MissionLawrence.org – Saint Andrew's Church

Need some summer reading?

Check out  these book reviews written by Pastor Chuck and published at Chuck Colson’s World View Church website.

Red Tory: How Left and Right Have Broken Britain and How We Can Fix it

The Holman Christian Standard Bible 2009 Updated Text

The Good News We Almost Forgot

Parochial Vision

Here’s a helpful organization of the “one anothers” of Scripture as they appear in Tim Keller’s study guide,Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything [ht JT]:

Affirm

1. Affirm one another’s strengths, abilities, and gifts.

• Romans 12:10: “Honor one another”
• James 5:9: “Don’t grumble against each other”
• Romans 12:3-8: Confirm the gifts of one another

2. Affirm one another’s equal importance in Christ.

• Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you”
• 1 Corinthians 12:25: “Have equal concern for each other”
• 1 Peter 5:5: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
• James 2:1: “Don’t show favoritism”

3. Affirm one another through visible affection.

• Romans 16:16: “Greet one another with a holy kiss”
• James 1:19: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak”
• Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another”
• 1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Share

4. Share one another’s space, goods, and time.

• Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”
• 1 Peter 4:9: “Offer hospitality to one another”
• Galatians 6:10: “As we have opportunity, let us do good”

5. Share one another’s needs and problems.

• Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Encourage one another”
• Hebrews 3:13: “Encourage one another daily”

6. Share one another’s beliefs, thinking, and spirituality.

• Colossians 3:16: “Teach and admonish one another”
• Ephesians 5:19: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”
• Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with one another”
• 1 Corinthians 1:10: “Agree with one another”

Serve

7. Serve one another through accountability.

• James 5:16: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other”
• Romans 15:14: “Instruct one another”
• Ephesians 4:25: “Speak truthfully”

8. Serve one another through forgiveness and reconciliation.

• Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”
• Colossians 3:13: “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another”
• Galatians 5:25: Don’t provoke or envy one another
• James 4:11: “Do not slander one another”
• Matthew 5:23-24; 18:15: Reestablish broken relationships with one another

9. Serve one another’s interests rather than our own.

• Hebrews 10:24: “spur one another on toward love and good deeds”
• Romans 15:1-2: Don’t please yourself but please others
• Galatians 5:13: “Serve one another”

Lawrence County’s Celebrate Recovery ministry sponsored by St. Andrew’s Church in Lawrenceburg was blessed Thursday, July 14th to hear the personal testimony of Mr. Paul Willoughby via DVD.

Paul grew up in an abusive, drug using home. His father left early on and he never came around much. His mother introduced him to a string of “boyfriends” who would abuse both her and Paul. Finally at age 14, Paul’s mother passed away from an overdose. He lived with his biological father a few months until it made more sense to him to live on the street … sleeping in friend’s back yards, their garage, or flopping on a spare bed.

He found that selling drugs was “easy money”. But this life of crime caused him to hit bottom as he was sent to the California Penal system to serve at least 80% of a 4 year sentence. Prison life was it’s own “school of hard knocks”. Just as he was headed to prison, Paul had begun to seek the Lord in county jail. A friend had told him the difference that Jesus Christ made in his own life.

Prison life was a hard way to begin the “Christian Life”… being a Christian there had it’s own unique form of persecution and suffering. In the end, he thought those who hated him for his faith might do him serious harm the day before his release. Amazingly a freak fog covered the exercise yard and neither he nor his would be assailants were allowed out of lock down that day!

While there he participated in the first prison based “Celebrate Recovery”.  When his release date was near, he wrote to several churches to see if they might be able to join their Celebrate Recovery program and find a place to call his “spiritual home”. One of those he wrote to was the perfect fit. Upon his release he found a church with a Celebrate Recovery which offered him a sponsor, accountability partner, and a new start on life.

The Living God is still reclaiming lost lives. Celebrate Recovery of Lawrence County welcomes you so you can find new life through Jesus Christ too!

Lots of people have visited our page “Wanted Radical Christians”

To give them “More of what they’re looking for” and to see if the Lord has team members He wishes to send here, there’s a  new Free Ebook… it’s an expanded version of the page to discuss these topics in greater length.

Download it now! And pass it along!

Download "Wanted: Radical Christians"!

Free Ebook: Wanted Radical Christians

Praying through the Lord’s Prayer

Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer as a model to guide our praying. Here are some suggestions about praying through the different parts of the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven

Thank you for the intimate relationship I have with you, Father. Though you are exalted in heaven, high above all things, you have called me to yourself through the gospel and made me your child. Thank you for Jesus, through whom I am adopted into the family of your people all over the world.

Remember the promise and obligation signed and sealed to us in Holy Baptism.

Hallowed be your name

I praise you, the Holy Lord of all creation. You alone are worthy of all praise; you alone are holy; to you alone be glory in everything.

