2020 HOSPITALITY CHALLENGE

This is the first month of our 2020 Hospitality Challenge. Over the past few weeks we have encouraged you to think of friends and neighbors outside the church that you could share a meal. We want you to be able to use both your home and your time for the glory of God and the good of our Santa Ana neighbors.

This is the first, Second Friday of the year.

Why are we doing a hospitality challenge? Because it’s one of the best ways to get to know and love new neighbors. Author Tim Chester says,

“Few acts are more expressive of companionship than the shared meal… . Someone with whom we share food is likely to be our friend, or well on the way to becoming one.”

In this, we’re simply following the model of Jesus, who used food as a means for effective Gospel ministry:

“Jesus spent his time eating and drinking—a lot of his time … His mission strategy was a long meal, stretching into the evening. He did evangelism and discipleship round a table with some grilled fish, a loaf of bread, and a pitcher of wine.”

For questions, please email office@sovgracesantaana.org.

This next Sunday, we begin a new sermon series in the book of 1 Thessalonians. We’ll spend the next 5 months as a church walking through this New Testament epistle written to a church of young Christians.

We’d recommend that you take some time to prayerfully prepare for this series. Pray for the men who will be preaching God’s Word. Pray for the Lord to use His Word to save sinners and sanctify His own. Also, familiarize yourself with the book by taking some time this week to read through it and discuss with those in your household.

We’ve made a version without chapters, verses or headings for you to read through.

ALL MEN, HIGH SCHOOL AGE AND OLDER, WELCOME

THURSDAY, 7:00PM

FRONT PATIO OF THE 4TH STREET MARKET

A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester

Hospitalidad Evangélica and Cómo practicar la hospitalidad bíblica por la Coalición Evangélica

By recommending a new book every month, we’re recommending resources to you that help you to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18). You do not have to purchase or read these books. They’re mere recommendations to assist you in choosing good books that help you to make the best use of the precious time you have.

January’s book of the month is “A Meal with Jesus” by Tim Chester. As we head into 2020 as a church, we’re making a concerted effort toward inviting our neighbors into our homes and into our lives. This book provides a Biblical basis for the practice of hospitality and describes how the simple act of sharing a meal together with our neighbors positions us to share the joy of Jesus.

“A Meal With Jesus” has not yet been translated into Spanish, so for our Spanish speakers, we are recommending two articles from the Gospel Coalition.

Purchase the book in English here.

Read the Spanish Articles Here and Here.

Your Language Is Directly Related To Your Name

In the first message of 2020, Kyle preached from Genesis 11:1-9 and addressed a subject that has tremendous relevance to our church today: the subject of language. In the past year, we’ve made many changes related to the accommodation of our Spanish-speaking members and neighbors. A very worthwhile question is, “why do this when we can simply relate to others with whom there are no language barriers?”. Genesis 11 helps us toward the answer by reminding us that the reason for such a proliferation of languages in the world is not a good one. But the work of Christ on the cross reversed Genesis 11 and informs how we ultimately answer the question. Whether you speak English, Spanish or any other language, take a listen to Sunday’s message.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

If You’ve Been Visiting Sovereign Grace Santa Ana And Haven’t Attended Starting Point, Register Now

REGISTER HERE

We’d like to invite you to our upcoming “Starting Point” class. It’s a class that takes place immediately after church this Sunday. Lunch will be served. It’s an opportunity to learn about the particular beliefs of our church and what those beliefs look like in practice in the life of our church together and with our community. If you’d like to attend, please register here or at the link above.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SERVICE AT THE HOULTON HOUSE

LUNCH PROVIDED

The Gospel Coalition Has Designed An Initiative To Help You

The Gospel Coalition is launching an initiative for 2020 called “Read the Bible”. The goal is to help individual Christians and churches feast on God’s Word in the coming year. Here’s what it’ll involve:

1. Bible Reading Plan. Reading the Bible following Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s plan, which will take us through the entire Bible in a year (including the New Testament and Psalms twice). This is the main course. The rest are side dishes. Download the PDF reading plan, print out, and place it in your Bible. Consider printing out copies to give away and invite others to join you as you commit to the reading plan.

2. Daily Newsletter. A daily newsletter with Don Carson’s devotional reflection along with weekly discussion questions for small groups, Sunday school classes, and church reading groups. Subscribe to the newsletter.

3. Podcast. An audio-podcast reading of Don Carson’s For the Love of God (vol. 1), a daily devotional commentary that follows the M’Cheyne reading plan.

4. Online Articles. Bible and theology articles on TGC’s website that track with the weekly Bible readings and help us answer tough questions that arise from what we’re reading in God’s Word.

Subscribe To The Newsletter And Podcast

2020 HOSPITALITY CHALLENGE

For the last two years, every first Friday, we’ve encouraged you to join with your church family in a “First Friday Fast”. These were opportunities for us to practice the disciplines of praying and fasting, while bearing the needs and burdens of one another and our neighbors together in a unique way.

As we enter this new year, we have a new Second Friday opportunity for you - and it relates to how you use both your home and your time for the glory of God and the good of our Santa Ana neighbors. The challenge is simple - every second Friday, share a meal with a person or a family outside of our church. This can be in your home, their home or at another location.

EVERY SECOND FRIDAY, SHARE A MEAL WITH A PERSON OR A FAMILY OUTSIDE OF OUR CHURCH

Why hospitality? Because it’s one of the best ways to get to know and love new neighbors. Author Tim Chester says,

“Few acts are more expressive of companionship than the shared meal… . Someone with whom we share food is likely to be our friend, or well on the way to becoming one.”

In this, we’re simply following the model of Jesus, who used food as a means for effective Gospel ministry:

“Jesus spent his time eating and drinking—a lot of his time … His mission strategy was a long meal, stretching into the evening. He did evangelism and discipleship round a table with some grilled fish, a loaf of bread, and a pitcher of wine.”

More details to come. For questions, email office@sovgracesantaana.org.

The Lord is Doing Great Things in Latin America Through Our Sister Churches

In October, Sovereign Grace Churches held the Latin American Pastor’s Conference and we are excited to share their report. Head to this link to learn more about this conference and see how God is moving in Latin America. Take time as well to pray for our brothers & sisters who are laboring to spread the joy of Jesus in that region.

A Benchmark Of Renewal and New Beginnings

The New Year is often a time to reflect upon the year-gone-by; a time to look forward to the possibilities and opportunities of a year whose pages are yet to be written; an opportunity to resolve to start afresh in an area that has grown slack, unproductive or simply absent. However you prepare to enter this New Year, go into it reminded of the ultimate “new beginning” and the greatest “renewal” this world has ever seen - and it didn’t come merely with the arrival of a new year. It came through the salvation of Jesus Christ. His perfect life credited to us gives us a more perfect victory, a more satisfying success than any resolution could ever give us. His sacrificial death wiped the slate of our past sins and failures more completely than the ending of an old year could. May this New Year remind you of the new life, new identity, new hope and new community that the work of our Savior, Jesus Christ has offered you by grace through faith in Him.

Happy New Year indeed.