By Andy Farmer

Editor’s Note: The following is a testimony from Christy Ware, who was a team leader at Youth Camp. Christy is a teacher and coach at Delaware County Christian School. She knows teens and she knows camps.

I wanted to attend Youth Camp in order to serve the body I have grown to love, and to get to know others in the church. My plans seemed simple, but God did much more than I could imagine.

I had the privilege of serving the Black Team with Nathan Lee and Kelsey Farmer - two past honor campers. Apparently they were stacking our deck, because I’m a “newbie” and need lots of help. The campers of the Black Team were excited, some tentative at first. As the week went along, we started to care for each other so deeply. Our discussion times were real and personal, and once again reminded me that while I might be a few years ahead, my struggles are so similar to my younger brothers and sisters. This was evident as I watched the students minister to each other, not only during ministry time on Friday night but almost more importantly, during meals and competition and simple walks down the path. This is the next generation – what beautiful anticipation – not just of what God has in store for their lives in the distant future, but in their families, schools and friendships NOW!

Jared said that the happiness of the church is bound up in the youth. Covenant loves its youth. They serve them. The pastors love to come and pour into them. I was so impressed that a guest speaker didn’t deliver the messages, but our pastors. The gospel wasn’t watered down. No, it was amplified message after message. The true gospel, not emotionalism.

Besides the deep encouragement received through observing the passion of the youth and the church leadership to shepherd them, I personally was challenged to decrease and to allow Christ to increase.

This is the testimony of team leader Jason Stowell

One thing that really stuck out to me, and is something that always sticks out to me about Covenant Fellowship, is the love for Christ that the youth have. It is something that I just haven't been a part of outside of this church. I was also affected by the care that I saw in the other team leaders. I left camp thinking "I want these kids to love Jesus as much as some of these leaders do". I felt very encouraged as well as challenged by the heart for our youth that I saw come out on the fields, in the team leader meetings, and during times of ministry.

The last night the Spirit of God really met us. I loved how that Friday night was, in most ways, just like every other meeting we had that week. There wasn't any special effort made to purposefully work up the kids emotions in order that there might be a response. The way that it was executed seemed to be just like all other times we gather to praise God and hear from His Word... but the fruits of that night were unique and powerful. As soon as the message was over, one of the very first kids that went forward was a kid that didn't want to even go to camp in the first place and almost didn't. He was followed by almost the whole camp. A lot of them went forward to pray for and encourage those who went up first, but even that was wonderful to see. The openness and desire for the work of God in their hearts that night was powerful. That night, in our cabin discussions, the two kids that hadn't hardly spoken a word all week during group talks were the ones that were speaking the most about the conviction taking place in their own hearts and their fresh desire to live in obedience to Christ in specific ways. One of the guys broke into song near the end of the meeting. That was a sweet time.

It just seems so obvious to me that over the years, as the Gospel has been faithfully preached in this church, that God has blessed our church. The truths of God's Word run deep in the hearts of the older and younger generation, and the fruits of that were evident at camp this year (as last year). Both years that I have lead at youth camp I have left feeling grateful that I got to be a part of God's continual goodness to our church. To be a part of a camp where the Gospel is preached, ministry is happening, the Spirit is at work, love is abiding in God's people is just such a privilege. It is one that I often take for granted, but it wasn't something that I took for granted after camp. It was so good to be reminded of God's faithfulness yet again.

By Rob Flood

As a church, we can often look to those who lead and teach us and see the fruit of their ministry. We are grateful for those leaders and we are thankful to God for the fruit we enjoy in our lives. What may be less obvious but no less real is the fruit that exists in the leaders’ lives because of the ministry of those in the church. Simply put, the lives of the members of the church are stronger because of their leaders…and the lives of the leaders are stronger because of the members of the church.

This is our story at Covenant Fellowship Church. And, as a church, we had a recent display of the fruit of our church’s ministry in the lives of one of their leaders: Dave Harvey.

As you may know, Dave has recently written a book called Rescuing Ambition. In addition to expounding upon the Scriptures, Dave has included many stories of many people from our church. These examples exist because of the faith and fruit that has resulted from members of this church living out the gospel in real life.

Well, on July 28th, Dave was the featured guest on Desiring God Live: a two-hour interview broadcast through www.desiringgod.com . If you saw it, you know that God was honored and the Covenant Fellowship Church was well represented. If you missed it, you can watch it below.

Thank God for fruit in the mission…both in the members and in the leaders. Truly, what do we have that we have not received? We are thankful to God for his faithfulness. May he use this interview, this book, but primarily the witness of this church for his glory in the mission. 

By Jared Mellinger 

Last week, we had a brief introduction to Jace Hudson. Here is the second part to our Q&A.

What books or authors have had the biggest influence on your life, and how have you benefited from them? 

A favorite author of mine is John Piper (big surprise!). A few favorites are Desiring God, Don’t Waste Your Life, and When I Don’t Desire God. I’ve already talked about Piper, so I probably don’t need to go into these books, except to say that these three works have probably been the ones of Piper’s that I’ve turned back to the most to renew my mind and inspire me.

Other than Piper books, one of my favorite books is John Stott’s commentary on Romans (The Message of Romans, in “The Bible Speaks Today” series). God used this book at a very strategic point in my discipleship. I was in college and had only been saved for a year or so. There was some pretty serious sin in my life that I was trying to grapple with, but my grasp of the gospel was pretty shallow. I could hear God calling me to love him and follow him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but I was really feeling the pull of this world and felt enticed by it. God, however, wasn’t about to let me go. He sent Mr. Stott into my life to call me to attention and to “school” me in the gospel. I particularly remember studying through Romans 1-3 where I came to feel the weight of my sin but also the releasing freedom of Christ’s righteousness.

What are you currently reading?

The Christian Ministry, Charles Bridges
Church Planting for Dummies, Mike McKinley
Death by Love, Mark Driscoll
Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism, Joshua Muravchik
* I just finished Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together (Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent) which was a very interesting and engaging read.

What are 2 or 3 of your favorite quotes?

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. - Paul (Acts 20:24)

Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. - Anonymous

According to my judgment the most important point to be attended to is this: above all things see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord. Other things may press upon you, the Lord's work may even have urgent claims upon your attention, but I deliberately repeat, it is of supreme and paramount importance that you should seek above all things to have your souls truly happy in God Himself! Day by day seek to make this the most important business of your life. - George Muller
 
What are 2 or 3 of the most important things you learned at the Pastors College?

