All of the following scriptures give us good precedent and reason to come together in faith and pray for a halt to the pandemic caused by the Corona virus outbreak.
James 5:16 says, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Matthew 6: 9-13-
9 Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

John 12:12-
12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you [c]ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Mat 18:19-
Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.


So, here is a crafted prayer I am asking those of you who have faith to believe that God can and will intervene in this crisis to pray together in agreement.

         "Father we come together in faith, believing that Your will in heaven is the most        powerful force in all the universe. There is no storm, plague, sickness, calamity, or pandemic can withstand Your intervention.
While our offenses and faults are many, we believe that you are a merciful God and ask Your forgiveness.
         We ask that You intervene and squash this virus and stop the advance of it's effects and spread in it's tracks. We ask for healing for those infected and comfort for the friends and families who have already lost loved ones.
         You are our high tower of strength, protector, and comfort and joy in every kind of suffering. To You be all the Glory in Jesus mighty name. Amen"

-Denny Cline
Originally Posted on Facebook
March 19,2020

Original Post: August 7th, 2019
Monthly Newsletter Article

Dear Family,

The past several months we’ve followed the voice of the Lord in making a big shift in where we meet as a church family for our corporate worship gatherings.  When we moved from the main sanctuary in the space we are in currently, we simply were following His voice and being obedient to His direction.  As a leader I could see the benefits and possible reasons why He might be leading us that way.  A natural outcome was that we were in a smaller space and more intimately connected in the way we met.  Everyone is seen and even heard in this space.  There’s no room or place to hide.  It brought us into a simplicity of gathering again.  There wasn’t the big fancy sound system, stage, or media equipment we’ve grown accustomed to.   Another obvious thing is that we don’t currently need a huge space to gather...but was that the reason alone?  We weren’t totally sure, just being honest, but what we were sure about was that He was leading us out to what I’ve begun calling the front porch.  It’s been a wonderful season of remembrance.  And truth be told, I’d be satisfied meeting in that space indefinitely.  HOWEVER, I’ve been hearing His voice again and feel a shift is coming again.  I want to share with you what I feel the Lord has been doing in us and why it’s time to return to the sanctuary in September.  

A few weeks ago, a couple of our young men here at JPC asked to make an appointment with me during office hours to share something that the Lord had spoken to them.  One of them in particular had been in prayer with his wife for JPC and God had spoke to her Ezekiel chapters 7 & 8.  When he read them he was initially like oh no this is terrible.  Until he kept reading and then he heard the Lord say this is why JPC has moved to the outer room.  

To make a long encounter as short and sweet as possible and still give you the weight of it, I’ll paraphrase...  This section of scripture finds the nation of Israel in a terrible state.  The temple is filled with wickedness, idol worship and just over all abominable things are taking place.  The Lord pulls Ezekiel up into a vision and shows him those who were weeping over the state of the temple and what it had become.  There was also a scribe and that was commissioned to mark those who were weeping over the temple’s state with a mark of protection much like when the death angel passed over the doorposts which were marked in Exodus.  This mark preserved these weeping intercessors.  The rest who were NOT marked were struck down by the angels who were standing ready at the word of the Lord.  The glory of the Lord went with those had been marked from the sanctuary to the outer courts of the temple where they worshipped and gathered.  During this time God speaks this promise over these people “I will give them ONE heart, and I will put a new spirit within them and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in My statutes and keep my judgments and do them and they shall be My people and I will be their God.”  
Eventually as you read on, after this process of purification and cleansing, the people do end up moving back into the temple from the outer courts and the glory of the Lord returns with them.  

There’s no way for me to share all of the details of why this is so significant a word to me in this newsletter but it absolutely rocked me.  Ezekiel is a book that has been one of significance for me for nearly 20 years.  I truly believe that Holy Spirit lead both Tyler and His wife Joelle to prayer for our community that morning that they heard this section of scripture for us.  I truly believe that the Lord gave Tyler and Nathaniel the word of the Lord to confirm what God was already doing in our hearts and to give clarity to our act of obedience.  

God has been bringing a purity and a cleansing to us individually, as a family here at JPC and I also believe that He is and has been marking all of those who are marked with weeping at the state of where the CHURCH has found itself.  He’s bringing us back to His heart.  He’s not willing to pour His glory out on those who will use it only to make idols.  But He is so willing to pour His glory upon those who have HIS heart.  I believe that in this past several months, He’s been giving us ONE heart, putting His spirit in us in a new fresh way, and giving us hearts that are soft and pliable instead of hard ones that are set upon our OWN way.  He is truly our ONE thing.  He is truly our God.  

I believe that it’s time to move back to the sanctuary.  September marks the beginning of a new season.  It feels like the time to return with soft hearts, shifted hearts, hearts made one by the goodness and the kindness of a passionate God.  

There will be more to come....but these are exciting days.   I’m so thankful for this beautiful family that God has given to us.  I love you.  He loves you.  There’s so much ahead for us....more than we can ask or think.  If you feel like you’ve been in a season of refining and purification it’s because you have been....but now comes a season of fruitfulness and His glory.  It’s coming.  We can’t stop it!!!!

