WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.919 so today I'm hoping to do two things during the Sunday school this is actually a bonus class I 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:17.920 don't know if you had noticed but originally we had planned to end last week and start a 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:25.379 different series but for a number of reasons we ended up not doing that which gave us an extra 00:00:25.379 --> 00:00:32.859 week in this class and remind me at the end to make sure you know what's coming up but I figure it'd 00:00:32.859 --> 00:00:40.239 be worth waiting until the end and maybe a few more people will be here to know but that's but we have 00:00:40.239 --> 00:00:48.519 some really we have some really good stuff going on so so what I'm hoping to do today is to actually 00:00:48.519 --> 00:00:55.140 pick up and try to take Peter's Sunday school class from last week into a little bit more discussion 00:00:55.140 --> 00:01:01.420 about application and actually try it so I want to look at three passages really briefly and then 00:01:01.420 --> 00:01:06.859 talk about what does it look like and then I want to just if you guys have been a part of this class 00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:12.019 for the last five weeks and if you have questions about things we've been teaching about obviously 00:01:12.019 --> 00:01:18.060 the overall if you haven't been coming the overall plan or the overall topic that we've been looking 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:24.900 at is the beauty of the body and what we've meant by that is trying to get a glimpse into how the new 00:01:24.900 --> 00:01:32.219 testament thinks about our lives communally rather than individually and so we've looked at the 00:01:32.219 --> 00:01:39.040 significance of how in our salvation we're not just called individually to know God but we are called 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:46.360 into a body into a family into a community of the people of God and how that shapes our identity 00:01:46.360 --> 00:01:54.740 and then we looked at various dynamics of how being a part of the the body of crisis meant for us to be 00:01:54.739 --> 00:02:01.179 growing and we should expect to grow because we are with one another and not just individually 00:02:01.179 --> 00:02:09.479 we should expect to grow as we serve one another pastor Greg talked about how do we live out our the one 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:16.060 another's and seek to find our spiritual gifts to serve and to to give to one another we talked about 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:26.599 how um uh how discipleship and expecting relationships to be a part of our growth should be a part of it we talked a little 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:34.280 bit about the role of correction and discipline in spiritual growth and how that's a communal activity uh it it 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:42.460 obviously can be a one-on-one activity but ultimately it's a communal activity um that when we become members of the body of 00:02:42.460 --> 00:02:48.240 christ we become accountable um and that's a blessing to us that we have others who care about us and 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:54.920 and love us and then uh as as peter wanted to explore last week and i think he spent the bulk of the time 00:02:54.920 --> 00:03:02.980 talking about the significance of being a part of the being a member of of the church um and uh uh 00:03:02.979 --> 00:03:10.579 maybe we didn't spend as much time as i had hoped and now we have extra time to do it talking about 00:03:10.579 --> 00:03:21.759 evangelism talking about how is it that uh we as a body um are meant to live out the call that god 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:28.019 has given us in matthew 28 18 through 20 to make disciples of all nations mr smith has a question 00:03:28.020 --> 00:03:36.680 i thought peter was very clear last week on this application yes do something yes amen 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:45.620 absolutely maybe you could use a little bit more detail yeah yes no i i actually want to i i i've i've 00:03:45.620 --> 00:03:52.120 broken it down i'm i'm hoping that we'll be able to uh look at a few a few um passages really quickly 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:59.280 just to lay down brief principles and then look at two different contexts or arenas wherein our 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:08.240 communal life is a part of our uh outreach uh to others in in our community so that's what we're 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:14.020 going to do let me pray and then we'll get started okay lord thank you for this morning and thank you 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:21.459 for the snow and for the beauty of it and for lord the reminder uh that uh the work that you have 00:04:21.459 --> 00:04:29.639 done for us in jesus has washed uh your children white as snow that you have cleansed us from our 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:35.819 sin and the beauty of the morning like this reminds us of the beauty of our forgiveness uh that we have 00:04:35.819 --> 00:04:43.279 in christ lord i pray today that as we um talk together about your word as we think about the mission 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:49.179 you've called us to as a church lord as we worship together later uh lord that you will bless us 00:04:49.180 --> 00:04:58.840 and that you will be with us we pray this in jesus name amen okay um if you have bibles or on your 00:04:58.840 --> 00:05:05.460 phone or whatever um i'd like to get three people just to help me read three different passages um if 00:05:05.460 --> 00:05:12.840 you're ready to do that give me a high sign laura can you look at john 13 31 someone else 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:21.839 daniel can you look at john 17 20 and what laura can you look at first thessalonians 1 8 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:33.159 um and as i said um uh what we're going to focus in on this morning is how is it that being called 00:05:33.159 --> 00:05:39.979 to be a part of the community connects with i think we often think about sharing our faith as being an 00:05:39.980 --> 00:05:44.640 individual enterprise i have to have a conversation with this person and there's something that's very 00:05:44.640 --> 00:05:49.840 real about that and very true and that's a good thing to think about but i want to focus on the 00:05:49.840 --> 00:06:01.720 corporate aspects of outreach so um laura let's laura not laura laura let's start with john 13 31 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:09.840 um and uh read nice and loud so everyone can hear when he had gone out jesus said now is the son of man 00:06:09.840 --> 00:06:18.820 glorified and god is glorified in him uh oh keep going to 35 if god is glorified in him god will also 00:06:18.820 --> 00:06:25.960 glorify him in himself and glorify him at once little children get a little while i'm with you 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:33.639 you will seek me and just as i said to the jews so now also i say to you where i am going you cannot 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:40.959 come a new commandment i give to you that you love one another just as i have loved you you are also 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:47.679 to love one another by this all people will know that you are my disciples that you have love for one 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:55.120 another all right for all of us who grew up early enough to know the old they will know we are 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:02.720 christians by right this is where it comes from right it's in the bible um that uh um and obviously 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:09.899 this is such a rich passage jesus is uh um has this is the turning point in the book of john 00:07:09.899 --> 00:07:15.800 well whereby jesus has been going through and saying my hour's not yet come my hour's not yet come and now 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:21.340 he says now the hour has come and he's talking about his crucifixion and his resurrection but in 00:07:21.340 --> 00:07:26.199 the context of that and talking about the display of his glory and his relationship with the father 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:32.460 he then turns to his disciples and the thing that he says to them is i give you a new commandment to 00:07:32.460 --> 00:07:42.660 love one another and by this the world will know by this all people will know that you are followers of me 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:49.620 now some of that is an identity thing it's a it's a recognition oh those people follow jesus that's why 00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:58.420 they do what it is um but if you've ever wondered about why in first peter three peter tells the the 00:07:58.420 --> 00:08:05.200 the christians there to be ready to give an answer for the hope that they for the hope that they live in 00:08:05.200 --> 00:08:11.900 um i think it's connected to this there's meant to be a characteristic or quality in our lives 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:20.659 that is distinctive in such a way that as though those who don't know god look at us they go huh 00:08:20.659 --> 00:08:32.879 i don't know what that is but it's really interesting i think i'm not even sure maybe it's scary but 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:39.419 whatever it is it's different and i'm and and there's something about it there's a distinctiveness 00:08:39.419 --> 00:08:45.899 that comes out of it um and it's it's so striking to me that what of all the things that jesus could 00:08:45.899 --> 00:08:52.879 have said for his people to be characterized by to be the badges so to speak of what it means to be a 00:08:52.879 --> 00:09:02.000 follower of jesus being loving to one another is the most important one good so that's principle 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:10.460 number one the power of love huey lewis yeah all right sorry just had to put it in there all right 00:09:10.460 --> 00:09:19.840 um secondly john uh 17 can you read that daniel uh 20 through 23 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:28.100 i do not ask for these only but also for those who may be in me in their works that they may all be 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:35.060 one just as you father are in me and i in you that they also may be in us so that the world may 00:09:35.060 --> 00:09:40.800 believe that you have sent me the glory that you have given me i have given to them that they may be 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:48.879 one even as we are one i in them and you and me that they may be come perfectly one so that the world 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:57.359 may know that you sent me and love them even as you love me okay we're getting into like we're 00:09:57.359 --> 00:10:01.399 gonna have time to get into the depths of the theology of this this is jesus high priestly prayer 00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:08.500 for believers um and it's a beautiful prayer and in this part in particular if you notice twice he said 00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:14.600 that the world may know right and remember that in john the world isn't just people the world is 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:22.480 actually the the world systems that are set up in in opposition uh to to god and to his rule and reign 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:29.860 in the world and so uh on this earth and so the world is actually a the enemy so to speak of god not 00:10:29.860 --> 00:10:37.360 just sort of a neutral term as we saw in john 13 and uh and so he and what he's focusing on here 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:43.620 actually is unity right he's talking about the unity of the community and the unity the community 00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:52.060 flows from the reality of god and our communion with god do you see that i and you i and them and 00:10:52.060 --> 00:11:00.019 you and me so that they may be perfectly one um verse 23 right um that there's a sense in which the 00:11:00.019 --> 00:11:06.000 unity and and i will just say it like this is part of what i when i brag about our church um one of the 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:11.179 things that i brag about is that you walk into our church and i think you would see a group of people 00:11:11.179 --> 00:11:18.500 who would never congregate any in any other place for any other reason um and what we what we see 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:25.080 and thankfully in our church we see this in a beautiful way um we live in a diverse city and 00:11:25.080 --> 00:11:30.559 we have a diverse church and that's a beautiful thing um and i think it's one of the special things 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:36.619 that god has given us as a church as a means of doing this in a in a in a wonderful way and so 00:11:36.619 --> 00:11:42.639 but recognizing that if the power of love for one another is one of the things that the scriptures 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:49.939 point to as a part of our witness in the world the power of unity is another one now just to remind you 00:11:49.939 --> 00:11:56.139 that we talked about correction and discipline two weeks ago and unity is not unity at all costs 00:11:56.139 --> 00:12:03.139 unity is not the end goal it is god and his kingdom that are that are the end goal and therefore there 00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:12.199 are appropriate times for conflict um when there is strain and there's a lot of church history 00:12:12.199 --> 00:12:19.299 recognizing how difficult it's been to actually determine when unity is worth fighting for and when 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:28.620 purity or uh holiness or doctrinal correctness has been worth fighting for um but for what we're 00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:34.659 talking about today i just simply want to say so if one of the characteristics is love the second one is 00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:40.719 unity and that jesus explicitly says this is the markers by which the world will know 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:49.600 god all right laura uh first thessalonians 1 8 through 10 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:57.960 the lord's message rang out from you not only in macedonia and acaa your faith in god has become known 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:03.740 everywhere therefore we do not need to say anything about it for they themselves report what kind of 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:10.399 reception you gave us they tell they tell how you turned to god from idols to serve the living and true 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:16.360 god and to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead jesus who rescues us from the 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:25.340 coming wrath okay again so much in this passage that i'm completely ignoring um but but the interesting 00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:35.019 thing here that i want you to see is that it says your uh the word of the lord has sounded forth from 