Head For The Hills!

He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”
(Matthew 14:23b)
Where are the mountains to which we run to find solitude with God? Perchance they’re difficult to unearth in the arid plains of ear-buds, iPods/iPhones, telephones, text messages, radios, televisions, computers, the internet, e-mails, Facebook, Blackberries, and Twittering. Perhaps they’re all but leveled from the dust storm aftermath of soccer games, business meetings, grocery buying, music lessons, doctor’s appointments, homework, commuting, paying bills, grooming, sleeping and even ministry. The technological and hectic pace of our culture and just life itself has not only flattened our divine landscape, but also compressed some of us into a crevasse where we’re sandwiched into a perceptible position of intercessory immobility.
But need we be paralyzed by our by our environs as if we were powerless to pursue intimacy with God? Maybe the first place to begin is whether we long to break free and solo the mountain ascent to commune with Him at all. Some of us have become desensitized to the high-tech and frenzied pace of American life to such a degree that we no longer sense the need for seclusion with Him. Jesus’ three years of persistent public ministry made Him one of the busiest to ever live, yet He saw the necessity and sought it out, even if it meant leaving others behind. Yearning for the Preeminent at the expense of the paramount has got to captivate our desires over our demands. This happens when we see the beauty of our Savior as more appealing than the immediacy of our tasks.  And just how beautiful is this Christ that overshadows everything placed within our eyes’ view? So breathtaking that we simply cannot help but remember the blindness of our former darkness against the radiance of His marvelous light (cf. I Peter 2:9). So captivating that we cannot wait for the next moment to dine alone at the feast of His banqueting table rather than eat among the throngs of aliens and from their corruptible crumbs that fall to the ground. So magnificent that we allow the lightning speed of our hyper-connective and loaded lives easily pass us by in exchange for a solemn roadside rest stop that’s coupled to endless supplies of living water (John 4:10).
While “… the Christian… belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes”, (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together), so too the Christian belongs not in the sociality of a margin-less life but in segregation with God. These are not mutually exclusive, but inclusive, meaning that we need not seek to always run away from the industriousness of our humanity, and yet at the same time we need to routinely run to, or head for the hills of insular and peaceful moments with God in the midst of our humanity. Why? Because man cannot “live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”. (Matthew 4:4b)
So just where might we find those hills of detachment?  They’re sought after in the boundless sea of busyness and, when discovered on the still horizon, they’re fought for just like the WWII American offensive “Battle of Iwo Jima” (ironically codified “Operation Detachment”). For some of us that will mean a disciplined early morning rise to contemplate the Lord while smelling and feeling the fresh, cool air as the early dawn of light peeks over the treetops. For others it will mean a regimented lunch hour away from the office or studies where a leisurely walk even among the masses clears the cluttered mind and ruminates upon God. And for even others it will mean an hour behind closed doors after the evening meal, sheltered from all distractions, to read and pray about and to the One who sustained us throughout the day. Whenever the time and whatever the occasion, a faithful walk in the Spirit all day long requires quiet communion with God lingering moments long. It’s a fool’s errand to merely attempt to squeeze Him into the cracks of our days as if He were simply another casual acquaintance, then off to the next thing.
Remember that it was unto the hills to which the Psalmist lifted his eyes from whence his help came (cf. Psalm 121:1).  And why would he look there for aid and not somewhere else?  Yes, Zion sits upon a hill and provides a vantage point that overlooks the surrounding countryside which freely permits the populace to see much further than what’s visible from the valley floor. But also when in danger it was there from the hills which the liberation forces would ride, come and arrive to release the captives. The hills were conspicuous from the encampment and supplied a sense of hope when no other escape seemed evident.  And it is there on those same hills that our hope also resides when we’re burdened by the heavy yoke of an impacted and compressed schedule.  It’s there that we once more find the gospel of Jesus and the liberating truth that looses the shackles and sets the prisoner free (cf. Nahum 1:13; Psalm 146:7).  And it was there that the Psalmist said his help came from the Lord (cf. Psalm 121:2).  Only let us not just look, but run to those hills and meet our Rescuer there that He might surround us with an armor of protection against the perilous pitfall of obligation and duty.  Then after basking in the safety of His embrace may we again delight in duty, rejuvenated by a transfusion of love that carries us in a peaceful estate even among the most pressing of demands.  Sometimes the comfort of the familiar and busy routine will hinder our gait, but let that be a bellwether that we need all the more to pick up our pace and press through the slumber.  As aptly stated by Charles Spurgeon with such eloquence as penned by none other, “Dwellers in valleys are subject to disorders for which there is no cure but a sojourn in the uplands, and it is well when they shake off their lethargy and resolve upon a climb.” (The Treasury of David, Volume 3)
So let us look up and when we survey the golden hills of our terrain, head for those hills unaccompanied and then rest with our Creator at the crest’s edge. After savoring at the summit, may we descend and venture through the flatlands with vigor and in victory.
-Tom Kruggel

