I was recently reading a pastor’s testimony about his “call to full-time ministry.” He painted an all-too-familiar scene of being at a summer camp and responding to a call for those there to commit their life to “full-time ministry.” The pastor whose story I was reading had his…
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“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21) As we turned into this new year at midnight last night, we entered the final year of the first quarter of the 21st century. For those of us who once…
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Text: Matthew 5—8. The Demands of Christ’s Righteousness The demands of the Sermon on the Mount (SM) are great. I have presented elsewhere that the style and structure of the Beatitudes call disciples to a sacrificial way of life.[1] Most shudder at the prospect of the commands of…
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Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20 I like food. Good food. I like ice cream and baked goods (no, not casseroles, pastries!), in particular.…
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18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to…
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At Gulf Coast Community Church, our mission is to be a faithful Gospel witness for this generation and the next. Our witness for Christ is the sine qua non of our existence, that without which our existence would be meaningless. Our missional priorities are those things essential to…
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I propose that a Gospel culture describes a people who value humility as power, love as progress, and who hope for a peace attainable only through Christ’s reign. That this people values humility… love… and hope for peace… is seen in how they live. It is seen in…
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The life of faith is not only about what we do but also about what story we think we are a part of. The story about Simon Peter getting Jesus’ tax money from the fish’s mouth (Matt. 17:24-27) came to mind this morning in prayer (feel free to…
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Our five missional priorities as a church—those things which comprise our faithful Gospel witness as a church—are Gospel formation, Gospel culture, Gospel mercy, Gospel outreach, and Gospel unity. Gospel culture is the product of something. It is the result of Gospel formation. We can measure the effectiveness of…
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV) Fruit Comes from Orchards Fruit affects us at the point of taste first and foremost, but we rarely consider…
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One week ago yesterday, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling which had made abortion legal in all 50 states. The effect of this ruling is that it will now be placed upon each of the 50 states to decide what to…
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“To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam. 15:22). One bible study I saw suggested that if we had to pick between obedience and sacrifice, clearly obedience is better. I’m not sure how helpful that is since in many cases one has to make sacrifices in order to…
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You’ve likely seen a version of posters from over a century ago with Uncle Sam dressed in Americana hat and coat pointing directly at the viewer declaring, “I Want You.” America had a mission, and soldiers were wanted. “Gideon Wants You!” is a play on that. It really…
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What is Advent? Advent means “coming” and is the name the Church has given to the season anticipating the coming of Christ as if before His incarnation, but also His coming in consummation—the completion of what He began in His first coming. Advent is a time of tension.…
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The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. (1 Peter 4:7 NIV) The study of eschatology, or end-times prophecy, at least at the popular level, often exists in an atmosphere more like a circus than an AA…
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