We will continue looking at Jacob’s life this Lord’s Day, moving from his family situation to his vocation. Finally, we will see some real growth in Jacob and, at the same time, see how our vocations are to be honoring to the Lord. And we all have a vocation. A vocation is not just what we do outside the home for income. It encapsulates much of our life, and our witness.

If you are looking for a place to worship this week, consider Providence Church! And plan to join us for lunch!

To help you prepare your heart for worship, click the link below to download a copy of this week’s bulletin.

While Providence is indeed a glorious church; it is not the Church; and it is not the only church. We are a part of the Church universal, which spans from the gates of Eden to the gates of the city known as New Jerusalem. And we stand united with other groups of Christians across the country, indeed across the world, in the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. These churches, as a whole, are often called the church visible. It is to this church that God has given His charge and His Word. He ordains this Church to call sinners to repentance and to see the converted grow in the image of Christ.

But that certainly begs the question, if all churches make up the visible church, then why not go to the church that is closest to your home? Perhaps the little white building just down the street? Why should you consider one church over another?

This is an important question for a church like Providence. You see, we are a church that has a vision for community. We desire to be there to help one another, to bear each other’s burdens, and to develop close, long term friendships. It is our prayer that there will even be marriages within the church families and that our great-grandchildren will be faithful members of Providence.

Yet, our church has an interesting attribute – we are somewhat geographically challenged. Some families travel almost two hours one way to come to church; and they come faithfully every Lord’s Day! Some are more consistent in their attendance than those who live just minutes away. Why do they make the drive? Why did they choose Providence over the churches in their local communities?

It all comes down to finding a church alive. I’m going to offer a few thoughts. As I do, note that I will be approaching this from the biased viewpoint of a Reformed (the biblical system of doctrine that was systematized during the Protestant Reformation) and Presbyterian (the biblical church government comprised of a plurality and parity of godly officers called elders) pastor. However, I believe these principles can prove helpful to other doctrinal positions as well.

So, how do you find a church alive?

As the church has been given the command to spread the Gospel, the first criteria should be a commitment to sound doctrine. We could call this orthodoxy. Any candidate church must strive to teach the whole counsel of God. This is why we typically teach in an expository fashion. We work through whole books of the Bible, trying to understand the Word in context, and not skip over the troublesome points. It is important to also find a church that proclaims biblical truths as foundational regardless of the shifts we may see in our culture. I encourage people to ask probing questions, such as:

• What is your position on Creation versus evolution?
• Do you believe in a literal Hell into which those who reject the call of the Gospel and/or God’s revelation of Himself in Creation will be cast for eternal punishment?
• Do you believe in the virgin birth, sinless life, and bodily resurrection of Jesus?
• Do you believe that there is no salvation for anyone apart from faith in Jesus Christ?
• Do you believe a sinner is justified by faith alone apart from good works?
• Do you believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, the authoritative rule of faith, and practice for all of life?

In other words, is the candidate church a church of the Word?

The second area of focus should be the life of the body. We could call this orthopraxy. Sadly, there are many churches that hold to the tenets of the Christian faith, but whose members seem to forget that they are to be ambassadors for Jesus in their everyday lives. You can often sense the spiritual commitment of the members through observing the children and the youth. Adults can put on a good Sunday game face far better than children. And, if that which is taught from the pulpit is not reinforced at the kitchen table, the mission of the church, indeed the spiritual life of the next generation, is compromised.

A third area of focus, at least for me, would be worship. Does the candidate church view worship as something that is for man or something that is for God? The answer to this question will be seen in the approach to worship. Ask yourself these questions when you visit a church:

• Is the worship participatory or does it seem more like a performance?
• Is the Body encouraged worship corporately, or is the focus on me as an individual?
• Does the worship service exalt Jesus, promote solid doctrine, and portray the reality of the Gospel?
• Is there an emphasis on what seekers want or is there a focus on the biblical reasons behind how we worship?
• Does the worship service convict my heart and point me to the Cross, or is the focus on feelings and emotions?

Lastly, I think it is important to consider the vision of the church. Where is the church heading? What does the church see as her mission? Is there more of an emphasis on evangelism than on discipleship? Are children viewed as covenant blessings or are they treated as vipers in diapers? Are households strengthened or separated? Is there a desire to plant new churches in other areas, or is the church striving to join the ranks of the mega-churches?

Based on the points above, I consider Providence a church alive. I suppose that is not too surprising. But can a geographically challenged family experience real community? The answer to this is a resounding – maybe. It depends on how the family integrates themselves into the life of the church, specifically on Sunday. For this reason, we have intentionally made the Lord’s Day a full day of fellowship. It starts with worship at 10:00 am, followed by a fellowship lunch at 12:30 pm, and officially concludes after a time of teaching and singing at 2:30 pm. Throughout the rest of the day there is plenty of time for fellowship and ministry.

