Church History: Not Just for Historians

Back again with "Thoughts on a Blog Thursday". This time we've got a post from a week or two ago saved in my RSS reader that I stumbled upon.

It's an encouraging post from Tim Challies regarding church history. Challies lists seven reasons why its important that we study church history:

1. God Tells Us To
2. To Understand Today
3. To Understand Tomorrow
4. To Understand Providence
5. To Understand Error
6. To Understand People
7. To Understand Endurance

It's very interesting to me how little we know about the church throughout history sometimes. I certainly don't know very much after Acts, aside from the Reformation and some stuff about the Puritans. Maybe its because history is branded as such a boring subject, but Challies makes some excellent points regarding how applicable, useful and relevant church history can be. This is definitely an area that I want to inject into my reading at points (I'd written a bit more about this here).

Let's expand our reading to take in more church history. I know none of us will probably be curling up in our favorite chair to break open some huge academic tome, but there are plenty of more managable resources available today (The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen Nichols is a great example of a book that is informative while remaining engaging). Ask around, check in the bookstore or check out good publishers like Crossway. Find some way to learn a bit more about the church (even reading on the web). It will help you to analyze current issues in our culture today as well as encouraging you with God's faithfulness to his people throughout the ages.

HT: Tim Challies

A Lot to Be Grateful For

It's Thursday and Christopher asked me to post some thoughts on a blog post from somewhere on the vastness of the internet. It was a bit tempting to pick a post from my own blog and save a bit of work, but I figured it would be better to point you to another blog that has served my soul well since I've been reading it.

Last Friday there was a post on The Blazing Center (Mark & Stephen Altrogge's blog) dealing with being grateful. I thought this was particularly good considering that we took some time during the last community group meeting to thank God for his provision in our lives. In the post, Stephen took the opportunity to list some things he is grateful to God for. It's a helpful reminder to set time aside to thank God for all he has done for us, both the big and the small things he has blessed us with.

Here's a short sampling from me. I'm thankful that...

- God saved me from a life of self-reliance and independence and caused me to see my need for him

- I have friends and family who love me and who encourage me to grow in my obedience and pursuit of God

- God didn't leave us to figure everything out on our own, but provided his Word and the Holy Spirit to help and guide us

- I can see God's goodness not only in my own life, but in the Bible and in the lives of the saints and the church throughout history

- I am a part of a great local church that challenges me to love the Savior more and to never lose sight of the cross

- God meets my basic needs and has blessed me with a job

- I can access the knowledge of great pastors and preachers that has been preserved in books

- We live in a world with Turkey Hill Raspberry Iced Tea, mp3 players and volleyball

- I've got a great community group that spurs me on in godliness as well as providing friendship and laughter

How about you? What are you grateful to God for?

HT: The Blazing Center

Thoughts on a blog.....

I learned a new term a few days ago when I read a blog post my Tim Challies....the term "planned neglect". The full article can be found here and is entitled "The Priority of Practicing". The basic premise of Tim's article is that God calls us to "neglect" the things of the world or things that are genuinely good and we enjoy for things God has called us too and he wants us to walk in. And this neglect is not hap-hazard...no it is planned and pursued with a diligent vigor. Through this "planned neglect" we gain that which is supremely valuable, Christ and an increased love for the Savior.

So I have begun to ask myself this question.....Christopher, what things in your life is God calling you to purposefully neglect? I found this to be a difficult question for me to answer....because I don't want to "give up" anything! But for me in this season, I think God is calling me to planned neglect of working late hours at work so I can make sufficient time to have my devotions in the morning. Also as I thought about it, I realized how easily I can come home from a long day and just want to "veg" out on the sofa....either doing nothing or watching a movie. I think here to God would call me to a planned neglect of my ease to read....just 15 minutes when I arrive home.

I would encourage you to ask yourself the same questions....what things are currently doing that God would call you to "neglect" for the sake of gaining Christ? Maybe it is watching less TV so you can read his word more. Maybe it is spending less time in the office so you can fellowship or serve in the church. Maybe it is stepping out of a few responsibilities so your life isn't so crazy that you be quiet before the Lord in prayer. Whatever it is, ask the Lord what would you call me to "neglect" to gain Christ.

