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Thanksgiving Help (Spiritually Speaking)

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Don Whitney has had a huge influence upon my life in many ways. He was a professor of Spiritual Formation for me back in seminary days. Each church I’ve had the privilege of serving since then has had Don come and help us equip our people in spiritual things. He has many helpful resources on his website. (He will be back at Crestview in the Spring of 2010, March 12-14). He offers some practical encouragement for Thanksgiving in what he calls Sing The Table Blessing as a means to foster family worship during this upcoming holiday. Allow your thanksgiving time to be one in which you as a family are able to come together to thank the Ultimate Giver.

Fight Club Discipleship

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This morning, I opened my email inbox and had minutes from the latest Men’s Ministry meeting. One thing they seemed to be burdened about is the need for men to be discipled, a need that, no doubt, exists and they are seeking to intentionally serve.

I was reminded of this helpful free E-book online at The Resurgence. The book is entitled Fight Clubs by Jonathan Dobson. It is a fairly easy read (I read it in about 30 minutes) full of what practical discipleship looks like in the local church. The book is a free resource and here’s a blip of what they write on their site:

If you’ve struggled to follow Jesus by veering away from the gospel into duty-bound legalism or moralistic indifference, then this book is for you! Fight Clubs is a radical call to fight the fight of faith in the strength of the gospel. Jonathan Dodson calls us to join the fight against sin, legalism, and license by looking to Christ and His gospel. Fight Clubs equips us to fight the fight of faith by exposing the fleeting promises of sin and drawing us into the grace-saturated promises of God. Displacing defective forms of discipleship, Dodson keeps the gospel central by tapping into various layers of biblical motivations that promote joyful obedience to Christ. The book also provides a strategy to fight sin as the church—small fighting communities called Fight Clubs. Read this book; form a fight club; and start fighting in the strength of the gospel.

I commend this to you for your consideration.

Weekend Preview – Thanks

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This weekend, we get back into Colossians, looking at Colossians 1:11-12. In a sermon I’m entitling Pleasing Him, we see two pathways to pleasing God…

1) We receive enablement, which is really the thrust of v.11. God is the One who strengthens us for life.

2) We give thanks (emerging out of v.12).

This is where we’re headed. I hope you come and see in new ways how a reliance on God and a spirit of gratitude help bring delight to our Heavenly Father.

What’s Been Read or Being Read…

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It’s been a while since I’ve updated my reading list, so I thought it was a good time to do so:

I continue to use Carson’s For the Love of God, Vol 2, Water of the Word, and the ESV Study Bible during devotions. I’m also enjoying Nancy Guthrie’s Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, which is a series of collected writings from old and modern authors on Advent. I just picked up Bryan Chapell’s Christ Centered Worship, and try to get a chapter of it read during devotions as well.

I’ve been working through Chris Wright’s Knowing Jesus Through The Old Testament, which has really helped open my eyes to some OT expectations and realities about Jesus coming.

I finished A Praying Life and was really helped by it. The Heart of Anger really helped me recognize some sinful tendencies on my part as a parent. Feelings and Faith helped me not to fear affections so much. Gospel Powered Parenting was a nice read, but didn’t say too many things you can’t read elsewhere. The End of the Law was cumbersome (it was Biblical theology) but helpful in establishing some good foundation in interacting with Moses. Mohler’s latest, Words From The Fire, has nearly compelled me to do a series on the 10 Commandments in 2010.

As for what’s on the docket:
Finally got Our Boys in today. Will be an enjoyable read.

Just got in CrossTalk (WTS was selling it for $5 last week), subtitled Where Life and Scripture Meet by Mike Emlet. Published by the publishing arm of CCEF, I think it will be a helpful book in practical theology.

Also got in two books after listening to Dever’s latest interview with Iain Murray: A Bio of John Murray and collection of bios on Scottish believers.

I’m still working through the Mission of God and hope to read through the Pilgrim’s Progress again.

Good news, though. Winter is coming! More time to be inside reading :).

Weekend Recap – The Church and Her God

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Today’s sermons are now online. In the AM, I entitled the sermon Ecclesiology 101. We were looking at Titus 2:1-8 and how a church that glorifies God ought to function. Specifically, churches ought to teach doctrine so that lives are affected, have specific ministries that equip men and women to be who God intended them to be and, finally, churches are to be godly examples and adorn the Gospel through their actions. It was good to be reminded of how God thinks the church ought to function.

In the PM, we finished up Hosea, looking at Hosea 13:4-14:9 in a sermon I entitled “Love and Justice.” In these two chapters, God’s attributes are on display for us to behold. As we beheld, them, though, I was driven to marvel at the Gospel implications that are found therein. Hosea has been a great study. It is the first time I marched through a prophet, which was a challenge but a very rich thing.

All in all, it was a great Lord’s Day being with the church, learning about the church and marveling at her great God.

Weekend Preview – Ecclesiology

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This weekend, we are taking a break from Colossians in the AM to address some issues in church life from Titus 2:1-8. I’ve entitled the sermon Ecclesiology 101. Ecclesiology is the “study of things pertaining to the church.” This passage holds relevant instruction for: why we put such a priority on teaching, how men’s and women’s ministries should function and what kind of life we are all called to live. It really will be a good, fresh reminder of some core convictions we hold to.

In the evening, we will finish up Hosea, looking at Hosea 13:4-14:9. This book has been a great treasure for us on Sunday evenings this year. My basic outline for this sermon has to do with God’s attributes of justice and love.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Shane and Shane – Everything Is Different

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Shane and Shane‘s new CD is now available. Titled Everything Is Different, it has everything we love about these guys: soaring vocals, memorable tracks and God-exalting music. The CD is $8.99 for download on Amazon, $9.99 for download on ITunes, or at their site for $10. What struck me as I listened to this album was how the Gospel is up front and central. From the opening song, Everything Is Different, to a modern arrangement of The Lord’s Prayer musically, to a song entitled “Worthy of Affection” which speaks of “[Jesus] being worthy of affection, the radiance of all of His glory, let adoration fill this place, You hold everything together by the word of your immovable power, we sing this song of praise”, this album soars with praise to Jesus Christ and would be a great addition of worship music to anyone you know this Christmas (or Thanksgiving for that matter). Enjoy.