The Bible Rewards Hard Work
Therefore, another lesson we can draw from difficult biblical passages is that the Bible not only demands, but also rewards, hard work in study....
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Tried and Tested: The Deacon's Examination
March 29, 2019 by Jeff Jones
So churches need to try and test the character and maturity of their deacon nominees prior to their appointment by the elders, a process that requires time and familiarity. That’s the deacon’s examination....
Examined By the Assembly: The Deacon's Nomination
March 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Biblical deacons, then, are to be examined by the assembly. That’s at the heart of the deacon’s nomination for office....
Appreciating the Problem: The Deacon's Definition
March 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Deacons, again, are to guard the unity of the church and the ministry of the elders from the demands of practical problems. Appreciating such problems requires the careful definition of each deacon’s role....
The Fifth Qualification: The Deacon's Purity
March 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
There is only one qualification Paul mentions to Timothy that is not found in Acts 6, and it is that qualification we now turn to examine: the deacon’s purity....
The Fourth Qualification: The Deacon's Faith
February 28, 2019 by Jeff Jones
This combination of a practical, nuts-and-bolts focus and a separation from doctrinal and pastoral oversight ministry might tempt a church to overlook the piety and conviction of a candidate. That would be a grave mistake....
The Third Qualification: The Deacon's Wisdom
February 22, 2019 by Jeff Jones
The very fact that this responsibility requires dedicated attention should tell us that it may not come easily, and that not just anyone will be able to fulfill it. It’s no surprise, then, that the third qualification emphasized by the apostles in Acts 6 is wisdom......
The Second Qualification: The Deacon's Maturity
February 15, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Having seen last week that the first qualification of a potential deacon is a solid reputation, we now turn to look at the second qualification found in Acts chapter 6: being “full of the Spirit.” Of all the qualifications, this one is perhaps most at risk of being misunderstood in the present day. What does “filled with the Spirit” mean?...
The First Qualification: The Deacon's Reputation
February 8, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Now that we’ve looked at the intent, mission, and objective of the New Testament deacon, it’s time to look at what kind of Christians fill this office. What are the qualifications of those called to be deacons?...
Freeing Elders For Word and Prayer: The Deacon's Objective
February 1, 2019 by Jeff Jones
We see in Acts 6 that even in the earliest church the temptation to be distracted from this ministry is strong. The apostles put it in blunt terms: “it is not right that we should give up the preaching of the Word of God to serve tables.”...
Caring For Practical Needs: The Deacon's Mission
January 30, 2019 by Jeff Jones
The mission of the office of deacon is to care for practical needs in the local church....
The Deacon's Intent: Fostering Church Unity
January 23, 2019 by Jeff Jones
Deacons exist, first and foremost, with the intent of fostering unity in the church. Only with that primary purpose in mind can we then turn to look at others....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 10
March 17, 2018 by Jeff Jones
David talks in First Chronicles 29 about uprightness of heart, but why does he do that? Why does the heart matter when looking at good deeds like a Temple offering? ...
To Believe and To Suffer in Seedtime and Harvest
March 10, 2018 by Clint Humfrey
The Christian life might not be romantic or nostalgic but its real. Our organic connection to Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection is better than all of the hoped for clean eating and living that hopeless shoppers pursue. ...
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 9
February 28, 2018 by Jeff Jones
Human beings have an innate longing for meaning and significance. As we continue to pray after David's example in First Chronicles 29 we wrestle with the need for us to confess our mortality and shortness of days to God, and live in light of them....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 8
February 27, 2018 by Jeff Jones
Even our willingness and ability to do things for God are gifts from his hand. In this article we look at and pray in light of this truth as David presents it in his prayer, found in First Chronicles 29....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 7
February 26, 2018 by Jeff Jones
God provides all that we have. As we continue to pray through First Chronicles 29 in celebration of a year in our own building, we look at how David acknowledged God's provision of all things as an example for our own prayers....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 5
February 25, 2018 by Jeff Jones
As we remember God's provision in the life of our own church one year ago, when we took possession of a building of our own for the first time, we look at the example of David's model prayer in First Chronicles 29. In this article we consider how David opened his prayer--with blessing and praise....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 6
February 25, 2018 by Jeff Jones
Gratitude is a crucial attitude of the Christian life. As we continue to mark our first anniversary in a building of our own, we seek to imitate David's example of thanksgiving in prayer found in First Chronicles 29....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 4
February 23, 2018 by Jeff Jones
As we continue to celebrate our first year owning our own church building, we are meditating on and praying through First Chronicles 29. How does the Christian look at a text like First Chronicles 29, or indeed any Old Testament story or promise or command? The answer is the classic Sunday School answer: “Jesus!”...
