Again

I know that I am in the habit of repeating myself. However, I just wanted to let everyone know that the new blog is up and running. I would like for you to come and visit, I miss hearing from some of you,

www.avalleyview.blogspot.com

See you there,

Jon

A New View from the Valley

I just want to take a minute to thank all of you for reading this blog over the last several years. I don't know how active I am going to be with this blog yet, though I would like to keep it open. One of the main reasons is to allow dialogue with "yourbrother" when he comes back online!

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.

I do want to let you know that I have started a new blog that should be posted on our church website soon. The church website is still being developed so you should see changes over the next month or so.
The church website address...
http://www.vvbc-online.com/

the new blog address (if you'd rather go straight there)...
http://www.avalleyview.blogspot.com/


I hope to see you there,

Jon

Too Elderly

I know that there is a lot that has happened since the last time that I wrote. I would like to spend some time and catch everyone up to date, but I know that I won't have the time to do it this week.

1) Last month was my birthday

2) Last month we had the opportunity at church to affirm a second elder. Pastor Dan Herman and his family are joining our church. Pastor Herman will be a vocational elder which should allow him more time to focus on the needs and ministries of the church. Yesterday the girls and I spent the afternoon (along with other families from the church) helping them move in to the parsonage. We praised the Lord for good weather!

I'm sure that you'll all hear more about him, and his family, in the future but I am looking forward to ministry together with him. Thank you all for praying for our church over the last 4 years.

Mom knows best

As usual, it was a frantic scramble to get everyone in the car in order to make it to music rehearsal for church on time yesterday morning. It had nothing to do with the time change, just the fact that we were loading up the car for a full day in town.
Music practice was at 8:30, church service at 9:15 (I was preaching out of II Cor 6), Adult Bible Fellowship at 10:45 (Exhortation vs. Edification), church pot-luck at 12:15 (my mother left her dish on the top of the car when she left for church. Conveniently it was still there when she got out of the car at church), and the ordination service at 2:00

As I shut the car off in the church parking lot at 8:34 Sunday morning (only 4 minutes late), we took the time to talk to the Lord about our upcoming day. Specifically we were asking that people would see Christ in us, and that they would see God working in the church. We didn't want the focus of the day to be about us, but about God.

I believe God answered that prayer.

We had a good turnout for the afternoon ordination service. We even had friends from out of town drive in to visit. There was much to be thankful for!

Last night, before we finally headed back home, I received an ordination gift from my mother. I won't share what it was, only that it brought us both to tears. I can't think of a more meaningful gift, or one I'll treasure more, than the gift I received from my mom.

Goodness

Wow.

December was the last post?

My, has time flown.
I must confess, I have had opportunity to write, yet I have refrained.
If you have been a long time reader of this blog, you will know that I have shared circumstances that are going on in my life and even in the life of the church to which my family belongs. I don't know that I have shared anything wrong, but I have written things that were not intended for a local audience.

Many of you may know of my calling to be an Elder (pastor). I know that I have shared some of that over the years on this blog. I thought that I knew who the audience of this blog was. When I wrote, I wrote in a way (and to people) that I considered safe.

Last August, I applied for the 3rd time to be an elder at our church. We have been going through a pastor search for the last 3.8 years. The first two times that I had applied I was applying for a vocational position (Pastoral Intern, then Senior Pastor). I was turned down by the pulpit committee. I understand their reasoning. The Lord had (and has) a lot to teach me. I had no experience. I have not been to seminary.
However, last August, I asked to be affirmed as a non-vocational elder (this means no pay). After a couple of months of examining and questioning the deacons recommended me to the church as a non-vocational elder/pastor. The church then started the examining and questioning process as well. This put my family in the spotlight as well.

I don't ever want to lose my appreciation for the grace that the Lord has bestowed on my family. There are days that I just stare at my wife and my girls and wonder why the Lord has blessed me in such a marvelous way. Our teenage girls have a such a true heart for the Lord, the church, and the family, that sometimes it just causes me to sit in wonder at the goodness of our God.

Last Sunday my Captain at the Fire Department came and visited the church for the morning service. He has been searching for truth. Last night he had some questions about a verse that he was reading in his Bible. Oh the goodness of our God.

On January 17th, 2010 the church (through a vote) affirmed me as an elder. This coming Sunday, March 14th @ 2:00 p.m. the church is having an ordination service to set me apart for the ministry of the gospel. This is a direct result of the goodness of our God.

