Soul Training 3 – Telling Your Story

“This Is Church” – From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Kevin King
Acts 4:1-20

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…” – Acts 4:8a

“We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard” – Acts 4:20

“Give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word” – Acts 4:29

The Christian walk hinges on keeping in step with the Spirit. Last Sunday Kevin reminded us that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things and told us that a great name for the book of Acts would be “The Acts of the Holy Spirit”. God is always at work in your life. His Spirit is working in you and through you and around you. Even if you’re an ordinary person.

Soul Training 2 – Christianity with POWER

“This Is Church” – Healing, One Life at a Time
Joe Parillo
(Acts 3:1-11)

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”  Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. – Acts 3:4-8

Peter healed the man lame from birth, who was carried every day, to sit at the Temple gate called Beautiful, where he would beg for money.  But on this day, God had a divine appointment planned.

Building upon Pastor Scott Hoffman’s message of 6/6, we are again reminded of the importance of waiting on God in prayer, listening for His Voice, and then moving out in His supernatural power. Pastor Joe observed that Peter and John went to the temple to pray every day, and how central prayer was to the life of the early church.

Soul Training 1 – Our Summer Challenge

“This Is Church” – Birth of a Miracle
Scott Hoffman
(Acts 2:43-47)

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!  Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Because we serve a risen King Who overcame sin and death, and is alive today, we, too, have received power to be His witnesses in His church, and to the ends of the earth.  (see The Acts of the Apostles)
 
Although Pastor Vincent is on sabbatical —we are not. In his absence, we are to be a church that has grown — not one which has just gotten by.  God has provided  “exceedingly, abundantly” for us!  (Eph. 3:20-21)

Soul Training 0 – Exploring Your Dream

“This Is Church” – Introduction
(Acts 2:43-47)

Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. – Acts 2:43-47

When you are beginning on a journey it’s usually a good idea to know where you’re headed.  There may be detours along the way and you might end up in a different place than you thought you would at the beginning, but having a goal is essential.  Otherwise you might as well not get up from the couch.

Easy To Be Hard

How can people be so heartless?
How can people be so cruel?
Easy to be hard
Easy to be cold.

How can people have no feelings?
How can they ignore their friends?
Easy to be proud
Easy to say no.

And especially people
Who care about strangers,
Who care about evil
And social injustice.
Do you only
Care about the bleeding crowd?
How about a needing friend?
I need a friend.

Hop-churching

I have a confession to make.  There have been times in my life when I was an inveterate church-hopper.  When I was younger working through my relationship to Christ and His body I had the idea that I needed to find the church that was right for me.  Where I felt fed by the preaching and partnered with like-minded folks who were theologically in step with what I felt was right.  I was young.  I was selfish.  I was looking at the local church I attended more in the light of what it could do for me.  I was a total consumer.

Boa Constrictor and Mouse

If you go to church (and maybe even if you don’t) there are probably one or two things that you are totally convinced that are essential for a church to be a church.  One of those things for me is the communal meal.  When everybody gathers together to eat something wonderful happens.  Conviviality. Life together.  If I had my preference we would gather every day at church for a common meal and everyone would be welcome.  The hungry would be fed and the lonely would find companionship.  The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  Sweet.

… I feel His pleasure

God didn’t make me fast.  I have a long torso and short legs.  And I’ve contributed to the situation over the years by eating myself into what the wretched BMI categorizes as obesity.  As a result I’ve never been much of a runner.  Or athletic at all, really.  I like to read.  I like to eat.  I like to sleep.  But there are (of course) times when I become convinced that fitness and health are of paramount importance.  When that particular delusion strikes I often attempt running as a cardiovascular solution.  Only on a treadmill.  Only in a gym.  And when I do, one of my chief motivational statements is a corrupted version of Eric Liddell’s famous quote, “God didn’t make me fast, but when I run I feel His pleasure”.

This is Church

This morning during the service we heard some amazing stories about how God has used people in our congragation to reach out to others.  Just during this past month, many people have volunteered their time collecting thousands of pounds of food and thousands of dollars worth of donations and gift cards to feed hungry people in Monmouth County.  That food and those donations are very concrete signs of God’s love and concern for hungry, struggling people.

And we also heard about yesterday’s Hope for Haiti race, spearheaded by Christy and Jaclyn, which was very successful.  Successful in terms of raising funds (the donations are still being counted!) and successful in raising awareness that people in Haiti are suffering, and that Jesus is with them in their suffering.

God willing, this will be a week filled with opportunities to demonstrate what “church” is- not a stucture made with building materials, but a group of people who are God’s hands and heart in the world.

Saturday BBQ

Don’t forget the Saturday BBQ hosted by the Menonna’s – 47 Whirlaway Drive in Tinton Falls.  The party starts at 1 PM.  We still need paper products, more drinks, ice, and desserts- check with Lacey for up to the minute details!  This is a great chance to see all the Rife’s and to wish Vince well as he begins his sabbatical~ Sally J-B