Intercultural Mosaics: Spotlight for DCC’s Capital Campaign

Shaping a Thriving, Transformational Community

For ten years, Intercultural Mosaics has been more than a ministry—it is a Spirit-led movement and a leading example of radical hospitality. Our mission is simple yet profound: to nurture transformed lives that radiate hope, renew neighborhoods, and embody God’s reconciling love. Through worship and discipleship, intercultural friendships, and holistic community care, Mosaics has become a spiritual ecosystem. Here, diverse generations and cultures grow together in faith.

Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal

• Before 2020: We welcomed over 1,500 unique participants, with 3–7 new guests joining each week.
• 2020–2022: Fully online during the pandemic, reaching more than 1,000 people with steady weekly engagement of 75–100.
• Since 2023: Mosaics has re-emerged as a vibrant hybrid community, gathering in Davis and Sacramento homes, at Phoenix Hall on the DCC campus, and globally online.
• Today: 300+ active members representing more than 30 cultures, witnessing together to God’s transforming grace.

Expanding Reach

• 6,395 events since inception, welcoming 3,226 participants.
• A digital presence including 49,734 website subscribers and 315 active Facebook members.
• Over 200 new participants in 2024–25—a clear sign of sustained spiritual curiosity and growth.

Caring for Our Neighbors

In April 2025 we launched the Mosaics Food Security Initiative, offering meals and free bicycle repair for unhoused and under-resourced neighbors. Building on this success—and with pending Synod support—we are preparing the Mosaics Yolo Compassion Initiative, a whole-person care project offering nourishment, emotional healing, and practical pathways to wellness.

Partnering for Impact

Looking ahead, we face significant financial challenges. Several grants that have sustained our work are expected to diminish in the coming years. Our annual budget of $100,000 requires an additional $20,000–$30,000 to maintain and expand our ministry.

Currently, about 40% of our budget comes from Facebook fundraisers, major donors, and the faithful giving of Mosaics participants and supporters. The remaining 60% comes from grants and partner churches within our presbytery.

Davis Community Church, as our cherished partner and sponsoring congregation, has the opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Intercultural Mosaics through your upcoming capital campaign. Your generosity will empower these ministries to thrive—bringing hope, transformation, and lasting impact to lives and communities for generations to come.

Looking to the Next Decade

As we celebrate a decade of God’s faithfulness, we envision the next ten years as a season of deeper healing, stronger friendships, and transformative discipleship across cultures and generations. Your support will help us bring this vision to life.

Voices of Transformation

Behind these numbers are real people whose lives have been transformed—here are their stories.

A Place of Belonging and Support

“When I was a new mother, Davis Mosaics connected me and my kids with a diverse, caring community. We experienced languages, cultures, and food from around the world.” – Amy Corona

Learning, Friendship, and Hope

“Mosaics allowed me to study French, Spanish, and American Sign Language, and to teach German. Sharing dinner with new friends helped me feel part of a community. You go home happier, smarter, and less alone.” – Honna Steissberg

Faith in Action

“Grace and Stephen Moon have given to me and to the community the highest gift of love— selfless service and dedication. I feel blessed to be part of such a beautiful network of friends and families where everyone is welcomed.” – Amber Weber

Transformation and New Life

“They say find the ‘friendly face in the crowd,’ but I found more than that. My life was changed, and I will forever be grateful. Davis Mosaics felt like home from day one.” – Rocio Corona

Cross-Cultural Community

“As a Malian, I came to Davis with different cultures and beliefs. Mosaics helped me interact with people and see the beauty of cultural difference. Kindness is the best way of communication between humans. Mosaics is family.” – Aïssata Sow

Spiritual Growth and Fellowship

“I began attending Mosaics Bible Study in 2016. Since then, I have gained a deeper understanding of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Having no family of my own, I have always felt welcomed by Pastor Stephen and his wife Grace as part of the Intercultural Mosaics family.” – Robert Richardson

A Treasured Community Resource

“They have truly created a beautiful environment where people of all walks of life come, learn, laugh, play music, and feel accepted. Mosaics has become one of the most treasured resources in our city.” – Stephanie Thayer

Through stories like these, Intercultural Mosaics shows that it is not merely a program—it is a lifeline of learning, fellowship, and hope. With your partnership, this ministry will continue to grow, bringing together people from around the world to experience love, belonging, and transformation.

