sc

New(est) GC Blog

2007-11-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

www.gracechurchmemphis.wordpress.com

See you there...

This Blog Is Moving...

2007-08-20T11:11:00.000-05:00

To:

www.gracechurchmemphis.blogspot.com

We've already added several new posts to our new blog.

This blog will remain in tact, but only as an archive. All new posts will appear at the new GC blog.

Solus Christus!

BBC Sermons & More Sermon Opportunities

2007-08-16T19:30:00.000-05:00

A few have asked about my most recent sermon at Bethlehem. They have just uploaded all of the messages delivered by guests during Pastor John's most recent absence.

Because of the names you will see at the link to Bethlehem's sermons, this serves as another great opportunity for a commercial: The John Perkins Lectureship series began on Tuesday of this week, and will run for the next seven consecutive Tuesday evenings at Creighton College. Every week (If it is anything like this week) will be well worth attending. I must highlight that Dr. Perkins is scheduled to speak on August 28, and Carl Ellis on September 25. You will not want to miss these brothers!

No one in recent days has done more for Christian community development in urban contexts than Dr. Perkins. For those who are unaware of Dr. Perkins ministry click here. Carl Ellis has spoken at the Desiring God Pastors Conference, and also as a guest preacher at Bethlehem.

Delighting in the Day I-III

2007-08-14T08:45:00.001-05:00

Partially inspired by my post on preparing for Sunday, our friend Kurt Strassner in OH is reposting a nine part series on making Sunday's special by delighting in the day. His first three parts have already been re-posted:

Part I - Delighting in the Day: Riding on the Heights of the Land
Part II - Delighting in the Day: Let the Word Dwell Richly
Part III - Delighting in the Day: Guard Your Steps

Family Worship

2007-08-13T16:31:00.000-05:00

In light of Nate's sermon a few weeks back on family worship, and because we all seem more open to new things around the start of a new school year (which began in Memphis today), it is a great time to begin (or, begin again) with family worship (even if you're single!).

Here's some good counsel from Lig Duncan.

The main reason that Grace Church is my favorite group of people on earth to worship with through the preached word of GOD is because they prepare

2007-08-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

This one is easy. I most love worshiping through the Word of God with Grace because such a high percentage of the people come to the services with a prepared and consecrated heart having already spent time reading and praying through the day's sermon text.

I simply cannot express the joy of preaching to a prepared people. Rather than being intimidated because the people may know the passage better than I do (which is likely), I am thrilled because the Holy Spirit has more ammunition to work with in each person's life. So, when I stress a point a certain way, the Spirit may bring to an individual's mind and heart the thoughts he had on the previous Thursday when praying through the same text. And in combining my thought with the individual's thought, the Holy Spirit is driving the truth even more deeply into the person's life. Isn't that part of the main goal in preaching anyway (along with glorifying God)?

I can think of no better way to encourage our people to prepare for church than by reading, praying, and thinking about the day's sermon text. Sunday's are to be anticipated for many reasons. Sunday is sacred. Stephen Altrogge states it well:

"Sunday is sacred because we get to sing corporate praises to God, fellowship with other believers, and above all else, hear the precious word of God preached."

One may ask: Prepare? For corporate worship? Why? I simply come to church and sit and listen. How can I prepare? Why should I?

"In the Old Testament, the people of God prepared for sacred days, they consecrated themselves. There were special rituals of washing and cleansing that each person had to perform before being allowed to participate in the sacred day. (Read entire article here; HT: TC).

Since I'm made increasingly aware that other pastors are reading this blog, may I take the liberty now to share a word of challenge with those of you who are pastors? (Though I'm certain that I have much more to learn from you that I could offer).

Would you consider giving your sermon text to the people in advance? Take heart, it is much easier than you might think. And, you are not "locked" into the text. If the Spirit leads, go someplace else. After all, I don't think it will harm our people too much if they have given generous attention to the "wrong" text!

Here's the incentive. I trust that you too will feel your people pulling the word of God out of you like I feel it from our little congregation in downtown Memphis. It is truly life-giving to have this experience almost every week! And, as another incentive, I think it will make you prepare better knowing that the people are preparing too (It has this effect on me)!

Certainly my love for preaching at Grace can be attributed to many things (I love the people, I'm a member of the church, etc.), but above all, I'm persuaded that it has to do with the way the people make preparatory use of something we call our "church card" (see image below) which we hand out at the beginning of each new preaching series. Each one looks a bit different, but they all carry the same idea. Feel free to use our idea, or modify it, but for the sake of your elevated joy in pastoral ministry, consider giving the people your text in advance. My guess is that you won't be sorry you did.

Galatians 5:1-12 Sermon

2007-08-12T16:17:00.000-05:00

In the most non-flattering way, I just want to thank God for you, Jordan, and for your obedience to the Lord in preparation for the sermon this morning. It was evident that you had sought the Lord's face concerning the text. Being pointed to Christ under the preaching of the word is invaluable and necessary for sanctification. Nathan and yourself have been careful and diligent with the preaching of the word, and I truly thank God for placing my family among that kind obedient diligence. May God continue to give you favor in sermon preparation for the spiritual health of Grace Church and its visitors. I was encouraged to seek God for my benefit and challenged to prepare excellently for the preaching of His word. May the Lord lead me to place His yoke of freedom around this baby oxen neck.

Anyone wanting to comment further concerning this morning's sermon to continue to spur one another on please do so by replying to this post.

You Have Fallen From Grace

2007-08-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

How would you like to hear one of Christ's apostles say that to you? Me either! Yet, that's exactly what Paul says to the Galatians in our sermon text for tomorrow in 5:4.

See you at 9a for prayer, and 10a for worship!

Global Missions

2007-08-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

'Brothers, Never ever ever has the Lord let the cause of world missions in a local church hurt that church. It doesn’t happen. Go for broke when it comes to the unreached peoples of the world. I don’t care how bad it is in your church. Lift up your sights towards the unreached peoples of the world.'

Piper sermon on John G. Paton

Baptism

2007-08-09T19:38:00.000-05:00

Have you been keeping up with the baptism/church membership discussion going on between Piper and Grudem?

This is an example of how brothers in Christ should express disagreement with humility, love, and respect...while not forfeiting his convictions.

FYI: No Email For The Pastors

2007-08-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

Where's that reply? Normally, you would have receive one. However, the GC pastors are without email for _______ (hopefully only a few days) while our web company's server is under repair.

Back In Memphis

2007-08-09T12:36:00.000-05:00

Tracy and I have made it back safely to Memphis, and are unloading our loving-affection on our our children.

Thank you again for your prayers for the camp. It appears that a few of students reckoned with God. The day will tell it.

Tuesday Evening Plans?

2007-08-07T17:42:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to encourage as many GC'ers to attend this eight-week Tuesday evening series as regularly as possible. (Click the images for larger viewing).

Sessions 2, 3, & 4

2007-08-07T17:35:00.000-05:00

Have each gone well. The Lord's nearness in our sessions has been evident. There are several non-Christians at this conference and tonight's talk will be focused on the cross of Christ (7p here, 6p CST). Thank you again for your prayers.

Session 1

2007-08-05T21:34:00.000-05:00

Went well. Thank you again for your prayers!

Challenged the group from Matthew 25 about seeing God (rather than self) as the end, flowing out into a lifestyle of spiritual reproduction (i.e. discipleship).

We missed our GC family today, and heard that the Lord was near in the prayer and preaching services. SDG!

Baastn

2007-08-03T20:48:00.000-05:00

I will appreciate your prayers as I will be speaking at a discipleship camp for a church in Boston this week.
Every blessing,
JT

One Week Earlier And...

2007-08-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

Seeing the tragedy of the Minneapolis bridge collapse brings a burden to the heart of us all. Let us join in praying for the families who lost loved ones, and for the health of those who are recovering.

The fragility of life stares us all in the face as we view footage like that of the collapsed bridge. Most likely, none of those frightened I-35W passengers were thinking of the possibility of his or her life ending today between the banks of the Mississippi. No, they were talking on the cell phone, or chatting with a fellow passenger. Others were thinking about being on time for a special meeting.

I wasn't thinking about life ending last time I was there either. You see, between Monday and Thursday of last week I drove across that very bridge eight times. Why did it fall today, and not last Wednesday evening at approximately the same time of day when I was crossing it? Friend, our time is coming sooner than we may suppose.

May I ask you a crucial question? Are you right with God through His Christ? If not, won't you trust Him now? Eternity is calling, and very soon, you will answer...

Signs of the Spirit

2007-08-01T20:10:00.000-05:00

I picked this up a few days ago, and have benefited much from it. For all of those who have shied away from Edwards because of his difficult prose, here's your invitation to reconsider!

GC Ladies Night

2007-07-30T20:36:00.000-05:00

The ladies of GC celebrated a sister's birthday together on Sunday evening at one of Memphis' finest: The Happy Mexican. If my addition serves me correctly there were 31 children who went mom-less while these ladies tore up the town!

Seriously, ladies, we thank God for you and pray that the Lord will use you to show our world what Proverbs 31 looks like. Blessings to you all in Jesus!

Thank You!

2007-07-30T17:54:00.000-05:00

...All for praying for me during last week's church planting conference.

After condensing, I have 15 pages of "impacting thoughts" that stood out from my notes that now need to be prayed over, processed, and as the Lord sees fit, applied. Thank you for praying for that too.

Wedding Tonight

2007-07-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Lord willing, my little brother will wed Kathleen. It is a joy to see this day arrive and to rejoice in God's kindness in their lives by first drawing them to Christ and loving them with His very own life; and then by leading them to one another. It is a uniquely special occasion in that I have been asked to 'officiate' the wedding.

All GCer's are invited to come and if you are unable, then please pray that tonight would be a time of Worship honoring Christ in the marriage uniting Kathleen and Brent.

Time: 7p
Location: Lucy Baptist Church
4005 Lucy Rd.
Millington, TN 38053

Stump The Mike

2007-07-25T20:39:00.000-05:00

ESPN has "Stump the Schwab," Grace has Stump the Mike. Mike Rusten, that is.

Since our Q&A sessions at the Revelation seminar would still be going today if we didn't cut them off at some point, I've asked Mike Rusten if we could do one final Q&A session here on SC. Gladly, he agreed. So, here's your chance (even if you didn't attend) to ask any question you want to ask related (obviously or less obviously) to the book of Revelation.

Just ask your question in the comment section at the bottom of this post. My hope is that we'll have quite a few questions, then I'll try to consolidate them into a list of 10 that most represent our submissions. After that, I'll send them to Mike, and post his responses here for all to see.

Question cutoff deadline = Saturday at noon.

I'll begin the query in the comments section below (Click "interaction" to see all the questions).

A Cause for Rejoicing

2007-07-25T09:41:00.001-05:00

Here's part of an email from Bryan Smith:

"And for those who don't know, number three is on the
way (sometime next March/April)."

Amen!

Jesus, I have a few questions

2007-07-24T19:27:00.000-05:00

A snippet I thought I'd share from my (not so daily) journal:

Jesus, I have a few questions:

Why have You been pleased to drop a potentially long-term relationship with Nigeria in Grace's lap? Why Ethiopia? Why now? Why before our "launch?" Why us? Why not when we are more "ready?" Why did You send Vijay Sastry to visit Grace last Sunday and lay another (happy) burden on Grace to care about the joy of India (and the 10-40 window) being found in Jesus? How are we to respond to each of these things?

And, what about those neighborhood kids showing up each Sunday night for the BYBC's? Who's praying for them...by name? Anyone? Will they ever be grafted into the life of Grace? What about their parents? Will the gospel transform (former) Hurt Village (now) Uptown, and downtown, and beyond in such a way that lost people tremble? You know, I mean tremble with what Edwards saw in the Northeast in the 1730's and 40's when he described Your Spirit's reviving work as a "deep and penetrating conviction of sin."