I have been thinking about either linking this blog to our church website, or starting a new blog on the website. I am leaning toward starting new. I don't have the time to proofread all of the posts that I currently have on this blog. Either way, I will keep you informed of what I decide. The advantage to keeping this blog unpublished is that it gives you the opportunity to respond to what I post without concern about the size of the audience. It may also keep "yourbrother" (who has been missing lately as well) comfortable enough to keep authoring posts.
The disadvantage would be in trying to maintain two blogs. I would guess that much of the material would be the same, though this may sometimes carry the inside scoop.

This latest absence from posting has been intentional. Yet I know that you all have continued to pray for me, my family, and the church. Oh the goodness of our God!

Paul, not Christ?

My apologies to Jon for posting on top of his recent posts. But I kind of feel like I should work on finishing what I started earlier.
This is my second post detailing my thoughts on Lakeview Bible Church’s Statement of Doctrine. Instead of sharing my specific thoughts right here, I’m going to detail their beliefs the way I understand them. I will save my own thoughts for the comments section, should it come up. (Feel free to use the comments section to challenge or ask questions about what is posted -- now and always.)

K. Mission
The mission and commission of the Church, which is the Body of Christ,
is to follow the revelation of the truth which our Lord Jesus Christ in
glory revealed to the Apostle Paul for us. That gospel which Paul called “my gospel” in contrast to the gospel of the circumcision (Israel) is God’s message for today.
So, as Paul, we should strive to preach the gospel in the regions
beyond where Christ is not named.
(Romans 2:16, 11:13, 15:16, 15:20 and 16:25; 1 Corinthians 4:16 and 11:1;
2 Corinthians 10:16; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 1:6, 9, 11 and 2:2, 5:7;
Ephesians 3:1-2; Philippians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:6;
1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11 and 2:2 &8)

There are 3 parts to this mission statement. I will break them down for you along with the applicable verses from those listed in their statement of faith. I am listing these verses out here to get your thoughts moving. My understanding of their points in green.

1. The mission and commission of the Church, which is the Body of Christ, is to follow the revelation of the truth which our Lord Jesus Christ in glory revealed to the Apostle Paul for us.

(Paul was given special revelation to become God’s minister to the Gentiles. These are the teachings the church is to follow.)

Galatians 1:6-12 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:1 1For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

2. That gospel which Paul called “my gospel” in contrast to the gospel of the circumcision (Israel) is God’s message for today.

(Paul was given a new gospel to preach among the Gentiles. This new gospel was the special revelation that God had given to him – previously a mystery (unknown, hidden by God). He refers to it as “my gospel” and the “Gospel of the Uncircumcision” in contrast to the gospel that was given by Jesus and was being preached by the disciples.)

Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
1 Timothy 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

3. So, as Paul, we should strive to preach the gospel in the regions beyond where Christ is not named.

(Paul was given a new gospel and a new audience. Since we belong to the new audience, saved under the new gospel, our example is not the disciples’ following Jesus’s command to preach His gospel and baptize, but rather our example is Paul. Paul himself told us to be followers of him, and he believed his mission was to preach his gospel to everyone who had not heard it.)

Romans 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
1 Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

-- YourBrother

Well Come

I feel the need to write a quick post to welcome all the new readers. I found out tonight, in a rather surprising way, that what I thought was written to a few, has now been read by many!
There should not be any secrets on this blog, though I will confess that some of the posts over the last 3 years were not intended for a larger audience. Many times postings were added as the Lord was working on me in specific areas. The long time reader of this blog has been able to hear and see those things in progress.

Karen and I had a question and answer time with the church tonight regarding my qualifications as an Elder candidate. It turns out that this blog was being read by people that I would have never guessed had access to it. This is not a bad thing, though I know some posts may not be understood in the context in which they were written. That being said, feel free to browse through the last few years of my private (or since it's on the net, not so private) life.

Let me recommend two of my favorite posts to the new readers to this blog:

Aug 2008 "Anything dad can do..."
Dec 15 2007 "Deer me"

If you use the links on the left of this post you can quickly jump to a previous year and then look for the month and title of the post you would like to read.

In addition, you can comment on any post you would like to weigh in on by clicking on the "__ comments" under each posting. Hope to hear from you soon,
Jon