When I launched this email list, the world had not yet turned upside-down.

My plan was to keep you all updated on what is coming up with Salt Church. But as we all have experienced, a lot of stuff has been put on hold - including interest meetings and other target dates I have had.

Honestly, I've struggled with what to make this email now that we have been living in a new environment in the past 6-8 weeks.

I'm sure you all, like me, are more than inundated with Coronavirus emails.

In addition, I know many of you are part of Desert Springs, where the staff has been sending out daily devotionals to keep you encouraged during this season. 

So my plan is to try to get back to normal, as hopefully normalcy is right around the corner (May 15 - if I knew how to add a "fingers crossed" emoji here, I would).

In previous emails, I have gone over our mission and vision. Behind those two things are the values in which Salt Church will operate.

Values are things we hold tightly. Things we strive for. Things that are not compromised under any circumstance.

We have 4 values.

Each Monday for the next 4 weeks, I'll cover one of the four values.
 

Value #1 - Daily seek to have communion with God.
 

Planting a church is interesting. As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, "there is nothing new under the sun."

Evangelism, discipleship, outreach, the weekend service - you name it - there's millions of ideas on how to properly execute things for growth.

We can do discipleship better than any other church around us. We can reach the lost better than I could ever imagine. We can have the friendliest greeters on earth. But none of that means anything if we are not growing in holiness.

When you became a Christian (or, will become a Christian), you were brought into "union" with Christ. We are "in Christ." He is the vine, we are the branches.

Our union is all about what Christ did on the cross, not about what we might feel on a given day.

That's where "communion" comes in. Because of our union, we are able to enjoy communion with God.

I'm not talking about getting up every morning with bread and juice (the sacrament), but instead spending time with God, dwelling in His Word, meditating on His promises. Enjoying Him.

What does your day look like? Is there a time dedicated to slowing down and spending time with God? Even if it's simply 15 minutes.

For me, that has to happen before my kids wake up or else it won't happen. For my wife, that looks better during nap time. Either way - it's intentional time.

Let us be a people who first and foremost slow down and seek God. Let us be a people who allow God to guide us - not pragmatic principles on how to do church.

Let's let our ability to spend time with God give us direction on how to engage in personal discipleship, how to reach our community, how to greet a new guest, etc.

This week, spend some intentional time with God each day. Read His word. Pray. Listen to music (this song is a jam!). Sit in silence and simply listen.

Whatever God has for Salt Church to develop into, I hope more than anything it's a people who daily seek to spend time in God's presence.

Let that mark the decisions we make - whether personally or as a church.

- Michael