Probably the most important thing I learned at the PC had to do with biblical fellowship. Pride had slipped into the way in which I was approaching meeting other believers, but it was very sneaky in the way it slipped in. I was coming into meetings with the mindset “I’m here to serve,” which isn’t bad in itself. However, serving others became a means of neglecting self-disclosure. It was a smokescreen. I was so preoccupied with wanting to help other people that I wasn’t thinking about how I too needed help. Through the care of my friends, God helped me to see my arrogance. And though I shouldn’t neglect serving others, I ought to come into fellowship also assuming my need of help from them.

Another important lesson I learned at the PC had to do with how I handle God’s Word, especially its interpretation. One thing I remember Jeff Purswell always hammering away at was something called “authorial intent.” The idea behind it is the closer we can understand the original author’s original intent, the truer our interpretation of the passage will be. Or, another way to say it, is the closer we get to the intention of the little “a” author (e.g. Paul), the closer we’ll get to the intention of the big “A” Author (God). The profundity of this principle is not so much in the saying of it, but in the doing of it. This is where the hard work of Scripture study comes in. So Jeff had us practicing at this week after week, with passage after passage, in class after class.

Jace, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.
We thank God for you and your family, and we are thrilled to have you with us here at Covenant Fellowship!

By Jared Mellinger

We were excited to recently welcome our friends Jace and Jenny Hudson back to Covenant Fellowship, along with their son Joshua.  The Hudsons spent the past year attending the Sovereign Grace Ministries Pastors College in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  Jace is with us now as a church planning resident for Sovereign Grace Ministries.

 

I asked Jace some questions that I thought might help everyone get to know him better.  

 

Describe your approach to devotions, including what time you wake up, how long your devotions usually are, what your current plan is for Bible reading, prayer, etc.

 

Right now I’m getting up at 6 and devotions last an hour or so. I’m slowly making my way through the book of 1 Peter. To help my meditation on the passage I’m using a devotional commentary written by an old Scottish pastor, Robert Leighton. After studying the passage I usually journal a few thoughts that particularly struck me. Finally I spend time in prayer/worship. 

 

The only variance is Monday mornings, where instead of studying 1 Peter I review the past Sunday’s text and sermon.

 

What preachers have had the biggest influence on your life, and how have you benefited from them?

 

John Piper has been the preacher with the largest influence on my life. It’s hard to sum up all the ways in which I’ve benefited from this man’s ministry. If I had to distill it down, it’s probably that more than any other man, Piper has taught me how high God is, how low I am, and how far Christ reached to save me. He strives for theological precision, has a passion that is all-life consuming, and relentlessly calls for self-sacrifice while never ceasing to assure us of the greater joy found in our God and His will. If you want a classic Piper sermon, let me recommend this one: “Boasting Only in the Cross” (listen to it before you read it). God has probably used this message more than any other sermon to form me into who I am today.

 

Another preacher is Guy Pfanz, my pastor in college. The reason I count Guy as one of the most influential preachers in my life is because he taught me as a pastor the value of preaching through the Bible. And when I say “preaching through the Bible,” I mean it literally. Guy was committed to preaching through the New Testament on Sunday mornings and through the Old Testament on Wednesday evenings. Guy’s reasoning for doing so was two fold: (1) It kept him accountable to teaching every passage in Scripture, instead of just the ones he liked and felt comfortable with, and (2) because it served to disciple the congregation through the whole counsel of Scripture. I loved this expression of commitment to God’s Word and humility before it.

 

Do you remember the first sermon you ever preached?  If so, tell us about it. 

 

Though I don’t recall the first “official” sermon I preached, I do remember my first “unofficial” sermon. Shortly after I was saved, during my freshman year of college, my church at home invited me to come back on a Sunday and share my testimony. The only direction (and limitation) the pastor gave me was to “tell them what God has done.”  So, that Sunday morning I arrived at the church with a pew full of friends and about 10 pages of notes, excited to share my testimony and to deliver an evangelistic message about truly knowing God. (I believe I preached from Exodus 3, where God reveals Himself to Moses.)

 

I knew something was wrong afterwards when I heard the pastor mention in passing that he would save the message he prepared for the following week. Oops!

 

What do you do for leisure? 

 

I like to read, eat, travel, go on dates with Jenny, hang out with friends, and play with my son Joshua. I’m looking for a good hobby right now and am open to suggestions!

 

If you were not in vocational ministry, what occupational path would have you chosen? 

 

I enjoy counseling a lot. Maybe I would pursue further schooling and go into counseling. Another option (in a completely different direction) might be project management. Before I went to the Pastors College I was working in the business world. My boss graciously let me take a shot at project management (in which I have no education nor training) and I ended up enjoying that a lot.

 

Part two of our Q&A will be posted next Monday. Stay tuned!

by Jared Mellinger

Are you up to anything this coming Sunday evening?  On June 27 at 6:00 pm, there will be two 30-minute sermons from two of the men who have been participating in the Preaching Lab.  We call this Preach the Word.  It will be a low-key event, but it is open to the entire church.

The guys who are preaching are Christopher Campbell and Jacob Young.  Both of them are going to be preaching on the resurrection, which is a Gospel truth of first importance to Christians.  Jacob will be preaching from Matthew 27:57-28:15, and Christopher will preach from 1 Corinthians 15:12-28.  These guys have been working hard in preparation, and I have seen the sermons and I can’t wait to hear them Sunday evening.  It’s going to be good.   

We want to do all we can as pastors to identify and train future preachers.  This event gives us an opportunity to do that, while benefiting from the teaching we will receive.  It also gives us an opportunity to encourage these young men and celebrate the grace that is on their lives.   

I can still remember the first sermon I ever preached.  It was the summer of 1999, in Wildwood, New Jersey.  I was 18 years old.  I was living with two friends, and the three of us all had jobs working at a pizza place close to the boardwalk.  We worked through the night and enjoyed going to the beach to watch the sunrise before going home and going to bed.

We all had ambitions for pastoral ministry.  We all wanted to preach, but there weren’t exactly any opportunities to do so.  So we decided that we would preach sermons to each other, and invite anyone else who wanted to come.  The makeshift pulpit was a big living room chair, with a trashcan turned upside-down and stacked on top of the chair.  No kidding!  My handwritten sermon notes were on top of a trashcan, and 6 or 7 people were seated all over the small living room.  

I’m pretty sure there wasn’t anything spectacular about the sermon.  None of us knew enough about preaching to determine whether or not the sermon was any good (which in hindsight, really worked to my advantage!).  The sermon was probably quite forgettable.  But one of the young women there had parents who ran a ministry for youth, and she told her parents they should have me speak to the youth, which led to other opportunities to preach. 

