August 27, 2026

Dear Central Church,

This week, I gathered with pastors from around the country for some meetings, and in a passing conversation, someone asked me about the health of our church. I think they were curious about some of the statistics we typically use to measure church health, but my first reaction was to simply say, “There is a clear sense of God’s presence in our worship.” I can’t measure it, but I can feel it.

There are many themes in the story of the Exodus, but if I had to choose one, the answer would be easy: worship. As we journey through this story, I’m sure you’ll see it: the first demand of Moses to Pharaoh is about leaving Egypt to “celebrate a festival unto the Lord.” The people worship in song after they pass through the Red Sea. The 10 Commandments at Mt. Sinai is about an encounter with a holy God. Worship is on every page of the Exodus story. 

We call the thing we do on Sunday mornings, “Worship,” but worship doesn’t just happen on Sundays. One of our core values is Passionate Worship, which we’ve defined as “our whole life response to who God is and what he has done for us.” As we gather in worship, we are inhaled into the life of a holy God and at the benediction we are exhaled into the world to be a holy people. Our lives throughout the week become the ultimate response to this worship encounter we’ve had with the Lord. 

This Sunday, Pastor Bethany Acre takes us to the encounter that Moses had with the Lord at the burning bush (Exodus 3). God invites Moses to wonder in worship, revealing his divine name and the mission he has for him. When we experience the Lord’s presence, it transforms us. Moses is moved into mission through the wonder of worship. 

Let’s keep Pastor Bethany in our prayers as she brings the Word, but also as she prepares to go on sabbatical. For the next 5 weeks, she will have the chance to rest (an act of worship), and we are confident that the Lord will use this time of Sabbath to renew her for the calling he has on her life. 

By the way, since Pastor Bethany is preaching, I get to do something I don’t normally get to do: sing in the choir! If you’re capable of a joyful noise, you should join me. Rehearsal is at 8am before the first worship service at 9am. 

One more thing: we’re going to introduce a new song that our friend at College Church of the Nazarene, Katie Rose Wiessand, has written entitled “Worship in Wonder.” It was the theme for Nazarene Youth Conference, and I hope that you’ll give it a listen this weekend as you prepare for worship.

On the Journey Together,
Pastor Mark