Joshua 5:13-15 ESV
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?" And the commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
REFERENCES: Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 7:3-5
If you’ve ever seen a mosaic , you’ll notice that no two pieces of glass are alike. Each piece is unique in shape, color and texture; but connected by a common adhesive that keeps them together. As God’s divine creation, our differences are variations of what we have in common: an image of the living God. When we seek to see our similarities, we can better love, understand and serve each other.
We are all equally human
We do not need to live in in-groups and out-groups. When we group each other we end up living our lives by labels, but what we think is different is actually a variation of the same thing. We get to choose what we see. As God’s children we are called to honor all.
Unless we practice seeing another person's perspective, we can unintentionally discriminate against their reality. Choose to become more aware of how your decisions can become biased towards another person.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:3-5
While we may be tempted to apply the world’s filter to how we see others, it is imperative that we see our fellow man through the eyes of God. We are all made in His image regardless of our perceived differences, therefore we are all worthy of being treated honorably while extending respect and compassion to others. Only the label of “neighbor” applies when it comes to how we should interact with people. As brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we are to be the blueprint for unity.
This week, have a racial consultation with a trusted friend. Pray that the Holy Spirit exposes any blind spots that need to be corrected while revealing the similarities within your differences. Remain open to their perspective while being honest with your own, keeping in mind the ultimate goal of fostering unity among the body of Christ. Also: consider signing up for The Third Option VOUS Care group or reading “The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation” by Pastor Miles McPherson to better expand your awareness.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
Saying yes to Jesus marks a brand new beginning. Baptism is your next step. It's how you go public with your faith and celebrate the new life God has given you. The past is behind you, and a fresh future is ahead. This is your moment. We are having baptisms this Sunday, July 27th, across all of our locations, and on the beach.
To sign up for baptisms, please click here.
This back-to-school season, we have the opportunity to show up for our city in a meaningful way. On Saturday, August 2, we’re hosting a Back to School Bash at the Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center, located inside Charles Hadley Park. It’s a chance to serve local families by distributing backpacks filled with school supplies and making sure every student feels seen, supported, and ready to start the year with confidence.
Donate - Fill backpacks for families in need for the school year. You can purchase supplies locally and bring to a VOUS Location or donate online.
Serve - Help host our annual Back To School Bash for families in our community — distribute backpacks, check-in guests, and serve our city during a morning of fun and games.
When: Saturday, August 2nd
Where: Samuel K. Johnson Youth Center
Address: 4900 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Team Rally: 10:20AM
Starting Sunday, August 3rd, we will be moving to brand new service times at all of our locations!
VOUS SoMi
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
VOUS Design District
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
The countdown is on! If you're ready to take your next step in ministry, leadership, or higher education, now is the time to apply. VOUS College application deadline is July 31st for both our degree-seeking and leadership programs. Don’t miss your chance to be part of a life-changing semester. Start your journey at vouscollege.com/apply.
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack