Category: church growth

Sacramento Gospel Conference

As we’ve been letting you know, the annual Sacramento Gospel Conference is just over a week away.  It will take place on Friday, May 6 (7-9:30pm), and Saturday, May 7 (9:00am – 4:30pm), at Immanuel Baptist Church in midtown Sacramento.  The cost is $30/person (or less, if you’re only able to attend one of the days).  Registration information is here.

 

This year’s conference is on the theme of “The Gospel and Our Modern Culture”.  Local church pastors Brian Croft & Greg Gilbert (who serve different congregations in Louisville, KY), will be speaking.  Both men are faithful shepherds among God’s flock, and they’ve each written a number of helpful books.

 

Beloved, I encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity to sit under the ministry of God’s word in an extended, undistracted way.  Likewise, fellowship with other believers from the greater Sacramento area is always a great blessing.  As our culture becomes more and more ungodly, and hostility against Christ and His people becomes more and more overt, our need for being equipped as faithful gospel proclaimers is always urgent.  I hope you can be a part of the conference!

 

Please be praying that God would work through His word at the conference to bear much fruit for His glory (Jn. 15:8)!

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Christ’s Gift

How Jesus Christ cares for His body, His church!  Now exalted at the right hand of our Father in heaven, Jesus has sovereignly and diversely gifted every member of His body.

“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”  (Eph. 4:7)

As Paul goes on to explain in Eph. 4:8-16 , Christ has done this that His church might be equipped and made mature in His holy love.  All of this is for the ultimate purpose that the church might live more fully to the praise of God’s glorious grace (see Eph. 1:6,12,14 and Eph. 3:20-21).

What this means for every believer is that to love Christ is to love His body!  To serve Christ is to serve His body!  It is love for Christ, and zeal for the Fathers’ glory, that should enflame us to walk worthy with all humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, and diligently preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).  Obviously, these truths have great implications for our lives together in a local church.

The more we’re gripped with zeal for God’s purposes in Christ, the more we’ll understand and obey His will for us as members of His church.  And the less we’ll be concerned about ourselves and our often self-centered desires, instead pouring ourselves out in love for one another.  Consider this exhortation:

“Let us be done with our little kingdoms as well as the spirit of complacency that does not care if the church is divided or immature.  On the contrary, let us seek out our gifts and ask how we may use them to the building up of Christ’s body.  Christ does not squander His gifts; each one is essential.  He does not withhold his gifts; they are poured out in full measure.  He is not indifferent to how His gifts are used; He has His own wise and lofty purposes in view.”  (James M. Boice, Ephesians:  An Expositional Commentary, pg. 138)

Beloved, what a privilege to share life in Christ together with you.  May God help us to keep walking worthy of His calling, for the glory of His great name!

Greg

Preparing for the Lord’s Day

As we prepare to gather again this coming Lord’s Day, let me encourage you in a few specific ways.

First, take advantage of the “order of service” information we include in this newsletter.  Individually, or with family/friends, take some time in the days prior to our Sunday gathering to read through the various Scripture passages we’ll be using.  Also take time to read or sing through the songs we’ll be singing (you can easily find the lyrics on the internet).  This will help your own heart and mind be that much more prepared, and also help you serve and encourage others as we meet.

Second, as we’ll be diving back into the book of Ephesians this Sunday, I encourage you to read the whole book before we meet.  It’s a relatively short 6 chapters, and only takes 20-30 minutes to read.  Again, this will be helpful in the preparation of your heart and mind.

Third, let Paul’s prayers in Eph. 1:15-19 and 3:14-19 be a guide for how you pray for our brothers and sisters at RCG.  And together, let’s confidently expect God to do as He’s promised in Eph. 3:20-21!

Finally, if you’re not already in the habit of joining us for our “Sack Lunch Sunday” following the worship service, why not begin this Sunday?  We enjoy an informal lunch from around 12:30pm to 1:15pm.  You can either bring a “sack lunch”, or grab something from a nearby restaurant.  Following lunch, we have a time of sharing and prayer from about 1:15pm – 2:00pm.  There’s always a range of folks who attend: singles, couples, and families with kids (young and old).  Of course it makes for a bit of a long morning and afternoon, but the sweetness of encouraging fellowship is well worth it, and brings glory to God.

