As I retire from my NCD ministry the end of this month, I want to thank our God for the privilege of serving our Lord Jesus Christ together with all of you. You have given me the opportunity to walk with you and work together to advance Christ’s Kingdom. Thank you for the opportunities and challenges. I really appreciate you all.

As I have come to the closure of this phase of life, I have taken time to compile a list of Moose life lessons. It has been helpful for me to review and remember how God, through the Holy Spirit, has faithfully continued to transform me in the likeness of Christ Jesus even when I struggled with Him. I would like to share a few of these lessons.

Being raised on a dairy farm in Amish country in Western Pennsylvania, I have many great memories of my Dad whom I always loved pleasing and working with him from age 3 or 4 until he died. One privilege I didn’t get was to learn how to handle work horses, an opportunity I really missed. Dad sold his favorite team, Nels and Tops, around the time I was born. This team was well matched, well broken, and well trained. Dad said he only put the bridle on them when he harnessed them so he could drive on the road, because when they were in the field working he would lay the reins down and just talk to them….get up, gee (right), haw (left), or whoa. Knowing Dad, he just talked, not raising his voice. What a beautiful example of some of the life lessons the Holy Spirit has taught me so that I could team well with Jesus through the Holy Spirit to advance His Kingdom.

• I had to learn to empty myself (Philippians 2:5-11), as Jesus emptied Himself of His agenda so that He could do everything His Father wanted Him to do. I learned that I needed to regularly empty myself because I tend to want to do things my way, which makes me struggle and fight with Jesus as my Leader and Lord.
• I need to have a willingness to be continually broken. Just as horses must be well broken to be useful, dependable, and trustworthy, I found the same true in my life. There are so many examples of how faithful men of God were broken…Joseph sold into slavery and in prison, Moses 40 years in the wilderness, Job having everything taken from him, David being hunted for years like an animal by Saul, Peter denying he even knew Jesus and Jesus looking at him and then later restoring him, Paul on the road to Damascus and 3 years in the wilderness. It is so important for each of us to willingly let God break us of whatever is between us and our Father God so He can use us as He wants. For me I remember when I had my ‘Nathan moment’ and God used a counselor to call out my selfish manipulative arrogance. That started a long process of His breaking me in a way that has made me into the follower of Jesus I am today. I still get choked up just thinking about it. God used this time to humble me and show me many results of my sinful arrogance and pride. He also used this as a time to reaffirm His love and grace for me. After that initial breaking, then I became more sensitive to the Spirit’s working in my life and aware of other areas that God wanted to break. The more broken I am, the more available I am to follow the Spirit.
• I must willingly put on Jesus’ yoke and keep in step with His Spirit. For a team of horses to work well they must be yoked together. Jesus asks us to put on His yoke and be teamed with Him, because His yoke is easy. I must willingly and daily put on Jesus’ yoke and learn to keep in step with Him. I struggle with the yoke, because when I get anxious, I want to do things “my way.” I run ahead and try to drag Jesus. When I’m fearful, fretting or worrying, I drag behind and the yoke gets heavy, hard and chaffing on my neck. In both situations, I’m fighting Jesus’ leading because I’m not keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.
• I am still learning the beauty and wonder of the Holy Spirit working in and through me, which makes teaming with Jesus so wonderful. Jesus says “it is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).  What a wonderful gift – God’s Spirit living in me to apply all the works of Jesus to my life, show me my sin, transform me into Christlikeness, lead me into all truth, produce the fruit of the Spirit in me, and empower to do whatever God calls me to do to advance His Kingdom. And all God asks of me is to keep in step with His Spirit living in me by listening to His voice leading me.

What a privilege to team with Jesus Christ, my Leader and Lord in the power of His Spirit to advance His Kingdom.

As we move into this next stage of life, I look forward to spending more time with Cheryl and our family; running at our own pace and schedule, working, camping, finding new projects and adventures while having fun together. Cheryl and I will have more time to minister in our local church. I will continue working 4 days a month with Paul Burr and 2nd Chair Church Planting Ministry which comes alongside church planters and plants to assist them in their ministry. My work will also include helping churches clarify or redo their mission and vision so they can be united in being who God has called them to be. I will continue coaching and encouraging men and pastors in their walk and helping them advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 

Thanks again for the privilege of being in ministry together over the years. 

Dan Moose

New Email – dk.moose052@gmail.com