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Mapping America…

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Darrin Patrick author of Church Planter and Pastor at The Journey in STL tweeted this NT times tool “Mapping America.” You basically can enter a zip code and it shows you the “neighborhood demographics” for where you live. When I entered the ones for our town, I was struck by the need and the “lostness” that exist here. Oh that God would allow us to reach these so that His glory is seen.

A Gift Idea (yes, it’s do-able even this late in the game)…

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…a gift of grace in the words we say. In a blog post from earlier this month, C.J. Mahaney offers this wise counsel: “Buying the appropriate Christmas gift for someone requires that we know and study them. But this is no less true of our conversations.

So as you consider certain individuals, and seek to buy meaningful gifts for them, also consider how you can give them grace through your words.”

It’s not too late, you can impart this gift every day.

Hope for the “Average” Church…

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You might know that “the median church in the U.S. has 75 regular participants in worship on Sunday mornings.” (Stats here) While many pastors would love to be in the mega-church, the simple fact of the matter is that many are called to more “meager pastures.”

I found great hope and encouragement, therefore, in a message given at the 2010 Sovereign Grace Pastor’s Conference entitled, “The Advantage of the Small(er) Church“. We often don’t think of smaller churches as having much to offer. But, Loftness, with typical Sovereign Grace Ministries humility, finds the evidences of grace prevalent in churches of this size and urges us to get after our Lord’s work with renewed vigor. I think leadership teams, in particular, of smaller churches would benefit from this message.

Now is the time…

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…to invite people to church…

So says Doug Wolter:

I saw this statistic today and thought it was worthy to share:

Top Five Times People Are Open To Considering Matters Of Faith…

* #5 – After the birth of a baby (28%)
* #4 – After a natural disaster (34%)
* #3 – After a major national crisis i.e. 9/11 (38%)
* #2 – During the Easter season (38%)
* #1 – During the Christmas season (47%)

Might be a time to see if others would join you to celebrate the Savior!

Weekend Recap – Peace

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Today’s in the books and to recap the Lord’s day, had a fine AM, looking at Peace from Luke 2:13-14. Our world’s definition of peace and the peace that comes from God are two different things. Jesus came so that we might have open access to God Himself. It is only through Jesus, who came to save His people from their sins, that the unrighteous are made righteous. It was an amazing morning.

Tonight, our church gathered and we worshipped using Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God music. Our people always walk awed by God and His descending to earth for us through this musical. At any rate, we’re full. Looking forward to a great week celebrating these foundational truths.

Weekend Preview – Peace

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Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will look at Luke 2:13-14 and the announcement by a group of the heavenly host giving glory to God and proclaiming peace through the birth of Jesus Christ. So…peace will be our theme.

Here’s a great quote on peace to prep you:

Graeme Goldsworthy in Prayer and the Knowledge of God:

Peace is not an inner calm and serenity (although it may from time to time produce this effect), but our reconciliation with the God we have offended by our rebellion against him. (p.166)

Our issues with lacking peace aren’t so much about others as the vertical relationship we have with God. Therefore, come Sunday, planning to see the reconciliation offered you through Jesus.

Help for Your Christmas Get-Togethers…

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…from Peacemaker Ministries (Peacemeal Weekly Devotional):

In many situations, the best way to resolve a conflict is simply to overlook the personal offenses of others. This approach is highly commended throughout Scripture:
“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense” (Prov. 19:11; cf. 12:16; 15:18; 20:3).

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out” (Prov. 17:14; cf. 26:17).

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8; cf. Prov. 10:12; 17:9)

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col. 3:13; cf. Eph. 4:32).

A Gospel Shaped Christmas…

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Stephen Altrogge had a great post over at Crossway entitled When the Gospel Transforms Your Christmas Expectations. Here’s how he began to engage:

I have certain expectations when it comes to Christmas. I expect to drink egg nog, even though I don’t really like it. I expect to listen to hours upon hours of Christmas carols. I expect to watch the movie Elf. I expect to drive around with my family and look at Christmas lights. And I expect to get some gifts. Twenty-eight years of Christmas experience has taught me what to expect.

But how would I feel if some of my expectations weren’t met? What if I didn’t get to do the things that I so look forward to? No Elf. No Christmas lights. No nog. No gifts. Could I be happy? Could I be content? Could I rejoice in what I have instead of what I don’t have?

He then goes on to show all that we have received in the Gospel: namely, Forgiveness, Fellowship with God, Freedom. How about you? if all the “stuff” of Christmas was tossed, would you still have joy? Great question. Allow this article to shape you.

On Nativity Scenes, Christian Liberty, Etc.

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I love reading Mark Lauterbach’s Gospel Driven Life site. Today, he had a post entitled Liberty, legalism and Christmas which answered the question offered by some religious zealots that having a nativity scene is a violation of the 2nd commandment (to not make any “graven image”). Here’s a section I especially enjoyed:

So, hear me clearly — to walk with God we must make those choices and do it knowing that we are pleasing to God. But Romans 14 says we dare not step into the role of law-giver and judge — despising or judging. I am personally tempted to despise men who add to the Word of God. That is sin in my heart.

Read Romans 14 carefully — stew in it, soak in it — it is remarkable. In it, God answers ten thousand secondary questions that would rise in all the cultures of the world where the Gospel is believed. Paul was wise — he knew that when we start into the answering of all those questions and application and start developing a list of appendices to the Law, we are on a path of diversion from the purposes of God and the freedom of the Gospel.

Why don’t you check out the post for yourself.

Weekend Recap – Joy

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This weekend’s sermon from Sunday AM is now online. It is entitled Joy from Luke 2:8-12. The sermon sought to reason how the Gospel is good news of great joy.

After the AM service, we had our Annual Member’s meeting, affirming one lay elder and 4 men as deacons. We also approved the 2011 Budget.

In the PM, the joy continued as Ben Cornish shared with us of the Gospel’s advance in Australia. We are rejoicing in his partnership with us in the Gospel. Awesome day.