Onward Session 6: Convictional Kindness

If you’re a parent, you’re likely familiar with matters of tone. One of the things children have to learn is that tone can actually be more important than the actual content of the message itself. That’s why teenagers might get into an equal amount of trouble when they give the right answer in a disrespectful tone as they would have if the actual content been offensive. Our posture matters; in fact, our posture might reveal even more than the message we give verbally.

As Christians, therefore, we must consider not only the content of what we say to the culture around us but also the tone with which we express ourselves. Paul reminds us:

In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  2 CORINTHIANS 5:19-20

We see in the life of Jesus a remarkable ability to be kind to those He encountered even while boldly speaking the truth. Too often we fail to follow Jesus in this aspect of His mission. Instead of taking the posture of an ambassador, pleading with all to be reconciled to God (see v. 20), we take an adversarial posture. We equate our measure of conviction with our level of outrage; the more conviction we have, the louder and angrier we think we can present our argument.
Our challenge, then, is to cultivate the kind of convictional kindness in our witness that we see in Jesus. This kindness isn’t weak or passive. In fact, kindness is an act of spiritual warfare.

We typically don’t think of kindness as a weapon; instead, we think of kindness as the exact opposite. But remember: we’re citizens of and ambassadors for a different kind of kingdom from the world. It would only make sense, then, that the weapons at our disposal aren’t the weapons of destruction the world uses.

And the people we engage with aren’t our opponents; they’re potentially our future allies by God’s grace. We should treat them with the kind of convictional kindness that reflects our belief that there are no lost causes when it comes to the mercy of God.

As the church, we have the incredible luxury of operating from a position of victory. That knowledge changes everything about the way we engage with the culture around us.

And as we make arguments, even as we understand that arguments are merely the equivalent of brush clearing to get to the main point: a personal connection with the voice that rings down through the ages from Nazareth. We want not simply to convey truth claims but to do so with the northern-Galilean accent that makes demons scream and chains fall. Kindness isn’t surrender. Gentleness isn’t passivity. Kindness and gentleness, rooted in gospel conviction—that’s war.

My Child Is Not Able to Sit Still - KIDS IN CHURCH

Today is the third kids in church post
Sunday I posted a response to the statement my child doesn't get anything from being in church - which addresses purpose.
Yesterday I posted a response to the statement the content is sometimes more mature than we would like our child to hear - which addresses content.

Today I want to respond to the statement my child is not able to sit still for that long - which addresses training.

The 8 Tips guide that went home with 1st through 5th graders this Sunday has some great suggestions.  Here are a couple of them.  learn

3. WALK YOUR CHILD THROUGH THE SERVICE BEFORE IT STARTS!! 

Look over the bulletin or service details online; point out what will be happening and how your child can participate. This may mean teaching him a refrain of a responsive reading or teaching him a phrase from a song or chorus and asking him to listen for it. Pray with your child before the service starts.

 4.  ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICE! 

By teaching your child hymns and worship songs at home he will be able to participate in the service.  If he cannot learn the whole song, teach him the refrain and signal to him when it is time to sing the part he knows.  Encourage your child to sit and to stand at the appropriate times, to clap when appropriate, etc.  Have your child bring an offering and place it in the plate.

Click HERE for all EIGHT Tips for Helping Your Child Worship.\

Click HERE for "Strategies for Engaging Children in the Worship Service.

Click HERE for Parenting in the Pew Resources  (Keeping Them Quiet, Keeping Them Involved, Helping Them Worship)

Parental Guidance Needed - KIDS IN CHURCH

Yesterday I responded to one of the reasons I have heard regarding not having children in church -  my child doesn't get anything from being in church.
If you didn't read that post, click HERE.

Today I wanted to take some time to respond to another reason.
The content is sometimes more mature than we would like our child to hear.

In my opinion, this is the most challenging of the three oppositions.  So I want to be careful in answering it.  

In a service that is not geared towards children there are words and ideas that come up that kids will have questions about and parents don't know how to answer.
There are the realities of sin in our world that need to be addressed in sermons:  pornography, homosexuality, same sex marriage, sex-trafficking and others.
There are God-given gifts that are not easy to talk about with young children:  sex in the context of marriage. 

First of all, when we have had messages that focus on topics like homosexuality, we have our regular children's church program through 3rd grade and we have added an optional class for 4th and 5th graders.  

Now here comes the challenging part.  Please read through to the end.