Together, let us invest in a future where God’s reconciling love reaches every neighbor and every nation—starting right here in Davis.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:19

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” — Acts 2:42–47

Discover Intercultural Mosaics this Fall 2025!

Come be part of a lively season of learning, community, and cultural exchange from September 27 – December 13, 2025. We’ll gather in person every Saturday in Davis, and also connect online through bi-weekly Friday Zoom sessions—all designed to bring people together through language, art, food, and friendship.

🌍 Saturday In-Person Gatherings: Phoenix Hall, 2nd Floor, Davis Community Church

• 3:00 PM – Beginning Korean (Stephen)
• 3:00 PM – Tai Chi (Daniel)
• 4:00 PM – Intermediate Korean (Stephen)
• 4:00 PM – Beginning Spanish (Viviana)
• 5:00 PM – Beginning French (Seth)
• 5:00 PM – Beginning Japanese (Norio)
• 6:00 PM – Intercultural Dinner Fellowship (Grace & Lira)
• 7:00 PM – English Learners Group (Linda & Chad) – DCC Library
• 7:00 PM – Beginning Mandarin Chinese (Kaussar)
• 7:00 PM – Water & Acrylic Painting (Zhannur)
• 8:00 PM – Mosaics Cultural Exchange (fun activities celebrating global cultures!)

💻 Bi-Weekly Friday Zoom Classes: https://zoom.us/j/589676463 | Every 2nd & 4th Friday

• 4:00 PM – Advanced Korean (Stephen)
• 5:00 PM – Intermediate Conversational Chinese (Sam)
• 6:00 PM – Bible Study & Meditation (Stephen)
• 7:00 PM – Beginning Mandarin Chinese (Jane)

For more information, visit www.nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470 | catalyst@nextg.org.

“Third Culture, Third Place”: A Prophetic Call to the Church of Tomorrow

By Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon
Intercultural Mosaics

“You are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” — Ephesians 2:19

In a world shaped by migration, multicultural identity, and social fragmentation, the Church is being summoned by the Spirit into a new kind of faithfulness. In North Central California and across the globe, God is calling us into unfamiliar spaces—in-between cultures and beyond traditional sanctuaries—to rediscover what it truly means to be a people of hope and hospitality.

Two transformative ideas help guide this journey: Third Culture and Third Place. Though sociological in origin, they point directly to a deeply biblical vision of intercultural belonging and redemptive presence—and they may just be the keys to our church’s renewal.

Third Culture: Living in the In-Between

A “Third Culture” individual is someone shaped by multiple cultural contexts, never fully belonging to any single one. These are the children of immigrants, missionaries, military families, refugees, international students, and others raised in hybrid worlds. In our diverse presbytery, many of our youth and adults already live this reality.

They are not rootless. They are richly rooted—just not in one soil.

The Bible is full of such people:

• Abraham left everything familiar to dwell in a land that was not his own. (Hebrews 11:8–10)

• Jesus, the incarnate Word, entered our world as the ultimate Third Culture person—divine and human, Jewish and global. (John 1:14)

• The early Church broke boundaries of race, gender, and class, forming a new culture defined by Christ—not ethnicity. (Galatians 3:28)

In our presbytery, God is raising up people who carry this sacred gift of hybridity—not as a threat, but as a bridge of reconciliation.

Third Place: Becoming Spaces of Grace

Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to describe neutral spaces outside home and work—coffee shops, parks, libraries—where community and conversation thrive. In the digital age, these are often online forums or neighborhood pop-ups.

What if the Church itself became the third place our world is searching for?

This was the heart of the early Christian movement. Acts 2 describes believers gathering daily—not only for worship, but for shared meals, radical generosity, and joyful community. Their homes and lives became sacred spaces where strangers became family. (Acts 2:42–47)

Jesus often met people in third places—a Samaritan woman at a well, a tax collector at his table, a rich ruler on the road. He taught us that God’s love is not confined to temples. It breaks out into streets, riversides, and village squares.