The encouragement I received from people early on went a long ways in building my faith for how God might use me in preaching.  I can look back and see the kindness of God in the opportunities he provided.  I don’t know what God will do with the men who have been participating in the Preaching Lab.  But I can guarantee you that the sermons that will be preached on Sunday evening will be better than my first sermon!  And, they will be preaching from a pulpit rather than a trashcan.   

Consider coming out and supporting these guys, and sitting under God’s word with me.  And, mark your calendars for July 25 and August 29 as well, because Preach the Word will continue those nights, with other young men.   

By Andy Farmer

I came across an article in World Magazine that caused me to pause and rejoice.  Written by Anthony Bradley, the article is entitled “Mishandling Twenty-something’s”. 

(Read the entire article here:   http://online.worldmag.com/2010/06/02/mishandling-twentysomethings/)

It was a very insightful piece about the church’s challenge with men in their 20’s who really want to do something meaningful for Christ.  Bradley decries the tendency of churches to take their spiritually robust young men and send them away to seminaries in speculative pursuit of ‘ministry’.  Why can’t the church find a place for godly young men to make a difference right where the are planted?  Bradley writes,

This trend actually reveals the sad state of an American evangelical gynocentric church: Spiritually interested young men are the exception rather than the expectation.  These men tend to stand out because their twenty something men peers are generally absent in most churches and many of the others present are going through religious motions, attending because of parental legalism, or because of girlfriend or wife pressure.

On one level I can identify with this article – so many of the guys I met in seminary seemed to be there because they didn’t seem to know where to take their zeal besides full time ministry.  But on another, far more profound sense I couldn’t relate.  As I look around our church I see a legacy of young men who have chosen to press their passion into our church for over two decades.  I witnessed the impact of several of them last Friday night in the Reilly/Toe the Pacific concert – godly and gifted men using their gifts to edify the church.  I see it in the Fight guys – young college men studying and applying theology together and inviting high school guys to join in.  I see it in our two softball teams – young men competing for fun and bragging rights, but also reaching out to men of all ages through sports.  I see it in Grow, in Invest, in the Am I Called group, in the preaching lab.  All around us men are making a difference in service and example.  What’s more, our church is filled with men who are leaving their twenties’s, and even thirties, but who are no less serious or fruitful than they were in their younger years, even though now they are raising families and building careers. 

One of the things I’ve been most grateful for over the years is that this church has been a place where serious young men of God could find fellowship and opportunity to make a real difference.  That’s what was offered to me as a 26 year old man a quarter century ago, and that’s what a young brother can find today. 

Gynocentric church?  Not hardly!

By Ramona Doyle

We had a wonderful discussion during a recent community group meeting when we split men and women and the gals discussed how we can live out "women’s ministry" in the day to day.  This discussion was a follow-up to our January women’s ministry meeting.  As we talked, I was particularly struck by comments from a couple of the ladies who shared burdens for the Zacchaeus’s in our midst.  Remember Zacchaeus?  He was the little guy in Luke 19 who so wanted to know more about Jesus that he climbed a Sycamore tree to get a glimpse of him.  Though he was out of the Savior’s line of vision, Jesus knew he was there, walked right over to him, beckoned him out of the tree, and spent time with him.

What challenged me during our discussion was the realization of how short sighted I can sometimes be as I go through my days…getting done with my stuff, carrying out my business, checking things off my ‘to do’ list.  As busy women, wives, and mothers, we have a lot on our plates, and the urgent can sometimes override the important.  We can become so focused on our lives that we miss the Zacchaeus’s in our midst—the new folks, the lonely person sitting off in the sidelines, the folks who are struggling but not yet knit into the life of the church in a way so as to draw encouragement and help from others.

I left that discussion with fresh conviction and new resolve to ask the Lord for eyes to see the Zacchaeus’s around me.  Within just a few days I was amazed at the many opportunities the Lord provided.  At the next Sunday meeting I had a conversation with a family visiting for the baptism that was going to be held during the service.  I was able to welcome a couple who had moved to the area and was looking for a new church.  We invited the daughter of some friends who are newer to the church over, only to find that the gesture of friendship from our daughter was extra meaningful because this little gal didn’t know many other children in the church.  These stories are just one day and one person trusting the Lord for eyes to see.  What if we all asked the Lord to show us the Zacchaeus’s in our midst and purposed to reach out so that there were none left out or lonely numbered among us?

There was women’s ministry happening during that community group women’s discussion.  We were all challenged by the thoughts that were shared and made freshly aware of the Lord’s grace available in simple acts of kindness.  We were equipped to appropriate grace to change.  May the Lord so use each of us in the one-anothers of our lives as we seek to live out "women’s ministry" in the day to day.

A special thanks to Donna Gabbadon and Kathy Muir for your hearts for the Lord and for others.  These gals initiated the Zacchaeus thoughts that so deeply affected us that night.

By  Andy Farmer

This is the second post reflecting on a book I recently completed.  It is a small, 103 page biblical theology on the Kingdom of God and the church entitled, well, The Kingdom of God and the Church.  The author is Geerhardus Vos, a Dutch/American theologian of the turn of the 20th Century who taught at Princeton Seminary along side the last of the orthodox lions of that great institution, B. B Warfield and J. Gresham Machen.  Vos is known as the ‘Father of Reformed Biblical Theology’, which might not mean a lot to some folks.  But his works on how the story of redemption plays through the entire Bible are foundational for understanding the grand purpose and beauty of the Scriptures as they reveal the Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
In this book Vos has accomplished an extraordinary task of taking the massive theological topic of the Kingdom of God and pressing its essential Biblical theology into a small and very readable text.  I ended up using it in my devotions and found myself regularly stopping and pondering the deep significance of some of the truths he was offering in small measure throughout.  Here’s another statement that spoke volumes to me.  

Faith and unbelief are experiential states and acts in which the whole spiritual condition of the individual comes to light.  (100)
    
This statement comes near the end of the book, following a wonderful discussion on repentance and faith.  To Vos, repentance and faith are "the two main aspects of the kingdom, righteousness and the saving grace of God, translated into terms of subjective human experience.”  In evangelism we talk about bringing the Gospel to the unbeliever; in mission we talk about reaching the unbelieving world.  Yet I’m not sure we think well about what ‘unbelieving’ means.  What we encounter in experience in evangelism and mission is not people who see themselves as ‘unbelievers’ but as people who ‘believe differently’.  And when we accept that premise as the starting point of outreach, we find ourselves trading in a market that places no value in what we offer.  We may begin to debate on the superiority of our message, be tempted to offer attractive temporal benefits of our system, or adapt our message to the tastes of those with whom we speak.  In any case we succumb to the fallacy of ‘relative unbelief’ – that resistance to God is something that can be overcome with strategy, persistence or our own great example.  But Vos presents faith as a gift of God, the sovereign activity by which He overcomes the sinful unbelieving heart with the saving power of the Gospel.  Unbelief is not alternative belief.  It is a spiritual deadness of our soul to God – an experiential state as well as a religious one – which can only be remedied by divine intervention.  