I have read in several places that the appropriate time for a parent to start talking with their child about sex is "younger than you think."  Our culture is becoming more and more sexualized.  Magazines in the supermarket.  Commercials at the most unexpected times.  Conversations with friends at school.  And in many cases these are not the messages we want our children to know.  
Would you rather have a conversation with your son or daughter about same sex marriage after the pastor at church mentions it during a Biblical sermon or after your son hear about on the playground or through a TV clip hears in passing?

Here is a section from Time for the Talk by Steve Zollos

Growing up has never been easy, not for boys. For many of you fathers reading this book, fistfights, police chases, and broken hearts seemed to be waiting around every corner during your teen years—but the world we see today isn’t the world you grew up in. Not even close. Back then there was at least some protection from the dirt of the world. Today, a boy steps off the school bus and into a place you and I never conceived of in our youth. Gangs, drugs, shootings, condoms, sex, pornography, and perversion are everywhere. Worst of all, it’s largely accepted, tolerated, or condoned by those in authority.  

Oh, so your son is in private school? Or he’s home-schooled? Do you really think that makes things different for him? Maybe a little bit, but don’t let that give you a false sense of security. That young man still lives in a world hugely more seductive and radically more damaging than the one you knew at his age. Have you listened to his music lately? Have you taken a walk around your neighborhood? Do you have any idea what a typical group of young people talks about in private? Have you heard the language, seen the actions, and understood the values being promoted on movie, television, videogames, computer, and cell phone screens? In the time that you’ve been on the internet, have you seen things that you would never want your son to see, even accidentally? How much more time does he spend online than you? With all of this talk about the trouble in this world, let's remember that our hope is in God.

He has given what we need to live for His glory.  Jesus.  The Holy Spirit.  The Word of God. The church.  Biblical sermons.

Let's help our kids find their hope in God.

My child doesn't get anything from being in the service - KIDS IN CHURCH

Over the next three days it is my prayer that I can use these KIDS IN CHURCH posts to help educate families on the reasons for and importance of our KIDS IN CHURCH Sundays.

The first reason I have heard for not having children in church is
my child doesn't get anything from being in church.

REMEMBER:  Children are learning more than we think they are.

Think about each of these...

1. Don't think "my child needs to get/understand EVERYTHING."  Instead think "my child needs to get/understand SOMETHING."  Ask your child "What is one thing you learned or were reminded of in today's sermon?"
2. Let me remind you of two things your child "gets" every single time they are with you in the service.  First and most importantly, they get to see you, their parent or grandparent or spiritual mentor worshiping God in song, opening the Bible, attentively listening to the pastor preach.  Second, they get to see a pastor proclaim God's Word through preaching.

Here is an 11 minutes podcast about Kids in Church
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/should-children-sit-through-big-church
A quote from this podcast:  "The aim is that the children catch the passion for worshiping God by watching mom and dad enjoy God week after week. What would be the impact if, for twelve years, the children saw dad with his face in his hands praying during the prelude to worship? What would be the impact if they saw mom and dad beaming with joy in singing the praises of God?"

Here is a great, 6o minute seminar about Kids in Church

ekidzministry.blogspot.com/2016/08/let-children-come-to-me-kids-in-church.html

Onward Session 5: Family Stability

Our Soul Care Groups are going through the Onward series this fall. Different groups are on different schedules but over the last four Thursdays there have been topical posts at www.emmanuelbaptist.com/tag/onward
This post is taken from the Onward resource page.
There’s no such thing as the good old days. That reality is difficult for us to stomach because we tend to look at the past through rose-colored glasses. The bad times we experienced, from hindsight, weren’t all that bad, and the good times were exponentially better when viewed in the rearview mirror. This is as true of our picture of the family as other areas of life.
We might look to significant points in history, such as the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the introduction of abortion, or the relative ease of obtaining a divorce, as pivotal moments when the family came under attack. The truth, though, is that the crisis in the family isn’t downstream from Woodstock or the pill. Instead, it’s downstream from the wreckage of the fall in Eden. The family is and has been under assault in every generation of human history though sometimes in less visible and more subtle ways.
We must understand that the family isn’t an end in itself. Issues of family stability are important, both inside the church and in the culture of the rest of the world. But we become derailed when we begin to treat temporal issues as eternal. When we’re armed with an understanding of the kingdom, however, we can rightly confront these issues not only for the sake of the family but also for the greater purposes of the kingdom.
It’s only through Jesus that we can rightly interpret the rest of the created order. That leads us to one of the core truths of the kingdom: God is creating everything around Jesus Christ as part of an inheritance for Him, including marriage, family, sexuality, gender, and everything else in creation.
Apart from this foundational starting point, no matter what our outward commitment to a particular issue might appear to be, we’ll be the kind of people Paul described in Romans 1:18-32 when he noted that those who refuse to give thanks as creatures ultimately turn to the creation itself with their worship. We mustn’t do that. We must see family stability in light of the centrality of Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we become family idolaters in spite of our efforts to become family advocates.
Remember that our earthly constructs are meant to point to spiritual realities. The best example of God that children could have is their own father. This is a sobering thought for us in our families. It should take our breath away to think that our relationships are meant to model and point to heavenly realities and that both our marriages and our parenting point onlookers to the nature and characteristics of the kingdom. Let’s not, then, take a merely pragmatic approach to family stability. Let’s instead embrace the much weightier purpose God has in mind for us and understand that our families are meant to reflect relationships in His kingdom.
From Russell Moore's Onward

