This coming Sunday at Crestview Bible, we’ll continue exploring what LifeTogether means for us.  Specifically, we’ll get to hear from Luke again as he provides a picture of what life together looks like.  Once our eyes are opened to the reality of life together as God has presented it in the Bible, we’ll see that God’s heart for us is bigger than individualistic pursuits for our own gain.  This week will, hopefully, open our eyes to this.  Join us, then, 10:15AM, as we take a picture of life together in the Bible.

This coming Lord’s Day (1/21), I’ll be starting a new series at Crestview with Luke.  We’re entitling this series LifeTogether.  And, the idea behind this is that we’re digging into God’s Word to see how He intends for us to function together.   You might think that your weekend connection to the gathering of your church is sufficient, but I would like you to start seeing that as a launching point.  We need each other.  I cannot do this life alone.  I need others.  Thankfully, God’s heart is that we enjoy life together.  Join us Sunday, then, as we dig into this.

At Crestview, we begin each year with a week devoted to prayer.  This coming Sunday, I’ll preach on Matthew 6:9-13 and we’ll get right into a Week of Prayer.  There’s a devotional and we’re hoping for many spontaneous gatherings of prayer to come out of our body as we start 2018.  If there’s something I can pray for you, I’d be honored.  Join us Sunday at 10:15 AM as we kick off our week.

Week of Prayer Devotional 2018

This Sunday, 12/24, I will be preaching to wrap up our 2017 Advent series on Emmanuel: God With Us.  It’s a somewhat different schedule at Crestview:

9:30 am – Family Breakfast with Donuts/Pastries

10:15 am – Carol and Candlelight Service

(There will be no Evening service this year.)

If you’re able to join us, come as we celebrate Emmanuel this coming Sunday.

We’re anticipating another great weekend this Advent season at Crestview.  This Sunday, during the 10:15 AM service, we will continue our journey into the truth of Emmanuel, God With Us.  My sermon will go to Matthew 1:18-25 and focus on the US of God with us.  We’ll see the end game of all that God’s up to.  We hope to see you there as we continue to marvel at the work of Jesus for us.

This Sunday, 12/10/17, is a big one at Crestview.  From the Children’s Christmas program to the Annual Member’s Meeting to Small Groups, we will have a full day.  I’ll be preaching on the With of God With Us, Emmanuel.  We hope you join us at 10:15 AM as we celebrate the good news of great joy for all people.  See you then.

We begin a series for Advent this coming Sunday, 12/3 at Crestview (our worship services begin at 10:15 AM).

This short series will be examining Emmanuel. God. With. Us.

Week one will begin with God, looking at Isaiah 7.  I hope you join us as we center in Christ this season.

 

Yes, I’m a little late in previewing tomorrow (at Crestview), but there is plenty happening…

I’m preaching on A Psalm for Thanksgiving – Psalm 100.  This is the only Psalm in the Bible with this title and it’s glorious in showing a pathway to being grateful to God.

Our children will keep practicing for their Christmas program on 12/10 (practices are at 9 AM).

At 6 PM, we’ll gather back together for our Annual Church Wide Thanksgiving Dinner.  This meal is always a highlight and joy.  Plus, we’ll be collecting a Thanksgiving Offering (Goal of $2500) to help a need Vivek has, get some resources sent with Luke, and help Open Door with their mobile unit.  Here’s a video helping you understand Open Door’s “going mobile” vision:

I hope you’re able to join us for this amazing day.

This coming Sunday, Lord willing, we will continue our series looking at the Solas.  Specifically, on Sunday, we’ll dig into Scripture alone.  So, to whet your appetite, I’ll lean on Jared Wilson and how he defined it in his book The Pastor’s Justification:

Sola scriptura does not mean that the Bible is the only authority over a Christian. In a variety of ways the Christian must be submissive to civil governments, to church leadership, and even to fellow Christians. In addition, a Christian can look to church traditions and creeds and overseers as authorities over his life and doctrine. But sola scriptura means that all these other authorities are subject to the supreme authority of God’s Word. The Bible may not be the only authority in our lives, but it is the only infallible authority, and therefore it is the supreme authority, over any pope or pastor. Because the Bible is the only infallible authority over our lives, it is pastoral malpractice to treat it as a supporting document for our own good ideas. Our words ought to stand under Scripture, not vice versa. When we come to the biblical text, it is meant to shape us; we are not to shape it. We are the ones to be malleable, not the Bible.

Wilson, Jared C.. The Pastor’s Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in Your Life and Ministry (p. 120). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

I really appreciate these words of explanation.  And, I hope you are helped this coming Sunday and we dig in to see how Scripture alone points to true salvation.

This past Sunday, we started a series on the Solas (a Latin word meaning alone) of the Reformation.  Why?  Well, October 31 marks the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther’s opening a debate about the nature of salvation by posting 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.  Solas speak to the protest that was being mustered toward the establishment.

Things like:

Faith alone – we’re not made right with God by works but a righteousness we receive through faith

Grace alone – God’s grace is the decisive factor, not our merit

Christ alone – He’s the one Mediator between God and man

Scripture alone – God’s Word, not tradition, holds the message the makes us right with God

to the Glory of God alone – the all emcompassing focus of our lives

At Crestview, our aim isn’t to venerate church history or the figures found therein, as helpful as they were.  We’re attempting in this series to test these truths in the Bible.  Does this way of relating to God prove true?  I hope this series helps you.