Here’s a post I wrote for our CBC H2Go blog entitled Working Together:
Too often, working together isn’t the reality when we think of church life. If we don’t like something that’s happening, we pack up our toys and head for the church down the road that is doing those things that we like (at least until the next thing we don’t care for pops up). But, God’s vision for the church is much more glorious. He envisions His people to be wholly engaged, working together for His purposes. Hear how this is described in Romans 12:4-5 “For as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” God’s vision then isn’t minimizing the diversity that exists, but to allow that individuality to shine as it comes together for one big purpose.
What can you strive to do today to be more wholly engaged to our body? What might need to change? What do you need to repent of? How might you need to act? Today, step into God’s vision and be wholly engaged in His work for you – His glory in a united church on mission under grace.
Weekend Recap – Promoting the Gospel
My sermon from 9/29/13AM is now online. It was entitled Promoting Gospel Work from Philippians 4:1-23. My aim was pretty simple: to offer some applications for how the Gospel works to transform believers from the inside out. While much of the book of Philippians showcases how the Gospel is at work and compelling us to live, chapter 4 really gets at some good outgrowths in our lives.
This was also a big morning as we launched the new Cross Cultural Missions direction of Crestview. You can read more on that at the CBCH2Go Blog.
Weekend Recap – Strategically Reckless
My 9/22/13AM sermon, Reckless, from Philippians 3:1-21 is now online. This sermon sought to interact with Paul’s words in Philippians 3, compelling people that their best life isn’t so much in the here and now (Paul considered his life in his flesh as rubbish) but of the citizenship that is ours in heaven. Because Christ is better, we can live our lives with a loose hold, knowing that this stuff doesn’t matter. This sought to unpack a missions value entitled “Strategically Reckless.” They define it as: “We forsake our security and comforts in this life to fulfill the Great Commission and to seek our everlasting joy in Christ.” I hope this sermon helps you live this way.
Weekend Recap – Shining as Lights
My 9/15/13AM sermon, Shining as Lights, from Philippians 2:1-30 is now online. This sermon was part 2 in a 4 week launch of a new cross cultural missions direction at Crestview. The missions committee (H2Go team) has a website for those interested: CBCH2Go. In this sermon, I tried to help encourage engagement in the big work that God has called us to: advancing the Gospel. The heartbeat of the CBCH2Go team is giving the congregation “handles” or opportunities they can grab a hold of and engage. This sermon helped move people in that direction. I’m blessed to get to play a part in this launch and hope the sermon helps you.
World’s Population Infographic
Loved seeing this graphic, which has profound implications for what we do in reaching out to others with the Gospel…
(HT: Vitamin Z)
“Go” Tell It On The Mountain
Today, at Crestview, we are having Matthew Ellison from 16:15 in to talk missions strategy with us again. It’s fitting that we have him in this time of year as Eva Everson writes in her two part post The First Christmas Song: Go Tell It On the Mountain. She concludes:
This year, as you sing “Go Tell it On the Mountain,” think beyond the story in the lyrics. It began with a few shepherds in a field, it moved to the lowly and the rich—the sick and the dying, both physically and spiritually—in Israel, and was then given to 11 men standing on a mountain.
Now it lies with you and me. Let us go.
Here’s the lyrics to this beloved Christmas song:
Weekend Recap – God’s Mission
We were privileged to have Matthew Ellison from 16:15 with us yesterday. In the morning, he brought a great exposition of Matthew 28:16-20 entitled God’s Triumphant Mission. He encouraged us with the truth that the Great Commission can’t be stopped. Therefore, we should either, 1) join God in history’s greatest moment or 2) miss out. We were encouraged, in light of God’s greatness and glory, to join in the spreading of God’s fame in the world. All Nations Must Hear was his first point. He spoke about the unfinished task and how God might be strategically positioning us as a people to advance the Gospel. This work, is helped along by 2 promises: 1) All Authority Belongs To Christ and 2) ALL-ways Christ is with us. In light of this, we were urged to respond. It was a great morning in the Word.
In the evening, Matthew led our Elders, Missions Committee and other people in a discovery workshop to assess what we currently do as a church and how our current situation propels and ignites a vision for the future. This was a time-consuming night, but very fruitful.
All in all, we enjoyed a great Lord’s day. I hope you did as well.
Weekend Recap – 9/16/12AM
Yesterday, we had a visiting speaker, Luke T, speaking to us on The Heart of a Sending Church from 3 John 5-8. He pointed to this text as a way to calibrate our hearts as sending workers into the global harvest. Specifically, there was a past look to faithfulness, a present passion for faithfulness, and a future commitment to being faithful. Faithful, faithful, faithful, that is the core message to churches sending workers to the harvest. There was much rich, Biblical application. I hope it proved helpful for you.
Weekend Recap – Hoping in Promises
My sermon from 8/21/11 entitled Promise from Hebrews 6:13-20 is online. It was a great morning for us to see the hope that is ours in Christ. The picture of Christ being our anchor for today and having our security tied to His work for us in the holy place behind the veil was pretty stunning. I hope the reality of this helps you live this week.
In the evening, we had an encouraging report from our Immanuel Mission Team (they traveled to Arizona from July 31-August 7. Here’s the video from the Team:
All in all, we had a tremendous and amazing Lord’s Day and I hope you were blessed as well.
Links of Week 7/25/11
On Monday, I posted a link to a video of the invocation at a NASCAR race. Here’s the pastor defending his prayer. Also, a former prof and seminary president of mine, Mark Coppenger, weighs in on this prayer.
We have a team leaving for a mission trip this coming Sunday. Having gone on many of these in the past, I thought these 10 Things To Remember AFTER the Trip were helpful.
Here’s some great encouragement for women from a woman commenting on that oft-quoted Titus 2 passage.