Friday night the pastors delivered on their promise to fix dinner for their wives following their defeat in the gingerbread house competition.
We gathered at the Emerson home and the guys set about their tasks while the ladies enjoyed some fellowship together.
Our assignments were as follows:
- Gene provided hot and cold drinks and grilled the chicken.
- Doug marinaded the chicken and prepared the sea salt rubbed baked potatoes (some roughly the size of footballs)
- Steve prepared the rolls
- Matthew made oven broiled asparagus
- Ken…I’m not sure what Ken did, but he tried to give the appearance of looking busy
- Aaron made a chocolate cheesecake
- Sadly,
the Brewers were unable to join us in order to tend to sick children, but James did bring by a fruit tray that served as our appetizer…
Though we aren’t available for large events - due to the risk of being sued by a large number of people - we would be willing to consider smaller venues for the right price (and a signed waiver.)
On second thought, your best bet would be to just let us know if you want any recipes…
This week’s message was entitled “The Father’s Discipline”. We looked at Hebrews 12:5-11 to see that discipline is from God, discipline is for sons, and discipline is for our good. In order to understand and apply these truths, let us consider these questions:
- When an unexpected problem enters your life what do you typically think and how do you typically respond? How is God a part of the picture for you?
- When you think of the discipline of the Lord do you primarily think of it as redemptive? Why or why not?
- We recently heard that God cares more about our lives than we do. How does this fit with your understanding of the discipline of the Lord?
- When we are disciplined, what reasons do we have to be encouraged?
- How is the discipline of the Lord connected to the grace of the gospel?
May we rejoice this week that we have a loving heavenly Father who is faithful to discipline us, because He has made us His very own sons and daughters.
The pastors took Steve out to Buffalo Wild Wings for his last official day in the office last Friday. We each enjoyed spending time with and honoring our friend. Here are a few of the less significant highlights:
- While most of the guys satisfied their thirst with the usual waters, cokes, and diets, our Senior Pastor ventured onto the wild side with the pinkest drink available, “wild” lemonade.
- By Steve’s request, Matthew was required to eat a couple of wings before pulling the multi-multi-grain bread sandwich he brought out of his pocket. (He did try saying that he liked the parmesan garlic wings, but none of us believed him.)
- Aaron was declared winner of the “cleanest bones” award. He left the marrow intact but not much else. (Picture withheld in the name of taste, and the benefit of those preferring to keep their appetites.)
OK, so a cross in the yard doesn’t make us any more of a church than we have been for the last 20 years without one, (after all the church is people, a body, a family - not a building or a meeting), but hopefully it will serve to identify our peculiar building as a church’s building more readily and help partially answer the question, “So exactly what kind of church are you?” to those driving onto our property.
“It’s Not Fair!” by Wayne Mack
A couple weeks ago during fellowship group the guys were seeking to serve me in identifying some of what was gripping my heart related to a struggle I was having. One particular questions addressed how I saw the issue of fairness related to this issue. Following that discussion I came across this book by Wayne Mack. I was familiar with a couple of his other books including “Strengthening Your Marriage” which we have sometimes used in our pre-marital counseling and thought this one might prove helpful as well.
“It’s Not Fair!” examines that statement and the types of circumstances that often surround it, in light of several attributes of God’s character including His omniscience (all-knowing), wisdom, love, justice, and omnipotence (all-powerful nature). I found my self enlightened and convicted as I read the first couple of chapters and realized that I had been trying to separate the human agents from God’s activity. That left me unable to further justify my “frustration” with the situation while thinking that I was not grumbling and complaining against God.
By the next time our fellowship group met I was able to share some of the things God was showing me through the book as well as the difference those truths were making in my thinking and living. I’m so grateful for faithful friends to walk through the struggles of life, and for helpful, practical books like this one that point us to Scripture and seeing our circumstances in light of who God is.