Beloved, what a privilege and blessing we have to share life in Christ together at RCG.  Participating in what He wills for us each Lord’s Day is a huge part of that privilege and blessing.  I look forward to being with you again, as we eagerly await gathering with all the redeemed before God’s throne in heaven!

Because Christ lives, and is returning,
Greg

A Few Important Items

A few important items…

 

First, as a follow-up to this past Sunday’s sermon from the book of Job, check out these resources:

 

 

Second, our Equipping Hour resumes this coming Sunday, Sept. 13, meeting from 9:00am – 10:10am (followed by our Corporate Worship Service at 10:30am).  In addition to nursery care and age-appropriate children’s classes through 6th grade, our class in the auditorium through the Fall will examine “A Biblical View of Gender, Marriage, and Sexuality”.  This first week will provide an introduction/overview of the whole class.  As a means of continuing to be equipped (Eph. 4:11-12), and sharing in the life of Christ’s people at RCG, we encourage you to make participation in the Equipping Hour a high priority.

 

Finally, in the Lord’s kind provision, we’ve been able to purchase a new piano for the auditorium.  Our old upright piano (it may be older than the church J) was increasingly unable to hold a strong, consistent tune.  So after praying, and much research by a few folks involved with our music ministry, a new piano was purchased and delivered this week.  The old piano was moved to the Education Building, where it will be used with ministry to children.  We’re grateful for the Lord’s supply of a wonderful instrument to help guide our “…addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…” (Eph. 5:19).

 

Beloved, what a blessing to walk together in the Lord’s faithful work among us.  May He continually be glorified as His grace and truth in Jesus Christ abounds in, and overflows from us to more and more people!

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

God’s Work Among Us: Elder Affirmation

As revealed in Eph. 1:3-14, the eternal plan of God, for His glory in Jesus Christ, is far more comprehensive and significant than anything we could ever imagine or dream of!  It begins in eternity past with the Father’s electing grace (vs. 1:4-6), and will culminate in eternity future with everything in heaven and on earth being united in Jesus Christ (vs. 9-10).  Amazing!  Everything that happens in the here and now is intimately connected to God’s eternal plan, as He sovereignly “…works all things according to the counsel of His will…” (Eph. 1:11).  What true comfort and hope this gives to God’s people!

 

All these glorious truths help us understand our identity and calling as His people…the church!  The very existence of a local church like River City Grace, comprised of many redeemed, blood-bought souls, is evidence of the powerful outworking of God’s plan among us.

 

This coming Lord’s Day, in our morning Corporate Worship service, God’s work among us will continue to unfold in our affirmation of Tim Ingrum as a new elder at RCG.  Following many months of prayer, evaluation, and interaction, we believe that God has raised Tim up to co-labor with the other elders in shepherding His people in this local congregation (Acts 20:28).   It will be a time to give thanks, and soberly rejoice in Jesus’ shepherding care for us.  It will also be a time to commit ourselves afresh to praying for, and encouraging one another within God’s eternal purposes (Eph. 6:18-20).

 

Beloved, be praying particularly for Tim as he embraces the office and responsibilities of eldership.  Likewise, be praying for his wife Willie as she serves beside him in this calling.  Pray they would walk faithfully and wisely in God’s will (Eph. 5:15-17), and continually be filled with God’s Spirit (Eph. 5:18).    (This recent blog post, Advice for a New Elder, will further inform and encourage your prayers!)

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Genuine Worship Includes Gathering with God’s People

God’s word makes clear that genuine worship which pleases Him is that which is “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:22-24), and that which encompasses all of life, all the time (Rom. 12:1-2).  With slight modification to a definition of worship offered by David Peterson in his excellent book Engaging With God, we can say that genuine worship is “faith in God through Jesus Christ, expressing itself in adoration, dependence, and obedience” (pg. 283).

