Vacation Time

It is time to go away on vacation. My family and I are going to the Outer Banks. I love the OBX this time of year. I have been visiting this area since I was about 11 years old and I look forward to it every year to catch a few waves (I have been surfing 20 years now!), and watch my children start to enjoy what I enjoyed for so many years.

I am looking forward to getting back into the pulpit next Sunday as we continue to move through Acts. For the time being, check out Acts 5 and the account of Annanias and Sapphira. Ask yourself why the Holy Spirit would guide and direct Luke to include such a story in the account of the early church.

With that said, I am off to the OBX. See you all soon.

Should GRPC Change Their Name?

The staff usually goes out to Applebees for lunch after staff meetings on Tuesdays. We frequent this same restaurant A LOT. The staff at Applebees knows us and we know them. They see us praying, discussing, laughing, and debating. And yes, they see us tipping too. We have established some good relationships with the staff there.

One Tuesday after a discussion on a possible name change for our church, one of our staff members decided to run an experiment. He actually decided to ask one of the actual people that we are actually trying to reach what they actually think about our name and the name change issue (a lot of actuality I know).

He turned to one of the waitresses and said, "__________, if I were to invite you to the Glasgow Reformed Presbyterian Church or to the (insert his favorite name here) Church, which one would you go to."

She replied, "I would go to the (insert favorite name here) Church for sure."

We all began to laugh and the inquiring staff member asked, "Why? Why would you go to the (insert favorite name here) Church rather than the Glasgow Reformed Presbyterian Church?"

She replied, "Because I don't even know what that first name...what was it called? The Reformery Glasgow Presbo Church? Yeah that one. What is that, a reforming school? It sounds like a correctional institute. The other name you mentioned sounds friendly, ya know, like a place I would go."

The staff began to laugh and invited the waitress to church. She did come. Hasn't been back yet. But we still leave a good tip.

The point is this. Often as a church we develop a club mentality. We have our congregational meetings, newsletters, prayer groups, bible studies and so on. When the idea of a name change comes up some feathers get ruffled. That is understandable. But I would challenege each of us to think from a different angle. Think from the waitresses angle. Think from the perspective of the world that we are trying to reach. Think for the angle of who we are and what our mission is.

How do you do this? Ask your unsaved friends what they think about the GRPC name along side of some of the other great name ideas that are coming up (Redeemer, Summit, Redemptive Presence etc). Don't try to defend the GRPC name. Just listen to them. Listen carefully to what they are saying.

Now ask how a name change, if we were to have one, could help us to be redemptive and missional in our community.

These are just some thoughts. To be honest, I am not personally all that concerned with a name change. It is not a personal mission of mine. GRPC's name means so much to me. I have been here since the beginning. But what matters more to me is our mission to reach a lost community. Whatever sacred cows hinder us in that one mission can be slaughtered at the altar of missional thinking.

Feel free to post your opinions.

No Guts, No Glory

As I preach through the book of Acts, I am also taking some time to blog about passages that I may not have time to get to on a Sunday morning. My sermon series on Acts is more of a "Highlight Reel" rather than a word-by-word study of all 28 chapters. This upcoming Lord's Day I will be preaching on Acts 4:23-31.

Last week, I preached on Acts 3 as Peter and John preached to the crowd in the temple after healing the lame man at the gate. 2000 people were added to the number of Christians after that sermon. The leaders of the temple observed that "The Way" was gaining momentum and that something needed to stop this new Messianic movement--and so the persecution of the Christian Church began.

Peter and John were hauled in to the same court that had convicted Jesus a few weeks earlier. They demanded that Peter and John stop preaching the name of Jesus Christ. They feared that the people would realize what a great crime this court had committed. Peter and John had a choice...relent and go on living comfortably, or, proclaim and risk further persectuion. Both of these men not only stood their ground but preached the name of Jesus Christ to the court.

No guts, no glory. But this was not glory for the disciples. This was glory to God for the great things he had done. This was glory for the servant of God, Jesus Christ. Peter and John needed to have the guts so that God would have the glory. They were on a divine mission for Jesus Christ. They were willing to proclaim the true Gospel no matter what the cost.

What about us? How do we measure up in the court room where the Gospel is on trial? The Gospel is on trial every day in our circle of influence. If the people who know us, know what we believe, than they are watching. What do they see in us? The better question is "who" do they see in us? Do they see a selfish, inconsiderate, self-centered, greedy, lustful, loud person? Or do they see the humble servant who boldly proclaims Jesus Christ and lives out their faith in their action. After all faith without action is surely dead.

We have got to stand up for the Gospel. We have to posess spiritual intestinal fortitude as we proclaim the Gospel. When we are in the court room of life, who gets the glory?

"Name Above All Names: Jesus, Our Savior" Part II

Pastor Dan's sermon from 9/16/2007

Scripture Reference: Acts 3

Click here to listen.

It's Been A While

In the blog world it has been a while. Things have been very busy here. We had our grand opening of our new youth room this past Sunday with over 120 people attending. Our men's ministry has kicked into high fall gear. My family is in fall mode and we are trying to keep up with the current.

I didn't preach this past Sunday and it was wonderful to sit under the preaching of my dad from the book of Matthew. The Holy Spirit was ministering to me in a powerful way and I was glad to be able to rest in God's Word. Although, I am looking forward to preaching again this week from Acts 4.

If you have been following along, I would encourage you to read Acts 3-4 this week. It will help you to have the context of the passage before Sunday morning. See how God uses the healing of the lame man to all 2000 people unto himself. See how Peter had to take a stand in front of the murderers of Jesus Christ. See how he didn't back down. See how God blessed his boldness and how it was God, not Peter, who received all of the glory.

Often preachers received praise and adulation after a good sermon. These compliments help if we keep it in perspective to encourage us to fight the good fight. However, my hope is that the Lord is the focus of praise and adulation after a sermon. My dad said something to this effect this past week. It is always wonderful to hear how "I" ministered to someone through preaching. But my true goal is to point you to our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who strengthens me and who has found me faithful and has appointed me to this work. For I was once a blasphemer...and yet the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.

My prayer is that you would be blown away by God's incredible grace and salvation this week. Start by reading Acts 3-4 and ask God to give you opportunities, like Peter and John had, so that the Gospel might go out in a dark world.

"Name Above All Names: Jesus, Our Healer"

Pastor Dan's sermon from 9/2/2007

Scripture Reference: Acts 3:1 - 4:4

Click here to listen.

"The Christ Reformission: 'Unified, Magnified, Multiplied.'" II

Pastor Dan's sermon from 8/26/2007

Scripture Reference: Acts 2: 41-47

Click here to listen.