OBADIAH may be the smallest book in the Bible, but it paints the picture of a big God who "resists the proud and gives grace to the humble." Come and see why this minor prophet really isn't so minor.
If you haven't joined us for Sunday School at 10am in the Woman's Club garden, please do this coming Sunday. There's no homework and you can pick up with us right where we are. Partner with us in our quest to see Christ in all of Scripture.
These are strategic moments in our life together as a congregation. Our pastors lead us through updates, testimonies, church business, and church vision. We laugh, we ask questions, we pray, and we celebrate. That's a members meeting at Sovereign Grace Church.
This last Sunday we gathered in the Woman's Club gardens to cover a number of topics.
That last category was a new one for us. It's never been covered in a members meeting and it was exciting. Here is the adaptation from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Planting Manual that Pastor Eric referenced.
One of the most basic questions asked of anyone who is involved in church planting is, "Why are you starting a new church?" Implied is the question: "Aren't there already enough churches here?”
Three reasons found in the New Testament:
May we all press in and pray more fervently for our small corner of the universe. Orange County is bursting at the seams with people who need Jesus.
Deacons are part of God's plan to advance his Word through us. They ensure our testimony as a church equals the testimony of the Scriptures...that our walk and talk match up. As Pastor Eric has said, "We need to repent of our preoccupation with growth management practices and go back to the Bible. When the church grows and her ministries get stretched, God's says elect deacons, not adopt better business practices."
David is our current "reigning" church intern and preparing to return full time to the marketplace. We couldn't be more pleased with his progress and are hopeful for his future. David would make for a strong addition to our newly established deaconate ministry.
As per our constitutional documents, you have 14 days to provide the pastors written feedback regarding this nomination. We strongly encourage every church member to participate in the phase of the ordination process. You won't be prohibited from participating later, but now is the time for you to speak affirmations and concerns.
During the ordination process, members of the church are asked and given opportunity to submit in writing their observations, affirmation, or critique of the man in question. This is not to propagate gossip and slander, but to allow opportunity to stop the process if there is information the pastors lack in evaluating the man. Additionally, affirmation will help confirm the selection of the candidate. Such feedback is an important opportunity for the congregation to assist in the ordination process.
Qualifications for the office of deacon.
Contact information for the pastoral team.
Thanks in advance for your participation. We'll keep you updated as we proceed.
This Sunday we reached a significant milestone in the life of our church. We ordained our first deacon. Les Card.
Deacons are like shock absorbers. When the church grows and resources are spread thin, deacons are there to bring unity and stability. They are like first responders, providing the leadership we need to ensure no one is left out or left behind.
Pray for Les. Pray for his wife Sue and his children. The pastors have asked him to spend the next year developing a plan to build a robust deaconate ministry within our church.
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.
Before I answer the question, let me just say that I care. One of the primary responsibilities of a pastor is that of caring for hurt and hurting people, especially if you've been hurt by a church or a church member. And more so if it was our church or even me, personally. I care deeply about this. Hurting people are a priority.
That said, I understand. It's hard to give yourself to the church when the church does something to hurt you. It's hard to trust. It's hard to forgive. It's difficult to even know why you should try.
The church is a body, not a club. It doesn't measure it's health by the well-being of individual members. It's a collective arrangement. We aren't complete unless you are with us, hurts and all.
In fact, the strong need the wounded as much as the wounded need the strong. Sundays are a time of repentance and reconciliation. Sundays are a time of healing and greeting and sharing and ministry. My hope is that Sovereign Grace is a safe place for hurting people to rediscover the wonderful world of the local church.
I understand it's hard to grasp the purpose for which the church exists when it seems to have failed. My only consolation is that Jesus knows and cares. Through it all, His plan is still the church and I'm hoping this includes you.
This is a big week in the life of our young church. We are ordaining our first deacon on Sunday and you are invited to watch. This should be a wonderful moment as we thank God for the gift of leadership and pray for our future together.
If you're new and not sure what we mean by "ordaining," it's just a fancy way of saying we are appointing someone to an official office of the church. And if you're wondering what deacons do and why we need them, here's a brief list (check out the full blog post here).
Please plan on participating in our regularly scheduled members meeting this Sunday, immediately following our service. Bring your lunch and plan on hearing some important updates regarding our shared ministry: deacons, finances, church planting, and more.
Last Sunday our friends from Pillar Bible Church joined a new alliance of churches. This is the church we've shared office space with for the last few years.
Members of other Lighthouse churches from all over California came out to witness the event and a number of local pastors participated in their first service, including our Pastor Eric.
