NewsDay Tuesday: 15 May 2007 Edition
Soon and very soon, you shall have your singles minister returned to you. (and for Emily, her husband). This is finals week. I’ve got two on Friday and a rather large paper due tomorrow (I better get started!). After this week, I should be able to resemble a minister again to you and hopefully even spend time with many of you. I tell you, the adjustment from the business world to ministry was tough, but the marathon of going to seminary full-time and working full-time and then adding marriage is a recipe for not pleasing anyone. I appreciate all of your patience and slow to anger attitudes.
But, summer is fast approaching and we’ve got a lot of great things on the horizon. More, I’m sure will be planned, so keep you emails open. Oh yeah, for a study break tonight, you can enjoy Emily and I at Workplay. Robert Earl Keen is playing at 8 p.m. www.workplay. com Who says I still can’t have fun with all the stress around me!?!
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1. Beach Retreat - Get your signature on the sign up list and your money in quickly. Our Beach Retreat is fast approaching. We’ll be carpooling or driving down next Friday evening. The Pelican Beach Resort is our destination and you will not be sorry. Myself, Nathan Tudor, Sy Neese and Martin Wagner will be teaching on “The Gospel According to the Old Testament”. As with all beach retreats, there will be plenty of time on the actual beach. $200.
2. Sunday School Shuffle – Sunday School Shake Up – This June and ½ July, you can choose among 6 different classes being offered.
a. Danny Giffen – Christology – Prophet, Priest & King
b. Chris Peters – Church History – The Great Debates
c. Murray Lee – Ecclesiastes – Postmodern look
d. Steve Singletary – Heaven – Practical & theological look
e. Larry Taunton – Church & Culture: how well are they mixing?
f. Larry Taunton/Boo Mason – Book of James
3. Summer Study – Exploring a 4-6 week study (Monday Nights) on Joseph. Denny & Susan Ragland want to host. I’ll keep you posted. Other alternative is the Movie Reviews. Let me know if you have a preference. I’d like to change things up a bit, but I’m open.
4. Covenant Cinema Review! – Yes, it is back. Matt Houser is returning to help me lead you guys through another summer of Cinemary! We’ll be watching films together on Wed. nights (beginning in June) and then discussing their worldview and how they do/don’t relate to Christianity. It’s a hit each summer. The Doyle’s have graciously opened up their home and are even providing a light dinner! Two free meals each week is not too shabby!
5. Romania Fundraiser – in the month of June, the Romania team will be hosting the Field of Dreams in the foyer of the church. If you’d like to sponsor a Romanian youth on our trip, come by. There are 45 youth attending.
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Prayer Requests
1. Pray for B’ham Churches: 1st Baptist pastor resigned; Red Mtn Pres pastor resigned
2. Leslie Casey is engaged!
3. Jeff Koonce is engaged!
4. Romania Mission trip is in full swing. Pray for our support and team building efforts before heading out in July.
5. Amelia Strauss – migraines and extreme back pain. Pray that doctors can figure out what’s wrong.
6. Murray & Kim Lee – pray as they will be planting Cahaba Park Church, P.C.A. this fall. They just began a spring study this week for those interested.
7. Pray for the church leadership as we are working the “The Peacemaker” and will begin a series this fall church-wide.
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Theology 101
I hope at least a few of you are enjoying these little theological tidbits
Is There More Than One Way to God?
by John Hendryx
Today I wish to propose and explore with you the possibility that belief in Jesus Christ may not be the only way to God. Now before you throw me out as being a heretic please hear me through. I intend on opening the Bible to show you that Jesus Himself speaks of another way.
But before we do that I would like for us to take a look at a recent debate that took place on the Donahue show between Phil Donahue and Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Seminary. The context of the debate is the recent move by the Catholic church to no longer evangelize the Jews since they have stated that God has given them some kind of special plan or dispensation. This debate also typifies many of the debates that occur between Christians and non-Christians these days with regard to our exclusive claim that Christ is the only way to be saved for both Jew and Gentile. In America’s current climate of postmodern, multicultural, political correctness, the claim by Christians that Christ is the only gives rise to accusations of hate and intolerance as we shall see in the following excerpts of this interesting dialogue between Donahue, Albert Mohler & Rabbi Shmuley Boteach:
DONAHUE: Well, Dr. Mohler, sir, nice to see you again. You’re how many strong these days, the southern Baptists?
REV. ALBERT MOHLER, SOUTHERN BAPTIST MINISTER: About 16 million members, Phil, and about 40,000 churches. It’s good to be with you tonight.
DONAHUE: Thank you. Do these 16 million people believe Jews can go to heaven?
MOHLER: Southern Baptists, with other Christians, believe that all persons can go to heaven who come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And there is no discrimination on the basis of ethnic or racial or national issues, related to who will go to the Scriptures. It’s those who are in Christ. The defining issue is faith in Christ.
DONAHUE: So a good Jew is not going to heaven.
MOHLER: Well, all persons are sinners in need of a savior. Jesus Christ is the sole mediator. And the gospel, we are told by the Apostle Paul, comes first to the Jews and then to the gentiles. And salvation is found in his name, and in his name alone, through faith in Christ.
