News from Session

March 25, 2010

Brothers and Sisters,

Session has been discussing for some time now how best to provide the Lord’s Supper for our congregation. We have had a subcommittee that has been looking in to questions regarding scheduling the Lord’s Supper and also how to encourage the most people to participate in this means of grace. We want to make the means of grace (the Word, prayer, the sacraments, and fellowship)as available as we can to all the people who call CPC their church home.

As a result of this desire we have looked at when we can celebrate communion. After much discussion and deliberation Session approved the subcommittee’s recommendation that we celebrate communion in the morning service four times a year, and at a monthly evening service the other eight months of the year. We considered the pros and cons for the various time slots we have for celebrating the Lord’s Supper , and we concluded that the best decision overall is to have the communion service in the mornings when we do not have Middle Hour classes and Sunday School and keeping the service in the evening on those months when we do have classes between the services.

That means that we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the morning services on the first Sundays in January, July, August, and September. We will hold evening services February, March, April, May, June, October, November, and December.

One other thing to note is that this schedule is what we have planned for while we are in our own facility. We are aware that there are restrictions on food in the school buildings. That means we will have to be flexible with our scheduling the Lord’s Supper while we are off site and renting space for worship. We know you will be adaptable to the circumstances in which we find ourselves as we move off site.

Steve, on behalf of the elders

God's sovereignty - man's responsibility

How can it be possible that God is absolutely sovereign over the affairs of all of His creation and also that we are completely responsible for our every action? Puzzling? Yes. Confusing? Sometimes, sure. Contradiction (and therefore not true)? Not at all.
This past Sunday, Allen laid out the case for both these truths from Scripture. The betrayal of Jesus Christ by one of his twelve disciples, Judas, is one of those historical events that causes us to pause and contemplate God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Matthew records Jesus' sobering words highlighting these two truths: "The Son of Man goes as it is written of him , but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed ! It would be better for that man if he had not been born." Here we clearly see the death of Christ as predetermined by a sovereign God and also the sobering reality that Judas, the betrayer, is held responsible for his actions leading to Christ's death. Several other passages point this out as well (see Luke 22:22;Acts 2:22-24, 4:27-28).
Maybe you are like several in our fellowship grappling with these doctrines. At the end of both services, I recommended a little booklet written by John Piper entitled History's Most Spectacular Sin . We ran out of the booklets (a good thing, right? except if you wanted one!) on Sunday. By clicking on the booklet title in the above sentence (if I have done the link correctly) you should be re-directed to the Desiring God Ministries website where the .pdf of the booklet is available for you to read in its entirety.
I wanted to get this information to you before Sunday, because Allen is preaching from Matthew 27 a sermon entitled, Judas: II - The Downfall of Judas Iscariot. So the topic is still before us!
As the Lord deepens our understanding of His absolute sovereignty and our responsibility, may the conviction of our sin lead us to find comfort in the completed work of His Son on our behalf.
The discovery of these wonderful truths is best accomplished in fellowship.
Looking forward to our fellowship together in His presence.
Pastor Tim

American Idol - Where the Self-Esteem Movement Meets Simon Cowell | CCEF

American Idol - Where the Self-Esteem Movement Meets Simon Cowell | CCEF

Posted using ShareThis

Knowing Jesus is Communal

Knowing Jesus is Communal

The following concept is original to and is largely from Tim Keller’s book The Prodigal God. I hope you will find these ideas on community stimulating and inspiring. Enjoy.


We live in a culture in which the interests and desires of the individual take precedence over those of the family, group, or community. As a result, a high percentage of people want to achieve spiritual growth without losing their independence to a church or to any organized institution. This is often the meaning behind many of those who say “I am spiritual, but not religious” and “I like Jesus, but not Christianity.” Many people who are spiritually searching have had bad experiences with churches and because of that they often do not want anything more to do with the church. Sadly, this interest is God stops at the thought level and is not put into actions because of the disinterest in having to be a part of an organization. Churches can be very unpleasant because they are filled with Pharisees and other unpleasant sinners. Yet staying away from churches just because they have self-righteous people in them is just another form of self-righteousness.
You cannot live the Christian life without a group of Christian friends, without a family of believer in which you find a place. C.S. Lewis was part of a well known circle of friends called the Inkings, which included J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the The Lord of the Rings, and also the author Charles Williams, who died unexpectedly after World War II. In his book The Four Loves, Lewis wrote a meditation on his death in an essay entitled “Friendship” found in his book The Four Loves.
Lewis wrote, “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets. Now that Charles [Williams] is dead, I shall never again see Ronald’s [Tolkien’s] reaction to a specifically Charles joke. Far from having more of Ronald, having him “to myself” now that Charles is away, I have less of Ronald…In this, Friendship, exhibits a glorious “nearness by resemblance” to heaven itself where they very multitude of the blessed (which no man can number) increases the fruition which each of us has of God. For every soul, seeing Him in her own way, doubtless communicates that unique vision to all the rest. That, says an old author, in why the Seraphim in Isaiah’s vision are crying “Holy, Holy, Holy” to one another (Isaiah 6:3). The more we thus share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall have”
Lewis is saying that it took a community to know an individual. How much more would this be true of Jesus Christ? Christians commonly say they want a relationship with Jesus and they want to “get to know Jesus better.” As Lewis writes, you will never be able to do that by yourself. You must deeply and genuinely involved in the church, in Christian community, with strong relationships of love and accountability. Only if you are part of a community of believers seeking to resemble, serve, and love Jesus will you ever get to know Him and grow in His likeness (Keller 124-127).