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:42.180 you your faith has gone forth everywhere what does that mean well i think what it means as you keep 00:13:42.180 --> 00:13:50.460 reading in verses 9 and 10 is that the power of the gospel transforming their lives individually and 00:13:50.460 --> 00:14:01.340 corporately to turn from cultural likeness sameness to countercultural turning from the god from idols 00:14:01.340 --> 00:14:08.940 to serve the true and living god um that that transformation and that clarity of a countercultural 00:14:08.940 --> 00:14:19.160 community um has had this amplifying effect whereby the things that they have believed as is being is 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:27.360 resounding in this in this you know uh reverberation um throughout the area um that they've heard of 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:34.620 these people who used to live one way and now they live another way um and uh you know it makes me think 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:41.620 of the samaritan woman you know as jesus has his encounter with her and points her to a hope that she's not 00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:48.059 known before points her to water to drink that she's never had before points her to a worship that she's 00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:54.539 never known before at the end of it such a striking thing she runs back to the village and you know what 00:14:54.539 --> 00:15:00.299 she says not hey here's a man who showed me grace and accepted me when the rest of you were just a 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:09.559 bunch of jerks uh she didn't say i'm an i'm an outcast and down and now and now now i've been accepted what 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:18.039 did she say come see a man who told me everything that i did isn't it striking right now all those other 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:24.620 things were true about how jesus taught her but when she went back the thing that she said is my sin 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:31.079 has been exposed and now i'm not afraid of it anymore how countercultural is that how beautiful 00:15:31.079 --> 00:15:37.099 is that and that's what she trumpeted and anyway it's just a little it's it strikes me as a as a 00:15:37.099 --> 00:15:47.399 interesting example so love unity and countercultural living and i want to say countercultural i mean that 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:54.019 every time we engage with culture in every culture there are some places where there's resonance of the 00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:58.720 gospel and there are some places where there's resistance to the gospel so countercultural in and of 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:06.199 itself is not a distinctively christian thing what we need to recognize is that um we ought to be different 00:16:06.199 --> 00:16:13.659 and i think that in our moment in american history and american church history we have lived for quite a long 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:19.879 time believing that you can be a faithful follower of jesus and not really have to stand out a lot from 00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:26.579 the culture that we live in that there's been enough resonance that it has not it at least we've come to 00:16:26.579 --> 00:16:33.899 believe that that might be so um and i think that day is closing it might not the lord may revive our 00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:40.000 country the lord may work in wonderful ways uh but i think that for us to be wise we ought to be prepared 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:45.860 and as we're thinking about witness then recognize that this is a beautiful opportunity 00:16:45.860 --> 00:16:55.220 so what i want to think about then in practice for the next 15 or 20 minutes is what does this look 00:16:55.220 --> 00:17:01.539 like and how does it work and i want to think about two contexts one of the contexts in which we live out 00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:09.359 our corporate life in a way that is accessible and and uh meaningful to other people is when we gather 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:16.979 for corporate worship so when we come together on sunday mornings right we we as a leadership we as a 00:17:16.979 --> 00:17:23.319 church i hope have an expectation that there are people there who don't know jesus yet there are people 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:29.379 there who are who are there because they want to know jesus because or because they're being drawn by 00:17:29.379 --> 00:17:36.699 in whatever way they've been invited by a friend but as they come into the corporate worship service 00:17:36.700 --> 00:17:44.680 there should be things in the corporate worship service that help them display and understand 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:51.539 the gospel more so that as they come and see our corporate worship evangelism is going on 00:17:51.539 --> 00:17:58.400 okay the second context that's the church gathered the second context is the church scattered 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:04.319 um and this is where again i think we tend to have a very individualistic viewpoint 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:11.819 where okay we when we scatter we skin to scatter atomistically and we just live but what i want to i want us to 00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:21.859 think about is where or how might there be places or platforms uh whereby our corporate life 00:18:21.859 --> 00:18:29.299 can happen not here as we gather on sundays but corporate life out in and among our everyday life 00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:37.339 can be significant in displaying the power of love unity and countercultural living um to those around us 00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:38.440 who don't know christ 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:47.319 so that is the question that i want those are the things that i want to explore so let's start with 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:55.059 corporate worship in what ways do you see in our corporate worship there are things that happen 00:18:55.059 --> 00:19:02.899 that might be displaying that might be meaningful to someone who doesn't yet know christ um 00:19:02.899 --> 00:19:12.519 for them to come to understand the gospel more clearly danu the prayer confession why do you say that 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:22.559 somebody who doesn't know god probably doesn't know that their center is the savior okay so that prayer confession 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:31.400 that corporate prayer is uh probably the first time they'll see wow i had no idea that i was a part of 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:40.920 this mad perfection away from god yeah yeah yeah yes matt smith i i was gonna say the same thing 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:48.240 yeah um yeah because in in our culture you know i'm okay you're okay you know nobody can say 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:52.940 mm-hmm except of course we know those hypocrites 00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:59.380 christians are wrong they think they're better than everybody else interesting yeah 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:10.680 um so that confesses at least that we have the opposite of ourselves yep yep no i think that's right 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:17.259 the prayer confession is one of the things we're very intentional about because we