The Greater Means of Grace
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​A Fourth Tier
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​Hopewell administers the Lord's Supper every Sunday.  Do you know how weird that is?

It is quite unique, especially if you consider the fact that many churches in America do not observe the Lord's Table at all.  Of those churches that do celebrate Communion, a good portion of them may only do so two or three times a year.

One might ask why Hopewell makes the regular practice such a priority.  The answer lies in the power it has to increase your sanctification.

For the last several weeks you've been reading about the different ways God imparts grace to the believer to bring victory over ongoing sin.  We've talked about how God uses certain means in this process.  Specifically, we've said that some of these means of grace are more effective than others. 

Along with the Word of God, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper are the most vital of all the means of grace.  The Lord works through them to impress upon us the gospel and stir up our hearts to greater obedience more than any other means.

This may surprise you.  You might have thought that the sacraments were significant, but maybe you would not have thought to put them in the top tier.  Someone may even worry that this sounds a little too Catholic.

We recognize that the Catholic doctrine of baptismal regeneration and transubstantiation (i.e. the belief that the bread and wine actually become the physical body and blood of Christ) are grave errors.  But those errors should not make us downplay the real significance and power of the sacraments.  

Some Protestants have done just this very thing.  Many, in contrast to the Catholics, have emptied the sacraments of their significance, believing them to be mere memorials.  The sacraments, in this view, are simply a time to remember that Jesus died for us and nothing more.

To be sure, the sacraments do have a memorial dimension to them.  We are to remember the glorious truth of Christ's atoning death.  However, we should also recognize that there is much more going on in those sacred moments.  When baptism or communion are administered the Lord imparts grace to the believer who is acting in faith.

Think of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11 about the Lord’s Supper.  He says, "Whoever eats this bread and drinks this cup in an unworthy manner is guilty concerning the body and blood of our Lord.”  He also says that these unworthy partakers eat and drink judgment unto themselves.  That is why some of them had got sick.  Some had even died!

That doesn’t just sound like a mere memorial or time to remember, does it?  Not at all.  Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are special rituals that are used by the Spirit of God to display the gospel and renew souls.  That’s why there are such severe consequences for misusing them.  

Furthermore, when the New Testament speaks of the sacraments it typically does so in ways that show it is much more than a bare symbol.  For example, Paul speaks of baptism as "the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Tit 3:5).  Peter calls upon the Pentecost audience to "repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins." (Acts 2:38). 

Such passages reveal that the sacraments have spiritual realities intimately connected to them.  While the exact nature of those realities is not expressly mentioned (there is some degree of mystery), it does express that the sacraments are more than mere memorials.*

One thing is for certain though: baptism and the Lord's Supper are tools that God uses to further our spiritual reformation.  The Lord, by means of these sacred rites, brings His grace to bear on our lives so that we might be further cleansed, forgiven, and renewed in holiness.  

While there is still more to learn about the sacraments (as we will find out in future issues), we can come to the Table this week with great anticipation.  As we participate in the Communion celebration, we can know that the Lord is ministering to our hearts.  The saving work of Christ, which is presented in the elements and received by faith, is being brought to bear upon us and changing us into the likeness of Christ.

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* Pratt, Richard "Baptism as a Sacrament of the Covenant."

A few years ago a lot of noise was made in the health food world about "super foods."  Munching on kale and cranberries was said to power up your body in ways that other foods could not.

What if there were "super graces" that could do the same for our souls?  What if we could power up with grace and gain a greater victory over sin  in our lives? 

Well, would you believe that there are such things?

For the last several weeks we've been looking at the means of grace.  We've been saying that there are certain things that the Lord uses to power up our spiritual growth.

First, we said that God uses everything (i.e. His providence) to mold and shape us.  Last week we considered how fellowship is a "second level" means of grace. 

We could also add service to this second tier.  After all, the book of Proverbs says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”  As we bless others with our good works the Lord works to enrich us.  Of course, the greatest enrichment we could ever receive is His sanctifying grace.

Yet there's even more effective ways to grow in our walk with Christ.  Things like prayer and singing may be considered the "super foods" of grace in that the Lord works even more mightily through them. 

In one sense, we know these are more beneficial to our growth in Christ because of how much Scripture is devoted to these topics.  Many prayers and songs are sprinkled throughout the pages of the Bible.  We even have a whole book devoted to prayer and singing (the Psalms).  Furthermore, we have a myriad of exhortations calling us to sing, make melody in our hearts, pray, and give thanks.

A quick consideration of some of these texts will show how the Lord specifically blesses these "third tier" means of grace.

The book of James tells us to draw near to God.  Why?  Because when we pray He promises "to draw near to us."  In other words, in times of prayer God comes and ministers to our hearts.  He uses that as an opportunity to strengthen us in our faith and build us up in holiness.  

Or, we can think about what Jesus says to Peter in Mark 14:38.  Jesus says, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”  What was the point of praying?  Why was Jesus so insistent that his disciples seek the face of God?  Because they were spiritually weak and susceptible to temptation.  Prayer was the key to gaining the grace they needed to stand firm and keep from lapsing.
  
As a matter of fact, we sing about this in the old hymn:
  
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
 
We forfeit peace and bear needless spiritual pain because we neglect the means of conquering these ills.  But when we pray, we gain the renewing power the Lord grants by it.

Singing has much overlap with prayer.  So it is natural to understand how it serves as a means of grace.  Yet Col. 3:16 makes it explicit when it says,

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

The KJV is great because it says "singing with grace in your hearts" (some versions say "with thanksgiving").  The Apostle recognizes that the act of worship is done by the power of grace and adds the spiritual profit that comes through this grace.

Another interesting text is Deut. 31:19-22.  “Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them."

In this passage singing is actually used by God for a negative purpose.  It serves as an indictment against God's people.  While this instance isn't necessarily for grace and upbuilding (we might say it is a means of judgment!), it explicitly shows how the Lord can use song for deep spiritual purposes.  No doubt, the conviction that song brought could be used to deter them from sin too.

The above texts do not even begin to be a sample of the myriad of passages in Scripture that deal with the topics of prayer and singing.  Yet these do show that the Lord has a special use for these acts.  They are funnels which bring grace into our lives and cause us to experience renewal in a much more profound way.

Thus, as we pray and sing (by ourselves or in the context of corporate worship), we can be assured that God is at work.  His grace is being communicated to us and we are rescued from the sin that remains in us.

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Great Lives & Exegeting Like a Pro
Bob Ludwig will bring his "Great Lives" series to a close this Lord's Day with a focus on Peter Marshall - Presbyterian minister and Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. Through the rest of August we'll learn to "exegete Scripture like a pro."  Matt will teach the principles of exegesis and help us apply them practically in the book of Colossians.

The weekend started out with a lot of rain and tremendous flooding.  In God's goodness, the weekend still turned out to be a fantastic time of fellowship.  We then topped off the stay at Camp Conger with 6 baptisms at our worship service. 

​We praise the Lord for these glorious blessings!

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good."

Romans 8:28

Everything Sanctifies 

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All Things Work Together for Our Growth in Grace

Great Lives in WWII
This Sunday night (July 11) Bob Ludwig will be starting a 3 week series entitled, "Great Lives."  The talks will center on different people involved in World War II and the work of freeing the Jews.  We'll gather at 6 and begin soon after with singing and prayer.

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Worship with Hopewell
We invite you to join us this coming Lord's Day as we worship the one and only true God.  Hopewell is a family integrated church located at 1995 Baney Road.  Morning worship begins at 10:30 am.

Got More Grace? 

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Get Busy Growing in the Lord

How do you get more grace? 

Such a question may seem odd to you.  After all, grace is given, right?  It's a gift.  You can't just pile on more gifts like you would plie on potatoes at a buffet dinner, right?

It is true.  Grace is sovereignly given.  However, you can grow in grace and obtain more of the immense saving blessing in your life.  As a matter of fact, Scripture encourages you to do so.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18

Peter commands his audience to grow in grace.  He uses his apostolic clout to require us to get more salvation in our lives.

We begin to understand the meaning of this injunction when we grasp the fact that we are sanctified by grace just as much as we are justified by it. 

