Life Group Studies

We have a small group in III Strands! This is for anyone interested in fellowshipping and studying and growing together as a community of married believers... Most with young kids :)
The Study we just finished was a part of Ray Vander Laan's Faith Lessons | World as We Know It series, called With All Your Heart. We met six times, watching a DVD together and then discussing and studying together... The kids played with Lindsey down the hall in the nursery while the adults chatted.
This was a great study to do; super low-key, no "homework," and babysitting down the hall.

Will you consider joining us, bringing some couple-friends, and growing into our community with us?
We will start again with a new study in January...This will be another "Ray" study for six sessions.
Lesson #11 Path to the Cross  is the next study (following "That The World May Know: #10 With All Your Heart). Pick up your Discovery Guides ASAP!

2nd and 4th Mondays at church from 6:30 to 8pm. Bring the kids to the nursery to play with Lindsey! It all starts back up again January 10th!
Next, we will do Shepherding A Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.

Potluck!

On October 31 we will be having an interactive potluck and discussion. Our class leaders will be sharing with us about something very important to our church. We'll all be participating, so please try your best to be there for this special day!
Here's the sign up for the potluck @ 9am our normal hour! Feel free to bring the kids, or if you want to be more hands-free, drop them in their class :)

If you didn't get a chance to sign up, go ahead and bring something you were dying to share, otherwise, please come and just enjoy!

Entree: Recke

Entree: Knaub

Entree: Graeser

Fruit: Overmyer

Bread/Pastry: Stage

Juice and/or Milk: Hodges (juice)

Paper Plates: Hodges

Hot Chocolate or Tea/Cider packets: EVERYONE.

Coffee for SGC November

Dearest Coffee Volunteers,
THANK YOU for offering to serve our Church body by helping out the "vets" in the Kitchen with making coffee for the ACs.
IF you are signed up to help, come to the kitchen on Sunday the 7th for the run-down on "instructions" if you can. If you can't make it, be sure to get specifics from the Graeser's or Overmyer's after they get the run-down. This is an important aspect when serving.

Please be in the kitchen by 7:30am on your Sunday.

Nov. 7: One Graeser, One Overmyer
Nov 14: Kastenbauer
Nov 21: One Hodges, need one more
Nov 28: One Knaub, need one more

Ray Vander Laan Study

What we're studying:

Ray Vander Laan's Faith Lessons Series: "With All Your Heart"

Ray Vander Laan takes us on a journey through Sinai and Israel, a region that is still largely desert but at times filled with lush, bountiful places. We will discover how Jesus called people to live in the Promised land. What can we learn during times of abundance and in times of desert. God led his people back to the desert often to relearn the lessons they had forgotten.

Damon has the DVD and leader's guide for this (vol 10), so all you have to do is buy the Discover Guide workbooks.  You can find them anywhere online like CBD and Amazon, or Mardel has them too....they are like $8 or $9. Probably one per couple is fine, but that's up to you two to decide.

When is this Bible Study?

We start September 27. Then, every other Monday night @ 6:30pm

Where is it going to be?

We'll meet in the main building at SGC in Room 167 & 169 (This is where the Bodybuilders and Working on Wisdom classes meet on Sunday mornings). Come in the south side door.

Who is going to watch the kids?

Amy's got a friend lined up: Her name is Lindsey and she's SO SWEET! Bring them to the Toddler and Infant Nurseries right before the DVD Starts, and pick them up when we're all done! It's so simple! Bring money for the "Babysitting Pot" on Sunday or Monday Night!

Encourage and invite other couples that might be interested to join us either to our AC on Sundays, or to the study!

Email Amy and Tim if you have any questions! kastenbauerfamily@gmail.com

Picnicking for Dessert!

Here are some pictures from the party in the park September 9th!

Kastenbauer's, Kallenberg's, Recke's, Graeser's, Stage's

This was a fun event to kick off our Fall semester of III Strands' AC... That's what we're doing, too, building community.

Spiritual Gifts

There was some great discussion this week!
We had to rush, as we ended class late, but Did you have any good questions or thoughts we could continue to talk about?

Did you think anymore about spiritual gifts? The importance of Diversity in the Church Body?

What about Baptism (Water) and Baptism at Conversion?