want it to we want 00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:25.420 us to recognize the reality and the power of sin uh and our need for our salvation this is true as an 00:20:25.420 --> 00:20:31.600 unbeliever it is true as a believer for us to increasingly take hold of the gospel because as we take hold of the 00:20:31.600 --> 00:20:38.279 gospel in increasing matter as we take hold of what god has done for us in christ this then breaks the power 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:42.660 of sin in our lives and allows us to pursue the holy living that we're called to live 00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:53.700 um but we do so not not in a self-reliant and self-righteous way but we do it uh in the mode of grace 00:20:53.700 --> 00:21:00.279 recognizing that all of this is not because we deserve it but in fact only because we don't 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:06.619 uh that god can do this so yeah other thoughts about tyler 00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:15.700 yeah yeah 00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:17.700 yeah 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:26.700 yeah 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:34.259 yeah no i think that's right yeah i think related to that it's just the the variety you can see on the platform 00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:39.920 and that it's it's not just like the white men who do this 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:41.180 you know 00:21:41.180 --> 00:21:47.720 yep yep yep and i will just say that that's something we work hard at i don't know if we do it perfectly 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:54.700 um and uh but it is something that we work hard at not in a and again the challenge is to do it not in 00:21:54.700 --> 00:22:01.140 a sort of affirmative action sense right if i were in uh northern vermont and i lived in a white town i'd 00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:07.860 have a white church right there's nothing wrong with that um but what what what we what i would say 00:22:07.860 --> 00:22:14.000 is that ideally a church there there are different ways to think about i want to be careful not to throw 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:19.500 stones too hard but uh there are some churches that might think the best way to reach a community is to reach 00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:26.660 inside of it right and look we recognize we're not reaching the african-american community in new haven in the same way that 00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:34.200 say um christian tabernacle over in new hall villas they're doing exactly what they should be doing and we can 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:40.279 never replicate what they're doing and so um and their community is mostly african-american uh and 00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:45.840 that's and it reflects the neighborhood that they're in so it's a good thing but what i want to say is 00:22:45.840 --> 00:22:50.740 that part again this is part of the way in which i see there's a broader unity this is why i'm really 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:56.019 encouraged by bridges of hope the broader unity of evangelical churches in the city and the fact that 00:22:56.019 --> 00:23:01.140 we're talking to one another and thinking about how to work together you know if you get a chance to 00:23:01.140 --> 00:23:06.240 be around this summer during i heart new haven to see people from all the churches come together 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:13.120 it's a pretty cool thing it's pretty amazing and you realize wow the church is a lot bigger here than 00:23:13.120 --> 00:23:18.940 i thought and it's a lot more diverse um and uh and one of the things you realize is it's a lot less 00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:25.400 white than maybe you you might think uh in new haven and that's a good thing um and so 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:35.660 but yes we work we work hard to make to to have those up front reflect the diversity of our 00:23:35.660 --> 00:23:38.740 of our congregation is how i would say it so 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:42.800 other thoughts 00:23:42.799 --> 00:24:10.359 keep up 00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:26.259 Yeah, no, I think it is. And we're intentional about that. It's, you know, one of the things that we work on as we're doing that is recognizing, you know, and this is true in other parts of the service too. Part of what we want to do is strike a balance. 00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:48.480 There was at one time in the 80s, if you remember the 80s and Willow Creek, and there was a whole movement to make church about reaching unchurched people. And in doing that, they moved the focus of a corporate gathering to be really primarily evangelism and nothing else. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:25:07.700 And I will say I think it was an overreaction. It had a good heart, but it was an overreaction. I think as we think about corporate worship here, we believe that we are called to gather to worship God and to sit under the preaching of his word. 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:22.559 And that primarily is what we do as we gather together. But what we want to be is not seeker-oriented, but we do want to be seeker-sensitive in a way of saying, hey, we want to acknowledge you're here. 00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:32.220 We want to acknowledge that. We want to expect that there are unbelievers in the church gathering, that there are people who are still, who are seeking God, who are understanding. 00:25:32.220 --> 00:25:40.019 And we also always want to understand that there are some people who have always grown up in church and yet don't actually know the gospel. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:48.319 And so we want to recognize these dynamics and acknowledge them in hopes of giving space, like, hey, we know you're here. 00:25:48.360 --> 00:25:53.100 Like when we do communions, like, hey, we know you're here. Don't take this, but that's okay. 00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:58.740 We're not saying that's a bad thing. Don't feel some peer pressure to do this because everyone else is. 00:25:58.740 --> 00:26:05.500 Do this because it's meaningful. And hey, if it's not meaningful for you in this way yet, then that's okay. 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:10.380 That's the hope behind it. You know, you can give us feedback if we're not doing it very well. 00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:14.759 But that's a part of it. Any other thoughts about corporate worship? 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.160 Yeah. 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:17.240 Yeah. 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:21.400 Baptism. The public baptisms are really powerful. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:23.740 Yep. Yep. 00:26:27.120 --> 00:26:27.799 Yeah. 00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:28.039 Yeah. 00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:33.159 That's probably, for me, that's one of the most powerful things. 00:26:33.659 --> 00:26:33.940 Yeah. 00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:34.779 Yeah. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:36.299 Being a Baptist. 00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:38.659 No. 00:26:38.879 --> 00:26:39.960 No, but it's true, right? 00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:47.639 You just think the Lord has given us two ordinances, two rituals to regularly practice as a part of our church. 