Will the vision for a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-generational, multi-socioeconomic church be realized in the membership of Grace? Beyond that will the walls of racial division, marginalization, paternalism, monocultural pride, and ethnic bigotry be trumped by the gospel (noticeably, even by unregenerate people) in Memphis, TN in our lifetime? If not, why not? Will we live to see the day when biblical churches are easy to find in every corner of America?

How is Grace to avoid "retreat-ism," and "creature-comfort" but instead, keep pushing forward and "hastening the day of the Lord?" Will we be the church that preaches against a the prosperity gospel but lives like we are in favor of it? What will the sting of persecution feel like at its worst? How will the You be pleased to manifest Your grace in such a way that You get all of the glory from our involvement in all that You have called us to be for (1) You, (2) each other, (3) our city, and (4) our world?

What will Grace's first daughter church look like? Where will she be located? What will her 43rd daughter church look like? Will our generation live to see it? Who will be the first covenant member of Grace to go home?

Psalm 27:14

Global Church Advancement - National Church Planting Seminar

2007-07-24T19:17:00.000-05:00

I'm in Minneapolis this week enjoying the GCA's National Church Planting Seminar. The training is Christ-centered, practical, and goo.., er, convicting. Thank you for your prayers for the Lord enable me to both process and apply the things He desires for me to take away.

Biblical Theology

2007-07-24T19:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Justin Taylor for pointing this out.

Directions to Enjoying Jesus in Revelation

2007-07-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

For those who are unfamiliar with how to get to FBC West Memphis, simply click the church's address below for directions.

200 N. Missouri St
West Memphis, AR 72364

Check in: 6:30p
Session 1: 7p

Worship Prep

2007-07-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

Prayerfully meditate on the truth of Galatians 4:8-11.
Sing, "Jesus knows me, this I love." (Yes, the word order is changed on purpose: "Yes, Jesus knows me...Yes, Jesus knows me." - See verse 9).
Attend corporate prayer at 9a.
More than anything, walk with God right now.

If, Then

2007-07-19T09:17:00.000-05:00

If our preference is God, then our ambition will be to please Him (2 Cor. 5:8-9).

BYBC Week 2 Pix

2007-07-18T12:48:00.001-05:00

The Missionary Church

2007-07-18T07:54:00.000-05:00

"No church is anything more than a pathetic pietistic backwater unless it is first and fundamentally and all the time a world missionary church."

- James Stewart, Heralds of God

(HT: Ray Van Neste, via Anthony Mathenia)

Revelation Worship Prep

2007-07-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

The response to Grace's upcoming Enjoying Jesus in the Book of Revelation seminar this coming Friday and Saturday with Mike Rusten has been very encouraging.

Registration will still be available up to the start of the seminar, but listening-guide style notebooks (195 pages!) are only guaranteed for those who have already registered. Mike suggested that I pass along two ways to prepare well for the seminar

Read and reread the book of Revelation
As much as you are able, look up the cross-references to other places in Scripture

Prayer For Today & Tomorrow

2007-07-14T08:57:00.000-05:00

I will appreciate your prayers this evening (Sat) and tomorrow morning as I will be preaching at Grace's mother church.

Nate, praying for you, and all of GC tomorrow morning as ya'll worship through Deuteronomy 6.

GC, praying for you all and the Uptown community as you seek to impact the neighborhood with the gospel at BYBC #2.

2 Ways 2 Live (For Kids)

2007-07-12T13:54:00.000-05:00

I'd guess it was about 2 years ago when I was first pointed to Matthais Media's helpful discipleship and evangelistic material.

As a parent I'm always wanting to find helpful ways to point my children to Christ. This simple version of "2-ways-2-live" for kids is great.

(HT: Steve McCoy...who would appreciate your prayers for his wife, Molly).

A Prayer

2007-07-12T11:36:00.001-05:00

"Lord, we pray that You would make Yourself the exclusive object or our ultimate devotion."
- Mark Dever, Promises Made: The Message of The Old Testament, 587.

The Cup? The Handle? The What?

2007-07-10T17:08:00.001-05:00

After today's pastor's meeting, I realized that I began an illustration on Sunday that I never finished. How's that for helpful preaching!?!

Toward the beginning of Sunday's sermon, I intended to emphasize that we would not be thinking of novel ideas in the morning sermon, but maybe, the Lord would be pleased to use our thinking on Paul's use of (1) Law & Gospel; (2) Baptism; and (3) God's adopting love for us as His sons, to "hand the coffee mug to us with the handle facing toward us." I think I said something kind of like that. The coffee cup picture was intended to convey the idea to some of who were already familiar with the sermon's concepts, that, "Oh, I knew that already, but now it is an easier concept to grasp," or something like that.

Instead, (ha!), I was made aware today by my brothers that I didn't communicate anything of the sort...or really anything at all...except maybe a confusing moment for anyone trying to follow what I was saying.

Are there bonus points for unhelpful sermon illustrations? If so, I'm set!

GC--Summer of Spreading Christ--Week 1 Pix

2007-07-10T16:56:00.001-05:00

Nigeria

2007-07-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Although our experience is merely three months removed, to me it seems ages ago that the GC Vision Team was in Nigeria. The burden in our hearts for Christ to be exalted throughout the country remains, though the task seems overwhelming.

Pray with us that our hearts would be discerning to know how GC can most please the Lord in Nigeria long-term, and exactly where to go from here!

Adopted by God

2007-07-09T13:51:00.000-05:00

In light of yesterday's theme in Galatians 3:26, 29; 4:4-7 of being adopted as sons by God:

“Do I know my own real identity? I am a child of God. God is my Father; heaven is my home; every day is one day nearer. My Savior is my brother; every Christian is my brother too. Say it over and over to yourself first thing in the morning, last thing at night, as you wait for the bus, any time when your mind is free, and ask that you may be enabled to live as one who knows it is all utterly and completely true.”

- J.I. Packer, in Knowing God, p. 228.

(HT: Matthew Molesky, fellow TCT church planter)

Nigeria

2007-07-06T16:05:00.001-05:00

Grace is praying for the Lord's guidance to engage in long-term ministry in Nigeria. Though the region of the country we visited in April felt especially safe, our prayers for long-term influence may be fulfilled at great cost.

The abduction has heightened a foreign hostage crisis in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria's main oil producing region, where about 200 foreigners have been seized since the start of 2006.

200 since 2006? Let's join the many in praying for three-year-old Margaret Hill's safe release.

Are You 3-D?

2007-07-06T13:31:00.000-05:00

From the Grace website:

ARE YOU 3-D?

Spiritually speaking are you a 3-dimensional person in your relationships? Spiritual health is promoted when we have a rhythm to our life that allows for differing dimensions of biblical fellowship.

➢ Dimension #1 :: Corporate Worship—larger biblical fellowship gatherings with some relational connectivity

➢ Dimension #2 :: Grace Groups—small group biblical fellowship gatherings with high relational connectivity

➢ Dimension #3 :: Discipleship—smallest biblical fellowship gatherings with unavoidable relational connectivity

** Grace Groups will return in September. The material will be wonderful! Make plans now to be part of this life-changing study.

Coming Soon...

2007-07-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

This coming Sunday, July 8: Summer of Spreading Christ

9a-prayer
10a-worship
3p-meet at Uptown Circle / canvassing
5p-neighborhood gathering / "dog-dinner"
5:30p-BYBC

July 13-14: Foundations of Grace: Pastor B's Pad

Fri. 6:30-8:30p
Sat. 9a-noon

Anyone is welcome...even current members who would like to rekindle their vision for life in GC! Sign up at resource table or through website.

July 20-21: Enjoying Jesus in the book of Revelation

Fri. 7-9p (check-in begins at 6:30p)
Sat. 9a-5p (lunch provided)
Registration Instructions

Enjoying Jesus In the Book of Revelation--Open to All

2007-07-03T20:17:00.000-05:00

The Enjoying Jesus in the Book of Revelation seminar sponsored by Grace, and led by Bethlehem elder Mike Rusten, will be offered Friday evening & Saturday morning July 20-21.

We are pleased to announce that this seminar will be open not only to Grace Church, but also to everyone who is interested. Other church leaders have inquired if groups are welcome...and the answer is YES! So, if you (or a group from your church) have an interest in this excellent seminar, you may register using the following three simple steps. After registering online, you will receive an email with the details concerning the seminar.

1. Click here (scroll down to the email contact form)
2. Title your comment: "Revelation Seminar," then provide the first and last name(s) of everyone who will be attending the seminar with you
3. Provide the total # of workbooks you (or your group) desire(s).
4. Bring to the seminar with you $15 for each workbook ordered (couples are welcome to share a book if they desire. Mike suggested that each person or couple have their own book in order to maximize the study).

Childcare?

Childcare will be provided at no cost (names and ages of children are required at the time of your registration).

Early Registration Note:

Walk-ups are welcome (details will be posted here on SC later), but those registering later than Monday, July 9 might not receive a seminar notebook.

$5

2007-06-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

I'm not supposed to be posting and such since I'm on vacation. But I think it might be sinful if you didn't know about this, and I didn't let you know :)-

And, if you need a little ($20) guidance:
1. Pleasures of God
2. Desiring God
3. Future Grace
4. When I Don't Desire God
5. Bonus: One of the Swans Are Not Silent (biography series) books

The Latest @ Grace

2007-06-18T11:06:00.001-05:00

The last few months have been eventful in the life of Grace to say the least! Joy has abounded as we've watched new members come into our covenant family, mission trips begin, end, and begin again. Our Summer of Spreading Christ is now officially underway. New God-centered relationships are emerging daily within our fellowship. The Lord is at work for His glory!

Below are few of things that are on the horizon, and a couple of others that we need to be remembering in prayer:

Summer of Spreading Christ: The new dates for each of the summer outreach events, and assignments for various roles, will be given out at this Sunday's lunch fellowship (June 24). Come with an empty belly to be filled by good food, and willing heart to be used by the Lord!

Foundations of Grace: Friday evening, Saturday morning, July 13-14. If you've been attending Grace from our very beginning, or have just joined us recently, Foundations is for you...especially if you are considering covenant membership. Foundations unfolds the vision, values, and distinctives of Grace. Or, put simply, it is a short seminar led by our pastors that explains our church's foundation. This seminar is a great opportunity for you to get to know what makes Grace tick, and provides you with a free environment to ask questions about the church.

Enjoying Jesus in the Book of Revelation: Friday evening, Saturday morning, July 20-21. Mike Rusten (click, then scroll down to read about Mike), an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, will be leading an in-depth seminar walking us through the book of Revelation. Having done his PhD work in Revelation, and having led numerous seminars through Revelation, Mike is well-equipped to lead this seminar, and has an inviting leadership style that draws his listeners in. Registration is now open (Cost approx. $15/family for the listening guide notebook. See the resource table at GC to sign up).

SE Asia & Bangladesh: Be intentional about remembering Aaron and Kevin in prayer over the next several weeks as they seek to spread lasting joy in Jesus in Southeast Asia and Bangladesh.

Worship Preparation

2007-06-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

One way to prepare your soul for maximum delight in God this coming Sunday as we worship Christ together through the preached word can be done by prayerfully reading Genesis 12-22.

The Genesis text contains the redemptive background from which the Apostle Paul builds the better part of his argument in this week's sermon text (Galatians 3:1-14).

Wanting to lay hold, with you, of every blessing that is ours in Christ!
JT

The Glory of God in Ethiopia - Part 2

2007-06-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, God is at work for His glory in Ethiopia through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even though the spiritual landscape is, in many areas, in need of greater health, what part of the world isn't? The encouraging sign in Ethiopia is that the Lord is raising up men with a desire for church health to be measured by the standard of God's Word.

Because nearly 80 men have committed themselves to two years' worth of theological training with the express purpose of planting new churches among the unreached of Ethiopia, the evidences of God's work for His glory there are apparent. Thank you all for continuing to pray for these men, as well as for Anthony and Amber Mathenia as they seek to point them in a God-honoring direction.