The Announcement

So, John Boyer made an announcement today.  What did you think?  What did you hear?  Post a comment for a free drink at the Southern Gables Cafe!

Upcoming Doctrinal Study

We will wrap up our study of Colossians over the next two weeks (the 18th and 25th of July), then, beginning in August, we intend to consider a few theological topics. A good way to approach this type of study is by examining our doctrinal statement. So here is the question: Which four (or five) of the following ten statements would you like to learn more about? (John and I discussed looking at numbers 2, 7, 8, and 9; however, we want your input and are open to other suggestions).

God
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

The Bible
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Human Condition
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

Jesus Christ
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel’s promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

The Work of Christ
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

The Church
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Christian Living
8. We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Christ's Return
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

Searching

As the search is an on-going, long process of finding our next Senior pastor, I am encouraged by your continued support and encouragement as a member of the committee. Thank you for listening, asking questions, and responding to the short announcement I made this week regarding the search.

Continue to pray for our Church Leadership (the Elders are a strong group of men who seek only to serve the Lord with wisdom), the Candidates we become engaged with, and the Congregation as we are growing weary. Let us not tire from the process, but grow from it, as fruit grows. Like our Summer Series digs in to, Paul's writings to the Galatians hold true:  

"But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

The Core of Colossians 3:1-17

On Sunday, June 27th, we examined Colossians 3:1-17. I attempted to emphasize the fact that the Christian way of life Paul advocates in this text is shaped by his understanding of the Kingdom of God as being a present reality that has yet to be fully manifested. That is, the reign of God has started in Christ’s first coming, but it will not be completely consummated until his second coming. This already/not yet tension with regard to God’s rule is dubbed inaugurated eschatology in theological terms (i.e., the beginning of the last things, the end of this age and the beginning of the age to come). The main idea is this: because of God’s grace we have been justified and brought under his glorious reign; therefore, we ought to live accordingly. In short, our current lifestyle should “fit with” or “correspond to” the age to come.

In Colossians, Paul states several things that God has already graciously done for us as the theological basis for his ethical exhortation. Namely, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ, we have received the circumcision of Christ (the sign of membership in God’s people), we have been reckoned dead to the elemental spirits of this world having been buried with Christ, and we have been forgiven our sins and given new life on account of having been raised with him by the power of God. As God’s holy and beloved, chosen ones, we are to become who we are. In other words, we are to develop in the present time the character traits that anticipate who we are destined to be in the coming age.

According to the apostle Paul, this process of character formation is not automatic, we must actively seek things above, set our mind on things above, take off and set aside what is sinful, and put on the characteristics of Christ. Too often we make the mistake of viewing spiritual formation in terms of two humans cooperating with each other on a task: whatever one person does the other refrains from doing. That is, if we are to do the work, God must not be involved or vice versa. However, God’s sanctifying work in our lives is not like that. Rather, the Spirit permeates all our practices. His grace undergirds and empowers all our efforts to “put on” this new kingdom way of life. Nevertheless, the point still stands – we are not passive participants in the process. We must put forth moral effort in cooperation with the Spirit’s work in our lives. (Note: exhibiting moral effort in the process of sanctification has nothing to do with earning or meriting salvation; on the contrary, the fact that we are already saved by grace alone through faith alone is the underlying motivation for our moral make-over under the direction of the Holy Spirit).

In contrast to the sinful way of life that destroys fellowship and discriminates among persons, the new life of the age to come cultivates a caring community that cherishes everyone. This everlasting life of the new heaven and new earth is characterized by compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, love, peace, and thanksgiving. It is the life we were created for, the life we were redeemed for, and the life we are exhorted to exhibit in the here and now.

Remember, there will be no Sunday School on the Fourth of July. Then, on Sunday, July 11th, John will continue our study of Colossians by looking at how this new way of life ought to manifest itself in our households.

Review Colossians 2:6-23

Last Sunday (6-20) we covered Colossians 2:6-23. We found that Paul was contending for the faith against a specific hollow and deceptive philosophy in Colossae with regards to spiritual wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It should be noted that he was not disparaging classical philosophy in general (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, etc.). Two things support this statement. First, the Greek behind the English word "philosophy" includes the article (tēs philosophias), which suggests that the leaders of the faction called their teaching "the philosophy." Second, the use of one preposition (dia, through) as well as the absence of the definite article before the second noun (apatēs, deceptive) also shows that what Paul was describing as dangerous was the particular philosophy or putative wisdom teaching in Colossae.