Personal “substitute” Jesus

As people seeking change, all believers live somewhere on the continuum between slavery and freedom. Our culture in every age presents its own views of freedom as well as its own solutions for change, and these alternate ideas seem appealing. What do they offer? Avoid chaos. Live in control. Keep your own plans and dignity intact. We have always had to sift through false ideas of change (Colossians 2:6-8). Christians must continually contend against hollow and deceptive diagnoses and solutions to problems presented as superior to Jesus Christ. These false ideas frequently masquerade themselves as biblical wisdom, borrowing some aspect of biblical truth. False wisdom allows us to live independent of Christ as opposed to dependent upon Him, which thereby circumvents the deep transformation of the heart only the grace of God in the gospel can produce.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and  established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Colossians 2:6-8
What are some examples of what can rightly be called plausible lies or hollow and deceptive philosophies rooted in human tradition that, often pass for true Christian change?
The finger-pointing strategy of changing my circumstances is both deceptive and hollow, because it misses our need for Christ’s redeeming grace and places the blame for our problems ultimately on God. “If only I made more money; could change my appearance; had a better boss; had a more understanding husband/wife; had children who respected me.” Real change lies in changing everyone around me. Circumstances and a demand for them to change always hits the “sweet spot” of what the heart truly worships. Merely seeking circumstances to change bypasses the need for grace in the heart to worship God alone in the midst of difficulty.
I need to change my behavior – “I should be nicer at home; more involved at church; reach out to the neighbors; not get so upset about other people’s opinions.” Merely addressing our external actions fails to address the inward driving issues of worship that are the overflow of the heart explaining why we do what we do. Rather than doing the painful and time consuming work of addressing motives and worship we can seek skills and techniques that will help us to navigate through life more smoothly. You can even memorize Bible verses exercising your own self-effort to change yourself as opposed to trusting in the grace of God to change you through embracing biblical truth on the level of heart desires. Even a commitment to obey, read, and memorize scripture will not result in change if it is merely faith in faith; (i.e. faith in your own ability to believe and obey) and not a trust in the resources of the grace of God that He has given you freely as a gift because you are unable to truly obey these commands on your own. This often results in asking such questions as, “I’m doing everything I’m supposed to, why isn’t my life better or more fulfilling?” or “Why am I still having trials?” In this case the steps or principles become the means to getting what we want more than Christ. The hollowness of mere behavior change is it does not deal with the need for the grace of God to transform the heart, by the Spirit.
There is the pursuit of change that goes beyond just behavior to changing our thinking so that our behavior will reflect appropriate thoughts about our circumstances. Our thinking needs to be adjusted so that our behavior with respect to our circumstances will change. However, people are much than just the sum total of their thoughts; they are worshippers with hearts filled with expectations, desires, and aspirations that profoundly influence how they respond to life. In other words we can change the way we think about a matter, how we understand something, we can engage new ideas, and acquire new information, but leave Jesus out of the picture. We can do all of the above without introducing the person and work of Jesus Christ or trusting Him to change our thinking as well as our affections, desires, aspirations, motives.
Even memorizing verses pertaining to an area of struggle so that we can be prepared when the temptation arises can be performed through the mere exercise of the will, instead of being done with trust in Jesus Christ. Instead of trusting Christ while pursuing obedience one can, independently of Christ, put their trust in oneself to do and think what the verses teach. It reduces the Christian life to, “think these thoughts,” and, “act this way,” and does not involve Christ as Savior. He came to transform not just the intellect, but also our entire person.
We need to change our self-concept/view of self . This view manifests itself in these type of sentiments: “Believe in yourself;” “You’re a good gifted person;” and “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Looking within for the power of change appears deeper since it addresses our innermost feelings and seems more real. It begins with our own goodness and the better we feel about ourselves; the more highly we view ourselves and our gifts and abilities the more we are able to help ourselves change and help others (“If I feel good about myself then I’ll feel good about helping you;” or “I like to ___________ because it makes me feel good about myself”). The alternative to leaning on our own abilities, gifts, and confidence is leaning on Christ and what He has already done on our behalf (Christ exalting faith as opposed to mere self-confidence).
For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— Philippians 3:3
The assumption being made is that our hearts are empty and need to be filled. This is just not true. Instead, we are an overflowing cauldron of desires that longs for everything else in creation to fill us rather than the uncreated living God.
Hollowness and emptiness does not come from longing for nothing, but longing for something other than what we were created to enjoy, God Himself. We are not passive and innocent, but rather defectors and rebels rejecting God for what He has created. On the other hand a life spent crippled by guilt and its effects as well as despondency over failure does hinder change. However, seeking resources for change by creating artificial saviors does not offer hope or produce change. The good news of Jesus Christ is that He grants forgiveness of sin, declares us righteous, and promises His presence and a new track record (Christ’s) with a new potential (conformity to Christ-likeness). Making too much of yourself or perpetually belittling yourself are two different sides of the same coin.  Trusting in the gifts you think you have or even might actually possess, or placing your trust in the gifts you wish you had but do not, are both cases of deferring to self rather than trusting in Christ alone.
Just trust Jesus more – Who is this Jesus? Is He the Jesus who meets my needs as I define them or a Savior and a Redeemer who both defines and addresses my true need in ways far more glorious than I could ever ask or think? Is this Jesus my Savior or my ticket to getting the things in life I really want more than Him? Is this Jesus the One I worship as the ultimate end or is He the One who gives me what I want more than Him: a good name, respect among peers, professional success, a good marriage, happy, obedient, and “saved” kids? Is He the Jesus you worship or the Jesus you have an unspoken deal with:  “I go to church, read the Bible, take my kids to church, see to it that they’re involved and learning, live an upright moral life and in exchange I expect a trouble-free life and fun life, answered prayers, a husband who loves me, a wife who respects me, kids who obey, home in a nice, safe suburban neighborhood.” Do we have a deal?
Defining Jesus and my needs for myself rather than looking to the Bible to define these for me produces a Jesus who is the “means to an end” rather than the end Himself. In the gospel, Jesus Christ loves me with a love that exposes my rebellion and idolatry and leads me to repent of what I desire more than Him. All God-replacements must be demolished through real, honest, thorough, and thoughtful repentance of what has supplanted Christ and a pursuit of a thorough trust and dependence in Christ’s righteousness alone. For many the answer to just trust Jesus more leads us to ask the question, “What Jesus are we trusting?” Is He the Jesus who meets all of our needs as we define them or is He Jesus the Savior and Redeemer who calls us to repentance and trust in Him that He might make us holy?
The above has been adapted from chapter two of How People Change, by Drs. Paul Tripp and Tim Lane. “Dynamics of Biblical Change” currently meets during 2nd service in the Fellowship Hall.
-Vince Cuomo

