From the Editor
Forgiveness Ain’t Easy!
By Andrea Johnson
“I know I am supposed to forgive, but how do I go about it?” That’s the question I had as a young mom. Someone had betrayed my trust and made disastrous choices that affected me, my kids, and a whole slew of other people I cared deeply about. I could say I had forgiven the offender, but what did that really mean? Wasn’t that the same as saying that person’s transgressions didn’t matter? That didn’t seem just.
I knew deep down that I hadn’t forgiven the person because whenever their name came up, I could feel my stomach tighten and my mood sour. I also relished way too much anything bad that happened to them.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of forgiveness is “to cease to feel resentment against an offender,” “to pardon one’s enemies.” A pastor said it another way. He said, “Forgiveness is giving up one’s right to be angry.” That caught my attention. Yes, I did have every right to be angry with the transgressor, but I could also choose to give up that right.
Although that statement helped me immensely, I still wasn’t sure how to “give up anger” toward my offender.
For me, forgiveness became a process rather than a one-time event.
These were some of the steps that helped me:
- Pray like you mean it, asking God to help you forgive. Only God can change your heart. Ask Him, and then allow Him.
- Don’t keep rehashing (verbally or mentally) the wrong that was done to you. All that does is stir up all the anger and the ugly; it does nothing to rectify your situation (Hebrews 12:1).
- Think on good things! Choose to concentrate on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8). Incorporate this attitude into your speech as well. This may mean making changes in your circle of friends or the media you view. If you find yourself becoming more angry or bitter when you are around those things, limit your time with them.
- Immerse yourself in Scripture. Think of the Word of God as a warm bath for your mind – cleansing it of old thought patterns, bitterness, and anger and replacing them with peace, joy, and love (Romans 12:2). Scriptures such as Colossians 3:12-17; Hebrews 12:1-3; Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 40:31; 1 Corinthians 13; and Matthew 6:25-34 are great places to start.
- Develop an attitude of gratefulness. It’s hard to hold grudges when we stop to appreciate all that we have to be grateful for. This may take some time if you have developed a “victim mentality,” but it works.
- Lower your expectations. We expect two-year-olds to act like two-year-olds, not as mature adults. Some people are just carnal; they do not plan on changing. You can’t “help” someone change that doesn’t want to. You are the only person over which you have control.
- Realize that forgiveness does not mean allowing a person to keep harming you. If a person stole fifty bucks from me, I would forgive them. But I would not leave money laying around the house the next time they visited. If someone is harming you, do not enable them to keep doing so. That doesn’t help them or you. Establish boundaries. Ask for help from a trusted friend or pastor if you need to.
- Be willing to forgive again. Although we try to put up boundaries, in reality there are people in our lives who will keep causing us pain of some sort. Maybe it’s someone you work with or someone you are related to. Jesus told us to keep on forgiving (Matthew 18:21-22). Don’t beat yourself up for initial feelings of anger when you see injustice, but don’t hang on to bitterness.
After several years (I wish I could say it had been weeks), I one day realized I had forgiven my tormentor when their name came up and I didn’t seethe with anger. And guess what? Believe it or not, I’ve had other opportunities to practice these steps, just as I hope people will be kind enough to do for me when I need to be forgiven! No one said forgiveness is easy, but it’s worth it!
Want some Easter grass? Tiny hands held out bright green plastic grass as a gesture of friendship from the four-year-old South Korean girl, who I later learned was named Sammy. Sammy became one of my earliest friends and was architect of one of my earliest Easter memories.
To be honest, the Easter memories from the first half of my life revolve more around Easter grass, brightly colored candy-filled eggs, and straw Easter hats than they do the resurrection of Jesus.
To be honest, the Easter memories from the first half of my life revolve more around Easter grass, brightly colored candy-filled eggs, and straw Easter hats than they do the resurrection of Jesus. Easter was my mom’s favorite holiday, and we had several traditions. After buying and wearing a special Easter church outfit, we would eat out at a nice restaurant before our annual Easter basket search commenced. Instead of hiding individual eggs, my parents would hide the entire pre-filled basket. My siblings and I have formative memories of searching for hidden Easter baskets, which my father would hide in progressively more difficult places each year of my life. One of the four siblings would inevitably end up weeping because the hiding place was just too hard and it was so unfair. Ahhh, Easter.
