encountered your Spirit.
We praise you for the transformation you have made in our lives.
Help us to be open to your Spirit on the mountain and
To seek your presence in the mundane.
Work in us today; we pray. Amen.

Questions:
1. Where have you experienced a mountaintop experience? What made it powerful? How were you changed?
2.  How do you regularly come into the presence of God?

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