Kid's Korner this month is from Lance McKinnon.
[caption id="attachment_340" align="alignright" width="150"] Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)[/caption]
Have you ever heard someone say, “I love my kids to death!”? That statement is not meant literally. Instead, it’s our way of expressing a whole-life focused love. It's the kind of love we see in Jesus, who went to the cross for the sake of bringing us into the wholeness of his life. The way we approach discipleship with our kids should mirror that love. Let us all aim to love our kids to life!
Over the next few months, through a series of articles on worldview conversion and whole-life discipleship,... Read the article
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Scripture Readings: Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Ps. 34:1-8, 19-22;
Heb. 7:223-28; Mark 10:46-52
Sermon by Sheila Graham
(from Hebrews 7, Job 42, Mark 10 and Psalm 34,
drawing from The Expositor's Bible Commentary)
Marvelous and Wonderful!
Introduction
Remember the old hymn, My Savior’s Love? The refrain goes like this:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
The words and music were written by Charles H. Gabriel in 1905. He wrote an estimated 8,000 gospel songs, many about God’s love for us. You might recognize some of the titles: “He Lifted Me," “More Like the Master,” “Higher Ground,” “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” Will the Circle Be... Read the article
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Scripture Readings: Isa. 53:4-12; Ps. 91:9-16;
Heb. 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45
Sermon by Martin Manuel from Isaiah 53
Jesus: The Suffering Servant
Introduction
Though most Christians know that the New Testament is all about Jesus, fewer are aware of the prominent place Jesus has in the Old Testament. We see that place in our reading today in Isaiah chapter 53. Is says a great deal, via prophecy, about who Jesus is, what he has done and what he continues to do for our salvation. Let's take a closer look.
The book of Isaiah
Isaiah, prophet to the ancient Jews, ministered from about 740 to 700 BC. In chapters 41-53, his message is given in four hymns about a person identified as "the suffering servant." The fourth hymn, found in chapter 53,... Read the article
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Here is the Prayer Guide for September (click on the image to download):
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Grace Communion Seminary President Gary Deddo continues the series started last month, now looking at how the church can facilitate worldview conversion through a process of whole-life discipleship.
Defining the issue
[caption id="attachment_9928" align="alignright" width="112"] Gary Deddo[/caption]
Sadly, in the post-Christian Western world, many Christians have (often unknowingly) adopted a worldview that is largely secular—one that yields non-Christian perspectives on the nature of human being, what gender is, what equality is, what human rights are, what relationships between parents and children should be, what the church is, how one comes to know truth (if it can be known at all), what science is, what faith is, etc.
A secular... Read the article
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GCI Caribbean Nations Mission Developer Charles Fleming continues the series begun last month, now looking at the role the church has in facilitating a process that leads to worldview conversion.
[caption id="attachment_9926" align="alignright" width="112"] Charles Fleming[/caption]
How can we, under-shepherds of the Great Shepherd Jesus Christ, help our members understand the need many of them have for the conversion of their personal worldview into greater alignment with the mind of Christ? I’ve wrestled with that question since 2004, when I began seeing the need for the realignment of my own worldview.
The role of the church
As I wrestled, it became clear that the place to begin is with an understanding of the disciple-making... Read the article
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Here from the GCI Venue Resources is an infographic that shows how to use a connection card in you congregation as a tool for connecting with visitors and guests who attend your worship services and outreach events. The infographic provides a template to use in producing a locally branded connection card (click on the image below to download it in PDF).
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A vital aspect of realizing our vision for Healthy Church is having in place what we call R.E.A.L. Teams. For details, check out the infographic below (click to enlarge). We encourage you to discuss this information with your leaders to help you grow in the practice of team-based ministry.
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Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders,
[caption id="attachment_5219" align="alignright" width="163"] Greg and Susan Williams[/caption]
I've been emphasizing our need to work together to take the micro-steps necessary for us to realize our macro-vision of Healthy Church. As Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much" (Luke 16:10).
In conversations with GCI leaders around the globe, I've been pleased to learn that we are in substantial agreement concerning many of the steps we need to take, including recruiting, equipping and deploying new, younger leaders who will work in team-based ways to help their congregations develop the adaptive leadership and vibrant love, hope and faith venues that are so... Read the article
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Scripture Readings: Job 23:1-8, 16-17; Ps. 90:12-17;
Heb. 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31
Sermon by Ted Johnston
(From Mark 9-10, drawing on commentary from New Bible Commentary,
Bible Knowledge Commentary, and Mark for Everyone by N.T. Wright)
The High Cost of the Kingdom
Introduction
Today's reading in Mark 10:17-31 falls within a section that spans Mark 9:14-10:52. That section, which could be titled The High Cost of the Kingdom, occurs near the end of Jesus' life on earth.
Though Peter and the other disciples are beginning to understand that Jesus is the promised Messiah, they do not yet see that Jesus is the Messiah who will suffer to serve and to save. They do not comprehend the high cost of the kingdom---the cost Jesus will pay to be... Read the article
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