A few weeks ago, we again had the joy to hear from two more men who are in a process of exploring the call that God has on their lives. Mike Drewry shared a message on suffering which is available here and Haider Sharifi spoke on the topic of God’s love which can be heard here.
If you would like to also hear the message given the previous week by Tim Emerson and Remie Verougstraete, you can access them through by clicking here.
Please pray for clarity for each of these men as they seek to discern God’s call, and for us as their pastors that we might serve them well in the process!
Last weekend, Liz and I had the privilege of joining our friends in Sovereign Grace Church of Chesapeake, VA, for two historic events. On Saturday evening, the pastors and wives took an evening to honor Keith & Joanna Breault. Keith has served as senior pastor for the past four years and will be sent out to KingsWay this Sunday. (The Breaults will arrive Sunday afternoon to begin a nine month church planting residency in preparation for launching a new church next summer.) It was deeply encouraging to hear each of the pastors & wives share how Keith & Joanna have been a means of grace in their lives.
On Sunday morning, I had the joy of bringing a charge to Eric as he was installed as the new senior pastor. I shared Paul’s charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1 to “Preach the Word!” We have a high view of preaching as a family of churches, and I was privileged to emphasize that priority and to encourage the church to respond to Eric’s leadership through responding and praying for him. Eric’s father, Bob Hughes, one of the founding pastors of the church, joined us in praying for Eric. As the church gathered for a reception following the meeting, there was a tangible sense of joy & faith for this new season.
Please pray for Eric & Marie Hughes as Eric steps into this new role. And pray for Keith & Joanna and their children Emma, Gordon, Henry & Peter–along with the baby “on the way” to be delivered in Midlothian in early 2010! The Breaults are leaving behind all that’s familiar to follow God’s call on their lives. Please join us in providing a warm welcome as they arrive!
This week’s message was entitled “Spiritual Disciplines”. From Psalm 63:1-8 we heard how spiritual disciplines are about receiving from God through seeking God, seeing God, and savoring God. In order to better understand the means of grace the spiritual disciplines really are, consider these questions:
- At the start of Sunday’s message, what did you first think of when you heard the words “spiritual disciplines”?
- Have you seen spiritual disciplines more as measuring sticks or aqueducts? What affect has your view of the disciplines had on your practice of the disciplines?
- In your devotions, what are you typically seeking after? How are you seeking merit? How are you seeking relationship?
- When reading your Bible what are you typically looking for? How can you better look for the face of God as you read?
- What would the practice of savoring God look like in your life? How can you grow in this?
Let’s pray as we practice the spiritual disciplines this week, that we would seek, see, and savor God - and grow in God’s transforming grace!
Matthew and I recently traded office spaces and quite honestly the biggest task involved for me was packing and reorganizing my library (thanks Mike Parrish for moving all the boxes and furniture!) This gave me the opportunity to again leaf through and hit highlights from some of my favorites (which considerably slowed the packing process!)
Fortunately I’m not limited to one author, but if I had to pick the one that I think I have benefited the most consistently from Jerry Bridges would almost instantly rise to the top of the list. He writes about rich eternal truths that impact practical realities but always does so in a down to earth and easily accessible manner (which is what enables me to benefit!)
Three of his books that I have been most helpful over the years:
Transforming Grace - This one was initially lent to me by a friend 13 years ago and really opened up my understanding of grace. The chapter on the generous landowner in particular turned me inside out and is still one I revisit from time to time.
The Discipline of Grace - I read this one for the first time while at the Pastors College in 1998. Combined with Mr. Bridges teaching of that PC class this book gave me a framework for God’s part and my part in both my standing before Him and my growth in being like Him. The first 3 chapters alone are life altering - I’ve reread (and highlighted!) this book more than any other.
Trusting God - I think this was also a Pastors College read, but whenever it was I’m not sure that there has been a more influential book for me regarding God’s sovereignty and His care for His people in suffering than this one. The reality of God’s character in 1) Sovereignty, 2) Goodness, and 3) Wisdom has provided me a structure that has served me in many difficult circumstances (both my own and caring for others) and I’m simply not sure I would have the same clarity and handles apart from this resource.
I have certainly benefited from other of his works, but these stand out from my vantage point. I have another small one, “The Bookends of the Christian Life”, sitting on my “next books” pile that I may be telling you about soon as well…
Written by Gene Emerson
I’ve been enjoying Bryan Chapell’s book, Holiness by Grace. Chapell is an engaging writer, presenting biblical issues in an accessible way. The heart of the book is to help us to understand 
sanctification as a work of grace through the Holy Spirit in our lives. He begins with the concern that “What robs many believers of joy is…an endless pursuit of trying to satisfy God with good works that will keep Him loving them. This belief…makes the Christian life a perpetual race on a performance treadmill to keep winning God’s affection.”