Managing Your Emotions from Mom's Matters

Spoke at Emmanuel's Mom's Matter meeting this morning.

Here are some resources connected with this mornings Mom's Matter meeting.

Our theme was Managing Your Emotions

Main points.
1.  God created us in his image with emotions.
2.  Emotions are not bad.  Sin is bad.
3.  Our hope needs to be in Jesus.



You don't need more parenting advice
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-don-t-need-more-parenting-advice
For more about these fourteen principles click HERE

Your emotions are a gauge not a guide
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/your-emotions-are-a-gauge-not-a-guide

Talking about Inside Out
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/talking-about-inside-out
Some great ideas on how to use the movie Inside Out to talk about emotions.
1.  Help them recognize different emotions.
2.  Help them recognize what their emotions indicate they're wanting.
3.  Help them trust God with their desires.

How to handle fear
http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/08/26/signposts-draft-aug-26-free-fear/

How to handle shame
http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/09/30/signposts-christians-handle-shame/

How to prepare your children for suffering
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-do-we-prepare-our-children-for-suffering



Just for Fun.  

Snicker's Video



Here are all of the candy bar questions.

1. Witherspoon's nut-paste mugs (Reese's Peant Butter Cups)  Reese Witherspoon
2. Belonging to a controversial rap artist (M&Ms) Eminem's
3. Sweet polka partners (Dots)
4. Misfiring moo juice or moo juice bombs (Milk Duds)
5. Nickname of someone who's always dropping things (Butterfinger)
6. Best time to go shopping or when wages are disbursed (Pay Day)
7. What the silly rabbit with a lisp doesn't know is for kids (Twix)
8. Single women look for him (Mr. Goodbar)
9. Nut happiness (Almond Joy)
10. Pint-sized storehouses of large sums of cash (Junior Mints)
11. Half suppressed laughter (Snickers)
12. 10 X 10 G's or one tenth of a million (100 Grand)
13. One million dollars (1000 Grand)
14. Indian burial grounds (Mounds)
15. Citrus craniums (Lemon Heads)
16. Popular English pub game or nine pins (Skittles)
17. Steve Urkel, Screech, and Ugly Betty (Nerds)
18. paddle close to the ground (Rolo) Row low
19. Explosive Gravel (Pop Rocks)
20. Mechanical pocket candy you stick your neck out for (Pez)

I love the Old, Old Story!!

I have the privilege of teaching EBC's Senior Saints this fall.
We are doing an overview of the Old Testament.
It has been exciting and challenging studying and preparing for the classes.
I told someone I never thought I would be excited to teach the book of Numbers.
I was this morning.

Here are the first five lessons from this study.
I will be adding the other information this week.

Introduction
PDF of lesson Powerpoint
PDF of class notes

Genesis
PDF of lesson Powerpoint
PDF of class notes

Exodus
PDF of lesson Powerpoint
PDF of class notes

Leviticus
PDF of lesson Powerpoint

Numbers
PDF of lesson Powerpoint

Deuteronomy

PDF of lesson Powerpoint
PDF of class notes

Joshua

PDF of lesson Powerpoint
PDF of class notes

Judges
PDF of class notes

Ruth
PDF of class notes

Onward Session 4: Human Dignity

Our Soul Care Groups are going through the Onward series this fall. Different groups are on different schedules but over the last three Thursdays there have been topical posts at www.emmanuelbaptist.com/tag/onward

This post is taken from the Onward resource page.
There was a point in human history, during the days of the Roman Empire, when the church was regarded as the institution of women and slaves, two largely ignored and disdained groups of people during the first century. They weren’t treated as whole persons but rather as pieces of property and currency. These were precisely the people welcomed into the life of the early church.
Attitudes that were meant as an insult were actually a badge of honor for the church. Disenfranchised people were not only welcomed and treated with kindness in the church; they were actually regarded with importance and prominence. This radical way of viewing people reflected the values of the kingdom of God, the kingdom that stands contrary to the patterns of the world. As these early church members lived the values of the kingdom, they followed the example of their Lord, who had inaugurated and perfectly embodied the values of that kingdom.