God saves His people from sin.  He does it by bestowing His undeserved favor.  When we come to faith that very first time the Spirit pours down upon us the riches of His mercy and our sins are washed away. 

The same sort of thing happens throughout our lives.  God, in his grace, delivers us more and more from our daily sins and shortcomings.

Key in on that "more and more" part.  Understand that our God is more than ready to renew us.  He's eager that we "grow up in our salvation" (1 Peter 2:2).  What's more, we can grow in this grace as we make use of the means He uses to communicate this grace to our hearts.

That last sentence may have sounded a little technical.  Let's break it down.  The Lord doesn't just zap us to make us holy, does He?  It would be nice if He would just drop grace down from time to time like a good old spring rain.  We'd be righteous in no time.

The Lord takes a rather different approach.  He uses specific means to accomplish this. 

Think of your sanctification like your physical growth.  You don't just wake up to find that you had a 6 inch growth spurt one night.  Neither do muscles pop out of your arms without any warning.  You must eat and exercise.  These are the means God uses to grow your body.

Similarly, the Lord uses certain means to produce holiness in your life.  What are these means God uses to cause you to grow in righteousness?  

That's what we'll be looking at over the next few issues of the Hopewell Weekly.  Here at the outset, it's necessary just to learn these great points:

1. GRACE: We grow in Christ by grace through faith.  Our salvation, from first to last, is all of God.  

2.  GROWTH: Our growth in Christ after our conversion is inevitable.  The Lord stirs us onward towards holiness and will not let us remain stagnate.  That's the glory of His grace!

3.  MEANS: Our growth doesn't have to sputter along.  We can further our growth by giving our attention to the means that He uses to bring that grace to bear on our lives.

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Intense, Pure Pain

If ever there was an understated point in Scripture, this is it.  One should wonder if the brevity of these four words can truly express the harrowing anguish of the cross. 

There they crucified him.

I admit that I cannot render the full sense.  In the 9th grade I had to leave the room when my health teacher talked about how to apply a tourniquet.  When people explain the process of abortion I get nauseous and must distract myself.

But we cannot distract ourselves from the cross.  We must exegete the crucifixion and stare into the pit of its hellish-ness if we are to grasp the doctrine of salvation.

So horrendous was the act of crucifixion that only the most vile and debased in society were subjected to it.  Murderers and robbers were sentenced to it, but only if they were slaves.  Free men (i.e. Roman citizens) were exempt because it was such an egregious way to die.

They say that there was no relaxing of pain in crucifixion.  You know how you "get used to the pain" of a broken arm or headache.  It hurts, but it eventually plateaus.  You can cope because you can keep the pain from mounting by immobilizing it or numb it by distraction

Not so with crucifixion. The intensity of its beginning, as the spikes are driven through that ever most sensitive point on the bottom side of the wrist, only increased by the ever so slowly passing moments. 

Try doing placing your arms out wide and doing arm circles for 2 minutes.  Try hanging from a chin up bar for 1 minute.  Now multiply that burning sensation by 3 hours.  Add to it the piercing effect of the nails, dehydration, fatigue, and, among other things, the flies that would inevitably swoop in to your face which you had no ability to swat away.

Scholars also mention the throbbing headache that would accompany crucifixion.  The heart would pump blood out, but veins would not be able to circulate it.  So the blood would continue to build up in the condemn person's head.  This wasn't just an insufferable migraine, it would be mounting pressure that would be downright volcanic.

We have not yet even begun to plumb the depths of Golgotha.  But yet we hear the ever so clear echo of Eden: "In the day you eat of it you shall surely die." 

Interestingly the Septuagint translates the word "die" as apothnēskō.  At root is the word thanos (to die).  Fans of the Avenger movies will understand the reference to its super-villain. 

But the word in Genesis 3 is an intensified form of the word thanos and it is combined with the word apo, which, as a prefix, means "departure" or "completion."  In sum, it is complete death in its most intense and extreme form.  It is a departure from everything that may be labeled life.

This is why Christ came in the fullness of time.  The Lord had been preparing the world for this exact form of execution.  It is only after the barbarous Romans were raised up and their torturous means of punishment implemented that the Mediator could come. 

Only then could he serve as the Surety and once for all sacrifice for sinners.  Only then could the wrath of God truly be appeased.  Only then could the catastrophic curse of God's covenant be fully meted out and lifted from off our heads.

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"A jar of sour wine was there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth."

John 19:29 ESV

​There is no comfort in hell.  At every moment those who are damned are afflicted with pain.  There is no dulling of it; nor is any “getting used” to the sensation.  

The puritans would talk about souls “writhing” in hell.  That is an apt description because there are no comforts to be had.  

If you’ve ever had a bad back, you have tried to get comfortable.  It isn’t possible.  You keep turning and twisting.  You are writhing on your bed because the pain will not let you sit long in any given position.

Such is the experience of one who is in hell, and such was the experience of Christ in his death.  

At his dying moment, Christ received no comfort whatsoever to sooth him.  

As his body languishes away on that cross, it withers with the pains of dehydration.  He had had nothing to drink for at least 12 hours, and the day’s trauma has taken its toll.  He thirsts.

Typically, when someone is in their dying days or last moments of life you do everything in your power to set them at ease.  You give them a pillow so they might be comfortable.  If they are thirsty, you may put a cool cloth to their lips or give him some ice chips.  You give them some sort of reprieve.

Today we even have hospice care.  It is a whole business developed around the idea that the sick and dying should be given as much comfort as possible before they pass from this life into the next. 

Yet when Christ was in the throes of death he received no such succor.  His thirst was not quenched with a damp cloth or even a sweet wine—a sensation that would have brightened his eyes exceedingly, if even it be only for a fleeting moment. 

No!  He was damned of God.  Instead they shoved putrid wine in his face.  They made him suck on rancid liquid, akin to vinegar; something so repugnant that  it would make your body lurch and spit...something very hard to do on a cross.

His bitter death was made even more bitter; yea, bitter to the end.

Hell is a place where every comfort in life is removed.  As God pours out his wrath and curse he strips away every grace and every blessing that he allotted you in life.  Water and refreshment is a luxury that is afforded to us now by means of God’s benevolence.  When we are deprived of it we should recognize that it is the due wages of our sin.

Here on the cross Christ was drinking down that dark curse.  And he must drain this cup to the very dregs! 

It was not enough for him to be deprived of the soothing sensation of hydration. The bitterness of the judgment of God must be tasted in its full.  It was not enough for him to thirst, he must writhe.  He must have his pains increased and intensified.  He must be utterly vexed. 

His taste buds must be aggravated through the irritating stimuli that sin justly deserves.  He must gag and choke even to his dying breath.  Even that last breath must not be easy.  It must come through a throat clogged with a cocktail of death.  

And there he acts as our substitute.  The hot hostility of justice was shoved down his gullet to the very end so that we may taste the sweet gift of eternal life.  There was no mercy given to him so that we might have every drop of mercy given to us.  He lost all comforts, so that we might be comforted.  He was made to writhe, so that we may be able to sing.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ."

Colossians 2:8 NIV

Last night several men from Hopewell attended a seminar at Ashland University. I wanted to take a few moments to review the event and pass on a few pastoral reflections regarding it.

The speaker was Jemar Tisby, author of the best selling book "The Color of Compromise." The seminar, which was hosted in part by AU's Religion department, was supposed to be an informative event about the dominance of whiteness and white supremacy in America.  In sum, it was a presentation which promoted Critical Race Theory.

The evening deserves some thoughtful commentary for a variety of reasons.  First, it should be obvious that CRT is not just a "big city" problem.  Even little old Ashland is infected with its false teaching.  Not only has the university and many of its staff given it a platform for wide open promotion, but several pastors and ministry leaders from the area attended the event, giving it a favorable nod.

Second, the event is of note because Mr. Tisby is one who "runs in our circles."  Up until recently Mr. Tisby was a member of a Reformed church (the PCA, i.e. the denomination which holds my ministerial credentials) and he attended a highly respected Reformed seminary.  Furthermore, Tisby has been a contributor to The Gospel Coalition, a website that would traditionally be recognized as Reformed friendly.

