www.NewCityDowntown.org (2.0)
Check it out!
There are still a few bugs being worked out but here are some features that are present now and some already in the works:
Become an active participant: Go to he "CONNECT" tab at the top of the home page. Here you can register as a website participant. Your MC will have its own page where registered and approved users can share MC sensitive info, prayer requests, upcoming events...
Pastor/Leadership Blog: We will be adding a blog to be shared by NCCd pastors and leadership.
Live Video Streaming/Vodcasting: We will begin working soon to add quality Live streaming of our Sunday gatherings and with increased storage capabilities we will be able to save video for video podcasting.
A huge thanks to Chris and Hannah Marney for all of their hard work!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Our Current Series on the Cross
In our current series we will slice substitutionary atonement (The “substitutionary atonement” refers to the fact that Jesus Christ died on behalf of all sinners) into 3 sections:Propitiation preached by JD – Propitiation is the turning away of God’s wrath. The idea is that Jesus took the wrath of God that we deserve.
Expiation preached by Patrick – Expiation is the removal of sin.
Justification preached by Cameron – Justification is the act whereby God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. We are made holy by His act.
While justification is not as much a ‘cross issue’ as propitiation and expiation, it is essential to our relationship with God in light of His perfect justice. Let me explain:
We are sinners deserving the wrath of God.
To enjoy God’s presence we must have propitiation. Our sin requires a just penalty. If God ‘overlooks’ the penalty, then he is not just. Jesus took the penalty.
Still – God is holy and cannot fellowship with unholy sinners. Though his wrath was appeased in Jesus, sin still had to be dealt with. In expiation Jesus takes our sin upon himself – he who knew no sin became sin our behalf.
Propitiation and expiation remove wrath and sin, but at best leaves us neutral. We need holiness in order to enjoy His holy presence. Justification is the act of God that declares us holy in Christ. With all three in place, God remains perfectly just and we are able to enjoy Him forever. In Christ, God has met every requirement for our relationship with Him. He has done in Jesus what we could never do ourselves!
A beautiful picture of propitiation and expiation can be seen in Leviticus 16:
15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. 18Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. 19And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.
20"And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. 22The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.
Two goats were used ceremonially on the Day of Atonement.
One goat was killed for the sins of Israel and its blood sprinkled over the Mercy Seat. This goat served as a picture of the propitiation that would ultimately be completed in Jesus. The goat spilled his blood and sacrificed his life, ceremonially enduring God’s wrath for His people.
The priest laid hands on the Second goat, ceremonially placing the sins of the nation on that goat. The goat was then set free in the wilderness, taking with it the sins of Israel – expiation.
The Day of Atonement served as a picture of what God would do for His people in Jesus.
So -
Propitiation is Jesus taking God's wrath for us.
Expiation is Jesus taking our sins from us.
Justification is the imputation of Jesus' righteousness to us.
On Easter Sunday we will talk about how all of these beautiful provisions hinge on one thing - the Resurrection.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Phase II
Year 2 for NCCd is bringing about a great deal of change. Most people don't see the whirlwind of activity that surrounds New City and church planting and likely don't see the increase in activity right now. So - what don't you see?
Every Monday at 6pm our leadership team meets. We are working through a long list of things that includes better MC leader training, changes in our children's area, increased security procedures, membership, church planter/pastor-elder assessment and training... Add to those new website that will soon be ready and this:
Paul Evans is in the final stages of his elder candidacy,
Patrick is jumping in as our Executive Director (? we don't know what to call him!),
JD is still learning about all that overseeing the 567 entails AND is operating as the City Watch Coordinator!
Tyler is doing a great job leading our bands - but having bumps here and there,
We are looking at making some MC moves and having an MC Coach who would oversee all of our MCs and coach the MC leaders.
Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to be the official chaplain of the MIA softball team (Chris Horne heading up the effort to put the team together), Bragg Jam is right around the corner and the 567 will be a venue again (we may actually have this year's headliner!), we have been part of planning for the alley improvements that will soon take place behind the 567, I am talking with others about event planning for the downtown area that may include a National December Chili Cook Off, and possibly a future Beer Festival where brewers from all over the world showcase their creations.
It is going to be a good year.
On top of all of the increased activities I have a HUGE sense that we, as a church, have begun to settle. It happens. Things are flowing well - bands are sounding great - new guys are here to help - the 567 stays busy - our attendance continues to climb... things look good - so, we become satisfied. This leads to death.
SO - I have begun PUSHING! Yes - PUSHING! I am pushing the leaders behind the scenes. Pushing our guys to remember the urgency of our call and the mission. I am pushing them to NOT settle, to NOT be comfortable.
Phase II is underway!
Every Monday at 6pm our leadership team meets. We are working through a long list of things that includes better MC leader training, changes in our children's area, increased security procedures, membership, church planter/pastor-elder assessment and training... Add to those new website that will soon be ready and this:
Paul Evans is in the final stages of his elder candidacy,
Patrick is jumping in as our Executive Director (? we don't know what to call him!),
JD is still learning about all that overseeing the 567 entails AND is operating as the City Watch Coordinator!
Tyler is doing a great job leading our bands - but having bumps here and there,
We are looking at making some MC moves and having an MC Coach who would oversee all of our MCs and coach the MC leaders.
Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to be the official chaplain of the MIA softball team (Chris Horne heading up the effort to put the team together), Bragg Jam is right around the corner and the 567 will be a venue again (we may actually have this year's headliner!), we have been part of planning for the alley improvements that will soon take place behind the 567, I am talking with others about event planning for the downtown area that may include a National December Chili Cook Off, and possibly a future Beer Festival where brewers from all over the world showcase their creations.
It is going to be a good year.
On top of all of the increased activities I have a HUGE sense that we, as a church, have begun to settle. It happens. Things are flowing well - bands are sounding great - new guys are here to help - the 567 stays busy - our attendance continues to climb... things look good - so, we become satisfied. This leads to death.
SO - I have begun PUSHING! Yes - PUSHING! I am pushing the leaders behind the scenes. Pushing our guys to remember the urgency of our call and the mission. I am pushing them to NOT settle, to NOT be comfortable.
Phase II is underway!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Did You Quit Blogging? for Planter Wannabes
I have done a lot of hard things in 41 years.
I played some college football - Samford University. Football was like a job - up very early for workouts - school - practice - workouts - study hall - sleep - then start over.
At 30 I left a fun, good paying job and moved to another city in order to go back to school. We moved with 2 little ones, went 9 months without a job - drained all our resources, in school full time taking an average of 15 hours or so per semester I found a job working at something I hated for 35 hours p/week. I also taught in a local church as well. Then - while still in school - I took a church position as pastor and finished school. Full time school, full time job, full time fam.
I took an associate position at another church. I was the only staff pastor without an assistant, or secretary, or whatever you want to call it. During the busy months I worked 60 plus hours and was on call often! I worked almost every church event, started new ministries, expanded ministries...
But none of it compares to the past year and a half.
At the end of 2008 New City would have been considered a very successful church plant. We were pushing 150 in attendance and growing. We were connected to the city in amazing ways. The 567 was nominated as one of the city's best new businesses. Three guys were in the process of changing their entire lives in order to join us - moving from as far away as Spokane, WA.
Today those guys are here and we are creeping up to 200 in weekly attendance. I am daily amazed at the new doors opening in the city. We didn't win the best new business, but our events are at the 567 are generally a success and things are going great.
And I am exhausted.
Most weeks are still 7 days a week,
I am cramming to get a sermon done in 1/4 of the time I used to spend,
I meet with more people and more groups than I ever have in my entire life,
We are entering into some great planning for our future,
I coach 3 other church planters (and love them) and have a relationship with a 4th guy,
I have a wife and 3 kids,
I have friends,
I have guys who need my attention,
I have a young congregation with 3 weddings coming up (counseling, planning...)
I have a church planter assessment this weekend in ATL for a potential A-29er,
I have a memorial service in Woodstock,
We are growing
We are reaching new people
And I am exhausted.
A friend called today and asked me during the conversation, 'So, did you quit blogging? I haven't seen anything from you in a while.'
No. I haven't. Not much time lately.
For any would be planter who may see the 'glitter' of a Mark Driscoll, or Matt Chandler, or one of those guys...
Know that this is the hardest thing you will ever do.
Probably, or at least potentially the most rewarding - but almost certainly the hardest.
I played some college football - Samford University. Football was like a job - up very early for workouts - school - practice - workouts - study hall - sleep - then start over.
At 30 I left a fun, good paying job and moved to another city in order to go back to school. We moved with 2 little ones, went 9 months without a job - drained all our resources, in school full time taking an average of 15 hours or so per semester I found a job working at something I hated for 35 hours p/week. I also taught in a local church as well. Then - while still in school - I took a church position as pastor and finished school. Full time school, full time job, full time fam.
I took an associate position at another church. I was the only staff pastor without an assistant, or secretary, or whatever you want to call it. During the busy months I worked 60 plus hours and was on call often! I worked almost every church event, started new ministries, expanded ministries...
But none of it compares to the past year and a half.
At the end of 2008 New City would have been considered a very successful church plant. We were pushing 150 in attendance and growing. We were connected to the city in amazing ways. The 567 was nominated as one of the city's best new businesses. Three guys were in the process of changing their entire lives in order to join us - moving from as far away as Spokane, WA.
Today those guys are here and we are creeping up to 200 in weekly attendance. I am daily amazed at the new doors opening in the city. We didn't win the best new business, but our events are at the 567 are generally a success and things are going great.
And I am exhausted.
Most weeks are still 7 days a week,
I am cramming to get a sermon done in 1/4 of the time I used to spend,
I meet with more people and more groups than I ever have in my entire life,
We are entering into some great planning for our future,
I coach 3 other church planters (and love them) and have a relationship with a 4th guy,
I have a wife and 3 kids,
I have friends,
I have guys who need my attention,
I have a young congregation with 3 weddings coming up (counseling, planning...)
I have a church planter assessment this weekend in ATL for a potential A-29er,
I have a memorial service in Woodstock,
We are growing
We are reaching new people
And I am exhausted.
A friend called today and asked me during the conversation, 'So, did you quit blogging? I haven't seen anything from you in a while.'
No. I haven't. Not much time lately.
For any would be planter who may see the 'glitter' of a Mark Driscoll, or Matt Chandler, or one of those guys...
Know that this is the hardest thing you will ever do.
Probably, or at least potentially the most rewarding - but almost certainly the hardest.
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