By Craig Fritchey
“Did you know that the first use of the word holy in Scripture does not occur until Exodus 3:5, when Moses encounters the Lord in the burning bush?” This question was the starting point for Ali Farhadi’s messages on “The Simple Pursuit of Holiness” for CMML’s Reaching Higher 2022, held from September 23 to 25. In his first three messages, Ali took his listeners on a tour of the Bible, using the “law of first mention” to help them understand the significance of holy and the command for Christians to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:13–16). He used his final two sessions to show how the Holy Spirit can produce holiness and victory in each believer’s life.
A new season but a trusted format
This year’s Reaching Higher was special because it was our first weekend retreat since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Historically, we have held the conference for young adults ages 20–39 in February or March. However, once the pandemic’s effects lessened in the Northeast and normalcy began to return, the Lord urged us to launch forward with a retreat. So we moved Reaching Higher to the fall. About 25 people attended, and we were grateful to restart our retreat ministry with young people excited to serve the Lord.
In many ways, we resurrected the old format: we filled the CMML Missionary Guest Home with conference attendees, held the ministry sessions in the basement, and offered hot meals for the guests to enjoy and socialize over. The schedule was complete with seminars from special-areas missionary Bethany (Missionary Prayer Handbook Day 24), CMML’s digital media editor Jean Garcia, and Ali Farhadi.
Following God, our source of holiness
We believe we are on the cusp of a great work of God in the next generation. There is a need to refuel and equip those serious about following the Lord into the harvest. God will call believers who walk by faith, who are wholly dedicated to Him, and who are allowing the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of holiness in their lives. As Ali reminded the attendees, “Our only source of holiness is God.” Please pray that the Lord will use CMML’s youth retreats— Reaching Higher and our upcoming 26 Below events—to spur the next generation toward holiness and devotion to Christ.
Craig Fritchey, CMML assembly relations.
Originally published in Missions magazine, December 2022. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe.