With that being said, what were my take-aways?

1)  There's no real hope or redemption in this worldview.
Dr. Tisby spent the time expressing how whiteness is enshrined as supreme all over the globe and expressly dominates the American scene.  According to him, whiteness is the all controlling "cognitive and affective structure" which "seduces people."  Whiteness is supposedly that which makes meaning in society and, as a result, marginalizes all other ethnicities.  Black people are thus essentially destined to live under the yoke of whiteness because whites hold the power and don't "want to" change.

Tisby not only expressed the dominance of whiteness, but also the terror of it.  He gave several stories about lynching's and acts of racial terrorism which whites inflicted in the past.  But instead of noting how our society has progressed and overcome many such ills, he preached that these linger on today.  White folk are just as guilty of those past acts and are complicit in every aspect of (systemic) racism today. 

"Racism never goes away,” Tisby declares; “it adapts."  Such are the bonds which society is doomed to bear.

All in all, Tisby's outlook is bleak for blacks and whites.  Of course, there's reason for this:  When you disregard the "good news" of the gospel and look at life through a lens other than God's Word, one will find that life has little else to offer than misery and sadness.  The book of Ecclesiastes well illustrates how grim the "under the sun" approach is.

The Bible, however, gives us a great contrast.  Not only does it allow us to see life through more than just skin color, it instills within us joyous confidence.  While tragedies and miseries abound, Jesus declares, "Take heart! I have overcome the world."  He gives us the promise of victory, assurance of redemption, and the understanding that His mighty Hand is moving in this world to bring about the wonders of His saving plan.

2)  There is a rather deep disconnect in reasoning.
I appreciate the insight of Jon Mould, who has been reading Dr. Tisby's Color of Compromise.  Jon said that Tisby, "Paints with some rather broad brushstrokes."

This was quite evident at the seminar.  One such example regards his contention with "White Christian Nationalism."  Tisby pointed out that in 1915 a group of whites came together to start this movement.  They burned a cross and placed on an alter a Bible and an American flag.  He then quickly transitioned from this story to the January 6th storming of the US Capitol Building, which he says was an example of the same sort of Christian nationalism.

These two events were connected in Tisby's eyes solely on the basis of there being at the Capitol building people holding wooden crosses, Bibles, and American flags.  The mere symbols were, in his argument, enough to prove that white supremacy is alive and well.

It does not take much to understand that this is some very shallow reasoning.  Like the arguments for evolution which fail to give any "transitional forms," Tisby's argument fails to show real historical, ideological, and personal connection between the two events/people.  He glosses over the +100 years that separate the acts by flashing a few images and pointing to evidence that would hardly be called circumstantial.

Unfortunately, too, this was but one of the deep disconnects in Tisby's presentation.  His promotion of the whole notion of today's "white supremacy"  reduces to "We know what happened back then with slavery and Jim Crow, and we know that not much has changed."  

3)  CRT doesn't have answers for even the most basic problems.
During the question and answer time after the presentation, one simple question stood out from all the others.  It was this:  How do we deal with the hate?  What can we do to combat the hate?

To my best recollection, Dr. Tisby really didn't give any kind of answer except to say that there are some people we should not be around.  

I will also say that, as far as I can understand, there's no real answer that CRT can give other than that.  When it comes to the common problem of hatred, CRT only breeds contempt.  It does not offer a cure for it.

One would expect that a man who is a church leader and graduate from a respected seminary could do more though. Unfortunately, blinded by the Color of Whiteness and Blackness, Tisby is at a loss.

The Bible has simple and straight forward solutions for hatred though:

• Preach the gospel - through repentance and faith in Christ one can be delivered from anger, prejudice, and the enmity it causes.  The disciples themselves (zealots and tax collectors) were brought together despite their animosity towards one another because Christ delivered them from their strident ways.

• Bless/do good to those who hate you; pray for those who mistreat you. Overcome evil with good.  Entrust yourself to the one who judges justly.

• Consider it all joy when you meet with trials of various kinds. 

• Remember that the Lord will avenge and ultimately bring about the destruction of sin at his reappearance.  Persevere with love and patience until that great day of restoration.

These are merely some of the instructions Scripture gives, and these have been the tools that Christ has used to transform people throughout time.  

Even though Dr. Tisby wants to talk about the Color of Compromise, he has actually put forward a "Compromise of Christ."  In so doing, he has locked himself and his followers into a system of contention which offers no joy, no reconciliation, and no ultimate hope.

The good news is that those who reason Biblically and build a biblical worldview will not be taken captive by such vain philosophies as CRT.  Rather, they have the everything needed to gain the much needed victories in the world.

Worship with the Hopewell Church Family
Sundays at 10:30 am
1995 Baney Road
Ashland, OH

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"Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain." 
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Psalm 127:1

Twenty years ago I began praying that a solid Reformed witness be started in Ashland.  As we turn into 2021, it's great to see what God has done.

I had come into Reformed theology around 1997.  It took a while for this wildly Pentecostal / Charismatic kid to embrace it, but the Lord's word spoke loudly and clearly over my dissents and objections.  

When I finally did concede, it was like I had been saved a second time.  I now understood the real meaning of grace and could rest in the fact that I no longer had to rely on my works to keep me in the faith.

Exhilarated by this new understanding of the gospel, I wanted others to come to know the wonder of it. I immediately began praying for my family to share in the doctrines of grace. 

A few years later, while in my first year of seminary, I found out about church planting.  I thought, "That's what Ashland needs!"  So in 1999, I began asking the Lord to start a Reformed church in my hometown so that all of Ashland could know of God's sovereign power to pardon sin and change lives.

By the end of my seminary career, this prayer was all consuming.  I had only grown in my understanding of the Reformed faith, and was seeing more clearly the golden treasures of Scripture which were missing in the churches I attended as a child.  I wanted every aspect of these great truths propagated.  

Then it dawned on me: Maybe I should be the one to do it.

So, in 2004, Elizabeth, little Katelyn, and I packed up and moved back to Ashland to see what the Lord would do.  It just so happened that two other Reformed minded families had moved to the Ashland area.  These three households, along with my parents, began meeting for Bible study on a weekly basis and soon thereafter were granted mission church status in the Presbyterian Church in America.

That little mission never really "took off" though.  A few families came and went, but after 5-6 years it was evident that the work was unsustainable.  We ended up "closing the doors" in 2010.  But the prayer and desire remained.

Not long after Elizabeth and I found ourselves adjoined to a little Reformed group in Mifflin.  Providence church was a small group that had been meeting for some time and Elizabeth and I were happy to find a place to worship while I searched for a new call.  Though the one church had closed, it was great to see that a Reformed witness might still exist in the Ashland area.

But even its status was somewhat tenuous though.  Providence had just gone through a rough time.  It had lost many of its members, including one of the men who did a fair amount of the preaching.  Some of its remaining members wondered if it had a viable future.

Over the next few years, the Lord did wonderful things.  Little by little the church started growing.  One of the greatest blessings along the way was meeting up with the great families from Bible Fellowship in Mansfield.  Providence and many of the Bible Fellowship families merged together because we all had a similar mindset regarding the family integrated philosophy of worship.

By 2014 the church had more than doubled in size and was seeing attendance top 100 on a regular basis.  The Mifflin Community Center, where we were meeting, was quite crowded and plans were afoot to find a new place to worship. 

The Lord ended up doing something different though.  A new path was taken.  It was mutually decided that some of the families should branch out and start a Reformed and family integrated church in the city of Ashland.

So in 2016 a mere nine families began worshipping together as founding members of Hopewell Church.  It was not the path that I had anywise imagined, but the Lord continued to answer that 20 year old prayer. 

As we stand on the precipice of 2021, we can see with even more clarity how the Lord is indeed working to build a Reformed witness in Ashland.  In His kindness he has brought together almost 20 families and has made our once spacious place of worship rather "cozy."  It's not been uncommon to top 90 seats on a Sunday morning in 2020 and we know that 2021 already has prospects to exceed that on a regular basis.

