Congratulations to Dave and Anna on welcoming their little boy, Ezekiel, into the world this week!
“…so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
Romans 12:5
Membership is a key feature of our church. We practice it because it’s biblical, it provides a context for ministry, and it leaves nobody wondering whether or not Sovereign Grace Church is their church.
Our approach to membership is straightforward. It’s outlined right here.
If you’re a regular attender we invite you to contact the church office so that we can help you answer the question: Is God calling me to join this church? There’s no rush. We’re available to answer any and all of your questions.
Failing Forward In Evangelism
The first month of “Who’s Your One?” is behind us. It’s a good time to stop and ask: how can I fail forward at evangelism? We’re going to make mistakes. Perhaps, you made some in 2022 already. We’ll speak when we should listen and listen when we should speak. We’ll forget to pray. We’ll get too busy and never meet with the person we intended to share the gospel with. We’ll lose courage and decide not to share the gospel because we’re afraid of their response. We’ll offer Christ to people who say, “No thanks.”
Charles Spurgeon, who described himself as “addicted” to leading people to Christ, had this to say about responding to evangelism failures:
“I may be speaking to a few who have not succeeded; if so, I would recommend them to look steadily over their motive, their spirit, their work, and their prayer, and then begin again. Perhaps they may get to work more wisely, more believingly, more humbly, and more in the power of the Holy Spirit. They must act as farmers do who, after a poor harvest, plow again in hope. They ought not to be dispirited, but they ought to be aroused. We should be anxious to find out the reason of failure, if there be any, and we should be ready to learn from all our fellow-laborers; but we must steadfastly set our faces, if by any means we may save some, resolving that whatever happens we will leave no stone unturned to effect the salvation of those around us.”
What should we do when we fail at evangelism? Consider how we could improve next time. Remember that God uses imperfect messengers to convey His perfect message. And try again expecting God to bring in His harvest.
Next Steps
Decide who your “one” is for February and prepare to share about them with your small group. If you failed to share the gospel with your “one” from January, feel free to pick them and try again this month!
Think through ways you’ve failed in evangelism and what you can do to improve next time. Prepare to share your thoughts with your small group.
Review the “Who’s Your One?” webpage and make use of the recommended resources at the bottom.
May God bless our efforts this month to share the gospel with those who are lost and need to be found!
The Most Unpopular Christian Convictions
Pastor Eric is taking our youth through some of the most challenging beliefs Christians hold. They’ve already covered “Christianity is the one true religion”, “Christians believe in sin”, and “Christians believe in forgiveness.” What are they covering this week? Come and find out!
All Junior and Senior High students are invited to join. Bring your friends. Pastor Eric is leading and hosting at his house.
This Thursday
7pm-9pm
Contact Pastor Eric with any questions.
May our young men and women know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
A Command That’s Easy to Understand but Difficult to Practice
On Sunday guest preacher Mickey Connolly preached from Philippians 4:6-7. He reminded us that anxiety is an ambush predator, always lurking nearby waiting for an opportunity to strike. It robs us of joy and hope. But God has well-equipped us to protect ourselves. We can pray for help, thank God for past mercies, and expect Him to give present peace. Our circumstances may not change, but by God’s grace, we certainly can.
A Place Where Kids Can Grow in Christ
Children matter to God. Children are a gift from God to us. We have the privilege of leading our kids to trust Jesus, love the church, and embrace the gospel mission. That's why we have a children's ministry. Its new name is The Grove.
Our goal at The Grove is to teach and train the next generation of disciples. Parents are the primary disciple-makers of their kids, but the church is here to help. We're reaching our kids with the gospel together.
The Grove will take place each Sunday. Led by our faithful volunteers, children will be taught the whole Bible, learn to demonstrate God’s love to one another, and make good memories at church. This isn’t merely childcare. This is an amazing opportunity to teach the good news of Jesus Christ to all our children. It's a vital part of our ministry as a local congregation.
Classes start on Sunday, February 6th
Classes are offered during the second half of the service. Keep your kids with you during the singing and we’ll provide instructions at the mid-service break. We're offering two classes currently: one for kids 6 months-3 years old and another for kids 4-7 years old.
If you have a heart to serve our kids, we'd love to equip you! Contact Andrew Maples and he'll get you the info you need.
We pray that the Lord would use The Grove to strengthen our families and our church. We're planting seeds that will yield fruit for generations to come.
We’ve Got Your Lunch Plans This Sunday
Our regularly scheduled Plaza Park takeover is happening this week. We bring our lawn chairs and lunches and head downtown right after the service to enjoy a meal in the middle of our city. It’s a simple way to be a light to our neighbors.
Come this Sunday ready to do lunch with us. We’ll have our world famous buck-o-slice pizza available. Pizza is free for our guests.
Church is the Dearest Place on Earth
We turned the livestream back on for January to serve those who were stuck at home due to the omicron variant. But with cases dropping, we’re ending the livestream after this Sunday.
Join us in-person on Sunday mornings to meet with both God and His people. As always, please stay home if you’re sick and follow applicable health guidelines. You can take advantage of our sermon recordings and podcast.
There really is nothing like being among God’s people. We can’t wait to see you this Sunday!