The Ark The Ark, is a non-denominational, new church plant in Pickerington, Ohio as of September 28, 2014. The Ark, is a church plant in Pickerington, Ohio.

Everyone is invited! We have a time of fellowship and worship, and a message provided by Pastor Rick. 701 Hill Road North. Service starts at 10 am.

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06/02/2026

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When we think about Noah, we usually think about the ark.

We imagine the massive structure.
The animals.
The rain.
The floodwaters covering the earth.

But there is a detail that many of us overlook.

The Bible calls Noah "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5).

For approximately 120 years (Genesis 6:3), Noah built the ark while warning a world that had become filled with violence, corruption, and continual evil (Genesis 6:5, 11-12).

Year after year he preached.
Year after year he worked.
Year after year people watched.

They saw the ark growing.
They heard the warnings.
They witnessed his faith.

Yet when the flood finally came, only eight people were saved in the ark (1 Peter 3:20).

Think about that.

If success were measured by visible results, many people today would call Noah's ministry a failure.

No great revival.
No mass repentance.
No nation turning back to God.

Just one man faithfully obeying God in a generation that largely rejected Him.

But Scripture never presents Noah as a failure.

Why?

Because God's measure of success is different from ours.

We count numbers.
God counts faithfulness.

We look for results.
God looks for obedience.

We focus on what happened around Noah.
God focuses on what happened within Noah.

The greatest achievement of Noah was not that he built an ark.
His greatest achievement was that he walked with God.

Before Noah was a builder, he was a believer.

Genesis 6:9 says,

"๐๐จ๐š๐ก ๐ฐ๐š๐ฌ ๐š ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ž๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐š๐ง, ๐›๐ฅ๐š๐ฆ๐ž๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐จ๐š๐ก ๐ฐ๐š๐ฅ๐ค๐ž๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐†๐จ๐."

That is the first thing Scripture wants us to know about him.

His faithfulness came before the flood.
His obedience came before the ark.
His walk with God came before everything else.

Hebrews 11:7 explains the heart of Noah's story:

"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark."

Notice the order.

God spoke.
Noah believed.
Then Noah obeyed.

When Noah began building, there was no flood.

No visible evidence.
No storm clouds.
No sign that judgment was approaching.

Everything looked normal.

Yet Noah trusted God's Word more than what he could see with his eyes.

That is biblical faith.

Faith is not believing because circumstances make sense.
Faith is believing because God has spoken.

Anyone can believe after the rain starts to fall.
Noah believed while the sky was still clear.

Anyone can trust God when judgment becomes visible.
Noah trusted God when God's warning seemed distant.

That is why Genesis repeatedly emphasizes his obedience:

"Noah did all that God commanded him" (Genesis 6:22).

Again,

"Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him" (Genesis 7:5).

He did not negotiate.
He did not compromise.
He did not partially obey.

He simply trusted God and did what God said.

TThe world around him refused to listen,
but Noah never stopped believing.

The culture around him became more corrupt,
but Noah kept walking with God.

People may have laughed at the ark, mocked his message, and ignored his warnings, but Noah continued doing exactly what God told him to do.

And perhaps that is the lesson many of us need today.

You may be praying for someone who still has not changed.

You may be sharing God's truth with someone who refuses to listen.

You may be serving faithfully without recognition.

You may be obeying God and wondering why you are not seeing results.

๐‘๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐๐จ๐š๐ก.

Your responsibility is faithfulness.

The results belong to God.

The greatest success in the Christian life is not being popular, influential, or applauded.

The greatest success is hearing God speak and choosing to obey, even when nobody else does.

Noah's story reminds us that faithfulness is not proven after the rain starts.

Faithfulness is proven while you are still building the ark under a clear sky.