Now, it may sound silly for me to say this after laying out a long tally of "bums in the pews," but I'm not really a numbers guy.  I like to think of myself as a kingdom oriented fellow, who is focused on one thing: preaching and teaching the Bible.  Nevertheless, the numbers bear out the fact that the Lord has been working to build a strong witness to what He has revealed in Scripture here in Ashland.  

As we dim the lights on 2020, I merely wish to praise God that he has heard my prayer and continues to answer it 20 years later.  Furthermore, I hope that you can be encouraged by what our great God has done in our midst.  Most of all, may we look forward to what the wonderful hand of God will do in 2021 and beyond.

SDG

Many of my friends have expressed that 2020 has been a grueling year.  They correspond to the recent Gallup survey which said that every segment of the American population have experienced a significant dip in mental wellness.

All segments except one, that is.  Those who attend worship on a weekly basis were the only ones reported to maintain or increase in their overall mental health.

No doubt this demonstrates the power of the gospel and the hope that a sovereign God gives.  You and I enjoy the "thrill of hope" because Jesus Christ has come down.  He has not only lifted our souls to heaven, but he constantly lifts our spirits and gives us reason to rejoice.

The gospel cheers the soul.  Knowing that Jesus Christ has come and that He will come again, puts every hardship and evil in its place. Yes, we smile knowing all things are working together for the good of His kingdom!

In this Christmas season we may remember that no weapon formed against Him shall prosper and no kingdom shall stand to oppose Him.  Truly, all things will be subservient to the salvation of His people and unfolding of His plan.

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​Recently I brought up the topic of deacons.  I encouraged us to be thinking about that role in the life of our church again. 

I'm glad to say that Hopewell is a place where people actively seek to serve.  I'm crazy blessed as a church leader in that respect.  Our members actively take on responsibility and never need any prodding when any needs arise.  This certainly has been one of the main reasons why we have been able to put off having "official" deacons. 

(And it is a good place for me to say how fantastic it is to be surrounded by people like you all!) 

While our fellowship will no doubt continue to serve the Lord in all kinds of capacities, we will no doubt mature into the need for deacons just like the early church did (Acts. 6).  As our membership and ministry increase, so will our need for deacons.

Being that is so, it may be good to get a refresher course in what we in the Reformed tradition believe Scripture says about the office of deacon.  Perhaps one good way to spell out a deacon's profile is by striking down some common misconceptions of what a deacon is. 

So let's examine what a deacon is not.

1.  He's not an "elder in training" - Often people think that deacons are guys who are either not good enough to be an elder or gearing up to be an elder.  But this office is not a "ministry stepping stone" or "internship" for elders to be.  

Deacons are spiritual men who are specially equipped by the Spirit for this particular calling.  They compliment the office of elder and are equal to the office of elder.  They merely serve a different role in the church, and the role is a vital one at that. 

Rather than desiring to move up the ecclesiastical ladder, a deacon is one whose heart is bent on serving Christ in a way that elders are not most apt.

2.  He's not a glorified janitor -  Some of the deacons' responsibilities may very well involve keeping the church tidy or managing the property (and we rejoice that there are people who are dedicated to orderliness and cleanliness!).  But we would do a great injustice to Christ and his church if we thought of deacons as only in custodial terms.

The deacon is a spiritual office and a ministry of the church.  Christ instituted deacons so that the gospel could advance most efficiently and so that people could witness tangible expressions of His love here on earth. 

Furthermore, a deacon has authority which puts his work above mere janitor levels.  He holds an office, votes on issues, and acts as an official representative of Christ).  

In sum, a deacon touches lives, not just things.

3.  He's not an administrator -  Some Christians believe deacons just spend hours upon hours in meetings.  Their time is taken up with budgets and petty discussions about what color of carpet the sanctuary should have.  

There's no doubt that deacons have to have occasional meetings and talk over such things, but deacons should be thought more of as doers.  The office of deacon is very functional in that respect.  We are to think of them as the hands and feet of Christ in this world.  As such they are devoted to helping people, ministering in practical ways, and fulfilling varied needs which arise.

4.  He's not a social services director - Some people are intimidated by the office of deacon because they think of it as a second job.  They have this concept that deacons are actively engaged with the community, running a large soup kitchen or second hand clothing store.

To be sure, Paul talks about the deacon's work in terms of the gift of helps (1 Cor. 12:28).  It is evident that the deacon's work is devoted to the tangible expressions of Christ's empathy. 

However, the deacon's job description is not so much an outreach as it is an inreach.  The deacon's primarily arena of service is his specific congregation.  

While a church may have a outreach of that kind (and it may report to the deacons), the deacon is not the church's community services director.  He is a man who wants to build up his fellow brothers and sisters with whom he worships.

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Those of you who watched the first presidential debate know that we probably shouldn't call it presidential.  It was anything but dignified. The words "chaos" and "circus" have been used to describe the disorder.

One may say that these debates were snapshots of many believers' lives.  There is a lack of godly structure to their lives and a failure to order one's daily life.  This lack of discipline, in turn, leads to the chaos of frustration, misery, and sin.

Take Jim, for example.  Jim does not practice godly life structure in terms of his sleeping habits.  He regularly does not wake up on time, eat a proper breakfast, and (because he is running late to work) tend to proper hygiene and good dress.  He scurries in late and presents himself before his boss in his disheveled hair and wrinkled pants. 

Jim then complains when he is let go from the job, unable to pay his bills, and dumped by his girlfriend.

Or consider Kathryn.  Kathryn has begun to develop a problem with anxiety.  She's finding that the pounding heart and racing thoughts are becoming a daily struggle.  She's weary when she hits the sack at night because she's been in a state of hypervigilance all day...but her phone buzzes with yet another notification and she quickly reaches over to view it.

Both Jim and Kathryn could be professing believers, but each needs to grasp the need to rightly order one's life. 

Paul tells the Thessalonians that they should, "keep aloof from every brother who leads an unruly (or undisciplined) life."  He further adds that the Thessalonians were to follow his example for, "we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you." (1 Thes. 3:6-7).

The undisciplined life is the unruly life.  It is a life which lacks sense and the good order of a godly routine.  Paul calls the fun loving, intemperate Thessalonians to look at his life and how he sought to maintain good habits which promoted godliness in his daily affairs.

We see such discipline in King Jotham's life.  When he came to power he "ordered his ways before the Lord his God."  He made it a point to discipline himself and structure his administration in a way that aligned with the will of God.  As a result, God blessed him and his rule became increasingly more powerful.

Part of our sanctification in life is striving for that kind of life structure.  It may be as simple as waking up on time, turning off the phone at night, or making a list of chores to complete each day.  Or it may mean making a plan to replace the excesses of life with a solid routine for exercise, church activities, school work, health, recreation, etc. 

Moreover, it pertains to one's thought life.  A person's mind might be in the habit of unruly thinking (lust, fear, negativity, judgmentalism), and he may need to discipline himself to think about those things that pertain to good order: things that are excellent, praiseworthy, pure, true, etc.

The point is that God calls us to mimic Him.  He is "not a God of confusion," and we should reflect that, just as Jotham did.
 
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Reflect & Apply
Ask yourself: "What in my life is in disarray?  What kind of restructuring would promote more godliness in my life?" 

Do you have a Jotham or Paul in your life?  What habits do they have which promote godliness?  What do they do that you can copy in your own life?

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 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 

2 Corinthians 4:17

​There is a great disparity between the present and the future for the Christian.  When we grasp the magnitude of that discrepancy, the present becomes much more tolerable.

What is your complaint today?  Is it the shooting pain in your worn out knees?  How about the frustration of your financial status?  You can't seem to get ahead no matter how hard you try.  Or maybe you have stress, persecution, or grief.

No matter what the problem, balance it in the scale of history.  It may seem overbearing to you; a load with which you don't think you deal.  However, if you stare into the deep recesses of eternity, you will find that your current experience is greatly lightened.

Consider the comparison Paul makes:

Paul speaks of our sufferings in this world as light and momentary.  He does not seek to downplay the seriousness of your pains.  Neither does he want us to believe they are merely trifles about which we should just "buck up."

Paul calls them light because they are temporary and mild in comparison to the wonderful blessedness that we shall enjoy in the world to come.