Now, I would like to call to your attention four brothers--two from PTI, and two from the Addis Kadan Bible College--that you might join us in praying specifically for them. Even though our time with each of them was short, all four demonstrated significant promise in the areas of pastoral gifting and spiritual leadership. Perhaps you will have the honor of shouldering up next to them for a millennium or two in the great sea of worshipers!

The first is Abraham (pronounced, Ahh-bra-ham). This brother arrived in Addis Ababa nearly eight years ago from his village which is approximately eight hours north of the capital city. Being alone in the capital city was no small challenge, but proved to be the greatest blessing in his life. Soon after arriving in Addis, he was able to being living with his aunt who is Orthodox (ie, anti-Christian). Not long after moving to Addis, Abraham heard the gospel and came to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Just over one year later his aunt disowned him because of his faith, and required him to move out. For the last several years, he has been working as a guard at the Addis Kadan (yup!) offices, and has been devouring the Word of God. During these recent years, the Lord has placed a burden on Abraham's heart to reach his people (Tigray/Tigrinya) with the gospel. Pray that Abraham will be equipped by the Holy Spirit to carry the gospel to his people and that many would believe!

The second is Abu (standing, praying). Like Abraham, Abu is also part of PTI. Unofficially, the PTI brothers seemed to look to Abu for leadership. During the break times, and even during a few of the Q & A sessions, I noticed that the guys were looking to Abu for direction and articulation. His face lights up with the light of Christ. I do not remember the name of his village, but I do remember he lives about 250 kilometers from Addis, and his first language is Oromo/Oromiffa. His grasp, like Abraham's, of the things we taught was obvious. Please pray for Abu, and for the church(s) that the Lord will use him to plant. May many come to Jesus through his ministry.

The third is Misfin (pictured sitting, front row, second from left). Misfin is one of the Bible College students. He, and his eight classmates, are scheduled to graduate in mid-June from their three-year training program. Each of the eight were selected by the denomination to be leaders in/over the eight regions of Ethiopia into which the denomination has divided the territory of Ethiopia. This brother, like the rest, is humble and demonstrates a solid grasp of biblical truth. During a three hour session on ecclesiology, Misfin expressed many encouraging evidences of his desire to see the Addis Kadan embrace the biblical model for church life and organization. He currently works with the youth at a church in Addis, and is interested in further study if the Lord permits. Misfin is married and has two children.

Finally, I would like to invite you to pray for Getanet, another student at the Bible College (pictured making "wat"). A bit tongue-in-cheek, but not far from the truth, Getanet might be the only Ethiopian pastor in the entire country. The common practice among evangelical churches, especially Addis Kadan churches, is to forgo the role of pastor for an "evangelist" who travels away from the church, but from time-to-time preaches at his (or her) church. Instead of a pastoral ministry from an individual or a team that is somewhat consistent, much less expository, the churches usually have a different speaker each week. Of course, this practice prohibits the health of the church. Getanet, on the other hand, preaches to his congregation about 40 Sundays per year. This is almost unheard of in his culture. More than that, he is deeply concerned for the spiritual health of every one of the members of his church. May Getanet serve as a model that other Ethiopian pastors will follow.

The Glory of God in Ethiopia - Part 1

2007-06-12T10:10:00.001-05:00

Of this I'm sure, God is at work for His glory in Ethiopia through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By now many of you are aware of why Nathan and I went to Ethiopia, but for the sake of those who are just now joining us, allow for a brief review.

The Lord has given abundant favor to Anthony and Amber Mathenia in the eyes of many of the Ethiopian believers. So much so that a denomination (Addis Kadan) has essentially handed over to Anthony the responsibility to train its next generation of pastors. This is where the Pastor's Training Institute (PTI) was born.

Approximately 80 PTI students from all over Ethiopia (literally) who have been identified by their churches have enrolled in a two-year theological training program with the desire to be equipped to plant churches among Ethiopians who have yet to be reached with the gospel. The students live "out country" and have/will travel into Addis Ababa for two-week intensive training sessions during the next two years. After the two years of study, the students will be evaluated by the Bible's standards for elders, and upon evidence of qualification, will be sent out two-by-two to plant new churches "out country."

It was for one of these two-week intensive teaching sessions that Nathan and I went to Ethiopia. This was only the second session of PTI, the first being only one month prior (and led by our friends Kurt Strassner and Scott Duley). Kurt taught Christian Ethics from the Sermon on the Mount, and Scott taught the Doctrine of God. During our trip, Nathan taught the Doctrine of Christ, and I taught Christ-centered Theology of the Bible.

The students are hungry, and by-in-large, soaking up the teaching. There are obvious barriers for some of them though. For example, the translation of the teaching is in Amharic, which for some of the students, is their second or third language! Could you imagine taking theology courses in Spanish based on what you learned in High School? Of course, theology has a vocabulary all its own, and adds to the interesting translation dynamics. Nonetheless, the students demonstrate an eagerness to learn, and are full of questions. Daily, for two weeks, they sit shoulder-to-shoulder on hard benches for no less than six hours thinking, taking notes, and engaging with the most important things under heaven. Please pray for them regularly!

The misconceptions of biblical truth, and especially how the truth of the bible impacts local church gatherings, is wide-spread. Neither Anthony, nor any of the guys who have taught at PTI, have a desire to "westernize" the ethos of the church in Ethiopia. It is good and right for redeemed sinners to express worship to King Jesus in keeping with their own particular cultural expressiveness...unless, of course, the culture contradicts the Biblical pattern. Everyone on God's green earth is influenced by the culture in which they live. It is part of our relational DNA. We operate, talk, dress, express, and relate in a way that has been ingrained in us from our first breath. Sometimes, though, our cultural expressiveness contradicts biblical practice. This is true for Americans, just as much for Ethiopians. We have "convictions" that church should happen a certain way with certain "non-negotiable" elements (like bulletins, pews, nice clothes, microphones, 30 minute [or less] sermons, invitations, etc.). Well, you get the point. Ethiopians also have "convictions" about "the way we've always done it." For them, charismatic chaos, proof-texting, isegesis, emotional frenzy, and music-dominated services are what church is (Oh, wait, I was supposed to be describing them, not us). Again, I think you get the point.

Because of misconceptions about biblical truth (and we all have them) it is vitally important that the next generation of pastors in Ethiopia have a solid dose of biblical truth. And, what's most encouraging, is that they want it! PTI doesn't concern itself with "what we do in American churches," but rather, "what does the Bible say." Nathan walked the brothers through the gospel of John and in chapter three gave as a clear an explanation of the Spirit's role in regeneration (which, in the text preceeds faith and repentance, but guarantees them both) as I've heard. This, you see, has nothing to do with "the way we do church in the US."

So, as you pray for these brothers, pray that they will be given Holy Spirit discernment to know how to apply the truth they learn in a way that is faithful to the teaching of Scripture...even if it wars against the cultural norm. And, as you do so, pray the same thing for Grace Church!

Wednesday Morning: 8a & 9:15a

2007-06-12T09:58:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Kevin W. who pointed out two wonderful seminars happening tomorrow morning at the PCA meeting that I had overlooked. I hope to make it to both of them!

Grace-Filled Churches--Making God-Centered Disciples -- 8a, Paul Kooistra, Coordinator for Mission to the World
Gospel-Centered Worship -- 9:15a, Bryan Chapell, President, Covenant Theological Seminary

For any GCers planning to attend the keynote session tomorrow evening with RC Sproul, let's plan to connect in the back left corner of the room (where the session will be held) at 7:10p and find a place sit together.

Prosperity Gospel

2007-06-11T12:50:00.001-05:00

Since I returned last week from Ethiopia where the prosperity gospel has been well imported from America, this is appropriate viewing. (HT: DG Blog)

PCA in Downtown Memphis: June 12-15

2007-06-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

Information here. (Seminar info here).

A couple sessions of note:

RC Sproul - Wednesday, 13th 7:30p
Bryan Chapel - Thursday, 14th, 7:30p

Several seminars of note:

The Biggest Mistakes I Made in Church Planting, Wednesday, 9:15a (Sam Downing)
Advancing the Gospel Through Cross-Cultural Church Planting, Wednesday, 9:15a (Wy Plummer)
Urban Church Planting, Tuesday, 2p (Stephen Ro)
Reaching the Poor, Wednesday 8a (Julian Russell [Memphis pastor], Thurman Williams)

Hoping to make it to several of these...

Praying for you as I type!

2007-06-10T11:07:00.001-05:00

Right now I am at a youth camp in West Virginia preparing to speak to a group of students on the theme of 'Seeking the Face of God'. Oddly enough, as remote as this place is, there happens to be wireless internet at the welcome center.

As I type I'm praying these things for each of you at GC as you are in the middle of service right now!

That the Lord would be pleased to give you aide in worshiping Him this morning. May Christ be your treasure even now!
That the Lord would be pleased to give you aide in corporate prayer.
That the Lord would be pleased to help Jordan as he faithfully preaches the surpassing riches of Christ in Galatians 2.
That the Lord would be pleased to help those attending GC to worship with Jordan as he preaches.
That the Lord would be pleased!

I love you and genuinely miss you. Many of your faces have scrolled through my mind and prayers over the past several weeks of being away, but I long to see you face to face.

Romans 8:32

Nathan

Wedding Charges To Pray For Me!

2007-06-09T20:09:00.001-05:00

I was honored to perform the wedding ceremony this morning for BJ and Ashley Eason, both of whom were formerly students in my youth group. As if my four children haven't already made me realize I'm getting old!

Here are several of the biblical charges I gave to them. Would you please take a moment to pray that these realities would be true in my own marriage (and yours)!

Realize that our marriage is mainly about Someone far greater than the two of us...namely, the name, character, and reputation of God
Be deliberate, therefore, to always be aiding one another to make progress in personal holiness
Be deliberate to aid my spouse to grow in love to Christ
Be deliberate to aid my spouse to grow in obedience to all of Christ's commands
Strive together to grow in godliness and Christlikeness
Always be engaged together in ministry--both in recognized, and unrecognized forms
Intentionally hold Jesus high in our marriage
Pray together...regularly, passionately, spontaneously, and persistently
Worship Jesus together daily in our home
Engage faithfully in family worship
Creatively and simply challenge one another constantly to grow in grace
Enjoy one another at every level: relationally, physically, emotionally, spiritually
Me: Soak in the Lord's commands to husbands as found in Scripture and obey them
Tracy: Soak in the Lord's commands to wives as found in Scripture and obey them
Be my partner's choicest intercessor
Be impossible to offend
Be overflowing with patience
Be generous when wronged
Be aware of my own limitations, and seek to improve upon them
Always be fighting pride, self-promotion, self-centeredness, and self-exaltation
At every turn, every day, look together to the gospel as the power of God, not only for justification, but also for daily sanctification and joy
Don't make an idol out of one another, but together, be resolute that our only God is God
Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually

Home Again Jiggity Jig

2007-06-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

Nathan and I arrived at safely at 4:30p last evening. Once again, thank you all for praying for us!

There are so many things to share about the evident successes of this trip. Lord willing, in the coming days we will find the opportunity to do so here on SC.

GC, I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday. Galatians 2:11-21...Oh my!

Continue praying for Nathan who will be leaving again this Friday evening in order to speak for one week at a college/youth camp for a church in OH.

SDG!

Pic

2007-06-03T06:19:00.000-05:00

Day 10?

2007-06-03T01:13:00.000-05:00

I think its day 10?? At any rate, it is Sunday morning in Addis Ababa. Nathan and I will each be leaving shortly in order to preach at different churches in the city. Nathan will be expositorily exulting in Romans 3:21-26, and I will be doing the same in Matthew 7:21-23. We are praying for Jesus to be exalted here, and in the service at Grace. May the hearts of everyone at these services be preoccupied with the God of the Bible, through the work of His Son, in the power of His Spirit!

The PTI program concluded yesterday morning. We are convinced that the Lord cares much for His glory in Ethiopia. The supernatural way that Nathan and I felt carried during our teaching responsibilities was another convincing evidence of the Lord's care for these future pastors. Thank you again for praying for us. Please continue praying for these future pastors too.

Nathan led a bible study in Anthony and Amber's home last evening. Wonderful and worshipful exposition of God's love in the gospel of His Son!

The degree to which we miss our families, and our church family, is impossible to describe. We look forward to seeing you all again soon!

SDG!

Day 7

2007-05-30T14:00:00.000-05:00

Great day again. Please continue praying.

For my morning class, 1 Kings 12-Malachi. John 3 (regeneration) for Nathan's afternoon class. My afternoon class was canceled today.

Such a blessing to be part of a congregation that gladly embraces our opportunity to be here equipping these brothers to spread lasting joy in Jesus. We look forward to worshiping with you again soon.

Bryan, we've heard several encouraging reports about the word Sunday. "The knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea." That's a lot of glory coverage! Amen!

SDG!

Day 6 - Blessed Are They Who Mourn

2007-05-29T09:42:00.001-05:00

I think its day six? Things are running together by now.

Just before noon, Haileyesus, our translator, learned that his sister lost her baby during delivery. Mother and baby endured a long night and morning of labor, and the baby died late morning, just before delivery. Please join us in praying with Haileyesus and his family.

Haleyesus (literally, "the power of Jesus") is Anthony's best friend in Ethiopia, and his greatest partner in ministry. No doubt, he is the most biblically and pastorally advanced brother the Lord has been pleased to connect Anthony with in the country. We trust the Lord will prove Himself to be "the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort" to the family in this trying time (2 Cor. 1:3).

The PTI sessions continue to go very well. The students are engaged from beginning to end, the translation is excellent (but who am I to tell?), and Nathan and I are feeling much carried by the Lord. Thank you for your prayers.

My afternoon class with the Bible College students is going well also. They are, however, one month shy of graduation. And, as is universally true, they have a bad case of "senioritis." Anthony, our always blunt missionary friend, assessed instead, "they are just lazy." Either way, the Lord is helping us in this class too. I will appreciate your prayers for wisdom in knowing how to condense Genesis 12-Revelation into our next three days of class.

The Lord is dealing especially kindly with us. We trust this is in response to your prayers. Nathan and I are both missing family, and will appreciate your prayers for them as well.

Day 4

2007-05-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful day.

Worshiped at International Evangelical Church this morning (heard great word from Exodus 15). Nathan ably exposited Colossians 1:15-23 this afternoon for the PTI guys (Even though there was much charismatic chaos going on in the room above us).

Pray for the Addis Kadan pastors/churches to embrace of Christ, not hoopla! He alone is the great attraction to Christianity!

Yo, B... update from GC services this morn? Praying for you all.

Breaking News From Around the World

2007-05-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

Headline

Extra... Extra... Read All About It! A very spiritual GC pastor does balloon ministry in Ethiopia!

Caption

One unconfirmed report stated, "After inhaling 15 balloons worth of helium, pastor Nathan Sawyer can no longer stand upright. Kids love it!" Multiple reports are swirling that at least one child, with shoulders still bouncing with laughter, and one finger pointed at pastor Sawyer while covering her mouth with the other hand, snickeringly alleged, "That red-headed guy sounds funny when he does that."

Story developing...

(I know I'll pay for this later...)

Day 3

2007-05-26T07:51:00.000-05:00

Class went well again this morning. We Worshipped the Great Eternal Worshipper who invited man--created in His image--into His restful worship of Himself on the seventh day. Looked at the role of the Trinity in creation (e.g., Col 1:16; Heb 1:2), and the idolatry of creature-worship (e.g., Romans 1:25). Gave attention to some of God's incommunicable attributes (to complement a class they took last month) to close class out today.

Late morning til... (still going) was an awesome wedding ceremony. Separate pre-wedding parties at bride/groom's place. Groom shows up with posse to claim bride at her place. All attendees, along with wedding party, head over to the ceremony location. Wait 1.5 hours for another wedding to finish. Have ceremony, more ceremony, then onsite reception (still going), followed by wedding party party someplace else. Elaborate, beautiful, rejoiceful from start to finish (or at least as much as we saw).

We will worship tomorrow at an International Church, then Nathan will have his second session. As always, your prayers are much needed.

These believers are deficient in so many areas of biblically informed Christian living and ministry. Culture is king. But then again, who are we to talk?

SDG!

Day 2

2007-05-25T13:45:00.001-05:00

Not sure how often updates will come, but we will do so as often as possible. Please continue praying.

The first day of class for the 71 PTI guys was great. Little awareness of God through Scripture, but great eagerness to know Him Scripturally. These men are virtually drawing the teaching out of us. They are tireless (some rode as many as 18 hours on bus yesterday to arrive) in the class setting. Full of good questions too.

Nathan introduced the doctrine of Christ with an exaltation of Christ as the only God-pleasing pattern for life and ministry. After some survey of the gospel of John, he concluded with a powerful explanation through Philippians 2 exalting both the humanity and deity of Christ (which is a vastly misunderstood doctrine here). They seemed to be tracking well with him.

My first session on Christ-centered biblical theology went well too. Thank you for your prayers. We looked at Christ as the Subject of all of Scripture as foundation (e.g., Luke 24:27, 44), and then an overview of the history of God's redemptive revelation in Scripture. Then, we will take an epoch of redemptive history each day in a more focused manner from here on out. Tomorrow morning is Genesis 1-2.

Food is good. Actually, great! Amber and Anthony Mathenia are doing well, and have found much favor with the people by the grace of God.

Wedding tomorrow afternoon...really looking forward to the experience.

May the Lord bless you and keep you all...

SDG!

We're Here

2007-05-24T03:03:00.000-05:00

Nathan and I just made it to Ethiopia. Thank you for your prayers.
SDG!!

Pray for PTI

2007-05-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

Nathan and I will be leaving shortly for Ethiopia.

Nathan has been given the wonderful task of teaching the Doctrine of Christ
I have been given the joy of teaching Christ-Centered Theology of the Bible

We covet your prayers!

We already miss our families, and our church family. We are praying for you all!

Favorite Piper Messages: And Favorite All Time Audio Sermon

2007-05-21T16:27:00.000-05:00

Probably because they had such a shaping influence on my soul so shortly after my conversion to Christ, I consider this message, and this message from J. Piper to be my personal favorite Piper sermons (delivered at Passion '97, Austin, TX).

This sermon, from Paris Reidhead, is still my favorite audio sermon of all time.

* All deserve multiple prayerful listenings.

The Faithfulness of God

2007-05-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

The pastors of Grace have been praying for $2k to come in for the PTI Ethiopia students. As of yesterday afternoon, $2,046 has come in!

** This $ will be used for nearly 80 students to eat, lodge, travel, and have materials during the two weeks of training. (roughly $25/man).

If you are interested in learning more about how to support this worthy ministry, you may do so by clicking here.

Ethiopia: Unwrapping The Wrap Up

2007-05-21T09:34:00.000-05:00

Below, is Kurt Strassner's blog post that summarized his trip to teach the same PTI students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that Nathan Sawyer and I will have privilege of teaching during the next two weeks. Please pray for us, and for the students!

Ethiopia - A Wrap

Here is a write-up I did for folks who were relatively unfamiliar with what Anthony is doing in Ethiopia...and why Scott and I went. Most of it is probably familiar to all of you...but maybe it will be something you can print up and use to remind yourself to pray over the next two years (and more!

Over the last two weeks of April, a fellow pastor (Scott Duley) and I traveled to Ethiopia to assist missionary Anthony Mathenia in the training of 80 church-planting pastor trainees. In this country whose landmass is approximately twice that of Texas, there are over 80 million people in 80-plus different tribes. Official statistics show that roughly half the population is Ethiopian Orthodox and about a third Muslim. Actual on-the-ground estimates say that the number of Muslims is closer to 40% and growing.

In the midst of this largely unbelieving populous sits the evangelical community. The believers we worked among are strong in many respects. There seems to be an absolute certainty about the exclusive claims of Jesus. The singing in our worship times was always done with great enthusiasm. There was a servant spirit evident everywhere. The men were eager to learn and usually on the edge of their seats to drink in the teaching of the Word. And (how encouraging!) the director of education (Alem, pictured below) for the Addis Kidan Baptist Church (the denomination with whom we worked) said to us on the second day: “You are reformed theologians! I like reformed theology!”

Amid these encouraging signs, there are definite areas for concern and prayer among the evangelicals in Ethiopia. The residue of several false ideologies still clings to a significant number of believers. The Orthodox background of many of the believers has left behind (in only a few of the men, it seemed) a false dichotomy between Old and New Testaments…almost as though God changed His personality between the two. The surrounding pagan culture has also left behind a whole host of tangled knots in the area of sexual ethics—particularly in the more rural communities. Western culture has bred an unhealthy emphasis on theological education in English—and this in a country where only 36% of the people are literate in their own language (Amharic)! In addition, there is a great need to strengthen many of the pastors in the areas of ecclesiology, robust hymnody, expositional preaching, and the doctrine of sin.

All these facts point to one great need—sound, careful, reformed theological training in the Amharic tongue. Enter Anthony Mathenia. Anthony has been traveling to Ethiopia for the last seven years. Two years ago, he and his family made the capital city, Addis Ababa, their permanent home. His pursuit? Amharic-based theological training for local pastors and trainees. This past winter, the Addis Kidan Baptist Church approached him with an offer. “We have 70-plus men who have committed, if we can provide them theological training, to plant churches, two-by-two all over unreached Ethiopia. Would you design and head up the training program?”

Would he ever! The result of that initial meeting has been Pastor’s Training Institute. PTI will consist of eight 2-week training modules over a two-year span. The trainees are housed and fed through a local church in Addis Ababa, and attend Institute classes for six hours a day, five days a week. The curriculum is arranged systematically, beginning with the doctrine of God and moving forward the way any systematic theology text-book would. Interspersed are practical seminars and sermons as well. For this first two-year round of PTI, the training will be mostly done by English speakers and translated into Amharic by able men.

Scott and I traveled from the US in April to be the inaugural teachers at PTI. Scott taught the Doctrine of God, while I taught the Sermon on the Mount (taken out of the systematic order because I also taught it as a Christian Ethics class in the English-based Baptist Bible School). The hope is that Scott’s class began the men on a sound, God-centered footing heading into the rest of the systematics courses. The Sermon on the Mount, we hope, served a dual purpose: as a solid course in Christian ethics; and as a practical example of the fruitfulness and process of expositional preaching. The men seemed to listen eagerly, intently, and with teachable hearts. Many of their questions were incredibly perceptive. The Spirit was surely at work on behalf of Christ’s church in Ethiopia.

Eventually, Anthony would like for PTI to transition completely into the Amharic language. This will require his own mastery of the language, as well as selecting and training of a group of Ethiopian men who will become the instructors in a long-term Amharic PTI. Would you pray with us about all that the Lord is so graciously doing in Ethiopia? A few requests…

Successful long-term progression to an all-Amharic based PTI.
The next PTI module happens the last week of May and first week of June (Jordan Thomas and Nathan Sawyer of Memphis, TN teaching).
Lasting fruit through the eventual planting of up to 40 Christ-centered churches in the unreached corners of Ethiopia!
Hosting logistics, travel, finances, and other nuts and bolts the Mathenia’s will be dealing with as they organize round after round of PTI.

Thank you for your interest and prayers. I may stick an audio version of all of this (and more) on the blog sometime in the next few days...

What Did He Say?

2007-05-20T13:16:00.000-05:00

Good question! You're not alone!!

During this morning's sermon, I even managed to confuse myself, and was rattled for most of the remainder of the sermon because of it.

