April 2020 Mix Magazine

Check out the article by Pastor Rich Nathan on p. 8.

A Word About Worry

APRIL 2020  VINEYARDCOLUMBUS.ORG

M I N I S T R Y C O N TA C T S Bookstore Jeff Baker, 614.259.5323 Hours

Monday: Closed Tuesday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm Wednesday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm Thursday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm Friday: 12:00 - 5:00 pm Sunday: 8:30 am - 1:30 pm The Bookstore is currently closed to

OUR MISSION OUR MISSION IS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITIES OF DISCIPLES WHO EXPERIENCE GOD, LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AND PARTNER WITH CHRIST TO HEAL THE WORLD.

THE FIVE M'S EXPRESS THE HEART OF OUR

browsers, but we will be happy to

MISSION STATEMENT:

assist you! Please give us a call at 614-891-6440 and we wil try to locate

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what you are looking for. If we have it, you can pay for it over the phone, and we will deliver it outside the bookstore doors for you.

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WE ARE A COMMUNITY. WE LIVE OUT OUR FAITH IN DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CHURCH FAMILY.

MATURITY WE ARE DISCIPLES. WE ARE LIFE-LONG LEARNERS GROWING TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS.

Community Center 614.259.5503 Counseling Center 614.259.5409 Funerals 614.259.5372 Care & Visitation 614.259.5239 Phase III 614.425.7284

MEETING GOD WE EXPERIENCE GOD. WE EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER GOD WHO POURS OUT HIS SPIRIT IN US AND THROUGH US.

MINISTRY WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER. WE SERVE OUR FAITH COMMUNITY BY SACRIFICIALLY GIVING WHAT MATTERS.

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MISSION WE PARTNER WITH CHRIST TO HEAL THE WORLD. WE JOIN GOD'S MISSION OF LOVE BY SHARING THE GOSPEL, EXTENDING MERCY, AND RESTORING JUSTICE.

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THE MIX | APRIL 2020

MATURITY

MEETING GOD

MINISTRY

MISSION

PASTORAL MINISTRY CONTACTS To contact anyone on staff, please call 614-890-0000 or email at firstname.lastname@vineyardcolumbus.org.

Senior Pastor, Rich Nathan Associate Pastors, Eric and Julia Pickerill Executive Pastor, Daniel Nathan

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S APRIL 2020

WEEKEND Weekend Ministry Leader, Pastor Amanda Pershing Connect, Pastor Kerry Davis

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Global Impact

Worship Arts, Pastor Craig Allen

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Prayer Requests

VC Twenty, Pastor Shane Huey

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A Word About Worry by Pastor Rich Nathan

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Love Creation Like Jesus by Mitchell Hescox

and Kyle Meyaard-Schaap

Assistant

Ellie Smith

VC Student High School, Assistant Pastor Santos Chaparro VC Student Middle School, Assistant Pastor Michael Doom VineyardKids, Pastor April Murphy Assistant Pastor Pam White Assistant Pastor Beth Best

Our buildings are closed until further notice during the COVID-19 outbreak. Please follow us at vineyardcolumbus.org/publicnotice for updates.

COMMUNITY Community Ministry Leader, Pastor Stephen Van Dop Men, Pastor Stephen Van Dop Women, Pastor Marlene Nathan Leader Formation, Pastor Andy Saperstein Small Groups, Pastor David Schermerhorn Assistant Pastor Adrienne Ash

Join us Online Join us online for one of our weekend streaming services and other virtual connections at: vineyardcolumbus.org/online.

We're streaming services Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 9 and 10:30 am.

Our La Viña service (in Spanish) will stream on Sundays at 11:30 am on the La Viña Facebook page and our online platform at 2 pm.

CARE Care Ministry Leader, Pastor Ron Hitchcock Marriage & Family, Pastor Ron Hitchcock Assistant Pastor Kelli Messick Assistant Pastor Jason Loehr Visitation & Care, Pastor Anthony Cannon Life Support Mentoring, Pastor Lorie Kaufman-Rees Stewardship, Pastor Kent Irwin

MISSION Vineyard Community Center Executive Director, Gina Watts Assistant Pastor Jerome Smith Mission Ministry Leaders, Pastor Daniel Nathan & Gina Watts Volunteer & Value Life, Pastor Diane Bauman International Ministry, Pastor Bill Christensen

M I N I ST RY R E S P O N S E T E A M If you’ve contacted one of our ministries and did not receive a response within a week, please reach out to our Ministry Response Team at 614.259.5371 or ministry.response@ vineyardcolumbus.org. Please include your name,

Assistant Pastor XImena Lozada-Rosales Community Outreach, Assistant Pastor Jenney Rice

CAMPUSES Campus Strategy, Pastor Paige Goslin East Campus, Pastor Charles Montgomery Lane Avenue Campus, Pastor Andrew Oswalt

phone number with area code, and the ministry or

La Viña Campus, Pastor Irene Casale-Petrarca

person that you contacted.