DONAHUE: So if a Nazi killed a Jew, a good Jew, practicing Jew, the Jew goes to hell, but the Nazi still has a chance to get to heaven. That would be the consequence of your position.
MOHLER: Well, the gospel is not just for the worst of us. The gospel is for all of us. And the scripture tells us the hard truth, that all have sinned. And that Nazi guard is going to be punished for his sin, and it will be judged as sin. His only hope would be the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And the profound truth of the gospel is that the salvation that can come to any person who comes to faith in Christ-can come to that Jew who was killed and to that guard who does the killing. That’s the radical nature of the gospel.
DONAHUE: Well, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is with us. You’re author of “Judaism For Everyone.” You know, Reverend Mohler, this is such a vast organization. You have so many wonderful members. This just breeds anti-Semitism. I am sorry. You cannot possibly look a person in the eye and say, if you don’t come to Jesus, if you don’t change your faith, you’re not going to heaven. Reeks of prejudice, and also stirs the soul to evil behavior, in my opinion.
MOHLER: Well, if the church had just come up with this in the 20th century as a novel idea, perhaps it should be subjected to such a critique. But this is the gospel that has been received from the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who said he came, first of all, for the people and children of Israel, and then also for the gentiles. And he himself declared that he is the way, the truth and the light, and no man comes to the Father but through him. He spoke as a man born of the Jewish race, but who was also the son of God.
DONAHUE: Well, three cheers for the Catholic bishops. And it’s been a while since anybody has given them cheers. Well, Rabbi, it took us long enough, but we are no longer calling upon our faithful, Catholic faithful, to evangelize and convert the Jews. Praise the lord for that, whichever lord may be your favorite.
RABBI SHMULEY BOTEACH, AUTHOR, “JUDAISM FOR EVERYONE”: Amen. John Paul II is one of the great friends of the Jewish people. Christians are our brothers and sisters, but they have to finally acknowledge that there is a 2,000-year repulsive, malignant history of the church, of trying to spiritually annihilate Jews by removing every last Jew on the face of the earth and converting them to Christianity and Jesus. And Reverend Mohler, however intelligent of a scholar he may be, he is a spiritual Neanderthal with repulsive, revolting views. Because we know in history that Christian, anti-Judaism has always led to racial anti-Semitism. This is the modern equivalent, Phil, of spiritual terrorism. ….
OK I think you get the idea…
Today let’s consider the Biblical, Theological and Philosophical consequences of Donahue and the Rabbi’s position. My first thought after hearing Donahue and the Rabbi was that it was ironic that they were excluding Mohler for being exclusive. They were calling him evil for not seeing it their way. Are they not doing the very thing that they accuse him of? This, at the very least, is hypocritical.
But let’s revisit my first question as to whether or not belief in Jesus Christ is only way to God. In fact lets’ have a look at the Scriptures where Jesus Himself spoke of a different way. Al Mohler is one of the great reformers of our time and I think he is courageous to go on the Donahue show where he knew the audience would be taking swings at him. I liked his answers but hope we can, if possible, even improve upon what he said so that we can preach as clearly as we can to those who do not yet know Christ.. It is our duty to take the time to explain exactly what we believe more clearly. Christian jargon and terminology often clouds the issue rather than clarifies it.
When Donahue said, “So a good Jew is not going to heaven.” Instead of answering, “we are all sinners in need of a savior,” as Mohler did, perhaps an even more memorable answer may have been “Yes, all good Jews will go to heaven, and not only Jews but all good people of all races will go to heaven. If they can live a good life, obey all the commandments, they will live (see Rom 2:6-8). When asked what must he do to gain eternal life by the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus said the same thing: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” Matt 19:17
Let’s take a closer look at that passage — an exposé.
Matt 19:16-26 The Rich Young Man
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18“Which ones?” the man inquired.
19Jesus replied, ” ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
When Jesus says, “why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good,” He is driving the point home right away that no one even approaches God’s holy standards. Someone might think he means by this verse that He Himself is not good but when weighed against other scripture (He who was without sin, became sin for us…He was tempted in every way as we were yet without sin and He says to the Pharisees Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?”) it is obvious He had specific intentions in mind. His point here was to get the Rich man to see his own failure. Then He tells him “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” Jesus is serious here I believe. He does not merely say believe in me and you will live since He knows his hearts’ disposition and tailors the message specifically for him. He is saying if you can keep the commandments perfectly then you will live. But His point in doing so was to use the law to reveal his shortcomings. The object of these words is to expose the pride of his heart, and to reveal his absolute need of a Savior from sin due to the impossibility of keeping the law. The Rich man obviously didn’t get it for he answered? Which ones? Jesus is showing unregenerate man that if he is to recover himself in this way he must perfectly keep the commandments without stumbling.
Next the rich man asked him which commandments to keep — Jesus replied, ” ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” —- Notice that Jesus mentions all the commandments in the second table of the law except for the last one (though shall not covet) since Jesus has in mind to expose his failure at this point. The man replies that he has keep all these commands since youth, which means that he still doesn’t get it. But he feels there must be something more (which is right) so he asks what he still lacks. Jesus here finally pierces his dark soul where it hurt the most by telling him to sell everything and follow him. Jesus knew the man loved money and would be unwilling to let it go. His sin was exposed and he went away sad.