05/11/2026

Inside the Church, faiths are not the same.
Some people cry during worship but still live in sin after service.
Some raise their hands on Sunday but refuse to surrender their hearts to God from Monday to Saturday.
Some are faithful in prayer.
Others are only faithful in gossip, excuses, and compromise.
Not everyone inside the Church truly belongs to Christ.
Some came to be changed.
Others came only to be seen.
There are people in the Church who are willing to carry their cross.
And there are people who only want the benefits of Christianity without the sacrifice of holiness.
Stop thinking attendance equals salvation.
Sitting inside the Church does not automatically make you spiritual.
Even Judas walked with Jesus and still betrayed Him.
The scariest part is this:
Some people know church language but do not know God personally.
They know how to shout โ€œAmen,โ€ but their lifestyle shouts rebellion.
They look holy publicly but are spiritually rotting privately.
โ€œHaving a form of godliness, but denying its power...โ€ โ€” 2 Timothy 3:5
Examine your faith before it is too late.
Because on Judgment Day, God will not be impressed by your position in the ministry, your loud worship, or your years inside the Church.
He will look for genuine repentance, obedience, and a life truly surrendered to Him.

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05/11/2026

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Judas walked with Jesus Himself.
He heard the greatest sermons, witnessed miracles, received correction, love, wisdom, and truth straight from the Savior.

Yet proximity to Jesus did not automatically change his heart.

You can sit in the right church, listen to the right pastor, serve in ministry, and still remain unchanged if you refuse to surrender your heart to God.

Transformation doesnโ€™t happen because of where you are.
It happens when you allow God to change your character, your attitude, your desires, and your heart.

The issue is not always the leadership.
Sometimes the real battle is within us.

God is not just calling us to attend church.
He is calling us to repentance, obedience, and true transformation. ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

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05/08/2026

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The call in Gospel of Luke 9:23 is not just a slogan for Christians itโ€™s a framework for how ministry is supposed to function:

โ€œWhoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.โ€

Letโ€™s unpack this in the way Luke presents discipleship practical, costly, and deeply transformational.

1. Deny Yourself โ€” Ministry is not about you
In Lukeโ€™s narrative, Jesus constantly confronts self-centered motives. In Gospel of Luke 14:26โ€“27, He even speaks of โ€œhatingโ€ oneโ€™s own life in comparison to loyalty to Him strong language that exposes misplaced priorities.
To deny yourself means:

Letting go of your need for recognition
Surrendering personal ambition, ego, and control
Choosing Godโ€™s will even when it contradicts your preferences

๐Ÿ“Œ In ministry today:
It guards leaders from turning ministry into a platform for identity, validation, or influence. Youโ€™re not the centerโ€”Christ is.

2. Take Up Your Cross Daily โ€” Ministry will cost you
Luke is the only Gospel writer who includes the word โ€œdaily.โ€ That matters.

The cross in Jesusโ€™ time wasnโ€™t symbolic it meant suffering, shame, and death. In Gospel of Luke 14:28โ€“33, Jesus teaches people to count the cost before following Him.

To take up your cross daily means:

Choosing obedience even when itโ€™s uncomfortable
Enduring misunderstanding, sacrifice, and sometimes rejection Dying to your old patterns again and again not just once

๐Ÿ“Œ In ministry today:
You will face burnout, criticism, unseen labor, and spiritual battles. The โ€œdaily crossโ€ reminds you that faithfulness is often quiet, costly, and consistent not glamorous.

3. Follow Jesus โ€” Ministry must stay Christ-centered
Luke emphasizes that discipleship is not just about sacrifice itโ€™s about direction. Youโ€™re not just dying to self; youโ€™re actively following a Person.

In Gospel of Luke 10:1โ€“3, Jesus sends out the seventy-two not to build their own mission, but to continue His.

To follow Jesus means:

Patterning your life after His character (humility, compassion, obedience)

Aligning your ministry with His mission (seek and save the lost โ€” Luke 19:10) Staying close to Him, not just busy for Him

๐Ÿ“Œ In ministry today:
It protects you from drifting into activity without intimacy. You can do ministry for Jesus and still not truly follow Him.
Why this matters for leaders today

If you remove any part of Luke 9:23,
ministry becomes distorted:

Without denying yourself โ†’ ministry becomes self-serving

Without the cross โ†’ ministry becomes shallow and comfort-driven

Without following Jesus โ†’ ministry becomes directionless and man-centered

But when all three are present, you get true discipleship the very thing Jesus commanded us to reproduce.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Discipletips
Donโ€™t just lead people to serve, lead them to die to self, embrace the cost, and follow Jesus daily.

