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Weekend Recap – Day of Prayer

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I tweeted about my amazing, terrific, horrible, awesome, and awe-inspiring day on Saturday:

Screenshot 2016-07-04 12.08.42

This led me doing something I don’t do often, scrapping my sermon and humbly sharing my struggles with the people I love dearly.  I called this a Day of Prayer.  The first few minutes recap my story and it leads into some prayer points that I directed our congregation through:

PrayerPoint PrayerPoint2 PrayerPoint3 PrayerPoint4

Maybe this might serve you as a time to reflect on your relationship between you, God, others, our country, and Jesus Himself.  I hope it profits you.

Weekend Recap – Bread from Heaven

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My 6/19/16AM sermon, Bread from Heaven out of John 6:41-71, is now online.  This sermon unpacked what the big deal was in the controversy about Jesus being the bread from heaven.  Specifically, it showed how the Spirit gives eternal life through Jesus–Jesus alone.  I hope it encourages you.  We also had a baby dedication and took the Lord’s Supper together.  It all proved to be a great morning.  Crestview’s VBS starts at 6:30PM on 6/19/16.  Hope you have a great Lord’s Day.

Gospel Friday – Knowing Jesus

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Christians have a tendency to mope about wondering if what they believe is legit (at least, this has been the tendency for many that I know).  Sure, we all have those moments where we feel week.  But, today, I want to remind you of some amazing truth: you know Jesus.  This coming Sunday, we’ll talk about what it means to have Him.  But, let me remind you of what your Savior says from Revelation 1:17-18…

knowingJesus-rev1

Today, will you rest in this and allow the reality of Jesus to consume you?  Have a great weekend.

Weekend Preview (2) – VBS and Confession

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LIfeway VBS 2016

Yesterday, I mentioned some previews related to our Baby Dedication and my AM sermon.  Today, I wanted to remind everyone that Crestview’s VBS begins this Sunday, 6/19/16, at 6:30PM.  Lots of preparations are underway for this.  And tonight, there’s a time to help everyone set things up at 6:30PM.  We call this the VBS work night.  If you’re able, you can start to get a feel for the theme and other information.  We love the partnership with Lifeway to deliver a VBS that connects children to the Gospel.

Further, we are taking the Lord’s Supper this Sunday and will be using this confession of faith from Coram Deo Church in Omaha, NE.

(based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-6…)
We profess and affirm the good news
that we have received,
in which we stand,
and by which we are saved,
if we hold fast:
that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day.
We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus Christ is the first and the last, the beginning and the end;
he is our Lord and our God.
We hope you can join us for an amazing day this coming Sunday.

Weekend Preview – Eating Flesh, Drinking Blood, and Baby Dedication

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Ok, sorry, for the horrific title to this post.  This coming Lord’s Day (6/19/16), there are a couple of things getting teased out.

First of all, we’ll continue working our way through John’s Gospel (in John 6:41-71) learning about the controversy around Jesus as the bread from heaven.  Much of this had to do with Jesus speaking that unless we at His flesh and drink His blood, we can’t have eternal life, which is a very wild way to describe something.  I’d say on the one hand, this is more than Lord’s Supper for those who might go there.  Taking communion doesn’t save you (after all, we’re not saved by works, lest we should boast according to Ephesians 2:8).  If this was merely about observing Passover meal, disciples wouldn’t have left him (see John 6:66).  Rather, this has to do with placing our faith in Jesus alone, as was explained in this helpful post from Desiring God.

eatflesh-drinkblood-abide

Another part of our gathering this Sunday will be a Baby Dedication during the morning service (which happens to be Father’s Day).  We use this commitment language that we’ve adapted from Sojourn.  Here’s how it goes:

The Home:

  • Parents, will you commit to trust God’s promises made to you and your children in His Word?
  • Will you commit to seek God, and seek gospel change in the way you live and parent your children?
  • Will you commit to discipline your children and show them grace?
  • Will you commit to teach God’s Word to them and live out the Gospel in your home?
  • Will you commit to pray for them and teach them to pray?
  • Will you commit to partner with this church community, seek their help and accountability, and lead your children to do the same?

 

Answer if these are true of you: “We will with God’s help.”

 

The Church:

  • Parents, look around you. You are not alone.  This is your community of faith.  Crestview, will you commit to seek God and seek gospel change in the way you live before these children?
  • Will you commit to pray for these children—that they will grow to love Jesus and trust in Him?
  • Will you commit to teach them the gospel through both your words and your example?
  • Will you commit to partner with these parents—holding them accountable and confronting their sin?
  • Will you commit to pray for them and encourage them as they face the trials of parenting?

 

If so, please read the following:

“With joy and thanksgiving, as Christ’s church, with God’s help, We promise to love, encourage and support you as you follow Christ and train your children in the faith.”

Pray.

 

So, we’re anticipating a great Sunday morning this coming Sunday at Crestview.  I hope you’ll join us.  Thanks.

Monday Leadership Email – Progress In The Board Room

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Each week, I write an email to alumni of the Leadership Reno County program (which I also help facilitate).  Today’s email got at how progress can be made in meetings that seem to be stuck.  You can read the post, but here’s a quick summary:

  1. Begin with diagnosis.
  2. Look inward.
  3. Aim high.
  4. Play.

I hope it encourages you to engage in acts of leadership for the good of those around you.

 

Weekend Recap – Bread of Life

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My 6/12/16AM sermon, Bread of Life from John 6:22-40, is now online (we also discussed this in Small Groups).  You may wonder what Jesus meant by such a statement and part of what I tried to do in this sermon was to unpack what Jesus was saying.  There were all kinds of applications about coming and believing in Jesus, the nature of eternal life as Jesus raises up those who have been given to Him in the last day, and events simple worship that emerges from hearts who are dialed in to all the realities about Jesus that are revealed in this passage.  I hope it helps give you some kind of hope in these days.

Gospel Friday – Bread Of Life

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This coming Sunday, I’ll be beginning 2 weeks of preaching on the amazing narrative found in John 6:22-71.  This is where Jesus refers to Himself as the Bread of Life.

What does this mean?  Well, there are probably lots of things that need to be said to unpack this, but I like the simple statement found in John 6:35:

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Responding to the Bread of Life, then, means coming to Jesus to have your hunger and thirst satisfied.  This comes as you believe in Him.  Today, then, as you think about the Gospel and realities found in the amazing good news of Jesus, who came for you, remember that you have come to One who is able to satisfy all that you need fully.  He’s your Bread of Life.  Praise Him for that reality today.

Weekend Recap – Jesus Is Enough

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I enjoyed an amazing Lord’s Day yesterday, 6/5/16.  My sermon, Jesus Is Enough, was from John 6:1-21 — amazing stories about Jesus feeding 5000, withdrawing from crowd, and walking on water — and highlighted the fact that Jesus Is Enough for all of our needs.  I hope you find the sermon encouraging and it helps you deepen your trust in Jesus.

Another highlight of the day was teaching Ross King’s song Hallelujah For The Cross.  I hope it encourages a love for the Gospel in the people of Crestview.