Isn't this simple? And isn't that exciting! You don't have to go to seminary to be on the front lines of the kingdom's advance—an advance that does not seek to conquer people, but to liberate them with the freeing message of God's grace in Jesus through the cross.
SPECIAL NOTE: If you are not a Christian, you may be concerned, or even offended that we would target you with God's evangelistic message. But before you walk away, consider this. If I had a vein of gold under my property and wanted to share it with you, you probably would not be as offended by that kind of offer. However, the offer of the gospel is just like that. We are offering riches of grace much like the riches of gold. So, if you are interested, I would be glad, in a no-pressure, "not trying to sell you anything" get together, just let me know.
Theme: When my guilt burden is lifted, a grace burden grows.
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Several years ago I attended a small group training seminar that encouraged groups to put out an "empty" chair when they met. This was to remind them of someone who was not there that could be there. As I look out at the high school auditorium, I stand amazed at the number of seats that are filled—seats representing real people who are being exposed to the radical grace of God in Jesus! But there are also empty chairs. On one hand I'm glad we have empty seats. It reminds us that Creekstone does not exist primarily for those who are already there, but for those who are not. Since we are a mission, those empty seats remind us that there are folks who are not there who could be there—adults, children and students glorifying God by coming alive to the wonder of the gospel as we learn to live all of life in view of the cross. But my dream is to see folks sitting in the aisle, forcing us to find more empty chairs. Not so that we could boast in greater numbers of people, but so that greater numbers of people could boast in the cross as they come alive to the wonder of the gospel!
This is the message from the Community Lenten Service on March 27, 2012.
This is a revealing "60 Minutes" interview of Tom Brady, where he reflects on his massive success and fame, but laments, "There has to be more than this." When the interviewer asks what it is, Brady replies, "I wish I knew." So, regardless of who wins tonight's Super Bowl, there will be something more. The victory will not fulfill or satisfy ultimately. Tomorrow will dawn and the ache in the soul will remain. It is an ache that can only be satisfied by the gospel, where we look not to our own success and glory, but the success and glory of another. It is when we finally begin to understand the cross that we begin to finally experience that "something more."
HT: Daniel Staub
In The Gospel-Centered Life discipleship curriculum, the authors provide a graphic to describe the movement of grace in and through the life of a believer. We discover that grace is personal and internal. But it is also public and external. The point: grace goes somewhere. It is dynamic, not static. This is not a bad diagnostic for evaluating the gospel vitality of my heart. If there is no outflow, it is likely that the problem is with the inflow. Since gospel faith leads to gospel fruit, I should focus on the personal inworking of grace in my life before trying to manipulate the external outworking of grace. In other words, when the gospel begins to work in me, it eventually will flow through me. That is the movement, or propulsion, of grace.
Creekstone's Gift-Wrapping Mission
By wrapping presents for busy parents next Saturday in front of Wal-Mart, we will be offering more than a great service—we will be offering a practical demonstration of grace. Our gift wrapping can’t be purchased by those in need. It can't be earned. It can only be accepted, just like God’s gift of redemption to us in Jesus.
* To participate, just email mission project coordinator, Rick Nielsen, at nielsenFM@inpo.org. See below for items you can donate.
"There is a reason so many movements in the Western church have failed in the past century: They are a car without an engine. A missional church or a missional community or a missional small group is the new car that everyone is talking about right now, but no matter how beautiful or shiny the vehicle, without an engine, it won’t go anywhere. So what is the engine of the church? Discipleship. I’ve said it many times: If you make disciples, you will always get the church. But if you try to build the church, you will rarely get disciples."
