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The Contenders

On January 3, 2010, In Uncategorized, By steve.nation

Starting on January 31, 5:17 church will be looking at ‘The Contenders’. It will be a sermon series reflecting on what we believe, why we believe it, what difference does it make what we believe, what would we die for, divide for, or (in a cricket metaphor) let go through to the keeper.

The concept comes from Jude’s words in his letter: Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Hopefully this series will be historically enlightening, Biblically-clear and full of practical implications.

31/1 – Introducing the Contenders (The Letter of Jude)

14/2 – Splitting over a single letter? Contending for the unique supremacy of Christ (Colossians 1:15-23)

Historical contender: Athanasius (296-373AD

21/2 – How dare you call me a sinner? Contending for the doctrine of total depravity (Romans 1:18-32)

Historical contender: Augustine (354-430AD)

28/2 – You’ve got nothin’. Contending for justification by faith alone (Romans 4:1-12)

Historical contender: Martin Luther (1483-1546AD)

7/3 – It’s all according to plan. Contending for the sovereignty of God (Ephesians 1:3-14)

Historical contender: John Calvin (1509-1564AD)

14/3 – You must be born again. Contending for regeneration by God the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-15)

Historical contender: John Owen (1618-1683AD)

21/3 – Cosmic Child Abuse? Contending for the penal substitution of Christ (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

Historical contender: John Bunyan (1628-1688AD)

28/3 – But God, that’s not fair! Contending for the reality of judgement (Revelation 20:11-15)

Historical contender: Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758AD)

11/4 – Just a good book? Contending for the authority of Scripture (Psalm 119:9-16)

Historical contender: B.B. Warfield (1851-1921AD)

18/4 – So how now should we live? Contending for the necessity of holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)

Historical contender: J.I. Packer (1926- AD)

Tagged with: Bible • sermons

Growing as women: a date claimer

On January 3, 2010, In Events, By steve.nation

Tagged with: Events • growing • resources

The woman, the dragon, and the baby

On December 18, 2009, In Events, By keiyeng

You’ve probably never heard a Christmas message from the Bible book of Revelation – let alone Revelation chapter 12 verses 1-12.

What does Christmas have to do with a woman, a dragon, and a baby?!

You’re invited to 5:17 church’s Christmas Eve service, to find out what this cosmic intertwining means – for Christmas and for you.

You’ve probably never heard a Christmas message from the Bible book of Revelation – let alone Revelation chapter 12 verses 1-12.

What does Christmas have to do with a woman, a dragon, and a baby?!

You’re invited to 5:17 church’s Christmas Eve service, to find out what this cosmic intertwining means – for Christmas and for you.

(Find us on Facebook!)

Tagged with: Bible • Events

pray for the Chandlers

On December 17, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

Some of you may have heard or heard of Pastor Matt Chandler and/or The Village Church, Texas USA. Matt is a faithful preacher of God’s word and his sermons are very popular worldwide (especially amongst fans of Mark Driscoll et al) because he too seeks to be biblically faithful and culturally relevant.

So you may also know that Matt had a seizure on Nov 26 and tests revealed a tumour in his frontal lobe. He underwent surgery soon after to have it removed and pathology results in the past week have shown that the tumour was malignant (cancerous). Also, the surgeon was unable to remove it all given its nature. The Chandler family now face decisions about what treatment course/s to take.

As you can imagine this is a huge trial for Matt, his wife Lauren and their 3 young kids, as well as The Village Church family (which is several thousand strong). I’ve been so impressed and encouraged by Matt’s personal response as well as that of the VC’s Elders. As far as I can read from their blog updates, they’ve lead the church with enormous grace and wisdom at a very hard time.

You might like to read the Elders’ blog updates here, as well as the prayer points the Elders suggest (and do pray!).

I’ll close with a reflection point from Pastor Matt himself; be impacted and grown by his perspective -

I am grateful for the men of God in my life, namely John Piper who taught me to hold my life cheap and to join with Paul in saying “I don’t count my life of any value or as precious to myself if only I might finish my course and complete the work that He gave me to do to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God. I’m nothing, I just have a job. God keep me faithful on the job and then let me drop and go to the reward.” [...]

Tagged with: Jesus' bride • prayer

free SG songs

On December 6, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

We sing a lot of Sovereign Grace music at 5:17 church, because it’s biblically-sound, gospel-proclaiming, and musically-appealing.

Sovereign Grace Music’s Facebook page reached 20 000 fans on or about November 20, so they gave away 9 of their songs for free download here.

In addition, they’ve just announced that you can listen to SG music for free here.

How generous of them is that!

(And just to be clear, the reason we celebrate music being given away or made available for free is because we uphold the importance of Christians obeying the civil law where it does not mean disobedience to Christ – and that includes not stealing by illegally downloading music (or movies or anything else)).

Tagged with: free stuff • music • resources

Love on Legs

On December 5, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

Last Friday night Steve and I enjoyed a special birthday present – tickets to the Australian Outback Spectacular, given to us by friends from our parent church, SLE. We had a great time but no, I’m not going to put up a photo of us in our new cowboy hats – you can close your eyes and picture it yourselves.

Anyway, I was mulling about how significant it is for us (and maybe me especially) when church friends give us gifts – this one in particular made me feel very loved and affirmed and ‘thought of’ and we were really touched when we first got the email about it. It made me remember my birthday last year when S gave me a basil plant, and the year before that when the C’s gave us both Crocs (shoes, not animals).

Now I don’t actually think that ‘Giving Gifts’ is one of my top Love Languages and yet, receiving these gifts from church friends has been very significant and memorable for me. I guess gifts are a great way to bless people in ministry given how gifts can so tangibly convey thoughtfulness or thankfulness.

