Family Worship

February 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment

We’ve been discussing family worship during some of our Wednesday evening G.I.F.T. classes.  This Sunday I’ll be preaching on family worship.  Few things are more important for us to consider as a church, and practice as families, than family worship.

Rick Phillips recently reminded readers of the reformation21 blog of the importance of family worship.  Read his words here.

Posted by Aaron Garber | Filed Under Uncategorized 

Praying for the Church

February 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment

In preparing a sermon on “prayer” a couple of weeks ago, I came across some comments by James Boice in regards to Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer in John 17. His comments are a welcome and timely reminder of what the church is, and is not to be.

What did [Christ] pray for?

It is significant to notice what he did not pray for. He did not pray that his disciples would become so numerous that they would dominate and then transform the world and its culture, though he recognizes that they are to be a missionary church. In fact, Jesus makes a distinction between his own and the world, declaring emphatically that his prayer is not for the world at all: “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me” (v. 9). He did not pray for the conversion of the Roman emperor or, failing that conquest, that a different, Christian emperor might be brought to the pinnacle of world power. Earlier he had rejected the temptation to worldly power himself (Mt 4:8-10). He did not pray that there might be Christian laws or that the theocratic political system of the Old Testament might be extended worldwide.

Jesus was not thinking of numbers, political structures or laws at all instead he was thinking of two things: the glorification of God, the character and conduct of those by whom God would be glorified. It was a way of acknowledging that the city of man will always be man’s city, hostile to God and thus filled with every vice wickedness, but that the people of God are to glorify God as a people apart, God’s new society, whether or not they are “successful” in terms of numerical growth or influence. They are to glorify God by being God’s people.

From: James Montgomery Boice, Two Cities, Two Loves: Christian Responsibility in a Crumbling Culture (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1996) pp. 243-344.

Posted by Aaron Garber | Filed Under Uncategorized 

Missions at Calvin

February 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment

In 1998 our mission committee established a mission statement for their work. It reads:

It is the goal of Calvin Presbyterian Church to support and promote Christ’s Great Commission through evangelism and church planting, as well as short-term missions. These are to be Biblical, Reformed and Presbyterian beyond our community both in North American and around the world. It is our desire to promote personal involvement of the congregation with the mission efforts of the church, to inspire zeal for mission work, to promote hospitality to visiting missionaries, to promote communication with our missionaries on the field, and acquire an appreciation for their sacrifices.

Last night our mission committee voted to pursue a “partner” relationship with the MTW Thailand church planting team. This partnership will allow us to make significant steps towards fulfilling the missions vision of our mission committee and church. For us, this partnership will mean a number of things as it is developed over the next several years.

1) A commitment to support the team through prayer.

2) A commitment to support the team through sending laborers from within our church.

3) A commitment to support missionaries desiring to labor in Thailand.

4) A commitment to support the MTW Thailand team financially.

5) A commitment to sharpen the MTW Thailand team through counsel.

6) A commitment to the core values of the MTW Thailand team.

7) A commitment to learn with the Thailand team.

This partnership is an exciting step for us, and we are thankful for the clear vision of the MTW Thailand missionaries. As our partnership with the Thailand team grows, we hope to see our commitment to church-planting in unreached areas grow as well - and ultimately we hope to see Christ’s name praised where he is not now known.

MTW Thailand website

Paul and Crystal Henry Blog (MTW missionaries in Bangkok)

Posted by Aaron Garber | Filed Under Uncategorized