Sawmill Campus, Pastor Scott Engebretson Assistant Pastor Laura Weiant V I N E YA R D C O L U M B U S . O R G

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g l o b a l i m p a c t The “Global Impact” section of the MIX is designed to share stories of how God is expanding his kingdom. For more info on International Ministries, email international.ministries@vineyardcolumbus.org.

Pa r t n e r i n g i n P r ay e r An

update from

North Africa

It was with great joy that we met up with a mature, older couple whom we had met at this very church over 12 years ago. They volunteered alongside us for a time when we had a “welcome room” for newcomers after the church services. They have kept up with us over the years and decided to come visit us! For fourteen days, they traveled thousands of kilometers, and met many of our Muslim friends.

It brought us great joy to see longtime friends meeting connecting with many of our Muslim friends here. At the end of their time here, we challenged them to reflect on everything they experienced and share with those back home how they can pray for our country. We were encouraged to hear their reflections and the depth at which they are hearing from the Lord; we pray many more partner with us in prayer as a result of this meaningful visit!

The Gift of Encouragement An

update from

East Africa

Two weeks ago, my mentor of 24 years arrived to spend eight days with us. He didn’t come with a particular ministry focus, nor did we have any projects lined up for him. He wasn’t intending to check up on me or see if I was worth their financial investment; he didn’t have any assessments to gauge my effectiveness or success. He came with the simple purpose of encouraging us. Throughout the visit, my wife and I couldn’t help but express how grateful we were to have someone come and lift our discouraged spirits. The simple act of spending money, taking off work, flying across the world, and being with us was truly one of the greatest gifts.

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T h e E v e r y D ay An

update from our workers in

Western Asia/Eastern Europe

After 4 months of language learning, we are now able to verbally stumble through short narratives in the present and past tenses. We can also write and read short narratives. We are quite pleased with and even surprised by the language method we have been using as we have learned much more than we believed we would in just 4 months. God is answering our prayer that we would learn the language faster than normal, and our ability to understand and follow conversation has really grown.

Our language helper is so kind and patient as we butcher her native tongue and is quick to laugh with us...and many times at us. She has a youthful and joy-filled spirit that helps us truly enjoy learning this difficult language. She has been a God-send to us by being a great teacher and a great source of encouragement, not only when it comes to learning language, but also spiritually. She shares raw and amazing stories about her own life and how God has met her in her hardships and has shown up

photo credit: Jimmy Jaeh, Unsplash

in very real, tangible ways throughout her years of following Jesus.

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p r ay e r r e q u e s t s Brazil

Refugee Engagement

• We praise God for 25 new members joining our church!

• Praise report for the launch of our medical project!

• Pray for spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial health for us.

• Pray for a prenatal health care day that we will be hosting for the women in the camps, along with a trauma workshop and health education workshop that we will conduct this month.

Central Asia • Pray that God continues to move; we see a fresh openness in people’s hearts as they question things bigger than themselves.

• Pray for each of us, that conversations with those we teach and

• Pray for deepened relationships with the people here and for people of peace to be found.

disciple would be inspired by the Holy Spirit and would create

Southeast Asia

divine curiosity.

• Pray over the process of getting my long-term visa here.

• Pray that God would make 2020 a fruitful year, that he would highlight people of peace for us to disciple, and for our evangelistic effort to be one that multiplies disciples across the country.

• Pray for wisdom concerning an opportunity to teach in a local hospital.

• Praise God for many new and developing relationships that I have built here; I see how God is honoring my desires to bring people together to discuss spiritual things.

East Africa • We are thankful for recent visits from a Vineyard Columbus pastor and mentor from IFI; we pray for more encouragement in this season.

Western Asia/Eastern Europe • We are also thankful for how God seems to be hearing our prayers to learn language faster than normal, and our language

• Pray continually for freedom from injustice, persecution, and violence here.

teacher has been such a source of joy and encouragement to us!

• Pray for Kingdom-breakthroughs for the refugees and migrants that are scattered throughout the country.

