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 - Fourth Street Market Patio
3:00 pm-7:00 pm- Houlton Home
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
It was announced this past Sunday that pastor Kyle Houlton and his family will be taking a 6 week sabbatical this summer from May 22-July 3. Here are three points to help you understand what that means:
This is a good thing - Nothing is wrong. No bad thing has happened. Quite the opposite. We believe that God has prioritized rest among His people (the principle of Sabbath) for the sake of admitting we are limited and need a strength outside of ourselves. After 6 years of church planting work in Santa Ana and 11 years in ministry, this 6 week break represents a healthy pattern of rest. In fact, as we dream of Cross of Grace Santa Ana being “the next 100 year church” in our city, we are ambitious that each leader in the church take this kind of rest every 7-8 years.
This is for the church - While during that 6 week time period, the Houlton family will be taking a two week vacation and will be relieved from regular weekly church responsibilities, this sabbatical isn’t only for the sake of R&R. Kyle will spend much of the time reading on selected topics, praying specifically, and seeking the Lord’s will for the next several years of our church. After nearly 5 years of our church’s existence, Kyle will be asking the Lord, “where should our church be going, who have you positioned us to reach, how can we further glorify Christ in our midst?”.
This is something that requires your prayer - Suffice it to say, we’re hoping that a lot is accomplished through this sabbatical. We’re hoping the Houlton family returns to serving refreshed and rejuvenated for another decade of ministry. We’re hoping that Kyle is equipped and envisioned to lead our church alongside Jeff as they follow Jesus’ - the Chief Shepherd’s - leadership. In order for this to happen, your prayer is essential. Would you pray for the effectiveness of this sabbatical for the good of our church and for the glory of God?
If you have questions about the particulars, please feel free to talk with the pastoral team. Otherwise, more details will be shared at the upcoming May 22 members meeting.
We spent 9 months walking together through a sermon series in the book of 1 Samuel. It would be a tragedy if after all that time, you left without a big picture lesson to take with you for daily life. So, this last Sunday, Pastor Kyle preached a message from 2 Samuel 1-12 to reinforce a central lesson that’s taught in 1 Samuel and reiterated through 2 Samuel. That lesson? That God’s promised King, who reigns over all other kings and the universe itself, is all for His people. And if you belong to that king - King Jesus - through the obedience of faith, you belong to that people. You can be assured through promises like the one God made to David in 1 Samuel 7 and through the story told in 1 Samuel 11-12 that He has exerted all His power and wisdom over the course of human history to do good to His people. This is a lesson you need to take with you wherever you go. Listen to Sunday’s sermon to learn more.
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.
This Friday, the Roenicke small group will be taking the OC Rescue Mission Chili Van out into our city to share a meal - and the Gospel - with our homeless neighbors. They’re going into our city to speak to our city. If you’re not a member of the Roenicke small group, but would like to join the Chili Van outreach this month, let your small group leader and Jason Roenicke know.
Jesus is far more than a good example. Before Jesus is our example, He’s our Savior. He did what we simply could not do in our place that we might be reconciled to God. But Jesus is not less than our example (5:1-2). His life serves as the best model for God-honoring living. So, as we strive to love our Santa Ana neighbors and we find it difficult or we become stuck or we lose our way, where should we turn for inspiration, motivation and direction? There’s no better place to start than the life of Jesus Christ. In this month’s book of the month, author Jerram Barrs excellently illuminates the life of the one who “came not to be served, but to serve and to seek and save the lost” (Mark 10:45) so that we might be able to do the same in our endeavor to follow Him. Pick up this outstanding book today.
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:
6:00 pm - OCRM Chili Van
7:00 pm - Houlton or Erkelens Home
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
After 9 months of sermons, our series in the OT book of 1 Samuel has come to an end. And it ended in a similar way to how it began. 1 Samuel began without a king in the land and everyone doing what was right in their own eyes (see Judges 21:25). The story ends without a king in the land because he only did what was right in his own eyes. The story of the establishment of the monarchy in Israel ends with the death of the bad king, Saul. Saul was the king like all the nations that the people had wanted (1 Sam 8:5), but at the end of the day he was not the king they needed. His failure to deliver his people in battle represents the failure of every one of our false kings to deliver us from trouble and bring us into blessing.
On this dark day in Israel’s history, all the hopes the people had placed in Saul were dashed and disappointed as their army was defeated, their king was humiliated, and their lands taken by the Philistines in battle. Have your hopes ever come crashing down? Have you placed your trust in false kings that have failed you? There’s good news for you, because as dark as this day was, it ends with a glimpse of light. There’s hope because even though there was no human king on the throne, God, the King who is, never stopped reigning. And just as he removed the bad king, he’d raise up the True King who’d never let his people down. Listen to the message and renew your hope in the King who is.
During last year’s Sovereign Grace Churches Pastors Conference, Josh Blount led a breakout session encouraging pastors, wives and leaders to set their eyes on their heavenly citizenship. Josh Blount is a unique gift to our family of churches. He is a blend of towering intellect and pastoral gentleness, theological skill and shepherding instinct. In this session he winsomely defines and analyzes three significant unbiblical pressures that churches are facing today and provides a theological alternative to help us guard the heavenly and Biblical identity of our congregation.
Women at all stages of life are invited to come and learn how to be women whose lives honor God - women who live in light of the Gospel.
Women’s Meeting takes place on the 4th Thursday of every month at 7pm at the Schlieder Home. We hope to see you there!