 

Because genuine worship of God is “all of life, all the time”, and not just something that happens on Sundays from 10:30am-12:15pm, we might ask:  why do we need to gather together weekly at all?  Isn’t it enough for me to just read my bible on my own, listen to sermons online, play Christian music on my iPod, and worship God through all my life, all the time?

 

Here’s the short answer:  no, it’s not enough.  When God brought you to faith and life in Christ, He joined you to Christ and His people.  He made you a part of His church…a member of His body (see 1 Cor. 12:1-31).  And God’s purpose in gathering His people weekly in local churches, around His word, is to encourage and strengthen our faith in God through Jesus Christ.  All of this so that together, we might adore, depend on, and obey Him all the more, giving glory to Him.  This is why the writer of Hebrews has so much to say about the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ for His people (Heb. 1:1-4), and why His people must not neglect meeting together, so as to encourage one another in the hope of Christ:
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  (Heb. 10:24-25)

 

Beloved, God has given us great privilege and responsibilities in our corporate and weekly gatherings as His people!  What a joy to share life in Christ together with you at RCG – I can’t wait to gather again with you this coming Lord’s Day!

 

Greg

Doing Our Part, Today

A healthy practice for believers is to regularly read the Book of Acts (along with the rest of Scripture)!  With 28 chapters, Acts could be read monthly at a pace of one chapter a day.  Or it could be read quarterly by reading 2-3 chapters a week, or almost twice a year by reading a chapter a week.  You get the idea!

 

I say this is a healthy practice because Acts keeps before us the reality that our Lord Jesus Christ is STILL ACTIVE in building His church!  Even now – by His Word, through His Spirit, with the participation of His people, and amid the pains of His providence – Jesus Christ is sovereignly working to gather, shepherd, and multiply His flock.

 

The question the Book of Acts continually holds before us is this:  are we doing our part in the work Christ has for us today?  Specifically, as we saw exemplified in Paul’s life and ministry last Lord’s Day (which is the focus of 17 of the 28 chapters of Acts), are we increasingly confident in the hope of the gospel, ambitious in the spread of the gospel, strengthened in the riches of the gospel, and faithful in the proclamation of the gospel?

 

The significance of these questions trickles down to the particular circumstances and opportunities of our daily lives.  Men, women, young, old, single, married, etc. – we’re all in different situations.  So particular points of application will look different for each of us.  And this is part of God’s wise design in our life together as a local church, that we might encourage, provoke, pray for, and learn from one another as we seek to be faithful in the work of Christ among us.

 

Beloved, may you and I ever more fully embrace Paul’s resolved mindset:


“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”  (Acts 20:24)

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Body Life

Our physical bodies are amazing!  The complexity, and intricacy of God’s marvelous design is beyond our ability to fully comprehend.  What diversity of parts: hands, feet, eyes, ears, muscles, brain, nervous system, etc.  Yet in all this rich diversity, what great unity in all these parts working together for the proper life and functioning of the body.  How overwhelming is the wonder of God’s sovereign design!

And how significant that God should use our physical bodies to illustrate the diversity and unity that believers share in the church…the body of Christ!  Rom. 12:1-8, 1 Cor. 12:1-31, and Eph. 4:1-16 are key passages that speak to this.  Every believer is a uniquely fashioned part of the body of Christ.  And each is to minister according to how we’ve been gifted by God – for the good of the whole body, and for the spread of the gospel.

This past Lord’s Day, we saw from Acts 6:1-7 how the early church grew in their understanding of the diverse gifting and calling of believers.  They likewise grew in understanding how the whole body is to work together in harmonious cooperation for the sake of the spreading of the Gospel; the proclamation of God’s word.

Beloved, how thankful we should be to see this type of “body life” occurring and increasing among us at RCG.  And how humble, prayerful, and devoted we should be in continuing to do our part, ministering to each other in the love and truth of Jesus (see Eph. 4:11-16).  What a great privilege and responsibility God has given us in walking together with Him in this local church.