When Jesus says: “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” He is merely exposing this one man’s vice. His disciples understood the ramifications of His statement that none can be saved when they asked, “Who then can be saved?”
In other words the way to heaven is blocked for all men. The angel with the flaming sword has barred the way to the tree of life. Our spiritual condition before God is utterly bankrupt. There is no hope for a man to do anything that will win him acceptance with God. We are in God’s debt; He is not in ours. But that which is impossible with man – salvation, is possible with God. We can contribute nothing and deserve God’s wrath just like the next guy.
So now lets review my original statement once again that belief in Jesus is not the only way to God. We have discovered that there is indeed another way: Obey the commandments and you will live. The difficulty arises however, in that there is no one who fits that description. This little passage demonstrates the folly of any person who thinks they can reach God through obedience to His commandments, since our fallen condition leaves us spiritually impotent. To tell our fellow human beings that it is folly to trust in their own efforts to attain heaven, is not only the opposite of intolerance but is the most considerate thing we can do for them. We often fail to communicate that we also are sinners saved by grace and are not morally any better than they are.
Those who believe they are good enough to be pleasing to God have a low view of God’s holiness. If God can forgive sin and injustice without payment then He would have to commit an unjust act. One sin against an infinitely holy God is such an offense against His Person that it must be met with the outpouring of His fierce wrath if justice is to be satisfied. He is pure justice and for Him to accept anything less than sinless perfection from us would render Him less than God. Therefore, the question from the world should not be how could a just God send anyone to hell; it should be how can a just God send anyone to heaven and remain just? Those who believe that if we live a relatively good life can win God’s acceptance/approval have a god that is too small; a god that is not perfectly just and a god that is not holy. In other words, it is a sad excuse for a god: A man-made god. But God owes no man anything. He is no man’s debtor. Anyone who says that God should reward those who are good are actually saying that God owes them. Their decent, moral life has placed God in their debt. Furthermore, those who believe that God won’t judge sin are pinning their hopes on an unjust god. Donahue’s only real hope is that God will overlook all injustices. This god is neither holy nor just, therefore it is a corrupt god. If God is not perfectly holy and just then He is not God and has horrible imperfections.
So then why is Jesus the only way?
Where Adam failed Jesus succeeded. Where Adam disobeyed, Jesus obeyed. God required of us a perfect obedience to His law and we all failed. But God looked upon us in mercy, became flesh in order to fulfill the covenant from our side.
As a human being Jesus was the second Adam. While we justly deserve God’s wrath for breaking the law of a holy God, Jesus obeyed God’s commands perfectly, the only human being ever to do so. At every moment of his life he fully obeyed the ten commandments and the highest ideal to love God with all His heart, mind, soul and strength and love His neighbor as Himself. He was tempted in every way as we were yet without sin. Temptation is a neutral term meaning to test. He never internalized nor desired sin ever in His life, thus God was fully pleased with Him. He took every thought captive and made it obedient to God. He did all this for us so that He might bear the wrath of God on our behalf. God’s wrath is now turned aside from us.
John MacArthur once said that there are two religions in the world: human attainment and divine accomplishment. All other religions in the world trust in some degree in human merit for salvation. Christianity alone understands we have fallen short of God’s demands and can find life only by trusting in the only one is history to have obeyed the covenant.
There is an element of human pride in all other attempts. The Donahue’s of the world who think good intentions will get us to heaven are like the Pharisee who prays in the temple, “thank you God that I am not like other men; adulterers, thieves and like this tax collector over here. I obey and give a tenth of all I have. In Donahue’s case, “thank you God that I am not like this Nazi.” Do you see the connection/ He is boasting in his relatively decent life and thinks that now God somehow owes Him heaven. He is trusting in his own merit but forgetting that he falls woefully short of God’s demands on his life. The tax collector understands his own spiritual bankruptcy however. He looks down and beats his chest saying, “forgive me Lord, the sinner. Jesus said it was he that went home justified.
As Christians this should be our character. We should always keep in mind in every situation that but for the grace of God we would be lost. There is nothing to boast of in ourselves or our good works. We are not in God’s favor because we are any better than the pagans and may I suggest that, in many instances, pagans may have lived a more moral life than you or I.
Brokeness before God is his requirement for us and it is only by grace that we even have this realization. All trust in our merit, flesh or abilities will fail. So when Donahue asks if a good person will go to heaven, the answer is the same one Jesus gave. Yes he would – obey the commandments and you will live, but there is no one who is good but God alone. This devastates any hope of heaven through self effort. The Law drives us to God’s mercy and it is found in Jesus alone.
We must first be totally convinced of our woeful condition and God’s holy perfection. If people better understood the inconsistent position they have in believing in a less than holy God and that the true God is holy and just then our position before Him becomes more clear. We also need to do a better job explaining what fallen or natural man’s condition is. Christian jargon that we are all familiar with needs to be defined, explained to an unbeliever. “Pretend” they have no knowledge at all of Christianity and start from the beginning rather than first saying that that God loves them but they are sinners and need Jesus. Such a statement would be meaningless, or worse to someone who has never been to church. I believe it is important that we go into detail about man’s spiritually bankrupt state and our present condition before God. Explain it.
