Berea Update for February 6, 2026
There’s something about beginnings that stirs anticipation. A new chapter. A fresh focus. A moment where you pause and say, “Alright—let’s lean in.” That’s very much where we are as a church this week. This Sunday, we began a new journey through the Gospel of Mark—a fast-paced, unpolished, relentlessly honest account of who Jesus is and why that matters. Mark doesn’t ease us in. He doesn’t warm us up with background stories or sentimental scenes. He opens with a declaration: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” From the very first line, we’re confronted with a King who demands a response.
This week’s devotional (below) is designed to help us stay with that moment. Rather than repeating Sunday’s sermon, throughout the sermon series, these daily readings are meant to slow us down—to give space for reflection, repentance, and deeper study as we prepare our hearts and lives for the work God wants to do through this series. Think of it as continuing the conversation throughout the week, letting the Word press a little further into our thinking, our habits, and our worship.
And honestly, the timing feels perfect. With fresh snow on the ground and the Winter Olympics just getting underway, there’s a shared sense of excitement in the air. I’ve always loved the Olympics—the intensity, the discipline, the uniqueness of each sport, and the reminder that preparation matters long before the spotlight turns on. No one stumbles into Olympic competition by accident. Years of unseen training make those moments possible. In a much deeper way, that’s what Mark 1 calls us to as well: Prepare the way of the Lord. Not by external polish, but by honest repentance. Not by religious activity, but by surrendered hearts. God often does His greatest work in quiet, hidden places long before it’s visible to anyone else.
As you work through this week’s devotional, stay connected to what’s happening in the life of our church—upcoming events, ministries, prayer needs, and opportunities to serve. We’re not just studying a gospel together; we’re walking through it as a body, learning again who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. Bundle up, open your Bible, and let’s keep preparing our hearts—for worship, for obedience, and for the King who has come near.
Upcoming Events
1. As mentioned above, this week, I'll begin a new sermon series in the book of Mark called "Who Do You Say That I Am?" I'll be in Mark 1:1-8, and the sermon title will be "The Beginning of the Gospel." I pray that you are able to join us this Sunday as we worship the Lord together! We'll also be starting something else that's new during the morning worship service, but you'll have to come to find out all about it! :)
2.
Attention Berea Youth Group (Grades 7-12)! There are a couple of events coming up that you need to remember! First,
the Youth Group Super Bowl Party will be this Sunday, February 8 from 6:00-10:30 PM at the home of Will and Anna Stephens (6001 Springfield Jamestown Rd.). Come for a fun night of football, fellowship, and food! Also, the
Youth Group Winter Retreat to Scioto Hills will be happening Februrary 20-22. The last day to register is February 11. Contact Wes or Michele Stephens for more information. To register, click here:
Youth Winter Retreat Registration When you register, please use code: BEREASTDNT26 to pay the reduced cost of $50 per camper.
3. We utilize ROCK to send out important updates about service changes, upcoming events, and even notification about this blog. The recent snowstorm serves as a good reminder to encourage all of you to make sure you either have a ROCK profile, or you have up to date contact information in ROCK. To make sure everything is up to date, you can log into your account, or you can call the office, and we can confirm your information. If you'd like to be added to the ROCK database, please contact the office, and we'll make sure you're added!
4. Looking for a fun way to stay active and connect with others? Pickleball will continue on Thursdays from 7:00–8:00 PM in the Family Life Center. All skill levels are welcome! We've had good turn outs, but would love to have you join in the fun! If you have any questions, please contact Mike Greenwood.
Ways You Can Pray This Week
1. Pray for continued wisdom for our leadership as we continue to work through details surrounding the building project and staffing needs.
2. Pray for our community, and the various needs in Springfield and Clark County. Pray for our leaders and public service employees!
***Please know that there are many individuals who need prayer this week due to health concerns and other events going on in their lives. Out of sensitivity to each individual's situation, these requests may not appear in this weekly blog. We have a "Prayer Team" at the church who receives more detailed information, and commits to praying for individuals in our church family.
This Week's Devotions
Day 1 — The Gospel Begins With God
Mark 1:1 (ESV): “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
Mark does not begin with instructions, explanations, or encouragements. He begins with a declaration. The gospel is not something we construct—it is something God announces. Before there is obedience, there is identity. Before there is response, there is revelation. The gospel begins not when we decide to follow Jesus, but when God reveals who Jesus truly is. That means Christianity does not rest on your consistency, clarity, or emotional strength. It rests on who Jesus is—whether or not you feel steady today.
Reflection Question: Where have you subtly treated the gospel as something you maintain rather than something God has initiated?
Day 2 — God Keeps His Promises
Isaiah 40:1–5 (ESV): "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare[a] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Mark roots the arrival of Jesus in ancient promises. This reminds us that God does not improvise redemption. Long before Christ stepped into history, God had already spoken comfort, restoration, and hope. Waiting does not mean God is inactive. Silence does not mean abandonment. Often, God is doing His deepest preparatory work long before we see fulfillment.
Reflection Question: What promise of God are you tempted to doubt simply because fulfillment feels delayed?
Day 3 — Repentance Clears the Way
Psalm 51:1–4 (ESV): "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment."
Repentance is not God’s demand to earn forgiveness—it is God’s invitation to stop pretending. David teaches us that repentance begins when we stop managing appearances and start agreeing with God about our sin. Grace does not grow in secrecy. It grows in the light.
Reflection Question: Is there a sin you’ve acknowledged in theory but avoided confessing specifically?
Day 4 — The King We Prepare For
Malachi 3:1–2 (ESV): “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap."
God sends a messenger not to announce comfort alone, but to prepare hearts for holiness. The coming King is not tame. He refines. He purifies. He confronts what cannot remain. Preparing the way of the Lord means surrendering control before He arrives—not negotiating afterward.
Reflection Question: What area of your life would be disrupted if Jesus truly ruled there?
Day 5 — The Wilderness Shapes Us
Deuteronomy 8:2–3 (ESV): "And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."
God often leads His people into wilderness seasons not to punish them, but to expose what they depend on. Comfort can conceal idols. Scarcity reveals them. John preached in the wilderness because that’s where self-reliance dies and trust is reborn.
Reflection Question: What has your current season revealed about what you rely on most?
Day 6 — Water Can’t Do What Only God Can
Ezekiel 36:25–27 (ESV): "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
External religion can clean behavior, but only God can change the heart. John knew his limits. He could point people toward repentance—but only Christ could give the Spirit. Christianity is not about trying harder. It is about being made new.
Reflection Question: Where are you attempting moral effort where God is inviting surrender?
Day 7 — Preparing Again
Hebrews 3:12–15 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'"
Preparation is not a one-time event. Hearts drift. Resistance grows quietly. Repentance must remain a posture, not a moment. Before we gather again in worship, Scripture calls us to examine, soften, and respond—today.
Reflection Question: What would it look like to enter worship this week already surrendered?
Kids (and Kids at Heart) Korner
Q: Why did the skier bring a ladder to the Olympics?
A: Because the competition was next level!
Have a great weekend! Hope to see you Sunday!
Mark