New Year, New Church
No, this is not an advocacy for annual church-hopping.
Reflection
Looking Back (Forward?)
As I sit here and write thank you notes to my fellow members of Riviera Baptist Church, I can’t help but feel a benevolent grief. Sad happy? There’s got to be a Scandinavian word for it.
(Editor Chris here) Turns out there is a word for it in English: wistful.
I know that within this next calendar year I will no longer be a member of this church (8 months to be precise). I won’t see these people I love every week, sometimes twice a week! I know I’ll be in the same areas as them, and of course I’ll see them with the Lord. But, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the church’s response to Paul when he left for ministry knowing he wouldn’t return and they would never see each other again.
“And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again” - Acts 20:37-38
That is how I want to leave. With the exception that I do still plan on seeing these brothers and sisters again.
So why so serious? What good does it do to reflect on the coming reality? Tomorrow has its own troubles. This is true. But, it offers something of great significance for the present. In the words of Andy Bernard, “I wish there was a way to know it was the good old days before you left them.” This kind of reflection, one that my wife and I do often especially with small children, offers us that opportunity. To slow down and realize we are in the good old days.
This helps us to really savor the moments we have with our church family, knowing they will be coming to a close.
I understand this is a luxury. Not everyone gets to have a date set when they’re moving on from what they’ve known. Sadder still, I know not everyone will leave something they’re sad to leave. But, I praise God that I get to grieve saying goodbye to good people I love this year.
Leaving
The hardest part of the work we’re doing (my wife, children, pastor, and church) is not all the service, life-sharing, discipling, praying, reading, writing, teaching and preaching. The hardest part is knowing that the better we do this, the more it’s going to hurt.
I was given advice a long time ago that I’ve reconfigured a little bit. The advise was that it’s okay to leave when you’re doing it in tears. What I’ve taken it to mean now is that it can be an indicator that you’re leaving something for the right reasons when it hurts to say goodbye. While I’m not sure this is what he meant when he said it to me then, I certainly feel it now.
This means that ideally a person shouldn’t be torching the bridge and fleeing gleefully into the night to another place they can burn down. Neither does it mean that just because something hurts that it is a bad thing. When children grow up it hurts parents. When they move out or get married it hurts. It’s a good hurt.
We want a good hurt.
Looking Forward
With that in mind, we want to make the best use of our time as we prepare for the launch of Coram Deo in August, Lord willing. We want to continue investing seriously into the people here at Riviera Baptist Church, our family. Soaking up the wisdom they have, laughing together, and contributing to something we will be proud to say goodbye to.
Additionally, I am looking forward to the pressing matter, which is our last interest meeting happening January 11th at 5:30 pm. If you’ve been following Coram Deo Baptist Church for any amount of time, you’ve heard or read about this meeting.
Why is it important?
It’s important for two reasons. Reason one, we want to have all our cards on the table for anyone who would consider joining or supporting us. It can be tempting to leverage the excitement and glitz of a new church plant to glaze over the nuts and bolts. However, among other reasons, the nuts and bolts eventually show after the glitz wears off.
Reason two, it will mark the end of this stage and the beginning of the new stage of our church planting journey. We will begin in February a weekly gathering that is intended to concentrate our core team, unifying around vision, doctrine, practices, and purpose. While that might sound intimidating, what it really works out to is helping equip everyone to understand and embody what it means to be a healthy member of a church. We want to make sure our core is healthy so that we have the best framework we can before we launch and others begin joining us. From February to launch in August we will be preparing our hearts, forming relationships, and ironing everything we can out before the big day.
Once August comes around, we will officially constitute around a covenant, constitution, and by-laws. The team will come together as charter members of the church, partake of the Lord’s Table, and then vote. Voilà, a church! To God be praise!
This means that the window to join is closing. Training is an important part of our preparation so we have to cut it off with enough time to get through the material.
We will be using the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith as well as John Owen’s book Duties of Christian Fellowship to guide our meetings as we discuss theology and practice. Both of which are stacked on my coffee table in my office, giving me hives from excitement.
Reading Challenge
One fun thing I was inspired to do this year was to create a list of books I wanted to read in 2026. Instead of just picking a number I picked out each book. Lots of theology, some allegory, some history, one culture piece, and a few Puritans. I thoroughly believe that learning is an expression of our design and is the intended means of us growing in richer understanding and worship of the God who created us. These books will prove to be encouraging and helpful supplements to God’s Word (I’m not denying the sufficiency of God’s Word I swear!).
I’ll include my list here below.
2026 Reading Goal
The Wonderful Works of God - Bavinck
From the Protestant Reformation to the Southern Baptist Convention - Ascol
Tactics - Koukl
If You Bite and Devour One Another - Strauch
Conversion - Lawrence
Amusing Ourselves to Death - Postman
A Heart Aflame for God - Bingham
The Fear of God - Bunyon
Pilgrim's Progress - Bunyon
Puritan Evangelism - Beeke
The Bondage of the Will - Luther
The Art of Prophesying - Perkins
Training Other Men in the Local Church - Martin
The Necessity of Accommodation and the Danger of Compromise - Ascol
How to Lead Your Family - Beeke
The Redeemed Man - Beeke
Maybe you could put together a few books you want to commit to reading this year. I’d love to hear what yours would include.
Prayer Requests
Pray for a brother and pastor Michael Auayan who is in need of new housing for his family. Their current living situation has shifted and they’re trying to find a place to rent in Leavenworth Washington.
Pray for Riviera Baptist Church and pastor Matt as we begin training our church on biblical leadership, that God will raise up qualified men for the offices of Elder and Deacon.
Pray for the church plant interest meeting this Sunday. We want God to be glorified, people to be edified, and for God to put it in the hearts of those who should join this new work with Coram Deo Baptist Church.