00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:58.440 And in both of them, there's this beautiful display of the gospel and this beautiful clarity of what God has done for us in Christ as it's lived out in individual lives. 00:26:58.840 --> 00:27:02.180 You know, the baptism testimonies are some of the most powerful things we have. 00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:03.640 And so, absolutely. 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.240 Yeah. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.259 Yeah. 00:27:04.320 --> 00:27:05.259 It's a wonderful thing. 00:27:07.259 --> 00:27:07.900 All right. 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:12.120 So, at the risk of, like, we're on the risk of becoming Episcopalians here. 00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:20.619 So, hopefully, the preaching of God's word is also a meaningful part of our outreach. 00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:27.679 And, again, this is something where we'd love, I will speak on behalf of the pastors who preach. 00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:46.720 We would love to hear feedback as to how successful we're being in recognizing the breadth of who is there and speaking to different ones during the sermon as we think about application and that sort of thing. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:57.920 I will say that fundamentally, this is fundamentally one of the things that we talk about regularly is that in every passage there is a fallen condition exposed. 00:27:58.579 --> 00:28:02.360 And there is a pointing to the redemptive work of Christ. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:12.480 And if you want to think about this, you can take notes for the next three months and tell us how well we're doing on are you seeing what is the fallen condition? 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:18.480 What is the sin condition that this passage exposes in our lives or displays in our lives? 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:22.779 And then how is it that this passage points us to the redemptive work of Christ? 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:30.180 And along the way, hopefully, we're going to do a lot of other teaching about ethics and about the character of God, about all sorts of things. 00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:37.620 But there should be this subtext of that's going to be a regular part of what you're going to hear from the pulpit. 00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:43.839 And so just so you know, that's a part of our intentionality. 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:49.399 And every once in a while, one of us will get up there and say, all right, it's Family Sunday. 00:28:49.899 --> 00:28:52.319 What our topic is is really in-house. 00:28:52.539 --> 00:28:57.699 And if you're here and you're visiting, we hope you'll see what God has called his church to be. 00:28:58.519 --> 00:28:59.799 But they're probably not for you. 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:09.000 You know, I mean, we're not that blunt, but we – but it's – every once in a while, I feel like there's – I don't – yeah, I just have to start with that. 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:11.700 To say, hey, we know you're here and we're glad you're here. 00:29:12.159 --> 00:29:15.319 This isn't going to be quite for you, but don't be turned off by that. 00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:17.159 So that's the hope. 00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:20.619 So – all right. 00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:31.239 I want to turn a corner and start thinking about – oh, can I just say one other thing about it? 00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:31.979 Singing. 00:29:34.639 --> 00:29:37.619 We live in a culture today that doesn't gather to sing. 00:29:38.199 --> 00:29:40.939 It used to be more true in American culture, I think. 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:43.839 People have various ways of just gathering and singing. 00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:45.099 It doesn't happen anymore. 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:47.319 And we just take it for granted. 00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:50.899 We just take for granted, oh, hymns, oh, yeah, we're singing again, okay. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:55.439 But really, it's a distinctive thing that the church does. 00:29:56.279 --> 00:29:57.019 Can I just say something? 00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:57.460 Yeah. 00:29:57.799 --> 00:30:04.019 So I was having a conversation, this is a couple years ago, but with my mother and my aunt, who are not believers. 00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:04.559 Please. 00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:07.700 And they were talking about how people don't sing anymore. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:10.359 They grew up in that culture that sang a lot. 00:30:10.799 --> 00:30:16.079 And they knew a lot of the – all the same songs in that game from a certain generation. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:19.259 And they were talking about, you know, we don't do that enough. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:20.099 Nobody does that. 00:30:20.179 --> 00:30:23.740 And then they, like, looked at me and goes, oh, in church I guess you sing. 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:25.279 I'm like, yeah, we sing. 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:32.259 And it was something – it was countercultural and attractive as well. 00:30:32.699 --> 00:30:32.919 Yeah. 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:33.839 Yeah. 00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.539 Yeah, go ahead, Laura. 00:30:35.859 --> 00:30:36.179 Sorry. 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.559 Please, jump in. 00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:39.419 This is going to be separate from singing. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.179 Jump in. 00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:40.500 Okay. 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:50.100 But I think also for ways that display God's grace and God's glory in corporate worship is also just the relationships that are built. 00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:51.440 It's really encouraging. 00:30:51.840 --> 00:30:57.720 I've heard many people at Trinity say, like, their first time just people come up and talk to them and introduce themselves. 00:30:57.720 --> 00:31:07.299 And, I don't know, that reflection of that God desires to know people, where they are, where they're coming from, pray with them. 00:31:08.900 --> 00:31:19.039 And so, I don't know, it's at the end of service or sometimes used to do it in the middle with the opportunity to turn and meet someone, not just in our own world. 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:19.600 Yeah. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.539 It's hard for me. 00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:21.299 Yeah. 00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:22.220 Yeah. 00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:22.960 Yeah. 00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:23.039 Yeah. 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.440 Yes. 00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:30.500 I wrote down a list of things that ruin our corporate worship and corporate witness. 00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:34.880 Formalism and routine, when it becomes rote rather than meaningful. 