Just to be winning…
It difficult to be in competition with someone this cool and good looking…..
But, Jesus said…”So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Launch!!!!
The launch Sunday went really well! Glory to Christ for the things done in our first official service. Invite everyone to this coming sunday as Phud continues teaching through Galatians; it’s going to be a great series and I am really excited about it the more I am reading through this book. The set list for this past Sunday:
Happy Day- Tim Hughes
Everlasting God- Brenton Brown
-Message-
Lead Me to the Cross- Hillsong United
Consume Us- Remedy Worship
Here Is Our King- David Crowder Band
God of this City- Bluetree
By the way, you might notice that Phud and I are engaged in a slight “Blog War”. Whoever is at the top of this page is winning. I am now winning.
Launch Day!
Today was the official “launch” of Remedy Church. So, I thought I would try to unpack the day and the service. This will just be a lot of random things, so forgive me.
Today was awesome. The service went really well. We had exactly 100 people at our official first service. Thank-you to everyone who came today. Bring your friends, neighbors and co-workers next week! We will continue our study through our current series “crucified Christ”, which is a study through Galatians. Today was the introduction to Galatians, so if you weren’t there today, you can pick right up with us.
God moved this morning in a great way. I had some great conversations. It was great to see God moving in your hearts. The challenge to make sure we understand the Gospel from the beginning and never add to it was timely. May we never be a church that adds to the Gospel! May we never move away to a different Gospel than what we find in Scripture! May God add to the Kingdom at Remedy!
Thank-you to all the hard working volunteers who worked selflessly. You are great. From the parking lot, to the greeters, to the Remedy Kids teachers, to the sound and media guys; you all did a great job!
This is not a burden for the shoulders of a child.
Currently I have been reading through the book, The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter. He lived in the 17th century. His insights to pastoral ministry are extraordinary. In one section he was writing regarding delivering sermons. Here are some of the awesome quotes.
“This is not a burden for the shoulders of a child”
“to preach a sermon; what skill is necessary to make the truth plain; to convince the hearers, to let irresistable light in to their consciences, and to keep it there, and, drive all home; to screw the truth into their minds, and work Christ into their affections”
“How often have carnal hearers gone home jeering at the palpable and dishonourable failings of the preacher!”
There is literally too much to quote. But one more regarding preachers who do not study.
“I know that laziness hath learned to allege the vanity of all our studies, and how entirely the Spirit must qualify us for and assist us in our work; as if God commanded us the use of means, and then warranted us to neglect them; as if it were his way to cause us to thrive in a course of idleness, and to bring us to knowledge by dreams when we are asleep, or to take us up into heaven, and show us his counsels, while we think of no such matter, but are idling away our time on earth!”
WOW!
If you read all of that, then, I love you and God loves you. Ha ha.
Demanding a King
Set List for January 18th:
The Highest and Greatest- Tim Hughes
Awesome Is the Lord Most High- Chris Tomlin
Message
Blessed Be Your Name- Matt Redman
You Never Let Go- Matt Redman
All Because of Jesus- Fee
You Are God- Charlie Hall
1 Samuel 12:19-25:
19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” 20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
I have been reading the book of 1 Samuel for the past week or so. I have been pretty amazed so far at the words on these pages. My lack of reverence, fear, and love for God have been revealed to me in a deeper way and at the same time my understanding of the grace and love of God for me has been more greatly realized. This passage sums it all up for me and leaves me in awe of Jesus, humbled by God in heaven sending His only Son to die on a sinner’s cross in my place. This is love realized.
The people of Israel did not just turn to another king who deceived them into believing lies. They demanded that Samuel appoint for them a king. They insisted that they knew best and directly asked for someone other than the Lord to be ruler over them. They wanted to be as every other nation ruled by a man. Rejecting God, turning to earthly security. This is us every single moment of every day of our lives. We turn and run headlong into sin and into temporary, false security away from life and love. Away from Jesus. The King of all has been cast aside in our hearts and we have requested our own kings to lead us and satisfy our wants and desires. I know this breaks God’s heart. He is terribly jealous for us as His bride and His people and we want nothing to do with Him. While we are in this dead state, He sends His Son to live a perfect life and die in love on a cross. I pray that our hearts at Remedy Church are MOVED GREATLY by this saving, redeeming love. This is how we know love! Our Lord and King has restored us to Himself! I pray that our worship in a corporate setting and individually as we spend time with Christ reflects this. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you! (vs 24)
Pray for the launch this Sunday and invite everyone to come! Glory to Christ!
