Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Watters' Story: God's Providence over Curriculum, Cancer, and Adoption
Read this today (and watched the video). A powerful picture of God's sovereignty.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Come Awake
Yesterday (10.24.10) we played a video as a follow-up to the message from Ephesians 4:17-24. Some asked if there was a way to see the video again. The video was put out by Igniter Media. You can watch it below. Once the sermon is online, you can follow the link above (or here) to listen to the sermon as well.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
What Love
On Sunday, September 5 Tony Romano preached at Cornerstone. The message, "What Love" was from Ephesians 3:14-21. It was a wonderful, Christ-centered message. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the sermon was not recorded. Because the content (and delivery) of the message was so good I wanted to post what I could from Tony's message that morning.
Ephesians 3:14-21
What Love
Introduction
There are all kinds of objections people can raise to question the goodness of God. And maybe the most common objection has to do with hell. In fact, people go so far as to say that hell is a massive problem for God – how can He be loving and send people to eternal punishment in fire? - If God is so good, why is there a hell? If you ask the wrong questions, you’ll get the wrong answers. The biggest “problem” is not hell – it is the cross – if there is anything in God’s Word that should make you stand up and say, “Hey, wait a second…” it is the cross, it is not hell – it is the fact that God put forward, by His own will, His perfectly innocent, completely glorious Son to bear my punishment
What would you do with a Judge who knowingly and willingly and deliberately punished an innocent man for a guilty man’s actions? How can a good and just and righteous God forgive sinners and wipe their account clean when they did NOTHING to earn it? How can He just pass over it? – and how can He do it every single day?
Well, He can pass over it because He provided a Lamb – because He is satisfied with the work of His Son on behalf of all who believe, every single last one – He is pleased, in Christ, to forgive sinners and make them His sons and daughters – every move God has ever made to save anyone is justified completely by the Cross
If anything shocks you, let it be the love He displayed for sinners at the Cross and proclaims even now to a lost and dying world in His precious Gospel. Don’t let it shock you or bother you that God is okay with being God – that He loves His name and His glory and that He is infinitely righteous and holy and that if you reject Him, if you do not bow before Him, you will bear your own guilt and be liable for your own debt. If anything causes you to step back in amazement and say, “how could this be…” let it be the Cross where the Son of Man was crucified and bore the punishment for millions when He did not deserve it – according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Ask “how could it be that a just, righteous, perfect, infinitely holy God could love me, a sinner when I know I do not deserve it?” – “How is it fair that a sinner gets heaven?!” Ask, “What love is this?” –
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
VV. 14-21
For THIS reason – what reason...BECAUSE HE HAS…
-blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing
-chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
-made us holy and blameless
-predestined us for adoption as sons
-given us redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins
-we have obtained an eternal inheritance
-we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of that inheritance
-He has placed all things in subjection to Christ
-when we were dead in trespasses and sins, God made us alive with Christ
-He has raised us up with Him, seated us in the heavenly places
-He will lavish His immeasurable grace on us in the coming ages
-He has saved us by grace through faith
-He has prepared us for good works
-brought us near by His blood
-and Jesus Himself is our peace
-access in one Spirit to the Father
-no longer strangers and aliens but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God
-Jesus is our Cornerstone
-we are being built together in Him as a dwelling place for God by His Spirit
-partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ
-through us, through this one new body, the manifold wisdom of God will now be made known
-because God has realized His eternal purpose in Christ…for THIS reason…
-the substance of the Gospel, its redemptive message accomplished once and for all in Christ, the mystery of God hidden for ages but now revealed in Him…this is the reason for Paul’s prayer – everything that God has done for us flows to us through the Gospel because in it, Jesus is revealed – and for THIS reason…
-v.14-15 - Paul BOWS his knees in prayer to the Father – the TRUE Father of all – the OWNER of heaven and earth, everything and every person that exists does so only because of Him
-v.16 - from the infinite RICHES of His GLORY comes a GRANT- not from but “according to”
-STRENGTHENED with POWER from the INSIDE – a foundation
-v.17 - SO THAT – there is a deliberate purpose
-that the DWELLING of Christ in your heart through faith is THE means of your being ROOTED and GROUNDED in love – believe it is true because it is true – you need no verification that He is there beyond His authoritative Word to you through the Gospel – I DWELL IN YOU
-therefore the basis of your ability to comprehend…, the source of the strength you need to do this – is not anything mystical or extra – it is the Gospel bought FACT that HE DWELLS IN YOU
-v.18-19 - by His presence you will KNOW what you cannot comprehend, you will KNOW what SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE – and that is the love of Christ – it is so vast and so deep that it cannot be fathomed – and yet, He desires to reveal it to you in full disclosure
-Jesus wants you to know how much He loves you – and I want you to know that He loves you much more than you love Him and this is the ground of your hope
-not so that it will terminate on your value, but as a means to being FILLED with the FULLNESS OF GOD (this is CHRIST in you)
-there is a POWER at work within you (v.16-17) – faith is the key to appropriating what Paul prays for here – this is so crucial - the key to obeying our God, to being the church, is to understand that we are loved by God – it is to believe and understand the Gospel through which we are filled with the fullness of God, with CHRIST by FAITH, not by works, not by promises and commitments, your flesh does not have the power to do and be what God has called you to do and be – think about this love
1:4b-5 – In LOVE He predestined us
2:4 – because of the great love with which He loved us
1 John 4:10 - In THIS is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.(the essence of love doesn’t come from you; it is from God demonstrated in Christ)
