“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” — Hebrews 11:6
Hello friends,
I once learned through my good mentor and friend, Randy Renoylds, that every time we place faith in God we risk something. Assuming this is true, it begs the question: If we are not risking something, whether it be large or small, are we actively placing faith in God, or are we merely relying on the fumes from the faith we first placed in Him? It is easy to find ourselves slipping into this form of comfortable Christianity. Anytime there is a certain amount of risk involved in exercising our faith in Christ, there will always be a certain amount of coinciding fear.
Sadly, I’ve learned that sometimes it’s just easier and more comfortable to avoid the fear altogether by simply avoiding the faith. But making decisions this way is not why Christ has redeemed us.
I just had the privilege of teaching this important lesson of placing faith over fear when preaching from the pulpit a few weeks ago about the story of Rahab, the prostitute, from Joshua chapter two. In practicing civil disobedience to the government of Jericho, by deceiving those seeking Joshua’s spies, Rahab risked her very life. Needless to say, she was undoubtedly afraid, fearful of the Jewish spies who could’ve possibly turned on her and frightened of the officials she lied to. Yet her faith in God overcame her fear of man. And in risking her old life, Rahab found a new life as she was saved from the impending destruction of Jericho, redeemed from a life of sexual sin, and brought into the family of God — into the actual lineage of Jesus the Christ!
Now, what does this have to do with me? Well, allow me to give you a quick update on my life. Nearly ten years ago, I resigned from being a youth pastor after twelve fulfilling years of service. I was blessed to get into the plumbing trade since that time. Over these past years of not being in vocational ministry, Kelley and I have followed where we think God has led. We have organized college Bible studies, served in churches where we have attended, and I have started the nonprofit organization Salvation and Stuff, whose primary purpose is to educate and provide biblical theology that is pleasantly palatable to all people via podcasts, blogs, and other digital content.
I am also currently enrolled in Dallas Theological Seminary’s Master of Sacred Theology degree, (STM). It’s a degree between a Master’s and a Ph.D. in preparation for Christian service and advanced theological study, including doctoral work. For me this will take about two years to complete and can possibly lead to teaching at a collegiate level — a career I have desired for some time now.
But over the last three to four years, Kelley and I have been praying that God might open an opportunity for us to reenter into some sort of full-time ministry, where I could use the gifts and passions He has given me to build up His kingdom on earth. Writing and podcasting has been a great outlet for me to try to engage, encourage, and enlighten anyone who would take the time to listen, read, or watch my content. While I know a few people who have successful ministries when working full-time and raising a family, I do not think I am one of them: I want to spend much more time in creating content for Salvation and Stuff than I have. So, what if the Lord wants me to spend more time and effort in Salvation and Stuff and expand its reach? What if God wants me to spend more time addressing the spiritual problems of our times instead of plumbing problems? What if God wants me to spend more time constructing the Church instead of just buildings? What would that look like, and how could I make a living doing it? These are some of the questions Kelley and I have being mulling over for a few years now.
Thus, I, along with my wife and three children, find ourselves stepping closer to the verge of something. I’d love to say I am confident of what that “something” might be. But it seems that God doesn’t like to disclose everything all at once. It’s almost as if I can only see dimly, as in an old mirror (1 Cor. 13:12).
Lastly, what might this have to do with you? If you are reading this, its because you are my friend — one of the few people who not only receives my emails but reads them. And so as my family steps toward the direction we sense God leading us, I wonder if you will you walk with us? While our faith in God is always personal, it’s rarely independent of the friendship and fellowship of others. With that, I’d really like to hear your thoughts. Your collective feedback, encouragement, and prayers have always been a real treasure for me, and I know they will continue to be now as we place faith over fear.
So really, what do you think?
Micah Coate, President and Host of Salvation and Stuff
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