January 3, 2025
Dear Resurrection Family,
As we began the new year this week, I spent time on New Year’s Eve reflecting on 2024, looking over photos, and thinking about the events of the year. There were so many blessings, yet also some adversity; there was much joy but also some deep sorrow and grief. This week a friend reminded me of the words of Andraé Crouch, “through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.” That captures how we live as followers of Jesus.
The new year already began with tragedy in New Orleans. Yesterday the sorrow was closer to home. A close friend lost her father yesterday. Then, last night, I spoke with another dear friend, Chuck Bloom, whose wife of 66 years, Mary, had just passed away. They have been like surrogate parents to LaVon and me. Through tears LaVon and I prayed with Chuck. Yet in the midst of sorrow, there was hope. Mary and Chuck had learned to trust in Jesus, they’d learned to trust in God.
There are 362 days left in the new year. There will be many blessings and some adversity, a lot of joy and some sorrow, too. Let’s make the most of these 362 days as we trust in, walk with, love, and serve Jesus in the year ahead.
THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
As we gather together for our first worship weekend of the new year, Epiphany weekend, we’ll be concluding our series on Matthew’s account of Christmas by looking to the story of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3. LaVon and I have been out of town this week. Pastor Scott Chrostek will be preaching at Leawood, online and on television, and via video at Resurrection Downtown and Blue Springs. Resurrection Location Pastors Bill Gepford will preach at West, Suzy Ayres at Overland Park, Wendy Lyons Chrostek at Brookside, Angie McCarty at Spring Hill, and Shannon Starek at Liberty.
If we receive a significant amount of snowfall Saturday night/Sunday morning, we are planning to only hold the 11 am services live on Sunday at our locations (10 am at Liberty) to allow for roads to be cleared, and we’ll suggest that only those confident in your driving and with four-wheel drive attempt to make it to worship in person. Use your best judgment. If you can’t make it out, you can join us for services online Saturday at 5 pm, or Sunday at 7:30, 9, 11 am or 5 pm. Television services on KMCI 38 are at 8 and 11 am, and on KSMO 62 at 9 am. If we decide to make this call, we will send out an email early Sunday morning.
BEGINNING JANUARY 11/12: THE PEOPLE JESUS LOVED
This week, while on vacation, I’ve spent a little time watching four episodes of the popular streaming television series, The Chosen. It tells the story of Jesus’ ministry as he dines with tax-collectors and sinners, heals the sick, feeds the hungry, befriends the lonely, and literally loves everybody. But the series also creates interesting backstories for the gospel characters. I’ve read the gospel stories hundreds of times but found myself deeply moved by the way the series brings the stories to life.
Beginning the weekend of Jan. 11/12, I’ll be sharing a sermon series that looks at Jesus’ ministry using scenes from the first season of
The Chosen and the Gospel scriptures as we explore,
The People Jesus Loved. We’ll begin by looking at the story of Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. We’ll then turn to the story of Jesus’ healing of a leper. Next, we’ll look at Jesus’ ministry with the woman at the well who had been divorced five times, and who became the first evangelist to the Samaritan people. And finally, we’ll look at Matthew, the tax collector, and his conversion to Christ. This powerful series is filled with meaning for our lives today, and I hope you’ll invite your friends to join you.
Here’s a link to a video promo that you can share.
On Wednesday nights beginning Jan. 15, we’ll be showing the entire episode of
The Chosen that we’ve drawn from for the weekend sermon. We’ll invite you to sit around tables, and I’ll lead you in table conversations about the gospel story and how the producers of
The Chosen interpreted it. This is a great way to make new friends and or to invite your friends and neighbors who are not in a small group to join you! I think you’ll really enjoy this! To find out more about the Wednesday evening offering at our locations and online,
click here.
RESET 2025: MAKE THIS THE BEST YEAR YET!
