We have experienced a wonderful day today at "The Greatest Church on Earth!" (OK, OK, I know that is boastful... but it is not bragging since it is true). ;>)
4 Baptized, 4 bricks taken down, great attendance, singing, offering, specials, and a typically biblical and soul-stirring sermons from Bobby Boyles! It was a joy to have "Touched by Grace" with us this evening for special music!
We will have three more services this week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7pm. I hope you will be able to attend and bring your family and friends with you.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
16:20. The End of Mark
This coming Sunday, as the Lord allows, I will preach the final sermon (#66) from the Gospel of Mark completing the series I began nearly 18 months ago!
Mark 16:14-20 is about the forty day ministry of Jesus following His resurrection from the dead. There are three great controversies about these verses:
1) Are these verses actually scripture?
2) Is being baptized required for salvation?
3) Are the miraculous signs that followed still for today?
I will certainly address each of these issues, but, let me say that the great controversy I find in these verses is why Christians have not made more progress toward accomplishing the Great Commission nearly 2,000 years after Jesus spoke these words! Read the verses, pray, and get ready to learn!
I hope to see you Sunday with a Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and your friends and family by your side!
Mark 16:14-20 is about the forty day ministry of Jesus following His resurrection from the dead. There are three great controversies about these verses:
1) Are these verses actually scripture?
2) Is being baptized required for salvation?
3) Are the miraculous signs that followed still for today?
I will certainly address each of these issues, but, let me say that the great controversy I find in these verses is why Christians have not made more progress toward accomplishing the Great Commission nearly 2,000 years after Jesus spoke these words! Read the verses, pray, and get ready to learn!
I hope to see you Sunday with a Bible in your hand, a smile on your face, and your friends and family by your side!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Great Expectations!
William Carey, (1761-1834) English Baptist Missionary, Founder of the Baptist Missionary Society, and known as “The Father of Modern Missions” served the Lord in Serampore, India. His most famous quote, (from a sermon on Isaiah 54:2-3) is, “expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
It is from this quote that I have been meditating on the idea of “Great Expectations!” What exactly do I mean when I say that we, as the people of God, should live our life with Great Expectations?
Recently, I attended a Sunday School leadership training event led by Dale Davenport of IBSA. He gave us some great material including a booklet by David Francis entitled, “Great Expectations.” In this booklet, he lists three things that we ought to see in a “Great Expectations Sunday School”:
First, we should expect new people every week!
Second, we should expect people to say yes!
Third, we should expect classes to reproduce!
I want to springboard off of these ideas and get us thinking about several “Great Expectations” for our Church in the future:
1) We should expect (and be ready for) new people every week!
2) We should expect (and be ready for) God to save lost people every week!
3) We should expect (and be ready for) new believers to be baptized every month!
4) We should expect (and have the process and programs in place for) new members to grow spiritually!
5) We should expect (and have training in place for) spiritually growing members to serve the Lord!
6) We should expect (and provide training) to start new classes and new Ministry Teams continually!
7) We should expect (and be spiritually prepared for) opposition from the evil one and his helpers!
May God grant that we will always be known as “The Great Expectations Church.”
It is from this quote that I have been meditating on the idea of “Great Expectations!” What exactly do I mean when I say that we, as the people of God, should live our life with Great Expectations?
Recently, I attended a Sunday School leadership training event led by Dale Davenport of IBSA. He gave us some great material including a booklet by David Francis entitled, “Great Expectations.” In this booklet, he lists three things that we ought to see in a “Great Expectations Sunday School”:
First, we should expect new people every week!
Second, we should expect people to say yes!
Third, we should expect classes to reproduce!
I want to springboard off of these ideas and get us thinking about several “Great Expectations” for our Church in the future:
1) We should expect (and be ready for) new people every week!
2) We should expect (and be ready for) God to save lost people every week!
3) We should expect (and be ready for) new believers to be baptized every month!
4) We should expect (and have the process and programs in place for) new members to grow spiritually!
5) We should expect (and have training in place for) spiritually growing members to serve the Lord!
6) We should expect (and provide training) to start new classes and new Ministry Teams continually!
7) We should expect (and be spiritually prepared for) opposition from the evil one and his helpers!
May God grant that we will always be known as “The Great Expectations Church.”
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