Step Boldly Into 2025 with a Fresh Vision!
As we approach the new year, we’re reminded that the goal isn’t simply to “be a better Christian,” but to become followers of Christ who truly overcome the challenges in our lives—whether it’s breaking free from addiction, conquering negative mindsets, or stepping into the fullness of God’s purpose for us.
This transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It requires us to commit to spending consistent time in God’s Word, His presence, and with His people. Pastor Erin and I want to personally challenge you: don’t drag the baggage of the past into the new year. Instead, confront your fears, embrace honesty, and take bold steps of faith as you rely on the God of power and transformation.
Below, you’ll find our strategy to help all of us RESTART 2025 and step into the life God has designed for us. Let’s move forward together with purpose and faith!
-PASTOR JUSTIN-
STEP 1
Your first step is to EMBRACE THE PLAN. All that means is you agree to give yourself to the plan. the sacrifice and the extra work. The focus will all be needed if you are going to RESTART 2025. What you see above or to the left is a basic schedule of events and practices we are asking you to commit to., to start the year.
STEP 2
Your second step is COMMIT TO COME, to take part in as much of this as possible. attendance and activities don’t transform our lives but they build a foundation of a lifestyle for someone who has been transformed by time with Gods Word, His presence and His people.
STEP 3 FASTING & PRAYER
On January 6th we jump into this transformational plan by beginning our 21 days of prayer and fasting.
EMBRACE: putting your physical body in submission to your spirit by removing food that is significant to you from your life and adding daily time at the beginning of your day in prayer. Don’t know what to fast? You love sugar? Get rid of it. Are you a meat-a-tarian? 21 days sacrificing meat to draw close God is probably the best thing you can do. What ever you pick make sure it’s something your body says NOOOOOOO to so that it is truly a sacrifice.
COMMIT: by sticking with the fast even if you falter along the way and that you spend time learning about fasting and prayer through our prayer book below. You will be able to pick up a hard copy at our connect center or download it here. This is a great resource on how to pray and why we fast.
Download Prayer & Fasting Booklet Here
STEP 4 BIBLE STUDY
You will notice I didn’t call it Bible reading. Anyone can power through a few scriptures in our Bibles and an hour later not even remember what we read. This year we are doubling down on Bible reading and going all out by asking the entire church to join together in a YEAR-LONG-STUDY-PLAN! The study we will use is called THE BIBLE RECAP and there are several ways you can jump into this plan.
EMBRACE: a lifestyle of Bible learning that each day we are going to explore God’s word and walk away understanding what it says better.
COMMIT: to the lifestyle of Bible study that each day we set aside a specific time to go through the Bible project devotional.
BIBLE STUDY HOW-TO
Step A download the YouVersion Bible app (linked below or beside) or login on your computer at Bible.com and look for the section that has Bible reading plans.
STEP B Find “The Bible Recap" hosted by Tara-Leigh Cobble (linked below or beside) and on January 1st click “Start This Plan”. You can actually click and start this plan now and set the start date for January 1st. Each day has a video talking about the reading and explaining things to us such as context and defining difficult to understand passages.
STEP C Pick a time of the day you are going to commit to and start to Build a habit of it in January so that the rest of the year will be easier. You can also download the full reading plan if you like to see the visual or want to use your regular Bible Instead of a digital one but I still want you to use the digital version for the videos where Tara walks through the passages we are reading for the day.
Step 5 Worship
EMBRACE: That you were created to worship. That everything we do either brings glory to God or the devil and that in our times of worship we have the gift and blessing to show God how much we love and honor Him because of His love, faithfulness and provision for us.
COMMIT: To coming to church consistently on Sundays. We get it theres times where you can’t come but I would challenge you to be at church 3 Sundays a month. And to come on time so you can get into service and ready before worship even begins.
WORSHIP AT THE COLISEUM: as you already read our prayer and fasting ends on January 26th and so on February 2nd we are going to spend a night of worshipping our savior at the Coliseum Theater in downtown Tillamook starting at 6pm. We will celebrate, worship and thank God that we can eat again and celebrate what he did in our hearts to start the year off.
Step 6 Connect Groups
EMBRACE: That you were created for community and that close relationships with Godly people cannot be built on a Sunday alone.
COMMIT: To joining or leading a connect group. As our fasting time ends in January, February launches all our new groups and a time of growing together with others. Click the link below to see what groups exist right now but don’t sign up until the new year when there will be an entirely new set of groups for you to choose from.
Step 7 Holy Spirit
EMBRACE: That you need more of the Holy Spirit in your life. Often times the role of the Holy Spirit is misunderstood in our lives. Our sermon series in February will be completely focused on teaching all aspects of the Holy Spirit in our lives
COMMIT: To learning more about the Holy Spirit this year don’t stick with your preconceived ideas. Whether good or bad let’s enter 2025 ready to learn personally about who the Holy spirit is and how he works in our lives. Also take a look at the other events we have going on where you can learn more about the Holy Spirit below.
Prophetic Weekend
Coming up on Feb 7-8 is our Prophetic Ministry Weekend. This is an opportunity for people who are looking for encouragement and direction for their lives to be prayed over and ministered to by trusted pastors who are gifted in the prophetic. This event will fill you with so much faith for hearing the voice of God as you sit and hear how God is speaking to each person who is being prayed over. We would love for people to come even if you aren’t being prayed over as well. For those that are interested in taking part time is running out so click the link below and get signed up!
Empower Night
One of the most misunderstood and controversial aspects of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. The Bible mentions and demonstrates it on multiple occassions, and yet, like the other gifts of the Holy Spirit people sometime fear or ignore them due to their lack of understanding.
At EMPOWER NIGHT (March 2nd at 6pm) Pastor Justin teaches in detail how and why the gift of speaking in tongues is a gift for today and will build your faith in understanding how it works and how we access it. This is a night for skeptics and believers and everyone inbetween to come and hear and if you are ready to be prayed for to receive it.
This night will start with a powerful time of worship from the LWF worship team and everyone is invited and encouraged to come worship and hear the teaching.