When I referenced Antiochus IV (c. 175-163 B.C.), I fumbled up my own point (that takes talent!). Here's an attempt at clarification. Praise the Lord for blogs, huh?

Antiochus IV "included a prohibition and a policy by which babies who had been circumcised were put to death along with the mothers who had submitted them to this sign of the covenant." (George, 143). Those were certainly horrible times for the Jewish people!

My point in mentioning this historical aside was (supposed) to highlight the possibility that the "false brethren" of Galatians 2:4-5 may have asserted, "My great, great, grandfather's younger brother [g,g,g uncle] was killed under that lousy tyrant simply because "uncle _____" was circumcised! Now we know why Paul is so wimpish on circumcision. He must be scared of persecution. That's why he preaches that circumcision isn't necessary. He's scared another Antiochus will kill him."

Little did they know, if anyone was fearful of losing his life for the sake of the gospel, it wasn't Paul (i.e., here, and here)! The gospel truth issue, however, was that Paul was not willing to have anything added to the sufficiency of Christ's atoning work...which is what the Judaizers were after.

Instead of making this point clearly, I managed to say something more confusing than a rubix-cube, and moved on.

With all sincerity, please forgive me for not pausing for prayer in the middle of the sermon, that I might more freely worship Christ with you through the remainder of the text! The Christ of the gospel of Galatians 2:1-10 is worthy of our worship. May He be yours in fullest measure.

In Christ,
Pastor Jordan

Notable Sermons

2007-05-19T17:28:00.000-05:00

"Notable?" That is an understatement!

Worship Preparation

2007-05-19T16:10:00.000-05:00

The best worship preparation I've found each week is to attend the corporate prayer meeting at 9a, and there to engage with God for nearly one hour along with those whom you will soon digest God's Word with in the worship service. See you at 9a!

** Reminder: Tomorrow is the last day to give to the needs for the pastors training in Ethiopia (check memo: PTI Ethiopia).

The Law & The Guy Who Fears Its Consequences

2007-05-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

He's roughly 6' tall, 190 lbs, black male wearing dark pants, white shirt, and a bright blue do-rag.

There are times when our awareness of the law is heightened. Usually, those times are when we are made aware of the presence of law-enforcement. Like when we are driving our car and realize there is a police car following behind us. "Am I speeding?" "Did I roll through that last stop sign?" "Are my tags expired?" The law is BIG in that moment.

Most other times our consciousness of the law is much more relaxed. It exists, we know it, and we rarely think about it. That's the way it should be. That's good.

To state the obvious, the greatness or smallness of our consciousness of the law doesn't govern whether the law is in effect or not. The law is always in effect, whether we're aware of it or not. It is always there. We are just more aware of it at certain times (like when the blue-lights flash). Without someone to enforce the law, every man can do what seems right in his own eyes, and there will be no negative repercussions for it. That's not good.

Law-breakers suffer from another type of law-consciousness. Fear. Why are many of us unafraid of the law right now? Because as law-abiding citizens we know that "rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil" (Romans 13:3). It is the law-breaker who has the fear of the law, and of the law-enforcement. And so they should.

The guy who broke into my storage shed this morning was smart...sort of. He rang the doorbell to see if anyone was home. Ding dong (10-15 second pause). Ding dong (shorter pause). Ding dong (long silence). He was taking measures to avoid being caught for breaking the law. Smart guy...sort of.

Then, in the back yard, "clank, bang." The shed's door was "opened," and my less-than-impressive contents were exposed. All was good for the thief. Until, from my window, he heard "bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang." When I banged on the window, he dropped everything he was holding, and ran. Why? Why didn't he slowly and methodically continue "borrowing" my mower or whatever else he needed? Why was his first thought, "Run?" I think I know the answer. Let's play multiple choice:

(A) Was it because the thief received a supernatural revelation simultaneous to my window-knocking that the Lord had graciously sent a hoard of goats to his yard in order to groom it yard-of-merit style, sparing him the sweat of mowing himself? "Oh great," he thought to himself, "I don't have to mow today!"

(B) Was it because the thief was instantaneously reminded that he forgot to exercise this morning, so he thought he would take a jog before returning for my stuff?

Not impossible, but not likely either.

How about another option. (C) None of the above.

Why was he so calm...until I banged on the window? Why didn't he stick around to have some tea? A good conversation about today's beautiful weather? A game of catch? Shoot the breeze with the MPD who were on their way?

We all know why he left so abruptly. But it is worth considering again!

It took me a second to get my key, and get outside, but by then he was long gone. He left because he is a law-breaker. He wants something for nothing in such a way that violates the law. His problem wasn't out-of-control Bermuda, but an out-of control heart. "As long as I don't get caught, I'm fine," is his modus operandi. Knowing there are consequences for law-breakers is THE reason he didn't hang around when I knocked on the window, and hurried outside. We all know that.

How well do we know that every law-breaker faces consequences is the question.

Am I any different than my five-finger discount friend? Hardly. What about you? Nope.

Though probably not systematically, my thief nonetheless concluded that the consequences for stealing my stuff were not great enough to avert him from trying to do so. If, however, he was certain that he would be caught, he wouldn't have even showed up at my place, would he? That's the way consequences work. If the consequences are big enough and sure enough, it equals zero law-breaking 100% of the time! Think about it.

Consider this: What if my guy would have known that "officer _______" would have been sitting inside the shed on one of my camping chairs with a loaded gun just waiting for someone to break the lock? Our minds and our actions change when the consequences of breaking the law are heightened, don't they?

My visitor knows what we all know. He knows that if he does something unlawful, and someone catches him, then the one who catches him can bring the consequences of the law to bear on him. He ran because he was fearful of the consequences of the law.

After the dust settled, and the police left, something very important hit me. Consequences are massive motivators.

More grievously than shed-looting, I have broken God's Law. Along with my "visitor," I am a law-breaker. And, God needs no officers to enact His consequences on me. I'm doomed without His undeserved pardon. Where can I hide? The sea? The grave? Not exactly.

This morning's episode is another reason why this week's Grace Group memory passage is so massively important.

Every person has broken God's law. And God has been waiting inside every shed every single time that His law has been broken. He has, without exception, caught every law-breaker every time. He sits in the sheds of our thought-life, our unlawful acts of commission, our negligent voids of omission. Literally, every act of rebellion against God has been observed by Him. All of it! This morning, again, I rejoiced because I'm so glad that I've been caught! Even more so because I've been cleared!

I hope to get to tell that guy who was in such a hurry to leave my backyard this morning what great delight there is when freedom from the fear of being caught vanishes! Please pray with me for him to know he has been caught by God, and that there is only one way for him to also be released by God.

E&A of GOD

2007-05-17T22:51:00.000-05:00

$12.99

Ethiopia Donations

2007-05-12T19:44:00.000-05:00

Two of Grace Church's pastors, Nathan and Jordan, will be leaving for Ethiopia at the end of May. They will be assisting in the training of local pastors to go and plant churches in cities and people groups where no churches exists.

If you would be interested in donating to the finances of this trip please do so through Grace Church.

You may do so by writing your check to Grace Church (memo: PTI Ethiopia) and mailing them to:

Grace Church
P.O. Box 1801
Memphis, TN 38101

We also long for your prayers for the pastors as Grace Church seeks to be a part of God's global glory among the nations.

Annalee's Home

2007-05-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

...and is making noticeable progress. The Smith's thank you for your prayers!

Bunyan's Unforgetable Experience

2007-05-08T12:12:00.000-05:00

While walking through a field one day, Christ's righteousness was revealed to Bunyan's soul and gained the victory. Bunyan writes of that unforgettable experience:

One day, as I was passing in the field, this sentence fell upon my soul: Thy righteousness is in heaven; and methought withal I saw with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ, at God's right hand; there, I say, as my righteousness; so that where I was, or whatever I was a-doing, God could not say of me, He wants my righteousness, for that was just before Him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away. Now I went home rejoicing for the grace and love of God. I lived for some time very sweetly at peace with God through Christ. Oh! methought, Christ! Christ! There was nothing but Christ that was before my eyes. I saw now not only looking upon this and the other benefits of Christ apart, as of His blood, burial, and resurrection, but considered Him as a whole Christ! It was glorious to me to see His exaltation, and the worth and prevalency of all His benefits, and that because now I could look from myself to Him, and would reckon that all those graces of God that now were green in me, were yet but like those cracked groats and fourpence-halfpennies that rich men carry in their purses, when their gold is in their trunk at home! Oh, I saw that my gold was in my trunk at home! In Christ my Lord and Saviour! Now Christ was all (Grace Abounding, paragraphs 229-32, pp. 129-31).

Taken from Meet the Puritans, pp. 103-4.
_____________

"John Owen said of John Bunyan, a powerful preacher and the best-known of all the Puritan writers, that he would gladly exchange all his learning for Bunyan's power of touching men's hearts." (MTP, 101).

Luther on Galatians 1:11-24

2007-05-03T12:54:00.000-05:00

No apologies need to be made for my constant quotation in last week's sermon from Luther's commentary on Galatians. He understood this letter as well as anyone in Christian history, and because he did, we are better for it!

For the duration of our series, however, I will not be quoting him as much as I did in week one. But, if you'd like, you can see why nearly everything he says is worth quoting! Here are his thoughts on this week's sermon text:

_______________________

Verses 11, 12. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This passage constitutes Paul's chief defense against the accusations of his opponents. He maintains under oath that he received his Gospel not from men, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In declaring that his Gospel is not after man, Paul does not merely wish to state that his Gospel is not mundane. The false apostles made the same claim for their gospel. Paul means to say that he learned his Gospel not in the usual and accepted manner through the agency of men by hearing, reading, or writing. He received the Gospel by special revelation directly from Jesus Christ.

Paul received his Gospel on the way to Damascus when Christ appeared to him. St. Luke furnishes an account of the incident in the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts. "Arise," said Christ to Paul, "and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Christ did not send Paul into the city to learn the Gospel from Ananias. Ananias was only to baptize Paul, to lay his hands on Paul, to commit the ministry of the Word unto Paul, and to recommend him to the Church. Ananias recognized his limited assignment when he said to Paul: "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." Paul did not receive instruction from Ananias. Paul had already been called, enlightened, and taught by Christ in the road. His contact with Ananias was merely a testimonial to the fact that Paul had been called by Christ to preach the Gospel.

Paul was forced to speak of his conversion to combat the slanderous contention of the false apostles to the effect that this apostleship was inferior to that of the other apostles.

If it were not for the example of the Galatian churches I would never have thought it possible that anybody who had received the Word of God with such eagerness as they had, could so quickly let go of it. Good Lord, what terrible mischief one single false statement can create.

The article of justification is fragile. Not in itself, of course, but in us. I know how quickly a person can forfeit the joy of the Gospel. I know in what slippery places even those stand who seem to have a good footing in the matters of faith. In the midst of the conflict when we should be consoling ourselves with the Gospel, the Law rears up and begins to rage all over our conscience. I say the Gospel is frail because we are frail.

What makes matters worse is that one-half of ourselves, our own reason, stands against us. The flesh resists the spirit, or as Paul puts it, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." Therefore we teach that to know Christ and to believe in Him is no achievement of man, but the gift of God. God alone can create and preserve faith in us. God creates faith in us through the Word. He increases, strengthens and confirms faith in us through His word. Hence the best service that anybody can render God is diligently to hear and read God's Word. On the other hand, nothing is more perilous than to be weary of the Word of God. Thinking he knows enough, a person begins little by little to despise the Word until he has lost Christ and the Gospel altogether.

Let every believer carefully learn the Gospel. Let him continue in humble prayer. We are molested not by puny foes, but by mighty ones, foes who never grow tired of warring against us. These, our enemies, are many: Our own flesh, the world, the Law, sin, death, the wrath and judgment of God, and the devil himself.

