Category: Ministry

A Christian Response to the Orlando Massacre

News of the massacre at an Orlando gay night club a little over a week ago was shocking and tragic, on many levels.  49 people killed, 53 injured, and millions upon millions horrified at such brutal, cold-blooded carnage.

 

Since the shooting, there has been no lack of rhetoric regarding how Christians should think and respond.  In all I’ve read and listened to, there’s certainly a mixture of “the good, the bad, and the ugly”!  No doubt you’ve been involved in at least one conversation, and probably many, about this event.  No doubt you’ll be involved in more in days ahead.

 

If you’ve not already heard it, I encourage you to take 25 minutes and listen to Dr. Albert Mohler’s thoughts regarding a Christian response to the Orlando massacre.  He recorded this on his podcast “The Briefing” on 6/13/16, the day after the massacre.  Dr. Mohler’s words express biblical truth and love – I think you’ll find them helpful.

 

Beloved, Paul’s exhortation from Col. 4:5-6 is always timely and relevant:

 

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Good, Hard Work

Every Christian has been created in Jesus Christ for good, hard work!  This is clear with what Paul says in Eph. 2:10 –

 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Paul reinforces this truth in Eph. 4:28 –

 

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

 

In the hope of all God’s riches and power in Christ, Christians must avoid every temptation to steal.  Positively, we must excel in working hard.  Hard work is God’s design, hard work is honorable, and hard work has a purpose – that we might share with others in need.

 

To encourage you in Gospel-motivated, Spirit-empowered good hard work, here are a few short and helpful books to check out:

 

 

Beloved, may we continue to trust God’s power and provision moment-by-moment, and work hard for the blessing of others, and the glory of God!

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

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

Visible Unity

Preserving unity in the church matters because of the eternal unity of God!  This is the heart of Paul’s exhortation and explanation in Eph. 4:1-6.

 

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 

God designs for every believer to have a deepening sense of our identity as members of His one body, the church.  He likewise designs for every believer to actively fulfill our responsibility in making His unity visible in our relationships with one another.  New Testament scholar Peter T. O’Brien, in his excellent Commentary on Ephesians, captures the significance of God’s purpose for His people:

 

“Ultimately, the unity and reconciliation that have been won through Christ’s death (Eph. 2:14-18) are part and parcel of God’s intention of bringing all things together into unity in Christ (Eph. 1:9-10).  Since the church has been designed by God to be the masterpiece of his goodness and the pattern on which the reconciled universe of the future will be modeled, believers are expected to live in a manner consistent with this divine purpose.  To keep this unity must mean to maintain it visibly.  If the unity of the Spirit is real, it must be transparently evident, and believers have a responsibility before God to make sure that this is so.  To live in a manner which mars the unity of the Spirit is to do despite (hate, spite, insult) to the gracious reconciling work of Christ.  It is tantamount to saying that his sacrificial death by which relationships with God and others have been restored, along with the resulting freedom of access to the Father, are of no real consequence to us!”  (O’Brien, pg. 279-280)

 

Beloved, let’s keep walking in holy love with one another, as those for whom all of God’s redeeming purposes in Christ have great consequence!

 

Praying with you, and for you, to this end,

Greg

Godly Attitudes and Actions

Beloved, we find in Eph. 4:1-3 that the proper posture of a worthy walk is to have an eager readiness to do God’s will.  And as Paul makes clear, this involves embracing godly attitudes (“…with all humility, gentleness, and patience…”), and fulfilling godly actions (“…bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”).

How could we whom God in Christ has so chosen, adopted, redeemed, and lavished with immeasurable grace (Eph. 1-3!), not joyfully and earnestly love one another for His pleasure and glory?  Nothing is more basic to our calling as His children than this, that we passionately care for one another as our Father cares for us!  So it is that these blessed obligations are expressed in our “Membership Commitment” to each other at RCG:

I will walk humbly in love with my brothers and sisters in Christ, regarding others as more important than myself, speaking with wisdom and graciousness for the edification of others, giving and receiving admonition with gentleness and patience, and eagerly seeking forgiveness and reconciliation whenever transgression may break the bond of peace with any brother or sister.  I will diligently pray for and work for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace in this church.

