Gather

The Great Realignment

A few years ago, many of us were told that the COVID shutdown would be the Great Reset. A pause. A recalibration. An opportunity to rebuild something better.

But if we are honest—pastorally honest, spiritually honest—for many, it did not become a great reset. It became a great setback.

Instead of gathering, we isolated. Instead of growing, we shrank back. Instead of giving, we protected what was ours. Instead of going, we stayed inside increasingly small, carefully curated bubbles.

Now, some of that was necessary. Much of it was done out of love and caution. But something subtle happened beneath the surface of our lives. What began as a temporary disruption quietly reshaped our habits, our expectations, and even our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

The Christian life, which is inherently communal, embodied, and outward-facing, became increasingly individualized, virtual, and inward. And here’s the danger: what begins as a season can become a system.

That is why, in 2026, we are wanting to disrupt that system. We are calling our church to a realignment. A return. A replanting. A re-centering on the ancient, resilient, life-giving practices of the people of God.

We are called to be people of The Way.

Like a Tree, Not a Machine

Psalm 1 gives us one of Scripture’s most enduring images of spiritual formation:

“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

Notice what Scripture does not compare us to. Not a machine. Not a startup. Not a productivity system. We are compared to a tree.

Trees grow slowly. They grow quietly. They grow invisibly before they grow visibly. And their strength is not measured by speed, but by rings—each one marking endurance through drought, storm, cold, and heat.

You cannot rush a tree. You cannot fake its growth. And you cannot see its deepest strength on the surface.

Following Jesus works the same way. Generally, we all fall into one of three categories:

1. The Disciple: We are following Jesus with our whole hearts, wanting to live and love like Him.

2. The Seeker: We are exploring God, considering the claims of Jesus, and considering a life surrendered to Him.

3. The Cultural Believer: This is the result of living in a culture where Christianity has been the dominant worldview. This is someone who would describe themselves as a believer in Jesus but isn’t really following Him right now.

If that third category describes you, I want to encourage you to reconsider your posture. It’s not truly an option for those who believe, especially in light of Revelation 3:15-22:

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth… Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Today is your opportunity to recommit your heart and life to following Jesus, or to be honest that you are open-minded spiritually and ready to hear what it means to truly follow Him.

A Way of Life, Not a Checklist

One of the great misunderstandings of growing in Jesus is that Christianity gives us a rigid, hyper-detailed checklist for spiritual success. But when you read the New Testament carefully, especially the Gospels and the early church, you find something different.

Jesus does not give His disciples a spreadsheet. He gives them a way of life. He literally says, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

It is less prescriptive (“do these exact things in this exact order”) and more descriptive (“this is what life looks like when Jesus is Lord”). That is why we are spending this season walking together through Matthew 28 and Acts 2. Formation happens not through novelty, but through repetition.

The Framework:

• Matthew 28:16–20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Authority before activity. Presence after commission.)

• Acts 2:42–47: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… All the believers were together… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

This is not a program. It is a pattern. Simple—but not easy. Repeatable—but increasingly costly. Accessible—but deeply formative.

Week 1: Gather

Key Idea: Creating intentional environments for meaningful connection with God and with each other.

When we choose to follow Jesus, our life is not sedentary. It is not passive. It is not something we consume. It is a movement in our hearts and lives—a transformational movement in the way of Christ. And every movement begins with gathering.

In Hebrews 10, the author tells us: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess… not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.”

Notice the language: hold, spur, encourage. These are active verbs. Gathering is not a religious obligation. Gathering is a countercultural act of resistance.

In a fragmented world, gathering says we belong to one another. In a distracted world, gathering says we will pay attention together. In a fearful world, gathering says Jesus is still Lord.

The early church gathered daily not because they were super-Christians, but because they were spiritually realistic. They knew formation happens through proximity, presence, and practice. You are shaped by what you regularly place yourself near. You grow toward what you consistently gather around.

Three Marks of Gathering

How do we know when we are gathering for the right purpose? When we create environments that do three things:

1. Center the Presence of God Gathering is not first about us connecting with each other—it is about all of us orienting ourselves around God. In Acts 2, the church devoted themselves to teaching, prayer, and worship. The presence of God is not an accessory; it is the center.

Bishop Paulinus of Nola, Italy (400 AD) is credited with creating the practice of using handbells for monks, which later spread to churches in town squares using church bells. People would hear the bells, and it created this effect of knowing that was the moment to reconnect with God and make Him the primary focus. A time to pray, remember, worship, and gather.

What is calling out to us today? What is our constant reminder that centers Christ again? Like streams of water nourishing a tree, His presence sustains growth we cannot force.

2. Connect Meaningfully With Others “All the believers were together.” This is more than attendance. This is a shared life. They ate together, shared resources, and opened homes. Our faith does not grow in rows alone—it grows in circles. Isolation weakens faith; community strengthens it.

Coming on Sundays is a priority, but come praying: “God, what do you have for me today? And what do you want from me?”

• Come anticipating God to move in your heart through the message, the music, or the prayer.

• Come anticipating God to move through you—whether serving children, greeting someone near you, or encouraging someone in the lobby.

However, the next step for real growth means gathering in a group. It could be a serving team, a small group, or a class like Alpha. Who helps you grow, and who are you helping grow? We need to start new habits in 2026 or restart habits we’ve lost.

3. Proclaim Jesus and the Kingdom of God Every true gathering is outward-facing. Acts 2 ends with this striking line: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

When the church is centered on God’s presence and connected in love, witness becomes inevitable. When we are planted together, we are like an orchard. You may be one tree, but planted together, you create an ecosystem and strength you could never have on your own. Consider the benefits of an orchard ecosystem:

• Reduced Inputs: Natural pest control and fertility from beneficial organisms.

• Increased Resilience: Greater diversity makes the system robust against disease.

• Enhanced Biodiversity: Supports life by providing essential habitats.

• Improved Soil Health: Healthy soil biology retains moisture and nutrients.

If you are like a tree, how is your tree looking? For this “orchard”—this church—to thrive, we all have to be planted and growing. Trees grow one ring at a time, marking seasons of abundance, scarcity, storms, and drought. As followers of Jesus, our lives are not about avoiding hardship, but being formed through hardship.

A Year of Realignment

This is not about guilt. This is about grace-driven clarity. We are not trying to recreate 2019. We are responding faithfully to the Scriptures in 2026.

This is a year of realignment—returning to the simple, powerful practices that shaped the early church and sustained the people of God for centuries. Gathering is not the finish line. It is the soil. And if we are planted by His waters—together—we will grow. Slowly. Steadily. Faithfully.

The Table of Communion This gathering is vital because one of the most powerful truths about communion is that it is something we never do alone.

We may come having experienced different weeks, struggles, or joys—but when we gather around the Table, Scripture reminds us that we become one body. Not because we are the same, but because we share the same bread. We drink from the same cup. We are united in the same Christ.

In a world that pulls us toward isolation, communion calls us back together. As you reflect on the bread (His body broken for us) and the cup (His blood poured out for us), examine your heart. What is an unresolved issue, a sin pattern, or unforgiveness you are carrying?

Bring that to God today. Acknowledge it. Turn from it. And give thanks to Jesus for the forgiveness that comes from His life, death, and resurrection.