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We are Continuing the Articles by Emily Anderson about Ruth
this is her third article and it will be split into two sections. Section 1 - To say that the third chapter of Ruth is complicated to properly navigate would be an understatement. This chapter is filled with various elements such as uncommon and unexpected advice, an unscheduled yet strategically planned late night rendezvous, a blessing of barley, and a solid vow solely contingent upon a future conversation which held Ruth and Naomi’s future “precariously” in the balance. However, one aspect of Ruth that rings throughout the chapter – that many people may miss – is the element of profound trust that is present. Yes, Ruth trusted Naomi – despite her unconventional and odd advice to surprise Boaz, where he was sleeping, in the middle of the night, after he had been drinking – and followed her advice. However, in this chapter of Ruth, Ruth’s high level of trust arguably rests mainly with Boaz. This truth is clearly seen in the simple fact that Ruth – who has been working in Boaz’s field and has observed firsthand his generosity, kindness, thoughtfulness, care, and character – agrees to follow Naomi’s questionable advice (without question) to the letter. If Ruth had observed Boaz being a tyrant of an employer, a brute of a man who was unkind, rigid, miserly, arrogant, and stingy with expressing praise and admiration, it is difficult to imagine that she would agree to Naomi’s plan seemingly without hesitation, reluctance, or trepidation. After Naomi discloses her carefully constructed plan, Ruth’s only recorded reply is “All that you have said, I will do” (v. 5). Then, she simply does everything that Naomi instructed her to do (v. 6)! I, honestly, do not think that Ruth would have been able to respond with complete and immediate obedience if she observed Boaz being anything other than the overwhelmingly loving, thoughtful, compassionate, gracious, and attentive man of God that he clearly was. The truth is that though Boaz was observing Ruth, Ruth was most probably doing the same of Boaz. Just as Boaz knew of Ruth’s character – via observation and her reputation proceeding her – Ruth knew of Boaz’ character through similar means. Although it is not mentioned in Ruth and it is imperative to never read into God’s Word what is not plainly there, I think that it is difficult to imagine Boaz’ workers and the other women who gleaned in his field not freely discussing the nature of Boaz’ character.
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The Following is a guest article written by Emily Anderson. Emily is a member at Wazeecha and has two theological degrees, one from The Baptist University of Florida and the other from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We are grateful for her expertise in the Old Testament book of Ruth which she shares with us:
Though the individual who best exhibited love in the first chapter of Ruth was undeniably Ruth herself, the individual who arguably exhibited love best in chapter two is none other than Boaz. “As it happens,” throughout the second chapter, we see Boaz’ godly character fuel his ability to exude love. Chapter two highlights how Boaz not only leads with love, but how every aspect of his life reflects a legacy building type of love. This is evident in every recorded interaction that Boaz has with others. Through this close look at Boaz’ interactions with others, we see six attributes of legacy building love. 1. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one whose speech and actions are richly seasoned with kindness and thoughtfulness. We see this displayed in Boaz’ initial exchange with his employees. Coming in from Bethlehem, Boaz greets his employees by speaking blessing over them (v. 4); which means that, upon returning to his portion of the field, the first words out of his mouth were blessings to those that the Lord has put under his charge. Why? Because legacy building love seeks to bless others through speech that is flavored with kindness. 2. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one who is attentive to others and their situations. This truth is seen clearly in how Boaz’ first question – after greeting his employees – is in regards to Ruth – the new woman gleaning in his portion of the field. This reveals Boaz’ attentiveness because only someone who had been paying careful attention to not only his field but who gleaned in it would recognize that someone new was present. Also, although it is imperative to never say something of Scripture that it is not stating, I wonder if how Boaz phrases his inquiry about Ruth also speaks volumes about his character and compassion toward others. Instead of asking who she is Boaz asks, “Whose young woman is this?” (v. 5). I believe that maybe Boaz asked in this manner in order to gain an understanding of her situation and whether or not this new woman gleaning in his field was part of a community or not. 3. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one who desires to protect, care, and provide for others. This beautiful truth is seen in how Boaz responds to the revelation that the new woman gleaning in his field is the same woman that has been talked about throughout town (chapter 1 v. 19 & chapter 2 v. 6) – who sojourned with her mother-in-law to Bethlehem from Moab. Upon receiving this information, Boaz immediately tells Ruth to stay in his field and glean so that she can remain safe from harassment (v. 8) and so that he could continue to ensure not only her safety, but also provide ample provisions for her as she gleaned (vv. 15-16). 4. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one who sees people holistically. This timeless truth is reflected in how Boaz’ responds to Ruth questioning the reason behind his profound kindness toward her (v.10). Ruth could not comprehend how a Jewish man could see her as anything more than a Moabite or foreigner. Boaz simply explains that he knows of everything that she has sacrificed in order to care for her mother-in-law (such as leaving her home, her family, her people, and everything she has ever known for a foreign land of which she had only heard of). In other words, Ruth asks why Boaz is kind to her a mere foreigner and Boaz’ reply is that a mere foreigner is not all he sees. When Boaz sees Ruth, he sees more than her ethnicity and origin story. He sees her character. He sees her love. He sees her devotedness. He sees her kindness. He sees her compassion. He sees her resilience. He sees her bravery. He sees her strength. He sees her new found faith in the God of Israel. Boaz tells Ruth he sees her whole story because Boaz sees all of her, and in seeing all of her, Boaz sees someone that he strongly desires to bless lavishly and continuously. 5. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one who recognizes legacy building love in others. Once the truth of who Ruth was, was revealed to Boaz, he realized that the woman who was before him was the same woman whose story of strength, faith, and love was being shared throughout the town. When Boaz heard of Ruth, he knew that she was one who was building a legacy of love. He knew because he, too, was doing so. Why? Because legacy building love recognizes legacy building love in others. Ruth’s love and strength of character were clear to Boaz because he was intimately familiar with those same life-affirming and life-enriching attributes. 6. Someone who exhibits legacy building love is one who is generous with love and constantly strives to live out kindness and compassion in one’s blessing of others. Boaz could have easily just blessed Ruth lavishly at their initial meeting, but Boaz takes it upon himself to continuously bless her lavishly (vv. 15-16). By caring for Ruth in this way, Boaz exemplifies the importance of blessing others not only once, but seeking out ways to implement the rich blessing of others into our daily lives, even and especially in ways in which they are not privy. Although all of these six attributes of someone building a legacy of love are crucial, I have to admit that the fourth one – seeing people holistically – is my favorite. This attribute is my favorite for several reasons but mostly because I can’t help but think of how the Lord – in His sovereignty – had Boaz be a descendant of Rahab – a foreigner and a former prostitute. It always makes me smile when I picture Ruth’s bafflement in how Boaz could she beyond her ethnicity and origin. Little did she know that this same Boaz who was standing before her was a descendant of another foreigner who was also grafted into the people of God. Little did either of them know, that they both would be a part of the lineage of the Messiah, Christ the Lord – the single, greatest legacy of love builder that ever did, does, and ever will live. The Following is a guest article written by Emily Anderson. Emily is a member at Wazeecha and has two theological degrees, one from The Baptist University of Florida and the other from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We are grateful for her expertise in the Old Testament book of Ruth which she shares with us:
Happy Valentine’s Day! On a day when many of us embrace the tradition of honoring those we love and the love that we have for one another, I think that it’s definitely fitting to look within Scripture for a passage that highlights love done well. Now, most, if not all, of you are probably thinking that I talking about what has been coined “The Love Chapter” or 1 Corinthians 13. However, there is an Old Testament story in Scripture that teaches us about the beauty, strength, and determination of love – the book of Ruth. Within this short four-chapter book, is the story of a woman who survives a shocking amount of grief, but is restored to joy through the Providence and the love of God exhibited through a relentlessly, loving daughter-in-law. Many times, when we look at the book of Ruth, we see a romantic love story about a foreign woman and an Israelite man. However, when we do that, we completely miss the beautifully inspiring story behind the story. We miss the fact that the reason why Ruth becomes a part of the lineage of Christ is because she first loved her mother-in-law and refused to leave her side when she needed her most. It is this pure, relentless, selfless love that birthed the famous speech that is quoted at countless weddings and proposals. It is this unwavering commitment to loving her mother-in-law through her darkest and most difficult season that Ruth exemplifies how we are to love others. In chapter one alone, Ruth exhibits three crucial elements of how to truly love someone through an exceedingly difficult time.