I encourage you to pause, and consider 1 or 2 specific ways, with specific people, God would have you “walk worthy” in these matters.  Perhaps it’s a prayer, a phone call, a note, an invitation to dinner, some gift of kindness, by which you can encourage a brother or sister in Christ.  Perhaps you’ve noticed someone who’s been absent from our gatherings for some time.  Perhaps you should seek them out in love.

Oh beloved, how amazing that God would design to manifest His holy love through us His children!  And how endless are the tangible ways His love can be expressed toward one another!  May we continue to cultivate this proper posture of a worthy walk, that Jesus’ promise would be all the more fulfilled through us:

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (Jn. 13:35)

Praying for you, and with you, to this end,

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

Prayers for Preachers

People often ask me how they might pray for me.  Such inquiries are a kind blessing and encouragement.  Here’s a great place to start:  10 Reminders for Preachers (think of this as “10 Prayers for Preachers”!).

 

And as you pray for me, know that myself and the other elders are praying fervently for you – Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21.  How grateful to God we are for you, and the privilege of serving you for your joy (2 Cor. 1:24)!

 

All for the glory of our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd (Jn. 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4),

Greg

Far-Reaching Implications of the Christian Identity

Over the last two Sundays in our corporate gatherings, we’ve been gazing intently into Eph. 2:19-22.  What we’ve seen in this powerful passage is that as Christians, we belong to God and to one another.  As such, our identity is not determined by any earthly categories (ethnicity, socio-economic status, abilities, etc.).  To the contrary, our identity is solely established on the permanent truth that in Christ we’ve been made citizens of God’s kingdom (vs. 19a), children of His family (vs. 19b), and members of His holy spiritual temple (vs. 20-22)!  We belong to God’s eternal church, and we eagerly await that day when we’ll gather with saints from every tribe, tongue, and nation around the throne of Jesus Christ, our exalted Lord and Savior (Rev. 7:9-12)!

 

The truth of our identity and unity in Christ has far-reaching implications, which certainly encompass our lives together in a local church like RCG.  As the church is central in God’s eternal purposes, so our relationships with one another are central in the church.  As we grow in Christ’s holy love for one another (John 13:34-35; Eph. 5:1-2), so we grow in displaying God’s glory to the world around us.

 

With these things in mind, it was a special joy to share the time together we did this past Sunday night at our Quarterly Members Meeting.  How wonderful and encouraging to hear testimonies from many regarding how God is working in and through your life.  And how helpful as some shared burdens and concerns they are facing.  Moreover, how refreshing to spend time together in prayer, expressing our praise, thanksgiving, and petitions as we seek the Lord’s purposes among us.  What rich and tangible expressions of the identity and unity we share in Christ!  We missed those of you unable to join us – knowing that many were dealing with illnesses, and other constraints that resulted in your absence.

 

May we all continue to “walk worthy” (Eph. 4:1-3), rejoicing in the glorious salvation God has lavished on us in Christ!!

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Jesus Plus Nothing Salvation

Most of you were with us this past Lord’s Day as Pastor Vanensio Bamwitirebye from Uganda preached from John 2:12-23 (you can find his sermon at our church website).  I had the privilege of joining Pastor Vanensio and a few other people for lunch following our service.  Among other things, he shared the story of how God brought him to saving faith in Christ.  Trusting you’ll be as encouraged as I was, here’s the written version of Pastor Vanensio’s testimony:

I was raised in a Catholic Family in a village in Bundibugyo District in Uganda.  I did well in school and I was invited to attend Catholic Seminary to become a priest.  This was a great honor for the village and for my family.  I lived in the Parish House with the Priest at the School.  One day at chapel, some missionaries from Philadelphia were invited to address the 700 students of the school.  They started explaining the Gospel from the Bible, and told us that our Salvation was based solely on our faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing.  As a seminarian this was blasphemy and I raised my hand and challenged them, that they were wrong.  Salvation was based on Christ plus Mary, the Saints, the Sacraments and our standing with the Catholic Church.  All of my friends were shouting, “Yes Vanensio, you tell them, you are the man!”  The missionary replied that I should show him the verses in the Bible that supported my position, and I answered back, that “if you will come back tomorrow, I will present the Bible verses to prove that you are wrong”.  The priests were the only ones allowed to read the Bible.  