One incident from the life of Jesus illustrates His approach to someone in desperate need:

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”  LUKE 8:40-48

This woman was suffering from much more than a physical malady; she was suffering from the
communal humiliation that came with it. A disease like this would have caused her to be ostracized from the rest of the Jewish community; she would have been regarded as untouchable. Already a woman, a second-place citizen to begin with, she was now a pariah. She existed in the shadows—forgotten, overlooked, and even hated. It’s no wonder she crept up from behind to touch only Jesus’ robe; someone like this wouldn’t dare approach from the front. Her intent was to quietly, discreetly, without anyone noticing, just feel the hem of Jesus’ clothing. What could it hurt? She had nothing to lose. But Jesus wasn’t content to let her stay in the shadows; He would not only heal her but also bring her from the darkness into the light.
When the woman was found out, she came trembling forward. It’s no wonder she was trembling; these were the same people who’d treated her as subhuman for the past 12 years, and now she was being called to stand in front of them. Yet this is precisely what Jesus had in mind. When she came out of hiding, Jesus then uttered one word that lifted up her soul and arrested the crowd’s attention: “Daughter” (v. 48).
People like this woman—those who live in the shadows, thrown away and deemed worthless and seemingly useless—are the sons and daughters of the King. As Peter noted, she certainly wasn’t the only one touching Jesus; surely she wasn’t the only one who needed something from Him. But she was the only one who made Him stop.
We could continue through the life of Jesus and find many other examples just like her—tax collectors, children, the poor, sinners—these were the people who arrested the attention of Jesus as the crowd continued to press in on Him. In the eyes of Jesus, human dignity isn’t determined by social standing, educational level, or any other mark of prominence conferred by the kingdoms of the earth. Instead, Jesus recognized that human dignity isn’t based on someone’s usefulness but on God’s image.
What the world regards as weak, foolish, and untouchable—this is the wisdom of God in the kingdom. Of course, the ultimate example of the kingdom’s upside-down values is the cross of Jesus—“Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23).
The cross—the instrument of shame, the tool of torture, the inflictor of death—is the glory, inheritance, and life of those who follow Jesus.
From Russell Moore's Onward

Onward Session 3: Mission

Our Soul Care Groups are going through the Onward series this fall. Different groups are on different schedules but over the last four Thursdays there have been topical posts at www.emmanuelbaptist.com/tag/onward
This post is taken from the Onward resource page.
A firm understanding of mission is imperative in any organization. The mission is the foundational purpose for everything an organization is about, whether it produces products, provides services, gathers people together, or advances the kingdom of God. Without a mission the organization flutters in the wind, blown this way and that by the winds of public opinion, profitability, and popularity.
The mission of an organization gives it a firm place to stand, something it can always come back to in order to answer the fundamental questions of exactly why it exists and how it’s carrying out its purpose.
In a day and time when the cultural winds are blowing like a gale-force wind, the church would be wise to come back to this issue: What’s our mission as the people of God in the church?
Yes, the church is to engage the world, seeking to become an agent of change for justice and righteousness. We’re called to expose sin with the light of Christ (see Eph. 5:11). But this call serves the foundational mission of the church to engage the culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus knew that in the years following His ascension, His people would need to adopt a mission to accomplish the work of God. That’s why He was very explicit when He gave His commission to the church:

Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

MATTHEW 28:18-20
The church’s mission isn’t based on the ingenuity, strength, or courage of the followers of Jesus. Instead, Jesus framed His command with the authority that had been given to Him.
Authority seems to be in short supply in the world today. Part of the reason is that for years it seems that those who’ve been given authority in our world haven’t treated that authority with the care and respect it deserves. Time and time again we’ve seen people, just like us, use the authority not for good but for personal gain and, in doing so, betray the trust of those who’ve willingly submitted to that authority.
The consequence is a general distrust for an office, a title, or a position that wields some measure of authority. But the authority of Jesus is different. Notice in these verses that Jesus has been given that authority. Unlike an elected official in our day, the authority of Jesus came not from a popular vote but from God Himself.
Before giving the church its marching orders, Jesus established the fact that He has the right to command. Additionally, this statement reveals exactly what Jesus is doing with His authority. He’s putting His full support behind this particular mission. Consequently, any church that completely aligns itself with this mission is joining Jesus in what He’s bringing about with His authority. The opposite, though, is also true. Any church that strays from this mission also strays from Jesus’ backing. The mission of the church, both past as well as present and future, is to make disciples of Jesus in the entire world.
This is why when we look at our churches today, we’d be wise to consider exactly what we’re doing in the world. Do we share the mission of Jesus, or somewhere along the line have we become distracted with other priorities?
From Russell Moore's Onward series

Politics and The Lordship of Christ

Today I posted the following quote on my facebook page.