But we can tell people that if you are confident that they have never sinned against God’s revealed law, then of course they don’t need Jesus. Jesus is for sinners not for people who are good enough to please God on their own.
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“Natural religion in all its forms presupposes holy character and conduct as the essential antecedent condition of God’s favor. Christianity in all its genuine forms presupposes the favor of God as the essential antecedent condition of holy character and conduct.” – A.A. Hodge “The idea that there are really no substantive differences between religions needs to be held up to careful scrutiny and declared fraudulent. For example, Islam says that Jesus was not crucified. Christianity says He was. Only one of us can be right. Judaism says Jesus was not the Messiah. Christianity says He was. Only one of us can be right. Hinduism says God has often been incarnate. Christianity says God was incarnate only in Jesus. We cannot both be right. Buddhism says that the world’s miseries will end when we do what is right. Christianity says we cannot do what is right. The world’s miseries will end when we believe what is right” – Alistar Begg, Made For His Pleasure , 126 |
There are other problems of a philosophical nature to consider with Donahue’s position…
The position is basically that Christianity is not true because it is intolerant and judgmental. The problem with the position is that even those who deny truth’s exclusivity, in effect, exclude those who do not deny it. They are themselves taking a position of truth … a belief that all ways are true as long as they do not claim exclusivity, but in doing so it establishes its own truth claim which excludes others who do not believe all ways are true, thereby canceling itself out. They say “stop being intolerant by claiming Christ is the only way” while their very statement has intolerantly imposing its own values on Christians with the intent that they will conform to their political correctness. They have become their own worst enemy, in other words…self- contradictory. Christians know they are claiming Jesus to be exclusive and must always bring truth and love together. Historically we have certainly been guilty of losing balance to one side or the other and we must always remain vigilant to never lose sight of both. But post-moderns often fail to see their own hypocrisy since their tolerance; their highest virtue is often used as a weapon of intolerance.
Lets look closer at the well-known parable of the elephant as described by John Bowen: “Blind men are trying to discover the nature of an elephant. Yet each offers a different description, according to the part of the elephant he touches. The one who feels the head concludes that an elephant is like a pot; the one with the ear says, `An elephant is like a winnowing basket;’ the one feeling the tusk argues that an elephant is like a plough share; and so on. The conclusion is obvious: religious views are different because each grasps only a portion of the truth. The differences are more apparent than real. The truth is only to be found in taking all the parts together…[but] how do the observers come to be in a position of omniscience, able to survey the whole scene, superior to everyone else, sighted while others are blind? By what right do they say, `This is how things really are’? The parable claims to show that nobody has `objective truth’. Unfortunately, the story itself claims to be the objective truth about world religions and Ultimate Reality! “
“What initially appears to be a benign and liberal analogy proves in fact to be just as intolerant of diversity as the views it seeks to relativize maybe more so because it appears at first sight to be so broad minded.”
To conclude, let’s have a closer look at a part of the Westminster Confession. It shines a light and clarifies what we just considered.
Note: The Westminster Confession Chapter 7 Of God’s Covenant with Man. States:
II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.
III. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offers unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.
Danny Giffen
Minister to Single Adults
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Birmingham, AL
205.871.7002
NewsDay Tuesday: November 14th edition
Well, could you get much worse for a football fan this past weekend? I have to admit is was becoming a joyous day with Louisville losing, Auburn losing, Florida barely winning. It was all set up for the mighty Longhorns to decimate the lowly Kansas Staters. And then it all just came tumbling down. What a miserable day…and misery loves company, so everyone showed up at Sunday School anyways! Oh well…them’s the breaks.
In other exciting and mundane news…if you have a home and need to rake, I feel it is far better to weight until the end to get them all raked up. I spent many an hour on Fri. afternoon raking. I was so proud of my accomplishment. I begged for Emily’s approval and thankfulness throughout the evening on the great accomplishment that was completed. Only to wake up Saturday morning and it appearing that it was RAINING leaves. All for not. Now I still look like the sloppy neighbors who don’t take care of their yard. Growing up in Dallas we never had this problem. We had two small trees in our yard. In fact I don’t believe we even owned a rake. But I wouldn’t trade the beauty of the rolling hills right now in Birmingham. God has definitely kissed this area!
Announcements
1. Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner – Join us tonight, Nov. 14th at the Frese’s (202 Yorkshire) for our 5th annual Deep Fried Turkey Dinner. This is always one of the highlights of the year. Bring a side dish (dessert, app, salad, veggies) to complement the finger lickin’ good t-bird. It all starts at 7 p.m. See you there. Here is the google map of their home. It’s just across from Brookwood Mall. http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=202+Yorkshire,+Birmingham,+AL+35209
2. Christmas Progressive Dinner – Saturday night, Dec. 16th is our 5th annual Progressive Dinner. The fun begins at 5 p.m. at the church and we’ll make our way to three different homes for each course. Bring a white elephant gift that we’ll do at the dessert home.
