Book Review: Radical Together
October 4, 2011 by Brian Smith
RADICAL TOGETHER
By David Platt
Published by Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO (2011)
In a follow-up to his 2010 best seller titled ‘Radical,’ Pastor David Platt proposes that as long as individual Christians journey alone – no matter how ‘radical’ they are – their effect will be minimal. However, as men and women who are surrendered to Jesus Christ join together and are wholly committed to the purpose of Christ, nothing can stop the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.
In ‘Radical Together,’ Pastor Platt outlines six basic ideas (that are often overlooked) for Christians as we work together:
- One of the worst enemies of Christians can be ‘good’ things in the church.
- The gospel that saves us from work, saves us to work.
- The Word does the work.
- Building the right church depends on using all the ‘wrong’ people.
- We are living – and longing – for the end of the world.
- We are selfless followers of a deservingly self-centered God.
This book outlines an ‘equip and send’ approach for churches. Church is not about performances, places, programs, or professionals … it is about people. We are the church. Our motivation rests in our sovereign, holy majestic God who is worthy of all worship, who is high and lifted up.
God does not involve us in His grand, global purpose because he needs us. He involves us in his grand, global purpose because he loves us. So here we are, with the gospel of God in our hearts, with the gift of God known as the church, and with a grand and gracious invitation from God to lock arms with one another in the passionate spread of His glory to the ends of the earth. Let’s rise up together as selfless followers of a deservingly self-centered God.
“And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gives him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1: 19-23
meet the reviewer: jon schommer
Jon Schommer grew up in Calumetville, Wisconsin (dairy farm country) and currently lives in Woodbury, Minnesota. He has been married to Lisa since 1988 and they have two children; Dave (born in 1993) and Emily (born in 1996). Jon’s hobbies include gardening and hiking. During the summer, he enjoys golfing once or twice and during the winter he enjoys ice fishing a few times. Jon earned his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and currently is a professor at the University of Minnesota.
Book Review: Reaching For The Invisible God
September 21, 2011 by Brian Smith
REACHING FOR THE INVISIBLE GOD
Philip Yancey
Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI (2000)
In this book Philip Yancey tackles the questions:
- How can I have a personal relationship with a being when I’m never quite sure he’s there?
- Why does God seem so distant so often?
- How can I bridge the gap?
- How am I supposed to relate to Him?
- Why is my hunger for God more frustrating than satisfying?
- Why do I sense a disturbing disparity between God’s promises and life’s realities?
Yancey points out that for many people, it takes the jolt of tragedy, illness, or death to create a crisis of faith. At such moments, we want clarity. However, God wants our trust. We have a choice: to fear God or to fear everything else, to trust God or to trust nothing. The difficult part for many is that in pursuing relationship with God, we must come on God’s terms, not or own. Faith in Him requires obedience without full knowledge. Why is this? We want God to be like us: tangible, material, perceptible (hence humans’ long history of idolatry). We want God to speak in audible words that we can clearly understand. Apart from the Incarnation and rare epiphanies, God shows little interest in corresponding on our level. Rather, God seeks from us correspondence in the spiritual realm and seems more interested in things like justice, mercy, peace, grace, and love – spiritual qualities that can work themselves out in the material world. In short, God wants us to be more like Him. Friendship is not the primary model used in the Bible to describe our relationship with God. Worship is.
Just like little children, we should not worry about understanding the relationship, we should simply live it. The times when we feel most estranged from God can bring on a sense of desperation, which presents a new starting point for grace. Lasting relationship grows in the soil of child-like trust and grace and forgiveness, not law. God moves in ways we can neither predict nor desire on our own. To empower us, He provides His Holy Spirit. The living presence of God inside us should permeate everything we see and do. God simply calls on us to trust Him and to obey.
“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”
– I John 4: 13
John H. Sammis, 1887 Trust and Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word, What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love, Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet, Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey.
Women’s Event: Eat Pray Love: The Christian Way
September 1, 2011 by Brian Smith
Eat, Pray, Love: The CHRISTIAN Way
Date: September 24th in theAlley Sanctuary
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Tickets are $5.00 each and will be available starting September 4th in the lobby area between services.
Please register by 9/18.
Come join us as we EAT together, learn how to have a more effective PRAYer life and LOVE because he first loved us.
We’ll start the morning off with a continental breakfast and fellowship. following breakfast local author, Laurie Blank will share ideas on how to pray more effectively. She has just published a new book, Moving Mountains, Keys to Prayer That Works!, which is a powerful study on prayer.
Finally, our own Katie Griffin will speak on loving as you are loved. She will encourage and challenge us to show the love of Christ, as commanded in 1 John 4.
All women are invited to attend. This promises to be a great time of fellowship and growth.
Use the form below to register. You may submit payment to the offering (denote ‘Eat Pray Love’ in the memo or if cash mark an evelope).
Beth Moore Study on Daniel
August 31, 2011 by Brian Smith
A new Bible study opportunity for women starting this fall! We will kick off on Wednesday 9/14 @ theAlley (CG site) from 6:15 – 8p. If you are interested please register by using the form below. If you have any questions, click here to contact Susan (group leader).
Join Beth in a faith-building study of prophecy and learn how to live with integrity in today’s self-absorbed society. The prophet Daniel faced unbelievable pressures to compromise his faith, to live in a hostile culture, and to confront temptations and threats. Today, believers in Jesus Christ face many of the same trials.
This Old Testament Bible study falls in two parts and can be used as one (12 session) study or two separate (6 session) studies. The first portion, from Daniel chapters 1-6, deals with Daniel’s life as he faced the kind of pressures and temptations Christians encounter today. Daniel models how to develop enduring integrity in an enticing world. The second portion, chapters 7-12, explores thrilling prophecies from the time of Daniel through the second coming of Jesus Christ.eth Moore in Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy with the .first portion studying Daniel’s life as he faced the kind of pressures and temptations Christians encounter today. The second portion explores thrilling prophecies from the timeDaniel through the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Study guides can be purchased at Lifeway Bookstores…
Immersion Small Groups
August 29, 2011 by Brian Smith
Immersion small groups are a great way to get connected to theAlley and an even better way to get into the Word. Groups will be kicking off for the new year on Friday September 23rd and will meet the 1st & 3rd Friday’s of the month following that.
We will start each night off with dinner @ 6p (potluck hosted by groups) and then we will break into small groups and begin a time of prayer and study. Childcare will be provided for the little ones ($3/kid under 5, $6/fam max).
Please complete the form below if you are interested in joining us!
If you have questions, please contact Brian