John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
-LOVE is POWER (v.17-18) – it is through loving your Savior who loves you with an infinite, indestructible love that you will grasp the POWER you need to be the CHURCH
-it is through this love that we become the fullness of Him who is the fullness of all things (1:22-23) – in Him, the fullness of deity dwells bodily
-the love of God in Christ for you is the means by which we are empowered to be the church – the Gospel is the foundation of all we are and all we do
-what God means to accomplish in you is not dependent on the strength you provide or what you bring to the table – God works according to the power He placed from Him in you – the Potter is working the clay inside of you
-to which we respond, “I don’t see any evidence of that,” “I am weak,” “I struggle so much,” “how can I ever reach the fullness of what God desires for me?” - to which His response is v.20-21
-v.20-21 - somewhere far beyond what you could ever imagine God could do is where He will do in you – God is able to do “far….more….and abundantly” beyond it
-and to this One who is doing all the work – to Him be glory in the place where that work is to be done: the church
-to Him, to our Savior, throughout all the generations, every family, forever and ever – may His love for us result in the praise of His glorious name forever and ever and ever – God will make sure His Son’s Bride loves His Son forever – oh what a blessed marriage arrangement
-all of this flows from infinite love and mercy – the church is a body created by the love of God in Christ - He formed her out of nothing, He breathed life into her by His Holy Spirit, He bought her back from death and slavery when she wandered away from Him, He took her back and shaped her and works today to make her beautiful, and one day He will put an end to history so that He can be with her and she can be with Him forever
-what love is this? “God’s love for His people is as long as eternity past, so wide as to include all nations, so high as to ring praises from angels in heaven, and so deep as to cancel the claims of hell on our soul.” – Brian Chapell
-until we are gripped by the love God has for us in Christ, we cannot be the Church we must
-some of us come from dirty pasts – and do you know what? – it is okay, it is okay – He is not ashamed to be called your God – He is not ashamed of you – His Son bought your justification – at the Cross God reconciled all things for you – He owes no one an apology for bringing you into His house and giving you a seat at His table – Jesus has paid every penny for you - He is not ashamed of you because of the supremacy and the power of His Son – Zephaniah 3:19
-we needed God to love us in order to make us acceptable to Him, to bring us to Himself – He had to employ that love to SAVE us, to WASH us, and it began with predestination – it is a total work – the love of God shapes us and changes us – it is far more than unconditional; it is effective to make us into what He wants us to be
The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled, and pardoned from his sin
Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky
O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song
-how can this be? Because of Christ.
Ephesians 3:14-21
What Love
Introduction
There are all kinds of objections people can raise to question the goodness of God. And maybe the most common objection has to do with hell. In fact, people go so far as to say that hell is a massive problem for God – how can He be loving and send people to eternal punishment in fire? - If God is so good, why is there a hell? If you ask the wrong questions, you’ll get the wrong answers. The biggest “problem” is not hell – it is the cross – if there is anything in God’s Word that should make you stand up and say, “Hey, wait a second…” it is the cross, it is not hell – it is the fact that God put forward, by His own will, His perfectly innocent, completely glorious Son to bear my punishment
What would you do with a Judge who knowingly and willingly and deliberately punished an innocent man for a guilty man’s actions? How can a good and just and righteous God forgive sinners and wipe their account clean when they did NOTHING to earn it? How can He just pass over it? – and how can He do it every single day?
Well, He can pass over it because He provided a Lamb – because He is satisfied with the work of His Son on behalf of all who believe, every single last one – He is pleased, in Christ, to forgive sinners and make them His sons and daughters – every move God has ever made to save anyone is justified completely by the Cross
If anything shocks you, let it be the love He displayed for sinners at the Cross and proclaims even now to a lost and dying world in His precious Gospel. Don’t let it shock you or bother you that God is okay with being God – that He loves His name and His glory and that He is infinitely righteous and holy and that if you reject Him, if you do not bow before Him, you will bear your own guilt and be liable for your own debt. If anything causes you to step back in amazement and say, “how could this be…” let it be the Cross where the Son of Man was crucified and bore the punishment for millions when He did not deserve it – according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Ask “how could it be that a just, righteous, perfect, infinitely holy God could love me, a sinner when I know I do not deserve it?” – “How is it fair that a sinner gets heaven?!” Ask, “What love is this?” –
Read Ephesians 3:14-21
VV. 14-21
For THIS reason – what reason...BECAUSE HE HAS…
-blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing
-chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
-made us holy and blameless
-predestined us for adoption as sons
-given us redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins
-we have obtained an eternal inheritance
-we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of that inheritance
-He has placed all things in subjection to Christ
-when we were dead in trespasses and sins, God made us alive with Christ
-He has raised us up with Him, seated us in the heavenly places
-He will lavish His immeasurable grace on us in the coming ages
-He has saved us by grace through faith
-He has prepared us for good works
-brought us near by His blood
-and Jesus Himself is our peace
-access in one Spirit to the Father
-no longer strangers and aliens but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God
-Jesus is our Cornerstone
-we are being built together in Him as a dwelling place for God by His Spirit
-partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ
-through us, through this one new body, the manifold wisdom of God will now be made known
-because God has realized His eternal purpose in Christ…for THIS reason…
-the substance of the Gospel, its redemptive message accomplished once and for all in Christ, the mystery of God hidden for ages but now revealed in Him…this is the reason for Paul’s prayer – everything that God has done for us flows to us through the Gospel because in it, Jesus is revealed – and for THIS reason…