Lewis, C.S. The Four Loves. Ireland: Harvest Books Press, 1960.
Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal God. New York, New York: Dutton, 2008.

Sunday's Sermon

Just two clarifications:

1. In case you lost the forest for all the trees, if you boil it all down, Matt 24 is saying: Jesus gave a very detailed prophecy of an extremely unlikely event 40 years in the future (like me forecasting the destruction of Washington D.C. in the lifetime of many here, and saying that not one stone of the capitol building will be left on another, and it happens in 2050), and that event was the judgment of Israel for rejecting their Messiah. Then He says His Return will be some unknown time after that, but be ready, alert and hopeful, because just as surely as Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD, so He WILL COME AGAIN! If you still are putting Jesus off, that is a warning; if you love Him, that is a promise.

So we DID have the lasanga Sunday evening. He did not come at 2pm. But He WILL come, and it could be any time. So cast aside your small ambitions that are tied to this world, and live for eternity. Live so that at His coming you have no regrets (well at least not major ones!).

2. Concenring the illustration from the movie, "Under Seige". It was brought to my attention after Sunday that there is a sleazy scene in that movie, which I either did not see, or totally forgot. In any case, while the scene I reported makes a vivid point, I cannot recommend the movie for viewing.

SO live this week in the light of His Coming.
Allen

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A: That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death -- to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

-If you grasped these things wth your whole heart, how would it affect the way you handle suffering?

Worship Wise (Whys) - Music Resources at CPC

"I loved that new song today. Where did you first hear it?"

I have heard that comment several times over the years as a part of my responsibility as Worship and Families Pastor at CPC (I have heard other comments too, but I will have to write about those later!).

I want to take the opportunity to introduce several resources to you and invite you to introduce your favorite worship resources to me too!

Over the next couple of weeks, I want to:

1. Highlight new music
2. Describe some of the why behind songs we employ at CPC.
3. Point you to the place on the internet where you can hear samples and even purchase some of the music if you desire. (clicking on the links below should direct you to the particular album)

One of my favorite music resources is Sovereign Grace Music.

Their home page reads: 'Sound + Doctrine: 20 years of providing songs for the local church'. Over the years CPC worship leaders have discovered and presented songs like I Stand in Awe, How Great is Your Love (you might call it 'How High and How Wide' in your house), How Deep the Father's Love for Us and Before the Throne of God Above.

In recent years, we have introduced a host of new songs from the creative artists at Sovereign Grace.

In 2003, they released an album of updated hymns - Upward: the Bob Kauflin Hymns Project. I enjoy singing and playing Come Now Almighty King (the instrumentation reminds me of the computer game, The Hobbit) and the beautiful rendention of Hallelujah, What a Savior. This album also contains a different (more mellow) version of the classic hymn, A Debtor to Mercy Alone.

Their 2004 album, The Cross-Centered Life was written to exalt with song in the finished work of Jesus on the cross for sinners like you and me. The lyrics give us opportunity to marvel together as a congregation at the gift of God's amazing grace. I love the simple way in which the substitutionary atonement of Christ is presented in The Gospel Song. Just about every one of the songs on this album are 'keepers'.

I would love to have more of their 2006 Christmas album, Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man in CPC's corporate repertoire, but Hope Has Come will have to suffice for now. I think Sleep Jesus Sleep has become one of my favorite Christmas tunes of recent years.

In 2008, SGM released Come Weary Saints and Psalms. When I am in need of a reminder of God's sovereign goodness (which is frequently), I pull out the guitar and worship Him with As Long as You Are Glorified and Bob Kauflin's reworking of Oh the Deep Deep Love. The Psalms set to music help my heart to connect to the One who knows my inner struggles. Out of the Depths, Blessed Is the One and The Lord Is cause my focus to be brought back to Him who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The latest release, Sons and Daughters emphasizes our adoption into the family of God and the inheritance we have in Christ. I have enjoyed hearing more and more of my CPC family rejoicing together singing The Father's Love and Completely Done in corporate worship.

I have been given the privilege to prepare the order of worship for our weekly gatherings. Please continue to pray for me as I seek to construct services that primarily present Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:1-3).

Pastor Tim

Time in Portland

I am a week away from another trip to Oregon. Our transition into the next phase of our ministry is becoming more and more real. This is bittersweet for me.

God has been very busy in our time here in Columbia. You are sending away a much better man that you received 21 years ago. God has done His work in me, and in my family, largely through your ministry to us over these years. Thank you for how He has used you in this. It is hard to leave those whom God has used.

Yet, we go to the ministry God is clearly calling us to undertake. We are excited about what He is already doing to lay the foundation for our next ministry. I am going to teach a seminar on Marriage next week in Eugene, Oregon, and a seminar on Relationships the following week in Vancouver, WA. Reports are that the seminars are going to be well attended and that folks are excited to come to hear how the gospel shapes our marriages and relationships. I enjoy helping folks see the gospel in the day to day reality of their lives!

Please pray for my family while I am away. They will be very busy, and if they miss me in their busy-ness it will likely be for what they are covering for me instead of my cheerful personality.
I am so grateful for their willingness to take up the slack.

Once again, if you would like to get more regular updates on our transition, send me an e-mail at Steve@ImpactBiblicalCounseling.com and I will gladly put you on the list for our updates!

gratefully,
Steve