Pastor Brian's Progress Updates
Read below for the latest progress update from Pastor Brian Cooper
May 2026 Update
Dear Church Family,
But Ruth made a different choice: "Where you go I will go." That wasn't a one-time declaration. That was a daily decision through uncertainty and the long walk with no guaranteed outcome.
God specializes in last-lap provision. He doesn't abandon His people when they're tired. He shows up with hesed - loyal love that provides exactly what we need to finish strong.
We're in the last laps.
After years of displacement, months of construction delays, and countless prayers for our Fort Myers campus rebuild - we're finally in the home stretch. The finish line is in sight.
And I can't help but think about how perfectly times our current HESED sermon series has been for this exact moment.
THE TEMPTATION OF THE LAST LAP
There's something uniquely exhausting about the final stretch of any long journey. The early days had adrenaline. We rallied after the fire. We launched the Making A Way financial campaign with faith and momentum.
But now? Now we're in the grind. The gym has lost its novelty. The construction updates feel repetitive. Some of you are just plain tired of waiting.
This is the Orpah moment - when the reasonable choice is to check out emotionally, stand in a frustrated heart posture, coast to the finish, or look for the exit.
But Ruth made a different choice: "Where you go I will go." That wasn't a one-time declaration. That was a daily decision through uncertainty and the long walk with no guaranteed outcome.
HESED IN THE LAST LAPS
Here's what I've watched happen as we've studied Ruth's story: People are choosing loyalty over convenience. Families are doubling down on commitment. Givers are staying generous even in the grind. Servants are staying faithful even when they're weary.
That's hesed. And it's exactly what the last laps require.
Remember Ruth in Boaz's field? She walked in expecting scraps. She came home with 30 pounds of grain - a 10-times miracle. Boaz didn't just meet her minimum need. He exceeded her wildest expectations.
God specializes in last-lap provision. He doesn't abandon His people when they're tired. He shows up with hesed - loyal love that provides exactly what we need to finish strong.
THE FINISH LINE IS WORTH IT
Ruth couldn't see the finish line when she left Moab. She couldn't see Boaz, redemption, or her place in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. All she could see was the next step. "Where you go, I will go."
Church family, we can't see everything God is doing in these last laps. But we can take the next step. We can stay generous. We can stay committed. We can practice hesed when hesed gets hard.
Not just for the building - though we'll celebrate that day with everything we've got. But for the legacy we're creating. The faithfulness we're modeling. The hesed-shaped community we're becoming across both Fort Myers and Alva campuses.
Love that won't let go - even in the last laps.
That's who we are. That's who we're becoming.
With you,
Pastor Brian