The Church’s One Foundation in a Shaken World
By Ellis White, Senior Pastor
This past week has been heavy. The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a tragic and senseless act of violence. Like many of you, I’ve grieved the loss of his life and prayed for his family and loved ones. Added to that, our own community has been shaken by a heartbreaking death at the high school, another school shooting, and the ongoing unrest we see in the world around us. Whether it is a public figure taken by violence, a student in our own community gone too soon, or the senseless loss of children in yet another school shooting, every death reminds us of how broken our world is and how much we need Christ.
Whether you agreed with Charlie’s political opinions or not, we can all acknowledge his courage in speaking out. Courage is a virtue we can all aspire to. Speaking personally, my own pastoral calling requires courage, although of a different sort to Charlie’s. My calling requires the courage to trust that the gospel is enough, to address the struggles of our day with grace and truth, and to keep pointing us back to the one hope we all share. Our nation is facing great challenges, but our ultimate hope rests in Christ.
And in truth, this call to courage is not just for pastors—it’s for every follower of Jesus. You are called to live with the courage to trust Christ in a shaken world, to love when it’s easier to hate, to speak truth when it’s easier to stay silent, and to hold fast to hope when fear threatens to overwhelm.
That’s why singing together this morning the words of the hymn The Church’s One Foundation was so moving:
“The Church’s one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.”
In a world shaken by violence, grief, and division, these words remind us where we stand. Our foundation is not ultimately in a political leader, a party, or even a movement, but Jesus Christ himself.
And even as we grieve, God is at work among us. This morning, we celebrated the incredible news that 362 children have been sponsored through our church family. That means 362 young lives given hope, education, clean water, and the love of Christ through our partnership with World Vision. In a world that often feels out of control, this is one way we are being the change—together—as the body of Christ.
So in this season, my prayer is that we will be a people marked by faith, hope, and love. That we will grieve honestly, act compassionately, pray fervently, and continue to bear witness to the hope of Jesus in a world desperate for it.
And we hold fast to the promise so beautifully captured in the hymn we sang together today:
“Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
and the great Church victorious
shall be the Church at rest.”
In these words we remember that no matter the turmoil of our time, Christ is building his Church. One day, our longing eyes will see him, and the Church victorious will finally be at rest. Until then, we stand together on the only foundation that cannot be shaken—Jesus Christ our Lord.
Pastor Ellis