Archive for February 18, 2010


Feb 18

Sunday: State of the CommUnion

2010 | by Ryan Kelly | Category: This Sunday,Vision

Once a year we, as a church, take a Sunday morning to look back on the last year and look forward to the next. It’s similar to the President’s State of the Union address. But because the church isn’t a union, but a community, and in communion with Christ, we call it the State of the CommUnion (yeah, we know it’s kind of hokey, but after a few years it just kind of stuck).

It’s not a usual Sunday for us, and not a usual sermon for me. We usually spend more time talking about “who we are” and “where we’re going” than just what a certain passage says. The passage we’ll look at this Sunday is Acts 2:41-47. We’ll spend time talking about what it means, but we’ll also spend time “bragging on God” for what he’s done in our midst in the last year. We’ll take time to talk about what we see on the horizon for the next year — some things you’ll have heard just a bit about and some will be new to you. I’ll tell you things that have come out of hours and hours of some recent elders meetings on vision, communication, and planning — some things we’re very excited about and sense that God is in.

In short, it’s a time for a locker room talk, a family meeting. And because I love my team, my family, I love these Sundays.

As was mentioned on this past Sunday, remember that this coming Sunday we will also be having special prayer times during each of the services — either in the West Wing at 9:00 AM or in the Conference Room at 11:00 AM. Please plan to attend one of the services and the opposite prayer time, if you’re able to do both.

Want to listen to last year’s State of the CommUnion message? Stop the clamouring. It’s right here.

Feb 18

A Testimony from One Surprised to Be in Hell

2010 | by Parker Landis | Category: Recommended Link,Sermon Follow-Up,Sermons

This is the title of a 5-part series that John MacArthur did about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, which we studied in Sunday’s sermon.  If you would like to study this parable more closely, MacArthur’s sermons are available to listen or read online at the links below.  Here is a short excerpt, just to whet your appetite.

Ninety percent of Americans believe in God; 85 percent say they believe in Jesus. Certainly, these people all think they’re headed for Heaven. I’m quite sure that hell is populated mostly with people who are shocked to find themselves there. People typically answer the question, “Are you going to Heaven?” with, “Well, I’m a good person. I’m a religious person. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I’m going to Heaven. God certainly wouldn’t send me to hell.” Hell is full of surprised people. That’s really what this story is about — a man who was shocked to find himself in hell. Equally shocking to those who listen to the story was the idea that the other man was in Heaven. This was contrary to all of their expectations…

Read the rest here: