Septemeber 2007 |
|
|
In Sovereign Hands: Ezra and Esther In the ordinary events of everyday life the fingerprints of God's providence are imbedded. This course challenges believers to trust God's providential hands, for His purposes are sure and His plan is sound. He hasn't forgotten His own, and He can be trusted. Exploring the New Testament This class takes a survey approach to deepen our knowledge of God, thereby enriching our lives. Students will gain an overview of the entire New Testament, consider the respective writers and their writings, and lay a solid foundation for understanding the message and revelation of Jesus Christ. |
|
Christians blog too. The first training was a success! It's time for Adult Christian Formation Ministry's second Facilitator's Training Workshop on September 22, 2007. The Facilitator Certification Program is a two-phase process designed to ensure to provide assurance to both the Pastor and members of SBCC that class leaders and facilitators are appropriately equipped to instruct God's people in His Word. This workshop is for Phase 1 Certification: Biblical Doctrine Training. |
|
Earlier this year in June, our SBCC pastoral staff had the brilliant idea of distributing quarterly devotionals that we could read ourselves and share with others. These wonderful passages have been a true blessing to me and I was so excited to get the next issue for September through December. For those of you who did not get a copy of the June-August issue, let me share one of the entries that touched my heart. I hope it does the same for you. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." --Colossians 3:15 NIV No peace? It's 'out!' When God speaks to us He gives us a deep sense of inner peace to confirm that the message is truly from Him. Beware of false peace! When we have a stron desire to do something it can produce a false sense of peace that actually comes only from our excitement. As time passes this false peace disappears and God's true will emerges for our lives. So we should never move too quickly on important decisions. When the devil speaks to us he cannot give us peace. And when we try to solve things with our own reasoning, we cannot get peace. "But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is...peace" (Romans 8:6 NLT). Lay your decision on the scales of peace. Don't proceed if your inner peace cannot hold its weight against what you think or hear. You don't have to explain to others wy you don't have peace about it; sometimes you won't know why. Just say, "It's not wise for me to di this because I don't have peace about it." There's power in having peace! and once you know you've clearly heard from God, you must do all you can to 'keep your peace' and not become anxious. Peace is an inner 'knowing' that your actions are approved by God. "Let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which...you wer also called [to live] (Col 3:15 AMP). God leads us by peace. His peace is like a baseball umpire who decides what's 'safe,' or what's 'out.' No peace? It's 'out.' From The Word for You Today, June 28, 2007. My Commentary I read this entry after a long period of confusion and restlessness in my life. I had been praying for direction and discernment for quite awhile and finally felt that God had answered my prayer. I felt that God had spoken directly to me and I had never experienced such a sense of 'lasting' peace in my decision before. Then I read this devotional and it explained and validated my experience. Now I use this as my decision-making "litmus test." Think about it - we all know when we've made a decision that wasn't in line with God's will. There's a nagging sense of doubt, confusion or uneasiness that we just can't shake or ignore. That's the Holy Spirit letting us know that we need to rethink our decision. So look out for the inner peace that God puts in our hearts. You will never go wrong. |
|
The Early New Testament Church Part I: The Church from the Resurrection to the Conversion of Paul The book of Acts provides the only historical record of the activities of the earliest Christians from the time of Jesus' resurrection until the conversion of Paul. Acts 1-8 Precedes the first mention of Paul, and these chapters provide a selective report, primarily detailing the activity of the apostles in Jerusalem following Jesus' resurrection. The earliest believers began to establish a communal life. They were frequently in conflict with the Jewish authorities, and followers of Jesus soon were expelled from the temple. Seeds of dissention between Hellenistic and Jewish Christianity began to sprout even during these early years (Acts 6:1). Meanwhile, although Acts does not tell much about early missionary work outside of Jerusalem, it is certain that the church saw extraordinary growth. The brothers of Jesus, who are mentioned among the earliest believers (Acts 1:14), are known to have been active in spreading the gospel throughout the region later known as Palestine.. We are not given many details, but Acts intimates that communities of Christians were established in Antioch (Acts 11:19), Damascus (Acts 9:2), North Africa (Acts 8:27) and Samaria (Acts 8:5) prior to Paul's conversion. The Good News even reached Rome, the leading city of the Roman world, prior to the advent of Paul's missionary enterprise. It is highly likely that some pilgrims who had been present in Jerusalem during the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus became believers (2:5). When these masses returned to their hometowns, they took the gospel with them. Persecution also played a role in the spread of the Good News and the growth of the early church. As believers migrated in order to avoid persecution, they established new Christian communities in the towns and cities where they settled. From the NIV Archaeological Study Bible: An Illustrated Walk Through Biblical History and Culture Copyright © 2005 by the Zondervan Corporation |
Do you have an interesting fact, an uplifting scripture or some valuable Bible history you'd like to share? Do you have some feedback for the e-newsletter staff? Send your input to Jennifer Clay.
Adult Christian Formation Ministry
South Bay Community Church © 2007