Because the goal of ministry is not activity
itโ€™s transformed disciples who look like Christ.

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05/06/2026

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WHEN CHRIST IS NO LONGER AN ADDITION BUT EVERYTHING

What you lose when you choose Christ fully

There is a point in the life of a believer where following Christ moves beyond agreement and becomes surrender. It is no longer simply about believing what is true or identifying with a faith. It becomes about yielding the whole of life to the authority of Christ. This is where the conversation changes, because choosing Christ fully does not only add something to your life. It begins to take things away.

Not because God is withholding, but because what remains must align with who He is.

This is the part that is often left unspoken. The language of faith tends to emphasize what is gained. Forgiveness, purpose, hope, and eternal life are placed clearly before the believer. These are real and necessary. But when Christ is truly followed, there is also a loss that cannot be ignored. It is not theoretical. It is personal. It is experienced in real decisions, real relationships, and real moments where what once defined life can no longer remain.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Philippians 3:8

This is not exaggerated language. It is clarity. Paul is not minimizing what he had. He is recognizing what it cannot compare to. But in order to make that comparison, something had to be released. What he once counted as gain, he now counts as loss. Not because it ceased to exist, but because it no longer held the same place.

This is where choosing Christ fully begins to reshape everything.

What you lose first is control.

The assumption that life belongs to you, that your direction is yours to define, that your decisions are ultimately shaped by your own understanding begins to give way. Following Christ means that authority shifts. It is no longer your will at the center. It is His. This is not partial. It is complete. And when that shift happens, it does not always feel like freedom at first. It feels like surrender of control that once felt natural.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

This is not a suggestion to include God in your plans. It is a call to release reliance on your own understanding. That release is not always comfortable, because it requires stepping away from what feels certain and trusting what God has said even when the outcome is not visible.

What you lose next is the ability to hold on to what God calls you to leave.

There are patterns, relationships, and desires that cannot remain where Christ is fully followed. Not everything that feels meaningful is aligned with Him. And when obedience requires letting go, the loss is not abstract. It is felt. It may involve stepping away from what once gave identity or comfort. It may require turning from something that seemed harmless but is not consistent with truth.

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:62

This does not speak of perfection. It speaks of direction. When Christ is followed fully, the heart cannot remain divided. It cannot move forward while holding on to what God has called it to leave. The loss is real, but it is necessary for alignment.

What you lose as well is the version of yourself that was built apart from God.

This is often the most difficult part, because it is not something external. It is internal. It is the identity shaped by personal desire, cultural influence, and self-definition. Choosing Christ fully confronts that identity. It does not affirm it as it is. It reshapes it.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Galatians 2:20

This is not a small adjustment. It is a redefinition. The life that was once centered on self is now centered on Christ. That means desires are examined, priorities are reordered, and identity is no longer self-determined. This feels like loss because something familiar is no longer being preserved.

What you also lose is the comfort of living without conviction.

When Christ is followed fully, the Word of God begins to press more deeply. It no longer remains at the level of general understanding. It becomes specific. It addresses areas that were once ignored. It brings clarity where there was once avoidance. This removes a certain kind of comfort, the comfort of not being confronted.

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit.

Hebrews 4:12

This is not given to harm. It is given to transform. But the process is not without weight. It requires facing what is revealed and responding to it. The ease of remaining unchanged is no longer an option.

What you lose, finally, is the approval that comes from remaining aligned with the world.

Choosing Christ fully will not always be understood. It will not always be affirmed. There will be moments where obedience places you at a distance from what others accept or expect. This is not because following Christ is isolating by design, but because it is distinct by nature.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 15:19

This does not mean constant conflict. It means clear distinction. And that distinction comes with a cost. The desire to be accepted cannot remain the driving force when Christ is followed fully.

This is what is often not mentioned.

Choosing Christ fully will cost you what cannot remain with Him.