Today, our churches are being challenged to move from institution to incarnation—from programs to presence. Third places are where people feel safe, seen, and sent. The church must become that kind of place again.

The Convergence: Where Third Culture Meets Third Place

When third culture individuals find third places within our churches, transformation happens.

These spaces become sanctuaries of belonging and laboratories for mission. No longer just programs or pews, they become homes for the spiritually homeless, bridges for the culturally displaced, and greenhouses for Kingdom dreams.

Imagine:

• A downtown church hosting monthly dinners where immigrants, artists, retirees, and college students share stories.
• A suburban congregation turning their fellowship hall into a coworking café for hybrid workers and young parents.
• A rural church offering a bilingual Bible study led by a third culture youth.

This is not abstract theory. This is what many of our new worshiping communities, intercultural fellowships, and grassroots ministries in NCCP are already doing. And it is only the beginning.

A Word to the Presbytery

To my fellow pastors, elders, and members across North Central California:

We are living through a divine disruption.

The Spirit is stirring us to leave comfort for calling. To build churches not around tradition, but around transformation. And to see our diversity not as a challenge to manage, but as a Gospel to embody.

As Presbyterians, we value structure and history. But we are also Reformers—called to be Ecclesia semper reformanda—the Church always reforming.

Let us reform toward hospitality, hybridity, and holy presence.

Let us raise up leaders who can speak in many languages—not just of tongue, but of culture and heart.

Let us create third places where third culture people flourish—and in doing so, rediscover the church Jesus envisioned.

Closing Words of Hope

“Now the dwelling of God is with humanity, and He will live with them.” (Revelation 21:3)

This is the future we are invited to build: a church that looks more like heaven, where every culture brings its gifts and every story finds its place.

May we say yes.

Explore Intercultural Mosaics this Summer 2025!

Join us for a vibrant season of virtual classes and community gatherings from June 21 to September 20, 2025 — all from the comfort of your home on Zoom!

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/589676463

Bi-Weekly Friday Zoom Sessions

(Every 2nd and 4th Friday)

• 4:00 PM – Advanced Korean with Stephen

• 5:00 PM – Intermediate Conversational Chinese with Sam

• 7:00 PM – Beginning Chinese with Jane

• 8:00 PM – Bible Study & Meditation Group with Stephen

Weekly Saturday Zoom Sessions

• 4:00 PM – Beginning Spanish with Viviana (starting July 12)

• 5:00 PM – Beginning French with Seth

• 6:00 PM – Beginning Japanese with Norio & Mutsumi

• 7:00 PM – English Learners Group with Linda & Chad

Note: No Zoom sessions on July 5 and August 30, 2025.

For more information about Mosaics Intercultural Classes & Activities, please visit www.nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470 or catalyst@nextg.org.

We look forward to learning and growing with you this summer!

“Whole and Radiant: Rediscovering the Balance Our Church Needs”

By Rev. Dr. Stephen Moon

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In a world that constantly pushes us to take sides—to choose either tradition or innovation, justice or holiness, action or contemplation—the gospel invites us into something far richer: wholeness.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) today finds itself at a historic crossroads. Many of our inherited churches—often white, Euro-American, and shaped by centuries of faithfulness—are aging, shrinking, or searching for renewed vitality. At the same time, a beautiful movement is stirring across the denomination: new immigrant fellowships, artistic worshiping communities, racial justice collectives, and hybrid models of church are emerging like spring shoots after winter.

These two movements—seemingly opposite—are not competitors. They are, in fact, complementary energies that, when embraced together, can restore vibrancy and vision to the Body of Christ.

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☯️ Yin and Yan: A Biblical Dance of Difference

Borrowing from ancient Eastern wisdom, we might call these dynamics Yin and Yan:

• Yin: gentle, intuitive, emotionally rich, rooted in silence and symbol, often found in new worshiping communities, immigrant churches, artistic expressions, and those attuned to the Spirit’s inner movements.
• Yan: structured, action-oriented, intellectually firm, expressed in systems, order, polity, proclamation—often visible in legacy congregations, committees, and governance bodies.