So being on the receiving end of gifts as well as having conversations about this with 5:17ers has made me consider how well we actually know and love each other in our church in specific, thoughtFUL ways – such as knowing each other’s Love Languages and considering carefully how we can ’speak’ these languages to each other.

In my experience it takes a good deal of time and careful attention to get to know someone’s love language(s) – unless you directly ask which is perfectly fine too. I know that I haven’t gone around and done a survey of fellow 5:17ers though, even while it is our aim and hope that 5:17ers know we love them! (though the primary ways we are able to express this across the board are through prayer and pastoral care and conversation – which I think are forms of acts of service, quality time, and giving gifts)

It’s all made me wonder ultimately, how well we are all going at loving and showing love to our brothers and sisters. I’m encouraged that it has been happening recently as we’ve prayed together over various trials 5:17ers have experienced. But are we leaving some people and some needs and some love languages out? Can we be more careful and considerate about this as individuals and as a church family? Do we have a disposition to love without putting ‘legs’ on that love? Would outsiders look in and see by our love that we are Jesus’ disciples?

What do you think? Please do comment… but I hope you’ll also catch the ‘mulling bug’ and consider with me who you can show love to, by putting your love for them (and God) on legs.

love on legs

Tagged with: 5:17 life • community

Respectable Sins

On December 5, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

Last Sunday’s sermon application took in a list of sins taken from Jerry Bridges’ book, Respectable Sins (see a review of it here). Steve challenged us to not tolerate in our lives the sins that Jesus died for, and Bridges’ list is a list of sins that we tend to excuse more easily than others even though they’re no less sinful.

We looked at this list again at our Community Group on Thursday night which was a really fruitful exercise, not to mention humbling, encouraging, and bonding as we basically confessed our sins to each other and prayed for each other. But of course we can’t stop there – we need to fight our sin by acknowledging it, hating it, confessing it to God, and ultimately repenting of (or turning completely away from) it, and turning towards the Christlike attitudes and actions that replace it. We’re reproducing Jerry Bridges’ list below to this end.

anxieties and frustrations

discontentment

unthankfulness

pridefulness revealed specifically in self-righteousness, even in a pursuit of theological accuracy, in prideful motives behind our achievements and revealed in a spirit of independence

selfishness with our interests, time, money and inconsiderateness

lack of self-control in eating, drinking and temperament, finances, entertainment and shopping

impatience and irritability

anger, even anger towards God, and the underlying roots of anger in resentment, bitterness, enmity, hostility and holding grudges

judgmentalism and a critical spirit over differing convictions and doctrinal disagreements

envy, jealousy, competitiveness and being controlling

the sins of the tongue like gossip, slander, lying, harsh words, sarcasm, insults and ridicule

worldliness shown financially, by our idolatry and in “vicarious immorality,” that is, the enjoyment of watching or reading the sinfulness of others.

ungodliness

anxieties and frustrations

discontentment

unthankfulness

pride(fulness, revealed specifically in self-righteousness, even in a pursuit of theological accuracy, in prideful motives behind our achievements and revealed in a spirit of independence)

selfishness (with our interests, time, money and inconsiderateness)

lack of self-control (in eating, drinking and temperament, finances, entertainment and shopping)

impatience and irritability

anger (even anger towards God) and

the weeds of anger (underlying roots of anger in resentment, bitterness, enmity, hostility and holding grudges)

judgmentalism (and a critical spirit over differing convictions and doctrinal disagreements)

envy, jealousy, competitiveness and being controlling

sins of the tongue (like gossip, slander, lying, harsh words, sarcasm, insults and ridicule)

worldliness (shown financially, by our idolatry and in “vicarious immorality,” that is, the enjoyment of watching or reading the sinfulness of others)

As we tackle our ‘respectable sins’ and seek to expose them to the light, don’t forget this wonderful promise -

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Tagged with: 5:17 life • growing • sermons

what are you reading?

On November 28, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

I am sitting in our study with our guinea pig Munchee on my lap, with her little hind legs stuck out in her ‘this is the life’ position. I’ve just finished reading Isaiah 45 – a majestic portrayal of God’s absolute sovereignty over Israel and both her friends and her enemies. As a proclamation it could sound arrogant if it weren’t true, and justly so. And what a great finish -

They will say of me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’ All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.

You don’t need 3 guesses to work out which side you’d want to be on!

But actually I was going to ask what you’re reading, and say that if you ever want or need a recommendation, Steve and I love both reading and recommending books (including books of the Bible) to people. We’ve been so influenced and grown through reading over our journeys as Christians that we can’t help spreading the love. Plus we have several hundred books in our library available for borrowing, so let us know if you’d like a summer reading list. We’d be glad to get you started!

Reading is Cool

Tagged with: Bible • growing • life • resources

yum

On November 26, 2009, In Uncategorized, By keiyeng

Very often our conversations with people are about God, the Bible, Christianity, doctrine, ministry, following Jesus etc. You can probably guess why. But this can give people the idea that we aren’t ‘normal’ or don’t do anything ‘normal’.

(NB. I don’t think ‘normal’ is the best word for it because all of life for us Christians is 100% ’spiritual’ AND all of life is 100% ‘normal’, but hopefully you still get the idea.)

So, here’s something ‘normal’ that Steve and I did today; we went to the Baskin Robbins on Moggill Rd in Chapel Hill and picked up our free Birthday Club ice-creams. Except that our cones didn’t have the extra over-flow fringe bit of ice-cream that the cones in the picture do, but they were yum nonetheless.

baskin-robbins-birthday-club-free-ice-cream-cone

Then we walked around the block!!

Tagged with: life