• Pray with us for relationships to form at a local English club that we started attending, which is made up of college students and young professionals.

• Pray for the people of this country-they suffer from unstable

North Africa • Pray for Christians and Muslims alike to understand what it means to be made in the image of God here.

• Pray for people to long for Jesus as they see how we conduct ourselves in ways that compels people to the ways of Jesus.

politics, nominal religion that brings tradition without hope, and widespread poverty.

• Pray for hope to rise within the local church and to spread outward towards its neighbors. We want to see grace, mercy, and forgiveness between political parties and people groups!

Caucasuses Region • Pray for protection and perseverance for believers here; they sense more spiritual attack against them as they see more fruit that God produces.

• Pray for full healing and restoration for people who were taken by the police during rioting, and pray for God’s grace for them to be able to forgive and even bless the ones who treated them unjustly.

• Pray for more teammates to join us that have diverse giftings

UPDATE: All of our workers are experiencing lifestyle changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date two of our missionary units have temporarily relocated to safer countries. Many of our workers are in countries with less than ideal medical facilities. Please pray for the physical protection of all our workers and also for open doors to share the love and refuge of Jesus among their neighbors.

and strengths and who are passionate about seeing God’s Kingdom expand in this part of the world.

• V C M I S S I O N S P R AY E R G R O U P • Join us to pray for our international ministry work.

For more info, contact Tim Hart, 614.557.0395 or vcmissionsprayer@gmail.com.

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THE MIX | APRIL 2020

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A Word About Worry

Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

by Rich Nathan

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The entire world has been plunged into uncharted

We saw this on display in the most vivid terms

waters. The most natural thing in the world for us

these past few weeks in America. How many rolls

when we face tremendous uncertainty is for us to

of toilet paper are enough? How many bottles of

worry. People are worried about whether they’re

hand sanitizer are enough? People are getting into

going to get sick or whether loved ones will get sick.

fistfights over toilet paper. When is enough enough?

For those of us nearing the age of retirement, we’re worried about our savings. People are worried about

Jesus then turns to people who are barely making

whether they’re going to have a job or be able to find

it and in essence says, “Do you know what your

a job. People are worried simply about paying their

problem is? You worry too much.” Jesus tells these

bills and about whether they are going to be evicted.

poor folks, “Don’t worry!” This is really encouraging

The entire world is anxious. But we are mistaken

counsel because you and I can’t control anything

about the source of our worries.

that’s happening outside of us. We have no power over Wall Street. The only thing we really have control

We believe that the source of our worry is outside of us If you ask almost anyone, “Why are you so worried?”, people might respond because of the stock market or unemployment or concerns about getting ill. This is on top of all the other normal worries that we have. A family member or friend may have a drug problem or may be going through a divorce or is in the hospital.

We are worried, we believe, because of all the problems outside of us that are piling up until we feel crushed.

of is ourselves – what’s going on inside of our hearts.

Jesus is giving you and me a really hopeful word in saying, “You do not have to react the way everybody else is. You can choose to not worry.” Whether you’re well off or whether you’re poor, Jesus says that we’re mistaken about the source of our worries – worry does not come from our circumstances. The source of worry is our own hearts!

What is the Christian response to worry?

Who is in control Jesus speaks about the cause of worry:

But Jesus says to you and me, “You’ve completely misunderstood the source of your worry. It’s not

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to

because of all this stuff is happening around you. The

your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing,

reason that you worry is because of something inside

why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:25-26)

of you.”

We read in Luke:

The cause of worry is the attempt by you and me to control the uncontrollable. Central to the problem of worry is the illusion that we’re in control when

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your

we’re not. We think if I could just do retirement right

guard against all kinds of greed; life does not

my future will be secure. If I just stock up on enough

consist in an abundance of possessions.” (12:15)

toilet paper and hand sanitizer and dog food, we can ride this thing out. If I can figure out the right child-

In other words, Jesus is saying, “You think that you’re

raising technique or use the right form of discipline,

going to secure your life if you just had a little more.

that will guarantee that my kids will turn out all right.

Then you think you’d feel ok. But you are deceiving

We worriers always have control issues. And Jesus is

yourself because enough will never be enough for

saying to us, “You can’t control much of anything. You

you. You have an insatiable appetite for more!”

can’t add a single hour to your life.”

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In Luke 12:27 Jesus says, instead,

experience future pain. It is also guaranteed that there will be future difficulty. But if worse comes to

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not

worse, God, our Father, will still be in control. God

labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all

knows everything about the future and promises to

his splendor was dressed like one of these.

work everything for our good.