~Emily Tedrow

Original Post: May 15th, 2019

Greetings sweet family! I love what God is doing in and through us in this season!
We’ve been embracing the change and shift in the spirit with excitement and grace. I’m so blessed by the willingness and hunger I see in all of you to go where He leads us in these days.

Recently I was reading the story in Mark 2:23-27 where Jesus and His disciples are walking through a field of wheat. It was the sabbath day. The disciples were hungry but had no food to eat so they plucked some of the wheat and ate it. Religious leaders saw this happen and were angry that the disciples had plucked wheat because they had “worked” on the sabbath day. Jesus reminds them of the time that David and his men ate the sacred temple bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. They were desperate for food and there was food right in front of them. It was not God’s heart that the men would starve with food right in front of them. He would rather they eat the sacred bread above observing the practices and rules that had been established. In reminding the Pharisees of this example, Jesus is saying that they have taken to keeping rules and structures above understanding and living the purpose behind the rule. Jesus said to the ‘Pharisees, “The Sabbath was made for the people, not the people for the sabbath.” Jesus’ pointed out His purposes: bread is for eating, and sabbath is for resting. If the rules required for the people don’t allow for the heart of God to freely flow then they aren’t serving their purpose.

 Through this scripture the Lord began to speak to me concerning our current structures and constructs that we have. Many of these things He spoke to me about are things that we as the church have been comfortable with. For some of us, maybe we have been living rules above intention our whole lifetime. He said to me, “ In the same way the Sabbath was created to give people rest and not become a law, and the sacred bread in the temple was meant to be eaten and bring nourishment... the structures and systems created are meant to serve the spirit of that which the structure or system is supporting, not the other way around. “

An example of this could be our building facility. We love this place and are thankful for it! We believe that it is a resource and structure that God HAS GIVEN us to fulfill His mission in and through us! However, if the building were to become the focal point of all our time, energy, and resource, rather than for the actual ministry and equipping that happen within and as a result of the building, then we would have given the structure more importance than the spirit of what the structure is supporting. This is just one example that is very easy to relate this conversation to. However, In these days Holy Spirit is asking us to be looking at every structure that we have at JPC and really look at them with eyes and hearts willing to be challenged, changed, and redirected, if needed.
 
Why am I sharing this with all of you? Because we are in a season where God is inviting us to look at structures within our community and look at each of them and as this question with Him. “Are these structures currently serving and supporting the spirit and relationship they were created for? Or have we gotten in the habit of asking the spirit to fit within the context our structures that we grown accustom to?” Structure must always serve the Spirit. Just like a wineskin was created to hold wine.  You can create a great wine bottle and a beautiful label and packaging, but if the wine is missing or it’s a bitter wine then the beautifully designed wine bottle is missing the point now isn’t it?  

In the same way our vision (vision = the way we accomplish mission and how we build) must serve our overall mission (Mission = why we do what we do and why we exist)
In our case, as a church family, we want our mission to be God’s mission and
our vision and structures to support what God’s heart wants for our community. We should not try to fit His mission into our vision and structure. That’s more like the tail wagging the dog. We need to look at our structures and vision and make sure that it actually supports the mission of Jesus and the mission & call He has spoken over us. We then build around that and create structures to support that!
 
Since January, our community has been really asking the Lord to highlight the structures that serve His mission and to reveal any structures that we’ve built that don’t serve His mission so we can remove them. In this process said over and over, ”Abide in Me. All fruitfulness flows from that place of abiding in the vine... (John 15). “ If we will always KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING (Jesus, His presence, His Mission and purpose fulfilled through us) we will do well.

In that place of abiding, Holy Spirit has really highlighted Worship, Intercession and
Discipleship as major structures that He wants us to strengthen and increase support towards. These areas really serve the spirit of our community and His mission within us right now, so we are going after those!

Starting in April we launched what we are calling “4th Friday Worship & Encounter Night.” We will meet every fourth Friday of the month just to worship and encounter the Lord.

We’ve also just launched an incredible strategy for strengthening prayer and intercession in our community. (You can find out more about this at the info table or by getting connected to the McKain sisters)

We are also getting ready to launch more pathways to train and equip
disciples who will disciple.
 
This is the year of His Presence. This is the year of abiding in the vine. This is the time to step into Encountering God, being transformed by Him, and advancing the kingdom all out of intimacy and connection with Holy Spirit like never before.

~Emily Tedrow

Original Post: February 1st, 2019
Speak Lord your servant is listening...

Psalms 29 speaks of the power of the voice of the Lord moving through the earth.  The voice of the Lord echos through the skies and seas, His voice thunders over the waters, His voice topples trees and moves mountains, lightning and thunder come from His voice and causes earthquakes and causes new life to appear....actual births to take place.  His voice causes men and women to bow down in wonder and proclaim the Glory of God.  