In this week’s message, entitled “Our Father’s Care”, we took a closer look at Matthew 6:25-34. We were reminded though God’s Word that although we may care about the necessities of life, life itself, and the troubles of tomorrow, our heavenly Father cares about these things even more than we do. In order to understand and respond to our Father’s care, let us consider these questions from David Powlison:
1. What circumstances tend to arouse your specific worries and preoccupations?
2. How does anxiety typically show up in you? (thought patterns, feelings, behaviors, inner obsession)
3. What erases God from your universe, hijacking the controls of your heart? Get as specific as possible. Our lusts and lies are evasive and deceitful, but to identify them is like publishing a picture of your enemy.
- I want __________.
- I fear (don’t want) __________.
- I believe __________.
- If only __________, then everything would be fine.
4. What does your Father say and do that enters, addresses, and changes everything? (see Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Peter 5:7)
5. How can you respond to God from the heart? (Listen. Turn. Trust. Come. Seek. Ask. Talk.)
6. How can you respond constructively to your situation? (Speak. Act. Don’t do.)
As circumstances tempt us to anxiety this week, may we be reminded of our Father’s care and may we find that these truths of who God is anchor our hearts in our moment of need.
I was able to share this with the singles at Resolved Saturday evening and the rest of the church family Sunday morning, but for anyone who may have missed those meetings I also wanted to share an update here.
Since Jen and I moved to Richmond with our family 3½ years ago, it has been a distinct joy to serve as part of the pastoral team with a particular emphasis on evangelism and singles. It’s been a privilege to labor with the other pastors to serve you, but over the past 6 months, I’ve been sensing a redirection in God’s call to the marketplace where I would have contact with a wide variety of people, especially those that don’t know Jesus.
In this new season, going forward, God has made it clear that He is calling me to be a pillar and a light in this church. A pillar in the sense of being a strong support and encouragement through involvement in a Community Group, serving, and sharing the Gospel as part of the wonderful normal life of this church. God is calling me to be a light in the business world, pursuing excellence for his glory and sharing the Gospel. So, these two things excite me and we have faith for this new journey.
God is helping us to trust Him in this transition. We are experiencing the care and support of the pastors and their wives, whose friendship means so much to us. I want you to know that your pastors have been such a wonderful support in this process. I’ve never felt pressure to do anything but they’ve wanted us to follow God’s clear call of us for our family and so that you are best served.
I want to say thanks to you for bringing us so much joy over the past 3½ years. I have been the recipient of much encouragement and have loved seeing God working in you. Thank you for your love, your care and for making this past season in pastoral ministry for us, a joy.
None of this transition changes our hearts of love for you, the people of KingsWay. We are planning to stay in Richmond to continue to be an active part of KingsWay and pursue God’s plan for us in new endeavors. We look forward to continuing to walk this road together with you.
This past weekend KingsWay community group leaders and wives gathered together for an in-house retreat in order to celebrate what God has done and be equipped for all that He is doing. The theme for the weekend was “Partnership in the Gospel.”
Friday night a banquet was held to honor and thank these couples for their love for God’s people and their investment in the kingdom. The evening included a “Jeopardy” skit with some unusual “community group” categories. It was a great night of friendship, fellowship, and laughter. Saturday morning was spent exploring what it means to extend biblical counsel and care to others and what it means to be a community of grace.
Paul wrote these words to the Philippian church, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace…”
For those of us in community groups, let us encourage our group leaders and wives with the very same sentiments. For those of you who are group leaders and wives, we thank God for you because of your partnership in the gospel!
Sovereign Grace Church (opening August, 2009, in Fredericksburg, VA) has a blog!
Check out the latest news about the church plant here.
Knowing how to respond to suffering is never easy. How many times has a friend disclosed a particular trial they’re going through and if you’re honest, you have no idea what to say? “Don’t worry. God is sovereign” is too trite. “Let me know how I can help” doesn’t really speak to the hurt they feel. So what do you say? Trust me. I’ve been in this spot many times!
Based on a recommendation from CJ Mahaney, I recently picked up Suffering and Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, and started reading chapter 7 by David Powlison. Powlison does an outstanding job helping us understand God’s heart to personally care for and comfort us in the midst of suffering. And he gives us practical suggestions for helping others connect truth about God to the real trials we all face.
If you’re like me and have limited time to read a whole book, buy a copy from the Book Shoppe and just read chapter 7. I highly recommend it! (You can also click on the image of the book to hear related messages and even read the book online!)
