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Student Ministry - August

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Dear Church Family,

It has become more apparent to me in recent months that we live in an extremely polarized world. Whether it is political opinions, mask related opinions, dietary opinions, parenting opinions, music style opinions, exercise opinions, or coffee brewing opinions, it seems that we are no longer able to show love, patience, or kindness to people with whom we have disagreements. The current cultural mindset appears to be, “if you don’t agree with me, then you’re a terrible human being.” This makes sense for the world. But it ought to be unthinkable for Christians to behave in the same manner. Unfortunately, though, it is not unthinkable… it happens before our very eyes, and sometimes we are the perpetrators.

Students are growing up in this kind of world. They are looking to their parents and other Christian adults to model for them what it means to be a Christian. If students see Christians acting like non-Christians without remorse, then they will begin to think that Christianity is of no substance and something to be rejected. That is exactly what is happening in the younger generations today. They see Christians acting in truth without love, or Christians acting in love without truth. As Pastor Nick recently preached, a “Christianity” that does not encompass both truth and love united is not truly Christianity. And if we are not careful, we Christians can easily be the ones who preach a false Christianity with our actions. The way we Christians treat one another communicates to the world who our Savior is. That is one reason why Paul wrote this in Romans 14:1-10:

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Based on this text we need to ask ourselves these questions:
Am I holding my opinions because of biblical truth?
Are my opinions aimed at glorifying the Lord?
Can I have conversations where my opinions are challenged without becoming argumentative?
Am I challenging others’ opinions with humility, or am I judging them?
Am I willing to let go of a disagreement, or do I feel the need to “win?”
Am I able to love someone who I think is wrong (and treat them with kindness), or do I have contempt for them in my heart?

It is true that “iron sharpens iron.” Therefore, we must challenge opinions and be willing to have our opinions challenged for the sake of becoming more like Jesus. The question is, are we doing this with a heart of humility and love or out of a heart of pride and contempt. One is godly and God-glorifying. The other is evil and self-glorifying. For the sake of God’s glory and the faith of our children, lets be sure to rid ourselves of pride and contempt and be filled by Christ with grace and truth.

Sincerely,
Brian Van Doren

 

Posted by Brian Van Doren with
in Newsletter, Worship

Worship - August

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Well, here we are, six weeks into my ministry with you all here at Oakhill, and another month into this pandemic.  By this time we thought we would be kicking off VBS, we thought we would be well into "phase 5" of the Governor's reopening plan, and if you're like me, you thought by this time things would really be getting back to normal.  Over the last few weeks I have realized that, due to the pandemic, there are a significant number of you whom I have not even had a chance to meet yet.  And even when I have been able to meet many of you, we had to wear masks, which is just weird.  So far, nothing about this year has gone according to plan.  This year has been stressful, confusing, difficult, and at times infuriating.  However, it is not my intention to complain.  In fact, I know that there are countless people who have been far more profoundly impacted by the pandemic than I have, and I just don't think I have any right to complain.

Instead, my hope is to offer a word of encouragement.  Perhaps it sounds cliche to you, and perhaps you're tired of hearing it, but what I want to remind you of today is that God does not change.  Our world has done nothing but change over the last four months... but God has not.  A couple of months ago, I was reminded of this when I was listening to a song, and these words have challenged me and been close to my heart ever since.  The song is called "All That Is To Come", and it is by Christy Nockels.  In particular the phrase that grabbed hold of my attention was this, "Hear me say, 'Yes and Amen'.  Tomorrow you'll be faithful again."  There is so much truth packed into this one little phrase, and it reflects a heart that trusts God, and believes that He is faithful.  As I said, God does not change, period (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, and so many more).  And part of His unchanging nature is that He is faithful.  He always has been faithful, and He always will be faithful.  Included within those five simple words "Tomorrow You'll be faithful again", is the understanding that God was faithful yesterday, that He has been and will continue to be faithful today.  The only question is whether or not we believe that He will continue to be faithful
tomorrow.

In my head I know that God is faithful, and in my head I know that He never changes.  However, sometimes I need to proclaim this truth to my own heart so that I can rest in the knowledge of God's faithfulness.  After all, this is exactly what He wants from me.  Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-33 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

 

Posted by Derek Niffenegger with

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