00:31:35.840 --> 00:31:47.880 Performance and sexist self-exaltation, when those up front are making it about them, it pretty much ruins it for the witness of the glory of God is lost. 00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:59.320 I think one of them, and maybe this is what, I thought of this because it was tying to what you were saying, Laura, is I think that we can, it's very easy for us today to fall into an audience attitude. 00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:04.400 I'm here to get what I want as long as you're giving me good enough that it's worth me coming. 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:11.380 And obviously, you guys, you're sitting here in Sunday school, it's not you who are doing that, right? 00:32:11.860 --> 00:32:21.420 But recognize, recognize that this is a cultural pattern and it's a danger for, it's a danger for churches. 00:32:21.420 --> 00:32:29.120 And it's a danger for churches to run after trying to please people in these ways rather than saying, no, this is who we are. 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:33.680 We gather because there's something worth gathering around, which is God himself. 00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:38.840 And so just recognizing that those are some of the barriers. 00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:44.379 So I want to move on because I think the other part is equally as important. 00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:52.500 And I wonder, I just would love to hear your thoughts because I see what happens around here a lot more than I see what happens out there. 00:32:52.879 --> 00:33:01.159 But as we are a dispersed community thinking about how our communal life has impact on others, 00:33:02.399 --> 00:33:05.379 you know, you think of the constant command, right? 00:33:05.459 --> 00:33:06.220 Loving your neighbor. 00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:07.700 Like, what does that look like? 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:09.640 And how is that not just an individual? 00:33:09.880 --> 00:33:11.680 Is there a corporate aspect to that? 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:15.019 How do we live counter-culturally without being weird? 00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:19.039 You know, let's not pursue weirdness. 00:33:19.100 --> 00:33:20.720 We think that's not a good goal. 00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:24.259 The fact is we're going to be weird when we follow Jesus. 00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:29.200 Weird enough as it is, we don't have to pursue it for its own sake. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:38.519 And, you know, how do we think about, in the context of that, how do we think about being known as people who are for things rather than against things? 00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:41.519 And it's like, we're going to be both at the end, right? 00:33:41.600 --> 00:33:47.279 We can't not be against things in our, you know, because we should be. 00:33:47.299 --> 00:33:49.140 We should be against evil in the world, right? 00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:55.840 The hard part is when we disagree, perhaps at times, with our culture about what would be right and wrong in the midst of it. 00:33:56.320 --> 00:33:57.960 But how do we be for things? 00:33:58.560 --> 00:34:00.460 And how do we be an inviting community? 00:34:00.780 --> 00:34:09.519 How do we, you know, we live in a very fragmented society where communities are not easily built? 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:13.139 And they're often built around common interests. 00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:15.699 It's very easy for the church to become insular. 00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:23.599 How do we become a community that's actually porous or even expansive in its loving of people? 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:27.880 Thoughts? 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:29.460 What does it look like for you guys? 00:34:29.880 --> 00:34:31.099 What have been some of the challenges? 00:34:31.320 --> 00:34:37.019 What have been some of the encouraging moments where you've seen God work through community 00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:39.719 as a dispersed church? 00:34:40.259 --> 00:34:40.679 Yeah, Tyler. 00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:42.840 I have two thoughts. 00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:47.360 The first one, I think the limitations in our particular circumstances, 00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:49.300 I think we're not far away from the church. 00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:55.460 So I think proximity hinders to some extent just organic fellowship that would happen throughout the week. 00:34:55.860 --> 00:35:01.219 So I think our goal is important to be close to the distance-wise. 00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:02.679 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:35:02.739 --> 00:35:06.019 I think, secondly, one of the things I've seen in this church is, 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:09.579 you know, kind of see it like in the Book of Acts where, like, 00:35:09.699 --> 00:35:12.800 missionaries would come back to a church and then share what's going on 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:16.259 and, you know, what's God doing in the surrounding regions? 00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:18.179 I think we're going to let a common side come. 00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:19.000 Mm-hmm. 00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:20.980 About the kings in Austria. 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:24.199 Like, there's just a way that we can, we see that God is working, 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:28.300 and that kind of reorients ourselves to, like, 00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:31.019 God is doing things outside of this church. 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:32.079 Yeah. 00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:33.079 Amen. 00:35:33.579 --> 00:35:33.820 Yeah. 00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:35.119 No, that's great. 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:35.739 Thanks, Tyler. 00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:39.679 Other thoughts? 00:35:39.759 --> 00:35:39.940 Laura? 00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:44.320 What came to mind was, and I haven't experienced it at this church just because I haven't muted it, 00:35:44.380 --> 00:35:50.219 but when the community would provide meals for someone who's just had a baby or has been ill 00:35:50.219 --> 00:35:54.719 or something like that, I know that in previous, you know, when I've had that happen, 00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:58.379 like, my family notices that. 00:35:58.380 --> 00:35:58.720 Mm-hmm. 00:35:58.720 --> 00:35:59.660 And you're like, really? 00:36:00.220 --> 00:36:01.200 Like, really? 00:36:01.260 --> 00:36:01.980 They're bringing you dinner? 00:36:02.160 --> 00:36:02.700 How long? 00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:03.099 You know? 00:36:03.200 --> 00:36:03.920 Mm-hmm. 00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:05.660 And it's striking. 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:06.260 Yep. 00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:07.140 Yep. 00:36:07.480 --> 00:36:07.680 Yep. 00:36:07.680 --> 00:36:07.740 Yep. 00:36:07.740 --> 00:36:12.460 And if you don't know, we actually do do that quite a bit as churches, as a church. 