Join us in the Woman's Club Garden at 10 AM for Sunday School. This week we begin a series loosely based on the material from 9 Marks of a Healthy Church. You don't need to buy anything and there is no homework. Just come and learn with us.
Praise God for the time we had with Jason and Christine. We're sad to say goodbye but very excited to see what God has planned for them next. Jason starts med school and Christine continues on in her field of study (Communication Disorders).
A few weeks ago they shared a testimony:
Most of you know this already, but Christine and I are moving to Northern California in a few days. We honestly can’t believe we are leaving so soon. It was just 8 months ago that we shared our story of becoming members. Now we are leaving.
Much of what we have to say to you today is the same as back then. And honestly, this is one of the biggest compliments we can give to you as a church body - you are the exact same people you appeared to be 8 months ago. We just know you better now.
God used you to keep us in the faith, and to help us find our identity in Christ and His people - not in our jobs and our education. God has used you in our lives in so many ways. There are far too many things for us to mention them all , but a few big ones:
Thank you for greeting us warmly every Sunday, even when we were busy and running out after service. You have no idea how much that helped. When you welcomed us, you were living proof that God had also welcomed us.
Thank you for being open with your lives and sharing them with us. You shared the good and the bad. Through you, God showed us diverse examples of faithful Christian living. You probably didn’t know it, but we were watching you and learning from you.
We are so grateful for our small group. You supported us throughout this year of ups and downs and hard decisions. Your affirmations shed light on God’s work in our lives, even when we aren’t able to see it ourselves.
Their Senior Pastor is on an extended sabbatical and, while gone, the church invited pastors from Sovereign Grace Churches throughout the western U.S. to preach on evangelism and mission.
Pastor Eric reports: "It was so good to finally greet this church in person. They are a wonderful, mature group of brothers and sisters...read about their story here. They have been partners in the gospel for many years.
The man in the picture gave a testimony of attending this church for 4 years while struggling with drug addiction. All this time they loved him, cared for him, and continued to reach out to him. Now he's christian man with a passion to see God save the lost and broken. Wow."
From Christopher:
I'm so grateful for you, Sovereign Grace Church. Thanks for being the kind of church that equips men to lead, study, and preach the Word. Thank you for your encouragement, both before and after the service. But most of all, thanks for being a church that makes Christ their treasure above all!
Preaching on the topic of the surpassing gift of God Himself is easier when you're preaching to people who do it. And this you do well.
Now they say the way to learn to preach is to preach. Study and observation only go so far and I can confirm this. With one sermon under my belt, I've already learned:
I have a deeper sense for what our pastors do every week. It really is labor. Preaching takes effort, both head and heart. They aren't just enjoying extending "quiet times" in their bible.
Preaching is about shepherding the church and glorifying God. The preacher loves Jesus and then loves the church like he loves Jesus. Humor has it's place, but I learned humor doesn't always serve the sermon. I felt the pull to want to be funny, but that would only have given you more of me.
Paradox alert! Even though preaching has little to do with the preacher, it is a little bit about the preacher. Not that he is the center of attention or anything. But immersing yourself in the Scriptures and preparing to deliver a sermon does a preacher's soul good.
I was also really encouraged by everyone sharing how God spoke to them personally. It made me think that preachers may be those best positioned to benefit from their own sermons. Funny how it works this way.
So thank you. You made learning to preach my first sermon a real blessing. I'm amazed at what God can do with my less-than-perfect attempts at loving you.
This Sunday our very own Christopher Erkelens will be preaching his very first sermon. Thanks for being a church who invests in the future leaders and preachers of Orange County. Your Preachers Club is bearing good fruit.
This year we're challenging our members and regular attenders to attend a church service every week in 2014. You can read more about the 52 SUNDAYS challenge here. This article is part of a series of articles about 52 SUNDAYS.
What constitutes a "part-time" church attender? Someone who goes to church half the time? Three times a month? Five out of six? How regular do you need to be in order to say "I go to church all the time." Because face it...stuff happens. Nobody goes ALL the time.
Trevin Wax recently did the math on a fictional young couple named Geoff and Christine:
Maybe more of us are part-time attenders than we think? I don't think so (not Sovereign Grace Church overall), but I think it's fair to say that the value of meeting together weekly is quickly eroding in the broader church world.
If our Sundays together remain a centerpiece of our community, we need to fight for it. We need to define it. We need to encourage one another in it and not assume every new person who joins our church will think the same.
It really doesn't matter what stage of the Christian life you are in. These three goals are the full-time occupation of every person who calls themselves a Sovereign Grace.
This summer we are highlighting God’s power to save people through a series of testimonies. Every few Sundays, a church member will tell us a bit about their story and how God has been at work in their lives. We hope these are as encouraging to you as they've been to us. Testimonies are a great reminder that God’s gospel is still powerful, spreading throughout Orange County, and saving individuals like us.
"I thought I could handle my life. Work, family, raising a child. I was in control and capable. But I was wrong."
"My marriage broke down and I suffered divorce. It was then that I realized I needed help."
"I started reading a bible and then my brother invited me to his church. That morning everything changed."
"A few years later I faced a job relocation to Orange County. Again another crisis...I had never left my hometown, my family and friends, and now my first church."
"I'm so grateful I'm not alone and that God has given me you (Sovereign Grace Church). You are so important to me and I couldn't imagine life without you. Thank you for loving me like Christ loves you."
If you are a recent guest, first-time attender, just passing through, or have been around a couple weeks but haven't yet been to a guest luncheon, then please be our guest! Join us this Sunday, 07-27-14, immediately following the service, for a luncheon in the Woman's Club Garden.
The format is "come-and-go as you please" and kids are welcome. A few members of the church and one of our pastors will be there to greet you.
More info will be available at the service on Sunday. See you then!