The arguments which the false apostles advanced impress people to this day. "Who are you to dissent from the fathers and the entire Church, and to bring a contradictory doctrine? Are you wiser than so many holy men, wiser than the whole Church?" When Satan, abetted by our own reason, advances these arguments against us, we lose heart, unless we keep on saying to ourselves: "I don't care if Cyprian, Ambrose, Augustine, Peter, Paul, John, or an angel from heaven, teaches so and so. I know that I teach the truth of God in Christ Jesus."

When I first took over the defense of the Gospel, I remembered what Doctor Staupitz said to me. "I like it well," he said, "that the doctrine which you proclaim gives glory to God alone and none to man. For never can too much glory, goodness, and mercy be ascribed unto God." These words of the worthy Doctor comforted and confirmed me. The Gospel is true because it deprives men of all glory, wisdom, and righteousness and turns over all honor to the Creator alone. It is safer to attribute too much glory unto God than unto man.

You may argue that the Church and the fathers are holy. Yet the Church is compelled to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses," I am not to be believed, nor is the Church to be believed, or the fathers, or the apostles, or an angel from heaven, if they teach anything contrary to the Word of God. Let the Word of God abide forever.

Peter erred in life and in doctrine. Paul might have dismissed Peter's error as a matter of no consequence. But Paul saw that Peter's error would lead to the damage of the whole Church unless it were corrected. Therefore he withstood Peter to his face. The Church, Peter, the apostles, angels from heaven, are not to be heard unless they teach the genuine Word of God.

This argument is not always to our advantage. People ask: "Whom then shall we believe?" Our opponents maintain that they teach the pure Word of God. We do not believe them. They in turn hate and persecute us for vile heretics. What can we do about it? With Paul we glory in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What do we gain? We are told that our glorying is idle vanity and unadulterated blasphemy. The moment we abase ourselves and give in to the rage of our opponents, Papists and Anabaptists grow arrogant. The Anabaptists hatch out some new monstrosity. The Papists revive their old abominations. What to do? Let everybody become sure of his calling and doctrine, that he may boldly say with Paul: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than ye have received, let him be accursed."

Verses 13, 14. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation.

This passage does not contain doctrine. Paul adduces his own case for an example. "I have," he says, "at one time defended the traditions of the Pharisees more fiercely than any of your false apostles. Now, if the righteousness of the Law had been worth anything I would never have forsaken it. So carefully did I live up to the Law that I excelled many of my companions. So zealous was I in defense of the Law that I wasted the church of God."

Verse 14. Being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Speaking now of the Mosaic Law, Paul declares that he was wrapped up in it. To the Philippians he wrote: "As touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." He means to say, "I can compare myself with the best and holiest of all those who are of the circumcision. Let them show me if they can, a more earnest defender of the Mosaic Law than I was at one time. This fact, O Galatians, should have put you on your guard against these deceivers who make so much of the Law. If anybody ever had reason to glory in the righteousness of the Law, it was I."

I too may say that before I was enlightened by the Gospel, I was as zealous for the papistical laws and traditions of the fathers as ever a man was. I tried hard to live up to every law as best I could. I punished myself with fasting, watching, praying, and other exercises more than all those who today hate and persecute me. I was so much in earnest that I imposed upon my body more than it could stand. I honored the pope as a matter of conscience. Whatever I did, I did with a single heart to the glory of God. But our opponents, well-fed idlers that they are, will not believe what I and many others have endured.

Verses 15, 16, 17. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace.

To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Here Paul relates that immediately upon being called by God to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, he went into Arabia without consulting a single person. "When it had pleased God," he writes, "I did not deserve it. I had been an enemy of Christ. I had blasphemed His Gospel. I had shed innocent blood. In the midst of my frenzy I was called. Why? On account of my outrageous cruelty? Indeed not. My gracious God who shows mercy unto whom He will, pardoned all mine iniquities. He bestowed His grace upon me, and called me for an apostle."

We also have come to the knowledge of the truth by the same kindness of God. I crucified Christ daily in my cloistered life, and blasphemed God by my wrong faith. Outwardly I kept myself chaste, poor, and obedient. I was much given to fasting, watching, praying, saying of masses, and the like. Yet under the cloak of my outward respectability I continually mistrusted, doubted, feared, hated, and blasphemed God. My righteousness was a filthy puddle. Satan loves such saints. They are his darlings, for they quickly destroy their body and soul by depriving them of the blessings of God's generous gifts.

I tell you I stood in awe of the pope's authority. To dissent from him I considered a crime worthy of eternal death. I thought of John Huss as a cursed heretic. I counted it a sin even to think of him. I would gladly have furnished the wood to burn him. I would have felt I had done God a real service.

In comparison with these sanctimonious hypocrites of the papacy, publicans and harlots are not bad. They at least feel remorse. They at least do not try to justify their wicked deeds. But these pretended saints, so far from acknowledging their errors, justify them and regard them as acceptable sacrifices unto God.

Verse 15a. When it pleased God.

"By the favor of God I, a wicked and cursed wretch, a blasphemer, persecutor, and rebel, was spared. Not content to spare me, God granted unto me the knowledge of His salvation, His Spirit, His Son, the office of an apostle, everlasting life." Paul speaking.

God not only pardoned our iniquities, but in addition overwhelmed us with blessings and spiritual gifts. Many, however, are ungrateful. Worse, by opening again a window to the devil many begin to loathe God's Word, and end by perverting the Gospel.

Verse 15. Who separated me from my mother's womb.

This is a Hebrew expression, meaning to sanctify, ordain, prepare. Paul is saying, "When I was not yet born God ordained me to be an apostle, and in due time confirmed my apostleship before the world. Every gift, be it small or great, spiritual or temporal, and every good thing I should ever do, God has ordained while I was yet in my mother's womb where I could neither think nor perform any good thing. After I was born God supported me. Heaping mercy upon mercy, He freely forgave my sins, replenishing me with His grace to enable me to learn what great things are ours in Christ. To crown it all, He called me to preach the Gospel to others."

And called me by his grace.

"Did God call me on account of my holy life? Or on account of my pharisaical religion? Or on account of my prayers, fastings, and works? Never. Well, then, it is certain God did not call me on account of my blasphemies, persecutions, oppressions. What prompted Him to call me? His grace alone."

Verse 16. To reveal his Son to me.

We now hear what kind of doctrine was committed to Paul: The doctrine of the Gospel, the doctrine of the revelation of the Son of God. This doctrine differs greatly from the Law. The Law terrorizes the conscience. The Law reveals the wrath and judgment of God. The Gospel does not threaten. The Gospel announces that Christ is come to forgive the sins of the world. The Gospel conveys to us the inestimable treasures of God.

That I might preach him among the heathen.

"It pleased God," says the Apostle, "to reveal himself in me. Why? For a twofold purpose. That I personally should believe in the Son of God, and that I should reveal Him to the Gentiles."

Paul does not mention the Jews, for the simple reason that he was the called and acknowledged apostle of the Gentiles, although he preached Christ also to the Jews.

We can hear the Apostle saying to himself: "I will not burden the Gentiles with the Law, because I am their apostle and not their lawgiver. Not once did you Galatians hear me speak of the righteousness of the Law or of works. My job was to bring you the Gospel. Therefore you ought to listen to no teachers of the Law, but the Gospel: not Moses, but the Son of God; not the righteousness of works, but the righteousness of faith must be proclaimed to the Gentiles. That is the right kind of preaching for Gentiles."

Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.

Once Paul had received the Gospel from Christ, he conferred with nobody in Damascus. He asked no man to teach him. He did not go up to Jerusalem to sit at the feet of Peter and the other apostles. At once he preached Jesus Christ in Damascus.

Verse 17. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

"I went to Arabia before I saw any of the apostles. I took it upon myself to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles without delay, because Christ had called me for that purpose." This statement refutes the assertion of the false apostles that Paul had been a pupil of the apostles, from which the false apostles inferred that Paul had been instructed in the obedience of the Law, that therefore the Gentiles also ought to keep the Law and submit to circumcision.

Verses 18, 19. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
Paul minutely recounts his personal history to stop the cavil of the false apostles. Paul does not deny that he had been with some of the apostles. He went to Jerusalem uninvited, not to be instructed, but to visit with Peter. Luke reports the occasion in the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts. Barnabas introduced Paul to the apostles and related to them how Paul had met the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus, also how Paul had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Paul says that he saw Peter and James, but he denies that he learned anything from them.

Why does Paul harp on this seemingly unimportant fact? To convince the churches of Galatia that his Gospel was the true Word of Christ which he learned from Christ Himself and from no man. Paul was forced to affirm and re-affirm this fact. His usefulness to all the churches that had used him as their pastor and teacher was at stake.

Verse 20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

Was it necessary for Paul to go under oath? Yes. Paul is reporting personal history. How else would the churches believe him? The false apostles might say, "Who knows whether Paul is telling the truth?" Paul, the elect vessel of God, was held in so little esteem by his own Galatians to whom he had preached Christ that it was necessary for him to swear an oath that he spoke the truth. If this happened to Paul, what business have we to complain when people doubt our words, or hold us in little regard, we who cannot begin to compare ourselves with the Apostle?

Verse 21. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

Syria and Cilicia are adjacent countries. Paul traces his movements carefully in order to convince the Galatians that he had never been the disciple of any apostle.

Verses 22, 23, 24. And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.

In Syria and Cilicia Paul won the indorsement of all the churches of Judea, by his preaching. All the churches everywhere, even those of Judea, could testify that he had preached the same faith everywhere. "And," Paul adds, "these churches glorified God in me, not because I taught that circumcision and the law of Moses should be observed, but because I urged upon all faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

(Taken from CCEL)

Galatians: Review & Preview

2007-05-03T11:02:00.000-05:00

REVIEW:

Last week, Grace began a series of worship through Galatians.

In 1:1-10 we saw two sections:

1:1-5

The credibility of the author

Paul, called by Triune God, not by man

The nature of the audience

Churches of the Living God

The God of our salvation

Jesus, Who gave Himself

For our sins
To deliver us out of this present evil age
According to the will of our God and Father

Father, Who raised Jesus

To Whom be glory forevermore. Amen!

1:6-10

Astonishment

That Galatians were abandoning God
That Galatians were turning to "another" gospel

Anathema

On all who preach another gospel

Evidence

Of a God-pleasing bond-servant of Christ verses a man-pleaser

___________________________

PREVIEW:

This week, Lord willing, we will worship through 1:11-24, by focusing on:

Christ to us
Christ in us
Christ through us

___________________________

REMINDER:

This Sunday is "First Week." Bring a friend...or two!

Come with a heart ready to worship King Jesus.

Nigeria Prayer Help - #2

2007-05-02T15:38:00.000-05:00

During our Vision Trip in Nigeria, we were bombarded with the plain awareness of persecution toward Christians in Northern Nigeria.

The same day we departed the country to return home, also marked the day that the new Nigerian President was elected, Muslim Umaru Musa Yar’Adu. The election of Yar'Adu to office was of concern to Christians for a number of reasons...not the least of which is their freedom to worship Jesus Christ!

Yar'Adu was formerly the Governor of Katsina State, a place we visited on our first day of visioning. Katsina is just below the Sahara Desert in the extreme North of Nigeria, and is only a fraction of a percentage point away from being an exclusively Muslim region. But Christ, as He promised, has sheep of that fold who must (Indeed, some already have!) come to Him (John 10:16)!

As Pat Nave shared on Sunday at the Grace Lunch Fellowship, talking about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria is not simply anecdotal.

Below is a well-written article that sheds even more light for our praying about our future involvement as a church in Nigeria. Perhaps Katsina will be our target location?

Maybe it was because visiting Katsina (top-center of the map of Nigeria) was our initial Nigerian experience, but more likely because of the tug of the Holy Spirit, I've not been able to get Rev. Aliyu Auta's face out of mind. Auta is the pastor of an ECWA church in Katsina. This is a godly brother. He is faithfully pastoring his flock, and preaching the truth of Christ crucified, buried, and raised for our salvation!

