16
Dec
God with us!
Soli Deo Gloria
Category: Blog Posts
15
Dec
Hallelujah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQVRyPGTEc soli deo gloria
30
Nov
Advent Season is here
Desiring God Ministries and John Piper have made available a free advent devotional book for this Advent season. I have placed the link on the web site as an encouragement to you. You can download the book in pdf file or any number of formats for your electronic books. Please take advantage of this wonderful resource for the holidays. I have grown to love Piper’s passion for God’s glory and these devotionals will lead us each day to savor Jesus as our Savior, Lord, Counselor, King, Confidant, Friend, our God. May this season be filled with the joy and anticipation of the coming Messiah. Treasure Him! http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/books/good-news-of-great-joy soli deo gloria
01
Nov
Open letter to Center Hill
October was Pastor Appreciation Month. I’m not sure who originated the idea, Hallmark, Day Spring or a group of insecure preachers looking for an annual confidence vote but I have to say as your Pastor, I appreciate it. Not for the gifts so much, and my what gifts you have poured out, but for the words of encouragement and signs of spiritual growth that you exhibit as disciples of Christ. The wall decorations, homemade relishes, jams and jellies, stamps, cookies, candles, gift cards, cash, and the amazing Nexus Tablet is so very much appreciated. And you have to love a church that supplies their Pastor with personal defense ammo for his Glock 27. Thanks so much. But nothing means more to me than seeing the evidence of God’s word changing the lives of His people. The past several weeks I have heard from so many of you telling me how the current series of messages from the gospel of John has led you to a higher view of Jesus and a more intimate relationship with God as your deepest Treasure. Nothing means more to me! I have received cards and emails from some of you and have felt the sincerity of your appreciation for the Word of God through your tears and hugs. It is times such as these that I love being your Pastor. As you are aware, this year as brought many changes for our church. Your unity and commitment to Christ and the preaching of His word during these changes is something for which I give thanks to God. I am amazed at your generosity toward those in and out of the family of God. Tammy and I have been through weddings, funerals, the lingering passing of loved ones, counseling, hospital emergencies, tears and rejoicing with most of you in the past 5 years. We have grown to love you all and count it an amazing privilege to be ministering at Center Hill. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of “discipling you from unbelief to spiritual maturity in Jesus Christ” and being discipled to that same end through you. For God’s glory only!
06
Sep
Draw the line, men!
This post is for the men of our men’s ministry, Metal to Metal at CHCC. In our most recent gathering, we discovered that God’s design for his creation was to create and then cultivate. The book of Genesis is filled with this pattern of how God intended for his creation, especially man as His image bearers, to not only create something but to further it by cultivating it. It seems easy for men to create a personal relationship or employment situation or even a family but is then that we men, even Christian men, fail by not working to cultivate the success of this new relationship. We become cowards, pleasure seekers or complainers instead of standing up in the face of this culture, drawing the line and saying ‘Here I stand, I will by God’s grace and strength make this work’. We fail as husbands, as fathers, as employees or employers, or as church leaders because the lure of this world is greater than our commitment to what God has called us to be. Men it is time for us to ‘stand and draw the line’. Check out this video of Chris Norman who drew the line and followed God’s clear leading for his life when his future seemed so promising according to the world’s standards in another direction. Let’s be men of conviction and action as we determine how God has wired us for His purpose in this life. soli deo gloria
21
Aug
Why verse by verse?
I’ve been asked several times ‘Why do you spend so much time going verse by verse through passages when you preach’. They don’t always use these exact words but you get the idea of what people are asking. My answer is simple, ‘I don’t know any other way. I wouldn’t, nor couldn’t, come up with ideas each week for people which would transform their lives?’ You see there is great restorative and transformative power in the gospel and the only way to unlock that truth and power is by allowing the passage to express it’s own meaning, less we bring our own muddled and self centered agenda to the pulpit. Self help talks and a continual diet of topical messages have made for an anemic church not able to stand against the attack of post modern thinking or a confused eclectic view of Christianity in which a simple belief in God and tacit acknowledgement of Jesus is enough to qualify one for the celestial city. The scriptures are clear, God has been, is, and will continue to write His redemptive story for all creation and that since the beginning of time. We are participants in that story and recipients of His grace which is bringing us full circle to a perfect restored creation. And unless we allow Him to tell His story through His Word, we will continue to have a man centered message in which God acts simply from our requests and our interests, saving us simply for our benefit and not His glory and purposes. Read Albert Mohler’s piece for a better explanation. Sola Scriptura
08
Aug
Knowledge or feeling, which makes for true worship?