It might not be good outreach strategy to address our neighbor, co-worker, family member to their face as a ‘rank unbeliever’.  It certainly doesn’t seem loving.  But in our minds and hearts and prayers we need to keep in mind that faith can’t be teased out by our efforts.  Saving faith is God’s doing and we are privileged beyond all reason to participate in the sowing of the seeds which give birth to it.  

This statement takes on a whole different connotation when I think about personal ministry to my brothers and sisters.  At times I’ll ask somebody if they are struggling with unbelief.  Often the response is something like, ‘I’m sure I am’, followed by a ‘but what I’m really struggling with is…..’  But to Vos unbelief is an ‘experiential state and act in which the whole spiritual condition of the individual comes to light’.  It isn’t something you can skip over in the inbox of the soul to get to the real problem.  If the key to life in Christ is faith, then in some sense the key to struggles in life is unbelief.  This doesn’t mean that effective pastoral or personal ministry is summed up in squashing unbelief.  But it does seem that to truly help people we need to be able to discern how the ‘whole spiritual condition’ of those we are counseling is affected by unbelief.  And it seems that we need to be able to address truth to the specific manifestations and strongholds of unbelief in a person’s life.  Effective ministry is helping people appropriate honest and grace empowered faith to the difficulties of life.  Our practical theology of faith must contain biblically informed remedies against the dissipating effects of unbelief.  Vos has given us a one sentence truth agenda that can serve us in every evangelistic and personal ministry situation we face.   

By Cindy Campbell

If you know me, you know I am an avid fan of the blog "Girltalk" by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters.  I love the fact that I can be encouraged, challenged and affected by the Lord in my house while I am working throughout my day.

A while back the girls at Girltalk were talking about the different seasons that we experience as women.  They began with teens and how as teenage women we can use that season of our lives for the glory of the Lord and honoring him.  (You can read those posts by clicking http://girltalk.blogs.com/)  They then turned to the single season that we all experience as ladies.  It was a wonderful reminder of that season of my life 29+ years ago.  In a post dated 2.26.09 Carolyn wrote about single women nurturing children.  I have pondered and thought about her words a lot since then.  Here is a snippet of what she posted:

So, how does a single woman enter into the meaning of motherhood if she doesn’t have children of her own?  How does she express her femininity as life-bearer, as nurturer?  Elisabeth Elliot answered this question: 

“A single woman can have children!  She may be a spiritual mother, as was Amy Carmichael [missionary to orphans in India], by the very offering of her singleness, transformed for the good of far more children than a natural mother may produce.”

Single women, you can express your femininity in this season of your life by nurturing other people’s children.

When you babysit, you are giving expression to your femininity.  When you take an interest and reach out to children in your sphere of relationships, you are displaying your God-given gift of femininity. 

And may I say “thank you” on behalf of all of us mothers!  Thank you for the way you nurture our children.  Thank you for the countless times you have served us through babysitting.  Thank you for the way you have loved our children as if they were your very own.  It means so much to us!

However, you are doing more than just blessing us; you are honoring God by giving expression to the nurturing aspect of your femininity

As I ponder this I thought it would be fitting that as the moms of CFC that we thank all the single women (and men!) in our midst who have served us, and nurtured our children.  Thank you for the Godly example that you set before our little ones.  Thank you for living a life that honors the Savior and that we can point you out to our children as some one to follow as you follow the Lord.  Thank you for the creative ways you bring life and laughter into our children’s lives.  Thank you more than we could EVER express for loving our children and for allowing us to attend meetings or go on dates!!  Truly you are some of the greatest servants we know and you are great in our hearts and in the eyes of the Lord.  It is a privilege to be a part of the “Family of God “along side of you!

By Jared Mellinger

Benedictions are the words pastors say at the end of a service to speak grace and hope over the congregation.  Last week, I gave two reasons we do benedictions: 1. They are biblical, and 2. They tie us to church history. 

Here are 3 more reasons we use benedictions:

3. Benedictions summarize the service.  We often use benedictions as a way to summarize what we hope people take away from the service.  There was one year when we preached on the faithfulness of God the first Sunday of the year.  We closed the service with a reminder of God’s faithfulness:

Now, may our faithful God, whose grace has brought us safe this far,
Continue to lead us together through the coming year,
And may we rest in the great confidence of knowing that
He who calls us is faithful; and He will surely do it.

Another time, there was a sermon on evangelism, and we ended with this benediction:

May the glorious cause of God engage your heart and may Jesus Christ be known wherever you are, as you experience the joy that comes to those who proclaim the excellencies of the Savior

The benediction provides a way to have the main thing God was just doing among us in the service is what we leave with in our minds.

4. Benedictions prepare us for normal life.  We go from the meeting to serve God and worship him with our lives.  Benedictions remind us that worship is not confined to the Sunday meeting, but includes all of life. 

So the benediction not only summarizes the service, it transitions us into life in the real world.  It reminds us that as we step back into the difficulties (and the joys!) of living for Christ on Monday and Tuesday and beyond, we go with the great and precious promises of God.  Through these closing words, we are dismissed from the service with an eagerness to go treasure Christ, to grow in grace, and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know him. 

The people of God are launched into the world as witnesses to the grace they have received and celebrated in their gathering.   

5. Benedictions leave us with a sense of God.  At the end of a service, we want to leave people primarily aware of who God is and all of the promises we have in Christ.  Our goal is to never leave people at the end of a service more aware of what they must do than they are aware of what God has done for them in Christ, and what God promises he will do in the future.

Ordinarily, we shouldn’t leave services focused primarily on ourselves, our sin, or our responsibilities.  We leave focused on Christ.  We leave aware of what God can do in each area of our lives.  This is where benedictions serve us well: they transfer hope for what God wants to do in us.  They leave us with a sense of God.  They leave us trusting Christ, resting on Christ, hoping fully in the promises Christ.

So, don’t miss out on the benediction!  This is not a time to check out or begin gathering our belongings, but a time for us all to listen, receive, and benefit, as the gathered people of God.  It is a vital part of the meeting and by the grace of God, the words of the benediction could make all the difference as we go into the world as witnesses and ambassadors of Christ. 