3. Serve, Serve, Serve – Now is a great time to get involved with an area of service during the holidays. We desperately need your help with Angel Tree deliveries. Contact the church office if you can lend a hand. 871.7002 Jim Lower is our contact. There are other events as well. (Katrina Relief help – 1st weekend in Dec. Contact is Fred Hendon or Peggy Frese.)
4. Home Missions Conference – Mark you calendars for this Sunday, November 19th. We’ll be having local ministries that Covenant support share in Sunday School and be preaching the service. We have the Austin family (Center for Urban Missions) and Brandon Robbins (Apologetics Resource) sharing in our class. There is also a dinner that night for us to learn more about all the ministries that are going on in B’ham and how we can help more.
5. Living in Grace – Just to give you all a heads up. The entire church will be hosting a “Living in Grace” conference January 19-21. I promise you won’t want to miss this. I did this three years ago and it is one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended.
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in prayer.
2. Leslie Casey – been sick at home. Perhaps Mono…lots of pain and boredom!
3. Clayton Turner’s uncle. Things pretty rough right now.
4. Thank God for the Frese’s and the Doyle’s. They are constantly giving of their homes, time and knowledge to our ministry.
5. Please let me know if you have personal requests that you’d like shared with the group.
Theology 101
The Gospel vs. Accountability Groups by Rev. Eric Costa
NewsDay Tuesday: November 7th edition
Hello Mr. Football, meet your new PCA city-wide champions! OK, I just had to gloat a little. That was a blast. I was pretty pumped we were able to knock out both the other teams. We even brought in a ringer (Trey –works at Covenant) but he didn’t play the 2nd game and only caught 1-2 passes. Thank you Vance for putting this together—I know organizing stuff like this can be a whip. For those of you who were not there, we beat Briarwood 13-12 and Oak Mtn. 27-6. Hopefully we can do some more of this. We had a huge team! Anyone have the group pic? My MVP awards go as follows:
King of the Shuttle – Steakley
Annoying Gnat – Justin
The “Bring it if you got it!” Award – Walker
The “Mrs. Consistency” Award – Holly
The “I have a tight grip” Award – Katie Madden
The “folded arms route running” Award (this is harder than you think) – Goodhew
The “which one is that” Award – Heidi and Heather
The “all hands team” Award– Vance
The “keep the puggle quiet” Award – Emily Giffen
The most annoying barking Award– take your pick! Noah, Watson, Star, Zach
The silent assassin – StrOOOOOWWWWWWsssss
The “decoy pitch man” – Brent the Shepherd
I think that’s about all I have awards for. Great time gang. Let’s do it again. Moving on, I read this week in my studies; it is from John Calvin and it hit me between the eyes.
“For, such is the blindness with which we all rush into self-love that each one of us seems to himself to have just cause to be proud of himself and to despise all others in comparison. If God has conferred upon us anything of which we need not repent, relying upon it we immediately lift up our minds, and are not only puffed up but almost burst with pride. The very vices that infest us we take pains to hide from others, while we flatter ourselves with the pretense that they are slight and insignificant, and even sometimes embrace them as virtues. If others manifest the same endowments we admire in ourselves, or even superior ones, we spitefully belittle and revile these gifts in order to avoid yielding place to such persons. If there are any faults in other, not content with noting them severe and sharp reproach, we hatefully exaggerate them.”
~ Calvin’s Institutes – Book III.Ch.VII.Sec.4
Announcements
1. Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner – Join us Tuesday night, Nov. 14th at the Frese’s (202 Yorkshire) for our 5th annual Deep Fried Turkey Dinner. This is always one of the highlights of the year. Bring a side dish (dessert, app, salad, veggies) to complement the finger lickin’ good t-bird. It all starts at 7 p.m. See you there. Sign up for food is in S.S.
2. X-mas Progressive Dinner – Saturday night, Dec. 16th is our 5th annual Progressive Dinner. The fun begins at 5 p.m. at the church and we’ll make our way to three different homes for each course. Bring a white elephant gift that we’ll do at the dessert home.
3. Serve, Serve, Serve – Now is a great time to get involved with an area of service during the holidays. We desperately need your help with Angel Tree deliveries. Contact the church office if you can lend a hand. 871.7002 Jim Lower is our contact. There are other events as well. (Katrina Relief help – 1st weekend in Dec. Contact is Fred Hendon or Peggy Frese.
4. Home Missions Conference – Mark you calendars for Sunday, November 19th. We’ll be having local ministries that Covenant support share in Sunday School and be preaching the service. There is also a dinner that night for us to learn more about all the ministries that are going on in B’ham and how we can help more.
5. Living in Grace – Just to give you all a heads up. The entire church will be hosting a “Living in Grace” conference January 19-21. I promise you won’t want to miss this. I did this three years ago and it is one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended.
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in Prayer
2. Leslie Casey – been sick at home. Perhaps Mono…lots of pain and boredom!
3. For God to call us all to repentance in light of the recent goings on’s with the Nat’l Assoc. of Evangelicals
4. Thank God for the Frese’s and the Doyle’s. They are constantly giving of their homes, time and knowledge to our ministry.