00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:18.960 For our young moms, for people recovering from illness, it's actually something that we work 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:22.460 hard to provide as much as is needed and wanted. 00:36:22.460 --> 00:36:26.539 And so if you're one of those people who loves to serve in that way and you don't know about 00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:31.619 it, you can let Michelle know and you can get on the list. 00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:36.039 So, other ways. 00:36:38.299 --> 00:36:39.279 Yeah, Demetrius. 00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:45.699 I think, for me, the verse that comes to mind is, you know, don't let your light be under a basket. 00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:46.380 Mm-hmm. 00:36:46.799 --> 00:36:54.239 I'm not invested with, you know, what you're saying and going through, you know, four points of salvation. 00:36:54.420 --> 00:36:54.759 Mm-hmm. 00:36:54.759 --> 00:36:55.319 Mm-hmm. 00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:58.920 And that really wouldn't be well received in my professional environment. 00:36:59.000 --> 00:36:59.400 Mm-hmm. 00:36:59.400 --> 00:36:59.859 Mm-hmm. 00:36:59.859 --> 00:37:00.460 Mm-hmm. 00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.300 To see, yeah. 00:37:01.639 --> 00:37:02.059 Mm-hmm. 00:37:02.240 --> 00:37:07.880 But one thing that's very effective is just, you know, not I expect that I'm a Christian. 00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:08.240 Yeah. 00:37:08.240 --> 00:37:16.460 What I believe in that I go to church and that I have these crazy beliefs that perhaps the other faculty don't have. 00:37:16.579 --> 00:37:16.740 Yeah. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:17.760 I'm not ashamed of it. 00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:18.059 Yeah. 00:37:18.320 --> 00:37:29.659 I can see over the 14 years I've been there that it's made an impact, you know, on families and people professionally that I've been in contact with. 00:37:29.659 --> 00:37:42.179 And just as a kind of anecdote, one of the faculty moved away, leaving to go with them to take a different job in California. 00:37:42.179 --> 00:37:42.460 Yeah. 00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:47.000 And we had been with that family for many years on holidays and stuff. 00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:51.159 And it was over Thanksgiving when they asked us to pray after that. 00:37:51.159 --> 00:37:51.480 Mm-hmm. 00:37:51.480 --> 00:37:51.980 Mm-hmm. 00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.739 You know, we're in their home. 00:37:52.919 --> 00:37:56.480 But they know that when they're in our home, we pray, you know. 00:37:56.519 --> 00:37:56.699 Yeah. 00:37:56.699 --> 00:38:00.579 So it was very, and they got emotional, you know. 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:00.839 Yeah. 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:02.359 They were, you know, moved. 00:38:02.619 --> 00:38:08.199 And it was kind of interesting, you know, because I wasn't expecting that. 00:38:08.319 --> 00:38:08.460 Mm-hmm. 00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:11.239 You know, I thought, okay, and rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the growth. 00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:15.619 You know, but this meant a lot to them that we had these beliefs. 00:38:15.859 --> 00:38:16.039 Yeah. 00:38:16.539 --> 00:38:16.699 Yeah. 00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:18.419 And we were their friends and they're moving out. 00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:22.059 So I think, you know, you don't, you know, we're all humans. 00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:25.360 You don't know what impact you're having on someone. 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:25.659 Mm-hmm. 00:38:25.659 --> 00:38:28.340 You know, and you just have to be who you are. 00:38:28.500 --> 00:38:28.700 Yeah. 00:38:28.700 --> 00:38:31.440 And be open about who you are. 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:33.760 I think that's what happens. 00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:34.680 Yeah. 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.119 No, I, yeah. 00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:42.039 Especially in the science ministry, it's not about how they're going to be good at it. 00:38:42.119 --> 00:38:42.780 Yeah, yeah. 00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:46.619 But it's so generous, and I think that, we're called to that to come in. 00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:47.119 Yeah. 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:47.319 Yeah. 00:38:48.219 --> 00:38:48.420 Yeah. 00:38:50.299 --> 00:38:50.739 Yep. 00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:52.099 It's countercultural. 00:38:52.279 --> 00:38:53.359 People don't drop by. 00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:54.039 It's not. 00:38:54.139 --> 00:38:54.539 Yeah. 00:38:54.739 --> 00:38:55.440 It's not organic. 00:38:55.759 --> 00:38:56.019 Yeah. 00:38:56.599 --> 00:38:56.900 Yeah. 00:38:56.900 --> 00:38:57.059 Yeah. 00:38:59.799 --> 00:39:03.319 Mm-hmm. 00:39:03.839 --> 00:39:04.519 Yep. 00:39:08.839 --> 00:39:09.279 Yep. 00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:10.539 Yep. 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.059 Yep. 00:39:11.819 --> 00:39:12.219 Yep. 00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:12.819 Yep. 00:39:12.819 --> 00:39:14.159 And we're struggling. 00:39:14.299 --> 00:39:14.960 I'll just say this. 00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:16.839 Like, as a church, we're struggling to figure out, 00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:21.480 how do we do this in what is functionally a more post-Christian culture, 00:39:22.100 --> 00:39:25.440 and recognizing that post-Christian is very different from non-Christian, 00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:31.100 because post-Christian has these, like, reactive sensibilities. 00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:33.660 It's like, don't force your religion on me, right? 00:39:33.659 --> 00:39:40.699 That is an underlying assumption that you all, I think, live with probably every day. 00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:48.659 Like, people are just assuming, I have to navigate the question of how do I interact with this person and be authentic in my spiritual life, 00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:51.279 and yet not somehow feel like I'm imposing on them. 00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:52.380 Does that sound familiar? 00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:53.019 Yeah. 00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:53.460 Right? 00:39:53.620 --> 00:40:02.000 So it's, that's a very common thing, and I think, and I do think that there's a place for just faithful presence with openness, 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:09.179 and then, as you're saying, Julie, hospitality is a really, really wonderful gift that the Lord has given us, 00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:16.579 and for those of us who are able to do it, it gives, it, well, I think we're maybe all able to do it in different ways, 00:40:16.739 --> 00:40:22.380 but I think that hospitality is a very countercultural way of loving people 00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:27.119 and creating a space for relationship that often doesn't exist in their lives. 00:40:27.119 --> 00:40:28.380 So. 00:40:38.839 --> 00:40:39.319 All right. 00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:40.859 I'm going to go ahead and close this. 00:40:41.019 --> 00:40:42.440 This is a wonderful conversation. 