Merry Christmas! As we celebrate Christmas with our family in Georgia, I’ve been thinking about this last year. 2019 was a significant year for Green Pond Bible Chapel in many ways:

Highlands Bible Church

Our first church plant, Highlands Bible Church, matured into full independence. God’s gracious provision has been clear throughout the entire process of planting HBC. God paved the way for the successful multiplication of believers and the impact of HBC on the community of Vernon in such a way that only he gets the glory. We are looking forward to decades and more of gospel ministry at HBC, and should never take success in church planting for granted!

50 Years of God’s Faithfulness

We celebrated our 50th anniversary as a church. Saints from the past and present at GPBC gathered to remember God’s faithfulness and rejoice. The weekend was especially sweet as we could see the visible impact of the gospel on people, some of whom have been a part of GPBC since it was born!

One Church, One Service

In the fall and winter of 2019 we embarked on a sanctuary and entryway remodel to enable us to worship together in one service. With these renovations complete, we have enjoyed being together as a church family. The singing in our service has already been a highlight for me; I am greatly encouraged by the collective voices of the saints singing praise to Jesus.

Where Do We Go from Here?

As the year winds down I also find my heart and mind meditating on what’s to come for GPBC. By God’s grace we are equipped with Biblically qualified leadership who have a passion for shepherding, skilled deacons who love Jesus and his church, and facilities ideal for ministry. I believe it’s time for us to turn a corner and leverage our gifts for the sake of the gospel.

What does this look like? We are poised to continue our impact on our community and the greater area of north Jersey, especially in church planting and potential church revitalizations. Making and maturing disciples isn’t about our church getting bigger, it’s about the growth of God’s kingdom. This means multiplying churches through planting and helping churches in a time of need.

But it’s not just about north Jersey. We also will have great opportunities to use our resources to help advance Jesus’ kingdom across the world. Our brothers and sisters in Milan especially need our prayer and support this year. We’ll continue to support Bible translation, church planting, and pastoral training abroad. All of these efforts aim at contributing to the strengthening of churches for the making and maturing of disciples of Jesus.

In short, I believe we’re just getting started. Please pray with me that God would lead us to planting and/or revitalizing opportunities. Pray that God would use us to facilitate the growth of healthy churches across the world. Pray for spiritual growth in our own church body. I am so thankful to be a part of this ministry, and I can’t wait to see where God takes us from here. Jesus was born for this—the advance of his kingdom through the redemption of sinners. Merry Christmas Green Pond Bible Chapel!