What comes to mind when you think of summer? Pleasant sunshine, long days, picnics in the park, barbeques on the beach? Here in the United Kingdom, June to August marks meteorological summer, yet in June we have actually had both unseasonably cold and excessively hot days, with exceptional rainfall and frequent thunderstorms. The natural response to such extreme weather? To take shelter in the safety and comfort of our own homes, under a thick blanket with a hot drink, or beside a gently cooling fan. Yet, it is in Peter’s response to God’s call in the midst of a storm, a story that many of us will be familiar with, that we can learn something about what it means to “Step Out in Faith”, our theme for 2026!

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”                                                          Matthew 14 v 25-31 NIV

1. Stepping out in Faith requires obedience

On the surface, Jesus’ command to come to him must have seemed impossible, yet we see Peter obey the call and get out of the boat. In our ministry, there may be times similarly when God is appearing to call us down a path that doesn’t make sense. Stepping out in faith means being obedient even in those times, trusting God is bigger than our own understanding and sovereign over the way ahead.

2. Stepping out in Faith will not be easy

After taking the difficult first step of obedience, we often hope that the next steps will be simple and straightforward. Yet, the Bible doesn’t promise this . . . in fact it says the opposite! When Jesus called Peter, he didn’t calm the storm. Rather, he called Peter from the comfort of his boat into the rough waters. Stepping out in faith doesn’t mean waiting for the challenges around us to resolve but is often best demonstrated in the midst of those difficulties!

3. Stepping out in Faith requires focus on Jesus

As Peter walked on water, his eyes moved from Jesus to the wind around him. Seeing the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. Like Peter, we can become distracted by our present troubles whether it be lack of resources, cultural challenges or organisational pressures (to name a few). But when we become focussed on these, we become fearful and stumble. That fear does not come from God and by abiding in him, we can find strength to continue.

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
                                                                                                                            2 Timothy 1 v 7  ESV

4. Stepping out in Faith requires God’s help

When we begin to stumble, we often become disheartened. However, as Christians, we know that God is not distant but walks alongside us in all we do. As Peter panicked, he called out to Jesus at which point, he immediately reached out his hand and saved him. As we do mission, Jesus wants us, like Peter, to turn to him in prayer allowing him to lift us up so that our stumbling is merely another hurdle rather than the end result!