November 2021

FINDING HOPE TOGETHER

“God created us from the beginning as social creatures, yet we are lonelier than ever before.” A pastor and good friend opened his heart. “We live in a world with so much suffering, and since my church serves hundreds of hurting people in our community, we see firsthand the results of the brokenness. The COVID pandemic has only made things worse, taking its toll in poverty, homelessness, and mental health.”

His reflections made me want to do something. “How can we at It Is Written Canada work with you and other pastors to help people experience God in a tangible way?”

“So much of our brokenness comes from the inconsistency between our inner and outer worlds, so there is a critical need to be honest with God, with ourselves, and with others. Part of my healing journey came through coming to realize that I needed to remove ‘the disguise’ especially at church and be myself.”

“Was that difficult?”

“Yes, it was; however, with God’s help, restoration happened for me when I openly acknowledged my brokenness and allowed God in to see who I was, and not what I thought I should be.”

“How did that transform your church?”

“When I began to see what God was doing in my life, I witnessed the power and potential of what an honest and safe church gathering could be. God spoke to us when I, as their pastor, started sharing my own struggles, and then my members felt comfortable to do the same, praying for one another and connecting throughout the week. From there, it grew to where we couldn’t help reaching into our community.”

That conversation led to our team at It Is Written Canada working with pastors from growing Seventh-day Adventist churches in Ontario to facilitate an evangelistic series with a difference: “Finding Hope Together.” These pastors were willing to vulnerably share personal struggles and what it looks like to practically journey with God and support one another along the way.

Eight pastors—men and women, spiritual leaders—had the courage to be exposed: talking about their battles with betrayal, addiction, depression, divorce, death, sexual sin, lost friendships, fear, forgiveness, failure, and finding restoration.

This is a series of meetings where you can safely set out on a quest, listening, taking notes, and exploring your own heart and your own walk with Jesus, finding support within a sensitive fellowship of believers who are perusing the same path.

René and I have been tremendously blessed by each one of these stories, and we know that you will be deeply touched too as you listen to these pastors share from their hearts.

On our own we experienced pain, uncertainty, and loss, but together we can find hope, healing, and restoration.

Jesus was possessed of one single-minded purpose: He lived to bless others. He healed, restored, reconciled, ransomed, and found lost people.

You are one of those people.

We are all part of those people.

And we want to journey alongside you so that we can find hope together.

~ Mike Lemon