How the Spirit Connects Us All
By Cara Taylor, Director of Outreach
At this time of year, I look back on all the ways God has moved in my LifeGroup, and I am so thankful. We have walked together through significant challenges of work, family, and health. We also celebrated many joys…especially our kids getting baptized and growing in their faith. New close friendships have developed. And God’s Word has spoken into our lives, week after week. This is all the work of the Holy Spirit!
I want to invite you all to celebrate with us on June 8. Come with your current LifeGroup…or meet the one that’s been waiting for you! It will be a Global Church Birthday Party for EVERYONE in honor of Pentecost, the day historically celebrated for when the Spirit filled the first believers. We can look back in gratitude together. And we can also look out and look ahead with inspiration from our church family around the world.
Peter’s first words to the crowd on Pentecost reminded me of the full wonder of God’s promises in two kinds of relationships. First with the believers in our closest circles, like my LifeGroup. And second, in friendship with those furthest away. Look:
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38-39).
On Sundays lately, the sermon series has been following Paul’s journey across Greece. This weekend he arrives in Corinth, a new cultural hub beyond the Jewish home ground of the faith. These are the people to whom Paul will write that we are one body with many parts, all empowered by the same Spirit, and we need each other. We suffer and rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12).
The Holy Spirit keeps propelling Paul into closer relationships with people in far off places. And each time, the reality of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead grows in power as we see God calling people in each new situation from death to new life.
Throughout Acts, the Spirit is busy unleashing the gifts of people who that first church group never imagined would be part of God’s tribe. People are bewildered and amazed that they can understand another language, or that an enemy like Paul would start preaching about Jesus with great power.
If you have never considered joining a global outreach team, this is a great time to wonder about what renewed power can God release in your life by making far-off friends. The Bible talks about going into all the earth and crossing the distance it takes to reach the thirsty, the prisoner, the poor, the immigrant. At the Global church birthday party, you will hear from those of us who went to India, Thailand, Budapest, and the Mexico border this past year. We will share our love for these global friends. And I suspect you will want to make some new friends yourself! So, we will share opportunities for global outreach trips in 2026.
If you just can’t wait that long, please consider joining the team at Camp Levi in Rockaway Beach, Oregon August 10-15. We need 50 short-term missionaries (all ages) for this incredible camp for families with disabilities. I promise they will preach the gospel back to you, and a fresh ocean wind of the Holy Spirit will blow through your life. Check it out at www.CampLevi.org.
The reason we have outreach partners at Chapel Hill is because the Spirit propels us into the world like he did Paul. Not only to share the good news of how Jesus is resurrecting us, but to remind us how God is resurrecting others so we can be bewildered and amazed all over again! We come home changed, and we suddenly care more about those who are “far off” but living right next door. For our friends across the greater distances, we hold their burdens every time we come to the Lord in prayer. God changes us when our prayers are not only for ourselves but for our brothers and sisters near and far.
I see this happening at Chapel Hill! This weekend, Chapel Hill members are walking at Sehmel park for clean water worldwide. Others collected street ministry kits and attended the Tacoma Rescue Mission HopeGivers event last night. Some of us are worshipping with women inside the Mission Creek prison as you read this blog. All of us will hear those who are far off preach the gospel back to us as we draw near to them.
Cara