-v.14-15 - Paul BOWS his knees in prayer to the Father – the TRUE Father of all – the OWNER of heaven and earth, everything and every person that exists does so only because of Him
-v.16 - from the infinite RICHES of His GLORY comes a GRANT- not from but “according to”
-STRENGTHENED with POWER from the INSIDE – a foundation
-v.17 - SO THAT – there is a deliberate purpose
-that the DWELLING of Christ in your heart through faith is THE means of your being ROOTED and GROUNDED in love – believe it is true because it is true – you need no verification that He is there beyond His authoritative Word to you through the Gospel – I DWELL IN YOU
-therefore the basis of your ability to comprehend…, the source of the strength you need to do this – is not anything mystical or extra – it is the Gospel bought FACT that HE DWELLS IN YOU
-v.18-19 - by His presence you will KNOW what you cannot comprehend, you will KNOW what SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE – and that is the love of Christ – it is so vast and so deep that it cannot be fathomed – and yet, He desires to reveal it to you in full disclosure
-Jesus wants you to know how much He loves you – and I want you to know that He loves you much more than you love Him and this is the ground of your hope
-not so that it will terminate on your value, but as a means to being FILLED with the FULLNESS OF GOD (this is CHRIST in you)
-there is a POWER at work within you (v.16-17) – faith is the key to appropriating what Paul prays for here – this is so crucial - the key to obeying our God, to being the church, is to understand that we are loved by God – it is to believe and understand the Gospel through which we are filled with the fullness of God, with CHRIST by FAITH, not by works, not by promises and commitments, your flesh does not have the power to do and be what God has called you to do and be – think about this love
1:4b-5 – In LOVE He predestined us
2:4 – because of the great love with which He loved us
1 John 4:10 - In THIS is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.(the essence of love doesn’t come from you; it is from God demonstrated in Christ)
John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
-LOVE is POWER (v.17-18) – it is through loving your Savior who loves you with an infinite, indestructible love that you will grasp the POWER you need to be the CHURCH
-it is through this love that we become the fullness of Him who is the fullness of all things (1:22-23) – in Him, the fullness of deity dwells bodily
-the love of God in Christ for you is the means by which we are empowered to be the church – the Gospel is the foundation of all we are and all we do
-what God means to accomplish in you is not dependent on the strength you provide or what you bring to the table – God works according to the power He placed from Him in you – the Potter is working the clay inside of you
-to which we respond, “I don’t see any evidence of that,” “I am weak,” “I struggle so much,” “how can I ever reach the fullness of what God desires for me?” - to which His response is v.20-21
-v.20-21 - somewhere far beyond what you could ever imagine God could do is where He will do in you – God is able to do “far….more….and abundantly” beyond it
-and to this One who is doing all the work – to Him be glory in the place where that work is to be done: the church
-to Him, to our Savior, throughout all the generations, every family, forever and ever – may His love for us result in the praise of His glorious name forever and ever and ever – God will make sure His Son’s Bride loves His Son forever – oh what a blessed marriage arrangement
-all of this flows from infinite love and mercy – the church is a body created by the love of God in Christ - He formed her out of nothing, He breathed life into her by His Holy Spirit, He bought her back from death and slavery when she wandered away from Him, He took her back and shaped her and works today to make her beautiful, and one day He will put an end to history so that He can be with her and she can be with Him forever
-what love is this? “God’s love for His people is as long as eternity past, so wide as to include all nations, so high as to ring praises from angels in heaven, and so deep as to cancel the claims of hell on our soul.” – Brian Chapell
-until we are gripped by the love God has for us in Christ, we cannot be the Church we must
-some of us come from dirty pasts – and do you know what? – it is okay, it is okay – He is not ashamed to be called your God – He is not ashamed of you – His Son bought your justification – at the Cross God reconciled all things for you – He owes no one an apology for bringing you into His house and giving you a seat at His table – Jesus has paid every penny for you - He is not ashamed of you because of the supremacy and the power of His Son – Zephaniah 3:19
-we needed God to love us in order to make us acceptable to Him, to bring us to Himself – He had to employ that love to SAVE us, to WASH us, and it began with predestination – it is a total work – the love of God shapes us and changes us – it is far more than unconditional; it is effective to make us into what He wants us to be
The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled, and pardoned from his sin
Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky
O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song
-how can this be? Because of Christ.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
George Whitefield's Prayer
Not too much to say after this quote by George Whitefield.
Lord, I want to be such a man. Please let this kind of godly manhood permeate my heart and life as husband, father and pastor.
“Oh that we shall see the great Head of the Church once more raise up unto Himself certain young men whom He may use in this glorious employ. And what manner of men will they be? Men mighty in the Scriptures, their lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty and holiness of God, and their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace. They will be men who have learned what it is to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions; men who are willing to be ‘fools for Christ’s sake’, who will bear reproach and falsehood, who will labor and suffer, and whose supreme desire will be, not to gain earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat. They will be men who will preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes, and upon whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, and who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives.”
Lord, I want to be such a man. Please let this kind of godly manhood permeate my heart and life as husband, father and pastor.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Every Nation Sing on iTunes
So, the CD I recorded a 18 months ago, Every Nation Sing, is finally available on iTunes. I'd love for you to take a listen and show a little love.
