Pastor Randy Hoskins

​Senior Pastor - First Congregational, Ashland, NE
 July 30, 2021
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​There was a missionary in China whose talents and abilities were so outstanding that an American company tried to hire him. They offered him an attractive job with a salary to match, but he turned it down. He told them God had sent him to China as a missionary. He thought that would end the matter, but instead they came back with a better offer and an increased salary. He turned that down, too, but again they came back, doubling the financial package. Finally he said to them, "It's not your salary that's too little. It's the job that's too small!"
Going into all the world to make disciples is a BIG job! That's why it's so sad to see so many people taking baby steps (or no steps!) for fear they will fail if attempting to tackle this full, God-sized challenge. Yet when we look at what Jesus told people, he didn't mince words or suggest small challenges. In John 8:11b he said: "Go now and leave your life of sin." Matthew 19:21: "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 5:30: "And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." Jesus didn't call people to take baby steps, he confronted them with challenges so big that to respond would mean turning their lives upside down! Unfortunately, many walked away as a result.
Will you take on the commands and challenges of Christ? Or will you just continue to take the occasional baby step? Remember that even a baby step will get you closer to where God wants you to be than taking no steps at all, but that is not what Jesus expects from us. The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Be a worker for God!

Pastor Randy
402-450-4447
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PASTOR RANDY HOSKINS
After serving as part-time pastor, Pastor Randy was called to full-time ministry in February of 2020.
​He and Velvet now live in Ashland.