R.C. Sproul preaches on what it means for Jesus to take the curse of sin and wrath upon himself and die in our place.
Church Was Great! Let’s Not Talk About It
February 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Colin Marshall states:
We’ve just heard the Word read and proclaimed, sung the praises of our great God, and petitioned him for mercy in our time of need. And then we spend our time afterward talking about last night’s movie, the game, the hobby, the state of the nation, or whatever. Anything but the great truths of the gospel we’ve just heard and by which we’re saved. Why do we do this?
It is far too easy to hear the closing “Amen” and immediately shift on to the next thing that’s happening in your day. “Where are we going to eat? I’m starving!” Or, one spouse to the other: “We better not stay and talk, I’ve got a lot to do.” Sometimes we just rush over to the same friends every week and pick up where we left off. After service you can hear a lot of,
“How have you been?”
“Busy.”
“Working a lot?”
“Yea.”
“Me too.”
But we have just heard the glorious gospel proclaimed! Surely there are better things to talk about. I’m not suggesting that we familiarize ourselves with the latest Christian lingo so we have spiritually-sounding conversations. And our conversations shouldn’t be contrived or forced. But like all healthy relationships, good conversations require thought and care. Small talk is good and important; it’s a way to show hospitality to others. It can be a great starting point. But if all we ever have is small talk, then our Christianity probably needs to run a little deeper than that.
Marshall offers a number of helpful suggestions:
- Pray during the service that God would lead your conversations, and pray for specific people around you.
- Listen to what God is saying to you through the sermon (or songs, creeds, and so on) and formulate a comment or question to start a conversation. This past week at our church, the sermon was on what it means to praise the Lord, from Psalms 146-150. Since I was thinking about this article (and, I hope, for more godly reasons), I picked out two things to try as conversation-starters after church.
- With another couple we somehow got into a conversation about their blended family, and I reminded them of God’s favor towards the alien, orphans, and widows (Ps. 146). Since the husband is not yet a believer, I was deliberately talking about God’s character. I have no idea what effect it had on him.
- Even if the conversations don’t always get off the ground, your enthusiasm for learning the Bible and knowing God will be contagious. And non-Christians will see that church isn’t dull and boring but fascinating and life-shattering.
- These intentional conversations after church will sometimes lead to prayer for one another. Why not stop for a moment and give thanks or petition God for some need?
- Another way to deepen our fellowship is to ask each other how we came to salvation in Christ. Sometimes we’ve been in church with people for years without ever learning their story. The other day at church I asked a guy named Phil how he became a Christian, and we discovered God had worked in us in very similar ways as young men. The door is now open to building a friendship with this brother. What a joy!
So, no condemnation for small talk or casual, friendly conversations! Those are both wonderful gifts from God and are ways we can show care to other people. But pray and ask God how your interactions with others after church can convey even greater love, care, compassion, and enthusiasm for the greatest news in all the world.
How Doctrine Shapes Church Culture
November 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Here is something we love from Ray Ortlund:
Gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture. The doctrines of grace create a culture of grace, healing, revival, because Jesus himself touches us through his truths. Without the doctrines, the culture alone is fragile. Without the culture, the doctrines alone appear pointless.
The doctrine of regeneration creates a culture of humility (Ephesians 2:1-9).
The doctrine of justification creates a culture of inclusion (Galatians 2:11-16).
The doctrine of reconciliation creates a culture of peace (Ephesians 2:14-16).
The doctrine of sanctification creates a culture of life (Romans 6:20-23).
The doctrine of glorification creates a culture of hope (Romans 5:2).
If we want this culture to thrive, we can’t take doctrinal short cuts. If we want this doctrine to be credible, we can’t disregard the culture. But churches where the doctrine and culture converge bear living witness to the power of Jesus.
Crossroads 2012: An Introduction to the Glorious Gospel
October 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This year’s two night course offers an opportunity to learn more about who the Bible says Jesus is and why His life could make a difference in yours. A free meal will be served each night, followed by a presentation about Jesus and the purpose of His life, His death, and His resurrection. The evening concludes with a discussion of the presentation and offers people an opportunity to ask any questions they might have about Jesus or the Christian faith. A nursery is provided for children up to four years old. If you have any questions or would like to attend, please call the church office at 683-4506 to register or simply show up!
Tuesday, October 16, 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday, October 17, 6:30 p.m. -7:45 p.m.
An Invitation to All
October 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Next Sunday, October 7 our church will be dedicating our recently renovated facilities and launching our new name as Sovereign Grace Church! Our service begins at 10:30 a.m. and we are thrilled to have a dear brother named Shai Linne as our special musical guest. [Read more…]
Definite Atonement
February 12, 2012 By 1 Comment
I love the lyrics of the song, “Now Why This Fear,” because it captures so much of the practical benefit of the atonement. The song was originally written by Augustus Toplady, the same guy who wrote “Rock of Ages.” The original language of “Now Why This Fear” was a bit archaic, so it was revised by Doug Plank, with Sovereign Grace Worship. Here are the new lyrics: [Read more…]
Why We Need to Study the Bible
January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
We are currently going through Journey Into God’s Word in Sunday School. This past week, we discussed the following from Pastor John Macarthur about why we need to study the word. I would add that the reasons given also explain why we’re having a Sunday School class on understanding God’s word, and why we preach expositionally every week. [Read more…]
Digital Detox?
December 14, 2011 By 1 Comment
As we’ve come to the end of our current Sunday School, Resolving Everyday Conflict, we felt the need to the address the topic of Conflict and Social Media. That message from this past Sunday is available here. One of the points made in that talk was the importance of personal, human interaction. While digital interaction can be a blessing in so many ways and can certainly be used redemptively, it should never become a means of avoiding actual conversations and face-to-face interaction. [Read more…]
Basic Parenting Principles for Raising Christian Disciples
October 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When I was preparing for the study on Luke 18:13-43, I came across a wonderful blog post from First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississipi. In the text in Luke, parents were bringing their children to Jesus and I thought the following suggestions by First Pres’ children’s minister Barbara Porter were wonderful ways that today’s parents can help lead their children to Christ. [Read more…]
Rest in the Work, Not From It
October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Charles Bridges was a pastor, writer, and leader in the Church of England in the mid-1800s. In his book The Christian Ministry, his chapter on faith is well worth the read. [Read more…]
