Archive for September, 2010
A People Of Prayer
Blog | Pastor Duane
Psalm 62:5-8 “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
When it comes to the topic of prayer, prayer seems like a given…”of course we pray and are supposed to pray, we’re Christians.” Yet often we easily neither think deeply or engage meaningfully in prayer. Prayer is not the caboose on the end of the train or a formality of our religion. We must have both a sound theology of prayer and a vibrant practice of prayer. The things we pray reveal what we really believe and think about God (theology) and what we really think and believe about God and his world is reflected in how much we pray (practice).
Below are some quotes from theologians and pastors on prayer and some questions I wrote to help probe us in our prayer life.
Jesus Arrives In The Heavenly Hometown
Matthew Series | Matthew 21:1-17 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 21:1-17 where Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, heals people, cleanses the temple, and children worship him. In these scenes Jesus acts in the roles of king, priest, prophet and LORD which beckons our need for him to exercise those offices in our lives. This sermon was originally preached on September 19th, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Jesus Deals With The Motivations Of Followers
Matthew Series | Matthew 19:16-20:34 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 19:16-20:34 where Jesus talks with a rich man who is blinded by his possessions, his disciples who are blinded by their reward, his family who is blinded by their potential for power and two blind men who cry out for mercy and see Jesus. In each case Jesus addresses the wrong motivations of followers whether it be for possessions, pay, and power which blind us from seeing our true need. This sermon was originally preached on September 12th, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
The 2010 Fall Plan
Blog | Pastor Duane
September is here and life in The Resolved Church is in full swing. We have more going on now than ever before. There are new ministries happening, other ministries expanding, and discipleship relationships are thriving. All of it is quite exciting as we look forward to the future as Jesus continues to grow and build his church.
Perhaps most important for us is to remember that our confidence is not in our plans but in Jesus. It is not our methodology which propels us but our theology. We are a people who have been gripped by the gospel and because of it sent on a mission for God’s glory and we believe he will accomplish all his purposes. As Proverbs 19:11 says “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Below is a brief list of all the things going on and links to blogs and information about them. Please take a few minutes to read through them, pray over them, and entrust them to the purpose and glory of the Lord.
• Building Transformation Ministry – A Blog by Dan Calvert
• College Ministry – A Blog by Caleb Zeid
• Community Groups – Gospel Growth & Mission
• Family Ministry – A Blog by James Martin
• LampPost Café – A Blog by Sean Hutchinson
• Leader Development – A Blog by Duane Smets
• Resolved Church Plants – A Blog by Duane Smets
• Resolved Playgroup – Moms & Kids
• TRC School of Theology – Upcoming Classes
• Women’s Discipleship – A Blog by Kathy Broersma
Building [Heart] Transformation Ministry
Blog | Dan Calvert
Every Sunday at 8:30am a crew arrives to turn our building into a sanctuary for people to come in, feel comfortable, and worship our God. After their initial greetings, prayer begins. Then they being to work together to transform the building to what is seen when you walk in the doors at 10am. These people do a great service for God’s church, and together are what’s affectionately known as “Building Transformation Ministry” (BTM).
Since I began coming to The Resolved in January 2009, I quickly became a team member of BTM, then known as set-up/tear down crew. After services, I concluded that the folks tearing down would get done faster if I pitched in. So I did. It had been a while since I served anyone besides myself or for anything other than money or praise. I remember how fulfilling it was to help this crew of fast friends.
One Sunday I was asked if I’d like to help set-up in the morning. I was stoked to help even more. A fire had been lit in my heart. I didn’t understand fully why until I came that Sunday morning. After everyone arrived, we began to pray. It wasn’t the “Lord, please wake us up because the coffee isn’t ready yet,” prayer that I was half expecting. They were praying for each person that would walk in that day. They were praying for the space to truly become a sanctuary for the people to come and meet with God. They were praying for servant hearts for God and that every act they did would be for His glory for His work here.
I realized I had been helping the crew after service for selfish and prideful reasons. I wanted to make others happy by serving them instead of first serving God. The more I learned being God’s servant through his church, it was hard to stay away. I longed to fuel the fire in my heart by following God’s will and call.
As the months went on, a couple of us realized that set-up/tear down crew was not a proper title for what happened before, during and after service. This was something bigger. First, it is a chance to do one of God’s highest callings: to serve his bride, the people of the church. Second, it is a chance to change and humble your own heart as you become more like the ultimate example of a servant, Jesus Christ. And third, it is a chance to prepare a space for God to come and do work in others’ hearts. These acts of service not only transform a building, but also allow for the transformation of hearts to take place. We had to give it a new name because these acts are truly a ministry.
I have been blessed to be a part of and oversee BTM. We have three Godly leaders running a month at a time. They gather teams together, continuously look to raise more leaders, and make sure ministry is happening every Sunday.. The Resolved Church is a family and we are called to serve one another for God’s glory. BTM is a great way to serve your brothers and sisters and bring heart change to all of our lives. We are always looking for more people to be a part of a team so come get involved! Just email me at dan@theresolved.com It’s an honor serving you all, but it’s deeply humbling to serve our God.