Ready to begin the new year with renewed purpose? Want to develop strategies to deepen your spiritual life, discover your authentic calling and create a concrete plan for the year ahead? Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 pm, when celebrated speaker Cheyanne Skeldon will share practical ways to align your life with God’s vision and create a practical framework for living with renewed purpose and energy in 2025. You can attend in person at Resurrection Leawood, via livestream at other Resurrection locations (childcare provided), or online from home. To learn more and register,
click here.
FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY AT RESURRECTION LOCATIONS
Financial Peace University is a comprehensive program that teaches time-tested, biblical principles for managing money effectively, and thanks to the generosity of a donor, Resurrection is able to offer the course materials at no cost. You can participate at one of four Resurrection locations or online beginning this month. Led by experienced facilitators, the course equips you with practical tools, coaching, and resources to help you create and stick to a budget, get out of debt, save for emergencies, invest for retirement, and develop a generous mindset. Whether you’re a high school or college student just starting to budget, an adult looking to tackle debt, or someone nearing retirement, Financial Peace University is for you!
Here is the link to select a location and register.
JOIN A SMALL GROUP IN 2025
If one of your resolutions or goals for the coming year is to get connected and grow in your faith, consider joining a small group launching this month. Small groups are opportunities to deepen your relationship with God alongside others seeking the same. They provide a welcoming space for everyone to study Scripture, share life’s challenges and victories, and grow spiritually together. With flexible meeting times and childcare options available, there’s never been a better moment to take this next step and discover what it means to truly grow in community. Learn more and register
here.
MLK SERVE EVENTS JAN. 18 AND 20
Register
here today for one of our MLK Serve Events on Saturday, Jan. 18 or Monday, Jan. 20. In the spirit of Dr. Martin King Jr.’s powerful vision of social justice, equality, and community empowerment, we will honor his legacy by rolling up our sleeves to make a meaningful difference in our community. Events are designed as easy, low-commitment ways to make a positive impact on your neighbors in the metro area. Find out more about the many ways to serve
here.
CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S PODCAST
In this week’s episode of my
Making Sense of Faith podcast, with limited staff, I decided to record a 15-minute reflection on the evolution of the Christmas Eve Sermon – I preached it 12 times in five days, and each day the sermon changed a bit. I then show the live version from 5 pm at Resurrection Leawood.
Next week we’ll turn to questions of faith. Tuesday’s episode will be, “In Praise of Honest Doubt.”
You can download episodes of Making Sense of Faith on your favorite podcast app, or click here to watch or listen to this as well as earlier episodes and to sign up to be notified when a new episode is released.
CHRISTMAS EVE FINAL NUMBERS
Christmas Eve is our largest service(s) of the year, and our biggest opportunity to reach people. I’m asked each year, “How many people attended Christmas Eve?” Since so many people join us on television the numbers vary each year depending on which stations air the Christmas Eve worship. Our in-person attendance at all locations was 32,427, up just over 1,200 from last year. Online we had 12,139 up 2,295 from last year. On television, we had a total of 155,254 for the eight airtimes in the Kansas City area. Our total attendance for Christmas Eve was 197,820. Thank you to all of our volunteers and staff who made this happen! What an opportunity to share the light of Christ!
CELEBRATIONS IN 2024
As I looked back there were so many things that I was thankful for in 2024. These included the exciting additions and renovations for children and students at our locations related to Generation to Generation (Leawood’s will all be this year). I reflected on the work Resurrection did to help positively shape our denomination and the changes that happened at General Conference. I thought of our Do Unto Others campaign and its impact in our city, but also that as many as 1,000 other churches joined us across America. I was thinking of the people who came to faith, those who experienced Christ’s love through your ministry, the impact you’ve had on Kansas City and well beyond, and the launch of two new locations in 2024, and all of this was just scratching the surface. I’m so proud of you, Resurrection, and the way you seek to live the gospel personally and collectively!
Looking forward to 2025!
Adam