2. Please let me know if you have personal requests that you’d like shared with the group.
Theology 101
The Sin of Pride by Dan Norcini
NewsDay Tuesday: October 31st edition
Yes, it is Halloween, but do you know the other significant event in history that occurred this day? It’s Reformation Day. This is the day that Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on Town Church in Wittenburg. Luther posted these in Latin to spur an academic discussion, not begin a reformation, but the rest, as you say, is history. The first thesis is so compelling and strong…we need to hear it every day of our lives. It is this:
1 Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
I hope you spend some time today thinking of God’s grace in your life. Here are some quotes about the reformation.
“… nothing is more fundamental in the doctrine of the Reformers than the complete inability of man and his absolute need of divine grace;” and against nothing do the Reformers set their faces more firmly than the ascription to man of native power to good. To Luther, Pelagianism was the heresy of heresies, from the religious point of view equivalent to unbelief, from the ethical point of view to mere egotism. It was “for him the comprehensive term for all that which he particularly wishes to assault in the Catholic Church.” His treatise De Servo Arbitrio written against Erasmus’ Pelagianising exaltation of human ability was esteemed by him the only one of his books, except the Catechism, in which he could find nothing to correct.” -B.B. Warfield
Dr. Luther, if I believed like you, I would do anything I please.
Luther: Exactly. And as a child of Christ . . . what pleases you?
Dr. Luther, what about works of penance?
Luther: What is it about your own miserable works and doings that you think you could please God more than the sacrifice of His own Son?
Announcements
1. Flag Football game! – Oak Mountain has challenged us for a flag football game coming up. It is now scheduled for this Sunday Nov. 5th. Last I checked we have two games (one of these is with Briarwood as well). Plan to be there after church (before 1 p.m.). We’ll need all the help we can get as well some athletic ladies (Staci, Hannah, Dawn, Fox, the Dilling twins! Etc.) Since they did the challenging and have the field, we’re subject to their rules. It should not matter, night or day, sunshine or rain. We WILL be Victorious! Vance Waldron is setting it all up. Please let us know if you plan to show off your skills.
2. Pumpkin Carve Tonight!!! – Walker Renneker is hosting us tonight. “Last Great Pumpkin Carve” @ the Barn
Tuesday night 7:30 – Come with your pumpkin’s carved and $5 for the prize pot.
Directions from Downtown Birmingham
Take US-280 East to first exit past I-459
Exit off 280 onto Colonnade Drive (Colonnade will be on the left – Cracker Barrel etc.)
Take a right @ light – this is Colonnade Parkway and will become Blue Lake Drive (Blue Lake will be on your right) go appx 1-1.5miles
3. Night of Bonfire Vanities – Saturday night, November 4th at 7:30 p.m. we’ll be having a CAMPFIRE at the Doyle’s place. We’re hoping to invite another class or two to join us. We’ll need some guys to come over and help split some wood (ladies come see Justin’s Lats fully flexed). We’ll have some good food (s’mores etc.) and fellowship. Eat before you come, but there will be snacks and such for us to munch on. Please let me know if you can spit some wood!!!
4. Holiday time – our pre-Thanksgiving dinner at the Frese’s is Tuesday night, November 14th. Our annual Progressive Christmas dinner is Saturday night, Dec. 16th. Fun, fun, fun
5. Living in Grace – Just to give you all a heads up. The entire church will be hosting a “Living in Grace” conference January 19-21. I promise you won’t want to miss this. I did this three years ago and it is one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended.
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in prayer.
2. Please let me know if you have personal requests that you’d like shared with the group.
Theology 101
Martin Luther was born in 1483 into a strict German Catholic family. His parents intended him for a law career, but he became a monk and a theology professor instead. A sensitive soul, he struggled mightily with a guilty conscience and an intense fear of God and hell until he realized the doctrine of “justification by faith” while studying the book of Romans. This doctrine, his Augustinian understanding of the bondage of the will along with his conviction that the Bible should be the basis of religious life and available to all, became the theological foundation of Protestantism.
“As Luther grew in understanding, he had come to detest scholasticism as a betrayal of the biblical message. He violently opposed the way that the schoolmen had blended Christianity with the philosophy of Aristotle. He had also, by this time, rejected the neo-Pelagian teachings of William and Ockham and Gabriel Biel about salvation, and followed Staupitz in becoming a disciple of Augustine of Hippo; from now to the end of his life, Luther was to be a whole-hearted believer in Augustine’s doctrine of the sovereign grace of God who chooses helpless sinners for salvation by His unmerited mercy. This was the first of Luther’s two great spiritual breakthroughs, and it occurred around 1513 …(what fully developed Protestant theology would call “regeneration” and “sanctification”)…Luther’s second great breakthrough was when he came to understand faith as essentially personal trust in Christ rather than assent to the Church’s teachings, and the ‘righteousness of God’ as God’s imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer’s account, changing the believer’s legal status before God but not the believer’s heart (justification in the sense in which Evangelical theology uses the term). This second breakthrough did not happen till much later, probably in the period 1518-19.”
