BRANCHES - Southwood Presbyterian Church · with bryan chapell a snapshot of small groups at...
Transcript of BRANCHES - Southwood Presbyterian Church · with bryan chapell a snapshot of small groups at...
BRANCHES
Retu
rn S
ervice Req
uested
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #153
Huntsville, A
L
ME AND MY SHADOW
AP
RIL 2013 | sou
thw
ood.org
five questions
with bryan chapell
a snapshotof small
groups at southwood
AN excerpt from A future book oN sANctificAtioN byjeAN lArroux
southwood
2 april 2013 | southwood.org
˜
about this issueIf you’ve been a reader of BRANCHES for some time you likely have seen the correlation between
the topics of discussion at Southwood and the content we publish. Sometimes, seasonal events
drive our focus, sometimes it’s logistical aspects of church life and other times it is the subject
matter from the pulpit. Likewise, if you’ve been sitting in the pews you’ve heard the (painfully
slow -LOL) progression through the study of Galatians. I often wonder if we’re trying to do it in
“real time” according to Paul’s journeys!
Put yourself in Paul’s shoes for a moment: You’ve spent years planting new churches in Galatia.
Rescuing people from paganism and spending countless months you’ve shown them how faith
alone can rescue them—that they “were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.” (Gal. 4:8)
And now these same churches are being taught that salvation comes through the Mosaic law,
so-called legalism. How long will it take to remind them of the faith which saved them?
Now, in his heart, Paul yearns to serve the Gentiles. After all, his efforts were targeted towards
them. He was wanting to show how Gentiles equally have a way to God through Christ! At the
heart of the Gospel is a command to serve one another out of love, and Paul recounts that “they
asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” (Gal 2:10) The Spirit within
Paul drove him to walk with the Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is the result.
Sanctification (the process of being made holy) is the theme of this issue, as it is the topic of
many conversations that result from wrestling with how the “fruit of the spirit” becomes evident
in our lives. I challenge you to consider perspective as being key in understanding sanctification.
From whose vantage point are you measuring the fruit of the spirit in your life: your own, your
neighbor’s or God’s? Are they different? I hope that this issue provides you with an opportunity
to consider how focusing on Christ, rather than our “status” in sanctification, might yield the
very result you most desire.
about this issue
pastor’s note
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reflect
question of the monthWhat is your best April Fool’s story?
relate
ask a pastorWill Spink touches on struggling with sin
5 questionsBryan Chapell looks at sanctification, grace & holiness
church family work dayThe day captured through Instagram
snapshots of a small groupJust a glimpse into one of the many small groups that meet each week
respond
me and my shadowAn excerpt from a future book on sanctification by Jean Larroux
the gospel mystery of sanctifiationExcerpts of Walter Marshall’s book
love constraining to obedienceWilliam Cowper’s hymn concerning salvation by faith alone
all that is fairThe Beatles, holiness, and the greatest commandment
upComiNgEvENtSmay 5New Adult Sunday School Begins
may 5Senior Sunday
1000 Carl T. Jones Drive | HunTsville, alabama 35802(256) 882-3085 | www.souTHwooD.org
Jean F. larrouX, iii Senior Pastormelissa PaTTerson Executive Assistant
adult MinistriessaraH niemiTZ Director of Community Development/AssimilationJames ParKer Chief Musicianwill sPinK Associate Pastor/Shepherding
student MinistriesKim DelCHamPs Administrative Assistantnina banTa Director of ChildrennanCY mcCreigHT Assistant Director /Children/NurseryCHaD TownsleY Associate Pastor/High-Life winnie winForD Assistant Director/High-Life
Ministry supportPaT TraPane BookkeeperJonaTHan barneTTe Director of CommunicationJaCKi gil Graphic DesignerJaniCe Crowson Director of Facilities/FinancelYnDa ClaYDon FacilitiesmiKe marren Facilities
BRANCHESeditor-in-Chief Jonathan Barnette
Designer Jacki Gil
ConTribuTorsWill Spink
James ParkerSarah NiemitzLance Cooper
Chad TownsleyBryan Chapell
PHoTos
Jonathan BarnetteJacki Gil
Winnie Winford
FeeDbaCK!We want to hear from you! Please send
your suggestions and comments to [email protected]
contents
session update
southwood by the numbersJonathan Barnette, Editor
from the kitchenSimple Wings from Lance Cooper
what do you love about serving in children’s ministry?Volunteers tell why they love working with the kids at Southwood
april 2013 | southwood.org 3
pastor’s note
I remember the first time I was asked that question. I
was sitting at a stop light on Poplar Avenue in Memphis,
Tennessee. There was a guy standing on the median
next to my car holding a bag of fruit that could have
won first place in a science fair project on produce
decomposition. Let’s be honest: brown, warm bananas
and oranges with a little hint of a peach fuzz mustache
just aren’t the kind of thing you buy at a red light, even
if the bag says “fruit.”
Having attended the University of Mississippi, I travelled
a lot of miles from the Gulf Coast to Oxford, Mississippi.
All of that travel was on Mississippi highways. Now
Mississippi may be the nation’s leader in illiteracy
and the number one exporter of diabetes, but we
do have good farm land. Whenever you are traveling
on Highway 49 toward North Mississippi you pass as
many fruit stands as gas stations. There is something
you will find at fruit stands that you will not get in a
fruit bag—that is fresh fruit. On Highway 49 the local
farmers come in the morning and bring vegetables,
fruit, watermelons, sugar snap peas or whatever else is
in season and it is fresh, very fresh, off-the-truck fresh.
There are no cellophane bags or imprinted marketing
slogans. You buy it all out of a wooden bin and then put
it in a paper sack—an actual Mississippi fresh fruit bag.
The Memphis fruit bag guy wouldn’t make a living on
Highway 49. You couldn’t pass that science experiment
off as nutritious because everywhere else you’d be
surrounded by the real thing. That illustration is a great
picture of the difference between a Christian life that
is producing fresh fruit and one where we are holding
up fruit bags to validate our faith. When we began the
section on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, I told
you that the fruit of the Spirit is a by-product of faith
alone, not the product of faithful living. That means
fresh fruit produced by the Spirit always trumps fruit
bags masquerading as faith. Always.
I know this because I have been a fruit bag Christian.
I have lived my life in such a way that I believed if I
labeled my behavior correctly, held it out for the world
to see and told enough people that my faith was fresh
then it would become something it was not. Even
if I called it “fresh faith” I knew in my heart it wasn’t.
I knew it wasn’t nutritious, but I didn’t know how to
get from Poplar Avenue in Memphis to Highway 49 in
Mendenhall, Mississippi.
When the Apostle Paul coined the term “ the fruit of
the Spirit” it encapsulated the answer, but I had missed
it. The words “fruit of the Spirit” were used to describe
the fruit produced by the Spirit; the fruit that flows from
the Spirit or the fruit that is the by-product of the Spirit’s
presence in our lives. As a fruit bag Christian, every time
I had read the words “fruit of the Spirit” I read “the
fruit expected by the Spirit.” No one ever taught me to
read that, but my heart had somehow believed that the
Christian life was one where it was my job to produce a
harvest of blue ribbon spirituality to be loved. After all,
when God drives up to the median of our lives we want
to give him our best, right? I wanted to, but I couldn’t.
My heart had a desire to be a blue ribbon Christian, but
it was still my heart and the only thing that had ever
grown big in that soil was sin.
So along comes Jesus. My heart is not rich, fertile
Mississippi Delta soil that is prime spiritual farmland. It is
the muck and mire and of my own depravity, but Jesus
buys me anyway. What he does then is something only
He could do. Jesus produces a harvest of righteousness
because of the seed he plants, not because of the soil.
In fact, whatever He produces occurs despite the soil,
not because of it. He plants his Spirit and lo and behold,
his Spirit does what my effort could never do. His Spirit
produces award winning fruit like love, joy, peace,
patience and kindness. He has a plan for this too. He
sets us up a little fruit stand with lots of other sinners
and He calls it a church.
Need love? We got it. Need hope? We got it. Need
joy? We have some of that fresh in. Need someone
to be patient with you? This is the season. Need
forgiveness? Grace? Mercy? Kindness? We have it.
He tills our hearts over and over again with the same
cross that he first used to break up the ground and
the fruit comes to life.
In the garden of grace the seeds are planted; the
seeds are watered and God brings the growth. We
provide only one thing in this equation—the fertilizer
(if you don’t understand that then please email will.
[email protected]). When all of that happens God
brings fruit—beautiful, glorious, head-turning fruit from
people who aren’t looking for blue ribbons—they are
just thankful to have been bought.
for more from jean, check out his sermons at southwood.org
“Fruit bag! Fresh fruit! Fruit bag! Hey man you wanna fruit bag?”
Jean F. Larroux, IIISenior Pastor
@jflarrouxiii
4 april 2013 | southwood.org
6.27Average number of small
group questions per week written this year by the pastor
preaching each Sunday. Many small groups (and
some individuals) grab these questions off the Southwood
website to guide discussion of applying the preached Word
to our lives.
The age of the oldest small group member at Southwood. OK, so we
didn’t ask everyone’s age, but it’s at least
83. We love having our seasoned saints share what God has shown
them over many years.
southwood by the numbersthis month we are tallying up small Group numbers that sometimes aren’t that small.
3600Minutes in an average week
spent praying, sharing, laughing, and crying in
adult small groups alone (and that’s just during “official” meetings!).
fifty-nineThe percentage of women in adult small groups to the 41 percent men.
eightythree 4
The age of the youngest small group member at Southwood. We are so committed to small groups that we start with our Pre-K kids on Sunday mornings and go all the way up!
600The number of Chicken Minis eaten by one youth small group on Wednesday mornings over a 30 week period.
eightThe number of women’s small groups that gather at the church on Thursday mornings to share fellowship together…and share the nursery!
april 2013 | southwood.org 5
southwoodrelate
session update CHAD TOWNSLEY
The Session of Southwood met for its stated meeting on March 14th.
A financial update was received with the encouraging news of good
tithe income numbers and a strong overall financial outlook. In addition,
the Session voted unanimously to call a congregational meeting to: 1)
Approve the transfer of debt to a secured loan to be guaranteed by the
Southwood facility at 1000 Carl T. Jones Drive and 2) To approve the
purchase of the property know as the “white house” at 911 Tannahill
Drive. Both motions were approved at the called Congregational
Meeting held on Sunday, March 24th. We thank God for his provision and
care for Southwood by providing the financial leadership of the Finance
Committee and Diaconate as well as the financial means necessary to
make decisions such as these to move Southwood forward in her mission
and vision.
Also of note, the Session also approved the transfer of some Southwood
Members to local churches including the newly formed Cornerstone
Presbyterian as well as Christ Presbyterian and Valley Presbyterian. We
will miss those who have found a place at other congregations, yet we
are certain they will be a blessing in God’s kingdom through their new
church homes. The transfer of these individuals is also an important part
of Southwood clarifying membership statuses and maintaining accuracy
in its membership roles.
In a called joint meeting of the Session and Diaconate on March 18th,
the By-Laws of Southwood Presbyterian as a corporation were approved
for recommendation to the congregation. In order to be finalized, these
by-laws must be presented to and approved by the congregation. The
Session anticipates calling a congregational meeting in the near future
to handle this important matter.
Please continue to be in prayer for the collective leadership and
individual members of the Session. We are excited about all that God
has in store for Southwood as we labor forward to reach all of Huntsville
with the gospel.
froM the kitchen LANCE COOPER
These recipes were made for a recent Sr. High-Life. Sr. High-Life is a gathering of students 9th-12th grade on Sunday Nights from 7:00-8:30. Our Jr. High gathering, called Jr. High-Life is for grades 7th-8th and meets from 6:00-7:30 on Wednesday Nights. We encourage all Southwood students and their friends to join us.
40-50 Chicken Wings (serves 8-10)Buffalo Sauce (Hot or Mild)Serving Sauces (Buffalo, Teriyaki, BBQ, etc.)Dipping Sauce (Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing)
For a very easy summer snack, grilled Buffalo wings can be tasty and simple. Wash and clean wings and if desired cut and separate the drumlette from wing into both pieces. Combine with Buffalo sauce in pan or zip lock bag and marinate for at least 2 hours. Pour wings and sauce into aluminum pan and cover. Bake either in oven or on grill for 2 hours at 325. Wings will be tender and fully cooked. After baking they can be stored in refrigerator for tailgating later or immediately grilled. Heat grill and place wings on grill turning over several times with spatula over high heat for 15-20 minutes until seared and grilled to taste. Place wings into serving dishes or pans and mix with serving sauce or serve naked. Serve with dipping sauce. Have fun and vary recipe to preference.
Easy GrillEd Buffalo WinGs
simplE chEEsE dipBONUSRECIPE!
1 lb Jimmy Dean Whole Hog Hot SausageTwo 16oz Blocks of Velveeta (Regular or
Queso or Mexican for hotter version)2 Cans of Rotel
1 Bag of Tortilla chips
Crumble sausage and fry in skillet until brown. Combine with remaining ingredients in crock pot. When cheese
is melted it is ready to eat. Cut cheese into small blocks to melt faster. This is the easiest and best cheese dip
around. This recipe makes a full crock pot, or you can half the recipe for smaller amount. Can replace sausage with
hamburger or other meat as preferred.
southwood
6 april 2013 | southwood.org
reflect
the Gospel Mystery of sanctification
Walter marshall, a pastor in england
in the 17th century, wrote this book
to teach his flock about the christian
life. He organized his teaching on the
christian life into 14 principles, some of
which have excerpts reprinted below.
WALTER MARSHALL
tHe Need for true HoliNessPrinciple #1: God in his law calls you to live a holy and righteous life. In order to do this, you first have to learn the only possible way you can live a holy life.
True holiness means that you delight in doing God’s will; you long to
do it more than you long to do anything else! True holiness means
that you cheerfully obey God. You do not obey God grudgingly, with
your heart filled with grumbling, whining, and complaining. You do
not view obeying God as a terrible burden and a pain in the neck! …
It is not enough for you to simply know what your duty is. It is not
enough for you to merely know what the law calls you to do. You must
certainly learn this, but you also have to learn how you can effectively
do your duty before God. You have to learn the only powerful and
effective means by which you can keep the law of God. In fact, you
have to sit down and learn this before you can do anything for God!
Why is this so? There is a key reason for this. Quite simply, you are,
by nature, totally powerless and unable to live the holy and righteous
life God requires of you in his law. You are dead in trespasses and
sins, and a child of wrath … you cannot live a holy life by your own
power. … The doctrine of original sin has one major implication for
your life: it means that you cannot live a holy life by your own power.
You have to be empowered by God to live a holy life.
HoW uNioN WitH cHrist leAds to true HoliNessPrinciple #3: You receive the qualifications to enable you to keep the law of God out of the fullness of Christ, through fellowship with him. In order to have this fellowship, you must be in union with him. You must be in Christ, and Christ himself must be in you.
Union with Christ is not a privilege you earn by your sincere
obedience, or by your own attempts at holiness. Your union with
Christ is not a reward of your own good works. Rather, union with
Christ is a privilege that God gives to every Christian when they first
become a Christian! Right when you enter into the kingdom of God,
you also enter into union of Christ! This union with Christ is the
foundation for all of your obedience to God. All of your good works
as a Christian flow out of your union with Christ. All of your sincere
obedience to the law is the fruit of your union with Christ.
Christ did not die to enable you to produce a holy nature by yourself.
Christ died so you might receive a holy nature prepared and created
in him for you, through your union and fellowship with him. … Christ’s
incarnation, death, and resurrection are the cause of all the holiness
that ever has been, or ever shall be given to anyone—from the fall
of Adam to the end of the world. Any holy attitude you have, or any
holy action you take, comes only through the mighty power of Christ’s
Spirit. The presence and power of Christ’s Spirit are yours because,
through the gospel, you have been brought into that one body of
which Christ is the head. You are in union with Christ.
sANctificAtioN: seekiNg true HoliNess out of uNioN WitH cHristPrinciple #8: Make sure that you seek holiness of heart and life in its proper time. You can only live a holy life after you have come into union with Christ, have been justified, and have received the Holy Spirit. Once you have received these blessings, seek holiness by faith with all your might. It is a crucial part of your salvation.
christ did not die to enable you to produce a holy nature by yourself. christ died so you MiGht
receive a holy nature prepared and created in
hiM for you
southwood
aprl 2013 | southwood.org 7
When you abandon grace, you abandon the only power for godliness
there is! …In the gospel, God first makes you alive, and then he
enables you to obey him. The Gospel says, “You live. Now do this.”
… What a strange salvation it is, if people who are saved do not care
about holiness! In this case, people want to be saved, but they want
to stay dead in sin, alien from the life of God, without the image of
God, deformed by the image of Satan, and in slavery to Satan and to
their own filthy lusts. They seem to prefer to stay totally unfit to enjoy
God in glory. Christ never purchased such a salvation as this by his
own blood. Those who think they have received a salvation such as
this abuse the grace of God in Christ, and turn it into license to sin.
They want to be saved by Christ, but apart from Christ, so to speak.
They want to be saved, but they also want to remain in a fleshy state,
with a fleshy lifestyle.
true HoliNess comes As We live by fAitH, by tHe spirit
Principle #12: In order to obey the law of God, earnestly live by your most holy faith. Do not walk according to your old nature, and do not put into practice anything that belongs to your old nature. Walk only according to the new nature you received by faith, and live the lifestyle of your new nature. This is the only way to live a holy and righteous life—as much as is possible in this present life.
It is not Christ’s will for you to live on the basis of the power of your
resolutions to do better. Christ wants you to live by Christ living in
you, and by his Spirit bringing forth the fruits of righteousness in you.
… As a Christian, do not act for life but from life. Do not try to gain
life by your works. Rather, remember that you have already received
life from Christ, and live by the power and virtue you have received
from him. …
If you meditate on these wonderful truths of the gospel, God will
be very lovely to your heart. These precious truths will sweetly
draw you and win you over. You will not be forced to “love God”
by commands or threats. You will love God because these precious
realities of the gospel harbor the secret suspicion that he is really
your everlasting enemy. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love
casts out fear. Fear has to do with punishment. He who fears is
not made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us”
(I John 4:18-19).
books oN sANctificAtioN
HoliNess by grAceby bryan chapell“Be holy, for I am holy.” Without Christ we would hear this command and shudder. How can God expect us to be holy as he is? But thanks to what Christ has accomplished on our behalf, God accepts us because of his Son’s righteousness. Yet the call to holiness remains. Discover the gracious source of joy and strength we will need for a lifelong pursuit of holiness.
Abide iN cHristby andrew MurrayThis book simplifies the teachings of Jesus down into three words: “Abide in me.” If a believer will simply strive to abide in Christ, all the other benefits will result. Joy overflowing, fruitful ministry, answered prayer, etc. It reminds us with depth and simplicity what life in Christ should be like.
trANsformiNggrAceby jerry bridgesUnfortunately, too many of us forget the free offer. We spend our lives basing our relationship with God on our performance rather than on Him. We see our identity as never being worthy of His love.This book is a fountainhead of inspiration and renewal that will show you just how inexhaustible and generous God’s grace really is.
We Would see jesusby roy and revelhessionWe Would See Jesus is an amplification of Roy Hession’s Well-known Calvary Road. His theme is that Jesus has come to take us from every yoke of bondage and to set us free to serve Him in the freshness and spontaneity of the Spirit.
When you abandon Grace, you abandon the only poWer for Godliness there is!
curl up With...
fiNd it iN tHe guest
ceNter!
fiNd it iN tHe guest
ceNter!
What is your best April Fool’s story?Each month we will poll people on a Sunday morning at Southwood. Make your opinion heard! Check out the answers to the BRANCHES Question of the Month.
BRANCHESQuestion of the Month
“One April Fool’s, I was babysitting for a friend and had closed the bedroom and bathroom doors to “corral” the child. My boyfriend at the time rigged some
of those white firecracker poppers onto the door handles. So when I was done babysitting, I opened the door and they exploded. I thought my house was
being bombed! I was screaming and my boyfriend fell off the couch laughing.”
“I called my parents from study abroad in London to say I had met
someone and we were getting married. Ha! April Fool’s!”
StAFF FAvORItE“I woke up and ran to my brother’s room telling him it was snowing and we didn’t have school. He believed me and just went back to sleep. I woke him up five minutes before it was time to go, so he didn’t have time to shower for school.”
“I was supposed to graduate from college in May, so I called my dad and told him that my advisor had
scheduled my classes wrong and that I would need to stay another
semester... but at least I’d be around for another football season!”
“The worst April Fool’s joke ever played on me was when one of my
guy friends called me and told me that our friend had been in a terrible
car wreck and was medflighted to birmingham. About the time I was
in my car hysterical, he texted “April Fool’s.” So not funny.”
Me and my (now) husband had to get our marriage license on April first. Knowing we couldn’t get refunds on anything, we called my mom from the courthouse saying we found out how cheap it was, and we just went ahead and got married while we were there.
“My greatest April Fool’s jokes have been when I used facebook status updates:‘...Yes, it’s true—we’re packing up and moving in two weeks—we’ll miss you all very much!’‘...If anyone wants to use the beach house we rented let me know. I couldn’t get the time off—no charge, just let me know!’‘...Sorry people, I’ve had it with Facebook. I’m shutting off my account at the end of today.’
“In the 5th grade, we rearranged the entire classroom, including the chalkboard, so that the front and back of the room were opposite.”
Available in the Guest Center on April 1st
..and try our new
goat milk creamer!
NEW SIZE COFFEE CUPSGALLONhelps you stay awake
during the next 42 weeks of Galatians!
southwoodrespond
?I think the most common misconception is that people confuse their “who”
and their “do.” They think that what they do determines who they are before
the Lord. In fact, the reverse is true. Who they are, by virtue of Christ’s shed
blood on their behalf, determines what they do. In other words, we are
pursuing our sanctification as a consequence of being children of God, not
in order to become children of God. The classic way of saying that is many
people base their justification on their sanctification. They ask, “Am I just or
right before God?” And they answer that question with another question,
“How am I doing? Am I performing well enough?” But the Bible, the gospel,
is the opposite. The Bible says you have been justified. You are perfectly holy
before God. And therefore you live in accord with what you are. A key verse
for that understanding is Hebrews 10:14 – God has made perfect forever
those who are being sanctified. So we
have already been made perfect, and now
we are in gratitude and love living out
the response to that grace that God has
provided, but we are not gaining the grace
by our living and performance.
Power for holiness comes into the Christian life by two means. One means
is knowledge. We need to know what God requires. Knowing we’re human
means knowing we’re vulnerable, and we’re helped by practical instruction,
of which the Bible has many dimensions telling us to avoid what tempts
us, to commune with faithful people, to follow God’s instruction—we’re all
helped by practical instruction. But once we know what God requires, and
we have practical instruction, then the question is “What motivates us to do
what God requires and follow the practical instruction?” And the answer to
that is greater love for God. And the thing that instills in us greater love for
God is understanding how great His grace is toward us. And we’re back to
understanding that love for sin is overcome by greater love for God. So all the
practical means of grace—reading the Scriptures,
praying to God, fellowshipping with God’s people—
are necessary and good components that help
us in our sanctification. But the way most people
use the means of grace, they use them as means
to grace. They think they’re bribing God with their
good behavior so he’ll be good to them. So what I
would say to someone struggling with sanctification
is, by all means study God’s word and understand
what He requires and do the practical things that the
Bible talks about. But all that must be bolstered and
enabled by love for God, which comes from use of
the means of grace not as barter but as bread. I’m
using these means of grace as a way of feasting on the goodness of grace so
that I have greater love for Him to do what I now know He requires.
To understand how grace produces holiness, it is important to ask the question
“What produces sin?” If we, as believers, ask the question “Why do we sin?”
there is not an obvious answer because we are new creations in Christ Jesus,
and according to Romans 6, sin no longer has dominion over us, we are no
longer slaves to sin. According to the apostle John in 1 John, greater is He
that is in us than he that is in the world. So, if we have power over sin, why do
we sin? The simple answer is, because we love it. In the moment, for the time,
we love the sin more than the Savior. If sin did not attract us, it would have
no power over us. None at all. If love for sin is what gives sin its power in our
lives, how do you take away love for sin? The answer is with a greater love—to
use the biblical terminology, with a surpassing love. The way grace empowers
holiness is by giving us greater and greater love for Christ, which becomes the
surpassing love that overwhelms love for sin.
We have to confess that there is a math
of the mind that says, “If God is going
to forgive me anyway, then why not
sin?” That is a logical, reasonable conclusion to God’s promises of grace in
Scripture. For those who want to take advantage of grace, they will simply
say, “If God will forgive me later, why not sin now?” And the answer to that
dilemma is recognizing there is a chemistry of the heart that is stronger
than the math of the mind. The chemistry of the heart says, “If God loves
me so much and gave Jesus for me, then I, in love for Him, want to show
how great is my love for Him.” The heart, if you will, outweighs the mind
in terms of responding to grace. Verses in the Bible that say that would be
Titus 2:11-12, where we are told, the grace of God has appeared to all men
and the grace of God teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly
passions. In that case it is saying grace, as it captures our heart, actually
compels us to serve the Father. Jesus said the same in John 14:15, where he
said, “If you love me, you will keep my commands.” He didn’t say, “If you
love me, you will try to take advantage of me.” He said, “If you love me, you
will want to do what pleases and honors me.”
What are some common misconceptions about sanctification?
What would you say to someone who was struggling in the process of
sanctification?
how does God’s grace actually produce holiness?
I’ll say two things. One is fulfilling the will of God in that Paul, of course, to those
in Thessalonica says, “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” So we
recognize that in our sanctification we are fulfilling God’s will for our lives, and
that is more important and sure than success or fame or even life itself. We
don’t know that God intends for us even to draw the next breath. He may think
it’s better for us to be with Him immediately. But we can be absolutely sure
that the will of God is that we be more like Christ. And the reason for that is,
quoting Paul again, “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God.” We are fundamentally not meant to bring glory
to ourselves; we are meant to bring glory to God. And in our sanctification, we
learn not only how to glorify Him, we find our deepest and truest and most joy-
fulfilling meaning. So the goal of my sanctification is to honor God, but in doing
so, I also find my deepest and most joyous purpose.
What is the holy spirit’s role in renewal/revival of our hearts?
Why does God’s grace not lead to loose living?
WHO IS BRYAN CHAPEll AND WHY ASk HIM?
Bryan Chapell is current chancellor and former president of our denomination’s seminary, Covenant Theological Seminary, in St. Louis. He has recently accepted a call to be senior pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois, and has written a classic text on sanctification, Holiness by Grace. Dr. Chapell will be speaking in Decatur April 13-14. For more information, contact Decatur Presbyterian (256-351-6010).
fivequestionsPastor/author Bryan Chapell
talks about sanctification.
10 april 2013 | southwood.org
I am left-handed. That means I am right-brained. This means I tend to think spatially and more abstractly than some-one who is primarily left-brained. Right-brained people are more artistic. Left-brained people are more analytical. Right-brained people become writers and painters. Left-brained people become accountants and engineers. I live in Huntsville, Alabama. There are more engineers per capita in Huntsville than anywhere else on planet earth (a fact that I cannot verify, but as a right-brained person don’t really lose sleep over either). When you jokingly say to someone in Huntsville, “Who do you think you are, a rocket scientist?” nine times out of ten they actually are rocket scientists. God’s decision to put ME, a left-brained, writer-artist type, in Huntsville was his little practical joke on all of us. Jo-Jo the monkey boy comes to the “Rocket City.” That’s me.
Me &My ShadowMy Shadow
What Sanctification Really lookS like
What Sanctification Really lookS like
An excerpt from a future book on sanctification by
jean f. larroux, iii
Because I am right-brained, I think in illustrations and object lessons.
Once I can “see” something then I can understand it. With regard to
sanctification people always want to know when they are going to get
“better?” I have struggled for years to answer a recurring question about
betterness and sanctification. That question is this: how can believing the
Gospel and focusing on Christ actually produce holiness or the fruit of the
Spirit or obedience? How does believing actually make me better?
My right-brained mind answered that question with an illustration. Now
you need to know that every illustration breaks down at some point, and
that will be true with this illustration as well, but try to embrace the points
of continuity as you read this illustration. Now if you are an engineer or an
accountant, try to turn on the right side of your brains, put down the slide
rules and imagine something…
Imagine that Christ is represented by light (I promise I’m not about to go
Oprah on you!). Imagine that this light is incredibly bright and beautiful.
Imagine salvation to be that first moment when you are exposed to the
light. All at once you see the beauty of the light, and concurrently that light
is exposing things about you that you have never seen before, your sin.
Salvation (or Justification) is a realization that you are a sinner; that Christ,
the light, is your savior and that once you believe, you are “in the light”
and there is nothing that can take you out of the light. You are adopted,
loved and accepted as a child of God.
Imagine that Christ then tells you, “Follow me…” Your life at that point is a
journey toward Christ, toward the light. Each step that is taken shows you a
more brilliant picture of who Christ is and a clearer picture of who you are.
You concurrently see yourself as a sinner and as a son. The light shows you
his love, but it is also exposes more and more of your sin.
With your eyes focused on Him and your life moving toward Him, there is
a by-product produced by your movement toward the light. It is a shadow.
The shadow cast by moving toward Christ and living in the light is now
visible. Remember shadows are only produced as something which itself
is not the light but is moving toward the light. Let’s call the shadow cast
by our lives “betterness” or personal holiness or piety or obedience or
righteousness. All of those things are the necessary by-products of faith,
cast by the life of someone who is in the light.
Each step toward Christ produces three things concurrently: a deeper
understanding of who Christ is (we see the light more clearly); a deeper
awareness of our own sin (the light is exposing more and more of my sin) and a
bigger shadow (as we move toward the light a shadow must be produced). In
this picture holiness and obedience are clear by-products of faith, not products
of our own faithfulness. As you move toward Christ, the shadow grows.
Now imagine that as someone who is living the “Christian life” becomes
focused on performance and personal piety instead of focusing on Christ
(the light). If that were to happen and someone were to focus on their own
faithfulness, their own holiness or their own personal piety, they would have
to, by definition in this illustration, turn around to focus on that. They would
have to turn away from Jesus to see those things. They would have to turn
their back to the light and look toward the shadow in order to see the
shadow. Pay attention, because at that very moment the shadow ceases
to be what it was intended to be, a by-product of faith. It has now become
the focus of faith—the product of “faithful Christian living.” Chasing the
shadow actually moves you further away from Christ, but it masquerades
as a deep commitment to Christ. We deceive ourselves into thinking that
this shadow chasing is for Him, but it’s really for us. Because we know that
he wants the shadow to grow; to see holiness increase; to see sins put to
death and to have holy desires come to life, we convince ourselves that
My ShadowMy Shadow
holineSS and obedience aRe cleaR by-pRoductS of faith, not pRoductS
of ouR oWn faithfulneSS. aS you move toWaRd chRiSt, the ShadoW gRoWS.
focusing on those things is the same as focusing on him. Although our
motivation for shadow chasing may start out as something we do for him,
it ultimately becomes something we do for us.
There are two very unfortunate by-products of shadow chasing. The first is
that the shadow actually shrinks. Moving toward the shadow and away from
the light actually brings about a smaller shadow. It is no longer the brilliant
shadow towering over our lives when we were running toward Jesus; it
actually becomes smaller and the edges become more well-defined. For
shadow-focused people everything is black and white, precise and clean.
Although it feels spiritual and holy to comfort their consciences and be
shadow-focused, the shadow is actually becoming less impressive.
Because of the new shrinking shadow, shadow chasers start to compare
their shadows to others. As long as we can perceive our shadows to loom
larger than the shadows of those around us, then we feel comfortable.
We employ various strategies to soothe our anxious hearts. Our anxious
hearts bristle with defensiveness because as we are comparing ourselves
to others and we are concurrently seeing our own shadow shrink.
Therefore we have to do something to compensate for the anxiety we
feel and the shrinking shadow that we see. We’ll call that something—
shadow pictures. We become very adept at this.
When I’m focused on me and my performance, I must now do
something that looks like a true Christian shadow in order to soothe
my conscience. We make pictures in the shape of mission trips, Bible
Studies, volunteering and outreach. The shadow pictures falsely promise
our troubled hearts and noisy consciences that we are still in the light
(after all, you can’t do any of this without the Lord, right?). Unfortunately,
they last only for seasons and they only soothe our consciences so much.
They masquerade as reflections of the light, but they are not the brilliant
shadows we formally had while basking forward toward the light.
The second devastating by-product of shadow-chasing is two-fold: we no
longer have a growing sense of our own sin, nor do we have a deepening
appreciation for his holiness. The light is now simply the source for shadows,
not the source for life. We tell everyone that all the shadows are from him,
for him and all the credit goes to him, but sadly the focus is not on him. We
are focused on the shadows, not on the light. In this illustration our last real
profound look at our own sin was the mental moment just before we turned
around. Because of this our sense of our own sin actually shrinks. It must. By
chasing shadows we don’t actually see many of the things we saw when we
were moving toward the light. We see less sin, less depraved motivations
and less darkness in our hearts. How could we not? If I’m focused on making
shadow-pictures and making those shadow pictures better than yours, I
can’t possibly admit or see the darkness that still lurks within my heart. We
falsely presume that we must be getting better, healthier, fixed (i.e. more
holy). After all, we rationalize, there is less visible sin, more visible shadows,
lots of shadow pictures and you are giving all the credit to the light. You are
getting better, right?
Now take a deep drink of Jesus, because our story is about to get ugly.
About that time someone passes you going toward the light. There is the
sunshine of God’s grace radiating on their face. You immediately notice
their sin. It is obvious in the light. They see it too. They even acknowledge it,
but they don’t seem surprised by it, or scared about its presence. They are
walking toward the light. They seem to be more enamored with the Light
than with anything else. Because of this something infuriating is happening.
Their shadow is growing. Remember, they are moving toward Jesus and
we shadow-chasers are moving toward the shadows. Because we have
turned around and focused on the shadows, we can see the shadow of this
sinful, light-chaser growing, and it keeps growing. Their shadow is actually
getting bigger than ours because their propensity to move toward the light
is actually producing, as a by-product of faith, all the shadow pictures we
have been trying to produce as an end-product of faithfulness. Emotions
like anger, judgment and frustration well up from within us. Because we
aren’t facing the light directly, those emotions aren’t seen as wickedness;
they masquerade as righteous indignation, holy anger and “concern” for
your liberal, non-shadow-focused “brother.”
When i’m focuSed on me and my peRfoRmance, i muSt noW do Something that lookS like a tRue chRiStian ShadoW in oRdeR to Soothe my
conScience. We make pictuReS in the Shape of miSSion tRipS, bible StudieS, volunteeRing and outReach.
Because the Holy Spirit never lets go of his children, somewhere
deep inside you remember the joy you felt when you walked the
other way—toward the light. There was a time when you had
nothing but your sin and Jesus, but that feels like a long time
ago. It was before you became so shadow-oriented. In moments
like these, God usually does one of two things to sober us up: he
either dims the light to such a flicker that we are sent into despair
thinking we have been lost or he increases the lumens of his
grace so brightly that our newly exposed sin makes us fear we are
lost forever. In both cases he meets us again. In both cases he is
showing mercy. In both cases he shows us our sin again. He shows
us the light to turn us back around. The Gospel promises that no
one in the light can actually ever be lost, right? Right. Having been
re-oriented and re-directed, we put one foot in front of the other
toward the light, again.
This pattern of living is the pattern of Christianity. It is the pattern
of faith. Living by faith and repentance, which produces fruit as a
by-product of faith, is the Biblical pattern for Holiness. The fruit is always a by-product of our faith, or there is no faith
at all! The fruit of our faith is the shadow cast by our lives. Things like Bible study, prayer, and worship are some of the
tools God regularly uses to “show us the light,” but they aren’t the light. They are, and I mean this quite respectfully,
a means to the end of seeing him, not an end in and of themselves.
We must remember that this “turning” is not a one-time turning or a once-a-year kind of experience. The
Christian life is one of constant faith and repentance. Sometimes there is repentance over the sin that is exposed.
Sometimes the repentance must be for the shadows we substituted for the light. This is a daily, hourly, moment-
by-moment journey of faith. Some of the most impressive shadows I’ve ever seen have been by
people who rarely looked behind themselves. Their lack of concern for Holiness regarding their
shadow wasn’t due to a lack of self-awareness or some type of false humility. It was the result
of an entirely different orientation altogether. They were humble and holy because they
regularly saw their sin, and they were moving toward the light as their only hope. Shadows
like that are impressive. When you meet someone like that, their life makes shadow
pictures that we marvel over, but they hardly notice. They consider such shadows to be
by-products of their relationship with him, not the products of their faithful lives. If you
asked people like that what they are impressed with, they always talk about the light.
Much time, effort and energy is spent in Evangelical circles trying to make impressive
shadows—trying to project shadow pictures. Many Christian self-help books are
shadow picture how-to manuals. They are often filled with chapter after chapter
of “this is how you make a bird” or “this is how you make a child who doesn’t do
drugs” or “this is how you make yourself a Proverbs 31 woman.” Consequently
we have ended up with a Christian sub-culture of shadow chasers instead of
a true Christian counter-culture that chases after the poor, broken and needy
the way Christ chased after us. Maybe God will use this little right-brained
picture to tap you on the shoulder and turn you around back toward the
light. That’s what he did with me. When he does that, we are always better
Christians because of it.
This is an excerpt from an almost complete manuscript which Jean Larroux has been writing “off” and “on” for a couple of years. The book is on the subject of Sanctification and the working title is “Getting Better: a book for everyone who is trying and all of the rest of us who have given up!” At present the book is in the exciting first stage called: rejection letters. Look for it to be published sometime prior to the return of Jesus.
We have ended up With a chRiStian Sub-cultuRe of ShadoW chaSeRS inStead of a tRue chRiStian counteR-cultuRe that chaSeS afteR the pooR,
bRoken and needy the Way chRiSt chaSed afteR uS.
southwood
14 april 2013 | southwood.org
reflect
From the fellowship over breakfast to the hard work done at
each site, the Church Family Work Day was a great success!
Thank you to everyone who volunteered, and to our deacons
for serving as site coordinators. While one team painted the
Village Church sanctuary, another dug up weeds in the Deep
Roots garden. Others painted a house and cleared debris with
Lincoln Village Preservation Corporation, and still others helped
to landscape the Young Life offices! Our young families, children
included, cleaned all of the nursery toys, dusted all the surfaces
in the building, painted walls, cleaned windows, and much more.
Our children also had the opportunity to color cards and pray
for our missionaries in Mexico and Peru—a wonderful way to
encourage and support our brothers and sisters serving far away.
southwood
aprl 2013 | southwood.org 15
love constraininG to obedience JAMES PARKER
William Cowper (pronounced COO-per) was the
son of an Anglican clergyman and well-educated
at Westminster School. He was also a man given
to severe bouts of depression throughout his life.
He first began to experience these bouts after he
was called to the bar as a member of the Middle
Temple in 1754, meaning he was being educated
as a lawyer, or barrister, at one of the Inns of Court.
He was offered the clerkship of the journals of
the House of Lords in 1763, an administrative
position that serves the judicial branch of the
upper house of the British Parliament. Cowper
became overwhelmed with his position, and
other circumstances too lengthy to mention,
and became severely depressed. After being
counseled by his cousin Martin Madam, a minister,
he was referred to an asylum for treatment. Dr.
Cotton’s in St. Albans is where Cowper received
treatment, spiritual guidance, and it is where he
became converted.
After his stay at the asylum, he and the widow
of a prominent minister moved to Olney at the
invitation of John Newton, the parish minister.
In return for room and board Cowper became
an unpaid curate to Newton’s parish. The two
became life-long friends. Newton, realizing
Cowper’s skill as a poet, suggested that they
collaborate to write a book of hymns for day
to day use in his church. They both sought to
compose hymns that could be easily understood
and easily sung and remembered. The resulting
work is the Olney Hymns. From this great work we
derive such hymns as God Moves in a Mysterious
Way, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, and
Amazing Grace.
Cowper’s contribution to the hymnal, though
smaller than Newton’s, was no less significant.
Love Constraining to Obedience is a hymn text
penned for the Olney Hymns by William Cowper
between 1772 - 1773. It is found in the third book
of the Olney Hymns, hymns on “The Spiritual
Life”. Even though the vernacular in this text is
almost 250 years old, it is still plain to see this man’s
skill as a poet. For example, in the first stanza,
Cowper’s personification of nature to mean “our
own efforts” and “our own understanding” is just
one of many beautiful poetic devices.
No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the LORD aright;
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.
How long beneath the law I lay
In bondage and distress!
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.
Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its pow’r within,
I feel I hate it too.
Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose his ways.
What shall I do was then the word,
That I may worthier grow?
What shall I render to the LORD?
Is my enquiry now.
To see the Law by CHRIST fulfilled,
And hear his pard’ning voice;
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.
Cowper drew his subject matter for this hymn from
his own meditation on Romans 3. Surely he drew
from others subconsciously, as well as from his own
experience, but he published a reference to Romans
3:31, along with this text, in the Olney Hymnal.
Romans 3:19-20 says, “Now we know that whatever
the law says, it says to those who are under the law,
so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole
world held accountable to God. Therefore no one
will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the
works of the law; rather, through the law we become
conscious of our sin.” If the Apostle Paul were to
stop there, then Cowper’s hymn would cease at the
2nd stanza. But Paul goes on to end the chapter
with these words, “...since there is only one God,
who will justify the circumcised by faith and the
uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then,
nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we
uphold the law.” And so Cowper’s text ends with
the triumphant declaration that Christ has fulfilled
the requirement of the law! And that through faith
we receive his pardon, giving us freedom. Freedom
as a son of God. One who performs their good
works as loving choice and not out of obligation!
What sweet news!
Cowper’s insight on the nature of sanctification and
salvation is noteworthy. The earlier stanzas show an
understanding of, or “seeing,” his sin. He points out
the insufficiency of his merit, and the heavy slavish
burden of the law. And then, as the text progresses,
he points to the free Grace of God, meriting to
mankind the righteousness of Christ. Then he
expresses the realization that this substitution has
pardoned the believer from his debt, and has elevated
his status from “slave” to “son.” Cowper shows us
that salvation is accomplished through faith alone,
by the work of Christ himself. And he also sheds
light on what it means to be sanctified. To Cowper,
and he was not the only one of his day to think this,
becoming more like Christ was fundamentally a work
of the Spirit to change our perspective. To “see” our
depravity as great, and profound. And then to “see”
the fulfillment of all things in Christ. And by “see”
he doesn’t simply mean, “to understand.” He means
also to “feel.” We cannot move toward the salve of
the atonement until we feel in our flesh the futility
and despair of self-effort. When all our attempts at
goodness fail, we see the law fulfilled, and we feel the
warmth of His pard’ning voice!
Here are a few resources that may be helpful to you.
The Olney Hymnal is available for free as a pdf. A
simple google search will yield numerous options for
downloading this work. The website where I got the
pdf was www.amazinggracemovie.com. Also, there
are two great tunes for this hymn. The tune we sing
at Southwood is from the Indelible Grace catalog.
You can find it, along with loads of other hymns and
resources, at www.igracemusic.com. Lastly, I came
across a new version of this hymn written by a band
from Seattle, WA called Wayfarer. For those of you
“Indy” kids out there, Wayfarer sounds similar to the
Fleet Foxes. Their hymn arrangements are simple but
they build into explosive joyful choruses. You can find
their music at www.wayfarerseattle.bandcamp.com.
William cowper’s hymn shows us how salvation is accomplished by faith alone, by the work of christ himself.
aprl 2013 | southwood.org 15
southwood
16 april 2013 | southwood.org
WillSpinkAnswering your questions about sanctifcation & struggling with sin.
ask apastor
What do i do about that particular sin i keep struggling with?
Usually in mind in this question is a besetting sin, one we
might refer to as a “pet” sin because it seems always to
be with us and always coming home to us even when we
think we have gotten rid of it. This could be a secret sin that you
would never tell anyone else about or a characteristic sin that is
so much a part of who you are that everyone knows it, but all your
friends think, “That’s just the way he is.”
The first step in dealing with a sin like this has to be confession.
The Bible tells us that in confessing our sins to God we find not
only forgiveness but also relief and health. Confession is an
admission that we have a problem (the sin) that we can’t fix on
our own. Now don’t get me wrong; there are biblical principles
to follow that can help to address the sinful actions (e.g. flee
sexual immorality—get yourself out of bad situations that tempt
you to sin). But the reason these sins always come back is that
our hearts love them. Eventually we have to admit that we can’t
devise enough strategies in our own strength to keep the sinful
actions at bay because the sin lives in our hearts (corrupt nature
… see the previous question!).
So, we acknowledge that the battle against the sin is a spiritual
battle, where we plead for God’s grace daily and cling to his
forgiveness when we fail. If it’s in the dark, we bring it into the light
by confessing our struggle to others and having them pray with
and for us. We relentlessly expose our hearts to God’s Word, godly
counsel, and loving fellowship—all of which must be reminding us
of the truth of God’s love for us when we are unlovely sinners—
which shows our hearts something more appealing than that sin.
if god has given me a new heart, why do i keep on sinning?
After all, Jesus says if we love him, we’ll obey his
commands (John 14:15). John says no one born of God
makes a practice of (keeps on) sinning but only those who
are of the devil (I John 3:8-9). That’s what real sanctification is, right
… only obedience and no more sinning?
Well, yes and no. The Bible does talk about real sanctification in
the lives of believers who have been given new hearts—hearts that
hate sin and love holiness—so that our lives do actually change
(you may have heard that belief always impacts behavior!). The
sin we used to love must be put to death as that which was killing
us and did cost our Savior his life (Colossians 3:5). Positively, the
image of Christ is being formed in us (Colossians 3:10).
But the Bible teaches that we do keep sinning (I John 1:8) and that
the reason for that is that in this life the corruption of our old sinful
nature—the one we were born with—stays with us even when God
gives us new hearts and writes his law upon them and enables us
to trust in Jesus and obey his commands (read Romans 3:10-18 if
you’re uncertain of the sin that dwells in us). Sometimes it’s called
the flesh or the law of sin, but it keeps battling against the Spirit
in us so that our hearts are still daily at war with sin (Romans 7).
That’s why we keep sinning: Christ has conquered our sinful nature
so that we don’t bear its penalty and don’t live under its power,
but He has not yet removed its presence from us altogether (that
happens in glory!).
This warfare in our hearts actually explains why no one born of God
“makes a practice of sinning.” We still battle with sin, but we battle
with sin—we are not at peace with it as we once were. The one in
whom God’s Spirit dwells always (not perfectly but consistently)
fights sin in his heart and life because he now hates it as an enemy
and turns from it to Jesus instead of making a truce with it and
living with sin as if it’s a friend.
respond
southwood
aprl 2013 | southwood.org 17
respond southwood
a snapshot of sMall Groups at southWood
Take a moment to
get to know just one
of the many small
groups that meet
around Huntsville
Huggy An
Kim An
Bill Calhoon
Terra Calhoon
Steve Long
Susan Long
Ginger Longino
Roy Longino
James McCoy
Nelda McCoy
Janice Robinson
Leonard Robinson
Amanda Shockley
Tom Shockley
Daniel Simmons
Deborah Simmons
They use the small group
questions from the sermon
currently about Galatians.
Usually they enjoy a snack
and a dessert, but they
love to go out to eat on
special occassions.
They hug when
they greet, they
hug when they
leave and Nelda
always tells them
she loves them.
They started meeting
September of 2012
Dan and Deb are often the
first in the door. Huggy and
Kim are sometimes the last to
show up...but they always have
a good excuse!
The talkies of the
bunch? Susan and
Amanda. The quiet
ones? Dan and Deb.
According to Nelda, “We’re
just a fun bunch!”
They consider themselves
a “mostly empty-nester
group”...except for a few!
They find themselves spending
a lot of time talking about
grace “versus” works, but as
Leonard points out, “it’s ‘cause
we’re discussing Galatians...”
Recently, they worked at Deep Roots
together during the Church Family Work
Day, and it’s been one of their favorite
activities together thus far! They took
away sore knees, arugala, and a desire
to continue to serve together in this way.
southwood
18 april 2013 | southwood.org
What do you love about servinG in children’s Ministry?
respond
A few childrens’ volunteers were asked to explain why they serve upstairs each week.
When was the last time you spray painted your hair green to help spread Jesus’ love? Well, this is just one of many ways to make lessons fun and exciting as I teach 3rd to 6th graders. From learning about missionaries like St. Patrick to biblical truths in the children’s catechism, I’ve found the joys of teaching are reflected in the truths we learn. God has entrusted us with much and He expects us to bless others as we have been blessed. When I am feeling dry of spirit, I go upstairs (it is closer to God, you know) and touch the face of God through the children of Southwood. They have been given many talents and are a blessing to all of us; the world is just beginning to be blessed by them too.
-david rigby
“We want to sing Fruit of the Spirit” the children cried out, as I stepped towards the stage to lead them in worship. What a joy it has been to have the kids request songs that they particularly enjoy, and to hear them be able to remember verses from God’s Word because we have set them to tunes and added motions! I count it an honor and privilege to join with the kids every week in doing what Paul exhorted us all to do “…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…” (Eph. 5:19). Plus, it sure is fun to be able to wave your arms, stomp your feet, dance, be zany—all while praising the Lord from your heart!
-Heather morris
Serving in children’s Sunday school is very rewarding. The children’s energy, joy, and smiles definitely make it worth the effort. The icing on the cake is to see our children open up to a visitor, who is typically a little reserved in a new environment. They welcome the new child into their game, sit with them during the Bible lesson, and walk with them to their small group time. Witnessing our young ones love others unconditionally makes my heart overflow with God’s joy.
-scott thomas
As teachers of children, we often feel that we get so much more than we give. Each Sunday we are both encouraged and exhorted as we see the children’s enthusiasm and excitement as they learn the catechism, memorize verses, sing songs and listen to stories from the Bible. This enthusiasm was displayed one Sunday when, during the lesson, one of the boys yelled out, “Wait a minute, I’ve got to go to the potty, but I’ll be right back!” He literally ran to the bathroom and when he came back he asked with an earnest voice, “Did I miss anything?” What a timely reminder it was for us, the teachers, not to simply “go through the motions” of worship and Bible study, but instead desire not to “miss a thing” that God has for us in his Word.
-ken & stephanie Newberry
One neat thing about being involved in Children’s ministry is the opportunity to serve with my friends! It’s amazing to see their heart for Jesus in a different environment! It’s also been a great way to get to know people that I otherwise would just smile at in the sanctuary. Plus I love getting to watch the sweet kids’ faces as they soak in God’s truth and power!
-kim Watkins
“Nothing!” That’s the correct answer Ruth Ann exclaimed enthusiastically during a Sunday school game against some 60 other first and second graders. Sure, I was proud the six-year-old knew what could separate her from God’s love, but my great joy was knowing 20 minutes earlier, she was almost too nervous and scared to play. Though terribly timid previously, from the moment she nailed that one question in front of her peers, Ruth Ann never hesitated in the face of a challenge. Being a part of a child’s spiritual and mental growth is such a blessing. Upstairs on Sunday you can forget about yourself and adult stresses in exchange for a temporary escape into a simpler, more innocent world of a child.
-paul Huggins
southwood
aprl 2013 | southwood.org 19
all that is fairTHe BeaTLeS, HOLiNeSS, aND THe GReaTeST COMMaNDMeNT
In the book of Matthew, our Lord is asked a
question. “Hearing that Jesus had silenced
the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
One of them, an expert in the law, tested
him with this question: Teacher, which is the
greatest commandment?” His answer was
surprising. “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the
Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
(Matt. 22:35-40) What a revolutionary thing to
say! With this short, almost bumper-stickerish
quip, Jesus redefined how we ought to view
holiness. If one is to be “perfect in goodness
and righteousness,” as Merriam-Webster would
say is the definition of holiness, one cannot do
so without love.
A sincere love for God and for people should
undergird and uphold any attempt to be holy.
Otherwise it is simply a preoccupation with ones
own ability to produce outward expressions of
lawfulness. So in other words, becoming holy is
not easy (which could not be more understated!),
and it’s not something we do by ourselves. We
have to look outside ourselves to make any sort
of approximation at getting better. First to God,
and then to our neighbors, to learn to love them,
and learn to be loved by them. Sanctification is a
communal process.
Nearly fifty years ago, the Beatles gave
us the album Help! When asked about the title
track, John Lennon said this, “I didn’t realize it at
the time [but] when Help! came out in ‘65, I was
actually crying out for help. Most people think it’s
just a fast rock-’n’-roll song.” As a secular artist,
seeking to be honest about his struggles, he was
actually tapping into this concept. He knew that
he could not will himself out of his own struggles.
James Parker leads worship at Southwood. He regularly writes on culture and is a firm believer that God’s fingerprints can be seen everywhere and that his glory shines in“all that is fair.” You can email him at [email protected]
relate
James Parker
joining with john lennon
in asking for Help!
Babette’s Feast is a Danish film from the late
1980’s. Before you tune out at the mention of
subtitles, just know that this movie is well worth
the time you will spend watching! It follows
the story of two sisters who live in an isolated
village in 19th century Denmark. Their father
is the pastor of a small Protestant church.
The church becomes very legalistic and is as
isolated as the village, almost a sect unto itself.
Time passes, the father is gone, and the sisters are still in the village late into
their old age. The two decide to take in a French refugee named Babette
at the behest of a friend. Babette serves the sisters quietly and graciously
BaBBeTTe’S feaST
He would always need help, always need an
advocate. This is so true!
Lennon gave great insight from an unlikely
place telling us we are not capable of getting
better on our own. Shouldn’t this be what we
say to the words of Jesus? Shouldn’t it have
been the response of the pharisees? With the
Greatest Commandment, Jesus essentially
said, “Holiness is not what you thought it
was. In fact, it’s much bigger than you ever
expected!” Perfectly loving God and our
neighbor is such a heavy load that we could
never have bourn it. Jesus took the nails,
and the spear, and the crown of thorns, to
bear the weight of our responsibility. So I will join
with John Lennon and ask for Help! And every time
I hear this wonderful song I will remember that “God
is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in
trouble!” (Psalm 46:1)
as a house maid. After many years of service, Babette offers to cook an
extravagant French meal in honor of the 100th anniversary of their father’s
birth. Not wanting to be rude, the sisters agree to her request. However,
they, and the surviving members of the sect, are very anxious about the
“scandalous feast” Babette might prepare, and what evil they might be
asked to put into their bodies.
The plot moves slow, but then something amazing happens when they
eat: They smile, and experience joy for the first time! It’s as if they tried
with all their might to serve God but were still blind. And much like the
disciples on the road to Emmaus, when they broke bread together, their
eyes were finally opened. Watch this spectacular story unfold and see
what it might have to say to you!
“Help, I need somebody,Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.“And now my life has changed
In oh so many ways,My independence seems to vanish in the haze.
But every now and then I feel so insecure,I know that I just need you “
Like I’ve never done before.”
Senior SundayMay 5th at 10:30amJoin us in recognizing the Seniors at Southwood.