There are many reasons why it’s important to serve in the ministries of the church.  Here are 4 Biblical reasons that give us an understanding of the importance of serving others: 
1. Serving models the life of Jesus. – In Mark 10:45, we read that Jesus came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as ransom. We discover true greatness when we serve because we are becoming like Christ when we serve others.

2. Serving is the natural response to the gospel. – In Romans 12:1-2, Paul urges the Christians to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. The basis for this appeal is the magnificent mercies of God. The depth of the gospel message propels us into a life of all out service to Him. When we rightly understand what we’ve been saved from, we’ll desire to give our lives to Him in service, not to earn His favor or to repay Him but as a natural, loving response to what He’s already accomplished for us.

3. Serving utilizes the spiritual gifts God has given us. – In I Peter 4:10-11, we learn that each of us has been given a spiritual gift that is to be used to serve others. Each of us is on mission with God to build up the body of Christ so that all become mature in Christ. As we use our gifts in the ministries of the church, not only are we helping others grow spiritually but we also are growing into maturity.

4.Serving combats our natural self-centeredness. In Philippians 2:3-4, we learn that we are to look not only to our own interests but also to the interest of others, as a way of imitating what Christ has done for us. We are all naturally self-centered but serving in the church is a grace by which we combat those sinful tendencies and consider others more important than ourselves.

Save the date for College Church’s
All-Church Retreat coming August 2-4, 2012!

You will not want to miss the opportunity to gather with our church body for a weekend of learning from the Bible and building community at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena, IL.

Our guest speaker will be Paul Tripp, the president of Paul Tripp Ministries and author of several books on Christian living that are read and distributed internationally.

Registration is now open! For more information about housing options, activities and much more, or to register, click here!

We hope you can join us!

The men of College Church have been studying the potent letter of 2 Peter. At the December meeting we studied 2 Peter 2:1-10.  In those verses we see a pure and terrifying description of what will happen to the false teachers and those who follow them. 

2 Peter 2 is the other side of the coin from what Peter said in 1:10-11 where we learn that there will be richly provided for them an entrance into the eternal kingdom of God.   In chapter 2 the point is that eternal destruction and the gloom of eternal conscious hell is reserved for those that contradict the doctrine and character of God. 

Take time to prepare for our Gathering by reading through 2 Peter 2:1-22.  This month we will be focusing on verses 11-22.  Here are a few questions that we discussed last month to refresh your memory from our December gathering.

1. What events in your life may cause your faith in Jesus to be shaken?  And what tangible steps do you need to take this week to become firmly established and stable in the gospel?
2.  If the attack on sexual morality is nothing new, what kind of answer should we be prepared to give to a person who says that Christians are enslaved to an old-fashioned sexual morality?
3.  Discuss this idea from Joshua Harris:  “Sex is not the problem, lust is.”    
4.  How do you reconcile a God who “loves the world” with a God who sends people to hell?  What are some of the problems that result if we have the presupposition that God does not send people to hell? 
5.  WARNING…PERSONAL QUESTION APPROACHING!  Examine your life in light of this terrifying description in 2 Peter 2:1-10.  Are you “denying the Master who bought you” by participating in deviant sexual behaviors that you need to repent of today?

The start of a new year is a great time to press the “reset” button. Maybe there are things about this past year that you’d like to turn the clock back on or maybe there are things you’d like to do different this coming year. Below is a list of 7 resolutions for a new year that I recently read by John Johnson on the Transformed Blog.

1. Resolve—to never be satisfied with static thinking.

Make 2012 the year of the pursuit of reading, the sort that stretches the thinking. Here are some current books that have or are doing just this:

1. Craig Van Gelder, Missional Church in Perspective
2. David Rock, Your Brain at Work
3. Candace Millard, The River of Doubt
4. Eugene Peterson, The Pastor
5. Scot McKnight, The King Jesus Gospel
6. Jim Collins, Great By Choice

Stretching one’s thinking involves more than reading. May 2012 be the year of meaningful conversations, the kind that expand one’s world view, alter former assumptions, and deepen one’s core convictions.

2. Resolve—to realize the consequences of not pursuing.

Failure to embrace pursuit is to cede opportunity to others. As I often tell my kids—“this world is not waiting for you. You must pursue it.” There has to be a fire burning inside. Otherwise, you will be forever on the outside looking in. You will be waiting for your ship to come in, and discover, when it is way too late, that you have been standing at the wrong dock.

3. Resolve—to pursue the right things.

I’m writing this as my dog snuck out the front door. And once he does, it’s a chase after all the wrong things—whatever happens to be out there—trivial pursuits that can get him lost or killed. It’s the same with us. We can pursue excellence, or settle for mediocrity. Pursue wisdom, or cede to foolishness. Pursue change, or surrender to status quo. Pursue creativity, or give in to the mundane. Pursue Jesus, or yield to a life of emptiness. As Myatt puts it, “…nothing tells the world more about a leader that what or who they pursue.” Knowing what not to pursue is just as important as knowing what to pursue.

4. Resolve—to pursue with the right energy.

Pursuit that is worthy is intentional, focused, aggressive, and unyielding. So here is my New Year’s resolution—to think carefully about the things that matter and go after them hard. Guard against distraction (Lord knows there are way too many); steer clear of second best; of what is comfortable and convenient.

5. Resolve—to pursue in a way that leverages velocity and scale.

I well remember a talk given by the CEO of Pepsico years ago in London. He brought his best and brightest together and challenged them to avoid incrementalism—making small changes to small things. Here’s what it looks like: cleaning out your inbox, answering your voice mail, and replying to any texts—and calling it a day. It is spending the day in endless chitchat, scrolling down the latest comments on Facebook, reading the latest novel and chocking it up as study. Small changes to small things is a waste of time. So here’s my resolution—leverage the scale by giving more attention to making big changes to big things.

6. Resolve—to enlist others in the pursuit.

Myatt notes that the best forms of pursuit bring others into the chase. “Pursuit in its purest form is highly collaborative.” So much of Scripture is addressed to the community, not the individual. It’s a reminder that the sort of pursuit that really matters is corporate—not merely personal. It is engaging the congregation in such a way that something has been transferred–they now have joined in the chase.

7. Resolve—to pursue being a better leader.

To do less is to drift, devolve, and become obsolete. Spinning is great exercise, but at the end of the session, you are still in the same place. Myatt’s challenge is give yourself to real movement. Pursue! You cannot attain what you do not pursue.

The issue of Christ future return is the dominate theological issue of  2 Peter. In 2 Peter 1:16-21, Peter answers this fundamental question: HOW DO WE REALLY KNOW THAT JESUS IS GOING TO RETURN? 

The reality is that most of us don’t believe or live as if Jesus is going to return or that He could return at any moment.  On most occasions we’ve grown numb to it. 

If Satan can get you and I to doubt the reality of the future return of Christ and numb us into living as if Christ return is just some farfetched concocted myth with no real transforming effect in our lives, Satan’s AK47 is locked and loaded at the Kingdom of God.  Satan’s aim from Genesis 3 has been dead set on destroying God’s perfect Kingdom –and so in the Garden of Eden he got Adam and Eve to doubt  and disobey God’s word – he got them to doubt God’s rule and authority in their lives.  It was an attempt to deconstruct God’s Kingdom. 

In 2 Peter 1: 16-21 are two evidences that prove the return of Christ and the establishement of His eternal Kingdom.

In verses 16-18 we have evidence #1 for Christ Return: The Transfiguration

In verses 19-21 we have evidence #2 for Christ Return: Prophecy

Evidence #1 of Christ Return: Transfiguration (16-18)

From verse 16 we learn that there were false teachers accusing the apostles of teaching a myth about Jesus return.  The false teachers were not the ones promoting the myth.  No, the false teachers simply did not believe Jesus was coming back at all.  Instead, the apostles were being accused of teaching a myth by the false teachers.  And so Peter addresses this head on in verse 16: “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made know to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So evidence #1 is Peter’s personal eye-witness and ear-witness account of the Transfiguration.

Now at first glance this is seems like an odd piece of evidence to prove the future return of Christ. Why not write about Jesus resurrection from the dead?   Why not bring up Jesus ascension into heaven, when an angel promised that He would come back (Acts 1:9-11)?  Those two things seem to be stronger evidences for the return of Christ… but not to Peter.  When seeking to prove the absolute certainty of Christ return, his mind jumps to the Transfiguration as concrete evidence that Jesus will return.  So what must we understand about the Transfiguration that led Peter to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus would return in glory?