For those who are interested, I'm starting to record again. Going to try a hymns project that I will be recording independently. I'll try to keep you updated on the progress. If you don't hear anything it either means it's going badly or going so well I don't have time to comment. Let's hope for the latter.
Thanks for checking in and hopefully checking out the iTunes link. Feel free to spread the word.
For those who are interested, I'm starting to record again. Going to try a hymns project that I will be recording independently. I'll try to keep you updated on the progress. If you don't hear anything it either means it's going badly or going so well I don't have time to comment. Let's hope for the latter.
Thanks for checking in and hopefully checking out the iTunes link. Feel free to spread the word.
Monday, July 26, 2010
What Will Be Heaven?
I remember the first time I read "God is the Gospel" by John Piper. In the introduction he asks this "critical question"
What will be heaven for me?
This question became more real a week ago. My son who is 6 became sick. He was complaining of bad headaches and had a high fever for several days. He said that his joints were hurting and he definitely was not himself. Things became most concerning on Saturday when he began to cry and hold his chest over his heart. "My chest hurts daddy." At that moment, mine did too. I began to worry. I prayed and truly wondered if the Lord was taking my son. Was I going to join the ranks of so many parents who have hurt as they watched a child die?
For those who might be reading this and getting angry that I haven't taken my obviously sick son to the doctor, I did. We had a family friend (Dr) look at a bite area on his hip. Let me mention that our son reacts badly to bites. Mosquito bites become baseball-size lumps. This bite, similarly, was big and ugly. So we didn't know if we should be worried about it. Eventually it was 8 inches in diameter. When our friend saw the bite, she recommended that we take him to Children's Hospital Urgent Care. After arriving, they examined the area, took a blood test, and prescribed antibiotics. What we found out was that while I had been speaking in PA the 2 weeks prior, our son had been bitten by a deer tick and been infected with Lyme's Disease. Thankfully, we caught it early enough that the antibiotics have been effective and hopefully, he will be Lyme's free in a few weeks or months. But back to that Saturday...
As I thought and prayed, I wondered, "If this son of mine dies, will it make me want to go to heaven more than I do now?" For some that may be an easy question. "Of course! He's your son!" But for me it wasn't. I want to treasure Jesus more than anything in the world. More than anything. More than stuff and more than any of my sons. More than all of my sons. I want my desire for heaven to be a desire for Jesus; not gold streets, or loved ones, or sinlessness, or anything but Jesus. Don't get me wrong, I think those things will be wonderful. Wonderful! And I do look forward to them. But I want my desire for heaven, for Jesus, to be so great that it cannot be increased by any other thing that is there. Those things will be great, but they will not compare to Jesus.
Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Christ is my life, Christ is my death. And so, for me, what will be heaven?
My desire is that I might be able to answer John Piper's question above with a resounding and sincere, "No! I must have Christ for it to be heaven." And with Christ, it will be heaven, no matter who or what else is there.
I thank God that my son is doing better. I cannot imagine the hurt that losing him would have brought. And I thank God for the journey that caused me to evaluate my love for Jesus, again.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there? (page 15)Still, when I read that today, I am struck to my heart. How do I truly answer this question? I know what I'm supposed to say. After all, I'm a pastor. Christ is All! I can even tell you where to find that verse.
What will be heaven for me?
This question became more real a week ago. My son who is 6 became sick. He was complaining of bad headaches and had a high fever for several days. He said that his joints were hurting and he definitely was not himself. Things became most concerning on Saturday when he began to cry and hold his chest over his heart. "My chest hurts daddy." At that moment, mine did too. I began to worry. I prayed and truly wondered if the Lord was taking my son. Was I going to join the ranks of so many parents who have hurt as they watched a child die?
For those who might be reading this and getting angry that I haven't taken my obviously sick son to the doctor, I did. We had a family friend (Dr) look at a bite area on his hip. Let me mention that our son reacts badly to bites. Mosquito bites become baseball-size lumps. This bite, similarly, was big and ugly. So we didn't know if we should be worried about it. Eventually it was 8 inches in diameter. When our friend saw the bite, she recommended that we take him to Children's Hospital Urgent Care. After arriving, they examined the area, took a blood test, and prescribed antibiotics. What we found out was that while I had been speaking in PA the 2 weeks prior, our son had been bitten by a deer tick and been infected with Lyme's Disease. Thankfully, we caught it early enough that the antibiotics have been effective and hopefully, he will be Lyme's free in a few weeks or months. But back to that Saturday...
As I thought and prayed, I wondered, "If this son of mine dies, will it make me want to go to heaven more than I do now?" For some that may be an easy question. "Of course! He's your son!" But for me it wasn't. I want to treasure Jesus more than anything in the world. More than anything. More than stuff and more than any of my sons. More than all of my sons. I want my desire for heaven to be a desire for Jesus; not gold streets, or loved ones, or sinlessness, or anything but Jesus. Don't get me wrong, I think those things will be wonderful. Wonderful! And I do look forward to them. But I want my desire for heaven, for Jesus, to be so great that it cannot be increased by any other thing that is there. Those things will be great, but they will not compare to Jesus.
Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) Christ is my life, Christ is my death. And so, for me, what will be heaven?
My desire is that I might be able to answer John Piper's question above with a resounding and sincere, "No! I must have Christ for it to be heaven." And with Christ, it will be heaven, no matter who or what else is there.
