Here are some must-read posts about the church:
Church as an Oasis of Grace – Trevin Wax
Cultivating a Gracious Climate in Your Church – Jared Wilson
Is Your Church a Learning Community? – David Wells via Kevin DeYoung
Create a Contrast Culture in Your Church – Jonathan Leeman (Gospel Coalition)
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day applying some of these great ideas!
My goal on Fridays is to focus on missions. I might highlight a missions group, book, quote, or a collection of posts.
Today I want to focus on Slavic Gospel Association (SGA). Eric Mock, one of their guest speakers, came to my church a few weeks ago. We were very impressed with the ministry.
SGA has been assisting the church in the former Soviet Union countries since 1934. During the years of communism, SGA covertly distributed millions of Bibles and Christian books under the Iron Curtain into the hands of believers throughout the Soviet Union, while producing and broadcasting thousands of Christian radio programs over the Iron Curtain.
SGA’s founder Peter Deyneka traveled the globe holding prayer meetings, often overnight, encouraging the Lord’s people to pray for the opening of the Soviet Union for the preaching of the Gospel. His motto became, “Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power!”
Today, SGA assists the church in the former Soviet Union countries in many ways. They sponsor national pastor/missionary/church-planters. They help to support several Bible institutes and seminaries to train new leaders. They have help to support numerous children’s ministries including Orphans Reborn, Immanuel’s Child, and Summer Camp. They help to equip youth for ministry. They help translate good Christian books.
They have many resources to communicate to the American church what God is doing in the former Soviet Union countries including a monthly update and prayer guide.
One free resource every church should check out is called My Mission Adventure, two 5-week missions studies for children. With DVDs, a leader’s guide, activity sheets, and more, it teaches the children about Russia and about how they can be part of reaching people for Christ right where they are. Children also have the opportunity to learn songs in Russian. My church took our children through the first study and the kids loved it. We plan to do the next one soon.
Since taking a trip to the Ukraine 15 years ago, I have always had a heart for the people there. I am excited to begin supporting SGA as they help our brothers and sisters in Christ in the former Soviet Union countries. Their website is here. Check it out – maybe God would lead you invite them to your church or help support the ministry in some way.
All of creation is a finger pointing to the Lord of creation, in whom life can be found. Creation was made to introduce us to him over and over again. The temporary pleasures of this present world are meant to point you to the lasting pleasure of knowing God.Here are some helpful posts related to sexual ethics:
Is It Good News That Cohabitation Rates Are Stalling? – Russell Moore
The Millennial Generation’s Acceptable Sin – Barton Gingerich (Gospel Coalition)
Why Online Pornography is Being Blocked in the UK – and Why It Should Be in the U.S. Too – Joe Carter (Gospel Coalition)
Haven Falls in the Keweenaw Penisula in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
Here are some good posts related to the church for your weekend reading. As a pastor, I’d highly recommend the last two.
How To Stop Church-Killing Gossip – Justin Taylor
The Difference between Congregational Worship and a Concert – Justin Taylor
How To Criticize a Preacher – David Murray
So you’ve heard a sermon and you’re not happy. You feel the preacher got it badly wrong in either his interpretation, his words, his manner, his length, his whatever.
What now?
Praying for Your Pastor – Joe Thorn
There are a number of ways we should be praying for our leaders in the church, but as we approach Sunday I want to encourage you to pray for your pastors and their preaching in 4 specific ways.
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day with your local church!
The opposition catches up with Paul in Acts 21, and a riot ensues. Paul is seized, dragged out of the temple, and beaten. The mob tries to kill him, but Paul is rescued by Roman soldiers. Battered, bruised, and bloody, he wants to speak to the hostile crowd. It doesn’t matter how he feels (read: lousy); he is ready to speak for the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter that the crowd just tried to kill him; he wants to tell them about the Savior. In Acts 23, he is ready to speak to a hostile council testifying to his hope in the resurrection. In Acts 24-26, he is ready to speak the gospel before wicked pagan rulers. Later in Rome, he speaks to anyone who will listen.
Are you ready to speak?
No matter how you feel?
No matter who it is?
How intimidating they are?
How unlovely they may appear?
Are you ready to speak for Jesus?
In his commentary on Acts, R. Kent Hughes shares this excellent quote on the definition of worship. To worship is:
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Paul is encouraged to participate with four other men in a vow involving the cutting of their hair, purification, and sacrifice. He is to pay for all of them. He agrees to do so. He is ready to sacrifice.
Andrew and Peter are mending their nets when Jesus comes along and calls them to follow him. They leave their nets behind and follow him. They were ready to sacrifice for Jesus.
As I posted two days ago, Chris Norman could have played NFL football, but God called him to go to seminary instead. He was ready to sacrifice for Jesus.
Are you ready to sacrifice?
Are you ready to sacrifice your dreams for better dreams?
Are you ready to sacrifice your plans for God’s plans?
Are you ready to sacrifice your time to share the gospel, to show the love of Christ to someone?
Are you ready to sacrifice your money to spread the gospel to other parts of the world?
Are you ready to sacrifice everything if God calls you to do so?
Are you ready to sacrifice for Jesus?
Brian J. Mikul 