00:40:42.599 --> 00:40:43.480 I hope it will continue. 00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:47.739 I hope it will spark thoughts of, like, how do you do this with other people? 00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:54.579 How do small groups become welcoming, you know, sponges that draw people in? 00:40:54.579 --> 00:41:02.900 And, you know, how do we have communities where, you know, where, you know, my friend might not be ready to come to church, 00:41:02.900 --> 00:41:08.000 but they'd be willing to hang out on a Saturday afternoon at a barbecue with some of my friends from church. 00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:08.880 Right? 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:10.819 And, like, how do I create those? 00:41:11.219 --> 00:41:15.019 How can I be intentional about building some of those things? 00:41:15.279 --> 00:41:20.719 And yet recognizing, you know, some of us will be very gifted in evangelism and we'll be going for it all the time. 00:41:20.799 --> 00:41:22.159 Hey, what do you know about Jesus? 00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.239 Let me talk to you about. 00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:24.059 And amen. 00:41:24.219 --> 00:41:25.299 And we should be doing that. 00:41:25.399 --> 00:41:26.839 We should be thinking and praying for those. 00:41:27.259 --> 00:41:30.399 But recognize not all of us are going to, it's not always going to look like that. 00:41:30.459 --> 00:41:33.979 And this is where communal evangelism sometimes is really helpful. 00:41:34.539 --> 00:41:34.739 Right? 00:41:34.819 --> 00:41:38.799 Because you get a room full of people and you get Lorna there and Lorna's going to share the gospel with everybody. 00:41:39.019 --> 00:41:44.599 And then the rest of us can just love people and be authentic and real and it'll be a good thing. 00:41:44.599 --> 00:41:47.940 So, anyway, just to recognize there's lots of things. 00:41:48.239 --> 00:41:52.579 I will just say, like, in closing, this is how I came to Christ. 00:41:52.960 --> 00:42:02.440 When I was in high school, there were a couple of, just a handful, two, three, of my classmates who knew Jesus. 00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:04.119 And they were involved in a ministry. 00:42:04.240 --> 00:42:05.599 I was actually post-Christian. 00:42:05.760 --> 00:42:07.980 I was like, you guys think you're all special. 00:42:08.320 --> 00:42:09.159 And it didn't help. 00:42:09.220 --> 00:42:11.119 They posted prayer lists in their lockers. 00:42:11.220 --> 00:42:13.559 Like, we're praying for these ten people to come to know Jesus. 00:42:13.559 --> 00:42:15.400 And I knew I was on the list. 00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:17.000 I was like, wait a minute. 00:42:17.519 --> 00:42:19.179 I was not impressed by that. 00:42:19.400 --> 00:42:22.099 I'm not sure that was a wise move on their part. 00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:23.880 But the praying was good. 00:42:23.940 --> 00:42:24.679 The list was poor. 00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:33.679 But honestly, in the Lord's grace, I tried the party scene and it was, I just found it very empty. 00:42:33.960 --> 00:42:38.460 And the other people I had to hang out with were my high school friends, or were my Christian friends. 00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:44.159 And as I hung out with them, I could tell you, I saw something in them. 00:42:44.280 --> 00:42:45.900 I could not tell you what it was. 00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:50.360 I did not connect it to Jesus for a long time. 00:42:50.699 --> 00:42:54.440 But whatever it was, I knew they had something that I wanted to be around more. 00:42:55.139 --> 00:43:00.720 And as they shared their lives with me, I began to see that it came from Christ. 00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:04.900 And then I needed the Lord to give me C.S. Lewis. 00:43:04.900 --> 00:43:10.039 And I needed them to have actually verbally shared the gospel with me along the way as well. 00:43:10.960 --> 00:43:22.639 But me being brought into this community of friendship was one of the critical pieces of how God brought me to faith many years ago. 00:43:22.940 --> 00:43:26.280 So may he do it much more among us. 00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:27.480 I'm going to go ahead and pray. 00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:32.780 And then Kirsten probably would maybe love a little bit of help setting up some tables. 00:43:32.960 --> 00:43:33.840 So let's pray. 00:43:33.840 --> 00:43:35.840 Lord, thanks for this morning. 00:43:36.400 --> 00:43:41.500 Lord, thanks as we gather to worship you that we recognize, Lord, how worthy you are. 00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:46.700 Lord, that it is because of your goodness and your grace and your wonder and your majesty. 00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:52.120 Lord, that all of this is worthwhile and meaningful. 00:43:52.620 --> 00:43:54.519 Lord, you are worthy of our praise. 00:43:54.519 --> 00:44:08.159 Lord, as we gather here and as we disperse into our week, Lord, may we be those who cherish the worthiness of our Savior in all that we do. 00:44:08.280 --> 00:44:09.940 And we pray this in Jesus' name. 00:44:10.159 --> 00:44:10.400 Amen. 00:44:10.400 --> 00:44:13.019 Oh, next week, really quickly. 00:44:13.019 --> 00:44:22.800 Rachel Gilson, who is a supported missionary who comes from an LGBT background in her life. 00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:24.539 She came to faith out of that. 00:44:24.539 --> 00:44:33.619 She is going to do Sunday school next week on thinking biblically about homosexuality and sexual identity. 00:44:33.619 --> 00:44:38.940 She is then going to, after the service, stay for a lunch. 00:44:39.039 --> 00:44:41.480 The college lunch is inviting everyone to college lunch. 00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:54.699 So Rachel can share some more about how to think about engaging in our culture and with those who are struggling with same-sex attraction and other sexual identity issues. 00:44:55.460 --> 00:44:59.059 So I wanted to let you know that a little more explicitly. 00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:02.559 The announcement upstairs may be a little bit less explicit. 00:45:03.400 --> 00:45:07.780 But just so we all know what we're talking about, this is what we're talking about next week. 00:45:07.780 --> 00:45:14.440 And then after that, four weeks with Rhys Bezant, who is our friend who comes from Australia to do study leave. 00:45:14.640 --> 00:45:18.540 He teaches at a seminary there, and he's going to do four weeks on the nature of worship. 00:45:19.160 --> 00:45:20.160 And look at the blurb. 00:45:20.160 --> 00:45:20.940 It looks really cool. 00:45:21.040 --> 00:45:23.840 It's like why the church is a gym and a coffee shop. 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:26.380 I can't remember, but it looks really cool. 00:45:26.660 --> 00:45:28.280 So, hey, Kirsten. 00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:30.620 Kirsten, can I interrupt you for a second? 00:45:30.980 --> 00:45:32.700 Would you like some people to set up some tables? 00:45:32.780 --> 00:45:35.560 Yes, we need 15 round tables with chairs. 00:45:35.559 --> 00:45:37.679 All right, if able-bodied people could. 00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:41.019 We need to get the tables out first so we can reach those rectangular ones in the back. 00:45:41.500 --> 00:45:44.559 We need to get those down here before the round tables are in the way. 00:45:44.820 --> 00:45:45.860 All right, there we go. 00:45:45.860 --> 00:45:46.360 Thank you. 00:45:46.360 --> 00:45:47.059 Thank you. 00:45:47.059 --> 00:45:48.559 Thank you. 00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:55.059 Thank you.