That evening I explained to the priest about the missionaries and what they had said, and that I wanted him to give me the verses that support our Catholic beliefs about all of the church requirements for salvation, and counter this “Jesus Plus Nothing Salvation”.  He told me that the Catholic Church does not have to defend their beliefs, that they just are.  I was troubled by this explanation. 

The next morning we drove into the school yard and I saw the missionaries and all of my friends there.  I told the Priest that he must give me the verses to present to the missionaries, or maybe he didn’t know what he believed.  He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tablet and a pen and wrote a note that I was no longer a candidate for the priesthood, because I had challenged a priest.  He had a truck loaded with my stuff, and I was driven back to my home in the village.  My parents were mortified and embarrassed, because I had disappointed them, the village, and the church, and they kicked me out of the house.  

I went and stayed a couple of days at my uncle’s house and cried and cried about my situation.  But something caused me to want to know what what “Jesus Plus Nothing Salvation” was all about.  I then walked 8 kilometers to where the missionaries stayed and when they saw me they said, “Hey Vanensio, we did not see you at school the other day”.  I explained what had happened and asked them about their “Jesus Plus Nothing Salvation”.   They opened the Bible and read verse after verse about Jesus’ love for us and that salvation was a free gift and we did nothing to earn it.  I listened and sobbed and sobbed, and repented of my sins before Jesus.  This is the message that I now preach wherever I am able.  

Amen – to God be the glory!!

Because Christ lives, and is returning,
Greg

Ministering God’s Word from Uganda

This coming Lord’s Day, we have the special privilege of having a faithful brother and pastor from Uganda preach in our morning worship service.  I first met Vanensio Bamwitirebye a few years ago, when he was a student at The Cornerstone Bible College & Seminary.  He has since returned to Uganda, where he is involved in pastoring, church-planting, leadership training, and mercy ministry.  RCG members can see here to learn more about this dear brother.

Most of you know that as a church, we are currently in a process of praying about new missions partnerships.  Prior to learning of this opportunity for Vanensio to preach at RCG, we had already identified more than 10 potential partnerships for consideration.  For this reason, it has not seemed prudent to add Vanensio as another potential partnership.  So while we aren’t considering partnering with Vanensio at this time, we’re grateful to have him with us to proclaim God’s word, and to learn about God’s work in Uganda.

Vanensio will be here with his California host, Tom Johnson from Napa.  We’re praying and trusting that God will bring great mutual encouragement to all of us, in the great hope and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:8-17).

Because Christ lives, and is returning,
Greg

Amid Confusion, Clarity in Christ

Perhaps you’ve heard – the Pope was here, right here in America.  Suffice it to say that for many, this was a BIG deal!

Oh beloved, how God’s people need to be discerning, loyal to Christ, and saturated in God’s word in these days!  Contrary to the gushing adulation so many have expressed toward Pope Francis – lots of it sadly coming from many Evangelicals – there is MUCH to be concerned about.  Despite all the pomp and pageantry, the Pope is a false teacher presiding over a false religion, peddling false hope for billions.

Here are some helpful insights from Dr. Nathan Busenitz, faculty member at The Master’s Seminary: Popular Popes and Priestly Pretenders.

May God give us much wisdom, compassion, confidence, and clarity as we share the true hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ with unbelievers.  And may we show great care and sensitivity as we interact with those who embrace Catholicism – expressing gracious speech seasoned with salt (Col. 4:5-6).

Praying for you, and with you, in the great hope of our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ (Heb. 4:14-16),

Greg

Singing Among God’s People

In His great wisdom and goodness, God has designed singing to be an instrumental (no pun intended 🙂 ) means of grace among His people.  Our singing to God, with and to one another, expresses thanksgiving to Him, along with instruction and admonition for each other.  And so God graciously commands us:

 

 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16)

 

Our rich heritage of biblically solid “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”, both old and new, demonstrates the centrality of singing among God’s people.  Who can measure the faith-strengthening impact of these songs, helping us give voice to our deepest joys, sorrows, longings, and praises?