This same God, this Lord who’s voice causes chaos and wonder, this is the same one who give strength and might to His people.  This is the Lord giving us His kiss of peace.

Recently, I was just talking with a friend.  We were discussing how easily we can become completely distracted and honestly checked out at times to the voice of the Lord because we fill our time and our attention with other things.  Things that we don’t even care about that much like social media or Netflix, etc.  Things that don’t fulfill and don’t bring peace.  These distracting voices certainly don’t carry the weight of authority that the voice of the Lord does.  

There is a war over the air.  There is a war for our attention and affection.  God is looking for lovers, for listeners, for those who’s ears are tuned to the sound of His voice.  He is looking for a people who will choose to listen and obey and respond to the sound of His voice.  

In all of the craziness that is taking place right now specifically in our nation, where so many are looking for answers and even plans and strategies, God is speaking.  He is speaking truth.  He is speaking answers.  He is speaking.  Will we turn off the noise in this time, and press in to His voice?  We can see clearly through scripture the power of the voice of the Lord.   I’d love to see the power of those who listen to His voice and walk in His ways in action.  

Speak to us Lord.   Speak the answers to the problems we are facing.  Speak the answer to abortion in our nation.  Speak the answer to gender confusion in our nation.  Speak strategy about how to bring unity between races and people groups.  Speak to every issue, to every cry of your people.  Speak Lord.   We will bow to the sound of Your voice.  

~Emily Tedrow

Original Post: January 10th, 2019

Getting back to apostolic mission is a part of re-formation. Many in the charismatic and Pentecostal churches have vastly different views of what an apostle is. This actually affects and impedes apostolic mission more than we may know. Even the idea of calling apostles “fathers”, which is in part biblical, has stirred a good deal of controversy. Instead of adding to it, let me attempt to simplify and clear up both.

What is an apostle? The word Apostolos means this according to Strong’s lexicon.

I. a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders
A. specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ
B. in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers
i. of Barnabas
ii. of Timothy and Silvanus

This is pretty simple really. They are not officers over groups of churches or pre-eminent. They simply have been called and sent by the Lord as messengers of the gospel of the kingdom. Paul often introduced his letters as “an apostle appointed for the gospel”. Instead of being lauded for their efforts, apostles actually were the least. The apostle Paul risked his life to birth churches in many regions. Then they appointed elders in those regions and moved on. But instead of being their superstar, he actually had to ask to be invited back in. The idea that apostles rule churches by virtue of their gift is not biblical. They do so if invited back in to help the elders and for continued equipping.

Secondarily we see the title apostle relates to the twelve that Jesus first called to initiate “apostolic mission”. The first apostles were called apostles for this reason: they were Jesus first disciples. They walked with Jesus for three plus years and were directly given the great commission. They would continue to carry it out after Jesus death and resurrection as an apostolic mission. If the title "apostle" was meant to be preeminent, why would the first apostles simply cast lots in choosing between two people for the replacement of Judas Iscariot? Acts 1:20-26 describes this. Think of it, having the title of apostle was so “elevated” they cast lot's to choose one. Mattais never says God called him or that he now had authority over others because of this new assignment.
The third meaning relates to others who were not first. Calling them eminent teachers gives us a clue about Ephesian 4:11 where we see most of the controversy arise from. The “five-fold” ministers are equippers. They are eminent (known, not more special) in ability to teach the foundations of the faith and further it, making converts and disciples.
To sum up, anyone who is sent, a messenger of the gospel, and sold out to God in that purpose, can be an apostle. Besides, Jesus who gave the gifts to mankind that He carried, lives in every born again, Spirit filled disciple. So potentially every saint can on some level operate in any of the five gifts according to the measure of their faith, specific orders from Jesus, and their own obedience. The distinguishing characteristic that separates what kind of minister one is, is this:

There will never be another of “first” apostles or disciples. Second, of those who come after, some are called to equip others in their primary giftings to aide in the maturing of the saints, and others may operate on a more local level or are emerging in their gift.

So, it is basically silly to argue over who is an apostle or prophet or any of the five equipping gifts. It is equally unproductive to call them offices as though they have sway over other disciples. None of the first apostles called these gifts offices. I am not diminishing the effectiveness or value of anyone’s gift, but rather putting the emphasis where it belongs, which is that of serving the body at Jesus pleasure. If you feel you are called as an apostle or prophet, then live like one and be true to your calling. Comparing or wrangling about who is and isn’t is detrimental to your own success and unproductive for the body of Christ. In time your gift will make room for you and other will recognize it.

What is apostolic mission?

