When churches partner in the gospel — united in mission, caring for one another, equipping together — they become stronger than the sum of their parts. The health of one becomes the health of many. As we like to say, local churches are better together.

In a world that idolizes productivity and optimization, rest feels counterintuitive. After all, since the fall of man, every human desires to be self-sufficient and autonomous. True biblical rest on the other hand, demands an acknowledgment of our limitations. The challenge we face as pastors is that most of the things fighting for our time are good or God things. So in order to rest, we have to learn to say no to good things. 

One of the implications of this beautiful truth is that we are shaped by the things that we feed our eyes and ears with. When that is Christ, the Gospel, and the Word, this is of great benefit for the believer. This implication however cuts both ways, meaning that when we set our eyes, our ears, and our hearts on things other than Christ, that is what shapes our loves, desires, and imaginations.