We see both energies in Scripture:

• Mary and Martha (Luke 10): one listens in stillness, the other serves with urgency. Jesus praises the stillness—not to diminish service, but to affirm spiritual balance.
• Elijah meets God not in fire or wind, but in the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19).
• Jesus teaches with authority (Yan) but also withdraws to pray alone (Yin). He flips tables in righteous anger—then weeps over Jerusalem.

The Bible reveals that divine power is expressed not through dominance, but through paradox: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise… the weak to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

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🔄 The False Choice—and the Better Way

Too often, churches try to conform everyone into one mold. But what if the future of the PC(USA) is not about one “winning” over the other?

What if God is inviting us into a holy synthesis—where the best of both streams can heal the division, energize the weary, and bless the generations to come?

• Imagine if an immigrant congregation’s contemplative prayer and prophetic art were honored alongside a white legacy church’s budget acumen and polity experience.
• What if an older church hosted a New Worshiping Community in its space—not to supervise them, but to co-create a future church that neither could become alone?

Yin communities bring emotional honesty, community-based leadership, and a deep sense of hospitality. Yan communities bring governance wisdom, stability, and long-standing commitment to mission structures. Together, they form the ligaments of the Body of Christ, holding us in tension—but also in love (Ephesians 4:16).

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🌱 A Call to Wholeness

Dear leaders, elders, and members of inherited churches: this moment is not the end of your story. It is the beginning of a larger one. You are not losing a church—you are gaining a spiritual family made of many tongues, many gifts, and many textures.

Dear siblings in emerging, minority, and intercultural communities: you are not second-tier ministries. You are prophetic voices. You are the moonlight to the sun. The whisper to the shout. The art that teaches the heart.

Now is the time for mutual invitation—not token partnership or assimilation—but real shared leadership, real co-discipleship, and real co-mission.

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🙌 Practical Steps Toward Yin-Yan Synergy

• Shared Leadership Models – Elevate immigrant or artistic leaders into presbytery commissions and congregational leadership.
• Mutual Spiritual Formation – Hold retreats where silence and proclamation are both honored.
• Co-Mission Projects – Collaborate on projects like food justice, mental health, or youth formation.
• Cross-Cultural Pulpit Exchanges – Invite one another to speak and lead in each other’s spaces.

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🌄 One Body, Made Radiant

Let us not fear the unfamiliar, but embrace the mystery. Let us not grasp at control, but open our hands. Let us become a people of Yin and Yan—gentle and bold, wise and curious, structured and spontaneous.

The church of tomorrow is already emerging. Will we recognize her? Will we honor her gifts? Will we walk toward one another—not as guests, but as family?

Let us become, through the Spirit, a church that is whole and radiant.

Mosaics Sushi Night: Celebrating Graduated Students & Father’s Day

You’re invited to a special evening of Japanese flavors, cultural celebration, and community joy as we honor our recent graduates and amazing fathers!

 Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
 Time:
• 5:00 PM – Refreshments & Mingling
• 6:00 PM – Japanese Dinner Fellowship
• 7:00 PM – Karaoke Fun 
 Location: 2nd Floor, Phoenix Hall, Davis Community Church (DCC), 412 C Street, Davis, CA

 Culinary Highlights by Our Talented Chefs:

• Sushi Chéf Norio – Handcrafting Chirashi Sushi, Sushi Rolls, and Temaki (hand rolls)

• Main Chéf Grace – Serving Japanese Yaki Soba, Mixed Tempuras, Hawaiian-style Poke, Vegetable Salad, Wakame Salad, Miso Soup, and an array of Japanese side dishes & desserts

• Sous-chéf Lira and the kitchen crew – Assisting with preparation and presentation

 Helpers & Volunteers:
All helpers are kindly asked to arrive by 3:00 PM for setting up, decorating, and food prep.

 Suggested Donation: $10 or more to help cover the cost of fresh sashimi and ingredients

 Contact:
Dr. Stephen Moon
 916-217-5470
 catalyst@nextg.org

Bring your friends and family, and join us for an unforgettable evening of food, fellowship, and fun!  #mosaics #sushinight

 Please Note: There will be no Intercultural Classes on this day.