By Jared Mellinger

 

Benedictions are the words a pastor often speaks at the end of a church service to give people hope, encouragement, and comfort as they leave.  The word “Benediction” comes from a Latin phrase meaning ‘to speak well of’.  Benedictions speak a blessing over the people of God in the form of an intercessory prayer for the congregation.  They communicate a desire and hope that God will do something on behalf of his people. 

 

The benedictions we do are short, but important.  Here are some of the reasons we use them:    

 

1.  Benedictions are biblical

The benediction was a part of Israel’s worship.  Perhaps the most popular benediction is the blessing God wanted Aaron to speak over the Israelites, to call attention to God’s protection, grace, and peace: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

 

In the New Testament, Paul often ends his letters with a benediction, emphasizing the grace and peace of God that belongs to all who are in Christ.  The Trinitarian benediction at the end of 2 Corinthians is elegant and powerful: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).  And, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, ^“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

 

One of my personal favorites comes at the end of Jude: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  (Jude 24-25)

 

2.  Benedictions tie us to the great historic march of God’s church

The reformers of the sixteenth century used benedictions to end their services.  Martin Luther ended services with “God’s Spirit and grace be with us all.”  Ulrich Zwingli’s recommended benediction was “Almighty, eternal God!  Forgive us our sin and lead us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  The Book of Common Prayer encourages pastors to speak this blessing: “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always.” 

 

Richard Baxter, in the 17^th Century, used the following: “Now the God of peace, which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.”    

 

When we listen to a benediction, we connect ourselves not only with God’s truth, but also with followers of Christ over the centuries.  

 

Next time, I’ll give 3 more reasons we use benedictions as a church.

By Andy Farmer

I was perusing the Sovereign Grace Ministries blog recently and came across interesting posts.  Both have video or audio content, so if you have a chance, check them out.   

The first is a video interview that Together for the Gospel did with C. J. Mahaney in his office where he talks about his day to day routine – and some stuff he keeps on his shelves.  

http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/post/cj-mahaney-office-sports.aspx 

The second is an interview that Mark Dever does with Voice (Curtis Allen) and shai linne, two hip hop artists who are faithfully proclaiming the Gospel.  shai linne is a friend of many of our folks and Voice has been up here several times to do shows and minister in our church.  

http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/post/Christian-Hip-Hop-interview.aspx

By Andy Farmer

 

Jared has been on vacation so I’m guest blogging. 

 

A couple of weeks ago the pastoral team had the opportunity to gather at the Sovereign Grace Pastors College where we, along with dozens of other pastors from around the country, joined with this year’s class of PC students to study pastoral ministry.  Led by C. J. Mahaney, the class was not so much a seminar but a fellowship.  Men from around the country in various sizes of churches dialogued together on the call and responsibilities of shepherding the flock of God under the passionate biblical exposition of C. J. and other well tested pastors. 

 

One of the most soul-challenging and fear of God-stirring sessions was on dealing with criticism, an inevitable reality to all pastors.  But pastors aren’t the only ones who have to face this issue.  Everyone experiences criticism, just or unjust, at some point – from a spouse, child, parent, boss, co-worker, fellow Christian, neighbor – anyone one can turn a critical gaze and ungracious tongue in our direction.  C. J. shared two quotes in particular which I think can help us all when we face criticism.  Read the two quotes below in order.  Let David Powlison describe you in detail through his personal experience.  Then let Charles Spurgeon draw your eyes off yourself and onto the Savior who knows your sins better than any critic; and yet showers you with mercy and favor because of the Gospel. 

 

David Powlison: “…There was a time in my life where the heat—what I was facing—was a constant.  A man who was out to get me, a man who slandered me, who was trying to trash my reputation, and publishing all sorts of falsehoods about me.  And one effect was that wherever I would go and speak, it would be one of the inevitable questions—“What about what so and so said about you?”  It was just an onerous thing to have to deal with.  And the form of sin that came out was simply being preoccupied and brooding about it.  And I started to realize that when I woke up in the morning it wasn't wisdom who said hello to me, it was what was happening to me, and the fact that I didn't like it.  When I stand in the shower what am I thinking about?  I am constructing my own mental self-defense.  I am trying to defend my reputation in my mind.  I am calculating answers to give and what I should write to him and who I should get to help me and if somebody asks me a question what should I say to them.  And in that distractedness, that preoccupation, that brooding, that obsession with my own self-defense, sins of omission, I am not as attentive to my family.  I am not as attentive to students.  I am preoccupied with myself and the fact that this guy doesn't like me and he is out to get me.  Here is the heat: the slander, the continual questions being raised.  You see the thorns: preoccupation; sins of omission.  Not really difficult rocket science to figure out what is ruling my heart here, right?  It is my love of reputation.  It was my desire to be thought well of.  It was my desire to be treated fairly, my desire to be understood and not misunderstood and caricatured.  It was idealism, a romantic ideal of the unity of the Body.  This man was a professing Christian.  Why couldn't we all get along?  Why does this keep happening?...”  (Excerpted from 2007 Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference message)

Charles Spurgeon (on Psalm 37:5–9): “In the matter of personal reputation we may especially be content to be quiet, and leave our vindication with the Judge of all the earth.  Our strength is to sit still.  If we look to the Lord's honor, he will see to ours.  It is wonderful how, when faith learns to endure calumny (slander; defamation) with composure, the filth does not defile her.  Even in the worst cases, where a good name is for awhile darkened, Providence will send a clearing like the dawning light, which will increase until the man once censured is universally admired.  No shade of reproach will remain.  This requires much grace to carry it out.  To await in holy patience the time for clearing up the difficulties of Providence—this is what every gracious heart should aim at.  A silent tongue in many cases shows not only a wise head, but a holy heart.” (From the Treasury of David)

 

 

By Andy Farmer

One area of our Anniversary Museum that drew a lot of attention was our book table of Dave Harvey’s 25 Books That Built the Church.  A number of folks have asked if we could post the list and the descriptions from Dave about each book. 

The following is the list of books in no particular order, along with the descriptions of the books that were on the display table.  Please note that these are not the 25 books Dave would most recommend.  That’s another list.  These are just books that he felt played a significant role in our church over the years.  They say a lot about who we were, and about what we’re becoming.

Dave Harvey’s '25 Books That Built the Church'

 We asked Dave what 25 books have had the most significant impact on our church in its first 25 years.  An impossible question to answer.  One thing he reminded us of is that some books had significant impact on our church at a certain time in our history.  But they’re not books that would necessarily make it onto Dave’s ‘25 Books You Should Be Reading Now’ list.  That list will have to come out at a different time.