Time to Fire Up the Power House

In the fall of 2008 we embarked on a church-wide prayer partnership. Instead of meeting at one time and in one place we invited members of GBC to commit to a regular time of prayer of at least ½ an hour every week for twelve weeks. Prayer updates were sent by email and were available on the website. This corporate effort resulted in over 700 hours of prayer ascending to our Lord each week. The results were so tangible to the congregation and individuals participating in the partnership that we decided to do two things: maintain a weekly prayer update on our website’s homepage and make the fall partnership an annual challenge.
The first we have done, though I admit we failed on occasion to provide fresh prayer requests. Each week the new requests were based on the emphasis of the sermon.
In a few weeks we will be in the closing verses of James. In this paragraph he exhorts his readers to persevere in prayer trusting that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Not only will this text reveal new insights into prayer for many of us, it will also provide an excellent launching pad for this year’s fall prayer partnership.
But what’s with the “power house?” You might remember the well-known and oft repeated story of Spurgeon’s “power house.” Below is the account as I quoted it in a sermon last year.
Spurgeon is known as the greatest preacher that England ever produced. Through his ministry, England experienced a great revival and thousands of people came to Christ
One day a group of American evangelists had occasion to visit Spurgeon in England. After the service, they met him at the door and commented on what a great sermon he had preached and how much they had enjoyed the service. He asked them if they would like a tour of his church. They were ecstatic. Here was the great preacher Spurgeon himself leading them through his church and showing them around. As they were finishing their tour, he asked them, “Would you like to see our power plant?” They weren’t really interested in the power plant, but it was Spurgeon, so they followed. He led them into the basement and opened a door. The room was filled with people on their knees, praying and interceding before God for the ministry of the church and for their pastor. Spurgeon turned to the American evangelists and said, “This is the powerhouse of our church. If anything happened in the service today, it was not because of anything I did but because of what went on in this room this morning.”
Spurgeon was a tremendously gifted servant of God. But his confidence lay in the spiritual reality of prayer not in his own abilities. The ministry of the Metropolitan Tabernacle included orphanages, visitation, men and women’s bible studies, literature distribution, a Pastor’s college and their weekly services. Each of these was bathed in prayer.
Prayerlessness belies a subtle yet real self-confidence that James openly rebukes as pride. “God gives grace to the humble.” Corporate prayer is the most visible and tangible expression of a congregation’s humble reliance upon God for everything.
I am amazed every time I am reminded that our Sovereign God has chosen to include us in the outworking of His redemptive plan. He is building His church and calling out a people from every nation, tribe and tongue. Prayer and preaching the gospel are the appointed means to this great end. And though not all of us are gifted evangelists or experienced preachers, every Christian can share in the ministry of corporate prayer.
Many testified to the effect it had on their own walk with Christ. “I felt vital and connected to what God was doing through GBC for the kingdom of God.” “This commitment led to seeing new insights into God’s word.” “This will now become a habit for me.” “I saw direct answers to specific prayers.” These are just a few of the testimonials shared in last year’s luncheon which capped the three month commitment.
This fall please consider partnering with us in the “power house” of the church. I would like to see us surpass last year’s 90 prayer partners and reach at least 150. Watch for the details in the coming weeks. If you would like to prime the pump for this year’s prayer commitment consider listening to last year’s series of messages on the Lord’s Prayer over the next few weeks.
-Tony Sanelli

Is The Church Full of Hypocrites?

Last January Dr. Ed Stetzer, Director of Lifeway Research (Lifeway does missiological research on North America), appeared on CNN to discuss the results of his most recent research (A full report of the results of his research appeared in section one of his recent book Lost and Found: The Younger* Unchurched and Churches That Reach Them). Among the findings from interviews with over one thousand people who do not attend church included 77% of unchurched people between the ages of 20- 29 and 83% of unchurched people between the ages of 30-39 who think, “Christianity, today is more about ‘organized religion’ than about loving God and loving people” (p. 58). Another result discussed with Dr. Stetzer during the CNN interview, 46% of unchurched people between the ages of 20- 29 and 44% of unchurched people between the ages of 30-39 said, “Christians get on my nerves” (p. 60). The book’s also shared that 67% of unchurched people between the ages of 20-29 and 75% of unchurched people between the ages of 30-39 think, “The church is full of hypocrites, people who criticize others for doing the same thing they do themselves.”

Responses of this nature are expected from outside of the church, yet they are indicative of a very real negative perception about Christians. The idea that Christians, a group of people whose inclusion in the family of God is based entirely on the merits and achievements of Jesus Christ are largely viewed by those outside the believing community as hypocrites must capture all of our attention. In Galatians chapter two we get a picture of what hypocrisy among Christians looks like when the Apostle Paul admonishes the Apostle Peter after he stopped sharing meals with the Gentile Christians after a group of men from Jerusalem came up to Antioch. In Galatians 2:14 the Apostle Paul vividly describes the hypocritical conduct of the Apostle Peter, Barnabas and the others who followed their example as “not in step with the truth of the gospel.” What drives this perception that Christians are hypocrites? What drives this perception is our failure to live in step with the gospel.

The gospel is far greater than we can imagine

The power of the Gospel transforms lives, relationships, and communities producing lives marked by joy, peace, freedom, and love as a people defined not by such things as race, social class, gender, theological system, personal standards or achievements, but only by receiving God’s grace through trust in the perfect obedience, substitutionary sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The gospel teaches that because of Christ alone we are declared righteous, adopted, accepted, truly free, and heirs no longer to be defined by our sin, weakness, and failures and therefore no longer need to live lives marked by seeking to highlight our real or perceived strengths, gifts, achievements, or accomplishments and can cease from trying to hide the fact that none of us have our lives all together, because God, from whom we can hide nothing truly loves us and has accepted us beyond what we can imagine.