As we enjoy our Valentine’s Day, may we remember Ruth and the beautifully stubborn example she lived out of love. As we continue in our journey at Wazeecha, we want to take steps to strengthen our church for future challenges. We may not be able to hire staff members to do all that we want, but we can develop our own leaders. We will begin a discussion at our upcoming quarterly meeting about developing elders.
One of the key elements of church governance we find in the New Testament is the concept of elders. Elders are spiritual leaders who provide guidance, wisdom, and accountability within the congregation. Introducing elders into our church could be a positive step forward to develop our church's leadership. Scriptural Foundation This concept is firmly rooted in the Scriptures. 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and Acts 14:23, highlight the qualifications and roles of elders. Additionally, examples from the early church, permeate the activities of early church mission. Elders can be seen actively shepherding the New Testament church and guarding its doctrine. Practical Rationnale As mentioned above, churches of larger sizes will hire staff members that serve youth, children, and music. Often these staff members have certain training that make them right for specialized tasks. Smaller churches cannot hire out all their needs so leadership must be developed. Our Plan At our upcoming quarterly meeting, we will discuss these thoughts and have discussions about if that is right for Wazeecha. Possible discussions might include: 1. Scriptural and Historical Context: We will look into the biblical foundation for elders in the church, emphasizing the importance of aligning our governance with God's Word. 2. Practical Application: We will discuss the benefits of introducing elders, such as providing spiritual leadership, congregational guidance, healthy transitions over time. 4. Nomination and Selection: We will outline a plan for nominating and selecting elders within our congregation, allowing for transparency and congregational involvement. 5. Responsibilities: We will clarify the roles and responsibilities of elders, focusing on teaching, shepherding, and overseeing the church as demonstrated by gifts, training, and calling. 6. Timetable: If the need is determined by the congregations, we will set a timeline for the evaluation process, with the goal of implementing this change over the next year. 7. Feedback: All along the way we will discuss questions and concerns. We would rather go through all these things together as a healthy congregation, so we will take our time and talk our way through. We believe that this step forward could strengthen us for the days ahead of us. For that reason, we ask for your prayers at every point along the way. Scriptures for Review Here are several scriptures that provide the rationale for having elders in the church: 1 Timothy 3:1-7: This passage outlines the qualifications for overseers (another term for elders). It emphasizes the importance of having spiritually mature and exemplary leaders in the church. Titus 1:5-9: Similar to 1 Timothy, this passage discusses the qualifications for elders and their role in maintaining doctrinal faithfulness and discipline within the church. Acts 14:23: In this verse, we see Paul and Barnabas appointing elders in every city where they planted churches. It demonstrates the New Testament practice of having elders as leaders in local congregations. Acts 20:17-38: This passage offers a model of elder leadership within a modified-congregational framework. It shows the responsibilities of elders in teaching, guarding, and shepherding the flock. Hebrews 13:17: This verse emphasizes the importance of submitting to church leaders who will give an account for their oversight. It highlights the role of elders in governance. 1 Peter 5:1-5: Peter's instructions to elders and the church emphasize the importance of humility and service in leadership, contrasting it with lording over the congregation.  You are invited to an extraordinary event that seeks to enrich and strengthen one of the most cherished bonds in our lives - marriage. As a church dedicated to supporting our community, we realize our families need support. That means strengthening marriages, fostering love, understanding, and grace, we are thrilled to announce our upcoming event, "A Journey From ‘I’ to ‘Us’: Navigating the Marriage Path."