I thank God that my son is doing better. I cannot imagine the hurt that losing him would have brought. And I thank God for the journey that caused me to evaluate my love for Jesus, again.
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Clover
I wanted to take a few minutes and post a "thank you" to our friends at Clover. We've used Clover for the past two years for our web design and hosting needs. We have not been disappointed.
If you are a church planter, pastor, member, attender, lover, etc., I highly recommend checking them out. The site is so easy to manage and it would take a lot of intentional effort to make it look bad. The team at Clover has gone out of their way, it seems, to make things as easy as possible for me. When we signed up with Clover, I never expected it to be as wonderful as it has been. And with the release of Greenhouse 2.0 (greenhouse is Clovers backend editor... i.e. how you edit your site) it just gets better and better.
So, here are my 5 favorite things about Clover. They are in no particular order, as I couldn't decide what I love most. Maybe I'll add a few more things in the future.
1. Cost
Having researched sites before, I am so impressed (and thankful) that Clover is offering what I have found to be the best product for churches of any size at an affordable price.
2. The Media Player
We post our sermons online and this has been a seamless and easy process with the Clover media player. Type in the name and whatever info you want shown about the sermon and then upload the sermon into the player... a click of the button. Also, check a box and, if you have an account set up to podcast through iTunes, it will update that as well. Beautiful.
3. Pictures
I love how easy it is to insert pictures into the site. First each site gives you different page layout options. Then I can just drag my picture into the designated pic area and enlarge it, shrink it, turn it click a button and it looks great. Really great. Also there is an option to have multiple pictures transitioning on each page. And I can do all of it myself.
4. WYSIWYG
What you see is what you get! I so love this. As I'm typing info into my site, I'm seeing exactly what everyone will see when I'm done. So there's no need to go back and forth from site to editor until you get the desired look. This saves so much time. I'm thankful for that.
5. Customer Service
This has been amazing. Clover is so easy to use that I sincerely have not needed to call but a few times. Those times were questions about setting up podcasting through iTunes or things like that. The staff at Clover has been amazing. I have never waited for an answer. I've always received a very kind and helpful response. I love that. It bothers me when I feel like I'm bothering people. And I never feel like that with Clover.
So to Clover... Thank you. You have blessed many churches and ministries with a great tool to reach people for the glory of God.
To you, the reader, you should check them out. You can "test drive" everything and see for yourself. Just click one of the links in this post and it will take you there. (Like THIS link)
If you are a church planter, pastor, member, attender, lover, etc., I highly recommend checking them out. The site is so easy to manage and it would take a lot of intentional effort to make it look bad. The team at Clover has gone out of their way, it seems, to make things as easy as possible for me. When we signed up with Clover, I never expected it to be as wonderful as it has been. And with the release of Greenhouse 2.0 (greenhouse is Clovers backend editor... i.e. how you edit your site) it just gets better and better.
So, here are my 5 favorite things about Clover. They are in no particular order, as I couldn't decide what I love most. Maybe I'll add a few more things in the future.
1. Cost
Having researched sites before, I am so impressed (and thankful) that Clover is offering what I have found to be the best product for churches of any size at an affordable price.
2. The Media Player
We post our sermons online and this has been a seamless and easy process with the Clover media player. Type in the name and whatever info you want shown about the sermon and then upload the sermon into the player... a click of the button. Also, check a box and, if you have an account set up to podcast through iTunes, it will update that as well. Beautiful.
3. Pictures
I love how easy it is to insert pictures into the site. First each site gives you different page layout options. Then I can just drag my picture into the designated pic area and enlarge it, shrink it, turn it click a button and it looks great. Really great. Also there is an option to have multiple pictures transitioning on each page. And I can do all of it myself.
4. WYSIWYG
What you see is what you get! I so love this. As I'm typing info into my site, I'm seeing exactly what everyone will see when I'm done. So there's no need to go back and forth from site to editor until you get the desired look. This saves so much time. I'm thankful for that.
5. Customer Service
This has been amazing. Clover is so easy to use that I sincerely have not needed to call but a few times. Those times were questions about setting up podcasting through iTunes or things like that. The staff at Clover has been amazing. I have never waited for an answer. I've always received a very kind and helpful response. I love that. It bothers me when I feel like I'm bothering people. And I never feel like that with Clover.
So to Clover... Thank you. You have blessed many churches and ministries with a great tool to reach people for the glory of God.
To you, the reader, you should check them out. You can "test drive" everything and see for yourself. Just click one of the links in this post and it will take you there. (Like THIS link)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tears of the Saints
Came across this video again today and thought I would post it. Praying the Holy Spirit will be poured out on His people in such a way that we cannot sit idly and watch. Holy Spirit, fill us! Give us the courage, the boldness, the power that you alone can give. Make us fruitful. For the glory of Your Name!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Why You Should Be at the Adoption Class
There are several things that excite me about Cornerstone right now. I won't get into all of them in this post, but will mention one. There will be a class on adoption on June 5 at the church. Some couples from Cornerstone who have adopted will be sharing as well as an adoption social worker. There will be opportunity to ask questions during the time too.
Here is a reason why I think that most people who attend Cornerstone should be at the class. It is from the Desiring God website and is by Jason Kovacs. Jason Kovacs is the Director of Ministry Development for The ABBA Fund. He blogs about orphan care and adoption and is on the steering committee for the Together for Adoption Conference.
