Minnesota South District, LCMS

Introducing the Go First! Initiative History shows that culture-changing movements are often led by those willing to go first. That, of course, was the foundation of the New Testament Church. It was made up of those who were willing to go first. However, they were simply the first to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself was always ready to go first. Jesus goes first. That’s who He is. His was a life and ministry of going first. He went first from eternity in Heaven to time here on Earth. He didn’t wait for the apostles to find Him. Jesus went first and called them to follow Him. Jesus didn’t wait for lepers to heal themselves. He went first and healed them. Jesus didn’t wait for the outcasts and marginalized to overcome their oppressors. He went first and spoke a word of hope to them. He goes first for you, too. He didn’t wait for you to get your life in order before loving you. He went first to the cross to pay for your sins and to show you the depth of His love. He didn’t wait for you to comprehend His greatness before extending you His grace. He went first by sending His Holy Spirit to call you by the Gospel, enlighten you with His gifts, sanctify you, and keep you in the true faith. Jesus didn’t wait for you to plumb the depths of His magnificence before giving you hope. He goes first to the tomb and then destroys death to bring you the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Jesus didn’t wait for you to comprehend the vastness of Heaven before offering it to you. He went first to prepare a place for you so that when He comes again, He will take you to Himself, so that where He is you may be also. Jesus goes first! This is the foundation for our work together as a district for this triennium. We call it the Go First! Initiative. Since our Lord goes first, we can trust Him. And because we trust Him, He inspires us to go first. We go first to Him in prayer. We go first to Him in repentance. We go first to Him because He first loved us.