 

This coming Lord’s Day we’re planning to sing an old song, with a couple new verses.   The ancient Irish lyrics to Be Thou My Vision date to the 8th Century, and were translated to English in the early 1900’s.  In addition to the four familiar verses found in our hymnal, we’ll add the following:

 

Jesus exalted in glory above

Thou my Redeemer through Thy precious blood

Now interceding my confidence sure

O my Good Shepherd be my vision pure

 

Spirit indwelling my Counselor Thou

Teaching, enabling by Thy holy power

Through Thy Word given perfect and true

Help and transform me while bearing Thy fruit

 

Beloved, one way we cultivate Christ-exalting love for each other is to heed the command of Col. 3:16.  Looking forward to gathering with you again, with these truths in mind!

 

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

Resource Recommendations

Many have rightly observed that with the Supreme Court ruling last Friday (6/26/15) regarding same-sex marriage, “everything has changed, and nothing has changed.”  Indeed, ever since man’s rebellion in the garden (Gen. 3:1-7), all of creation has been groaning under God’s curse (see Rom. 1:18-32; 8:18-25).  We have always lived in difficult times, because of the continual outworking of sin in people’s lives (see 2 Tim. 3:1-5).  And for believers, our God-given mission to make disciples (Mt. 28:18-20), and live godly lives that adorn the Gospel (Titus 2:11-14) is unchanging.  Moreover, we’ve continually been forewarned, so as to be forearmed, that suffering and pain will be a normal part of our Christian experience (Jn. 15:18-16:4; 2 Tim. 3:12).

 

All these truths are good to keep in mind as we respond to the recent Supreme Court Ruling.  God has placed each of us in unique networks with believers and unbelievers alike, many of whom are celebrating the Supreme Court ruling.  To encourage your thinking and responding in biblical ways, here are a number of resources I’ve found particularly helpful.  These are by no means exhaustive.  I trust these will help to strengthen your own convictions and responses, and also be tools you may pass on to others.

 

Online articles/audio:

 

 

Books:

 

 

Beloved, may God enable us to be faithful as witnesses for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  And may He be glorified in the salvation of multitudes from the deadly bondage of sin!

 

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you many know how you ought to answer each person.”  (Col. 4:5-6, ESV)

 

Because Jesus Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Greetings from Haiti!

Greetings to all of you from Haiti!  Thank you so much for your prayers – God is indeed blessing and sustaining the preaching/teaching of His powerful word.  Myself, Pastor Lance Gentry, and Mr. Thomas Herrera are in “Part 2” of our mission, in the midst of 4 days of teaching at The Faculty of Theology (FATHEMIE).  We’re each at a different campus (I’m in Port-au-Prince), with a total of about 60 students.  We’re teaching about Biblical/Conservative Theology, in contrast to Catholic and Liberal Theology (which is very prevalent here).

 

One of the highlights of the trip so far has been getting to know Willio and Neecole Destin, and their 2 young daughters Abigail and Gabrielle (pictured).

 

The Destins were our hosts for the “Part 1” of our mission (4/23-4/26), a 2-day pastors conference in Grand Goave.  Willio is a native Haitian, and a graduate from The Master’s Seminary.  Neecole is from Los Angeles.  Willio now pastors a church in Grand Goave, and is the Founder/Director of The Bible Institute of Grand Goave.  They are very focused on church-planting/strengthening and leadership training. Though the Destins have only been “on the ground” here since Jan. 2014, they have been laying groundwork for many years with the other men on the board of More Than Bread (MTB).

 

The fruit is evident,  as the training center is up and running, with 14 students this first year.  (Following our pastors conference, 25 of the 65 men in attendance applied to the institute – what a great praise!)  There are also two key Haitian men helping Willio with the leadership of the institute.  MTB helped train these men for 3-4 years.  As a local church pastor, Willio is faithfully modeling what he’s teaching.   The Destins also seem to be joyfully embracing the many significant sacrifices necessary to minister in this very hard, spiritually dark, deeply impoverished place.  (I’ll tell you more about their situation and sacrifices when I return home).  3 John 5-8 comes to mind, as this family has definitely “…gone out for the sake of the name…”.  Please pray for the Lord’s sustaining, enabling grace for them.

 

All of you remain regularly in my prayers, with much thanksgiving and affection!