________________________________________________
Glorifying the Father of the Fatherless
July 23, 2008 | By: Jason Kovacs
* * *
Like every other dad, the day I became a father for the first time was unforgettable. My wife and I were a happy young couple waiting to adopt our first child. Visions of a beautiful baby filled our minds.
We weren’t sure if we would be matched with a birthmother a few months prior to the due-date or if we would get a phone call that a baby had been born and the brave young mother was ready to immediately place her child for adoption.
Months went by and we finally got a phone call, but it wasn’t for a baby.
God had a two-year old boy and an eight-month old girl for us. The social worker asked if we were interested and we said “Yes!” and drove down to Florida to meet our children.
At the adoption agency, the first person I met was my son toddling around the corner. He walked up to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. He wanted out of that place!
What I believe he wanted even more than that was a daddy.
That is the case today with millions of children around the world. UNICEF estimates that there are over 132 million orphans in the world today living without a permanent family. In the United States alone, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says, there are over 129,000 children waiting for a daddy and mommy. There are also many mothers with unexpected pregnancies who want to choose adoption instead of abortion.
Many of the children overseas must fight all by themselves for their very lives. Others are cared for in orphanages. The orphaned children in America will fight for their futures as well: roughly 2% will receive a university degree and 84% will have their own children within a few years of aging out of the foster-care system.
With all these parentless children, it is no side note that God is a “Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). He has made adoption the apex of the Gospel. His spiritual enemies are now his very sons and daughters through the Cross.
And God calls us, his adopted family, to be a part of his care for the fatherless. At the core of God’s nature is a Father’s heart that we are to reflect. Scripture is clear that practical care for orphans is fundamental to the mission of the church.
In Psalm 10:18 we are commanded to “do justice to the fatherless.” And Isaiah tells us to “Defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17). James writes, “religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans…in their affliction” (1:27).
Surely this means not only caring temporarily for the needs of orphans, but also permanently caring for them through adoption.
We have an incredible opportunity in adoption to live out God’s compassion and so eternally change the life of a child.
A year after we adopted, my wife gave birth to our third child, a beautiful baby girl. The wonder and beauty of becoming a parent through birth and adoption are incomparable and yet each is just as sweet and amazing and wonderful.
I encourage any of you who are praying about growing your family to consider adoption as a way of magnifying the “Father of the fatherless.”
And for those of you who aren’t called to adopt there many other ways to care for orphans such as foster-care, financially supporting those who are adopting, visiting orphanages, sponsoring a child, and praying.
The question will never be whether you should care for orphans. The question is how you will care for them and in doing so reflect the compassion of God for the least of these.
Here is a reason why I think that most people who attend Cornerstone should be at the class. It is from the Desiring God website and is by Jason Kovacs. Jason Kovacs is the Director of Ministry Development for The ABBA Fund. He blogs about orphan care and adoption and is on the steering committee for the Together for Adoption Conference.
________________________________________________
Glorifying the Father of the Fatherless
July 23, 2008 | By: Jason Kovacs
* * *
Like every other dad, the day I became a father for the first time was unforgettable. My wife and I were a happy young couple waiting to adopt our first child. Visions of a beautiful baby filled our minds.
We weren’t sure if we would be matched with a birthmother a few months prior to the due-date or if we would get a phone call that a baby had been born and the brave young mother was ready to immediately place her child for adoption.
Months went by and we finally got a phone call, but it wasn’t for a baby.
God had a two-year old boy and an eight-month old girl for us. The social worker asked if we were interested and we said “Yes!” and drove down to Florida to meet our children.
At the adoption agency, the first person I met was my son toddling around the corner. He walked up to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. He wanted out of that place!
What I believe he wanted even more than that was a daddy.
That is the case today with millions of children around the world. UNICEF estimates that there are over 132 million orphans in the world today living without a permanent family. In the United States alone, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says, there are over 129,000 children waiting for a daddy and mommy. There are also many mothers with unexpected pregnancies who want to choose adoption instead of abortion.
Many of the children overseas must fight all by themselves for their very lives. Others are cared for in orphanages. The orphaned children in America will fight for their futures as well: roughly 2% will receive a university degree and 84% will have their own children within a few years of aging out of the foster-care system.
With all these parentless children, it is no side note that God is a “Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). He has made adoption the apex of the Gospel. His spiritual enemies are now his very sons and daughters through the Cross.
And God calls us, his adopted family, to be a part of his care for the fatherless. At the core of God’s nature is a Father’s heart that we are to reflect. Scripture is clear that practical care for orphans is fundamental to the mission of the church.
In Psalm 10:18 we are commanded to “do justice to the fatherless.” And Isaiah tells us to “Defend the cause of the fatherless” (1:17). James writes, “religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans…in their affliction” (1:27).
Surely this means not only caring temporarily for the needs of orphans, but also permanently caring for them through adoption.
We have an incredible opportunity in adoption to live out God’s compassion and so eternally change the life of a child.
A year after we adopted, my wife gave birth to our third child, a beautiful baby girl. The wonder and beauty of becoming a parent through birth and adoption are incomparable and yet each is just as sweet and amazing and wonderful.
I encourage any of you who are praying about growing your family to consider adoption as a way of magnifying the “Father of the fatherless.”
And for those of you who aren’t called to adopt there many other ways to care for orphans such as foster-care, financially supporting those who are adopting, visiting orphanages, sponsoring a child, and praying.
