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Weekend Preview – Gospel Conduct

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I hope to see you at Crestview tomorrow (5/21).  During the morning worship service (10:15AM), we’ll continue working our way through the book of Galatians.  Specifically, tomorrow we’ll be in Galatians 2:11-14 and seeing Paul confront Peter.  Gospel conduct is in view.  Why does it matter?  And, what is the importance for you and me?  These are the directions we’ll head.

And, I’ll continue teaching the Adult/Student Sunday School class at 9AM.  This particular lesson will have us digging in to Colossians 3:1-17 and what habits of the heart need nurtured as we set our minds on the things above.

Before all of this, though, will you pray for God to act?  It’s all in vain without His work. Hope to see you then.

First Principles – Cultivating Habits of the Heart

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This past Sunday, I began teaching BILD International’s First Principles, Series 1, Book 4, Cultivating Habits of the Heart.  (I’m teaching this to students and adults at 9AM on Sundays at Crestview).  The description of the class is challenging:

In this booklet, participants will take a radically different approach to the habits of the heart. God never intended our lives to be based on a set of individual daily habits, but rather on a whole life orientation that grows out of family and community life. We are not to gain insights from the Word fundamentally in isolation but from disciplines in all spheres of our lives. God carefully designed these habits to guide each believer into a life in which Christ can richly dwell in our hearts, resulting in our entire lives being transformed by our calling.

It’s particularly challenging for those who aren’t resisting the rugged individualism thrust upon them by our culture.  Because, in American church life, in particular, we believe that if it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.  But, the New Testament speaks of a different way: people who have denied themselves, taken up their cross, and followed Jesus.  These people follow Jesus in community with others.  We hope this curriculum helps build a heart for disciplined living.

Weekend Recap – Entrusted With the Gospel

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My 5/14/17AM sermon, Entrusted With the Gospel, from Galatians 2:1-10 is now online.  The sermon wrestled with this idea that believers have been entrusted with the Gospel.  Paul was given this message.  And, in turn, this led to the message being tested as well as being something that brought unity with others.  So, I teased out those themes in the hope that we might understand what it means to be given the Gospel.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

Leadership Reno County Wrap Up 2017

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I’m blessed by my church to be freed up to serve our community through a program called Leadership Reno County.  It’s a program of the local Chamber of Commerce and we use a curriculum from the Kansas Leadership Center.

This year’s program ends tonight with a Graduation ceremony at the Crazy Horse Sports Club & Golf Course (formerly known as the Highlands).  We’ll also have KLC CEO & President Ed O’Malley as our guest speaker.  We’ve had a great year helping our participants learn about leadership and make progress on issues they care about.  Tonight will be a good ending to this experience.

Further, if you’re in a position to donate, we’d love to have you participate in the LRC Go Fund Me campaign which helps raise scholarship monies for future participants.

Weekend Preview – Mother’s Day 2017

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Here’s a preview of this weekend at Crestview Bible Church:

This coming Sunday, May 14, is Mother’s Day 2017.  For all women who attend, we’ll have a special gift for you to pick up.

We’ll continue to learn a new song: Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery.

A new adult/student Sunday School class begins at 9AM.  We’ll be studying book 4 of series 1 of the First Principles book Cultivating Habits of the Heart (and specifically be studying Ephesians 3:14-19).

Finally, my sermon will be from Galatians 2:1-10 and thinking about what we can expect when we are devoted to Gospel message.  So, I hope you’ll join us.  It’s going to be a great day.  Have a great weekend.

CAN Conference

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Have you ever been frustrated when you’re partnering with an organization on some important work, but felt like both groups didn’t have any idea what the other was doing or passionate about?  Enter the CAN Conference.  I’m happily participating in this today and tomorrow, connecting with churches and agencies passionate about global missions.  They already have dates for next year’s conference.  Maybe your church could engage to make some progress on its global missions vision.

Weekend Recap – Not Man’s Gospel

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My 5/7/17AM sermon, Not Man’s Gospel from Galatians 1:11-24, is now online.  This continues our series in Galatians and really sought to dig in to the autobiographical account that Paul gives in these opening chapters.  Specifically, I pressed to show why fidelity to the Gospel matters, highlighting the life-change the Gospel brings.  I hope it encourages you.

New Song for May 2017

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This month at Crestview, we’ll be learning and singing Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery.

Lyrics:
VERSE 1
Come behold the wondrous mystery
in the dawning of the King.
He the theme of heaven’s praises
robed in frail humanity.

In our longing, in our darkness
now the light of life has come.
Look to Christ, who condescended
took on flesh to ransom us

VERSE 2
Come behold the wondrous mystery
He the perfect Son of Man.
In His living, in His suffering
never trace nor stain of sin.

See the true and better Adam
come to save the hell-bound man.
Christ the great and sure fulfillment
of the law; in Him we stand.

VERSE 3
Come behold the wondrous mystery
Christ the Lord upon the tree.
In the stead of ruined sinners
hangs the Lamb in victory.

See the price of our redemption;
see the Father’s plan unfold.
Bringing many sons to glory
grace unmeasured, love untold.

VERSE 4
Come behold the wondrous mystery;
slain by death the God of life.
But no grave could e’er restrain Him;
praise the Lord; He is alive!

What a foretaste of deliverance;
how unwavering our hope.
Christ in power resurrected
as we will be when he comes.

© 2013 Love Your Enemies Publishing. This arrangement used by permission.

VBS Meeting Tonight

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We have our VBS Worker’s Meeting tonight (at 6:30PM).  VBS is in the air (or at least the planning of it).

Crestview’s VBS will be June 18-22 (6:30PM – 8:30PM) nightly for ages 4-6th grade.

You can register your children using this link.  You can listen to VBS music here.

We’d love to serve our children this summer, helping them “search the visible and discover the Invisible.”

Filed Under: VBS

Update on My Mom, May 2017

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You might be aware (especially if you’re from Crestview) that my mother was visiting me this past week.  She was having consistent chest pain and ended up going to same day care to get checked out before returning home.  They ended up doing lots of tests, including a heart cath to make sure she didn’t have blockage.  That was this morning.  All the tests came out well.  We’re still not sure about what caused the chest pain but we’re certain it’s not a heart issue.  My sister flew in and will help drive my mom home later this week.

Thank you to the people who visited, brought us a meal, brought us chocolate :), prayed, and encouraged us these past 24 hours.  We’re grateful to be surrounded by so many loving friends and family.