The gospel teaches us we are worse than we think

What so often destroys and devastates our families and communities within the body of Christ are our lives of pretense – pretending that we do not wrestle with a myriad of sins such as attitudes of self-righteousness, a bad temper, anxiousness, lustful glances, seeking to control everyone and everything around us, a critical spirit toward the real or perceived failures of others (all while trying to keep our own failures as far under the radar as possible), and the general belief that we are better than others. You don’t think so – observe the discrepancy between your own reaction and attitude toward the struggles of those around compared to the reaction and attitude you would like others to have toward your own struggles. Have you yourself ever been critical of someone else’s failure to respond toward you graciously?…me too.

The beauty of the gospel is that it not only delivers us from our sin, but also delivers us from our self-salvation projects, our feeble attempts to justify ourselves through performing for and pleasing others, spiritualizing self-centered desires, looking good, and being in control as if our salvation depends upon it. Even worse we seek to make the ones we love perform for us as conditions upon which they will be accepted by us, even though we know God doesn’t respond to us in this fashion. Do you pray Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Do you invite others into your life and encourage them to speak gospel truths into your life to help you turn from unbelief and trusting “pseudo-Saviors” and point you toward a life marked by repentance and faith. This kind of community is what the home fellowship group ministry exists to provide.

The Holy Spirit works in your weaknesses

Among the many glorious gifts of the gospel is the Holy Spirit Who is more than sufficient to illuminate the myriad of implications in the gospel revealed in the Bible to grant us wisdom, lead, guide, and empower this new life. The Holy Spirit is more than sufficient to change and transform our lives working in us the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Eph 1:19-20). This power does not work automatically, but only on behalf of us who live by faith. The Spirit-filled life is the life marked by repentance and faith, and He is the one who produces the obedience of faith in our lives. More than that power is made manifest in our weaknesses (2 Cor 12:9; 13:4). We embrace a life of weakness when abandon our own sense of righteousness, strength, power, achievement, and all other expressions of lordship over our own lives. Those whose faith is in reality faith in themselves and their own abilities find little spiritual power for they have traded the power of the Spirit through faith in Jesus alone for faith in their own ability to run their lives. The good news is God delights to use what is weak, insufficient, and inadequate in the eyes of the world to accomplish His glorious plans. Great freedom comes from glorying in our weaknesses, knowing that we do not have the power to affect anything, but God uses and empowers us in our weakness.

Is it either true or fair to say that the church is filled with hypocrites? That depends. If the Church is a body of people whose only avenue for boasting is the gospel of Jesus Christ, then, ‘no,’ absolutely not! On the other hand is the life we most frequently live a reflection of a people resting in and living from the achievements of Jesus Christ, or do we engage life and the live of one another as if our hope is built upon something we have or can do? Do we respond to another in the same way that Christ responds to us and respond to one another’s struggles as those who do not know the same struggles on a very real level? When that is the case, by all means, then the church is filled with hypocrites.

(*the term “unchurched” refers to a person who is both not a Christian and has either never attended a church or grew up with no church background at all, distinguishing this group of people from non-Christians who have a background of having attended church or even attend a church now and have some familiarity with the Bible and the message of Jesus Christ)

-Vince Cuomo

Where is GBC in Regards to Church Planting?

Most of you will remember that our central theme during this year’s Mission Emphasis Month was church planting. One of the primary means of extending the kingdom of God in the plan of God is the birthing of new congregations. This is clearly the pattern throughout the book of Acts (Acts 14:21-23).

Through the ministry of Paul and various associates many new local assemblies were established by the power of the Holy Spirit in cultures and places very new and different to people steeped in Jewish culture. But their faithful confidence in the power of the Word and Spirit was richly rewarded by God in places like Thessalonica, Ephesus, Corinth, and Galatia.

They did not merely hold crusades or “outreach events” – they labored to give birth to new churches. There is a profound difference. Churches are the living communities in which discipleship and spiritual formation takes place. Jesus did not say “hold outreaches” but “make disciples.” This in- volves “baptizing them” and “teaching them to retain all that I have taught” (Mt. 28:18- 20). Churches are the God ordained context in which this takes place. They have gifted individuals, recognized leaders, pastors and teachers, and they practice the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It is the local church that functions as the vehicle of God’s sustaining grace to nurture and promote spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:11-16).

As would be expected, church planting continues to be the most fruitful approach to building the church and extending the kingdom of God precisely because it is the biblical model. In addition, many practical advantages to church planting are self-evident. Pastor Timothy Keller of Redeemer \Presbyterian Church makes the case that new churches best reach new generations, new residents, and new people groups. (The entire article “Why Plant Churches” can be found at www.redeemer2.com/re- sources/papers).

In light of all this – where is GBC in the application of our commitment to see new churches planted?

Existing Commitments to Church Planting Most of our longstanding support of foreign and national missionaries is for church planters. Mark Christopher (South Africa), Scott Menez (Cottonwood), Dave Mikul- sky (South Indiana), and Pablo Ramirez (Baja Mexico) are all at some stage of church planting. We are also in the latter stages of evaluating two additional candidates for support who are both church planting.

Partnership in the Northern California Church Planting Network

We have spearheaded the formation of a network of churches committed to co-laboring in church planting in Northern California. The formation of this network is still in the early stages but is gaining momentum. West Hills Community Church (Morgan Hill), Redeeming Grace Church (Redwood City) and Calvary Community Church (Knightsen) are the co-founders of this net- work. There is a sweet spirit of fellowship as well as theological and methodological

unity between these congregations.

This network will allow other existing likeminded churches to co-sponsor, financially support and mentor church planters and new church plants throughout Northern California. It will also provide a forum for peer counseling and training church planters. The formalization of this network should be completed this summer and we

hope to hold an inaugural service here at

GBC.

First Steps in Church Planting in East Alameda County

The elders have recently determined that our first direct efforts at church planting should be directed at East Alameda County. We have several households that commute from the greater Livermore/Pleasanton/Tracy/Dublin area each Sunday. In addition, there have been others who made the trek for some time but have since stopped.

