::truth::
Building True Community
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (19) My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, (20) let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:16, 19-20
Last Sunday we talked about what would happen is we actually started doing this: confessing our sins to one another, praying for one another, and rescuing one another. Do we want this? What would this look like?
Many of us have been burned with heavy-handed “discipleship” methods based on legalistic accountability without true community. The thought of confessing our sins sounds raw, uncomfortable, legalistic, and dangerous. But what if looked like something different?
What if we saw ourselves as “traveling-companions on a great spiritual adventure, not grim pilgrims on a death march to personal holiness”? We would be, as Nate Larkin says, “A fellowship of Christians who are serious about authenticity, community, humility and recovery – serious, but not grave.”, A community of fellow travelers who, “…challenge each other daily to believe the incredible news that God actually knows us, loves us, and has restored us to himself. As we follow Christ together, we find our lives progressively interrupted by righteousness, peace and joy.”
The gospel tells us that we are weaker and more sinful than we ever before believed, but, through Christ, we more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope. When we walk in the light of the gospel, we fight sin, not so that God won’t scold us and rub our noses in it. No, Christ was immersed in “it”, so that we would never have to bear guilt and shame again. In Christ we are restored to our true Father, who will never turn us away.
We fight sin because we desire greater intimacy with God. We fight sin because we desire authenticity. We fight sin because we don’t want to walk in self-deception. We fight sin because God is (slowly!) restoring in us all that was lost in the Fall. And we fight together because we know our weaknesses.
So set confession, prayer, and rescue in “the friendly confines” of true gospel-centered community, a band of brothers/sorority of sisters with whom we can walk in honesty, authenticity, humility, and joy!
The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom
::prayer::
Warrens: Thanks to the Lord for His continued peace and provisions this week in our transition to Texas. Pray for our friends, Christian and Melissa Keyser (believers) who have to make the decision whether to stop life support on his father today. The father has had multiple strokes and blood infection.
Joe R: Please pray for my brother-in-law as he goes through surgery to remove the cancer in his intestine on Monday. They will also be removing some lymph nodes to check for cancerous cells. Please pray that the Lord hears and answers their prayers for a positive outcome.
Update: Surgery went well, Now waiting for pathology reports. Keep praying!
Nancy: Praise the Lord for 27 years of marriage to my amazing husband! Please pray for continued healing for Jonathan’s back & wisdom teeth. Pray for outreach and service opportunities for our church.
::community::
This Week:
- Special Congregational Meeting – Sunday, August 16, 6:15 PM. We are committed to seeking the Lord for growth opportunities for our church. We are seeking the Lord for new direction and initiatives for ministry in our community. This special gathering is to plan and prepare for the future
Sunday, August 16th –
- 9:15 AM – Family Bible Classes for all ages.
- 10:30 AM – Worship Service
- Coming this September – Dinners for 6! We will have sign ups the next few Sunday mornings for participation in Dinners for 6. What is Dinners for 6? It’s a gathering of 6 fellow church attendees that will meet once a month with 2 people taking a month to either host a meal in your home or choose a restaurant to dine. You can make it anything you want, time after church on a Sunday, Friday night gathering at your favorite restaurant, mid week festivities – whatever works out for your fellow diners! It will be a great opportunity for fellowship and growing deeper together.
Set-Up for Sunday:
- Set-up: Jim Phillips
- Nursery: Patti Tindall
::mission::
Linda Pace (Home Assignment from Dominican Republic) – Pray for Linda as she is mid way through her 6 month home assignment. Pray for her as she tours and speaks to various churches. Pray regarding her future, she will be retiring after 37 years on the mission field.
Tim & Janice Greenfield (Mexico) – Pray for the children that attended Campo De Verano – VBS in late July. They were hoping to have around 100 children attend. May the message that they heard change their lives forever.