The first disciples who were later called apostles got their orders directly from Jesus. “Go into all the world and make disciples, teaching them all the things I taught you.” (Luke 24) We also know from the other gospels this included sharing the good news, healing the sick, and doing signs and wonders. John’s gospel focused on forgiving the sins of others (John 20:19)

They began this mission as sent ones, apostles, after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. We see everything described above happening in power and many coming to Christ right away. As the book of Acts progresses, the church grows very fast and the new converts are discipled by living life with this new community of the kingdom and being equipped by the first apostles, even by daily teaching.
Once the church is scattered from Jerusalem throughout the known world, churches spring up and you see others than the first apostles leading the way. One reason is that the first apostles were under death threats eventually carried out.  But also, because the Holy Spirit empowered others not even known by the early church leaders who taught in their homes or synagogues, this new way called Christianity. Both men and women like Barnabus, Timothy, Junias, Lydia, Apollos and likely many we don’t have record of, were converted, discipled, and made disciples themselves. Keep in mind that the writing of the book of Acts, which is our record of what apostolic mission looked like from those who were sent directly by Jesus, took place over more than a 40 year period.  

The commission of Jesus and apostolic mission is basically the same thing. Still today we are to preach the gospel, make disciples, heal the sick and demonstrate the kingdom with power and signs and wonders following. That’s what Jesus did. That’s what the first apostles or disciples did. And that’s what the modern day church should do regardless of cultural changes. Apostolic mission is the reason for Christianity growing at a rate faster than any time in history all over the world. There are over two billion Christians in the world today. We may take issue with the level of commitment and what numbers are actually true followers of Jesus, but keep in mind, many have professed faith at the risk of death world-wide.

Any Christian community of believers that is standing true to Christ and His cause is adhering to His teachings and making disciples. To do anything less is to be unfaithful to Christ and apostolic mission. What-ever structures or ways the saints meet are not as important to what Christ died for. There is no reason to call yourself an apostolic resource center if you do not have an apostolic mission.  As we go forward my prayer and belief is that Jesus Pursuit Church will be true to the name, and apostolic mission. The way we do it is the same as always, regardless of models for gathering and ways to disciple: “encounter God, be transformed, and advance the Kingdom.” It’s an exciting way to live for the King.
~Denny Cline

Original Post: January 1st, 2019

When I handed the baton to Emily in 2013, I knew we had already entered into a new era in the church and there was a reformation upon us. God had spoken to me about this a few years earlier, but it still had no real language or look to it. What I heard the Lord say is that it would be marked by a deeper understanding of the grace of God and the cross of Christ. As far as any changes in structure, I only had these words to go by: “creativity plus divine order”. All this is still being played out, but there is a definable shift that is happening in the church.
 
Jesus said,  Mat 13:52
“Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Reformation is not throwing out the baby with the bath water. Most new wine skins were actually “renewed” wine-skins. The point is this. While we will see new structures, the foundation remains intact because the original message is timeless. Each generation wrestles to find their own faith and its reality. Those who feel they have “new truth” need to remember it is God’s treasure not man’s. There will always be some mystery in the gospel and men will always find reason to avoid the truth of it, arguing about doctrine, transcription of the bible, or someone’s latest revelation.

But the simple gospel remains the same even if we in the church only enter into the parts and not the whole. If reformation is about anything, it is about getting back to what Jesus died for and being true to the apostolic mission that carried it on. So, while some focus on still trying to predict every facet of the end times or redefining what grace and the cross means, those who are truly reformational will be about the Father’s business of advancing the good news, making disciples, and bringing transformation to cities and nations in the process.

Some will not think this is new at all. But in the western church it is to a large degree. While we in the western church have spent much of our time drawing people, sometimes in mega numbers, to how you can be the best you, other saints in less privileged nations have been advancing the gospel and making disciples, some dying for the cause while doing so. The big shift is away from focusing on the parts to focusing on the whole gospel. It is also away from simply trying to fill buildings and draw crowds to family, community, and discipleship. That’s not new to everyone, but it just may be too many in the present generations of the church in the western world.
 
In the first church we served as senior leaders, I set out to do what I described above with zero mentors or experience. Our experience at Providence Vineyard is too long of a story to go into here. I thought we would take a similar path here in Albany. But what was called the renewal of the 1990’s, hit us and much of the church, world -wide. During my tenure as a leader and founder of what we now call Jesus Pursuit church, we tried to go with what God was doing at the time with renewal. The Albany Vineyard, now JPC, was birthed by that renewal. Those were amazing times of being overwhelmed by God’s Spirit. The gifts flowed in a fresh way, prophecy and a movement of prophets arose. Missions were launched, and churches grew and were multiplied with the energy of that outpouring. We became a regional influence for the church, equipping many with conferences and launching people into their calling and ministry. It was an incredible time marked by several in breaking visitations of the Holy Spirit, with healing and salvation. But only a few became disciples while many simply enjoyed what was happening and looked for the next conference or moved on.

Things began to change for me and us as a community of faith, after a startling revelation by God’s audible voice while I was in Brazil in 2006. What I heard went deep inside and began to change the way I looked at our history and our future. “The key to revival is the restoration of family”. This word from God shook me and demanded change in the way we operated. I could go on and on about the great things we experienced at Jesus Pursuit up to that point, but it is not God’s point today. That word shifted not only us but began a shift in the western church. Instead of looking mostly inward, we began to focus outward. It naturally refocused us from expecting people to come to our good stuff, and instead focused us back on reaching out with the good news and now making disciples.