This is when practicing hospitality is important. Inviting families out for the evening—or even for the weekend is a good way to get to know one another. We have invited families who live far away to spend Saturday with us, so that we can head to church together on Sunday morning.

In addition, there are many technological resources available today that make distance fellowship possible. This includes email loops and virtual community portals. And there is also the telephone. As the old commercial jingle said, “Reach out and touch someone.” This is so much easier today than ever. Video calls, the dream of just a few years ago, is today’s reality. While there are certainly limitations for the remote family, such as mid-week meetings, developing solid relationships and fellowship is more than possible.

Also, it is important to remember that in the days of old, it was common for congregants to travel well over an hour one way to church. While the distance from the farm to the meeting house may have been shorter, the fact that travel was often done on foot or with horse and buggy would mean a long trip. Just like then, families today spend the time singing together, memorizing Scripture, or learning Bible stories. Except we get to enjoy air conditioning!

Long distance church families may have to get a little creative, but fellowship can happen, and close relationships may become even closer because of it.

There are two other points to consider with regard to a church alive. One is the prospect of moving closer. If you truly feel called to the fellowship of a good church, but the drive is a challenge, the Lord may lead you to relocate. While this is not an option available to all, it is certainly something worth praying about. Also, you may want to talk to the church leadership about starting a mission work in your community. Mission works require prayer, investment, leadership, and time, but most churches that adhere to the points above would be very open to seeing how they could help.

At the end of the day, decisions regarding where to place your church membership must be bathed in prayer. Seek the counsel of the Lord. And consider the impact a church alive can have on your household. You may face extra sacrifices because of the distance, but after considering your options, you may indeed find that the church alive is worth the drive.

And to make it legal, the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the other elders or members of Providence Church.

On Sunday afternoon, October 3, members of Providence Church will join with Christians around Central Illinois to stand in defense of human life. This is a time of prayer and silent protest as we seek God’s divine help to end the legalized killing of preborn Americans. We will stand together in the city of Peoria for an hour, crying out to God to move mightily in our land.

Since 1973, over 50 million Americans have died through legalized abortion.50,000,000 children! Consider the population of your community. How many times would the population of your community have to be destroyed before you equaled the slaughter of 50,000,000 souls?

We encourage you to join us. Come worship with us October 3rd, and then drive over with us to stand for life. It is a time of solemn remembrance of our corporate sin, and yet God’s merciful love.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

For more information on this time of prayer and service, contact our church office at 309-387-2600.

War of the Wombs
Genesis 29:31-30:24
Series: In the Beginning… Jesus
Pastor James McDonald

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

Audio :: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need – Psalm 23

A similar event happened in the days of the Reformation. There were many significant issues within the church that needed to be addressed. One of those was the dangerous position of Rome that the traditions of the church supplemented biblical revelation. In some circles, tradition was even seen as superior to the Word of God.

This error was zealously confronted. And so, the call of the Reformers was a return to an understanding that the Word of God was the sole infallible authority, and that this Word was given to the church. And (here is the part we struggle with) the church is not the individual. It was within the church that key doctrines were to be defined. This responsibility was based on biblical precepts (Matt 16:19, Acts 6:2–4, 15:6-29). Of course, the teachings of the church were not to be seen as infallible. However, interpretations that were in concord with the historic doctrinal constructs of the Apostles and Prophets (Eph 2:20) should be those that guided the church.

But how soon we forget. Just like the days of the Reformation, there are real issues confronting the church of Jesus today. And, as a result of these problems, we have more and more disenfranchised Christians reacting by setting up independent “shops” with little concern for the historicity of the church. Disconnected house churches are spreading like wild fire across the US and beyond. Within many of these fledgling bodies, the creeds and confessions are considered irrelevant. Church history is an enigma; and a false understanding of the priesthood of the believers maligns the biblical offices of elder and deacon. Even more troubling, the historic doctrines of the Church, which have been called the rule of faith, are often ignored. And yet, these groups claim they are within the bounds of Sola Scriptura.

However, some theologians better describe this tendency as “solo” Scriptura. Instead of seeing God’s Word as the sole infallible authority, the Bible is seen as the only authority. “Solo” promoters assert that the interpretation of Scripture is not to be based on the historic work of men and counsels over the ages; instead, it is open to one’s private and individualistic interpretation. One’s personal reading and understanding of Scripture is all that matters.

The Solo Scriptura position inevitably results in a form of relativism. The final arbiter of the truth of a passage is the individual’s interpretation. And thus, the Word of God is not the final authority. Rather, what we believe to be right is the final authority. If there is discord between two competing interpretations, the individual, by himself, gets to make the final call. The ultimate source of truth is one’s own judgment, which is clearly often relative and subjective. This sets up a structure that is obviously capricious and possibly damaging, especially if this is an approach taken by leadership.

