DINING WITH SINNERS
WITH (prep) function word to indicate manner of action
An Edible Future?
Here is follow up to Josh’s Year in Review – a look into the future. I love the imagery that Josh uses to describe what may be for Matthew’s Table.
Well, now that we have celebrated how far we have come, it is probably best to take the time and look forward to where we are going. If we have no vision for our future, then we will become stagnant and useless, no longer an effective tool for Christ in our community, which is something none of us desire to be. So, let us try to at least paint a general idea of where we are going this upcoming year.
2010 could easily become a year of mission trips. Michael, who has been laying the foundations with other missionaries, has provided numerous opportunities for Matthew’s Table (MT) to go WAY out of their comfort zone and minister to people who are not like us. These trips are an amazing growing experience, and those who go on them WILL have their hearts and minds transformed in a way that is hard to describe to those who have not experienced it. In short, join one of these mission trips or miss out on a life changing event.
I really expect to see growth in the MT community this year. We have seen steady growth over last year, but I believe that this year our growth will be much more explosive. Knowing this, we need to have our current family prepare themselves to be leaders to the new members of our community. Michael and I have no desire to leave our group in a state of infancy forever. We expect you to grow in maturity in your faith so that you may better enjoy your relationship with Him.
We have a lot on our plate—but if you don’t eat, you can not grow can you? Hopefully, you are like me and you have your fork in your hand, a bib around your neck, and drool running down your chin as you wait in eager anticipation for what this year could hold. Bon appétit!
Michael Carpenter
Michael is an urban church planter in the Argenta Arts District of North Little Rock. He and his wife Amanda have been married since 2003 and have two children – Austin and Max. Michael is an entrepreneur, missiologist, and chef.
attending Matthew’s Table for the last year has definitely been a blessing for me and has helped me to grow spiritually in many ways. It has whetted my appetite for God’s word and for further service in His plans for Lebanon and elsewhere. I only wish I could have become involved in a community of faith like this 30 years ago. I pray that Josh is right and that our church will grow and be a blessing to all who come in contact with us. May God bless Michael and Josh as they lead this church into the future. Peace and love to all.