Because He lives, and is returning,
Greg

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

In all of our corporate gatherings on the Lord’s Days this past month (Equipping Hour, Corporate Worship, and our Evening Gathering), we’ve been focusing on God’s mission in Jesus Christ, and what this means for us as His people.  We’ve seen that the Father’s eternal purpose is to glorify Himself in His Son, in His people, through the power of His Holy Spirit.

 

We’ve likewise seen that this eternal purpose directly relates to God’s good, wise, and authoritative design for the local church.  The local church is where “the rubber meets the road” as we learn to walk together in God’s grace, helping one another grow in the particular roles, responsibilities, and relationships He has called us to.  These truths are clearly revealed in Paul’s letter to Titus, and many other places throughout the New Testament.  It is in and through our corporate life together that God’s designs to bear witness of Jesus Christ to the world around us.  Jonathan Leeman helpfully summarizes the significance of these matters:

 

“In other words, the witness of the church does not merely consist in the fact that it goes; it consists in the fact that it has a distinct corporate life.  Its witness consists in the fact that it’s distinct in holiness, love, and unity.  So Jesus promises, ‘By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (Jn. 13:34,35).  The church’s internal work of holiness and love amongst its members is inextricably tied to its outward work of witness.  We must display Christ in our corporate life in order to display Christ in our individual lives.”  (Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love, Wheaton: Crossway, 2010, p. 260.)

 

Beloved, what great privileges and responsibilities God has called us to in Christ, even as we grow together as His people, in accordance with His word.  May the Lord help all of us to be encouraged and strengthened in submitting to His purposes for us, looking to His word together, and praying for one another to this great end (Eph. 6:18).

 

Because He lives, and is returning,

Greg

Growing Together in Christ-Exalting Attitudes

As we saw this last Lord’s Day from 1 Pet. 3:8, true people of God long to grow with each other in the Christ-exalting attitudes of unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, tender hearts, and humble minds.  Our longing in this is for the excellencies of Christ to be more fully displayed and proclaimed through us 1 Pet. 2:9-12.  We are to lovingly work for each other’s joy in Christ (2 Cor. 1:24), so that He would be exalted.

 

This implies, of course, that there is to be a tenacious, sacrificial, unquestionable loyalty between believers, especially in the local church.  Referring to the special bonds of biological families, we often say, “blood is thicker than water.”  If this is true, how much more should it be so for the family of God in a local church, purchased through the precious blood of Jesus Christ?

 

With this in mind, what a rich and special time we shared during our Members’ Meeting last Sunday evening.  It was encouraging to be with so many of you (we missed those who couldn’t make it!), and sense the active attitudes of 1 Pet. 3:8 as we considered the Lord’s work among us.  One tangible evidence of overflowing hearts, and an eagerness to practically love each other, occurred with our Benevolence Offering.  Almost $3800 was given!  What a kind and generous expression of care, indicative of Christ’s love growing among us, and being proclaimed through us!

 

Beloved, we are imperfect people, who are a part of an imperfect local church.  But our supremely perfect Chief Shepherd is working among us for our eternal good in Him.  We sometimes experience His painful pruning care, but always with the joyful assurance that His design is to bring forth much fruit for His glory ( Jn. 15:1-8.)

 

I love you in Christ, and count it a great privilege to share life in Him with you at RCG!

Praying for Pastors

“Let the thought sink deep into the heart of every church, that their minister will be very much such a minister as their prayers may make him. If nothing short of Omnipotent grace can make a Christian, nothing less than this can make a faithful and successful minister of the Gospel!”  Rightly says Gardiner Spring, in his timeless exhortation A Plea to Pray for Pastors (purchase the booklet here; read a free, abbreviated version here.)

 

Your regular prayers for all of the Elders at RCG are deeply needed, and greatly appreciated.  And particularly as it relates to our calling in preaching and teaching God’s Word, myself and Pastor Steve would covet your prayers.  In addition to our weekly ministry of God’s Word at RCG, the Lord has given both of us some assignments that extend beyond our local church.