- Deacon Dan
1 Peter 4:8-11 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Family Ministry
At our last church member meeting we introduced James Martin as an elder candidate to be watching and praying for in the next year. This fall James will be leading the charge in ramping up our ministry to children and equipping parents in the home. Below is a brief blog from James about the heart, vision and plan of The Resolved Church (TRC) Family Ministry. – Pastor Duane
———————————————
Blog | James Martin
I have grown convinced that my understanding of the Gospel (my sinfulness, need for a savior and dependence on God) impacts every aspect of my life. And as a husband and father I know that as my head and heart go, so goes my home. For example, if I’m confident in my rightness before God as a result of the finished work of Jesus, I feel close to my Heavenly Father and can confidently face anything. The struggles of life won’t hold me long and even if they do, they don’t define me. In seasons such as this it is easy for me to lead my family and demonstrate my dependence on a savior. On the flipside, when I feel distant from God, I am sure we are at odds and I’m constantly seeking his approval.
Obviously these beliefs seep into every aspect of my life. As a man my identity and view of self, as a husband in the way I resolve conflict and love my wife and as a father the way I discipline and disciple my children. In short, every aspect of my life comes back to my working theology and belief in the Gospel. In the years I’ve been in discipleship and in community with other men I have learned that I am not alone in these experiences.
Several years ago God radically changed my life. He converted my heart at a time that my wife and I were headed for certain divorce. At the time we didn’t have kids and frankly I didn’t want any. I was a punk dude who loved and served me. The gospel grabbed my heart and I didn’t have a choice but to change. Over the next several years my wife and I grew in our love for each other and for the Church. My heart broke for families (and punks like me) who were working through their theology while balancing the stresses of life. I found myself in countless conversations with young men a lot like me. Conversations that often centered on our inability to effect change and the resulting struggles that seemed to easily beset us. Conversations that revealed our true beliefs. I saw men who were weak and confused. Marriages and relationships setup for and defined by failure. Kids who were told they couldn’t earn favor with God or change their own hearts yet dads who insisted they change their behavior to win their approval (or at least that’s what the kids heard). Over time and with the help of godly men who had come before me it became very clear that change starts and ends with our grasping the Gospel.
I’m very excited about the season ahead of us at The Resolved Church. Starting this fall we are rolling out our Family Ministry and starting pre-school classes on Sunday mornings with the Show Me Jesus curriculum. While we believe that dads are ultimately responsible for the spiritual nurturing of their households we know they can’t go at it alone. God has saved us through community and into community and we are called as the church to make disciples and love one another. The Family Ministry will seek to call and equip the dads of TRC to be shaped by the gospel and lead their homes with Jesus at the center.
I’ll leave you with a message from Paul who wrote to the church in Ephesus (Chapter 6:1-4), Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. And in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 we read; and these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Men, let us love and lead well. Let’s start with grasping the Gospel.
- James
Jesus Deals With The Demise of Marriage & Family
Matthew Series | Matthew 19:1-15 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 19:1-15 where we Jesus addresses the importance of marriage and family as well as the pain and hard heartedness of divorce. Current statistics, the story of Genesis, cultural trends, and joy and purpose of children are all highlighted in grappling with Jesus’ words in this passage. This sermon was originally preached on September 5th, 2010 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Resolved Church Plants
Blog | Pastor Duane Smets
The Resolved Church is part of the Acts 29 Network. Acts 29 exists to “band together Christian, Evangelical, Missional & Reformed churches, who, for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, plant churches across the United States and the world.” Part of our Acts 29 covenant is to devote 10% of our resources (time, talent & treasure) to planting new churches.
We believe that many people need Jesus and that planting churches is the most effective strategy for reaching people with the gospel. It has been said that, “Planting new churches is the most effective evangelistic methodology known under heaven.” We take that to be true.
Currently (Fall 2010) there are two brand new church plants launching this fall whom The Resolved Church is supporting.. Please take a second to check out their websites and pray for the church planter who is leading them.
Leader Development
Blog | Pastor Duane Smets
Do you sense a call to be a leader in Jesus’ church? Have others witnessed leadership skills in you? Are you desirous of discovering and developing your natural and spiritual giftings?
Everyone Christian has been given gifts which are for the building up of Jesus’ church. “Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift…the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Eph 4:7,16).” Everyone who is a member of a church is a minister.
Two particular giftings or ministry callings Jesus gives are the roles of elder and deacon. Both serve under the head pastorship of Jesus in local churches. Elders are the male leader shepherds of the church who are also called “pastors” “bishops” and “overseers” throughout the Bible (Acts 20:28; Eph 4:11; 1 Pet 5:2). Deacons are the male and/or female leaders of the church who serve as helpers to the elders in practical matters.
We take seriously the Bible’s call to train up and develop elders & deacons in the church (1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9). The way we do this is through leader development. Leader development now has two tracks. One track is for those who believe they may be called to be an elder. It is 3 years and led by Pastor Duane. One track for those who believe they may be called to be a deacon. It is 1 year and led by Deacon Dan. Both groups meet a couple times a month, go through a book together, talk and pray together, and work through heart issues involved and the specific ways giftings are being exercised and established.
Leadership development this fall is every other Wednesday from 6:30-8:00am beginning September 15th. If you are not yet involved and sense a call to either elder or deacon and want to join the leader development group email leaderdev@theresolved.com