As Emily stated recently, “We have never gone this way before as Jesus Pursuit Church”. And neither has most of the Western Church. So, while we don’t know what structures will support this shift, as we continue to seek God’s face and direction, we will get on board with what God is doing to empower us to make disciples and bring heaven to Albany and beyond. Personally, I am not looking over my shoulder to what we did in the past. I am looking forward and fully support the direction Emily is leading out in for Jesus Pursuit Church. I couldn’t be more excited at what God has ahead for us.

~Denny Cline

Original Post: December 4th, 2018
Monthly Newsletter Article:

Happy December Jesus Pursuit family!!!!

The Christmas season is so special to me and to so many of us. It’s the season where we gather with family, celebrate our Savior, and generously pour out love over one another. I pray you all experience the reality of Emmanuel, God with us as you walk into this wonderful time of year.

In my last letter I began sharing with my heart with you regarding two specific elements that I felt we were being called to rediscover. Prayer & Discipleship. I am starting my letter the same way this month as I did last month…

We are in such a critical time for our nation and for the global CHURCH. Good news is that we as the church individually and corporately, are also designed for influence and equipped to impact the world we live in.  

 
Lately the Lord has been reminding me of two key elements that we need to rediscover, take a hold of, and never let go. They are fundamentals in the kingdom and therefore essentials in our lives.

I want to focus on DISCIPLESHIP for this newsletter.

In Matthew 28 Jesus again commissioned us, His church to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING them to observe all the things that I have commanded you” and He promised that we wouldn’t be alone in this...that He would be with us.

Last month we talked about the importance to live out the cultures of the kingdom of God, to stand in the authority that He gave to us through prayer & intercession. That is part of the commission that Jesus gave to us. The rest of the commission is to TEACH others how to do the same thing and to raise up disciples of Jesus Christ.

This may seem like a daunting task, but my friends I tell you it’s not!!!!! It starts as simply as making a friend or throwing a good dinner party for people you are already in contact with. Out of relationship, out of pure friendship, sharing your life and them sharing theirs, you begin a conversation about what God has done in YOUR life, what Holy Spirit has been teach YOU! It starts as simply as sharing your testimony. Start with one person (the one you already really want to share with) the goodness of God with and see what develops from there.

In the coming months we will be doing various discipleship training sessions and giving tools to help ANYONE walk in the confidence to be someone who disciples others.
I want to challenge you with this last question. Who are you discipling and who is discipling you? Discipleship really looks like pulling people into family and sharing life with one another around who Jesus is in and through you. It’s simple and one of the most powerful experiences there is and it will truly change our city and our world....one life at a time.

God bless you all. Have a very merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Love,
Emily Tedrow

Original Post: November 1st, 2018
Monthly Newsletter Article:

We are in such a critical time for our nation and for the global CHURCH. Good news is that we as the Church, individually and corporately, are also are designed for influence and equipped to impact the world we live in. Lately, the Lord has been reminding me of the value of prayer & discipleship. These are two key elements that we need to rediscover, take a hold of, and never let go. They are fundamentals in the Kingdom and therefore essentials in our lives.

I want to focus on prayer for this newsletter. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:9-15 (The Lord’s Prayer). We must pray for His Kingdom to be released, revealed, experienced, and manifested HERE on earth, as it is in Heaven.
 
We pray that His Kingdom come, His will be done.

We join in the call to be the church from Matthew 16:18. A church that is built, expanded, and increased upon the reality and firm foundation of who Christ is and that He will build His church through US, His legislative assembly. Then through partnership with Him, He will give to us the keys to Heaven’s Kingdom to “forbid on earth that which is forbidden in Heaven and to release on the earth that which is released in Heaven.”
Did you get that? WE are HIS legislative assembly! Now let’s look at this…YES this assembly influences the culture by the way they live out their lives within the culture, but that is just the outward expression of this reality. But as Jesus modeled, there is an inward expression as well. Most of the impact in His time on earth happened in the place of prayer. When we take authority in the spiritual realm and bind that which is illegal in Heaven and forbid it here on the earth in the place of prayer, we see the power of God enter a situation. Hearts surrender, illnesses healed, wounds filled with irreplaceable truths of who He is! His Kingdom comes and His will is done! Heaven and earth are in unity. WOW. Do you see it?

I want to encourage all of us to step into prayer and intercession with fresh fire and passion. Now is such an important time for us to partner with heaven in the place of prayer. Think about gathering with others weekly to meet together to pray together. Pray for your families, pray for the things going on in your world. Pray for our nation, our city, our church family. Come together and pray. Now is the time to turn our hearts once again to the place of prayer. It’s time to get our intercession back.