As the name suggests, the Transfiguration involved a “transformation”, a change in Jesus appearance, but the transformation that took place revealed Jesus true nature.  Jesus glorious and majestic nature is hidden during His earthly life.   Jesus was not walking around with huge neon signs above Him with the words MESSIAH.  He did not float around like an angel – no His true nature was hidden during His earthly life.  However, at the Transfiguration, when Jesus’ faced was changed, shining like the sun and His clothes became dazzling white, the veil of Jesus human flesh was pulled back for Peter, James, and John to see glory and power of the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus.  Right before each of the gospel narrative accounts of the Transfiguration, Jesus strangely says that there will be some standing there who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of God, or the Son of Man coming in power.  The best way to understand this is that Peter, James, and John were those who would not die until they saw with their own eyes the power of God’s Kingdom at the Transfiguration.  What they saw at the Transfiguration was not just Jesus glowing clothes and sun tanned face but what they saw was THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.  That leads to the second piece of evidence.  

Evidence #2 of Christ Return: Prophecy (19-21)    

Also testifying to Jesus appearance at the end of history are the Old Testament prophets.  The context suggests that most likely Peter is specifically pointing to Old Testament prophecies that speak about the kingdom that is to be established at the end of history when the Messiah returns in glory.  According to verses 20-21, the prophecies that were produced about this universal kingdom did not come about by the will of man but they were speaking God’s words as they were being carried along by the Holy Spirit.  They were speaking of things that had yet to be fulfilled but their prophecies were not their own concocted myths or legends, they were speaking the very words of God. 

The connection then between the Transfiguration and Old Testament prophecy is seen in v. 19 – and we have something more sure, the prophetic word.   At the Transfiguration he saw the Messiah.  He now connects Jesus to the Old Testament predictions about a future kingdom established by the Messiah.  So his personal eyewitness account of the Transfiguration gives to the Old Testament prophecies an even greater certainty than they had before – if they had any doubt in their mind about Old Testament predictions regarding the 2^nd coming of Christ, those predictions are now more sure because of Peter’s eyewitness account of the Transfiguration.  Although it may appear that Christ is delaying a long time in returning, He will one day return. 

Right now we have an enemy, in Satan, who continues to attack God’s kingdom, and he will use whatever dirty tactics he can to get you and I to doubt the evidence regarding the future establishment of His kingdom.  We have the same evidence that the readers of this letter did.  We have Peter’s eyewitness account of the Transfiguration, proving that Jesus was the Messiah,  and we have the prophecies of the Old Testament which explain a universal kingdom established by the Mesiah. 

Will we pay attention to the evidence?  Or will we ignore it?  Even more, what impact does that make on how we live our lives waiting?

During the Men’s Gathering this year we are studying the book of 2 Peter.  The main theme for the study is Guarded and Growing.  At the October meeting we studied 2 Peter 1:1-11.  It seems that Peter is drilling home this main point in these first 11 verses:

God’s power and promises are the only source in this world for true godliness therefore He enables us to make every effort to produce the spiritual fruit that proves God’s calling and election in our lives.

Here are 4 questions to consider:

1. What is the fundamental difference between earning our faith through good works and putting forth effort in supplementing our faith with spiritual fruit? 
2. Examine the list of “qualities” in 5-7.  Brainstorm about how you might rely upon God’s power to enable you supplement your faith with them.
3. Why is forgetting the gospel the real reason we don’t grow spiritually?
4. Why must God’s Gospel Power and God’s Purpose for our lives be held together as one unit?

Take time this week to read through 2 Peter 1:1-11 and then answer the above questions.  Even if you did not attend the Men’s Gathering, take time to examine these verses and see how the power and purpose of the gospel is the source for true spiritual transformation.

 Garrett Nates

In recent years there has been a surge of the idea to “preach the gospel to yourself”.  Jerry Bridges may have been one of the first writers to promote this idea but many others are now contributing to this Christian discipline.  The idea of preaching the gospel to ourselves is an excellent way to begin and continue living a gospel-centered life.  Let’s face it every day we are prone to forget two twin truths of the Bible – we are bigger sinners than we think but Jesus is a bigger savior then we thought.  When we see these two truths and gap between our unrighteousness and the righteousness of God, the cross of Jesus Christ becomes greater and greater.  As a result the beauty of the gospel becomes more glorious to us.

I was recently given the book Note to Self: The discipline of preaching to yourself by Joe Thorn.  This wonderful little book provides some excellent tools for preaching the gospel to ourselves on a daily basis.  I was struck today by the chapter titled “Jesus is enough” and Thorn’s reflections on Philippians 4:11-13.  Here is a little excerpt from that chapter.

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13

“Dear Self,

Are you satisfied?  It is pretty obvious that the answer is often no.  I am not saying it is wrong to want things in this life, but why do you find yourself so frustrated with the absence of those things?  The problem is not that you want evil things.  The things you want are generally good, or at least harmless in themselves. But more than wanting, you become frustrated by not having.  You become jealous, envious, and discontented with your life.  It is true; you need what you lack, but what you lack is satisfaction in Jesus.”

