Innovate Church

03/22/2026

Happy Sunday, Innovate family. I hope everyone is doing well. I’m sure some of you are wondering about church or when we’re going to be having church services again as my 3 month sabbatical is coming to an end.

I have wrestled a lot during these last three months. In the beginning I was really just seeking rest. It’s crazy how weird it felt to not be doing Sunday services, Bible study, or any kind of ministry for the first 3-5 weeks.

It wasn’t until about midway through that I began to really discern the direction of my life. I spent a lot of time reflecting and questioning the future, my own needs and desires, and Innovate Church.

Little by little, I’ve come to decide that after 7 years of leading Innovate, I am stepping out of ministry leadership for some time. I do not know if it will be forever but right now, I know the time has come to close this chapter of my life.

In truth, Allison and I have been serving in ministry in some capacity for over 25 years, with me taking on more and more responsibility over those years leading up to Innovate. And Innovate was for sure special.

I have informed the board earlier this week and we will meet once more to make sure that we close the nonprofit correctly.

I promise you, I have loved what we have done together and I will forever treasure you, our extended Innovate Church family. The Lord has used all of this for His glory, and I pray He is pleased with all that we did as a church.

I love you all, and again, I hope we will all stay connected with one another here. It isn’t goodbye, it’s just the end of something we did together, but not who we are together. We are still family. We are still the Body of Christ in the world, we are still His Church.

Thanks and God bless,
Pastor G ♥️

12/27/2025

Hey folks, as Pastor G begins his sabbatical, we still want to encourage you to attend some worship services each Sunday. Many of you may have physical churches and usually attend us as well, and that's great. Many of you can attend physical churches and have chosen not too for various reasons. We will always suggest that if you can, please attend a physical church, as a local church family is highly important.

However, our own heart is for those who cannot attend physical churches due to health or other limiting reasons. So please, find a church family to join in with while we are on sabbatical.

We've put together the list below to help you somewhat. We are not familiar with every church in this list, so be sure to check their about sections and maybe peek at a recorded livestream to see what it's like if possible.

If you have other suggestions, feel free to drop links in the comments section.

We are currently looking at retiring in April 2026.

Please pray for Pastor G to get rest, abide in the Spirit, and receive the wisdom and guidance he needs as we enter a new phase of ministry in the near future.

We are still available for prayer or other emergencies, and still active in our text group and on Discord, so feel free to swing over to Discord or DM here. Don't forget the Innovate Church app in your App Store... another way to message us.

Online Church Options https://www.onlinefellowship.com/ - Zoom https://churchome.org/weekly-service - Zoom https://crowd.church/about - UK YouTube Hybrid Churches (In person with online streams) https://www.life.church - Craig Groeschel https://live.life.church - Live feed https...

12/02/2025

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. John 15:9 ESV

Abide means to stay, reside, or remain. It also means, though not translated as so, to rest in.

Do you ever feel guilty for doing nothing? I do. Rest is hard for me. Not that I’m a workaholic either. I just find that I am always thinking of what’s next. What should I do or be doing? How can I just sit here and do… nothing?

I’m trying to learn to rest without feeling guilty. It’s recently been brought to my attention that I need to rest.

Jesus says we are to rest in His love. I think too many of us are striving to abide. Working hard to claim we are abiding. Abiding has become a to-do list. What if you reframe it as it should be… not as something to work hard at, but to simply rest? Rest in His love?

We believe Jesus did the work of making us right with God. But can we rest in that when we speak of living out our faith?

Rest, my friend. Rest in the wonderful arms of our loving Savior. It’s okay. Just rest.

11/30/2025

Hey Church! We hope you'll join us for service this evening at 6pm ET! In the app, YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook!

11/29/2025

# # Day 6: Moving Forward - Marked by Gratitude

**Scripture:** *"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... And be thankful... And whatever you do, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."* - Colossians 3:15, 17

This week we've explored thanksgiving as God's will, trusting He works good from everything, bringing honest lament that leads to worship, cultivating thanksgiving as discipline, and finding something to thank God for when it feels impossible. The consistent theme: thanksgiving isn't about circumstances but about character—God's character. He is good, His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness spans all generations. Therefore, you can give thanks in all circumstances. Start each day listing things to thank God for. When hardship hits, bring honest lament then choose trust. When all else fails, thank God for Jesus.

**Reflection:** What hardship are you facing where you need to practice "giving thanks in" rather than "giving thanks for"?

**Prayer Prompt:** Thank God that thanksgiving is possible because of His character. Commit to giving thanks in all circumstances as His will for you in Christ.

11/28/2025

# # Day 5: When Nothing Else Works

**Scripture:** *"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines... yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."* - Habakkuk 3:17-18

What do you do when thanksgiving feels impossible? Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. When you can't thank God for your circumstances, thank Him for the cross. When you can't see good being worked, thank Him for salvation. When everything feels dark, thank Him for light that darkness cannot overcome. Let the weak say, "I am strong." Let the poor say, "I am rich" because of what the Lord has done for us. The gospel becomes your baseline for thanksgiving when everything else fails. You can always thank God for Christ, regardless of earthly circumstances.

**Reflection:** When circumstances make thanksgiving feel impossible, what gospel truth can you always thank God for?

**Prayer Prompt:** Thank God specifically for the gift of Christ—salvation, eternal life, the cross, resurrection, and certain hope.

11/28/2025

Black Friday sale! Yes! We are offering FREE memberships to our Discord Community! This is huge, unlimited value!

Ok, look, it’s always free… but do something different this Black Friday, and join a life changing community at no expense to your bank account.

Welcome to Innovate Life—the spot for faith, fun, and figuring it out as we go. Grab a coffee (or a protein shake), pull up a chair, and join the convo. Whether you’re here to grow, laugh, or just lurk… you’re family now. | 80 members

11/27/2025

# # Day 4: Train Your Heart

**Scripture:** *"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever."* - Psalm 100:4-5

Thanksgiving isn't just an emotional response when things go well—it's a spiritual discipline to practice especially when things are hard. The Christian who walks with the Lord in constant communion will see many reasons for thanksgiving all day long. This doesn't mean fake cheerfulness but intentional choice to acknowledge God's goodness even amid difficulty. It's training your heart to see His faithfulness in all circumstances. Some are naturally optimistic, but biblical thanksgiving goes deeper—it's choosing to trust God's character when circumstances argue against it. That's spiritual maturity.

**Reflection:** What practical disciplines help you cultivate thanksgiving (journal, daily list, prayer, etc.)?

**Prayer Prompt:** Ask God to develop thanksgiving as a spiritual discipline in your life, not just an occasional emotion.

11/26/2025

# # Day 3: Honest Lament, Deeper Worship

**Scripture:** *"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?... But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me."* - Psalm 13:1, 5-6

David, who wrote beautiful psalms of thanksgiving, also struggled mightily. Psalm 13 questions God: "How long?" Feels overwhelmed: "Every day have sorrow in my heart." Yet ends in trust and praise: "I trust in your unfailing love." This pattern appears repeatedly in Psalms 77 and 116. Honest lament doesn't disqualify worship; it often leads to deeper worship. You can bring your questions, pain, and struggles to God while still choosing to trust and give thanks. God welcomes honest emotions. Bring your real struggles to Him, wrestle with Him, and let Him lead you from lament to trust.

**Reflection:** Do you feel permission to bring honest lament to God, or do you think you must always be positive?

**Prayer Prompt:** Bring your honest struggles to God today without sugarcoating. Then consciously choose to remember His faithfulness and offer thanks.