The question will never be whether you should care for orphans. The question is how you will care for them and in doing so reflect the compassion of God for the least of these.
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Middle Road?
I just came across this video from my friend, Francis Chan. I hope you will watch, listen and grow in grace.
I want to follow Jesus. I want to walk the narrow road. I want to delight in Him forever.
I want to follow Jesus. I want to walk the narrow road. I want to delight in Him forever.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Good Friday
We will again be having Good Friday services in different communities this year. Although the service can be used for your family, we encourage you to invite one or more families from Cornerstone as well as from your community.
To host a service, follow the service plan below. If you would like a CD of the songs to help in the service, please contact the church office to pick one up.
It is a good idea to distribute the passages to different people to read.
For a downloadable service plan as well as lyrics and chords for the songs, go the the Cornerstone Website, then click 'About' and 'Good Friday.'
Good Friday Service Structure
Sing: Amazing Grace
SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 26:36-46
Luke 22:47-53
Sing: Here I Am to Worship
SCRIPTURE READING:
Mark 14:53-65
Matthew 26:69-75
Sing: You Are My King
SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 27:1-2; 11-23
John 19:1-16
Sing: Jesus Paid it All
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 23:26-53
Sing: Unashamed
*Pray with family and friends, thanking Jesus for his amazing sacrifice and the blood that He shed to cover your sins.
**You might also prepare to take communion together after singing Unashamed, and the sing Unexplainable Love or just close in prayer.
To host a service, follow the service plan below. If you would like a CD of the songs to help in the service, please contact the church office to pick one up.
It is a good idea to distribute the passages to different people to read.
For a downloadable service plan as well as lyrics and chords for the songs, go the the Cornerstone Website, then click 'About' and 'Good Friday.'
Good Friday Service Structure
Sing: Amazing Grace
SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 26:36-46
Luke 22:47-53
Sing: Here I Am to Worship
SCRIPTURE READING:
Mark 14:53-65
Matthew 26:69-75
Sing: You Are My King
SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 27:1-2; 11-23
John 19:1-16
Sing: Jesus Paid it All
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 23:26-53
Sing: Unashamed
*Pray with family and friends, thanking Jesus for his amazing sacrifice and the blood that He shed to cover your sins.
**You might also prepare to take communion together after singing Unashamed, and the sing Unexplainable Love or just close in prayer.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friendly reminders
To my Cornerstone family:
Don't forget to change your clocks tonight. We lose an hour, so if you forget, you'll show up for church an hour late. I cannot speak for everyone, but I would miss you.
Also, remember that we are having baptisms at 1:00pm tomorrow afternoon. Please plan on coming and celebrating as people obey the Lord through baptism.
Have a great (short) night!
I love you.
Tony
Don't forget to change your clocks tonight. We lose an hour, so if you forget, you'll show up for church an hour late. I cannot speak for everyone, but I would miss you.
Also, remember that we are having baptisms at 1:00pm tomorrow afternoon. Please plan on coming and celebrating as people obey the Lord through baptism.
Have a great (short) night!
I love you.
Tony
Monday, March 8, 2010
Guilt and Sinfulness
I read this article today and wanted to pass it along to those of you who check my blog. I think it's a good read for all of us. Hope that God uses it in you.
Click Here
Click Here
Monday, February 22, 2010
Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
I just watched this video from Francis Chan a few minutes ago and am still shaken. It has pierced me to think of how shallow my faith is. Jesus said in Matthew 10:21-22, "Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
Who hates me? I watched this video and saw godly men who love Jesus. They are hated for it. They are beaten for it. I watched from my comfortable chair in my furnished office at my un-persecuted church.
Pray with me for the church in Orissa. Watch and beg God to strengthen them. And let us beg Him for faith like theirs. For they will indeed be saved. Theirs, Jesus says, is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:10).
Who hates me? I watched this video and saw godly men who love Jesus. They are hated for it. They are beaten for it. I watched from my comfortable chair in my furnished office at my un-persecuted church.
Pray with me for the church in Orissa. Watch and beg God to strengthen them. And let us beg Him for faith like theirs. For they will indeed be saved. Theirs, Jesus says, is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:10).
Persecution in India: Francis' Response from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Gospel According to Ruth
This Sunday we are starting a new series at Cornerstone. We are beginning a series through the book of Ruth. The series is titled, "The Gospel According to Ruth." This is the first Old Testament book I've preached through. I'm quite excited about it. So many things addressed in this little book; race, sexuality, sovereignty, suffering, and most beautifully, redemption.
I'm excited to head towards Easter with the beautiful message of redemption illuminating our path. I hope that you will join us!
Series starts tomorrow, February 21 at 10:00am. Get info about Cornerstone and directions 'here'.
By His grace,
Tony
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Relief for Haiti
On January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti with an epicenter about 10 miles Southwest of Port-au-Prince. The capital city has been largely destroyed.
Please join us as we pray for the people of Haiti. Also, join us in providing relief for the many who have lost homes and even family. Here are a few links to ministries we have found helpful and trustworthy in relief situations.
Children's Hunger Fund
Compassion International
Food for the Hungry
Food for the Poor
Read More
"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" 1 John 3:17
Thursday, January 7, 2010
5 Years of Cornerstone
This Sunday was the 5 year anniversary of Cornerstone. It's really hard to believe. 5+ years ago 13 people moved from Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA to see what God would do through a church plant in Columbus, OH.