We have extended an invitation to these households to attend an informational meeting to see if there is enough interest and willingness to form a core group. I must emphasize that this meeting has yet to take place and there are no firm plans in place as of yet. Please pray for us as we seek the Lord’s will and guidance in this endeavor. We will keep our church family informed as this develops.

In the meantime remember that GBC is itself a 14-year-old church plant! We are still seeking to reach our surrounding communities with the gospel, as we ought to always. Prayerfully approach and develop natural relationships with unbelievers in your activities, occupations or education and see them as opportunities to influence for the gospel. Intentionally develop meaningful relationships with unbelievers that the light of Christ in your life may raise questions to which the only answer is the gospel of Jesus.

Do Not Be Afraid, Only Believe

“A Global Spread of Swine Flu”, “Defaults Hit Record in Region”, “Fear Grips… as Search for Killer Intensifies”, “Stocks Drop… Over Worries on Earnings”, “Deadly Battles Persist on Streets of Bangkok”, Many Foreclosures…”, “Homeless Shelter Fire Kills 21, Injures 20”.

These are all news headlines directly quoted from the San Francisco Chronicle, Wall Street Journal and Contra Costa Times over the last few weeks. Similar messages usually hit us square between the eyes almost every morning when we wake up and read the paper. We hear comparable things on the radio when we are driving to work, school or running various errands for the day. After arriving at our destinations, the atmosphere can be fairly morose with an air of what seems like nothing but doom and gloom forecasts on the horizon. Watching the evening news or checking the internet before we go to bed doesn’t close the day out much different than when it started. Every once in awhile we’ll find a glimmer of light pronounced in the form of a dramatic rise in the stock market, a new governmental administration that promises change, a cure for a plaguing disease, or a cease fire and even perhaps an end to a war. Invariably these heartening encouragements are quickly followed by more disheartening discouragements, sometimes the very next day or very next hour. So, as Christians, how are we to react to this onslaught of negativity? I sometimes find myself overwhelmed, dispirited and downcast after being bombarded with these media infiltrations. Is this the hopeful response of the redeemed?

I’ve determined that it isn’t, and ironically I’ve found that it’s actually in the bad news that an expectant and confident response can arise. We just need to look beyond the black and white print and peer behind \what’s written or spoken to notice it. Here’s what I’ve recently discovered hidden in the background of those dreadful words from our news sources.

1. The Dominion of God’s Domain is Dominant – “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3) – God is not constrained by anything outside of Himself.  There’s nothing directing God but Him alone. No force, action or reaction on earth or in the universe is influencing or overriding anything within His domain, and He has dominion over all. (cf. Psalm 103:19)

2. The Parameters of God’s Presence Are Preeminent – “If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8) – In the highest of heavens and depths of the earth, God is there and He fills them. (cf. Jeremiah 23:23-24) Space cannot contain Him, and the parameters of His whereabouts are unsurpassed and unlimited.

3. The Awesomeness of God’s Awareness is Amazing – “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” (Psalm 139:6) – God knows all people and all things. He’s not only aware of them externally, but is also intimately acquainted with their souls, as well as the cause and effect of every situation. There are no secrets that can be kept from Him, and nothing clandestinely occurs without His full and complete knowledge. The depth of His comprehension is incomprehensible. (cf. Romans 11:33)

4. The Primacy of God’s Power is Purposeful – “… The Everlasting God, the LORD, the ruler of the kings of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” (Isaiah 40:28) – God is God Almighty. (cf. Genesis 17:1) Nothing, absolutely nothing can stop Him from accomplishing His purposes. His power supersedes all other powers, and any powers that do exist only have their being by and from Him.

5. The Rule of Jesus’ Reign is Royal –  “… Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” (Revelation 1:5) – Jesus is the ultimate Ruler of all kings on earth. All presidents, prime ministers, emperors and anyone else reigning in positions of earthly authority, including dictators and chief executive officers, are subject and subordinate to the Ruler of all rulers, Jesus. He also overrules all they do, and He’s royal throughout the world.

6. The Authority of Jesus’ Advancement is Auspicious – “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18b) – Regardless of what appears to be oppression by some ruling authorities, Jesus possesses all power and authority to call whom He will save unto His own. The advancement of His Kingdom is unstoppable, even if tyranny, repression and world affairs appear overwhelming.

7. The Triumph of Jesus’ Travail is Toppling – “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings,” (Revelation 17:14a) – The saving work of Jesus’ reign will be victorious, and He will triumph. All kings and rulers will eventually topple and die, except the King of kings and Lord of lords.

8. The Growth of Jesus’ Gospel is Gaining – “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” (Matthew 24:14) – The good news of the gospel of grace will stretch across the whole world, to every people and nation, and it’s gaining a foothold as the end draws near. There’s nothing that will permanently interfere or thwart that red-hot and overarching purpose of God to glorify Himself by His means.

The economy has ground to a virtual crawl, millions have lost their jobs, nest eggs for retirement have evaporated for many, the financial system has been brought to the brink, wars rage and disasters devastatingly destroy. This is not only bad, but tragic news. But at the risk of trivializing our tribulations (which is sincerely not the intent), is it really that bad? God’s supernaturally executing a perfect plan so grand that if we could see it all, our faces couldn’t behold its majesty. So for now, we must hope with certainty upon what we know to be true, and not allow what we see to cloud reality. I’m comforted by the words of Jesus to a hopeless Jairus after his daughter died, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”  (Mark 5:36c)

-Tom Kruggel

A Note from the Pastor: “For the Sake of the Name”

“For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth” (3 John 7).

Throughout most of the fall of 2008 and into January of this year we considered the theological and biblical basis for the church’s mission. The church is itself the mission of God. All believers are ‘sent- ones.’ Both our corporate and individual lives are ‘salt and light.’ If we continue to move any further in the direction of becoming an ‘ingrown’ church we risk the Lord’s discipline. Starting new congregations is an essential component of the mission. These were just some of the key themes we challenged one another with. But where is this all leading on a practical and visible level?