“New Wine Needs New Wineskins”
Isaiah 43:18–19 | Luke 5:37–38 | Acts 1:1-5

Let me take you back to a dusty road in ancient Galilee.

Jesus had just finished healing people, teaching, and challenging the religious elite. Then He said something curious—something that puzzled some and changed others:

“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” — Luke 5:37–38 (also in Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22)

At first glance, it sounds like a lesson about winemaking. But it was far deeper than that.

What’s This About?

Back in Jesus’ time, people stored wine in pouches made of animal skin. New wine was still fermenting—it would expand and stretch. If you put that bubbling new wine into a stiff, old wineskin, it would tear and spill everything.

Jesus was saying:
“What I’m doing is new, alive, and powerful. It can’t fit into old, rigid (conservative) ways.”

He was challenging the religious leaders—who were stuck in tradition—and inviting people to open their hearts to something fresh.

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So What Are the “New Wineskins”?

• The new wine represents God doing something new—bringing life, hope, and freedom through Jesus.
• The new wineskins are people and communities willing to grow, change, and stretch to carry that new thing forward.

This isn’t about being conservative or progressive. It’s about being ready—ready to be reshaped so God can work through us.

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A New Heart for a New Move of God

When God does something new, He often starts by reshaping the heart.

That’s why this verse from the Old Testament is so powerful:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 36:26

That’s what God does.
He softens our hearts.
He takes away cold, rigid (conservative) thinking and replaces it with love, compassion, and openness.

Because you can’t carry the new things of God with an old, hardened heart.

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Not About Politics or Labels

Let’s clear something up:
“New wineskins” is not a conservative idea. It’s not a progressive idea. It’s a Kingdom idea.

Jesus used it to teach about:

• Transformation
• Renewal
• And the incompatibility of God’s fresh movement with stale structures

This idea stretches both sides. It challenges:

• The church that resists change because “we’ve always done it this way”
• And the church that chases trends but forgets the power of the Holy Spirit

Whether you lean traditional or modern, the question is the same:
Are you willing to become new so God can move through you?

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Why This Matters Right Now

Let’s be honest. Many churches today are struggling.

• Worship feels like a routine, not a revival.
• Meetings drag on, but don’t lead to change.
• The next generation is tuning out.
• Technology feels overwhelming.
• We keep repeating: “This is how we’ve always done it.”

That’s the sound of an old wineskin mindset—rigid, fearful of change, and stuck in the past.

The latest data shows that our denomination, PCUSA, is losing huge membership every year and may drop below 1 million members by end of 2025.

But God is not done. God is doing something new!
He is still pouring out new wine—new people, new energy, new ideas, new callings.

The question is:
Can we hold it? Or will we miss it?

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Jesus Told His Followers to Wait

Even after rising from the dead, Jesus didn’t send His disciples out right away. He told them:

“Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for the gift my Father promised… In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 1:4–5

Why wait?

Because they weren’t ready.

They needed new hearts, new strength, and God’s power through the Holy Spirit.

They had to become new wineskins.

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Two People God Reshaped

Moses: From Confident to Called

Moses grew up in Egypt’s palace—powerful and educated. But when he tried to help his people his own way, it backfired. He fled into the desert.

There, in 40 years of silence and struggle, God reshaped him. By the time God called him through the burning bush, Moses had become humble, teachable—ready. He became a new wineskin.

Paul: From Religious to Relational

Paul (then Saul) was passionate—but dangerously rigid (conservative). He believed he was doing God’s will by persecuting Christians.

But on the road to Damascus, Jesus stopped him.
Blinded and broken, Paul spent days in the dark. And when the scales fell from his eyes, he saw everything differently.

He had become a new wineskin.
And God used him to spread the gospel around the world.

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The Bottom Line

God is not looking for perfect people.
God is looking for people who are willing to be new wineskins.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” — Isaiah 43:18–19

God is doing a new thing in this generation.

The only question is: Will you make room for it? Are you ready to receive the Holy Spirit?

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Your Invitation: Close your eyes . . .

