From the Editor
Take a Nap, Child
By Andrea Johnson
Whoever can spin the most plates at once wins, right? The busier a person’s schedule is, the more important we assume they are. Even as Christians, we sometimes think that the fuller our schedule is, the more the Lord is pleased with us. We wouldn’t come right out and say it, but our actions prove otherwise.
There is an old saying, “I would rather burn out than rust out,” as if those were the only two options.
Obviously, we don’t want to be lazy, and we don’t want our lives to be measured by time spent on social media. But we also don’t want to be so busy that we can’t help our neighbor if his basement floods, or chat with the store clerk who suddenly finds herself a widow, or bake cookies with our kids. And we don’t need to be so stressed that any last-minute change to our schedule sends us into a tizzy. Too much is too much, even when it comes to “ministry.”
A few years back I talked to a young mom who felt guilty she wasn’t a better mother and employee. I asked her how much sleep she had gotten the night before, and it wasn’t much. I asked her how much time she had spent that day on herself. None. So why did she feel guilty? She felt she wasn’t giving enough time to her kids or to her employer – even though she was giving all she had!
Obviously, we don’t want to be lazy, and we don’t want our lives to be measured by time spent on social media. But we also don’t want to be so busy that we can’t help our neighbor if his basement floods, or chat with the store clerk who suddenly finds herself a widow . . . .
Where in the Bible does it say that a person must work themselves to exhaustion? What about verses such as Psalm 127:2 (NLT)? “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” Rest is a gift – from God! He commands it! “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work” (Deuteronomy 5:13-14).
We want to be good employees, but there is a difference between being good employees and being enslaved. We don’t need to work our fingers to the bone to “prove” ourselves to others or to God or to get more stuff our children will one day have to discard or try to sell. People we now see hobbling down the halls of nursing homes were themselves once busy, important people. Now they are fortunate if someone visits them once a week.
We want to be good parents, but honestly, once a child passes infancy, they don’t need our attention 24/7. We are responsible to make sure they are loved and well cared for, but that doesn’t mean they (and we) must be involved in every activity that calls to them. Most children don’t need to join all the traveling teams performing every weekend. They may enjoy their activities more if those activities don’t suck up every free moment of their days.
In this season of life as an empty nester, I have the time to pray for extended time periods. But what about when I had children at home? Did God love me less because I wasn’t spending “enough” time with Him? Did He resent the fact that I was taking care of my children or working so that we had the things we needed?
It’s important that we carve out time to spend with the Lord, but that doesn’t have to look the same as everyone else’s time with the Lord, especially when we are in a difficult season of life. One time I was so stressed that I came into my prayer time too distraught to listen or even talk. As I knelt by a bench, I lay my head on it and asked the Lord, “Can I just BE with You?”
It was one of the sweetest times of “prayer” I ever had.
What if we budgeted our money the way we budget our time? Would we be spending it wisely or would we be bankrupt? We are given a limited number of hours in a day. We simply do not have enough of those hours to say yes to everything asked of us. If we dole out too many yeses, we end up disappointing someone who thought they could count on us, or we shortchange ourselves. The things we say yes to should not come at the expense of much needed rest. A friend once said, “If God says no to something, it means we don’t need it.” If we don’t have enough money, we don’t buy stuff. If we don’t have enough time, we say no!
Anyone with young children knows there are times when their behavior is signaling a desperate need for a nap. Often the same could be said for us. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for your loved ones is to go take a nap, reset. As you drift off to sleep, thank the Lord for rest.
In his article, Harris Holsapple [read article] talks about a time when he felt that in ministry one could never say no, until he realized that he was not to try to take Jesus’ place. His job was to point others to Jesus. Can we trust God to meet people’s needs when we can’t?
Adam and Eve first lived in a perfect world, and they still worked (Genesis 2:15). But while they worked, they were “with” the Lord. If we talk with God throughout the day and make sure we are mindful of Him even during work hours, could that be just as meaningful as carving out a weekend to fast and pray (although there are certainly seasons for that)?
Anyone with young children knows there are times when their behavior is signaling a desperate need for a nap. Often the same could be said for us. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for your loved ones is to go take a nap, reset. As you drift off to sleep, thank the Lord for rest.
And those spinning plates? Think of all the people in the world seeking spiritual nourishment. We can’t give them nourishment that we don’t ourselves have. They care nothing about empty plates, no matter how well they are spinning. Do you feel as if you need permission to drop some plates and take a nap? Done! Go do it. You and your loved ones will be glad you did
About the Author
Andrea Johnson, a credentialed Open Bible minister, is the managing editor of the Message of the Open Bible. A graduate of Open Bible College with a major in theology/missions, she has edited and co-edited several books, including Servants of the Spirit: Portraits of Pentecostal Pioneers, We Believe: Core Truths for Christian Living, and We Believe for Kids! Her goal is to reveal Christ to those who are searching for Him. In her spare time you will most likely find Andrea enjoying time with family and friends or hiking. She and her husband, Dennis, are blessed with four children, three of whom are married, and eight grandchildren.
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.
