Charlie Kirk was an image bearer of God.

Like many of you, I’ve spent the afternoon and evening following the details of this unspeakable tragedy and praying for Charlie’s family.

Charlie was a fellow image bearer—a man created in the likeness of our God. His death is tragic, heinous, and wicked. It has left his wife widowed and his children without their father.

What has dismayed me just as much is the response of some Christians online. Hot takes like “the chickens came home to roost” or calling him a “martyr” and other comments like these are out of line. Christian, don’t let your politics blind you to evil. No one deserves violence— not children in schools, not politicians, not worshipers in churches, not people in public spaces, not even those you deeply disagree with.

Violence and hate are literally the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit.

For years, I’ve said it: conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats—every political party is fighting for its own kingdom, but none of them are the Kingdom of God.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only answer to the curse of sin in this world. Don’t lose sight of that truth in the darkness around us.

The Best Christmas Ever: Lessons from Simeon

As we finish our Advents series, we’ve drawn deep spiritual lessons from the wise men, Mary and Joseph, and the shepherds. Each character has taught us valuable truths:

the wise men showed us the importance of seeking the Lord
Mary reminded us of our need for a Savior
Joseph revealed the beauty of trusting God’s plan
and the shepherds demonstrated that joy comes from listening and acting on God’s message.

Now we turn our attention to someone often overlooked in the nativity story—Simeon. His life offers us timely lessons about patience, faith, and the true meaning of Christmas.

Simeon was a devout and righteous man who had been eagerly waiting for the “consolation of Israel.” The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah. One day, led by the Spirit, Simeon encountered Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus at the temple. Holding the child, Simeon declared powerful words that left Mary and Joseph in awe. From Simeon’s story, we glean three significant lessons for this Christmas season.

Simeon was expectant and full of hope. He diligently studied the Scriptures and prayed, longing for the Messiah. His life of anticipation teaches us the value of waiting on the Lord.

During the holiday rush, patience can run thin. Long lines and hectic schedules test us, but waiting is part of the season. Just as Simeon waited for the first coming of Christ, we too wait for His second coming. Let this Christmas be a reminder to embrace hope and anticipation.

Reflect on what you’re waiting for this season. Is it material gifts, or are you longing for spiritual renewal? Simeon wasn’t focused on worldly desires but on the coming of Christ. As we wait, let’s live holy lives, stay in prayer, and share the gospel. Christ’s return is the greatest gift we anticipate.

Simeon was moved by the Holy Spirit, allowing him to recognize Jesus as the Messiah instantly. His communion with God enabled him to see beyond the surface.

This Christmas, let the Holy Spirit fill your heart. When we’re filled with the Spirit, we see Jesus as the salvation and light of the world. The Spirit reveals truth and brings peace, even amidst chaos.

Imagine holding the Savior in your arms as Simeon did. The joy he felt was overwhelming, and his life felt complete. This Christmas, seek the same fulfillment by drawing closer to Christ. Let His light shine through you, pushing back the darkness.

After seeing Jesus, Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph. His words spoke of Christ’s destiny and the impact He would have on the world.

Christmas is a time to bless others. Just as Simeon blessed the Holy Family, we are called to speak life and encouragement to those around us. Generosity, love, and kindness are reflections of God’s love.

Think of ways to be a blessing this season. Can you offer your time, resources, or even a kind word? The more we bless others, the more we experience God’s abundant blessings in return.

Simeon’s story reminds us of the deeper meaning of Christmas. It’s not about the rush of shopping or the glitter of decorations—it’s about Christ, the light of the world. As we celebrate, let’s be expectant, filled with the Spirit, and ready to bless others.

May this Christmas be the best one ever because we remember the true reason for the season. Recommit your heart to God, live in holiness, and share His love with the world. Amen.

Get out and vote 2024!!

As a pastor and a preacher, I want to urge all Christians this election season: Get out and vote. I believe it is our duty as citizens of our state and country, but I also believe it’s especially important given the issues represented in this election. Many of these are not strictly “political.” They are moral and spiritual.

According to some studies, there are 90 million Christians who are eligible to vote in this country yet around 40 million of us do not vote and 15 million are not even registered. Over the last few weeks we have made clear that both candidates and political parties do not reflect the Kingdom of God, that is not a reason to neglect voting.

To that in we have decided to provide a voting guide that you can print off and take to the polls with you. This guide has the full ballot for our area including all the issues that we will be voting on. One mistake that I see over and over is that we think we are just voting on president when there is so much more that we will be deciding. Please download this resource and use it for the glory of God.

Be reminded, on Wednesday morning when we all wake up Christ will still be king regardless of who is elected to the White House. Though it’s important that every Christian votes, I believe America’s only hope is not found in whom we elect as president but in a spiritual awakening.

Before culture can experience an awakening, our church needs to experience revival. The future of our country will not be decided by the ballot box, but in the prayer closet. When God sees a problem in a nation, He doesn’t point His finger at the White House, He points it at His house.

Download your 2024 Election guide here!

Doing Church Together

Starting a new church can seem like a blank canvas, where anything is possible, but that reality is far from the truth. The church isn’t a fully customizable “iChurch” catering to personal preferences; it’s a community of believers—messy people, coming together to worship and follow Jesus. This idea is rooted in the early church, as seen in Acts 2:42-47, where the first church plant emerged.