"Those who would equate political party w/ the Lordship of Christ have failed to understand the limits of party and the sovereignty of Christ". Thabiti Anyabwile

I have been thinking about that quote a lot recently.  Our church (www.emmanuelbaptist.com) is starting a small group study entitled ONWARD, which is designed to help Christians engage the culture without losing the Gospel.  It is my prayer that in offering this study people would be challenged to think Biblically about the upcoming election.

Saved for Good Works - Gospel Primer

Saved for Good Works

Through the gospel I learn not only of the saving works of God on my behalf, but I also learn that one of God’s key purposes in doing these works is to put me to work myself.

The Bible tells me that when Christ redeemed me, He did so in order that I might now be “zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14) When God “works” in me day by day, He does so in order to produce in me the desire and the power to “work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12, 13) Indeed, though I am saved by grace and not by works, I am God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that [I] would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

Being naturally lazy, I do not normally thrill at the prospect of work; but the more I embrace the saving work of God on my behalf, the more I find myself embracing the works for which God saved me. And as I am “working hard” at doing these works for the good of others, I experience the truth of Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 2:34, 35)  I also find myself saying with Christ, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:32-34)  Indeed, gospel-motivated works do for the soul what food does for the body. They bring refreshment, enjoyment, blessing, and strengthening to the doer of the deeds, even more so than to the receiver. Hence, the fact that God has prepared such works for me to do becomes a part of what makes the gospel such great news to me.

Preaching the gospel to myself each day not only reminds me of the love of God for me, but it also reminds me of the love of God for the works that He has saved me to perform. When I see the Cross, I see the premium that God places on the works that He has prepared for me. How valuable all of these works must be if Christ would die so that I might now perform them! And how precious are those for whom these works are done if Christ would die that they might be served!

The Importance of Church Membership

 

This Sunday (8.24) after the service EBC members will be voting on a couple of ministry/business items.
This is a great time to remind all of us that church membership is SO much more than a vote in a church meeting.

There are some misconceptions about the church:
I have to have my name on a church roll somewhere.
I can be an inactive church member.
The word “membership” is not in the Bible.  Therefore church membership is not biblical.

The reality is church membership is not specifically commanded.
Church membership is implied in the New Testament through passages that talk about church gatherings, church discipline, church leadership, and church accountability. 

Here are a couple of quotes regarding church membership. 

From I Am a Church Member 
"Church membership is a gift.  When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ.  I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized.  Now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church.  I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.”
”Church membership is a gift.  When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ.  I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized.  Now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church.  I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.”

From The Gospel Primer…12. My Inheritance in the Saints
The gospel is not just a message of reconciliation with God, but it also heralds the reconciliation of all believers to one another in Christ. Through the death of Christ, God has brought peace where there was once hostility, and He has broken down the racial, economic, and social barriers that once divided us outside of Christ.

Also, when God saved us, He made us members of His household, and He gave us as gifts to one another.  Each brother and sister is a portion of my gospel inheritance from God, and I am a portion of their inheritance as well. We are significant players in each other’s gospel narrative, and it is in relationship with one another that we experience the fullness of God in Christ.

Hence, the more I comprehend the full scope of the gospel, the more I value the church for which Christ died, the more I value the role that I play in the lives of my fellow-Christians, and the more I appreciate the role that they must be allowed to play in mine.

The Hidden Smile of God through the years.

I want to tell you about a great book and the impact it has had on my life.

There is a great book on the fruit of affliction and suffering called The Hidden Smile of God.  You can download a free copy of the book by clicking HERE.

With Pastor Duke's recent sermons on suffering (Suffering is the Pathway to Glorification & The Weight and (Wait) of Glory) Jim Soss and Lyle Fortney's testimony video and EBC's upcoming "God Healing for Life's Losses" conference,   I have been thinking about suffering and the glory of God.  When I think about this topic, I am reminded of The Hidden Smile of God.

