Advent 2024

Already, Not Yet

December 1, 2024 is the first Sunday of Advent. It is a season when the church focuses on the coming of Christ. Advent has a dual focus: looking back on the historical birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and looking forward to his future return. 

The term "Advent" is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival." During this season, we reflect on the life-changing reality of the Incarnation, where God became human to save the world. In the busyness of an overly commercialized Christmas season, Advent invites us to pause and consider the significance of the arrival of Jesus then, now, and in the future. 

Our focus during Advent this year is on the Already but Not Yet nature of Christ’s arrival and return. We live in the land between the first arrival of Jesus and his second coming. Our dual focus helps us maintain a posture of hopeful expectation, giving us glimpses and tastes of His promised love, joy, peace, and hope. It encourages us that one day these desires will be perfectly and finally fulfilled at the return of Christ.

Our Advent celebration concludes with two identical Christmas Eve Services on Tuesday, December 24, at 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve is a great time to celebrate the arrival of Jesus with your family and friends. You can visit christianchapel.com/christmaseve to reserve your seats for either candlelight service. Childcare will be provided for Kindergarten and under. 

We can’t wait to celebrate Advent with you!

Chris Dow

Lead Pastor

Ben Wade’s missionary call began at fifteen years old, seated in a chair in Chapel Youth. He was listening to a missionary echo the words of Jesus, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” God planted a seed in Ben’s heart and confirmed his plan with a powerful vision. Ben responded that he was ‘all-in’ to go wherever God wanted him to go and do whatever God wanted him to do.

After college, God opened the door for Ben to serve with Overland Missions in Zambia. Ben’s ministry focuses on remote and unreached places. Ben repairs and installs hand pumps that bring clean water to communities. This practical ministry creates moments to share the Gospel with grateful groups of people. Ben and his team use this life-giving platform to build relationships with local leaders, opening doors to share the Gospel in distant areas.  

Overland Missions focuses on the most neglected, remote, and hard-to-reach people groups. They utilize a fleet of old military trucks and 4x4 vehicles to reach inaccessible locations. Over the last several years, Ben and his team have implemented a three-day training program to teach Zambian ministers how to repair hand pumps. This allows them to increase their Gospel reach and develop new discipleship opportunities. 

Ben’s ministry has provided clean water for 55,248 people, job opportunities for Zambians, ongoing Bible studies, 320 salvations, 22 healings, and countless opportunities to present the Gospel!

If you would like more information on how you can be involved with Ben’s ministry and its mission to give the Gospel hope to the unreached, please email: ben@overlandmissions.com. We will receive a special offering to support hand pump repair in Zambia during our Christmas Eve Services on Tuesday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.