Vineyard Church | Weekly Update January 14th, 2025

Happy Wednesday Vineyard Fam!

One of the gifts of walking slowly through the life of Jesus together on Sundays is that we begin to notice patterns we might otherwise rush past. In the opening weeks of Following the Way, we’ve seen that before Jesus does anything; before He teaches, heals, or calls disciples, Scripture tells us who He is. The Word made flesh. The Beloved Son. Identity comes before action. Love before obedience. Presence before mission. That sequence matters, because most of us are trained to reverse it.

We live in a world that tells us we are what we produce, achieve, or prove. Even our faith can quietly slip into that pattern. We pray harder, serve more, try to do better, often without realizing that we’re still living from pressure rather than from belovedness. But the way of Jesus keeps slowing us down. Before movement, there is listening. Before obedience, there is trust. Before transformation, there is receiving.

And then, almost immediately, the story takes a turn. Jesus, freshly affirmed by the Father’s voice, doesn’t head into public success or visible ministry. He’s led into solitude. Hunger. Testing. The wilderness. This raises a question worth sitting with this week: What happens to the voice of belovedness when life gets quiet, hard, or demanding?

The wilderness doesn’t usually announce itself. It shows up as pressure. Fatigue. Temptation to handle things on our own. Subtle invitations to prove ourselves again, control outcomes, or take shortcuts that promise relief. That’s why formation can’t be a solo project. We need shared rhythms... Scripture read together, prayers spoken out loud, conversations that remind us what’s true when we forget. This is where small groups matter, not as another program to attend, but as spaces where we practice listening together, naming the pressures we’re under, and learning to trust God’s voice in community.

It’s also why we gather for things like our Stay Churchy prayer night. Not because prayer nights are magic, but because we believe showing up together, without agenda, without performance, trains us to depend on God rather than ourselves. Prayer re-centers us. It reminds us whose voice we’re listening for.

Practices for the Middle of the Week

Rather than adding more to your plate, here are a few practices meant to help you notice what’s already happening.

1. Pay attention to pressure.

When you feel rushed, anxious, or tempted to prove something, pause and ask: What is this moment asking me to trust? Pressure often reveals the story we’re living by.

2. Speak the truth out loud.

In a small group, with a friend, or even alone, name what feels challenging right now. Formation happens when what’s hidden is brought into the light.

3. Stay close on purpose.

Choose one communal rhythm this week... join a small group, come to prayer night, be at Sunday worship, and show up not to contribute, but to receive and engage. Let the shared life of the church carry you for a moment.

As we move forward in this series, the invitation remains steady. The way of Jesus is not learned all at once, it’s practiced over time. In worship, in community, in prayer, and sometimes in the wilderness., and we’re learning it together.

Stay close to Jesus. Stay rooted with His people. Stay churchy my friends.

 
Adam Greenwell
Lead Pastor
Vineyard Church
www.billingsvineyard.org