Friday, February 27, 2015

Preparation for Wednesday March 4th

We are still warming up to our subject--the "culture" that should be apparent in every church fellowship because of their shared belief in the Gospel.  In other words, the things we hold most dear (Gospel doctrine) should naturally manifest themselves in a certain culture (Gospel culture).  This culture should be a distinctive mark of the church, and it should attract people to it, which is to attract people to Christ.   As we saw last time, our understanding of what God has done through the cross of Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16), should lead us to love one another (1Jn 4:11), and it is this love that manifests God to a lost and watching world.  

Beginning this week, we will start looking at passages that deal with the Gospel, and ask ourselves, "If we believed this, what kind of culture would it produce?"  The first passage we will study is Rm 1:16.   Meditate on this verse for a few minutes and think about the kind of culture that would result if we were a Church fellowship that shared a common belief in this verse?  

   - Of  these two words found in the verse, ashamed and power, which do you think is the one we are meant to focus upon?

   - How does that change the culture we would have as a fellowship?

All of this begs that we understand the Gospel--as an exercise,  write out your best understanding of the Gospel in less than 25 words.  

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Preparation for Wednesday February 25th

We are just getting started on a study of both the Gospel and the culture it should produce.  As I tried to make clear last Wednesday, I am trying to persuade you that a set of shared beliefs, truly held among individuals, should lead to a shared culture.  Furthermore, by way of application, I am suggesting that our witness to the lost in our community is most powerful when it is a mixture of doctrine and culture.  Now you might find that to be a surprising thing for a Bible teacher to say--someone who cares about orthodoxy above almost everything else.  But I am also willing to hear God speak to me through His Word--and what does Jn 13:35 say?  Does this seem more like an expression of orthodoxy or culture?  (Specifically, I mean the culture the Church is to display to the lost world around us.)


We will take about Rm 1:16 this week and the culture it should produce.  Meditate on this verse for a few minutes and think about the kind of culture that would result if we were a Church fellowship that shared a common belief in this verse?  

   - Of  these two words in the verse, ashamed and power, which do you think is the one we are meant to focus upon?

   - How does that change the culture we would have as a fellowship?  


All of this begs that we understand the Gospel--as an exercise,  write out your best understanding of the Gospel in less than 25 words.  

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Preparation for Wednesday 18 Feb 2015

We are going to begin a short study on Wednesday evenings entitled:  "Gospel Culture".   After our study of revival, the substance of the Gospel and the culture it should naturally produce, is something on which I think we need to reflect.  So for the week ahead, please consider the following:  

1.  If we were a church consisting of "revived" individuals, would we by necessity have some kind of associated "church culture"?  If so, can you describe what it would be like?

2.  Read Rm 1:16.  What does this teach us about the Gospel?  What aspect of culture would result?

See you on Wednesday,
Kevin