Much love,
Pastor Emily

Original Post: Oct 1st, 2018
Monthly Newsletter Article:

Last year in October we held a unique gathering that we called our “Family Reunion”. Our purpose was to invite people who had ever been part of the community of Jesus Pursuit Church or the Albany Vineyard, as it was formerly known, and any conference attendees to come and remember. We wanted to remember the goodness of God in our lives and all that He has done in and through us over the past 24 years as a community of faith here in Albany.

It was a very special time. God moved powerfully in our hearts as we remembered. He healed old places of pain and even offense, and He reignited in so many hearts a passion for pursuing His presence.

One of the most amazing things that happened that weekend was a prophetic word that was spoken through Amy Ward who is one of our church advisers and a prophetic voice to our house. It was a word that we have been intentionally going after and diving into over the past year and RIGHT NOW, I believe we are living in the center of it.
It starts off....” Do it here God. Open up you heavens again! Open you wells again. Now is the time for restoration. Now is the time for a generation to come.  They are ready for you. Swing wide you gates...the King of Glory is coming in. And He is carrying transformation, He is carrying restoration. Will you say yes? “

She continued to describe the restoration and transformation that would be released in this next season for us as we pursued getting our hands and feet engaged and embracing the call to the restoration of family (including foster care, the school systems, healing for marriages). She also prophesied that those who are working at HP, factories, mills and with their hands will shift their focus to carry this restoration and release the kingdom where they work. She talked about a move of God coming to the children and young people. Then there was a word to get to know one another’s stories and learn to love one another more and more so that we can have impact out of our unity and surrendered/transparent lives with one another.

Why am I talking about this word again? Because as I said before we’re in the midst of it right now. We’ve fully embraced the first part of getting our hands and feet engaged. Now, I feel the Lord saying it’s time to embrace restoration and transformation of our hearts in our families. It’s only out of a true place of having personally experienced that fullness of restoration that we can be authentic and truly release a sound of restoration as a house.

It’s time for OUR families to be restored. It’s time for us as individuals to embrace transformation of the heart, even in the places we’ve pushed down and ignored for so long for fear of pain or even being exposed. Transformed people lead others into transformation. Fully restored people help restore other people into fullness. It starts first with us. We can’t lead others where we ourselves are not willing to go....and we cannot teach what we do not know.

If the key to revival is the restoration of family, then may our families be truly and fully restored! Let every place of brokenness be touched by the grace and mercy of God. There is not a situation or relationship too far gone that the Lord cannot restore.
So let’s begin asking ourselves, what are the places in my heart that need restoration? As we step into another year in the Kingdom of God, let’s wholeheartedly allow Holy Spirit to put His searchlight on our hearts for Him to show us the places that need His healing touch. Now is the time for restoration. Now is the time for transformation. Now is the time. So open up you gates...you walled up places....the King of Glory is coming in.

~Emily

Original Post: September 1st, 2018
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Hey all,
Wow. What a summer! I can hardly believe its September already. When I look back from these last 3 months I, truthfully (if we can be honest here), get a little tired. There was so much going on in outreaches, relationships, and personal pursuit that life was crazy for a bit. However, crazy doesn’t mean bad or wrong. Sometimes it’s just the season and I know from talking with people that I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. Well, here we are starting fall and life has slowed down a lot. Lately God has been speaking to me about the importance of celebration. Have you ever read the definition of celebration?

Cel-e-bra-tion: the action of marking one's pleasure at an important event or occasion by engaging in enjoyable, typically social, activity.

That phrase, “the action of marking one’s pleasure”, keeps jumping out at me. This summer was so good, fruitful, and enjoyed but with all the running around I feel like there was never this true celebration of the many moments that took place. There was never this mark of pleasure for the importance of the many lives that were touched, or neighbors that were met, or lessons that were learned. We ran with such joy this summer and boldly answered Emily’s call to, as a community, become the hands and feet of Jesus and get into the neighborhood. ALL OF THESE ARE WORTH CELEBRATING! I know the Lord does. His pleasure for not only our yeses but our joyful hearts, compassionate attitudes, and willingness to move I believe ignited a great party in Heaven.

What we want to do is to take this month and celebrate what we know the Lord did these last few months and engage its importance. I believe it will position our hearts for what HE wants to do next. I see hearts filling up with peace, joy, and promise. I see hope and confidence marking us as His pleasure is poured out.
So join us as we take a deep breath in and exhale out our celebration of this summer, what He has done in and through us, and Who He Is. Because that’s the whole point of this, right?

Matthew 22:37-49 The Passion Translation (TPT):
37 Jesus answered him, “‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ 38 This is the great and supreme commandment. 39 And the second is like it in importance: ‘You must love your friend in the same way you love yourself.’

~Jordan

Original Post: August 1st, 2018
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When the religious leaders of Jesus’ day asked Him the question,

“Teacher, which command in God’s law is the most important?”
Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself. These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” (Matt. 22:34-40 MSG)
 
Boom! Right there Jesus says it’s all about loving God fully, completely with all that you are, surrendering to His will and heartbeat for your life. When we love God first, our lives become so completely intertwined with His life and heart that we are united with Him. Jesus’ desire for you is that you would let your love be seen with the passion of your heart, the passions of your life, with the gifts and talents that have been given to you. In this, your work becomes worship to Him. The way you love your family becomes worship to Him. The way you love your neighbor is worship to Him.