– excerpt, 2000 Years of Christ’s Power Part Three: Renaissance and Reformation pg 70
NewsDay Tuesday: October 10th edition
First off, let me apologize to Zach for comparing him to Vance this past week in Sunday School. It was wrong of me to infer that lime green pants could ever compare to patchwork dress slacks from the early 80’s. Yes, both are bold, yes, both intend to make a “look at me, I’m cool statement,” but I should never assume that anyone could touch the dressing prowess of one Vance Waldron. I mean the guy makes GAP models look sloppy. I randomly saw Andy Dick do an impersonation of that new Gap commercial imitating the New Black pants. I think Vance could have pulled that out with no problem. The Auburn Singers have nothing on his budding career.
In other news…I think the Vulcan Series went very well. We are planning on doing another 4 week series with Briarwood, Oak Mtn. and Red Mtn. in April. I’ll keep you posted for the details.
Well, I believe that’s all I’ve got at the moment. We have plenty of events coming up. Mark your calendars for a busy fall.
Announcements
1. Romania Clothes Loader – Join us (and we really do need many of you) to help us load clothes that go to Romania. This is always a fun time (and a good workout), plus it’s not just the singles class! We’re promoting this with all of the Sunday Schools at Covenant (college, young marrieds, old marrieds etc.). This way Mark Hamby and Dave Fron can’t make the “I’m too old to load clothes excuse! It only takes two hours if we have enough people. It is 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 14th at the Storage Center across from the Palisades shopping center on Oxmoor in Homewood. The mission trips we lead to Romania each year enable us to see all the clothes in action. That’s right, as you walk the streets of Iasi you may notice and Roll Tide or Bo Jackson shirt worn by many a local. Its pretty hilarious if you ask me. I’m looking to supply 15 Longhorn shirts to balance the collegiate representation.
2. Covenant Ski Trip!!!!! – We only have 30 places so it will fill fast considering we have 12 already signed up. Park City, Utah on March 19-24th. We’ll be staying right on Main Street in the village there in Park City. Cost will be ~ $1300/person covering everything. Deposits are due Oct. 15th. We’ve got a great group going so far from across the church.
3. Flag Football game! – Oak Mountain has challenged us for a flag football game coming up. It is tentative now for Sunday, October 22nd. It should not matter, night or day, sunshine or rain. We WILL be Victorious! Vance Waldron is setting it all up. Please let us know if you plan to show off your skills.
4. Night of Bonfire Vanities – Saturday night, November 4th, we’ll be having a bonfire at the Doyle’s place. We’re hoping to invite another class or two to join us. We’ll need some guys to come over and help split some wood. We’ll have some good food (s’mores etc.) and fellowship. I’m sure there’ll be a game going on as well that we can huddle around and watch.
5. Corn Maze – We’re not talking the latest cereal, but this crazy maze just outside of town that we’re planning on mastering. Sally Sneed is getting the details worked out for most likely a Friday evening coming up soon. It should be hilarious.
6. Holiday Time – Our pre-Thanksgiving dinner at the Frese’s is Tuesday night, November 14th. Our annual Progressive Christmas dinner is Saturday night, Dec. 16th. Fun, fun, fun!
7. Latvian Lesson – Alvis Sauka, pastor of Riga Reformed Bible Church in Latvia will be teaching the Sunday School class this Sunday. He wants to share with us what God is doing in Latvia and Lithuania. Please come as the Blueprint class (older singles) will be joining us as well. Then, come to lunch with us all as we get to spend more time with Alvis. We’ll head to Moe’s in Vestavia to host our hopefully large crowd!
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in Prayer
2. Please let me know if you have personal requests that you’d like shared with the group.
Theology 101
What Role Does Sanctification Play in Salvation?
By Don Whitney
http://biblicalspirituality.org/prrole.html
NewsDay Tuesday: October 5th edition
No, the “Arggghh” is not imitating anyone on staff, and no, it is not Pirate Week on Discovery. I just plain forgot AGAIN to send out NewsDay Tuesday. Four years straight and now I miss two weeks in a row. I hope you have not been running aimlessly for these past two days in search of direction. Hard to believe it is October already. Wow! Hopefully we can’t get some fall in the air and keep it that way. Emily and I are moved into this new house and it’s like living in the Botanical Gardens. Unfortunately neither of us are pros when it comes to gardening. I’ve been praying a lot for rain to ease my watering time. It’s amazing how your prayers change in home ownership!
Everyone continue to hang in there. Should be some good things popping up soon.
Announcements
1. Romania Clothes Loader – Join us (and we really do need many of you) to help us load clothes that go to Romania. This is always a fun time (and a good workout). It only takes two hours if we have enough people. It is 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 14th at the Storage Center across from the Palisades shopping center on Oxmoor in Homewood. The mission trips we lead to Romania each year enable us to see all the clothes in action. That’s right as you walk the streets of Iasi you may notice and Roll Tide or Bo Jackson shirt worn by many a local. Its pretty hilarious if you ask me. I’m looking to supply 15 Longhorn shirts to balance the collegiate representation.
2. Covenant Ski Trip!!!!! – We only have 30 places, so it will fill fast considering we have 12 already signed up. Park City, Utah on March 19-24th. We’ll be staying right on Main Street in the village there in Park City. Cost will be ~ $1300/person covering everything. Deposits are due Oct. 15th. We’ve got a great group going so far from across the church.