So add this phrase to your dictionary....Planned Neglect....it may prove to a powerful force of grace.

Weekly CG Annoucments

Here are the announcements from Community Group last night.....

• 6/14 (Sat) - Second Saturday, 9:30am @ CFC....it's a great way to apply the Proclaim series
  
• 6/18 (Wed) - FPU starts....Go to this site and get more info.
  
• 6/19 (Thur) - CG Social (sponsored by Christopher's FG).
  
• Where: Rose Tree Park (here is link to website)
  
• What time: CG picnic starts around 6pm and the concert starts at 7:30pm
• What is the concert: The band is called Fiddlekicks...check out the website
• Who is invited: Anyone...so bring out friends
• What to bring: Yourself, your picnic dinner and maybe a lawn chair or blanket
• 6/20 (Fri) - Thrive (i.e. the singles meeting, here is a link)
• 7/12 (Sat) - Rick and Traci's Wedding!
• Where: CFC building
• What time: Ceremony starts at 2:00 pm
• What needs to be done: Help with tear down after the ceremony
• Who is heading this up: Julian
  
• Who is helping: The entire CG unless you tell Julian a really good excuse why you are not going to be there
• 7/13 (Sun) - Chicken BBQ
• What do we need to do: We are assigned to the photo and activity slot from 11:30 to 12:30
• Who is heading this up: Kristen
• How many poeple do we need: Min. of four...but this job isn't trash duty so I more the merrier :)

I think I got everything but let me know if I missed something.

A quote from Flavel

I am continuing to read and meditate on The Mystery of Providence by Puritan John Flavel in my devotions and I recently read the following quote that I found particularity helpful in thinking through how God's providences moves in my life....here it is

"He [God] consults my good rather than my ease"

How often I can think and have a functional theological perspective that my ease in life (i.e. no trials or difficulties) equates to God's goodness but how often I have experienced that not to be the case. The very things that I would say have been the most trying and difficult in my life have proved to have produced the most fruit! This gives me hope as I think about current trials and seasons of testings....I know there is God's goodness behind the frown of God's providence.

And the first part of Flavel's quote should also bring hope to our souls....God consults our good. Think about that...the God of the universe, who sustains all things....consults (thinks about and plans)....our (sinners saved by grace)....good (not just okay or getting by but goodness). That is amazing to me. And for those that have been redeemed by the Blood of the lamb....God will work all things together for good....what a great promise.

So what trials or difficulties to you currently face? Lets us be of good courage because God may not be consulting your ease but he is most certainly consulting your good.

The resurrection of the blog

Some of you may have wondered....whatever happened to the idea of a Community Group Blog? Did the blog sever have a crash that prevented any postings since March? Was there another wave of technology that you are completely unaware so now blogs are outdated? Did Christopher leave and decided to set-up shop in Alaska?

Well all of those ideas sound like great stories (especially going to Alaska) but none of them are true...I just have neglected to post anything for about....yes 2-3 months (rounding is acceptable when we are talking these time frames). But I am here to see if the Blog can be Resurrected...so here is the plan to get this thing back into the air....

1. Get some other people to post besides me....so look to hear from a few others
2. Post on other issues than meeting reminds (I know that they are so exciting!)
3. Try to generate discussions in our CG from the blog

So here is my idea for what to blog on....let me know if you ideas that could be included....

• Monday - Thoughts the Sunday Sermon
  
• Tuesday - Thoughts on a book
  
• Wednesday - CG Weekly Announcements
  
• Thursday - Thoughts on someone else blog
  
• Friday - A fun fact, picture or story about someone in the CG
• Saturday - Useful facts for life
• Sunday - A day of rest
  

So can this Blog be resurrected (a question for all you two people that are reading this :) Only time will tell.....

Reminder: CG Tomorrow !

Hey folks, just a reminder that we have Community Group tomorrow at 7:30. We will be watching the second Proclaim DVD so make sure you bring your proclaim manuals….

I look forward to seeing everyone there!