I want to use the balance of this article to briefly explain where some steps have been taken, where more growth is necessary and the kinds of sacrifices and commitments we all need to face very soon.

Let me begin by noting that John the apostle wrote these words to a brother named Gaius who probably hosted a house church, loved the people of God and had the means to house traveling missionaries. These men “went out for the sake of the Name,” says John. They voluntarily chose to accept nothing from the Gentiles they were seeking to evangelize so as to avoid any misconceptions regarding their motives and the nature of their mission. By faith they placed themselves entirely in the hands of God.

John immediately proceeds to explain that this creates an obligation for the rest of the Christian family. ‘We ought’ to support such men. John includes himself in this obligation along with the entire church. This obligation arises not out of law but out of a mutual relationship in Christ, love for one another and the glory of Christ. There is a spiritual goal to this obligation. Working together through sacrificial support we become ‘fellow workers with the truth.’ Herein lies our objective: becoming fellow workers with the truth for the sake of the name. How is this happening and what more must we do?

Church-planting Network: As a result of the response we received the elders have decided to co-labor with several other congregations in an effort to establish a Northern California Network of churches committed to seeing new congregations planted throughout the Bay Area and beyond. The board for this ministry is currently being formed. We are hosting a second seminar on church planting on March 30. The speaker will be Ray Ortlund Jr. This ministry has required some of Vince’s and my time and will continue to do so in the near term. The network will eventually also require some funding. Our goal is to have an experienced mentor working part-time with new congregations. We will keep our assembly informed and hope to have a ‘kick-off’ service in the near future.

GBC Church planting efforts: Though this remains a desire for the Cuomo family, they have determined that right now is not the best time for them. We are currently looking at a few other options that we hope will soon place us on this path. We may decide to partner with a church planter, work with a network member church that is planting, (continued on page 4) For the Sake of the Name (Continued) For the Sake of the Name (Continued) 4 hive off a group from GBC, start another GBC campus as an evening service utilizing existing staff or begin an evangelistic home group targeting a specific area or any combination of the above. Whichever path the Lord directs us on it is clear this will require personal sacrifice, change and funding for the ‘sake of the Name.’

Preliminary steps: We see two primary practical challenges ahead of us. Our staff needs to direct more hours towards this element of our ministry and we need funding. By God’s grace our general fund continues to be on target but we have very little headroom. In an effort to provide us with some funds the elders have decided not to renew the office lease next door at 140 Gregory. These offices have served us well but we are in the final months of our 5-year agreement at the maximum total of roughly $90k per year. Even if we were to renegotiate we estimate our costs would still be about $50k the first year and then eventually approach the higher figure. This is a lot of money that could go more directly towards the Kingdom.

What will this mean practically? Our offices will return to the West end of the upstairs educational wing (rooms 203-205). This in turn will require changes to our ministry schedule and format on Sundays. Obviously, there are too many implications to mention in this article. We have begun to address all the ministries affected and will have many discussions with ministry leaders and church members. We have four months left on our current lease. This should provide ample time for the move.

There are also several other changes we are contemplating in an effort to address the need for more staff hours. All of these will be discussed with any and all affected parties and we will keep you informed of our discussions. We hope to be able to address some of these matters at our next member’s meeting in April.

In closing, we want to be better ‘fellow workers with the truth.’ This will mean partnering with other like-minded, theologically sound congregations as well as changes at home. It will mean sacrifice. For the sake of the Name let us approach all this with prayer, faith, hope, patience, love and zeal for the glory of Jesus who “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

-Tony Sanelli

Home Fellowship Groups: “The Hub” for Care and Community at Grace Bible Church

What is a Home Fellowship Group? 

Home Fellowship Groups are the primary place where our people are known and cared for at GBC. Each group gathers with the expectation of worshipping and being transformed by Jesus Christ in community, while participating in mutual ministry and sharing life in the family of God. Our desire is that everyone who attends our church will be involved in a Home Fellowship Group. In these groups we pray our people will encounter: 

The Gospel’s Power 

The gospel says that we are so sinful, lost, and helpless that only the life and death of the Son of God can save us. But it also says that those who trust in Christ’s works instead of their own efforts are now holy and blameless in his sight and free from reproach (2 Cor 5:21; Col 1:21-23). Therefore the gospel changes everything. It changes the way we view everything; melting away racial/ethnic pride OR inferiority. It brings down interpersonal problems by melting away self-inflation OR self-hatred. It brings down personal facades, for we are free to admit who we are. It effects the way we do everything at GBC—how we motivate people, how we help them work through counseling problems, how we worship, how we take criticism. 

The context for a gospel-centered life is never merely individual. The Gospel Creates a New Community, a unique community. A new community is both the end of the gospel and also the means of spreading the gospel. God’s promise in salvation is to create his “holy nation”, a people that dwell with Him forever. “I will be your God and you will be my people.” (Lev 26:12, Jer 30:22). So Christians, who are eternally united to Christ, are therefore eternally united to one another. 

What is the biblical vision, what does true community look like? We are to be: 

1. an accepting community that reflects the grace we’ve been given from Christ. 

2. a holy community that urges one another to live God-pleasing lives. 

3. a truth-telling community that is free to repent, and free to allow others to repent, because of the gospel. 

4. an encouraging community that builds one another up. 

5. a sacrificially generous community that spends its life and wealth on the needs of others. 

6. a suffering community that loves and forgives others even when it harms us. 

What is the Purpose of Home Fellowship Groups? 

A Place to Worship Jesus Christ. 

The primary goal for the Fellowship Group meeting is to worship and be transformed in community by Christ Jesus who is in our midst in His presence and power. 

Place for Fellowship and Friendship. 

Fellowship can be defined as seeking to share with others what God has made known to you while letting them share with you what they know of Him as a means of finding strength, refreshment and instruction for one’s own soul. 