3. Fire & Reign — I hope everyone is keeping up with the weekly devotionals. I’m enjoying the study on Acts this fall.
4. Flag Football game! – Oak Mountain has challenged us for a flag football game coming up. It is set for Sunday night, October 22nd at 7 p.m. Yes, that is late, but since they did the challenging and have the field we’re subject to their timing. It should not matter, night or day, sunshine or rain. We WILL be Victorious! Vance Waldron is setting it all up. Please let us know if you plan to show off your skills.
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in prayer.
2. Clayton Turner’s uncle is diagnosed with cancer.
3. Pray this week for everyone’s time in the Word. Pray that we would all be encouraged to delight in spending time reading the Bible.
4. Charlie Crabbe’s sister, Collins has MS and needs our prayers (also recovering from some minor surgery).
5. Our study in Acts – Keep up with the devotionals.
Theology 101
I hope at least a few of you are enjoying these little theological tidbits.
Rationality and Scripture by John M. Frame
http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1983Rationality.html
NewsDay Tuesday: September 28th edition
Thank you, thank you, thank you! After 12 pickup loads and a 26 foot U-Haul, we got all of our stuff over here. We absolutely could not have done it without many of your hands, feet, backs and automobiles. We were really blown away by all the support. And as promised, each of you will receive an additional deduction on your tithes this year! Just kidding. It’s been so crazy since moving in that I completely forgot to send out a Newsday Tuesday. I hope this Thursday edition finds you well. I’m about to head up to the library and study, so my evening won’t be spent watching Auburn/USC. We look forward to having many of you over soon. 3073 Whispering Pines Circle.
Announcements
1. Fall Retreat – Unfortunately we’ve had to postpone the retreat in November. There were several logistical things we were working on and a few of them did not come together. We’re looking at some alternatives. Of course we have the big singles retreat March 3rd in Mississippi with about 7 other churches across the US. I apologize if you adjusted some dates to come with us.
2. Covenant Ski Trip!!!!! – We only have 30 places so it will fill fast considering we have 12 already signed up. Park City, Utah on March 19-24th. We’ll be staying right on Main Street in the village there in Park City. Cost will be ~ $1300/person covering everything. Deposits are due Oct. 15th. We’ve got a great group going so far from across the church.
3. Covenant Happenings – Fire & Reign — I hope everyone is keeping up with the weekly devotionals. I’m enjoying the study on Acts this fall.
4. Flag Football game! – Oak Mountain has challenged us for a flag football game coming up. We’re working on setting up a time and date for the battle. Vance Waldron is organizing for us, so let us know if you’ve got some skills to display. This will be our third game. We’re 1-1 so far with a close battle in year one in the rain losing in the last drive. Last time was total domination on our part. Hump was a huge force on the d-line and if you recall Grace split her hand open diving for a ball.
Prayer Requests
1. We’ve started a prayer journal in the Fuel class. Please let us know if there are things we can lift up in prayer.
2. Clayton Turner’s uncle is diagnosed with cancer.
3. Pray this week for everyone’s time in the Word. Pray that we would all be encouraged to delight in spending time reading the Bible.
4. Charlie Crabbe’s sister, Collins has MS and needs our prayers (also recovering from some minor surgery).
5. Our new study in Acts – Keep up with the devotionals.
Theology 101
I hope at least a few of you are enjoying these little theological tidbits.
DECONSTRUCTING DEFEATER BELIEFS:
Leading the Secular to Christ
By Tim Keller, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church
http://www.redeemer2.com/themovement/issues/2004/oct/deconstructing.html
NewsDay Tuesday: September 12th edition
Newsday Tuesday
12 September 2006 edition
www.covpres.com
So, here we are on our flight from Austin to Houston yesterday afternoon. Emily is already a tad queasy about flying on 9/11 (especially after hearing of the plan diversion in Dallas earlier in the day). We are on the run way getting ready to take off, the engines begin revving up and then they stop. The pilot gets on and says we have a minor issue and are heading back to the terminal. WHAT!?!! After an hour later we understand our turbo something or others malfunctioned. Our pilot then tells us we really don’t need them so we’ll just kill the other one as well. The runway in Houston is plenty long and breaks aren’t necessary. Yikes!
Well we made it home but missed our connection and took a tad longer than hoped to arrive safely back in the Ham. As for the time in Austin, it was great, sans the football game. We got to visit with my uncle about what God is doing in his life and visit their church and see how the preached Word is transforming the people in their congregation. It was a great time had by all. Here’s what’s happening in the FUEL world
Posted by covenantsingles | Announcements | Leave a Comment
Time to spring forward…
Just so everyone doesn’t have an excuse. Set your clocks FORWARD this Saturday night.
Sunday School, 9:45 (feels like 8:45) – “I thirst” is the saying on the cross we’ll be looking at.
Saxon reception – we’ll be having a going away reception for the Saxons in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the 11 o’clock service
Lunch – after the reception, we’ll head to Zoe’s in the new SOHO.
Da Vinci Code – Sunday night, 7 pm – Larry Taunton will be teaching on a critical view of this national bestseller in the sanctuary.
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- Time to spring forward…
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