The Gates of Hell (or COVID) Will Not Prevail

This past week, Pam and I were both sick. I tested positive for COVID and Pam had a nasty stomach bug…which also may have been COVID. Thankfully, we’re now on the mend and feeling much better. But last Sunday’s service was an interesting experience. Pam and I both stayed home and the question hanging over us was what would happen with ECF’s worship service.   

When a church is more mature, the “ministry bench” is deeper and illness rarely impacts the quality of the worship service.  When we planted Summit, a fellow church planter said, “Planting a church is like building a house of cards. In the beginning even a small breeze in the wrong direction can bring everything tumbling down.”

This is not being melodramatic…it’s just the way it is when a church is young and vulnerable.  For that reason, when we planted Summit, I did not miss a weekend service for the first 3½ years. Once we got into our first building and our ministry team was solidly in place, then I felt the freedom to occasionally absent myself.

Knowing that as background will help you appreciate our joy when last Sunday’s service at ECF came together so wonderfully. Our entire ministry team stepped up in amazing ways and the service was phenomenal. A friend from another local ministry preached and did an excellent job. Pam and I watched on Facebook live. We were literally tickled pink.

This was a wonderful reminder to us that Jesus promised to build his church and the gates of hell (or COVID) would not prevail against it. It was also encouraging to see our new teammates caring as much about ECF’s ministry as Pam and me. We are truly blessed by the growing cadre of servant-leaders God is assembling around us.

This coming Sunday, I begin my first series on financial stewardship.  As many know, this is an area of discipleship that I am passionate about. I taught more messages on stewardship at Summit than any other single topic. As a result, Summit became one of the most generous churches on the West Coast. I hope the same will happen at ECF. But we are just beginning this journey. Please pray for people to be responsive to God’s Word.

Two weeks ago, Pam and I moved into a home we purchased. We felt that continuing to pay a high monthly rent was not good financial stewardship. Our new home is in a lovely neighborhood not far from our rental home. But the house is a “fixer-upper” so we’ve had a myriad of workmen over since we moved in.

Thankfully, we are nearly complete with the first phase of our renovations. Pam is happy, especially with the new back yard landscaping that she designed. And, as they say, “If momma is happy, then everybody is happy.”

Thank you for you ongoing prayers and support. We still have room on the trip to Israel, November 1-10. If you’d like to go with us, please let me know.  

Steve and Pam