A few of Hannah’s favorite Easter memories with family and friends.
It wasn’t until college that I began to grasp the weight and holiness of this time of year. I remember attending a sunrise Easter service and sensing the presence of God in a way that brought tears of gratitude to my eyes; He was alive and He was right here with me. Another memory involves attending a Serbian Orthodox Good Friday service as a college class assignment. The service was an all-night candlelight vigil. At scheduled times, we marched around the perimeter of the church while speaking liturgies about how Christ had “trampled death by death.” This was my first time sitting in the darkness (literally!) of Christ’s death.
This deeper internalization of both Christ’s death and resurrection stayed with me throughout my adult years. Easter became one of my own favorite holidays as I hid my own children’s Easter baskets while also making space to sit with what Christ had done for me.
… the responsibility of Easter has at times overshadowed its holiness.
And then I became a pastor. One might assume that serving as a spiritual leader would make this holy holiday feel even holier—that my anointing would allow me to experience Easter in a more present, rich way. Maybe this is true for some pastors. For me, the responsibility of Easter has at times overshadowed its holiness. There have been holy and joyful moments, such as experiencing Christ powerfully while leading an Easter worship set or the time I watched my husband dance in a bunny suit in children’s ministry. But there have been many more moments driven by the pressure to perform: to hit the harmonies just right, to fill 1,000 more eggs, to think of a really creative service opener, and to find the perfect outfit, not because it’s fun but because it’s EASTER and first impressions matter.
I know in my head what Easter is all about. I’ve experienced Christ’s death and resurrection. But the ability to experience the truth of Easter while also planning the event of Easter has proven elusive. The struggle has been about as frustrating as looking for an Easter basket that is hidden just a little too well.
“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he is risen, just as he said” (Matt 28:5-6).
I forget that Easter began with a search for Jesus. His resurrection was the onset of a search for His
presence …
I forget that Easter began with a search for Jesus. His resurrection was the onset of a search for His presence, a search that continued for the remainder of His disciples’ lives. He would pop in for a long walk or a fish breakfast, then would recede for a while. He would come as blinding light or in a dream, then recede again. While it is true that many of our traditions (both secular and Christian) can get in the way of experiencing Jesus, it is also true that much of life is a search for His presence—and sometimes the search is the point.
And there is always the promise of finding Him.
“He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him” (28:7).
You will see Him. Whether you are a mother filling eggs with candy for your kids, a college student internalizing your faith for the first time, a ministry leader feeling exhausted, or a pastor preparing a special service for twenty or 200 people, you will see Him. And maybe, as we relax into the truth of this promise, we can also remember that if He intends to make Himself known to us, He will do the same for those we love and lead. Maybe we can take some of the pressure off Easter, trusting that His promise of presence will hold true no matter how we choose to celebrate. As you prepare for and celebrate Christ’s resurrection this season, I hope you’ll enjoy the articles in this issue. We have stories about how Jesus is moving in new ways: in Africa, in a West Coast church plant, and in a Florida Next Gen leader with a huge heart for missions. God is also moving through old, rich traditions, as you’ll discover in this story. As you read, take a moment to recognize the familiar presence of God in each story. You will see Him!
About the Author
Hannah Bemis currently serves as the editor and director of Message of the Open Bible. She always wanted to do too many things when she grew up, and God has been kind enough to let her do most of them in different seasons. After seasons of mothering, teaching, writing, and staff pastoring, Hannah’s most recent adventure is planting College Street Church in Newberg, Oregon, with her husband, Jordan. After Jesus and all her favorite people, she spends the remainder of her passion on pizza and dark chocolate in equal measure.
When I was in first grade, I attended William Carey Academy, a small private school in Pasadena, California, that primarily served the children of missionaries who were on home assignment. The school was on the campus of the U.S. Center for World Mission, a collaborative mission base, which meant that I got to learn alongside students and be taught by teachers who had traveled the world. One specific perk of this season was learning Spanish. My teacher was a missionary to Guatemala who had a passion for the language and the Guatemalan people.
