United in peace, for the world, we are called to be and make disciples.

We are called both to follow Jesus and to help others follow him, and to do this together as a community. Throughout the Gospels we discover how diverse the group of early disciples was—from tax collectors to Zealots. This calling to follow Jesus together so that we may help others follow Jesus extends to the church today. We are called to unite in peace for the sake of the world to mobilize a multiethnic movement of disciples who make disciples across all ages.

This week our scriptural focus is Matthew 4:19-20. This text gives us a glimpse of what following Jesus really looks like—a life that comes under the authority of God, to live in an alternative kingdom, to live the life of heaven now, and join the Lord in the “renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28). This true following of the Lord calls us to be fishers of people.

Consider this week how the Evangelical Covenant Church, as a body, values this mission priority to make and deepen disciples. A key learning that Covenanters across the denomination have engaged in recently is the BLESS personal evangelism initiative. This evangelism pathway outlines a simple plan for helping people who may be far from God to move closer to the Lord who loves them and desires a relationship with them. Through beginning with prayer, listening with care, eating together, serving, and sharing our God story, life change can happen. To learn more about the BLESS initiative, at covchurch.org/bless.

May your church community be blessed today as you journey together through Matthew 4. May the God of peace bring your church family together around his purposes for the world. May we all be united in peace for the world as we are called to be and make disciples.