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Worship 2018

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Church Family,
I pray this season finds you well, as summer is here, and family fun and warm weather abounds. We all love summer. We get to spend more time outside. Summer vacation means the kids are home, and we get to spend a little more time with our families everyday.  Typically, summer brings a season of life in which we can breathe a little easier than the rest of the year.

2nd Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” I share this verse because I believe that we are all tempted to see the summer as our “off-season.” With the vacations, the outings, and everything in between, we can be tempted to see it as a time to step back from our faith a little bit. We’re tempted to take time away from Church, take time away from our  bibles, take time away from sharing our faith, etc. I want to encourage us all to not let this happen. May we not see these summer months as an “off-season”, but I pray we take      advantage of this time to really focus in our faith, and truly consider how God can and will work in our lives. Here are my three prayers for us this summer:

1) I pray we will lean into community. Let’s take advantage of the time together as a Church family, and individual families. While the kids are home for summer break, take advantage of every moment. Let our families not just get lost with sleeping in, and video games, but love one another by spending time together. Spend time with other believers,   encouraging each other with the word. Take this time with your small group to have fun! Community is such an important aspect of discipleship.

2) I pray we will avoid distractions. This is a tough one. But I pray that we won’t get lost in the world of social media this summer. This is the easiest time to scroll on your phone for endless hours. And if we do this, we will miss community. Consider this as a time to look away from your phone, and more to others around you. Facebook and Instagram aren't going anywhere. Consider when you can take some time away from them this summer. I believe we can hear God   differently when we want to hear Him through His word. The bible alone is enough for us! Take time off from things that distract you.

3) I pray that we won’t forget to worship. Don’t stop worshipping. Did you know that you can worship even when you aren’t at church? As you travel, as you have vacation, as you enjoy community outings, don’t forget to worship the One who created it all! Keep reading your bible, keep singing songs to God (you can worship, even with Spotify in the car). Don’t neglect worship time with your families. Last month, I shared an article about the importance of family worship. What a great time to practice family worship this summer! And lastly, but most importantly, if you are able, come to Church! Make this a priority for your family. The best way to practice all 3 of these things is by staying connected to the local body of believers through corporate worship. You will never regret bringing your family to church for 1-2 hours on a Sunday morning.

See you Sunday!
In Christ,
Jared 

Posted by Jared Mitchell with
in Newsletter, Worship

Worship April 2018

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Church Family,

This month, I want to leave you with an article encouraging family worship. As I was thinking through what worship would look like for our Church after Easter, as we move into a new season, I started asking the question, “What does worship look like outside of the Church walls?” This article encourages us all to see our time of worship as a time when we can also come together outside of Church, into our homes with our families. I hope this article encourages you to take time outside of our corporate worship gathering, to worship with your family.

10 Reasons To Worship With Your Family  by Jason Helopoulos
“Most evangelical Christians are aware of the importance of secret and corporate worship, but fewer have even heard of family worship. What is family worship? It is pretty simple. Tonight, sit down with your family on the couch or at the dinner table. And then . . . pray together, read the Bible   together, and sing a great hymn of the faith together. There are many reasons for doing family worship, but let us just mention a handful. Family worship: 1) Glorifies and Honors God — This is the primary and essential reason. 2) Centers the Home – Family worship has the wonderful effect of centering our homes upon Christ. 3) Encourages Christian Character – The home may be the hardest place to live out our Christian lives. There is a reason that Paul addresses each member of the  Christian family in the household passages of Ephesians 5-6 and Colossians 3. It is a sad reality that we often manifest the character of Christ more consistently at church, in the workplace, and in the community then we do in our own homes. If there is somewhere that I must especially be on guard against sin, the flesh, and our adversary, it is at home. Casualness and familiarity is a ready playing field for sin. 4) Encourages Peace in the Home – We are sinners living under the same roof in tight quarters. That is a recipe for disaster or at least pain! We know our family members, and we know them well. Family worship helps us confront our sin and understand its effect upon one another. For example, it is awfully hard for a father to lead his family in worship when he has just yelled at his wife. If he is going to lead his family before the throne of grace, he will first have to ask for forgiveness from his wife. And she will find that it is hard to worship unless she willingly forgives him. 5) Binds the Family Together – In our fast-moving society there are few things that a family does together daily. Even eating a meal together these days seems like a feat. What if your family gathered together daily? And what if that gathering was for worship? It would become the most important and central aspect of its life. Your entire family will come to the realization that no matter what else we do or don't do, the most important thing that marks us as a family is that we are a worshiping family submitted to Christ. And that bond is an eternal one that strengthens the family in all its other endeavors. 6) Provides Common Knowledge – As the Scriptures are read together in family   worship, the family grows in common knowledge. Conversations around the dinner table or in the car will change dramatically as you have a common knowledge from which to converse. 7) Trains Children for Corporate Worship – Family worship provides the added benefit of training our children for corporate worship. As they sit and listen to the Word of God, hear prayers, and sing hymns these elements in corporate worship will take on a new meaning. The value of this cannot be overestimated. 8) Encourages our Children in Christ – They will see that for mom and dad worship is not just something they do on Sunday mornings. It is something at the very core of their being, important enough that they center their home upon it. We are not raising children just to be moral and competent people, but worshipers of the triune God. 9) Reinforces Spiritual Headship – Family worship reinforces the biblical framework of the family as it looks to the father (or the mother if she is single) as the spiritual leader of the home. As a father leads his children and wife before God's throne nightly and disciples them in the things of Christ, they will    increasingly look to him for spiritual leadership. This has the added benefit of reinforcing with the father/husband the spiritual mantle that is upon his shoulders. 10) Provides Systematic Discipleship – As a pastor I often have individuals approach me with a question about how to minister to their children or spouse in a specific area. Usually they are concerned about a particular sin or struggle in their family member's life. In this way we serve as firefighters rushing to extinguish this issue or that. At times this is needed, but it should not be our regular course of action.  Systematic discipleship is a much better approach and is aided by family worship. Daily family worship will provide a strong foundation that is built upon hearing the Word daily, praying daily, and giving thanks daily. It takes time to build a strong house. It is an unsteady house that is the result of the carpenter running from shaky wall to shaky wall to hammer a nail in here or there.”

 

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