This then should be your thought process when faced with suffering:  

1.  Think of the extent of eternity in comparison to the shortness of your life her on earth (or the length of the trouble you currently experience - a couple days, weeks, maybe years?).  Your chemo will last a few months.  Your children will be grown and out of the house in the blink of an eye.  These are but a blip on the scale of eternity.

A thousand years from now you will likely barely remember your present afflictions.  It may even be hard to recollect the feelings of sadness and sorrow because your life has been filled with the sunshine of happiness for what seems to be eons.  You will have laughed so much, smiled so brightly, received such love, and enjoyed so much satisfaction that the memory of today will be faded beyond recognition.

2.  Think of the weight of your coming joy.  The cross you now bear will be feather-like by comparison.  Again, we do not downplay our hardships.  We merely put them in perspective.  The scales of time and the mass of the coming blisses will tip in your favor.  

Have you ever been buried in the sand?  Do you remember the feeling of its weight pressing down upon your chest?  What if that mound of sand was doubled? tripled? quadrupled?  Would there be any distraction on the beach that could take your mind away from the load bearing down on you?  

Heaven's glories will be like that.  The sheer density of their richness will thrill you beyond anything you've likely enjoyed in this world.  The storehouses of heaven's euphoria will accumulate in compounding measures, such that what is now weighing upon your heart will be whisked away like brittle leaves in the wind.

3.  Think of the glories to be revealed.  You presently experience afflictions, but you will experience something radical which the Bible - in the limited language of humanity - calls "glory."

This word was synonymous in the ancient world also meant "heavy."  The glory of God was so profound that it could only be described as something that had excessive mass.  Keenly odd, since, being spiritual in nature, it has no real weight at all. 

These glories we only "know in part" now, but we see through the dimly lit glass of Scripture to behold them.  They include such things as a glorified body, heavenly fellowship with fellow saints, no spot or trace of sin, and - above all - intense communion with God.

4.  Think of how impossible it is for you to even begin to capture how tremendous the coming delights will be.  Paul's ends with the words "beyond all comparison."  This sounds pretty wonderful, but it should be noted that this is a poor translation.  It does not even begin to convey what the apostle intends.

Literally Paul says "beyond hyperbole into hyperbole."  

The word hyperbole in Greek means "a throwing beyond."  In English we use this word to describe an exaggeration, something that is so far fetched it seems thrown beyond reality.  

Paul doubles the word (hyperbole into hyperbole) to stress the surreal nature of what heaven will be like.  The glories of heaven will be exaggerated beyond all exaggerations that we can now muster.  That is to say, your greatest overstatement is but a far cry from the reality that you will behold.

Dare we even call it joy?  For what we currently understand as joy is a sad expression of what it will be like when we come to be at Jesus' side.  Today's love will be shown to be fools gold in comparison to the purity of angelic love we will receive in heaven.

Paul says, "Go ahead.  Try to imagine how wondrous it will be.  I guarantee that you will fall woefully short of what God has in store for you."

How then can our present difficulties really compare?  Are they not light and momentary?  Do we not already experience some great degree of alleviation just by having our thoughts flit so imperfectly to the paradise that is to come?

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Join Our Live Stream
Can't make it to in person worship?  We'd love to have you join us online.  We stream through our YouTube Live Channel each Lord's Day.

This Sunday evening we'll be starting a new gathering.  We'll be enjoying a time of fellowship, song, prayer, and study.  We'd love for you to join us at Hedstrom at 6pm for it.

We intend to begin an overview of the Biblical prophets.  We'll learn the nature of Biblical prophecy as well as get a feel for the context and content of each prophet's ministry.  It is sure to enrich your understanding of this often misunderstood and neglected portion of God's Word.

Wanna see where you stand?  You can test your Bible knowledge of the Prophets with this little quiz.  

Hopewell returned to in person worship "many moons ago."  Had we not had to scoot out of Hedstrom, we may have continued meeting.  However, in person worship is still hotly contested in different circles.

But why does "pew sitting" matter?  In the digital age, you can tune into some of the greatest speakers in the world just with a click or two.  One can easily Zoom church too.  Is that not soul food enough?  

Even without COVID there are factors that may prevent one from going out on Sunday mornings: introvertism, scheduling conflicts, relational conflict, "they are a bunch of hypocrites," shame, and the age old "I can worship God just as well (if not better) simply by taking a walk in the woods."

In a day when gathered worship is not seen as vitally important, we need to rejuvenate our understanding of worship's true nature.  In sum, what you get in worship is much different from what you may get through your screen or at home.  Consider the following...

1) Public Worship Maximizes His Glory:  While it is true that you can meet with God at home, God is most glorified in the context of corporate worship.  It is truly different to sing in the confines of your house, where no one will hear or see.  But when you acknowledge God publicly, in front of witnesses, the Lord receives greater honor.  You "declare His glory among the nations" (Ps. 96) and enlarge the praise by virtue of an enlarged witness.

2) Public Worship Maximizes His Blessing:  In Ex. 20:24 the Lord gave instructions about building an altar.  Right after it he says, "Wherever I cause my name to be honored (i.e. in public sacrifices and worship), I will come to you and bless you." 

What does this mean?  It means that greater blessings are to be found where God is openly and corporately acknowledged.  While there is always a risk of sickness, there is also the blessing of increased health, protection, joy, economic security, etc.  A people (and possibly even a whole community) may  enjoy His bountiful favor when a group of people gather together to exalt him.

3) Corporate Worship Maximizes His Interests:  We Americans like our individualism and (as a result) tend to focus on what we want or what we get out of things.  But have you thought about the Lord's interests? 

God commanded His people to convene at the temple 3 times a year.  He wanted them to drawn near to Him as a corporate body in week long increments.  Psalm 87 states that the Lord loves the gates of Zion (where corporate worship takes place) more than the dwellings of Judah (where individual and family worship takes place).

In sum, God is absolutely fanatical about his people gather together in person to fellowship, worship, and learn.

4) Public Worship Maximizes His Presence:  In the context of gathered worship, the Lord draws near to His people in a special way, particularly during the celebration of the Lord's Table. 

Of the Communion service Paul says, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"  (emphasis added)  When we come together at the Lord's Table there is a real, spiritual meeting with Christ, where he draws near to affirm His promises and apply the benefits of his mediation.

5) Public Worship Maximizes His Loving Nurture:  In the book of Revelation Jesus is depicted as standing amid the lampstands (i.e. the churches).  He had drawn close to those bodies to minister his encouragements and discipline. 

Hebrews 10 says that we should not neglect gathering that we may be stirred up by one another. Colossians 3 talks about how the Lord works through corporate singing to teach and admonish His people.

While there can be great gains through individual worship and study, the Lord puts a significant emphasis upon the spiritual socour that one gains in a gathered context.

To be sure, in person worship may not be possible for some (be it illness or some other providential hindering).  These small exceptions more serve to prove the ordinary rule than mitigate against it though.

Yet these points are but a few reasons why there should be a earnest interest in gathering personally and corporately for worship.  These examples also serve to show that Scripture puts a high emphasis on mimicking the gathered multitudes in heaven each Lord's Day.


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Want to Talk?  Let's Connect!
Is there something weighing on your soul?  Do you have some questions you'd like to ask?  Or are you just interested in grabbing a coffee and enjoying a time of fellowship?  Let us know; our leadership is always happy to meet up.

But I will sing of your strength;
​I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
Psalm 59:16 ESV

​It has been said that Scripture has the "best but's."  This is one of them.

David's enemies were after him.  King Saul was out for his blood.  It was so bad that David compared them to hungry dogs who prowled around scavenging for some small morsel to eat (59:15).

But instead of cowering or becoming embittered, he determined to sing.  He could have fallen into a fit of self pity and belly ached about all that he might lose.  But he struck up the harp instead.  He belted out lyrics of praise. 

As a matter of fact, he drowned out their howls with hymns.  He "sang aloud" of God's mercy (Hebrew: rawnan - to make a shrill creak, a ringing cry for joy).  The circumstances were such that he could have clammed up, but he determined instead to crank up the volume.  He made God's praises that much more vigorous.