Your kingdom come

Lord God, have mercy on this sinful world. May your kingdom grow through the proclamation of the gospel. As you have saved me, please bring others to repent and believe in Christ, and please use me in your service to proclaim him to my unbelieving friends.

Pray for specific non-Christian friends and relatives. Pray for the advance of God’s kingdom in our city, state, region, nation, and world (Acts 1:8).

Your will be done, on earth as in heaven

Merciful Father, may your church all over the world bring honour to your name by obeying your will. Please teach me your will, and equip me to obey it. May your will be done in the life of my church, just as it is done in heaven, where every knee bows before you in reverence, and every mouth is opened in praise.

Pray for any particular challenges facing your church. Pray regarding “principalities and powers” that work to hinder Christ’s Kingdom. Pray for those in authority.

Give us today our daily bread

Heavenly Father, you know my material needs; please provide for them. May I enjoy the good things of your creation with thankfulness, not guilt; and may I accept times of poverty and times of abundance with the same joyful heart.

Pray for any specific practical needs for yourself or for others.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us

Thank you, loving God, for the forgiveness your people have in Christ. Thank you for your mercy in giving yourself in Christ to suffer the punishment due for my sins; and thank you for uniting me with Christ in his resurrection, so that I stand righteous in him.

Pray for anyone with whom you have had a recent disagreement, that you would have a forgiving and gracious heart towards them.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Almighty God, please arm me for the daily battle against sin and temptation. Equip me to live in righteousness and holiness, to be a distinctive witness to Christ in the world.

Pray for specific areas of personal godliness, perhaps focusing each day on one of ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ – ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23).

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

Adapted from Emmanuel Evangelical Church – “Praying The Lord’s Prayer” – NorthLondonChurch.org

Recently St. Andrew’s Church stated on the website a desire to help start “Rebuild – A Christian Society for Men” through our work in the community called “Mission Lawrence”.

It’s intended to be a place for any Christian man in Lawrence County. It’s goal is to “educate and support men in their quest for godliness in work, family, and God’s kingdom”.

Given our unemployment situation in the county, one of the goals will be to help Christian men find and keep gainful employment. As God leads, we’d like to see (and assist educationally and with technical assistance) the formation of new businesses to spread employment and prosperity through the county. Ideally these would be employee owned businesses run along Christian ethical principles.

While that may be “a long ways down the road”, learning to live like godly men is something we can start right now.

Back when there were such a thing as “Christian Knights”, men wrote manuals teaching these knights how to lead virtuous Christian lives.

That’s the groundwork we must lay again if we are to be faithful Christian men. These are short extracts from such a manual written by Desiderius Erasmus in much the same way John the Baptist gave moral instruction to the Roman Centurions of his day…

The actual book is over 200 pages (link below). But for now consider these guidelines for to help you be ready to form “Rebuild – Christian Society for Men”.

1. Increase Your Faith
…even if the entire world appears mad.

2. Act Upon Your Faith
…even if you must undergo the loss of everything.

3. Analyze Your Fears
You will find things are not as bad as they appear.

4. Make Virtue The Only Goal of Your Life
…dedicate all your enthusiasm, all your effort, your leisure as well as your business.

5. Turn Away From Material Things
If you are greatly concerned with money you will be weak of spirit.

6. Train Your Mind to Distinguish Good and Evil
Let your rule of government be determined by the common good.

7. Never Let Any Setback Stop You In Your Quest
We are not perfect–this only means we should try harder.

8. If You Have Frequent Temptations, Do Not Worry.
Begin to worry when you do not have temptation, because that is a sure sign that you cannot distinguish good from evil.

9. Always Be Prepared For An Attack
Careful generals set guards even in times of peace.

10. Spit, As It Were, In The Face Of Danger
Keep a stirring quotation with you for encouragement.

11. There Are Two Dangers: One Is Giving Up, The Other Is Pride
After you have performed some worthy task, give all the credit to someone else.

12. Turn Your Weakness Into Virtue
If you are inclined to be selfish, make a deliberate effort to be giving.

13. Treat Each Battle As Though It Were Your Last
…and you will stand, in the end, victorious!

14. Don’t Assume That Doing Good Allows You To Keep A Few Vices.
The enemy you ignore the most is the one who conquers you.

15. Weigh Your Alternatives Carefully
The wrong way will often seem easier than the right.

16. Never Admit Defeat Even If You Have Been Wounded
The good soldier’s painful wounds spur him to gather his strength.

17. Always Have A Plan Of Action
…so when the time comes for battle, you will know what to do.

18. Calm Your Passions By Seeing How Little There Is To Gain
We often worry and scheme about trifling matters of no real importance.