There is also the problem with Scripture itself. How do we even know what is the true inspired Word of God if we cannot place trust in the councils of old? If someone were to question the canonicity of the Book of James and decide to rip it out of his Bible, who would be there to say his decision was wrong? Or, if someone were to hold that the Gnostic Book of Enoch should have a place in the Word of God, what would stand in their way? As has often been pointed out, the table of contents in the front of our Bible is not part of the inspired Word of God. And so, what is to prohibit personal selection of what should and should not be considered part of the canon of Scripture?

Holding to a position of “solo” Scriptura also leads to a continued fracturing of the Church of God. We are an opinionated bunch and when we develop our own personal positions on truth, but positions that may not be in accord with centuries of biblical orthodoxy, we end up splitting and dividing even further. In a time when the church should be standing firm against the work of the enemy of our souls, we are divided and, without Jesus, we would soon be conquered. Of course, there is also the ever present danger of our holding to and teaching heresy.

Now, all this said, it is still important for us, as individuals, to study God’s Word. We should be a people of the Book. And as is the example of the Bereans, we should be searching the Scriptures ourselves to learn more of the wonder of God’s Word and the doctrines of the church. But, again, like the Bereans, we don’t do this in a vacuum. They had the Apostle Paul to guide them. We have the work and study of men of God throughout the ages.

And to make it legal, the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the other elders or members of Providence Church.

Originally published in September/October 2010 issue Every Thought Captive – are you a subscriber?

1 Peter 2:4-5. Have you considered what it means to you to see Jesus as your living stone? He is your fortress and your foundation. It is upon the foundation of Jesus that our lives, our families, our churches must be based. Consider the work of Jesus today!

Living Stones
1 Peter 2:4-5
Series: 1 Peter
Elder Bryan Evans

Yet, in God’s Providence, I was called into the realm of philosophy and theology, into the arena of attempting to discover the nature of being and the cosmos. Thus, part of my role as a pastor is to understand the challenging questions of life: who we are, why we are, what we are, and where we are going. My call to this walk came from a transcendent God who is the Creator of all and who has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His creation; but, even more importantly, through His Word. It is through His Word that we are able to make sense of the challenging questions of life, and where we come to see our sin and our need for a redeemer.

Yet, in addition to God’s Word, it is important that I also have some knowledge of other responses to these challenging questions. These questions have perplexed men through the ages. Intellectual struggles with these questions have resulted in multiple worldviews all claiming to have answers to these questions, as well as others. Some ask whether or not we even exist or, if we do exist, how can we know for sure? Indeed, how can we know at all?

Striving to answer the challenging questions of life has driven men to develop worldviews that confront us every day. The worldviews of Marx and Hume, of Nietzsche and Descartes, of Aquinas and Kierkegaard, of Darwin and Freud, and so many more, fuel the policies of our politicians and businessmen, our educators and our economists, our authors and our theologians. And many of these worldviews directly challenge the authority of Scripture and the mission of the Church of Jesus.

And so, I must make it a priority to understand the worldviews of the day and their foundation, which often means seeking to know their architects. I do this by trying to look at philosophers as engineers—engineers of ideas. And, as a mechanical engineer might seek to create a better mousetrap, the philosopher seeks to use ideas to create a different world.

If you are interested in knowing more about these philosophies, I encourage you to pick up a copy of R.C. Sproul’s book, The Consequences of Ideas. In this work, Dr. Sproul tackles a daunting task of explaining a multitude of worldviews, from Plato to Jean-Paul Sartre in just over 200 pages. And he does a remarkable job! Spanning over 2500 years of philosophical history, thoughts of men sometimes collide into one another in an almost cerebral conflict.

Some of our worldviews have been built one upon another; and, since the superstructure have been constructed on an erroneous premise, we have a house of cards ready to tumble. Dr, Sproul writes in an engaging style that communicates complex ideas in a straightforward manner. This is a great text to help develop a basic understanding of some of the most important worldviews and philosophies across the centuries.

Yet, it is not without a few defects. While Dr. Sproul manages to convey the ideas of many famous Western philosophers, I often found that I had to construct applications of these thoughts in our world. It would have been very helpful for Dr. Sproul to have developed a few more real world examples for the lay reader. In addition, a series of study questions would be very helpful for use with groups or home school families.

The book could have more applications for Christian apologetics as well. While Dr. Sproul’s penchant for classical apologetics comes across clearly at times, I felt a good dose of presuppositional apologetics could have been used to pull down the strongholds, the imaginations, and the high things that were exalted against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Lastly, I found his selection of philosophers to be a bit lacking. One of the major worldviews facing the church today is that of postmodernism, yet there was no mention of Michel Foucault or other postmodern philosophers.

Still, this is a solid book to present philosophical ideas and constructs to even a dullard like this old mechanical engineer turned pastor. There was a day when I would have felt more at home with differential equations; but, God has called me to a new walk. And in my walk, I am thankful for men like Dr. Sproul who are committed to developing such important tools and resources. I am grateful for his efforts.

Ideas do indeed have consequences. To understand ideas we must be prepared to think. And thinking is the responsibility of every Christian. Pick up a copy of this book and think.

My grade for The Consequences of Ideas: B+

The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the Concepts that Shaped our World
Dr. R.C. Sproul
Crossway Books

And to make it legal, the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the other elders or members of Providence Church.

Discipline is for the Disciple
Genesis 29:1-30
In the Beginning, Jesus
Pastor James McDonald

• We affirm that God has created from one blood every nation of men (Acts 17:26).
• We affirm that the division of the nations (Genesis 11:1-9) was a result of man’s sin of defying God’s plan to take dominion of the earth (Genesis 1:28, 9:1, 7).
• We affirm that the division of the nations directly led to multiple languages, not multiple skin pigments (Genesis 11:7).
• We affirm that Jesus died to secure for Himself a Church, His Bride, which is composed of people from every tribe, language, and nation (Revelation 5:9, 7:9).
• We affirm that the reference to the tribes, languages, and nations (Revelation 5:9) is not to establish the principle of eternal distinctions that we must strive to maintain in history, but rather the power of the Gospel to establish the principle of E Pluribus Unum – “out of many, one” which principle of unity we are to pursue and grow into in history. The church triumphant will indeed be comprised of all tribes, languages, and nations, and skin pigmentations, but there is no mandate for such separation in the church militant.
• We affirm that the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) will fulfill God’s plan of dominion.
• We affirm that all men, regardless of ethnic background, are sinners in God’s sight (Romans 3:22-23); but, faith in the finished work of Jesus brings God’s forgiveness and gives new life (Romans 10:13).
• We affirm that just as the first century church was comprised of many ethnic groups (Acts 13:1), our church should welcome all, regardless of people group, culture, color, or background (Galatians 3:28).
• We affirm that the Gospel breaks down walls of separation (Ephesians 2:13-14), establishes unity inherent in the body (Ephesians 4:3-6), and is the basis for our growing and maturing into visible unity (Ephesians 4:12-16).
  • We affirm that it is this visible unity for which Christ prayed (John 17:20-23).
  • We affirm that it is this visible unity for which Christ gave gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:8, 11-13).
  • We therefore affirm that it is our duty as pastors and as gifts to the Church to actively teach and disciple this maturity and unity (Hebrews 13:17).
• We affirm that racism (any explicit or implicit belief or practice that qualitatively distinguishes and values one people group over other people groups*) is sin.
  • Racism denies the Gospel (Galatians 2:11-16).
  • Racism is a form of idolatry (Exodus 20:3-4).
  • Racism is a form of murder (Exodus 20:13, Matthew 5:21-22, I John 3:14-15, see also Westminster Larger Catechism 135 & 136).
• We affirm that, from God’s perspective, there is only one race, the human race (Acts 17:26) and that God is only concerned with one division of men: the seed of the serpent and the seed of Christ (Matthew 25:31-46).
• We affirm that in Jesus, we are made into one nation, one people, one priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10).
• We affirm that while national and familial ties are important, our covenantal relationship to Jesus overrides all ethnic bonds (Matthew 12:46-50).
• We affirm that there are positive examples of marriage between people groups in the Bible, and that Jesus’ own genealogy testifies of the engrafting of other people groups into the Messianic line (Numbers 12:1, Ruth 1:16, Matthew 1:5) and that such marriages are not sinful.
• We affirm that while culture and ethnicity may be an issue to be considered in choosing a spouse, one of the only barriers to marriage for the Christian is that the potential spouse be in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39, see also the Westminster Confession of Faith 24:3). Other barriers include consanguinity (Leviticus 18, 1 Corinthians 5:1, Amos 2:7), unlawful divorce (Matthew 19:8–9, 1 Corinthians 7:15), and polygamy (Genesis 2:18, 21-25).
• We affirm that children born to couples of different ethnicities are covenant blessings (Psalm 127:3) and are to be brought up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
• We affirm that the blood of Jesus makes us one in Him, and that Jesus paid for our sin, even the sin of racism. And thus, we encourage all members of Providence Church to embrace the admonition of Colossians 3:11–15, which tells us,

There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Amen.

* Modified from definition for racism developed by the Presbyterian Church in America