Modern Hymn Writers – Part 1

By On August 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In Worship

There are a few song writers that stand out in our services. I’d like to introduce you to a few of them over time, hoping that we might connect more with the content of our worship by understanding the creative process of the people who craft it.

Consider Stuart Townend. He is the author of many popular sacred songs, several of which are a part of our regular rotation of worship music. He grew up in the Church of England, teaching himself the guitar as a teenager, around the same time that he gave his life to God. For the last twenty years, Townend has made an incredible impact on the church. If you have a moment, check out the video provided below. I’m always amazed by how “human” some of the most influential people in the church tend to be.

This week, we will sing two of his songs. “In Christ Alone” and “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”. How Deep is a beautiful modern hymn that meditates on God’s sacrifice in giving up his son. In this 3-minute video, Townend describes what went in to this timeless worship song.

 

Parents are the primary evangelist and disciplers of the youth

By On August 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In Youth

Here’s an interesting article that definitely hits on what I believe should be true — parents have the primary role of evangelizing and discipling thier children, not the youth ministry.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/08/11/family-first-in-youth-discipleship-and-evangelism/

Even in our youth ministry’s vision statement we say, “…In our discipleship of the youth, we hope to partner with parents to model the Gospel and develop future leaders of the church who put their faith, hope and assurance solely in the doing and dying of Christ….” We are part of a covenant family, so I think there is a need for different voices to speak into the lives of our teenagers, just as we have a need as adults to live and learn in community. However, the youth leaders should never be the primary voice in the lives of the youth. That’s the parents role.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:
“…parents should never presume that the church will do the work that is primarily theirs. Relying on a youth pastor or church mentor to serve as the primary gospel-shaping force in the lives of our children will actually almost guarantee the failure in that task for even the most gifted and godly youth leader. How can a youth pastor realistically encourage a high school boy to read and study the Bible if that boy has never seen his Christian father doing the same? In the context of the local church, the effective youth pastor seeking gospel growth in the lives of students reinforces, strengthens, and bolsters a gospel work that has sprung out of—and been nourished already within—the context of a Christ-centered home. While parents should see their evangelism and discipleship of their children as primary, they should not be hesitant to involve other mature Christians in these activities in the lives of their children in order to further the work they have started…”


Feel free to shoot me an email or talk to me in person about how the youth ministry can better partner with parents and equip them for the work of raising their children. Youth years are hard, and I want to be there as  a resource to all the parents. Let’s work together for the glory and exultation of the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Children’s Ministry Sunday School Kick-Off, August 21

By On August 16, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In Children

Okay, Parents…It is that time of year again…we are putting away our beach towels and dusting off those backpacks for the start of another school year. This means it is also time for our Children’s Ministry Sunday School Kick‐Off! On Sunday, August 21 the children will move up to new classes. Please see the Age Group Descriptions to see which class your child will be in.

During the first twenty minutes of the Sunday School hour we will have an assembly to give you an opportunity to meet your child’s Sunday School teacher for the coming year and for make a few announcements pertaining to the coming year. Please drop off any babies or toddlers in their respective classes and bring all other children with you to the Sanctuary at 10:00 am. We will introduce the Sunday School teachers and dismiss the children to go with their teacher to class. After that we will have a brief parent meeting. At the conclusion of this meeting you will be dismissed to either join one of the Adult Sunday School classes in progress or spend time in fellowship in the foyer. We will both be there and available to answer questions you might have.

August 21 will also be the start of our new check‐in/check‐out procedures for the children in our Nursery, Toddler and Preschool Rooms. Please see the Check-In and Check-Out Procedures and make note that the biggest change is that you will pick up your child’s name tag and your parent security tag at the Welcome Station when you pick up your pager. We hope this change will streamline the check-in/check‐out process for everyone involved.

We are looking forward to another great year in Children’s Ministry!

 

The Importance of Church & Kingdom

By On August 15, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In From the Pastor

Packer on Church & Kingdom

The theme of the kingdom of God runs through both Testaments, focusing God’s purpose for world history. In Old Testament times God declared that he would exercise his kingship (his sovereignty, Dan. 4:34-35) by setting up his kingdom (his rule or reign over people’s lives and circumstances) under his chosen king (the Davidic Messiah, Isa. 9:6-7) in a golden age of blessing. This kingdom came with Jesus the Messiah as a worldwide relational reality, existing wherever the lordship of Jesus is acknowledged in repentance, faith, and new obedience. Jesus, the Spirit-anointed, Spirit-filled ruler-designate (Luke 3:21-22; 4:1, 14, 18-21, 32-36, 41), died, rose, ascended, and is now enthroned in heaven as ruler over all things (Matt. 28:18; Col. 1:13), King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). The golden age of blessing is an era of present spiritual benefit (salvation from sin and fellowship with God) leading to a future state of unmixed joy in a reconstructed universe. The kingdom is present in its beginnings though future in its fullness; in one sense it is here already, but in the richest sense it is still to come (Luke 11:20; 16:16; 17:21; 22:16, 18, 29-30).

The kingdom came as not only mercy but also judgment, just as John the Baptist, its forerunner, had said it would (Matt. 3:1-12). Those who obediently received Jesus’ Word and put their destiny in his hands found mercy, while the Jewish leadership, which would not do this, was judged. Strictly speaking, the Jewish leaders were self-judged, for they chose to live in darkness by retreating from the Savior (John 3:17-20).

The task of the church is to make the invisible kingdom visible through faithful Christian living and witness-bearing. The gospel of Christ is still the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 24:14; Acts 20:25; 28:23, 31), the good news of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit through entering a disciple’s relationship to the living Lord (Rom. 14:17). The church must make its message credible by manifesting the reality of kingdom life.

The coming of the kingdom meant a new stage in God’s redemptive-historical program. The Messiah arrived, redeemed, and withdrew to his throne with a promise that he would come again. All that was typical, temporary, and imperfect in the God-given arrangements for Israel’s communion with himself became a thing of the past. God’s Israel, Abraham’s seed, was redefined as the company of believers in Jesus (Gal. 3:16, 26-29). The Spirit was poured out, and a new way of life, namely life in Christ and with Christ, became a reality of this world. Thus the new internationalism of global church fellowship and global evangelism was born (Eph. 2:11-18; 3:6, 14-15; Rev. 5:9-10; 7:9; Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:28-29). Although these were great changes, none of them meant that a new set of moral standards emerged, as is sometimes supposed. The moral law for Christians, the law of God’s present kingdom, is the law found in the Ten Commandments and the prophets, now applied to the new situation. Jesus has not abolished that law but has merely filled out its meaning (Matt. 5:17-48).

 

Reading the Psalms with Kids

By On August 15, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In Children

As many of you know from our newsletter our youngest rooms are starting new curriculum this Fall. While we are waiting for that to begin, we are reading the Psalms to the kids during story time. This past week we read Psalm 100

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Psalms are a great place to start when reading scripture to children. There are many reasons, children love poetry (it sounds like songs), it has simple language, and it has a lot of word-pictures. I find the last reason most important; because children can listen and see images of the words in their heads, “sheep of his pasture”, “all the earth”. They use their imaginations when listening and this is how kids remember things, how they learn, through their imaginations.

I encourage you to read Psalms with your kids, let the words speak for themselves, don’t feel like you have to explain every detail of them. Let them think about it and imagine what might be going on. You can explain what Psalms are and for older children encourage them to write their own Psalms of thanksgiving to God. This is a great exercise in learning to give thanks to our creator.