Fellowship Groups are a place where individuals who are seeking truth can be invited and encouraged to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

In addition, they serve as a place where we can remind one another of our call to share the gospel and pray for those with whom we are sharing good news that God has reconciled Himself to us in Jesus Christ. The claim is sometimes made that small groups can either be used for evangelism or for discipleship, but that they can not do both at the same time. It is true that if you aim at edification you will probably lose the attention of the non-believers in your midst. It is also true that if you aim at evangelism, you will eventually bore the believers in your midst. But those are not our only options. If we aim at experiencing Christ in our midst, we will find that we are both building up believers and challenging non-believers. 

Some implications of God’s call to community 

This kind of community life requires significant time spent face-to-face. 

To have the quality of community life which God expects from the church requires deliberate effort. This cannot happen only (or even mainly!) in the large worship service. It demands ongoing significant relationships in which are consciously pursuing Christian community and not settling for casual social involvement with one another. 

Each person must see themselves as a minister/servant. 

Many churches expect the pastoral staff to “build up the believers”, but the Bible expects believers to “build up one another”. Many churches expect the pastoral staff to attract and win new persons through programs, but the Bible says that the body grows member-to- member as each speaks the truth in love, builds up, and equips the other. 

Too frequently our approach to fellowship groups is to ask the question, “What am I getting out of this?” But on the basis of everything that has been said, the first question that should be asked is, “What am I giving into this group?” We should be concerned as to whether or not we were striving to build others up and to speak the truth in love. We should be concerned about whether or not we were communicating God’s love to others and being honest about ourselves. If people approach their groups in this way it will completely transform our communities. It will set them apart from many Bible study 

groups which often give new information and increase our Bible knowledge (though most of us have far more input than we can apply) but fail to change our lives. 

GBC’s  Home Fellowship Group Structure 

Each member of a small group can be intimately cared for by a trained and loving group leader. Those home fellowship group leaders, in turn, are nurtured and supported by an elder who will help, encourage, and care for three-five home group leaders. The distance from any person in a Fellowship Group directly to a pastor is therefore only two short steps. Even in a church of >500 or more, everyone can be as personally cared for as if they were in a small church of ten. The structure of our small group life can be diagrammed in the following way: 

It must be emphasized that the structure is not an end in itself. The organization of the church is meant to serve the organism— the living, dynamic, body of Christ, so the members are able to distinguish truth from error for themselves; growth into truth speaking motivated by love; growth in dependence on Christ as the Head of the church; and growth in mutual enrichment. 

-Vince Cuomo 

Who Are These People, Anyway

I work in San Francisco; what’s commonly known to us locals as “The City”. I love The City. It’s dynamic, chock-full of an array of people that range from working professionals to street entertainers and preachers. I encounter scores of them throughout my workday; in my office, at my places of lunch, along the streets, etc…  By way of example, my usual path- way home after a long day at the office starts from the “ground zero” building I work in to the BART Station at Embarcadero. It’s a short jaunt, but I invariably encounter along the way a homeless person or two, oftentimes familiar faces to me now. They silently and sheepishly beg for money by holding up a tattered paper coffee cup at about my eye level as I pass by. Every once in awhile I’ll throw some pocket change into the container, but that’s the exception rather than the rule. Regularly I ashamedly walk right by them without giving a second thought. Standing on the escalator as I traverse down into the subway, I sometimes end up pondering why I overlooked them, and may have even intentionally directed my eyes away. While captured by that thought after arriving on the platform, I stand in the midst of hundreds of people waiting to catch a ride home, and then when on the train I’m surrounded by dozens more, strangers I’ve never seen before in my life, nor may I ever again. Frequently I just mosey along my merry way as if they never existed.  And it’s not just them I so often fail to regard, but sadly it’s the ones I know – my neighbors, my work associates, relatives and count- less others. How is it that I, we as radiant light, can be so recurrently dull to people, regardless of whether they’re on the streets, colleagues, family, schoolmates or right next door? They’re image-bearers of the Most High God, and I commonly think and behave as if I were the only one created like that. 

This got me wondering, “Who are all these people anyway?”, and more personally asking, “Why don’t I give more consideration to the condition of their life, their souls and most importantly their eternity?” The Apostle Paul didn’t feel this way. In fact, he felt the exact opposite.  Consider that he stated, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.” (Romans 10:1)  His heart’s desire?  His prayer? And for what? Their salvation? I have to fight for a desire, much less a prayer.  I, we, ought not to be this way. And in light of what we heard from the pulpit last quarter with our “A City On A Hill” series, our evangelism “Two Ways to Live” Sunday School class, and our recent missions emphasis month, it’s apparent that the Lord is now more than ever steering us not just parallel to, but directly toward those without hope.  And while it’s true that we cannot be paralyzed by our feelings or lack thereof, we yearn that our hearts would be stirred to earnestly desire their salvation. So how do we do that? 

First, we identify with them. Paul knew his kinsmen – how they thought, what they felt and where they lived. If we’re to passionately seek the salvation of the lost, we must get into their lives – know their politics, appreciate their sports, take interest in their businesses, spend time with their families and immerse ourselves into their muck, mire, pain and suffering.  This is love in deed and truth, and not just word and speech. (cf. I John 3:18) It’s no wonder fervor over them is void when we continue to prescribe our lives with private and professional isolation. To overcome this we must walk on the world’s razor’s edge, watch- ing over our own souls while being careful to avoid falling off one side or the other.  On the one hand we cannot be so alien- ated from the world that we haven’t got a clue about the darkness around us and thus unable to relate to those in the world among us, and on the other hand we cannot be so immersed in the world that we’re not giving anyone a clue about the Christ within us and thus unable to direct anyone to the world beyond us. As we take steps to force ourselves into positions of love, the genuineness and authenticity of our compassion will escalate with greater confidence in God. Second, memorize and ruminate on John 3:36 (or similar verses like it). “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” In the end, there will be but two verdicts and two sentences; not-guilty and eternally under the grace of God, or guilty and eternally under the wrath of God. And God’s wrath?  Why we cannot even begin to fathom it (read Revelation 19:11-16 to catch a horrifying glimpse), and this is where we all were destined but for God graciously granting sav- ing faith in the blood of the Lamb. That leads me to my third point, to persistently look over your shoulder at where you were and destined for, thereby motivating you to look ahead at what you are and purchased for. Personal reflection upon the underserved mercy of God can be a strong rousing to contemplate 