While most of my Spanish has left me, my love for Hispanic nations, culture, and people has not. One of the most fun parts of my job as Message editor has been working with teammates like Mindy Khanthavixay (Mexican-American), Areli Estrada (originally from Mexico), and Ximena Urra (originally from Chile) all of whom are fluent in Spanish. Without these women, it would have not been possible to launch our fully translated Spanish issues of Message of the Open Bible. As our current issue of the magazine is being released in tandem with Hispanic Heritage month (September 15 – October 15), we would be remiss not to honor our many Hispanic coworkers, pastors, and ministry partners within Open Bible. We would not be who we are without you!
Open Bible is currently active in eighteen Spanish-speaking countries and has 556 churches within these countries. Our Hispanic Ministries within the states is also flourishing with twenty-eight churches across the nation, many of which are leading the charge in church multiplication. I am so excited for you to read the story of Melissa Alvarez, who is a second-generation Mexican American and a second-generation church planter. You will also love reading the testimony of Mary Lou Wolfe, who grew up in a Hispanic Open Bible church (Templo Santo in Antioch, California) and whose parents come from Nicaragua and El Salvador. Mary Lou’s miraculous kidney transplant has made it possible for her to continue a vibrant ministry where she currently serves at Life Church in Concord, California.
In addition to these articles by Hispanic authors, don’t miss out on our other great articles, including a thoughtful reflection on modern discipleship by Gary Khan and
an important global missions update from Vince McCarty. And if you didn’t catch our special edition President’s Perspective article, you’ll want to read “The Power of We” by President Michael Nortune.
I am proud to be part of a movement that has honored and advocated for ministries in many languages, cultures, and nations. Let’s continue to celebrate every part of our Open Bible family as we fulfill the Great Commission together.
Hannah Bemis currently serves as the editor and director of Message of the Open Bible. She always wanted to do too many things when she grew up, and God has been kind enough to let her do most of them in different seasons. After seasons of mothering, teaching, writing, and staff pastoring, Hannah’s most recent adventure is planting College Street Church in Newberg, Oregon, with her husband, Jordan. After Jesus and all her favorite people, she spends the remainder of her passion on pizza and dark chocolate in equal measure.
At the tail end of 2024, my family celebrated a big event: my grandmother-in-law, Mardell LeLaCheur (known as “Mimi” by all her grands and greats), turned 90 years old. Both her party and her social media feed were filled with people representing her legacy: friends from Bible college, Open Bible pastors she had served alongside and church members she had served during her decades of ministry, friends she has grown close to in retirement, and, of course, the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who cherish her. She, like so many other women in ministry, has lived a rich life, fully invested in both her calling as a matriarch and her calling as a minister.
There are so many challenges to being a woman who is called to church leadership, and in seasons of my life I have dwelt on and railed against these challenges. Today, as I reflect on my own life and those of my sisters and mothers in the Body of Christ, I find rest in gratitude. As women, we get to do all the best things: We make disciples both in the world and while we raise our children (whether biological or spiritual). We co-labor with God as we intercede, counsel the broken-hearted, lead people to Jesus, and preach His gospel in our homes, our churches, and across the globe. And if we must fight harder to walk in the fullness of our callings? Perhaps even that is a blessing, as our struggle makes each step worth celebrating, transforming our path into holy ground.
There are so many challenges to being a woman who is called to church leadership, and in seasons of my life I have dwelt on and railed against these challenges.
Open Bible has an incredible history of women who have led and served in our movement, both in the United States and abroad. Its endorsement of women in ministry echoes that found in both the Old and New Testament, as well as in the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement. We see evidence of God’s call in the lives of saints like Mardell LeLaCheur and the late Ruth Bryan, in those ministering in the marketplace like Kwabea Francis, and in those who are expanding the Kingdom overseas like Soukham Khanthavixay. This issue of Message of the Open Bible includes the stories of many of these incredible women as well as resources to address the gap of women in ministry leadership still present in many of our churches.
If you ask my twelve-year-old daughter, Nora, what she wants to be when she grows up, she’ll answer in one of two ways. Depending on the day, she’ll either tell you she wants to be a pastor or an astronaut (a friend has coined a new term for her future career: “Pastronaut”). I’m so grateful Nora is part of a church and a movement that will help her fly no matter which career she chooses. As the official statement on Women in Ministry & Leadership says in the Open Bible manual, “We have been blessed by the ministry and leadership of women, and we are committed to honoring and championing these women” (p. 89). May we continue to champion and open doors for women and men alike as we work side by side to bring Jesus to the world.