First of all I want to let you know about the book.  So I took some quotes from the Desiring God website.

Bunyan. Cowper. Brainerd.

John Bunyan suffered long-term imprisonment, even when a simple promise to cease preaching would have freed him, and he was moved to rely on God even more. Despite month after month of debilitating depression, William Cowper’s poetry reflected the sustaining character of God and led him to worship more deeply. David Brainerd so desired to honor God that, through the loneliness of wilderness ministry and the agony of tuberculosis, he pressed on, transforming world missions forever.

For John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd, the loving purpose of God in pain was one of the most precious truths in the Bible and one of the most powerful experiences of their lives.

Now let me tell you some personal stories in how God has used The Hidden Smile of God in my life to remind me of God's glory in the midst of suffering.

2001.
I received my FIRST copy of The Hidden of Smile of God almost 15 years ago.  I don't remember the exact date I received many books BUT this one I do.  It was September 11, 2001.  I was teaching in the Dominican Republic.  We received mail once a week, on Tuesdays.  The pilots who brought us our mail had to stay in the Dominican Republic because flights were cancelled.  I remember receiving this book on suffering from my brother-in-law on one of the biggest days of suffering in my lifetime.  Seeing the news stories.  Wondering what was happening.  We taught students from all over the world.  The Dominican Republic, South Korea, Germany, Italy and Canada.  Many of them came to school to let us know that they loved us and our country and they wanted to help us if needed.  It was hard to process everything going on, especially being outside of the United States but God used this book of biographies to help me think through suffering and God's glory.

2005.
Spring ahead about four years.  Christmas, 2005.  The mercury fire at Emmanuel Christian School.  A couple of students vandalized the school where I taught.  This resulted in a fire that "mercurized" - a word made up by that year's senior class - the high school.  Krista and I lived in a small apartment so I had all of my books including my FIRST gift copy of The Hidden Smile of God in my classroom.  My books were in my classroom with no obvious damage but they were "mercurized."  Unusable.  I saw all of my books and other classroom things on a video but would not be able to have any of it.  I lost my September 11th copy of The Hidden Smile of God along with so many other precious items like a file of encouraging notes from friends and family.  What was especially hard was there were many notes from a good friend of ours in the Dominican Republic - Heidi Goodbar, a creative, artistic, encouraging co-teacher who died from cancer.

Someone suggested that I write Desiring God about the fire and losing several books, including The Hidden Smile of God.  I did and they blessed me by sending me the books I lost in the fire along with a couple of other books.  So I received my SECOND copy of the book.  It was not signed by my brother-in-law and it wasn't received on the day of a national tragedy.  Another blessing during this time was watching Bob Flamm, the teachers and the students work together that second semester to finish the year well despite very challenging circumstances.

2016.
As I think about my SECOND copy of The Hidden Smile of God and as I think about Jim Soss, Lyle Fortney, Heidi Goodbar, and many others who have suffered or are suffering through the circumstances of life, I am so thankful for the Hidden Smile of God, not Piper's book but rather God's providence written about in William Cowper's hymn "God moves in a mysterious way."

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will. 

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head. 

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face. 

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower. 

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

For more about William Cowper's life read The Hidden Smile of God or at least read Tim Challies' article about William Cowper.

I am so thankful that God's glory is made known to me...

in His Word.

in His Son.

in the testimony of Godly men and women.

through Bible-based, God-glorifying books and 

in the circumstances of life.

Camp is Great! Church is Better!!

I want to thank those who have been praying for my time here at Camp Patmos.

Last week I spoke to over 60 Junior campers (4th - 6th graders).  We sent a group of 11 campers to this camp.  This week I am speaking to over 50 middle schoolers.  This week has been a special blessing because many of the Junior campers from my last 3 years of speaking are here.

An extra blessing has been getting to know the Patmos staff better this second week.  It has been energizing being around a group of young men and women who are passionate about serving the Lord not only at camp but in their lives and careers.

Please pray for the staff here at Camp Patmos and other Christian camps like Lake Ann as they finish up their summer camping season.

Pray for the kids who made decisions at camp!  Pray they would grow closer and closer to God.
I have been encouraging the campers during both weeks to get plugged into a church because a week is not enough!

As I finish up two great weeks here, I want to let everyone know that I am very thankful for those who serve at Emmanuel Baptist Church week in and week out.  While exciting summer camps are awesome.  "The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ."I love having the opportunity to speak truth into campers' lives for a week.
Even more so, I love being part of the church's weekly, even daily, ministry in the lives of individuals and families.

