40

Here is my column for Sunday. I'll be leading a worship service on Sunday evening to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the merger of the two churches that created Faith-Westwood United Methodist Church, which The Water's Edge was created from.

The number 40 means something special in the Bible.

• God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights to cleanse the world. (Genesis 7:12) It is a story about hope.
• On a mountain during 40 days and 40 nights of fasting and prayer, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:28) It is a story of God’s love.
• For 40 years, one year for each day they explored the Promised Land, the people of Israel were stuck in the Wilderness. (Numbers 14:33-34) It is a story about overcoming.
• Elijah strengthened by one angelic meal went forty days to Mount Horeb where the Lord passed by and he heard the voice of God. (1 Kings 19:8) It is a story about God’s provision.
• Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:1-2) It is a story about perseverance.
• Jesus was seen in the earth 40 days after His crucifixion. (Acts 1:3) It is a story about grace.

Forty is an important number this year at Faith-Westwood as well.

Forty years ago, this week, Westwood Heights Evangelical United Brethren Church and Faith Methodist Church merged to form one church—Faith-Westwood United Methodist Church. Great things have happened in those 40 years. People have received hope. People have received God’s love. People have overcome challenges. People have been provided for. People have persevered. People have received grace.

Noah built the ark. It took courage. People had to be laughing at the old man as he built the big ship. But he saved the world. Likewise, it took courage to build buildings, to send kids on mission trips, to give money when there wasn’t much money to give, to give time when there wasn’t much time to give. But people in Omaha and beyond have experienced salvation because of the people of Faith-Westwood.

Philip William Otterbein, the founder of the EUB Church, and John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, both have something in common—they had a vision to take the church to the people. A vision to build strong faith communities, to plant new churches, to help the oppressed and the marginalized. In Pennsylvania and Maryland and in London and throughout England, both these men gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel.

To the visionaries who dreamed new dreams to reach new people. To the people who have been the church over the last 40 years and have laid the foundation for the next 40 years—thank you for your example of what it means to be the body of Christ! You have inspired me and many others.

In the Bible, after every time period of forty day or forty years, God does something great. I know the same will be true of us.

The best is yet to come…

Craig