We had our Easter service a week early. This past Saturday, March 15, we celebrated Christ's resurrection with friends & family. I had the privilege of baptizing my son, Drew, as well.
It was good to finally meet for a service, but we are also looking forward to starting gatherings in our home on March 29. These will be family-friendly gatherings where we will share a meal, and then have a time of worship with the kids. Then the kids will go out for a bible lesson while the adults have a time of discussion and sharing about a biblical lesson. These gatherings will be very informal, and will allow us to connect with each other and build community.
Out of these gatherings it is our desire that discipleship groups, Life Transformation Groups or LTGs, will form. Basically, these will be discipleship or accountability groups of no more than 3 people. Through these groups we can encourage each other in our walk with Christ, and we can also help those who are searching to find answers to their questions.
Of course, through all of this, we want to keep our eyes focused on the world around us. There will be many opportunities to reach out to others and share the love of Christ.
Stay tuned for more information on what's happening with The Exchange. Our house gatherings will begin on March 29 at 5:30 p.m. at our home at 12801 Hurricane Lane, Keller, TX 76248. We plan to have these gatherings at 5:30 p.m. every Saturday. Feel free to e-mail with any questions.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Carrying Our Sins
Since we are not having Sunday morning services at this time, we are attending a nearby church in Keller. As I was listening to the sermon this past Sunday about following Christ's example, the Lord brought to my mind I Peter 2:21. The NLT renders it this way, "For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps."
I kept on reading into verses 22-24, and v. 24 stopped me in my tracks. "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right."
"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross . . . " That is so powerful. Each time we are tempted to sin we ought to remember how high a price he paid for our freedom from sin. Yet, too often we wallow in sin disregarding His sacrifice.
" . . . So that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right." That precious blood of Jesus was not willingly offered for our sins so that we could live to our flesh. No! It was offered so we would live alive to Christ and dead to sin!
The band Switchfoot sings a song called "Meant to Live," and in that song it says that "We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?"
This year, I don't want that to be my theme song. I want my theme song to be something like "Victory in Jesus" or "You Are My All in All." I desire to follow Paul's admonition in Ephesians 4:1 (NLT), "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." He saved me and He saved you for so much more than the life we often lead. He saved us for a dead life to sin, but for an abundant life in Christ.
I want to wrap up with a quote from Dan Oliver, pastor of Northridge Baptist Church, in Keller, from this past Sunday. "We do not need to focus so much on imitation of Christ, but on imitation in Christ."
I kept on reading into verses 22-24, and v. 24 stopped me in my tracks. "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right."
"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross . . . " That is so powerful. Each time we are tempted to sin we ought to remember how high a price he paid for our freedom from sin. Yet, too often we wallow in sin disregarding His sacrifice.
" . . . So that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right." That precious blood of Jesus was not willingly offered for our sins so that we could live to our flesh. No! It was offered so we would live alive to Christ and dead to sin!
The band Switchfoot sings a song called "Meant to Live," and in that song it says that "We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves?"
This year, I don't want that to be my theme song. I want my theme song to be something like "Victory in Jesus" or "You Are My All in All." I desire to follow Paul's admonition in Ephesians 4:1 (NLT), "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." He saved me and He saved you for so much more than the life we often lead. He saved us for a dead life to sin, but for an abundant life in Christ.
I want to wrap up with a quote from Dan Oliver, pastor of Northridge Baptist Church, in Keller, from this past Sunday. "We do not need to focus so much on imitation of Christ, but on imitation in Christ."
Friday, November 16, 2007
Committing Our Work
This week was a crazy one, but it seems that they are all crazy, right? At least in my world, that's the way it is.
My family was all spread out this week with a lot of activity. Judi, my wife, was volunteering as a sponsor for my son's school at a local competition. She took my daughter, Kate. Drew, my son, and I were all alone, and then I left him with his grandparents to attend the state meeting of our denomination. So, we didn't see each other much all week, but finally, as of last night, we are back together. I am certainly glad for that, because I love being with my family.
The meeting I attended this week was pretty cool. Each year I enjoy the fellowship, because I see and meet people there that I do not normally have a chance to be around throughout the year. I had the chance to share about our church plant with so many people. That was great in itself, but the real blessing for me was to see God working all over the state of Texas through local churches. I loved to hear the heart of leaders in those churches as they share what God is doing and how He is working in lives.
Then, this morning, as I read in Proverbs 16, the Lord brought me to verse 3. "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed." (NLT) It was as if He was reminding me that I need to surrender myself to Him every day as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1,2) in order to experience real success in His sight.
This verse in Proverbs brought back to mind something I read by Wolfgang Simson this week about our perception of building the church. He stated in his book, Houses That Change the World, the following possible interpretations of what we mean by the statement "building the church."
"We will build our church."
"We will build His church."
"Jesus will build our church."
"Jesus will build His church."
Obviously, the last interpretation is the only biblical option. However, we need a constant reminder of the fact that it is His work. In fact, we are "His workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10), aren't we? He just asks that we commit ourselves to Him and let Christ live in us. "I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NLT)
It is His work in us individually, and as He works in our hearts He will build His church. So, as we sit at the feet of Jesus, as we grow in Him, and as we let Him minister through us, let's not forget that it is His work in us. It is His timing and His plan, because we are His.
My family was all spread out this week with a lot of activity. Judi, my wife, was volunteering as a sponsor for my son's school at a local competition. She took my daughter, Kate. Drew, my son, and I were all alone, and then I left him with his grandparents to attend the state meeting of our denomination. So, we didn't see each other much all week, but finally, as of last night, we are back together. I am certainly glad for that, because I love being with my family.
The meeting I attended this week was pretty cool. Each year I enjoy the fellowship, because I see and meet people there that I do not normally have a chance to be around throughout the year. I had the chance to share about our church plant with so many people. That was great in itself, but the real blessing for me was to see God working all over the state of Texas through local churches. I loved to hear the heart of leaders in those churches as they share what God is doing and how He is working in lives.
Then, this morning, as I read in Proverbs 16, the Lord brought me to verse 3. "Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed." (NLT) It was as if He was reminding me that I need to surrender myself to Him every day as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1,2) in order to experience real success in His sight.
This verse in Proverbs brought back to mind something I read by Wolfgang Simson this week about our perception of building the church. He stated in his book, Houses That Change the World, the following possible interpretations of what we mean by the statement "building the church."
"We will build our church."
"We will build His church."
"Jesus will build our church."
"Jesus will build His church."
Obviously, the last interpretation is the only biblical option. However, we need a constant reminder of the fact that it is His work. In fact, we are "His workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10), aren't we? He just asks that we commit ourselves to Him and let Christ live in us. "I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NLT)
It is His work in us individually, and as He works in our hearts He will build His church. So, as we sit at the feet of Jesus, as we grow in Him, and as we let Him minister through us, let's not forget that it is His work in us. It is His timing and His plan, because we are His.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Just starting up
This blog is created for the purpose of inspiration and conversation as we at The Exchange Community Church and others seek to make disciples in our area. Stay tuned for posts.
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