But what must also be understood is that what is lost is not greater than what is gained.

The loss is real.

But it is not ultimate.

Because what replaces it is not empty space.

It is Christ Himself.

And when He becomes the center, what was once seen as loss is understood differently. It is not something taken away without purpose. It is something that could not remain if life was to be aligned with truth.

This is why Paul speaks with certainty.

Not regret.

Not hesitation.

But clarity.

Because when Christ is seen for who He is, the comparison is no longer difficult.

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Philippians 3:8

Truth does not bow to the age. It stands. And so will those who stand with Christ.

๐Ÿ–‹๏ธ Kathryn Walter| Electa Gratia

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๐Ÿ–‹๏ธBooks authored by me ๐Ÿ‘‡ Buy and be blessed.

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Prayers for Thirsting Souls in Every Season ๐Ÿ‘‡

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05/05/2026

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True discipleship carries a cost. We might not be giving up trade with foreign merchants, but we are called to:

โ€ข. Choose integrity when compromise would be easier.
โ€ข. Say "no" to the constant pull of materialism and self-promotion.
โ€ข Set apart time for God when the world demands every minute of our attention.

Following God might mean giving up comfort for conviction, profit for principle, popularity for purity. Yet every sacrifice opens space for something far greater: His presence, His peace, and His purpose.

-Mei Au

When has God called you to give up something costly in your life, either currently or in the past? Or when have you met someone whose sacrifice changed your life?

05/04/2026

Trying to discern the will of God?
Here is some wisdom from Elisabeth Elliot~
โ€œAsk yourself these 3 questions:
1. Have I spent time alone with Him?
2. How much of what He might reveal to me would I be willing to obey? He will give you grace to do what He asks you to do.
3. Am I doing today what I already know of His will for me?โ€
His will never goes against His Word.

Send a message to learn more

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05/04/2026

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โ€œOnly one life, โ€™twill soon be past; only whatโ€™s done for Christ will last.โ€ โ€“ C.T. Studd

This quote has been echoing in my heart. Itโ€™s more than just a beautiful line of poetry: itโ€™s a deep reminder of a sobering truth: life is short. We only get one.

Iโ€™ve found myself pausing and reflecting more than usual. Thereโ€™s something about the change of seasons, the cooler air, and the quiet moments that makes me realize how fragile and fleeting life truly is. Each day, hour, and minute we live brings us closer to the day we will stand before our Lord, not as strangers, but as His children, giving an account of how we lived.

And the question presses on my heart: Am I living for what really matters?

In todayโ€™s world, itโ€™s easy to get caught in the rush. People around us are busy chasing dreams, careers, and recognition. Society tells us that success is measured by productivity, influence, popularity, and wealth. If your calendar is full, your passport is stamped, and your social media looks exciting, then you must be living a good life, right?

But what if God measures life differently?

What if the true measure of a life well spent is not how much youโ€™ve accomplished for yourself, but how much youโ€™ve surrendered to Christ?

What if itโ€™s not about being busy, but about being faithful?

What if itโ€™s not about being seen, but about being obedient: even when no one notices?

The poem by C.T. Studd reminds me that at the end of this life, only what Iโ€™ve done for Christ will matter. Not my job title, not how many followers I had, not how adventurous my life looked, and not how much money I made. What will last are the unseen, eternal things:

The quiet prayers
The acts of kindness
The sharing of the Gospel
The service to others
The sacrifices made in love for Him

I want my life to count, not in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes of the One who gave His life for me.

So as I begin this month, Iโ€™m choosing to slow down, to reset my focus, and to invest my time, my energy, and my heart into the things that will last forever.

Lord, help me to remember that this life is not my own.
Use my days, my gifts, and even my pain for Your glory.

Let my heart be fully Yours...because only one life, and it will soon be pastโ€ฆ

Only whatโ€™s done for You will last โค๏ธโ€๐Ÿ”ฅ

Address

701 Hill Rd. North-Sunday
Pickerington, OH
43147

Opening Hours

10am - 12pm

Telephone

+16143826301

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