At Center Hill, we are committed to worship that is God centered not a time of entertainment that has a smattering of Christian verse and abandons us to simple good feelings or excitement. We attempt each week to give our full attention in prayer, music, giving and preaching to the God of all praise. Watch this short video from Alistair Begg, he speaks our heart. soli deo gloria!
12
Jul
“Metal to Metal”, men’s ministry of CHCC
Metal to Metal is the men’s ministry of Center Hill Community Church. It consists of four areas to assist our men to assume and grow in the God given responsibilities of discipleship, leadership, and a desire toward God. Those areas are Bible study, small groups, larger men’s gatherings and service projects to our community. We will be meeting every first and third Tuesdays of the month at the church for Bible study, once a month in small groups and every other month for a planned service project. Our initial study will be the “33 The Series” from Authentic Manhood. This DVD driven study will encourage men to embrace what real men are by examining the life of Christ during his 33 years on this earth. To see more simply check out the link to the series trailer here. In these dark hours of a culture which is unraveling morally, we, the church, must stand for and champion real manhood. Leaders by courage, defenders of the defenseless, champions of the Gospel, and strong husbands and fathers to our families. Christian manhood is not for the weak-hearted or the undisciplined. It is time for the church to demand from it’s men what Jesus portrayed and taught. At Center Hill, it is our goal to be found faithful to that calling. Men, we need to be men of integrity, sincerity, scholarship and leadership. Join us in our commitment to that end at Center Hill’s “Metal to Metal” ministry starting on August 6th, 2013 at 6:30 pm. It will change your life and our church. soli deo gloria!
14
Jun
Telling our daughters to just wait?????
I’ve often wondered silently about teaching our daughters and grand daughters to simply ‘wait in purity’ for God to lead them to the right man for marriage someday. That by waiting their joy will be so much greater. That somehow their waiting will fulfill their inner most desire which in reality needs to be filled by God Himself. I’m not sure that for some well intentioned and concerned parents this hasn’t become an easy fix to a much more difficult and possibly central goal of parents, to treasure God as their all in all. That their chaste purity somehow replaces what their heart truly seeks. There is so much more in teaching our daughters to find true joy than to save their love, emotions and themselves for that one special man in marriage. We need to teach them to find their joy and fulfillment in God alone. In doing this, they will wait not for fulfilled joy but for the glory of the One who has already fulfilled their joy. Fathers Day is here this week. Let us decide as Dads, to teach our girls that their greatest joy, as wonderful as he should be, is not their husbands but their joy can be found now in treasuring God. Take the time to read this linked blog. It is said so well. http://gracefortheroad.com/2012/02/03/idontwait/ Soli Deo Gloria!
03
Jun
Death will not have the victory.
Our church mourns the passing of a friend and leader. Jim Titler stepped into the presence of his Lord on Sunday night. He will be missed by his family, friends and by his Pastor. Jim was a confidant and support to me and my family. He was a biblical example of a husband, father and grandfather loved by those who took care of him, right to the moment of his passing. A friend to all who call Center Hill their home church. He was a humble servant of his Lord. Once again I am reminded that death is no friend to us. Death is the result of sin in this world and it is a picture of how much God hates sin. It is also a reminder to us, that we too should hate death, suffering and sin. We should not welcome it but see it as the enemy that lies at our door. We mourn not for him but for us. We miss him already. We try to console each other. Our real consolation is this, that sin and death do not have the final victory. Where is your sting, death? Where is your victory? It may be for a moment as we mourn our loss but thanks be to God who gives us the ultimate victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He conquered death on our behalf and it is in this victory that we find our hope. We have a confidence in a God who has bottled up all of our tears. Who keeps an account of our hurts as a compassionate father and is touched by each of them. There is coming a day of reunion and celebration over this sin and death when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Lord, hasten that day! soli deo gloria