Rev. Auta is mentioned in the quote below. I encourage you to read the entire article. Most of all, pray!

Our minister here, the Rev. Aliyu Auta, went to see Gov. Yar’Adua on this issue (i.e.; being permitted to complete the construction of our church building), and [Governor Yar'Adu] promised he would do something about it, but we are now at the end of his tenure as governor and nothing has been done.”

T4G '08 Video

2007-05-02T10:18:00.000-05:00

Nearly an hour long, but worth the watch.

McCheyne

2007-05-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

Enough said.

A House of Prayer for All the Nations

2007-05-01T21:19:00.000-05:00

In an attempt to move toward being a church with a vision for Christ's global glory, Grace prays for a different country/people-group during each Sunday's service. This year, we are focusing our prayer support for the believers in the 52 most Christian-persecuted peoples/places in the world. For those of you who were at GC on Sunday, you may remember that we prayed for Gaza/West Bank.

Now, I don't want to confuse "American" with "Christian," but I think the following prayer (From the lips of Sheik Ahmad Bahr; Acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council) for Allah to effect the total anahilation of all Jews and Americans is reason enough to continue to pray fervently to the only true God for our Christian brothers and sisters who are living and ministering in Palestine.

Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them.

Read the short article here.

(HT: Drudge)

Nigeria Prayer Help

2007-05-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

As Grace Church continues to prayerfully consider how the Lord intends to use us for the glory of Christ in Nigeria, the following short supplement from SIM will helpfully inform our praying:

At least 120 unreached people groups exist in Nigeria. The rapid growth rate of many of the churches indicates that people are receptive. However, areas of strong resistance remain among Muslims in the north. Indications point to some Muslim groups, such as the Fulani and certain Hausa sub-groups, becoming more receptive to the message of Jesus.

Read the entire article here...

(HT: Pat Nave)

Worship Prep, Lunch Fellowship, & Nigeria Pictures

2007-04-27T10:33:00.000-05:00

This Sunday at Grace, we will begin worshiping through Galatians. As you have opportunity to prepare your heart to corporately seek the Lord, the following suggestions might be profitable for you:

Read Galatians in one sitting -- noting the major divisions of the book (ch. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6).
Pray through the first ten verses (which will be Sunday's sermon text).
Pray for those who will attend the service, including yourself.
Invite someone to attend Grace with you.

This Sunday also marks our monthly Grace Lunch Fellowship. During the lunch, the Nigeria Vision Team is looking forward to sharing the following things with you:

The Impact the Nigerian Christians Had On My Life - Paul Nave
Christian Education--A Strategic Ministry For the Glory of God in Nigeria - Kelly Rodgers
No Retreat: The Leaders God is Using in North Central Nigeria - Chris Morris
Christian Persecution in Nigeria: Active and Passive - Pat Nave
Church-Planting in Nigeria: Where Does Grace Go From Here? - Jordan Thomas

In an attempt to "take you there," we will also share a short video during lunch of our experience in Nigeria in the hope that all of Grace Church will be involved in the visionary process with us.

Rev. Anthony (President, Evangelical Christians of West Africa)

Standing on the Truth: How Great A Salvation

2007-04-25T18:13:00.000-05:00

Less than one hour ago, six people from Grace Church boarded a plane for Minneapolis, MN to attend the Children's Desiring God Conference.

Please pray for this team to able to absorb the God-saturated teaching and training, and to be able to internalize and apply the truth to their own lives. Pray also that they will be given divine enablement to convey and implement the things they learn within the life of Grace Church in every way that would glorify our great God.

Prayer List:

Nathan and April S., Tracy T., Brandy S., Stephanie M., and Amanda K.

Pray also for the speakers:

John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Wayne Grudem, David & Sally Michael, and a host of other seminar leaders--including Craig and Cathy Sturm (who are hosting our team from Grace).

For Time Will Fail Me: Nigeria April, 2007 - #1

2007-04-23T09:39:00.000-05:00

After ten days, thousands of miles, and the privilege to interact with a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ of whom this world is not worthy, the six-person Vision Team from Grace has returned home. Thank you for praying for us.

Throughout the trip, phrases from Hebrews 11:32-40 dominated our hearts. Along with the writer of Hebrews, we also concede, "And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of [insert dozens of Nigerian Christian's names here]...of whom this world is not worthy." Though Nigerian Christians are persecuted in every imaginable way, our brothers and sisters there remain faithful in trusting God to fulfill all of His promises to them, and to work powerfully for His glory through them. Even though there is pain in the grasp, they are clinging tightly to Jesus.

The realization that we had much more to learn from these brothers and sisters than we could possibly contribute to them took no time at all. They are shining examples of what a true Christian ought to be. May each of our lives echo what one Nigerian brother said to the Islamic government in his state for withholding basic human rights from Christian families (which he could have been killed for saying); because the government in his area silently persecutes Christians in some of the most painful ways, he told the governor to his face; "You can keep your things, all we want is Jesus." Amen, and amen!

Although daily life for Christians in most parts of Northern Nigeria is more difficult than our words can express, rest assured, they are hoping in Christ and are not pitying themselves. On more than one occasion we heard, "When someone here claims to be a Christian, they are a Christian." And while dragging his thumb across his neck like a knife-blade, another brother added, "You can be killed in this place for saying you're a Christian."

Because we've all experienced the evil-hearted televangelist-type ploys for money, we were greatly encouraged that we didn't pick up so much as a shred of non-Christlike sales pitches for money. There was not even a hint of the manipulative exaggeration of certain difficulties as a means of coercing support. On the contrary, both the suffering that is being endured, and the need for much (much, much) support from fellow believers like you and I, could be enticed without my inquiry. No sales pitches for stuff. No pleas for money. No requests for personnel. Simply, "Pray for us." Repetitively, from city to city, we heard, "We are trusting the Lord. Just pray for us."

And as one pastor in one of the most difficult locations (Katsina, in the extreme North, which is in the southern part of the Sahara desert) put it, "Our Lord is in control. God has not made a mistake in placing us here. If we leave this place, who is going to tell these people about Jesus?" And most poignantly of all, he continued, "The primary purpose for which the Lord has placed us here is for the propagation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." So yes, time after time, we sat in jaw-dropping worship under the realization that we were not worthy to be in the presence of these believers, and no doubt, we have much more to learn from them than we could ever offer.

Even though we are doubly exhausted from our air and ground travels, our purpose of being exposed to the Lord's work among the Hausa in hopes of discerning Grace's future involvement in the gospel among them could not have been better accommodated. Through our trip, we saw two major things that will help us discern the how the Lord intends to use us there long-term: (A) Exposure to the presence of Christianity in N. Nigeria, and (B) the massive need for education, pastoral training, and church planting throughout N. Nigeria. By my dear friend's (Rev. John Hassan) kind arrangement, we were privileged to visit with Christian leaders and laborers in the regions of Zaria, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Jos, and Abuja. In all, by my calculations, we rode in a van somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty-three hours. But, as I said to the Zaria district leaders of ECWA (Evangelical Christians of West Africa), I would have driven ten days per conversation just to have the privilege of sitting in the presence of these Christians and learning from them what it means to love Jesus when it costs everything!

Poverty is not a sufficient way to describe the condition of the country. Even the developed areas are underdeveloped, not to mention the rural areas, which encompass the vast majority of the land. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa. Millions upon millions of people. There are people everywhere (literally). During our team's debriefing meeting at the end of our second day, we realized that there were no more than two minutes of the nine hours we had driven (up to that point) when we could not see people out of the window of our van. Of the 28 million Hausa people (which dominate the areas we visited) more than 99% of them are Muslim. So, to put it together, of all of the people we saw (I would guess upwards of 1 million?), a very very small percentage of them are the Lord's. Not many more of them have even heard a clear gospel message. The need is great!

In addition to Christian persecution at every level, hostility is a problem nationwide. I would guess that we passed through more than two dozen military road-barricades. These barricades were installed to lessen the likelihood of militant attacks related to the elections for governor (the day we flew in), and for President (the day we flew out). Unfortunately, they could not preempt all of the uprising. In one episode, more than twenty people were killed in Kano (the same day we were there). The attacker? A twelve year old boy. Our time in Kano, however, was full of joy in the Lord. An ECWA church there has been burned by Muslims six times...and rebuilt seven times by Christians. After the fourth time, the pastor was martyred. Not too long ago, the President of ECWA preached the dedication service for the seventh building for that congregation. When we met with him, he told us that during the dedication sermon he quoted, "The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church!"

More to come...

Nigeria Team #2

2007-04-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

I fully intended to update more frequently than I have, but reports have been simple and brief. It seems communication is spotty at best, not to mention costly. Thanks to Tracy Thomas and Stephanie Morris for the phone calls to fill me in on a few details. The safety of the team has been a concern for some, but the team has been traveling with an armed policeman at all times. Meetings are again set tonight with the team and John Hassan. Continue to pray for God's blessing and vision for the team to see what part Grace Church may have in Nigeria in the future.

Nigeria Team

2007-04-17T15:21:00.000-05:00

Reports have been positive. The team will be headed to Jos while we sleep tonight to meet with the national leaders at the Headquarters of Evangelical Christian West Africa (ECWA). Pray for God's favor and wisdom. May God receive glory from the meeting.

Shooting Massacre at Virginia Tech

2007-04-17T15:14:00.000-05:00

Go here, http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/579_whats_at_the_heart_of_the_murders/, to read an excellent response to yesterdays tragedy.

For those who attended Grace Church this past Sunday, I believe Habakkuk saw similar things in his chapter 1 vision. Perhaps an event such as this could assist us in understanding the prophets pain and plea.

Hope in the God, alone.

Pray

2007-04-12T22:13:00.001-05:00

Now.

Let Us Renounce

2007-04-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

"Let us renounce, for the love of Him, all that is not Himself."
- Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

Nigeria

2007-04-11T10:04:00.000-05:00

Lord willing, just 55 hours from now the six-person Nigeria Vision Team from Grace Church will be arriving at Memphis International Airport to catch our flight to Abuja, Nigeria. May the Lamb Who was slain receive the reward if His sufferings!

Here is a copy of our daily itinerary. Please use it as a prayer guide. On behalf of our team, "Thank you!"

Friday April 13th
Depart Memphis at 7:30 PM via KLM/NWA flight 6058

Saturday April 14th
Arrive Amsterdam at 11:10 AM. Depart for Abuja at 2:05 PM on KLM flight 577. Arrive Abuja, Nigeria at 7:35 PM. John Hassan, our local pastor host, will pick us up at the airport.

On arrival, we will spend one night in Abuja at the Sheraton.

Sunday April 15th
We shall be leaving Abuja at 6:00 A.M for Zaria. Jordan will be preaching in a combined service at the church John Hassan pastors, ECWA Church Wusasa Zaria (Evangelical Christian West Africa). It is going to be a congregation of about 1200 people. John told Jordan to feel free to preach what the Lord lays to his heart. The Church has a theme this year; i.e "Preach the Word..." 2 Tim 4:2. We hope to arrive Zaria from Abuja by 9:00 A.M for the service. John says the service will have lots of “celebrations.”

Monday April 16th
On Monday, we shall be going to Katsina, far in the North. It is about four hours drive. We will come back to Zaria the same day. We shall be having supper with John’s District Executive members with their wives by 6-8 P.M local time.

Tuesday April 17th
On Tuesday, we will travel to Kano, one of the biggest cities in Northern Nigeria. It is about three and half hours drive. From there we will proceed to Bauchi, another three hours drive. We will spend one night at Bauchi. At Bauchi, we shall be visiting with one of the biggest game reserves before we continue for Jos.

Wednesday April 18th
On Wednesday, we will continue to Jos, the seat of the National Headquarters of ECWA We will have the privilege of meeting with John’s national leaders. On our way, we will stop at Jos ECWA Theological Seminary one of the biggest Seminaries in the country, where John received his Bachelor’s Degree before he came to Mid-America Seminary in Memphis. From there, we will stop again at one other seminary where he taught for a year before his relocation to Zaria. We will also stop at Kaduna the capital city of John’s birth before we finally come back to Zaria on Thursday.

