Video Clip: Luther – “Here I Stand”

Posted on October 26, 2015 by blund

ReformationDay15
Yesterday we celebrated the triumph of biblical truth in God’s grace from the time of the Reformation. One of the key truths recovered in that time – referred to as the formal cause of the Reformation – was what has come to be known as sola Scriptura, or “Scripture alone.”* This began with Luther’s famous speech at the Diet of Worms, where he was tried for his views and declared that his conscience was bound to Scripture alone.

We played the following clip at our seminar, and if you missed it or wanted to see it again, here it is below!

Want to learn more about “Scripture alone”? We recommend Keith Mathison’s work on this, either his article entitled “Solo Scriptura” at ModernReformation, or his book The Shape of Sola Scriptura at Amazon.

Give thanks for God’s grace recovered in the Reformation!

*As distinguished from the “material cause,” which was sola fide, justification “by faith alone.”

Posted in Media, resources | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Preparing for Worship October 18

Posted on October 17, 2015 by blund

PreparingWorshipWe will be using the following songs and passages from the Word of God in our corporate gathering this Lord’s Day. Please prayerfully use these resources to prepare your hearts to “come into His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4).

The Word of the Lord:
Psalm 143
Galatians 5:16, 19 – 21
Galatians 5:22 – 25
Jeremiah 29:4 – 7
Numbers 6:22 – 24

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs:
Psalm 143
O Church Arise
Lord, Be Glorified

Means of Grace:
Congregational Prayer
Sermon: “An Exiled Heart”

Posted in ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

Preparing For Worship October 11

Posted on October 8, 2015 by blund

PreparingWorshipWe will be using the following songs and passages from the Word of God in our corporate gathering this Lord’s Day. Please prayerfully use these resources to prepare your hearts to “come into His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4).

The Word of the Lord:
Philippians 3:7 – 11
I Corinthians 12:12
Numbers 6:22 – 24
Mark 7:9 – 14
I Thessalonians 5:23 – 24, 28

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs:
Knowing You, Jesus
Come Thou Fount
Lord, Be Glorified

Means of Grace:
Congregational Prayer
Sermon: “Freedom And Tradition”
Covenant Membership Vows

Posted in ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

Preparing For Worship Oct 3

Posted on October 3, 2015 by blund

PreparingWorshipWe will be using the following songs and passages from the Word of God in our corporate gathering this Lord’s Day. Please prayerfully use these resources to prepare your hearts to “come into His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4).

The Word of the Lord:
Psalm 96
I Peter 4:7 – 11
Ezekiel 26:24 – 28
Mark 7:1 – 9
I Corinthians 11:27 – 30

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs:
Psalm 96
Wonderful, Merciful, Savior
Behold The Lamb
Lord, Be Glorified

Means of Grace:
Congregational Prayer
Sermon: “Saved From Tradition”
Holy Communion

Posted in ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

Preparing for Worship Sept 13

Posted on September 12, 2015 by blund

PreparingWorshipThis Sunday is Rally Sunday! We will be using the following songs and passages from the Word of God in our corporate gathering this Lord’s Day. Please prayerfully use these resources to prepare your hearts to “come into His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4).

The Word of the Lord:
Psalm 126:1 – 3
Romans 3:10 – 18
Romans 3:22 – 26
Psalm 4:1 – 8
I Corinthians 11:27 – 30

Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs:
Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee
In Christ Alone
We’ve A Story To Tell To the Nations
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Means of Grace:
Congregational Prayer
Sermon: “His Light In Our Darkness”
Holy Communion

Posted in ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

Rally Sunday 2015 Is Here!

Posted on September 11, 2015 by blund

RallySunday2015_800As we roll around to the fall again, it is time for Rally Sunday on September 13th! We have all the details you need to know below:

Schedule

10:30 Worship
11:40 Teacher Introductions & Classroom Registration
12:00 Lunch in Fellowship Hall
12:30 Games
1:30 Hayrides

Registration

Would you like to register your child for Sunday school online and beat the rush? Click here and fill in your information!

Join us for the fun!

Besides a great opportunity to refocus on Christ, we will have all sorts of opportunities to enjoy one another in fellowship through a variety of games and fun. Tell a friend, and be sure to join us!

Learn About Our Curriculum

Our church is excited to use the very best curriculum we can find to bring God’s Word to bear in the lives of our youth. Using Children Desiring God as well as other supplemental curriculum, you will find a treasure trove for getting your kids serious about the Bible!

Posted in news, resources | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Nike Christianity: Just Do It?

Posted on August 24, 2015 by blund

NikeChristian01Are you a “Nike Christian?” What does that even mean? And once you know, how can you make sure you are NOT a Christian overwhelmed by “just doing it,” but instead trusting in your Savior who did it all for you, and is even now at work in your life by His Spirit? That is what this article, excerpted from Dr. Dan Doriani’s book The New Man: Becoming a Man After God’s Heart, can help you reflect on!

Performance Christianity, or Nike Christianity, is a “just do it” approach to the Christian life. Nike Christianity is a form of legalism. Nike Christians avoid the worst errors, but so accentuate obedience to God’s law that other ideas shrivel up. They think of Christian living as little more than obedience to God’s law.