Pastoral Commitments
In our last “preview” service today before our launch, (next Sunday, Jan. 25) I outlined my 5 pastoral commitments based from 2 Timothy 4:1-8. These were 5 that were in the text. So I do have others, but we just looked at these 5. We will have audio available soon, but here are the 5 commitments.
5 Pastoral Commitments – 2 Timothy 4:1-8
1. I will preach & teach the Word (expositionally). (v. 2-4)
2. I will reprove, rebuke and exhort you regarding your sin. (v. 2) – (with patience and teaching)
3. I will pursue, with you, a life of suffering evangelism. (v. 5)
4. I will FIGHT for sanctification/holiness. (v. 7)
5. I will love, emphasize, and look forward to His appearing. (v. 8 )
First Sunday
This past Sunday was our first Sunday meeting. It was a service for the core group to get together and it provided everyone a chance to see how things should go for the launch on January 25th. Things went pretty well and we were able to see some things to improve upon. The set list was:
New Year- Charlie Hall
Message
Jesus Paid it All
You Reign- Hillsong United
Our Redemption- Remedy Worship
Salvation Is Here- Hillsong United
Point of Difference- Hillsong United
One more service this Sunday before the launch! Pray and invite people to join us.
What does a baseball game have to do with Jesus?
When I was in college I helped out the baseball team at USC. We had to travel to Clemson one Wednesday night to play them. It was freezing cold. The game started around 7pm or so. It was three hours of them (Clemson) beating us (USC) horribly. We lost 17-3. At no point was there ever a chance. The game just dragged on while inning after inning they just score more runs and crushed us. It was terrible.
Now, you need to know this about USC baseball in the 90’s. The coach (at the time) loathed, detested, hated losing. Everybody hates losing, but I have never seen someone in my life hate to lose more than him. I mean, scary.
After the game all we wanted to do was get on the bus for the 2 1/2 hour drive back home. It was like 11pm already and everybody was tired and hungry. Everyone was on the bus except for the coach who hated losing. And even though we just got killed spirits were high on the bus. Probably a little too high…
The coach got on the bus last and heard the “party” (I quote the word “party” to verify the absurdity that there was a party). However, what he heard was a party. Then he became enraged. He ripped a newspaper out of a guys hands and lit into everyone on the bus and ordered everyone not to talk, but, instead to think about the game we just lost.
No one knew what to do. It was so scorching hot on the bus because the driver had turn on the heat because it was cold outside; and we were all about to pass out. Because no one was allowed to talk, no one would ask the bus driver to turn down the heat. Being tired and hot, no one had a chance of staying awake. This infuriated the coach. No one was thinking about the game we just lost, we were all sleeping.
So, here’s the question, what does a baseball game have to do with Jesus?
Answer: The choice he made to just not listen and end all conversation, no matter what.
I wonder if unbelievers feel that way around you? You don’t listen, end all conversation, no matter what.
Do you always have to be right? Are you willing to listen? I’m not saying you don’t keep your beliefs or still stand up for truth. But, as Christians, we are called to listen.
James 1:19 – “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger“
on the threshold
We are on the threshold.
Tomorrow begins the first day of Remedy Church.
Well, in two weeks (Jan. 25), we officially launch, so “officially” we don’t start until then. But, tomorrow is the day we do start our preview services on Sunday mornings. And I’m excited.
It’s the starting point. I am so excited about what God is going to do through Remedy Church to reach the lost and perishing in the city of Rock Hill. Great things are coming. We will pursue Christ’s glory above all things as we seek to reach this city with the Gospel.
Much more to come….