Our Blog

Student Ministry - September 2019

Dear Church Family,

As Pastor Nick recently shared from the pulpit, the gospel is something Christians should always try to give away to others. This is because it is the only source of life. That is what Christian ministry is all about, living according to the gospel and sharing the gospel with others. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, ^“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” We have many wonderful born-again students at our church, and this verse tells us that it is the responsibility of the church to equip them to live out their faith and reach people they know with the gospel. This is not just an adult calling… this is the Christian’s calling.

Therefore, this fall we will be starting a message series called GO! It will be broken into two main series subtitles: GO! Be a Disciple and GO! Make Disciples. These messages will be looking at Jesus’ call to His first disciples: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become    fishers of men.’” (Mark 1:17). We will expand on how the Bible instructs Middle and High Schoolers to follow Jesus in their context as well as how to help others begin to follow Christ. These are the two major aspects of being a Christian, and it is imperative that we help our    students live them out. Students need every encouragement they can get to faithfully follow Christ in a culture that is constantly trying to lure them away. They must see what it looks like to be a true disciple in this generation. They need biblical truth applied to their every-day experiences that will help them continue to keep Christ their priority! But it must not stop there. They also need help to see what it looks like to share their faith with their friends. Many people don’t share their faith because they don’t know how to. They haven’t really thought through what they should say or how to bring it up in a casual conversation. That’s why many students tend to keep their faith segmented from other parts of their lives.

Nowhere is that truer for a student than when they are with their unbelieving peers. In the peer-pressurized culture our students live in, it seems impossible to share your faith. And that is why students need to hear what the Bible has to say about this. If our students buy into the cultural practice of following the crowd and trends of the day, then they will be swayed by anything the world has to offer. But if they are committed to following Christ and being ready to share their faith, then they will be able to sway others to follow Him as well. Instead of trying to find fulfillment in what others have to offer, they will be the ones offering to those in need true fulfillment in the gospel. They will become the dragnet used by God to bring many others to Christ and into the church. Through them, God will “add to their number day by day.”

This is our goal, that our students would follow Christ daily and become “fishers of men” instead of followers of culture. Please pray for the Student Ministry this Fall, that God would use our students to “catch” many more students as they daily live out and share the gospel.

Sincerely,

Brian Van Doren

Spiritual Development - September 2019

                                                      “8 Reasons to Join a Life Group”

1. You will begin to really feel like part of God’s family. - It should be the desire of growing churches to provide a small group for everyone that wants to get connected. In a society that is increasingly mobile and where families are fragmented, small groups can provide a family atmosphere where no one has to stand alone.

2. You will grow spiritually faster in a group than alone. - We have been “predestined to become conformed to the image of Christ” (Romans 8:29). Spiritual growth involves life change. Life change is optimized in the context of a life group. 2 Timothy 2:22 teaches that we are to “run after” godly character and “run away” from the passions of youth. This verse instructs us not to do this alone but “with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.” God wants us to stop “trying” and start “training”. It’s always easier to exercise physically or spiritually in a group than alone (1 Timothy 4:7b).

3. You will not have to go through struggles alone. - It’s not only possible but also probable that you could walk into and out of a large group event with hurts, heartaches, and soul-searching questions but never connect with someone that will show an interest in you or identify with your difficulty. In a life group setting the principle of “commonality” is often experienced. Many of us think our struggles are unique to us, but in a life group we find out that personal problems are universal. It’s exciting to find out that the members of your group have not only struggled with common problems but have found common solutions in God’s Word (1 Corinthians 10:13).

4. You will have a natural way to share Christ with friends, relatives, and work associates. - It may be that some of your friends who don’t know the Lord wouldn’t be caught dead in a church. They have a preconceived idea and just the thought makes them defensive. But those same people may be open to an invitation to a casual Bible discussion in a home or office setting. In a life group, your unbelieving friend can ask questions and express honest doubts without feeling “put on the spot”. When your friend sees the love and warmth and honesty of your group, it will make him more receptive to the good news (John 13:35; Acts 5:42).

5. You will be a “New Testament” Christian. - The early church met as a large group for corporate worship at the temple and then as small groups from house to house (Acts 2:46; 5:42; 20:20; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). The New Testament is very clear about how God intended for His people to meet in small groups so they could experience authentic biblical community. The New Testament is also very clear to point out that these were communities with a purpose. They used these small groups to fulfill the Great Commission in a Great Commandment way. They weren’t an end in themselves.

6. You will have a place to discover and use your spiritual gifts. - When people are born into their physical family they are given natural talents, but when they are born into the family of God they are given spiritual gifts. These gifts are God-given abilities that enable   believers to effectively serve one another. People that have no arena in which to exercise their gifts struggle to identify them. A life group is a wonderful place to steward the gifts God has sovereignly given you (1 Peter 4:10, 11).

7. Prayer will become more meaningful to you. - Many people are hesitant to pray in front of others, especially in a large church. In a life group, you will learn to participate in prayer by having a conversation together with God. No one is pressured to pray, but as you become comfortable, you’ll be able to pray sentence prayers and join in. There are many promises in the Bible related to group prayer. In praying together with a few others, we are drawn together and we find answers to the needs in our lives (Matthew 18:19).

8. You will understand the Bible better in a neighborhood group. - Have you ever listened to a message from the Bible at a worship  service and wanted to stop the speaker and say “But what about…?” or “I don’t understand!” If so, then a life group is for you. The message that is taught in our worship service is one way communication. You listen while the speaker speaks. It’s fine for imparting knowledge, but not as effective for personal application as a small group. In a life group setting, you can ask questions, participate in a discussion of the text, and hear others share their insights and illustrations of the truth you are trying to grasp. The Bible must be applied to your own personal situations and that happens best in life groups.