So this display represents books that have shaped us in as a church throughout our history.  Where possible we’ve tried to display the version of the book that was in print when it was having affect on who we were becoming as a church.

                                                                                   Clap Your Hands

by Larry Tomczak

Larry was very involved in helping this church get established and this book was a Christian best-seller at the time.  Many folks who would have come to the church in the early days would have either seen Larry speak at a conference or read this book about his life.

                                                                                      Knowing God

by J. I. Packer

Many say this will be one of the few books from our generation that will still be in print a hundred years from now.  Nothing says ‘all of life is doctrine’ better than Knowing God.  It formed a spiritual backbone in this church from the very outset.   

Money, Possessions and Eternity

by Randy Alcorn

Randy articulated and applied a New Testament view of life to the wallet, the retirement plan and the stuff we think we need.  He became a friend who counseled us in our building project and in our view of the mission of the local church.  His writing on social issues and works like Deadline and Heaven have continually reminded us that what we have here is not all there is to life.   

Trusting God

by Jerry Bridges

The church is a place where suffering people gather.  In our early days we found many folks coming from troubled church backgrounds – we called them ‘burnt stones’.  We needed a biblically sound and graciously written book on suffering and the sovereignty of God.  Jerry Bridges has delivered it because he has lived it.  We are indebted to him as an older brother in the Lord and as a friend to our church.   

Power Evangelism

by John Wimber

Wimber lived with evangelistic zeal and robust confidence in the dynamic role of the Holy Spirit in the spread of the Gospel.  To be influenced by Wimber is to live expectant that God will go before us to prepare hearts for the Gospel, and to be bold when the opportunity to share it occurs.    

The Holiness of God

by R. C. Sproul

This book ‘swept through’ our family of churches during the late 80’s spurred by a message C. J. did on Uzzah and the Ark of God.  This message and Sproul’s writing maybe did more than anything else to move us from a man-centered view of things to a God-centered view of life.  God is holy, we’re not.  That’s the point.   

The Body

by Charles Colson

In our early days we were casting around the evangelical world for some affirmation of the priority of the local church in the life of a believer.  This book helped us dialogue with other churches and ministries beyond our world and learn from them.

Temptation and Sin

by John Owen

To read Owen is to realize that our greatest enemy is not the devil, or the dude in the cubicle next to us.  It’s remaining sin in our hearts.  Coming from a charismatic theology and a therapeutic culture, we needed to hear that.  Fortunately there are ways to ramp up to Owen’s Puritan writing with books that could easily make this list, like The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges and The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard.  But Owen is the real deal. 

The Peacemaker

by Ken Sande

Where there are people there’s conflict.  But conflict creates Gospel opportunities.  Unity in the church is not built through absence of conflict, but by pursuing the redemptive opportunities that come with conflict.  Ken Sande has served us with his writing and his personal counsel.  There’s still nothing like this book out there.

Spiritual Leadership

by J. Oswald Sanders

We’ve benefitted from a lot of great books on leadership over the years, but this one has been with us from the beginning.  Sanders takes us into the heart of New Testament leadership.  A must read for anyone considering the call to ministry but very helpful for anyone in any capacity of leadership in the church, the home, or in the world.

Desiring God

by John Piper

This book sets out Piper’s big themes.  God’s delight in Himself.  The need for strong affections rooted in biblical truth.   The joy and pleasure of obedience to Christ.  Finding true joy in the true joy of others.  Where would we be without these truths?   There may be no current pastor/theologian beyond our movement who has more affected us as a local church.

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit

by Jack Deere

The mid 90’s was a time when a lot of controversy was floating around about experiencing the dynamic activity of the Holy Spirit.  Jack Deere came along and brought biblical, theological and historical depth to our understanding of the power,  presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people.

Systematic Theology

by Wayne Grudem

Grudem gets it.  The ‘big blue book’ sets out a thorough but readable systematic theology for the church.  Chapter 16 on God’s providence broke us.  And, thanks to the editorial work of Jeff Purswell, Dean of the Sovereign Grace Pastor’s College, we also have Bible Doctrine, which is not Grudem for dummies, its Grudem for folks who want to major on the majors. 

Experiencing God

by Henry Blackaby and Claude King

There was a time when ministry was all about finding and using your gifts.  This book exploded that by rooting ministry in throwing yourself into what God is doing and letting him give the gifts as He pleases.  That’s made a big difference in this church, beginning with the pastoral team.  

When People are Big and God is Small

by Ed Welch

This book redrew the map of our relationships for a lot of us when we read it.  There is not an area of life – marriage, family, ministry, friendship, outreach – that isn’t affected by the fear of man.  Ed helps not only identify this pervasive idolatry, but stirs a Gospel-centered fear of God in the fight against it.  This stuff will never get old. 

Religious Affections

by Jonathan Edwards

In the mid-90’s when the charismatic world was talking about how God would ‘offend the mind to get to the heart’, C. J. sent us to Edwards and the Great Awakening to learn some important lessons on what authentic experience of God’s power should look like.  This was a guiding light in chaotic times.  But it is a book for all times.

The Cross of Christ

by John Stott

I could fill this list with books on the cross but this one can’t be topped.  We learned that to be Gospel centered meant that we needed to move the Cross to the center of everything.  That’s what Stott does in a magisterial way.  C. J. recommends reading one book on the cross a year.  Make sure this one is on your list.

The Doctrine of Repentance

by Thomas Watson

Watson is one of the easier Puritan’s to read, and this little book speaks volumes about the heart and life change that occurs when true repentance takes place.  We thought we were pretty humble till we read this. 

The Cross Centered Life

by C.J. Mahaney

This book put what it means to ‘keep the main thing the main thing’ into words that folks can understand and apply.  C. J. put a whole lot of important biblical truth in a great small package.  All of C. J.’s inestimable influence on this church has had the goal and effect of putting the cross at the center of everything we do. 

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

by John Piper and Wayne Grudem

How we understand the roles of men and women in God’s design is not a small issue.  It ultimately defines what kind of people, and church, we become.  The gender debate rages all around us, and this book (recently updated) still speaks with biblical clarity and force that cannot be denied. 

Shepherding a Child’s Heart

by Ted Tripp

In our early years we placed a lot of emphasis on the parent’s leadership and the goal of raising happy and obedient children.  Ted Tripp brought the Gospel into the center of parenting responsibility through this book and a seminar he did with us in the early 90’s.  This fits with his brother Paul’s book Age of Opportunity, which applies the same Gospel centered view to parenting teens.  I thank God for these books and these friends - as a pastor and as a dad. 

