Coffee and Donuts with the Prestas
Apr/100
Don't forget that this is happening this Sunday.
Coffee and Donuts with the Prestas – ACC Blog
Please note that we'll be starting at 9:30 am. 30 minutes earlier than usual.
Join us as we honor this family for everything they have done for the Kingdom through their ministry at ACC.
A Predictable Faith
Apr/100
"Predictability and faith cannot coexist. What characterized Jesus and his disciples was unpredictability. Jesus was always surprising the disciples by eating at the wrong houses (those of sinners), hanging around the wrong people (tax collectors, adulterers, prostitutes, lepers), and healing people on the wrong day (the Sabbath).
There was no Day Timer, no strategic plan, no mission statement; there was only the eager anticipation of the present moment. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to be the same as they were. His truth should be the same truth that they had spent centuries taming. But truth is unpredictable. When Jesus is present, everyone is uncomfortable yet mysteriously glad at the same time. People do not like the surprises–even church people–and they don't want to be uncomfortable. They want a nice, tame Jesus.
You know what? Tameness is not an option.
Take surprise out of faith and all that is left is dry and dead religion. Take away mystery from the gospel and all that is left is frozen and petrified dogma. Lose your awe of God and you are left with an impotent deity. Abandon astonishment and you are left with meaningless piety.
When religion is characterized by sameness, when faith is franchised, when the genuineness of our experience with God is evaluated by its similarities to others' faith then the uniqueness of God's people is dead and the church is lost."
(Excerpt from Dangerous Wonder by Mike Yaconelli, bold mine)
No Barney Messages
Apr/100
Anyone and everyone who is charged to preach God's Word should memorize these verses from Acts 4.
"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:29-31, NIV)
Whenever you boldly preach the Word, there will be opposition. This explains why some guys retreat into "safe messages" that are completely devoid of tension and controversy. But actually, those safe messages are incredibly dangerous.
In Acts 4, God didn't shake that place because the apostles were playing it safe. The people weren't filled with the Holy Spirit because they were preaching a fluffy, feel-good message.
God sends His Spirit to prompt us to be bold. When we preach a dangerous message, He shakes things up.
How many churches aren't being shaken because the preacher is playing it safe? Is God withholding an outpouring of His Spirit because we lack the guts to preach hard, uncomfortable, controversial truth?
To all my pastor friends…preach! Don't let your fear of "them" trump your fear of Him.
To my church…I promise that I won't shrink back. I love you enough to preach the truth. I will offend some. I will take some shots. But you are worth it. Jesus is worth it. The gospel is worth it.
Contrary to what some people might think, I don't enjoy controversy. It would be nice to preach a Barney-esque message (I love you, you love me…).
But Barney didn't die on the cross for me. Jesus did. And His Word commands me to PREACH!
Get Moving
Apr/100
I referenced several ministries in my message yesterday that you need to have on your radar. As promised, I'm posting the links here.
When you hear stories about persecution and sex trafficking, don't just cry. Wipe away the tears and do something about it.
Get moving, church.
Philippians 4:6 – Part 3
Apr/100
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
God commands us not to worry about anything, but instead to pray about everything. But don't overlook the God-given formula for our prayers.
"in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
As we pray about the subject of our anxiety, Paul reminds us to be thankful. That's an interesting approach. In fact, it seems counterintuitive. When I am worried, I'm not feeling thankful. And that's exactly why Paul told us to give thanks.
By doing this, it forces me to step back and see all the blessings that God has given me. Blessings that are far beyond my ability to count. And, while this doesn't make my anxiety go away, it does put it into perspective. I am blessed beyond measure. God has proven Himself faithful again and again. Given that track record, why do I believe that all of a sudden God will drop the ball?
As with any verse of Scripture, we need to see this one in context. Read the verse that comes next in Philippians 4. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
The only way to live without worry is for God to do a miraculous work in your life. The peace of God transcends our understanding. It is beyond our ability to comprehend and it is beyond our capacity to create. Peace is God-given.
Pray for peace today. Peace that supersedes your circumstances. Peace that is beyond explanation. And as you offer this prayer, take the time to see all the blessings you already have.
God has been, is, and will continue to be, good.
Philippians 4:6 – Part 2
Apr/100
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
Paul (who wrote the book of Philippians) tells us not to be anxious about anything. Other translations say "be anxious for nothing."
In other words, I shouldn't worry about anything. Nothing. Nada. Not a thing.
If that is the standard, then I am a miserable failure. I bet you are, too.
I worry about a lot of things. My anxiety can reach a very unhealthy level…especially if the anxiety meter of my life is supposed to read "zero."
The second part of the verse gives the antidote, though. "Present your requests to God."
When I worry, it is because I don't believe that God is capable of handling the issue. Either that or He just doesn't care enough to handle the issue. But either way, incapable or uncaring, I have bought into a false view of God and His role in my life.
More tomorrow…
Philippians 4:6 – Part 1
Apr/100
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
I've had this verse memorized for years. Sometimes that's actually a dangerous thing.
Don't get me wrong. You should memorize Scripture. It's the only way that recall what you need when you need it.
But at the same time, while we should memorize Scripture, we should never allow Scripture to become too familiar. When a verse becomes familiar, it loses its edge. It's ceases to be radical truth and becomes more like a reliable old friend.
I want to spend a couple of posts revisiting this verse that I've had stored in my synapses for years. The truth of this verse is too good to become familiar.
Check This Out
Apr/100
If you don't read Thayer's blog, you need to start. Thayer is our new student minister. He wrote a parable on his blog that is blowing me away.
A Parable Based on Matthew 7:8 – Thayer Wallace
To use a Thayer-ism…that blog post is legit!
Small Groups Sign Up Deadline
Apr/100
Small groups sign-ups have been amazing! Tons of people are ready to jump in so they can grow with God and grow with others.
If you haven't signed up yet, time is limited. This Sunday is the deadline to sign up for this semester of small groups.
Questions? Email Brian, our Worship & Small Groups Minister.
Why Pastors are Important
Apr/100
This post is going to sound incredibly self-serving and self-promotional. I don't mean for it to be taken that way, though.
This is one of the most encouraging posts that I've read in a long time. It encourages me to keep going during the times when I would rather quit.