Jesus calls on his disciples to consider the wild flowers. He’s telling us to think about how little

Who you are

control the wild flower has over its life. The flower

When talking about the wild flowers, Jesus is not

doesn’t choose which field it will grow in. And you

talking about hybrid roses that are carefully tended

didn’t choose where you were born, when you were

to. He’s talking about wild flowers growing by the side

born, what family you grew up in, who your parents

of the road. Jesus is saying if God makes wild flowers

were or anything else about the circumstances of

that nobody worries about, that are growing in the

your birth.

gravel, so beautiful that they outshine even Solomon the King in all of his splendor, how much more will you

The flower has no control over what grows around it.

outshine these wild flowers? What Jesus is saying is

It might have to fight for its life because there are all

that even if we were to die God will clothe us more

these weeds and thorns. And we have no control over

gloriously than King Solomon!

what is growing up around us. You may have grown up in a family where you were not the favorite or you

We don’t need to worry about our health. We

had to fight for your life.

don’t need to worry about the money that we’ve got invested in the stock market. Jesus says to his

The flower has no control over the weather - whether

children, “I’ll give you an eternal inheritance.” We

it’s raining or drought. We have no control over

don’t need to worry if there’s enough hand sanitizer

what our employer is doing or what the government

in the grocery store. The blood of Jesus Christ will

decides. We can’t control what our neighbors are

cleanse you better than any hand sanitizer ever will.

doing. We have no control over the stock market or the coronavirus.

Who is in control of all of these seemingly uncontrollable events? God! Who are we to God? We

The truth is that only God is in control of everything.

are more precious than wild flowers. God promises he

Do you really believe that? If you believe in God’s

will clothe us in glory. Therefore, do not worry! 

control and you believe God is good and will work everything together for your good, then you should

Remember to check for updates on social media

never be anxious. God rules over Satan. God rules

or at vineyardcolumbus.org/publicnotice. You

over viruses. God rules over banks and corporations.

can watch our livestreamed weekend services

God rules over governments. God rules over your

online at vineyardcolumbus.org/online. If you have

body and the chemistry that’s at work in your body.

a question or need prayer, you can email us at

God rules over every cell of your body.

vineyardcolumbus@vineyardcolumbus.org.

And if God rules over everything and he’s working everything together for our good, then what do we have to worry about? It is guaranteed that we will

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THE MIX | APRIL 2020

Vineyard Columbus is Streaming!

Join us weekends for our streaming services Saturdays | 6 P M

•

Sundays | 9 & 10:30 AM

Find more ways to connect by visiting VineyardColumbus.org/Online.

La Viña (our Spanish speaking campus)

Vineyard Kids (Early Childhood & KidzQuest)

VC Students (Middle School & High School)

VC Twenty Deaf Ministry V I N E YA R D C O L U M B U S . O R G

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Love Creation Like Jesus

by Mitchell Hescox and Kyle Meyaard-Schaap*

If you’re like me, you love your children (and

production to over 4,000 deaths each day from air

grandchildren), you love Jesus, and you want your

pollution in China, climate change and other fossil

entire family to know and love Jesus too.

fuel-generated pollution is impeding our ability to love our neighbors and to witness to a gospel big

Sharing Jesus can be difficult, though, especially

enough to address the fears and concerns of rising

among Generations X, Y (Millennial) & Z. In many

generations. Addressing it with courage and hope has

ways young adults, even many who grew up in the

the potential to help us both love and witness better

church, feel abandoned by the church’s apparent

than ever before.

silence on the issues shaping their lives and the lives If we know God as the Creator, then all creation

young Christians—and would-be Christians—when

belongs to Him. As His image bearers, we have a

it comes to the greatest moral challenge of our

double responsibility to both care for the “least of

time: climate change. Climate change looms large

these” (Matt. 25:40) and care for creation (Gen. 2:15).

for young people, casting a shadow over basic

Failure to both steward what belongs to God and to

questions and choices like: what career should I

care for those who suffer as a result interferes, in a

pursue, where should I buy my first home, and should

very tangible way, with our relationship with God. In

I have children? It also looms large over the daily

short, it is disobedience. Creation care, then, is an

lived experience of hundreds of millions of God’s

act of discipleship. It helps us get better at following

children worldwide. From the one person displaced

Jesus. It is a matter of obedience, of neighbor-love,

every two seconds to massive deceases in food

and of life – especially human life!

Adobe Stock image

of their friends. This is painfully true for millions of

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THE MIX | APRIL 2020

The majority world suffers the most from pollution,

combustion emits over 100 toxic chemicals that

but the United States—including Ohio—are not

directly damage human health. These include PAHs

immune. Over 108,000 U.S. residents die from air

(polyaromatic hydrocarbons); metals like arsenic,

pollution annually, with at least 5,000 newborns

lead, and mercury; carcinogens like benzene; and fine

dying from soot (PM2.5) exposure alone. According

particles (soot) that are all inhaled and that harm vital

to the American Lung Association’s "State of the

organs including the heart, lungs, and brain.

Air 2019" report, forty-three percent of Americans live in areas classified as having unhealthy air

That’s all to say nothing of the carbon dioxide,

pollution. Given climate change’s promise of

methane, and other greenhouse gases that drive our

warmer temperatures to come, ground-level ozone

climate crisis.

(smog) levels will only continue to increase in many North American cities, resulting in severe health consequences for those already suffering asthma, lung, and heart disease.

God created the world with a blanket woven with approximately 270 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide into it. This blanket kept the world 60–70°F warmer than it would have been without it, allowing

ALA gave Franklin County an F for smog (ozone)

life to flourish and thrive. Today, carbon dioxide levels

pollution, threatening the lives of over 26,000

have soared over 415 ppm with no sign of slowing

children—and over 180,000 adults—living with

down. In effect, we’ve made the blanket of God’s

asthma or heart disease. Columbus’ temperature

perfect design more than fifty-three percent thicker,

has increased by 3.4°F since 1970, bringing with it

and the results are clear: The last six years—from 2014

increased risk for extreme weather and higher rates of Lyme and other insect-borne diseases. Fossil fuel

to 2019—have been the warmest years ever recorded

Driving the most energy efficient vehicle that is

in the 139 years that the U.S. National Oceanic and

affordable and meets your family’s needs is a good

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has tracked

start. So is taking energy efficiency seriously at home,

global heat. This thickened blanket is trapping

church, and work. Many utilities offer programs to

dangerous amounts of heat, changing God’s design

provide free energy audits and product upgrades (i.e.

for creation, and threatening life as we know it.

smart thermostats, low-flow shower heads) to help you make a start.

Isaiah seems to say it best: "The people of the earth have ruined it, because they do not follow God’s teachings or obey God’s laws or keep their agreement with God that was to last forever." (Isaiah 24:5 NCV)

Given the outsized impact of commercial beef production on greenhouse gas emissions, another simple step is reducing your consumption of red meat. A friend of Mitch’s started Meatless Mondays a few years ago to help reduce the energy required to produce beef. The way we choose to eat can have a

Fossil fuel pollution, and the warming it drives, harms

major impact on God’s creation: eating local, eating

our children, our neighbors, and ourselves. We

in season, and reducing food waste at home and at

haven’t been good stewards of God’s creation, and

church are all great steps to take. Composting our

our actions have brought us to a critical time in caring

food waste, planting gardens, supporting local farms

for God’s creation. It’s time to act. Blessedly, we are

through Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA)

neither helpless nor hopeless.

programs – all of these make a difference. Combined

Local governments are already making major moves to bring their policies in line with a more compassionate future. Just recently, Columbus Mayor Ginther announced plans for the city to go 100% renewable by 2022. It is likely that the solar

with faithful engagement in the public square for policies that advance Christ’s Kingdom and promote the common good, we can begin to find our way back to our original calling to serve and protect God’s creation. 

and wind-generated electricity that will replace

*The Rev. Mitchell C. Hescox is President/C.E.O. of The Evangelical

traditional fossil fuel sources will even be less

Organizer and Spokesperson for Young Evangelicals for Climate Action.

expensive too thanks to technological advances and plummeting costs.

While we do need these and other government actions and policies, it really begins with us. As Jesus followers, each of us can do much in our own lives to be better caretakers of God’s majestic creation.

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Environmental Network and The Rev. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap is National

Ways to Serve

On March 25 we had the opportunity to care for others in our community. We handed out close to 2,500 bags of supplies (food, water, paper products, cleaning supplies) to people in need. We were also able to pray for these people - in English, Spanish, and Arabic - by members of our staff.

Ways to Connect Monday-Friday

FOLLOW US! 8am-Morning prayer

Start your day with prayer led by one of our pastors.

Vineyard Columbus

@VineyardCbus

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FOLLOW US!

Find out about these events and others at: Vineyard Columbus

@VineyardCbus

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