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 3
February 20, 2018 by Jeff Jones
As we at Calvary Grace continue to mark our first anniversary as "homeowners" in a building of our own, we consider the miracle of Israel's offering for the Temple in First Chronicles 29:1-9, and mark its meaning....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 1
February 19, 2018 by Jeff Jones
Sometimes God provides spectacularly in the life of an individual or a church. On Calvary Grace's first anniversary as "homeowners" in a building of its own, we pause to consider the example of King David's Israel after God ordains a staggering offering by his people for his Temple, seeking wisdom on how to pray after God pours out blessings....
When God Pours Out Blessings, Part 2
February 19, 2018 by Jeff Jones
We can’t understand the amazing prayer offered in First Chronicles 29 unless we first understand the man who offered it. In this article, we’re going to look at King David, a "man on a mission." We’ll review what brought him to that moment, in order to help us grasp why he prayed the way he did....
Resources for Gathering One2One
January 5, 2018 by Jeff Jones
We’ll wrap up this newsletter series by introducing three new e-book Ministry Guides you can download to help you with this ministry, along with providing (all in one place) the links to the Study Outlines introduced over the past month...
Gathering One-2-One For Bible Reading
December 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones
To get you started reading the Bible one-to-one, what follows is a simple method of Bible study called the COMA method. COMA studies a Bible passage in four steps: Context, Observation, Meaning, and Application....
Gathering One-2-One For Prayer
December 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones
ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. When gathering one-to-one for prayer, you simply take turns, each praying a prayer of adoration, then each praying a prayer of confession, and so on....
Gathering One2One For Sermon Application - Be An Expositional Listener!
December 22, 2017 by Jeff Jones
Sermon listening is a central part of the Christian life, and so why not learn more about it? Christopher Ash has written a very short but very useful booklet called Listen Up! A practical guide to listening to sermons, filled with useful tips and challenging questions that will help you “take care…how you hear” (Luke 8:18). After getting started with Gathering One2One, we strongly urge you to find and use this book....
How Do I Get Started Gathering One-2-One?
December 2, 2017 by Jeff Jones
Here’s some steps to follow, both before the first meeting, and at that first meeting together....
Who Should I Find to Gather One-To-One With?
November 25, 2017 by Jeff Jones
Try to build up one another, and build up the church, by building fellowship across the whole congregation one-to-one around God’s Word!...
We’re Not the Moral Majority
April 17, 2015 by Jeff Jones | Category: Current Events | Tags: Culture, Freedom, Law, Persecution
Anyone paying attention to American news reports over the last month or so will have heard of the “wedding cake controversy.” As background, earlier this year the state legislature of Indiana passed a law, modeled on a federal law signed by President Clinton, which laid out a process for courts to determine if government action and regulation imposes an undue burden on...
Keep ReadingShadow and Substance
July 18, 2014 by Clint Humfrey | Category: Devotionals | Tags: shadow, substance, covenant, Law
It is a funny thing to watch a kid who has just discovered their shadow. They step on the pavement trying to hold the shadow down. Or they’ll run trying to get away from a shadow that runs just as fast. Shadows and the forms that they mimic are simple things that we see every day. The metaphor of shadows and substances is one of the simple ideas showing how the Bible is ...
Keep ReadingThe Terror of Law Without Gospel Understanding: Tom's Testimony
May 11, 2012 by Tom Cottrell | Category: The Gospel | Tags: Law, Gospel, Confession, assurance of pardon, lutheran, order of matins, catechism
Tom Cottrell recently posted this as a response to a discussion on legalism in our church forum. With his permission, we’re re-posting it here....
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