 

Grace,

Greg

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Adequate to Speak the Truth in Love

All the rich truths the Holy Spirit has revealed in Eph. 1:3-14 are given to establish and assure Christians of their identity in Christ.  As we grow in our knowledge of God and the blessings of His grace, we walk more effectively in the good works He has prepared for us (Eph. 2:10).  We likewise are more equipped to minister to others (Eph. 4:11-12).

 

Practically, this means that every Christian has been fashioned by God to effectively minister to others.  If we have been chosen by the Father (Eph. 1:3-6), redeemed by the Son (Eph. 1:7-12), and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14), then God has made us adequate to serve others for His glory.  And He has entrusted His truth to us – His word, the Bible.  The essence of our service then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).

 

Beloved, whether you are ministering to other believers, or to unbelievers, you are adequate to “speak the truth in love”.  Whether you’re ministering to family, friends, or strangers; to those older, younger, or peers; whatever the person or situation – you are adequate to “speak the truth in love”.  You can share scripture in your conversations, you can read and study scripture with others, and you can pray for scripture to be effective in the lives of others.  You are adequate!

 

Certainly, we should be continually growing in our knowledge of the truth, and thus growing in our “truth-telling” ministry to others.  And we should also humbly receive the ministry of others in our lives.  But never doubt that God can use you right now to speak His truth in love to others.

 

So, who might God have you talk to today?

 

Because Christ lives, and is returning,

Greg

Greetings from the Shepherds Conference

Greetings, brothers and sisters.  As you know, myself and 10 other men from RCG are currently at the Shepherds Conference in Los Angeles.  Thank you for your prayers!  We’re being encouraged with the preaching of God’s word, and the fellowship of literally thousands of like-minded men.  It is a blessing to be here – a blessing we pray will “spill over” to you and many others.

 

If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out the live-stream of the main sessions (there are 4-5 each day).  Here’s the website:  http://www.shepherdsconference.org/.  As you’ll see, video of earlier sessions is also beginning to be available.  With the sessions not concluding until Friday evening, there’s still a lot more to go.

 

Thanks again for your prayers – 2 Thess. 3:1-2!  We’re all looking forward to getting home to Sacto, and seeing you this coming Lord’s Day.

 

Grace,

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

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

Word Work

Over the last couple weeks in the book of Acts, we’ve been learning of God’s strategy for world missions.  Simply stated, He speaks!  God accomplishes His work by His living, powerful, authoritative word.  So we have seen throughout Acts that our exalted Lord Jesus Christ is gathering, shepherding, and multiplying His flock – the church.  He’s doing this through the proclamation of His word, in the power of the Holy Spirit, with the participation of His people, and amid the pains of His providence (see these elements at work, for example, in Acts 14:19-28).

 

Because of the indispensable centrality of God’s word in all His work, God’s people must have a relentless confidence in His word.  As Paul exhorted Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:14-17 –

 

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

 

Beloved, God saves us through the preaching of His word (1 Pet. 1:22-25); He grows us through the nourishment of His word (1 Pet. 2:1-3); and He designs to use us – all of us – as ministers of His word (1 Pet. 4:10-11).  What a privilege and responsibility we have to share God’s eternal word with others (friends, co-workers, spouses, neighbors, children, parents, etc.), trusting that He will use His word for His purposes (see Is. 55:10-11).

 

To strengthen your delight in, and desire for God’s word, here are the excellent resources I mentioned at the end of last Sunday’s sermon:

 

 

Praying and trusting the Lord to keep accomplishing His “word work” in us, and through us,

 

Pastor Greg

A Look Ahead

Wow – amazingly, we’re already into the month of August!  I trust you have been having a refreshing summer thus far, and more than anything that you are growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:17-18).

 

Along with our modified summer schedule continuing through the end of August, we are having some guest preachers over the next 3 Lord’s Days at RCG.  Please be praying that the Lord would use these men to faithfully proclaim God’s living word (Eph. 6:19-20).  Pray likewise that all of us who gather each Lord’s Day would be faithful hearers and doers of God’s truth (Mt. 7:24-27).  Here’s the schedule for the next few weeks (for our morning corporate worship services):

 

  • August 10 – Cliff Peppers (Pastor/Elder at Gold Country Baptist Church in Cameron Park)
  • August 17 – Adrian Donato (Academic Dean at The Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo)
  • August 24 – Tim Ingrum (you know this guy!  Deacon at RCG, husband of Willie, tall, bearded,… 🙂 )
  • August 31 – I’m planning to be back in the pulpit, Lord willing.