So I thought that along with showing a couple pics from the 5 years, I'd write some thoughts about why I'm so grateful as I look back (and I am!), and what I am looking forward to as I look ahead.
5 Things I'm Grateful for as I Look Back
1. God Called
I was happy and extremely comfortable as the worship pastor in Simi Valley. I loved my job. I loved the people I served with. I loved what God was doing in the church. I loved being used by him to bring glory to him through the singing of his people. But he graciously saw fit to call me away from that. He knew that it would be much more difficult at times, but he graciously called. I am so thankful that he asked. And I am grateful that he gave me the faith to say, "yes!"
2. God Sustained
Many church plants do not survive. I knew that coming here. It is not because the pastors are not as good as me (you have no idea). I am lacking in so many areas. I pray for and strive to grow still. And when I came, even though I thought otherwise, I had no idea what I was doing. No, Cornerstone still being here is only because God has sustained us. It has nothing to do with me. In fact, it is in spite of me that we are still here. There were several times through the first four years where I either called or sat down with my pastor and friend from Cornerstone in Simi Valley and said, "I'm done. I think I want to come back. I can't do this any more." But God, being rich in mercy, dusted me off and as a loving dad always does, embraced me and said, "Get back on the bike, son."
3. God Refined
As I mentioned, Cornerstone still being alive and well is not because of me, but in spite of me. I am a prideful person. But thankfully God has used this church plant to chip away at that pride. To show me that I'm really not that great. I am grateful for that. Prideful people don't think they're prideful. I didn't. I had all the right answers... humble answers... when I came to Ohio. But there was a cancer in me. It would grow until God put his finger on it and began to reveal it more and more. Painfully, I might add. It has been a difficult process and one that I am sure is not completed. But I am thankful for what he has done. Even when it hurt and brought tears and frustration and anger. It all brought me to the point of seeing that I think too much of me and too little of Jesus and others.
4. God Gave
For 5 years we have never had a year where God did not give us more than we needed. Through this, we have been blessed to give much away and to meet the needs of the ministry here. This has been a wonderful point of worship for me. Seeing God provide over and over again has been humbling and exciting.
5. God Built
I am so grateful for what God has built. If you are reading this and attend Cornerstone, you know what I mean. I love the people here. It amazes me how they love Jesus and respond to his word. We are not done. We have not arrived. But this is my favorite church ever.
He has also allowed us to see missionaries come from our body. Erica Snyder is currently in Mozambique; the Kirkwoods are leaving in just over a month for full-time missions; and the Ronyaks are raising support to go to Papua New Guinea. Amazing and wonderful!
____________________________________________________________
There is much more I could write about the past. But I will continue in my next post by looking ahead. Let me end this post by quoting Paul:
So I thought that along with showing a couple pics from the 5 years, I'd write some thoughts about why I'm so grateful as I look back (and I am!), and what I am looking forward to as I look ahead.
5 Things I'm Grateful for as I Look Back1. God Called
I was happy and extremely comfortable as the worship pastor in Simi Valley. I loved my job. I loved the people I served with. I loved what God was doing in the church. I loved being used by him to bring glory to him through the singing of his people. But he graciously saw fit to call me away from that. He knew that it would be much more difficult at times, but he graciously called. I am so thankful that he asked. And I am grateful that he gave me the faith to say, "yes!"
2. God Sustained
Many church plants do not survive. I knew that coming here. It is not because the pastors are not as good as me (you have no idea). I am lacking in so many areas. I pray for and strive to grow still. And when I came, even though I thought otherwise, I had no idea what I was doing. No, Cornerstone still being here is only because God has sustained us. It has nothing to do with me. In fact, it is in spite of me that we are still here. There were several times through the first four years where I either called or sat down with my pastor and friend from Cornerstone in Simi Valley and said, "I'm done. I think I want to come back. I can't do this any more." But God, being rich in mercy, dusted me off and as a loving dad always does, embraced me and said, "Get back on the bike, son."
3. God Refined
As I mentioned, Cornerstone still being alive and well is not because of me, but in spite of me. I am a prideful person. But thankfully God has used this church plant to chip away at that pride. To show me that I'm really not that great. I am grateful for that. Prideful people don't think they're prideful. I didn't. I had all the right answers... humble answers... when I came to Ohio. But there was a cancer in me. It would grow until God put his finger on it and began to reveal it more and more. Painfully, I might add. It has been a difficult process and one that I am sure is not completed. But I am thankful for what he has done. Even when it hurt and brought tears and frustration and anger. It all brought me to the point of seeing that I think too much of me and too little of Jesus and others.
4. God Gave
For 5 years we have never had a year where God did not give us more than we needed. Through this, we have been blessed to give much away and to meet the needs of the ministry here. This has been a wonderful point of worship for me. Seeing God provide over and over again has been humbling and exciting.
5. God Built
I am so grateful for what God has built. If you are reading this and attend Cornerstone, you know what I mean. I love the people here. It amazes me how they love Jesus and respond to his word. We are not done. We have not arrived. But this is my favorite church ever.
He has also allowed us to see missionaries come from our body. Erica Snyder is currently in Mozambique; the Kirkwoods are leaving in just over a month for full-time missions; and the Ronyaks are raising support to go to Papua New Guinea. Amazing and wonderful!
____________________________________________________________
There is much more I could write about the past. But I will continue in my next post by looking ahead. Let me end this post by quoting Paul:
1 Timothy 1:12-17 - "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
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