As we discussed on the livestream yesterday evening (April 29), the governor announced May 20 as the date he is recommending for churches to resume public worship gatherings. We are all excited to gather again and I wanted to share some immediate wisdom for all of us as we plan and prepare for...
“Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly.” Joel 1:14a This directive from chapter 1 is repeated in chapter 2 as God calls His people to gather for a time of corporate lament, reflection, and pursuit of Him. This moment was to include two key ideas...
Living a godly life is difficult enough within the rhythm and flow of “normalcy.” But as we can all attest, the spring of 2020 has been anything but normal. The upheaval of the past few weeks and uncertainty about when it will end has been disorienting, to say the least. The...
As we celebrate Passion Week during these unique circumstances, I pray you’re taking time to reflect upon the history-shaping events of the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. While we’ll miss gathering on Friday evening and Sunday morning to worship...
On Sunday, March 15, I quoted from a great resource to help apply the exhortation to repent. The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson was first published in 1668. In this classic work, Watson defines repentance as “a grace of God’s Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and...
Imagine that [a] pandemic swept through your part of the world, and that all assemblies of more than three people were banned by the government for reasons of public health and safety. . . . How would your congregational continue to function?" Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Trellis and...
For consecutive weeks, our primary Sunday morning text included a call for God’s people to fast. In both Joel 1 and 2, the prophet instructs his hearers to “consecrate a fast” as a means of preparation for meeting with God. In light of their sin, they were to return to God and...
While many in our church family heeded the warnings to avoid the public gathering because of health concerns, we were blessed to gather for worship and provide a live stream for those at home. I’m convinced God displayed His kind providence and grace by leading us to Joel 1 as a sermon...
I love a good story. You know, the kind for which you scoot forward and lean in so that you don't miss anything. Such stories can be found in great books, the best of movies, or even a friend’s telling of a tale. We can close a book, exit a theatre, or leave a conversation with the sense...
It’s been popular in evangelical churches during the past several years to do initiatives under the heading, “I Love My Church.” A quick web search will show dozens of sermon series, t-shirt designs, and even promotional materials to help churches roll-out this type of...