Thursday April 19th
We will return to Zaria and have dinner with John’s Church Elders and their Wives.

Friday April 20th
On Friday, we will receive a welcome from John’s “Babby” School. It is a school the church and he started a few years ago. Since then they have seen many children around the community gave their little hearts to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. John said “It will be my joy to see you in the midst of this little ones, who are the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” This will happen at about 10:00 -11:00 A.M.

The remaining time during the day we will be getting ready for departure on Saturday by 2:00 P.M to Abuja.

Saturday April 21st
Leave for Abuja by 2PM and depart Abuja at 9:10 PM on KLM flight 577 for Amsterdam via stopover in Kano, Nigeria.

Sunday April 22nd
Arrive in Amsterdam at 6:10 AM. Depart at 2:20 PM on KLM/NWA flight 6057 to Memphis. Arrive in Memphis at 5:05 PM.

TEAM MEMBERS

Chris M.
Pat N.
Paul N.
Kelly R.
Nathan S.
Jordan T.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray that God will...

Smooth our paths as we prepare and travel
Prepare the hearts and minds of the people to whom we will witness
Help us proclaim the gospel with power
Bring a harvest of believers among the Hausa people
Give us wisdom to discern future missions & church planting opportunities among the Hausa people.

GC Announcements April 8th-14th

2007-04-08T00:34:00.000-05:00

No Grace Groups Sunday/Wednesday due to Easter.
New Attitude Conference for young singles or couples is May 26-29 in Louisville. If interested, see sign-up sheet @ the resource table or speak with Kevin W.
Next Covenant Affirmation Sunday is May 20th
Continue to pray for the Nigeria mission team (April 13-22)
Cordova GG has am service set-up for May.
If you are prayerfully considering giving towards the Nigeria mission trip please indicate on your envelope (available @ resource table)
CD request forms for sermons preached at GC are now available and located @ the resource table.
Grace groups meet either Sunday or Wednesday. If interested in attending a Grace group see one of the pastors.

"Good" Friday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

2007-04-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

Lifted up was He to die,
"It is finished," was His cry.
Now in heaven exalted high,
Hallelujah, what a Savior.

Matthew

26:57
26:58, 69-75
26:59-58
27:1-2, 11-14
…………
27:15-26
…………
27:24
27:26-30
27:30
27:3-10
27:31-33
…………
27:34
27:35-38
…………
27:39-43
…………
…………
27:45-50
27:51-53
27:54
27:57-58
27:59-61
27:62-66

Mark

14:53
14:54, 66-72
14:55-65
15:1-5
…………
15:6-15
…………
…………
15:15
15:16-20
…………
15:20-22
…………
15:23
15:25-28
…………
15:29-32
…………
…………
15:33-37
15:38
15:39
15:42-45
15:46-47
…………

Luke

22:54
22:54-62
22:66-71
23:1-5
23:6-12
23:13-24
…………
…………
23:24
…………
…………
23:26
23:27-31
…………
23:33-38
…………
23:35
23:39-43
…………
23:44-46
23:45
23:47
23:50-53
23:53
…………

John

18:13-14
18:15-18, 25-27
18:19-24
18:28-38
…………
18:39-40
…………
…………
19:1-16
19:1-3
…………
19:16-17
…………
…………
19:18-24
19:23-24
…………
…………
19:25-27
19:28-30
…………
…………
19:31-38
19:39-42
…………

Maundy Thursday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

2007-04-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

Click here for an explanation of why it is called "Maundy Thursday." (Scroll down to Name in English).

Matthew

26:17-19
26:20
…………
…………
26:21-25
26:26-29
…………
…………
…………
…………
26:36-46
26:47-56
26:51

Mark

14:12-16
14:17-18
…………
…………
14:18-21
14:22-25
…………
…………
…………
…………
14:32-42
14:33-52
14:47

Luke

22:7-13
22:14-18
22:24-30
…………
22:21-23
22:19-20
…………
…………
…………
…………
22:39-46
22:47-53
22:50-51

John

…………
…………
…………
13-1-17
13:21-30
…………
14:1-31
15:1-11
16:7-15
17:1-26
18:1
18:3-13
18:10

Keep Walking

2007-04-03T23:15:00.000-05:00

With Christ to His cross. Oh, and tremble.

Wednesday's verses are the same as Tuesday's.

What "Faith in Jesus" Is

2007-04-03T13:39:00.001-05:00

A fitting message for Passion Week. Enjoy

(HT: Justin Taylor, Jim Suggs)

Tuesday & Wednesday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

2007-04-03T11:23:00.000-05:00

Divide the following texts up over today and tomorrow and meditate on the gospels as they unfold the events in the life of Christ on the Tuesday and Wednesday before He was crucified.

See Monday for instructions about the numbers under each gospel
_________________________

Tuesday & Wednesday

Matthew

21:23-27
21:28-32
21:33-41
22:1-14
22:15-22
22:23-33
22:34-40
22:41-46
23
..........
..........
..........
24:1-14
24:15-42
25:1-13
25:14-30
25:31-46
26:1-5, 14-16

Mark

11:27-33
..........
12:1-9
..........
12:13-17
12:18-27
12:28-34
12:35-37
12:38-40
12:41-44
..........
..........
13:1-13
13:14-37
..........
..........
..........
14:1-2, 10-11

Luke

20:1-8
..........
20:9-16
..........
20-20-26
20:27-40
..........
20:41-44
20:45-47
21:1-4
..........
..........
21:5-19
21:20-36
..........
..........
..........
22:1-6

John

..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
12:20-36
12:37-50
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........

Monday - Walking With Christ to His Cross

2007-04-02T07:57:00.000-05:00

During Holy Week, we invite you to join Grace Church as we walk with Christ to His cross. Each day we will post Scripture references that correspond to what happened in the life of Christ during Passion Week--the last week of His life before the cross.

FYI: The numbered Scripture references under each Gospel correspond with the same events in another gospel that bears the same number. (E.g. For Palm Sunday, #1 under Matthew is the same account (Triumphal Entry) as #1 under Luke for Palm Sunday).

_________________________

Palm Sunday

Matthew

21:1-11

Mark

11:1-11

Luke

19:28-40

John

12:12-19

_________________________

Monday

Matthew

21:18-20
21:12-13
21:14

Mark

11:12-14, 20-21
11:15-17
...........

Luke

...........
19:45-46
...........

John

...........
...........
...........

Christ - The Fulfillment of The Old Testament

2007-04-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

A few folks have asked for the OT/NT Scripture references that I used in the first part of this morning's sermon.

Giving credit where credit is due, nearly this entire list of verses came directly out of...you guessed it...the study section of my Thompson Chain Reference Bible (And no, I do not get a cut of their profits).

Sell a shirt or two, skip a meal or two, forgo an impulse buy or two, and own this Bible. (Oh, yeah, and I got almost all of the "Walking With Christ to His Cross" material from the same section in my TCR Bible).
___________________________

Genesis 3:15—God prophesied that Christ would be the “seed of a woman,”

Galatians 4:4—“When the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law."

Genesis 18:18—God said that our Messiah would be Abraham’s offspring.

Matthew 1:1—"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

Genesis 17:19—"God said, 'I will establish My covenant with Isaac for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'”

Matthew 1:2, 16—Jesus is called 'the descendant of Isaac.'

Genesis 49:10—God said that Christ would descend from the Tribe of Judah

Luke 3:33—Christ is from the Tribe of Judah.

Isaiah 9:7—God said that Christ would be the Heir to the Throne of David,

Matthew 1:1—Jesus is called, ‘the son of David.’

Micah 5:2—Bethlehem is prophesied as the location of the Messiah’s birth,

Matthew 2:1—“Now…Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king…”

Isaiah 7:14—God said, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:18—Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.”

Jeremiah 31:15—God predicted a massacre of infants surrounding the birth of the Messiah.

Matthew 2:16—"When Herod realized he had been tricked by the magi, he sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi."

Hosea 11:1—God predicted the Christ would flee to Egypt

Matthew 2:14—Joseph arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to Egypt

Deuteronomy 18:15—God calls Christ a Prophet

John 6:14—The people who saw the signs Christ performed, said, 'This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.'

Psalm 110:4—God calls Christ a priest like Melchizedek

Hebrews 6:20—“Jesus entered [the veil] as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Isaiah 53:3—God promised that Christ would be rejected by the Jews

John 1:11—“Jesus came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”

Psalm 41:9—God predicted that His Son would be betrayed by a friend

Mark 14:10—And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, in order to betray Him to them.”

Zechariah 11:12—God prophesied that His Son would be sold for thirty pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:15—Judas asked, “What are you willing to give me to deliver Him up to you?” And they weighted out to him thirty pieces of silver.

Zechariah 11:13—God promised that that same thirty pieces of silver would be used to buy a Potter’s Field

Matthew 27:6-7—Purchasing a potter's field is exactly what the blood money of Christ was used for.

Psalm 109:7-8—God prophesied that Judas’ office would be taken by another

Acts 1:18-20—the lots were cast for Matthias to take Judas’ spot among the twelve.

Psalm 27:12—God said false witnesses would accuse Christ

Matthew 26:60-61 (among many other texts)—false witnesses hurled unfounded accusations against Christ.

Isaiah 53:7—God prophesied that Christ would be silent even when falsely accused.

Matthew 26:62-63—“And the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Isaiah 50:6—God told us that Christ would be beaten and spat upon

Mark 14:65—“And some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.

Psalm 69:4—God said Christ would be hated without cause

John 15:23-25—"Jesus said, 'They have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law, "They hated Me without a cause."'”

Isaiah 53:4-5—God tells us that Christ would suffer not for Himself, but vicariously for others

Matthew 8:16-17—says, “He cast out spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “He Himself took our infirmities, and carried away our diseases.”

Isaiah 53:12—God said Christ would be crucified with sinners

Matthew 27:38—“At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.”

Psalm 22:16—God said His hands and feet would be pierced

John 20:27—Jesus told Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and place it in My hands, and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.”

Psalm 69:21—God said Christ would be offered sour wine while dying

John 19:29—that is exactly what happened

Psalm 22:8—God prophesied that Christ would be mocked…with prophetic words

Matthew 27:43—the crowds said, “He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.”

Zechariah 12:10—God said Christ would be pierced

John 19:34—“one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water.”

Psalm 22:18—God said men would cast lots for Christ's clothes

Mark 15:24—“they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”

Psalm 34:20—God said not a bone of Christ's would be broken

John 19:33—“When the soldiers came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”

Isaiah 53:9—God said Christ would be buried in a rich man’s tomb

Matthew 27:57-60—describes Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea, coming to take Christ’s body and laying Christ’s body in his tomb.

Psalm 16:10—God declared that Christ would rise from victoriously the dead

Matthew 28:9—"And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him."

Psalm 68:18—God prophesied the ascension of Christ

Luke 24:50-51—“And it came about that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.”

Heat-seeking Missile Sunday (AKA "Palm Sunday") - Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:28-40

GC Announcements April 1st - 7th

2007-03-31T22:14:00.000-05:00

No Grace Groups next Sunday/Wednesday due to Easter
April-June Nursery rotation list now available @ resource table
New Attitude Conference for young singles or couples is May 26-29 in Louisville. If interested, see sign-up sheet @ the resource table or speak with Kevin W.
Member Intro Forms due Today
Next Covenant Affirmation Sunday is May 20th
Continue to pray for the Nigeria mission team (April 13-22)
If you are prayerfully considering giving towards the Nigeria mission trip please indicate on your envelope (available @ resource table)
CD request forms for sermons preached at GC are now available and located @ the resource table.
Grace groups meet either Sunday or Wednesday. If interested in attending a groups see one of the pastors