Hi everybody,

In light of our current events, here are a few of my musings in Scripture.

 #God’sLawMatters

We accept and embrace God’s law (Exodus 20:1-17). We pray and submit to law enforcement, judges, and government leaders (Romans 13:1-7, I Peter 2:13-17). We categorically reject the intentions and actions of those who rebel and fight God’s law and order.

#God’sGospelMatters

We admit where we have been unjust and unrighteous in following God’s law. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We humble ourselves and confess our transgression of God’s law and put our trust in Jesus Christ to deliver and redeem us. We repent of our sins and believe Christ’s gospel (Romans 3:21-26, II Corinthians 5:21, Titus 3:1-7, I Peter 3:18) so that we might be able to fulfill the royal law of God (James 2:8) among one another.

#God’sJusticeAppliedMatters

No matter the color of our skin or social status, the Church is one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). We don’t avenge ourselves, but as revealed in the very nature of God, we desire to be a loving people of salt and light who stand and live in God’s justice for other people all around us who might be treated unfairly and unequally (Exodus 23:2; Deuteronomy 10:17-18, 32:4-5; Psalm 33:5, 37:28, 89:14, 146:7-9, Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:17; Amos 5:24; Micah 6:8).

Here are some of the highlights from May:

• May 3: Worshiped in the reopened in-person service with Emmaus Road Church; Reopened in-person services for Providence Downtown Church;
• May 5: Vision 2020 committee meeting on the river; participated virtually in the “Praying On the Mountain” event with 95-year-old, Fred Lunsford
• May 7: National Day of Prayer – we met for public worship and prayer during the noon hour on the Bonneville County Courthouse steps
• May 10: Mother’s Day – reopened in-person services for Shepherd of the Falls Lutheran Church
• May 12: EIPC pastors prayer meeting on the river (8 ministers)
• May 18: Took the men in the IFRM Navigate Discipleship Program on a hike to the Lower Palisades Lake
• May 23: Emmaus Road Church threw a party for graduates in the church family
• May 25: IFRM First Street Thrift store reopened
• May 29: Rebranding of the name, Eastern Idaho Worship Collective, as a gathering for musicians and worship leaders

Would you like to contribute financially on a monthly basis to my missionary work?  Here are a couple of ways: (1) Send the contribution to Emmaus Road Church and specifically mark it as “missionary fund for Todd Wood”, or (2) You are welcome to give directly to me.  Thank you so much!

On the home front:

Our daughter, Hannah, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.  She received a nursing award from Bob Jones University and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Our son, Micaiah, graduated from Skyline High School with the second-highest GPA in the graduating class. We are proud of them for their achievements.  Thank you all for your prayers and love showed to our family.

Prayer requests:

• Please pray for the spiritual growth and vitality of Providence Downtown Church, Shepherd of the Falls Lutheran Church, Emmaus Road Church, Berean Baptist Church, etc. Pray that we will be disciples who are multiplying disciples for Jesus Christ.
• Please pray for the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission in our daily operations that we will glorify God in all that we do. Pray for the work of God’s Spirit in the lives of men, women, and children who are currently living at our shelters.
• Pray for spiritual awakening in America and revival in our churches.
• Pray for our government, our law enforcement, and our troubled and hurting.
• Pray that the rioting and looting will stop.

My four current ministry objectives:

• Be a servant missionary-pastor with Providence Downtown Church that specifically ministers to the incarcerated, the addicted, the homeless, and impoverished.  It is a church ministering and bringing mercy to those in the margins.
• Minister as a pastor with the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission.
• Pulpit supply and pastoral encouragement to the Shepherd of the Falls Lutheran Church family in American Falls.
• Be a blessing to the pastors in Idaho Falls and throughout the region through the Eastern Idaho Pastors Coalition (EIPC).

May Jesus reign as King!

roots by the river,

Todd Wood (downtown missionary)