New Study @ MCC

Surprised by Hope

Every now and then we start a study at MCC that seems to be much more helpful than the average study.  This month, we started one of those studies.

N.T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope is one of those books that everyone kept recommending, and which I have sitting on my shelf, but which I haven’t quite got around to cracking open just yet.  I wish I had read it sooner.  The DVD study is wonderful, and I highly recommend it if you’re leading a small group or Bible study.  It’s available at a few places, but Amazon and CBD: Reformed seem to have the best prices on the resources.  (And I think only CBD carries the DVD.)

The study centers on the questions, (1) What is our hope? and (2) What are we doing about it in the meantime?  Wright has done a great job so far, and I’ll probably post a follow-up after we’re done with this study.  In any case, the study has already opened up some good discussion at our church about bringing hope (specifically, bringing the hope found only in Jesus Christ) to the children in our drug-riddled, abuse-filled area.

I’ll post in a video below the break in which N.T. Wright does a good job of laying some groundwork for the content of the rest of the study. Read more >>

Some Churches Die For Culture

Church in Vladimir, Russia

I had a visit this evening from a pair of polite, well-intentioned young men.  They were members of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, and they were in the process of visiting homes in the area to share the Gospel.  I offered them a glass of water, and attempted to chat with them a little bit about the content of their tract.  I almost wish I hadn’t. Read more >>

New Study at MCC

Where God's Justice & Grace Meet

At MCC, we’re transitioning into a new Tuesday evening Bible Study, titled Christianity, Cults & Religions. The focus of the study is on what constitutes the core of Christian doctrine, where the most popular “Christian” cults depart from that core, and what are the key elements of non-Christian world religions such as Islam, New Age, and Hinduism.   Read more >>

MCC Study Followup

Reimagining Evangelism

Back in May, I mentioned that we were beginning a new study on evangelism at Mayer Community Church.  We have just completed that study, and I wanted to drop a brief comment here: If you have the chance, go through this study.  It’s not particularly earth-shattering, but it is often helpful in ways that are unexpected.  Anna and I have both found resources and comments in this study that have helped us to redefine our approach to sharing the Gospel.  The study focuses on a few key ideas, but three have seemed to resonate most with the body at MCC:

1. We need to drop the scripts and simply start doing things we love to do with folks who don’t yet know Jesus.
2. It’s important to re-establish trust before proclaiming truth.
3. Simply being present in people’s lives is a fantastic way to gain the opportunity to share the Gospel.

If you’d like more of an idea on Richardson’s approach and general style, feel free to read through his comments on developing a GIG (Group Investigating God), or even through the first chapter of Reimagining Evangelism.  Have fun!

Grace & Peace,
Dan J.

Show the Seams

This is where I stitch things together

As a preaching pastor, I’m confronted with the task of preparing and delivering an edifying, encouraging, and exegetically sound sermon about 48 times each year.  I am not complaining; I love this work.  It is, without a doubt, the most fun I have ever had in a “job.”

But, as with most jobs, there are a few questions to be asked and a few choices to be made.  How long is too long?  How short is too short?  How often should I step out the main exegetical series (we’re in the Gospel of Mark at MCC) to address particular passages or issues?  Should I even consider this question?  Is it important to develop services for the two main holy seasons (Easter & Christmas)?  Is it important to preach a Mother’s Day message, a Father’s Day message, and a Memorial Day message?

I think, though, that there is one question that many pastors fail to answer explicitly, and in failing to answer this question, they miss out on delivering content that could extend their work indefinitely.

Read more >>

New Study at MCC

At our church, we’re initiating a new study on evangelism.  I recommend you take a look at it in the event that you’re interested in the topic.  The study is titled, Reimagining Evangelism.  The main book is by Rick Richardson, Associate Professor of Evangelism at Wheaton College.  So far the study has proven to be very encouraging to Anna and me, as well as the folks at Mayer.  I’ve pasted a video below.

If you decide to make use of this resource, drop me a line and let me know how it went.  I plan to bring an update in a few weeks as we continue through the study.

Grace & Peace,
Dan J.

Easter and the Gospel

"The Risen Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen" by Rembrandt (Wikipedia)

It’s late, and I’ve just finished putting the final touches on the fourth and last sermon in my Easter, 2010 series.  At Mayer, we’ve covered the following:

1. What Were We Created For? (Gen 1:26-31)
2. What Went Wrong? (Isaiah 59:1-8)
3. What Is The Solution? (Mark 15:33-37, John 19:28-30, Matthew 27:50-54; Luke 23:39-43)
4. What Is Our Hope? (Romans 8:18-30)

In all, I’d say that I have felt more comfortable with this series of sermons than any other.  It’s always exciting when you take a long, macroscopic look at the whole narrative of Scripture.  It’s amazing how cohesive it all is.

Read more >>

Does God Have Short Arms?

1QIsa(b) - A Dead Sea Scroll Containing Isaiah 57:17 - 59:9 (Wikipedia)

I’m teaching on Isaiah 59:1-15 this Sunday as the second part of a four part series on the Gospel.  Last week, we looked at Genesis 1:26-31 to discuss what it was that God created us for–I argued that he created us to glorify Him as His image bearers, in harmonious relationships to creation, to each other, and to Him.  This week, we’re looking at what the problem is–why we aren’t enjoying harmony with each other and intimacy with God.  I think Isaiah 59:1-2 makes it pretty clear that it’s not God’s fault.

Read more >>