19. Speak With Yourself This Way:
“If I do what I am considering, would I want my family to know about it”?

20. Virtue Has Its Own Reward
Once a person has it, they would not exchange it for anything.

21. Life Can Be Sad, Difficult And Quick-Make It Count For Something
Since we do not know when death will come, act honorably every day.

22. Repent Your Wrongs
Those who do not admit their faults have the most to fear.

From Enchiridion Militis Christiani: A Guide for The Righteous Protector by Erasmus, 1503, as extracted by Sgt Chris Pascoe, Michigan State Police, and quoted in On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and Peace by Dave Grossman, 2004.

Thanks to the Mancraft Guide for this resource.

Apostles Creed In Stone

Church Historian Philip Schaff writes about the history and value of the Apostles Creed. Along the way he makes a good point for the regular use of the Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments too. These all shape our faith on a daily basis.

As the Lord’s Prayer is the Prayer of prayers, the Decalogue the Law of laws, so the Apostles’ Creed is the Creed of creeds. It contains all the fundamental articles of the Christian faith necessary to salvation, in the form of facts, in simple Scripture language, and in the most natural order—the order of revelation— from God and the creation down to the resurrection and life everlasting. It is Trinitarian, and divided into three chief articles, expressing faith—in God the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth, in his only Son, our Lord and Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit; the chief stress being laid on the second article, the supernatural birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Then, changing the language, the Creed professes to believe ‘the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

It is the best popular summary of the Christian faith ever made within so brief a space. It still surpasses all later symbols for catechetical and liturgical purposes, especially as a profession of candidates for baptism and church membership. It is not a logical statement of abstract doctrines, but a profession of living facts and saving truths. It is a liturgical poem and an act of worship. Like the Lord’s Prayer, it loses none of its charm and effect by frequent use, although, by vain and thoughtless repetition, it may be made a martyr and an empty form of words. It is intelligible and edifying to a child, and fresh and rich to the profoundest Christian scholar, who, as he advances in age, delights to go back to primitive foundations and first principles. It has the fragrance of antiquity and the inestimable weight of universal consent. It is a bond of union between all ages and sections of Christendom.

For those not familiar with this ancient confession of faith, it reads:

I BELIEVE in One God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary;
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into Hell;
the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy catholic Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Here are our New Service Times effective immediately!

Sunday

10:30 AM – Fellowship Time

11:00 AM – Service of the Word and Holy Communion

Thursday - Celebrate Recovery

6:00 Dinner

7:00 Large Group

8:00 Small Groups & 101 for first time attendees

At Other Times

Other Studies & Christianity Explored

Please contact us us for more information!

Recently I wrote on this topic: “Wanted – Radical Christians”

As the pastor of St. Andrew’s Church and overseer of our community outreach “Mission Lawrence”, I am trusting the Lord to assemble the team He wishes to serve this place in ways that bring Jesus Christ glory and provide the people of this county a blessing in His name.

As I’ve pondered our needs in this community for several years, repeatedly I have felt the need for a Parish Nurse as my friend Rev. George Popta writes about here.

Accordingly, I have updated the “Wanted” page since it is, in effect, a prayer list of the help we pray the Lord will send.

I pray the Lord will send a retiring LPN or RN who would be willing to be licensed in this state, live on their retirement income, become part of our church community, and serve part time as a Christian Parish Nurse – i.e. be a nurse unreservedly in Christ’s name. That’s much different than being a nurse in a secular setting. This type of nurse is in a very real way a diaconal assistant within the Body of Christ and as an extension of Christ’s Body.

Such a person would need to want to pray with people, encourage them, and be willing to function in a setting that’s rather different than many churches.  Our “feel” is more classically Protestant because we’re Evangelical and Reformed and strive to live out mere Christianity.

I pray the Lord has prepared and will send such a person. After all, humanly speaking, this is a nice place to retire. People moving here from high tax, high real estate price places, often find they can purchase a suitable home here and still have a “nest egg” left over to supplement their retirement savings.

You can check out the City of Lawrenceburg TN (check out “Things To Do”) to see some of the activities here.

But despite the outward niceties, we are here for ministry and seeking those whom the Lord will send to help create a witness to His glory here!

Is that you?

It’s hard to tell what you can expect when you visit a new church. So we thought we’d make it easy on you with this video –
this isn’t us!

A large “contemporary” church made this to make fun of “modern worship”. It’s evidently pretty predictable…

Our worship IS predictable, just nothing like this.

We think it’s important to read plenty of Holy Scripture, sing songs – and psalms – that have real meaning and for the people of God to gather and commune with their Lord weekly in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Without doing that, we might as well admit we’re trying to live life in our own strength and not God’s!

Enjoy the video… if you’re visiting our services, it WON’T be anything like this… have fun watching! Be sure to read the awards
at the end. They’re funny too!

“Sunday’s Coming” Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.