CHW Ministry Learning Collab

The night before a child leaves home for a new adventure, a loving parent sits with them. Instead of giving one last lecture, the parent prays over them. They ask God to protect them, keep them close, help them stay true to what they have been taught, and remind them they are deeply loved. In John 17:20-21, Jesus does the same for His followers. Before going to the cross, He prays for us, asking that we would be united so the world would know God’s love.

A child receives a beautifully wrapped gift from someone who loves them. Instead of opening it, the child starts doing chores, trying to earn what was already freely given. The giver smiles and says, “You don’t have to work for this. I gave it because I love you.”

John 3 reminds us that God’s love and salvation are a gift. In John 3:16, we see that God loved the world so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, so whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. We do not receive this gift because we performed perfectly. We receive it by trusting the One who gave it. God’s love came first.

What is your reading plan for the rest of the year?

A community garden thrives when every person contributes their part. One person prepares the soil, another plants seeds, someone waters, and others pull weeds or harvest vegetables. The garden is healthiest when EVERYONE focuses on THEIR role instead of trying to do everyone else’s job. When people work together with humility, the garden becomes a place that feeds and blesses the WHOLE community.

Romans 12 is like that community garden. In Romans 12:1, Paul encourages believers to offer their lives to God as a living sacrifice. Just as gardeners dedicate their time and effort to caring for the garden, we dedicate our lives to God’s purposes. In 12:2, we are reminded to be transformed by renewing our minds, much like removing weeds so healthy plants can grow.

This chapter also teaches in 12:6 that each person has different gifts. Not everyone plants seeds BUT every role matters. Finally, Romans 12:10…