He goes on to say simply and profoundly that Jesus is enough and that nothing will take away our desire for satisfacation and cotentment.  In a day when contentment and satisfaction may be at an all time low what we need is not another adrenaline fix, another job, another house, another life, what we need is Jesus.  He is enough – what a wonderful gospel truth for today. 

Garrett Nates 

A lot of good parents are in the business of boosting their children’s self-confidence.  This on one level is a decent goal for our children.  However, on a completely different level I believe this kind of self-confidence boosting may prove to be an enemy of the gospel in their lives.   Here are three things that boosting the self-confidence of our children does:   

1. Self-confidence is supposed to make them feel good about themselves. 
2. Self-confidence is designed to make them feel as though they can do good things. 
3. Self-confidence is manufactured to result in them trusting in their capacities and abilities.

From a humanistic perspective those things are fine but when we see those things through the lens of the gospel message they take on a new life.

1. The gospel actually makes all us see how big of a sinner we actually are and our need for a big Savior and to make us see how great He is. 
2. The gospel actually makes all of us realize that there is nothing good in us besides the righteousness of Christ and make us see the good He has done for us.  
3. The gospel actually makes all of us realize that we don’t have the resources in us to earn the favor of God and to make us trust in His unending capacities and abilities.

If we want our children to get the gospel, then maybe we need to work toward crushing their self-confidence instead of trying to boost it.  We do so for the purpose of increasing their dependence upon God.   The problem is that in our own heart of hearts we may not get the gospel and our own God-dependency.  We can only crush their self-confidence if we ourselves are being built up in the gospel.  So maybe, just maybe, the first step we need to take is to ask God to crush our own self-confidence and embrace the reality of our own need for grace!  

Below is a quote from a book titled “Give them Grace” by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson which highlights the difference between giving our children the gospel or the law.   

“Everything that isn’t gospel is law.  Let us say it again:  everything that isn’t gospel is law.  Every way we try to make our kids good that isn’t rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is damnable, crushing, despair-breeding, Pharisee-producing law.  We won’t get the results we want from the law.  We’ll get either shallow self-righteousness or blazing rebellion or both (frequently from the same kid on the same day!).  We’ll get moralistic kids who are cold and hypocritical and who look down on others (and could easily become Mormons), or you’ll get teens who are rebellious and self-indulgent and who can’t wait to get out of the house.  We have to remember that in the life of our unregenerate children, the law is given for one reason only: to crush their self-confidence and drive them to Christ.  The law also shows believing children what gospel-engendered gratitude looks like.  But one thing is for sure: we aren’t to give our children the law to make them good.  It won’t because it can’t.”

One of the most important practices for every Christian is daily Bible reading.  It’s a vital part of our growth in knowing Christ and in becoming like Him.  If we want to grow spiritually, then reading the Bible must be an essential component to our lives because we believe that God speaks to us through His written word and that He is the one who causes our growth in sanctification.  What I am saying is nothing new and in fact could sound quite basic.  However, I often wonder if reading the Bible is slowly becoming a neglected practice in the church. 

Maybe we think we’ve read it so much that we slyly think we moved onto some kind of higher spirituality in which we no longer need a daily ration of God’s Word in our lives? 

Maybe we spend an excessive amount of time on things like watching TV and sports,  our hobbies, or on yard work, etc., that squeeze out the actual time we have to read the Bible? 

Maybe it’s because we’re bored and are invigorated by other more exciting things than cracking open our Bibles? 

Or maybe it’s simply that we’ve not been taught how to read the Bible.  

This fall in our Men’s Ministries we will begin a new initiative to encourage and equip men to personally read the Bible… AND to take that one step farther.  The encouragement will be to take the personal study of the Bible and put into the context of a relationship with another man.   Our aim is to encourage and equip every man to Read the Bible One to One (1:2:1) with another man for at least a 7 to 8 week time period of their choosing and on their own time in order to create a chaotic web of relationships that centered on God’s Word. 

Now I know this will be a stretch for many men.  We often keep our relationships with other men at arms length – putting up a front of security and having it all together.  We also find it easier to stay in the comfort zone of our own “shop talk”.  Reading the Bible with another man goes against the grain of our natural man relational tendencies.  However, the real depth of our relationships with each other will come as a result of us opening up the Bible and reading 1:2:1 with each other.

Will you now prayerfully consider who you will Read the Bible 1:2:1 with?   More details to come at the Men’s Gathering on September 9^th.