In a day when there are so many great things to give your time and attention and even passion towards, we can feel pulled in a thousand directions and even feel overwhelmed at times. Let me encourage you.....pull back and focus your attention on loving Jesus. Spend time in His presence. Spend time in worship and meditation on Him. As you do this, His love will grow more and more in your life. The more you behold Him, the more you become like Him. This will affect EVERY area of your life. The more you love Him, the more His love grows and matures in you, His voice becomes clearer inside of you, you see what He sees, and you can love others as He loves them. Real love looks like something. It’s not just words or feelings. It is demonstrated. As His love floods you....you’ll be compelled to action. This is my prayer for all of us especially this summer. Let this be a summer of encountering God, being transformed by His love and goodness towards us, and being moved to action, advancing His kingdom because of His amazing love in and through us.

~Emily

Original Post: May 1st, 2018
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Friends! It’s an exciting time to be a part of God’s big beautiful family. We are in a season of activation and being mobilized, and it’s all hands on deck. He is calling His family to hear His voice and be moved in our hearts and lives to action.

The questions that each one of us should be asking the Father right now is “Father, What are you doing right now?” and “What is my role in it?”

It doesn’t matter who you are, your past or present situations, your ability or lack thereof..... YOU MATTER, and YOU HAVE A PART TO PLAY in what God is doing RIGHT NOW on the earth. Together we are part of building that heavenly city, whose maker and builder is God. We are becoming that Hebrews 11 company of people!!!!

~Emily

Original Post: March 1st, 2018
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All in the Family:
Most churches would say that what they are building is family. At Jesus Pursuit Church we believe that church IS meant to be a healthy family….the only problem is that we all come to the family with unique and various viewpoints, experiences, and ideas of what a family actually is!

What does it actually mean to do church as a family?

I think a lot of the time, when we say we are building family, the desired atmosphere that is thought of is…”family is a safe place to belong in”. While that is absolutely a great place to start, the truth is that a healthy and functioning family has so many more elements to it than just safety and belonging alone.

I think about my own personal family and that Justin & I have these two wonderful daughters that we love so dearly and desire to see all their hopes and dreams fulfilled. We are intentional about encouraging and helping cultivate the dreams and talents that they have. We want them to be anything that they want to be and we never want to throw water on the fire of their dreams. Instead, we want to help fuel their passion with our time, money and encouragement. After we have given them all we have, will that be enough to grow these children God has given us into powerful adults? No, I don’t believe it is. If we never taught them the basic things like cleaning their rooms, participating in family chores (not for our benefit alone, but for theirs), fed them healthy foods, made sure they got an education and tools for their futures,  and at times said no to them and even disciplined them, what kind of adults would they be? However, if we only parented those things and never poured love, safety, belonging and identity into them again and again, they would be missing something.

It’s actually the role of fathers and mothers to raise up powerful, strong, mature, responsible, and compassionate sons and daughters who will one day grow up to be those mothers and fathers who then raise up their own sons and daughters in the same way. Can you see that it’s much more than just belonging and feeling safe? Family is also a place for maturity & growth!

In a healthy family you should experience the following:

IDENTITY: It’s where you find out who you are and whose you are. It’s the place where we recognize the power and authority we have as co-heirs with Christ and live as dearly loved sons and daughters of the King.
 
COMMUNITY: This is the place where we learn how to relate to others, through our relationships and, even at times, conflicts with our brothers/sisters/fathers/mothers. It’s the place where you learn how to navigate conflict, getting along, and forgiveness. It’s where iron sharpens iron, and transformation begins. We can’t really experience the truth of Jesus’ love without community.

MATURITY: This where we grow up. We grow more and more in the character of Jesus Christ as we give ourselves fully in surrender to his nature. In time, we realize that we are no longer only concerned about OUR safety and belonging, but now the safety and belonging of OTHERS. Our focus goes from self-centered to OTHERS centered.

RESPONSIBILITY: Now that we’re growing up, we realize that we have to take personal responsibility for our relationships both with the Lord and within our family.

DESTINY: This is where the fun really happens!!! We are empowered, championed, and ready to fulfill the gifts and callings of God on our life.

Family IS God’s methodology in creation, in redemption, and in the restoration of all things. We see that it’s so important to God to have a healthy and thriving family! In response, it therefore becomes of major importance to us. When Pastor Denny heard the audible voice of the Lord say, “the key to revival is the restoration of family” he only understood a fraction of what that revelation really was. We have only just scratched the surface of that word, but God is unfolding it to each of us more and more. When we as a church and as a family are truly restored to the truth of heaven’s government of family, we will see revival continuously explode in our homes, our community, and every place as we do life in step with our King.