If your heart feels dry… If your church feels stuck… If you long for more…

Let God give you a new heart.
Let God fill you with His Spirit.
Let God make you a new wineskin—ready for new wine.

New wine is being poured. Will you receive it? Let’s pray, follow this prayer after me:

Dear Lord,
I’m tired of the old and empty.
Make my heart new.
Fill me with Your Spirit.
Shape me to receive what You’re doing now.
I’m ready for new wine.
Use me, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Dear Friends and Supporters of Mosaics,

As Easter reminds us of renewal and hope, we at Intercultural Mosaics—a vibrant ministry proudly sponsored by Davis Community Church—are stepping boldly into a new season of growth and transformation.

With your help, Mosaics has become a safe, creative, and welcoming space where people of all cultures and generations gather in faith, friendship, and purpose. And now, more than ever, we need your partnership to keep that vision alive and expanding.

Our Spring Fundraiser runs through April 30, 2025, and we’re inviting you to be part of something powerful. Our goal is to raise $5,000—a modest amount with mighty potential to shape lives. Whether it’s $5 or $500, your gift will help us:

• Launch innovative hybrid gatherings that unite people online and in-person

• Host cultural nights and fellowship events that promote inclusion and understanding

• Mentor the next generation of diverse, Spirit-led leaders

• Extend radical hospitality to those longing for connection

• Support the Mosaics Food Security Initiative, providing meals and essentials for individuals and families in need

Every dollar counts—and every heart behind it matters even more.

Here is where to donate:

FaceBook Donation Page: https://www.facebook.com/donate/560670133180286/

If you share our vision and wish to contribute to the growth of our ministries throughout 2025, consider making a tax-deductible love-offering. Simply write your check(s) payable to “Davis Community Church” with a note specifying “Intercultural Mosaics.” Mail your donation to:

Brett Kersten, Minister of Finance, Davis Community Church (c/o Intercultural Mosaics), 412 C Street, Davis, CA 95616

You may also click following “Give Now” button or scan QR Code to give your love-offerings instantly.

Thank you for believing in this ministry and walking this journey with us. Together, we can continue to build a beautiful mosaic of hope, healing, and unity.

With deep gratitude and Easter joy,

Dr. Stephen & Grace Moon

Welcome to Intercultural Mosaics – Spring 2025!

Get ready to embrace a season of learning, culture, and community! From March 29 to June 28, 2025, join us for a vibrant lineup of in-person classes, dinner fellowships, and engaging virtual gatherings that celebrate diversity and connection.

Saturday In-Person Classes & Dinner Fellowship at the 2nd Floor, Phoenix Hall, Davis Community Church

• 3 PM – Tai Chi with Daniel
• 3 PM – Intermediate Korean with Stephen
• 4 PM – Beginning Spanish with Viviana & Diana
• 4 PM – Acoustic Guitar & Singing Group with Chad
• 5 PM – Beginning French with Seth
• 5 PM – Beginning Japanese with Norio
• 6 PM – Mosaics Dinner Fellowship (A time to share food and friendship!)
• 7 PM – Water & Acrylic Painting with Zhannur
• 7 PM – English Learners Group with Linda & Chad
• 8 PM – Mosaics Cultural Exchange (Engage in fun activities that celebrate and connect diverse cultures!)

Bi-Weekly Friday Zoom Gatherings: Go to https://meetup.com/mosaics for Zoom link (2nd & 4th Fridays)

• 4 PM – Advanced Korean with Stephen
• 5 PM – Intermediate Conversational Chinese with Sam
• 6 PM – Intermediate Conversational Japanese with Mutsumi
• 7 PM – Beginning Chinese with Jane
• 8 PM – Bible Study & Meditation Group with Stephen

Join us in this enriching journey of culture, language, faith, and friendship!

For more details, visit www.nextg.org or contact Dr. Stephen Moon at 916-217-5470 or catalyst@nextg.org.

We can’t wait to learn and grow with you this spring! See you soon!

