Not Just Showing Up, Growing Up: Following Jesus in 2026

By Kevin Wade

In August, God started stirring something in my heart for 2026, and I haven’t been able to shake it. I’ve prayed over it, wrestled with it, and honestly, I’m fired up about it. So if this feels a little intense, just know it comes from a place of deep conviction about what God is calling us to as a church.

Our theme for 2026 is this: Be the Church.

Not “do more church stuff.” Not “pack the calendar.” Not “stay busy so we feel spiritual.”
Be. The. Church.

We live in a culture that worships activity. Don’t just stand there, do something. But biblically, it often goes the other way: sometimes we need to stop doing and learn how to “be.” Be still. Be humble. Be patient. Be conformed to the image of Jesus.

We are human beings, not human doings. The disciples spent three years simply being with Jesus – watching Him, listening to Him, walking with Him – before He said, “Go into all the world.” Before they changed the world, they learned how to be imitators of Him.

That’s where I believe God is calling on us this year. Before we run out and do more for God, we have to let Him shape who we are.

Where being the church starts
To be part of the family of God – the universal church and a local body like Manna – you must be born again. Not just attend, not just sit in a chair, not just like the music or the people. You need to be redeemed from your sin, made new by Jesus.

If you’re reading this and you’re not sure you’re a Christian, I want you to hear this clearly: You are welcome here. We want you here. Keep coming, keep asking, keep listening. Our desire is that you hear the Gospel, wrestle with it, and eventually come to saving faith in Jesus.

For those who already belong to Him, being the church means:

• Growing in sanctification – becoming more like Jesus.
• Letting God form your character before you chase more responsibility.
• Rooting your life in the Word of God, not in shifting cultural opinions.
  
  

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” This is why, at Manna, we stand on Scripture alone as our final authority. Not tradition, not trends, not personalities. We stand on the Bible. We want to preach it, teach it, and apply it to real life, because only the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers real, lasting hope.

The empty chair that isn’t really empty
If you’re in our auditorium this year, you’ll notice a single chair set apart up front. That chair is a picture – a reminder that every empty seat represents a real person:

• A family member
• A coworker
• A neighbor
• A classmate
• A stranger you haven’t met yet
  
  

Whoever they are, they are someone who needs Jesus. Someone who needs hope. Someone who needs a community that will love them as they are, but loves them too much to leave them there.

When you see that empty chair, I want you to ask: Who belongs in that seat? Who in my life needs the hope I’ve found in Christ?
 
We’re asking God to add more people to God’s family and our Manna family in 2026. Not because numbers make us feel successful, but because every number is a soul. We can’t always see spiritual growth from the outside, but we can see baptisms, salvations, people worshipping, groups filling up. Those are reminders that God is moving.

Church is a joint venture
We were not meant to follow God alone. He created the church to be a home, a hospital and a refuge for all people who believe in Him.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

We will only grow to our full potential when we grow together. That’s what it means to Be the Church.