Pastor Eric preached at our sister church in Aurora, CO this past Sunday. Here's his report...

You would have loved meeting the church in Aurora. These guys love Jesus. Many of them have been with the church for years. I even bumped into a family I hadn't seen since early on in the life of a sister church in San Diego. It was a real privilege to worship and serve alongside this congregation.

We are stronger because of our relationship to them.

One of the highlights of my trip was administering oral examinations for Pastoral Candidates. Men had flown in from all over the Western U.S., but two of them were home grown Aurora guys. And while their test scores are still private, the grace of God at work in them is not.

I met two men who want to serve.

Be encouraged. God is giving our little denomination gifted men and women we can partner with in the gospel. May our congregations be cities on a hill, shining forth God's glory and his gospel throughout Colorado, Arizona, and California!

P.S. What about Nevada?! This trip was the first time I realized there is a big hole in our little world :)

We gather every Sunday in Old Towne Orange to rehearse the greatest news the world has ever received. Christians need to hear it. Skeptics need to hear it. People who are ashamed of their past need to hear it.

God is making peace with man one man at a time.

This Sunday at Sovereign Grace Pastoral Resident Lucas Enge will be preaching from Philippians 1:12-18. Roger Servin is leading our songs. Pastor Mike is presiding over the service.

• Our Adult Sunday School Class is discussing the practice of church membership. 
• Our Newcomers Class is studying the doctrine of the church and the pursuit of godliness.
• Pastor Eric will be preaching from Matthew 13:44 at our sister church in Aurora, CO.

How hot is it going to be in Old Towne Orange this Sunday?

Hotter than it was in this picture from back in December. No duh...just look at that guy wearing a coat. I think it was like 60 degrees. Brrrr.

Be prepared. The Woman's Club of Orange doesn't have air conditioning yet. We'll have fans and ice water and this is your excuse to come to church like you are on your way to the beach.

We announced last Sunday that Lucas Enge will begin serving as our first-ever Pastoral Resident, effective immediately. To which the congregation stood in spontaneous applause :)

Here's some of what Lucas shared...

Our lives have been transformed. 

This is what happens when you are immersed into a gospel saturated, grace loving church. I love Jesus. I love the gospel. I love his Word. I love the church. And I love Orange.

I also know you love me, my wife, and our daughters far more than we deserve. Through you, God has poured out his love on us. You’ve been generous, you’ve befriended us, and your joy in Christ has affected us.

We are in a good place.

God has allowed me to serve along side numerous pastors over the past decade. Yet, I simply can't imagine a better pair of men to learn from. If there is even the slightest possibility that God may have a plan for me to become a pastor at any point in the future, there is no other church I would rather serve, and no two men I would rather learn to serve with.

I expect this new season will teach me again how small I am and how big God is. There will be blessings and their will be challenges. So please pray for me. Thank you for being patient with me. I’m so grateful you’ve allowed me to serve and I want to serve for your good and God’s glory.

Where do pastors come from?

We desire to train men for pastoral ministry. We believe we're called to do this. It's not unique to us, every church must do it. It is a local church mandate.

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up..."                  (Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV)

This past Sunday we introduced a new initiative at Sovereign Grace Church...our Pastoral Residency Program. In short, this new effort fills the gap between our Internship Program and an individual's ordination. With internships, we explore character and gifting. We give people the time and opportunity to gain experience and be tested.

Why Pastoral Residents?

A Pastoral Resident is a man we believe is called to be a pastor. He appears to have the character and gifting and now we are asking "When and where?" So we invite him into the life of the pastoral team. He's not a pastor yet (i.e. ordained), but we anticipate he will be soon. There are no guarantees and we might even conclude the he is called to pastor another church...even outside our denomination.

What do Pastoral Residents do?

The job descriptions of each Pastoral Resident will vary and their responsibilities will be determined by a number of factors: particular strengths and weaknesses, the level of their existing relationship with the congregation, maturity, anticipated calling, etc.

How can you help?

Be assured that we will work hard to respect the office of pastor. You don't need to wonder what role each resident plays in your life and the life of the church. We'll define their responsibilities and keep you informed. And as always, your help and affirmation is very important.

Encourage our residents like you would any other brother. Personally thank them for serving and do you best to help them bear good fruit. Contact your pastor and ask questions or express concerns. Pray for everyone involved.

"The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Alma shared this past Sunday...

It’s hard to describe a single event or person that led me to my faith in Christ. I grew up attending a Roman Catholic church and was curious about the devotion of the people around me. How they could believe in things they could not see? 

I also never understood why He was so unapproachable and hard to love. Why couldn’t I have a direct relationship with God. Why did I need to confess and have other rituals done on my behalf in order to obtain forgiveness and love? It didn't make sense. 

I had so many questions.

But I now see that my questions were the beginning of the work of the Spirit in me. God was speaking into my life and world. At times I resisted…it was like a war was going on inside me. I was hearing truth but didn’t always like or accept it at first.

It took years to trust God.

Just as it’s hard to believe other people could love me, so too it’s been hard to believe God loves me. I have learned that I am fickle but God is not. With him there is persistent grace and forgiveness. He’s been patient with me, even in my unbelief.

He waits for me.

The summer is over and it's time to get to busy. Here are a few opportunities this Fall that you need to register for ASAP.

Newcomers Class

The Starting Point Class is a great place to get to know us better. Twice a year, our pastors lead a series of 5 discussions covering everything from our theological distinctives to our ministry philosophies. Every church member is required to take the course, but there is no pressure to join the church after doing so. The next class begins September 14, 2014.

Learn more, ask questions, and register here.

Men's Group

Theology on Tap is our once-a-month theological discussion designed to challenge men to think, learn, listen, and speak with grace and love. We want to be men who know what we believe and why we believe it...and to do all this all in the context of the local church. 

Learn more and register ASAP. The next meeting is September 10, 2014.

Preachers Club

The Preachers Club is a once-a-month workshop designed to equip church members to proclaim the Word of God. Granted some may preach the gospel better, but nobody preaches a better gospel. Interested? We use Bryan Chapell's Christ-Centered Preaching as our textbook.

Contact Pastor Eric for more information.