Date: September 29-30th Time: Fri 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Sat 10-Noon Location: Church at Wazeecha, 8016 County Rd. FF, Wisconsin Rapids Register Here The Objective: This event is designed exclusively for couples seeking to deepen their connection and understanding within their relationships. By learning personal insights and then the dynamics of our interpersonal partnerships, we can strengthen the marriages we have. Why Attend? This event is a unique opportunity for you and your partner to: • Use insightful tools for personal and relational awareness. • Use these insights to build a foundation of understanding. • Discover effective ways to navigate through challenges and conflicts. • Use these insights to help foster healthier communication and genuine connection. • Connect with like-minded individuals and form meaningful relational support within our community. Who Should Attend? Over a short Friday night and Saturday morning, discover how to gracefully traverse the beautiful yet challenging landscape of marriage. Through engaging activities with other couples, insightful presentations, and discussions among yourselves, you'll be equipped with insights to enhance communication, understand emotional nuances, and strengthen the bonds that unite you. Join Us: Take steps unraveling the mystery of our personal journey as a couple, fostering heartfelt conversations, and igniting the spark that can rekindle the flame of your love. Your journey from "I" to "Us" starts here - an opportunity for growth, connection, and an enduring commitment to the beauty of shared experiences. Don't miss this chance to enrich your relationship and rediscover the path of love together. Church at Wazeecha  Church at Wazeecha's Easter Week Schedule
Maundy Thursday 6:30 p.m. We will be taking the Lord's Supper together as we contemplate Jesus' service to his disciples. We will have readings from the gospels, prayer time, and some worship music. Good Friday, 1:00 p.m. This service will be a series of readings and prayers to contemplate the betrayal, arrest, and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus. Both of these services show us what God did to bring us salvation's redemption. We are recipients of a fully God-work. Easter Sunday Sunday morning we will offer breakfast at 8:30 a.m. This is a fellowship time before our Easter celebration service at 9:30 a.m. Come worship and celebrate with us.
Together, we give. And in that act of giving, we show the world something that only God can accomplish. The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering makes us one. When we pray, we go and we give, we are united.
Its almost Christmas 2022, and the church got together for our Night of Thanks. We played games, ate, and celebrated the goodness of God among us. Here are a few of our pictures.  Everyone deserves a good New Testament church. Churches exist as an onramp for people to connect to God. If churches get in the way of that basic mission, something is terribly wrong. Let's work on creating an atmosphere where people can easily discern their best avenue for hearing from God and then exploring God's plan for the truest version of themselves. This is, the life God intended all along.
Romans 10:9-10, 13 "that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved... For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 6 month leader development for anyone who wishes to participate.
We want to train the next group of Wazeecha’s leaders by working together on Personal Growth, Spiritual Growth, and Relational Growth. Once a Month on a Sunday Night Sometime in November for 1 1/2 hours, (locations to be determined) Session 1— Introduction, where we are going. Three Callings: Follow me and I will make you, fishers of men. Mt 4:19 Session 2— Guided discussion of Spirit of the Disciplines and Spiritual Growth. What can look like spiritual growth but is not. What does maturity look like in the believer? Session 3— Biblical look at Elders and leaders in the New Testament and how they functioned. Session 4— Guided discussion of the book Canoeing the Mountains with focus on the changes in culture, church culture, and the future work of the church. Session 5— A look at personality types in the Bible and their impacts on relationships. Why it is important to understand yourself. How to give yourself and others grace. Session 6— Guided discussion of The Road Back to You with focus on how we show up in life, work, families, and our church. Participants will be able to
· Purchase, Read, and Discuss three books:
· Do the assigned homework (Scripture, Articles or Book Reading, and Questions) related to upcoming sessions · Commit to pray for each other and the church every day. |
AuthorDr. Trey Turner is planter and now pastor of Church at Wazeecha. He is married with three children, two adult children and one teenager at home Archives
April 2024
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