When was the last time you belted out a line of "Come Thou Fount" or ratcheted up the volume on your Christian music station?  David reminds us that when troubles assail it is not the time to shut down.  It is high time to shout out to God and give Him glory.

Everyone has moments of woe.  These are times when we must amplify God's might and mercy.  We must concentrate all that much more on the Lord's attributes and not let fear take control of us.  It must be, so to speak, sung away.  From the bottom of our larynx we must declare that God, our only Hope, is our fixation. 

Problems tempt us to get down emotionally.  But David shows us that a better response is to get down musically.  We must vocally celebrate the fact that He is all that we need in such times.

Hardships also tempt us to become inwardly focused.  God has given us a self preservation reflex when something fearful presents itself.  But this can easily go ary and we can become self consumed.  

This is what makes music so great.  We become very external when we sing, and all that much more so when we sing to (and about) our Lord.  It's only accentuated that much more when the decibel levels go through the roof.

In the end, it is a reminder that in every circumstance in life God's praises must prevail in our lives.  Joy in trials is found in the Psalter and Songbook.

So whether we are facing some pressures from opponents or getting a little tense about what lies in tomorrow, don't be afraid to let it ring.  Amplify his praises in times of difficulty.

Membership @ Hopewell
We will be interviewing and receiving candidates for membership in August.  Our plan is to conduct interviews on Sunday August 2nd and then have them stand for their vows before the congregation on August 9th.

To that end, we invite those who are regularly visiting to review our church's philosophies and membership terms and let us know your desire to join.  Or, if you believe your child is ready for profession of faith / baptism, we'd love to celebrate this great event too. 
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Family Day Fun & Fellowship
Join us at the Lillo's for a day of hanging out.  This Saturday (July 25) we'll gather to fellowship and play games.  Come and go as you please or as your schedule permits.  People are welcome to come anytime after 10:30.  Lunch and dinner will be served.  Contact us for details or directions

Join us for Worship 
Hopewell has resumed worship services and we'd love for you to be a part of it.  Come worship the Savior and King this Sunday at 10:30 am.

"And the Lord will ... satisfy your desire in scorched places." 

Isaiah 58:11 ESV

 
The test of our religion is not in the ardency of our singing or how many pages of Scripture we read per week.  The test of our faith is in whether or not Jesus is enough for us at any given minute.

Jannie had hoped that she could go to the movies with her friends.  She had been looking forward to it the whole week.  She was doubly excited to find out that Belle, her best friend who had moved away two months ago, was going to be back in town for the movie debut.  

Needless to say, she was crushed when her mother told her the night before that she was needed to babysit.  
...

Julie has been planning a surprise meal for her husband all week.  She looked online for just the perfect recipe.  She compared several sites and determined which would be the most tasty.  She spent an hour going to the store to get the ingredients and another hour hovering over the pots and pans preparing it that afternoon.

When Jim came in the door, the table was all set.  The prize dish was spread out on the platter like a master chef.

Jim's grimace was noticeable upon entry.  He picked and ate the obligatory amount.  Julie's hurt was only compounded when he pulled down the peanut butter jar just an hour later.
...

Jim couldn't wait to get home.  It had seemed like he had been battling one person after another all day. 

The project manager had bounced his plans back with several items he said needed fixed (but really didn't).  The sales personnel had phoned numerous times for the rush order, which had only been submitted that morning.  Not only that, but Julie had interrupted his concentration with what seemed like 1000 texts about napkins, spices, and the dishwasher.

He couldn't wait to get home, turn on the television, and veg out with some peace and quiet. 

When he opened the door and saw the table, he hoped that his irritation hadn't shown itself.  He knew that it was going to be a long time before he got to the TV.
...

You can probably identify with at least one of these scenarios.  They represent our daily conflicts and unfulfilled desires.  They are indicative of each of the many disappointments, hurts, and irritations that come our way.

Yet each is also indicative of a worship mentality.  In each story someone is craving something--something more than Jesus.

Idolatry isn't necessarily about bowing to funny looking statues or praying to certain deities.  It is about these sorts of things.  It's about finding our fulfilment and satisfaction in something other than the all sufficient God.

Jannie wanted a movie and fun with her friends.  There's nothing wrong with that.  It's a great thing, as a matter of fact.  The problem is that she wanted that night out more than she wanted Jesus.  Her heart was finding its satisfaction in the theater, rather than in Christ's will for her life.

Julie's love for her husband is commendable.  She should be praised for going out of her way to make this wonderful meal for him. 

Yet her hurt cut so deep because she yearned for his approval.  She found her satisfaction in his being satisfied in her meal and her hard work.  If her heart had been set more on the approval of Christ, her meal would never have been spoiled.

Jim needed more satisfaction in Jesus too.  His desire to be left alone and enjoy his little utopia free from other people's interruptions made him irritable.  It stole his personality.  If he would have simply remembered that Christ set aside His utopia and dealt with the interruption of Jim's sin through His sacrifice, he might have been a lot more cheery in his demeanor. 

These scenarios remind us that our hearts crave Jesus.  The good news is that Jesus is the fulfilment of every one of our cravings.  That's why we must seek to orient our souls towards Him and put Him first in our lives.   

When we settle for anything less, we will have problems.  The wages of that sin will be death in one way or another. 

• We'll be discouraged by disappointments. 
• We'll be emotionally scarred because we won't get all the approval we craved. 
• We'll be robbed of cheer and doomed to a life of irritation because our utopia will ever be out of our reach.

​Yet Christ came that we may have life and have it to the full.  The Gospel lifts our minds from this world and shows us that there is a fountain of eternal satisfaction in the Lord. 

The gospel also calls for us to drink deeply of Him.  Sorrow and sadness flee away when we consider how He is our All in all.  Christ never disappoints.  He is a shield from sorrow.  He is utopia and he makes our hearts abound with joy.

Join us in the Worship of Christ!
We have begun in person worship services again.  We'd love for you to join us as we come before the Lord & Savior this Lord's Day at 10:30 am.

Midweek Virtual Study
Our first run virtual Bible study series was a great success!  It was so good we're doing it again.  We'd love to have you join us on Wednesdays at 7 pm via our GoToMeeting video conferencing.  Contact us for details if you'd like to join!

I don't know.  This has become something of a mantra for me lately.  I'm calling it my "go to" answer.

If I've talked with you recently, you've probably heard me say it.  As a matter of fact, I've probably said it multiple times to you.  I've not known answers to questions like, "When will we start normal services again?"  or "Do you think we'll be able to get back into Hedstrom anytime soon?"

Thankfully, some of those questions have been solved and we are starting to get going (see below for details).  Though the cloud may be lifting, I'd still say that life is overall still pretty foggy.

The Coronavirus has had us living on a day to day basis in many ways.  It has rudely interrupted our lives and turned the world upside down in so many ways.  It has brought government protocols and event cancellations which make planning for the future very difficult.

I don't know for sure, but I bet you have been in the same boat.  You've probably had to say to the kids, "I don't know when we can do ..."  or "I don't know if we can..." 

Other questions can be added to the pile: What will my wedding be like?  What would happen if I got the virus?  Will our economy recover from these curve flattening measures?

The answer to most all of these questions is the simple "idk."  (or, if you want to keep up with the cool kids, insert your shruggy face emoji here)

The good news is that this is perfectly fine.  James tells us so when he says, "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'"

James exhorts us to live in the now.  We can be the ultimate existentialist and exist in this moment.  Sure, you can make plans, but keep in mind that while "Man poses, God disposes."  And that requires us to live by faith right here, right now.

There are times when we must leave the future to the Lord.  Planning may be impossible and we must merely live day to day, moment by moment.  Though He may not reveal what is ahead, this moment of "now" can be ruled by what He has revealed.  In this sliver of time, we can be content and obedient.

The Psalmist expressed this quite well when he said, "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." 

A foot-lamp in those days was not much in comparison to our Maglite flashlights today.  You could not see down the path to what was ahead.  The ancient lantern would give only enough light to see the next step.  

In sum, the Psalmist reassured his singers that God desires this moment to be lived fully and faithfully.  There may be secrets He is keeping from us, but He has not left us in the dark when it comes to this very second of our lives.

All in all, the "I don't knows" we confess are humble admissions that the future is in God's hands.  They can be wonderful expressions of faith that is trusting in His divine care.  What's more, these "I don't knows" can be supplemented with what we do know in the 10 commandments. 

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Join us in the Worship of Christ!
Jesus is precious.  We'd love for you to join us as we worship our Lord & Savior this Lord's Day at 10:30 am

Midweek Virtual Study
Our first run virtual Bible study series was a great success!  It was so good we're doing it again.  We'd love to have you join us on Wednesdays at 7 pm via our GoToMeeting video conferencing.  Contact us for details if you'd like to join!

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"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 3:14 (NASB)

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As we move towards the end of the quarantine, Ohioans are starting to ask what the "new normal" will be like. 

Things are going to be different when society reintegrates.  COVID has come and its fingerprint will forever be left on this world.  We'll have new customs (like rabid hand washing and social distancing taboos).  Things like the 'elbow bump' will now define our daily existence.  

It would be foolish to think that the whole C19 experience won't change us to some degree.  The good news is that we can be proactive and dedicate the new normal to Christ.  

I highly recommend you make your own list of goals and set yourself up for your new normal (see the worksheet below).  But here are a few items that I'd like you to consider:

1.  Church Attendance - I love that so many in our group are already eager to get back to physical gatherings on Sunday morning.  But the question is: Are you one of them?

"It's been kinda nice sleeping in each week and watching worship in my pajamas," said a church member to her pastor.  Those words are chilling.  

Over my 20 years in ministry, I've seen how easy it is for people to fall out of the habit of worship.  A skip here; a conflict of schedule there. Before you know it the ritual of getting out the door on Sunday morning is too much of a hassle.  Church easily becomes a byword.

Imagine what havoc a 4-6 week stay at home order could have on someone's worship habits.

Now is the time to determine how important the worship of God really is.  Is Jesus is really worth my all in all?.  When the doors open again will you be persistently present at His feet each Sunday? 

If you're already a stay-at-homer or are being tempted towards it, seek accountability from one of our elders right now.

2.  Muscles of Graciousness - Being sequestered has likely brought out new frustrations.  When you live in close proximity to other sinners your sanctification will be challenged. 

You'll need to flex your spiritual muscles and tone the fibers of your heart.  It takes a Christ like love to live with those people who now seem to be crawling up your nose every moment.

If you discipline yourself towards godliness, you can be saved from the frustrations and temptation to vent you anger.  Christ can help you develop greater amounts of graciousness, patience, and self control.

Those 4-6 weeks can create habits of affirming words, settled hearts, and gentle smiles.  With a little work, you can begin to love in ways you never have before.  Christ can help you...

• stay calm when the kids act out
• respond graciously when your spouse spouts off
• teach the lessons that are piling up
• rejoice when your space is invaded
• be patient when your desires are not met

Be sure to check out that worksheet below and make a plan to make marked improvement in one of these areas. 

3.  Media Flab - While shut up in your house, you've probably not been doing calculus like Isaac Newton was during his quarantine.  It's likely that you've stepped up the amount of time on the television, social media, or the video gaming. 

And that's okay.  There's certainly nothing wrong with killing some boredom and passing the extra time with a bit of fun.

A season of increased media may be a good distraction, but, again, we must talk about patterns of life.  While media is a gift of God, it can also be an idol that keeps us from "redeeming the time."  

Some have even warned about online porn in particular during this quarantine.  The stay at home orders have provided unfortunate opportunities in the internet sex market.

It is obvious that porn should be cut altogether.  But we may want to watch what we watch in other respects too.  We do not want the new normal to be excess media taking the place of work, spiritual disciplines, and relationships.

4.  Zeal for Evangelism - I've loved how our families are praying for and seeking opportunities with unbelieving people.  It's raw energy I wish I could harness and unleash in a venue. 

There's a sense in which the quarantine has made this desire a little difficult to achieve though.  Since people are pent up in their homes, it's hard to reach out to them.  

The good news is that when the world opens up again, there will likely be plenty of opportunities:  On the streets, in the marketplace, with hospitality to co-workers and neighbors, etc.  What's more, there will likely be diaconal needs.  People will likely seek us out to help with bills and debts.

While the land may be dry now, it will likely be ripe for harvest in a matter of weeks.  The only problem is that we may be tempted to sink back into the old routine when the world revs up again. 

I encourage you to plan now for those evangelism activities and consider how we may effectively extend the gospel of grace to those in need.

5.  Constant Prayer - How beautiful it has been to be driven more towards God in prayer!  There's been fasting, prayer groups, and individuals setting aside specific times of prayer.  We've felt our need and it has brought us nearer to the Lord.

To be sure, Gov. Dewine has been prayed for so much that the angels assigned to him have been given all access ID passes.  Has there ever been a leader for whom there has been so much prayer in these last few weeks?

But what if God answers our prayers?  What if the economy kicks right back in when the restrictions are lifted?  What if everything returns to the old normal?  Will we be as eager to pray?

I would assume that bulking up on prayer for weeks on end will energize us spiritually and create a new 'old normal.'  If prayer is practiced for this long and this hard, it will be a hard habit to break.

All in all, its an encouragement to further that habit and keep on praying.  
   

Experts say that habits are formed in 6-8 weeks.  That just happens to be the amount of time we expect to spend in this quarantine.  So you can see how this period of time is so critical.  The new normal can be a wonderful experience if we take the right steps now.

 
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Turning It over to You
What are your thoughts?  How do you expect life to be different in the coming weeks?  Are there areas which you would see need for caution?  Or are there opportunities or goals for which we can be striving? 

Send us an email and share your perspectives.

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We can be assured that God is using COVID in amazing ways.  One of the blessings is that great educational resources are being made available for FREE!  Check out these two gems that are at your fingertips...

1.  Ligonier Connect:  Ligonier ministries (i.e. RC Sproul & friends) is making a huge number of great video/audio resources available for free.  Their Ligonier Connect site is chock full of good stuff.  You can sign up to have an account to access these resources on your own or with a group (virtual if needed).

2.  Answers in Genesis:  AiG has a new virtual Sunday School resource.  It is being made available for free through the end of June.  It covers apologetics, bible books, and many more engaging lessons for kids and adults.

Are you interested in a group study? 
We can organize a virtual class with video conferencing if a few people are interested.  So let us know if you'd like to delve into the Word and connect with some other believers.

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Bring no more vain offerings.
Isaiah 1:13 (ESV)

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Two weeks ago I wrote about the 5 Awesome Excuses for Skipping Church.  I want to double back and touch on the topic of worship again.  This time I'd like us to look at it from the other side.

Just because you are in the pews on Sunday mornings doesn't necessarily mean that everything is peachy with the Lord.  You can sing with the greatest zeal and still not have the Lord's priorities in mind.

So consider these questions.  Evaluate your presence in worship in light of them.

1.  Is God really your priority?  Malachi laid into the Israelites of his day, despite their regular attendance in worship.  God was angry with them despite their pristine record.

The problem was that they were not offering their first and best.  The sacrifices they brought were sketchy, consisting of lambs that were blind, lame, and diseased.

It wasn't the sacrifice per se.  Something was wrong with their hearts.  They were holding back on God.  They essentially said He didn't deserve their best and their highest esteem.  Sure, they will worship (and do so with ardor), but not in a costly way or a way that reflects that He was their highest enjoyment.  

The Lord should never be given the leftovers.  When we come to worship, we must give Him the first and the best.  We must give from the heart and internally witness to the fact that He is the first and best.

2.  Are you worshipping God with your life or just your lips?  Amos gave the Israelites a royal ripping too.  His beef, however, was that their worship was so incredibly inconsistent with the rest of their lives. 

These Israelites offered the purest worship; every jot and tittle of the law was followed.  But their worship was a cover for the gross sins they were committing (negligence, oppression, and injustice). They may have been better off skipping church because God hated and despised their assemblies.

This tells us that what we do on Sunday must equalize with the rest of the week.  The bully and the bossy shouldn't waste their breath if they are not repentant.  One who steals and then gives an offering makes God's nostrils crinkle in anger.  The inconsistency of justice and worship is offensive to God.   

