A Pastoral Word | January

By Jeremy King

January 1, 2025

Dear The Way Church Family,

Five years ago in January 2020, we did our first month of prayer together. I remember walking down Commercial Drive and across Cambie Bridge in the rain, praying for the upcoming launch of The Way Church and for the kingdom of God to expand in Vancouver.  Some of you were on those walks!  

I try to do a walk down memory lane via social media at the end of each year, and this time it was particularly hard to process all that’s taken place since those early prayer walk days. What is freshly obvious to me, as we head into another year, is that God has answered so many prayers. He has answered prayers we prayed in January 2020. God has been actively at work amongst us. 

This past Sunday I was leading worship at our North Vancouver site and we sang the old Delirious song, “Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble.” The words in the pre-chorus are: 

And we can see that God you’re moving

A mighty river through the nations 

When young and old will turn to Jesus 

And here we see that God, you're moving

A time of jubilee is coming

When young and old return to Jesus

Sometimes it is hard to see how God is at work. Sometimes we go through personal seasons of life where we don’t experience the personal breakthrough that we’re looking for. However, when we live in community and when we stay connected to Jesus' body, it is, in my estimation, nearly impossible to deny the fact that He is at work all around us. This year, I feel very grateful that I get to be part of this community. It’s been through you that I’ve been reminded of God’s active presence. 

I found myself on Sunday, and while scrolling through The Way’s social media, unable to deny that His presence has gone with us and that He is moving in power. In the last five years and over this past season we have continued to see young and old return to Jesus. We are seeing captives set free. We’re seeing more joy and more peace and more righteous living springing up all around us. 

Perhaps you’re in a season where it’s tougher to see this. My prayer is that you would experience Christ’s presence with you this coming year through community, and that as you lean in, you would have eyes to see that God is at work, even during times when we struggle to recognize it. 

—

On January 12th we will be stepping into 21 days of focused prayer as a church community. It’ll be the 6th time we’ve set aside space in January to pray! Our team will be sending out lots more info about this soon, but I do want to invite you to take part in it in some way. There'll be more opportunities to walk in the rain, pray over zoom on lunch breaks and seek God together in buildings across the city. 

Five years in, I feel more aware than ever that if God does not go with us, all our work is useless. However, He is with us - even to the end of the age - and amazingly we get to partner with Him in prayer to see His work go forward in our time. What a privilege that is. 

Excited to pray with you, and for all that God is going to do in 2025. 

Much love and Happy New Year!

Jeremy and the pastoral team at The Way 

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