 

Also, please plan to gather with us on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 5pm, as we’ll be sharing a combined Lord’s Supper service with Grace Bible Church (Roseville), and The Cornerstone Bible Church (Natomas).  The service will take place at RCG, and Adrian Donato will be preaching.  Childcare will be provided, and we’ll also have refreshments afterward.

 

With much gratitude and affection, all of you continue often in my prayers – particularly in view of Eph. 1:15-23, and Eph. 3:14-21!

 

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

The Shepherd of Shepherds

While there are many metaphors God uses to describe His relationship with His people, one of the more prominent in Scripture is that of a shepherd with his sheep.  Extending from numerous Old Testament references (Gen. 48:15; Ps. 80:1; Is. 40:11; etc.), Jesus is revealed to be the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11-16), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20-21), the Shepherd and Overseer of his sheep (1 Pet. 2:24-25), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4).  Our exalted Shepherd accomplishes His faithful care of His sheep (feeding, leading, correcting, and protecting), through Elders that He raises up as “under-shepherds” (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3), and through the shared love and ministry His sheep are to have with one another (1 Pet. 4:7-11).  All of this points to the local church as the arena in which God shepherds His people.

Beloved, there is a strong, God-ordained connection between your hope-filled delight in God’s shepherding care, and your humble devotion to His wise design for the local church.  If we actively submit to His design in faith, we’ll increasingly taste of the Lord’s gracious goodness (1 Pet. 2:1-3).  Conversely, to arrogantly resist God’s design is to resist His shepherding care, and to provoke His powerful opposition (1 Pet. 5:6).

I’m sure I speak not only for myself, but also for Smokey, Steve, and Chuck in saying that we’re humbled, honored, and blessed to serve among you as Christ’s under-shepherds at RCG.  As we yearn for you with the affection of Christ, so we thank Him for you, and continually pray for your fruitfulness and joy in the hope of the Gospel (Phil. 1:3-11).

To God be the Glory!
Greg

A Note from Haiti

Devastated by the effects of false teaching from cults, peddlers of the prosperity gospel, and Pentecostalism, Haiti is in great need for pastors to be equipped and encouraged as Christ-exalting shepherds who can exposit God’s word. My hope is that men will be raised up and trained, churches will be strengthened, and the Gospel will spread in this spiritually dark and troubled land.

By the Lord’s grace and your faithful support, I received the opportunity to minister God’s Word in Haiti again this Fall. This ministry trip is being coordinated in conjunction with Pastors of the Caribbean, led by Thomas Herrera who was present among us this past Lord’s Day. Additionally, I will be co-teaching and preaching with Pastor Lance Gentry from Austin Bluffs Evangelical Free Church in Colorado Springs, CO. First, I will be preaching for a two-day pastor’s conference at Iglise Evangelique Bethesda de Madeline, near Cap-Haitien (Sept. 27-28). This church is led by Pastor Julio Jean-Gilles, whom I met during my previous trip in 2012 and with whom I have since grown in friendship through the Lord’s doing. I will also be preaching at Pastor Julio’s church on the Lord’s Day, September 29. Afterward, I will be teaching at the Faculty of Theology, a Haitian pastoral training center (Sept. 30 – Oct. 3). I will be posting updates on my Facebook page throughout the duration of my trip, so please feel free to check for posts there.

Meanwhile, please pray for God to use His word to bear much fruit for His glory (Jn. 15:8), encourage Haitian pastors in faithful Gospel ministry (1 Tim. 4:12-16), and bring greater health and strength to Haitian churches (Titus 1:5). Please also pray for both Lance and me to be faithful in the remaining details of our sermon and teaching preparations, and that we would be bold in proclaiming God’s word (Eph. 6:19, 20). Praise God for the provision of approximately $2,100 from your generous donations and the yard sale fundraiser, and please pray for the provision of the remaining $400 needed to meet our $2,500 goal. I appreciate your prayers for safety in all travel details and logistics, and especially for God’s spiritual and physical provision for my family while I am away.

Thankful for your prayers, support, and partnership in the ministry of the gospel,

Greg