Mainland Resources

More resources will be posted on this page.  Be sure to check back.
Power points and other specific resources will be posted by August 1st.

Posts about July 18 - 23 Junior Chapels.  Click HERE

Devotionals:

Online:  Key for Kids.  Click HERE

Book:  Jesus Storybook Bible.  Click HERE
Church related online articles for parents:

Why going to church does not make you a Christian.  Click HERE

Three Reasons to attend church.  Click HERE 
Youtube videos of some songs we did:

Psalm 34:10 

My Lighthouse 

Lay Me Down 

God's Good is better than Our Good!

Originally posted at ekidzministry.com

Tonight (Thursday) was a great night on Kelley’s Island @ Camp Patmos!!

We went to the sandy beach with the campers and ate walking tacos.

Krista, Jadyn and I went out on the banana boat.

A couple of counselors shared some great stories about how God is working in their campers lives.

I have the opportunity to preach two messages from God’s Word to the campers!

The BIG IDEA from this mornings message was “Sin affects the entire world.”

The BIG WORD was covenant.

The Bible stories were Noah and the Flood & the Tower of Babel.

The BIG IDEA from this evening’s message was “Life with Christ in this world is a fight but we have won battle.”

The BIG WORD was persevere.

The Bible passage was the Armor of God and Ephesians 6.

Especially throughout the evening message I wanted to remind the campers and staff that
God’s Good is better than Our Good.

God’s plan is so much better than my plan.

Tomorrow morning’s message is meant to challenge and help the campers grow in their relationship with God after they leave the island!

Tomorrow night I am going to be speaking to the junior campers and middle school campers about Treasuring Christ!

Please continue to pray for the campers.  Pray they would put into action what they hear.

God's Good is better than Our Good!

Tonight (Thursday) was a great night on Kelley's Island @ Camp Patmos!!

We went to the sandy beach with the campers and ate walking tacos.

Krista, Jadyn and I went out on the banana boat.

A couple of counselors shared some great stories about how God is working in their campers lives.

I have the opportunity to preach two messages from God's Word to the campers!

The BIG IDEA from this mornings message was "Sin affects the entire world." 

The BIG WORD was covenant.

The Bible stories were Noah and the Flood & the Tower of Babel.

The BIG IDEA from this evening's message was "Life with Christ in this world is a fight but we have won battle."

The BIG WORD was persevere.

The Bible passage was the Armor of God and Ephesians 6.

Especially throughout the evening message I wanted to remind the campers and staff that
God's Good is better than Our Good.  

God's plan is so much better than my plan.

Tomorrow morning's message is meant to challenge and help the campers grow in their relationship with God after they leave the island!

Tomorrow night I am going to be speaking to the junior campers and middle school campers about Treasuring Christ!

Please continue to pray for the campers.  Pray they would put into action what they hear.

BIG IDEAS, BIG WORDS and BIG TRUTHS!!

Each chapel session has a BIG IDEA, a summary statement of that message and

a BIG WORD that kids need to remember.  

They also have been reminded several times of 10 BIG TRUTHS we all need to know and remember.  Here they are...

1. God is sovereign.  He is the boss!
2. God created people for His glory.
3. God is holy and righteous.
4. Man is sinful.
5. God is just and right to punish.
6. God is merciful.
7. Jesus is God's righteous Son.
8. God put the punishment of sinners on Jesus.
9. God offers the free gift of salvation to those who repent and believe in Jesus.
10. Those who trust in Jesus will live for Him.

These big truths were taken from a seminar entitled Presenting the Gospel to Children.  You can listen to the seminar and get the notes on each of these truths by clicking HERE

More than a Great Experience!

As many of you know I (Pastor Dave) am speaking at Camp Patmos during Junior week.  Our high school and middle school are also at Lake Ann.  (You can see pictures on the church facebook page).

Tonight’s message was a challenging one for me to preach because there was so much I wanted to say.  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning’s message focused on what sin and salvation are and how we are saved.  Tonight’s message focused on how we live in response to what God has done. 
In speaking at a kid’s camp setting like this there are so many things I want to challenge them with and remind them off.  The most important reminder is that you cannot live the life God has called you to live without Jesus Christ.

In so many situations in this life, it is so easy to get caught up in emotions.  A summer camp, a great sermon, a mission trip, a concert or a great Bible study.  These experiences are only mile markers in our journey.  They are not the destination.

It is my prayer, and I would love for you to join me in praying, that the kids who are here at Camp Patmos hearing me preach and those at Lake Ann would realize camp is not what we long for.  We need to desire God more than any experience.  Tonight as I was preaching in chapel I was reminded that each and every person in that room including me needs to grow closer and closer to God.   

