The Habits of Growing Disciples 4: Doing Life Together

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Acts 2.42-47 Words to describe the missional community Assembly/Congregation This was the word was commonly used to describe God’s people in the Old Testament. One of the great “doing life together” stories in the Old Testament is the story of Achan. When Joshua led the Israelites into Jericho, the people were instructed not to take … Read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are the Peacemakers

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Matthew 5.1-12 – The BeatitudesMatthew 26.47-56 – Jesus’ Arrest Bill Cosby, “Kid’s Say”Cosby tries to explain to nine-year-old Peter what Jesus meant by “turning other cheek.” “If somebody hits you, you don’t hit him back,” Cosby begins.    Confused, Peter replies “Jesus said be a wimp?”    “No, not a wimp, a lover of  peace.”  … Read more

Community Lenten Service: The Road to Jerusalem

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Our Lenten Journey The earliest followers of Jesus were often called “followers of the Way.” In Greek (the NT language), the word “way” also means “road.” This Lenten season, we’ve been looking at some of the roads Jesus walked during his life on earth. Tonight, we’ll take a look at “The Road to Jerusalem.” Jerusalem … Read more

The Habits of Growing Disciples 3: God First

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From the beginning of our spiritual heritage, we’ve been taught to put God first. In fact, that’s how the Ten Commandments begin: “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. “Do not worship any other gods besides me…” (Exodus 20). And, Deuteronomy 6.4-6, which we’ve been lifting up, instructs us … Read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are You!

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Matthew 5.1-12-The Beatitudes Seeking my father’s approvalI played on the newly formed girl’s volleyball team when I was in high school. Being a new team we weren’t that great. We sure didn’t have a winning season. But I had a pretty mean serve. My dad didn’t go to a lot of my school functions, but … Read more

The Habits of Growing Disciples 2: Keeping Sabbath

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As long as I’ve been following Jesus, I have been interested in spiritual growth and transformation. I’ve been interested in the ways that Christ-followers grow. This series is something of an outgrowth of this interest. My goal is to be a spiritual leader (like the abbot in a monastic community) whose job it is to … Read more

Community Lenten Service: The Road in the Wilderness

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Deuteronomy 8.1-6, 15-16Matthew 4.1-11 (The Temptation of Christ) Have you ever felt like you were going in circles? Have you ever been lost? Randy and I, not too long after we moved here, went to Greenwood Furnace and hiked up to the fire tower. On the way back we had the bright idea that when … Read more

The Habits of Growing Disciples 1: Followers of ‘the Way’

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Deuteronomy 6.1–9 “We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but when it comes to the point, we are not prepared to pay the price involved.” (J. Oswald Sanders) I’ve been looking forward to this … Read more

The Beatitudes: Yearning for God

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Job 1.13-22; 2.7-10 Matthew 5.1-12 – The Beatitudes A college student wrote the following note home: Dear Mom and Dad: I’m sorry to be so long in writing. Unfortunately, all my stationery was destroyed the night our dorm was set on fire by the demonstrators. I’m out of the hospital now, and the doctors say … Read more

Covenant Renewal

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In today’s worship time, we conducted John Wesley’s Covenant Service. It was a special time where Christ followers committed (and/or re-committed) their lives to God! We experienced God’s presence in a special way, and I pray that it was indeed a defining moment for each of us personally, and for us a community of faith. … Read more