Walking Together in Our Faith Journey
By Pastor Hope Deutscher
First, I am excited by the opportunity to serve as pastor for Living Grace and Gran-Park-Rollag – and also now as interim Youth Director at GPR. In the last year, one of my passions has been learning more on how we teach about our faith and encourage one another to grow in it – especially with youth. Often, I think we are comfortable in learning basics of our faith and scripture/God. But then when pressed to delve into what does that mean for me? We get tense. It’s a normal reaction. So, how can we change that? The first step is to be aware of the stages of faith. Recently, during a Youth and Education meeting we talked about these faith stages and how we can walk with each other in and through them.
The Faith Stages are:
1) Recognizing God exists. I think of this as our Sunday School basics. Learning about God as creator.
2) Life of Discipleship – learning about God.
3) Productive Life – Faith is about working for God.
4) Journey Inward – We thought we had our life and faith questions figured out or resolved but then deeper questions arise. Most people find this to be a challenging place to be.
The Wall – (Between Stages 5 and 6): Our will meets God’s face to face and we can heal spiritually and emotionally. The wall invites us to work through our questions, longings and “baggage.”
5) The Journey Outward – We experience a new sense of call/vocation/ministry and a sense of peace. We have learned to trust God so completely that we are willing to let go.
6) The Life of Love – We continue to merge more clearly and deeply with the heart of God. Created in the image of God, we want to reflect God’s love.
The stages of faith are not linear, but a journey in which we can go back and forth – we can take two steps forward and then return to a previous stage as our life experiences bring us closer to God – or bring us to question our faith. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s about acknowledging where we are in our faith. Sunday School kids will most likely explore faith differently than a college student or young adult or parent or grandparent.
My prayer is that we can have ongoing conversations about our faith – and grow deeper in it together. I am looking forward to all of us walking together in our faith – and helping each other in whatever stage of faith we are in!
God’s peace and blessings to you,
Pastor Hope Deutscher
Other Sermons/Resources:
We Have Hope in a New Year and in the Good News of Christ
We Are A Transforming Church
Road to Emmaus Wellness Guide by Portico Health Benefits
Join an 8-week journey with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus as you contemplate your own well-being.
Do not be afraid! He is Risen! Sermon, April 12, 2020
We are Easter People Living in a Good Friday World (April 2020 Newsletter Article)
Contemplative Practices During Times of Anxiety
Faith Over Fear Sermon, Living Grace 3/15/20
By Pastor Hope Deutscher
First, I am excited by the opportunity to serve as pastor for Living Grace and Gran-Park-Rollag – and also now as interim Youth Director at GPR. In the last year, one of my passions has been learning more on how we teach about our faith and encourage one another to grow in it – especially with youth. Often, I think we are comfortable in learning basics of our faith and scripture/God. But then when pressed to delve into what does that mean for me? We get tense. It’s a normal reaction. So, how can we change that? The first step is to be aware of the stages of faith. Recently, during a Youth and Education meeting we talked about these faith stages and how we can walk with each other in and through them.
The Faith Stages are:
1) Recognizing God exists. I think of this as our Sunday School basics. Learning about God as creator.
2) Life of Discipleship – learning about God.
3) Productive Life – Faith is about working for God.
4) Journey Inward – We thought we had our life and faith questions figured out or resolved but then deeper questions arise. Most people find this to be a challenging place to be.
The Wall – (Between Stages 5 and 6): Our will meets God’s face to face and we can heal spiritually and emotionally. The wall invites us to work through our questions, longings and “baggage.”
5) The Journey Outward – We experience a new sense of call/vocation/ministry and a sense of peace. We have learned to trust God so completely that we are willing to let go.
6) The Life of Love – We continue to merge more clearly and deeply with the heart of God. Created in the image of God, we want to reflect God’s love.
The stages of faith are not linear, but a journey in which we can go back and forth – we can take two steps forward and then return to a previous stage as our life experiences bring us closer to God – or bring us to question our faith. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s about acknowledging where we are in our faith. Sunday School kids will most likely explore faith differently than a college student or young adult or parent or grandparent.
My prayer is that we can have ongoing conversations about our faith – and grow deeper in it together. I am looking forward to all of us walking together in our faith – and helping each other in whatever stage of faith we are in!
God’s peace and blessings to you,
Pastor Hope Deutscher
Other Sermons/Resources:
We Have Hope in a New Year and in the Good News of Christ
We Are A Transforming Church
Road to Emmaus Wellness Guide by Portico Health Benefits
Join an 8-week journey with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus as you contemplate your own well-being.
Do not be afraid! He is Risen! Sermon, April 12, 2020
We are Easter People Living in a Good Friday World (April 2020 Newsletter Article)
Contemplative Practices During Times of Anxiety
Faith Over Fear Sermon, Living Grace 3/15/20