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Dear Beloved in Christ,

Have you ever felt spiritually dry? Have you ever looked around and wondered, How did we get here? Maybe you feel weary, stuck in routine, or disconnected from the purpose and joy that once sparked your faith. Perhaps your church feels like a valley of dry bones—broken, scattered, lifeless. But hear this good news: God is in the business of revival!

Let us take a moment to look at a powerful vision shared by the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel lived during a time when God’s people were in exile, far from the land and the temple where they once experienced God’s presence. The people were spiritually lost, and their faith had grown cold. They had been defeated, and they were left asking, Can we ever live again? Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14 speaks not just to the Israelites of that time, but to us today—wherever we feel spiritually dry, broken, or distant from God.

The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel’s vision is profound and unsettling. He finds himself standing in a valley full of dry bones—bones that are not just scattered but are beyond hope, bleached by the sun and lifeless. These bones represent a people who feel as if their strength and hope are gone, those who are spiritually dead. God asks Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” It is a question that seems almost ridiculous—How can bones, dry and disconnected, come back to life? But Ezekiel, in his wisdom, responds, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

Then, God commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones—to speak God’s word over them. As Ezekiel obeys, the bones come together. What was once lifeless is now reassembled—bone to bone, muscle to muscle, flesh covering the bones. But they are still dead—until God breathes life into them. The Spirit enters these lifeless bodies, and they stand up—a vast army, alive and ready for God’s work. (Ezekiel 37:4-10).

This vision is about hope, restoration, and the incredible power of God to bring life where there seems to be none. It’s a powerful reminder that God can bring us back to life—whether we’re individuals or a community that has lost its spiritual fire. The question God is asking us today is the same one He asked Ezekiel: Can these bones live again?

The God Who Revives

In our world, it can be easy to feel like dry bones. Maybe you’re facing burnout or spiritual fatigue. Maybe the church feels like it’s just going through the motions, with little passion, little zeal, and little sense of God’s presence. The weight of the world, struggles, and doubts may have left us spiritually dry, and we might wonder if we can ever come alive again.

But God is a God of revival! What seems impossible to us is possible with God. He is the God who raises the dead, who breathes new life into the dry and lifeless. Just as God brought the bones together and filled them with His Spirit, He is ready to do the same in our lives today.

God says in Isaiah 43:19, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” God is always ready to renew us, to restore what’s broken, to breathe new life into what seems dead. It’s never too late for God to bring revival. Just as He restored Israel in Ezekiel’s vision, He desires to revive each one of us—individually and as a church.

In Romans 8:11, Paul reminds us, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in us! That means that no matter how dry we may feel, no matter how distant we may seem from God, the Spirit of God can renew us, revive us, and bring us to life again.

A Call to Revival

But this revival doesn’t just happen automatically. We must respond. Ezekiel didn’t just stand there and wait for the bones to come together. He spoke God’s Word over the bones. In the same way, we must speak life over our own hearts and our communities. We must declare the promises of God over our lives and trust in His ability to restore what is broken.

In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus warns the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot… because you are lukewarm—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” This is a warning, but it is also an invitation. A lukewarm faith is not the kind of faith God desires. God longs for a people who are alive, passionate, and ready to serve Him with their whole hearts. But Jesus doesn’t leave us in despair. In Revelation 3:20, He offers hope: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts today. Will we open the door? Will we let the Spirit of God breathe life into us?

Three Steps to Revival

If we want to experience the revival that God promises, we must take action. Here are three steps to begin our journey of renewal:

1. Pray for Revival – Start by asking God for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit in your life. Prayer is where revival begins. Ask God to stir your heart, to reignite your passion, and to fill you with the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Speak Life Over Your Faith – Just as Ezekiel prophesied to the dry bones, declare God’s promises over your life. Speak His Word into your circumstances, and believe that God can bring about transformation. Read Scripture, meditate on His truth, and believe that God can revive what is dead.
3. Take Action – Revival requires action. Live your faith boldly! Step out in obedience, serve with joy, worship with passion, and don’t wait for someone else to act. Revival happens when God’s people are willing to rise up and engage with His mission.

The dry bones will live again. God has not forgotten us. He is ready to revive us—to breathe new life into our hearts, our churches, and our world. The question is: Will we rise up?