Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:
7:00 pm - Houlton Home
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
The Lord met us graciously this past Saturday. 45 men from the Sovereign Grace Churches in Santa Ana, Orange and Yuma gathered together to learn what the Bible has to say about human sexuality and how to grow in "glorifying God in our bodies” (1 Cor. 6:20). Pastor Erik Rangel served up one of the clearest and most coherent teachings on the subject most of us men have ever heard. We left well-served, prepared to serve one another and to enter into the fight, and profoundly grateful for our partnership with our sister churches.
See above for a photo recap and below for the full list of resources Pastor Erik Rangel suggested for further study.
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman
Pure in Heart: Sexual Sin and the Promises of God by J. Garrett Kell
Sex and the Supremacy of Christ by Editors: John Piper and Justin Taylor
God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas Kostenberger
Sexual Temptation: Establishing Guardrails and Winning the Battle by Randy Alcorn
The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy and Kathy Keller
Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning by Wayen Grudem
Friends and Lovers by Joel Beeke
Men of God by The Good Book Co. - Philip Jensen, Tim Chester, Rico Tice, Hugh Palmer and others
The Masculine Mandate by Richard D. Philipps
The Death of Porn, Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility by Ray Ortland
Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes
Every spring and fall, we hold a six session class over the course of twelve weeks (every other Monday) on a subject intended to contribute to the growth and sanctification of members of the church. This spring, we’ll be hosting a course on the topic of parenting. When our church was planted, there were 9 young children in the church. Now, there are more than 35. We have new parents, parents entering into new seasons and parents (likely every parent!) who just need some help faithfully raising their children in the counsel of the Lord.
If you are unable to secure consistent childcare for the class, we don’t want that to prevent you from registering. Therefore, childcare will be provided for those who need it. Please contact us with any questions regarding childcare.
If you’re a parent or even if you hope to become a parent in the future, make this class a priority. Each registered household will be required to purchase a copy of Parenting by Paul Tripp. Save the dates in your calendar; every other Monday beginning on February 28 and ending on May 9. Register today through the link below.
1 Samuel 22 presents a startlingly tragic event: Saul, the one charged with leading and protecting God’s people, slaughters God’s people. What he failed to do to Israel’s enemies, the Amalekites, he does to the people of Israel. By all appearances, it looks like God has left—like He’s not in this anymore. Until we discover that a man named Abiathar has escaped. What we learn from this passage is that God has historically preserved a remnant among His people throughout history and that He’s done so unfailingly. Furthermore, He’s preserved His guidance among His people. And the sure guarantee of both is His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you feel like you’re “losing” a sense of God’s guidance or presence? Listen to this week’s sermon to learn more.
God is growing Cross of Grace Santa Ana. This week we rejoiced with Pastor Jeff, Taylor, and big brother Otto as they welcomed baby Milo to their family. He was born healthy and, by God’s grace, Taylor is doing great!
Please pray for this new family of four as they adjust to a new pattern of life and rejoice with them in the grace of God through the giving of new life.
Be on the lookout in the coming days for a meal sign-up.
Our small groups are a context where biblical discipleship happens within the church. In other words, they’re small expressions of the local church where Gospel ministry takes place. Each group meets in a home, splitting their time between singing, praying, and discussion. Some groups include young children in their meetings. All groups welcome guests. Outside of Sunday mornings, these are the most important moments in the life of our local church. Carve this time out in your calendar every other week to be refreshed in the Gospel and to serve your friends by helping to point their lives to Christ.
Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:
7:00 pm - Houlton, Schlieder & Erkelens Home
10:00 am - The Lost Bean- Santa Ana
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
To be a Christian man is to carry a high calling. It’s a calling, above all things, to use the life you’ve been given to bring glory to Christ, your Savior. This importantly includes using your body to bring Him glory.
On Saturday, February 19, the men of Cross of Grace Santa Ana will be gathering to learn and have an honest conversation about Biblical sexuality. Erik Rangel, senior pastor from Legacy Church in Yuma, Arizona will be our guest speaker. We’ve reserved The Lost Bean in Santa Ana for the whole day, thanks to Jason Roenicke. Every man, high school-age and older should plan to be at this seminar. Take a moment and register today and expect God to make us men after His own heart.
David, unlike Saul, gives us a taste of the King Who is. But though he is a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14), he is not the King. He’s not God’s coming King. Why? Because he’s still an imperfect, sinful human being in need of the coming Savior King. 1 Samuel 21 bears this out. After David finds solace in covenant love in 1 Samuel 20, he quickly turns and resorts to worldly solutions and deceptive tactics to solve his problems. But in this and similar situations, you and many of us might say, “well, when your back is up against the wall, sometimes, you have to blur the lines of morality a bit”. But as David teaches us, this conclusion is borne out of a functional belief that God’s grace has reached its limit in your situation and further, it leads to disastrous consequences. Listen to last Sunday’s sermon to hear more.
This Sunday, we’re singing a new song that will lead us to delight in the love of our Triune God. Take a few minutes to listen to “Here Is Love” and read through the lyrics as you prepare your heart to worship.
