A Pastor's Perspective 01-07-2024

As a kid living in Orlando, we went to SeaWorld a lot. My parents bought annual passes, and we used them on various days when nothing else was going on. We have some good memories there from the activities and the various attractions we got to see. SeaWorld has a lot of different animals and rides, but it also has an exhibit dedicated to one of their sponsors—who shall remain nameless—which included some Clydesdale horses. There might be a more technical way to distinguish them from other horses, but I know them as “the big ones.” They’re 180 pounds at birth and weigh up to a ton! At SeaWorld, you could walk up to them, getting within arm’s length of these massive horses, and watch them pull an oversized wagon through the streets. It was always very cool to see them move and pull stuff. A single Clydesdale can pull up to 8,000 pounds over a short distance, and a carriage, around 400 pounds, for eight hours a day. However, there is something interesting that happens when two are working together. If one can pull up to 8,000 pounds, we’d assume two could pull around 16,000 pounds, but this isn’t correct. Two horses together can pull around three times as much as one, around 24,000 pounds! It gets more impressive! When two draft horses are trained together, their pulling capacity increases to 32,000 pounds!

We are stronger together, and we are even stronger when we practice working together. I think of the author’s words in Hebrews as he tells the church not to forget to meet together and keep encouraging each other toward good works (10:24-25). We meet each week to grow in the knowledge of God and His word and to be encouraged. This is one of the main goals of Sunday school.

 Snyder strives to create a small group environment that develops the faith of believers. This is done through community and biblical teaching. These environments are here when you need support and stability. These circles—sometimes proverbial and sometimes literal—are here when you want to go deeper. If you have not connected with a Sunday school class, please email me. If you are interested in partnering with us by helping provide new classes or small groups, please let me know! I am excited to be partnering with you in the cause of Christ and joining with you so we can truly be stronger together!

Snyder’s small group ministry exists to help people develop a stronger connection with others, a better knowledge of the Bible, and a deeper relationship with God.

God Bless,
 Jon Nahlen