We also discussed the nature of this false teaching and discovered that although the basic features of “the philosophy” advocated by the false teachers are fairly evident, how they fit together is matter of scholarly debate. The following is a list of the core components that comprised the deception:

· denied Christ’s full deity
· required circumcision
· held strict regulations concerning food and drink
· observed a ritual calendar
· maintained taboos against touching or handling certain things
· practiced asceticism (self-denial) to facilitate spiritual progress
· delighted in the worship of angels
· submitted to the elemental spirits of the world
· sought higher knowledge or mysteries through visionary experiences

Of the numerous possible ways to integrate these features into one scheme of thought, two seem the most plausible. The first possibility is that Paul was simply warning the Colossians against Judaism. That is, having missed the good news concerning the Messiah, it was now to be regarded as just another religion or human tradition. Since Gentile Christians were already filled in Christ, they did not need to observe the Jewish law to become spiritually complete. In support of this understanding, we noted that both Philo and Josephus used the word “philosophy” to describe Judaism to pagans and that Paul might have been doing the same. In addition, many of the features of the false teaching fit with Jewish practices, for instance, circumcision, dietary regulations, and religious holidays.

The second possibility is that the false teaching consisted of a syncretism of Judaizing and Hellenizing features. In other words, some elements of pagan religious practices – local folk superstitions, Phrygian religion, and various mystery cults – had been combined with Jewish traditions to form this pernicious philosophy. We observed that the alleged participation in extreme forms of asceticism and the worship of angels seemed to fit better on this account.

Regardless of the theory of integration one favors regarding the false teaching influencing the church in Colossae, Paul’s rebuttal is clear: Although their teachings may have had the appearance of wisdom, the reality was they completely missed the goal of the full spiritual life. Their strict regulations regarding food and drink, rigid ritual observances, and austere prohibitions in order to enter into visions and attain knowledge of spiritual mysteries ironically led only to religious pride, fleshly indulgence, and further enslavement to the elemental spirits of the world.

Paul’s positive theological instruction to the church is also clear. The Colossians were to grow stronger in their understanding and grasp of the faith they were taught. The central feature of that apostolic faith was Jesus Christ is Lord (over creation and redemption). Jesus is fully God, sovereign over every rule and authority, principality and power, and elemental spirit of the world. Moreover, in him we have been filled. Indeed, when God considers those who are “in Christ,” he counts what is true of Christ as true of them also. In other words, those who are united with Christ receive all the benefits of having been circumcised (membership in the covenant people of God), buried (freedom from sinful habits and old allegiances to the rulers and authorities of this world), and raised from the dead (forgiveness of sins and the forever-life of God). Since Christ is the wisdom of God and the Colossians had already received the very mystery of God (Christ in them), it would be absurd for them to even consider accepting the false teaching and voluntarily place themselves under the regulations imposed by the principalities and powers. Such a move would be tantamount to reverting to the slavery of their pagan past. It would be as foolish as trading the substance (the reality) for the shadow.

This coming Sunday (6-27) we will consider Paul’s ethical alternative to the false teaching in Colossae; namely, what it means to walk in Christ. Brace yourselves, because Colossians 3:1-17 reveals the real implications that our new life in Christ has for our behavior.

1st Annual III Strands Camping Trip...

Four couples went to Chalk Creek Campground for our first ever "3 Strandscampaganza" this past weekend.  Check out a few of our pics from the first night:

Aaaaaand, we're done.  These are pictures from the first night only...the only time it didn't rain incessantly.  It was not a great weekend for camping, unless you dig being cold and wet the.entire.time.  The company (kudos to the campers who stayed the whole weekend) was awesome and we enjoyed the fellowship.

All the same, I recommend a "do-over". :)

Here are some more photos...

This is why Tom never "remembers" Amy's name... He hates that she takes photos like this and puts them on the blog!

Beautiful!

Our Little Ounce Of Proof that the SUN CAME OUT (once).