  • On July 7, I’m scheduled to preach on the topic of “The Infinite-Personal God” at the “City Light Preaching Night” at Immanuel Baptist Church at 6:30pm. Then on July 20,21, I’m preaching in 5 Sessions for a Marriage Conference sponsored by Rockville Bible Church of Fairfield.  Also on July 21, Steve is preaching one of the break-out sessions at the Men’s Conference being hosted by Gold Country Baptist Church in Shingle Springs.
  • Then in Sept/Oct, both Steve and me will be travelling out of the country for ministry assignments (we’ll be letting you know more details and specific dates in the very near future).  I’ll be travelling to Zurich and Berlin for preaching, teaching, and training with the European Bible Training Center.  This will be followed by a trip to Haiti to preach at a pastor’s conference, and in local churches.  And Steve will be travelling to Zimbabwe, for preaching, teaching, and training ministry there.

Please pray that in these assignments, along with our regular ministry at RCG, we would be faithful stewards of God’s Word (1 Cor. 4:1,2); that we would pay close attention to our lives and doctrine (1 Tim. 4:15,16); that we would be unashamed workmen who rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15,16); and that the Word of God would spread rapidly from us, for His glory (2 Thess. 3:1,2).

 

As you pray for us, please know that we are continually praying for you, trusting that petitions and promises like Eph. 3:14-21 will continually be fulfilled in your lives!

 

What a joy to co-labor with you in the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ!  

1 Thessalonians 2:13

One of the greatest joys any pastor has is to see God working in people’s lives through His word and through His Spirit.  It is a great blessing for pastors to carry on their ministry among people who are eager to know and follow Jesus Christ, and who are thus hungry to hear, believe, and obey God’s holy word.

So I know I speak for the other pastors at RCG (yes, we also call them elders 🙂 ), in saying that these words from the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonian believers also express our hearts toward you:

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.  (1 Thessalonians 2:13, ESV)

Pressing on in the great hope of Jesus Christ, risen and coming again!


Growth of the Body for the Building Up of Itself in Love

As we’ve been mentioning over the last couple of weeks, Willie Phan is our new Church Secretary.  She’s taking over the role previously (and faithfully!) filled by Kay Fisher, who recently retired.  Please keep Willie in your prayers as she “learns the ropes” of her new responsibilities.  Also, please keep the following details in mind:

 

  • This is a part-time position, and Willie is currently going to be working on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  The office will be open on those days from 9AM – 4PM.
  • While being the Church Secretary is a ministry role, please note that we want Willie to be “off-duty” from her secretary responsibilities on the Lord’s Day.  Please respect this by avoiding the temptation to interact with Willie about clerical needs during our Lord’s Day gatherings.  Instead, please simply email (rcgoffice@sbcglobal.net) or call (916-972-1106) the church office during the week.

 

Thanks for your attention to these details, and for your prayers.  May the Lord continue to direct and supply for every part of the corporate life of RCG – including our clerical/administrative needs – to the end that He would be glorified in the ongoing “…growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”  (Eph. 4:16)

The Lord’s Abundant Mercies

As I mentioned yesterday in our Corporate Worship Service, some changes are taking place in our church office.  After more than three years of faithful, excellent service, Kay Fisher has recently resigned as our Church Secretary.  I want to publicly thank her for the gracious way she has diligently ministered in this role.  Not only has she given great clerical support to myself, Pastor Steve, and Gary Holman, but she has also been the “glue” in holding together so many vital administrative and communication related details for us as a church family.  I trust you’ll join with me in thanking God for Kay, and also that you’ll personally express thanks to Kay as well.  We’ll miss her in the church office!

 

With Kay’s resignation, Willie Phan has been hired to step into the Church Secretary role.  I’m grateful for the Lord’s provision in this way, and want to encourage you to keep Willie in your prayers as she gets oriented and acclimated to things.

 

In all these matters, and for a million other reasons, I’m thankful to the Lord for His abundant mercies!