~Emily

Original Post: Jan 1st, 2018
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Like so many of us often do during the holiday season, I read the Christmas story in Luke chapters 1 & 2 this past Christmas season (in my favorite Passion Translation of course). I love this story and love reading it each Christmas.

This year I was really struck by the incredible responses of the 2 women (Elizabeth and Mary) in this passage. Both women are given unbelievable news that they will each be carrying babies of promise and destiny. One woman is way past childbearing years, and the other is just a young virgin girl. Both situations were completely impossible in the natural realms.  

Yet, in spite of these ladies knowing these were impossible circumstances and each one knowing it was out of their own ability or strength to make happen...both women responded with a resounding “Yes”! They partnered with the word of the Lord spoken to them by the angel Gabriel and leaned into the miraculous that was about to manifest in their lives. In Luke 1:37 the angel speaks to Mary and says, "Not one promise from God is empty of power, for with God there is no such thing as impossibility!”

I immediately began to think of the incredible prophetic promises and words that Holy Spirit has spoken to me. Some of these words are for myself and my family, and some are for our church community here at Jesus Pursuit, and some are broader for the city and region. Each of these promises and dreams honestly seem like an impossibility in my own abilities and circumstances. I could NEVER make them happen on my own. Yet, my spirit leaped at the words and my heart responded with a YES. I know that I am not alone in this experience. What are the impossibilities that you believing God for?

I want to encourage each of us this New Year to look at the impossible promises we’re each carrying and proclaim this truth over them this year. NOT ONE PROMISE FROM GOD IS EMPTY OF POWER, FOR WITH GOD THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS IMPOSSIBILITY!!!!! Give your yes to the Lord and lean into the miraculous on your lives. I believe that this will be a year of miraculous provision, deliverance, salvation, and restoration. 2018 is a year of miracles and the things that we once believed were impossibilities will soon become the reality in which we live in. I BELIEVE THAT WE Will WIN!!!!!

~Emily

Original Post: Dec 1st, 2017
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“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light have shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For you have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”- Isaiah 9:1-7 NKJV. Peace in Hebrew is Shalom and its meaning is: Completeness, soundness, welfare, peace. Completeness in number, Safety soundness in body, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship (peace in relationships both God and man) peace from war.

Did You Know?
On December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of Christmas. The warring countries refused to create any official cease-fire, but on Christmas the soldiers in the trenches declared their own unofficial truce. Starting on Christmas Eve, many German and British troops sang Christmas carols to each other across the lines, and at certain points the Allied soldiers even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing. At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer. Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man’s land between the lines. The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers’ threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers’ essential humanity endured.

During World War I, the soldiers on the Western Front did not expect to celebrate on the battlefield, but even a world war could not destroy the Christmas spirit. This is the type of peace that is available to ALL through Jesus Christ. When we celebrate the birth of Jesus, no matter if we are doing it when historically his birthday is most likely to happen or not....our attention towards what His birth and incarnation here on earth means for us remains the same. And that peace that He brings is available to all of us today no matter what we are going through. No matter how broken or whole your family may be. No matter how surround or alone you may feel, no matter how many presents are or are not under your tree.....this peace is available to all today, tomorrow and forevermore.

Jesus said, in Matthew 11:28; “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

~Pastor Emily

Original Post, Nov 1st, 2017
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“That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” - Ephesians 2:19-22 MSG

This is the type of family that God is building in us and in our community at Jesus Pursuit Church. Regardless of your past, your history, or what you’ve known before...now because of Jesus and the relationship that He opened to up to us through life in Him, we have a home and a family. We belong. God is using each one of us to build His home with Christ as the centerpiece. I love that line...God is building a home. He’s using us all; irrespective of how we got here.

Sometimes it’s messy, but it’s going to be worth it. Let’s pursue this with all that we are, to see that a holy temple is built by God with all of us as a part of it, a place where God is very much at home. Ask yourself this question, “What is my part in this family, and how can I help others step into this family as well.”

I love you all!!!! ~ Emily 

Posted: Oct 17th, 2017
Updated: Nov 29, 2018
 
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John 1:14 (Message translation) says, "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one of a kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish."
God has been speaking to us recently about Jesus Pursuit Church as a community moving into the neighborhood and living incarnationally as Christ did in our city.  We've been shifting our attention from being inside the 4 walls of the church to being the church everywhere we go.
Pastor Denny often says, "It was the Father's big dream to have a family that looks just like His Son Jesus". I whole heartedly agree with that statement. It is the Father's heart that His children (that's us) and His church (that's also us) would continue the mission of Jesus to reveal the Father everywhere we go.
I'm really excited for the future of Albany and our surrounding cities as we are awakened to the Father's big dream and we begin to passionately live it out. It is my prayer that we embrace the heart of the Savior and His example of "Moving into the neighborhood" and releasing the heart of the Father over this incredible community inside and outside the walls of our Jesus Pursuit Church family.

~Pastor Emily