Double Date Night List

Mark & Megan Graeser paired with James and Jenny Chan

Jon & Lindsey Hodges paired with Tim & Amy Kastenbauer

Bob and Cheri Hall paired with Michael & Karen Kallenberg

John & Helen Overmyer paired with Caleb & Kristin Roepke

Austin & Erika Knaub paired with Tom & Tami Recke

Damon & Lea Stage paired with Mark & Valerie Hernandez

How has the Pastoral Search at SGC affected you?

Hey Everyone who reads this blog! Hope you're week is going well. I've been thinking about this topic for a while and just thought I'd run the thought past you all. So, since this has been a long process of searching for a replacement to Jerry Nelson, and I know it has affected some people, I thought I'd ask everyone in our class how it has affected them? Does it make you feel insecure about the future of our church? Are you frustrated it's taken so long? Do you feel like it should be a long process as it's an important thing you don't want to rush? Where do you stand?

Walk for Alternatives, June 5

If anyone is interested, this year's walk is Saturday, June 5 at 9:30am.  You can visit the website to find out more information.

Can a Christian be demonized?

Since the issue of demonization was raised in class this past Sunday and it generated a good deal of discussion, I thought I would attempt to clarify my view here (the class blog seems like a good place to enter into these types of dialogues).

I do not think it is possible for a Christian to be "possessed" or completely controlled by a demon. Colossians 1:13 assures us that God "has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." Believers are filled with the Spirit of God (Rom. 5:1-5; 8:9). And "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Indeed, our bodies are the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We have been sanctified or set apart for God's use.

However, speaking in terms of "possession" is rather misleading; since, the Greek word usually translated "demon possessed" is better translated "have a demon" or "demonized" (diamonizomai). It simply means to be under the influence of a demon. In this sense, I do think it is possible for Christians to "have a demon," even to the point of needing deliverance. In other words, genuine Christians can be tempted, harassed, and/or oppressed by demons. Nevertheless, with this understanding there is no connotation of possession or ownership. Christians who "have a demon" or are afflicted in this manner - either through evil done to them or through their own immoral choices that have opened a door to the demonic realm - are still saved (their ultimate salvation is not in question). The following are some reasons why I hold this view.

There are several biblical passages that point to the possibility of demonic influence and attack on the church and in the lives of individual Christians (e.g., 2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:26-27, 6:10-12; 1 Thess. 2:18; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 2:26; 1 Pet. 5:6-8). There are also specific examples of believers who came under demonic influence due to their sinful behavior, for instance, King Saul (1 Sam. 16:14-23), Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-3), and the Corinthian man involved in the incestuous relationship (1 Cor. 5:1-13). The strongest example in support of the view that a believer can be "demonized" is the case of the woman in Luke 13:11-16. There are three key things to note in this text. First, she was referred to by Jesus as "a daughter of Abraham," which indicates that she was a true believer (another indication is the fact that she immediately began to praise God upon being delivered/healed). Second, her infirmity is explicitly attributed to the operation of a spirit (demon) and ultimately ascribed to Satan himself. Third, we are told that Jesus freed her. In short, she was a demonized believer who needed deliverance.

Putting it all together, then, I think full "possession" is rare and cannot happen to a true Christian. Since the Holy Spirit indwells the spirits of Christians upon conversion, the enemy can never infest that dimension of a believing person. But I am equally convinced that "demonization" is fairly common and that it can even happen to real Christians. Evil spirits are capable of influencing people on various levels and to different degrees. Thus, the state of "having a demon" or "being demonized" may refer to physical attack (harassing, obstructing, or infecting), acute temptation (aggravating existing weaknesses or elevating the degree of ordinary enticements), or emotional oppression (heaviness or depression). I think the enemy can afflict a believer's body and even possibly gain control over certain aspects of a believer's soul (especially the facets of mind and emotions). However, the latter is only possible if the person provides the enemy an opportunity or what Paul calls a foothold in Ephesians 4:27. As Clinton E. Arnold observes, "It is likely that any sinful activity that the believer does not deal with by the power of the Spirit can be exploited by the devil and turned into a means of control over a believer's life. Therefore, Christians need to resist. For Paul there is no middle ground. There is no nominal Christianity. Believers either resist the influence of the evil one who works through the flesh and the world, or they relinquish control of their lives to the powers of darkness."

