Westgate’s Vision: Looking Back, Pressing Forward
Just over one year ago, we adopted a new vision at Westgate Church: to be a gospel-centered community living each day on mission for Christ. We spent the last month taking a fresh look at that vision and asking what it will take for us to move closer toward it. Or in other words, what will it take for our experience of ‘church’ to be less like something we go to and more like something we are—a family of missionary servants empowered by God’s Spirit to make disciples for Christ?
I’ve summarized the January sermon series below, both as a reminder and for the sake of any who missed part of it (audio and notes are also available). We also had two incredibly helpful congregation-wide discussions. We’ll share a summary of what we learned from those in the days ahead.
For February, I want to ask our congregation to devote this month to prayer for our vision moving ahead. God is the one who must do the work; we have nothing apart from him. Our efforts must always be bathed in prayer, but let us commit all the more so during February (and the upcoming Lenten season in particular) to asking God to bear much fruit among us through this vision.
Moving Toward Our Vision: Series Summary
1. The Gospel as Center (Jan. 6) | audio and notes
Everything we are and do flows out of the gospel and points back to the gospel—the good news of what God has done to establish his kingdom and deal with our sin through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Gospel Identity (Jan. 13) | audio and notes
In Christ we are a family of worshipers, learners, servants, and missionaries, in whom God dwells and through whom he displays his glory.
3. Gospel Mission (Jan. 20) | audio and notes
Our mission is to make disciples of all nations; the means God has given us is his transforming Word and our transparent lives; and the method we follow is to evangelize non-believers, establish new or young believers, and equip growing believers for gospel ministry.
4. Gospel Rhythms (Jan. 27) | audio and notes
Making disciples requires an intentionality that brings the gospel to bear on all of life for all people amid life’s natural rhythms: celebrate, listen, eat, work, rest, bless, and suffer.
Churches: Your Pastors and Elders Need your Prayers
Kevin DeYoung writes:
Your pastors and elders need your help to live out the calling of Acts 6:4: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Because everything seems more important and seems more urgent than being in the word and prayer. Everything.
What happens if all the lights are burnt out and the heat doesn’t work and the pews are upside down and the sound is off? People will notice. People will say something. People will be upset.
But what if your elders didn’t pray more than five minutes at their meeting last month? Would you know? No on would, not right away. What if your pastor hasn’t prayed for weeks? What if the elders are not deep into the word? With almost everything else in the church someone will says, “What’s going on? Why didn’t you show up? What’s the problem? Why didn’t this get done?” But who knows when the pastors and the elders forget Acts 6:4?
This is an urgent reminder not just for congregations to pray, but for pastors and elders to focus their shepherding efforts on the ministry of the Word and prayer. (Which means training and empowering deacons for their own role in executing, administrating, or supporting the vision and ministries of the church–the very thing taking place in Acts 6.)
Without an emphasis on the ministry of the word and prayer, we elders and pastors quickly lose focus. Read more…
Boston Workshop on Biblical Exposition
I’ve been participating in the Charles Simeon Trust’s Workshop on Biblical Exposition for several years. I can’t tell you how valuable they’ve been for my preaching ministry.
Actually . . . I tried to explain that in this post over at the Gospel Alliance New England: “Don’t be a drunk in the pulpit”
The Boston workshop is February 13-15, featuring Jeramie Rinne and David Camera, and hosted by South Shore Baptist Church. For those of you who regularly give yourself to the teaching and preaching of God’s Word, I highly encourage you to sign up.
Again, you can read my rationale here, or go straight to the source here. Register here.
Facing the Incomprehensible in 2013
As a young lead pastor in the relatively hard ministry soil of New England, I am blessed to have an associate pastor to work with. More specifically, I’m blessed to have Bruce Daggett as my associate pastor, not merely for giving me a regular break from the pulpit, but for his wisdom, experience, constant encouragement, and faithful partnership in gospel ministry.
I was particularly encouraged by Bruce’s exhortation from the pulpit this past Sunday. We’re preparing as a congregation to spend January taking a fresh look at the vision we adopted one year ago, and asking hard questions about what it will take to move closer to that vision. To prepare our hearts for this, Bruce led us in reflecting on Paul’s doxology from Ephesians 3:20-21: Read more…
An Advent Reading for Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve: Jesus is Born King of Heaven and Earth
Relight the three purple candles and the pink candle.
