Weekly Update 01/11/2022
Good afternoon,
I hope the two weeks we spent in Athens proved to aid your thinking concerning who God is (week 1) and how we might tell others about Him (week 2). If you missed Sunday's sermon on how Paul's evangelism might help to shape our own, you can watch/read that sermon here or, as always, on the South Woods app.
Speaking of evangelism, tomorrow night Pastor Phil will introduce Andy Johnson's book––Missions––to the men. As I said Sunday, when we gather, we do so to encourage one another as well as to sharpen one another to be more useful for the Lord's purposes in the world. The kids will also meet for Wisdom Wednesdays. I'm thankful for those who faithfully instruct our children on those Wednesdays. If you're able, make plans to join us tomorrow night at 6:30.
As nearly every other day at 3175, while we build sermons, others are on site building rooms, making space for making disciples. Making disciples is not close to tangential, but essential to our mission as God's people. And the Lord's given this body many faithful teachers of God's Word. So, we're making plans for the return of Sunday morning Bible Study Groups soon after the renovation is completed.
To connect with Sunday's sermon, those groups are also a way the church does evangelism, in particular with children. If you're interested, I wrote something about that recently here: https://www.9marks.org/article/fisherman-or-fishermen-considering-the-churchs-corporate-mission/
Pastor Phil heads out for sabbatical later this week. I included his note from last week below, in case you missed it. Let's be faithful to pray for him and Karen in the weeks ahead.
Praying that the Lord is helping you this week to treasure Him deeply as you meditate upon the gospel of Christ. And that as we treasure Him, He might also enable us to speak of Him to others.
Matt
(Pastor Phil's note)
Lord willing, I will be on sabbatical for about four weeks starting January 13th. We’re grateful for the elders granting this time and to the body for making it part of the way you serve and encourage your pastors. Most of the time will be spent editing a book that Rich Shadden and I have been working on, A Pastor’s First Ten Years. That’s the tentative title, anyway, that we’re working on. New Growth Press has given us a contract for publication and 9Marks Ministries will take the book on as one of their 9Marks Imprints. Please pray for us as we get this wrapped up and to the editors. I have two other projects (one an old project) that I hope to get some work on during sabbatical once the editing is completed. Pray for Karen and me as we’re away that we might use our time wisely.
I hope the two weeks we spent in Athens proved to aid your thinking concerning who God is (week 1) and how we might tell others about Him (week 2). If you missed Sunday's sermon on how Paul's evangelism might help to shape our own, you can watch/read that sermon here or, as always, on the South Woods app.
Speaking of evangelism, tomorrow night Pastor Phil will introduce Andy Johnson's book––Missions––to the men. As I said Sunday, when we gather, we do so to encourage one another as well as to sharpen one another to be more useful for the Lord's purposes in the world. The kids will also meet for Wisdom Wednesdays. I'm thankful for those who faithfully instruct our children on those Wednesdays. If you're able, make plans to join us tomorrow night at 6:30.
As nearly every other day at 3175, while we build sermons, others are on site building rooms, making space for making disciples. Making disciples is not close to tangential, but essential to our mission as God's people. And the Lord's given this body many faithful teachers of God's Word. So, we're making plans for the return of Sunday morning Bible Study Groups soon after the renovation is completed.
To connect with Sunday's sermon, those groups are also a way the church does evangelism, in particular with children. If you're interested, I wrote something about that recently here: https://www.9marks.org/article/fisherman-or-fishermen-considering-the-churchs-corporate-mission/
Pastor Phil heads out for sabbatical later this week. I included his note from last week below, in case you missed it. Let's be faithful to pray for him and Karen in the weeks ahead.
Praying that the Lord is helping you this week to treasure Him deeply as you meditate upon the gospel of Christ. And that as we treasure Him, He might also enable us to speak of Him to others.
Matt
(Pastor Phil's note)
Lord willing, I will be on sabbatical for about four weeks starting January 13th. We’re grateful for the elders granting this time and to the body for making it part of the way you serve and encourage your pastors. Most of the time will be spent editing a book that Rich Shadden and I have been working on, A Pastor’s First Ten Years. That’s the tentative title, anyway, that we’re working on. New Growth Press has given us a contract for publication and 9Marks Ministries will take the book on as one of their 9Marks Imprints. Please pray for us as we get this wrapped up and to the editors. I have two other projects (one an old project) that I hope to get some work on during sabbatical once the editing is completed. Pray for Karen and me as we’re away that we might use our time wisely.
Posted in Weekly Updates