There is nothing contradictory about this position given a trichotomist anthropology (i.e., human persons have three main dimensions: body, soul, and spirit). Admittedly, this is a minority view among contemporary biblical scholars who mostly maintain a dichotomist view. That is, the human person is comprised of two parts: body and soul/spirit (soul and spirit being understood as synonyms). I readily acknowledge that there is a basic dualism between the material and immaterial aspects of human persons and that the terms for soul and spirit are often used synonymously in Scripture. However, there are a few instances where there is evidence of an additional distinction between soul and spirit within the immaterial dimension of the human person (see 1 Cor. 14:14; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12). Moreover, I think there are good reasons from experience to accept such a trichotomist stance, including the fact that it better explains the data pertaining to the issue at hand.

Thank you John for your biblical and balanced teaching on the very controversial topic of homosexuality. I also appreciated the resources you distributed as well as the books you recommended. I listed the book titles below in case someone may have missed them.

Gagnon, Robert A.J. The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.

Moberly, Elizabeth R. Homosexuality: A New Christian Ethic. Cambridge: James Clarke & Co. Ltd., (1983) 2006.

"Barnes & Miner" comedy show

Thursday, May 13 

Southern Gables Church

4001 S. Wadsworth

Littleton, CO

Music by:

The RumbleKings  Guitar & Percussion with Strings Attached!

Seating & Music

at 6:30 pm

 Comedy at

7:00 pm

FREE Child Care (Infant - 8 yrs.)

 Tickets: $15

 Available after services in the Southern Gables Welcome Center, all King Soopers and TicketsWest.com

Something to Chew on...

In light of talking about homosexuality in our AC, I thought this YouTube video about being "gay and Christian" featuring Jennifer Knapp & Ted Haggard would be interesting to watch. 
Good stuff for discussion this Sunday, at the very least...

Prayer Request

Hi all - Could you please join us in prayer on a very tragic situation? Yesterday we lost a friend... We both went to college in MN and volunteered with our youth group at our church during that time. Two of our youth group kids grew up and got married - Nick and Heidi. Early yesterday morning, someone broke into their home in St. Paul and both Nick and Heidi were shot. Heidi died almost immediately of her injuries. Nick was treated and released for a gunshot wound to the leg. He is 27, she was 25. They are some of the most wonderful people....

This has obviously been devastating for all who know and love them. Please pray for Nick as he wrestles with this horrible situation, for peace and comfort from God which will surpass our ability to understand. Please also pray for us as we make decisions on how to get out there for the memorial service - we may be packing up the minivan and heading out in the next couple of days, depending on when the services get planned for.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer for Nick, Nick's family, Heidi's family, and all of their many friends...
Jon and Lindsey

Diaper Drive!

 During the month of May, SGC is holding an all-church Diaper Drive  to benefit the ministry of Love INC of Littleton  (Love in the Name of Christ). Love INC has a “Gap Ministry” in Littleton  called “Dipes and Wipes” which makes available diapers and baby wipes to local mothers-in-need. This drive will help provide diapers and baby wipes for this ministry; financial donations will also be accepted.

Volunteers from our class, III Strands, are needed to supervise the diaper drive collection area (near the Compassion Ministries Kiosk in the Welcome Center), collect donations, and provide receipts for financial donations from 10:10 to 10:40am every Sunday in May.  I will bring a sign-up sheet this Sunday for those who would like to help.  If you would like to volunteer, but will not be in class this Sunday, please respond below to which Sunday you would like to sign up for and I'll put you down.
Thanks!
Tami

Clothing & Bake Sale coming up...

Below is the information for St. Philip's annual clothing sale (their biggest fundraiser of the year).  It is a BIG sale and usually has good quality clothes at good prices. 

Love Inc.

Hello Faithful Volunteering Servant Leaders,

This Sunday, Al Hodges will be in our class again to give us more details regarding the Diaper Drive. The idea is to have our AC spearhead a church-wide campaign to collect diapers during the month of May. The diapers would then be distributed through Love, Inc. to mothers and families who cannot afford to buy them.

Immediately after the second service there will be a brief meeting with Dori Sear in the Welcome Center to lay the initial groundwork for a church-wide promotion.

We need one or more couples to lead the effort. If you feel the least inclination to be involved, please plan on being at the meeting after the second service.

Read Jonah. We'll see you on Sunday.