In this passage, the early Christians gathered around God’s Word, shared life together, took communion, and prayed as a community. This was not about individual preferences but about unity in Christ—what I call “WeChurch.”

Gathering around God’s Word unites us despite our differences, centering us on Christ and the gospel. Doing life together means embracing both the joys and the messiness of our fellowship. Sharing meals and taking communion deepen our bonds, reminding us of Christ’s sacrifice and praying together strengthens our communal ties, keeping us aligned with God’s will.

What is the result? The church grows. As we live out God’s Word, share our lives in fellowship, and worship joyfully, we create a witness that draws others to Christ. In WeChurch, we grow together, in faith and in numbers, as we live out the calling of the early church.

Soul Tattoo: The church grows when we live out God’s Word, share our lives in fellowship, and are joyful in worship.

Malachi: A Call to Renew Our Relationship with God

Sunday, we finished finish up the Summer in the Minor Prophets and I hope that you’ve grown to know and love these books of the Bible and spend time in them — finding Jesus — and the joy that’s found only in him.

The Book of Malachi, the last of the Minor Prophets, serves as a crucial bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Delivered around 400 years before Christ, Malachi’s message addressed a spiritual rut that had taken hold of the people of Israel. Though the Temple had been rebuilt and life had returned to some semblance of normalcy, the people—and even the priests—had lost the joy of truly worshiping God.

Malachi’s prophetic words highlight the people’s decline in faithfulness. He condemns the priests for their corrupt practices, the people for their mixed marriages with foreigners, and their neglect in paying tithes and caring for the poor. The book is structured around a series of debates where God makes statements of truth, only for the people to respond with defensive questions, revealing their hardened hearts.

Despite their spiritual backsliding, Malachi emphasizes that God continues to speak, calling His people back to a genuine relationship with Him. This is not merely about religious routine but about restoring the reality of a close, heartfelt connection with God.

Malachi’s message is timeless: God speaks to us, not to condemn, but to correct and guide us back to Him. Our challenge is to listen, to remove the distractions that drown out His voice, and to cultivate a relationship that goes beyond mere religious formality. As Malachi reminds us, God will tell us what we need to hear, but we must be willing to listen.

Soli Deo Gloria

Pastor Jon Nelson

A Letter to Soma on recent Political Violence

Saturday evening (7/13) we witnessed an assassination attempt on a former President of the United States. Those words are written with significant weight and sadness but I am thankful to say the attempt was unsuccessful.

Over the coming days there will be lingering questions that will need to be answered but we can each agree that this was an act of pure evil that is not and cannot be justified. Violence is not the answer to political disagreements and murder, even attempted, and is called a sin unequivocally in Scripture.

We live in a deeply divided time where people from different political parties have true hatred in their hearts for others. I pray this incident will be a wakeup call that lowers the temperature of our political climate rather than raising it further-that their might be actual dialogue and decency and some starting place of mutual respect for each other’s humanity. The Lord Jesus came into this world and by His life, death, and resurrection, has overcome sin, death, and hell. His resurrection from the dead assures us that, in Him, we also will be raised and never die again.

Our hope and confidence can remain strong because the foundation on which they rest remains unmoved by the wickedness of this world. Now, more than ever, our world needs the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are that light (Matthew 5:14-16) and must stand firm in this evil day by putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18), which means that we must “put on Christ” (Romans 13:14)-we must let our faith in Him and all that He is for us be strengthened.

My prayer is that we will see this as an opportunity for the Church, as Christ’s Body in the world to lead by example in our faith and our speech and our conduct. Here are some ways we can lead as Christ-followers in this broken world

Faith

We continually hear language coming from both sides that “if the other guys wins, all is lost.” As believers, we know better than to put our faith in an election or any human leader. Jesus Christ is still on the throne and has never left, He is Lord, and He is grieved for the lostness in this world and as believers we have a job to do to reach out with the only hope we have, the Gospel.

Speech:

We must be careful in what we say, in what we post and in what we share. We must be aware of our voices on Social media and in real life. Also, parents this is a good time to talk to your children about the events they likely witnessed us watching in the last few days. Our post, voices, and focus will be seen by the watching world and in many respects are true reflects of our hearts (Luke 6:45, Matt.12-34 – 35)

Conduct:

Are we people whose lives reflect the transformational work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we seek to become more like Him every day? Conduct “worthy of the gospel” includes standing firm together in one spirit, striving for the faith of the gospel with one mind (1:27). Such conduct entails mutual love and concord, humility, and unselfishness (2:2–4). Rivalry, conceit, and self-interest are to be avoided, as well as grumbling and complaining (2:3–4, 14).

SCRIPTURE:

As I prayed about what Scripture to best use to begin our prayer time, I felt led to the words of Our Lord Jesus Himself in the Sermon on the Mount that we often call “The Beatitudes.”

“And He opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

– Matthew 5:2-12 (ESV)

GUIDED PRAYER

We should all stop to pray for President Trump and that those responsible will be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. We should pray for anyone else injured by this despicable incident.
For Donald Trump and the families who were harmed and most personally affected by the shooting
For leaders, those who are willing to serve in public office
For the Church
Commit to praying for our leaders, those who are willing to serve in public office, and appeal to our Lord that His reconciling work would be poured out on this nation to overcome the hatred that is so prevalent in our culture.”
For the Lord’s reconciling work to be poured out on this nation to overcome the hatred that is so prevalent in our culture.