War of Words

by Paul Tripp

Paul is a dear friend and older brother to this church and his influence through writing and teaching can’t be overstated.  This book has rebooted a lot of mouths for the good – including my own.  God has spared us from the disease of gossip and slander that has plagued many churches, and I know this book has been preventative medicine. 

Spurgeon vs. Hyper-Calvinism

by Iain Murray

I had to have something Spurgeon in here and this might seem like an odd choice.  But as we’ve sought to understand and articulate what it means to be ‘essentially Reformed’, Spurgeon’s commitment to Gospel and Bible over any strict adherence to a theological system is worth following.  This book was read by the pastors and folks in leadership training, but would be valuable to anyone who wants to know how to humbly stand for truth.  Gotta throw in Beside Still Waters, The Power of Prayer in a Believer’s Life and Dallimore’s Spurgeon – A New Biography here as well.

The Valley of Vision

edited by Arthur Bennett

What a treasure!  A collection of Puritan prayers that exalt the Savior and survey the soul.  I’m one of many who always keeps this on my devotional table.  We’re displaying the old ugly paperback version that we were first turned onto, but Banner of Truth gets props for the small leather edition – unexpectedly brilliant marketing.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

by Donald Whitney

I had to include a spiritual disciplines book and this one is the best out there.  Whitney makes both the ‘spiritual’ and the ‘discipline’ aspects of our devotion to Christ come together better than any book I’ve read.  And you should take it a step further and read his Spiritual Disciplines in the Church.

 

By Andy Farmer

Dwayne Bennett, who does a wonderful job (with his wife Toni) overseeing our Children’s Ministry, sent the following email to Mark Prater with their observations about some of our kids. 

This 8th Grade class has been very responsive to God's moving in their lives both at Youth Camp and at the Cross Culture meetings.  When Toni and I were discussing the 8th Grade response at Youth Camp she made the observation that this is the first class that has had God's Story in Promise Kingdom from Preschool through 6th Grade.  I don't want to take credit from God for their response to the Gospel...  I just want to point out that God may have chosen to use God's Story in their lives in the last 9 years of Sunday morning Children's Ministry.
 
While this group of kids were in the 6th Grade Promise Kingdom class, a few of the Teachers mentioned to me that this group had well thought out questions and rather mature answers to questions posed to the class.  Again, I don't want to try to take away from what God is doing in the lives of this class by pointing out that God's Story may have played a significant part.
 
Thanks,
Dwayne

Dwayne is right on when he cautions against seeing any particular program or leadership approach as capable of producing true spiritual fruit.  But God uses means to accomplish his purposes, and the God’s Story curriculum was developed as a means to show the riches of God’s grace in the Gospel as displayed throughout the entirety of God’s word.  God’s Story is a practical application for our kids of Paul’s words to the Colossians,

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)

So we can just as rightly give thanks to God for the curriculum (and it’s author, Marty Machowski), for the teachers and helpers who make it come alive each week for the kids, and for the parents who draw God’s Story into their families through the devotionals and in everyday conversation.  When Gospel centered resources are put in play, we should expect spiritual fruit over time. 

If you aren’t familiar with God’s Story and how it can serve your family, check it out on our web site HERE.

By Jared Mellinger

 

Every Christian should love preaching.  Not that we all love doing the preaching, because “Not many of you should become teachers” (James 3:1).  But we should all love preaching in the sense that we believe that nothing is more important to the health of our souls, and nothing is more central to Christian worship, than the preaching of God’s word.   

 

Healthy churches are full of people who have a high view of preaching.  One of the most reliable measures of the maturity of a church is the peoples’ understanding and appreciation of the preaching task.  This means preachers aren’t the only ones who need to have a theology of preaching, or a biblical understanding of the primacy of preaching.  It is a theme that matters for us all. 

 

If you haven’t given much thought to preaching, or if hearing the phrase “expositional pulpit monologue” doesn’t immediately begin to pump adrenaline through your veins, don’t worry.  A great starting point, if you missed it, is Mark’s sermon from Sunday, on the priority and purpose of preaching.  Then, consider reading Donald Whitney’s chapter on preaching in his book Spiritual Disciplines in the Church.  It’s called “Why Listen to Preaching in the Church?” 

 

In fact, in light of the value of Christians thinking clearly about the role of preaching, I’d encourage every believer to read a book on preaching at some point.  Here are a few suggestions of books on preaching that I’d recommend for those who don’t preach but want to reflect more on the subject. 

 

1.  What is Biblical Preaching?, by Eric Alexander

A short introduction to preaching that explains why preaching is important, written by an outstanding preacher.  I recommend this not only because the content is very helpful, but because it is a very readable length.

 

2.  The Supremacy of God in Preaching, by John Piper

Piper is aiming at preachers, but gives a wonderful vision of “the gravity and gladness of preaching” (to use Piper’s phrase), that will benefit all Christians.  The second part of the book describes the preaching of Jonathan Edwards.  If you have enjoyed other books by Piper, I’d encourage you to read his book on preaching. 

 

3.  Preachers Who Made a Difference, by Peter Jeffery

This book introduces readers to nine men from church history who have been powerfully used by God in their preaching.  The chapters are short and Jeffery’s writing is highly accessible.  There are chapters on John Knox, J.C. Ryle, Charles Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and more. 

 

4.  He is Not Silent, by Dr. Al Mohler    

Mohler believes that one of the hallmarks of our time is a crisis in preaching, and that the urgent need in our day is to recover a sense of the glory of preaching.  Here he explains why preaching is the heart of worship, gives a theology of preaching, and explains the importance of expository preaching.

 

I can speak for the other men who preach to you.  There is nothing that would give us greater joy than to know that the people to whom we preach not only hear the word with open hearts, but understand the high call of preaching and hold us accountable to that call. 

By Jared Mellinger

 

The corporate witness of the church is a biblically rich theme that I have enjoyed studying and exploring in recent months, and recently preached on from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, you can listen here.  What do we mean by ‘the corporate witness of the church?’  The idea is that our witness, which includes both our words and our conduct, not only has an individual dimension but a corporate or congregational dimension as well. 

 

For a long time, I had thought only of the individual dimension, and neglected the corporate one.  Without creating an adversarial relationship between the two, I think we need to give more thought to the importance of the corporate witness of the church in our approach to evangelism.    

