I’m endeavoring to do a series on membership right now. It’s challenging. While one of the challenges for me as pastor is in the formation of the series, a greater challenge is what this series confronts in the heart of every evangelical Christian living in Western culture. One of those challenges I addressed at the beginning of my sermon last week. I quoted Paul David Tripp to highlight this concern. Take a few minutes to listen to this quote in Tripp's own words, and ask God to search your heart. I would also encourage you to listen to last week’s sermon if you were absent. It’s vital we at new3c are all on the same page during this series.
Thank you for addressing this from the pulpit, during counseling, and now with the blog post reminder Pastor Ryan. This is a MASSIVE topic, no less than a confrontation of all we assume as Americans to constitute a meaningful and fulfilling existence, supposedly in tangent with our biblical convictions. I'm looking forward to more teaching and conversation on this topic, as I know my orthodoxy doesn't always translate to orthopraxy in this area of life.
ReplyDeleteJon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback. It's encouraging! I agree - series/topics like this challenge our fundamental assumptions about our lives, Christianity and local church life. It's convicting to study, and I think it will be convicting for all of us as a congregation - but conviction is healthy if born of the Spirit through the Word! Thanks again!
Gratefully,
Ryan