John

Teaching Topics

I've got a few ideas about what to teach over the summer and I'd like to get your feedback. Which of the following studies most interests you? And yes, you can pick more than one.

Ruth
1 John
Colossians
Theological Doctrines (a week on each point of the church's statement of faith)
Heroes of the Faith - a study of the key figures in the Bible
Apologetics - A biblical response to major ethical issues (abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, etc.)

Thanks for your thoughts,
John

Divine Presence

In the Bible the words used to describe the presence of God convey three main senses. First, there is the sense in which God is present everywhere or omnipresent (Ps 139:7-10). Second, there is the special presence of God with his people. In the Old Testament this is often tied to God's dwelling in the tabernacle and temple (Ps 48). In the New Testament this special or manifest presence of God is linked with Jesus as Immanuel, God with us (Mt 1:23), as well as with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-17). Third, there is the direct, unmediated presence of God in heaven, before which the angels receive their messages (Lk 1:19).

The main emphasis of the Bible is not on the divine presence as immanent everywhere (omnipresence), even though this is a valid and important theological point. The focus typically is on the second sense of God's special presence with his people. Thus, it is natural for Jonah to try to flee from God's presence by leaving his dwelling place among the people of Israel (1:3). I do not think Jonah was so naive as to try to escape God's omnipresence; for, he even admits later that the Lord is the God of heaven, who made the sea and land (1:9). Rather, if we understand the phrase "from the presence of the Lord" to refer to Jonah's standing before the presence of God in a special or even in a direct sense as a prophet (note how Elijah speaks about standing before God in his prophetic role in 1 Kings 17:1 and 18:15), the verse calls attention to his blatant rebellion and unwillingness to continue to serve God.

- Michael

Campin' trip

Ok, so I know I have talked to a few families about trying to get a camping trip up an running, so here is my feeble attempt to go public. There is an area that we have been camping at for the last few years that seems like it might be a good location for our first annual 3strandscampaganza. it is a private campground which means that it is by reservations only, but it also is considered to be "camping light." by that i mean that there is full flush toilets (not just outhouses) and hot showers. there is a large grass area, a playground, a few horseshoe pits, and a river all on the premises (not to mention standard fire pits and picnic benches on each site). also, the camp ground is right outside of Buena Vista which has a lot of other things that people can do, the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness for 14ers/hiking, tons of lakes/streams, and the Arkansas river for fishing, there are 4x4 trails in the area, a 1,000 yrd shooting range, and white water rafting. Anyway if you are interested, let me know so we can start pinning down some dates. the location is about 2 hr drive from here. if we can get 20 people, we can get the group site which would be very advantageous over a number of smaller, 4-6 person sites. anyway, the place is called chalk creek campground. If you all would like someplace closer, let me know, i just thought this would be a good location with pretty nice amenities for people who are not used to camping and/or have small kids that might make "roughin' it" a little more difficult. Let me know what you think.
-damon

What We Have and Will Continue to Need:

Because our class is filled with great minds, we must continue to do well with our sound foundation. Some of the things we talked about building upon in our group are these:

• Sound Teaching
• Attendance with Committment
• Worship Time
• Being Bible-centric
• Continuing strong, regular Prayer
• Important part of Church Family is III Strands Class
• Unifying ourselves with SGC as a whole
• Inter-connectedness across church

This is what a regular month will look like:

First Sunday: Prayer (Elliot & Lori lead)
Second Sunday: Worship/Music time (need guitars & singers)
Third Sunday: Prayer (Elliot & Lori lead)
Fourth Sunday: Worship/Music time?
Fifth Sunday: Potluck--sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch, sometimes brunch :)

What We Do, and What We'd Like to Do:

Last week, we talked about a few things that we do well with our group. III Strands is a group where we have fellowship and fun together... Let's get some more ideas out on the table with what we do already, to make this an even closer-knit class of brothers and sisters!

Social Things:

• Couples Date Nights--monthly/bi-monthly
• Game Nights
• Camping Trip
• Picnic Day/Day at the Park for families
• Potlucks

Ministry and Outreach:

• Project Cure
• Joshua Station
• Diapers
• Rescue Mission
• Soup Kitchens
• Neighborly Care
• Third Story
• Serving/visiting the Elderly
• New Family Support