February 28, 2026: Gathering

Spiritual Readiness & Mission Drift

Preparing for Christ's Return and Personal Spiritual Readiness

Summary: The gathering centered on spiritual readiness and the urgency of preparing for Christ’s return, inspired by John Bevere’s message "The King is Coming." The church reflected on the story of Anna and Simeon recognizing Jesus as an infant, emphasizing the need for believers to be vigilant and spiritually prepared to not miss His return. The discussion acknowledged that many (half) in the church are spiritually unprepared or distracted, with half likened to the parable of the ten virgins', half of whom who ran out of oil, symbolizing a lack of the Holy Spirit’s fullness. The group stressed the importance of personal intimacy with Jesus—beyond public displays—encouraging believers to cultivate a private, loving relationship with God, described as receiving His "kiss." The dangers of “mission drift” were addressed, highlighting how distractions and busyness can pull believers away from their God-given purpose and intimacy with Him.

Key Points

• Discussion centered around John Bevere's recent book and message, "The King is Coming," emphasizing the need for spiritual preparedness and discernment in current times.

• Analogies drawn between a bride preparing for her wedding and believers preparing for Christ's return.

• Importance of self-examination, intimacy with Christ, and not missing what God is doing in this season.

• Group reflection on the biblical stories of Anna and Simeon recognizing Jesus as a 4-month-old baby, emphasizing spiritual attentiveness to the LORD.

• Warning about "mission drift"—becoming distracted from core spiritual purposes due to daily busyness/complacency/ disappointments and/or setbacks.

• Noted that 50% of the church may be spiritually unprepared, paralleling the parable of the ten virgins.

• Encouraged maintaining a posture of humility, repentance, and openness to God’s direction.

• Emphasis on not just public spiritual activity but cultivating a private, intimate relationship with God (the “private kiss”).

• Shared testimonies about the struggle between worldly distractions and responding to God’s call for greater devotion.

• Concerns raised about rising antisemitism even within the church and the threat of deception in the last days.

• There is much going on -- and much to do, therefore, stay close to Jesus.

Call to action: Pursue Jesus above all else, remain steadfast in the faith, and support each other in spiritual growth.

Questions Raised

• How can believers avoid missing what God is doing in their lives and in the church?

• What practical steps can be taken to deepen personal intimacy with God?

• How do we ensure we are not deceived in these challenging times?

• What are the daily “little things” God is asking us to obey?

  
  

Homework

• Members to study assigned scriptures related to being at the feet of Jesus, distractions, and true spiritual labor: Hebrews 6: 9-12, Hebrews 11:39–12:2, Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 10:38-42, John 12:1-2, Philippians 3:7-16, John 13:23-25, Acts 17:26-37, Colossians 3:1-2, 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Matthew 11:28-30, and 1 Peter 5:6-7.

For the full recording go to https://youtu.be/8EnaT3PcA0A?si=lXD3W2E31HTJZE8Z