3.  Are you putting a priority on restoring relationships?  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells people, of all things, not to go to worship.  Really, he told them to drop everything and high tail it out of the service.  If there was a broken relationship and they had not sought to rectify it, that was to take priority. (Matt. 5:24).

We might rank worship higher than relationships, but God does not.  Sometimes the most pleasing offering is an attempt at reconciliation.  When someone is estranged from us we must seek them out.  Otherwise our worship is profane. 

Granted, the other party may not want to reconcile, but that really doesn't negate our duty.  Jesus would like us to at least give reconciliation the old college try (preferably before Sunday comes rolling around).  That's because relationships are a priority to Him.

4.  Is worship your gateway to heaven?  No amount of good works will ever outweigh our bad or make God happy with us.  So, if you're depending on your presence in worship to get you merit with God, think again.  

The only thing that can make us right with God is the blood of Christ. Worship is a response to God's grace; not a means to it.  It flows out of our gratitude for His saving us and giving us eternal life.

5.  Are you rating the service?  Worship is not a performance.  It is a meeting with God and His people.  So if you are in the habit of evaluating the music team or the preacher, you've got the wrong attitude.

Sure, the message might not be quite up to snuff on occasion.  Other dynamics might not meet your preference level.  Nevertheless, God is there in the midst.  It's a 5 star service every time because He comes in power and, miraculously, does not strike us dead. 

​Contribute Special Music - Got a song you want to sing or an instrumental that you'd like to perform?  We are happy to schedule you for our communion time or other special.

Join the Worship Team - If you're a guy who likes to sing or are talented with an instrument, we always appreciate the contributions of our musicians. 

Join the Set up Crew - Would you like to make a "behind the scenes" commitment? Once a month you can be in charge of setting up for worship.  We'll be sure to show you the ropes on the equipment and make sure you are confident.

Take Photos -  If you have a knack for snapping pictures, feel free.  We love compiling material for our yearly slideshows, putting them out on our social media, and capturing our milestones & memories.  

Kiddo Care - We love it when moms and dads have a break and can enjoy a little more fellowship after worship.  Volunteer to play with or keep eyes on a little one so the parents can spend a few moments chatting with others.

Bible Bee Squad - Contribute a helping hand with the Bible Bee gatherings, preparations, and organization.  There's so many kids involved there's sure to be a place where you can fill in.

Do Something New - Don't see your niche listed?  Let us know what you'd like to do.  We'll happily consider supporting your service.

Notice on Worship Protocol
The governor of Kentucky has issued a request that churches not meet on Sunday as part of the state's COVID19 precautions.  It wouldn't surprise if other states soon follow suit.  Should Ohio's officials issue such a decree, please know that it will not affect Hopewell's regular Sunday morning meetings.

While we do encourage everyone to take the necessary precautions for their health and welfare, our doors will remain open for those who are inclined to attend.  In sum, unless the situation rises to a critical level, we will follow our normal "inclimate weather" policy: Come if you are able.

Should other churches refrain from meeting, we by no means resent their decision.  Many factors may go into their choosing to do so.  This is merely our way of seeking to balance the command to honor the Lord's Day and be faithful in our communion with one another. 

If you are showing symptoms, we do ask that you remain home.  We have appreciated the discretion our family members have always shown in this regard.

If you do see the need to remain at home, we would appreciate your letting us know.  It's always good to have a heads up, especially so that we can be in prayer for you.  Also, we have life streamed the services in the past.  This is an option we are certainly able to implement if we have enough advance notice.

I'm not a doctor; nor do I play one on TV.  But as a pastor and amatuer theologin, I want to bring some Scriptural guidance to the current germ infested world.

I give you six thoughts on dealing with plagues and pandemics in our day:

1.  Wash your hands.  Doesn't sound very spiritual does it?  The truth is, the single best way to prevent sickness and disease was discovered 200 years ago.  Using soap and water with a good lather helps prevent the spread of disease by over 50%. 

Being that is so, the Christian's responsibility of love for neighbor and self can be as simple as taking about 20 seconds at the kitchen sink.

2.  Don't live in fear.  If I can rephrase the words of Jesus:  Do not fear the germs that can kill the body, fear Him who can destroy the body and afterwards throw the soul in hell. 

God's word teaches us to fear the living God, not the bacteria that He creates.  With that attitude, we live boldly in a world filled with killer pathogens.  Christians are light in a germaphobe infested world.

That being the case, if God calls you to be sick or die of a plague, so let it be.  Glorify God in it; be bold and suffer well. 

But don't cower in corners and refuse to live a normal, God honoring life in community because you may possibly, by chance, come in contact with a random microbiome which may or may not infect your system.

3.  Don't Believe the Hype:  The news media may be considered a plague in and of itself (This is why I steer clear of them and wash my hands of them for the most part). 

Most news outlets love the sensational and the hype it can cause.  For that reason, it's hardly ever clear what on their broadcasts is true.  Exaggeration, bias, and the desire to get you to buy something from their sponsors often makes them less than a healthy source of information.

From what limited research I've done (and what limited information is available), the coronavirus is not anywhere as bad as the news has hyped it to be.  A little googling and you'll see that the Corona is not that much different than the common flu.  It may be slightly more contagious, but its symptoms and death rates are essentially equal.

So don't be quick to believe the latest headline promulgating the end of the world.  Let God be true and every man a liar.

Above all, remember what Spurgeon said:
 
"Faith by cheering the heart keeps it free from the fear which, in times of pestilence, kills more than the plague itself." 


4.  God Protects the Righteous:  God is sovereign over every single microorganism on the planet.  What's more, His sovereignty is always kindly expressed towards His people.  And ordinarily, God protects His people from plague and consumption.

That's what Psalm 91 teaches when it says, "For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence." 

Of course, the Psalmist isn't teaching that God's people will never get sick or diseased or die.  He's expressing the normal way God operates in this world:  The Lord usually protects His people and the righteous will, by and large, be spared from the deadly woes.

It is noteworthy that those most highly affected by infectious disease are, ordinarily, those who are not living for God.  To put it in the words of one commentator, those who tend to be victims of contagious diseases are the intemperate, the sensual, the debased, and foolish (...possibly the ones most unwilling to wash their hands?). 

In sum, the wicked essentially bring God's destruction upon themselves as they have lifestyles that predispose them to these miseries.  The godly, however, seek to live more nearly to God in all holiness and are frequently spared such sorrows.

5.  God's people do get sick.  No one is hermetically sealed from God's will.  Job was one of the most righteous men on earth, but his health was not immune. 

So, if God does bring illness into your life, it is because He has a purpose for it.  Thus, it is a time to live for Him. 

The Westminster Larger Catechism summarizes the Scripture on this point by saying we must "patiently bear the hand of God."  That means, we must be patient in affliction, praise God for His mercies, and establish our hearts til the coming of the Lord.

Sickness is also a useful time of spiritual reflection.  It is a time to remember that:

• We are constantly dependent upon the Lord for our health/life.
• We may have sinned and we need to repent (James 5:14f).
• We have a future world, cleansed of sin & misery, which we anticipate.
• The terrors of hell are much worse, and we have been spared the horrors of it.
• Our brethren around the world suffer much greater tribulations, and we ought to pray for them.

6.  Live & Die boldly.  It's been mentioned before in these articles that so many in our world are afraid to die.  The topic can hardly even be spoken of by those whose lives are so wrapped up in this world.

Not so for us.  We who are in Christ can stare death in the eye and make him blink.  We do not need to avoid it or dance around the topic.  We may joyfully live because death is a welcome thing.  We anticipate the world to come with great longing and happily draw nearer to Jesus.

Thus, we are lights and cities on a hill in a world haunted by hell and contamination.  We will die boldy if God would will it and live heartily until His grace would bring it to an end.

A group of 9 families began meeting for evening services in March of 2016.  It was the infancy of Hopewell, to be sure.  But flip the calendar to 2020 and you'll find 16 families meeting together each week.  Add in the young people who have turned 18 and entered adulthood and we have quite a testimony to the growth our God has granted us.

So blow out the candles, pin the tail on the donkey, praise God for His faithfulness, and party like you're ready to start riding a big boy bike.