God is Just and God is Merciful therefore...

God is just and God is merciful.
Therefore, we need to repent of our sin and trust in Jesus.

Tuesday was sin impacts our relationship with God and the Gospel restores our relationship with God.

Wednesday was sin impacts our relationship with others and the Gospel shows us and gives us the power to love others as God loved us.  

Tomorrow is sin has impacted this whole world.
In the morning we will be looking at the Flood (Genesis 6-9) and the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11).  These messages show that

• men and women have sin problem.
• God punishes sin.
• God is also merciful.

In the evening will be looking at the armor of God and how those who believe in Christ persevere and have hope despite the sin and circumstances of this life.

Great Problem and a Greater Savior!!

We had a great first day at Camp Patmos!!
Each chapel we are going to look at a BIG IDEA and SOME BIG WORDS!     

I have the privilege to preach this week at the Junior (elementary age) camper @ Camp Patmos.

I will be preaching 8 times this week to junior campers and 8 times next week to middle school campers.  I want to use this page to help parents and others know the great truths we are learning this week.

If you want to see awesome pictures from the week, check out the Camp Patmos facebook page.

Monday's BIG IDEA was "God has a plan"

We also had several BIG WORDS that introduced the theme of the Bible and the truth of the Gospel.

Tonight's words were Condemnation, Redemption, Reconciliation, Adoption, Salvation, Disruption and Predestination.  Many of these words will be developed throughout the week.

We are all sinners in desperate need of a Savior.  (Condemnation)

God paid our ransom through the blood of Jesus Christ.  (Redemption)

Those who trust in Jesus Christ are made right with God.  (Reconciliation)

When we are saved we become children of God with our the benefits of being part of His family.  (Adoption)

The curse of sin no longer has a hold on those who are God's children.  (Salvation)

According to Romans 8:29, God has an eternal plan to make His own children like the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Predestination)

Tuesday's message focus on our relationship with God!

Tuesday morning's BIG IDEA is "sin affects man's personal relationship with God."

The BIG WORD is CONDEMNATION.

We are going to be looking at Genesis 3:1-12

Tuesday evenings's BIG IDEA is "Our sin is a big problem BUT Jesus a big savior"

The BIG WORD is JUSTIFICATION.

We are going to be looking at one of my favorite passages of scripture - Ephesians 2.

Please pray for a meaningful preaching event on July 3

Here is an honest, personal post I am writing in the midst of my preparation for Sunday's sermon (07.03.16).




This Sunday morning, I have the privilege to preach at Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Pastor Duke is away and I have a rare opportunity to preach to the entire church at EBC.
Here are two problems with preaching this upcoming Sunday...
1)  It is 4th of July weekend some might be away.
2)  It is the week after Pastor Duke's great sermon 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.  Pastor Duke does a awesome job of preaching the Word each Sunday.  It is a challenge filling the pulpit especially after such an awesome sermon on Killing Sin!  Click HERE to hear this sermon

Here are two reminders that have been an encouragement to me while preparing.
1)  God is sovereign.  He knows what weekend it is and He knows who is going to be at church on Sunday.
2)  God's word is powerful.  The main reason Pastor Duke's sermon was great is because it was based on the truth of what God's word says about the Gospel and man's sinfulness.

In the first 12 minutes of THIS SERMON, Alistair Begg summarizes what I have been trying to teach, model and demonstrate in EBC's Soul Care, EKIDZ ministry and my life
and
what I desire to communicate this Sunday morning - We need to treasure Christ!

I am really praying for "a meaningful preaching event."  Here is how Begg describes "a meaningful preaching event."

For a meaningful preaching event you need an expectant praying preacher and you need an expectant praying congregation and when the expectations meet at the throne of grace whereby both preacher and listeners are looking to God rather than looking to one another.  Then suddenly there is a divine chemistry and everyone is surprised. 

The preacher says listen and they listen. 

Children pay attention. 

They don't get it all but they get some of it. 

People are going home and the children are saying "I learned this" and the parents are saying "I can't believe you learned that." 

They didn't get the whole sermon but they got enough. 

They knew God was there. 

They knew the Bible was important. 

They knew their mom and dad were supposed to be learning the Bible so they could teach them the Bible.

It is my prayer that I will passionately preach our need to treasure Jesus Christ and help the congregation understand how to treasure Jesus Christ.

It is my prayer that each of us would treasure Jesus Christ more and we would help others treasure Him!