The mystery of the incarnation: Meekness and Majesty

Yesterday (Dec 7) we explored the mystery of the incarnation.  At the end of the message we watched the video, "That's My King."  If you would like to see it again, you may borrow the dvd from me, or go to http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/28/Thats-My-King

Hymn Sing, November 30, 6 p.m.

This Sunday evening you are invited to Ancaster Christian Reformed Church for a good ol' fashioned hymn sing, Wonderful Words of Life.  We'll be singing lots of your old favourites.  Join us!

Getting ready for Christmas - put up the lights!

November 30 is the first Sunday of Advent, and we are getting ready for Christmas. We spend some time with an elderly couple who hear the most precious words any of us could hope to hear: "Don't be afraid; your prayer has been heard."  The story of Zechariah & Elizabeth is part of a much bigger story.  The True Light has come into the world! Our stories too, are part of a bigger story of God's plan for the entire world.  Sunday, Nov 30, 10 a.m.

Zoë Isabella Hope

Yesterday was a celebration.  We witnessed the baptism of Zoë Isabella Hope, baby daughter of Rob and Krista Vandekuyt.  Zoë's baptism sealed her membership in God's covenant family.  Thanks be to God for his gift of grace!

Knowledge is power

Knowledge is power.  Many will agree with that statement because they believe that knowledge will enable you to achieve your dreams and your goals, to acquire all the good things this world has to offer.  But knowledge isn't, first of all, about us.  Knowledge points outside of ourselves to an awesome world, crafted by an awesome Creator.  When our knowledge of the Creator and his creation is shared, it is transformed into something much bigger:  wisdom.  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111).

This Sunday we will see how the knowledge of what God has done in our lives leaves us with no other response than to worship him. Our worship this Sunday morning includes the baptism of Zoe Vandekuyt.  November 23, 10 a.m.

Did Jesus show up?

The list of books I have read this week covers a broad range of topics.  This final book, Creature of the Word; The Jesus-Centered Church, orients it all back to where it belongs:  with Christ.  When I was in seminary, we were required to critique our classmates’ sermons.  The litmus test we used was this question:  “When did Jesus show up?”  Respected voices in the preaching world may contend that not every sermon has to speak the name of Jesus, that the gospel is still being preached.  Yet, I resonate with Charles Spurgeon who said, “You do not really preach the gospel if you leave Christ out—if He is omitted, it is not the gospel!” (Christ’s Triple Character, 1878). 

Authors Matt Chandler, Josh Patterson and Eric Geiger, chose the subtitle “Jesus-Centered” rather than “Gospel-Centered” because they recognize that “although the gospel does impact everything, everything is not the gospel” (7). Creature of the Word is how the Reformers described the church; the church is birthed from God’s Word.  Anything less or more is flawed and dangerous.

This book, written by pastors, covers almost every area of ministry.  I share with you a number of quotes that I found provocative or inspiring.  Enjoy:

If we lose sight of who Jesus is, “Our churches end of with a God who is safe, but weak; domesticated, but limited” (32).

“The reality is that everybody is a theologian; some of us have just unwittingly become heretics” (35).

“Worship gatherings are not always spectacular, but they are always supernatural” (42).

“While our faith is indeed very personal, it is definitely not private” (45).

“Cultural frustration [they are talking about your church’s culture] always precedes cultural transformation” (118).

“Corporate worship celebrates what God has done” (114).

“The church budget is a doctrinal statement” (192).

The church shouldn’t just survive, but thrive (218).

“Ministry will always be inefficient… We must recognize the limitation of best practices, then begin to reprioritize our approach to ministry” (230).

Do Hard Things

As I read Do Hard Things, I’ll confess that I needed to do a bit of repenting.  I too, have bought into our culture’s  view of teens and adolescents, that we cannot expect much of these young people as they go through these troublesome years. While our sons did not cause us too much grief during their teen years, I know I have used the language about having “survived” that era, of having “made it through;” I have made the jokes about locking up our kids and letting them out when they are 25, about how they become “nice people” and then move out! 

    Twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris challenge all of this in Do Hard Things; A teenage rebellion against low expectations.  This is a book by teens, for teens.  At times I felt as though I was eavesdropping on a private conversation.  Had the book been written by a 50 year old pastor, it would never have gotten the attention it is now receiving. 

   The teen years are to be a season of daring, when younger people see life as an adventure and jump in head first.  Oh to retain some of that enthusiasm for life when we reach our 50's!  Historically, there was no separate category for teens; you were either a child or an adult.  We may have done our youth a huge disservice by creating a special nomenclature for them. 

     At the end of the book the authors rattle off a list of 100 hard things that teenagers have done/could do.  A fun read, but more – a rally call to tap into the gifts of our younger members and to expect to see God bless them and use them to bless others.