Introduction
The word “advent” means coming. Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ in his incarnation, and also look ahead to his final advent at the end of time, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power. By lighting a candle each week of Advent, we remember God’s great promises to Israel and to the world, we recognize our need for God’s mercy and grace, and we prepare to rejoice in the birth of Jesus, our Savior and King, who will come again.
This advent season we have lit candles to remember that Jesus fulfills the stories of Israel, God, and the whole world, and that he is greater than the kingdoms of this earth. All this points us to the beautiful truth we celebrate tomorrow, that Jesus is born king of heaven and earth. Read more…
A Reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Fourth Sunday in Advent: Jesus is Greater than the Kingdoms of this World
Relight the first and second purple candles, and the pink candle.
Introduction
The word “advent” means coming. Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ in his incarnation, and also look ahead to his final advent at the end of time, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power. By lighting a candle each week of Advent, we remember God’s great promises to Israel and to the world, we recognize our need for God’s mercy and grace, and we prepare to rejoice in the birth of Jesus, our Savior and King, who will come again.
The past three weeks we lit candles to remember that Jesus fulfills the stories of Israel, God, and the whole world. This morning we remember how Jesus is greater than the kingdoms of this world. Read more…
A Reading for the Third Sunday of Advent
Third Sunday of Advent: Jesus fulfills the world’s story
Relight the first and second purple candles.
Introduction
The word “advent” means coming. Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ in his incarnation, and also look ahead to his final advent at the end of time, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power. By lighting a candle each week of Advent, we remember God’s great promises to Israel and to the world, we recognize our need for God’s mercy and grace, and we prepare to rejoice in the birth of Jesus, our Savior and King, who will come again.
The past two weeks we lit candles reminding us how Jesus fulfills both Israel’s story and God’s story. This morning we focus on how Jesus fulfills the world’s story. Read more…
“A Prayer in Response to the Newtown, CT Tragedy”
From Scotty Smith:
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A Prayer in Response to the Newtown, CT Tragedy
Jesus wept Jn 11:35
Dear Lord Jesus, we abandon ourselves to you tonight—we come running with our tears and our fears, our anger and our anguish, our lament and our longings. We collapse in your presence, with the assurance of your welcome, needing the mercies of your heart.
Some stories are just too much for us to absorb; some evil just too great to conceive; some losses beyond all measurability. We need your tears and your strength tonight. That you wept outside the tomb of a beloved friend frees us to groan and mourn; that you conquered his death with yours, frees us to hope and wait.
But we turn our thoughts from ourselves to the families who have suffered an unconscionable violation of heart and all sensibilities. Bring your presence to bear, Lord Jesus, by your Spirit and through your people. May your servants weep with those who weep and wail with those who wail. Extend your tear wiping hand—reach into this great tragedy with an even greater grace.
We cry out on behalf of the children of Newtown, those most directly affected by this evil, and for children throughout our country and the world, whose little hearts are reeling with fear and terror. Give parents wisdom and kindness, as they seek to love their children well, this night and in the coming days. Raise up gifted counselors and care givers to serve those most traumatized.
Lastly, Lord Jesus, we cry out with a loud voice, How long, O, Lord? How long before you return to eradicate all evil, redeem all tragedies, and make all things new? How long, O, Lord, how long? Your Bride weeps and waits for you. In your merciful and mighty name we pray.
Should We Believe the Unbelievable? Four Questions to Consider about the Incarnation
When you stop and think about it, the message of Christmas is pretty incredible: the second person of the Trinity (the Son) humbled himself and was made into a human being by the Holy Spirit. He was born of a virgin into his own creation, becoming fully human while remaining fully God, in order to establish God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (see Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-2:21).
I don’t suggest that we can fully understand the mystery of the Incarnation. But should we believe it? Here are four questions to consider in whether we should believe the unbelievable—that in Jesus God came down to dwell with his people as King.
1. Could God do this? This is the question of possibility—is it possible? Read more…
A Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent
The Second Sunday of Advent: Jesus fulfills God’s Story
Relight the first Advent candle.
Introduction
The word “advent” means coming. Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ in his incarnation, and also look ahead to his final advent at the end of time, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and authority and power. By lighting a candle each week of Advent, we remember God’s great promises to Israel and to the world, we recognize our need for God’s mercy and grace, and we prepare to rejoice in the birth of Jesus, our Savior and King, who will come again.
Last week we lit a candle that reminded us how Jesus fulfills Israel’s story. Today we focus on how Jesus fulfills God’s story. Read more…
in the meantime 