God Using Our Church for His People’s Good and His Glory

God loves his church and uses it in special ways. Several weeks ago, our friends and regular attenders—Justin & Esther and Brent & Jericha—were married. Brent and Jericha have gotten plugged in the church and met new people, and Justin and Esther have been attending Joe and Karissa’s small group. Moreover, Joe and Karissa were quick to express that they were encouraged by Justin and Esther’s intentionality in finding a good church, knowing doctrine, seeking friendships, and their seamless integration into their small group. We can say the same for both couples—we’re encouraged by their involvement.

We bring this up for two reasons. First, it is encouraging to see the Lord at work in our church. From support by church members to wedding parties hosted by small group members, the way the Lord is using the members in our church is a very real example of God’s activity within our church. We’re not saying this to pat ourselves on the back. Rather, we say it in humble amazement that the God of creation would be present and active among us. Second, we want to rejoice with our friends! We’re so happy for them and so excited that they’ve been visiting our church. We look forward to seeing what the Lord does next!

Grab a Friend, Head to the Plaza, and Meet our Neighbors

We love our neighbors. The Old Towne Orange Street Fair is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of our community—and have a lot of fun doing it! Make plans to grab a friend and join us this weekend at the fair. Details about the fair can be found on their website.

Highlighting Holiness

Last month, we discussed how to love our unbelieving neighbors by listening to them. Now, let’s think about how to share with our “ones” about the character and holiness of God.

Richard Lovelace helpfully observed, “Men and women cannot know themselves until they know the reality of the God who made them, and once they know the holy God, their own sin appears so grievous that they cannot rest until they have fully appropriated Christ.”

An individual comes to trust in Jesus when, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they come to see the holiness of God and the sinfulness of their sin. There’s no other way to see the gospel as good news. Our task as evangelists is to convince others about the holiness of God and the sinfulness of their sin so that they begin to ask the question, “How then can I be saved?”

A couple of useful questions to get the conversation going in that direction are:

• “What do you think God is like?” or

• “If God created us, what do we owe Him?”

After listening to our “one” answer the question, we can use passages of Scripture about the holiness of God (Exo. 15:11, Isa. 6:3, Ps. 96, 1 Pet. 1:15, Heb. 12:14) to challenge and shape their views of God.

Next Steps

1. Decide who your “one” is for September and prepare to share about them with your small group. If you didn’t share the gospel with your “one” from last month, feel free to pick them and try again!

2. Think of two or three questions you could ask your “one” to get them to share their thoughts about the character and holiness of God. Prepare to share them with your group.

3. Review the “Who’s Your One?” webpage and make use of the recommended resources at the bottom.

May our neighbors come to know both the righteousness of God and the mercy of God shown to us through Jesus Christ.

Taking Steps Toward Trusting the Lord

A preacher named Martin Lloyd-Jones once suggested that part of our problem its act we spend more time listening to ourselves than talking to ourselves. So, what do we say to ourselves when we are afraid? Pastor Dustin answers this question by looking at Psalm 56. This Psalm teaches us to defy our fears by naming our threats, remembering Christ, and renewing our trust. If you’re currently facing fear, anxiety, or worry, Psalm 56 is for you.

Three Churches. Two Days. One Mission.

Make plans to join us September 30th through October 2nd in Idyllwild, CA for our annual Celebration event. All three Sovereign Grace churches will be there. We’ll have games, music, encouraging messages, activities for all ages, and plenty of time to relax with friends. Wondering if it’s worth your time? The Lord has always met us here, and no one leaves with regrets. Can’t figure out if it’s in the budget? Financial aid is available. Still on the fence? Don’t be. We want to see you there! Register below. Contact Melissa with any questions.

Dive Deeper Together

If you missed out on our summer reading plan, don’t worry! Here is another chance to dive into God’s Word with the men in our church. This time, we’ll be reading through the whole Bible. You can see the plan here. You’ll be reading passages from the New Testament and Old Testament each day in order to see how the Bible connects. If you’ve never read through the Bible or simply want to grow in your faith, now’s your chance. It all begins September 5th. The deadline to sign up is September 4th. Register below.

Make Plans for the Park and Street Fair

We’ve got two events this week. Mark your calendars for Wednesday (8/31) and set aside some time this weekend (9/2-9/4). Here’s all the details:

• Park Day at Shaffer Park

  • Wednesday (8/31)

  • Meet at Shaffer Park (1930 N Shaffer St, 92865) from 3:30-5:30pm

  • This is the last event on our Summer Calendar, so let’s make it count! This is a great event for all ages to come together and spend time with one another. Check out our Facebook page for details. Contact Kirsi with any questions.

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• Old Towne Orange Street Fair

  • Friday (9/2) - Sunday (9/4)

  • Old Towne Orange Plaza

  • We love our neighbors. This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of our community—and have a lot of fun doing it! Make plans to grab a friend and join us this weekend at the fair. Details about the fair can be found on their website.
    

Fellowship Never Tasted So Good

Our Chili Cook Off 2022 is in the books. Bob took home the Tastiest Chili Trophy, Ben earned the Most Creative Trophy, and Daniel finished with the Spiciest Chili Trophy. A big thanks to all of our participates and all those who made it happen. We’re already looking forward to next year.