 

Here are a few quotes that have helped me reflect on this prominent biblical theme:

 

~    Andreas Kostenberger and P.T. O’Brien: “The church’s mission is not to be carried out as an individualistic enterprise.  The mission should rather be undergirded by the corporate life of the community, as believers reflect God’s love and unity.”  (Salvation to the Ends of the Earth, 226) 

 

~    Donald Whitney: “The reality of Christ’s power and love can be visible in a group of Christians in ways that cannot be seen in a solitary believer.” (Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, 98) 

 

~    Iain Duguid: “In addition to saying, ‘I am the light of the world,’ Jesus also said, ‘You are the light of the world’.  To whom was he talking when he said that in the Sermon on the Mount?  We tend to read his words individualistically, as if I personally am to be the light of the world.  So the old children’s song runs: ‘Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light / like a little candle burning in the night. / In this world of darkness, Jesus bids us shine / you in your small corner and I in mine.’  That is not what Jesus is saying though.  What he actually said was ‘You [plural] are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.’  I can no more individually be the light of the world than I can individually be a city on a hill.  Both images are corporate: it is as the church that we are the light of the world, shining out God’s glory together.  As Jesus comes into our midst as his people and inhabits our church, his glory shines out from us to those around us.”  (Numbers, Preaching the Word Commentary, 111)

 

~    Ryan Fullerton: “As pastors, we must help our congregations see that the state of our churches is primarily responsible for our culture’s perception of Christ.  Our churches can give the gospel a black eye, or they can be used by the Holy Spirit with magnetic effect to draw people to Jesus.  The believers we serve must understand that our churches were meant to powerfully reinforce and to attractively adorn our evangelistic message.  …When our lives together are divisive, unloving, selfish, and fearful, Christ and Christians look about as believable as the tooth fairy.  Yet when our lives are united, loving, sacrificial, and fearless, our verbal witness to the cross of Christ becomes weighty.  For many, our witness will become believable.  As pastors, we need to help our congregations make this link.” (from the 9Marks forum on Corporate Witness)

 

I am grateful beyond words that what rings out from Covenant Fellowship is a weighty message, and that God is using our corporate witness with a magnetic effect to draw people to Christ.  Let’s continue cultivating our witness together as a church, with our words and with our lives, that the transforming power of the glory of Christ might shine out from us all the more

By David Mayinja

God moves all around the globe to care for His people, to save lost souls and to provide mercy to those in need.  And He is using Covenant Mercies to play a small but integral part in His work.  One of those places He is using Covenant Mercies is in caring for orphans in Ndola, Zambia.  The work in Ndola began three years ago in collaboration with Pastor Wilbroad Chanda of Ndola Baptist Church and his wife, Zicky.

Wilbroad and Zicky established a Christian school – Light House Christian School – in 2005 specifically to offer a quality education and hope for a better future to the children on the streets and in the slums of Ndola. Eighty-nine of the 142 children enrolled in the Covenant Mercies Zambia sponsorship program currently attend this school.

For a number of years, the school has operated from a rented building.  Even though the facility is barely sufficient for their needs, rent costs continue to increase toward becoming prohibitive with each succeeding year. For that reason, Light House Christian School has purchased land and is embarking on constructing a school campus.

To aid in this effort, Covenant Mercies is collaborating with Providence Church in Bethel Park (Pittsburgh area) to send to Ndola a mission team of twenty members led by Wayne Harvey of Providence Church and David Bard of Covenant Fellowship Church on a 12-day trip in July to assist with the beginning of construction of the school.

A Pittsburgh newspaper, The Almanac, highlights this trip in a recent article. A seventeen-year-old student who is planning to be part of the trip was interviewed for the article. He enthusiastically stated: “Being a part of a project of this nature changes you; dedicating yourself to help complete strangers on a different continent strengthens your sense of community at home. It expands how much mercy, generosity and kindness you show toward others in daily life. The needs of these people are real.”

The team from Providence Church will be the first team Covenant Mercies has coordinated for a mission to Ndola, Zambia. For many in the team, it will be the first time on an international mission. They plan to take with them school supplies and clothes for the children. They are also looking forward to sharing the Gospel of grace with many that do not know Christ.

Covenant Mercies is also coordinating another mission team to its flagship program in Nagongera, Uganda in mid August to continue the construction of New Life School initiated last September. The team plans to finish off work on two dormitories and begin work on the planned science laboratories buildings. Do you have a desire for international missions? Do you sense a call to affect the quality of life and future of orphans in Nagongera? Go to the Covenant Mercies web page here and fill in the application form.

By Jared Mellinger

Last week the Pastoral Team, along with our wives, attended the Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference in Gaithersburg Maryland.  This conference has been a highlight over the years as all the folks serving in pastoral ministry have come together to be instructed in the care of God’s people and our shared mission together.  It is also a time of reconnecting with friends who are participating together with us in the advance of the Gospel through church planting in our still-small movement of churches. 

Historically we have been served by friends from outside Sovereign Grace – men like John Piper, R. C. Sproul, Wayne Grudem, David Powlison, and others - who speak into our experience from theirs.  But this year was special – it truly was a family affair.  All of the main sessions featured Sovereign Grace leaders speaking on the theme of Pastoral ministry.  Both Dave and I had the privilege of doing main sessions – Dave on ‘The Pastor and the Mission’ and yours truly on ‘The Pastor and the Future’.  In my session I had the privilege of communicating our recent experience in the Senior Pastor transition.  One further evidence of how your pastoral team is having influence were the opportunities Jim Donohue and Andy Farmer had to lead seminars, as well as Marty Machowski, who participated in a children’s ministry panel. 

One of the highlights for me was hearing C.J. Mahaney speak from 1 Peter 5:1-4 on the task of pastoral ministry and shepherding God’s people.

C.J. reminded us that the call to pastoral ministry is “the most elevated task God could assign to a man.”  This is because it is pastors who have been entrusted with those for whom Christ died.  The flock we care for is “the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).  It should be astonishing to all of us that God would call anyone to this remarkable task. 

One of the applications of this truth is that when people ask me what I do, I should be amazed, humbled, and joyful.  My service must be “not under compulsion, but willingly” (1 Pet 5:2).  C.J. reminded us that God wants happy pastors who in turn create a culture of joy in the church, as we together “Serve the Lord with gladness!”  (Ps 100:2).

As I sat there listening to C.J. preach, I was reminded once again of what a joy is it to lead Covenant Fellowship.  I can’t believe I get to be your pastor!  This will never cease to be a source of astonishment to me.  Thank you, once again, for making it such an overwhelming joy to serve you, and for making it so easy for every one of the pastors to be “happy pastors.”  We thank God for you often, and we return from the conference happier than ever to be called shepherds of the flock of God at Covenant Fellowship Church.