Building the Kingdom

From the Interim Executive Director/Treasurer

Aloha HPBC family,

I firmly believe that God is constantly inviting us into adventures with him. Unfortunately, like Peter on the boat with Jesus on the water, we often fear sharing our faith or stepping out in ministry. Hopefully, this story will encourage you to jump in.

At the beginning of summer, I took my two youngest kids (Kaliyah- 12 and Stephen- 8) on an adventure to celebrate. After coming home from their last day of school, we loaded the kayak onto my Kia Soul and drove to the Kona side. We had talked about this adventure for a week, and there was a mix of anxiety and excitement about our plans that night.

After dinner and a beautiful sunset, we took our kayak down to the harbor, loaded it with our gear, and paddled out into the black waters of the Pacific Ocean at night! We paddled for about half a mile and arrived at our site for the adventure, the world-renowned spot to swim with the Manta rays at night!

I quickly realized that due to how busy the water was with people and other boats, I would need to stay in the boat much of the time to make sure we didn’t crash into anyone. Would my kids jump in without me?

My fearless daughter of just 12 quickly plopped into the 25-foot deep water, and a few minutes later, my son followed! Once initial fears were overcome, what followed was an unforgettable night of watching God’s amazing creatures up to 12 feet in size swim around us.

Where is God calling you to trust him in adventures in ministry this summer? Will you step out onto the water like Peter or miss out on the excitement of his blessings? Maybe you’ll need to be the first to jump in, and others will follow. Don’t be afraid to take risks for him.

Pastor John Endriss HPBC President/Interim Executive Director/Treasurer

Watch a video of John sharing the second quarter Executive Board update.

https://www.hpbaptist.net/video-resources/executive-board-update-may-2023/