If you identify with this concern, I’d happily recommend Mr. Chapell’s book to you! Available in our Bookshoppe also.
In this week’s message, entitled “Of Chains and Vines”, we examined John 15:1-11. We heard that because we as Christians have been set apart, we will progress in growth. The chains that once held us are now gone. To better understand this implication of the gospel, let us consider these questions:
- If elephants are chained when they are young, they will allow a slender rope to hold them back in the future. What chain do you envision in your life that may only be a slender rope?
- Have you ever had the perspective “God helps those who help themselves”? What negative affect has this kind of thinking had on your life?
- In what ways does the gospel communicate the reality that God helps those who can’t help themselves?
- What is your understanding of God’s pruning work in your life? Why is it a good thing?
- Would you say that you regularly seek Christ’s help every day or more when you are desperate? Why is this so?
- How does understanding that Christ is your true vine affect your understanding of how growth will take place in your life?
Let’s seek to abide in Christ daily, and may he be glorified by the growth that this produces.
Written by Matthew Williams
I spent last week attending the WorshipGod09 Conference hosted by Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. Bob Kauflin, director of music and worship development for Sovereign Grace, hosted the conference entitled, From Generation to Generation. Each of the main sessions highlighted a different foundation doctrine related to corporate worship that must be transferred to the next generation. I was particularly affected by John Piper’s message unpacking the glory of Christ as the heart of worship and a seminar panel led by Todd Twining that discussed ways to identify and train future worship leaders. Michael Souders, Peter Emerson and Josh Dixon were able to attend with me. I’m so grateful for how God has blessed our church with a number of men passionate about helping others magnify the Savior through song! Main session message are available for free download by clicking here and will encourage your heart, whether or not you play a musical instrument.
Written by: Remie Verougstraete
In a week or so, I head back to school to see and enjoy God’s activity in another sphere of life. But before I go, I’ve been given one last opportunity to share some thoughts about my experience this summer. Two things immediately came to mind.
- It would be totally inappropriate for me to leave without mentioning my rich experience of God’s grace made manifest in the folks who work in the office. They have all been a constant help, both in important practical ways and as faithful encouragers. They are regularly seeking excellence in their work and to impart grace to one another. The way the office staff (everyone who’s not a pastor) relates and functions is a beautiful, powerful testimony to God’s spirit in their hearts and in our midst.
- A word about the pastors. The past few months have given me a front row seat to watch this team regularly evaluate and re-evaluate how to serve you more effectively and biblically. At the end of the day, they always move forward trusting God to care and provide for His people, and with humble faith in His willingness to use them to do it. This should be the basis of our hope for this church as well.
I thank God for the loving support of this church and the joyful privilege to be a small part of what He’s doing at Kingsway. It’s a good thing heaven lasts for eternity, because we’re going to need all of it to sing of the divine goodness and faithfulness of our Father.
God bless you!
Sunday evening we had the wonderful joy of hearing sermons preached by two young men from KingsWay as they took a step of faith in seeking to further discern God’s call upon their lives. We were well served by each as they proclaimed the Scriptures to us.
Remie Verougstraete spoke out of Matthew 9 about the compassion Jesus has for people and urging His disciples to pray to the Lord of the Harvest for more laborers. You can listen to his message here.
Tim Emerson spoke out of Ephesians 2 on the unity of believers and the reality of believers as the dwelling place of God. His message can be heard here.
This coming Sunday evening we will have two more men preaching. Haider Sharifi and Mike Drewry will share their messages beginning at 7 pm in the auditorium - all are welcome to come to encourage them and be encouraged by God’s preached Word.
Please pray for us as pastors as we seek to serve each of these men with what God might have their next steps to be in discerning and pursuing their calls.
Written by: Sandy Wilda
What do you get when you mix 130 ladies, two hours, worship, testimonies, small group fellowship, gift giveaways, and food? You get KingsWay’s By Design Summer Study!
This year, the ladies studied the amazing depth and richness of the grace found in the Christian life, benefiting from the Transforming Grace materials written by Jerry Bridges. The heart of this study may be summarized well by this statement taken from his book:
“Because we do not comprehend the superabundance of God’s grace and generosity, we ask Him for paltry blessings, the fifty-cent variety, when we could be drawing on the abundance of His riches”.
What a way to spend some of the summer - learning more about “drawing on the abundance of His riches”!
One of the highlights for us was hearing from different ladies about how they were experiencing God in their study of grace. Last summer, the value of reading Christian biographies was highlighted. Through John Piper’s teaching, we were encouraged in this, that we may “see Jesus with eyes more full of wonder than our own.” This summer, as we heard ladies share of how God has been at work in their lives, we experienced this through their testimonies. We were given the opportunity to see the beauty of Jesus through their eyes.
It’s hard to believe our study together is already over. God was kind to bless us with another summer of amazing truths from His Word, times of worship, and great fellowship