the perilous plight of those without Jesus.  Fourth and finally, could it be that a zeal for the lost is lacking because we haven’t asked for it, prayed for it?  This desire is a spiritual desire, one that’s not natural to us.  It’s a gift of grace, so shall we pray, “…may the Lord cause you (us) to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men…” (I Thessalonians 3:12). So who are these people anyway? They’re you and me, as we once were. May God have, may God grant mercy (and desire). 

-Thomas Kruggel

What is a Missional Church?

Our central theme for this year’s Mission’s Emphasis Month will be the planting of new churches. To whet your appetite for what is to come, here is a portion of an article written by one of our guest speakers next month. Pastor Scott Thomas oversees Church Planting at Mars Hill in Seattle and is the Director of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network. Pastor Scott will be with us at GBC on January 11th to kick off our annual Missions emphasis month. The following taken from Pastor Scott’s blog and can be found in its entirety at: http://acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/what-is-a-missional-church/ 

Missional is an adjective describing all of the activities of the church body as they are brought under the mission of God to proclaim the good news of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Being on mission very easily becomes one activity in church among many others vying for attention. Over time churches allow meetings, programs, traditions and other good things to cumulatively move the church from missional mode to maintenance mode. A church must continuously see itself as missionaries and all of its energies must be missionary. 

A missional church understands it has been sent into an irreligious world to proclaim the Gospel of Redemption that is made possible by the Son’s sacrifice for our sins and the Father’s love for us. Every believer is sent on this mission by God just as Jesus was sent on this mission (John 17:14-16, 18; 20:21). To respond to this calling is to be missional. To neglect it is to disregard the mission of God and to cease being the kind of church that is following Jesus. 

Definition of the Missional Church 

A missional church is a theologically- formed, Gospel-centered, Spirit-led fellowship who seeks to faithfully incarnate the purposes of Christ. The mission of the church is found in the mission of God who is calling the church to passionately participate in God’s redemptive mission in the world (Matt.28:18-20; Acts 1:8) – a world that has radically changed in North American in the last 50 years. 

Called to be Missional 

To engage today’s world with the good news requires the formation of a gospel community – the church of Jesus Christ – to be a visible representation, witness and instrument of the sovereign outreaching hand of God in our culture. Since Christianity is a minority voice in this post-Christian culture, the church must adopt an approach to ministry learned from the foreign missionaries who communicate and relate in understandable ways to the godless inhabitants in their respective cultures  (1 Cor. 9:22). The culture around us sees the church as weak and irrelevant. As Christians we have all been sent by God to go into our own city and communities as missionaries. We are to be culturally entrenched and personally involved. We must incarnate Christ’s life in our culture in order to impact this culture that is pagan in every way. John 20:21, “Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 

Characteristics of the Missional Church: 

1. A missional church primarily understands the centrality of the gospel (1 Cor. 2:2; 15:1-4; Gal. 6:14). 

Man was created in the image of God. Adam disobeyed God and his sin has affected all of mankind. Christ’s sacrificial atonement is the only way of redemption and reconciliation to God. This alone motivates us to be consumed with the mission of God. 

2. A missional church embraces the calling of God to act as a missionary into its own culture (Mt. 4:19; Acts 16:20; 17:6). Its members approach natural relationships, activities, community, and occupation or school as opportunities to influence for the gospel. 

3. A missional church acknowledges its purpose is to glorify God by taking Christ into the irreligious world (Mt. 28:18-20). It is not self-absorbed in its own life but rather absorbed in the life-giving mission of Jesus. 

4. A missional church boldly and intentionally encounters unbelievers like Christ (Luke 7:34; Acts 16:20; 17:6). Its goal is not separation but redemption without compromised values. 

5. A missional church actively seeks to be trained and equipped as a missionary through its gospel community (Eph. 4:11-16). Every member is personally equipped to engage friends and neighbors with the gospel. 

6. A missional church is deeply dependent upon the Holy Spirit as an agent for evangelizing the lost world (Acts 1:8; 4:8, 31; 13:9). Lost people are saved by the power of the Holy Spirit when and how He determines. 

7. A missional church commits to the authoritative, infallible, inerrant, inspired, all-sufficient Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:14-17; Acts 2:42). The authority of all missionary work is founded in the truth that God has a clear Word to communicate to the world. 

8. A missional church develops relationships with the lost for the purpose of incarnating Christ (Matt. 5:13-16). It seeks to intentionally develop meaningful relationships with the numerous acquaintances in their lives. 

9. A missional church uses sacrificial love as its means of witness (John 15:12-17; 1 John 4:19-21). Every believer is constrained to practically and sincerely demonstrate extravagant love to non-believers. 

10. A missional church helps others to find Jesus in their own way and timing, rather than forcing them to “turn or burn” (1 Cor. 9:20-23). It is the sovereign God who uses us as we humbly relate to other’s misperceptions of the gospel. 

11. A missional church is affected in every area of its life through a calling by God to be an agent for the gospel (Acts 4:13, 31-35). As the gospel redeems our lives it changes us and challenges us toward God’s mission. 

12. A missional church practices its faith in community-groups of people together (Acts 2:42-45; Phil. 1:27). It seeks to participate in true community like our triune Godhead. 

13. A missional church worships God in an authentic, personal and evangelistic way (John 4:23-24). We worship a Savior who left us here to be captured by His mission. 

-Scott Thomas