They reason, “God says we should tithe, so tithe.

The Bible says we must pray, so pray.

It says submit to leaders, witness, read Scripture, so we should submit, witness, and read.”

Some Christian leaders unintentionally support Nike Christianity. They reason, “God has redeemed us at the cost of his Son’s life. Now he demands our service in return. This is our duty.”

They dwell on God’s law and neglect the other aspects of the Christian life—the love of others, the nurture of character, the pursuit of noble but entirely optional projects, and more… Continue reading →

Posted in article, resources | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sermon: Ten Biblical Signs of the Last Days from Matt 24

Posted on July 24, 2015 by blund

Guest speaker Terry Baxter of Global Compassion Network spoke with us from Matthew 24 on what the end times will be like. From Left Behind books & movies to the latest tabloid gossip, there are a lot of theories about what “the end(!)” will be like. But what does the Word of the Most High teach us about eschatology? Follow along as Baxter shows ten biblical signs of the end.

Guest Sermons
“Ten Biblical Signs of the Last Days”
Matthew 24:1 – 14
July 19, 2015

Posted in Sermons | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Then The End Will Come…

Posted on July 20, 2015 by blund

Baxter_20150719Preaching from Matthew 24, Terry Baxter helped us think about Jesus and future events. What stuck out to you? How are you seeking to follow Christ from the scriptural encouragements?

Terry posted his outline on his Facebook page:
1. An increase in false religions rooted in a twisted Christian message. Matthew 24:4-5

2. An increase in wars and international instability. Matthew 24:6-7a

3. A dramatic increase in natural disasters, famines and earthquakes. Matthew 24:7-8

4. An increase in persecution and martyrdom specifically aimed at Jews and Christians. Matthew 24:9-14 (Rev 12:17)

5. The development and spread of a pervading philosophical world view rooted in uniformitarianism. 2 Peter 3:3-7 (evolution)

6. An apostasy from within the church accompanied by the hijacking of the temple grounds by a radical Religion. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. (Liberalism in many denominations and Islam on the temple ground.)

7. A concerted attack on the institution of marriage and quality foods. 1 Timothy 4:1-5 (A push away from biblical marriage.)

8. The spread of an immoral and hedonistic secular culture wrapped in a thin veneer of spirituality. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

9. The military build up of an army from the East that can field 200 million soldiers. Rev 9:16. (This represents more people than were alive world wide in the days of Paul. Today China has such an army.)

10. The emergence of a revived and pure church that is intensionally engaging in world evangelization. Matthew 24:14, Ephesians 5:25-27 (I love track and field, especially the relay teams. A good coach saves his best runner to be the anchor leg or the closer. I believe the baton has been handed to us today as the closers.)

How should we be living?

1. 1 Thes 5:4-11

2. 2 Peter 3:14-18

Posted in Media | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Spiritual Warfare In Zion

Posted on July 13, 2015 by blund

spiritual-warfare_Zion

(photo credit)

This past Lord’s Day, we meditated on God’s truth from Mark 5, that Jesus has authority even over the demons. For many of us, questions swirl regarding demons and the kingdom of darkness. What about spiritual warfare? Are there demon possessions today? How do I stand firm as a Christian?

Powlison_PowerEncounters

A helpful place to start has been provided by David Powlison’s book, Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare. This book written by one of Pastor Brian’s former professors looks at what Christians should believe about spiritual warfare based on Scripture, after cutting through popular ideas and fictional takes. The book is helpful, but for those who don’t have time to go out and get the book, Justin Taylor has provided a helpful summary of some of the key ideas. They are listed below. This article was handed out in worship yesterday, but if you didn’t pick it up then, here it is for you now! May Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and His continuing work in us through His Spirit equip us to stand firm in the faith, always ready to give Him the glory against our ancient Foe!

Reclaiming: Spiritual Warfare

“A great deal of fiction, superstition, fantasy, nonsense, nuttiness, and downright heresy flourishes in the church under the guise of ‘spiritual warfare’ in our time…. But the warfare we need to wage engages and implicates our humanity, rather than bypassing it for a superspiritual, demonic realm.”

Reasons for the Urgency

  1. We live in a society where the modern agenda has largely failed.
  2. We live in a society that has become increasingly pagan.
  3. Missions, anthropology, and modern communications make us aware of the practices and beliefs of animistic cultures.
  4. We live in a society of high-profile bondage to “addictions.”
  5. Bizarre or troubled behavior, often related to experiences of extreme abuse, seems to be appearing more frequently.
  6. Many people have sometimes experienced an uncanny, heightened sense of the presence of evil.
  7. A growing number of Christians teach and practice “deliverance” ministry in the quest to cast out inhabiting demons.

Powlison’s Intentions

Truly all Christians believe in spiritual warfare; we all believe that Christ delivers us from evil. Powlison seeks to answer two crucial points of confrontation regarding spiritual warfare.

The first question engages how we understand the Christian life. What are we fighting? How does the evil one actually work? How does he exert—or attempt to exert—his dominion?

The second question engages our practice of the Christian life. How should we fight? What is the way God delivers us—and tells us to deliver ourselves and each other—from bondage to the devil? What is the mode of warfare? Continue reading →

Posted in article, ministry, resources | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment