Zachary Groff, Director of Advancement & Admissions
This week, we are thankful to God for our supporters and friends like you – for your prayer support, for your evident concern for our students, and for your Christian witness. As our seminary community grows, we praise God for new students, new supporters, new church relationships, and new opportunities to rejoice in His eternal faithfulness and obvious goodness to our school.
Millions of Americans will sit down with their families tonight to celebrate Thanksgiving together. However, as alumnus Pastor Nick Batzig (BD ’08) points out in a recent short article, many of us may be coming to the dinner table more anxious than thankful. For any one of a number of reasons, Thanksgiving can be a stressful time. There is encouragement in God’s Word, however.
The Apostle John wrote his third epistle to encourage a faithful believer confronted with unrighteous opposition from within his local Christian community. Though God’s revealed will for the church is that it would be a safe haven for believers, such was not the case for John’s dear friend. Perhaps you are facing a similar kind of conflict in your family, or even in your church this Thanksgiving season. If so, keep these truths from 3 John in mind:
- You are beloved of God (verses 1, 5, 11).
- Your expressions of love, hospitality, and support for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom are both “mission-critical” (verses 5-8) and grounds for holy rejoicing (verses 3-4).
- Christ our King will defend you (verses 9-10).
- You are called to persevere in the truth, just as the Holy Spirit fortifies your soul (verses 11-12).
May this Thanksgiving be a time of much rejoicing for you as you think much of Christ, and of the Father’s goodness to you in Him.
